House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky Head of Zeus, hb, £19.99 Reviewed by Sarah Deeming In the Palleseen Empire’s quest to bring the world into their definition of order, their armies scour the lands for superstitions to irradicate. When the non-Palleseens fight back, the injured soldiers need healing and… Read More »House of Open Wounds
POLAR HORRORS: Strange Tales From the World’s Ends, edited by John Miller British Library Press, p/b, £9.99 Reviewed by Pauline Morgan It would be fair to say that the majority of authors whose stories are included in this book never had the opportunity to visit the places where they are… Read More »Polar Horrors
These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs Orbit Books, paperback £9.99 Reviewed by Nadya Mercik “Everything is a test,” says Esek Nightfoot in the book, and that’s what makes this story so brutal and unpredictable but, at the same time, so realistic and truthful. Jun Ironway, a caster and con artist,… Read More »The Burning Stars
HAUNTERS AT THE HEARTH: Eerie Tales For Christmas Nights, edited by Tanya Kirk British Library Press, pb, £9.99 Reviewed by Pauline Morgan Traditionally, Christmas is a time when ghosts make themselves evident. Perhaps it is the idea from before, all pervading electric lights when candles and firelight were the only… Read More »Haunters at the Hearth
Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special BBC Reviewed by Celia Neri Forget the star-crossed lovers that Ten and Rose, and Thirteen and Yaz were. The heart and soul of the New Who companions is Donna and her friendship with the Doctor, first with Ten and now continued with Fourteen for three… Read More »Dr Who
A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber Hodder & Stoughton, hb, £16.99 Reviewed by Mikaela Silk With the last year of her life vanished from her memories, Evangeline has no choice but to trust that Prince Apollo is telling her the truth that: As astonishing as it all sounds,… Read More »A Curse for True Love
SEASON OF SKULLS by Charles Stross Orbit, HC, £20.00 Reviewed by Pauline Morgan Embarking on a series of novels can often seem like a good idea. Many readers like to be able to follow their favourite characters through various adventures and see them change and grow in the process. For… Read More »Season of Skulls
THE FOLKLORE OF WALES: GHOSTS by Delyth Badder and Mark Norman Calon, HC, £14.99 Reviewed by Pauline Morgan People have always been fascinated by ghost stories. There seems to be a part of our psyche that wants to be scared, so the idea of sitting around a fire in a… Read More »Ghosts
THE LURE OF ATLANTIS Strange Tales of the Sunken Continent Edited by Michael Wheatley British Library Publishing, pb, £9.19 Reviewed by Christine Downes This is a collection of short stories collated by editor Michael Wheatley on behalf of the British Library. The theme of the collection is the fabled sunken… Read More »THE LURE OF ATLANTIS
The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen Transworld, hb, £17.47 Reviewed by Mikaela Silk Natasha’s life has been defined by a single word, spoken over her at her christening by the mysterious and powerful Drosselmeyer. That word was ‘dark’. Yet more impactful even than this was the word he spoke… Read More »The Kingdom of Sweets