Thursday, August 12, 2021

Riot Baby, by Tochi Onyebuchi

This story blends fantasy and science fiction in a really interesting way to capture the essence of our time. You have the protagonists, Ella and Kev, with mystical, nearly omnipotent powers to see and affect the future. And they are under incredible pressure from living in Compton and being in prison. The transitions can throw you a bit, but they work well to ease you into the science aspect--that this is taking place in a future-but-already-possible world. The construction of the intense surveillance of Black neighborhoods and prisons, and the intentional gaps in that surveillance, are worked into the action and brought home really well. The author's intimacy with the characters shows throughout the book. I'm glad I came across this and read it, and can highly recommend it.


My Goodreads Review

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The Water Outlaws, by S. L. Huang

According to the introduction this book is intended to evoke "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (thought that title is not explicitl...