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Author: Ismail D. Soldan

Sci-Fi Dystopias We Should Learn From

Sci-Fi Dystopias We Should Learn From

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Hardwired (Tor Books, June 1986). Cover by Luis Royo

Sci-fi has long been home to nightmarish views of the future as thrilling as they are frightening. The genre simply would not be the same without our post-apocalyptic wastelands.

But for every Handmaid’s Tale there’s a dystopian vision that doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. Some have certainly sold millions of copies but are more recognized for drama or action as opposed to what they have to say about the challenges facing us tomorrow.  Here are several such examples that definitely deserve a bit more love from readers. Not for how epic or cool they are but for the underlying ideas their authors hoped we would absorb.

Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams

Hardwired is rightly celebrated for its contributions to cyberpunk. So much of the verbiage, flare, and aesthetic of the subgenre can be traced back to this relatively short novel. A future where the lines between man and machine are blurred? A ruined Earth? The illicit struggle to survive despite overwhelming odds? It’s all here, the ingredients many a choom would run with over the years.

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Why SFF Mentorships Matter

Why SFF Mentorships Matter

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What do James A. Corey, George RR Martin, and Mary Robinette Kowal have in common? Like thousands of their peers, each had a mentor help them navigate the wild world of publishing in some way, shape, or form. For newcomers, that type of support can prove to be the difference between success and failure. Because, lets face it: there have always been plenty of pitfalls and scams waiting to ensnare the next talented writer. 

That support can involve a writing teacher offering key insight or a best-seller giving time and tips to an up-and-comer. No matter the genre, mentors remain as important today as it was decades ago. Among the more renowned programs that facilitate such an exchange is the Science Fiction Writer’s Association’s (SFWA) Mentorship Program.

Mere months ago, I had the opportunity to participate as a mentee in SFWA’s program myself. Here’s what made the experience, and the work of so many writers behind the scenes, so special.

Andrea Pawley may be the most recognizable  member of SFWA’s Mentorship Program but she’ll be the first to tell you about the remarkable team she works with. That hasn’t stopped her from being a bearer of good news for the hundreds (perhaps even thousands) of hopefuls who apply every year.

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9 Short Stories That Deserve More Love

9 Short Stories That Deserve More Love

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The Best of Glen Cook (Night Shade Books, November 24, 2020) Cover by Raymond Swanland

It’s no exaggeration to call short stories the bedrock of sci-fi and fantasy. Over the years, short fiction has been the proving ground for many of our favorite authors. Heck, a ton of great book-length projects were born from short stories. Consider it, if you’ll indulge me, the anvil on which many an awesome idea has been tempered.

But for every “This Immortal Life” and “Sandkings” there are several great tales that have fallen through the cracks. Here are nine stories that in my humble opinion definitely deserve a lot more love.

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A Challenge Worth Smiling About: Tim Waggoner on Writing Conan

A Challenge Worth Smiling About: Tim Waggoner on Writing Conan

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Tim Waggoner, and his upcoming novel Conan: Spawn of the Serpent God (Titan Books, October 28, 2025)

On a non-descript day I am intercepted on entering a coffee shop. It turns out to be a happy accident, an old colleague, eager to join me as I wait for my next interview to begin. The distraction is welcome but doesn’t help much. My interviewee isn’t late but they aren’t early either and I’m beginning to get nervous.

“You’re waiting for him, aren’t you?” the friend asks.

Neither of us mentioned his name because we didn’t have to. Some things, in certain contexts, go together like cheese and tortillas. With four Stoker Awards and many great novels to his name, Tim Waggoner has developed that kind of reputation in this part of Ohio. If Massachusetts is Lovecraft Country then downtown Dayton is Waggonerstan.

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New Adventures for the World’s Favorite Barbarian

New Adventures for the World’s Favorite Barbarian

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Conan the Barbarian: Battle of The Black Stone (Titan Comics collected edition, April 1, 2025). Cover by Jonas Scharf

Few things are more ubiquitous than Conan and fantasy. Decades of sword-swinging high adventure has earned the barbarian a following most can only dream of. It’s taken the heavily thewed warrior to the big screen, Marvel Comics, and more. But it’s his latest adventure at Titan Comics that may prove to be the icing on the proverbial Shadizarian cake.

“This isn’t my first time writing Conan, but it’s definitely the most expansive opportunity I’ve ever had to chart the direction of such an amazing iconic character. I could not be happier in terms of our team and the collaboration we have in terms of story, art, and worldbuilding,” Jim Zub, writer of Conan the Barbarian at Titan Comics, shared by email.

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An Eternal Champion’s Legacy: 64 Years After his Debut, Fantasy’s Original Edgelord Still Reigns Supreme

An Eternal Champion’s Legacy: 64 Years After his Debut, Fantasy’s Original Edgelord Still Reigns Supreme

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Paperback editions of the first six Elric books (DAW Books, 1972 – 1977). Covers by Michael Whelan

It may not seem like it, but this winter has given fans of fantasy plenty to celebrate. Less than a month ago, Michael Moorcock turned 84, his most recent Elric novel turned three, and the latest reprint of his vaunted Eternal Champion series hit store shelves in the US. Thanks to a boatload of new collections, there is no better time to be a fan of the pale emperor. Or, for that matter, to look into his legacy.

Suffice to say that Moorcock’s legendary career has been full of incredible characters. His influence can be seen among the finest rogues of the Sword Coast and in tales spun in the far-flung wine sinks of Essos. Nowhere is that more noticeable than with his most famous creation, Elric of Melnibone. When his early stories made their way into the hands readers in the 60s and 70s, the impact would prove seismic. Today those same readers are academics, authors, and gamers happy to see Elric influence another generation.

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