As with most collections, this one was a bit hit or miss for me — but the hits were worth it. The cover suggests pure horror, but many of the stories lean more toward psychological thriller or dark fiction. A few offer eerie atmospheres and clever endings without being outright terrifying.
I gave Dubliners 4 stars, but that rating is more about the book’s place in literary history than my personal enjoyment. This collection of short stories by James Joyce is often seen as groundbreaking, and it’s easy to see why. I believe Joyce was one of the first to truly popularize the modern short story collection — one not driven by a single plot, but by theme, tone, and place.
Star Trek: S.C.E. #10: Here There Be Monsters by Keith R.A. DeCandido is billed as the epilogue to the Gateways saga, and while it works fine in that context, it shines even more as a standalone S.C.E. story. The crew of the da Vinci is dispatched to a planet overrun by bizarre, monstrous creatures that have crossed over from another universe through one of the Gateways. As the team scrambles to contain the chaos, the story balances action, teamwork, and a bit of the series’ trademark weirdness.
As the conclusion to the Gateways saga, What Lay Beyond should have brought everything together with a satisfying, cohesive finale. Instead, it felt like six disconnected short stories — some more engaging than others — cobbled together without a solid narrative through-line. The overarching problem with the Gateways series is even more apparent here: a strong concept poorly executed.
Star Trek: S.C.E. #9: The Riddled Post by Aaron Rosenberg had a solid premise — a mysterious space station, a problem in need of solving — but the execution fell a bit flat for me. The story unfolds in a very straightforward, almost clinical fashion, lacking the tension or stakes that have helped elevate previous entries in the series. While there’s a mystery at the heart of the plot, it’s solved rather quickly, and what follows feels more like a checklist of tasks than a compelling narrative arc.
Star Trek: S.C.E. #7-8: Invincible by David Mack and Keith R.A. DeCandido is an ambitious two-parter that stands out thanks to its unique storytelling format. Told largely through a series of log entries, personal reflections, and internal communications from Lieutenant Commander Sonia Gomez, the story offers a real-time, first-person immediacy that’s rare in Trek fiction. It’s a refreshing shift in perspective that deepens Gomez’s character and gives the narrative a strong sense of urgency.
Star Trek: S.C.E. #7-8: Invincible by David Mack and Keith R.A. DeCandido is an ambitious two-parter that stands out thanks to its unique storytelling format. Told largely through a series of log entries, personal reflections, and internal communications from Lieutenant Commander Sonia Gomez, the story offers a real-time, first-person immediacy that’s rare in Trek fiction. It’s a refreshing shift in perspective that deepens Gomez’s character and gives the narrative a strong sense of urgency.
With a few Stephen King novels under my belt, I wanted to go back to where it all began (Carrie being King’s first published novel under his own name). I’ve never seen the movie adaptations — though I new the general premise going in: Carrie is a teenage girl with telekinetic abilities and a prom scene that involves blood and revenge.
After reading The One, I knew I had to dive deeper into John Marr’s dark future — and The Passengers absolutely delivered. Set in the same unsettlingly plausible world as The One, this novel explores the dangers of blind trust in technology, especially as AI and self-driving cars inch closer to everyday reality. The connections between the two books aren’t subtle, but they’re perfectly placed for fans eager to spot them.
Star Trek: S.C.E. #6: Cold Fusion by Keith R.A. DeCandido ties nicely into the post-Deep Space Nine continuity, serving as a fun “side quest” of sorts for Nog as he seeks help from the da Vinci crew to repair DS9. That broader connection is one of the novella’s strengths. Unfortunately, the danger never quite lands — the outcome feels predetermined, and the stakes never seem high enough to create real tension.
