Experience the divinity of space through the exquisite tale of Grace Curtis’s Floating Hotel (Hodderscape, £16.99), a posh inn propelling through the cosmos, guided by its general manager, Carl, and run by a group who are dodging various problems including debt, desertion and piracy, among others. An iconic example of a grand hotel in space like The Grand Budapest Hotel, but with a twist.
However, paradise is disrupted by the intrusion of a Lamplighter, a pepper pot ready to stir up trouble and threatening the painstakingly built Empire of the Never-Setting Sun. Will the once stowaway now general manager Carl safeguard his precious establishment and employees from the wrath of the empire?
This second output by Curtis is a delightfully warm science fiction narrative enriched by a montage of quirky characters; every individual with their own story so engrossing that they could well be the hero of their own tale.
Adam Marek’s The Universe Delivers the Enemy You Need (Comma Press, £12.99) offers an anthology of tales which push the boundaries of specific science fiction or fantasy genres. The collection includes narratives about biological high-rises (Growing Skyscrapers); a solitary troll living under a bridge (Shouting at Cars); reality-altering spectacles (It’s a Dinosauromorph, Dumdum); overly accommodating robots that provoke the worst in humans (Companions) and the intriguing idea of existing as an impeccable digital copy of oneself devoid of doubts (Pale Blue Dots). Marek’s collection might not be without flaws, yet it consistently stimulates the reader, thanks to his vigorous imagination, undertaking both entertaining and deep concepts.
A fresh view of sci-fi and fantasy: from an AI detective to a satirical tale set in a colour-frenzied England a la Pratchett,
Newly released music books: A must for Springsteen enthusiasts; a unique perspective on Bowie; and memories from a hedonist icon.
Philip K Dick once ventured into the territory that Jo Callaghan successfully explores in her novel, displaying remarkable psychological and emotional depth. The protagonist, Violet Everly, features in Georgia Summers’s novel, City of Stardust (Hodderscape, £20), as yet another sufferer of the renowned Everly curse. Infamous for its “fairytale-like intricacies”, the narrative centres around Violet’s attempt to evade Penelope, a malevolent goddess from another realm. In order to keep her ever-lasting life, Penelope intends to sacrifice Violet. Fortunately, Violet’s sense of adventure equips her for the ordeal. Guided by her favourite book of fairytales bound in green silk, Violet embarks on a journey to find the mythical city of Fidelis. As the narrative unravels she realises that she is far from the knight in shining armour and her adversary is not as simple as a creature of fables. Despite Summers’s overuse of the phrase ‘fairy tale’, the overall story offers an enjoyable escapism.
Shifting settings to the verdant Warwickshire, Jo Callaghan’s novel, In the Blink of an Eye (Simon & Schuster, £16.99) pairs DCS Kat Frank with AIDE Lock, a robotic detective aid designed to eliminate bias and preconceived notions from police investigations. Initially sceptical of the ‘souped-up Alexa’, Kat maintains a preference for human instinct and judgement over artificial intelligence. However, when her son Cam disappears, desperation drives her to embrace any help she can find, including from AIDE.
Callaghan’s debut novel brilliantly explores the confluence of police work and sci-fi, raising complex questions about the potential interplay between humans and AI. These sentiments are encapsulated when Professor Okonedo, the creator of AIDE Lock, declares that “humans shouldn’t be solely responsible for policing human behaviour”.
Red Side Story not only stands as an excellent satire but also offers a balm for those missing the unique touch of Pratchett.
Jasper Fforde has returned with a long-awaited follow-up to 2009’s Shades of Grey, entitled Red Side Story (published by Hodder & Stoughton, and priced at £20). This adventurous sequel is situated far into the future in an England now known as Chromatica, a society where one’s colour perception dictates their social ranking.
The novel’s setting is the humble and lonely region of Red Sector West. The narrative centres around lovers Eddie Russet and Jane Grey who are beginning to suspect that their existence is not as straightforward as it initially appears. Consequently, they decide to undertake a monumental mission intending to break down the entire system of Chromatica.
The novel echoes Fforde’s earlier work, The Eyre Affair (2001), the first of the Thursday Next series, maintaining its sarcastically surrealistic approach. Amid navigating their heavily ordered society, which resembles a laid-back and suspicious variation of communism, our protagonists, Eddie and Jane, retain their wit and composure. The enjoyable part of the novel is how citizens of Chromatica calmly bear the sporadic bouts of severe insanity brought on by the Collective.
As it cleverly and amusingly tackles societal pretensions and the silent struggle of the less privileged, Red Side Story does more than just serve as a top-tier satire. It also assuages the Pratchett-related emptiness many readers might be experiencing.
Finally, Declan Burke’s most recent offering is The Lammisters, a product of No Alibis Press.