OBIR: Occasional Biased and Ignorant Reviews reflecting this reader’s opinion.
I had intended to review the penultimate edition of On Spec Magazine, but I now know which poetry submissions were accepted by Rhea and I, and in which editions of Polar Starlight and Polar Borealis they will appear. I consider informing all the poets who submitted their work back in September to be my top priority.
Fortunately, Dr. Melissa Yuan-Innes happened to send in these two short reviews today, and I am happy to bring them to your attention.
Minotaur – by Jamieson Wolf.
As reviewed by Dr. Melissa Yuan-Innes
Publisher: Rebel Satori Press. Will be released November 18, 2025.
A stunning tale of bravery and hope in the shadow of the minotaur. Like Madeline Miller’s Circe, Jamieson Wolf weaves an entire world out of Greek myth, creating moments as soft as a blue glow worm in a jar, yet never fails to confront the savage cut of death, truth and fate.
If you’re like me, unsure if you can handle a monster novel right now, trust that you’ll be seeing through the eyes of Roanne, a teenaged girl who walks with a cane and may need to hide from the Minotaur today, but tomorrow she may piece together how to escape from this labyrinth, or kiss one of the other girls trapped here with her.
The story unfolds gently but inexorably, like Ariadne’s ball of yarn, refusing to stick to the rigid roles of good/bad and hero/villain. Wolf not only drew me through a thoughtful adventure, but made me ask questions like “What is a monster?”, “Who built that monster?”, and “What becomes of the people trapped in an elaborate prison?” Five stars.
Check it out at < Minotaur by Jamieson Wolf >
Ghost Bride of Gum San – by J.F. Gerrard
As reviewed by Dr. Melissa Yuan-Innes
Publisher: Dark Winter Press, March 2025.
I loved this wuxia fantasy! In 1869, Wong Ming Ju (Pearl) and her sister Wong Doi Juk (Jade) fight their fate of being kidnapped from their little village in Sam Hop, China, to be auctioned off in Gum Sam, now known as San Francisco. Both sisters have been trained in martial arts, and Pearl is prized for her strength and Jade for her beauty, but both of them show intelligence, courage, and endurance as they plot their escape.
JF Gerrard deftly weaves in historical facts like the devastation of the opium wars while describing fantasy elements like the yokai, the legendary demonic creatures who feed on human energy.
Although some scenes may frighten younger readers, including the prologue with a hungry spider woman, mature kids older than 8 and certainly middle grade readers and up will relish Pearl and Jade’s adventures from one side of the world to the other, fighting yokai along the way.
https://www.amazon.ca/Ghost-Bride-Gum-San-Garrard/dp/1998441237
