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Short and Sublime: April 2015 Round-Up

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April stories include historical fantasies, fairy tales, near futures, and one space fantasy tale. “Wild Things Got To Go Free” (Beneath Ceaseless Skies #170) by Heather Clitheroe works because of, and is refreshing due to, its spare worldbuilding. Soldiers are rounding up and hunting down certain civilians, who are turning into, or have the potential to turn into, other creatures — which includes the young protagonist and her mother. The two young women in “The Ways of Walls and Words” (Tor.com) by Sabrina Vourvoulias are similarly threatened by the yoke of the real world Spanish empire; though they, and their ways of life, couldn’t be more different. It’s a story about friendship, Nahuatl magic, and the power behind language.

Blog Posts

Book Review: Aurora: Darwin by Amanda Bridgeman

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In the Solar system of 2075, the UNF, an extra-national and international force deriving from all of the nations of Earth, handles much of the policing and issues among the variety of space stations and habitats. The UNF handles international disputes on Earth as well, and many who have Earth Duty in the UNF dream of Space Duty. Corporal Carrie Welles is the daughter of one of the first UNF soldiers to ever get Space Duty, an Original. Living up to her father and her family’s name is important to her. Thus, when Captain Harris of the Aurora is assigned Corporal Welles, and two other female recruits in the bargain to a formerly male-only ship, and given mysterious orders to visit a silent space station on the edge of inhabited space, Mars orbit, this is Welles’ big chance. She’s already made a name for herself as a sharpshooter on Earth, but those skills are going to be far more useful than she expects when the mystery of the Darwin is uncovered.

Announcements and Errata

Announcement: Around the World (Cycle One) and the New Retro Nostalgia Begins!

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For the past month, I’ve been thinking about my various blogging ventures and how to improve them.  For Totally Pretentious, that has involved reconsidering how I engage with film in written form.  After all, I can’t keep up with Hollywood’s production levels no matter how hard I try; that requires a full time commitment. So I decided to concentrate my film discussions on two specific projects:  the Retro Nostalgia feature (derived from my personal blog) and a new feature called Around the World.  There will still be the occasional review of a film that doesn’t fit in either of these categories, but my primary focus outside of the podcast will be on these two projects.  These changes will also be noted on my Patreon page, which you can support if these columns (or anything I do) interest(s) you. So what are “Retro Nostalgia” and “Around the World”?

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The April 2015 Read List: What You Read and Loved

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Last week, I asked for listeners/readers to share their favorite reads from April 2015.  The following is a reading list comprised of those favorite reads.  Do with this mystical knowledge what you will! Novels: Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb Edge of Dark by Brenda Cooper The Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear The Boy Who Lost Fairyland by Catherynne M. Valente I, Robot by Isaac Asimov The Stars Seem So Far Away by Margrét Helgadottir Beasts of Tabat by Cat Rambo Last First Snow by Max Gladstone Short Stories: “The Shape of My Name” by Nino Cipri There you have it.  It’s a small list, but we just started this fancy feature. I’ll put up a call for your favorite reads from May later this month!  Now get reading!

Blog Posts

Book Review: The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato

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Octavia Leander is a healer, and a talented and blessed one at that. A graduate of Miss Percival’s school for the training of Medicians, those who can not only use herbs and other remedies to heal the sick, but draw upon the power of the Lady to do wondrous feats of healing, even wounds and conditions that threaten the victim with death. Octavia’s desire to use her talents, and an offer to help a village on the far end of the nation of Caskentia from her, leads her to board an airship for the long journey. On that ship, Leander faces intrigue, adventure, romance and danger, the latter especially in the person of the eponymous agent of the Queen, The Clockwork Dagger. The Clockwork Dagger is the debut novel from Beth Cato.

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