The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton

 I enjoyed Edward Ashton's science fiction books, Micky7 and Antimatter Blues, so much that I was thrilled to see this standalone book. It is similar to the other two books in that he has crafted an alien culture in which a bumbling human must try to survive. Written with wit and odd situations, The Fourth Consort is another winner.

Dalton's life is going poorly: his father died, and his girlfriend dumped him. Faced with few prospects on Earth, he joins a group of multi-species space explorers called Unity, whose lofty goals include first contact with alien civilizations. On his first mission as an ambassador, Dalton's crewmembers consist of an alien pilot who looks like a giant snail and fellow Earthling Neera, a fellow scout. They encounter an alien culture, only to find a rival organization, the Assembly, that has gotten there first. Things go badly between the two groups, and Dalton and Neera get stranded on the planet with a crewmember of the Assembly, Dalton calls Breaker. They are in a race to see who can win over the alien culture first.

I loved the moral dilemmas Dalton faced and the diplomatic tightrope he walked. Ashton does an excellent job of world-building and describing the alien beings. First-contact stories are my favorite science fiction reads, and The Fourth Consort ranks right up there as one of the best. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is February 25, 2025.

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A. R. Beyond the Universe by Gary W. Gordon

 

In this novella, Gordon skillfully builds a story packed with exciting situations, good characters, and imaginative locations. The story is carefully developed and unfolds quickly.

Introvert Alex Rogers is content living alone with his dog MacGuyver, his hobbies, and his predictable job. When he starts having vivid dreams about floating in space and disappearing stars, he searches the Internet for insight. He finds a website that links his dreams to an ancient prophecy. Using the contact link on the site, he asks for more information and is surprised when he receives a message with a phone number. Little does he know that calling that number ends his life as he knows it and sets him on a trajectory to save the universe.

I enjoyed this book. It starts slowly with an aside about a skydiving event that left me scratching my head, but once Alex makes the phone call, the pace picks up quickly. I like relatable science fiction, and this book certainly is—there is no hard science involved--just a good, engaging story. The writing is good, if a bit overly descriptive, but nothing distracting. 

3.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Parker Publishers, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Run by Blake Crouch

 

Run is another excellent moralistic post-apocalyptic story from Blake Crouch. I loved Upgrade, Recursion, and Dark Matter; Run ranks right up there.  

People are killing people, and Jack Colclough doesn't know why. When he hears his name on the radio of people to kill in Albuquerque, he grabs his wife, Dee, and two children and heads north--destination unknown. As they travel through Colorado, they learn the reason why the killing is occurring and that Canada may be a haven from the madness. The killers are organized, and the trip is dangerous, but staying in one place is not an option: Jack and his family must run,

This twisty, pedal-to-the-metal story starts fast and never lets up. In a lawless environment, Jack and Dee must decide how far they will go to protect their children. Does it include murder? The plot is plausible, the characters are well-drawn, and the pacing is spot-on. If you are a science fiction lover and haven't discovered Blake Crouch, now is the time.

4/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is October 22, 2024.

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The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

I generally prefer the book version of a story to a movie or series based on it. This is true of this book. I'm grateful, however, to the Netflix series that helped me find this book. I initially wanted to read it because I had some questions about the series. After reading it, I am disappointed with the many licenses the Netflix series took. While the series is true to the overall story, significant changes were made—especially with the nationality of the characters. The series was cinematically beautiful, and I'm glad I watched it, but I prefer the book.

Beginning with the Cultural Revolution in China, the book follows Astrophysicist Ye Wenjie, her family, and her struggles when assigned to a secret communications monitoring base. Flash forward forty-plus years, and scientist Wang Miao, working in nanotechnology, is under investigation for his involvement with a group of elite scientists. Eventually, Wang's and Ye's paths cross when communication with an alien civilization becomes widely known. Some see the aliens as saviors for Earth's cultural and political problems, while others see them as dangerous conquerors. The ideological differences put the factions at odds and moved the story forward.

This is a hard science book with a compelling storyline. I admit I skimmed some more challenging scientific parts, but that didn't detract from the story or my overall comprehension. The characters face relevant moral and political dilemmas that make the story realistic and relatable. I sometimes got lost keeping the Chinese names straight, but focusing on three main characters helped. This is a fantastic book, and I look forward to the next book, The Dark Forest. 

5/5 stars. 

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The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey

 The two authors who penned The Expanse series are back! The Mercy of Gods is a promising start to a new space opera series built on a grand world-building scale with interesting characters and non-stop action.

The humans on Anjiin are caught up in the politics of the moment when the Caryx invade the planet, killing the population into submission and then taking the best and brightest to their home planet. One captured research group is kept intact and given a problem to solve in competition with another enslaved species. The stakes are high: whichever group succeeds lives while the loser dies. Led by the brilliant but mercurial Tonnar Freis, the team must overcome technological obstacles and assaults from the rival research team to solve the problem. Dafyd Alkhor rises above his role as a research associate to understand what drives the bloodthirsty Caryx and see what they need to do to survive long term. Now, he must convince the others.

The Mercy of Gods has an expansive yet complex plot, finely drawn characters, and alien races. It is a fast-paced book full of political intrigue. I especially liked the descriptions of the Caryx and some of the other oddly-configured species. The literary license taken about how these races exist in the same air and gravity bothered me at times, but I was so engrossed in the story that I let that slide.

I am looking forward to many more books about the exploits of Dafyd and his friends. 

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is August 6, 2024.

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Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

I don't usually care for short stories, but a friend whose opinions I trust suggested this collection. I did like it, and although it didn't change my mind about short stories—they're too choppy; I like a continuous story—I was engaged with most of the stories.

These are stories previously published in magazines, mainly in the 90s, but they have held up well. All are character-driven and deal with various topics, including what it means to be human. Most stories have intriguing premises, are excellently written, and captured my imagination. The author delves heavily into math and physics in several stories that I found hard to comprehend. I admit to having to skim parts, but that didn't detract from the overall readability of the stories. All-in-all, this is an interesting read. 

3.5/5 stars.

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The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

 I wasn't sure what to expect from this latest Stuart Turton novel. I loved his "The Devil and the Dark Water" but didn't care for "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle"—although my opinion on the latter was a minority one. The premise of "The Last Murder at the End of the World" sounded promising, and I am happy to report it lived up to all my expectations.

In a post-apocalyptic world, the only survivors are on a small island surrounded by the life-threatening fog that appears to have wiped out civilization. Once home to an advanced scientific facility, the island is now populated by one hundred and twenty-two villagers and ruled over by three surviving scientists. When one of the scientists is murdered, the killer fog begins advancing on the island. With only hours to solve the murder, one villager is tasked with finding the murderer, which will reset the security system that keeps the fog at bay.

This unusual plot is deftly executed. It is a fast-paced, atmospheric book with well-drawn characters and plot twists. It's a science fiction murder mystery—two of my favorite genres that fit seamlessly together. I highly recommend this book. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 21, 2024.

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Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes

This is the first book by this author I've read, and although it's a slow starter, it turned out to be a good science fiction story about planet exploration and the perils it involves.

Ophelia Bray is a psychotherapist assigned to a Reclamation and Exploration Team to map and explore a planet whose salvageable rights have just been acquired. Her goal is to detect the early warning signs of Eckhart-Reiser syndrome (ERS), a condition that, if it is not caught early, can cause psychotic breaks, violence, and insanity. Along with her own emotional baggage, the team she joins has just suffered the traumatic loss of a crewmember and resents Ophelia's inclusion on this mission. She must overcome her own demons and try to win over the crew if she will be of help.

Once on the planet, crewmembers begin displaying unusual behavioral systems that may or may not be associated with ERS. It's up to Ophelia to figure out what is happening before she, too, is affected.

The book's first third is a slog as Ophelia seems to psychoanalyze every situation and individual, including herself. However, the pace picks up once the action starts on the planet, and this turns into an exciting action-adventure read. It is an atmospheric story with a touch of horror thrown in to keep things interesting. Overall, I enjoyed this book.

 4/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Nightfire, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is April 9, 2024.

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Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang

I love a good science fiction book, and if it involves a first encounter, that's just icing on the cake. I was looking forward to this book from this award-winning Chinese writer whose story checked both boxes. I don't know if something got lost in translation, but this was less than a stellar introduction to this writer. The characters were one-dimensional, the writing was simplistic, and the dialogue clunky. 

Earth is now divided into two factions, the Pacific League of Nations and the Atlantic Division of Nations; war is imminent. Add to this, an alien race, thought to have visited in the past, is now trying to make contact. Two scientists and a wealthy playboy are trying to interfere with a potential military response and make first contact. The race is on.

As stated, the premise is intriguing, but the execution is lacking. 

1/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Saga Press, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is March 12, 2024.

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Saturn Run by John Sandford and Ctein

I like a good space opera and am a big fan of John Sandford's murder mystery books, so I was all in when I saw Sandford had collaboratively written a sci-fi book. He didn't disappoint.

It's 2066, and what is presumed to be a spaceship is spotted approaching Saturn by an intern at Caltech. Hoping to keep its appearance a secret, the US government, under the guise of joining an already planned Mars colonization trip planned by China, hopes to be the first country to Saturn to see what is happening. A crew of the best and brightest is quickly assembled, a space station is retrofitted into a galaxy-crossing ship, and the American crew, led by Captain Fang-Castro, settles into the long voyage. Unfortunately for the US, the alien spaceship is spotted leaving the planet, and now the race is on between the US and China to get to Saturn.

What follows is what can be best described as a space thriller. This engaging story has twists, subplots, and perhaps a saboteur. There are sections of hard science fiction that I admit to skimming as they didn't pique my interest, nor could I understand them. The story and characters are excellent and, typical of Sandford's writing, there is humor and great dialogue as the story unfolds quickly. Although he's no Andy Weir, Sandford produces an engaging story in collaboration with Ctein that captured my imagination. 

 4/5 stars.

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Among the Living by Tim Lebbon

I read Tim Lebbon's post-apocalyptic book "The Last Storm" and loved it. It had a fascinating storyline that could convincingly be true--the same can be said of this book. It's another futuristic peek into what could happen to the world due to global warming.

Global warming has thawed the permafrost on a remote Arctic island, and a group of profiteers, illegally prospecting for rare earth metals, discover frightening drawings on a cave wall that appear to be a warning that is thousands of years old. Venturing further into the cave system, the group encounters an ancient creature and unwittingly unleashes an intelligent contagion that could wreak havoc if it isn't contained.

Alerted to the profiteer's intentions, three activists pursue the group to the island, intent on stopping them. Unfortunately, they arrived too late, and now the two different-minded groups must combine their efforts to stop the contagion.

This fast-paced horror thriller explores moral and climate crisis issues with excellently drawn characters and a scenario that isn't beyond belief. Who knows what a warming earth holds in store for us? This is an imaginative future I hope we can prevent.

Thank you, Titan Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is February 6, 2024. 

4/5 stars.

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The Future by Naomi Alderman

This author is new to me but I like a good apocalyptic story and this sounded like a good one. I was right; it is a good one.

The future looks grim: billionaires have secret retreats and "preppers" have a dominant Web presence. Everyone thinks the end of times is near. When survivalists Martha and Zhen meet and combine their knowledge, they see a dangerous situation when the ultra-rich look out for themselves at the expense of civilization. They and a small group of survivalist friends decide to take action. Besides their retreats, a select few of the richest of the rich also have software telling them how and when to escape. This software also mysteriously appears on Zhen's phone giving her inside information but also raising questions: who sent it to her and why? And what is most important, is there time to fix things?

This story took off with a bang and grabbed me with its good versus evil idea but it got bogged down a bit in the middle with the over-my-head descriptions of software and algorithms to predict the future. It did pick up again, however, and I enjoyed the cat-and-mouse games that played out. The writing is excellent and the plot is just far-fetched enough to be believable. 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is November 7, 2023.

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These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs

I love a good sci-fi space opera and I especially like finding new authors in the genre. With These Burning Stars, the first in a planned trilogy, I have found both.

The Hand, the governing body of the Kindom consists of three branches: Clerics, Secretaries, and Cloaks When Esek Nightfoot, a prominent Cleric and member of a powerful First Family, discovers two students at a school, she ends up mentoring one, Chono, and challenging the other, Six, to "...do something extraordinary". Little does Esek know what she has unleashed on the Kindom with her challenge.

Meanwhile, con artist Jun Ironway has come into possession of evidence that threatens the very existence of The Hand and the Nightfoot family empire. As Esek and Chono search for Jun, Six is playing her own game of cat-and-mouse with them--always one step ahead and taunting Esek.

This is a complex world-building novel with subplots and twists that form a tapestry of a star system fraught with political intrigue. The characters are well-developed with excellent writing and pacing that moves the story forward. However, I had a problem with the gender-neutral pronouns used for Six. It was confusing when the word "they" would be used for both Six and multiple characters in the same sentence. I understand why the author chose this for the character, it was just hard to follow sometimes. This is an excellent debut novel from Bethany Jacobs and I look forward to the next installment in the series. 4 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is October 17, 2023.

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Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty

 I love science fiction and mystery books. Put them together and I'm there.

Station Eternity is a sentient space station housing multiple alien races and three unlikely humans: Xan, who was running away from a murder that had just been committed and would likely be the primary suspect, was abducted by a spaceship and taken to the station; Adrian, an unlikely first ambassador from Earth; Mallory, a woman who seemingly causes a murder to occur wherever she goes. Mallory and Xan bond immediately and both are at odds with Adrian. What transpires is a rocket ride of interesting species and murders--not all caused by Mallory's proximity. 

This is an engaging story from the author of Six Wakes, another of my favorite sci-fi books. Although the book is wide-ranging, it somehow all comes together in a story that is both amusing and an interesting take on inter-species relationships. The aliens are an unusual lot, running the gamut from insects to rock creatures who all look down on humans as inferior species. Most slowly change their minds as the story unfolds, however. This is an excellent book, if a bit long. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, Chaos Terminal, due out on November 7, 2023.

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The Never-Ending End of the World by Ann Christy

 This is the first book by Ann Christy I've read and based on it, I know I have found a new author to follow. What an amazingly plotted story--from start to finish. 

Coco has been surviving in a world where something has caused time loops: people all around her continually repeat their actions. Alone in Manhattan, she has learned to navigate these loopers because interrupting the loops kills the person. Coco questions why she is different and wonders if she is truly alone. She eventually ventures outside of Manhattan where she meets Forrest, Jorge, and Tamara and learns there are two distinct beliefs for survival: Chosen and Seekers. She must pick a camp.

I admit I was a bit puzzled when I began the book, trying to figure out what was happening. When I realized that Coco also didn't have a clue, I settled back and let the story unfold. As told by Coco and Forrest, this is an interesting take on humanity when it essentially resets. Guided by differing belief systems, these two protagonists handle daily life-or-death situations differently and have strong convictions that would seemingly put them at odds. The lesson they learn is that compromise is the key to survival. This is a wonderfully written novel whose pacing and intricate plot and subplots are excellent. It's a story I sank my teeth in and thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you, NetGalley and Jackson Dickert for an advance copy of this book for review. The publication date is August 8, 2023. 

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