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A fascinating tale set in a world where people are physically separated into six factions. To one faction, members of other factions can be physically invisible. But now a deadly disease called the Dispersion is affecting their bodies, making them become part of another faction. And it's up to a group of scientists to figure out how their world works and how the Dispersion affects them.

This is the most stunning science fiction novel I've read in years. To see such scope and grandeur in an independent title makes my heart sing!

You'll come for the mechs and ancient alien horrors, but you'll stay for the archaeology and one of the best robot-human buddy pairings since Iain M. Banks' Culture series.

Perhaps not the marathon you want to do in one sitting. However, warts and all, this is a great pool for the occasional dip into Lovecraft when the mood takes you.

A better than average last issue of this magazine to be edited by C.C. Finlay. It features interesting stories by Robert Reed, Jonathan L. Howard, John Kessel, Lavie Tidhar and James Morrow. "N-raptured" by Justin C. Key, however, may be too US-centric a story to be enjoyed by those who are not familiar with racism and the use of racial words in the US against African-Americans.

Fans of urban fantasy looking for a protagonist who is a little more... mature, will love Becoming Crone.

Claire has seen it all, or so she thinks. Her world-weariness, her highly-developed lack of trust, and her not-unexpected ability to expect things to go wrong make her the perfect character to introduce us to a world of witches, gargoyles, werewolves, and witches, plenty of witches.

My review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/fiction/2024/20240821-SignTimes.html ]

What a fantastic 'Weird West', magic, action, adventure tale!

This carefully constructed alternative Western story is populated with interesting, but not always likeable, characters. The magic is strange and unpredictable, and is very much part of the world, not added on top.

While a YA fantasy, the book never shies away from addressing the very real violence and horror of genocide.

An average issue of F&SF, with interesting stories by Stefan Slater, Prashanth Srivatsa, Madalena Daleziou, David D. Levine, Dane Kuttler and Robert Reed.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/FantasyAndScienceFiction/20230117-FSF202301.html ]

An okay issue of Interzone, with the more interesting stories by Joanna Berry, David Tallerman and Tim Chawaga.

A brilliantly modern take on the werewolf slayer trope where a growing, changing character discovers that the real predators are usually the men in her life.

There's much more to this book than how Elkie kills werewolves and works out where they're coming from. Her relationships change, she finds out what she's capable of, not just killing 'furred-up' beasts, but farming, rescuing, growing.

A better than average first issue of Interzone under new management. Some interesting stories here by J.F. Sebastian, Kat Clay, Daniel Bennett and a possible non-fiction piece by Liviu Surugiu.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Interzone/20230215-Interzone294.html ]

A beautiful, heart-breaking, and hopeful book.

The cycle of it, the 'world outside'. And an enduring message of simply being.