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Hugh Likes Fiction: Audition for the Fox

February 26, 2026

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Audition for the Fox
Written by Martin Cahill

Published by Tachyon Publications

Read on Kindle Fire via the Hoopla app

The Skinny – A timely novella about revolution, trickery, and the nature of kindness

Nesi has a problem. For complex hereditary reasons, she must earn the patronage of one of the 99 Pilars, a pantheon of gods. But after 96 failed auditions, she’s running out of options. She takes a chance and offers a prayer to T’sidaan, the Fox of Trickery. But when she finds herself the prisoner of an invasion force hundreds of years in the past, it will take everything she has just to survive and make sure history goes the way it should, much less pass the audition.

A mix of A Game of Thrones-style fantasy politics and Just So Stories fables, Author Martin Cahill intersperses chapters of Nesi’s story as she works to liberate a lumber camp turned fortress with legends of T’sidaan’s exploits as told by various storytellers, clerics, and acolytes. The world building in these contrasting sections is impeccable, bringing their world to life without bogging down the stories, and Cahill’s narration is voicy and evocative. The structure is constantly referencing and reinforcing itself, slowly revealing not only Nest’s story and character, but T’sidaan’s as well. It’s a clever trick in its own right, and the author pulls it off with style.
Audition for the Fox is a timely novella with flawed but endearing characters. It stresses not only the need for resistance, but for compassion within resistance networks. It focuses on empathy as a revolutionary act and stresses that fighting back against fascism is not just about aggression and resistance to your enemy, but built on solidarity and kindness to each other. I found the theme to be especially relevant as we move through early 2026.

Audition for the Fox is available at your local bookshop, wherever you buy books, or your local library. I rented a digital copy from my library using the Hoopla app. I highly recommend taking a look, with love in your heart and trickery on your mind.

Hugh Likes Video Games: Astro Bot

February 24, 2026

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Astro Bot

Developed by Team Asobi

Published by Sony

Played on Playstation 5
Published in 2024

The Skinny: Sony’s adorable robot mascot returns for more platforming and product placement.

Astro’s Playroom, a tiny 3D platformer included with the Playstation 5, was a delightful little nostalgia trip that served as both a tech demo and tutorial for the console and controller features. It also succeeded in giving Sony something it had been struggling with since the PSX: a mascot that can stand toe to toe with Mario and Sonic.
This 2024 follow up sees Astro and his fellow bots return with more levels, more hidden secrets, and of course, more Sony-branded nostalgia. While flying around in the PS5, which is also a spaceship, Astro and his crew are stopped and bullied by a giant, UFO-riding alien who steals the ship’s core and causes the ship to crash, scattering the bots.
The player sets off through five different solar systems, searching for missing bots and the parts of the PS5 space ship. Collecting plenty of of Sony IP along the way. A few of the bots in each level are special characters, dressed as characters from various Playstation games. As the player collects more bots, new areas open up to explore and rescue more characters, creating a satisfying gameplay loop and rewarding exploration.
The game is much more blatant of a toy commercial than a presentation like Nintendo’s Smash Bros, with hidden characters representing not just Playstation history but consoles, peripherals, and even third-party character cameos. And the thing is, Astro Bot as a concept shouldn’t work. It’s cloying corporate propaganda at its most shameless. But Astro Bot works. Even during the bonus levels after defeating each boss, in which Astro takes on the persona of a Playstation IP character such as Kratos or Nathan Drake and goes through a nostalgia-fueled themed bonus level. It doesn’t fall apart because these stages feel less like commercials than love letters.
Team Asobi has taken the magic that usually feels reserved for Mario and tapped into it by creating varied, surprising, and unique levels. Animations are cute and endearing without going too far. Level designs and puzzles are just challenging enough to not edge into controller-throwing frustration, and when a setback occurs, the game runs at such a pace that there is no pause in the action.
Astro’s design and move set is comfortable and easy to understand. The gimmick of each level, presented in the form of a robot animal companion, are more polished and responsive than in Astro’s Playroom, from a chicken that provided a rocket jump to a robot elephant that makes platforms, each adapt the same controls and don’t overstay their welcome. They’re easy to learn and rewarding to master.
In addition to hidden characters to find and rescue, there are numerous other collectibles: Puzzle pieces that open up new customization options at your base and a gachapon-style system that uses the coins you collect to give your rescued bots new accessories and animations. Even more hidden bots are locked behind bonus stages, some of which are hidden through secret exits, and others that can be discovered by flying around the map between levels, a few of which do reach that controller-chucking level of frustration towards the end, but are entirely optional.
Astro Bot is a platforming collection that shows off the power of the PS5 and provides a rewarding experience for 3D adventurers and Playstation fans alike. It’s a Playstation 5 exclusive, available on physical disc or from the Playstation digital store.

Hugh Likes Video Games: Sword of the Sea

September 22, 2025

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Sword of the Sea

Developed by: Giant Squid

Published by: Giant Squid

Played on Playstation 5 as a part of PS Plus Extra

The Skinny: Restore life to a desert necropolis with the power of sweet kick flips!

The latest game from the creators of The Pathless and ABZU, Sword of the Sea is as much a vibe as a game. A low-stakes, exploratory game that puts you in the shoes of The Wraith as they seek to restore life to a desert necropolis after a devastating war between the forces of the spirits of Fire and Water.
And it’s also a snowboarding game, sort of.
You navigate the world on the titular sword, a sort of magical hoverboard that allows you to zoom over the dunes and waves as you restore the sea and life to the desert. Whereas other boarding games may attempt to bring a sense of realism to the sport, this is all about the feeling of speed as you navigate vast wastelands and grind down cyclopean monuments. It is less about skill than it is about joy, although you can discover skate park-like challenge rooms and upgrade your arsenal of tricks by collecting gems scattered throughout the areas.
Much like Giant Squid’s previous games, The Sword of the Sea is short and light on challenge, but creates a beautiful, joyous world that you will want to linger in and explore, without the threat of a timer or hostile enemies. The game can be completed in an evening, but it is well worth savoring.
Along the way, you will discover ancient mosaics and plinths with lore depicting the state of the world, but they are less important than the labyrinths of geometry and haunting soundtrack. This game is a vibe, first and foremost.
Short and sweet, with a narrative expressed entirely without dialog while encapsulating a rush of speed that even the clumsiest newbie can achieve, The Sword of the Sea is, much like Journey, an experience not to be missed.
Sword of the Sea is available for PS5 and PC via Steam. I highly recommend it. And for PS Plus Extra subscribers, the game is included in the library, so there’s no reason not to pick it up. 

Hugh Likes Non-Fiction: Queer As Folklore

July 2, 2025

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Queer As Folklore: The Hidden Queer History of Myths and Monsters
Written by Sacha Coward

Narrated by Will Watt

Published by Tantor Media

Listened to via Audible

The Skinny: A reimagining of legends and mythological creatures with a Queer lens.

Queer As Folklore examines the icons of myth and legend, and their hidden, and sometimes not so hidden connections to Queer iconography, history, and culture. Coward describes folklore as a living document, the stories that a culture tells. He presents both ancient and modern interpretations of archetypes, from the ancient to the modern. Everything from unicorns to UFOs get touched on.  Dealing largely with historical records, a lot of the history presented in this book is obscure, and depressing. So much of Queer history, particularly in Europe and America in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries was written in grave stones and police records, and Coward is a good anthropologist who doesn’t stray too far from his sources, even when he admits the temptation.

Each chapter focuses on a different mythological, supernatural, or pop-culture figure, presenting their mythological and historical context alongside their Queer signifiers, interpretations, and reinterpretations, along with associated Queer history and figures. Coward discusses, for example, Mermaids in their various classical and modern incarnations, and particularly focuses on The Little Mermaid author Hans Christian Andersen’s letters and tangled romantic history. He traces arguments through history, from the classical to the romantic to the modern.

The audiobook narration, delivered impeccably by Will Watt, is also charming and lively, keeping the listener engaged and not becoming a waterfall of facts and dates. I would listen to Watt read the phone book, but finding him here was a surprise and a delight, and he delivers the material well.

While a high-level overview of a number of different myths, legends, and historical figures, Queer as Folklore is a great place to start looking and reexamining these stories, and an excellent jumping off point for interested burgeoning scholars of mythology, culture, or Queer history. There is sure to be something fascinating that you haven’t heard before. I highly recommend it.

Hugh Likes Podcasts: DC Action News

May 6, 2025

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DC Action News
Hosted by Alex Jaffe

Produced by Esper Quinn

The Skinny – “Reporting Bravely and Boldly every Wednesday as the news breaks from the center of the Multiverse.”

DC Action News is a great little podcast that sets out to do what it does, and is quick and clever. Formatted as a newscast, DC Comics loremaster Alex Jaffe essentially recaps the events of the current week’s DC comics. And if you just want a recap of this week’s comics issues, it’s great.
But the real joy in the show is the clever twists he takes with the format, presenting the over-the-top comic book stories as serious real events. This ten-minute weekly mini-podcast is all about delivery. It’s the difference between a super-fan telling you about how a terrorist group lead by a super-intelligent psychic gorilla tired to steal the Moon and getting that story from Walter Cronkite.
The show mostly focuses on the ‘prime’ Earth, the one that the comics usually take place in, but also features segments from ‘Absolute’ Alex Jaffe and other versions of the host from the various alternate realities that crop up in comics, and occasionally features additional interviews and cameos.
The most recent episode, which lampshades the ‘Fifth Wednesday Phenomenon,’ in which for some reason almost no terrible events happen in the world on the fifth Wednesday of each month, is my favorite so far.  Since the ‘news’ was light, the majority of the episode was dedicated to a Reporter on the Street segment which featured a bunch of delightful podcaster cameos answering the question: Does ACAB include Batman?
DC Action News is published weekly. You can subscribe or listen to episodes at DCActionNews.com or through your podcatcher of choice. I highly recommend giving it a listen.

Hugh Likes Comics: What Did You Eat Yesterday?

April 28, 2025

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What Did You Eat Yesterday?

Written and Drawn by Fumi Yoshinaga

Published by Vertical, Inc.

The Skinny: A Gay slice-of-life cooking manga that has more romaine than romance.

Shiro and Kenji are a Gay couple in their 40s living together in Tokyo. Closeted lawyer Shiro fends off the questions about his girlfriend, while boisterous barber Kenji is much more relaxed and free-spirited. But every day Shiro cooks an amazing meal for his partner at the end of the day.

Equal parts slice-of-life and cooking manga, What Did You Eat Yesterday? has very little plot to speak of, just the day to day lives of the protagonists and their emotions. Shiro is a fussy and vain, but he demonstrates the depths of his emotions in his cooking for Kenji, who can be jealous. I wish the book were a bit more, well, it has all the spice level of a cup of milk, to be frank. But for as little physical affection as the characters show, the book is a look into the daily lives of people who usually don’t get a spotlight in either manga or western comics.

Yoshinaga’s art style is easy to read and balances a fashion plate-like style for the characters with gorgeous, detailed renderings for the food. It also includes clear recipes that, while being originally intended for the Japanese market, are easy to follow and recreate in the kitchen of a Western reader. The comic follows Shiro from the grocery store to plating and serving the dish for Kenji, often involving the math and planning stages, interwoven into the story. Do I wish that Shiro’s parents were more open and accepting of their son, yes. But did you see that amazing drawing of fried tofu?

What Did You Eat Yesterday? also received its own live-action television series, consisting of two seasons and a movie. It also has its own accompanying fan-fiction series, which includes all of the adult content the comic doesn’t cover. I am glad that the translation includes the frank discussion of everyday life of these characters and their relationships, something that we haven’t always gotten, particularly for queer characters in larger franchises. Stares in ‘They’re Cousins’ This is a serious manga for adults, but if you are looking for spice, you’re going to find more on the plate than in the sheets.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? is available in print and digital editions from the usual online retailers, or in print from your local bookstore or comics shop. You may be able to find it or ask for it at your local library!

Hugh Likes Comics: The Drops of God

January 6, 2025

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The Drops of God Vol. 1

Written by Tadashi Agi

Drawn by Shu Okimoto

Translation by Vertical, Inc.

Published by Kodansha Comics

The Skinny: A Martial Arts Manga about Wine Tasting.

When legendary wine critic Yutaka Kanzaki dies, he leaves only his estranged son Shizuku to inherit his estate and his priceless cellars. Due to his demanding upbringing, Shizuku has no interest in wine, and still resents that his father spent years training him. In fact, he has never even drank wine, out of resentment to his father. But shortly after his death, a second heir appears.
A week before his death, Kanzaki formally adopts young, talented wine critic Issei Tomine and creates a new will. The two will have to compete in tasting a dozen different wines, as well as identify one mythical bottle, the so-called ‘Drops of God’ in a winner-take-all competition for Kanzaki’s estate and collection.
Even with his latent skills developed by his father’s rigorous training, Shizuku will need help to figure out a path to gain control of his father’s estate. His only hope is apprentice sommelier Miyabi, who agrees to help him beat the unstoppable critic.
With drama like a martial-arts manga, The Drops of God is a unique comic that mixes the aesthetics and over-the-top posture of manga and anime with a deep understanding of wine making and tasting. It is a more grown-up taste for fans that have grown up on One Piece and Dragonball. This risky mix that doesn’t always work, but the terroir of serious adult drama and stakes with shonen sensibility is a delightful romp. Watching our heroic couple (even if they don’t know it yet) hunt through Ginza for a hidden wine that can match a hundred-thousand dollar vintage is a delight. Meanwhile his nefarious rival completes trains by tasting row after row of wine, and pours strange, black-hued vintages down the naked back of a corporate executive who looks like the model from the cover of Duran Duran’s Rio.
The characters are both archetypal and over-the-top and also grounded in a way that is interesting. The art is clear and solid, with more grown-up visual style, although cuter aesthetic touches surface here and there.
The Drops of God is a mature vintage of manga for a discerning palate. It is available in print and digitally from online and other retailers.

Hugh Likes Non-Fiction: Cocktails and Consoles

October 9, 2024

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Cocktails and Consoles

Written by Elias Eells

Illustrated by Solji Lee

Published by Running Press

The Skinny: A guide for gamers looking to expand their palates and mixologists looking for new inspiration.

Cocktails and Consoles is neither a definitive guide to mixology nor gaming, but it is a mixture of the two hobbies into a whole that is both satisfying and enjoyable, embracing whimsey from both ends of the spectrum. Written by Elias Eells, host of Youtube Channel Bar Cart Book Shelf, this collection of seventy-five cocktails and mocktails inspired by video games of all different vintages and genres shows a passionate love for both the shaker and the controller.
But what is notable about this collection is the love of craft that is evident in its creation. An assembly of cocktail recipes inspired by video games could on its surface be a slam-dunk low effort product, quickly churned out and just as quickly forgotten. But Eells’ passion for mixology and gaming shines through, and he takes the reader through the subject with thoughtfulness and care, taking nothing for granted about the reader’s level of comfort for either drink or gaming. 
The recipes in the book vary from simple to complex, with a section at the front detailing the tools you’ll need as well as some of the more exotic ingredients. It even comes with recipes to makes some of the more complex mixers, from simple syrup all the way to your own orgeat.
Each recipe is inspired by a different game, from Pong all the way up to 2023’s Elden Ring. There is a single paragraph for each game, and a few illustrations and side bars provide context for the recipes. The drinks match well with the games, either with color and style, as with the Mariogarita, or by being based on in-game drinks, such as the Final Fantasy XIV ether.
Souji Lee’s illustrations and designs are eye-catching and iconic. They add color and a little extra something to the page. The layouts are colorful and flow easily, from the description of the game, to the drink, the the recipe, with extra boxes scattered for additional tips and information.
But the book itself is only half of the equation. With Cockails and Consoles as my guide I visited my local liquor and specialty grocery and stocked up on tools and supplies to make some of the drinks from the book.
I started with the Mariogarita, which was a tart and bright delightful take on the margarita. The campari added something that did more than just give the drink Mario’s signature bright red color. The Ring Drop, inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog, was bright blue from curaçao, and with two ounces of vodka, definitely goes fast.
Cocktails and Consoles is a welcome edition to the library for the gamer or armchair mixologist, and makes a great gift. You can find it wherever you buy books. And also follow Ellis Eells’ YouTube channel, Bar Cart Bookshelf, where he pairs cocktails with reviews of new Fantasy and Science Fiction books.

The Way of the Buffalo – July 6, 2024

July 6, 2024

hughjodonnell In Case You Missed It, Review, Self-Promotion, The Way of the Buffalo, Uncategorized, Writing , , , , Leave a comment

Hello Readers!
It’s finally summer, so I hope you’re staying cool wherever you are! It has been a minute, but this is the (allegedly) weekly update of what I’ve been up to and what’s coming up.

News!

Safety Guidelines
My short poem Safety Guidelines was recently published in the poetry zine Dreams and Nightmares! The issue is a bit difficult to order, but click the link to find out more about the magazine.

Reviews!

Hugh Likes Comics: Zatanna: Bringing Down the House
I was snared by Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez’s new take on DC Comics’ magical heroine Zatanna, which puts a Noe-Noir spin on the character, starting her out as a Vegas stage performer haunted by trauma. This is the first issue of the story, and it’s a great jumping on point, with no canon knowledge necessary.

Hugh Likes Fiction:  The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed
This dark fairytale novella is a short but brutal examination of the rules of power, how to bend them, and how they break you. A sort of inverted retelling of Hansel and Gretel, it’s the story of a woman sent into a magical forest to rescue the two young children of the Tyrant who conquered her village. Tense and thrilling.

Podcasting!

Nostalgia Pilots Episode 95: This Deathtrap Could’ve Been an Email
Episode 95 of Nostalgia Pilots is live! Jason, Jurd, Spence and Myself discuss Mobile Fighter G Gundam Episode 32 – “Dangerous Trap! Neros Gundam Strikes Back,” in which the Shuffle Alliance survive some half-assed assassination attempts while Wong and Master Asia continues to scheme. Also, Domon fights a transforming bird robot piloted by first episode antagonist Michelo Chariot.

Outro!

It’s the summer, and not too much is going on that I’m ready to talk about yet, but I can announce that I will be appearing at the Better Off Read Festival at Artpartk on August 31st! I’ll be selling books and other goodies, so please stop by and say hello!
My very short story collection, The Mountain’s Shadow, is still available from amazon or your preferred online book retailer.

Stay cool, and I’ll see you next week!

Hugh Likes Comics: Zatanna: Bringing Down the House

July 1, 2024

hughjodonnell Hugh Likes Comics, Review , , , , , 1 Comment

Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1

Written by Mariko Tamaki

Drawn & Colored by Javier Rodriguez

Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Published by DC Comics

The Skinny: The first part of a gorgeous and engrossing Neo-noir take on a classic DC Comics character.

Zatanna is a DC Character that I’m not super familiar with, but I always enjoy when she shows up as a cameo character. A stage magician who can do real magic, there’s a lot going on with her, and so when I saw the first cover for Zatanna: Bring Down The House, written by Mariko Tamaki with art by Javier Rodriguez, I snapped it up. And I’m glad I did.
This first issue sets Zatanna up as a character apart from the larger DC Universe. Despite being headhunted by larger hotels and even the Justice League, Zatanna works at a run-down Las Vegas casino, doing two free shows a day for sparse crowds. And she never uses the word ‘Magic’ in her act. She says she does ‘tricks,’ but she does have the eerie feeling that someone has been following her, and has been having nightmares involving her childhood and her late father. But surely all that is coincidence. As is the woman who’s been attending every performance for the past week.
This gorgeous first issue feels like something out of DC’s ’90’s Vertigo imprint. So far, this is a story all about a character running from their past, and their destiny, working in a small job for small crowds. Unable to face what they’ve done and their great potential. The narrative is hitting familiar beats, but the setting and character are intriguing enough to keep going. It has that common first issue problem that the cliffhanger arrives just as the action heats up, but the slow burn here is worth the cover price.
Rodgiguez’s rich and colorful art help as well, lending the story a Neo-noir flair with the bright colors and sleaze of the Vegas strip. Rodriguez fills his pages with garish colors, clever details, and a strange shadow following Zatanna throughout her day. The layouts build tension masterfully throughout the issue to the final reveal. And if that reveal doesn’t quite make sense yet, well, that’s what issue 2 is for, isn’t it?
Zatanna: Bringing Down the House #1 is available now from your local comics shop or digitally from your online store of choice. This is an intriguing first issue that has me on the hook for the next one. I recommend it!

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