Category Archives: Reviews

Conservation of Shadows by Yoon Ha Lee

Conservation of Shadows by Yoon Ha Lee is a terrifying collection of short stories to review. The stories themselves are rarely scary in the traditional sense, but their individual complexity and astonishing level of variety make this an impossible book to … Continue reading

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The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

In Brandon Sanderson’s new YA fantasy novel, a teenager named Joel wants nothing more than to become a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to give life to two-dimensional figures called Chalklings. They’re also the only defense humans have against Wild … Continue reading

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The Alteration by Kingsley Amis

It’s 1976, and the rule of the Roman Catholic Church is absolute. A stable theocracy prevails across Europe. The Reformation never happened. A papal crusade prevented Henry VIII from taking the throne. Martin Luther became Pope Germanian I. The Church … Continue reading

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Five Autobiographies and a Fiction by Lucius Shepard

Lucius Shepard’s new collection Five Autobiographies and a Fiction is required reading for fans of the author. People who have never read anything by Shepard may love it too, but because of the specific nature of this set of stories, it’ll definitely … Continue reading

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Tunnel Out of Death by Jamil Nasir

Heath Ransom, the main character of Jamil Nasir’s new novel Tunnel Out of Death, is an endovoyant investigator, which means he uses his enhanced sense of empathy, combined with futuristic immersion tank technology, to solve mysteries and track people in the … Continue reading

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Across the Event Horizon by Mercurio D. Rivera

Over the last few years, Mercurio D. Rivera has published some great, intriguing science fiction short stories in markets such as Interzone and Asimov’s. He’s been anthologized in one of Hartwell & Cramer’s annual “Best of” collections, received several honorable … Continue reading

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Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan

Former police inspector and current private investigator Adamat is summoned to the Skyline Palace to help resolve a baffling mystery: during a brutal coup against Adro’s monarchy, every single member of the Royal Cabal uttered the same cryptic phrase right … Continue reading

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London Falling by Paul Cornell

A long undercover police investigation following one of London’s most powerful organized crime figures is approaching its conclusion. The crime boss, Rob Toshack, is suddenly acting erratically, visiting a string of his houses, disappearing to the attic only to reappear … Continue reading

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The Different Girl by Gordon Dahlquist

In Gordon Dahlquist’s new novel The Different Girl, Veronika, Caroline, Isobel and Eleanor are four young girls who live on a small island with their two adult caretakers Irene and Robbert. The girls are completely identical aside from the color of … Continue reading

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River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay

It would be wrong to call Guy Gavriel Kay’s new novel River of Stars a sequel to 2010’s Under Heaven. As Mr. Kay recently said in an interview I conducted with him: “If someone wrote a book about 16th century … Continue reading

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