Monsters and Space Capers
Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again (Jeffrey Angles translation), The Kuiper Belt Job by David D. Levine, Secrets of the Sorcerers by Jane Verba
Review: Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama, translated by Jeffrey Angles
A bit of kaiju history. Most people think Godzilla started in a movie, but the iconic kaiju was actually coined by Shigeru Kayama in 1955. The first movie is pretty much a beat for beat adaptation of the novel.
Angles’ translation is straightforward and retains an old-school SF style...instead of translating into a more modern feel, it’s clear he intends the books to feel like English language SF of the era.
Unfortunately in my review copy, Godzilla Raids Again cuts off…mid sentence. I’m not sure what’s with that.
This is a classic and we all know the story. (The second novel introduces a kaiju fight). In fact, the translator left that one word, “kaiju,” untranslated. At this point we all know what one is.
But if you have an interest in the history of giant monsters, you should pick this up.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.
Review: The Kuiper Belt Job by David D. Levine
This is a heist novel in space, but one with a lot of twists and some interesting questions about identity. Also some very Jewish moments.
The Cannibal Club (don’t worry, they don’t eat people) split up years ago after one of them was killed during a job gone wrong. Now Cayce, the sixteen-year-old son of their leader is getting the gang back together.
Or is he?
At the base level, this is a pretty classic romp, set in a settled solar system a la The Expanse (which the author admits is an influence, there’s even a stolen ship). But it’s also about family, found and otherwise, identity, morality.
It’s also the only recent representation I’ve seen of a character with Parkinson’s. In fact, I can’t think of any SF novel that has a significant character with it. Anyone help me out?
I’m less savvy about the “neurodivergent people are actually genetically-determined space pilots” thing. It feels a little bit disability as a superpower. But I’m willing to forgive it.
The technology is interesting. Quantum “skip” drives allow for much faster exploration of the solar system, but not anywhere close to the speed of light…yet. Other than that, everything is plausible and near-future and Levine knows how space works, so I give him plenty of points for that. He even remembers inertia exists. I enjoyed this book for what it was…a pretty decent heist novel with an interesting ensemble cast.
Recommended to fans of Firefly and The Expanse.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.
Review: Secrets of the Sorcerers by Joan Marie Verba
A short novel that is basically a classic quest narrative, even down to the enemies who have to join forces to complete the quest. There’s a cozy feel to it (although book 2 has a title that suggests it might be less so). Refreshingly, the only echo of Tolkein here is the presence of lembas…I mean waycakes.
My one issue is gender-based magic, although Verba does allow a few men into the club, as well as a trans man and trans woman. But I’m unfond of “It’s women who do magic” (or vice versa) even with exceptions. Without, it would have been a dealkiller.
There also may be too many characters for such a short book, but the plot is fun and feels a bit like playing D&D in pacifist mode. There’s very little fighting and what there is doesn’t end with anyone dead, even the monsters.
If you like cozy quest fantasy, check this one out. It’s a quick and light read, too.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.
Short Fiction
Anais Gets A Turn by R.T. Esher (Clarkesworld)
Imagine the Earth is, in fact, sentient, or rather has created a sentient being.
Now imagine it’s not very smart and doesn’t really grasp free will. (It’s a cat? Maybe)
And it’s addicted to Tic Tac Toe. It’s a ridiculous concept that Ester takes in some very interesting directions with awesome characters. Recommended for people who hate Tic Tac Toe.
Available to read free online.
Shine: A Serial of Crows and Beasts by Hamzeh Abufakher
As best as I can tell, an extended stream of consciousness prose poem about girls and…tower defense games? I have no idea. It’s not often a work is too opaque for me, but this one managed it. Apologies to the author.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.
What’s He Building In There by Cat Rambo (Fairy Tale Review)
It’s an animal spouse story with a twist. That’s not a spoiler because anyone who knows their fairy tales will work this one out very quickly. Sweet, a little bitter, and also a bit about motherhood…the story is presented as a series of notes from the narrator to her daughter.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.
A Small God by Jeff Reynolds (Lightspeed)
An adorable story about a lonely cosmic being who just wants love. Not much more to it, but sweet.
Available free online
The Year of the Humming Turban by Kiran Kaur Saini (Prism)
A cute little flash ghost story. About…you guessed it…a dead father. I know I’m not just noticing them more.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.
Hope is the Thing with Feathers by Karawynn Long (Asimov’s Science Fiction)
Sometimes I come across a story I wish I wrote because it’s good. Sometimes I come across one I wish I wrote because it’s something I could have written, but Long did it better.
This story is about uplifted crows. And autism. And ABA. Every parent of an autistic child should be made to read this story. Seriously.
Plus, it has crows.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.
A City, A Desert and All Their Dirges by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Somto Ihezue (Mothersound: The Sauutiverse Anthology)
This is the first of the Saautiverse stories (An Afrofuturism shared world) and it associates sound and magic…it’s fantasy that feels like science fiction, which I often enjoy. Or rather, much like some other Afrofuturism works (Binti comes to mind) it doesn’t draw a line between the two.
I really feel for the protagonist. He just wants to escape one cage and finds himself in another, although his fate is ultimate escapable. I wonder if there are plans for a sequel or if another writer did something with this.
Recommended to people who like unusual magic systems, but with a content warning that it’s a tragedy.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.
Anymore by L. Marie Wood (The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse)
Gore warning
The aliens attack. Everyone dies. Not quite the end. Very gory, very disturbing, and very short on hope. Or really…it’s almost a vignette, but I remember this call so that makes sense.
Definitely horror.
Copy provided for review and award consideration purposes.