Wombling Along!
Helloooo!
Welcome to Wombling Along! This is the blog’s weekend supplement where I share the review and other online articles that caught my eye this week.
My day job has this week finally become more day job again which while I know may not last long has finally allowed my brain to read again. Unfortunately I just thought I’d try as a read one of the Clarke Award finalists before I get back to a really good book I wanted to finish. Let’s just say Dungeons Crawler Carl left an impression on me in all the bad ways but at the very least after being so tired my reviewer brain has been fully reactivated :) the reaction to that review has been interesting. I found a book I was not just disappointed or did not click with but one which I loathed on quite fundamental levels. This leads to thoughts on how fans of series can merge boos together and how audio ‘easy listening’ seem to allow people to pass on things I do not think stand up to scrutiny. Typically it’s has now been greenlighted for a TV show….
Reviews
Fan Fi Addict enjoyed a new horror collection - Traps and Spectres by Philip Fracassi
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-traps-and-specters-by-philip-fracassi/
Galactic Journey looks at New Writing In SF Vol 19
Ladybusiness tempts with this review of The Language of Liars by SL Huang
Becky’s Books enjoys Villian by Natalie Zina Walschots
https://crooksbooks.blog/2026/06/15/villain-by-natalie-zina-walschots-arc-review/
Reactor intrigued me with this review of Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey
https://reactormag.com/book-review-make-me-better-by-sarah-gailey/
They do it again with this fascinating sounding tale of art meeting IP - The Franchise by Thomas Elrod
https://reactormag.com/book-review-the-franchise-by-thomas-elrod/
An Enduring Romantic looks at the work of James Baldwin
Jam Reads enjoyed The Soft Touch by Daniel Polansky
https://jamreads.com/reviews/the-soft-touch-a-low-town-novella-by-daniel-polansky
They are also really wowed by House of Margins by Tloto Tsamaase
https://jamreads.com/reviews/house-of-margins-by-tlotlo-tsamaase
Strange Horizons delved into A Short History of Fantasy by Adam Roberts
https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/fantasy-a-short-history-by-adam-roberts/
Poetry and SF collide in their look at Kill The Poet Save The World by Abdulkareem Baba Aminu
Poetry and the AIDS crisis are also explored in Dead Boys In Space by Sara Youngblood Gregory
https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/dead-boys-in-space-by-sara-youngblood-gregory/
Lastly a touch of horror as they also look at House of Margins
https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/house-of-margins-by-tloto-tsamaase/
Gingernuts of Horror really liked The Bone Door by Frances White
https://gnofhorror.com/the-bone-door-review-trauma-fantasy/
They are also impressed by Bad Things Happen Here by Mark Morris
https://gnofhorror.com/bad-things-happen-here-mark-morris-review/
And really really tempt me with We Call Them Witches by India Rose Bower
https://gnofhorror.com/we-call-them-witches-review-india-rose-bower/
The Wrong Questions continues their Lord of the Rings reread deep dive
http://wrongquestions.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-great-tolkien-reread-ring-goes-south.html
Reader of Else delves into The Calculation of Volume Vol IV by Solvej Balle translated by Sophia Hersi Smith and Jennifer Russell
Tar Vol On looks at some recent short fiction (I hope I get back to mine soooooon!)
Locus delved into short fiction magazines
And they also look at The Language of Liars
https://locusmag.com/review/the-language-of-liars-by-s-l-huang-review-by-vanessa-fogg/
Ancillary Review of Books is enjoying Nonesuch by Francis Spufford
https://ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2026/06/17/life-and-magic-during-wartime/
Nerds of A Feather talks portal fantasy in This Kingdom Will Not Kill by Ilona Andrews
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/06/book-review-this-kingdom-will-not-kill.html
They also enjoyed Rainmaker Rainmaker by Kevin B Hillstrom
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/06/review-rainmaker-rainmaker-by-kevin-b.html
Skiffy and Fanty really enjoys Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky
https://skiffyandfanty.com/blog/book-review-shroud-by-adrian-tchaikovsky/
autumn Is For Reading looks at one of my favorite reads The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie
https://autumnisforreading.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-raven-tower-ann-leckie.html
In Other News
Strange Horizons have launched their annual fundraiser and totally deserve our support
https://www.backerkit.com/c/users/3516235/profile
I found this look at the rise of book bans in the U.K. rather chilling
https://www.runnymedetrust.org//blog/erasing-histories-and-voices
Camestros Felapton notes the discourse around Dungeon Crawler Carl (my review is part of this) and explored how a nomination may not always be good news for a book
https://camestrosfelapton.wordpress.com/2026/06/16/when-being-an-award-finalist-is-bad-news/
Lorraine Wilson talks future folklore
https://scottishbpocwritersnetwork.org/future-folklores-how-new-traditions-can-root-us-in-hope/
Strange Horizons also has a fascinating essay on the topic of worldbuilding
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/06/review-rainmaker-rainmaker-by-kevin-b.html
Round Ups
Gautam Bhatia has their latest Words for Worlds
https://gautambhatia.substack.com/p/words-for-worlds-issue-124
as always The Full Lid is a great read
https://mailchi.mp/5a74c17f74d2/the-full-lid-12th-june-2026
And don’t forget to get the excellent Intergalactic Mixtape from Renay into your minds
https://buttondown.com/intergalacticmixtape/archive/intergalactic-mixtape-58/
And finally we’re baaacccckkkk!!!
