I wasn't too sure what to expect from Joshua Chaplinksy's debut collection. I had been wanting to read something from the indie publisher, Clash Books for a while, and I was intrigued by the collection's title, WHISPERS IN THE EAR OF A DREAMING APE. I was grateful that Chaplinksy could send me a copy of … Continue reading Review: Whispers in the Ear of a Dreaming Ape
Literary
Best of: 2019
I have a hard time picking favorites when it comes to books, which is why lists (that don't have a specific order) are probably my go-to. Stories and other narratives just mean different things to me at different times and yes prose/ideas come into play, but there are plenty of books I like for purely … Continue reading Best of: 2019
Review: The Deep
This was my first finished read of 2020, which seems oddly approriate for a myriad of reasons. THE DEEP by Rivers Solomon (with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson & Jonathan Snipes of clipping), is a quietly intimate, fantastical dive into the ocean of memory and generational wounds. We begin with Yetu, who holds the memories of … Continue reading Review: The Deep
Review: The Violent Bear It Away
I'll come clean and say that I haven't been reading any books for my local men's book club over the past few months, but I could not stop myself when they chose a Flannery O'Connor novel, THE VIOLENT BEAR IT AWAY. There's so much that has been said about this novel already, but I can't … Continue reading Review: The Violent Bear It Away
Review: Severance
I wasn't sure what to expect from Ling Ma's debut novel, SEVERANCE, but the only true label I can ascribe to it, is that it is first and foremost a millennial novel. Ma is the first author to so thoroughly nail the working ethos, apathy, and thirst for belonging that encapsulates millennials. Set in the … Continue reading Review: Severance
Book Release: MILO
So, today MILO (01001101 011010001 01101100 01101111) drops and I could not be more excited! The title character seeks a release from his lifelong chronic illness. His friend discovers a miracle that offers a second chance, but is it too good to be true? Milo explores the relationship between disability, technological progress, and the cost … Continue reading Book Release: MILO
Review: A Point of Honor
The sixth installment of the FUTURES series, brings a disquieting reflection on what it means to live both online and offline. A POINT OF HONOR by Aeryn Rudel, featuring art by Sabrina Cintron, is an off-putting, but intimate snapshot of what could happen if you could literally duel online trolls. Set in a near future … Continue reading Review: A Point of Honor
Review: What You Call
We are now more than half way through the FUTURES series and Radix Media refuses to let up with the emotional gut punches with each of these installments. WHAT YOU CALL by germ lynn wrecked me. It's 2061 and the government launches what is believed to be a benevolent program to create and give support … Continue reading Review: What You Call
Review: Hard Mother, Spider Mother, Soft Mother
The fourth installment of FUTURES is by Hal Y. Zhang and is maybe one of the more intimate reads of the series. It's a layered, emotionally resonate piece of literary, near future science fiction that encapsulates whole lives in under 25 pages. Ellery Lang moves back in with her mother, Valerie Lang, after finishing school … Continue reading Review: Hard Mother, Spider Mother, Soft Mother
Review: Muri
Onto the 3rd installment of the FUTURES series and we have MURI by Ashley Shelby up. This story has to be the favorite of the series so far for me, and it is also the longest, coming in at around 40ish pages. Shelby takes Herman Melville's Benito Cereno and remixes it for a new century and … Continue reading Review: Muri
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