New Book Review - Uncanny: The Origins of Fear by Junji Ito

Name - Uncanny: The Origins of Fear

Written by - Junji Ito

Translated by - Jocelyne Allen

Published by - Viz Media LLC

First things first, I got this book from Edelweiss as an ARC, so thank you Edelweiss and Viz Media LLC for this opportunity.

It really is a joy to get under the skin of a creative mind, getting to learn how that brain of their works, seeing what influenced to create their masterpieces, and most of learning about their life and knowing that they are as normal an individual as us in many aspects. 'Uncanny: The Origins of Fear' is such a deep dive into the mind of one of the greatest horror manga artists ever, and it is very enjoyable.

The book has a gorgeous layout with many drawings and layouts from the mangaka, as well as some interesting bits of his life, from his early childhood up to his struggles to make a living, then finally turning into a full-time creator of mangas. It is not an easy path being one of the best, especially when you also have to learn enough to make it all matter, and it is also amazing to see how Junji Ito's mind works in deciphering meaning and ideas out of his everyday experiences.

The author divided the whole thing into five carefully thought out chapters. The first two work like an autobiography, with details from his childhood, his initial work as a dental technician, all the whole trying to write and draw mangas, to finally his breakout into the manga world slowly through his sheer determination and creativity. The most interesting part about these first two chapters is the fact how Ito writes about his various influences and how these moulded him; I really loved this because I am not very learned in Japanese manga history. I gained lots of recommendations from this section to enrich my TBR pile.

Sadly for those who hadn't read much work of Junji Ito, the last three chapters delve into spoiler filled territory, as Ito delves deep into his creation process through numerous examples of his works. These three deal with his exploration of how he gets his ideas, to his points of view and inspiration about some iconic characters he created, ending the last chapter by going into a detailed glimpse into his drawing process with some delightful arts on display.

As a non-fiction book, this was quite enjoyable. This should cater especially to the taste of readers who are already his fans. But that doesn't mean there isn't enough to enjoy for casual readers of him or the people just starting to get into his work. The drawings throughout the book are honestly enough for any enthusiast of manga to collect this one.

A resounding 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

Weekend Shorts - Every Child a Changeling by Samantha Pellegrino

Name - Every Child a Changeling 
Written by - Samatha Pellegrino 
Published by - Strange Horizons (August 3, 2026)

That was a fun read. Pellegrino took the difficulties of first experience at motherhood and the trials of being a single parent and incorporated a dark fantasy setting into it, while also hinting at the concept of how being different and not easily understandable gets someone turned into an outcast.

This is a tale of a new mother whose newborn daughter is swapped for a changeling boy, and details her struggles in nurturing the boy while also dealing with the people around her, blaming it on her carelessness. We just learned that new motherhood is always tough in any situation, especially if you are a single mother.

The prose was simple and fun to read, without attempts at over stuffing it with lyrical prose or unnecessary styling. The small number of characters that were present felt realistic and natural.

But, in the end, the story wasn't anything that hadn't been done before, and it was quite predictable from the beginning which direction it would take.

I will give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - The Summer War by Naomi Novic

Name - The Summer War

Written by - Naomi Novik

Narrated by - Ella Lynch 

Published by - Del Rey / Penguin

Audiobook by - Random House Audio

Telling a story in the vain of classic fairy tales is more easily said than done. And Novik did a brilliant job of pulling off a layer of mesmerizing prose; the first two thirds of the book flowed so brilliantly with its richly imagined little setting and the trio of siblings with their individual voices. But the last third and the ending were just worked out a little awkwardly, leaving me wondering if the author could have maybe taken things in a different direction for a better closure.

Naomi Novik is a well-known writer in fantasy circles, always praised for her beautiful depiction of fairytale-inspired prose and setting. And her fluency in this regard is felt from the beginning. The tale of the centuries-long Summer Wars and our heroine Celia getting caught in it with her family started very engagingly. With emphasis on style rather than substance to tell the story, the author created a fully fleshed heroine and also her two brothers, both unique in their own way.

Celia in her hormone-induced emotional angst curses her oldest brother Argent for never finding love in his life. Then after Argent left, she grew close to her middle brother Roric, who is quite an interesting character in his own right. Then she tries to break the curse, but unfortunately gets caught in the animosity of the two kingdoms herself. 

The story starts with beautiful and lyrical prose, introduces its characters and world brilliantly, but somehow loses momentum towards the end. It changes its direction quite unsuspectingly and gives a rather patched up ending not giving all the characters proper closer. Roric was the best character and surely deserved more time to shine, and Argent, on the other hand, gets a fast and all of a sudden romance shoved in his face and dealt with poorly.

A novella with so much promise that never fully delivered, this gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Metal Review - "Nocturnal Visions" by Invictus

Album Name - Nocturnal Visions 

Band Name - Invictus 

Genre - Death Metal

Label - Me Saco un Ojo Records 

Release Date - January 26, 2026

Line Up -

  Toshihiro Seki - vocals, bass

  Haruki Tokutake - drums

  Takehitopsy Seki - vocals, guitars 

I didn't know about Invictus or their previous releases, as my habit of following Asian metal acts has long fallen out of favour. I only decided to check them based on the stuff people were saying on the internet about their strict adherence to the old-school death metal ways. And boy do they perform their duties diligently! Creating an immersive atmosphere to drown listeners into the murky black depth of death metal richness of ages past.

Invictus doesn't try to reinvent the wheel much, rather sticking to the basics of creating tight riffage and passionate growling to express their anger and disgust. The cohesiveness of the band as a unit is quite enviable, each member steadfastly complimenting their peers through their work. There are obvious signs of the band having influences from all over the old death metal bands, ranging from Autopsy to Pestilence and even bits of Bolt Thrower is apparent in their song writing.

The band is comprised of only three members, but doesn't hold them back from delivering an all-encompassing album. The vocalist  cum guitarist Takehitopsy Seki drives the show with his rhythmic and soulful riffs tearing the atmosphere apart and his intensely visceral guttural vocals complementing his passion. Toshihiro Seki delivers a persistent under the surface soundscape with his entrenched bass. And the machine gun like voracious, thrashing and utterly brutal drumming from Haruki Tokutake holds everything together.

At 35 mins length the album is like well honed crushing slab of concentrated death metal goodness. Invictus focuses much more on groovy and memorable hooks and riffs, the sparse guitar solos that are present are short, charged and punchy, never overstays their welcome, neither are overeager to impress with technicality.

It is really hard to try to find highlights among the tracks in the album, as the total works like a compact piece. Following the short intro, the journey starts with dual devastation of 'Abyssal Earth Eradicates' and 'Altar of Devoted Slaughter' with their tight and groovy riffs starting the onslaught which continues on relentlessly. I really liked the short and catchy 'Persecution Madness' and the brooding and heavy 'Wandering Ashdream'. The title track at the end is the true epic, and rather one piece of out of the box thinking, and it really works like a charm. With the purposefully slowed down chunky and hard hitting riffing dragging the listener into the endless depths,the track end with maybe the flashiest guitar solo in the album and immediately made me restart the album from the beginning.

Invictus has truly delivered a masterclass in honoring the golden days of early death metal by creating the almost perfect homage. I just wish it was a bit longer and had a few more pieces like the title track. But this band definitely gained my following from now on.

Overall Score - 

                                 8.5 out of 10.

For more info check out the bands official website and their metal-archives page -

https://invictus3.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Invictus/3540402090   

Weekend Shorts - I Met You on the Train by J.R. Dawson

Name - I Met You on the Train

Written by - J. R. Dawson

Published on - Uncanny Magazine (Issue 68)

Well, I liked this one more than her Hugo nominated short. This one is shorter, packs more of a punch. And lingered for quite some time in my mind despite that short length due to its twisty nature.

This is the story of Jake and Natalie. Jake is a narcissistic man who can turn back time for up to a day and uses this power just so selfishly while narrating the fact. He starts off sounding quite normal but slowly the author makes us realize he is not normal at all, but rather monstrous.

So many desperate emotions are depicted so nicely throughout the prose. There is the obsession, the yearning for being loved, the growing possessiveness, the over-arching ever-growing selfish desire for his own happiness despite the consequences for everyone. This is a cruel tale at the core, but this allegorical story of toxic one-sided love is done quite brilliantly.

It's only 1533 words and free to read. Go, check it out if you like psychotic narrators; you won't regret it.

This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me. Would have given this more if it had something from Natalie's point of view.

New Book Review - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Name - The Tainted Cup 

Written by - Robert Jackson Bennett  

Series - Shadow of the Leviathan / Ana & Din Mysteries 

Published by - Del Rey / Hodderscape

Robert Jackson Bennett has reached a new level of accomplishment among current fantasy writers, and thus his writing has been talked about and analyzed so much that it becomes rather difficult tackling a task if reviewing it. And his first entry into the Shadow of the Leviathan series had earned him his first Hugo Award. So, the idea of trying to review it felt like a daunting task. But seeing as how I am currently into the second book and keep thinking about the first one, I decided to do a short review for the first one.

Bennett once again displayed his immense dedication in creating a fantasy setting which had nuances of our modern world despite being so vastly different. He created an entire civilization established just to defend itself from an external existential threat. While its inhabitants used parts or substance obtained from their killed foes to enhance themselves biologically, gaining this novel the moniker of being a rare instance of being a 'bio-punk' genre work.

The author divulges information gracefully and uses his time to develop the characters, world and the murder mystery at a leisurely pace. The prose is very engaging so even the slow sections kind of flow like a pleasant breeze. The obvious homage to Holmes and Watson is done in a very unorthodox and unique manner, adding a level of charm to the overall character dynamics.

As readers of him already knows, Bennett has the knack of creating tortured yet capable characters, who he fleshes out with utmost clarity. Ana and Din are among the finest specimens of his creativity. Ana, with her weirdness and brilliance, obviously is his attempt at giving her a neuro-divergent flavor. And the narrator Din is a struggling protagonist, who seems like a mirror held to the regular working class people with a strong determination and a specific set of dilemmas to keep him on his toes always.

The mystery also was very interesting, the author using elements of his surreal world to create a puzzle that keeps enticing till the end and the glimpses of the kaiju like leviathans make the reader quite eager to look forward to the future of the series.

A resounding 4.5 out of 5 stars, this one is certainly a deserved Hugo Winner.

Promising Books being published on September 2026

September seems like a month packed to the brim with promising releases. There is one gem being republished in a new package after a long time, lots of stuff from well-known big names in genre fiction, as well as stuff from relatively lesser known writers, new entries into some beloved series and return of some much loved characters, as well as interesting new additions that might turn to big fame in future. Without further ado, lets look at what interests me most on the stuff being released this month.

"Second Nature by Joyce Carol Oates" from Hard Case Crime / Titan Books

Four decades ago, acclaimed literary author Joyce Carol Oates penned her first novel of psychological suspense under the name "Rosamond Smith." In the Smith books, Oates explored themes of betrayal and deception, lust and murder, through stories involving twins, doubles, and hidden second identities—initially, keeping her own double identity a secret.

Hard Case Crime is proud to bring these extraordinary works of crime fiction, long unavailable in bookstores, back into print in definitive double editions, each pairing two complete novels and two never-before-collected Oates short stories, all linked thematically, to weave a sinister web filled with dark reflections.

In This Volume...

A model suburban husband grows obsessed with a beautiful stranger in DOUBLE DELIGHT, while an eminent professor preys on a vulnerable student in NEMESIS – and the echoes continue in the rare short stories "A Girl Worth Twenty Million" and "First Death."

[ Hard Case Crime line releases so little stuff these days, and this is sort of a reprint, it seems quite promising. ]

"Wickhills" by Premee Mohamed from Tor Books

In the dangerous magical city of Wickhills, a streetwise secret agent is tasked with protecting a foreign defector from his pursuers... even at the threat of war.

Looking after a defecting scientist should have been Ferec's easiest mission. But now he's on the run from the intelligence agency she works for, dodging a handler who might have gone rogue, and relying on a secret patchwork of illicit resources and dodgy contacts. Turns out his defector might be carrying an apocalypse-level magical weapon ― and protecting it requires Ferec and his team to go underground, literally. Down here, the rules are very different... and the tense peace between every city in the world will shatter unless Ferec can drag their darkest secrets into the light.

[ Premee Mohamed is a writer I have been meaning to check out for a long time now. Maybe now is the time to finally get on with it. ]



"Exit Party" by Emily St. John Mandel from Knopf / Picador

The award-winning, bestselling author of Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility returns with a breathtaking novel of doubles, shadow worlds, and fractured timelines as a man disappears from a glittering Los Angeles party, and a woman—a gunrunner, an art collector, an operative of the State—searches for answers.

Los Angeles, 2031: The first spring after the collapse of the United States, peacekeeping troops withdraw from the city, the Jacaranda trees blossom, and the curfew is finally lifted. Ari Waker and her roommate pass the gauntlet of bomb-sniffing dogs, the shanty towns, and the Red Cross tents as they walk across Silverlake to a party. The mood is ecstatic inside the apartment, people drink and dance, a woman wears a silver dress, pleated like tinfoil. And then: A shift. A bewildered twin, an uncanny doppelganger stumbles through the crowd and out into the night, and Kareem, the party’s host, vanishes into thin air.

As Ari Waker unravels the mystery of this inexplicable night, Emily St. John Mandel unfurls a story that takes us from a future America splintered by civil war to the seaside cliffs of Greece where weapons dealers hide in an elegant resort, and from the domed city of Paris to a colony on the moon. An unforgettable literary feat, Exit Party is a novel about the price of safety, the perils of the surveillance state, a requiem for a world not unlike our own, and a breathtaking story of resilience in the face of cataclysmic change.

[ This sounds very promising. The blurb makes it sound like a post-apocalyptic literary science fiction. A thinking man's read, you gotta read these once in a while. ]

"Scion" by James Islington from S&S/Saga Press / Gollancz

My job, when you think about it, isn’t so different from a lot of people’s.

The more old-fashioned crowd do still get hung up on the "killing people" part of it, I guess, but that’s a them problem: it’s been perfectly legal to take out lifers for ages. Besides, once ultrawealthy morons realised they had a way to live forever—limited resources be damned—there was only ever going to be one genuinely practical deterrent.

So, sure, I have to deal with a ton of boring planning. Inconvenient hours. Some pretty awkward face-to-face interactions. And like most of us, I’m really only clocking in to try to crawl out from beneath my debts. But someone’s got to do it.

Luckily, my genetic compatibilities make me really, really good at doing it.

Still. This next job...I don’t know. It’s something I haven’t had to deal with in years. Kind of the opposite of my regular duties. Strange, that it got thrown my way.

I’m sure it’ll all go totally fine though.

[ This promises to be a short, fun, and fast-paced thriller. And from another author I have been neglecting to read for some time. ]

"Engines of Reason (Elder Race #2) by Adrian Tchaikovsky from Tor Publishing Group

On a planet where stories govern identity, where science and magic are a merely point of view, a fallen princess, a reluctant wizard, and a precocious child must unravel the past to shape the future.

Betrayal, ancient myths, and the clash of worlds converge in this spellbinding tale of courage, friendship, and self-discovery.

A profound exploration of identity, memory, and discovery from one of science fiction’s most compelling voices.

[ Wow, another one from Tchaikovsky. This guy is a literal machine. And this is the long-awaited sequel to Elder Race. Should be a blast. ] 

"The Rouse" by China Miéville from Del Rey

From the bestselling, award-winning master of uncanny fiction comes a defining work, twenty years in the making—a deeply moving, decade- and continent-spanning epic of personal grief, global tumult, and grim conspiracy.

Maur’s life has been shaped by loss: an apparently ordinary tragedy. But in its aftermath arise deeper, stranger questions. Their answers may lie within the dark heart and darker history of an old soldier who shares Maur’s obsessions and who is violently pursued by the same unknown, unquiet forces.

So begins a book unlike any other: at once an encyclopaedic and multitudinous saga of a bloody century and the intimate story of two lives, their loves, regrets, and secrets—and a terrifying journey into infinite mystery.

[ 1260 pages. A huge epic from China Miéville. Don't know when I'll be able to make the time to read this, but boy does this seem interesting. ]

"Blacktail" by Scott Hawkins from Crown Publishing Group / Tor Nightfire

The wolf Blacktail is faithful to his Forest God, but in these times, faith is not enough. His world is besieged by men. Soon his territory will be overrun, and then there will be nowhere left to go. When his mate, a house dog, is killed, Blacktail rebels. He invades the house of her owners, seeking vengeance.

Blacktail’s fury catches the notice of an ancient and terrible feline witch, who makes an offer. What if Blacktail could end the human race responsible for the death of his family and for the destruction of the natural world, altogether? To do so, Blacktail must find and wake the Forest God. Only He might stand against the plague of men. Blacktail knows that his north woods are dwindling to nothing. He sees no other choice.

As Blacktail journeys farther from his wild home and deeper into the world of man, he encounters strangers—animal, mortal, and otherworldly—who, for their own reasons, want to help Blacktail rid the world of humans. Along the way, it becomes clear that he is more than just a wolf. The Forest God is sleeping, yes. But what will be the price of waking him?

[ A fantasy/horror from the point of view of an animal. And this book seems like it had a long time in the making, something that I think I will like a lot. ]

"Baldur's Gate 3: Astarion" by T. Kingfisher from Random House Worlds / Titan Books

You’re too pretty to die.

Astarion Ancunin was supposed to be a magistrate, not a vampire spawn. He was supposed to serve the law, not the vicious vampire lord Cazador Szarr. And he was supposed to drink fine wine, not rat blood. Alas—the city of Baldur’s Gate cares little for what’s supposed to happen.

Though he has been powerless to resist his master’s bidding, haunting the nighttime streets to fetch warm blood, Astarion has never surrendered his hope. One day, this nightmare must end. He just has to find out how.

When the vampire lord announces a twisted competition for his favor, an opportunity presents itself in the form of a rare prize . . . and an unlikely alliance. The blood of a dead god is buried deep beneath Baldur’s Gate, and, to get it, Astarion will need the help of a handsome Aasimar paladin named Hahn den Suriel.

There are just a few problems. Astarion is not supposed to trust his fellow spawn. He’s not supposed to go out into the city for his own ends rather than the vampire lord’s. And he’s certainly not supposed to strike a deal with a stranger whose golden eyes can snare even a blackened, undead heart.

But the city of Baldur’s Gate cares little for what’s supposed to happen.

[ I was a bit sceptical about picking up a video game tie as I will probably never be able to play the game. But the early reviews with extensive praise and the author took me over in the end. ]

"Driven" by Mason Coile from G.P. Putnam's Sons

Jamie Newcross wants to disappear. His wife and baby girl have abandoned him, and his only wish is to retreat from society. Because, as it turns out, Jamie Newcross is also being haunted. Every house, condo, or apartment he moves into is plagued with ghosts—at the end of the bed or when pulling back the shower curtain. He hasn’t been able to sleep in weeks. 

But Jamie has a plan. He posts queries online and finds someone wanting to get rid of their Lion—the world’s most advanced self-driving car—a sleek, private, contained vessel that is one-hundred percent safe. Or so he thought.  

Because now, Jamie has woken up to the Lion speeding down a dark road, the hood is dented—wait, is that blood?—and the car will not respond, or stop, or let him out.  

As the miles rack up and Jamie becomes increasingly complicit in his car’s choices, he's forced to face the tragic past he has kept buried. Driven is a taut, near-future fever-dream. Mason Coile delivers another one-sitting read that blends science fiction and psychological horror to explore loneliness, grief, and the things that make us human.

[ I really loved last year's Exile, heard that the author had died. Was quite surprised hearing this being published; will check out this out of my respect for the author. ]

"The Big Bad Book of Kaiju" Edited by  Jonathan Maberry from Titan Books

A thrilling and cataclysmic collection of city-smashing titans and the desperate coalitions of humanity clinging to survival in the wreckage, from the New York Times-bestselling and multiple award-winning editors.

Featuring bestselling and award-winning authors such as Tananarive Due, Christopher Golden, Seanan McGuire, Scott Sigler and Steve Alten, author of The Meg.

An explosive collection of monster terror, featuring 25 original tales of creatures the size of skyscrapers. See cities shattered and worlds ended, as great beasts rise from the deep.

[Wow, this looks like a fine anthology, indeed. Bring on the Kaijus. ]

"Mazywood" by Tananarive Due from S&S/Saga Press / Titan Books

All the Sinners Bleed meets My Sister, the Serial Killer in this literary thriller following the grandson of a famous Black actress from the 1940s and 1950s, now a filmmaker himself, who returns to his grandmother’s cabin retreat in the California mountains only to encounter the legacy of her rage.

With flashbacks to Johnny’s grandmother, this novel explores three generations beginning with Mazelle Washington’s life as a young actress. Fifty years after Mazelle’s death, Johnny will discover the secret she’s kept and nurtured since she was a child when she had a dark wish come true.

There’s a monster in the woods outside her mountain retreat, Mazywood, and it is lonely and angry.

[Latest from Tananarive Due, I need to check her out. Heard so many good things. ]

"Our Cut of Salt" by Deena Helm from Tor Nightfire

There is something haunting Nuhad's childhood home in Haifa. Cats avoid its perimeter, strange noises come from within, and residents have been known to disappear entirely in its walls without a trace.

Our Cut of Salt is an unflinching, sinister and moving take on the haunted house novel, from a bold new Palestinian voice. Perfect for fans of The Only Good Indians and The Haunting of Hill House.

Although Nuhad has not returned to her home since the Nakba in 1948, she always held a place for the house in her heart. And, in return, the house did the same for her.

After Nuhad passes away, her granddaughter, Marina, is determined to visit her grandmother's home in Haifa after a lifetime of being kept in the dark about her culture and family history. Marina's mother, Haifa-named for the city that was lost to their family-reluctantly agrees to her trip, despite her omnipresent anxiety.

When a long-buried spirit of the past begins to haunt both dreams and waking life, Marina develops breathing problems that cause her to feel as if she is drowning on dry land. Despite Nuhad's warnings, Haifa rushes to help her daughter. As the three women converge in their ancestral haunted home, they must learn what the price of the past truly is.

[ A Palestinian author turned her grief into horror fiction. As a sympathizer, we must check this one out and support her. ]