James Nicoll Reviews

The Dream-Chosen by Celu Amberstone

Humans and aliens struggle to survive on a planet surface foreign to them both, which still suffers the aftermath of a past disaster. Dunnagh is responsible for his people, wanting to bring his soldiers and civilians to safety. The Khutani work to preserve not only their own people, but the races of this planet Timorna where they dwell. It takes all the Khutani mind powers, and those of Dunnagh, to bring them together for symbiosis.

The Dream-Chosen is the first book in the series Tales of the Kashallans, by celebrated author Celu Amberstone. Drawing on her Indigenous and Celtic heritage, Amberstone writes powerful fiction subtly different from the usual science fiction or fantasy adventures. For fans of the ​‘Hundred Worlds’ approach used in Star Trek and in Golden Age magazines, there are diverse settings and cultures along the journey taken by these human and alien characters.

Classic Traveller Facsimile Edition From Game Designers’ Workshop

This is the original text of the 1981 edition of Classic Traveller based on page image Scans.

It includes Books 1−2−3, with errata and corrections inserted (where possible; and additional material in an errata appendix). This text is essentially an errata corrected edition faithful to the original Classic Traveller of the early 1980’s.

The PDF has been OCR’ed. Margins are upgraded to 6×9 (from 5−1÷2 x 8−1÷2) for better margins.

The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 5 by Natsu Hyuuga

The political situation at court has changed: the birth of Gyokuyou’s son has seen her elevated to the status of Empress, and meanwhile Jinshi is no longer able to continue his pretense at the rear palace. Although all seems peaceful after the destruction of the Shi clan, threats continue to loom — not least a potential plague of insects — and Maomao, as ever, somehow finds herself caught up in them. When Jinshi orders an expedition to Gyokuyou’s homeland, Maomao heads west. But is there something lurking in the shadows of the glittering city? And will Maomao be able to discover what it is before it’s too late? 

All the Seas of the World by Guy Gavriel Kay

Returning to the near-Renaissance world of A Brightness Long Ago and Children of Earth and Sky, international bestselling author Guy Gavriel Kay deploys his signature ​‘quarter turn to the fantastic’ to tell a story of vengeance, power, and love.On a dark night along a lonely stretch of coast, a small ship, the Silver Wake, sends two people ashore to a stony strand. Their purpose is assassination. They have been hired to do this by two of the most dangerous men alive. The consequences will affect so many lives both great and small, and possibly alter the balance of power in the world.One of those arriving on that night strand is a woman abducted by corsairs from her home as a child, escaping that fate, that destiny, years after, now trying to chart her own course — and bent upon revenge. Another figure, on the boat, bringing it to meet the secretive landing party at the city where they are going, is a merchant who still remembers being exiled as a child with his family from their home, for their faith.Returning triumphantly to the brilliantly evoked near-Renaissance world of his most recent novels, international bestseller Guy Gavriel Kay deploys his signature ​‘quarter turn to the fantastic’ to offer readers a wide-ranging, vividly memorable set of characters in a story of vengeance, power, and love, built around profoundly contemporary themes of exile, loss, and memory.In a narrative of page-turning drama, All the Seas of the World also offers moving reflections on choices, fate, and the random events that can shape our lives. 

The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne

veryone knows the story of Rapunzel in the tower, but do you know the tale of the witch who put her there?Enter a world of dark magic, mysterious woods and evil princes. This is the truth they never wanted you to know, as only a witch might tell it. Haelewise has always lived under the shadow of her mother, Hedda — a woman who will do anything to keep her daughter protected. For with her strange black eyes and even stranger fainting spells, Haelewise is shunned by her village, and her only solace lies in the stories her mother tells of child-stealing witches, of princes in wolf-skins, of an ancient tower cloaked in mist where women will find shelter if they are brave enough to seek it.

But when her mother dies, Haelewise is left unmoored. With nothing left for her in her village, she sets out to find the tower of legend‑a place called Gothel, where Haelewise meets a wise woman willing to take her under her wing.But Haelewise is not the only woman to seek refuge at Gothel. It’s also a haven for a girl named Rika, who carries with her a secret the Church strives to keep hidden. A secret that just might explain why Haelewise keeps hearing her mother’s voice.The Book of Gothel is a lush, enchanting retelling of the tale of Rapunzel from the witch’s perspective, perfect for fans of Circe and The Bear and the Nightingale.

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope

A woman able to communicate with spirits must assemble a ragtag crew to pull off a daring heist to save her community in this timely and dazzling historical fantasy that weaves together African American folk magic, history, and romance. 

Washington D. C., 1925 

Clara Johnson talks to spirits, a gift that saved her during her darkest moments in a Washington D. C. jail. Now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world. So, when the Empress, the powerful spirit who holds her debt, offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, a desperate Clara seizes the chance. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District. 

Clara can’t pull off this daring heist alone. She’ll need help from an unlikely team, from a jazz musician capable of hypnotizing with a melody to an aging vaudeville actor who can change his face, to pull off the impossible. But as they encounter increasingly difficult obstacles, a dangerous spirit interferes at every turn. Conflict in the spirit world is leaking into the human one and along D.C’.s legendary Black Broadway, a mystery unfolds — one that not only has repercussions for Clara but all of the city’s residents. 

The Wizard of Eventide by Jon Skovron

In the thrilling conclusion to Jon Skovron’s epic fantasy trilogy that began with The Ranger of Marzanna, allies and enemies alike must band together to defeat an evil on a scale never before seen — and this time, the Gods are on the battlefield.

As Vittorio’s empire enacts its bloody reign, the Uaine now behind him after a stunning betrayal, a reunited Sonya and Sebastian must embark on a journey to distant lands to amend past wrongs — and find unlikely allies along the way.

In far Raiz, Jorge has his hands full enough with the devastation the Empire left behind. But the battle isn’t over, and the sovereignty of his nation will depend on his ability to band together the ancient houses — and recruiting a figure straight out of legend.

Galina, now Queen of Izmoroz, rules her land with an iron fist in a velvet glove. But heavy is the crown, and enemies lie in wait both within and without her dominion. To realize her vision for a free Izmoroz at last, she’ll have to fight with much more than politics.

The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

The Jasmine Throne has been hailed as a series opener that will ​“undoubtedly reshape the landscape of epic fantasy for years to come” (Booklist, starred). Now, award-winning author Tasha Suri’s provocative and powerful Burning Kingdoms trilogy continues with The Oleander Sword. 

The prophecy of the nameless god — the words that declared Malini the rightful empress of Parijatdvipa — has proven a blessing and curse. She is determined to claim the throne that fate offered her. But even with the strength of the rage in her heart and the army of loyal men by her side, deposing her brother is going to be a brutal and bloody fight.

The power of the deathless waters flows through Priya’s blood. Thrice born priestess, Elder of Ahiranya, Priya’s dream is to see her country rid of the rot that plagues it: both Parijatdvipa’s poisonous rule, and the blooming sickness that is slowly spreading through all living things. But she doesn’t yet understand the truth of the magic she carries.

Their chosen paths once pulled them apart. But Malini and Priya’s souls remain as entwined as their destinies. And they soon realize that coming together is the only way to save their kingdom from those who would rather see it burn — even if it will cost them. 

Neom by Lavie Tidhar

From the rich, multi-award-winning universe of Central Station, the inhabitants of a complex desert-city rediscover passion while at the brink of revolution. Machines roam the desert in search of purpose; works of art can be deadlier than weapons; and improbable love transcends the sands of time.

The city known as Neom is many things to many beings, human or otherwise. Neom is a tech wonderland for the rich and beautiful; an urban sprawl along the Red Sea; and a port of call between Earth and the stars. In the desert, young orphan Elias has joined a caravan, hoping to earn his passage off-world from Central Station. But the desert is full of mechanical artefacts, some unexplained and some unexploded. Recently, a wry, unnamed robot has unearthed one of the region’s biggest mysteries: the vestiges of a golden man. 

In Neom, childhood affection is rekindling between loyal shurta-officer Nasir and hardworking flower-seller Mariam. But Nasu, a deadly terrorartist, has come to the city with missing memories and unfinished business. Just one robot can change a city’s destiny with a single rose — especially when that robot is in search of lost love.

The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang

An immersive, electrifying space-fantasy, Neon Yang’s debut novel The Genesis of Misery is full of high-tech space battles and political machinations, starring a queer and diverse array of pilots, princesses, and prophetic heirs. 

This is the story Misery Nomaki (she/they), a nobody from a nowhere mining planet. Misery has abilities they shouldn’t though: they can bend the will of stone, a dangerous magic that only ​“saints” are said to have. These abilities lead Misery to the center of the Empire, where rumors spread that Misery is the next Messiah, and where those in power seek to use Misery to win a terrible war. 

Amid a nest of vipers, Misery grows close to a rebellious royal, Lady Alodia Lightning, and decides to embrace the legacy the prophecies speak of. True or false, for better or worse, Misery Nomaki will be the Ninth Messiah.