![The Raidships by [A.D. Wynterhawk]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51GUMXumBXL.jpg)
Pros: Action packed plot. Vivid, cinematic prose.
Possible Cons: High graphic index (violence). Low to medium graphic index (sex) but much unpleasantness implied, including non-consensual and abusive gay relationships.
In The Raidships, Mercenaries from a near by planet brutally attack Whit’s peaceful village on Alesia. He’s enslaved and transported to Valkra, a cold, cruel world rife with violence and abuse. Continue reading Space Vikings! The Raidships by A.D. Wynterhawk, a Review
Pros: Masterful descriptions and characterisations. Haunting language.
Possible Cons: Open-ended story telling. This book is horror (various unpleasantries occur).
Whilst floundering in Internet quicksand, I stuck a foot into North American Lake Monsters: stories by Nathan Ballingrud. I clicked on the sample thinking the book described legends of “real” monsters, curious, having never heard of monsters prowling the lakes of my home Continent. Continue reading North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud, a Review
If light science fiction/fantasy with a dash of humor and romance is “your thing,” you might enjoy Harmony Lost. Continue reading Harmony Lost: Now Available
Pros: Very funny, priceless witticisms.
Possible Cons: Only for those ready to suspend disbelief from a flagpole.
Valuable Lesson: Don’t stress too much over cover art.
Finding comparable works to Harmony Lost was no easy task; the tale is a mixture: a dash of Sci Fi, alternate reality, an atypical romance, a struggle to the top. Perusing Amazon’s fiction categories didn’t reveal a perfect fit.
Amusing exchanges occur in Harmony Lost, but I wasn’t thinking humor when I wrote it. So imagine my surprise when several beta readers suggested a humor category. One reader recommended Tom Holt as an author with a comparable tone. Continue reading The Portable Door by Tom Holt, A Review.
Pros: Intricately imagined world. Timely themes. Much wisdom.
Possible Cons: Suspension of disbelief mandatory. Many informational passages, characters and indefinite nouns.
Tell/Show Ratio – high
Graphic Index Sex – low
Graphic Index Violence – medium
World Building – excellent
Internal Veracity – medium
Science fiction novels often magnify current societal concerns. The opening quote from Samuel Delany’s Dhalgren, informs the reader that Blackfish City will involve real estate problems of epic proportions. Continue reading Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller, a Review
Pros: Lovely prose. Fabulous world building. Engaging plot with mystery, peril and hope. Deep themes including population control, religious hypocrisy and societal constraints, the human-animal connection. Fine characterizations including a portrayal of a failed marriage, and an intriguing protagonist. Characters act from in response to well-depicted psychological motivations.
Possible cons: Anti-organized religion theme may trouble some readers. Third act drags and occasionally becomes preachy. Fair bit of emotional tell. Continue reading Grass by Sheri Tepper, a Review
Pros: Clever set up, an interesting character, brilliant machine-world psychology.
Possible Cons: Probably not the book for those unable to suspend disbelief or those who like their dystopias grim and sincere.
Battlestar Suburbia begins as the story of Darren, a hapless everyman, and Kelly, a prickly woman accustomed to living outside the law. The pair accidentally run afoul of the powerful machine-world that controls their Dolestar and find themselves on the most wanted list. Continue reading Battlestar Suburbia by Chris McCullen, a Review
Pros: Highly convincing portrayal of a particular personality.
Potential cons: Extensive telling of emotional states, low tension plot.
In Willow Thomson’s debut novel, Seeds of Change, plague and catastrophic climate change leave Earth uninhabitable. A wealthy leader gathers a group of space colonists, and they depart for an unexplored planet. Continue reading Seeds of Change by Willow Thomson, A Review
