What is Speculative Fiction?

When I think of Speculative Fiction, I think of science fiction and fantasy, and all the genres that fall under those umbrellas. Everything from paranormal romance to dystopias to cyberpunk. Things that don’t fall under the rules of our world. I’ve been asked about the fiction I write recently by a couple of different sources. The novel I’m working on right now is gothic fiction, but the novel I’m querying is epic fantasy. Both fall under speculative fiction, so I thought I’d try to define it; find out what it means to me and maybe what it means to others.

I like the definition I found from Southern New Hampshire University: “With subgenres like fantasy, science fiction, horror, alternate history and more, speculative fiction is an encompassing genre that freely explores possibility and impossibility alike.”

Pretty much what I thought, right?

My question then becomes: is all “fantasy, science fiction, horror, alternate history…” speculative fiction? After some searching on the internet (a very dangerous pastime), I saw that any alternate history, even one without fantastical elements, can be considered speculative. But not all historical fiction is not speculative. Not all science fiction or horror is speculative. All fantasy is, though. As I searched, I came across this simple, yet fantastic diagram by Annie Neugebauer.

Does it answer my question? Yes. I write speculative fiction. Generally speaking, I write fantasy, horror (gothic) and a little sci-fi. They all have some sort of element that is not bound to the rules of our world, whether or not those rules are explicitly stated. There has to be some sort of “world-building”, but not necessarily the epic fantasy, Lord of the Rings style. There should be an explanation (hopefully woven well into the story) about how the story’s world is different from the real world. The definition that Annie Neugebauer comes up with excludes science fiction and horror that doesn’t “speculate”. Basically, science fiction that is based on current technology isn’t speculative, and horror without any supernatural elements isn’t speculative.

This also means that speculative fiction can change over time, as technology and our understanding of the world changes. Genres have been changing for ages. New subgenres are added all the time, (some of which I plan on exploring in my Substack/newsletter – What is Gaslamp?)

Did you know there is a “MasterClass” article on speculative fiction? They call it a “super genre”, which I think is pretty accurate. They cite Margaret Atwood, J. R. R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, and Euripides as speculative fiction writers.

A few speculative books I’ve enjoyed recently:

• The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, by Megan Bannen
• Network Effect, by Marta Wells
• Under the Whispering Door, by T.J. Klune
• An Ember in the Ashes, by Sabaa Tahir
• Silver in the Wood, by Emily Tesh
• Wayward Son, by Rainbow Rowell
• Dragons Don’t Eat Meat, by Kim McDougall
• Legends & Lattes, by Travis Baldree

I could go on, but I won’t. Network Effect is very different from Under the Whispering Door, but they were both AMAZING. They were all great books, all with something speculative.

 I hope this helps anyone who was hoping to better understand Speculative Fiction. Do you write/read speculative fiction? Do you have any questions about it?

Resources:

https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/liberal-arts/speculative-fiction 

https://annieneugebauer.com/2014/03/24/what-is-speculative-fiction/ 

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-speculative-fiction-defining-and-understanding-the-different-genres-of-speculative-fiction 

https://bookriot.com/what-is-speculative-fiction/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculative_fiction 

What Happened In 2022

I got a little upset with social media and the internet this past year. I started avoiding my social media and my blog. I was the victim of hacking/phishing with one of my accounts. It was a personal account too, full of pictures of my children. I wrote a whole big, long, angry rant, but I'm leaving it unpublished. Instead, I'd rather focus on happier things.

I have a novel. Completed. That I've started querying. It's scary, but I'm doing it anyway.

What I really want for my blog is to reflect the creator I am, regardless of whether anyone reads blogs anymore (from what I hear, the answer is, no).

I also got my Goodreads year in books. I read A LOT this year. I can probably get another book or two in this year. The audio book for Michelle Obama's The Light We Carry just came in for me at the library. I'll probably be listening to that this evening.

What's next for me? More reading. More writing. Some more cute animes on Netflix. Marvel shows. More time with my children. What does 2023 have in store for any of us?

We're Halfway Through April, Aren't We?

It's been about a month. I've been consuming a lot of media. What else is there to do? I'm trying not to let my disappointment and frustration with the vaccine rollout in Canada keep me down. It's hard though.

I also wrote a piece for the Diversity and Inclusion group at my day job. I know that based on what the word count limits are for communications, it's going to get cut down. I also tried to temper the emotional aspects of the piece. However, I have my very own blog. I'm going to give it a little edit and post it here later this week, I think.

What have I consumed and enjoyed in the last month-ish?

I read...

Mexican Gothic. Yes. So good. Read it. I'm really feeling the gothic genre right now. Gothic in 1950 Mexico!

Luck of the Draw and I cried. A lot. It was so sad, though maybe I was releasing some other emotions too. Because it's a romance, I was happy at the end.

Artificial Condition, the second installment in the The Murderbot Diaries. I still love Murderbot. I want to know where their adventure is going to take them next!

Immortal In Death, the third In Death book. I definitely have heart eyes for Eve Dallas and Roarke I wonder if when JD Robb wrote about Eve's engagement, she imagined there would be 50 more books after. 

I watched...

WandaVision <3

Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I <3 Bucky.

Zack Snyder's Justice League. I think my heart fluttered a little when Barry saved Iris.

Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. I'd seen both already, but my daughter was in the mood, so we watched all of Korra again and a few favourite episodes of Avatar. I love those series.

History of Swear Words on Netflix. It's really good. Interesting in a way I didn't expect. 

Dota: Dragon's Blood. My friend recommended it. It's like a cross between The Dragon Prince and Castlevania. At least that's what I thought as I watched. She called it "The Dragon Prince for grownups." 

Star Trek: Lower Decks. I really needed that show.

I submitted a couple short stories. Got a rejection. Good times.

I ate some Popeye's and it was SO GOOD. I'm really appreciating Skip the Dishes lately. 

How has your spring been so far?

The Last Week Or Two

I didn't post last week (I've been aiming for once a week). Why? I spent the weekend attending DVCON and it was been great. Really good panels. Really good people. To be honest, some of what the panels talked about I already knew since I've been a member of the WCYR for a few years. What I found invaluable was how the same things I've already learned can be changed / altered / influenced by the fact that I'm a visible minority / marginalized / diverse voice. Perspective can really change so much. It was the first DVCON, born from #DVPit. It was free, but I would have paid to go. The information and inspiration was fantastic. I also "met" some great people. We've followed each other on Twitter and Instagram. I've also joined a couple Discord groups, which typically isn't my thing (I have a hard time with chat rooms), but everyone has been sharing information and supporting each other. I've watched people find Critique Partners and Beta Readers. Writing can be so isolating, and if you're not part of some kind of group, it can be difficult to get the feedback you need to grow. Friends and family worry about your feelings and don't necessarily have the insight another writer does. 

I finished: How to be an Anti-Racist, by Ibram X. Kendi. It was so good, so interesting. I listened to the audiobook. I really liked his reading style (is that a thing?). How to be an Anti-Racist was part memoir, part history lesson, part instruction manual. It was so engaging, that when it got to the end (I won't tell you what happened), I was concerned and ready to cry. I really can't recommend this book enough.

I finished: We Hunt the Flame, by Hafsah Faizal. I've had it sitting in my Kindle app for a while. When I signed up for DVCON and she was going to be speaking, I knew I had to read it. It was so good. Just so good. I enjoyed the world, the characters, the story. Everything. I can't wait to read the sequel. I also enjoyed the panel and what she had to say. She/they offered us information I had not considered before. I'm definitely ready for the sequel, which was just released.

I finished: The A.I. Who Loved Me, by Alyssa Cole. Alyssa Cole has become one of my favourite romance authors. I'm pretty much ready to ready anything she writes. She blends romance into other genres that she writes in. The A.I. Who Loved Me is a near-future sci-fi romance. I thought there would only be a little sci-fi in the novel, but it surprised me. The Hive is very scary, like if Amazon ruled the US. I wonder if Cole will write more stories set in this world. I also saw her speak at DVCON. I think I could listen to her talk about writing and stories all day.

I finished: Lumberjanes: Stone Cold, by Shannon Watters, et al. I love Lumberjanes. I've been reading them for a few years. Stone Cold is the 8th volume in the series. I feel like "don't make assumptions" and "don't judge a book by it's cover" were really prevalent in the story. Also, "friendship to the max". I haven't met a Lumberjane I didn't like.

I also binged the Thor movies with my daughter. I think she wanted to watch Loki (who doesn't). We ended up watching the first Avengers movie too. It was fun. She knew a surprising amount of behind-the-scenes stuff and I asked her if she Googled MCU stuff. Not specifically. She Googled Iron Man stuff (her favourite superhero) and fell down the internet MCU rabbit hole. 

What's coming up this week? More work on the edits for my manuscript. Maybe updating the Me! and Writing Life portions of the blog. Edits again. Contemplating the fate of the characters in the manuscript. Reading some more poems by Maya Angelou. Maybe writing some new words for my next novel. 

Last Week I Decided to Expand My Writing Community

I registered for DVCON. It was created from #DVPit. I am very excited for the first ever DVCON. I'm excited for the writers that will be speaking, the seminars, the people. It really seems like there's a community there. They have social hours and events on Discord too. 

Also, quick question - Does everyone use Discord now?

I also registered for Boskone 58. It's the convention for the New England Science Fiction Association. The con is all about sci-fi and fantasy. More topics I can be excited about. It seems pretty big. February 12 to 14, there are multiple speakers at every time slot. How am I going to choose?

I did some Pajama Writing with Inkslingers. At various times of the week, Inkslingers is inviting writers to to spend an hour totally focused on writing. Close the door, turn off phones, no social media. Pick an intention/project, post it in the chat and then get to work. At the end, writers are invited to post a line that they wrote (or edited) that evening/morning/afternoon.

What's a talk about writing communities without my own writing community, the WCYR (Writers Community of York Region). I say mine, because these are my friends, colleagues, co-conspirators. I've met so many wonderful writers over the years, people who are quirky, and weird, just like me. I'm registered for the February and March events. I'm looking forward to them. I've gone to many and will be going to more workshops. I love a good workshop. The WCYR also currently hosts two virtual write-ins a week (sorry, members only). MJ Moores wrote about it on the WCYR blog. Even though it's on Zoom, I feel like I've connected with other writers I might not have seen at the in-person events.

I miss in-person events though. I never thought of myself as a big hugger, but I miss hugs.

It's Been A While - Looking Back at 2020

At first, nothing really changed for me.

My day job is work from home gig. I was already home everyday. The biggest difference was having the children at home. Initially, I blogged (among other things), more than I had in a while. It felt good. I was sharing what I was doing/watching/reading. It was nice to share again.

I wrote a lot. I finished a draft of my work-in-progress and started editing. I discovered I might have a mild obsession with my characters' hair. I mention hair a lot.

Then I stopped blogging. I'm not sure why. I was still blogging for the WCYR and doing other work for them/us. I love my writing community. Many like-minded people coming together for the love of writing. We share our ideas, our quirks, unique habits. We're a support and a resource for each other. I'm glad I found them years ago and that I'm now a part of them.

Exhaustion gets me at inconvenient times.

I still did a lot. I attended online meetings/seminars. I read. I watched movies and television. I continued to work at my job. 

Months have passed in this new normal and I find I want to blog again.

Here I am.

I have used Goodreads to track my writing progress for many years. I really like how they put together my year in review. It's a nice way to look back on the books I've read, remembering favourites from January or February, seeing where my reading trends took me. I read by feelings, cravings, imaginings.... 

I read a lot of rom-coms/romances this year. I guess I needed some "Happily Ever Afters". Some favourites? Get A Life, Chloe Brown - I may have cried. The Friend Zone - Not what I expected. Wrapped Up In You - That's 2 for Talia Hibbert. Boy Toy - That title, plus a post-baby body. Meet Cute - The main characters needed so many hugs. 

I also read a lot of fantastic fantasy. Deceptions - Kelley Armstrong making me long for the characters. The Ghost King (The Legend of Drizzt) - Surprisingly sad. Six of Crows - For the win. Rebel - Giving me an amazing end to Day and June's story. Carry On - Surpassing expectations.

I also read All Systems Red - Science-fiction at its best, I think. I read some graphic novels (Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Lumberjanes, Avatar, Hawkeye). I read three more Stephanie Plum books. I just realized I didn't read any In Death books this year. How did that happen?

I watched Mulan and Wonder Woman (yes, I paid the premium price). I watched Lucifer. I was sad when Flash and Supergirl abruptly ended in the spring. I enjoyed My Next Guest Needs No Introduction (RDJ has llamas). Nostalgia had me watching War on Cybertron. The need for laughter had me watching Mr. Iglesias. I've been watching Star Trek: Discovery. I loved Star Trek: Picard. I watched the final seasons of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and Anne with an "E". 

Though 2020 could have been [a lot] better. It also could have been worse. I've come out of it with my health and the good health of my loved ones. I know that can't be said for everyone, so I'm more than grateful for that. 

Will the coming year see me back on my blog? I hope so. I'd like to think so. I've always enjoyed writing out some thoughts here. I know I'll have to tell someone when I read the next Murderbot book. 

Now, for the traditional picture of books.

3 Stories - Fantasy, Mystery & A Marvel Comic

Things have gotten busy lately, so instead of writing three separate posts, I thought I would smash my last three reads into one. I want to consider what each book taught me, whether about what makes a good story, people, life or whatever. There still might be a little, "Ahhhh!" because my last three reads were amazing. I've been pretty good with choosing some fantastic reads this year and I hope it continues.

Children of Blood and Bone

That was an unexpected ending. Just wow. I immediately searched for when the sequel was coming out when I finished. Children of Blood and Bone is one of the best books I’ve read this year. Not only did I love the characters, I loved the interpretation of magic and world that Tomi Odeyemi created. Odeyemi wove magic into the world in a way I really enjoyed. Something about the world she created called to me. I found Odeyemi, her world and her characters inspiring.

One For The Money

Stephanie Plum is amazing. She is smart, funny, witty, and maybe a little too confident sometimes. The pacing in One for the Money was perfect. There was action, but also emotional, frightening moments as well. This was another book I stayed up much too late reading. I’ve already put the second book on hold at the library. I think this would make a great television series. I looked it up and saw that a movie was made. I also saw the reviews and ratings it received. It makes me a little sad. There is so much great material. There are awkward situations, tension and cliffhangers. Janet Evanovich created a sensational hero and cast of supporting characters. Her parents and grandmother are amazing.

A small side note, this novel is very 90s. There were so many situations where a cell phone would have been extremely useful. There’s a car phone that’s used, which is a small source of tension. I wonder how Stephanie changes her tactics as the years progress. Will cell phones and texting become part of the story? Will technology change her cases? This is a series that will give me years of enjoyment.

A-Force:Warzones

One look at the cover and I couldn't resist picking up A-Force: Warzones. Just look at She-Hulk. She means business. A-Force:Warzones is like the other Warzones comics I’ve read. It takes place on Battleworld where Doom is god. A-Force taught me that anyone can be a hero. It’s about need and home and love. It’s about fighting for what you believed in and for what’s right. This edition just reinforced my desire to read the Thors Warzone comic. What makes them the way they are? There’s so much to learn there.

That’s three! What will my next three be? I wonder what genres I’ll be choosing and what each story will teach me.

Naked In Death

It's been a while since I've been so engrossed in a novel. Naked In Death was brilliant. I couldn't put it down. I stayed up too late reading more than once. Naked In Death is the first novel in JD Robb's (Nora Roberts) the In Death series, which I've been eyeing for a while. It was daunting to begin. There are 49 books in the series! With so many books, I felt like it was too late to start, but again and again I would hear about this series and how good it was. If the rest of the series is like Naked In Death, I'm going to love all of them.

I really connected with Lieutenant Eve Dallas. She is smart, sassy, tough, but has a tender side. She's guarded and has secrets. I might eventually get a little obsessed with her. Her past is shrouded. There's a crack, dreams into a dark place, but what else is there. She is amazing at putting that aside and focusing on the case. The case was awful. I feel like it was also very relevant. It was a case we could hear about happening now. Naked In Death is a mystery that takes place in the future. There are all sorts of changes and progress that have been made, but there are still throwbacks, people who long for their grandparents' time. It's so reminiscent of the world we live in now. Someone gets in power and tries to roll back all the progress that was previously made.

Enough about real life.

I'm also a little obsessed with Roarke. That's his last name, right? I love him. He's mysterious, but thoughtful. He is private, but shows his emotions to Eve. I want to know what happens to him, to them. I've read the synopsis for Glory In Death and I'm just not sure. He's certainly a target.

Can I also mention how good the fight scenes are? I can really see the fights, the blood, bruises, the torn knuckles. I love the mystery, the tension, the romance, but I also love when a fight scene is real, when I can feel the main character fighting for their life. I've read books where the action is just glazed over, but Robb doesn't do that. She makes it as real as anything else in the book. 

This book hangover is going to last a while, I think. 

Titans

I have watched five episodes of Titans on Netflix and I love it. I loved it from the first time I saw Detective Grayson, from the first time I saw Rachel and her mother. Dick Grayson is fantastic. I don't think I've ever loved him more (except for maybe Robin/Nightwing on Young Justice). Being a detective is just so fitting. He learned from the greatest detective in the world, even if others didn't know that from the start. It definitely ups his cool factor in Garfield's eyes.

Titans is very dark. These aren't the characters from Teen Titans Go! or Young Justice. Robin and Starfire/Koriand'r are very much adults. Raven and Beast Boy are teens. Bad stuff happens. There is a lot of blood. Heads explode. Also, Hawk and Dove are part the story, an interesting part so far. I wonder how they will factor into Rachel's story. As much as we're seeing Dick, Kory, and Garfield's stories, the plot so far has revolved around Raven/Rachel. She's a kid, a young teen, just trying to figure things out, missing her mother, with serious trust issues. 

Is it weird that I really like the title sequence?

A few episodes in and Titans is becoming one of my favourite series of the year. I'm so excited to see what happens next!

Geekerella

I could not resist a title like Geekerella. Geekerella is full of the most amazing geek references. I sat reading it and every time the novel referred to some awesome geekiness, I yelled it out to my Hubby. When I commented on a reference to The Princess Bride, he asked me to stop, because he might read this book now. I loved seeing all this geekiness, all these different fandoms represented. The "geek" part of Ashley Poston's story takes two different forms. First, there's Starfield, a sci-fi series with a serious cult following. I had been kind of thinking of it as a combination of Star Trek and Firefly, with a splash of Star Wars, and some of Poston's own uniqueness. In the story, there is the original Starfield, the movie remake, and ExcelsiCon, which was started by someone who loved Starfield (Elle's father). The other geeky aspects of the book are more subtle. It's where all the fun references come in. Just in conversation, like a bad person being called a Dalek or a group of people being called the Fellowship. Technology, social media, and blogging, are all big parts of the story too. Geekerella is definitely set now. It is present and I think it's relevant.

I was beyond entertained. There were parts of the story where I thought I might cry. I loved Elle. She was looking forward, moving forward, even though it would be so easy to slip into despair. She was a modern Cinderella, but with an opportunity to find a best friend, instead of just a fairy godmother. Sage was just fantastic. I really enjoyed the glimpses of her home life with her mom. The twist with Cal was great. The people at the Con were great. They were so loving and excepting. I don't go to a lot of cons, but I've been to FanExpo and it is a great time. The cosplay contest and the ball were just amazing scenes I could read again and again. Geekerella is definitely a book I could read more than once.

There's something about Danielle's step-mom though, something underneath her "meanness". I think she really did love Danielle's father. I also think she doesn't see herself as the bad guy. I wouldn't mind knowing more about her, what she's thinking, and why she makes her decisions. Chloe is just an entitled brat though.

Darien Freeman is fantastic. He felt so real throughout the whole novel. I loved Danielle's story, and I loved his too. Darien is not just a nameless prince with a pretty face. His story is important too, taking up just as must space in the novel. It is the connection Darien makes with with Elle than anchors the story.

I can't say enough nice things about Geekerella. The geek stuff is great. The story is interesting and heartwarming, the characters are engaging. Geekerella is everything I could have wanted from a story with the title, Geekerella

Lost In Space

I love the Robot. I really do. I almost wished they named him, or called him something other than "Robot". I'm hoping for more Robot in Season Two of Lost In Space. For those that don't know, Netflix's Lost in Space is a remake of Lost in Space from the 1960s. Which, incidentally, is a re-imagining of the novel, The Swiss Family Robinson. (The whole remake thing isn't new, it's just a lot more common than it used to be.)

I never watched the series from the 60s. It's before my time. Though I have watched shows from the 50s and 60s, this one just never hit my radar. I had, of course, heard of it. "Danger, Will Robinson" is part of our culture, isn't it? I knew there was a family named Robinson, a robot and a kid named Will. The Robinson children are the stars of the show. They're smart, unique and talented. They're brave and loyal. Will is surprising, Judy is intelligent, Penny is sassy. I really enjoyed all the changes they made to the original, though again, I never watched the original to really compare. I liked that the mother was a brilliant rocket scientist, and used it to solve their problems. I liked the relationship between Maureen and John. It's complex and real, something people can relate to. The whole Robinson family was really relatable, even if they were "lost in space."

I know I'm a bit behind the times, as this came out in the spring, but I really liked it. I'm wondering what's going to happen to the Robinsons, Don West and "Dr. Smith". With the way Season One ended, there are so many possibilities.

Head On

I love Chris Shane and Agent Vann. I love Shane's parents too. Head On is the second book in the Lock In series and I enjoyed it every bit as Lock In, maybe more. This time, I knew what "Haden's Syndrome" was and "Lock In". I also read Unlocked not that long ago, so I wasn't left wondering about anyone's medical health. The disease, which they still don't have a cure for, is the background to the story, it’s what has shaped the world in which the story is told.

Head On is a great story. John Scalzi creates mystery wrapped up in a sci-fi/dystopian world. Agent Chris Shane’s parents are rich. Crazy filthy rich. His dad is a legendary NBA champion, who, with his wife, wisely invested his money and created a financial empire, to which Agent Shane is the heir. Chris Shane doesn’t just live off his parents money, he is an FBI agent. Because he is a Haden, and his partner is a former Integrator (someone who had Haden’s but is not “locked in” and can hold the consciousness of someone who is locked in), Agent Shane an Agent Vann have unique perspectives that other FBI agents don’t. Though they aren’t the only people with Haden’s who have worked for the FBI, these two are good at their job. When crimes occur involving Haden’s, these two are on the case. In Head On, Agent Shane’s parents and ties to big money offer him a perspective and an “in” that no one else would have.

It is the unique world that captured my interest, but it is the amazing characters that had me coming back for the second book in the series. Agent Shane is great. He’s intelligent and charismatic. He doesn’t flaunt his money, but when it helps his case he will definitely use his status. Agent Vann is grizzled and ornery, She is also greatly intelligent and knows how to put the pieces of a puzzle together. Vann and Shane’s relationship is fun and thoughtful. I also love Shane’s parents, especially his mother. She gets dismissed by the business bigwigs as an NBA star's trophy wife, but she knows all about financials and is the one who makes sure their money works for them. Both parents really show how much they love their son. Something as simple as a haircut makes all the difference. They also respect his position at the FBI and they very much respect his opinion on people.

I am very eager for another book in the Lock In series.  I want to see more of Agent Shane, his parents and Agent Vann. I want to see how all the relationships grow and evolve, his parents are very fond of Agent Vann, after all. I also want to see what’s going to happen to Shane's roommates, the Hilketa league and Hadens in general. I’m also wondering if they’re going to see Mr. Medina again.

Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 was captivating, but also has somehow stopped me from writing all other posts. I'm just stalled. I've written notes on the other books I've read, and there are writing related posts I want to do, but they're not done. So, I'm going to push past this bump in the road. I know why it happened too. Fahrenheit 451 didn't really end, at least not the edition I have.

I hate when this happens. Ray Bradbury's story ended before the book did. There are still 90 unread pages left. I expected more story. I thought Montag was going to reach a particular destination, or at least, one more thing was going to happen. But then the ending happened. In itself, the ending is fine. Les dramatic than I expected, but fine, probably good. I just wish there was something in the table of contents. They included the Introduction (by Neil Gaiman, really well written and I don’t normally like introductions.) I double-checked when I got to the end of the story and it was not just a case of me not paying attention. Now I'm left feeling like the end of Fahrenheit 451 is missing something. I don't think it is though. I've re-read it a couple times, knowing the story is ending, and it's a good ending. I'm just going to have to re-read the whole novel sometime, to get the feel for the whole story.

The third of the book that is literary criticism, essays, etc., is still unread. I was just so surprised to find all this non-fiction commentary on the novel. Now, I'm undecided. Do I read it or leave it? I've read a few novels since I "finished" the story, but I haven't been able to post about any of them. Fahrenheit 451 just keeps calling me back, asking me to finish, but I also just wanted to read a good story and Fahrenheit 451 was that, more than a good story, it was a great story. It reminded me so much of 1984 and Brave New World, not necessarily in the tone or writing style, but in the feeling it gave me. Even though you're rooting for the main character, there's a hopelessness and inevitability in what they are doing. There's also something eerie about the possibility of this future coming true. Especially now. 

Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome

You can read the story for free here.

Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome is the prequel novella/short story to John Scalzi’s Lock In. I loved Lock In and am very eager to read Head On. Lock In was a mystery set in a science fiction world, but that wasn't Unlocked. Unlocked answered some questions for me, but also raised some more. Reading about the creation of the Agora and how people lived there, reminded me of Ready Player One, while the threeps reminded me of Surrogates, though they are less realistic.  It was interested to read how people who had Haden's Syndrome became their own people and faced ostracizing once the "novelty" of personal transports went away.

Of all the characters, the First Lady stood out for me. Margie Haden was strong and vivacious. She was the real power of the presidency. If it wasn't for President Haden's wife contracting the disease (and subsequently having the disease named after her), how would it have been handled. Once it was "under control" would threeps have been invented? Would it just be about maintaining bodies in their "vegetable" state. Having Marcus Shane (a Michael Jordan level basketball player?) testify too about what the disease did to his toddler son was also a way to get American emotions on the side of the researchers. Of course it is his son, Chris Shane is the star of Lock In and it makes sense to see how his young life played into the beginning of Haden's Syndrome. There are so many questions though. Where did the disease come from? Was it man made? Why isn't there a cure yet? Will the robot uprising actually be Hadens taking over the world? When will regular people get their own threeps?

Unlocked gave me a chance to whet my appetite for Head On. I thoroughly enjoy Scalzi's writing and am exciting for the next adventure.

Avengers: Infinity War

These posters are pretty cool

I had so many feelings. It was tense and intense. So much happened. I have so many theories. Hubby thinks he knows how it will all work out. Since what happens in one movie affects the rest of the MCU, I wonder what's going to happen on S.H.I.E.L.D. or in Ant-Man and The Wasp. I can't really talk about anything without giving away something. If you look at the trailers, they're pretty vague too. They are spectacular images and bits of dialogue... not even dialogue, just sentences, phrases. In Infinity War there is always something happening. The movement of the story never stops.

I am going to talk about Thor meeting The Guardians of The Galaxy, because it is hilarious and it is in the trailers. Thor is amazing, Star-Lord is amazing. They all are. I love how Thor interacts with the Guardians. He somehow gets a moment with all of them. The entire sequence from him hitting their ship, to the end, is fun and funny. In general, when any of the different groups met, it was funny. These were the times where I think Marvel and the Russo brothers could add some hilarity. 

Loving these

I loved Vision and Scarlet Witch. I loved Okoye and Black Widow. I loved Dr. Strange and Spider-Man. As many characters as there were, I think all, if not most of the main ones got to have a moment, something that told the rest of them who there were and what they could do. Is it crazy that I think that? Oh well. Seriously, if you haven't seen this movie yet, go see it as soon as possible. Honestly, I want to see it again already. I don't even know if I've digested the movie yet and it's been a couple days. Like I said, I still have so many feelings. I think I might have a movie hangover. 

Infinity War Trailer

Ant-Man and The Wasp Trailer

Fracture Me

I raced through Fracture Me. It was almost all action. The story is told from Adam’s perspective and follows him from the the final battle in Unravel Me, to the events right after. We find out what happened to some of the people from Omega Point, and we also learn more about what is going on inside Adam’s head. I think I like Adam better now. It’s his devotion to his brother James that pulls me. Their relationship can be very much parent-child instead of older and younger sibling. He would do anything for James, even leaving Juliette to take care of herself. Also, James, what power does he have? After everything we've learned in the series so far, he has to have a power. Will it be devastating or sweet like him?

Again, I find myself falling for Kenji. He's amazing. In his own way, he also loves Juliette. I don't know if Adam understands that. I feel like Kenji sees something in Juliette, connects with something that he has yet to express to anyone. Kenji is brave, strong, intelligent and full of hope. His natural charisma and leadership draw people to him. The other characters want to do what Kenji says. Even though he was a big part of Fracture Me I still don't feel like I know enough about him. I hope Ignite Me and Restore Me will teach us more about Kenji....in addition to how everything will play out, whether people like those living at Omega Point will find freedom, and if The Reestablishment will get taken down.

X-Men '92: The World Is A Vampire

The nostalgia factor is high every time I open up an X-Men '92 comic. X-Men '92: The World is a Vampire is not in the same continuity as the rest of the the Marvel Universe. These are the X-Men I grew up watching. (I wish the show was still on Netflix.) Just looking at the cover makes me happy. I'm so happy with the art too, the way everyone is drawn may not be exactly the way they looked in the cartoon, but the essence of the characters are still captured, they feel how I want them to feel.

As the title suggests, the X-Men find themselves battling vampires. They are also without Cyclops and Jean Grey. Cyclops has decided to retire and Storm is in command. They have reopened the school, so there are students to worry about when Alpha Red comes knocking. I love the addition of Psylocke and Bishop, two amazing characters and two characters who do well balancing out Storm and Beast's thoughtfulness. Side note: look who is in love with Storm, not that I can blame him. The battles were exciting. Relationships were tested, new ones were forged. I really hope we get to know the students a little bit more. This edition of X-Men '92 was what I wanted it to be.

I was a little less happy with the final part of the graphic novel, Jean and Cyclop's story. It was still exciting and saw the characters having a pretty big revelation at the end. It was just missing something that the rest of the novel had. Maybe because it was so short, the story didn't get to fully develop. That stuff with Mr. Sinister was creepy though. Something about Jean's hair too. I know that's superficial, but it's just an example of how the art was different and didn't flow from the previous parts of the graphic novel. Maybe it was fine, being a different story, with completely different things happening to Scott and Jean (no vampires), but I don't know, her hair just bothered me.

All together, X-Men '92: The World is a Vampire hit all the right notes. There was the call back to the show in the '90s, and there was also Storm, Beast, Pylocke, and Bishop all being amazing. Wolverine and Jubilee were great. I'm excited to read the next (and final) X-Men '92 installment.

*If you search for, "the world is a vampire" Smashing Pumpkins comes up, not this book. I had to make sure I included "X-Men" to get what I wanted.

https://youtu.be/8-r-V0uK4u0

Unravel Me

Unravel Me was the perfect long weekend read. The children had their games and movies, I had my book. It’s times like these where I’m glad I bought the ebook. When it is late, I’m tired, but I need to stay awake, an ebook can light up the dark.

Unravel Me was exciting. I had no problem reading this book for hours and hours last weekend. It was easy to make my way through each event, each problem, the conflict, and the explosions of power. Tahereh Mafi had me hooked. So even when we were (finally) home and I should be sleeping, I just had to read "one more chapter". I barely had time to think about the story, the plot twists and surprises. There was one surprise, in the last third of the story that I didn't expect at all. I should have seen it though. It makes sense based on other things that happened in this story and Shatter Me. 

Adam drove me a bit nuts though. I'm interested in reading his perspective in Fracture Me. Like Destroy Me overlapped with the first and second books, Fracture Me overlaps with books 2 and 3. I'm hoping to warm back up to Adam Kent. Juliette drove me even more nuts. Just when I though she had finally grown up, gotten some backbone, something happened and she would crumble. I could understand Castle's frustration. Juliette was so positive and happy at the end of Shatter Me, I was surprised at her behaviour in Unravel Me. I think by the end though, Juliette was where she needed to be. 

I'm still thoroughly confused by Warner. I love him, but hate him. I have more sympathy for him now, but he really needs to believe he can change. I have no idea what is going to happen to him. I feel like he could go either way, he could go nowhere.

Kenji was the real stand-out for me though. What is his story? What are his secrets? I can definitely relate to Juliette's curiosity for her friend. She grows to care for him deeply, knows that she can rely on him, but she knows almost nothing about him. She wants to learn more about him and so do I. I'm hoping that happens soon, and I hope he is around for a long time.

I think I am officially out of my reading slump. All I can think about right now are the characters of the Shatter Me series. I'm also still thinking about the characters of Ready Player One. I think I need more fast-paced excitement. I wonder what will be next.