I’m not much for gunslinging Westerns, but I did quite enjoy M.R. Carey’s Pandominion Duology, so when I saw that he had a new standalone set in the same universe, I decided to give Outlaw Planet a try. And while it may not be my usual fare, it’s indeed a pretty fun read! Outlaw Planet… Continue reading Sci-fi Novel Review: Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey
Everyone (myself included) is distracted by award shortlists, but there’s still new fiction being published, and there’s plenty to talk about in my review of the March issues of Clarkesworld and GigaNotoSaurus. Clarkesworld This month’s Clarkesworld features six short stories surrounding a novella-length centerpiece from Thomas Ha. The issue opens with Bend Like the Palm… Continue reading Tar Vol Reads a Magazine (or Two): Reviews of Clarkesworld and GigaNotoSaurus (March 2026)
When I talk fantasy to someone outside my niche online groups, the most likely author to be mentioned is far and away Brandon Sanderson. I tend to have mixed feelings about his work—he has some real strengths, but some notable weaknesses as well—but Tress of the Emerald Sea is enough of a stylistic experiment that… Continue reading Fantasy Novel Review: Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
I learned about r/Fantasy Book Bingo in early 2020, and this is the sixth consecutive year that I have filled out two cards. My first one is themed, and my second is cobbled together from whatever is left. For the last couple years, I’ve been rabble-rousing in the Bingo threads for a square that I… Continue reading 2025 Fantasy Bingo: Spot the Title!
I didn’t know too much about Daughter of the Forest going in—just that it involved a recovery arc after a deeply traumatic start and that it came highly recommended by a few friends. Had I realized it was a fantasy romance fairy tale retelling, I might mot have tried it at all. And that would’ve… Continue reading Fantasy Novel Review: Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
It was a short month, and this will be a short post (relative to the usual at least), because I spent a lot of my reading time on series and rereads. Did I also read new short fiction? Of course I did. Let’s take a look! Short Fiction As always, I started with a review… Continue reading February 2026 Round-up and Short Fiction Miscellany
This review is based on an eARC (Advance Reading Copy) provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Platform Decay will be released on May 5, 2026. At this point, readers know what to expect from The Murderbot Diaries. The series has won a legion of fans and a host of genre… Continue reading Sci-fi Novella Review: Platform Decay by Martha Wells
A few years ago, when I started publishing annual sci-fi/fantasy recommended reading lists, the proliferation of favorites lists dropping each winter would kick off a genuine reading flurry that made my late-February list substantially larger than my mid-December one. That’s the reason I started posting two versions of the list each year. But as I… Continue reading Tar Vol’s Top Ten 2025 Short Fiction and Updated Recommended Reading List
I’d only read two previous novels by Alix E. Harrow, but her prose consistently pulls me in the story, so when I started hearing hype for The Everlasting, I decided to give it a shot. The Everlasting is a time-loop story about a legendary knight and the scholar studying her, featuring lots of digging into… Continue reading Fantasy Novel Review: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
2026 started with an unexceptional month for my usual short fiction magazines, but the reason they’re my usual magazines is that they don’t tend to miss many times in a row. And I’m pleased to report that I had a lot of fun with my February reading. Let’s take a look at this month’s Clarkesworld… Continue reading Tar Vol Reads a Magazine (or Two): Reviews of Clarkesworld and GigaNotoSaurus (February 2026)
