Weekly Roundup

This week, I finished two books and started too more. I posted a monthly roundup, and a review of a hotly anticipated book. Read on to find out more!

This Week’s Reading:

On Sunday I finished The Splinter King by Mike Brooks and despite some small issues, I thoughrally enjoyed it. I need more people to jump in on this series, as I don’t think it’s gained the traction it should have!

I’m still reading Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee. So far I think it’s surpassing both of the two previous books in the series, which is really exciting! I’ve still got a ways to go on it though, so I’ll have some more thoughts next week.

I started reading City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer, and so far it’s been predictably strange. I’m really not sure what to think of it so far – it’s four linked novellas, but with an appendix that is the same size as those novellas. I’ve read the first novella, and it was good, I think, but I found it didn’t really go in directions I liked. Certainly it’s not a book for the faint hearted.

Because I apparently can’t focus on any one thing for a significant length of time, I have also started Age of Assassins by R.J. Barker. This book has been on my list to consume for a while now, after loving the first two books in his Bone Ships series. It’s occupying a weird space for me – the assassins and kings and squire training elements are all fairly pat for the course, but Barker has injected his world with just about enough flavour to keep me on my toes, and I do like the twist of the protagonist being highly competent from the get go.

Yesterday I read a story from the Africanfuturism anthology edited by Wole Talabi. So far the stories have been atmospheric but light on plot, but this latest one really worked for me with a unique way technology could create a new form of democracy.

I’ve also finished the last SPFBO book in my initial batch! It’ll be some time before the first cut reviews go up on The Fantasy Inn website as we organise between ourselves, so there’ll be no spoilers from me here!

This Week’s Posts:

Wednesday: Monthly Reading Retrospective (June) – Last month wasn’t bad at all for meeting my goals, despite setting a somewhat rigid reading schedule for myself. We’ll see if this month follows suit!

Thursday: Book Review: She Who Became The Sun– She Who Became the Sun seems to be being talked about everywhere I look, and it’s no wonder, as Parker-Chan builds an excellent tale of fate and betrayal.

Next Week’s Posts:

Next week I’ll definitely be putting up my review of The Splinter King, the second in Mike Brooks’ new fantasy series. I might also be able to get up a second review, be it Defekt, The First Sister, or a third surprise review.

Next Week’s TBR Shortlist (Not including SPFBO books):

Ten week streak now of picking up top row TBR shortlist books, which I think is a new record? From last week’s TBR shortlist I picked up Age of Assassins.

Here’s a link to my last Weekly Roundup, if you wish to compare the two. The book in the top middle is The Second Rebel by Linden A. Lewis, while the book in the middle left is Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. I’m planning to read Ship of Magic from the Robin Hobb collection.

As usual, let me know if there’s anything there you’d recommend!