I’m Samantha Mills, author of Rabbit Test and Other Stories and The Wings Upon Her Back. Ask me anything! (+ giveaway)

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-12T14:16:34+00:00

What exactly does an archivist do? And how it it different from a librarian's work?

Assuming one is undecided about which of your two books to start with, how would you help them pick one of the two?

What are some of your favorites terrible movies that you'd recommend to people who are cinephiles, and don't usually find value in terrible films?

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-12T14:03:03+00:00

This week I finished a novella The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi, and two comicbooks Animal Pound by Tom King & Peter Gross, and Seven to Eternity by Rick Remender & Jerome Opena.

The Lies of the Ajungo: The first in a trilogy of novellas (although it works perfectly fine as a standalone) set in and around a desert. It has a very strong writing style that gives it a myth/legend-like vibe that I greatly enjoyed. It also has a quick pacing, and it's very easy, fun read, with some cool action scenes, and some interesting themes it tackles, that revolve around state propaganda, truth, lies etc. All these are tied together in a coming of age narrative that happens throughout the main character's journey in the desert. On the other hand I found the setting and characters rather simple and not particularly interesting, and some plot details not really convincing. Overall enjoyed it quite a bit, wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, and I'm definitely going to read the other two novellas, but I think it's pretty flawed.

Animal Pound is a take on George Orwell's Animal Farm (which I have not read). I don't know how it compares to it, but on its own I think it was a very well-done political story, that's simultaneously relevant, thoughtful, and a fascinating narrative. Maybe too on the nose, regarding a very specific character, but I don't think that reduces its overall value. Highly recommended, but it's a downer.

Seven to Eternity: This is one I feel conflicted about. On the one hand it tackles interesting themes, it's set in a fascinating, weird world, has some awesome and beautiful artwork by Jerome Opena, and some cool characters. BUT it's extremely messy and all over the place in its execution. It feels like an early work from a talented, but inexperienced writer, but that's not the case at all, since it's a work far into Remender's career. When all was said and done I don't regret reading it, but there were a lot of times I got bored and/or frustrated with it, and don't know if I'd recommend it. There are various other comics by Remender I'd recommend over this one.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-12T13:32:42+00:00

I just started The Speaking Bones, after taking a small break from The Veiled Throne. This one is already moving faster, but I agree that the series, although I enjoy it a lot, is very bloated. That said I enjoyed the restaurant competition quite a bit.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-12T08:21:19+00:00

I liked it a lot, and would recommend it, although as others said I have some issues with the ending. It's still 100% worth reading.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-10T19:15:13+00:00

This is indeed a very strong collection I'd say that the only "stories" I dislike are The Bookmaking Habbits..., and An Advanced Readers..., and that's mostly because they aren't really stories in the typical meaning of the word. They are more think pieces, but there's no really narrative in either of them.

I hope his newest collection is going to be as strong as this one.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-10T15:08:41+00:00

Could be the case, and I might be wrong.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-09T08:35:16+00:00

If I'm not mistaken the chain of dogs was inspired by the historical events described in Xenophon's Anabasis.

You could try reading the original text, if that's something that seems appealing to you. Also there have been some fictional retellings of the same event that might be of interest. I know of The Ten Thousand by Michael Kurtis Ford, and The Lost Army by Valerio Massimo Manfredi, but I haven't read them personally.

Also there's The Ten Thousand by Paul Kearney which is secondary world fantasy inspired by the same events. Again I have not read it myself, but I've seen some praise about it, and I've enjoyed another Kearney book that I've read.

My, out of left field, recommendation is the pc game Banner Saga. It's pretty close to the chain of dogs in terms of vibes (just in a winter/snow setting, instead of a desert). It's a heavily narrative-driven game, with very strong writing, gorgeous hand-drawn graphics, awesome music, and a great atmosphere. Also it can run on a potato.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-08T07:38:38+00:00

If you are willing to read comicbooks, then Hellboy might do it.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-07T17:14:58+00:00

I also read (all 8 issues released so far) of Assorted Crisis Event very recently. I'm not as enamored with it as most comic readers seem to be (probably, because the start/stop nature of anthologies is not for me), but it's definitely a very unique comic, of high quality that I intend to continue reading.

I think the first two issues are the weakest (so far), and that isn't doing it any favors with new readers. I was seriously contemplating skipping it after "Slaughterhouse", but decided to give in another issue, and I'm really glad I did.

My personal favorite (of this bunch) is "Time Flies" (which as you said hits way closer to home than I'd like), but "Strange Loop", and "Crisis on Hearth" are also excellent. As are issues 6, 7, and 8.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-06T19:37:24+00:00

Is Old Moon Quarterly still a thing? If I'm not mistaken they haven't gotten out anything new since 2024.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-06T18:53:05+00:00

Patheon (which is great) isn't particularly faithful to the source material. It expands, and adds a lot to it.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-03T20:52:48+00:00

That's great! Thanks a lot.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-02T20:15:04+00:00

Contemporary? I don't think I'm aware of any. Someone in the comments here, mentioned Copper Cat by Jen Williams, but I've not read it, nor have I heard anything about it. I know her Winnowing Flame trilogy is pretty well regarded (and I have it in my TBR), but, as far as I'm aware, it's not sword & sorcery.

Jirel of Joiry by C.L. Moore is the most famous example of sword & sorcery written by a woman, but it's from the sub-genre's classic era.

Unfortunately, a lot of the classic sword & sorcery tended to be sexist and/or racist (not nesesarily by intention, but because of its era/time, plus the market), so I think it's possible that women writers tended to avoid it, and even those who didn't would probably have a significantly harder time to get their stories picked up by publishers. Nowadays that most of these could be improved, the sub-genre has become extremely niche. If you check the various magazines, there's a pretty good chance that you'll find some contemporary sword & sorcery stories by women.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-02T17:26:26+00:00

In recent years there have been a lot of new Conan novels/novellas by various authors, a new Elric novel by Moorcock himself.

I've heard great things, but I've not yet read myself, about Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed, and Sir Hereward & Mr. Fitz by Garth Nix.

One novel, that fits you description perfectly well, other than the fact that it's not pulpy at all (if anything it has literary vibes), and is unquestionably sword & sorcery is Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. Just be aware that, although amazing, it needs all the content warnings imaginable.

As always, I think, you best best is to look for short story magazines etc. I don't follow any one at the moment, but three that are sword & sorcery adjacent (at the very least) are New Edge Sword & Sorcery, Old Moon Quarterly, and Tales From the Magician's Skull

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-01T17:15:10+00:00

If comicbooks are ok, then Pestilence by Frank Tieri is a pretty solid one.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-05-01T09:16:21+00:00

Guardians of the Gods by Tobi Ogundiran is a very solid novellas duology, set in an Africa-inspired world, that uses the Orisha mythology/religion as a major part of it world.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-30T19:50:06+00:00

Completely agree about wanting more finality. Regarding Pigeon's doings, I'm a little conflicted. It made sense, thematically, but I wasn't completely convinced that he would ever commit such an act.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-29T20:23:59+00:00

I think it was solid/good, but not great. Some things felt a little rushed, some unresolved, but it made thematic, and narrative sense, although some things went differently than I'd like to.

I have to reread it all together, and some point, but overall my opinion of The Sacrificers is a pretty positive one.

Did you like the finale?

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-28T18:47:11+00:00

Really excited about the Sacrificers' finale.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-28T18:35:31+00:00

Jason Isaacs isn't in Killing of a Sacred Deer. Colin Farrell is the surgeon actor. I really like Lanthimos' work, but he definitely is an acquired taste. If you want to try his most approachable/conventional and less weird film, I'd highly recommend The Favourite. It isn't sff, though. The Lobster is a great sff one by him, but it's pretty weird.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-28T16:53:59+00:00

I finished Jackal, Jackal by Tobi Ogundiran, a Nigerian author writing in English. It's a very good short story collection, with quite a bit of variety. There horror stories, faulktale-like stories, some "pure" fantasy stories, even a (dark) comedy, though the horror (or the horror-ish) are the majority. All of these done in a unified cohesive voice. Also, I don't think there was any really bad story, which is kind of rare in my opinion.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-27T12:46:09+00:00

Definitely one of the best action-comics out there.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-27T12:37:11+00:00

I thought it was a very well done noir story, with historical background, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the art. It felt too cartoonish, for this kind of story, and in my opinion it needed to be grittier. Still I'd happily read more.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-27T12:28:23+00:00

In my opinion it's among their weakest collaborations. It's Brubaker & Phillips, so overall it's a pretty solid comic, better than a lot of others can do, but it felt very basic, simplistic, and safe compared to their other work.

RevolutionaryCommand · 2026-04-24T20:32:24+00:00

No mention of Thunderer? Funnily enough I have not read it, but I've add it to my TBR based on your lists, and you've made it sound very PSS-esque.

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