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April 24, 2023

Tachyon tidbits featuring Kimberly Unger, R. B. Lemberg, Anne R. Dick, and Patrick Leary

Rick Klaw blog 51, Anne R. Dick, david agranoff, hour of the wolf, Jim Fruend, kimberly unger, Mark Murata's Suburban Fantasy and Science Fiction, norwescon, Patrick Leary, philip k dick award, postcards from a dying world, r. b. lemberg, the search for philip k dick, the unbalancing, to other worlds

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

In Norwescon 2—Supplemental, Mark Murata’s Suburban Fantasy and Science Fiction discusses Kimberly Unger’s appearance at the con and subsequent winning of the Philip K. Dick Award for THE EXTRACTIONIST.

I should have said in yesterday’s post that Kimberly Unger was one of the speakers on the subject of AI—or not really AI, just machine learning.

Later, she won the Philip K. Dick award for best paperback novel (science fiction of fantasy) published last year.

The Extractionist — Cover by Elizabeth Story

To Other Worlds praises R. B. Lemberg’s THE UNBALANCING in 2022 r/Fantasy Bingo Challenge: Conclusion and Thoughts.

Last book I read for Bingo, ending it on a high note. The beginning was a little rough, but the take on gender, especially the setting recognising several non-binary genders, was great. And without going into spoiler territory, it also does something very bold plot-wise, which I can only applaud.

Bingo rating: YAY

**David Agranoff at Postcards from a Dying World reviews Anne R. Dick’s important THE SEARCH FOR PHILIP K. DICK.**

Keep in mind Anne is not a writer, and as such there are some clumsy details. At times there are more details than the average reader needs. THAT SAID. that is stuff that Dickheads like myself are totally digging into. Does the average reader need to know that was Anne who picked the Ludwig Binswanger book at the library? No, but this researcher certainly noted it. David Gill in the introduction pointed out that Anne told us which piece (the old shoe) Phil choose for family monopoly. Does the average reader need a chart of the real-life friends on whom Phil based the characters in Dr. Bloodmoney after? Dickheads will eat it up.

Anne could’ve hated Phil, he certainly crushed her publically, it seemed clear friends that knew her saw through Phil’s stories. Either way, it seems clear to me that Anne without coming out and saying as much blamed the drugs for what happened to Phil, her marriage, and the relationships that came later. Phil said as much in A Scanner Darkly and The Divine Madness of PKD by Kyle Arnold makes a great case for this.

I gained lots of respect for Anne, not that I didn’t have it before. She could’ve been more bitter but the way she approached this project. This book is important to the scholarship of Philip K. Dick

**For Jim Fruend’s Hour of the Wolf, Patrick Leary reads an unpublished chapter from 51.**

December 1, 2022

Powerful and poetic, R. B. Lemberg’s THE UNBALANCING is one of the best novels of the year

Rick Klaw blog Charlie Jane Anders, runalong the shelves, SmallPressBigStories, the four profound weaves, the middle shelf, the unbalancing, the washington post, to other worlds, what we've been reading

Accolades for R. B. Lemberg’s THE UNBALANCING keep arriving with Charlie Jane Anders in The Washington Post naming the title as one of the 9 best science fiction and fantasy novels of 2022. At The Middle Shelf as part of the SmallPressBigStories series in their introduction to a brief interview with Tachyon Publicity Manager Rick Klaw, they mention the book as one of their favorite novels of the year (Klaw looks at some of the 2023 titles). THE UNBALANCING receives favorable notices from both Runalong the Shelves and To Other Worlds. Oddly, What We’ve Been Reading includes Lemberg’s previous Birdverse book THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES in “A book with a skeleton or bones on the cover”.

What could have been a clear-cut apocalyptic thrill ride becomes something much more thoughtful in the hands of Lemberg, who weaves together a gentle romance and an examination of what holds people together. Lemberg’s characters — an unlikely couple facing the death of their city — wield both social and magical power, and the difference between the two adds spice to a beautiful story about saving what you can.
The Washington Post

They have published one of my favourite novels of 2022, THE UNBALANCING and I’ve been consistently impressed by their novels and novellas I’ve read.
The Middle Shelf

THE UNBALANCING is a powerful and poetic read. Lemberg’s use of language and storytelling is a delight to savour and combined with the themes and overall approach make this twenty-first century fantasy that should stand attention. It is brilliant and a tale many readers will never forget. Strongly recommended!
Runalong the Shelves

If you’re up for a short, dense, but still quick read with lots of queerness and neurodivergence and magic and people trying their best, very much recommended.

Enjoyment: 4.5/5
Execution: 4/5
To Other Worlds

Cover by Elizabeth Story based on initial concepts by Francesca Myman

This is a real rarity in the fantasy genre – the protagonists are both elderly and queer. I think many readers will find it possibly didactic, but this is clearly intentional and not really cis-het facing? One of the characters has very, very recently transitioned, so his mind is very much on this topic and the changes in his social life, in particular. Even though transition in this book is magical and from a physical standpoint, simple and easy, it still isn’t as straightforward as it might seem it should be, and that’s a wonderfully nuanced approach to transition in a fantasy setting.
What We’ve Been Reading

February 4, 2021

Lyrical and magical, R. B. Lemberg’s THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES is one of the best and most interesting books of 2020

Rick Klaw blog best of 2020, cheryl morgan, gary k wolfe, libri draconis, r. b. lemberg, review, salon futura, the four profound weaves, to other worlds

Gary K. Wolfe, in his LOCUS year in review, calls out R. B. Lemberg’s THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES.

There were, of course, enough worldbuilding fantasies to satisfy an aspiring psychotic, and one of the most interesting fully invented settings I saw was in R.B. Lemberg’s first Birdverse novel, THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES, a poetic tale set on a sparse desert world filled with a rich variety of genderfluid and nonbinary characters – sometimes facing rigid societal restrictions – but perhaps even more unusually featuring two protagonists already well past middle age.

In their SALON FUTURA, Cheryl Morgan praises the novella.

I’m always a little nervous approaching books centring trans characters that everyone else raves about. Of course I shouldn’t have been worried about RB Lemberg. They know what they are doing. But I was pleasantly surprised that there was so much more to THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES than the trans elements.

The quality of the novellas published in 2020 is amazing. This book is right up there with the best of them.

LIBRI DRACONIS feels much the same.

I really liked this novella, and I highly recommend it if you like lyrical, magical stories.

In their 2020 Wrap-Up: Statistics & Top Books, TO OTHER WORLDS includes the book among their Top 9 books.

A tapestry of a novella centering two elderly trans protagonists, weaving magic, identity, belonging, and so many other things. Lovely prose, too.

April 16, 2020

It’s probably safe to say that R. B. Lemberg’s THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES will be one of the highlights of 2020

Rick Klaw blog beneath ceaseless skies, marissa lingen, novel gazing redux, r b lemberg, review, the four profound weaves, To Balance the Weight of Khalem, to other worlds, vanessa fogg 0

Though not due until September (but available for pre-order from your favorite bookseller or direct from Tachyon), R. B. Lemberg’s THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES garners a lot of praise.

TO OTHER WORLDS highly recommends the book.

But to me, by far the biggest surprise was that the length felt exactly right. I found I don’t like novellas very much – they often feel as if they’re missing something, as if either there’s too many ideas or plot crammed into too small of a space or as if there’s not enough. Not so here; Lemberg hit the precarious balance perfectly. THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES feels complete. It needs nothing more and nothing less than what is already there. It’s probably safe to say this will be one of the highlights of 2020 for me and I most highly recommend it.

Enjoyment: 5/5
Execution: 5/5

Marissa Lingen on NOVEL GAZING REDUX feels much the same.

I picked up THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES after reading a long book about horrible people, and it was incredibly restorative. It was fun and gripping and a very fast read, and the book design was beautiful. But along with all those things it was refreshing at a time when my heart needed to be refreshed. Highly recommended.

At IT’S A JUMBLE, Vanessa Fogg adds their thoughts.

THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES is both beautiful and profound. It speaks of love in various ways, and of how love can hurt and bind as well as nourish and bring joy. It speaks of various forms of oppression, and the different boundaries (in some cases, literal walls) that people concoct for themselves, the limits that some seek to transcend and the prisons that others willingly accept. There’s a literal prison in this slim book, a dungeon filled with speaking bones and ghosts, a torturer, and a tyrant. There’s darkness and truly creepy, striking imagery. There’s an intimate realism to the characters and their struggles, but there’s also a fable-like quality to the plot. The mix works; this novella is lovely, luminous, and moving.

March 11, 2020

In both THE VIOLENT CENTURY and UNHOLY LAND, Lavie Tidhar engages in some seriously good world building

Rick Klaw blog by force alone, central station, ian sales, interconnected, it doesn't have to be right..., lavie tidhar, matt webb, Publishers Weekly, review, sci fi fantasy network, the violent century, to other worlds, unholy land 0

The Violent Century; cover by Sarah Anne Langton — Covers by Sarah Anne Langton

Unholy Land; cover by Sarah Anne Langton — Covers by Sarah Anne Langton

SCI-FI FANTASY NETWORK enjoys Lavie Tidhar’s THE VIOLENT CENTURY.

Who should read this? Anyone interested in Superheroes beyond the cliche that Hollywood is frequently guilty of exploiting; anyone with an interest in what exposure to conflict does to people, and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, complex story set in our rather violent history!

Ian Sales on IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE RIGHT… praises Tidhar’s UNHOLY LAND.

Not only does UNHOLY LAND offer some seriously good worldbuilding and alternate history, but it also goes all meta and begins to deconstruct its own story from within its narrative. That’s so cool I’ve even done it myself. Tidhar has said he considers UNHOLY LAND one of the best piece of work he has produced – so far – and though I take everything he says with a pinch of salt, having known him for several years, he may well be right in this case. It’s surprising how few awards picked up on UNHOLY LAND. Well, no, it’s not really surprising – popular vote genre awards these days are entirely tribal and no longer fit for purpose, and UNHOLY LAND is a genuinely good book.

At INTERCONNECTED, Matt Webb feels much the same.

If you’re looking for some good sci-fi, try UNHOLY LAND by Lavie Tidhar (I kind of don’t want to point at a review but if you insist).

TO OTHER WORLDS discusses Tidhar’s CENTRAL STATION.

Beautiful sci-fi fever dream and perfect for me. Near impossible to describe, but most highly recommended.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY reviews Tidhar’s By Force Alone.

Tidhar saturates this epic adventure with profanity, dark humor, sword-sharp twists, and unexpected moments of pathos. Readers who hold King Arthur dear to their hearts will be gratified by Tidhar’s attention to detail amidst the innovation. This dark, imaginative take on a classic is sure to impress.

February 20, 2020

Tachyon tidbits featuring Lavie Tidhar, Hannu Rajaniemi & Jacob Weisman, and Bruce Sterling

Rick Klaw blog at the library, bruce sterling, central station, hannu rajaniemi, jacob weisman, lavie tidhar, long now foundation, review, san francisco public library, the new voices of science fiction, to other worlds 0

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

TO OTHER WORLDS enjoys Lavie Tidhar’s John W. Campbell Award winning CENTRAL STATION.

But most of all, CENTRAL STATION is a book that has to be read to be believed. I’m not sure any words can do it justice. It’s strange, it’s beautiful, it’s different, and I’d most highly recommend it.

Enjoyment: 5/5
Execution: 5/5

The San Francisco Public Library’s AT THE LIBRARY (February 2020 Vol. 51 No. 2) includes Hannu Rajaniemi and Jacob Weisman‘s THE NEW VOICES OF SCIENCE FICTION among Must Read Sci-Fi by Bay Area Authors.

A fascinating anthology of short stories by diverse up-and-coming authors.

Cover art by Matt Dixon Cover design by Elizabeth Story

LONG NOW FOUNDATION hosts Bruce Sterling’s talk “How to Be Futuristic.”

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