This review was first published by Booklist in August 2019.

There is a rift among the humans who have spread throughout the galaxy: a divide between those who embrace genetic and technological enhancements to their bodies and those who reject them. The unenhanced lost a war and were exiled into the depths of space. Centuries later, they’re back and intent on destroying those who would pollute human purity. Now the fate of humanity depends on a new military officer with something to prove, a pirate and her crew, a plucky princess, a condemned criminal, and an obnoxious living legend and his companion AI. Birmingham’s series starter has everything going for it: interesting characters, immersive world building, a believable backstory, high-stakes conflict, visceral action, and credible villains. It’s exciting and funny with just the right amount of tension and violence. This is what military space opera should be. Even the slightly contrived climax does not take away from the satisfying conclusion. The Cruel Stars is sure to be popular with military-science-fiction readers and fans of James S. A. Corey’s The Expanse series.

This review was first published by Booklist in July 2019.

Tyger Burning begins what promises to be a sweeping new military-sf series. The Sommen, a war-obsessed alien race, arrived in Earth’s solar system but then mysteriously disappeared, though they promised to return in 100 years. Maung is the last Dream Warrior, a cybernetically enhanced soldier in the Myanmarese army who fought for the Chinese against America and its allies in the last war. He has been in hiding, hunted by those who killed all of his compatriots. When he stumbles upon a secret, it sends him on a journey across the solar system, far from his family, to discover that nothing is as it seems. McCarthy is building a reputation as an author of compelling and believable military sf, and this latest outing proves his reputation is deserved. Focusing the story on characters from Myanmar gives it a unique twist. There are many threads established here to set up the rest of the series, resulting in an exciting if occasionally jumbled narrative which will leave readers awaiting the next installment.

This review was first published by Booklist on May 17, 2019.

After defeating the artificial intelligence on Mars, Liz Anderson and two other survivors arrive back on Earth, but not to the welcome they expect. Earth is in turmoil after the devastation of nuclear war, and paranoia and hatred of AIs run rampant. The astronauts return with the remnants of the Martian AI, which contains the uploaded consciousness of Liz’s dead lover. Or does it? It turns out the AIs aren’t done with her yet, and all is not as it seems. Targeted by the U.S. government and aided by AI sympathizers, Liz must figure out whom to trust. In Cawdron’s follow-up to Retrograde (2016), he develops his ideas about artificial intelligence and the nature of life in complex and interesting ways. The political ramifications that drive the action are entirely believable. Reentry is a worthy sequel. Though it lacks the novelty of its predecessor, this series entry develops this world more broadly and leaves open the possibility of future stories. Fans will be satisfied.

This review was first published by Booklist on May 17, 2019.

Octavia Gone, the eighth entry in McDevitt’s Alex Benedict series (after Coming Home, 2014), brings back long-missing character Gabe, while Alex and crew tackle the tandem mysteries of a disappeared research station and a possibly alien artifact. What the crew discovers entails a moral conundrum that forces them to make difficult choices to find a resolution. As always, McDevitt’s story is well-structured and paced. His characters are relatable and it’s interesting to see how they react to Gabe’s reappearance. One of McDevitt’s hallmarks is his focus on external conflicts—solving the mystery and navigating its implications—but there’s little conflict between the characters; people in McDevitt’s worlds are reasonable and resolve their interpersonal issues without much ado. While the two mysteries tie together in the end, for much of the book they seem oddly unrelated. This book offers what McDevitt’s fans are looking for, but new readers will want to start with earlier books in the series.

This review was first published by Booklist on April 19, 2019.

Linden’s first novel combines a story about the practices of science with a political thriller. An archaeological dig in Kazakhstan uncovers a mysterious ancient find with potentially revolutionary implications. When the find is threatened by larger geopolitical forces, Claire Knowland must resort to unorthodox methods to save it. But this puts her in the sights of malevolent powers and threatens to undermine scientific acceptance of the discovery. Deep Past will remind readers of Golden Age science fiction in that the story is dedicated to the exploration of a really Big Idea. In this case, the idea is about evolution and animal intelligence rather than technology. Also like Golden Age science fiction, the characters and plot are clearly secondary to the Big Idea. The characters are varied and interesting but lacking nuance, and the plot has some good twists and tensions, if it is somewhat ham-handed at times. The story is good enough to be entertaining but it’s also just a good excuse to explore a radical scientific idea about animal intelligence.

This review was first published by Booklist on March 15, 2019.

Once again, Egan (Phoresis, 2018) demonstrates his mastery of short-form science fiction. In Perihelion Summer, he takes on climate change from a unique angle—a micro-black hole passes close to Earth, changing its orbit and making the seasons more extreme and deadly, with swaths of the planet rendered uninhabitable. A group who built a self-sustaining aquaculture rig in the Indian Ocean to ride out the black hole now find themselves needing to navigate dangerous seas in search of survivable temperatures. Egan packs quite a lot into such a short book: science and engineering, family relationships and personal conflicts, global politics and danger. He presents a human tapestry in a time of disaster through evocative highlights of how people adapt to sudden crisis. This is a warning for how bad things could get if climate change is left unchecked. It’s a cautionary tale of the need for us to be prepared. But it’s also a beacon of hope—a story of survival at great cost. Difficult and painful as it may be, we find a way.