Kate Forsyth’s book, The Wild Girl, was published in Australia in 2013 but has recently been released in the United States in both hardback, Kindle, and audio versions. It tells the story of an unsung hero of the history of fairy-tales: Dortchen Wild, the sweetheart and eventual wife of Wilhelm Grimm and the origin of many of the Grimm’s tales.
Dortchen grows up with six sisters and an invalid mother under the authoritarian rule of her apothecary father,
September 14th, 2015. Kate Lechler´s rating: 4 | Kate Forsyth | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson
In The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, the double debut of celebrated short story writer Kai Ashante Wilson and novella publisher Tor.com, the sons of gods and angels walk the Earth and big caravans of merchants roam dangerous roads in search of riches untold. Demane is one of such demigods, and decades after his godly progenitors have chosen to ascend and abandon the world, he is working as a guard to a merchant caravan where his brothers,
September 8th, 2015. João Eira´s rating: 4 | Kai Ashante Wilson | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Primate Directive written by Scott and David Tipton, illustrated by Rachael Stott, colored by Charlie Kirchoff
Really, I’ve got to say it’s shocking to me that there hasn’t been a Star Trek/Planet of the Apes crossover until now, with The Primate Directive, a joint graphic venture between IDW Comics and Boom! Studios. The five-volume story is written by Scott and David Tipton, illustrated by Rachael Stott, and colored by Charlie Kirchoff. As a mashup concept, it’s brilliant. As far as this particular execution goes,
September 5th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 3 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong by Kelly Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong has published several series of urban fantasy and paranormal novels, including her WOMEN OF THE OTHERWORLD contemporary fantasy series, in which werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural creatures live alongside humans, and the CAINSVILLE series, focusing on the lives in and around a town with mysterious supernatural elements. Her latest book, Led Astray, is a collection of twenty-three short stories, many of them set in the worlds created in her series,
September 2nd, 2015. Tadiana Jones´s rating: 3.5 | Kelley Armstrong | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
State of Grace by Hilary Badger
State of Grace is Hilary Badger’s first Young Adult novel, and it is a doozy. If you put the Biblical concept of the Garden of Eden, Lord of the Flies, and 1984 in a blender, added teenagers with really heavy emotional baggage and a liberal sprinkling of futuristic pharmaceuticals, and turned it on, the result would be a fascinating examination of personal choice and free will (and a terrible smoothie).
August 31st, 2015. Jana Nyman´s rating: 3.5 | Hilary Badger | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Last Man Volumes 1-3 by Balak, Sanlauille, and Uiues
Usually the books I review here at fanlit are those I’ve either requested or because the publisher has noted I’ve reviewed earlier books by a particular author and so sends along that writer’s newest work. Thus, I’m already somewhat predisposed to enjoy most of what I review. But once you’re on the BLOOR (Big List of Online Reviewers), truth is you get sent a lot of books you never asked for (I know, I know — you bleed for me). Some you may wonder what the publisher is thinking (“Have I ever reviewed books on the undergarments of 14th century French monks?”),
August 29th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Touch, by Claire North, took me completely by surprise. I’d never heard of Claire North. (Yes, I know. More about that later.) I hadn’t seen much pre-release buzz about the book. I don’t think I’d ever read a book from (Hachette imprint) Redhook before. I frankly thought the blurb sounded a bit too standard-horror-ish, but I picked it up anyway to try a few pages and see if it could draw me in.
Am I ever glad I did.
August 26th, 2015. Stefan Raets´s rating: 4.5 | Claire North | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
In Chuck Wendig’s new techno-thriller novel, Zer0es, five hackers — some highly skilled, some not so skilled — are not-so-innocently going about their daily business when they are unpleasantly interrupted by a tall African-American man who introduces himself as Hollis Copper or (in one case) “Mr. Government.” This motley crew of five consists of Chance, an aspiring Anonymous-style hacker who’s more con man than computer whiz; DeAndre, a talented hacker who specialized in stealing credit card data; Aleena,
August 20th, 2015. Tadiana Jones´s rating: 4 | Chuck Wendig | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
The Creeping by Alexandra Sirowy
What’s more frightening: a monster lurking in the shadows, kidnapping children for its dark and nefarious purposes — or a human being who does the same, terrible thing? Are there really supernatural creatures lurking at the edge of human existence, or do we just tell ourselves stories to gloss over how awful our species can be? Even worse, what if both scenarios are true? Alexandra Sirowy explores these questions in her Young Adult debut novel, The Creeping, and I would guess that what readers think about her answers will tell you a lot about themselves and the things they fear.
August 17th, 2015. Jana Nyman´s rating: 4.5 | Alexandra Sirowy | Horror, Stand-Alone, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Falling in Love with Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson
Falling in Love with Hominids takes its name from a Cordwainer Smith passage. In her introduction, Nalo Hopkinson cites him as a refuge and a comfort during difficult times in her life. The anthology contains 17 stories. Several are short and probably qualify as flash fiction. Generally, Hopkinson writes the kinds of stories I like, and Falling in Love with Hominids includes fantasy, dark fantasy and outright horror, often incorporating folklore and a style of writing that evokes Jamaican oral story-telling language.
August 13th, 2015. Marion Deeds and Jana Nyman´s rating: 3.5 | Nalo Hopkinson | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
COMMENT Book #3 of this trilogy is very much a heist story, and I quite enjoyed it!
Pirate stories and heist stories... Do we ever get enough of them?
Very interesting, Ulrich! Thanks for clueing me in!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed this article, Spacewaves! It was something of a labor of love for me,…
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