City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett
Bill: I think it’s going to be impossible to review City of Miracles (2017) without reference to events from Robert Jackson Bennett’s first two books in the series (City of Stairs, City of Blades). or without discussing the major precipitating event (no real pangs of guilt here; that event is also detailed in the official bookseller summary), so consider this your fair warning: There be spoilers ahead!
February 14th, 2018. Bill Capossere, Marion Deeds, Kate Lechler and Stuart Starosta´s rating: 5 | Robert Jackson Bennett | SFF Reviews | 10 comments |
Redworld: Year One by A. L. Collins, illustrated by Tomislav Tikulin
I really wanted to like A.L. Collins’ MG sci-fi book Redworld (2018). An inventive and independent 13-year-old girl (Belle Song) in the year 2335 arriving on a terraformed Mars with her family and a “Home Helper” intelligent robot and having to adapt to a new world, a new (and unexpected) life farming, new neighbors (including several alien ones), and a host of dangers such as water raiders and feral animal hybrids? It sounded like nothing so much as a modern-day Heinlein juvenile,
February 13th, 2018. Bill Capossere´s rating: 1 | A.L. Collins | Children | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen
YA fantasy has experienced an influx of sparkly vampires, fallen angels and broody fey-creatures in the past ten years, but this is the first time I’ve seen trolls toted as desirable romantic partners. When I hear the word “troll” I think of the large and grotesque creatures from The Hobbit or The Three Billy Goats Gruff, but Danielle Jensen reimagines them as creatures that are human in shape, but deformed in features. Our first glimpse of one is described thusly: “the two sides of his face,
February 13th, 2018. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Danielle L. Jensen | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Our weekly exploration of free and inexpensive short fiction available on the internet. Here are a few stories we’ve read that we wanted you to know about.
The Vital Abyss by James S.A. Corey (2015, $2.99 Kindle, $4.95 audio)
I haven’t read or watched THE EXPANSE yet, but I purchased some of the related novellas when they were on sale at Audible. The first one I read was The Vital Abyss and I loved it.
February 12th, 2018. Kat Hooper, Tadiana Jones and Marion Deeds | Carolyn Ives Gilman, Carrie Vaughn, Ian McDonald, James S.A. Corey, Terry Bisson | Audio, Horror, Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
A City Dreaming by Daniel Polansky
First things first: A City Dreaming (2016) is not really a novel (as its cover claims). It’s more like a collection of connected short stories that all feature the same protagonist (an adept named M) in the same setting (a supernatural New York City). The stories progress chronologically and have a cast of recurring characters. I liked this set-up quite well, but I suspect that some readers will want to be warned about this straight off so they can choose to approach A City Dreaming when they’re in the mood for a more episodic adventure.
February 12th, 2018. Kat Hooper´s rating: 4 | Daniel Polansky | Audio, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
Editor’s note: This is Marion’s review of Shards of Honor, Barrayar, and The Warrior’s Apprentice. Kat’s comments about Barrayar and Stuart’s review are at the bottom.
Do you like fancy military uniforms? Shiny spaceships that blow things up? Brooding aristocrats with hulking stone castles and dark secrets? Snappy comebacks and one-liners? Voluptuous women warriors? Swords and secret passages? Surprising twists on standard military tactics of engagement?
If you answered “Yes” to three or more,
February 12th, 2018. Marion Deeds, Kat Hooper and Stuart Starosta´s rating: 4 | Lois McMaster Bujold | Audio, Hugo Award | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Best of Arthur C. Clarke: 1937-1971 by Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke’s first short story appeared 15 years before his first novel, and much of his oeuvre is to be found in short fiction. In fact, despite the success of his novels — Childhood’s End, Rendezvous with Rama, and The City and the Stars among them — Clarke produced as much short fiction in the middle and end of his career as the beginning.
February 11th, 2018. Jesse Hudson´s rating: 2.5 | Arthur C. Clarke | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Black Flame by Stanley G. Weinbaum
Although Kentucky-born sci-fi author Stanley G. Weinbaum is today considered a seminal writer in his chosen field, his actual career was, sadly, an exceedingly brief one. After making a huge splash with his short story “A Martian Odyssey,” featuring the truly alien, ostrichlike Tweel, in the July ’34 issue of Wonder Stories, Weinbaum shifted into high gear, creating some two dozen short pieces and three novels before succumbing to cancer in December ’35, at the age of 33.
February 9th, 2018. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 4.5 | Stanley G. Weinbaum | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 7 comments |
Orphan of Destiny by Michael Spradlin
Believe it or not, I started reading this trilogy in 2010, and have only just managed to settle down with the final instalment. As such, my memories of the first two books, Keeper of the Grail and Trail of Fate, were a little fuzzy, though I did recall the general gist of the plot.
Tristan is a young Templar squire who has been charged by his master to find the Holy Grail and take it to a place of safety in Scotland.
February 9th, 2018. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3 | Michael P. Spradlin | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
So here we are coming up on Valentine’s Day and thoughts, and media posts, turn to love. One of the ones we came across recently was that standby list of traditional anniversary gifts…
Of course, our thoughts, as they’re prone to do, turned immediately to wondering what would those gifts be like in some of our favorite fantasy/sci-fi worlds?
Sure, those early gifts would probably be pretty similar (paper for the first year, wood for the fifth, tin for the tenth), but what about the gifts for those oh-so-special anniversaries celebrating an impressively enduring love/bonding? What would be the equivalents of our culture’s silver (25th year),
February 8th, 2018. Bill Capossere | Giveaway!, Thoughtful Thursday | 21 comments |
I picked my copy up last week and I can't wait to finish my current book and get started! I…
Gentlemen, I concur! (Forgive me for jumping into your convo)
The cover is amazing. I love how the graphic novel (and the review!) hewed close to the theme of "good…
I've thought about picking that one up. The artwork looks perfect.
I like the way you think, Bill. I found the second one particularly objectionable; the one with Khan. It was…