I absolutely loved The Ancients. It’s the story of a world ravaged by climate change, where civilization has been set back thousands of years. The intI absolutely loved The Ancients. It’s the story of a world ravaged by climate change, where civilization has been set back thousands of years. The interwoven stories of survival and hope kept me hooked from start to finish.
None of the characters were purely likable, but they were all compelling in their own ways, forcing me to stay invested in their struggles.
I loved the messages about sustainability and hope in such a bleak future. My only minor gripe was how neatly everything wrapped up in the end, which felt a little too tidy given the harshness of the story. That said, it didn’t take away from how incredible this book was overall—highly recommend!
I was super into this in the beginning: it was like reading Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the first time, but a little more modern and less BriI was super into this in the beginning: it was like reading Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the first time, but a little more modern and less British.
But then nothing happened. And nothing kept happening. And then I was 30% of the way through and still nothing had happened.
So, because I started this without knowing anything about it, I thought it’d be a cute YA SF book about an AI and a group of internet friends. This is actually a THRILLER. And it gets kind of intense.
I enjoyed it, loved the diverse characters, and thought the writing was solid.
So, because I started this without knowing anything about it, I thought it’d be a cute YA SF book about an AI and a group of internet friends. This is actually a THRILLER. And it gets kind of intense.
I enjoyed it, loved the diverse characters, and thought the writing was solid....more
This one starts with a great premise but quickly loses its way. The setup—driving a mysterious woman and her black box across the country with a ton oThis one starts with a great premise but quickly loses its way. The setup—driving a mysterious woman and her black box across the country with a ton of odd rules—was really intriguing at first. There’s also some smart commentary on internet culture and conspiracy theories, which could’ve been interesting. But the characters just fell flat for me. I couldn’t connect with them, and honestly, I didn’t really care what happened to them.
The pacing was also all over the place. What starts as a potential page-turner turns into a long, drawn-out adventure. The initial tension fizzles out, and the story ends up feeling more absurd than thrilling. I found myself struggling to keep going. For a book with such a wild premise, I was surprised by how uneven and slow it felt overall. I really wanted to like it more, but it just didn’t click for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press!...more
If Cebo Campbell set out to write an uncomfortable read, one that pushes boundaries: mission accomplished. This book is such an interesting thought exIf Cebo Campbell set out to write an uncomfortable read, one that pushes boundaries: mission accomplished. This book is such an interesting thought experiment, and the writing is so good I was hooked the whole way through.
The premise is wild: one day, all the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water and disappear. A year later, Charlie Brunton, a Black professor and ex-convict, gets a call from his daughter Sidney, who’s been isolating herself in Wisconsin ever since the event. The two of them—estranged and carrying plenty of baggage—set off on a road trip through a world that’s completely changed. Along the way, they face what it means to be Black in this "post-racial" America while trying to figure out their own complicated relationship. It’s equal parts heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, and totally unique.
I know some reviews have slammed the ending, but I liked it. I’m all for open-ended stories that make you think, and this one felt like it ended exactly where it should. That said, my one gripe is Sidney. She felt a little flat at the beginning, more like a caricature than a real person, and that made some of the more emotional parts of the book miss a beat for me. But it’s a small thing in an otherwise great book.
And a note: some of the reviews I’ve seen are just baffling. Did we read the same book? People saying the author is spewing hate or calling for genocide: no. That’s not what this is. This book is about race, identity, and what happens when power structures are flipped on their heads. It’s supposed to make you uncomfortable. That’s the point.
In the end, Sky Full of Elephants is a book that sticks with you. It’s sharp, original, and packed with heart. I’m looking forward to whatever Cebo Campbell writes next.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster!...more
Space opera is one of my favorite genres, but it’s also known for long, sometimes meandering works that can feel like a slog to get through. I loved tSpace opera is one of my favorite genres, but it’s also known for long, sometimes meandering works that can feel like a slog to get through. I loved these quick hits, and I’m impressed by the caliber of author.
Like any anthology, there were some highs and lows here, but what was particularly impressive is that even the lows were good; they just weren’t really for me. But the writing was great across the board, some stories just resonated with me more than others.
A handful of these stories were not new to me, but it was fun to reencounter them anyway.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications!...more
This is like if Blake Crouch wrote Annihilation and maybe had a background in zoology.
You can always count on Tchaikovsky to bring an interesting biolThis is like if Blake Crouch wrote Annihilation and maybe had a background in zoology.
You can always count on Tchaikovsky to bring an interesting biology angle, and Alien Clay did not disappoint. Four rather than five stars from me because this didn't have the same philosophical/introspective vibe as my favorite Tchaikovsky books, and for a book with some thrilling parts, the pacing felt a little slow at times.
I enjoyed this, but I’m worried it’s not going to find the right readers who will love it. I’m worried Keanu Reeves movies fans are going to pick thisI enjoyed this, but I’m worried it’s not going to find the right readers who will love it. I’m worried Keanu Reeves movies fans are going to pick this up, and it’s not the most accessible speculative fiction work. And then on the other hand, China Miéville fans might pick it up, and especially at the beginning, the premise seems super pedestrian (a supersoldier who is pretty much invincible is part of a team with regular, mortal soldiers). So you start out the book with a fairly lowbrow story but with highbrow writing, and I think lots of folks will abandon this after the first chapter or two.
I do think this is worth sticking with for weird lit lovers: the story grows much more complex over time, and when you’re about a quarter of the way through, it really gets interesting with lots of smaller narratives weaving into the story of Unute. There is very little telling and lots and lots of showing, and the authors haven’t made this one easy to digest. But I think it’s worth it, and I’ve found myself telling kind of a lot of people about this book even if I’m not sure they’ll love it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House!...more
I requested this immediately when I saw “cozy debut science fiction” and was imagining something like The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. Then I reI requested this immediately when I saw “cozy debut science fiction” and was imagining something like The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. Then I read the first chapter and thought it’d be A Gentleman in Moscow but in SPACE. But then I kept going, and it wasn’t quite either of these things. There’s a crew of misfits, yes. And there’s a hotel and its innerworkings, sure. But just under the surface is dystopia that permeates the story in an unnerving kind of way.
It is awesome.
I wasn’t sure about this for chapters two through maybe five because I couldn’t see where it was going and I felt thrown off that it wasn’t “cozy”, but then I was in it and I loved it and I thought it was both disturbing and heartwarming. Both tragic and uplifting.
I generally try to go into books knowing as little about them as possible. I picked this up because the cover and title are awesome, and I’ll read preI generally try to go into books knowing as little about them as possible. I picked this up because the cover and title are awesome, and I’ll read pretty much any sci-fi.
But there is one thing you need to know upfront is that this is a horror novel. A bleak horror novel. And if that’s not your jam, move on.
Temple (he/him) and London (they/them) are part of an exploratory expedition to terraform planets to make them fit for humanity after we destroyed Earth: Temple leads a group of terraformers while London is stuck alone in a small, sterile outpost. Their love is strong, but the distance is wearying.
In both of their worlds, things start to slowly go wrong, and Temple tries his best to support London while dealing with his own nightmares.
I don’t want to say more than that for fear of giving this away.
In a book that really focuses on two characters and their relationship, Davidson manages to cover big themes like environmental stewardship, living in a world you’re not suited for, and corporate greed and coverups.
I was initially going to give this three stars but had to round up because the concept and world-building were so well thought out and unique.
Thank you to Book Sirens and Timber Ghost Press!...more
What an excellent afrofuturist short story collection! I thought these were fantastic: profound and moving and engaging. Sure, some were stronger thanWhat an excellent afrofuturist short story collection! I thought these were fantastic: profound and moving and engaging. Sure, some were stronger than others, but on the whole, this was wonderful.
These tackle some big questions about the future, about art and science, and about love and loss. They are deeply human while examining AI and technology. They are beautifully written and riveting.
My favorites were Debut, Saturday’s Song, Lights in the Sky, and A Dream of Electric Mothers.
This is my third Natasha Pulley book. Lots of authors specialize in a setting or at least a genre and then populate it with different characters. PullThis is my third Natasha Pulley book. Lots of authors specialize in a setting or at least a genre and then populate it with different characters. Pulley is the first author I’ve read who seems to write about the same two characters but in completely different settings and even genres. I happen to really love these characters and would read about them in pretty much any setting. This setting just happened to be particularly interesting.
I was super impressed with the world building here. This is, as far as I can tell, Pulley’s first true science fiction book, and it takes place in a colony on Mars. There’s politics and a super interesting discussion about power and marginalization. There are also just truly unique sci-fi details that I haven’t read before, and I’ve read more than my share of sci-fi over my lifetime.
This lives up to its tagline as a cozy science fantasy novella: it's heartwarming, and I empathized with August and was rooting for her the whole timeThis lives up to its tagline as a cozy science fantasy novella: it's heartwarming, and I empathized with August and was rooting for her the whole time. It's a lovely story.
But—and this seems like an unpopular opinion—the writing needs work. The dialogue in places felt stiff and unnatural, the similar sentence structures and lengths made it less enjoyable to read, and there are lots of places where the same word is used multiple times in a single paragraph in a way that's distracting. We also had more showing than telling when it comes to August's feelings—I get it, it's a first-person narrative so that's bound to happen, but it happened so much that it took me out of the story.
I think this had so much potential. I loved the themes and the setting and the relationships between the characters. I'd definitely read more from this author.
Thank you to BookSirens and Dragon Bone Publishing!...more
On one hand, this was a super quick read and I always wanted to turn the page. It’s 100% a thriller. There were good twists and the premise was truly On one hand, this was a super quick read and I always wanted to turn the page. It’s 100% a thriller. There were good twists and the premise was truly excellent: in a future where babies can be selected based on their genetic profile, celebrities have to guard their genetic material so it’s not stolen to create children. This is the interwoven story of a bio-security guard, a surrogate, and a young woman trying to understand her past. I was totally sold.
However, there were also some ridiculous plot holes that I had a hard time getting over. On top of that, the relationships between characters weren’t developed: we just jumped into them, being told that they were now in love or now best friends or what have you. Because of these factors, I found myself skimming just to find out what was going to happen next rather that being totally immersed in the story.
On the whole, while I wouldn’t *not* recommend this book, I do wish it were tightened up just a bit because this easily could’ve been great.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books!...more
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