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Parker Dean 6/7/26 Parker Dean 6/7/26

Parker’s Pages: Dungeon Crawler Carl

Like clockwork, whenever I share what I do here at the Echo, specifically with this column, I am told that I must read and review Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, a Puget Sound native and fantasy and sci-fi novelist. I must admit, it was the title that most intrigued me. I’d certainly played my own dungeon crawler once or twice, and I liked that there seemed to be humor and absurdism baked right into the title. So, after a long wait, I’m happy to announce I have finally cracked open the first book of this 8-book series (with two more on the way), and I am obsessed.

Calista Robbins 6/3/26 Calista Robbins 6/3/26

The Divided Line: Juno [Part 2]

She took a long breath, steadied herself, and veered off the main road as soon as the soldiers passed by her. After, it was a short yet steep walk to the hillside entry of the leisure district, a mockery of artistic curiosity. Bio-engineered trees stood in perfect symmetry on either side of the walkway. To the left, the movie theater and the music hall. To the right, the art museum. Each government-sanctioned and carefully curated.

Mary Adner 5/14/26 Mary Adner 5/14/26

Beyond Protests, Humanize MENA Lives with Intentional Arts + Culture

Across the street from the (in)famous Rickshaw Lounge lies the unassuming 1 Million Cafe. I’ve lived in the area for over a decade and never knew it was Yemeni and that their chai is homebrewed with love; my iced version with oat milk presented a homey, unadulterated flavor unlike any chai I’ve had in Seattle.

How many of us walk by establishments owned by Middle Eastern people and never try them? Is it fear? Racism? Flavors unknown?

Izzy Christman 2/6/26 Izzy Christman 2/6/26

Haunted Burrow Books Cultivates Local Creative Literary Community

The inside of the shop is tranquil, and yes: there are a lot of horror books! And not just from big-name authors— Haunted Burrow Books makes an effort to lift up voices from smaller presses and places special emphasis on local authors and artists. But don’t worry: If horror isn’t your jam, there are other offerings as well, especially in mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy.