Reading Wednesday

Jul. 2nd, 2025 08:25 am
sabotabby: (books!)
[personal profile] sabotabby
 Just finished: Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Yeah, I think this is my Hugo best novel pick. It was really good, really timely, fucking gross, and gave me nightmares. It's very much a confluence all of Tchaikovsky's quirks—rather darkly funny narrator, alien minds, and the particular type of resolution he goes for. All of those things happen to work for me quite a bit. This one reminded me quite a bit of Jeff Vandermeer but less nihilistic and I liked the characters more.

Currently reading: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. This was the only novel on the Hugo list where I'd never heard of the author or the book. I'm loving it so far though. It's a murder mystery set in a city where only engineered seawalls stop the things from Attack on Titan from demolishing the place every wet season. A noble is murdered in a mansion (not his mansion) via a tree growing through his body. The person charged with investigating the murder is an old autistic woman who doesn't leave her house so she gets a young man to be her eyes and ears. The murder mystery structure makes it rather different from not just this batch of nominees but the other award lists in general, which is also intriguing.

Reading Wednesday

Jul. 2nd, 2025 07:35 am
troisoiseaux: (reading 6)
[personal profile] troisoiseaux
Continued my nostalgic re-reads of 2000s middle-grade/YA novels with I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter, the first book in the Gallagher Girls series, set at an all-girls boarding school for TEEN SPIES. As you can imagine, this was my jam in middle school; however, my primary emotion on re-reading this book as an adult was second-hand embarrassment, since main character Cammie (a superspy nepo baby, whose mom is the headmistress of the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women and whose dad died tragically on a top-secret mission) mostly puts the lessons learned in her Covert Operations class - that one man's trash is another's treasure trove of the first guy's secrets, how to build and maintain a cover story, etc. - to practical, if ill-advised, use by.... well, stalking some cute normie boy and then sneaking out to go on dates him. (I know, I know, this is a YA novel, but COMPLETE waste of an elite spy education, if you ask me.) The climactic sequence where Cammie and friends take their CoveOps practical final - a late-night heist, of course - was fun, though.
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Posted by Amanda

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

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Left of Forever

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt

Author: Tarah DeWitt
Released: May 20, 2025 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: ,
Series: Spunes, OR #2

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I swear I did not know we were running a guest review of this one when I recommended it to two (!!) people who really liked second chance romances with relatable characters. I feel like people’s tastes are so different that this hardly ever happens where one book works for more than one request. 

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Xeni

Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Author: Rebekah Weatherspoon
Released: October 4, 2019
Genre: , ,
Series: Loose Ends #2

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Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

This reader wanted a diverse cast, a cinnamon roll hero, and any and all romances that were the antithesis of the current administration. I thought of Xeni and gave a bonus suggest of Rafe by the same author as well. The heroes are supportive and the world is more reflective of the wide range of people and cultures in our U.S. population. 

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The Billionaire’s Wake-Up-Call Girl

The Billionaire’s Wake-Up-Call Girl by Annika Martin

Author: Annika Martin
Released: July 9, 2018
Genre: ,
Series: Billionaires of Manhattan #2

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If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

Some of the things this reader mentioned liking were rom-coms, secret identities, and nothing that inches toward darker themes. I’m pretty picky about rom-coms, since humor is subjective, but I remember being charmed by this one and how the hero falls for this mystery woman over the phone. 

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Start July as you mean to go on

Jul. 1st, 2025 11:10 pm
sholio: outline of Alaska with aurora colors (Alaska aurora)
[personal profile] sholio
Technically this was yesterday, but I climbed a hill and had an eagle fly past me. (The hill is the Bodenburg Butte in Palmer, AK.)

Photo from a high vantage point, looking down on farms and fields stretching to blue mountains with their tops covered in clouds. Small figure of an eagle is visible against the clouds.

I realize the eagle is more like a dot, but if you've tried to take a quick photo of a bird, this is without zoom (I was just trying to snap a fast shot without completely losing the experience of having an eagle flying in front of me) so it is actually very close! After it flew past, I turned around and two teenage guys were standing above me, having just descended from the top and watched it too. "Sick," one of them said in obvious delight, and we nodded at each other.

I'm down in Southcentral doing Mom Things. Mom has been moved out of the rental where she was living since last August, and she was supposed to go home via helicopter today, but the weather was a problem. But that's why I reserved two extra days at the Airbnb beforehand, just in case. Tomorrow we try again! She was very respectful of my space today - I think she recognized that I was planning on having the evening to myself tonight and it didn't happen - and I wrote both fanfic and original fiction, and took a long walk to sort some plot things out in my head. Thursday I go home, and perhaps drive the Denali Highway on my way, if the wildfire smoke isn't too bad.

Connexions (17)

Jul. 2nd, 2025 08:06 am
the_comfortable_courtesan: image of a fan c. 1810 (Default)
[personal profile] the_comfortable_courtesan
Worse than a shock

'Twould be hard to say what was the crowning experience of this visit! Mayhap not merely going see Miss Addington play Cleopatra from a fine comfortable box, but being invited to call on her in her dressing room after!

And had done exceeding well in making connexions for the chaps: there was Averdale, had been very gladly offered a post as secretary by Jimsie, and once had completed his term at Oxford, would proceed to join the Trembournes for the summer at Worblewood. Thornton was all enthusiasm about the prospect of tutoring the Yeomans orphans, and had already commenced upon certain commissions in reviewing. Wood had been invited to spend the summer assisting in the work of the parish at St Wilfrid’s, with the possibility of eventually being appointed a curate. And Smithers was going around quite in a daze having been offered a pupillage in Mr Geoffrey Merrett’s chambers.

Then, as they were contemplating their last few days, here came Mr Gordon Marshall, that was married to the governess at Yeomans, and a reporter for the Lowndes Press, and also, they discovered, the brother of that sensation, Clo Marshall, offering that he could arrange for 'em to attend her performance at the Beaufoyle Arms Song and Supper Rooms!

They were returning from this unanticipated treat in great spirits, to discover most unwonted Cretia and Mr Grigson waiting in the hall, looking very sombre, what looked like a telegram in Grigson’s hand.

His first thought was that Father had died.

Oh Lord – 'twas not somewhat had come to Myo? One understood her condition was delicate.

O Grinnie, cried Cretia, coming up and falling upon his neck, would you believe it? Here is Talshaw, gone fallen down a flight of stairs in a drunken fit and broke his neck.

The fellows all made sympathetic murmurs, and Wood said, quite saw that they should not intrude upon the family at this time, would be about their departure the morn, at which all nodded, and Mr Grigson went over doubtless to discuss the practicalities.

O God, thought Peregrine, patting Cretia’s shoulder. Sure they had none of 'em been particularly fond of their elder brother, but ‘twas a shock. And worse than a shock.

Now he was the heir.

Grigson came over from seeing the fellows off to their beds, laid a hand on the shoulder not occupied by Cretia, and said, Lord Peregrine was entire welcome to stay here while the formalities were put in hand – had no doubt the authorities at the college would be entirely understanding, would send one of his confidential clerks about the matter –

Excellent fellow!

That is above and beyond kind – am still in shock

Quite so. The best thing would be to go to bed and have a good night’s rest.

Cretia squeezed his hands, as he managed to detach himself and walk with not too much stumbling to the staircase.

These violent delights have violent ends, he thought, as he blew out the candle, and thought that surely, he felt so exhausted, he would sleep like the dead.

But did not. His thoughts were a clamorous agitation. Indeed there had been no particular fraternal affection 'twixt 'em. But he had not in the least been an envious younger brother, resentful of the eldest’s position. He had been exceedingly glad not to be the heir – to be able to pursue a different path –

He groaned. Doubtless his father was already plotting, making plans – one might hope that they would be checked somewhat by the conventions of mourning – surely it would look extremely vulgar to be displaying him about Society with Talshaw barely cold –

All he had desired was to have the quiet life of an Oxford fellow, pursuing scholarship, alleviated by a little recreation in Town made possible by the independence good old Brackley had provided him –

Grinnie sat up. Independence.

He had a modest competence of his own. His father could not flourish the power of the purse-strings over him. He did not have to knuckle down and comply with his demands. It would be – he gulped – uncomfortable perchance to point that out, but far less uncomfortable than being paraded about as a Marquess’s heir, ripe for marriage.

He had no great desire to live lavishly – but already came to an apprehension that Mr Brackley had left him comfortable, and that his enterprize with Roberts and Wilson was doing exceeding well, along with Mr Grigson’s sound advice on investments. He was no poor scholar of Oxenforde, but a gentleman of independent means.

His mouth went to a wry twist. From stray comments of Iffling’s and Grigson’s, very like his father would be touching him for assistance!

Feeling his mind a good deal more at rest, he lay down again, and was shortly asleep.

The following day saw off his friends, that clasped his hand and grasped his shoulder, and said, was there anything they might do, and expressed their gratitude to their host and hostess.

Assured 'em that he intended to be remet with 'em in college, in due course.

Then there was a deal of to-do over mourning-wear – and cards – and waiting upon hearing about the funeral –

And another telegram from Father to say would call the morrow to see Lord Peregrine –

He had already opened somewhat of his intentions to Grigson and Cretia. Grigson gave his small smile, and said, thought the best place for this interview would be the library – no, would not in the least be displacing Miss Jupp –

Not in the least, said Cretia with a sigh, sure there is a deal of correspondence upon my hands – apologies for occasions I must now decline to attend – replies to the condolences that have already started arriving – and you know, Grinnie, we must go call at Trembourne House this very day.

Quite so, he responded, we should certainly not delay going to Mama and Myo.

So here they were at Trembourne House, and receiving condolences from Lady Undersedge – her husband being in the Nuttenford mining districts – and Lady Eleanor. What an exemplary woman was Lady Undersedge – Averdale had taken her in great admiration, quoted A perfect woman, nobly planned, to warn, to comfort and command, one might imagine her the lady in some castle of the Middle Ages, ruling it and defending it whilst her lord was off crusading – it must be entirely the best thing for Mama and Myo to be here.

Mama sighed and said, it was the way of things that she had had so little to do with Talshaw after his infancy – much more so than with you and Lucie – being reared as the heir – but –

She appeared about to say more and then glanced over at Myo and seemed to think better of it.

Myo was looking in health – quite blooming, in fact – Jimsie very attentive –

They hoped that he would come to Worblewood in the summer? They would be very quiet there, and that splendid chap Chilfer was going to come about excavating the Roman villa. Surely there could be no objection?

A very attractive prospect!

It was entirely less heavy a rencontre than he had anticipated.

But he did not look forward to seeing his father.

It has been a most strategic notion of Grigson to suggest the library; putting the encounter as 'twere on Grinnie’s ground. Surrounded by his old friends arrayed upon the shelves.

He was already there, perusing Rasselas, when his father was shown in. He stood up and bowed. Did not expect any manifestations of emotion – no handclasp, no embrace – and was proved correct. His father nodded. Peregrine.

That chair is the most comfortable, he said, going to ring for a footman to fetch – what would his father desire at this time o’ day?

Ah. Brandy. That would account for that unhealthy flush – sure he was looking his years! – Grinnie nodded to the footman and desired coffee for himself.

His father looked around and commenced upon crying up the library at Roughton Arching, that had been writ up in The Speculum – Grinnie doubted his father often visited it but of course that was quite the accolade.

Once they were settled with brandy and coffee, and appropriate sentiments exchanged, he decided to take the Nelson line and sail straight ahead by declaring his intention to complete his final term at Oxford. Somewhat to his surprize, his father conceded this without too much grumbling – showed a very meritorious desire to finish what he had started, a proper seriousness.

No doubt that was a contrast to his late brother, everything by starts and nothing long.

He would, alas, have to decline the fellowship – but was coming about to perceive that one might pursue learning beyond college walls – from the corner of his eye he could see, piled on one of the small tables, the various classical works Vicky Jupp was at present studying. This chap Chilfer sounded entirely up to the mark in matters of archaeology – had not he and his set only lately quite basked in the erudition of Mr MacDonald and Sir Jacob Samuels? Was there not that quite shining example, Her Grace of Mulcaster? Offgrange was noted for his studies in botany - No, he need not renounce scholarship.

There was, of course, the proposition that he should spend the summer at Roughton Arching, a prospect that had filled Grinnie’s heart with positively Gothick gloom. Fortunately he was able to advance his invitation to Worblewood – will be living very quiet – Trembourne still in mourning for his father – Myo in a delicate condition – understand they have also invited Lucie –

His father slowly nodded. And you may ride over to Roughton Arching to meet with the stewards &C – there will fellows coming from Firkins over various matters –

Well, that could not be avoided, he supposed. Provided they did not arrive with a marriage contract ready drawn up! For while one saw that one would have to wed in due course, now that one was not going to live the life of a celibate scholar, one should like to look about a little first. Was it only so that one did not make some terrible mistake and be condemned to the cat and dog life that Rina had with Iffling.

These matters settled, his father did not linger.

It was only after his departure that Peregrine realized that his father had said naught about money and thus must still be in ignorance that he was a young man of means. Mayhap just as well.


gremdark: An image of children's book characters Elephant and Piggie. Gerald the elephant is exclaiming, "The book ends?" (the book ends?)
[personal profile] gremdark
(NSFW fics are fully indexed, but SFW is a work in progress)
Hello! Thank you so much for considering podficcing my work!
This is a list of fanfics written by me, matched to the Battleship 2025 tags they contain. It's very long, so you'll probably want to navigate by expanding the list and using CTRL + F. 
This list is in good faith and as accurate as I can make it. Everything on my AO3 profiles (Emmalylis and gremdark) is under blanket permission for podfic and other recursive fanworks.
Format is Title (fandom, word count to nearest hundred): tag A, tag B, tag C

NSFW Fics: )

SFW Fics:
 

Jeremy Greer

Jul. 1st, 2025 09:25 pm
radiantfracture: (Orion)
[personal profile] radiantfracture
Of all the things to be grieving right now, this is a weird personal parasocial one. You have been warned.

Jeremy Greer )

§rf§

Sales and other updatey things

Jul. 1st, 2025 08:18 pm
catherineldf: (Default)
[personal profile] catherineldf
Spent the weekend peddling books at TC Pride and it was a....LOT. Hot, sporadic rainstorms (with a big one overnight that trashed some folk's tents) and other wackiness. Full writeup here. Short version: terrible location, lower sales than last year, a state funeral next door with all that goes with that, primo people watching, good chats, nice folks and TC Pride in all its gigantic glory. Also, vendor pals gave me a piece of really tasty homemade coffeecake and Alexa (my assistant) is a champ.

The other cool thing that happened was that the Queen of Swords Press reissue of the classic gay fantasy, Point of Hopes (Astreiant #1) by Melissa Scott and Lisa A. Barnett, won the Midwest Book Award from the Midwest Independent Publisher's Association! Very pleased about this. Hopes was our third title to be a finalist for these awards and is now our second award-winning title after The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper by A.J. Fitzwater, winner of a Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Collection. :-D

2 days left on the Pride StoryBundle! Melissa and I got a really great lineup this year and we've raised $770 for Rainbow Railroad so far. I might add that the proceeds from this will also be a nice help to the participating publishers and authors, including my own press, and that, seeing as I will be unemployed by Thursday, my half of the curator's fee will help cover my travel expenses for Readercon which would be super helpful. If you're in a position to get one and it looks appealing, maybe pick one up?

The Summer/Winter Smashwords Sale has also kicked off today and you can get a great deal on Queen of Swords Press titles, including my own books. This is traditionally a solid sale for us and it means that I can pay myself more this month if it goes well. Also, speaking of sales, the audiobook for my second Wolves of Wolf's Point novel, Blood Moon, is on sale right now through 7/15. The narrator that Tantor hired is really good - I've been enjoying listening to her reading my books while I get regrounded for/in Book 3.

What am I going to do for the next couple of weeks? Honestly, rest. Write. Read. Get caught up on projects like the developmental editing class I paid to take online...last year. Clear some stuff out of the house. Put some things up for sale. Spend time with people who I've wanted to see for quite a while. Spend some time with my kitties (I don't think Shu will be around a whole lot longer). Can I afford to retire? Alas, no. But I have got to unglue from the ceiling and the last 8 months of this job have been toxic with a cherry on top. I will need to start job hunting soon after I get back from Readercon though and possibly exploring other areas of endeavor if IT has dried up for me so lots of uncertainty ahead. In the meantime, if you are in a position to support me recovering for a bit, consider pledging the Patreon and buying a book or two. I also have a Ko-fi and will be more active out there soon. Stay tuned! More updates ahead.
And hugs to everyone who needs them.




Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way

Jul. 1st, 2025 10:37 pm
psocoptera: ink drawing of celtic knot (Default)
[personal profile] psocoptera
Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way, written by Ryan North, art by Chris Fenoglio, 2024 graphic novel. I tricked myself out of Hugos hooky by reading this book not on my own voting behalf but on the theory of just looking into it to see if I thought someone else should bother, and then it was fun and I got hooked and it was a nice evening's read. Cute and clever take on the choose-your-own-adventure format, satisfying story, worked for me even though I don't know the slightest thing about Lower Decks (but I do know TOS/TNG decently well and there were a lot of references). And now I suppose I might as well take a look at the rest of the graphic category, maybe, hm.

Rules for Ghosting

Jul. 1st, 2025 09:49 pm
psocoptera: ink drawing of celtic knot (Default)
[personal profile] psocoptera
Rules for Ghosting, Shelly Jay Shore, 2024 novel. I was still playing Hugos hooky, after also reading two-thirds of Asunder which got interrupted when my ebook expired, but I have a paper copy as of this afternoon so expect to hear about that soon. I came across this book in a couple of different contexts (a book group I'm not in but am adjacent to was reading it, etc) and was intrigued - queer (m/m) romance, literal ghosts, Jewish funeral customs? Sure! If that sounds good to you you will probably also enjoy it, although I felt like it was stronger as a family drama in some ways than as a romance - it almost felt like some of the early "getting to know each other" scenes might have been deleted for length, since there was a kind of weird jump to them knowing more about each other than had happened on the page. Pluses: learning about taharah and shmira, interesting low-key take on including paranormal elements. Minuses: dog squick (really hard for me to enjoy a schmoopy scene of the couple kissing and cuddling if one of them just kissed his dog, ew ew ew), author mentioned in a Q&A at the back of the book that she was picturing one of the couple as an actor whose face I hate, which kind of ruined the ship for me tbh. I mean, at least I had already finished the book, but it killed any post-romance-novel afterglow. Maybe don't read the Q&A if you have any actors whose faces you hate. Could be a plus or minus: I am not qualified to evaluate how good a job Shore did writing in a trans POV, but it seemed reasonable to me? But also seems plausible that a review by a transmasc person might point out things I wouldn't catch? (Shore herself is a she/they person.)

(no subject)

Jul. 1st, 2025 09:01 pm
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[personal profile] flamingsword
Today has been a day of cramps, grocery shopping, more cramps, talking to people on the phone, learning to debone a chicken, and having figured out when to do class work to get ahead of schedule without getting a headache from the overhead fan throwing flickering shadows over everything when the sunshine is coming in the clerestory window.

Let’s hope that works out tomorrow.
sovay: (Otachi: Pacific Rim)
[personal profile] sovay
Rabbit, rabbit! I had to go for my annual physical this afternoon, but I stopped by Porter Square Books afterward to collect a book for my mother and look what was part of their summer sea-display:



I had wanted to write about so many queer films for June, but the month disappeared. Fortunately before we ran out of the formal observance of Pride, [personal profile] rushthatspeaks and I made it to Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Querelle (1982) at the Coolidge. It was adapted from the 1947 novel by Jean Genet, but I have never seen anything onscreen that more resembled the novels of Chip Delany. Meant in sincere compliment, it is one of the sweatiest films I have ever seen. It looks like it smells like a porno theater. Its antihero is straight out of Tom of Finland with his sailor's tight, tight white trousers and muscular cleavage revealed by the barest excuse for an A-shirt, his boyish, chiseled, louche face under his insolently cocked bachi in the sullen, enticing haze that never varies from the sodium-smoke of just after sunset or just before dawn, a perpetual cruising hour. The sea-wall of its fantasized Brest is studded with stone phalli, anatomically complete with slit and balls. All graffiti in town is dicks. The chanteuse of the dive bar sings Wilde like Dietrich, but some of the construction workers with their buff hard hats are playing video games while the naval lieutenant who pines for Querelle records his poetically criminal obsessions into a portable tape recorder. The bare-chested, leather-vested cop at the bar actually is a cop outside of it, where he looks just as fetishistic in his fedora and black leather trenchcoat. Every interaction between men looks like a negotiation or a seduction whether it is one or not, although on some level it always is, regardless of the no-homo excuses manufactured to allow their bodies to meet. Constantly, metaphysically, literally, this movie fucks. Its hothouse, bathhouse sexuality must have come in just under the cutting wire of AIDS. I have no idea what it would offer a viewer with no sexual or aesthetic interest in men except its philosophy, although as my husband notes the philosophy is actually quite good, deconstructing its hard masc signifiers as much as it gets off on them, dissolving in and out of the words and ultimately the life of Genet; the theatricality of its interlocked sets and swelteringly flamboyant lighting would look entirely natural on the stage. It quotes Plutarch and stages a hand job that without a glimpse of cock would have caused mass apoplexies in the Breen office. (Send it back in time, please.) It was my introduction to Fassbinder and if I had seen it as an adolescent, I imagine it would have had much the same effect as Tanith Lee. It was introduced by the series programmer wearing leather in its honor and a T-shirt for Kenneth Anger's Scorpio Rising (1963). It made a superb date movie.

Books read, June 2025

Jul. 1st, 2025 01:22 pm
swan_tower: The Long Room library at Trinity College, Dublin (Long Room)
[personal profile] swan_tower
Death in the Spires, K.J. Charles. An excellent historical mystery, straddling the turn of the nineteenth century into the twentieth. Years ago, an Oxford student was murdered in his room; thanks to one small detail of this case, the surviving members of his group of friends know that one of their number must have done it. But no one has ever been convicted.

The detail in question felt slightly contrived to me, but I accept it as the set-up for what is otherwise an engaging story about personal relationships. The novel proceeds in two parallel tracks, one building up the history of these friends at university, the other showing what's become of them since the murder. It does the thing a dual-timeline novel needs to do, which is keep suspense around the past: yes, we know who's going to get murdered, but the lead-up to that matters quite a lot, first as we see how this group coalesced into such brilliance they were nicknamed the "Seven Wonders," and then as we see how things fell apart to a degree that you can form plausible arguments for basically anybody being the murderer. (I say "basically" because it's deeply unlikely that the protagonist, who is digging back into the case against the advice of everyone around him, is the killer. There are stories that would pull that trick, but this never pretends it's one of them.)

I found the ending particularly gratifying. The past sections do enough to make you like and sympathize with the characters that finding out who's responsible is genuinely a fraught question; once the answer comes out, there's a deeply satisfying sequence that tackles the question of what justice ought to look like in this situation -- for more than one crime. Those who deserve it wind up with their bonds of friendship tentatively healing after years of rift. I got this rec from Marissa Lingen, and she tells me there will be a sequel; I look forward to it enormously.

Read more... )
[syndicated profile] reactor_feed

Posted by Vanessa Armstrong

News Neuromancer

Neuromancer Teaser Welcomes Us to Chatsubo as Show Goes Into Production

The Apple TV+ series stars Callum Turner as Case.

By

Published on July 1, 2025

Screenshot: Apple TV+

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<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Vanessa Armstrong</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/neuromancer-teaser-welcomes-us-to-chatsubo-as-show-goes-into-production/">https://reactormag.com/neuromancer-teaser-welcomes-us-to-chatsubo-as-show-goes-into-production/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817368">https://reactormag.com/?p=817368</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/news/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag News 0"> News </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/neuromancer/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Neuromancer 1"> Neuromancer </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1"><i>Neuromancer</i> Teaser Welcomes Us to Chatsubo as Show Goes Into Production</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">The Apple TV+ series stars Callum Turner as Case.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&amp;_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/vanessa-armstrong/" title="Posts by Vanessa Armstrong" class="author url fn" rel="author">Vanessa Armstrong</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on July 1, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-vertical [&amp;_a]:link"><p>Screenshot: Apple TV+</p> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/neuromancer-teaser-welcomes-us-to-chatsubo-as-show-goes-into-production/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 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https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/neuromancer-768x513.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/neuromancer-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/neuromancer.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-horizontal [&amp;_a]:link"><p>Screenshot: Apple TV+</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>Today is the first day of July, which is also the forty-first anniversary of <a href="https://reactormag.com/a-transformative-classic-neuromancer-by-william-gibson/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">when William Gibson’s <em>Neuromancer</em></a> was first published. Happy birthday, cyberpunk!</p> <p>To celebrate the occasion, the Apple TV+ released a teaser for<a href="https://reactormag.com/william-gibsons-neuromancer-is-getting-a-series-adaptation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> the television adaptation we first heard about over a year ago</a> and let us know that the show is now officially in production, meaning that it will succeed in being the first adaptation of Gibson’s iconic novel to make its way to the screen.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>The teaser is very much that, just a few seconds of panning in on a sci-fi looking bar, with the words, “Bar Chatsubo” flickering to life in neon. Those who’ve read the book are familiar with the establishment; a watering hole in Ninsei of Chiba City that the book’s protagonist liked to visit.&nbsp;</p> <p>Apple TV+’s <em>Neuromancer</em>, according to the streamer, “follows a damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case (Callum Turner) who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly (Briana Middleton), a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets.”</p> <p>In addition to Turner and Middleton, the show stars Joseph Lee, Mark Strong, Cleménce Poésy, Peter Sarsgaard, Emma Laird,Dane DeHaan, André De Shields, Max Irons, and Marc Menchaca. It comes from Graham Roland (<em>Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Dark Winds</em>) and JD Dillard (<em>Devotion, The Outsider, Sleight</em>), with Roland serving as showrunner and Dillard directing the pilot.</p> <p>No news yet on when ten-episode series will premiere on Apple TV+.</p> <p>Check out the teaser below.[end-mark]</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <site-embed id="8538"/> </div></figure> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/neuromancer-teaser-welcomes-us-to-chatsubo-as-show-goes-into-production/">&lt;i&gt;Neuromancer&lt;/i&gt; Teaser Welcomes Us to Chatsubo as Show Goes Into Production</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/neuromancer-teaser-welcomes-us-to-chatsubo-as-show-goes-into-production/">https://reactormag.com/neuromancer-teaser-welcomes-us-to-chatsubo-as-show-goes-into-production/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817368">https://reactormag.com/?p=817368</a></p>
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Posted by Stefan Raets

Excerpts Young Adult

Read an Excerpt From Sky on Fire by E.K. Johnston

This character-driven space fantasy, set in the world of Aetherbound, entwines Arthurian myth and the history of North Atlantic fisheries.

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Published on July 1, 2025

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<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Stefan Raets</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/excerpts-sky-on-fire-by-e-k-johnston/">https://reactormag.com/excerpts-sky-on-fire-by-e-k-johnston/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817178">https://reactormag.com/?p=817178</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-vertical"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/fictions/excerpts/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Excerpts 0"> Excerpts </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/young-adult/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Young Adult 1"> Young Adult </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1">Read an Excerpt From <i>Sky on Fire</i> by E.K. Johnston</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">This character-driven space fantasy, set in the world of Aetherbound, entwines Arthurian myth and the history of North Atlantic fisheries.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&amp;_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/e-k-johnston/" title="Posts by E.K. Johnston" class="author url fn" rel="author">E.K. Johnston</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on July 1, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/excerpts-sky-on-fire-by-e-k-johnston/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 0 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Read an Excerpt From &lt;i&gt;Sky on Fire&lt;/i&gt; by E.K. 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17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="407" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire-header-740x407.png" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Cover of Sky on Fire by E.K. Johnston." srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire-header-740x407.png 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire-header-1100x605.png 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire-header-768x422.png 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire-header.png 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>We&#8217;re thrilled to share an excerpt from <em><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611593/sky-on-fire-by-ek-johnston/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Sky on Fire</strong></a></em> by E.K. Johnston, a fast-paced and thought-provoking queer sci-fi/fantasy novel publishing with Dutton Books for Young Readers on July 22<sup>nd</sup>.</p> <div style="height:5px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>Morgan Enni has things to do. A science prodigy in a university full of mage-scientists, she’s notable for having no magical ability, which only increases her ambition and drive to prove herself. Her research has the potential to devastate every aetherworker in the galaxy and shake the crumbled foundations of the Stavenger Empire. It&#8217;s no wonder she can&#8217;t find anyone who wants to listen to her, much less fund her expedition.<br><br>But Morgan is stubborn, and eventually her work catches the attention of a group of rebels, who hope it might turn the tide in their favour. When they try to recruit the young scientist, they get much more than they bargained for. Morgan Enni has secrets of her own.</p></blockquote></figure> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>Morgan Enni had things to do, but in the quiet of Katla Station’s designated early morning, she took a moment to breathe. </p> <p>It was the last time she’d be sleeping in this bed for a while, and she was strangely reluctant to get out of it and start moving around. The bed itself was nothing special, just a simple frame and mattress that she’d purchased from a shop she couldn’t be bothered to remember the name of. She hadn’t even physically gone to it, electing to shop in her preferred manner: selecting an item from the online catalogue and waiting for the mostly anonymous delivery. It wasn’t stylish or, even worse, sexy. It was functional. Her aunt had wanted to furnish the apartment with more flourish and flounce, and had tried to drag Morgan to a whole variety of stores. Eventually they’d compromised and used a public display terminal that offered virtual projections instead. Even then, Morgan had been hard pressed to simplify the decorations, but she had succeeded at least in the matter of the bedroom.</p> <p>Aunt Vianne meant well. She’d brought Morgan to Katla when she was small and vulnerable, and somehow already too much for her parents to deal with. Katla had much better schools and better teachers for those without gene-sense, Vianne had said, convincing her sister to give up a child she didn’t understand. It would be better for everyone. Morgan hadn’t been consulted, and at the time she’d been terrified, but as the years passed, she had come to realize that Vianne was absolutely correct. Katla, the most influential of the remaining stations, was the place where Morgan would thrive.</p> <p>It was just that, on occasion, Vianne tended to surround them both with <em>things</em>. Morgan had learned to make herself comfortable in her aunt’s home. She had her own bedroom, a proper one, which was a blessing she hadn’t had in her parents’ cramped allotment, and Vianne was always ready with a new booklet or data-crystal when Morgan was bored with her primary studies. From the time she was six until she was sixteen, Morgan’s life was cluttered, but it was good. When it came time for her to move into an apartment closer to her laboratory, she started putting her foot down. A little bit. Particularly in matters concerning throw pillows. Morgan very much enjoyed comfort, and she loved and appreciated Aunt Vianne, but she also liked having space. Space was like quiet: it made it easier to think.</p> <p>She was surrounded by quiet with some frequency. She worked alone in her lab. She had lived alone in her apartment for two years now. Given any choice in the matter, she’d sit alone in public places with a book or a datapad, and no one to interrupt her. However, there was a special kind of silence to the hours when the people on Katla started to think about getting up but hadn’t yet started going about their daily bustle. A waiting sort of quiet, which suited her just fine.</p> <section class="wp-block-shop-the-book shop-the-book"> <h2 class="shop-the-book-headline">Buy the Book</h2> <div class="shop-the-book-content"> <figure class="shop-the-book-image-desktop image-cover"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="450" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Sky on Fire" /> </figure> <div class="grow shrink basis-0"> <div class="flex items-center"> <figure class="shop-the-book-image-mobile image-cover"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="450" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Sky on Fire" /> </figure> <div class="grow shrink basis-0"> <h3 class="shop-the-book-title text-h3">Sky on Fire</h3> <p class="shop-the-book-author">E.K. Johnston</p> </div> </div> <button type="button" class="inline-block px-8 py-4 text-center btn tablet:py-3 text-h6 bg-red text-white shop-the-book-button" id="buy_book" data-trigger="modal" data-target="#modal-1751405165" aria-open="false" aria-label="Buy Book"> <span class="inline-flex items-center button-label btn-label"> Buy Book </span> </button> </div> </div> <div id="modal-1751405165" class="shop-the-book-modal"> <div class="shop-the-book-modal-inner"> <button class="js-modal-close absolute top-5 right-5 z-10" type="button" aria-label="close modal"> <svg class="w-[19px] h-[19px]" width="18" height="19" viewbox="0 0 18 19" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="close" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M1 17L17 1" stroke="black" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" /> <path d="M1 17L17 1" stroke="black" stroke-opacity="0.2" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" /> <path d="M17 17.0809L1 1.08093" stroke="black" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" /> <path d="M17 17.0809L1 1.08093" stroke="black" stroke-opacity="0.2" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" /> </svg> </button> <div class="shop-the-book-modal-content"> <figure class="shop-the-book-modal-image-desktop image-cover"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="450" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Sky on Fire" /> </figure> <div class="grow shrink basis-0"> <div class="flex items-center"> <figure class="shop-the-book-modal-image-mobile image-cover"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="450" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sky-on-Fire.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Sky on Fire" /> </figure> <div class="grow shrink basis-0"> <h3 class="shop-the-book-modal-title">Sky on Fire</h3> <p class="shop-the-book-modal-author">E.K. Johnston</p> </div> </div> <p class="shop-the-book-modal-label">Buy this book from:</p> <ul class="not-prose ebook-links ebook-links-shortcode"><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DKN85BN9?tag=tordotcomgeneral-20" data-book-title="Sky on Fire" data-book-store="Amazon"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">Amazon</span></a></li><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/7992675/type/dlg/sid/tordotcomgeneral/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/9781984816160" data-book-title="Sky on Fire" data-book-store="Barnes and Noble"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">Barnes and Noble</span></a></li><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781984816177" data-book-title="Sky on Fire" data-book-store="iBooks"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">iBooks</span></a></li><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781984816160" data-book-title="Sky on Fire" data-book-store="IndieBound"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">IndieBound</span></a></li><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=9781984816160" data-book-title="Sky on Fire" data-book-store="Target"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">Target</span></a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <p>Morgan Enni felt like she had been waiting for something all her life. Test results, acceptance letters, scholarship approvals, ethics committee decisions, and this morning was no different. Once she got out of bed and started making noise, it would be time to face the harder part of waiting. Here, under a sensible quilt, she was at least cozy and could imagine that waiting was comfortable. When she got up, she would have to check her messages, and then she would know for certain whether the thing she had been waiting for the most was going to happen.</p> <p>Because there is very little dignity in the human form, her bladder made the decision for her.</p> <p>The humming started as soon as her feet hit the floor. The coffeepot began heating water and a randomized selection of pastries and fruit juices appeared on the counter as the freshseal around them retracted. An overly friendly notification appeared on the counter of her kitchenette informing her how many calories she was advised to consume, based on her previous day’s activity. Morgan ignored it and headed into the bathroom. She would eat when she was hungry. Probably. Sometimes work was more important than a grumbling belly.</p> <p>By the time she was finished with her morning ablutions, the coffee was hot, and cream and sugar had appeared next to the pastries. The calorie notification was replaced by a message reminding her that she would need to reorder several food items if she wanted to have breakfast tomorrow morning. Morgan did not—or at least, not here—so she cancelled the order. An assumption, but she had a good feeling about how her last grant application had gone. She wouldn’t be here tomorrow. She was sure of it.</p> <p>There were several schools and academies on Katla, designated for higher learning or specialized training of some kind. It was these facilities that Vianne Enni had brought Morgan to Katla to take advantage of, and Morgan did not disappoint her. Only the æther-college was selective, requiring some level of gene-sense from those it admitted. Every other college would admit anyone who submitted an application. After that, staying was up to the student’s abilities. Aunt Vianne taught in the physics department at Katla’s primary university, and so that’s where Morgan decided to go. Her aunt had never treated her like a burden, but even as a child, Morgan was wise enough to take advantage of getting free tuition as the ward of an employee.</p> <p>There were no age restrictions at the university, and the application system tried to be as innominate as possible to give everyone a fair chance with the admissions board. Therefore, many professors were quite alarmed when a small, dark-haired girl-child marched into their classrooms and took a seat in the front row, feet swinging above the floor. At least, they were alarmed the first time. Morgan had quickly proven she belonged, and more than kept up with the fifteen-and sixteen-year-olds the university usually admitted.</p> <p>The university had been a second home to Morgan from the time she was twelve. In those sterile white rooms and under the too-bright lights, she absorbed every piece of information her instructors had been willing to give her. With Aunt Vianne’s encouragement, she took extra classes and attended every guest lecture. Some of them were quite controversial—there had been protests and strongly worded letters—but Morgan went all the same. Politics, history, mathematics, hydroculture, every kind of science, even the theories of æther-work, Morgan threw herself into the black vacuum space of Katla’s seemingly endless educational opportunities, and since nature abhors a vacuum, knowledge rushed in.</p> <p>The problems began when she started asking questions.</p> <p>The coffeepot beeped loudly, reminding her that her morning stimulant was prepared. Morgan stirred cream and sugar into the dark liquid, and then alternated between drinking it and eating the pastries. She was just beginning the dishwash cycle and programming the freshseal when a lower-pitched hum joined the harmony made by her kitchen implements. The trains were running; the inevitable could no longer be put off. Katla’s day had begun.</p> <p>Morgan fastened a lid on one of the fruit juices and palmed the button on the wall that would flip her apartment over from its domestic setting to its professional one. A frosted glass screen came down to block her kitchenette and the bed folded up into the wall. Her desk unfolded as soon as the floor was clear, and her work-chair rose from its niche in the floor. As she sat down, a series of monitors turned on, glowing softly as they waited for input. A small red circle flashed in the corner of her inbox.</p> <p>Aunt Vianne had been very understanding when Morgan decided to move out. Young people on Katla had a great deal of independence, and the station was currently in an underpopulated phase, so there were plenty of options. Several of the students Morgan would have been in school with had she progressed at a regular rate had all sought apartments at the same time. Vianne never for a moment thought Morgan would opt for a co-living situation. Instead, she imagined something glamorous, possibly with an outside viewport, high up in one of Katla’s spires. Morgan had the accumulated credit to afford something like that, but absolutely no desire for it.</p> <p>Instead, Morgan chose a small, compact apartment in Katla’s great ring, near one of the main transportation hubs. It had noisier corridors and walkways than the spires did, as people travelled to and from work or school. There was always a variety of street food available, and the shops were stocked with clothes and books that Morgan found suitable, even if her aunt thought they were a little gauche.</p> <p>If asked, Morgan couldn’t have said what drew her to this section of the station. She wasn’t slumming it by any means. Katla didn’t really have slums, though it did have an underbelly that was not discussed in polite society. She certainly didn’t hang out with her neighbours or even meet up with other grad students at the local restaurants and bars, though there were people she saw on a regular basis—picking up dinner on the way home, waiting for the trainway, that sort of thing. It was the oldest part of the station, the part the Stavengers had built to secure the Net and the Well so they could send their ships on to Brannick and ill-fated Enragon as soon as possible.</p> <p>The truth was that this was the part of Katla that relied the least on gene-sense. There were no arboretums or flashing signs, no view of the stars for those who could orient themselves. The tech was a bit older, the uses more practical. Everything was functional but lacked the flair that gene-mages couldn’t seem to resist adding to everything they did. Morgan liked it that way.</p> <p>It was not that her parents had been disappointed when she was born without a connection to the æther, it was simply more that it was a surprise. Like most people on Skúvoy Station, neither of Morgan’s parents was particularly adept. They each possessed enough magic to guarantee a job at one of Skúvoy’s many factories, but nothing more. Without gene-sense, Morgan’s future employment options on the station were extremely limited, and no one on Skúvoy prized academics. This was not something that bothered her as a toddler. Only when her sister was born did Morgan realize what she was missing.</p> <p>The baby’s reception was far more animated than anything she had seen before. Whereas Morgan had always been greeted with hushed whispers—maybe a coo if she fussed—the new baby was exclaimed over excitedly and passed from person to person like a prize. Morgan was smart enough to understand by then and had retreated into her shell. Now the neighbours all said she was aloof and strange. Morgan had been in the process of shutting down when her aunt Vianne arrived. Her mother’s sister was a force to be reckoned with, and she swept into Morgan’s life like a rocket.</p> <p>Morgan could hardly remember what her sister looked like, though she was pretty sure the baby had been blond and cheerful. She’d still been an infant when Morgan left, and there was no telling what she would look like now, more than a decade later. Morgan didn’t miss her family, nor did she resent them, nor even hate æther. She just didn’t want to constantly be reminded of the family that didn’t understand her for her singular difference. Especially when they all shared the same secret, buried deep in the past and kept in their very name.</p> <p>Vianne probably understood that long before Morgan did herself, and that was why her aunt did not put up much of a protest when Morgan decided to move to such an unfashionable part of Katla Station. Instead, Vianne helped her pack and only quietly grumbled about the ascetic nature of Morgan’s design preferences, while trying to discreetly add wallpaper accents to brighten up the kitchenette.</p> <p>Now, as the message notification flashed on the otherwise inactive screens, Morgan wished her aunt was here. If it was good news, Aunt Vianne would be proud of her. If it was bad news, she’d swear loudly and promise to make disparaging remarks at future interdepartmental meetings. Morgan had outpaced Vianne a long time ago, when it came to brain power and raw ambition. Rather than get angry about it, Vianne had been thrilled. Her niece was now even more of a problem for everyone else on the faculty, and Vianne watched with unfettered glee as department heads courted her niece, while also grinding their teeth over what more than one of them referred to as obstinacy.</p> <p>Morgan took a deep breath and opened the message from the university. Immediately, three faces filled the screens in front of her. Apparently, the advisory board had felt strongly enough about their decision that they’d recorded a message instead of just writing one. That didn’t give Morgan any clue as to what their decision <em>was</em>, though. Honestly, it could go either way.</p> <p>“Ms. Morgan Enni, greetings. We hope this recording finds you well,” the committee chair began. Dr. Argir was an older man, white skin made even paler by a lack of time spent under the solar simulation lamps. “We have considered your research application and are prepared to give our decision.”</p> <p>“We would like to commend you for the changes you have made to your research proposal.” This second speaker was Dr. Mattsen, the head of Morgan’s own department. She had supported Morgan right up until the moment she started showing initiative. Now Morgan’s brevity was unprofessional, where before it had been practical, and her ideas were untenable, where they used to be cutting edge. “It shows a great deal of professional development in regard to your response to critique.”</p> <p>Not enough that they were willing to have this chat in person, or even live. But to be fair, Morgan had called them all some relatively creative names the last time they’d rejected her face-to-face. She didn’t really want to meet with them either. She just wanted the courtesy before they gave her the resources she needed to disappear from their orbits for a while.</p> <p>“We still have a great many concerns about your primary research goals,” the committee chair said. “But my esteemed colleague has made several arguments in your defense.”</p> <p>“Morgan, I know how dedicated you are to this idea, even with the doubts expressed by many of my peers.” The third speaker was Dr. Morunt, a gene-mage who taught medical cooperation techniques for doctors like himself working with their non-mage counterparts. He had held his position in absentia until recently, when he finally came back to Katla after years off-station doing something Morgan didn’t care about. Morgan couldn’t stand him, but he had been unexpectedly supportive, and it was because of his recent addition to the committee that she had been given a second chance. “This, in combination with your secondary research objectives, has allowed us to grant you the funding you’ve requested.”</p> <p>Morgan almost tipped her chair over.</p> <p>“Effective immediately, you are a Research-Wanderer, with permission to leave Katla Station to pursue your academic goals.” Dr. Argir didn’t bother to hide his annoyance at the fact that she’d been successful. “Please make sure you sign the attached waivers and file your reports in the appropriate manner.”</p> <p>“Good luck, Research-Wanderer Enni,” said Dr. Morunt, a wry expression on his face. If she cared about his opinions beyond his ability to get her what she wanted, Morgan might have been amused by his odd commitment to her cause. He didn’t so much as blink as he congratulated and then dismissed her. “I still hope you’re wrong.”</p> <div style="height:5px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p class="has-sm-font-size">Excerpted from <em>Sky on Fire</em>, copyright © 2025 by E.K. Johnston.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/excerpts-sky-on-fire-by-e-k-johnston/">Read an Excerpt From &lt;i&gt;Sky on Fire&lt;/i&gt; by E.K. Johnston</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/excerpts-sky-on-fire-by-e-k-johnston/">https://reactormag.com/excerpts-sky-on-fire-by-e-k-johnston/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817178">https://reactormag.com/?p=817178</a></p>
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Posted by Vanessa Armstrong

News Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Adds Skeleton Crew and The Penguin Alums to Cast

The Disney+ series comes from Jon Favreau.

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Published on July 1, 2025

Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm

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<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Vanessa Armstrong</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-adds-skeleton-crew-and-the-penguin-alums-to-cast/">https://reactormag.com/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-adds-skeleton-crew-and-the-penguin-alums-to-cast/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817390">https://reactormag.com/?p=817390</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/news/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag News 0"> News </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Oswald the Lucky Rabbit 1"> Oswald the Lucky Rabbit </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1"><i>Oswald the Lucky Rabbit</i> Adds <i>Skeleton Crew</i> and <i>The Penguin</i> Alums to Cast</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">The Disney+ series comes from Jon Favreau.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&amp;_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/vanessa-armstrong/" title="Posts by Vanessa Armstrong" class="author url fn" rel="author">Vanessa Armstrong</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on July 1, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-vertical [&amp;_a]:link"><p>Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm</p> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-adds-skeleton-crew-and-the-penguin-alums-to-cast/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 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Disney+." srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GR-FF-004147-740x494.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GR-FF-004147-1100x734.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GR-FF-004147-768x512.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GR-FF-004147-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GR-FF-004147.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-horizontal [&amp;_a]:link"><p>Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p><a href="https://reactormag.com/jon-favreau-is-moving-from-the-mandalorian-to-oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-tv-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jon Favreau’s Disney+ series, <em>Oswald the Lucky Rabbit</em></a>, is moving forward with some casting news.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/06/jon-favreau-oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-casts-leads-1236446096/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deadline</a>, the young actors Ravi Cabot-Conyers (pictured above as Wim in <em><a href="https://reactormag.com/star-wars-skeleton-crew-first-trailer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,</a> </em>and who also voiced Antonio in <em>Encanto</em>), Mykal-Michelle Harris (<em>Big Little Lies, Raven’s Home</em>), and Ryder Allen (aka young Oswald in <em>The Penguin</em>) have joined the series. </p> <p>Cabot-Conyers will play Jake, “a hardworking middle school student with a big heart,” Harris will play Jen, “an artistic middle schooler who is always ahead of the game,” and Allen will play Taylor, “a middle school student who is cautious but avoids turning down his friends.”</p> <p>The three will presumably be the live-action component of the animation/live-action hybrid series, with Oswald being the center of the animated part.</p> <p>Oswald is an iconic figure for fans of Walt Disney. Walt and Ub Iwerks created the character in 1927, before a certain mouse, but moved on to Mickey since Universal held the rights to the rabbit. In 2006, Bob Iger bought the rights to Oswald and brought the rabbit back into the Disney fold. In 2023, Oswald also entered the public domain.</p> <p>Other than the clue that these casting announcements give—it seems like middle schoolers will be the ones to run into Oswald—we don’t have any details on the plot yet, or when the show will make its way to Disney+.[end-mark]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-adds-skeleton-crew-and-the-penguin-alums-to-cast/">&lt;i&gt;Oswald the Lucky Rabbit&lt;/i&gt; Adds &lt;i&gt;Skeleton Crew&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;The Penguin&lt;/i&gt; Alums to Cast</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-adds-skeleton-crew-and-the-penguin-alums-to-cast/">https://reactormag.com/oswald-the-lucky-rabbit-adds-skeleton-crew-and-the-penguin-alums-to-cast/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817390">https://reactormag.com/?p=817390</a></p>

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