Devices and Desires Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: K.J. Parker
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Epic Fantasy, Steampunk
Series: Engineer Trilogy Book One
Pages: 672

The Mezentine Empire is the most powerful empire in the known world, and the key to its success has been its advanced technological innovations, which are designed to the strictest of specifications. Violating these specifications is a death sentence, and a death sentence is what Ziani Vaatzes, a Mezentine factory manager, receives when he tries to build a toy for his young daughter that doesn't follow specification. 

Driven by the desire to reunite with his wife and daughter, Ziani begins to draw up his revenge, a revenge that will require the blood of thousands of innocents if it is at all to succeed.

The Forever War Book Review

by The Wanderer 

Author: Joe Haldeman
Publisher: Orion Books
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Series: Standalone
Pages: 236

In the 1990's William Mandella joins the United Nations Exploratory Force and begins training for a war against a recently discovered alien species, the Taurans. As the war rages on for centuries, William begins to lose touch with everything about the planet he decide to fight and serve for.

Sharp Ends Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Joe Abercrombie

Publisher: Orbit Books
Genre: Grimdark
Series: First Law
Pages: 290

(Spoilers for The First Law Trilogy, Best Served Cold, The Heroes, and Red Country are below).

Sharp Ends is a collection of short stories by Joe Abercrombie that are set in the First Law world. A lot of these events are concurrent with the events happening in the other First Law books, and it's highly recommended that all six First Law books be read before tackling this collection of short stories.

In our review each short story is given a brief synopsis, analysis, and score.  The final score you see at the top of the review is an aggregate of all 13 short stories.

Score: 8.6

All The Birds In The Sky Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Charlie Jane Anders
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Science Fantasy
Series: Standalone
Pages: 320

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Childhood outcasts Laurence and Patricia can only find refuge from a world of bullying and torment with each other. But as people they couldn't be more different, with Laurence's interest in computers and technology and Patricia's desire to become a witch, will their relationship survive as their respective interests lead them on two very different paths?

The Stone Sky Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: N.K. Jemisin
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Series: Broken Earth Book Three
Pages: 464

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This Fifth Season may be the planet's last. But after seizing control of the Obelisk Gate from opposite ends of the world, Essun and Nassun are now aware that the moon's coming back into orbit. Both mother and daughter don't agree on what should be done with this knowledge as one wishes to use it to save the world while the other wishes to destroy it.