Obscura
{5/5} “‘Whoever’s doing this doesn’t want us here, doesn’t want us finding out what’s wrong with shifting. That’s why they killed Tinsel. He had the authority to shut this all down.’ ‘Because whoever it is knows the truth.’” Obscura by Joe Hart, published in 2018 Gillian’s husband Kent died of a new disease, Losian’s, that […]
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
{5/5} “We believe apes built this as a refuge for humans… Perhaps here humans were cared for, fed, maybe even taught.” Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, released in 2024 Noa, Anaya, and Soona are out gathering eagle eggs for bonding day. They catch a glimpse of someone not ape in the forest. They […]
Companion
{4.5/5} “Yeah, it’s fake. Never happened. I just randomly picked it from a drop-down list of meet cutes.” Companion, released in 2025 Josh and Iris are visiting friends at a secluded house. They have a fun evening, but in the morning a disaster happens. When Sergei, the owner of the house, tries to force himself […]
Sweet Harmony
{5/5} “There were actors and actresses, models and singers who ostensibly went for the naturalists’ approach, who were genetically beautiful from birth and didn’t need to worry about what they ate — if you believed the magazines. Harmony didn’t, but even if it was true, she knew that the natural look could never send such […]
Miniatures
{5/5} “I try to look at it philosophically. Seventy-six years is a fine run. And now I’m sort of the spokesperson for an entirely new class of objects: The dwarf planets. I understand it’s meant to be something of a consolation prize, but you know what, there are more of us dwarf planets out here […]
Radiant
{4.5/5} “I was a wet-behind-the-ears Explorer Third Class. Tut was not only more experienced than I, but he outranked me: as an Explorer Second Class, he was my superior officer. Protocol demanded that the captain address all Explorer matters to Tut, who would then bring me in if he chose. Going over Tut’s head to […]
The Road to Roswell
{4.5/5} “Where was everybody? … You couldn’t go ten miles without running into construction. She should have come across some by now. Unless every single person in New Mexico had been grabbed getting into their cars, forced to drive to the aliens’ flying saucer, and been spirited off to their home planet — and for […]
Star Trek: The Next Generation — Forgiveness
{5/5} “And yet, almost a century has passed since the Palami plagues. Their present generation had no part in the disaster. I cannot help wondering if we are compounding their crime by insisting on this harsh curtain of permanent separation.” Star Trek: The Next Generation — Forgiveness by David Brin, published in 2001 Decades ago […]
Usurpation
{4.5/5} “This is one reason why farmers call us lucky bamboo. Their crops grow better in our presence. This is also why you have heard of witchweed but have never seen it. I have a natural revulsion to parasites the same way that humans have an inborn fear of snakes.” Usurpation by Sue Burke, published […]
ST: A Year To The Day That I Saw Myself Die
{4/5} “Without a unifying philosophy, our civilization was trapped in an endless cycle of struggle. Our conflict perpetuated itself for its own sake, just as a flame seeks fuel to sustain its burning. For the survival of our species, Sokor, we must break the cycle — or be consumed by it.” (from “Sundering” by David […]