Review: The Djinn Falls in Love edited by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin
Reviews / April 24, 2017

When Allah created man out of clay, he created djinn out of fire. Ephemeral spirits that tempt us, trick us, and sometimes grant our wishes, these creatures of folklore take centre stage in excellent Mahvesh Murad & Jared Shurin’s anthology, The Djinn Falls in Love. With contributors from all around the world, this collection of short stories is as remarkable for its variety as it is for its quality. Murad & Shurin have given their contributors an open brief, and the results are dazzling. Some (try to) cleave to settings and stories located in times and places traditionally associated with these smoky spirits; others explore what the djinn might become in locations as disparate as modern day Los Angeles to rural Pakistan. One depicts a future where roles are reversed, in which now-corporeal djinni struggle to live alongside a crafty humanity always on the look out for a twist of fate in their favour. This is a showcase of authorial skill – delicious prose and well-crafted narratives bending themselves around their chosen theme. Particular favourites for me include a number of authors new to me – one of my many reasons for loving anthologies. I shall certainly be watching out for these names…

Review: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Reviews / March 8, 2017

Perhaps the most striking thing about Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – amazing cover and jacket aside – is that it reads like a Neil Gaiman novel. Indeed, it could possibly fit in as an extended prologue to American Gods. So how is it that an author of comic books, children’s books and the occasional adult novel turn existing myths – from a culture not his own – into something personal and inclusive to all? Norse Mythology is Gaiman’s interpretation of classic Norse myths, inspired by his personal interest. This stems from Gaiman’s love of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s Thor which Gaiman read as a child. So -what we have here is a relatively short retelling – and not a re-imagining – in a series of 16 tales from the dawn of creation to Ragnarok – the Norse end-of-times. You can read each tale in isolation, or taken as a complete piece there is a rough structure, as we’re introduced to all the favourites (Odin, Thor, Loki, Frigg, Baldur, Heimdall, giants, dwarfs and all the rest) and how they came to be the characters that some might know and love. Is it a novel? I don’t think so. A…

Upcoming Releases: February 5 – 11, 2017
Upcoming Releases / February 4, 2017

Here’s a rundown of the books we think you should look out for in coming in the week. See any that you are really looking forward to? Find any you had not heard of yet? Know of books we missed? We know we don’t have everything and would love to hear what you feel we may have overlooked.   FANTASY          URBAN FANTASY           SCIENCE FICTION   FANTASY               URBAN FANTASY     SCIENCE FICTION             FANTASY          URBAN FANTASY           SCIENCE FICTION   With Blood Upon the Sand Beaulieu, Brad 2/7/2017 Magic of Blood and Sea Clark, Cassandra Rose 2/7/2017 Amberlough Donnelly, Lara Elena 2/7/2017 Dr. Potter’s Medicine Show Fischl, Eric Scott 2/7/2017 Norse Mythology Gaiman, Neil 2/7/2017 The Turn Harrison, Kim 2/7/2017 The Stars are Legion Hurley, Kameron 2/7/2017 All Our Wrong Todays Mastai, Elan 2/7/2017 A Perfect Machine Savory, Brett 2/7/2017 The People’s Police Spinrad, Norman 2/7/2017