My day-job involves responsible AI and my interests lie in speculative fiction, so this was an obvious choice to read. What to Expect A pamphlet-style work that’s hard to classify, blurring the lines between present reality and dystopian science fiction. The author examines some of the (very real, unfortunately) risks around present day Artificial Intelligence […]
Book Reviews
Book Review: The Ibbur’s Tale, by Lenny Cavallaro
This is a novella combining history (20th century) with Jewish paranormal folklore, so an interesting mix for me. In case you missed it, In Victrix is now available! Come join Felix on his latest adventure, a tales of Races, Curses, and Forbidden Places! What to Expect A short read, from the point of view of […]
Book Review: Claws of the Collector, by Douglas Lumsden
I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of this novel, something I looked forward to with glee considering how much I loved Lumsden’s previous series. In case you missed it, In Victrix is now available! Come join Felix on his latest adventure, a tales of Races, Curses, and Forbidden Places! What to Expect […]
Tassie Fiction round-up
Again with the Tasmanian Crime Fiction 🕵️ The last round up was Australian Outback Noir in general (with some really good examples of this intriguing genre!), and we’re back to Tasmania-specific novels in this post, because apparently “Tasmanian Gothic” is a thing. (First post is here — showcasing some wonderful books). This is all in […]
Book Review: Ancient Magic: A Practical Guide to Spells, Potions, and Power, by Philip Matyszak
I love Matyszak’s way of non-fiction story-telling, making antiquity highly accessible. The subject of this particular work is also very dear to me, and I can’t believe I missed it. Come to think about it, looking at the publication date, I can’t help but wonder if he wrote it specifically for me after an online […]
More Outback Noir (4 reviews in one!)
As mentioned on my previous post on the subject, I’ve been somewhat binging Outback Noir (crime fiction set in rural Australia) with a view to writing a Magical-Realism novel along similar lines. Below are condensed reviews of two novels and a TV show, all being excellent examples of the genre. Quick aside: did you know […]
Book Review: After 1177, by Eric H Cline
I’ve previously read and recommended 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, so was excited to see a continuing volume on the subject. Quick aside: did you know that two of my short stories have been published in the just-released anthology It Takes A Village? Two stories, one sci-fi and one fantasy, about the meaning of […]
Book Review: Beast Be Gone, by A L Billington
I came across this via an interview on The Protagonist Speaks, and it looked like a fun read. Quick aside: did you know that two of my short stories have been published in the just-released anthology It Takes A Village? Two stories, one sci-fi and one fantasy, about the meaning of caring for others. If […]
Tasmanian Crime Fiction – or is it?
Since moving to Tasmania and embracing the scene, I have naturally started to toy with an idea about a modern-day, Outback-noir style, fantasy (duh) crime mystery. So for the sake of ‘research’ I’ve been reading a few police procedurals and crime fiction set in Tasmania. Or so I thought. This post collects several reviews in […]
Book Review: A Specter Raps on My Windowpane, by Douglas Lumsden
I love the urban-fantasy noir-detective blend of this series, and have followed it from the start – it maintained its high quality throughout. What to Expect Trigger warning: Alex doesn’t get paid for this case. Well, OK, that’s not that atypical of gumshoe detectives – but most cases don’t start with being ‘hired’ by the […]