The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Isak AI
Clarke Owens
Cosmic Egg Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781803411286, $18.95 PB, 312pp

https://www.amazon.com/Isak-AI-novel-Clarke-Owens/dp/1803411287

Synopsis: Set in the year 2052, "Isak AI" by Clark Ownes is the story of Is= ak, a super-computer who takes over the world and eliminates a fourth of it=
s population as a step toward preventing environmental collapse.

In response, a group of Bay Area truth-seekers create the Church of Isak, w= orshipping the computer as a god. DeJuan McCholley, an L.A. rap artist, bec= omes Isak's prophet, and science power couple Kyle and Inga Conners are cal= led on to respond to a glitch in Isak's programming.

Critique: A deftly scripted novel that will have a special interest for rea= ders who appreciated dystopian stories, "Isak AI" offers them a unique blen=
d of satire and speculation with the themes of climate science, artificial = intelligence, politics, and religious myth. A believable story of what coul=
d be our future as extrapolated from our present, "Isak AI" is highly recom= mended for community library Science Fiction collections. It should be note=
d for the personal reading lists of dedicated science fiction fans that "Is=
ak AI" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).

Baen Books
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com

https://www.amazon.com/Summers-End-John-Van-Stry/dp/1982192291

Summer's End by John Van Stry (9781982192297, $17.00) tells of Dave Walker,=
a new college grad with his Ship Engineer 3rd-Class certificate in hand wh=
o only needs to find a berth and a job. Oh, and avoid being killed by a ven= geful stepfather he's never met. Dave finds himself not searching for gainf=
ul employment, but on the run as he fields assassins, pirates, and challeng=
es in space that his degree never prepared him for. Fast-paced action, stro=
ng characterization, and a story filled with interplays between past influe= nces and future opportunities make for a sci-fi space-hopping read that is = delightfully intriguing.

https://www.amazon.com/Scarab-Mission-Billion-Worlds-Book-ebook/dp/B0BCXSST=
RV

The Scarab Mission by James L. Cambias (9781982192366, $18.00) tells of Sol= ana Sina, a scarab scavenger with a crew that lives for salvaging abandoned=
space habitats. A raven a cyborg, and a dinosaur begin to score some serio=
us loot until the scarabs confront a gang of pirates seeking both riches an=
d slaves. Fast-paced action marks a story that is vividly compelling.

https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Critical-Charles-Gannon/dp/1982192607

Charles Gannon, Griffin Barber, Chris Kennedy, and Mike Massa's Mission Cri= tical (9781982192600, $18.00) is a Terran Republic novel that tells of sold= iers lost in time and transported light-years from home. Major Rodger Y. Mu= rphy is only one of the latest who faces a helicopter crash in 1993, only t=
o wake up alive in 2125, over a hundred light-years from home. They have be=
en tapped by the Consolidated Terran Republic for a battle nobody quite und= erstands, and the impact will change not only their futures, but the world.

These are fine action-packed stories that are hard to put down or neatly ca= tegorize, and will attract a wide audience.

Dark Dweller
Gareth Worthington
Dropship Publishing
www.dropshippublishing.com
9781954386006, $44.99 Hardcover/$14.99 Paper/$4.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Dweller-Gareth-Worthington/dp/1954386079

It's not unusual to lose people in space. When Captain Kara Psomas is decla= red dead after a collision with Jupiter, the world moves on without her. Ov=
er a century later, an escape pod is found containing a young woman who hol=
ds a universe-changing message in a mission that affects the future of all = mankind. She claims to be Kara. It's up to her rescuers to determine if she=
is insane, or humanity's only hope. It's up to Kara to fulfill her mission=
, even if it costs the lives of those who have saved her.

Gareth Worthington creates a story nicely steeped in intrigue, vivid descri= ptions, and action-packed dialogue tempered by an undercurrent of wry humor=
.. These gritty conversations that are part of the first-person story's powe=
r bring situations to life, as well as circumstances which lead characters =
to disbelieve the evidence before them. Worthington does a fine job of shif= ting these first-person points of view between Kara and other characters.

One example is Dr. Luan Nkosi, who is walking Europa when he's called to be= come involved in the mystery of a two-hundred-year-old survivor who looks t=
o be fifteen years old. Worthington is equally adept at juxtaposing hard sc= ience, mystery, spiritual components, and insights into all kinds of surviv= ors. The nonstop action invites those who relish a fast pace in their stori= es, while the mystery over this woman's potential impact on civilization is=
nicely done and captivating.

Readers of sci-fi who enjoy stories that circumnavigate other worlds with a=
touch of cosmic mystery and prophecy will find Dark Dweller a powerful ble=
nd of topics that injects intrigue into extraterrestrial experiences. Libra= ries that look for intersections of sci-fi and higher-level thinking, dosed=
with a heady mix of hard science and wry observational humor, will find Da=
rk Dweller a fine acquisition that outlines a strange journey through time = and future possibilities.

Gathering
Greg Rode
Warren Publishing Inc.
www.warrenpublishing.net
9781957723112, $15.95 Paper/$4.99 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Gathering-Sanctuary-Chronicles-Greg-Rode/dp/19577231=
14

Zombie apocalypse novels tend to sound somewhat alike -- a zombie infection=
forces human survivors to struggle against them for control of a vastly ch= anged world. What makes such a plot unique is how an author approaches the = skeleton of the story, which is why Greg Rode's third book in the Sanctuary=
series, Gathering, continues to amaze.

Unlike the first two books, Gathering is divided into three parts. The firs=
t is narrated in the third person and focuses on Morgan, who has isolated h= erself from the world when it suddenly changes. At first she doesn't notice=
anything awry, even though "Like all the other cities in the country, Denv=
er and its suburbs screamed, suffered, and died quickly, with a good few of=
those who remained standing having nothing in their minds but the classic = American dream of the pursuit of happiness -- in the form of eating their (= former) fellow man."

When she emerges from her cocoon, it's to find a strange new milieu in whic=
h she encounters her first zombie four days after the world has succumbed t=
o their strengths, discovering that critical pieces of her world and life h= ave shifted. The second part is also in third person but focuses on Eve as = she finds her way back to the group after separating from them at the begin= ning of the second book. She picks up a couple of survivors along the way, = one of whom may have a hidden agenda. The third part returns to first perso=
n as the narrator resumes his accounts of the group and their many adventur=
es together as they work to find true sanctuary. As Rode reviews the group'=
s reactions, pull toward each other, and the elements of strength that give=
them exceptional abilities to confront this new zombie-controlled environm= ent, readers will appreciate the vivid descriptions and action-packed scene=
s that create unexpected drama and insights alike.

The result of Rode's approach to his books is a zombie series like no other=
.. Gathering stands both individually strong and as an expanding addition to=
a series that questions survival, revised life purposes, and the real diff= erences between zombies and humans.

Sanctuary
Greg Rode
Warren Publishing Inc.
www.warrenpublishing.net
9781957723525, $15.95 Paper/$4.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Sanctuary-Chronicles-Greg-Rode/dp/1957723521

Sanctuary is the fourth book of the Sanctuary Chronicles and adds further d= etails about the confrontations between surviving humans and the zombies ta= king over the world. It also continues to interweave the different voices f= rom a variety of characters, a writing technique Greg Rode uses throughout = the rest of the series.

The story opens with a bang as the narrator confesses he has been bitten by=
a zombie, his greatest fear realized. Is he now doomed to become one of th=
e things his group has fought against and struggled with since the downfall=
of mankind? The otherwise-safe sanctuary they have created for themselves = feels tainted from within as the story opens; but Rode excels at creating t= wists and turns of plot that take readers into very different directions.

Sanctuary represents another such journey as the narrator muses on past eve= nts and concludes that "Every story has an ending, I just didn't think mine=
was going to end with me being bitten by a zombie." As he awaits the proce=
ss of losing his mind as his group considers some good fortune and how to h= elp others, planning a rescue that will pit them against fellow humans as w= ell as zombies, the story unfolds many surprises which will delight readers=
that think all zombie stories are alike.

Sanctuary certainly stands out as the survivors consider and adopt flexible=
, changing perspectives in reaction to revelations and discoveries about th=
e vastly changed world and the power plays between humans and zombies. The = action and adventure develops nicely into the story of how humans have chan= ged in response to this adversity.

Readers receive a vivid account that both stands on its own and contributes=
to the series as a whole as new characters join the group to expand its pu= rposes and perceptions. The result is another zombie story that is anything=
but ordinary. Sanctuary is highly recommended both for newcomers and libra=
ry collections seeing prior patron interest in Rode's series.

The Wall
Greg Rode
Warren Publishing, Inc.
www.warrenpublishing.net
9781957723761, $15.95

https://www.amazon.com/Wall-Sanctuary-Chronicles-Greg-Rode/dp/1957723769

The Wall combines a post-apocalyptic zombie survival story with a horror sc= enario personalized by the first-person, and sometimes third-person, usage.=
It's a compelling saga that draws readers with an assessment of what it me= ans to be a survivor living through extraordinary times.

Those who consider the Sanctuary Chronicles series might initially have a "= not another zombie story!" reaction, but Greg Rode's skill lies in crafting=
a narrative that is refreshingly different in tone and presentation: "If t= his were a book, the author would probably spend a number of pages telling = the reader about everything that has happened to date, especially if it's a=
series of books, which could take a while. I let my mind drift in the hazy=
level of consciousness just after waking and think about what I'd say if I=
were writing "our" book. Tell all of the history? The stories of the dead?=
No, not this morning; I'm not in the mood for mourning. Tell about who is = still alive and kicking? Seems to make sense."

As much as The Wall is a story of survival, it's also a tale of life under = revised conditions, finding joy and peace in a world torn asunder by zombie=
s, and the process of forming new connections and purposes that lead the na= rrator and his posse to contemplate and create different lives amid chaos. = The journey the characters undertake can be as picturesque and delightful a=
s it is challenging, and this is part of what makes The Wall an exceptional=
read. In any life process, adversity often exists alongside prosperity and=
richness.

Rode's ability to capture and contrast these moments lends the story a real= istic and compelling overtone, moving it beyond survival instincts and chal= lenging adventures and into the moments where the characters search out bea= uty and peace in a vastly changed world, uncovering the choices and reactio=
ns that translate to toxic or healthy relationships both within their group=
and in the wider world. The result is a thought-provoking tale of revelati=
on and discovery that is highly recommended reading for a wide audience int= erested in original voices and explorations that embrace physical and psych= ological battles alike.

Libraries seeking zombie stories with a twist will appreciate The Wall for = its many revelations about changing interpersonal connections and the proce=
ss of rebuilding lives as a rising horde threatens yet another revolution.

Baen Books
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com

These four new arrivals from Baen are recommended for readers interested in=
original, inviting Science Fiction & Fantasy reads.

https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Past-Simon-R-Green/dp/1982192283

Simon R. Green's Haunted by the Past (9781982192280, $25.00) is an Ishmael = Jones novel that combines the problem-solving strengths of an absorbing mys= tery with a new weird case involving an old manor house/hotel, a vanished r= enter, and an organization that employs Ishmael and his sidekick and love P= enny. As the two delve into the legends and ghostly stories surrounding the=
old hotel, readers receive an involving story steeped in intrigue and the = trappings of weird fantasy settings alike.

https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Long-Lost-Christopher-Ruocchio/dp/1982192305

The collection Worlds Long Lost (9781982192303, $16.00) is edited by Christ= opher Ruocchio and Sean CW Korsgaard and gathers original stories by Orson = Scott Card, Jessica Cain, D.J. Butler and others. The diversity of stories = skilled in space opera married with magic, mystery, and lost civilizations = provides a mix that poses intrigue and inviting plots with twists readers w= on't see coming.

https://www.amazon.com/Chicks-Tank-Tops-Jason-Cordova/dp/1982192356

Jason Cordova edits Chicks in Tank Tops (9781982192358, $18.00), a collecti=
on profiling women in military situations who find their proactive fighting=
skills strengthen both their worlds and their places in them. New stories =
by Baen authors such as David Drake, Jody Lynn Nye, A.C. Haskins and Sharon=
Lee, to name just a few, outline a wide variety of military scenarios and = deployments in which women not only take the lead, but fight for liberty an=
d their own special interests.

https://www.amazon.com/Poor-Mans-Sky-Rich/dp/1982192348

Wil McCarthy's Poor Man's Sky (9781982192341, $25.00) adds to the Rich Man'=
s Sky series with a blend of sci-fi and murder mystery. The setting is a Ma=
rs monastery which teaches people how to live in space. It's the last place=
one would think of being a murder scene, but as homicide detective Raimey = Vaught learns, nothing is sacred. As his investigative efforts involve a Be= nedictine monk, an asteroid miner, and a farmer, this disparate band swirls=
around a mystery that not only defies resolution, but expands to include l= abor disputes and social unrest.

All four titles are highly recommended for libraries seeking something diff= erent for the Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.

The Arrival of the Drakons
Francis Gerard
Independently Published
9781912895113, $13.99, PB, 348pp

https://www.amazon.com/Arrival-Drakons-Francis-Gerard/dp/1912895110

Synopsis: An original fantasy novel by Francis Gerard, "The Arrival of the = Drakons" offers its readers a fascinating glimpse into an extraordinary hum=
an future -- although one where the past is not quite the same as history b= ooks would have it.

This is the story of Zade McDonald who is a San bushman teenager living in = the wilds of Botswana's Okavango swamps. He's a shaman who can speak to ani= mals, read minds, and connect with forces greater than himself. His powers = are both a gift and a curse; and they haven't gone unnoticed.

Someone has been watching him. Someone who's been studying humankind for mi= llennia, just waiting for a person as incredible as Zade to come along. Som= eone who needs him for a task that could prevent the destruction of the ent= ire universe.

But this kind of power attracts both good and evil -- and dark forces alrea=
dy have a hold on Zade. Will he choose the right path in time to save the p= eople he loves? It seems that the history of Earth as we know it is a lie. = While the future is upon us, only Zade has the power to change it.

Critique: An inherently riveting fantasy with deftly crafted and memorable = characters embedded in a creative storyline that has its readers totally ab= orbed from first page to last, (and all the more impressive when considerin=
g that this is that author's debut as a novelist), "The Arrival of the Drak= ons" by Francis Gerard is an unreservedly recommended addition to highschoo=
l and community library Fantasy Fiction collections for young readers. It s= hould also be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fan=
s of all ages that "The Arrival of the Drakons" is also available in a digi= tal book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Francis Gerard (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0313951) is a d= ocumentary filmmaker who started out in Africa and has traveled the world. = He's especially interested in evolving cultures, and their anthropological = bases. He spent the first ten years of this century developing and designin=
g a museum in South Africa dedicated to the San bushmen and their art. It's=
called the Origins Centre (https://www.wits.ac.za/origins) and it's in Joh= annesburg.

A Restless Truth
Freya Marske
Tordotcom
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9781250788917, $27.99, HC, 400pp

https://www.amazon.com/Restless-Truth-Last-Binding/dp/1250788919

Synopsis: Maud Blyth has always longed for adventure. She expected plenty o=
f it when she volunteered to serve as an old lady's companion on an ocean l= iner, in order to help her beloved older brother unravel a magical conspira=
cy that began generations ago.

What she didn't expect was for the old lady in question to turn up dead on = the first day of the voyage. Now she has to deal with a dead body, a disres= pectful parrot, and the lovely, dangerously outrageous Violet Debenham, who=
is also returning home to England. Violet is everything that Maud has been=
trained to distrust yet can't help but desire: a magician, an actress, and=
a magnet for scandal.

Surrounded by the open sea and a ship full of suspects, Maud and Violet mus=
t first drop the masks that they've both learned to wear before they can un= mask a murderer and somehow get their hands on a magical object worth killi=
ng for -- without ending up dead in the water themselves!

Critique: With a particular appeal to fans of Magic, Murder Mysteries, and = Shipboard Romance, "A Restless Truth" by author Freya Marske is a fun, orig= inal, and compelling read from first page to last. While very highly and en= thusiastically recommended as an addition to community library Historical F= antasy and 'Whodunnit' cosy mysteries community library collections featuri=
ng two very unusual women sleuths, it should be noted for personal reading = lists that "A Restless Truth" is also available in a paperback edition (978= 1250831897, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Freya Marske (https://freyamarske.com/" currently resides i=
n Australia and is the author of A Restless Truth and A Marvellous Light, w= hich won the Romantic Novel Award for Fantasy. Her work has appeared in Ana= log and has been short listed for three Aurealis Awards. She is also a Hugo= -nominated podcaster, and won the Ditmar Award for Best New Talent.

Viila and the Doomsday Affair
Roger Danchik
https://danchikwritingbeware.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639886203, $18.99

https://www.amazon.com/Viila-Doomsday-Affair-Roger-Danchik/dp/1639886206

Viila and the Doomsday Affair offers a save-the-world scenario powered by a=
n unusual cast of characters who are charged not only with an impossible mi= ssion, but a series of supernatural and philosophical traps that also attra=
ct other denizens who would reach the Hidden Room in the Sacred Mount for t= heir own nefarious purposes. The rabbi and his clueless son, a lovely vampi= re, a sex-obsessed teraphim, Barnabas the demon, cat Queen Pharaoh, and Jas= per the belly crawler at first seem to have little in common other than the=
ir new task. Turns out they each harbor strengths and perspectives that joi=
n them in more ways than in achieving this seemingly-impossible goal.

The progression of events also embraces a strange blend of sexual encounter=
s and erotic fun from the opening lines of the story, which portend the sen=
se of pleasure and puzzles that will link not just disparate characters, bu=
t the audience that chooses Viila and the Doomsday Affair: "Rabbi Benjamin = was having a mild sexual fantasy caused by his evening's dinner. He sat at = his dinner table eyeing the two lovely, rounded dumplings that his wife, wi=
th all the erotic innocence of women, has put in front of him. He thinks sh=
e thinks that a dumpling is just a dumpling. After a moment, he thanked his=
God for the endless wonder of women."

Spiritual audiences who choose this book will find religious stories turned=
upside down in a whimsical manner that could offend those deeply religious=
, but will delight those who acknowledge possible inconsistencies in Biblic=
al history and those who interpret it.

At the heart of this foray into ironic adventure is the lovely and centurie= s-old vampire Viila, who is on the prowl for a "good, good man." She's been=
searching for centuries and her latest incarnation seems to be moving her =
no closer to her goal. As each character faces the possibilities and imposs= ibilities of their lives and quests both individually and as a group, reade=
rs are brought into a milieu which is ripe with sexual discovery, ironic tw= ists, fun encounters, and the spicy side dish of those who face a "long inf= inity."

Roger Danchik's foray into the impossible assumes the countenance of an adv= enture, the ironic inspection of men, women, and creatures who never quite = achieve their hearts' desires, and the element of surprise that keeps the n= ovel's possibilities and twists completely unpredictable and zany.

Libraries looking for a walk on the wilder side of fantasy and sex amongst = demons and men will find Viila and the Doomsday Affair a vivid story hard t=
o define and attractive to readers seeking something refreshingly different=
and hard to put down.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.8 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: ---:- FTN<->UseNet Gate -:--- (3:633/280.2@fidonet)