August 2026 archive

The Ghost In Cabin 13 by J.C. Phillipps

Is it just me or is the horror genre having a major resurgence this year? Perhaps it’s related to the growing phenomenon of Summerween and the accompanying marketing opportunities: it just feels like horror titles are making a bigger splash than usual lately. I, personally, have mixed feelings on the genre, even as I acknowledge …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/31/the-ghost-in-cabin-13-by-j-c-phillipps/

Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea by Emily Wilson

Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea by Emily Wilson

As a relatively uninformed reader of The Odyssey — one trip through it unaccompanied while traveling across Central Europe in the mid-1990s; I don’t even remember which translation I read, only that I was mesmerized — I was happy to read all of Emily Wilson’s introductory material before embarking on the poem itself. What is known about …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/30/crossing-the-wine-dark-sea-by-emily-wilson/

Tantalizing Tales — August 2026 — Part Four

I can’t believe August is already coming to a close, dear readers, or how cool it’s started getting out at night already. June and July were awfully hot, and I’m surprised August hasn’t been more of the same. While I’m glad it’s not worse, I’m also not super looking forward to colder weather already. One …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/28/tantalizing-tales-august-2026-part-four/

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson

Even writing down the title of this post enrages me, because this entire experience has been an exercise in pedantry that makes me get all Ben Affleck exclaiming “Fictional characters!” in Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. We at The Frumious Consortium don’t usually credit translators in post titles, but in this case it feels …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/27/the-odyssey-by-homer-translated-by-emily-wilson/

We Are Pan by Andre R. Frattino & Yasmín Flores Montañez

with vibrant colors by Fabi Marques. For the longest time, I thought this was a graphic novel for Middle Grade readers, likely due to its cover. It is very much a Young Adult+ story tho, revolving as it does around five young people who are sent away from Cuba to evade Fidel Castro’s regime. Operation …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/26/we-are-pan-by-andre-r-frattino-yasmin-flores-montanez/

Fall Harvest Mini Coloring Book by Gaynor Carradice

It has been a draining year, y’all. There have been so many high points (Arsenal winning the league! My babies starting another year of school!) but also so many low points (my mysterious ongoing health issues, creeping fascism, and now the death of actual angel Dolly Parton included.) I’ve had to let so many things, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/25/fall-harvest-mini-coloring-book-by-gaynor-carradice/

Swing! by James Yang

With US Open fever getting underway, what better time to look at a delightfully retro kids’ book about tennis star Arthur Ashe — namesake of the main arena at the world’s largest tennis stadium — and the very personal effect he had on at least one family in the 1970s. Our unnamed protagonist loves tennis …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/24/swing-by-james-yang/

A Parish Chronicle by Halldór Laxness

A Parish Chronicle by Halldór Laxness

I picked up A Parish Chronicle because I had never read anything by Halldór Laxness, and this looked short enough to be a low-investment place to start. Mission accomplished, then, for the publisher Vintage Classics, who issued the book as part of their “Brief Encounters” series, which they flag as “Short books. Timeless stories.” Other …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/22/a-parish-chronicle-by-halldor-laxness/

Tantalizing Tales — August 2026 — Part Three

This was a weird day to start the English Premier League season, but Arsenal are top of the league, y’all! My internal calendar is all messed up now, lol. But we have some great books for you this week, including an upcoming thriller (also) set in London and written by one of my favorite podcasters …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/21/tantalizing-tales-august-2026-part-three/

Mister Magic: The Graphic Novel by Kiersten White

adapted for the format by Scott Peterson, and illustrated by wife and husband duo Veronica and Andy Fish. Y’all, when I tell you that I ugly cried my way through the end of this graphic novel, I super mean it. I had to sit back on the couch and take several deep breaths in order …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2026/08/20/mister-magic-the-graphic-novel-by-kiersten-white/