News Reading Rainbow Butterfly in the Sky Trailer Celebrates Reading Rainbow’s Legacy The documentary will play in select theaters across the country in mid-March. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on March 6‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed If you’re a reader of a certain age‚ there’s a good chance that Reading Rainbow was a cornerstone of your childhood. The series‚ which ran for over two decades‚ had LeVar Burton introduce its young viewers to places‚ cultures‚ and experiences they likely hadn’t known much about before. And it also‚ of course‚ encouraged kids not only to read‚ but to love reading. That legacy is now explored in a documentary called Butterfly in the Sky‚ which will make its way to theaters soon. We also have a trailer for the feature‚ which gives us a glimpse of what we’ll see on screen. Here’s the official synopsis: For 26 seasons‚ Reading Rainbow met young viewers in their living rooms‚ whisking them away on far-off adventures into the boundless world of books. Inspiring and nostalgic‚ Butterfly in the Sky takes audiences behind the scenes of this beloved PBS children’s series and tells the story of its iconic host LeVar Burton‚ giving an inside look at the challenges he and the show’s creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television. The feature‚ unsurprisingly‚ includes LeVar Burton. It also has appearances from Whoopi Goldberg‚ who is an executive producer of the doc‚ as well as Jason Reynolds (former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature); Reading Rainbow co-creators Twila Liggett‚ Larry Lancit‚ Cecily Truett Lancit‚ and Tony Buttino; Steve Horelick (Reading Rainbow composer); Ed and Orly Wiseman (Reading Rainbow producer-directors); and staff who worked on the show over its 26-year run. It’s produced by Bryan Storkel and‚ in addition to Goldberg‚ is executive produced by Tom Leonardis‚ Bryn Mooser‚ Justin Lacob‚ Kathryn Everett‚ Andy Hsieh‚ Tony Hsieh‚ Raymond Esposito‚ John Brooks Pounders‚ and Dava Whisenant. Butterfly in the Sky will run in select AMC theaters on March 17 and March 20‚ 2024. Click the link here to see if it’s playing at a cinema near you. It will have longer theatrical runs in New York City and other yet-to-be-announced locales‚ and will be available on digital starting April 30‚ 2024. Check out the trailer below. [end-mark] The post <;i>;Butterfly in the Sky<;/i>; Trailer Celebrates <;i>;Reading Rainbow’<;/i>;s Legacy appeared first on Reactor.

Book Recommendations new releases All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in March! Meet a galaxy-hopping assassin‚ an artificial girlfriend‚ and the manager of a luxury‚ sub-orbital hotel in this month’s new titles… By Reactor | Published on March 6‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Here’s the full list of science fiction titles heading your way in March! Keep track of all the new SFF releases here. All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher. Release dates are subject to change. March 5 Star Wars: The High Republic: Defy the Storm — Tessa Gratton &; Justina Ireland (Disney-Hyperion) The Galactic Republic is in chaos following the Nihil’s shocking destruction of the gleaming space station Starlight Beacon. Capitalizing on their victory‚ the Nihil have erected a barrier called the Stormwall around a section of Republic space and claimed it for themselves. Within this Occlusion Zone‚ people live at the mercy of the Nihil—and the Nihil are not known for mercy. Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh‚ believing her Padawan‚ Imri Cantaros‚ to be among the casualties of Starlight Beacon‚ has retreated to a peaceful planet where she hopes to nurse her wounds and regain some sense of equilibrium. But her old friend Avon Starros has other plans. Avon knows that Imri is alive inside the Occlusion Zone—and she and Vernestra must be the ones to find him. With the help of former frontier deputy Jordanna Sparkburn and the extremely untrustworthy Xylan Graf‚ Avon and Vernestra set out to breach the Stormwall and enter the Occlusion Zone in search of Imri. But within Nihil territory‚ danger lurks around every corner… as do terrifying creatures known as the Nameless. So You Wanna Run a Country? — Kevin Holohan (Akashic) So You Wanna Run a Country? is a satirical parable of the perils of authoritarianism‚ nationalism‚ and device-dependent group-think. After almost a century of being shut off from the rest of the world in self-imposed isolation‚ the neo-medieval statelet of Inner Azhuur suddenly volunteers to host the next season of the global streaming sensation So You Wanna Run a Country? The producers must now assemble the next crew of unqualified misfits whose ineptitude as they attempt to run the country will entertain billions across the globe. From Newer York‚ where homelessness has been eliminated by rebranding it as a Thoroughfarian lifestyle choice‚ come Mooney and Wendy who meet while sleeping in discarded pipes on a vacant lot―one seemingly directed by Captain Dude‚ a statue attached to a skateboard‚ and one on the run after deliberately crashing a large chunk of the speculative economy. Cast as Regent of Inner Azhuur and Consort to the Regent‚ they are joined by Skid‚ a Dubliner kicked out of his fledgling band and eager to escape a stultifying job as a tourist ambiance fake street menace in Glasgow. Arriving in Inner Azhuur‚ these three encounter a world of antiquated and indecipherable customs‚ all meant to glorify the vanished ruler‚ General D’Izmaie‚ and return Inner Azhuur to some perceived former glory. As the reality show unfolds‚ our misfits are enmeshed in a mad power grab of overweening global ambition and find themselves in a struggle against the all-too-real‚ ruthless and sinister power brokers of Inner Azhuur.  United We Stand (Black Tide Rising #4) — ed. John Ringo‚ Gary Poole (Baen) The world was brought to its knees by the zombie virus. But humanity has risen from the ashes and has begun to rebuild. Courageous men and women have kindled a fire of hope in the darkness. But mere survival is not enough. The real challenge is how to keep that future alive. How to not just survive‚ not just rebuild‚ but actually thrive. To tell the universe that mankind can take whatever nature throws against us and not back down. To stand united. Stories by John Birmingham‚ Jody Lynn Nye‚ Jamie Ibson‚ Sarah A. Hoyt‚ Brian Trent‚ Dave Freer‚ Griffin Barber‚ Lydia Sherrer‚ Mel Todd‚ Christopher L. Smith‚ and Mike Massa. Big Time — Ben H. Winters (Mulholland Books) Grace Berney is a mid-level bureaucrat in the Food and Drug Administration‚ a woman who once brimmed with purpose but somehow turned into a middle-aged single mom with a dull government job and a melancholy sense that life has passed her by. Until the night a strange photo comes across her desk‚ of a young woman in a hospital bed who has been subjected to a mysterious procedure. Against orders and against common sense‚ Grace sets out to bring the girl to safety‚ and finds herself risking her job‚ her future‚ and her life on whether she can find the missing girl before an obsessive and violent mercenary who’s also looking. Big Time is a fast-paced thriller and a metaphysical mystery about the very nature of our lives. The Icarus Job (Icarus #3) — Timothy Zahn (Baen) For years Gregory Roarke and his Kadolian partner Selene worked as crocketts‚ combing through the atmospheres of uninhabited worlds for places that might be colonized or hold valuable resources. Now‚ they work for the Icarus Group‚ a top-secret government organization hunting for portals created by a long-vanished alien race‚ portals that can teleport a person hundreds or thousands of light-years in the blink of an eye. Usually‚ those hunts are long and tedious. But Roarke has now been handed an intriguing offer. A criminal boss‚ Robertine Cherno‚ will hand over a hitherto unknown portal to the Icarus Group in exchange for Roarke and Selene agreeing to transport a passenger named Nikki across the Spiral. There’s only one catch. Nikki is a professional‚ high-priced‚ highly feared assassin. And she’s on the job. That would have been bad enough. But when the alien Patth also move to gain possession of the portal‚ bad quickly promises to go to worse. Especially when it becomes clear that Nikki herself is being hunted by someone. It’s up to Roarke and Selene to untangle the mysteries and get to the truth before they become someone’s collateral damage. March 12 Jumpnauts (Folding Universe) — Hao Jingfang‚ transl. Ken Liu (Saga) 2080‚ the world is divided‚ dominated by two antagonistic factions‚ the Pacific League and the Atlantic Alliance. Tensions are high and the smallest disturbance in the status quo could set the world on fire. And a signal flickering through deep space could be just that spark. As three young scientists form an alliance to decode the signal‚ they realise that the answers don’t only lie in deep space‚ they also lie deep in humanity’s past. What they discover will change everything: our past‚ present and future. If we have one. Those Beyond the Wall — Micaiah Johnson (Del Rey) In Ashtown‚ a rough-and-tumble desert community‚ the Emperor rules with poisoned claws and an iron fist. He can’t show any sign of weakness‚ as the neighboring Wiley City has spent lifetimes beating down the people of Ashtown and would love nothing more than its downfall. There’s only one person in the desert the Emperor can fully trust—and her name is Scales. Scales is the best at what she does: keeping everyone and everything in line. As a skilled mechanic—and an even more skilled fighter‚ when she needs to be—Scales is a respected member of the Emperor’s crew‚ who’s able to keep things running smoothly. But the fragile peace Scales helps to maintain is fractured when a woman is mangled and killed before her eyes. Even more incomprehensible: There doesn’t seem to be a murderer. When more bodies start to turn up‚ both in Ashtown and in the wealthier‚ walled-off Wiley City‚ Scales is tasked with finding the cause—and putting an end to it by any means necessary. To protect the people she loves‚ she teams up with a frustratingly by-the-books partner from Ashtown and a brusque-but-brilliant scientist from the City‚ delving into both worlds to track down an invisible killer.  But the answers Scales finds are bigger than she ever could have imagined‚ leading her into the brutal heart beneath Wiley City’s pristine façade and dredging up secrets from her own past that she would rather keep hidden. If she wants to save the world from the earth-shattering truths she uncovers‚ she can no longer remain silent—even if speaking up costs her everything. March 19 Floating Hotel — Grace Curtis (DAW) Welcome to the Grand Abeona Hotel: home of the finest food‚ the sweetest service‚ and the very best views the galaxy has to offer. All year round it moves from planet to planet‚ system to system‚ pampering guests across the furthest reaches of the milky way. The last word in sub-orbital luxury—and an absolute magnet for intrigue. Intrigues such as: Why are there love poems in the lobby inbox? How many Imperial spies are currently on board? What is the true purpose of the Problem Solver’s conference? And perhaps most pertinently—who is driving the ship? Each guest has a secret‚ every member of staff a universe unto themselves. At the center of these interweaving lives and interlocking mysteries stands Carl‚ one time stowaway‚ longtime manager‚ devoted caretaker to the hotel. It’s the love of his life and the only place he’s ever called home. But as forces beyond Carl’s comprehension converge on the Abeona‚ he has to face one final question: when is it time to let go? Annie Bot — Sierra Greer (Mariner) Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs‚ she has dinner ready for him every night‚ wears the pert outfits he orders for her‚ and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True‚ she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless‚ but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard. She’s learning‚ too. Doug says he loves that Annie’s AI makes her seem more like a real woman‚ so Annie explores human traits such as curiosity‚ secrecy‚ and longing. But becoming more human also means becoming less perfect‚ and as Annie’s relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult‚ she starts to wonder: Does Doug really desire what he says he wants? And in such an impossible paradox‚ what does Annie owe herself? The Mars House — Natasha Pulley (Bloomsbury) In the wake of an environmental catastrophe‚ January‚ once a principal in London’s Royal Ballet‚ has become a refugee in Tharsis‚ the terraformed colony on Mars. There‚ January’s life is dictated by his status as an Earthstronger-a person whose body is not adjusted to lower gravity and so poses a danger to those born on‚ or naturalized to‚ Mars. January’s job choices‚ housing‚ and even transportation are dictated by this second-class status‚ and now a xenophobic politician named Aubrey Gale is running on a platform that would make it all worse: Gale wants all Earthstrongers to naturalize‚ a process that is always disabling and sometimes deadly. When Gale chooses January for an on-the-spot press junket interview that goes horribly awry‚ January’s life is thrown into chaos‚ but Gale’s political fortunes are damaged‚ too. Gale proposes a solution to both their problems: a five year made-for-the-press marriage that would secure January’s future without naturalization and ensure Gale’s political success. But when January accepts the offer‚ he discovers that Gale is not at all like they appear in the press. They’re kind‚ compassionate‚ and much more difficult to hate than January would prefer. As their romantic relationship develops‚ the political situation worsens‚ and January discovers Gale has an enemy‚ someone willing to destroy all of Tharsis to make them pay-and January may be the only person standing in the way. March 26 When I’m Her — Sarah Zachrich Jeng (Berkley) Though polar opposites‚ Mary and Elizabeth are as close as can be—until the night Elizabeth makes an irrevocable mistake and leaves Mary to take the blame. Years later‚ Elizabeth seems to have forgotten Mary exists. Mary hasn’t forgotten her. She follows Elizabeth’s every move online‚ obsessed with paying her back for the betrayal that cost Mary her dreams. Now Mary has found a way to switch bodies with Elizabeth‚ and she’s got a plan to steal her charmed life. Her career. Her looks. Her husband. They do say living well is the best revenge. Or is it? The more Mary uncovers about Elizabeth’s life‚ the more she realizes she may have made a deadly mistake. And she’ll need the help of her worst enemy to stay alive. The post All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in March! appeared first on Reactor.

News Upload Upload to End after Fourth Season Creator Greg Daniels had mapped out a four-season arc for the series right from the start. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on March 6‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed The sci-fi comedy series Upload will stop downloading into our brains after its fourth season. Today‚ Prime Video announced the show’s upcoming episodes will be its last. Upload is set in a near-future where those who die can have their consciousness uploaded into a virtual reality‚ where they can live “life” to its fullest. That is‚ of course‚ if they have the money to do so.   “When I conceived Upload many years ago‚ I had the story arced out over four seasons‚ so I am thrilled to make the ending the fans deserve and the characters and creative team have been working towards‚” series creator Greg Daniels (who also co-created Space Force‚ The Office‚ and King of the Hill) said in a statement. “[Amazon MGM Studio execs] Jen Salke and Vernon Sanders have been our Angels and they deserve five stars.” Five-star-rated Sanders had this to say about the renewal: “I’m thrilled to share that Upload will return to Prime Video for a fourth and final installment. We are grateful to Greg and the fantastic team behind the series and while goodbyes are bittersweet‚ we know that the series will be uploaded to its well-deserved idealistic after-life.” No news yet on when the show—which stars Robbie Amell as Nathan‚ Andy Allo as Nora‚ Kevin Bigley as Luke‚ Allegra Edwards as Ingrid‚ Zainab Johnson as Aleesha‚ and Owen Daniels as A.I. Guy—will have its final season premiere on Prime Video. Season three launched on October 20‚ 2023 and ended on November 10‚ 2023‚ however‚ so we likely won’t see the final season until this fall‚ at the earliest. [end-mark] The post <;i>;Upload<;/i>; to End after Fourth Season appeared first on Reactor.

Book Recommendations Reading the Weird These Songs Are True: Max Gladstone’s Last Exit (Part 15) At least the apocalypse is better than a class reunion… By Ruthanna Emrys‚ Anne M. Pillsworth | Published on March 6‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Welcome back to Reading the Weird‚ in which we get girl cooties all over weird fiction‚ cosmic horror‚ and Lovecraftiana—from its historical roots through its most recent branches. This week‚ we continue Max Gladstone’s Last Exit with Chapters 27-28. The novel was first published in 2022. Spoilers ahead! Summary “All the power in the world just to keep things like they are. I mean. I guess.” After escaping the Green Glass City‚ the alt-riders travel through grasslands populated by giant insects. They gas up the Challenger in a rusted town (they call it Quarantine) but don’t stay the night – Sarah and Ramon sense the hovering presence of the cowboy‚ and the place may not be as deserted as it looks. The roads running to the lake are suspiciously well-maintained. Ramon glimpses something moving beneath the foul waters‚ one huge thing perhaps‚ or “a body composed of many parts‚ the way a city would look from high up.” Zelda guides them through alts until they find a circle of vehicles set upright on their bumpers. Not our Nebraska “Carhenge”; ideas recur across alts. They camp within. Here‚ far out on “the edges‚” Ish says that you can feel the rot‚ eating away at everything. June frowns‚ but doesn’t take open exception. That Ish later converses with June as she sketches may mean he’s reconciling with her‚ but Ramon feels Ish is trying too hard to seem at ease. The next morning Ramon finds Ish exercising his wounded shoulder and asks if he’s okay. “There’s not a lot of okay going around‚” Ish says. Look at the way the cracks in the sky are growing together into gaps of “pure absence.” And—does Ramon think Zelda really wants to stop Sal? Or will she do anything to get Sal back‚ as Ish would if his beloved were lost‚ even though he knows what’s “out there.” He’s known ever since his childhood battles with bullies. Out there is sheer “power and will. Whatever its flaws‚ their own world isn’t that. Their own world is that‚ Ramon says angrily‚ and Ish’s work has worsened the problem. Their choice isn’t between “cages and the rot‚” for all that Ish narrows his worldview to visions of a golden day in college when he was unafraid‚ believing he and Zelda could cure the world. * * * The alt-riders travel on toward Elsinore. Zelda’s wounds are slow to heal; she takes Sarah’s pain-pills to sleep but can’t afford woozy mistakes while alt-hopping. Despite a growing storm-tension in the air‚ Zelda feels her party’s rising excitement—they’re like retired greyhounds who see the metal rabbit again. They reach the Mississippi and follow it south. Elsinore appears in the distance‚ looming on a hilltop over barren land‚ “swollen with battlements and silence…more tumor than structure.” Zelda hoped that the rot might ebb from Elsinore‚ but even from afar she sees how its stone bubbles. Its windows move when unobserved. Where did the people go‚ June asks. The rot took them‚ Ish answers. Zelda tells herself she has a chance to banish the rot‚ to fix her mistake‚ but what then? Without the mistake‚ will she become “a witch after the end of magic‚” whether in a world renewed or in one as messed up as ever? Still‚ there has to be something better. The night before they reach Elsinore‚ the alt-riders debate how to get through the castle to the watchtower from which the way to the crossroads will open at “high midnight”. Then‚ if they make it to the crossroads‚ they’ll “wall away the rot.” Which‚ June says‚ will also wall away Sal and whatever else is out there. And so save their world‚ Ish says‚ which is a better place than any they’ve seen in the alts. Like June‚ Sarah’s dubious about the “better” place. To find something in the alts‚ you have to be able to see it‚ and she’s hard-pressed to “even think better in a way that does not make [her] flinch.” Her mind returns to her kids‚ and she knows they must do whatever they can to save them. The conversation shifts from the uncertain future to the past when Sarah says she’s glad they’re all together; whatever the dangers‚ this beats the ten-year college reunion she attended. They reminisce about Yale and try unsuccessfully to remember a school song. Ramon sings not a school song but one he heard freshman year‚ Paul Simon’s “The Obvious Child.” It made him think‚ even then‚ that he and his friends had “a huge pit of time” ahead of them. He knew they “were children and that [they] weren’t anymore‚ and [they’d] never be again.” He “was remembering us‚ even when we were still there.” No one wants to “go to sleep‚ after that or ever.” They tell stories until dawn and‚ staring into the campfire‚ they don’t “see the sky broken overhead.” This Week’s Metrics Fighting the Cowboy: This week‚ Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg shared cool stuff in her newsletter‚ including a much-appreciated introduction to Siberian folk-rock band Otyken. Have some joy for the road. What’s Cyclopean: No coincidence that it’s Ish who points to “the gunshot glass sky”. Libronomicon: “The river could boast a handful of novels—a form whose name meant ‘new.’” June quotes East of Eden on “how hard it is to get anything to grow anywhere.” Ruthanna’s Commentary There’s something wrong with time in Quarantine… okay‚ yes‚ when I typed it out that way I got the joke. But there is‚ really. Gasoline goes bad‚ unusable‚ in 3-6 months. Twinkies get moldy—insert half an hour of rabbit hole research here—somewhere between the 45 days at which they are officially “no longer at their best‚” and the 8 years at which scientists became interested in the Mysterious Fungi that got into one abandoned package‚ or maybe the 30 years and running that a Twinkie has sat unmolested under glass at the George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill‚ Maine. My point is that in a world not shaped by the expectations of visitors‚ moldy Twinkies do not go with usable gasoline‚ any more than well-tended roses go with rotting wood and looted stone and pothole-free roads and abandoned fields. Either someone has been very selective with a decay-spewing raygun‚ or something else is going on. And something else is certainly going on. Ish tells a story about how he knows “what’s out there‚ beyond the firelight.” It’s a story of purely mundane childhood horror‚ and what happens when someone with no stops is told that in order to deal with bullies he needs to learn to hit back. “Whatever’s true about the world back home‚” he says‚ “it’s not that.” But it’s a story of that very world! Even beyond Ramon’s arguments about sheltered privilege and kids in cages‚ this is literally something that happened to Ish on Earth. Not in the alts‚ and not due to the Rot. Throughout this week’s chapters‚ people point out that the alts are an “out there” based on what the travelers have already experienced “in here.” “The alts are paths we can see. Like dreams‚” Zelda says‚ and Sarah says that “If you want to find something in the alts‚ you have to be able to see it.” And yet‚ they keep drawing big general conclusions from what they find. Only June suggests that this is a strange and miserable sort of solipsism. So if the alts are the limits on what a bunch of quest-seeking Yalies could imagine‚ they aren’t yet beyond the firelight at all. What is beyond the visible? Sal says that after you get past its tentacular appearances the Rot is beautiful – but is that the only option for real change? Some weeks it feels like the incarnation of a desperate “anything would be better than this”. Is there a secret third thing‚ other than the Cowboy’s status-quo-protecting lies and the Rot’s roll-a-die deadly change? Ramon says so. And Zelda sees dimly the existence of other options‚ even if they “hold their tongue” with her. She talks about older stories‚ indigenous ones‚ in a gorgeous paragraph about adaptation and survival: “Legends and myths‚ jokes and tall tales and memories‚ stories for children and stories old women told to other old women‚ a whole ecosystem of breathing‚ fluttering‚ bright-plumed stories ancient before the first Viking touched this continent.” And Chapter 30 dives into the true sources of the “rules” of the alt-riders’ road: jazz and blues and hip-hop‚ poets and storytellers‚ Mark Twain and Brother Blue‚ Arlo Guthrie (okay‚ really Steve Goodman‚ but I can’t help my roots) and Clearance Clearwater Revival (though I also have to hat-tip Tina Turner’s “rough” version of “Proud Mary”). And not coincidentally‚ this discussion opens up American stories beyond the road trip: trains and steamships and anti-capitalist ballads. But the alts are all built around pothole-free roads through apocalypse: even fields of molten magma are crossed by usable highways. In a weird way‚ it’s cars beyond which they can’t see. It’s the myth of individualism‚ the great sacrifice of lives and ecologies for a “freedom” bound to specific paths. Zelda suggests that the alt-riders are held back‚ in part‚ by the fear that they’ll put themselves out of jobs—which is supposed to be what activists are going for. A witch after the end of magic should still have plenty to do. But like too many others‚ the gang’s gone from imagining a better world to imagining keeping the status quo from getting worse. At least the apocalypse is better than a class reunion. Anne’s Commentary Here are another two chapters in which our heroes‚ having fought their way through perilous encounters‚ alt-hop onward while licking their physical and mental wounds. Either they’re mired in introspection or they’re splitting into pairs to hash over chronic traumas and to express doubts about the outcome of their quest. As usual‚ Ramon can divert himself by tinkering on the Challenger‚ June by drawing in her sketchbook‚ but when Zelda’s not guiding the party‚ she’s left to brood and blame herself for getting them into this whole mess to begin with. Get over yourselves‚ I want to tell the variously fretted crew. Keep focused. Carry the hell on. The best parts of these connective chapters are the bits of weird travelogue‚ like the description of the “rusted town” where they stop for gas. Choice details abound. The neighboring lake is “green and greasy‚ and under its surface something moves‚ either “one huge twisting thing” or “a body composed of many parts.” The latter could be a horrible composite monster‚ like the giants of Clive Barker’s “In the Hills‚ the Cities.” Or it could be what Ramon’s reminded of: a city seen from high above. That could explain why all the town buildings made of stone appear to have been taken apart block by block‚ and yet none of these blocks remain. Given the roads to the lake still run “straight and clear‚” the missing stone could have been transported to the foul mere to construct an underwater town. An underwater town for aquatic invaders? For formerly terrestrial townspeople turned aquatic? More choice details: A Care Bear sits on the counter of the abandoned gas station‚ where junk-food offerings have shelf-squatted so long even the immortal Twinkies have molded. One house‚ decently shuttered‚ boasts “a full glory” of roses‚ which suggests a constant gardener remains in what Ramon dubs “Quarantine‚ Wisconsin.” The town might have been quarantined at the onset of this alt’s troubles‚ while its inhabitants succumbed to some deeply transformative illness. That’s the story I’ve come up with. Doubtless this brief but intriguing morsel of road-narrative could inspire a dozen others. To return to my cri de coeur above. When I go from a chapter like 28 to ones like 29 and 30‚ I do get jolted by the sudden braking between action and transition. I do get impatient when the alt-riders wallow again in their past and present woes. Upon reflection‚ I realize that words like “jolted” and “wallowed” are unfairly derogatory‚ and that impatience with the characters is unproductive. Unproductive? Of what? When Ruthanna first proposed Last Exit for the blog‚ I remember her saying she felt there was something in the novel she wanted to get at. Having read this far‚ I better understand what she meant. There is something here‚ as much in the angsty-talky bits as the action sequences and concept explication. The alt-riders huddle around their campfire on the night before embarking on the last act of their quest. Zelda attempts to put their plan of action as simply as possible. When the path to the crossroads opens‚ they’ll walk it. They’ll get to the crossroads. They’ll wall away the rot. June doesn’t buy this plan‚ since it would mean walling away Sal and the Beyond itself. Ish backs Zelda‚ equating the “walling out” with saving their world. June persists in quibbling: “Their” world may be better for Ish‚ but what about everyone else? Sarah intervenes. Could they have found a better world‚ when to find something in the alts‚ you have to be able to imagine it? I think Sarah means that in the alts—all the possible worlds—one must be able to imagine a world before it can exist: Mind creates world‚ the interior the exterior. But can one imagine something never seen‚ never experienced‚ something conjured ex nihilo? Doctor Sarah must appreciate the complexity of interactions between an individual and their environment. Interactions between all individuals and the macroenvironment must be astronomically complex; Sarah finds it hard to even “think better in a way that does not make [her] flinch.” Why should she flinch? I believe it’s because she and her friends are united in a conviction amounting to this: The perfect world must be one of equity. How is one person to imagine this? Is a collective imagining even possible‚ and if so would the collective need to include every individual in the broken world? Sarah concludes that even the grossly imperfect wastelands they’ve traveled are easier to bear than the struggle for One Good World. “Sick‚ but easier.” She’s sure of one thing: Even if they all die tomorrow‚ she’s glad they’re together now . They’re the people in the Paul Simon song Ramon remembers during their nightlong “reunion‚” the ones “The Obvious Child’s” Sonny recalls while thumbing through his yearbook: “Some have diedSome have fled from themselvesOr struggled from here to get there” But they’re also the ones who: “…said these songs are trueThese days are oursThese tears are free” I’m still figuring out what the “something” is in Last Exit that makes the “rumination” chapters essential rather than overdone. It may involve the balance of introspection and action‚ interior and exterior‚ the necessity for the reader to dwell in the characters’ minds long enough to make that campfire coming-together truly poignant. To make us care what becomes of these people because however fantastic their situation‚ they are real. They are real. Next week‚ join us for a cryptozoologically tasty treat‚ in Sara Omer’s “Marshman.”[end-mark] The post These Songs Are True: Max Gladstone’s <;i>;Last Exit<;/i>; (Part 15) appeared first on Reactor.

Excerpts Amanda Jayatissa Read an Excerpt From Amanda Jayatissa’s Island Witch A review of Amanda Jayatissa’s new horror novel. By Amanda Jayatissa | Published on March 6‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from Amanda Jayatissa’s Island Witch‚ a horror novel inspired by Sri Lankan folklore—out now from Berkley. Being the daughter of the village Capuwa‚ or demon-priest‚ Amara is used to keeping mostly to herself. Influenced by the new religious practices brought in by the British Colonizers‚ the villagers who once respected her father’s craft have turned on the family. Yet‚ they all still seem to call on him whenever supernatural disturbances arise.Now someone—or something—is viciously seizing upon men in the jungle. But instead of enlisting Amara’s father’s help‚ the villages have accused him of carrying out the attacks himself.As she tries to clear her father’s name‚ Amara finds herself haunted by dreams that eerily predict the dark forces on her island. And she can’t shake the feeling that it’s all connected to the night she was recovering from a strange illness‚ and woke up‚ scared and confused‚ to hear her mother’s frantic cries: No one can find out what happened. The moon was high in the sky as I walked home from the exorcism—a luminous disk casting a ring on the clouds that surrounded it. We’d have a full moon in a few days again‚ and full moons were always auspicious. The trees swayed gently in the night breeze‚ their leaves silver in the moonlight. If I closed my eyes and really listened‚ I could hear the gentle hum of the wind competing with the light chirp of the odd cicada. It throbbed with familiarity. Normally‚ this would put me at peace. Tonight it made the hairs on my arms stand up. My dream kept returning‚ unwelcome‚ to my thoughts. It was like someone was speaking to me. She’s brought this on herself. No one can help her now. My eyes fluttered open. I heard a sound. A rustling. Footsteps‚ maybe. The strange sensation that I was being watched. Or followed. My dreams came flooding back to me and I held my breath‚ listening hard. I hadn’t taken a torch of my own. I’d been far too distracted by the exorcism and Aloysius’s accusations. But I felt silly now. It might have come in useful for protection if I needed it. I should have known better than to wander by myself like this‚ especially since the attacks. Most mothers wouldn’t dream of letting their daughters out even to their back gardens. Mine was the same‚ except she had no clue that I wasn’t safely tucked away in my sleeping mat. I felt for my suray‚ the talisman that dangled around my neck. My father had given it to me a month before‚ around the same time he told me that I wouldn’t be able to accompany him during his practice anymore. The talisman was made of brass and shaped into a small tube. It held a prayer inscribed on a rolled sheet of copper. It was meant to protect me‚ but I never understood from what. Buy the Book Island Witch Amanda Jayatissa Buy Book icon-close Island Witch Amanda Jayatissa Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget “Please stop with all the questions‚ duwa. Just promise me you will never take it off‚ do you hear?” he had said‚ tying it around my neck. He had been sad‚ and a part of me was glad that he was. There was an ache that started within me that day‚ and it had yet to stop. The suray was warm between my fingers as I listened again for the footsteps‚ cursing myself for being so foolish and being out here alone. But I heard only the wind rattling between the trees. Taking a deep breath‚ I continued forward. “I am safe‚” I muttered to myself. “This jungle is my home.” I settled into a quick rhythm‚ my feet easily navigating their way across the soft‚ mossy floor. I had nothing to fear‚ I kept reminding myself. That’s when a pair of arms grabbed me from behind‚ pulling me off the path and behind a large tree‚ pressing my back against its trunk as a hand clamped down on my mouth. I’d been wrong to ignore the whisperings of the attacks when the entire village had been warning me for weeks. I’d been so stupid for ignoring my dreams. My eyes tried to focus as my body froze in fear. If I could see the yaka‚ then maybe I could save myself somehow. I braced‚ expecting the worst. “Shh!” A familiar voice‚ behind a beautiful‚ wide smile. “Raam!” I gasped. “You scared me.” I wanted to frown. To show him that I wasn’t happy. That he shouldn’t shock me like this. But my lips betrayed me as they curled into a grin of my own‚ even as my heart showed no sign of slowing down. “I’m sorry.” The moonlight highlighted the dimples on his cheeks as the remaining droplets of my fear dissolved away. I was still breathless‚ only now it was breathlessness of a different kind. He leaned over‚ his lips brushing my forehead before he pulled away‚ releasing me from the tree. He smelled of sea salt and coconut‚ and I wished he had held me there just a while longer. “What are you doing here?” “I knew you’d come for the tovil‚ so I thought I’d wait. See if I could catch you on the way home. I’ve been missing you.” His hand reached for mine‚ entwining our fingers together while my heart glowed brighter than the stars. “I’ve missed you too.” I felt heat on my cheeks. I hoped he wouldn’t notice. I don’t think I could really put into words how much I had longed for him. Not just that I wished he was with me‚ but that an entire piece of me was gone whenever we were apart. “So? How are you? Are you still having those dreams?” I shrugged. It felt wrong to give him details. How I had seen the yakshaniya’s face so clearly last night. How the taste of blood felt lush and satisfying on my tongue. How I was waking up further and further from home. It would only make him worry. “How is work with your mother?” he tried again. “Work with her is‚ you know—” I shrugged for the second time. He had been far more enthusiastic than I was when I told him about the turn of events at home. A cruel‚ ugly voice in my ear whispered that it was probably easier to explain to his family that he hoped to marry a seamstress rather than a Capuwa’s daughter‚ but‚ again‚ I shook it off. Raam was supportive and kind. An eternal optimist‚ searching unabashedly for the brighter side to things. “I know.” He smiled back. That smile again. I forced myself to take another breath. Still holding my hand‚ he led me back to the path. “Come on. Let me walk you back.” “It’s too dangerous‚ Raam. What if someone sees?” Like every other girl in my position‚ I had to keep Raam a secret. After all‚ while we had spoken about marriage‚ Raam hadn’t exactly committed yet. “More dangerous than you being by yourself in the jungle at night?” It didn’t matter that it wasn’t. My weak protest was halfhearted‚ and he knew it. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye so soon. We’d been together for over two years now‚ though it had become more serious these last few months. Once we became formally betrothed‚ we’d finally be able to interact with each other in public. There was something exciting about meeting in the jungle‚ slipping out of my hut in the middle of the night‚ racing back before my parents awoke. But the last few times I went to meet Raam at night‚ I couldn’t shake the feeling of being followed. Raam was waiting for the right time to speak to his father—a man he feared far more than anything that happened in the jungle. It upset me that he’d been delaying it for so long‚ even though Raam had patiently explained it to me many times. I supposed‚ if I tried hard enough‚ I could understand. I knew what it felt like to disappoint your family‚ even if‚ in my case‚ I wasn’t quite sure why. I didn’t want that for him. But Raam’s father had recently been appointed to a senior position at the harbour‚ a role that came with more than just a significant pay raise. His whole family had recently converted to Christianity‚ for one. And everyone‚ especially Raam‚ his eldest son‚ was expected to support the British and be exemplary townsfolk. His father had even secured a junior clerk position for Raam‚ and even though he claimed to hate it‚ I could tell that this was a significant achievement for his family. As soon as things settled down‚ Raam promised‚ he would speak to his father‚ and mine. I just had to be patient a few more months. And more importantly‚ my mother‚ who had actively started seeking proposals for me since my eighteenth birthday‚ needed to be patient too. Even then‚ Raam and I would have to pretend that we weren’t already devoted to each other‚ that he’d simply noticed me at the market or at the temple‚ or some other socially acceptable location‚ and that he wanted my hand in marriage. A lump rose in my throat. I wished that I could talk to Neha‚ my oldest friend‚ about this now‚ but she barely even looked at me when we passed in town. We’d once giggled about boys we thought were handsome‚ not that there were particularly many of them‚ but Neha had chosen a different life. Now she spoke of sin. Sin. We’d used the term to pity someone. “Sin for him‚” we’d say‚ “he didn’t catch enough fish at sea this morning.” Or if we accumulated enough sins‚ we might be reborn as something bad in our next life—perhaps a dog‚ or a person from a lower caste. The nuns in my old school‚ however‚ used it to talk about the burning fires of hell. Sin was something dirty. A disease we might catch‚ that would damn us for eternity with no chance to ever redeem ourselves. I often wondered if Neha shared this belief now. Because there was nothing sinful in the way Raam’s body felt next to mine as we walked. Or if there was‚ I didn’t care. “So‚ did you ask them?” Raam’s voice was low in the fresh jungle air‚ sucking me back to reality. “Ask them what?” “About going to the Devinuwara perahera? It’s happening in a little over a week. You said you’d ask your mother if you could go? So that we could meet?” “Umm…” I frowned. I didn’t remember this. But then‚ I often did get a little too caught up in Raam when I was with him. Like his presence alone was intoxicating—making me forget the rest of the world. Making me forget myself. “You got scared and didn’t ask‚ did you?” Raam’s words jibed at me. He grinned. “Don’t worry. There’s still plenty of time.” I wanted to ask him then if he’d decided when he was going to speak to his family. I’d been nervous about it ever since I heard about their conversion to Christianity. There was little doubt in my mind that they would approve of my father’s profession. But my mother had told me that you shouldn’t ask questions unless you were truly prepared to hear the reply‚ because it might not be the answer you want. And I didn’t want to ruin the moment. The night was too beautiful. We walked silently. I was increasingly aware of my palm getting sweaty in his‚ the way his breath traversed in and out of him—slow and lazy‚ unlike mine. He stopped for a moment‚ holding me back. My heart hammered in my chest. He was going to kiss me. I took a deep breath to steady myself. There was an ache in me that only deepened the longer I spent time with him. “Hang on‚” he murmured. “What is it?” I whispered. I gave him a small smile. “Shh.” A small rabbit hopped onto the path in front of us. Its white fur shone brightly as it stopped and sniffed at some weeds on the jungle floor. It didn’t pay us the slightest bit of attention. “Sweet‚ isn’t it?” Raam asked. “Yes‚” I said‚ my mind still on the kiss I hadn’t gotten yet. “I wonder if—” But he was interrupted. A mongoose darted out from the shadows‚ grabbing the rabbit’s neck in its jaws before disappearing again. A small scream found its way out of my throat. “Shh‚” Raam said‚ pulling me close. “Oh‚ Raam‚ can’t you stop it?” His smile was different this time. More sympathetic. “This is why I love you‚ Amara. You’re so kind. So innocent.” “Like the rabbit who just got killed?” “Don’t be silly‚” he said. His face was just inches from mine. I could feel his breath fan against me. “I’ll never let anything happen to you.” And then his lips met mine‚ and the rabbit and the mongoose and the demons that preyed in the jungle all evaporated into the night sky. Excerpted from Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa. Copyright © 2024 by Amanda Jayatissa. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. The post Read an Excerpt From Amanda Jayatissa’s <;i>;Island Witch<;/i>; appeared first on Reactor.

With Stalker: Legends of the Zone Trilogy making a surprise announcement at the Xbox partner preview many players have tons of questions. The main one is if Stalker: Legends of the Zone Trilogy will be on Game Pass — the question may be answered below. Stalker: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Is it coming to Game Pass? Answered It’s not an outlandish question to answer since the Stalker 2 is around the corner and may make its debut on the Xbox’s Game Pass‚ so the trilogy should appear as well right? However‚ according to an Xbox news release‚ the trilogy is available today — to buy.  There seems to be no mention of Game Pass. If you want to get the full experience of the original games‚ you must buy the pack at the moment. The good news is that you purchase the trilogy together for $39.99. or separately for $19.99. It would be great if you didn’t have to spend money‚ but three jam-packed games at a decent price seems to be the best compromise.  Since Stalk...

Activision is keeping the crossover train rolling with a new Warhammer 40‚000 collaboration in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. New skins and a limited-time event are hitting the mega-popular FPS soon‚ and there’s a lot to look forward to even if you’re not familiar with Warhammer 40k. Call of Duty Warhammer 40k Event Schedule Image: Activision The COD x Warhammer 40k collab will bring a limited-time event to the game with free rewards to earn in addition to the premium skins available for purchase from the Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone shops. the Warhammer 40‚000: For the Emperor! event will run from Wednesday‚ March 13 through Wednesday‚ March 27. It’s a two-week period‚ which is longer than typical MW3 and Warzone events. During the event period‚ you’ll be able to earn free Warhammer 40k cosmetics by completing in-game challenges and earning XP. It’ll just be small stuff like charms and stickers like usual‚ though. Here’s the...

Receiving new weapons and armour is somewhat bittersweet for me. Of course‚ the dopamine rush of getting something new is why I play Destiny 2. However‚ my storage is crammed full‚ and I can’t be bothered to empty it. Thankfully‚ Vault Cleaner exists‚ and it will help you get rid of all the unnecessary Destiny 2 gear‚ freeing up loads of space. How to use the Vault Cleaner Working your way through your vault in Destiny 2 is a chore‚ and once you have hit the 600-item limit‚ it becomes necessary. Using Vault Cleaner makes the process so much easier. It simply sorts through everything you have‚ tells you what is and isn’t worth keeping‚ and then helps you get rid of it. Image: PC Invasion All you have to do it visit their website‚ here‚ and log into your Bungie account. Once you have done this‚ you will be able to see everything you have stored in your Vault and on your Guardians. The first thing to do is to select how you would like the Vault Cleaner to sort your...

You can play the beloved 115 easter egg song in Modern Warfare Zombies! The same song that you loved in Kino der Toten and Der Riese‚ you can now rock out to in MWZ. How to play the 115 song in MW3 Zombies Screenshot: PC Invasion Just like in OG Zombies‚ you play 115 in MWZ by interacting with three hidden rocks. These three hidden rocks are only available in the Countermeasures Dark Aether Zone‚ so‚ sadly‚ you can’t play the song in Urzikstan. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to start 115 because the three hidden rocks are found very close to one another. All three hidden rocks are found in the final area of the Countermeasures mission. This is the stadium area in E5. Use the map above as your reference and continue reading for the specific locations. One rock is behind two oil barrels at the entrance of the stadium. If you’re facing the entrance of the stadium‚ the two barrels at outside on the left. It’s glowing red and can be picked ...

Even after half a year of this game being out‚ players are still finding new things. One Baldur’s Gate 3 player on Reddit discovered a secret passage during Act 3 after 400 hours of playtime that almost no one knows about. Baldur’s Gate 3 player discovers a rare secret passage after 400 hours Posted on the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit‚ this player showed a secret passage hidden under the Water Queen’s House in the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate. They asked if anyone else knew about this passage that leads to a secret cellar only meant for people of the temple. 400 hours I had never discovered this secret passage? byu/elsonwarcraft inBaldursGate3 A majority of the replies agreed that they’d never heard of this passage until now. Even I hadn’t discovered this tunnel‚ despite the fact that it’s not too hard to come by. All you have to do is walk down the steps to the shore and around the side of the house to find it. I went insi...