Tag Archives: science fiction

Nov 9 2015
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Book Review: This Gulf of Time and Stars by Julie E. Czerneda

This Gulf of Time and Stars by Julie E. Czerneda

Title: This Gulf of Time and Stars

Author: Julie E. Czerneda

Series: Reunification #1

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: …I’d lived on a starship long enough to value the small sounds the Fox made: the whoosh of air through vents, the bone-deep growl of lift engines, and the reassuring almost-whine that meant not only gravity, but that we were moving through subspace under power. Sound meant we were safe and all was well.

Silence meant the opposite…

The Review:

I’d like to start out by saying that Julie E Czerneda is my favorite science fiction writer and This Gulf of Time and Stars is just one of the more shining examples of why I enjoy her books so much. There’s a few reasons why I highly anticipated this book in particular, but one stands above the rest:

At the very back of A Rift in the Sky (the final book in her Stratification Trilogy), almost as an afterthought, Czerneda conveyed the following in her Author’s Note:

I hope you enjoy the first six books of the Clan Chronicles. Once you have, I hope you paid attention and have questions.

Because I promise…

You ain’t seen nothing yet.

I was excited before, but coming across a documented promise from the author that she will soon delve into one of the coolest mysteries I’ve come across made me practically dance with excitement!

This Gulf of Time and Stars was a compelling start to a new chapter in the Trade Pact Universe (and Sira & Morgan’s lives). It started with a ton of nostalgia that reiterated all the things I loved about the characters. Then it proceeded to rip out my heart and take me on an emotional roller coaster all the way to the end, where I sat there exhausted, elated, and eager for more. I can’t wait to have more questions answered and see what Czerneda has up her sleeve next!

If you’re a fan of the Trade Pact Universe, this continuation is ESSENTIAL to your reading repertoire. If you just enjoy a good old sci-fi/space opera love-story with great characters, loads of action, and badass aliens, I’d recommend starting with A Thousand Words for Stranger (or Reap the Wild Wind, if you want to go chronologically). Heck, you might as well pick up Migration (#1 in the Species Imperative Trilogy) and my personal favorite: The Beholder’s Eye (#1 in the Web Shifters trilogy) while you’re at it. ;-)

I’d like to thank Penguin Group Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW, Julie Czerneda, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of This Gulf of Time and Stars!

Other books you might like (besides ALL THE THINGS Czerneda):

by Niki Hawkes

Aug 25 2015
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Coming Soon: This Gulf of Time and Stars by Julie E. Czerneda

This Gulf of Time and Stars by Julie E. Czerneda

Title: This Gulf of Time and Stars

Author: Julie E. Czerneda

Series: Reunification #1 [A Clan Novel]

Genre: Science Fiction

Release Date: November 3, 2015

The Overview: First in a new science fiction trilogy, set in the same universe as the Clan Chronicles, by the Prix Aurora Award-winning Julie E. Czerneda. [I’m a little underwhelmed by this description… Basically, if you’ve read anything in the Clan world, or more specifically, the Trade Pact Universe Trilogy beginning with A Thousand Words for Stranger, this is a continuation of Sira and Morgan’s story.]

Waiting on Wednesday
Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Czerneda is my favorite sci-fi author, and I recently entered (and lost) her Beta Reader competition to have the chance to check out an early copy of this very book for consistencies. I “studied” for the competition for about two months, but in the end just missed the mark (but would totally do it again if the opportunity presented itself – how many people get to say they beta read for one of their favorite authors?). Anyway, I think it’s safe to say I know this series a lot better than the average reader and am tickled pink to finally get my hands on This Gulf of Time and Stars in November. It’s a continuation of Sira and Morgan’s story, so I’d recommend reading the Trade Pact Universe first at the very least and  the excellent prequel series, Stratification, at the most. I loved them all!

What book are you waiting on?

by Niki Hawkes

Aug 20 2015
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Book Review: Breakout by Ann Aguirre

Breakout by Ann Aguirre

Title: Breakout

Author: Ann Aguirre

Series: The Dred Chronicles #3

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The Overview: The prison ship Perdition has become a post-battle charnel house with only a handful of Dred’s soldiers still standing and now being hunted by Silence’s trained tongueless assassins. Forging an uneasy alliance with mercenary commander Vost—who is their only chance at escape—the Dread Queen will do whatever it takes to end her life sentence on Perdition and keep the survivors alive long enough to cobble together a transport capable of getting them off station. If Dred and her crew can win the deadly game of cat and mouse, the payoff is not only life but freedom—a prize sweeter than their wildest dreams. Yet the sadistic Silence would rather destroy Perdition than let a single soul slip from her grasp…

The Review:

I love Ann Aguirre’s work. She always manages to take me on an amazing adventure alongside quirky, memorable characters. The Dred Chronicles were no different, and I sit here in awe at how she managed to incorporate a tender love story amidst bloodly battles on a space station prison. And you know what? It totally worked, providing a stellar balance of action and romance. All I can say is, I thoroughly enjoyed this series and sincerely hope it’s not the last story she tells from this universe.

I think it’s important to note that Havoc, book 2 in this series, is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was action-packed, fast-paced, and heart-wrenching, topped off with great characters, cool aliens, freaky enemies, and a killer setting (seriously – the overall atmosphere was unlike anything I’ve ever read – it was awesome!). Breakout had all of those same elements but, while I still appreciate it as a series ender, I’m sad to say I didn’t like it quite as much (but definitely think it’s still worth the read!!!). And my reasoning comes down to pacing:

The first half of the book, where I felt the most intensity and emotional investment, was kind of rushed. There were several major events illustrated by only a few paragraphs, and I don’t think either my brain or my emotions had enough time to process everything. Simultaneously, the end half of the book, where I felt the story had reached its climax and was already in its resolution phase, was unproportionately drawn out. Personally, I would’ve loved to see the pacing distribution more heavily weighted towards the front, but that’s just me.

All that said though, I still loved this series as a whole and consider Aguirre one of my favorite authors. Although this is a spinoff of her Sirantha Jax series, I think it stands solidly on its own (but you should still totally read about Jax if you can because her story is amazing). Space opera fans, hold onto your seats because The Dred Chronicles are nothing if not a wild ride!

*Thank you Penguin Group Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW, NetGalley, and Ann Aguirre for the chance to read and review an early copy of Breakout!

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Jul 15 2015
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Book Review: Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey

Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey

Title: Cibola Burn

Author: James S. A. Corey

Series: The Expanse #4

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: The gates have opened the way to thousands of habitable planets, and the land rush has begun. Settlers stream out from humanity’s home planets in a vast, poorly controlled flood, landing on a new world. Among them, the Rocinante, haunted by the vast, posthuman network of the protomolecule as they investigate what destroyed the great intergalactic society that built the gates and the protomolecule. But Holden and his crew must also contend with the growing tensions between the settlers and the company which owns the official claim to the planet. Both sides will stop at nothing to defend what’s theirs, but soon a terrible disease strikes and only Holden – with help from the ghostly Detective Miller – can find the cure.

The Review:

I love this series – the plot, the characters, the humor, the world building… all of it. I was excited for this one in particular because when I first started The Expanse a couple of years ago I thought it was only going to be a trilogy. Cibola Burn (and Nemesis Games) felt like bonus books. I’m super thrilled the story is not over!!!

As always, this Expanse book had an excellent mix of familiar and new POV characters – an element that has always kept these novels fresh and exciting for me. Of all the non-Rocinante crewmember POVs we’ve met, I unfortunately enjoyed the ones in this book the least. They just couldn’t compete with Avasarala, Bobbie, or even Bull… but they were still good because I don’t think these authors could write crappy characters if they tried. I’ve mentioned before that strong characterization is my favorite part about this series, in part because they always feel like real people, flaws and all. It’s fantastic.

Admittedly, I expected the story to go much broader from this point (it is, after all, The Expanse series), especially after the vast potential and new revelations discovered in Abaddon’s Gate. But the scope of Cibola Burn maintained a fairly narrow scope (not that it wasn’t just as enjoyable, mind you). Having it different than my expectations didn’t disappoint me like many other novels have, but instead made me appreciate how consistent these authors are. They don’t jump the story ahead of what is feasibly possible just to advance the plot. As a result, all of the progression the solar system makes feels natural and unforced. Human ambition never goes beyond what is technologically possible, and I love that consistency. Not to mention that it was still wildly interesting even without fast expansion.

As narrow as the story might have felt, the things that happened in this novel will definitely have galaxy-wide ramifications… I can’t wait to see how they’re going to cope next! The broadness of the concept (particularly involving the protomolecule and its origins) always makes me feel so immersed these books.

Overall, Cibola Burn was a great continuation of the story (the next book, Nemesis Games, was even better! Review to come…). If you are a Firefly fan, or if you’re even looking to dip your toes in the space opera genre, give this series a try!

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

May 31 2015
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Tackling the TBR [2]: June 2014

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(I’m still going to need a better banner)

I started this feature last month as a possible solution to my desperate need for a good TBR system. And you know what? I’m LOVING it so far! It has allowed me to stop stressing about all the unread books in my life because it channels my focus onto the authors I deemed the highest priority – I rest assured that, despite the fact I’m not making my way through my collection as quickly as I’d like, I am at least focusing on the best books first. It also takes away a little bit of that “I’m overwhelmed” factor because there’s usually only twenty books at most in my shortlist (which also gives me a remarkable sense of achievement every time I get to check one off that list). Finally, I love it because I still feel like I get to follow my reading whims – there is a lot of variety within my smaller pool of choices. I think I’ll keep this feature around for a while!

If you missed the Introductory Post, here’s how Tackling the TBR works:

1. At the beginning of each month, I select an author from each of my favorite genres
2. I compile all of their unread books onto my TBR Tackler shelves (physical & digital)
3. I pick from that pile throughout the month as the mood strikes me

Here is my TBR Tackler Shelf for June 2015:

Fantasy: Robin Hobb
Sci-Fi: James S.A. Corey
Urban Fantasy: Kim Harrison
Young Adult: Susan Ee
New Adult: Jamie McGuire

I am stoked. There are a lot of excellent titles here for me to choose from (with a large number of them sporting bird wings on the cover, oddly). I’m including Kim Harrison again this month because I just didn’t get a chance to pick her up last time and she is still my number one priority in the Urban Fantasy category. I can’t wait to get started on this list, and that is an awesome feeling!

This experimental system was so much more fun and rewarding because I didn’t do it alone – thank you to all my friends and blogging friends who tried it with me!

I will be sharing this post on the first of each month at least until the end of the year (we will see how it goes). I am also going to include a linky on each post so we can support each other in Tackling our TBRs! Even if you don’t specifically use my system, feel free to share your versions of how you manage your TBR pile… Maybe we can help make each other’s systems even better. :)

What authors are you Tackling this month?

^Yeah, you totally have to click on the frog to see everyone’s links… wish I had been smart enough to figure that out before now (especially since it says so right on it).

by Niki Hawkes

May 17 2015
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Tackling the TBR [1]: An Introduction

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Tackling the TBR: An Introduction
(I’m going to need a better banner)

I’ve always been envious of those people who are perfectly happy reading only one book/series at a time. I used to be like that – back in my adolescence where the closest bookstore was an hour and a half away – but that changed as soon as I became a bookseller. It got worse when I became a book blogger. My level of awareness of the sheer number of amazing titles on the market skyrocketed, and I suddenly found myself struggling to read ALL THE BOOKS.

My solution at the time was to purchase all of the titles I might want to read, resulting in a 4000+ book collection and a massive TBR. The books sit on my shelves, taunting me as I walk by, just begging to be read. I’m desperately trying to get through them all, but the math just doesn’t work: if I read 100 books a year, it will take me 40 years to get through my current collection. That doesn’t even take into account new titles coming out. I need to downsize, but that’s a topic for another post… In any case, it has led me to the following philosophy:

 The TBR pile is simultaneously a book-lovers best friend and worst enemy.

 So, no matter how much I’m enjoying a particular title, I always have one eye on my shelves, wishing I was reading those books too. If I spend too long on one series, I get impatient, and that sucks the fun out of the whole process. It also stresses me out to have unread books from favorite authors, especially since many of them reached their series-enders more than a year ago and I still haven’t managed to finish them. It’s reading ADD at its finest, and I’ve already implemented many different strategies to try and counter it and make my reading process as enjoyable as possible (such as the mantra “only read the best books first” and “life is too short to read books you’re not enjoying” – both of which have been life-changing), but it’s not quite there yet… I’m still stressed.

So what I need is a system that’s flexible, allowing me to bounce around between series and genres, but I also need one that helps me finish series I’ve started and keep my favorite authors at the top of my priority list. Today, I had an epiphany on how to make that happen… I’m calling it “Tackling the TBR” And it works like this: 

  At the beginning of each month, I will select an author from each of my favorite genres, compile all of their unread books onto my TBR Tackler shelf, and pick from that pile throughout the month as the mood strikes me.

 I think it’s brilliant.

 But then again, I haven’t actually tried it yet. :P

  I did try a version of this method where I devoted a month to a particular genre, but that didn’t give me enough flexibility to follow my moods. I also seem to feel more satisfied when I use TBR shortlists and can see it getting smaller as time goes by, so the fact that I’m compiling specific authors, but from a range of speculative genres into one place to pick from, is incredibly appealing.

 I know I’m starting a little late, but here is my TBR Tackler pile for the remainder of May 2015:

 Science Fiction: Rachel Bach
Urban Fantasy: Kim Harrison
 Fantasy: Sara Douglass
Romance/NA: Ann Aguirre
Young Adult: Rae Carson

These are all the unread titles from my chosen authors… So many good ones! Instead of posting updates, I will probably just keep using the same post to track my progress, kind of like what I do with my Bout of Books posts.

 I’m really excited to try out the system – I’m hoping it will help me focus my reading while giving me the excuse I needed to finally finish some of these series. Wish me luck!

 Anybody want to try out Tackling the TBR with me? Let me know in the comments – I could use all the help and support I can get. :P

by Niki Hawkes