Once a psychic spy, James Morgan wants nothing more than to explore Osaka in peace. But when a chance encounter with a gang of yakuza ends in bloodshed, he is cast out into the cold. Can a psychic find a place in a world of machines? — ONCE A PSI is the prequel of my […]
The Case for Polylithic Evil
Most stories keep things simple. There is the side of Good, represented by the protagonist. There is the side of Evil, represented by the antagonist and his minions. Postmodern fiction tries to spice it up, with gray versus gray or gray versus black morality. Having just two sides is the norm. If there are multiple […]
Babylon Red Chapter 1 Preview
The IndieGoGo campaign for Babylon Red has reached 38% of its funding goal! To celebrate, here’s chapter 1 of the exclusive novel! — Movement was meditation. Meditation was movement. Embodying these twinned concepts, Yuri Yamamoto walked the streets of ArcoShanti. Designed in reverence of the human form, it was a town disguised as a neighborhood, […]
Ingredients of Action Horror
Action horror. A fiction contradiction if there ever was one. Action stories are about agency: the character’s ability to act on the environment, to overcome all odds, to destroy all foes in his path. Horror relies heavily on a lack of agency: the inability to directly confront the horror, and with it, the despair that […]
BABYLON RED is live on IndieGoGo!
The New Gods have won. The Special Tasks Section has been disbanded. Nothing can stop the New Gods from unleashing Hell on Earth. Or so they think. Fighting from the shadows, Team Black Watch wages a desperate war to keep cosmic horrors at bay. But this time, Yuri Yamamoto is in exile. Without a mystical […]
A Spectre Haunts Singapore
A spectre is haunting Singapore—the spectre of racism. A recent spate of racist incidents have hit the news. The Singaporean social media sphere is aflame, with bloggers and politicians and influencers jumping in to condemn racism and drive the conversation. Voices cry out for collective action, social justice, education. And there is me, wondering when […]
Aether Czar’s Memorial Day Sale!
Hans Schantz is running a massive Memorial Day sale from now until 2nd June, with over 80 titles priced at $0.99 or free! The participating authors are among the top talent in the field of science fiction and fantasy, including John C Wright, Larry Correia, Tom Kratman, Jon del Arroz, David Drake, Declan Finn, Daniel Humphreys, Richard Paolinelli, […]
Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation Launches Questionable Charity Drive
The Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) has partnered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (URWA) to organise a charity drive for Palestinian refugees. Running from 22 May to 30 May, it aims to “provide aid in the form of health, relief and social services for communities affected […]
You’re Not Supposed to Notice This About Covid
Following a rise in Covid-19 infections, Singapore has imposed strict measures to curb the spread of the disease. These include: Capping social gatherings to 2 Suspension of dining-in at F&B outlets Hard cap on guest numbers at weddings and funerals Return to working from home Closure of gyms, fitness studios, spas and all recreational activities […]
Umbrage and A Tale of Two Singapores
Umbrage. A simple word. And a strange word to many Singaporeans. In that one word, Ng Yat Chun, CEO of Singapore Press Holdings, revealed the split between the two Singapores. As advertising revenue falls, SPH will be restructuring itself into a non-profit entity. By becoming a company limited by guarantee, it will be able to […]
Digital Currencies Don’t Need Government Backing
Michael Petraeus, better known as Critical Spectator, wrote an article for Vulcan Post arguing that digital currencies can only work with government backing. By ‘digital currencies’ he singles out Bitcoin for criticism. This in itself is the fatal flaw underlying his thesis. To understand where Petraeus is coming from, he is one of Singapore’s highest […]