It’s time for my second round of SFINCS 2 reviews, but first a recap my introduction from last week. I’m part of Team Booked Solid, but what I’m sharing here represents only my own opinions. My thoughts may very well differ from those of the rest of my team.
I originally had the ambition of reading all of my team’s assigned books, but unfortunately, life got in the way, and while there’s still time, I must confess I won’t be able to get through all twenty (I’m only halfway so far). Not to worry, though, we’re a team, and each book in our batch will be read by at least two judges.
Adding to that, I decided to focus on identifying books I wanted to see in the semi-finals. This means that if I feel a book isn’t good enough to qualify, and if I don’t enjoy it, I won’t finish it. I’m very much a mood reader, and forcing myself to finish a book that’s not for me usually ends up with me disliking it even more.
This doesn’t mean that all books I review are potential semi-finalists, but it does mean they’re worth reading. So, without further ado, here’s my second batch of reviews:
Once We Flew
By Nikky Lee
This science fiction novella tells the story of an aging woman, Marsa, trying to fulfil her best friend’s dying wish. Only, it’s not so much a wish as a vision, or maybe a prophecy. If Marsa can find what she saw in her friend’s memories before she passed, it may save her small village from extinction.
A generation ago, a space ship full of settlers crashed on an inhospitable desert planet. Thousands died, but some survived and started eking out a living in the harsh climate. The village lives on, but time is running out, and strange afflictions affect the villagers.
It’s that affliction which allowed Marsa to see her friend’s memories, and it’s what allowed the friend to see visions of the future, and possible salvation.
What I didn’t Like
The scope of the story is just slightly too big, and I feel like it might have worked better as a full length novella. There’s a little too much going on, and while the situation is definitely serious, I didn’t quite feel the gravity of it.
What I Liked
The ideas. The setting is built around a number of interesting ideas, that I won’t go into detail about. It’s another reason I think this ought to have been a novel. There’s just that much to explore.
I also liked that we get a story told from an older woman’s perspective. The exact age isn’t clear, but from the way she’s treated by other characters, and herself, she’s probably at least upper middle-age. Not a common perspective, but it felt fitting.
Final Words
Once We Flew is a well written Sci-Fi novella with a lot of interesting ideas, but it could have filled a lot more pages without issue.
Find Once We Flew on Goodreads.
A Puzzle of Poppies
By Renee Edwards
This novella is a reimagining of A Study in Scarlet, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. That’s not a story I’ve read, but I’m vaguely aware the author wrote about some kind of detective (Sherlock Holmes), so it’s safe to say I had Expectations (note the capital E).
But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
The first part of the story is told in a series of letters. The writer (and the book’s main character) is Dr. Wilfred A Jarvis, and he tells his sister about his experiences of the war in Afghanistan in 1880. It reads exactly like how I imagine a gentleman of the era would express himself in writing, and it perfectly sets the mood of the story.
However, the first part is quickly over, and that’s when the “real” story begins. Here’s where the fae are introduced, including the half-fae master of perception and deduction, miss Honoria Sherwood. Then, there’s a murder.
This part of the book is written in much the same style as the first, but rather than letters, they’re told through diary entries. These entries are significantly longer than the letters in the first part, and contain much more detail. Unfortunately, this somewhat lessens the sense that the text is written by a Victorian-era gentleman, but it also brings the reader deeper into the story. It’s a trade off, but I suspect it’s for the better. After all, I very much enjoyed the book.
What I Didn’t Like
I’ve not read the story that this book is based on, so I can’t say how close it is. However, I felt like the mystery-solving aspect of the story was a bit underwhelming. Miss Sherwood is clearly a genius, but we mostly see the results of her efforts, and not as much of her process and reasoning.
Again, maybe that’s true to the original, but as a consequence I’m not as impressed by Miss Sherwood’s cleverness as I wanted to be.
What I Liked
Much as I said the Victorian-era style decreased in the second part of the book, it’s still present, and it’s enhanced by the behaviour, speech, and attitude of the character in the story. Admittedly, I don’t recall reading much, if any, literature written during that time period, but the narration still feels just right.
By contrast, the world building feels modern and fresh. The fae, who prefer to be referred to as “the folk” have reconnected with the human world after some time of absence, and an embassy has been established on an island just off the coast of England. Relationship between folk and humans are strained, and within Queen Mab’s court, different factions vie for power.
Within the story, Dr. Jarvis represents traditional, gentlemanly sensibilities, while Miss Sherwood plays the role of the rebel who overthrows conventions and questions the established order. This could have turned into slapstick, but the author manages to keep it real, and it becomes a natural part of the story.
Final Words
A puzzle of poppies is an excellent reimagining of the first Sherlock Holmes story, with fairies.
Find A Puzzle of Poppies on Goodreads.
Blackburn Station
By Karen Lucia
I don’t believe in perfection, but Blackburn Station is a novella that challenges that belief. The story is focused, to the point, and engaging. I finished it in a single sitting, in just a few hours, without ever coming up for air.
We get one character, who faces one problem, and nothing in the story detracts from that.
Everything that happens and everything that’s mentioned serves to move Jane’s story forward. Jane, who’s the sole survivor of the destruction of Blackburn, a space station on the edge of civilisation. Jane, who’s lost everything. Her family, her friends, her home. Her lifetime of research and her very connection to the world.
Jane, who slowly, almost reluctantly, begins to claw her way back to life.
It’s fascinating how close you can get to a character and their world in just a few pages when the author does everything right. Blackburn Station doesn’t try to impress with deep world building or interesting character quirks, and instead focus on what matters: Jane, and what she’s facing.
In so doing, the world we see through Jane’s eyes becomes all the more believable, and her problem all the more relatable.
What I Didn’t Like
Nothing
What I Liked
Everything
Final Words
Blackburn station is as close to perfect a novella as I’ve ever read.
