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Meet Assassins, Superheroes, and Rebels in Barnes & Noble Booksellers Picks for July

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Published on July 6, 2018

Art by Yuko Shimuzu
Art by Yuko Shimuzu

For two decades, Jim Killen has served as the science fiction and fantasy book buyer for Barnes & Noble. Every month on Tor.com and the B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog, Jim shares his curated list of the month’s best science fiction & fantasy books.

 

Space Unicorn Blues, by T.J. Berry
(July 3, Angry Robot—Paperback)

Berry’s debut is set in a universe where people with magic are treated as slaves and mined like resources. Gary Cobalt knows this all too well: as a half-unicorn, he’s been held captive for years by Captain Jenny Perata, who grinds down his horn to power her faster-than-light engines. When he finally gains his freedom and reclaims his ancestors’ stone ship, Perata steals it out from under him—and considering that Gary also murdered her best friend, the wife of her co-pilot, it’s certainly not going to be a comfortable ship to be trapped on. This delightfully weird science fantasy is a perfect escape read.

 

The Book of Hidden Things, by Francesco Dimitri
(July 3, Titan Books—Paperback)

Seventeen years ago, friends Tony, Mauro, Fabio, and Art made a pact to return to their hometown in Italy every year—but this year, Art doesn’t show up. They search his home and find a strange book he’s written called The Book of Hidden Things: A Field Guide. Further investigation reveals that Art apparently healed a girl dying of cancer and has been kidnapped by the local mafia—and that the book might be a gateway to a better world, the Realm of Hidden Things. All three have their reasons for wanting to gain access to the Realm, but each discovers that the price of entry is much steeper than expected. This is the first novel in English for Dimitri, who is considered one of the foremost fantasy writers in Italy.

 

The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fifth Annual Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois
(July 3, St. Martin’s Griffin—Paperback)

With the recent passing of Gardner Dozois, a legend in the field and the guiding force for this anthology, this final edition of The Year’s Best Science Fiction assembled under his guidance takes on more weight—which is saying something, as it’s been one of the most important books every year for sci-fi fans for a very long time. Including stories from Lavie Tidhar (“The Road to the Sea”), Nancy Kress (“Dear Sarah”), James S.A. Corey (“The Hunger After You’re Fed”), Harry Turtledove (“Zigeuner”), Vina Jie-Min Prased (“A Series of Steak”), and Greg Egan (“Uncanny Valley”), among dozens of others, the volume is once again made even more valuable by the introduction, which provides Dozois’ own personal assesment of the state of the sci-fi field, as well as the extensive honorable mentions list, which will load up your reading schedule for the foreseeable future.

 

City of Lies, by Sam Hawke
(July 3, Tor Books—Paperback)

Hawke’s debut attracted early comparisons to the work of Robin Hobb, and her story of a young poison-master who must solve a murder to save his city certainly echoes the best qualities of those beloved books: a captivating first-person voice, a richly detailed world, and a complex plot laden with intrigue and conspiracies. Hawke inverts the common fantasy trope of  the ever-popular assassin is the story of Jovan, secret heir to a family of Proofers, who dedicate their lives to protecting the highborn from poisons. Jovan’s uncle serves the chancellor while Jovan protects his heir, pretending to be his highborn friend. When both Jovan’s uncle and the chancellor fall prey to a poison no one has encountered before, Jovan must protect the heir at all costs, even as the city falls under siege. Rich worldbuilding and a twisty plot—there are worse things than being spoken of in the same breath as the author of Assassin’s Apprentice.

 

The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal
(July 3, Tor Books—Paperback)

Kowal offers up the first of a pair of prequel novels to her award-winning novelette The Lady Astronaut of Mars, delving into the alternate history that resulted in humanity establishing a colony on Mars in the middle of the 20th century. In the spring of 1952, a huge meteor hits Chesapeake Bay, taking out most of the Eastern United States. Mathematician and former military pilot Elma York and her scientist husband Nate are there to witness the destruction, and Elma knows immediately that this is an ELE—an extinction-level event—and that humanity must look to the stars if it has any hope of survival. Although her experience as a pilot and her math skills earn Elma a place in the International Aerospace Coalition as a calculator, she begins to wonder why women can’t be astronauts as well—and she’s more than willing to confront racism, sexism, and more personal enemies on her quest to become the first lady astronaut. This is one of those books that seems to have come along at just the right moment, bringing together fascinating, inspiring characters; compelling, plausible worldbuilding; and a message that resonates—especially today.

 

Heroine’s Journey, by Sarah Kuhn
(July 3, DAW—Paperback)

Kuhn returns to her demon-infested, superhero-defended San Francisco in the third novel in her candy-colored urban fantasy series. Beatrice lives a thoroughly normal life working in a bookstore and hanging out with her friends while her superpowered sister Evie and Evie’s partner Aveda Jupiter keep the city safe from marauding demons. But Bea knows she should be out there doing her part; her powers of emotional projection have the potential to make her the most powerful superhero of them all—if only Evie and Aveda would stop treating her like a spoiled brat and instead see the serious young woman she’s become. When she starts to receive messages from a mysterious source hinting at a terrible evil encroaching on the city, Bea sees her chance to steal the spotlight and show what she can do—but she might be too slow to realize the enormity of the sacrifice she is about to make.

 

Empire of Silence, by Christopher Ruocchio
(July 3, DAW—Hardcover)

Ruocchio’s ambitious debut is the story of Hadrian Marlowe, who is about to be hanged in front of the entire galaxy. In a universe where the Earth is a dead memory and humanity has spread to many planets and come into bloody conflict with the alien Cielcin, Marlowe was a powerful heir to an empire and a hero in the war against the aliens—and a monster who killed billions, including his own emperor. As Marlowe tells his story in his own words, however, we learn the truth is far stranger—and more tragic—than the official account. Marlowe loses everything, endures horrific poverty and desperation, and claws his way back into power—only to find himself on a collision course with doom in a galaxy dominated by suffocating religion and twisted by horrific violence. It’s not often we encounter a first novel of this scope, or one quite this accomplished—this is Serious Space Opera with a capital S, more Dune than Star Wars, and it signals the arrival of a writer worth paying attention to.

 

The Empire of Ashes, by Anthony Ryan
(July 3, Penguin—Hardcover)

The third and final book of Ryan’s Draconis Memoria series finds the fearsome White Drake leading its army of beasts and men across the world, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake. Claydon Torcreek, Blood-Blessed and able to drink drake’s blood to gain incredible powers; master corporate spy Lizanne Lethridge; and Corrick Hilemore and his ironship are spread to the far borders of the world, each working desperately to harness the new powers and secret knowledge they’ve gained in their separate quests in one last effort to turn the tide of destruction and defeat the Drake. But even if they are victorious, the world they once knew is gone forever, and there’s no certainty what will rise in its place. A narrative that shifts seamlessly between disparate points-of-view, suitably epic action sequences, and excellent dragons—this series is a winner, and deserves to attract more readers.

 

Black Chamber, by S.M. Stirling
(July 3, Penguin—Paperback)

It’s 1916, and the world is probably not ready for Luz O’Malley Aróstegui, an Irish-Cuban-American and honorary niece of President Teddy Roosevelt. Aróstegui works for the Black Chamber—think the CIA before there was a CIA—and is dispatched to a luxury blimp to seduce Baron Horst von Dückler, a German spy who has knowledge of a secret, horrifying plan to keep the United States out of the Great War. A fierce force of nature who is happy to let chauvinists underestimate her, Luz takes on street gangs, haughty intellectuals, and dangerous enemies with aplomb and cool as she discovers the secret behind the weapon being developed in the mountains of Saxony—a weapon that will be unleashed inside the borders of the United States itself. Stirling takes a break from his long-running Emberverse series, and the result is every bit as enthralling—this alt-history is his best and freshest novel in years.

 

Age of War, by Michael J. Sullivan
(July 3, Del Rey—Hardcover)

Third entry in the Legends of the First Empire series finds the boiling tensions between the human Rhune and the elvish Fhrey escalating to open warfare. Nyphron, a Fhrey allied with Rhune leader Persephone, succeeds in taking a great Fhrey fortress for his human allies, even as he plots against them in his own long game. As Nyphron struggles to keep his own followers in line, Persephone hurries to prepare for the inevitable assault coming against her from Fan Lothian, their mutual Fhrey enemy. New technologies like steel and tactics like employing archers in battle are developed as the fragile Fhrey-human alliance faces its first bloody test. Sullivan’s fans will be more than satisfied by this novel, which continues his deep dive into the distant history of the world of his Riyria novels.

 

Lost Gods, by Micah Yongo
(July 3, Angry Robot—Paperback)

In a world inspired by African legends and myths, Neythan is one of a small group of children raised and trained as an elite assassin by the mysterious Brotherhood known as the Shedaím. When Neythan’s closest friend in the group is murdered, he finds himself framed for the crime. Forced to leave the only home he knows, he heads out into the outside world to seek justice and revenge, and discovers that the politics of the surrounding kingdoms are far from easy to navigate—especially now that he is being pursued by his former brothers and sisters. Yongo’s debut feels fresh in its conception and worldbuilding, exploring an intriguing landscape from the points of view of a diverse array of characters of different social strata.

 

Star Wars: The Rebel Files, by Daniel Wallace
(July 3, Chronicle Books—Hardcover)

If you’ve ever wondered about the details of the rise of the Rebel Alliance, you’re in luck: this fully illustrated book traces the Rebellion against the Empire from its earliest moments via documents discovered by the Alliance’s successor movement, the Resistance (those early insurgents used paper instead of digital files for security’s sake). These documents show the earliest organizing and actions of the nascent movement, list the names of every member, and detail its evolution from humble beginnings to the triumphant group that took down an Empire. The files also feature margin notes and annotations from legendary rebel leaders General Leia Organa, Mon Mothma, and Admiral Ackbar, offering additional insight into the decisions and missions that freed a galaxy.

 

River of Bones, by Taylor Anderson
(July 10, Ace—Hardcover)

This is the 13th Destroyermen novel, and the series shows no signs of slowing down as the world war raging on its alternate Earth hits a boiling point. The vicious, lizard-like Grik are massing their Final Swarm in an effort to reach the sea and break out of Africa, and with the USS Walker—a World War II -era vessel transported to another dimension from our own—is out of commission. That means it’s up to the crew of the USS Santa Catalina, a merchant vessel retrofitted as a warship, and humans’ allies among the cat-like Lemurians, to ensure the Grik don’t succeed. Meanwhile, a second front opens up in South America, and Commander Matt Reddy knows that this is an all-or-nothing moment—either he and his allies win the day, or all is lost.

 

Spellsinger, by Sebastien de Castell
(July 17, Orbit—Paperback)

Kellen is the heir to a powerful magical family in a world that values magical power over everything in this series-starter from de Castell, who won acclaim for his swashbuckling fantasy series The Greatcoats. Kellen’s future should be assured, except for one thing: he can’t cast much magic, and when he turns 16, he will be forced to engage in a magical duel to prove his abilities to society. Instead, Kellen has been honing other skills—deception, trickery, and a keen intelligence—hoping to defeat his magical opponent using nothing more than his brains. When ruse is exposed by his little sister, a magical genius, Kellen is saved from serious harm by a mysterious stranger, Ferius Parfax. Eager to exploit his connection with Parfax, Kellen is enlisted to spy on her by Dowager Magus, widow of the former prince of Kellen’s clan. As an election approaches to choose a new family leader, Kellen must weigh his loyalties, even as a mysterious malady afflicts the young magicians of his nation, preventing them from casting spells. This is the first of a planned six-volume series, with the first four arriving in rapid succession between now and October.

 

I Only Killed Him Once, by Adam Christopher
(July 10, Tor Books—Hardcover)

Ray Electromatic, robot assassin, returns for another case in a stylish alternate mid-century Hollywood. The former detective takes out his latest target, but after killing a man in a black hat as ordered, Ray makes a discovery—which he promptly forgets when his 24-hour memory loop is reset (that Christopher has managed to write three novels in which his protagonist can’t form memories—and make them work—is perhaps the most impressive thing about this supremely entertaining mystery series). When another man in a black hat visits Ray at his office the next day, Ray is suspicious, but can’t come up with any reason why he should be. The man isn’t there to hire Ray, though—he’s there to tell Ray that if he and his boss, the computer Ada, want to survive, they’ll have to do exactly what he says, despite the fact that Ray is increasingly certain he’s not only met this man before, but already killed him.

 

Deep Roots, by Ruthanna Emrys
(July 10, Tor.com Publishing—Hardcover)

Emrys continues the Lovecraftian alternate history story begun in Winter Tide, in which descendants of the Chyrlid Ahja, the People of the Water in Innsmouth, survived internment camps at the hands of the Federal Government in the 1940s and now struggle to rebuild their home and preserve their bloodline. Aphra and her brother Caleb travel to New York City in search of missing Chyrlid Ahja and Mistbloods, half-human half-Chyrlid Ahja, in hopes of assembling a community again in Innsmouth before developers can steal the land. On the trail of one particular mistblood, they run into new allies and old enemies, and discover that one of their own has thrown in with the Outer Ones, ancient creatures from another reality that threaten not just the Chyrlid Ahja, but everything on Earth. In a time when treatment of refugees and minority groups has put the real world at odds, this series feels ever more essential—but the story it tells is gripping even out of time, providing a fascinating and moving view of the sins of the past through a window darkened by strange magics.

 

European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman, by Theodora Goss
(July 10, Saga Press—Hardcover)

Goss follows up her delightful (and Nebula-nominated) The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter with the continuating of the adventures of the Athena Club, whose membership includes Mary Jekyll, Diana Hyde, Beatrice Rappacini, Catherine Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein—women whose fathers represent the worst of the amoral scientists of the world. When Jekyll receives a letter from Lucinda Van Helsing begging for rescue from the evil experiments her father visits upon her, the Athena Club organizes a rescue which pits them against the Société des Alchimistes. As their struggle against these men who don’t think any rules apply to them grows to a global scale, the women prove to be more than up to the task of imposing some justice on the world. If there’s a more delightfully funny fantasy series being published, we’d like to know about it.

 

Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik
(July 10, Del Rey—Hardcover)

Drawing on Eastern European folklore and the classic fairy tale of Rumplestiltskin, Novik tells the story of Miryem, daughter in a family of Jewish moneylenders led by her incompetent father. With their fortunes on the wane due to his poor business sense, Miryem must step in and turn the family business around. Inspired by a mixture of desperation and genius, she responds by spinning debts into gold—gold that attracts the attention of the Staryk, emotionless fairies who bring winter with them. The Staryk give Miryem Fairy Silver and demand she transform it, too. Miryem does so by turning the beautiful metal into jewelry that attracts the attention of the rich and powerful—but her success brings her more Staryk attention, and thus more problems. Novik’s first standalone novel to come along in the wake of the Nebula Award-winning Uprooted had a tough act to follow, but Spinning Silver—expanded from a short story included in anthology The Starlit Wood—is every bit as enchanting.

 

Infinity’s End, edited by Jonathan Strahan
(July 10, Solaris—Paperback)

Strahan’s final entry in Solaris’ Infinity series of themed anthologies lands with a bang—and an ace lineup of great stories exploring hard lives lived in the depths of space. With stories by Stephen Baxter (“Last Small Step”), Seanan McGuire (“Swear Not by the Moon”), Alastair Reynolds (“Death’s Door”), Kelly Robson (“Intervention”), LavieTidhar (“Talking to Ghosts at the Edge of the World”), and Fran Wilde (“The Synchronist”).

 

One of Us, by Craig DiLouie
(July 17, Orbit—Hardcover)

In Huntsville, Georgia in 1968, a mysterious and untreatable sexually-transmitted disease moves through the population, resulting in stillborn and malformed babies. The ones that survive are known as the Plague Generation, and are rejected by the community. They are gathered in The Home, where they are mistreated and abused. When the Plague children begin to develop powers, they see a chance to break free from the “Normals” who have imprisoned and tortured them, and they begin to plot a war against humanity—but their burgeoning powers have attracted the notice of the government, which sees great potential for these children as weapons, even as they slowly come into their own in terrifying and violent ways.

 

Kill the Farm Boy, by Kevin Hearne and Delilah S. Dawson
(July 17, Del Rey—Hardcover)

Hearne and Dawson set out to undermine the white male patriarchy in a hilarious and surprisingly deep fantasy in the Pratchett mold. The titular, clichéd farm boy destined to save the world is killed more or less immediately after being anointed the Chosen One, but his death doesn’t end the threat to the world. A colorful band of unlikely heroes must assemble to do the job for him, including a half-rabbit bard, an aspiring evil wizard whose main skill is conjuring bread, a rogue lacking any sort of coordination, and, naturally, a talking goat. Their quest to take on the Dark Lord infesting their world with evil curses and evil-er magic is filled with plenty of jokes, songs, and riffs on the fundamental importance of cheese—but also delves into the inner lives of these crazy characters, making them real, interesting people. (Which is more than can be said of many super-serious epic fantasy stories.)

 

The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2018 Edition, edited by Rich Horton
(July 17, Prime Books—Paperback)

Horton again gathers the best and the brightest in sci-fi and fantasy short fiction into one immense volume, including standout stories by Charlie Jane Anders (“Don’t Press Charges and I Won’t Sue”), Kameron Hurley (“The Fisherman and the Pig”), Samuel R. Delany (“The Hermit of Houston”), Peter Watts (“ZeroS”), Tobiad S. Buckell(“Shoggoths in Traffic”), Yoon Ha Lee (“Extracurricular Activities”), and Karen Joy Fowler (“Persephone of the Crows”) among man others, drawn from places as diverse as Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, and, in a sign of the times, from authors’ own Patreons.

 

Apocalypse Nyx, by Kameron Hurley
(July 17, Tachyon Publications—Paperback)

Nyx, who readers met in Hurley’s Bel Dame Apocrypha series, is a mercenary with a serious drinking problem, which is really only a coping mechanism for her serious everything else problem. In five standalone stories, Nyx and her messed-up crew take on a series of dispiriting jobs as they fight for survival in a world dominated by enormous insects—a world composed of war-blasted wastelands, in which bug magicians plot to exploit an endless war for their own gains. Nyx investigates the death of an ex-con, pays off old debts, and manages to keep her and her team alive—barely—in the midst of a holy war on a planet where technology is all about genetically-altered bugs. In the end, bare survival may be all they’re capable of—but fans of the Bel Dame books will catch plenty of arch references to future adventures and terrible fates that haven’t been served up just yet.

 

The Girl in the Green Silk Gown, by Seanan McGuire
(July 17, DAW—Paperback)

This sequel to Sparrow Hill Road returns us to a distant corner of McGuire’s InCryptid universe, and reunites us with restless, hitchhiking spirit Rose Marshall. Rose has found peace in death, helping spirits move on to the next plane of existence and reveling in finally being with her true love. But the man who killed her, Bobby Cross, drives a car that runs on the spirits of the dead, and he wants nothing more than to finally claim Rose’s soul. Rose is protected from Cross by a magical tattoo—but when he manages to damage it, she finds herself suddenly alive again—much to her horror. In order to get back to the death she loves, Rose will have to team up with a former enemy, someone she’s not entirely certain she can—or should—trust.

 

Condomnauts, by Yoss
(July 17, Restless Books—Paperback)

In the 24th century, mankind encounters alien civilizations and makes a startling discovery: trust and deals are sealed galaxy-wide with sexual encounters, the idea being an act of physical intimacy is better than any mere signature. This gives rise to Contract Specialists—sexual ambassadors known as Condomnauts whose job is to, um, seal the deal, with the fate of the world on the line. While most Condomnauts are genetically-enhanced to be able to handle a wide range of alien biologies and preferences, Josué Valdés rises from the harsh streets of Rubble City, Cuba, to the ranks of the Condomnauts as a “natural,” a sexual being whose skills are only eclipsed by his ego. When the first alien ambassadors from outside the galaxy itself arrive, offering untold advances and knowledge, Josué faces his biggest challenge, and will need every inch of his talent to pull it off. Yoss (A Planet for Rent, Super Extra Grande) is Cuba’s most celebrated contemporary science fiction author, and we’re delighted another one of his gonzo works has been translated into English.

 

Record of a Spaceborn Few, by Becky Chambers
(July 24, Harper Voyager—Paperback)

Chambers’ standalone followup to A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and A Closed and Common Orbit is set within the Exodus Fleet, the generation ships humanity used to escape Earth. After centuries of travel, the ships found the Galactic Commons, and are now orbiting a star and upgraded with alien tech that alters the culture onboard the huge ships, a society which values conservation over all else. The population has dropped as many Exodans leave the ships to seek their fortunes elsewhere; those who remain must ponder the continuing purpose of generation ships that have accomplished their task. The stories of a cross-section of Exodan life slowly come together as these stragglers struggle with the idea of leaving behind the only world they’ve ever known, only to be immigrants lost in other societies. Chambers’ books are celebrated for their warmth, compassion, and diverse characters, but it’s also worth noting that her worldbuilding is top-notch; it’s a delight to spend more time in this universe.

 

Annex, by Rich Larson
(July 24, Orbit—Paperback)

When aliens invade a small town, they put the adults into a zombie-like trance and begin kidnapping children, drugging them and using them as incubators for parasitic lifeforms. At first a group of kids calling themselves The Lost Boys, led by charismatic Wyatt and including transgender Violet (crushing on Wyatt hard) are happy to live in a world where they’re free to do as they please. But when they run into Bo, a Nigerian immigrant who managed to escape the aliens, they’re shocked to discover true implications of the nightmare reality they’re living in. Realizing that the adults are useless, the kids band together to fight the alien menace themselves, overcoming their own fears and damage to do so. Larson has been called one of the best of his generation of science fiction writers by the late Gardner Dozois, and his novel-length debut fulfills the promise of dozens of celebrated short stories.

 

Thrawn: Alliances, by Timothy Zahn
(July 24, LucasBooks—Hardcover)

Zahn continues the story of one of the wider Star Wars saga’s most popular characters with a sequel to 2017’s Thrawn. Emperor Palpatine, secure in his dominance, senses a mysterious disturbance in the Force and dispatches Thrawn and Lord Vader to the distant planet of Batuu to investigate. Vader and Thrawn—the ultimate odd couple, the brutal enforcer and the brilliant strategist—are rivals for power and prestige, but they have a history. As younger—and much different—people, they long ago teamed up to survive on Batuu, and their return to that world on the edges of the Unknown Regions brings them into contact with an unexpected power that threatens their survival—and the Empire itself. It’s a delight to see Zahn playing around again with the character who made us believe in Star Wars again, all those years ago.

 

Redemption’s Blade, by Adrian Tchaikovsky
(July 26, Solaris—Paperback)

Prolific fantasist Tchaikovsky plays with epic tropes, picking up his latest novel where most books end. A decade ago, the Kinslayer returned from the darkness. A brutal demigod, he led armies of Yorughan and monsters from the void on a rampage, destroying armies and leaving nothing but ruin in his wake. A group of heroes, aided by desperate traitors among the Kinslayer’s army, defeated and killed the despot. As Redemption’s Blade begins, as one of those heroes, Celestaine, dedicates herself to rebuilding the world the Kinslayer almost destroyed—a world where his influence is still strongly felt, possibly strongly enough to destroy the fragile peace. Tchaikovsky also writes excellent sci-fi—his science-fiction novella The Expert System’s Brother is also out this month from Tor.com Publishing.

 

A Study in Honor, by Claire O’Dell
(July 31, Harper Voyager—Paperback)

O’Dell (aka Beth Bernobich) sets her alternate Earth fantasy in the wake of a second Civil War. The conflict has torn the country apart and inflamed racial tensions. Dr. Janet Watson, who lost an arm in the fighting, moves to post-war Washington D.C. to work at the Veterans Administration hospital and get used to her new mechanical arm. She rooms with the brilliant, arrogant Sara Holmes in a tidy flat in Georgetown, where the fact that they’re two black women cohabiting inflames lingering racial attitudes in an area still recovering from the hostilities. If you’re wondering, those surnames aren’t accidents—Watson and Holmes quickly find themselves embroiled in a mystery involving Civil War veterans who are dying off one by one, as evidence suggests a plot somehow connected to the upcoming election, with implications for the future of the country.

 

The Descent of Monsters, by JY Yang
(July 31, Tor Books—Paperback)

Yang’s third entry in the imaginative Tensorate series centers on Chuwan Sariman, an investigator for the Protectorate. Sariman is given the job of writing the official government report on a horrific accident at the Rewar Tang Institute, where a genetically-altered animal slipped its leash and massacred the entire staff. Sariman is quickly frustrated as she is given access to a limited amount of information and is thus forced to write an account that can’t possibly represent what happened—as was intended, she realizes. Seeking the truth, she continues to investigate, finding a partner in the relative of one of the slain scientists and discovering, much to her horror, the precise nature of the experiments being conducted at the institute.

 

This post was also published on the B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog.
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