The Speculative Shelf
3.5 out of 5 stars
This was a solid dark fantasy. The characters and setting are well-drawn and the writing is quite good. I connected with some POV characters more than others and this meant that there were long stretches where I was disengaged from the story as I just tried to get through the POV chapters I enjoyed less. I'm undecided as to whether I'll pick up the next book in the series, but I had a good time with this one.
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3.25 out of 5 stars
When Gyre Price is recruited to survey a dangerous cave system on a far off planet, her only chance of survival is to trust an enigmatic overseer and her own wits, which are slowly diminishing the deeper she journeys into the abyss.
Author Caitlin Starling creates a palpable sense of dread and foreboding as the book progresses. The cave itself is so claustrophobic and unsettling that by the end I was very ready to rid myself of such a sinister setting.
The story itself never really unfolded in the way I wanted it to, though. I was hoping for and expecting more hair-raising horror and thrills, but the book leans more heavily into psychological trauma, which it does communicate in an effective way. The book itself is well-written and engaging, and while the ultimate endgame did not leave me satisfied, I was captivated enough to go along for the ride.
My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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3.75 out of 5 stars
After leaving the Gas-Lit Empire behind and surviving a run-in with a floating city of pirates, Elizabeth Barnabus has landed on the inhospitable island of Newfoundland in less than ideal circumstances. While seeking a seemingly impossible escape to the Free States of America she runs across Elias, a thumbless outlaw who hungers for revenge against those who wronged him.
I appreciate that each book in this series does something markedly different while remaining true to the spirit of the overall saga. Here, in a brand new setting, Elizabeth takes a backseat to newcomer Elias and he drives the narrative for most of the book. Elias adds a new element to this story as his bitterness and reckless nature serve as a nice counterbalance to Elizabeth's kind heart and sharp mind.
Author Rod Duncan continues to convey atmosphere in an engaging way. You can smell the brine, feel the mud, and hear the gulls in the sky, which is a testament to Duncan's skills as a storyteller. Even if I wasn't always enraptured by the story, I could enjoy the vivid imagery and worldbuilding that Duncan employs.
Overall, this is a strong entry in the ever-expanding Gas-Lit Empire saga and I enjoyed this one slightly more than the first book in this new trilogy. I'm excited to see how the story rounds out in the final book.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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3.25 out of 5 stars
These novellas have become a delicious morsel to snack on at the beginning of each new year. In an Absent Dream continues that trend with an engaging story about Katherine Lundy, a rule-following young girl who stumbles upon a portal world where fairness is the impetus behind all the laws in the land. Author Seanan McGuire has such an interesting way of communicating sights and sounds and smells to the reader that it's impossible to not be enchanted by the worlds she creates. Each book in the series has featured a unique fairy-tale land and I look forward to seeing what she cooks up next.
As always, it's tough for me to push the rating for a novella beyond 3 full stars, but I did really dig this one. It still feels like a highlight reel of a what could have been a much longer book, though.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
My first foray into Elizabeth Bear's work was her excellent 2017 fantasy novel The Stone in the Skull, which I enjoyed immensely. I knew that Bear is known for writing in a multitude of genres, but I wasn't prepared for the genre whiplash I experienced when I picked up the space opera Ancestral Night. The book follows Haimey Dz, a space salvager who uncovers a piece of ancient alien technology that, in the wrong hands, could be catastrophic for the galaxy at large. ...lo and behold, space pirates are hot on Haimey's trail.
This is really sharp, smart science fiction that goes deep on the details and philosophy of its world and Haimey herself. Bear's vision for the future of space is so intricate and sophisticated that a lot of it flew way over my head. Tonally, it's quite cold and calculated, which made it difficult for me to form lasting emotional connections to the characters. I enjoyed learning about Haimey's backstory and witnessing her connection to her shipmates, but those moments of humanity seemed fleeting. I think the plot description makes this sound like an exciting space adventure, but I found it to be quite slow, contemplative, and unevenly-paced overall. The prose is dense and difficult to penetrate at times, with many of the scientific elements pushing well beyond my realm of understanding.
I could certainly see this winning some awards because it really feels like next-level science fiction and more advanced than most of what I've read in the genre. Personally, I wasn't able to connect with the story, but I come away from the reading experience even more impressed with Bear's skill as a writer and would not be surprised if others enjoyed this more than I did.
My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
It took me a little while to sink back into this story, but once I did it was a treat to return to Chakraborty's richly drawn world. Her prose remains lush, fresh, and infinitely readable. Apart from an explosive finale, the excitement levels were dialed back a bit from the first book and the character building was more centerstage. Since Chakraborty has already established her main trio of characters, she could really focus on fleshing out their motivations and exploring the depths of their complex psyches. Even as each page crackles with magic, at its core, this is a captivating family drama that continues to ratchet up the tension as the book progresses.
Overall, I thought this was a really solid middle book. It charted new territory and told a contained story that was engaging, satisfying, and left me looking forward to what comes next.
My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
This is a really inventive novel that concerns an alien biodome that sets up shop in near-future Nigeria. Our protagonist Kaaro is a “sensitive” who (basically) gains the power of mind-reading through his reaction to alien spores in the air. Kaaro is a complex and flawed character who did not always use his powers for good, which is refreshing in a lead character that you can still root for and identify with.
The story itself is told in a series of cross-cutting chapters that jump between Kaaro's past and present. As these stories intercut, gaps are filled in and two converging narratives begin to emerge. As someone with a bad “book memory,” I had to repeatedly reorient myself to the separate threads while attempting to remember which characters were from which timeline and what information is available to characters at what time. It required some mental gymnastics, but I think it created a richer reading experience, nonetheless.
I enjoyed this novel on a conceptual level, but didn't find the story to be compelling until it all comes together at the end. I'm interested to see where author Tade Thompson takes future installments in this trilogy because he's set up a good foundation with this excellent first book.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Based on the book cover and description alone, I was expecting this to be a deadly serious high fantasy tale. What greeted me instead was an unexpectedly delightful story featuring a wonderfully eccentric narrator named Chant.
Chant is an irascible traveling raconteur with a sharp tongue who tells stories to anyone who lends a year (and some who don't). These stories are presented as interludes interspersed throughout the book — most come from Chant's voice, but some are tales told to him from others. Each story is complete with Chant's internal monologue criticizing haphazard storytelling techniques or adding footnotes and flair to his own words. Chant presents as an omniscient presence who understands so much about the world but he struggles to grapple with his own emotions. He would rather believe that he's having a heart attack than feeling excited or that his face is sweating rather than tearing up. It's a fun personality quirk that adds some depth to what could've been a straightforward, one-note character.
I wasn't consistently sucked into the overall plot nor did I always understand the court hierarchies and politics at play, but this is The Chant Show, pure and simple — the story flowed beautifully from him and out into the world.
When writing a book about a gifted storyteller, it helps to be a gifted storyteller. Luckily, author Alexandra Rowland shows a knack for spinning a charming and heartwarming yarn. A Conspiracy of Truths is an impressive and enchanting novel that was a joy to read. I hope to read Rowland's subsequent works and perhaps more about Chant's past and future adventures, as well.
My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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4.25 out of 5 stars
Two sorcerous lords battle for control of the territory they occupy, while the original inhabitants of the land attempt to win back control from their occupiers and reclaim Tigana, their (literally) forgotten homeland. Tigana explores imperialism, occupation, and memory through a fantasy lens and does so in an effective and thoughtful way.
This is a wonderful book — an engaging, beautifully told tale, with well-drawn characters and clever storytelling. The first 100 pages were superb, then it spins its wheels for a few hundred pages, before finishing with a flourish. It all felt worthwhile in the end and I am grateful for the reading experience.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
And thus ends my three-week long journey with The Fionavar Tapestry, a solid if unspectacular series.
Kay's story itself is undeniably epic and this book features satisfying conclusions to each of the story threads, but throughout the second and third books I found myself scanning paragraphs for plot progression rather than hanging on every word of a page, which is a clue to myself that I'm ultimately disengaged from the proceedings. The Arthurian elements that were introduced in the second book never quite landed for me, but I appreciate Kay's attempts to overlay several different mythologies onto his story.
Although this trilogy won't become one of my favorites, I'm very interested to see the television adaptation of this series, as well as continuing to read through Kay's other works.
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2.5 out of 5 stars
After really enjoying the first book in the series, I thought this second book had a major drop-off in quality. The story went in several head-scratching directions that left me disengaged and confused. I'm hopeful that this can be explained away as “middlebookinitis” and that the third book can recapture the magic of the first.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
I have wanted try out Guy Gavriel Kay's work for quite a while but haven't known where to start. The collective wisdom I've seen says to skip his first books, a trilogy called The Fionavar Tapestry. They say that he hadn't quite found his voice yet and that the story plays as a cheap Lord of the Rings knock off. I didn't necessarily want to read his best novels first and be disappointed later on, so I ignored the advice and dove in at the beginning. I was pleased to find that this first book was quite compelling and enjoyable. Yes, it's a bit uneven and the similarities to Tolkien are present, but I set these things aside because I saw sparks of brilliant storytelling. The world building and character work are particularly strong.
At first the characters seem interchangeable (and weirdly unskeptical when a wizard offers to whisk them away to another world), but as the story unfolds, each character embarks on their own emotional journey and I'm fully invested in it. I look forward to seeing how it all plays out in the next two books and am excited to read his subsequent (supposedly better) work.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
When a meteorite strikes the Eastern seaboard of the United States and obliterates Washington, D.C., Elma York knows that it's only a matter of time before the after effects of this impact make Earth uninhabitable. The race to outer space is kick-started by this incident, with an ultimate goal of resettling the human race on the moon before it's too late.
Elma's sharp, witty narration made this an enjoyable read. She's a likable character who is easy to root for, but I was hoping for a story that focused more on moon colonization than her origin story as the first female astronaut. The book starts with a bang and then quiets down a lot as the focus shifts to Elma fighting for respect in the male-dominated world of space travel. It's a well told tale, and seems to realistically portray what it would take for Elma to achieve her goal, but I was just waiting and waiting for some urgency to kick in and to see Elma make it to the moon. I think the second book in this duology is probably more in line with what I wanted this book to be, so I will have to check it out!
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Many years after The Fall, small enclaves have built rudimentary societies that are mostly stripped of modern technologies. Small committees control the population and flow of resources by awarding banners to households that are given permission to procreate.
Author Carrie Vaughn has built an intriguing dystopian/post-apocalyptic world that leans away from the doom and gloom that one would expect in such a novel. Even with an unsolved murder as a central plot point, there is minimal violence and conflict. The plot is fairly low key, the writing is solid, but the mystery and eventual resolution are somewhat unsatisfying. I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next book in the series, but I did have a decent time with this one.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Vita Nostra follows the plight of Sasha Samokhina, a Russian teenager who is enrolled at a mysterious college where she undergoes major transformations as she navigates social politics, her unique nature, and a bizarre cadre of peculiar professors.
When I read Harry Potter for the first time, I dreamt about how wondrous and wonderful it would be if a place like Hogwarts existed. The school featured in Vita Nostra elicited the opposite feeling and I hope I never come across such a twisted place. It seemed as though a storm cloud drifted over my head every time I opened this book and it felt like I was reading with gray tinted glasses. The dread and foreboding are palpable.
Have you ever had the nightmare where you show up to a final exam and you forgot to study? Or you forgot you had an exam in the first place and you miss it altogether? This book is like that nightmare on acid. It touches on many anxieties that I had packed away and left in high school. It's odd and unnerving and it really dug itself into my brain in ways that books don't normally do.
The plot is evasive by design and we know as little about what's going on as Sasha does at the start. Sasha eventually finds clarity, but things felt just as murky to me. This was a frustrating read, but there's something to be said about an author being able to evoke an emotional reaction for a reader. I may not have enjoyed Vita Nostra, but I certainly respect its uniqueness and the tone it sets and maintains throughout.
My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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3.75 out of 5 stars
In 2120, humans can no longer reproduce, artificially intelligent overlords have a stranglehold on humanity, and small communities of mages are hidden throughout the world. Nikolai, a newly minted mage Edge Guard, protects the border between his world and ours, while Jem, a cybernetically enhanced human, smuggles contraband away from the watchful eyes of Earth's AI overseers.
What's so alluring about this book is that its characters are basically living in two different genres. Nikolai is attempting to come-of-age in a Harry Potter-ish mage community, while Jem is just trying to survive and overthrow evil AIs in a Terminator/Fallout/Children of Men-ish post-apocalyptic world. Jumping between their perspectives kept me engaged and kept things fresh throughout this lengthy tome while I waited for their storylines to converge. It did seem that Nikolai's story was more fleshed out than Jemma's, but I enjoyed them both for what they were.
And although I winced at a few overexplain-y info dumps, bristled at some cringe-y romance, and was slightly disappointed by a concluding act that somehow feels both rushed and overlong, I found Mage Against the Machine to be a fun genre-mashup that was an utterly enjoyable ride.
My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
https://spikegelato.com/2018/09/28/review-mage-against-the-machine/
4.5 out of 5 stars
Unholy Land is a stunning achievement. It is packed to the brim with engaging ideas and features a captivating story that I could not stop puzzling over. It will certainly find itself in my Top 10 of 2018 when the year comes to a close.
In the early 20th century, a group of expeditioners traveled to the border of Uganda to inspect a piece of land that was under consideration as a potential site for a Jewish homeland. This site had no holy significance, which made it a difficult sell to “Holy Landers” who considered settling in then-Ottoman Palestine to be a more appropriate choice. Unholy Land explores an alternate history where Jewish settlement in Africa had occurred, as well as the otherworldly borders that came to surround such a place.
I can't say more about the plot without taking away from what I found to be a marvelous reading experience. There is such an ethereal and intoxicating quality to the story and Tidhar's writing that I found myself floating through the chapters, not always sure what was happening, or whose perspective we were seeing, but knowing that I wanted to keep reading. The intersecting story threads twisted my brain into a pretzel and I loved it.
Having never read any other work by author Lavie Tidhar, I was blown away by his command of language — every sight, smell, and feeling of a scene is accounted for and communicated in vivid detail. On prose alone, I would have enjoyed this book, but pairing such good writing with such a conceptually intriguing story made for truly enjoyable reading. I look forward to exploring Tidhar's other works and I hope he continues to write beautiful and thought-provoking speculative fiction.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Afterwar is an uncompromising story about a motley crew of raiders who hunt down war criminals after the Second Civil War. The title is a misnomer – nothing comes after war because war never truly ends. Lilith Saintcrow's novel explores the scars of war that live on long after a ceasefire has taken place.
There are purposeful parallels to present-day America scattered all throughout this book. Supporters of the ruling political party are dubbed “Firsters” who put “America First,” walls are being built to keep out “immies” (immigrants), and the country is run by a megalomaniac with small hands who bombs his hometown of New York City because the residents there hate him. It's so on the nose that it became a bit of a distraction when each of these parallels appeared.
Unfortunately, I never fully engaged with the story being told, but I appreciated Saintcrow's prose and the dark future that she presents, regardless of how upsetting (and possible) it all seems.
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3.75 out of 5 stars
This was a beautifully written novel that deserves to have each sentence savored. Amor Towles writes about the mundanities of life in such an engrossing way that I found myself more enamored with these minor passages than the bigger story being told. It sags in the middle a bit and having 100 pages or so trimmed off would likely have improved my overall rating.
3.5 out of 5 stars
I was very much into the first two installments of this series, disinterested by the middle two, and pleased/content with the final two. Author Michael J. Sullivan certainly finished with a flourish after laying it all on the line in Percepliquis – a satisfying final volume of an enjoyable series. Sullivan clearly excels at plotting out long-term story arcs filled with compelling twists and turns. This bodes well for the remaining books in his Legends of the First Empire series, due out over the next few years.
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3.5 out of 5 stars
It feels good to finally check this science fiction classic off of my to-read list. I was expecting a slow, dry slog, but I found Dune to be surprisingly engaging and accessible. The worldbuilding and character building are top notch and I can see why the desert planet of Arrakis is such a legendary setting. I can't say that I enjoyed every aspect of the story, but I certainly appreciate Dune's place in the Pantheon of the genre and am glad to have read it. Looking ahead, I'm excited to see how Denis Villeneuve adapts this for the big screen.
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