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Wednesday, May 31, 2023
[New post] The State of SFF – June 2023
Dina posted: " It's officially June and my first State of SFF post since one year ago! The Wilde Childe has been with us for a while now and it's becoming a little easier for me to write and post things again. I hope to manage these collections of news, upcoming bo" SFF Book Reviews
It's officially June and my first State of SFF post since one year ago!
The Wilde Childe has been with us for a while now and it's becoming a little easier for me to write and post things again. I hope to manage these collections of news, upcoming books, and awards stuff at least every other month. If we're lucky and I get a lot of sleep (which equals more brain power), maybe even every month again. We'll see.
Quickie News
The Hugo Award finalists will be announced in "early June" which will be an entire month after nominations were closed. I don't know how we're supposed to read the finalists by the end of August, but I guess this year things are just a little different.
Babel by the brilliant R. F. Kuang has won both the Nebula Award (more on that below) and the British Book Award for Best Fiction Book. My review is still pending, but I couldn't agree more that this book is award-worthy. I nominated it for a Hugo myself, and I would be more than surprised if it didn't at least make the finalist list.
There are now TikTok Book Awards (UK and Ireland) which will award prizes in several categories. I am all for celebrating how social media can get people to read and enjoy books, so hurray! On the other hand, book hypes need to be taken with a wrecking-ball sized grain of salt.
The Nebula Award Winners Have Been Announced
Congratulations to the winners and all finalists!
Babel byR. F. Kuang got the award for Best Novel and although the competition was steep, I am incredibly happy this book has won. Kuang's Poppy War trilogy should have won something, in my opnion, but her latest standalone fantasy was just as brilliant (and as heartbreaking). Congratulations!
Best Novella went to Even Though I Knew the End by C. L. Polk, another book I've read but not yet reviewed (I really liked it). I was surprised Becky Chambers didn't win but given her popularity, it's nice that the award went C. L. Polk, who has been writing great stuff for several years now as well.
The Andre Norton Award for YA/Middle Grade Fiction went to K. Tempest Bradford's Ruby Finley vs. the Interstellar Invasionwhich I hadn't even heard about but now want to read desperately.
Best Novelette went to the brilliantly titled "If You Find Yourself Speaking to God, Address God with the Formal You" by John Chu, and Best Short Story was taken by Samatha Mills for "Rabbit Test". I have read neither but I suspect they may make an appearance on the Hugo ballot and then I'll definitely get to them.
Here it is again, this not super-well known award that hits right where I like it every year.
Kelly Barnhill - When Women Were Dragons
Alex Jennings - The Ballad of Perilous Graves
Sacha Lamb - When the Angels Left the Old Country
GennaRose Nethercott - Thistlefoot
Peng Shepherd - The Cartographers
Congratulations to the finalists! I have read a whopping single book off this list (the amazeballs When Women Were Dragons), but three more are on my TBR, and one (there's always one) I don't own yet, nor have I heard about it before. This is why I love this award. I manages to mix books I've either loved or at least have on my radar with ones that are complete unknowns and thus get me interested int hem.
The IGNYTE Award finalists are also out
Whew, awards season is a lot, isn't it. But if it means we'll get to discover more great books we may have otherwise overlooked, I'm all for it. The Ignyte Awards are still very new but they showcase excellent books by diverse voices and I am quite the fan. This year's finalists for best novel are:
R. F. Kuang - Babel
Vaishnavi Patel - Kaikeyi
Nghi Vo - Siren Queen
N. E. Davenport - The Blood Trials
Simon Jimenez - The Spear Cuts Through Water
You can check out the finalists in the other categories (amon them YA, Middle Grade, and Novella) behind the link.
MOVIE, TV, and ADAPTATION News
Nimona - adapted from the graphic novel by ND Stevenson - will be on Netflix starting June 14th and I don't know about you but I've had that "remind me" bell activated for a while now and can't wait to watch the adaptation.
Apple TV+ has Silo, the adaptation of Hugh Howey's Wool (and sequels?), which is doing pretty well, judging by the ratings on imdb. Five episodes are out as of today with the sixth coming tomorrow, and then another one on June 9th.
We are also getting the second season of Foundation soon, in early July. I started quite taken with the first season, but then the show lost me emotionally along the way. I'll probably still check out where they take the story in season 2.
In sadder news, Disney Plus is removing the TV Show Willow from its streaming service, a mere six months after it came out. As far as I could find out, the 80s movie will remain, it's just the 2022 sequel show that will be gone soon. I guess in these fast times, movies and shows don't even get the chance to become cult classics (much like the original Willow movie, I might add) because streaming platforms take them away if they don't immediately make tons of money...
Books From the Future (or: Feed Your Wishlist)
Here they are again, the books that are still in the pipeline, that we have to wait for, yet the ones for which we can't contain our excitement. This month, I've picked two by favorite authors and one by a new-to-me author (whose other novel I have on my TBR, but sadly as yet unread).
Catherynne M. Valente will give us Space Oddity, the sequel to the lovely insanity that was Space Opera, but it looks like we will not be reuniting with The Absolute Zeroes until early 2024. I'm sure it will be well worth the wait.
Alix E. Harrow has recently revealed the stunning cover for her newest novel Starling House, and if I hadn't been anticipating it before, I definitely would be now. This cover is all vibes and they are all screaming for me to buy it! Alas, we'll have to wait until Halloween (even more vibes!).
And finally I'll mention a book many people have noticed for its stunning cover,The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu. It's being described as a mashup of Aladdin and Murderbot so now tell me how anyone could stay away. We'll get this one on October 3rd.
Exciting June Publications
Alright, we're back in the game and I've got a big list of anticipated releases lined up for you.
ALEXIS HALL - MORTAL FOLLIES (June 6th)
I normally wouldn't have looked twice at this pink and blush cover but my favorite subscription box is doing a special edition of it, so I looked it up. And the synopsis actually sounds like a lot of fun. Just ignore the "TikTok titan" and hope the book is actually good, right?
A young noblewoman must join forces with a rumoured witch to conquer an ancient curse in this devilishly funny and heartwarming sapphic Regency romantasy from TikTok titan and bestselling author of Boyfriend Material Alexis Hall.
It is the year 1814 and Miss Maelys Mitchelmore finds her entry into the highest society of Bath hindered by an irritating curse. It begins innocuously enough, with her dress slowly unmaking itself over the course of an evening at the ball of the season, a scandal she only narrowly manages to escape.
However, as the curse progresses to more fatal proportions, she realises she must seek out urgent assistance, even if that means mixing with the most undesirable company-and there are few less desirable allies than the brooding Lady Georgiana Landrake-who may or may not have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune.
If one is to believe the gossip, she might be some kind of malign enchantress. Then again, a malign enchantress might be exactly what Miss Mitchelmore needs.
ALAYA DAWN JOHNSON - THE LIBRARY OF BROKEN WORLDS (June6th)
Johnson has won my heart with her YA novel The Summer Prince and this new book of hers sounds too good to pass up.
A girl matches wits with a war god in this kaleidoscopic, epic tale of oppression and the cost of peace, where stories hide within other stories, and narrative has the power to heal… or to burn everything in its path.
In the winding underground tunnels of the Library, the great celestial peacekeeper of the three systems, a terrible secret lies buried.
As the daughter of a Library god, Freida has spent her whole life exploring the Library's ever-changing tunnels and communing with the gods. Her unparalleled access makes her unique – and dangerous.
When Freida meets Joshua, a mortal boy desperate to save his people, and Nergüi, a Disciple from a persecuted religious minority, Freida is compelled to break ranks with the gods and help them. But in order to do so, she will have to venture deeper into the Library than she has ever known. There she will discover the atrocities of the past, the truth of her origins, and the impossibility of her future…
With the world at the brink of war, Freida embarks on a journey to fulfill her destiny, one that pits her against an ancient war god. Her mission is straightforward: Destroy the god before he can rain hellfire upon thousands of innocent lives – if he doesn't destroy her first.
ANN LECKIE - TRANSLATION STATE (June6th)
To my eternal shame, I still haven't finished the Imperial Radch trilogy, but a new Ann Leckie is a new Ann Leckie and I will be excited about it, no matter what. A new Ann Leckie about translators means a whole new level of anticipation, so sign me up.
The mystery of a missing translator sets three lives on a collision course that will have a ripple effect across the stars in this powerful novel from a Hugo and Nebula award-winning author: "There are few who write science fiction like Ann Leckie can" (John Scalzi).
Qven was created to be a Presger translator. The pride of their Clade, they always had a clear path before them: learn human ways, and eventually, make a match and serve as an intermediary between the dangerous alien Presger and the human worlds. The realization that they might want something else isn't "optimal behavior". I's the type of behavior that results in elimination.
But Qven rebels. And in doing so, their path collides with those of two others. Enae, a reluctant diplomat whose dead grandmaman has left hir an impossible task as an inheritance: hunting down a fugitive who has been missing for over 200 years. And Reet, an adopted mechanic who is increasingly desperate to learn about his genetic roots—or anything that might explain why he operates so differently from those around him.
As a Conclave of the various species approaches—and the long-standing treaty between the humans and the Presger is on the line—the decisions of all three will have ripple effects across the stars.
Masterfully merging space adventure and mystery, and a poignant exploration about relationships and belonging, Translation State is a triumphant new standalone story set in Leckie's celebrated Imperial Radch universe.
I quite enjoyed Firebreak by the same author and this book is set in the same world but can be read independently, as far as I've gleaned. I definitely look forward to returning to this world of scarce recources, online gaming turned serious, and of course corrupt corporations.
From the world of the breakout novel Firebreak , an exciting new adventure of corporate corruption, hazardous flight, and divided loyalties. After a daring escape from a prison lab, two young, modified soldiers arrive in a freezing-cold city where they have no resources. With time running out, a sinister handler pitting the operatives against each other will be the biggest threat to their mutual survival.
"Kornher-Stace masterfully weaves a deviously creative romp that is somehow both nail-bitingly suspenseful and tenderly cozy, as if the authors of How to Win the Time War had decided to set The Boxcar Children in Snow Crash 's tongue-in-cheek hyper-capitalist dystopia." —Maria Dong, author of Liar, Dreamer, Thief
Stellaxis operatives 06 and 22 have escaped. Years ago, they survived a corporate civil war; Stellaxis kidnapped and modified them into celebrity supersoldiers. But 06 and 22 have finally broken free from their barracks. They flee into a strange city they barely remember, trying to remain anonymous while their faces appear on billboards.
It will be an expensive disaster for the director of the supersoldier program if word gets out about the escaped operatives. But she has paired them for a 06 to aggressively engage, 22 to keep her in check. One flight, one a perfect team if they would just return to their rightful place with her. If not, all operatives' days are numbered.
In Nicole Kornher-Stace's newest addition to her popular Firebreak world, Flight & Anchor is a riveting dystopic adventure of corporate corruption, hazardous flight, and divided loyalties.
KRITIKA H. RAO - THE SURVIVING SKY (June13th)
This could be the big hit debut of the year. Most people seem to love the cover (I'm not a huge fan) but the story definitely sounds intriguing, and I for one would love to read about more husband and wife teams saving the world (or just their city, to start with) in SFF.
This Hindu philosophy-inspired debut science fantasy follows a husband and wife racing to save their living city—and their troubled marriage—high above a jungle world besieged by cataclysmic storms.
High above a jungle-planet float the last refuges of humanity—plant-made civilizations held together by tradition, technology, and arcane science. In these living cities, architects are revered above anyone else. If not for their ability to psychically manipulate the architecture, the cities would plunge into the devastating earthrage storms below.
Charismatic, powerful, mystical, Iravan is one such architect. In his city, his word is nearly law. His abilities are his identity, but to Ahilya, his wife, they are a way for survival to be reliant on the privileged few. Like most others, she cannot manipulate the plants. And she desperately seeks change.
Their marriage is already thorny—then Iravan is accused of pushing his abilities to forbidden limits. He needs Ahilya to help clear his name; she needs him to tip the balance of rule in their society. As their paths become increasingly intertwined, deadly truths emerge, challenging everything each of them believes. And as the earthrages become longer, and their floating city begins to plummet, Iravan and Ahilya's discoveries might destroy their marriage, their culture, and their entire civilization.
CLAIRE LEGRAND - A CROWN OF IVY AND GLASS (June23th)
Yeah, yeah, I've only read one Claire Legrand book and that was horror rather than fantasy, but I can't stop myself from buying her books. They sound so damn good. I promise I'll read the Furyborn ones first, but I need this new one, too.
Lady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She's young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was Anointed by the gods, blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin—embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family—often forget Gemma exists.
Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong.
Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d'Astier. His family destroyed themselves, seduced by a demon, and Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem their honor. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She'll help Talan navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families' blood feud—slay the demon, end the feud.
But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last.
CONNIE WILLIS - THE ROAD TO ROSWELL (June 7th)
A new Connie Willis book is a treat we don't get too often. This one sounds like it's going to be funny rather than historical (not that the two are mutually exclusive), and I could definitely use a bit of light-hearted fun with aliens this year. Also, I love Connie Willis' way of doing rom-coms.
A delightful romantic comedy about love, alien invasions, and the incredibly silly things people are willing to believe in—some of which may actually be true—from the Nebula and Hugo Award–winning author of Blackout.
When Francie arrives in Roswell, New Mexico, for her college roommate's UFO-themed wedding—complete with a true-believer groom—she can't help but roll her eyes at all the talk of aliens, which patently don't exist. Imagine her surprise, then, when she gets abducted by one.
Her abductor is not your typical alien—not gray, or a reptilian, or anything else the popular media might have led her to expect. Instead, the creature is more like an animate tumbleweed—a mass of lightning-fast tentacles and unexpected charm, given that it has no apparent ability to communicate beyond pointing.
Worse, the alien's second abductee—an endearing con man named Wade—only compounds the problem, for Francie was supposed to spend the weekend talking her roommate out of the wedding, not falling in love herself. How can a guy who sells anti-abduction insurance for a living still manage to be the most sensible, decent man she has ever met?
The more Francie gets to know her abductor, however, the more certain she becomes that the alien is in trouble and needs her help—though she has no idea what the problem is, or how to solve it. Especially as the alien's abduction spree seems far from over.
But with Wade's assistance, Francie is determined to get their new friend to its destination—wherever that might be. Because who knows what could be at risk should they fail?
R. J. BARKER - GODS OF THE WYRDWOOD (June 27th)
I feel like a broken record, but I own books by this author that I haven't read yet, too. Sure, the Bone Ships may happen first in my upcoming TBR but I still need to ahve this one safe at home. Because turning the Chosen One trope on its head is a particularly cool idea.
In a world locked in eternal winter and haunted by prophecy, a young boy trains for years to become the Chosen One, only for another to rise and claim his place in the start of an unmissable epic from a rising star in fantasy.
The northlands of Crua are locked in eternal winter, but prophecy tells of the chosen child – who will rule in the name of their God, and take warmth back from the South. Cahal du Nahere was raised to be this person: the Cowl-Rai, the saviour. Taken from his parents and prepared for his destiny.
But his time never came.
When he was fifteen he ceased to matter. Another Cowl-Rai had risen, another chosen one, raised in the name of a different God. The years of vicious physical and mental training he had endured, the sacrifice, all for nothing. He became nothing.
Twenty years later, and Cahal lives a life of secrecy on the edges of Crua's giant forests – hiding what he is, running from what he can do. But when he is forced to reveal his true nature, he sets off a sequence of events that will reveal secrets that will shake the bedrock of his entire world, and expose lies that have persisted for generations.
EMMA MIEKO CANDON - THE ARCHIVE ANDYING (June 27th)
The robot on the cover made me do it. Honestly, I didn't even read the synopsis before putting this on my wishlist, but now that I have, it remains firmly on the wishlist.
War machines and AI gods run amok in The Archive Undying, national bestseller Emma Mieko Candon's bold entry into the world of mecha fiction.
WHEN AN AI DIES, ITS CITY DIES WITH IT WHEN A CITY FALLS, IT LEAVES A CORPSE BEHIND WHEN THAT CORPSE RUNS OFF, ONLY DEVOTION CAN BRING IT BACK
When the robotic god of Khuon Mo went mad, it destroyed everything it touched. It killed its priests, its city, and all its wondrous works. But in its final death throes, the god brought one thing back to its favorite child, Sunai. For the seventeen years since, Sunai has walked the land like a ghost, unable to die, unable to age, and unable to forget the horrors he's seen. He's run as far as he can from the wreckage of his faith, drowning himself in drink, drugs, and men. But when Sunai wakes up in the bed of the one man he never should have slept with, he finds himself on a path straight back into the world of gods and machines.
The Archive Undying is the first volume of Emma Mieko Candon's Downworld Sequence, a sci-fi series where AI deities and brutal police states clash, wielding giant robots steered by pilot-priests with corrupted bodies.
Come get in the robot.
News from the blog
May was Wyrd and Wonder month, which I enjoyed greatly this time. Not only did I finally get to participate a little more, I also read many of the other participants' entries, lists, posts, reviews, and reading suggestions. It was wonderful!
Neil Gaiman, Dirk Maggs - The Sandman Act II (7.5/10)
It was a very good month. I may have had to DNF a book but the rest of them were pretty damn amazing. Holly Black's return to Elfhame ended up being meh, but at least it was short. And the longer books were all complete hits that make me want to read everything else I can find by these authors.
Currently reading:
Emily Tesh - Some Desperate Glory
Rin Chupeco - The Bone Witch
C. L. Polk - Soulstar (Audible)
Danielle Jensen - The Bridge Kingdom (Audible)
I'm loving Some Desperate Glory, I like The Bone Witch but don't find myself going back to it quite as often as I would like, and I really enjoy Robin Miles's reading of Soulstar. I may DNF The Bridge Kingdom, because the protagonists are so super perfect and the conflict is kind of not there that I can't get myself to care. We'll see, maybe one more chapter.
Until next month: Stay safe, stay kind, and keep reading.
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