Create Explore Read: science fiction

Showing posts with label science fiction. Show all posts

Saturday, August 1, 2020

Suspended in the Stars | Chapter 1

During the month of August I "blogging a book" here on the blog. You can read all about why I chose to do that in this post. The story spanned the month of August and was written daily to post within the month. I decided to leave up just the first chapter of Suspended in the Stars but please forgive any errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation since this is not professionally edited. I asked readers to think of it like this: you're all reading my first-pass pages!

Merrie Destefano | Author Chat + Giveaway

Novelist and magazine editor, Merrie Destefano writes dark stories with a thread of hope. Her novels include Valiant, Lost Girls, Shade, Fathom, Afterlife, andFeast,and her work has been published by Entangled Teen and HarperCollins. Her next YA Science Fiction novel, Valiant, releases on December 4, 2018.

Popular YA eBook DEALS under $6

I'm having WAY too much fun compiling these posts. I've grabbed a few more popular Young Adult deals you shouldn't pass up. Hope you find some great reading material! I haven't read all of these, so I can't attest to their content, but as a member of the Bookstagram community, I've likely seen them around which is why they've made the cut.

Red Rising is one of my favorite books! The series is fantastic!

I enjoyed Defiance!

Six of Crows is on my TBR!

I'm a HUGE fan of the Illuminae series! Can't believe they are SUCH a good price:

Sunday, July 23, 2017

No Ordinary Star by M.C. Frank | Re:View

An icy tale of romance and the discovery of new ideas.

***

I was intrigued first and foremost by this books cover--it's stunning! But then I discovered it was a sci-fi and knew I had to read it. I also took note that it was inspired by Ray Bradbury's short stories and was even more intrigued.

It's been a while since I've read Bradbury, but I did get the hint of his stories with this novel, as well as M.C.'s classic style.

The story itself has a very simple cast of characters. The soldier, the girl, and the polar bear. I really enjoy the way that M.C. creates tension between her main characters. There are a lot of things that come into play to do this (no spoilers here) but I enjoy the way they change as the story progresses. I also loved the polar bear because, let's be honest, who doesn't love polar bears?

The plot itself felt a little slow in some parts, as if I was waiting for something big to happen and it never fully did. Then again, this is a series broken up into three shorter books and I think that things progress more slowly due to that fact. I liked the world that was created and described. Harsh, futuristic in some senses (mostly ideals and new cultural norms), and foreign and familiar all at the same time. The clock element still perplexes me, and yet I have a feeling we'll discover more about it on subsequent books.

The last readerly thing to note would be the point of view. This is written in third person present tense and, while I enjoyed it, I also found it a little confusing at times. To me, it creates a bit of a distant feeling to the characters in my mind. I liked that we were able to see from both main characters perspectives and to gain a perspective of their differing personalities, but it may take a little getting used to for readers who are not accustomed to this type of writing.

If you enjoy a Ray Bradbury-type tale with hints of romantic tension and a mysterious element to the story, you will likely enjoy this book! It's got a mild sci-fi feel but isn't hugely technical. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

*A note for my clean readers: There are a few instances of language in the book.

My rating: 4*
Purchase: No Ordinary Star

Book Description
(from Amazon)

A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do. A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive. A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack. The world hasn't known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty. The year is 2524. Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic novel is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace. Written in three installments, this is the breathtaking and sensual story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time. Immerse yourself into the icy cold world of this scorching hot new novel.

_______________
I received this book for free but was under no obligation to post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Romance in Fantasy by Laurie Lucking | Guest Post

Emilie here: I'm so excited to feature this lovely post by Laurie Lucking to "kick off" this month's focus of Science Fiction and Fantasy! I know you'll enjoy this - I know I have.

***

I know this will prompt some eye rolls, but I’m going to admit it anyway. In almost any story, no matter what genre, the part that interests me the most and stays with me the longest is the romance.

Now, you’re probably thinking—this girl clearly missed the memo. Emilie’s focus this month is on fantasy and science fiction. But here’s the thing. For as much as I adore romance, I write fantasy. Why? There are hordes of voracious romance readers out there, so why would I bother with fantasy when I could just tap into that (probably more lucrative) market?

Because I prefer my romance with a touch of the supernatural. There’s something about love stories in fantasy settings that draws me in so much more than the historical or contemporary genres. I think it’s because, at least for me, the fantasy setting ups the ante and makes the story so much less predictable. Because in fantasy, anything can happen.

Take star-crossed lovers, for example. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare created a tragedy surrounding a pair of lovebirds from feuding families. But how much higher could the stakes have been if an ancient prophecy predicted the breakout of a devastating war if a union ever arose between those two families? Or if the feuding households were instead comprised of devious fairies, or powerful sorcerers? You get the idea :)

The higher stakes and unpredictability of fantasy are fascinating in their own right, but when romance is involved, they also can help the reader understand love in new ways. They may call into question our assumptions, or shed light on aspects of romantic relationships we don’t usually have to think about within the parameters of our own world. For instance, Heart Song by Desiree Williams really got me thinking about how I’d react to being soul-bound to a person I barely knew. Would I embrace it, or fight it? Unblemished by Sara Ella had me pondering whether I could risk breaking someone’s heart if I knew that based on his Calling it could literally kill him. The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doué made me question whether I would be brave enough to declare my love for someone, when a positive response could break a curse, but a negative response would tighten the curse’s hold, not only for me but my entire family. The list goes on and on.

But perhaps the most profound value of incorporating romance into fantasy, or any kind of speculative fiction, is that it demonstrates the universal nature of love (tweet this). No matter where they are, no matter what their circumstances, people yearn to make connections with those around them, to feel important and valued, and to find a reason to hope for the future—something worth living, fighting, and possibly even dying for. These connections can come in many forms, including family and friendship, but are often manifested in romantic relationships. Whether in a high school algebra class, a distant planet, an epic quest, or a group of rebels fighting a corrupt government, someone will feel attracted to another person. He or she will get flustered in that person’s presence, and hope to catch their attention. Eventually it turns to daydreams about a future together, an outlook brighter than the present. Such feelings may cause the person to make poor decisions, or to lose sight of a purpose that should take higher priority. But they also can bring hope, a future to strive for, an incentive for self-sacrifice, and a manifestation of that character’s best self.

The prevalence of romance in almost any category of literature illustrates that love is a basic, but very powerful, human longing, something that spans every era and society.

Romance in real life is a beautiful, precious thing. I am so grateful that my husband and I get to live an ordinary existence, with our biggest challenges being house repairs and our kids’ misbehavior. But when I read or write, I love to have those boundaries stretch far beyond my own commonplace experience, causing me to think and feel that much more deeply. And maybe even swoon on occasion 😁

So, how do you feel about romance in speculative fiction? If you have a strong preference for or against romance in the books you read / write, why? Are there any exceptions?

Thanks for reading, and thank you so much for inviting me to visit today, Emilie!!

_____

An avid reader since birth (her parents claim she often kept them up late begging to hear just one more story), Laurie Lucking discovered her passion for writing after leaving her career as an attorney to become a stay-at-home mom. She writes young adult fantasy with a strong thread of romance, and her debut novel, Common, will release in 2018 from Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing. Laurie is the Secretary of her local ACFW chapter and a co-founder of www.landsuncharted.com, a blog for fans of clean young adult speculative fiction. A Midwestern girl through and through, she currently lives in Minnesota with her husband and two young sons. Find out more about Laurie and her writing by visiting www.laurielucking.com.

Website: www.laurielucking.com
Blog: www.landsuncharted.com
Readers’ Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1191276077665496/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurieLucking/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurieLucking
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurielucking/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/22270968-laurie-lucking
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/luckinglaurie/

Friday, May 12, 2017

When Planets Fall by Abby J. Reed | New Release

I am so excited that WHEN PLANETS FALL by Abby J. Reed is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Abby J. Reed, be sure to check out all the details below.

There is also a giveaway for a finished copy of the book and swag, US Only, courtesy of Abby and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About the Book:

Title: WHEN PLANETS FALL (Stars Fall Circle #1)

Author: Abby J. Reed

Pub. Date: May 10, 2017

Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing

Pages: 420

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, TBD, Goodreads

On a planet where the only difference between three tribes is their blood color, war is on the horizon. Breaker, an amputee, wants peace for his family and home. Malani, a kidnapped POW, wants to return home. Luka wants justice for his home. All three teens come together when Breaker is given seven days to fix a wrecked enemy starship or their home, and peace, is forfeit..

"In this richly imagined start to a new sci-fi series, Reed brings optimism to the goal of solving entrenched violence in a galaxy far, far away . . . A propulsive, sharply crafted tale about a planetary war." -Kirkus Reviews

Excerpt:

I cupped my hands around my mouth. “Brody! Brody!”

Nobody was allowed to break boundary unless you were on hunting rounds and wanted a shot at the deercorns—three-horns, good meat—or on boundary duty. The land between here and the Heron Mountains in the west was technically neutral territory and belonged to no one. Too many good game trails passed through and everyone needed good protein. You’d think this meant a peace card for any who marched through the area. Then a handful of cycles back, attacks started becoming more frequent. Now, neutral territory meant open hunting season on everyone.

And if you were in trouble . . . the compound wouldn’t help.

I couldn’t leave him out there. I had to go over the fence. Beyond the compound’s boundary.

I was going to murder that kid.

The tree branches on the opposite side created a tunnel. Ravines on either side had been dug deep for a grave ditch in case of a future blood bath. Water filled them now. No need to waste time or tears while shoveling, just dump the bodies in the pre-dug ditch. Time and pain in the past saved time and pain in the future.

I set my foot on the lowest rail. The wood jiggled. Bangit. I couldn’t climb over the stupid thing. I pocketed the pick, got back on my bike, reversed, and aimed it at the fence. Even though the bike ran on solatech energy, the magnetic polarity of mineral deposits in the ground kept it afloat. In theory, the bike should pass right over the fence, since the fence wasn’t quite solid, so the bike would never lose complete contact with the ground.

I revved the bike. A surge of solaenergy sent me flying toward the fence. I shoved on the handles right before I hit the broken rail, bouncing and soaring right over the fence. The bike didn’t even bounce on the ground on the other side.

My chest tightened a notch.

I just broke boundary.

I hadn’t broke boundary in eight cycles. 

I swear there was still a faint smell of cinnamon, though the gun smoke couldn’t have hung in the air this long. Lining the ravine were the twelve gravecrosses. Rainwater ran like thinned-out blood off the names carved into the bars. The letters were slowly being erased by weather and time, as though the people were being slowly erased from our memory until they never existed.

About Abby:

Abby J. Reed writes young adult science fiction and fantasy novels that ask what if. She has a degree in English Writing and is drawn to characters with physical limitations due to her own neurological disorder called Chronic Migraine. Her debut novel, WHEN PLANETS FALL, will be published in April 2017 by Soul Mate Publishing.

Abby lives in Colorado with her husband and two fluffy pups. If her hands aren’t on the keyboard, they are stained purple and blue with paint.

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of WHEN PLANETS FALL & Swag, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, October 16, 2015

New Books You NEED

I'm coming to this a little late tonight since I've had a full day BUT here I am none the less with books you need to have. I mean, it's just necessary. These are the BEST in the Scifi and Fantasy Christian fiction world right now. If you want amazing writing mingled with strong and dynamic characters all told in a clean way, these are the books for you!

Check these out and get your copies now! There's also an awesome giveaway at the bottom from my friend Rel that you should probably enter too ;-)