Category Archives: Book Review

 

  • The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport: Just in time for Panto season, Samit Basu produces a science fiction version of Aladdin (oh no he doesn't - discuss)

  • System Collapse: Martha Wells returns with a new Murderbot novel. What is everyone's favourite killing machine up to now?

  • A Fire Born of Exile: Aliette de Bodard's latest Xuya universe novel is inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo

  • My Brother’s Keeper: Tim Powers reveals the secret lives of the Brontë family. Yorkshire Moors, werewolves, what could possibly go wrong?

  • Spirit: A re-print of Cheryl's review of another science fiction novel inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo. This one is by Gwyneth Jones.

  • This is Not a Grail Romance: Natalia Petrovskaia digs deep into Welsh Arthuriana. Cheryl is fascinated.

  • Silver on the Tree: Cheryl finishes her read through of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence

  • The Blue, Beautiful World: Karen Lord's Cygnus Beta trilogy comes to a conclusion, in the expected smart and thoughtful manner

  • Where Peace is Lost: A new novel from Valerie Valdes, and a new universe to explore to boot

  • The Fiction Writer’s Guide to Alternate History: Jack Dann goes in depth on the art and craft of changing the past (and possibly the future) in fiction

  • Spec Fic for Newbies: In which Tiffani Angus and Val Nolan set out to do exactly what their book says it will do

  • The Best of all Possible Worlds: A reprint of Cheryl's review of the first book in Karen Lord's Cygnus Beta trilogy

  • The Galaxy Game: A reprint of Cheryl's review of book two in Karen Lord's Cygnus Beta trilogy

  • Mammoths at the Gates: Nghi Vo returns to the world of Cleric Chih and the Singing Hills Monastery. Naturally Cheryl is right there with her.

  • Tolkien, Race and Cultural History: Was Tolkien a racist or a 'man of his time'? Dimitra Fimi adds much needed nuance to this popular question.

  • Follow Me: Religion in Fantasy & Science Fiction: The latest in the Academia Lunare series looks at how SF&F treats gods and their worshippers.

  • Glorious Angels: This fine novel from Justina Robson has just got its first US publication, so we are re-printing Cheryl's review of the UK edition from 2015

  • Where the Drowned Girls Go: Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series continues in fine form, and is a worthy finalist for the Best Novella Hugo

  • What Moves the Dead: Cheryl continues her Hugo reading with an offering from T Kingfisher

  • The Pleasure of Drowning: Fantasy from Luxembourg? Why not? It is a fantastic place. And who better to be our guide than Jean Bürlesk?

  • Some Desperate Glory: Emily Tesh's debut novel is also a foray into space opera

  • The Coral Bones: E J Swift's Clarke Award finalist shows a deep love for Australia

  • Even Though I Knew The End: C L Polk's novella is a worthy addition to this year's Hugo finalists

  • Gilgamesh: Who needs another new translation of this famous epic? You do!

  • Begin Transmission: Tilly Bridges takes us on a trip down the very deep rabbit hole of trans allegory in The Matrix

  • Silures: Which group of native Britons gave the Romans most trouble? It was the inhabitants of what is now south-east Wales.

  • Menewood: Nicola Griffith's sequel to Hild has been long-awaited, but it will be here soon. Cheryl has had an ARC.

  • Dragonfall: L R Lam returns with a triumphant new fantasy trilogy.

  • Promises Stronger Than Darkness: Charlie Jane Anders concludes her YA space opera series in fine form.

  • The Western Kingdom: The kingdom of Cornwall, or Dumnonia as it was known in ancient times, has a long and fascinating history.

  • Furious Heaven: Volume two of Kate Elliott's gender-swapped Alexander the Great space opera has landed. It does not disappoint.

  • Translation State: Did you think that the Presger were scary, reader? Pah, that's nothing, you should try being a baby Presger. Ann Leckie returns to the world of the Imperial Radch.

  • Salt on the Midnight Fire: Liz Williams produces a triumphant final volume to the Fallow Sisters series.

  • Witch King: Martha Wells returns to fantasy in a fascinating new setting.

  • The Unraveling: How will family life change when people live for hundreds of years, and can have multiple bodies? Much will change, but family drama remains the same, in this fascinated book by Ben Rosenbaum.

  • Hild: With Menewood close to publication, Cheryl looks back on the first part of Nicola Griffith's historical fiction series

  • Infinity Gate: Mike Carey starts a new duology on the biggest canvas possible, the multiverse

  • When Women Were Dragons: Are you a woman? Are you angry about men? Would you like to turn into a dragon and burn a few of them to a crisp? Well why not just do it?

  • Hel’s Eight: Stark Holborn returns to the moon, Factus, for some more desperate frontier adventure, Space Western style.

  • The Terraformers: Some classic political science fiction from Annalee Newitz