Wombling Along
Helloooo!
Welcome to Wombling Along the blog’s weekend supplement where I share reviews that caught my eye and other articles I thought worth a read! It’s tricky to catch everything online when it comes out so sometimes it’s better to see what the ‘conversation’ has been about as a whole.
It’s been a chunky week with work needing a lot of work and I’m so glad I had a long weekend in between. It’s been a good challenge but I think some time today without a screen is needed. Perhaps a book or two may help? Hmmm
Reviews
Ancillary Review of Books have another small press dispatch with an impressed look at the third Wiz Duos novella entry
https://ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2026/03/11/small-press-dispatch-earth-and-hearth/
Half Man Half Book has a fascinating look at sound in the non fiction The Sound Atlas by Michaela Vieser and Isaac Yuen
https://halfmanhalfbook.co.uk/review/the-sound-atlas-by-michaela-vieser-isaac-yuen/
Locus enticed me with The Forest On The Edge of Time by Jasmine Kirkbride
And a look at a recent Analog
https://locusmag.com/review/analog-review-by-a-c-wise-3/
Strange Horizons really enjoyed The Tricky Business of Faerie Bargains by Rena Mccarty
the also enjoyed the finale delivered by This Brutal Moon by Bethany Jacobs
https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/this-brutal-moon-by-bethany-jacobs/
Fantasy Book Critic was not so impressed by The Book of Fallen Leaves by AS Tamaki
https://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2026/03/review-book-fallen-leaves-as-tamaki.html?m=1
Jamreads however did enjoy A Forest, Darkly by AG Slatter
https://jamreads.com/reviews/a-forest-darkly-sourdough-universe-by-ag-slatter
Expendable Mudge has a review where they were compelled to read The Iron Garden Sutra by AD Sui and this review really balances who may or may not enjoy this kind of story
https://expendablemudge.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-iron-garden-sutra-cosmic-wheel.html?m=1
Adam Roberts reshared this review of A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson - the review is in particular looking at some deliciously memorable lines
https://sibilantfricative.blogspot.com/2023/12/robert-jordan-and-brandon-sanderson.html?m=1
Reactor enticed me with this review of Ballad of the Bone Road by AC Wise
https://reactormag.com/book-review-ballad-of-the-bone-road-by-a-c-wise/
A Reader of Else continues to be impressed by The Calculation of Volume III by Solvej Balle translated by Sophia Hersi Smith and Jennifer Russell
Lady Business reminds me I need to read Noted From A Regicide by Isaac Fellman
https://ladybusiness.dreamwidth.org/2026/03/10/notes-from-a-regicide-by-isaac-fellman.html
The Fantasy Hive had as much fun as I am with my current read Entwined by H M Long
https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2026/03/entwined-by-h-m-long-book-review/
The creepy Antarctic thriller Sentient by Michael Navak also made a good impression
https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2026/03/sentient-by-michael-nayak-book-review/
Nerds of A Feather were (correctly) entranced by The Misheard World by Aliya Whiteley
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/03/book-review-misheard-world-by-aliya.html
Skiffy and Fanty have a fascinating novella on the form of It Came From The Floodwaters by Seann Barbour
https://skiffyandfanty.com/blog/book-review-it-came-from-the-floodwaters-by-seann-barbour/
Fantasy Book Nerd had fun with the creepiness of Blood Covenant by Alan Baxter
https://www.fantasybooknerd.com/2026/03/book-review-blood-covenant-alan-baxter.html?m=1
Gingernuts of Horro found Hysterical by Amber Dean a thrilling dark read
https://gnofhorror.com/hysterical-by-amber-dean-review/
The were also very impressed by Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo
https://gnofhorror.com/cabaret-in-flames-review-hache-pueyo/
Alasdair Stuart looks at the latest 2000AD
https://alasdairstuart.com/2026ad-prog-2473/
Out of This World has a review exploring expectations of a reader while tackling Sister Svanberg and The Devil You Know by K J Parker
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.com/2026/03/book-review-sister-svangerd-and-devil.html?m=1
Alway happy to welcome a new reviewer to the mix and this one is a little unusual as I saw this review of Return of the King by WH Auden (yes that one) which is well worth a look
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/01/02/11/specials/tolkien-return.html
In Other News
Supporting The excellent Ignyte awards continue and they’re at 50% so go help!
https://ignyteawards.fiyahlitmag.com/support/
A David Gemmel related Kickstarter has started to release a new anthology with a host of authors you should recognise
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/igw-5964/the-iron-code
The Wrong Questions continues the great Tolkien reread with a look at an important chapter
https://wrongquestions.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-great-tolkien-reread-fog-on-barrow.html?m=1
Charlie Jane Anders in their weekly newsletter looks at stakes
https://buttondown.com/charliejane/archive/stop-calling-stakes-high-or-low-call-them-near-or/
I have done this ‘experiment’ of Wombling Along’ for a few months now and I’m really enjoying it. It’s fun to contrast different reactions and styles to a review. Online someone was asking do I think I call myself a reviewer or critic. I tend still to say blogger but I just enjoy working my reactions to books out on the page and trying to tempt or distempt when needed. Sometimes it’s hard and I think I miss and every now and then I think yep I got this one and figured it out. I think it’s fun and everyone should have a go once. This excellent article from the Chicago Review of Books really underlines why criticism matters
As always for more reviews and analysis get into this week’s excellent Intergalactic Mixtape
https://buttondown.com/intergalacticmixtape/archive/intergalactic-mixtape-44/
And finally l’ve never got my head around cryptic crosswords but now the make of Wordle has a daily puzzle that may help!
https://www.parseword.com/daily
Have a great weekend and keep reading!
