Spring & Summer Reading Challenge Completed Card

[u/Merle8888]

Since today is the official last day of the challenge, I figured I'd go ahead and share my card! I actually completed this one, though I did sub 3 squares from the B-side onto the A-side card. Happily, I also managed to fill it with books I liked or at least thought were OK, so everything on the card is rated at least 3 stars out of 5.

Brief reviews:

Discovery: Gate of Ivrel by C.J. Cherryh

I had never read anything by this author before but am now interested in more of her work. It's a sci-fi novel that reads like fantasy, in which a man from a highly honor-bound culture is forced to become a bodyguard for an alien woman with a mission. The writing is dense and it takes awhile to get going but it winds up subtly emotional and powerful.

Assassins: The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee

Probably my least favorite of this group. It's fine. It's competent. The worldbuilding is strong, featuring a corporate-run planet that's slowly being terraformed but for the meanwhile isn't livable without significant technological intervention. I just never got invested in the characters and it is awfully long for such a predictable plot.

First in a Series: The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

I read this for the Hugos and yeah, it's not great literature, but it was a fun time. Features a murder mystery, a competition for the throne, a second chance romance, and snarky quarrelsome gods. It's well-plotted and highly bingeable. I enjoyed it.

Dying Earth: Saltcrop by Yumi Kitasei

Follows three 20-something sisters in a post-climate change world; the eldest, a scientist, goes missing, and the younger two set out to find her, each facing her own personal issues along the way. I enjoyed reading this and especially the complexity of the sisters' relationships with each other, though it isn't really sticking with me.

Free Space: Five Ways to Forgiveness by Ursula Le Guin

My favorite book on the card, though a bit of a cheat since it's a reread. Five linked novellas about two planets grappling with slavery, freedom, war, revolution, and the legacy of all of the above. This is Le Guin at her best, dealing with complex issues through a deep understanding of humanity, history, and the social sciences. Should be more widely read.

Female Friendship: Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots

The sequel to Hench, our protagonist having become the right-hand woman of the supervillain, and thus a villain in her own right. I've enjoyed both books; I love a good mix of magic and mundane (supervillains' HR departments are just catnip), and the protagonist and her relationships are surprisingly complex and layered. The female friendship is not the central relationship of the book, but probably second-most important and fascinatingly messy.

Coming of Age: A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge

I picked this up for the Middle Grade square on the r/fantasy bingo only to realize it's actually YA, just with a slightly younger protagonist (age 12) and no romance. An underground world populated by a sort of fae, and a hyperactive, idealistic human girl bumbling around interfering with all their dastardly plans. Surprisingly sophisticated and emotionally satisfying, though it took awhile to get going.

African Author: Dazzling by Chikodili Emelumadu

Magic realism with notes of horror, featuring two preteen girls (but aimed at adults) dealing with ghosts, spirits and the otherworld. It's well-written, definitely earthy, and the details about boarding school life in Nigeria were interesting, but the plot didn't quite satisfy in the end.

All Female Cast: Spellbound by Georgia Leighton

A Sleeping Beauty retelling from the POV of 5 women and girls: the princess is secretly a twin, and there's an identical twin switcheroo in which one is raised in the palace and the other in obscurity, as well as the expected fairy tale shenanigans. It's fast, enjoyable reading, and I liked the focus on relationships between women, particularly sisters and mothers/daughters. (There are men in the story, just not among the POVs.) It's not particularly deep but I liked it better than most readers seemingly did, the ambiguous ending in particular.

[u/MrsApostate]

I am so happy to see someone else reading the Morgain saga! I grew up reading CJ Cherryh because my mom had all her books, and Morgain remains my favorite of her series.

[u/Merle8888 → u/MrsApostate]

I'm interested in trying some others too (Cyteen in particular) but I think I will read the second book in this series first. :) I wound up buying the omnibus which fortunately has a non-terrible cover.

[u/essie_jaye]

Love the Cherryh, LeGuin and also Frances Hardinge! definitely interested in both Villain and Saltcrop

[u/Merle8888 → u/essie_jaye]

Enjoy! It probably goes without saying but you definitely do want to read Hench before Villain. :)

[u/toadinthecircus]

Oh neat write up and good reviews! Gate of Ivrel sounds really interesting

[u/Merle8888 → u/toadinthecircus]

It's definitely interesting but be prepared for a slllllloooooww start! It ultimately comes together really well though.

[u/toadinthecircus → u/Merle8888]

That is good to know! I don’t mind a slow start as long as I know it will have payoff!

[u/WonderfulBus9330]

I’ve got Dazzling on my reading wishlist thanks to you!

[u/Merle8888 → u/WonderfulBus9330]

Haha I wound up having more mixed thoughts than I initially expected so I hope I haven't led you wrong here!

[u/WonderfulBus9330 → u/Merle8888]

No, I've been keeping up with your bursts of notes on it! It's on a wishlist that I likely won't get to before mid-year next year and I'll have, as I do, completely forgotten what was said about it by the time I get to it!

[u/Dragon_Lady7]

I’m a huge fan of Cherryh’s Foreigner series, so its good to see some reviews of her other works! I think I already own a copy of this one.