Recommended Books

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.

I proofread this book for the author, thinking it wouldn't be my kind of thing, but I LOVED IT! Loads of fun, really creepy in parts and full of magic and danger.

Set in Leeds, it includes references to actual magical practices and Yorkshire's thriving magic sub-culture.

A great, fast-paced story with a strong 'Do It Herself' female lead. Can't wait to proof read the sequel.

A Duet for Invisible Strings is a romance novella filled with music, mystery, and love, with a paranormal twist, and is my perfect romance story.

The writing is often haunting, and at other times, sweetly hilarious. Which, in all, paints the most wonderful picture.

A beautiful romance that I just couldn't put down. A must read for anyone looking for deep characters in a short book.

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

Beautiful prose, evocative story, clever book that threw me back on my haunches and made me want to re-read it immediately.

The beauty of the prose is only matched by the imagination behind the world-building. This novella, while short, breaks my heart, reforms it, and breaks it once more.

While the writing itself might not be to everyone's tastes, you cannot deny its beauty. Each sentence is carved and crafted, each paragraph moulded into art.

Reading Kai Ashante Wilson's work is an experience not to be missed.

good read, but more up to date info available at the daisy knowledge base.

Gritty, relentless, uniquely West Yorkshire and above all, realistic. Come for the plot, stay for the intense detail, well-drawn characters and well-thought-out political backdrop.

Fun, busy, and it was 3 years ago when I read it and I can't remember anything about the story, which is great because that means it's time to read it again!

A fantastic collection of gut-wrenching tales.

The imagery will stay with you, as will the depth to which Shane Hawk is willing and able to explore his indigenous Cheyenne and Arapaho heritage. Crafting tales that provide a refreshing point-of-view and unique imagery that get into your brain and writhe behind your eyes.

Can't wait to read a longer work by the author. Need more!

Like All Is Fair, this was a busy novel that I was sorry to finish. Can't fault it on length, plenty to read, and the story is lots of fun, crammed with action.

Arachne is an unique entry in the cyberpunk genre. It steps between the dystopia of William Gibson and the otherworldliness of Phillip K. Dick.

Full of 'almost' body-horror, corporations so mega that they transact court cases in nanoseconds, and AI characters with more spiritualism in their circuits than the humans that inhabit this post Big-One San Francisco.

A must-read for cyberpunk fans!

This isn't your propaganda-and-trope filled flag-waver. B-Mecha is fully aware of its place in Mech vs. Kaiju lore, and up-ends it in glorious West Yorkshire fashion.

We're given a concise yet comprehensive view of the lay-of-the-land, and the personal toll when Michael receives very little thanks for the dangerous work he does.

Love it!

Gaie Sebold has created such a rich universe of worlds and characters in her Babylon Steel novels, that you can't help finding something to enjoy.

For me the two books have been a complete blast and I can't wait for the third... when it arrives.

They are FUN! That's not to say there's no emotion, pathos, danger and risk in them. Not at all.

An absolute riot of multi-world fantasy fiction.

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.

I love a good zine! And Between the Scanlines hits the sweet spot for me; not too long that it stretches each issue, yet filled with plenty of retro gaming info.

Sasha and Kit are doing amazing work here. Buy as many issues as you can, and fill your eyes with gaming goodness with a lovely helping of personality and passion!

Brilliant introduction into the fucked up mind of Chuck Wendig.

Fun urban fantasy with sapphic witches and demoness, can’t say no to that !

Absolutely loved this occult murder mystery novella!

It's so much fun! It's fast-paced, has tonnes of likeable characters, some f/f smoochieness, magic, demons, and vampires. And while it's the start of a series, it has a complete story of its own - ensuring you get a nice neat-ish ending at the same time as teasing more adventures to come.

Will definitely read this series!

Fun story, great details, and some really nice writing.

An average issue, with interesting stories by Fiona Moore, Amal Singh, Lettie Prell and Ken Liu.

Full review at [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/373246/s/an-average-issue-of-clarkesworld ]

An average issue of Clarkesworld, with interesting stories by M. L. Clark, Alan Kubatiev and Gregory Feeley, and a disturbing story involving family abuse by Thomas Ha.

Full review at [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/392987/s/an-average-issue-of-clarkesworld ]

A better than average issue, with interesting stories by Isabel J. Kim, Nadia Afifi, Yang Wanqing and Ann LeBlanc.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20221124-Clarkesworld194.html ] or [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/532240/s/a-better-than-average-issue ]

An average issue, with interesting stories by Ben Berman Ghan, S.L. Huang, Lu Ban and Vandana Singh.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20221211-Clarkesworld195.html ]

A good issue of Clarkesworld, with fascinating stories by Samantha Murray, Eric Schwitzgebel, R. P. Sand and Gu Shi.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20230209-Clarkesworld197.html ]

A better than average issue, with good stories by Bo Balder, Angela Liu, Fiona Moore, Shih-Li Kow and Isabel J. Kim.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20230309-Clarkesworld198.html ]

An average issue, with interesting stories by L Chan, Andrea Kriz, Shi Heiyao and Rajan Khanna.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20230406-Clarkesworld199.html ]

A better than average issue, with interesting stories by Marie Vibbert, Bo Balder, Brenda W. Clough and Davian Aw.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20230710-Clarkesworld202.html ]

An average issue, with interesting stories by Stephen Case, Thomas Ha and M. J. Pettit.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20230807-Clarkesworld203.html ]

A better than average issue with an interesting mathematical based story by Arula Ratnakar and a loving story of a different kind of robotic servant by RJ Taylor.

Full review at my website [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20230903-Clarkesworld204.html ].

An average issue, with interesting stories by Suzanne Palmer, David Goodman, Amal Singh and a humorous story by Michael Swanwick.

Full review at my website [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20231003-Clarkesworld205.html ]

A better than average issue, with interesting stories by Fiona Moore, Ng Yi-Sheng and Fu Qiang.

Full review at my website [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20231206-Clarkesworld207.html ].

An interesting issue with good stories by Cécile Cristofari, Alexandra Munck, Chi Hui and E.N. Auslender.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20240106-Clarkesworld208.html ].

An average issue, with interesting stories by Zohar Jacobs and Yang Wanqing. Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20240209-Clarkesworld209.html ].

Filled with flawed characters, a corrupt police force, bought and manipulated by a wealthy local family; it's a rich background to the main tale of redemption, coming to terms and moving on.

Slow in parts, it is however, a worthwhile read in itself, serving as an insight into the mining communities of the region and their demise as a local industry and employer.

A fantastic book about the VIC20, one of the early home computers that helped to launch the home computer revolution. The book covers the various versions of the computer created for different markets and includes notes and anecdotes from some of the creators of the computer, who had to overcome obstacles in their path in creating the computer.

Crime fiction is a genre I rarely venture into, but Ruth Sutton's Cumbria-set series may be my gateway.

The story nips along at a nice pace, providing plenty of information while avoiding info-dumps. The characters are likeable in their own ways and the late 60s setting is nicely done, especially the insight into the Cumbrian coastal region of that period.

I can't wait to start the sequel.

I admit this was my first time reading a zombie book. The zombie genre hasn't always been my favorite in film and television, so I wasn't keen on reading a zombie book. But Frisch has a medical background and that made this book very interesting, as it revolved around a hospital. Very enjoyable, my only regret was that I didn't immediately read the next book so now I have to re-read it. :)

Oh, wow, this is an enjoyable read. I literally couldn't put it down. It stole my whole day.

It has gripping plot. The characters are lovable. It has a good amount of humor. Also, a lot of rich world building.

The second I finished it I was bummed out because it was over. I wanted to read it again immediately.

Another interesting Hard SF read by Egan. It's not as mind-bending or physics-bending as his "Orthogonal" series but contains intriguing ideas and characters. In contrast to his previous books where the characters slowly learn (and educate the reader about) the physics of their environment, here they are already well versed in the strange (to us) geometry of their universe and its consequences.

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.

_dymchishyna

Europe in Autumn, Europe at Midnight and Europe in Winter by Dave Hutchinson, combine a believable and prescient view of a soon-to-be Europe with a strange, almost fantastical twist.

It reminds me in part of China Miéville's The City and the City, while also showing flashes of William Gibson's Pattern Recognition, with its "technocultural future-present" setting.

All three are great reads!

If you haven't read any of Cat Hellisen's books before, read this first.

A beautifully crafted tale. Otherwordly, sinister, near-horror, it has sides and edges I couldn't grasp, as my eyes slid off them, unable to focus while it slowly insinuated its pages, paragraphs, sentences, words, and letters into my brain.

A MUST READ, and it will only be the beginning of your journey!

Absolutely superb. Gutting, terrifying, and hopeful.

A better than average issue with good tales by Matthew Hughes, Gregor Hartmann, Amanda Hollander, Elizabeth Bear and a fantastic tale involving thinking mechanicals beings by Ian Tregillis.

An about average issue, with mostly 'mild' fantasy stories (mild in the sense that there is minimal magic involved). Among those that stood out for me are the ones by Carrie Vaughn, Sean McMullen and Pip Coen.

An okay issue, with interesting stories by Essa Hansen, Matthew Hughes, Alex Irvine, Albert E. Cowdrey and Auston Habershaw.

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.

An above average issue, containing a tale connecting past and present by G.V. Anderson and light fantasy tales by Andrej Kokoulin (translated by Alex Shvartsman) and Molly Gloss. Cassandra Khaw and Alex Irvine start and end the issue, respectively, with tales related to the cover.

A better than average issue, with fascinating stories by James Morrow, David Erik Nelson, Brian Trent and a hilarious story by Madeleine Robins exploring a fantastic version of "My Fair Lady" that probably deserves to be made into a play too.

An average issue with interesting stories by Gregor Hartmann, Matthew Hughes, R.S. Benedict and with an especially interesting story about a musical faun by Jerome Stueart.

A better than average first issue under the new editor, Sheree Renée Thomas, it features interesting stories by C. L. Polk, Madeleine E. Robins, Molly Tanzer, Robin Furth and a fascinating story by Marie Brennan based on the legend of "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter".

An above average issue. An interesting mix of SF (Lavie Tidhar), Fantasy (Kelly Barnhill, Matthew Hughes) and Horror (Pip Coen, Rebecca Campbell) with a standout story by David Gullen.

An average issues with interesting stories by Ray Nayler, Holly Messinger and a hilarious story involving American Indians by Joseph Bruchac.

An average issue with some interesting stories by Stephanie Kraner, Rich Larson, Corey Flintoff, James Enge and Robert Grossbach.

This is an above average issue with interesting stories by Y.M. Pang, Hanuš Seiner (translated by Julie Novakova), Nina Kiriki Hoffman and Bo Balder.

An interesting set of stories in the issue, with the ones by Michael Libling, Matthew Hughes, Gregor Hartmann and Marie Vibbert.

An interesting collection with good stories from Nadia Afifi, Nick Dichario, Lyndsie Manusos and an interesting take on the zombie invasion story by Sarina Dorie, trying it with school safety protocols that may or may not work.

A better than average 70th anniversary issue of the magazine with an unusual fairy tale by Kelly Link, a tale of media destruction by Paolo Bacigalupi, a funny twist on eastern martial arts by Y.M. Pang and other interesting tales by Ken Liu, Esther Friesner and Gardner Dozois.

An average issue that starts with an unusual tour through a library by David Gerrold with other interesting tales by Marc Laidlaw and Angie Peng, a fun piece by Brian Trent featuring some Greek Gods and a dog and a long fairy-tale like story by Leah Cypess that shows that fairies may not have the best interests of the people at heart when they give blessings.

A better than average issue with some interesting stories. Those that I enjoyed are by Michael Swanwick, Yukimi Ogawa, Lauren Ring, Phoenix Alexander, Lisa Lacey Liscoumb, Paula Keane, Rowan Wren and Tato Navarrete Díaz.

This is a delight for anyone into delicious dark comedy. Reginald Baskins is a man-mountain who finds himself turned by his colleague. This is one of the few books that I have genuinely laughed while reading.

This book got me hooked!

It delivers hard science fiction, pathos, beautifully dark comedy, a dig at every lazy sci-fi trope in existence, plenty of laughs, and is simply a must-read.

You know what you're getting into from the clever book titles. The humour is Jonathan Swift meets Red Dwarf. And the science is terrifyingly accurate...

...unfortunately!

The Phone Job continues the journey we're all on together, and concludes it in the most space opera way possible. Not only with a bang, but with hope.

Fermi's Progress is a collection of novellas that read like Red Dwarf meets DS9, crashes into Blake's Seven, by way of every single Gerry Anderson series, and a whole lot of Space 1999.

This is great science fiction you'll love.

The Fermi crew is a mess, but in Planet of the Apiaries, they're starting to come together. Starting to discover their roles, and what each of them means to the others... even if they can't remember them all.

The sci-fi references come thick and fast, but are never exclusionary. This fantastic third instalment ups the ante and drops a bombshell in its final line!

Must read sci-fi!

I was expecting to be impressed. But instead I was STUNNED!

FIYAH Literary Magazine is an essential work. While the included stories can all be considered speculative fiction, the breadth of ideas is astounding.

It's all finished off with a nice sample of a self-published work. A great idea.

If the subsequent issues are half as good as this first one, you should definitely subscribe.

Multi-layered masterpiece, as grim as it should be, and eminently quotable in any climate change conversation.

A nice, average issue with fun stories by Andrew Peery, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Larry Hodges, J. Scott Coatsworth, Eleanor R. Wood, Janis Ian and Mike Resnick. Between the stories are appreciations by numerous writers about Mike Resnick's influence on themselves and the SF community.

Really enjoyed this novella, like early Gibson but with contemporary themes as source material. Drones, social media, self driving cars, AI, etc,....
Hopefully there's more to come.

Review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/fiction/2024/20240816-GoblinsGreatcoats.html ].

It's absolutely beautiful, with delicate, precise writing that perfectly encapsulates a sense of place, of culture, of magic.

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.

This is not deep fiction nor is it profound dark fantasy with much to offer those abyssal questions about life and existence. It is, however, good, old-fashioned, shallow fun with plenty of guns and earthy reality twisted into a conspiracy theorist's dream. Great fun!

A beautiful, heart-breaking, and hopeful book.

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

My review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/fiction/2024/20240822-ImmortalInvisible.html ].

Why do we make the choices we do? Social and family pressures, personal beliefs of our place in society and of how our lives are supposed to be. This is a book that lets you look inside the lives of one family, and gives you the sense of understanding that a bitter or reserved exterior can hide losses that no-one else knows about.

A really fun read, with more depth and suspense than you might expect.

A parallel world, murder, a seemingly-sleepy village hiding deadly secrets.

A surprise hit with me, this is the first on a series that I really want to get back to.

A collection of Egan's recent stories, this collection shows the strength and breath of the author's imagination in stories that span from personal crisis, financial and biological, to ones that envelop the whole world and involve characters that think about and solve complex problems.

A not very interesting issue of Interzone, mainly because the stories appear to be on the theme of conflicts (mainly military related) and not of much interest to me. Natalia Theodoridou's story about unusual genetically engineered soldiers is probably the most interesting.

An average issue of Interzone, with interesting stories by Alison Wilgus, G.V. Anderson and Sean McMullen.

A better than average issue with three good stories by Val Nolan, Maria Haskins and Nicholas Kaufmann and an emotional tale by Shauna O'Meara.

A rather light-weight issue with stories that probably appeal to those who prefer a more 'literary' style of SF than what I would normally read. The stories that I found interesting were by James Warner, Andy Dudak and Malcolm Devlin.

A better than average issue filled with fascinating stories. The best of the good stories are by Storm Humbert, Erica L. Satifka and Gregor Hartmann.

A better than average issue, with interesting stories by Fiona Moore, David Cleden and Dustin Blair Steinacker.

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

An average issue, with interesting stories by Gregor Hartmann, Andy Dudak and John Possidente.

An average issue with stories that appear to be linked by featuring characters with psychological issues facing various uncertain futures.

A better than average issue with a long, strange, tale of travel to another world that may yet be ours by Tim Lees, Eugenia Triantafyllou and ending with a tale of a timely intervention by Val Nolan that may yet make America great again in a different way.

An average issue with interesting stories by Alexander Glass and Gary Gibson at the start and end of the magazine.

A lower than average issue with stories that didn't really attract my attention apart from stories by Cécile Cristofari and David Maskill. The tale by Maskill is the 2019 James White Award Winning story

An above average issue with interesting stories by Alexander Glass, Tim Major, Cécile Cristofari and Shauna O'Meara.

An average issue of Interzone, the last to be edited by Andy Cox, with interesting stories by Alexander Glass (three of them here), Cécile Cristofari and Tamika Thompson.

Full review at [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/280247/s/an-average-issue-of-interzone ]

An average issue with interesting stories by Amal Singh, Katie McIvor, Corey J. White, Frank Dumas.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Interzone/20230915-Interzone295.html ].

A better than average issue of Interzone, with interesting stories by Paul E. Franz, James Sallis and Cécile Cristofari.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Interzone/20240120-Interzone297.html ].

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, contemplative journey.

It's hard to slot Jaran into a genre. It's been called "anthropological science fiction", and that kind of fits. But it doesn't cover the ideas of wonder, nature, culture and love, found with a new people on a new world.

If you liked Rosemarie Kirstein's Steerswoman series, Jaran let's you explore and fall in love with another way of life all over again.

A fantastic and fantastical short tale that provides a much-needed respite from medieval-styled Western fantasy.

Written in a mythological format, Jiwe gives us a world of magic, gods, and the usual evils of man. Curses intended to redress balance and strong women working to save broken lives.

Kiko Enjani's work is sublime, and I can't wait to read her longer stories.

Thoughtful collection of tales that stay with you for months afterwards. Beautifully written, sensitively conceived, a series of set ups for injustices, love, and pain with a backdrop of the Black cultural experience in a white-oriented world.

Stories that I found interesting in the anthology were by Eric Choi, Geoffrey A. Landis, Rich Larson, Lisa Jenny Krieg, Tobias S. Buckell, Valentin D. Ivanov, Gregory Benford, Peter Watts, Simone Heller and Mary Robinette Kowal.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/fiction/2023/20230409-LifeBeyondUs.html ]

Y llyfr Cymraeg cyntaf i fi ddarllen am sbel.

Ni'n byw mewn bwthyn lan yng Nghymbria. Y fi a'r wedjen, y ddwy gath a'r ci... a'n merch fach saith mis oed.

Fe ddinistriodd y llyfr 'ma fi.

Nofela tuag 40 mil o eiriau sy'n cynnwys llawer mwy na geiriau, na stori, nag emosiynau, na beth bynnag sy'n creu beth wi newydd orffen ddarllen.

Gobeithio fydd hwn ar silf lyfrau pawb.

An amazing story that more than fulfils my need for great world-building. Such a creative mix of the unrecognisable, beautiful prose, and an uncanny skill for weaving technology into mythology.

Memory is slow to build, but when it does, it does so steadily. As our characters explore the 'Ring of the World' we learn with them, understand with them and fight back with them.

A wonderful read.

This book pulls you into a richly detailed 12th Century world of politicking lords, dangerous Welsh border raids and a likeable protagonist in the form of Guy of Maebury. A careful, steady feed of recognisable, but not yet legendary, characters tops it all off.

The slow build-up is worth it and does contribute to a much livelier, fuller world and more meaningful character motivations.

A nail-biting introduction to South African magic and a nice bit of terror into the bargain. No reading this one on a dark stormy night unless you're bigger and hairier than the sorcerer!

Bought the full book immediately after enjoying the sample from Book View Cafe!

This magical, period adventure moved along at a quick pace. Plenty of events, but not al all rushed. The language, descriptions and sense of location & time seem spot-on.

It's the first in a series too, so I'm excited to read more.

Books like this are why I love buying and reading indie ebooks!

Well I certainly loved this sample!

Moved along at a nice pace. Plenty of events, but not rushed. Language, descriptions and sense of location & time seem spot-on. It's the first in a series too.

I'm intrigued and excited to read more. Just what a sample should do. And it's from Book View Cafe, so I know 90% my money will go to the author.

Off to buy the full book asap!

What a fantastically fun read.

This novella was my first experience of T. Kingfisher's books, and I'll now be buying any and all the others I can get my hands on.

The lovably ragtag troop of goblins comprising the Whining Niners make the Fellowship of the Ring seem like some dull kids on a Sunday school outing. And I have to say, the Bear is my favourite.

Go read it. A light, fast story.

Finding the print version of Nonplayer in a local comic shop blew my mind.

The amazing digital artwork is absolutely beautiful. The story - as much of a short snippet you get in a single comic book issue - is cyberpunky and fresh, to me at least.

I only recently realised it was available from Image Comics, along with issue 2. So I'm heading back into its lush artwork and enthralling world.

As wonderful and entrancing as the first issue.

This beautifully illustrated second comic from Nate Simpson, opens up the world, broadens the scope and sets up some interesting conflict.

I can't wait for the third in the series. This is a story to get lost in.

Well done Nate and Image Comics.

Love this! A perfect blend of humor, action, and romance. The characters were delightful and endearing. The pacing was great. The writing is top notch. It was so hard to put down. Don't start this one if you've got things to do.

This is a free special Gardner Dozois Memorial Issue.

Gardner Dozois was a well known editor and writer and loved by many in the Western Science Fiction and Fantasy writing scene.

This issue gathers memorials and articles by various people in the SF and F businesses who knew him and wanted to celebrate his life.

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.

Amazingly-written, weird, claustrophobic, space, alternate Earth, horror story from a brilliant author who consistently nails it!

A tale of the Outside, what's beyond and, ultimately, fear of what may or may not be there. If there is something, stay hidden! If there isn't anything but a vast void, then stay home, be nice, don't explore, we're alone...

A story about our culture.

An interesting tale of immediate survival in the face of catastrophic climate change. Compared to his previous stories, there isn't as much 'hard science' involved here, but surviving the changes would involve making tough decisions about how they can prepare and save themselves from the oncoming global crises.

An interesting story of discovery and survival set in a system where two small worlds circle each other and they orbit a sun together. The worlds are cold and covered by ice but the tidal forces between the worlds ensure their interiors are heated and some heat breaks through the ice in the form of geysers, bringing with it life giving chemicals and material.

Mosaic novel: a set of vignettes that link together beautifully to create one of the possible scenarios for the grinding end of the world as we know it.

Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples, Saga is a beautifully intimate space opera.

It touches on race, religion, conflict, family and love, with a deft hand and imagery that is just sublime.

Proof that Image Comics' creator-owned approach really works. These are the kinds of stories that comics were made for.

A fascinating and entertaining book about living on a world in a universe where people can come in different scales.

Full review on my website [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/fiction/2023/20230101-Scale.html ].

You know how you sometimes get too comfortable in familiar genres and need a book to come along and kick you out of your comfort zone? Well, this was mine.

We fall into the world-weary lives of a newly-married ex-pat couple. The author explores sex, pain, abuse, assault, desire, trauma... and the relationships, even love, based on all these things.

An uncomfortable, but rewarding read.

What a fun read! Menopausal werewolves, a town to protect, and a love to be found.

Becca didn't think the change was THAT literal. But that's what you get in Wolf's Point, I suppose. The name must come from somewhere...

A great concept, and lovely, warm, fast-paced writing.

Looking forward to reading Book 2!

I'm always intrigued by novels that are inspired by tiny snippets of historical events.

A sliver of history taken as a seed, with enough facts to place it in a believable context, can be a rich seam for a skilled author. Ned Hayes has recreated a dark period of British history and, taking little-known facts, has wrapped them in a heart-wrenching tale of loss, vengeance, treachery, and grief.

As stunning, different, deep, exhilarating, and as wonderfully written as Origin Complex, but with a rawness that its successor lacks, in place of sequel polish.

Two exciting books in this science fiction universe is simply not enough. Sorry, Andrew.

Well that took a long time! It is wordy book, and I do not normally enjoy wordy books, but I did enjoy this one. I tried recently to re-read King's "It" but god is it wordy. This is wordy in a different way, you're in the head of the strong female lead, who has her flaws and anxieties and her inner monologue reflects this. It's about vampires and I'm sad that it's a standalone effort.

A wonderful collection of speculative fiction from around the world. Ranging from Asia to Africa, Europe to the Americas, you will find much to like in many of the stories featured. My favourites include those by Vina Jie-Min Prasad, T.L. Huchu, Taiyo Fujii, Vandana Singh, Bo-young Kim, Chi Hui, Karla Schmidt and Giovanni De Feo.

This weird, wild, violent, dangerous, almost-fantasy, New York setting is pure Chuck Wendig.

Mookie Pearl is to the gangland thug what Miriam Black is to the care home nurse. If this is what happens when Chuck Wendig is given free rein to create his own universe and populate it with strange gods, demons and magic, then I want more of it!

Read it and the sequel. Well done Chuck!

An interesting journey of discovery through a world of many skies

Full review at BookWyrm [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/56721 ]

A ripping yarn of disguise, deception and misdirection, propelled along by a brilliantly written period style that firmly places you in the world.

A rollicking ride through alternate-history Britain after the Luddite uprisings. Recognisable locations mixed with carefully applied genre tropes keep this book from becoming yet another steampunk adventure and raise it above its fellows.

This is a well-told tale about the power of the written word to endure and change.

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.

Fun, light read, crazy and innovative, plenty of intrigue and weirdness. Takes a sudden left turn towards the end of the first chapter and never looks back.

Yes, The Fisherman is a little Lovecraftian, with its ancient gods, cultists, and watery... things. But it has much more going for it. The Fisherman is a work of beauty that Lovecraft never came close to.

You grieve with Abe as he tries to pick up the pieces. You worry about what Dan will do... and when he'll break. You wonder which story you are actually reading and who is telling it.

Noir-with-a-vengeance, this story drags you round downtown NYC, giving you tonnes of action, gratuitous violence and guns, in return for a 2-hour read. Tightly written, well described, and leaves you breathless.

As fab as everyone everyone said it was.

Another beautiful read by S.E. Robertson!

I'm really enjoying this slice-of-life fantasy genre I've only just learned about. The Healers' Home gives us a more stable setting, some new drama as past-acquaintances re-appear, and work to do as Agna and Keifon try and fit in to their new lives.

Family expectations, awkward commitments and trying relationships flesh out this wonderful book.

I absolutely loved this book!

Recommended in @paracactus' 'Slice-of-Life Fantasy' list, it provides a place to go, a world to just sit in and enjoy.

Like the contemplative and cozy parts of The Steerswoman series, Jaran, and The Guy of Gisborne books, you simply get lost in the subtly portrayed world.

A fantasy setting without the usual tropes or stereotypes. A fantasy book to love.

There's weird fiction, then there's Chuck Wendig weird fiction.

In this sequel to The Blue Blazes, our gangland enforcer with a heart of gold, Mookie Pearl, must save his daughter and the whole world from the schemes of demons, demi-gods and more weird stuff before it all ends.

Call it a Chuckpocalypse, or even Wendigeddon!

Loads of fun and a must read for any Chuck Wendig fan.

Fabulous and imaginative story in an unusual setting, with themes of oppression, lost language and spirituality. Reminded me of Terry Pratchett, though very different from his work.

What a great short read!

Can't wait to get started on Simon's other novellas.

An amazing instalment in the Steerswoman fantasy series.

We're back to the Inner Lands now and we're learning more and more about this world and what's going on.

In this book, we finally see what wizards can do. And the steerswoman and the Outlander take the fight straight to their door.

If you enjoy excellent world-building and puzzling plots, start reading The Steerswoman series. Now!

The Last Words of Madeleine Anderson by Helen Kitson is a post-modern tale of friendship and fate, where the truth is only a simulacrum of itself. It's probably literary, but it's far more accessible than that suggests.

This is a truly accessible modern classic that should be winning all the awards.

It's tense while cozy. It's suspenseful while relaxed.

And it's very, very good.

A very different book to the previous two in the series.

The Lost Steersman takes a different turn about half-way through, where the scope and scale of the world and its inhabitants undergoes another astonishing twist.

I got a definite Jane Goodall vibe from this book. Our understanding of the steerswomen grows in this wonderful instalment in a fantastic and surprising series. Loved it!

An average issue with some interesting stories by Eugie Foster, Nick Dichario, Auston Habershaw, Maiga Doocy and J. A. Pak.

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 ]

A better than average issue, with interesting stories by Kristina Ten, DaVaun Sanders, Nick Thomas, Jennifer Hudak, and two standout stories by Peter S. Beagle and Aimee Ogden.

Full review at my website [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/FantasyAndScienceFiction/20230718-FSF202307.html ]

A better than average issue with some interesting stories, and some chilling horror stories. I enjoyed those stories by Rudi Dornemann, Brian Trent, Charlie Hughes, Nick Wolven, Rajeev Prasad, Paul Tobin and Nick DiChario.

Full review at [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/267654/s/a-better-than-average-issue-of-fsf ]

One of the better issues of F&SF I've read so far under editor Sheree Renée Thomas, with a good mix of stories that make the reader think or feel for the characters. Very noteworthy is "Nana" by Carl Walmsley, with a twist at the end that will make you reread the entire story in a new light.

Full review at [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/97472 ]

An average issue with interesting stories by Tade Thompson, Jonathan Louis Duckworth, Nuzo Onoh, Eleanor Arnason, Mathew Lebowitz, Kathleen Jennings and an unusual urban fantasy piece by Peter S. Beagle.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/FantasyAndScienceFiction/20230317-FSF202303.html ]

An average issue, with lots of shorter pieces of fiction and only a few longer ones. The stories that I found more interesting are those by Fawaz Al-Matrouk, Ai Jiang, Julie Le Blanc, Taemumu Richardson, Shreya Ila Anasuya and John Wiswell.

Full review on BookWyrm [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/180959/s/average-issue-of-fsf-with-more-shorter-pieces-of-fiction ]

A better than average issue, with good stories by Fawaz Al-Matrouk, Matthew Hughes, Kiran Kaur Sain, Ferdison Cayetano and Fatima Taqvi.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/FantasyAndScienceFiction/20230514-FSF202305.html ]

A better than average issue with some intersting stories by Nalo Hopkinson, Graham Edwards, Eleanor Arnason, K. A. Teryna, Hayley Stone and Jennie Goloboy.

Full review at [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/63261 ]

An average issue, with interesting stories by Geoff Ryman and David Jeffrey, Amal Singh, Samantha E. Chung and Meighan Hogate.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/FantasyAndScienceFiction/20231107-FSF202311.html ].

A good issue with mostly interesting and wonderful stories, some related to the holidays. I especially enjoyed the stories by John Shirley, Vida Cruz-Borja, J. C. Hsyu, Sara Ellis, Alexander Flores and Jo Miles.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/FantasyAndScienceFiction/20221128-FSF202211.html ]

A better than average issue of F&SF, with one rather gruesome horror story by Max Firehammer. Other interesting stories are by Maricar Macario, Christopher Mark Rose and a moving story by Douglas Smith about the sacrifices to be made for saving the universe.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/FantasyAndScienceFiction/20230907-FSF201809.html ]

An interesting issue, with good stories by Brian Trent, Matthew Hughes, Nuzo Onoh, E. A. Bourland and Carl Taylor.

My full review at [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/54843 ]

An average issue with interesting stories by C. B. Blanchard, Karim Kattan, Lucas X. Wiseman, Remi Martin, with an interesting story by Douglas Schwarz involving the paintings in the Lascaux caves.

Full review at [ https://bookwyrm.social/user/sohkamyung/review/351566/s/an-average-issue-with-an-especially-interesting-story-by-douglas-schwarz-involving-the-paintings-in-the-lascaux-caves ]

An above average issue with interesting stories by Moustapha Mbacké Diop, Bonnie Elizabeth, Clara Madrigano, J. A. Prentice, Dane Kuttler and Will McMahon.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/FantasyAndScienceFiction/20240228-FSF202401.html ].

What a fantastic, quick, witty, deep, and deeply promising tale!

Promising a world of wonder in longer books to follow.

Can't wait to read more by the author.

The Naseby Horses by Dominic Brownlow is a beautiful, haunting read - lots of layers. It deals with families, trauma, and poses questions about the validity of beliefs, be they religious, superstitious or scientific.

Absolutely gorgeous writing.

The amazing second book in what is, so far, an outstanding fantasy series.

The Outskirter's Secret expands on the concepts in the first book, but takes us out of the relative safety of the Inner Lands and into the wilderness of the Outskirts.

I can't believe I've only just started reading this series and am already on the third book.

Still a MUST READ.

Bloody loved it! Epic story with a vision for the future that is possibly more relevant in 2020 than it was when the book was first published.

I unintentionally binged this awesome fantasy. This book is was nearly impossible to put down, but I had to eat every now and then. Such a fun read!

I love the world-building, the dialogue, the characters, and pretty much everything about this book.

I can't wait for the sequel! I'm reading it next. Errr, I'll probably binge it too...

This cookbook got me to try preparing meals that didn't come in a box. Recipes here are straightforward and interspersed with bits of nerdy humor. (I think I have as many pages bookmarked for references I enjoyed as for recipes I want to try.) There are also some fancier meals for when you're having a good day and want to try something more advanced.

Have a free cookbook, as a treat.

I don't normally like the whole zombie genre.

But what Crowley has done with his undead POV, uprising, mutiny, sea monster, revolutionary, thoughtful treatise on life (then death and then more life) tale is absolutely stunning.

Took a bit of effort to get going, but it's definitely worth sticking with it. A great addition to the New Weird.

Nate Crowley's book put me off scampi for months!

My review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/fiction/2024/20240822-SmallHandsChokedamp.html ]

An amazing fantasy tale that slowly unfolds to reveal a surprising twist.

At first, all seems familiar. You recognise the world of wizards and the ranger-like steerswomen. But, just like the steerswomen themselves, the more you learn, the more sense you begin to make of this world. Something isn't quite right.

Rosemary Kirstein has me hooked! I've already started the next book in the series.

This wonderfully crafted novella was my introduction to Aliette's work, and what a first impression!

The story references Conan Doyle's Holmes and Watson while showing the utmost respect to the work. You could almost call it a wonderful sci-fi character analysis of A Study in Scarlet.

A beautiful science fiction tale. And a must read for any fans of science fiction or Sherlock Holmes.

I was intrigued by the promise of a living fantasy world, instead of the usual "I was there three thousand years ago, Gandalf. And look, we're still using swords!"

A world where characters have lives, likes and concerns. Where technologies and discoveries change over time. This is epic fantasy that covers the passage of time in a meaningful way.

A fantastic series.

What a fantastic book!

Gorgeously illustrated. I loved the limited use of colour to introduce a new character and their different ideas.

At the end the artist describes how they always run to topics on creativity when they're lost in their own creative journey. This book speaks to craftspeople everywhere.

A stunning find I was lucky to come across at the ShortBox Comics Fair.

Ever wanted to just walk on out of your life? Ever been walked out on?

This one's for you.

It's batshit brilliant. Just get it read!

The Town is a fucking rollercoaster of a ride.

This Australian horror is written in a kind of jarring prose. The story is brilliant, terrifying, and utterly refuses to share its secrets with you.

On finishing this book, I promise that the first words out of your mouth will be "WHAT THE FUCK!".

Reminds me of books by China Miéville, John Langan, and Michael Marshall Smith.

Get it now!

A. J. Fitzwater has written a beautiful, hopeful, light-filled and joyous book!

This mosaic title filled with anthropomorphic rodents, sea creatures, mer folk and... cats, will more than make you smile. With a swashbuckling capybara pirate captain and chinchilla kraken-communicating ship's mate adventuring with their pure hearts to... bearded islands...? You'll never want this adventure to end!

What a fantastic book!

A brilliant story and introduction to Appalachian communities.

Kate is an unlikely, but enthusiastic protagonist who has had enough of being messed about, and is out to learn from her grandmother, a witch.

Lots of fun, really tense and exciting. Another occult thriller with heart that you just won't want to put down!

Classic scifi short stories. Even if you're familiar with the tales, it's worth reading the many forewords and afterwords the editors provide, where they examine their own relationships to these stories. (My personal fave: "Shambleau" by C. L. Moore.)

This book is available on several Baen CDs and downloadable free and legally from various sites.

Virginia teases the twist right from the off. But The Year We Lived is so finely written and enchanting that you lose yourself in the world and simply enjoy it, forgetting about this possible twist.

You'll quickly relax and let the sun-dappled fens, the reeds, woods, the description of the Hall and its inhabitants wash over you and pull you like a slow current into its 11th Century setting.

A light, fun read with a barrel full of creep

My review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/fiction/2024/20240822-WhiteHorseRedFruit.html ]

Love Yamada, love the stories, and the books inspired me to read the first Japanese novel, the Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu.

The Yamada Monogatari series, by Richard Parks, is a rich, detailed insight into both the Japanese period I enjoy so much and the mythology of ghosts, demons and spirits that filled the storytelling and superstition of the time.

A thrilling read in the style of Raymond Chandler's Sam Spade stories.