Ever wondered why your canine friend treats your feet as his personal resting spot? Many dog owners experience that familiar sensation of a pup planting its paws firmly on their toes or choosing to sit right atop their feet. Our article dives into the reasons behind this behavior‚ from seeking protection to expressing dominance‚ and...

When Neil Gaiman said he was already writing a third season of Good Omens‚ it did‚ one must admit‚ seem likely that such a thing would come to pass. But now it is officially official: a third and final season is coming to Prime Video. Which means it’s the end of the world again. In a press release‚ Gaiman said: I’m so happy finally to be able to finish the story Terry [Pratchett] and I plotted in 1989 and in 2006. Terry was determined that if we made Good Omens for television‚ we could take the story all the way to the end. Season One was all about averting Armageddon‚ dangerous prophecies‚ and the End of the World. Season Two was sweet and gentle‚ although it may have ended less joyfully than a certain Angel and Demon might have hoped. Now in Season Three‚ we will deal once more with the end of the world. The plans for Armageddon are going wrong. Only Crowley and Aziraphale working together can hope to put it right. And they aren’t talking. It’s very satisfying‚ isn’t it‚ knowing that we’ll get to see the ending that Gaiman and Pratchett planned all those years ago? One thing will be different about this season‚ though: Douglas Mackinnon‚ who was Gaiman’s co-showrunner (and also a director) for seasons one and two‚ is no longer involved with the show. We also don’t know anything about the cast for season three yet—except that David Tennant and Michael Sheen will return as Crowley and Aziraphale. Good Omens 3 will start filming “soon” in Scotland. No release date has been announced.

Things in Elantris are slowly turning towards all-out war‚ my Cosmere Chickens. It’s not looking good for any of our characters… Not Raoden‚ who’s been forced to bid farewell to his sweet princess; or to Sarene‚ who’s now faced with the daunting task of leading a full-on rebellion against Telrii; or even Hrathen‚ whose plans have backfired on him after trusting the wrong person. War is brewing‚ and our heroes (and Hrathen‚ whom I reluctantly place beside them) are right in the bottom of the pot. Spoiler warning: This week’s article has no spoilers from other Cosmere works. Read on fearlessly‚ chickens! Last time on Elantris: Revelations &; Reckonings… Serene continues her aerial bombing of poor Raoden’s psyche‚ telling him all about Iadon sacrificing his maids and cooks to a creepy cult‚ the entire plutocracy having been converted to a hereditary monarchy‚ and the people slowly being converted to Shu-Dereth. She reveals that she’s got a seon‚ lies about the fact that she was TOTALLY into Raoden before he “died‚” and then Ashe returns with the unpleasant but expected news that Telrii has been crowned king. Hrathen gets a message from Eventeo‚ promising to convert to Shu-Dereth if Hrathen heals his daughter. Back in Elantris again‚ Serene finally gives Raoden the hint he needed to begin putting the mystery of the Aons together (the link between the physical geography and the Aons themselves) and in turn‚ Raoden realizes the truth about her shaod. As her “illness” fades‚ he insists that she leave Elantris in order to save not only herself‚ but the Elantrians she’s leaving behind. Chapter Essentials POV Character(s): Serene‚ Hrathen Discussion Chapter 47 Five days before‚ she had thought her life ruined. She had wished‚ prayed‚ and begged for Domi to heal her. Now she found herself craving to return to her damnation‚ as long as Spirit was there. L: ::wistful sigh:: How romantic… Now if only she knew who he really was! P: I know! If he hadn’t lied about how long he’d been in Elantris‚ she’d have surely figured it out. “I will die first!” “You already have‚” the gyorn pointed out. “And I brought you back.” L: Sick burn‚ Hrathen. P: Ugh‚ he makes me sick. So cocky when he freaking poisoned her. He took another step forward‚ and Sarene shied away‚ pulling her hands up against her chest. Steel whipped in the sunlight‚ and suddenly the point of Eondel’s sword was at Hrathen’s neck. L: Love this. Her friends and family are protective of her‚ and rightfully so! P: I love that they’re so loyal to her after such a short time. It speaks to their honor‚ I think. L: Not to mention her leadership abilities. Then‚ moving more quickly than Sarene’s eyes could track‚ the gyorn bent backward and pulled his head out of the sword’s range. He kicked at the same time‚ smashing his foot into Eondel’s hand and knocking the weapon free. Hrathen pivoted‚ crimson cape billowing‚ bloodred hand plucking the sword from the air. Steel reflected sunlight as Hrathen twirled the weapon. He snapped its tip against the paving stones‚ holding it as a king would his scepter. L: Damn. Hrathen once again providing a clear example of his martial prowess. If Sarene and her allies didn’t already know to be wary of him… now they do. He’s showing a strong front on all sides; he’s won politically‚ religiously‚ and physically. P: Yeah‚ he learned a thing or two in that monastery. She had been told that if one starved oneself long enough‚ the stomach would shrink‚ thereby reducing the amount of food one could eat. The man who had invented that theory would have thrown up his hands in despair if he could have seen Sarene feasting. L: To be fair‚ she was only gone for five days. P: She was a hungry girl. “She’s a big girl‚” Lukel said. “It takes a lot of fuel to keep that body going.” Sarene shot him a look between bites. L: I absolutely adore the family dynamics here. It’s just so refreshing to have a hero/ine with a healthy family dynamic in a fantasy novel! P: Truly. The same old trope about losing all of one’s family gets old. “But they don’t need to‚” Kiin said‚ “so they can afford to stockpile.” Sarene kept eating‚ not looking up at her uncle and cousin. Her mind‚ however‚ wondered. How did they know so much about Elantrians? L: Glad to see Sarene picking up on this! They know because one of their sons underwent the Shaod‚ and they’ve kept this fact a secret‚ managing to avoid getting him thrown into Elantris. P: With everything else weighing so heavy on her mind‚ it’s good to see she’s paying attention to the here and now! We opposed Iadon‚ but we did not plan to remove him. If we take direct action against Telrii‚ then we will be traitors to the Crown.” “Traitors to the Crown‚ but not the people‚” Sarene said. L: I really respect her. She’s got so much strength of character! P: This is why I adored her the first time I read this book‚ ages ago. She’s the kind of heroine I always wanted to look up to‚ like Princess Leia when I was a kid. Eventeo was an honest man. He had sworn to Hrathen that if Sarene returned safely‚ he would convert. It didn’t matter that the gyorn’s trickery was behind both her curse and restoration; the king would honor his promise. L: Gotta respect the man’s moral code‚ but… hooboy. To be beholden to an oath made to a liar who deceived you… That’s gotta hurt. P: I wouldn’t be as moral. I’d totally claim take-backsies. Of course he claimed that he also knew it was best for the country. No matter how good Teod’s navy was‚ sheer numbers ensured that a determined Fjordell campaign would eventually punch through the armada. Eventeo claimed he would not fight a hopeless war. Yet this was the same man who had instructed Sarene that principle was always worth fighting to protect. Eventeo had sworn that truth was immutable‚ and that no battle—even a hopeless one—was in vain when defending what was right. But apparently his love was stronger than truth. She was flattered‚ but the emotion made her sick. Teod would fall because of her‚ becoming just another Fjordell state‚ its king little more than Wyrn’s servant. L: Some interesting points to be made here. If Fjordell rules everything‚ then… theoretically‚ there’d be no more war‚ right? Do we have any evidence of them using inhumane methods of governance like slavery‚ ethnic cleansing‚ etc.? The fact that they’re forcefully invading other countries and subsuming their religious/cultural autonomy is problematic‚ for sure‚ but… from their perspective‚ I bet they think they’re uniting everyone in peace. P: They think they are‚ but really‚ forcing people to forsake their religions to convert to a totally controlling and harsh religion that subjugates its members isn’t exactly peaceful‚ IMO. Chapter 48 Hrathen‚ however‚ was backed by the power of Wyrn’s kingdom and Jaddeth’s empire—the very power that had given Telrii the wealth he needed to claim the throne. And yet Hrathen was forced to wait. L: ::snicker:: Called it… P: As much as I don’t care for Telrii‚ I like that he’s tweaking Hrathen’s nose a bit. ::chuckling:: The palace sitting room was so draped with cloth plushness that Hrathen had been forced to shove a mountain of pillows out of the way before finding a stone ledge upon which to seat himself. P: Who’da thunk that Telrii was so boujee. I guess he needs something to spend all that money on. Still‚ the opulence annoys me. L: It doesn’t surprise me. Those who lust after power and wealth often also display the need to show it off. The room had once been Iadon’s study‚ and at that time it had been marked by a businessman’s efficiency. Everything had been well placed and orderly; the furniture had been comfortable without being lavish. Telrii had changed that. Attendants stood at the sides of the room‚ and beside them sat carts heaped with exotic foods… Telrii reclined in a massive pile of cushions and silks‚ a pleasant smile on his purple-birthmarked face. The men I am forced to work with … Hrathen thought with an inward grimace. Iadon had at least been businesslike. P: And the opulence continues into Telrii’s “study.” Expensive foods and tapestries on the walls. He’s such a diva. And it really surprises me that Hrathen thinks something positive about Iadon. L: In comparison to a worm‚ I guess even a snake seems to have positive attributes. “Promises‚ Hrathen?” Telrii asked idly. “I made no promises.” And so the game began. “You are to join the Derethi religion‚” Hrathen said. “That was the deal.” “I made no such deal‚ Hrathen‚” Telrii said. “You offered me funds; I accepted them. You have my gratitude for the support‚ as I said that you would.” L: Yuuuuuuuuuup. A liar and cheat through and through. I’m honestly shocked that Hrathen is at all surprised by this. P: And he’s just expecting Telrii to ask for more money. Oh‚ my sweet summer child… “You think me a fool‚ ignorant of the ways of the East? Kings bow to gyorns. What power will I hold if I let you make me into nothing more than a Derethi slave? No‚ that will not do for me. I don’t plan to bow anytime one of your priests comes to visit. I will convert to your religion‚ but I will do so only with the promise of an ecclesiastic rank to match my civil one. Not just King Telrii‚ but Gyorn Telrii.” L: This reminds me of Jafar in Disney’s Aladdin‚ when he keeps wishing himself into higher levels of power. Not just a Sultan… the most powerful sorcerer in the world! No… even better‚ an all-powerful GENIE! P: OMG‚ this is exactly what he reminds me of now that you’ve said it. ::chuckling:: Hrathen stood‚ stunned. The man had sent a letter to Wyrn himself … Telrii had made demands of the Regent of All Creation? “You are a foolish‚ foolish man‚” Hrathen whispered‚ finally realizing the severity of his problems. When Wyrn received that message … “Go!” Telrii repeated‚ pointing toward the door. Dazed‚ Hrathen did as commanded. L: And now Hrathen reaps what he’s sown in trusting the word of someone who would betray his own people. Power and riches are more important than anything else to a man like that‚ and in so doing‚ he’s brought destruction down on everything he holds dear (namely‚ himself). P: I love how horrified Hrathen is at the thought of Telrii sending a messenger directly to Wyrn. He’s probably a bit worried about his own situation! L: Understandably so. Telrii’s gone over his head‚ and that’s a dangerous thing to do when you’re dealing with a tyrannical despot like Wyrn.   We’ll be leaving further speculation and discussion to you in the comments‚ and hope to join you there! We’ll be taking a couple of weeks off to celebrate the holiday season with our families‚ but we’ll see you again on January 4th with chapters 49 and 50. Until then‚ happy holidays to you and yours‚ and merry cluckings to all and to all a good night! Paige resides in New Mexico‚ of course. Between work and school and the SA5 beta read‚ she’s trying to work on book 3 of a YA/Crossover trilogy with just a hint of the supernatural. Links to her other writing are available in her profile. Lyndsey lives in Connecticut. She makes magic wands for a living and will be helping out Santa Claus this season in Essex‚ CT. If you enjoy queer protagonists‚ snarky humor‚ and don’t mind some salty language‚ check out book 1 of her fantasy series. Follow her on Facebook or TikTok!

Chaos Terminal is the second installment in Lafferty’s Midsolar Murders series‚ books that center around a young woman named Mallory Viridian who‚ after aliens make contact with humans in what is our near future‚ flees to a sentient space station. Wherever she goes on Earth‚ murders inevitably follow (so much so that she‚ à la Angela Lansbury‚ writes murder mystery books about the cases after she helps local law enforcement solve them). The first book‚ 2022’s Station Eternity‚ sees Mallory take up residency in the titular station as one of the few humans on board. There‚ despite her best efforts‚ the murders keep on coming‚ though more than one mystery is solved by the book’s end‚ including a sci-fi answer as to why Mallory always seems to be around when murders happen. Chaos Terminal picks up after the events of Station Eternity‚ and while you don’t need to have read the first to understand and enjoy the sequel‚ you will absolutely have the whodunnit of the first (and those other mysteries as well) spoiled. You’ll also have some catch-up on getting to know the cast of characters who make the station their home‚ but if you’re up to overcoming that hurdle that’s inevitable in most sequels‚ the book turns into a fun read. I’ll do my best not to spoil either Midsolar Murders book in this review‚ but given this is a murder mystery series set in space‚ it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that the murder of at least one human once again takes place on Station Eternity soon after a new human delegation arrives… a delegation that not only includes the agent who Mallory helped solve murders on Earth‚ but also her best friend from high school‚ and her best friend from high school’s twin brother‚ someone she had completely forgotten about even though they harbored an unrequited crush for each other as teens. Buy it Now And just like in the series’ first book‚ there’s more than one mystery going on in Chaos Terminal. There’s the requisite human murder‚ yes‚ but there’s also something going on across the space station. Eternity is essentially in sleep mode after its symbiotic host flies off on a planned trip‚ leaving Mallory as the point person on board for the Sundry‚ the wasp-like aliens who manage the moon-sized station’s life support‚ and also as the de facto representative of the station for the human delegation set to arrive. Mallory‚ however‚ is out of sorts and doesn’t understand why. Everything‚ in short‚ is chaos! Just like the book’s title suggests. Creating that chaos is a a smorgasbord of characters of different species—there are the aforementioned Sundry‚ whose collective hivemind puts humanity’s best supercomputers to shame‚ and also the Gneiss‚ a rock-like species who live for centuries and “evolve” by absorbing the bodies of other species (which a couple of them did in Station Eternity‚ prompting one to morph into a spaceship and another‚ the impulsive and less-than-smart Tina‚ to become a dangerously armed mech). The other human residents on Eternity‚ particularly Xan‚ the stowaway soldier who went AWOL in the first book‚ have their own parts to play in how the events of Chaos Terminal play out. Add to that the five or six additional humans of note that come with the latest delegation‚ and you’ve got a panoply of chapters told from varying points of view. It is‚ in short‚ a lot. But intentionally so‚ given the title of the book. And so‚ while one could say the cast of characters is arguably too many‚ having more potential suspects also arguably ups the intrigue of the whodunnit. And even though some of the clues nodding toward solving the case are obviously laid out‚ understanding why and how certain clues fit into the overall murder plot is appropriately harder to figure out. Solving the human mystery‚ however‚ is only part of the enjoyment of reading this‚ and arguably not the most important part. This is a science fiction murder mystery‚ after all‚ and the sci-fi elements going on with the characters aboard Eternity are where the book shines‚ buoying up the story beyond the machinations around the human body count. Something‚ for example‚ is going on with the Sundry‚ and Lafferty’s reveal of what’s really going on is a fun foray into xenobiology. The rock-like Gneiss are also the cause and solution for much of the book’s problems‚ with Tina in particular bringing levity and proverbial face-palms whenever she wreaks havoc by trying to “help.” Reading Chaos Terminal is more like trying to put together a puzzle while someone (perhaps the toddler-like Tina‚ who by the way is also Gneiss royalty) periodically flips the table over. In that vein‚ this is not an immersive book in that you likely won’t feel like you’re on Station Eternity yourself and walking the halls with Mallory. This book is character- and plot-driven rather than focused on describing locations with long paragraphs of prose. If you like trying to suss out what the heck is going on with the folks on this poor station while getting peppered with character-driven flashbacks and unexpected shenanigans from quirky aliens‚ Chaos Terminal is a fun read. So go ahead: Embrace the chaos and try to solve the many mysteries—you’ll have fun along the way‚ even if you’re confused at times. And you’ll also likely learn more about certain species of wasps as a bonus. Chaos Terminal is published by Ace. Vanessa Armstrong is a writer with bylines at The LA Times‚ SYFY WIRE‚ StarTrek.com and other publications. She lives in Los Angeles with her dog Penny and her husband Jon‚ and she loves books more than most things. You can find more of her work on her website or follow her on Twitter @vfarmstrong.

We are well and truly in the era of the massive video game adaptation. A24—known for clever and arty fare—recently announced that it plans to expand into more commercial and action films‚ and now they’re taking the next step in that direction. With Kojima Productions‚ A24 is developing a feature film adaptation of the popular video game Death Stranding. In a statement‚ game creator Hideo Kojima said‚ “There are a lot of ‘game adaptation films’ out there but what we are creating is not just a direct translation of the game. The intention is that our audience will not only be fans of the games‚ but our film will be for anyone who loves cinema. We are creating a Death Stranding universe that has never been seen before‚ achievable only through the medium of film‚ it will be born.” The game is set in a post-apocalyptic United States after an event called the “Death Stranding” leads to “Beached Things” appearing on the earth. These creatures—which have something to do with the afterlife‚ and the dead—create real big explosions when they eat people. (They also make rain that ages you? This game sounds wild.) Humanity is living in colonies; outside their walls there are‚ of course‚ terrible people preying on anyone who tries to move from one place to another‚ and couriers who brave all these deadly elements to deliver supplies. (I’m not getting into the part with the psychic fetuses. I’m just not. Wikipedia can help if you would like to know more on that front.) Norman Reedus is the main character in the game‚ which also stars Mads Mikkelsen and Léa Seydoux. It remains to be seen if any of the game actors appear in the film. [ed note: ALSO CONAN IS IN IT AND SHOULD BE IN THE MOVIE HE SHOULD BE IN EVERY MOVIE.] Does it sound like this could be cinematic and gripping? Sure does. Also terrifying. A different adaptation was announced last year‚ but presumably that one is no longer moving forward. The scary-ass future will come to screens near you at some not-yet-announced date.  

’Tis the season for lists‚ and I don’t mean the checking-it-twice kind. Best books lists‚ best movies lists‚ best games‚ best best-of lists‚ best reviews‚ best cookbooks‚ best albums‚ best songs. You name it‚ and there’s a list for it. I love a list except when I don’t. A good list is personal and knows it. A bad list is one of those clickbaity rankings of superhero movies‚ or Star Wars movies‚ or other things that it should frankly be illegal to rank at this moment in time. A great list breaks the rules—like Leah Schnelbach’s list ranking all the superhero origin movies they could remember. What did I just say? I said no more superhero ranking lists. But this one is what a good list should be‚ what it can be: Personal‚ clearly subjective‚ unexpected‚ and fun. I used to have to make a ranked list every year—my top ten movies‚ and then ten more for good measure (and because ten is never enough). I agonized over this list. I spent hours and days and weeks trying to cram in viewings of all the movies I had not yet seen in a given year. (It is‚ to put it lightly‚ challenging making a complete movie ranking list in a small town that doesn’t get many independent films until months after their big-city releases.) Now I bask in the simplicity of our Reviewers’ Choice lists‚ which do not require ranking and can be as personal and loose as we wish. But I also like other lists. Personal‚ subjective‚ unexpected‚ fun lists. So here are several lists made up of books I read this year. They were made using a small number of simple rules: Not everything I read is on one of these lists‚ but every book I read this year‚ regardless of publication date‚ could be included. Each book can appear only once. Each list can have a maximum of five books on it. And sometimes‚ a list is just one thing.   Three Excellent Series Books The Witch of Maracoor‚ Gregory Maguire (2023) Blade of Dream‚ Daniel Abraham (2023) Mammoths at the Gates‚ Nghi Vo (2023) The Witch of Maracoor ends a series that is not going to go down easy for every lover of Maguire’s Wicked—but the thing is‚ you should try it‚ you should let it unsettle you‚ you should see what happens to Rain. Do it for Elphie‚ do it for Rain‚ do it for all the girls burdened by hope and ancestry and loss and discovery. Blade of Dream is the middle book of Abraham’s masterful Kithamar trilogy‚ but you could probably read it first‚ and in fact I wish I could have the experience of reading each of the books in this not-yet-complete trilogy first. If only! As for Nghi Vo‚ every single book of hers is worth your time‚ and this entry into the Singing Hills cycle was particularly elegant and affecting at once. I hope this series never ends.   Five Books I Should Have Read a Long Time Ago Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality‚ John Darnielle (2008) The Night Circus‚ Erin Morgenstern (2011) The Revolution of Every Day‚ Cari Luna (2013) The Folded Clock‚ Heidi Julavits (2015) Dear Mr. You‚ Mary-Louise Parker (2015) A wonderful thing about books that will become important to you is that you can read them whenever. When they come out‚ sure‚ but fifteen or forty years later is fine‚ too. That said‚ I still feel a ridiculous urge to apologize to the authors of books I should have read a million years ago. Sorry‚ Erin Morgenstern; your book is everything everyone told it would be‚ and I wish I’d had it in my brain this whole time! Sorry‚ John Darnielle; I know you’re a genius but I just kept wondering if I wanted to read about Black Sabbath‚ when the answer was clearly‚ “Yes‚ when Darnielle is writing about them!” Sorry‚ Cari Luna‚ who is also an excellent writing instructor; I should have read this book the minute it came out‚ because it’s just great and also it’s my old neighborhood through new eyes! Sorry‚ Heidi Julavits‚ I should have listened to my friend David about this genius book! And sorry‚ Mary-Louise Parker; I was being a dick and had doubts about a book by an actor‚ but this book made me cry more than once‚ and made me think even more times! Please write another one.   Let’s All Read More Books About Art Monsters‚ Claire Dederer (2023) Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel‚ Jane Smiley (2005) Appropriate: A Provocation‚ Paisley Rekdal (2021) Thin Skin‚ Jenn Shapland (2023) If I were to recommend one single nonfiction book from this year‚ it would be Monsters‚ which I have talked about on and off in this column since I started it. It is just that good. If you had told me some years ago that I would love a Jane Smiley nonfiction book about the novel‚ I would have been confused‚ because I have never otherwise read Jane Smiley. But this deep dive is an absolute treat for thinking about form and style and what makes a book a novel. And this Paisley Rekdal book? Sharp‚ thoughtful‚ difficult‚ considering‚ full of questions‚ full of every bit of nuance missing from a million online discussions. I also have to mention Jenn Shapland’s Thin Skin‚ which is not just about art‚ but it is about living‚ and making art‚ and writing and trying to exist in a world that would often like us to stop thinking about the weird feelings it causes. I will follow Shapland to any topic; I learned that with her first book‚ My Autobiographies of Carson McCullers‚ which was ostensibly about an author I had never read but was‚ in fact‚ about so much more. This kind of expansive nonfiction makes me feel like the world is bigger every time I read it.   One Book From Which I Learned Something I Did Not Know That I Did Not Know The Glass Hotel‚ Emily St. John Mandel (2020) I did not fully understand the term “Ponzi scheme‚” despite reading it in the news approximately seven thousand times‚ until I read this book. It is a very‚ very‚ very good book‚ but for some reason I wanted to note this thing that I did not expect to learn from it. You just never know what you’ll take away from a great book‚ is all.   Two Books by One Criminally Under-read Author Trouble the Saints‚ Alaya Dawn Johnson (2020) The Library of Broken Worlds‚ Alaya Dawn Johnson (2023) Trouble the Saints won the World Fantasy Award‚ yet I feel as if it also‚ quietly and frustratingly‚ faded from view too quickly. The Library of Broken Worlds is this year’s City of the Uncommon Thief for me—a young adult novel that crosses genre boundaries‚ reading-age boundaries‚ boundaries of how you can tell stories about teenagers‚ stories about stories‚ stories about impossible places and the lies our parents taught us and the difficulty of bringing truth to light. Among other things. This book needs more champions. I hope it will find the readers who will need it‚ and who will love it.   (Some of) The Most Excellent Books I Read This Year That Came Out Last Year The Spear Cuts Through Water‚  Simon Jimenez (2022) Wolfish‚ Christiane M. Andrews (2022) The Visitors‚ Jessi Jezewska Stevens (2022) Body Work‚ Melissa Febos (2022) Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands‚ Kate Beaton (2022) These five books are impossible to pithily cover in a paragraph because they have nothing to do with one another except that they came out in the same year. The Spear Cuts Through Water is‚ I think‚ the great overlooked novel of 2022‚ the one that should have been everywhere‚ but it’s really long and somewhat challenging and you have to trust the person who says‚ as they shove it into your hands‚ “You really‚ really have to read this.” I still feel that this book could rewrite what fantasy is‚ as a genre‚ if only we would let it. Wolfish is a beautiful middle-grade novel that exists so fully in the natural world that I can’t think of it without thinking of textures: fur‚ dirt‚ worms‚ stone‚ mud‚ sheep. The Visitors is a book so fascinating and unexpected that I think I need to read it again. Body Work is necessary reading for writers‚ a craft book about the personal that reminded me how joyous it is to learn. And Ducks just broke me. Never underestimate Kate Beaton. Never.   One Absolute What the FUCK? Book The Engagement‚ Chloe Hooper (2012) How is this book not a movie? How is this book even a book? How did Chloe Hooper write the breathtaking nonfiction work The Tall Man and then this unnerving psychological thriller? No‚ it’s not speculative. No‚ I don’t care. I need someone to read it. I need to talk about it. It’s under my skin and it itches.   Two Beloved Poetry Collections Tanya‚ Brenda Shaughnessy (2023) I Do Everything I’m Told‚ Megan Fernandes (2023) Here’s the thing about poetry‚ No‚ two things: I don’t read enough of it‚ and I am incoherent about it when I do. But I first read Brenda Shaughnessy over twenty years ago‚ and lately I have grown determined to read all the books of hers that I missed between Interior with Sudden Joy and now. Tanya is‚ like all her work‚ beautiful‚ and lingering. And as for Megan Fernandes‚ there is no chronicler of modern living quite like her. She can be sharp‚ she can be clever‚ she can be wise and desperate and funny and there is nothing she’s afraid to write about.   Five Brilliant Debut Novels (And One Story Collection) I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself‚ M. Crane (2023) Some Desperate Glory‚ Emily Tesh (2023) Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind‚ Molly McGhee (2023) The Saint of Bright Doors‚ Vajra Chandrasekera (2023) Drinking From Graveyard Wells‚ Yvette Lisa Ndlovu (2023) This was‚ in fact‚ the hardest list to keep to five books‚ but I made the rules and I’m going to stick to them. Here you have unexpected and uneasy dystopias‚ brainwashed soldiers‚ desperate debtors‚ unchosen ones‚ and a child with two shadows; you have books published as SFF‚ books published as literary fiction‚ and one short story collection from a university press that simply needs to get the attention of a big-publisher book. I started my year with Exoskeletons and ended it with Some Desperate Glory and Jonathan Abernathy; in between I was knocked sideways by Bright Doors and Graveyard Wells. I specify this timeframe because while I think you should read all of these books‚ I also think you should give them breathing room. Read one‚ and let it settle. Let it sink. Let it percolate and grow into your mind. ***   What lists would—could—you make from your year in reading? Molly Templeton lives and writes in Oregon‚ and spends as much time as possible in the woods. Sometimes she talks about books on Bluesky.

Adam and Will pay tribute to the late Matthew Perry by examining his 1987 FOX sitcom Second Chance and it’s transformation mid-season into a brand new series called Boys Will Be Boys. Were these shows CONTINUE READING... The post Remember That Show? Ep. 5: Second Chance/Boys Will Be Boys appeared first on The Retro Network.

Christian Sharps was awarded 15 firearms patents in his lifetime. He also liked trout. In 1871‚ he established a trout hatchery in Connecticut to try to help replace New England’s declining population of the freshwater fish. Sharps’ 1874 death put an end to the fishy venture. By 1830‚ Christian Sharps‚ born in New Jersey in 1811‚ had gone to work at the Harpers Ferry‚ Va.‚ Arsenal‚ helping to produce firearms for the U.S. Army. In 1848‚ Sharps received his first breechloadingfirearms patent. By 1851‚ the gunmaker had struck out on his own and formed the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company in Hartford‚ Conn.‚ to produce his simple and sturdy weapon design that remained relatively unchanged throughout the Civil War. It featured a breechblock that dropped down when the trigger guard was unlatched and moved forward. Then‚ a linen or paper .52-caliber cartridge would be inserted into the breech. As the trigger guard was raised‚ a sharpened edge on the breechblock would shear off the end of the cartridge‚ exposing the powder. A common percussion cap was then placed on the cone‚ and the gun was ready to fire. The first Sharps carbines were issued to U.S. troopers in 1854‚ and they remained the most widely issued cavalry shoulder arm throughout the conflict. One admiring Union officer remarked: “A cavalry carbine should be very simple in its mechanisim‚ with all its…parts well covered from the splashing of mud‚ or the accumulation of rest and dust. Sharps carbine combines all these qualities.” Breechloaders allowed soldiers to load easily while lying prone‚ and the rifle version of Sharps was favored by the marksmen in the 1st and 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters‚ who used a custom model that included a hair trigger. An early war photo of a member of Georgia’s Richmond Hussars with his Sharps carbine. Because Sharps carbines were made before the war‚ some Southern militia units were equipped with the breechloaders. Ammunition for the Sharps was easy for the Confederacy to produce once the war began. Cartridges for the .52-caliber Sharps carbine could be made out of linen‚ as is the top example‚ or paper‚ bottom. The bullet used with the paper cartridge was nicknamed a “ringtail” because of the small ring at the base to which the paper tube containing the powder was glued. The simple‚ sturdy Sharps breechloading mechanism was relatively easy to copy‚ and the Confederacy made its own carbine version between 1862 and 1864. Initially the S.C. Robinson Company in Richmond made about 1‚900 carbines. The Confederate government purchased that company in March 1863‚ and the Confederate Carbine Company then made about 3‚000 more. The Southern copy omitted the patch box in the buttstock‚ used simple fixed sights‚ and substituted brass for some parts. This Confederate trooper sports what is likely a captured Sharps original‚ due to the presence of a patch box. He has a lot of reserve firepower at hand‚ and who knows what might be under his hat. Sharps also made 156‚000 of these 1859 patent four-barrel pepperbox pistols in calibers ranging from .22 to .32. To load‚ a user depressed the button under the muzzle and slid the barrel assembly forward. Brass rimfire cartridges were inserted and the barrel assembly slid back. As the hammer was cocked‚ it rotated a firing pin that traveled to each barrel. Some soldiers carried them as sidearms.

Over the Christmas period in 1914‚ fraternization took place in No Man’s Land between British and German soldiers at St. Yvon in Belgium. Memorials in the Belgian villages of St. Yvon and Messines commemorate a football game played between the British and the Germans during the Truce. Whenever this author mentions that his grandfather Robert Hamilton‚ a captain in the 1st Battalion of the British Army’s Royal Warwickshire Regiment‚ was involved in the Christmas Truce at St. Yvon‚ he is invariably asked whether Hamilton played in a game of football against the Germans. It is a fair question given that it is now widely accepted that there was an ‘international’ match there. However‚ evidence from accounts by those who took part in the Truce casts doubt over whether such a game took place at all and calls into question the justification for the installation of the three memorials‚ one on the edge of Ploegsteert Wood and two in Messines. Where Did the Story Come From? One of the most compelling accounts of the Christmas Truce and the warfare that preceded it‚ is to be found in Hamilton’s diary which he kept throughout his five months on the Western Front. It offers a graphic and harrowing account of mobile fighting before the onset of attritional trench warfare. He vividly described the rain‚ mud‚ dangers and discomforts of life in the trenches and the daily fight for survival against shelling and sniping. His descriptions of life behind the lines‚ billets‚ estaminets and local hospitality are detailed and perceptive. His record of the humor and comradeship of his fellow soldiers is also heartwarming and entertaining. This artistic interpretation of the Christmas Truce of 1914 depicts German and British troops mingling on the battlefield to exchange tokens of goodwill. At the war’s outbreak in 1914‚ Hamilton was 37 years old. He had been brought up in Tiddington‚ a village near Shakespeare’s Stratford-on-Avon in Warwickshire‚ England and was educated at Glenalmond College in Scotland‚ after which he became a regular in the British Army. He joined the Norfolk Regiment with whom he fought as a 2nd lieutenant in the Boer War 1899-1902. By 1914 he had been transferred to the 1st Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment‚ whose men were commonly known as the Royal Warwicks. It is clear from his diary entries that he was a good friend of Bernard Law Montgomery‚ the future Field Marshal and architect of notable victories over Germany in World War II. On Aug. 8‚ 1914‚ Hamilton recorded when at Shorncliffe in Kent waiting to cross the Channel to France that‚ “Bernard and I walked down to get our valises‚ which they refused to let us fetch. This was the first major piece of red tape rot‚ which Bernard and I quite made up our minds must cease.” Thirty-mile marches and ducking German shells exacted a toll on the Royal Warwicks. Hamilton complained on Sept. 12 that‚ “This is the hell‚” and on Sept. 19 that‚ “I am sure I look fifty‚ I feel seventy.” Hamilton was promoted to the rank of captain after his superior‚ Charles Bentley‚ was court martialled for constant drunkenness‚ much to his and Montgomery’s relief. On Oct. 13‚ 1914‚ in one of their first major actions of the war‚ the Royal Warwicks fought in the battle of Meteren‚ losing 42 men killed and 85 wounded. The battle ended Montgomery’s front line action when he was hit in the lung and knee. He was hospitalized in St. Omer and returned to Southampton‚ England via Boulogne on Oct. 18 to recover.  Andrew Edwards’ famous sculpture called “All Together Now” at the garden of St. Luke’s Church (the bombed-out church) in Liverpool. Prior to the Christmas Truce‚ Hamilton and the Royal Warwicks were based in trenches on the edge of Ploegsteert Wood which on Nov. 22 were‚ he wrote‚ “in a shocking way. Dead bodies everywhere and the stink awful.” On Dec. 11‚ he wrote: “It rained all night and the whole of today. When I went round the sentries‚ I found them quite resigned to another flood. They were amused. One Private Carter said “it will lay the dust‚ sir‚ won’t it?” at which I laughed heartily and so did they. But poor fellows were on their last legs for this trench trip.”  Christmas at St. Yvon In November‚ Hamilton had been delighted that Bruce Bairnsfather‚ a family friend from prewar days in Stratford-on-Avon‚ had arrived at the front. Bairnsfather would become celebrated for his cartoons of life in the trenches published in The Bystander magazine‚ especially his British “Tommy” characters Alf‚ Bert and most famously “Old Bill.” Bairnsfather captured life in the trenches in an inimitable style—for example‚ a Tommy caught in the light of a German star shell having drunk a whole jar of rum‚ the meeting of a British and a German officer in No Man’s Land‚ and the spectacle of a Birmingham barber cutting the locks of a long-suffering private of the Royal Warwicks with the warning‚ “Keep yer ’ead still or I’ll have yer blinkin’ ear off.”  At 6.30 p.m. on Christmas Eve 1914‚ Hamilton’s A Company of the 1st Battalion Royal Warwicks set off from their billets at La Crèche in France to relieve the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the trenches at St. Yvon over the border in Belgium. Over 100 years later‚ if one follows in their footsteps from the magnificent Ploegsteert Memorial along Mud Lane to Prowse Point Military Cemetery‚ one will find the memorial unveiled in December 2014 by French football star and administrator Michel Platini‚ which has since been swamped by football shirts and scarves  and surrounded by footballs. Behind the original German front line at Messines the main football-inspired memorial is a replica of a memorial first unveiled in 2014 in Liverpool outside St. Luke’s Church. A wealth of accounts of what happened over the Christmas period at St. Yvon shed a different light on what actually transpired there. These accounts include firsthand British reports by four officers including Hamilton‚ three NCOs‚ nine privates and an account by a German officer‚ Leutnant Kurt Zehmisch of the 134th Saxon Regiment. Of the many truces that took place on the Western Front in 1914‚ this one is unquestionably the best documented. Using this material‚ it is possible to paint a comprehensive and detailed picture of what happened during the fraternisation in that sector of the Western Front—including about whether the legendary football match ever took place.  Despite the doubt about whether men on opposing sides played football together‚ the football has become a symbol of the Christmas Truce and features in several memorials‚ including Flanders‚ Belgium. Most of the British soldiers who had been at the Front since August 1914 were “regulars”—professional soldiers—rather than the thousands of volunteers who answered Horatio Herbert‚ 1st Earl Kitchener’s call to arms. Assured the war would be “over by Christmas” they found themselves tired and homesick after four months of tough combat. Unsurprisingly they were‚ according to Hamilton’s diary‚ “a little sad at spending Christmas Day” in the trenches when they set off for them at 6.30 p.m. When the men approached their trenches‚ it was clear something was amiss. Hamilton recalled that‚ “Crossing the well worn danger zone to our consternation not a shot was fired at us.’ After much shouting to and fro across No Man’s Land‚ Private Gregory‚ was given permission by Hamilton to go and parley with the Saxons “at your own risk”. On his return‚ he informed his officer that‚ “they [the Germans] wanted me to meet their officer and after a great deal of shouting across I said I would meet him at dawn‚ unarmed.” Meeting the Germans For the Royal Warwicks who had suffered several weeks of wind‚ rain‚ flooded trenches‚ shelling and sniping‚ the interaction with the 134th Saxons on Christmas Eve was extraordinary and unexpected. Carols were sung by both sides. Leutnant Zehmisch ordered Christmas trees to be lit with candles along the trenches. Lt. Cave recalled that “they had their Christmas trees blazing all night” and Pvt. Day wrote that on Christmas Day at “about 1 o’clock they struck up with a band of concertinas and a cornet; they played ‘Home Sweet Home’ first‚ then a lot of other tunes finishing up with “God save the King.” Pvt. Charlie Pratt was in awe that “the Germans sent up a star shell which lit up the place lovely and then for the first time we saw friend and foe.” Pvt. Walter Cooke considered that “the band sounded great‚ much better than hearing shells whistle overhead” while Pvt. Langton recalled that “we would sing a carol first and they would sing one. I tell you they can harmonize alright.”  It was inevitable that fraternization would take place on Christmas morning. Hamilton wrote he “went out and found a Saxon officer of the 134th Saxon Corps‚ who was fully armed. I pointed to his revolver and pouch. He smiled and said‚ seeing I was unarmed‚ ‘Alright now.’ We shook hands‚ and said what we could in double Dutch‚ arranged a local armistice for 48 hours‚ and returned to our trenches. This was the signal for the respective soldiers to come out. As far as I can make out this effort of ours extended itself on either side for some considerable distance. The soldiers on both sides met in their hundreds and exchanged greetings and gifts. We buried many Germans‚ and they did the same to ours.” In the evening a number of officers enjoyed a concert in ‘D’ Company’s dugout until midnight. It was‚ according to Hamilton‚ “a very merry Xmas and a most extraordinary one.” There was nonetheless a feeling that the enemy could not be trusted‚ so Hamilton “doubled the sentries after midnight.” Exchanging gifts Hundreds of soldiers swapped postcards‚ photos‚ pipes‚ mufflers‚ tobacco‚ cakes‚ buttons‚ tins of bully beef and cap badges. The most popular exchanges were‚ as Day noted “cigarettes for cigars‚ a gift from the Kaiser.” He also received “some of their postcards which they signed and addressed.” Pvt. Layton was impressed with the Germans’ language skills: “There were a good many amongst them who could speak broken English alright and they said ‘You make it no shoot‚ we make it no shoot.’” For William Tapp‚ it was “a strange sight‚ unbelievable that we were all mixed up together.” A Christmas Truce memorial located at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire‚ England. The armistice meant that an important job could be carried out. The Brigade War Diary recorded that ‘men of the Somerset Light Infantry‚ 134th Saxons‚ Hampshires‚ a Prussian and an Uhlan were all buried. The Germans helped in the digging with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Warwicks supplied the “tools” since the Germans stated they had none. Burial of the dead was a convenient excuse for the Brigade commanders to play down the enormity of what had happened. At the time when British soldiers were fraternizing with the enemy in No Man’s Land‚ their superiors‚ Generals John French‚ Douglas Haig and Horace Smith-Dorrien were lunching in St. Omer. They were furious to hear reports of what had taken place. On Boxing Day‚ Smith-Dorrien sought details of officers and units who had taken part in the Christmas Truce “with a view to disciplinary action.” Fraternizing with the Enemy He wrote in his memorandum of Dec. 27: “This is only illustrative of the apathetic state we are gradually sinking in to… to finish this war quickly we must keep up the fighting spirit and do all we can to discourage friendly intercourse.” For the author of the 1/ Royal Warwicks War Diary‚ Christmas Eve was “a quiet day. Relieved the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the trenches in the evening.” There was no mention of what had taken place. The Brigade War Diary also played down the event and observed a positive opportunity for intelligence gathering: “A quiet day. No firing. The Germans appear to think that an armistice exists for Christmas Day. An informal interchange of courtesies took place between troops in the fire trenches of both belligerents. Some valuable information was gleaned during the intercourse. The trenches seem fairly strongly held‚ the enemy cheerful and well fed.” Fraternizing with the enemy during a war was unacceptable and unheard of‚ so concerns about potential sanctions were expressed. Hamilton was told that “the General and staff are furious but powerless to stop it.” William Tapp feared the worst: “I don’t know what our General would say if he knew about this.” Pvt. Harry Morgan wondered that “if all the troops along the line had refused to fight on both sides‚ would the War have ended there and then?” In the event no one was reprimanded. Hamilton returned home on leave in early January‚ recording in his diary on Jan. 12 that “All’s well that ends well.” He had suffered throughout the campaign with troublesome ears and visited an Army doctor in London who spared him further active combat. His diary then chronicles the “battles” he fought with Conscientious Objectors’ and “red tape” as Commandant of the Hereford Military Detention Barracks‚ a role he detested but which was arguably a small price to pay for avoiding further involvement on the Western Front and the huge losses suffered by the Royal Warwicks in April 1915 during the 2nd Battle of Ypres when the Germans used poisonous chlorine gas for the first time.  What About The Football? So was a game of football played during this particular Christmas armistice? Although the many accounts contain numerous details about the truce‚ no evidence exists whatsoever to justify the creation of the three memorials to an “international” football match. Zehmisch wrote that “a couple of English brought a football out of their trench and a vigorous match began.” Pvt. Smith commented that the “Germans were interested spectators” of the kickabout. Zehmisch recorded that towards evening the English officers asked whether a big football match could be held on the following day‚ but he was unable to agree to a match as his company would be returning to their billets. Hamilton’s diary entry corroborates Zehmisch’s account: ‘’A’ Coy would have played the 134th Saxon Corps tomorrow only that the company was relieved.” Pvt. Walter Cooke was disappointed that “the Germans wanted to play at football but that fell through” and Tapp‚ a Birmingham City supporter‚ was upset that a game could not be arranged.  There can be no doubt that if a game of football had taken place‚ Bairnsfather would have captured the event in a cartoon with his characters Alf‚ Bert and ‘Old Bill’ flooring their opponents with crunching tackles‚ no doubt breaking legs and sending Saxon pickelhaubes flying to all parts of No Man’s Land. Bairnsfather limited himself to describing the football as just “a kickabout amongst the Royal Warwicks” (not with the Germans) and later in 1929 concluded in The American Magazine that “there had not been an atom of hate shown by either side. It was a punctuation mark on all the combatants’ lives of cold and humid hate.” A contemporary photograph of No Man’s land at St. Yvon shows it pitted with shell holes and extremely uneven—conditions hardly conducive for a football match. For those who participated in the Truce at St. Yvon‚ it was a truly memorable event that would have been beyond their wildest dreams. Words that appear frequently in their accounts are “astounding‚” “extraordinary‚” “strange‚” “unbelievable‚” and “unique.” Morgan was impressed that “there were no guns‚ no bullets‚ no voices.” Zehmisch felt it had been “marvelous and strange” and his opposing officer Hamilton‚ admittedly resorting to hyperbole‚ started his diary entry for Christmas Day 1914: “A Day Unique in the World’s History.” For Tapp‚ “it was like a clock that had stopped ticking… it was very different to the other Christmas days I had spent‚ especially the one in 1910 when I stood under the mistletoe with the girl I later married.” Tapp was later killed during the German gas attack on April 25‚ 1915 and his name is‚ along with nearly 500 other Royal Warwicks with no known grave‚ recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. Flimsy Evidence of a Match The Truce at St. Yvon was similar to many held along as much as two thirds of the British-held trenches along the Western Front. This Christmastide there will be the usual references to games of football in the media and social media…but how many actually took place? In the most comprehensive work on the Christmas Truce‚ Malcolm Brown and Shirley Seaton are skeptical about the numbers‚ stressing that the ground in No Man’s Land was too pockmarked and uneven for there to have been many matches. They do however assert that “there are a sufficient number of references to games which allegedly took place for it to be difficult to believe that this is all smoke without fire.” Yet in most cases the evidence is flimsy to say the least. The most likely game to have taken place may have been across the border at Frelinghien in France where Leutnant Johannes Niemann of the 133rd Saxon regiment recorded that a soldier in the Scottish 2nd Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders produced a football and “now there developed a proper game of football with caps put down as goalposts. Quite a happening on that frozen field.” He concludes that “the game ended 3-2 to Fritz.” The Germans were much amused that the Scots were not wearing underpants beneath their kilts: “This delighted us hugely …” Unfortunately‚ Niemann’s evidence is not confirmed by any British accounts.  One thing we can be certain about is that a football match at St. Yvon is a myth and that the three memorials do no more than promote a legend. But at Christmas time why be Scrooge-like about this and let the truth get in the way of a marvelous story of peace and reconciliation—even if it was for only a day or two before the bitter war resumed in the New Year? this article first appeared in military history quarterly See more stories subscribe now!  

Shortly after 2:00 a.m. local time on June 4‚ 1972‚ just a few miles off the North Vietnamese coast‚ U.S. Navy Lt. Melvin S. Dry and three naval special warfare personnel departed the USS Grayback (LPSS-574) aboard a Mark VII Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV). Dry intended to reconnoiter the beach area where his team was to rendezvous with a group of escaped American prisoners-of-war (POWs). But a combination of stronger than expected offshore currents and the Mark VII’s limited battery capacity forced him to abandon the mission 1‚000 feet from shore. A Navy helicopter ultimately sunk the SDV with miniguns to prevent it falling into enemy hands [see our story on p. 20]‚ before delivering Dry and the rest of the operations team to USS Long Beach (CGN-9)‚ the command ship for Operation Thunderhead‚ America’s last POW rescue attempt of the Vietnam War. The Mark VII SDV lacked the power and endurance to overcome the currents and sea condition. Operation Thunderhead was aborted.   The U.S. Navy’s first production model Swimmer Delivery Vehicle‚ the Mark VII derived from a post-World War II review of Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) operations. The study called for a covert underwater delivery means for UDTs when water conditions‚ depth‚ and distance made it unwise or impractical for the teams to reach the target by swimming directly from a submarine. UDT made do with the Italian-developed World II-era Mark 6 Sea Horse until 1967‚ when the U.S. Naval Coastal Systems Center modified the General Dynamics Convair 14 midget submarine.   The resulting Mark VII Mod 0 was a free-flooding design with a reinforced fiberglass hull. Nonferrous metals and sound dampening insulation were used throughout to minimize the SDV’s magnetic and acoustic signatures‚ respectively. A gyroscope constituted its only navigation aid. It had a single rudder and propeller‚ the latter driven by a small electric motor powered by a single bay of silver-zinc batteries. It had a 40nm range under ideal conditions but considerably less against powerful currents and seas.   The Mark VII underwent several improvements after 1972. The Mod 6 variant of 1975 featured a larger hull‚ greater payload capacity‚ and a high frequency sonar for precision navigation underwater. It also incorporated an emergency surfacing capability. Still‚ it remained underpowered and in 1983 gave way to the Mark VIII SEAL Delivery Vehicle that remained in service until 2023.   Mark VII Mod 2 SDV Crew: 4 UDT &; SEALs Length: 5.7m/17ft 8 inches Beam: 1.6m/5ft 6 inches Surface Displacement: 2‚200lbs Propulsion: Electric Motor Driving 1x Propeller Max Speed: 5kts Max Range: 40nm Operating Depth: 50–60ft This story appeared in the 2024 Winter issue of Vietnam magazine. historynet magazines Our 9 best-selling history titles feature in-depth storytelling and iconic imagery to engage and inform on the people‚ the wars‚ and the events that shaped America and the world. subscribe today