Dave Higgins's Blog, page 48
July 31, 2020
The End of all Halloweens by Matthew S. Cox
Cox blends the simplicity and passion of middle-grade narratives with the grand scale of superhero fiction, creating another humorous tale that contains much to appeal to readers of all ages. This is the third book in The Adventures of Übergirl series. This review might be plotting to spoil the previous books. After saving the world … Continue reading The End of all Halloweens by Matthew S. Cox
July 27, 2020
Haemopolitics
Whilst modern portrayals of vampires are as varied as modern society, the most common trope in Western media is still the male vampire biting female prey (whether willing or not). But why does this image endure so strongly when other classic monsters are portrayed without such a clear biological divide? Unsurprisingly perhaps, a combination of … Continue reading Haemopolitics
July 24, 2020
Born of Treasure by Jordan Elizabeth
Fusing necromancy and steampunk devices with a classic Western tale of honest ranchers facing corrupt officials, Elizabeth provides a fantasy Western that has much to attract fans of either genre. Fleeing from the military after mistakenly consuming a chemical that grants the power to raise the dead, Clark Griffin is pretending to be the son … Continue reading Born of Treasure by Jordan Elizabeth
July 20, 2020
Air Conditioning Ninja*
No longer will I feel like the bad guy in a Western, when I wear a mask while shopping. Henceforth, thanks to the most wonderful Changes Bristol, I shall feel like a very stylish bad guy in a superhero film. Unfortunately, the masks are made by volunteers from donated materials, so it was pure fortune … Continue reading Air Conditioning Ninja*
July 17, 2020
Write Like Hell: Kaiju, ed. Sentinel Creatives
Ranging across genres, locations, and time-periods, this anthology provides a variety of perspectives on the question “How might humans act if giant monsters were real?” This anthology contains twelve kaiju tales, united by the presence of some immense creature or creatures but spanning genres from horror to romance. ‘Big Bloody Ben’ by Adam Gray. When … Continue reading Write Like Hell: Kaiju, ed. Sentinel Creatives
July 13, 2020
Not Stomping Ants
One of the criticisms levelled at “The Call of Cthulhu” is that Cthulhu isn’t the immense threat that fans claim: after all, he was defeated in 1925 by someone driving a boat into his head so would be no match for modern weapons. However, while it is certainly true The Alert ended his pursuit by … Continue reading Not Stomping Ants
July 10, 2020
A Vampire’s Guide to Adulting by Matthew S. Cox
Cox blends fast-paced vampire thrills with the entirely mundane challenges of being the responsible adult, creating a plausible image of what living amongst humans as a vampire could well actually be like. This novel is the tenth volume of Cox’s Vampire Innocent series. Consider carefully whether you wish to risk spoilers. After nine months as … Continue reading A Vampire’s Guide to Adulting by Matthew S. Cox
July 6, 2020
Cometh the Time, Eventually Cometh the Man
Perhaps the greatest annoyance with both deliveries and tradespersons is having to stay in for a large chunk of the day because they only give a rough estimate, and the only time they arrive on the early side if one has tried to run an errand before the slot started. With the current lockdown meaning … Continue reading Cometh the Time, Eventually Cometh the Man
July 3, 2020
The Cursed Halls of Kalecen by Stephanie Flint
Flint presents magic, cunning, and duelling as different but equal matters, creating a tale that captures how non-mages might hold their own in a world of powerful mages and active gods. As duelling instructor at the Academy in Memnar, Hahven’s duty is arming his students against the threats they may face. So, when one of … Continue reading The Cursed Halls of Kalecen by Stephanie Flint
June 29, 2020
Strange Situation Purrocess
I’m quite sleepy today: almost entirely because a couple of times during last night Una decided to check whether I was awake by poking me in the face. Which reminded me of the studies into whether cats feel love. This video by Neuro Transmissions provides a reasonable précis. However, I feel the axiom might be … Continue reading Strange Situation Purrocess
