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A Gamble of Gods - Mitriel Faywood

Full disclosure, the author asked me to read this one. But, if I'm honest, I probably would have anyway, because it combines a few things I really enjoy, and blends them up in a superlative package. There's the quick-witted, fast-mouthed swordsman, whose capacity to get into scrapes is matched only by his apparent skill at getting out of them. And the pensive, repressed scholar from a place where science has long since taken the role of magic, moving between worlds with hardly a thought, but torn from his place in the how and why of things, set adrift on the tides of circumstance. And the lady, mysterious, who walks beside them both, her internal struggles as fraught as those fought with sword and laser, carrying a power she doesn't entirely understand, and feelings she'll struggle to control.

This is A Gamble of Gods, and it's an absolute stormer of a debut, a charming, thrilling mix of science fiction and fantasy, where secret societies are running the universe behind the scenes, where a generations old conspiracy is unfolding, and where necromancy is as real, and as lethal, as a blaster bolt to the chest. But, to be up front about it, this isn't a po-faced text, filled with dour warnings and po-faced protagonists. It's a book filled with a rambunctious energy, a wry self-knowledge, and moments of on-the nose humour that made me laugh out loud more than once. It's a book which isn't afraid to dig into the emotional availability of its cast, to explore who they are, and why, and what they want; there's romance woven between the self-revelations and swordfights, the kind that balances teasing and the gentleness of emotional understanding with a soupcon of raw desire and fierce passion. 

This is a book which isn't afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve, and I kind of love it for that.

It's also a book with a hell of a lot going on. It's spread across three main characters, and at least that many locations, including, well, London. The contemporary, British London that is, not some sort of future London in the clouds. And I'll say this, Faywood makes her London come alive. The streets are just the right kind of grey and misty, you can feel the edge of that damp cold coming into your bones as you trudge up Euston road to the office, hoping to stop at Pret for a coffee. The people have the same kind of fire and honesty and fragile bravery that you see every day at house parties and restaurant gatherings in the city. The world lives, and that's something of an accomplishment, because making somewhere that is real feel real on the page is something of a challenge. But London is joined by more exotic locales, never fear. The dark forests and palace politics, the witch-ridden geography, filled with old, deadly magics, is there too. And it feels just as plausible, just as real. And so does the purported utopia of SCIENCE(!), filled with dodgy characters of every description, whose motives are unclear and often downright Machiavellian, but who can put nanoprobes in the air, siphon data from anything, or build you an invisibility cloak. And some of them are the good guys. Maybe. Probably. 

Anyway. It's a story which is at once deadly serious, and doesn't take itself too seriously. A story which lets its characters have fun, and is fun, while also being an entertaining read, and one which kept me turning pages later into the night than I care to admit. And will probably do the same for you. Definitely worth a look!

Ocean's Echo - Everina Maxwell

Ocean's Echo is a science fiction romance novel from Everina Maxwell, whose Winter's Orbit I really enjoyed reading last year. For those of you familiar with that one: this story takes place in the same universe, but without any significant crossover in character or local setting. For those of you coming to this fresh: don't worry, it's a standalone, and you don't need to know anything going in to enjoy it. On which note: what even is it? Well, it's one part sci-fi mystery, delving for ancient relics and exploring the sociopolitical ramifications of exposing people to powers their society may not be prepared for. One part character study, exploring the emotional rocks, the trauma stricken, the self destructive - and the way those emotions, and the people they're wrapped around, can find meaning and feeling and purpose and love. It's a story laced through with action and (mis)adventure, crisis and moral choice, but it's also a story of two people reaching out expecting to be hurt, and finding each other. 

Speaking of the people, who are they? Well, one of them is Tennal. Tennal is, by his own admission, a disaster area. He's smart and funny and charming and socially adept. He can manipulate people (and does), he can read people (and does). He's also prone to making poor decisions. Or decisions which will cause the maximum amount of chaos, intentionally or otherwise. In a lot of ways, Tennal is a fuse, walking around bumping into a whole variety of lit matches. For all that, he's perhaps harder on himself than anyone. Tennal has a self image that is determined to accept and be honest about his worst qualities, but skates around his more positive ones, his live wire energy and enthusiasm, his passion and compassion, his love of family. Tennal is also running hard from being a poor little rich boy. His aunt is a high up member of planetary government, and Tennel is someone who will fight against the expectations of a path laid out for him. To some success, admittedly, but also...not. Anyway. As the story begins, Tennal finds himself rather abruply put into a new situation, and watching him rebuild himself and his image, and also try and reshape the institution's he's in, is a delight. 

In this,  the aggressively civilian Tennal is helped out by the other half of our protagonist duo, Lieutenant Surit Yeni. Surit is closed off, compartmentalised, dealing with the aftermath of family tragedy and family history. He's a perfectionist, with a memory like diamond, morals to match and an expectation that everyone around him is trying their best. That expectation is often thwarted. Surit, career military, has to work with Tennal, who is the essence of everything that Surit isn't. Initially they're like oil and water, but as the story progresses...well, you'll see. 

In any case, the characterisation here is top notch. The emotions, the drives, the needs of our characters are raw and painful and genuine, and make turning the page an absolute pleasure, trying to see what they'll get up to next. 

Which brings us to the world. This is a society which has a history of violence, of the quiet rumbling of coups. It also has, more recently, a history of audacious body modification. After some rather classified experiments, parts of the population are now architects, or readers. The former can drop short term commands to cause people to do things; they seem to be prevalent in the military command structure. The latter on the other hand, can read minds, and are something of a controlled minority, following an attempted coup a few decades before the story begins. This is a world haunted by its past, by a history of struggles for advantage, trying to decide if this is going to be the time it settles down and has a bit of a quieter period, a world still trying to work out how to deal with the mind alterers and mind readers it's it's introduced into society. A world where the military divisions are large enough and competitive enough to almost be private fiefdoms. And it's also a world that has to keep one cautious eye on the skies, because out there, a larger intra-system community is watching, and waiting for any opportunity to step in to their affairs. There is, in other words, a lot of history going on, and that history is informing this story, which also has a lot going on. The setting is plausible, the background and context introduced to the reader with a skill that means it never feels like you're just getting an infodump, while giving you a rich tapestry as background to what the characters are up to. It is, in other words, a real world. 

I don't want ot talk about the story, because spoilers, and because if I'm honest, I couldn't put it down while wanting to know what happened next, and I don't want to ruin it for you. But! Yes, there's romance in here. If you're not really here for that, I'll note that it's relatively low key, and entirely relevant to the characters and their situation. It's also gloriously queer, but that's another topic. Anyway. There's a lot of politics here. And a lot of scheme and counter scheme. There's personal drama, and the kind of individual stakes that make you gasp and feel the tension in your gut while the protagonists try and solve the unsolvable. There's ground warfare and mind powers, and lots of delving in deep space into things which perhaps would have been better left undisturbed. In short, there's a damn good story, and I encourage you to give it a try.