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Off To A Foreign Land

The Steel, the Mist, and the Blazing Sun

By Christopher Anvil 

6 Jul, 2025

Because My Tears Are Delicious To You

7 comments

Christopher Anvil’s 1980 The Steel, the Mist, and the Blazing Sun is (almost) a stand-alone post-apocalyptic proto-military SF novel.

The atomic unpleasantness left half of North America as slag lands1, and left Europe untouched but a Russ dependency. The Russ even established colonies on the North American east coast. It seemed unlikely that the invaders would ever be forced to leave. After all, the Russ have (dwindling) stores of Old Stuff, whereas the descendants of American and Canadian survivors make do with far more primitive equipment.

Recent events proved that the Russ were curiously vulnerable. Under Arakal, King of the Wesdem O’Cracys2, the North American savages somehow overcame their technological and ideological impediments, outmaneuvered their enemy, and drove the Russ high command from North America.

What next?

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The Things You Do

The Bewitching

By Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

4 Jul, 2025

Doing the WFC's Homework

1 comment

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s 2025 The Bewitching is a period-piece horror novel1.

International student Minerva Contreras keeps busy with her studies at Stoneridge College, her work in the language lab, and her duties as a resident director. Despite this, Minerva is consumed with inexplicable ennui.

An encounter with wealthy failson Noah Yates provides Minerva with all the diversion she could want. Somewhat more, in fact.

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Land of Hope

Blight  (Sleep of Reason, volume 2)

By Rachel A. Rosen 

3 Jul, 2025

Special Requests

6 comments

2025’s Blight is the second volume in Rachel A. Rosen’s The Sleep of Reason apocalyptic fantasy series.

In the wake of the cataclysmic Blight, Director of the Dominion1 Quinn Atherton is determined to provide the Dominion with peace, order, good government… oh, and a lot of mass graves filled with the ethnically unfashionable, dissidents, and the unwisely frank. While progress in the matters of peace, order, and good government is mixed at best, the Dominion has excelled in the field of filling mass graves.

Of course, every ambitious government faces nattering nabobs of negativity. Take Lucy Fletcher, for example.


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Where I’m A‑Gonna Go

Touring After the Apocalypse, volume 5

By Sakae Saito 

2 Jul, 2025

Translation

2 comments

2023’s Touring After the Apocalypse, Volume Five is the fifth tankōbon in Sakae Saito’s post-apocalyptic iyashikei manga. Touring has been serialized in in ASCII Media Works’ seinen manga magazine Dengeki Maoh since September 2020. Amanda Haley’s English translation was published in late 2024.

Mount Asama is part of a spectacular volcano complex. Post-apocalyptic tourists1 Youko and Airi could hardly pass up the opportunity to see it in person. As Asama is an active volcano, and as the route the pair chose passes through a pocket of toxic volcanic gas, Mount Asama might be their final destination.


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Some Distant Drumbeat

The Dreamstone  (Ealdwood, volume 1)

By C J Cherryh 

1 Jul, 2025

Meetpoint

1 comment

1983’s The Dreamstone1 is the first of two novels in C. J. Cherryh’s Ealdwood series.

Human encroachment being seemingly unstoppable, the Fair Folk went elsewhere. Some retreated deep underground or underwater. Others left for Faery. All save Arafel.

Arafel remained in her Ealdwood. Only the brave, the arrogant, the naïve, or the desperate Men trespassed in the Ealdwood.

Niall was desperate.

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The Alan Parsons Project

To Walk The Night

By William Sloane 

29 Jun, 2025

Because My Tears Are Delicious To You

3 comments

William Sloane’s 1937 To Walk the Night1 is a stand-alone cosmic horror novel.

Berkeley Bark” Jones visits Dr. Lister, the man who was effectively Bark’s father. Bark has two grim tasks: to deliver to Lister the ashes of Lister’s son Jerry, and to explain to the doctor the events leading up to Jerry’s suicide.

It began with a burning astronomer.


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The Enemy Within

Vanya and the Wild Hunt  (Vanya, volume 1)

By Sangu Mandanna 

27 Jun, 2025

Doing the WFC's Homework

8 comments

2025‘s Vanya and the Wild Hunt is the first volume of Sangu Mandanna’s middle-grade magical-school contemporary fantasy series.

Aside from her ADHD and her parent’s curious reticence about their past, Vanya is an unremarkable Anglo-Indian British schoolgirl.

Well, there is the matter of the rare books in her parents’ bookstore talking to her. And the books’ frustratingly vague prognostications, which Vanya discounts. And the horrifying monster who breaks into the family home.


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From the Id

Golem100

By Alfred Bester 

26 Jun, 2025

What's The Worst That Could Happen?

31 comments

Alfred Bester’s 1980 Golem100 is a stand-alone near-future science fiction novel.

In the vast, overpopulated, resourced-strapped squalid megalopolis of tomorrow known as the Northeast Corridor, eight bored rich women — the beeladies” — entertain themselves with innocent Satanism. What possible harm could come from dabbling in forces beyond their pampered ken?

Subadar Adida Ind’dni, confronted with a series of grotesque murders, might be able offer insight into the matter.


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Pet Sounds

Pet Shop of Horrors, volume 1

By Matsuri Akino 

25 Jun, 2025

Translation

0 comments

1995’s Pet Shop of Horrors, Volume One is the first tankōbon of Matsuri Akino’s horror manga series. Pet Shop of Horrors was first serialized in Ohzora Publishing’s Apple Mystery, then in Bunkasha’s Horror M; it ran from 1994 to 1998. The most recent English-language edition is 2025.

Pet shops can be found throughout Los Angeles, but those craving truly exotic pets seek out the mysterious Count D’s Chinatown establishment. Or, if they have any sense of self-preservation, they stay well away.


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Steal Away

House of Shards  (Drake Maijstral, volume 2)

By Walter Jon Williams 

24 Jun, 2025

The Realized World

4 comments

1988’s House of Shards is the second volume in Walter Jon Williams’ Drake Maijstral comedic SF series.

Silverside Station enjoys a splendid view of a star being consumed by its companion black hole. Silverside specializes in lavish luxury. Silverside offers society’s best and brightest the chance to socialize with each other under the watchful gaze of the media.

Silverside offers Allowed Burglar1 Drake Maijstral the opportunity to steal the famed Eltdown Shard… if Drake can bypass one or two impediments.

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