Midnight Bargain

C.L. Polk

A magical fantasy world set around the Bargaining Season, the six weeks of the year where all the wealthy and important men spend time courting the wealthy and important women in order to secure a spousal match that benefits the family. Often these matches are arranges to that women who have the ability to do magic are paired with men who are mages in order to further strengthen the magical genetics. The problem is that since pregnant women are in danger of having their fetus taken over by a spirit, they are warded from all magic during their childbearing years. And for Beatrice, who's only purpose in life is to wield magic, to become a mage who partners with a greater spirit, this arrangement is unacceptable. Using magic wielding as the mechanism by which we can explore women's autonomy makes this less about the mechanics of the magic and more about the social structures that Beatrice (and we) are subject to and perpetuate. Polk offers all the right perspectives and sadly ends up exactly where you would expect, with the masses of men unable to comprehend a different way of life. But the journey is fun and exploring the spirit / corporeal mixing reveals the extent to which Polk is a great storyteller.

3 stars (out of 4)

Firebreak

Nicole Kornher-Stace

Pure Cyberpunk excellence with definite Snowcrash vibes. Set in a 22nd century world where New Liberty is a megacity created "inland" to avoid the massive climate change flooding that destroyed most existing cities. New Liberty is the primary front of the war between the two remaining corporations, Stellaxis (which owns all water) and Greenleaf (which controls all agriculture). In this world, Mallory is a war orphan who spends her time in the virtual game world chasing kills and trying to develop a following for her stream as her primary source of income. The game world is really a hyper-realistic simulation of real world (or at least that is what Stellaxis says), and much of the commerce related to the game is centered around the vat-grown SecOps superheroes who fight to protect Stellaxis citizens from the super-mech that Greenleaf operates in the war. As a Sci-Fi commentary on corporate greed gone wild, it is on the nose. Mallory becomes the catalyst for an opening of awareness and the possibility for change. What is perhaps missing here is the same thing that is missing in society. From the perspective of the narrative, Stellaxis has always existed, and as an entity of its own we don't really find any individual to fault. What I would love to see in a SciFi expose of corporations is some discussion/exploration of how to notice and prevent the scenario before it gets to the point of "too far gone". Maybe that is boring and just a political science dissertation? Maybe the prequel Flight and Anchor will get at some of this?

4 stars (out of 4)

Battle Dragons: City of Secrets

Alexander London

Book 3 of the Battle Dragons series

Abel and his family have been exiled to Glassblowers Gulch, a backwater mining town a few hours out in the desert. G2 is decidedly *not* the big city. Only a couple dragons are around, owned by the sheriff. Brother Silas is working as a deputy sheriff and Abel is almost immediately thrust into the hot seat when a local girl begs him to care for a baby Wyvern she hatched (so illegal). So he does, and finds that the local attitude is corrupt and abusive. Can't have that. So Abel and his new dragon take on the world. I love how each dragon has really had a distinct personality, and that a big part of the relationship building has been Abel learning how to work with his new friend. A playful romp through gangster-corrupt-politics and breaking the chains of colonial imperialism. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Battle Dragons: City of Speed

Alexander London

Book 2 of the Battle Dragons series

Having set free a few battle dragons, showing up and angering each of the three criminal gangs in the city and the city secret police, Abel and Roa are now returning to school for their 8th grade year. Part of the deal to keep them out of jail in the last installment was that they now snitch to the cops. And Abel's first undercover assignment is to find out who is doing illegal bio-engineering experiments on dragons. And the way to do that is to get challenged to participate in an illegal dragon street-race. All the same characters, but alliances are shifting, new dragon relationships are forming and Abel and his friends and family are all solidifying their understanding of imperialism, slavery and corruption. They just do it while Abel is racing through the city at 100's of mph on a dragon. How could it get any better. 

4 stars (out of 4)

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)