Book Review: Level Grind by Annie Bellet
Posted on November 21, 2016 22 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Books 1-4 of The Twenty-Sided Sorceress
Publisher: Saga Press (October 4, 2016)
Length: 480 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
In gaming lingo, the term “level grind” often has negative connotations, typically used to describe having to engage in mind-numbingly tedious or repetitive tasks to gain experience or complete an achievement. Happily, this is not at all how I would describe my experience with Level Grind by Annie Bellet, which is in fact a very witty, vibrant, and entertaining urban fantasy. Collecting the first four novellas in the Twenty-Sided Sorcerer series, this omnibus admittedly offers pretty standard fare when it comes to the genre. Still, it manages to be a very entertaining read thanks to the stories’ vigorous pacing, the characters’ irresistible charms, and the author’s fun take on the usual tropes.
Meet Jade Crow, a sorceress on the run. After twenty-five years of hiding from her ex-lover and fellow sorcerer Samir who wants to eat her heart (gross, yes, but that happens to be the only way to kill a sorcerer and steal their powers) she has ended up settling in Wylde, Idaho, home to a thriving paranormal community that includes shapeshifters, witches, and leprechauns. A lifelong gamer and nerd, Jade is content enough to lie low and live a quiet life among friends, running her comic book and game store.
JUSTICE CALLING
Justice Calling is the first novella of the collection, introducing us our main characters and setting. It was just another day at Pwned Comics and Games when a tall and handsome stranger breezes through the door and accuses Jade of murder. Alek is a Justice, an enforcer for the Shifter community, and he has arrived in Wylde after receiving a vision that someone or something may be harming the lives of those he has sworn to protect, and he believes Jade is to blame.
This first story also sets the tone for the rest of the series: lots of gaming and pop culture references, unashamedly geared towards the gamer and geek demographics. That said, any general fan of urban fantasy can definitely enjoy these books as well. As the opening novella and also the shortest of the bunch, Justice Calling is unfortunately rather light on character development and world-building (imagine a full-length novel by Patricia Briggs or Ilona Andrews compressed into a little more than 100 pages, and that’s how I would describe this), but it does solidly establish more to come. This is when reading the omnibus comes in handy; with the next book conveniently waiting on the next page, there was no excuse not to satisfy my curiosity and hankering for more.
MURDER OF CROWS
This second story starts with Jade’s estranged father showing up at her doorstep, imploring her for help. Our protagonist has never forgiven her family for kicking her out of Three Feathers crow shifter ranch where she grew up, but she ultimately agrees to help after learning someone was out there brutally killing innocent people. As always, Jade suspects Samir, her evil sorcerer ex who could be murdering members of the Crow clan to get to her.
If book one was about laying down the groundwork and hooking readers in, then Murder of Crows is where things start to get a little deeper. Bellet fleshes out her world-building, exploring the various shapeshifting communities in her series and also incorporating Native American history, culture, and lore into her story. But it is character development that gets a huge boost. We learn a lot more about Jade and where she came from, and by the end of the book she is changed by the many difficult decisions she had to make. There’s also a strong vibe of mysticism in this one as Jade comes to terms with being a sorceress and what it’ll take to control her magic. The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was her romance with Alek; I mean, come on, it ends before it even begins!
PACK OF LIES
The next story begins as Alek suddenly comes back into Jade’s life, showing up at her door asking her for help (yes, there’s a clear pattern emerging here with regards to the way these books begin). The Wylde community is again threatened as news comes that wolves are killing other wolves, but things take an even worse turn when an innocent family is found slaughtered, seemingly caught in the middle of a shifter conflict. Even though Alek broke her heart, for the sake of her town Jade decides to lend him a hand in his investigation.
I didn’t get a chance to feel invested in Jade and Alek’s relationship in the previous two books, so quite a few of their interactions felt empty. These plots are also starting to become very predictable, especially when read back-to-back; someone always comes to Jade for help with a gruesome terrible crime, and as always, Jade thinks it must be Samir, the big bad who has been a constant threat in the back of her mind and yet he is still nowhere to be seen. To be fair, this is a rather common feeling for me when it comes to novellas, with there being so few pages to really develop a deeper story. Still, these books are meant to be short and sweet, and when all is said and done, Pack of Lies was another fast, entertaining read. Jade also reveals herself to be a sorceress at the end of this book which causes no small amount of tensions in her small town (even the other paranormals are kind of creeped out by sorcerers, with them being known to eat hearts and everything) which adds another interesting source of conflict to the series.
HUNTING SEASON
Yep, this one also starts with someone showing up at Jade’s door for help, and again we are led to believe that these dastardly acts (in this case, the grisly mass killings of unicorns) might be attributed to Samir. But this time, we actually get the sense that a greater story is emerging. Finally! A mysterious sorceress also turns up in Wylde, claiming to be running away from Samir and needs protection, and Jade is torn between wanting to help and not wanting to put her friends at risk.
I’ll be honest, this being the fourth installment, I thought we would have a lot more answers by now. But this is also a story with some great developments and nice twists. Hunting Season was perhaps the best of the novellas, and a great story to end this first collection.
Closing thoughts: So far, I’m really enjoying The Twenty-Sided Sorceress and I would highly recommend the omnibus format of Level Grind for an easy, convenient way to enjoy the first four novellas one after another. While it’s true that UF fans may find it a little derivative and too similar to many of the popular paranormal series out there, I think it aims for being light and fun rather than groundbreaking. And it worked! The stories’ short lengths also definitely had some impact on the depth of world-building, character, and story development, but the good news is, these areas continue to expand with each installment. It’s probably not a stretch to say if you love Mercy Thompson or Kate Daniels, you will do get a kick out of this series as well. Geeks and gamers will especially have a blast! I look forward to seeing what’s next.
#RRSciFiMonth: Star Wars: Crucible by Troy Denning
Posted on November 20, 2016 3 Comments
Sci-Fi November is a month-long blog event hosted by Rinn Reads and Over The Effing Rainbow this year, created to celebrate everything amazing about science fiction! From TV shows to movies, books to comics, and everything else in between, it is intended to help science fiction lovers share their love and passion for this genre and its many, many fandoms.
Crucible by Troy Denning
Genre: Science Fantasy
Series: Star Wars
Publisher: LucasBooks (January 2013)
Author Info: starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Troy_Denning
Wendy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
The original Star Wars EU is apocrypha now, but there’s still value in checking out these far reaching stories for old times sake. Han and Luke and Leia’s adventures and struggles have continued long beyond the death of the Deathstar. I am renaming this book: Star Wars: Old People, but, while age and battle has taken its toll here and there, bacta tanks and the Force can still do wonders for our intrepid heroes. Maybe it’s time for a little break. But first, let’s save the galaxy, one more time!
The Sith are probably still lurking around somewhere, but the more pressing concern is the questionable dealings of a pair of Columi brothers in the Outer Rim that threaten Lando’s successful mining operations and the ever fragile peace and prosperity of the galaxy.
It was initially kind of neat to read about the Columi, whose armour I’ve been sporting for some time in Star Wars: The Old Republic. But the actual characters — giant brained supposed genius who trip all over the jealous siblings tropes, complete with one of them obsessive over a girl — were kind of creepy. And not the interesting kind of creepy. The aforementioned girl obsession left much to be desired, as did most of the awkward sexual tensions and flirtings that went on. But I guess that awkward flirting is part of the Star Wars canon.
Or at least it was, until the invention of Poe Dameron.
Crucible most certainly has a problem with the Force as a catch all plot device. I have not read many of these EU books that take place far into the future, but, if this one is to be believed, them damn Jedi are powerful enough to mess up everything, like allll the time. Frankly, the Emperor was right to cull that OP herd to balance the scales. It’s not all that fun when you know your heroes are going to win every time (but I don’t complain about the concept of Leia Jedi flipping around in Twi’lek cosplay — which was the one highlight of the story for me.). Speaking of heroes winning, if you’re supposed to be geniuses, Mr. and Mr. Columi, why would you decide to “torture” notorious gambler Han Solo by making him play Sabaac? This was one of many silly things that happened in this book, and the silly just kept going right to the end. Because why not throw all these things into an increasingly convoluted plot that takes the heroes into this titular Crucible, which reminded me of something more like a space house of mirrors, complete with clones and time travel. You can never go wrong with time travel plot devices!
This was a fun read, I guess, if only for the opportunity to hang out in the Star Wars realm again, but, if you are interested in the defunct EU, there are far better books out there.
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on November 19, 2016 40 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I round up what I’ve read since the last update and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
Thank you to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and for more details and full descriptions of the books, be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages!
Silverwolf by Jacey Bedford – Earlier this year I really enjoyed Winterwood, so when the sequel showed up in the mail one day I was pretty excited. Can’t say I’m too crazy about the cover though, but as long as the story is once again filled with the adventure, magic and romance of the first book, then who am I to complain! With thanks to DAW.
In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle – I was also thrilled with the arrival of this ARC from the wonderful folks at Tachyon Publications. This will be my first time reading Peter S. Beagle.
The Gates of Hell by Michael Livingston – Already read and reviewed, check out the link below! Fantastic sequel to The Shards of Heaven, a historical fantasy set in Ancient Rome. Much thanks to Tor for the finished copy.
Snowed by Maria Alexander – Yay, got my copy! My thanks to Raw Dog Screaming Press, a wonderful small publisher dedicated to putting out dark and off-kilter lit from the fringe, as well as Beverly Bambury Publicity. I don’t usually do “seasonal reads”, but I seriously can’t wait for the chance to snuggle up to this one over the holidays.
The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington – A new epic fantasy that sounds incredibly enticing; I really can’t wait to dive into this. My thanks to Orbit!
Dear Sweet Filthy World by Caitlín R. Kiernan – Another cool surprise from the awesome team at Subterranean Press. For readers who want to check out the author’s work, this anthology sounds like a great idea. It collects stories that were previously published in Kiernan’s subscription-only digest, so this is the first time many of them will be available to the general public.
The Catcher’s Trap by Ricardo Henriquez – This is a new one to me, and thanks to Inkshares for putting it on my radar. The pitch I received with it described the book as a dark fantasy/horror novel inspired by the author’s own struggles with depression, coming out as gay, and his experience immigrating to the United States. I’ve seen it compared to a dark fairy tale and Pan’s Labyrinth, and some of the reviews talking about the horror and the gruesomeness are actually giving me serious anxiety! I love the horror genre, but this might even be too intense for me. I can’t deny I’m intrigued though, and maybe I’ll give it a look once I take some time to rally myself.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman – I haven’t really been following this book, but when it came out of a surprise package last week I knew it on sight. That striking cover is not one you easily forget, and Neal Shusterman is an author I’ve wanted to read for a long time. I’m really excited to read this, thank you Simon & Schuster.
Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty – A surprise from Orbit which arrived two days after I had already downloaded the digital galley, but I’m also extremely grateful to have a physical ARC. My thanks to the publisher for sending me this highly anticipated novel!
Hunted by Meagan Spooner – After seeing so many bloggers feature this book on their blogs my resolve finally cracked and I requested it from Edelweiss. I can’t resist a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Thanks to HarperTeen.
Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin and Fireborn by David Dalglish – Audiobooks, with thanks to Hachette Audio. Very excited for the conclusion of the Wolf by Wolf duology, especially after the way book one ended. And speaking of highly anticipated sequels, I’m also looking forward to the follow-up to Skyborn.
Star Wars: Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel by James Luceno – It really is a week for highly anticipated audiobooks. The movie can’t come soon enough, but in the meantime I’ll be checking out this prequel novel. With thanks to Random House Audio.
Agents of Dreamland by Caitlín R. Kiernan and Standard Hollywood Depravity by Adam Christopher – More novellas courtesy of the generous team at Tor.com! Caitlín R. Kiernan is a very busy author these days and I’d love to catch up on her more recent stuff. And while I haven’t read Made to Kill yet, I hope that won’t stop me from enjoying Adam Christopher’s new story set in that same world.
Reviews
Review roundup time! Hands down the best two books I read during this period were After Atlas and The Purloined Poodle and I am happy to be highlighting both this week.
After Atlas by Emma Newman (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Purloined Poodle by Kevin Hearne (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Gates of Hell by Michael Livingston (4 of 5 stars)
Iron Cast by Destiny Soria (4 of 5 stars)
Wolf’s Empire: Gladiator by Claudia Christian & Morgan Grant Buchanan (3.5 of 5 stars)
An Import of Intrigue by Marshall Ryan Maresca (3.5 of 5 stars)
Ninth City Burning by J. Patrick Black (3 of 5 stars)
Chasing Embers by James Bennett (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Here’s what’s come off Mount TBR lately. Stay tuned for reviews!
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
#RRSciFiMonth Book Review: Ninth City Burning by J. Patrick Black
Posted on November 18, 2016 22 Comments
Sci-Fi November is a month-long blog event hosted by Rinn Reads and Over The Effing Rainbow this year, created to celebrate everything amazing about science fiction! From TV shows to movies, books to comics, and everything else in between, it is intended to help science fiction lovers share their love and passion for this genre and its many, many fandoms.
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Ninth City Burning by J. Patrick Black
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Ace (September 6, 2016)
Length: 482 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Ninth City Burning is an impressive debut, built upon an array of inventive ideas and wildly original world-building. It may be a science fiction novel at its core, but it also contains plenty of elements that would not be out of place in a fantasy epic. The story, which takes place hundreds of years in the future, is told through no less than half a dozen diverse narratives all woven together to form its brutal premise of war between humanity and an invading alien race. Despite this feast of creativity though, in some respects, Ninth City Burning is also an excellent example of too much not always being a good thing. It is ambitious for sure, but like a lot of debuts, I feel it also stumbles a bit from attempting to accomplish more than it can handle.
Five hundred years ago, Earth was nearly destroyed by the “Valentines”, named for the day they attacked. They brought a seemingly unstoppable weapon, a reality-bending force known as thelemity which they used to raze entire cities to the ground. But in doing so, the aliens also unwittingly “unlocked” the latent ability to use thelemity in a number of humans, thus giving Earth a fighting chance.
However, even though humanity now possesses the same weapon as the enemy, the Valentines are still gaining ground, putting pressure on the various Earth precincts to provide more resources and soldiers for the war. Involuntary drafts are in effect to keep fighters flowing to the front, and those with a talent to manipulate thelemity are swiftly identified by the Legion and sent to military academies to hone their power. Those who refuse to fight are banished to the far realms, forced to live as disassociated wanderers and outcasts.
Pretty much every group involved in the war is represented in this novel, starting with Jax, a 12-year-old boy already with the weight of the world on his shoulders. As a Fontanus, he has been identified by Legion as a source of thelemity, which means his survival on the battlefield is paramount and entire squads are trained on how to keep him safe. But though he is always surrounded, Jax has always felt a sense of loneliness created by the distance between himself and fellow soldiers. Then there is Naomi, a young girl from one of the unincorporated groups who had no idea that humanity was even at war with aliens. Her world turns upside down when she is suddenly identified as one of the rare individuals who can bend thelemity. Naomi’s sister Rae, a woman in her late teens faces a similar shock as she is sent to a military academy to train with students much younger than her. Another key character is Torro, a factory worker in a settlement that churns out soldiers and supplies for the war effort who becomes a reluctant but brave fighter after he is caught in the draft. On the Legion side of things, there’s Vinneas, an officer and a brilliant tactician, as well as Kizabel, an eccentric engineering genius.
There were probably a couple more POVs, but at this point I think I’ve named all the memorable ones. As I had alluded to before, this book could have been improved by cutting back in some areas, and the first thing I would have reduced is the number of perspective characters. The story reached the critical mass of POVs early on and I felt that more actually became unnecessary, distracting, and even ineffectual.
The concept of thelemity could have been introduced earlier as well, and that might have been possible if the introduction had been shorter and less cumbersome. Even so, I actually enjoyed the first half very much; it was the second half that ultimately took away much of my initial excitement by expounding on the details of the war against the Valentines. So, maybe just an overall trimming down of the various plot threads to improve pacing and flow wouldn’t have been such a bad thing either.
Still, there were some great ideas in here, when the story wasn’t struggling under their weight; I loved the concept of thelemity, which in akin to magic in many ways, and there were also numerous examples of fantastic and original world-building. One thing I can say for this book is that it is wholly unique, and it also has genuine wide appeal for audiences across the YA and adult spectrums.
In sum, Ninth City Burning might not be perfect, but it would also be a mistake to dismiss it out of hand. It is a solid, dynamic debut with some strong ideas, and J. Patrick Black is clearly a talented writer with lots of potential. This being the start of a new trilogy I hope that the sequels will move away from “first book” problems as the series matures.
Book Review: The Gates of Hell by Michael Livingston
Posted on November 17, 2016 14 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 Gates of Hell by Michael Livingston
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of The Shards of Heaven
Publisher: Tor (November 15, 2016)
Length: 400 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
As the second volume in a historical fantasy series about Ancient Rome, The Gates of Hell can be viewed as the “next chapter” of the events following the Final War of the Roman Republic. Approximately five years have passed since Alexandria fell. Marc Antony and Cleopatra are dead. Their daughter Selene has been taken into their conqueror’s household, becoming one of Augustus Caesar’s adopted children. But for all that, she knows she is still a hostage and the longing for avenging her parents still burns inside.
The book begins with Selene taking matters into her own hands, seeking her own Shard of Heaven after finding out about the godlike abilities they can grant to the people who wield them. She manages to find and obtain one disguised as a statue in the Temple of the Vestals, bringing another of one these powerful artifacts into play. Meanwhile, her arranged marriage to Juba of Numidia, an adopted son of Julius Caesar, ultimately grew into to be a relationship based on love and respect. Together with her husband, who also possesses a Shard of Heaven, they begin to experiment and practice with their artifacts, learning how to harness their power.
At the same time in another place, a secret group of guardians are in the act of securing the Ark of the Covenant, rumored to be the most powerful Shard of all. Former legion soldier Lucius Vorenus decides to travel to Library of Alexandria to meet with the Head Librarian to discuss certain theories they’ve developed about the holy Ark. Unknowingly, he attracts the attention of a disgraced astrologer named Thrasyllus, putting all that vital information into the hands of a desperate man who knows Augustus Caesar will do anything to know the location of another Shard of Heaven.
Whether our characters are driven by love or greed, faith or revenge, all their actions culminate into a harrowing conclusion that spells a threat to come for everyone. Like the previous book, The Gates of Hell was another great read. While it does have the distinct feel of a “middle book”, it comes without the baggage normally associated with one. Pacing is dynamic and swift, and perhaps even a bit too brisk in some places when all I wanted to do was bask in the atmosphere of the setting a little while longer. Like I wrote in my review of The Shards of Heaven, the author has an extraordinary talent for evoking the time period. The people, places and events surrounding the Ancient Roman Empire have always fascinated me, but I don’t consider myself an expert and need the historical background or details in the narrative from time to time.
In that respect, I find Livingston’s writing and storytelling style to be very readable; even someone with just the bare knowledge of the subject matter can enjoy this novel, because of the perfect balance he strikes when injecting history into his fiction and vice versa. I also thought it was really interesting how almost every character was based on a real figure or an account of them in the historical record, and in many cases I only found out after reading the glossary at the end of the book. Livingston offered enough historical detail without overwhelming the reader, and to be honest, could have afforded to give more if he had wanted to.
Then there are the characters. Selene, a personal favorite (both in this book and in written history) is back with a bigger role in this sequel, carrying on her mother’s memory and legacy. She has been adopted into the family of Octavian/Augustus Caesar, but there’s no love lost there. She was also made to marry Juba, though to her surprise she grows to love him. The two of them bond over their shared experiences of having their parents and homelands conquered by Rome, but Juba still has mixed feelings towards Octavian, his brother by adoption. There are some incredibly complex emotions surrounding these characters, and with those, the reader might start to see Octavian from a whole different perspective.
My only criticism is that Selene, Juba, and Octavian might have been portrayed a little too well, with the result being that some of the supporting characters, including Thrasyllus and Vorenus, were overshadowed. Also, without giving away too much of the story, some parts were predictable in the sense that we were repeatedly told over and over how “in love” a certain couple was, which we all know is code for “something bad will happen.” As such, when the other shoe dropped, there were no surprises.
As a follow-up to Michael Livingston’s fantastic debut though, The Gates of Hell carries this series incredibly well. Everything that worked in The Shards of Heaven is back here in this sequel, including compelling history, powerful storytelling, and engaging characters. There’s some great set-up for the next novel, and I can’t wait to read it.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Shards of Heaven (Book 1)
Guest Post: “Five Amazing Women in Ancient Rome” by Michael Livingston
Waiting on Wednesday 11/16/16
Posted on November 16, 2016 15 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Luna: Wolf Moon by Ian McDonald (February 14, 2017 by Tor Books)
Of all the blurbs I’ve come across in recent years claiming to be “like Game of Thrones”, I have to admit Luna: New Moon came quite close – if you can imagine the Starks and Lannisters as two rival families with competing mining operations on the moon. The first book was like an epiphany; I loved it. That I’m looking forward to this sequel and conclusion (the series is just going to be a duology, I hear) is a massive understatement. I’m hoping Luna: Wolf Moon will be just as amazing.
“A Dragon is dead.
Corta Helio, one of the five family corporations that rule the Moon, has fallen. Its riches are divided up among its many enemies, its survivors scattered. Eighteen months have passed .
The remaining Helio children, Lucasinho and Luna, are under the protection of the powerful Asamoahs, while Robson, still reeling from witnessing his parent’s violent deaths, is now a ward–virtually a hostage– of Mackenzie Metals. And the last appointed heir, Lucas, has vanished of the surface of the moon.
Only Lady Sun, dowager of Taiyang, suspects that Lucas Corta is not dead, and more to the point—that he is still a major player in the game. After all, Lucas always was the Schemer, and even in death, he would go to any lengths to take back everything and build a new Corta Helio, more powerful than before. But Corta Helio needs allies, and to find them, the fleeing son undertakes an audacious, impossible journey–to Earth.
In an unstable lunar environment, the shifting loyalties and political machinations of each family reach the zenith of their most fertile plots as outright war erupts.
Luna: Wolf Moon continues Ian McDonald’s saga of the Five Dragons.”
#RRSciFiMonth Spotlight: Cyber World edited by Jason Heller & Joshua Viola + Soundtrack Giveaway (Int’l)!
Posted on November 15, 2016 13 Comments
***The giveaway is now over, thanks to everyone who entered!***
Cyberpunk. It isn’t gone, and in some ways feels more relevant than ever. Granted, this genre has been hit or miss for me in the past, and likewise when it comes to anthologies, but when I came across Cyber World: tales of Humanity’s Tomorrow and its collection of stories featuring subjects like cybernetics, neuroscience, transhumanism and nanotechnology, I just had to take a look. Not to mention, check out that awesome author line-up, with writers like Paolo Bacigalupi, Nisi Shawl, Madeline Ashby, and so many others.
Cybernetics. Neuroscience. Nanotechnology. Genetic engineering. Hacktivism. Transhumanism. The world of tomorrow is already here, and the technological changes we all face have inspired a new wave of stories to address our fears, hopes, dreams, and desires as Homo sapiens evolve—or not—into their next incarnation. Cyber World presents diverse tales of humanity’s tomorrow, as told by some of today’s most gripping science fiction visionaries.
FOREWORD by Richard Kadrey
INTRODUCTION by Joshua Viola
SERENADE by Isabel Yap
THE MIGHTY PHIN by Nisi Shawl
REACTIONS by Mario Acevedo
THE BEES OF KIRIBATI by Warren Hammond
THE REST BETWEEN TWO NOTES by Cat Rambo
THE SINGULARITY IS IN YOUR HAIR by Matthew Kressel
PANIC CITY by Madeline Ashby
THE FAITHFUL SOLDIER, PROMPTED by Saladin Ahmed
YOUR BONES WILL NOT BE UNKNOWN by Alyssa Wong
STAUNCH by Paul Graham Raven
OTHER PEOPLE’S THOUGHTS by Chinelo Onwualu
WYSIOMG by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro
WE WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN by Angie Hodapp
A SONG TRANSMUTED by Sarah Pinsker
IT’S ONLY WORDS by Keith Ferrell
SMALL OFFERINGS by Paolo Bacigalupi
DARKOUT by E. Lily Yu
VISIBLE DAMAGE by Stephen Graham Jones
THE IBEX ON THE DAY OF EXTINCTION by Minister Faust
HOW NOTHING HAPPENS by Darin Bradley
AFTERWORD by Jason Heller
“This is old-school cyberpunk written by new-school talent–the caliber of writers found in this book is like a dream-team of storytellers ready to hack your skull and implant their tales into your brain-meats. Cyber World gives the cyberpunk genre a much-needed reboot.”
—CHUCK WENDIG, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF STAR WARS: AFTERMATH AND ZER0ES
“This is the upgrade: the new, real sound of diverse futures, mad and magnificent, the world on a wire. Essential.”
—WARREN ELLIS, AUTHOR OF GUN MACHINE AND TRANSMETROPOLITAN
Cyber World also comes with exciting extras including a soundtrack (by renowned electronic/synth musician Klayton) and even trading cards and an upcoming dynamic PS4 theme. This collection is now available where books are sold! For more information please visit the website of Hex Publishing.
Cyber World Soundtrack Giveaway
We’re celebrating Sci-Fi Month, and today we have something very cool and a little different for Week 3 of our science fiction giveaway fest! As you know, the folks at Hex have released a soundtrack to go with the Cyber World anthology. Featuring music by Celldweller, Circle of Dust, Mega Drive, and Scandroid, the soundtrack provides the perfect ambient atmosphere to immerse yourself in these stories (especially you enjoy that “80’s vibe”).
Right now, we have a code for one digital copy of Cyber World: Soundtrack of Humanity’s Tomorrow to give away to a lucky winner! Best of all, this giveaway is for a code and hence open internationally! So what are you waiting for, music lovers? Simply comment on this post with your interest to enter, and just be sure to leave us a way to contact you if you win. A winner will be chosen after the giveaway closes on Monday, November 21, 2016 at 11:59pm Eastern time. Good luck, and let us know your thoughts on Cyber World!
#RRSciFiMonth Book Review: The Host by Stephanie Meyer
Posted on November 14, 2016 17 Comments
Sci-Fi November is a month-long blog event hosted by Rinn Reads and Over The Effing Rainbow this year, created to celebrate everything amazing about science fiction! From TV shows to movies, books to comics, and everything else in between, it is intended to help science fiction lovers share their love and passion for this genre and its many, many fandoms.
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Science fiction, post apocalyptic, romance
Series: The Host #1
Publisher: Little Brown and Company (May 2008)
Author Info: stepheniemeyer.com
Wendy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
“This place was truly the highest and the lowest of all worlds – the most beautiful senses, the most exquisite emotions.. the most malevolent desires, the darkest deeds. Perhaps it was meant to be so. Perhaps without the lows, the highs could not be reached.”
I’ll never read the Twilight series or even watch the movies, but I thought it only fair to Meyer that I at least check out one of her books. This was it.
A race of parasitic aliens has traveled the galaxy for ages, taking over the bodies and minds of the dominant species of a planet and making it their home. They change the worlds to suit them and, obviously, the species themselves. These aliens believe themselves to be doing the right thing. To be fixing the wrongs that the previous species committed to their world, to each other, and to other species on their planet. Until they meet up with those gosh darn plucky humans and some of the aliens are forced to rethink their way of life.
Wanderer has lived many lives. Now the “soul” is faced with the reality of Melanie, her host. Melanie is a young woman with a strong desire to live, trumped only by her strong desire to protect the people she loves. Her mental and emotional strength make it impossible for Wanderer to overcome the host’s impulses, and worse, as Melanie’s memories and dreams continue to plague her, Wanderer finds herself growing to love the very same people Melanie is trying to keep her away from. The two must come to a grudging truce in order to deal with this situation, and end up on a desert trek to find the human hold outs against the alien invasion.
So. This is a great concept. Melanie and Wanderer’s interactions are intense as the latter tries to understand this new reality of a host who fights back and the latter desperately tries to keep on fighting. The opposing forces of their personalities are evident in many ways, including, and most notably, in Melanie’s strong-will versus Wanderer’s mousiness. This dichotomy is important. We are constantly hearing about the need to see more “strong female characters” but there’s a lack of understanding in what that actually means. Melanie is indeed strong-willed, but what makes her a strong female character is that she’s a reasonably well fleshed out character. So is Wanderer, even with her constant state of fear and tears.
Unfortunately, I’ve read a few reviews that criticize Wanderer for her “weakness.” While I understand that it can be hard to empathize with such a character and the desire to see heroes who we can look up to in our entertainment as they overcome adversity … the thing is, there are a lot of women — a lot of people — who struggle with standing up and facing down their fears and to condemn them for that certainly doesn’t make it any easier. It also moves things dangerously into the realm of victim blaming. “If she is going to just sit there and cry, then she deserves it.” Leave the weak one to their fate rather than helping them find their inner strength.
Fortunately, Wanderer does find her inner strength, with encouragement from Melanie rather than belittlement. She doesn’t get up guns a’blazin’ all of a sudden to save the humans she’s come to love. She shows her strength in other ways, but alas, because she’s spent so much of the book folded in on herself and her fear, some readers might not give her credit for this. Wanderer and Melanie serve as a reminder that strength and weakness come in many forms and exist on a sliding scale. They are not separate entities, the one to be reviled and the other praised. They are intrinsically linked and we will all have our moments of both.
Everyone has a right to cry.
That said, this book does have a problem. It comes with the men in Melanie and Wanderer’s lives, and seems to be a common theme in Meyer’s work, based on what I do know of Twilight. Melanie is in love with Jared, and by default, Wanderer comes to love him too. A threesome, just as we have in Twilight. But wait! There’s more! Ian gets into the mix and he is quite fond of Wanderer. Wooo a foursome with three bodies! This is meant to be a romance, but none of this is sexy or romantic as the men frequently battle it out physically and verbally over the women, and impose their will upon them, either through the hatred Jared feels over losing Melanie, or the over-protectiveness Ian has for Wanderer.
This is where the victim blaming thing becomes extra dangerous because, while Melanie could fight back against the manly manliness on display, Wanderer is not conditioned to and therefore it is quite easy for both men to impose themselves on her. This is a situation that many abuse victims find themselves in and are unable to get out of, no matter how easy one might think it is to just “get up and leave.” Meyer tries to address this several times through various characters, but in the end, she ties everything up in a nice bow that involves stealing someone else’s mind and body so that everyone can live happily ever after. Not gonna lie. I enjoyed the book for the most part, right up to that epilogue which had me cringing for many reasons.
Meyer does at least give the two a far more important and healthier relationship with a male, which is Melanie’s younger brother, whom they both will do anything to protect. The story might have been far more powerful if more weight was given to this relationship, instead of the airtime that the foursome gets.
Novella Review: The Purloined Poodle by Kevin Hearne
Posted on November 13, 2016 30 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 Purloined Poodle by Kevin Hearne
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 8.5 of The Iron Druid Chronicles
Publisher: Subterranean Press (September 30, 2016)
Length: 112 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
What a fun little book! Not to be missed by fans of Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles, but even if you don’t follow the series, it might be worth taking a look. When this novella landed in my lap, I briefly debated whether or not I should read it, since I am woefully behind on the main series and I know a lot has happened to the characters since I last visited this world. I worried that I would get too confused or lost.
Well, for readers who might be wrestling with the same doubts, let me put your minds at ease: no prerequisite reading is required before jumping into this one. Of course, if it would help if you know a little of the basic foundation behind the Iron Druid Chronicles, i.e. our protagonist is Atticus O’Sullivan, a 2,000-year-old druid living in modern times with his faithful Irish wolfhound Oberon. Everything else is going to be pretty easy to pick up along the way, not to mention The Purloined Poodle is a whole different animal anyway. Pun absolutely intended.
For one thing, the entirety of the tale is told through the eyes of a dog. That’s right, Oberon fans, urban fantasy’s most popular pooch gets his very own book. In the main series, Atticus’ ancient druidic status gives him access to a full suite of nifty powers, including shapeshifting and having an ability to commune with the natural world. That also extends to being able to talk with his dog, and in every Iron Druid book I’ve read so far, Atticus and Oberon’s conversations always manage to become the highlight. This probably goes without saying, but if you find the two’s psychic exchanges as entertaining as I do, then you will love this.
What I enjoyed most about this novella was how “dog-like” Hearne managed to sound while writing from the POV of Oberon. I was laughing from the very first page, reading about his thoughts on canine butt-sniffing etiquette. Like his human, Oberon is also well-versed in all forms of geek culture, so expect tons of pop-culture references. But humor is only one part of this equation; the story quickly builds into a mystery, as a routine walk through the park leads to Oberon and his owner to discover a string of abductions in the Pacific Northwest involving prizewinning dogs. Local police already have their hands full dealing with people cases, so it’s up to Oberon to convince Atticus to help the victims’ owners to look for their stolen pets.
Right away, I knew I’d missed some key events in our characters’ lives, since the last time I saw them they were still in Arizona. The main cast seems to have expanded a bit too. Happily, these are just background details. This novella is part of the main series timeline, but it’s probably more accurate to call this one a short side-story, a lighthearted little detour. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t caught up anyway, because we’re not going to be focusing on the humans too much.
Not only is this narrative all about the dogs, I simply love how this book portrays the relationship between Oberon and Atticus. It’s clear that the two of them are best friends who dote upon each other, and when latter indulges the former, I can’t help but think of one of my own dogs, who’s also a big, lovable goofball like Oberon. It just makes me want to take this book and shove it into the hands of all my dog-lover friends, because I know they will appreciate the beauty of the human-dog bond that Hearne captures here so well.
And like I said, the story is also entertaining and funny as hell. Knowing what I do about its doggy protagonist, I went into The Purloined Poodle expecting a few chuckles, but Oberon really brought down the house with this one. I was impressed that an entire story told from his perspective would work so well, figuring that being inside his head would start to get on my nerves or his narrative get stale after the first twenty minutes. Not so, though. The novella format was well-suited for a story like this—just long enough to be satisfying, but also short and sweet enough that it doesn’t wear out its welcome.
Dog lovers, urban fantasy enthusiasts, and Iron Druid fans take note: if you are one or any combination of the above, I would highly recommend reading The Purloined Poodle. It won’t take long and it’s the perfect escape; a great way to spend a rainy afternoon or a quiet evening in, curled up on the couch with your special fur baby and this wonderful little novella.
Book Review: Chasing Embers by James Bennett
Posted on November 12, 2016 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Chasing Embers by James Bennett
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Ben Garston
Publisher: Orbit (September 6, 2016)
Length: 464 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Chasing Embers is an urban fantasy that seems to have a little bit of everything. There are dragons, magical spirits and mages, the Fae, and even a generous helping of ancient Egyptian mythology. The strange thing is though, even with so much going on in this novel, I actually find myself with very little to say about it. The story was a fun romp, but I enjoyed it on a very “surface” level without forming many deep attachments to its people, places, or events. That said, being the first book of a series, it has strong potential and room to grow.
The story stars Ben Garston, who’s no ordinary UF hero. For one thing, he is a dragon (which I don’t think is a spoiler, since it’s revealed almost right off the bat, not to mention it is blatantly hinted at in the synopsis and on the cover). Centuries old, “Red Ben” now walks the streets in human form, bound by a pact that was made long ago between all the magical creatures of the world. To prevent widespread chaos and fear, Ben and others like him had to agree to hide their existence and live among the mortals as one of them. In turn, guardian knights will protect them and ensure that the pact remains unbroken.
However, the peace is about to be shattered. Recent events make Ben suspect that his protections are no longer in place, and already there have been a couple attempts made on his life. But Ben has more than himself to worry about. From years of hiding in plain sight among the humans, he has come to learn to look like them, live like them, and even care for them. Even knowing from the start that their relationship is doomed to fail, Ben has nonetheless fallen in love with a mortal, a young woman named Rose. It is in his nature to protect those he treasures, even though he can never tell Rose who he is—or what he really is—and all those unspoken truths have strained things between them. Now an old enemy has resurfaced to hunt Ben, and worse, they know all his secrets.
I enjoyed Chasing Embers; I really did. I thought it had a lot to offer UF fans, including a unique twist on the paranormal creatures that usually populate this genre. James Bennett deftly combines fantasy with real world elements, sometimes blurring the lines between mythological lore and history. I particularly enjoyed the story of Ben’s origin, which touches upon so many aspects of his character (both as a dragon as as a “human”). While heartbreaking, the details of these past events also make it easier to understand his complicated relationship with Rose, and reveal much about the tragedy that sparked an old rivalry. In fact, I actually thought a lot of the flashbacks and past sequences were done very well, going against the norm of how I usually feel about nonlinear storytelling.
But while I could list many more things that I thought were interesting or cool about this book, there was also this nagging sense of distance between myself and the plot and characters, that try as I might, I could not shake. It’s a dissonance that’s hard to explain, but we often use the term “bring something to life” to describe how an author can not only create something interesting but also make them exciting and easy for readers to feel passionate about. Part of my problem was that I never managed to reach this point with Ben or the world of Chasing Embers. I’m not sure why, since on the whole I found the book well-written and put-together. A few forced metaphors aside (how does one grin widely enough to “fill a car park”, exactly?) I also thought Bennett’s prose was complex and rich but also easy on the eyes. Still, something prevented me from feeling fully invested. In the end, perhaps it simply boils down to having too much to absorb in a very short time. There is, after all, a lot going on in this book.
The good news though, is that Chasing Embers has established a strong foundation for future books in this series. Now that most of the world-building, history and background of the lore has been covered, hopefully the sequel won’t be as bogged down and will be freer to delve deeper into the characters and expand on plot development. If I sound like I’m placing some high expectations on the next book, the truth is that most urban fantasy series take a time to build, and it’s not uncommon for one to take more than one installment to hook me. This might be the case here. Chasing Embers gave me a good taste of what’s to come, piquing my interest even it did not sweep me off my feet, but I am definitely curious to see what else Bennett has in store.
The BiblioSanctum 