City of Bones

Martha Wells

I need to pay attention more. I thought I was reading book one of a series, but instead this is a standalone novel. And a really good one. As I was reading, I really enjoyed the world that Wells creates. A post magical disaster world where cities rise up out of a wasteland that is inhabitable only by monsters and creatures. The central city of the story is an 8-tiered structure with tiers explicitly defining class and wealth. In this world, Khat is a relics dealer, and a krisman - some sort of non-human species created to survive in the waste. He gets mixed up with Elen, a warder - the last remaining wielders of power - in a quest for some relics that may save the world -- or destroy it. In the end, Wells wraps up the story and the world so tightly that I am glad not to be pulled into another volume. Well done Martha.

4 stars (out of 4)

Recursion

Blake Crouch

Helen is a Stanford neuroengineer who is working on a memory capture device. Her motivation is to try to develop a way to preserve the memories and life of her alzheimer laden mother. When funding dries up, she is approached by an angel investor who gives her everything she wants to develop her device. Barry is a NYC detective who is recently divorced, his marriage a shambles after the death of their daughter 11 years ago. Their stories are intertwined in a way that the fate of the world depends on. Turns out Helen's device is usable for time travel and the mechanism is built on a multiverse model where each time travel event spawns a new universe. This is an amazing story telling and system development. For the most part the time travel piece holds together and, while mind boggling, is fascinating and terrible. Really good sci-fi. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Witch King

Martha Wells

Wow, this is an outstanding world. Demons and Witches and Blessed Immortals and humans, oh my. Kai is a demon trapped in the human world (as are all demons who were in the above when the paths to the underearth were sealed). But he has a new body, and with his witch sister, are seeking out who was able to entomb them under water, and why they would do this. Wells does a fabulous job telling this story, revealing Kai's powers and motivations as a natural part of his own discovery and his own memory. Kai with his friends traverses a personal emotional journey concurrent with the global political conspiracies he encounters, striving for freedom and diversity. Just like any group of demon, witch and immortal would do right? I love this world.

4 stars (out of 4)

Gold Wings Rising

Alex London

Book 3 of Skybound Series

For the conclusion, we get the Kylee and Bryson are reunited and on the same trek. The war (between humans) is over and everyone is in survival mode as the convocation of ghost eagles is terrorizing everyone equally. They have discovered an egg and are getting all kinds of conflictedMaybe the most interesting reminder about real life here is how ones own emotions and historical interpretation and baggage can actually impact the unfolding of reality. What I bring to the table actually matters, and affects outcomes. It is a bit on-the-nose here, but a good message none the less. Overall, the series is good, but not great. 

3 stars (out of 4)