The Portalist

The Portalist is a welcoming space for enthusiasts of science fiction and fantasy. We appreciate both creativity and science, inviting everyone who is curious, passionate, and seeking a positive and inclusive perspective of the universe.

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The Murderbot Diaries Series in Order

1 week ago | theportalist.com | Kayleigh Donaldson

Don't let the name fool you. The murderbot of Martha Wells' multi-award-winning series of sci-fi novellas doesn't have much interest in killing humans. The murderbot is a cyborg security unit who is hired by those looking to explore alien planets. It's programmed to act as security, but unbeknownst to its owners, this bot has hacked his module and gained sentience.
BookTok Favorites Like the Solaris and Crello Trilogy by Rina Vasquez

2 weeks ago | theportalist.com | Kayleigh Donaldson

TikTok has undoubtedly been a game-changer for book lovers. The BookTok community, millions strong and wildly enthusiastic in their love of the written word, has radically shifted how books are recommended and promoted. It’s led to a new era of bestsellers and genre favorites, with a particular focus on the blend of romance and fantasy, shortened to the portmanteau romantasy. One such writer to benefit from the BookTok romantasy boom is Rina Vasquez.
Speculative Fiction Books About Scientists

3 weeks ago | theportalist.com | Jena Brown

It's no surprise that speculative fiction often cherishes the science above all else. So, it makes sense that often, the characters at the center of these stories are scientists. Even in Mary Shelley’s novel, the book many argue was one of the first science fiction stories ever, Dr. Frankenstein’s scientific endeavors to overcome death were the entire focus of the premise. As our understanding of science has evolved, so have the fictional scientists written in our stories.
The Best Science Fiction Authors Ever, From A to Z

1 month ago | theportalist.com | Kayleigh Donaldson |Poul Anderson |Octavia E. Butler |Arthur Clarke

With centuries of work to its genre and countless millions of words in print, the history of science fiction is too vast to be summarized. It’s a field that encompasses endless themes, styles, ideas, and plots. It covers the full gamut of what it means to be human or alien. Even condensing the genre into its greatest writers is a task and a half.
How I Would Edit The Stormlight Archive Book 5, 'Wind and Truth'

1 month ago | theportalist.com | Matthew McCreary

Note: This article does include spoilers. Wind and Truth, the fifth book in Brandon Sanderson’s epic Stormlight Archive, doesn’t need fixing. It’s an international bestseller with 42,887 five-star ratings on Goodreads at the time of this writing (4.45 stars overall). The entire series has been a high-wire act with seemingly endless points of view and pages, all of which come together for famously bombastic endings at just the right time.
The Best Science Fiction Books of the 1980s

1 month ago | theportalist.com | Orson Scott Card |Arthur Clarke |David Brin |Robert Silverberg

The new technological advances of the 1980s inspired authors to explore the possibilities of machines. Personal computers and video games become commonplace and this is reflected in the SF books of the decade. As the world became digital, authors imagined what the future could look like as humans become more reliant on, and more entangled with, technology. Books explored the blurring line between man and machine and the exciting or dangerous places it could lead to.
Stephen Graham Jones Books Blending Fantasy and Horror

1 month ago | theportalist.com | Vernieda Vergara |Stephen Jones

Horror has been having something of a renaissance during the past decade. From films like Get Out, Midsomar, and Hereditary to novels like Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic and those by Grady Hendrix, people have been flocking to this genre known for providing chills and thrills—including those people who would normally consider themselves horror-averse. The genre has even expanded to beyond what we think of as classic horror.
The Best Daredevil Books and Comics

1 month ago | theportalist.com | Kelsey Christine McConnell |Paul Crilley |Frank Miller |Ann Nocenti

My introduction to Daredevil was through the 2003 Ben Affleck movie. I'm not proud of that, but it is what it is. My brother had always been a much bigger fan of the character, and through his appreciation I was exposed to the complex, nuanced, and gritty details that my first impression of the hero had largely glossed over. Rife with themes of Catholicism, corruption, and morality, the Daredevil comics consistently deliver darker and more intense stories than many other corners of Marvel comics.
9 Retellings of the Classic Snow White Fairy Tale

1 month ago | theportalist.com | Kayleigh Donaldson |Tom Holt |R.C. Lewis |Andre Norton

The story of Snow White is one of the most recognizable and retold fairy-tales in history. First written down and published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812, variations of the story can be found throughout folklore. The one we're most familiar with is that of a beautiful young maiden whose evil stepmother tries to kill her, and who finds solace with seven kindly dwarfs until her handsome prince comes to save her.
Clifford Simak's Best Science Fiction Books

2 months ago | theportalist.com | Jena Brown |Clifford D. Simak

Born in Millville, Wisconsin in 1904, Clifford Simak grew up developed a love of science fiction after reading H.G. Wells. In 1931, he published a short story, “The World of the Red Sun,” in the December issue of Wonder Stories. A year later, he had successfully placed four more short stories in various publications. Though his work is most well-known in the genre of science fiction, he only had one sci-fi story published between 1932 and 1938.