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Science Fiction for December 2025
by Henry L Lazarus
It was a light month for review copies of Fantasy and Science Fiction, so I included some books I bought.
I was fascinated by Bethany Jacobs Kindom Trilogy because it shows a future civilization collapsing because of the same historical reasons that killed Rome and Persia. In fact, I am convinced that the current empires of China and Russia are facing the same problems.
The Treble, three solar systems tied together by gates that allow quick transport of goods and services, was settled by generation ships 1600 years before the tale begins. It is ruled by a combination of theocracy from the Kindom (which worships six gods) and an aristocracy headed by five families. Both sides are cruel and have no hesitation at murder. A century before the moon Jeve was destroyed for political reasons leaving only a few survivors.
These Burning Stars (paper which I bought) has two clerics, Chono who is already making a name for herself for her religious sermons, and Esek who is especially brutal, chasing after a memory coin that may show a relationship to one of the major families to the destruction of Jeve. Jun, a thief and well-known master caster(think hacker with internal computer systems) has possession of the coin and is being helped by the descendents of the inhabitants of Jeve. The action is exciting and full of twists.
The Jevians escape to a hidden colony world, but five thousand of them find themselves On Vicious Worlds(paper) when they are immediately jailed. Chono and Esek decide to work on freeing them. The Kindom has become autocratic in an effort to control the rising revelation,
The action culminates in a war over This Brutal Moon( hard from Orbit) as the Kindom has a tyrannical ruler determined to control not only the Jevian Colony but also trying to control the aristocratic families. Because this is fiction, the tale ends in peace and stability. I think this trilogy is a new classic and a must read.
A world with superheroes could be a catastrophe if the capes are very powerful. JD Rhodes tells of a small oddball team that finds itself trying to save the world. Leopard is part of a mercenary group that attacks a ship off the artificial island of Asclepion, and wounds Sabra Kasembe’s father. Sabra has been building a supersuit from a junk police robot and boxing in cage matches to help pay for it. Fisher used to be a cape until he lost his hands, his powers, and his love in the same brutal fight. Add in an intelligent robot, another mercenary, and Fisher’s ordinary cat and you have a potential team that can live In Sekhmet's Shadow (ebook). As the team comes together in the midst of various attacks on civic centers, the tale moves from the Island to Australia, to Geneva, and finally to the ruins of an AI supercomputer. With pulse-pounding action scenes, the tale would make a solid tv series if the CGI were affordable. I bought the sequel. 
Thomas “Awkward Thom” Dante lives a quiet life in Vancouver working as a mixologist in a magical bar. Marcel Feldmar starts him on a path towards discovering his real potential when his boss is murdered and a book of very dangerous drink recipes. Awkward on the Rocks(paper from Dead Sky Publishing) forces him to face not only an old girlfriend, but also use various drink mixes to face a Dragon, a Voodoo Loa, and a Werewolf to find the murderer and missing book. I hope there’s a sequel.
Jessica Khoury mixes Victorian romance with a Fairy tale of The Moorwitch (paper from 47North). As a preteen Rose Pryor called on the Fairy King to deal with an abusive aunt, her guardian. In this version of Victorian England, magic is relatively common and created by weaving thread into spells, Rose has been teaching talented orphans and is quite learned of various spells, but limited by heart pains. The Fairy King wants her to find the only door to fairyland and bring him a branch of a magical tree. In this version of Victorian England, magic is relatively common and created by weaving thread into spells, Rose has been teaching talented orphans and is quite learned of various spells, but limited by heart pains. In a part of the moors where the Fairy King is warded against is a Manor where the Laird and his sister avoid weaving magic. But there are deep secrets that the Norths are hiding. I enjoyed this visit to the moors.
Rachel Tork reminds us that it is hard To Kill A Goddess(ebook Azala Romance) because they are reborn. The gods left, taking magic with them. That started a local war over resources. Soren Cavell was captured as a preteen and is handmaiden to the Princess, and heir to the throne. The princess is destined to bond with a dragon and fight in the war, but something odd happens at the ceremony and a rare dragon flies in and chooses Soren. Soren is then faced with the conundrum of having to fight against her own people or be killed. But there is a lot more going on with the king of the gods. I enjoyed this tale and hope for more from this author.
Nora Bird sorts out upcoming deaths for the grim reaper company S.C.Y.T.H.E. One day her twin brother’s name comes up and, in an effort to save his life, takes him and his talking parrot on the run, ending up in the small village where their father came from, a village with a dark secret. A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death(paper from Berkley) has a hidden murderer who may have killed the Bird’s parents. I enjoyed this dark adventure.
Brittany Ranew starts a tale of Riley Jordan, a senior at a wizardry school. The adventure starts when Riley and his friends steal a crystal to teleport into a music festival and end up in Emma’s bathroom instead. Emma, very human, for some reason accepts magic. But something dark is happening at their university, and Riley is dreaming that Emma is in danger. Then Riley finds he is a rare fire wizard, accepted by the Lion of Fire (hard from St. Petersburg Press) which somehow fulfills a prophecy. Soon he and his friends are attacked by an ancient dark wizard determined to find a way to wipe out humanity and leave only wizards in control. Fighting fun monsters and somehow getting out of traps follow for a fun beginning to a light magical adventure.
Bramble is in the process of reprinting Carissa Broadbent’s first trilogy The War of Lost Hearts that was independently published in 2020. Tisaanah had been enslaved as a young teen and, because of her magical butterflies, had become a dancer, hoping to buy herself out of slavery with coin earned on the side. She almost dies when buying her freedom, but escapes to the island kingdom of Ara, where she convinces an order of magic wielders to take her in for training despite being an adult. Apprenticed to Maxantarius Farlione, a war hero overwhelmed by the fact that he had destroyed a city in the last war. She does so well that the Order considers her for bonding to a magical being Reshaye, who will vastly increase her magical powers. This Daughter of No Worlds then demands she rescues the slaves she left behind before helping the kingdom in their war. Returning to Ara, she finds the teenage Queen dead and the country in Civil War. There the two Children of Fallen Gods have to end the Civil War. At the same time. Centuries before Aefe, a fey princess, witnessed the destruction of the Fey and the birth of Reshaye. The third book will be reprinted in March.
Glynn Stewart continues what promises to be a very long series about two bounty hunters with secrets, Teer and Kard. Teer now has the memories of a wizard, the last of an order. At a time when the empire is impressing huge numbers of soldiers, Teer finds himself set on an Adept's Path( paper from Faolan's Pen Publishing Inc.). There’s a lot more coming in future tales.
Terry Mancour’s long running Spellmonger series adds a fun but silly addition, The Talon and the Flame(ebook) finds the Hawkmaiden Dara, who had found the magic to enlarge birds and built a flying force of riders, is being encouraged by the female gods (human created by magic) to find a husband. The wars are over and the problem is that she lacks purpose. Instead of husband hunting, she instead goes after a problem of stolen children in a neighboring Barony. Her only attempt at a date turns into an attack on a hidden, and illegal under the peace terms. goblin fortress. After that date disaster, she goes after a powerful necromaster, happily fighting zombies refusing to stop after a concussion weakens her magic. The funniest part is when the three female goddesses take her to a court of love. Yes, she does get engaged but only at the end and to someone unexpected. I love this series.
Drew Hayes has a nice ending to his tale of an accountant turned vampire who happily sets up an accounting firm for the supernatural. All Accounts Settled(paper) has Fred and his friends finally facing the evil vampire Quinn who sired Fred and has been an occasional foil for the small group. All characters arcs are settled and there’s a solid fun fight scene at the end. Satisfying.
Brandon Sanderson proves master of short fiction too with a group of Tailored Realities (hard from Tor) including one original tale.
Orbit is reprinting Iain M. Banks’s classic culture tales as ebooks. Excession is the fourth book in the series.
There are more reviews at http://www.henrylazarus.com/sf.htm
Henry Lazarus is a retired Dentist and author of several books.