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Book Rec: A Seditious Affair by KJ Charles

K. J. Charles turns up the heat in her new Society of Gentlemen novel, as two lovers face off in a sensual duel that challenges their dee...

Silas Mason has no illusions about himself. He’s not lovable, or even likable. He’s an overbearing idealist, a Radical bookseller and pamphleteer who lives for revolution . . . and for Wednesday nights. Every week he meets anonymously with the same man, in whom Silas has discovered the ideal meld of intellectual companionship and absolute obedience to his sexual commands. But unbeknownst to Silas, his closest friend is also his greatest enemy, with the power to see him hanged—or spare his life. A loyal, well-born gentleman official, Dominic Frey is torn apart by his affair with Silas. By the light of day, he cannot fathom the intoxicating lust that drives him to meet with the Radical week after week. In the bedroom, everything else falls away. Their needs match, and they are united by sympathy for each other’s deepest vulnerabilities. But when Silas’s politics earn him a death sentence, desire clashes with duty, and Dominic finds himself doing everything he can to save the man who stole his heart.

Why read: Because it’s bloody fantastic, that’s why! It’s m/m historical romance with protagonists we don’t often see: older with a lot of life experience. The social gulf between them is only exceeded by their huge differences in politics, and it’s that tension that provided a lot of the motivation in the book. One of the elements I loved was the way they had to navigate a relationship with such different’s of background and opinion without ever compromising them. The other element that I loved was the nature of their relationship: BDSM done brilliantly and as a key part of their developing story rather than a titillating add-on. It’s not usually my thing, which is part of why it took me so long to read this book, but trust me on this: you shouldn’t let that be a factor that stops you reading this book. The relationship and the politics and the way it all ties into the historical time period are done so fantastically, I couldn’t stop reading. KJ Charles is a master at this.

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Book Rec: Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear

"You ain't gonna like what I have to tell you, but I'm gonna tell you anyway. See, my name is Karen Memery, like memory only spelt with a...

"You ain't gonna like what I have to tell you, but I'm gonna tell you anyway. See, my name is Karen Memery, like memory only spelt with an e, and I'm one of the girls what works in the Hôtel Mon Cherie on Amity Street. Hôtel has a little hat over the o like that. It's French, so Beatrice tells me." Set in the late 19th century—when the city we now call Seattle Underground was the whole town (and still on the surface), when airships plied the trade routes, would-be gold miners were heading to the gold fields of Alaska, and steam-powered mechanicals stalked the waterfront, Karen is a young woman on her own, is making the best of her orphaned state by working in Madame Damnable's high-quality bordello. Through Karen's eyes we get to know the other girls in the house—a resourceful group—and the poor and the powerful of the town. Trouble erupts one night when a badly injured girl arrives at their door, begging sanctuary, followed by the man who holds her indenture, and who has a machine that can take over anyone's mind and control their actions. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the next night brings a body dumped in their rubbish heap—a streetwalker who has been brutally murdered.

Why read: The central character is a prostitute and she’s utterly delightful. This is one of those books where it’s the POV character who sells it. Her voice is fantastic, and there are some laugh out loud moments just from her commentary on life around her. Which is not to say everything is lightness and wonder: this is a book set in a bordello, and Bear pulls no punches about the life or how lucky the women are to be working in this house rather than on the streets or in a crib. Our guide is so charming, though, that the reader is rooting for her and her friends from page one. I adored Karen more than I can express.

It’s a fantastically realised world, and the plots are as compelling as the characters. I couldn’t put it down. There’s the big plot, with dead bodies and politics and the seedy, awful side of prostitution, and there’s also the delightful and sweet romance between Karen and Priya. I didn’t expect to love both aspects as much as I did. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend, and I can already tell that it’s going to be a regular reread for me.

(Trigger note: There is no on-page rape, but most of the central characters in this book are prostitutes. Stuff has happened to some of them, and it’s referenced in the text. Never graphically, but please practice self-care if you think this might be a problem.)

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Book Rec: Updraft by Fran Wilde

Library Journal Starred Review Library Journal Debut of the Month Publisher's Weekly Starred Review Publisher's Weekly Fall 2015 SF, F...

Welcome to a world of wind and bone, songs and silence, betrayal and courage. Kirit Densira cannot wait to pass her wingtest and begin flying as a trader by her mother's side, being in service to her beloved home tower and exploring the skies beyond. When Kirit inadvertently breaks Tower Law, the city's secretive governing body, the Singers, demand that she become one of them instead. In an attempt to save her family from greater censure, Kirit must give up her dreams to throw herself into the dangerous training at the Spire, the tallest, most forbidding tower, deep at the heart of the City. As she grows in knowledge and power, she starts to uncover the depths of Spire secrets. Kirit begins to doubt her world and its unassailable Laws, setting in motion a chain of events that will lead to a haunting choice, and may well change the city forever—if it isn't destroyed outright.

Why read: The world building is amazing. The plot and characters are fantastic and compelling, too, but it’s the world building that really stuck with me. More than that, it was the way that the world building tied into the plot. This is one of those books where the world and the plot are so intimately connected, you can’t separate them. You can’t tell the same story in another setting, you can’t tell a different story in this setting. Kirit isn’t always easy to like, but she’s sympathetic, and we’re never given easy answers about anything. This is one of those books that I couldn’t put down and I can’t wait for the next one.

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Why read: I feel like the title tells you everything you need to know about this one, but here we go. It’s a Reddit AMA. By your evil alien overlord. And it’s fantastic.

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Book Rec: Interim Errantry by Diane Duane

What happens between book 9 of the Young Wizards series, A Wizard of Mars, and the forthcoming book 10, Games Wizards Play? Diane Duane a...

What happens between book 9 of the Young Wizards series, A Wizard of Mars, and the forthcoming book 10, Games Wizards Play? Diane Duane answers the question in this volume, collecting together the three canonical works that constitute a “transitional trilogy” between books 9 and 10 – a 150,000-word extravaganza of untold tales to help keep you going until the tenth book comes out in February 2016.

Why read: For fans of the Young Wizards, this is a wonderful collection that you’ll want to read. It’s probably not a good jumping on point for the series, but it’s not intended to be.

(I highly recommend the entire series, though. Start with So You Want to be a Wizard and enjoy.)

The first two shorts are lovely and fun. Not On My Patch is Halloween themed and just fantastic, exploring one of NIna’s developing new powers. How Lovely Are They Branches is Christmas themed and felt like being gathered up into a big fluffy hug. Obviously, this meant that Lifeboats, the novel in the collection, had to be a much bigger and more serious, to make up for all the lovely fluff. It’s deep, it goes into some big issues, and tackles ideas that Duane has clearly been thinking about for a long time. That’s not to say it’s all dark–there are some fun sections that had me laughing–but it’s not always an easy read, and that’s as it should be. When it’s a story about the end of a world, it shouldn’t be easy, and Duane does it beautifully. Definitely a must for anyone who is a fan of the YW books.

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Short Story Rec: Your Orisons May Be Recorded by Laurie Penny

All prayers are answered, but sometimes the answer is no. And sometimes the answer is “let me talk to my manager and get back to you.”

All prayers are answered, but sometimes the answer is no.

And sometimes the answer is: “Let me talk to my manager and get back to you.”

Why read: It’s haunting, and strange, and will be staying with me for a long time. Prayers are handled by a call centre, and an angel has lost its way. It’s not what I expected at all.

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Novella Rec: Waters of Versailles by Kelly Robson

Waters of Versailles by Kelly Robson is a charming novella of court intrigue in 1738 Versailles as a clever former soldier makes his fort...

Waters of Versailles by Kelly Robson is a charming novella of court intrigue in 1738 Versailles as a clever former soldier makes his fortune by introducing a modern water system (and toilets) to the ladies of the palace. He does this with magical help that he may not be able to control.

Why read: It’s historical fantasy set in 1700s Paris, which is unusual enough. It’s also a fascinating tale with an ending that I didn’t see coming. Robson sets up a situation where I didn’t want to have any sympathy for the protagonist, and then proceeded to break down all my assumptions and make like him by the end. It’s a story with an ending that feels earned and world-building that is unusual, which made it a winner for me.

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Book Rec: Rag and Bone by KJ Charles

It’s amazing what people throw away… Crispin Tredarloe never meant to become a warlock. Freed from his treacherous master, he’s learning...

Ned’s sick of magic. Sick of the trouble it brings, sick of its dangerous grip on Crispin and the miserable look it puts in his eyes, and sick of being afraid that a gentleman magician won’t want a street paper-seller forever—or even for much longer. But something is stirring among London’s forgotten discards. An ancient evil is waking up and seeking its freedom. And when wild magic hits the rag-and-bottle shop where Ned lives, a panicked Crispin falls back onto bad habits. The embattled lovers must find a way to work together—or London could go up in flames.

Why read: It’s the story of Ned and Crispin after their first kiss, trying to make a relationship work despite the disparities in their statuses. I don’t often find historicals with such a big class difference--that alone makes this one stand out and fascinate. There’s also the magic plot side of the story, and that had me as hooked as the relationship. KJ Charles does her research and knows her setting, and it shines through to make the story rooted in reality despite the magic floating around. I think that’s one of the big strengths of her writing. It feels real and immediate because the people and places are so vivid. Ned and Crispin are a fantastic pair and I’m quietly hoping that we’ll see them again.

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Novelette Rec: A Queer Trade by KJ Charles

Apprentice magician Crispin Tredarloe returns to London to find his master dead, and his papers sold. Papers with secrets that could spel...

Apprentice magician Crispin Tredarloe returns to London to find his master dead, and his papers sold. Papers with secrets that could spell death. Crispin needs to get them back before anyone finds out what he's been doing, or what his magic can do. Crispin tracks his quarry down to waste paper dealer Ned Hall. He needs help, and Ned can’t resist Crispin’s pleading—and appealing—looks. But can the waste-man and the magician prevent a disaster and save Crispin’s skin?

Why read: Because it’s a total delight! Which sounds odd for a story about blood magic and evil pens, but seriously. It’s a delight. Ned is wonderful, Crispin is great, and I adored this combination meet-cute and adventure. The only bad thing is that I had to wait for the follow-up novel. Luckily, you don’t have to, because it’s already out! (And being recced tomorrow.)

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Yes, I know, it’s been nearly a month since I last put up any rec posts. It’s not that I haven’t been reading--I’ve got a little backlog of things to rec--but I’ve been a bit light on the Tumblr-ing in general, and that meant I got a wee bit behind here.

So this week, there will be two recs! Two connected recs :-) Tomorrow and Friday, so look out for those. After that, I plan to return to my usual weekly reccing schedule. The preorders for new releases this year are starting to roll in, so I’m going to have some good books (hopefully) to share, and I’m going to make a start on this year’s shorter fiction, too.

Brief reminder to anyone who is eligible to nominate: Hugo nominations close on March 31st! Even if you’ve only got one thing you want to nominate, you should do it. Make your voice heard.

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Book Rec: Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold

A NEW NOVEL IN THE AWARD WINNING SERIES FROM MULTIPLE NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR LOIS MCMASTER BUJOLD! Cordelia Naismith Vorkosig...

Three years after her famous husband's death, Cordelia Vorkosigan, widowed Vicereine of Sergyar, stands ready to spin her life in a new direction. Oliver Jole, Admiral, Sergyar Fleet, finds himself caught up in her web of plans in ways he'd never imagined, bringing him to an unexpected crossroads in his life. Meanwhile, Miles Vorkosigan, one of Emperor Gregor's key investigators, this time dispatches himself on a mission of inquiry, into a mystery he never anticipated; his own mother. Plans, wills, and expectations collide in this sparkling science-fiction social comedy, as the impact of galactic technology on the range of the possible changes all the old rules, and Miles learns that not only is the future not what he expects, neither is the past.

Why read: BECAUSE IT’S AWESOME. More seriously, because there are happy poly relationships, people dealing with grief, romance between older characters, and plots that don’t follow the usual gender stereotypes. Don’t believe the jacket copy: this is not Miles’s book. It’s Cordelia and Oliver’s book, Miles is almost an incidental part (although I did love the bits he was in, because Miles). I was flailing and making embarrassing happy noises all the way through, because I loved it that much.

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Book Rec: The Martian by Andy Weir

Note: Alternate-Cover Edition for ASIN: B00EMXBDMA Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. ...

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

Why read: Do you want to read a book where the problems are solved by science, engineering, and problem solving rather than macho bravado? Do you want to read a book where the hero is optimistic and good humoured in the face of everything going wrong? Where he’s so damned nice and charming that you just really need him to survive because someone that lovely shouldn’t die? Then this is the book for you!

I watched the movie last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, even though my muscles were aching from the tension by the end. I swore that the book couldn’t possibly be tense and suspenseful when I knew what was going to happen, but it was. I was on the edge of my (metaphorical) seat in places. The writing keeps you tense and involved throughout, even if you know what’s happening, and Mark’s personality and characterisation makes it impossible not to root for him. If this sounds like your kind of book, you won’t be disappointed. I loved it.

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Thirteen-year-old Nita Callahan finally finds a way to get back at the notorious school bullies, Joanne and her gang, when she discovers a library book on the art of wizardry.

Thirteen-year-old Nita Callahan finally finds a way to get back at the notorious school bullies, Joanne and her gang, when she discovers a library book on the art of wizardry. She hardly dares to believe the book's claim that she too can become a wizard if she's willing to take the Wizard's Oath and undergo the danger of a wizard's initiation, the Ordeal. But to Nita's amazement and delight, her new Wizard's Manual is telling her the truth. While practicing her first spells, Nita meets Kit Rodriguez, another young wizard, and starts working with him to find a solution to her bullying problem.

What they get, though, doesn't look much like a solution. Kit and Nita suddenly find themselves dealing with a "white hole" named Fred, who's arrived on Earth with an urgent message regarding the mystical Book of Night with Moon. The Book is missing...and has to be found quickly if dire things aren't going to start happening to the Earth.

Why read: I have loved this book since I first found it in the library when I was a teenager. I read every book in the series that was available, bought my own copies second hand when they were out of print, and then replaced those with shiny new copies when they were in print, and I’ve just bought the ebooks for reasons you’ll learn further down.

So, yes, this is one of my favourites. And with a new book in the series coming out next week, it seemed like the perfect time to rec it. What I absolutely love is the way that the magic in it is rooted in science. The younger a wizard is, the more powerful they are. As they get old and have less raw power, they have to learn how to use their magic more efficiently. Magic is rooted in science and physics, and understanding how something works is the key to doing the magic. The system of magic here delights me.

And the characters are wonderful. Kit and Nita are great protagonists - good friends, whose differences compliment each other. They work better as a team. The writing is vivid and exciting, the ideas are wonderful, and really, who didn’t dream of discovering a book that told them how to be a wizard once? It’s at the root of why we love books like Harry Potter, and this first book in a wonderfully long series captures that and uses it in new ways.

I’ve linked to the page on Diane Duane’s site. From there, you can find the links ebook or paperback on the bookseller of your choice. These are the original texts as I read them so many years ago. You can also find the New Millenium ebooks here. Duane began writing this series in the 1980s. You can imagine that some of the tech in early books has become a little out of date. Each book is set firmly in the here and now, but the time period the books cover is only a couple of years. I didn’t notice when I was reading that the tech ages and the characters don’t (otherwise Kit and Nita would be in their forties by now, rather than mid-late teens). The New Millenium editions have been lightly edited to polish up the early books and get all the tech and so forth consistent across the series. So, you’ve got the option of read the original books or the revised ones, and it’s entirely up to you which you read. 

This is one of those books I push on everyone and I’m amazed I haven’t recced it before. Go forth and read! These books are awesome.

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Book Rec: The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Dresden Files and the Codex Alera novels, conjures up a new series set in a ...

Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity, towering for miles over the mist-shrouded surface of the world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses have ruled for generations, developing scientific marvels, fostering trade alliances, and building fleets of airships to keep the peace. Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship, Predator. Fiercely loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting the enemy’s shipping lines by attacking their cargo vessels. But when the Predator is severely damaged in combat, leaving captain and crew grounded, Grimm is offered a proposition from the Spirearch of Albion—to join a team of agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring Predatorto its fighting glory. And even as Grimm undertakes this dangerous task, he will learn that the conflict between the Spires is merely a premonition of things to come. Humanity’s ancient enemy, silent for more than ten thousand years, has begun to stir once more. And death will follow in its wake…

Why read: Jim Butcher writes great action, fantastic intrigue, and vivid characters, so this was never going to be a bad book. It’s his first venture into steampunk, which I love, so obviously I had to read it as soon as I could. And it’s every bit as good as I expected. The central characters are terrific and I was really rooting for them by the end of the book. The plot was compelling, to the point where it was impossible to put down for the final chapters, and it tied up enough loose ends to feel satisfying while leaving a lot of threads ready for the next series.

Most interesting to me was the way that the world building was both a part of the plot and a part of the mystery. I’ll be grabbing the next book as much to find out more about this world and why it is the way it is as to catch up with favourite characters. If you want something meaty and absorbing, find this book.

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Subscribe to Clarkesworld and never miss an issue of our World Fantasy and Hugo Award-Winning Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine. This page: So Much Cooking by Naomi Kritzer

This is a food blog, not a disease blog, but of course the rumors all over about bird flu are making me nervous. I don’t know about you, but I deal with anxiety by cooking. So much cooking. But, I’m trying to stick to that New Year’s resolution to share four healthy recipes (entrées, salads, sides . . . ) for every dessert recipe I post, and I just wrote about those lemon meringue bars last week. So even though I dealt with my anxiety yesterday by baking another batch of those bars, and possibly by eating half of them in one sitting, I am not going to bake that new recipe I found for pecan bars today. No! Instead, I’m going to make my friend Carole’s amazing roast chicken. Because how better to deal with fears of bird flu than by eating a bird, am I right?

Why read: It managed to combine two of my great loves - cookery blogging and lethal diseases - into one amazingly disturbing and fantastic story. These are probably two of my big loves that should never go together - hence the disturbing part - but this is brilliant. Tense, funny, and so real that you could almost believe that it would happen. I found that it stuck in my head long after I finished it.

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Book Rec: Once Upon a Marquess by Courtney Milan

The last man Judith Worth wants to see again is Charles Trent, the Marquess of Ashford—the man who spent summers at her family home, who ...

The last man Judith Worth wants to see again is Charles Trent, the Marquess of Ashford—the man who spent summers at her family home, who kissed her one magical night…and then heartlessly ruined her father. But when a tricky business matter arises, he’s the only one she can ask for help. With any luck, he’ll engage a servant to take care of the matter, and she won’t even have to talk with him. But Ashford has never forgotten Judith. He knows she will never forgive him for what he’s done, but when offered the chance to assist her, he arrives in person. His memory of Judith may have haunted him, but it pales in comparison to the reality of the vivacious, beautiful woman he rediscovers. Throughout his life, he has always done what is correct. But now, he finds himself doing something utterly wrong…falling in love with the one woman he can never have.

Why read: It’s Courtney Milan! I might be a wee bit of a fangirl about her. This is the first in a new series from her and I’m already in love. The main characters felt vivid and real, they had problems that really needed work--which they did--rather that problems that could be solved with a quick conversation. The plot was engaging, the romance was gorgeous, and Milan did the thing that I really appreciate about her work: she gave us a heroine and hero that aren’t cut from the same cloth as so many other historical romance MCs. The heroine is a clockwork designer in an age when women weren’t supposed to be in trade. The hero struggles with mental health issues. And they resolve their issues together, in a way that’s respectful to both of their lives and ambitions.

If you want smart, witty historical romance that will make your inner feminist happy, this is your book.

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There is a magic shore where children used to beach their coracles every night. The children have stopped coming now, and their little boats are tipped over on the sides, like the abandoned shells of nuts eaten long ago. The dark sea rushes up to the pale beach and just touches the crafts, making them …

There is a magic shore where children used to beach their coracles every night.

The children have stopped coming now, and their little boats are tipped over on the sides, like the abandoned shells of nuts eaten long ago. The dark sea rushes up to the pale beach and just touches the crafts, making them rattle together with a sound like bones.

You and I cannot reach that shore again. We’ve forgotten everything. Even the sound of the waves and the mermaids singing.

But the men in her Majesty’s Secret Service can go anywhere.

Why read: Peter Pan has entered our mythology, and I find each new variant of him fascinating. This short novelette is no exception, and it did something new that I haven’t seen before. It made Peter grow--just a little--and demonstrated why he’s both terrible and beautiful all at once. If you’re looking for a story that’s both fun adventure and mildly horrific in surprising ways, this is the story for you.