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.
Reviews
Review: Disappearance of a Scribe by Dana Stabenow (Eye of Isis #2)
‘Stabenow brings Alexandria’s Hellenistic period to life… She is now as much at home in ancient Egypt as she is in the Alaskan wilderness’ Publishers Weekly ALEXANDRIA, 47 BC. Cleopatra – seventh of her name, avatar of the goddess Isis, ruler of the Kingdom of Egypt – watches over her city. The war is over, […]
The Shattered Skies (The Cruel Stars #2) by John Birmingham
The Sturm have been pushed back, but not defeated, their larger forces still roam the Volume; despite the efforts of McLellan and Herodotus and the rest of our cast, their threat isn’t gone – and this sequel treats us to a whole lot more of what the first did. If epic space battles and advanced tech are your thing, or you’ve read the Expanse and want more spaceships and AI, this is a series that should shoot to the top of your TBR.
Review: Mickey7 by Edward Ashton
Synopsis Dying isn’t any fun… but at least it’s a living. Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonise the ice world of Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous – even suicidal – the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated […]
Review: The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews
The Leviathan feels like one of the biggest releases of the year. It’s awesome in its execution and perfect pacing. What starts out as a witchy is she/isn’t she? mystery novel darkens and darkens into something bigger, something so malignant and powerful that you really shouldn’t be anywhere near whether you’re a sceptical protagonist or not.
Review: Jade War (Green Bone Saga #2) by Fonda Lee
Jade War is the sequel to Jade City and the second book in Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga series. I was so happy after reading book 1 that I could not wait to read book 2, and I dove right in. As expected, Jade War lives up to the expectations created by the greatness of Jade City.
Review: The Providence of Fire (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne #2) by Brian Staveley
Synopsis Ever since she found out who murdered her father, Adare – the daughter of the Annurian emperor Sanlitun – has been on the run, the Unhewn Throne having fallen into the hands of her enemies. At the same time, Adare’s brothers, Valyn and Kaden, are pursuing their own plans: Valyn is forming an alliance […]
Review: Jade City (The Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee
Jade City is the first book in Fonda Lee’s critically-acclaimed Green Bone Saga series, and… wait, what was that? I am three years late getting to it, you say? Yes, that is true, and let me tell you: no one regrets waiting to read this series more than I do. I wish I had read it earlier, because, not only do I love it, but it is clearly one of the best fantasy books of the last 5 years.
The Bone Spindle (The Bone Spindle #1) by Leslie Vedder
There’s countless heart wrenching twists, turns, kisses, pledges of love and betrayals that just feels so satisfying. I hope we have a chance to go ruin-delving with Shane and Fi again very soon because I really wasn’t ready for this book to end.
Review: Mage’s Blood (The Moontide Quartet #1) by David Hair
Synopsis: The Moontide is coming. Urte stands on the brink of war. Now three seemingly ordinary people will decide the fate of the world. Urte is divided, its two continents separated by impassable seas. But once every twelve years, the Moontide sees the waters sink to their lowest point and the Leviathan Bridge is revealed, […]
Review: Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill
Synopsis Born in fire. Tempered in blood. Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of southern Epheria, still reeling from […]
Review: Scarecrow Has A Gun by Michael Paul Kozlowsky
Synopsis Never trust other people’s memories, and watch out for your own. Sean Whittlesea was there when his wife was murdered. He saw the light leave her eyes. He held her dead body in his arms. He knows he wept, but he cannot recollect a single other detail. Tormented by the tragedy, Sean relives the […]