SF Bookclub

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...

  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.

     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 ...

  Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell Themes:  monstrosity, identity, love, family, and trauma . Monstrosity and Humanity How does the novel challenge the traditional definition of a "monster"? In what ways is Shesheshen more human than some of the actual human characters, and vice versa? Shesheshen often describes humanity and human customs from a confused, alien perspective. What did these observations reveal about everyday human life and behavior? The narrative centers on a creature that eats people. How did the book successfully make Shesheshen a sympathetic protagonist despite her monstrous biology? Did you ever struggle to root for her? Do you believe Shesheshen has a moral code? If so, what is it based on, and how does it compare to the morality of the human characters? What purpose does the body horror serve in the story? Is it just for shock, or does it contribute to the broader themes of identity and connection? Identity, Shape, and Truth Shesheshen...

  Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold by P. Djèlí Clark Pub Date: Apr 29 2025 This is a middle grade book, but was still enjoyable for me, a cantankerous adult. Clark does not oversimplify the story nor provide obvious and cliched lessons. I did not realize that Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold was the second book in a series when I picked it up. However, that fact did not diminish my enjoyment. The important information from the previous book was woven in in a way that did not overwhelm the story, but provided vital information for a newcomer or a nice refresher for a returning reader. Abeni is resourceful, brave and empathic. She encounters strange creatures, some of whom wish her harm, but she continues to be open to new acquaintances and willing to ask for and receive guidance and help. She is empathetic and forgiving without being naively taken advantage of. In short, she is the kind of leader that I...

We are reading Babel by R.F. Kuang for April and May. We typically choose Hugo nominees and winners, but it seems obvious by this point that Babel should have been nominated if it weren't for the hanky-panky . A lot of people seem to have felt the same way, because there are several pretty good resources for book club questions:  Teatime Reads Duranoco Bookclubs.com Worlds Smallest Bookclub And there was a very lively discussion on Reddit