REVIEW SUMMARY: Another diverse, multi-sided anthology from Dagan Books with an unexpected and unusual subject.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: FISH is an anthology of fiction of various stripes, swimming around the titular subject in a variety of ways.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: A few strong, memorable stories that tent-pole the collection; beautiful cover and interior art; strong diversity in approaches to subject matter.
CONS: Category may be too broad; a number of the works were underwhelming.
BOTTOM LINE: An anthology that shows off the contributors’ and editor’s talents.

A young man with a fishbowl head and fish for eyes…a deep-sea’s fish to the unknown world of the surface….a god in fish form offers a Hawaiian fisherman a perilous bargain…a seamstress’ needlepoint fish threaten to change the fate of two kingdoms…the Just So story of why catfish have a flat head…

These and many other characters and situations are to be found within the stories in FISH, an anthology from Dagan Books.

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What defines military fantasy as a subgenre? Is it, as the post title suggests, a wizard wielding a fireball in one hand and a shotgun in the other, drawling “Do you feel lucky, punk?” Well…maybe in some versions of the world. In others, it may be more an army marching in rank, overseen by magician-generals, with dragons as air corps and elves in the cavalry (and most likely archery ranks).

Many fantasies–especially epic fantasies–have enormous battles as part of the over-arching story, often as a backdrop to the hero or band of heroes and the main quest. However, for some, the battle takes center stage and the military tactics are just as important, if not more so, than the clever ways in which the plucky band will outwit the Dark Lord. Let’s form ranks, then, and march through several novels where the military maneuvers are on the front lines of the plot and your ability to lead a trained squad may be just as crucial as your ability to understand esoteric prophecies and wield magical talismans.
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REVIEW SUMMARY: Strong premise, weak execution.

MY RATING:

SYNOPSIS: Magic has come to the world, upsetting the established order. Lieutenant Oscar Britton is a regular soldier, attached to a military group that specializes in hunting and detaining dangerous radicals. Then, inexplicably, Oscar manifests a magical power of his own and soon he is on the run, wanted by the authorities.

MY REVIEW
PROS: Interesting concept/setting; frenzied action.
CONS: Unlikable protagonist; unlikable secondary characters; repetitive internal/external dialogue; lots of petty complaints that add up.
BOTTOM LINE: A debut novel that does not live up to its potential or the hype surrounding it, yet I still have hopes for the sequel.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: Lightspeed issue 34 offers up four fantasy short stories and four science fiction short stories, each category containing two original works and two reprints.

MY RATING: 

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Virus-embracing post-humans, a future political activist and a group of friends playing poker rub shoulders with a dream detective and characters from more traditional fairy and folk tales in the latest issue of Lightspeed Magazine.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: A couple of chilling offerings good for a dark and stormy night; a few offerings exhibit structurally sound storytelling.
CONS: Fantasy offerings feel unfinished; two of the science fiction stories are short on science fiction; stories generated more feelings of apathy than engagement.
BOTTOM LINE:  The weekly endeavor to feature some of the latest short fiction offerings continues to challenge me as a reader as I struggle to find balance between my personal tastes and objective reviewing.  This is a struggle I am happy to embrace as it not only teaches me to be a better reader but allows for opportunities for you to read these same stories and tell me how wrong I am.  This issue of Lightspeed was disappointing as I found no stories which engendered a good connection.  There were a few stories that I can objectively say were well-written and internally consistent but did nothing for me on an emotional level.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: Ian Sales continues his strong Apollo Quartet with a deeply personal tale of the first astronaut on Mars going on a much longer trip.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Colonel Bradley Elliott, first man on Mars, is selected for an interstellar mission of secret importance.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Powerful and nuanced characterization; solid and flawless nuts-and-bolts Apollo program engineering.
CONS: The sting in the tail and the power of the story only hits in the coda; bleakness of Sales’ work may not suit all readers.
BOTTOM LINE: A solid second entry in Sales’ Apollo Quartet project.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: A character-focused zombie story whose characters you’d rather ignore.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A flu outbreak in Northern Ireland overcomes quarantine efforts as the dead rise and survival efforts bring out the worst in most people.

MY RATING:

MY REVIEW
PROS: A few memorable scenes; Irish accent in narration added to immersive experience.
CONS: Characters mostly unlikable; rambling plot; obtrusive prose.
BOTTOM LINE: The story is dominated by people being jerks, mixed in with some zombies, and ends up with more head-scratching than nail-biting moments, leaving this reader uninterested in any sequels.
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REVIEW SUMMARY: Joe Ledger vs. Vampires in his best adventure yet.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: On a top secret mission in Iran, Joe Ledger and Echo Team get news of a threat to global security. Joe must fight on the run with limited support and intelligence if he is going to save the day.

MY REVIEW
PROS: Joe Ledger, the villains (for once!), high velocity action, dark revelations, cool vampires.
CONS: Rudy freaking Sanchez.
BOTTOM LINE: Easily the best Joe Ledger Novel to date.

Assassin’s Code by Jonathan Maberry is the fourth book in the Joe Ledger Novels, a series that I have mad love for. The series is like Resident Evil without the awful dialogue and shoddy plotting. It’s like the hit FOX thriller 24 but with Bond Villains. It’s like Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter series with a focus on science instead of the supernatural. And Assassin’s Code? It’s like all that with a dose of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. This is a freaking awesome book. Seriously, if you read my review of The King of Plagues and had any doubts about this series please just do yourself a favor and go buy all four books. Forget about reading this review, just go buy all four books and start reading. Thank me later.

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MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A rogue-ish hero and his intelligent sword hire onto a quest. Their employers are looking for a lost relic, and our pair are looking for gold any way they can find it.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: A charming and convincing partnership based on mutual respect and a healthy dose of witty banter.
CONS: Nothing earth-shattering or overly ambitious here.
BOTTOM LINE: This is the sort of Fafhrd-and-Grey-Mouser-style sword and sorcery adventure that I love and would like to see more of in RPG novels.

The Pathfinder line of RPG novels is doing a lot of things right. They’ve been publishing intelligent adventure novels that showcase their gaming system and their campaign setting in lush detail. They’ve hired a variety of solid, professional authors, and they’ve spread their tales among a wide variety of heroes instead of following one party for multiple books. The one thing that they had been missing–until now–was the particular brand of charming that I have recently come to love in Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and Grey Mouser series. Tim Pratt has done an excellent job of capturing that spirit in this Pathfinder outing.

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REVIEW SUMMARY:  Three inventive stories from authors who are making an impression on the genre community top a solid issue of Clarkesworld.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The theme of revolution is examined through the eyes of a mother whose child is about to pay the price for speaking out, in the recollections of an old woman who may or may not have had her hand in sparking a revolt, and through a government sponsored clean up crew sent in to collect evidence after a bombing in New York City.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Great variety in style and presentation; common overall theme invites interesting comparison of stories; proven, award-nominated storytellers whose talent is evident; all content available to read free online.
CONS: Stories are weaker in comparison to recent releases from each author; an abrupt end lessens the impact of the third story.
BOTTOM LINE:  The March 2013 issue of Clarkesworld stands out because of the talent showcased, including recent award winners and current nominees.  Each of these authors has been prolific of late with stories published in a number of short fiction venues and the skill which makes them sought after is visible in each of these stories.  An essay on the film Videodrome on its thirtieth anniversary, a conversation with debut novelist M.C. Planck, an essay on the “original” fairy tales and what today’s children can handle in their fiction and editor Neil Clarke’s exciting announcement round out a worthy edition of the magazine.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: An enchanting novel from Emma Newman, an urban fantasy that has no sign of tattooed women in leather pants.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A headstrong scion and an investigator discover dark doings in the outwardly genteel world of Bath’s secret mirror city.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: A wide variety of interesting characters; intersecting stories: the wonderful feel of a larger world only partially glimpsed.
CONS: The ending of the book leaves perhaps too many dangling threads; ecology of the Split Worlds has some problems.
BOTTOM LINE: Accept the invitation to attend the season in Aquae Sulis.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: Joe Ledger vs. The Ten Plagues of Egypt.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A terrorist attack on a hospital in London sees Joe Ledger back on the job, fighting once more against a shadowy cabal with intentions of world domination.

MY REVIEW
PROS: Joe Ledger is a (mostly) great character, fast and heavy action, tighter script than previous novel.
CONS: Rudy freaking Sanchez, somewhat laughable villains, Joe’s grief.
BOTTOM LINE: An improvement over The Dragon Factory, delivering everything a fan might expect from a Joe Ledger Novel.

So let me first introduce Jonathan Maberry’s series of Joe Ledger novels. Think Resident Evil without the horrible dialogue. Think the hit Fox drama 24 with Bond villains. Think Monster Hunter International but less supernatural and more scientific. I really love the Joe Ledger Novels (for the most part) and unless you hate America you will too. The first novel in the series, Patient Zero, is one of my all time favorite zombie stories. The sequel, The Dragon Factory, didn’t quite live up to the quality of the first but it was still a solid thriller. Now here is my review for The King of Plagues.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: Despite some clarity issues, this is a wonderful adventure.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Spurred by the murder of the Grand Duke, Prince Nikandr must find a way to avert hostilities and save the Grand Duchy from a horrible sickness.

MY REVIEW

PROS: A richly detailed unique setting, interesting ideas, challenging read, compelling characters, windships!
CONS: Clarity issues make it difficult to follow in spots, challenging read (it’s a pro and a con!)
BOTTOM LINE: There are a number of issues, but the price of admission is well worth the show.

Everyone who reads The Winds of Khalakovo can’t help but to marvel at the wonderful setting. The story takes place on an archipelago ruled by the Grand Duchy, a kingdom with a culture inspired by Tsarist Russia. From the names to the ceremonies, the Grand Duchy is a genuinely different society from what fantasy readers have become accustomed to. The Grand Duchy is spread across the sea, reliant on majestic airships for trade. Alongside the Russian themed Duchy, is the Aramahn a Middle Eastern centric populace, and the Maharraht a violent guerrilla movement that wishes to unseat the Grand Duchy from its throne. The culture clash, alongside varying belief systems and magic, give The Winds of Khalakovo an appealing personality that help carry the story even when other elements flag.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: Vivid, varied, and violent. At once beautiful and terrible to behold.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS:  On the planet of Jeroun god exists, and he is far from benevolent. Adrash looks down upon the world, prepared to unleash final annihilation. Men in suits of black and white do battle in his name, some wish to submit to him and others wish to defy him. Vedas, a Blacksuit of the Thirteenth Order embarks on a journey to a great fighting tournament that may well decide the fate of Jeroun.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Stunning imagery, absorbing setting, diverse cultures, intriguing characters, cool ideas.
CONS: Not enough exploration of some of the settings and ideas. Climax was a little weak.
BOTTOM LINE: Ambitious, impressive, and bold. This is not your run of the mill fantasy.

No Return is an excellent start to the new reading year. This is the sort of novel that stands in the shadow of two super genres, for it is neither science fiction nor fantasy. It is instead a beautiful twining of both. It is epic in the in the more traditional sense of the word, though not a narrative poem. No Return features heroic deeds, strange cultures, dark violence, and consequences. It has the trappings on a new age legend, set on an extraordinary world.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: A novella set in an intriguing universe with memorable characters.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A former magistrate flees planetary civil war, and is taken in by distant relations who find that such a gesture is not without friction or cost.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Interesting characters; unique setting; excellent prose; interesting take on artificial intelligence.
CONS: The social dynamics and ending may frustrate and confuse unprepared readers; the cover does the story no favors.
BOTTOM LINE: A sumptuous meal of a novella with excellent prose.
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(Cover image for Nebula Awards Showcase 2013 by Julie Dillon)

REVIEW SUMMARY:  The seven stories short-listed for this year’s Nebula Award for Short Story demonstrate that the medium remains a strong and effective method of telling good stories.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS:  Aging, death, child care, cultural identity, the importance of books, the price of true love and other pertinent life issues are examined against the backdrop of science fictional and fantasy settings in these seven short stories.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Each nominated story possesses its own strengths; wide variety of style and subject matter; emphasis on the human condition.
CONS: Readers who primarily enjoy fantasy may be disappointed to find that six of the seven stories have a science fictional bent; the judges did not make their task easy when narrowing it down to these seven entries.
BOTTOM LINE:  Take advantage of the fact that these stories are all available free online.  SFF readers exhibit a range of tastes and there is arguably something for most readers to enjoy from this solid group of nominees.

Last week the nominations were announced for this year’s Nebula Awards.  The Forty-Eighth Nebula Awards Weekend will be held May 16-19th, 2013.  Details concerning the awards weekend can be found here.  I have been hosting Short Fiction Friday for a month now, featuring a different current issue of a short fiction magazine each week.  With the announcement of these nominations I thought it would be fun to read the Short Story nominees and offer up a brief description of each one.  I was initially hesitant to provide a rating for these stories because each is a strong contender.   Here as always I made an effort to rate the stories according to a combination of my own personal experience in reading them as well as stepping back to make a more general view of how I accessed each story’s effectiveness judged solely against itself.   With this year’s nominees I firmly believe you could get seven different people in a room and each one could passionately argue for a different story to be crowned the winner.  I do not envy the judges their task.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: A beautiful, haunting compilation of art from the bestselling video game horror franchise Dead Space.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Over 300 iconic, full color images and sketches, with commentary from artists.

MY REVIEW

PROS: Absolutely stunning images that latch onto the mind in an icy death grip, annotations from artists deliver a glimpse into the twisted creative cycle that spawned such striking and grotesque visuals.
CONS: Some may consider the price steep.
BOTTOM LINE: An collection of art from all three Dead Space games, recommended for fans of the series, concept artists, and aspiring authors/horror film directors looking to add a serrated edge of inspiration to their work.

So how is this for something different – I’m going to review an art book! Bear with me, as this is a first, but I feel as though my love of video games and my limited stint at an art school provide me just enough knowledge to get the job done. As a disclaimer I must warn you, I haven’t played Dead Space 3 yet. Nor have I beaten Dead Space or Dead Space 2, though I have owned each at one point in time. One thing that always has impressed me with the series has been the unique art direction. Dead Space is a series that is visibly influenced by the titans of space horror that came before it. The Alien franchise is an obvious source, as is Event Horizon. Still, Dead Space has developed an identity all of its own. As the introduction of the book states, “It has sci-fi that’s never fantastical, horror that’s always personal, and action that’s delivered like a punch to the gut…” I couldn’t agree more. All of the science fiction elements of Dead Space are utilitarian. The future isn’t a bright, gleaming beacon of hope – it’s worn and functional and grimy. The horror is isolating and atrocious, and the action is limb-dismembering-visceral. All of this becomes evident as you open The Art of Dead Space and begin to flip through the pages.

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While there may be plenty of fantasy heroes who try the lone-wolf route during much of their adventures, it’s rare that they end up alone forever. Every hero, no matter how powerful they are or how much they try to avoid dragging others into the thick of it…sooner or later, they’re going to need allies. That band of friends (or temporarily aligned enemies) that provides critical support, be it physical, moral, or otherwise. The right allies can make-or-break a quest, being both assets and liabilities. Some protagonists try to avoid relying on offered allies because they can become vulnerable points antagonists can take advantage of. Other allies freely offer their support because they see something within the protagonist that is worth following…or protecting…or loving.

Allies can also provide a significant way to measure the impact of the protagonist’s actions. After all, no one adventures in a vacuum, and if one’s allies near-unanimously suggest that a certain course of action is about as wise as trying to stop a blender by sticking your hand in it…then maybe it’s time to reconsider. And in the aftermath of the crisis, one can perhaps weigh the success of the hero’s efforts by how those same allies react to the fallout. Is their faith in the protagonist stronger than ever, or have they been irrevocably alienated? Time to tally up three fantasy tales and see which allies you might prefer to have at your side through thick or thin.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: Karen Lord avoids a sophomore slump with a stunning work of social science fiction

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: His home planet unexpectedly and suddenly destroyed, his culture and society nearly wiped out, a researcher teams up with a local biotechnician in helping the Sadiri rebuild their lives on a melting pot planet.

MY REVIEW:
PROS:Interesting characters both major and minor, enthralling background and worldbuilding, convincing use of old tropes, deep and evocative themes.
CONS: Marketing of the book leads to false expectations that may annoy readers as to style and subject matter. The cover is deceptive.
BOTTOM LINE: Book your trip to the peoples and places of Cygnus Beta.

Redemption in Indigo (my SF Signal review here) was a brilliant, unique debut from the author, and a strain of literature underrepresented and mostly unseen in American genre: Carribean literature (with a strong African mythic component). Justly award-winning, where does an author go from there?

As it so happens, the author goes into spaaace.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: 8 standout stories + 24 good stories – 3 stories mediocre or worse = a collection on par with previous editions.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Editor Gardner Dozois’ picks for the thirty-five best stories of 2011.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: 30 stories worth reading, 7 of which were outstanding. Being exposed to new writers and a rapid-fire stream of ideas as compared with novel-length stories.
CONS: 3 stories didn’t strike me as qualifying for “best”.
BOTTOM LINE: A valuable anthology providing a snapshot of the year 2011 in sf.

Why, yes, I am way behind in my short fiction reading, thank you!

The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Ninth Annual Collection is the 2012 edition showcasing editor Gardner Dozois’ picks for the thirty-five best sf stories of 2011. The newest edition (See also my reviews of previous editions: #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27 and #28) is about on par with previous editions, which is to say that some stories are more enjoyable than others. But the benefit of short fiction goes deeper than overall quality; it is the exposure to new ideas, new writers, and new writing styles coming at the reader faster than happens at novel length that is the true power of short fiction. But some stories have to stand out for any reader. For me they were:
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REVIEW SUMMARY: Ramez Naam presents an interesting world and characters 30 years hence strongly grounded in the real life research and speculation he was hitherto best known for.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: In the mid 21st century, a powerful combination of nanotech, software and drugs threatens to catapult its creator into forbidden realms of transhumanism.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Interesting premise and extrapolation of technology and social developments of same.
CONS: Some of the thriller elements feel a bit over-the-top. Some first novel clunkiness in narrative.
BOTTOM LINE: An interesting and intriguing fiction debut from a non fiction pioneer in bio-technological issues.
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