Book Review: Uncanny: The Origins of Fear
March 30, 2025
Simultaneously a biography, an inside story of the manga industry and a look at how Junji Ito creates his stories, this is a fascinating read.
Mida has an eclectic taste for science fiction, fantasy and classics, but their favourite section of the store is manga. Having read it for many years, their taste is extensive and they enjoy giving recommendations to people looking to try something new. They are an avid player of Dungeons and Dragons and love helping others dip their toes into the game.
Simultaneously a biography, an inside story of the manga industry and a look at how Junji Ito creates his stories, this is a fascinating read.
With clear and detailed images -without any hands in the way!- this book is perfect for those looking to pick up the hobby.
This is a gripping story of survival & community, wrapped up in a gorgeously illustrated package. Perfect for readers both young & old.
Set in a steampunk, grungy world, this book follows a disgraced warrior who has been fighting the same war for over 20 years.
An uplifting, wholesome series about the joy of travelling,the fear of new things and navigating different environments as queer adults.
Unpicking the misconceptions that are held about her job, Doughty snuffs out myths & shines light on a necessary but nebulous industry.
It’s like a collection of newspaper clippings. Each text is short enough to whet your appetite but leaves you hungry for more.
The perfect book to pick up and put down – every time you flip to a new page, you’re sure to learn something new.
This is a series that doesn’t try to break new ground – instead, it wants to craft something simple and do it very very well.
Tackling a very heavy subject with respect and tact, The Great Dead Body Teachers is a captivating and deeply personal read.
A chilling vision of humanities’ future, it blends claustrophobic, grungy cityscapes with an unsettling narrative of poverty and desperation.
While it does have a fair share of combat, most conflict is solved without violence, leading to creative and interesting solutions.
Even those who have never played will feel inspired to rattle some dice, dream up a character and enlist their friends to try something new.
Switching between the Old Woman’s present as she haunts a young man and her past, we get to see her slow and steady descent into villainy.
If you want a series that you can commit to, this is the perfect one. It’s funny, emotional and intense, all at the same time.
If you like genre mixing, strangely wholesome narratives, and a deeply human story, The Ministry of Time is for you.
The story is exquisitely paced, with moments of calm that linger until stagnant, or fight scenes that roar along at breakneck speeds.
Encompassing many genres, this book pays tribute to gothic, steampunk fantasies, historical fiction and Agatha Christie-esque mysteries.
The setting is enjoyable, the plot is downright wild and I am in love with some of the concepts that Sanderson throws at the wall.
Beautifully vivid, with hilarious twists on tried-and-true tropes, this collab between fantasy giants does not disappoint
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