Weekend Shorts - Twenty-Two Steps to Become Us by Hannah Yang

Name - Twenty-Two Steps to Become Us

Written by - Hannah Yang 

Published on - Clarkesworld issue 242 November 2026

In the current world, when we are spending every day wondering whether any creative work is created by Artificial Intelligence or if the electronic communications we are having are with them or with real humans. Author Hannah Yang uses her latest story in Clarkesworld to imagine a future where we can't be sure if the person we are interacting with in real life is human or a synthetic person imitating them perfectly.

This is certainly a possible future in the current technological landscape and it is damn scary. The author details a future where humans start using learners that slowly learn to look and act like a person so that they might do their work more effectively, and like the current condition with AI these learners have become very popular with everyone and even people are being forced to use them in workplace. Naturally, the pay for jobs has lowered and everything turns very difficult for those who don't find this technology acceptable.

This is a bleak tale at times, as the narrator goes through awkward situations and heartbreaks due to her inability to blend in with the learners. She eventually is forced to employ a learner herself and things continue on a downward spiral. But, fortunately the author ends on a hopeful note and the ending is the best part of this short.

I didn't like the main character Jolene initially, who felt a bit too self-centered and sceptical. But with the slow reveal of her circumstances, the author made me care for her. That scene where a learner was used to breaking up with a real person reminded me of some of the heartless ways people rely on AI rather than interact with others, and is sure to stay with me for some time.

This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher

Name - Wolf Worm 

Written by - T. Kingfisher 

Narrated by - Mary Robinette Kowal 

Published by - Tor Nightfire 

Audiobook by - Macmillan Audio 

T. Kingfisher has done it again, making a story focused mostly on disgusting insects enjoyable is a tough task indeed, but she managed to create one of the best horror stories out of it and literally knocked the ball clear out of the part with this one. Despite my limited exposure to her writing, based on what I have read so far and what the general opinion about her is on the internet, Kingfisher has certainly become one of the big names in horror fiction these days.

The story is set in 1899, with the narrator Sonia Wilson who thinks of herself as a scientific illustrator due to her experiences working with her deceased father. She was working on a dead end job as an art teacher when the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects. Sonia jumps at the chance and moves to  North Carolina, into his manor house to start drawing for scientific research again. But soon enough she finds that the job is not as straightforward as she though, nor the woods around the house as friendly.

The story gets quite gross at times, especially if you don't like to get into depth into parasitic insects and their lifecycles. But, the progression is quite engaging and the author in her characteristic style even makes her musings about mundane things very interesting and entertaining. Any fan of historical fiction would love the portrayal of the time period something to chew on, as her points regarding the condition of a woman without any make relatives to take care of and the overbearing sense of racism as an everyday fact of those days was neatly done.

But once again, the main strength of T. Kingfisher lies in her ability to create compelling characters and their thoughtful stories that make readers delve into the depths by becoming totally invested in their plights. Sonia is a smart, capable, and curious woman with a keen sense of humor and her own unique brand of morality. Her inquisitive nature and obsession with getting to the bottom of the mysterious stuff around her is clearly apparent in this passage, “Some thoughts burrow into your mind as thoroughly as a wasp larva burrows into an unsuspecting caterpillar. The trick, which I am still learning, is how to live without being devoured by them.” And once she has seen into the facade and found out about she goes on to decide, “It is terrible to be helpless, but it can be equally terrible to be the one who is supposed to be able to help.”

The other characters are also quite skillfully fleshed out, getting their own nuances and motives to make them stand out as believable and relatable participants of the overall narrative. Ma Kersey was a wonderful inclusion, who needed more time to develop in my opinion. Rose and Saul are both strong characters, with their unique personalities and moral codes shine among the rest. I would have liked if the negative characters had more time to shine and given more personality, instead of the black and white wash of being evil.

Another angle I liked is how much the author seemed to have researched to put everything based upon authentic facts before giving them the supernatural twist. I learned that the botflies and screwworms really did exist and wreaked havoc upon their hosts, and that made me even more queasy, making the horror element more palpable. And then there were some memorable lines like when Sonia was thinking about Ku Klux Klan, “God knows hatred is more resilient than wildlife.” Or her interesting perspective on dead bodies, “The history of the world is written in dying bodies and those who have to pick up afterwards.”

The prose is teeming with witty remarks and thoughtful observations making the reading flow like a breeze despite occasional uncomfortable topics. And the ending was quite satisfying to be able to give everyone the required closure, leaving the readers reminiscing on some aspects of the story, keeping them wondering who actually was the real monster and whether the end justified everything.

I will give this one 4 out of 5 stars.

Promising Books being published on November 2026

Well, November seems to have a scarcity of books that I find myself interested in. Maybe there aren't interesting things coming out this month, maybe I am just tired of trying to fit new series into my schedule or maybe I am just too invested in reading short stories these days. There are only four books promising enough for me this month.

"Monsters of Ohio" by John Scalzi from Tor Books

Welcome to Richland, Ohio. Things aren't great.

The town’s biggest employer is closing shop, and Richland's on the brink. It's where Mike Boyd, with his own set of problems, finds himself returning to after decades away.

He's not planning to stay.

But Richland has other plans for Mike, his old friend Dave, and a newcomer Andi. They're caught in a swirl of local troubles, private equity, executive theft… and something extremely weird involving Jeremy Keller’s prize cow.

Welcome to Richland. Leave your expectations behind. Bring a tarp.

[ New Scalzi, and there is a Cthulhu-like monster on the cover photo. I just hope this is as fun as his usual stuff. ]

"ECO25: The Year's Best Speculative Ecofiction" Edited by Marissa Van Uden from Violet Lichen

ECO: The Year’s Best Speculative Ecofiction explores humanity’s deep relationships with other species and our communal fears, grief, and passion as we try to protect our natural world—all through the lens of the fantastic.

Featuring established authors, award winners, and rising stars, each volume forms a unique snapshot of how some of the most imaginative writers on the planet are engaging with this extraordinary time in Earth’s natural history.

In putting together this annual anthology, a team of passionate judges read hundreds of ecofiction works published in collections, magazines, and journals around the world, narrowing them down to a shortlist of the very best. The 24 most compelling, emotionally impactful, and thought-provoking stories are then selected as finalists.

ECO25, the second in the series, features a range of beautiful and evocative stories, including works by talented authors such as Ally Wilkes, DaVaun Sanders, G. Willow Wilson, Michael Capobianco, Rebecca Campbell, Ruthanna Emrys, and Samir Sirk Morató, among many others.

[ I already read this outstanding collection. Meticulously curated , this one has stories for almost everyone. A must read anthology for anyone interested in short stories. ]


"There Are No Giant Crabs in This Novel (John Dies at the End #5)" by Jason Pargin
 from St. Martin's Press / Titan Books

A massive, sticky pile of severed human limbs suddenly appears in the parking lot of a vacant department store in a desolate small town. A set of footprints are found trailing away in the snow, as if a single pair of bare feet had wandered off the pile. If this wasn’t puzzling enough, the cops soon find that no one seems to be missing the limbs. Some of the fingerprints on the severed arms belong to living people with all their appendages intact, others match no one on file, the rest of the limbs somehow have no prints at all.

This sounds like a case for local weirdos John, David and Amy, partly because the cops don’t want the headache and partly because David’s own arm is in the pile, despite an identical copy of it still being attached to his body. When a mysterious man then shows up at David’s home claiming to be in pursuit of an entity he calls “the Penetrator,” it seems clear the trio are in for a long weekend.

In addition to stopping whatever this nonsense is, the gang will also have to quell the panicked headlines that threaten to ensue, which could prompt the feds to try to just wipe the whole town off the map (again). As such, the first thing you need to know is that, contrary to whatever ugly rumors you may have heard, there are no giant crabs in this novel.

[ Somehow this series seems irresistible. I just don't know why I haven't read this author yet. ]

"Loba" by Valentina Cano Repetto from Angry Robot

She’s not the first lighthouse keeper to lose her mind on the shores of Cabo Polonio, but she’s determined to be the first to survive it.

Delmira Torres knows fleeing to Brazil is the only way she’ll be free of her abusive husband. But to get there she’ll need money; it’s why she takes a posting at a lighthouse in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay, a small town where time doesn’t seem to move quite right.

There, she has only a month until her husband and her secrets catch up to her. But the position comes marred by the legend of La Loba, who stalks the lighthouse and the nearby fishing village, and by the spiraling visions that begin to plague Delmira.

A century earlier, Amalia arrives at the same lighthouse. Held captive and desperate to escape her dire situation, her story may hold the answers to Delmira’s torment.

Both of them, desperate for freedom and determined to survive, must find a way to outlive the horrors of Cabo Polonio.

[ The blurb and cover seem very interesting to me. I think I will love this, especially due to the setting. ]

Weekend Shorts - right here, on this spot By Parker M. O’Neill

Name - right here, on this spot

Written by - Parker M. O’Neill

Published on - Flash Fiction Online October 2026

To be memorable as a flash fiction piece is quite a hard work; you have less than a thousand words to get a point or message across that has to stay with the reader after they are done with it. It is possible only when you are passionate or thoughtful enough.

This is the second story I read by this author; the last one was a piece I read on the excellent 'ECO25: The Year’s Best Speculative Ecofiction'. It was quite different in tone and plotline than this, but the author seems to have a particular fondness for telling stories dealing with familiar relationships, which is something I also enjoy.

This one by Mr. O'Neill is a very strong and melancholic piece. Here, the narrator is digging on a post-war battlefield looking for a piece of memorable object for someone else. But instead he dregs up memories from many wars in the past, from his memory of a father lost to war and from his own personal memory of being part of a war.

The style is very different from many flash pieces. It never tries to be too vague or poetic; rather, it tries to hammer home any point. Rather it deals with the trauma that war forces onto the survivors and how the memory of such battles lingers on long after the final bullet has been fired.

A passionate piece focusing on the personal horror and neverending reality of war. This gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

Weekend Shorts - Alien Animal Encounters by John Scalzi

Name - Alien Animal Encounters

Written by - John Scalzi 

Published on - Strange Horizons (October 15, 2001)

Well, I read about this short story from the author on Bluesky about how this was his first published story 25 years ago. And I wanted to check out the humble beginnings of a superstar writer like Scalzi.

It was an unconventionally formatted story about people encountering strange aliens and animals. There are some twists like an alien encountering dogs or one human mistaking earthly animals for aliens.

This was an entertaining short and breezy read and has the early examples of the charming signature humor that John Scalzi has become known for. But it was also a bit uneven in describing some stories as is expected from someone in the early stages of mastering the craft.

It was especially enjoyable to me as I myself have recently started trying to write short fiction and praying for that big break of first publication.

I will give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Link to the story - https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/fiction/alien-animal-encounters/

New Metal Review - In Perfect Stillness by Domhain

Album Name - In Perfect Stillness

Band Name - Domhain 

Genre - Atmospheric Black Metal/ Post Metal / Blackgaze

Label - These Hands Melt 

Release Date - February 20, 2026

Line Up -

  Andy Ennis - vocals, bass

  Anaïs Chareyre-Méjan - drums, vocals & cello

  Mete Aker - vocals

  Ashley Irwin - guitars, backing vocals

Black Metal can be the most constrictive genre in the hands of unskilled musicians; it can also be the most diverse genre of extreme metal in the hands of musicians who are passionate and who dare to experiment and broaden their perceptions in terms of creating something evocative and memorable. And in their debut album 'In Perfect Stillness', Domhain once again proves that Black Metal can be one of the most beautifully crafted genres when you set your mind to it.

Any band that reminds me of the likes Agalloch, Primordial and Alcest within five minutes of starting my listen deserves to be appraised carefully. I did spend quite a lot of time listening to this five track album of only 35 minutes, and still I long to return to its landscape of soothing yet aggressive brand of fusion of post metal, atmospheric black, blackgaze/shoegaze and even some doom metal inspiration; that Domhain have created in their first full length release.

Andy Ennis gives a masterclass performance in varied vocals delivery with both melodic clear singing and aggressive black metal growls dispersed throughout the album, which is accompanied and accentuated by Anaïs Chareyre-Méjan creating a sense of duality in singing which helps with the creation of the emotionally drenched atmosphere. 

Nathan Irvine does most of the guitar work with a thick and moody layer of post metal chords, but he is also helped by guitar work of Ashley Irwin who also provides some backing vocals. In addition to her vocals Anaïs Chareyre-Méjan is also responsible for drums and cello, working like a machine. While Andy Ennis also contributes with bass, adding into the background yet another layer creating the soundscape.

The album opens with a sparse and bare opener with a cello infused vocalization. Then begins the first real track 'Talamh lom' which is a piece of well-crafted post black track with haunting vocals and oozing atmosphere. Then comes my favorite track 'Footsteps II' with its beautiful tunes incorporating piano and cello with traditional metal instruments and melancholy dual vocals. 'In Perfect Stillness' is a much more straightforward black metal track reminding me of the later day aggressive Agalloch containing some angry growls and blistering drumming. Then the album closes with majestic 'My Tomb Beneath the Tide', which incorporates everything the band has to offer with calming intro and outro and the band showing their varied skill set all throughout the track.

And immediately after finishing it, I was gripped with listening to it again. Wanting to re-experience some bits or remember a particularly haunting section. This is the greatest strength of any good album, dragging you into its embrace once more after you finished listening to it.

Overall Score - 

                                 9 out of 10.

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

https://domhain-band.bandcamp.com/

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Domhain/3540531779

Weekend Shorts - Sing by Jules Bly

Name - Sing

Written by - Jules Bly

Published on - Beneath Ceaseless Skies Issue #448, January 8, 2026

I came upon this short accidentally, and am quite glad to have read it. It is a simple tale with a beautiful message. There is no over-complicated structure or convoluted plot but rather the tale of a man who has to keep singing no matter what happens to him.

This is yet another tale written mostly in second person. This is the tale of a man who is burdened with the responsibility to keep singing till his death or the world is bound to vanish. This is his tale of finding love and peace, and finally him finding out that fate is not inevitable despite his initial belief.

This one teaches us to try to find a better future for ourselves, teaches us that we can make our own fate if we try hard. This tale also teaches us to do the right thing despite it being uncomfortable and to try to find peace in simplicity, and also to try to be adventurous once in a while.

"You sing a different song.

You act recklessly.

The world does not vanish."

The only little gripe is some repetitive use of phrases to emphasize a point across was a bit unnecessary in my opinion.

Nevertheless, I will give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Weekend Shorts - Really and truly dead by Emma Burnett

Name - Really and truly dead

Written by - Emma Burnett

Published on - Flash Fiction Online October 2026

Well, to my understanding, this one has all the ingredients that make a flash piece shine and stay memorable long after it's read. There is somewhat unreliable yet sympathetic narrator, a suitable mystery and hints at poking jabs at our current reality with its problems despite its speculative setting.

Our narrator starts the story in a room full of dead and also ends it there. In between, by the use of an unusual second-person perspective, describe how the world around them has changed into something sinister.

I really loved this little paragraph, detailing how uncertain and illogical life under a fascist regime is for someone suddenly thrust into it, "You knew nothing about it until after the soldiers attacked, clearing out the people and claiming the resources in the name of a state that isn’t this city, but isn’t not this city. All the villages are being emptied out, their residents fleeing to the city. All the resources are now owned by the state, which feeds the city. You don’t understand how this helps anyone."

The story also features an interesting twist at the end, leaving the reader wanting to learn more about the character and their world.

This is an almost perfect flash piece, thus gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Comic Reviews - Midnight Universe Descends

It was really surprising to see Marvel ending its very successful new Ultimate Universe line so suddenly, abruptly and unexpectedly.

But, they somehow decided to end it and start a new imprint, the 'Midnight Universe' from this month.

So I also decided to do a new thing and review the first issues of the three new Midnight series together here.

Name: Midnight Spider-Man #1

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson

Artist: ScieTronc

Colorist: Neeraj Menon

Based on the first issues, this is my pick of the lot. It has a teenage Peter Parker with a much more tragic and horrific childhood, yet brought up with a healthy dose of principles who tries to fight the fascist and corrupt corporations as a social media activist.

The start has much room for maneuvering and the side characters that appeared so far seem to be presented in a very promising way so far. The new and twisted motto of 'Power makes monsters' also gives the setting an interesting nudge in a new direction.

I liked what the art on offer so far with its Asian manga inspired style and some unusual choices. The coloring also adds to the horrific effect and the stylistic charm.

I give this opening issue 4 out of 5 stars.

Name: Midnight Fantastic Four #1

Writer: Benjamin Percy

Artist: Kev Walker

Colorist: Frank D'Armata

Well, this is a bit unusual in its choice of direction so far. I loved the Lovecraftian bits and the jump scares, but some story bits like how Victor was taken to Latveria and how Reed is so uncaring regarding the harm that befalls others due to his whimsical attitude and the mysterious pills need some explanation in future to make this right.

I hope the author gives all the characters enough room for development rather than focusing too much on the reimagined dynamics between Reed and Storm, despite enjoying the changed roles.

The art is as unorthodox as the story at times, but the eerie drawings do add to the cosmic horror angle that the team tried to convey so far. Maybe it needs a bit more nuance in my opinion.

3.5 out of 5 stars, based on what's on offer here.

Name: Midnight X-Men #1

Writer: Jonathan Hickman

Artist: Matteo Della Fonte 

Colorist: Arthur Hesli

What Hickman produced with 'HoX/PoX' was something I enjoyed quite a lot. Despite how Krakoan age has both fans and haters, the initial dual mini-series did something incredible, made use of the vast lore available, and made people interested in X-Men comics after a long time.

But, it was also very convoluted and required much prior knowledge to fully appreciate. What 'Midnight X-Men' starts in first issues is not so much old lore heavy. Rather it is a gothic and moody piece introducing readers to the new universe and its status quo. It doesn't do anything really spectacular or original, but it has time and scope it it's future issues for development.

This issue has the best drawing of the three so far, in my opinion. Matteo Della Fonte used his prowess with style to create quite an engrossing and dark atmosphere. I just hope he gets to draw more characters in the future and Hickman decides to use the depth of available characters in the X-Men universe to create something memorable.

So far, I am not overly impressed and will give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Name - Thornhedge 

Written by - T. Kingfisher 

Narrated by - Laurel Lefkow 

Published by - Tor Books / Titan Books

Audiobook by - W. F. Howes Ltd 

Another Hugo Winner read, it seems I am somehow into the flow of reading award winning stuff. 'Thornhedge' is a novella that is much more than a simple retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. It is also much more than a tale of the witch who has cursed the beauty to eternal sleep in a new light. The story of Toadling has so much more to offer than a fairy tale done differently, it is the story of becoming more than what you were supposed to, learning to love people despite appearances, and letting go of your prejudices to try to do the right thing even if it's hard. And above all, it's a mesmerizing and fun tale.

It is hard to come up with new things to say for a work as thoroughly talked about as this one, so instead I will just write about the things I felt about it, things I picked out thinking back on it after finishing listening to it. It is apparent from the title that this book is about the barrier that Toadling has kept erect between her and the outside world for a long time, about the hedge of thorns she kept strong all throughout her life, making it impossible for her to truly connect with anyone from the earthly realm.

Toadling was stolen by the Fae, which was tragic; then she was brought up by the Greenteeth, who loved her in their own peculiar way and made her feel she belonged. But things again turned bad when she was tasked with dealing with her replacement, Fayette. This eventually began her predicament, as she spent over two centuries guarding the changeling while she slept in the tower behind a wall of thorns. But one day a curious and unusual knight appears to learn the truth of the magic in the tower and from here her new story begins.

The main character is so different from humans, yet she is utterly humane. She tries to find joy in being loved, being part of something, acknowledges that she is ugly but decides to find the truth of beauty in her monstrous companions. Even when she is tasked with protecting others from the harms that the change might cause, she tries to appease everyone somehow. She also thinks about mourning for everyone lost or dead. 

Yet she has a purer way of seeing the world, trying to find goodness and understanding in all the corners, trying to inflict no harm to anyone she encounters, and simply trying to hide behind her power of being able to transform into a toad. She slowly through beautifully poetic prose by Kingfisher experiences the world around her using her unique way of seeing things, and learns to love herself with the help of others.

Halim, while having that core goodness, is a quite a different character from her. He is a Muslim knight who might just be too curious for his own good. He is very optimistic in his every undertaking, tries to solve all problems by himself and trusts Toadling despite everything. I really enjoyed Kingfisher adding his perspective about his mother; as being a Muslim, I really felt it a nice addition that she acknowledged how much sons respect and adore their mothers and are influenced in every decision-making by their guidance in our culture.

The setting of Thornhedge is very similar to our world in some aspects while vastly different in others, especially dealing with the Faerieland and its inhabitants. But I loved the use of medieval tropes like knights, religions, and crusades to make the setting more adherent to our own convoluted histories. It would have been nicer if the setting were explored a bit more but this is Toadlings story, not the lands, so I guess it's fair.

This was surely a deserved Hugo Winner and it would be so much fun if the author decides to write more about this cast. But it was a lot of fun while it lasted.

4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

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.