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Science Fiction for February 2025


by Henry L Lazarus


Fantasy and Science fiction is filled with interesting tales coming to relax with in the depth of winter. 

Karen Thompson Walker tells the tale of a psychiatrist and The Strange Case of Jane O (hard from Random House). In 2018 a librarian and new mother disappears for nine hours and is found with no memory of what happened. Dr. Henry Byrd becomes involved with her case and is brought in by the police when she disappears again, this time for nine days. Her problem started when she met a friend  who she knew had committed suicide years before. The case is even more puzzling when, despite having perfect memory, she tells of finding a dead neighbor, who actually was still alive. In the end the story is really never resolved, though Jane comes very close to dying of an imaginary disease. It’s a deep look at what might have been a science fiction concept or purely imaginary. Fascinating!

Katherine Villyard imagines a Jewish vampire, changed in the eighteenth century, with Immortal Gifts (hard from Flower Feather Press) of violin playing. He’s marrying a veterinarian who doesn’t even want to think about becoming a vampire. Abraham is being chased by Thomas, a defrocked priest from the sixteenth century, who wants him dead because Jews shouldn’t ever become vampires. He’s also building a right-wing anti-semitic cult. While most of the action takes place in today’s world there’s a look at Abraham’s early years and the dangers he faced, not as a vampire, but as a Jew. I had tears in my eyes for some of the scenes, and the action at the end is pulse-pounding. Highly recommended, especially for Jewish readers. 

Gareth L. Powell has an exciting adventure. Within the next century contact is made with aliens who give us the ability to use tramlines  to travel to the stars. Soon colonies are set up. Ursula Morrow was an archeologist investigating precursor civilizations who died out millions of years before. She was infected when she touched a relic, and now heals easily. Unfortunately alien Cutters have appeared and are killing all the growing alien civilizations, and the relic that infected her may have something to do with them. Ursula, running a bar in a refugee camp after surviving Earth’s destruction, Jack, an old flame, has been fighting the Cutters and even married his starship Crisis Actor. He thinks she is the key for saving civilization at the Future's Edge (paper from  Titan Books) and that other people who touched the relic had died. The quest, first to find her old mentor and then to invade a Cutter infested world is very exciting and fun. 

Stephanie Burgis tells a silly tale about an impossible romance. Archduke Felix Augustus von Estarion is technically in charge of his Archduchy, but actual control is handled by his ex-father-in-law, who is coming to think about assassinating Felix. So he runs out to the one place where he might survive, Kadaric Castle. Queen Saskia, who has thrown out her uncle who had murdered her parents years before and ruled in her name. She had advertised for a Dark Mage to put order to her library, so when Felix arrives wearing a black cloak, she thinks he is that mage. What she doesn’t realize is that her worst enemy, the Archduke, is sorting her library. Romance ensues. Wooing the Witch Queen (paper from Bramble) is impossible to read without a grin, and sequels are promised. I can only hope that the sequels are as good as this fun tale. 

Kell Woods mixes Cinderella and The Little Mermaid in a strange tale that takes place Upon a Starlit Tide (hard from Tor). in 1758 when England and France were at war (The French and Indian wars in America). Lucinde Leon likes wandering the beaches of Saint-Malo on the English channel. She was adopted by a wealthy trader and seems to be valued more than his two biological daughters. Then the prince of the story survives a shipwreck only because she swims out to rescue him. In this version of history, St. Malo is slowly losing its Fae population, but it is still a world with sea hags, mermaids, and other magical creatures. Unfortunately in this version of the story,  the younger son of a wealthy family whom she rescued is evil. This is a very enjoyable tale from an author growing better with each book. I look forward to her next tale. 

In a Grave Empire(paper from Orbit, in a 19th century where previous magic created wolfmen and mermen, two monks bring a word that contact has been lost to the after-life and  The Great Silence that will wipe out all life is coming. The tale follows a young officer sent to a fort under attack from monsters who scream in the night. Renata is secretary to the Ambassador to the Mermen. She and her boss are dragged along on a desperate journey to get the help of the Mermen who have much more magic. Nothing goes right. Peter is captured by the monsters and there’s a war blocking Renata from getting to the gate of the Mermen. Richard Swan is an author I am watching, and this beginning of the tale is intense. I can’t wait for the next part.   

David Dalglish tells a fun tale about a young man trapped in a very real video game. Nick was working for his brother Simon who was director of a research station orbiting a destroyed planet. An artifact was found and brought on board, and it sent Nick, in dreams, to  Yensere, a place that works like a video game with levels and he starts with Level: Unknown(paper from Orbit). He is woken up if he dies in that world, but to the inhabitants of that world it is very real. Something is so dangerous to our universe that a director of research shows up to destroy the research station. Nick finds two companions, one a magician from that world, and another player who connects through another artifact. A lot of puzzles remain at the end of this half of the tale and I am curious to discover what happens next. 

Ian Douglas starts a new fleet action series with Galaxy Raiders: Abyss (paper from Harper Voyager). Earth has expanded to several other worlds through galactic gates, and wants to join the heavily bureaucratic Galactic Authority, but some members of that Authority have decided on a policy of  human genocide.Alexandra Morrigan captained a ship that helped thwart the first attack, so she is put in charge of a fleet designed to raid worlds near Earth to take the alien minds off of Earth. Despite a million year technology gap, this beginning of the tale shows humans successful. I look forward to see if the attacking human force is met with continued success.    

Former nun  Monica Barrett was working in a Catholic women’s shelter when a woman arrived almost dead. Unfortunately a man attacks the shelter, and Monica, with a crowbar, which despite Monica’s black belts, is difficult for a sixty-nine year old woman. Then the woman tosses Monica a small stone and she somehow blasts the attacker. There’s A Web of Obsidian(ebook from Michem Publishing) involving hidden magic and a threat to the world from a male patriarchy of mages fought by The Obsidian Sisterhood. Lydia M. Hawke tells an exciting tale, introducing to the details of why the mages are now after Monica slowly. I enjoyed it and look forward to more of the tale. 

Linguist and smuggler Sean escaped the nameless, monster-filled starship with his two companions , a former Republican soldier Tamara Gupta, and the Minister he calls Indigo. Humanity arrived in the Sisters, two local star systems, by slow ship and since have developed FTL technology. The immortal Ministers once ruled. But revolution has left the two systems on the verge of war. The Philosopher Stone data Sean recovered might help and cure the Ministers who are actually dying because of flaws in the artificial DNA that created them. Unfortunately Sean’s sister Brigid, who Sean thought was dead, sends him a message to recover a vacuum cleaner. What follows in a spy vs spy escapade in which various spy groups are trying to kill each other. Brigid, is acting like The Unkillable Princess (paper fromRebellion Publishing Ltd) from a popular strategy game, creating intrigue between the three political entities ready for war. Taran Hunt has a very different sequel to The Immortality Thief (paper) but it's a lot of fun and filled with action. 

Marianne Gordon concludes her Raven's Trade duology about Hellevir who can enter death and bring back souls. There is a high price for bringing someone back to life, usually a body part. She is brought by The Gilded Crown(paper) to revive an assassinated princess Sullivain. Death tells her that if she retrieves objects found by puzzles, she can revive souls without cost. Two more assassinations later, plus other revivals, leaves her with a missing eye.. With her raven she roams the countryside selling herbs. Then the Queen dies and Sullivain sends for her. She needs her to question the soul of the Queen for information, She enters death and talks to Death, who she now knows as The Antlered King (hard from Harper Voyager) who had once conquered her country. Civil war ensues and Hellevir’s talents are called on. She considers herself responsible. In one battle that she is helping as a nurse, she starts reviving any she can, losing many parts of her body. But there’s worse to come. This is a solid look at consequences of magical talents and a deep dive into responsibility for one’s actions. Highly recommended. 

Aileen Erin continues the tale of the daughter of a demon, Samatha, who sends demons possessing humans back to Hell. Recovering from facing her father and only able to return because her friend Phoenix formed a link with her  to allow her to find her way back. Unfortunately there is an Infestation(ebook from Ink Monster, LLC) of demons in Charleston and the local werewolves desperately need her help even though she hasn’t fully  recovered from Hell.  Phoenix tries to help and that somehow deepens their relationship. The pulse-pounding action never stops. Even with an angel to help, the situation is dire. I’m really enjoying this series and am eager for the next tale. 

Sephihalé ele Janan came to the island of Mazemoor after leaving  the imperial Kattakans who were their enemies. He and his dragon Tourmaline came for refuge and the Island kingdom grants him parole if he moves in with a woman he calls sister Prita and her son. Unfortunately next to her land was a powerful dragon holder, Wisterol, who is using dangerous magics on his dragons. The Desert Talon (paper from Rebellion Publishing Ltd is a tale of greed and problems that require violence in a land eschewing violence . Karin Lowachee’s second visit to this world is intense and I’m looking forward to more. 

The system of Chimera was settled by humans and reezh. It was hidden from both the Empire of Mars, and the Reezh Kazh, a group that previously had wiped out all intelligent beings in many solar systems. The Queen of Mars has decided to try to help, but the Reezh Kazh are coming with more force than Mars can help. The only solution is to help a few million  people escape, out of billions of Reezh and Humans, and to fight to delay the encroaching enemy to maximize the number that can be rescued. Glynn Stewart’s tale of Chimera's Fall (ebook from Faolan's Pen Publishing Inc) is a sad tale that sets up a return to rescue the system in a later Starship's Mage tale). As usual the mixture of missiles and magic makes for a potent space navy tale. 

The 4th and 5th books of the 10th Anniversary Edition of  the Starship's Mage series are out.

Damien Montgomery is still recovering from his last adventure so he decides to go out and investigate a murder over Alien Arcana (paper from Faolan's Pen Publishing Inc) on an ancient archeological site. Unfortunately that reveals a secret that a group called Keepers are willing to kill, and die over. Pulse-pounding excitement.

Unfortunately someone is killing the Keepers and is destroying anything in their way. Council of the Protectorate wants Damien’s resignation and only the Judgment of Mars (paper from Faolan's Pen Publishing Inc) can save them and Damien from assassination.I really enjoyed rereading these early books in the series. 

I found Renée Jaggér and Michael Anderle’s  series about a Para-Military Recruiter(ebook from LMBPN Publishing  )available in four boxed sets for a buck each. Julie Meadows is a nineteen-year old looking for a job in New York City which is hard for a high school graduate. Then she gets what seems like a draft notice for a Para-military Agency. After she eats some of their food, she can see that para means things like elves, werewolves, and many other fantasy creatures. She is convinced that if she and her new partner can’t recruit a para within a week, she will be killed. That was obviously so preprosperous that I almost stopped reading. Luckily I kept going, because the authors have a lot of fun with world building, and create societies for elves, vampires, gryphons, etc. The main problem is that the Queen, who  has kept peace for three and half centuries, is dying. Her heirs have been murdered, and someone is stirring up violence as a way to pave their way to the throne when the Queen dies. The end of the first boxed set reveals that Julie is not human and also sends her to another department of the PMA. I finished the second boxed set, and will get to the rest of this exciting series, after enjoying March books.

There are more reviews at http://www.henrylazarus.com/sf.htm

Henry Lazarus is a retired Dentist and the author of A Cycle of Gods and Unnaturally Female.