REVIEW: New World (Iamos Trilogy, #2) / Lyssa Chiavari

TITLE: New World (Iamos Trilogy, #2)
AUTHOR: Lyssa Chiavari
PUBLISHER: Snowy Wings Publishing
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE

Young Adult - Science Fiction

REVIEW

New World, the second full-length novel in Lyssa Chiavari’s YA sci-fi series, The Iamos Trilogy, picks up where the last story left off. [IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES, FOURTH WORLD, STOP RIGHT HERE BECAUSE WHAT FOLLOWS WILL INCLUDE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1].

After being whisked away from his mid-21st-century Mars colony home, Isaak spent three weeks in a strange world full of advanced technology and dark secrets—Iamos—that was actually Mars from the ancient past. But something wiped them out—and the cataclysm not only destroyed their civilization, but had world-shattering consequences that rendered Mars a lifeless planet and altered the makeup of the Solar system. Now, he’s back—and he’s brought one of the Iamoi, Nadin, with him. Only a lot more time has passed in his world than he experienced—two whole years. His friends, who thought he’d been captured by the sinister agency GSAF, have moved on with their lives—one becoming a pop star, and one becoming a revolutionary. The Mars he’s returned to has become a police state, and those in power seek to use the technology of Iamos to solidify their power. Meanwhile, Nadin hopes to bring her people into the future so that they might survive the cataclysm, even if their homes are destroyed. But GSAF sees her as their ticket to Iamos’ technology and aims to use her as a political pawn.

New World deals directly with the fallout from the first book—both for the plot and for the characters. I really like how it took the time to explore the impact losing two years had on Isaak and his relationships with his friends. At the same time, the ever-present danger of the increasingly dystopian world keeps the tension high. Like Fourth World, New World is split into two distinct acts. Without giving too much away, let me just say that Act 2 really takes off, sending the characters barreling down a perilous path. While New World takes place entirely in the future Mars world, it also expands a bit upon the history (and mystery!) of Iamos’ past, offering tantalizing glimpses at what’s to come.

The world-building in this series is truly phenomenal. Both Mars and Iamos feel like fully realized civilizations, and it was easy to get lost in their worlds. My favorite part about the Iamos stories, though, is the characters. Isaak and Nadin, who alternate POVs, are both fantastic protagonists. Isaak’s the ordinary teen who got pulled into an adventure he could never have prepared for, and Nadin’s the child of an oppressive system who’s finally breaking out and finding her own way. I really enjoyed reading their character moments and getting invested in their relationships, their inner struggles… all the feels! Not to mention the asexual rep (Isaak identifies as demisexual; Nadin explores her asexuality). It’s easy to fall into a book when you really care about the characters and what happens to them.

New World ends on a heck of a cliffhanger, which teases at an exciting conclusion to the trilogy. I’ll be here waiting patiently to find out how it all ends…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Lyssa Chiavari is an author of speculative fiction for young adults, including Fourth World, the first book in a sci-fi trilogy set on Mars, and Cheerleaders From Planet X, a tongue-in-cheek send-up of all things sci-fi. Her short fiction has appeared in Wings of Renewal: A Solarpunk Dragon Anthology, Brave New Girls: Tales of Heroines Who Hack, Magic at Midnight: A YA Fairytale Anthology and Perchance to Dream: Classic Tales from the Bard’s World in New Skins. Her first published story, “The Choice,” was named one of Ama-giMagazine’s Best of 2014. Lyssa lives with her family and way too many animals in the woods of Northwest Oregon.

BOOK REVIEW: 5:30 Return / William R. Herr

TITLE: 5:30 Return
AUTHOR: William R. Herr
PUBLISHER: Mechanicsburg Press
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE

Science Fiction - Thriller

REVIEW

In the not-too-distant future, tourists flock to the red-light district of Tucson to get high on a futuristic drug and engage in all kinds of debauchery. They hire Juan, a disfigured veteran and recovering addict, to send them in and get them out. Known as "Juan the Monster," he doesn't have a lot of friends. So when one of the few people he cares about, Sammy, dies suspiciously, Juan takes it upon himself to find the truth. Meanwhile, his latest client has vanished, and he's assigned to take over Sammy's old gig, shuttling a developmentally challenged child -- born to an addict -- to and from a drug research facility. But he soon learns that there's more to Tucson's drug trade than he realized...

Like the Hobbsian vision of life without society, 5:30 Return by William R. Herr is nasty, brutish, and short. In a good way. It's a tightly written book that's somewhere between a long novella and a short novel, yet a lot happens in those few pages, with a fully realized world, a plot full of twists, and a fascinating portrait of a very, very damaged man.

Narrated in Juan's dry, unfiltered voice, 5:30 Return reminded me of Sin City with a more sci-fi bent, starring a cross between Deadpool and Jonah Hex. The book establishes quickly that Juan is not a nice guy, and it spares nothing when it comes to gritty details. Yet somehow he seems to be one of the few people around willing to do the right thing when it comes to solving Sammy's murder and uncovering a dark conspiracy. 

It's a really quick read that draws you in right away with Juan's distinctive narration. If you're looking for the darker, grittier side of sci-fi, this is your book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Will was born to a computer technician and a British immigrant. Over the many, many years of his life, this has never changed.

At the age of 14, he won his first writing competition, the Young Authors conference, and fell in love with writing. In 1996 he produced 'The White Room', his first play, and published Jeremy and February. He then took the next 18 years off, to raise his son, and regrets nothing.

Since then, he has been struck by lightning, has run himself over with a truck (purely by accident), survived seven hurricanes, driven through a tornado, helped lead an invading army to Washington, DC, lost everything he owned, got it back, and lost it again. Technically, one could say that he is currently homeless.

BOOK REVIEW: Supremacy's Shadow / T. Eric Bakutis

TITLE: Supremacy's Shadow
AUTHOR: T. Eric Bakutis
PUBLISHER: SF Productions
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE

Science Fiction

REVIEW

In the far future, ordinary "natural born" humans are in conflict with the genetically enhanced "Advanced" in a star system with two inhabited planets. The Advanced are tightening their control over the natural born in an oppressive state, but a group of fanatics is fighting back using terrorist tactics. Living in this mess is Hayden Cross, a military investigator and natural born whose pregnant wife was murdered by the fanatics thirteen years ago. He's made it his mission to eliminate those who killed her... but his world is thrown into disarray when he receives a mysterious message saying she might still be alive.

What starts out as a personal mission winds up embroiling Hayden in a complex power struggle where, it seems, no one's the good guy. A sadistic crime lord, corrupt official, fanatical rebels, bounty hunters... poor guy really can't catch a break. The plot twists and turns its way through a story that starts out as one man's quest for his wife but winds up an epic of world-shattering proportions. Each time you think you know what's going to happen, it veers of into another direction for some truly surprising twists.

Yet the story never loses sight of the people at its core, which is what makes it work so well. The characters are well developed and feel like people, not just chess pieces in service to the plot. While this isn't the kind of book to expect a happily-ever-after from, the ending is plenty satisfying.

One of the book's blurbs compares Hayden Cross to Deadpool. I'd say that's a pretty accurate comparison for the book as a whole - it's a gritty tale of oppressors and terrorists with lots of blood and some disturbing torture scenes, and the characters snark their way through it all, using dark humor to offset the horrors they face.

If you're looking for an exciting, fast-paced read with interesting characters, rich world building, dark humor, and a complex plot, then these are the droids you're looking for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

T. Eric Bakutis is an author and game designer living in Maryland. He is happily married and shares his house with a vicious, predatory cat and a sad-faced, cowardly dog. He spends way too much time in virtual reality, because virtual reality is increasingly awesome.

His first fantasy trilogy, Tales of the Five Provinces, is now complete. The first (standalone!) book in his Dueling Planets series, Supremacy's Shadow, is now available, with the next (standalone!) book coming in a year or two. He's also completed a free cyberpunk police procedural, Loose Circuit, which you can read for free at www.loosecircuit.com or purchase (e-book) on Amazon for $0.99. 

If any of this sounds interesting, you can read excerpts from all of his books, his free online serial, and a number of free short stories at www.tebakutis.com.

BOOK REVIEW: The Experimental Bug: Brilliance / Jelani Akin Parham

TITLE: The Experimental Bug: Brilliance (The Experimental Bug, #1)
AUTHOR: Jelani Akin Parham
PUBLISHER: Akinink Publishing
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE

Young Adult - Sci-Fi/Superhero

REVIEW

Years back, a brilliant scientist working for the powerful and mysterious Aegis Security disappeared. Now, his genius teen daughter, Pilar, is determined to find the truth. Having inherited her father's lab, she's perfected the Bug Suit he was working on. At night, she roams the city as a costumed vigilante. But she's not the only extraordinary being out there...

Pilar soon finds herself entangled in a plot full of intrigue, secrets, and a powerful evil with seemingly supernatural abilities. Superheros, monsters, conspiracies... and a big brother who takes his role as legal guardian frustratingly seriously. Pilar soon finds herself in over her head, but she's not about to back down. Together with her new friend, Zoe, she dives headfirst into the action.

This was a wickedly fun action/adventure superhero story starring kickass girls and a twisty-turn plot. Pilar is a tough, clever heroine with a smart mouth and prickly exterior. Yet though she'd never admit it, she's a total softy at heart. And so is this book... behind the high-octane superhero battles, this is the story of a girl and her family - her father's legacy, her relationship with her brother, her newly formed friendships. It's a fast-paced romp with lots of heart and character. I tore through it and enjoyed every moment!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Originally from the midwest, Jelani-Akin Parham moved to Phoenix, AZ to pursue an education and career in the creative realm. From the early days of his life in Detroit, MI til now, he’s been fascinated with monsters, super heroes, mythical swords and exploring foreign worlds. When he’s not writing crazy adventures, he can be found playing competitive fighting games, working as an illustrator, video editor, and on occasion composing music.

BOOK REVIEW: Water Into Wine / Joyce Chng

TITLE: Water Into Wine
AUTHOR: Joyce Chng
PUBLISHER: Annorlunda Books
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE
Science Fiction

REVIEW
Water Into Wine tells the story of Xin, who cultivates an inherited vineyard in the shadow of an interplanetary war. Though the violence is never far, Xin tries to focus on cultivating a life and taking care of their family. It's a story of survival and self-discovery set against a sci-fi backdrop. Narrated in Xin's contemplative voice and written in spare, poetic prose, Water Into Wine is a haunting and atmospheric novella, so mesmerizing that I wound up reading the whole thing in a single day.

Xin is a complex character whose emotions and experiences feel as real on the page as picking up someone's diary. Though the story's set in the far future and on a distant planet, Xin's Southeast Asian roots and culture continue to play an important role in their life... from everyday things like food and names to matters of greater spiritual significance. Language, holidays, and beliefs from Xin's ancestors are all alive and well in their life. It's a wonderful and immersive take on sci-fi, and I was utterly drawn in from the beginning.

This is one of those books that's hard to review because there's so much to it, and I feel like my descriptive abilities aren't up to doing it justice. Every attempt to talk about what I liked and such feels like I'm reducing it to some simplified version. So I'll leave it here and settle for saying that this is a gorgeously written and hypnotic book, and that I highly recommend it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born in Singapore but a global citizen, Joyce Chng writes mainly science fiction and YA. She likes steampunk and tales of transformation/transfiguration. Her fiction has appeared in Crossed Genres, The Apex Book of World SF II, We See A Different Frontier, Cranky Ladies of History, and Accessing The Future. Her YA science fiction trilogy is published by Singapore publisher, Math Paper Press. She can be found at A Wolf’s Tale (awolfstale.wordpress.com).

BOOK REVIEW: Star City / Edwin Peng

TITLE: Star City (Star City, #1)

AUTHOR: Edwin Peng

PUBLISHER: Evolved Publishing

PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE

Young Adult - Science Fiction

REVIEW

Edwin Peng’s debut novel, STAR CITY, is a YA sci-fi tale that tells the story of alien first contact from the point of view of two teenagers: Emma Smith, a college freshman who’s given the coveted position of student ambassador, and Sepporinen, a young alien who’s assigned to be her counterpart. The alien race, called the Ba’ren, are a technologically advanced and peace-loving society that hopes to be Earth’s benevolent allies. To prove their goodwill, they offer medical technology that can cure a form of childhood cancer and team up with human scientists to develop the cure. However, not all humans welcome the Ba’ren’s presence, and not all Ba’ren want to form an alliance with Earth. Between extremists on Earth who believe the Ba’ren to be an invading force to isolationist Ba’ren factions, diplomacy gets harder and harder every day. Emma and Sepporinen soon find themselves at the heart of the conflict, working desperately to salvage the fragile relations between Earth and the Ba’ren.

Emma and Sepporinen start the book in polar opposite positions. Emma is thrilled at having beat out thousands of applicants for her role as student ambassadors and sees this as a wonderful opportunity. Sepporinen, on the other hand, never wanted anything to do with this mission. He cares more about prospecting for riches, but was thrust into the junior ambassador position by his government for reasons that are unclear to him. Both are intriguing characters, especially Sepporinen, whose alien culture is thoroughly explored through fantastic world-building. It’s practically hate at first sight when the two finally meet. Over the course of the book, their relationship develops and shifts, until they find themselves unlikely partners.

But though the narrative centers on the two young protagonists, the story of STAR CITY is much, much broader. It’s essentially the story of two clashing worlds filtered through Emma and Sepporinen. Through secondary characters and news reports, we see the impact of the aliens’ arrival on Earth on not only the Emma’s country, the United States, but the world as a whole. In addition, Sepporinen’s dialogue with his people shows how various Ba’ren are reacting to the attempted diplomacy. It’s an expansive and richly wrought feat of both world-building and storytelling. And much of it rings true. The Ba’ren society is developed in detail (and is quite different from Earth’s), and Earth’s reactions—from religious fundamentalists claiming the Ba’ren are demons to internet-conspiracy-fueled extremists—seem all too believable.

It’s hard to believe Peng was able to pack such a big story into such a little book (maybe not little, but certainly not the 1000-page tome it could have been!). Personally, I enjoyed the efficiency of his writing and how fast-paced the story was. It was a quick, addictive read that kept me glued to the pages (well, screen since I had a Kindle version!). STAR CITY is the first book of a trilogy, though it has a conclusion of sorts while leaving the door open for its two sequels. I, for one, can’t wait to get my hands on them!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Edwin Peng lives in beautiful Lincoln, Nebraska with his beloved Pokémon buddy, Eevee. During the day, he indulges in super-villainy by performing high-power laser research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. At night, his secret identity is that of a literary superhero fighting to make the Young Adult Science Fiction genre less clichéd and more inclusive.

Edwin is the author of the Star City series, which features badass heroines and space aliens who love blueberry pies. The first novel is released by Evolved Publishing on December 4, 2017.

TRIPLE BOOK REVIEW: The Star City Shorts / Edwin Peng

To promote his upcoming YA sci-fi novel, STAR CITY, author Edwin Peng released three prequel short stories, the Star City Shorts. Each is only the length of a chapter or so, and so I ate 'em up pretty quickly and now, sadly, must wait impatiently for the release of the novel itself. Below are my reviews of the short stories.

TITLE: The Star City Shorts
AUTHOR: Edwin Peng
PUBLISHER: Evolved Publishing

GENRE
Young Adult - Sci-Fi

REVIEWS

THE ANNOUNCEMENT (Star City Short, #1)

Nebraska high schooler Emma just wants to get through the school day... never mind the fuss her friends are making about the upcoming dance. But then she's called into an assembly where the President announces something that will change the world... This fun little story is like one of those samplers they hand out at grocery stores... it gives you just enough of a taste to leave you wanting more. It's the first of 4 planned prequel short stories to Edwin Peng's STAR CITY sci-fi series and teases the reader with glimpses at an intriguing world and story to come. I can't wait to read more :-) Find it on Amazon

THE TEST (Star City Short, #2)

Asteroid mining apprentice Sepporinen, a member of the Ba'ren race of advanced, space-faring aliens, wants nothing more than to ace his tests and join the mining guild. His people's Exploratory Mission has recently arrived at Earth, but he's more interested in kicking off his career than learning about humans. But when he finds himself tasked with learning about Earth's mining operations, he realizes that not everything is as it seems... and there's a dangerous conspiracy afoot.

"The Test" is the second of three prequel short stories leading up to Edwin Peng's upcoming YA sci-fi novel, STAR CITY. Like the first prequel, "The Announcement," it offers a little taste of awesome things to come. While "The Announcement" introduced the reader to STAR CITY's Earthling protagonist, "The Test" offers a tantalizing glimpse at the alien culture she'll encounter in the novel.

There's a lot packed into "The Test," which is a quick little read that introduces the reader to the Ba'ren and their spacefaring ways. Peng does a lot of world-building in just a few pages, and it was a lot of fun to learn about this out-of-the-world civilization. Also, the aliens' observations of humans are absolutely delightful... a combo of fun quips and cutting social commentary. The story also teases the reader with dark conspiracies swirling behind what should be a peaceful first contact mission... Of course, this is a prequel, so it ends on an agonizing cliffhanger... Can't wait to read STAR CITY when it comes out and find out where it all goes!

Find it on Amazon

THE MEETING (Star City Short, #3)

Ba'ren biologist Ngizzida, after recently making first contact with Earth, is eager to put her expertise toward a good cause and help humans cure cancer. But she soon starts to worry about her government's decisions regarding Earth, which could complicate relations between her world and that of the humans... "The Meeting" is the third of three prequel short stories leading up to Edwin Peng's upcoming YA sci-fi novel, STAR CITY. Each of these shorts offers a brief glimpse at a different aspect of the story, and "The Meeting" teases at what might happen with future relations between the Ba'ren and the humans. It seems like things won't be going smoothly, and I can't wait to find out how it all turns out! "The Meeting" is a super quick read that introduces new aspects to the world of Star City... and hints at trouble to come. I read all three Star City shorts within 24 hours or so, and together, they introduce an exciting story full of new worlds and conspiracies. Now, to wait impatiently for the novel itself... Find it on Amazon ABOUT THE AUTHOR Edwin Peng lives in beautiful Lincoln, Nebraska with his beloved Pokémon buddy, Eevee. During the day, he indulges in super-villainy by performing high-power laser research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. At night, his secret identity is that of a literary superhero fighting to make the Young Adult Science Fiction genre less clichéd and more inclusive. Edwin is the author of the Star City series, which features badass heroines and space aliens who love blueberry pies. The first novel and companion short stories will be released by Evolved Publishing in autumn 2017.

If the Jane Colt trilogy were graphic novels...

Two years ago, I released the third and final installment of the Jane Colt trilogy into the world. In celebration of the series' completion (and just because I thought it'd be cool), I commissioned these illustrations... a glimpse at what the books might look like if they were graphic novels :-)

Here's what an Artificial Absolutes graphic novel might look like... commissioned a few illustrations in celebration of the 2nd anniversary of the trilogy's completion (and just for fun!) #bookstagram #instabook #scifibooks #scifi #artificialabsolutes #writersoninstagram #writerslife #writersofig #writergram #authorsofinstagram #authorgram #authorslife #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #illustration #graphicnovelart #scifiart

A post shared by Mary Fan (@astralcolt) on Jul 17, 2017 at 8:34am PDT

Graphic novel-style illustration for SYNTHETIC ILLUSIONS! (Still my personal favorite of the Jane Colt novels...) #bookstagram #instabook #scifibooks #scifi #syntheticillusions #writersoninstagram #writerslife #writersofig #writergram #authorsofinstagram #authorgram #authorslife #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #illustration #graphicnovelart #scifiart

A post shared by Mary Fan (@astralcolt) on Jul 17, 2017 at 8:36am PDT

A page from a hypothetical VIRTUAL SHADOWS graphic novel... #bookstagram #instabook #scifibooks #scifi #virtualshadows #writersoninstagram #writerslife #writersofig #writergram #authorsofinstagram #authorgram #authorslife #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #illustration #graphicnovelart #scifiart

A post shared by Mary Fan (@astralcolt) on Jul 17, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

Behind the STARSWEPT book trailer

Whether book trailers do any good with regard to sales and marketing is perpetually up for debate. A few things are known for certain though: 1) They can't hurt 2) They're hella fun.

Big publishers sometimes produce life-action, cinematic trailers for their marquis titles. Those of us who don't have such resources and whose budget is determined not by a million-dollar marketing team, but by one's savings account and willingness to subsist on ramen, must find other solutions.

In my case, I decided to go abstract for the STARSWEPT book trailer. I didn't have the means to stage elaborate reenactments of the book's scenes... especially since it's space-age sci-fi. Besides, this ain't a movie. Showing things literally wouldn't do any good... it'd be a trailer for a film that would never be released. And it would limit readers' imaginations, since they'd be forced to picture the trailer's depiction of scenes instead of imagining them.

I wasn't aiming to illustrate scenes, but rather to capture the tone of the book... a mix of galaxy-spanning sci-fi, classical arts, and fairytale romance. Since the story takes place at a futuristic performing arts school, where students compete to gain alien patrons who sponsor their careers on a utopian planet, I knew from the get-go that my trailer would feature a combination of performing arts and space images. And while combing my book for ideas, I came across this bit:

It was then that I realized that I accidentally (I mean, intentionally after much pondering and a visitation from my muse :-P) illustrated this very concept with my book cover. On it, Iris is literally floating in a nebula... a star being created from colorful dust.

Symbolism completely on purpose. Not at all because I just thought it was pretty. I am an ARTISTE ;-)

As long as I had this concept going for me, I decided to expand upon it for the book trailer. I combed stock footage websites for videos that captured the tone I was going for... the grace and romance of performing arts and the beauty and futurism of nebulas. Then I faded the footage into each other to create the feel of performing artists appearing out of clouds of stardust. In addition, I tried to find footage depicting stage lights and bright stars, so I could blend them and have stage lights turn into stars... and fledgling suns turn into spotlights. After all, a big solo is a day in the sun.

The hardest part was finding the right soundtrack. I tinkered with the idea of composing something myself, but concluded that I just didn't have the right resources (my small collection of instruments and synths has served me well, but sadly, I can't turn myself into a full classical orchestra). So it was back to the stock libraries I went.

I knew right away that I wanted something orchestral, something classical-sounding without being actual classical music (though I did briefly consider using Mozart... problem was, it made the trailer seem like it was for a historical drama or that it was being played ironically). A lot of the stock music I found was epic, pounding trailer music, which was awesome, but totally wrong for my dreamy sci-fi romance... my fairytale in space. I filtered the results for slower pieces... I wanted something graceful and haunting.

Then, I found a choral and orchestral piece that gave me chills when I listened to it. Bingo: I had my song. As a bonus, the words the choir was singing (though hard to make out if you're not listening for them) matched perfectly; they sing "Come back to me" over and over, which is a common thought for my star-crossed lovers (who are separated by actual stars). 

After I had my pieces, it was time to put it all together. I opened with a shot of the camera approaching Earth... something that illustrates the arrival of the telepathic aliens that kick off the premise. Then, I added my performing arts school/nebula... performers appearing from stardust and stars turning to stage lights. I ended with a shot of a spaceship flying into the distance to illustrate the aliens taking the artists away... and Iris's eventual journey across the universe. Below is the final result, and I must say, I'm proud of it!

BOOK REVIEW: Different Worlds (Iamos Trilogy, #1.5) / Lyssa Chiavari

Title: Different Worlds (Iamos Trilogy, #1.5) Author: Lyssa Chiavari Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing Purchase Link: Amazon GENRE Young Adult - Science Fiction REVIEW LOVED this novella! I'm a huge fan of Lyssa's book, FOURTH WORLD, which I read last summer, and this companion novella really hit the spot for me. Let me start by saying that this novella should absolutely only be read after reading FOURTH WORLD, since it relies heavily on the events on the novel (plus, everyone should read FOURTH WORLD anyway because it's awesome).  In FOURTH WORLD, the main character, Isaak, is whisked away from his life in a Martian colony, and we, the readers, follow him on an otherworldly journey. But before that happens, we get a full picture of his life... his home, his friends, his school, his family. So when he vanishes... what happens to them? DIFFERENT WORLDS answers that question by following his two closest friends, Tamara and Henry, as they grapple with his abrupt disappearance... and all the grief, anger, and confusion that accompanies it. There's a tragic sense of dramatic irony as we--knowing full well that Isaak's alive and well--watch the two teens try to figure out how to deal with it... how hard they work to figure out where he went, the danger they put themselves in when they suspect a government conspiracy, the tensions that arise because of that... DIFFERENT WORLDS takes place over the course of a year, and it's a fast-paced tale full of fraught decision-making and high emotions. I loved everything about it... it was so much fun diving back into Lyssa's Mars and experiencing the world. And the feels! Gotta love all the feels! The ending is absolutely perfect and left me with a mighty need for the FOURTH WORLD sequel (not that I didn't already have a mighty need... this just exacerbated it). Anyway, if you like sci-fi with some amazing world-building and fantastically written characters, I HIGHLY recommend that you scoop up both this novella and FOURTH WORLD... and read 'em back to back :-D ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lyssa Chiavari is an author of speculative fiction for young adults, including FOURTH WORLD, the first book of the Iamos Trilogy, a YA sci-fi adventure set on Mars. She has also written several pieces of short fiction, and is the editor of PERCHANCE TO DREAM, a young adult collection of Shakespeare retellings. Lyssa lives with her family and way too many animals in the woods of Northwest Oregon.

COVER REVEAL: My very own book, STARSWEPT!!!

Hey everyone! At long last, iiiiiit's COVER REVEAL DAY FOR STARSWEPT!!!! This sweeping YA sci-fi romance by yours truly will be released on August 29 by Snowy Wings Publishing. The cover features photography by Roberto Falck, with graphic design by Streetlight Graphics. 

Without further ado, here's the cover!

Who's the model, you may ask? That's my amazingly talented kid sister, Angel Fan! She may have gotten the gig through... *ahem*... connections, but she's actually uniquely qualified for it. Not only does she have the right look (that is, Asian American... it was super important to me to feature an Asian girl on my cover), but she also 1) Plays viola (so she knows how to hold the instrument) 2) Dances (good at posing) 3) Is a trained diver and experienced swimmer (the photo shoot was underwater).

I'll be back with a behind-the-scenes post soon! In the meanwhile, here's the book info :-D

Title: Starswept
Author: Mary Fan
Release Date: August 29, 2017
Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing

Some melodies reach across the stars.

In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.

A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.

When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.

But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.

Preorder the hardback on Amazon

Preorder the e-book on Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Kobo, or iBooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Fan is a hopeless dreamer, whose mind insists on spinning tales of “what if.” As a music major in college, she told those stories through compositions. Now, she tells them through books. She is the author of the Jane Colt space opera trilogy, the Firedragon YA dystopia/fantasy novellas, and the Fated Stars YA high fantasy novellas. She's also the co-editor of the Brave New Girls YA sci-fi anthologies, which are dedicated to encouraging girls to enter STEM careers and raising money for the Society of Women Engineers scholarship fund.

Find her online at www.MaryFan.com.

Facebook: facebook.com/mfanwriter

Twitter: @astralcolt

Instagram: @astralcolt

BOOK REVIEW: The Dragon and the Stars / Derwin Mak and Eric Choi

TITLE: The Dragon and the Stars
EDITORS: Derwin Mak and Eric Choi
PUBLISHER: Daw Books
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE
Science Fiction/Fantasy -- Anthology

REVIEW
I picked up this anthology after meeting one of the editors and contributing authors, Derwin Mak, at the Ad Astra convention in Toronto earlier this year. And it was one whose premise sold itself. I mean, a collection of sci-fi/fantasy stories inspired by Chinese mythology and experiences? Yes please! I myself am Chinese American, and one of my biggest gripes is that Chinese people--Asians in general, in fact--are virtually invisible in the world of sci-fi/fantasy. Unless you're reading or watching something that came FROM Asia--anime, Bollywood, kung fu films, manga, etc--chances are, the only Asians you'll ever see in sci-fi/fantasy are token sidekicks or stereotyped cameos.

So it was really wonderful and refreshing to get 18 new SFF stories of incredible range, all by Chinese authors of varying experiences and all featuring Chinese people. From a tale inspired by old school folklore to futuristic sci-fi to alternate history... reading these stories was like popping Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans into my mouth, except all the flavors were awesome and made extra special because they were just what I was looking for.

Each story is special in its own way, and to be honest I simply don't have the time to review them each individually. But I highly, highly recommend that you pick up this wonderful collection. There wasn't a single story I didn't like, and what really wowed me was the incredible breadth the anthology covered... so many different types of stories! And it's especially refreshing since even today, six years after this anthology was published, Asians are still portrayed in the same stereotypical buckets in most mainstream SFF (always the ninja, or the sneaky gangsters, or the sexless nerd, or the mute chinadoll, or the dragon lady...). Next time I see a stereotypical Asian nerd in fiction, I want to shove this anthology in that person's face and be like IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY! SEE?? SEE????

Okay, so this turned out to be more of a rant than an actual review... sorry about that! In a nutshell... This anthology features an incredible collection of excellent stories, and the sheer imagination of it all is amazing. I really, truly enjoyed reading every single one of them.

BOOK REVIEW: A Halo of Mushrooms / Andrew Hiller

TITLE: A Halo of Mushrooms
AUTHOR: Andrew Hiller
PUBLISHER: Self-published
PURCHASE LINK: Amazon

GENRE
Sci-Fi/Fantasy

REVIEW
I met Andrew Hiller at 2016’s Farpoint convention, and he struck me as the kind of guy who’d have a fresh and uncommon writing style. And when I delved into his novel, A HALO OF MUSHROOMS, my suspicions were confirmed in a delightful and entertaining way. A HALO OF MUSHROOMS is not your typical spec fic, and in fact, can be a bit hard to describe. Part sci-fi adventure, part fantasy fairytale, and part something that defies genre, the novel offers unique and often cinematic storytelling. The plot follows the escapades of one Derik, a healer from another world who steals a mushroom. But not just any mushroom – one from the place of origins, whose existence has great consequences. Branded an outlaw and hunted by monsters, he seeks a safe place for his cargo. He winds up running into and befriending a colorful cast of supporting characters during his twisty-turny journey. Vivid descriptions pepper a text that comes to life with creativity and panache. If you’re looking for a fun and different sci-fi/fantasy read, look no further.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Hiller attempted to travel the road least taken only to fall off. Caught in wild currents, he surfaced to find his commentaries selected four times as best of the year on Washington’s NPR station WAMU 88.5 FM, a pair of his plays fill the New York City stage, and an opportunity to act and write with the original Muppets gang in his Cobblestone Documentary series. His first fantasy novel, A Climbing Stock, grew to reach the top 50 on Amazon’s humor best sellers. In between projects, he has taught art in a psychiatric ward, hosted an internationally broadcast science, health, and tech radio program, and reads everything that makes him go “Huh?” or “Ha!” His second novel, A Halo of Mushrooms was released in December 2015.

BOOK REVIEW: The Mark of Noba (The Sterling Wayfairer Series, #1) / G.L. Tomas

TITLE: The Mark of Noba (The Sterling Wayfairer Series, #1)
AUTHOR: G.L. Tomas
PUBLISHER: Rebellious Valkyrie Press
AVAILABILITY: Amazon

GENRE
Young Adult -- Sci-Fi/Fantasy

REVIEW

Alternate cover

Sterling Wayfairer just wants what every high schooler wants: to stand out as his own person. To stop being overshadowed by his athletic best friends. Maybe finally ask out his crush. But things get much more complicated when the new girl, Tetra, enters his life. For one thing, no one else seems to notice she exists. For another, he finds himself losing time... waking up in places he doesn't remember going to wondering what happened in between. And what's more, students are vanishing, and no one knows why. Eventually, Sterling tracks down Tetra, but the answers she gives him are far beyond anything he could have expected... a secret past, an alternate world, supernatural powers, and a monster out for his blood.

G.L. Tomas' young adult novel, THE MARK OF NOBA, is difficult to genre-fy. It sits in that gray area between sci-fi and fantasy... the land where superheroes and space-faring wizards live. For one thing, Sterling lives in on an alternate Earth of sorts. It feels like our Earth, in that he goes to a regular high school, lives in a regular neighborhood, and has regular teen problems (no dystopian dictator or magic lessons or anything). But there are subtle differences--the comic book-esque generic names of places (the planet is Geo, the city is City, etc), the categorization of skin tones as Type 1, Type 2, etc. based on shade rather than place of origin. And we soon learn that it's not the only one out there... in fact, Tetra is from a place called Noba, which exists in an alternate dimension. There's magic and time travel and shapeshifting monsters and superpowers... all against the backdrop of a high school life.

In that sense, it kind of reminded me of the Harry Potter books. School is still the central setting for everything that happens, and Sterling and Tetra (who both narrate) deal with both normal teen issues (dating, popularity, etc) and extranormal issues (superpowers, alternate worlds, and monsters!). Tetra eventually poses as an exchange student living with Sterling's family, and it was fun watching her try to adjust to everyday life (while still keeping an eye out for monsters).

I love love loved both characters and their somewhat co-dependent, somewhat dysfunctional relationship. They couldn't be more different... Sterling is kind of your "typical teenager," full of sarcastic comments and snarky attitude. Tetra is an alien warrior who takes everything too literally (often resulting in hilarity). And their narrations reflect this--Sterling's is conversational and sounds the way you'd expect most teens to talk while Tetra's is more formal. I really enjoyed the contrast in styles and the way it brought the characters to life.

THE MARK OF NOBA is a richly imagined, delightfully written, truly magical YA read full of drama and excitement, inviting you into a world that's both so familiar and so far from reality. I started reading it while stuck at the airport and found myself weirdly okay with being stuck in that noisy purgatory as long as I could keep reading...

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Guinevere and Libertad go by many superhero aliases. Whether you know them by G.L. Tomas, the Twinjas, or the Rebellious Valkyries, their mission is always the same: spreading awareness of diversity in books. Oh, and trying to figure out the use for pocketless pants! 

They host other allies and champions of diversity in their secret lair in Connecticut.

BOOK REVIEW: DEBBI (Helen of Mars, #0.5) / George Ebey

TITLE: DEBBI (Helen of Mars, #0.5)
AUTHOR: George Ebey
PUBLISHER: Glass House Press
AVAILABILITY: Barnes & Noble

GENRE
Young Adult - Science Fiction

REVIEW
In the not-so-distant future, gamer girl and engineering prodigy Helen Hunter enters a prestigious battle bot competition sponsored MARSCORP, a company that sends rovers to mine Mars. Except she's not just doing it for the thrill of it. MARSCORP has grown notorious for making lots of money off the dreams of would-be Mars explorers--by selling them expensive equipment and whatnot then taking a cut of their revenues in exchange for giving them a chance to profit from Mars' rich ore deposits. In that sense, they're rather like scammy, leeching self-publishing outfits (*cough* Author Solutions *cough*) that reap unscrupulous profits off the dreams of authors with their overpriced and often terrible services. Sorry for getting a little off-topic... Just wanted to show y'all how evil this bad-guy corporation is ;-).

Anyway, Helen's dad, certain that his knowledge of geography will give him an edge over the competition, is determined to send a rover to Mars despite the financial risks. Helen, a practical and mature teen, fears that his ambition will lead their family to ruin. And so she enters the competition in hopes of winning the grand prize: a free Mars rover that will let her dad chase his dream without possibly losing the house.

DEBBI is Helen's bot, which she built herself and controls with the help of her fellow gamer girl and BFF, Misty. This novella is a short, fun little read full of robot battles and nerdy references... catnip for a nerdy gal like me! And can I just say, how awesome is it to see an unapologetically nerdy teen girl as the heroine of her own story? STEM girls rule!

Brave New Girls cover

Okay, disclosure time. Not only do George and I share a publisher (Glass House Press), but I was also a huge fan of Helen going in. The first story starring Helen (which actually takes place after DEBBI), titled Helen of Mars, was one of the shorts in the anthology I co-edited, BRAVE NEW GIRLS: TALES OF GIRLS AND GADGETS (we donate all proceeds from sales to the Society of Women Engineers' scholarship fund, so if you want to find out what happens to Helen next and support a good cause... *hint hint nudge nudge*). Does this make me biased? Well, I'm always going to be biased toward stories featuring smart, independent heroines, especially STEM-y ones, so...

Helen of Mars illustration

Back to DEBBI! In this little novella, George Ebey paints an awesome near-future sci-fi world. The concept feels like something that could actually happen... dare I call this hard sci-fi? The robot battles are really fun to read, full of detail and action and strategy and some amazing visuals. Helen's the kind of character you eagerly root for. She's bright and determined, and though she's somewhat shy, she doesn't take crap from anyone. So if you like girl engineers and robot battles, you should totally check this one out!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
George Ebey is the author of the forthcoming Phoenix Saga, a series of fantasy adventure tales for young readers soon to be published by Glass House Press.

Prior to turning to the world of Middle Grade and Young Adult adventure, he got his start by writing works of mystery and suspense. Ebey’s previous titles include: Broken Clock; The Red Bag; Dimensions: Tales of Suspense; and Widowfield.

These days he’s proud to be an author with Glass House Press as well a contributor to the International Thriller Writer’s online webzine,The Big Thrill.