![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/books-1.png?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThat\u2019s a notable increase over the previous year, which also reached a new high of 77 articles, up from 67 in 2022 and 59 in 2021.<\/p>\n
Of this past year\u2019s 100 articles, more than one-fourth (28) were full-length or capsule reviews, often but not always of Prometheus Award nominees and finalists.<\/p>\n
Looking back at a year rich with interesting, illuminating and just-plain entertaining reviews, here are excerpts from (and convenient links to) five of the best.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
MACKEY CHANDLER\u2019S APRIL SERIES
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\nAmong the year\u2019s most comprehensive blog reviews was LFS President William H. Stoddard\u2019s comparative overview of Mackey Chandler\u2019s April Series, which highlighted themes of agency, emancipation and declarations of independence in the series, which includes the Prometheus Best Novel finalist Who Can Own the Stars?
\n<\/i><\/p>\n
Here\u2019s an excerpt from the review:<\/a><\/p>\n “it was clear from the first volume that Chandler knew how to tell a story, and that he had interesting things to write about\u2026<\/p>\n A classic problem for juvenile fiction, and indeed for fiction about young characters generally, is making it plausible for them to have enough freedom of action to have interesting experiences, whether that means adventures, sexual encounters, or responsible decision making.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Chandler sets up a solution to this early in the first volume, when a visitor to Mitsubishi-3 from Earth is disturbed by seeing young children traveling about the habitat without the adult supervision that would be legally mandatory on Earth; the habitat\u2019s people are both exceptionally competent and psychologically tested, making it a safe environment for free range children\u2026<\/p>\n Chandler takes the theme further, starting midway through the first volume, when April, back from some early adventures, attempts to offer a proposal to a meeting of the habitat\u2019s people to discuss a crisis, and her right to speak is questioned on the basis of her age. This leads to the older man who has been mentoring her proposing her official emancipation, and to a substantial majority voting in favor\u2014followed by similar votes for a number of other younger people. From this point on, the focal characters have the necessary freedom of action.<\/p>\n This issue of emancipation is a running theme throughout the series\u2026. DAVE FREER\u2019S PROMETHEUS-WINNING CLOUD-CASTLES Our Appreciation series, which now includes review-essays of more than 100 past Prometheus winners, aims to make clear how each work fits the distinctive focus of our award and why it deserved such recognition.<\/p>\n Sometimes, though, it can take a while for LFS members to take the time for reflection, writing and rewriting needed to seriously probe the distinctive merits of a recent winner. In that Better Late Than Never category was the April 2024 publication of our Appreciation of Dave Freer\u2019s Cloud-Castles<\/i>, the 2023 Best Novel winner.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an excerpt from the review:<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cZestful and often funny but also imaginative and insightful in its visions of freedom, Dave Freer\u2019s often satirical coming-of-age novel deservedly won the 2023 Best Novel award for its entertaining blend of adventure, comedy, sci-fi, \u00a0likable characters and nifty world-building.<\/p>\n The novel\u2019s settings, distinctive and ingenious, offer ripe possibilities for varied, cross-cultural exploration of different human and alien environments. And Freer delivers.<\/p>\n Part of the feisty and down-home charm of Cloud-Castles is\u00a0the ways Freer was inspired by the \u201coutback\u201d frontier culture of Australia and Tasmania \u2013 which reflect his own home and heritage.<\/p>\n A Tasmanian resident and the first author from the Southern Hemisphere to win a Prometheus Award, Freer has conceived a fascinating and credible scenario for both his central character\u2019s against-the-odds journey and the depiction of plausible and positive stateless communities.\u201d<\/p>\n GORDON HANKA\u2019S GOD\u2019S GIRLFRIEND<\/b><\/p>\n In their co-written review<\/a> of Gordon Hanka\u2019s Best Novel finalist God\u2019s Girlfriend, <\/i>Eric Raymond and Michael Grossberg wrote:<\/p>\n \u201cSubversive and satirical, God\u2019s Girlfriend\u00a0challenges some of the deepest assumptions of today\u2019s politics and culture. Gordon Hanka\u2019s provocative sci-fi novel raises thorny questions about ethics, religion, coercion and consent, the nature of masculinity and femininity and the use of weapons of mass destruction.<\/p>\n The novel offers a taboo-shattering mixture of unorthodox libertarian provocations and Christian eschatology amid a life-or-death clash of two cultures: Earth humans and Wyrms, human refugees from another planet.\u201d<\/p>\n Hanka challenges preconceptions about human psychology, especially his merciless account of how motivations actually work. Affirming a politically incorrect and even brutal realism based on evolutionary biology, the novel highlights how powerful and deep-rooted are our mostly unconscious instincts reflecting mating behaviors and the sexual drive. Facing such realities becomes a key and revelatory theme.<\/p>\n Perhaps most intriguing are the story elements showing how many of our mental processes are instinct-driven, taking place out of sight of the subsystem that thinks it\u2019s \u201cI.\u201d (Every mystic, or regular meditator, learns this humbling truth.)<\/p>\n As in previous novels in the series, God\u2019s Girlfriend\u00a0explores the human capacity for self-deception, mocks the excesses of government regulation and bureaucracy, and as a cautionary tale, shows the tragedy of mutual misunderstandings that can spark conflict and violence between radically different cultures and mindsets.<\/p>\n As in previous novels in the series, God\u2019s Girlfriend<\/em> explores the human capacity for self-deception, mocks the excesses of government regulation and bureaucracy, and as a cautionary tale, shows the tragedy of mutual misunderstandings that can spark conflict and violence between radically different cultures and mindsets.”<\/p>\n DEVON ERIKSEN\u2019S THEFT OF FIRE \u201cDevon Eriksen is one hell of an SF writer. His prose is tight and energetic, his action scenes work and his world-building is more than competent.<\/p>\n Billed as the first novel in Eriksen\u2019s Orbital Space series, this hard-sf space opera portrays a free-frontier space culture where big risks can lead to big rewards.<\/p>\n Blending hard SF, romance, mystery, suspense and even comedy, Theft of Fire feels fresh even in its adroit reworking of such classic tropes as space travel, alien technology and artificial intelligence. Above all, it\u2019s fun to read.<\/p>\n Eriksen has mastered the classic Heinleinesque mode of SF exposition by indirection, allowing his propulsive and inventive novel to focus more on its three well-developed central characters and their complex, evolving relationships.<\/p>\n Although each character comes fully alive\u2026 everything in the story is perceived through Marcus\u2019s eyes and mind.<\/p>\n Here is an especially good example of The Case of the Unreliable Narrator \u2013 a nifty way for Eriksen to add aspects of a Sherlock Holmes-style puzzle to an already gripping saga by inviting readers to question Marcus\u2019 decidedly self-interested point of view.\u201d<\/p>\n Note: This review of Theft of Fire<\/i> might be especially worthy and timely to read to whet your appetite for more, because Box of Trouble,<\/em> the first sequel in Eriksen\u2019s Orbital Space series, reportedly might be published in the first half of 2025.<\/p>\n HOWARD ANDREW JONES\u2019 LORD OF A SHATTERED LAND A welcome exception is Howard Andrew Jones\u2019 Lord of a Shattered Land, <\/i>a 2024 Best Novel finalist that launched the Chronicles of Hanuvar trilogy.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an excerpt from the review<\/a>:<\/p>\n Howard Andrew Jones\u2019s epic fantasy tells a gripping tale that powerfully and emotionally evokes the evils of slavery and tyranny and the passionate, unquenchable desire of people to be free.<\/p>\n Set in an ancient era loosely based on the conflicts between ancient Rome and Carthage, Lord offers solid world-building, suspenseful plotting, full-bodied characters and a propulsive pacing combined with separate \u201cset pieces\u201d that allow you to read the 615-page novel satisfyingly, chapter by largely self-contained chapter.<\/p>\n Several passages offer rueful recognition about the nature and limits of coercive rule and abuse of power in such a barbaric world:<\/p>\n \u201cAnswer me this, Antires. Why do playwrights always tell of kings and generals? Why not ordinary people?\u201d A few such passages even add welcome humor. For instance, when Hanuvar and his friend Antires temporarily hide from Darvan \u00a0soldiers at a circus, Antires wonders why the capable, intelligent and versatile former general doesn\u2019t volunteer for easier, higher-status jobs than harsh and lowly menial labor, shoveling up after horses, elephants and other animals. Note: The Chronicles of Hanuvar trilogy includes The City of Marble and Blood<\/i>, a direct sequel published in 2023, and Shadow of the Smoking Mountain<\/i>, a 2024 novel that is being considered as a potential nominee for the next Prometheus Award for Best Novel.<\/p>\n IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROMETHEUS AWARDS:<\/b><\/p>\n * Prometheus winners:\u00a0<\/b>For the full list of Prometheus winners, finalists and nominees \u2013 including the annual Best Novel and Best Classic Fiction (Hall of Fame) categories and occasional Special Awards \u2013 visit the enhanced\u00a0Prometheus Awards page<\/a>\u00a0on the LFS website, which now includes convenient links to all published essay-reviews in our Appreciation series explaining why each of more than 100 past winners since 1979 fits the awards\u2019 distinctive dual focus on both quality and liberty.<\/p>\n * Read \u201cThe Libertarian History of Science Fiction,\u201d<\/a> an essay in the international magazine\u00a0Quillette<\/i>\u00a0that favorably highlights the Prometheus Awards, the Libertarian Futurist Society and the significant element of libertarian sf\/fantasy in the evolution of the modern genre.<\/p>\n *\u00a0Watch videos of past Prometheus Awards ceremonies (including the recent 2023 ceremony<\/a> with inspiring and amusing speeches by Prometheus-winning authors Dave Freer<\/a> and Sarah Hoyt)<\/a>, Libertarian Futurist Society panel discussions with noted sf authors and leading libertarian writers, and other LFS programs on the Prometheus Blog\u2019s\u00a0Video page.<\/a><\/p>\n * Check out the Libertarian Futurist Society\u2019s Facebook page<\/a> for comments, updates and links to Prometheus Blog posts.<\/p>\n *\u00a0Join us!<\/b> To help sustain the Prometheus Awards and support a cultural and literary strategy to appreciate and honor freedom-loving fiction, \u00a0join<\/a> the Libertarian Futurist Society, a non-profit all-volunteer association of freedom-loving sf\/fantasy fans.<\/p>\n Libertarian futurists believe that culture matters. We understand that the arts and literature can be vital in envisioning a freer and better future – and in some ways can be even more powerful than politics in the long run, by imagining better visions of the future incorporating peace, prosperity, progress, tolerance, justice, positive social change, and mutual respect for each other\u2019s rights, human dignity, individuality and peaceful choices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Michael Grossberg By the end of 2024, just a few days from now, the Prometheus Blog will have posted a record number of articles, essays, reviews, updates and news. For the first time since the blog began seven years ago, Libertarian Futurist Society members and Prometheus judges wrote, edited and published 100 posts, or … Continue reading Best of the blog 2024, part two: Reviews of Mackey Chandler, Devon Eriksen, Dave Freer, Gordon Hanka and Howard Andrew Jones<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2353,1125],"tags":[2465,1841,2243,24,1842,2244,1005,2521,1282],"class_list":["post-8405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-reviews","category-updates","tag-april-series","tag-dave-freer","tag-devon-eriksen","tag-eric-raymond","tag-gordon-hanka","tag-howard-andrew-jones","tag-mackey-chandler","tag-prometheus-finalists","tag-reviews"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pe8nGl-2bz","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8405"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8431,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8405\/revisions\/8431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe theme of emancipation, in both aspects, has definite libertarian resonance. But the new societies that emerge have interesting institutions as well…<\/p>\n
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\nEvery year, as new Prometheus Awardwinners are selected and announced, the Prometheus Blog asks judges to write official Appreciations of each work.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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\nRaymond and Grossberg also collaborated on a joint review<\/a> of Devon Eriksen\u2019s Theft of Fire,<\/i> a 2024 Best Novel finalist. Here\u2019s an excerpt:<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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\nAlthough the Prometheus Awards broad focus on speculative fiction that explores libertarian and anti-authoritarian themes has always included science fiction and fantasy and the Hall of Fame has inducted several notable fantasy-themed works, fantasy novels have rarely become finalists or won in the Best Novel category.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u201cThey write about those with the power to do things.\u201d
\n\u201cThe world would be better off if we exalted kings and generals less.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nHanuvar: \u201cAnd yet you stand and stare.\u201d
\nAntires: \u201cAt you, shoveling horse shit.\u201d
\nHanuvar: It amused him that Antires assumed such work beneath him.
\n\u201cI was a statesman for years. This is cleaner work.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n