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maxturner's reviews
95 reviews
Gone by Simon Birks
4.0
I really enjoyed this speculative sci-fi story and the twists and turns. The art is wonderfully effective, adding to the emotional drive of the story.
My only criticism is that it could possibly do with one more chapter. It feels like there is a lot shoved into the final third, which changed the pacing quite a bit, which might have worked better if it had another chapter to grow.
For scifi, spec fic and dystopian future fans this is definitely worth a read!
My only criticism is that it could possibly do with one more chapter. It feels like there is a lot shoved into the final third, which changed the pacing quite a bit, which might have worked better if it had another chapter to grow.
For scifi, spec fic and dystopian future fans this is definitely worth a read!
The Mountains of Madness by Adam Fyda
3.0
I quite enjoyed this, though it felt a little incomplete/lacking in depth. The art is great, and I liked the story, but wondered if I wasn't getting as much from it as I've not read the source story which might have added the depth I was missing.
That said, having read the other reviews, it appears that would have brought up other issues...
That said, having read the other reviews, it appears that would have brought up other issues...
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
3.0
I really wanted to enjoy this more, but the story doesn't fully live up to the premise and interesting/gimmicky format of the book itself.
That said, it was an enjoyable read, pretty much the equivalent of a popcorn movie. It just had too many things letting it down, not least the point. But also, there was a lot of poor writing which felt like it needed another go over with the editor.
You could assume that the story/point is big corporations/capitalism = bad, work = prison, etc. However, there is no finesse with this. Towards the end this is stated more clearly and painfully on the nose - IKEA rip off is like working in a prison. However, it doesn't really gel with what we've already been told - that despite corporations = bad, this particular place is actually quite a good place to work with opportunities and good pay. It's only bad point is that it is retail and the main character (who is shallowly written at best) wants a desk job.
I feel like I know what this book was trying to get at, but it just wasn't clever enough to get there. That said, it's a fun romp in places, as I said - the equivalent of a popcorn movie. Don't expect anything deep or insightful.
That said, it was an enjoyable read, pretty much the equivalent of a popcorn movie. It just had too many things letting it down, not least the point. But also, there was a lot of poor writing which felt like it needed another go over with the editor.
You could assume that the story/point is big corporations/capitalism = bad, work = prison, etc. However, there is no finesse with this. Towards the end this is stated more clearly and painfully on the nose - IKEA rip off is like working in a prison. However, it doesn't really gel with what we've already been told - that despite corporations = bad, this particular place is actually quite a good place to work with opportunities and good pay. It's only bad point is that it is retail and the main character (who is shallowly written at best) wants a desk job.
I feel like I know what this book was trying to get at, but it just wasn't clever enough to get there. That said, it's a fun romp in places, as I said - the equivalent of a popcorn movie. Don't expect anything deep or insightful.
The Pump by Sydney Hegele
5.0
A strange and unusual collection, I enjoyed The Pump immensely. A mixture of weird gothic fiction, horror and LGBTQ+ stories, the collection builds to paint a picture of a bizarre and fascinating place where no one would ever want to live and the community that are forced to live there.
From content to storytelling format, I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this before. Whilst I can understand that the style isn't for everyone, I found it compelling.
Strange, sad, but ultimately, hopeful - The Pump is full of characters you wish you could help, and many that will stay with you long after you've closed the book. For me that is certainly the case for Tay and Laurent, whose story has taken root in my mind and will continue to live there rent free.
From content to storytelling format, I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this before. Whilst I can understand that the style isn't for everyone, I found it compelling.
Strange, sad, but ultimately, hopeful - The Pump is full of characters you wish you could help, and many that will stay with you long after you've closed the book. For me that is certainly the case for Tay and Laurent, whose story has taken root in my mind and will continue to live there rent free.
We Are Here to Hurt Each Other by Paula D. Ashe
4.0
This collection is not for the faint of heart. It is raw and terrifying and brilliantly written.
There are also so many astounding stories in here that pull you into a bizarre worlds that you're not sure you’ll escape from. And after a while you start to think, that might be okay.
There are also so many astounding stories in here that pull you into a bizarre worlds that you're not sure you’ll escape from. And after a while you start to think, that might be okay.
Send Me One Back?: eight eclectic stories of gay erotic romance by Lou Skelton
3.0
I will preface by saying that there are some really good stories in this collection, my personal favourites being The End of the Line and The Price of Admission. However, a lot I just didn't vibe with and not because they weren't good, but because they were not at all what I was expecting.
Never judge a book by its cover is the issue here I guess. From the silly front cover and blurb promising "humour and heart at the centre of every story" accompanied by a list of tropes, I was expecting just that. Some fun, tropey, smutty stories. The smut is there, but some of the stories weren't really fun at all. They were good stories, but some even left me feeling a little maudlin.
I've really enjoyed works by this author before and I think she is an excellent writer, I was just unable to give this more stars because it didn't deliver on expectations, which is more a marketing issue than an issue with the stories themselves but it did hinder my enjoyment.
Never judge a book by its cover is the issue here I guess. From the silly front cover and blurb promising "humour and heart at the centre of every story" accompanied by a list of tropes, I was expecting just that. Some fun, tropey, smutty stories. The smut is there, but some of the stories weren't really fun at all. They were good stories, but some even left me feeling a little maudlin.
I've really enjoyed works by this author before and I think she is an excellent writer, I was just unable to give this more stars because it didn't deliver on expectations, which is more a marketing issue than an issue with the stories themselves but it did hinder my enjoyment.
Hooked on You by Mel McKenzie
3.0
This story is so sweet and I really enjoyed the will they/won't they twists and turns.
However, for me the ending was a let down especially as it seems to gloss over an important part of the story - Lucas coming to terms with his sexuality. This is only slightly explored even though it is what the story is about, and then at the end we have a time skip and a happy ending which feels abrupt and underdeveloped, and doesn't deal with any of the consequences of them getting together.
However, for me the ending was a let down especially as it seems to gloss over an important part of the story - Lucas coming to terms with his sexuality. This is only slightly explored even though it is what the story is about, and then at the end we have a time skip and a happy ending which feels abrupt and underdeveloped, and doesn't deal with any of the consequences of them getting together.
Antler Velvet: The Art of Dori Hartley by Dori Hartley
4.0
This is a really lovely volume with some breathtaking art. The art is in a variety of styles and some are incredibly beautiful and full of emotion - my favourite being Poetry Later.
Speaking of poetry, I'll admit I am not generally a fan of poetry and so I skipped over some of this and though I enjoyed the bits I did read, my rating and review is pretty much based only on the art.
Definitely a lovely volume for Hannibal fans to enjoy!
Speaking of poetry, I'll admit I am not generally a fan of poetry and so I skipped over some of this and though I enjoyed the bits I did read, my rating and review is pretty much based only on the art.
Definitely a lovely volume for Hannibal fans to enjoy!
Escape From Incel Island by Margaret Killjoy
3.0
I was so excited to read this because the premise sounded so good. And I did enjoy it, it was a fun, campy action adventure, but I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would. There was so much in here, so much to unpack and consider about society, misogyny, toxic masculinity and more, but the story just skims the surface. Which is fine, it's still a good book, and a fun read, but from the title and premise it seemed like we'd get more depth and exploration. I still recommend it, and I'm definitely going to look for more from this author - if you like a fun, snarky adventure then you'll have a good time, just don't expect too much from the socio-political commentary.