#Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

[mwsa-member]

The Intus Invasion by James Rosone

MWSA Review Pending  

Author's Synopsis

The stars held more than humanity’s future…

…they revealed an alien menace that could end it all.

First contact wasn’t peaceful. The Zodarks, brutal and unrelenting, tore into the Republic’s defenses. Armed with cunning and unquenchable bloodthirst, the four-armed warriors dominated over every adversary.

Caught off guard as the Republic stumbled into an interstellar war it wasn’t ready to fight—against an adversary born from nightmares. Mankind clung to hope as it healed divisions, forged new alliances, and prepared for the war thrusted upon it.

Amid the chaos, Ripley Willis Lee, a young officer with a brilliant mind for strategy, rose to face the challenge. His courage and determination inspired those around him, but the burden of leadership grew heavier with every battle. During the invasion of Intus, his decisions would mean the difference between survival and annihilation.

The battle for Intus would decide more than victory.

Would humanity survive the trials of the stars—or succumb to them?

The Intus Invasion is the gripping first entry in a new series set in the Rise of the Republic universe. If you crave high-stakes battles, dark revelations, and the fight for humanity’s survival, this is your next great read.

Grab your copy today and step into the fight.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Number of Pages: 394

Word Count: 125,339

[ex0skeletal-undead]

Xenomorph in wonderland by Mark Skelton

[izzylimon]

Guillermo del Toro on AI

[fear-planet]

Terminator - The Burning Earth. Art by Alex Ross.

[starspilli]

the boatsman

[unboundprompts]

Hello! I've been struggling with how to depict and voice an eldritch horror entity. They are far removed from this universe, so I'm at a loss at how they would speak and act when interacting with a host/human. Can you help me and/or give me examples of what that might look like?

How to Give an Eldritch Horror Entity a Voice

-> feel free to edit and adjust pronouns as you see fit.

Emotionless Curiosity or Cruel Fascination

The entity may observe humans like a scientist would observe test subjects. It is not inherently evil, just so far removed that it doesn't comprehend pain or morality.

Example: "You break so easily. Such a soft mind, blistering with thoughts. Why do you weep?"

Example: "Fear. I recognize the shape of it now. Like heat in the bones."

Predator and Prey

The entity is aware of its power but it enjoys the chase. It is patient, and speaks low and slow to stretch out the dread.

Example: "I can hear your pulse like music. Louder now. Louder still."

Childlike and Curious

The entity is innocent and sounds sweet and playful, but does not understand the reality of what it is doing.

Example: "You're leaking! Why do you leak like that? Should I put it back in?"

Timeless Watcher

The entity speaks as if it has witnessed countless lives, deaths, and civilization. Everything the human feels is insignificant.

Example: "You are not the first to beg. The first was a king with gold in his mouth."

Curious but Growing Self Awareness

The entity is just beginning to understand language, humans, and itself.

Example: "Pain. You... do not like it."

Example: "Lonely. That is the word. I have never been lonely before you."

Foreign Language

The entity can't (or won't) use grammar like a human. It might communicate in fractured bursts, in symbols, in numbers, etc.

Example: "Lightlightdarkfolding--fold--fold--fleshwrongYES."

Example: "WE--I--MANY come through the not-between. Hello. Hello. Nothello."

Nonverbal Communication

The entity doesn't speak in the traditional sense. It communicates via dreams, hallucinations, physical sensations, etc. Words might appear as taste, as pain, or involuntary thoughts in the character's mind.

Example: She smelled salt and rotting roses. Then the message came: "Let me in."

Example: He tasted metal and heard weeping in the back of his mind.

[tyger-land]

"ɴᴇᴏ-ᴛᴏᴋʏᴏ ɪs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇ-x-ᴘ-ʟ-ᴏ-ᴅ-ᴇ" 𝘼𝙠𝙞𝙧𝙖 1988

[technicallyclassyperfection]

Via Instagram

[cant-afford-lobotomy]

Not to post doctor who on main but my theory is that the reason everyone ran away from Ruby is that seeing the woman close up cancelled the perception filter (which was explicitly mentioned) which also allowed them to see through a perception filter on Ruby, which will become relevant in the series finale. Idk what this means tho.

[mwsa-member]

The Treasure of Trenalon: A Fellowship of the Flame Novel, Book 2 by A. R. Silverberry

MWSA Review Pending  

Author's Synopsis

Dark Enchantment Hides a Secret …

Purpura’s tottering Resistance needs gold and weapons, and Briar’s hell-bent on bringing her formidable sword to the task. But when a sorcerer throws the kingdom into bloody chaos, one hope remains … sail away from the fight in search of a mythical treasure.

She’s not alone in the hunt. Someone else hungers for the treasure. And Briar’s charms. Vowing to either tame or kill her, he’s coming after her with sword sharpened and cannons loaded.

Briar welcomes the fight. But how can she battle the mesmerizing allure of the sorcerer?

How can she keep her heart true to the pirate, the man she really loves?

And how, in the vast deadly waters of the Teeth, can she find the greatest treasure ever known?

The one thing that will stop Purpura from plunging into madness …

Format(s) for review: Kindle Only

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Number of Pages: 310

Word Count: 79,000

[ex0skeletal-undead]

Alien, traditional ink drawing by Koha

[whereserpentswalk]

You were born to be a sacrifice. When you first exited your mothers womb the oracles decided that would be your fate. They tattooed your hands and forehead so everyone would know.

When you turn twenty, they'll take you to the church, and they'll set you on fire. And then when your body is burned they'll give your ashes for the angels, and the angels and saints will be proud, and bless your community and family with great riches. Or at least that's what they say.

When you were young it didn't seem to mean anything that you were born to die young. Nobody cared, they just saw you as another kid. But it was always there. Adults would ask other kids what they wanted to be when they grew up, but they'd ask you what you would do once you were a ruler in the court of heaven. They'd tell other kids about marriage and sex and having children, but for you that would just be for other people, you'd die a virgin.

And at a certain age, you were removed from school. Because they said you wouldn't need it. That you shouldn't be wasting your time on such things. And you didn't understand, but you understood that all your freinds were upset that they wouldn't see you anymore. Not as much at least. And people talked about you so much differently from then on. You weren't complimented as strong, or as smart, or as ambitious, you were pretty, and pure, and brave, and dutiful. And everyone talked about how proud they were of you, how wonderful it was that you were going to die for them.

They were so nice to you. They gave you so many gifts and jewelry. You got to spend all day inside playing video games, and you got the best toys and got to go to movies and plays when you wanted to. Soldiers in power armor would bow when they saw you, and robots and cyborgs would turn off their lights. And you sat at a special place in church, and the clothing you wore was diffrent then everyone else's. And people talked about how wonderful you were, and how pretty you were, and how much they loved having you when they knew you wouldn't be on this world for long. And they were so proud of you when they showed you the platinum clothing you would wear on the day of your sacrifice. And you didn't understand why but all of the compliments sounded sad.

As you grew older things changed. The other children went through puberty, but you didn't, they gave you surgery to prevent it, ans told you how pure you were for not producing blood or seed. And you were old enough to understand that you would die, that you would burn, and it would hurt, and that nobody really knew for sure what happened after peopled died. And you saw a sacrifice, and saw the pain they were in, and there weren't any angels, there were only priests watching and chanting, and the smell of burning skin.

Your parents and family started to care much more how you behave. To make sure you're polite. To make sure you're a good sacrifice, who the angels will like. And meanwhile while all your other freinds are going to college, and talking about becoming artists, or starship pilots, or scientists, you know you'll only ever have one ending. But still, everyone loves you, and you don't have responsibilities, but still sometimes you think about how much diffrent life would be if you were born differently.

You've started meeting people who've left the faith, or people who didn't grow up in it, people who believe in diffrent religions or in no religion at all. And your heaven seems less and less certain every day. According to imperial law you're allowed to be sacrificed, but if you choose not to they can't force you. But if you choose not to you can never be a part of your faith again, and your family will be disappointed in you forever. All your family and community, everyone who you ever knew, will consider you a failure, a coward doomed to hell for not going through with what the cosmos planned for you. And all that pride and joy they felt about your fate would be replaced with anger that you never became what they were so happy and proud about you being. You don't think you believe in heaven anymore, but you still might choose to die, if it means they're proud... it's what you're raised to do, you don't know who you'll be if you choose to leave.

Better choose fast darling, it's only a few months away now. You don't want them to be upset.

[artmagine]

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000), dir. Yoshiaki Kawajiri

[fear-planet]

Shin Genma Taisen: Birth in Super Space. Cover art by Noriyoshi Ohrai 💫

[anim-ttrpgs]

No vampirism is not a “virus” you fucking hack.

You fucking kludge.

You fucking grub.

You fucking pseudo-intellectual.

You fucking germ.

You fucking redditor.

[fhtagn-and-tentacles]

THE WORM MAN

by Ivan Pavlov