Recommended by Scott Sickles

"It’s the school. If it wants you... it wants you."

I've got to say, when it comes to Miskatonic University, resistance is futile.

DORMMATES is a riveting opening salvo to this fresh series of entries into the SPOOKY U canon. The characters are introduced to us organically, humorously, and with a remarkable balance of unconscious yet open racism, camaraderie, and underlying horror.

Soucy is building an annex to a world (two actually: Lovecraft's and his own previous version) beyond dark comic vignettes. We are embarking on a journey here.

It's going to be a helluva ride.

First off, this is the most concise usage and explanation of Schroedinger's Cat I've ever read or seen. That Richter clarifies the concept by explaining how this situation is NOT like Schroedinger's Cat makes it ironically perfect. Bravo.

As for the rest of it...

It's delightful! A potentially annoying character is made endearing because we see them through the eyes of someone who loves them. And we've all been that person: glued to a screen waiting for news we can read about later. Richter stages this intervention with understated affection, romance, and logic. Plus dopamine! I feel hugged too!

Girl, you have found a brunch place on a Wednesday! A WEDNESDAY!!! Do you have any idea how exclusive that is??? Not how special makes you but how special YOU ALREADY MUST BE because a midweek brunch… That is rarified air.

She does not know. She is a hot mess. But she is covering! With a smile and a facade of calm that actually might work (at least when she doesn’t speak). But the THOUGHTS! She’s a champion overthinker and to that I cry SOLIDARITY!!!

A hilarious well-observed deep dive into post-breakup spiraling. Say this one out loud!

Florida is a blight on the world. This is just one of a thousand examples given per day of how detrimental its current legislative and executive bodies are.

Instead of a broad satirical bent on the current Shakespeare ban (yes, future digital archeologists, it really happened), Richter takes a more elegant approach, imagining the consequences of at least modestly conscientious students trying to claw their way out of that cesspool of ignorance known with ever increasing irony as the Sunshine State. Florida doesn’t want lighting shining on anyone.

Sharp. Elegquant. And just the right touch of profane.

A surprisingly non-horrific tale in the Spooky U canon but still quite enjoyable. What I love about these new entries is that they address race in ways that a lot of cosmic horror writers (outside of Lovecraft Country) don’t.

The horror here is how much is mirrors the cultural ignorance of the real world and how proud some people are of that ignorance!

This play both challenges and deliciously punishes that attitude while celebrating what brings us together. It also doesn’t whitewash the power of deep-rooted prejudice.

A fun palate cleanser on a dark hilarious journey!

This monologue lands like a bomb.

It starts like one just went off: with great urgency and a rush to help. To create safety.

A girl has been kidnapped. There is evil afoot. And the clock is running down before the state line is crossed and “the devil has his way.”

Wyndham subtly lays in clues as to the greater context of what’s really going on. As with the best surprises, the reaction is “Oh no!” followed by “Of course…”

The truth hits like napalm. I actually felt sick.

WHOO-HOO! I GOT A BURST OF ENERGY JUST READING THIS!!!

WHAT BEGINS AS AN EFFECTIVE SEND-UP OF BOTH CONSUMERISM AND CONSUMERS BECOMES ABOUT SSOOMEETTHHIINNGG EEVVEENN BBIGGGGEERRRRRR!!! COULD IT BE THE FATE OF THE WORLD??? COULD IT PLACE EVERY LIVING CREATURE IN IMMINENT DANGER???

ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT!!! READ “HORNET BOOST!” TODAY!!!

It was a rainy night on the thawing Alaskan tundra.

Or maybe it wasn’t.

There *was* an awning, a fire, and mosquitoes whooshing like starlings as a sheriff took the stage along with a wanted-poster-hopping outlaw, a lard-licking belly scratching butter lover, and a lipsticked lady who was literally a horse. A horse? Of course!

Unseen amidst the prairie mischief, scattered ‘neath the awning, lurked five scribes fashioning a serialized tale of larceny, land, lust… and MURRRDERRRwhinneywhinneywhinney…!

A tale as compelling as it was perverse, filled with passion, betrayal, tragedy, and dairy!

A batshit masterpiece!

It was a rainy night on the thawing Alaskan tundra.

Or maybe it wasn’t.

There *was* an awning, a fire, and mosquitoes whooshing like starlings as a sheriff took the stage along with a wanted-poster-hopping outlaw, a lard-licking belly scratching butter lover, and a lipsticked lady who was literally a horse. A horse? Of course!

Unseen amidst the prairie mischief, scattered ‘neath the awning, lurked five scribes fashioning a serialized tale of larceny, land, lust… and MURRRDERRRwhinneywhinneywhinney…!

A tale as compelling as it was perverse, filled with passion, betrayal, tragedy, and dairy!

A batshit masterpiece!

It was a rainy night on the thawing Alaskan tundra.

Or maybe it wasn’t.

There *was* an awning, a fire, and mosquitoes whooshing like starlings as a sheriff took the stage along with a wanted-poster-hopping outlaw, a lard-licking belly scratching butter lover, and a lipsticked lady who was literally a horse. A horse? Of course!

Unseen amidst the prairie mischief, scattered ‘neath the awning, lurked five scribes fashioning a serialized tale of larceny, land, lust… and MURRRDERRRwhinneywhinneywhinney…!

A tale as compelling as it was perverse, filled with passion, betrayal, tragedy, and dairy!

A batshit masterpiece!