Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
@samarcand.itch.io
Girly Trans Soul Rebel, author & reader.
So many books.
So many comics.
So much tea.
Pronouns:she/her
https://linktr.ee/samarcand
So many books.
So many comics.
So much tea.
Pronouns:she/her
https://linktr.ee/samarcand
Ambush Bug
November 29, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Ambush Bug
the baddie produces a Kalashnikov from nowhere and shoots everyone. It's a surprise but it breaks the narrative.
November 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
the baddie produces a Kalashnikov from nowhere and shoots everyone. It's a surprise but it breaks the narrative.
can be a hero and then the rag is pulled out from under us and Tah Dah! She's a Palpatine! It's unearned and only there to let the film makers feel superior and they've pulled the wool over the viewer's eyes. It's easy to do when Chekov lives in a world where there are no guns until suddenly /6
November 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
can be a hero and then the rag is pulled out from under us and Tah Dah! She's a Palpatine! It's unearned and only there to let the film makers feel superior and they've pulled the wool over the viewer's eyes. It's easy to do when Chekov lives in a world where there are no guns until suddenly /6
is built up to the extent this was only for every clue to be revealed as a red herring then it just leaves you feeling cheated.
It's the same but opposite to the problem of Rey's identity in Star Wars. Everything is set up to show that she is just another ordinary person, showing that anyone /5
It's the same but opposite to the problem of Rey's identity in Star Wars. Everything is set up to show that she is just another ordinary person, showing that anyone /5
November 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
is built up to the extent this was only for every clue to be revealed as a red herring then it just leaves you feeling cheated.
It's the same but opposite to the problem of Rey's identity in Star Wars. Everything is set up to show that she is just another ordinary person, showing that anyone /5
It's the same but opposite to the problem of Rey's identity in Star Wars. Everything is set up to show that she is just another ordinary person, showing that anyone /5
the mystery around the identity of Ruby's Mum. Even here, it promises far more than we eventually get, hinting at dark secrets with faces hidden in cloaks at midnight and the Doctor almost convinced she is watching him. I'm absolutely not against her being a 'normal' person, but when the mystery /4
November 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
the mystery around the identity of Ruby's Mum. Even here, it promises far more than we eventually get, hinting at dark secrets with faces hidden in cloaks at midnight and the Doctor almost convinced she is watching him. I'm absolutely not against her being a 'normal' person, but when the mystery /4
beyond human, or indeed Time Lord, comprehension. But, really, it just made it silly. I have nothing against silly. I am regularly extemely silly, but this didn't really have anything except silliness which is not enough for a satisfying narrative.
Actually, there was one other bit. The start of /3
Actually, there was one other bit. The start of /3
November 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
beyond human, or indeed Time Lord, comprehension. But, really, it just made it silly. I have nothing against silly. I am regularly extemely silly, but this didn't really have anything except silliness which is not enough for a satisfying narrative.
Actually, there was one other bit. The start of /3
Actually, there was one other bit. The start of /3
what was on screen.
And what was on screen was fine and fun for a Christmas Special but didn't really hold up. The concept of feeding on coincidence and luck is nice but it doesn't really work when you give it any thought. Although maybe it's arguable that that was the point. What happened was /2
And what was on screen was fine and fun for a Christmas Special but didn't really hold up. The concept of feeding on coincidence and luck is nice but it doesn't really work when you give it any thought. Although maybe it's arguable that that was the point. What happened was /2
November 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
what was on screen.
And what was on screen was fine and fun for a Christmas Special but didn't really hold up. The concept of feeding on coincidence and luck is nice but it doesn't really work when you give it any thought. Although maybe it's arguable that that was the point. What happened was /2
And what was on screen was fine and fun for a Christmas Special but didn't really hold up. The concept of feeding on coincidence and luck is nice but it doesn't really work when you give it any thought. Although maybe it's arguable that that was the point. What happened was /2
#165 Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson
This was pretty much a bald retelling of the 2023 Christmas Special that gave us the first full adventure for the 15th Doctor. It adds little bits - the occasional thought from either the Doctor or Ruby but no real expansion over /1
This was pretty much a bald retelling of the 2023 Christmas Special that gave us the first full adventure for the 15th Doctor. It adds little bits - the occasional thought from either the Doctor or Ruby but no real expansion over /1
November 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
#165 Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson
This was pretty much a bald retelling of the 2023 Christmas Special that gave us the first full adventure for the 15th Doctor. It adds little bits - the occasional thought from either the Doctor or Ruby but no real expansion over /1
This was pretty much a bald retelling of the 2023 Christmas Special that gave us the first full adventure for the 15th Doctor. It adds little bits - the occasional thought from either the Doctor or Ruby but no real expansion over /1
What is @zackpolanski.bsky.social going to sing?
November 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM
What is @zackpolanski.bsky.social going to sing?
In a perfect example of Chuck's amazing penchant for nominative determinism the snowman from Dombey and Son was actually called 'Dickensian Snowman'.
November 27, 2025 at 10:54 PM
In a perfect example of Chuck's amazing penchant for nominative determinism the snowman from Dombey and Son was actually called 'Dickensian Snowman'.
My apologies. I was making assumptions. Would you like me to rewrite the review?
November 27, 2025 at 5:58 PM
My apologies. I was making assumptions. Would you like me to rewrite the review?
Forgot: The reason I didn't name the protagonist in this review was because she was called Ellen and it just felt wrong for me to do so. Reading about all the unsettling things that happen to Ellen was bad enough without driving it home to myself here. It's given me enough nightmare fuel already.
November 27, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Forgot: The reason I didn't name the protagonist in this review was because she was called Ellen and it just felt wrong for me to do so. Reading about all the unsettling things that happen to Ellen was bad enough without driving it home to myself here. It's given me enough nightmare fuel already.
any of the sights he had to show us. /END
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
any of the sights he had to show us. /END
festival of horror.
This is very much another step forward for Gretchen Felker-Martin's career. Her previous books were taut, clever horror-thrillers but Black Flame has pushed her to the next level. This book puts her on a par with Clive Barker, doing things with the concepts that are beyond /10
This is very much another step forward for Gretchen Felker-Martin's career. Her previous books were taut, clever horror-thrillers but Black Flame has pushed her to the next level. This book puts her on a par with Clive Barker, doing things with the concepts that are beyond /10
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
festival of horror.
This is very much another step forward for Gretchen Felker-Martin's career. Her previous books were taut, clever horror-thrillers but Black Flame has pushed her to the next level. This book puts her on a par with Clive Barker, doing things with the concepts that are beyond /10
This is very much another step forward for Gretchen Felker-Martin's career. Her previous books were taut, clever horror-thrillers but Black Flame has pushed her to the next level. This book puts her on a par with Clive Barker, doing things with the concepts that are beyond /10
that are unsettling, making both protagonist and reader feel soiled by the voyeuristic description and building from there, through glimpses and hints of weirdness that might just be the protagonist finally cracking under the pressure, until finally the horror is unleashed in a full-on, gory /9
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
that are unsettling, making both protagonist and reader feel soiled by the voyeuristic description and building from there, through glimpses and hints of weirdness that might just be the protagonist finally cracking under the pressure, until finally the horror is unleashed in a full-on, gory /9
broken women she now is.
All this means that she is easy meat for the film's next victim. She's already nearly dead inside so it doesn't seem like it will take much to push her over the edge.
The story is eerily effective, with the horror slowly building. It starts with seemingly mundane things /8
All this means that she is easy meat for the film's next victim. She's already nearly dead inside so it doesn't seem like it will take much to push her over the edge.
The story is eerily effective, with the horror slowly building. It starts with seemingly mundane things /8
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
broken women she now is.
All this means that she is easy meat for the film's next victim. She's already nearly dead inside so it doesn't seem like it will take much to push her over the edge.
The story is eerily effective, with the horror slowly building. It starts with seemingly mundane things /8
All this means that she is easy meat for the film's next victim. She's already nearly dead inside so it doesn't seem like it will take much to push her over the edge.
The story is eerily effective, with the horror slowly building. It starts with seemingly mundane things /8
everyone around her to conform to her expectations or suffer the consequences. The protagonist has already been broken by this. Fifteen years prior to the start of the book, she had been dragged away from her (transgender) girlfriend and thrust into conversion therapy, which has left her the /7
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
everyone around her to conform to her expectations or suffer the consequences. The protagonist has already been broken by this. Fifteen years prior to the start of the book, she had been dragged away from her (transgender) girlfriend and thrust into conversion therapy, which has left her the /7
put-upon father, this British, atheist, goy girl has to assume that it's a real thing and it's prevalence in media is purely because of that reality.
This family is completely curdled inside though. It holds secrets close and the mother thinks only of appearances and respectability, forcing /6
This family is completely curdled inside though. It holds secrets close and the mother thinks only of appearances and respectability, forcing /6
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
put-upon father, this British, atheist, goy girl has to assume that it's a real thing and it's prevalence in media is purely because of that reality.
This family is completely curdled inside though. It holds secrets close and the mother thinks only of appearances and respectability, forcing /6
This family is completely curdled inside though. It holds secrets close and the mother thinks only of appearances and respectability, forcing /6
Although that reality is possibly more horrific than the horror. From reading the acknowledgements it appears that Gretchen is herself a 'New York Jew' and so while the protagonist's family seems in many ways to follow that archetype with the vicious, endlessly critical mother and the quiet, /5
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Although that reality is possibly more horrific than the horror. From reading the acknowledgements it appears that Gretchen is herself a 'New York Jew' and so while the protagonist's family seems in many ways to follow that archetype with the vicious, endlessly critical mother and the quiet, /5
that follows its own horrific path.
The book is very Jewish as well as queer. Nearly every character in the book is Jewish and the connections back to the Nazi atrocities are strong. This sense of self, when everything else is twisted and/or unpleasant really grounds the book in reality. /4
The book is very Jewish as well as queer. Nearly every character in the book is Jewish and the connections back to the Nazi atrocities are strong. This sense of self, when everything else is twisted and/or unpleasant really grounds the book in reality. /4
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
that follows its own horrific path.
The book is very Jewish as well as queer. Nearly every character in the book is Jewish and the connections back to the Nazi atrocities are strong. This sense of self, when everything else is twisted and/or unpleasant really grounds the book in reality. /4
The book is very Jewish as well as queer. Nearly every character in the book is Jewish and the connections back to the Nazi atrocities are strong. This sense of self, when everything else is twisted and/or unpleasant really grounds the book in reality. /4
a life she hates - is restoring does have a very strong whiff of Cenobite about it. The characters in the film are grotesque, vile and misshapen creatures who want to seduce others and share their pain. But that is not to say that this is in anyway a copy of Barker. It is very much it's own thing /3
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
a life she hates - is restoring does have a very strong whiff of Cenobite about it. The characters in the film are grotesque, vile and misshapen creatures who want to seduce others and share their pain. But that is not to say that this is in anyway a copy of Barker. It is very much it's own thing /3
with a quote from it: "We have such sights to show you". And indeed she does. The story of a malevolent reel of film containing a pornographic and depraved movie made by a Jewish filmmaker in Nazi Germany that the protagonist - a deeply closeted, possibly trans man, but otherwise a lesbian Iiving /2
November 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM
with a quote from it: "We have such sights to show you". And indeed she does. The story of a malevolent reel of film containing a pornographic and depraved movie made by a Jewish filmmaker in Nazi Germany that the protagonist - a deeply closeted, possibly trans man, but otherwise a lesbian Iiving /2