Science Fiction: Where the Axe Is Buried by Ray Nayler

Words and phrases like 'cybernetic,' and 'geopolitical espionage,' and even 'political intrigue' were used in the synopsis for Ray Nayler's Where the Axe Is Buried. Honestly, those are not normally descriptors that would cause me to pick up a book. But I was intrigued by the idea of one book being the catalyst for a revolution, to the point that even having a copy in your possession would be a punishable crime, and that the author would be exiled to a lonely wilderness. Meanwhile, the use of artificial intelligence has progressed to a point where only self-driving cars are allowed on the road, and entire governments are run by computers.

The Situation: When Lilia made the decision to return to The Federation to visit her father, she knew the risks. In London she had the freedom to go where she pleased, do what she wanted, even read what she wanted. In The Federation, activist Zoya Alekseyevna's book is banned, but when Lilia first made it to her new home across the ocean, she found the book for sale at the airport. Even so, Lilia had to visit her father one last time, and is immediately arrested after stepping off of the plane. Now, she wonders if she will ever make it back to London, and then a strange message reaches her in an even stranger way. Someone is offering her a way out, and it involves a project that made her a target in the first place.

The Problem: With The Federation currently under the rule of a President who has essentially found a way to stay in power forever, revolution and change seem nearly impossible. And in Europe, nearly every country is governed by AI Prime Ministers, and they are failing. When one continues to raise energy prices without any reason or caution, the citizens revolt, putting any remaining human officials in danger. And while Lilia is hard at work helping to potentially bring down the immortal Federation president, she fears she cannot trust the people she is working for, and wonders if this is yet another decision that will put herself and the people she loves in danger.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel set in a not-so-distant future where artificial intelligence has been allowed to replace top government officials, in-home robot caretakers are a real thing, and the ability to place ideas directly into someone's mind is no longer something found only in movies. With the advancement of AI, human beings have been replaced in many areas, except for those where having human labor is actually cheaper. And while The Federation is being ruled by a president who continues to download his mind into a new body, therefore maintaining his hold on power, Europe has come to rely on AI Prime Ministers, only for them to malfunction. There are plots within plots at work here, some to maintain things as they are, and others to create real and lasting change, and it is often difficult to distinguish between the two.

My Verdict: My fear with every science fiction book I pick up is that I will not be able to understand a thing, and that the technology used and introduce within the story will go over my head. And while that was the case some of the time while reading this book, the descriptions and contexts surrounding everything made it accessible to me, and it was all within a story that was interesting and thrilling. There are several characters whose stories are brought to the front, but each one is necessary and offers a perspective of the situation that not only adds a layer to the world, but provides a deeper understanding of our own. 

Favorite Moment: Lilia is not entirely sure about who she can trust, and even though it is unclear what the consequences will be, I appreciate one moment where she takes a chance and breaks free of a group whose motivations are unclear, but are desperate for her skills and abilities.

Favorite Character: Nikolai is the Federation president's personal physician, and all he wants is to be able to return home to his family in Italy. He knows Federation officials would rather he stay with them and continue his work of taking care of the immortal president, but he keeps his head down and does his job, even though he hates it, if it means he will eventually get to go home.

Recommended Reading: George Orwell's 1984 came to mind pretty much immediately.

Young Adult: Solving for the Unknown by Loan Le

Loan Le's Solving for the Unknown is a follow-up to her 2021 debut, A Pho Love Story. Certainly the thing I remember most about the first book is the food: It made me hungry every time I picked it up, and honestly, the actual story did not make that big of an impression. Even so, I was excited to pick up today's book, if anything expecting a light and fun read in a college setting.

The Situation: Việt is not sure what will happen at home once he goes off to college. Living on a campus six hours away means no longer having to witness the constant bickering between his parents, which has been going on as long as he can remember. Even on moving day, the fighting does not stop, and once his parents leave, Việt is suddenly living with a stranger, and on an unknown campus where he must now find his own way to new friends and experiences. Evie is in her third year at UC Davis, and is looking forward to hanging out with friends, maybe securing a job at a clinic, and being with her boyfriend Jake. It is through a clumsy accident that she and Việt meet, but they soon find themselves securing an important place in each other's lives.

The Problem: Việt's weekly calls home confirms what he has feared. His parents are still fighting, the old familiar patterns playing out even without him there. And while he has managed to make friends at college, even finding a peaceful balance with a roommate he has very little in common with, what he would really like is to be closer to Evie, who is still with Jake. But Evie struggles to admit to herself what her friends seem to see, which is that she and Jake no longer really fit. And she worries about Việt, who seems to retreat into himself and away from others when things get to be too much. But the two of them, along with their friends, continue to navigate college life, and the chaos that can come with it.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction book that takes place in and around UC Davis in California. In alternating chapters, it follows first-year student Việt, and third-year student Evie, as a third-person narrator details the events. Việt and Evie are also from the same area of California as Bảo and Linh from A Pho Love Story. In fact, Việt is Bảo's friend, and Evie is Linh's older sister. So this story's two protagonists each know what the other pair had to go through to be together. This book also deals with mental health struggles, which can become more pronounced in college, as well as family expectations, and the experience of simply wanting to be seen.

My Verdict: I always lament that there are not more books that are set during the college years as most young adult novels take place during high school, or even in that summer between high school and college. Việt's experience of suddenly having to occupy a too small space with someone you just met will be relatable for many people. Plus, there is the balance of new friends, and challenging courses, plus making space for any outside interests, all of which Le portrays well. And the relationship (or lack thereof) between Evie and Jake is clearly flawed, but the author manages to show how there can be just enough positive moments that will keep someone hanging on, despite the bigger red flags. There is more conflict and tension here, which many believed Le's first book lacked, and readers will get to follow-up on Bảo and Linh.

Favorite Moment: When Việt gets involved in a forensic science club, this mean he is occasionally presented with practice or test cases to solve, and these were definitely interesting to me, almost like fun side puzzles in the middle of the bigger story.

Favorite Character: Việt is certainly believable as a somewhat dorky and offbeat freshman student bumbling his way through his first year of college. Things get better for him once he finds a solid group of friends who refuse to simply let him go when he begins to retreat. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, also set during the main character's first year of college.

Historical Fiction: Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher

It was understood when picking up Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher that difficult scenarios would be encountered, as the bulk of the book takes place in the late 19th century in Alabama, and on a slave plantation. But the premise of an older woman visiting the descendants of a man whose family her own family used to own was too intriguing to pass up.

The Situation: It is 1943, and well-known local Red Clay resident Felix H. Parker has died. While at the funeral, his granddaughter notices an older white woman she does not recognize, and no one else seems to know either. When that same woman shows up at the house, she introduces herself as Adelaide Parker, and simply states "my family owned yours." What follows is a story of both families, one that begins just as the Civil War is nearing its end, and into Reconstruction, and the tumultuous time that was the Jim Crow era. Adelaide talks about her family, and Felix's life with them at the Road's End plantation, right there in Red Clay, Alabama.

The Problem: There are more than a few gaps in Adelaide's knowledge of Felix's story, and while Eileen and her family would love to have had all of the answers, there are simply some things that Felix did not like to talk about. Of course, being a slave at Road's End came with the expected hardships and complications, but the end of the Civil War brings with it a different era of uncertainty, apprehension, and also outright resentment and betrayal. Discerning between friends and enemies is not easy, and when secrets become currency, everyone must do what they have to for the ones they love. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that opens in 1943, after Felix Parker has died, though most of the story details his life growing up in the late 19th century. The son of two slaves, Felix will grow up on the Road's End plantation, and remains to work there once the Civil War ends and the slaves are officially freed. Felix's family are not quite sure what to think of Adelaide when she comes to tell her story, but they invite the older woman into their home anyway. In the Afterword, Fancher speaks of his own experience of listening to stories about his great-grandfather, and finding inspiration for this book about a resilient young Black man finding his way after the Civil War.

My Verdict: This book is indeed a journey, and due to its setting near the end of the Civil War and into early Jim Crow, tensions remain high even during moments or relative joy and peace. There is always something that is about to go wrong, and always someone ready to take action against those they believe are, or at least should be, beneath them. With that in mind, there is also this deep sense of resilience and hope, even during the darkest of times and when things appear to be at their most impossible. I appreciate the attempt to explore the nebulous moment when the slaves were declared free, but no one really knew what to do exactly. And if anything, what came through to me was the importance of stories and storytelling. As someone who recently lost a nonagenarian relative, this truth probably hit home harder than it normally would have. Readers who love a good family saga will enjoy this book, and maybe become more curious about their own family's history.

Favorite Moment: Closer to the end of the book, an antagonist from Felix's early life makes a surprising and redemptive return.

Favorite Character: Jimmy becomes a long-time friend of Felix's, beginning when they are children helping to bring water to the slaves in the field. He will remain a loyal friend as the two boys grow older and learn their respective trades. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer. 

Young Adult Fiction: The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor

Emily J. Taylor's Hotel Magnifique, published in 2022, introduced readers to a traveling hotel that is as magical as it is dangerous. In The Otherwhere Post, Taylor brings readers into a strange land where travel between worlds is possible, or it used to be, and the written word is powerful enough to bring joy, as well as cause untold catastrophe.

The Situation: Maeve Abenthy does not dare speak her own name. For seven years she has been using aliases, and refuses to stay in one place for too long should someone figure her out. She knows from experience that if anyone were to know her true identity, she would once again be shunned, a punishment that comes from not any crime she committed, but her father's. Because of Jonathan Abenthy, travel between the three worlds of Inverly, Barrow, and Leyland is no longer possible, at least not for the general public. And due to a devastating event, Inverly is blocked off completely and deemed too dangerous to enter. While Maeve is preparing to once again pack up and move somewhere else in Leyland, she receives a letter that was supposed to have reached her years ago, claiming her father's innocence. Finding out the truth will require her to travel to Barrow, an impossibility for everyone who is not a courier.

The Problem: Couriers are trained in the dangerous magic of scriptomancy, which is what allows them to travel to other worlds and deliver letters. But apprenticeships are highly coveted, and to gain access to one, Maeve must once again hide her true identity. Unfortunately, her new mentor is aware that she is not who she claims to be, and it seems someone else knows of her plan, and has begun to send threatening letters, encouraging her to stop looking into the past. If the mentor or this other mystery person do not stop her, the actual art of scriptomancy might, as some mistakes can be fatal. Maeve must draw on the knowledge she received from her father's instruction if she hopes to clear his name, but there is not much time, and it is near impossible to know who to trust.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fantasy novel set mostly in Leyland, a fictional world with two near-identical mirrors, Barrow and Inverly. Due to a terrible event that took place seven years ago, Inverly is no longer accessible, and travel between Barrow and Leyland is limited. Readers follow young Maeve as she must lie about her identity and essentially hide in plain sight, though it proves difficult, nearing on impossible. With no family, and an aversion to making close friends, Maeve must make decisions that serve only herself. And this is a world where words and letters hold incredible power, and being adept at any one of the five types of scribing - sense, memory, form, tracking, and travel - is a fast track to being a courier. 

My Verdict: For readers craving a fast-paced adventure in a world that has two other mirror worlds, and where the people who work for what is essentially the postal service are revered and have incredible abilities, this is the book for them. There is danger, and intrigue, and a handsome mentor, and of course, magic. If there was any one detail about this book that was irritating to me, it would be some of Maeve's actions, in particular the ones that have severe consequences for others. But desperation can be a wild motivator, and Taylor's protagonist never claims to be perfect. Despite being nearly 400 pages, this is a quick read that kept me engaged, though something about it did not leave me quite as enchanted as Taylor's previous book did. 

Favorite Moment: Because I am who I am, I enjoyed the brief description of the different libraries, and the fact that there is a 'Second Library,' but not a 'First Library,' is just so delightful. 

Favorite Character: Maeve's roommate Nan is immediately a lot to deal with, but she is determined to be helpful, as well as be Maeve's friend. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Taylor's first novel, Hotel Magnifique. 

Contemporary Fiction: Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

To be completely honest, I totally judged today's book by its cover, because it is so incredibly beautiful and well done. Also, there is a fun surprise on the inside of the cover of the hardback, but I will not ruin it here. Samantha Sotto Yambao's Water Moon is a fantasy book that takes readers on a journey through a different world, where the night sky has to be prepared, and there is a bridge between midnight and morning.

The Situation: Hana Ishikawa knew that this day would come, but now that it is here, it appears events have taken a dramatic turn she was not expecting. With the retirement of her father the day before, Hana is now the owner and operator of a pawn shop in Tokyo, though to most on the outside, it looks like a popular ramen restaurant. The pawn shop does not trade in the usual goods such as jewelry and antiques, but instead the trades in choices and regrets. When Hana wakes up the morning of her first day as owner, it looks like the shop has ransacked. Even more alarming, Hana cannot find her father, and one of the shop's most precious items is missing.

The Problem: It is Hana's duty to run the pawn shop just as her father had, but she cannot ignore the fact that her father is missing, despite the danger she knows will come with attempting to find him. When a kind stranger, a scientist named Keishin, shows up at the shop and offers his help, Hana accepts it, and the two of them embark on a journey to find Hana's father. But the Shiikuin who uphold the rules of Hana's world, mostly by exacting the most brutal of punishments should the rules be broken, are always close behind the pair as they jump into puddles as a means of quick travel; ride in paper cranes; and wait for trains that sometimes take years to come, but the people wait anyway. As a scientist, Keishin is having a hard time believing what he is seeing, but the biggest surprise may still come from Hana herself, and it could ruin everything.

Genre, Themes, History: This book is a work of fiction that is set in both modern-day Tokyo, and in Hana's world where choices and regrets can be traded in, and a night market exists in the clouds. When she goes on a journey to find her missing father, Keishin goes with her. But as a scientist not of Hana's world, everything he experiences with her is new and strange, but beautiful, while simultaneously being dangerous and more than a little scary. Nearly every step in the journey introduces a new element that Keishin struggles to fit into his own understanding of how things are supposed to work. There is regret, and grief, and the anguish over even the small everyday choices we make that can decided our future.

My Verdict: This is a work of fantasy that may be a refreshing change for fantasy readers looking for something other than dragons, or wizards, or embattled royalty. The magic present in this book is different from the magic that usually springs to mind when the word comes up. I enjoyed the fast pace of this book, which allowed for the book to rarely be boring, though sometimes hard to follow and understand. Explanations come quick, but are not drawn out, and while the general plot was sometimes lost because of everything going on, that narrative was quick to re-orient itself and the reader back to the central point, which is to find Hana's father and elude the Shiikuin. It is an interesting journey, and very different from any other I have encountered in a book before.

Favorite Moment: There are moments when Keishin retreats to a place in his mind where he will confer with his now deceased mentor. These were moments of quiet, usually in the midst of a difficult moment or decision.

Favorite Character: It is understandable that Keishin would struggle to understand the journey he has found himself on, but he stays focused and determined to see it through.

Recommended Reading: I recommend The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez.

Nonfiction: Black in Blues by Imani Perry

National Book Award-winning author Imani Perry's latest book, Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People, is an exploration of how the color blue has an interesting presence in the history of Black people. After enjoying 2022's South to America, I was excited to pick this up book, especially with its interesting premise and description.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book in which Perry gives special focus to the color blue, along with its various iterations (indigo, cobalt, lapis, azure, etc.), and its connection to Black people. From the blue in her grandmother's bedroom, to the blue she continues to encounter in her research, and the blue that can simply be found everywhere in nature, Perry links it to commonly known, and also not-so commonly known, points in history. There are the more obvious connections such as rhythm and blues music, Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, and even the skin tone commonly referred to as 'blue-black.' But Perry reaches back in time to the indigo cloths of West Africa, moving through history, and includes much of her own personal history with the color.

My Verdict: This book is undoubtedly about the color blue and its link to blackness, but what comes out of it is an in-depth look at the black experience that weaves both history and Perry's personal experience into something that is educational, and interesting, and often eye-opening. I was not entirely sure what to expect when I first picked up the book, or just how Perry was going to organically bring the color into her explorations of the slave trade, politics, art, history, and the overall long history of the fight for freedom. But her examples are clear and specific, thoroughly researched, and certainly enlightening.

Favorite Moment: The book includes a variety of pictures that are mostly pieces of art, but my favorite is of a man dying cloth in the indigo dye pits of Nigeria.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. But be warned, it is heavy and heartbreaking. 

Historical Fiction: The English Problem by Beena Kamlani

The title of this week's DSN is what initially made me curious, and after discovering that it was set during the Indian independence movement, I decided I needed to know more. Beena Kamlani's The English Problem chronicles a tumultuous period in a young man's life as he is given the honorable but difficult task of leaving his home in India to become a lawyer and help his country win independence from the English.

The Situation: Shiv Advani is a young man with an incredibly promising future, which is evidenced by the fact that he has been chosen by Mahatma Ghandi himself to help lead India in its fight to win independence from the British. To achieve this, the plan is to have Shiv leave his home of Sind, India and travel to live and study in London. He is to learn the British laws, become a lawyer, and then help in the fight to have the British leave India. Naturally, being away from home will be hard, especially since shortly before his departure, Shiv's parents insist he get married and leave behind a pregnant wife, therefore ensuring he will return as soon as he can. But there is also the uphill battle he is supposed to be helping with, as well as the difficulty of being a dark-skinned man in 1930s London.

The Problem: The seemingly straightforward directive that Shiv has been given of entering English society, learning its laws, and then returning home turns out to be not so simple. And the longer that Shiv is away from India, the easier he finds it to stay away, even with a wife and son waiting for him. On the surface, he is doing exactly what has been expected of him, becoming a brilliant lawyer and making many important connections. But every step towards progress is not without its dangers, and every suspicious glance and tense confrontation adds a touch of anger and resentment. With his parents, his superiors, even Ghandi making it clear what they want him to do, Shiv struggles to find his own path that will hopefully be in service to his home country, and also make him happy.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that is mostly set between the years of 1931 and 1941 in London, England, but also aboard a ship bound for India in the latter part of 1941. Shiv has been selected by Ghandi to help India win its independence from Britain, and the story details his initial arrival in the new country, his education, his expanding social circle, and the conflict he feels regarding his duty to the cause, his duty to his parents and wife back home, and his duty to himself. There is much discussion of the pull Shiv feels to be the perfect Indian son and fulfill his parent's wishes, while also wanting to find his own path, and knowing he is disappointing his father and mother by doing so. And while India fights for independence, World Ward II is also on the horizon.

My Verdict: This novel is complicated and has several layers, as does the different conflicts and issues that are discussed within it. Shiv is a young man who has been put in a near impossible position, and is asked to make the most difficult of decisions, while also carrying the burden of being a key piece in his country's search for independence. Unfortunately, the complexity of the narrative does not quite make up for the slow pace, especially in the beginning and end, and while sympathizing with Shiv is easy, liking him and cheering him on is not. The book is certainly informative, but not exactly interesting, and the ending feels incomplete, as well as a copout. 

Favorite Moment: Although they made up for a small percentage of the book, I most enjoyed the moments on the ship in 1941 as Shiv is making his way back to India.

Favorite Character: Mairi is Shiv's nurse onboard The Empress of Scotland and has her own story that may merit a novel of its own.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Babel by R.F. Kuang.