The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web

For We Are Bookish, Kelly Gallucci includes Mia Tsai’s debut novel BITTER MEDICINE among 30 Books by Asian Authors to Read in 2023.

This romantic fantasy received rave reviews from NetGalley members who were swept away by the tale of an immortal heroine hiding her true powers and an elf trying to break a curse he cast.

Feeding Squirrels On My Way To Work loves Kimberly Unger’s Philip K. Dick Award winning novel THE EXTRACTIONIST.

I loved the descriptions of the Swim – the online world. It made the concept feel physical, digital, and organic at the same time.

I loved the unexpected moments of humor that occurred. There’s a law firm named Nebuchadezzar, Warloc, and Schmidt. McKay thinks: “They must have gone and found some poor kid with the name Warloc and sent him to law school just to get that level of badassery in the partner name.“

Eliza Nurey Wynona McKay is a fascinating protagonist. She’s a flawed character in the classic cyberpunk noir tradition, but she’s never a cliché.

The job McKay takes on is full of twists and surprises.

I loved this book.

Sam Locrian on their Salt-Powered Investments, LLC reviews Kameron Hurley’s MEET ME IN THE FUTURE.

Hurley, for those unfamiliar, is an opinionated writer, and this is an opinionated book. That is by no means a bad thing–her opinions are well worth the illumination–but most would appreciate knowing their coffee is black before the first lidded sip. I find it productive to think of it as a contrarian impulse, a starting point of a world where our social and biological preconceptions don’t apply, whether that means the four-gendered social structure of the bayou-punk “The Plague Givers”, the flip-flopped male-female predispositions in “The Women of Our Occupation”, or the simple-but-obvious question of how gender works for a person who regularly swaps out their body.

Eddison Monroe for RT Books Reviews mentions Brandon Sanderson’s THE EMPEROR’S SOUL in Discover the 16 Best Brandon Sanderson Books – High Fantasy Masterpieces.

THE EMPEROR’S SOUL is a novella set within the world of Elantris. The book follows a young artifabrian named Shai, who is hired to restore a damaged emperor’s soul. With a focus on character development and a richly detailed magic system, The Emperor’s Soul is a great example of Sanderson’s ability to tell a compelling story in a smaller package

At Tor.com, Cole Rush rates THE EMPEROR’S SOUL in the lighthearted piece Cosmere Cashmere: Finding the Best Fit for Sanderson’s Cosmere Planets.

Sometimes, endlessly singing the praises of your favorite fictional universes can pay off. Such was the case with Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere, when a friend who doesn’t read a whole lot finally picked up one of the books. It took some coaxing—in the form of a suggested reading order, a Please Adapt column, and this Stormlight primer (spoiler-free)—but my buddy finally made the leap into Sanderson’s interconnected world.

Still very new to the whole Cosmere thing but enjoying The Way of Kings, he called me and opened with this gem of a line: “Dude…you’re right. The Cashmere is sweet.”

Ding! The invisible light bulb above my head flickered on, and I emailed my editor: “How about a piece exploring which Cosmere planets would be most/least friendly to a cashmere sweater?”

****

Sel (Elantris, THE EMPEROR’S SOUL)

We don’t know a ton about Sel’s climate, though it’s reasonable to assume it varies by region, much like our world.

The magic holds interesting cashmere implications. Forgery could be useful, here: Stamp the fabric so it becomes more durable, less prone to shrinking, that sort of thing. An economical use of the magic? Heck, no, but we’re here to describe whether we could do something, not whether we should. Meanwhile, Elantrians could use the AonDor to amplify the efficacy of Cashmere…at least, I think they could? The magic of Sel is not as clear as other types of Investiture.

Sel’s culture makes cashmere a shoo-in. The royals we meet in Elantris love to flaunt their wealth ostentatiously. No better way than to enjoy soft, warm, luxurious cashmere. Comfort and style are among its advantages, but when there’s money to be made, the nobles will be all over it.

Sel Cashmere Rating: 8/10