Speculative Fiction Showcase: May 2024

Friday, May 31, 2024

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for June 1, 2024

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the series finale of Star Trek Discovery and Star Trek in general, Masters of the Universe in general, Doctor Who past, present and future, Star Wars: The Acolyte and Star Wars in general,, Furiosa, Eric, Dark Matter, Atlas, season 2 of Interview with the Vampire, tributes to Richard Sherman, the bankruptcy of the RWA and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

Comics and Art:

Film and TV:

Comments on Star Trek Discovery and Star Trek in general:

Comments on Doctor Who past, present and future:

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general:

Comments on Star Wars: The Acolyte and Star Wars in general:

Comments on Furiosa and Mad Max in general:

Comments on Eric:

Comments on Dark Matter:

Comments on season 2 of Interview with the Vampire:

Comments on Atlas:

Tributes to Richard M. Sherman:

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Comments on the RWA filing for bankruptcy:

Interviews:

Reviews:

Classics reviews:

Crowdfunding:

MaryAnn Harris, wife of Charles De Lint, needs help with medical expenses.

Con and event reports:

Science and technology:

Gaming:

Toys and collectibles:

Free online fiction:

Trailers and videos:

Thursday, May 30, 2024

Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month for May 2024

It’s that time of the month again, time for “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”.

So what is “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”? It’s a round-up of speculative fiction by indie and small press authors newly published this month, though some April books I missed the last time around snuck in as well. The books are arranged in alphabetical order by author. So far, most links only go to Amazon.com, though I may add other retailers for future editions.

Once again, we have new releases covering the whole broad spectrum of speculative fiction. This month, we have urban fantasy, epic fantasy, dark fantasy, sword and sorcery, paranormal mysteries, fantasy romance, science fantasy, space opera, military science fiction, religious science fiction, technothrillers, vampires, ghosts, shapeshifters, cryptids, immortals, space marines, space dragons, starships for rent, crime-busting witches and much more.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

Shadows of Winter by Lindsay Buroker:

Kaylina wants to prove herself to her family by opening a successful meadery, but on her first day in the capital, she runs headlong into the powerful royal ranger, Lord Vlerion. He’s aloof, sexy, dangerous, and… he accuses her of being a spy.

To remove suspicion from her name, Kaylina must work with him to stop the real danger to the crown.

But she soon learns that Vlerion suffers from a curse. When he experiences strong emotions, he turns into a deadly beast who can’t tell friend from foe.

Irking him would be a bad idea. Developing feelings for him would be even worse. Unfortunately, as Kaylina spends more time with Vlerion, she struggles with both.

If she can’t keep from rousing the beast, she won’t clear her name, fulfill her dream, or even survive the week.

The Immortal by Joshua T. Calvert:

They called it the Immortality Code…

…and one Swiss firm just cracked it.

Is it real or a fraud?

FBI geneticist Mason Brown and Danish Interpol agent Jonna Nielsen have just 72-hours to find the missing man they call The Immortal. He’s on the run across Europe and his genetic material may be the most valuable commodity in human history.

There’s just one problem.

Someone else wants him, too.

As the time to find him dwindles, Mason and Jonna seem to be one step behind a wealthy man who will stop at nothing. If the tech billionaire finds him first, it could change the economic playing field for the entire world.

Who is the Immortal? And could he be a contemporary witness of Christ as some sources believe?

You’ll love this science thriller because the pacing is perfect and the twists will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Starship For Rent 3 by M.R. Forbes:

Better the devil you know?

Intercepted by the Warden after a narrow escape, Noah, Ben, and the rest of Head Case’s crew are forced into their most impossible task yet:

Kill the only man to ever slip the Warden’s all-seeing gaze—the leader of a vast criminal syndicate who may be the only true threat to the mad god’s grip on the galaxy. But getting close to him won’t be easy, and even if they do…

They might wish they never had.

Don't Be Afraid of the Spark by Lily Harper Hart:

What happens when Michigan’s most famous ghost hunter can’t see a ghost but her daughter can? Harper Harlow-Monroe is about to find out. When her daughter Poe starts talking about a new ghostly friend nobody else can see, one who brags about hiding from Harper, Whisper Cove’s favorite paranormal investigator is on the case.

Unfortunately, the new ghost comes along with a fresh body…and nobody can figure out why—or how—a woman who died years before is going after people in the present.

Poe is confused. She likes her new friend and doesn’t want to listen to her mother. There’s just one little problem. The dead woman is holding a grudge against Poe’s grandmother, and she’s ready to add another name to her body count. Now things are getting personal.

Harper has friends and they want to help but this is the sort of war that only Harper can fight.

Poe’s life is on the line, and there’s nothing Harper won’t do to protect her…including sacrificing herself.

Strap in, because it’s about to get wild in Whisper Cove.

The past is threatening to ruin the future, and Harper and company will do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen. They just have to survive to win the day.

The Vampire and the Case of the Baleful Banshee by Heather G. Harris and Jilleen Dolbeare

I thought I was finally getting the hang of being a paranormal policewoman, but when one of the gemstones powering the barrier around the town is stolen, I’m as terrified as the average Joe. Of course, there’s nothing average about the Joes in this town. It’s chock full of mythical creatures, and some of them think the barrier is a waste of time.

Well, I’ve seen the cryptid monster beyond and I know we’re doomed if the magical palisade ever fails. Calling what would follow a massacre would be a gross understatement. The race is on. I need to find the gemstone before the weakened barrier fails forever and the fiend devours us all. No pressure then.

It’s a simple theft… how hard can it be to solve? Answer: Very hard. Especially when theft turns into murder.

There’s also the little outstanding matter of my date with the vampire leader, Connor, not to mention that my best friend seems to be falling apart at the seams. And if all of that isn’t enough to be cracking on with, I have a visitor due imminently. My mother.

I’d rather face the monster.

A Grimm Decision by Jeffery H. Haskell:

It's not the war he wanted.

Commander Jacob T. Grimm is eager to get back in the war, but when an ambassador to a nothing planet called Cordoba pulls strings, Interceptor is the convenient puppet.

Assigned to escort the ambassador, a company of Marines, and participate in wargames with Cordoba, Jacob fears the only action will be against boredom.

He couldn't be more wrong.

A coup is brewing on Cordoba and Interceptor and the Marines of Bravo Two-Five are caught right in the middle.

Betrayed on every side, Jacob has to come up with his most daring plan yet, if he's going to save his crew and his ship.

What Jacob doesn't know, though, is an old enemy is in league with the coup. An enemy that wants Commander Jacob T. Grimm's head.

Trapped between a rebellion and invaders, Jacob can't see a way out. There may be no victory he can achieve. Attack or defend someone will die—and only Jacob can decide who.

Hurled Headling Flaming or The Bishop’s Tale by Matt Holder

Hurled Headlong Flaming: The Bishop's Tale is a dark fantasy novella by Matt Holder that follows a priest on a perilous quest to a hellish underworld to retrieve an ancient manuscript he believes can help prevent the apocalypse. Drawing from influences like Dante, Milton, and Robert E. Howard, and Lovecraftian dream-quest literature, this bizarre tale sees the Bishop descend through a hidden city, forced to engage in infernal dialogues and navigate labyrinthine streets while pursued by demonic creatures. Grappling with questions of faith, truth, and the brutality of the Crusades, the Bishop's harrowing journey examines the violence that often accompanies meaning-making in a world that resists interpretation. This first entry in the Keen Blades series from Spiral Tower Press aims to expand the boundaries of what sword and sorcery can be.

All Quiet On the Witchy Front by Amanda M. Lee

Christmas is in the past and the new year is shining bright for Bay Winchester…right up until a local inn catches fire and she realizes that something more than snow is afoot in Hemlock Cove.

Bay and her husband Landon Michaels don’t hesitate before charging into the fire—there are children at risk after all—but when the fire seems to have a mind of its own…literally…things take a shift for the worse.

It seems there’s a firebug on the loose in northern Lower Michigan. What does he or she want, though? As Bay starts digging, clues lead her back to a real estate agent she crossed paths with weeks before. He wants the property that burned, but has he somehow come into contact with the sort of magic that can make his dreams come true? Or is it something else entirely?

On top of that, two of the victims who were saved from the fire refuse to wake up. They’re in magically induced comas, and the doctors can’t figure out why. All that’s certain is their lives are in danger, and Bay is the only one who can save them.

Bay isn’t about to let an enemy take her down, but when Aunt Tillie starts acting squirrelly—even more squirrelly than normal—she becomes suspicious of the woman who always seems to have her pulse on everything paranormal.

What is Aunt Tillie hiding?

Fire is raging across Bay’s world and she only has one chance to put it out. Will she manage to rise to the occasion, or is the Winchester world about to burn?

Bloodstained Skies: Apex Predator by Dagmar Rokita

Cerridwen's crash landing leads her into the depths of an uncharted jungle. Every rustle of the leaves or smudged trope on the ground brings her closer to the terrifying realization that she is being hunted.

The rebellion finds themselves stranded on an unforgiving planet after a devastating defeat at Narjahanam fortress. As supplies shrink and tensions rise between Antares, his friend and the ruthless Rakshasas, every conflict may turn out to be fatal.

Forced into a perilous situation, Devi must renew a relationship with an old ally. When the visit turns into imprisonment, she is thrust into a deadly game where only the winner can escape with their life.

Meanwhile, the Unions don't slow down, even after the attack on their base. In the moments between working on their secret project, Azhi and Seth learn about their astounding origins.

Dragon Knights by James David Victor:

One mortal enemy has been turned into a trusted ally. Now all that needs to be done is to stop a superior alien force determined to wipe humanity from the galaxy.

Keel has turned a mortal enemy into a trusted friend, and rides on the back of a deadly dragon. As the war with the Jaali heats up, his small band of Dragon Knights might be the only thing standing in their way. Can a small team of previously mortal enemies turn the tide of the war and save humanity?

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for May 24, 2024

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Star Trek Discovery and Star Trek in general, Masters of the Universe in general, Doctor Who past, present and future, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace at 25 and Star Wars in general,, X-Men '97 and X-Men in general, IF, Furiosa, Sugar, season 2 of Outer Range, season 2 of Interview with the Vampire, Thelma the Unicorn and much more.