Knots

Chuck Boeheim

Monsieur Resche is an art thief. He has crossed a bridge into a quaint town that disappeared from Switzerland four centuries ago. All the magic that our world once had has ended up there. A precisely tied knot, an exactly folded paper, or a cunningly drawn figure can unlock wonders and horrors.

Resche has a mind that lets him excel at this new craft, but that brings him to the notice of powerful mages who play a great game of geomancy with tiles the size of countries. And when he looks for the bridge back to Geneva, it is nowhere to be found.

The Fractalist priest offers aid that may not be what it appears, the Jeweler has intricate schemes, the newspaper editor has taken an interest, the Astromancer had good advice before she was murdered, and Resche’s cat just makes wisecracks.

Knots is a compelling story filled with unexpected characters, plot twists, literal location twists, mystery, and redemption.

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The Forge of God

Greg Bear

The moon Europa disappears from its orbit around Jupiter. New mountains appear overnight in Death Valley and Australia. Aliens appear and deliver conflicting messages. When probes impact the oceans and begin burrowing towards the core, it’s clear the Earth’s days are numbered.

Faced with god-like aliens who won’t communicate or negotiate, the story becomes how people face the end of the planet. Some believe the biblical apocalypse has come, some attempt military responses, scientists search for understanding. A few try to plan an escape.

Bear draws a wide view of humanity’s response through a range of viewpoint characters, though few of them get much dimensionality beyond their assigned roles: scientist, writer, officer, President. Still, it’s the human drama that is center stage as the story unfolds.

The novel was written in the eighties and set in the “near future” of the nineties. This creates a kind of uncanny valley of a setting, where he got a number of predictions spot on but missed others, especially in what the internet would become. In the end, this is a haunting yet hopeful tale of the end of the planet. You’ll have to read it to see what I mean.

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Night Train to Rigel

Timothy Zahn

I was immediately drawn in by the conceit of a literal train between the stars, a whimsical nod to the bygone era of grand terrestrial railroads (and a whole raft of “Night Train to …” references). Frank Compton, a former intelligence agent, is offered a ticket on the Quadrail from the hand of a man suffering from an excess of bullet holes. By implication, a job. Despite having just taken a different job, Frank takes the ticket and finds himself in a web of politics and threats that could threaten all the species in the galaxy and the Quadrail itself.

The Quadrail is the only method of interstellar travel known, and it’s operated by the Spiders. Emotionless, enigmatic, and absolutely opposed to violence, the Spiders keep all weapons from traveling on the Quadrail. Thus they safeguard their monopoly and keep galactic peace. Anyone with designs on empire-building would target the Quadrail first.

This is a fun bit of science fiction wrapped up in all the tropes of the era of luxury rail travel across the Continent and the schemes of the conquerors to turn those trains into troop transports. It works on many levels.

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The Legend Of Dana Jasper

Sarah Ovvens

In the aftermath of a devastating bomb blast in Afghanistan, young Dana Jasper’s life is forever altered. As an autistic boy, he had always felt like an outsider, finding comfort in his own bubble. But when the tragic loss of his parents forces him to move to the bustling city of Chicago, little does he know that this pivotal moment will unleash a remarkable transformation.

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The Birth

Shane Shepherd

Deep in the heart of Texas, at the UOG training base, Kevin Ore’s dream of touching the stars becomes a thrilling reality. Yet, beneath the glittering promise of space, shadows stir. Commander Mitchell’s probing doubts set the stage for a journey where courage will be tested beyond the limits of gravity.

As Kevin navigates weightless simulations and forms bonds with fellow aspiring astronauts, his encounter with the enigmatic Mary unlocks a Pandora’s box of mysteries.

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Tales From Tharassas

J. Scott Coatsworth

The Fallen Angel

Charlie Fah, Cha’Fah to most of the world, has never fit in with the other citizens of Gully Town, thanks to his darker skin that sets him apart. But one day, an Angel arrives on a supply run from Earth, and what happens next sets Charlie on a new path that will turn his life upside down.

The Last Run

Sera is the last runner from Earth, bringing badly needed supplies to the Tharassas Colony across a twenty-five year gulf between the planets. Jas works on a hencha farm to make ends meet, harvesting berries from the semi-sentient plants. Neither one that knows their lives—and worlds—are about to change forever.

The Emp Test

Jey awakens to find himself in the care of a handsome stranger—a cheff from one of the mountain tribes. Afraid for his life, Jey has no choice but to let the man take care of him and his broken leg. Avain is on his Aud’ling—the coming-of-age test that requires him to spend a couple months away from his own people. The two of them will have to come to an understanding if they’re going to help one another.

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