Space opera is one of my favorite genres, but it’s also known for long, sometimes meandering works that can feel like a slog to get through. I loved tSpace opera is one of my favorite genres, but it’s also known for long, sometimes meandering works that can feel like a slog to get through. I loved these quick hits, and I’m impressed by the caliber of author.
Like any anthology, there were some highs and lows here, but what was particularly impressive is that even the lows were good; they just weren’t really for me. But the writing was great across the board, some stories just resonated with me more than others.
A handful of these stories were not new to me, but it was fun to reencounter them anyway.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications!...more
This is like if Blake Crouch wrote Annihilation and maybe had a background in zoology.
You can always count on Tchaikovsky to bring an interesting biolThis is like if Blake Crouch wrote Annihilation and maybe had a background in zoology.
You can always count on Tchaikovsky to bring an interesting biology angle, and Alien Clay did not disappoint. Four rather than five stars from me because this didn't have the same philosophical/introspective vibe as my favorite Tchaikovsky books, and for a book with some thrilling parts, the pacing felt a little slow at times.
This is kind of a masterpiece. At some point in the future, I’m totally going to forget about books six and seven and think this is how Harry Potter eThis is kind of a masterpiece. At some point in the future, I’m totally going to forget about books six and seven and think this is how Harry Potter ended.
For lovers of Harry Potter and Handmaid’s Tale, with tons of content warnings.
I love the way Rivers Solomon writes. I’ll read pretty much anything they publish. Their writing is visceral and unsettling.
This one took me ages to fI love the way Rivers Solomon writes. I’ll read pretty much anything they publish. Their writing is visceral and unsettling.
This one took me ages to finish, not because I wasn’t interested, but because it was so heavy. The last 40% went really quickly, but I kept putting the book down in the first 60% just because of how depressing it was. To be clear, the last 40% is still depressing, but you also need to know what’s happening, so it’s easier to push through.
The story follows the Maxwell siblings, who are forced to return to their childhood home after their parents’ mysterious deaths. The house, and the white suburb it’s in, holds dark, unexplainable secrets tied to their family’s trauma. Solomon turns the haunted-house trope on its head, weaving in themes of racism, segregation, and unresolved trauma.
There’s a lot to unpack—racism, mental illness, sexual assault. It’s not an easy read, but it’s worth it.
I learned so many things. Growing up in Hawaii, I learned about the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarch and Queen Liliuokalani's days imprisoned in her I learned so many things. Growing up in Hawaii, I learned about the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarch and Queen Liliuokalani's days imprisoned in her palace, but I didn't learn the who. I knew about Dole, but I hadn't fully realized that a lot of other familiar names (Judd, Thurston, Castle) were the very people who led the overthrow. Queen Liliuokalani named names. This is her memoir, her telling of the events, and she wrote this with conviction.
I'd skip the audiobook though. I really like Emily Woo Zeller generally--I've listened to a few of her books--but her pronunciation of some of the Hawaiian words really took me out of the story, and I wish, especially for this topic, they found someone who spoke Hawaiian to narrate....more
I enjoyed this, but I’m worried it’s not going to find the right readers who will love it. I’m worried Keanu Reeves movies fans are going to pick thisI enjoyed this, but I’m worried it’s not going to find the right readers who will love it. I’m worried Keanu Reeves movies fans are going to pick this up, and it’s not the most accessible speculative fiction work. And then on the other hand, China Miéville fans might pick it up, and especially at the beginning, the premise seems super pedestrian (a supersoldier who is pretty much invincible is part of a team with regular, mortal soldiers). So you start out the book with a fairly lowbrow story but with highbrow writing, and I think lots of folks will abandon this after the first chapter or two.
I do think this is worth sticking with for weird lit lovers: the story grows much more complex over time, and when you’re about a quarter of the way through, it really gets interesting with lots of smaller narratives weaving into the story of Unute. There is very little telling and lots and lots of showing, and the authors haven’t made this one easy to digest. But I think it’s worth it, and I’ve found myself telling kind of a lot of people about this book even if I’m not sure they’ll love it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House!...more
Cute but forgettable. And any scenes with poker were annoying to me: no one actually gets a royal flush, especially so casually on the first hand of tCute but forgettable. And any scenes with poker were annoying to me: no one actually gets a royal flush, especially so casually on the first hand of the game....more