The Nome King and The Shroud (2024) - Tim Pratt

 

The Nome King and The Shroud by Tim Pratt is a scifi novella about Earth colonists aboard The Nome King, sent into space in search of a new home for humans. When the ship's AI Tugboat comes across a strange anomaly not too far from their final destination, they wake Mahza Sun, a troublesolver, from her stasis to consult on what to do next. 

This novella was reviewed during the first round of SFINCS3.

This review may contain minor spoilers.

Worldbuilding: The worldbuilding in this story isn't too expansive, but there's certainly enough there to scratch my itch. It's set in a distant future where Earth has fallen away to climate disaster and colonists have been shot into space (much like a very smart bullet, as the author puts it) in arc ships. The alien anomaly they encounter is based upon in the real world Dyson Sphere theory which I thought was a lot of fun. I'd classify this somewhere in between soft and hard scifi, where everything that happens sounds logical enough (at least to someone who's knowledge of space and physics is rudimentary at best), but you aren't bogged down too much with the specifics as to make it overwhelming.

Emotions: I found this story incredibly funny. The prose was witty, and both AIs we encounter have an uncanny knack for humor. I was laughing out loud more than once while reading, but there were certainly some shocking and somber moments that tugged at my heartstrings. Pratt does an excellent job at making you care deeply about The Nome King/Tugboat and their little probe children. I had a slightly harder time forming an emotional connection to the human characters, but I think that was partly due to the limited word count and need to spend more time in the Nome King's perspective that gave them less room to breathe. I easily could have read 50,000 more words of this story.

Intrigue: There is an overarching mystery throughout this story regarding what happened to the original inhabitants of The Shroud (the name for the Dyson Sphere the main characters encounter). It's a somewhat predictable plotline, but that didn't necessarily take away from my enjoyment while reading and it wrapped up with a very satisfying ending. 

Relationships: The most important relationship in this story was that of the humans to the Nome King. There is a constant back and forth of distrust but still having compassion for the other on both sides. Nome King struggles with their loyalty to the humans and newfound friendship in The Shroud, with all of it clouded by their anger at being trapped behind safeguards for so long. The humans fear Nome King, but they also love them and don't want to believe that they would be betrayed by the AI they had built and who had carried them safely through space for so long. I would also be remiss to not mention the inclusion of lesbian relationship that while it wasn't a major focus of the plot was nice to see.

Descriptions: The prose was lovely and I think Pratt did an excellent job at conveying the sheer size of The Shroud and describing the terrain of the inner sphere. The dialogue of the human characters was a bit lacking at times, feeling a little awkward or stilted. The dialogue between the AI characters, however, was a delight to read.

Engagement: I absolutely devoured this story, finishing it in one day. It was a very easy read that kept me hooked the whole time.

Final thoughts: Overall, this was a very fun read. If you enjoy killer AIs, humans just trying to survive in a worst case scenario, and excellent comedic timing then I highly recommend you pick up The Nome King and The Shroud.

The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere (2025) - Helen Whistberry

 

The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere  by Helen Whistberry tells the tale of an adventurer washed ashore on a strange island after they've been shipwrecked. The inhabitants of this island are even stranger, but Avery has been gravely injured and is content enough to explore this island of circles as they heal (as long as they aren't too much of a burden on their strange but friendly hosts).

This novella was reviewed during the first round of SFINCS3.

This review may contain minor spoilers.

Worldbuilding: The island that Avery finds themself washed ashore on is a strange place of circles, killer crabs, forest giants, tower dwelling beings the likes of Cousin It, gilded children, and townsfolk who would rather trade their wares for a new story than money. Much of what we learn and see of this island is through Avery's eyes, which leaves you with a lot of questions, but I honestly think that works for this story. We don't need to know how everything works, just how Avery feels about it.

Emotions: Avery is a very autistic coded character (and I believe Whistberry has confirmed this as canon in posts on their social media) and they view everything through a very analytical and scientific lense. As an autistic person myself, I found them incredibly relatable, especially when they had conflicting emotions regarding their situation and how they felt about different characters. This story certainly dredged up my emotions and there is one scene in particular between Avery and Theda (their host with the bountiful locks) that absolutely ripped my heart out.

Intrigue: I talked a bit about the strangeness of this island already but that is one of the big things that drew me in to this story. I was constantly theorizing as to the nature of the island, what was actually happening to Avery (much as they wonder themselves), and what the intentions of Theda and Anchor (the gilded child) were. While I'll keep my theories to myself as to not spoil anything too much, I will say that I absolutely did not see the ending coming (it was a wonderful twist).

Relationships: In such a short wordcount it can be difficult to fully develop characters relationships, and while at time I wish we were able to see Avery spend a bit more time with each character, the development of their relationship and understanding to each inhabitant of the island progressed very naturally. In particular, I loved Avery's conversations with Zaza the giant.

Descriptions: While it's not usually a narration style I'm a fan of, I absolutely loved the almost Jane Austen like manner in which Avery spoke and narrated their story. It really seated the story in time for me and added this extra layer that really made the descriptions sing. The illustrations that preceded each chapter were so much fun and I was thrilled when it was revealed that the illustrations were diagetic.

Engagement: This was one of those stories that I really wanted to savor and read more slowly. I easily could have finished it in one or two sittings but I wanted to sit with each chapter and think about the interactions between the characters or the events Avery had just been through. Even so, I absolutely tore through the last 20% of the book.

Final thoughts: I had a blast reading this story. Every character was so full of life and I loved Avery (and dear Soot the cat) as a main character. If you love stories with a strong voice, fantastical settings, and a plot that never quite lets you know where it’s going to turn next then I’d highly recommend this novella.

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.

Book Review: Imbued (2024) - Helyna L. Clove

 

Imbued is a dark fantasy following Calla, a servant in Kiriong. Her quiet life life is uprooted when Gray, a magehunter, returns home and the magic deep within Calla rears its head.

Unfamiliar with the WEIRDE  reviews system? Check out this post to learn more.

This review may contain mild spoilers.

Opening thoughts: I've read Skylark in the Fog, also by Clove, previously and absolutely adored it, so I knew I was in for a treat when I picked up Imbued. This is a story full of heart with characters that you really want to root for the whole way through.

Worldbuilding: I thoroughly enjoyed the worldbuilding in this book. Clove does an excellent job at fully immersing you in the world and expertly weaving in tidbits that both hint at the plot to come and the greater world around the characters. I really loved the backdrop of a world still recovering from the damage caused by foolhardy mages.

Emotions: Calla goes through it and I just want to bundle her up and tell her everything will be okay (will it though????). There's this constant back and forth of Calla hating and fearing the magic within her but also wanting to learn more about it, and Clove does an excellent job at pulling you into Calla's inner psyche as she struggles with this. The prose is at times very poetic, and I think that lends wonderfully to allowing the reader to really feel alongside Calla.

Intrigue: I was a huge fan of the dichotomy between the nature gods worshipped in Kiriong and the ancient, long dead Luor. I also absolutely love what Clove did with flashbacks and dreams in Imbued. We slowly figure out with Calla what happened to her in her past, and what the magic inside her truly is.

Relationships: The relationship between Calla and Gray is a complex, twisted thing built, at first, on distrust and survival instincts, but it slowly (ever so slowly) blossoms into a mutual understanding and, eventually, something more. I would have loved to have a couple Gray POV chapters to really get into his head, but even seeing him through Calla's POV it's wonderful to watch his and Calla's transformation as they grow closer. I really hope things work out for them because I think they just deserve love and happiness :') I also really loved Calla rediscovering the friendship she once had with Aesh and the complex emotions that dredges up for her. There's quite a large cast of background characters in Kiriong, and while I sometimes forgot some of their names, I think Clove did an excellent job at establishing Calla's relationship to each of them.

Descriptions: Imbued is full of incredibly rich descriptions that really transport you into the moment. I found myself lost within its pages more than once while I was reading. Clove masterfully weaves in sensory details that, combined with the first person narration, allow you to see the world through Calla's eyes.

Engagement: This is one of those books that took me a while to read, not because it was slow but because I wanted to savor every chapter. The pacing starts out gradual, as Calla begins to train with Gray and learn more about her magic, and then it ramps up at exactly the right moment and takes off at a break-neck speed towards the end. I was engrossed at every moment while reading.

Final thoughts: This was a wonderfully heartbreaking read. The characters all had an incredible depth that really made them come alive on the page and the world is rich and unique. Calla's internal struggle with her relationship towards magic and the outer forces working against her created a fantastic reading experience. I can't wait to see what happens in book two.