Classic SF with Andy Johnson
@andyjohnson.xyz
Exploring classic science fiction, with a focus on the 1950s to the 1990s. Weekly articles and podcast at andyjohnson.xyz
Covers for various editions of The Reproductive System (1968) by Leo and Diane Dillon, Chris Foss, Jack Gaughan, and Mark Wilson.
November 8, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Covers for various editions of The Reproductive System (1968) by Leo and Diane Dillon, Chris Foss, Jack Gaughan, and Mark Wilson.
Always a pleasure to find interesting SF books in unlikely places.
October 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Always a pleasure to find interesting SF books in unlikely places.
Some unexpected purchases today, from a lovely second hand bookshop in a former chapel at Hidcote Manor Gardens.
October 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Some unexpected purchases today, from a lovely second hand bookshop in a former chapel at Hidcote Manor Gardens.
Four editions of Silverberg's The Masks of Time (1968), with cover art by Paul Alexander, Bruce Pennington, Chris Achilleos, and Bob Haberfield. Achilleos' art for the 1972 Tandem edition uses the title for early UK editions, Vornan-19 (the name of the visitor from 2999).
October 18, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Four editions of Silverberg's The Masks of Time (1968), with cover art by Paul Alexander, Bruce Pennington, Chris Achilleos, and Bob Haberfield. Achilleos' art for the 1972 Tandem edition uses the title for early UK editions, Vornan-19 (the name of the visitor from 2999).
Four entries in the Tit-Bits Science Fiction Library (1953 - 1955), all with brilliantly gaudy cover art by Ron Turner (1922 - 1998).
October 18, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Four entries in the Tit-Bits Science Fiction Library (1953 - 1955), all with brilliantly gaudy cover art by Ron Turner (1922 - 1998).
More thrifty lunchtime purchases: a little-discussed PKD, my first Lem, and a late-90s Sterling.
October 10, 2025 at 1:28 PM
More thrifty lunchtime purchases: a little-discussed PKD, my first Lem, and a late-90s Sterling.
Two acquisitions at 50p each this lunchtime, '90s novels by two authors I'm yet to read anything by: Silver Screen (1999) by Justina Robson and Fairyland (1995) by Paul J. McAuley.
October 8, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Two acquisitions at 50p each this lunchtime, '90s novels by two authors I'm yet to read anything by: Silver Screen (1999) by Justina Robson and Fairyland (1995) by Paul J. McAuley.
Comments on the site make my day! Received a nice one on a piece I wrote a couple of years ago on Alan Dean Foster's novel Sentenced to Prism (1985), a very entertaining adventure set on a planet that teems with silicon-based life.
October 2, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Comments on the site make my day! Received a nice one on a piece I wrote a couple of years ago on Alan Dean Foster's novel Sentenced to Prism (1985), a very entertaining adventure set on a planet that teems with silicon-based life.
"...a set of exciting SF adventures which [...] become surprisingly moving." Here's your clip of podcast episode 173 (the audio version of this week's article), introducing what I think makes Brunner's combination of alternate history and time travel special.
October 2, 2025 at 8:31 PM
"...a set of exciting SF adventures which [...] become surprisingly moving." Here's your clip of podcast episode 173 (the audio version of this week's article), introducing what I think makes Brunner's combination of alternate history and time travel special.
The three Society of Time novelettes - "Spoil of Yesterday", "The Word Not Written", and "The Fullness of Time" - were first published in three consecutive issues of Science Fiction Adventures in the summer of 1962. Cover art for all three issues by Brian Lewis.
October 2, 2025 at 8:26 PM
The three Society of Time novelettes - "Spoil of Yesterday", "The Word Not Written", and "The Fullness of Time" - were first published in three consecutive issues of Science Fiction Adventures in the summer of 1962. Cover art for all three issues by Brian Lewis.
This week's article will cover the superb Society of Time trilogy of stories (1962) by John Brunner, brought back into print by the British Library in 2020. Sign up here to get a weekly classic SF update: classicsfwithandyjohnson.eo.page/psj1x
September 30, 2025 at 5:56 PM
This week's article will cover the superb Society of Time trilogy of stories (1962) by John Brunner, brought back into print by the British Library in 2020. Sign up here to get a weekly classic SF update: classicsfwithandyjohnson.eo.page/psj1x
I can strongly recommend this book. Mike Ashley crafts a very engaging history of British SF from 1895 to 1966, with a mix of well known and obscure inclusions.
September 29, 2025 at 5:50 PM
I can strongly recommend this book. Mike Ashley crafts a very engaging history of British SF from 1895 to 1966, with a mix of well known and obscure inclusions.
One purchase this week: the 1970s Pan edition of The Deep Range (1957) by Arthur C. Clarke, one of his earlier novels that I am yet to read.
September 28, 2025 at 4:51 PM
One purchase this week: the 1970s Pan edition of The Deep Range (1957) by Arthur C. Clarke, one of his earlier novels that I am yet to read.
Orbitsville series cover art by David Schleinkofer (1977), Bob Eggleton (1985 and 1989), and possibly Colin Hay (any ideas?).
September 25, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Orbitsville series cover art by David Schleinkofer (1977), Bob Eggleton (1985 and 1989), and possibly Colin Hay (any ideas?).
Purchase 2 of 2 from today: Equator (1973) by Brian Aldiss. This is a bit curious. It's a novella ("Equator") and a novelette ("Segregation"), both originally published in New Worlds in 1958, but only the former is mentioned on the cover.
September 20, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Purchase 2 of 2 from today: Equator (1973) by Brian Aldiss. This is a bit curious. It's a novella ("Equator") and a novelette ("Segregation"), both originally published in New Worlds in 1958, but only the former is mentioned on the cover.
Purchase 1 of 2 from today: the 1991 revised, hardcover edition of Bob Shaw's early novel The Shadow of Heaven (1969). I thought the abridged version of this was poor; one day I may see how this one compares.
September 20, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Purchase 1 of 2 from today: the 1991 revised, hardcover edition of Bob Shaw's early novel The Shadow of Heaven (1969). I thought the abridged version of this was poor; one day I may see how this one compares.
Two purchases this weekend, £3 in total. I now have most of the novels credited to Iain Banks, all that remains is to start reading them...
August 31, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Two purchases this weekend, £3 in total. I now have most of the novels credited to Iain Banks, all that remains is to start reading them...
Getting properly started on this.
August 30, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Getting properly started on this.
The first edition of Remake was a deluxe product put out by publisher Mark V. Ziesing, and limited to 2,000 signed copies and priced at $40. The cover art is by Arnie Fenner. According to the ISFDB, this was available in December 1994, but the novel is coprighted 1995.
August 28, 2025 at 8:09 PM
The first edition of Remake was a deluxe product put out by publisher Mark V. Ziesing, and limited to 2,000 signed copies and priced at $40. The cover art is by Arnie Fenner. According to the ISFDB, this was available in December 1994, but the novel is coprighted 1995.
Covers for Timescape by Terry Pastor, Pamela Lee, Chris Moore, and One Plus One Studio (the first edition).
August 22, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Covers for Timescape by Terry Pastor, Pamela Lee, Chris Moore, and One Plus One Studio (the first edition).
Just finished Wingspan + Asia over here - this was the before shot...
August 15, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Just finished Wingspan + Asia over here - this was the before shot...
Yesterday's charity shop finds in Cheltenham: Pangborn, Willis, Harness, and Alan Dean Foster's debut novel. Love the Willis cover art by Gary Ruddell.
August 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Yesterday's charity shop finds in Cheltenham: Pangborn, Willis, Harness, and Alan Dean Foster's debut novel. Love the Willis cover art by Gary Ruddell.
Just arrived: fourth printing of the US first edition of The Snow Queen (1980) by Joan D. Vinge. This novel won the 1981 Hugo for Best Novel, and last had a UK edition in 1988.
August 14, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Just arrived: fourth printing of the US first edition of The Snow Queen (1980) by Joan D. Vinge. This novel won the 1981 Hugo for Best Novel, and last had a UK edition in 1988.
Appreciate the discussion and feedback on last week's article - here's a snippet from the audio/podcast version (episode 167), available wherever podcasts are sold.
August 11, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Appreciate the discussion and feedback on last week's article - here's a snippet from the audio/podcast version (episode 167), available wherever podcasts are sold.