Lena’s Comments (group member since Nov 17, 2014)

Lena’s comments from the Spells, Space & Screams: Collections & Anthologies in Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Horror group.

I got stuck in another long Christian mythos story I was not expecting from a Chinese author.

I saw Dead Reckoning - Tom Cruise is the last person still making good movies. I now want a scrappy yellow fiat. A.I. is a hard thing to represent as a character without thinking of HAL. They did a good job of giving it a spooky dark HAL jellyfish vibe. I saw the movie on baby IMAX but I know downtown has a big IMAX and will brave the bloody one way streets to see it again.

What would you like to read in September Canavan?

Division By Zero ★★★½☆
The slow unraveling of a brilliant mind, and a good relationship, to mental illness.

Stories of Your Life ★★★★☆
This did not have the emotional impact of the movie, but the seeds of wonder at alien aliens were there. A good story, a great movie.

This rich and masterful collection of horror highlights both up-and-coming and established authors in an interesting twist on the standard anthology.

It contains 20 original horror stories, 16 of which have been commissioned from some of the top names in the genre, and 4 of which have been selected from the 100s of stories sent to Flame Tree.

It is the first of what will hopefully become an annual, non-themed horror anthology of entirely original stories, showcasing the very best short fiction that the genre has to offer.

Tower of Babylon ★★★☆☆
Like a bone dry version of Pillars of the Earth.

Understand ★★★★½
Lawnmower Man, Flowers for Algernon, More Than Human, Lucy - super intelligence stories are hard to write and entertaining to read. This might be the best. I enjoyed how clear the author showed different intelligences from different perspectives and the strategies therein.

Finished! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I will do a little victory dance before remembering I’m behind for the month.

Into The Depths by David Green ★★★★☆
After the mini-sub disaster around the Titanic, this story of a serial killer on a mini-sub lost in the crushing depths was extra scary.

After Sundown it is.

The Vorlons represent order and the () are chaos.

What would you like us to read in August Fiona?

Long Pork by R. L. Meza ★★★★☆
Freaky fun story of a disaster at sea running into the paranormal.

Babylon 5 was the dark 90s version of Star Trek, a formidable version on Deep Space Nine. The brilliance of their five year plan, a plan they stuck with, cannot be overstated.

There are episodes I have remembered for decades.
- The dying alien race that refuses medical aid because they can’t admit the reason they are dying.
- The patron Saint of The Friend Zone (only funny years later)
- Sinclair, on his high horse, ranting at a war criminal only to have her clap back so hard it left me gasping. Tense minutes of picturing the universe tear itself apart, when suddenly the Vorlons to do the biggest mike drop in SciFi history. “You are not ready.”

Babylon 5 was so good. I’ve thought of nothing else since this discussion started. I started a rewatch today - thank you Tubi!

Reef Encounter by Chris Hewitt ★★★½☆
Corals reap havoc on a group of ocean loving friends. Clever ending.

Shoney's Revenge by Julie Sevens ★★★☆☆
A young couple buys a boat and sail towards adventure. But it’s a horror story with an ambiguous ending.

That was an insightful, if generous view of that story. FYI, I love to see people commenting on books they didn’t quite finish in time. I do this too. I’m in a daze this week looking down the barrel of temperatures soaring to 109° plus humidity. I walked my dog a 5:30 in the morning and it was still miserable.

Welcome to a world of mystical adventure—where trolls haunt the snowy forests, terrifying monsters roam the open sea, a young woman journeys to the end of the world, and a boy proves he knows no fear.
 
Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, this collection of traditional tales from the enchanting world of Nordic folklore comes to life with glowing contemporary illustrations that conjure dragons, princesses, and the northern lights. At once magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling, Nordic Tales  will enthrall fairy tale fans and captivate those interested in the rich history of Nordic culture.

Jelly by M.B. Vujacic ★★★☆☆
A man’s fear of jellyfish takes over his life after he loses his job and wife.

Cry of the Hunger Fish by Lin Darrow ★★★½☆
Just ok.

Euphoria by Chris Bannor ★★★½☆
“The euphoria of death was his fate and she had never been more spectacular.”
Kelpie.

The Shadow Over Innsmouth High by S.O. Green ★★★★½
“I need you to try, like I’m trying.”
Oh I love a good twist at the end! New in town, Kat just wants to be accepted, which is good because the swim team needs a new fish!

Dead Ships by Georgia Cook ★★★☆☆
Ghosts ships showing up in the dead of winter freak out a fishing town.

Heaven's Lake by Holley Cornetto ★★★★☆
“I’d spent so many years convinced I was crazy, driven insane by toxic metal poisoning, but the truth was so much worse than that.”

Southern gothic, hell yes.

I just went to buy ice station from audible and found only the German edition. Curses, foiled again.

She Calls From the Sea by Alanna Robertson-Webb ★★★½☆
A pirate faces off with carnivorous mermaids for the second time in her life. And she is not the only one onboard who has survived them.