Ian Mond

Books Read: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King Not his best collection.

Some good stuff, especially Blockade Billy, but he’s written better collections.

It was all the loot box stats etc. I keep playing Balatro because it’s always changing and I haven’t discovered everything!

Books Read: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman A. Fuck. Tonne. Of. Fun. (C) Ian Mond

The reason I play Balatro.

Books Read: The Möbius Book by Catherine Lacey Persuade me.

Unfortunately, not my favourite novel by Catherine Lacey (despite the devestating and distressing memoir section).

Gutted. One of the greats. Centimetre perfect :-(

Books Read: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell Magnificent.

If Wuthering Heights is “having a moment,” then maybe some of that love can be directed at this banger of a novel.

Books Read: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow Fuck tonne of fun.

Sometimes, it’s not about the thematic stuff. Sometimes, it’s about the pure nature of the storytelling.

Books Read: Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon A true masterwork.

It’s a great book with many extraordinary sections that inspired a generation and some silly bits and passages that are, ahem, “very much of their time”.

Horror in Theory We must theorize horror. (We must horrify theory.) * …instead of arriving at a clear grip on what kind of entity is horrifying, we are confronted with the feeling that there is this something that mus...

@melikhovo.bsky.social is one of the best and when he publishes a new essay I read it almost immediately. This is his latest. You end the essay by wishing he’d write/edit a theory of horror.

matthewcheney.net/blog/horror-...

Books Read: Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor No, not that death of the author.

A provocative novel. One of my favourites for the year because and not in spite of me tussling with it.

This is magnificent endeavour and a terrific list of reviewers. Some new to me who I am now following. We need more of this, and not necessarily for award validation but just to spread the word that genre criticism is in the midst of a golden age.

I am a gatekeeper!

My face is too big.

Books Read: There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm You’ll forget this review seconds af

On reflection, @chloroformtea.bsky.social nailed this novel. (Though it’s still fun).

Somehow, for us Patreon peeps, you’re producing more stuff. I look forward very muchly to posh bingo.

HA! Yes.

Plenty of good fiction here to keep you entertained.

Why thank you. (I went a bit overboard with my essay. I think it’s the longest in the issue. I couldn’t shut up).

It doesn’t get awful.

It’s a huge amount of fun. And I did say as much here in response to @chloroformtea.bsky.social when she was reading it. But, I did soften on it. I’m glad you loved it though.

Did I rave? I did like it. Especially the first half. I think it gets a bit repetitive. Anyway, my review will be out soon!!!

HA!

I don’t believe it is speculative. Was very popular when it came out. I picked it up before I read the collection. I didn’t initially connect the dots (too many authors crowding my head). But like you say, sounds right up my alley.

I did buy it and the promptly forgot about it (as you do). When I saw you reading it, I found my copy buried in my Kindle. Nice to hear it’s good. I did really like her collection.

Books Read: Slow Gods by Claire North Maybe North’s best novel?

An awesome novel from an awesome author.

Ah. I’ll say no more other saying it becomes more layered as it goes (sometimes confusingly so—that’s my one criticism; I felt it was an explanation short).

Having said that, I agree it’s not subtle. It’s also not the first book to raise concerns about the far right leveraging and misappropriating myth and legend. But i don’t think it’s trying to be nuanced.

I’m about to go to bed so not a great time to discuss this, but I enjoyed the structure, the way the narrative folds in on itself. But I’m partial to that sort of thing. The faux Arthur-stuff didn’t bother me because I’ve never been invested in the myth.

I mean, they are all awful. Except for Cathy Linton

Hahaha