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The Cosmic Horror Brilliance of Area X
In which I discuss Jeff Vandermeer's 'Southern Reach' series, and the brilliant ways it subverts the tropes of cosmic horror.
Apr 2512 min read
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The Scariest Winter Tale
In which I discuss John Martin Leahy's 'In Amundsen's Tent,' and explore why it scares me more than any other short story.
Feb 218 min read
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How 'The Dark Between the Trees' Perfects the Haunted Forest Trope
In which I discuss Fiona Barnett's 'The Dark Between the Trees,' and the ways it elevates the haunted forest subgenre.
Sep 23, 20228 min read
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'Tender is the Flesh' is the 21st Century's Defining Dystopian Novel
In which I discuss Agustina Bazterrica's 'Tender is the Flesh,' and the high status it deserves.
Aug 12, 20228 min read
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The Unique Apocalypse of 'Nod'
In which I discuss Adrian Barnes's 'Nod,' and its uniquely psychological apocalypse.
Jun 17, 20228 min read
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'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar' and the Benefit of Short Stories
In which I explore the sub-medium of short stories for the first time, and how Edgar Allan Poe perfected it.
May 20, 20228 min read
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How 'The Chrysalids' Explores the Theme of Discrimination
In which I discuss John Wyndham's 'The Chrysalids,' and the ways it explores the theme of discrimination.
Apr 8, 202211 min read
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Science Fiction - The Genre of Possibilities
In which I continue talking about genre, this time looking more deeply at science fiction, and what it means to me.
Mar 18, 20228 min read
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How 'Murderbot' Delivers a Uniquely Sci Fi POV
In which I return to the theme of perspective characters, and discuss the ways Martha Wells's 'Murderbot' might have given me what I wanted.
Feb 19, 20228 min read
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How 'The Rats' Reinvents a Subgenre
In which I discuss James Herbert's 'The Rats,' and the ways it reinvents a popular subgenre of horror.
Feb 4, 20229 min read
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'The Invisible Man' is a Perfect Villainous Character Study
In which I discuss HG Wells's 'The Invisible Man,' and the ways in which it perfects the character study.
Nov 19, 202110 min read
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How 'Mortal Engines' Crafts an Interesting Fictional Setting
In which I discuss Philip Reeve's 'Mortal Engines,' and the qualities and ideas it uses to craft an interesting fictional setting.
Sep 17, 20217 min read
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Why 'Frankenstein' is My Favourite Book
In which I discuss Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein,' and the many reasons it's such a great read.
Mar 19, 20218 min read
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