Category: Swords and Spaceships

Happy Friday, fellow travelers! Today we’ve got reviews of the Xenogenesis series and Jagannath, plus Firefly novels, ASoIaF news, Slytherin reads, and more.

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This newsletter is sponsored by Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre.

Meet your new favorite kickass heroine in this daring series by New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre, perfect for fans of Claudia Gray’s A Thousand Pieces of You.

Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her tough. After committing a crime that has her running scared, Zara assumes she’s headed for jail. Instead – she’s recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected to explore the universe on sentient alien ships. Zara’s ready to flee her troubles on Earth – but nothing could have prepared her for the truths she’ll uncover among the stars.

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Giveaway alert! We’re giving away $500 worth of Penguin clothbound classics on our Instagram, and you definitely should enter.

It’s Black History Month! Here are some black SF/F authors you should be reading now and always, courtesy of The Portalist.

Shiny: the Firefly ‘verse is getting novels! I am not much of a screen-to-page, expanded universe reader to be honest; I only have read a handful of the Star Wars novels, and that might be my sum total across franchises, but I’m very curious about these. Sharifah and I talked about it in a little more detail on SFF Yeah! this week.

In the continued saga of A Song of Ice and Fire news, Martin has declared that there will be seven books total. Probably. Maybe.

Slytherins, your time has come. By which I mean, we put together a reading list for you. Because Merlin was a Slytherin too!

Speaking of Hogwarts: one of our contributors wrote an homage to the Houseless. While I am firmly Ravenclaw and cannot imagine not having a House, I really enjoyed this look at what fandom can look like from different perspectives.

Next-level costuming: an artist designed a bard and mage hijabi, which then turned into a whole thread of amazing art with fantasy hijabi characters, and I am over here with big heart eyes. I love them all, but the bard is my favorite.

Spoiler alert: this interview with Michelle Yeoh is wonderful, but also gives away some recent plot points for Star Trek: Discovery. Read at your own risk! (But, so good.)

Cheap ebook alert! The entire (R)Evolution series, Gemsigns, Binary, and Regeneration by Stephanie Saulter, are on sale right now for $2.99 each. I love this series like whoa, and if you like science fiction that explores questions of humanity while also giving you action and superpowered individuals, then you should grab them.

And now: reviews of books that have nothing in common except I read them recently!

Lilith’s Brood, a.k.a. The Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler

Reading Octavia Butler while the world is a garbage-fire has made me feel a bit like I’m seeing double. First published in 1987, the Xenogenesis books ask us to consider if humanity is worth saving, and on what terms.

In Dawn, we meet Lilith Ayepo. She, along with a few other remnants of humanity, were saved from the total nuclear destruction of Earth by aliens called the Oankali. Centuries later, the Oankali have made the Earth inhabitable again and they begin waking up the humans — but since they were salvaged, the aliens have also edited their DNA. Humans can no longer reproduce without the involvement of the Oankali, who survive and evolve by trading genetic material with the other species they encounter as they explore the universe. Her choice is simple: to help the aliens wake up the rest of the humans and acclimate them to their new reality, or to resist the Oankali and be put back in stasis. Her choice and the consequences make up the next two books, Adulthood Rites and Imago.

The nuances of consent and compulsion are recurring themes for Butler (Fledgling is also a deep — and deeply disturbing — look at these concepts). And as I tore through this series, I found myself marveling at the complicated portrait she paints. She never shies away from presenting humanity at its worst, and she searches for the best while she does it.

Trigger warnings: sexual assault, harm to children. 

Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck

If you’ve read the Brothers Grimm or other pre-Disney folk/fairytales, you know that they’re often grotesque, morally neutral, and/or just plain weird. (So many feet get cut off!) Tidbeck is writing contemporary fables in that tradition. Be prepared to be enchanted and disturbed in equal measure.

It’s hard to sum up or call out the stories — reading this collection felt a bit like being in an extended fever dream. Some stories felt as though they had related threads; others were completely singular; still others reached out to familiar material (Alice in Wonderland, for example) and then twisted it into strange new shapes. A woman turns into a mouse; a girl disappears on a mountain; strange beings populate a vacation village; a switchboard operator is in hell. Some of them, I can’t think of without shuddering, while others were more whimsical. Regardless, I don’t recommend eating and reading this collection at the same time. For reasons.

If you’re a fan of weird fiction; if you love dark fairytales and have a strong stomach; if you enjoy a hefty dose of the surreal; then Jagannath is for you.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Strap in and hold tight,
Jenn

Happy Friday, necromancers and Neolutionists! Today’s installment includes reviews of The Other Lands and River of Teeth, a Hugo Awards spreadsheet, South Asian speculative fiction, and more.

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This newsletter is sponsored by Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh.

Odessa is one of Karthia’s master necromancers, catering to the kingdom’s ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it’s Odessa’s job to raise them by retrieving their soul from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised: the Dead must remain shrouded. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, a grotesque transformation begins, turning the Dead into terrifying, bloodthirsty Shades. Odessa is forced to contemplate a terrifying question: What if her magic is the weapon that brings the kingdom to its knees?

Reign of the Fallen is a gutsy, unpredictable read with a surprising and breathtaking LGBT romance at its core.

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Prepare your ears: The Audie Award finalists have been announced, and the SFF contenders include my personal favorites The Stone Sky and Provenance.

Calling all voters: The 2018 Hugo Awards are open for nomination by Worldcon members. If you’re a voting member OR if you just want to see what’s eligible, there’s an epic collabroative spreadsheet to track titles.

Get regional: This beautifully thorough first installment of the history of South Asian speculative fiction goes back to the 1800s, and considers both how to define the genre and its benchmark books.

Immortality for all: Netflix’s new adaptation Altered Carbon is playing with consciousness transfer, and so are actual scientists.

Dueling in a dress: This thread on the logistics of swordfighting in a ballgown made my … week? Possibly my month.

Need some spacey gifts, for yourself or another? Here are some excellent options (that Hitchhiker’s bag!).

Already read all of Le Guin’s work? Never fear: Danika rounded up 75+ books that Le Guin herself recommended over the course of her career.

In this week’s reviews, we’ve got an incredible Book 2 and some very angry (also hungry) hippos.

The Other Lands (Acacia #2) by David Anthony Durham

I wouldn’t normally review a Book 2 — either I’d do the first one, or wait til I’d read the entire series. But I just finished The Other Lands, and it’s in the top 10 second-in-trilogy books I’ve read, so you’re gonna hear about it.

The Acacia series is my go-to read-alike, alongside Kameron Hurley’s Worldbreaker Saga, for fans of Game of Thrones who are desperate for something to read in the long dry years of ASoIaF. The War With The Mein (Acacia #1) introduces us to the main players: the Akarans, a dynasty headed by the addicted widower king Leodan; the Mein, a violent tribe out to take over control of the empire and resurrect their dead ancestors; the League, who control trade and have a vested interest keeping up the status quo. When Leodan is assassinated, his four children are flung out into the world under the (occasionally dubious) protection of separate guardians. Through Leodan’s children, we get a varied and truly global view of the world Durham has created. The children grow up in very different circumstances and when they’re put back in touch years later, in a plot to overthrow the Mein, they must reinvent their relationships as well as take back their kingdom.

While there’s plenty of action in The War with the Mein, it’s also a deeply introductory book, and it ends on a fairly satisfying note. So it took me a bit of time to get to The Other Lands; I am here to tell you that you should get to it ASAP. After a helpful recap of the first book, it plunges into an intricate, complicated plot that had me almost missing my train stops. Here is a fantasy series that complicates Good and Bad, that includes swords and sorcery as well as diverse populations, that gives you many sides of the same story and lets you decide who to root for. And the ending? Pure cliffhanger. Happily, The Sacred Band (Acacia #3) is out and waiting for me at the library.

River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey

This novella packs a bigger punch than you might expect, and its premise is a delight. In Gailey’s alternate 1890s America, the US government has imported hippos for ranching. Which sounds great in theory, until they start to escape, turn feral, and murderously infest Louisiana. Enter Winslow Houndstooth, former hippo rancher and mercenary for hire. Houndstooth receives a contract to rid the bayou of its giant violent pests, and puts together a crew to get the job done. The crew includes, for reasons only Houndstooth knows at the beginning, the expert thief Regina “Archie” Archambault, knife expert Adelia Reyes, demolitions expert Hero, and requisite patsy Cal.

Of course, nothing goes to plan. Revenge, love, and bribery all complicate the situation. People get eaten by hippos, stabbed, blown up, you name it. This is a gloriously fun, inclusive, queer, “Weird West” frontier romp — and it’s just the first in the series.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Live long and prosper,
Jenn

Happy Friday, troubadours and Time Lords! Today includes reviews of Markswoman and Eternal Life, 1970s covers, Black Panther costumes, the apocalypse, and more.

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This newsletter is sponsored by The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert.

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get…

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’70’s style: Tor.com is doing a series of posts on the female authors of the 1970s, and I both love the concept and feel blinded by the covers. Here’s A-F, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Are you counting down to Black Panther? Because I am. Please enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at the style and costuming of the movie, courtesy of EW!

Less capes, more heroes: If you need a break from caped crusaders but still want some deeds of supernatural derring-do, here’s a round-up of 18 comics you’ll enjoy. Several personal favorites (Saga! Bitch Planet! Pretty Deadly!) are on there.

The Name of the Wind has a director, and it’s Sam Raimi. Who I still haven’t forgiven for the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies, womp womp.

Fight on: I deeply appreciate this SF & F for the Resistance post.

Sometimes you need to wallow: If you’re feeling like it’s the end of the world and want to get really into those feels, here are five apocalypse novels to add to your stack.

Follow up: retail therapy! Because who doesn’t need an “As you wish” throw pillow, or Merlin beard oil?

Supernatural swords and immortality, ahoy!

Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra

Meet Kyra, the newest Markswoman in the Order of Kali. She’s just taken out her first mark — by which I mean, assassinated him with her super-powered knife — and she’s not feeling as great about it as she would like. Then, the chain of command is upset within the Order and her mentor dies unexpectedly. She believes it was murder, and consequently finds herself on the run.

There are several layers to the story. Kyra was orphaned by the murder of her parents and family, and that murder turns out to have wider ramifications than she knew. The Order is struggling even before the death of her mentor, and the resulting political jockeying is complicated and potentially deadly. Then there’s the Order of Khur, composed of men, outcast by some of the other Orders. Family, gender, tribal alliances, conservatism vs. progression, all contribute to the twists and turns of the plot. And then there’s that alien technology I mentioned.

You all know that I have a weakness for fantastical assassins, and Mehrotra has hit that sweet spot in Markswoman. She’s also built a world that I am dying to hear more about. It’s a post-catastrophe version of our world, far in a future in which aliens have come and gone and left mysterious technology behind. The region Kyra lives in, Asiana, is clearly inspired by India and Asia, which is a refreshing new addition to the genre. So much to love here! Markswoman is action-packed, thoughtful, and a brave new world for readers to explore.

Eternal Life by Dara Horn

What if you were immortal and a child-bearing woman? This question lies at the heart of Dara Horn’s newest novel. Rachel made a bargain with God to save the life of her son, and 2,000 years later she’s still alive with millenia worth of husbands, children, and grandchildren behind her.

Technology is finally catching up to Rachel; one of her current grandchildren works in genetic engineering, and has started asking questions. It’s also not as easy to fake your death and disappear as it used to be. And Rachel can’t help but wonder if she should reveal her secret — maybe technology could help her finally die. Complicating things is Elazar, the father of her first son, who was made immortal in the same bargain. Their relationship is stormy, complicated, and deeply conflicted.

The storyline switches mainly between the beginning of Rachel’s life in Roman-occupied Jerusalem and the present day. The juxtaposition of ancient Jewish scholarship with modern day concerns like bitcoin and genetics is occasionally jarring, deliberately I’m guessing, and highlights the strangeness of Rachel’s experience and longevity. Rachel’s story also alternates from dreamy and mundane moments to dark, violent ones. All that combined meant that the story never quite went where I expected it to go.

As Horn is playing with what immortality looks like, the focus is primarily on what motherhood means to Rachel. She gave up her death for her son; was it worth it? She’s had and lost husbands, more children, grandchildren — does the pain of losing them outweigh the joy and meaning they bring to her life? There are no easy answers given. If you’re interested in taking the journey with her, pick this up post-haste.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn

Hello, fellow travelers. Today we’re going to talk about the life and works of Ursula K. Le Guin, one of the grandest dames of SF/F, who died on January 22, 2018.

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This newsletter is sponsored by The Night Market by Jonathan Moore.

A mind-bending, masterfully plotted novel that will captivate fans of Blake Crouch, China Miéville, and Lauren Beukes, The Night Market follows Inspector Ross Carver as he works to untangle a web of conspiracy that spans the entire nation. This near-future thriller from an author who consistently gives us “suspense that never stops,” (James Patterson) will make your most paranoid fantasies seem like child’s play.

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I first encountered Le Guin’s works by picking up a copy of The Dispossessed in my local bookstore at the age of 13, purely for the cover. Then a school friend asked me if I’d read the Earthsea books — the answer was no. I’ve been building my collection ever since.

My grief at her passing is not about her life — she lived a long, productive, and prolific one. It’s entirely for me. It’s about knowing that now, I will never meet her. Now, I’ll never get one of my many books signed. Now, there will never be another installment of words from a woman whose writing changed the way my brain works.

Some of you share my grief; others may only have heard of her. For all of you, here are a few links about her and her life:

– In 1987, Le Guin beautifully turned down blurbing an all-male anthology.

– John Scalzi wrote about encountering her work for the first time as a teenager.

– The NYT obit charts the arc of her career.

– Le Guin gave a prescient speech about art and profit at the National Book Awards in 2014.

– And this commencement address she gave at a women’s college in 1983 is about rejecting the language of masculinity (and made me cry).

The reason her works were so influential for me, so pivotal to my development as a person and a reader, is that many of them were my first exposure to concepts that now, as an adult and a citizen of the 21st century, we may take for granted. And she wasn’t subtle about it; I’ve heard from readers who came to Le Guin in recent years that they were annoyed by some of her more didactic prose (The Dispossessed is full of it). While it’s basically impossible to find any true “comps” for Le Guin, whose style was so uniquely her own, I offer you a few favorites alongside current writers who have played with those same concepts. May you read them with an open mind and in good health!

A story can explode your brain: The Lathe of Heaven
This is the one I’ve reread the most. In an alternate version of Portland, Oregon, a man named George Orr is convinced he can change the world with his dreams. Featuring a domineering psychiatrist, a love story, and turtle aliens (no really), this book took my brain places it could never have imagined, but that I’ve been revisiting ever since.
Current comp: Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (I’m still picking up the pieces of my brain that this book exploded)

Gender is fluid: The Left Hand of Darkness
On the planet known as Winter, gender is intermittent and changeable. The humanoid inhabitants take on gender only when mating, in response to their partners’ and their own desires, and not necessarily the same gender every time. For interplanetary ambassador Genly Ai, this is puzzling enough; then he gets sucked into a political struggle involving warring nations.
Current comps: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (you try explaining gender markers to a sentient spaceship, see if you do any better)
The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley (high fantasy plus LOTS of varying gender structures plus LOTS OF BLOOD AND GUTS)

Our present social/political structure isn’t inevitable or unmutable: The Dispossessed
Shevek is a physicist living on an anarchist planet. When he discovers that his world is not as free as it seems, he begins a journey to the neighboring, consumerist/capitalist planet of Urras to try to find a balance.
Current comp: Infomocracy by Malka Older (could micro-democracy work?)
Gnomon by Nick Harkaway (a nesting-doll of a book that also meditates deeply on direct democracy and surveillance)

The nuclear family is not the only family: “Mountain Ways” (read it at Clarkesworld, also collected in The Birthday of the World and Other Stories)
On the planet O, marriages involve 4 people, two of whom you’re expected to have sex with and one of whom you’re not allowed. When Shahes and Enno fall in love, they must try to find a way to honor their traditions while honoring their hearts.
Current comp: The Long Way To a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (because found families can include people who are humans, aliens, AI, you name it)

A fantasy world can grow and change with you: The Earthsea Cycle
A Wizard of Earthsea is a deeply male book — men have real magic, women are witches, men who want magic can’t sleep with women, also there’s a coming-of-age story. But with each successive book in the cycle, which now contains five novels and a short story collection, Le Guin unpacked more and more of this sexist trope, and expanded her world to offer new vistas and new opportunities.
Current comp: The World of Riverside, by Ellen Kushner and now many others (Swordspoint has a lot of very satisfying, vaguely European men who love each other and also occasionally stab each other with swords; each new addition brings more diversity and representation to the story, which is still growing)

Short stories can be just as satisfying as a novel: The Wind’s Twelve Quarters
This collection contains short stories playing in her Hainish worlds, Earthsea, and lots of others that only exist for the space of the story. I cannot tell you how many times I read my copy; enough that it fell apart beyond repair.
Current comp: The Djinn Falls In Love and Other Stories, edited by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin (which maybe one day I will stop talking about, but that day is not today)

And that’s a wrap. You can (and should!) enter our very exciting library cart giveaway right here. You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn

Happy Friday, warlocks, witches, and warring automata! This week we’re talking about The Clockwork Dynasty and Practical Magic, awards news, folklore, LEGOs, and more.

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This newsletter is sponsored by Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings.

An action-packed thrill ride of adventure, intrigue and steamy star-crossed romance! Book one in The Androma Saga, from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings.

Known as the Bloody Baroness, Captain Androma Racella and her motley crew roam the Mirabel galaxy on the starship Marauder taking whatever mercenary work they can find.

But when a routine job goes awry, the Marauder’s all-girl crew find themselves at the mercy of a dangerous bounty hunter from Andi’s past. Coerced into a life-threatening mission, and straight into the path of a shadowy ruler bent on revenge, Andi and her crew will either restore order to the ship—or start a war that will devour worlds.

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The nominees are in! The 2018 Philip K. Dick Award’s nominees have been announced. Of the seven I’ve only read one, Six Wakes; must get on these.

Supernatural YA, check: Tor has rounded up the new SF/F YA you’ll want to keep an eye out for. Sharifah talked about The Hazel Wood on the SFF Yeah! podcast recently, and I cannot wait to dig into The Belles.

Previously on The Magicians: Lev Grossman’s novels-turned-wildly popular TV show (at least amongst the nerds of my acquaintance) is back for a third season, and if you’ve lost track of what has happened on the show vs. the books, SyFy Wire has a 2-minute, spoiler-tastic catch-up video.

Fuzz and folklore: Dana found herself reading a string of folklore-based fantasies with animal protagonists this winter. This is a sub-genre I am definitely here for.

Need more short reads in your life? Alex has some suggestions as to where you can find great SF/F magazines and podcasts, plus links to stories you need in your eyeballs ASAP.

Favorite book death-match: That’s probably not what PBS is doing with their Great American Read show, but it’s hard for me not to envision it that way. Especially since SF/F greats Margaret Atwood (do they know she’s Canadian?) and George R.R. Martin are involved now!

WHERE ARE MY LEGOS: Make your own Millenium Falcon.

In today’s reviews, we’ve got historical technology and contemporary witchcraft.

The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson

This was my first experience reading Wilson (who some of you might know from the Robopocalypse books), and what a ride. The story kicks off with an anthropologist on location, studying a three-hundred year old mechanical doll in a monastery. It’s an important lead in her research, which has been stymied by artifacts disappearing right before she’s supposed to study them. When Jane is subsequently attacked in her hotel room for the family heirloom that started her interest in automata, she discovers that there is much, much more to her field of interest than meets the eye. Sentient machines exist, they’re at war with each other, and she’s just been drafted.

Featuring centuries-old automata, lots of action sequences, political shenanigans in the court of Peter the Great, and hidden temples in China, this is a whirlwind adventure story. I confess that I found the pacing a bit frustrating: the chapters are very short and switch POV between present-day Jane and one of the automata during different historical periods, which meant that just when I was getting into something the book switched gears (ahem). Ultimately the characters and the plot were more than worth it, especially if you’re a fan of ancient technology, secret societies, and anthropologist characters (all of which are my catnip).

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

It took a shockingly long time for my library hold on Practical Magic to come in. Is it because of the recent release of the prequel, The Rules of Magic? Is it because this book is a classic of the modern witch genre? Perhaps it’s both; first published in 1995, adapted into the (very charming and surprisingly eerie) movie in 1998, this book holds up.

Sisters Gillian and Sally are the latest in the long line of Owens women. Orphaned at a young age and raised by their eccentric (and witchy) aunts, they’ve taken very different paths in life. Gillian, always the spunky, daring, beautiful one, left home early and has jumped from relationship to relationship, job to job, state to state ever since. Sally, who wants nothing more than a regular life, got married, had kids, and thought that she’d finally found her best life. When her husband dies, that shatters, and she moves her family away from their hometown and settles into pretending that Everything Is Fine And Completely Normal, even though it’s far from. When Sally shows up in the middle of the night with her abusive boyfriend dead in the backseat, it sets off a string of events that will change how three generations of women — Sally and Gillian, Sally’s daughters, and the aunts — relate to each other and their relationship with the powers that they’ve inherited. Oh, and there are a couple love stories too.

The book and movie have been described as the Dixie Chick’s “Goodbye Earl” but with magic, and that’s not far off. Whereas the movie takes the spirit of the book and spins it into a modern fable about women and solidarity in general, the original text is about women and family — how we repeat family patterns, what we believe about ourselves, what we want for our children, and what we allow ourselves to want, what we allow ourselves to deserve. TL;DR: it got me all over again, right in the feels.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Live long and prosper,
Jenn

Happy Friday, sky captains and sorcerers! Today we’ve got reviews of Gnomon, Swordspoint, and Tremontaine, plus lots of adaptation news, some genre definitions, secret Harry Potter drinks, and more.

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This newsletter is sponsored by Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner.

Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft in space! An epic sci-fi adventure, the first in a duology, from the New York Times best-selling authors of the Starbound trilogy. When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution humanity has been waiting for. The Undying’s advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and their message leads to the planet Gaia, a treasure trove waiting to be explored.

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Let’s get some of the TV news done first, shall we?
– Vulture reviews Electric Dreams, a show based on Philip K. Dick’s short stories. (How did I not know that this was a thing?)
– The Snowpiercer TV show is finally in motion, and includes headliners Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs.
– The Runaways, which just aired its Season One finale, has been renewed for a second season. (Yes, I did a happy dance when I heard.)

What to look for in 2018: The Verge has some suggestions. New Becky Chambers and Cixin Liu!!

What is space opera, exactly? Not just fantasy in space, says Emily over at Tor.com.

What fictional magical object do you wish you’d gotten for the holidays? I picked a magic carpet, and of course a time turner showed up on this round-up.

Go get yourself some butterbeer: Or rather, a butterbeer latte. Starbucks has a whole HP secret menu, apparently.

When the future looks a lot like the past: I deeply appreciate this review of novels that look to history for what the future might hold (including a shout-out to An Unkindness of Ghosts, which I loved).

And now, on to today’s very heft reviews section!

Gnomon by Nick Harkaway

I have read every book Nick Harkaway has written, and this is by far his most complex, mind-boggling, and genre-exploding work yet. Which is saying something for a man whose debut novel, The Gone-Away World, took a philosophical concept and turned it into a bomb.

It’s a hard book to sum up, partly because the plot is so twisty and partly because there are so many potential spoilers. It takes place in an England in which surveillance is ubiquitous and democratized. If you don’t consent to surveillance, then the system can legally bring you in to read your mind anyway. This is what happens to dissenter Diana Hunter, who dies during the procedure — which is supposed to be harmless, if not actually good for your brain. Investigator Mielikki Neith is assigned to review Hunter’s files to find out what went wrong, and the story unfolds from there. It includes: the stock market; sharks; a priestess and scholar from the time of St. Augustine; an Ethiopian artist; video games; alien life-forms; and that’s just the top level.

If you love twisty, turny, wibbly wobbly plots, then this one is for you. I highly recommend reading it when you have some time to really dive in, partly because it’s a book that teaches you to read it as you go and partly because it really hits its stride (and reveals some of its secrets) after the first third. I started out bemused but along for the ride, and ended it shouting at the pages (in the good way).

Self-promotional note: you can see Nick Harkaway in conversation with me about Gnomon next Tuesday, January 10, at Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn!

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner and Tremontaine by Ellen Kushner, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Malinda Lo, Joel Derfner, Racheline Maltese, Patty Bryant, and Paul Witcover

I read Swordspoint for the first time over the December holidays, which is a “finally!” moment for me because it was published in 1987 and people have been recommending it to me for actual years. Which was perfect timing, because I also happened to have the collected Tremontaine Season 1!

Swordspoint takes place in an unnamed city, in which the aristocracy is engaged in both physical and political skulduggery. While they duel verbally with each other on government councils and in drawing rooms, they also occasionally hire swordsmen to duel on their behalf, to settle matters of honor. The story follows several characters including a young, shallow nobleman named Michael, an expert swordsman named Richard St. Vier, and Diane, the ambitious Duchess of Tremontaine. When St. Vier is offered a mysterious job, he is also drawn into a web of betrayals and power struggles. Michael, in the meantime, decides to become a swordsman on a whim and starts to see his life in a new light. Diane, in the meantime, is manipulating events towards her own end: but what is her goal? It’s a queer, violent, page-turner of a book, and huge fun. It also gives just the barest glimpse into the world that St. Vier and Michael inhabit. There are two sequels, The Privilege of the Sword and The Fall of the Kings; and now, there is the prequel: Tremontaine.

Tremontaine comes out of Serial Box, which offers story installments in 10-16 week installments. The contributing author line-up is stellar (Alaya Dawn Johnson! Malinda Lo!!!), and the stories begin 15 years before Swordspoint. Where Swordspoint itself is sorely lacking in characters of color and female characters, Season One more than delivers. The characters include Diane, as one might guess from the title, as well as the young foreign trader/spy Kaab, and Micah, a mathematical genius heavily implied to be on the Autism spectrum. There are many more, but those are just my favorites. The writers stick close to the established style of the original material with occasional flourishes, and the expanded world is delightful and engrossing. A definite must-read for fans of swordplay, pre-Industrial settings, and political shenanigans.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

May the odds be ever in your favor,
Jenn

Happy Friday, vampire hunters and Vogons! This week I’m reviewing Rebel Seoul and Sunshine, and talking hard sci-fi, new books to watch for, historical sf/f, and more.

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This newsletter is sponsored by Through a Dark Glass by Barb Hendee, the first of the Dark Glass series from Rebel Base Books.

In the first of the Dark Glass novels, New York Times bestseller Barb Hendee, author of the Mist-Torn Witch series, the Dead Seekers, and the Noble Dead Saga, spins a brand new high fantasy adventure. When Megan of Chaumont is sold into a political marriage, her only choice is which son to marry – Rolf, ambitious and loyal, Sebastian, sly and sympathetic, or Kai, brooding and proud? An enchanted mirror gives her the opportunity to see the consequences of her choice as she lives through each of the three options…and ultimately has to choose just one fate.

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Before we get started! You’ve got about a week left to enter our Top 20 of 2017 book giveaway, right here.

What should you watch for in January? Swapna has some suggestions; I cosign Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra, which I’ll be reviewing later this month!

What is hard sci-fi, anyway? I really love this guide, which goes beyond the classics to include diverse options as well. Doesn’t hurt that my beloved authors Yoon Ha Lee and Ann Leckie are on it…

Did we all miss that the Pentagon has real concerns about aliens? No, really!

Want to get historical with your s/f? Yash has a few on her own stack that she’s excited about. City of Brass is on my list as well, and we’ve talked about my love of Everfair before. Get reading!

Cuban speculative fiction is real and it’s here. While there are still lots of untranslated works, Rachel rounds up a few you can get right now.

For your earholes: the BBC has released their full radio adaptation of Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, and you can listen for free! Not sure how long this’ll be up, so go sooner rather than later.

Treat yo bookshelf! January’s ebook deals include three books worth having, all for $1.99: Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill, gushed over by Joe Hill on our Recommended podcast; An Excess Male by Maggie Shen King, which has been making the rounds here at Book Riot; and Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach, the first in a rompy military space adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed.

In today’s reviews, we’ve got future teen super-soldiers and magical bakers. My interests, they range widely.

Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh

I picked this one up because it was the only book NK Jemisin liked in one of her recent columns (ouch). She called it “moody, explodey fun” and I completely concur.

Set in a future in which there are no more nations, but rather a coalition of regions, it follows high-school student Lee Jaewon, who is scrapping and scraping his way through a prestigious academy in hopes of moving out of the Old Seoul slums and into the domed, pristine, wealthy Neo Seoul. When a fellow student named Alex drafts him for a team evaluation that goes sideways, Jaewon finds himself part of a government project breeding super-soldiers — who also happen to be teenage girls.

What makes this book so fun is the way it plays with the tropes of dystopia and YA fiction. No love triangles here, and much less brooding than I’ve come to expect — Jaewon isn’t exactly a ray of sunshine, but his pragmatic skepticism comes from a place of experience. The parallel love stories were sweet and made actual emotional sense, the action sequences were well-written and varied, and the ending definitely has me ready for the next installment (although it’s currently unclear whether or not we’re getting one).

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Part of my New Year’s Eve celebration includes allowing myself a reread (something I don’t often have time for), and this year’s was Sunshine. Why is this my favorite vampire novel? Let me count the ways.

The world-building: it takes place in a tweaked version of our own present. Magic is real, humanity lives side by side (albeit not peacefully) with demons and vampires and sprites and whatnot, and all our main character Rae wants to do is make cinnamon rolls for her family’s coffeehouse. Having a main character who not only excels at but loves her mundane, non-magical job is such a delight! Plus the bakery scenes always leave me drooling.

The cast of characters: The story is first-person and therefore sticks close to Rae, but the supporting characters get a (wonderful) load of page-time. From her unlikely vampire ally Constantine to her biker boyfriend Mel to her stepdad Charlie to the coffeehouse regulars, you can see how her social world works and exactly how disruptive getting kidnapped by a bunch of vampires is.

I go back and forth on how original the actual plot is — if you’ve read much Robin McKinley, it fits her personal formula pretty closely. Human woman gets kidnapped by vampires, develops a relationship with a Very Special one, they fight the bad guy, The End. It’s certainly not as subversive as my second favorite, Fledgling by Octavia Butler. But McKinley always balances compassion, humor, and high stakes well, and I find this book hugely satisfying. If you’re looking for a non-sparkly, non-YA, slightly kooky take on vampires that will make you so hungry for baked goods, add this one to your TBR.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn

Happy Friday, vampires and Vogons! Today we’ve got some sequel news, food and drink and book pairings, more best-ofs, and some TV options for your holiday break.

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This newsletter is sponsored by Eve of the Pharaoh by R.M. Schultz.

MYSTERY, FORBIDDEN LOVE, AND GRAND ADVENTURE.

The legendary Hall of Records waits, undiscovered since ancient Egypt …

Young Gavin Caywood’s afflicted life has never involved deciphering illusions concealed in shadow and light, unearthing the dead, or exhuming sunken tombs in crocodile-infested waters.

Young Horemheb from ancient Egypt also desires to alter fate. He inspires Gavin through a lost tale that spans eons and cultures, weaving their lives together. Frightening enemies, magic, unexpected friendship, betrayal, love, and death emerge at every turn. But if either of them are to survive, they must choose between life, love, and the revealing of secrets from the ages.

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Another 2017 “best of”: over at SyfyWire, Swapna picked her top 10 SFF of 2017. I am notoriously terrible at assembling these kinds of lists but if you’ve been following along at home, you’ll know that I also loved several of her picks!

A thing I didn’t know I had feelings about: what is the right order to read The Chronicles of Narnia? Ultimately I agree with Mari, but it might just be because that’s the order that I read them in as a child.

For Ernest Cline fans: Ready Player One is getting a sequel! Surprising given how neatly tied up the first book was, but perhaps less surprising when you consider the bump the book has gotten from the forthcoming movie.

Where do heroes come from? This piece breaks down princess and chosen one tropes, and has some excellent food for thought regarding elitism and the fantasy genre.

For all my Nnedi Okorafor fans: While we wait for Night Masquerade, Danielle has some adult beverage pairing suggestions for Binti!

Eat, drink, and be merry with books: I love this list of food-based fantasy books from Unbound Worlds.

Need some escapist feels? Jessica recommends three fantasy romance series. If I wasn’t already elbow-deep in Nora Roberts’ Circle Trilogy, I’d be picking up one of these.

Excited about Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water? Angel’s got some readalike suggestions for while you’re waiting or after viewing. (Mini-review: I saw it and I am still too busy processing bits of it to give a final verdict but: wow, what a visually gorgeous piece of cinema!)

As the year winds down and we contemplate our over-stacked TBR piles, I thought you might enjoy some binge-watching options!

Marvel’s Runaways (available on Hulu)

Trigger warnings for the show: attempted rape; child and spouse abuse.

Y’all, I am having so many feelings about this TV adaptation of Runaways. I’ve got Volumes 1-5 (Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona) on my shelf, as well as Dead End Kids. (Note to self, must check out the Stevenson run sometime soon.) When they put out the first trailer, my excitement ran away with me. And now that the first seven episodes are out, I am hooked.

If you’re not familiar, the show follows a group of affluent teenagers in California who discover that their parents are actually murderous super-villains. MAJOR BUMMER. The casting is solid; while I wish they had gone with a true plus-size actress for Gert, rather than the round-faced but otherwise petite Ariela Barer, they nailed Karolina, Molly, and Alex. They might even have done too good a job with Alex; the actor playing him is so likable that I am not sure I can handle it. No spoilers here, but if you have read the books you know of what I speak.

Even if you’re not familiar with the comics, I encourage you to dive into the show. The writers have clearly considered an audience new to the characters, and are playing with the original material in interesting ways. So far I’m on board with most of the changes; they’ve added some new depth and introduced variables that I am curious to see play out. Some reviewers and comics-fans are impatient with the pacing of the plot, but I’m enjoying the character development and world-building. That said, if you require a quickly paced show, it might not be for you. Unfortunately, the show hasn’t yet corrected for some of the more problematic aspects of the comic — see this piece (SPOILERS AHOY) for details. But with lots of plot left, there’s room for growth. I’ll be over here glued to my screen with my fingers crossed — especially considering the cliffhanger at the end of Episode 7.

3% (available on Netflix)

I just recently started watching 3%, and the first two episodes alone put other sci-fi shows to shame. Inclusive casting, a compelling premise, a talented cast — this show deserves all of your eyeballs.

Set in a dystopian future where the vast majority of humanity live in destitution and poverty, each year 20-year-olds are given a chance to be tested to go to the Offshore, where everything is wealth and comfort. Only 3% of candidates succeed — and it’s not because that’s how many are worthy, regardless of what the Selection Process would have you believe. Following both the current batch of candidates and the creeptastic officials running the tests, the show is full of mind-games, conspiracies, and back-stabbing galore.

It’s eerie, violent, and disturbing in the ways of the best dystopias. The range of characters is a delight and a rarity, and the pacing allows us to see individual backstories as well as the events of the test itself. While there’s currently only one season available, it has been renewed for a second season and hopefully 2018 will be bringing us more episodes. A note: while I don’t personally recommend watching the dubbed version, both subtitles and dubbed versions are available.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Happy holidays to you and yours,
Jenn

Happy Friday, changelings and chrononauts! Today we’ve got reviews of Cold Wind and Radio Silence, some adaptation news, some sf/f holiday cheer, and more.

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This newsletter is sponsored by The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo.

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love. Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, the lavishly illustrated tales in The Language of Thorns will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

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A present for John Scalzi fans: We’re getting a movie adaptation of Old Man’s War from Netflix. Let the fancasts begin!

Need more YA for your TBR? Alex Tor.com picked some favorite YA SFF of 2017, and they are organized by handy categories like “Court Intrigue” and “I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying.”

Calling all Gryffindors: here’s a reading list just for you.

Not a gift guide but a guide to gifting: Aisha breaks down how to be a good gift-giver, and her advice is A++.

If you’re a long-time reader, you know that Doctor Who is not one of my specialties, so I cannot comment on how correct they are, but! The folks at Syfy decided to rank all the Doctor Who Christmas specials.

Hosting a holiday party and want to add some Star Trek to it? Here’s a recipe for Romulan ale.

Courtesy of Kelly Link: What would your fantasy series be called? Mine was A Bodega of Amethyst and Dusk, which I now feel obliged to write.

Watch this immediately: John Boyega and Gwendoline Christie play “What’s In The Box” and I literally wept with laughter for 5 minutes. ACTUAL TEARS.

Last not but least: we’re giving away a stack of our 20 favorite books of the year! And said stack includes stellar SF/F titles Her Body and Other Parties, The Gauntlet, and A Conjuring of Light. Click here to enter.

Today’s reviews are books that make me want to bundle up. Best read under a blanket and with the hot beverage of your choice.

Cold Wind by Nicola Griffith

This is the first time I’ve ever reviewed a short story for this newsletter, I do believe! But this one is so perfect for the holiday season, I couldn’t pass it up.

Set in a Seattle bar on the Winter Solstice and following a narrator whose motivations twist and turn along with the plot, this is a story that calls on the spirits of the the darkest part of the year. Griffith plays cat and mouse with the reader and her characters as she melds myth and contemporary life and looks at desire in its various forms. To say much more would be to spoil the delicious unfolding of the plot, so I will just say that it is atmospherically perfect. You can purchase the story, or read it online right here.

Radio Silence (Off the Grid #1) by Alyssa Cole

Whether or not you think you like romance novels, I urge you to pick this near-future tale up. It starts off with our heroine, Arden, trudging through the snow. She and her friend John are headed to his family’s cabin near the Canadian border because the world is ending.

No electricity, no running water, no trappings of civilization — they all shut down one day and no one really knows why. Rather than wait around Rochester NY to find out, they decide to head for the hills. But the journey isn’t an easy one, nor does their arrival at the cabin mean that everything is going to work out. When John’s parents go missing, Arden must help John and his siblings figure out what to do and who to trust, all while trying to understand her own feelings for his brother Gabriel.

A zoomed-in near-future apocalypse story, Radio Silence sorts through the emotional heft of love among the ruins. Its steamy scenes balance out with the day-to-day work of living in a world that is changing shape; the family dynamics will be oh-so-familiar to anyone who has ever spent a long weekend with relatives in close quarters, then heightened by the societal upheaval. I laughed, I bit my nails, I occasionally blushed — and then I read the rest of the series as well. This story will make you thankful both for good reading material and for your central heat during the next blizzard!

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn

Happy Friday, swashbucklers and space invaders! As is only proper this time of year, we have more gift guides and Best Of lists, along with reviews of Djinn City and Into the Drowning Deep.

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This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders.

Get booky with our new release calendar, exclusive newsletter and podcasts, and amazing giveaways. Stay on top of upcoming titles with the curated New Release Index, complete with genre filters, notes from All The Books host Liberty, and a customizable Watchlist. Subscribe to Book Riot Insiders and live your best bookish life!

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Because there is always room for more Harry Potter: Here are further HP gift guide options.

The Guardian picked the best fantasy and sci-fi of 2017, and I am delighted at how inclusive their list is, as well as how many of my own favorites got mentioned!

Need something new to watch? Syfy has you covered with this list of sf/f TV and movies coming to streaming in December.

Speaking of streaming, this gift guide has present suggestions for fans of Stranger Things, Luke Cage, Black Mirror, and more. (Cosign on the Death Wish Coffee, it’s fantastic.)

For holidays NOT Christmas, Tor has this great piece celebrating the values of Kwanzaa through sf/f works by black authors. TBR: exploded.

File under geek fashion: Sharifah and I discussed Rag & Bone’s Star Wars line on a recent SFF Yeah episode. In related news, Columbia Sportswear is releasing a line of jackets inspired by Luke, Han, and Leia. Now taking bets as to how quickly they sell out.

And speaking of Star Wars, if you are also a little confused about the timeline (I can barely keep track of myself, much less a galaxy long ago and far away), io9 has put together a very thorough timeline that incorporates books, movies, video games, AND comics.

A gift for you: have some discounted ebooks! Sabriel, the first book in Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series and a classic of fantasy, is on sale for $1.99. And if you’ve been waiting on the sequels to Wesley Chu’s The Lives of Tao, Deaths of Tao #2 and Rebirths of Tao #3 are both $2.99 this month.

Today in reviews, we’ve got fresh new takes on djinn and mermaids both.

Djinn City by Saad Z. Hossain

One of these days I will write a post about the latest crop of djinn novels/stories, because it is definitely A Thing. A thing I am enjoying thoroughly! Hossain’s contribution to the stack is a rompy adventure set in Bangladesh, with a whole host of human and supernatural (and combinations thereof) characters.

It starts off with a young boy named Indelbed, whose father has turned to full-time inebriation after the death in childbirth of Indelbed’s mother. It turns out he’s not just a drunk, but an emissary to the world of the djinn — and some of those djinn want Indelbed for their own nefarious purposes. When Indelbed goes missing, his cousin Rais finds himself drawn into this strange world and starts uncovering truths about his family he could never have guessed. How far down the rabbithole will he go, and what will happen to Indelbed?

I have two quibbles with this book. The first is that it’s a Boys’ Club of a cast, with only three named women (as compared to a ton of named supporting characters, all named, all men). My second is that it isn’t listed as the first in a series, but that ending! That can’t possibly be it, can it?! Otherwise, Djinn City is a blast from start to finish. Quirky, action-packed, and packing a solid emotional punch, it’s entertaining and well-executed. Hossain’s contribution to The Djinn Falls in Love and Other Stories was one of my favorite in that collection as well, and with this novel he’s earned his place on my own “must read” list. I look forward to whatever he does next.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

This was my first-ever Mira Grant book, and I was not disappointed. If like me you haven’t started reading her yet, this is a great place to start. If you’re already a fan, well, you don’t need me to tell you! But I will anyway.

Into the Drowning Deep kicks off with a ship lost at sea, no survivors. They had set out to make a mockumentary about mermaids, and the only footage that made it back after all hands were lost seems to prove their existence. It’s either a really awful hoax or a really shocking discovery, and no one can agree. Seven years later, a second expedition of scientists plus a film crew sets out to uncover the truth, and things go horribly (but not unexpectedly) wrong. The expedition includes the sister of an original crew member, a big game-hunting couple, an entertainment reporter, a submarine pilot, and so many other excellent and interesting people that I could write a whole paragraph just gushing about how fascinating they were. While I came for the premise, I stayed for the cast.

“Killer science-mermaids” is a plot I was likely to find entertaining regardless, but Grant does a killer (ahem) job with the cast of characters. It can be hard to juggle multiple POV storylines, but I got just enough of my favorites to keep me going, plus chapters from supporting cast that I wasn’t expecting to lend extra depth (AHEM) to the story. She’s not afraid to kill her darlings, and if you’re leery of bloodshed you might want to steer away from this one, but I was entertained and enraptured from the first page to the last. Also, I will now NEVER go swimming or sailing anywhere near the Mariana Trench.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn