Genre: Biopunk

Most sci-fi alien invasion stories are told from the frontline defenders, innocent bystanders, or the invader themselves, but not many are told from the perspective of the early vanguards planted in place to test the soil before the interstellar fleet arrives (sorry couldn’t resist the pun). Putting a unique botanical spin on the classic alien invasion story, Mira Grant’s Overgrowth is a unique, intellectual, and ambitiously crafted novel written from the perspective of Anastasia Miller who has believed herself to be an alien for nearly thirty years. Constantly telling others she’s an alien sent ahead of an invading armada for years and being written off as an eccentric oddity, her unassuming life in Seattle is upended when an alien signal is received announcing that said alien armada is finally coming to Earth. While most stories of similar content show off the epic scale and flashy combat of the invasion, Overgrowth instead chooses to focus on the ramifications for individuals like Anastasia, with conflicting loyalties and the often cruel and destructive nature of human behavior on full display. Featuring slow pacing interrupted by frequent political and social commentary, Overgrowth is not for everyone (myself included), but it’s nonetheless an intriguing sci-fi…

Imagine taking loose elements of Jurassic Park, bioengineer some crazy science fiction dinosaurs crossed with nuclear reactors, multiverse the research center onto an alien planet, and finally infuse the story with geeky pop culture references and endless popcorn entertainment. If that sounds wild, I’ve done a great job at recreating the feel of John Scalzi’s refreshingly fun The Kaiju Preservation Society. Light-hearted, comically giddy, and always unapologetically nerdy, for fans of the pop-cultured inspired side of science fiction, this novel is an absolute romp! Acknowledged by Scalzi himself as not being the most nuanced or mature novel of his works, The Kaiju Preservation Society is a fast-paced joyride and a breath of fresh air in a genre that can often take itself too seriously. This novel sees certified geek Jamie Gray, a recently fired marketing member whose master’s thesis was on the bioengineering in science fiction culture, recruited into a secretive international research program following an uber eats-style delivery gig at the height of the Covid19 pandemic. Yes, that intro alone should give you a good idea of how gleefully prodding and casually self-aware the story is shooting to be. Many prototype vaccines, hrs on the plane, and a crash…

A mysterious parasitic ailment, a medical institute that isn’t what it seems, and the occupants of an isolated, frost-covered chateau sets the scene for an incredibly unique, ambitious, yet often confusing and disjointed read. I wholeheartedly agree with many other reviews of Hiron Ennes’s debut novel Leech that describe it as being positively weird (that’s a good thing) and unlike anything else within the horror and science fiction genres. With strong initial horror elements that vary from body, medical, and psychological horror (nothing too graphic, at least by my desensitized standards) to light elements of supernatural and monster horror, there are a lot of conceptually great ideas that make Leech a riveting read, at times. Unfortunately more often than not, the execution of these ideas and the narrative presentation severely drags down the enjoyment and cohesion of the story, resulting in a puzzling reading experience and a feeling of missed opportunity. The success of any parasite is proportional to its harmlessness. Some are intelligent; they avoid detection, allowing their carriers to lead healthy lives until obsolescence. Fewer, in brilliant acts of symbiosis, foster dependence in the host. But too many are loudmouths and fools… most parasites cannot think far enough…

The Last Murder at the End of the World feels like it should’ve been something directly catered to my taste which is a murder mystery investigation wrapped up in a post-apocalyptic, science fiction (borderline dystopian) dressing. This one is hard to talk without giving away crucial spoilers that would heavily affect the reading experience. The novel had all the right elements and pieces to work with and Stuart Turton had a lot of creative and intriguing concepts included. In an alternate universe with some tweaking, this could’ve been a knockout hit. Unfortunately for me, the novel’s science fiction flavor gets a bit out of hand and is frankly a mess. Numerous unexplained apocalyptic elements weaken what should’ve been a well-done murder investigation story. Set on a protected island where the last survivors of an apocalyptic fog inhabit, the setup for the plot was good. There’s a clear timeline of events dictated by a countdown to extinction that separates each section of the book. The first 40% of the story focused on introducing various villagers on the island, their relationship with three revered scientists, and the dynamics of the island. The book has a long-running metaphor of equating the villagers to…