#SFF - Michael Gouker - Poet/Philosopher/Novelist

My impression of NK Jemisin’s World Building in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

#Goodreads, #NKJemisin, #Reaction, #SFF, #WorldBuilding / mgouker

N.K. Jemisin brings many tools to her world-building, especially a focus on how power is distributed and contested by the clans of her peoples. The manifestation of power is evident throughout The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, but one illustration in particular is the division of nobles in the Consortium. Yeine comments on the inequity of their distribution, […]

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Finding Redemption in the Deep

#Goodreads, #Review, #SFF / mgouker

The Deep by Rivers SolomonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Trying to do this without spoiling it for you, so bear with me. I’m not going to reveal too much more than the synopsis. First, I really liked the root concept of the story, the origins of the Wajinru, the merpeople. Solomon creates a compelling

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Leviathan Wakes (First story of The Expanse)

#Goodreads, #Review, #ScienceFiction, #SFF / mgouker

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. CoreyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars A good story set against a brilliant vision of the future solar system. I love the setting so much, especially all the political interplay. The characters were a bit of a reach for me at first, especially Miller’s obsession with the dead girl. I

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“Prime Meridian” and Its Many Marses

#Goodreads, #Review, #SFF, #SpeculativeFiction / mgouker

Prime Meridian by Silvia Moreno-Garcia My rating: 5 of 5 starsSilvia Moreno-Garcia’s “Prime Meridian” is about Mars, though not the red planet nor the Roman god of war. Instead, this story features a black-and-white Mars decorated with cheap studio effects, another Mars that exists only as a bond between a young couple that cannot survive

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It’s Mary Shelley’s 220th Birthday

#Author, #Horror, #SFF, #Women / mgouker

Born in Somers Town, London, United Kingdom, in 1797, her story, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, lives on in a million minds. It is amazing how much it is quoted in film and fiction. It’s a very effective archetype, the artificial/undead monster given life by an egotistical human seizing divine power. I recently saw a

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Hugo Awards: Women > Sad Puppies

#Awards, #Diversity, #Fantasy, #HugoAwards, #ScienceFiction, #SFF, #Women, #WorldCon / mgouker

After several years of political influence that resulted in No Award votes for the Hugo Awards, this year’s were largely uncontroversial, but the results were surprising to many who are not paying attention to SFF. A picture is better to convey the information: Also, N.K. Jemisin who just finished The Broken Earth trilogy. Her series

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