-
Review: Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
Damned this is a good book. Luke Arnold has a gift for storytelling. Last Smile is the first in the new Fetch Philips series and it this opening story is anything to go by readers will be in for a treat. Fetch is a man for hire in a world where the magic has broken and the once mighty magical races now dwell in reduced circumstances because something the humans did and there is a lot of friction between humans and magicals because of this. Fetch has been involved in both sides and we see his back story shown through flashbacks which genuinely add depth to his…
-
Review: The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H. G. Parry
Charley and Rob are brothers with an awkward past. Charley a former child prodigy with the very unique ability that he can read characters out of books and have them appear in ort world. This concept I found utterly delightful, not least the opportunity to meet some of your favourite characters in the flesh. However, for Rob its something of an embarrassment, his brother is deliberately ruining his life and always has done. Especially as Rob is a Solicitor and has a serious life that he has built with his partner Lydia. The brothers are not close and Charley feels like the kind of vague professor who is so much…
-
Subjective Chaos Nominations 2020
Subjective Chaos has started and these are the works that have been nomintated by the group. I’m really excited because I’m going to be reading outside my comfort zone and I’ll be reading some shorter fiction when I tend to read for novels for preference. Come with me on this journey for I shall not be sleeping as look at what we have nominated…. Best Short Fiction This Book Will Find You by Sam Beckbessinger, Lauren Beukes & Dale Halvorsen (The Outcast Hours edited by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin) Doll Seed by Michele Tracy Berger (Fiyah Magazine Issue 11) The Migration Suite: A Study in C Sharp Minor by…
-
Subjective Chaos 2020
I am very behind on my blogging this year, I blame starting a new job but here’s the news. I have been asked to be part of the Subjective Chaos Awards this year and if you want to know more about us and what we are up to please read on. The rules/aims/guidelines/best intentions – We will embrace chaos – We will have fun – All discussion will be good-humoured – We do not shout and disturb the other readers The Categories – Best Fantasy Novel – Best SF Novel – Best Blurred Boundaries – Best Novella – Best Complete Series (final instalment published in 2019) – And now a…
-
Welcome to 2020
Ugh I know I’ve been missing in action. I kind of ran out of steam at the end of last year the day job really took over and there were some pesky life moments getting in the way of editing podcasts and making this blog as interesting as it could be. So a quick round up. For the first time in forever I did not complete my Good Reads Challenge and, you know what I’m not going to beat myself up over it. It was a large number, I read very few comics and my personal life had a lot going on. This year I’m making some exciting reads…
-
Shadowrun Character History
I was born in Cuba back near the start of the century when the world was just starting to turn properly to caca for most. One of my earliest memories is ma madre telling Eduardo and I just what she had sacrificed to bring us into the world and how we were a disappointment and her shame. I guess I should explain, Eduardo and I were such disappointments as we were both born dwarven and it was just at the time where we were first generation freaks rather than the kids today. We got stared at a lot as children and I could not help but notice their shame. There…
You May Also Like
Wherein I come out.
-
Frozen 2
I came to the original Frozen quite late on, I didn’t see it in the cinema but rather watched it with some Disney obssessive friends and apart from Agnes Nitt I don’t think I’ve ever empathised with a character more. I loved Elsa so fiercely and Let it Go has been an anthem for me ever since. This probably makes me a basic bench but at this point I don’t really care. I had a moment of glorious catharsis where I ugly cried at Disneyland Paris when Elsa appeared and sang let it go. It touches me somewhere deep in my feels and I’m not going to apologise for that.…
-
Playing in the Dark
Neil Gaiman at the Barbican was quite magical. The concert opened with the BBC Symphony Orchestra playing The Sourcerer’s Apprentice and I can think of no better way to set the tone for an evening. Neil then appeared and read short stories and poems and sections from his novels. Amanda Palmer read a poem of his called the Mushroom hunters which was one of the highlights of the evening as far as I am concerned we were also treated to the Lord Chancellor’s Nightmare Song from Iolanthe which is a real treat if you have never heard it before. The second half opened with one of my favourite pieces of…
-
End of a Decade…
There’s this meme going around and it asks what you have done in the last decade. I have mixed feelings about this as I tend to do when things go viral and whilst its lovely to see those people who have achieved things, I worry that it becomes a competition and I struggle to think of things that I would consider major achievements. Initially, I thought oh my word; I have just failed at everything. But no this isn’t true. I have had a tough year and I like to think I’m finally starting to accept myself but there’s a long way to go but I have made a start.…
-
Shadowrun Session 1
Belarmina Alvarez is my Latinx Dwarf based in this Chronicle. She has a long and varied back story which I will write up at somepoint, but here is her experience of the first session with the group. Basically I got home and was so pumped with keen that I had to write up what she got up to. It has given me the inspiration to write some fiction based on what happened and here it is. Content notes she is short tempered and whilst this isn’t explicit there are adult themes.
