Dave Higgins's Blog, page 18

Lover in a Garden

As those already familiar with Dave will be aware, while participating in a roleplaying campaign set otherwhere than Western fantasy/sci-fi land, I tend to veer off into the art of other cultures; having just finished running the First Crusade arc in Tenebrae, I thus inflict upon you the deepest joy that is a Tahkmis, a … Continue reading Lover in a Garden

Witches of Ajax by Jordan Elizabeth

Elizabeth blends several classic “supernaturals living secretly in the modern USA” tropes with some fresh nuances, creating a young adult supernatural thriller that is more about the complexity of making good decisions than flashy powers or defeating evil. Lavender Stanhope leads a secret life as teen singing sensation Lily of the Valley; and an even … Continue reading Witches of Ajax by Jordan Elizabeth

The Fruit of Good and Evil

Like most of us, I suspect, my social media feeds have been full of the ongoing conflict. And, again I suspect like many, I have been struggling over what exactly to say about it. And it is tricky because those who say people have a choice are right. However, there is one thing we surely … Continue reading The Fruit of Good and Evil

Eternity and You: Tips for the Young Vampire by Matthew S. Cox

Having previously shown one possible set of struggles from becoming a vampire, Cox continues his urban fantasy series with the realisation that being happy as a vampire now might be different from being happy as a vampire forever. This novel is the eighteenth volume of Cox’s Vampire Innocent series. Spoilers for previous volumes might cross … Continue reading Eternity and You: Tips for the Young Vampire by Matthew S. Cox

Shogging It Oth.

With each new AI development (even those unrelated to art) there seems to be even more stories about how fake images are—or are going to become—so real we can’t tell the difference. The nigh ubiquitous foci of these horror stories are politics and porn, but my mind turns to a different horror: that of Lovecraftian … Continue reading Shogging It Oth.

Rerun to Eden by Jim Alexander

Riffing on where the boundaries between artificial intelligence and simple “intelligence” lie if humans can change their bodies or upload their minds, whether humanity is about morals rather than biology, and other such questions, then layering in action and introspection, Alexander creates a network of science-fiction tales that engage both thought and emotion. Alexander collects … Continue reading Rerun to Eden by Jim Alexander

Coffee Among the Ruins

A common simplification in roleplaying games is that each player’s “job” is describing their character’s actions while the gamesmaster’s “job” is to describe everything else. Bittersweetly, the opposite also applies. Last weekend was a session of Tenebrae, the mediaeval vampire LARP I help organise. As vampires are immortal monsters, politics and other hidden activities are … Continue reading Coffee Among the Ruins

Turn the Tide by Baileigh Higgins

Higgins blends fast-paced action scenes with a focus on the practical, continuing a post-apocalyptic zombie narrative that favours realism over body horror or byzantine drama. Note: while the author is blessed with a spiffing surname we are unrelated by blood or marriage. This novel is the sixth in Higgins’ Heroes of the Apocalypse series. Possible … Continue reading Turn the Tide by Baileigh Higgins

Planting Joy

Heri ya siku ya kitaifa ya upandaji miti, Jamhuri ya Kenya*! A joyful National Tree Planting Day to the Republic of Kenya. May it be a great success that marks the first of many future successes. Striving to increase tree cover by nearly 50% is an amazing act of long-term thinking and a powerful commitment … Continue reading Planting Joy

Neuroshock by Matthew S. Cox

Cox blends psychic powers and cyberpunk into a seamless whole of hacking and negotiating with spirits. This is the seventh volume of Cox’s Division Zero series. Spoilers for previous books might leap out, rise up, or otherwise manifest after this point. When a strange feeling leads Lieutenant Kirsten Wren to a man slumped murdered beside … Continue reading Neuroshock by Matthew S. Cox