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We are an opinionated group of friends reviewing all sorts of fantasy and science fiction media. Don’t forget to get to know the curators and visit our curated Collection, where we discuss the stories that never cease to transport us to another world.
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- Book written by William Gibson & Bruce Sterling
- Published in 1990
- Standalone
Set in a masterfully crafted alternative 1855 in which Great Britain is run by radical industrial reformers and mechanical computers, The Difference Engine follows a set of diverse characters each chasing a mysterious set of punch cards: a working girl getting mixed up with American revolutionaries, an esteemed paleontological savant who just returned to Londen after an expedition to far-off Wyoming, and a secret agent with Japanese ties.
The Difference Engine was recommended to me on Reddit after I uploaded my review of William Gibson’s Neuromancer and remarked how fundamental that book was to the cyberpunk genre. The Difference Engine, I was told, was supposedly the same, except for steampunk, which (obviously) made me curious straight away. I was not disappointed. After some googling, I don’t think The Difference Engine stands at the cradle of the steampunk genre the same way Neuromancer does with cyberpunk, but the book certainly captures the spirit of the steampunk genre in a way that I haven’t before encountered in print – though admittedly I haven’t found a lot of steampunk novels, so feel free to recommend your favourites.
The Difference Engine is a collection of interconnected novellas set in an alternative history version of the London of 1855, in which Britain is ruled by a coalition of Radical reformers who have pushed the Conservative government out of power and installed a regime that has pushed for rapid industrialisation. Scientists and inventors of all different disciplines called ‘savants’ are installed as lords. The bureaucracy of this new Britain runs on difference engines, room- or even building-sized whirling mechanical computers that record data on punch cards.
The steampunk alternative history worldbuilding in this novel is absolutely phenomenal. I love that the novel makes an actual effort to have its steampunk setting fit into our real world, and has worked out a more or less believable timeline to get to the world it wants to present (as opposed to just ‘sticking a gear on it’ and calling it a day). I recognised a lot of real world names (and I probably missed a lot more), and every time the authors mention a poet as a proto-cinema director or prime minister, you can’t suppress a smile.
The actual stories set in this amazing world are enjoyable, though some more so than others; I have to admit that I didn’t really stick with the novel for the central mystery (which forms the red thread connecting the separate stories), but rather for the world, and for discovering tidbits about its (alternative) history. I really liked the variety of characters that the authors picked, giving you a number of different perspectives on the novel society it presents, though the limited time spent with each means that none of them attain the depth I know some of our other curators particularly like.
As a result, I really enjoyed The Difference Engine, but I am recommending it mostly to people interested in reading a novel set in a fascinating steampunk alternative universe, and maybe not so much to people looking for an absolutely thrilling plot or characters to fall head over heels in love with.
- TV-show created by the Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski for Netflix
- Starring Starring Aml Ameen, Doona Bae, Jamie Clayton, Tina Desai, Tuppence Middleton, Max Riemelt, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Brian J. Smith, Freema Agyeman with Terrence Mann, Naveen Andrews and Daryl Hannah
- First Aired on June 5th 2015
- Two Seasons with 12 Episodes
Eight strangers from different parts of the world, all with their very own challenges in life, gradually discover they are mentally and emotionally linked to one another. Although this unique bond comes with its own difficulties, these eight strangers soon discover they can build on each other’s strengths and compassion.
Meanwhile, a man named Whispers, under the employ of a mysterious organization, tries to capture them for nefarious purposes…
I absolutely love this series. Where to start?
Sense8 is an ambitious celebration of diversity in all of its forms. This is not only apparent in the fact that it was filmed on multiple continents, but also in the way in which the accompanying cultures are portrayed respectfully, both their beautiful and less beautiful sides. Not only that, the cast of characters consists of a variety of walks of life, each with their own unique story lines besides the bigger plot. This ranges from a German criminal to an Indian woman who doubts her upcoming wedding, and from a white American policeman to a South-Korean businesswoman who pushes aside her own needs for the family business.
As one might imagine, it takes some time to bring eight different storylines together, especially when the eight main characters are physically divided by continents. Some might find that the first few episodes are complicated and slow of pace. However, this was not how I experienced it. Although the initial mysteries may seem overwhelming, the individual characters – each of them played by talentful actors – are captivating enough to guide you through them. Indeed, soon enough you’ll find you’ve fallen in love with them. Even years after I’ve watched this series, my thoughts still regularly drift away to think of them. The character-driven plots of Sense8 are amongst the most intricate and well-written I’ve ever seen on television.
Besides the wonderful characters, the stories of Sense8 contain some powerful themes, relating to issues such as identity, gender and sexuality and the nature of family. Empathy is the common thread throughout all of the story. Are we as humanity defined by our differences or our similarities? Can we find love and beauty in people that are almost nothing like us? What could we learn from others, if we only dared to leave our comfort zone? When I’m about to lose faith in humanity, Sense8 somehow manages to restore my hope for a brighter future.
What more can I say? I could still mention the beautiful cinematography, but I already find myself eager to rewatch the series. I think I’ll leave it at this.
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- Audio drama written by Joel Dane
- Produced by Realm
- Released in 2022
- Starring Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto
Lucan wakes up and finds himself crash-landed on a mysterious planet with no memory of what happened. Then sentient AI Ven pops up in his brain, trying to keep him alive, but dying itself. Will they save each other and find out who they are?
Off to a little cheesy start, this audio drama quickly grabbed my attention with its interesting premisse, early worldbuilding and action-oriented story. Marigold Breach used an interesting combination of inner dialogue (between Lucan and the AI Ven), external dialogue with other characters and descriptive passages by Lucan alone. It was at times a bit hard to distinguish between Lucan’s different ‘voices’, but overall I think it worked nicely.
It was equally great to see Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto (both from Netflix’s The Good Place) back as a couple, but as two completely different characters. It shows the range of these actors while profiting from their chemistry. However, I did not completely get why Lucan trusted (and loved) Ven from the moment they ‘met’ (having no memories of each other). I would have been a little suspicious at least. It made Lucan’s expressions of love feel a bit unfounded – though this is more of a script-problem than a performance-one.
I liked the snippets of worldbuilding that were offered in this audio drama, but never completely explained. It gave a sense of a much larger world behind the story, a world where other things were happening too, on a way larger scale. That said, there were also a few themes and events I would have liked to know more about, for example the competing views on colonialism and ‘the war’ that loomed in the background. Instead, Marigold Breach chooses for a fairly linear story of ‘there is a thing – get to the thing’ (and overcome the obstacles in your way).
The longer I think about it, the more I find that could have elevated this drama to a 5-star level. But let that not spoil the fun. My advice: don’t think about it too hard. Just enjoy the performances, the inventive story premisse and the worldbuilding, and have fun with Marigold Breach!
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- Book written by Patrick Weekes, Sylvia Feketekuty, Jon Epler, Lukas Kristjanson, Brianne Battye, Caitlin Sullivan Kelly, Courtney Woods, Ryan Cormier & Arone Le Bray
- Edited by Chris Bain, Patrick Weekes, Matthew Goldman & Christopher Morgan
- Published in 2020
- Spin-off of the Dragon Age games
The world of Thedas is full of ancient horrors, mysteries and factions that are trying to make their mark on history. We’ve all heard of heroes like the Hero of Ferelden, the Champion of Kirkwall and the Inquisitor, but they are not the only ones.
Tevinter Nights is an anthology of stories that tell the tales of unknown champions. Stories of ordinary Grey Wardens, Antivan Crows, Rivaini Lords of Fortunes and Tevinter mages, living their not so ordinary lives. With a Qunari invasion and the Dread Wolf lurking in the shadows, the nights are darker than ever.
With the title of the fourth Dragon Age game – Dragon Age: Dreadwolf – recently revealed, it seems only appropriate that I finally finished this anthology. As I’m writing this, it’s been seven years since the release of Dragon Age: Inquisition’s last DLC. Seven years! How is a fan supposed to bridge all this time? Well, reading Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights proved a worthwhile activity.
There are fifteen short stories in this book, each focusing on different characters, settings and scenarios. A few of these main characters will be familiar to those who played the previous Dragon Age games. Most of the other stories will at least mention characters or events we’ve come to love or hate. The writers took effort to drop many such Easter eggs between the lines. Most important, however, all the stories succeed in capturing the unique atmosphere of the Dragon Age universe, despite the different types of stories. Horror, heists and murder mysteries all highlight a different aspect of Thedas.
Is this anthology then merely a taste of what we already know? Certainly not. Many stories take place in locations we haven’t previously visited in the games, such as Tevinter, Antiva and Nevarra. We are also presented with some delicious new lore nuggets. And mayhaps some of your questions from the games might get answered here…
As for the writing, I’ll say that the overall quality was fairly good. The stories are enjoyable and easy to read (more or less within an hour). I deliberately paced myself during the reading process, so I didn’t race through the book. On the whole, there was only one story where I was bothered by how the story was structured/written.
Though I believe Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights could also be enjoyed by those without any previous Dragon Age experiences, I think they might struggle with some of the basic worldbuilding of the setting. Furthermore, the beauty of this book lies within the earlier mentioned lore nuggets. I have some new questions to ponder before Dragon Age: Dreadwolf arrives…
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- Movie directed by Henry Selick
- Released in 2009
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Based on Coraline by Neil Gaiman
After moving to a new home, Coraline discovers a secret door. On the other side of it she finds a world that seems to mirror her own world, only stranger and more exciting. In this other world she meets her other parents, who are willing to do everything to make her happy. But once she is in their power, will they ever let her leave?
Coraline is one of my favourite book-to-movie adaptations of all time. It perfectly manages to capture both the wonder and the horror of Neil Gaiman’s sinister world behind the door. The stop-motion animation is beautiful and very well-suited to this particular story: the way the characters move makes everything feel slightly eerie, while the bright colours make you want to live there anyway.
Even though Coraline is marketed as a children’s book, I think people of all ages will enjoy this movie (although it might be a little bit too scary for very young children). Just writing about it makes me want to go back and watch it again, no matter how many times I’ve seen it before!
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- Book written by Robin Hobb
- Published in 2013
- Part 3 of The Rain Wild Chronicles
In part four of The Rain Wild Chronicles, the gang’s back together in Kelsingra. Legendary dragon Tintaglia has finally reached the city, but she is wounded and close to death. Only the silver that used to flow through the wells of the city can save her. However, she is not the only one who needs the silver to survive. Every single dragon and keeper is dependent on the silver if they wish to live the long lives they are supposed to. Meanwhile, Selden is captured by the duke of Chalced, who drinks the dragon boy’s blood to regain his health. He finds an ally in the Duke’s rebellious daughter, who is tasked with keeping him alive.
I’m really conflicted on how to rate this series. This book wasn’t fantastic. It was fine. I wish the series would have ended in a way that made the journey a little more worthwhile. After almost 2000(?) pages of this story, I’m just glad to be done. And still I gave it 3.5 stars! Let me explain.
I really enjoy Hobb’s books and her world. Her worldbuilding is fantastic, and she writes really good characters. I truly see not only this book as part of a series, but the series itself as part of a larger whole. I would never recommend this series to someone who has never read a book by Robin Hobb. I, however, have read all the books preceding it, and I know that having read this series will enrich my experience of reading the next books in the series.
I do have to note that I listened to the audiobooks of this series, and every book had a different reader. On top of that, this means that the interpretation of certain characters was heavily influenced by whomever was reading it.
Now let’s talk about some things I didn’t love.
- Malta’s role in the story. Women don’t have to constantly be strong, but Malta had nothing going on in this series. She is my favourite of the Liveship Traders, but here she was a glorified extra.
- Everyone gets a love interest! Even the dragons!!
- The ending feels very underdeveloped compared to the endlesssss unnecessary romances. With a couple of hours left I wondered how Hobb could possibly nicely tie together the ends of the story. Well, she didn’t really. Most of the ending is told through an epilogue.
- I just feel like this could have been a trilogy
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Review: The Difference Engine – William Gibson & Bruce Sterling
The Difference Engine is a collection of steampunk stories set in an alternative 1855 in which Great Britain is run by radical industrial reformers and mechanical computers.
Review: Sense8 – The Wachowski Sisters
Eight strangers from different parts of the world, all with their very own challenges in life, gradually discover they are mentally and emotionally linked to one another.
Review: Marigold Breach – Realm
In a future pandemic, Theo Ramsay is close to creating a vaccine. But whatis she prepared to do to get the research a step further?
Review: Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights – Bioware
Tevinter Nights is an anthology of stories that tell the tales of unknown champions. Stories of ordinary Grey Wardens, Antivan Crows, Rivaini Lords of Fortunes and Tevinter mages, living their not so ordinary lives. With a Qunari invasion and the Dread Wolf lurking in the shadows, the nights are darker than ever.
Review: Coraline – Henry Selick
After moving to a new home, Coraline discovers a secret door. On the other side of it she finds a world that seems to mirror her own world, only stranger and more exciting. In this other world she meets her other parents, who are willing to do everything to make her happy. But once she is in their power, will they ever let her leave?
Review: Blood of Dragons – Robin Hobb
Book 4 of The Rain Wild Chronicles – The group of travellers has finally reached the legendary Dragon City of Kelsingra. This is the final novel in the series.
