Review: Turn Left at the Mooncrow skeleton by Linda Raedisch

 The Book:

"Welcome to Planet 5372, a uniquely dystopian world where the unlikely heroes include a handful of shambolic university students and their taciturn landlord. Raedisch's layered writing and photographic attention to detail make this slice-of-life archaeological adventure entirely believable." ---Clarissa Simmens, author of Parallel Universe Cafe and Other Poems

For the past two hundred years, the colonists marooned on Planet 5372 have been confined to a volcanic basin the size of New Jersey. Outside the Basin lie the uninhabitable (some say haunted) ruins known as the Outer Cities. Bored with campus life at the colony’s only university, twenty-year-old Numi rents a room from Kelda, an uneducated, thirty-something carpenter whose movements are closely monitored by the “shingles” or neighborhood deputies. Numi doesn’t mind running interference between the reserved Kelda and his rambunctious tenants, but the two can never be more than friends. Numi’s an up-and-coming academic, and Kelda’s a Tyrrhenian, a descendant of the manual laborers who cleared the toxic vegetation from the Basin.

As Halloween approaches, Numi is still summoning the courage to confront Kelda with her suspicion that he’s mixed up in the black market trade in “magical paraphernalia,” mysterious carved objects left behind by the planet’s indigenous, supposedly extinct inhabitants. Time runs out on Mischief Night when Kelda disappears, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

Numi faces a decision. She can report her suspicions to the shingles, or she can follow her landlord to the one place she thought she could never go: the Outer Cities.

My Thoughts:

This book is a fellow contender in SPSFC4 (The Self Published Science Fiction Competition) and it caught my eye because it involves a population of people called Tyrrhenians, which is also the case with my entry into this contest, The Arid Lands.

Needless to say our Tyrrhenians are all very different.

But on to the book.

This is a delightful read, well written with vivid worldbuilding. It’s a slow burn of a book and I very much enjoyed immersing myself into the world the author has created. At its heart is an archaeological mystery through which the history of this planet is gradually revealed, but I also loved the characters that inhabit this world. I found Numi particularly relatable and the undercurrent of simmering attraction between her and Kelda was skillfully done.

All in all a very enjoyable read.

I hope this books goes far in SPSFC4. It deserves to.

SPSFC4 - Adding to my TBR (5)

 

I’m working my way steadily through the SPSFC4 entries and my TBR (To be Read) pile continues to grow. There are still an awful lot of books for me to check out. Here are the latest two to catch my eye.

Kara by Peter Beard

This had me hooked from the moment I read the blurb – probably a good example of how a good blurb should be written – but the first chapter really delivers. There’s a really solid mystery and I felt an instant connection to the main character. This is one of those rare occasions when you reach straight for the ‘buy’ button. I suspect this one is going to do well in the competition!

Above Dark Waters by Erik Kay

I do like the setting with this one, anything maritime always gets my interest. The opening is solid and the two main characters have history which adds a very human element and it will be interesting to see how this plays out as the story progresses. Lots of interesting concepts here.

Review: The Scorching: The World in My Hands by Nick Snape

The Book

A lonely PA, a rebellious teenager, two ordinary people on a deadly journey to save humanity.

The world is heading towards global collapse as The Scorching takes full effect. Salvation vessels orbit the Earth, waiting to transport the chosen few away from danger and to start again; ten plantships grown by an alien species for the wealthiest and most powerful, or those lucky enough to be selected by lottery. The rest remain behind, their future dependent on the Drathken finding a solution to Earth’s problems.

Jenna, Personal Assistant to a prominent oil mogul, feels privileged to be among the saved, never questioning her good fortune.

While Seth suffers, forced to leave his friends behind as his family takes their place aboard their luxurious ship.

Yet not all is well on board. Dark secrets lurk in the corridors and depths of their respective ships, dragging Jenna and Seth into a world of malice and violence they thought they had left far behind.

My Thoughts

This is quality Science Fiction. It felt like a really quick read but not because it was a short book, more because I found it immensely readable and difficult to put down.

There are some excellent ideas at play here – just what good SF should have. I loved the idea of the plantships taking the colonists towards their new lives and the steadily unfolding realisation of what dark secrets their ships hold.

The story is told from two very different characters, each on a different plantship and although their paths never actually cross their revelations mirror and compliment each other.

It’s a cleverly structured story with great characterisation and sense of place. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

SPSFC4 - Adding to my TBR (4)

Another two entries into the Self Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC4) have caught my eye and been added to my TBR list (To be Read). So far I’ve only skimmed the surface of this competition. The quality of the books entered is outstanding.

Neon Noir by Nina Vos

The concept sounds really interesting and I love the idea of the “cyber punk - crime noir” genre mashup that this one is promising. The opening is solid and compelling and I like the main character already. Looking forward to delving into the world!

The Scorching – Just Press Play by Nick Snape

I’m currently reading one of Nick Snape’s other books which is set in the same world as this one and I’m enjoying it immensely. I love the environmental setting that he has going on here and the concept of the plant ships is fascinating. I checked out the first chapter of The Scorching and as expected solid writing, compelling characters and a cracking story are all present. I’ll definitely be giving this one a read as soon as I can.

Stuff Your Kindle Day! Dark Mode

Dark Mode have announced this Winter’s Stuff Your Kindle Day. And One of the books that you will be able to grab for free on kindle is Dragons of Dunmoray.

The master list will be revealed on November the 20th! And the books will be free on December 27th. So take this opportunity to stuff your kindle with some amazing books!

Here is the listing for Dragons of Dunmoray.

SPSFC4 - Adding to my TBR (3)

 

I’m working my way through the entries for this year’s Self Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC4) and my TBR (To be Read) pile continues to grow. The next two being added to the list are:

Ancient as the Stars by Maya Darjani

This book came to my attention because one of the other SPSFC4 contestants was raving about it. So I took a look. What a great concept – older meets younger self. I love stuff like this and it throws open the potential for all manner of interesting conflicts and paradoxes. A solid first chapter and this is definitely one for the list.

Centauri’s Shadow by Ross Garner

From the blurb there is a lot going on in this one including alien invasion and Martian colonies. All good solid SF elements. But it was the first chapter that really got me. So many questions! There is a real power to this scene, a poignancy that connects me at once to the characters, an urgency to the impending peril they face. These events are clearly going to influence what comes next. I can’t wait to read more and find out what that is!

SPSFC4 - Adding to my TBR (2)

 

Continuing with my plan to build a TBR (To be Read) list of amazing SF from the SPSFC4 (Self Published Science Fiction Competition) – here are the next two that have caught my eye.

Embargo on Hope by Justin Doyle

This one was in last years contest and was cut in the first round. I’m glad to see it back as I read this, even before the competition began and enjoyed it immensely. I found the characters engaging and there was lots of great action and worldbuilding. I hope it goes further this year. 

Grave Cold by Shannon Knight

I felt that the blurb with this was was a bit muddled, but a compelling first chapter gets this one onto my TBR. It sounds like a really interesting idea, quite different from a lot of what I’m seeing in this contest. The writing is very strong and I really need to read this to find out more!