SFRB Recommends #89: Big Bang by Elsa Jade

He was never meant to be awakened. In the matrix of genetically and cybernetically enhanced contract killers, he was the Omega -- brought out only the last resort, the final answer, the end times. But crash-landing on the planet Dirt made Cosmo just another cowboy, albeit one with a time bomb in his massive body forever set to 00:00:00:01. 

Vic Ray thought she was so smart. As a reformed black-hat hacker, she cracked every code ever put in front of her. Except the one that explains people. But then she found out about aliens. Turns out, though, Cosmo Halley is worse than any people. At least she doesn’t have to be nice to a killer robot to get what she wants: Off this world. 

But when an old enemy and a new one join forces to expose the CWBOIs on Earth, Cosmo and Vic will have to figure out what it means to love before everything they know is lost forever. Can the Spirit of Christmas -- peace, goodwill, and spiked hot cocoa -- teach a cyborg and a misanthrope to believe in a future together? 

This story features sheltered cyborgs and a hacker with a chip on her shoulder. It's delicious- Vic has a folder on her hard drive labeled "pr0n" that confuses the heck out of Cosmo. Secondary characters return from earlier in the series. It can stand alone, but is probably better after reading either Mach One or Delta V.

Slade does a good job of portraying the little interactions and words that shape our self-images. Both Vic and Cosmo grow during the story. A hefty dose of humor rounds out an enjoyable book. There are some Christmas themes, but the story doesn't depend on it being Christmas.


This recommendation by Lee Koven.

Book site: Big Bang by Elsa Jade

SFRB Recommends #84: Dustwalker by Tiffany Roberts #sfr

Cheyenne, Wyoming. At least a hundred years from now. The southwestern United States is dust. A giant desert, thanks to a probably nuclear war. Also, there are humanoid robots, called "synths," running around and having lives. Odd lives, in that they don't age or anything, but lives nonetheless.

Lara Brooks scavenges the desert for her living, bringing bits of scrap back to Cheyenne to trade for food. When her trade partners don't remain viable, she's set to starve. When she dances one night, a synth named Ronin is oddly moved by the sight. He proposes he protect and feed her in exchange for watching her dance. A romance develops between them, one forbidden by the human-hating ruler of the city, a synth called Warlord. How they can make a life together? And what would such a life mean?


Dustwalker asks questions about what we consider human and offers some potential answers. The plot points are neatly tied together: questions from the first half are resolved in thoughtful ways, including the villain's motivations. He's both abhorrent and sympathetic, and all of his actions make a twisted kind of sense. It's great when you can easily see yourself making the same choices the bad guys do.

The world of Dustwalker is captivating. The authors kept the scope small, so they could concentrate on the details. The reader gets a gritty picture of the desert that reminds them of Mad Max, but they won't miss anything if they're unfamiliar with that franchise. The world is a lot bigger than the action, and I'd love to know if there are other pockets of humanity or synths still alive, and what stories they would have to tell me.


Author/book site: Tiffany Roberts' books
This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 77: Willing Skin by Ella Drake

Sylla Viola has never put down roots. When she's forced to abandon her life, she leaves everything behind. Nothing to miss. Nothing to regret. Not even the loss of her body. Using a DNA mod that changes her into a male half-human Scoriah, she's poised to get away from the hunter on her trail. Until she runs into the one man who can see through her disguise. 

Docked at Station Viesel, Echtei Bronson helps a lost male Scoriah. One minute in his company threatens Echtei's control. One glimpse of the woman inside and he can't keep his hands off. One heated touch and he gives in to the need to wreak havoc on anyone who touches Sylla--a woman who could never stay with a man forever tied to family and home. 

But even Echtei can't defeat what's chasing Sylla--a ruthless cyborg hunter who has shown that a Scoriah is no match for him. Echtei won’t give Sylla up without a fight. It's face the impossible or die trying, even if survival means war. 

Willing Skin asks some excellent questions about desire and bodies. The tech that Sylla uses makes her need to adjust to a body she wasn't born with. In many romantic commitments, we attest that we will love a person even though they will change through the years. In Sylla's case, she changes bodies fast. Luckily, Echthei wants her with whatever body she's got, even if she appears male to him.

I also enjoyed the family dynamics in this book. The reader gets to know Echthei's clutch-mates and understand the special not-quite-human bonds that. I hadn't read any previous books in the series, but the characters who were the heroes of other stories were vivid enough that I'll have to go back and read from the start. Bonus: hot and chilling cyborg whose workings made me say both "ooooh" and "ewwww."

 Book page- Willing Skin (with buy links and excerpt)

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 74: Wanted and Wired by Vivien Jackson #sfr #cyberpunk

Now that Texas has seceded and the world is spiraling into chaos, good guys come in unlikely packages and love sprouts in the most inconvenient places...
Heron Farad should be dead. But technology has made him the man he is today. Now he heads a crew of uniquely skilled outsiders who fight to salvage what's left of humanity: art, artifacts, books, ideas-sometimes even people. People like Mari Vallejo.
Mari has been lusting after her mysterious handler for months. But when a by-the-book hit goes horribly sideways, she and Heron land on the universal most wanted list. Someone set them up. Desperate and on the run, they must trust each other to survive, while hiding devastating secrets. As their explosive chemistry heats up, it's the perfect storm...

Wanted and Wired combines original concepts, witty prose, and enthralling characters for a place on my keeper shelf. Mari's always got something funny to say, Heron's convictions and behavior make him lovable, and the villains are convincing and complex. 
The argot gives the book a unique feel/setting that feels immersive. The plot explores excellent philosophical questions about identity and control.  Plus, the way Heron uses his technology in the love scenes is inventive and spicy. I haven't read any other books quite like it!


Author site: Vivien Jackson
This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 72: Race to Redemption by Shari Elder #sfr

Intergalactic storm racing champion Elaina Carteret had it all—fame, wealth, men—until a horrific accident took it away. To get it back, she agrees to pose as Lainie Carter, medical transport pilot and corporate spy. Her risk-taking attitude infuriates Dr. Erik Johansen, who runs the medical outpost with an iron hand, a permanent scowl and the tightest bod on the planet. 

Unable to forgive himself for a past tragedy, Erik works himself into an early grave. He has no patience for the insubordinate Lainie Carter, who can’t take an order, disrupts routine, and flames his body to ash. 

When the outpost is attacked, they're thrown together in a race across the desert to stop a deadly biogenetic weapon. As a fragile trust blossoms between two damaged hearts, their pasts resurface and threaten their growing bond.

There's a ton of plot (and action!) packed into this high heat read. It's a detail-rich universe that has shaped the leads into very interesting people. All the characters are complex and original, and I grew to care a lot about their fates.

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

Author site: Life's a Story - Write it Bold

SFRB Recommends 71: Dubai Double-Cross by JC Hay

Heavily modified and highly skilled, “acquisitions expert” Elise Briggs worked behind the scenes of the corporate world’s espionage wars. Or she had, until her most recent target turns up murdered and she’s forced to go on the run with the only person who can exonerate her, the victim’s lover and personal assistant. 

Plucked off the street to be the plaything of one of the richest women in the world, Na’im thought his life was finally complete; his obedience and the suite of cybernetic modifications he carried were a small price to pay for life at the top of society. Until his boss is murdered and his only ally is the professional thief hired to rob them. 

On the run and running short on allies, Elise and Na’im are about to discover that the murderer is closer than either of them suspect. If they plan to survive on the futuristic streets of Dubai, they need to learn how to trust each other, because when everything can be upgraded and emotions can be programmed, sometimes all that can keep you human is your heart.

This is an action-packed read with lots of noir elements. The setting is super cool and imaginative, and the characters vivid while still being believable. Hay doesn't hesitate to tackle questions about selling more than your time for work, and leaves the reader thinking after they finish the story.

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

Author site: JC Hay - Science Fiction | Space Opera Romance

SFRB Recommends 68: The Snow Queen by Joan Vinge

The imperious Winter colonists have ruled the planet Tiamat for 150 years, deriving wealth from the slaughter of the sea mers. But soon the galactic stargate will close, isolating Tiamat, and the 150-year reign of the Summer primitives will begin. Their only chance at surviving the change is if Arienrhod, the ageless, corrupt Snow Queen, can destroy destiny with an act of genocide. Arienrhod is not without competition as Moon, a young Summer-tribe sibyl, and the nemesis of the Snow Queen, battles to break a conspiracy that spans space.

Loosely based on the Andersen fairy tale, The Snow Queen features a girl who must battle obstacles to rescue a boy she cares for from a woman who has hardened his heart. That's what they have in common- Andersen didn't figure nanomachines, galactic governments, spaceships, and cloning into the original story.

A fascinating cast save this book from being too much of a standard hero's journey. Smugglers, gamblers, prophets, technicians, and police officers have to clash and work together towards the ending. The plot is complex and rich, and touches on many philosophical questions without throwing them too hard into the reader's face.

Although the heroine and hero's relationship is paramount and enduring, others get involved to create a love quadrangle that gets complicated, since Moon and her Sparks spend many years apart with him believing he'll never see her again. Strictly speaking, the book's probably not a romance novel. However, it does end in a Happy For Now, to be continued in The Summer Queen.

Author site: Joan D. Vinge

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 60: The Scarabaeus Saga by Sara Creasy #scifi #romsf

Trained since childhood in advanced biocyph seed technology by the all-powerful Crib empire, Edie's mission is to terraform alien worlds while her masters bleed the outlawed Fringe populations dry. When renegade mercenaries kidnap Edie, she's not entirely sure it's a bad thing . . . until they leash her to a bodyguard, Finn—a former freedom fighter-turned-slave, beaten down but never broken. If Edie strays from Finn's side, he dies. If she doesn't cooperate, the pirates will kill them both.

But Edie's abilities far surpass anything her enemies imagine. And now, with Finn as her only ally as the merciless Crib closes in, she'll have to prove it or die on the site of her only failure . . . a world called Scarabaeus.

This duology is one of the more original works I've read. Edie has to use her brain and skills to get out of a bunch of situations: Finn's her brawn. Hacker heroines are close to my heart, and Edie's specialty is something I've never considered before: using code to manipulate biological material and terraform planets. The antagonists have fascinating agendas and the worlds created feel fresh.

The romance takes a while to get going, and the books are Romantic SF rather than SFR, but there is a HEA for Edie and Finn. The first book ends a little abruptly and leads straight into the next one, so read them together!

Author site: Sara Creasy

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #58: The Outer Settlement Agency series by Lyn Brittan #sfr #sfrom

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• Solia's Moon: When her terraforming company expands beyond creating habitable places to creating humanoid life, Lunar Physician Solia Calian has to find a way to stop them. She’ll have the help of a mysterious sheriff, Giancarlo Sable, but they’d better hurry up. When the creatures they want to liberate start turning on them, figuring out where the real danger lies is the only way to leave the colony in one piece.

• Anja’s Star: Losing a pirate’s spaceship is rough…especially when he’s your boss. The clock’s ticking for her to get it back and the only one who can help her is a hot cop with a dangerous smile.
• Quinn’s Quasar: Half clone, half human, Quinn’s on a mission to bring down one of the wealthiest men in the Quadrant. Too bad he’s got his heart set on winning her love.
• Lana’s Comet: A military doctor desperate to have some fun before basic training, Lana goes out for a night on the town and to hell with the consequences. Oh, but fate has the last laugh when her hunk shows up the next day for basic training.
• Vin’s Rules: The bad boy of the Outer Settlement Agency, Vin Dhoma loves his crew and his job. All he wants is a little fun. Unfortunately, he’s on a mission with the most uptight woman on the planet. With a little charm, he’s determined to make the hottie loosen up a bit. Okay, a lot of charm…

I thought this series got stronger as it progressed, and especially recommend Lana's Comet and Vin's Rules. I read Lana's Comet first and thought it stood on its own, but it was cool to go back and read about the origins of the clones in earlier books. The characters are very distinct from each other and have credible motivations that let them banter and bounce off each other well.
I especially liked how Brittan explores serious subjects, such as how space travel and settlement can affect the future of labor and personhood, while giving the stories plenty of humor. 

Author site: Lyn Brittan - Where Action, Adventure, and Romance Meet

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 47: Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair #scifi #sfrom #romance

The universe isn’t what it used to be. With the new alliance between the Triad and the United Coalition, Captain Tasha “Sass” Sebastian finds herself serving under her former nemesis, bio-cybe Admiral Branden Kel-Paten—and doing her best to hide a deadly past. But when an injured mercenary falls into their ship’s hands, her efforts may be wasted …
Wanted rebel Jace Serafino has information that could expose all of Sass’s secrets, tear the fragile Alliance apart—and end Sass’s career if Kel-Paten discovers them. But the bio-cybe has something to hide as well, something once thought impossible for his kind to possess: feelings...for Sass. Soon it’s clear that their prisoner could bring down everything they once believed was worth dying for—and everything they now have to live for…

The strongest aspect of this book is its protagonists, who are classic foils to each other. Kel-Paten is collected, vulnerable, and self-sacrificing, a combination that manages to win over Sass (and many readers). Sinclair explores his cybernetics and how they affect his interactions with others in a sympathetic manner. Kel-Paten cannot admit how he feels apart or what he wants for himself to anybody else, and his struggles manifest in interesting ways. Sass has fewer hangups: she came to her position via her ability to think outside the box. Her cleverness and guile won't let their partnership during the mission be boring.

Games of Command is a long and twisty read featuring a compelling romance, political and metaphysical mysteries, and psychic teleporting cats. Any one of these would have sold the story to me, but having all three puts this book on my keeper list.

Author site: www.linneasinclair.com

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 28: Tethered #SFR #Scifi #Romance

This week's recommendation is brought to you by Sabine Priestley.

Book Description

She can kill with a kiss. But can assassin Tyree also heal one man's grief, and bring peace to a galaxy threatened by war?

For Tyree of the Su, being an assassin isn't simply something she was trained for. It's the sole reason for her existence. A genetically enhanced clone—one of many in Refuge—she's about to learn her secluded lifestyle, and that of all her kind, is under threat by a race capable of neutralizing their special talents to leave them defenseless.

For Zander D'joren, being a diplomat has not only cost him his appearance, but also the love of his life. Scarred, grieving, he must nonetheless continue in his role as co-delegate to the fearsome Tier-vane or risk a conflict that could only end one way.

Now both of them need to keep each other alive and maintain a perilous deception long enough to renegotiate the treaty with the Tier-vane, or throw their people into a war that could wipe out Terrans and Inc-Su alike. But there's more at stake than humanity, whether true or modified. Can the love growing between them save them both? Or merely hasten their destruction?

What I thought

I liked this a lot. I enjoy her style and the British influence in her work. This was interesting in that it raises questions about preconceived notions, social mores, and how those can differ across societies and even species. Love, sex and death were among the top contenders. Well written and an enjoyable read. I did feel the ending could have been flushed out more. It felt a bit rushed, but overall great job.

Author site: Pippa Jay | Sci-fi and the Supernatural with a Romantic Soul