Furious Heaven – It’s All About Intergalactic Family

Furious Heaven, by Kate Elliott, is everything I wanted from a sequel and more. It is a brutal marathon of space conquest, populated by fun and deep characters that burn brighter than a blade in the forge. The worldbuilding is top-notch and just gorgeous to steep in. If you read my Unconquerable Sun review, expect…

The Narrow Road Between Desires: Threading The Needle

The Narrow Road Between Desires is a heavily revised and expanded version of Rothfuss’s The Lightning Tree, which originally ran in the Rogues anthology. Set in the Kingkiller Chronicle universe, this quick-hitter of a story follows Bast, the fae being who works for Kvothe at the Waystone Inn. The story most centers around Bast’s exploits…

Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea Cover Photo

Deep As The Sky, Red As The Sea – Salt & Sorrow

I don’t know what is in the water this year, but I have read several books about women sailing treacherous seas. Rita Chang-Eppig’s story is the second one I’ve read in 2023 that explores the difficulties of being a woman, a mother, and a pirate. The first book, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi focused on…

The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport – Rubs You The Right Way

The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport, by Samit Basu, is a captivating science fiction retelling of the classic Arabian tale of Aladdin. It is set in a futuristic cyberpunk city called Shantiport which was once a focus of culture, trade, and importance. Now the city has become a wasteland, a dumping zone for the universe, and a…

The Free People’s Village – No Place I’d Rather Be

The Free People’s Village, by Sim Kern, is fun, sad, and uncomfortable in equal measure. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, and at times it comes off as preachy, but I could not pry my eyes away from it. Al Gore has won the 2000 election and declared war on Climate Change. Initiatives introduced…

The Memory Librarian – Unforgettable?

Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer concept album has been one of my top listens of the last year (despite being released in 2018). My plunge into the larger Janelle Monáe media-verse only got deeper from there. I thoroughly enjoyed her stint in Knives Out 2, and I explored her entire discography (spoiler: bangers galore). Around this…