May 2023 MBR The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Seven Days in Virtual Reality
Jeff Yager
Hannacroix Creek Books
www.hannacroixcreekbooks.com
9781938998256, $16.95, PB, 286pp

https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Days-Virtual-Reality-Novel/dp/1938998251

Synopsis: Louis Parker is the divorced father of two teenagers who is still trying to find his life's purpose. After losing his job, Louie's financial situation convinces him he has nothing to lose if he agrees to test out a radical new virtual reality videogame for a substantial fee.

But Louie quickly learns that virtual reality is a lot more complicated than he realized as he agrees to test not just version 1 of the game. But version 2 has a dramatic difference from version 1. By the end of his testing, is Louie trapped in virtual reality forever? If he is able to return to his own reality, is it the same one he started from, or has it immeasurably changed?

Critique: Original, imaginative, deftly crafted, "Seven Days in Virtual Reality" by Jeff Yager is a compelling and compulsive page turner of a novel that will have immense interest to Science Fiction fans. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Seven Days in Virtual Reality" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.91).

Editorial Note: Jeff Yager (https://www.jeffyager.us) is the co-author of "I Like God" (with Skye Bynes) and "Atom & Eve", as well as two children's books, "The Question is Why?" and "Chuck and Alfonzo" -- both illustrated by Nancy Batra. In addition to his own writing, Jeff does editing for other authors and publishing companies. He also has been creating his own music and rap songs for many years and has several albums including Jay-Free Existential Crisis and Extraterrestrial Activity.

The Great Unmaking
Brian A. Nelson
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781538507841, $27.99, HC, 381pp

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Unmaking-Course-Empire/dp/1538507846

Synopsis: After usurping control of the world's most powerful military technology, General Chip Walden knows the endgame is near and tasks scientist Eric Hill with one final assignment. Helped by the love of his life, Jane Hunter, Hill is haunted by premonitions of a coming catastrophe as the technology he created takes on a life of its own.

As Hill attempts to avert disaster, FBI Special Agent Bud Brown seeks revenge for the murder of his fellow agents by eco-terrorist Riona Finley. But what no one realizes is that forces are at work that have already decided humanity's fate. With the clock ticking toward an irrevocable apocalypse, it's no longer a question of if the world can be saved, but who will be the chosen few that survive.

Critique: A propulsive, mind-expanding, and compulsive thriller of a read from first page to last, "The Great Unmaking" is the dramatic conclusion to author Brian Nelson's Course of Empire trilogy -- a series of SciFi novels about bold scientific dreams turning into nightmares, or perhaps new beginnings! A deftly crafted technothriller novel, "The Great Unmaking" is unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated science fiction fans that "The Great Unmaking" is also available in a paperback edition (9798212238397, $17.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99), as as a complete and unabridged audio book (9781538479360, $29.95, MP3-CD).

Editorial Note: Brian A. Nelson (https://twitter.com/Brian_A_Nelson) is a former Fulbright Scholar who holds degrees in international relations, economics, and creative writing (fiction). His first book, The Silence and the Scorpion: The Coup Against Chavez and the Making of Modern Venezuela, was named one of the Best Books of 2009 by The Economist. His work has appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Christian Science Monitor, and the Southern Humanities Review, among others.

Heroes of an Unknown World
Ayize Jama-Everett
Small Beer Press
http://smallbeerpress.com
9781618731975, $17.00, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Heroes-World-novel-Liminal-People/dp/1618731971

Synopsis: After traveling back in time to rescue his fostered daughter, Taggert has returned to the present and found himself in his favorite place: up against the wall. But the world they've returned to is not the one they left: everything is slightly grayer, the music is boring, joy is just out of reach.

The liminals' entropic enemies, the Alters, are trying to bring about the end of the world by sucking the life (literally) out of enough people to tip the balance their way.

Traveling from Jamaica to London to Indonesia to the heart of the whirlwind in the desert at the heart of all deserts, Taggert and his found family of liminals and supporters have to find a way to bring back the joy before they're all ground down into the gray dust!

Critique: The fourth and final novel in author Ayize Jama-Everett's African-American science fiction series 'The Liminal People', this paperback edition "Heroes of an Unknown World" from Small Beer Press is original, fun, fascinating, and leaves the science fiction fan looking eagerly toward his next science fiction project. While highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted that "Heroes of an Unknown World" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).

Editorial Note: Ayize Jama-Everett (https://ayizejamaeverett.com) holds a Masters degrees in Divinity, Clinical Psychology, in Fine Arts, Creative Writing. Jama-Everett's Liminal series began with The Liminal People and continued with The Liminal War and The Entropy of Bones. He has also written a graphic novel, Box of Bones with two-time Eisner Award winner John Jennings and has written for The Believer and the LA Review of Books, among others.

The Game of 100 Candles
Marie Brennan
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839082153, $16.95, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Game-100-Candles-Legend-Rings/dp/1839082151

Synopsis: The demon-vanquishing samurai, Asako Sekken and Agasha no Isao Ryotora are summoned to Winter Court. Their exploits with the Spirit Realms have taken a toll on the pair and the cut and thrust of Rokugani politics proves challenging. After being urged to share their tales of adventure, the Winter Court guests begin to fall into a deep sleep from which they cannot wake. Fearing foul play, the Phoenix demand retribution, but Sekken and Ryotora uncover the hand of a supernatural trickster seeking entry to the mortal realm. The path to victory will risk their lives and the strange bond between them. But they must succeed, lest something awful escape into Rokugan.

Critique: An absolute 'must read' choice for fans of Samurai novels and Heroic Fantasy Fiction, "The Game of 100 Candles" is part of author Marie Brennan's ;A Legend of the Five Rings' series. Original, riveting, and a compulsive page turner of a read from cover to cover, "The Game of 100 Candles" is a very special and recommended addition to personal and community library Asian Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted that "The Game of 100 Candles" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).

Editorial Note: Marie Brennan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Brennan) is the author of the Hugo Award-nominated Victorian adventure series The Memoirs of Lady Trent along with several other series, over seventy short stories, and the New Worlds series of world building guides; as half of M.A. Carrick, she has written the epic Rook and Rose trilogy, beginning with The Mask of Mirrors.

Queen of Deception
Anna Stephens
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
9781839082030, $16.95, PB, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Deception-Marvel-Legends-Asgard/dp/1839082038

Synopsis: A burst of magic from Midgard attracts the attention of Hela, Queen of Hel. The Goddess of Death craves power to enable her ultimate conquest of the Realms, and this new sorcery from Earth is tantalizing.

Pursuing its source, Hela is appalled to find herself in Elizabethan England. From Asgard, Lady Sif and the valkyrie, Brunnhilde are also dispatched to Midgard, and neither of them have any love for Hela. Yet a still greater threat awaits: the Dark Elves see Midgard as the first battle in war of the Realms. Only a team-up between hated enemies can win the day, but how far can you really trust the Queen of Hel?

Critique: A pure delight for the legions of Marvel Universe fans, "Queen of Deception" by Anna Stephens is just the latest in the outstanding Legends of Asgard series from Marvel. An original story, a riveting read, and showcasing some of Marvel's most interesting heroes and villains, "Queen of Deception" is a deftly crafted and fun read from cover to cover and will be a welcome and popular addition to community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Queen of Deception" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).

Editorial Note: Anna Stephens (https://anna-stephens.com) is the author of the Godblind trilogy (Godblind, Darksoul, Bloodchild) and the Songs of the Drowned trilogy, which begins with The Stone Knife. Anna also writes for Black Library in their Age of Sigmar and Warhammer Horror worlds, and for Marvel through their tie-in publisher, Aconyte Books.

Dear Diary: Run Like Hell
James A. Moore
Cemetery Dance Publications
https://www.cemeterydance.com
9781587678493, $14.99, PB, 136pp

https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Diary-Run-Like-Hell/dp/1587678497

Synopsis: Sooner or later even the best prepared hitman is going to run out of bullets. Buddy Fisk has two new jobs, bring back a few stolen books of sorcery, and then stop the unkillable man who wants to see him dead. There are problems even the deadliest assassins can't be prepared for, like supernatural entities looking for the same prizes he seeks, and mob bosses that refuse to die. The collateral damage adds up quickly and Fisk is looking to solve mysteries that border on the edge of madness!

Critique: A quick and fun read from first page to last, "Dear Diary: Run Like Hell" by dark fantasy author James A. Moore is impressively original, deftly crafted, and a compulsive page turner of a read. A recommended pick for readers with an interest in assassination and supernatural thrillers, "Dear Diary: Run Like Hell" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: James Arthur Moore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker_Award) is an American horror novelist and short story writer. In 2003, he was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for "Best Novel" for his book Serenity Falls. In 2006, the novella Bloodstained Oz (co-authored by Christopher Golden) was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for "Best Long Fiction". He wrote the novelization of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Chaos Bleeds (based on the video game written by Christopher Golden). He also has done a lot of Collectible card game and Role-playing game related work for White Wolf, Inc including writing manuals, storyteller's guides, short stories, modules, and novels.

Baen Books
www.baen.com

Two new science fiction titles from Baen Books are especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.

https://www.amazon.com/Witchy-Eye-1-War/dp/1982192364

D.J. Butler's Witchy Eye (9781982192365, $17.00) tells of Sarah, a teen with a bad eye and a good talent for hexing. When a Yankee wizard priest attempts to kidnap her, she finds a mysterious monk on her side who pushes her to probe her real powers and heritage. This sends her on a quest that carries her into dark realms and dangerous confrontations with the forces that rule her world and that of her imagination. The powerful blend of fantasy, coming-of-age saga, and the evolution of a young girl's powers and altered perception of her place in the world makes for riveting reading especially recommended for teen audiences into adult circles, who will find Sarah's story compelling.

https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Desert-Robert-Hampson/dp/1982192496

Robert E. Hampson's The Moon and the Desert (9781982192495, $18.00) is a medical thriller of the future that tells of Glenn Armstrong Shepard and his dreams of going to Mars. A training accident on the moon cripples his body but not his dreams as he determines to be rebuilt to fulfill the strength of both. A powerful story of growth and new abilities merges into a plot thickened by futuristic intrigue and growth to create a compellingly different atmosphere sci-fi readers and libraries will find captivating.

Broken: The Young Hellions Series
Braxton A. Cosby
https://braxtoncosby.com
Cosby Media Productions
https://cosbymediaproductions.com
9798885262613, $23.99, HC, 370pp

https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Young-Hellions-Braxton-Cosby/dp/B0B9282B6Q

Synopsis: It is 2035, and Earth's inevitable destruction has finally been realized. Efforts to perfect weapons of mass destruction and subsequently destroy one another have come to a head as the most powerful countries engage in an all-out nuclear assault (known as the time of The Big Drop) that nearly banishes everyone to death in a wake of destructive Fallout.

Humanity devolves back to its carnal heritage of slavery in an effort to re-establish currency through the slave trade.

Nobody knows who started it, but the devastation ravages every organic life form, both plant and animal. 90% of human life is wiped out, and of the 10% that survive, radiation poisoning has varying effects on the human genome, creating both mindless beasts called Ashers and beings with special gifts -- the Alphas.

As humanity struggles to survive, migrating to the safety of continental coastlines in search of fresh water, the planet scurries to salvage some kind of economic stability. Enter16-year-old Keesa Donovan and her younger brother Kiran. They live out their lives in a slave pod run by The Establishment, just outside Savannah, Georgia. Losing everything she loved after the Fallout, she desperately seeks freedom while navigating the trials of teenhood, sifting through emerging feelings for her best friend Wynn, and realizing the growing attraction for newcomer Dobbs.

Confounded by her gift of ESP, she is haunted by unexplainable visions of mysterious days to come, holding onto a sliver of hope that one day she and her brother will be freed. But on the fateful day of the annual Reckoning, Keesa's life takes a turn as fate steps in and forces her onto the narrow road of her destiny.

Critique: A riveting and original post-Holocaust dystopian novel, "Broken" by author Braxton Cosby is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Science Fiction collections. Part of the author's 'The Young Hellions' series, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated post-apocalyptic science fiction fans that "Broken" is also available in a paperback edition (9798885262743, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

Editorial Note: Braxton A. Cosby (https://braxtoncosby.com) has penned over 18 novels, comics, and several screenplays, many based on his own works. He tells stories that evoke emotions and stimulates thought. Two other highly recommended Cosby Media Production science fiction titles are Braxton Cosby's "Steel Reign: Flight of the Star Ship Concord" (9798483872658, $20.99 HC, $16.99 PB, $3.99 Kindle) and Titus Murphy's "Black Oak: The Loveless Chronicles" (9798553494629, $16.99 PB, $3.99 Kindle).

I'll Stop the World
Lauren Thoman
https://www.laurenthomanwrites.com
Mindy's Book Studio
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/mindys-book-studio.html
9781662509971, $28.99, HC, 446pp

https://www.amazon.com/Ill-Stop-World-Lauren-Thoman/dp/1662509979

Synopsis: Trapped in a dead-end town, Justin Warren has had his life defined by the suspicious deaths of his grandparents. The unsolved crime happened long before Justin was born, but the ripple effects are still felt after thirty-eight years. Justin always knew he wouldn't have much of a future. He just never imagined that his life might take him backward.

In a cosmic twist of fate, Justin's choices send him crashing into the path of determined optimist Rose Yin. Justin and Rose live in the same town and attend the same school, but have never met -- because Rose lives in 1985. Justin won't be born for another twenty years. And his grandparents are still alive -- at least for now.

In a series of events that reverberate through multiple lifetimes, Justin and Rose have a week to get Justin unstuck in time and put each of them in control of their futures -- by solving a murder that hasn't even happened yet.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a lot of fun for readers with an interest in amateur sleuths solving murder mysteries, coming of age novels, and time-travel science fiction fans, "I'll Stop The World" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "I'll Stop The World" is also available in a paperback edition (9781662509964, $16.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781978695757, $24.99, MP3-CD).

Editorial Note: Lauren Thoman (https://www.laurenthomanwrites.com) lives outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, two children, and a rotating number of dogs and fish. Her pop culture writing has appeared in numerous online outlets including Parade, Vulture, and Collider.

Abstraction
Sam Weis
www.samweis1.net
Kasva Press
https://www.kasvapress.com
9781948403313, $14.95, PB, 226pp

https://www.amazon.com/Abstraction-Sam-Weis/dp/1948403315

Synopsis: With the lush Pacific Northwest as a backdrop, a famous artist abruptly changes her painting style and finds her art has an eerie impact on people. Wren Willow Hendrix's new work provokes inexplicable personality changes in those who view it, with often hilarious results. All too soon, Wren finds herself the center of unwanted attention.

With Homeland Security hot on her trail and a hate-spewing cult preacher gunning for her, Wren needs all the help she can get. Unfortunately, her best friend has hatched a plot of her own -- one that will not only put her in the line of danger, but will pull Wren onto the stage of world events.

Will the dubious protection of a meddling journalist, a battle-scarred veteran, and a reclusive pot farmer be enough to keep Wren out of the clutches of those who would abuse her art - or worse?

Critique: With trip-inducing paintings, an amphibious tour bus (and assorted donuts!), "Abstraction" by musician and novelist Sam Weis is an engaging, original, and thoroughly fun story of artists, villains, and accidental heroes that will have a very special appeal to fans of deftly crafted Magical Realism stories and action/adventure urban fantasies. While highly commended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Abstraction" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.95).

Editorial Note: Sam Weis (www.samweis1.net) is an accomplished abstract painter, a 12-string guitarist/recording artist, and an award-winning songwriter. She grew up in Eastern Iowa and studied Fine Arts at The University of Iowa. Sam has toured as a guitarist with two rock bands and enjoys a successful solo music career. Now, after writing five recordings of original music and lyrics, she thought it was time to write something that did not rhyme every other line.

Sightseeing in the Limbic Landscape
Krys Call
Independently Published
9798654701299, $19.80

https://www.amazon.com/Sightseeing-Limbic-Landscape-Neuroscientific-Manners/dp/B08BW431D9

It's impossible to neatly categorize or pigeonhole Sightseeing in the Limbic Landscape: A Neuroscientific Comedy of Manners. It's a science fiction comedy of errors that romps through California's Delta, neuroscience and psychology, and gender issues alike. Indeed, the social, scientific, and political farces under examination and exploration contribute to a series of dialogues which are both philosophical and psychological in nature.

The first thing to note about Sightseeing in the Limbic Landscape (if the above descriptors are not enough) is that this is a literary work of over five hundred pages, packed with a Proust-like detail to in-depth descriptions and language (such as 'cuneiform' or 'funicular') which may not be in every reader's personal dictionary of terms.

As Marie, Anita, and a host of characters undertake this peculiar journey, the humor embedded into social commentary comes to light in unexpected ways: "...it's smoked gouda-style rice cheese and vegan salami with sprouts and pickle relish. It smells of a natural foods delicatessen. Even the meat eaters find themselves wanting some."

Krys Call's tourist's journey through this landscape evokes behavioral and emotional responses in the reader, in keeping with the reference to the limbic system, as the story unfolds in disparate and unexpected ways, blending science with liberal philosophical observations: "Hope is no longer just hope when the appropriate equations are in place."

The resulting intersection between fiction and science will delight literary audiences looking for an expansive, involving neuroscientific comedy that is anything but your usual sci-fi formula adventure. The questions it provokes and the social insights it encourages make Sightseeing in the Limbic Landscape appropriate not so much for leisure readers looking for action and adventure in the sci-fi realm, but for literary audiences. These readers will thoroughly appreciate Call's attention to detail and the liberal sprinkling of dialogues examining the nature of reality, science, and social transformation.

Wrapped in the guise of sci-fi, but embracing so much more than a formula read, Sightseeing in the Limbic Landscape is highly recommended for not just college-level readers, but discussion groups interested in literary devices and inspections that expand the boundaries and scope of scientific connections to life.

The Final Season: Planet Gallywood #1
Andrew Gillsmith
Independently Published
9798367783919, $14.99 Paper/$2.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Final-Season-Planet-Gallywood/dp/B0BRYY11XJ

Fans of the quirky sci-fi novels of Douglas Adams now have a new author to follow: Andrew Gillsmith. His prowess at blending irony, humor, intrigue, and life inspection shines in much the same manner as Adams in The Final Season: Planet Gallywood #1.

The prologue introducing this milieu sounds like a classic Adams observation: "If the inhabitants of Rexos-4 had anything resembling a common creed, it would almost certainly have been "Mxtlpicam bnak ooligapn," which in most languages translated to something like "What's the bloody point?" In the original Rexan tongue, the question mark had been dropped; deemed as not only unnecessary but also contrary to the spirit of the expression. There was indeed no bloody point, and the Rexans damn well knew it."

With this, the most popular entertainment franchise in the known universe sets off into a foray in which the Rexans face the end of their world with an attention to pulling off a grand finale in a manner never seen before. As Gallywood executives and participants struggle to create the spectacle of going out with a bang, readers are drawn into a rollicking ride that explores the best of all possible worlds -- even if it does reside on the edge of apocalypse.

From virginity broken to galactic civilizations that exist not by "darting around amongst the stars and doing great things," but by people who are "carrying on about their lives and trying to make their way through the workweek without being discouraged to the point of giving up," Gillsmith adopts a speculative tone that enables characters to dance around each other and the biggest concern and objective overriding their lives ... their demise. Between government lotteries and rescue attempts to the entertainment businesses's management of an end of the world spectacle,

The Final Season is simply outstanding. It's a prime example of science fiction's venture into new worlds, sparked by a future entertainment industry gone awry. Is there a happy ending to the saga, or a tragedy? Libraries and readers looking for Douglas Adams-style sci-fi inspections on steroids will find The Final Season a colorful examination of life's meaning, death's universal threat and promise, and the efforts of media to capitalize on it all by pinpointing the meaning of and irony behind everything, including entertainment.

ALFIE: Earth's Last Hope
Ignacio F. Bunster-Ossa
Inspiration Pointe Press
9780996840644, $14.95 Paper/$9.95 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/ALFIE-Earths-Ignacio-F-Bunster-Ossa/dp/0996840648/

ALFIE: Earth's Last Hope will delight hard sci-fi readers with its contrasts between a high-tech future's ability to mitigate the ecological devastation of Earth and the realization that Earth's environmental degradation and abuse are not something to flee from; but tasks important to acknowledge and fix. Can humanity save its home?

Opposing forces and special interests each try to influence the planet's future. There is a stark disparity between saving the planet's biodiversity and plundering it to the bitter end, and this dichotomy is illustrated in the course of a story that follows each train of thought about the planet's future and mankind's responsibility in managing it.

Add an alien intelligence into the mix that also holds its own special interests and influences for a tale that brings to life those who would party away their inheritance and those who would preserve it.

Ignacio F. Bunster-Ossa surveys suspended lives, errant behaviors, technology-laden futures, and the impact of attitudes and choices which lead to conceit, blind rage, the ethics of an ecological approach to managing landscapes and communities, and the ultimate impact of profiting from planetary changes. While part of the tone of the story lies in a romp through social, political, and technological decision-making follies, injecting a wry ironic humor into unfolding events, it also represents a thought-provokingly powerful examination of what happens when humans exploit nature without concern for its demise or health.

The ecological and social messages embedded in this story pair hard sci-fi with social issues in an unusual, revealing manner. ALFIE: Earth's Last Hope is highly recommended to sci-fi and social issues readers not just for its futuristic focus, but for its many considerations of human impacts on the planet. These portraits venture into realms of good, evil, and the ways in which mankind burns itself in the process of plundering the world.

Baen Books
www.baen.com

Two new science fiction books are highly recommended reads for libraries that look for solid series additions.

https://www.amazon.com/Time-Trials-M-Rothman/dp/1982192488

M.A. Rothman and D.J. Butler's Time Trials (9781982192488, $25.00) opens a new time travel series with the story of Marty Cohen, a linguist and military strategy student who moves from Egyptology to woodworking to escape academic rivalries. When visions begin to trouble his dreams and he is called back to Egypt to participate in a dig that has produced unprecedented discoveries, Marty finds new doors opened that tap his academic skills in unexpected ways. The intersection of a time travel adventure with a study in intrigue and discovery creates a riveting story filled with unexpected moments and tense developments.

https://www.amazon.com/Into-Vortex-2-Worlds/dp/198219247X

Charles E. Gannon's Into the Vortex (9781982192471, $26.00) is the second book in the Vortex of Worlds series, and presents the conundrum faced by Druadaen, who has proven the contradictions that exist between magic and physics on his world. His reward? Exile by temple believers determined to preserve their illusions and power against the reality of facts. Druadaen remains committed to uncovering the truth, and his quest here involves a mysterious portal, a solo foray into unknown territory, and a quest that further threatens to shake the foundations of Arrdanc. The gripping story will best be enjoyed by those who appreciated the first book, and library collections with this in their holdings will find Into the Vortex equally powerful and compelling.

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