November 2023 MBR The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Girl from Wudang
P.J. Caldas
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804856928, $17.99, PB, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Wudang-Artificial-Intelligence-Immortality/dp/0804856923

Synopsis: Yinyin, called Tigress, was raised in the sacred mountains of Wudang, where her life was about Tai Chi, the Dao, and trying to balance her yang with yin. Artificial intelligence and neuroscience were things she'd never even heard of. But then her overpowering yang sets her on a course to the Bay Area to become a professional fighter.

For as long as she could remember, Yinyin had been told she was poised to become part of something big, but what "big" turned out to be was beyond her imagining: a scientific experiment that would allow her to connect her brain to a thing they called "Brainternet" and become unbeatable. And then there would be a bonus -- the suicidal headaches that had plagued her all her life would cease.

But nothing comes without a price, and this connection would give others access to family secrets Yinyin has sworn to protect. Secrets that, at large and in the wrong hands, could be a very dangerous thing.

Critique: Riveting, original, and of particular interest to fans of immortality, cyberpunk, techno-thriller, martial arts, artificial intelligence, and gritty action/adventure science fiction novels, "The Girl from Wudang" by novelist PJ Caldas is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated science fiction fans that "The Girl from Wudang" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: PJ Caldas (https://www.pjcaldas.com) is the author of multiple best-selling novels in Brazil. He was picked by the Dictionary of Brazilian Literature as one of the most important writers of the twenty-first century. There, he published four books inspired by the mythology carried to the country by the African diaspora, and reached the top five best-selling titles multiple times. PJ is also a martial artist with 40 years of experience in combat sports, including kempo, karate, tai chi, and Brazilian jiu jitsu.

City of Bones
Martha Wells
TorDotCom
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9781250861672, $18.99, PB, 416pp

https://www.amazon.com/City-Bones-Updated-Martha-Wells/dp/1250861675

Synopsis: The city of Charisat, a tiered monolith of the Ancients' design, sits on the edge of the vast desert known as the Waste. Khat, a member of a humanoid race created by the Ancients to survive in the Waste, and Sagai, his human partner, are relic dealers working in the bottom tiers of society, trying to stay one step ahead of the Trade Inspectors.

When Khat is hired by the all-powerful Warders to find relics believed to be part of one of the Ancients' arcane engines, he, and his party, begin unravelling the mysteries of an age-old technology.

This they expected.

But they soon find themselves as the last line of defense between the suffering masses of Charisat and a fanatical cult, bent on unleashing an evil upon the city with an undying thirst for bone.

That, they did not expect.

Critique: First published in hardcover (1995) and highly recommended as a pick for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, "City of Bones" by Martha Wells is now newly released in paperback by TorDotCom and is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99). "City of Bones" is guaranteed to have a special appeal to readers with an interest in dark fantasy action/adventure novels by a master of the genre.

Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia
Jason Pargin
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250285935, $30.00, HC, 416pp

https://www.amazon.com/Zoey-Drunk-This-Dystopia-Ashe/dp/1250285933

Synopsis: Zoey Ashe wakes up every day feeling like she's trying to steer a battleship while tied to the propeller. The twenty-three-year-old heiress to a criminal empire is navigating a futuristic world of high-tech liars and cutthroats, forced to learn the rules of a devious game she never asked to play. Now she's facing a crisis that is both bigger and stranger than all that came before:

The gleaming new city of Tabula Ra$a is hosting its massive annual music festival, which every year precedes the equally massive annual drunken riot. This is all organized by Zoey's people, including the riot. As her advisors explain, the citizens need a little controlled chaos now and then. Zoey, however, fears the chaos will not stay controlled for long.

When a horrific crime is broadcast live on an all-seeing social network, Zoey and her team suspect a carefully-stage hoax arranged by one of the Tabula Ra$a's shadowy power players. But in a city in which lies are always served in layers, even that explanation will prove far too simple.
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Critique: "Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia" is the third Zoey Ashe novel by author Jason Pargin and especially commended to the attention of readers who appreciate their science fiction being original and laced with satirical humor. A fun read from start to finish, "Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia" is an entertaining and memorable novel and one that is unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated SciFi fans that "Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Jason Pargin is the author of the John Dies at the End series. He previously published under the pseudonym David Wong. His essays at Cracked.com and other outlets have been enjoyed by tens of millions of readers around the world. (https://www.worldswithoutend.com/author.asp?ID=%203551)

Overlord
Eric James Fullilove
https://ericjamesfullilove.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639889617, $18.99

https://www.amazon.com/Overlord-Eric-James-Fullilove/dp/1639889612

Overlord is set in the near future and postulates a scenario in which climate change is not a future possibility, but an immediate reality. In this world, rising seas not only lead to mass evacuations due to melting polar ice and a concurrent drop in the North American tectonic plate, but challenge the efforts and survival of salvager Madison Cervantes and her crew, who are trying to put out an oil rig fire that threatens to ignite the entire Gulf. There are monsters in the water, there's fire in the air, and impossible trials stem from nature which lead to literally being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea as a damaged ecosystem fights back. Other characters also struggle with vastly changed conditions - even survivors such as Devin "Reaper" Delacorte, whose Cleveland roots and military stint both lend to traits that make him a valuable team player.

Eric James Fullilove tackles social as well as climate change issues in his story. These are embedded in each character's background and reactions to threat. Set in 2028 and charged with the social and political turmoil that buffet the world in the wake of repeated climate disasters, Overlord features a tone of familiarity to current conditions and times that makes it a realistic sci-fi exploration cli-fi fans will find attractive. As political and social strife ignite, readers are presented with thought-provoking confrontations between and within people that lead to especially vivid scenarios of transformation, survival, and demise.

The nonstop action juxtaposes nicely with richer questions posed by such impacts, making for a story in which characters from disparate backgrounds find themselves both united and (in other circumstances) divided by the forces of nature that emerge from the background to take center stage in their survival attempts. The result is a grim, heart-grabbing story of the impact of climate change on many levels. Overlord will more than engage readers and libraries interested in cli-fi that makes them think about choices, the future, and the role climate plays in ordinary and extraordinary human affairs.

The Amber Menhir
Jonathan N. Pruitt
Spinner Loom Press
https://freshfiction.com/publisher.php?id=5389
9798988661153, $35.99, HC, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Menhir-Jonathan-N-Pruitt/dp/B0CDK3S88S

Synopsis: With each new dawn, the celestial body known only as 'Calamity' draws closer - and with it the end of the world. Humanity's only hope from oblivion rests in the menhirs, towering bastions of scholarship and imagination which cast long shadows across the lands. The scholars within the menhirs devote themselves selflessly to the discovery of new magic that will help avert the impending apocalypse -- or so the masses have been made to understand.

In a society divided between those with occult potential and lay citizens, Tara Langcraw is recruited into the Amber Menhir with great interest. The long-awaited heiress of a bloodline bearing the rarest of the six magical disciplines, time manipulation, she is expected to flourish within this noble citadel of learning, as are her friends and fellow recruits, Roland Ward and Peony Bianchi.

They soon find, however, that those who fail to meet expectations, or who dare to challenge the prevailing order, put more than their marks on the line. For the menhir squirms with rivalries, and those who stand against the status quo may not stand for very long.

Critique: Original, fun, laced throughout with humor and suspense, and a compulsive page-turner of a read from start to finish, "The Amber Menhir" by author Jonathan N. Pruitt is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of readers with an interest in satirical and epic fantasy, that "The Amber Menhir" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798988661108, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).

Editorial Note: Jonathan N. Pruitt (https://www.theshadowsofthemonolith.com) is a lifelong educator, a former scientific researcher, and a provocative fantasy author. With his debut novel "The Amber Menhir," Pruitt delivers biting humor, deep human insights, and a unique scientist's perspective. His life experiences - from living in diverse corners of the world like South Africa, Namibia, Australia, and Canada, to navigating the wild landscape of his career - richly inform his narratives. Pruitt's storytelling defies reality yet resonates with emotional truth. He makes readers question the differences between good and evil, and the murky area between the two.

Wayne's Angel Trilogy
Ron W. Mumford
3rd Coast Books, LLC
https://www.3rdcoastbooks.com

https://www.amazon.com/Waynes-Angel-Trilogy-Book-One/dp/1946743097

'Wayne's Angel' is a new trilogy of Christian science fiction and fantasy from the mind and imagination of author/storyteller Ron W. Mumford. The trilogy consists of:

"Wayne's Angel" (9781946743091, $14.95 PB, $2.99 Kindle, 240pp) is the first title of Mumord's trilogy.

All the ladies love Wayne Tyler and he loves all the ladies. Able to impersonate just about any rock or country singer in the business to a tee, he is a talented musician and singer. When he auditions at Tequilaville, a new lakeside club near N.A.S.A. in Houston, Texas, he meets the lady co-owner, Abby Hawkins, a grounded business woman who is instantly smitten.

At their first encounter with Wayne, Abby tells her father, "Daddy Hank, it's time to undo the laces" and takes the womanizer home with her, much to her Dad's disapproval. After being falsely accused of sleeping with Abby's free-spirited sister, Bella, Wayne gets drunk, hot-wires a boat and heads into Galveston Bay late at night to attempt suicide.

That's when the supernatural explodes! Wayne is water spouted into another realm and is given three choices by his guardian angel, Gordon, a.k.a. Mr. Elroy, an old black blues singer. Wayne chooses to face his demons. Some are cunning, some are funny and often charming. Some are vicious with one aim in mind - to claim Wayne's soul. If Wayne is victorious, his prize will be to learn what true love is. There are no guarantees in this unusual, beyond supernatural realm. Wayne may never return... but if he does, the rewards are great.

https://www.amazon.com/Betwixt-Waynes-Angel-Trilogy-Mumford/dp/1946743194

"Betwixt" (9781946743190, $14.95 PB, $3.99 Kindle, 256pp) is the second title of Mumford's trilogy. features ore supernatural, greater battles and the introduction of Dr. Helle Guyion, the most evil woman in the entire world. Her powers are beyond this earth as she begins to shape, manipulate and deceive our characters.

There is an modern day introduction of Pandora's Box that defies the intellect of the world's greatest scientists. It contains visions of the future displaying unknown formulas and a "dooms-day" bomb with a missing ingredient, causing nations to scurry for world dominance.

There are more unexplainable phenomena that leave Wayne Tyler, wife Abby, Daddy Hank, Robbie and Bella Cantrell in complete awe. As usual, Mr. Elroy, A.K.A. Gordon, Wayne's angel, is present to calm their fears. And who is this new lady, Liz, that makes Daddy Hank's world stand still?

https://www.amazon.com/Z-Gen-Generation-Waynes-Angel-Trilogy/dp/1946743399

"Z-Gen - The Last Generation" (9781946743398, $17.95 PB, $3.99 Kindle, 235pp) is the third title in Mumford's trilogy in which The Son of Perdition wages war against Almighty God for control of Earth -- World War III.

Twenty years after Hank Hawkins' warrior death in "Betwixt", and the births of Billy Wayne Tyler, Abby and Wayne's son, and Johnny Hank Hawkins, Hank's son, life in Clear Lake has settled down. When Billy Wayne miraculously heals a young boy, the former nightclub becomes Miracle Church with Gordon, Wayne's Angel, watching over.

When Abby and Liz gave birth to their sons, Dr. Helle Guyion, the most evil woman in the world, also gave birth to her son. Helel carries a Hebrew name for "the morning star," the same as a proud, rebellious archangel, Lucifer. Helel secretly studies at Satan's feet for five years, gaining superior knowledge in every subject known to mankind plus powers which no one has seen since Jesus Christ walked the earth. Helel is the Son of Perdition prophesied in the Bible, the anti-Christ.

Helel meets with the Russian, Chinese, N. Korean, and Iranian heads of state. He offers One World Government, for sale to the highest bidder and performs special "miracles" before the powerful men. The Axis powers are born. When Helel tells them about a super, missing ingredient, searched for by scientists for decades, which can destroy everything, the Axis powers finally see their way to eliminate the U.S. After Helel survives a hypersonic blast, they realize he could use his powers against them.

On a special day in Clear Lake, the miracle maker, Billy Wayne, the hellfire minister, Johnny Hank, and son of Satanic power, Helel, finally meet -- and all hell erupts.

Critique: With a special appeal to reader's with an interest in apocalyptic fiction, and while each individual titles can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone novel, the "Wayne's Angel" trilogy by Ron W. Mumford is original, entertaining, action packed, memorable, and exceptionally well written, and highly recommended reading featuring Christian apocalyptic fantasy, romance, mystery and suspense. As a trilogy, as well as individually, "Wayne's Angle", "Betwixt', and "Z-Gen - The Last Generation" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.

Editorial Note: Ron Mumford was a Journalism major, Business minor at the University of North Texas and has written for magazines, news papers and was a front line Combat Correspondent in the U.S. Army and awarded two Bronze Stars for his service. His works include a novel entitled "Gray Justice," an exciting action/thriller/courtroom drama. "Finding Your Soul Mate, God's Way," was published after exhaustive biblical research on what God says about Soul Mates. He promises that if we do our part, He will send us our soul mate...This book tells us what our part is and that we'll know who our soul mate is in His timing.

The Wormhole in San Carlos
Martin Wilson
Warren Publishing
www.warrenpublishing.net
9781960146120, $31.99 Hardcover/$19.99 Paper

https://www.amazon.com/Wormhole-San-Carlos-Martin-Wilson/dp/1960146114

What happens when a dedicated cosmologist becomes involved with a venture capitalist? The Wormhole in San Carlos represents a special brand of satirical investigation that will delight readers who enjoy the intersection of business interests and scientific processes. It explores the opportunity, illusion, and hope which arises when aspiring money-maker Bob Levy challenges gifted mathematician and scientist Donald Plum to commercialize the promise of a wormhole that can reveal secrets from the future that lead to wealth. The unholy alliance between the two men results in a conflagration of special interests on a collision course as All Grains, US Home Products, and other companies struggle to profit from an idea which has millions of dollars in prize money and unprecedented opportunities at its heart.

Martin Wilson injects thought-provoking, astute psychological insights into this riot of understated humor that impart satisfying intersections of ethical and moral considerations. From a demanding wormhole that requires vast changes in alliances and goals to the intersections of men who have their own special interests at heart, Wilson creates a romp that is powerful in its pursuit of financial, scientific, and moral and ethical transformations. Libraries and readers looking for unexpected, influential examples of contemporary satire will find it in droves in this rollicking ride through wormholes, portents of unprecedented wealth, and the conundrums faced by men unable to control either circumstance.

I Need a Hero
Ron Clamp
Warren Publishing
www.warrenpublishing.net
9781957723846, $33.99 Hardcover/$20.95 Paper/$4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/I-Need-Hero-Ron-Clamp/dp/195772384X

I Need a Hero is a novel about secret space missions, alien invasion, and unlikely heroes. These move from terrestrial duties to extraordinary assignments that test their abilities on a mission that leads them as far from home as they can get. Called to move from Arizona salvaging work to undermining a space supply line feeding the Obsidian invasion, Commander Charlie Jackson, his wife Maddie, and his brother Jacob find themselves not retiring from conflict, but entering into its heart. Maddie's objection lies not in only her husband's best interests, but also revolves around a secret from her past that threatens to be exposed by his actions.

For Jacob, the mysterious second mission underlying the reason for their deployment and their apparent and secretive new jobs also threatens his carefully construed world - including his relationship with Maddie as the only other person she really trusts. With Charlie so far away and Maddie remaining on Earth stuck in a different form of hell, how can Charlie prove a hero to anyone, much less Maddie? The circumstances and forces that pull them apart seem limitless and all-powerful, but Charlie must find a way to reach her, while Maddie makes a series of impossible decisions that lead her increasingly down the rabbit hole of no return. Ron Clamp crafts a revealing, action-packed military sci-fi read that bases its tension as much on psychological realizations and developments as on physical clashes. This adds a satisfying blend of strong characterization and examinations of motives to add depth and authenticity to its characters as they strive to participate in and create lives that ultimately lead to peace and reconnection.

Clamp bills his story a "novel." It will indeed attract a wider audience than the usual military sci-fi read (which tends to overly focus on physical confrontations), but I Need a Hero is as much about the nature of love, heroism, and decision-making influences as it is about confronting external forces of division and adversity. Libraries and readers seeking a story that transcends its military sci-fi roots to engage readers from other genres will find I Need a Hero thought-provoking and engrossing.

The Pystead Group: Daring to Be
James Pryor
The Techner Group LLC
9798987325711, $15.00

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pystead-group-james-pryor/1143734830

The Pystead Group: Daring to Be is set in 2052, but the America represented here feels frighteningly similar to modern times. Here, citizens are buffeted by both dishonest government figures and special interests. Cognitive scientist Philip Russell takes on a new job at the mysterious Pystead Group in the West Indies. He may have bitten off more than he can chew, because the company has high-level, high-tech enemies - including the U.N., which wishes to thwart the Group's research and goals. Meanwhile, Philip faces his own conundrums in cultivating romances with two very different women and fielding his shifting place in a community whose advanced technologies hold both promise and threat.

James Pryor crafts a vigorous, action-filled story that attracts on many levels of political, psychological, and social observation. As Philip questions whether one dinner date can lead to romance, if new friends-with-benefits can become something greater than their initial attraction, and if his life can evolve concurrently with personal and political forces buffeting it with hidden special interests, readers receive a compelling tale. From a woman who harbors a dual personality to the secrets Philip must overcome if he is to realize his real role and life in The Pystead Group, readers receive satisfyingly philosophical-laced inspections throughout the story. These revelations lead them to consider the true impacts of technology, social planning, and political manipulation. Questions of delusion and reality interplay in a tense survey that proves invitingly complex and just as alluring with its entertainment focus.

Pryor's vivid descriptions capture much food for thought during Philip's process of realization: "It's the many unknowable future variations on life that concern me. Beyond contemplating, imagining, perhaps fraught with perilous variations when vital secrets are involved." The Pystead Group: Daring to Be is a compelling futuristic story of survival on different levels that will prove especially attractive to libraries seeking sci-fi reads that are character-driven social examinations of self and relationships in a world in flux.

Spring's Eternal
Eva Sandor
www.evasandor.com
Huszar Books
9798987772324, $16.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Springs-Eternal-Heart-Stone-Adventures/dp/B0CGKYJH1S

Coastwall is beginning to think of spring. As such, it's time for a story about nullicorns, princes, ladies, and springtime adventure which blossoms from the introductory pages of Spring's Eternal that follow a tall Namesless Lady, Dok, who is hiding in plain sight, eventually to narrow its focus on one Fred. A fable emerges which documents a Grand War's aftermath, how a natural wonder with limitless power attracts those who cultivate and thrive on conflict, and how a series of unlikely twists leaves a peace-loving country in charge of the biggest prize of all. From a hunt for missing persons in disguise to evocative wonders which unfold to challenge and attract a host of characters, Eva Sandor creates a moving saga that furthers the Heart of Stone Adventures and will be especially appreciated by prior readers of the series.

As in her other books, Sandor writes with a compelling attention to juxtaposing adventure with quiet repose as the characters observe, influence, and adapt to their changing world. The same wry sense of ironic humor that permeated Sandor's other romps emerges at unexpected moments of revelation here: "'What Kharl's saying is that Your Highness is not in the line of succession. At all. You are, we find, the Esquire of someplace in the Whellen Country, and possess some holdings on the Isle of Gold, and have a few political functions, but any issue of your loins would have no place in the lineage of Castramars.' Fred was taken aback. Loins? Who said she could talk about those? He sat on the steps and crossed his legs." The pursuit of peace here comes with a hard edge of unexpected encounters as Fred and others come to terms with their legacy, their options, and a tenuous future that tests everything Fred thought he wanted from life.

Fools and failings come to light in the course of his journey and the interactions of a range of characters that are zany, passionate, and sometimes unwillingly enlightened about their revised roles in the kingdom. One thinks of the unexpected moments of Monty Python when reading, but younger audiences that likely won't hold this more advanced familiarity with British humor will still find the unfolding events happily and unexpectedly delightful in their ironic twists, while older readers will celebrate the Pythonesque atmosphere. War and peace issues come to light in different ways and represent more than obvious battles as the disparate characters each find their own revised paths in life often tinged with irony and iconic moments. The result can stand alone, but ideally Spring's Eternal will be digested in a broader context, discussed in reading clubs and groups, and appreciated not just for its fantasy and wonder, but for a sense of fun that romps past high court antics to a brewing operation and expansive process whereby an adopted commoner enters the raucous court of fools and journeymen.

All ages will find the medieval setting thought-provoking, the whimsical encounters unexpected, and the visionary magic compelling, setting quasi-familiar history against the backdrop of new possibilities. Libraries will find the weave of comedy, irony, and adventure to be fresh, original, and attractive to patrons seeking more than singular action from their fantasies.

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