Behind Blue Eyes

Neon Leviathan by T.R. Napper My rating: 4 of 5 stars First, the Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this eARC by the publisher of Grimdark Magazine. Though I often contribute unpaid reviews for the GdM blog, this fact does not influence my opinion of this particular book. I am publishing this review on my own personal sites, independent of Grimdark Magazine. Then, the review: Oh now, that was something special that doesn't come along very often. What we have here are 12 stories set along various years of a not-to-far future of our own world, mostly in this futures version of Australia, during and after a huge war with the conflict between China and an alliance including Vietnam and Australia. Of other countries, we are given little, but that there is no more America. This grim future is scary as it is plausible, as the 12 tales give us insight into the minds, such as they are, of those that survive during these times. There are drugs aplenty and t...

Miasma by Greg Cox My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I've had this for awhile. My backlog stack got pretty high there for awhile when I went back to school and started having small grandkids in the house. That said, I really enjoyed this. I needed something different and short to pass the time on a Saturday night, and this was the perfect fit. Who doesn't love the original Star Trek . Set at some point after The Voyage Home , this story gives us what at first seems to be the typical Where No Man Has Gone Before episode of our original crew. The timing is important though, as we soon learn that Lt. Saavik is on helm rather than Sulu, and her part in the story is crucial. Aside from that, we can settle in and enjoy a never before seen adventure of Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the crew. For a good bit of the early going I found this to be enjoyable but predictable, but then Cox threw that idea...