The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web
Nicole Kornher-Stace as envisioned by Elizabeth StoryJosh Rountree Photo by Leah MusePatrick O’LearyBrandon Sanderson (Ceridwen via Wikimedia Commons)Clifford Simak
Since the publication of Archivist Wasp in 2015, Nicole Kornher-Stace has whisked readers through a post-apocalypse populated by the ghosts of supersoldiers and the Archivists who catalog what happened in the world before theirs. The followup Latchkey cemented this engaging world and especially its depiction of platonic friendships, written with the care and depth that these relationships deserve. Last year’s somewhat standalone Firebreak expanded the scope of the Archivist Wasp universe, a video game thriller that does Ready Player One one better. And now, Kornher-Stace has brought us another story within that universe: FLIGHT & ANCHOR, following two of that book’s characters (supersoldiers known only as 06 and 22) as twelve-year-olds on a misadventure in a shipping container in a wonderful homage to The Boxcar Children. Watching Kornher-Stace play within her own realms is a delight, and the added nostalgia factor of this book makes it a can’t-miss.
By recounting their past tales of loss and longing, Rountree effectively crafts deep characterizations for each of his cast members and makes you care for their plight, especially during the breathless final act as a colossal hurricane bears down on their Galveston locale.
I was thoroughly taken with this story, Rountree’s writing, and the unique island setting. Definitely add this to your TBRs.
It’s a confusing story, entirely on purpose, in part because of the atemporal arrangement, in part because of the unreliable nested narrators — and maybe mostly because the IFs are confusing period. But it’s fascinating, and compulsively readable, and cumulatively quite moving. O’Leary’s first three novels proved he is a major writer in our field — and 51 shouldn’t change anyone’s mind about that!
Cover by Elizabeth Story
On his Instagram, O’Leary shared a marvelous gift from artist Gary Scott.
An overwhelming present from an artist who felt inspired to sculpt the hidden hero of the tale: 51. Thanks, Gary Scott. Wow.
The other stories are like that as well, and while, these are stories from the 1960’s (maybe some from earlier?) aside from the lack of smartphones and iPads and whatnot, it does not feel as dated as it probably ought to. By giving most of these stories a rural setting, you just don’t expect someone to say, “Oh, hang on, I’ll Google it.”
All told this was a fun set of stories to listen to.
