Chris McGrath > Recent Status Updates

"Pronouncing Doom" by S. M. Sterling - 3 stars

"Sixth of the Dusk" by Brandon Sanderson - 5 stars

"Hell Hath No Fury" by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 2 stars

"Virgins" by Diana Gabaldon - abandoned - got 1/3 of the way through this very long story and was not engaged in it. Maybe it would be more interesting to someone familiar with the series it is related to, so I won't give it a star rating.

"An Honest Death" by Howard Tayler - 3 stars - Pretty good story, though some of the elements in the brainstorming session would have made it even better for me, had they been included.

"I.E.Demon" by Dan Wells - 2 stars - OK for the anthology of military fiction it was intended for, but as a single story it's nothing special.

"City Lazarus" by Diana Rowland - 3 stars

"Second Arabesque, Very Slowly" by Nancy Kress - 3 stars - For a story about ballet and pre-teens used as breeders, surprisingly not bad.

I skimmed the making-of stuff without reading the full first draft and thought it was interesting how they brainstormed and discussed details, but I think I'm primarily just interested in the final product.

"A Fire in the Heavens" by Mary Robinette Kowal - 4 stars - I could easily believe Sanderson wrote this story, despite the lack of a magic system, based on the interesting setting and religion involved in the story. I'd love to see this become the first portion of a full novel, and it seems as though it's set up for a sequel.

"The Girl in the Mirror" by Lev Grossman - 3 stars - I felt the story had promise but fell flat in the end. Giving it an extra star with the assumption that it might have more significance for those who have read his Magicians novels.

"A Queen in Exile" by Sharon Kay Penman - 2 stars

"I Know How to Pick 'Em" by Lawrence Block - 1 star - Would love to un-read that. Disgusting, and not in the kind of way that makes it interesting.

"Neighbors" by Megan Lindholm aka Robin Hobb - 3 stars

"Wrestling Jesus" by Joe R. Lansdale - 3 stars