This review was first published by Booklist on June 1, 2016.

James Stark (aka Sandman Slim) is living the closest thing he can to a normal life: he works for the Sub Rosa, and he has a girlfriend and a social life (well, he’s part of an underground fight club). Then a dying angel gives him a vial of mysterious “black milk” and another angel tries to kill him for it. The Wormwood Corporation is up to no good, a kid goes missing, and too many coincidences start to pile up. His friends are in danger, Heaven is in revolt, and everyone’s soul hangs in the balance. Now Stark needs to find a way to get back to Hell . . . . The eighth entry in Kadrey’s Sandman Slim series is well paced, gritty, cool, funny, and insightful. The dialogue is whip-smart, the characters remain compelling, and Stark continues to evolve in surprising ways. Not only is this a welcome return for existing fans, it’s also easy for new readers to follow along. This fun and rewarding book has an ending that will leave readers eager for the next one.

This review was first published by Booklist on April 1, 2016.

Coop is a thief who specializes in thaumaturgical snatch and grabs. His cohorts are poltergeists, strongmen, telekinetic lockpickers, and women who can make things invisible—one of whom is his ex-girlfriend. But wait, there’s more. Like an angel who was supposed to destroy the Earth after the Flood but botched the job, cops who specialize in “peculiar science,” gangsters, bumbling demon-worship cults, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and monsters of all ilk, all living in secret in a surreal version of L.A. And it seems that everyone wants Coop to steal them a very special box. The Everything Box is what you would get if Carl Hiaasen and Kinky Friedman had written Good Omens (1990) instead of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It offers a similar setting of the real world blended with the paranormal—complete with a looming apocalypse—but the writing has an edgier, racier sense of humor. The story is fast, the twists keep turning, and the resolution is satisfying. This strongly PG-rated, ribald romp is a good set-up for a potential new series.

This review was first published by Booklist on March 15, 2016.

Kailen’s Twenty were legendary, undefeatable mercenaries present at some of the most important events in the history of the Old Kingdoms. Now, three decades after they disbanded, someone is killing them off, one by one. Set in a brutal world of subtle magic, clashing empires, and commercial interests, this is an impressive fantasy debut. Selby demonstrates the command of style, character, plotting, and world building of a seasoned author. The tale switches between the first-person perspectives of multiple characters, and Selby’s writing style changes appropriately. The nonchronological narrative is woven through with flashbacks. Selby creates a robust world that’s entirely believable, but he doesn’t get distracted showing it off. He lets the story live in this world in a deeply effective way. Snakewood has much in common with the work of Joe Abercrombie and should appeal to his fans. As a story about the violent world of warriors and magic, Snakewood is reminiscent of Matthew Stover’s Acts of Caine series, but without the science fiction elements.

This review was first published by Booklist on March 3, 2016.

Steele’s latest is many things: it’s a love letter to science fiction and the history of the genre, with cameos from many great writers and scenes set at several memorable historical events. It presents an original solution to a fundamental challenge of colonizing other star systems using ships that travel at sub–light speeds. It envisions a fascinating future for humanity in the galaxy, focused on the legacy of one particular family. But what makes Arkwright unique is that this isn’t a story about a colony ship traveling to a distant world. Rather, it’s the story of how such a ship gets built and launched in modern times. This novel fits well with Steele’s fascination with large-scale construction and engineering projects. It’s different from much of his other work in that it takes place predominantly on earth and a portion of it focuses on past history. Steele doesn’t manage to create a perfect marriage between all these threads, but his vision is engrossing, nonetheless.

This review was first published by Booklist on February 15, 2016.

A passionate romance. A brutal murder. A conspiracy that threatens war on a galactic scale. Bonesteel’s debut sets the stakes impressively high. Commander Elena Shaw is shocked when her lover is accused of murdering one of her crew, and things only get more strange when the murder is tied to a past tragedy. The first half of the novel is a murder-mystery romance. But in the second half, the story blossoms into something much bigger, and the book really comes into its own as a work of far-future military science fiction. The mystery is compelling, and the action is nicely paced and exciting, with well-rendered and believable characters. Bonesteel’s writing is nicely nuanced and allows room for humor. Marketing for the novel compares it to Lois McMaster Bujold, which is apt. The first half might make it a good fit for mainstream mystery or romance fans who want to try sf for the first time. The strong female protagonist lends it intrinsic appeal. There are some scenes of graphic sex and violence, so be warned. Overall, this is a highly entertaining tale and a promising start to a new series.