Speculative Fiction

Sourcery

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by Terry Pratchett
First sentence: “There was a man and he had eight sons.”
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Content: It’s a Pratchett novel, so there’s really nothing, except that it’s a bit long. It’s in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

I picked this one up because for #ReadICT I needed a book published the year I turned 16, which was 1988. I looked at lists of the best sellers and top books, and nothing spoke to me until I stumbled across this one. Ah, I thought I could always read another Discworld book that I hadn’t read. I haven’t dabbled in the Rincewind books at all – I’ve never been much interested – but I figured why not. It’s a Terry Pratchett book.

This one is simple in plot: wizards aren’t supposed to have kids because there is a chance of sorcerers, and those are Bad. Except one wizard did have kid – the eighth son of an eighth son, which I find hilarious – and eventually he came to take over the Unseen University. Rincewind – and friends he picked up along the way – are sent to keep the Archmage hat safe (or as safe as possible, which, of course, doesn’t work very well) from the sorcerer, and so that the Apocalypse can be (narrowly) avoided.

But Pratchett’s books are not about the plot. They’re about the journey, and the little asides, and the footnotes, and the humor that you find. And, while this one isn’t my favorite (and it’s not even as good as Hogfather, which I read at the beginning of the year), it was still fun. It made me laugh, I was entertained, and I read it much quicker than I’ve been reading pretty much anything else these days.

Then again, it’s Sir Terry. I don’t think he ever wrote a bad book. Just more good and less good. And maybe this one was less good for me, but it’s still a delight.

The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night

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by Steven Banbury
First sentence: “She ran.”
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Content: It’s a little long, and mildly scary at moments. It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.

Eve was in an orphanage, but she was incredibly unhappy. She had several failed escape attempts, but one Hallows Eve night, she ran away and straight into the path of the Pumpkin King. He was impressed with her spirit, and adopted her on the spot: he needed an heir, she needed a home. It was perfect. Except that she’s living and Hallowell Valley is a haven for the undead – witches, ghosts, gouls, vampires, and werewolves, and the like. She stubbornly makes her home there, and even makes a couple of friends. That is, until things go sideways, and it looks like someone it trying to take the Pumpkin King’s kingdom away. Can Eve and her friends figure out what’s going on before it’s too late?

To be honest: I thought this was a graphic novel when I picked it up. It’s not – just in case you were wondering. But it is a very cozy, very sweet little story of found family and learning to love and making good change where you’re at. I thought it was cute and charming, but I’m not entirely sure it’s going to be one that kids will gravitate to. Maybe certain kids, and I’m sure it would be a very fun Halloween read-aloud. But, I am not sure that it’s one of those books that kids are going to love. I might be wrong. At any rate, I thought it was a clever idea, well-executed, and very sweet in the end.

The Bones Beneath My Skin

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by TJ Klune
First sentence: “He sang along with the radio.”
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Release date: February 4, 2025
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There is swearing, including multiple f-bombs; lots of violence; and on-screen sex. It will be in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

The thing I have come to believe, after having read 8 of the 11 books Klune has published (I didn’t finish the werewolf series), is that he is deeply interested in Humanity and how we express our humanness. In many cases he has hope: his characters are always flawed, but somehow they find their way to a Better World. Mostly that world is through found family because many of the humans in Klune’s books suck and are terrible people. But that’s the way of the world, isn’t it? We are lost souls, surrounded by people who want to stop us, hurt us, reject us, and yet we find our People and Make It Through and somehow find Happiness.

This one – even though it’s a republished book that Klune wrote in 2018 – is no different. The setting is different: It’s 1995 and Nate has just been fired from his job at the Washington Post. His parents have also died – it was a murder-suicide – and left him the family cabin in a remote part of Oregon. So, he heads out there and discovers two people – a man and a girl – in his cabin. He doesn’t kick them out., and that decision changes his life forever.

That’s the basic plot without giving too much away. (Saying it’s Stranger Things meets Close Encounters of the Third Kind but gay would be a decent elevator pitch.) It’s a good book – I think his later books are better, but that’s not to say this isn’t good – but it’s a weird one. I don’t think this one is going to be for everyone. It’s also coming on the heels of Somewhere Beyond the Sea, which is amazing, so there’s a lot to live up to. But if you’ve committed to reading everything Klune writes (and why haven’t you?) then it’s a good one. It’s more action-packed and less ruminative than his other books, but there are still quirky-charming characters and a love story at the center of it. It’s about finding family and home and happiness, and who doesn’t want to read about that?

So, while it’s not my favorite one of Klune’s books, it’s still a good one.

Audiobook: Apprentice to the Villain

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by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Read by Em Eldridge
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Others in the series: Assistant to the Villain
Content: There is violence and swearing, including multiple f-bombs. It’s in the Romance section of the bookstore.

Spoilers for Assistant to the Villain, obviously.

Trystan has been taken by King Benedict, and it’s up to Evie to save him. Which she does, but that unleashes a chain of events that have both Trystan and Evie scrambling to fulfill the prophecy and save the magic in Rennedawn.

I enjoyed the first one well enough, and I honestly wanted to like this one. I enjoyed the narrator of the first one and thought that it would be just as much fun. But then, the slow-burn romance that started in the first book never really went anywhere. Sure, they almost kissed, but then he pulled back and they went back and forth with “I love him/her but I can’t” or “he/she doesn’t want me” and I just lost patience with it. Sure, there’s a plot that was supposed to be interesting, but about 80% of the way through the book and the plot wasn’t anywhere near to wrapping up and I just lost patience with it. I don’t want yet another book of will-they-won’t-they and pining and growling and being jealous and not communicating and I just bailed.

Some books are for some people. This one ultimately wasn’t for me.

The Bloodless Prince

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by Charlotte Bond
First sentence: “When the universe was young and dark, light existed inside an egg.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: October 29, 2024
Others in the series: The Fireborne Blade
Review copy pilfered from the ARC shelves at work.
Content: There is some violence. It will be in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

Spoilers for the first, obviously.

Maddileh and Saralene have won the blade, killed the dragon, cheated death, and have gone on with their lives. Saralene is High Mage with Maddileh as her Champion. Except all is not well: both Maddileh and Saralene keep having disturbing dreams and they are becoming increasingly intrusive. Also: maybe the dragon is not actually dead. And: maybe the Tales of Old are not just stories, but actually true, and they need to travel to the underworld to bargain with the Bloodless Princes for their lives.

Much like the first, this slim novel packs a punch. There is so much world-building in so few words, it’s breathtaking. I love the dragon in the book – it’s different from the first in this duology and it fits with what we already know and expands upon it. Bond is an incredibly talented writer, both with her plotting and characterizations. I liked how the romance was understated until it wasn’t, how Bond never let anything get overdone, and how both Maddileh and Saralene stand on their own and know how to work together. It’s quite a brilliant little book.

All this to say: I’m probably going to read whatever Bond decides to write.

The Prisoner’s Throne

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by Holly Black
First sentence: “
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Others in the series: The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King, The Queen of Nothing, The Stolen Heir
Content: There is some violence, including torture, and mild swearing. It’s in the YA section (grades 6-8) of the bookstore.

Spoilers for all the rest of the series, obviously.

Oak and Wren have successfully overthrown the Court of Teeth, but the problem is that even though Wren is queen, Oak has been thrown in prison. It’s not fun, being a prisoner in ice, and watching Wren use her magic to unmake things. It’s not until Oak’s sister, Jude, decides to rescue him that he makes his move: ask Wren to marry him. But, that creates a whole other level of conflict: there are attempts on Jude and Cardan’s lives, and there’s a hag witch that has Wren under her spell. The question is: can Oak play his cards right to stop everything.

I’m not sure if Black is going to keep writing books set in Elfhame, but honestly, I’d read them if she does. I love this world, I love these characters, and Black spins such a good tale. It’s been too long since I’ve visited the world, and yet I found myself slipping back into the rhythms and the magic of the stories that Black spins. I appreciate that the danger feels real, that nothing is safe, and that the stakes are high. It makes for an unputdownable book.

Another excellent addition to the Elfhame series.

Bridge to Bat City

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by Ernest Cline
First sentence: “Once upon a time down here in Texas, in part of the Lone Star State known as the Hill Country, hidden at the edge of a rolling green forest, there was this bold old beautiful cave.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: Some younger kids might be turned off by the references, though there are illustrations, and it’s not overly long (or dealing with crushes or puberty!). It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore. 

To understand the tall tale part of this book, you kind of need to know the history (which Cline helpfully puts in the back of the book).  In 1982, the city of Austin re-did and expanded the Congress Ave bridge, so that it could expand and contract with the weather better. Soon after this, a bunch of Mexican free-tailed bats took up residence, and by 1984, the population had grown to over a million. 

This is Cline’s version of how the bats got there. It involves a girl named Opal Flats, from Lubbock, whose mother dies and whose uncle takes her in at the family farm in the Hill Country outside of Austin. The TV show Austin City Limits plays a role, as does ‘zines, former governor Ann Richards, and Willie Nelson. There’s also a pet armadillo, a flying saucer, and – oh, yeah – Opal can talk to the bats.  

The subtitle of this one is “A mostly true tall tale” and that fits perfectly. Although it’s set in the 1980s and a lot of kids won’t get the music references (who’s Buddy Holly?!), I think it would make a perfect read-aloud. Cline says in the afterward that it’s based on a tall tale he’d tell his kids when they were small, and I think that’s the best way to approach the book. It feels like someone’s telling you a story, and I think it’s meant to be read aloud. It started slow for me, but the more I read, the more I liked it. It’s kind of silly, and it’s definitely over the top (the part where the bats – who also love music – discover ZZ Top, Run DMC, Selena, and Willie Nelson is pretty hilarious). But it’s got a good heart, and in the end, is all about just accepting new things and having an open mind (oh, and corporations are bad). 

You kind of have to love a book like that. Which I did. 

Sunbringer

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by Hannah Kaner
First sentence: “Arren’s heart screamed.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Others in the series: Godkiller
Content: There is swearing, including multiple f-bombs, plus lots of violence. It’s in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore. 

Spoilers for Godkiller, obviously. 

Our intrepid trio of Elo, Inara, and Kissen have separated – Kissen over the cliff after killing the god Hseth; Elo and Inara back to Kissen’s sisters to tell them of her death. Once they get there, though, they find a rebellion against a king who is overstepping his power. In fact, the hopeful ending of Godkiller is dashed, as Hseth refuses to stay dead, and Arren – our king who is only alive because he is channeling a god – decides to become a god instead. It’s complex and winding, yet utterly simple: stop the god and the king. It’s also utterly impossible.

I adored this one as much as I adored the first. I love that Kaner is playing around with the ideas in mythology without directly drawing from them. I can see hints of mythologies, but this really is its own thing. She’s got solid characters, who are grumpy and off-putting in an entirely loveable way, and she knows how to plot to keep me (at least) turning pages. And there’s representation – Elo’s Black, there’s a Deaf character, and pretty much everyone is some sort of queer, and it’s a delight. I can’t wait for the final book in the trilogy. I have all the faith in the world that Kaner will stick the landing. 

Audiobook: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands

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by Heather Fawcett
Read by Ell Potter & Michael Dodds
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Others in the series: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Content: There are some dangerous moments and an off-screen sex scene. For some reason, it’s in the Romance section of the bookstore, which I disagree with. (While it has a romance, it’s not Romance!)

Spoilers for the first one, obviously.

It’s a little while after the events of the last book, and Emily and Wendell have settled back into teaching (such as it is, for Wendell) at Cambridge. But, soon after his birthday, he starts feeling ill, and his faerie magic goes haywire. It turns out that his stepmother -who overthrew his father and killed his entire family for the throne – is stepping up her assassination plan. This concerns Emily and she’s more than ever determined to find the Nexus and get Wendell back to his realm so he can off his stepmother. This involves a trip to the Alps, this time with the department head and Emily’s niece in tow. As they try to unravel the mystery of the Nexus, Wendell slowly deteriorates. Will they be able to find it and get him back to his realm in time?

Much like the first book, this is utterly delightful. The combination of historical fiction and faerie magic is charming, and Emily is a delightful narrator to be our guide through this world. It’s doubly delightful on audiobook with Potter doing an admirable job capturing all the characters and the intricacies of the plot. I loved the twists and turns in this one, and I liked that Fawcett allowed Emily to save Wendell by using her own wits, and not relying on magic to get her out of trouble.

I don’t know if this is it for Wendell and Emily – the book had a logical end to the story – but I’d happily follow them on more adventures! Such a good series.

The Fireborne Blade

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by Charlotte Bond
First sentence: “On my oath, I, Sir Nathaniel, do swear that what I am about to tell the Distinguished Mage is the truth.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: May 28, 2024
Review copy pilfered from the ARC shelves at work.
Content: There is violence and some pretty gruesome deaths. It will be in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

Maddileh is a knight. She’s managed to get herself disgraced – it was something to do with an ex-lover and punching him in the face because he was an ass. She figures that there’s only one way to reclaim her honor: get the legendary Fireborne Blade from The White Lady Dragon. It’s impossible, but she’s going to do it.

Of course, it’s not that simple. Her story is interspersed with chapters that are histories – some oral, some told by others – of knights who fought dragons and often didn’t live to tell their tales. If the White Lady is anything like these… then how is Maddileh going to survive? The narrative also jumps in time – sometimes you’re present with her and her squire in the tunnels, others you’re getting her backstory.

This slim novel is utterly compelling. It’s tight, it’s giving me dragons in a way I haven’t seen dragons before (yay for that), and it’s got characters I care about. The publisher is comparing it to Fourth Wing, etc. but that’s not it: it’s more comparable to T. Kingfisher, Martha Wells, or Nicola Griffith than the sprawling, over-dramatic Fourth Wing. This prose is SPARE. The action is intense. The romance is incredibly understated. It’s masterfully done, and I hope it finds an audience because I think it’s fantastic. (Bonus: the sequel is out in October.)