J.S. Fields

Author & Scientist

Review: Ruin of Angels by Max Gladstone

Genre: high urban fantasy

Pairings: f/f

Queer Representation: trans lesbian, cis lesbian, bisexuality

Warnings: none

Rating: three stars

 

Review

Kai is called to the city of Agdel Lex, built on the ruins of Alikand, to visit her estranged sister, Ley. Once there, she finds Ley tangled up in an intricate plot to free the city from its oppressors. The sisters must find each other, however, before they can stop the multi-faceted threat.

General

Generally, this is a heist story in a high fantasy setting (urban fantasy, in that it is more modern, but high fantasy nonetheless). Like a lot of high fantasy it employs many POV characters and rich, deep worldbuilding. It is also an amazing tale of sisterhood, as well as a solid romance book. It’s everything, really, which is amazing. There is no one feeling, nor one trope, that consumes this book. Instead, it is a fully fleshed out story in a world so real you can smell it.

Characters

The characters were generally very well rounded and dynamic, but there were just so many of them. I had a hard time keeping the secondary characters straight, especially the ones where we only got to be in their heads for a partial chapter or two. The main characters were generally much more interesting, although my interest in the sisters waned as the story progressed and their friends became more dynamic. By the end of the book I was actually more interested in the tertiary characters than anyone else, and had a hard time staying invested in the plot.

Plot

While this is book six in a series, each book can function as a stand alone. This book had been recommended to me many times, and I finally just said to hell with the earlier ones, and read it. I’m not sure if the lack of backstory contributed to my confusion, but I’m going to assume it was at least somewhat to blame.

The first two hundred pages or so were very compelling, and despite not having read the previous five books, I didn’t mind being confused. The language was rich enough and the characters round enough that it was a delightful discovery. The middle of the book started to drag, however, with one mini arc after another, and with the continuing introduction of characters, I found myself lost. The end melded together a bit better, but by page 450 I had lost much of my investment.

The ending was solid, and it was worth getting there, but much like when I read any GAME OF THRONES books, I found myself skipping over POVs I just didn’t care about. So while I enjoyed this book, and it had just about every element I look for in a story, I found it generally to be too long. It would have been an amazing 400 page book, but it ran a bit long in the tooth.

This isn’t to say that lovers of high fantasy wouldn’t enjoy it! I often think high fantasy is just a bit too long, and that the stories should be tighter, but I know many high fantasy fans really want an extended ride. Any lovers of Sanderson’s work would feel at home in RUIN OF ANGELS, as would anyone who doesn’t mind juggling more than five POVs.

Additional Bonus

In terms of queer rep, one of the sisters is a trans woman. The nod to this is subtle, and no one in-world cares at all, which is amazing. This type of accepted, unquestioned queerness was so wonderful. In addition, there are two strong f/f romance lines through the book, and book were sweet and relatable. This book stands very well on queer rep and queer romance, especially for those who like a sturdy fantasy plot along with their ‘I love yous.’

 

You can buy RUIN OF ANGELS in ebook here and paperback here

Review: Dreadnought by April Daniels

Genre: modern fantasy (superhero) (YA)

Pairings: f/f (implied for future books)

Queer Representation: trans lesbian, cis lesbian(?)

Warnings: gender dysphoria, verbal abuse, TERF antics that may be triggering for some readers

Rating: five stars

 

Review

Danny, a trans girl, is hiding behind a dumpster, painting her toenails and enjoying some alone time, when the superhero Dreadnought dies right in front of her. She inherits his powers, among which include the ability to take her ideal form. But while Danny is delighted with the sudden and mostly-absolute gender change, those around Danny, especially her parents, are not. Also super villains and stuff. Bam pow. You know how it goes.

Let’s just hit the (trans) nail on the head

This was a great book. It was written by a trans woman, and the realness of the emotions really shine through. As a trans reader, I deeply connected with Danny on multiple occasions, and appreciated the author’s diverse probing of trans issues–particularly the subtleties of dysphoria (for instance, Danny doesn’t take issue with her junk). I love how the superhero ‘thing’ was continually pushed aside by Danny because she just wanted to revel in looking like a girl, finally, and that even though Danny has the heart of a superhero, that’s not what this book is about.

Not all of the transition accounts will resonate with all readers, of course (and the trans experience is as unique as the human experience). Danny’s discussion of what it’s like to have tons of estrogen coursing through her system instead of testosterone would have struck me fairly sexist even a few years ago, although I’ve had enough trans friends on hormones describe much the same thing that in this instance, it resonated.

Plot

This book shares a lot in common with C.B. Lee’s NOT YOUR SIDEKICK, in terms of slice of high school life and also superpowers. Both deal with prominent issues, although NOT YOUR SIDEKICK definitely spends a greater proportion of its plot on superhero dynamics, while DREADNOUGHT merely warms up to them, spending more time on Danny’s journey. DREADNOUGHT also doesn’t pull any punches, and readers are walked through transphobic parents, entitled male BFFs, and a particularly problematic TERF superhero (who came across more as a caricature than anything else, and the narrative would have been stronger, in my opinion, if her attacks were more subtle).

In many ways this book read more like a prequel, or an extended prologue, to a greater story. That’s not to say it didn’t stand on it’s own, or wasn’t enjoyable. Indeed, the pacing was excellent, the emotions hard hitting, and there was a depth to the story I was not expecting. That Danny is not only trans but also a lesbian was an unexpected bonus, and I do look forward to where the romance line might lead in future books.

Some side thoughts

While I have read some critique of the overt transphobic reactions in this book, and while yes, they could be potentially triggering (there was at least one instance where I had to put the book down and take a walk), I think it bears mentioning that cis readers are often not awake enough to the subtleties of implicit bias. If Danny’s experience was diluted down to extended stares from classmates, indifferent and chilly parents, and a superhero legion who tolerated her presence but never really welcomed her, I don’t think this book would reach nearly the same audience. The overt transphobicness of Danny’s interactions may be somewhat dated, or seem over the top, but they certainly are not over, by any means, for queer teens, and there are plenty of us older trans people who remember those types of days all too well.

 

After a slew of disappointing books, it was great to be able to immerse myself in a world where a trans girl gets to really get her wish. And if that wish is to look like a (female) supermodel, and she gets superpowers to boot, then, well, maybe we can start tipping the scales away from all those cis het white dude superheroes with the washboard abs. It’s about time trans girls got to look hot in spandex, too.

 

You can buy DREADNOUGHT in paperback here, ebook here, and audiobook here. For more teenaged superheroes that aren’t cis het white guys, consider also C.B. Lee’s NOT YOUR SIDEKICK.

Review: Once Upon a Rainbow, Volume II (anthology from Ninestar Press)

Genre: fantasy (fairy tale)

Pairings: f/f, m/m

Queer Representation: cis gay, cis lesbian, aromantic, asexual, trans

Warnings: none

Rating: 3.5 stars

 

Review

Generally, this was a decent anthology. It started slow, and some of the first stories had pacing issues and/or failed to grab me. The real meat of the anthology came at the end, where the stories got longer, better written, and had much better character arcs. It actually took me longer than usual to get through this book, due to the slower stories at the start, but it was well worth continuing. Some specifics on each story follow.

 

Coming Home by Jennifer Cosgrove

A M/M (cis) modern Cinderella. I didn’t have any strong feelings one way or the other on this one, likely because the writing was fine but I don’t generally get into m/m stories. I do always enjoy a good Cinderella retelling, though.

 

Snow Fox by Sara Codair

Modern Snow White (F/F, trans) with a neat social media bent. Rosa is a poor college student trying to make ends meet through ad revenue via her instagram and YouTube videos. Another social media darling wants her dead so she can be number one. Thank goodness for Cara, the hot EMT who is always around to do some saving.

I really enjoyed the very different take on this Snow White story. Unfortunately I don’t think I know enough about social media to really get all the jokes in it, but I was amused, nonetheless.

 

Deathless by Emmalynn Spark

M/M (cis) fairy tale of an origin I am unfamiliar with (or possibly a mashup). Vanya, third in line for the throne, is sent to rescue his betrothed princess from an evil wizard. He trades places with the princess (sort of Beauty and the Beast like), and in his confinement, falls for the wizard. This was one of the longer shorts in the book and the romance developed at an even pace. It had a good mixing of stock fairy tale elements and traditional imagery.

 

At Her Service by K. S. Trenten

F/F (cis) cinderella retelling, with a fun twist on the saint/slut narrative. Instead of the wicked stepmother and stepsisters, we get a ‘mistress’ Ariella (around the same age as Cinders, and it’s hinted they were raised together), and the Cinderella character. Some good twists in this one, and a number of good trope-turning changes. The romance was also very palpable, although the writing could have been tightened.

 

Shattered Glass by Lina Langley

This is one of the better written (and longer) shorts in the anthology, although I am not familiar with the fairy tale it draws from. M/M (cis). It didn’t capture my attention like some of the others, but it was a very smooth read.

 

Finding Aurora by Rebecca Langham

F/F, asexual (cis) Sleeping Beauty. Talia, a master spell caster, must accompany Prince Amir on a quest to find and wake Aurora Rose, and her kingdom, else he will be disinherited. Spirits, goblins, dragons, and magic pop up everywhere in this well-paced, well-written short that would have been far better served at the start of the book than at the end. Bonus–no damsels in distress in this short, and Aurora is just as much a hero as is our master caster.

 

Master Thief by Sita Bethel

M/M, but a fairy tale I don’t recognize. Tyv is one of three brothers who sets off to find his fortune, He falls in with a group of thieves, who teach him the way of things. Although this story was well written, I failed to connect with Tyv and found him arrogant and unlikable. This is the first short in the series to have erotic content, however, so if you’re reading for a sex scene, this is where you’ll want to start.

 

The True Love Curse by Tray Ellis

F/F, M/M,aro/ace (cis) fairy tale mashup (I think). This one is definitely my favorite. Smoothly written, intricate, and all the right fairy tale elements blended together to make a really enjoyable tale. The romance is brief but strong, the characters rounded, and just enough trope boxes checked to make this comfortable, but not silly.

 

Buy this delightful queer fairy tale collection here in paperback, and here in ebook.

Review: Dalí by E. M. Hamill

Genre: science fiction (space opera)

Pairings: NB/female, NB/male

Queer Representation: gender fluid, third gender, trans masculine, trans feminine, agender

Warnings: violence against enbies (may be triggering for some)

Rating: five stars

 

Review

Dalí, a human, third gender changling, used to be a highly regarded diplomat. That all changed when their husband, wife, and unborn child were murdered. Adrift in suicidal thoughts, Dalí gets into one too many fights and stumbles across an interplanetary conspiracy to sell other third gender changelings to the highest bidder. Dalí agrees to help rescue their fellows, but the conspiracy is much deeper than they feared, and making it out alive isn’t exactly a high priority.

Plot

A very space opera-y space opera, Dalí gives a look at a pseudo-dystopian future in which being born nonbinary is common (that’s not the dystopian part, clearly), but factions from Earth would prefer to see people ‘go back’ to just male and female. Add in a mess of aliens and Dalí’s proclivities for sexual encounters and you get an intense book filled with intrigue, sex, betrayal, and a host of uncomfortable parallels to our modern society.

Although I found some of the scenes too brutal at times (I see and experience plenty of enby discrimination in day-to-day life, so I don’t always care for it in my books), the book was very well written and the pacing, especially in the second half, excellent. I was hooked after Dalí began to befriend a ‘pirate lord,’ and I got to see more of their personality come forward, instead of the (understandable) gut reactions we got in the first half of the book.

General

This book was recommended to me so many times that I waited to purchase a print copy, instead of getting an ARC from Ninestar (also my publisher). It was well worth the purchase and while I didn’t necessarily connect with Dalí on an enby level (we’re just different flavors of enby), the struggles they faced were all too real, and the conflicts, while set in space, were very 2018. It’s fantastic that stories like this are getting published, and that enby readers have more and more opportunities to see themselves in fiction. Much like with THE SEEDS OF DISSOLUTION, it was nice to see a variety enby types, from true gender fluid, to agender and third gender, to transmasculine and transfeminine. This representation, too, is key, in helping to educate readers that nonbinary doesn’t mean just one thing.

A solid, well-paced plot, strong writing, and a memorable main protagonist made this book a very satisfying read. Lovers of gritty books, such as TRANS LIBERTY RIOT BRIGADE, will find this book especially valuable, as will lovers of queer space opera.

You can buy Dalí in paperback here and ebook here.

Review: Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Genre: YA sci fi (super hero, post apocalyptic)

Pairings: f/f

Queer Representation: cis lesbian, trans*

Warnings: none

Rating: four stars

 

Review

Jess is an ordinary child of superhero parents. Powerless herself and searching for something meaningful to do with her life, Jess takes an after school job in a tech lab and (accidentally) ends up working for the ‘villains’, aside the Very Hot Love Interest (and former volleyball star). When villains across the country start going missing, it’s up to Jess and her friends to solve the mystery.

From a diversity standpoint, this book was amazing. From a pacing standpoint, it was…slow. I’m not generally a YA reader so this could just be my lack of familiarity with the genre, but nothing happened in the book until about one hundred pages in. Once things got going, they kept a steady pace, but I almost DNF. The first half of the book is spent with very high school issues – love interests, family, fitting in, clubs, and after school jobs. For a high schooler or junior higher, this is probably welcome ground and the pacing appropriate. For an adult reader, I had a hard time connecting, but I realize I’m not the target audience.

The middle of the book was strong, and I enjoyed the reveals and the romance. The setting as well, with the world, the insights into immigrant Chinese and Vietnamese culture, gave the town a refreshing face lift from the ‘standard’ near-future narrative. High school scenarios were well done and felt very real.

The end action was ‘surprising yet inevitable,’ which is exactly what you want in these types of books. My only real quibble with the book was the very cliche’ villain info plot dump at the end, but that’s in keeping with the genre and feel of the book, so it’s a minor quibble at best.

Overall, this book is a much needed diverse addition to the near-future sci fi genre, and it’s nice to see a super hero who isn’t just some rando white kid. Younger readers will no doubt find the book captivating.

You can buy NOT YOUR SIDEKICK in print here and ebook here.

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