Folks, I know I promised to lay off the sauce. It didn’t work out so well. A man’s constitution is only so strong. A little bit of poison helps the world go down. Unfortunately, I’ve become like Mithridates, and no amount of poison will kill me. Not even the more than lethal amount found within…
There are quite a few books I was looking forward to this year, and this one did not disappoint. The Blighted Stars by Megan O'Keefe is the first in a new science fiction trilogy, known as The Devoured Worlds, that is shaping up to be a dark and thrilling ride. Earth is dying, the few…
Since we’re fast approaching summer in the northern hemisphere, we should take some time to appreciate some of the things we associate with spring: the turn towards warmer weather, the blooming of flowers, and of course, the life-giving rains. However, Naomi Salman has chosen violence and made the rain something to fear in her debut…
Folks, I bamboozled myself. A book sauntered its way into my smoke filled office, almost spilling out of its dress. There was a look in its eyes, one of deep need, tinted with a mysterious vengeance. I poured the book and myself a drink. We both needed one. Theirs was for the hard days of…
Africa Risen is a sizable collection of stories from Africa and the African Diaspora edited by Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight. The featured stories are a mixture of science fiction, fantasy and even some horror. Though a few fell flat for me, the majority of the pieces grabbed my attention and…
Science fiction and horror go together like peanut butter and jelly. It’s a delicious concoction that begs to be devoured whenever it makes its way to my plate. And much like the sandwich, there is no perfect ratio of jelly to peanut butter, each sandwich offering its highs and lows, but always delectably finishable. But…
Continue reading ➞ The Scourge Between Stars – Fills The Void
Science Fiction can be as expansive as our galaxy and only aims to grow larger and more diverse as time marches inexorably forward. If you’re new to the genre, or even a veteran looking to expand your horizons, it can feel overwhelming to find the right break-in points. Do you think aliens are cool? Or…
Continue reading ➞ Your Star Chart to Science Fiction, No Not That Kind of Star Chart
There is not a whole lot of climate fiction out there yet, even though the niche seems to be growing more and more each year. But there has always been one author who has pervaded this small genre whenever people mentioned it: Paolo Bacigalupi. I had read one of his short stories a long while…
This novella slaps, and I can’t talk about it until everyone reads it, so go read it. Do you know what I need more of? Science fiction architecture stories. There feels like there is a real untapped potential here. I want to see buildings brimming with strange technology. I want to see how the people…
Back in 2021, The Forever Sea, by Joshua Phillip Johnson was on our Dark Horse list. I enjoyed the book, but it was brought to heel by the lack of character. Over time I think the book lost some of its luster, but I still remembered the sweeping landscapes painted in my brain by Johnson’s…
