Arcane
Even though the final season of Arcane was released on Netflix at the end of November, it took me a while to get to it. Now that I’ve seen it, I think it’s a fantastic bit of story-telling. (Let me also mention that I had no exposure to the online game, so the series was a standalone for me.)
The artwork was exceptional, blending smooth animation with watercolor stills for emphasis and other visual effects to signal transitions in the storyline. The music was great, and the character arcs were well-constructed.
Episode eight stood out for me, showing a world that could have been if people had made different choices. It was idyllic but somewhat unreal, as if never truly attainable. The episode featured three beautifully crafted montage sequences, each symbolizing growth and pivotal decisions.
Then there was the titanic battle of episode ten, an intricately choreographed sequence that captured both the grand scope of the conflict and countless small flashes of its consequences. Every rivalry and character arc was paid off, and there were heroics and unexpected betrayals. It was a satisfying finale.
If you haven’t seen this two-season series and you like this type of anime, you should put it on your watchlist. If you’ve seen it, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
Our Books
Midwinter Knots
Chuck Boeheim
A holiday short story set in the world of Knots. Escher and Emeline have brought a tree into the house to decorate. Trefoil the cat is quick to investigate—and discovers something unusual. This isn’t just any tree; it’s home to a dryad, and she’s not happy about being uprooted. As mayhem unfolds, it’s up to Trefoil to defend the house from the growing chaos… if he doesn’t get put outside first.
Free download from StoryOrigin
Knots
Chuck Boeheim
Knots and folds are the tools of magic in a world where a deadly game of Topomancy has rearranged the map of Europe.
When a thief who calls himself Escher steals an amulet in the mages’ game, he becomes a game piece himself. The mage who recovers the piece stands to win the game. But for Escher, the amulet might be his only way home.
“Knots is filled with unexpected characters, plot twists, literal location twists, mystery, and redemption.” – R.E. Flynn
“The story is a knot in and of itself, with twists and folds that go unexpected ways as it slowly unravels to the end—or is it the beginning?” – Laura
“The prose is vivid and intelligent, with plenty of ‘heart,’ including a humorous cat sidekick and an energetic and intelligent love interest.” – Stella
This genre-defying novel combines fantasy, mystery, and adventure into a mind-bending tale of magic, redemption, and discovery.
What We‘re Reading
Visit our archive of reviews and recommendations on the Books We Like page of our website. You‘ll find over one hundred recommendations in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Non Fiction.
Red Team Blues
Cory Doctorow
A thrilling novel about an … accountant? Doing accounting? Well, yes. This is high-stakes accounting, uncovering the money that has been laundered, the elicit payments that have been made, the clandestine relationships that no one wants brought to light. Martin Hench is a forensic accountant who has spent most of his 67 years in Silicon Valley. He knows the ins and out of the business, the technology, and the social networks, both digital and personal. He’s ready to retire when an old friend pulls him in for one last quick job. Then the friend is dead and Martin is on the run from rivals, criminals, and government agents, and it’s not always easy to them apart.
This is a fast-moving novel, easy to read despite the technology and finance themes. Doctorow has a deep knowledge of the tech industry, and anyone who’s spent time in Silicon Valley will recognize many of the landmarks in Palo Alto and Woodside. (I just wished he had looked out the window and commented on my old workplace at the Stanford Linear Accelerator as he drove by.)
Buy on Amazon
Titan
John Varley
I just reread this classic—probably for the [mumble]th time since it was first published. It’s a great example of a journey of discovery, like Lord Valentine’s Castle combined with the exploration of an alien artifact in Rendezvous with Rama. Varley’s writing is also Heinlein-adjacent in both style and certain viewpoints, so if that’s your cup of tea, you’ll find plenty to enjoy.
The first expedition to Saturn’s moons finds that one of them isn’t a moon at all—it’s a massive, toroidal space habitat. The crew names it Gaea, but before they can study it, the structure takes them aboard—not gently—destroying their ship and scattering them inside. Captain Cirocco Jones and her crew encounter an ecosystem unlike anything they’ve seen before: centaur-like beings, their archenemies the Angels, and kilometers-long intelligent blimps. To find answers, Cirocco and her companion Gaby Plauget set out on a perilous journey to the habitat’s hub, hoping to reach whoever—or whatever—is in charge.
Titan can be read as a standalone novel, but the story continues in Wizard and Demon. As the series progresses, Cirocco becomes Gaea’s ambassador, then its enforcer, and finally its enemy. Any powerful ruler needs a war now and then, and Gaea, after absorbing a century’s worth of Earth’s media, has learned exactly how to orchestrate one.
If you’ve never read this sprawling, campy, satirical epic, now’s a great time to pick it up.
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Pushing Ice
Alastair Reynolds
Reading Pushing Ice right after Titan was an unintentional coincidence, but it made for an interesting contrast—another Big Dumb Object story, but with a different approach. The novel unfolds in four distinct phases, each shifting the nature of the story.
It begins as a near-future spaceflight novel, with the mining ship Rockhopper ordered to chase Saturn’s moon Janus when it unexpectedly accelerates out of orbit. The early chapters focus on real-world physics and spaceflight mechanics, grounding the story in plausible technology.
Once the crew is trapped aboard Janus, it becomes a survival story. Cut off from Earth, they have no control over their course or their fate, forcing them to adapt with limited resources. Then comes the destination—an environment filled with advanced nanotechnology, where discovery drives the narrative. Finally, the novel shifts to conflict, as the crew encounters alien civilizations and must navigate a struggle for power and survival.
Reynolds keeps the scientific mystery at the forefront, making each phase feel distinct yet connected. While the political tensions and character conflicts sometimes feel contrived, the unfolding discoveries make for a compelling read. For those who enjoy deep-space exploration and first-contact scenarios, pick up Pushing Ice.
Buy on Amazon
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The Clockwork Detective
R.A. McCandless
Aubrey Hartmann left the Imperial battlefields with a pocketful of medals, a fearsome reputation, and a clockwork leg.
The Imperium diverts her trip home to investigate the murder of a young druwyd in a strange town. She is ordered to not only find the killer but prevent a full-scale war with the dreaded Fae.
Meanwhile, the arrival of a sinister secret policeman threatens to dig up Aubrey’s own secrets – ones that could ruin her career.
It soon becomes clear that Aubrey has powerful enemies with plans to stop her before she gets started. Determined to solve the mystery, Aubrey must survive centaurs, thugs and a monster of pure destruction.
Buy via StoryOrigin
The Survivors
Richard Rimington
In this tale of space opera and cosmic adventure, the Ambassador of a mysterious and ancient family must forge a path through chaos to overcome the terrible enemies that desire humanity’s destruction.
Her plan to avert galactic catastrophe will unite a band of survivors who have faced every imaginable danger and disaster.
Free via StoryOrigin
