A new MORTAL ENGINES story? What bliss!
The first book set in the dystopian world of Philip Reeve’s mighty Traction Cities since Scrivener’s Moon was published back in 2011, Thunder City (2024) ends up being something of an oddity within the overarching scope of the series. Unlike the three prequels, which delved into the genesis of the Traction Cities, or Night Flights,
May 29th, 2025. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Philip Reeve | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
This article about the original Charlie’s Angels movie with Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu, and the “wrong” bird used in a pivotal scene, is long, but it’s written in an engaging way and I learned more about birds that I ever planned to. I enjoyed it and I hope you do.
After three seasons, Amazon Prime has canceled Wheel of Time.
At least with Reactor, Murderbot continues to please. (Warning, spoilers.)
It’s almost summer, which everyone knows is cannibal novel season.
May 28th, 2025. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | no comments |
You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming
Written during the winter of 1963, at Ian Fleming’s Goldeneye retreat in Oracabessa, on the north shore of Jamaica, You Only Live Twice was the author’s 12th James Bond novel, not counting the short story collection For Your Eyes Only (1960). Ultimately released in March ’64, just five months before the author’s untimely demise, it was the last Bond novel to be completed. (The posthumous 007 novel The Man With the Golden Gun,
May 27th, 2025. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 4.5 | Film / TV | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah
The Ashfire King is Chelsea Abdullah’s follow-up to the highly enjoyable The Stardust Thief, picking up pretty immediately after the events of that book, which ended on a pretty sizable cliffhanger. While the new novel doesn’t attain the heights of its predecessor, which I called “one of the most enjoyable and captivating books” I’d read that year, despite some issues it moves the story along, deepens several of the characters,
May 23rd, 2025. Bill Capossere´s rating: 3.5 | Chelsea Abdullah | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
2025’s A Drop of Corruption is the second book in Robert Jackson Bennett‘s latest series, THE SHADOW OF THE LEVIATHAN (or, alternately, THE ANA AND DIN MYSTERIES). Set in the same world as the first book, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption is a glorious magic act, filled with misdirection, mirrors, impersonations, disguises, codes and clues. It also holds a contemplation of the nature of kingdoms and kings.
May 22nd, 2025. Marion Deeds´s rating: 4.5 | Robert Jackson Bennett | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
Murderbot, the Show, premiered on Apple+ last week. Here is Reactor’s reaction to it.
Looking for a news editing job? Reactor is hiring.
Also from Reactor, five books with imposters or con artists.
The 2025 Eisner Award candidates are announced. (Thanks to File770.)
The Guardian has some thoughts on the candidates for the International Booker Prize.
Nerds of a Feather reviews an epic fantasy novel, Birth of a Dynasty,
May 21st, 2025. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 1 comment |
Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay
In Written on the Dark (2025), Guy Gavriel Kay returns to his “quarter-turn from our own” world, here shifting time and place to a late-medieval “France” (Ferrieres in Kay’s universe) ruled by a “mad king.” When the king’s brother is killed by the powerful Duke of Barratin and left on the streets of Orane (think Paris), tavern poet Thierry Villar finds himself embroiled in the politics and intrigue of a world he’d never imagined himself part of, as Ferrieres tries to avoid civil war while also attempting to fend off an exterior invasion by the king of the island nation across the channel [some spoilers to follow in this review;
May 20th, 2025. Bill Capossere and Rob Rhodes´s rating: 5 | Guy Gavriel Kay | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
Talk To My Back by Muraski Yamada
In this column, I feature comic book reviews written by my students at Oxford College of Emory University. Oxford College is a small liberal arts school just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. I challenge students to read and interpret comics because I believe sequential art and visual literacy are essential parts of education at any level (see my Manifesto!). I post the best of my students’ reviews in this column. Today, I am proud to present a review by Ritisha Lingampally:
Ritisha Lingampally is a first-year student at Oxford College and is considering majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology.
May 17th, 2025. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service by Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming‘s 11th James Bond book, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, was written, as was the author’s wont, while on vacation at his Goldeneye retreat on the north shore of Jamaica, at Oracabessa, in the winter of 1962 … coincidentally, not far from where filming for the original 007 movie, Dr. No, was taking place at that same time. OHMSS, which was initially released in April 1963,
May 15th, 2025. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 5 | Edge, Film / TV | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski
I finally found a cozy, small-stakes fantasy that simply and completely entertained me. 2024’s The Crescent Moon Tearoom, by Stacy Sivinski, resonates as much with Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women as it does with the CW’s seminal 1990s TV show Charmed (except no one wastes away from consumption). Three witchy sisters deal with a thriving business, the Witch Council and its demands, and their own growing powers.
To be fair, the cozy subgenre isn’t my cup of tea.
May 12th, 2025. Marion Deeds´s rating: 4 | Stacy Sivinski | SFF Reviews | no comments |
How did I miss this? Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
I guess that is true, Marion. And when it comes to "You Only Live Twice," I saw the movie TWICE…
I absolutely loved this deep dive into Edwige Fenech's giallo films! Her unique blend of allure and mystery truly captivates.…
You managed to work in your two loves; vintage fiction and films!
Yup, Marion, your memory serves you well! Oh...as regards these three recent Bond reviews of mine, as the old saying…