Reactor Magazine

An Island, a Killer, and a Voice: On Cullen Bunn’s Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World - Reactor Cullen Bunn's horror novel pulls a stylistic U-turn.

Cullen Bunn brings his experience writing twisty comics to Wilson Island, North Carolina, which has more than the usual serial killer disrupting its small town. @tobiascarroll.bsky.social reviews Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World:

Brandon Sanderson to Write Mistborn Movie Script and Co-Showrun Stormlight Archive Series - Reactor In a recently released video, the author shares details on his new deal with Apple TV

Brandon Sanderson confirms a Mistborn movie is coming first, and he'll be the one writing the script:

#Mistborn

All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in February 2026 - Reactor This February brings AI-controlled worlds, rain on Mars, a thousand-year-old space ship, and more...

There's more adult science fiction than fantasy this February; we've got cybernetic prizefights, a library of human consciousness, and a brand-new Nnedi Okorafor novel 🌌 What are you reading first?

All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in February 2026 - Reactor This February, head to a dinosaur rodeo, a magical cat shelter, an academy for deviant defense, and more…

There's a book about a dinosaur rodeo coming out this month. What else do you need to know??

(But just in case, here's all the fantasy books releasing in February 2026)

Making Cargo Hauling Exciting: The Big Lifters by Dean Ing - Reactor Cutting-edge trains, trucks, and dirigibles — plus conspiracies, lasers, and explosions!

Dean Ing's "The Big Lifters" is a tale about men who drink Scotch, fight terrorists, and will stop at nothing to make cargo transport more safe and efficient, even if it means using lasers and dirigibles--hell yeah?!

Graphic reading ‘Celebrating Black Voices’ with a collage of book covers arranged at angles, including The Wicked, The Body, Harmattan Season, Big Girl Blitz, The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, The Redemption Center Is Closed on Sundays, Ember, and Forged in Fiyah, on a textured beige background.

Celebrating Black History Month with new and upcoming releases from Black authors we can’t stop thinking about. 📚✨

Which one’s going on your TBR first? 👀

There Are Four Lights: Star Trek’s Unwitting Allegory for Domestic Abuse - Reactor The parallels are unmistakable, once you consider Picard's final confession.

Picard's defiant shout of “There are four lights!” is now a meme, but it's his quieter confession to Troi that makes "Chain of Command" into a metaphor for domestic abuse, offering crucial insight into the experiences of survivors:

#StarTrek

Missed this earlier since I’ve been on a deadline, but so excited to see this!

Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn

Today's Classic Cover of the Day is the fantasy romance Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn, with a beautiful cover by Jean Pierre Targete.

Read an Excerpt From Isles of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson - Reactor A legendary standalone novel that navigates the seas and the stars of a far-future Cosmere.

We're excited to share an excerpt from the newest Cosmere novel: Isles of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson!! This standalone has everything from a dead god to a dragon, plus gorgeous illustrations by Esther Hi‘ilani Candari 🌊

SFF Reading Recommendations for the Characters of Heated Rivalry - Reactor We've got romantasies, queer fairy tales, feminist adventures, and more!

Between hockey and hotel rooms, Shane, Ilya, and the Heated Rivalry cast don't have much downtime. But maybe on a long flight to Russia or the walk up to a smoothie shop, there's room for some recreational reading? Here's what @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social would recommend for each character:

Oh check it out, Reactor review!

Here is my article on episode 3 of AKot7K. It’s full of spoilers (some for things that may matter for years of Westerosi history) but they are clearly marked. Go and comment and share the link if you like (I’d like you to!)

All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles Is a Masterful Waistcoat Ripper - Reactor Alex Brown reviews a steamy gothic historical romance.

All of Us Murderers enjoys the advantages of both a perfect gothic historical romance and an excellent place to start with KJ Charles' books for the uninitiated. @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social's review invites us to Lackaday House:

Prophecy and Revelations in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: "The Squire" - Reactor As always, the Targaryens are basically Westeros' messiest telenovela.

Dragon dreams, delusions of grandeur, pointless cruelty, doom-laden prophecy, and secret identities revealed...the Targaryens continue their reign as Westeros' weirdest, messiest family in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms!

#AKnightoftheSevenKingdoms

Ex Machina Perfectly Expresses Our Unease With AI - Reactor The movie has grown ever more haunting and relevant over the past decade.

2014's Ex Machina–Alex Garland's unsettling noir twist on questions surrounding synthetic intelligence–continues to feel more and more relevant in the age of problematic tech bros and increasingly sophisticated AI.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Returning With Four New Episodes Starring Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett - Reactor The three alums via their company, RiffTrax, are partnering with Shout! Studios

MST3K IS COMING BACK BABY

My review of Wonder Man is up at @reactorsff.bsky.social! It's Marvel's first cozy bromance and I am here for it.

Wonder Man Brings a Cozy Hollywood Bromance to the MCU - Reactor Wonder Man offers the freshest take on the MCU since WandaVision

"Wonder Man is the most distinctive MCU entry since WandaVision and among the highest quality Disney+ shows that Marvel has produced."

It's a standalone, the show's heart is in its grounded relationships, and Josh Gad plays Olaf in the club. If you're not watching Wonder Man, you're missing out:

Babylon 5 Rewatch: “Endgame” - Reactor The only obstacle remaining between Sheridan and Earth is a fleet near Mars...

"You know, I was really looking forward to rewatching this episode, and when I actually sat down and watched it, I found myself overwhelmed by how incredibly unimpressed I was with it."

Are you underwhelmed, overwhelmed, or merely just whelmed by s4e20 of Babylon 5??

Slide 10: Text reads “Best Snowstorm Hobby: Saying ‘I’m Going to Read So Much While It Snows’ and Then Not Doing That’” above a picture of a “NO” symbol over a book

Slide 6: Text reads “Biggest Oscars Snub” above the poster for No Other Choice

Slide 7: Text reads “Most Compelling Yuri” above the poster for Pluribus

Slide 8: Text reads “Best Roommates-to-Lovers Trope. It’s a Tie!” above the covers for Into the Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum; A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez; and The Book of Blood & Roses by Annie Summerlee

Slide 9: Text reads “Best Vampire Horror Social Commentary Musical To Break the Record for Oscar Noms” over the poster for Sinners

Slide 2: Text reads “Best Cover (Fantasy)” above the cover for A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang

Slide 3: Text reads “Best Cover (Sci-Fi)” above the cover for God Gall by Van Jesen

Slide 4: Text reads “Best Cover (Horror) and Best Title” above the cover for I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 by Robert Brockway

Slide 5: Text reads “Best Cover (Romantasy)” above the cover for The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

Welcome to the JANUARY SFF PRIZES!!! Honoring a few movies, TV, and books that caught the eye this month...plus everything else interesting.

RUNNER UP BEST BOOK COVER: The Pluribus cover with male-Raban's face stoically gazing into the middle distance.

small indie author out of...rhode island?

Eight Deeply Weird Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy Novels - Reactor Imagining the weird, dark magic and monsters that arise after the end of the world.

The end of the world is the best place to find some truly weird, dark fantasy, full of monsters and magic. Here are 8 post-apocalyptic fantasy novels, including books by Stephen King and Tamsyn Muir!

Jonesy Versus the Big Bad: Cat Power in the Alien Franchise - Reactor The xenomorph may be one of the great monsters of modern cinema, but Jonesy the cat has serious advantages...

Jonesy is the most powerful cat in science fiction:

Starfleet Academy Reveals What Happened to the Klingon Empire After The Burn - Reactor The Star Trek series takes place in the 32nd century after the cataclysmic event

The fourth episode of Starfleet Academy examines the current state of the Klingon Empire, and co-showrunner Alex Kurtzman discusses how the writers approached life after The Burn:

#StarTrek #StarfleetAcademy

you: groundhog day is a perfectly-crafted movie which could not possibly be improved

me:

The ’80s Nostalgia Isn't Over in the Trailer for Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 - Reactor The gang's all here (as played by an entirely different group of people)

Oh, you thought the end of Stranger Things meant that there would be no more Stranger Things. How foolish.

#StrangerThings

13 Excellent Groundhog Day-Style Time Loops - Reactor Celebrate the holiday by getting lost in your favorite timey-wimey stories!

We're happy to recommend these time loop stories again and again and again and again and again and again and again: