Battle Dragons: City of Thieves

Alexander London

Book 1 of the Battle Dragons series

This is a modern world. Our protagonist Abel is a 7th grade student who lives on the 90th floor of his building. Most buildings are 200+ stories, and the city has tens of millions living there. It is a pretty high tech place (holographic billboards, cell phones, etc. But all transportation and heavy labor is accomplished via dragon. Need a school bus? Strap some seats on to a long wing dragon. Abel is a middling student (failed his dragon academy entrance exam), but his friend Roa is a prodigy, taking college classes at night in dragon veterinarianism. Abel and Roa quickly get pulled into the city underbelly as Abel finds he has bonded with Karak - a Sunrise Reaper battle dragon. And he is expected to battle on behalf of one of the 3 local gangs. London has created an effective mixture of tech and fantasy. He is illuminating coming of age issues for middle school kids at the same time as the social inequity that comes from the struggle for power at all costs. And Abel as the clear eyed, idealist who can push for a better world is the perfect protagonist. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Thornhedge

T. Kingfisher

A tower in a wasteland surrounded by an impenetrable hedge (yes...) of thorns. The narrator is a beautiful woman who is a changeling (her name is Toadling) and throughout the story, we get her point of view and through flashback her origin story. Upon this scene comes a knight of ill fortune who has read old stories of a princess in this tower. He has come to investigate/rescue/explore. Basically, he is bored (he doesn't like the "normal" knight stuff) and curious. An interesting variation on the Sleeping Beauty theme which is fun, but not enthralling. 

3 stars (out of 4)

The Goblin Emperor

Katherine Addison

A nice fantasy world full of hints of magic, a cyberpunk feel (castles, moats, hydrogen airships), and basically two races (elves and goblins). Maia is the 4th son of the current elven emperor. Since his mother was a goblin, he has been banished to exile, his father not wanting any memory of his "poor decision". But when the emperor's airship blows up killing all aboard (including son's 1-3) Maia is suddenly the Emperor. In this world, we follow Maia as he navigates treacherous politics of court, religious and racial discrimination, royal expectations and a murder mystery. It is a fun evolution of a young man (goblin/elf) and maybe one of the most satisfying royal court intrigue stories I've read. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Translation State

Ann Leckie

In the world of the Imperial Radch Trilogy

It has been 5 years since I read the original trilogy and it is still in my memory in broad strokes. The details, not so much. This is a story the provides new insight into the Presger, specifically about one "feral" Presger and the effort to bring them back into the community. I love the expression of multi-species interactions and the matter of fact way that Leckie sets up interactions and at the same time exposes speciesism, privilege and colonial snobbery. Glad I read it. 

4 stars (out of 4)

The Harbors of the Sun

Martha Wells

Raksura Series - Book 5

In the series finale, the weapon was discovered, and then stolen. Moon and Stone pursue, half-breeds support, and Jade follows. More interactions with the groundlings, which Moon excels at. Stone and Jade have serious PTS after the end of the last episode, and Moon can't figure out what is going on (he was on the other side of the rock.  Not really a spoiler, but in the end everything works out. The journey is amazing. Kudos to Wells for an outstanding world and series. 

4 stars (out of 4)

The Edge of Worlds

Martha Wells

Raksura Series - Book 4

Having successfully sealed the Siren in its prison, and come to a working arrangement with his birth court, Moon is expecting to live a normal, uneventful life. But then everyone has the same nightmare at the same time, the Fell invade the Reaches. Then some groundlings come with a story about a powerful weapon. Moon et. al. travel with the groundlings to *again* save the world. My only complaint here is that this is part 1 of a 2 part series (completed in Book 5), which was a departure for Wells. Small complaint :)

4 stars (out of 4)

The Siren Depths

Martha Wells

Raksura Series - Book 3

Moon's birth family shows up and it turns out they are from on of the oldest and most powerful courts of the Reaches. Moon goes "home" to try to get everything settled, with Jade to follow. Turns out this court has also had traumatic experiences with the Fell trying to cross breed and in this installment we find out why. Now Moon, Jade, Stone and some of his new family need to travel to a mysterious ancient formation to prevent humans and the Fell from gaining a great weapon. 

4 stars (out of 4)