The Unknown: Weird Writings, 1900–1937 by Algernon Blackwood (ed. Henry Bartholomew)
(Handheld Press, 2023)
Reviewed by Kevan Manwaring
Master of the supernatural tale Algernon Blackwood (1869-1951) has long had his devoted acolytes, but in recent years the British writer of Horror and Weird fiction has had something of a resurgence of interest, with more of his work—once tracked down like uncanny beasts in the backwoods of obscure bookshops—in print now than ever. The British Library’s ‘Tales of the Weird’ imprint has republished many of his classic tales; and now joining this wave is Bath-based small press, Handheld Press, which specialises in republishing lost classics.
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Review from BSFA Review 20 - Download your copy here.
Atom the Beginning 03 by Osamu Tezuka Concept: Masami Yuuki Artwork: Tetsuro Kasahara
(Titan Graphic Novels, 2023)
Reviewed by John Dodd
It begins in a reactor going critical, as the robot designated Six saves several humans from the blast but is caught up in it and damaged, with the remains of it going on to form the basis of an experiment into whether or not robots can develop emotions and become truly intelligent.
This in turn leads to interested parties wanting to kidnap the scientists who are responsible for the advances being made, which in turn leads to the robot defending them and a chase ensues as the villains seek to hunt them down, only to find that Six has developed skills that were never programmed into it, and has decided to download information that it shouldn’t have had access to in order to improve itself.
Bloodborne: The Lady of the Lanterns #4 by Cullen Bunn Artwork: Piotr Kowalski
(Titan Comics, 2023)
The problem with coming in at part 4 is that you don’t know what happened in the time before, and given that this issue is effectively the big fight scene at the end of a Marvel picture, I can’t make informed comment on what the build up to this has been like.
This issue however, well, there’s a lot of guns, a lot of eldritch monsters, a gatling gun, blood, shotguns, blood, pistols, monsters, magic, guns, blood, and flames.
M.O.R.I.A.R.T.Y. Clockwork Empire by Fred Duval and Jean-Pierre Pecau Pencils and Inks: Stevan Subic Colours: Scarlet
Some time ago now, there was the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (LXG), a retelling of the stories of old where all the fantastical creations of that bygone age came together to form a group that could take on any foe and stand a chance of beating them.
In the beginning, the Clockwork Empire very much has the feeling of that story, when Hyde is found rampaging and Sherlock Holmes finds himself on the case, to find that rogue automatons and strange cults are afoot and nothing is quite what it seems. The feel of this Holmes is very much one more akin to the more modern Holmes stories, where he feels a need to explain what he’s doing and what he’s found, how he reached his conclusions and how easy he found it. On the one hand, it makes it more accessible to those who are not familiar with the methods of the great detective, but on the other hand, it does mean that there’s no sense of mystery as there was in the earlier books.
No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull
(Titan Books, 2022)
Monsters are real, and they’re here, and they’re living amongst us. This is the line that draws us into the book, the promise of something different and strange, of a place and time where the supernatural exists hand-in-hand with the ordinary world.
This starts with a killing, a killing that won’t be explained till much later in the book, but at its heart, something that should have been clear from the beginning. Laina’s brother Lincoln is shot by the police, the reason is not given, and it’s not till a sixth of the book in that we find out that there was more to it than just a random act of police brutality. It was because he was a monster, and not even that, just a shape shifter, and it raises the question for those reading of whether or not there was more to the killing than just him being different.
Mr. Breakfast by Jonathan Carroll
(Melville House, 2023)
Reviewed by Dave M. Roberts
It is quite normal to wonder how life may have turned out if different choices had been made. Would following that hobby as a career have made us happier, or relinquishing ambitions for the sake of a relationship? It is somewhat unusual to be presented with that opportunity. After a spur of the moment decision to get a tattoo, Graham Patterson is offered exactly that. He is drawn to the artwork in a tattooist’s window and in particular a strange and multi-layered piece called Mr Breakfast. After receiving the tattoo, he is told that he can now experience three different versions of his life, one his current life, and two others resulting from different life decisions. He can switch between the lives for a very limited number of times, but must ultimately choose one. From this slightly disappointing and somewhat contrived premise, Carroll spins up a deeply affecting story that explores the way that we choose to live our lives and what is really important to us. Not just that, but how our life decisions affect those around us. Trying to do the right thing does not always work out, and what is actually the right thing when the choices you make ripple out and impact on a great many people?
The Queen of Summer’s Twilight by Charles Vess
(NewCon Press, 2022)
It’s interesting when someone who is very skilled in one form of creativity turns their hand to another, particularly when they are as capable as Charles Vess, whose artwork has been a favourite of mine for some time.
The Queen of Summer’s Twilight is a contemporary story of Janet, a young woman who finds herself being helped by a mysterious young man (Thomas) astride a Vincent Black Shadow motorcycle, who speaks in a manner more befitting a knight of the dark ages. Janet doesn’t think to question why Thomas is helping her, and doesn’t spend much time arguing with him, even though she knows nothing of him and his purpose.
The Marlen of Prague: Christopher Marlowe and the City of Gold by Angeli Primlani
(Guardbridge Books, 2022)
Reviewed by Andy Sawyer
The Armada is sailing towards England. Playwright, spy, and mage Christopher Marlowe is pulled by his sister Ann from dalliance with his lover Thomas Kyd (author of The Spanish Tragedy) to take part in a rite that will turn back the invasion. They save the country and are back in time for supper and that—apart from Marlowe’s attempts to bury the memories of the Spell in poetry and smoking—is that. Until five years later, when Kyd (who in the new reality which comes to pass never wrote The Spanish Tragedy but is still in possession of incriminating writings left by Marlowe in his rooms) is arrested and Marlowe himself is told that he is going to have to “die” and be sent undercover to bring arch-magician John Dee back from Prague.
Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
(Del Rey, 2022)
I never read the Dragonlance books when they first came out…
I’m getting that out of the way before I say anything else, because anyone who knows me will think that I was one of the people who read and reread Dragonlance till it was ingrained in my campaigns, and the simple truth is, it wasn’t.
I came to this with no preconceptions, no vast enjoyment of previous books to colour my experience of the world, no expectation of seeing beloved characters from my childhood. I came to this as a newbie to the Dragonlance novels, hoping to find a story that would perhaps inspire me to go back and read all the other books.
Pennyblade by J.L. Worrad
Reviewed by Susan Peak
This book is about relationships and power, with relationships in the foreground. There are two key sets of relationships: between Kyra and her twin brother Kyran, and between Kyra and two women: Shen and Sister Benadetta. At the opening of the story, Kyra is in effect exiled from her home and making a living as a mercenary—a ‘pennyblade’. This exile has come about through the machinations of Kyra’s grandmother, who wants the family, of which she is head, to increase its power; Kyra was reluctant to cooperate.
The structure is one of switching in time from one chapter to another, giving the background as the main story is told. This is handled very well. As a technique, it can be intrusive, but Worrad makes the story flow well, and I found it added to the interest of the story as the two timelines converged. The story as a whole is well-written and engaging.
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