Although Chamber's second book is set in the same universe as her first, it is far from a sequel. She switches perspectives between an AI trying to hide her identity among organics, and a young clone-girl born to slave away in a scrapped-tech factory. She covers issues of body dysphoria and perseverance in the worst situations, as well as what it means for each of us to live our lives on our own terms. I loved it even more than her first book!
Sci-Fi can be... dark. Gritty. A dramatic sequence of hard choices and unforeseen events.
This is none of that.
Reminiscent of Firefly and Star Trek, it is filled with top-notch characterization, questions of morality, and fascinating clashing of culture dynamics. I fell in love with all the characters, both human and alien, and was glad for a reprieve from the heavy stories normal for this genre.
Tom Barren is a screw-up. He knows this because he's lived two difference lives in 2016 and he's incompetent in both. In fact, if he hadn't tolen his father's time machine and traveled back to 1965, we would all be driving hover cars and wearing biodegradable clothing. Instead, he corrupted the timeline, killed billion of people and caused the utopian version of 2016 to never exist.
He did, however, create a new loving family for himself and discover his soulmate. Now the Tom's of ever possible today must decide which yesterday to save and which tomorrow they'll create.
Have you been lost to another dimension? Has this caused you to be wary of so-called "podcasts"? Never fear! You can now experience all the terror, humor, oddity, and terror again associated with Welcome to Night Vale, in good, old-fashioned book form! It may even tempt you to tune in and listen to Cecil's bewitching voice, but don't worry, it will only partially confuse, and wholeheartedly delight, you.
Binti is a young Himba woman who embarks on a journey unprecedented by her people, to attend the prestigious Oomza University. On her way there, disaster strikes and she must use her amazing skills and people's wisdom to prevent further tragedy. This novella is a beautiful example of how less is often more!
