I read literally hundreds of books every year and wish I had time to review them all, so I’m making more of an effort to at least highlight a bunch. Here are some recent thoughts-
Codename Nemoby Charles Lachman– A work of history that reads like a novel. Lachman tells the story of an operation to capture a German U-Boat, complete with only dialogue that was actually spoken by the people involved. It jumps back and forth between German and U.S. perspectives, and gives not just thrilling insight into naval battles, but also quite a bit of the time before and after the capture of U-505.
The Fireborne Bladeby Charlotte Bond– I’m doing my reading of novellas in anticipation of nominating for the 2025 Hugo Awards. My method for this is pretty straightforward: is it a novella published this year and does the library have it and does it look vaguely interesting to me? Then I read it. The Fireborne Blade grabbed me from the first pages and thrust me into a world of dangerous dragons and a woman who’s trying to make her place in a profession and universe dominated by men. It kept adding additional layers of world-building through an in-universe book describing trials against dragons. Then, it had pretty amazing character building, especially for its short length compared to the huge fantasy tomes I read more often. I was engrossed in this story from end-to-end and the payoff was pretty fantastic. There’s another novella coming in the same universe, and I’ll definitely be reading that, too. For now, this one goes on my nominating ballot.
Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis– This was another novella I picked up for the same reasons as The Fireborne Blade, and I’m so glad I did. It starts with our heroine, Ada Lamarr, watching her lifespan shrink quickly as the oxygen in her suit is running out and she waits for rescue. Then, when she is rescued, hijinks ensue. I loved the tongue-in-cheek tone of most of the storytelling, but there’s also a fairly deep mystery going on here that doesn’t get fully revealed yet. The ending had a series of classified communications that reveal more to come, and I’m all on board for that. This was a surprising read that I ended up adoring.
The Princess and the Scoundrelby Beth Revis– Had no idea this was by the same author of the novella above until I picked up to read as literally the next book! I was like… wait a second! Anyway, this is the actual canonical story, Disney-approved, of Leia and Han’s love. And like, I admit I was probably set up to not enjoy this one as much as many others. The Courtship of Princess Leiais the first Expanded Universe book I read, and, though it is now relegated to “Legends” status (and acknowledging that these were never canonical, but that they felt canonical because there was no hint we’d ever get more movies), to me I can never forget the true, continuing love of Han and Leia from that point on in the Star Wars universe. Now, with the new movies, that’s all changed. Han and Leia’s love wasn’t beyond space and time after all. I get it, life is more realistic than happily ever after. But… could we just… have happiness? Anyway, Revis does a fine job, but reading this book just made me realize once again that maybe a lot of the new Disney canon stuff just isn’t for me. I love a lot of the shows, but the new movies and many of the new books have been misses from me. I wrote about Courtship on this blog and to me, that will always be the real story of Han and Leia.
The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks– this is a re-read for me. Iain M. Banks’s Culture novels are far-future imaginings of a post-scarcity human society finding is way in the universe. They’re all pretty standalone, so reading just one of them is actually a possibility. Anyway, The Player of Games is one of my all-time favorite novels, period. It’s probably top 5. And re-reading it didn’t take anything away from that. It’s just a top-to-bottom superb story. I get that it’s not for everybody, but for me, this is the cream of the crop when it comes to sci-fi storytelling.
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Colonel Jurten is a legend of Krieg, a world that he essentially helped self-immolate in ancient nuclear destruction when he fought against the growing spread of heresy on the world. The story follows the decisions Jurten took leading to and beyond that fateful moment, but also jumps into the “present” in which the world of Krieg is churning out astonishing numbers of robust, zeal-filled soldiers and sending them to do war in the farthest reaches of the Imperium.
The two threads of plot interweave in some meaningful, though slightly predictable ways. I liked the mystery of the Death Korps being at the center, and, while I guessed the main events of the denouement before they happened, I still found it satisfying.
Lyons delivers on a good amount of action, though this doesn’t really go into the category of straight up “bolter porn” as some Warhammer books do. Instead, much of the novel is about the zeal of Jurten and the decisions he had to make in circumstances that seemed unwinnable. In the “present,” meanwhile, following a Cadian and an Inquisitor spice perspectives up a bit.
One thing about Warhammer is that it is so lore-heavy that it can be intimidating to know where to start. However, more and more, apart from some of the big series, I think that it’s tailored to letting people just dive in and figure out the feel of the universe for themselves. Krieg by Steve Lyons is a novel that introduces readers to the Death Korps. For people who haven’t read Warhammer 40K lore or know anything about the universe, I imagine that the fast and hard hits of how the novel plays out might get confusing (talking about the Mechanicum, Ordo Hereticus, and more without much context). But I also imagine that the way Lyons guides the story is enough to keep most readers afloat. I’d be curious to know someone’s thoughts if this was their first-ever WH40K novel.
Kriegis a satisfying chunk of Warhammer 40K meat. It’s pretty lore heavy, and when I finished it I dove deeply into more lore about Krieg and the Death Korps. I appreciated that Lyons appeared to be quite accurate in the lore for the Korps, while revealing a few mysteries along the way. I would recommend the novel to fans of Warhammer 40K, though I don’t know about those who haven’t dived in yet.
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I’m a huge science fiction fan, and, having read a list of what are alleged to be the top 200 science fiction novels, I decided to next tackle a read-through of all the Hugo Award winners and nominees for best novel. Let me know your thoughts and favorites. I’ve marked the winner as well as my own choice for which novel would win, had I the choice among the nominees. I’ve also dropped a short reflection on the year’s Hugo list at the end. There may be SPOILERS for the books discussed.
A Deepness in the Skyby Vernor Vinge (Winner, My Winner)- Grade: A+ Vernor Vinge has created a masterful interweaving of science fiction subgenres into one cohesive whole. Some of my favorite science fiction converges here. I love space exploration, especially if it involves archaeology of any sort. I also enjoy stories that are told from the perspective of aliens, especially if they’re quite different from us. Here, Vinge fascinatingly intertwines the aliens’ story with a kind of translation, making spider-like aliens into humans walking around a kind of 19th-21st century Princeton. As a reader, you get to learn about the development of an alien civilization in a quasi-familiar way, all while telling yourself it’s not really an automobile like what you’re thinking that they’re talking about, but rather some spider-equivalent. Meanwhile, there’s a plot about what will happen to the spider civlization–will they be enslaved upon re-awakening? What will they develop into? The questions continue in this vein quite a bit. Some heroics ensue, and it becomes a gripping narrative. Mileage will vary on this one–I have seen some complain it is bloated. That’s a fair complaint, as this lengthy tome probably could have used some editing down. But if this book is for you, it’s very much for you. It is a prequel to A Fire Upon the Deep, which is also excellent, so it’s worth trying that book out as well.
Darwin’s Radioby Greg Bear- Grade: A- Bear delivered a truly excellent work of hard science fiction here. It has all the trappings of the best Crichton novels: action and science interwoven into a work that moves at an almost breakneck pace. About halfway through, though, the pacing hits a bit of a wall, and it becomes clear the book is about 150 pages too long. That doesn’t take away much from the overall effect, though. This is a true work of speculative fiction of the best kind, forcing the reader to think through new possibilities regarding human origins and engaging with some current science in meaningful ways. The characters are compelling as well, which does not always happen in hard science fiction.
A Civil Campaignby Lois McMaster Bujold- Grade: A- Readers who have devoured the Vorkorsigan Saga to this point will devour this just as greedily. Readers who haven’t… should not start here. We have Miles Vorkorsigan in love, but love, as with anything else in his life, is a complicated endeavor, fraught with danger and politics. As Bujold has shown time and again in this series, she’s fully capable of making not just a stirring science fiction adventure, but also one that hits on many real world points of contact. It’s a touching, burning romance set in the midst of a frenetic rush to settle a bunch of problems among peoples scattered across the stars. I loved it, but again, it’s for fans of the series.
Cryptonomiconby Neal Stephenson- Grade: D I still feel like I should love this novel. The ideas behind it are so cool, and the core premises should work together. It unites two major plots- code breaking in WW2 and attempting to make codes to encrypt banking information in the late 1990s. But ultimately, Cryptonomicon just… bored me. I found myself only interested in one or two aspects of each of the plot threads, and that just wasn’t enough to keep me engaged through a novel that’s more than 1000 pages long. I tried a second read through to see if I felt it again a few years later, but I fizzled out after staring down 800 pages to go. It’s frustrating because the premise reads like I should love it, but it is an absolute slog.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanby J.K. Rowling- Grade: A Surprising to see the Harry Potter novels in the Hugo nominees, but at this point there was no Lodestar Award for best Young Adult Novel, so any especially popular juvenile or YA books would have had a chance at the Hugo itself. I am curious to see how the voting/nominating went for this year and what kind of discussion there was at the Worldcon itself. Also, the books feel like they have a kind of lingering taint from the more recent pursuit by J.K. Rowling of intense anti-trans propaganda. My policy throughout my reviewing of the Hugo nominees has been to read and review them on their merits, however. I am certainly interested in reading others’ thoughts on this, but I’ve read and reviewed Asimov, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and other problematic authors, so I’m not excluding this one. There’s also a real feel of nostalgia, having read these books as a child, and a sense of betrayal because the Harry Potter universe felt like it was so intentionally inclusive while its author has now turned into someone trying to crap on such inclusion in some extremely perturbing ways. I know the Potter community includes many inclusive and safe spaces, and find that a testament to the power of the books for creating that feel and those communities. Anyway, to the novel itself: There is a sense of foreboding hangs over the whole novel. While the first two novels in the series undoubtedly have awful evil, here we have a real sense that things just aren’t all turning out all right all the time. This children’s novel also features serious world building with a previous generation of characters, time travel, insane plot twists (I mean seriously, the way Pettigrew’s reveal is pulled off), and great action all thrown together perfectly. I admit I am surprised when I see people dumping on the series as not being well written or engaging. But, as with anything, to each there own. I find this story more than a book for kids; it is a highly readable work of speculative fiction.
2000- Honestly, this was a top-tier year of Hugo nominations. Now, it does show the long reach of the dominance of hard sci-fi. Darwin’s Radio, Cryptonomicon, and A Deepness in the Sky all saturated in at least elements of the subgenre. Each is unique, though. I struggled mightily with Cryptonomicon, and after finishing it have since given it 2 other tries. I think it’s just not for me. I understand there are huge fans of it, and even understand why there are huge fans of it. It just did not click at all for me. The voters definitely got it right this year, though, with A Deepness in the Sky. It’s almost quintessentially a book of the 90s, with its focus on hard sci-fi, huge questions, and vast expanses of space and time. It is all done so incredibly well, with fascinating story threads spiraling off all over the place that eventually become a somewhat cohesive whole. It’s the kind of science fiction I absolutely lived for when I would browse stacks at the bookstore. I’m not ashamed to say I love it. Harry Potter and A Civil Campaign wrap up the noms with two very good books in there respective series, as well. This is one year where each book felt worthy (even if one was a big miss for me). I think it’s among the best years at the Hugo Awards.
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I read literally hundreds of books every year and wish I had time to review them all, so I’m making more of an effort to at least highlight a bunch. Here are some recent thoughts-
Picnic in Paradiseby Joanna Russ- A rather bland idea for a space adventure somehow became far more than the sum of its parts in this work by a renowned science fiction author and feminist critic. On the surface, it’s a story of an ancient Greek woman being pulled into the far future to guide a bunch of pampered humans across an increasingly dangerous planet. But each turn of phrase, every interaction between the characters, and eventually, it seems, every line in the book is more than what it seems. And only upon deep reading and reflection do these themes come up. If one is willing to sit back and contemplate a novel that appears to be little more than an afternoon read, and spend hours upon hours thinking about it, the rewards are great.
The Buildersby Daniel Polansky- A novella with the premise of “Game of Thrones” x “Redwall.” Like Ender’s Game in the 90s, “Game of Thrones” is the 2000s (and even into today’s) quintessential cover blurb that is used so much it has become meaningless. Here, it is used to vaguely mean “there are furries and they kill a lot.” And really, this novella is kind of a mess, but in the best way. To be fair, I listened to the audio through my library and I think the reader’s performance helped lift the content of the book. It was a bit startling to discover that these various woodland creatures are also, without any discernable reason, French or English, or whathaveyou. What world is it set in? Our own, but with almost no other connection than names? I don’t know. Does it make sense? Not really. Does it matter? Not really. I kinda stopped caring about the questions that arose because the story’s extreme commitment to moving the reader along past the details and into the characters and, frankly, violence of the brief main plot just worked. I would spend a lot more time in this world, and was disappointed to find there’s nothing else. So I guess I really need to know if any of my readers know of any other Redwall, but grimdark books out there.
Sun of Blood and Ruinby Mariely Lars- A Native-tilted retelling (vaguely) of Zorro (kinda) that assumes the reader cares about and maybe even knows some things about Mesoamerica. Which I do. The book has a lot going for it, though I think it stumbles a bit with character development. Overall, however, I loved the setting and the overall vibe of the novel and will definitely read the next one.
Orbitalby Samantha Harvey- A short novel (maybe novella, depending on word count) that offers a slice of life in a space station orbiting Earth. I alternated between intense love and longing for humanity at large and also wishing the characters had a bit more muscle on the bones throughout the book. It is unlike most other sci-fi I’ve read, and for that alone I would recommend readers interested in the premise at least give it a try. Literary sci-fi without being too pretentious.
The Warded Manby Peter Brett- My goodness what a delight. This was a recommendation from a friend, and I read the first two books a couple years ago and then something happened that made me forget the series for a while until I saw it on BookTok randomly. I snagged the first to re-read it and was once again drawn into the incredibly deep world. Yes, it is a pretty basic premise that’s been done- oh no, there are demons coming out at night and only these specific magic thingies stop them from killing everyone! But my goodness is it done so well and given with characters that have intense depth. If you like epic fantasy that doesn’t really stray too far (at least in the first two books that I’ve read) from the tried-and-true good vs. evil core, check these out. The characters are so cool.
The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empireby Dr. Chris Kempshall, conceptually, is a kind of dream-come-true book. I love the trope of sci-fi as history. I love Star Wars and have read well over 100 Star Wars novels, including almost every single Expanded Universe novel back in the day. Combine those two loves, and we’ve got a recipe for success, right? Well… only in an uneven fashion.
The title clearly plays off earlier, massively influential historical works, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire(approximately 1776-1789) and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (1960). The former, written in multiple volumes by Edward Gibbon, continues to be a major reference in many works of history to this day, whether its to cite it approvingly or dispute some aspect of its many theses regarding the Roman Empire. The latter was well-received by journalists and still sees some references in historical works to this day. By consciously picking a name that mirrors these two, the author implies a kind of similar grand history and analysis of the Galactic Empire, a fictional (of course) empire that still has elements of fascism and megalomania that these other two works warned about.
Galactic Empire itself starts off strongly in that vein, with Kempshall writing as an in-universe historian who warns readers about celebrating too swiftly the fall of the Galactic Empire. “We were so sure that we had created the perfect way of preventing future conflicts and a return to Imperialism. We were fools… Imperial ideology was not, as once hoped, a thing of the past and its return pushed the entire galaxy over the edge of disaster” (ix-x). Some of these read like a commentary on the rise of fascist, or at least authoritarian, government and ideology in the present day. The elimination of a regime doesn’t necessarily mean the elimination of its ideology. I found the introduction to be especially powerful in many ways.
The rest of the book is, as I said, pretty uneven. And honestly, I don’t really fault Kempshall with this. I think a lot of it is likely due to the constraints of attempting to write such a history in an established fictional universe that, now that it is owned by Disney, has put the clamps on what is canonical and allowed. In many ways, the work can then be seen as a kind of case study in how such intra-world debates over canonicity in fictional worlds can put restraints on authors that actually limit the imagination and scope rather than helping it.
One problem is the nature of the beast- Kempshall perhaps bit off more than he could chew. Instead of being a timeline type history exclusively, he included chapters on the economy, on the Inquisitors, etc. and while this broadened the scope, it also made it so the history chapters flew by in a whirlwind rather than settling in like a “real” historical study. For example, while discussing Kashyyk in “Atrocities and Genocides,” we get a page and a half, basically, dedicated to one of the central themes of Imperial oppression throughout the Star Wars timeline, whether it was the before-recently-established-canonical-guidelines Expanded Universe or even the original movies hinting at slavery and Chewbacca’s background. Every single thing discussed in the historical chapters is necessarily only touched on because the author tried to touch on everything. So it has a lot of content, but all of it is surface level. It has the breadth of an ocean, the depth of a stream. None of it gives penetrating analysis or deep historical background, which is what I was craving from this book.
Additionally, whatever one feels about the new movie trilogy, a lot of the book is dominated by the stories of the latest shows and movies. That makes sense from a marketing standpoint, but it also highlights (here I will tip my hand a bit) the weaknesses of the third trilogy in particular. [Spoilers for said trilogy follow.] While discussing Palpatine, the author says multiple times that they still don’t know how he returned and that it’s so secretive they may never know. That’s fine in-universe, I guess, but it highlights just how arbitrary a decision it was to being Palpatine back and how little background or explanation they have for it in the films and in the broader canon. Additionally, because of how small they made the universe by having the villain in the films be Palpatine again and having Rey be related, too, the author basically has to conclude that the entire story of all the wars of Star Wars is really just Palpatine manipulating things. In one way, this is a boon for this book because it makes it at least partially a story of Palpatine and gives Kempshall a few times to shine when he writes about how Palpatine wasn’t just powerful because of the Force but rather because people cling to ideologies of control and dominion.
In another way, because this is what they did with the movies, they’ve taken a whole galaxy of potential conflict and reduced it to one guy’s manipulation of the system and really one family’s involvement therein. Something that could have been so big ends up being so small because of the constraints placed on Kempshall by the canonical movies and the lack of reflection on the stories therein. And because the Expanded Universe stories have essentially been tossed by Disney, the depth of those stories is unable to be included here.
I read a lot of real history and so I have a sense of what I enjoy or don’t. I enjoy some critique and feedback, I expect random asides and deep details. And this is a fictional universe with what I’m sure was a very strict editorial team to make sure it’s all “canon.” You don’t have that with writing history, ironically. If someone wants to write a history of the Battle of Midway in World War II and argue that it wasn’t as central a battle as it is so often portrayed, they can feel free to do so (indeed- I’ve written about a book that does just that!). Here, the author is forced to adhere very specifically to what has been depicted on screen and in specifically approved written stories. I’m sure that made it very difficult to, say, expound on things we don’t have much detail on in canonically approved sources. How are you supposed to speculate on what happened to allow Palpatine to survive if the editorial team/canonical crew doesn’t want you to fill in those details because they have ideas that maybe it will be a story told in the future? How might you comment deeply on struggles on Kashyyk or Corellia when the books that highlighted them most powerfully have been tossed as non-canonical? (To be fair, I did like what Kempshall did write about Corellia, it gave it a much more genuine feel of conflict and depth than many of the other touched-upon stories.) The book that could have been truly fantastic if some of these constraints weren’t there. Let the author be “wrong” canonically sometimes. That makes a better history book and certainly a more interesting read. What if the in universe historian just wanted to offer his thoughts on Andor and the surrounding the worlds in the show in ways that went beyond the screen? I wish they’d have let that happen.
Honestly if it had been more detailed and focused it probably would have propelled this into my favorite Star Wars books. But as it stands, it just feels light on information, broad on topics. Is it still worth reading? I’d say yes, it is. Indeed, if you’re a big fan of the latest Star Wars stuff, you’re going to get some fun connections. But it is so light on analysis that it is hard to recommend to fans who are hoping for that kind of genuine historical detail that goes into such a work.
The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empireis a book hampered, I believe, by rules set beyond the authors’ control. It is additionally held up by trying to be encyclopedic in the topics on which it touches rather than having a narrower, more complete focus. I believe that these two flaws actually go together–the details must be light to avoid treading across strictures of canonicity. And that’s honestly a huge shame. One of the things that made earlier Star Wars books in this same vein so good (thinking here of the “Essential Guides” series) was that they allowed the authors to just make up whole stories and planets whole cloth to fill in cool details of the Star Wars universe. It made it seem much more massive than it did before. Here, it feels so much smaller, such that even the galaxy’s historians are ruled by constraints.
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There are times as a reader of speculative fiction when you encounter a novel that you don’t just read. Instead, it consumes you. It’s all you can think about. You live in its world; breathe its air; swim in its waters.Navolais one of those books for me. Over the several days I savored every word of this tome, it was almost all I could think about. And it sticks with me, still.
The setting of Navola is akin to a fantasy near Renaissance-era Italy. The invented words scattered throughout the text play into this theme, along with scenery of vineyards, alleyways, and opulent villas. Navola itself is a nation ruled ostensibly by a kind of noble among nobles, but in reality has its strings pulled by groups of merchants, nobles, and other interested parties. These strings are pulled through webs of intrigue, lies, and violence. The way they come about is often reminiscent of the best scenes in The Godfather, and some reviews comparing this book to a kind of Godfather meets dark fantasy aren’t entirely off base. Other surrounding nations and powers come into play as well, creating a complexly interwoven nest of deception that yields twists and turns throughout the novel.
Our narrator, Davico di Regulai, imparts information in first person, leading us from some of his youngest years into and through his extremely important coming of age ceremony and events surrounding it. The novel does not move at a breakneck pace. Indeed, it is written as if Bacigalupi expects readers to be so entranced by his prose that they wish to be immersed in it that they don’t mind some lengthy stretches with little action. And, to be fair, I really didn’t mind it at all. Indeed, I relished it. I drank in the world, sank into it, and never wanted to leave. However, I could see some readers being put off by the long sections of describing growing up or political intrigue with little action sequences to carry it along. That said, I think the book shows Bacigalupi at the top of his craft, with so many exquisite turns of phrase or details of life that feel so real that I could read it over and over again.
When the action really does get going, it moves quite swiftly. Betrayals, heroic rescues, desperate counter-moves abound. The last 200 pages or so of the book were filled with moments that had me gasp or groan as each twist or turn happened. What’s more, while it is very clear the novel needs and deserves a sequel, it ended at a point that wouldn’t have me completely bereft if no sequel follows. It’s a sign of a skilled writer when they stick the landing in such a way that it’s clear more needs to happen without leaving the reader feeling empty at the end. I’m loathe to spoil anything in this superb book, so I’ll let these general statements suffice.
Navolais a masterpiece of a skilled author writing at the top of their game. I feel I don’t have enough superlatives included in this review. I will say that this is among the best fantasy novels I have ever read. I highly, highly recommend it to you, dear readers.
I need- NEED – other people to read and talk about this book!
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I read literally hundreds of books every year and wish I had time to review them all, so I’m making more of an effort to at least highlight a bunch. Here are some recent thoughts-
The Skin and Its Girlby Sarah Cypher– I read this one because it got a nomination for the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize. I didn’t really like it or get it. I don’t like the idea of gatekeeping genre fiction, but to me this one barely has enough in it to make it fantasy-ish. Not only that, but it leans heavily into the literary side of things in ways I don’t really enjoy. Overall I did not enjoy this one much at all. I also thought the main plot didn’t really do much of anything. It reads more like a conversation about a plot and characters than it reads as putting you into their shoes and situations.
Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi- I have a full review of this one coming, but I’m not going to shut up about it for a while. The setting is a fantasy world inspired heavily by Renaissance-era Italy. The main story is a coming-of-age and family drama of a powerful “merchant family” (read: crime lords like “The Godfather”). It moves slowly but the prose is and characterization are so good I see that as a bonus, not a strike. One of my favorite books I’ve read. Period.
Deathworlderby Victoria Hayward- A Warhammer 40K novel set on a world under attack from the endless Tyranid swarm. It’s got some excellent action scenes and pretty good lore background to back up some decent characters. A great read and good entry in the overall story. Mostly only recommended if you’re into WH40K, though.
The Sky on Fireby Jenn Lyons- A good read, but one that fell victim to something that annoys me hugely. Namely, it had a prologue that set up a story that was different and, in my opinion, more interesting than the story that got delivered. The prologue is basically this mayor being visited at a party by a dragon rider who tells him he needs to produce a woman who was executed a long time ago or else. [Light early spoilers follow:] It’s a great setup and honestly had me super hyped for the rest of the book and then the book was… not that. Instead, it shifts perspective to that of the allegedly-executed woman who has some cool magic that lets her control crazy fantasy creatures. It’s honestly still a pretty cool story and had me engaged but the whole time I just wanted the first story to be the story.
Saints of Storm and Sorrowby Gabriella Buba- Here’s the blurb- “In this fiercely imaginative Filipino-inspired fantasy debut, a bisexual nun hiding a goddess-given gift is unwillingly transformed into a lightning rod for her people’s struggle against colonization.” Pretty cool blurb. And the world is… not ours? At least, I don’t think so because searching Google for the various places named don’t turn up anything. And yet the colonizers and our protagonist nun follow a religion that is literally just Colonial Christianity without even a pallet swap? I like alternate history. I like fantasy novels that retell history in a new world. But this tried to walk the line and didn’t really explain why there were “real world” things in this world “inspired” by the real world. It left me befuddled multiple times. Cool cover, though.
The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelandsby Sarah Brooks- An alternative Siberia approximately mid-1800s. We follow a Trans-Siberian Express that cuts across the Wastelands, a brutally dangerous stretch of Russia now abandoned. The story mostly follows the train and its passengers as it cuts across this dangerous land and as they face far more horrible things than they thought they might encounter. Its whimsical cover belies some pretty dark content. It was a good read.
Eclectic Theist 