#tricia sullivan

[70sscifiart]

Happy Sci-Fi Dolphin Saturday! This is Donato Giancola's 1995 cover art for 'Lethe,' by Tricia Sullivan.

[sporadiceagleheart]

Today's joy with Rachel Joy Scott Friday edits is for missing kids I hope soon they be found and Brought back home safe and sound Madeleine McCann, Inga Gehricke, Summer Wells, Haleigh Cummings, Morgan Nick, Ben Needham, Timmothy Pitzen, Baby Lisa Irwin, Baby Sabrina Aisenberg, Kayla Berg, Mary Boyle, Jennifer Joyce Kesse, Amy Lynn Bradley, Asha Jaquilla Degree, Brian Randall Shaffer, Brandon Swanson, Lars Joachim Mittank, Maura Murray, Kyron Richard Horman, Rebecca Coriam, Evelyn Grace Hartley, Frederick Valentich, Lauren Spierer, Marjorie West, Margaret Ellen Fox, Joshua Guimond, LeeAnna Warner, Tara Leigh Calico, Cherrie Ann Mahan, Nyleen Kay Marshall, Phoenix Coldon, Laureen Ann Rahn, Johnny Gosch, Sara Anne Wood, Rebecca Reusch, BRANDON LEE WADE, Katrice Lee, Adele Marie Wells, William Tyrrell, Rene Hasee, Jane Beaumont, Dennise Jeannette "Denny" Sullivan, Ember Skye Graham, Tricia J. Kellett, Donnis Marie "Pinky" Redman, Renee Aitken, Dulce Maria Alavez, Jonathan Allen, Victoria Allen, Mylette Josephine Anderson, Erica Nicole Baker, Ava Grace Baldwin, Amber Renee Barker, Brittney Ann Beers, Tammy Lynn Belanger, Alessia Vera Schepp, Livia Clara Schepp, Ilene Rebecca Scott, Mary Lou Sena, Natasha Marie Shanes, Kathleen Ann "Kathy" Shea, Crystal Ann Tymich, Anna[1] Christian Waters, Holly Ann Hughes, Ashley LaShay Jones, Sofia Lucerno Juarez, Amber Jean Swartz-Garcia, Brooklinn Felyxia Miller, Marjorie Christina "Christy" Luna , Lorie Lynn Lewis, Sheri Lynn Johnson, Lauren Maria Pico Jackson, Hattie Yvonne Jackson, Janice Kathryn Pockett, Alice Pereira, Sabine Morgenroth, Daniela Moreno, April Ann Cooper, Catherine Barbara "Cathy" Davidson, Mary Rachel Bryan, Hazel X. Bracamontes, Melissa Lee Brannen, Edna "Bette Jean" Masters, Shaina Ashly Kirkpatrick,

[mischiefxmanagcd]

under the cut is a list of muses i’ll be adding / re-adding from a few fandoms. i’m also going to start queuing up individual starter calls for the all the muses, but i’ll try to space them out so it’s not a constant barrage! 

david rossi // criminal minds

will lamontagne jr. // criminal minds

jennifer jareau // criminal minds

jack hotchner // criminal minds

henry lamontagne // criminal minds

hadley reid // spencer’s half-sister // criminal minds

annabelle lamontagne // jj & will daughter // criminal minds

alvin olinsky // chicago pd

connor rhodes // chicago med

kelly severide // chicago fire

matt casey // chicago fire

anna charles // chicago med

terrence boden // chicago fire

maggie lockwood // chicago med

april sexton // chicago med

gabby dawson // chicago fire

wallace boden // chicago fire

robin charles // chicago med

hannah halstead // erin & jay daughter // chicago pd

penelope dawson-halstead // jay & antonio daughter // chicago pd

tricia boden // wallace & donna daughter // chicago fire

paul strickland // lone star

marjan marwani // lone star

nancy gillian // lone star

billy tyson jr. // billy & npc son // lone star

destinie tyson // billy & npc daughter // lone star

uriel // supernatural

zachariah // supernatural

gabriel // supernatural

chuck shurley // supernatural

charlie bradbury // supernatural

rufus turner // supernatural

harriet kepner-avery // grey’s

henry burton // grey’s

andrew deluca // grey’s

denny duquette // grey’s

nathan riggs // grey’s

geoff kepner-avery // jackson & april son // grey’s

ashley sloan // mark & npc daughter // grey’s

elijah karev // alex & jo son // grey’s

carina deluca // station 19

andy herrera // station 19

robert sullivan // station 19

rebecca sullivan // robert & npc daughter // station 19

danielle ripley // lucas & npc daughter // station 19

[afrikaabney]

African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition presented by Esther Productions, Inc, The Black Student Fund, and The Institute for African American Writing

Mar 02, 2024, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA

COME LEARN THE STORY AND LEGACY OF WASHINGTON, DC’S AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHORS OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE—Past and Present, including May Miller Sullivan, Sterling Brown, Maxine Clair, Gwendolyn Brooks, Daphne Muse, Lucille Clifton, Eloise Greenfield, Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, Jennifer Lawson, Courtland Cox, Adjoa Burrowes, E. Ethelbert Miller, Carolivia Herron, Aisha Rice, Tricia Elam Walker, jonetta rose barras, Sheila Crider, David Miller, Michelle Meadows, Leah Henderson , Michelle Green, Lakia Wilson and others.

Panel discussions topics include: REMOVING THE MASK, AMPLIFYING OUR VOICES: The Struggle of Black Authors To Publish Authentic Stories About African American People--Their Lives and Their Culture; SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: Illustrators Talk About The Challenge of Creating Images That Bring Children’s Books Alive; TRUNKS, SATCHELS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE: Book Distributors and Store Owners Tell Their Story About Getting Black Books into the World By All and Any Means Necessary; and UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UNTOLD STORIES: The Future of Black Children’s Literature.

DON'T MISS THE LUNCH TIME CONVERSATION BETWEEN SHARON BELL MATHIS AND E.ETHELBERT MILLER

This event is curated by award-winning author and public scholar jonetta rose barras in partnership with humanities scholar Bernard Demczuk Ph.D. ,The Black Student Fund, The Institute for African American Writing, Teaching for Change, Social Justice Books, Buck Wild Media, and Lesa Warrick.

Major funding has been provided by HumanitiesDC with additional support from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, The Robert Bobb Group, and BusBoys and Poets.

OFFICIAL ONSITE BOOKSELLER: Sankofa: Video Books and Cafe Authors will sign books throughout the day

IT'S FREE. REGISTER IS REQUIRED. -https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/new-details-african-americans-and-childrens-literature-a-symposium-and-exhibition

For more information write to aachildrenslit2023@gmail.com ​

[afrikaabneyconsultant]

African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition presented by Esther Productions, Inc, The Black Student Fund, and The Institute for African American Writing

Mar 02, 2024, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA

COME LEARN THE STORY AND LEGACY OF WASHINGTON, DC’S AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHORS OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE—Past and Present, including May Miller Sullivan, Sterling Brown, Maxine Clair, Gwendolyn Brooks, Daphne Muse, Lucille Clifton, Eloise Greenfield, Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, Jennifer Lawson, Courtland Cox, Adjoa Burrowes, E. Ethelbert Miller, Carolivia Herron, Aisha Rice, Tricia Elam Walker, jonetta rose barras, Sheila Crider, David Miller, Michelle Meadows, Leah Henderson , Michelle Green, Lakia Wilson and others.

Panel discussions topics include: REMOVING THE MASK, AMPLIFYING OUR VOICES: The Struggle of Black Authors To Publish Authentic Stories About African American People--Their Lives and Their Culture; SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: Illustrators Talk About The Challenge of Creating Images That Bring Children’s Books Alive; TRUNKS, SATCHELS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE: Book Distributors and Store Owners Tell Their Story About Getting Black Books into the World By All and Any Means Necessary; and UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UNTOLD STORIES: The Future of Black Children’s Literature.

DON'T MISS THE LUNCH TIME CONVERSATION BETWEEN SHARON BELL MATHIS AND E.ETHELBERT MILLER

This event is curated by award-winning author and public scholar jonetta rose barras in partnership with humanities scholar Bernard Demczuk Ph.D. ,The Black Student Fund, The Institute for African American Writing, Teaching for Change, Social Justice Books, Buck Wild Media, and Lesa Warrick.

Major funding has been provided by HumanitiesDC with additional support from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, The Robert Bobb Group, and BusBoys and Poets.

OFFICIAL ONSITE BOOKSELLER: Sankofa: Video Books and Cafe Authors will sign books throughout the day

IT'S FREE. REGISTER IS REQUIRED. -https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/new-details-african-americans-and-childrens-literature-a-symposium-and-exhibition

For more information write to aachildrenslit2023@gmail.com ​

[abneyartist]

African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition presented by Esther Productions, Inc, The Black Student Fund, and The Institute for African American Writing

Mar 02, 2024, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA

COME LEARN THE STORY AND LEGACY OF WASHINGTON, DC’S AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHORS OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE—Past and Present, including May Miller Sullivan, Sterling Brown, Maxine Clair, Gwendolyn Brooks, Daphne Muse, Lucille Clifton, Eloise Greenfield, Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, Jennifer Lawson, Courtland Cox, Adjoa Burrowes, E. Ethelbert Miller, Carolivia Herron, Aisha Rice, Tricia Elam Walker, jonetta rose barras, Sheila Crider, David Miller, Michelle Meadows, Leah Henderson , Michelle Green, Lakia Wilson and others.

Panel discussions topics include: REMOVING THE MASK, AMPLIFYING OUR VOICES: The Struggle of Black Authors To Publish Authentic Stories About African American People--Their Lives and Their Culture; SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: Illustrators Talk About The Challenge of Creating Images That Bring Children’s Books Alive; TRUNKS, SATCHELS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE: Book Distributors and Store Owners Tell Their Story About Getting Black Books into the World By All and Any Means Necessary; and UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UNTOLD STORIES: The Future of Black Children’s Literature.

DON'T MISS THE LUNCH TIME CONVERSATION BETWEEN SHARON BELL MATHIS AND E.ETHELBERT MILLER

This event is curated by award-winning author and public scholar jonetta rose barras in partnership with humanities scholar Bernard Demczuk Ph.D. ,The Black Student Fund, The Institute for African American Writing, Teaching for Change, Social Justice Books, Buck Wild Media, and Lesa Warrick.

Major funding has been provided by HumanitiesDC with additional support from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, The Robert Bobb Group, and BusBoys and Poets.

OFFICIAL ONSITE BOOKSELLER: Sankofa: Video Books and Cafe Authors will sign books throughout the day

IT'S FREE. REGISTER IS REQUIRED. -https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/new-details-african-americans-and-childrens-literature-a-symposium-and-exhibition

For more information write to aachildrenslit2023@gmail.com ​

[abneyconsult]

African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition presented by Esther Productions, Inc, The Black Student Fund, and The Institute for African American Writing

Mar 02, 2024, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA

COME LEARN THE STORY AND LEGACY OF WASHINGTON, DC’S AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHORS OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE—Past and Present, including May Miller Sullivan, Sterling Brown, Maxine Clair, Gwendolyn Brooks, Daphne Muse, Lucille Clifton, Eloise Greenfield, Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, Jennifer Lawson, Courtland Cox, Adjoa Burrowes, E. Ethelbert Miller, Carolivia Herron, Aisha Rice, Tricia Elam Walker, jonetta rose barras, Sheila Crider, David Miller, Michelle Meadows, Leah Henderson , Michelle Green, Lakia Wilson and others.

Panel discussions topics include: REMOVING THE MASK, AMPLIFYING OUR VOICES: The Struggle of Black Authors To Publish Authentic Stories About African American People--Their Lives and Their Culture; SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: Illustrators Talk About The Challenge of Creating Images That Bring Children’s Books Alive; TRUNKS, SATCHELS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE: Book Distributors and Store Owners Tell Their Story About Getting Black Books into the World By All and Any Means Necessary; and UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UNTOLD STORIES: The Future of Black Children’s Literature.

DON'T MISS THE LUNCH TIME CONVERSATION BETWEEN SHARON BELL MATHIS AND E.ETHELBERT MILLER

This event is curated by award-winning author and public scholar jonetta rose barras in partnership with humanities scholar Bernard Demczuk Ph.D. ,The Black Student Fund, The Institute for African American Writing, Teaching for Change, Social Justice Books, Buck Wild Media, and Lesa Warrick.

Major funding has been provided by HumanitiesDC with additional support from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, The Robert Bobb Group, and BusBoys and Poets.

OFFICIAL ONSITE BOOKSELLER: Sankofa: Video Books and Cafe Authors will sign books throughout the day

IT'S FREE. REGISTER IS REQUIRED. -https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/new-details-african-americans-and-childrens-literature-a-symposium-and-exhibition

For more information write to aachildrenslit2023@gmail.com ​

[msafrikaabney]

African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition presented by Esther Productions, Inc, The Black Student Fund, and The Institute for African American Writing Mar 02, 2024, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA

COME LEARN THE STORY AND LEGACY OF WASHINGTON, DC’S AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHORS OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE—Past and Present, including May Miller Sullivan, Sterling Brown, Maxine Clair, Gwendolyn Brooks, Daphne Muse, Lucille Clifton, Eloise Greenfield, Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, Jennifer Lawson, Courtland Cox, Adjoa Burrowes, E. Ethelbert Miller, Carolivia Herron, Aisha Rice, Tricia Elam Walker, jonetta rose barras, Sheila Crider, David Miller, Michelle Meadows, Leah Henderson , Michelle Green, Lakia Wilson and others.

Panel discussions topics include: REMOVING THE MASK, AMPLIFYING OUR VOICES: The Struggle of Black Authors To Publish Authentic Stories About African American People--Their Lives and Their Culture; SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: Illustrators Talk About The Challenge of Creating Images That Bring Children’s Books Alive; TRUNKS, SATCHELS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE: Book Distributors and Store Owners Tell Their Story About Getting Black Books into the World By All and Any Means Necessary; and UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UNTOLD STORIES: The Future of Black Children’s Literature.

DON'T MISS THE LUNCH TIME CONVERSATION BETWEEN SHARON BELL MATHIS AND E.ETHELBERT MILLER

This event is curated by award-winning author and public scholar jonetta rose barras in partnership with humanities scholar Bernard Demczuk Ph.D. ,The Black Student Fund, The Institute for African American Writing, Teaching for Change, Social Justice Books, Buck Wild Media, and Lesa Warrick.

Major funding has been provided by HumanitiesDC with additional support from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, The Robert Bobb Group, and BusBoys and Poets.

OFFICIAL ONSITE BOOKSELLER: Sankofa: Video Books and Cafe Authors will sign books throughout the day

IT'S FREE. REGISTER IS REQUIRED. -https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/new-details-african-americans-and-childrens-literature-a-symposium-and-exhibition

For more information write to aachildrenslit2023@gmail.com

[gepetordi1]

Donato Giancola's 1995 cover art for 'Lethe,' by Tricia Sullivan.

[dorothydalmati1]

Family Guy Season 2 Episode 2: Holy Crap

Written by Danny Smith

Directed by Neil Affleck

Storyboard by Christine Blum, Eric Fredrickson, Tricia Garcia & Matt Sullivan

Animation directed by Philippe Angeles

DISCLAIMER: Yes for those that are sensitive there is profanity in the title, but that is how the episode is titled as, and won’t change because it is the title given for the final episode. I apologize if I offended any of you, the episode is just titled as is.

[jenringwrites]

WEEKEND ARTINGS: Fun Set, Banned Books, Flamingo-Themed Crafts and More

11 ways to enjoy the arts in Tampa Bay this weekend.

Artwork by Tricia Tierney Moses for Fun Set.

1. Celebrate Green Bench Brewing’s 10th anniversary with Fun Set, a one-night-only St. Pete-themed art show curated by Chad Mize. Thurs. Sept. 28, 7-10 p.m. 1133 Baum Ave. N., St. Petersburg.

2. Catch a night of art openings at the historic Ybor City Kress building. Thurs. Sept. 28, 6-10 p.m. 1624 E. 7th Ave., Tampa.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Andrés Ramírez (@andreselgigante)

3. Go to the Frontiers of Impressionism at the Tampa Museum of Art. Opens Thurs. Sept. 28. 120 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa.

4. Explore creativity and aging with Dr. Douglas Dreishpoon at the MFA. Thurs. Sept. 28, 6-7 p.m. 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg.

5. Experience Tampa Bay through the eyes of its female photographers at the opening reception for “Through Her Eyes” at The University of Tampa’s Ferman Center for the Arts. Fri. Sept. 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m. 214 N Blvd, Tampa.

6. Go behind the scenes of local choreography with projectAlhemy at Momentum Choreographers Showcase. Fri.-Sat. Sept. 29-30, 7:30 p.m. General Admission $15. The Studio@620, 620 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg.

7. Celebrate the arrival of flamingos in Tampa Bay at the Studios@5663 with flamingo-themed crafts. Make flamingo block prints with John Gascot, flamingo earrings with Gianna Pergamo, flamingo magnets with Tricia Lynn Bush, pink woven bookmarks with Emily Stehle, or flamingo ornaments with Urban Dog Studios for $10-15 each. Or, try all five for $45. Sat. Sept. 30, 1-6 p.m. 5663 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park.

8. Watch Tampa Bay muralists battle for a $500 prize at the 2nd Annual St. Pete Art Battle. Sat. Sept. 30, 12-6 p.m. 15 18th St S, St. Petersburg.

9. Try your hand at mosaics with Teresa Sullivan at ArtsXchange in St. Pete. Sat. Sept. 30, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 515 22nd St S, St Petersburg.

10. See Tampa Rep’s production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible at Stageworks. Opens Fri. Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m. 1120 E. Kennedy Blvd suite #151, Tampa.

11. Celebrate the arrival of Banned Books Week at Shuffle with readings from the top 13 most challenged books of 2022. Sun, Oct. 1, 5 p.m. 2612 N. Tampa St., Tampa.

[madame-mortician]

Fun Fact:

The majority of characters in the Silent Hill franchise are based on other characters or celebrities from the time period.

The main ones are:

Alessa Gillespie is based on Florence Tanner from The Legend of Hell House.

Maria's outfit is based on Christina Aguilera's 1999 Teen's Choice Awards outfit.

Mary's outfit is based on Tricia Poe's outfit in Con Air.

Similarly, Laura's outfit is based on Casey Poe's outfit in Con Air, likely being intentional to show Laura and Mary's connection.

Angela Orosco is based on Angela Bennet from The Net, though it isn't as close as the others. Having said this, her beta design resembles Angela Bennet more closely.

Some other small ones are:

Harry Mason was inspired by Humbert Humbert, in what way I do not know for Harry is nothing like him, but who knows.

James Sunderland's face is based on his voice actor Guy Cihi.

Maria/Mary is visually inspired by Cameron Diaz.

Vincent Smith is visually inspired by Ethan Hawke.

Walter Sullivan is visually inspired by Brendan Fraser.

[araekniarchive]

Hey, I love your webs, your blog was a huge part of why I've started reading/writing poetry. Would you do one about betrayal you should have seen coming / knife in the back imagery?

E. Pauline Johnson / Tekahionwake, Ojistoh

Breaking Bad (2008–2013) 5x09: Blood Money

The Truman Show (1998) dir. Peter Weir

Caleb Carr

Garth Ennis, Preacher (#55)

Lily Chatterjee (attrib.)

The Social Network (2010) dir. David Fincher

Tricia Sullivan, Sweet Dreams

David Levithan, The Lover’s Dictionary

[coolindiebookstorecovers]

Sweet Dreams by Tricia Sullivan

[schoolenthusiast]

And now war comes to me. It doesn't kill me: it just tells me I don't exist.

Tricia Sullivan, Someone to Watch Over Me

[fragments-of-a-hologram-dystopia]

2016 in books: a recap

Read it in Italian here

Since it’s January I have decided to do a recap of what I’ve read in 2016. Then I’ll tell you about five of the most interesting reads of the year (always hard to pick). This year I’ve managed to read 37 books (including nonfiction), 12 of which were not sci-fi. I was hoping to reach 40, but considering how I was still doing my University Master during the first half of the year, I’m still more than satisfied. In 2015 I had managed to read 17 books, so I can happily say I’ve made progresses. I do not consider this a challenge against anyone except myself, I’m glad keeping up with the saturday reviews has “forced” me to read more because I’ve read some amazing stuff. And no, not all of it is sci-fi…

In no particular order, here’s some interesting books I’ve read in 2016:

The Long Goodbye, Raymond Chandler Genre: detective story, hard-boiled My University Master also had a writing class, and we were supposed to transform a soap opera dialogue into a hard boiled movie dialogue, so I watched a couple of noir movies. I then realized I had never read anything by Chandler before, ever if it was in my to-read list since I knew it inspired the origins of cyberpunk. So I decided it was the right time to do it. Of all the Chandler novels I’ve read, this is the one that struck me most. Wonderful plot, wonderful characters, wonderful dialogues… such an intriguing novel! This time Philip Marlowe meets a drunk named Terry Lennox, and the two become friends soon enough. One day Terry comes and asks for his help. Marlowe helps him flee the country, only to find out that Lennox’s beautiful wife has been found dead…

The Traitor Baru Cormorant, Seth Dickinson Genre: fantasy I had not read fantasy for a while, and yet, as soon as I read SF Reviews’ piece on the Traitor I knew I had to get it. I rarely buy books before reading them (or at least being very sure I’m going to like them), and yet I got The Traitor immediately, keeping it for my summer holidays. I loved every page of it, it was exactly my kind of fantasy book: less dragons/magic/elves and more political bickering and backstabbing. This is what GoT is trying to do, only done much, much better. When the Empire of Masks conquers the island on which she’s born through money and commerce, Baru Cormorant is too little to understand the consequences. But when one of her fathers is killed by the Masquerade (they prefer “traditional” families), Baru leaves her mother and her other father and joins the Empire’s schools, acting with a burning desire to change things from the inside. She aces her exams and is sent to become Imperial Accountant to the north, to Aurdwynn, where she has to prove her value to the Empire… I’m not kidding when I say that this is a book I would love to have written myself, so I’d love to translate it into italian.

The Day of the Triffids, John Wyndham (full review here) Genre: sci-fi, apocalyptic I don’t ever remember why I decided to try Wyndham as an author, but I boy am I glad I did it! The Day of the Triffids tells us of a world in which humans have started exploiting some weird plants - plants that walk, and have a stinger that can kill a person - for their oil. They call them triffids. The main character is a triffid expert, and he is forced to face what one of his colleagues told him once: the only advantage humans have over triffids is their eyesight. So of course something weird happens, a strange green meteor shower that he cannot see, having his eyes covered in bandages. When he wakes up the next day he finds out the meteor shower has made everyone blind… A chilling apocalypse, worse than any zombie apocalypse you could imagine - and yet copied in many zombie-based media. A must read if you like survival and apocalyptic adventures.

Maul, Tricia Sullivan (full review here) Genre: sci-fi, dystopia This year I attended Stranimondi (a sci-fi books themed-con) and I had the luck of attending a couple of panels in which Tricia Sullivan spoke. Her personal life and hardships made me curious, and I’m always on board for some unapologetically feminist sci-fi, so I bought her novel Maul in the italian edition published by Zona 42. I wanted to read something new, and I definitely found it. Divided in two main narratives, it’s described as a story of sex, shopping and deadly viruses, and it’s exactly what it says on the tin. Follow the adventures of a teenager in a typical afternoon of shopping and gunfighting, and of an autistic man injected with a virus and kept as a lab rat… you’ll have fun with this. Sullivan’s style is mature and amazing, and her characters are very well built (and so are her action scenes).

Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (full review here) Genre:sci-fi, space Months ago I asked my followers if they had read anything interesting recently, and Ancillary Justice was suggested by more than one. I don’t follow literary prizes so blindly, but reading how many prizes AJ had gained definitely made me interested. I considered reading the italian translation but reliable sources told me it was best to avoid it (I got the free sample on Amazon and I can confirm that). So i got the english ebook and gave it a try. My favorite sci-fi doesn’t usually involve spaceships and planets, and yet I enjoyed AJ very much. A story in which, due to linguistic reasons, everyone is referred to with female pronouns, a story in which the main character is an AI who used to control a ship and many “ancillaries” (bodies) who is now limited to one single ancillary body, heading up for revenge in a galaxy controlled by the tea-drinking, gloves-wearing, dark skinned Radchaai. A must read.

What were the most interesting books you read in 2016?