VarleyLog
We Bought a Tesla!
Here’s what happened. Lee came across what looked like a tiny, yellowing IOU at the bottom of some ancient records. It was from the Tooth Fairy, and she said she was a little short of cash and would pay me a dime the next night. It was dated May 8, 1954. I was seven! She’s still in business, you know, the Tooth Fairy, so Lee tracked her down and demanded payment. The old biddy was not ...
More details »Looking Back
James Bacon Gets a STAR
When: Friday, April 6, 2007 at 11:30 a.m.
Location: 1637 Vine Street, south of Hollywood Blvd.
She was drinking champagne and straight vodka and occasionally popping a pill, … I said, “Marilyn, the combination of pills and alcohol will kill you.” And she said, “It hasn’t killed me yet.” Then she took another drink and popped another pill. I ...
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Novels
Millennium
In the skies over Oakland, California, a DC-10 and a 747 are about to collide. And in the far distant future, a time-travel team is preparing to snatch the passengers, leaving prefabricated smoking bodies behind for the rescue teams to find. And an air disaster investigator gets a phone call that changes his life … and the world as we know it.
This novel was based on John’s ...
More details »Movie Reviews
Up to His Ears
The original French title translates as “The Troubles of a Chinaman in China.” It is taken (very broadly) from a story by Jules Verne, of all people. Jean-Paul Belmondo is a suicidal billionaire whose interest in life is revived when he learns he his broke. But there is a contract out on him, and before long literally half of Hong Kong is out to kill him. He is accompanied by Ursula ...
More details »Collections
The John Varley Reader
The John Varley Reader is a representative collection of 18 of the science fiction short stories by John Varley, first published in paperback in September 2004. It features five new stories. Each story is preceded by an autobiographical introduction; until this book Varley had avoided discussing himself, or his works, in print.
Short Fiction
In Fading Suns and Dying Moons
Fermi asked of extraterrestrials, “Where is everybody?” Perhaps we might not want to know.
More details »Titan: An Overview
A Short Overview of Titan
Here's a very short but quite impressive video made by Jean-Paul Verne, a fly-through of Gaea from my trilogy. M. Verne wants to be involved if a movie ever gets made. Over the years many, many people have written to me wishing these books would be made into a movie. Naturally, I'd like that, too. Let's hope this is not as close as we'll ever get.
More details »Accidental Hippies
Accidental Hippies
Sometime not long after my high school graduation I was studying at Michigan State University when my long-time girlfriend dumped me. I entered such a state of depression that I could not continue in college. So I dropped out and decided to hit the road with Chris Kingsley, my best friend in the world. Chris had much more experience of life on the road than I did, had actually hitched to ...
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