Lots of answers and lots of questions

The Chase: A Diving Novel by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everything comes together at the end or is it everything falls apart at the end. This takes a ride with several different groups and several different levels of technology. Boss and Coop have a wild ride and in the end are left with more question than answers. This comes out in Oct but I got it easy by participating in the Kickstarter to finance the story. Now I am waiting for the next part of this saga. The Diving Novels have a lot left to reveal. Hope a new Kickstarter arrives soon.

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A Different Dive

Thieves by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved seeing Boss again. She is off on a dive that is not like any before. What she does not know is that she has tripped a alarm and it will have consequences. Off course those are not realized by the end of the book. Now I need the next book but think I will probably have to wait. This was a Kickstarter project. I am ready to support one for the next book.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 317 - A Bad Place to Die by Easy Jackson, Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine November/December 2018

A Bad Place to Die by Easy Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had a hard time deciding what bookshelf to put this on. It is a western and it does have some romance however it is very different from the usual in western romance. One difference is that I found this in the western section of the book display not in romance. Tennessee Smith may be the sheriff but she is not your usual breed. While she is strong she still spends part of her time crying. She does not wear her badge nor does she wear a gun. She knows she is a pawn in a game she does not understand but she keeps going and doing her best. I liked the book and the story line even as I wondered what it was leading up to. I will be looking for the next book in the series.


Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine November/December 2018 by Sheila Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As usual this is a good mix of stories. I purchased it because Kristine Kathryn Rusch has a story set in the diving universe. It a side story that is not set anywhere near the main story line. It is an interesting look at how cadets were trained for life in the Fleet. There is also a story by Linda Nagata another author I follow. I also enjoyed Pregnancy as a Location in Space-Time. This is not something I read cover to cover immediately so I will read others later. I have found that I enjoy having a issue around. It gives me shorter stories to read when I need a break from full length books.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 146 - The Runabout by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Storm Gathering by Rebecca Zanetti, Unspeakable by Nina Croft

The Runabout by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a partner to the previous story in the Diving Universe. This time we see the Runabout in the boneyard of ships where the Boss and company are diving another ship. Seems that the drive on the runabout is effecting the divers and not in a good way. I loved seeing the other side of the story. Even though I realized what was going to happen there was enough tension and danger to keep me reading. A bonus - This was proof that the Fleet was still around somewhere.

Storm Gathering by Rebecca Zanetti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Greyson Storm and Maureen Shadow have a troubled history. I saw their first meetings in a previous book but in Storm Gathering we get to see them from Greyson's viewpoint. The two clash but they have trouble fighting the chemistry between them. This not only tells Greyson and Maureen's story it also moves the story a little bit further as the Merc's lead by Greyson and Vanguard lead by Jax have to decide their relationship in this new world. There is danger, tension and some very bad characters still in the mix. I enjoyed seeing Greyson and Maureen get together and watching as the two groups start to make a long term plans for the future. The world building and back story are in place and ready for a long series of events with characters who can get the job done.


Unspeakable by Nina Croft
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The follow up to Unthinkable has finally arrived. Sadie Brooks is back with all the gang plus Ethan Weiland, a member of the Conclave. Sadie and group are still fighting for their lives. When Ethan captures her she makes a crucial decision about trust and the future. This is a fast paced story with great characters. It has been a year since the first book was released and there was a need for some review. There is just the right amount of backstory and world building built into the story line to remind me about what went on before. I loved all the action and the surprise at the end. There was a very satisfactory ending with most loose ends tied up. I loved the premise and would not mind visiting this world again but time will tell if there will be more of the Beyond Human story told.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 53 - It Must Be Christmas by Jennife Cruise, Donna Alward and Mandy Baxter, The Falls by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, The Adventuress by Tasha Alexander

It Must Be Christmas: Three Holiday Stories by Jennifer Crusie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What it not to like when you get three novellas with a Christmas theme and a romance. All three stories were fun to read but Hot Toy by Jennifer Cruise was the one that made me laugh out loud through out the story. A really fun story with toys and spies at its heart. Christmas at Seashell Cottage by Donna Alward had me wondering if I had read it before. I had not but I had read the novel that came after this story. A nice sweet romance with a baby at the heart of the story. Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter was the story with the most explicit sex as a big part of the story line. Since I usual just skin those part this was a very fast read. All three have been published before so check before you buy to make sure you have not already read them. If not pick up It Must be Christmas for some nice Christmas Romances that are fun. The nice thing about three stories in one book; you can sip them one at a time between all of your holiday plans and get the complete story in a much smaller time frame.


The Falls: A Diving Universe Novel by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For those of us who are fans of the Diving Universe and have read the series from the start The Falls will probably not be what you expect. No Boss in this one. Instead it takes the readers to a Fleet Base that is still active but about to close. There is a mystery that starts with a pair of shoes left at Flisker Falls on the same day that the final closing date for this Fleet Base was announced. While the mystery is center stage for the story it also gives a lot of backstory and world building for the rest of the series.
There are also some great characters and two events that turn out to be connected.

I enjoyed the story and wondered if it would have any tie in to the previous books in the series since this happened many years in the future, not in the time the rest of the story takes place. Listen and look careful for near the end there is something that ties the book to events in the past. Rush says in her comments she started this story to flesh out the Fleet and how it operated but she realized that she had written an entire novel to get all the information in she wanted so decided to publish it for those of us who love the series. I think it would also work as a stand-alone or an introduction to the series.
There is a new book in the series coming out in 2016.


The Adventuress by Tasha Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Lady Emily books and I call them a slow burn mystery. This one starts when Emily and Colin go to France for the engagement party for Emily's life long friend Jeremy. No one expected Jeremy to ever marry but it seems he has found the perfect woman and plans to make her his wife. Nothing goes as expected. People are dying and Emily wants to know why. There are a lot of red herring along the way. While I though maybe I knew who and why things were happening actions in the story kept me guessing. A nice addition to the series. You can read this as a stand-alone. It is a good introduction to the series but like most series it is much better if you have read the previous books.

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Starbase Human (A Retrieval Artist Universe Novel: Book Seven of the Anniversary Day Saga) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction

From WGN Publishing:

Can the fate of a forgotten starbase hold the key to the Moon’s survival?

Long before the Anniversary Day bombings brought the Moon to its knees, a far-flung starbase became the testing ground for a diabolical plan: the annihilation of every human inhabitant by an army of clones.

Every lead to the masterminds behind the bombings uncovered by criminal kingpin Luc Deshin dead ended in an Earth Alliance connection.

Undercover operative Iniko Zagrando refused to play patsy for the Earth Alliance Military Division Intelligence Service, and now he’s fleeing for his life from his old bosses.

And Frontier Marshall Judita Gomez puts her own life and the lives of her team on the line when her search for the origins of the Anniversary Day assassins leads to an Earth Alliance cloning factory.

From the quiet courage of a Disappeared who struggles to decide whether to come out of hiding to the potent fury of a master criminal who puts a plan in motion to strike back at an overwhelming enemy, Starbase Human brings readers one step closer to the exciting conclusion of the Anniversary Day saga.

Starbase Human takes us closer to the end of the Anniversary Day Saga.  Once again we visit the past and proceed to the present.  Each part brings moves closer to the end of the series and everything points to a truly explosive ending.  More pieces of  the puzzle are in place.  There are some new characters as well as some from previous books.  Each has a part in finding out who has targeted the Moon.  Like previous books there are several different stories featuring different characters.  Each story is very well-developed and each contained a hint about what is to come.

I love the series and recommend it to anyone who loves Science Fiction mixed with a mystery.   I have Masterminds on pre-order and it will go to the top of my TBR list as soon as it comes out.

I do need to add that this is a series that needs to be read in order. 

WMG Publishing released Starbase Human by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2015.

Vigilantes: A Retrieval Artist Novel #6 by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction

What Goodreads Says:

A shocking act of violence...
The looming threat of another attack spurs the Moon's chief security officer, Noelle DeRicci, to uncover the identity of the masterminds behind the Anniversary Day bombings before they strike again. Armed with information uncovered by Retrieval Artist Miles Flint and Detective Bartholomew Nyquist, DeRicci lets herself hope she can put an end to the violence against the Moon.
But then a brutal murder changes everything.
DeRicci must risk everything to launch a secret investigation into the very heart of the Earth Alliance.

Can the next attack be stopped?

I have to start with the same warning that Kris put at the beginning of each book in the Anniversary Day Saga.  Unlike most of the books in the Retrieval Artist series the books in this saga do not stand alone.  You need to start at the beginning and read in order.

Plot:  complex, complex, complex – More is exposed but much is still unknown – There are flashbacks that give a glimp into how things started to develop  that add to the development of the plot.

Characters:  There are the characters from the Retrieval Artist series  but this plot requires a large cast of characters.  None are side characters all play a big part in the development of the story.  With this many important characters their development could be shorted.  That does not happen.  Each has the development that adds to the story and plot.

World Building – The series is set in the world developed for the Retrieval series but the Anniversary Day Saga requires quite a bit of addition development.  That development continues in Vigilantes and adds to the plot development.

Writing:  Rusch is a experienced writer and it shows in this  book and the series.  Everything flows in a way that keeps the story and plot moving.  

There is another very nice thing about the series.  Each month a new book with another part of the story is released.  There is just a one month wait for the next part and I have the next one on pre-order. 

WMG Publishing, Inc published Vigilantes by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2015.

Stacking The Shelves - April 18, 2015

Books Stacked on My Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their shelves. 

This week I got two ebooks  that I had on pre-order: Deadly Lover by Charlee Allden and Vigilantes: A Retrieval Artist Novel #6 by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
 

I also got Sing a Song of the Stars by Laurie Green and several others.  This is a SciFi Romance novel and novellas collection that went on sale for .99.

I also picked up three book that were free on Amazon:  Kiki Lowenstelin Short Story Anthology #1 by Joanna Campbell Slan, Worth, Lord of Reckoning by Grace Burrowes and Devil’s Concubine by Jill Braden.

I am in the mountains of Colorado for two weeks.  It is spring but right now it switches between heavy snow and sun.  I am enjoy watching the mountains while I enjoy catching up on my reading. 

A Murder of Clones (Retrieval Artist #10) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction

From Goodreads:

A deadly conspiracy…

The Anniversary Day bombings on the Moon sent shockwaves throughout the Earth Alliance. No one knows who created the clones responsible and turned them into ruthless killers. No one knows where or when they’ll strike next.

The bombings compel Earth Alliance Frontier Marshall Judita Gomez to launch an unauthorized investigation into a case from her past involving the murder of clones. An investigation that might cost Judita not only her career but the lives of her crew.

This third book of the Anniversary Day Saga sheds further light on the Anniversary Day events, and introduces several new key characters.

A Murder of Clones introduces a whole new series of characters in the Retrieval Artist series.  Those of us who are long time fans of the series get to add a new layer to story.  What we will not get is an appearance from Miles Flint.  Don’t be disappointed.  It is a great story.  Rusch does say that this is a Retrieval artist Universe Novel as the main characters in the previous novels do not make an appearance here.

Everything plays off of the Anniversary Day bombings on the moon.  Part is set in the past and part in the present.  This is a very complex story tha sets up future action.  While not exactly a cliff hanger ending it does leave everyone with more than one problem.  There are five more books in this saga and they will come out one a month for the next five months.  You can start here as the story will stand alone but it is better if you have read the pervious books in the series.

WNG Publishing, Inc. published A Murder of Clones by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2015.

Musing Monday March 3, 2014

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…Musing Mondays is sponsored by Should Be Reading.
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! 
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

Today I want to share two different on-line publications.  Fiction River features different themes each time it comes out.  It is edited by Wesley Dean Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.  They are a husband and wife team who write in several different areas.  You can find it for sale on Amazon.

The second is Science Fiction Romance Quarterly Issue 2.  This one is free.  A little about both is below.

Fiction River:  Moonscapes – edited by Wesley Dean Smith

"We all look up at the moon and wonder. And maybe dream. For centuries, the moon filled our imaginations. Eleven professional writers took those dreams and set original stories on moons scattered all over the galaxy. Yet, as the dreams of centuries, every story holds a human touch. From a mythical man fulfilling a childhood wish to a fantastic addition to Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s bestselling Retrieval Artist series, this volume of Fiction River allows you to travel to eleven different moons without leaving the comfort of home.

Fiction River is an original fiction anthology series. Modeled on successful anthology series of the past, from Orbit to Universe to Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine, the goal of Fiction River is to provide a forum for “original ground-breaking fiction of all genres.”

Science Fiction Romance Quarterly, Issue 2 edited by Kaz Augustine

"This is the second issue of the Quarterly and it just keeps getting better and better.  This issue has new releases for December, January, February, and March, interviews with Beth Ciotta and Gail Carriger, an Opinion piece: Elements of Awesome, Charlee’s Scopebox:  Steampunk with Cyborg Squirrels, Reviews by Toni Adams, The Book Pushers, Jo Jones, and Marlene Harris and The Kissing Machine a fiction story by Danielle Davis.  And all of this is free."

Boneyards by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction

Boneyards continues the story started in Diving into the Wreck and City of Ruins.  I really like this series and Boneyards did not disappoint.  Boss is back and so is the Dignity Vessel and crew she found in the last book.  Coop, the Captain of the Dignity Vessel Ivoire, is looking for clues to location of the Fleet.  He and Boss are exploring the locations of Sector Bases that were under construction when he and his crew got caught in foldspace and sent 5000 years back in time.

Coop wants to find the direction Fleet was traveling and hopes follow even if it will be years and a totally new crew when they catch up with the Fleet.

The Enterran Empire is still trying to find how to build the ancient stealth tech that was on Fleet vessels.  They are looking at everything wrong and keep killing the people doing the research.Ivo  Squishy was once part of that research and wants to put an end to people being accidently killed.  Unknown to Boss she puts together a team to wipe out the Empire’s research.

Both of these actions collide with unexpected results.  This was written so that it could be the last book in the series but I hope it is not.  Boneyards is good old-fashioned space opera.  There is action, suspense, great characters, and wonderful plot lines.  The ending allows for further action or as a resolution for some of the characters.  I will just have to wait and see if there will be further books.

PRY published Boneyards by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2012.

Just note – this is another book with a woman in a tank top on the cover.  I guess they think that will help sales.

Waiting On Wednesday (WOW) November 16, 2011

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


I love the Diving The Wreck series by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and a new book Boneyards is scheduled to be released in January of 2011.  I have the book pre-ordered and am eagerly anticipating that release.


"Searching for ancient technology to help her friends find answers to the mystery of their own past, Boss ventures into a place filled with evidence of an ancient space battle, one the Dignity Vessels lost.

Meanwhile, the Enterran Empire keeps accidentally killing its scientists in a quest for ancient stealth tech. Boss’s most difficult friend, Squishy, has had enough. She sneaks into the Empire and destroys its primary stealth tech research base. But an old lover thwarts her escape, and now Squishy needs Boss’s help.

Boss, who is a fugitive in the Empire.  Boss, who knows how to make a Dignity Vessel work. Boss, who knows that Dignity Vessels house the very technology that the Empire is searching for.

Should Boss take a Dignity Vessel to rescue Squishy and risk losing everything to the Empire? Or should Boss continue on her mission for her other friends and let Squishy suffer her own fate?

Filled with battles old and new, scientific dilemmas, and questions about the ethics of friendship, Boneyards looks at the influence of our past on our present and the risks we all take when we meddle in other people’s lives." 

Boneyards is space opera the way it was meant to be: exciting, fast moving, and filled with passion.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, December 2011 Issue

Science Fiction

The December issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact is out and it contains several very good stories.  As I have said before I purchase an issue when one of my favorite authors has a story.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch is one of my favorites and she has a story in the December issue.  The Impossibles is set in the Disappeared Universe.  Kerrie is an attorney working off her student loans on Luna in the InterSpecies Court where you never win a case.  She is over worked and living for the day when her two-year stint is over.  Then her boss asks her to take a case that has a promise of a win.  Of course there is more to it than meets the eye.

There is a new novel in the Disappeared series coming out soon.  I wonder if Kerrie is a character in that new story.   It may be that The Impossibles is a side story explaining Kerrie’s background.

There are other good stories in the December issue.   It is available as an eBook at Fictionwise or you can buy a paper copy.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact published The Impossibles by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2011.

Asimov’s SF October-November 2011

Science Fiction

I don’t have a subscription to Asimov’s.  I buy from Fictionwise when I see a story by an author I like.  This edition has two months combined so it contains many stories and many authors.   I purchased because there is a novella by one of my favorite authors, Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

Stealth is a side story about the dangerous and destructive technology that was first encountered in “Diving Into the Wreck”.  There are hints in the story of things to come and reading the story adds to my enjoyment of the series. Boneyards, the next book in the series , will be published in January of 2011.  She also has a new Retrieval Artist novel, Anniversary Day, that will be released on Audible.com this fall and in books format in December.   

If you are a fan of Kristine Kathryn Rusch pick up this issue of Asimov’s SF.

Love and Rockets edited by Martin H Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes

Science Fiction Romance

Love and Rockets contains short stories by a variety of authors.  The book came to my attention when Gini Koch mentioned that a story she had written under another pen name was included in the book.  I am not that much of a short story reader but I purchased the book and enjoyed all the stories.  I also am developing a real appreciation for short story writers.  It takes a lot of work to get the plot, character development and world building in a story with so few words.

When I started reading I did not remember the name Gini Koch was writing under.  As I read the stories I tried to decide which one she wrote.    Some were easy to eliminate.  Two were by a team of writers; several were by men, one by Jody Lynn Nye, one of Kristine Kathryn Rusch.  That still left several possibilities.  I finally decided it must by Wanted by Anita Ensal.  When I went to Gini’s web page I found that I had chosen correctly.

There is a lot of really good writing and story telling in Love and Rockets.  While there is never enough good SFR out there Love and Rockets is full of good stories and is a great choice for SFR fans.

DAW published Love and Rockets edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes in 2010.  

Other Books I read In July 2011.

Romance

A Gentleman Never Tells by Amelia Grey –I read about this on in Romantic Times.  It sounded interesting so I pre-ordered.  It was a fun read.  Lady Gabrielle kissed Viscount Brentwood to get out of a marriage she did not want but finds that she is in more trouble than before.

The Soldier by Grace Burrowes – I checked this out as an ebook from Library to Go.  I liked the story but was in the dark about some of the back-story so I purchased the first book in the series.

The Heir by Grace Burrowes – One reviewer on Amazon really frothed at the mouth about the historical accuracy of this book.  That did not bother me.  It is a good story and it is Fiction.  I was still in the dark about some of the backstory.  Maybe it will come out in the next book.  I do wonder if we will hear the story of the sisters who we have not met and are only mentioned as a group.

These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer – Another book I checked out from Library to Go.  I have been listening to some of Heyer’s books on CD. This one was fun and probably contains a lot that is historically accurate.

Her Wyoming Man by Cheryl St. John – I loved Her Colorado Man.  I did not think this story was as good but like any of St. John’s books it is still worth a read. 

Songs of Love and Death, Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois – I got this free from the Online Book Bloggers Conference.  I did not read all of it but what I did read I enjoyed.  It does have the last story Linnea Sinclair published.  When I last checked Linnea did not have a contract for any new books or stories.  Hope that changes soon.

Science Fiction

Land of Mist and Snow by Debra Doyle and James D. MacDonald – This is an alternate history paranormal set during the Civil War.  A little different from their other books. 

The New Space Opera 2 edited by Gardner Dozois and Jonathan Strahan – I purchased this on to get Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s story.  Two of my other favorites, John Scalzi and Mike Resnick also have stories.

Interview with Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Kris)

I emailed Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Kris) two weeks ago and asked if she had time for a short interview.  She was in the middle of a project and asked if I had a specific time line to reply.  I told her I was retired and very flexible and to get back to me when she had time. She got back to me today and here is her interview:

Kris:  I finally had a chance to answer your questions.  Here goes:

Jo:  I am fascinated by the craft of writing and the different approaches authors take.  How do you structure your writing and what is you typical writing day like?

Kris:  I write at least 3,000 new words per day, six days per week.  I used to work seven, but that leads to burnout even when you enjoy your job.  I get up, check the e-mail, write, exercise, have lunch, then repeat until dinner, after which I write some more, then read and watch an hour’s worth of something with a plot.  Then I repeat as the week progresses.

 Jo:  I just read Killer Advice in the January issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction and loved it.  It looked like it had lots of hooks for future stories.  Do you have more planned and if so do you know when and where they will be published?

Kris:  A previous story came out in the Best New Space Opera 2, and Misha will show up as the hero of a romance novel, Assassins in Love, published next fall under my Kris DeLake pen name.  I’m sure there will be more stories as well.

 Jo:  On a totally different subject, I recommended The Disappeared for our Science Fiction Book club last year and was surprised to find out it was out of print.  We did read and discuss it but had to buy used copies.  Do you have any plans to publish it as an ebook?  I know there is a new book coming out this year.  Who is publishing that book?

Kris:  The Disappeared has been reissued by WMG Publishing in both trade and e-book.  You can also get an audio version from Audible.com.  The next Retrieval Artist novel, Anniversary Day, will appear exclusively through Audible.com in late September, early October.  Then WMG Publishing will publish the e-book and the trade paper in December.  Another new Retrieval Artist novel, as yet untitled, will go through the same pattern next year.

Thanks for asking!

And thanks for asking me to participate in the blog.

All the best,

Kris

A Big Thank You to Kris for responding to my interview request.  I have put Assassin in Love and Anniversary Day on my list of books to be ordered .  I also have to go find Best New Space Opera 2 to read the story published there.  You can learn more about Kris at her web site http://www.kristinekathrynrusch.com/.  

Killer Advice by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction/Mystery

Vaadum Resort and Casino is not much of a resort.  In fact to quote the author “It was more of a Hail Mary pass.  If you were passing through Commons System (which was what most people did ….) and for some reason you needed to exit your luxurious spaceship ….. and you couldn’t wait the extra day to go to Commons Starship Resorts –which were real resort ….. then you ended up at Vaadum Resort and Casino.”  The resort did have a very good repair bay and the ship in this story stopped for repair.  The ship also came with more than mechanical problems.  There have been two murders and then a fire on the ship and it could go no further. 

There are great characters in Killer Advice.  Hunsaker is a disgraced casino manager who owns Vaadum Resort and Casino, William F. Bunting is not who he says he is and then there is the Admiral’s daughter who seems to be running from someone or something.  Killer Advice has a great cast of characters, a good story and lots of hooks for future tales at Vaadum Resort and Casino.  I am hoping for more stories set at Vaadum Resort.

Killer Advice by Kristine Kathryn Rusch is a novella published in the January 2011 edition of Asimov’s Science Fiction. 

I purchased the January issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction at Fictionwise.

City of Ruins by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction

Once I started reading I could not put City of Ruins down. Wonderful, amazing, marvelous, fabulous, riveting, thrilling, and exciting, are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind when I think about the Science Fiction stories Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes and I could use every one to describe City of Ruins.

I first meet Boss in Diving Into the Wreck.  (See my post on 11/10/09)  Boss has expanded her operation and is on the planet Vaycehn.  Boss hates planets but there is something happening here that points to stealth technology and she wants to find the source.  The story starts out as a straightforward exploration but then there is an unexpected twist.   Looking for stealth technology is always dangerous but what they find must be handled correctly or there will be untold damage.

In the Acknowledgements at the beginning of City of Ruins Rusch says:

“Thanks on this one go to the reader of Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine who have consistently supported this series.” 

I recommend that you read Becalmed, a prequel to City of Ruins, which was published in Asimov’s March 2011 issue.  I do not subscribe to Asimov’s or Analog but each month I look at the new issues at Fictionwise to see what authors have published stories.  If there is one of my favorite authors I purchase that issue.    Becalmed by Rusch was the reason I purchased the March issue.  

You can read City of Ruin as a standalone but like any series reading the others stories adds to the enjoyment. 

I think there is a lot more to tell about Boss and her crew and I am hoping for future stories set in this Universe.

PYR published City of Ruins by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2011.

I purchased City of Ruins.


Look for an interview with Kristine Kathryn Rusch on July 18th.