Through Gates of Garnet and Gold
1/7/26; 1:35pm CST
The eleventh novella in Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series is Through Gates of Garnet and Gold, another quest story involving several children banding together to help one of their friends. Not my favorite of the series, but still satisfying.
The Awakened Kingdom + Other Stories
1/4/26; 2:45pm CST
Unless she writes more in this world, I have come to the end of N. K. Jemisin's Inheritance series. The last addtions are The Awakened Kingdom, a novella, plus three short stories. The entire series is recommended.
The Proper Thing
12/31/25; 12:45pm CST
A very good short story collection from Seanan McGuire, The Proper Thing and Other Stories, none connected to each other or to any of her other series, but all deal with similar themes found in most of her work. Recommended.
Why Stars Burn
12/21/25; 2:30pm CST
In spite of the title and cover art, Kathleen Alcalá's Why Stars Burn is not science fiction, so it is another that goes in the Non-SF Books section. It is one I might not have been aware of except for Rosarium Publishing offering me a free digital copy. It is good, and I need to track down some of her other books.
John Varley, 1947-2025
12/14/25; 2:45pm CST
Sadly, one of my favorite writers has recently passed. John Varley was born in Austin, Texas on August 9, 1947, but died last Wednesday, December 10 at his home in Beaverton, Oregon, succumbing to various health issues he had suffered over the past several years. I have updated the profile article I wrote over 25 years ago, John Varley: His Life and Work. I had already been thinking of re-reading some of his books, a desire that is even stronger now.
The Kingdom of Gods
12/12/25; 12:55pm CST
The Kingdom of Gods is the third book in the Inheritance series by N. K. Jemisim, but not the conclusion. Other stories followed, which I will get to soon, but there are a few other books I want to read before year's end.
The Broken Kingdoms
12/5/25; 12:30pm CST
The second book in Jemisin's Inheritance series is The Broken Kingdoms, which I say is the equal to the first book in quality of story and character. Highly recommnded.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
11/30/25; 1:00pm CST
N. K. Jemisin has been named the next Grand Master by the SFWA. I have read and reviewed several of her books, but now go back to her first novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, the first of the Inheritance Trilogy. Very good and recommended.
The Everlasting
11/21/25; 2:00pm CST
Just a few week's behind on Alix E. Harrow's latest novel, The Everlasting. It is a combination of epic fantasy, historical revisionism, and re-tellings of legendary deeds, unique to this book but reminiscent of other tales such as Camelot and Sherwood Forest. Excellent, one of my favorites of the year.
Starling House
11/16/25; 11:35am CST
I finally got to Alix E. Harrow's Starling House two years late. It is a contemporary gothic tale of a haunted house, and a town haunted by its past misdeeds. Good and recommended, even if I have a few misgivings about a couple of things.
Singing the Comic-Con Blues
11/10/25; 12:45pm CST
After reading a non-SF related biography, which I will not be reviewing here, I got back to Seanan McGuire and read the bonus story included with the tenth novel. You can take the previous link to Calculated Risks to see my brief comments about "Singing the Comic-Con Blues."
Calculated Risks
11/6/25; 5:00pm CST
Calculated Risks is the tenth InCryptid novel by Seanan McGuire. It continues the story direct from the previous book, both narrated by Sarah Zellaby. I had made a few comments about coincidental things happening to various members of the Price/Healy family in earlier books, and now we have a theory of why things like that keep happening. Another exciting story, another recommendation.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
10/31/25; 5:00pm CDT
Another combined book/movie review, also by Ray Bradbury. Something Wicked This Way Comes, which once again proves the book is better than the movie, even if both were written by the same person.
Testimony of Mute Things
10/27/25; 3:45pm CDT
Another Penric & Desdemona story by Lois McMaster Bujold. Testimony of Mute Things is the fourteenth novella, fifteenth story overall, but also the second that has been published out of the chronological order of Penric's life experiences. In that regard it is the fourth. As with all the others, it is good and recommended.
The Halloween Tree
10/26/25; 3:45pm CDT
Today's review combines a book and its filmed adaptation. Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree. Both are recommended in spite of a few short-comings.
Imaginary Numbers
10/24/25; 4:00pm CDT
I continue with Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series with the ninth novel, Imaginary Numbers, but there is another bonus story included, which I start with since it is set before the novel.
The Singing Hills Cycle
10/18/25; 11:40am CDT
At the far left of the banner above I link to the latest Singing Hills novella by Nghi Vo, A Mouthful of Dust. However, since there are now six stories in the sequence, I have split the reviews into two pages of three stories each. Even if you have read the books yourself, or my previous reviews, you can rediscover them on Singing Hills, Part One, and Singing Hills, Part Two. All of them are highly recommended.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
10/15/25; 2:10pm CDT
Today's book review is another of the Non-SF variety. This year's Banned Books Week ended last Saturday, which is the day I started Malinda Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club, finishing three nights later. It is both historical fiction, mainly of mid-1950s San Francisco Chinatown, and the struggle for those immigrants to fit into American society, as well as a sympathetic portrayal of a young woman coming to terms with her sexuality. It won the National Book Award as well as others. It is very good, and recommended.
Simultaneous
10/11/25; 2:35pm CDT
Simultaneous is Eric Heisserer's debut novel, but he has written for TV and film before, the highlight being his Academy Award nominated screenplay for Denis Villenueve's Arrival in 2016. The book is interesting, and action packed, but there were several points I felt were undeveloped, or were contradictory.
The Lilies of Dawn
10/8/25; 11:00am CDT
A novelette by Vanessa Fogg, subject of the previous review, The Lilies of Dawn, was published on its own in paperback and e-book in 2016. I read it then, but didn't review it, but I have corrected that error now. Recommended.
The House of Illusionists
10/6/25; 4:30pm CDT
Vanessa Fogg's first story collection, The House of Illusionists, publishes in four weeks, but I received an advance review copy from Net Galley. Most if not all appeared in online venues before, with one story original to the collection. A combination of fantasy, horror, and science fiction, it is very good, and highly recommended.
The First Thousand Trees
10/3/25; 2:00pm CDT
The third (but hopefully not last) novella in a series by Premee Mohamed, The First Thousand Trees switches the first-person narrator to Henryk, who after his friend Reid had left, had no one else to keep him at the campus community in Alberta. He fares no better in Sprucedown. It is a down-beat story up to the final chapter when he returns to Alberta, where he finds Reid is back too. Recommended, and that goes for the two novellas that proceeded it.
Update to previous review
9/28/25; 12:30pm CDT
I added brief comments to the That Ain't Witchcraft review concerning a bonus novella included with it. "The Measure of a Monster" features Alex and Shelby, along with his adopted cousin Sarah, as well as some of the Gorgon's seen in the third book of the series.
That Ain't Witchcraft
9/27/25; 2:00pm CDT
The eighth of Seanan McGuire's InCryptid novels is That Ain't Witchcraft. Another exciting adventure for Annie Price, who helps correct a past wrong, gains more friends and family, and retains a foe likely to be seen again in the future.
A Ruin, Great and Free
9/22/25; 3:55pm CDT
Even more confusion for the conclusion of the Convergence Saga, A Ruin, Great and Free, but that does not mean I didn't like it. I intend to re-read the trilogy and Turnbull's debut novel before his next book is published.
We Are the Crisis
9/17/25; 2:20pm CDT
Do not let the number of times I used the word confused in this review, and for the previous book in the series, lead you to believe it is not recommended. I very much enjoyed We Are the Crisis, the second book in Cadwell Turnbull's Convergence Saga. I have already started the third book, and will write about it as soon as possible.
A Steeping of Blood
9/13/25; 1:30pm CDT
I always want to like every book I read, and I don't like writing negative reviews. Positive reviews are hard enough. Sometimes the negative wins out though, so I cannot recommend A Steeping of Blood.
Katabasis
9/8/25; 3:00pm CDT
R. F. Kuang's Katabasis is set in an alternate world wherein magick is a reputable profession, taught in the most prestigious institutes of higher learning, such as Cambridge in the UK. But what happens when a magick spell goes wrong? Can a graduate student bring her faculty adviser back from Hell? Should she? Another great book from Kuang, highly recommended.
Automatic Noodle
9/1/25; 3:05pm CDT
Annalee Newitz's Automatic Noodle is either a very long novella or a short novel. Most descriptions of it say it is cozy science fiction, which is right in a way, but it is also a serious disection of current situations involving personal autonomy, contradictory government decisions, and out of control social media. Very good and recommended.
Lessons in Magic and Disaster
8/30/25; 12:25pm CDT
Charlie Jane Anders' latest novel is very good, but won't appeal to all, but it is still highly recommended. Both Anders and the main character in Lessons in Magic and Disaster are transwomen, and the disasters that befall Jamie are all too possible considering real world situations, and not only as a result of magic gone wrong.
Burn Up In Victory
8/26/25; 3:25pm CDT
I at first thought Jennifer R. Donohue's longest novel to date would be epic fantasy, but Burn Up In Victory is romantasy instead, with fantasy taking precedence, the romance secondary. It is very good and recommended.
A Tempest of Tea
8/20/25; 11:50am CDT
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal is the first book in a series with the collective title of Blood and Tea. I have an advance review copy of the second book which comes out next month. At this time I do not know if we can expect more after that.
2025 Hugo Winners
8/17/25; 1:20pm CDT
Winners of the 2025 Hugos were announced last night in Seattle. I have just updated our Awards page, which includes links for purchase or for online reading of the shorter works.
Tricks for Free
8/15/25; 3:50pm CDT
The seventh novel in Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series is once again narrated by the youngest of the Price children, Antimony, aka Annie, aka Timpani Brown, and now aka Melody West. Tricks for Free is set at Lowryland, the second largest theme park in Florida, as Annie tries to remain hidden from the Covenant. It seems she has managed that so far, but there are other problems.
The Once and Future Me
8/10/25; 12:20pm CDT
The debut novel from Melissa Pace, The Once and Future Me is a combination of psychological thriller and time travel tale. Parts are good, parts are hampered by the first-person, present-tense narration, with too many info dumps toward the end.
Tranmentation | Transience
8/5/25; 11:30am CDT
The first book in a proposed trilogy, Transmentation | Transience is by Darkly Lem, which is a pseudonym shared by five authors, only one of whom I have read before. It was confusing through most of the book, but still interesting, and I am looking forward to the second volume. No idea when to expect it, nor what its title will be.
Love & Other Cures for the Recently Undead
7/26/25; 2:45pm CDT
I obtained a digital copy of H. J. Ramsay's Love & Other Cures for the Recently Undead from Net Galley in a giveaway, not a request for an upcoming title. It was published back in February. According to information I've found, other readers liked it more than me. The only reason I downloaded it is the premise sounded interesting, and the only reason I finished was because it was short.
The Adventure of the Demonic Ox
7/23/25; 1:45pm CDT
The Adventure of the Demonic Ox is the thirteenth novella, and fourteenth story overall, in Lois McMaster Bujold's Penric & Desdemona series. As always, an exciting and enjoyable story, in this case as much for the development of other characters beyond Penric and his demon. Recommended.
A Palace Near the Wind
7/22/25; 12:00pm CDT
Ai Jiang's A Palace Near the Wind is the first part of a duology with the collective title of Natural Engines. My review is brief so as not to spoil, but also because the stage has just been set so to speak. Not a lot of background on the characters and situations, and what there is could possibly be misdirection. The second book is due next April, and I will read it.
Magic for Nothing
7/17/25; 4:00pm CDT
Starting a new page for the second group of InCryptid books by Seanan McGuire, which are once again up for a Hugo as Best Series this year, due to a new one released last year. Unfortunately, Magic for Nothing is my least favorite so far, but I will still continue with the series at some point.
The Bewitching
7/11/25; 4:20pm CDT
Silvia Moreno-Garcia's eleventh novel, The Bewitching, is about magic and witchcraft in different locations at different times. A graduate student in 1998 Massachusetts researches a writer whose novel may have been based on a true experience in 1934, while at the same time recalling stories her grandmother told her about her brush with witches in Mexico in 1908. Very good and recommended.
Wearing the Lion
7/7/25; 11:30am CDT
Now the second novel by this year's Nebula winner, John Wiswell. Wearing the Lion is a retelling of the myth of Heracles, the Greek demi-god renamed Hercules by the Romans. Some things are the same as you've read before, others are quite different. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
The Boy, the Mountain, and the Serpent Who Ate the Moon
7/1/25; 3:40pm CDT
The second novel by Filipina author Caris Avendaño Cruz is better than the first, not necessarily the story itself, but in her improved prose style. The Boy, the Mountain, and the Serpent Who Ate the Moon is another Childrens/Middle Grade book, but good enough to please any age reader. Recommended.
Sweetlust
6/28/25; 3:50pm CDT
The second story collection by Bosnian/Croatian writer Asja Bakić is Sweetlust, which is appropriate since most of the stories deal with erotic themes, even if all are not sweet. Very good and recommended.
The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses
6/25/25; 3:50pm CDT
The first of Malka Older's Mossa & Pleti adventures was a long novella, the second a short novel. The third, The Potency of Ungovernable Impusles is longer still, but still a quick read. Not as dangerous a case as previously, at least not to Mossa and Pleiti, but maybe for the one they are asked to help. There will be at least one more book in the series, but I can't help but want more than that. Recommended.
Marikit and the Ocean of Stars
6/20/25; 4:30pm CDT
A writer of children's stories can appeal to older readers too, probably easier than the other way around. Caris Avendaño Cruz's debut novel from 2022, Marikit and the Ocean of Stars, accomplishes that. While most of the story involves Filipino myths and legends, it is also a familiar enough story to be appreciated by anyone, of any age. Recommended.
Nebula Winners
6/8/25; 9:00am CDT
The 2024 Nebula Award winners were announced last night in Kansas City. I have updated the current Awards Page, plus a few other related pages.
So Lucky
6/7/25; 1:05pm CDT
Another Non-SF book from Grand Master Nicola Griffith. So Lucky is a novel, but also somewhat an autobiography, or at least the subject matter is something Griffith shares with her protagonist. It may not appeal to some, maybe just a small minority, but it is good.
Always
6/4/25; 3:45pm CDT
Always concludes Nicola Griffith's Aud Torvingen series, although I hope she returns to the story sometime in the future. Several plot points are addressed but not resolved. I recommend the trilogy, with the second book being my favorite.
Stay
5/27/25; 3:00pm CDT
I return to Nicola Griffith's Aud Torvingen series for the second book, Stay. Another good one, but also more trauma for Aud.
I Can Fix Her
5/24/25; 11:50am CDT
Rae Wilde's I Can Fix Her is a novella. It could be considered fantasy or horror, maybe a nightmare or waking hallucination. It is good and recommended.
The Blue Place
5/22/25; 6:30pm CDT
Nicola Griffith is this year's recipient of SFWA's Grand Master Award. The Blue Place is the sixth of her novels I have read, and the first in the Aud Torvingen trilogy. I would describe it as a neo-noir mystery. It is very, very good, and I will follow up with the second book soon, but not right away.
Once Broken Faith
5/18/25; 3:10pm CDT
Back to October Daye for the tenth novel, Once Broken Faith, plus a novella that follows directly after that, "Dreams and Slumbers." Another exciting adventure for Toby, with murder and mayhem she has to solve. The new revelations are not just about Toby, but also a couple of characters I hope to see more of in the future. Recommended.
Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame
5/12/25; 12:45pm CDT
Taking a break from October Daye for a new book by Neon Yang. Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame is a fantasy about dragons. And other things. Either a very long novella or very short novel. I suspect most readers will be able to anticipate certain things, but it is still good and recommended.
A Red-Rose Chain
5/10/25; 3:45pm CDT
And now the ninth October Daye novel, A Red-Rose Chain. Not as good as the previous book, too much repetition of action and reaction, but still worth reading to learn more about Toby's abilities, at the same time she is learning about them.
The Winter Long
5/5/25; 1:45pm CDT
The eighth October Daye novel is The Winter Long. It is at once a new beginning for Toby, with new powers discovered, it also brings her story back to its beginnings. Recommended. UPDATE, May 6: Added comments on a related short story, "Heaps of Pearl."
More October Daye
5/2/25; 4:45pm CDT
I have added comments about two different stories on the new October Daye page; a novellete ("Full of Briars") set immediately after Chimes at Midnight, plus a short story ("Never Shines the Sun") included in print copies of that novel.
Chimes at Midnight
5/1/25; 4:10pm CDT
Starting a new page to continue Seanan McGuire's October Daye series. The seventh novel is Chimes at Midnight. Another very good, intense, and satisfying adventure. Recommended.
Awake in the Floating City
4/28/25; 2:00pm CDT
Awake in the Floating City is the debut novel from Susanna Kwan. To be published May 13, I got an advance copy from Net Galley. It is SF, but just as likely will be marketed as literary fiction. Set in San Francisco about 25 years into the future, but as much about the present and the past as it is the future. Very good and recommended.
The Martian Contingency
4/20/25; 4:20pm CDT
A continuation of another series, this time the fourth novel in Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut adventures. I have created a new page that starts with The Martian Contingency, which also includes brief comments about an upcoming story collection. All of the novels and stories I have read are highly recommended, and I am looking forward to more in the future.
A Drop of Corruption
4/15/25; 9:00am CDT
The second book in Robert Jackson Bennett's Shadow of the Leviathan series is A Drop of Corruption. It is every bit as good, perhaps even better than the first. Great characters, great worldbuilding. Highly recommended.
Don't Sleep with the Dead
4/12/25; 3:00pm CDT
Nghi Vo's new novella, Don't Sleep with the Dead, is a sequel of sorts to her 2021 debut novel, The Chosen and the Beautiful. Both are set within the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, which is now in the public domain. Magic and a bit of horror has been added. I wish I had time to re-read Chosen, since it is very good and recommended, as is the new story.
Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed
4/3/25; 11:05am CDT
Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed is José Pablo Iriarte's debut novel. It is a finalist for the Andre Norton Award, and for the British Science Fiction Association for Younger Readers. In spite of being way beyond the age of the target demographic, I liked it a lot. Recommended.
Lost Ark Dreaming
3/23/25; 1:35pm CDT
Another Nebula finalist, another novella that I wish was longer. Suyi Davies Okungbowa's Lost Ark Dreaming is set in futuristic Lagos, now mostly underwater. The action takes place in the Pinnacle, one of the large towers built to house the population.
Countess
3/19/25; 2:00pm CDT
Suzan Palumbo's Countess is a Nebula finalist for novella. Sadly, I didn't like it as much as I had hoped. There are good things about it, just not enough. It should have been a novel, if not the start of a series.
Otaku
3/12/25; 4:10pm CDT
Chris Kluwe is a former NFL player, in the news recently for his social activism. He is also a writer. His debut novel Otaku was published in 2020. I liked it, but others might like it more, especially those who are into action-oriented video games.
The River Has Roots
3/6/25; 1:00pm CST
I think Amal El-Mohtar's The River Has Roots is a short novella. The book's page count includes an additional story, a preview of an upcoming collection. Both are very good, and recommended.
Splinter Effect
3/4/25; 4:00pm CST
Some readers will enjoy Splinter Effect, a mash-up of Indiana Jones and The Time Machine, but I don't recommended it. A few interesting things happen, but also some very convenient things, and others that contradict some of the rules previously established.
Making Amends
2/28/25; 2:40pm CST
Nisi Shawl's Making Amends is a collection of eight stories set within the same milieu. Amends is a prison planet, and most of those transported are black or other minorities. Parts are depressing, but there is also hope as communities are established on the new world. Recommended.
They Bloom at Night
2/26/25; 1:00pm CST
In their second novel, Trang Thanh Tran once again writes in first-person, present tense. They Bloom at Night is a good story, very relevant to many things happening today; the immigrant experience, climate disasters, profit vs compassion, plus internal struggles dealing with sexual orientation and gender identity. Recommended.
She Is a Haunting
2/23/25; 4:00pm CST
Trang Thanh Tran's debut novel, She Is a Haunting, is in some ways a typical haunted house story, but also more than that. A YA coming-of-age tale, whose main character is a bisexual Vietnamese-American, having to deal with her estranged father who is renovating an old house in Vietnam, where his ancestors had worked as servants during French occupation. It is good, but sometimes the first-person, present tense narration is not as effective as past tense, or third-person might have been.
One Message Remains
2/19/25; 10:55am CST
Premee Mohamed's short, four story collection builds on one published previously in 2021. One Message Remains is set in the Treotan Empire, and in adjacent territories it is warring with, or has already conquered. It also mirrors several other stories she has written about the futility and madness of war, and of people's struggles to resist oppression. Highly recommended.
Daughter of the Merciful Deep
2/12/25; 11:45am CST
Leslye Penelope's Daughter of the Merciful Deep is an appropriate read for Black History Month. I did like it, but unfortunately for the people in the story, the fantasy element was their only salvation. Otherwise, the Deep would not have been merciful.
Death of the Author
2/8/25; 4:30pm CST
Nnedi Okorafor's latest novel is both science fiction and not science fiction, depending on perspective. Death of the Author is set in the very near future, with tech that is not out of the realm of possibility today, even if just in the development stage. It is the story of a writer, Zelu, who switches from the mainstream literary sphere to SF with a novel titled "Rusted Robots." Chapters alternate between her story with that of her book, which is wildly popular, optioned for film almost immediately, although the adaptation does not please her. It is a very good book. Highly recommended.
Helliconia Winter
2/3/25; 3:30pm CST
Helliconia Winter, and the complete trilogy, will not appeal to all, probably just to a minority, but I still recommend it. More about world-building and a few philosophical ideas rather than the merits of individual characters, it is a sweeping saga of a mysterious planet. Even though it took a while, I am glad I re-read it.
Old Soul
1/29/25; 2:00pm CST
Susan Barker's fourth novel, Old Soul, is being marketed as literary horror, which is an apt description. If follows several people, in various countries and time periods, who have encountered a mysterious woman, and suffered for that. The style might not appeal to all, but I liked it and can recommend it.
Helliconia Summer
1/23/25; 10:10am CST
Helliconia Summer is the longest of the trilogy, but it covers a shorter period of time than the first book. I may be able to finish the series by the end of the month, but again another book will come before that.
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear
1/13/25; 4:45pm CST
The tenth novella, and I think the twelfth story overall, in Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series is Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear, which features Russian born/American adopted Nadya, whose portal world was the underwater Belyyreka. This is the fourth page I have created for the series, and I have no doubt I will be adding another story to the page this time next year. I'm still hoping for a Kade-centric story.
Helliconia Spring
1/12/25; 4:30pm CST
Re-reading the Helliconia Trilogy by Brian W. Aldiss, just the first book so far. It is recommended, and I will continue soon, but another book might come first.
Yeseni and the Daughter of Peace
1/3/25; 2:30pm CST
Happy New Year, and New Review. I will move last year's updates to the Archives page soon. My first review of the year is Solange Burrell's debut novel, Yeseni and the Daughter of Peace, which is set in West Africa beginning in 1748, but also in other places and times. It involves inter-tribal warfare, as well as the slave trade, with a young woman's attempts to stop both. Recommended.
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