Book Reviews

By Christopher Buehlman
6/25/24
Tor Books
416 pages
$28.99

‘The Daughters’ War’

To be perfectly clear before we start, this is a book about grief. It is a story of loss and war and lives cut short in the pursuit of survival. Sure, this is a military fantasy at its most basic level, but, in truth, it is an ode to the beauty of grief, growing up and becoming something extraordinary.

Galva is the youngest daughter of a prominent family, and, instead of staying cloistered in safety, she chooses to train with an experimental army unit that will likely mean her death. Humans are edging toward extinction, and the goblins just keep coming. Brutal, cunning and overwhelming, these goblins want one thing only: to tear down humanity and make them into livestock. Paired with a diverse and fascinating array of comrades, Galva will fight for her people’s right to live and lose almost everything along the way.

This is not an easy book to read, but the starkness and gritty horror make the moments of humor and hope that much more powerful. The prose is hypnotic and stunning, like an epic poem, and will linger long after the cover is closed. It is absolutely worth the tears. — Review by Julie Goodrich

By O.O. Sangoyomi
7/2/24
Forge Books
352 pages
$27.99

‘Masquerade’

There have been a handful of times in my life when I felt so wildly out of place that I couldn’t tell up from down. That kind of upheaval is a powerful motivator for digging deep and finding out what you’re made of. Transformation, power and self-discovery weave through this gripping, gorgeous story I fell in love with from the first page.

Òdòdó is a blacksmith in Timbuktu, a city being ground down under the heel of a warrior king. Òdòdó’s struggle suddenly changes, however, when she’s kidnapped to be the bride of a warrior king who refuses to take no for an answer. Left with little recourse, the story follows Òdòdó as she learns to reclaim her power, navigate the politics of her new city, and embrace the power she finds unexpectedly at her fingertips.   

This is a deep, tense and satisfying story that weaves together West African myth with the classic story of Hades and Persephone in a unique and utterly enthralling tale. I love the blending of the familiar and the new. This feels like a classic in the making. — Review by Julie Goodrich