The nitty-gritty: An ambitious genre mash-up that tackles such diverse topics as poverty, imaginary friends, space exploration and family bonds. We Hear Voices caught me off guard, but in a good way. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I didn’t realize this was science fiction/dystopian when I started reading it. It looks like […]
The nitty-gritty: Andrew Shaffer skewers publishing and 80s horror in this homage to the genre, complete with a Christmas setting. Lussi parked Agnes’s Yugo around the corner from the Blackwood Building underneath a burned-out streetlight. It was nearly three in the morning. She had never stolen a car before and never planned to again. Tonight […]
The nitty-gritty: Escape Pod the podcast celebrates fifteen years with this very strong collection of fifteen short stories that illustrate the vast imagination and high quality of science fiction today. Anthologies are usually a mixed bag for me, but wow, I’m happy to say that Escape Pod is one of the strongest anthologies I’ve ever […]
The nitty-gritty: Full of fun 90s nostalgia, This is Not the Jess Show has twists and surprises, plenty of action, and even some sweet emotional moments. This is a hard book to talk about without spoiling some major plot points, but I’m going to do my best. I’m taking a cue from the blurb on […]
The nitty-gritty: Lovecraft meets The Twilight Zone in this fast-paced, monster-filled horror story. This was a lot of fun! I wasn’t sure what to expect from Eight Cylinders, and I definitely got something a little different, but I ended up really enjoying this book. As you might have guessed from the cover, there’s a Lovecraft […]
The nitty-gritty: A stunning follow-up to The Bone Ships, R.J. Barker’s thrilling, intricately plotted seafaring fantasy is just as good, if not better, than the first book. The gullaime made their way to the windspire, a curved, pale bone-like piece of rock that sang to Joron—the spires always sang, and it was a song Joron […]
The nitty-gritty: I enjoyed the well thought out futuristic world and exciting action sequences, but overall the story suffered from a few rookie mistakes. The Rush’s Edge is a fast-paced space opera debut that had plenty of thrilling moments and lots of action, and I enjoyed parts of it very much. However, I did have […]
The nitty-gritty: DiLouie explores the emotional aftermath of surviving a doomsday cult in his latest, a dark and atmospheric tale steeped in mystery. The Children of Red Peak is my third Craig DiLouie book, and once again I’m in awe of his storytelling skills and the way he is able to evoke emotions. DiLouie tends […]
The nitty-gritty: An enjoyable but slightly uneven sequel in K. Eason’s imaginative Star Wars inspired space opera series. Last year I was surprised by how much I loved How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse, so I was very excited to read the sequel. And for the most part, I enjoyed it. Rory Thorne was more […]
The nitty-gritty: Malerich brings some interesting ideas to the table, but the novella format was just too short in this case, and didn’t allow for much story or character development. The Factory Witches of Lowell takes place in nineteenth century Lowell, Massachusetts (the exact date is never mentioned) during the boom in the production of […]