Carmen Dula is back in books two and three in this excellent introduction to science fiction adventure.

In the first book, Marsbound, Carmen was a young teen whose family was a part of the colonization effort on Mars. Soon she meets a race of Martians only to discover that the Martians were placed on Mars by an ancient and powerful alien race. The Martians are used as an advanced warning system for developing civilizations, in this case humanity.

In Starbound Carmen and a small crew are sent on an interstellar voyage at near light speed to meet with the ancient race. The meeting however does not go well. And now Earth must face drastic consequences the ancient aliens’ tests.

In Earthbound Carmen’s adventures continue on the planet she used to call home. Earth has been decimated by the aliens and left a pre-19th century state where no electricity or advanced technology works. Now humanity is faced with it’s own worst enemy, themselves, as people fight and kill over scarce resources. The whole while the ancient aliens are watching how humanity behaves and judging if humans have the privilege to exist.

The Carmen Dula books are highly engaging, short, and most of all fun sci-fi series. I recommend the series to anyone who loves sci-fi or those who are new to the genre. The series is marketed at adults ( although has some YA appeal), so there are references to physical intimacy, and mild language. Therefore it is generally appropriate for ages 16 and up.

Fables is a great comic book series that is about all your favorite fairy tale characters, but with a twist. The characters are real and the live in New York.

The premise of the series is that an enemy who has not named has taken over all of the kingdoms where the fairy tale characters traditionally lived and so they escaped by moving to our world where they try to hide in plain sight. Most of the characters can get by posing as human but some, like the three little pigs, cannot. So there is a farm in the country that is a refuge for all the magical animals.

The first collection deals with the murder of Rose Red, Snow White’s lesser known sister. The Big Bad Wolf investigates the case and rounds up a list of suspects of very well known fairy tale characters. In the second collection the magical animals on the farm revolt and try to fight for their freedom as well as to reclaim their magical lands.

If you like fairy tales, or need a different kind of comic to read then Fables may be right for you. It is a bit violent at times, so I am recommending this for ages 14 and up.

Note: This is a reboot of H. Beam Piper’s Fuzzy Series, sort of in the same vein of how the Star Trek universe was rebooted in its latest movie.

Jack Holloway is one of many independent prospectors employed by a large corporation, ZaraCorp, to discover anything of value within the ground of Zara XXIII, a planet that whose mineral and oil rights belong to ZaraCorp. Holloway is a loner, a recluse, and most of all a jerk. On his latest expedition, Holloway discover a lucrative sunstone seam. However he had to blow up most of a cliff to get at it. His actions are against environmental regulations and promptly gets him fired, but when he explains to his boss about the sunstones he is rehired and given a bigger cut of the potential payout. Holloway is easily going to be set for life.

But a problem awaits for him back at his home. A small, fuzzy, native creature has somehow figured a way in the house and is causing all sorts of terror. Holloway and his dog corner the creature and soon he is luring the animal out with gifts of food. But something about the creature rubs Holloway wrong. The animal was smart, maybe even smarter than a dog. The next day the creature is back and has brought his family. Soon Holloway is considering the creatures may be sapient, which means the are intelligent and self-aware like humans. If the creatures are people so to speak, then Holloway can kiss his new sunstone seam goodbye. Colonial regulations call for ZaraCorp to stop exploiting all of the planets resources and leave in order for the resources to be used by the planets native sapient species. But Holloway isn’t quite willing to walk away from lots and lots of money. And Zaracorp would stoop as low as genocide to keep their profits.

Can a jerk be redeemed? Can Holloway discover a way to make money and protect his new fuzzy companions? Or will Holloway idly watch as genocide occurs because he is making tons of money?

Fuzzy Nation is an excellent fun, and humorous sci-fi romp. I highly recommend it for anyone who like classic sci-fi, or someone looking for an sleek adventure story with an environmental twist. Fuzzy Nation is appropriate for all ages, but can be found in adult sci-fi.

Kvothe is a young boy who lives amongst a traveling troupe of performers. His parents lead the band of actors, musicians, and entertainers. His parents even write their own songs. His father is working on a specific song about ancient times and dark enemies. Also amongst the group is Kvothe’s best friend, an arcanist named Ben who educates him about the world and even common magic. Kvothe is inspired to learn all he can and longs to study at the University to become an arcanist as well.

But one day Kvothe decides to explore a nearby woods. Upon his return he discovers the whole troupe including his parents murdered. Seven unnatural men sit amongst the ruins and the flames, the Chandrian. These are the boogeymen that parents tell their children about. They shouldn’t be real. But they are and have slaughtered Kvothe’s family and friends for a purpose: they want to keep knowledge about themselves secret, especially anyone who would write a song about them.

They leave Kvothe alive and disappear as quickly as they came. With no money, friends, or family Kvothe becomes a street urchin in a nearby city. He steals food to eat, and sleeps on roofs. His life is all but meaningless. But he still dreams of the University. There he knows he can learn magic, and even ancient power like the name of the wind. By knowing somethings true name you can control it. Kvothe figures if he can learn this special kind of magic then he track down the secret the Chandrian are trying to keep secret.

But what will it take to turn a homeless boy into a wizard? How can he afford school? How can he even compete with students who are older, wiser, and above all richer then him? Kvothe will have to rely on his determination, ingenuity and a bit of luck to see his dreams come true.

The Name of the Wind is one of my favorite books; one that I have read multiple times. I recommend it for anyone who loves fantasy and magic or giant epic adventures. It is a big book, but once I started reading i found it very hard to put down. It is appropriate for ages 14 and up.

It is 1880 and the American Civil War has been raging for 20 years. Zeke is a young boy who lives in the Outskirts, a ramshackle town outside of the 200 foot tall wall that encircles downtown Seattle. What Zeke wants most in his life is to know what happened to his father.

Sixteen years ago Zeke’s father, Dr. Levi Blue, invented a mining machine called the Boneshaker. While testing the machine, Levi lost control of it and drilled deep holes under most of Seattle. The whole financial district physically collapsed and mass hysteria ensued. But no one noticed the Blight until is was too late. The Blight is an underground gas that was released by the Boneshaker’s runaway drilling. Odorless and colorless (unless viewed through polarized glass) the Blight rots everything it touches and poisons any human who breathes it. Once dead from the Blight, the corpses rise again to devour human flesh. The only way to stop the zombies and the escaping gas was to build a barrier between Seattle and the rest of the world.

Everyone blames Levi Blue for the disaster and shuns Zeke and his mother, Briar. They live hand to mouth but Zeke wants more from his life. The only way to get away from all the blame is to find out what really happened with his father, and if possible prove his innocence. Unfortunately, his mother won’t speak about the past. Zeke makes up his mind and decides to brave the Blight and the zombies and go into the poisoned part of Seattle. What he doesn’t know is that people still thrive behind the wall, especially an evil scientist named Dr. Minnericht, who is known for his wonderful inventions; inventions that rival the Boneshaker. Most of all what he doesn’t know is that his mother will chase after him and risk her own life to make sure he is safe. A  mother and a son will have to brave their ways across the city in order to find one another and ultimately the truth of what happened sixteen years ago. But between the zombie horde and Minnericht’s henchmen they might not stand much of a chance at all.

Boneshaker is an excellent  book, and a wonderful story of family and adventure. It is a must read for steampunk fans. It is appropriate for all ages. and highly recommended.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Alexia is a 26 year old spinster in Victorian London. She is unmarried because her social life suffers because she loves to read and that she has Italian heritage. Alexia doesn’t mind her spinster lifestyle. It gives her plenty of time to study further and talk to her vampire and werewolf friends who are an integral part of society in England.

However one evening, while chaperoning her eligible younger sisters at a party,  Alexia encounter a very hungry vampire who actually tries to feed off of her. It is just socially unacceptable and downright rude for a vampire to just try to feed on anybody. But to make matters worse the vampire doesn’t seem to know who Alexia is, or what she can do. She happens to be the only preternatural in all of Great Britain. She has the ability to nullify any supernatural traits by just a mere touch. So if a vampire tried to bite her, he would suddenly find himself without fangs and totally human.

Alexia must assume that the young vampire is ignorant of her standing amongst supernaturals. When he fails to stop his attempts of biting her she must must fight back. She winds up staking the vampire with her parasol and a wooden hair pin. Now she has a dead vampire on her hands and has unconsciously thrust herself in a supernatural mystery. It turns out that rove vampire are being created but not by any of the local vampire hives. She must help the Queen’s supernatural task force in uncovering the perpetrators.

Unfortunately this means she must work with Lord Maccon, a werewolf of the aristocracy, and someone she finds very attractive. The feeling is surprisingly mutual. How can she do her job and navigate the social rituals of courtship at the same time? She won’t have to worry for long because the villains have found a better test subject for experimentation then rove vampires, namely Alexia and her preternatural powers.

Soulless is a delightful, witty, and quick read. I recommend it for fans of urban fantasy and Jane Austen. It is appropriate for ages 16 and up due to one sex scene towards the end of the book.

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

Eleven years ago your friends performed a ritual where they purposefully sent you to Hell. Once there you were forced to fight monsters, demons, and anything else Hell could throw at you. You survived. Then one day you escaped back to Earth.

If you were Sandman Slim you would want revenge on those so-called friends. Unfortunately you just can’t go around slaughtering people like you can in Hell. First of all it draws unwanted attention. Plus there is the fact that you have been out of touch with the world for eleven years. You don’t even know how to work a cell phone, or navigate the world in the 21st century. Fortunately you have a few remaining friends who will help you through the transition to this new world; friends like an immortal alchemist or the disembodied head of an enemy.

Sandman Slim is a great mashup of urban fantasy and detective stories along the lines of the Dresden Files. Fans of supernatural action will not want to miss this beginning of an awesome new series.

Highly recommended and appropriate for ages 16 and up.

Marsbound by Joe Haldeman

Carmen Dula isn’t your typical high-schooler. Her family has been chosen to go to Mars and live underground in the human colony there. But the future isn’t so far off from life today. She still goes to school, but through VR (virtual reality), tries to be independent, and explores dating (which is hard to do on a space ship with very few people). After the 6 month trip to Mars, life is pretty much the same, except the colony leader really dislikes children and particularly Carmen. So whether you are on Earth or the frontier of Mars life is pretty humdrum.

That is until you go for a midnight stroll by yourself, fall into a hidden chasm, and are saved by Martians.

Now Carmen is at the center of the first contact with an aliens, and her life will never be humdrum again. So not only the colonists, but all of Earth, want to meet the potato shaped life-forms with four legs. And the Potato people of Mars want to meet the people of Earth too because they have a message. The Martians have been watching us for a long time, and they were on Mars first. Carmen will have to unravel the mystery of the Martians because the future of humanity may hang in the balance.

Marsbound is a great introduction to sci-fi adventure. It isn’t quite hard sci-fi, but has enough science behind it to help add depth to the adventure. This book is recommended for anyone who needs a good start in traditional space adventure stories. Appropriate for ages 16 and up due to some mature themes, such as sex and relationships.

Postscript:

Just finished the sequel book, Starbound. It is just as excellent as the first!

Irredeemable Volume 1 by Mark Waid and Peter Krause

Everyone knows Superman and his amazing powers. But what if Superman became a villain instead a hero? What would it take to turn the greatest of heroes into an embodiment of evil?

This is the question that Irredeemable attempts to answer. The Plutonian is a Superman-esque superhero: he can fly, has invulnerability and superhuman strength, and heat vision. He is the greatest of all heroes. But yet for reasons unknown he throws it all away. First he levels the city he has worked to protect his whole life. Hardly anyone is spared, millions are dead. Then he begins to hunt down his former superhero allies. Alone none of the world’s superheroes could ever stop the Plutonian. So they need to work together to find out why the Plutonian has gone bad, and if he can be saved. But how do you go about fighting a supervillian that can hear everything going on in the world, or who can be anywhere in an instant? And sadly, as the body count rises, this hero may truly be irredeemable. May he show mercy to the world.

Irredeemable is an interesting superhero morality tale. If you ever wondered what would happen if your favorite hero went bad this book is for you. But just to warn you this has a lot of violence and some adult themes so it is not for the faint of heart. Highly recommended and appropriate for ages 16 and up.

Bite Me: A Love Story by Christopher Moore

A lot of things have happened since 19 year old Tommy moved to San Francisco and met the girl of his dreams, Jody. First he discovered she was a vampire. Then her maker, Elijah, came to hunt them down, but they stopped him. Next Tommy woke up to discover that Jody turned him into a vampire. Then Elijah returned to extract revenge.

And amongst all the chaos is Chet, a cat, who Elijah accidentally turns into a vampire. Now Chet is roaming the streets eating the homeless and turning more cats into vampires. Tommy and Jody, along with their cadre of friends who include a whole crew of night clerks at a local grocery store, and a angsty, over eager goth girl named Abby Normal, need to stop Chet from eating all of San Francisco. But little do they know that Elijah has other vampires who have arrived in the Bay Area to take down not only Chet the vampire cat, but Tommy, Jody, Abby, and all their friends. Will the cats eat everyone? Will Tommy and Jody still be in love? Will Abby Normal ever find the right make up that makes her look extra undead?

Bite Me is the third book in Christopher Moore’s Love Story series. The first book is Bloodsucking Fiends, followed by You Suck. This trilogy of books is an extremely hilarious vampire parody, and highly recommended. The humor is along the same line as works from authors Terry Pratchett, Martin Millar and A. Lee Martinez. If you like vampires, and like to laugh you cannot go wrong with this series. However, they do have a fair amount of off color humor and sex so the series is only appropriate for ages 16 and up.