Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 204 - Asimov's Science Fiction January/Feburary 2018, Asimov's Science Fiction March/April 2018

Asimov's Science Fiction, January/February 2018 by Sheila Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really like the double issues and while I do not subscribe I do purchase when some of my favorite authors have a story. Kristine Kathryn Rusch has the Novella The Rescue of the Renegat is this issue. This is a story in the Diving Universe. It is not part of the usual time line. It fills in some of the world building and backstory about The Fleet. I enjoyed meeting the characters and the situation outlined in the story.

Asimov's Science Fiction, March/April 2018 
by Sheila Williams
My rating:  5 of 5 stars

There is a novella by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in this issue so of course it was a must by.  This on is a main line story in the Diving Universe and helps set up the next book in the series.  Dix was an important character is the previous book.  He was not a happy man then and is still troubled.  Through this story we get a look into Coop's mindset as he continues to come to term with his path today.  A very good story and a great lead up to the next book in the series, Searching for the Fleet.

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 201 - Poison or Protect by Gail Carrier, Familiarity by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set between Carriger's two series Poison or Protect has new main characters and at least one familiar side character. I loved Lady Preshea Villentia name, the Mourning Star. She has buried four husbands and it is suspected that she killed each one. Now she is off to protect the host at a house party. Unknown to either Captain Gavin Ruthven has the same task . Can they work together and will they get together. Does Ruthven really want to be husband #5? Read and find out.

This was part of a Story Bundle of Steampunk stories. This is one of the first two I read and both made it worth the price.  The other story is the next review.


Familiarity: A Winston & Ruby Collection by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This contains five Winston and Ruby stories and each is a small gem. I loved Winston who can only do small magic but accomplishes very big things with it. Ruby is a small black cat and those of us who love and have cats will recognize the personality traits that are such a big part of Ruby. The story starts with Winston loosing his long time familiar and Ruby arriving on the scene as the replacement. From there the two bond, meet new people and share interesting events. There is a cat napping, a mystery woman, a hurricane, and a rescue. A very fun series of short stories.



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Analog Science Fiction and Fact and Asimov’s Science Fiction

Science Fiction Magazines

I have several favorite authors and I hate the long wait between books.  Analog Science Fiction and Fact and Asimov’s Science Fiction magazines help break that wait up.  Some of my favorite Science Fiction authors often have short stories or novella in both magazines.  John Hemry who writes the Lost Fleet series as Jack Campbell has several alternate history novellas in Analog.  My favorite is Swords and Saddles in the April 2010 issue.  Kristine Katherine Rusch has several novellas set in the Diving in the Wreck and The Retrieval Artist Universe published in Asimov’s.  She also has stories set in other places in both publications.  I have another post today about Killer Advice, one of those novellas.  

Both Analog and Asimov’s are available on Fictionwise either as individual issues or as subscriptions.