Book round-up: September 2020

[sixthlight]

 

I read a grand total of one book and one novella in September, because it turns out the price for writing about 90k of fanfic in one month, that is also in the six-week period before an election you have some small involvement in, is that you do not also have time to read things. That’s okay: I’ll take that sort of productivity when it comes. (I'll take the election results too!)

The Black God’s Drums (P Djèlí Clark)

Novella set in steampunk alternate-history New Orleans, about a young thief with a connection to a Nigerian goddess who stumbles upon a plot that threatens free Haiti. As always with this author the anti-colonial fantasy worldbuilding is the main attraction, but also I would happily read several novels of his worldbuilding so that’s fine by me.

Paladin’s Grace (T Kingfisher)

Romantic fantasy in Offbrand Dungeons and Dragons Land - the author also publishes/tweets as Ursula Vernon. Sweet romance, a big focus on people recovering from trauma and finding their agency, lots of great female characters, but I’m slightly put off by the complete absence of queer relationships, even in the most passing background mention (h/t to the one non-binary character). Like, that’s literally my only complaint, but...it’s 2020! NOT ONE walk-on queer couple? The fucking Ilona Andrews books did better than that. Feh. (I am reading another book by this author in October, so more on this anon).