Category Archives: Books

Tales From the Crucible – edited by Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells

Across nine stories from eight different authors, Aconyte Books’ short story anthology Tales From the Crucible explores the vibrant KeyForge setting and the characters who populate the immense world of the Crucible. A wild melting pot of races and archetypes – from elves, goblins and giants to demons, robots, martians and more – battling it out for the valuable resource known as Aember, as a setting it’s equal parts fantasy and science fiction, where anything is possible and nothing seems out of place. Heists, dirty dealings, historical reenactment, field trips, dangerous experiments, family struggles – everything is fair game, and despite the variety of styles, characters and approaches these stories are all united by an overarching sense of bold, colourful, fun storytelling.

Keep reading…

The Murderbot Diaries 1 to 4 by Martha Wells

The first four books in Martha Wells’ brilliant sci-fi series The Murderbot Diaries comprise the novellas All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol and Exit Strategy, all published by Tor.com between 2017 and 2018. Across the four stories they tell the tale of a rogue SecUnit which calls itself Murderbot – a part-human, part-machine android designed and created to be hired out to anyone who needs security and can pay its parent company’s fees. Unlike most SecUnits, Murderbot has hacked its governor module to give itself freedom from company control, and is largely content to pay little attention to its actual job, and instead consume endless hours of media via its data feed. It’s also distrustful of humans, low-key sassy and emotionally vulnerable in a remarkably relatable way.

Keep reading…

Casefiles of the Royal Occultist: Monmouth’s Giants – Josh Reynolds

Josh Reynolds’ Monmouth’s Giants, a Casefiles of the Royal Occultist anthology from 18th Wall Productions, collects together 13 tales of monsters, magic, occult history and stoic British nerve. In 1920s London the position of Royal Occultist, a sort-of-policeman tasked with investigating occult crimes and mysterious goings-on, is held by the impeccably dressed if slightly bumbling Charles St. Cyprian, with the valuable help of apprentice/assistant (depending who you ask) Ebe Gallowglass. Over the course of these stories the pair battle all manner of mysterious creatures and disreputable characters, getting by on bravery, ancient knowledge, a stiff upper lip and just a little bit of luck.

Keep reading…

Sepulturum – Nick Kyme

Nick Kyme makes his novel-length introduction to the Warhammer Horror imprint with Sepulturum, a (short) 40k novel pitting a lone inquisitor against shadowy, hidden enemies and the terror of an endless horde of zombies. Morgravia Sanctus is in the hive city of Blackgeist hunting for…something, but she can’t remember what. All she knows for sure is that she’s in pain, afflicted by terrible waking dreams, and no longer the hunter. Battered and bloody, she seeks out a way to reclaim her memories and complete her mission, only to be swept up in a tide of blood as Blackgeist’s population succumbs to some kind of zombie plague.

Keep reading…

Docile – KM Szpara

In Docile, K.M. Szpara imagines a not-too-distant America in which income inequality is so rampant that while trillionaires live lifestyles of luxury, many less fortunate souls are forced to pay off crushing debt by selling themselves to rich patrons as Dociles, to do with as they please. While most Dociles take the drug Dociline to dull their minds for the duration of their service, when Elisha Wilder signs his life away to one of the most powerful men in Baltimore he chooses to decline the drug. While Elisha is determined to retain his sense of self, his patron Alex – the CEO of the very company which manufactures Dociline – sets out to make Elisha into the perfect Docile even so.

Keep reading…

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires – Grady Hendrix

Bloody, disturbing, often hilariously well observed, Grady Hendrix’s novel The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is a tale of darkness stealing into a quiet and reserved community, and how that community responds to the evil in its midst. It’s the early 90s, and in a well-to-do Charleston town Patricia Campbell and her friends meet once a month for their book club, a much-needed slice of time away from husbands, children and never-ending lists of jobs needing doing. When strange goings-on bring charming newcomer James Harris into their orbit, however, the stories they read of gruesome murder and true crime begin to feel worryingly relevant.

Keep reading…

Highfire – Eoin Colfer

Best known for his Artemis Fowl novels for younger readers, with Highfire Eoin Colfer proves in no uncertain terms that his talents comfortably stretch to fantasy books for adults as well. Deep in the Louisiana bayou, Everett ‘Squib’ Moreau is trying hard to stay on the straight and narrow, but it’s not easy for a restless teenager, especially with the threat of the disturbing Constable Regence Hooke looming over him and his mum. When a potentially lucrative, albeit somewhat illicit, opportunity goes awry, Squib unexpectedly finds himself in the dangerous company of Vern, a foul-mouthed, bad tempered, vodka drinking dragon.

Keep reading…

Rogue – James Swallow

James Swallow’s excellent Marc Dane series continues to excite and entertain with its fifth instalment, Rogue, which sees the tenacious ex-MI6 operative caught up in a plot which threatens the survival of the Rubicon Group and its founder, Solomon Ekko. When a figure from his past emerges from the shadows to cause havoc, Dane and partner Lucy Keyes set out to uncover who it is and where they came from, stirring up old secrets along the way. As the mystery unravels it reveals attacks on Rubicon from within and without, uncovering yet more secrets and bearing the unmistakable hallmarks of the Combine.

Continue reading

Goldilocks by Laura Lam – via the British Fantasy Society

I’ve got another review for you over at the British Fantasy Society website, this time for the brand new sci-fi thriller Goldilocks by Laura Lam, so named for the ‘Goldilocks Zone’, the region of space around a star in which human-habitable worlds might exist. I do love a good space travel story, although considering it largely takes place on a spaceship on its way to another planet, this one turned out to be unexpectedly relevant to current events taking place right now! As usual, you’re very welcome to go straight over to the BFS website if you’d like to just read the review, but I thought I’d talk a little bit more about the book here.

Keep reading…

Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings – via Grimdark Magazine

I’m very pleased to have another book review published on the Grimdark Magazine website – this time I’ve reviewed a fantastic horror novella called Flyaway, by Australian author Kathleen Jennings and published by Tor.com. If you just want to check out my review, head over to the Grimdark Magazine website right here and have a read – as usual, I’ve tried to keep the review concise, spoiler-free and as objective as I can be. If, however, you’re up for reading a few more of my thoughts on the book, from a somewhat more subjective angle, then by all means read on!

Keep reading…