Tag: cyberpunk science fiction

Review: Junkyard Cats (Junkyard Cats Book 1) by Faith Hunter 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

If  post-apocalyptic creatures, the disheartening yet predictable aftermath of WW III, gore and battle bots, science and geeky mechanics combined with motorcycle gangs, heinous global politics , and sentient cats aren’t your thing, go no further. No romance but very good reason for the lack of it. 

I hadn’t read anything from Faith Hunter before but I throughly enjoyed Junkyard Cats, so much so that I went ahead and bought the rest of the series. 

The intriguing description and great cover got me but the fast paced, almost insanely complex story kept me glue to the page right to the end. 

With a fantastic female main character named Shining Smith, she’s the, presumably “dead” owner of a junkyard that she and her father had. It’s in a pretty remote desert location in West Virginia, a place so rough and hard that no one ventures into it without a very good reason.  It’s Shining, her assistant who’s mostly metal, and the cats. All the cats of the junkyard. 

Who Shining is or was, what’s so special about those cats, and in fact, everything about this story, including the fact that she and her father were a part of a large motorcycle gang, is a joy and a string of surprises this book is in store. 

There’s a lot of talk, or perhaps, weaving in of sections about nanotechnology, bots, science, technology, ships design, and just fantastic stuff to nerd out and explore as the narrative weaves Shining’s story of her personal journey of survival and current life in as a junkyard owner.  It’s action packed, fascinating, and imaginative storytelling.

It’s also a quick read. This is a novella. So if any of this sounds like something you would like, grab it up. For me, it’s a winner. 

Cover design by Rebecca Frank of Bewitching Book Covers.

The Junkyard Cats Series – 5 books

JUNKYARD CATS #1

JUNKYARD BARGAIN #2

JUNKYARD WAR #3

JUNKYARD ROADHOUSE #4

JUNKYARD RIDERS #5

Buy link 

 Book 1 of 5: Junkyard Cats 

Blurb 

From the author of the best-selling Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood fantasy series comes a tough new SciFi heroine who is far more than she seems. JUNKYARD CATS is the first in the novella series.

After the Final War, after the appearance of the Bug Aliens and their enforced peace, Shining Smith is still alive, still doing business from the old junkyard bequeathed to her by her father. But Shining is no longer human, and the junkyard is no longer just a scrapyard, but a place full of secrets that she has guarded for years.

This life she has built, while empty, is predictable and safe. Until the only friend left from her previous life shows up, dead, in the back of a scrapped Tesla warplane, a note clutched in his fingers, a note warning her of a coming attack.

Someone knows who she is. Someone knows what she is guarding. Will she be able to protect the junkyard and its secrets? Will she be able to stop the coming attack without the recon satellites overhead discovering what is hidden on the barren land? Or is the life she has built for herself over? Will she have to destroy everything she loves to keep her secrets out of the wrong hands?

Publisher

Lore Seekers Press

Publication date

August 25, 2020

Accessibility

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Language

‎English

File size

3.0 MB

Screen Reader

Supported

Enhanced typesetting

Enabled

X-Ray

Enabled

Word Wise

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Print length

152 pages

ISBN-13

978-1622681556

Page Flip

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Book 1 of 5

Junkyard Cats

Review:  Night Shift Dragons  (DFZ Book 3) by Rachel Aarons

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Rachel Aarons does her complex characters splendid in the finale story, Night Shift Dragons  (DFZ Book 3) by Rachel Aarons. 

One of the most compelling themes in the series has been the father/daughter relationship between Opal Yong-ae and her father, Yong, the Dragon of Korea. 

Btw, that’s them on the cover. Fabulous. 

Once a loving dynamic when she was very young, as she grew up, the relationship became a constant struggle for independence and freedom, to be seen as a individual, not as a Dragon’s gem, literally her name. The narrative, at first sees this dynamic from Opal’s perspective, changing over gradually to that of the ancient dragon’s view of his daughter. 

Night Shift Dragons is all about the young and old growing into their relationships, developing their personalities and abilities in the process.  This is a highly emotional story that still action packed , full of magically imaginative moments. Scary ones. 

 Whether they’re a young powerful shaman like Opal learning to control her abilities, the ancient dragon Yong finally recognizing he’s repeating patterns from his despised father and changing, to astonishingly a young god like DFZ who wants to be a different type of city if her people will let her , this book is full of the storylines and elements that bring us with all of them through their harrowing journey and the wildly different paths each takes to get to the ending. 

I love how maniacal this city feels in its very being. A place Timothy Leary or an acid trip would envision and maybe still not be wild enough. Then make it sentient but dependent upon the will and desire of those in it. Amazing.

All the side characters are equally incredible. Nik , Opal’s mom, White Snake, the Dragon of Detroit. On and on. 

There are parts where it was a bit dense but there’s so much to the city and magical systems that I get it. 

But as someone new to this universe and author, what an amazing world and fantastic series. 

I’m going back to pick up the first series. 

Highly recommended! Love the covers!

Cover Illustration by Tia Rambaran, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron

The DFZ Trilogy (2nd of 3 series)

Minimum Wage Magic 

Part-Time Gods 

Night Shift Dragons 

Buy link

        Night Shift Dragons (DFZ Book 3)

    

Blurb 

They say family always sticks together, but when the whole world—humans, dragons, and gods—wants your dad dead, “filial responsibility” takes on a whole new meaning.

My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m in way over my head. I thought getting rid of my dad’s bad luck curse would put things back to normal. Instead, I’m stuck playing caretaker to the Great Dragon of Korea. That wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t such a jerk, or if every dragon on the planet wasn’t out to kill him, or if he were my only problem.

Turns out, things can always get worse in the DFZ. When a rival spirit attacks my god/boss to turn the famously safety-optional city into a literal death arena with Nik as his bloody champion, I’m thrust onto the front lines and way out of my comfort zone. When gods fight, mortals don’t usually survive, but I’m not alone this time. Even proud old dragons can learn new tricks, and with everything I love falling to pieces, the father I’ve always run from might just be the only force in the universe stubborn enough to pull us back together.

The final book in the DFZ trilogy featuring dysfunctional dragon families, magic gone haywire, and a city on the brink of apocalypse. Again.

  • Publisher: Aaron/Bach (May 5, 2020)
  • Publication date: May 5, 2020
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 460 pages