The November content from Uncanny Magazine does a lovely job of showing the power of stories. Of narratives. Of how the ownership of those stories is importance and empowering. How, when the narrative begins to slip away, it can be used to isolate people. To exploit people. To erase people. And only when people can control their own stories, can have their own agency, can there be justice. Can there be hope. Can there be the recognition that people are all people and that the roles they think are absolute might only be a narrowing of their perspective, and when the blinders are pulled away their world suddenly becomes larger, richer, and more rewarding. These are not all easy works of fiction or poetry or nonfiction, but they are all powerful in their own ways, and I'm going to get to reviewing them.
Wow. Once again it has been a long time since I've done this. But here are my various reviews from around the internet! Gaze in wonder!
European Monsters eds.
Jo Thomas and Margrét Helgadóttir (Nerds of a Feather, my score 7/10) - A quite good collection of monster stories. I liked the premise and many of the stories, though some others I found harder to follow. Still, a fine collection!
Circumpolar! by
Richard A. Lupoff (Goodreads, my score 2/5) - This was...not the greatest. It wasn't all bad, but wow was it strange and there were parts that...just no. Got this in a "bad book swap" though, so I guess it fit...
Fragile Things by
Neil Gaiman (Goodreads, my score 2/5) - I'm something of a Gaiman fan, having liked American Gods and Good Omens and Sandman and even Smoke and Mirrors, but this collection did not really impress. There were a few I found...well, not good, though there were some good ones all the same. Just...disappointing...
European Monsters eds.
Jo Thomas and Margrét Helgadóttir (Goodreads, my score 3/5) - and the inevitable Goodreads review, because I do things like that. Different site, different review.
The Peripheral by
William Gibson (Goodreads, my score 4/5) - okay don't hate me but this was the first Gibson I've read. I liked the setting and the characters quite a bit. The ending (the very end ending) not so much, but overall I quite enjoyed it.
A Whole New Ballgame by
Phil Bildner (Kidsreads) - A very good middle grade book about education and friendship and basketball. Not speculative at all, but still charming and fun and inspiring.
A Whole New Ballgame by
Phil Bildner (Goodreads, my score 4/5) - And the Goodreads review. Again, this one is a fun read, with a richly diverse cast and a nice message. If you enjoy books for young readers, go give this one a try.
Sherlock Bones Volume 1 by
Yuma Ando and Yuki Sato (Goodreads, my score 3/5) - This one is a weird manga where a boy adopts a dog only to have it be the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes, which means the boy is Watson. The volume gets much darker than the premise might imply. Still, very cute.
Rosemary and Rue by
Seanan McGuire (Goodreads, my score 4/5) - finally getting around to reading some of McGuire's urban fantasy and it is quite good. Lots to digest this book, but the world building is solid and the drama dramatic! Good times.
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART (my review series of naughty books/graphic novels/manga)
Nyotai-Ka! Volume 1 by
Ru-en Rouga (Goodreads, my score 3/5) - Not really what I was expecting, but not in a bad way. It examines the main character's masculinity in some interesting and rather unexpected ways. Not a bad read, though quite strange. Technically hentai, though with some gender-bending-type stuff.
Ninth Life Love by
Lalako Kojima (Goodreads, my score 4/5) - OMG SO CUTE!!! This is actually not the happiest of yaoi because of some of the stuff going on in the longest story in the collection, but overall it is super cute and rather sexy. Just...wow apparently I get emotional at times, because that first story...quite good.
Okay, that's what I've been up to recently. Thanks for reading!
