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 #88: A Conspiracy of Whispers by Ada Harper

For Olivia Shaw, the danger of her assignments as a deadly Whisper agent is matched only by that of her hidden status: Liv is one of the caricae, extremely rare women capable of bearing children and therefore controlled by the Syndicate’s government. When her handler sends her into the Quillian Empire, her mission is complicated by stumbling upon a kidnapping in progress.

Liv is drawn deep into political upheaval when her hostage is revealed to be the infamous Red Wolf, Galen De Corvus, brother of the Quillian Empress. Worse yet, he is an altus, more sensitive than most to the pheromones of caricae. If he realizes what she is, he could expose her secret to either government and doom her to a life as breeding stock.

Quillian nobleman turned operative Galen never planned to involve himself with a citizen of the cold, cruel Syn, but Olivia entices him more than she should. As they work together to protect his royal sister from a violent coup, the passionate bond between them proves to be more than mere biology. And Liv must decide if that bond is worth dropping her guard for both an enemy and an altus.

Olivia and Galen are a good couple: he's a patient sweetheart and helps ground her. She, on the other hand, challenges him to look at the world in a different way than he is used to. Olivia has plenty of agency despite her disadvantages, and her guardedness makes sense.
The secondary characters (Galen's sister, her spymaster, two other caricae, Olivia's caretakers, and a cat named Plan B) leap off the page. I never forgot who anyone was or what they wanted. Their motivations clash, and resolving those is not a simple matter.
Well-drawn factional politics dominate this book. Add in clear action scenes, biopolitics, and romantic elements, and we have a multifaceted story that I'd recommend to any science fiction fan. There's a lot to explore here.

This recommendation by Lee Koven
Book site: Ada Harper / Amanda Hackwith romance

SFRB Recommends #87: Warleader by Susan Grant

Finn Rorkken is an infamous Drakken warleader.

Brit Bandar is the Coalition's greatest military commander.

Now they're forced to serve together on the same starship.

The mission: diplomacy.

The objective: keeping the peace.

Not so easy to do when your sworn enemy is living next door.

Welcome to the Borderlands, where rules are meant to be broken…


A decade ago, I read Moonstruck by Susan Grant, and the story and characters utterly captivated me, so I was very excited to see a brand new release largely based on the original story, but with an all new title and awesome new cover.

Admiral Brit “Stone-Heart” Bandar is a tough-as-nails military leader who is secretly struggling with a past tragedy. Unfortunately, her new orders from the Coalition will test her toleration to the breaking point.

Finn Rorkken is a warleader for the opposing side, once known as the Scourge of the Borderlands, but now being given an unexpected new mission--serve at the side of the very enemy he once matched wits with.

I found this enemies-to-lovers tale between two strong-willed characters with a galaxy of barriers to overcome, a compelling, action-packed and memorable read, with some well-timed gems of humor. Warleader is the first book in the Borderlands Series.

This recommendation is by Laurie A. Green
Book site: Warleader

SFRB Recommends #86: The Rule of Luck by Catherine Cerveny

Year 2950. Humanity has survived devastating climate shifts and four world wars, coming out stronger and smarter than ever. Incredible technology is available to all, and enhancements to appearance, intelligence, and physical ability are commonplace.

In this future, Felicia Sevigny has built her fame reading the futures of others.

Alexei Petriv, the most dangerous man in the TriSystem, will trust only Felicia to read his cards. But the future she sees is darker than either of them could ever have imagined. A future that pits them against an all-knowing government, almost superhuman criminals, and something from Felicia's past that she could never have predicted, but that could be the key to saving -- or destroying -- them all. 

This series starts with fantastic worldbuilding. Felicia is fighting for her reproductive rights, and finds that the truth about her blacklisting is far more complicated than she was led to believe. In light of this, should she fight her biology? Is it destiny?

The action is clear and fast-paced. I love the philosophical questions this series raises, and look forward to reading further. 

This recommendation by Lee Koven.
Book site: The Rule of Luck

SFRB Recommends #85: Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt had just finished a day on jury duty. When she stepped out of the Pueblo Caliente courthouse, all she was thinking about was the work she had to get caught up on. Then her attention was caught by a fight between a couple that looked like it was about to turn ugly. But ugly didn't even begin to cover it when the "man" suddenly transformed into a huge, winged monster right out of a grade Z science fiction movie and went on a deadly killing spree. In hindsight, Kitty realized she probably should have panicked and run screaming the way everyone around her was doing. Instead she sprinted into action to take down the alien.

In the middle of all the screeching and the ensuing chaos, a hunk in an Armani suit suddenly appeared beside her, introduced himself as Jeff Martini with "the agency," and then insisted on leading her to a nearby limo to talk to his "boss." And that was how Kitty's new life among the aliens began...

You can tell that the book is quite tongue-in-cheek with the heroine's name. This novel is a madcap caper that should appeal to fans of Men in Black. Kitty constantly has to come up with creative solutions to alien problems while juggling her amazing and interfering parents. Add in "Armani hunk" Jeff Martini's courtship (he decides right off that he wants to marry her), and I've no idea how Kitty is supposed to know if she's coming or going.

The action scenes are intense, bonkers, and slapstick. Despite that and the overall lighthearted feel, the book does touch on some more serious themes. The world and backstory are carefully peeled back in layers: each revelation makes sense and fits neatly into the action.

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

Book site: Gini Koch's Bookstore

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 83: The Lamplighter's Love by Delphine Dryden

Mary has trained for years to become the next Lamplighter of London. When her chance comes, however, she realizes the massive difference engines of the Lampworkers' guild would be a cold substitute indeed for the passion she's begun to explore with the current Lamplighter, Nicholas.

But Fate, it seems, is determined to separate them. A rival threatens to upset all Mary's hopes and dreams within the guild, and with her newfound love. Even as snow blankets London in readiness for Christmas, intrigue blazes in the secret labyrinths of the Lampworkers’ guild below.

Through bitter deception and scorching erotic discovery, Mary and Nicholas must find a way to shine a light on a new future—one they can spend together.


Nicholas and Mary are both unusual heroes: their skill is that they are excellent at abstraction, logistics, and running systems. Today's they'd probably be math professors or highly paid software engineers. The system they use is an imaginative take on a steampunk computer. They are well-matched and their romance tender.

This story has so many original world ideas. I'd love to spend more time in said world. Nicholas, starved for human companionship and the outside world, delights in the bits he does experience, and his joy and wonder are infectious.

And yes, it's a Christmas story that I'm recommending in July. Enjoy!


Book site: Delphine Dryden - The Lamplighter's Love
This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #82: Escape From Zulaire by Veronica Scott

Andi Markriss hasn’t exactly enjoyed being the houseguest of the planetary high-lord, but her company sent her to represent them at a political wedding. When hotshot Sectors Special Forces Captain Tom Deverane barges in on the night of the biggest social event of the summer, Andi isn’t about to offend her high-ranking host on Deverane’s say-so—no matter how sexy he is, or how much he believes they need to leave now.

Deverane was thinking about how to spend his retirement bonus when HQ assigned him one last mission: rescue a civilian woman stranded on a planet on the verge of civil war. Someone has pulled some serious strings to get her plucked out of the hot zone. Deverane’s never met anyone so hard-headed—or so appealing. Suddenly his mission to protect this one woman has become more than just mere orders.

I shortened this excerpt, because I think the events are fun enough to discover on their own.

This novel takes place over a very short period of time, and the world of Zulaire springs to life quickly. Rich sensory detail makes the environments vivid. Scott sets up several intriguing cultures and factions that left me wanting to spend more time in Zulaire. 

The action and chase scenes are clear and well-paced. The baddies are creepy. The blend of action movie and intriguing worldbuilding is not one I find often.

This recommendation by Lee Koven.
Author/book site: Escape from Zulaire - Veronica Scott

SFRB Recommends #81: Driven by Eve Silver

In the harsh Northern Waste where human life is worth little, ice trucker Raina Bowen has learned to keep her eyes open and her knife close at hand. She's spent her life on the run, one step ahead of the megalomaniac who hunts her. All she wants is to stay out of trouble and haul her load of grain to Gladow Station--but trouble finds her in the form of a sexy stranger called Wizard. He has the trucking pass she needs, and she has to drag him out of a brawl with the very people she's trying to hide from in order to get it. She may have rescued him, but Raina's not foolish enough to see Wizard as anything close to helpless. He's hard and honed and full of secrets--secrets that may destroy them both. As they race across the Waste, trying to outrun rival truckers, ice pirates, and the powerful man bent on their destruction, Raina's forced to admit that trouble's found her. And this time, there's nowhere left to run. 

This book was previously published with the author's name as Eve Kenin.

There are plenty of parallels to Mad Max, especially with various vehicles all the time. Only this desert's made of ice, full of its own perils.

The attraction between Raina and Wizard may be instant, but their other feelings take a while to grow and don't feel rushed. Their emotional pasts are complicated, and that makes the way they interact more interesting. The secondary characters are all intriguing and I want to read more about them.

The world Silver builds in Driven is one I want to explore more: it's believable and fascinating. Environmental and cultural details blend in an immersive experience. I read it in one day. 

Author's book site: https://www.evesilver.net/books

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

Here's an older cover you might see on paperbacks: 

SFRB Recommends #80: The Spiral Path by Lisa Paitz Spindler

After defecting from the Star Union eleven years ago, Starship Captain Lara Soto is now the leader of the free Chimerans. Her only regret is the intense young officer she left behind. When Terra's S.U.S. Interlace goes missing with her brother Rafael on board, she has to push aside the pain of her betrayal and team up with her old love once again.

Commodore Mitch Yoshida has never stopped thinking about the woman who deserted him. He's also witnessed firsthand the Terran discrimination Lara foretold, from sequestering Chimerans on starships to enforcing indentured military service.

With Rafael and the Interlace crew held prisoner, Lara and Mitch must travel to a whole new dimension to secure their release. Will they be able to resist their long-denied attraction and complete their rescue mission?

This story has several fascinating concepts in it. Lara has to live between worlds and doesn't really belong in either. It's a fresh take on being a mix of peoples. The physics concepts aren't run-of-the mill for science fiction: dimensional attunement and space travel are explored in an original manner. 

Mitch and Lara are both likable, competent characters. It's easy to root for them (and for Lara's brother). There's a also super spooky villain who is still sympathetic.

Author/book site: Lisa Paitz Spindler
This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #79: The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass #writing #craft

While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you.

Topics covered include:

• emotional modes of writing
• beyond showing versus telling
• your story's emotional world
• moral stakes
• connecting the inner and outer journeys
• plot as emotional opportunities
• invoking higher emotions, symbols, and emotional language
• cascading change
• story as emotional mirror
• positive spirit and magnanimous writing
• the hidden current that makes stories move

Readers remember books that make them feel. A good romance novel needs to make sure it evokes the right feelings at the right points in the story. How do you make the HEA satisfying? How do you convince the reader that the leads love each other?

Maass goes through many different techniques to up the emotional punch of a scene, character, or overall plot. Some may apply more to your work than others. There are enough of said techniques, though, that most writers should be able to find some effective.

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 78: Huntress of the Star Empire by Athena Grayson

Ever since she was found in the aftermath of alien attacks, Treska Sivekka, the Huntress, has been trained to hunt down threats to the security of the Union that gave her an identity, and the Union’s biggest threat–psypath Micah Ariesis–is in her crosshairs. The Huntress’s neuro-collar and repulsor cuffs may keep Micah’s mental talents under wraps, but getting him in handcuffs was the easy part. Every scumbag in the star system wants a piece of the Huntress and her bounty. But when the Union’s biggest threat exposes the lies around Treska’s missing memories, he may be the only one she can trust.

I love when science fiction can ask questions about society. In Huntress, Grayson posits one possibility of what happens when factions use tragedy for their own gain. Horrific alien attack? Let’s use that to our advantage and try to use it to shape society the way we want to. Let’s persecute the purple people and psychics! Let’s clamp down on decadence! Let’s brainwash people to not commit vice! 

The lead and side characters are sympathetic, heroic, and memorable, trying to deal with questions of how to make it in a society that exploits or demonizes them. The adventure is good pulpy fun, and the attraction between Micah and Treska, while present at the beginning, manages to develop organically. 

Site: Author Site | Huntress of the Star Empire

n.b. So far, we have one “season” of the Huntress. Micah and Treska have more of their story to tell us. 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 76: Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott

Anne Lamott returns to offer us a new gift: a step-by-step guide on how to write and on how to manage the writer's life. From "Getting Started,' with "Short Assignments," through "Shitty First Drafts," "Character," "Plot," "Dialogue." all the way from "False Starts" to "How Do You Know When You're Done?" Lamott encourages, instructs, and inspires. She discusses "Writers Block," "Writing Groups," and "Publication."
If you have ever wondered what it takes to be a writer, what it means to be a writer, what the contents of your school lunches said about what your parents were really like, this book is for you. From faith, love, and grace to pain, jealousy, and fear, Lamott insists that you keep your eyes open, and then shows you how to survive. And always, from the life of the artist she turns to the art of life.

This book doesn't shy away from the frustration and drudgery that's part of the writing craft. It's as if you have a writer friend to bellyache and sympathize with who's got a twisted sense of humor. She'll talk you through the hard parts, when you just want to burn everything and hide in a corner.

Lamott says it's okay to be neurotic about your writing, it's okay to despair over setbacks. These happen and are normal. The advice is grounded and sometimes harsh, so may not be for everyone. I disagree with a bunch of the metaphors she makes later in the book, but I still laughed and felt reassured.

The core of the advice, though, is about how to crank out the first draft: just write it and don't worry that it's awful. This has since been popularized by Nanowrimo (Bird by Bird was published 1995). The sections on publishing are out of date, so are more interesting as a historical note.

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 75: Relaunch Mission by Robyn Bachar #sfr

Living mission to mission on the fringes of civilized space, Captain Lindana Nyota has managed to keep her crew paid and her ship in one piece. Barely. The privateer's life of stealing Soviet supplies for the Alliance is taking its toll on everyone. Down a crew member, she now has to take on a new intel officer and hope it's someone she can trust. 

Lieutenant Gabriel Steele knew Lindy wasn't expecting him to walk out of the air lock and back into her life, but he didn't think he'd get his nose broken. As an intelligence agent for the Alliance, Gabriel has spent his career in deep cover, his sense of self crushed under layers of deceit—starting with the lies he had to tell Lindy years ago when he left her. A fresh start is all he wants, but the Alliance and his secret orders have already jeopardized that. 

When an infamous pirate and friend of Lindy and her crew is reported alive and in possession of knowledge of a powerful Soviet weapon, finding her before the enemy does is paramount. But Gabriel can't do it without regaining Lindy's trust—and hopefully rekindling what he once sacrificed in the name of duty.

Gabriel and Lindy get a second chance at love, although he has some proving to do before she'll accept it. He's got some groveling to do, and his feelings for Lindy are complicated by his current mission and several revelations about the hidden agendas of both of their bosses.

Factional politics play a big role in the story. The alternate history and future presented are well articulated and though-provoking. In this universe, the Cold War didn't end, and the space race only ramped up. Some of the technology showcases Soviet aesthetics: I was reminded of the Soviet specimens in the Museum of Flight.

Bachar keeps raising the stakes for our heroes, and the tension is punctuated and amplified by action scenes that flow well: the fights are meaty and intense. The crew of the Mombasa is fully fleshed out, with vivid characters: the rivalry between engineering and the captain's brother always entertains!

Book page: Robyn Bachar - Books

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 73: Atrophy by Jess Anastasi

Twelve years on the prison planet Erebus makes a man long for death. The worst part for Tannin Everette is that he was framed for murder. He's innocent. When the ship Imojenna lands for emergency repairs, Tannin risks everything to escape...only to find himself face to face with the captain's undeniably gorgeous sister.

Zahli Sherron isn't planning on turning Tannin in. In fact, she actually believes him. Sure, he's sexy as every kind of sin, but he's no criminal—so she hides him. But no one escapes from Erebus and lives to tell about it. With every day that passes, Zahli further risks the lives of the entire crew...even as she falls in love with a man she can never have for herself. 

Atrophy focuses on one ship, the Imojenna, which has an amazing crew with memorable characters. Zahli's brother Rian has a tendency to steal the show, and he involves Tannin in his berserk quest to destroy an enemy most people don't believe exists. I've a soft spot for computer hacker heroes, and Tannin gets to use his skills in many interesting ways.

The universe is rich and believable, and the antagonists are original and creepy. The plot kept me guessing, and the scenes are well-balanced and flow together smoothly. 

Author site: Jess Anastasi

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 70: The Champion of Barésh by Susan Grant

Jemm Aves toils for a mining company by day, but at night she is a successful bajha player, disguised as a male to compete in the violent underworld of the colony’s fight clubs. Every win puts her one small step closer to her goal: saving enough to escape Barésh with her family. When a royal recruits her to be a star player for his team, her ruse proves to be her most perilous game yet when it puts both their lives—and her heart—at risk.

Prince Klark is eager to reverse his reputation as the black sheep of the Vedla clan. If his bajha team can win the galactic title it would go a long way toward restoring the family honor that his misdeeds tarnished. On Barésh, he tracks down an amateur who has risen to the top of the seedy world of street bajha, offering the commoner a chance of a lifetime: a way off that reeking space rock for good. But his new player comes with a scandalous secret that turns his plans and his beliefs upside down. He sets out to win a very different prize—his champion’s reluctant heart.

The world of Barésh is convincing and vivid. The bahja (which I can best describe as sensory-deprivation fencing) matches are even more intense, whether in a bar, or a training exercise, or an emotional duel. I do wish we got to experience a few more in the professional arena.

Jemm is a treat. She's driven, kind, and not cowed by Klark. Her family relationships also feel authentic, and I love her interactions with her difficult brother.

Author site: Susan Grant

This recommendation by Lee Koven.