New releases in fiction, nonfiction, and comics that caught our eye.
Sacrificial animals by Kailee Pedersen
![The cover of the novel Sacrificial Animals, featuring an illustration of a bright red fox on a black background.](https://technicalterrence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Rural-horror-is-infused-with-Chinese-mythology-and-the-lush.jpeg)
There's something about the idea of coming home and awakening a dormant family trauma that makes for great horror stories, and amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1″ href=”https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&featureId=text-link&merchantName=amazon&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NhY3JpZmljaWFsLUFuaW1hbHMtTm92ZWwtS2FpbGVlLVBlZGVyc2VuL2RwLzEyNTAzMjgyNDE_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjMyMmRlMTAtMGY5Mi00NjMxLTg0YzUtMDFmYjIwYzVkNmZkIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NhY3JpZmljaWFsLUFuaW1hbHMtTm92ZWwtS2FpbGVlLVBlZGVyc2VuL2RwLzEyNTAzMjgyNDEiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&signature=AQAAASWXef6t3Fs8zMcp-2hYTM3YF2_673oTmyiKywUnchwJ&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSacrificial-Animals-Novel-Kailee-Pedersen%2Fdp%2F1250328241″ class=”link rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank” data-ylk=”slk:Sacrificial Animals;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1;itc:0;sec:content-canvas”>Sacrificial animals is no exception. In the novel, brothers Nick and Joshua Morrow return to their family farm in Nebraska after many years estranged from their abusive father, reopening old wounds and allowing supernatural forces to take root. Sacrificial animals It bounces between “then” and “now” perspectives, painting a portrait of the children’s childhood under the violent, racist man, and the gravity of returning once they learn he is dying.
The slow-burning horror story is intertwined with Chinese mythology, with flowery language and a Cormac McCarthy-esque lack of quotation marks (and McCarthy-esque brutality) to give it a truly folkloric feel. But do yourself a favor and skip the synopsis if you plan to read this book, as it gives away too much about the direction the story will take.
Trash Talk: A revealing exploration of our planet's dirtiest problem By Iris Gottlieb
![The cover of the book Trash Talk, which shows illustrations of different forms of trash piled up on Earth.](https://technicalterrence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725131675_150_Rural-horror-is-infused-with-Chinese-mythology-and-the-lush.jpeg)
![The cover of the book Trash Talk, which shows illustrations of different forms of trash piled up on Earth.](https://technicalterrence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725131675_150_Rural-horror-is-infused-with-Chinese-mythology-and-the-lush.jpeg)
The problem of human waste is so large and complex that it can be difficult to even comprehend, especially for those of us who are more or less out of touch with reality. I mean, it seems like every other week I find out that an item I've long been told is recyclable actually isn't, and trash is piling up even in space. Iris Gottlieb amazon;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1″ href=”https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&featureId=text-link&merchantName=amazon&custData=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&signature=AQAAAaB8OmL_1yp5ywNBA7z0pUUe_wuugiOmdT29kMaHOSiG&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTrash-Talk-Eye-Opening-Exploration-Dirtiest%2Fdp%2F0593712773″ class=”link rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank” data-ylk=”slk:Trash Talk: An Eye-Opening Exploration of Our Planet’s Dirtiest Problem;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:amazon;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1;itc:0;sec:content-canvas”>Trash Talk: A revealing exploration of our planet's dirtiest problem takes a look at the whole issue, delving into the many facets of global waste production and management and exploring how we got to where we are.
It's packed with illustrations and insights that help put into context a problem that, sadly, isn't going away anytime soon, and it's a great read for anyone who wants to know more about what really happens to trash when you throw it away.
Convert By John Arcudi and Savannah Finley
![The cover of Convert comic book #1, showing a man wearing a spacesuit on the lower half of his body and holding a helmet and a large gun, standing in a field with colorful flora.](https://technicalterrence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725131675_765_Rural-horror-is-infused-with-Chinese-mythology-and-the-lush.jpeg)
![The cover of Convert comic book #1, showing a man wearing a spacesuit on the lower half of his body and holding a helmet and a large gun, standing in a field with colorful flora.](https://technicalterrence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1725131675_765_Rural-horror-is-infused-with-Chinese-mythology-and-the-lush.jpeg)
The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the cover of issue 1 of amazon;elmt:;cpos:4;pos:1″ href=”https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&featureId=text-link&merchantName=amazon&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0NvbnZlcnQtMS1Kb2huLUFyY3VkaS1lYm9vay9kcC9CMEQ5TVhXQ002P3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImYzMjJkZTEwLTBmOTItNDYzMS04NGM1LTAxZmIyMGM1ZDZmZCIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9Db252ZXJ0LTEtSm9obi1BcmN1ZGktZWJvb2svZHAvQjBEOU1YV0NNNiIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&signature=AQAAAYWIsqM0I1UpayI1qwWS-YX3c36TsJEBk3bXdMoLNjx0&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FConvert-1-John-Arcudi-ebook%2Fdp%2FB0D9MXWCM6″ class=”link rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank” data-ylk=”slk:Convert;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:amazon;elmt:;cpos:4;pos:1;itc:0;sec:content-canvas”>Convert It was Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy. A man in a spacesuit (sans helmet) stands in a field holding a massive gun, surrounded by strange flora that almost looks like it's trying to consume him. The mental comparisons to Area x from VanderMeer's series continued as I read it, but a development in its final panels confirms that Convert It has its own unique story to tell.
The first issue of Image Comics’ new sci-fi fantasy series was published this week, and visually, it’s stunning. In the opening pages, “Science Officer Orrin Kutela finds himself stranded on a distant planet, starving and haunted by the ghosts of his dead crew,” according to the description. “On the brink of death, he makes a startling discovery.” Convert It was written by John Arcudi, with art by Savannah Finley, colors by Miguel Co, and letters by Michael Heisler. The second issue will be published on September 25.
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