Worldcon 2015: Spokane WA

The 2015 World Science Fiction Convention, held in Spokane, WA, has come and gone.  My friend and I made the Great Road Trip from (Duluth) Minneapolis to Spokane and back, enjoying such sites as the plains of North Dakota, driving through Theodore Roosevelt National Park, along the Yellowstone and Clark Fork Rivers, and the mountains of western Montana and Idaho.  Granted, this was all viewed from the seat of our rental car, but it was things we would have missed if we had flown.

The convention itself was one of the most enjoyable con's I have been too:  situated right along the Spokane River, we had maybe a half mile walk to the convention center from our hotel.  The convention center itself was an eclectic group of buildings, which worried me at first about getting from one end to the other, but it was easy enough to figure out the rooms and the convention center staff were incredibly helpful in pointing me in the right direction.

We arrived late Tuesday Evening, and took some time Wednesday morning to run up to the large cat sanctuary: Cat Tales Zoo    We buzzed back to our hotel where I went off to a yoga class and later to the convention!  Here's a list of what I attended:

Wednesday:
Opening Ceremonies
Accounts and History of the Spokane Tribe
Legends and Lore of the Inland Northwest

Thursday:
Thursday morning my friend and I went to the most amazing yarn store!  Paradise Fibers  Yarn! Yarn and more yarn!  Weaving! Spinning!  A whole wall covered in different kinds of needles!  The staff was incredibly friendly, helping to point out local yarns and chatting while winding my yarn into cakes.  It was truly a unique experience for me.  We were told during our visit that Paradise Fibers has a very robust online sales presence - something I will probably take advantage of down the line!

And then it was back to the convention for these panels: 
Guided Tour of the Art Show
Stories of the Spokane Tribe
The Past, Present, and Future of Military SF
What's new in Astronomy (left early)
The Changing Face of Hard SF

Sometime mid afternoon on Thursday I had an hour of downtime went and took a gondola ride over the Spokane Falls then walked around their river walk. I captured some interesting waterfall pictures, sculptures, and a watched an active carousel.

View of Spokane River below the falls from the gondola

Spokane Falls and Washington Powerworks Building

A garbage eating goat!  You push a button, then put something like a piece of paper by his mouth and whoosh!  It's gone!

Artwork on the Riverwalk. 

Which was a good thing because by Friday afternoon the air quality was so bad from the forest fires the City of Spokane was issuing hazardous air quality alerts.   I head from a local that this was the worst it had been since Mt. St. Helen's blew up in 1980.

Smoke haze from the fires in Washington.

Friday:
Urban Fantasy as Modern Fairy Tale
Hidden Diversity in Classic SF
Classic SF You Should Read
Infamous Bad Book Covers
Adapting the Human Body for Low Gravity
What's New from Ace/Roc

Saturday:
Dawn of the Asteroid Belt: Exploring Ceres and Vesta
Vonda McIntyre's Dreamsnake
Fantasy and Supernatural Noir
Geology of Spokane

New Space Opera
Near Event Horizon's and Black Holes

The air cleared up again on Saturday so I got out for another river walk.

Spokane River below the falls.

Spokane Falls

Artwork on the Riverwalk

Sunday and Monday we were on the road again, putting on some miles in order to get the rental car back on time.  

I thought the programming was outstanding this year.  More often than not there were several things I wanted to go to in any given block of time.  And the variety was really good - I could bounce from a session on the history of the Spokane Indians, to astronomy, to a panel on an aspect of literature, to what's new from a publisher...and I'm only touching on those items that were interesting to me.  There were a plethora of steampunk panels, science panels, writing panels, gaming, costuming and more.

There was heap loads of drama surrounding the 2015 Hugo Nominations and Awards, but really, "they" can take the drama and stuff it.  If you're curious, google 2015 Hugos and Sad Puppies.  But really, it's not worth your time.

Next year will find us traveling to Kansas City for Worldcon 2016: MidAmerica Con!

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.

Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.

Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend... and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne – or his life.

This exciting fantasy novel, set against the pageantry and color of a fascinating, unique world, is a memorable debut for a great new talent.

2015 Hugo Nominee.

This was a story that drew me in and suddenly I'm done with the book.  There are no epic battles, no cross country chase scenes, no mano a mano duels, no blustering rages wielding a massive sword.  It's one small half goblin-half elven boy who finds himself suddenly thrust into the seat of the Elven Empire without a clue of what he should do, surrounded by people he doesn't know, in a castle he barely remembers.

Which, really, doesn't sound all that interesting on the surface.  Just another rags to riches story.  But for some reason, this was different.  Perhaps it was a combination of the world setting (a goblin/elven world) in a steampunk setting (again, not my favorite, but it worked), written with a deftness that made the words just flow.

So, setting.  It's a "steampunk" setting but subtly so - there are airships to convey people to and fro, and this plays a part in establishing the plot, but once that's done, the steampunk-ness takes a back seat.  The reader does see a bit more when the clockwork people present their bridge idea, but that was about it. 

Plot.  As I mentioned above, this is a story about Maia. The fourth son of the elvish Emperor, banished to some remote fortress with a guardian after the death of his goblin mother when he was eight.  The Guardian has been taking his anger out on Maia the last 10 years, something which Maia cannot forgive him for.

Maia's assent ion to the throne is sudden and the first thing that happens in the book.  The rest of the story is about Maia coming to terms with the loss of a Father he didn't know, a Mother he desperately misses, betrayal on numerous sides, and the forging of friendships in a court where he feels desperately alone.  In some ways, this is a coming of age book, but sans the  epic quests we usually see in high fantasy.  Which was greatly appreciated.

My main complaint with the book was actually in the names of people and things.  I'm not a fan of long names, and tend to mentally shorten them right of the bat.  It also took me a while to figure out the honorifics being used - not realizing there was an appendix at the end of the book that explained it all.  That would have been nice at the beginning. 

Overall, a solid absorbing read with beautiful world building and solid character development.



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Ancillary Sword by Anne Leckie (Radch #2)

Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  What if you once had thousands of bodies and near god-like technology at your disposal?  And what if all of it were ripped away?  

The Lord of the Radch has given Breq command of the ship Mercy of Kalr and sent her to the only place she would have agreed to go -- to Athoek Station, where Lieutenant Awn's sister works in Horticulture.

Athoek was annexed some six hundred years ago, and by now everyone is fully civilized -- or should be. But everything is not as tranquil as it appears. Old divisions are still troublesome, Athoek Station's AI is unhappy with the situation, and it looks like the alien Presger might have taken an interest in what's going on. With no guarantees that interest is benevolent

2015 Hugo Award Nominee.

The follow-up to Ancillary Justice (Hugo Award winner 2014).  Read for bookgroup.

A space opera that really doesn't take place much in space, so much as it does around specific stations or planets.  Captain Breq, former ancillary and now the sole remnant of a ship destroyed, is a weapon for the Imperial Radch - though which fraction of the Imperial Radch is not entirely certain.  Breq is sent to Athoek Station, where she finds more than the sister of her former lieutenant and love.   There is intrigue, hidden agendas (whose exactly? is the question), a murder, and revenge.

Where Ancillary Justice built the world, Ancillary sword builds the characters.  The characters are given more personality in the next installment - we see anger, motivation, regrets.  This is all nicely built around the culture of the Radch, where everyone is called "she" or "sister", where to go barehanded is an insult and gloves are a must, and we are given a glimpse at the what it is to be "civilized" (gender-neutral in the feminine; yes, a contradiction) and drink tea. 

While I enjoyed the emphasis on the characters and the solidification of the world building, the plot left me disappointed.  Breq came, she saw, she meddled, and...book ended.  I kept poking at my e-reader wondering if I was missing chapters.  Nope.  That was it.  Fini.  No more.  

Overall, a good continuation of the series, with the hope the next one will pick up where #2 left off.



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Ancillary Justice by Anne Lecke

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Jacket blurb:  On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest.

Breq is both more than she seems and less than she was. Years ago, she was the Justice of Toren--a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of corpse soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy.

An act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with only one fragile human body. And only one purpose--to revenge herself on Anaander Mianaai, many-bodied, near-immortal Lord of the Radch.

From debut author Ann Leckie, Ancillary Justice is a stunning space opera that asks what it means to be human in a universe guided by artificial intelligence.


This is a 2014 Hugo Nominee.  April's book group selection.

This is a book that has been getting a lot of publicity in the scifi community and was being touted as a strong Hugo contender.  It did in fact make the Hugo nominee short list.  Ultimately, I enjoyed this book because it was different.

I'm going to start with the item that has the internet world abuzz: Leckie's use of gender or non-gender.  The society the characters are moving around in is portrayed as non-gendered through the use of "she".   And here's were my issue with the book comes in - in a genderless society,  everyone is now "feminine".  So, how can this be a genderless society?   I think I would have been more comfortable with some alternate or created term to denote who was being ta.lked to, rather than the vague unsettled feeling that everyone was female.

On Tor.com, there is a great post regarding gender here.

Setting the use of gender aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the idea of a ship persona in multiple bodies - avatars - or in Leckie's case, ancillaries.  I thought she did a great job of portraying these massive ships through the eyes of One Esk Seventeen.  How One Esk Twenty was over by the water fountain, how One Esk Eleven was walking down a street, how the bodies within sight line could see each other.

I enjoyed how One Esk Seventeen could convey emotion at being cut off from her greater whole.  How she/the ship had developed a greater personality through the ancillaries.  How her uniqueness, ultimately, led to a betrayal of sorts.

While the reader got an idea of the greater society, there are glimpses of a smaller planetary society being absorbed into the greater, and how a clash of cultures even in this advanced society can cause discomfort, unease, and disdain.  

For a first book (I think this is a first book?) it was interesting, engaging, had a few flaws, and engendered discussion.  Recommended.



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Saga Vol 1 and 2

I'm reviewing two graphic novels at once here.  Volume 1 I read this past summer as part of the Hugo Nominee packet (it won in its category! Yay!). Volume 2 finally showed up at the library this past week. YAY! 

Jacket Blurb Volume 1 (Saga issues #1-6) -
When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

From New York Times bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina) and critically acclaimed artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, North 40), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults.
 
Jacket Blurb Volume 2 (Saga issues #7-11)
The smash-hit ongoing epic continues! Thanks to her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana, newborn baby Hazel has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies, and alien monstrosities, but in the cold vastness of outer space, the little girl encounters something truly frightening: her grandparents!


LOVING these!  The concept is refreshing, the artwork a combination of bold/subtle/grotesque/imaginative/colorful, the humor and wit delightful.  I love how the artist can convey so much in just a look from one of the characters.  The story is being told from the point of the baby, who is speaking from a future self.  Several readings are a must just to capture everything going on.  Definitely adult themes in these, which had the Husband wondering just what the heck I was reading.  I offered to let him read Vol 1 but the bit he saw maxed out his Weird-o-Meter.   

If you like the strange and humorous, this might be for you. 

Worldcon 2013: San Antonio

You all can go to Hell, I shall go to Texas.  David Crockett

Labor Day weekend found me on another Grand Adventure!  This time to San Antonio, TX, for the 71st World Science Fiction Convention.  My friend and I made a road trip of it, spending two days on each end driving through the heart of the states.  For myself, I got to travel close to the entire distance of Interstate 35, which starts in Duluth and ends at the Gulf of Mexico.  Didn't make to to the Gulf, but darn close in my opinion!  Very cool.

I'll leave out the very long drive and just say I saw some very interesting things like the Flint Hills of Kansas,  Arbuckle Mountains in Oklahoma, Kansas City at night, part of the Mormon trail, longhorn cattle, buffalo, nice waysides, not so good waysides, and some others that are eluding my sleep deprived brain right now.

We arrived in San Antonio late afternoon on Wednesday, checked into the hotel, got our convention information, and went in quest of dinner.  The convention center and hotel were located right on San Antonio's famous Riverwalk and I spent nearly every non-convention moment outside enjoying this great resource. 

Riverwalk in the morning before the weekend crowds.

Thursday morning before it got too warm (warm being 80*F/26*C at 930am) we did a lengthy walk around the Riverwalk in the immediate area, then went and toured the Alamo before heading off to convention panels.

The Alamo at night.

Thursday I attended:
Fantastic London.  London has inspired many fantasy writers and continues to do so.  What is it that intrigues us?
What Makes a Review Great?  Many of us rely on reviews to point us at new authors and new and interesting work from people whose work we know. What makes a review useful, entertaining, or great?  Who is reviewing different from criticism, and where should be go to find the the best of each? 
Self Promotion: Everything You Know About It is Wrong. Done properly, self-promotion is an important part of building a career.  Poorly excecuted, self promotion can do more harm than good.  How is the conventional wisdom wrong?  What are the more advisable but underrated neglected approaches. 

AND!  Best of all!  A GHOST TOUR!  Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours of San Antonio do a walking tour of the historic and haunted buildings of downtown San Antonio.  While the group was rather large (upwards of 50 people), it was still well done and interesting.

San Fernando Cathedral.  Haunted! 

Friday I attended:
Knitters Group.  Self explanatory. 
The History of Texas.  An overview of the history of the great state of Texas. We learn what makes it unique within the history of the US, Mexico and the world at large.  
Klingon Language Lecture.  Dr. Lawrence Schoen may be a Hugo and Nebula nominated author, but he's also the founder and director of the Klingon Language Institute, where for more than 20 years he's been promoting the warrior's tongue around the globe.  
Ravelry Meetup.  More knitting. 
The Romance of Military SF. What draws and attracts readers to military SF?  Is it the romance? The sound of laser blasting?  We hear discussion from several purveyors and enthusiasts of the subgenre. 

Friday we discovered the very under utilized indoor/outdoor pool on the seventh floor of the hotel.  Nice way to unwind after a busy day.

Saturday I attended:
History of San Antonio.  A general overview of the history of San Antonio, including it's most famous landmark, The Alamo. 

Then I went for a walk and browsed the craft vendors set up along the Riverwalk. 


SFF South of the (US) Border:  Mexican SF and Fantastic Fiction.  Bruce Sterling wrote "Mexican SF is intensely fantastic, but it's not very sci-fi.   It's a New World science fiction without the stabilizing presence of engineers and American gadget magazines.  Explore what's going on south of the Rio Grande and see how it lines up with this assessment. 
Novels You Should Have Read since Chicon 7 (Chicago Worldcon).
Famous Last Stands: The Alamo, Masada and Thermopylae. The Alamo is one of the most famous historic memorials in the US. How does the battle here compare with similar past events.  How did these events change history?  Could it have been avoided?  Should it have been avoided?
Space Opera: More than Mind Candy?  After our panelists finish defining Space Opera and their favorites, we get down to the brass tacks:  is it just entertainment?  Can it have predictive value?  Discuss socially relevant issues?  What gems are often overlooked?  What about this subgenre is so inspiring or even aspirational? 

Sunday:
I was going to participate in a "Walk with the Authors" to the Alamo, but upon finding another group of 50+, I bailed and did the San Antonio Trolly Tour.  Wish I had done that earlier.

One of four Missions found in the San Antonio area.

But is it Science Fiction?  Why do some reviewers, authors and academics seem to confuse the sub-genre of space opera with the entire field of SF?  What do mainstream authors miss when the write SF without being aware of what's already been written? How can SF authors gain credibility in winder literary circles, or is it even important to do so?
Space is Really the Old West. Wagon train to the stars is a familiar trope in SF.  Immense distances of space form obstacles and difficulties analogous to those encountered by settlers as they crossed and colonized the continent.  Is space any different? 
Consider Iain M. Banks.  Writer or SF and especially space opera.  Did he build a utopia you'd want to live in?  He set out to "reclaim space opera". Did he succeed?  
Almost Nominated.  We all know who made the Hugo Nominee list this eyar.  But what about those who were just a few points shy of the list?  

 Then I went for another walk about the Riverwalk.  Hard to stay inside when it's 90*/28* and sunny!

We skipped sitting through the Hugo Awards this year and opted for a swim instead.  We chose wisely.  

And Monday we were on the road again by 7am for the return journey home.  First nights destination was North of Kansas City.  Tuesday I was back in Duluth by 700pm.  Lotta miles in those two days!

Great trip, would love to go back to San Antonio as a tourist.  The next Worldcon will be Spokane in 2015! 

Ya'll come back now! 

2013 Hugo Awards: Novellas

I'm attending the World Science Fiction Convention (aka Worldcon) in San Antonio, TX, this year.  As an attending member I am eligible to vote on the 2013 Hugo Nominees.  During June and July I've been reviewing the Short Stories, Novelettes, Novellas, Novels.    I was hoping to get to the Campbell Awards and maybe some movies, but ran out of time.  Click here for the full Worldcon 2013 Hugo Nominee list.   


In order of my preference: 

After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall  by Nancy Kress
This story engaged me from the beginning.  A very different end of the world/beginning of the new world plot - for the characters at least.  The reality of Yellowstone blowing, a microorganism mutating and tusunami's taking out the world - that is very real.  I like that mix of scifi and speculative works of nature.  Add in a touch of humanism and you have one heck of a story.

The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson

Interesting concept.  Yes.  Actually, several interesting concepts deftly woven into this plot. To manipulate by telling the truth.  To bring into existence something greater than the original.  To encourage what is to be something more that what it was. 

The Stars Do Not Lie  by Jay Lake
Unfortunately, I bounced off of this selection.  It...didn't pull me in. I couldn't relate to the characters, the steam punk setting was just that - steam punk, and I was not interested in the religion vs science storyline. 


On a Red Station, Drifting  by Aliette de Bodard
I found this selection...tedious.  Not because of the use of the Viet culture - which was extremely refreshing from the usual Nordic backdrop.  I couldn't get into the story or care about any of the characters.  It felt heavy and bogged down, full of angry self-centered people.  I like my stories to be a bit more escapist.






San Diego 2014 by Mira Grant
Completely lost interest at page one.  Personally, I didn't want to read another Newsflash story.  

Blackout by Mira Grant

Blackout by Mira Grant

My rating: 2 of 5 stars




Jacket Blurb:  Rise up while you can. -Georgia Mason

The year was 2014. The year we cured cancer. The year we cured the common cold. And the year the dead started to walk. The year of the Rising.

The year was 2039. The world didn't end when the zombies came, it just got worse. Georgia and Shaun Mason set out on the biggest story of their generation. They uncovered the biggest conspiracy since the Rising and realized that to tell the truth, sacrifices have to be made.

Now, the year is 2041, and the investigation that began with the election of President Ryman is much bigger than anyone had assumed. With too much left to do and not much time left to do it in, the surviving staff of After the End Times must face mad scientists, zombie bears, rogue government agencies-and if there's one thing they know is true in post-zombie America, it's this:

Things can always get worse


Hugo Nominee 2013

Book three in a series that focus's on the people living in a world dominated by zombies - but it's not about the zombies themselves.  Our group of main characters continues to struggle against the Center for Disease Control's nefarious plots of corruption and conspiracy but without the edgy blogging that dominated book one and two. 

I thought this book could have been about 100 pages shorter and better for it.  The running hither and tither in great angst and anticipation, fighting suddenly amplified lab assistants, large angry animals and fast talking around nervous independent settlers had gone it's course.  The one positive was there was a bit more personal interaction and thus more character development through that interaction than in previous books.

Uff.  Trying to do this without spoilers...

The book felt like a rehashing of the previous two books, where our illustrious team is up against impossible odds: the threat of death imminent from guns, grenades, decontamination procedures that kill, zombies and imminent amplification; and yet, miraculously makes it out the other side of the building to run away and fight another day.   Very much a been there. Done that.

By the time we hit Big Revelation One and Two, instead of being thrilled and titillated, my reaction was one of sarcastic, eye rolling, "Oh, we didn't see that coming...".   It was compounded by two plot lines that should have merged immediately yet the author continued for numerous pages replaying the scene from alternating perspectives.  Once was enough.

When it comes down to it, I liked book three the least, I had a hard time finding the motivation to continue reading it, and was very glad when it was finally over.



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Captain Vopatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold

Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb:  Captain Vorpatril is happy with his relatively uneventful bachelor’s life as a staff officer to a Barrayaran admiral, assigned to the planet Komarr, far from the Byzantine court politics of his home system. 

This content existence is shattered when an old friend in Barrayaran intelligence asks Ivan to protect an attractive young woman, who may be on the hit list of a criminal syndicate. Ivan’s chivalrous nature takes over, and it seems danger and adventure have once more found Captain Vorpatril.

Tej Arqua and her half-sister and servant Rish are fleeing the violent overthrow of their clan on the free-for-all planet of Jackson’s Whole.  Now it seems Tej may possess a hidden secret of which even she may not be aware. It’s a secret that could corrupt the heart of a highly regarded Barayarran family and provide the final advantage to the thugs who seek to overthrow Tej’s homeworld.  But none of Tej’s formidable adversaries have counted on Ivan Vorpatril.  For behind Ivan’s facade of wry and self-effacing humor lies a true and cunning protector who will never leave a distressed lady in the lurch–up to and including making the ultimate sacrifice to keep her from harm.

2013 Hugo Novel Nominee

A light space romance that was about 100 pages too long.

Bujold's books tend to be dialog driven, with just enough description to give you an idea of how people look in their snazzy uniforms and an impression of the city or space station they are living on.  My complaint with dialog driven books is there are often not enough cues as to whom is talking and I have to go back and carefully do the he said/he said only to find out there was a she said added in.

The main cast of characters in this one seemed to alternate acting like the High-born adults they were and teenagers who were allowed off the space station for the first time in their lives.  A dichotomy of ones rank and place in the world, then behaving in a manner that was incongruous with that rank of birth.

And of course, all the Vorkosigan favorites are trotted out at one point or another.

Ultimately, not a favorite, but I enjoyed it as the light entertainment it offers, lots of fun, witty comments throughout the book.  A good book to read in an airport or at the beach as it can be easily picked up and put down, especially if you are already familiar with Bujold's Vorkosigan world. 



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Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed

Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed

My rating: 4 of 5 stars






Jacket Blurb:  The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, home to djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, are at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron-fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. It is up to a handful of heroes to learn the truth behind these killings.

Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, “the last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat,” just wants a quiet cup of tea. Three score and more years old, he has grown weary of hunting monsters and saving lives, and is more than ready to retire from his dangerous and demanding vocation. But when an old flame’s family is murdered, Adoulla is drawn back to the hunter’s path.

Raseed bas Raseed, Adoulla’s young assistant, is a hidebound holy warrior whose prowess is matched only by his piety. But even as Raseed’s sword is tested by ghuls and manjackals, his soul is tested when he and Adoulla cross paths with the tribeswoman Zamia.

Zamia Badawi, Protector of the Band, has been gifted with the near-mythical power of the lion-shape, but shunned by her people for daring to take up a man’s title. She lives only to avenge her father’s death. Until she learns that Adoulla and his allies also hunt her father’s killer. Until she meets Raseed.

When they learn that the murders and the Falcon Prince’s brewing revolution are connected, the companions must race against time—and struggle against their own misgivings—to save the life of a vicious despot. In so doing they discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin

 
This is a 2013 Hugo Novel Nominee. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story - set in an exotic land with magic, evil khalif, eastern Robin Hoods, djinns, and ghuls.   The last demon-hunter is now an old man with a young, noble hearted - but slightly misguided - warrior as an apprentice.  We meet a Badwai desert shape-changer, and feel the affection between a magic-worker and his apothecary wife.  There's love, disappointment, and promises to be honored.  We have the "great city of Dhamsawaat" that is seen from the eyes of the old and young, from the viewpoint of City dwellers and desert tribesman. 

Throne of the Crescent Moon is as rich as any middle eastern tapestry - deftly woven, delightful colors, intricate in it's design.  For some, it might be a bit...flat; others will delight in the nuances offered.

I've heard it touted as reminiscent of Arabian Nights, but I thought the only similarity was it's Far Eastern setting.  And while not marketed as YA, it's definitely straddles that line. 

Recommended if you don't mind YA.  



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2013 Hugo Nominees: Novelettes

I'm attending the World Science Fiction Convention (aka Worldcon) in San Antonio, TX, this year.  As an attending member I am eligible to vote on the 2013 Hugo Nominees.  During June and July you'll see reviews for Novelettes, Novellas, Novels, and the Campbell Awards.  And maybe some movies if time permits.  Click here for the full Worldcon 2013 Hugo Nominee list.  

This posting will cover the Novelettes.  In order of my preference.

The Boy Who Cast No Shadow by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
I thought this selection was incredible. How his concepts of being 'different' were portrayed through two young boys - one who cast no shadow and one made of glass was amazing and moving.  

The Girl-Thing Who Went out for Sushi by Pat Cadigan
Refreshingly different.  Earth people have moved out beyond Jupiter, and beyond Earth norms.  Adapting to life in space may also mean becoming an alternate form such as an octopus, puffer, and Nautilus - or "sushi".  Which brings about a whole new set of terminology and fear and loathing about the perceptions of what people do to themselves.  

Rat-Catcher by Seanan McGuire
A jaunt through time, back to the fae in England before the burning of London.  We have our Court of Cats, a young foolish Prince and his sisters, and ultimately, responsibility.  Who is responsible to whom?  Does a person have a choice in their decisions or is their path predetermined?  Whatever one thinks of Seanan McGuire, I honestly thought this was her strongest story yet. 

In Sea-Salt Tears by Seanan McGuire
A different look at the fae.  Instead of being based in England, the background is set in California.  A story about choices - that the call of the sea can come from different places.  That the choices made have ramifications that will cross generations. 

Interesting how both of McGuires stories started with a quote from Shakespeare.  Are they meant to be read as a pair? If so, should one be read before the other? Are they part of something more to come or some other story that wasn't nominated?   I have no idea.

Fade to White by Catherynne M. Valente
Alternative Cold-war history.  I was underwhelmed or uninspired by this one.  For myself, it was a bit cold and sterile, which I believe was rather the point. 

2013 Hugo Nominees: Short Stories

I'm attending the World Science Fiction Convention (aka Worldcon) in San Antonio, TX, this year.  As an attending member I am eligible to vote on the 2013 Hugo Nominees.  So over the next couple of months you see reviews for Novelettes, Novellas, Novels, and the Campbell Awards.  And maybe some movies if time permits.  Click here for the full Worldcon 2013 Hugo Nominee list. 

Only three Short Story Nominees for 2013, and the nominees are not surprising.  All have been consistent showings on the Hugo Ballot for several years, and all have been consistently good.  I may not have necessarily liked the stories, but so it goes.  

"Mono no Aware" by Ken Liu
Published in The Future Is Japanese ed. Hiakasoru (VIS Media, LLC)
Excellent!  Mono no aware - the sense of transience of all things in life.  Or, as young Hiroto said in the story "It is like a gentle kitten is licking the inside of my heart".  And, ultimately, "We are defined by the places we hold in the web of others’ lives." 

"Immersion" by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld, June 2012)
Interesting layers woven into so few pages.  Not as much emotional punch as "Mono no Aware". 

"Mantis Wives" by Kij Johnson (Clarksworld, August 2012)
Similar to the short story Ponies from the 2011 Ballot...disturbing.  I suspect the author liked to fry ants with a magnifying glass as a small child. 

Minicon 2013

Minicon weekend!  Minicon 48 to be exact.  Held once again in Bloomington at the Radisson/Sheraton/DoubleTree Hotel - which the convention re-named the RadiShTree.  Hehe!


Guest of Honor was Julie Czerneda.  I thought she was a fabulous GoH - fun, bubbly, entertaining, enthusiastic, outgoing, engaging.  I did regret not signing up for "Breakfast with Julie" - I brainfarted the opportunity then it was too late.  Alas.

Panels I attended this year included:
O, Canada! - was a discussion on how Canada is different from the States.  Since I live 150 miles from the Canadian border, nothing I didn't already know.  I was hoping for someone to bring up Canadian authors, but I left before that could develop. 

The Hero(ine's) Journey - how a woman's quest is different than a man's from the beginning to the end. 

The Year in SF - a major dud.  Ended up being one panelists discourse on how students aren't reading anymore.  Not sure how that relates to books in 2012.  I think the panel member's need to be canned and replaced. 

Wait, What Do you Mean Pluto's Not a Planet - a panel of five dominated by one fellow who left three hours of notes at home for a one hour panel, yet he managed to ramble on about the Cuniper system for a half hour anyway.  Moderately interesting.

GOH Interview: Julie Czerneda - best panel hands down.  Love listening to her.

Community in the Info Age - point was lost.  I knitted.

Striking a Pose - a discussion of Jim C. Hein's popular blog of the unrealistic poses artists put women into on the covers of books.  Decent slide show, annoying audience.

My friend and I did find ourselves with several hours of downtime over the noon hour on Saturday so we popped up to 50th and France in Edina and hit a clothing store and a kitchen store before lunch at the extremely busy (note to self...) Edina Grill.  A cupcake from the Cupcake Shoppe across the street topped off the excursion. 

Sunday's panels didn't enthuse my friend or myself so we called it a weekend and parted ways at 1130am.

The BIG EVENT was the live announcement of the 2013 Hugo Nominees.  (Full listing can be found here):

BEST NOVEL

• Throne of the Crescent Moon, Saladin Ahmed (DAW; Gollancz ’13)
• Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen)
• Blackout, Mira Grant (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
• 2312, Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
• Redshirts, John Scalzi (Tor; Gollancz)

BEST NOVELLA

• On a Red Station, Drifting, Aliette de Bodard (Immersion)
• San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats, Mira Grant (Orbit Short Fiction)
• ‘‘The Stars Do Not Lie’’, Jay Lake (Asimov’s 10-11/12)
• After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, Nancy Kress (Tachyon)
• The Emperor’s Soul, Brandon Sanderson (Tachyon)

BEST NOVELETTE

• ‘‘The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for Sushi’’, Pat Cadigan (Edge of Infinity)
• ‘‘In Sea-Salt Tears’’, Seanan McGuire (Self-published)
• ‘‘Rat-Catcher’’, Seanan McGuire (A Fantasy Medley 2)
• ‘‘The Boy Who Cast No Shadow’’, Thomas Olde Heuvelt (Postscripts 26/27: Unfit For Eden)
• ‘‘Fade to White’’, Catherynne M. Valente (Clarkesworld 8/12)

BEST SHORT STORY

• ‘‘Immersion’’, Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld 6/12)
• ‘‘Mantis Wives’’, Kij Johnson (Clarkesworld 8/12)
• ‘‘Mono no Aware’’, Ken Liu (The Future Is Japanese)

2012 Campbell Nominees

And, finally, the 2012 Campbell Nominees.  I fully admit I'm burnt out on reading at this point. 

Campbell Nominees (Best New Writer w/ 2 year eligibility)

E. Lily Yu "Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees", "Transfiguration of Maria Luisa Ortega", "The Lamp at the Turning" Yu is good at short stories. Each of these was engaging and interesting. I would like to see a longer work by her.

Mur Lafferty "An Argument Against Louis Pasteur"   An amusing tale of food poisoning and egos.

Brad R. Torgersen "Exanastasis"  This was...okay.  A story about second chances. 

I ran out of time and couldn't get to these two.  Redemption in Indigo in particular looks like it would be very interesting to read. 

Stina Leicht Blood and Honey: The Fey and the Fallen Book 1 (novel)
From Goodreads.com: Liam never knew who his father was. The town of Derry had always assumed that he was the bastard of a protestant — his mother never spoke of him, and Liam assumed he was dead. But when the war between the fallen and the fey began to heat up, Liam and his family are pulled into a conflict that they didn't know existed.

A centuries old conflict between supernatural forces seems to mirror the political divisions in 1970's era Ireland, and Liam is thrown headlong into both conflicts! Only the direct intervention of Liam's real father, and a secret catholic order dedicated to fighting "The Fallen" can save Liam... from the mundane and supernatural forces around him, and from the darkness that lurks within him.


Karen Lord Redemption in Indigo (novel)
From Goodreads.com:  Karen Lord’s debut novel is an intricately woven tale of adventure, magic, and the power of the human spirit. Paama’s husband is a fool and a glutton. Bad enough that he followed her to her parents’ home in the village of Makendha—now he’s disgraced himself by murdering livestock and stealing corn. When Paama leaves him for good, she attracts the attention of the undying ones—the djombi— who present her with a gift: the Chaos Stick, which allows her to manipulate the subtle forces of the world. Unfortunately, a wrathful djombi with indigo skin believes this power should be his and his alone.

Bursting with humor and rich in fantastic detail, Redemption in Indigo is a clever, contemporary fairy tale that introduces readers to a dynamic new voice in Caribbean literature. Lord’s world of spider tricksters and indigo immortals is inspired in part by a Senegalese folk tale—but Paama’s adventures are fresh, surprising, and utterly original.

To re-cap (in no particular order) the 2012 nominees: 

Novel:
Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor)
Deadline by Mira Grant (Orbit)
Embassytown by China Miéville (Macmillan / Del Rey)
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (Orbit)
Dance with Dragons  by George RR Martin  (didn't read)



 Novella Nominees:
Countdown by Mira Grant (Orbit)
“The Ice Owl” by Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, November/December 2011)
“Kiss Me Twice” by Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov's, June 2011)
“The Man Who Bridged the Mist” by Kij Johnson (Asimov's, September/October 2011)
“The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary” by Ken Liu (Panverse 3)
Silently and Very Fast by Catherynne M. Valente (Clarkesworld / WSFA)

Novelette Nominees
 “The Copenhagen Interpretation” by Paul Cornell (Asimov's, July 2011)
“Fields of Gold” by Rachel Swirsky (Eclipse Four)
“Ray of Light” by Brad R. Torgersen (Analog, December 2011)
“Six Months, Three Days” by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor.com)

“What We Found” by Geoff Ryman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, September/October 2011)

Short Story Nominees

“The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” by E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld, April 2011)

“The Homecoming” by Mike Resnick (Asimov's, April/May 2011)

“Movement” by Nancy Fulda (Asimov's, March 2011)

“The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April 2011)
“Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue” by John Scalzi (Tor.com)

Did I mention I'm burnt out?  This is all I'm going to vote on.  There several other categories including Best Dramatic Presentation Long Form, Best Dramatic Presentation Short Form, Best Editor Long Form, Best Editor Short Form Best Artist, Best Graphic Novel, Bestest Fan, Bestest Fanzine,  Bestest Fan Artist, Best Semiprozine, Best Related Work, Best Alien, Best Planet...no, not really  on the last two, but it sure seems that way.  Too many categories in my opinion.  They should drop  the Best Dramatic Presentation Short Form because it's always Dr. Who.  Seriously.  I swear for the last several years 3 or 4 of the nominees are Dr. Who episodes. 

But I digress. 

Watch the blog come Labor Day weekend.  I'll post the results live from Chicon 7: the 70th World Science Fiction Convention!

 

2012 Novella Hugo Nominees

This was a difficult group to rank due to the diversity of the novellas and the world and character building in each.  For myself, it came down to personal preference and what *I* like to read in a shorter work.   As of typing this out (middle of July) I only have the Cambell Award Nominees yet to read.  Making progress and looking forward to just being done with them all. 


In order of my preference:

“The Man Who Bridged the Mist” by Kij Johnson (Asimov's, September/October 2011)
I knew this one was going to be good. Kij's short story "Ponies" from 2011 Hugo Nominees elicited a very strong Ewww response. If a writer can pull an emotion out of the reader like that, they know how to write. Kij had demonstrated she knows how to write well.  Man/Bridged had a fascinating world setting and was an interesting look at how a large scale project can be looked at in so many different ways. Well done.

“Kiss Me Twice” by Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov's, June 2011)
Rather interesting futuristic world with different 'levels' of Artificial Intelligence.  Metta, our police AI, has found herself kidnapped and her Beta must help Detective Huang figure out where her Prime is.  Nicely convoluted with good concepts. Could have been fleshed out just a bit more in my opinion.  My main complaint was the endless May West quotes.  Not a fan.

“The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary” by Ken Liu (Panverse 3)

A historical-fictional look at atrocities committed against the Chinese in WWII. Interesting from a historical perspective, had the science and physics with the time machine, add those together and the whole story came across as heavy handed. Personally, I like my history and fiction kept separate, so I was less than thrilled with this selection. However, you could tell the author was very passionate about the topic and that I could appreciate.

“The Ice Owl” by Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, November/December 2011)

A young girl learns that responsibility for ones actions has ramifications across time and space.  Despite an interesting world/universe setting and a solid plot, I thought the ending was lacking.

Countdown by Mira Grant (Orbit)

The background story for how the Zombie virus came into existence for the Feed and Deadline books.  Interesting enough if you are into Mira's books, but overall sort of just "Meh, that was nice."  

Silently and Very Fast" by Catherynne M. Valente (Clarkesworld / WSFA)
I could not get into this selection.  In my opinion, which really means nothing in the grand scheme of things, I found this to be a very tedious read.  How to describe?  Here is the blurb from Goodreads.com:  Neva is dreaming. But she is not alone. A mysterious machine entity called Elefsis haunts her and the members of her family, back through the generations to her great-great-grandmother -- a gifted computer programmer who changed the world. Together Neva and Elefsis navigate their history and their future, an uneasy, unwilling symbiote.   But what they discover in their dreamworld might change them forever...

Honestly, I couldn't bring myself to care at the  halfway point.  I tried to keep going, but ultimately said to heck with it.  And that was while I was stuck waiting in the Doctor's office.  You know the wait...when they shut the door and disappear for like half an hour?  Yeah, like that. 

2012 Novelette Hugo Nominee's

Best Novelette (7500 - 17500 words)
I'm slowly making progress on the 2012 Hugo Nominees.  What I like about the Short Stories and Novelette is I can fit them in when I have a few moments of quiet.  As of this posting, I still have the Novellas and Campbell Nominees to read. 

Again, hard to sumaraize when the story is already so short to begin with.  These are in order of my preference.   I really wasn't impressed with any of the  novelette selections this year; nothing lept out at me,  none of them seemed overly stellar.  Obviously somebody thought these were worthy, but it makes me wonder about the quality of what didn't get voted on.


“What We Found” by Geoff Ryman (The Magazine of Fantasy &; Science Fiction, September/October 2011)   Set in Africa.  Science and a family's past; can the future be changed?

“Six Months, Three Days” by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor.com)  Two people who can read the future, but in different ways, share six months and three days.  A story about complacency and action.

“Ray of Light” by Brad R. Torgersen (Analog, December 2011)    Reminiscent of Spin by Robert Charles Wilson; Aliens change the world and we retreat under the sea.  One scientists daughter chaleanges the status quo by going to the surface.

“Fields of Gold” by Rachel Swirsky (Eclipse Four)   Being dead, doing over, you can go back.

“The Copenhagen Interpretation” by Paul Cornell (Asimov's, July 2011)    Not really sure what the heck this was about...I found it confusing and incomplete.  

2012 Short Story Hugo Nominees

The 2012 Hugo Nominee Short Stories, ranked in order of my preference. Problem with a short story is too much of a summary and I’ve given the plot away. Instead, I’ve settled on just a couple words to try and convey my impressions.



“The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu ( The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April 2011)   A Chinese-American child grows to resent his mother and the understanding and forgiveness that comes too late.

“Movement” by Nancy Fulda (Asimov's, March 2011) Autism from the autistic’s persons point of view.


“The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” by E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld, April 2011).     Reminiscent of the fable of the Grasshopper and the Ants but different.


“The Homecoming”  by Mike Resnick (Asimov's, April/May 2011)      A young man follows his dream to the stars, but his father resents him for leaving  him and his mother and ultimately, understanding and forgiveness.


“Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue” by John Scalzi (Tor.com)   Contrived fantasy. 

Deadline by Mira Grant

Deadline by Mira Grant


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Deadline follows 2010’s book Feed, which was also nominated for a Hugo Award. I can assuredly say Deadline is my second ‘zombie’ book, but I must also strongly stress that these books are NOT about the zombies. They just provide the world setting. Feed and Deadline seem to illicit a ‘love it’ or ‘hate it’ response and I find myself straddling the line with ‘enjoyed it’, I can't gush about the book, nor did I absolutely hate it.


Is it Hugo worthy? Good question, as that would entail defining what a “Hugo” worthy book is at any given point in time. Which I’m not going to get into here.


Deadline picks up about a year after Feed. The world hasn’t changed. The virus is still running rampant. Outbreaks continue to happen. Blood tests remain the norm. And with it all, the newsfeeds are still going strong.


Our cast of characters finds themselves investigating the Center for Disease Control after one of their Doctors shows up on the groups Oakland, California, doorstep and then they are off and running for their lives. Each step along the way brings them one step closer to the truth, and one step closer to imminent death from something other than a zombie virus.


As I said above, while I enjoyed it, I did grow a bit weary at the continual “Run for your lives!”. Perhaps it is because I read police procedurals where so much is reasoned out rather than blundered upon and running happens at the Big Conclusion. In Deadline, our Group travels to point A. Whoops! Gotta run. Retreat. Group travels to point B. Whoops! Gotta run! Retreat. Well, let’s watch our group travel to point C. Whoops! Gotta run.! Now drive really fast while you retreat! Repeat a few more times.


I did like the character development in this one - our lovely Becks (Rebecca) has to throw herself at Shaun to get him to see that desires him, and then it blows up in both their faces. Nice touch that. Shaun is not coping well with the loss of his sister, and he talks to her - and she talks back. The gang is learning their strong points and the weak ones, that loss happens and meanwhile, trust nothing.


So ultimately, yes, I had fun reading Deadline, but I just don’t consider this to be strong Hugo material.


My initial Hugo Novel Nominiee ranking:

Embassytown
Leviathan Wakes
Among Others
Deadline
Dance with Dragons



View all my reviews

Embassytown by China Mieville

Embassytown by China Miéville


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is book #3 for the 2012 Hugo Nominee in the Novel category. After a rough start to this book in which I kept falling asleep - not the books fault! I was exhausted - I was finally able to get into the story and buzzed through it in a week.

From Goodreads.com:  China Miéville doesn’t follow trends, he sets them. Relentlessly pushing his own boundaries as a writer—and in the process expanding the boundaries of the entire field—with Embassytown, Miéville has crafted an extraordinary novel that is not only a moving personal drama but a gripping adventure of alien contact and war.


In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe, one that only a few altered human ambassadors can speak.

Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. She cannot speak the Ariekei tongue, but she is an indelible part of it, having long ago been made a figure of speech, a living simile in their language.


When distant political machinations deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset. Catastrophe looms, and Avice is torn between competing loyalties—to a husband she no longer loves, to a system she no longer trusts, and to her place in a language she cannot speak yet speaks through her.



This is a blending of the strange world Mieville created with The Scar, Perdido St. Station and Iron Horse and with last book The City and The City ("It's not a secret, it's not a thought." pg 168. echoing the concept of 'unseeing'). I found Embassytown absolutely fascinating. I know others are completely bouncing off of it.


This is a book about Language and understanding Language. Yes, with a capitol letter. A Language that can only be heard if something sentient speaks it, to be repeated through mass media has no meaning or context and is a garble of noise. A society that cannot lie, but understands the meaning of lies. A Language that when spoken by the right humans, is a drug more addictive than any thing that can be taken physically. And it's a story about language (yes, with a small 'L') and how stupid and ignorant people can be. It's about miscommunication, real communication, and trying to understand what is being said.


I hit a couple of minor issues: with all the world building that Mieville does, and in this book he moves into the larger universe with a wonderful set of aliens and technology or bio-ology, a couple of archaic and mundane items jumped out at me: a formal event with all the glam that Mievlle brings to his societies and he had a main character of the moment in a tux with a white rose. That kinda threw me. And we have a peoples far far removed from Terra Firma (they don't even know where Earth is anymore) and yet they were using "Christ!" and "Jesus!" as swear words. A bit anachronistic perhaps? Granted, the author did add on pharotekton, as in "Christ Pharotekton!" but it felt as if it was just that, an add on.


I thought this story was brilliant. I can't say that you will come to the same conclusion. It's one of "those" books that people either love or truly despise.





View all my reviews

 

Among Others by Jo Walton

Among Others by Jo Walton


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This won the 2011 Nebula Award for novel category.


This is nominated for the 2012 Hugo Award.


I enjoyed this selection. It had wit, it was charming, it was engrossing, I enjoyed the 'memoir style and I'm *not* a dairy type person. The main character wasn't perfect - she was full of doubt, she struggled with "maths", she could be arrogant and conceited, but yet, stood firm in her beliefs. It didn’t feel like this was a ‘coming of age’ book, this young gal ‘came of age’ before the book even began, but adding in the teen angst of not fitting in, I think those of us who read scifi and fantasy growing up know the feeling and could relate to her character.


Science fiction, no. Fantasy, more so. But the reference to all those early science fiction books was nicely done. I did question more than once her ability to read that much, but I have to recall that when I was a teenager, that was all I did and I could read three, four books a week (this was when the 500pg tomes were starting to hit the shelves). However, I didn't find the weekly book group realistic with the number of books they were reading in addition to everything else she was reading.


Recommended if you like memoir style writing, light fantasy and frequent references to past science fiction.



View all my reviews

So, Among Others is the opposite end of the scifi spectrum from Leviathan Wakes so I'm not sure it’s fair or possible to compare the two. 
The 2012 Hugo Nominees
Leviathan Wakes    by James SA Corey   (click to see review)
Among Others       by Jo Walton
Deadline                 by Mira Grant
Embassytown       by China Mieville
Dance with Dragons   by GRR Martin