Book Reviews by Eitan

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from Tor.com in exchange for an honest review. P. Djeli Clark returns to his steampunk, magic-driven Cairo for a full-length mystery novel that shows us more of the fantastic, enveloping world he's constructed. In "A Master of Djinn," he once again paints a rich picture of an alternate world where the early 20th century is drastically altered by Egypt's magic-fueled emergence as a world power. The novel mixes Islamic traditions, the old Egyptian gods most readers will know (and perhaps love!), and details of how the rest of the world--including the United States--has been altered by the re-emergence of magic. While the scope might be a little broader, this is not yet a geopolitical thriller; Clark sticks to the beat-cop supernatural mysteries he's had so much success with, though the greater length lets him weave in more steps between the inciting incident and the final showdown. At times the stakes seem to escal...

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Following "The Martian" and "The Martian, but on the moon" (real title "Artemis"), Andy Weir is back with "The Martian, but in deep space!" If you were a fan of the previous two, the latest installment in this not-a-series will not disappoint. Weir knows how to write detailed, believable science and how to keep the reader on the edge of their seat as one space hazard after another reminds the protagonist of the ever-present dangers waiting outside Earth's atmosphere. After expanding his cast somewhat for "Artemis," "Project Hail Mary" largely returns to the man-versus-nature style of "The Martian," at least for the first half of the book--to say more would be to invite spoilers. Setting this book a little further from the present, and taking advantage of the unique circumstances that propel the plot, allow Weir to stretch the im...