Consuming all things SFF – Joanna Maciejewska

Yet Again, I’m Falling for Fallout

It’s been nearly three weeks since the release of Fallout, Amazon Prime’s tv series based on the video game franchise that’s been around for almost thirty years. As a lifelong fan of the games series who’d played most of them at their release (except for Fallout which I played shortly after Fallout 2 and Fallout: Tactics which I never got around to trying out), I watched the news of development of the series with equal parts excitement and fear. Most companies don’t really have a good track record for bringing favorite franchises to life, and all I desperately hoped for was something halfway decent.

Well, I’m happy to report that since it’s release, I’ve watched the series three times already, and to me, it’s like a love letter to what made the games so great while being an entertaining show with an interesting and well-told story. (more…)

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April 29, 2024

Consuming all things SFF

Can Fantasy and Science Fiction Be “Beach Reads”?

Every year, when the northern hemisphere enters summer, countless articles and blog posts highlight books that are called “beach reads”. These lists are usually a mix of rom-coms, cozy mysteries, and other light reads, with a generous helping of new releases.

But what if someone doesn’t read in those genres? What if they want to take fantasy and science fiction on their vacation? (more…)

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July 9, 2023

Consuming all things SFF

My Most Unique Reads of 2022

Last week, I shared my favorite reads of 2022, and most of them were positive and uplifting books, offering entertainment rather than diving deep into human condition (though it’s not to say that they all lacked depth!), but it wasn’t all I’ve read throughout the year. There were some books that I found interesting and noteworthy that for various reasons didn’t make it to my favorite list, and today, I’d like to put the spotlight on them. (more…)

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January 16, 2023

Consuming all things SFF

My Favorite Reads of 2022

For several years now, I felt like I was in a reading slump. I didn’t finish books, and I didn’t follow up on any series, even those where I enjoyed the first book enough. I missed my days of compulsive reading and series-binging, but nothing changed… until 2022 came. (more…)

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January 9, 2023

Consuming all things SFF

Speculative K-Dramas for Valentine’s Day

I have a confession to make. I have a soft spot for Korean love dramas. Most times, they feel fresh in their innocence and honesty in contrast of the Western dramas that often rely on the main characters lying to each other to create tension, but of course, as a dedicated fan of everything speculative, I prefer my love dramas with a pinch of fantasy or science fiction, so here are three shows to check if you’re looking for something romantic and speculative at the same time that will last you long past February 14th. (more…)

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February 13, 2022

Consuming all things SFF

My Favorite Reads of 2021

In recent years, I haven’t been reading as much as I’d love. There are several reasons. First and the most important is that I consider myself addicted to reading, so if I find an enjoyable book, I’m likely to ignore sleep, food, and yes, work too. It’s not optimal to having a productive life, so I avoid reading when I know I will have other things to do. I’m getting better at managing to “tear away” from a book, so I hope soon it’s not going to be a factor anymore. My second reason is that I’m a picky reader. In my youth, I consumed a lot of books, and over the years I refined my tastes in books. It means that it’s harder for me to find books I truly enjoy, and I end up DNF-ing quite a few. (more…)

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January 10, 2022

Consuming all things SFF

Back When Witches Were Humans – On Birthright in Fantasy

Nowadays it seems that every other urban fantasy book I pick up has witches in it, and the blurb goes along the lines of “she’s a witch, but she helps humans” or “she’s a witch, and now humans are after her”, or it has some other iteration of “witches vs. them” theme. And that, sadly, is usually the reason I don’t even continue checking out the rest of the blurb, let alone reading the actual book.

It’s because I miss the witches of old. Or rather, to be more precise, I miss how they used to be portrayed in stories. (more…)

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September 27, 2021

Consuming all things SFF

Are Vampires Boring?

By a chance, I’ve learned that World Dracula Day, commemorating the publication date of Bram Stoker classic, falls on May 26, and it sparked some thoughts about vampires in fiction and pop culture. They’ve been around in books since late 19th century (if we take Dracula’s release date as a marker), and had accompanied us for thousands of years in oral storytelling, folklore, and various myths. After such a long time, are they a little bit stale? Are they… dare I say it, boring? Or, perhaps, like certain pieces of clothing, vampire never go out of style?

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May 26, 2021

Consuming all things SFF

Space Sweepers: The Space Opera You Might Have Been Waiting For

I wasn’t expecting to be writing this post today, but the new space opera movie from Netflix is worth noting. In the times when everyone’s favorite childhood franchise is producing mediocre trilogies and spin-offs (with one supposedly decent streaming series coming to the rescue), and when we have had long abandoned all hope in seeing more of Firefly, Space Sweepers is like a breath of fresh air: fun, engaging, and with a story that manages to hit all the tropes we love without feeling cliche.

The short preview on Netflix was enough for Inq and I to get curious about Space Sweepers. Science fiction setting, good special effects, and a promise of fun action seemed like a good bet, and we were saving the movie for the weekend, so we could enjoy it without distractions. And sure enough, we did enjoy it a lot.

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February 15, 2021

Consuming all things SFF

All the Reasons to Love Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

Recently, Inq and I have re-watched all the seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D as a refresher before diving into the seventh, final season for the first time (we aren’t the “get it as soon as it’s out types, so we took our time). By now, I must have watched some of the seasons four or five times already, and I’m sure it’s not the last of it. Even though it’s not perfect, out of all the superhero shows I’ve watched, this is probably my most favorite (followed closely by Gotham), and there are so many reasons to love it! (more…)

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February 1, 2021