An exoplanet with imaginative biology, a fascist prison cap, and bitter academic prisoner. What’s not to like? Well… The life of ecologist Arton Daghdev is ripped apart when he’s convicted of dissident science and transported to a labor colony on the distant planet, Kiln. But the wildlife on Kiln is fascinating, and luckily, he’s assigned […]
The time-travel theme and elegant prose of Sea of Tranquility caught my attention, and I enjoyed the opening sequence featuring the utterly lost Edwin who showed both comic and growth potential. But my enthusiasm lagged because the story shifted to several other characters who failed to capture my interest. Much of the book follows Gaspery,
Sequoia Nagamatsu’s collection of interlocking stories spanning centuries, explores plague and how people deal with loss. The characters are diverse and intricately linked and the plot is wildly imaginative. How does one relate talking pigs, to funerary skyscrapers, to euthanasia theme parks, to melting permafrost? Read and find out. Be aware How High We Go
In Elizabeth Moon’s Remnant Population, a colony’s corporate overlords order all residents off the planet. But elderly Ofelia, who has had quite enough of being bossed around, chooses to remain, a remnant population of one. Or so she believes, until she hears new of new colonists and an unexpected indigenous population. Ofelia, overlooked an devalued
The History of Soul 2065, A Review Interlocking stories with a magical realism and speculative fiction feel This gorgeous set of interlocking stories follows the souls of two families as they navigate the 20th and 21st centuries.Each story is the literary equivalent of a gem and collectively tell a tale with elements of magical realism,
Darby Harn’s, A Country of Eternal Light, A Review Genre: Science fiction, apocalypse Positives: Stunning prose. Emotional depth. Negatives: A happy ending isn’t really an option, given the scenario. Difficult main character. Mairead, traumatized by the loss of her child, her mother’s rapidly progressing dementia, and her father’s relatively recent death is withdrawn and suicidal.
Hugh Hammond of The Hammond Conjecture is an everyman, who thinks with every organ other than his brain. And unfortunately, the fate of Europe lies in his hands. He wakes in an isolation ward with no recollection of his past. Encouraged to dredge up memories by writing, the confused man diligently types away. But the
Branches, by Adam Peter Johnson – a Review. Branches, an alternative universe novel rings frightfully true, a precision hit on a raw nerve. Still reeling from the loss of his mother, a man dives into the social media black hole surrounding an unnamed right wing president. Several of my Facebook acquaintances went this route. And
In P.N. Shafa’s near future dystopia Descendants of Power, the 1% flee to Mars, leaving behind a ravaged climate and starving post-apocalyptic survivors. But on Mars, the colonists continue with business as usual, i.e. predatory capitalism, the usual “how much can I get for myself” mentality. And turns out, that ethos doesn’t work well in
Pros: Fantastic world building. Interesting Dominican Republican setting complete with sea anemones and pirates. Rich prose. Excellent portrayals of unpleasant people in desperate circumstances. Cons: Interesting and well-crafted but unlikeable characters who don’t grow. Disappointing ending. Time travel by sea anemone powered by Olokun, the great spirit who knows what lies on the ocean floor:
