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Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’ve got a lot of new releases for you this week. As usual, a lot of books are coming in hot after a holiday weekend that’s also the start of a new month. Whew! For recommendations, we’ve got a theme, too: new releases that are SFF in translation. I’m particularly excited that one of the books is from an Icelandic author; they’ve got a vibrant SFF writing tradition, and I feel like we don’t get to see a whole lot of that work translated. Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Friday!
Bookish Goods
Mini Anxiety Bookshelf by OriginalMachinery199
This miniature bookshelf can come with either 200 or 300 tiny books, each one a separate piece. The anxiety bit comes in because you can dump the books out and reorganize them to your heart’s content to keep your hands busy or give yourself a distraction! $42
New Releases
The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart
In the aftermath of a divine war that shattered the world, humanity made a deal with the devious god Kluehnn. For a price that has left humanity indebted for eternity, he has promised to restore the world to what it was before the war. Hakara is a survivor who definitely was not consulted on this deal. She wants only to keep herself and her sister safe, but when the two are forced to flee their homeland, Hakara is forced to abandon her sister. Now on the wrong side of the world, Hakara joins a force of workers who must mine gems for Kluehnn and thus discovers she has magic powers. And soon, she discovers that her sister is alive… and those rebelling against the pact with Kluehnn can help rescue her.
Out of the Drowning Deep by A.C. Wise
Bastion is a secluded monastery that resides in a forgotten corner of the galaxy; Scribe IV is an obsolete model of automaton that resides there. The greatest event in recent history is a visit from the Pope—and that visit ends in the holy one’s murder. This murder will call the Sisters of the Drowned Deep to rise up and punish all of Bastion if not solved. Scribe IV must join forces with Quin, a private investigator and someone who used to struggle with drugs, and an angel named Angel to solve the case.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
We’ve got some new SFF in translation coming out this week, so I wanted to highlight these two books for you!
Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami translated by Asa Yoneda
This is a mosaic novel of 14 interconnected stories tells the tale of a distant future where humanity is on the verge of extinction, and the best hope of survival is interbreeding with children made in factories and completely alien beings.
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir translated by Mary Robinette Kowal
Iðunn suffers from constant fatigue, but doctors can find no cause with medical tests, and thus dismiss her concerns. Her family and friends have become fonts of helpful but ultimately useless advice—except the person who suggests she buy a step-counting watch. And the watch reveals that during the night while she was supposedly asleep, she took 40,000 steps. Soon, she begins waking up with injuries, each more concerning than the last, and no one will believe her.
See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.
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