2026 is flying by, with March rapidly coming to a close and spring proper not far off. We’ve definitely seen more sunshine and blue skies, the mornings are later and the evenings are drawing in later, so it’s nice to see the better weather on its way.
I’ve still not committed anything meaningful in the way of words to paper this month, but there have been some slight changes in the writing space. I’ve been loosely planning a collection of short stories. There are a few viable options there, but it’s going to need some work. I’m taking the positives, that I’ve started somewhere. I’ve also begun the early stages of planning book three in The Saga of the Crows series – A Murder of Crows. I don’t have it all nailed down yet, but having a vague framework gives me something to build from! Don’t expect this one to be a quick process, but I’m going to work on it at a pace that allows it to feel a pleasure to write, not a chore. I’m excited to get started on it!
The Face on the Cutting-Room Floor by Cameron McCabe
Sadly, I managed another disappointing read on my alphabet challenge. Trying books I’ve never read or heard of is, I suppose, likely to lead to this. A noir murder mystery set in the film industry of 1930s London on paper looked like a perfect fit for my tastes. The issue for me lay in the characters. They all seemed flat. I didn’t like any of them. I didn’t loathe them either. This is a big issue for me. When they feel so flat, I don’t care one way or the other what happens to them. It pulls me out of the narrative and ends up making it feel a chore. The ending left me feeling indifferent.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
G on my alphabet reading challenge was another classic that I’ve failed to read. I know it has a substantial fan base, and there are popular films, so I thought I’d try it. I wanted to go into it with my views untainted by films or other media, and I’m glad I did. It’s a fantastic window into the excesses and vices of the well-to-do in Jazz Age Rhode Island. It’s filled with the trappings of wealth – big houses, flashy cars, parties filled with excess and hangers-on only interested in getting their fifteen minutes of fame. But it’s deeper than that. It also tells of a love lost, an audacious attempt to reclaim it, and the sorrow at having let too many years slip by. It was a short read, but filled with wonderful insight into a bygone era.
Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn
Heir to the Empire represents my first foray into the wider Star Wars universe, and, frankly, I cannot work out why this took me so long to do! It was a fantastic insight into the unsettling character of Grand Admiral Thrawn, but also into the wider story arc of the rebellion following the events that saw the downfall of the empire at the end of the original trilogy of films. The narration in this audiobook version was fantastic, bringing characters new and old to life. And the inclusion of music and sound effects added another dimension to the book, bridging the worlds of film and written media wonderfully. I’ll be looking to read/listen to the rest of the books in this series in the future!
The Institute by Stephen King
As a long-time fan of Stephen King, I’ve enjoyed the blend of genres he has written in over the many years of his career. From horror to sci-fi/western and beyond, he has a diversity of work, and this is no exception. A thriller with psychological notes, it’s about children with signs of telekinetic and telepathic abilities being abducted into a shadowy organisation known only as The Institute. They are tested and experimented on in an effort to enhance their abilities so that they can be used to prevent world-ending events triggered by certain people the world over. It’s a tense thriller as the children attempt to escape the experimentation and inevitable demise, only to pose the question at the end: are the lives of a few thousand children more important than the billions their “sacrifices” would save? A fantastic read!
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Another entry on my alphabet challenge, and another opportunity to dip my toe into more of the literary classics. I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to get along with this one. I was very surprised with how much I ended up enjoying it. Having read Dracula, I loved the gothic style and language used, and both shared some similarities in that sense. I’ve historically not been a fan of coming-of-age fiction, but this one surprised me. The growth and maturation of Jane told in its autobiographical style made for an easy, engaging read, though not likely one I’d revisit again.
Pluribus (Season 1)
Pluribus was a series whose premise I wasn’t entirely sure about at first, but it certainly intrigued me. When Carole Sturka finds herself one of only 12 people on Earth untouched by a mystery virus, she must learn to live in a new world. While not by any means a lone survivor, she is very much isolated as the majority of humanity are now docile and united via a global hive mind. She resists their polite entreaties to join the hive with an almost belligerent defiance. As the season progresses, and she meets the remaining “untouched” she begins to find a way to live in a vastly changed world, and coexist with the hive humans. It’s a brilliant premise, full of sci-fi concepts yet in a very present day world, filled with suburban mundanity.
For All Mankind (Season 1)
A bit late to the party, but I’ve recently watched my way through the first season of For All Mankind. It’s an ideal show for me, with a love of history and space exploration. The concept of a space race won by the Soviets, and the impacts on the American space programme. I loved the way it spans from the early stages of the American programme through to setting up bases on the lunar surface. Taking an established timeline and spinning it out into a tension-filled alternative narrative is an impressive feat. It’s a gritty series with some really interesting alternative history narratives. I found it absorbing, loved every minute. With a current plan to return to the moon and beyond, I’m excited to see where this is going to go, and how the alternative history will play out as the series progresses.
Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere
I’ve been a big fan of Louis Theroux and his documentaries for quite some time now. Given the rise of so-called alpha male influencers, this seemed a timely watch. I wondered if it might end up being a platform for these influencers to spread their toxicity further. Thankfully, Theroux managed to leave them looking unsure, silly and unstable. He was comfortable in the expansive silences he let play out, leaving his interviewees to fill them with nervous babble. It was a fascinating insight into a dark corner of society, with the poster boys painting themselves as anything but the paragons of masculinity they aim to portray.
Pokemon ZA
My wife and I picked up Nintendo Switch 2s finally, as something we’ve been eyeing for some time now. As we’ve been fans of Pokémon since the GameBoy days, this seemed an obvious pick for my first game on the new console. It’s different from those classics, but it’s a fantastic game. Gone are the gyms of old, going around battling to be the best. Instead, there’s a story to work through, and a league-style challenge where you battle trainers and improve your ranking to reach the top. I’m nowhere near the finish line on this one, but I am thoroughly enjoying both the story and the gameplay in this one!
Pokemon Pokopia
Another Pokémon game to add to the Switch 2, Pokopia is immense fun. Think Animal Crossing New Horizons crossed with Minecraft, filled with Pokémon. It’s a wonderfully cute, cosy life-sim where you help find these lovely critters, build homes, and terraform their landscapes, all while trying to uncover the mystery of where the humans have disappeared to. It’s a vast game, so I’ve still got a lot to do, but it’s the perfect game to play after a long day.
Docked
Docked is the latest entry from the developers behind the Mudrunner, Snowrunner and Roadcraft game series. This time, you take on the role of the son of a dock owner. You return to the family business, helping put things right following a hurricane. It’s a fantastic mix of business management and simulation game, while also allowing me to be a child, driving around in some immense machinery. From reach stackers to enormous ship-to-shore cranes and everything in between, it’s not an overly cerebral game, but boy, do I love getting to play with some enormous pieces of engineering!
With the days getting longer and the weather improving, I’m looking forward to getting back to writing. Planning is something new for me, as I’m more of a pantster, but plotting and planning after such a prolonged break feels right. Hopefully, I’ll have more news next month!
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Steven Smith 