Babel by R. F. Kuang (Book Review)
Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution, is precisely what I expect from writer and historian R. F. Kuang. It’s complex and highly literate. Plus, the struggle between colonizers and those they oppress is at its...Wild Seed by Octavia Butler (Patternist #1) — Book Review
Octavia Butler creates a fantastical story in Wild Seed, the first book of her Patternist series. The main characters are two immortals, living in Africa and America during the years leading up to the Civil War. Doro is a body-snatching, shape shifter who believes he...Kelley Armstrong — A Rip Through Time (Book Review)
In A Rip Through Time, Kelley Armstrong creates Vancouver police detective Mallory Atkinson. Mallory is visiting her gravely ill grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland. The year is 2019. Until one evening when Mallory goes jogging and unexpectedly finds herself waking up...The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang (The Poppy War #2) — Book Review
The Dragon Republic is R. F. Kuang’s second book in her Poppy War trilogy. We follow the young shaman and soldier named Rin, along with her various friends and enemies. As expected, this book deals with the military and political fallout of book one (The Poppy War)....The Fervor by Alma Katsu (Book Review)
In The Fervor Alma Katsu blends lesser-known World War II history with Japanese folklore and the horror of racism. This relatively short book introduces Meiko and her young daughter Aiko. Meiko came to Seattle as part of an arranged marriage to another Japanese...R.F. Kuang — The Poppy War (Book Review)
R. F. Kuang deftly combines history and fantasy in her epic The Poppy War, set in an alternative Asia. Based primarily in the China-inspired country of Nikan, it follows the ascendance of young military student Fang Runin, known as Rin. She’s an orphan living in a...Scorpica (The Five Queendoms, #1) by G.R. Macallister (Book Review)
Scorpica is everything I want in epic fantasy—world-building that still makes characters the focus of the story. G.R. Macallister creates entrancing characters in places I’ll never forget. She’s billed this as book one of a new series—The Five Queendoms—and I’m...Thomas Olde Heuvelt — Echo (Book Review)
Thomas Olde Heuvelt takes readers deep into the blizzard of his imagination in his book, Echo. Released in Dutch in 2019 and translated into English for release this week, the book represents excellent horror writing. It will chill you to the bone, because of its...Sisterhood of New Amsterdam Series by Craig Schaefer (Book Reviews)
The Sisterhood of New Amsterdam* is a two-book series (so far) from Urban Fantasy author Craig Schaefer. If you enjoy this genre and haven’t picked up his books, now is your chance. He explores a new world in an alternate New York City with ties to ancient myths,...Emily St. John Mandel — Station Eleven (Book Review)
Emily St. John Mandel wrote Station Eleven in the early 2010s and published it in 2014. So this is technically a backlist choice. However, with the pandemic-related storyline and the recent HBO adaptation, Station Eleven is more relevant than ever. I’ll review both...Circe by Madeline Miller (Book Review)
The 2018 book Circe by Madeline Miller retells the mythological story of the daughter of Helios and a nymph named Perse. Helios is the sun god and a Titan, the group of original gods. (That brings an entirely different meaning to the current term OG.) Myths credit her...Secret Santa — Andrew Shaffer (Book Review)
Secret Santa is a creepy horror novella from Andrew Shaffer. His Obama Biden mysteries are enjoyable, so I picked this up during the year. Of course, the best time to read a Christmas-themed book is December. My only regret is getting the review posted after the...Andy Weir — Project Hail Mary (Book Review)
Andy Weir creates a science fiction masterwork in Project Hail Mary. It deserves to be on every “Best of 2021” list, particularly the audiobook lists. There’s copious science within this adventure story among the stars of a distant galaxy. And also considerably more...Sanjena Sathian — Gold Diggers (Book Review)
Gold Diggers by Sanjina Sathian is two parts a story about children of Indian immigrants balancing tradition with assimilation. It’s one part a history, with a nod to alternative histories. And it’s another part of magical realism that draws on cultural traditions,...City of Time and Magic — Paula Brackston (Found Things #4) Book Review
City of Time and Magic gives Paula Brackston a chance to resolve the cliffhanger from her last book in the Found Things series. And in true Brackston fashion, the resolution includes history, magic, time travel, and a little romance. Our favorite time traveler,...Bookshop.Org Affiliate
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