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Review: Trace Elements by Jo Walton and Ada Palmer

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 Jo Walton and Ada Palmer are experts in the field of science fiction and fantasy. Both have been nominated for multiple awards and both lean into the academic side of writing as well as the practice. Trace Elements explains history of SF, the role of publishers, and why so many SF novels were capped at around 80,000 words. This book is fascinating for anyone who likes to read SF as well as anyone who is interested in popular fiction or genre fiction as some of the same forces shaped those books as well. At 368 pages, this is not an exhaustive history of all things sf, but it provides enough context to enhance any fan's enjoyment of works published as SF.  What we think of as Science Fiction began to be published in the United States in the 1920s in pulp magazines, and books soon followed. Walton and Palmer call this "Imprint Science Fiction" to distinguish it from other genres, including dystopia written by authors of other genres (such as Atwood's Handmaid's Ta...
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Green City Wars by Tchaikovsky

 Green City Wars is the story of Scotch, a genetically engineered racoon who has left the corporation that made him so he can go freelance as an investigator,. The story has a noir feel, but Scotch is more Jim Rockford than Sam Spade. The twists, turns, shifting alliances and double crosses are on par with _The Sting_. Along the way, we meet a saint, a technology adept turtle, a vengeful possum, and a pigeon who craves stories, Green City Wars doesn't take itself too seriously; it is a lot of fun to read. I loved this book and would read a sequel if Tchaikovsky wrote one.
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Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

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  Some Desperate Glory, winner of the 2024 Hugo for Best Novel was our pick for April and May.  A good set of discussion questions can be found here . My favorite question is the first one:   "Many stories, especially space operas, are told from the perspective of a likable underdog. How did it feel to be so deep in the head of a protagonist who was cruel to others? " And Tesh actually addresses the question of Kyr's likability.  Book Key has chapter-by-chapter questions. Questions from Super Summary . Nerds of a Feather blog interviews Tesh .  The most interesting thing I learned in preparing for book club was the existence of the "Humanity, F*ck Yeah!" trope. Read about it here  and  here . 
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The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating (and Other War Crimes) by Tiffany Hunt

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Image: Book Cover The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating (and Other War Crimes) by Tiffany Hunt was uneven. It had some clever concepts; I loved the chapter titles. But the execution was not always effective. The first half, particularly, reminds me of a 1970s/80s romance novel where Stockholm syndrome seems to be the drive that pushes the heroine to the hero. The second half was filled with VERY explicit sex that seemed pointless. And, no real spoiler, but it seems to be the first in a series as there were MANY unresolved plot points. It is like the story just stopped half way through. I don't know that I care enough about anyone (but Vex, the Dark Lord's assistant) to pick up the sequel. That said, it was entirely readable and fine for a beach read.
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Review: River of Bones and Other Stories by Rebecca Roanhorse

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I've read most of Rebecca Roanhouse's novels, and have enjoyed them all. So I was looking forward to Roanhouse's _River of Bones and Other Stories_ and was not disappointed. In this excellent collection, she infuses Native American mythology and concerns. The collection opens with Roanhorse's first published short story, “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™" which explores the commodification of Indigenous People's identity for entertainment and self-aggrandizement. Other highlights include "The Boys from Blood River" about cowboy vampires and "A Harvest of Beating Hearts" about a sapphic serial killer. "White Hills" made me deeply uncomfortable, but I think that was the point. How much "Indian" blood/identity is "too much" to pass for white? To BE white? To be white ENOUGH for the White Hills Country Club? Overall, this is an excellent collection about identity and the supernatural, which is where Rebe...
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Review: Constituent Service by John Scalzi

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  Constituent Service by John Scalzi was just what I needed to chase off the winter blahs. Imagine being a civil servant working for a city government addressing concerns in your district. Now imagine that your constituents are aliens, with vastly different needs and preferences from the human standard. Ashley, who is new in her position, must figure out how to navigate the problems (both important and trivial) brought by her constituents.  Coming in at 154 pages, this novella is the perfect way to spend a dreary afternoon.  It reminds me a bit of Agent to the Stars.
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Brigands & Breadknives and Bookshops & Bonedust by Baldree

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     Brigands and Breadknive s is a continuation of the world introduced in  Legends & Lattes. However, it is a sequel to Bookshops & Bonedust and continues the story of the bookseller, Fern. I read the books out of order [the chronological order of the series is (0) Bookshops & Bonedust (1) Legends & Lattes (2) Brigands & Breadknives], which did not give me the full experience for this book, but I still enjoyed it. It does feel a bit like being in an RPG, though. (I just saw that Baldree is a former game designer, which explains it.) Maybe the descriptions push it that way for me?   Baldree is a good narrator & I found his reading to be enjoyable. In fact, I enjoyed him so much that I listened to Bookshops & Bonedust (which he also reads) instead of reading the print version. All in all, I've enjoyed this whole series. The sequels lack the surprise and originality of the original, but they are still quite a nice way to spend ...
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