James Nicoll Reviews

Of Light and Shadow by Tanaz Bhathena (May 2023)

A standalone novel of magic, mayhem, love, and betrayal set in the Wrath of Ambar universe, this is the story of a bandit and a prince who change each other in unexpected ways. For readers of Sabaa Tahir and Marie Lu. 

When they don’t give us our birthright, we steal it. 

Roshan Chaya is out for justice. Abandoned by her parents at birth and adopted by the kingdom of Jwala’s most notorious bandit before his brutal murder, she is now leader of the Shadow Clan, a gang of farmers-turned-bandits impoverished by the provincial governor’s atrocities and corruption. Roshan’s goal: to avenge her adoptive father and earn back rights and dignity for her people. 

Prince Navin has always felt like an outcast. Second in line for the throne, he has never been close to his grandmother, Queen Bhairavi of Jwala. When a night out drinking with friends leads to his capture by the infamous Shadow Clan, Navin schemes to befriend Roshan and use her as a means to escape. His ploy, however, brings Navin closer to the corruption and poverty at the heart of Roshan’s province, raising questions about its governor and Navin’s own family. 

To further complicate things, the closer Roshan and Navin get, the harder it becomes to fight their growing attraction. But how can they trust each other when the world as they know it starts to fall apart?Set in a magical world inspired by the badlands of 17^th century India, this standalone epic fantasy novel by Tanaz Bhathena is packed with political tensions, dangerous schemes, and swoon-worthy romance that asks the age old question: can love conquer all? 

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Blade of Dream by Daniel Abraham (July 2023)

From the New York Times bestselling author and co-author of The Expanse comes an ​“atmospheric and fascinating” novel that unfolds within the walls of a single great city, over the course of one tumultuous year (Joe Abercrombie, author of A Little Hatred) . Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories endure. 

This is Garreth’s.

Garreth Left is heir to one of Kithamar’s most prominent merchant families. The path of his life was paved long before he was born. Learn the family trade, marry to secure wealthy in-laws, and inherit the business when the time is right. But to Garreth, a life chosen for him is no life at all.

In one night, a chance meeting with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. He falls in love with a woman whose name he doesn’t even know, and he will do anything to find her again. His search leads him down corridors and alleys that are best left unexplored, where ancient gods hide in the shadows, and every deal made has a dangerous edge.

The path that Garreth chooses will change the course of not only those he loves, but the entire future of Kithamar’s citizens.

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The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard (November 2023)

The highly anticipated sequel to The Luminaries by New York Time s bestselling author Susan Dennard.

Winnie Wednesday has gotten everything she thought she wanted. She passed the deadly hunter trials, her family has been welcomed back into the Luminaries, and overnight, she has become a local celebrity. 

The Girl Who Jumped. The Girl Who Got Bitten. 

Unfortunately, it all feels wrong. For one, nobody will believe her about the new nightmare called the Whisperer that’s killing hunters each night. Everyone blames the werewolf, even though Winnie is certain the wolf is innocent. 

On top of that, following her dad’s convoluted clues about the Dianas, their magic, and what happened in Hemlock Falls four years ago is leaving her with more questions than answers. 

Then to complicate it all, there is still only one person who can help her: Jay Friday, the boy with plenty of problems all his own. 

As bodies and secrets pile up around town, Winnie finds herself questioning what it means to be a true Wednesday and a true Luminary―and also where her fierce-hearted loyalties might ultimately have to lie.

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Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories by Tobias S Buckell (April 2023)

Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories is Tobias S. Buckell’s seventh short fiction collection and is comprised of 15 stories, several of which are original to the collection or were previously only available through his Patreon.

This collection ranges from galactic adventures to intimate explorations of humanity-sometimes in the same story-rich with a sense of wonder and deft storytelling.

This collection includes the following stories: Io, Robot A Jar of Goodwill Pale Blue Memories Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance The Might Slinger Sunset Chi’s Cargo Destination Day Blues The Galactic Tourist Industrial Complex Five Point Three Milligrams By the Warmth of Their Calculus DW The Very Last Curator of What Little Remains of the Western World A Girl and Her Rover The Longest Distance 

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Another month, another 23 reviews! All thanks to commissioned reviews and my legion of patrons, for whose support I am grateful. If you’d like to join my patreon, the link is here. If you would prefer to commission an individual review, the link is here. If you’d just care to throw money at me¹, that link is here.

1: Why, yes: this is late in part because my dying laptop decided to become completely unresponsive mid-post. 

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March 2023

23 works reviewed. 14 by women (61%), 9 by men (39%), 0 by a non-binary author (0%), 0 by authors whose gender is unknown (0%), and 9 by POC (39%)

2023 to Date

65 works reviewed. 37 by women (57%), 27 by men (42%), 0 by a non-binary author (0%), 1 by authors whose gender is unknown (2%), and 26 by POC (40%).

Grand Total to Date

2333 works reviewed. 1304 by women (56%), 976 by men (42%), 34 by non-binary authors (1%), 19 by authors whose gender is unknown (1%), and 702.75 by POC (30%).

Government Types March 2023

Total 23, Not Applicable 6 (26%), Unclear 0 (0%), Anarchy 0 (0%), Pure democracy 0 (0%), Representative democracy 6 (26%), Oligarchy 11 (42%), Autocracy 0 (0%).

Government Type 2023 TD

Total 65, Not Applicable 9 (14%), Unclear 2 (3%), Anarchy 0 (0%), Pure democracy 0 (0%), Representative democracy 24 (37%), Oligarchy 27 (42%), Autocracy 5 (8%).

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The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu (October 2023)

Shantiport was supposed to be a gateway to the stars. But the city is sinking, and its colonist rulers aren’t helping anyone but themselves. 

Lina, a daughter of failed revolutionaries, has no desire to escape Shantiport. She loves her city and would do anything to save its people. This is, in fact, the plan for her life, made before she was even born. 

Her brother, Bador, is a small monkey bot with a big attitude and bigger ambitions. He wants a chance to leave this dead-end planet and explore the universe on his own terms. But that would mean abandoning the family he loves — even if they do take him for granted. 

When Shantiport’s resident tech billionaire coerces Lina into retrieving a powerful artifact rumored to be able to reshape reality, forces from before their time begin coalescing around the siblings. And when you throw in a piece of sentient, off-world tech with the ability to grant three wishes into the mix… None of the city’s powers will know what hit them. 

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