Category Archives: Award Nominee

Why You Need to Read: “A Spindle Splintered”

Fractured Fables, #1: A Spindle Splintered

By: Alix E. Harrow

Published: October 5, 2021

Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Folklore

            …I’ve fallen out of my own story and into one that might have a happy ending. Because this is my last chance to have a real adventure, to escape, to do more than play out the clock, (2).

            Fairy tales have existed since oral and literary traditions became embedded in folklore and culture. For example, there is a “Cinderella” story for each region and culture in the world; and, it is one of the “oldest” folktales in human existence. In fact, anyone can recite a few fairy tales orally and include all of the “elements” within it. Disney movies aside, fairy tale retellings continue to exist, and there have been numerous stories released recently, which demonstrates how these tales continue to entertain us. In Alix E. Harrow’s novella, A Spindle Splintered, she fuses traditional variants with modern knowledge. 

            There are 2 things you need to know about the protagonist, Zinnia Gray. First, she is obsessed with the tale of “Sleeping Beauty”; second, Zinnia is dying from a rare genetic disease. In fact, she is not expected to live past her 21st birthday, which is today (in the story), and time is limited as Zinnia starts to process her “last days.” Fairy tales have been a coping mechanism for Zinnia—she earned a Master’s degree in Folk Studies—and, it is the story of “Sleeping Beauty” she finds most relatable to her. And yet, Zinnia’s best friend, Charmaine Baldwin a.k.a. “Charm,” has stood by her since childhood. Furthermore, Charm insists that her best friend attends the “Sleeping Beauty” themed birthday party she put together for her. There’s even a spinning wheel! But, what happens when Zinnia pricks her finger on it? And, who is the young woman claiming to be a princess? Readers learn quickly that Zinnia is more than just a “sick girl.” Her determination and her resilience allows her to view her current predicament as an opportunity to save her life, and another’s as well. 

            The plot of this story is Zinnia dreading her impending death. Her disease means that she won’t live past 21, and there is nothing anyone can do to change it. That is, until a spinning wheel provides a rare chance to change her fate. At the same time, Zinnia might be able to rescue a princess from hers. There is a subplot in this story, and it is fairy tales: their origins, their evolution, and their “lasting appeal.” Remember, every story is a story unless it’s yours; that’s when the story becomes one’s experience. The subplot drives the plot in this narrative, which brings out the reality (and the magic) within the fiction.

            The narrative is in 1st person from Zinnia’s point-of-view, and it is told in the present. Zinnia’s stream-of-consciousness is vital to the narrative because her knowledge of the past helps her with her quest and her phone lets her (and us) know that all of the events within the narrative are happening—Zinnia is NOT under a sleeping spell. A few revelations throughout the quest leads to genuine moments of awe and of shock through Zinnia, which makes her a reliable narrator with a narrative that can be followed easily. 

            The style Alix E. Harrow uses in A Spindle Splintered is different from her novels. Instead of allusions to previous stories, myths, legends and magic, this novella delves into the evolution of fairy tales—also known as Märchen, or “magic tale” by folklorists—many in which, “expresses the escape from reality,” (Dégh 59). In addition, this story is NOT a fairy tale retelling, but a “fractured fairy tale.” A fairy tale is “a story involving the fantastic, usually involving familiar traditional formulas and often ending in eucatastrophe (after which people live happily ever after),” (Mendlesohn and James 253). A fractured fairy tale is the practice of breaking fairy tales (from as small as a split to as large as a chasm) up so that the storyteller can rewrite them to reflect the present world while maintaining key elements from the fractures that get used in them. In other words, new variants of the older variants of fairy tales must have something in it so that the audience can identify the (new) tale being told. The most popular example of this is Disney and how they took older variants of these folktales and retold them in a way in which the audience knows it’s the “Disney variant.” A fractured fairy tale is another way for stories to be “told and retold in many different ways. They are guised and disguised,” (Yolen 4). Another explanation is that the author has taken parts of the tale of “Sleeping Beauty,” kept the parts that would identify it as “Sleeping Beauty,” include the possible origins of the tale within a modern conflict that presents the tale as a new variant. In short, and I repeat, this is NOT a fairy tale retelling (per se), but a modern fairy tale. How many fairy tales have working smartphones in them? The mood in this story is dread. 2 young women are fearful of their impending 21st birthdays. The tone is resilience. Both young women actively seek out ways to change their fate.

            The appeal for A Spindle Splintered will be positive. Fans of the author’s previous works will enjoy this one; however, they should know that this book is closer to a fairy tale than a fantasy story—similar yet different. If you’re not a fan of fairy tales, then this book might not be for you. Fans of Jane Yolen and Robin McKinley will enjoy this book the most. But, fans Naomi Novik, Katherine Arden and Rena Rossner should consider reading this story, too. Anyone who studied folklore—such as myself—will appreciate all of the scholarly references mentioned throughout this tale. And, anyone who enjoys this book will be pleased to know that the follow up—A Mirror Mended—will be released next summer.

            A Spindle Splintered is a tragic yet entertaining story about the lasting affect of fairy tales, and what an individual should do when they find themselves in one. Once again, Alix E. Harrow reminds her audience of the significance of fairy tales and their everlasting impact throughout culture and humanity. This is the “Sleeping Beauty” tale for the 21st century.

My Rating: MUST READ IT NOW (5 out of 5)!!!

                                                                        References 

Dégh, Linda. “Folk Narrative.” Folklore and Folklife: An Introduction, edited by Richard M. Dorson, The University of Chicago Press, 1972, pp. 53-83.

Mendlesohn, Farah, and Edward James. A Short History of Fantasy. Middlesex University Press, 2009.

Yolen, Jane. How to Fracture a Fairy Tale. Tachyon Publications LLC, 2018. 

Reading Check-In: September 17, 2021

What book have you finished reading recently?

One series on my list is complete. And, I stick with what I said about this series in my ASoIaF Read-Alike Book Recommendations: this series is the most “identical” to George R.R. Martin’s.

Another fun read by this author. And yes, it’s full of folklore and fantasy references!

What are you reading currently?

TorDotCom Publishing surprised me with a physical ARC of this hyped debut gothic novel and it moved to the top of my reading list!

I am listening to the audiobook of this space opera trilogy finale, and it’s AMAZING!

In addition, I’m reading the finalists for the SCKA 2021 Award Finalists. If you want to know which books/stories were voted by the other jury members and myself, then you can read the post (last week’s) here.

Not all of the nominees, but you get the idea.

What will you read next?

Just like several other readers, I’ve been waiting for this book to be released!

This book will be the next audiobook I plan on listening to/reading.

Future Posts: My 200th Blog Post is upcoming! What am I doing to mark that milestone? You have to wait and see!

Look for me at FIYAH Con 2021!

SCKA 2021: The Nominees, the Finalists & the Experience

One of the best things about being a bookblogger is the book awards. Besides the “big awards” such as the Hugo and the Nebula Awards—which many of us have read at least half of the nominees—there are the SPFBO and the SPSFC—which gives bookbloggers and (indie) reviewers the chance to propel indie books towards more readers. How many of you have heard of SCKA? Well, I didn’t until I was asked to participate on the jury this year.

            SCKA stands for Subjective Chaos Kind of Awards, which was started by bookbloggers. This year, I was asked to participate as one of the judges. Even though I had some other things going on at the same time—i.e. grad school—I said yes. This has been a fun yet tense experience because there is a process that must be followed. It makes you have a stronger appreciation for the other literary awards.  

            First, was the categories. There are 12 of us, including myself, who make up the jury and we agreed on which categories we all wanted to include for these awards. We agreed on: fantasy, science fiction, blurred (a.k.a. genre blended), debut work, series, novella and short fiction. Next, we all had the opportunity to nominate a work for each category; but, there was a catch: if we nominated for a category, then we had to read ALL of the nominees. Some of us had to remember how much we could read within a given time. So no, I didn’t participate in the 1st round voting in every category. 

            As you can observe from this chart: we all nominated on our nominees while making sure we didn’t nominate the same book, the same series, or the same stories. For the short fiction, we all made sure sources—either links or anthology titles—were provided for everyone so they could access them. 

Here are the nominees for each category (I apologize for the list, but I couldn’t format the Excel chart onto WordPress):

Fantasy:

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk

Comet Weather by Liz Williams

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

Sci-Fi:

Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha

Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez

Goldilocks by Laura Lam

Repo Virtual by Corey S. White

Blurred:

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Debut:

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

Series:

Dominion of the Fallen by Aliette de Bodard

Islands of Blood and Storm by Kacen Callender

Sweet Black Waves by Kristina Perez

The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang

The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty

Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell

Novella:

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemberg

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi

Sweet Harmony by Claire North

Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark

Short Fiction:

“Tiger Lawyer Gets It Right” by Sarah Gailey

“Convergence in Chorus Architecture: by Dare Segun Falowo

“In Kind” by Kayla Whaley

“Volumes” by Laura Duerr

“You Perfect, Broken Thing” by C.L. Clark

“Yellow and the Perception of Reality” by Maureen F. McHugh

“Juice Like Wounds” by Seanan McGuire

Then, we read, and we read, and we read some more. 

Recently, we voted on our finalists. The finalists were determined based on votes, and whichever nominees received the highest and the 2nd highest (or, in some cases, the 3rd highest) votes moved on to the finalists round.

Here are the finalists for each category based on the most votes:

Fantasy:

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk

Sci-Fi:

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Goldilocks by Laura Lam

Blurred:

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart (tie)

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (tie)

Debut:

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (tie)

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson (tie)

Series:

The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang

Dominion of the Fallen by Aliette de Bodard

Novella:

Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

Short Fiction:

“You Perfect, Broken Things” by C.L. Clark (Uncanny Magazine, #32)

“Yellow and the Perception of Reality” by Maureen F. McHugh (Tor.com)

            Please note: the finalists do NOT take away from the rest of the nominees AT ALL! In comparison to the rest of the nominees, the finalists stood out the most. Now, we have to read ALL of the finalists to determine the winner for each category. Unlike the nominees, all of the judges are allowed to participate in voting for the finalists in any or in all of the categories. This means that all of the finalists must be read by each juror before voting, which is fair. You can expect an announcement of the winners within the next couple of months.

            Which one will be voted as the winners of SCKA 2021? Stick around and find out!

Why You Need to Read: “The House of Always”

A Chorus of Dragons, #4: The House of Always

By: Jenn Lyons                                                                       

Published: May 11, 2021                                                        

Genre: Fantasy                                                                                             

Thank you Tor for sending me an eARC of this book. I listened to excerpts of the audiobook, too.

Note: There are a few spoilers from the first three books in A Chorus of Dragons series. 

            After I have my answers. Time moves differently here. Only seconds will have passed when we return. There’s no need to hurry. There’s no point, (3: Secret Plans, Teraeth’s reaction).

            The beginning of the end has begun in this series. The climax occurred at the end of the last book—The Memory of Souls—yet the consequences of the actions and the choices in the previous chronicle must play out before the story can reach its conclusion. The House of Always is that book in A Chorus of Dragons; and A LOT happens before the story can begin to end. 

            If you believed the Dramatis Personae was long in the previous book, then be ready for even more callbacks in this one. Thanks to Senera, Kihrin D’Mon, Janel Thernanon, Tereath and Thurvishar D’Lorus reunite with Galen and Sheloran D’Mon, Qown, Kalindra Milligreest, Talea, Xivan and Talon. They all “meet up” after the battle that took place in the previous book in order to discuss their recent activities, the latest threat to Quur, and the upcoming threat(s) to the entire world. The last, of course, involves both Relos Var and Vol Karoth; so, what’s the plan? Each character has been busy with their own tasks, then—through magic—they find themselves inside an unusual place where they have a lot of time to sought through all of their thoughts—and those of their adversaries. 

            There are 2 plots in this story, and they involve 2 current conflicts. The first plot involves Kihrin’s “plans” for confronting Vol Karoth, which is easier said than done. The second plot delves into the current threat to Quur, which is something none of the protagonists or the main characters know anything about; or, do they? These plots are linked due to the most obvious reason, that 1 dilemma has to be resolved before the other one can be confronted. Meanwhile, there are several subplots within the story, and they are ALL relevant and essential to the plots of the story. All of the missions, the tasks, and the memories of ALL of the characters are linked to the ongoings throughout the rest of the Quuros Empire and the potential way to save it. 

            Once again, the narrative in this book is different from the narratives in the previous books. That being said, by now readers of this series should be familiar with the author’s narrative style. There are 2 Parts in this book; and, while the 1st 2 chapters in Part I and all of Part II are told in the present, the remainder of the narrative jumps back-and-forth amongst memories, flashbacks, previous lives, and streams-of-consciousness of ALL of the characters! In fact, a handful of other characters reemerge in this book. Which ones, and why? There are numerous P.O.V. chapters and passages which follows ALL of the characters. However, Kihrin’s point-of-view is the only one told in 1st person. The rest of the characters’ P.O.V.s are in 3rd person limited. There is a reason for this narration, and it is presented as it progresses. This narrative style allows for further development of the plots, the characters, and the world-building. And, believe it or not, the characters are reliable narrators, and their narratives can be followed easily. 

            The style Jenn Lyons uses for The House of Always can be argued as it being an additional buildup before the finale in the last book in this series. The final battle in the war is approaching, and the Dramatis Personae must decide which side they are on. Unfortunately, neutrality is no longer an option, so a decision has to be made. Not to mention, “the plan” must be finalized and agreed upon by EVERYONE. The style presented by the author reminds the readers what is at stake as the series approaches its end. The mood in this novel is ominous. All of the characters know what’s coming, and they must remain vigilant—which is the tone in this novel—as the final battle draws near. Once again, the readers can refer to the maps, the glossary, and the appendices for whenever they need to consult any information.     

            The appeal for The House of Always have been positive. Readers and fans who read through this book in the series gave it high ratings (4- & 5-stars). This is the book in which all of the pieces and the subplots from the previous books reemerge in this one, right before the series reaches its dénouement. This epic fantasy series continues to be compared to ones written by George R.R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, and other authors who write similar books in this subgenre. To fantasy fans and readers who are still indecisive on whether or not to read this series, DO IT! If you’re worried about remembering all of the characters, then know that their stories continue throughout the series. If you’re concerned about all of the plots and the subplots, then take notes (I do). If you’re worried about forgetting what happens in all of the books leading up to the last book in the series—The Discord of Gods—then, now is the time either to re-read the previous books in the series, or to join (or to create) a group for a read along of this series! You are running out of reasons for NOT reading this series!

            The House of Always is a unique story that gears up readers for the series’ conclusion. You might wonder as to whether or not the narrative style leads to an essential part of the plot, and it does that and so much more. All of the elements within this series begins to end as the story and the characters’ fates gets closer to it. Now, we must wait until 2022 to learn who survives the apocalypse. 

My Rating: Enjoy It (4.5 out of 5). 

Reading Check-In: July 17, 2021

A brief update about my readings.

But first, not that this should be a goal of mine, but I decided to reduce this year’s Goodreads (yes, I have a Storygraph account) reading goal from 100 books to 50 books. At the beginning of this year, I knew there I shouldn’t have pushed my limits this year due to other life factors (read my midyear post), but I decided to push my limits. Halfway through 2021, I knew that it would be better if I focused on finishing the books I was reading without worrying about how many I was reading. Honestly, I just want to read the books because I want to not because I’m worried about a number.

What book have you finished recently?

Both the plot development and the world-building were brilliant! And, we have a cover for the final book in this series! Both the cover and the finale are going to be EPIC!!!

What are you reading currently?

I’m about halfway through both of these books. And, I can tell you right now, you need to read both of them!

What will you read next?

I started reading these books when I received them as ARCs, but as you all know, I had to halt my reading to focus on other priorities. These books have been out for some time and I want to finish reading them before the end of the year.

As for recent releases and other ARCs, you’ll know which one(s) I start reading when I do.

Yes, I know that these are all fantasy books! You can read my recent sci-fi reviews in my previous posts!

The Midpoint of 2021: Favorite Speculative Fiction Books…So Far

Well, we’ve made it to the halfway point of 2021. I won’t begin this post with the usual current events, but I will mention that I’ve been enjoying ALL of the sporting events that are taking place (i.e. Euro Cup, Copa America, NBA & NHL Playoffs, Summer 2020/21 Olympic Trials, etc.). More attention has been given to both books and video games as those who’ve been at home continue to remember that they’re both entertaining and artistic.

As for me, I’ve been recovering from an exhausted winter and spring. This is because, as a few of you know, I went back to graduate school in order to earn a MA degree in Library and Information Science. For the last 2 years, I’ve been taking classes on an accelerated pace in order to complete the program sooner rather than later. No, COVID-19 wasn’t an “imminent” threat when I started back in Fall 2019; and yes, it was an interesting experience completing the program throughout the majority of the pandemic, work my part-time job outside of my residence, and continue working on my blog. In addition, I’ve only told my closest friends and acquaintances (including you) about this, meaning I’ve managed to work on a degree without my ENTIRE family knowing about it. And, unless they read this post, then it will stay that way until I am ready to make an announcement, which will be sometime after I get a job within my field (whenever that may be).

Why am I mentioning this now? Simple, it’s because during my last semester, I had to work on graduating on time and in order to do that I had to cutback on SOME of my reading. Those of you who follow me on Goodreads will notice that I’m behind on my Reading Goal and I’m lagging on completing the books I’m reading currently. I won’t get into my TBR piles both from Netgalley and Edelweiss! It’s NOT that the books are bad in anyway, I’m still mentally exhausted from all of the work I had to do in order to graduate on time; not to mention all of the other events called life.

I am starting to feel better and I started to catch up on both my reading and my writing (including reviews). You’ve noticed that I started posting reviews again, but remember I read faster than I write. Which brings me to another announcement: I realized that my 200th post is upcoming and I plan on writing another “special” piece in order to commemorate the milestone. What will it be? You just have to wait.

Now, for what you’ve been waiting for:

Books I’ve Finished Reading:

Across the Green Grass Fields

First, Become Ashes

Tower of Mud and Straw (It was nominated for a Nebula Award for “Best Novella”!)

The Bone Shard Daughter (Yes, it was released in 2020, but the sequel comes out later this year!)

The Light of the Midnight Stars

Chaos Vector (Just in time to read the final book in the trilogy!)

Fugitive Telemetry

Over the Woodward Wall (Along the Saltwise Sea comes out this fall!)

Shards of Earth (My 1st Book Tour!)

And, A LOT of Paranormal & Fantasy Romance Books by Indie Authors (That’s for a future post!)

Books I’m Reading Currently:

The Empire’s Ruin

The House of Always

She Who Became the Sun

The Unbroken

The Jasmine Throne

The Gilded Ones

Books I Want to Read by the End of 2021:

The Broken God

Firebreak

The Fire Keeper’s Daughter

House of Hollow

The Unspoken Name

The Witch’s Heart

For the Wolf

The Two-Faced Queen

The Next 2 Books in The First Argentines Series

The sequels of the upcoming books mentioned; more paranormal & fantasy romance books; and, several MORE books I can’t list here because otherwise, this post would be never-ending.

I don’t know whether or not I will be able to read the books mentioned by the end of this year. I’m still trying to catch up from last year’s TBR! So right now, I want to thank the authors, the other bloggers, Fantasy-Faction, all of the publishers and the agents for being both supportive and understanding as I continue to work my way through the last 6 months, and for encouraging me to continue working on my other writings.

Speaking of “other” writings, please keep an eye out for any upcoming essays and lists I will continue to share here. Any and all feedback are welcome.

We’re halfway through 2021. What are your plans for the rest of the year?

Also, if you haven’t already, then please read the essay I wrote that was published on the SFWA website! Click here to access it.

Why You Need to Read: “Over the Woodward Wall”

The Up-and-Under, #1: Over the Woodward Wall

By: A. Deborah Baker

Published: October 6, 2020

Genre: Fantasy/Children’s Literature

            Because of their houses, Avery’s and Zib’s both, were on the side of the street where the forest loomed, there were no corners: they lived, unwittingly, only three doors down from one another. But across the street from them was another road, right between the one where Avery walked to school and the one where Zib walked to school. They approached it, Avery walking with quick, precise steps, Zib skipping and strolling and sometimes outright running, and they reached their respective corners at the same time, (One: The Same Ordinary Town). 

            Creativity and imagination are used interchangeably when fiction writers—especially genre fiction—are praised for their stories. The stories presented by these authors remind us how infinite creativity and imagination are to everyone else. The range of such talent goes from authors who devote their entire lives constructing 1 world with 1 extensive timeline, to authors who can juggle multiple worlds with their own set of characters, timelines, and—at times—rules about magic. Seanan McGuire is an example of the latter, and this time she is writing as A. Deborah Baker with Over the Woodward Wall, the first book in The Up-and-Under series, which is mentioned in her novel, Middlegame.

            The protagonists are 2 children—a boy and a girl—who are the same age and live 3 doors down from each other, but whose paths have crossed barely until now. Hepzibah, or Zib, lives with her “eccentric” parents, and Avery (Alexander Grey) lives with his “efficient” parents. One day, at the same time for the same reason, both children take a detour to school, come across a wall, climb over it, and find themselves in a new world. Avery and Zib—who focus more on their differences over their similarities—must travel to the Impossible City on the Improbable Road so they can return home. During their journey they meet: a crow, an owl, a queen, a page, and a king. Throughout their journey, both Avery and Zib must learn about each other, learn how to get along with each other (they are young children), and learn about the Up-and-Under—the world they entered unknowingly. The protagonists are as resilient as children can be, but they cling on to the rules of our world as they move away further from it. Avery and Zib are not complex, but the other characters are, which makes the protagonists more intriguing. 

            The plot of this book is straightforward in its own way. Two children stumble into a world that isn’t familiar to them (or, to us), and in order to return to our world, they must meet with the ruler who lives in the center of it. Hence, their adventure begins. Along the way, Avery and Zib meet the inhabitants of the Up-and-Under. Each meeting with each denizen is a subplot within the story. During these encounters, the children learn more about the world and its rules. Each subplot develops alongside the plot as the children travel closer to the heart of the world they stumbled into by accident.

            The narrative is presented from the points-of-view of both Zib and Avery in the present. In addition, the story is told in 3rd person omniscient which is relevant to how the story is being told. Given that the protagonists are young children, it would make sense for the narration to be from a figure who knows more about what is happening because otherwise, the story would be confusing for everyone. Not to mention, this type of narration makes Zib and Avery reliable narrators. Their streams-of-consciousness—and, the narrator’s—allows the story to be followed easily. 

            The style Seanan McGuire uses as A. Deborah Baker is both an allusion and a tribute to classic children’s literature, particularly adventure stories. The word choice and the sentence structure expands the audience of readers (children to adults), while the story itself will remind other readers of books written by Lewis Carroll, L. Frank Baum, C.S. Lewis, Holly Black, and others. However, this book tells its story in a way that is can be distinguished from the series by the authors mentioned. The mood in this book is improbable—which comes directly from the book. All of the events throughout this adventure should be unlikely, but occur because the Up-and-Under follows the rules of its world. The tone in this book is eccentric. From when we first meet the protagonists to the end of this book, EVERYTHING deviates from the norm from the protagonists’ actions to the Improbable Road.

            The appeal for Over the Woodward Wall have been positive. That being said, there has been some confusion about The Up-and-Under series. According to the author, this series is mentioned in Middlegame, but there is NO (direct) connection or tie-ins between the 2 series. This means that both series can be read and enjoyed separately. So far, this series belongs in both the speculative fiction and the children’s literature canons. Fans of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, the Oz series, and The Spiderwick Chronicles should read this series because they will enjoy it the most. The next book in this series, Along the Saltwise Sea—which will be released later this year, will pick up where the first book ended.

            Over the Woodward Wall is a brilliant series based on the Hugo nominated book, but you don’t have to read Middlegame to enjoy this story. A. Deborah Baker presents a story that is familiar to readers, yet it manages to stand on its own. Fans of the genre shouldn’t hesitate to read this book, and fans of Seanan McGuire should not wait any longer to read this book. The story is a delightful throwback to children’s (fantasy) adventure books. Seanan McGuire’s talent for storytelling is as lengthy as The Improbable Road.

My Rating: Enjoy It (4.5 out of 5). 

Why You Need to Read: “Fugitive Telemetry”

The Murderbot Diaries, #6: Fugitive Telemetry

By: Martha Wells

Published: April 27, 2021

Genre: Science Fiction

            But whatever, now I just needed intel for threat assessment so I could figure out if GrayCris had killed the dead human or not and go back to my happy boring life on Preservation Fucking Station, (Chapter Three).

            I LOVE MURDERBOT! And, I’m so happy that both Martha Wells and TorDotCom continue to write and to release stories about this snarky, astute and loyal rogue SecUnit. Following up on the success of the Murderbot novel, Network Effect—which, I haven’t read yet—fans get to read, Fugitive Telemetry, the next novella in the series, whose story takes place AFTER the events in Exit Strategy and BEFORE the events in Network Effect. 

            Murderbot, the rogue Security Unit, is starting its new life on Preservation Station after rescuing Dr. Mensah from GrayCris. However, that is easily said than done. Dr. Mensah is experiencing P.T.S.D., certain members of her team still don’t trust Murderbot—for example, it can’t use its name because it might scare everyone off—and, oh right, there was a murder of human and Station Security is trying to figure out what happened. Murderbot is worried that GrayCris might have something to do with it and decides it’s going to investigate the scene so it can go back to adapting to its new life. Whether or not it wants to admit it, Murderbot wants to continue protecting Dr. Mensah and her team. It would never admit it, but it feels both welcomed and needed by them.

            The plot in this novella focuses on the murder mystery at Preservation Station. Who was the dead human? Who wanted him dead? Is there a connection between the dead human and GrayCris? Regardless, Murderbot is willing to work with Station Security—through its own methods and strategies—to put its humans at ease. The subplot in this novella is Murderbot becoming acclimated with its new life. While it is no longer a SecUnit for hire, Murderbot is not one to relax—although it wants to very much. In order to adapt to its new life, Murderbot has to compromise with Station Security, Dr. Mensah, and its instincts. 

            The narrative is told from Murderbot’s point-of-view in the past tense. The name of the series is more than a hint as to how the narrative is presented, which is in the format of a report that recounts all of the events after they occurred. Given that Murderbot is an A.I., the narrative includes the sequence of events based on its stream-of-consciousness, which makes it a reliable narrator. This brilliant narrative technique presents a straightforward and hilarious narrative that can be followed by readers easily.

            The style Martha Wells continues to use in her Murderbot series reminds us that diaries are private for a reason. Murderbot keeps track of his actions and activities in a way sci-fi fans believe an A.I. would when necessary. And honestly, if all reports were written the way the author has written for her protagonist, then they all would be just as entertaining to read. The mood in this novella reflects a dark comedy—or, a style of comedy that points out a subject matter that is too serious to present straightforward. There is a “dead human” and Murderbot has no intention of using euphemisms because everyone else is “upset” about it. The tone reflects agency, especially Murderbot’s. Say whatever you want about it, but Murderbot knows A LOT about humans, which is why it is so reliable to its allies. 

            So far, the appeal for Fugitive Telemetry have been positive. Several other readers and fans have given this novella 4- and 5-star reviews. This latest novella is an excellent addition to the series and the science fiction canon. And, with Network Effect winning this year’s Nebula Award for Best Novel, fans can relax because they are not the only ones who love this series. In fact, we can expect at least 3 more Murderbot books in the future. Where will those books fall within the series? We’ll have to wait and see.

            Fugitive Telemetry is a humorous murder mystery story that happens to be about a prickly A.I. who refuses to admit that it cares about humans. Fans can rest easy because neither the author nor her protagonist have lost their spark in this latest entry. Newcomers to the series have no idea what they’re in for and they should be prepared to binge read the series, and then wait for the next book with the rest of us. Now, I have to read Network Effect!

My Rating: MUST READ IT NOW (5 out of 5)!!! 

Thank you TorDotCom for sending me an eARC of this book!

Reading Check-In: May 29, 2021

My schedule is starting to clear up, so here’s another update to what I’m reading.

What are you currently reading?

I should be halfway through this eARC by the end of this holiday weekend.

What will you read next?

I’m very anxious to start this eARC.

I will be reading this while listening to the audiobook.

As I mentioned earlier, I have more time to start reading again, and I have A LOT of catching up to do! Next weekend, I’ll be posting reviews again.

What you reading right now?

Most Anticipated Reads of 2021: Summer Edition

My workload is starting to lighten a bit and that means I can get back to reading, and I have A LOT of catching up to do! Here are some of the many books I will be reading throughout Summer 2021! Is it safe to call this my Summer Reading?!

I’m still reading my way through…

Next book on my list is…

I might have to read this book while listening to the audiobook edition.

Finally, I can start reading this book!

My excitement for this book hasn’t waned.

I just won a print edition of this book from FanFiAddict! Thank you!

It feels like I’m the last blogger to read this book.

I haven’t forgotten about this book!

Thank you to J.C. Kang for sending me a copy of this book.

I need to know what happens next in this series!

I’m not going to include ALL of the books I’ll be reading this summer in this post because it would be never-ending! That being said, I will be reading these 10 books throughout the summer. And yes, I will be writing and posting reviews for ALL of them, so be ready to read them!

Which books will you be reading throughout the summer?