SL Huang

I read this as part of my Nebula finalist packet, and obtained a copy from my local library.

The Water Outlaws is a wild romp in the spirit of classic martial arts movies, but with a strong feminist twist. There are trigger warnings galore here, as women are abused in various ways, but it's never done gratuitously or to please the male gaze. No, Huang describes the wrongs and then establishes a cast of strong, savvy women and queer folks with a craving to survive and find justice. This is an incredibly satisfying read in that regard--a touch predictable, perhaps, but in the way of a cozy with a dark bent. Great book.… (meer)

(3.25 Stars)

What do you do when you are a math geek who is into SciFi, Guns, Books, and Action? You write a book about it, I guess. This book is about Cas Russell, a snarky specialized calculated (and calculating) killing machine. It is part Thriller, part Action, part Sci-Fi, and some super powers thrown in for good measure.

I liked that the characters had distinctive personalities that came through in their dialog, and actions. The story was interesting and reminded me a lot of the television show Alphas. The author does a good job with banter and keeps the story moving along without dull moments of unnecessary backstory. I also like strong female leads.

What kept me from rating this book higher was that a lot of the events just did not add up (no pun intended). Real world consequences did not seem to apply to this story... senseless killings, destruction of property, traffic, even military bases just don't seem to conform to any reality based understanding.

Readers of Charlie Human or Cat Rambo should like this book. There are two more books in this series, which is good if you like this book, because there are a lot of loose ends that were not tied up by the end.… (meer)