A self-haunted antihero encounters and seemingly inherits a universal archetype – but for good or for evil? – in Dreck, an immersive and inventive fantasy horror by Alex Grass. Frankie Attanasio is a mortician in the demolished but slowly recovering city [...]
When a book is so hailed on social media, one must dig in and read. At the very worst, a book so trumpeted by critics must have seams to unpick. A book coming from a former critic for The New York [...]
Vengeance for a heartless, bloody killing provides the focus of El Camino Drive, a well-staged drama deftly drawn by novelist Edward Izzi. Johnny Valentino is a police detective struggling with major issues that could cost him his job. For one thing, [...]
Vivid recollections skyrocket and explode, illuminating time-worn events that have puzzled us for much of the last 60 years, in A Mirror Above the Abyss, an eerie but plausible speculation on troubling historical facts by journalist Oleg Lurye. In this larger-than-life [...]
A surprisingly deep musing on trust, power, truth, and friendship, Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller is a unique and suspenseful YA thrill. Exploring personal boundaries, and perhaps even finding the edge, this super-powered debut novel takes adolescent exploration to an [...]
A masterful retelling of a lesser-known myth, Orpheus Rising by Lance Lee places a striking modern lens on the timeless struggles of self-control, sacrifice, grief, and acceptance. John is a stymied writer who shares a small house with his son, Sam, [...]
A lethal warrior without banner or cause rises to heights of heroism he never sought in The Hunter’s Rede by F.T. McKinstry, a dark and thoroughly fun new fantasy saga. Tapping into the best elements of high-genre writing, with cryptic wizards, [...]
For anyone who has ever dreamed of our species' future among the stars, Humanity's Greatest Leap: The Science and Technology Behind Feasible Interstellar Space Travel by Charles Mark Pickrell will be a revealing and inspiring look at our world's potential. This [...]
A whirlwind of an adventure set in the eternally mysterious city of London, The Timepiece and the Girl Who Went Astray by O.R. Simmonds is a bold and meticulously penned thriller. William Wells only wanted a special gift for his girlfriend [...]
Five boys meet and unite, drawn together by their innate spirit of defiance and determination, while each harbors secrets too horrible to mention that will gradually be revealed, in The Buzz Boys by novelist Edward Izzi, a powerful look at abuse [...]