Join host Adrian M. Gibson and authors Fonda Lee, Gareth Hanrahan, Jadie Jang and Peter Hartog as they explore the urban sprawl of fictional cities. During the panel they discuss the distinctive character of both fictional and real-world cities, how to use a setting to enhance worldbuilding, character and plot, creating fictional cities from scratch compared to representing real cities, city-related tropes, worldbuidling advice for writers and much more.
Review: Age of Ash (Kithamar #1) by Daniel Abraham
As a lover of science fiction, I can appreciate the breaking of the status quo. Every so often, genres like cyberpunk or post-apocalyptic fiction came in to stir shit up and make it messier, so to say. But fantasy, I’ve found, is much more comfortable resting on its laurels—challenges to foundational fantasy conventions have been slower, and few and far between. In the last decade or so, though, the intention from authors to actively challenge fantasy’s history has been growing.
Daniel Abraham’s newest novel Age of Ash, book one in The Kithamar Trilogy, seems to do just that. It tackles the notion of “epic fantasy,” questioning the epic-ness of it all and how big battles and a fast pace have dominated that landscape. But beyond that, Age of Ash is a heartfelt story that grounds itself in genuine characters in grim circumstances. What follows is a novel that is epic in its ideas and execution, but relatable in its perspectives and emotions.
Author Chat: Daniel Abraham
Join FanFiAddict’s Adrian M. Gibson and author Daniel Abraham for a chat about his eleven-year journey co-writing The Expanse books with Ty Franck and working on the TV adaptation, saying goodbye to that series, creating the world of The Kithamar Trilogy and writing the first book, Age of Ash, the theme of grief, characters that come out of nowhere, challenging preconceptions of ‘epic fantasy’ and much more.
SFF Addicts TV Club: The Book of Boba Fett S01 Review
Welcome to another TV Club bonus episode! Join host Adrian M. Gibson and guest authors Gareth L. Powell, J. S. Dewes and J. Dianne Dotson as they discuss and review season one of The Book of Boba Fett, the new Star Wars TV series centered on the infamous bounty hunter. During the panel they discuss their relationships with Boba Fett, first impressions of the show, narrative and pacing, how it ties in with The Mandalorian, Din Djarin and Grogu, Tatooine fatigue, the future of Star Wars on the small screen and much more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 14: Humor & Satire in SFF (with Nicholas Eames, Josiah Bancroft, Delilah Dawson & Kevin Hearne)
Join host Adrian M. Gibson and authors Nicholas Eames, Josiah Bancroft, Delilah Dawson and Kevin Hearne as they have a good laugh about humor and satire in sci-fi and fantasy. During the panel many jokes are made (of course) as they explore the various ways humor and satire can be utilized in a story, from providing tension relief and dealing with trauma to writing humorous characters and scenes, as well as workshopping jokes, the challenges of written humor and much more. Also, Delilah and Kevin share their experiences co-writing The Tales of Pell series together, and let’s just say a fair bit of alcohol was involved.
Review: Stars and Bones (Stars and Bones #1) by Gareth L. Powell
In the canon of modern space opera, Gareth L. Powell has stood out as one of the genre’s most accessible stalwarts. His work is consistently engaging and continues to improve book after book. With his latest novel, Stars and Bones, Powell kicks off a brand-new space opera series with a bang. Not only was this book a pure joy to read, gripping me from the get-go and never letting up until the final page, it was also full of relatable characters, clever humor and the relentless optimism of the human spirit. This book is unputdownable, popcorn sci-fi that explores big ideas with an equally big heart.
SFF Addicts Ep. 13: Space Ooopera (with Adrian Tchaikovsky, J. S. Dewes & Jonathan Nevair)
Join host Adrian M. Gibson and authors Adrian Tchaikovsky, J. S. Dewes and Jonathan Nevair as they explore the wonders of space opera in a galaxy far, far away. During the panel they discuss the (often confusing) fundamentals and origins of space opera, aliens vs. the human experience, the shifting perspectives of the genre, subversion of outdated genre conventions, mythology and history as a framework for modern sci-fi stories and much more.
Review: 36 Streets by T. R. Napper
T. R. Napper’s debut novel 36 Streets is a rich, multi-layered thrill ride. On one hand, it delivers a slick, neon-soaked cyberpunk narrative, with a gruff anti-hero protagonist, tense action and near-future tech. But on the other, it’s a surprisingly thoughtful story, with nuanced explorations of family, identity and memory in the face of immense tragedy. Pair that with the living trauma of its Vietnamese setting (specifically its capital city Hanoi) and the result is a potent mix of futurism and the human condition.
Review: Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer
I’m a massive Jeff VanderMeer fan. His Southern Reach trilogy is one of my all-time favorite series, as are his Ambergris novels. That said, he’s not for everyone. I know that—I accept that. His brand of “new weird” can be pretty far-out a lot of the time, especially when he veers into a more literary writing style. So, when I heard of Hummingbird Salamander, I was surprised that he was leaning more mainstream with this near-future eco-thriller. I couldn’t help but think, how this was going to straddle the line between his longtime fans and those who were new to his work and/or intimidated by it? And the result? VanderMeer does manage to straddle that line effectively, telling an overall great story with a few hiccups and stumbles along the way.
Author Chat: T. R. Napper
Join FanFiAddict’s Adrian M. Gibson and award-winning author T. R. Napper for a chat about the birth and progression of the cyberpunk genre, punk aesthetics, Vietnamese history, Southeast Asia as a setting, memory and PTSD, immigration and identity, his short story collection Neon Leviathan, his new debut novel 36 Streets and much more.
Review: The Bone Shard Emperor (The Drowning Empire #2) by Andrea Stewart
hooked. The vibrant world, imagining an empire of seasonal, migrating islands, and the relatable cast of characters had me fully invested to the end. But it was the richness of her prose and worldbuilding, and the gut-punch weight of the book’s many twists that left me aching for more.
Thankfully, Stewart’s sophomore effort and the sequel to The Bone Shard Daughter does not disappoint. In fact, The Bone Shard Emperor swiftly ups the ante, dealing with the fallout of its predecessor and building political and emotional pressure in captivating ways. With morally grey characters (in a morally grey world) that I can truly root for and a world with a deep, mysterious history I want to know more about, The Drowning Empire series just keeps getting better.
SFF Addicts TV Club: The Wheel of Time S01 Review
Welcome to another TV Club bonus episode! Join host Adrian M. Gibson and guests P. Djèlí Clark, Patricia A. Jackson, Sara Carothers (Fictions Fans podcast) and Benjamin (Literature & Lofi), as they discuss and review season one of The Wheel of Time, the new TV adaptation of the fantasy book series by Robert Jordan. During the panel they discuss and critique the on-screen portrayals of their favorite Wheel of Time characters, analyze the overarching narratives of the show and its many changes, explore its flaws and successes, share their hopes for the next season and much more.