Roar Cat Reads

Tag: Science fiction

  • The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

    The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

    Genre | Science Fiction
    Page #s | 518
    Publishing Date | July 2014

    Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space-and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe-in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

    Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

    Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.

    Goodreads

    I don’t know how I slept on this Hugo award-winning queer science fiction novel that focuses on characterization and cultural worldbuilding over plot (my favorites), but I’m so glad I found it now! Every page of this book was a delight, and I can’t wait to continue with the rest of the Wayfarer series!

    The people on board the Wayfarer spaceship are the heart and soul of this book. There’s Rosemary, a human woman from Mars who serves as the ship’s clerk, and Captain Ashby, a human man having an illicit affair with a sapient race that forbids interspecies relationships. Kizzy and Jenks are the ship mechanics – Kizzy is a dizzying force of nature and Jenks has fallen in love with Lovey, the ship’s AI. Corbin is the cantakerous algae specialist (because spaceships run on algae, it’s incredible) and Dr. Chef is the doctor/chef (I love this book so much) whose six handfeet make short work of cooking. Then there’s the mysterious Ohan, who are a Pair merged with the Whisperer that allows them to see into subspace, and pilot Sissix, MY FAVORITE, an alien lizard species that thrives off of cuddling because of social bonding and also being cold-blooded.

    The crew is hired to build a tunnel from one end of the galaxy to the other, and the majority of the book takes place in the long space between destinations. We get to see the world through each character’s eyes as they stop at port cities, survive attacks, and meet each other’s families. Each alien culture is well thought out and interacts with each other in very realistic ways – although there is a feeling of progress to the story (things are definitely better in this future), there are still war criminals, prejudice and conflicting arguments about free will and sapient consciousness.

    This might be my favorite book of the year. Although I’m embarrassed to have not known about it for so long, I’m glad I’ve discovered the series after it’s finished so that I don’t have to wait to continue in Chambers’ world!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Not only does this book take advantage of space cultures to explore queer themes of identity, interpersonal relationships, and family, it also explicitly pairs a human woman and a female Aandrisk (lizard-type alien) in the beginnings of a polyamorous relationship. I honestly didn’t expect it, and when they started hooking up, I literally read every paragraph out loud to my girlfriend because I was so delighted.

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is the perfect book for anyone who is a fan of the TV show Firefly – aka anyone who loves sci-fi stories that focus on a small band of diverse people who become a found family to each other.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders

    Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders

    Genre | YA Science Fiction
    Page #s | 283
    Publishing Date | April 2021

    Tina never worries about being ‘ordinary’—she doesn’t have to, since she’s known practically forever that she’s not just Tina Mains, average teenager and beloved daughter. She’s also the keeper of an interplanetary rescue beacon, and one day soon, it’s going to activate, and then her dreams of saving all the worlds and adventuring among the stars will finally be possible. Tina’s legacy, after all, is intergalactic—she is the hidden clone of a famed alien hero, left on Earth disguised as a human to give the universe another chance to defeat a terrible evil.

    But when the beacon activates, it turns out that Tina’s destiny isn’t quite what she expected. Things are far more dangerous than she ever assumed. Luckily, Tina is surrounded by a crew she can trust, and her best friend Rachel, and she is still determined to save all the worlds. But first she’ll have to save herself.

    Buckle up your seatbelt for this thrilling sci-fi adventure set against an intergalactic war from international bestselling author Charlie Jane Anders.

    Goodreads

    Boasting some of the most creative sci-fi elements I’ve ever seen in a novel, I really wanted to like Victories Greater than Death. Unfortunately, the characters felt unrealistic and the plot felt like a series of events that the author wanted to happen rather than a cohesive series of consequences.

    Tina’s mother always told her that she was an alien with human DNA who was implanted with a rescue beacon in her chest. I kept waiting for this to be questioned by someone, but no, it is a fact that is accepted despite Earth having no previous contact with extraterrestrial beings. When the rescue beacon does, in fact, go off, Tina and her best friend Rachael are whisked into an interstellar adventure.

    There were many details that enthralled me and kept me reading. Some were pure creativity, like the Cydoghian egg burst, an alien meal that expands and contracts as you attempt to eat it. Others were politically creative, like the culture they come across that only allows people to participate in governmental leadership while pregnant (male or female) because they are then more likely to consider the future. I also love the queer expansion of a sci-fi trope, making the universal translator automatically include people’s pronouns when they introduce themselves.

    And then there was the legitimately creepy death goo coating the Big Bad’s hands. When he touches someone, they melt into a puddle. Even worse, everyone’s memory of that person is permanently tainted, leaving them with the belief that the deceased was a worthless, gross being. This is so cool and disturbing! Unfortunately, it also loses its bite, since Tina quickly realizes what has happened and constantly reminds herself that this feeling isn’t true.

    This is a YA book, but this lack of a bite is felt in a lot of ways, and I think the novel suffers for it. Tina and Rachael bring four other earthlings aboard the space ship before they book it into outer space. These four are explicitly meant to be the smartest students on the planet, but they’ve definitely never left the planet before. Nevertheless, it is our humans who save the day and stay alive while much more experienced creatures die in the emotional moments. Eventually it made me lose any fear of confrontations since I knew who would survive.

    I did enjoy reading this book, and as I said, the creativity is really fun. But I feel like it could have used another round of editing while asking, “Does it make sense for this person to say and/or do this right now?”

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Undoubtedly, the queerness of this book is the strongest point in its favor. In addition to my earlier mention about sharing pronouns being standardized, there are multiple nonbinary and trans characters in addition to multiple gay, pan, and queer characters, plus a description of a culture where polyamory is the norm.

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    This is a good book for someone who wants a light read and is more interested in world building than in plot.

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • 10 Underrated LGBTQ+ Books

    10 Underrated LGBTQ+ Books

    In general, queer literature tends to get less press than other genres, although increasingly, LGBTQ+ stories are getting the attention they deserve. Still, many excellent books are underrated on Goodreads (aka have less than 5,000 ratings). I wanted to give them a little extra love, and I hope you will too!

    Idea taken from Kat Impossible.

    10 Underrated LGBTQ+ Books

    Alice Payne Arrives by Kate Heartfield

    The Alice Payne novellas are time traveling adventures centered around women of color (one is queer) from different time periods. They are fun, feminist, and philosophical.

    Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

    A literary novel about a Nigerian mother and her twin daughters breaking apart and coming back together. It’s a book about love, travel, trauma, and the liminal space between mental health and spiritualism.

    Camp by L.C. Rosen

    An adorable YA novel about a diverse cast of queer kids attending a supportive summer camp. The premise is ridiculous (an effeminate gay teen goes masc to win over his crush) but handled with surprising care.

    The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith

    A beautiful fantasy graphic novel about two young twins who escape a royal slaughter into a magical convent for girls. One wants to get back to his life as a prince and reclaim his throne, while the other realizes she feels more herself as a girl and hesitates to leave this refuge.

    FINNA by Nino Cipri

    What if IKEA was a(n actual) dangerous labyrinth that passes through wormholes into different worlds? This delightful novella places two underpaid employees going through a breakup in life-or-death situations and, in the most queer story imaginable, centers on successfully rebuilding a relationship after romance.

    Flamer by Mike Curato

    A black and white YA graphic novel that uses color for emotional effect about a young Boy Scout coming to terms with his attraction to his bunkmate in honest, heartbreaking, and joyful scenes. His dreams of the two of them acting out fantasy romances are priceless!

    Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett

    Queer Shakespeare geeks rejoice! This short novel follows a post-The Tempest Miranda back to Milan where she must confront the ghosts of her past while navigating falling in love with a woman.

    Naamah by Sarah Blake

    If you’ve ever wished the Bible were gayer and more feminist, this is the book for you! Noah’s wife Naamah is given a voice as she struggles with living through a disaster that killed her female lover and wrestles with what it means to relate to the god who caused such tragedy.

    Trans-Galactic Bike Ride edited by Lydia Rogue

    A novella anthology of short stories centered on trans narratives and biking through space…weirdly specific and utterly delightful! I guarantee that some of the stories will be your flavour, though who knows which ones that will be.

    The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

    An excellent fantasy novel about a lesbian orc who works as a wizard’s assassin and struggles with her life’s meaning after fleeing a cult who wanted to sacrifice her to appease an ancient god. That should be all you need to know to be assured that this is so much fun!

    What underrated LGBTQIA+ books do you want to boost?
    Leave a comment and let everyone know about them!

  • Alice Payne Rides by Kate Heartfield

    Alice Payne Rides by Kate Heartfield

    Alice Payne returns in the thrilling sequel to Kate Heartfield’s Alice Payne Arrives.

    After abducting Arthur of Brittany from his own time in 1203, thereby creating the mystery that partly prompted the visit in the first place, Alice and her team discover that they have inadvertently brought the smallpox virus back to 1780 with them.

    Searching for a future vaccine, Prudence finds that the various factions in the future time war intend to use the crisis to their own advantage.

    Can the team prevent an international pandemic across time, and put history back on its tracks? At least until the next battle in the time war…

    Goodreads

    Whereas the first novella in this series focused primarily on two alternating threads featuring Alice Payne and Prudence Zuniga respectively, the sequel has much more of an adventure team feel. I loved getting more time with Jane Hogdson and Constable Wray Auden. They’re all in the know where time travel is concerned, and I found it uniquely delightful to read about time travelers who are (mostly) from the 1780s. It’s such a fun juxtaposition to have futuristic tech in a historical setting.

    I also thought it was unique and clever of Heartfield to dwell on the ramifications of time travel and disease transmission. The group hops through time and accidentally brings smallpox home, then has to jump forward to get a vaccine, and of course – hijinks! For anyone with COVID fatigue, please be assured that this is neither an overwhelming part of the book nor is it portrayed with much fear. I had just never seen a book about time travel address the fact that it would be super easy to screw history up with a sneeze.

    Like Alice Payne Arrives, the science fiction aspects of the story are just outside of my understanding, but not so much that it affects the joy of the story. The characters are what really matter here, and watching them accidentally gather a motley crew of abandoned historical footnotes (there would have been an actual King Arthur if not for their meddling!) at Alice’s English estate. I hope we get to see more of them in the future!

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Alice Payne Arrives by Kate Heartfield

    Alice Payne Arrives by Kate Heartfield

    A disillusioned major, a highwaywoman, and a war raging across time.

    It’s 1788 and Alice Payne is the notorious highway robber, the Holy Ghost. Aided by her trusty automaton, Laverna, the Holy Ghost is feared by all who own a heavy purse.

    It’s 1889 and Major Prudence Zuniga is once again attempting to change history―to save history―but seventy attempts later she’s still no closer to her goal.

    It’s 2016 and . . . well, the less said about 2016 the better!

    But in 2020 the Farmers and the Guides are locked in battle; time is their battleground, and the world is their prize. Only something new can change the course of the war. Or someone new.

    Little did they know, but they’ve all been waiting until Alice Payne arrives.

    Goodreads

    Alice Payne Arrives is a fun novella about women of color being awesome during all time periods. Alice is an 18th century Englishwoman who has a side hobby of robbing men who are known to be rapists or wifebeaters with the help of her lady lover’s automaton. Prudence is a 22nd century teleosopher (someone who studies the way time travel changes history) with a drastic plan to end the History War.

    I’ll be honest, the nuances of time travel usually go over my head, so what I’m looking for in a time travel story is interesting characters (mentioned above) and something thought-provoking. In the future, time travelers are divided between Farmers and Misguideds. Prudence is a Farmer, the more conservative group that believes history should be altered with care. The Misguideds (“No one is wrong, the Farmer’s creed declared. Only misguided.”) are more liberal, traveling throughout history to nudge people into more progressive timelines, usually with negative effects.

    I was surprised at first, as I assumed that the book was therefore anti-progressive. That’s not it at all, though. The book is anti-extremism. As the two groups further entrenched themselves in their viewpoints, traveling throughout history to counteract the other group’s actions, time spiraled out of control into chaos. Reactionary extremism is a very salient topic nowadays, and not one I expected to find in a sci-fi novella!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Alice is explicitly bisexual and is in a secret relationship with Jane, her companion and a talented scientist. They are in an established relationship, and I am astounded at home much depth their relationship is given in such a short novel (I keep mentioning this fact – I wish the story were longer!).

    I mean, how can you not love a book that includes one lady saying to another: “Kiss me, and then take my hand, because I don’t know what happens next.”

    I’ve already got the second book, Alice Payne Rides on hold. I can’t wait to read it!

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Trans-Galactic Bike Ride edited by Lydia Rogue

    Trans-Galactic Bike Ride edited by Lydia Rogue

    Genre | Anthology of Science Fiction Short Stories
    Page #s | 156
    Publishing Date | December 2020

    What would the future look like if we weren’t so hung up on putting people into boxes and instead empowered each other to reach for the stars? Take a ride with us as we explore a future where trans and nonbinary people are the heroes.

    In worlds where bicycle rides bring luck, a minotaur needs a bicycle, and werewolves stalk the post-apocalyptic landscape, nobody has time to question gender. Whatever your identity you’ll enjoy these stories that are both thought-provoking and fun adventures.

    Featuring brand-new stories from Hugo, Nebula, and Lambda Literary Award-winning author Charlie Jane Anders, Ava Kelly, Juliet Kemp, Rafi Kleiman, Tucker Lieberman, Nathan Alling Long, Ether Nepenthes, and Nebula-nominated M. Darusha Wehm. Also featuring debut stories from Diana Lane and Marcus Woodman.

    Goodreads

    I don’t typically like anthologies of short stories, but apparently I just needed to read short stories about space bikes with trans narratives! Each story was unique, from werewolves and mailmen to launching a bike into space like a rocket, but the anthology was edited perfectly into a cohesive whole with, well, bikes and trans characters!

    This is a book that distinctly feels written for a trans audience. That isn’t to say I felt excluded in any way! It was saturated in trans themes and issues, and it wasn’t going to pander to my ignorance. It was my job to do the work to keep up, and I really enjoyed doing so!

    I was constantly amazed at how most of the books I read AREN’T aimed at trans audiences. The casual mentions of dysphoria during pregnancy, of partners reminding each other to take their meds, or noticing a woman’s legs because the protagonist just increased their testosterone level made me realize how so many essential details of a trans person’s life are erased in most literature. Of course, every book doesn’t need to cover every person’s perspective, but I am now fully on board for a huge increase in books featuring trans and non-binary characters. Emphasis on plural, since one of the most revolutionary things about this anthology is that more characters are trans than not. Down with tokenism!

    It’s hard to choose a favorite story, but two that have stuck with me are Juliet Kemp’s “Riding for Luck,” which captured the magical feeling of timing your ride to hit all green lights in such an evocative way and the final story “Beyond” by Nathan Alling Long. It felt perfect, after ten other short stories made of excellence, for the book to end with a story of trans people biking away from earth and saying, “We’re not coming back, but you can join us if you want to!”

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    Trans-Galactic Bike Ride is a great gift for your favorite sci-fi geek who needs a break from books that double as bricks.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

    Find more books nominated for Lambda Literary Awards reviewed here.

  • FINNA by Nino Cipri

    FINNA by Nino Cipri

    Genre | Science Fiction Novella
    Page #s | 136
    Publishing Date | February 2020

    When an elderly customer at a big box furniture store slips through a portal to another dimension, it’s up to two minimum-wage employees to track her across the multiverse and protect their company’s bottom line. Multi-dimensional swashbuckling would be hard enough, but our two unfortunate souls broke up a week ago.

    Can friendship blossom from the ashes of a relationship? In infinite dimensions, all things are possible.

    Goodreads

    I tore through Finna, an excellent novella about two exes who have to travel through IKEA-esque multiverses to rescue a lost woman. By turns exciting, horrific, and wondrous, this story left me both satisfied and wanting more.

    Ava starts the book in an anxiety spiral about seeing Jules, her ex, at work LitenVärld, an unsubtle analogue for IKEA. When someone’s grandmother goes missing, the by-the-rules manager drags out a VCR to show the company’s policy on unexpected tears in the universe. Those with least seniority are sent in with a FINNA, a device to track people lost in the wormhole, which means Ava and Jules have to venture in together.

    As the story progresses, we learn why their relationship imploded. Watching them deconstruct what broke them apart while using those same characteristics to survive a strange adventure is incredibly satisfying. The stakes were high, and their increased understanding and appreciation of each other never felt trite. This isn’t about them getting back together. It’s about growing beyond the pain and easy answers.

    The two make these self-discoveries while wandering through various alternate IKEAs – I mean, LitenVärlds. One world has carnivorous furniture, another accepts payment in blood at the store restaurant, and another is a submarine market. I thoroughly enjoyed these creative (and sometimes horrific) iterations of one of my favorite box stores, but the end made the hints toward an expanded multiverse that sounds even better.

    I’m desperate for more, which is why I’ve already put Defekt on hold at the library. Nino Cipri is an excellent writer, and I can’t wait to see what else they have up their sleeve!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Ava and Jules are in a queer relationship. Jules identifies as trans/non-binary, the story deftly includes their frustration at being misgendered by customers or the horrible boss’s awkward attempts to use any pronouns out of a refusal to try the singular “they.” It is also strongly implied that Jules’ recklessness is fueled by their wonder at having lived to be twenty-five as a trans immigrant of colour. The queerness of it all is interwoven flawlessly, and can I just say: more non-binary dashing heroes, please!

    Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

    Finna is the perfect gift for someone who loves a quirky hook (wormholes in IKEA) and appreciates a short story with a emotional punch.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

    Find more books nominated for Lambda Literary Awards reviewed here.

  • Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

    Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

    The Emperor needs necromancers.

    The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

    Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

    Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.

    Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

    Of course, some things are better left dead.

    Goodreads

    Reading Gideon the Ninth for the first time is a chaotic dump of dense entertainment; Rereading Gideon the Ninth is a masterpiece. The first time through, it took me about 100 pages to be fully invested in the story, though Gideon’s brash attitude and compelling internal voice (and external, to be clear) endeared me to her immediately. Still, it wasn’t until Gideon and Harrow left home for the challenges in Canaan House with other necromancers and cavaliers that I became fully invested. The second time through? I was all in, immediately!

    These girls! Gideon and Harrow are giant messes, and Harrow in particular is legitimately nasty. And yet I love them with my whole shattered heart! Muir’s characterization skills are flawless, and with each additional character she just keeps showing off by creating unique, fully realized people. Dulcinea! Palamedes! The aggrieved teens! Magnus and Abigail! Literally just everyone (except for you, Eighth House).

    I am not, and have never been, a goth lesbian, but WOW does this book make a compelling case. Admittedly. there is a lot of body horror in the story (skeletons galore, beasties and monsters made of bits of people), but Gideon’s upbeat personality makes it all bearable, and this is coming from a Very Squeamish Person. Gore aside, the worldbuilding of a magical system entirely centered on death is incredible. The fact that there are nine houses, each with a different way of manipulating necromantic powers, is truly mind blowing. The religion that is shared but practiced differently on each planet is morbid and wonderful, and I loved the reveal that the heavy-handed religiosity that we are introduced to via Harrow is considered archaic by the other houses.

    Okay, okay, let’s get into the plot. Necromancers and their cavaliers are sent to a mysterious house to solve the mystery of immortality – aka lyctorhood. Everyone immediately assumes it is a competition, which is ridiculously paranoid. Eventually the monsters force some to work together, but maybe the true monster is within the group?? It is a little slow to start, but as I said before, there is a LOT of information being laid out that becomes super important in both this book and the next (so much talk of eyeballs!). It is a wild romp, and I love everyone and everything about it.

    What Make This Book Queer?

    Gideon is a horny repressed jock lesbian, and she has got crushes on everyone – Dulcinea the sweet sick woman, Coronobeth the hottie, and Harrow the archnemesis! This book is fanfic tropes come to glorious life, and we do not deserve it.

    The relationship between Gideon and Harrow is particularly satisfying. They grew up together and they have MAJOR beef with each other. However, if you are a fan of enemies-to-lovers, then my friend. You will be delighted. I love a story with a “I hate you! OMG, you might be dead, NOOOO!” realization. They are traumatized by the slightest vulnerability in each other, and it is satisfying at a bone-deep level to watch them start to work together, respect each other, and trust each other.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • All Systems Red by Martha Wells

    All Systems Red by Martha Wells

    In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

    But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

    On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid—a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

    But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

    Goodreads

    Martha Wells has written a series of novellas and occasional novels about Murderbot, a security robot that I adore. I mean, how can you not immediately fall in love with a character and a story that begins with “I’m a murderbot, but instead of murdering I’ve watched 35,000 hours of tv.”

    All Systems Red is a fun sci-fi adventure story about a group of scientists on an unexpectedly hostile planet, whose work is being sabotaged for some unknown reason. But the plot is entirely secondary to the character of Murderbot, whose hacked governor module allows it to think and act freely. Since it is essentially made of weapons, this is highly illegal. The joy of the book comes from Murderbot slowly having to open up and trust the team it’s been hired to protect. Relationships? Feelings? AGH.

    “Talk to Murderbot about it’s feelings? The idea was so painful I dropped to 97% efficiency.”

    Murderbot reads like someone who has social anxiety or is on the autism spectrum. It hates having its face exposed so that everyone can see its expressions, and despite its increasing fondness for the team, it would feel a lot more comfortable if it could just watch its soap operas alone, thank you very much.

    This book is super short, so there is no excuse not to read it. Please do so immediately – it is very nearly perfect.

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Murderbot describes itself as having no gender or sexual parts, which is perhaps not unusual in a robot. However, Murderbot truly seems to be written as queer, specifically agender and asexual. While watching its serials, Murderbot says that it fast forwards through sex scenes, then explicitly clarifies that this would likely be the case even if it had sexual parts.

    Side note: The audiobook that I listened to was read by a man, which felt very heteronormative. Most sci-fi books about sentient robots are male-coded, so I get it. But when the text intentionally challenges this assumption, it would have been nice for the audiobook to have been read by someone who identifies as genderqueer.

    That’s not the only queer thing about All Systems Red, though. The series is set in a future that embraces relationships of all kinds. During one scene, Murderbot describes the team it works for as a hodge podge of crushes and relationships that transcend genders. Toward the end of the book, established triads are also mentioned.

    Basically, the queerness of the Murderbot series is baked into the world, and I can’t wait for real life to catch up.

    Want more? Check out this interview with Martha Wells.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

    More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

    Part Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, part Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Adam Silvera’s extraordinary debut confronts race, class, and sexuality during one charged near-future summer in the Bronx.

    Sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto is struggling to find happiness after a family tragedy leaves him reeling. He’s slowly remembering what happiness might feel like this summer with the support of his girlfriend Genevieve, but it’s his new best friend, Thomas, who really gets Aaron to open up about his past and confront his future.

    As Thomas and Aaron get closer, Aaron discovers things about himself that threaten to shatter his newfound contentment. A revolutionary memory-alteration procedure, courtesy of the Leteo Institute, might be the way to straighten himself out. But what if it means forgetting who he truly is?

    Goodreads

    I can’t say I liked this book, but I’m so glad I read it and I want everyone in the world to read More Happy Than Not.  I read the entire thing in one night: it was wholly engrossing, and then the plot kicked me upside the head and I learned a new kind of desperation for MUST READ.  This is not a feel-good book, but it might leave you feeling….no I can’t do the cheesy “more happy than not” line.  Because honestly, I closed the book feeling more UNhappy than not.  I tend to expect my YA books to have happily ever after endings, and this one was serious is a wonderful but disconcerting way.  

    More Happy Than Not is an intersectional LGBTQ+ novel, telling the story of young gay teenagers who live in poverty as people of color.  I really appreciated Silvera opening my eyes to the stories of men like Aaron…even though this is also, technically science fiction.

    And isn’t that so cool??  That I would wait until the end of the second paragraph to mention that there’s a sci-fi element, the Leteo Institute, which can alter and erase people’s memories.  Silvera masterfully creates a not-too-distant future that, for once, is far more about the things that are similar to our time than about the differences.  I found it really refreshing to read a book that wasn’t up in my face about Cool New Ideas and Technologies.  It made the sci-fi elements more believable, because if they were normal….people wouldn’t insist on talking about them 24/7.

    Anyway, this book will break your heart, make you think, and blow your mind.  So obviously–go read it!

    Originally posted on my blog www.itistrish.com.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!