The nitty-gritty: Ai Jiang explores grief and loss in this unsettling, beautifully written tale. “This town worships the dead, but it has no respect for the living.” Ai Jiang is destined to be an important author in the horror field, if she isn’t already. Linghun was one of the most unusual stories I’ve ever read, […]
The nitty-gritty: Fonda Lee populates her latest story with mythological creatures, resulting in a thrilling, heartfelt story. Untethered Sky is quite a change from Fonda Lee’s Green Bone saga, but I was happy to see that her storytelling and writing are just as strong, even in such a short format. This is a story about […]
The nitty-gritty: Gareth L. Powell raises the stakes—and then raises them again—in this stellar stand-alone sequel to Stars and Bones. Descendant Machine is the most fun I’ve had all year! Gareth L. Powell has not only written a sequel that’s better than the first book, but he completely changed the vibe as well. Stars & […]
The nitty-gritty: An audacious idea, stellar writing, black humor galore and a well paced plot make Death Watch a “can’t miss” thriller. Sometimes I take a chance on an author or a publisher I’ve never worked with before, and sometimes it pays off big time. I had a blast with Death Watch, a high concept […]
The nitty-gritty: The Scourge Between Stars had plenty of thrilling action, but the story itself was too big for the short format. Horror in space is one of my favorite tropes, and Ness Brown’s story of a generation ship being attacked by a hidden predator was extremely tense and scary. I also thought it was […]
The nitty-gritty: Historical fiction, horror and well developed characters come together in Victor LaValle’s latest, a thoroughly entertaining story that celebrates strong, resourceful women. “Now they had seen it, but still hadn’t faced it. It could remain a trick of the light, a spot across their eyes, a mass delusion. But the moment they rode […]
The nitty-gritty: T. Kingfisher mashes together Southern gothic creepiness, a cast of unforgettable characters, and plenty of humor in A House With Good Bones, a thoroughly entertaining haunted house story. “There is probably something more awkward than the morning after you’ve found a jar of teeth and your mother has admitted she thinks she’s being […]
The nitty-gritty: An excellent sequel, Hel’s Eight brings readers more of Ten Low‘s desolate and dangerous desert setting and larger than life characters, with just the right balance of action and emotion. Last year I read Stark Holborn’s Ten Low and loved it, and I’m so happy that the author decided to continue Ten’s story. […]
The nitty-gritty: Epic in scope but intimate in characterization, Infinity Gate introduces a fascinating multiverse with a high stakes plot, plenty of twists and relentless pacing. M.R. Carey won my heart years ago when I read The Girl With All the Gifts, and since then his stories have never failed to impress me. And Infinity […]
The nitty-gritty: A promising idea turned sour for me, as the relationship drama overwhelmed the fascinating wolf plot. Feed Them Silence has an intriguing premise: in the future, an interface has been developed that will link the minds of a human and a wolf, thus enabling humans to better understand a near extinct species. Sean […]