Space Opera isn’t dead; instead, delightfully, it has grown up. Empire of Dust, the debut novel from Jacey Bedford, published by DAW, is a fine example of a novel which has its roots in the sub-genre, but grows beyond it. Cara Carlini is a woman with a past, and she’s running away from it as […]
Archive | Reviews
Review – Shadowboxer
Referring to a female protagonist as feisty, sassy or plucky in a book review is likely to result in a rolling of eyes. Rightly so in most cases but Jade, the hero of Shadowboxer, earns the right to those terms. Jade is an adolescent cage fighter. That phrase might make you suck in a sharp […]
Review: Mars Evacuees
Sophia MacDougall’s Mars Evacuees isn’t my normal fare, but I loved it. It’s on the border between YA (Young Adult) and MG (Middle Grade), which I believe means it’s aimed at ages ten to twelve, and the twelve-year-old in me devoured it happily. Because I’ve not read much in this genre I may have missed […]
Review: Wonderbook
It’s a while since I’ve read a book on the craft of writing. It’s not that I don’t have more to learn (I do; I hope I always will), it’s just that I’ve learnt enough that I need to put in some effort to find new advice amongst the stuff I’ve heard before and I […]
Review: Ancillary Justice
Back in early October I mentioned a book review which, though I didn’t name names at the time, was for Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Justice – but look, weeks have gone by and it hasn’t appeared here yet. Anyway, finally, here’s what I thought of one of the most talked-about SF books of the year: Not […]