Fold Catastrophes

A new collection of short fiction by Peter Watts? Yes, please! Fold Catastrophes is comprised of eleven stories, with one new piece original to this collection and ten stories which have appeared in various magazines, anthologies, and other outlets between 2017 and 2025.

In his introduction, Richard K. Morgan describes Watts' writing as the pitch-perfect balance of rigorous hard SF, poignant human heartache and stylistic literary verve. According to Morgan, Watts' stories eschew facile hero narratives, crowd-pleaser happy endings, cheery hope-punk vistas of a future where human ingenuity and bright shiny tech will save us all or, failing that, at least send us to live happily ever after on the moon and Elon Musk’s Mars. A cock-eyed optimist, Peter Watts certainly isn't. For decades, science fiction writers have imagined a post-scarcity future for mankind, one in which society shifts from a competition-based survival model to one focused on purpose, creativity, and leisure. Forget Star Trek. Forget about that famous Arthur C. Clarke's quote claiming that "the only thing we can be sure of about the future is that it will be absolutely fantastic."

As Morgan explains, the future has brought us urgent, uncomfortable truths about our violent species and its limitations, about our devastating triumphant rise and impact on our planet, about our likely doom if we can’t get our shit together and fast. Most of the stories contained in Fold Catastrophes are meant to echo that sentiment. Most are thought-provoking in a decidedly unsettling way. And that's the beauty of Peter Watts' works. They force you to come face-to-face with disconcerting facts. These short stories are all about possible futures for mankind and once again they showcase the length and breadth of Watts' brilliance and imagination.

Here's the blurb:

Science fiction award-winner, flesh-eating bacteria survivor, and somewhat questionably convicted felon Peter Watts returns with this long-awaited short fiction collection. Including an unpublished work, Watts posits unlimited brain-computer interfaces, the possibility of life existing inside stars, the hacking of human behavior, and ecological collapse. (Also, the healing power of revenge.)

What if a weaponized water supply reprograms pattern recognition in the brain, provoking violent rage at the sight of the Google logo. Or an accidental hive-mind creates a global agenda to resurrect itself in the scant seconds between its emergence and dissolution? A steroidal jump gate-building ship attempts to survive passage through a red-giant sun by hiding inside an ice-giant planet. When something is trying to colonize the sun, humans try to stop it. Spoiler alert: Nobody comes off very well.

In his newest short fiction, alongside an introduction by Richard Morgan, Watts (The Freeze-Frame Revolution) reserves whatever hope he has for whatever comes after humans. In light of his stories and recent events, it is difficult to fault that assessment.

The post-pandemic SFF market has been inundated by romantasy titles and cozy SFF offerings. As such, Fold Catastrophes truly stands out as a turd among all that glittering fluff. Then again, Peter Watts' works never really had mass appeal. Which is too bad because, as hard science fiction goes, some of his stories are a lot more accessible than most hard scifi novels/stories out there. There is almost always a deft human touch that packs a powerful emotional punch, which is rare in that specific subgenre. Though he has won literary awards, his lack of commercial success has made him science fiction's best-kept secret for the last two decades or so. I've always claimed that Blindsight was the best novel to read for any SFF fans who wanted to give Watts a shot. And yet, I now believe that Fold Catastrophes or the novella The Freeze-Frame Revolution could work even better for curious readers who want to sample his writing.

There is no filler material in this collection. As a matter of course, some stories will resonate more with some people, but that's the way love goes. Still, every piece has something to offer and is a worthy addition to Fold Catastrophes. My personal favorites include "Gut Feelings," a Google-hate piece that unveils disturbing possibilities for the future; "21 Second God," in which a technological hive-mind became sentient during a 21-second network glitch; "Giants," set in the aftermath of The Freeze-Frame Revolution; "ZeroS," which features zombie military operatives; "The Colonel," which marks a return to the Blindsight storylines and deals with hive minds; "Game Theory," in which science has proven that our existence is a simulation and how this revelation affects faith as whole across the world and in which a pedophile Catholic priest must come to terms with his past.

Fold Catastrophes showcases Peter Watts doing what he does best. Pushing the enveloppe and asking the difficult questions and refusing the status quo. If the uncomfortable truths these stories convey disturb you, the man has done his job. This collection isn't meant to coddle readers. It's meant to remind us that the future is here and we need to finally wake up and smell the coffee before it's too late.

Fold Catastrophes is another home run from Peter Watts! Definitely one of the speculative fiction titles to read in 2026.

The final verdict: 9/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop and its three sequels for only 2.99$ each by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb for the first volume:

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.

She and her assistant, Caz, a magically sentient spider plant, have spent the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite. But when a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz save as many books as they can carry and flee to a faraway island Kiela was sure she’d never return to: her childhood home. Kiela hopes to lay low in the overgrown and rundown cottage her late parents left her and figure out a way to survive without drawing the attention of either the empire or the revolutionaries. Much to her dismay, in addition to a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor, she finds the town neglected and in a state of disrepair.

The empire, for all its magic and power, has been neglecting for years the people who depend on magical intervention to maintain healthy livestock and crops. Not only that, but the very magic that should be helping them has been creating destructive storms that have taken a toll on the island. Due to her past role at the library, Kiela feels partially responsible for this, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right: by opening the island’s first-ever secret spellshop.

Her plan comes with risks—the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the kind and quirky townspeople of her former home, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must learn to break down the walls she has built up so high.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Guy Gavriel Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite empire has splintered into decadent city-states led by warring petty kings. King Almalik of Cartada is on the ascendancy, aided always by his friend and advisor, the notorious Ammar ibn Khairan -- poet, diplomat, soldier -- until a summer afternoon of savage brutality changes their relationship forever.

Meanwhile, in the north, the conquered Jaddites' most celebrated -- and feared -- military leader, Rodrigo Belmonte, driven into exile, leads his mercenary company south.

In the dangerous lands of Al-Rassan, these two men from different worlds meet and serve -- for a time -- the same master. Sharing their interwoven fate -- and increasingly torn by her feelings -- is Jehane, the accomplished court physician, whose own skills play an increasing role as Al-Rassan is swept to the brink of holy war, and beyond.

Hauntingly evocative of medieval Spain, The Lions of Al-Rassan is both a brilliant adventure and a deeply compelling story of love, divided loyalties, and what happens to men and women when hardening beliefs begin to remake -- or destroy -- a world.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download RJ Barker's Age of Assassins for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A young apprentice to an assassin becomes embroiled in a conspiracy that could destroy a kingdom in a brilliant epic fantasy debut by David Gemmell Award-nominated author RJ Barker.

To catch an assassin, use an assassin...

Girton Club-foot has no family, a crippled leg, and is apprenticed to the best assassin in the land. He's learning the art of taking lives, but his latest mission tasks him with a far more difficult challenge: to save a life.

Someone is trying to kill the heir to the throne, and it is up to Girton to uncover the traitor and prevent the prince's murder.

In a kingdom on the brink of civil war and a castle thick with lies, Girton finds friends he never expected, responsibilities he never wanted, and a conspiracy that could destroy an entire kingdom.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (October 18th)

In hardcover:

Rebecca Yarros' Threshing Day debuts at number 1. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

T. Kingfisher's Baldur's Gate 3: Astarion debuts at number 7. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Amber V. Nicole's The Dawn of the Cursed Queen debuts at number 8. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing returns at number 15. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

In paperback:

Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl maintains its position at number 4. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary is up one position, ending the week at number 7. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Kate Golden's Cursed City debuts at number 9. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Matt Dinniman's Carl's Doomsday Scenario maintains its position at number 10. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Pierce Brown's Red Rising is up two positions, ending the week at number 11. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses is up two spots, finishing the week at number 13. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing returns at number 14. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Anthony Ryan's A Pilgrimage of Swords for only 4.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

ENTER THE EXECRATION, WHERE THE DAMNED AND THE DESPERATE COME TO PRAY TO THE MAD GOD…

It is two hundred years since the deity known as the Absolved went mad and destroyed the Kingdom of Alnachim, transforming it into the Execration, a blasted wasteland filled with nameless terrors. For decades, desperate souls have made pilgrimage to the centre of this cursed land to seek the Mad God’s favour, their fate always unknown. Now a veteran warrior known only as Pilgrim, armed with a fabled blade inhabited by the soul of a taunting demon, must join with six others to make the last journey to the heart of the Execration. Allied with a youthful priest, a beast-charmer, a duplicitous scholar, an effete actor and two exiled lovers, Pilgrim must survive madness, malevolent spirits, unnatural monsters and the ever-present risk of treachery, all so that the Mad God might hear his prayer and, perhaps, grant redemption. But can sins such as his ever be forgiven?

Set in a world where demons and gods walk the earth, A Pilgrimage of Swords is a dark and exciting fantasy adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Raven’s Shadow and Draconis Memoria trilogies.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Peter V. Brett's The Desert Prince for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Fifteen years have passed since the end of the war with demons, creatures of darkness who have hunted the night and plagued humanity since time out of mind. The heroes of humanity’s hour of need have become legend, and those who remain struggle to escape their shadows.

Olive Paper and Darin Bales have grown up in this new peaceful world. Demons have been all but destroyed, but dangers still lurk for the children of heroes.

Olive, princess of Hollow, has her entire life planned out by her mother, Duchess Leesha Paper: a steady march on a checklist to prepare her for succession. The more her mother writes the script, the more Olive rails against playing the parts she is assigned.

Darin faces challenges of a different kind. Though free to choose his own path, the weight of legacy hangs heavy around his shoulders. It isn’t easy being the son of the man people say saved the world. Everyone expects greatness from Darin, but the only thing he’s ever been great at is hiding.

When Olive and Darin step across the wards one night, they learn the demons are not all gone, and those that remain hunger for revenge. Events are set in motion that only prophecy can foresee as Olive and Darin seek to find their own places in the world in time to save it again.

The Splintered Sun

DNF

I waited till the 200-page mark before giving up. Tad Williams has always been a slow starter, so I wanted to give him a chance to truly get going. Sad to report that The Splintered Sun is not an adult fantasy novel. Not quite YA and not quite middle-grade, the book fits somewhat in between. You are no doubt aware of my views regarding YA works, so you can imagine how I feel about middle-grade ones.

Other than the Robin Hood-esque character, the main protagonists are children/teenagers with all that this implies. Which forces the author to hold your hand and spoon-feed you information about politics, history, etc. The target audience is definitely a younger crowd, what with everything being black and white. This sucks because, given my thoughts on his last Osten Ard series, I was looking forward to something new by Tad Williams. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

Understandably, your mileage will vary. . .

Here's the blurb:

New York Times bestselling Tad Williams delivers a thrilling new tale set in the legendary world of Osten Ard, perfect for fans of John Gwynne and Brandon Sanderson

A swashbuckling bandit and his band of misfit rebels navigate a kingdom menaced by dark sorcery and war in this fast-moving epic fantasy

With the old King of Hernystir's health failing, warlords carve up the land and rival factions clash over the rightful heir. Into this chaos steps Flann, joined by allies both noble and common, to help the King’s one legitimate heir claim his father’s blessing and restore stability. But enemies, human and inhuman, stalk their every move, determined to end Flann’s quest before it begins.

Packed with action, unforgettable characters, and the sweeping imagination that has made Tad Williams one of fantasy’s most beloved voices, this is Osten Ard as you’ve never seen it before.

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Stephen R. Donaldson's The Real Story: The Gap Into Conflict, opening chapter in what could be the best grimdark space opera ever written, for 7.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

It's bleak and brutal, true. But it's also one of the best space operas ever written! The second volume, Forbidden Knowledge: The Gap Into Vision, is also on sale for 5.99$.

Here's the blurb:

Author of The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, one of the most acclaimed fantasy series of all time, master storyteller Stephen R. Donaldson retums with this exciting and long-awaited new series that takes us into a stunningly imagined future to tell a timeless story of adventure and the implacable conflict of good and evil within each of us.

Angus Thermopyle was an ore pirate and a murderer; even the most disreputable asteroid pilots of Delta Sector stayed locked out of his way. Those who didn't ended up in the lockup--or dead. But when Thermopyle arrived at Mallory's Bar & Sleep with a gorgeous woman by his side the regulars had to take notice. Her name was Morn Hyland, and she had been a police officer--until she met up with Thermopyle.

But one person in Mallorys Bar wasn't intimidated. Nick Succorso had his own reputation as a bold pirate and he had a sleek frigate fitted for deep space. Everyone knew that Thermopyle and Succorso were on a collision course. What nobody expected was how quickly it would be over--or how devastating victory would be. It was common enough example of rivalry and revenge--or so everyone thought. The REAL story was something entirely different.

In The Real Story, Stephen R. Donaldson takes us to a remarkably detailed world of faster-than-light travel, politics, betrayal, and a shadowy presence just outside our view to tell the fiercest, most profound story he has ever written.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Adrian Tchaikovsky's Alien Clay for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky comes a far-future epic that confirms his place as a modern master of science fiction, in which a political prisoner must unlock the secrets of a strange and dangerous planet.

The planet of Kiln is where the tyrannical Mandate keeps its prison colony, and for inmates, the journey there is always a one-way trip. One such prisoner is Professor Arton Daghdev, xeno-ecologist and political dissident. Soon after arrival, he discovers that Kiln has a secret. Humanity is not the first intelligent life to set foot there.

In the midst of a ravenous, chaotic ecosystem are the ruins of a civilization, but who were the vanished builders and where did they go? If he can survive both the harsh rule of the camp commandant and the alien horrors of the world around him, then Arton has a chance at making a discovery that might just transform not only Kiln, but distant Earth as well.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can download Guy Gavriel Kay's incredible Under Heaven for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

UNDER HEAVEN will be published in April 2010, and takes place in a world inspired by the glory and power of Tang Dynasty China in the 8th century, a world in which history and the fantastic meld into something both memorable and emotionally compelling. In the novel, Shen Tai is the son of a general who led the forces of imperial Kitai in the empire's last great war against its western enemies, twenty years before. Forty thousand men, on both sides, were slain by a remote mountain lake. General Shen Gao himself has died recently, having spoken to his son in later years about his sadness in the matter of this terrible battle.

To honour his father's memory, Tai spends two years in official mourning alone at the battle site by the blue waters of Kuala Nor. Each day he digs graves in hard ground to bury the bones of the dead. At night he can hear the ghosts moan and stir, terrifying voices of anger and lament. Sometimes he realizes that a given voice has ceased its crying, and he knows that is one he has laid to rest.

The dead by the lake are equally Kitan and their Taguran foes; there is no way to tell the bones apart, and he buries them all with honour.

It is during a routine supply visit led by a Taguran officer who has reluctantly come to befriend him that Tai learns that others, much more powerful, have taken note of his vigil. The White Jade Princess Cheng-wan, 17th daughter of the Emperor of Kitai, presents him with two hundred and fifty Sardian horses. They are being given in royal recognition of his courage and piety, and the honour he has done the dead. You gave a man one of the famed Sardian horses to reward him greatly.

You gave him four or five to exalt him above his fellows, propel him towards rank, and earn him jealousy, possibly mortal jealousy. Two hundred and fifty is an unthinkable gift, a gift to overwhelm an emperor. Tai is in deep waters. He needs to get himself back to court and his own emperor, alive. Riding the first of the Sardian horses, and bringing news of the rest, he starts east towards the glittering, dangerous capital of Kitai, and the Ta-Ming Palace - and gathers his wits for a return from solitude by a mountain lake to his own forever-altered life.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Peter Watts' Starfish for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A huge international corporation has developed a facility along the Juan de Fuca Ridge at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to exploit geothermal power. They send a bio-engineered crew--people who have been altered to withstand the pressure and breathe the seawater--down to live and work in this weird, fertile undersea darkness.

Unfortunately the only people suitable for long-term employment in these experimental power stations are crazy, some of them in unpleasant ways. How many of them can survive, or will be allowed to survive, while worldwide disaster approaches from below?

Starfish, the first installment in Peter Watts' Rifters Trilogy

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Paul Kearney's excellent The Ten Thousand for only 6.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

The other two installments in the trilogy are also on sale for 6.99$ each.

Here's the blurb:

Isca is fallen; Antimone draws Her veil over the dead. Rictus, a young soldier of the city, is now ostrakr – homeless, devoid of purpose. He dons the red cloak of the mercenary and sets out to find a road for himself.

On the world of Kuf, the Macht are a mystery, a fierce, barbaric people whose discipline and prowess on the battlefi eld is the stuff of legend. If they did not war endlessly on themselves, they would conquer the world. Beyond their home in the remote Harukush Mountains, the teeming races and peoples of Kuf are united under the Great King of Asuria, who can call up whole nations to battle, and whose word is law.

But now the Great King’s brother means to take the throne by force, and has sought out the Macht. Rictus – and ten thousand more mercenary warriors – will march into the heart of the Empire. They will become legends.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (October 11th)

In hardcover:

Raven Kennedy's The Sweetest Fiend debuts at number 11. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Adalyn Grace's The Wretched Divine debuts at number 12. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Matt Dinniman's The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook maintains its position at number 14. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

In paperback:

Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl is down one position, ending the week at number 4. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary is down one position, ending the week at number 8. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Matt Dinniman's Carl's Doomsday Scenario is down one position, ending the week at number 10. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Pierce Brown's Red Rising is down one position, ending the week at number 13. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses is down one spot, finishing the week at number 15. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR Deluxe Edition

The gorgeous Deluxe edition of Tad Williams' The Dragonbone Chair was released a few weeks back and it's now on sale for 44.59$. If you prefer the digital edition, it's 9.99$. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Here's the blurb:

Now, after nearly 40 years in print, DAW presents a deluxe edition of The Dragonbone Chair, the first book in the internationally bestselling series Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by master storyteller Tad Williams, which inspired a generation of fantasy writers including George R. R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, and Christopher Paolini.

This special edition of The Dragonbone Chair will be published in Fall 2026 to coincide with the brand new prequel, The Splintered Sun, set hundreds of years before the events of this novel. It include sprayed edges, premium cover effects, 4-color endpapers featuring the original Michael Whelan art, and a new introduction from the author!

A war fueled by the powers of dark sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard—for Prester John, the High King, lies dying. And with his death, the Storm King, the undead ruler of the elf-like Sithi, seizes the chance to regain his lost realm through a pact with the newly ascended king. Knowing the consequences of this bargain, the king’s younger brother joins with a small, scattered group of scholars, the League of the Scroll, to confront the true danger threatening Osten Ard.

Simon, a kitchen boy from the royal castle unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League, will be sent on a quest that offers the only hope of salvation, a deadly riddle concerning long-lost swords of power. Compelled by fate and perilous magics, he must leave the only home he’s ever known and face enemies more terrifying than Osten Ard has ever seen, even as the land itself begins to die.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of John Marco's The Jackal of Nar for only 3.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A nation's fate rests one one man's struggle between loyalty and desire.

His enemies call Prince Richius "the Jackal," but he is merely a reluctant warrior for the Emperor in the fight for the strife-ridden borderland of Lucel-Lor. And though the empire's war machines are deadly, when the leader of a fanatical sect sweeps the battlefield with potent magic, Richius's forces are routed. He returns home defeated—but the Emperor will not accept the loss. Soon Richius is given one last chance to pit the empire's science against the enemy's devastating magic, and this time he fights for more than a ruler's mad whim. This time Richius has his own obsessive quest—and where he hesitated to go for an emperor's greed, for love he will plunge headlong into the grasp of the deadliest enemy he has ever encountered. . . .

You can also download Michelle Sagara West's Into the Dark Lands for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

This is the author's first series and it's not related to the Sun Sword and the House War sequences.

Here's the blurb:

War has its cost, and the Servants of the Bright Heart and the Servants of the Dark Heart have been locked in a struggle that has defined life—and death—for millennia. But the end is coming, and only the Lady who has served the Bright Heart for the whole of her immortal life has seen it, in a vision that spans time and demands the highest of prices.

Erin is a healer, and against the nature of her birthright she has learned to wield a sword and use it to bring death to the enemies of her people. Scarred by the losses that war always demands, she is the chosen champion of Light and the enemy of darkness.

But no magical sword or simple quest awaits Erin. Her journey and her doom lie in the Dark Heart’s stronghold, and in the hands of her people’s greatest enemy.

You can also get your hands on Lynn Flewelling's Luck in the Shadow for only 3.99$ here.

Here's the blurb:

When young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn’t commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But one thing he never expected was his cellmate. Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things–none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, toward a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine, and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec’s new mentor, and this time there just might be… Luck in the Shadows.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Forging the Darksword, first volume in the Darksword trilogy, for only 3.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From the bestselling authors of The Rose of the Prophet and The Death Gate Cycle, the first in a majestic saga of magic, fantasy, and adventure.

In the enchanted realm of Merilon, magic is life.

Born without magical abilities and denied his birthright, Joram is left for dead. Yet he grows to manhood in a remote country village, hiding his lack of powers only through constant vigilance and ever more skillful sleight-of-hand.

Forced to kill a man in self-defense, Joram can keep his secret from the townspeople no longer: he has no magic, no life. Fleeing to the Outlands, Joram joins the outlawed Technologists, who practice the long forbidden arts of science. Here he meets the scholarly catalyst Saryon, who has been sent on a special mission to hunt down a mysterious “dead man” and instead finds himself in a battle of wits and power with a renegade warlock of the dark Duuk-tsarith caste.

Together, Joram and Saryon begin their quest toward a greater destiny—a destiny that begins with the discovery of the secret books that will enable them to overthrow the evil usurper Blachloch . . . and forge the powerful magic-absorbing Darksword.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of It's the End of the World As We Know It, an anthology edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters.

Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

Featuring an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Christopher Golden, and an afterword by Brian Keene. Contributors include Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

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Here's the blurb:

When the Supernatural nations of the world meet up to negotiate an end to ongoing hostilities, Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, joins the White Council's security team to make sure the talks stay civil. But can he succeed, when dark political manipulations threaten the very existence of Chicago—and all he holds dear?

Other Worlds Than These

I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into Other Worlds Than These. The conclusion of Jack Sawyer's story has been a long time coming and many readers doubted that we'd ever get it when Peter Straub passed away in 2022. I read Black House earlier this year just to get back into the thick of things and jumped into this latest installment of the Talisman trilogy as soon as I got my hands on it.

At first, it felt good to be back in Mid-World. But it soon became evident that something felt wrong. The more I read on, the more that feeling worsened. Sad to say, but Other Worlds Than These is by far the weakest Talisman book. Not only that, it's also one of King's weakest efforts in a while. Straub's absence is perceived in a myriad of ways, which was to be expected. Had he been there, lots of things would have been different, of course. Not the least of which would likely have been the fact that not so much of the Dark Tower saga would be channeled throughout this novel. True, Mid-World has always been part of the Dark Tower universe. And yet, this strange Talisman/Dark Tower hybrid somehow failed to honor both series and can't be anything but a disappointment.

Here's the blurb:

This is Stephen King and Peter Straub's epic and unforgettable finale to the Talisman Trilogy (including the novels The Talisman and Black House) and a wrapping up of the fate of the worlds in King's iconic, fiercely beloved Dark Tower epic. It is also a wonderful stand-alone novel, that will appeal to new readers, as well as to King's Constant Reader.

Other Worlds Than These is the story of Jack Sawyer, whom readers first met when he was twelve, crossing America and 'the territories' to save his mother's life, and met again in Black House, where Jack faces a child killer and the Crimson King (among other evils). In Other Worlds Than These Jack must stop a rampaging gang of infected teenagers from America-side, and the forces of the mysterious Gullet at the edge of Mid-World, before it destroys our world and all worlds. Jack is older now; his Ka-tet is fraying; and his task, nearly impossible.

Magnificent, riveting, full of heart, and humour, Other Worlds Than These is a spectacular, propulsive adventure, and features 30 exclusive black and white illustrations by artist Gabriel Rodriguez.

Many fans are aware that Straub sent King an email containing several plot ideas for a third Talisman book in 2013. At the time, King was writing Doctor Sleep and had no interest in completing the Talisman trilogy. Both collaborators thought that they'd find the time to write that book, but then Straub died before theyb could get to it. Even worse, King lost that email and had to work from memory when the time came to write Other Worlds Than These. It eventually resurfaced when it was found in Straub's archives, yet by then King was deep into the novel and as a result it diverges considerably from what it was originally meant to be. As mentioned, I doubt that Straub would have been interested in a bizarre retelling of the tribulations of Roland's ka-tet by a fifty-something Jack Sawyer and a new cast of supporting characters. Though part of the same universe, in my humble opinion at least, I've always felt that the Talisman trilogy was its own thing. To link it in such a fashion with the Dark Tower, perhaps in the hope of offering some sort of resolution for both series, was bound to create a certain backlash.

The worldbuilding remains the most interesting aspect of this novel. A vast chunk of Other Worlds Than These is a travelogue across Mid-World. Along the way, Jack encounters a number of North Central Positronics facilities containing modern weapons, military vehicles, and futuristic technology associated with the Old Ones. All of these play an important role in this third Talisman installment. So much so that I'm hoping that at some point we'll get a story that shines some light on all these Dark Tower mysteries that can also be found in various Stephen King works. It is implied that the Old Ones predate North Central Positronics and their robotic/magic technological wonders, yet no one knows what happened to either of them before the world moved on. It is also implied that forces from our world came to Mid-World to experiment with things that could have destroyed our world. To be honest, if King wishes to return to the universe of the Dark Tower, I would love to finally get some answers regarding all these questions. In many ways, the tantalizing hints found within the pages of this book were more fascinating than the plot itself.

The characterization leaves a lot to be desired. Jack, now a fifty-something man, remains a three-dimensional protagonist you can root for. I was sad to learn that Sophie had passed away, but I was glad that they shared some happiness for many a year before her death. I have a feeling that what were probably the original plot ideas detailed in Straub's email--the rampaging murderers that can cross between our world and Mid-World, the infected teenagers that fall prey to the influence of what may or may not be the essence of the Crimson King inside the Gullet bent on bringing Discordia, and the fact that this breach is growing and threatens to destroy first this world and than all the other worlds--would have been a better story. King's attempt to channel the Dark Tower, especially Roland's ka-tet with a bunch of men and women who could never hope to hold a candle to the original group, in the hope of bringing everything full circle was likely too ambitious and didn't work. On the whole, Jack's ka-tet, other than Mary and Ryall, are more than a little lackluster. Personally, I wanted this to be Jack's swan song. I didn't quite like the fact that he becomes some sort of cypher for Roland Deschain. This was meant to be his tale and he didn't need to emulate the legendary gunslinger for the plot to work out the way it was intended.

Many parts of Other Worlds Than These suffer from pacing issues. The rhythm is not a problem at first, but the better part of the novel focus on a number of travelogues in which Jack must first go check the Gullet and report back to his boss, to be followed by another travelogue recounting his return to Dezi, and then by an even longer travelogue as Jack and his ka-tet must go back to the Gullet and try to save Mid-World and the rest of the multiverse. Given the amount of superfluous scenes, I believe that about 200 pages could have been cut without the plot suffering in any way. That last trek to the Gullet took way too many pages and lost a lot of what was meant to pack a powerful emotional punch due to all the time spent just moving toward their objective.

Ultimately, Other Worlds Than These is disappointing because it fails to be a worthy conclusion to Jack Sawyer's story and the Talisman trilogy as a whole. It also fails to be a worthy addition to the Dark Tower saga by highjacking plotlines and characters that were only loosely connected to that universe and then forcing them into a semblance of resolution that would hopefully bring both series full circle. This third Talisman volume needed to be just that. The culmination of the tale which began when a young boy first came to the Territories to find a cure for his dying mother. Sometimes, less is more.

The final verdict: 6.5/10

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Here's the blurb:

It should have been a simple job. But for Garrett, a human detective in a world of gnomes, tracking down the woman to whom his dead pal Danny left a fortune in silver is no slight task. Even with the aid of Morley, the toughest half-elf around, Garrett isn't sure he'll make it out alive from a land where magic can be murder, the dead still talk, and vampires are always hungry for human blood.

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Here's the blurb:

She said, We needed a tool. So I asked the gods.

There have always been whispers. Legends. The warrior who cannot be killed. Who’s seen a thousand civilizations rise and fall. He has had many names: Unute, Child of Lightning, Death himself. These days, he’s known simply as “B.”

And he wants to be able to die.

In the present day, a U.S. black-ops group has promised him they can help with that. And all he needs to do is help them in return. But when an all-too-mortal soldier comes back to life, the impossible event ultimately points toward a force even more mysterious than B himself. One at least as strong. And one with a plan all its own.

In a collaboration that combines Miéville’s singular style and creativity with Reeves’s haunting and soul-stirring narrative, these two inimitable artists have created something utterly unique, sure to delight existing fans and to create scores of new ones.