James Nicoll Reviews

February 2022

20 works reviewed. 12 by women (60%), 8 by men *40%), 0 by a non-binary author (0%), 0 by authors whose genders are unknown (0%), and 7 by POC (33%).

Year to Date

41 works reviewed. 23 by women (56% ), 18 by men (44%), 0 by a non-binary author (0%), 0 by authors whose genders are unknown (0%), and by 15 POC (37%).

Grand Total to Date

2049 works reviewed. 1147 by women (56%), 858 by men (42%), 26 by non-binary authors (1%), 18 by authors whose gender is unknown (1%), 589.75 by POC (29%).

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[Every once in a while Tor turns a piece down. Enjoy an example of such a piece written despite advice that it was probably a bad idea]

As one scans the shelves for new fantasy and science fiction to read, there is an absence. An absence usually overlooked, as absence is not as obvious as presence. The peculiar void that occasions this essay? The lack of authors surnamed Smith.

Now, at first glance this may seem inexplicable. Smith is said to be a common surname. However, while being an online pundit keeps me too busy to do even the most rudimentary research (not even a quick click on ISFDB), pure reason unsullied by mere factual evidence (or even the ability to bent over slightly to look at lower bookshelves) hints at reasons why SF author Smiths might be uncommon¹.

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Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances by Aliette de Bodard

From the author of the critically acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen trilogy comes a sparkling new romantic adventure full of kissing, sarcasm and stabbing. 

It was supposed to be a holiday, with nothing more challenging than babysitting, navigating familial politics and arguing about the proper way to brew tea. 

But when dragon prince Thuan and his ruthless husband Asmodeus find a corpse in a ruined shrine and a hungry ghost who is the only witness to the crime, their holiday goes from restful to high-pressure. Someone is trying to silence the ghost and everyone involved. Asmodeus wants revenge for the murder; Thuan would like everyone, including Asmodeus, to stay alive.

Chased by bloodthirsty paper charms and struggling to protect their family, Thuan and Asmodeus are going to need all the allies they can — and, as the cracks in their relationship widen, they’ll have to face the scariest challenge of all: how to bring together their two vastly different ideas of their future… 

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One Foot in the Fade by Luke Elliot Arnold

Welcome back to the streets of Sunder City, a darkly imagined world perfect for readers of Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher. AN ANGEL FALLS IN SUNDER CITY… In a city that lost its magic, an angel falls in a downtown street. His wings are feathered, whole — undeniably magical — the man clearly flew, because he left one hell of a mess when he plummeted into the sidewalk. But what sent him up? What brought him down? And will the answers help Fetch bring the magic back for good? Working alongside necromancers, genies, and shadowy secret societies, through the wildest forests and dingiest dive bars, this case will leave its mark on Fetch’s body, his soul, and the fate of the world. 

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A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is a story of kindness and love from one of the foremost practitioners of hopeful SF.After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.Becky Chambers’s new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter? 

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