I have nothing really bad to say about this book. Not really. It's a Flannagan-era take on demons and a haunted house as seen through a young influencI have nothing really bad to say about this book. Not really. It's a Flannagan-era take on demons and a haunted house as seen through a young influencer's eyes and how she grew up.
Put simply.
It's giving the popular crowd and the newly popular take on the horror genre exactly what it desires. I, too, really enjoy Mike's takes, and this gives us more. So, bon appetite!
Definitely an uncomfortable, even rage-baiting read. But then, where else should we be in a horror about real life child abuse, institutional-style?
ItDefinitely an uncomfortable, even rage-baiting read. But then, where else should we be in a horror about real life child abuse, institutional-style?
It may have taken place in the 1950's at the height of the Jim Crow era, and the kinds of reform schools for boys, especially black boys, are a well known tragedy just one step to the side from actual slavery, but that doesn't make it any the less resonate with today.
Racism is absolutely rampant and it takes a whole village to create a slave and the slavery mindset.
I can't tell you how happy I was to see some kind of happy ending to this novel.
Ghosts aside, abuse and death aside, I have to say this book was rather soul-killing. I guess that CAN be a mark of a good horror, no? I just wish it wasn't hitting so close to home.
I cannot rightly say this has been my favorite magical fox tale, whether couched in historical magical realism or not, but I can say it was a solid taI cannot rightly say this has been my favorite magical fox tale, whether couched in historical magical realism or not, but I can say it was a solid tale of slow-burning love, trickery, and even a good helping of mystery.
The plot was slow and meandering but that should be everything you might want in a slow and meandering tale that's more about a lifetime of a fox than it being about the many, many trickeries.
And yet, if you, dear reader, are fond of asian fox tales, I'm sure you'll have a good time with this. There's a lot to snack on, here. Fried tofu or otherwise....more
I was asked by the author to read this and I did so quite willingly because I have a natural soft spot for this kind of thing. I mean, shattered realiI was asked by the author to read this and I did so quite willingly because I have a natural soft spot for this kind of thing. I mean, shattered realities, cosmic horror, timey-wimey stuff in one shot? Hell yeah.
Diving right in, it had some massive hard SF feels to it AND major classic Fantasy feels in different sections. Indeed, we're thrown into into three timelines of the deep past with sword and sorcery, WWI getting weird, and the far future, complete with AIs, VR, and hacking.
It was almost like I was reading the Elric Saga, classic Conan, a hint of Tad William's Otherland series, and a modern technothriller all in one.
One caveat to your enjoyment, however: It's a very rich novel in terms of imagery and mythos. In some places, I wished we had slowed some to get to know the characters in times of rest, but it isn't that kind of story. It's epic and fraught throughout. As it probably ought to be, with stakes this pervasive.
In the end, however, it's very much a standard quest story and very satisfying for that reason.
Highly recommended for anyone wanting a rich brew to sate themselves....more
"Tomorrow. Today." by R.T. Ester -- (4*) A fairly interesting ship of Theseus story revolving uploadable bodies.
"Imperfect Simulations" by Michelle Z."Tomorrow. Today." by R.T. Ester -- (4*) A fairly interesting ship of Theseus story revolving uploadable bodies.
"Imperfect Simulations" by Michelle Z. Jin -- (5*) Lots of great probability ruminations butting heads against friendship. Great worldbuilding, too.
"The Cold Burns" by Anne Wilkins -- (5*) Great dystopia. Utopia. Lol. A pretty hard-hitting capitalist nightmare. I'd say cyberpunk, but this is one step beyond.
"The Hole" by Ferenc Samsa -- (4*) A pleasure-filled and debased vision of a future. Feels distinctly post-humanity, post-bodies, while reveling in the the same--as a mystery story. :)
"Between Here and Everywhere" by Robert Reed -- (5*) I'm reminded, AGAIN, how much I enjoy the Greatship series of Reed's. Memory and quest, yet again. :)
"This Sepulchral Aegis" by Rob Gillham -- (5*) Thank goodness for strange, disturbing, layered post-human space fiction. :) Best because it'll always be horribly human.
"Home Grown" by Madeleine Vigneron - (3*) Birth, direction, future. Pretty simple. Not sure I found it all that interesting, though. At least, not written like this.
I suppose I simply loved Imperfect Simulations. Between Here and Everywhere was great for its own story and how it builds on all of the rest of Reed's stories. I loved This Sepulchral Aegis for its oddities.
Ah, alas, this is a total bust for me. It has everything I disrespect: voting off the island crap, reality tv crap, desperate-for-fun/survival kids whAh, alas, this is a total bust for me. It has everything I disrespect: voting off the island crap, reality tv crap, desperate-for-fun/survival kids who're too stupid they're being used and discarded for cheap thrills crap.
I mean... crap. I avoided a whole decade and a half of tv because of this shit. Why would I want to READ it, too?
So, yeah, you're in the compound and you have to find and share a bed with a stranger for ratings, but all the time, the sponsors will make you eat grass or pull stupid stunts for food.
What the hell is this? An allegory for work, society? Or just a bargain-bin reality tv show knockoff in text? Prolly both. And honestly, it's annoying as all hell.
Sorry, it's me, not you, Compound. Or maybe it is you. Oh, well....more
To be honest, I was hoping to continue with the characters I'd grown to love in the first book, but these mostly just have the feel of dirtside warfarTo be honest, I was hoping to continue with the characters I'd grown to love in the first book, but these mostly just have the feel of dirtside warfare, more MilSF, and some more MilSF without the charm that I'd grown to love in the first book.
As a short story collection, I won't say that they were all bad. Indeed, some were fairly entertaining, but as a whole, I hope this isn't just a way to tease the plot threads for the second book--that may be nothing but new characters.
I WAS invested in the rest. I hope this is just a one-off....more
This was freaking amazing. I was simply unprepared for what this became.
Decades of story, this epic horror revels in an old myth so modernized and psyThis was freaking amazing. I was simply unprepared for what this became.
Decades of story, this epic horror revels in an old myth so modernized and psychological and nastily PRESENT that I'm frankly a bit shocked that it COULD be St. George versus the Dragon.
Because, let's face it, that's what this is.
Of course, it's so much more. 80's satanic panic, occultism, friends getting in WAY too deep, and the fact that a single stupid moment can ruin the rest of their lives. But that opening is just the beginning.
But let's take another look at this novel. I should mention that it is a horror that NEEDS to be read on Easter. Trust me. Easter. It's an Easter horror. A dragon Easter horror.
Easily a fun, dark read. This is quite a bit like Jade City, its crime family vibes with a huge splash of full metal alchemist thrown in, was a lot ofEasily a fun, dark read. This is quite a bit like Jade City, its crime family vibes with a huge splash of full metal alchemist thrown in, was a lot of fun.
Of course, in this particular novel, the R&J vibes are VERY strong, too, and you know what? I'm all for it. Ari and Sam are great characters and I love them both.
I do classify this as Urban Fantasy, but really, it feels more like the Godfather with magic and a star-crossed romance. I can't wait to keep reading more....more
This book is a pitch-perfect example of a boring dystopia. Its actual SF features literal dream police, making the Minority Report into a coasting midThis book is a pitch-perfect example of a boring dystopia. Its actual SF features literal dream police, making the Minority Report into a coasting middle-management nightmare. Social, credit scores are latched onto your literal dreams. Having issues? Are you cranky?
It can and will be used against you if you don't conform.
The problem with this is that it's OUR reality already. Digital surveillance, AI analysis, and systemic assholery makes us live this NOW.
It's a horrible novel because we're already living it. Or it's a great novel because we're already living it. Either way, it's rage-inducing.
And yes, it's an indictment of capitalism. Creating prisons and prisoners for the profit motive. Creating a rule system that can't be beaten, but can easily be abused to keep people in their place.
Again, we're already here. And it's pitch perfect for how it describes people's reactions, how they just want to get along, carry the burden because it can get so much worse if you don't, and how utterly cowed we are.
Bringing up a strike, and how effectively it is squashed, is also accurate to our lives.
If you're looking for a Jack Vance-ish panorama of a fantasy earth filled with demons, lord death, and cruel magicians, look no further. This is full If you're looking for a Jack Vance-ish panorama of a fantasy earth filled with demons, lord death, and cruel magicians, look no further. This is full of old-school mythologies, dark hearts, sex, hate, and fantasy of the crueler persuasion.
Well, what else can we expect when you're a pet project of the master demon of the realm? It may take some time to mature into something quite evil, but give it time. Give it time.
Well now. That was chaotic and disturbing as all hell.
Ignore normal body-horror fiction for a moment and just settle in for a little pregnancy fictionWell now. That was chaotic and disturbing as all hell.
Ignore normal body-horror fiction for a moment and just settle in for a little pregnancy fiction.
Oh, never mind, settle in for some serious body-horror pregnancy fiction.
Nightmare fuel.
Oh, and it's very much a LGBTQ transitional piece, too, as well as some nice cthuhlu tones. But no matter what you might expect, expect to be bleed from many orifices.
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