Science fiction (double feature)

I've been in a bit of a reading slump for several months, but it's starting to pick up again. Mostly I seem to be into Adventures in space! books at the moment (to be fair when am I not into Adventures in space! books?), possibly a result of the Star Wars renaissance. It's a good time to be a science fiction fan.

Recent recommended reads:

cover of Ancillary JusticeCover of Behind the ThroneCover of The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet

The Ancillary trilogy by Ann Leckie, beginning with Ancillary Justice - an approximation of the British Empire in space! AI ships with human bodies who love singing! Lots of tea! It can take a few chapters to get into but rewards persistence. Leckie is definitely one of my favourite new sci fi authors.

Ancillary Justice

Behind the Throne by K. G. Wagers - Often described as: What if Princess Leia and Han Solo were the same person? Foul-mouthed gunrunner Hailimi Bristol is forced to return to her home planet to take up the crown after most of the royal family are assassinated. Chaos ensues. I doubt I'd be able to cope with Hailimi in person (so much shouting, calm down) but I enjoyed the first book. Possibly not enough to check out the second, After the Crown, but I know others enjoyed it.

Behind the Throne

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - Similar to Firefly in that it's an ensemble cast in space who all love each other even when they hate each other, episodic plot, and occasional encounters with nasty aliens (lots of nice ones too). There's a sequel, A Closed and Common Orbit, which explores what happens when the ship's AI gets a body and learns to be an engineer. I think I liked that one even more and it's a standalone so feel free to pick it up without having read the first. Readers who prefer a fast paced plot should steer clear but if you're into character-driven feel-good science fiction, this is the author for you.

The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet

Other science fiction I'm looking forward to reading:

  • Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee. First of a trilogy. To win an impossible war Captain Kel Cheris is given the "help" of a dead, insane but tactically brilliant traitor general.
  • The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu. Aliens prepare to invade. Humans are divided in their response to the threat. What happens next will surprise you!
  • Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty. Murder mystery in spaaaaaace!

Cover of Ninefox GambitCover of The Three-Body ProblemCover of Six Wakes

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