SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn

SF/F Review: Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn: https://t.co/xXKqEH4PuW Short Review: 9 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 30, 2018

Short Review (cont): When Evie Tanaka is forced to be a superhero, she's forced to stop repressing her emotions which control her fire-conjuring superpowers. But can she control her emotions through moments of joy (like Sex) & anger w/out burning anyone? Just so much fun. (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 30, 2018

   Heroine Complex is incredibly fun.  I've tried to write this review a couple times now, and I still can't find a sentence that better sums up this book.  It's probably the most consistently fun book I've read that isn't a clear comedy (certainly the most fun non-comedy book I've read since "In Other Lands."  And even that book features some sad moments at times).  While there are moments where our heroines suffer some angst, these moments are short and at no point does the tone really shift away from its light-tone, and as a result it's an incredible joy to read.

  I suppose I should quickly mention what type of book this is before the jump: Heroine Complex features a pair of Asian-American superheroes fighting to protect San Francisco from demon incursions.  In the process it's a story about friendship, family love, bottling up one's emotions, and to a lesser extent, romance.  It may not be a big piece of message fiction (although as you can guess from that last sentence, it certainly has some themes for the reader), but it's a blast throughout, and I suspect I'll be reading the sequel shortly.

  More after the jump:

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Poisoned Blade (Court of Fives #2) by Kate Elliott

SF/F Review: https://t.co/Ieqxnt6eML Poisoned Blade (Court of Fives #2) by Kate Elliott: Short Review: 7.5 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 27, 2018

Short Review (cont): The 2nd in Elliott's YA trilogy features an more consistent main character (Jessamy) as she finds herself caught between multiple actors from both within and without the country with their own agendas as she tries to save her family. An improved sequel (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 27, 2018

   Poisoned Blade is the follow-up to Kate Elliott's first YA book: Court of Fives.  I had mixed feelings about Court of Fives - while the worldbuilding was interesting and most of our characters were solid, it felt very derivative (the hunger games feel was strong early on) at times and almost like it was trying too hard as a YA novel.  Still, I did like the book and again, as a fan of Elliott's work, I was willing to give the second book in the series another try.

  Poisoned Blade definitely still gives off Hunger Games vibes, but works a bit better than the first in the series though.  The worldbuilding expands further and where the first book hinted at a resistance against the ruling monarchy as well as conspirators within that same monarchy looking to seize power, Poisoned Blade expands the number of sides taking both hidden and overt actions to seize power.  Amidst all this stands the series' protagonist, Jessamy, who is torn in even more directions than in the first book.  Still, it works better here, as Jessamy's story and focus seems more believable throughout.

  More after the jump, spoilers for Court of Fives are below:

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Mass Effect Initiation by N.K Jemisin & Mac Walters

SF/F Review: Mass Effect Initiation by NK Jemisin and Mac Walters https://t.co/hgCOAtwPoe Short Review: 7 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 25, 2018

Short Review (cont): This prequel to ME: Andromeda is mostly a very fun space opera adventure, featuring Biotic Cora Harper & her AI SAM-E as they attempt to recover stolen code. But it falls off near the end and has pacing issues and requires some background ME knowledge (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 25, 2018

  The Mass Effect Universe is mainly known for four sci-fi video games: the original trilogy, which was extremely well received (despite a controversial original ending) and Andromeda, which was supposed to be the start of a new set of video games in the franchise.  Unfortunately for those who enjoyed the original trilogy, Andromeda failed to measure up to expectations critically or commercially and as of this moment, the video game series is defunct.  However, prior to knowing about the game's lack of commercial success, Bioware commissioned three well known SF authors to write prequels to Andromeda, and this book: Mass Effect Initiation, is one of the three, and is written by NK Jemisin, who's maybe my favorite modern SF/F author (3 of her books are listed in my perfect score post).  So it was natural for me to want to check this book out. 

  I haven't played any of the Mass Effect games, but I am familiar with the series from a long way back watching some Let's Plays of the original trilogy.  I have no experience with Andromeda (aside from a quick wiki), but as this book takes place during Mass Effect 2 and is a prequel, that wasn't a problem.  Still, a reader should have some experience with the Mass Effect universe before reading this book, you'll be a little lost otherwise.  You might question why anyone would want to read a tie-in novel to a series one isn't that attached to, but some tie-in novels can transcend the from and be genuinely good books (several Star Wars book accomplish this)

  That said, while in large part the book is enjoyable, it's not one of those books.  The book very much embraces its "prequel" nature - it's conclusion doesn't really wrap things up as much as pose questions that you will gain more answers to from playing the game (oddly, the biggest question is apparently not answered in the game itself either).  If you really enjoy the Mass Effect series, this book will be enjoyable.  But on its own, not so much. 

*I listened to this as an audiobook and the audiobook reader is excellent.

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray

SF/F Review: Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray https://t.co/i6tMrkXnjd Short Review: 8 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 23, 2018

Short Review (cont): This Star Wars book fills in a empty spot in the SW canon as it tells the story of a 16-year old Princess Leia as she develops from a "girl wanting to do right but unsure of how to do so" to the determinator we see in the movies. Really well done. (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 23, 2018

  Leia, Princess of Alderaan is one of the most unique products of the new Star Wars canon - it's a Star Wars novel that covers a topic that was never touched by the old Expanded Universe (aka Legends).  As far as I can tell, this is the first book that ever told a tale of Leia's life prior to A New Hope (the old canon had Han Solo prequels for example, but not anything of the sort involving Leia).  So for once, it's a Star Wars book that doesn't need to justify its existence to older fans, as it covers entirely new ground.

  It's also fairly enjoyable as a story - this is a Young Adult story featuring a 16 year old Princess Leia, as she takes her first steps toward actively opposing the Empire.  It even introduces the teenage version of one of The Last Jedi's new characters (Admiral Holdo), and she kind of steals the show.   It's not perfect obviously - as I'll detail below, it suffers from the typical problem of prequels to a well known work - but it takes a hole in the existing canon and fills it quite admirably.

More after the Jump:

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Blood and Tempest (Empire of Storms #3) by Jon Skovron

SF/F Review: Blood and Tempest (Empire of Storms #3) by Jon Skovron: https://t.co/gpUKTOk3pm Short Review: 9.5 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 19, 2018

Short Review (cont): The final book in this dark fantasy adventure features the characters (monk/ninja Hope, rogue/assassin Red, biomage Brigga Lin, Spy Merivale, etc.) finally reuniting to stop the biomancers' plan. Incredibly fun, oft hilarious, with Great Characters (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 19, 2018

The Empire of Storms trilogy has been one of my favorite series' that I've read over the past year or so.  The series, beginning with 2016's "Hope and Red" and continuing with "Bane and Shadow" in early 2017, is a fantasy adventure series that manages to be dark at times (Good guys lose limbs and/or outright die in the first two books, the two main protagonists manage to have an impressive body count, etc.) while still remaining incredibly fun.  So I've been looking forward to Blood and Tempest, the concluding volume of the trilogy, for a while.

Blood and Tempest made the wait worth it.  Like another fantasy adventure series I read over the past year (V.E. Schwab's Darker Shades of Magic), it increases the number of viewpoints shown in the final book of the series.  Unlike that other series, the new viewpoint is a fantastic addition to the cast and the whole thing comes together in an incredibly satisfying package.  The book isn't perfect by any means, but is just such fun and a blast to read that it almost doesn't matter.

I suspect the series didn't sell particularly well, as only book 1 has an audiobook and only one library on Long Island bought the book, which is why i took me so long to review this book (I've since bought a copy).  I hope this trend reverses itself, as it deserves to be more read.

More after the jump, where I'll try to limit spoilers from the first two books as much as possible:

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: The Changeling by Victor LaValle

SF/F Review: The Changeling by Victor Lavalle https://t.co/7Ml8Eo2o8v Short Review: 9 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 17, 2018

Short Review (Cont): A Dark Modern Fairy Tale set in New York dealing with modern issues such as racism and the refusal of society to listen to women has excellent characters, an excellent use of New York City, an a solid story that avoids largely being too heavy handed (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 17, 2018

  Victor LaValle's novel "The Changeling" is described by a USA Today blurb on its Amazon page as a "Modern" or "Dark" Fairy Tale set in New York, and that's a pretty accurate description to a certain extent.  It's actually kind of a spoiler to call this book either a "Fairy Tale" or just a "Fantasy" novel in general, since no fantastical elements don't appear in the book till well into the book's second half.  But it's such a central element of what this book turns out to be (and Amazon doesn't exactly hide it) that it's probably doing an injustice to a prospective reader to hide it, and spoiling this fact shouldn't ruin the reader's experience (if I wasn't spoiled by the Amazon page, I probably wouldn't have read the book myself).

Of course, "Modern" or "Dark" Fairy Tale is also an inadequate descriptor.  The Changeling is a very clear response to issues of racism/sexism, the "nostalgia" for a time when racism/sexism were more acceptable (the idea that this is nostalgia is not mine, but the book approaches it as if it truly was).  More centrally the issue of men refusing to listen to women is kind of the big theme of the book in the final third.  The book can sometimes be a bit heavy handed - to a jarring detriment at a few points - but it works incredibly well due to the characters and dialogue being incredibly well written.

Note:  This was my latest completed audiobook.  The author himself reads the audiobook, and he does a fine job - characters don't really have unique voices, but it's a fine solid reading.

More after the Jump:

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Crucible of Gold (Temeraire #7) by Naomi Novik

SF/F Review: Crucible of Gold (Temeraire #7) by Naomi Novik: https://t.co/U1Yw6rItHV Short Review: 8 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 15, 2018

Short Review (cont): Novik's "Napoleonic Wars with Dragons" series continues as Temeraire & Co find themselves in South America, trying to ally England w/the Incan Empire and to work out a deal with the slave-freeing Tswana. Very good, tho not the series' best (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 15, 2018

Crucible of Gold is the 7th book in Naomi Novik's "Napoleonic Wars with Dragons" series, Temeraire.  As I've stated a few times, the Temeraire series is one in which I have a weird love/don't-love (not really love/hate, but same idea) relationship - there are parts of the books I love (Dragon interactions fit this bill) and some really great characters I care about and there are parts which I very much wish weren't there.  Overall, I still clearly enjoy the series, as made pretty clear by the fact that I've now read 7 of the 9 books, but it can be very hit or miss.

Crucible of Gold is thankfully more hit than miss.  It doesn't quite match the series' high points (the first or fifth book), but is just a tier below, as it once again shifts the action by moving our characters to a new area of the globe: in this case, South America.  It also thankfully makes some effort to reduce one of the more awkward/problematic prior plots in the series (that of the Tswana from Empire of Ivory).  And it provides plenty of dragon to dragon interactions that are the series' best feature, which helps quite a bit.

Full Review after the Jump (Spoilers for the prior books are included of course, but this is not exactly a story that hinges on twists, so such spoilers aren't a big deal)

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Points of Impact (Frontlines #6) by Marko Kloos

SF/F Review: Points of Impact (Frontlines #6) by Marko Kloos: https://t.co/reDt6k8dlJ Short Review: 8.5 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 12, 2018

Short Review (cont): The 6th book in the Frontlines Military SciFi series features Series Protagonist Andrew Grayson battling PTSD as he & his wife join their new duty station-a high tech ship built to turn the tide against the Alien enemy. My favorite of the series so far. (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 12, 2018

  Despite not being much of a MilSci (Military Science Fiction) fan these days - I used to be when I was growing up but less so these days - Marko Kloos' Frontlines series has been one of my favorite series over the past few years.  The series tells the story of a future humanity where humanity has started to colonize planets in outer space - which is good because Earth has very much gone to shit, with Cities across the globe suffering from overcrowding, poverty, and the danger those conditions result in.  The series' main protagonist, Andrew Grayson, leaves the overcrowded and dangerous cities to join the military, only for the military to run into another Alien species, the Lankies, which proceed to force humanity to the brink of annihilation.

  What makes Frontlines one of my favorite MilSci series - in addition to having some pretty excellent characters - is that while the series deals with serious issues such as PTSD and military ethics, the story involves a main character who is always trying - even when it's difficult - to do the right thing.  This sounds kind of cheesy, but there are times in the series where other books would take the story in a more cynical direction (not that this world isn't cynical) - so your main character might cheat on his long distance girlfriend, or find out that she's cheating on him; or your main character might execute surrendered soldiers in vengeance, etc. etc- this series always plays fair.  I'm not describing this very well, but it's done extremely well throughout.

  And while I thought book 5 (Fields of Fire) was the weakest in the series, Points of Impact might just be the strongest book in the series so far.

More after the jump (Spoilers obviously for earlier books in the series, but while you can't start the series with this book, it's not like this is a series where spoilers will ruin your enjoyment)

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Court of Fives by Kate Elliott

SF/F Review: Court of Fives by Kate Elliott https://t.co/64Yl2cGseA Short Review: 6.5 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 9, 2018

Short Review (cont): The First in Elliott's first YA trilogy seems to try a bit too hard to fit the YA voice but has a world with a good deal of promise even if the protagonist's motivations are oddly bipolar. Solid Cliffhanger ending tho (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 9, 2018

Kate Elliott is one of my favorite authors that I've discovered since I returned to reading the genre over the past 2 plus years - Through 2017, I'd read seven of her books, which made her my sixth most-read author (and on a per-page basis, I think she probably comes in 4th).  So Court of Fives, the beginning of a new trilogy by Elliott - her first Young Adult trilogy no less - has been on my "to-read" list since shortly after it was published in 2015.   Despite my not being anywhere near the target age group for YA material, I've found some pretty great reads in the YA SFF sub-genre ("In Other Lands" for example being one of my favorite books of last year), so I was interested to see what Elliott would do with it.

The end result isn't quite a total success - the book at times feels very much like Elliott is perhaps trying a bit too yard to be "YA" in tone and it suffers for it.  The book is the first in a trilogy (just completed last year) and while it starts off with undertones that make it feel maybe a bit like a Hunger Games rip-off, it does finish with an intriguing cliffhanger.  Still, if I wasn't a big fan of Elliott, I'm not sure I'd continue with the trilogy after finishing Court of Fives.

SciFi/Fantasy Anthology Review: Canto Bight (Star Wars) by Saladin Ahmed, Rae Carson, Mira Grant, & John Jackson Miller

SF/F Anthology Review: Canto Bight (Star Wars) by Saladin Ahmed, Mira Grant, Rae Carson & John Jackson Miller https://t.co/dRWMKIgZbx Short Review: 6.5 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 5, 2018

Short Review (cont): A collection of four novellas taking place in The Last Jedi's casino world, Canto Bight, has 2 good to very good stories and two stories that are simply eh. On average it's fun, but doesn't make as much use of Star Wars as it feels like it should (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 5, 2018

Canto Bight is another anthology released as part of "Journey to The Last Jedi" series of Star Wars books, although unlike the other books in the series (such as "The Legends of Luke Skywalker"), it was released basically around the same time as the film.  It's an anthology of four novellas all set in the casino city/planet featured in a small part of The Last Jedi - the titular Canto Bight, with each of the four novellas written by a decently well known SciFi/Fantasy author.

As with many anthologies, the stories are hit or miss.  Of course since there are only four novellas in this whole anthology, the fact that half of the stories are kind of "misses" is a bigger problem than it would be in a wider anthology (such as From a Certain Point of View).  If you're looking for a new Star Wars work to start with in the Star Wars canon, this isn't where I would begin.  But if you've run out of other Star Wars works, the Canto Bight anthology is kind of fine.

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly

SF/F Review: Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly https://t.co/IrvvblR3IT Short Review: 3 out of 10 (1/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 4, 2018

Short Review (cont): When a Nazi-like party starts taking over the government of Amberlough, spy Cyril is forced to be a double agent to protect his gay love. But his love and others have plans of their own. Slow Pace and an annoying lead made this not enjoyable to read (2/3)

— garik16 (@garik16) January 4, 2018

Amberlough is the first in a new series (I suspect trilogy but not sure) which is basically an alternate world spy/political thriller.  Note that while the book is listed as SciFi or Fantasy, there's practically nothing about the book that fits into either description - the book's setting is just an alternate world with around 1930s-era technology, and there are no magic or steampunk elements to be found otherwise.  So if you're interested in spy thrillers involving double agents, smugglers and their runners, and a group of people who love each other trying to protect each other through such acts, this could be the book for you.  If you're not into those things and just want a SF/F story, this is not your book.

That said, I didn't really enjoy Amberlough.  You would think, given the current political climate, a thriller where a gay smuggler, a runner/stripper, and a gay spy try to survive the ascent of a fascist government would be of particular interest these days.  However, plot-wise, it didn't really grab me - I admit to not quite really getting the political situation as it was introduced, and while that didn't matter too much (the party taking over are hateful fascists, and you don't need to know much else) - and well I didn't love the characters enough to compensate.  It's not the worst book, but it's forgettable at best.

2017 Year in Review - SF/Fantasy Reading, Part 3: Least Favorite Books and Unfinished Books

Now it's time for the flipside of the last post in this series: time to talk about the books that I did NOT enjoy, as well as the books that I started and could not finish, and some common themes among these books that led to these feelings.  As should be evident, these are my personal opinions - it's certainly possible others will disagree (I know at least one of my least favorite books shows up on a few Best-of lists).  Also, my comments are solely about the works involved, not the authors themselves.  But if you want to know which books I would suggest avoiding going forward, read on:

2017 Year in Review - SF/Fantasy Reading, Part 2: My Favorite Books and Characters

As I mentioned in my last post, I think I did a pretty good job at selecting books for me to read this year.  Out of 149 books in the genre that I read this year, 88 I graded as 8 out of 10 or better.  That's a pretty high mark for me believe it or not - on my scale, an 8 out of 10 is a book that I liked a lot; a 9 out of 10 is a book I liked a lot and feel is a must-read for anyone who doesn't dislike the genre or sub-genre the book belongs to; while a 10 out of 10 is a book that I feel is an absolute must-read for basically anyone.  So these are all books I liked a lot.  For the sake of space though, this post is mainly going to deal with only the books that earned 9s or above.

Again these are books that are either my must-reads for those who enjoy the genre/sub-genre or just absolute must-reads in general: