July 19, 2017
Novelettes are tricky little beasts. They are story tidbits, and it takes a particularly skilled writer to create one that offers a full story within the limited constraints of standard word count for the form. I am challenging myself to read more short fiction this year, so when our editor approached me to ask if I would be willing to…
July 18, 2017
My recipe for success has always been: take something you’re interested in and add dragons. It started back at the age of 13 when I first read Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern and it continued straight through 2006, when I picked up His Majesty’s Dragon, the first in the Temeraire series. And I don’t just mean any dragon. There has to be something…
July 5, 2017
This Census-Taker (2016) Written by: China Miéville Genre: Speculative Fiction Pages: 206 (Hardback) Publisher: Del Rey Why I Chose It: Although I have heard of China Miéville’s most famous work, Perdido Street Station, I have never read any of his books before. I have been trying to expand my horizons and read more novellas, so when I learned that This Census-Taker…
June 30, 2017
What if I told you that the savviest science fiction story on bookshelves right now features a stolen warship, a Martian cowboy, a lady marine who’s nearly seven feet tall, an endearing sociopath and a farm boy who has come close to accidentally instigating interstellar war at least twice? What if I told you that the person with the most…
June 23, 2017
This year the Hugos are including a new experimental category for Best Series in order to recognize the awesomeness that can’t be contained in one or even two books. I’m thrilled that one of my absolute favorites is on the ballot. The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold is aptly named, with over fifteen novels and several short stories and…
June 20, 2017
Hugo season continues! With the Nebulas wrapped up, you’ll be seeing more and more Hugo-related posts between now and August. Up next in our reviews of the Hugo-nominated works of 2016: the entire short story category. I was especially drawn to the short story category as a challenge to myself. I haven’t read a lot of short fiction that isn’t…
June 6, 2017
It’s Hugo season! This means banding together to discuss, debate, and ultimately vote for the things that we love. This year saw something new and different in the Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form): an experimental hip-hop album called Splendor & Misery had appeared on the ballot alongside four television episodes. I was intrigued. I’m a lifelong music junkie (my first…
May 18, 2017
The Ballad of Black Tom (2016) Written by: Victor LaValle Genre: Dark Fantasy/Historical Fiction Pages: 149 (Paperback) Publisher: Tor.com/Tom Doherty Associates Why I Chose It: I’m not normally a novella reader. When I find characters and a universe that I like, I prefer sweeping epics with multiple, lengthy books, like George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series…
May 17, 2017
A Taste of Honey (2016) Written by: Kai Ashante Wilson Genre: Fantasy Pages: 100 (Nook) Publisher: Tor/Forge Why I Chose It: Many reasons. That gorgeous cover, for one. The story is about two men of color, and that’s what’s on the cover. (Because publishers whitewashing book covers is a thing.) Also because I haven’t read much fantasy lately. And lastly…
April 28, 2017
The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe (2016) Written by: Kij Johnson Pages: 169 (Paperback) Publisher: Tor.com Why I Chose It: There’s a couple reasons. First, I’ve always wanted to read something by Kij Johnson. Second, the title along with the great illustrated cover intrigued me. The premise: Professor Vellitt Boe teaches at the prestigious Ulthar Women’s College. When one of her…