This novel follows two narratives: Tess is a time traveler working with a secret group of women and nonbinary people making strategic edits in historyThis novel follows two narratives: Tess is a time traveler working with a secret group of women and nonbinary people making strategic edits in history in an attempt to create a present and future where people of all genders and races are afforded equal rights. Though the cast of the novel is racially diverse and the group’s intentions encompass racial equity, the current mission is focused on recovering abortion rights, and my main criticism is how the story often felt lacking in intersectionality. The other narrative thread follows Beth, a teenage girl in the early nineties whose destiny is clearly tied to Tess’s, but why? Beth and her friends careen towards violence and she grapples with who she wants to become in a storyline that I was completely not expecting to be half of this novel, but that surprisingly charmed me. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the imagining of time travel and the functioning of edits of the timeline. Time travel isn’t a human invention (or if it is we’ve lost the memory of it being such) and might even be a geological phenomenon. The ability to travel through time has existed throughout human history, with varying degrees of understanding. When the past is edited, the only people with memories of the former reality they were living in are those who were present for the change, a scary and amazing framing of a timeline that enforces narrative consistency. It was totally elegant and sometimes made my brain scramble to follow the shifting timelines, all of which I found thoroughly satisfying. Cw for suicide, violence, murder, sexual assault, child abuse, transphobia, transphobic murder, abortion....more
Givhan is a Mexican American poet with family ties to the Laguna Pueblo in West-Central New Mexico and in this, her debut novel, she draws heavily on Givhan is a Mexican American poet with family ties to the Laguna Pueblo in West-Central New Mexico and in this, her debut novel, she draws heavily on Indigenous storytelling, especially of the Zuni people. This dystopian sci-fi (questionably labeled as Magical Realism) features a pregnant Mexican American anthropologist named Calliope who wakes up following a car accident in a drastically altered world, absent most of its people. She struggles to reconcile her scientific understanding of the world with her unprecedented circumstances, the echoing words of her Acoma Pueblo great-grandmother, and the input of her eventual traveling companions - the strange prophecies of her neighbor girl Eunjoo, and the stories of the Zuni Physics PHD student, Chance, they meet along the way. Opening so ominously and flirting with the horror genre throughout, this book was an exciting and fascinating read. I feel like a lucky person because I’ve unintentionally read two books in a row that draw quantum mechanics into their plots ...more
Positioned as dark fantasy with a tinge of horror, A Spectral Hue follows a grad student named Xavier who travels to Shimmer, Maryland to study the loPositioned as dark fantasy with a tinge of horror, A Spectral Hue follows a grad student named Xavier who travels to Shimmer, Maryland to study the loose collective of Black artists who’ve made strange and stunning artwork there, in a tradition that began with an enslaved girl named Hazel Whitby who became a prolific quilter. His story twines together with those of two other Shimmer residents, the unfolding history of the artistic movement, and the haunting that has produced it. A ghost story that reckons with America’s brutal history of slavery, this book makes an excellent companion with fellow Lammy finalist The Deep by Rivers Solomon. It’s a magical, thoughtful, and unsettling read, and Gidney is a deft writer who packs so much into a few pages. I’m looking forward to checking out more of his work, but in the meantime I highly recommend this one. Cw for slavery, homophobia, drug use....more
The Freedom Artist by Ben Okri was one of those “didn’t know this book existed but now I have to have it” bookstore finds for me earlier this year, anThe Freedom Artist by Ben Okri was one of those “didn’t know this book existed but now I have to have it” bookstore finds for me earlier this year, and reading it definitely brought the bookstore nostalgia for that reason. It’s sleekly designed, and I was captivated by the page between the dedication and epigraph which sports the words “Read Slowly” at the bottom. I’m not sure I always successfully followed that instruction, but I tried. Though this book is probably considered by many to be more “literature” than “science fiction”, I put it on the 2019 Becky Awards Longlist because genre is made up and I was excited to read it. The Freedom Artist is a poetic little dystopian, with short elusive chapters which made it difficult to put down. I feel like somehow it’s a page-turner not because of the plot but because of the tone of the writing. Any book that’s ever been described as “allegorical” probably means that on some level I didn’t understand it, but I still found the reading experience rich and exciting. We begin with a tangled web of founding myths, and throughout this novel I found the worldbuilding to be intriguingly imprecise, cluttered with unknowns on questions of history and truth. The founding myths are being rewritten, books are disappearing, the majority of people sleep through their lives and scream in their sleep. The bulk of the plot follows a man named Karnak, whose lover has been removed by the authorities for asking the dangerous question “who is the prisoner?” This evocative question roots itself deeply in the novel, which overall I found absolutely beautiful to read, and mostly satisfying in its conclusion. This novel makes an intriguing companion for another literary dystopian longlist-er, The Memory Police by Yoko Ogwa. Comparing the two, I think my biggest disappointment with The Freedom Artist is how off-page the story’s women were. Amalantis is arguably a much more interesting character than her lover Karnak, but we get his whole story peppered with mere fragments of his memories of her. I’m sure you could argue there’s something interesting about centering the story this way, but it also just kind of feels like the way women are so often not developed as full characters. I don’t feel like this criticism took away from the magic of the reading experience, but it sort of nags at me as I sit back and reflect upon finishing. Cw for violence including some gruesome descriptions and mentions of suicide...more
For whatever reason I’d decided this would be a breezy sci-fi romp that I could fly through in a few days despite being a solid NOV at 567 pages, but For whatever reason I’d decided this would be a breezy sci-fi romp that I could fly through in a few days despite being a solid NOV at 567 pages, but I should have heeded the Neal Stephenson comparison in the blurbs and realized I was in for a book dense with world building, tech details, and a whole lot of plot. None of which is a criticism! I thoroughly loved this book, it’s just definitely got the most complex world building I’ve read in a sci-fi novel in a minute, and I spent a lot of time digesting details and drawing together connections. Set in the near future where humankind is fighting their way back from the brink of environmental collapse, Gamechanger is pumped to bursting with details of our imagined future, with deeply integrated virtual reality and artificial intelligence taking center stage. The novel follows a sizable cast of characters, helmed by environmental activist, legal advocate, and semi-pro video gamer Rubi Whiting, her famous musical genius with a troubled past father Drow, and her genderqueer gamer rival/love interest Gimlet (naming your kids after retro alcoholic beverages is a hot trend in the future). Tbh Gimlet’s storyline, surrounding taking care of their nine year old daughter Frankie as their polyamorous marriage dissolves, with one partner receiving cancer treatment and another bailing under the pressure, kinda stole the show for me. Come for the complex and richly imagined world building, stay for the lovable cast of characters and the white-knuckled struggle for the fate of humanity played out in a giant VR video game, which somehow manages to not feel contrived once it’s fit into the context of this brilliant and delightful novel. The whole thing ends beautifully, but I’m clamoring for a sequel. Will settle for more Beckett novels....more
The Old Lie is a brilliant work of military science fiction and pertinent social justice writing. Coleman explores old themes of the costs of war, colThe Old Lie is a brilliant work of military science fiction and pertinent social justice writing. Coleman explores old themes of the costs of war, colonization, and weapons testing in a far flung yet all too recognizable setting, a near future that has seen humanity join an intergalactic Federation and enlist in fighting their war. Imagining a grim future for mankind alongside reflections on layered parallels in our real history, this novel shines beautifully with its cast of dazzling, tenacious indigenous characters who grapple with what is done to them, and how they participate in their new status quo. Coleman’s characters and vividly imagined settings bring this story powerfully to life, down to the smallest details. An absolute thrill to read, and conceptually a triumph....more
Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes feels like a D&D campaign, in the best way. I alternated reading the physical book and listening to the audiobook, nChilling Effect by Valerie Valdes feels like a D&D campaign, in the best way. I alternated reading the physical book and listening to the audiobook, narrated by Almarie Guerra, and the episodic feeling of the book’s early chapters lent itself perfectly to the audio format. The straightforward set-up builds to something more complex as the story progresses, with worldbuilding that's intriguing but not overly detailed. I just delighted in following the escapades of Captain Eva Innocente and her crew aboard La Sirena Negra; this book is a total romp, littered with references to nerd culture and a cast that easily stole my heart. I’m not often a fan of romance leaking into my SFF, but the budding romantic tension between Eva and her alien Engineer Vakar was an unexpected exception. Vakar is from a race that expresses emotions through scent the way humans change facial expressions, and I loved all the smell based details throughout. Chilling Effect is best appreciated as an adventure story set in space; it’s a good time with a dash of political intrigue, but not a book asking big questions about the way technology impacts future civilizations or requiring the reader to sort through scientific concepts. If you enjoy spacefaring adventures starring troubled good guys trying to go their own way, like Firefly if it were helmed by a badass Cuban American woman, Chilling Effect is the novel for you....more
I definitely should have written my review for Triangulum by Masande Ntshanga more swiftly after finishing it, because I don’t know what to say about I definitely should have written my review for Triangulum by Masande Ntshanga more swiftly after finishing it, because I don’t know what to say about this book anymore, if I ever did. It’s a difficult book to describe even, so maybe this review is for those of you who see that cover, hear ‘science fiction that bends towards mystery, set in South Africa’s recent past and near future’, and, like me, are sold on no further information. Triangulum is structured like a collection of first-person primary documents, journal entries and transcribed recordings, which are under review by the South African National Space Agency because their relevance to a recent terrorist attack lend credence to their claim of the impending end of the world. At the heart of this novel is a young woman grappling with the disappearance of her mother and, in the background, the rippling social impact of the end of apartheid. A convoluted but ultimately, for me, deeply satisfying read. Cw for disordered eating, mental illness, suicide, drug addiction...more
Reviews for this one have been SO mixed, even among friends who have similar taste to mine and also loved Morgenstern’s debut, The Night Circus. UltimReviews for this one have been SO mixed, even among friends who have similar taste to mine and also loved Morgenstern’s debut, The Night Circus. Ultimately I made Matthew decide and he predicted I would like it, and was vindicated once again. A few chapters after finally cracking in, I turned to him and said oh yes, this is absolutely a me book. And then I was swept into the story and didn’t surface for air until I stuffed the whole thing into my brain in one weekend. I totally get why this book isn’t for everyone, but I loved the entire cozy magic aesthetic, the intrepid characters, the way the interlocking plots of all the fragmented stories twisted in on each other. Some parts of the ending leave something to be desired and a few questions left unsatisfyingly unanswered, but honestly I think I was too all in at that point to care. Reading this book was an enchanting experience....more
The Memory Police is like a melancholic, magical 1984, dabbling barely enough in elements of dystopia to classify as science fiction, blended beautifuThe Memory Police is like a melancholic, magical 1984, dabbling barely enough in elements of dystopia to classify as science fiction, blended beautifully with elements reminiscent of magical realism. Ogawa brings to life an island where objects are continuing to disappear without explanation from most people’s memories. A policing force, called the Memory Police, exists to enforce these disappearances, making sure people dispose of all traces of the now missing objects, as well as disappearing people who, for whatever reason, are immune to this loss of memory. The novel follows an unnamed narrator who attempts to hide a friend with this ability to remember. It’s largely a quiet, interior story with a preciously small cast, interspersed with excerpts from the novel the narrator is writing. The nested novel is about a typist who loses her voice, adding another layer to the unsettling atmosphere and theme of grappling with loss laced throughout. Reading this book was a powerful experience, heavily atmospheric and a bit haunting. I wasn’t propelled through the story by any intensity, but rather fell easily through the pages, immersed in its quiet beauty and a sense of the profound. I’m sure I missed much of the metaphoric layers on which this novel functions, but I didn’t find the experience lacking for that reason. It was both a mesmerizing way to spend the day, and a story I know I’ll be thinking of for a long time to come. Definitely would recommend, to fans of literary fiction and speculative alike. ...more
??? What did I just read? I have almost no idea what happened in this novel, but I did enjoy the reading experience. (Notable exception being the unco??? What did I just read? I have almost no idea what happened in this novel, but I did enjoy the reading experience. (Notable exception being the uncomfortable prevalence of absurd euphemisms for the penis. Meaty joystick? WHY??) This book is packed with ideas, but I don’t feel like I was smart enough to put it all together. The story begins in the 1800’s and as it advances to the late 1900’s and finally 2024 it keeps circling back to this nineteenth century explorer character but I couldn't tell you why. There’s a ton of character building of another character, Cassio, stuffed in the middle that somehow didn’t allow me to understand him at all. Then when part three introduces a neat woman as the final protagonist, it keeps being about the previous characters much more than her. This book is solidly speculative, but I want to say it leans more towards the “literary” side of fiction, even though I still couldn’t explain to you what I think makes a book “literary”. I love how much tech was stuffed into this book, and the feeling that it was asking interesting questions, however far just outside my reach, but ultimately I have no idea what went down in this book. In search of someone to talk to about this one? I don’t know, somehow I’m not especially inclined to try to Google my way towards some elusive understanding, preferring to let this book stand alone yet inscrutable. I think I should have read it slower....more
Easily one of my favorite Fantasy novels I’ve read this year, The Rage of Dragons is an epic and action packed character driven story with intricate iEasily one of my favorite Fantasy novels I’ve read this year, The Rage of Dragons is an epic and action packed character driven story with intricate intriguing worldbuilding. It’s the first of a planned four book series, and the sequel is due to come out this November. I cannot wait! Tau is a Lesser of the Omehi people, a heavily caste based society that believe themselves to be the Chosen people of their Goddess. With a powerful military helmed by the powers of a select few Gifted magic users, they fight a centuries long war against the godless people whose land they’ve invaded. Fueled by a thirst for revenge, our protagonist Tau sets out on a quest to become the world’s greatest sword fighter, and though the novel follows closely his personal journey, the larger political machinations are well developed in the background and leave a thrilling amount of room upon which to expand in the remainder of the series. There is so much complexity in the worldbuilding, from the classist society and the rigid structures it enforces, to the secrecy surrounding the magic and the hints that not everything is as it is presented to be, to the very foundation of the people’s self-conception, centuries divorced from their homeland and first commitment to this “righteous” war. Rich expansive worldbuilding is one of my favorite elements of great Fantasy, and Winter nails it on every level, then goes above and beyond with Tau, a dynamic character that grows and changes over the course of this lengthy tome. Heck yes, I’m never gonna stop shouting about this book!...more
Our protagonist David Mogo is a demigod godhunter in Lagos after The Falling, an event where the gods fell to Earth upending normal life across the glOur protagonist David Mogo is a demigod godhunter in Lagos after The Falling, an event where the gods fell to Earth upending normal life across the globe. He scrapes together a living for himself and his adoptive grandfather figure mainly by chasing misbehaving godlings out of people’s homes, but the story opens on a dangerous yet tempting job offer from a powerful and creepy wizard to capture a pair of gods. I don’t know if I’m getting harsher, but I was bummed that this book didn’t land better for me. I think this isn’t totally my book wheelhouse, it was very action-driven and missing any notes of intrigue that I was craving. I found the plot to be a bit obvious and nothing really surprised me. The characters were the best part of this book for me, I appreciated their relationships and dynamics, and would have loved that aspect to be explored more deeply. The back of this book proclaims it “A Nigerian Harry Dresden”, which *eyeroll*, but which also had me wondering whether this book intends to introduce a series, and got me thinking comparatively about other long running urban fantasy series. Dresden for example definitely started on a more mediocre note and built complexity over time. I’d be willing to read more of this story if it continues as a series, but would be more excited to read other work by the author if that’s in the cards instead. Hopefully my downer review doesn’t put you off this book if it’s on your TBR, I would still recommend it to folks who like an action-packed adventure story. ...more
Tears of the Trufflepig is a wild ride through the underground world of filtered animals - a technology that allows artificially produced animals, eveTears of the Trufflepig is a wild ride through the underground world of filtered animals - a technology that allows artificially produced animals, even of now extinct species. But to my surprise, this book is strongest not in its exploration of the technology or its worldbuilding, but in the character-driven narrative of its protagonist, Esteban Bellacosa who's wedged himself firmly in my heart. I didn’t leave this book feeling like everything came together, and I have a lot of unanswered questions, but the book isn’t *failing* to answer them so much as intentionally avoiding doing so. And though the plot doesn’t ever make sense of itself, I found a satisfying conclusion in the character’s growth instead. This book delivered on expected weirdness, while simultaneously not matching my expectations at all, but I’d recommend it if any of the above has you interested. I know I definitely want more folks to come chat with me about it! ...more
I stayed up too late last night reading the second half of Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh in one intense sitting. I absolutely lovBreath taken.
I stayed up too late last night reading the second half of Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh in one intense sitting. I absolutely loved this book and I only wish I could describe it more in this review, but I’m going to pick carefully around spoilers. This novel follows the crew of the Damocles on a mission to Terra-Two, a distant planet believed to be habitable by humans. The four senior crew are joined by the six best and brightest teenagers from a rigorous academy that’s trained them for this role since they were just twelve or thirteen. Their journey will take twenty three years through the vastness of space. This book strikes an ominous note from the beginning, and I was immediately riveted. I decided I can’t tell you how I feel on finishing this novel, for fear of tinging your reading experience with anticipated emotions. And I do want you to read this book because I’m completely in love. In addition to crafting a gripping story fueled by so much breathless wonder at what could be to come, Oh is a beautiful writer whose prose often stopped me in my tracks. That’s quite the feat when I simultaneously wanted to cram the entire story into my brain as fast as possible. Her characters too were so real to me, and even more than the exciting plot or the gorgeous writing, they are the beating heart of this novel. Today I am sad I don’t get to spend more time with them. I would read a sequel, I would read a hundred sequels, I will read everything Temi Oh ever wants to write. I so hope for more. A few content warnings which are spoilers, so if you’re interested in reading this and there’s anything specific you want advanced warning on, feel free to ask....more
The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull defied my expectations from its "aliens arrive on the Virgin Islands" premise, offering a tangled web of human characteThe Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull defied my expectations from its "aliens arrive on the Virgin Islands" premise, offering a tangled web of human characters and a dive into the islands' history. The narrative sputtered at times for me in pacing and incorporation of some of my less favorite plot elements (namely romance) but the ideas explored are brilliant. The development of the Ynaa and the "lesson" they live by was well done, and though I wanted more there, I respect that what Turnbull was doing with this novel was a little different. Some of my favorite bits were the development of the Ynaa history and how it was juxtaposed with the history of the islands, the little linguistic touches from the Ynaa language, and the full varied storylines given to queer characters. All in all I can't wait for the next book he writes! ...more
Utter favorite. Important to note that Unraveling by Karen Lord is something of a follow-up to Lord’s debut, Redemption in Indigo. Had I not realized Utter favorite. Important to note that Unraveling by Karen Lord is something of a follow-up to Lord’s debut, Redemption in Indigo. Had I not realized that, I may have just read Unraveling first and that would have been a big bummer because 1) Unraveling spoils some of the events of Redemption in Indigo, and 2) Unraveling was SO MUCH more lovely because I was already acquainted with and invested in some of its characters, and it was a delight to revisit them in this very different story. If you’re interested in reading either of these novels, I would highly recommend reading the pair in order to you as well. Unraveling is like a supernatural detective mystery that’s totally convoluted in the best way. Untwisting the knotted storylines of past/present/potential futures/dreams is well worth it, but I’m glad I wasn’t listening to the audio for this one because there were a lot of pieces to put together and information to digest, so I think that would have made it quite challenging to follow personally. The story follows Dr. Miranda Ecouvo, a brilliant and tenacious forensic therapist who’s just helped put a serial killer behind bars when that belief is thrown into question by the arrival of a slew of supernatural beings who believe something more sinister is afoot. Miranda is one of those protagonists who just lodged herself into my heart, and I adored walking the labyrinth alongside her through the course of this novel. The characters, plot, and world building are all developed with exciting details and intrigue and I loved every minute. Plus, all the beautiful little ways this book twisted back to Redemption in Indigo made my heart sing. As with Redemption in Indigo, the ending of this novel was sheer perfection, resolving every little hook that had me holding my breath in anticipation in manners both unexpected and gloriously foreshadowed. The two books are honestly so different, and yet they are so brilliantly situated together. I was stunned and delighted by these instant-favorites and I’m looking forward to diving into Lord’s sci-fi next....more
This book starts out slow and at times repetitive, but all the world and character building are worth it when the action at last swells towards the boThis book starts out slow and at times repetitive, but all the world and character building are worth it when the action at last swells towards the book's riveting conclusion, an ending that wraps up much but left me tantalize for the sequel. Queen of the Conquered takes on a story of colonization and slavery in a Caribbean inspired world, complete with an intriguing magic concept called kraft. Sigourney is the only free islander, the lone survivor of the massacre of her entire family by the jealous white ruling elite. Now after years of playing by their script, she finally has the opportunity to take her revenge by becoming the next regent to the crown and making everyone pay. Sigourney is a complex character, and it was gutsy to tell this story through her imperfect first person POV. I had some issues with the pacing, and some bits of the story didn't fully come together, but I'd still recommend this one, especially to fantasy fans looking for something boldly reckoning with history. I think there's big stuff in store for the sequel, and I feel like it's going to blow this one out now that all the development is out of the way. I can't wait to see where Callender takes this story....more
FOODIE ADVENTURES IN SPACE! The Sol Majestic follows a sixteen year old boy named Kenna who’s spent his life traveling the galaxy at the whims of hFOODIE ADVENTURES IN SPACE! The Sol Majestic follows a sixteen year old boy named Kenna who’s spent his life traveling the galaxy at the whims of his proud Inevitable Philosopher parents, last bastions of a dying religion who aim to enlighten and feed the masses, no matter the expense to themselves or their starving son. But, on Savor Station he meets Paulius, the eccentric head chef of famed restaurant The Sol Majestic, who’s so taken by Kenna’s plights he dedicates his staff to preparing a feast to honor Kenna and revitalize the Inevitable Philosophies. The Sol Majestic becomes the first home Kenna has ever known, and he’s forced to choose how much he will sacrifice to repay their extravagant belief in him. I came to this book for the luscious food descriptions and the exciting premise of the unique struggle to maintain a high caliber restaurant in the depths of space, but surprisingly the heart of the book was Kenna’s coming of age and forming his own beliefs after being raised in the indoctrination of his parents’ Inevitability. Kenna’s push/pull between his life changing experiences at The Sol Majestic and the weight of everything he’d been raised to believe felt so authentic, and I loved closely following his journey, even as he screwed up and committed hard to disastrous courses of action. Most of all, his relationships with the other glorious characters of this novel were so special, vibrant, and carefully rendered like a perfect consommé. I absolutely loved reading this book, which brimmed with hope and refreshed my soul. Cw for slavery, torture, suicide....more
Supernova Era explores the fate of humanity after a nearby Supernova irradiates the Earth, causing radiation sickness that will kill everyone over 13 Supernova Era explores the fate of humanity after a nearby Supernova irradiates the Earth, causing radiation sickness that will kill everyone over 13 years old within a year. Stylistically, the vibe of this book is a blend of history text and novel, with occasional excerpts from first person accounts of the events. The first third of the book is about the scramble to pass on the full scope of human knowledge and infrastructure to its young successors, then Liu details the dramatic course of history for the first several years after the transition to the children's world. The story is told primarily about the Chinese children, but also focuses on American children and incorporates other world powers. I loved reading this book, and my thoughts are swirling with the story still. Liu took this story in these unpredictable directions, and then the book ended quite abruptly. I want more! For me the most impactful section was in the immediate aftermath of the last adults' deaths, and I was so emotional for a long time reading the chaotic, and deeply sad, result. ...more
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