The Drowned Heir (2022) - Jennifer R. Donohue

The Drowned Heir by Jennifer R. Donohue is a fantasy novella about a young woman who is drowned in a ritual to take on the spirit of her deceased uncle. When her uncle’s lover comes knocking and reveals that he has a son who has gone out to sea, she fears that he may meet the same watery fate as the uncle.

This novella was reviewed during the first round of SFINCS3.

This review may contain minor spoilers.

Worldbuilding: I absolutely loved the worldbuilding in this story. Donohue managed to sneak in so many little details that really made the story come alive. The small bits of magic that existed like the trinkets people braid into their hair or the charms the place upon their boats felt very homey. 

Emotions: The narration has an almost disconnected feeling, which really works for this story (I think I'd feel disconnected too if my uncle's angry spirit was fighting for control of my body and I basically didn't exist as a person to everyone that knows me). I enjoyed seeing the main character gain more confidence and emotional reactions as the story progressed and she gained more agency.

Intrigue: The idea of a 'drowned heir', someone to take on your spirit after death if you have no living heir, is so fascinating to me and I think Donohue did a really good job at portraying how traumatizing that experience would be. 

Relationships: The MC is very distant to all of the other characters at the start of this book. In fact, none of the characters have actual names, instead, they are referred to by their relationship to the MC (my uncle/the Captain, my sister, the first mate, etc.). This narrative and emotional distance from all of the other characters works wonderfully with the first person narration and really lets the reader sink into the MC's experience.

Descriptions: The descriptions are incredibly rich are make an excellent use of utilizing all of the senses. I had a solid grasp of what this little seaside town looked like and how the people there viewed the world. There's very little dialogue in this story, but I never felt bogged down by the paragraphs of description and internal narration.

Engagement: I was absolutely enthralled by this novella. I ended up finishing the second half in one sitting and probably could have read the whole thing in one go if it weren't for the horrors of my daily responsibilities. There was never a dull moment, the story was constantly moving and regularly introducing new details to grab my attention.

Final thoughts: I definitely think The Drowned Heir has risen to one of my top reads this year. I’d recommend it to anyone that loves low magic fantasies with a nautical feel and complicated family dynamics. This was my first reads by Donohue, but I'll for sure be reading more of her books in the future!

It's You, Isn't It? (2025) - Antony Paschos

 

It's You, Isn't It? by Antony Paschos is a SciFi space colonialism novella that tells the story of Avra, her younger sister Olia, and their friend Penko on the planet Terra-Octa as they encounter an alien species that turns out to be more than what they originally thought.

This novella was reviewed during the first round of SFINCS3.

This review may contain minor spoilers.

Worldbuilding: I think there was an interesting setup for the world of Terra-Octa and the wider universe, but often times the details that would have really cemented it get brushed aside because Avra is 'bored' by it. There were many times where we were about to get some interesting details about the Platani or the Gardeners, but the story quickly moves past it and left me feeling like I was missing something.

Emotions: This is where I really struggled with this story. I had such a hard time connecting with any of the characters, and when bad things started happening to them I felt no emotional impact.

Intrigue: This is where the story shined and is what kept me reading. I genuinely wanted to know what happened at the end, and the framing of the story being told in a combination of present day, when the characters first arrived of Terra-Octa/made contact with the chlorobots, and during the chlorobot uprising worked really well.

Relationships: Similar to the emotions section, the relationships in this story fell flat for me. Avra has a complicated relationship with her sister, father, and caretaker (Mr. Stephens), and has a budding relationship with Penko, but it all just felt like set dressing to me.

Descriptions: The prose in this story is quite distracting and hard to follow. I found myself having to reread sentences several times and still not fully understanding what they meant. To contrast that, the dialogue often felt stilted and unnatural which made for a somewhat sludgey reading experience at first.

Engagement: Once I got past my hang-ups with the prose, I did move through the story relatively quickly and it did keep me engaged. 

Final thoughts: In spite of my gripes with the prose, I did enjoy the ending, the worldbuilding was interesting, and the back and forth of telling the story pre-revolt and during was an interesting framing device that worked well for this story. If you like space colonialism with a twist then this may be an interesting read.

The Council of Frogs (2023) - Matt Emmons

 

The Council of Frogs is a fantasy graphic novel that follows the journey of one brave little frog on a mission to deliver a message to a warlock that may be able to save his family.

This review may contain mild spoilers.

Opening thoughts: I stumbled upon this graphic novel at GenCon while I was admiring some of the author's risograph prints. He pitched it to me as "A frog goes on a journey to deliver a message to a warlock". And well, I was hooked. I don't read a ton of graphic novels, but I definitely plan on picking up more from this author.

Worldbuilding: The wider setting of this graphic novel is hinted at throughout that really makes the story feel like it's set in a fully realized world. It's a sort of dystopian feeling fantasy world where magic is ridiculed but there are still those who are trying to keep it's traditions alive.

Emotions: Our little frog hero has no dialogue, but the vast array of emotions Emmons is able to display on his tiny frog face is astounding. I found myself laughing, crying, and cheering on the frog and his allies each step of the way.

Intrigue: I absolutely love stories told from the perspective of a small creature, and Council of Frogs uses this framing device excellently. The little frog has no magic of his own, and only a small sword to defend himself, but he persists throughout and even when it seems like the world is against him and all hope is lost, he pushes through. The premise for this graphic novel is also just so fun to me, a fallen battle mage turning into a litch but instead of becoming evil he uses his magic to protect a family of frogs.

Relationships: This is a shorter story so there isn't a ton of time to expand upon relationships, but the way in which each character forms a bond with the frog is wonderfully done. As mentioned above, there is a litch caring for the frog and his family, and that is such a sweet and soft relationship for a character that has every right to be vengeful and angry.

Descriptions: The art in this graphic novel is beautiful. The pencil linework gives everything a very soft, cozy feel. The character design was one of my favorite things about it from the frogs and their litch father, to Gholkin (one of the frogs newfound allies), to the witch in the woods, to the warlock, every character is so unique with such cool designs.

Engagement: I had to force myself to slow down while reading this one. I easily could have finished it in one sitting, but I really wanted to savor it. Each chapter ends in a cliffhanger that pulls you into the next chapter with ease.

Final thoughts: I'm so glad I decided to pick this one up. Emmonds is an expert storyteller and a fantastic artist. The Council of Frogs feels very reminiscent to Mouse Guard with a fun twist on the setting and magic prevalent in the world.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (2021) - Becky Chambers

 

A Psalm for the Wild-Built is a nature-punk fantasy novella that follows Sibling Dex, a tea monk on a journey to discover what life has to offer them outside the walls of The City.

This review may contain mild spoilers.

Opening thoughts: This novella starts out with a little world building epigraph which I absolutely love and set my expectations very high (spoiler alert: they were met).

Worldbuilding: I really, really love the world in this one. I'm a sucker for anything nature-punk where nature has been allowed to reclaim what humans once destroyed. I'm very fond of the pantheon and the way followers of the gods interact with said pantheon. The lore behind the robots and their new role in the lore is also so wonderful.

Emotions: This story is cozy to the highest sense of the world. Even during tense moments it still has that underlying current of hope that lets you know everything is going to be okay. I cried more than once while reading. Chambers does an excellent job at really letting you feel what Dex is feeling.

Intrigue: The idea of a tea monk that spends their days listening to others problems while offering a carefully and thoughtfully crafted tea is just so lovely to me. Dex's internal struggle with this newfound life they've built for themself but still feeling like they're missing something is one I can deeply relate to and on top of all of the fantastic worldbuilding and descriptions is what really makes this story stand out for me.

Relationships: I adored the development of Sibling Dex's relationship with Splendid Speckled Mosscap, from cautious annoyance to genuine friendship. I'm a sucker for a gentle robot character and Mosscap is the most gentle robot you will ever find. Prior to descending into the wilderness, we get a glimpse at Dex's relationship with their tea patrons and I especially loved those tender moments of them helping each person through their struggles with tea and thoughtful words.

Descriptions: The descriptions in this story are so lush and rich. Chambers weaves together a beautiful world where humans have finally learned to live in harmony with nature. The scenes describing the forest reclaiming old, abandoned factories and buildings were some of my favorite

Engagement: This was a very quick read for me. I finished the entire second half in one sitting and then tried not to let the other coffee shop patrons see me cry.

Final thoughts: If you're looking for a cozy, nature-punk novella filled with lush descriptions and thoughtful worldbuilding then you shouldn't look much further than A Psalm for the Wild-Built. This book is like a warm hug in front of a campfire.