Tag: scififantasy
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Review: The Mask of Haliya, Vol.1: Heir to the Warrior Moon
Imprint: Kwento Comics Genre: Fantasy Own Voices: Filipino mythology Audience: YA+ Creator: Cecilia Lim Writing Team: Kaitlyn Fajilan, Jenapher Zheng Art Team: Renoida Renovilla, Charlyn Duy, Kathryn Layno, Kristen Laroa, Ruth Anne Roman, Susan Bin, Justine Frany, Minerva Fox, Liezl Buenaventura, LA Guevarra, Mikaela Kaufman, Patricia Pria, Jamie Lee, Juliet H. Morin, and Haining San…
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28 Black Speculative Fiction Books For Black History Month
What is Black Speculative Fiction, anyway? For me, speculative fiction has two definitions. One overarching definition includes texts that use unreal elements in a story. This includes fantasy, alternative histories, magical realism, science fiction, some mysteries, and some horror. The second definition is more genre-specific and involves texts that propose a “what-if” scenario. I typically…
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The Dead Withheld by L.D. Lewis: A Sapphic Paranormal Neo-Noir Review
Neon Hemlock has another hit on its hands with The Dead Withheld by L.D. Lewis. Published in 2025, the sapphic paranormal neo-noir novella follows Desdemona “Dizzy” Carter in her quest to find the murderer of her wife, Lonnie, the Fallen Angels serial killer. Dizzy is a Private investigator and a deadwalker witch, one who can…
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Superman Smashes The Klan May Be A Favorite Read of the Year
It is with great sadness that I admit my favorite comic of the year may be a Superman graphic novel. I know. I see the disappointment etched across your face, but please, have faith in me. Know that the rare occasion of such mainstream treachery has a point founded in the social commentary you associate…
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Author Conversations in The Blerd Library: M.H. Ayinde and A Song of Legends Lost
Now that a few months have passed, I interviewed Ayinde again, after the well-deserved international praise to see how things have changed and possibly get a sneak peek into Book 2!!
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Hello God, Are You There?: The Intersection of Religion and Subversion in Godpunk
My parents weren’t particularly religious until it was time to place judgment on others. But that didn’t stop my aunt from trying to convince me otherwise. I remember one of the few times she took me to her church. We woke up before sunrise to make a trek from Brooklyn to the Bronx to an…
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Short Story Sessions: Empathy and Identity in ‘Presence’ by Ken Liu
I chose this short story after a recent conversation about the author, Ken Liu. While sharing book recommendations and current reads, I said, “Dandelion Dynasty is the greatest series I never finished.” In fact, The Wall of Storms is easily one of the top five books I have ever read. I wanted to convince myself…
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Exploring Short Stories: A Journey Through Diverse Narratives
I have a new reading goal and want to share it with the world to find like-minded readers. For the foreseeable future, I want to read one speculative fiction short story, written by Black, Indigenous, and other Authors of Color every week and analyze them here! I have always loved short stories. As a reader,…
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Why Beginner Fantasy Readers Should Read Eve and the Faders by Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal: Book Review
Eve and the Faders has a complex, amazingly depicted main character in Eve Cooper. Eve is a queer woman in a Black polyamorous relationship, and I LOVED it so much. The couple (Eve, Zoe, and Gabriel) are not perfect, yet the authors explore the difficulties that can come with being in a poly relationship in…
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Harmattan Season by Tochi Onyebuchi: A Unique Postcolonial Fantasy Noir- Book Review
I wouldn’t call myself an arc reader because I rarely get to them in time, but I have two arcs I will have read and reviewed before they release! It’s the small wins in life that bring me joy these days. This first ARC is from Tor Books and is slated to be published on…
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Return of the Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novel by Tatiana Obey Exclusive Cover Reveal!!!!!
This year, Tatiana is blessing us with the sequel to Sistah Samurai, titled Return of the Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novel on Juneteenth, and I am so excited to share the cover with you here!!!
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Exploring Grief and Revenge in ‘The Lady Widow: Death Among the Stars’: Book Review
I saw it in a TikTok video. C.M. Lockhart was talking about her upcoming release about a woman who travels through space to get revenge for the murder of the love of her life. Naturally, I was interested. It took a while to unpack my feelings about this book, but overall, it did a great…
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Shakespearean Scholar to Afrofuturist
While I was privileged to live in a predominantly Black neighborhood and went to public schools where most of my teachers and staff looked like me, and I gravitated to Black film and TV, I was still profoundly impacted by the white-washed American curriculum.
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Taboo Begets Inquiry and Change in BIPOC Speculative Fiction
As someone who struggles with human interactions, I’ve always found the function of taboo in society intriguing. Mostly because I wonder if people know why they are reacting to the taboo. I usually follow a line of questioning that goes: Why do we need to fit into molds made by these societal norms? Yes, you should…
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Exploring Themes of Love and Politics in Those Beyond The Wall by Micaiah Johnson: Book Review
I was scared for a bit but this book definitely delivered. The science fiction novel, Those Beyond The Wall, is a sequel to The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson. Taking place years after the end of book 1, several unexplained deaths occur, the most devastating being the death of Helene X. As a result,…