Books

V.E. Schwab returns to form in the third book of her Shades of Magic series. A Conjuring of Light picks up at the cliffhanger ending of A Gathering of Shadows (2016). I was a little let down by the slow pace, light tone and abrupt end to Gathering, but Conjuring recaptures the, ahem, magic from series debut, A Darker Shade of Magic (2015).

The Apocalypse Blog Book Club picks a different dystopian-themed novel to read each month and has an online discussion, as well as an in-person meeting in Milwaukee. Different club members will write reports on our selections each month for Pop Mythology. You can find more on the club and join …

What a time to reread 'The Man in the High Castle'! You might dismiss the cries of the USA becoming a fascist state as hyperbole, but you can’t ignore the writing on the wall.

With honesty, grace and self-deprecating humor Jennifer Grant tackles the confusion and uncertainty that so many struggle with, middle-aged or otherwise.

This year’s C2E2 was another smashing hit. Being a writer, I skewed heavily toward the literary panels, but I took advantage of some comic book panels too. Here are some of the highlights.

The March selection for the Apocalypse Blog Book Club was 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood, originally published in 1985 but more relevant than ever before, as this book report by Ryder Collins discusses.

Being a real-life superhero isn't about being free of difficult feelings. It's about working with those feelings in a constructive way. In her new book 'Superhero Therapy,' Dr. Janina Scarlet shows you how.

'The Twilight Zone' proves to be an unexpected but rich sourcebook of life lessons. Author Mark Dawidziak has done a splendid job of distilling those lessons in this entertaining, illuminating book.

Robert Charles Wilson continues his run of smart science fiction with 'Last Year.' The book offers a new look at time travel, with plenty to say about capitalism, cultural relativism and the ethics of tourism. Especially when the tourists come from the future.

Dan Wells explores the dark side of genetic engineering in 'Extreme Makeover,' a satirical science-fiction novel that is equal parts terrifying and hilarious. Wells excels at gallows humor, blending the serious with the silly without collapsing into farce.

'The Art and Making of the Flash' is a must-have not just for fans of the TV show and comic book but for any viewer interested in television production.

'The Bone Collection' contains four snappy Tempe Brennan novellas that don’t stop firing for a moment’s pause. While highly entertaining as usual, these stories also amount to a rousing call for science advocacy at a time when we truly need it.

'The Big Book of Girl Power' hits so many positive themes: empowerment of women, early literacy development, positive role-models, and good parenting. For every household with a little girl growing up in it, this is one book that should be under the Xmas tree.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Anne revealed a couple of her top casting choices for leading roles in the future Vampire Chronicles TV series. First and foremost, of course, would be Lestat himself. This role was initially played by Tom Cruise in the 1994 Neil Jordan film, Interview …

'Theology and Science Fiction' is an accessible overview of how theology and sci-fi “speak” to one another. McGrath writes clearly and explains complex concepts effectively. But the book could have benefitted from more detailed analysis of specific examples from sci-fi to illustrate his points.