Monthly Archives: July 2026

books, murder mystery, Reviews

The Holy Terrors (Holy Terrors Mystery 1) by Simon R Green

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Stars: 1 out of 5

Well, I didn’t expect to give a one-star review to a Simon R Green book. I loved his Gideon Sable series and was pretty entertained with his Nightside series as well, but this book… This book is a huge letdown.

How can a book that’s barely 180 pages drag so much and be so boring? Well, it can if 90% of it is dialog. Don’t get me wrong, usually I like dialog in my books, but it needs to be good. In this case, if I hear another “Bish” or “Darling,” I will scream and punch someone.

And apart from the dialog, anything supernatural or even remotely scary takes so long to happen that you are checked out by the time people start dying.

We meet the characters in the parking lot of the hall, and they just stand around and talk for like 40 pages. Then we go into the hall, and they talk again. Then the lights go out, and everyone is uneasy… but they talk some more. At about 25% of the book, they hear some strange steps walking around… and, you guessed it, there is more talk. I would go on, but I think I made my point.

There is also absolutely no character development or even any real characters in this story to begin with. They are introduced as the bishop, the actress, the standup comedian, the medium, the celebrity chef, etc., and they have no personality beyond that function. We don’t know anything about them apart from their bickering and quips. So when bodies start dropping, I wasn’t sad or even invested. I simply didn’t care.

The mystery itself was also very on the nose. I had hoped that the author would pull a reversal in the end of the book, but no.

Also, why did a bishop suddenly transform into a great detective mid-book? He is described as in his mid-twenties and having taken the cloth right out of college. Nowhere is it mentioned that he also moonlights as Sherlock Holmes.

All in all, this series is a complete miss for me, and I am not interested in continuing with it.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy.

books, Horror, Reviews

What Waits in the Shadows by Wil Forbis

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DNF at 25%

I am disappointed with this book. The summary really played this story up and got me excited to read it. I mean an actual monster in the closet that is real… with deadly consequences? Yes, please. The execution, however was severely lacking.

While I liked Lisa as a character well enough, I felt like she was a pushover for most of the story, at least to the point in the story where I stopped reading.

The supporting cast was even less effective. Her boyfriend begins as an unrealistically perfect partner before quickly revealing himself to be a jerk, while her supposed best friend is so absent from the story that her inclusion feels almost pointless.


Another major issue was the pacing. After a strong and genuinely creepy prologue, the supernatural elements take far too long to return. The lengthy setup moves at a sluggish pace and often borders on dull, making it difficult to stay invested.

I’ll also admit that stories centered on angels and demons rarely appeal to me, so that aspect significantly reduced my enjoyment. Had the summary mentioned those themes, I likely would have passed on the book altogether.

That being said, I saw other readers who enjoyed this book, so this is very much the case of this book not being the right fit for me.

PS: Big thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced review copy.

books, Reviews, science fiction

Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey

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Stars: 4 out of 5

This is my fourth book by M.R. Carey. I loved The Girl with All the Gifts and Fellside, but Infinity Gate left me somewhat disappointed. Although Outlaw Planet is set in the same universe as the Pandominion series, it works well as a standalone novel and, for me, was much more enjoyable than the original duology.

The premise is a fun blend of science fiction and western. An entire population is mind-controlled into endlessly reenacting the American Civil War as part of a grotesque experiment. When a squad of soldiers from a highly advanced civilization enters the system, they discover to their horror that they are trapped there, cut off from help and unable to break the cycle within their lifetimes.

I particularly enjoyed the dual point-of-view structure. One storyline follows Bess, who was born and raised within the system and embodies the trauma and brutality of the endless war. The other follows Engineer Esten, the sole surviving member of a military unit that originally entered the experiment. Bess’s perspective adds emotional depth and shows the human cost of the system, while Esten’s gradually reveals the mysteries behind its existence. The two storylines converge in a satisfying finale that ties the book together effectively.

One issue I have begun to notice across Carey’s books is that I struggle to connect with his female protagonists. I suspect he intends them to be complex and deeply scarred individuals, but to me they often come across as emotionally distant and difficult to relate to.

I wanted to like Bess more, especially since she is the central protagonist, but I found myself far more invested in characters like Wakefull Slim and even the old man with his scorpillion. It says a lot that I was more emotionally engaged by an AI-powered gun than by the woman carrying it.

That said, the ending was excellent. It brought the various plot threads together neatly and delivered a satisfying conclusion. Would I return to this series if Carey writes another installment? Possibly.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for providing a free review copy.

books, Horror, Lovecraftian horror, Military science fiction, Reviews, science fiction

Necrotek by Jonathan Maberry

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Stars 3.5 out of 5

This is the second book based on the Lovecraftian mythos that I’ve read this year, the first being A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-young. Despite drawing from the same source material, the two books couldn’t be more different. One leans into existential horror, while this one is firmly in the military-action horror camp.

The book starts strong. A space station filled with military personnel, journalists, scientists, and representatives from various Earth religions gathers to witness the test of a new warpline gun. Naturally, the test goes horribly wrong.

I have to admit that the chapters covering the test and the immediate aftermath of Asphodel Station’s transport were genuinely chilling. Space, time, and even reality itself begin to warp and collapse, confronting people with horrors that are both real and born from their own minds. That’s nightmare fuel right there.

The first encounter with the shoggoth was also an edge-of-your-seat read. The action scenes throughout the book are well written, with plenty of tension and high stakes.

Unfortunately, the frequent info-dumps kill a lot of that momentum. I found my attention wandering, even during major action sequences, because they were constantly interrupted by exposition, existential crises, or “meaningful conversations.” The fight with the shoggoth vanguard is a good example—the action repeatedly stalls while Soren reflects on the Necrotek and wrestles with his doubts.

Speaking of necrotek, we have to wait until almost 80% of the book before that technology actually comes into play.

That said, I did like the characters. Soren tends to proselytize a bit more than I personally enjoy, but the cast is generally strong. I especially loved the Lost Souls and found myself rooting for them, even though a group with a name like that practically announces its fate from the beginning. Surprisingly, my favorite character ended up being Sybil. For an AI, she’s incredibly likeable. I also understood Lost’s desperation. It is the last survivor of a long-forgotten race, and the enemy they once fought has returned with a vengeance.

The ending clearly leaves the door open for a sequel, and I’ll probably pick it up. I just hope this book got most of the world-building out of the way so the next installment can focus a little more on action and a little less on exposition and philosophical reflection.

PS: Big thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.

Horror, Lovecraftian horror

A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-young

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Stars: 4 out of 5

Lovecraftian existential horror meets the harsh realities of modern Korean culture, creating a compelling but deeply bleak story.

Despite its short length, this novella leaves a lasting impression. While I found it engaging and thought-provoking, it is undeniably dark and depressing.

One of the book’s strongest themes is its critique of modern Korean society, where beauty and wealth are often treated as measures of personal worth. Illness, disability, or physical differences are frequently viewed as personal shortcomings rather than circumstances beyond an individual’s control.

Against this backdrop, the government’s response to a village whose residents suddenly transform into grotesque monsters feels disturbingly believable. Rather than helping them, authorities quarantine the village and effectively abandon its inhabitants, leaving them to survive—or perish—on their own.

The protagonist, Mu-young, is a survivor carrying significant trauma and depression. She attempts to maintain order and a sense of control in an impossible situation, even though this means killing those who violate self-isolation rules. Although she is far from a likable character, her motivations are understandable, making her a complex and sympathetic figure.

My main criticism is the ending. I feel like it was rushed, with all the plot threads converging into a chaotic and messy conclusion. But that is to be expected for such a short novella. Overall, I enjoyed A Plagued Sea and would gladly read more of Kim Bo-young’s work if it becomes available in translation.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy.