Synopsis: Cynthia Rhodes is part of a team that shuts down interdimensional emergencies. A normal day for her would be pretty unusual for us, and this mission is unusual even for her. Every “Bleed Zone” is different. Every mission is a leap into the unknown. This one is all that and then some, because not […]
Science Fiction
Review: Annihilation (Southern Reach #1) by Jeff Vandermeer
This book is a wild ride. Did I know what was going on? No. Was I have a great time anyway? Yes. This edition comes with a great introduction by Karen Joy Fowler which sets you up for the weird and wonderful ride you’re about to have. It’s an introduction I’m going to revisit once I finished the series (as I likely will with all the intros for these editions) just so I can see how my understanding has changed.
Review: Cosmic Widow (Agent Renault Adventures) by Jonathan Nevair
Synopsis When the legendary Cosmic Widow vanishes from the galaxy’s premiere art museum, Agent Lilline Renault delves into a shadowy underworld to hunt down the missing masterpiece. Her only clue: the thief’s enigmatic calling card. Following a scant trail of evidence, Lilline crosses paths with shady art dealers, eccentric university professors, and elusive forgers in […]
Review: The Umbrella Academy Vol 1: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way, Gabriel Bá, Dave Stewart
Synopsis The New York Times bestselling comics series that was the inspiration for The Umbrella Academy on Netflix! In an inexplicable worldwide event, forty-three extraordinary children were spontaneously born to women who’d previously shown no signs of pregnancy. Millionaire inventor Reginald Hargreeves adopted seven of the children; when asked why, his only explanation was, “To save the world.” These seven […]
Ascension by Nicholas Binge
Synopsis A mind-bending speculative thriller in which the sudden appearance of a mountain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean leads a group of scientists to a series of jaw-dropping revelations that challenge the notion of what it means to be human. An enormous snow-covered mountain has appeared in the Pacific Ocean. No one knows […]
Review: Interstellar Megachef (Book #1 of the Flavour Hacker Duology) by Lavanya Lakshminarayan
Synopsis Stepping off a long-haul star freighter from Earth, Saras Kaveri has one bag of clothes, her little flying robot Kili . . . and an invitation to compete in the galaxy’s most watched, most prestigious cooking show. Interstellar Megachef is the showcase of the planet Primus’s austere, carefully synthesised cuisine. Until now, no-one from […]
Review: Before the Shattered Gates of Heaven (Shattered Gates Volume 1) by Bryan S. Glosemeyer
Synopsis For most of her life Sabira is treated as less than. Although she is forced to remain ignorant of the circumstances, Sabira is biologically engineered and mistreated by a society and systems that dictate the classes and “necessary order.” She enters the fighting pits in order to work towards a life of “glory” as […]
Review: A Stitch Between Worlds by Frasier Armitage
I’ve made no secret of my love for Frasier’s writing. He writes these incredible sci-fi books that always have me reeling by the end when he reveals something that just blows my mind. A Stitch Between Worlds is no different. I won’t spoil why because I think you should experience it yourself, but it’s truly masterful.
Review: Halo: The Rubicon Protocol by Kelly Gay
Synopsis December 2559. Humanity has its back against the wall after the United Nations Space Command flagship Infinity drops out of slipspace into a devastating ambush launched by the Banished. As this fierce enemy alliance seeks to claim a mysterious object hidden within the ancient Forerunner construct known as Zeta Halo, the surviving UNSC corps […]
Book Review: The Fourth Portal (Song of Saudade #1) by J.A. Merkel
Synopsis: Upholding her tribe’s highest law, Fenri must keep her heart—the body’s fourth portal—closed at all times, or face execution. Fenri is a Knowledger, a brilliant collector of information who dreams of discovering the ocean’s secrets. The tribe’s Masters grant her permission to explore the ocean, but only if she first traverses the perilous desert […]
Review: The Leap Year Gene Of Kit McKinley by Shelley Wood
Synopsis An inspired, sweeping, historical epic tracing the remarkable life story of a baby girl born on leap year day who grows one year older every four years. The Leap Year Gene imagines the fascinating life of Kit McKinley from WWI up to the present day, told through the voices of Kit and her family […]
Review: Synthetic Sea by Franklyn S. Newton
This review only represents my personal opinion and does not reflect the entire judging team’s (Red Stars) thoughts or progression in the SPSFC4 competition.