Tag: dystopia

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Bitters

** I received an ARC for an honest review **

Publisher’s Description

The giant metal man has stood for hundreds of years, head tilted back, mouth open. All the dead of the town are disposed of this way, carried up the long, staircase that winds around him and tipped in. At his toe emerges the Bitters, the lifeblood of the town, keeping them healthy and prosperous as the sick and needy come to buy and drink.

McNubbin is a happy man with all he wants in life. He’s carried the bodies up since he was 14, a worthwhile, respected job. But when he notices broken girl after broken girl, he can’t stay quiet, and speaking up will change his perfect life.

Summary

I recently read the dark fiction novella Bitters by Australian horror and dark fiction author Kaaron Warren.

The focus of Bitters is the township that both owe their existence and health to the gold statue of the Man.

After a post-apocalyptic plague hundreds of years before, the dead were thrown into the Man and the putrified liquid called Bitters used as tonic. Over time, scientists removed any sick or drug users from those whose bodies ended up in the Man and the resultant Bitters gave health to the township who benefited from the Man. But a darker secret lurks within the township and the control of those who do a duty in carrying bodies to the top of the statue to deliver them into the Man, those who carry salt and bugs for the quickening the process of decay and those who provide the Bitters into bottles.

Review

Bitters was an expertly crafted dystopian and post-apocalyptic novella that leaves no doubt that Warren is a master storyteller as her tale draws the reader deep into the mindset of the town that hosts the famous strong male statue and to whom they consign the bodies of the dead and reap the benefits of an elixir from the putrefied remains. Despite the darkness and horrifying truth of the Man – Warren focuses on the members of the township who owe their livelihoods and health the grim task they carry out daily. Warren writes without judgement but a sense of compassion for the characters who prosper from the deaths of others. A powerful dystopian novella that haunts you long after the last page has been turned.

Conclusion

A great read for fans of dystopian tales, dark fiction and psychological horror. A highly recommended read!

** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **

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Ferren and the Angel

** I received an ARC for an honest review **

An angel falls from the sky and crashes to the ground!

Miriael, the Fourteenth Angel of Observance, has been shot down in the thousand-year war between Heaven and Earth. Damaged and helpless, she prays for extinction.

The young tribesman Ferren finds her lying in the grass. She ought to be an enemy, since his people are on the side of the Earth. But seeing her there, unable to fly, his curiosity outweighs every rule and every warning.

Ferren knows almost nothing about the terrifying world he’s grown up in. Now he’s going to learn the truth about the war, the Humen army camp and what military service really means. His unique friendship with Miriael is about to change the course of history.

Summary

I recently read YA novel Ferren and the Angel (The Ferren Trilogy, #1) by English-Australian author Richard Harland.

Ferren is the protagonist, a young boy on the cusp of manhood belonging to one of many scattered tribes of the People. These subservient groups are dependent on the larger organisation called the Humen. When the angel Muriel falls from the sky during open warfare with Heaven – it is Ferren who finds and befriends her.

During the ongoing warfare between the militarised Humen forces and the angels of Heaven, Ferren and Muriel discover nothing is as it seems. The machines used by the Humen forces hold a horrific secret and the robotic soldiers are a darker truth that makes the People question their allegiance to the Humen authority.

Review

Ferren and the Angel is well-written and strongly crafted post-apocalyptic novel. Harland writes powerful characters inhabiting a broken world and deceived by the Humen authority using the scattered tribes to fuel their war with Heaven. Harland shows these elements through Ferren’s and the angel Muriel which confront the grey shades of morality by the contrasting darkness.

Conclusion

An unusual and powerful post-apocalyptic YA novel that’s highly recommended for fans of dystopian fiction, angelology, strong characters and a great coming-of-age read.

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Tesato’s Code

** I received an ARC for an honest review ***

Publisher’s Description

A reluctant corporate assassin who is losing her edge, discovers fellow assassins are dying after killing high-value targets. When she botches a hit, her employers assign her such a target—a top scientist.

Love and loss cloud her judgment, and only following her code will help her survive.

Futuristic thriller from Karen Bayly.

Summary

I recently read the novelette Tesato’s Code by Australian speculative fiction author Karen Bayly.

The plot follows the protagonist Lily, an assassin for the massive conglomerate corporation that runs everything from medical sciences, domestic servants and the more secretive arm of the businesses of assassination. This futuristic world includes genetic manipulation, implant enhancements and keeps a tight rein on dissent or rebellions.

But assassins are being taken out by their own kind as the cooperation clamps down on rising rebellions within the ranks of its own and in the Free-Willers society. Lily comes face-to-face with secrets from her past and an astonishing future is revealed.

Review

Tesato’s Code had some fabulous world-building and it would have been fantastic if it were longer to better explore the history and intricacies of the world. Bayly writes a fine science fiction that is solidly written with individualised characters despite the conglomerate corporation’s attempt to make all its citizens subservient.

Conclusion

A recommended read for fans of dystopian science-fiction, thrillers, LGBTQIA and dark fiction. A great read!

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Nona the Ninth

Publisher’s Description

Her city is under siege.

The zombies are coming back.

And all Nona wants is a birthday party.

In many ways, Nona is like other people. She lives with her family, has a job at her local school, and loves walks on the beach and meeting new dogs. But Nona’s not like other people. Six months ago she woke up in a stranger’s body, and she’s afraid she might have to give it back.

The whole city is falling to pieces. A monstrous blue sphere hangs on the horizon, ready to tear the planet apart. Blood of Eden forces have surrounded the last Cohort facility and wait for the Emperor Undying to come calling. Their leaders want Nona to be the weapon that will save them from the Nine Houses. Nona would prefer to live an ordinary life with the people she loves, with Pyrrha and Camilla and Palamedes, but she also knows that nothing lasts forever.

And each night, Nona dreams of a woman with a skull-painted face…

Review

I recently read Nona the Ninth (Locked Tomb, #3) by New Zealand author Tamsyn Muir.

Nona the Ninth follows from Harowhark the Ninth which saw both Harrow and Gideon end in dire circumstances. We now follow Nona in a child’s body but without any memory of flicker of Harrowhark inside except for her dreams with John (God). Fled to a desecrated planet on the brink of civil war, Nona is cared for by the remaining cavillers of the Nine Houses.

But as things become more complicated on the planet and necromancers made public, Nona and her ‘family‘ fight their way to a shuttle in aim of opening the Tomb and restoring Harrowhawk’s memories to Nona’s body. But opening the Tomb that must never be opened has great risks of waking its sleeping occupant and guardian.

Final Thoughts

Nona the Ninth was cleverly written, believable characters and the chaotic world. While maintaining some of the esoteric style throughout the other books, I enjoyed this almost as much as the first book.

Conclusion

Highly recommend for lovers of science fiction particularly space operas. The continuation of the Locked Tomb series is a must for anyone who enjoyed the flamboyant style of Gideon the Ninth. A must read!

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Bluebells Book Launch

A very late posting of the offical launch of Bluebells on October 2nd, 2022 at Conflux 16 Convention in Canberra. The book launch which had been delayed due to my health issues and extended hospital stays. So this was time to celebrate!

@Cat Sparks

We kicked off the launch with Zachary Ashford giving a great introduction to my writing career and focus so far: I’m an LGBTQI and disability author of numerous short stories in the horror and dark fantasy genres. Bluebells was my debut novella.

Zachary had a couple of questions on what inspired me to write Bluebells. The answers ranged from climate change, an interest in WWI, vampires and the Black Death and ‘Spanish fever’. Alternate history had always fascinated me and the question in my mind became what if the world had fallen into a post-apocalyptic state during WWI? What if the future we know, never happened?

@Cat Sparks

Zachary invited me to do a quick reading from Bluebells. I chose a passage near the end where the vampire Nicolas confronts and debates his humanity alongside his vampirism.

@Cat Sparks

A book signing and purchase option for copies of Bluebells followed and I had a lovely time meeting new and old friends while I signed copies.

@Cat Sparks
@Cat Sparks
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Conflux 16 2022 Convention

A very late post on the October 2022 Conflux 16 Speculative Fiction Convention held in Canberra. Aside from being an invited panelist for 4 seperate panels, I ran my first Dealers Table for the four days and officially launched Bluebells.

I was also an invited panellist on 4 panels – each exciting to engage with an audience and discuss the theme in question with other likeminded writers.

“Queering Fiction” was a wonderful discussion about how authors create characters with a LGBTQI identity – or how authors like Sam Hawke create an entire world where sexuality is fluid and accepted.

“Re-imagining Horror in a Pandemic” was a great lineup of panelists discussing how the pandemic affected them as writers but also how the wider public changed perceptions and fear became a driver of society. For horror writers, fear is the driver of a story. Many ideas were exchanged on whether horror writing would become more or less popular and certainly Fantasy seemed to be the main genre read during pandemic lockdowns.

“Including Disability in Fiction” was such an important panel that like the queer community, characters with disabilities are often absent, stereotyped or in the background of a storyline. This panel explored what writers living with disabilities experience and want to see more of in fiction and from their own writing.

“Climate Change: Past and Future” was a fascinating panel exploring the emergence and importance of climate fiction in publishing scene. Discussions ranged from the emergence of man-induced climate change to the reality of how climate change is affecting everyday existence and how that has seen the explosion of dystopian fiction. An important comment by Cat Sparks was that perhaps we should be focusing in our writing of turning the current climate crisis around and sending a message of hope in doing so.

The last event was a live 5 minute reading session with Kaaron Warren. I read an excerpt from Bluebells when Peter first meets Nicolas de Laon on the frontlines in Belgium.

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Australasian Horror Award Win

I am so excited to share the announcement that I was the 2022 winner of the Australasian Horror Writers Association Robert N Stephenson Flash Fiction & Short Story Competition for the Flash Fiction category. My story “The Carnival Girl “ was a dystopian horror with LGBTQI themes and will be published in the next episode of the AHWA magazine Midnight Echo.

Thank you to all the judges and a massive congratulations to all who entered and honourable mentions!

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Wandering Stars Release

The best 24 authors from the 12 volumes of Australasian speculative fiction in The Zodiac Series feature in a single anthology Wandering Stars: The Best of the Zodiac Series published by Deadset Press on 12th November 2022.

Wandering Stars features my apocalyptic story “The Bull of Heaven” inspired by Mesopotamian mythology and representing the Taurus zodiac sign.

You can find more details on how to purchase ebook and paperback copies of Wandering Stars: The Best of the Zodiac Series here

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Bluebells: Book Trailer & Excerpt

My Australian dystopian horror Bluebells explores queer fiction, alternate history, pandemics, vampires, mental illness, trauma and war. The

There is a post on research background to Bluebells and the folklore of the bluebells flowers which is key to the novella character Anna is here.

A video tour of Bluebells and a reading excerpt is below. Enjoy!

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Written in Red

Publisher’s Description

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

Review

I read Written in Red by US dark fantasy author Anne Bishop.

Written in Red is set in an alternate world where the Others are feared predators and at the mercy of the much larger population of humans. Some of the Others have formed compounds or regions where mortals aren’t allowed and the rule of the Others is law. One such territory for the Others is the Lakeside Courtyard where werewolves, vampires, shapeshifters, elementals and ancient gods live surrounded by the human world.

The protagonist and gifted blood-prophet, a cassandra sanguine, Meg Corbyn flees the servitude of an institution and her controller for the unlikely safety and refuge of the Lakeside Courtyard.

Hired as the Human Liaison Officer in the Lakeside Courtyard by Simon Wolfgard who senses something both human and uncanny about Meg, he quickly becomes protective of her. The rest of the Others community adopt Meg as their own and soon rely on her visions for their very survival.

Final Thoughts

Written in Red is a unique paranormal dark fantasy that hinges on a dystopian world resembling our own but much changed – or only slightly similar. The effects of climate damage by humans are answered by the anger and deadly justice of the paranormal beings that control this dark, dystopian world. A place of harsh justice and barely simmering discontent. Bishop brings her world-building to life with a detailed history and vivid characters.

Conclusion

A must-read for those who enjoy solid world-building, a unique dystopian fantasy and paranormal characters. This is an exciting first instalment in a new series. Highly recommended!