Vetch’s family used to own land in Alta, but when they were invaded and occupied by Tia, Vetch’s father was killed and the rest of his family became serfs. Vetch, who was taken away from his mother and sisters, is now the servant of a horrible fat and lazy man who’s pretty much the worst master you can imagine. (All of Mercedes Lackey’s bad guys are really really bad!)
When a Tian dragon jouster named Ari notices Vetch’s plight, he rescues him and takes him as his own servant.
April 11th, 2019. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5 | Mercedes Lackey | Audio | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn
Dragon and Thief (2003, issued in trade paperback in 2016) blends dragons and space opera in an exciting middle grade science fictional adventure. The dragon in the title is Draycos, a warrior-poet of an alien species called the K’da, who are able to shift from a three-dimensional being to a two-dimensional tattoo that attaches to your skin, moving around your body at will. The K’da are also a symbiont species, requiring a host to attach themselves to at least every six hours,
April 20th, 2017. Tadiana Jones´s rating: 4 | Timothy Zahn | Children | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Weavers of Saramyr by Chris Wooding
Chris Wooding has once again branched out and attacked another flavour of fantasy. This time the story brings the reader a sophisticated beginning to what promises to be a mysterious, cutthroat, and complex trilogy: THE BRAIDED PATH. Both the physical and social settings are richly described and beautifully rendered throughout. The Weavers of Saramyr introduces us to a nation torn apart by sickness, an empress who is all out of options, survival against the odds,
March 2nd, 2016. Skye Walker´s rating: 5 | Chris Wooding | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
In Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood details an apocalyptic plague, introduces a new species of creatures that have been genetically designed to replace humanity, and the villain is a mad scientist in love. What could be more “SFF” than Oryx and Crake?
Quite a lot, according to Margaret Atwood, who prefers to describe her novel as “speculative fiction” rather than “science fiction.” In interviews promoting Oryx and Crake,
January 1st, 2016. Ryan Skardal, Ruth Arnell, Bill Capossere, Kat Hooper and Stuart Starosta´s rating: 5 | Margaret Atwood | Edge | SFF Reviews | 11 comments |
Time’s Eye by Arthur C. Clarke & Stephen Baxter
Action, you say? Science!? Characters in 3D!?? But wait… there’s more! How about an ancient battle-royale between Alexander the Great and his army vs. Genghis Khan and his Mongolian horde?
Oh yes, sci-fi power couple Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter have all that and more in the 2003 opening to their A TIME ODYSSEY series, which, in theory, takes place in the same universe as Clarke’s SPACE ODYSSEY stories.
Inexplicably,
September 30th, 2015. Jason Golomb´s rating: 4 | Arthur C. Clarke, Stephen Baxter | SFF Reviews | 7 comments |
Supreme Power (Vol. 1): Contact by J. Michael Straczynski
I guess you could consider J. Michael Straczynski’s Supreme Power the bastard child (or perhaps grandchild) of books like Alan Moore’s Watchmen and Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns in which the four-colour superheroes of old get a more ‘realistic’ make-over and are shown for the dangerous psychopaths they would all-too-likely be in our world. In this case we have Marvel’s Squadron Supreme coming under the deconstructive microscope.
January 17th, 2015. Terry Lago´s rating: 3.5 | J. Michael Straczynski | Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Long ago, the Builders created Ember, an underground city. The Builders only intended for the people of Ember to stay underground for two hundred years, but, due to a slight wrinkle in the Builders’ plans, the people of Ember have stayed underground far longer than two hundred years. Now, supplies are running out. In fact, there soon won’t even be light bulbs left, and the people will be left in darkness.
Jeanne DuPrau’s City of Ember is a children’s post-apocalyptic novel that follows the adventures of Lina and Doon.
October 24th, 2014. Ryan Skardal´s rating: 4 | Jeanne DuPrau | Children | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Alucius lives in the land of Corus which used to be ruled by a great civilization until some sort of cataclysm occurred. Now the continent is divided into several countries that are on the verge of war. Alucius, who we see grow from a young boy to a young man, just wants to get married to a nice girl and live as a peaceful herder on his family’s stead. But war comes and Alucius is drafted into the army where he rises rapidly in the ranks.
As a herder,
October 6th, 2014. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3 | L.E. Modesitt_Jr | Audio | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Runaways: Pride & Joy by Brian K. Vaughan (writer) and Adrian Alphona (pencils)
What do you do when you find out your parents aren’t who you thought they were? Brian K. Vaughan deals with ages-old drama of teenagers confronting the fallibility of their parents in an interesting and exciting way. Though most of us have never discovered that our parents are part of a super-villain syndicate that includes a couple of crime lords who put Kingpin to shame — as well as mutants, aliens, time travelers, sorcerers, and mad scientists — most people can remember the day they realized that their parents are human and fallible,
November 29th, 2013. Adriane Ivey´s rating: 4 | Brian K. Vaughan | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Fast Times at Fairmont High by Vernor Vinge
Juan is an eighth grader in a near-future San Diego. Final exams have arrived and Juan and his friends are under a lot of pressure to perform well because those who don’t keep up in this fast-moving information-driven virtual-reality society are left behind. That’s what happened to Juan’s father. Juan is determined to succeed, so much so that he’s experimenting with cognition-enhancing drugs.
For one of their exams, students must work with a partner on a project of their choosing without outside assistance.
May 6th, 2013. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3 | Vernor Vinge | Audio, Hugo Award, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
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