Happy Memories, New Beginnings: Bardic Tales and Sage Advice Volume X

The first real fantasy story I wrote was called “Winter of the Gods.” In what was either a harbinger of future glory, or a cruel joke, it promptly won an award and was published in an anthology. Now, more than 10 years later, Bardic Tales and Sage Advice is bringing out a kind of “Greatest […]

“Bring Out the Dog” by Will Mackin

Bring Out the Dog Will Mackin Different wars generate different types of literature. This seems obvious, but it’s interesting to note the differences between wars that are happening simultaneously, and even involve some of the same countries, but nonetheless produce stories of different flavors. Case in point: Western literature on the recent war in Iraq […]

“The Rusalka Ritual and Other Stories” by Freya Pickard

The Rusalka Ritual and Other Stories Freya Pickard “The Rusalka Ritual and Other Stories” is a selection of 5 short fantasy stories, all featuring the formidable Dracomagan, in some places a warrior woman in a fantasy world, in others an apparently normal(ish) woman in this world, but always an important and powerful figure. The stories […]

New FREE Book Release! “Winter of the Gods and Other Stories” is here!

Hi All! For the past few weeks I’ve been working away on putting together a collection of my old stories that are sort of prequels/alternative timelines to “The Zemnian Series,” with a general introduction and little intros for each of the stories. I’m thrilled to say that the book is now ready and can be […]

“Strata” by Terry Pratchett

Strata Terry Pratchett Before there was the Discworld, there was “Strata,” the story of a company that builds planets. Including, it turns out, a strange flat planet out in the middle of nowhere… It’s a bit hard to review “Strata” in a meaningful way, because it both prefigures the Discworld novels, and stands in inevitable […]

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” by Leo Tolstoy

Prisoner of the Caucasus Leo Tolstoy I have, for my sins, agreed to write up an entry on Christian-Muslim relations in Tolstoy for the University of Birmingham’s project on Christian-Muslim relations in literature. I say “for my sins” because Tolstoy suffered from acute graphomania throughout his long life, and the disease must be contagious, because […]

“China Girl: And Other Stories” by Ho Lin

China Girl: And Other Stories Ho Lin “She hates the David Bowie song…How could anyone think of that as a beautiful Chinese girl?” So thinks May Lee, the exotic dancer whose story is told in the eponymous opening story of the collection “China Girl,” whose characters move, often ambiguously, between East and West, belonging to […]

“Afghan Tales” by Oleg Yermakov

In this collection of tales, in turns lyrical and brutal, Oleg Ermakov, probably Russia’s foremost writer on the Soviet war in Afghanistan, depicts the war from multiple points of view: a boy on a date a couple of days before he heads off to basic training, a raw recruit forced to commit an act he […]

“Grace Period” by Kelly J. Baker

I read many of Kelly Baker’s essays about her transition away from academia on Vitae when they first came out, so of course I had to read them all when they were published as a collection. In “Grace Period,” Baker chronicles her–frequently bitter, angry, and desperate–transition out of academia to the alt-ac world. It’s hard […]

“Slime Pop! Saga” by CB Archer

***Okay, I need to start out with a disclaimer! As a representative of higher education, my official position is that I do NOT approve of any of the action in this book! End of disclaimer*** Ian Walker is a black gay science and math nerd who has two problems sullying his undergraduate idyll: He and […]

E. P. Clark: Author, Book Reviewer, and All-Around Literary Handiwoman

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