Henry L Lazarus
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Philadelphia, PA 19143
Science Fiction for September 2019
Excellent Fantasy and Science Fiction can bring a
strange world to life so well that the reader can smell the odors
and feel the background.
RJ Barker sets his tale of epic
sea adventure on The Bone Ships (paper from Orbit) built
literally from the bones of huge arakeesians (sea dragons). The
Hundred Isles have been at war with the Gaunt Islanders for
centuries, but the arakeesians have been hunted out and it is
getting harder to build the great ships needed to prosecute the
raids. Joron Twinner was the son of a fisherman who managed to kill
a noble in a duel and was assigned to a black ship to serve, as all
the crew, till death. Somehow finding himself Captain, he took the
ship to a quiet cove and proceeded to try to drink himself to death.
That’s where Lucky Meas found him, took his Captaincy. An Arakeesian
has been spotted. Its bones will keep the war going. Maes along with
captains of two Gaunt Islander ships plan to protect the creature
until it was in deep water and then kill it. Mr. Barker brings his
strange world to life letting the reader smell the salty sea air,
and feel the thrill of combat. Very intense. This maybe the first of
a trilogy, but it has enough of an satisfactory ending. Highly
recommended.
Cyborgs are usually fun, heroic
characters with superpowers. Human nature, being what it is, can use
the technology for evil. The Chinese had sliced part of Maung’s
brain to create a superhacker, and then forced this dream warrior
from Burma use his talents on the intelligent weapons of the near
future and kill thousands of Americans. After the war he escaped
with his son, but his wife was killed by the Chinese. The war
occurred because the alien Sommen blockaded the outer solar system
causing a fight for resources, and ended when they suddenly
withdrew. Fearful of being detected, Maung gets a new identity as a
prison guard on an asteroid., with deep secrets. This Tyger
Burning (trade from Baen) bright is forced to reveal his
secret when the Chinese attack the ship carrying him to the
asteroid, and only his talents can defeat this enemy. The Chinese
cyborgs he is fighting, have been stripped of free will in a
horrifying way because of what he has become. T. C. McCarthy
tells an exciting tale, in a complex and dark universe. Sequels are
promised about the eventual war with the Sommen. I can’t wait.
D.M. Wozniak writes of a medieval
world where some with the right talent can use crystals to access The
Indivisible and the Void (paper from Amazon). Democryos, head
master of the Void school, finds his young wife, a former
student, has run away. Ignoring his responsibilities to the king,
who needs more voiders for his war, he follows his wife, bringing
with him the member of the King’s harem who had been offered to him
for solace. Following in a hot air balloon, he crashes near a
village of religious fanatics who almost kill him. Surviving that he
and companions almost die at an illegal drug plantation. The trail
leads to bay where he discovers the origin of the void stones and
how they really work. The stones might give him incredible powers
while he touches it, it is his moral compass that really matters.
This is a fascinating quest tale that leaves an ending open enough
for a solid sequel. I can’t wait.
J.A. Sutherland’s Dark Runs
series is a lark about Mason Guthrie, who was sent to Juvie
Jail for literally fixing things in his habitat, and Rosa
Fuentes a hacker sent to the same facility with an implanted
artificially intelligent assistant. In Running Start (paper)
they learn to trust each other’s abilities, steal a billion dollars,
and then get caught. The deal was they do a job and keep a small
amount of the money. Running Scared (paper from
Darkspace Press) send the two of them, who have never been off Earth
before, out to the Asteroid Belt where a Pirate has information.
Despite Rosa’s ability to literally hack a space ship, so long as
the software isn’t updated. Nothing, of course, goes right. Even
waiting on Mars for the data to be collected has them fighting
gangsters. This is a great giggle of a tale and luckily more
adventures are coming.
Troy Carrol Bucher starts a very
exciting tale of two teenagers who are literally descended from the
Gods who fell to Earth. The Draegoran test and then train them
to use crystals to in their swords to eat souls. The okulu’tans of
Esharii tribesmen, not only can do the same, but also can wander
through alternate futures. Riam was raised by his grandfather, not
know of his father and uncle who were knights of the Draegoran
clans. Then his uncle finds him and collects him to be trained.
Unfortunately the Esharii attack and manage to kidnap the girl
collected with him. The wolf clan of the Draegorans want to
rule the area, and try to capture Riam who can disbond someone’s
sword. Lies of Descent (hard from DAW) is an excellent
beginning to a promising series.
Charlie N. Holmberg concludes her
trilogy about Sandis, a woman kidnaped and enslaved because of her
rare ability to host a monstrous Numan, and Rone, a thief with a
device that can a man immortal for a solid minute once a day. It is
a time of Siege and Sacrifice (hard from 49North). Sandis’s
exmaster Kazen, has unleashed the most powerful Numan, Kolosos to
get his revenge on the church that forbids raising Numen. Kolosos is
unstoppable, and unfortunately has his own agenda that might destroy
the world. Somehow Rone gets trapped in the world of the Numen and
Sandis has to work with Ireth, the fire horse Numan she is bonded
to, and with other ex-slaves. The only way to survive is to discover
the history of the Numen and how their powers work. Lots of fun and
an exciting ending.
Nineteenth century America was
harsh and brutal. D. J. Butler’s seven kingdoms is much harsher with
beastkind, walking dead, and all sorts of magics and gods. Sarah has
made her way to the Witchy Kingdom (hard from Baen) where
the Serpent throne sits in the city built in the huge mounds in
Ohio, Cohokia. Unfortunately it is under siege by imperial forces,
beastmen, and the necromancer Robert Hooke. While her brother
Nathaniel hunts for their captured sister Margarida, she has to
ascend to the Serpent Throne through a magical ritual which is
unknown to the living, but her dead father might have a clue. This
is an interesting look at religion, if all religious were provable
and provided magic to their believers. More to come.
October Daye’s thirteenth
adventure finds the fae knight and hero drawn to the Duchy of Ships
where her magic and the Luidaeg’s magic will transform the selkies
into the murdered fae whose skins they use to transform into seals.
It’s been centuries since The Unkindest Tide (hard from DAW)
was demanded by sea witch. As in any Seanan McGuire tale, nothing
goes easily, as October has to rescue a teenager caught between two
claimants to a fae kingdom, which requires her to temporarily become
a mermaid, and then solve a Selkie murder. Luckily her
fiancee, the king of cats is along to help. The usual fun.
Baen has a number of collections and reprints
this month. A workshop of scientists, science fiction writers, and
futurists inspired Stellaris: People of the Stars (trade and
edited by Les Johnson and Robert E. Hampson) which includes stories
and articles. Tom Kratman has opened his Terra Nova
(trade) for short stories by other writers. Michael Z. Williamson
has a collection of his shorter works in Tide of Battle
(paper). Eric Flint has Worlds 2 (paper) with more short
stories. Kevin J Anderson and Sarah S. Hoyt have a tale of Lewis and
Clark in Uncharted (paper) magical America. Finally the late
Gordon R. Dickson’s classic Hour of the Horde is out
in trade.
The Science Fiction Society will have its next
meeting on September 20th. Betsy Wollheim, the President,
co-Publisher and co-Editor-in-Chief of DAW books and daughter of
Donald A. Wollheim, the founder. The meeting starts at 8
p.m. at International House on the University of
Pennsylvania Campus. As usual guests are welcome. Philcon this
year will be on November 8th-10th at the Crowne Plaza in
Cherry Hill.
Dr. Henry Lazarus is a retired Dentist and the
author of A Cycle of Gods (Wolfsinger Publications) and Unnaturally
Female (Smashwords).Check out his unified field theory at
henrylazarus.com/utf.html that suggests fusion generation requires
less energy because only one frequency is needed rather than a full
spectrum. It also explains dark matter, the proliferation of
subatomic particles, and the limit of light speed for matter.