Two speculative stories in which girls and women disagree about how to cope with change, both published this year. “A Stone’s Throw from You” by Jenn Reese in Mermaids Monthly: “And then I told you I was leaving. That I’d been called to the sea.” “For …
Word-portals between worlds
Two scifi stories about literary professions in uncertain futures. “The Bookstore at the End of America” by Charlie Jane Anders, about a bookseller at the border between California and America: “Some of those screaming people were old enough to have gr…
innovation, death, sorcery and meaning
Two short, triumphant fantasy stories about well-worn prophecies and magical customs that take a left turn. “Another End of the Empire” by Tim Pratt (audio version): “The probability witches hit an impasse.” A short story by Dyce (a.k.a. Sarah Blackwel…
“Your grandpa was a lot of things in the old days”
Two short speculative stories about growing up in a powerful family. “Horangi”, fantasy by Thomas Ha (reminds me a little of Ursula Vernon’s Grandma Harken stories): “I’m sorry to hear that,” my grandfather responded politely, and he gave a smile that …
Gary Paulsen, 1939-2021
Gary Paulsen, author of wilderness-centered young adult fiction, has died at the age of 82. Paulsen is perhaps most famous for Hatchet, a tale of a teenage boy who crash-lands alone in the Canadian wilderness and must survive the summer with only the t…
“Interesting finding!” Harrry enthused.
Harry Potter fanfic marks dialogue with “said” less often than Harry Potter books do. A bit of quantitative analysis of Harry Potter fanfiction, by Suzanne R Black. Another post with more analysis.
Silverview by John le Carré review – the last complete masterwork?
The great spy novelist’s final full-length book is a precision-tooled cat and mouse chase from a bookshop in East Anglia to the old eastern blocWhile it’s perhaps true that the posthumous publications of the recently deceased have a tendency to be more…
“the flavors you teach them to desire”
“A perfect egg is a slash of light on a gray day.” “The War of Light and Shadow, in Five Dishes” by Siobhan Carroll is a bittersweet short fantasy story about cooking, grief, beauty in the midst of war, and teaching the next generation. (Previously.) “…
Nadifa Mohamed: ‘Modern-day Britain is intense’
The Somali-born writer talks about her Booker-shortlisted novel, the story of a victim of a miscarriage of justice in 1950s Cardiff, ‘broken hearts syndrome’ and her love of John DonneRecently shortlisted for the 2021 Booker prize, Nadifa Mohamed’s thi…
‘They told me I was grown up enough to keep a secret’: exclusive extract from Silverview, John le Carré’s final novel
Morals and duty clash in le Carré’s tale of a bookseller caught in a spy leak• Fintan O’Toole on the last twist in le Carré’s tale• Writers reveal their favourite le Carré Continue reading…