Weekend Shorts - The Not-Dog-Thing by Corey Farrenkopf

Name - The Not-Dog-Thing 

Written by - Corey Farrenkopf

Published on - Bourbon Penn August 2026 (issue 39)

That was a weird one. This short story was predictable where it was going almost from the start. Yet, Corey Farrenkopf somehow managed to create a unique tale that kept me interested all throughout with engaging prose and making me care for his characters. 

The story was a weird piece. Told through the form of an edited interview for an online forum in which a man talks about his missing father, mostly through the depiction of the TikTok videos he used to make to pass time after his wife died. There is a creepy not-dog creature that his father found in the woods which transforms into something sinister yet oddly familiar.

There is a keen sense of family dynamic dispersed between the weird tale, how they miss their dead loved one. How they fail to communicate their grief in a meaningful way, to get the closure they crave. I really liked these lines, "I don’t tell my father that every once in a while, I can almost picture Mom’s eyes in the face of a nuthatch, or a bluejay, or a wren. He wasn’t the only one allowed to see Mom in the wild."

Then comes the predictable yet finely executed ending leaving the narrator wondering if things could have turned differently if they just talked about how they felt. 

"There are too many questions. Not enough answers.

I wish my father had been better at talking to me.

Some things need to be discussed at length.

Not everything can be settled in silence."

That ending left me wondering if all that creepy creature stuff was just a metaphor that the author created to describe the darkness that grief, loneliness, and distance can bring in us.

I will give this one 4 out of 5 stars. Corey Farrenkopf has certainly become a writer to check out in the future for me.

Promising Books being published on October 2026

September was such a busy month for me, so I am a bit late with the list for October. This month has releases from some big names of the genre writing circle. And also some relative newcomers as well. These are my picks from the promising stuff.

"The Thrice-Bound Fool (Blacktongue #2)" by Christopher Buehlman from Tor Books/ Gollancz

Professional thief and inveterate trickster Kinch Na Shannack has always enjoyed a good book. But now his life, and the future of all of Manreach, depends on him deciphering a very bad book indeed; a stolen, sentient tome that tries to kill him every time he opens it—and often when it’s closed.

Galva, veteran of the goblin wars and death’s sworn handmaiden, has vowed to protect Kinch while he mines the book for its dark magic and even darker secrets. She does so not for Kinch’s sake—though the cheeky bastard is growing on her—but because the book is the key to stopping the shadowy tyrants out to kill the queen she serves, and loves.

The ruthless, all-seeing Taker’s Guild dogs their every step, and thief and knight must flee the known world entirely if they hope to succeed in their mission. But trouble finds Kinch wherever he goes, and the pair may have traded the devil they know for horrors far darker and hungrier as they enter lands unknown.

[ I still haven't read the first book yet, but meaning to check out this highly acclaimed series. ]

"Legacies of Betrayal (The Tales of Witness #3)" by Steven Erikson from Tor Books / Bantam UK

Endless training, gruelling marches, and the frenzy of battle against more enemies than can be counted-such is the life of a marine in the Malazan Empire.

Year by year, month by month, week by week, day by day, moment by moment. Skills are honed to deadly precision, the secret language of the soldier in a world drowning in perpetual discontent, the eternal conflict against the fates. And we should forget the seemingly inevitable interference of mischievous gods and more often than not, the resurrected remains of ancient and once believed long-dead entities.

As a new holy war starts sparked in the fire-blackened cauldron of Seven Cities, the Fifth and Sixth squads are about to embark a mission they don't want for a cause they don't care about. Not that anybody asked their opinion. They can only hope that their objective isn't as hopeless as it seems, and that they aren't simply being used as pawns—a strategic sacrifice, if you will, in the machinations of their betters.

So what's life like as a marine in the Malazan Army?

Well, let's see, shall we...

[ I don't know when I will be able to get back into the Malazan world. But I remember it so fondly still.]


"Off the Reservation (The Only Good Indians #2)" by Stephen Graham Jones from Saga Press / Titan Books

Five years have passed since the massacre on the Blackfeet reservation in Stephen Graham Jones’s breakout bestseller The Only Good Indians. Nathan Yellow Tail, one of the survivors of the revenge murders, finds himself in the hospital after a terrible accident that should’ve killed him and that nearly killed his best friend, Sebby, who is hanging on to life in a room a few doors down.

Nate’s life is out of balance, so when he is given the chance to reset his life, and maybe save Sebby in the process, Nate steps up, again. This time it’s into a camper van that is almost as run down as his broken body, filled with three older Blackfeet, to find the bones of the lone Blackfeet boy who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School—where many Indigenous children were abused—and repatriate this boy home. The problem is, when they get the bones, something terrible has escaped with them.

By turns terrifying and deeply moving, Off the Reservation is a haunting American Indian novel of survival, reckoning, and redemption, shining light on the dark corners of this country’s history while also showing the desperate choices people make when they’re put up against a wall.

[ The second book in another acclaimed series. Should read this soon as well, I think.]

"Find Me Where It Ends" by Cassandra Khaw from Tor Nightfire / Titan Books

Antigone is no stranger to death.

For the women of her family, death always comes in the form of a black dog.

When Antigone’s own black dog arrives, she isn’t afraid. She invites it inside, where it soon becomes a daily source of companionship and comfort. It also forces her to reflect on the life she’s led—the parts of herself she’s hollowed out for the sake of others, and the bone-deep exhaustion that’s hounded her every step.

Her Death’s arrival must be a sign, permission to finally let go. To rest. Because while mortality is inevitable, living is a choice.

But a good death comes at a price.

[ A promising short horror read. I always fancy these.]

"Frankenstein Rex" by Adam Roberts from Gollancz

Frankenstein is the name of the maker, but we always think of the monster...

And what a monster he is. Frankenstein is a splendid creature, in almost every respect superior to humanity: smarter, stronger, and able to endure extremes of heat and cold that would kill a normal person. He is also effectively immortal.

Such a being, released into our world, would sooner or later come to rule it. Welcome to FRANKENSTEIN REX.

The monster's ugliness is a positive advantage: his towering height and ghastly face scream power; and people, who understand that power is never pretty, that it is brute and unpleasant and that our best chance is to have it on our side rather than set against us, flock to follow him. In a few years the monster conquers Europe, and in a matter of decades he rules the whole world.

But although generations come and go believing their world-dictator to be immortal, the creature himself now understands that he is dying. The creature re-opens Frankenstein's original research, to re-discover those lost skills and techniques and so to create for himself an heir.

[ Well, this has a very interesting premise. Somehow I feel like I am going to enjoy this.] 

"The Fist of Memory" by Whole Talabi from DAW books / Gollancz 

Fist Of Memory is simultaneously a near-future thriller and a meditation on the nature of memory, legacy, and connectedness.

When a strange and non-communicative alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the night sky, approaching Earth at an impossible velocity, the established world order is thrown into turmoil.

But for Tope, a principled and extremely effective Nigerian assassin with a bionic arm and talent for lethality who works for anyone willing to pay her oga - the mysterious witchdoctor known only as 'Baba' - it's all just business as usual. That is, until a routine job goes sideways, and she gets caught up in a high stakes game of power and politics.

Tope is joined by Itumeleng, a South African astronomer who has seen her and the alien craft in his dreams and, like her, is haunted by a complicated past. Now they must both survive long enough to navigate their way through the maze of competing agendas and understand how they, and all of humanity, are connected to the alien craft before it lands and the world changes forever.

But it won't be easy. There are powerful, sinister forces determined to kill them, including a strange and motivated supernatural assassin obsessed with a single memory . . .

[ Another one with such a well thought out setting and characters, at least it seems so on the surface. Hopefully it is as good as it sounds. ]

"The Scarlet Ball" by Nghi Vo from Tor Books / Del Rey

Pick a face, pick a fate.

Judith Ban, former convent girl, courtesan, and failed thief, is on the lookout for her next identity. The daughter of a Vietnamese adventuress and a French naval officer, she’s no stranger to risk, but she’s unprepared for the secrets of New York’s legendary Four Hundred, or for the women who build their power at the city’s heart through blood-soaked, gold-etched rituals of demonic marriage.

In exchange for enough wealth to outrun her past, Judith strikes a deal with the matriarch of the powerful Howard family: she will stand in for the missing Howard granddaughter, who was poised to make her debut when she disappeared. With Miss Iphigenia Marshall’s face stitched over her own, Judith is white, rich, and about to risk body and soul in the deadly games that determine which girls will find a match—and which will be devoured. If she can keep her wits and her life, her reward will be a husband with undreamt-of power who will be hers to command... so long as she can keep his infinite hungers fed. But to survive the season, Judith will have to seduce a storm in the shape of a man, before the night to which everything has been leading—the Scarlet Ball where the demons choose their brides.

[ Vo has been on my reader for a while now. A promising new standalone should be a good place to start.]

New Metal Review - 'Insignificance' by Anoreksi

Album Name - Insignificance 

Band Name - Anoreksi 

Genre - Melodic Death Metal

Label - Unsigned/independent 

Release Date - September 15, 2026

Line Up -

  Anıl Sevener - bass

  Onur Aker - drums

  Mete Aker - vocals

  Emirhan Canbaz - guitars 

  Cem Arda Atçeken - guitars 

Melo-death is a genre of metal that is usually not something I delve into much. This is because I find it has rather a smaller ground for maneuvering in or lesser freedom for constructing anything original. There are some classic releases which the newer generation tries to mostly reinterpret rather than trying to establish a sense of individuality into the mix. 

So when I decided to check the latest album of Anoreksi out I was convinced it would follow the same general formula of all other modern works of the genre. It does do that as a matter of fact, using the strength of dual guitars to create a background of melodic metal, dispersing precision drumming and groovy bass which often gets some high ground despite the dominating guitars and a characteristic typically aggressive vocal that uses both growls and screams to get his point through. And the fact that everything including the production is done to almost perfection makes the album quite entertaining despite being formulaic. 

The album opens with 'Outsiders', which is followed by 'Coast of the Future' both of which are perfectly executed melodic death metal with Cathy melodic riffs, tortured vocals and shredding solos. The third track 'Book of Silence' may have the most memorable riffs in the album, while 'Insignificance' is the most differently structured song with slow midsection and brooding melodies. 'Wet Sidewalk' concludes the stronger first half of the album with its focus on some enjoyable bass work and varied vocals. The second half containing the last four songs is much more straightforward melo-death, with 'Remnants' providing an emotional closure to the album.

All throughout, the dual guitars by Emirhan Canbaz and Cem Arda Atçeken complimented each other quite diligently, never relenting in their onslaught with hooking riffs and interesting solos. I also loved that the production and mixing provided the bass by Anıl Sevener to shine through occasionally with its rhythmic grooves, especially in songs like 'Wet Sidewalk'. Sadly, the drumming by Onur Aker never got to truly come out of the shadows of other instruments despite doing enough to complement all others. 

And lastly, the vocals by Mete Aker did have a nice range and admirably performed anguished shrieks and growls. I really liked the piano intros and the keyboards dispersed through the album and would have loved if there were more cleaner vocals showcase too.

Though not doing anything groundbreaking Anoreksi has delivered a solid album here. In the future, there is nothing but room to improve based on this foundation. Let's just hope there is no 15-year break between albums this time around.

Overall Score - 

                                 8 out of 10.

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

https://anoreksiband.bandcamp.com/

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Anoreksi/3540352229   

Weekend Shorts - Middle Song by Thomas Ha

Name - Middle Song 

Written by - Thomas Ha

Published on - Bourbon Penn April 2026 (issue 38)

After being thoroughly impressed by 'In My Country', I was quite eagerly waiting to experience something new by Thomas Ha. It was no surprise that I jumped in to read 'Middle Song' after reading about it on Bluesky. And it was so different from what I expected, once again leaving me gasping at his depth of making readers amazed with his storytelling prowess.

The story starts with a group of people coming into a Roadhouse, they are looking for a fugitive and the person who helped him escape. Then Ha uses his unusually evocative style in describing their leader trying to interrogate the people in the place regarding information. Part way into investigation we finally get introduced to the actual main character of the story, "The Captain turns and, for the first time since entering, acknowledges me, standing there, behind the bar. Their type rarely looks at service people unless given reason, and I guess this finally provides that reason."

Then the real tale finally begins to unfold through his narration; we get into the backstory of the world and its people. We slowly learn about the patron of the joint, and about how he became like he currently is. In between dispersed the origin of the 'manuatons', of the struggles of the native population and the story of the mysterious magus.

Finally, the story once again changes direction, more layers are peeled away, revealing things like the futile cruelty in trying to mold our offspring into our image or showing due sympathy to those in need among other interesting bits to offer. There is another beautiful little piece towards the end describing the true essence of the story, 

"A father tells his child, I’ll find a way to live forever.

A child tells their father, I’ll bury you dead.

But the truth’s somewhere in the middle, as with all things, I hate to say."

Well, that was another very enjoyable short story by Thomas Ha, of whom I am slowly becoming a fan. I wish once again that I had the chance to spend more time in this world or the story to be longer than it was. I feel the need to read more stuff by him as soon as possible. At this point I am thinking of stopping all I am currently reading and jumping into his short story collection 'Uncertain Sons and Other Stories' right now.

This gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

Video Game Music review - Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Original Soundtrack

Album Name - Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Original Soundtrack

Released On - June 3, 2026

Composed By - Philip Joe, Hideki "sha-v" Asanaka, Naoki Kita, Minori Sasaki, Yu Shimoda, Mayuko Hino, Fuga Yamahata, Akira Sakamoto, Rei Wako, Yoko Shimomura

Recording Studio- ODEN STUDIO

Lyrics By - Philip Joe

Published By - SNK

Fighting games usually have mostly rock music as character background music, which is mixed with various other genres including hip-hop, pop, and dance music including various other genres. City of the Wolf follows this trend in incorporating a vast range of influences to create a mixture of a plethora of genre jumble. While trying to be comprehensive in the selection of almost all tracks and sound, the constant DLCs with new characters and some copyrighted music make this impossible.

The soundtrack is structured quite adequately within its two discs with both discs having characters BGM in the first half followed by other musics for the game neatly arranged. The album starts with the main theme 'Chain Reaction' an appropriately charged rock track readily setting the mood for what's to follow. The BGM tracks that follow are quite neatly arranged per characters with disc one focusing on the main cast and disc two featuring many of the DLC characters' BGM.

The album has enough variations for everyone, with primary focus on rock and dance music. I liked the jazz influences dispersed throughout the album giving it a different kind of edge. There is a distinct lack of vocals in the songs, only present in the title song and 'Blue Mary's BLUES', which are some of the highlights. I wish more were used. The character themes are mostly appropriate and some are even quite nostalgic reminding listeners of the classic games.

I hope there will be a future extension album or an upgraded one after the DLCs are complete, because there are some really cool tracks missing from this one. And I wish the album was a bit more rock influenced as I am rather fond of the genre. Also, some more jazzy tracks and use of vocals in more songs wouldn't have hurt either.

Notable tracks - 'Chain Reaction', 'Young Blood', 'Reminiscence', 'N.D.R', 'End of the Last Nightmare', 'Pass It!', 'Theme of Ken/Ryu/Chun-li', 'Blue Mary's BLUES' & 'f You Gaze at Reality' among others.

Overall Score  - "7.5 out of 10" 

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. ]

Author Interview - Adrian Tchaikovsky

I haven't been doing interviews for quite some time now. Rather, after resuming writing here again, after life forced a long break due to my postgrad, family and whatnot, I have been focusing on reviewing stuff.

But when I got the chance to interview one of my favorite authors, and on the eve of the release of a long-awaited sequel, it was impossible to pass.

So, here is my short interview of the great 'Adrian Tchaikovsky', whose sequel to the acclaimed 'Elder Race' named 'Engines of Reason' is releasing today.


1) Hi and welcome to my blog. Hope you're doing well. Nowadays everyone who read fantasy or sci-fi know who Adrian Tchaikovsky is. Start by telling something about you that generally your fans aren't aware of, please.

AT: That’s a tough one. I feel like I’ve spilled just about everything about myself in one interview or another. Possibly people don’t know that I used to be an evil lawyer before the writing really took off? Or that my name isn’t spelled like this (check the copyright page of my books!). Honestly there’s not much to be outside the writing!

2) It's been 5 years since the release of 'Elder Race', what made you return to it?

AT: Sometimes sequel ideas take a while to come together. A lot of the time there’s a wait to see if the book will take off (and so if the publisher will even want a sequel) but in ER’s case it did inexplicably well right out of the gate – something about it caught people’s imaginations and I think it was the first of my books that really did well over in the US, for example. However it was also fairly self-contained, and for a while I wasn’t sure what the story would be about Lyn and Nyr’s future, that would be worth the telling. Presumably they just had something of a quiet life? Apparently not, as my imagination belatedly furnished! The story of Engines of Reason came to me a long time after, when a couple of fragments of book ideas sort of collided in my head and I realised the resulting amalgam looked a lot like it fit into Elder Race’s world.

3) We all remember Lyn and Nyx like it was yesterday. Have they changed much in this sequel? Will there be any new viewpoint characters this time?

AT: A good few years have passed for them, and not entirely happily. Political and personal changes have driven them apart, Lyn’s been married and has a child, Nyr is kicking about playing Merlin in the Lanessite court. Nobody’s particularly happy but it’s been a sort of gradual decline rather than anything catastrophic. At the start of the book there’s some bandit/rebel activity that starts to look as though someone has got a hold of the old colonial technology, meaning it falls into Nyr’s bailiwick, and that’s where we meet our new PoV character, Sendra, a bandit/rebel who also thinks he’s got a hold of the old technology, but in fact has found something rather more problematic…


4) Now that the second book is here, are there more stories you want to tell in this setting or using these characters?

AT: The end of the 2nd book ties off this particular story but leave enough threads that you can see where a third book will go. So there should eventually be a trilogy of novellas.

 

5) We all know about some of your future projects including The Grave of Perfection and The Eighth Face. Would you care to hint at or divulge some info regarding some unknown future projects?

AT: As usual there’s quite a lot on the plate. I have some new Warhammer stuff which hasn’t been announced yet, and I’m just finishing a Cage of Souls sequel. There are a couple more standalone SF books contracted for, one of which I’ve delivered, and a fantasy novella that’s quite different to anything I’ve written before, titled “Last Song of Ash”. The Terrible Worlds series has another three to go after the recently released Preaching to the Choir, two of which have been written. I’ve also got some plans to expand my repertoire into areas of the genre I’ve not previously touched. Watch this space!


6) So 2026 is more than half over. Any books you read from the year you liked?

AT: I got an advance copy of Claire North’s As We Fall Through Time and it blew my mind. Amazing book. Premee Mohammed’s Wickhills is very good, and Ian Green’s The Deep and the Drowned. Beyond that I’m still getting to read new stuff via Emma’s recommendations on the Starship Alexandria podcast, which people can check out.


7) I have been reviewing or blogging for about 12 years now. And only just have the time and decided to try my hand on writing fiction. Can you impart a bit of guidance or instructions for new writers like myself?

AT: It’s very tricky – from a craft perspective everyone has their own process and method, and you have to find that organically, trial and error. From an industry perspective, I got into print almost 20 years ago now, and things have changed so much in that time that I don’t really have up to date advice. I think the old adage of “Just write” is always good. The more you write the better you get – there are no shortcuts to that, and using aids like AI to write for you – however you try to limit that – will only rob you of the chance to hone your skills. You can’t ever get better that way, Also, write what you love. I think a lot of people try to write whatever looks popular, whether it speaks to them or not. Write the book that only you can write, not the book everyone else is trying to write.


Wow, that was an amazing interview. Not only did Adrian tell us some of the amazing work he has coming for us (I am especially intrigued by the Warhammer stuff), he also informed us about some great books from 2026. But I particularly liked his insight and advice for aspiring new writers like myself; his comment about AI and writing the book that only I can especially resonates.

About 'Engines of War' -

Visit a world where sorcery intertwines with science by multiple Hugo nominee Adrian Tchaikovsky in this highly-anticipated sequel to his hugely popular Elder Race.

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.

About Adrian Tchaikovsky -

Adrian was born in Lincolnshire and studied zoology and psychology at Reading before becoming a professional author in 2007. He is a keen role-player and board gamer and is trained in stage-fighting. His literary influences include Gene Wolfe, Mervyn Peake, China Miéville, Steven Erikson, Naomi Novak, Scott Lynch and Alan Campbell.

Adrian primarily explores deep themes, such as artificial intelligence and alien awareness within epic galactic and fantastical settings.

He has a deep interest in the animal world specifically insects from his studies in Zoology and has a particular penchant for spiders. 

Links - Website, Goodreads

My Musings on Hugo 2026 Short Stories Nominees

So, this year I finally completed reading all of the nominees of Hugo Short Stories picks, and that is just barely, on the eve of the announcement of the winner.

Upon ruminations, I wish I could have read some of the nominees of the other prestigious awards like Nebula or Locus, which didn't get the nod for Hugo. But, now that opportunity has surely passed.

The picks this year:

My Rating: 3/5, My Review 

My Rating: 4.5/5, My Review

My Rating: 4/5, My Review

My Rating: 3.5/5, My Review

My Rating: 3.5/5, My Review

My Rating: 3.5/5, My Review

What other stories could have been picked:

As I have mentioned before I haven't read much short stories from 2025. And what I have read wasn't good enough to be included in Hugo nominations in my opinion. Probably some other stories picked from the nominees from Nebula or Locus awards could've been picked, but I can't really speculate with reading them myself.

The  story that I want to win: 

I want either 'In My Country' or 'Wire Mother' to win, as these two were my favorites. The two stories dealing with two very interesting themes that I enjoyed. One dealing with the overall implications of governance in a state, the other dealing with much more personal concept of digitalization of self.

Both deserving to win in my opinion.

The story that will probably win it:

I think either 'Laser Eyes Ain't Everything' or 'Six People to Revise You' will win it.

Simply because I think these two will resonate with the voters more due to their concept and execution.

Well, there is less than 24 hours to go before we find out who bags the prize. Until then, best of luck to all the nominees.