July is a good month for science fiction and fantasy, and not just because Brandon Sanderson’s third project from the Kickstarter campaign is finally out.
A Soul Of Ash And Blood by Jennnifer L. Armentrout comes to bookstores on July 18, but that only matters if you read the author’s Blood and Ash books. This is book five, but it recounts the first novel from Cas’ perspective. The response to this book’s announcement was surprisingly mixed.
Some people could not wait to relive the events of a story they had re-read countless times. Others could not understand why she would backtrack to the first book instead of releasing the next chapter in this saga.
The Stars Are Dying by Chloe C. Penaranda (July 11) has a beautiful cover. Astraea, the novel’s protagonist, lives in a world ravaged by a tyrannical ruler. Astraea’s innocence is a consequence of her fractured memories and the figures that disguise their cruelty as an attempt to protect her from the so-called vampires that roam the land.
Astraea’s attempt to claim her freedom leads to unintended consequences when she meets Nyte, a seemingly villainous entity that makes her heart flutter. A Witch’s Sin by Daniel B. Greene (July 4) is bound to attract more attention than most because Greene is an immensely popular booktuber (a person that talks about books on YouTube).
Early reviews have described his book as a techno-thriller that walks the fine line between science fiction and fantasy. Taya Mint, the protagonist, is some sort of enforcer fighting to escape her mental scars by sinking her teeth into a complex puzzle.
When a grisly murder occurs, Taya must decide how far she will go to fight the corruption at the heart of Megastructure Seven Zero Three. While I occasionally watch his videos, Greene’s fiction is new to me. Many reviews have called this his best novel yet.
Although, if I’m being honest, the synopsis was a little off-putting; not the content, but the writing. Counterweight (July 11) sounds like one of those clever Cyberpunk Noir novels Christopher Nolan is destined to adapt. Djuna, the author, is a revered South Korean science fiction writer. His story takes readers to Patusan.
A Korean conglomerate has decided to construct an elevator to Earth’s orbit on the fictional island. Once they succeed, the tropical resort town will become a buzzing travel hub, to the chagrin of the natives. But Choi Gangwu has other concerns.
The seemingly unremarkable worker is just one among various parties racing to retrieve a trove of personal data in the counterweight, the structure in orbit that keeps the elevator’s cable taut.
At 179 pages, Counterweight is a novella. You can probably finish it in an afternoon or a weekend. Light Bringer (July 25) sounds like a Brent Weeks novel, but this is actually the sixth book in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising saga.
Brown is an inspiring literary figure, especially when you learn that a whopping 120 agents rejected him before the author sold Red Rising.
The Red Rising books take place in a dystopian future in which a lowborn miner fights to destroy the ruling class on Mars by adopting the facade of the Reaper, a mythical figure with a powerful prophecy. Suffice it to say, you should read the first five Red Rising books before dipping your toes into Light Bringer.
I can’t sign out without mentioning Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade (July 18), a Star Wars novel by Delilah S. Dawson that follows Iskat, a former Jedi that tries to uncover the past the Jedi hid from her by joining the Inquisitors in the aftermath of Order 66.
And that will do for now. Happy reading.
katmic200@gmail.com
Source: The Observer
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