Beneath Ceaseless Skies Issue #235 - Sco... Love the concept of this story... the Body or Corpse Soldier... the MC is extremely well-developed... and ya just can't help but love the pig. Well written and complete despite its short length. Would be interesting to see the author write more in this world.

Merged review:

"On the Road to the Hell of Hungry Ghosts", by Richard Parks 5 Stars

Although I am not sure if this story takes place in Japan or China, it really made no difference in the enjoyment of the story. The setup is so well done that you learn everything you need and nothing unneeded to enjoy the story quickly. The characters are well developed and become very real. The plot of the story is well done and suspenseful. I would definitely like to read further adventures of this group if the author has written any.

“The Fisherman and the Pig”, by Kameron Hurley 5 Stars

I absolutely loved this story, even with its rather gruesome plot. The idea of a corpse soldier is quite interesting though somewhat morbid. Have to say I also loved the ending.

"The Fall of the Mundaneum", by Rebecca Campbell 2 Stars

After reading this story my first reaction was "Is that all?". I mean I think I get the point of the story, the idea that everyday mundane objects and pieces of trash can be equivalent to important facts or objects. Despite this I just felt that the author's point was not well made and reading it felt like lost time. BTW... I read all the stories in this issue twice, once whe it first arrives, then again once the issue has been listed on Goodreads so I can review it. And this piece, even on the 2nd read just did not do it for me.

"Grassland" by T. S. McAdams 3 Stars

This story was confusing and seemed to wander a bit. I kinda felt it was more about the journey, rather than a destination. I think the author needed it to b a bit longer because just as I started to feel like I was getting a grasp on what was what... it ended.

Soooooo.... 2 stories I liked a lot, one I feel so so about and one I just did not like.

My overall rating for the issue is 3.75 Stars

[I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley.]

First, please note this is not a standalone novel, contrary to what I thought when I requested it, but part of a series (and very likely the last volume). However, I didn't find it difficult to follow the story and understand the characters: when the narrator alludes to events of the past or people he had previously met, he always adds a couple of sentences, nothing too long, just enough for a reader to understand the context. So this was good with me.

The setting here is that of feudal Japan (the Emperor and his court, bushi, military governors, geisha and courtesans) with a dash of supernatural: ghosts and youkai are common knowledge, and onmyôji and priestesses have actual power. In this world, Yamada and his faithful friend Kenji are confronted to attempted murder and political intrigue, from the Ise temple to the capital and the Emperor's court; I found the mystery decent enough, not too complicated (my guesses about a few things turned out to be right) yet not too easy either for the characters to understand, without convenient deus ex machina bringing the answers (Yamada deducted those).

It took me a couple of weeks to read, but it definitely wasn't boring (that was much more a matter of having lots of things to do and needing to prioritise other books in the meantime). The events made sense, the characters were likeable, and even though it's not my favourite novel ever, it was entertaining and believable.

On the downside, there were instances of Yamada 'hiding' things from the reader, which I don't particularly appreciate in mystery novels, and the female characters, while attaching, didn't have much to do apart from conveniently be here when a specific piece of information was needed, or wait in their palace for the men to do all the work. Granted, the setting itself doesn't lend itself to a lot of female freedom (aristocratic constraints, expectations placed on princesses, and so on), but it didn't help.

Conclusion: Still enjoyable in spite of these flaws.

This is a charming tale about a fox spirit (kitsune) who gains nine tails.  I wish the ending had been a bit more developed, but the story is lovely.  It really is a look at philosophy more than anything else.  

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for a review – thanks to them and the publisher.

I love the premise for this book: In Heian Period Japan (something like 794 to 1185), the land is at peace with its neighbors, and prosperous – but the supernatural world is another story entirely. The nights are thick with ghosts and demons, most of them dangerous enough that walking out after sundown is a very bad idea for most.

Not for Yamada no Goji, though.

I didn't really get into this one. Fans of Japanese mythology may like it, though.