Best Reads of 2022

This year has been a strange year for me. Everything started out fine, but about halfway through the year I found it harder and harder to focus on reading. Halfway through the year I lost all motivation. I couldn't bring myself to write reviews for the few books I did manage to read. And then things got even worse.  

Months went by where I didn't even pick up a single book. Reading wasn't fun anymore and blogging was out of the question. Combined with the worst load shedding South Africa has ever experienced I was at my darkest point (literally and emotionally). It took me a while to figure out that I was completely burned out and that the best thing I could do was to give myself time and space to recover.

It took much longer than expected, but I finally feel that I'm returning back to normal. I feel the burning urge to read again and my bookish excitement has returned with a vengeance. I want to read ALL the things. It's such a huge relief to have this essential part of me back again. I was afraid I was completely broken forever.

Load shedding is still an issue. It's strange what a huge impact only having a limited amount of hours of power has on your life. I'm still struggling with writing reviews and not having any power for long stretches aren't helping. Hopefully that gets better too.

Surprisingly, despite everything, I managed to read 50 books this year. As always it's difficult to choose my favourites. I've decided to exclude ongoing series this year, otherwise this list would be MUCH longer and completely dominated by Adrian Tchaikovsky's work. Go check out Bear Head (Dogs of War #2) and Eyes of the Void (The Final Architecture #2). They are both excellent and definitely worth picking up once you've read the first books in the series. 

Here are my top 3 reads of the year in no particular order:

The Long Winter Trilogy by A.G. Riddle

This is cheating a little, but I'm counting the entire trilogy as one. This was my first introduction to A.G. Riddle's work and I was blown away. There was never a dull moment, and Riddle manages to combine the pacing of a thriller with far-reaching and impactful ideas only good science fiction has to offer. The unexpected twist at the end broke both my heart and brain. The Long Winter trilogy far exceeded any of my expectations and A.G. Riddle has earned a place on my favourite authors list.

The Chimera Code by Wayne Santos

The Chimera Code is a high-octane adventure where cyberpunk meets magic and transforms itself into something majestic. The story kicks off with a bang and sweeps you up in a relentless, action-packed narrative with a conclusion that will leave you breathless and craving more. This was truly epic! I can't wait to see more of this world and its characters.

The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay

Tremblay takes a lesser known part of vampire mythology and gives it his own unique twist. The Pallbearers Club weaves a captivating narrative where you don't quite know what's real and what's not. This is a story that worms inside your mind and won't let you go until you've contemplated every possibility of its delicious ambiguity. Vampire or not? You decide.

***

Review: Giving The Devil His Due

Title: Giving The Devil His Due
Edited by Rebecca Brewer
Pages: 290
ISBN: 9781947041905
Publisher: Running Wild Press
Published: 1 September 2021
Genre: Short stories / Horror
Source: Review copy from publisher

What if a young girl had the power to stop her tyrannical father from battering her mother ever again? What if a student had a secret weapon to end sexual assault by her predatory professor permanently? What if a housewife had unusual means to get back at her controlling husband and walk away from her marriage alive?

In Giving the Devil His Due, The Pixel Project’s first charity anthology, sixteen acclaimed fantasy, science fiction, and horror authors take readers on an unforgettable journey to alternative worlds where men who abuse and murder women and girls meet their comeuppance in uncanny ways.

(Cover art by Emir Orucevic)

Stories are powerful things. They shape how we experience and view our world, shining light on monsters real and imagined and giving hope that those monster can be slain. Giving The Devil His Due is a short story anthology filled with unsettling, powerful and thought-provoking stories which deal with abuse in all its varied forms.

Stories included in the anthology:

• Hell on the Homefront Too • Stephen Graham Jones - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Steering Wheel Club • Kaaron Warren - ⭐⭐⭐
• Sweet Justice • Kenesha Williams - ⭐⭐⭐
• The Moon Goddess’s Granddaughter • Lee Murray - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Kindly Sea • Dana Cameron - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Just Us League • Angela Yuriko Smith - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• American Murder • Peter Tieryas - ⭐⭐
• As We Stand and Pray • Jason Sanford - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Finding Water to Catch Fire • Linda D. Addison - ⭐⭐⭐
• Escape from Pleasant Point • Leanna Renee Hieber - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Daughter of Echidna • Nicholas Kaufmann - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Devil’s Pocket Change • Hillary Monahan - ⭐⭐⭐
• The Tawny Bitch • Nisi Shawl - ⭐⭐⭐
• Happy Birthday Baby • Kelley Armstrong - ⭐⭐⭐
• Devil’s Hollow • Errick Nunnally - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Little Thing • Christina Henry - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Giving The Devil His Due edited by Rebecca Brewer brings together stories from some of the top names in speculative fiction. The sixteen stories collected here hit hard and will give you a new perspective on the abuse and violence so many women worldwide have to endure on a daily basis.

"Too ashamed to show her the battleground of your body with its legacy of bruises, you went home." (p 43)

I enjoyed all the stories on offer here, but three stories really stood out to me. Hell on the Homefront Too by Stephen Graham Jones: Short, brutal and powerful. The perfect opening to the anthology which sets the scene for all the stories to come.
The Moon Goddess’s Granddaughter by Lee Murray: A slower, more melancholy story about the loss of freedom and the struggle to recapture lost dreams and break the shackles of an abusive relationship. Memorable and touching in the extreme. 
The Little Thing by Christina Henry: Vengeance comes in the most unexpected of forms. A very, very satisfying ending to both the story and the anthology.

In an unjust world justice has many incarnations. Some more wrathful than others...

Giving the Devil His Due shines a powerful spotlight on a topic which is so often ignored and does so in a powerful, impactful way. If you are looking for some great stories while supporting a great cause then look no further. Highly recommended!

100% of the net proceeds from the sales of the anthology will go towards supporting The Pixel Project’s anti-violence against women programs, campaigns, and resources.

The Rating: 8/10 (Great!)

Review: The Deathworld Omnibus by Harry Harrison

Title: The Deathworld Omnibus
Author: Harry Harrison
Series: Deathworld #1-3
Pages: 512
ISBN: 9781473228375
Publisher: Gollancz
Published: March 1960
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Source: Purchased

The planet was called Pyrrus, a strange place where all the beasts, plants and natural elements were designed for one specific purpose: to destroy man.

The settlers there were supermen, twice as strong as ordinary men and with milli-second reflexes. They had to be. For their business was murder.

It was up to Jason dinAlt, interplanetary gambler, to discover why Pyrrus had become so hostile during man's brief habitation.

This omnibus contains all three novels in the Deathworld.

If you thought the Deathworld trilogy by Harry Harrison is a pulpy space western you wouldn’t be completely wrong. Take away the technology, the spaceships and the alien worlds and you have the makings of a pretty standard western filled with gambling, gunslinging and high-stakes adventure.

Transporting the familiar into a science fiction setting allows Harry Harrison to explore some much deeper issues while offering a fun, adventure filled read at surface level. Delving deeper you discover that Deathworld, Deathworld 2 and Deathworld 3 (you have to love those titles!) provides some serious food for thought. Deathworld deals with ecology and the constant struggle between humanity and the environment, Deathworld 2 delves into morality and ethics and Deathworld 3 takes a hard look at colonialism and subsummation of other cultures.

For something written in the sixties Deathworld holds up very well, and unlike other novels from the same period it’s refreshing to see female characters treated as equal or even superior to their male counterparts. The first book, Deathworld, is by far the most enjoyable tale included in the omnibus, with Deathworld 2 and Deathworld 3 only tangentially related to the first one. If you are looking for a fun adventure with some deeper meaning, then the Deathworld series might be worth looking into, even if it’s just for some analog tech nostalgia.

The Rating: 6.5/10 (Good)

Best Reads of 2021

Another year has come and gone. 2021 was a very tough year, in so many ways. I'm thankful to see it end. I managed to read 70 books, finishing the last book of the year with just 10 minutes to spare. There were some great reads this year, with just a few that didn't quite work for me.

Here, in no particular order are my best reads of 2021. I could have made a list consisting exclusively of Adrian Tchaikovsky's work, but forced myself to limit it to only two.

Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay

Survivor Song is not a zombie novel. Not in the traditional sense. Paul Tremblay takes the traditional zombie and transforms it into terrifying reality. A story of a personal horror told exceptionally well. Tremblay manages to turn even a blank page into a devastating blow straight to the heart. A truly heart-wrenching read. This unconventional horror at its best.

Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Adrian Tchaikovsky once again shifts the boundaries of possibility of non-human intelligence. Dogs of War is larger in scope and far more nuanced than it first appears. To say it's a mind-bending read would be wholly inadequate. Rex is not just a Good Dog. He is the Best Dog!

Shards of Earth by by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A brand new space opera universe to explore together with the best type of found family. Tchaikovsky has outdone himself once again. I can’t quite decide if I like Shards of Earth more than Children of Time (both, I love both!), but if this is how things start out I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the trilogy. Highly recommended!

Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey

A bittersweet farewell. Leviathan Falls brings the most epic of space operas to a fitting close. The ending is unexpectedly poignant. It will tear your heart to shreds while still offering a pinprick of hope. This is as satisfying an ending as anyone could have hoped for. It’s been one hell of a ride and worth every moment!

You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo

I didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as I did. All the story elements brought together here shouldn't work so well together, but somehow they do. You Sexy Thing is an immensely fun read. If you are looking for an unusual space opera with surprising emotional depth hidden in it’s cozy exterior then look no further.

* * *

Hopefully 2022 will bring some more amazing reads. Happy reading!

Review: You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo

Title: You Sexy Thing
Author: Cat Rambo
Pages: 306
ISBN: 9781250269300
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 16 November 2021
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Source: Library loan

TwiceFar station is at the edge of the known universe, and that's just how Niko Larson, former Admiral in the Grand Military of the Hive Mind, likes it.

Retired and finally free of the continual war of conquest, Niko and the remnants of her former unit are content to spend the rest of their days working at the restaurant they built together, The Last Chance.

But, some wars can't ever be escaped, and unlike the Hive Mind, some enemies aren't content to let old soldiers go. Niko and her crew are forced onto a sentient ship convinced that it is being stolen and must survive the machinations of a sadistic pirate king if they even hope to keep the dream of The Last Chance alive.

Like its title Cat Rambo’s You Sexy Thing is unusual, unconventional and unique. It takes cooking, alien creatures, sentient spaceships, space pirates, warring galactic empires, prophesied destinies, werebeasts and even magic and blends all of these ingredients together to create something that will make your imagination sing with joy. It shouldn't work, but it somehow does.

She ignored him. “Your prophecies were wrong the last three times,” she told Lassite. “You need to stop sharing them with people. They’re always discouraging. You are a swarm of negativity. I’ve told you this before, it doesn’t do us any good when you make customers afraid by hissing doom.” (p 26)

The characters are engaging and each one brings their own unique perspective and skillset to the story. They form a perfect dysfunctional found family who care very deeply for each other, sticking together when everything goes to hell. 

I really enjoyed the main protagonist Niko Larson and her acerbic wit, but some of the supporting characters manage to upstage her, especially Lassite with his portents of doom and gloom. But it’s the ship, You Sexy Thing, itself that steals the show. I loved how the ship explores emotions and moulds a definite sense of self through its interaction with the crew.

Bioships are grown, not manufactured, and every gleaming, curving inch of You Sexy Thing managed to convey a sense of barely restrained power itching to be unleashed. It was a deep black in color, a black that greedily gulped up the light and buried it where no one would ever find it again. (p 61)

The story unfolds at a breakneck pace without a dull moment. Once the first explosion hits you are drawn completely in until the very last page. The ending is satisfying, but hints at so much more to come. I really hope we get to see more of The Thing and her crew and the amazing adventures that await.

You Sexy Thing is an immensely fun read. If you are looking for an unusual space opera with surprising emotional depth hidden in it’s cozy exterior then this is the book for you!

The Rating: 7.5/10 (Very Good)

Review: Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey

Title: Leviathan Falls
Author: James S.A. Corey
Series: The Expanse #9
Pages: 560
ISBN: 9780356510392
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 30 November 2021
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Source: Library Loan

The Laconian Empire has fallen, setting the thirteen hundred solar systems free from the rule of Winston Duarte. But the ancient enemy that killed the gate builders is awake, and the war against our universe has begun again.

In the dead system of Adro, Elvi Okoye leads a desperate scientific mission to understand what the gate builders were and what destroyed them, even if it means compromising herself and the half-alien children who bear the weight of her investigation. Through the wide-flung systems of humanity, Colonel Aliana Tanaka hunts for Duarte’s missing daughter. . . and the shattered emperor himself. And on the Rocinante, James Holden and his crew struggle to build a future for humanity out of the shards and ruins of all that has come before.

The crew of the Rocinante rides for one final time. It feels like only yesterday when we were first introduced to the idealistic, somewhat naive James Holden and his crew. A decade and nine books later their journey finally comes to an end. The characters have been through hell. Over the span of the series their entire universe has been irrevocably changed and they themselves have aged and grown, transformed by all the dangers, hardships and loss they had to face along the way. Despite it all, they’ve managed to stay true to themselves in every way that matters.

He might know when it came, or it might only be clear in retrospect, or it might end for him so quickly that he never had time to notice all the beautiful, small moments that he was losing.

Leviathan Falls brings the most epic of space operas to a fitting close. The ending is unexpectedly poignant. It will tear your heart to shreds while still offering a pinprick of hope. This is as satisfying an ending as anyone could have hoped for. I’ve treasured every moment I’ve spent with the Rocinante and her crew. It’s been one hell of a ride and worth every moment!

The Expanse series will go down in history as one of the great space operas of our time. You won't regret embarking on this adventure of a lifetime. Highly recommended!

The Rating: 8/10 (Great!)

Review: Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Title: Shards of Earth
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Series: Final Architecture #1
Pages: 548
ISBN: 9780316705851
Publisher: Orbit / Tor
Published: 3 August 2021
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Source: Library Loan

Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade him in the war. And one of humanity's heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers.

After earth was destroyed, mankind created a fighting elite to save their species, enhanced humans such as Idris. In the silence of space they could communicate, mind-to-mind, with the enemy. Then their alien aggressors, the Architects, simply disappeared - and Idris and his kind became obsolete.

Now, fifty years later, Idris and his crew have discovered something strange abandoned in space. It's clearly the work of the Architects - but are they returning? And if so, why? Hunted by gangsters, cults and governments, Idris and his crew race across the galaxy hunting for answers. For they now possess something of incalculable value, that many would kill to obtain.

Step aside Firefly there’s a new crew of lovable reprobates in town. Shards of Earth is a brilliant introduction to a brand new trilogy from one of the masters of space opera. After reading the amazing Children of Time I didn’t think Adrian Tchaikovsky would ever be able to match it, but he has somehow managed to surpass himself. You can’t help but be awed by his talent and the boundless scope of his imagination.

It had singled out the system’s inhabited world, as Architects always did. Because they must have their art, and their art demanded death.

Shards of Earth draws you in right from the start with a fascinating universe and a central cast of characters who are diverse in both form and temperament. You can’t help but to fall in love with the crew of the Vulture God, a group of scavengers just trying to make a living and scrounge up enough to keep their ship, their true home, from falling apart around them. They embody found family at its best. Their interactions, which are often quite humorous, and the way they truly care for each other is what makes this such a special experience.

Because I remember… I don’t sleep, I don’t age and I don’t forget—not the big things. I owe you my life. And I owe you double because you kept me sane after Berlenhof, after… first contact. But it’s you I owe, not the Parthenon.”

As a simple salvage mission turns into something far more perilous and apocalyptic you are swept away on an absolutely engrossing journey filled with lots of action and intrigue. The stakes keep escalating as the crew get propelled from one sticky situation into the next with some world-shattering revelations along the way. I had to pace myself otherwise I would've devoured the entire novel in a single sitting. Once the narrative grabs you it has the pull of a massive black hole - it simply does not let go.

Those familiar with space operas will spot many familiar tropes of the genre, but Tchaikovsky puts his own distinctive spin on them making it uniquely his own. There's a rich history to the universe and those that inhabit it. The alien creatures make for some of the most compelling characters. While only a supporting character, I found that the crablike alien Kittering "Kit" had a special draw for me and I enjoyed it immensely whenever he made an appearance. Who doesn't love a ruthlessly capitalist crab?

Shards of Earth is a great introduction to what promises to be a truly epic space opera. The nail-biting ending is satisfying in its own right without resorting to any cliffhangers and paves the way for something much bigger yet to come.

Tchaikovsky has outdone himself once again. I can’t quite decide if I like The Shards of Earth more than Children of time (both, I love both!), but if this is how things start out I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the trilogy. Highly recommended!

The Rating: 8/10 (Great!)

Review: Green Valley by Louis Greenberg

Title: Green Valley
Author: Louis Greenberg
Pages: 319
ISBN: 9781789090239
Publisher: Titan Books
Published: 11 June 2019
Genre: Science Fiction / Thriller / Horror
Source: Purchased

When Lucie Sterling's niece is abducted, she knows it won't be easy to find answers. Stanton is no ordinary city: invasive digital technology has been banned, by public vote. No surveillance state, no shadowy companies holding databases of information on private citizens, no phones tracking their every move.

Only one place stays firmly anchored in the bad old ways, in a huge bunker across town: Green Valley, where the inhabitants have retreated into the comfort of full-time virtual reality-personae non gratae to the outside world. And it's inside Green Valley, beyond the ideal virtual world it presents, that Lucie will have to go to find her missing niece.

Vision is more important than truth. Green Valley by Louis Greenberg is a genre-bending novel that’s never quite what you expect it to be. With its amalgamation of science fiction, horror and thriller it morphs and transforms as you turn the pages defying any easy labels. When Lucie Sterling’s niece goes missing she ventures into Green Valley, an enclave where the inhabitants live their lives enmeshed in a permanent virtual reality world. In a world where all your senses can be tricked and manipulated nothing is what it seems…

In her search Lucie uncovers the horrific secret of what hides behind the outward veneer of digital bliss. A secret which will leave you questioning our relationship with technology.

The characters and plot almost become a secondary consideration as the true horror is revealed. The impact of Green Valley lies not in what actually happens in the novel or how things turn out, but in its exploration of the impact technology has on our society and all the questions that it provokes. Through the juxtaposition of the two communities, two very different extremes, Greenberg forces you to dig below the surface to come to grips with an all too possible future. What will we be prepared to sacrifice as technology becomes ever more immersive and integrated into every aspect of our daily lives?

Green Valley is a thought-provoking read which will change the way you look at technology and its place in your life. Through this prescient cautionary tale, Greenberg asks some profound questions which we should all take the time to contemplate. If you enjoy things similar in tone to Black Mirror, you'll love this. Recommended!

The Rating: 7/10 (Very Good!)

Review: Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Title: Guns of the Dawn
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Pages: 658
ISBN: 9781447234562
Publisher: Tor
Published: 1 February 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased

First, Denland's revolutionaries assassinated their king, launching a wave of bloodshed after generations of peace. Next they clashed with Lascanne, their royalist neighbor, pitching war-machines against warlocks in a fiercely fought conflict. Genteel Emily Marshwic watched as the hostilities stole her family's young men. But then came the call for yet more Lascanne soldiers in a ravaged kingdom with none left to give. Emily must join the ranks of conscripted women and march toward the front lines. With barely enough training to hold a musket, Emily braves the savage reality of warfare. But she begins to doubt her country's cause, and those doubts become critical. For her choices will determine her own future and that of two nations locked in battle.

Pride and Prejudice goes to war, with just a pinch of magic thrown in to keep things interesting. With Guns of the Dawn Adrian Tchaikovsky once again manages to deliver a fascinating tale that sucks you straight into the lives of the masterfully crafted characters and the world they inhabit.

I'm in awe of Tchaikovsky's talent and how he manages to seamlessly transition between genres. He's such a prolific author who writes not only fantasy, but also excels at science fiction and even horror. It's rare to encounter such a gifted speculative fiction all-rounder and each of his work offers a unique experience. I haven't read a Tchaikovsky novel I haven't loved.

Guns of the Dawn follows the travails of Emily Marshwic, a gentlewoman conscripted into a war she is barely equipped to handle. the midst of war. She is completely transformed by the harrowing experiences she goes through and discovers a strength and resolve in herself that she never knew she possessed. She discovers that in war, truth is not always what it seems...

Emily is a great protagonist and you can't help but to be emotionally invested in her struggles, her loss and pain, but also her personal triumphs. Mr Northway is the perfect counterpoint, a character you love to loathe, but who has hidden depths of his own. Someone who might not be quite as bad as he's made out to be. There's also a large cast of supporting characters who bring the world and the horrors of war to vivid life.

"'We're at war, Em,' said Tubal. 'And it's hard, and it hurts, and the only way to avoid the knife is not to take it seriously.'"

While this is a fantasy novel there is only the smallest spark of magic infused into the world. Only a select few warlocks have magical powers and they are limited in their scope. The rest of the world is mired in the cruel, brutal reality of mundane warfare with sword and gun and the bloody aftermath it leaves behind.

While the ending wasn't completely unexpected it did provide a very satisfying conclusion to the story which felt not only fitting, but so very much deserved.

Guns of the Dawn is a very good read. It deals brilliantly with bringing the horrors of war to life and shows the harrowing toll it has on those who manage to survive. For some reason Guns of the Dawn seems to have sneaked by largely unnoticed, which is a huge pity since it's well worth your time. Highly recommended!

The Rating: 7.5 (Very good)

Love, Death and Robots Volume 2

I absolutely adored the first volume of Netflix's Love, Death and Robots and the second volume, which launched on Friday, doesn't disappoint at all.

While smaller in scope than the first season, with only 8 episodes this second volume packs a tremendous punch with some truly stunning visuals and hard-hitting stories which will leave you craving more.

As with any anthology some stories didn't hit the mark, but those that did blew me away. My absolute favourite was Snow in the Desert based on Neal Asher's short story of the same name. It was great to finally see his Polity universe brought to the screen. There's so much untapped cinematic potential in the Polity universe. Hopefully they'll soon be able to introduce the viewing public to Hooders and a little place called Spatterjay too...

A close second has to be All Through the House. You'll never look at Christmas in the same way again. I also loved Life Hutch and the, very dark, Pop Squad.

Ranking the episodes from most to least favourite is a tough choice since it will depend completely on your personal taste in art style and narrative. If I had to rank the episodes my list would look something like this:

1. Snow in the Desert (Story by Neal Asher, 2002)
2. All Through the House (Story by Joachim Heijndermans, 2017)
3. Life Hutch (Story by Harlan Ellison, 1956)
4. Pop Squad (Story by Paolo Bacigalupi, 2006)
5. The Tall Grass (Story by Joe R. Lansdale, 2012)
6. Ice (Story by Rich Larson, 2015)
7. The Drowned Giant (Story by J.G. Ballard,1964 )
8. Automated Customer Service (Story by John Scalzi, 2019 )

Love, Death and Robots Volume 2 should definitely be a priority on your watchlist. It's a visual feast of speculative fiction! I'm amazed at both the animation and story talent on show. I definitely want more.

Have you watched it yet? What's your favourite episodes?

Review: Liftoff by Eric Berger

Title: Liftoff
Author: Eric Berger
Pages: 268
ISBN: 9780008445638
Publisher: William Collins
Published: 2 March 2021
Genre: Non Fiction / Aerospace
Source: Review copy from publisher

The dramatic inside story of the first four historic flights that launched SpaceX—and Elon Musk—from a shaky startup into the world's leading edge rocket company.

SpaceX has enjoyed a miraculous decade. Less than 20 years after its founding, it boasts the largest constellation of commercial satellites in orbit, has pioneered reusable rockets, and in 2020 became the first private company to launch human beings into orbit. Half a century after the space race SpaceX is pushing forward into the cosmos, laying the foundation for our exploration of other worlds.

But before it became one of the most powerful players in the aerospace industry, SpaceX was a fledgling startup, scrambling to develop a single workable rocket before the money ran dry. The engineering challenge was immense; numerous other private companies had failed similar attempts. And even if SpaceX succeeded, they would then have to compete for government contracts with titans such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, who had tens of thousands of employees and tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue. SpaceX had fewer than 200 employees and the relative pittance of $100 million in the bank.

As you watch the latest livestream of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as it launches, delivers the latest batch of Starlink satellites to orbit and then successfully lands back on a droneship floating around on the ocean it's just another average day. SpaceX has made something that was unthinkable two decades ago seem mundane.  It’s easy to forget that SpaceX had a long, arduous journey to get where it is today. Nobody expected them to succeed, and yet, against all odds, they did.

"Can you believe that thing, or something like it, is going to take people to another planet for the first time in 4.5 billion years? I mean, probably. It may not work. But it probably will."

Liftoff by Eric Berger chronicles the early days of SpaceX where a handful of people made the impossible possible through their hard work, immense sacrifice and perseverance in the face of extreme adversity. With failure after failure they persisted. As the entire future of the company hinged on one final launch, they finally managed to bring Elon Musk’s vision of a more affordable, more agile spaceflight industry into being.

Liftoff is an absolutely fascinating read and shows how truly transformative SpaceX is, both in vision, management style and execution. A small upstart company which nobody believed could succeed, brought disruptive innovation into a stagnating industry which relied on the plodding status quo being maintained.

While Elon Musk is without a doubt the driving force and public face of SpaceX he didn’t do it by himself. Musk gets most of the spotlight but there was an entire team of engineers who worked tirelessly to make the Falcon rocket a reality. It was refreshing to finally hear their stories and to see how much they sacrificed to be part of something they truly believed in. Through sweat, tears and ingenuity they managed to make history. It’s about time their story is told.

If you are interested in spaceflight then Liftoff by Eric Berger is an essential read. It showcases the extremely tough early days of SpaceX and gives insight into a company which transformed the industry forever. With the development of Starship set to completely disrupt the industry once again, it was great to see where it all started and how SpaceX are building the tools to take us to the future. Highly recommended!

Thanks to Charlene from Jonathan Ball Publishers for the review copy.

Review: Later by Stephen King

Title: Later
Author: Stephen King
Pages: 512
ISBN: 9781789096491
Publisher: Hard Case Crime
Published: 2 March 2021
Genre: Horror / Crime
Source: Library

The son of a struggling single mother, Jamie Conklin just wants an ordinary childhood. But Jamie is no ordinary child. Born with an unnatural ability his mom urges him to keep secret, Jamie can see what no one else can see and learn what no one else can learn. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine - as he discovers when an NYPD detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave.

It's been ages since a book kept me up reading long past midnight. Later, the latest novel by Stephen King managed to do just that. It sucked me right in and I lost all track of time while in the grip of the brilliantly crafted narrative. I kept putting off going to sleep. Just one more chapter. Just one more page. I'll sleep later. When I finally came to my senses it was 2AM and I had 3 hours left before I had to go to work. I guess you'd expect nothing less from Stephen King.

Later follows the story of Jamie Conklin a teenage boy gifted with a supernatural ability. As he slowly comes to grips with his ability he is drawn into the harsh reality of the world. A world filled with crime and malice, and those that would use him, and what he can do for their own ends. It's a story about facing your demons in whichever form they may come.

Stephen King excels at capturing the innocence of youth and the transformation which occurs when that childhood innocence is lost forever. I adored Jamie and his story, and I was captivated until the very end. Constant readers will be happy with all the small easter eggs and references to the greater King universe. 

At its core this is a horror story, but it's a far more subtle variety of horror than most of King's other works. The supernatural twist he brings to crime works very well and makes for compelling reading. The ending is satisfying and open-ended enough to hint at some marvelous future possibilities.

"You get used to marvelous things. You take them for granted. You can try not to, but you do. There’s too much wonder, that’s all. It’s everywhere."

There is one thing that I'm ambivalent about. Near the end there is a revelation about a familial connection where Jamie's father is revealed. This felt unnecessary and didn't add to the story, in fact I felt it actually detracted from it. The story might have been better if this was left out, but it does serve to challenge our preconceptions.

Jamie Conklin has cemented himself firmly into my pantheon of favourite Stephen King characters. I hope we see much more of him, hopefully much sooner than later!

Review: Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Title: Dogs of War
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Series: Dogs of War #1
Pages: 266
ISBN: 9781786693877
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2 November 2017
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: Purchased

My name is Rex. I am a good dog. Rex is also seven foot tall at the shoulder, bulletproof, bristling with heavy calibre weaponry and his voice resonates with subsonics especially designed to instil fear. With Dragon, Honey and Bees, he's part of a Multiform Assault Pack operating in the lawless anarchy of Campeche, south-eastern Mexico.

Rex is a genetically engineered Bioform, a deadly weapon in a dirty war. He has the intelligence to carry out his orders and feedback implants to reward him when he does. All he wants to be is a Good Dog. And to do that he must do exactly what Master says and Master says he's got to kill a lot of enemies.

But who, exactly, are the enemies? What happens when Master is tried as a war criminal? What rights does the Geneva Convention grant weapons? Do Rex and his fellow Bioforms even have a right to exist? And what happens when Rex slips his leash?

You might think you know what sentience is. You’d be wrong.

In Dogs of War Adrian Tchaikovsky once again shifts the boundaries of possibility of non-human intelligence. The novel follows the members of a Multiform Assault Pack consisting of Rex, Honey, Bees and Dragon — bioforms designed and bred to be ruthless, obedient killing machines. To their masters they are mere tools to be used and discarded, but iIn reality they are far more than their creators could ever imagine.

Tchaikovsky excels at portraying non-human intelligence in it’s multitude of forms. He manages to give each bioform a distinct personality suited not only to their form, but also to their function in the pack. You can’t help but fall in love with them and feel compassion towards their plight. Especially as they slowly discover the reality of the situation and their place in the world.

“That is our choice. You want us to follow human orders. You think that is better.” The bear’s animal stare was nothing if not judgemental.

Dogs of War is larger in scope and far more nuanced than it first appears. The novel tackles huge themes exploring the boundaries of sentience, morality, self determination, freedom and ownership.

Technology is not Good Tech or Bad Tech. It is the Master who is guilty for what it does.

It's difficult to talk about the novel without spoiling it. You have to experience the revelations for yourself as the truth is slowly revealed. The ending broke my heart. Rex is not just a Good Dog. He is the Best Dog!

To say that Dogs of War is a mind-bending read would be wholly inadequate. It took me weeks after finishing it to come to terms with all the implications. It blew my mind just a little… Highly recommended!

The Rating: 8/10 (Great!)

Review: Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay

Title: Survivor Song
Author: Paul Tremblay
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9781785657863
Publisher: Titan Books
Published: 7 July 2020
Genre: Horror
Source: Review copy from publisher

When it happens, it happens quickly.

New England is locked down, a strict curfew the only way to stem the wildfire spread of a rabies-like virus. The hospitals cannot cope with the infected, as the pathogen’s ferociously quick incubation period overwhelms the state. The veneer of civilisation is breaking down as people live in fear of everyone around them. Staying inside is the only way to keep safe.

But paediatrician Ramola Sherman can’t stay safe, when her friend Natalie calls – her husband is dead, she’s eight months pregnant, and she’s been bitten. She is thrust into a desperate race to bring Natalie and her unborn child to a hospital, to try and save both their lives.

Their once familiar home has becoming a violent and strange place, twisted in to a barely recognisable landscape. What should have been a simple, joyous journey becomes a brutal trial.

Survivor Song is not a zombie novel. Not in the traditional sense. Paul Tremblay takes the traditional zombie and transforms it into terrifying reality. There are no shambling armies of undead to be seen; instead there is something far more horrifying - an outbreak of a highly virulent strain of the rabies virus. Not only is the virus fatal, it turns the infected into homicidal monstrosities with an overwhelming compulsion to bite.

From the very beginning you are drawn into a world that is far too similar to our current reality. It’s that sense of familiarity and foreboding that had me hooked. I couldn’t put the book down until I finished reading it in a frenzied eight hour long reading session. And it was worth it.

When reading Survivor Song it’s easy to believe that Paul Tremblay has the ability to predict the future. While the pathogen depicted in the novel is far more terrifying and deadly than COVID-19 the response to the epidemic mirrors our current reality to an eerie degree. Tremblay manages to hit all the marks - the fear and uncertainty of quarantine, the lack of PPE and adequate knowledge, the collapse of overwhelmed medical services and even conspiracy theories and the appearance of armed patriots patrolling the streets in makeshift militias. It’s truly uncanny.

“In the coming days, conditions will continue to deteriorate. Emergency services and other public safety nets will be stretched to their breaking points, exacerbated by the wily antagonists of fear, panic, misinformation; a myopic, sluggish federal bureaucracy further hamstrung by a president unwilling and woefully unequipped to make the rational, science-based decisions necessary; and exacerbated, of course, by plain old individual everyday evil.”

The novel provides a brief window into the lives of two friends as they struggle to survive through the epidemic. Dr Ramola Sherman comes to the aid of Natalie, her pregnant friend, after she survives a brutal attack by an infected man. The entirety of the story spans the hours after the attack and the implications of its aftermath. The unwavering friendship between Rams and Natalie is the driving force behind the narrative and while the circumstances are dire and increasingly bleak there are also moments of levity between the old friends that offer a welcome respite. You know things aren’t going to end well, yet you can’t help but to hold out hope until the very last moment.

This is a story of a personal horror told exceptionally well. The horror doesn’t come from a monster shambling in the dark. The true horror lies in the emotional toll of survival, the impermanence of being, in the helplessness against a disease that can’t be fought with bullets, in the realisation that the systems and institutions you rely on to protect and save you have utterly failed when you need them the most.

Survivor Song is unconventional horror at its best. Tremblay manages to turn even a blank page into a devastating blow straight to the heart. A truly heart-wrenching read. Highly recommended!

The Rating: 8/10 (Great!)

Review: Machine by Elizabeth Bear

Title: Machine
Author: Elizabeth Bear
Series: White Space #2
Pages: 496
ISBN: 9781534403017
Publisher: Saga Press
Published: 20 October 2020
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Source: Review copy from publisher

Meet Doctor Jens.

She hasn’t had a decent cup of coffee in fifteen years. Her workday begins when she jumps out of perfectly good space ships and continues with developing treatments for sick alien species she’s never seen before. She loves her life. Even without the coffee.

But Dr. Jens is about to discover an astonishing mystery: two ships, one ancient and one new, locked in a deadly embrace. The crew is suffering from an unknown ailment and the shipmind is trapped in an inadequate body, much of her memory pared away.

Unfortunately, Dr. Jens can’t resist a mystery and she begins doing some digging. She has no idea that she’s about to discover horrifying and life-changing truths.

When I read Ancestral Night I fell in love with the White Space universe. Elizabeth Bear has managed to create a universe of vast potential, filled with fascinating alien races, ancient relics and endless wonders waiting to be discovered. Ancestral Night was a great introduction and Machine, the second White Space novel, expands the universe further from a rather unconventional angle. Ever wondered what galactic emergency services and medical care would be like? Machine explores that question with a heavy dose of mystery thrown in. ER meets NCIS in space!

“We saved lives. We alleviated suffering, and I’ve lived with enough suffering to know that any time you can take the edge off it, repair it for even one creature, you are creating a net good in the universe. Not because the universe cared. The universe was vast and didn’t even care enough to be called implacable. But because life cared, and life had ethics and morals and obligations to one another.”

Machine follows the exploits of Dr. Brookllyn Jens, a rescue specialist with nerves of steel. Not only does she jump out of spaceships to come to the rescue of others, she does it all while living with chronic pain. And it’s this daily struggle, this integral part of her that makes her such a compelling and complex character.

“The pain still existed. It wasn’t gone. It just didn’t saturate my awareness the way it had before. It was a sensation, not a prison. It’s even in the words, isn’t it? We talk about being hungry, being thirsty, being distracted, being tired. But we are in pain. Pain is a trap. It surrounds us. It’s a cage: a thing we can’t get out of.”

When a rescue mission doesn’t go quite as planned Dr. Jens uncovers hidden secrets that shakes her to her core and shows that even the seemingly idyllic Synarche society harbors injustice. An injustice she has the power to bring to light.

Machine is a captivating read from the very start. It deals with issues of ethics, morality and the social contract in thought-provoking ways and even the concept of a machine takes on a multitude of meanings. While the pacing is uneven at times, there’s a very strong sense of foreboding that compels you to keep reading and even the slower sections just fly by. The story has some unexpected twists and turns culminating in an ending that will leave you breathless.

The cameos by characters from Ancestral Night are a nice touch, but I really loved the fact that Goodlaw Cheeirilaq has such a pivotal role to play. She’s my favourite alien law enforcement officer ever. Who doesn't love a mantoid alien sporting a bolero jacket and badge? Cheeirilaq definitely deserves a novel of her own.

My only criticism is that, given the parties involved, the way the core mystery is exposed felt too convoluted and stretched the bounds of credulity to breaking point. I’m sure there could have been a more elegant, less dangerous way to go about things…

Machine is a very good read that’s well worth checking out! While it can be read as a standalone I suggest you pick up Ancestral Night first to ensure maximum enjoyment.

The Verdict:
ER meets NCIS in space! Elizabeth Bear’s Machine is a riveting return to the White Space universe and offers a truly fascinating look at emergency services in a galactic setting. Bear deftly plays around with the questions of morality and ethics and the main protagonist, Dr. Brookllyn Jens, is one heck of character with some excellent disability representation. Machine is definitely well worth checking out!

The Rating: 7/10 (Very Good)

Review: Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear

Title: Ancestral Night
Author: Elizabeth Bear
Series: White Space #1
Pages: 512
ISBN: 9781534403000
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 5 March 2019
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Source: Library loan

Buy it from:
The Book Depository

Haimey Dz thinks she knows what she wants. She thinks she knows who she is. She is wrong.

A routine salvage mission uncovers evidence of a terrible crime and relics of powerful ancient technology. Haimey and her small crew run afoul of pirates at the outer limits of the Milky Way, and find themselves on the run and in possession of universe-changing information.

When authorities prove corrupt, Haimey realizes that she is the only one who can protect her galaxy-spanning civilization from the implications of this ancient technology—and the revolutionaries who want to use it for terror and war. Her quest will take her careening from the event horizon of the supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s core to the infinite, empty spaces at its edge.

To save everything that matters, she will need to uncover the secrets of ancient intelligences lost to time—and her own lost secrets, which she will wish had remained hidden from her forever.

Ancestral Night had me captivated as soon as it mentioned an Alcubierre drive. Bear takes the use of Alcubierre drives, plays around with all the ramifications of their use, and takes that as the starting point to build an absolutely fascinating, thriving universe around. The White Space universe feels lived in, populated by both aliens and humans with their own distinct characteristics and governed by the Synarche, a multi-species governing body, founded on the principle of using resources for the greater good.

I loved the trio of salvagers, well most of them. Haimey has a wicked sense of humour and her interactions with Singer, the spaceship AI, provides for some hilarious snark. The third member, Connla, wasn’t all that interesting. He seemed almost too good to be true and the repeated descriptions of his physique became slightly grating. The introduction of the space pirate Zanya not only drives the conflict but also provides for a fascinating juxtaposition of beliefs. Her societal outlook differs vastly from Haimey’s and she ultimately acts as the catalysts which forces Haimey to confront the trauma of her past and to explore the various transformations she has gone through.

Bear explores the malleability of memory, the impact of trauma and the concept of identity in interesting ways. Some sections focusing on Haimey’s past could have been condensed slightly to prevent repetition and to make it feel less like a detour from the main storyline without compromising on the pacing.

There are moments that left me completely awestruck where I couldn’t quite believe the direction the story takes. Ancestral Night is a riveting space opera, filled with loads of adventure and an entertaining spin on the big dumb object trope. With homages to Iain M. Banks, fantastic use of the science behind Alcubierre drives and an absolutely compelling universe Ancestral Night was the hard sci-fi hit my brain craved. I definitely want to see where Bear takes us next. Highly recommended!

The Rating: 7.5/10 (Very Good)

Review: Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O'Keefe

Title: Velocity Weapon
Author: Megan E. O'Keefe
Series: The Protectorate #1
Pages: 544
ISBN: 9780316419598
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 11 June 2019
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Source: Purchased

Buy it from:
The Book Depository

Sanda and Biran Greeve were siblings destined for greatness. A high-flying sergeant, Sanda has the skills to take down any enemy combatant. Biran is a savvy politician who aims to use his new political position to prevent conflict from escalating to total destruction.

However, on a routine maneuver, Sanda loses consciousness when her gunship is blown out of the sky. Instead of finding herself in friendly hands, she awakens 230 years later on a deserted enemy warship controlled by an AI who calls himself Bero. The war is lost. The star system is dead. Ada Prime and its rival Icarion have wiped each other from the universe.

Now, separated by time and space, Sanda and Biran must fight to put things right.

Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O’Keefe starts off the Protectorate series with a bang - an epic space opera featuring devastating weapons, a rogue AI, ruthless political machinations and a hint of an even deeper mystery at the core of everything. It’s one of those books where you can’t really say much about it without potentially spoiling things.

This is my first introduction to O’Keefe’s work and I really enjoyed her writing style. The worldbuilding is kept down to the essentials and slowly builds up into a captivating whole as you progress through the story and more of the elements slot into place.

The characters are compelling with three narrative strands being weaved together. The major story is told through the viewpoints of Sansa and her brother Biran as they try to navigate the conflict between Ada Prime and Icarion and find each other among the detritus of a battle fought on two different fronts. The third viewpoint character, Jules, provides a larger perspective at the darker underside of the world with hints of some major revelations to come.

Velocity Weapon excels at delivering exhilarating twists and turns which will keep you glued to the pages. I dare you not to fall in love with Grippy and Bero and I can’t wait to discover what adventures await. Recommended!

The Rating: 7/10 (Very Good)

Review: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Title: A Memory Called Empire
Author: Arkady Martine
Pages: 461
ISBN: 9780529001594
Publisher: Tor
Published: 26 March 2019
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: Purchased

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Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn't an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court.

Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan's unceasing expansion—all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret—one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life—or rescue it from annihilation.

In A Memory Called Empire, the first book in the Teixcalaan series, Arkady Martine presents a truly engrossing story about a galactic empire in decline. From afar the Teixcalaanli Empire appears to be a wondrous, pristine bastion of civilisation subsuming barbaric worlds in order to bestow the gift of civilisation to them all. Through the eyes of newly minted ambassador, Mahit Dzmare, we soon discover that the seemingly pristine facade is splattered with blood, rot and decay. While trying to uncover what happened to her predecessor Mahit has to navigate the political landscape of a culture she is just barely equipped to handle.

"But there was a point in knowing how the last person to hold all the knowledge you held had died, if only so that you could correct the mistake and keep your line alive a little longer, a little better. To stretch the continuity of memory just a bit farther, out on the edges of human space where it feathered away into the black." (p 135)

A Memory Called Empire is a remarkable, beautifully written novel exploring a myriad of themes — identity, colonialism, the persistence of memory, the power of language, the duplicity of words and how it shapes and builds society. It also examines the power of an individual, and of individual identity, and how that power can reshape the world even when pitted against the might of an entire empire.

This is a slower, intricate read which demands that you take your time to enjoy it to its fullest. It rewards the attentive reader with beautiful prose, nuanced worldbuilding and fascinating concepts to unpack and ponder. Without a doubt this has been one of the best novels I’ve read this year. My review is woefully inadequate to even try to do it justice. Highly recommended!

Addendum: A Memory Called Empire has just won the Hugo award for best novel so I'm not the only one who thinks it's great.

The Rating: 8/10 (Great!)

Review: The Outside by Ada Hoffman

Title: The Outside
Author: Ada Hoffmann
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9780857668141
Publisher: Angry Robot
Published: 11 June 2019
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: Purchased

Buy it from:
Angry Robot

Autistic scientist Yasira Shien has developed a radical new energy drive that could change the future of humanity. But when she activates it, reality warps, destroying the space station and everyone aboard. The AI Gods who rule the galaxy declare her work heretical, and Yasira is abducted by their agents. Instead of simply executing her, they offer mercy – if she’ll help them hunt down a bigger target: her own mysterious, vanished mentor. With her homeworld’s fate in the balance, Yasira must choose who to trust: the gods and their ruthless post-human angels, or the rebel scientist whose unorthodox mathematics could turn her world inside out.

The Outside melds cosmic horror and space opera resulting in a mind-bending story in which the very boundaries of reality become malleable. In a universe ruled over by AI gods post-human angels act as their avatars to guard against heresy and the encroachment of chaos. When autistic scientist Yashira Shien powers up her experimental energy source the very fabric of reality warps and her world changes forever.

This promised to have all the elements I normally adore, but about midway through I felt my attention wavering. While I enjoyed the story and Yashira’s journey to uncover the truth, the world just did not feel fleshed out enough for me to really care that deeply about what happens to it. The narrative became repetitive and left the elements that I found the most compelling largely unexplored.

While this didn’t quite work for me, The Outside is still a refreshingly surreal read with one of the best portrayals of a neurodiverse character I’ve read. It’s definitely worth checking out. Just be prepared for things to get weird...

The Rating: 6/10 (Good)

Review: If It Bleeds by Stephen King

Title: If It Bleeds
Author: Stephen King
Pages: 448
ISBN: 9781982137977
Publisher: Scribner
Published: 21 April 2020
Genre: Horror | Novellas
Source: Library

Buy it from:
The Book Depository

From #1 New York Times bestselling author, legendary storyteller, and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary collection of four new and compelling novellas--Mr. Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat, and the title story If It Bleeds--each pulling you into intriguing and frightening places.

Stephen King’s latest collection of four novellas, If It Bleeds, offers up some dark delights to satisfy and terrify both Constant Readers and those new to his work. In classic Stephen King fashion the tales plunge right to the heart of the human condition exploring our deepest fears and innermost desires in a way only King can.

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone: A teenager discovers that the iPhone of a deceased friend offers an otherworldly connection between the living and the dead. A connection that offers justice in an unjust world, but at what cost?

“In the twenty-first century, I think our phones are how we are wedded to the world. If so, it’s probably a bad marriage.”

A bittersweet, touching tale of lasting friendship and the bonds it forges. I particularly enjoyed that the story is set in a time where the internet and cell phones were just starting to be used and the huge transformation they would bring could hardly be imagined. A time that reminded me far too much of my own teenage years. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Life of Chuck: Mysterious billboards start to appear as the world begins to crumble away. A weird, yet poignant story dealing with mortality in more ways than one - the certainty and anticipation of death and the loss of the multitudes we each contain. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If It Bleeds: After a school tragedy Holly Gibney from the Finders Keepers detective agency goes in search of what might be another outsider, a monster feeding on the pain and anguish inflicted by such tragedies. What she uncovers puts her and those closest to her in mortal danger. It should come as no surprise that the titular story turned out to be the best story in the collection. While reading this I was completely lost to the world. King draws you in from the very start and holds you at the edge of your seat until the nail-biting conclusion. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rat: An aspiring author makes a Faustian bargain in order to tame those treacherous words preventing him from finishing his novel.

“...but when he looked at the screen, every word there seemed wrong. Every word seemed to have a better one hiding behind it, just out of sight.”

With this story King deftly encapsulates the hardships of creativity and the agonising act of creation. Just writing reviews I constantly struggle with those treacherous words, trying to find the just the right word or perfect phrase to convey my thoughts. Actual hours can be put into a single sentence and most often I fail. This story really hit very close to home and I can only imagine how much worse the struggle is for actual authors. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reality was deep, and it was far. It held many secrets and went on forever.

Stephen King’s writing is a treat. With the bare minimum of words he manages to breathe life into his characters and the worlds they inhabit in a way so few other writers manage to do. Keen-eyed readers will even be able to spot some subtle self-referential nods to his other works. Each time I encountered one it instantly put a smile on my face.

If It Bleeds is a great collection of novellas filled with dark delights and the comforting embrace of a masterful storyteller.. Let’s face it, in times like these we are all in dire need of some of Dr. King’s Cough & Cold Remedy... well, the fictional kind at least. Highly recommended!

The Rating: 8/10 (Great!)