Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders by Aliette de Bodard
Last Friday night, I was feeling indecisive about what to read, so I emailed Jana and listed the options I was considering: YA Historical Fantasy? Creepy Medical SF? I admitted I was leaning toward Snarky Murder Novella. “It’s Friday,” she said, encouraging me to treat myself with Snarky Murder Novella, and I’m very glad I did.
Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders is part of Aliette de Bodard’s DOMINION OF THE FALLEN series,
July 21st, 2020. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | Aliette De_Bodard | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 4: End of Games by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca
This is the fifth (or fourth if you don’t include the Jason Aaron Vader Down crossover) and final volume in Kieron Gillen’s DARTH VADER series, one that essentially follows Vader’s attempts to accumulate his own resources in secret, with the goal of eventually seeking out his son and luring him to the Dark Side — with or without the Emperor’s knowledge.
In this he’s been helped by a scrappy young thief and archaeologist named Doctor Aphra (who became popular enough to get her own spin-off series) and two droids: Triple-Zero and Beetee,
June 2nd, 2020. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Gameshouse by Claire North
Claire North’s The Gameshouse (2019) collects three previously-published novellas — “The Serpent,” “The Thief,” and “The Master,” each previously-reviewed by Kat — into one volume, and after years of hoping for them to be available in physical format, I’m pleased to be able to say that these three stories were well worth the wait. Kat’s reviews of the novellas are thorough and cover every salient detail prospective readers will need (no surprise there) and,
November 22nd, 2019. Jana Nyman´s rating: 4.5 | Claire North | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
I adore Gail Carriger’s FINISHING SCHOOL series, but I’m not a big fan of her related series (THE PARASOL PROTECTORATE and THE CUSTARD PROTOCOL). They’re just too silly for me, with their focus on fashion and frivolity. I can see why others like them, though. They are unique, creative, and well written with some great characters. They’re just not my thing.
However, I did want to read the final CUSTARD PROTOCOL book,
August 30th, 2019. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3 | Gail Carriger | Audio | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Beneath the Twisted Trees by Bradley P. Beaulieu
I have to confess right up front, with apologies to the author, that I finished Bradley Beaulieu’s Beneath the Twisted Trees (2019) just before heading out on a 40+ day trip out west that meshed college visits (for my son, not me) and hiking, and I unfortunately left my marked-up copy at home. Which means a) I have no access to my notes and b) thanks to full days and being off the grid so much,
August 7th, 2019. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4 | Bradley P. Beaulieu | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Emma Newman continues her PLANETFALL series with Atlas Alone (2019), which takes place after Planetfall, After Atlas, and Before Mars. In fact, two of Atlas Alone’s characters will be immediately recognizable to those who have already read After Atlas, and one of those characters, in particular,
May 2nd, 2019. Jana Nyman´s rating: 4.5 | Emma Newman | SFF Reviews | no comments |
I was disappointed in Laura Bickle’s 2018 contemporary fantasy Witch Creek. To be fair, this is the second book in a series and I haven’t read Nine of Stars. (There are also two prequels to this series.) It’s possible I would appreciate this book more if I knew more of the background.
Since I haven’t read Nine of Stars, I may give one or two mild spoilers for that book without realizing it.
November 5th, 2018. Marion Deeds´s rating: 3 | Laura Bickle | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Voyager of the Crown by Melissa McShane
In a world where a minority of people have inherent magical powers, and in a country where such magical powers are viewed with deep suspicion ― particularly if wielded by people in power ― Zara North has a huge secret: she has the ability to automatically heal physical injuries to herself, even those that cause aging and death. What would be a mortal injury for anyone else simply puts her out of commission temporarily. Zara was the queen of Tremontane sixty years ago,
October 25th, 2018. Tadiana Jones´s rating: 4 | Melissa McShane | SFF Reviews | no comments |
A Veil of Spears by Bradley P. Beaulieu
Bradley P. Beaulieu returns to his desert setting in A Veil of Spears (2018), the third novel of THE SONG OF THE SHATTERED LANDS series. Book one for me remains the strongest, but both the sequel and now A Veil of Spears are worthy follow ups that both deepen and broaden the story and the characters. I’m going to assume you’ve read the first two novels (you really need to have done so),
March 20th, 2018. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4 | Bradley P. Beaulieu | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |
Bright Thrones by Kate Elliott
The Bright Thrones novella (2017) ties up some loose threads left after the conclusion of Poisoned Blade, the second book in Kate Elliott’s COURT OF FIVES trilogy. In the middle of that novel, Jessamy reunites briefly with her twin sister, Bettany, who appears to be in servitude to a famous foreign doctor, Lord Agalar. Very little about their strange situation is explained at the time, and circumstances drive the sisters apart just when it seems that a reunification (though certainly not a reconciliation) might be possible.
February 2nd, 2018. Jana Nyman´s rating: 4 | Kate Elliott | Short Fiction, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Pretty challenging book. Cut by half, speed up the cadence. Trying to figure out the plot, the main point of…
Thanks for the kind words, Marion! Coming as they are from a professional writer, they are much appreciated!
Wonderful review, Sandy.
The "body count" bothered me a bit less because being dead seemed more like an inconvenience than anything else... unlike…
Detailed, thoughtful review, Bill. I'm going to read it for two reasons. First, Karen Russell wrote it, and second, it…