…he said, “You know, in Preservation-controlled territory, bots are considered full citizens. A construct would fall under the same category.” He said this in the tone of giving me a hint.

Whatever. Bots who are "full citizens" still have to have a human or augmented human guardian appointed, usually their employer; I’d seen it on the news feeds. And on the entertainment feed, where the bots were all happy servants or were secretly in love with their guardians. If it showed the bots hanging out watching the entertainment feed all through the day cycle, with no one trying to make them talk about their feelings, I would have been a lot more interested.

– The Murderbot Diaries I: All Systems Red, by Martha Wells

This is my precious Murderbot, and I love it to pieces, and everything about it is Relatable. It just wants to bingewatch trash tv all day, and why won’t all these humans stop trying to interact with it and improve its life and make it feel things? 

Please read this novella, because it’s everything you could ever want in a snarky first-person robot tale. The link takes you to the full first chapter. 

Okay friends and Black Sails fans, I am totally going to make your day

So in my lengthy search of non fanfic erotica on the interwebs (long story) I have come across a story that I am becoming increasingly convinced was inspired in some way by Black Sails. It is a historical m/m romance between a pirate and a navy lieutenant named Thomas (yes) serving as a liaison (yes) on board a privateer ship. They have a beautiful, sweet, gentle and incredibly soft yet amazingly kinky relationship, but there’s also adventure and intrigue and I just don’t have the words to convey the combination of hotness, pirates, plot, and well-written, negotiated, explicitly consensual sex/kink that is this book.

It’s like a $5 e-book on Amazon Kindle, it is entitled The Puritan Pirate and I highly, highly recommend it for anyone who’s run out of Black Sails fic to read. 

And once you’ve read it come talk to me about it because it has no tag and no fandom and no anything and I have FEELINGS

(also if anyone cares the first chapter reminds me a lot of a certain kinky Flinthamilton fic. Just sayin’) 

This graphic was for Book Quote Wednesday on Twitter.

The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red is a 140 page novella coming out May 2, 2017. It’ll be available in ebook and paperback world-wide. More info: http://www.marthawells.com/murderbot1.htm

Cover art is by Jaime Jones

IT’S MURDERBOT DAY!

HELLO LITTLE MURDERBOT

ugh so i woke up at 3:30 and haven’t been able to get back to sleep but after a couple hours of tumblrscrolling i remembered that the new martha wells joint with the murderbot in it comes out today right? it’s may 2? so I’m gonna go see what time on may 2 that joint drops because that might just save the day!!

YESSSSSSSSSS it’s out. I couldn’t even wait to dig out my Kindle, I just read it on the computer screen. 

IT IS EVERYTHING I WANTEDDDDDD

#1 tight POV– 1st person, unreliable narrator slightly, great great great that is my jam

#2 neuroatypical agender protag– explicitly, has no gender or sex components, is partly a robot, hates being looked at so much that another character observes that looking at it could almost serve as a punishment (nobody uses this as a punishment)

(#2A REALLY GREAT HANDLING OF BEING A ROBOT– I’d quote but the web-based kindle interface is hard to actually interact with, but protag explicitly says, you’d think being half human and half robot would mean you had these like two warring factions of self but in practice no, I’m just one confused entity that mostly all wants the same thing but isn’t sure what that is)

(#2B ALSO GREAT HANDLING OF HOW UNSOCIALIZED CYBORG GOT NORMAL HUMAN SOCIAL NORMS: addiction to TV shows. No really! Tons of use of excessive TV consumption to explain how this presumably inhuman creature would have such human ideas of how to experience emotions. That’s the kind of detail I really like.)

#3 brave and stoic protag having strong emotions and hiding them, why am I so into that

#4 “It calls itself Murderbot.” “That’s private,” I gritted out. BOUNDARIES, baby realizes its dream of getting to have and enforce BOUNDARIES, of course that would be the holy grail for a programmed cyborg

#5 SOMEONE HUGS THE MURDERBOT metaphorically anyway

I left a much more coherent review on Amazon under my dude’s name because we share an amazon login. I was the first reviewer! go me! 

I will probably not get to read this for a couple of days. WAH, why is life.

This graphic was for Book Quote Wednesday on Twitter.

The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red is a 140 page novella coming out May 2, 2017. It’ll be available in ebook and paperback world-wide. More info: http://www.marthawells.com/murderbot1.htm

Cover art is by Jaime Jones

I'm kind of ridiculously excited about this book!!!

This is a novella, coming out in ebook and paperback on May 2, from Tor.com Publishing. The cover art is by Jaime Jones. There are preorder links on my web site here: http://www.marthawells.com/murderbot1.htm And here’s an excerpt: Chapter One I could have become a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites. It had been well over 35,000 hours or so since then, with still not much murdering, but probably, I don’t know, a little under 35,000 hours of movies, serials, books, plays, and music consumed. As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure. I was also still doing my job, on a new contract, and hoping Dr. Volescu and Dr. Bharadwaj finished their survey soon so we could get back to the habitat and I could watch episode 397 of Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon. I admit I was distracted. It was a boring contract so far and I was thinking about backburnering the status alert channel and trying to access music on the entertainment feed without HubSystem logging the extra activity. It was trickier to do it in the field than it was in the habitat. This assessment zone was a barren stretch of coastal island, with low, flat hills rising and falling and thick greenish-black grass up to my ankles, not much in the way of flora or fauna, except a bunch of different sized bird-like things and some puffy floaty things that were harmless as far as we knew. The coast was dotted with big bare craters, one of which Bharadwaj and Volescu were taking samples in. The planet had a ring, which from our current position dominated the horizon when you looked out to sea. I was looking at the sky and mentally poking at the feed when the bottom of the crater exploded. I didn’t bother to make a verbal emergency call. I sent the visual feed from my field camera to Dr. Mensah’s, and jumped down into the crater. As I scrambled down the sandy slope, I could already hear Mensah over the emergency comm channel, yelling at someone to get the hopper in the air now. They were about ten kilos away, working on another part of the island, so there was no way they were going to get here in time to help. Conflicting commands filled my feed but I didn’t pay attention. Even if I hadn’t borked my own governor module, the emergency feed took priority, and it was chaotic too, with the automated HubSystem wanting data and trying to send me data I didn’t need yet and Mensah sending me telemetry from the hopper. Which I also didn’t need, but it was easier to ignore than HubSystem simultaneously demanding answers and trying to supply them. In the middle of all that, I hit the bottom of the crater. I have small energy weapons built into both arms, but the one I went for was the big projectile weapon clamped to my back. The hostile that had just exploded up out of the ground had a really big mouth, so I felt I needed a really big gun.

Keep reading

This is 150 page novella, coming out May 2, worldwide, from Tor.com in ebook and paperback. If you want a signed, personalized copy, you can order one from this bookstore before May 5, 2017 and get it shipped to you: http://www.murderbooks.com/event/martha-wells-preorder

every time you reblog this i feel obligated to reread the excerpt and get real worked up and worried about murderbot again. are they gonna be okay. can i hug them. why isn’t it may yet.

MEE TOOOOO <3 <3

I preordered it and am trying not to obsess, LOL. 

The Martian is a literary masterpiece.

Yep

a thrilling tale.

This is the plot of my son’s favorite book:

‘New Century - Secret Rooms’

Short version - Do you like Westerns with characters unafraid to show a humorous side, without losing the tense or introspective moments that the genre is known for?

Do you appreciate fictional settings where conflict is built on dilemmas with no clear answer and unfolds with characters on both sides making decent points and coming across positively, akin to ‘Mass Effect’?

Do you like a story that can shift between genres and atmospheres without feeling like it’s losing sight of the broader tone? Specifically, would you like some traditional ‘Resident Evil’ style intrigue mixed in with your Western?

Then give ‘Secret Rooms’ a read or a listen, because it’s an excellent way to dive into ‘New Century’!

The Longer Version:

While ‘The Catographer’s Handbook’ is a great introduction to the world of ‘New Century’, ‘Secret Rooms’ may work better for getting some people into the series, as it’s not only ‘New Century’s first traditional narrative, but a strong first step.

     If ‘The Cartographer’s Handbook’ was a look at the Reunified States at large, then this is a more streamlined story that gives us insight into the setting through the perspective of a tightly focused group of characters. Abigail Grey, a confrontational boxer who will make sure you know when she disagrees with you, and James Penrose, a perceptive doctor who voices his thought-process at a rate few can keep up with, are recruited into the Cartographers. All the theories and advice on how to deal with the dangers of the Reunified States we read in the Handbook (which is referred to by numerous characters throughout this story) are put to the test here, as we see how two people inexperienced in the new world deal with scenarios they could never be prepared for.

     What works particularly well for this story is how dangerous each situation feels for our characters. You won’t get hundreds of little episodes where the heroes encounter a danger and deftly deal with it, because these are the early days of two people entering into a dangerous life. Despite the assuring presence of the mentor figures Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, real-life sharpshooting legends who, in this timeline, have risen through the ranks of the army, there is no guarantee for survival. Every situation feels suitably tense, because this is dangerous and unfamiliar territory, both for our protagonists and for the audience. The writing keeps a continuous pace that gives you some memorable action, but also takes its time to ensure each encounter matters and sinks in as a formative moment for our characters.

     And its the characters that makes ‘Secret Rooms’ shine. Annie Oakley is a perky ball of charisma as she exudes confidence and authority, marking her as one of the most capable figures in the series. But the occasional moment where you catch a glimpse at a weak spot in her abilities, and how much this shakes her, reminds you that even some of the strongest people in ‘New Century’ are vulnerable and human. Abigail is foul-mouthed, but she’s also compassionate, and capable of making sweetly sincere connections with other people in a way that doesn’t take away from her brash personality. Penrose is so caught up in his own process of observation, but you never feel like he’s inhuman, only that he engages with the world in a unique and often immensely useful way. I particularly love the understated humour that Butler brings to the table, who often acts as a straight-man to the powerful personalities of those around him, without coming across as lacking in distinct personality himself. 

     Everyone has a chance to be funny, and everyone has a dramatic moment that makes you feel for what they’ve had to go through to get to this point. It’s a story that is chiefly concerned with people, and how they have learned to grieve. This is of course sad, but it is also so uplifting to experience a story where the healthy aspects of grieving are explored. Everyone still alive in the Reunified States has lost someone, and they are alive today because they have found a way to process that and move forward. It’s a wonderful testament to human strength, and something that many post-apocalyptic stories lose sight of in favour of wallowing in misery and despair. 

     There are so many other things I could praise about this book, but I will stop before I get into spoiler territory. ‘Secret Rooms’ makes good on the promise shown in ‘The Cartographer’s Handbook’, providing us with a first look at the people of this world, a memorable and well-paced adventure, and one heck of a suspenseful finale that expands the horizons of ‘New Century’ considerably. I can definitely recommend the audio format for this story, as the characters are brought to life by the vibrant performances of the cast, and the gripping atmosphere of the finale is enhanced through excellent production design. Check it out, and see for yourself what adventures and mysteries are to be discovered in ‘Secret Rooms’.

Available on Kindle on Amazon.

Available as an audio series on Bandcamp.

Audio sample available at this link.

Join us next time for a dreamlike tale of a tiger, and her epic journey to return a strange creature back to its home…

BOOK REC (Sci-Fi with PoC and wlw)

Why you should read The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers:

In summary: 

Meggory I will literally mail you my battered, beloved copies of the Thrawn trilogy if needed (and if you promise to mail them back), they're in my top ten favorite books of all the EU books!!!! I hope you read them and enjoy them as much as I do!

Hey, this may be a stretch, but does anyone know of some positive, family friendly (unrealistic violence and cursing is ok, not much worse than PG-13, no sexual stuff), LGBT media? My little brother (12 yrs old) just came out to me, and I want to introduce him to some good LGBT stuff now while he’s still younger so he doesn’t become a self loathing queer like I did Stuff like anime, cartoons, video games, and books/comics are good, and are stuff he likes!! No sad endings! He’s a little sweetie pie, and I want him to feel good, not get bummed out!!

If you want to go the anime/manga route, there is a boatload of LGBT representation with happy endings!

My personal recommendation would be the manga "Only The Ring Finger Knows". It's very cute, with a (high?)school setting as two boys in different social circles admit their feelings for one another and start a relationship. That's it, that's the story. Pining boys find out their feelings are returned and get together, the end. (There are some novels too??? But idk I haven't read them???)

So, ages ago, Erin and I wrote a really weird book for really weird reasons. It’s an M/F low-heat contemporary royal romance, and for that, is super super mainstream. Twenty-something girl whose life is a disaster meets heir to the throne. Yay!

But it’s also set in a not-so-United Kingdom where the wounds of the War of the Roses have never healed, features Anne Boleyn’s great great (etc) genderqueer granddaughter as the court witch and has raven prophecies, a state visit to Canada (and accompanying relationship meltdown in a Tim Hortons), lesbians in the House of Lords, a hot gay bodyguard, and a best friend who defends the princess-to-be from the paparazzi with her flipflops. Also lots and lots of horses.

It is the weirdest thing we’ve ever written.

And because we really really want to do a book about George (said genderqueer great great (etc) granddaughter of Anne Boleyn) and want to do something incredibly nervey with the world-building as the series goes on, it’s going to Torquere, because they’re willing to let us do all those things.

So…

(Also, oh god, the research on this almost killed us. We lived on Debretts and I kept yelling about how to do seating arrangements at formal occasions.)

I NEED IT MOSTLY FOR THE TIM HORTONS

I normally read romance only in fanfic format, but… this looks amazing. GENDERQUEER RAVEN WITCH. ALTERNATE HISTORY. CHANCLA DEFENSE.

::GRABBYHANDS:: Is there some way to get on a mailing list specifically to be told when this book comes out?

What she said!?

Remember this?  

The press that bought it closed, we decided to go hybrid (so we have some books with various publishers and are indie publishing some stuff thanks to an awesome team of people we’ve hired to help our stuff look and read super shiny), and we’re putting this out right on schedule – May 23, 2017!  While we’re still slightly tweaking the blurb, the preorder for this is now up (it’ll be up in paperback and on other sites closer to the release date).

So:

It may be the 21st century, but in a not-so-united kingdom the wounds of the the Wars of the Roses have never healed. The rivalry between the Yorkish north and Lancastrian south has threatened to pull the nation apart for over 500 years. While the modern world struggles with fractures born of ancient conflict, Lady Amelia Brockett faces far more mundane problems. Known to her family as Meels, this youngest daughter of a Northern earl is having the Worst. Christmas. Ever. Dumped by her boyfriend and rejected from graduate school, her parents deem her the failure of the family. 

But when her older brother tries to cheer her with a trip to the races, a chance meeting with Arthur, the widowed, playboy Prince of Wales, offers Amelia the chance to change her life – and Britain’s fortunes – forever. Hunted by the press – and haunted by Arthur’s niece who fancies herself the kingdom’s court witch – Amelia finds herself adrift in a sea of paparazzi, politics, and prophecy. With few allies beyond her allergic-to-horses sister-in-law, her best friend who has a giant crush on the prince, and the cute young receptionist at Buckingham Palace that calls himself her Royalty Customer Service Representative, Amelia must navigate a perilous and peculiar course to secure Arthur’s love and become A Queen from the North.

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-North-Royal-Roses-Book-ebook/dp/B06XBPDJPM

(and yes, all that stuff in the original post is still in the book, just more!)

@stefkaryan @callmebliss @beautytruthandstrangeness @unfuckmyhead

This is a novella, coming out in ebook and paperback on May 2, from Tor.com Publishing. The cover art is by Jaime Jones. There are preorder links on my web site here: http://www.marthawells.com/murderbot1.htm And here’s an excerpt: Chapter One I could have become a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realized I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites. It had been well over 35,000 hours or so since then, with still not much murdering, but probably, I don’t know, a little under 35,000 hours of movies, serials, books, plays, and music consumed. As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure. I was also still doing my job, on a new contract, and hoping Dr. Volescu and Dr. Bharadwaj finished their survey soon so we could get back to the habitat and I could watch episode 397 of Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon. I admit I was distracted. It was a boring contract so far and I was thinking about backburnering the status alert channel and trying to access music on the entertainment feed without HubSystem logging the extra activity. It was trickier to do it in the field than it was in the habitat. This assessment zone was a barren stretch of coastal island, with low, flat hills rising and falling and thick greenish-black grass up to my ankles, not much in the way of flora or fauna, except a bunch of different sized bird-like things and some puffy floaty things that were harmless as far as we knew. The coast was dotted with big bare craters, one of which Bharadwaj and Volescu were taking samples in. The planet had a ring, which from our current position dominated the horizon when you looked out to sea. I was looking at the sky and mentally poking at the feed when the bottom of the crater exploded. I didn’t bother to make a verbal emergency call. I sent the visual feed from my field camera to Dr. Mensah’s, and jumped down into the crater. As I scrambled down the sandy slope, I could already hear Mensah over the emergency comm channel, yelling at someone to get the hopper in the air now. They were about ten kilos away, working on another part of the island, so there was no way they were going to get here in time to help. Conflicting commands filled my feed but I didn’t pay attention. Even if I hadn’t borked my own governor module, the emergency feed took priority, and it was chaotic too, with the automated HubSystem wanting data and trying to send me data I didn’t need yet and Mensah sending me telemetry from the hopper. Which I also didn’t need, but it was easier to ignore than HubSystem simultaneously demanding answers and trying to supply them. In the middle of all that, I hit the bottom of the crater. I have small energy weapons built into both arms, but the one I went for was the big projectile weapon clamped to my back. The hostile that had just exploded up out of the ground had a really big mouth, so I felt I needed a really big gun.

Keep reading

the enchanted forest chronicles, by patricia c wrede, are very good, pretty funny, dragon+princess stories! princess cimorene finds out she’s gonna get married off and is like ‘fuck that!’ and runs off to be a dragon’s princess. she then works for the dragons and has a great time while fobbing off all the knights that come to rescue her on her fellow ‘captive’ princesses. it’s great. the dragon, kazul, is a wonderful character too, just the kind of (dragon) lady i wanted to grow up to be.

i hear wrede’s later work isn’t the best, race-wise, but i grew up on EFC so i’m still really fond of them. 

diane duane isn’t specifically a comedy writer but if you want to chew through an enormous catalogue of incredibly creative and well-done and sly and girl-positive fantasy stories, absolutely check her out. she did howl’s moving castle (which is pretty funny actually), the chrestomancy series, the dark lord of derkholm, even a couple sci fi stories like archie’s goon. i adore her. 

Psst Diana Wynne Jones is who you’re thinking of. Diane Duane did the Young Wizards series, which is also good!