#SciFiMonth Favorite Science Fiction A-Z

Posted on November 28, 2019 16 Comments

One of the most fun posts I did on my blog this year was my “Favorite Books A to Z” list this summer, and when I saw that Tammy from Books, Bones, and Buffy had adapted the feature for Sci-Fi Month, I just knew I had to get on board as well! After all, I just love making lists. So without further ado, here’s an A-Z list of even more titles I’ve read and loved, the Science Fiction edition! Where I was able, I’ve also tried my best not to duplicate books I’ve talked about on recent “best of” lists, because there’s a lot of good stuff out there and lots of hidden gems to discover, so let’s spread the love.

A is for ADMIRAL BY SEAN DANKER

Our story begins with the main protagonist, our unnamed narrator, waking up on a dead ship with no one else alive on board besides a trio of newly graduated recruits from the Evagardian Imperial Service. The only clue we have to his identity is the insignia on his sleeper pod that marks him as an admiral…but is he? He and and his three trainee companions are stranded on an unknown planet, and worse, their faltering equipment is picking up signs that they are not alone after all. Something dangerous is lurking out there, and it might have been what killed everyone…

B is for BURNING MIDNIGHT BY WILL McINTOSH

This one is Will McIntosh’s first YA novel and the premise is just so cool! Imagine going to sleep one day and waking up the next to find that everything has changed, thanks to the sudden appearance of strange, colorful marble-sized spheres all over the world. And when you put a matched set of the same color to your temples (in a process called “burning” the spheres) they can permanently enhance your features and abilities. But of course, some colors are rarer than others, and there’s a lot more demand for the desirable traits. As a result, a billion industry has sprung up around the spheres, though there are also the “little guys” like our protagonist David, a high school sphere hunter who buys and sells them at the local flea market on weekends. Desperate for money after his mom loses his job, Sully decides to join forces with Hunter, a girl with a natural talent for finding spheres. Together, they hope to strike it rich soon with one big find, and then one day, they get lucky—really lucky—by finding a Gold, a color that no one has ever seen before, and it’s anyone’s guess what it might do.

C is for COLD WELCOME BY ELIZABETH MOON

Cold Welcome was my first Elizabeth Moon, so I had no background knowledge of the story or any of the characters prior to starting. But even though it is actually the first book of a new sequel series to Vatta’s War, I still found it perfectly accessible as a newcomer to the world. And what an excellent surprise it was! A space-fleet commander is returning to her home world of Slotter Key when sabotage brings her shuttle down over the most inhospitable part of the planet. With most of the shuttle’s passengers dead from the crash, those who are left alive must do all they can to survive the icy rough seas until the rescue crews can reach them.

D is for DARK EDEN BY CHRIS BECKETT

Dark Eden takes place in the far-flung future on an alien planet. Approximately 160 years ago, five human astronauts were stranded on this dark and icebound world, which they dubbed Eden. The planet is too far from its sun and the only inhabitable areas are those where the ground is warm and the lantern trees give off light. Three of the original humans who arrived decided to leave in their damaged spaceship to seek help from Earth, but two opted to remain behind on Eden instead. Generations later, the population of Eden has grown from those two, to 532. Collectively calling themselves “Family”, they all live together in the area they call Circle Valley, the site of the original circle of stones laid down by the first astronauts to mark where the landing vehicle is supposed to return to when they come take them all back to Earth. However, with their numbers ever increasing, Circle Valley is becoming far too small for Family and the surrounding resources are becoming depleted. One teenager named John Redlantern changes everything when he proposes Family abandon their old ways to seek new expansion beyond the forest and over the mountains.

E is for EMBERS OF WAR BY GARETH L. POWELL

Following a handful of characters, the story is set in the aftermath of a bitter and violent war fought in a galaxy rife with political tensions. Disgusted with the part she played, the sentient warship Trouble Dog has decided on a new course for her life, joining the House of Reclamation, an organization that answers the calls of distressed starships, in the hopes of atoning for the atrocities she committed. Sal Konstanz, who once fought against Trouble Dog, now finds herself on the same side as the ship as her captain. Together with their crew of medics and rescue workers, they follow a signal from a downed vessel to a touristy but disputed area of space called the Gallery, a system whose planets have all been carved into gargantuan intricate shapes by an ancient alien race, where the ship of a missing poet is purported to have gone down.

F is for FORTUNE’S PAWN BY RACHEL BACH

Fortune’s Pawn introduces us to Deviana “Devi” Morris, a Paradoxian mercenary not content to settle for anything less than the best — and the best, to her, is a position with the Devastators, the elite armored branch of the king’s fighting force. But achieving such a decorated post won’t be easy, and Devi knows she will need a lot more experience to even get herself noticed. Following a tip from a friend, Devi applies for a job on the Glorious Fool, a tiny trade vessel with a reputation for being a “cursed ship”. Trouble seems to always follow the Fool, and it is said that one year of security work there is equal to five years anywhere else. If experience is what the Devastators want, Devi figures there’s no better place to get it. After all, she’s confident her skills can get her through anything.

G is for GHOSTS OF TOMORROW BY MICHAEL R. FLETCHER

Ghosts of Tomorrow takes place in the near future, when most of the world’s countries have consolidated into continental trade unions in order to compete in the global market. Technology has come a long way too, with the advent of brain scans and the ability to transfer a deceased person’s mind into machines called chassis. Not quite human and yet not quite a computer, these scans have effectively become a source of slave labor. Officially, people become scans voluntarily, but because demand outstrips supply, criminal organizations have capitalized by churning out their own black market scans in illegal crèches. Certain boutique crèches have even sprung up, brainwashing and training children to become loyal, unquestioning fighters intended for combat and assassin chassis. Somewhere deep within mob territory in Costa Rica, the scanned mind of an autistic girl known only as 88 awakens to her new reality. Bought for an exorbitant sum from a black market crèche, her scan was originally acquired by the South American Mafia to manage and expand their vast business empire by seeking out patterns in everything from financial markets to sports betting pools. However, all 88 wants to do is find her mom. And unfortunately for 88’s masters, she has all the mental and technological resources at her disposal to break free of their virtual chains.

H is for HOLLOW WORLD BY MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN

Hollow World tells the tale of a man who has played it safe his whole life until he has nothing left to lose, and what he finds in the far, far future is way more than just the freedom from his illness. The story was compelling from page one, with its masterful introduction to its protagonist Ellis in the moments after he first receives the life-altering news about his disease. It’s obvious that Michael J. Sullivan also drew inspiration from The Time Machine, and how Ellis manage to travel forward in time in a disembodied old van seat surrounded by a stack of plastic milk crates isn’t the point of the book — it’s the character’s story, its fascinating concepts and the heartfelt emotions it invoked, that will make this book stay with me for a long time.

I is for ILLUMINAE BY AMIE KAUFMAN AND JAY KRISTOFF

Presented in an epistolary format Illuminae follows a pair of high school students, Kady and Ezra, who break up the morning their planet was invaded. Talk about poor timing. It is the year 2575 and whole galactic empires are ruled by megacorps, and the two teenagers just happen to reside on Kerenza, a small ice planet on the edge of the universe involved in a secret and illegal mining operation by one of these corporations. Rival corp BeiTech descends upon them, destroying the Kerenza settlement, leaving thousands dead and on the run. Kady and Ezra are among the survivors who end up on the Alexander fleet. Damaged and crippled, the fleet limps away towards the closest jump gate more than half a year away, while an enemy dreadnaught follows in hot pursuit, determined to leave no witnesses.

J is for JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER BY JODI TAYLOR

What a fun little time travel book! And on top of that, it wastes no time getting to the good stuff. The story stars our plucky narrator Madeleine “Max” Maxwell, a historian who gets recruited by a group of time travelers working undercover behind the façade of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research. After the most hilariously bizarre interview process, Max join up with them and the adventures—and the disasters—immediately begin. After a while, it’s clear that Murphy’s Law generally applies to all missions at St. Mary’s.

K is for KOKO TAKES A HOLIDAY BY KIERAN SHEA

This book was like eating a big bowl of popcorn for lunch — sure, you’re not really getting anything substantial from it, but boy does it fill you up good and gobbling it all down felt so wickedly delicious and indulgent. Like a B-action movie, Koko Takes a Holiday was great pulpy fun while it lasted. It stars Koko, an ex-merc who has retired from the hired soldier gig to run a brothel at the tropical archipelago resort known as a place for tourists to indulge in their sexual simulated fantasies. Sure, it’s sleazy, but Koko figures, what the hell, she’s having a good time and she’s earned her rest. But then, of course, an old comrade-in-arms had to show up and ruin it all.

L is for LEVIATHAN WAKES BY JAMES S.A. COREY

Now, there was no way I wasn’t going to feature The Expanse somewhere on this list today. And of course, I just had to choose the book that started it all. Leviathan Wakes was a great read, though nothing like I expected. It was probably the weakest of the series, but considering it was the first book and also the first time Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (the two authors who make up the pen name James S.A. Corey) worked together, hey, I’d say it’s pretty impressive. I have followed The Expanse ever since, and the series has become one of my favorites of all time.

M is for THE MAD SCIENTIST’S DAUGHTER BY CASSANDRA ROSE CLARKE

At its heart, The Mad Scientist’s Daughter is a deep analysis and portrayal of its protagonist Caterina Novak, daughter of a brilliant yet a eccentric inventor and cybernetics expert. We follow her character’s development from childhood to her adult years, witnessing as, at five years old, Cat first lays eyes on Finn, the android her father brings home to be her tutor. But as Cat grows, she discovers Finn is different from other androids. With every year that passes, their relationship becomes increasingly complicated as Cat starts to see Finn as someone more than just a tutor and friend.

N is for NOIR BY CHRISTOPHER MOORE

Noir was my first experience with the writing of humorist Christopher Moore, and I was not disappointed. The story opens in San Francisco, 1947. Protagonist Sammy “Two Toes” Tiffin is working as a bartender at Sal’s Saloon, when a beautiful blonde named Stilton (like “the Cheese”, which is henceforth how she will be known to Sammy) breezes in through the door and captures his heart. However, the romance will have to wait, because soon afterwards, Sammy’s boss puts him in contact with an Air Force general who desperately needs his help. Subsequently, Sammy inadvertently stumbles into a loony conspiracy involving a mysterious flying object spotted over Mount Rainer, topped off by an unexplained plane crash in the desert near a town called Roswell, New Mexico. Part satire and part homage, this novel feels like a zany, breathless love letter to the noir genre. That being said, it also has the feel of a tongue-in-cheek satire. And if it means getting more of the same laughs and cleverness I found here, I’m definitely on board to read more of the author’s work.

O is for OLD MAN’S WAR BY JOHN SCALZI

This classic John Scalzi was another title I just had to feature on the list today because I credit it and other books like it for being my gateway to science fiction, back when I was just getting into the genre. Featuring the perfect mix of hard sci-fi and adventurous fun, I found it highly accessible, and most importantly, it made me laugh a lot. Hell, even when someone in the story was dying a gruesome death, it was hilarious. Years lately, I still love to read John Scalzi because I know when I do, I will be entertained.

P is for PLANESRUNNER BY IAN McDONALD

This probably isn’t one of McDonald’s better known works, but it’s one of my favorites by him. It’s also one of the most interesting and well-written YA novels I’ve ever read. Our protagonist is high school student Everett Singh, whose father is a brilliant scientist and one of the leading researchers in the study of parallel earths. But then one day, Dr. Singh is kidnapped from the streets of London, leaving his son with a mysterious file on his computer called the Infundibulum which turns out to be a map to all the parallel earths he’s discovered — more than 10 to the power of 80 of them! — making Everett the guardian of the most valuable tool in the whole entire multiverse. Though I doubt it would happen, I do wish the author return to this amazing world one day.

Q is for QUANTUM BREAK: ZERO STATE BY CAM ROGERS

I’m a big fan of the Quantum Break action video game developed by Remedy Entertainment, and so not surprisingly, I also had a lot of fun with this tie-in novel. However, I urge you not to write off this book just because you haven’t played the game, or because you don’t think a “video game book” would be for you. Quite frankly, tie-in or not, I really think it can easily stand on its own against any of the more mainstream or popular sci-fi thrillers out there. It was that good. If you enjoy this genre in general, and the idea of time traveling and superpowers sounds like a good time, then you should check it out.

R is for RED RISING BY PIERCE BROWN

Red Rising was another major title that I just had to feature, because hands down, this book is in a league of its own. Meet Darrow, a miner on Mars. His people, the Reds, occupy the lowest rungs of society. And like all Reds, Darrow is resigned to a life of hard labor, of digging under the planet’s surface for the rest of his days. He thought it was for a noble cause, that his hard work will provide future generations a safe place to call home. Except, as it turns out, it was all a lie. Even knowing beforehand that some terrible event is going to set Darrow off on his mission for justice, I was not prepared for the number Red Rising did on my poor, battered emotions. I credit much of this to Pierce Brown’s writing, which is just gorgeous. The first chapters were simply astounding, and it only gets better the more you read.

S is for STATION BREAKER BY ANDREW MAYNE

Andrew Mayne is one of my favorite new discoveries, so I just had to find a way to fit him on here! So I give you Station Breaker, which introduces protagonist David Dixon, an astronaut about to go on his first space mission. It’s been a dream of his for a long time, and just when he’d started to think this day would never come, an opportunity suddenly falls into his lap. So understandably, he is a little hesitant to say anything to jeopardize his chances when he notices the mission commander slip a gun into their spacesuit. Being the rookie though, David decides to trust his superiors. Unfortunately, that decision ultimately winds up with shots fired on a Russian space station, and now the whole world thinks David is a terrorist, forcing him to make an emergency landing from orbit and go on the run. This book was so much fun and I highly recommend it.

T is for TIMELINE BY MICHAEL CRICHTON

Timeline tells the story of a team of historians and archaeologists who must travel back to the year 1357 to recover one of their colleagues, using quantum technology developed by their project financiers. Upon their arrival though, they are ambushed by attackers, who also destroy the transit pad required to get our characters back to their own time. Jam-packed with action and adventure, Timeline has the distinction of being one of my favorite Crichton books! I mean, time travel and Medieval history and knights, what’s not to like?

U is for UNDER THE EMPYREAN SKY BY CHUCK WENDIG

Imagine a dystopian Midwest-type setting where a particularly aggressive species of corn has taken over, creating an ocean of corn as far as the eye can see. This is the Heartland, the setting for this YA novel. And as the leader of his scavenging team, our protagonist Cael captains a small airboat over the cornfields day after day, scrounging for valuables and useful materials to sell. But it’s never enough. The tyrannical Empyrean government oversees life in the Heartland, literally looking down on all of them from above in their luxurious sky flotillas, while people like Cael and his friends and family are struggling to survive.

V is for VOYAGE OF THE DOGS BY GREG VAN EEKHOUT

Billed as The Incredible Journey set in space, the story follows a team of four scrappy and adorable canine Barkonauts as they travel aboard the colonization ship Laika as companions and specially trained helpers to the human crew. Thanks to technological advancements, the vocalizations and behaviors of dogs can be translated into human language, allowing communication between the two species. Overall, a feel-good read with appeal to wide audiences while staying age-appropriate for Middle Graders, and it is one I would recommend to all dog lovers.

W is for WE ARE LEGION (WE ARE BOB) BY DENNIS E. TAYLOR

Meet Bob Johansson, who has just sold off his software company and is looking to take his new fortune to a service offering their clients the option to cryogenically freeze themselves in the event of their deaths. But while enjoying his new life of freedom, Bob gets distracted while crossing the street and—BAM! Pain and blackness is the last thing he remembers before waking up more than a century later to discover that he is now an artificial intelligence created from a brain scan of his consciousness. He is also now the property of a government program developing a self-replicating interstellar von Neumann probe with the goal of exploring the galaxy. As Bob travels deeper into space, he also begins to realize the need for more processing power, leading him to clone himself multiple times in order to distribute all his responsibilities. And thus, we end up with a “legion” of Bobs, each one going about their own way and chronicling their own adventures in deep space. Like a funnier, more action-oriented version of The Long Way to A Small Angry Planet, the book is presented in a format that feels almost episodic, but it was fun to follow all the “Bobs” in this hilarious and cleverly written adventure about space exploration.

X is for EX-HEROES BY PETER CLINES

Superheroes, zombies, and Hollywood — you really can’t go wrong with this combination. This is the opening novel of a series that can be best described as the X-Men meets Dawn of the Dead. After a zombie plague decimates humanity, a group of powered heroes have banded together to create a safe haven for the surviving remnants of the population in the ruins of Los Angeles. Certainly, if you enjoy reading “superhero fiction”, this book would be a great choice. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, so just sit back, don’t think too much, and enjoy the ride.

Y is for YOUR FAVORITE BAND CANNOT SAVE YOU BY SCOTTO MOORE

This story is told from the perspective of a small-time music blogger who one day stumbles across a mysterious track on Bandcamp uploaded by a new artist he’s never heard of before. Fronted by its enigmatic singer, Airee MacPherson, the band promises to release a new song every day for the next ten days, much to the delight of its legions of new fans who listened to the first track and couldn’t get enough. There was just something about the song that was so potently addictive and irresistible, almost transcendent. Before long, our music blogger gives in to curiosity and reaches out to Airee, managing to score an interview. But to say Airee is nothing like he expected is an understatement. Yet by the time her true intentions are revealed, it is too late. While you could technically classify this novella as science fiction with a light sprinkling of cosmic horror, at the end of the day, I believe this strange and wonderful and slightly freaky novella is simply too unique to be pigeonholed into any one category.

Z is for ZERO SUM GAME BY S.L. HUANG

This story’s protagonist, a self-described retrieval specialist named Cas Russell, is a quick-witted and legitimate badass who is scarily good at what she does. Her tremendous math skills and ability to calculate complex equations on the fly have helped her navigate through the worst dangers of her profession and made her a survivor. Which is why Cas is thrown for a loop on her latest assignment when what should have been an easy rescue operation goes completely awry. This was an entertaining read, if not entirely cogent or deep. Nevertheless, it’s a solid debut that I think most most sci-fi and techno-thriller fans would enjoy if you’re looking for something fast and fun.

#SciFiMonth Waiting on Wednesday 11/27/19

Posted on November 27, 2019 9 Comments

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy’s Pick

Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (May 5th, 2020 by Knopf Books For Young Readers)

It’s the final Waiting on Wednesday of Sci-Fi November…so let’s feature a YA title because I haven’t done any this month! This week I’m looking forward to the sequel of Aurora Rising in the second series by the amazing writing duo that is Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. And check out that delicious cover!

“Our heroes are back… kind of. From the bestselling co-authors of the Illuminae Files comes the second book in the epic series about a squad of misfits, losers, and discipline cases who just might be the galaxy’s best hope for survival.

First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.”

#SciFiMonth Top Ten Science Fiction Reads of 2019

Posted on November 26, 2019 18 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. They created the meme because they love lists. Who doesn’t love lists? They wanted to share these list with fellow book lovers and ask that we share in return to connect with our fellow book lovers. To learn more about participating in the challenge, stop by their page dedicated to it and dive in!

This week’s topic: Top Ten Science Fiction Reads of 2019

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is actually a “Thankful Freebie”, and since we’re also nearing the end of Sci-Fi Month I’ve decided to feature some science fiction books I’ve been grateful for and had the pleasure of reading this year.

Mogsy’s Picks

Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh

Set in a more technologically advanced version of our present world, this novel follows six young candidates for a highly competitive British space exploration program to establish a colony on far-flung Terra-Two, a pristine Earth-like planet possessing ideal conditions for life. Having spent years studying at the Dalton Academy for Aerospace Science since they were preteens, our six astronaut hopefuls have trained their hearts out for the opportunity, beating out millions of others across the country. However, with emotions already raw from having to leave their loved ones behind and knowing that they will all be living within the tight confines of a spaceship for the next twenty-three years, life aboard their spaceship Damocles will prove to be a rough process, with homesickness, self-doubt, depression and other personal fears plaguing each of them in turn. It’s probably no surprise that I, being a huge fan of books devoted to telling human stories, absolutely adored this book, and if you enjoy character-oriented tales with interesting relationships dynamics and lots of personal growth, then this is one you can’t afford to miss. (Read the full review…)

Three Laws Lethal by David Walton

Three Laws Lethal is something of a cautionary tale against artificial intelligence, using the concept of autonomous self-driving vehicles as inspiration. That said, I doubt the concept of the AI entity in this story is anything like you’d imagine, as it’s pretty unusual. As well, this is a very human story, focusing on the lives of four friends who bonded over a love of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship while in college. Their dream was to start a taxi service company using a fleet of self-driving cars, and between them, they had the money, brains, and ambition to make it all happen. But then everything changes following a horrific tragedy involving the death of one of their own. For me, the most compelling sci-fi novels are the ones that can entertain me and teach me something new at the same time. This describes all of Walton’s books. love sci-fi novels that are exciting and smart. I also love being surprised. There are twists aplenty in the plot, several that had me gaping in shock. It kept me turning the pages, eager to find out what would happen next. It’s an energetic, non-stop thrill ride from start to finish. (Read the full review…)

Recursion by Blake Crouch

If the best thrillers make you feel breathless, then Recursion by Blake Crouch is definitely one you don’t want to miss. The story opens with New York City police officer Barry Sutton as he responds to reports of a suicide attempt by a woman about to jump off the ledge of a high-rise building. Following the event, the shaken cop is driven to learn more about the illness termed False Memory Syndrome—an alarming epidemic that is starting to sweep across the nation, afflicting its victims with vivid memories of a life they never lived. Ten percent of those with FMS end up killing themselves, driven mad by the conflicting realities in their mind. At the same time, we’re also introduced our second POV, a brilliant neuroscientist named Helena Smith. After her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Helena became obsessed with developing her new technology which would help human beings preserve the most precious memories of their lives. Blending theories of time travel, alternate realities, and psychological phenomena, what Recursion basically presents to us is a completely unique and refreshingly new take on some familiar ideas. Like most stories to do with memory manipulation though, it can also be a real head-trip, but there were also parts of it that deeply moved me—and ultimately, it’s these moments that elevate this book above others in the genre and why it will also remain with me for a long time. (Read the full review…)

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

At its heart, A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World is a post-apocalyptic story of courage, determination and survival, with themes of friendship and unconditional love. Long after the Gelding, an event which caused sterility in most of the human population, the world has become a crumbling and empty wasteland. It’s an isolated life for our protagonist Griz, who lives with his parents, brother, sister, and dogs Jip and Jess. You rarely meet anyone anymore, which is why when a boat with red sails appears on the horizon one day, everyone is excited albeit a little wary. Visitors mean news from the outside world and potential for trade, but Griz still understands the need to be careful. He does not trust the stranger, Brand, when he arrives, despite—or perhaps because of—the big man’s powerful charisma, and sadly Griz’s suspicions ultimately proved to be correct when he wakes up the next morning to find the boat with the red sails gone. Brand had stolen away in the early hours with the family’s food stores, some of their provisions, as well as Griz’s beloved terrier Jess, and now our protagonist will do anything to get his best friend back. All in all, this book was a joy to read, full of wistfulness and melancholy but also plenty of hope, love, and simple pleasures. (Read the full review…)

Aftershocks by Marko Kloos

Five years have passed since a brutal inter-planetary war ended with a peace treaty, beating back the once proud Gretians who had instigated the conflict. Aden, a former soldier who fought on the side that lost and who now finds himself held in a prison-of-war camp. The system has been rebuilding itself ever since, though there is still a lot of bad blood and animosity among the different peoples. Many lives had been impacted by the war, and there are some survivors who will never forgive the Gretians for what they did. Idina is one such person. She’s a Palladian with a grudge, now part of the occupying force on Gretia making sure history won’t repeat itself. For the past five years, patrols with her platoon have been quiet and uneventful, until one day they are ambushed by an unknown enemy. In another part of the system, Lieutenant Commander Dunstan Park of the Rhodian Navy is in space guarding the seized Gretian fleet when suddenly, all the inoperative ships are destroyed in a series of explosions, billions of tons of firepower wiped out in an instant. It appears that the peace is not as stable as believed. Normally, I would have trouble reading an “afterwar” book. But Marko Kloos looks at the question of “what now?” through the eyes of very engaging characters, each of them providing a unique and interesting perspective. This novel was a solid start to what promises to be a fantastic series, and I can’t wait for the sequel. (Read the full review…)

Tiamat’s Wrath by James S.A. Corey

As the penultimate book in the epic Expanse series, Tiamat’s Wrath gives one the feeling of an entire galaxy holding its collective breath—things aren’t so much happening as they are preparing the field for the final play. And yet, if you’ve been on this train since the beginning, you’ll know that just because the end is around the corner, that doesn’t mean we can’t still blow a lot of stuff up in the meantime and put readers through the emotional wringer. There are many remarkable moments like this in the book, and in fact, one of the things Tiamat’s Wrath does best is making the story feel like it’s in constant motion and packed with action. What’s more impressive is that this is happening even as the authors are spending lots of time pushing plot points and maneuvering characters around the place like pieces on a chessboard. Granted, many of surprises and twists they end up inflicting on us are painful, hitting readers right in the emotions. Here’s where the relationships between characters come into play, especially if you’ve gotten the foundation from the first seven books. Ultimately, I don’t think there’s been another science fiction series that has come anywhere near to consuming me the way The Expanse has. It is, in every sense of the word, a phenomenon, capturing the imaginations of readers everywhere with its space-operatic intrigue and daring action, its intense thrills and wonder, as well as its human tales of courage and resilience. (Read the full review…)

Star Wars: Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray

I have been most impressed with Claudia Gray’s books in the new Star Wars canon, and I have to say, she has yet to disappoint me. Now she’s at the top of her game once again with Star Wars: Master & Apprentice, a novel set a handful of years before the events of The Phantom Menace which shines the light on 17-year-old padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi and his complicated relationship with his mentor, Qui-Gon Jinn. For a tie-in novel, it’s surprisingly complex and layered. There’s certainly a lot to unpack here, but the central theme of the book is undeniably the dynamic between the two main characters. Qui-Gon’s fear of failing his apprentice is written incredibly well, and likewise so is Obi-Wan’s struggle to understand his master and his determination not to disappoint him. It was heartbreaking to read about their anxieties, knowing that deep down, they both loved and respected each other very much. Needless to say, in my eyes, Master & Apprentice is one of the new canon’s better books. I had a great time, and after reading it, I also think it would be fantastic to see more prequel or pre-prequel era Star Wars novels in the future. (Read the full review…)

Fortuna by Kristyn Merbeth

In this action-packed space opera about a dysfunctional family of smugglers, we journey with Scorpia Kaiser and her mother and siblings aboard the Fortuna across a galaxy filled with conflict and chaos. As the eldest daughter, Scorpia is looking forward to inheriting the business and the ship one day. But a recent transmission has thrown a wrench into those plans. Three years ago, her older brother Corvus turned his back on the family, enlisting in a war to fight for his home planet of Titan. His decision broke Scorpia’s heart, and because of that she has never forgiven him for his betrayal. But now, Corvus’ tour of duty is over, and their mother has ordered the Fortuna to rendezvous with him while on their way to another job, which unexpectedly takes a calamitous turn right in the middle of the awkward reunion. With an entire planet dying around them, the Kaisers must now put aside their differences and work together in order to survive. When it comes to delivering a boatload of sci-fi action and rip-roaring entertainment, Merbeth knows exactly what she’s doing, keeping the story’s momentum raging along like a pro. Even when you know what’s coming, you just can’t help but hold your breath and keep your fingers crossed, and that’s exactly the kind of intensity and electrifying experience I look for in my space opera. (Read the full review…)

Walking to Aldebaran by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I confess, I haven’t always had much luck with novellas, even when it comes to those by favorite authors, but I ended up really enjoying this one. For me, it was simply the right mix of humor and horror. Take the witty, smart-alecky narrative style of The Martian and combine it creepy, dread-inducing atmosphere of Alien, and you’d probably end up with something like Walking to Aldebaran. One wouldn’t think that would work so well, but it did. The book takes us inside the head of our protagonist, astronaut Gary Rendell. He has been on his own for a long time, long enough for him to start going a little stir-crazy, hoping to find another living soul to call friend. They wouldn’t even need to human. At this point, Gary is beyond caring about such trivialities, for you see, he’s trapped on a giant alien artefact that was found drifting at the edge of our solar system, following a disaster that killed the rest of his crewmates. Now he’s lost, frightened and alone, wandering aimlessly through the cold dark tunnels of the megalith. Equal parts hilarious and terrifying, this one was a joy to read. I don’t recommend novellas often, but once in a while an exception will come along, and this one I believe would be an excellent introduction to Adrian Tchaikovsky because it’s a wonderful showcase of his talents as a storyteller. (Read the full review…)

The Warehouse by Rob Hart

The Warehouse by Rob Hart is clearly riffing on the tech giant Amazon with Cloud, a megacorp in the future that has completely consumed the American economy, becoming the only thriving company in this dystopian world ravaged by recession and high unemployment. Competition for work is fierce especially since the government can no longer be relied upon for any kind of social support, so naturally, desperate jobseekers turn to Cloud en masse in the hopes of scoring a position in one of their many sprawling warehouses. These facilities, in addition to serving as the company’s distribution and fulfillment centers, are also where employees eat, sleep and live when they’re not spending the long hours working on the floor. On top of room and board, workers also get healthcare and other benefits to go along with the job. But the truth at Cloud is a lot more sinister. Through the eyes of three characters, readers are given insight into just what it’s like to work for the company. To start, the novel’s tagline of “Big Brother meets Big Business” is highly appropriate. Rob Hart’s depiction of a future where workers no longer have any rights and everything is about the bottom line is eerily disturbing, if for no other reason than how realizable the situation is if we no longer have the regulations in place to reign in large corporations. I would recommend this book for fans of the genre, especially if you enjoy dystopian scenarios that get under your skin and make you think. (Read the full review…)

Book Review: Novice Dragoneer by E.E. Knight

Posted on November 25, 2019 9 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Novice Dragoneer by E.E. Knight

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Dragoneer Academy

Publisher: Ace Books (November 5, 2019)

Length: 512 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Novice Dragoneer feels like a book I’ve read before, in one incarnation or another. And if you’ve read a lot of coming-of-age fantasy, books feature magic or warrior schools, or stories about dragon riders, then there’s a good chance this is going to feel very familiar to you too. But that’s certainly not a criticism. I for one love a good adventure that has a bit of everything, and even with its more derivative elements, I found this novel delightfully entertaining.

Our story follows Ileth, a fourteen-year-old orphan who has always dreamed of soaring the skies as a dragon rider. Unfortunately, due to the small stature and stutter, nobody ever thought she would amount to much, and our protagonist often found herself relegated to the kitchens for serving or cleaning work.

But then one day, Ileth is given the chance of a lifetime. After gaining acceptance into the prestigious Dragoneer Academy, she spends the next few years training at the fortress and moving up the ranks. But due to her lowly status in a school mostly attended by cadets from rich and powerful families, it is an uphill battle for Ileth to prove she deserves to be a dragon rider as much as any of them. Trouble, however, keeps finding her, and soon in a political move she is sent to a neighboring kingdom as a dragon-dancer where she makes the acquaintance of an old but venerated dragon with a mysterious past.

All told then, there’s nothing earth-shattering or highly original in Novice Dragoneer, but boy, was it a lot of fun. I was especially enchanted by its early chapters in which we follow Ileth through her dragon rider training. As you know, I love a good fantasy school trope, and this book checks off all the right boxes. We have the scrappy underdog protagonist who is fighting for a coveted position against students who are more privileged, and I also love that the training scenes that involve the requisite unpleasant tasks that all lowly initiates must do as a rite of passage. All the typical roles you would expect were present, including the hard-ass instructors and nasty bullies. Like I said, this is the type of novel where you pretty much know what you’re getting into from the get-go, but nevertheless it offers up a fair amount of enjoyment.

Strangely enough, it was when the story started exploring new territory that it started losing me. Personally, I would have been perfectly happy with more time spent at the academy, but understandably the plot must move on, and so we entered into the later parts of the book that did not appeal to me as much. Pacing was something of an issue, as we experience a slight slump in the middle sections, but bottom line, where the plot saw Ileth dispatched to a foreign land simply was not as interesting to me as the drama in the school setting. That said, one major advantage this part of the story was that it had more dragons!

Speaking of which, hands down the dragons in this book were some of the best highlights. They talk, they fly their riders into battle, and they love to watch human females dance! The ones we get to meet are absolutely charming, and the book definitely picked up in the last third as the story shifts gears once more to follow Ileth as she embarks on a quest to help a dragon.

Indeed, the transitions in Novice Dragoneer are quite distinct. They follow our protagonist as she grows with each section of the novel, so while the early parts feel very Young Adult, by the end of the story we reach a point where adults might find more crossover appeal, since it explores some darker and more mature themes. I was happy with Ileth’s development, the way she grows not only physical but also mentally and in confidence. As she forges new friendships, her interactions with other characters also became more compelling.

All in all, I had a good time with Novice Dragoneer. It’s pretty standard as far as coming-of-age fantasy goes, featuring themes and tropes that won’t be anything new for the experienced genre reader, but it was a solidly enjoyable read in spite of that. Fans of magic school stories will especially take great pleasure in it, and while parts of the story ran overly long, E.E. Knight reined things back in and regained control before the meandering can get too out of hand. Most importantly, the plot and characters have my attention now, and I’ll be looking forward to the sequel.

#SciFiMonth Audiobook Review: The Queen’s Advantage by Jessie Mihalik

Posted on November 24, 2019 6 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Queen’s Advantage by Jessie Mihalik

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction

Series: Book 2 of Rogue Queen

Publisher: Tantor Audio (October 8, 2019)

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator: Rachel Dulude

Time for another bite-sized romance sci-fi adventure by Jessie Mihalik! Like a lot of folks, I first came to these Rogue Queen books after reading Polaris Rising in her Consortium Rebellion series. Of course, once I discovered these novellas which were previously released in serialized format on the author’s website were getting officially published with audiobook releases as well, I just had to pounce.

The Queen’s Advantage is the follow-up to The Queen’s Gambit, which continues the story of our protagonist Queen Samara of the Rogue Coalition. Following her daring rescue of Emperor Valentin Kos from the clutches of the Quint Confederacy, Samara has agreed to help him root out the traitors in his court. It will be a dangerous job given how many enemies the emperor has, and it doesn’t help that those same mysterious traitors aren’t big fans of Samara either, considering how her past stunts had cost them a whole lot of money.

Sure enough, soon after their arrival there is a violent attack, prompting Samara to move up her schedule and show her hand early. Troublingly, Valentin appears to be losing control of his security forces, and his adversaries will no doubt make use of the confusion to sow more discontent and chaos, if they haven’t already infiltrated the higher levels of the administration. This is a problem for Samara, who has promised to repay her debts to Valentin by guarding him, not to mention there is the matter of their burgeoning relationship. The two of them have become quite close, and Samara is the type of woman who always keeps her promises and fights to protect what’s hers.

Compared to The Queen’s Gambit, this sequel might have had just a tad less action, but the story makes up for it by delving deeper into the world building. The Queen’s Advantage shines a light on the intricate web of politics that connects the galaxy, expanding on the power dynamics that exist between the factions in conflict. In particular, we get to see the inner workings of the Kos Empire, which aren’t as hunky-dory as we think—for one thing, Valentin doesn’t have limitless authority, and the truth is he faces quite a lot of opposition to his rule and there are quite a few people at court who hate his guts. In fact, what we learn here is that the state of the Empire is actually quite a mess. And walking into the middle of this pit of snakes is Samara, a queen in name only, who is as welcome as a wet dog at a fancy dinner.

With two books each of the Consortium Rebellion and Rogue Queen series under my belt now, I can also confidently say that Samara is a typical Mihalik heroine—and I mean that in the best way possible. Her protagonists are all smart, tough, and independent women who can take care of themselves. Case in point, Samara can more than hold her own against the scheming politicos and other bureaucrats who look down their nose at her. She’s also fiercely protective of Valentin, who is probably my favorite of Mihalik’s male love interests so far. He’s funny, sweet, and surprisingly down-to-earth for an emperor. While I’m still not sure how realistic this feels, I’m liking the chemistry between him and Samara, his idealism being a good counterpoint to the rougher parts of her personality.

Also, another thing I like is that we’re not rushing into the romance. That said, neither would I call it a slow-burn; quite simply, there are a few matters in our characters’ relationship that still need to be ironed out, and we’re just letting things take their natural course—the way it should be. Again, you won’t find anything too deep here, but The Queen’s Advantage nevertheless serves its purpose as an entertaining diversion if you’re looking for something to lighten up a few hours of your afternoon. I would recommend this series, especially if you’re enjoying what you’re seeing in Jessie Mihalik’s other novels.

Audiobook Comments: Rachel Dulude reprises her role as narrator, and once more she brings a passion and enthusiasm to the novel and is a perfect voice for Samara. One thing to note, however, is that I had to speed up playback for this audiobook a bit more than usual because of the slow speech rate, but this wasn’t a major issue and overall my enjoyment was unaffected.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Queen’s Gambit (Book 1)

Book Review: Unnatural Magic by C.M. Waggoner

Posted on November 23, 2019 19 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Unnatural Magic by C.M. Waggoner

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1/Stand Alone

Publisher: Ace (November 5, 2019)

Length: 400 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Unnatural Magic was a solid read that was hard to pin down at times, but once you learn how to go with the flow, the book might end up surprising you in the best way possible. A novel which strives to tackle traditional fantasy in a fresh and unique way, C.M. Waggoner’s debut offers a cleverly transformative tale that explores love, ambition, and the tenacity of spirit in finding acceptance.

Set in a world where humans and trolls co-exist, albeit not always peacefully, Unnatural Magic opens on a setting which feels vaguely turn-of-the-century gaslamp, starting with an introduction to the first of our major characters, Onna Gebowa. From an early age, she has displayed an aptitude for magic, though achieving her dreams of attending the premiere academy of arcane arts will be difficult, given the male-dominated field. After being rejected, Onna decides to forge her own path, traveling to the city of Hexos where they will be more appreciative of her extraordinary talent and skills.

Meanwhile in another part of the world, Tsira is a half-troll who is also planning for a journey to Hexos. Despite being daughter of the clan leader, she has always been regarded as a bit of an outsider, and Tsira has had enough, choosing instead to leave her people and strike out on her own to find work among the humans. On the way to the city though, she saves the life of Jeckran, a human soldier who has been wounded and left for dead in the snow. As Tsira nurses him back to health, the two of them grow closer and eventually become lovers, continuing on to Hexos together.

While the ties linking Onna and Tsira’s storylines are still tenuous at this point, they quickly become more apparent when a brutal string of murders bring human and troll relations to a near state of war. Trolls are being targeted by the killer or killers, and Onna is on a mission to find out who and why. Personally affected by the killings, Tsira also throws herself into the investigation, with Jeckran loyal by her side.

As I said, once you get into the rhythm of things, Unnatural Magic can be absolutely delightful. It has the sprawling feel of an epic fantasy, but also features an intriguing mystery at its heart. The human-troll politics of this world were interesting too, and Waggoner has created a troll culture that feels well-crafted, robust, and replete with lore and history. The two societies differ in the way they view magic, but they also have very different expectations and ideals when it comes to certain social behaviors and gender roles. Nothing illustrates this better than the relationship between Tsira and Jeckran, who are looked upon with morbid curiosity or downright contempt wherever they go. Falling outside the norms of both cultures, their romance nonetheless works well for them, though like all couples they had to go through an adjustment period.

Then there’s Onna, whom I confess I had a hard time liking at the beginning. Ineffectual and timid, perpetually on the verge of bursting into tears, she was an infuriating character who was utterly lacking in self-agency. It’s like, come on, girl! You’re smart and you can out-magic all the men in the room, grow some backbone and stop letting everyone trample all over you! But quickly it became clear the author was setting up for Onna’s eventual transformation and growth. Gradually, her character comes into her own and becomes a force to be reckoned with, taking on a more authoritative role. By the end of the book, she’s a completely different person.

But now, time for the part I dread most in which I talk about the book’s weaknesses. Not too surprisingly, this being a debut, there were a few hitches. While there was plenty to love when it came to the ideas in world-building, I could have done with more actual descriptions of the setting. I often had a difficult time picturing the characters’ surroundings, especially when they were in the city which felt more like a cobbled-together backdrop rather than a living, breathing hub. At times it also felt like Waggoner got carried away, trying to pack too much into the plot. This affected the pacing, and quite honestly, some of the early parts of the book were a slog because it took so long for the crux of the novel to emerge. It wasn’t until both Onna and Tsira’s storylines started linking up that the writing became tighter and the plot became more streamlined, around halfway through the book. I also want to make a note about the sex and the swearing. I take no issue with either in general, but some of it was written so awkwardly and felt so out-of-place that most of it just struck me as awfully self-indulgent.

But overall, I have to say I enjoyed myself. While certain aspects could have used a few tweaks, on the whole Unnatural Magic was quite brilliant and solid for a debut. With experience and time, many new authors will iron out a lot of issues in their writing, and with that said, I think C.M. Waggoner is definitely a name to keep an eye on.

#SciFiMonth Friday Face-Off: Futuristic

Posted on November 22, 2019 15 Comments

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.

This week’s theme is:

~ a cover featuring that is FUTURISTIC

Mogsy’s Pick:

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

It’s Sci-Fi November! To celebrate, I’ll be featuring science fiction titles on Friday Face-Off for the full month. Up next, we’re shining the spotlight on Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, a novel I can appreciate for its originality and imaginative ideas. The book follows Breq, a soldier who is more (and, I suppose, also less) than she seems. An “Ancillary”, Breq was formerly one of many corpse soldiers all linked up with an artificial intelligence as part of a massive starship called the Justice of Toren. So in a sense, she is the Justice of Toren. Breq as well as all the other corpse soldier “segments” who were treated as appendages connected to the Justice of Toren were collectively considered part of the ship. It’s an incredibly elaborate concept that’s a bit to hard to wrap your head around, but man, was it cool to read about.

But we’re here to talk about covers today, so let’s take a look at them now!

From left to right:
Orbit (2013) – Subterranean Press (2015) – Portuguese Edition (2018)

Russian Edition (2015) – Polish Edition (2015) – French Edition (2015)

Estonian Edition (2015) – Greek Edition (2019) – German Edition (2015)

Korean Edition (2016) – Japanese Edition (2015) – Arabic Edition (2016)

Winner:

I thought for sure I’d be picking the Orbit edition today, but as I was looking through the available covers while I was drafting this post, another one snuck in unexpectedly and stole my heart! I am of course talking about the Polish edition, which just has a je ne sais quoi quality to it that I find very appealing.

But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?

Thriller Thursday: The Siberian Dilemma by Martin Cruz Smith

Posted on November 21, 2019 12 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Siberian Dilemma by Martin Cruz Smith

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Book 9 of Arkady Renko

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (November 5, 2019)

Length: 288 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Normally I wouldn’t just jump into the middle of a series, but I’m trying to vary my reading and felt I was due for a mystery thriller. Enter The Siberian Dilemma by Martin Cruz Smith, the ninth book in a spy series called Arkady Renko which has only been peripherally on my radar. Formerly an investigator for the Soviet Militsiya in Moscow, our eponymous protagonist has taken on various roles since, solving crimes and mysteries all over the world.

In The Siberian Dilemma, Arkady heads into the wilds of the northern Russian province to search for his girlfriend Tatiana Petrovna, an investigative journalist who has gone missing. Although Tatiana has been known to go off-grid for weeks at a time while she is on an assignment, Renko grows concerned after her failure to return home on the train. The constant target of death threats, Tatiana may be in danger, especially given the sensitive nature of the story she is doing on Mikhail Kuznetsov, a wealthy and influential oligarch running for president against Vladimir Putin in the upcoming election.

So when Renko is dispatched to Siberia by his superiors to interrogate a prisoner, he decides to use this opportunity to also check on Tatiana and make sure she is safe. On his way there, he meets Rinchin Bolot, a traveler who is fascinated by Renko and wishes to accompany him as his factotum—a sort of sidekick who actually winds up being quite helpful to our protagonist out in a lot of ways, especially when the mission inevitably turns deadly. After Kuznetsov’s business partner and best friend is murdered, Renko fears that others who have gotten close to the presidential candidate may be targeted next—including himself and Tatiana.

As a first timer to this series, the only reason why I braved starting with book nine was because apparently it could be enjoyed as a standalone. For the most part, I think this is true. Martin Cruz Smith does a good job catching readers up, even if you haven’t read any of novels that came before. That said, I’m sure there were a lot of nuances and connections I must have missed, simply from being unfamiliar with the series’ history. For example, there are several side characters who show up, and from their easy rapport with the protagonist it is clear they had major roles to play in the previous books. One of these is Zhenya, Renko’s adopted teenaged son, and of course Tatiana, whose relationship with the main character was only explored lightly because the narrative assumes the reader is aware of how they met and got together.

That said, there was enough thrust behind the mystery which helped new readers like me get hooked and interested in the story. Granted, things got off to a slow start, which I believe was due to a couple of reasons. The first is once again my unfamiliarity with the series, making it difficult to maintain a strong interest in the early chapters which mostly served to catch us up with Renko’s work and the people around him. The second reason has a lot to do with the nature of spy fiction itself. In the tradition of crime and espionage novels, The Siberian Dilemma places a lot of emphasis on the intrigue and suspense behind the games that major political powers play. While there is also plenty of action, most of these edge-of-your-seat moments—the shootouts, ruthless betrayals, and even a harrowing bear attack—don’t come until the second half of the book.

There’s also a muted quality to the author’s style that took a while to get used to. This removed a lot of the tension from the story, and as a result I never felt truly afraid for Renko, even when he experienced all these close calls. However, I was also pleasantly surprised to find a fair bit of humor in the book. Rinchin Bolot was especially a hoot, injecting some much-needed levity in what was otherwise a pretty dark book. The novel’s biggest weakness was perhaps its pacing, which was unstable with a slow and measured beginning while the ending felt rushed. This was very jarring for a newbie like me and sometimes made it harder to stay focused.

Still, overall I was pretty impressed, speaking as a reader coming to this author and series for the first time. It was also a quick read and easy to get into, despite a few minor obstacles and challenges. In addition, I highly enjoyed the Moscow politics and Russian investigator angle, which I don’t often get to see a lot in the mysteries and thrillers I typically read. All told, I definitely wouldn’t mind picking up more of Martin Cruz Smith’s work or reading more Arkady Renko novels.

#SciFiMonth Waiting on Wednesday 11/20/19

Posted on November 20, 2019 18 Comments

Mogsy’s Pick

Chaos Reigning by Jessie Mihalik (May 19th, 2020 by Harper Voyager)

As you know, I recently reviewed Aurora Blazing, and I had also just finished the second book of Mihalik’s Rogue Queen novella series the other day. And so, the cover reveal of this novel earlier in the week week couldn’t have come at a better time! Really looking forward to this one, and once again we have a very beautiful cover and intriguing blurb.

“Interplanetary intrigue and romance combine in this electrifying finale to the Consortium Rebellion series.

As the youngest member of her High House, Catarina von Hasenberg is used to being underestimated, but her youth and flighty, bubbly personality mask a clever mind and stubborn determination. Her enemies, blind to her true strength, do not suspect that Cat is a spy—which makes her the perfect candidate to go undercover at a rival House’s summer retreat to gather intelligence on their recent treachery.

Cat’s overprotective older sister reluctantly agrees, but on one condition: Cat cannot go alone. Alexander Sterling, a quiet, gorgeous bodyguard, will accompany her, posing as her lover. After Cat tries, and fails, to ditch Alex, she grudgingly agrees, confident in her ability to manage him. After all, she’s never found a person she can’t manipulate.

But Alex proves more difficult—and more desirable—than Cat anticipated. When she’s attacked and nearly killed, she and Alex are forced to work together to figure out how deep the treason goes. With rumors of widespread assaults on Serenity raging, communications down, and the rest of her family trapped off-planet, Catarina must persuade Alex to return to Earth to expose the truth and finish this deadly battle once and for all.

But Cat can’t explain why she’s the perfect person to infiltrate hostile territory without revealing secrets she’d rather keep buried. . . .”

#SciFiMonth Audiobook Review: Star Wars: Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse

Posted on November 19, 2019 25 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Star Wars: Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In

Series: Star Wars Canon, Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Publisher: Random House Audio (November 5, 2019)

Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator: Marc Thompson

Guys, I was so excited when I found out about Star Wars: Resistance Reborn and that Rebecca Roanhorse would be writing it. Rebecca Roanhorse, as in The Sixth World Rebecca Roanhorse? I love that series! And couldn’t have been more thrilled that she was tapped for this project. But she also has her work cut out for her, given the challenging task of bridging The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.

Reduced to only a handful of survivors after the harrowing events at the battle of Crait, the Resistance now they must decide their next steps. Leia Organa, unwilling to give up, sends out a call for help to whoever would listen. But it appears most of her support have abandoned her—or have been captured and detained by the First Order. Wracked with guilt for his actions, Poe Dameron is ready to do anything to make amends. At Leia’s request, he takes it upon himself to search for more allies.

And at its heart, that’s what this book is all about: Poe’s road to redemption. He knows he screwed up royally in The Last Jedi, and Resistance Reborn is merciless in making you feel the full brunt of the repercussions to his actions.

So this, in essence, is really Poe’s story. The consequence of his recklessness that effectively led to the end of the Resistance is a shadow that looms over the entire novel. But just as the rebellion needs to be reborn, so does our commander of Black Squadron. No one is harder on Poe than Poe himself, and throughout this journey, filled with moments both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, he realizes that he still has teammates and true friends who will fight by his side, lifting him out of that dark place. And then there are the kind of allies who won’t take such a direct route, choosing instead to empower him and set him on the right path by teaching him how to help himself.

Which brings me to the cast of characters, and I was pleasantly surprised to find we got to follow some major players. In my experience, whenever we get a “bridge book” or a “prequel novel” in the Star Wars expanded canon that promises to fill in the gaps, what we usually get instead is a fun but fluffy throwaway piece starring a bunch of expendable one-use characters because you just know they’ll save all the most important developments for the movies. A prime example of this is the first book of Aftermath (though to be fair, some of the characters in that trilogy ultimately became quite prominent, impacting the Star Wars universe quite significantly, but more on that later).

Such is life when it comes to media tie-ins, after all, but Resistance Reborn on the other hand features all our old favorites: Leia, Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, Chewbacca, and the list goes on. It helped make this feel like a real Star Wars novel, lending weight to its people, events, and places. It also made me feel like what I read mattered on a greater level, and you’d be surprised how few canon novels thus far have passed this test.

Not only that though, Resistance Reborn is like a gift to the superfans of Star Wars who have really embraced the franchise beyond the movies. If you’ve also enjoyed the books, comics, video games, TV shows, etc., there will be quite a few references and appearances by characters you’ll recognize from elsewhere. Snap Wexley, for example, who made his debut on the aforementioned Aftermath and was brought to life on the big screen in The Force Awakens. Shriv Suurgav and Zay Versio, from Battlefront II. Even Ransolm Casterfo, the handsome rogue senator from Claudia Gray’s brilliant Leia Organa novel Bloodline will show up, with some answers as to what he’s been up to all these years. Not only that, we have some highly recognizable names like Wedge Antilles, who has married Snap’s mother Norra and are living together as farmers on Akiva. Maz Kanata, who understands more than most how the Force works in mysterious ways. And of course, there are ties aplenty to the Poe Dameron and Black Squadron comics. It was fascinating to see this book gather all these disparate characters together, forming the basis of a new resistance. There’s a sense of renewed hope, but also this bittersweet acceptance of an end to an era. The coming battle will be fought by this new line-up of rebels, and I’m curious to see who will show up in The Rise of Skywalker.

As for Rebecca Roanhorse’s writing, I think her style translates well to Star Wars, despite the occasional turn of phrase which would jolt me out of the immersion. Her best portrayals were of the female characters (there was one particular scene I loved, involving a heartfelt conversation between Leia and Rey), while a couple of her male characters like Wedge and Finn could have used some fine-tuning, and there were a few telling-not-showing moments where Poe came across just a bit too detached. But overall, I couldn’t be happier with Roanhorse’s work and her dedication to detail. The book was peppered with little Easter Eggs, calling back to everything from Star Wars: Rebels to the original trilogy.

But when it comes to story, admittedly the plot was on the flimsier side, and it worked out too neatly. Yes, we get this whole build-up to a nail-biting finale, but at the end of the day, we are still left with an awkward sense of being back to square one. Granted, we now know the Resistance isn’t as alone as we thought it was; the most important elements of Black Squadron are intact and we we’ve dug up some new allies. Poe, the linchpin of the novel, also gets his absolution. But really, all this could have been inferred from the end of The Last Jedi. I guess the point I’m trying to make is, Resistance Reborn ends in a way that seems purposely designed not to affect the third movie at all, but again, this just goes back to the nature of media tie-ins. Like most, it’s a standalone, supplementary rather than required, and the most important characters are kept from making any huge decisions or weren’t developed much because obviously you save those things for the movie.

That being said, should you read Resistance Reborn? Yes, if you’re a diehard Star Wars fan and are going all in on Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, you absolutely should. Despite its weaknesses (many of which are related to the tie-in genre rather than anything negative to do with the book itself) this was one of the better novels from the new canon. Rebecca Roanhorse did a fantastic job writing a fun new adventure to fill the gap between the two films, even fixing or clarifying a few things from The Last Jedi, while providing lots of geek-out moments for those of us who love everything Star Wars.