Helloooo! The problem with a brief holiday is you can always find when you return to work that something weird has gone on. Let’s just say I had a week of cleaning up to do and very little for anything else so a fairly short update this week. And I need to stop being hard on myself as I still managed four blog articles and finish February on 33 books read this year to date. A blogger’s desire to do all the things is commendable but I do like this weekly article to remind myself I’ve done something.

What have I been watching?

The Untamed – up to episode 7 and it’s a lot of fun as well as a fascinating look into how some the makers deal with Chinese censorship on homosexuality. It’s funny, heart-warming and I think may cause me a lot of pain. This is well worth a look on Netflix.

What have I been listening to?

If all goes to plan tonight, I will have finished season 3 of the Magnus Archives by tomorrow morning and its sooooo good. After that I can get back to my other feeds and I will give you a little more on this show next week.

What have I been reading?

Runalong Readalongs

Wyrd Sisters – On of my favourite early Discworlds and probably all of the series.

Mind of My Mind by Octavia E Butler a fascinating demonstration of a first novel’s strengths and weaknesses. I’ve no idea where this series can go next which is always fun

Deverry – Darkspell to follow next week. And then I can agree the March programme too!

Subjective Chaos

I’ve put review of the first three novellas here

All City by Alex DiFrancesco – my first new SF novel was a really interesting read. Review to come next week – it’s a novel I’m thinking about even if not 100% convinced it works and that’s always a sign of a good read.

Next up Godhunter by David Mogo

Reviews and Reading

A bit blank this week bar All City. On the blog I did however cover some new different things

Peter Sutton – the first interview of 2020 is a really interesting one from an author who also edits and has some lovely booktempting in store for you

Theatre reviews!! Not sure how often I will do this in future but Night of the Living Dead Remix was not that helpful as i discuss here

I heard about a fascinating Kickstarter project that appeals to my love of horror; Dracula – Curse of the Undead is a gamebook that allows you to play in the classic tale. The author Jonathan Green told me more here

And finally, I hate to sound like I repeat myself but there are far too many people who think we have far too much diversity already. In two online places I met people who feel there are limits to how often you can have a lesbian with a sword and seem oblivious to the idea you can has a heterosexual with a sword ad infinitum in the genre and no one has been that bored for the last few hundred years. So, I asked the twitter hive mind and created a list as lots of people said actually, they’d like more recs int his area. And they really do. I’m a middle aged straight white guy and I can see why diversity is important. I won’t stop promoting it until everyone else agrees it is – this makes the genre better; it makes society better and I am seeing far too much of a sign that the morons who think otherwise want to reverse this. I know I’m not perfect on this but I like to learn to be better at understanding the world and I’ve rarely been disappointed in doing so – I just keep finding more good stories.

The list is here – I will update it a few days more if I get any more suggestions

What Am I Reading?

The next few weeks look very cool (with a lot of short story collections too): -

The Unspoken Name by A K Larkwood – loving this and hopefully review out next two days

Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward – I want to finish this by the end of next week and I’ve an nice gap in my diary perfect for that

Recoil by J T Nicholas – a hi tech futuristic thriller with lots of action. I’ll be on the blog tour for this next week 5/3 with an author interview too

American Monsters Part 2 edited by Margret Helgadottir - time to read the rest of the entries in one of my favourite series

Beneath The Rising by Premee Mohamed - alternate futures and ancient monsters!

The Library of the Unwritten by A J Hackwith – ever wondered what happens to unfinished books?

Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes - SF with kidnappers, emperors and psychic cats

Unspeakable: A Queer Gothic edited by Celine Frohn – a new collection that took my eye

Cursed edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane – two editors I love to read colections by and this is on dark fairy tales bestill my heart

Shadows and Tall Trees Volume 8 edited by Michael Kelly – a horror anthology out this week I’m keen to get out my thoughts to you on.

Finally, I WILL have some reading stats on influences when we grew up to show you!