So: what do holy relics, Neanderthals, UFO researchers and secret societies all have in common? (Latest review for www.sffworld.com )

Friday is a day when a lot of review books arrive. Here's today's pile. (Thanks to all who sent!) Are there any anybody's keen to read?

A lengthier review than normal over at SFFWorld, I think - because it was a book that didn't entirely work for me, and I wanted to try and explain why. www.sffworld.com/2026/03/no-m...

Morning Womble! Hope you're good. I have just finished reading a book I wasn't planning to read, but it sucked me in. It's not out until June! The Traveler (ugh: US spelling!) by Joseph Eckert. Great start with some twists along the way, and reminded very much of Richard Matheson's Shrinking Man.

I know! The output is amazing, and it's all good stuff! Looking forward to a book signing with him at the end of the month, but I'm not sure I'll have got these read by then...

Current TBR pile. Anything there people fancy reading?

Review of Jitterbug by Gareth L Powell up at @sffworld.com www.sffworld.com/2026/03/jitt...

Review @sffworld.com "...a story filled with charm and humour, memorable characters, pastries and cats, a huge great hug in a book that at the end leaves you with a great big smile.

And for that reason, recommended. " www.sffworld.com/2026/02/agne...

Review of Nine Goblins out today at @sffworld.com Nice little novella with an interesting background story.

But (of course!) only available in the US...

First review of the year @SFFWorld. A gripping new Asian-inspired Fantasy, I described it as "A Game of Thrones with dragons!" Complex, and not what you entirely expect. There are trigger warnings that are entirely justified. www.sffworld.com/2026/01/the-...

I enjoyed a lot, Juliet. Didn't quite work at the end for me, but up to there it was one of the best books of that type I've read in years. As a retired educator, that first part really struck home. If you were going to write about a magic school from the teacher's view, this pretty much got it.

Morning Womble! I am rereading Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, because I have forgotten SO MUCH (it has been 25 years, to be honest!) Am determined to finish the series this year, but can't remember any of it atm. But it is SO good - had forgotten how good, complex and bloody clever it is.

Thanks, Paul. Must admit I've never come across the term 'broken step' before, but after reading Nevala-Lee's book "Astounding", I think I understand.

Am sure that it's just coincidence, but Michael's book is currently 99p for the Kindle over at Amazon.

Over at @sffworld.com there's an exclusive extract of K A Linde's House of Shadows. The book is out later this week. www.sffworld.com/2026/01/sffw...

Oh, that's bizarre. (Or is it magic?) Today I used a random date generator to pick an old Analog Magazine to read from. It picked Sept. 1964, which has "A Case of Identity" in it and on the cover. Was just thinking how good it was. Coincidence? A lovely way to remember.

Final review post of 2025 @sffworld.com : what film & TV did we like? (Actually, in my case, not as much as I had hoped!) www.sffworld.com/2025/12/sffw...

Interesting. Only been posting there for decades...

The neuroscience laboratory is closed for the holidays, but a staff member is on hand to answer the Consciousness Hotline. Scientist on the phone in an otherwise deserted office: "So, to summarise: No, I can't say with complete certainty that you exist. But yes, you probably ought to go back to work after the holidays anyway."

My cartoon for the latest @newscientist.com

Part 2 of our sffworld.com favourites of the year is up and running. This time it's Horror Books, and some other stuff: www.sffworld.com/2025/12/sffw...

We've begun our usual 'Best Of' posts over at sffworld.com. Been doing this for over 20 years now, I think! First part is our favourite Fantasy books read this year: www.sffworld.com/.../sffworld...

“A bad king revels in his importance. A good one hates his office. He spends himself into infirmity quashing deadly little plots to make power the tool of the greedy.”

There are SO MANY other ways to effectively fight the the fucking right than screaming into the social media void and making yourself feel as awful as these dickheads actually are. They want to exhaust you here so you feel helpless everywhere else. Fuck them. Conserve your joy, online and off.

While Amazon is investing billions of dollars to expand AI, independent bookstores are hosting community events, personally recommending books to readers, and providing a space that is safe and welcoming during a time when we need them most.

Never underestimate the power of a local bookstore.

Nice list, Womble! I think the only polite suggestion I would make is to perhaps swap Adrian's "Spiderlight" (at nearly 300 pages) for "Made Things" (slightly smaller at just over 200 pages.) Both excellent, but "Made Things" feels like more novella to me... Or just read both!! Merry Xmas to you.

Living puppets and Adrian Tchaikovsky snark... today's review for @sffworld.com
www.sffworld.com/2025/12/made...

Arrivals from @Gollancz for review today, thanks to them. The LARGE book on the top is a debut novel that is getting interest. In contrast, Mr Sanderson needs no introduction to most here. We've been talking of late that debut novels seem to be getting bigger (again). This seems to fit the bill...

Latest sffworld.com review: third book in a great SF series, Whalesong by Miles Cameron. www.sffworld.com/2025/11/whal...

Latest review at sffworld.com: The third 'cosy fantasy' book by Travis Baldree, which is a sequel to the first book, using a character from the second (which was a prequel!) www.sffworld.com/2025/11/brig...