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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖

@assaph.bsky.social
2.9K followers 1.9K following 656 posts

Author of Murder In Absentia, an historical-fantasy murder-mystery in a quasi-Roman Ancient World (see egretia.com); Mad genius behind TheProtagonistSpeaks.com

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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Maggie Greenfield (of Smoke and Hellfire, by Kristen Brand) Dear readers, tonight we print a video interview transcript with a young witch, who recently lost her best friend in mysterious circumstances. The two friends met while investigating a house that reeked of brimstone and radiated a sense…
theprotagonistspeaks.com
Maggie Greenfield (of Smoke and Hellfire, by Kristen Brand)
Dear readers, tonight we print a video interview transcript with a young witch, who recently lost her best friend in mysterious circumstances. The two friends met while investigating a house that reeked of brimstone and radiated a sense of evil. She knew a demon is involved, but her new friend the exorcist seemed to be hiding something. Oscar: You ready?
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Sybil Wyntres (of Wrought In Flesh, by Corinne Price) Dear readers, tonight is a young woman who grew up without magic, and is now a Warden for the Portcullis. She means to make her life mean something, and is her to speak about when her past resurfaced to shine a light on the corruption that runs…
theprotagonistspeaks.com
Sybil Wyntres (of Wrought In Flesh, by Corinne Price)
Dear readers, tonight is a young woman who grew up without magic, and is now a Warden for the Portcullis. She means to make her life mean something, and is her to speak about when her past resurfaced to shine a light on the corruption that runs far deeper than the monsters below the Nether Peaks. Tell us a little about where you grew up.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Short version: Highly recommended, charming adventures in a unique setting with loveable characters. Even though it’s a trilogy, you can read part one and this one together without having to wait until the next one. egretia.com/2026/09/23/b...
egretia.com
Book Review: Keeper of the Hidden Flame, by John Houlihan
This is the second instalment of a trilogy, in a series that I love (see here). What to Expect The continued adventures of the inimitable d’Bois, in his fight against – in no particular…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Book Review: Keeper of the Hidden Flame, by John Houlihan This is the second instalment of a trilogy, in a series that I love (see here). What to Expect The continued adventures of the inimitable d'Bois, in his fight against - in no particular order - dastardly British, flamboyant Spanish, knave…
egretia.com
Book Review: Keeper of the Hidden Flame, by John Houlihan
This is the second instalment of a trilogy, in a series that I love (see here). What to Expect The continued adventures of the inimitable d'Bois, in his fight against - in no particular order - dastardly British, flamboyant Spanish, knave Frenchmen from his own side, and the occasional interstellar horror. It actually make a lot of sense, and is a fun romp to read.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
This should be the standard response to AI 😁
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Further to my post on AI spam to authors, seems like we're not the only ones... 😂
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
On Writing and AI This floated past my feed on LinkedIn, and should have been captioned et tu, Brute? The joke being, of course, that it's from Cards on the Table, by Agatha Christie, published in 1936... Christie isn't the only victim. Can you recognise this paragraph? It's the opening of Chapter…
egretia.com
On Writing and AI
This floated past my feed on LinkedIn, and should have been captioned et tu, Brute? The joke being, of course, that it's from Cards on the Table, by Agatha Christie, published in 1936... Christie isn't the only victim. Can you recognise this paragraph? It's the opening of Chapter 5 of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. Published 1818. Kinda ironic, when you think of it.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Isabelle “Izzy” Ashford (of Izzy’s Dilemma, by Robert Pais) Dear readers, tonight with us is a young girl from a distant planet, where eye color determines everything. She is here to speak about friendship, courage, and her own history that she never expected. Tell us a little about where you grew…
theprotagonistspeaks.com
Isabelle “Izzy” Ashford (of Izzy’s Dilemma, by Robert Pais)
Dear readers, tonight with us is a young girl from a distant planet, where eye color determines everything. She is here to speak about friendship, courage, and her own history that she never expected. Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there? I grew up in the small town of Covington. Covington is a wealthy community where everyone except me has Topaz colored eyes.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
For @edzitron.com 😂
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Book review: Crypt Currency, by J. Zachary Pike I enjoyed the previous works of Pike, so was looking forward to this next installment in his financial-comedy in faux-mediaeval fantasy world. What to Expect Unlike the previous novels in the series, this one doesn't start as an adventure for a party…
egretia.com
Book review: Crypt Currency, by J. Zachary Pike
I enjoyed the previous works of Pike, so was looking forward to this next installment in his financial-comedy in faux-mediaeval fantasy world. What to Expect Unlike the previous novels in the series, this one doesn't start as an adventure for a party of heroes. Things have moved on, and Gorm (the dwarf warrior in the previous 'party') is now head of the Audits and Enforcement department within the Heroes guild.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
A new release in one of my favourite modern alt-history/urban-fantasy series! egretia.com/2026/08/12/b...
egretia.com
Book Review: Cast a Cold Shadow, by Douglas Lumsden
I love Doug Lumsden’s works, so am always excited by a new release. What to Expect This is the third installment in the Shade the Collector series (the second series in the alt-history world …
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Book Review: Cast a Cold Shadow, by Douglas Lumsden I love Doug Lumsden's works, so am always excited by a new release. What to Expect This is the third installment in the Shade the Collector series (the second series in the alt-history world Lumsden has built). That said, the novels are pretty…
egretia.com
Book Review: Cast a Cold Shadow, by Douglas Lumsden
I love Doug Lumsden's works, so am always excited by a new release. What to Expect This is the third installment in the Shade the Collector series (the second series in the alt-history world Lumsden has built). That said, the novels are pretty easy to pick up and get stuck in to. You can start here, or read from the start of this excellent series.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
🤣
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
My favourite short story 😊 egretia.com/short-stories/
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Occasionally I write an in-depth article about research into daily life in Ancient Rome, as the background for my Fantasy world. I mean, a what's the equivalent to a gumshoe for Paranormal Detective facing Occult beings and curses? 😁🤣 egretia.com/2021/06/30/f...
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Short version: It’s a fun read, both entertaining and educational and recommended for those who love military history :) egretia.com/2026/07/08/b...
egretia.com
Book Review: How Chance and Stupidity Have Changed History: The Hinge Factor, by Erik Durschmied
This looked like a bit of fun for those seeking confirmation bias that many celebrated successes (or failures, depending on which side you’re on) in the past have more to do with human stupid…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
First you must decipher the trailing chicken scratching, then you must ponder the meaning 😵‍💫
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Awww, the time we resurrected Crowley to get a book review 🧟😂 Seriously people, leave a review so we don't have to resort to necromancy...
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Too true
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Lucky bastard has an agent 😜
slaves rowing a galley. One says: "I'm only doing this 'til my agents finds a publisher for my book"
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
What's common for ancient Roman cheese and the Australian rabbit plague? Hint - me 😜 Two new stories in our latest anthology: Feast or Famine? Read the sneak peeks here: egretia.substack.com/p/sneak-peek...
egretia.substack.com
Sneak peeks (or should that be teaser-tasters?)
An amuse-bouche as delectation for your literary palate.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Agreed 😅
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
I write historical fiction. I wrote a chapter about fermented fish sauce to torment my protagonist with the stench. He once complained about living above "the street of evil smells" (aka street of the cheese makers). Guess what Felix's latest adventure involves... 😜
A long time ago, in a land far away... People at some really weird shit.

Feast or Famine? a delectable anthology of speculative fiction, exploring humanity's relationship with food.
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Eric Klein @ericlklein.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
This was a fun one to edit. So many different takes on how food is important to our lives. #scifi #fantasy #antholody #food
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Funnily enough, we got an answer for that. And it's not what you think... Check out our latest anthology, for some spectacular (and spectacularly provocative) dished. Food for the mind.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Damn you Ea-Nasir!
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Tonight's protagonist interview - talking about running a festival of cheese and dead bodies ;-) theprotagonistspeaks.com/2026/05/29/l...
theprotagonistspeaks.com
Laura Evans (of Murder At The Summer Cheese Festival, by Jodie Morgan)
Dear readers, tonight we reprint a newspaper article, where a local reporter had interviewed the protagonist. The subject of the article is here to talk about working at a cheese festival in a smal…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Short version: The series is still good, even though it long transitioned from private wizard to epic fantasy (and jumped the shark in doing so). I particularly find the ‘smaller’ novels like this one, the more intimate ones, a more appealing read. egretia.com/2026/05/27/b...
egretia.com
Book Review: Twelve Months (Dresden Files #18), by Jim Butcher
The Dresden Files have been going on since 2000, and I’ve been reading them since ~2017 when fans said there was a lot in common between the early books and my writing. So I’m invested,…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Short version: Recommended if you like urban fantasy/paranormal romance and want something light that doesn’t require exercising your brain-cells. I suggest starting with the free novelette (via StoryOrigin), to see if you like it. egretia.com/2026/04/29/s...
egretia.com
Series Review: The Witch’s Bestiary, by Evangeline Hunter
I came across the introductory novella on StoryOrigin, and it looked like fun – a humorous take on urban fantasy. I’ve read that story, and proceeded to the novels. What to Expect Amusi…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
One of those days. The anthology even contains a story about the madness of custard.
The universe is vast. Have some dessert first.

Feast or Famine - a delectable anthology of speculative fiction about humanity's relationship with food.
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Purple Toga Publications @purpletoga.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Care for something to eat? How about food for the mind, the soul? Our latest spec-fic anthology explores humanity's relation with food, or the lack thereof. purpletoga.com/2026/04/18/p...
Feast or Famine: A delectable anthology of speculative fiction, concerning humans' relationship with food – or the lack thereof.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Lunch on me! Food for a curious mind in this new speculative fiction anthology, with several entries by me (with my usual blend of history and fantasy, applied to some inventive recipes 😉) Full deets at: egretia.substack.com/p/can-i-take...
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
An educational romp through history - jumping from subject to subject, but fun to explore. egretia.com/2026/04/15/t...
egretia.com
The Rest Is History (Book and Podcast)
US edition, to those more used to the red logo and book cover I mentioned The Rest Is History previously (being responsible to my ever-growing TBR list, where A Natural History of Ghosts and An Ins…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
The Rest Is History (Book and Podcast) US edition, to those more used to the red logo and book cover I mentioned The Rest Is History previously (being responsible to my ever-growing TBR list, where A Natural History of Ghosts and An Instance of the Fingerpost have made it to reviews here).…
egretia.com
The Rest Is History (Book and Podcast)
US edition, to those more used to the red logo and book cover I mentioned The Rest Is History previously (being responsible to my ever-growing TBR list, where A Natural History of Ghosts and An Instance of the Fingerpost have made it to reviews here). Considering all the hours I've spent listening to the podcast, and now finally getting to the book, I figured it's time for a review.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
This post has nothing to do with current events.
In the 6th century BCE, Croesus - king of Lydia and one of the richest men of his time - consulted the Oracle at Delphi about invading Persia. The Oracle responded that should he send an army against the mighty Persians he would destroy a great empire. Encouraged, Croesus went to fight and destroy one of the greatest empires of the time. And the Oracle was proven right - Croesus was defeated by the Persian king Cyrus, and the empire of Lydia crumbled.
History doesn't repeat, but it sure rhymes.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Writing objective #1: entertain myself 😁
"This was the first time I had to wear a toga to a brothel. Most such establishments are a quick in-and-out affairs — no criticism meant on my male readers — where a tunic is preferred for ease of access."

egretia.com
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
That was a fun story to write - I might have gone a bit wild with pop culture references (if you can call Coleridge pop culture 🤣). Free novella, if you haven't read it.
Aquae et Ignis: a story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic.
Lunacy and Piracy, Exile and Ghosts. Free on egretia.com
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Jennifer Jeanne McArdle @mcardlejeanne.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
I have a Gilded Age Gothic story, "On the Life of the Cinderella Who Lost Her Princes and Other Musings" set in Thousand Islands region, New York in this cute anthology with SFF stories about food. Coming out on May 11, 2026. @purpletoga.bsky.social www.amazon.com/dp/B0DHMCMKVZ
Cover of Feast of Famine edited by Eric Klein: Right side shows the back of the book including the list of authors and bar code and the left side shows the front cover
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Chester LaRue (of Dear AI, I Killed Her, by Kirill Khrestinin) Dear readers, tonight with us is a serial killer. He's here to speak about his crimes and about the AI to whom he confessed everything, until things started to change. Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there? I…
theprotagonistspeaks.com
Chester LaRue (of Dear AI, I Killed Her, by Kirill Khrestinin)
Dear readers, tonight with us is a serial killer. He's here to speak about his crimes and about the AI to whom he confessed everything, until things started to change. Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there? I grew up in Kentucky. I had a pretty insignificant family. I don't know how people measure their life, through what patterns.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
The most shocking writing news I have had to deliver! 😱 egretia.com/2026/04/01/a...
egretia.com
Announcing a new series of novels, available now!
To all my long-time fans – or rather, long-time fans of Felix and new fans of Jack – I have an important announcement! The books, while immensely fun to write and receiving critical success, haven&…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Coming soon from Purple Toga: a new spec-fic anthology on a very human subject 😋🤤
Curtains hiding something. Text: A delicious anthology is coming your way. May 11, 2026
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
10 years ago! (Well, 10 years since the new cover - the first 6 months were a learning curve 😅)
The cover of "Murder In Absentia" by Assaph Mehr:

A STORY OF TOGAS, DAGGERS, and MAGIC

Enter the magical world of Egretia. A thousand years of ancient Roman culture, combined with the question "What if?"

What if magic were real? What if it was part of everyday life, just like fish-sauce? What if the contract the Romans had with the gods, worked?

When a mysterious murder is discovered, people know who to call. Meet Felix, a professional fox. Felix is neither a traditional detective nor a traditional magician, but something in between.

He'll answer these questions.
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
This pun is so bad it hurts 🤣
Caesar: Why are all of my royal chariots so dented and dinged up?
Legionary: Hair, Caesar.
Caesar: Very good, but again, what happened to my chariots?
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Tonight's protagonist interview :-) theprotagonistspeaks.com/2026/03/13/b...
theprotagonistspeaks.com
Ben Jackson (of Operation Trash Bandit, by Tabitha Ormiston-Smith)
Dear readers, tonight with us is a Detective Senior Constable, who had been described as handsome, kind, hard-working and diligent — and as thick as two planks. He hails from Victoria, Austra…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
So true 🤣
augustales
told my parents i miss archaeology and my mom was, very sympathetically, like: "do you want to dig holes in the garden?" and i was like. yes. i want to dig holes in the garden.
ruffboijuliaburnsides
my wife, after reading this to me aloud: It's your people! ...do you want me to break a clay pot for you to put back together?
me, burying my face in my hands: Maybe...?
mycroftrh
These are both moods, but unfortunately I am primarily a bioarchaeologist. (IE, I specialize in digging up old human skeletons.) And, uh, home-made bioarchaeology is tragically discriminated against by law enforcement.
autie-girl-power
Only if you get caught
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
Short version: An excellent psychological thriller, with an unreliable narrator (not her fault) and a grey morality that’s much truer to the modern world. egretia.com/2026/03/04/b...
egretia.com
Book Review: All You Took From Me, by Lisa Kenway
This was a Ned Kelly award winner for 2025, always a good sign for an aussie-based thriller. What to Expect A woman wakes up in a hospital after an accident, with no memories of the few months lead…
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
🤣🔥
Prometheus: hot take
The Greek gods: no, give that back
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Assaph Mehr 📚⚔️🕵️👻🏺🏛️🤖 @assaph.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Two book reviews about AI and the damage it's causing. Also recommended to those who like history (because the similarity to previous cycles is staggering): egretia.com/2026/02/18/j...
egretia.com
Just how bad AI is – two book reviews
Since I deal with Responsible AI as part of my day job — the kind of technology that is meant to improve human lives, and not do harm — I also read about the instances of when it goes w…
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