History That Never Was

Home of Dawn Vogel: Writer, Historian, Geek

Review of The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum by Cynthia Ward

| May 8, 2019

My latest review for Mad Scientist Journal is now live, this one for a sequel to a book I reviewed earlier. The Adventure of the Dux Bellorum is the second in Cynthia Ward’s series of novellas about Lucy Harker, the dhampir daughter of Mina (Murray) Harker and Dracula. It’s a fun bit of alternate history with literary […]

Review of Gunsmoke and Dragonfire

| April 17, 2019

This week, I’ve reviewed an anthology of westerns mashed up with fantasy and sci-fi, with a hefty dose of steampunk! You can check out my review of Gunsmoke and Dragonfire, edited by Diane Morrison, and containing 25 stories, at Mad Scientist Journal!

Review of The Traveling Triple-C Incorporeal Circus by Alanna McFall

| March 20, 2019

My latest review is now up at Mad Scientist Journal, for Alanna McFall’s The Traveling Triple-C Incorporeal Circus, a road trip story that combines the absurd and the everyday. Written with a deft hand, it’s a great story that will make you laugh but might also make you cry! If you’re interested in checking it out, the […]

Review of Broken Metropolis edited by dave ring

| February 27, 2019

My latest book review is up at Mad Scientist Journal, for an anthology of stories with queer protagonists called Broken Metropolis. Within, you’ll find 10 short pieces ranging all over the urban fantasy landscape. A number of the stories feature some wonderful magical realism, while others involve clearly supernatural creatures. You can read my review here, or […]

Leaving Book Reviews

| February 25, 2019

Indie authors and traditional authors alike get a lot of benefit out of people leaving reviews of their books on Amazon, Goodreads, or other book selling sites. On Amazon, in particular, once a book has a certain number of reviews, it’s more likely to be recommended to shoppers. Leaving a book review doesn’t have to […]

Review of Magic or Die by J. P. Jackson

| January 23, 2019

My newest book review is up at Mad Scientist Journal for Magic or Die by J. P. Jackson. It’s a fast-paced urban fantasy book with evil corporations, power magic users, and queer romance. It’s the first in a series, and after reading this one, I’m chomping at the bit for the next one, in part because of the agonizing […]

Review of Murder on the Titania by Alex Acks

| January 2, 2019

My newest book review is up at Mad Scientist Journal today, wherein I review the delightful Murder on the Titania and Other Steam-Powered Adventures by Alex Acks. This book was right up my alley, involving airships, piracy, and wonderful characters. Toss in some alternate history as well, and I was quite pleased with this collection of novellas and one short story! If this sounds […]

Authors Love Book Reviews!

| December 24, 2018

If you’re struggling with a last minute gift for an author in your life, or even one who isn’t in your life, have you considered reviewing their book? If you’ve read a book by an author, they’d love to know what you thought of it. And other readers appreciate it as well! Even if you […]

Review of Terra! Tara! Terror!

| December 12, 2018

My latest book review is up at Mad Scientist Journal, this one for Terra! Tara! Terror!, a wide-ranging anthology of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror stories! In addition to new stories from authors, the book includes a couple of reprinted pieces. To my delight, one of them was “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe, and the book also […]

Review of Jack Jetstark’s Intergalactic Freakshow by Jennifer Lee Rossman

| November 7, 2018

My latest review is up at Mad Scientist Journal. This week, I’m reviewing a fun book that mashes up science fiction and superheroes and chosen family: Jack Jetstark’s Intergalactic Freakshow by Jennifer Lee Rossman. If you loved Firefly, Heroes, or Guardians of the Galaxy, you’ll enjoy this book! And you can read my full review here!