The Henchperson's Guide to Unionizing by Marshall J. Moore

Hench is such a delightful word. I enjoy superhero stories, and sidekicks and henchmen are often my favorites. I have always loved Robin and Batgirl more than Batman, and I think giving Joker the henchwoman Harley Quinn in BTAS was one of the best additions to canon that came out of that wonderful show. I adored the book Hench, and so I was instantly drawn to The Henchperson's Guide to Unionizing by Marshall J. Moore based on the title alone, and I was very appreciative when I got an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher. 

This book was delightful! All of the classic monster archetypes are here with their henchpeople - a mad scientist’s Igor, a witch’s familiar, and a vampire’s spawn - and all of them, like Harley Quinn, go on a journey of discovery as they learn to stand on their own feet in spite of the domineering and degrading treatment they receive. I predicted the twist with the graveyard attendant and was so happy when I was right! This book was fun from beginning to end. 

Children of Strife by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I have said in the past that I used to think I didn’t like Adrian Tchaikovsky’s books. I mean, I was told that I SHOULD like them since I’m a big fan of Peter F. Hamilton’s space opera doorstoppers. But when I tried to read one of his books a few years ago I rage-quit it like 12% of the way through. (I don’t remember exactly why now. Maybe I should try it again?)

But then when his novella Elder Race was nominated for a Hugo, I read it and enjoyed it. I also read Ogres when it was nominated, and it wasn’t half bad. I enjoyed Service Model when the publisher and NetGalley gave me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. My main complaints were too many pop culture references and some incoherent worldbuilding. His other big novel from that year, Alien Clay, really didn’t do much for me. I hated the protagonist and felt it was dreary. 

So I was optimistic when I got a copy of Children of Strife from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It is as far a you can get from being a standalone - it is his fourth book in his series about uplifted spiders and cephalopods in the distant future living in harmony with the last dregs of humanity. I really enjoyed the first book in the series.  I can remember being genuinely surprised at the way the first book ended and how humanity ended up surviving. The second and third books were enjoyable, but not nearly as engrossing.  The more remnants of humanity that are found amongst the stars, the more unlikely the entire story seems to feel. 

I liked this book better than book 3, but not nearly as much as book 1. 

Legends & Lattes: The Graphic Novel by Travis Baldree

I first heard about Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes from Seanan McGuire’s Twitter account. She often would talk about upcoming books that she loved, and she described it in such a way that I was very much looking forward to reading it. 

It didn’t disappoint- it was a very nice, sweet, cozy story, and I really enjoyed it. It might have bordered on being too twee, and the inventions of cinnamon rolls and other coffee shop staples felt a tad too convenient at times, but that didn’t detract from the joys of the book. 

So I was overjoyed when the publisher and NetGalley gave me an eARC of the graphic novel version of the same story. It had everything that made me love the original book all gussied up with delightful artwork. Couldn’t recommend more!

A Wall is Also a Road by Annalee Newitz

Annalee Newitz is a favorite author of mine - I have enjoyed both their fiction and nonfiction in the past, going back to their io9 days, and I also enjoyed their podcast with Charlie Jane Anders. 

I thought they did a masterful job creating the robot protagonist Paladin in their debut novel Autonomous, and I adored Automatic Noodle, although I didn’t enjoy Terraformers nearly as much. I figured that maybe I just prefer their robot stories. 

So I was intrigued when I received a copy of their new book A Wall Is Also A Road from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not disappointed - instead I was bowled away. 

I hadn’t read any blurbs or other reviews before I started reading this book so I was surprised and delighted when I found out when and where it was taking place. The protagonist is a unicellular graduate student in a far part of the galaxy.  As part of their field research, they end up SPOILER ALERT in Pompeii a few years before Vesuvius erupts. It is clear that the author used a great deal of the research they did for their ancient cities non-fiction book in crafting a vibrant, lived in Pompeii. 

This is not one of those books about having to outrace lava flows or stop the eruption. This is a book about growing up and growing into yourself and learning about who you are when you learn about the world.  I savored every moment of it and will put it on my Hugo ballot next year for sure. 

Bromantasy by Máire Roche

Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover! I saw this book cover and booked title on NetGalley and smashed the request button rapidly. I never read romance novels in the past, but I have really begun to enjoy the cozy vibes of romantasy. Some T. Kingfisher books I think fit into that category, as do some Sarah Beth Durst novels I have enjoyed, so I was primed to pick up what Bromantasy was laying down. Were there tropes? Of course. But they were done really really well! The characters were fun and delightful and I’m so happy I got to enjoy it!

Tales from the Territory by Travis Baldree

 

I first heard about Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes from Seanan McGuire’s Twitter account. She often would talk about upcoming books that she loved, and she described it in such a way that I was very much looking forward to reading it. 

It didn’t disappoint- it was a very nice, sweet, cozy story, and I really enjoyed it. It might have bordered on being too twee, and the inventions of cinnamon rolls and other coffee shop staples felt a tad too convenient at times, but that didn’t detract from the joys of the book. 

I enjoyed the other two books in this universe to varying degrees, and I was really delighted by the graphic novel version of the first book. 

So I was pleased when the publisher and NetGalley gave me an advance copy of Tales from the Territory, a collection of short fiction set in the same world. Some of these pieces provide backstory for some of the characters, and the final story moved the overall story of Viv forward a bit. That one was clearly my favorite, but I enjoyed each of them.  It’s always fun to go back to this cozy world.

Letters from an Imaginary Country by Theodora Goss

I have repeatedly said that I much prefer single author short story collections to anthologies because, among other things, the quality of the work is usually more consistent and there’s less tonal whiplash. However, even in the best collections, there are often stories that are weaker or don’t work as well for an individual reader.  But sometimes, once in a blue moon, you get a collection where every story is amazing. Letters from an Imaginary Country by Theodora Goss is one of those rare collections. 

I first encountered Theodora Goss with her Athena Club series, which I adored. I still remember the first time I read them, rocking my baby to sleep in a beachside hotel and then sneaking out to the terrace to read and listen to the ocean. 

The tales in this short story collection felt magical in just the same way. The final story was mesmerizing and haunting and I absolutely adored the footnotes.  Highly recommended!

I received an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.