books – Everything Is Better With Dragons

Review: Dead Silence, by S.A. Barnes

Format: 352 pages, Paperback
Published: January 24, 2023 by Tor Trade
ISBN: 9781250778543

Titanic meets Event Horizon in this SF horror novel in which a woman and her crew board a decades-lost luxury cruiser and find the wreckage of a nightmare that hasn’t yet ended.

Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed―made obsolete―when her beacon repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no desire to return to Earth, Claire and her team decide to investigate.

What they find is the Aurora, a famous luxury spaceliner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A salvage claim like this could set Claire and her crew up for life. But a quick search of the ship reveals something isn’t right.

Whispers in the dark. Flickers of movement. Messages scrawled in blood. Claire must fight to hold on to her sanity and find out what really happened on the Aurora before she and her crew meet the same ghastly fate.

My Review

I ordered this book after seeing it on one of the GoodReads challenge lists. I hadn’t heard of it before although the author’s name pinged something in my brain. I liked the description and thought it would be entertaining.

Oh boy! I read the hype at the beginning of the book when it arrived and thought it might be exaggeration, just a touch.

I was wrong! It’s really good!

I read this book in an evening. At one point I had to skip forward to find out what happened, and then I went back once I was reassured at least some people would be alright.

The story is told from the perspective of the traumatised and quite likely psychic Claire Kovalik, team lead for a maintenance crew. The five-person crew service the comms network that’s scattered across the solar system, they live for weeks at a time on a tiny space vessel, being picked up and dropped off by larger freighters. It’s Claire’s last rotation, at 33 she’s considered too old, and due to her history, too unstable, to carry on.

Then, they hear a beacon. After an argument, they head out into uncharted territory to find the source of the beacon. What they find is the first and only luxury space liner. Twenty years lost, the Aurora’s disappearance destroyed the company that built it, allowing Verux, the company Claire works for, to take over. It’s worth a fortune to those who find and salvage it. But there are secrets.

Claire and her crew go aboard the Aurora and find terrible things.

We swap to Claire in the mental hospital, some time after she boards the Aurora with her crew. She doesn’t remember much. Her old mentor, Max, and a bully from Verux, Reed, a nepo-hire, who is determined to prove she murdered her crew for money, are questioning her. Claire tells them everything she can remember, up to the point where her skull is fractured. The hallucinations, the violent deaths of her colleagues, the developing romantic relationship between her and Kane, her number two, and the plan to get the Aurora back to the comms network so they can call for help.

Reed fails and Max recruits Claire to go back to the Aurora with him – she’s the only person who survived. Her mental illness might actually have helped. When they get there, Claire finds the neatly wrapped bodies of three of her colleagues and the last hallucinating in a room padded with mattresses. She also finds a conspiracy that Verux really don’t want to get out.

There is madness. There are explosions.

I loved it!

Claire is a beautifully flawed character. She blames herself for everything when it’s clearly not her fault, she refuses to let people care for her and fears what will happen when they do – convinced she’ll cause their deaths somehow, and she’s severely traumatised by events of her childhood. Also, she can see ghosts.

The relationship between Claire and Kane is sweet and develops naturally as they go through difficult events. The resistance Claire feels about getting close to people is a response to her trauma, and Kane’s calming presence, knowing her past, slowly helps her build trust in herself and him.

The corporate evil of Varux is entirely believable – destroy a competitor and then try to clear up the mess by murdering people. I know this has happened in real life, although usually the firms involved distance themselves by saying it was rogue contractors – see VWs slave plantations in the Amazon during the 1980s, or mining companies that regularly allow their ‘security contractors’ to murder local activists – especially in the Amazon. Putting it in space makes it sound like fiction, but this shit is happening in the real world now. I direct you to Silent Coup: How Corporations Overthrew Democracy by Claire Provost and Matt Kennard ( I have a Left Book Club copy that I’m reading at the moment) for more information.

I was absolutely rivetted by this book, by the mystery of how the people went mad and what happened to Claire, allowing her to escape and return to rescue what was left of her crew. Definitely going on my favourites list for this year.

Review: Moojag and the Lost Memories, by N.E. McMorran

The stand-alone sequel to ‘Moojag and the Auticode Secret’, endorsed by award-winning authors Patience Agbabi, Alex Falase-Koya, Ben Davis, and Daniel Aubrey.

A multigenerational story, featuring a neurodivergent cast and audhd, non-binary, POC, main characters, for readers 8 years and over.

When Nema returns to Gajoomdom, she discovers three forgetful grannies who have totally lost track of time. If she and Moojag can’t help them remember, everyone’s memories are in danger. But turns out not everyone is who they thought they were. Who will they rescue? Will they rescue them in time to save their perfect Real World from the nasty Conqip?

‘Lost Memories’, inspired by the author’s grandmother, and living with dementia and disability during the pandemic, shows us the impact of loss and the power of memory, as well as the importance of future technology when used for good.

Maria and the Star-Dragons: Epilogue

Epilogue – A month (I.G.A.S.S. Standard) later, on Ascend

Maria flopped on to xyr settee, drained from spending all day on a video call giving evidence in the trial of the former human governor of Aurox. For a week xe’d been giving depositions against the regime on Aurox and their crimes, including the harassment Maria and Sahrai had received from Josh Dalton, the senior security officer. It had upset xyr when evidence of the abuse of the bovids had been presented and the testimony of human prisoners forced to labour on Rocky Horror.

Maria and the Star Dragons: Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – Maria still among the Auroxians

Maria listened to the conversation around xyr. Xe laughed quietly (for xyr) when Dr Suah Painen repeated the Auroxian saying about the jungle.

“That’s one way of describing the vegetation around here.”

Maria and the Star-Dragons: Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – Maria in the PFMs den

Maria watched the frantic activity as Lah-Shah and his honour guard arrived at the den.

“Come on Mrrh-waa, we’d better go and rescue him from your family.” Xe waited while the tablet translated for Mrrh-waa.

British Fantasy Awards – Best Collection Reviews

As I’m typing this (Tuesday 2nd September 2025) the Jury for the Best Collection Award for the 2025 British Fantasy Awards is deciding our winner. I can’t post these reviews until after the awards, so I’ve scheduled this post for Monday 3rd November 2025, after both the British Fantasy Awards and the World Fantasy Awards. I’m attending both this year, and you’ll probably find a list of winners popping up around the same time as this post.

The nominated books for the Best Collection Award this year were:

Elephants In Bloom, by Cecile Cristofari
Limelight and other stories, by Lynsey Croal
Preaching to the Perverted, by James Bennett
Dirt Upon My Skin, by Steve Toase
Mood Swings, by Dave Jeffery

They were all really good, but I found Limelight and Elephants in Bloom the most enjoyable. There’s something joyous about them as collections, the writing was good, and I enjoyed the variety of stories in each. I really couldn’t decide between them.

I get what Bennett was trying to do with Preaching to the Perverted, and individually the stories are impactful, but as a collection they’re really depressing. There’s not hope in them for a better future just present and past pain. It was a very challenging read, centring the experience of gay men, which is unusual in horror, or so I’m told (I don’t read much horror).

For Dirt Upon My Skin, the theme of archaeology appealed to me. It’s different and the way the author incorporates aspects of archaeological practice into each story in different ways was imaginative.

Mood Swings had some stories I liked but overall left little impression.

I already had a copy of Limelight (signed!) that I picked up at Fantasycon 2024, but I received a copy to read as part of the Jury. This means I have a pristine, unread (unsigned) copy of Limelight and other stories, by Lyndsey Croal to give away.

To enter, comment below.

Closing date 30th November 2025

UK only

I’ll put names in a hat and contact the winner by 1st December 2025 for a postal address.

Despatches from World Fantasy Conference 2025: Day 3 – Saturday 1st November 2025

I woke up feeling off so I had a steady morning and made my appearance at the con hotel in time for my second panel – Queer in Fantasy at noon. It was supposed to be streamed but staffing changes prevented it. Sian took another picture of me. I’m pointing at the book on the table, it’s I Want That Twink Obliterated from Bona Books. I was expressing my excitement.

Chris McCartney, Katie Bruce, and Christopher Caldwell were also on the panel, which was moderated by Burdock Broughton, who writes as April Steenburgh. I was beginning to feel unwell so I didn’t have much helpful to add. I mainly listened to everyone else and asked for a list of the books they’d all recommended. People have said that I made good comments but I have my doubts. I was overwhelmed and had brain fog for most of it.

After this panel I went to the quieter area and did some embroidery. I also made a quick visit to the dealer’s room to buy a book from AK Faulkner, Blind Man’s Wolf, and then planned to head to the ‘Creative Lives’ panel, but I got into the room and the bright lights were too painful, so I sat in the dark corridor, ate my sandwich and read Blind Man’s Wolf.

I attending the only reading I’ve been to this con, by Stephen Cox and AK Faulkner. Stephen Cox read from his Sapphic Victorian murder mystery, The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder, while AK read from Jack of Thorns and Blind Man’s Wolf.

After that I attended the ‘The Role of Reviewers’ panel in the same room. As a reviewer I was interested in how others saw their role, and also I didn’t need to more from the sofa I’d taken up residence on. Then I moved on to the Academic Hour, and listened to early career researchers talk about their research. The talk about Romanian folklore in fantasy was particularly interesting.

At six in the evening my throat started to feel scratchy, and I coughed my way through the ‘Editing and Editors’ panel. Luckily I was at the back and out of the way so I don’t think I bothered anyone. It was interesting, but by this point I was not able to take a lot in. I learnt that editors generally want the best for the writers and there is tension when they work for publishers because they have to balance the demands of publishing as an industry with the needs of the writers they work with.

At 7 p.m. it was the charity raffle. This is a Fantasycon tradition and stalwart Red Cloaks Babs and Marleen came through once again. They announced the ‘big prizes’ and were drawing the smaller prizes afterwards. I didn’t win anything.

Finally, at 7.30p.m. I made it up to the main room for the British Fantasy Awards. The awards were streamed although there were some technical difficulties.

The Aldiss Award – The Dance of Shadows, by Rogba Payne

This is a new award, organised in partnership with the BFS, BSFA, and UKIE to recognise excellence in World Building in Speculative Fiction, whether in books or games. It was presented by Brian Aldiss’ son, Tim.

The BFS awards were compared by Joanne Harris after Tim and Allen finished talking. I’m going to share the results, which are now available on the BFS website.

Best Anthology – Bury Your Gays – An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror, Sofia Ajram, Ghoulish Books

Presented by Joanne Harris, and collected on their behalf by same.

Best Artist – Kelly Chong

Presented by Vincent Chong, five time winner of the award and Guest of Honour, who also read out Kelly Chong’s acceptance speech.

Best Audio – Breaking the Glass Slipper

Presented by BFS Secretary David Green, and collected by Lucy and Charlotte. Megan is in Italy.

Best Collection – Elephants in Bloom by Cecile Cristofari – Newcon Press

I judged this one so I already knew the winner. It was actually the first award to be presented after the Aldiss Award, but I’m working through a pre-printed list. The award was presented by Anne Landmann and collected by the author.

Best Fantasy Novel (The Robert Holdstock Award) – Masquerade, by O.O. Sangoyomi – Forge Books/Solaris

This award was presented by the venerable Suniti Namjoshi, a Guest of Honour at the Convention. It was collected by someone I vaguely recognise but I don’t know their name.

Best Horror Novel (The August Derleth Award) – My Darling Dreadful Thing, by Johanna van Veen – Poisoned Pen Press

This award was presented by Lee Murrey and accepted by the author.

Best Independent Press – Flame Tree Press

Award presented by BFS Deputy Chair (and my friend) Sian O’Hara. Award accepted by the ever delightful and eloquent Nick Wells.

Best Magazine/Periodical – ParSec

Presented by BFS Chair and excellent author, who’s new book I will be reviewing 6th December, Shona Kinsella. Award collected by editor, Ian Whates.

Best Newcomer – Frances White – Voyage of the Damned – Penguin Michael Joseph

Award presented by Taika Bellamy and collected by the author. I reviewed Voyage of the Damned and enjoyed it, but after listening to the Christophers at the Queer in Fantasy panel I’m wondering about the validity of m/m romance written by women. Who is the target audience?

Best non-Fiction – Queer as Folklore: The Hidden Queer History of Myths and Monsters – Sacha Coward – originally Unbound, now Manchester University Press

This award was presented by the formidable Farah Mendelsohn, and accepted by a stunned Sacha Coward, who swore quite a bit.

Best Novella – The Last To Drown, by Lorraine Wilson – Luna Press Publishing

I’m not entirely certain who presented this one, but it was collected by the author.

Best Short Story – Loneliness Universe, by Eugenia Triantafyllou – Uncanny Magazine

This was presented by Ian Whates and collected by a representative.

BFS Art Competition

Sophie Jonas Will – Snicket and the Fireflies
Madelina Gaubelonga – The Long Wait
Carlie AF – Lonely Spire

The announcement was made by Jenni Coutts and the artists will have their work printed in the Autumn 2026 issue of Horizons, the BFS periodical.

BFS Short Story Competition

Mull, by J.W. Anderson
The Sphinx, by Marian Gordon
Iterate, by Nathaniel Spain

The announcement was made by Stephen Poore and the winners will have their stories published in BFS Horizons.

The Karl E Wagner Award – Rosemary Pardoe

This award is presented for outstanding contributions to the genre, and this year’s winner was a founder member of the BFS. Shona Kinsella made the announcement.

Legends of Fantasycon – Marlene and Babs the Red Cloaks.

This award is presented to people who make Fantasycon what it is – a joyous celebration of Fantasy. The award was announced by Karen Fishwick and eventually accepted by Babs and Marlene after they’d got a pint at the bar.

After the awards I had a drink with a group of friends and headed back to my hotel because I felt unwell.

Despatches from World Fantasy Con 2025: day 2 Friday 31st October 2025

Today I was on my first panel, The Way We’re Wired, about neurodivergence in fantasy. The moderator was David Green, and the other two panellists were Janet Forbes from World Anvil and indie writer Roxan Burley.

I was supported by a few people I know, and my friend Sian, deputy chair of the BFS, took a picture for me to commemorate my first panel.

Before this panel, I attended another panel, Mapping in Fantasy. The moderator was Adrian M Gibson and the panellists were Alicia Wanstall-Burke, James Logan, and Joy Sanchez-Taylor.

Joy Sanchez-Taylor is an academic from CUNY, James Logan is trad published, and Alicia Wanstall-Burke is indie published.

I have James Logan’s book The Silverblood Promise and I’ve bought all three of Alicia’s books based on the description of the maps. I really want one of Joy Sanchez-Taylor’s books, but academic books are expensive.

I made extensive notes on the conversation, so this is a bit of a summary.

The panel discussed their relationships to maps, expressing childhood memories of travelling with paper maps and learning to read them. For Alicia, maps also help her to write as they allow her to visualise a space and the way it effects the story. They discussed how the choices made on the presentation of a map can tell the reader something about the world. Joy Sanchez-Taylor especially emphasized the way reorientating the world can express and explore new ways of thinking.

The panel went on to discuss whether or not a fantasy needs a map. James Logan expressed that although he has maps of his world they aren’t included in his books because he likes to keep things malleable, so that he can move cities around if he needs to, giving him more options for the future. Alicia Wanstall-Burke brought up the question of who owns the map? A map might be a symbol of power or it might be a tool to navigate a territory and be subject to change as the land changes. James Logan, from his perspective as an editor in a major publishing house, expressed that it can be expensive to commission an artist and a cartographer, so changing the map for the next book in a series is not going to happen. Joy Sanchez-Taylor mentioned the importance of maps for visual learners and discussed the pressure on authors to have a defined map, but that they can have known and unknown areas so that the story world can expand.

Next, the discussion moved on to how the layout of the world affects the story. Alicia Wanstall-Burke discussed how the world can provide barriers to technology, information, and culture, and when cultures separated by the physical barriers meet, there can be conflict, and that can drive the story. James Logan likes to keep the world fresh for himself and for readers, so he sets each story in a different city, providing a sense of scale. They went on to discuss the way maps change perspective and the commissioning process.

I also attended the ‘Here be Dragons in Fantasy Fiction’ panel, (moderator: Charlotte Bond; panellists: Aliette de Bodard, Michael R Miller, Andrew Knighton). It was fun listening to other people who love dragons as much as I do, and I’ve got two of Aliette de Bodard’s books in my Amazon basket now, because Dragons and their murder husbands…

I attended Stewart Hotston’s book launch, and got myself a signed copy of Project Hanuman.

In the evening I attended the Disability in SFF panel, moderated by Annie Summerlee, with panellists Lizzie Alderdice, Susie Williamson, Katie Bruce and Kit Whitfield. I know Katie Bruce and Kit Whitfield and wanted to support them, as well as being interested in what they had to say. The panel was streamed and is on the member’s area of the WFC 2025 website if you didn’t get to see it.

After that, I attended the Flame Tree book launch. We got a lovely speech from Lee Murrey, a hilarious one from Ramsey Campbell, and an amazing reading from Anna Smith Spark. I treated myself to a stack of books from Flame Tree yesterday, but I was tempted buy more today.

After the launch I spent several hours chatting and drinking with friends and new acquaintances, until we got chucked out of the con bar and went down to the hotel bar, until I left at 1 a.m. We’ve overwhelmed the hotel slightly, I don’t think they realised how much SFFH people like to drink.

ARC Review: The Scour, by Richard Swan

A HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE

A JUSTICE ACCUSED OF MURDER

AND A SINGLE QUESTION

What is The Scour?

In the dying port town of Gdansburg, Sir Konrad Vonvalt finds the unthinkable: a fellow Justice imprisoned for the murder of a young boy. Despite the furious insistence of the townsfolk, the only evidence is a question written on a piece of paper by a dead man: what is The Scour?

The answer begins in the town’s haunted lighthouse and ends in its past–where Vonvalt may dig up more than he bargained for.

Review: Terms of Service, by Ciel Pierlot

Release Date: 2025-09-23
Formats: Ebook, Paperback
EBook ISBN: 23rd September 2025 | 9781915998712 | epub | £4.99/$6.99/$7.99
Paperback ISBN: 23rd September 2025 | 9781915998309 | Trade paperback | £9.99/$18.99/$24.99
https://angryrobotbooks.com/books/terms-of-service/

Blurb

When her cousin gets kidnapped by a dastardly trickster, Luzia is forced to sell herself in servitude to the Eoi in exchange for his life. But the terms of the deal turn out to be much more complicated than she ever imagined…

Luzia N.E. Drainway never really thought too much about the Astrosi. They lurk above and below Bastion City – a giant multileveled megalopolis she calls her home – and they tend to keep to themselves. On the rare occasions they use their magics to meddle with human affairs, most people with an ounce of sense steer clear of whichever unfortunate soul happens to be their victim. Luzia is far too dedicated to repairing and maintaining the frequently-damaged Bastion to pay them much attention, and prefers to ignore the Astrosi just like everyone else.

That disregard gets blown out of the water when a rogue Astrosi and nefarious trickster named Carrion kidnaps her nephew and sells him to the Eoi, one of the Astrosi courts.

With no other options to save her nephew, Luzia trades her life for his and finds herself in service to the Eoi. Unfortunately for her, Astrosi logic is acrobatic in ways even the most devious human mind can barely comprehend. It’s not until the deal is struck that she realizes she’s trapped in the most abstruse verbal contract imaginable. She is essentially conscripted into their ranks, and her devotion to her city becomes stretched to breaking point by her new masters’ orders.

As she struggles under this weight, she begins to uncover the secrets of the Astrosi people – the internal battles for power between the two kingdoms, the never-ending conflict between them, the trickster Carrion who somehow bridges that gap, and the very nature of the Bastion itself.