2019 Lodestar: the good, the bad, and the fairy

First off, The Invasion, Peadar O'Guilin, 2018, sequel to The Call. Enh. I wanted more meat to the mythology or more payoff from some of the new characters or something. I spent awhile with the first one thinking about whether it was secretly about Brexit or terrorism or the climate crisis or something, but I don't think anything that interesting was being said here; maybe there's something going on about Irish nationalism, but I don't know enough to pick up on it. Content note for suicidality (as well as more body horror etc).

My ballot ranking for all six Lodestar nominees behind the cut. ( Read more... )