Up Against It, by Laura J. Mixon, was a novel I missed upon its initial release in 2011 (published with the pseudonym M.J. Locke). I was only a wee sci-fi book baby, lost in the bookstore, lured by flashy titles and flashier book covers. But with Tor Essentials providing readers with a reprint and a…
Continue reading ➞ Up Against It – Between May Space Rocks and Several Hard Places
Last year I had the pleasure of diving into Black Leopard, Red Wolf while I was on a long weekend getaway with my girlfriend. Marlon James’ dreamlike writing paired with the surreal scenes and stream of consciousness narrative dragged me into his book as if it were a black hole. I had a hard time…
Continue reading ➞ Moon Witch, Spider King – A Total Eclipse of the Heart
Ominous titles portrayed on stunning covers that fill me with a sense of dread are a sure fire bet to getting my attention. Whether the book is a science fiction epic, or short jaunt through a fantastical realm, I’m always game when that lethal marketing combination is aimed my way. Malcolm Devlin’s tale of horror…
Continue reading ➞ And Then I Woke Up – A Matryoshka Doll of Nightmares
I’ve remarked on how my movie habits tend to lean towards horror with a heavy helping of science fiction, and I can start to feel my reading habit slide in that direction too. Horror is the proverbial jam to the peanut butter that is science fiction. That is to say, yeah, I read another spooky…
This year I’ve decided I need to catch up on some of the big science fiction classics and recent acclaimed series. The Three Body Problem has sat on my mental bookshelf ever since I first heard of it, and I was afraid I’d be too dumb to understand it. Upon reading it, however, I had…
Continue reading ➞ The Dark Forest – Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter
It’s easy to be a sucker for fun, memey marketing. Any opportunity for irony instantly draws me in and lights up the dark corners of my irreverent brain. When I initially saw All The Horses of Iceland, by Sarah Tolmie, I was slightly interested based on its premise. However, I was sucker punched by the…
Back in the olden times of just over two years ago, I read Sisters of the Vast Black, a charming novella about a small convent of nuns in outer space. Lina Rather’s debut in the novella scene captured my imagination and heart and left me wanting more. Fortunately, Rather has decided to continue the story of…
Continue reading ➞ Sisters of the Forsaken Stars – The Nuns Are Back In Space
Last year I read Light Chaser, a collaboration between Peter F. Hamilton and Gareth L. Powell, and it birthed a desire to give Powell a deeper look. Having read a lot of Hamilton, my sense was that Powel’s work added a bit of blood to the sprawling imagination Hamilton usually provides. Instead of going with…
Continue reading ➞ Stars and Bones – Missing The Marrow For The Bones
The covers of Mike Chen’s books have haunted my Goodreads feed and the genre’s “most anticipated” lists for years. The synopses beckon like a faint siren’s call, but I never found the time to pick one up and dive in. Well, this year I decided to break out of the vicious cycle, and by god…
Continue reading ➞ Light Years From Home – There’s No Warp Speed For Family Drama
Back in 2020, Jesus, yeah, two years ago, I read a little novella by the name of Riot Baby. Tochi Onyebuchi’s novella hit very close to home considering the events of 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd. It was one of my instant favorites, and I still feel the righteous anger that poured…
