From reflections on nature’s nuanced beauty to kaleidoscopic analyses of true love and loss, these poems are unafraid to expose the unadulterated marrow of human experience. There is an exploratory and questioning undercurrent, and while musings on death, purpose, and love are common, Russell has a uniquely experimental voice that will make readers sit up and take note.
The diversity of the poems’ subject matter, length, tone, […]
A sci-fi thriller that examines if humanity would stand a chance against a hostile alien force, Xenome by Vivek Pravat is a terrifying and fast-paced ride. An intrepid biologist finds herself in the heart of a rogue experiment gone wrong, and as secrets from her own past come to light, she must uncover the key to humanity’s survival. Though some of the character development is familiar action fodder, the exposition is richly detailed for science fiction fans, and just the right amount of frightening for a post-pandemic audience willing to suspend their disbelief for an extraordinary premise. With long bursts […]
A post-apocalyptic road novel with a strong pair of protagonists in a richly described dystopia, Remember Us by E.T. Gunnarsson adds a fascinating new layer to his Odemark series.
Two years into his time on new-world Earth, Simon is ready to brave the wasteland, leap into frontier life, and see what beauty the recovering planet still holds. However, when a starship falls out of the sky, just as Simon dreamed that it would, he convinces Anna to join him on a quest to find the craft, and their relationship is entertaining from the start; Anna’s vague annoyance at his naïveté […]
A science fiction adventure with some downright Shakespearean twists, Legends of Earth by David Gwinn is a breathless mash-up of police procedural and space opera that is a page-turner from the first page.
When a seasoned cop is pulled into a mind-boggling new case – a woman single-handedly cutting the power and knocking over banks in broad daylight – Officer Sharpe has no idea how deep this new rabbit hole will go. He certainly doesn’t expect it to carry him to the other side of the galaxy – to a planet that seems to desperately need his help.
Tass, the […]
A fictional manifesto plumbing the lyrical depths of spirituality, the horrors of history, and the contradictions of human existence, Where Martyrs Rise Snowflakes Don’t Fall by Albert M. Jabara is a confident and belief-challenging read, offering an eye-opening blend of religious theory, philosophical narrative, poetic exploration, and historical analysis.
Yunus Nef’i is the main protagonist of this novel – a philosopher, scholar, poet, journalist, and author – who has spent his life fighting for the oppressed and overlooked, examining the faults of the world with his caustic and fearless pen. Some chapters read as a memoir, digging into Yunus’ experiences […]
Murphy’s accursed reputation has spread far and wide, drawing the curious and the conspiratorial, as well as the Fed-Uppers, who would rather his jinx be kicked out of their lives forever. However, a secret society suspects that he might be their prophesied Impossible Man, and Murphy will have to use his universe of hobbies and merit badge skills to keep himself alive and find out their true intentions at Camp Orpheus. His exceptional daughter, Phaedra, is […]
Bailey is a devoted son and daily visitor to his increasingly forgetful father, Harry, who is often lost in the past, and regularly confused by the present. As his condition worsens, the narrative weaves more sporadically through Harry’s fractured mind, revealing painful and defining moments of the Hargraves family. As Harry cycles through recollections of relationships, difficult betrayals, joyous arrivals, addictions, and disappointments, readers gradually reassemble the pieces of his […]
A gripping pastoral thriller that could easily be a movie or series, The Icehouse by J.J. Richards is a richly developed tale of a murderous specter reappearing from the past. An aging and charmingly out-of-touch detective is pushed to the edge of ethics and emotions when a dormant menace embarks on a deadly spree in the English countryside. The dense writing is deeply nuanced, packed with allusion and detail, summoning a vivid world to life, despite the ominous, slow-burning pace. There are occasional anachronistic or odd words that feel out of place in a UK setting, but overall, the novel […]