379 pages.Science Fiction This story of a society that is such a contrast to the destructive one we currently have worldwide is full of hope. But, sneaking pervasively beneath the surface, lies a hint of threat, an unspecified suggestion that all may not be as it seems.We follow the eponymous Hope as she leads a …
Continue reading Awaking Hope, by Emily Renee Cunningham: #BookReview.
The story concludes. And what a conclusion! Drew Wagar has created a masterpiece with this quartet of fantasy/sci-fi books set on a distant world in a not-too-distant future. In keeping with the social structure and history of the people starring in this series, he has kept the technological aspects as brief as possible, including only …
Continue reading Shadeward: Expiation, by Drew Wagar: #BookReview.
This sci-fi short takes a wormhole as its escape route from the reality of the UK of the early 21st century. A time of confused politics and general unrest, it may well have been the first real step on the road we now follow, but that’s for a different written piece. The story is written …
Continue reading Footvote, by Peter F. Hamilton: #BookReview.
Space Opera/Science Fiction A short story full of action, and written in a style to keep that action moving. The title character is described on the cover as ‘half human, half machine, all badass’, and that comes across in the telling.Although I write science fiction, and read it, I’ve tended to stay clear of space …
Continue reading Mara’s Awakening by Leo Flynn: #BookReview.
Word cloud created via Wordart.com This series began as a way to suggest possible topics for research for those writing fiction set in the future on Earth. The list runs to 100, and so far, I’ve covered 16 in detail. However, it strikes me it might be more productive for writers to tackle those subjects …
Continue reading Futuristic Fiction: #Research for #Writers, Part 17; All the Rest.
Photo Credit: https://www.needpix.com/photo/1877200/ You’ll find the introduction to this series here. This post looks at ‘Agriculture’. Why do we farm, and produce food the way we do? There’s a long history of human agricultural activity going back around 10,000 years. In the past, in many cultures, the majority of the population was involved in creating …
Continue reading Futuristic Fiction: #Research for #Writers, Part 4, Agriculture.
Photo by Vanessa on Unsplash This is a series on writing futuristic fiction, research in pursuit of facts, and questions asked to make ‘predictions’ as accurate as possible. A novelist and short story writer, I always start tales with characters, since character-driven stories best present the narrative. Most stories also have one or more themes under exploration. It’s …
Continue reading Futuristic Fiction: #Research for #Writers, Part 2, Activism.
https://www.dreamstime.com/creativecommonsstockphotos_info This is the first of an intended series on writing futuristic fiction, and the research performed in pursuit of the facts, to make any ‘predictions’ as accurate as possible. A novelist and short story writer, I always start with characters, since character-driven stories best present any narrative. Most also have one or more themes …
Continue reading Futuristic Fiction: #Research for #Writers, Part 1
Sometimes a reader truly ‘gets’ our work. Even less rarely, that reader takes the trouble to express their admiration and understanding of the piece by posting a review. This common situation is even more true of authors, like me, who tackle controversial themes in their books. Since April of this year, I’ve been posting daily …
141 pagesFirst Contact Science Fiction/Action and Adventure Fiction Having read book 3 in this series (Divided States of America), I was open to read and review this fourth book when invited by the author. The story is the continuation of a time-travelling group, involving another world in a distant galaxy and the interaction of the …
Continue reading 2120 (The Galaxy Series Book 4), by Aithal: #BookReview.
Each year, Dan Grubb and his publishing company, Fantastic Books Publishing, run a Fantasticon event in England. Always a great place for fantasy, sci-fi, gamers, readers of all sorts, and those who simply enjoy a bit of fun. This year, 2020, the Covid 19 pandemic has prevented such events going ahead because of social distancing …
373 pages Time Travel/Science Fiction/Alternative History Thoughtful, engaging science fiction with a real handle on a scientific topic is less common than might be expected, bearing in mind the name of the genre. But Overstrike is a great example of how it can be done well. Looking at themes of free will and ethics, and …
389 pages YA/Science Fiction If you enjoy science fiction packed with action, humour and credible characters, but overlain with emotional content to make you care what happens to those characters, this is for you. So many scifi thrillers concentrate on plot, action, with little attention given to the players. This book contains all the elements …
383 pages First Contact Science Fiction/Horror Tense. Taut. Engaging. Absorbing. It happens to all of us, and those with imagination are especially vulnerable: the situation and/or location carry some element of unfamiliarity. There, in the shadows under the tree, near the open gate, behind the stone wall, we see, or think we see, from the …
When I wrote The Methuselah Strain, one of my major themes was the influence of sex robots on the human population; in particular, the dangers involved in employing such robots fitted with Artificial Intelligence. Now scientists have decided to voice and share their own fears in this regard. It’s really rather gratifying when you discover …
Books, writing, reading, words and images. I love them; do you?
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
An Independent Non-Discriminatory Platform With No Religious, Political, Financial, or Social Affiliations
Camera, Click, Capture
do more wandering
Random Repeat
Life Lessons, Books, and Pretty Things!
Writing Magic, Myth and Mystery
Reading feeds the imagination
A photographer's view of the world - words and images to inspire your travels and your dreams
Burn with motivation
It's a bit of this, and a bit of that
Two Humans and a Dog in New Zealand
Book Reviews ∙ Bookish Tags ∙ Book Discussions
Retired and travelling - it doesn't get better than this!
writing circles & poetry to keep your light on
SURREAL HUMOR - BOOKS - WRITING - SATIRE - ABSURD
Cherish every moment
Personal Writings on life, love and beauty
Peace. Tranquility. Insanity.
A writer inspired by nature and human nature
We Survived and Arrived - Now as Warriors We Thrive
Poetry and Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton #1 Amazon Bestselling Poet & Editor, Award Winning Author, Pushcart Prize Nominee
Sometimes, life is like that.
Lover of books and book reviewer. Usually found curled up with a book.
All Things Books.
Musings and Ramblings of a Disorganised Blogger
Speculative Fiction Author, & Reviews.
British Crime Writer April Taylor
Personal Blog
Fotografía, reflexiones y pensamientos sobre la vida y su belleza.
Short stories, Poetry, Reviews, Photography
Stuart Aken 