Embers of War (Embers of War #1)

Embers of War by Gareth L Powell is a great science fiction novel with an AI ship as one of the main characters. 

The Trouble Dog, designed as one of five fighting ships, retired her commission a the end of the last war and is now working with the House of Reclamation. The House has a ragtag fleet of ships and people who go where they need to help rescue of those who need it.

Captain Sal Konstanz is from a planet that was entirely destroyed during the last war. She has always been on the side of helping, flying a first aid resupply ship during the war. She actually comes from a long line of people who, unlike all other humans in the galaxy, do not seek riches or fame, but just to do their part for all living creatures. 

When a cruise ship sends a distress signal from the Artefact system, Trouble Dog, Sal and the crew are the closest ship that can help. 

Ona Sudek, a poet who has gained some acclaim from her war poetry is on the cruise ship when it is hit. They crash into one of the planets called artefacts because someone carved them into shapes. This one looks like a giant brain. 

This first book in the Embers of War series is a great read of any science fiction fans, but particularly of the Patricia Hutchins series by Jack McDevitt. 

Powell, Gareth L. (2018). Embers of War. London: Titan Books.

Binti: The Complete Trilogy

Binti: The Complete Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor is a great science fiction series. To read the books individually, they are: 1. Binti; 2. Home; 3. The Night Masquerade. 

Binti is the first of the Himba people to be accepted to the Oomza Univeristy - the most diverse university of the universe. Very few humans from anywhere have been accepted. 

In Binti's family and culture people do not leave. But she wants so badly to go that she sneaks out and gets on the spaceship. 

When the spaceship is attacked by aliens, Binti is the only survivor. When she realizes she can communicate with the aliens and that they are taking the ship to the University to attack an old enemy. 

Okorafor is a wonderful storyteller. Binti is a great character who is navigating a whole new universe with aplomb. 

Okorakor, Nnedi. (2019). Binti: The Complete Trilogy. New York: Daw.

Light from Uncommon Stars

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki is a breathtakingly beautiful story and a special treat for musicians.

Shizuka Satomi is a violin teacher with a reputation of training masterful musicians who die young. That is because she has made a deal with a demon - she has to deliver the souls of seven violists in exchange for her own life.

Katrina Nguyen is a teen runaway staying with an acquaintance in the San Gabriel Valley, California. She is a mostly self-taught violinist who prefers to play gaming music. 

Shizuka meets Katrina in the park. Katrina is playing and Shizuka has returned home after many decades away. The neighborhood has changed a lot. One thing that Shizuka is pleased to see is that the giant donut still exists. 

Lan Tran and her family run Starrgate Donut. Captain Tran and her family traveled through galaxies to find Earth. Now they are setting up a stargate using the giant donut.

These three characters, plus a brilliant luthier, come together in interesting ways in this beautiful story. This is one of the best books I have read this year (a year of wonderful books)! Buy one for yourself of any musicians in your life.

Aoki, Ryka. (2021). Light from Uncommon Stars. New York: Tor.

The Galaxy and the Ground Within (Wayfarers #4)

The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers is the final book of her Wayfarers science fiction series - one of my favorite book series of any genre!

The planet of Gora has not water or life. However, it is perfectly situated at the crossroads of five wormholes that see huge numbers of ships each standard. Since people often have a wait to transmit to the next gate, inns and entertainment venues have been built on the stark planet.

Once such place is the Five-Hop One-Stop. An eclectic inn that tries to cater to all forms of life that may visit. 

With a satellite system malfunction, the three strangers who have landed will be staying for longer that they thought. The two hosts, one exiled artist, one cargo runner and a mysterious person whose species is rarely seen will all have time to get to know each other better. 

Chambers is a wonderful story teller. Her characters and species of sentient beings are well thought out and fully formed. This is one of two complete series I own. I plan on rereading it about once per year! The entire series won a Hugo Award. Get started reading it today!

Chambers, Becky. (2021). The Galaxy and the Ground Within. New York: Harper Voyager. 

A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan #2)

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine is the second book in the Teixcalaan empire science fiction series. 

Mahit Dzmare is the ambassador to Teixcalaan from the small Lsel Station, a nation floating in space untied to any planet. She is home after an emotional start to her job in the capital city planet of Teixcalaan. She is hoping to take a small break from the intensity of politics - only to find herself in danger from one of her counselors. 

Back in Teixcalaan, Three Seagrass has been promoted. When she gets a request from their starships at the front of a new war - a request for someone to try and understand the alien language - she assigns herself to the job. She plans to pick up Mahit Dzmare on her way, as the fighting is just outside Lsel space's jumpgate.

This second book is every bit as good as the first. Martine's series has quickly become one of my top three science fiction series of all time! Can't wait for more...

Martine, Arkady. (2021). A Desolation Called Peace. New York: Tor. 

A Chain Across the Dawn (Universe After #2)

A Chain Across the Dawn by Drew Williams is the second book in the science fiction series Universe After. 

Jane and Esa, a girl she rescued who has joined her mission, travel the stars in search of children with a gift - running into trouble occasionally. 

Jane and Esa are headed to a planet that should have little higher technology. The pulse wiped out most of it. They arrive in the middle of a war - the three sects always battling each other. 

They are looking for a young Wulf pup who controls, maybe even produces electricity. Arriving in the middle of the fighting will reduce the time they have to get him and get out safely.

Williams has written some great characters in this series. Their story continues here, with some more hints to the overall universe and what may come next. Great science fiction, fast reading.

Williams, Drew. (2019). A Chain Across the Dawn. New York: Tor.

The Stars Now Unclaimed (Universe After #1)

The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams is the first book in the Universe After series, a fast-paced race through the galaxies. 

About 100 years ago, a pulse traveled across known space, knocking out technology as it went. No all planets were hit at the same level. Some sent back to pre-combustion engine and some left virtually untouched. The one positive side-effect is that the intergalactic wars came to a halt.

Another side effect, seems to be some children being both with a skill, or power, to do what the ordinary human cannot.

Jane Kamali is a pilot, soldier and agent for the Justified. Her role is to rescue children with special gifts - children who are often look upon with suspicion on the backwards planets. 

Jane has just arrived on a planet that has about old West technology. She is looking for a child, she doesn't yet know who. Her first stop is the local church - always a good place to pick up town gossip. 

Williams has created a fun series filled with different types of sentient being, in the feel of Becky Chambers, but set in a time of unease. The wars would not have stopped if the pulse had not stranded most spaceships where they were. This is a great, fast read with some wonderful characters. 

Williams, Drew. (2018). The Stars Now Unclaimed. New York: Tor. 

Record of a Spaceborn Few (Wayfarers #3)

Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers is the third book in her Wayfarers series. Start reading this series today!

When the Exodans left Earth, they set up ships for people to live in for generations. When the ships reached other sapients, those aliens gave them a faded sun to orbit. Many of the humans on the ships stayed instead of moving planet-side.

Every thing on the ships is recycled or reused. They were set up not knowing if there would ever be a way to restock materials. Now they can get supplies from outside, but it is a way of life to not waste.

An alien is coming to the ships, to study humans and see this isolated way of life in person. Isabel, the archivist whose job it is to record all important moments for the future, will be xyr guide.

Tessa (sister to the Captain of the Wayfarer in the first book) is raising two children - one of whom is terrified that the ship will blow up any moment and subject her to the vacuum of space.

Eyas is a caretaker. She is in charge of both funerals and preparing and composting the body, which is then used in the gardens to sustain new life.

Kip is a teen who must soon decide on a job within the fleet. He is pushing at boundaries as all teen do, regardless of where they live.

Sawyer is fed up with the planet he lives on and is going to move to the fleet his ancestors came from.

Together this cast of characters tells the story of humans in space. This is a lovely tale of humans finally working together for the greater good. Chamber is a masterful storyteller. Even if you are not a fan of science fiction, this series is about the people (human or otherwise) and how they interact. It is a beautiful series.

Chambers, Becky. (2018). Record of a Spaceborn Few. New York: Harper Voyager.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1)

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers is the first book in her Wayfarers science fiction series. This is a great book for someone who has not read scifi and would like to check out the genre.

Rosemary is hurtling through space in a one-person pod, heading toward the ship where she just accepted a job. The ship, the Wayfarer, is a tunneling ship. In a universe where FTL has been outlawed due to the danger, tunneling ships that create wormholes are very important. It is also a very dangerous job.

The ship (and series) is peopled with a variety of species of sapients from different worlds. Chambers has created a wonderful science fiction series that is well thought out and a joy to read. I will read everything she writes!

Chambers, Becky. (2014). The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. New York: Harper Voyager.

Odyssey (Priscilla Hutchins #5)

Odyssey by Jack McDevitt is the fifth book in his science fiction series featuring Priscilla Hutchins.

Humans have been exploring outer space for decades. Life has been found on a handful of planets - but no other technologically advanced race has been seen. UFO sightings of the 1960s have been replaced by the idea of moonriders - aliens or ships that are out there but the government is not admitting it.

More moonriders have been spotted over the last few months than any other time - to the point where the Academy has scheduled a flight to leave monitors where they were seen. A team of four will be sent on a one month flight to place monitors in a few locations to hopefully capture proof of technology from another race.

The Academy is in the midst of political termoil after an asteroid narrowly misses Earth. While it is not the prevue of the Academy to watch for them (Congress cut funding to the program that was tasked with watching) they are bearing the brunt of the political upheaval. The combination of the asteroid and a flight to search for moonriders may leave the Academy open for attack by its enemies - unless the moonriders prove to be real.

McDevitt's wonderful series continues with this novel. His characters are great, his world building impeccable, and his weaving of many stories and personalities makes for great reading.

McDevitt, Jack. (2006). Odyssey. New York: Ace Books.

Omega (Priscilla Hutchins #4)

Omega by Jack McDevitt is the fourth book in his science fiction series featuring Priscilla Hutchins.

Thirty years ago humans discovered clouds in outer space that seem to attack planets with man-made structures. One of these Omega waves is headed toward Earth but will not arrive for almost one thousand years.

However another wave appears to be turning toward a solar system. A ship is sent to see why - if there is intelligent life in that system. What is found is a planet with humanoid creatures who have less than a year to live unless the omega cloud can be diverted.

Priscilla Hutchins, now acting head of the Academy - the agency in charge of most space exploration - must quickly organize a team to try to save the creatures on a planet being called Lookout.

Two teams are sent to assists the couple of people already on site. One team will be tasked with trying to stop or turn the wave. Another team will be studying video from the planet's surface to learn the inhabitants' language an customs so they can try to warn them of what is coming.

McDevitt has created worlds both fascinating and believable through out outer space. His characters are great and readers will root for them in impossible situations. Great science fiction series.

McDevitt, Jack (2003). Omega. New York: Ace Books.

Chindi (Priscilla Hutchins #3)

Chindi by Jack McDevitt is the third book in his Priscilla Hutchins series - a superluminal pilot who usually works with archeologists exploring distant planets.

After a narrow escape on her last mission, Hutch is ready to retire. The Academy has other ideas and begs her to do one last flight - taking a group of alien hunters to investigate a radio signal picked up near a neutron star.

The Contact Society is thought of as a bunch of crazies. They train to meet aliens in spite of the fact that after exploring hundreds of planets, intelligent life has only been found on one world (with ruins on others implying that there once was a sentient race).

Priscilla agrees. She has been requested personally by the group. It should be a few weeks flying there and back. It is unlikely that the signal will lead to anything. Another ship is being sent to the possible target of the transmission.

After just a few days on site, Hutch agrees to meet up with the other ship and see what they found. It appears that there is a net of satellites at the end point that monitors the planet they surround and send a signal to another location.

The Contact Society is off to find the next point in the web. And what they find is the most incredible find since space travel began.

McDevitt has created a great character who goes to fascinating, and sometimes dangerous, planets. This is a great science fiction series that combines the far reaches of space, quantum physics, and archeology.

McDevitt, Jack. (2002). Chindi. New York: Ace Books.

Inheritance (Adaptation #2)

Inheritance by Malinda Lo is the second book in her Adaptation. In the first book, teens Reese Holloway and David Li were saved from a car accident by using alien DNA from the Imria.

Now Reese and David don't know who to trust. They have been kidnapped by the government for testing, lied to by the Imria - especially Reese who was to be watched by Imria Amber Gray who got closer than her assignment called for. Now the Imria want to train Reese and David to use the abilities they gained through the DNA. When invited onto a news show to tell their tale to the world, they are censored and given equal airtime as the anti-alien protesters making their lives difficult.

Lo has created a science fiction series of many layers, using it both to tell a story and to highlight some destructive habits of humanity. Both the science fiction and the story of a young woman falling in love with two people, are wonderful. Anything Lo writes should be read immediately! This series will appeal to both science fiction fans and readers of GLBT fiction.

Lo, Malinda. (2013). Inheritance. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Adaptation

Adaptation by Malinda Lo is new science fiction book. Lo is an awesome writer whose previous YA books have been lesbian fantasy stories while this novel takes place in the near future when something goes wrong with the birds...

Reese Holloway and David Li are in Arizona with their debate teacher. They made it to the national debates but lost last night. Now the three of them are waiting at the airport for their delayed flight. As Reese looks out the window onto the tarmac she sees two birds plummet to the ground. Then, on the news playing in the background, there is word of a plane crash - apparently caused by a bird strike. Soon all air travel is grounded as birds strike other planes.

It looks like Reese, David and their teacher will have to drive home to San Francisco. That night, Reese is driving when they crash due to a bird flying right at the car. When she awakes she is in some kind of hospital and things in the US have changed from what she was used to from before.

Reese and David are driven back to San Francisco, but they don't feel like themselves. And there is now a curfew for the city. Reese's best friend is convinced there is a conspiracy behind the birds and curfew - but he is also convinced that since Reese crashed in Arizona, she must have been in Area 51 - where the government keeps the aliens.

Lo has written an edge-of-your-seat science fiction thriller with great characters who are trying to figure out their changing world. Previous fans will not be disappointed in this new direction - there is still a lesbian love story. There is a rumor that this is the first book in a series...

Lo, Malinda. (2012). Adaptation. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore is the first book in a series about a group of nine children from the planet Lorien. They were sent to Earth along with adult keepers as a hope for the future. Unfortunately, the Mogadorians who destroyed Lorien followed them to Earth to kill them.

The nine can only be killed in number order due to a set of protections they carry. Number three was just killed. Number Four, current name Daniel Jones, and his keeper Henri are about to move once again. In Four's fifteen years, they have moved and changed identities 21 times.

This book has some elements that give it great potential as a science fiction series. However, the story falls short of its potential by lacking a well defined picture of life on Lorien. It is a bit too similar to life on Earth to be believable. The result is a light read that would entertain during vacation but will not necessarily hold readers' interest through the series.

Though the book will not be published until September of this year, a movie deal has already been signed. It will likely be a huge teen success.

Lore, Pittacus. (2010). I Am Number Four. New York: Harper.

Camouflage

Joe Haldeman's 2005 Nebula Award winning Camouflage is the story of two aliens living on Earth.

2019: An artifact has been found in one of the trenches on the ocean floor. It was under ancient coral that was at least a million years old. A team of scientists raises the artifact - a oblong sphere of some reflective metal, heavier than any known on the periodic table.

1931: The changeling is from a planet that is so extreme that its kind has learned to evolve to live in any conditions. Now on Earth, it has lived in the sea for longer than it can remember. It formed itself into various sea creatures and learned to live among them. Now it will attempt to learn about the strange creatures who live on land. It has seen sailors and fisherman but doesn't understand their complexity. Once forming its shape into a human, it will have to learn language and social skills along with the everyday functions we take for granted.

Pre-Christian Era: The chameleon has lived on Earth for as long as it can remember. It is in the form of a human male. It can change its appearance, but can only be a human male. Living through every period of human evolution, its base instinct is always survival. Since it cannot die, it feels it is superior to humans.

The artifact lifted from the ocean will likely draw the attention of both aliens. One who has always been attracted to the Pacific Ocean and one who wants a greater challenge than killing humans. Each who has looked for another like itself.

Haldeman, Joe. (2004). Camouflage. New York: Penguin.

The Host

Stephenie Meyer has done it again - The Host is a great science fiction novel. For a fairly new writer she has started at the top, first with the Twilight series and now this.

Earth has been invaded by a species who call themselves
"souls." To humans they are like shiny metallic centipedes - small enough to look harmless. But when they are inserted into the human brain stem, the souls take over the human bodies - forcing the existing personality away.

Melanie Stryder is one of the humans who has hidden out and avoided getting caught by the seekers. When she sees her cousin in a news clip about Chicago, she is compelled to find out if she is alright. But once she gets to Chicago she is caught by a seeker. Seekers are the only aliens who show any aggression - their job is to find the remaining native species - humans on Earth - and uses the bodies as hosts for the souls.

Wanderer is a soul who has lived on more planets than any other soul, hence the name. Now that she has come to Earth, her request to be placed in an adult female has landed her in Melanie's body. But Melanie refuses to leave.

Can two beings exist in one body? How will the influence of Melanie and her human memories affect Wanderer? Melanie will never give up trying to find her brother Jamie and the love of her life, Jared. Wanderer will have to face a species that even she is not completely prepared for. Writen from the first persons of Melanie and Wanderer, this internal struggle within the larger human struggle for survival is a thought provoking look at what makes us human and where the soul fits in that dynamic.

The Host is the best science fiction I have read in a while. It reminds me of the genius of Nicola Griffith or Kelley Eskridge (without the lesbian parts).

Meyer, Stephenie. (2008). The Host. New York: Little, Brown and Co.