Cons:
SpikeCon, scheduled for July 4-7, 2019, will be held in Utah. This year’s convention will be a blend of NASFIC and WesterCon. NASFIC is the North American convention that is held in any years that WorldCon is not held in the USA.
Awards:
The finalists for the Shirley Jackson Awards have been announced.
I did not know there was a Woman’s Award, but there is, and Madeline Miller’s Circe made the finalist list, along with Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss.
May 8th, 2019. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 6 comments |
Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword by Henry Lien
Peasprout Chen and her little brother Cricket have been chosen by the dowager empress to represent their province at the Pearl Famous Academy of Skate and Sword in the famously beautiful city of Pearl. In exchange, the mayor of Pearl has sent two of his children to Shin, the poor rural area where Peasprout and Cricket grew up.
The Chen siblings were chosen because Peasprout is the best wu liu competitor in her entire province. She’s a celebrity there.
May 8th, 2019. Kat Hooper´s rating: 4 | Henry Lien | Audio, Children | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |
Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin
Other Words for Smoke (2019) is not a traditional coming-of-age story. Its composite parts include a magical house, a witch, her apprentice, their talking cat and an evil owl fed on bones that materialises through the walls. And yet, at its heart, the tale is universal: it explores the pain of adolescence, unrequited love and the turmoil of a family falling apart.
The story opens with twins Mae and Rossa huddled outside the wreckage of a burnt house.
May 8th, 2019. Ray McKenzie´s rating: 4 | Sarah Maria Griffin | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The War Within by Stephen R. Donaldson
I was sorely disappointed in Seventh Decimate, the first book in Stephen R. Donaldson‘s new series, THE GREAT GOD’S WAR. Luckily, the second book, The War Within (2019), shows improvement, but it’s a pretty low bar and so I can’t say it’s enough to convince me the series is worth starting (at least at this point).
(Here is your warning that this review will contain spoilers for book one).
May 8th, 2019. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2 | Stephen R. Donaldson | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
If the state of the arts puzzles you, and you wonder why so many novels are "retellings" and formulaic rework,…
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.