Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart

This book is science fiction in that it’s set in the future…self-driving cars are routine, but recent, and a girl might think her chess computer is her best friend. It’s also a world where you don’t want to go to a Red State as a woman and a constitutional amendment to enshrine white supremacy is under serious debate.

But that’s not what the story is about…it’s about family. It’s about parenting, specifically bad parenting. Vera is ten, but this is not a YA book. Instead, Vera is a lens to look at the adults, none of them perfect, and a father who tries his best, but really doesn’t know how to be a father to either of his children.

There’s also a “wicked” stepmother (who turns out not to be wicked at all…)

Vera is clearly 2X (smart and neurodivergent both), and has been told she has to be a woman in STEM, with which she doesn’t have the maturity to argue just yet.

The messed up family dynamic is what causes all of the drama and conflict, with the near future politics being a significant backdrop (not everyone believes what they claim to believe on the matter).

But really, this is a family drama with mild speculative elements - it’s well written as such but does end up in flying bus territory in places. Enjoyable, but not really true SF.

Of All the Gin Joints in the Universe by Richard Paolinelli

I liked this book except for one huge flaw. Sam Spade (named after the original) is your classic noir detective in every detail…for example, he quit being a cop when being a cop interfered with his morals. He’s now working as a PI on a small transit station.

Until, of course, the dame shows up, with a case that appears straightforward - she wants him to deter a stalker who is desperately trying to sell her some antiques 

It spirals from there into a huge conspiracy.

So, what’s the big flaw? Deus Ex Musk. No kidding - this book has a descendant of Musk (or possibly Musk in a cloned body) play a huge role in the resolution. With a DOGE reference and everything.

And while this may have been intended as satire, it left me thinking Paolinelli actually…likes…Elon Musk (apologies if I’m wrong). And given I do not, in fact, like Elon Musk…

Maybe some people won’t flinch and cringe at this, but I’m not one of them. Which is a shame, because this is pretty good space noir and I’m generally pretty fond of space noir.

Just not Musk as a hero, thank you very much.

I was sent copies of these books for review or award consideration purposes.