#hera is not only the greatest pilot in the galaxy

[cameoliob]

The rebellion never sleeps, but that does not negate the fact that its Jacen's bed time

[the-firebird69]

Solo: A Star Wars Story filming locations — MovieMaps

Here's another one of those train robbery movies instead of stopping the train they trying to rob it while it's moving they don't go that fast the tracks a lot of attention when it stops and there's a bunch of stuff on there and a lot of goodies antiquities but they're after one thing and he's saying the keys possibly and that is what it is and they're trying to grab them but they are also trying to get to the millennium falcon in Northern Italy and they know her one is it's actually in a bay and the empire wants to use it to kidnap my father to get to my mother who steal her research to steal her research they want to do that and they're insane and it is the Mac proper people and they want to get them to Disney world and he has no way to get there and they're not trying very hard so people think they might try and fly here and it's impossible and he says it's probably Disney world but it won't work with the ships up and we know that and they're going to go after Tommy have to move the ships and the fleet is huge it's not really a conundrum but what happens is they go up there and they're trying to get the ship away from them and they finally do and in doing so it starts a conflict and they start fighting in Northern Italy in the mountains it's the Alps over freeing monsters no it's over a bunch of stuff they have they have a lot of antiquities and things like that now it's over ships and there are a whole bunch of stone chips there and falcons and they found out about it a lot of people did recently and they're moving out cuz they see you it's loaded with stuff it's it's the rule it's a mountain range and nobody's out there they're moving out now in that mountain range there are some monsters but the kju we're speaking of are in Northern Bavaria which is up towards the German border and my father has been there and I was astonished to find out he travels because I've seen him stuck here for so long and I have to see where they went there many times and I saw him running his bicycle having a lot of fun but alone and he was upset and he was alone but it still was looking around and enjoying the scenery it's different it looks different and people act differently and they wave and stuff no but it's more respectful here is terrible these people are so kind of saying it's so weird they have to go home and they should leave and they will I am the McDonald's Biden stem miscellaneous us even the max are pitching in to get them the hell out of here and there's a lot of pressure to move them out and there's a lot of people trying to get in and they're stopping them all of the morlock has stopped they are warlock a minority Bullock are helping it's only a matter of time before it works and this Star wars saga was solo is going to begin soon when they see that the falcon is there and they're going to check shortly

Savage opress they don't see us in makeup looking like creatures but that's what they look like most of the time you'll see us as human beings and fighting and we're on both sides and we won't say who we are at this time we're getting a lot of thanks from the two and they're kind of fine blind and we're helping out right now

They approved this message to be published and yes it will attract a lot of attention there shortly too and by Han Solo himself who is actually the daddy of Hera our empress

Olympus

You have to hear him to understand him wrong giggling and chuckling and he's saying empress oh pressure pressure and everybody chuckles and she's laughing because he's making her laugh so it's a lot of fun but then she turns into a female and belts him and turns into a SEMO and doesn't

Thor Freya

[crackinwise]

can you elaborate more on why you don't like kanan? i've always been neutral when it comes to this character and didn't really care for him the way other fans did.

hera was cool though but filoni is probably going to fuck up her writing in the live action.

If you had asked me this years ago I would have had a detailed, chronological list. Regretfully, memory problems. And full disclosure: I only watched like 2 seasons then some episodes every now and then bc my lil bro watched it.

What I do remember is Rebels had amazing women characters. Every single one was bold and unapologetic and carving out her own spot in important lore. The men..... Useless. And had butt-ugly character designs too, but that's just me being petty. Ezra was the most forgivable for solely existing to Screw Up bc his knockoff-Aladdin ass was just a kid, but Zeb & Kanan had no excuses for being insufferable deadbeats.

Kanan was what recent fandom would call poor little meow meow. Depressed, angsty, emo, buzzkill, joy vampire, abloobloobloo, etc. I have a memory of Ezra watching this grown man sit in a room like a moody, teenage zombie. When he wasn't being a zombie he was being an asshole to everyone with zero moments of charisma or vulnerability to earn it. "BUT HE SURVIVED ORDER 66! HE'S TRAUMATIZED!" Sure, I'd get that, if they focused on him working thru that, gave him a personality in the meantime, and Order 66 hadn't happened like 14 YEARS PRIOR.

That's the entirety of Rebels to me. Hera and Sabine (and sometimes Ahsoka) being amazing, competent, charismatic, brave, moving the plot forward and fighting thru, while also being kind and caring and funny. Then we had Zeb and Kanan being complete jerkoffs who do nothing but mooch off these heroes at every turn. Hera should have dropped them out an airlock. You can tell a man who sleeps with his own picture wrote them. The greatest pilot of all time in the entire galaxy did not deserve to cart the most boring, sadsack, failed Jedi around out of pity. "BUT KANAN BECAME A HERO! HE GREW AFTER HE BECAME BLIND, AND HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF!" Oh, so disability p**n. He's so weak of a character that the best thing he ever did was die? Great job, Filoni. He shoulda just thrown himself down a sarlacc pit in s1 and Ezra could've had Hera as a mentor. Hell, even Maul would have been better at the job. And they eventually made Hera carry that failure's child? BOOOOOOO!

That got a bit more salty than I wanted, sorry.

[reds-burrow]

Sorting Star Wars: Rebels

The natural follow-up to my Clone Wars sorting (other than The Bad Batch which is currently sitting in my drafts). For those unfamiliar with this system, please take a look at the official Sorting Hat Chats site curated by @sortinghatchats, or check out this awesome guide by @wisteria-lodge. Shout out to @starry-sky-stuff for listening to me babble about all this and especially for helping with Sabine and Thrawn.

Kanan Jarrus: Badger/Lion

Throughout the show, Kanan is shown struggling with the trauma of Order 66, trauma that burnt his Badger Primary. After the order, he was forced into survival mode, to do what was best for himself, even if he never felt right turning his back on those he saw in need. One of his greatest regrets is running away to save himself while his master died ("Fire Across the Galaxy"). His Burnt Badger Primary latched onto the Spectres as the only group he truly had a chance of protecting from the Empire. Hera constantly tests that assumption, pushing against Kanan's initial reluctance to accept Ezra ("Spark of Rebellion," "Rise of the Old Masters") and later insisting they join the greater Rebel Alliance when Kanan says he wants to go back to protecting just the six of them and Lothal ("The Siege of Lothal"). The beginning of season three is the turning point for him, however. After isolating himself completely, Kanan recommits himself to Ezra and the others, and opens himself up to trusting the Force to guide him again ("Steps into Shadow"). By season four, his Badger Primary has healed in many ways, and when the time comes to choose between what he wants, to rush in and save Hera, or what the Force demands of him, Kanan chooses to trust in the will of the Force ("Rebel Assault").

His Lion Secondary helps make him a natural leader, especially when the dangerous work of a rebel so often requires throwing out the original plan and thinking something up on the run. Kanan and Ezra are often in sync as they improvise, like when both of them immediately recognize that with the Inquisitors cornering them, the only way out is by cutting a hole in the ceiling ("Future of the Force") or when the only way past some troopers is by playing the fool and the fool's son ("Empire Day"). Kanan also expresses a general dislike for boring protocol, one of the many reasons he butts heads with Double Badger Rex ("Stealth Strike").

Hera Syndulla: Lion/Lion + Bird

Hera left her home to follow her Lion Primary's cause, the rebel cause, even against her father's wishes that she stay and fight for the freedom of her homeworld ("Homecoming"). The decision strained her relationship with her father, but for Hera, fighting the Empire on a galactic scale was the right choice, the only choice she could make. Among the Spectres, her Lion Primary gives her perhaps the most unwavering optimism and surety that fighting is worth it. This translates to her Lion Secondary with her ability to inspire. Her crowning Lion moment is when she bursts in to interrupt the rebel leaders' meeting on whether or not to mount an attack on the TIE Defender factory on Lothal, proceeds to give a rousing speech on why they needed to act, and wins the rebel leaders' agreement that the risk was worth it ("Crawler Commandeers"). Her Lion is also obvious in the way she flies, improvising and often reckless, although her Bird Secondary model balances out her occasional rash actions, making her a formidable strategist and an effective leader of Phoenix Squadron. This Bird model is one of the main reasons Thrawn views Hera as a threat, and so addresses her as the tactician to defeat ("Hera's Heroes," "Zero Hour"). The relationship between Hera's two secondaries is best described by Hera herself when she is explaining what it's like to pilot a ship (The Bad Batch "Rescue on Ryloth"). The instruments, and her Bird model, are there to help, but it's her feelings, her Lion instincts, that guide her.

"Chopper" C1-10P: Snake/Snake

Chopper is a Snake Primary who listens to his own wants above all else. The only times we see him sacrifice for someone else is for one of the Spectres or for AP-5. Anyone outside of his circle gets no love, like the Imperial-droid-turned-friend Chopper threw out the airlock ("Rebel Resolve") or when Chopper suggested they blow up the Inquisitors' ships even though he knew there was a baby inside ("The Future of the Force"). Even Ezra early on had to deal with Chopper's dangerous sense of ambivalence when Chopper knocked Ezra off the side of the Ghost for fun ("Rise of the Old Masters"). Of course, Ezra grows on Chopper, earning the intense loyalty he shows his people, like when Chopper follows Ezra into the desert against his better judgement ("Twin Suns"), when Chopper refuses to leave Sabine behind even though the ship she's on is about to blow up ("Blood Sisters"), or when Chopper only leaves Hera's side after they crash in Imperial-held territory because she commands him to go ("Rebel Assault"). Otherwise, he only helps strangers because that's what Hera would want him to do. If Hera had ever decided to leave the rebel cause, Chopper would be right there with her, not looking back.

His secondary is clearly an Improvisational Secondary, given how often he improvises when pranking Ezra or Zeb, or when he's rolling around undercover in the unfamiliar setting of an Imperial cruiser. He is notably an open read, grumbling so that everyone knows what is on his mind, but when he needs to, he's comfortable putting on an act, cementing him as a Snake Secondary who prefers being in Neutral. The most obvious instance of him masking his intentions is when the crew first meet Lando ("Idiot's Array"). Chopper ingratiates himself to Lando with small favors, but all the while he is ready to betray Lando by stealing Lando's fuel for the Ghost. There is also a pattern of Chopper avoiding inserting himself into situations until he has to, dodging missions until he finds that it's up to him to save the day. The moment he recognizes his friends are depending on him, that's when he'll finally plant his ambulatory struts and respond, often with surprising ruthlessness.

Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelius: Badger/Lion

Zeb has the most obvious "charging" Lion Secondary energy of all the Spectres. He prefers intimidation to charm, and is most at home running to someone's aid or jumping into battle with a few bucket heads. Like Kanan, Zeb's Badger Primary burned after experiencing the genocide of his people at the hands of the Empire. As a member of the Lasan honor guard, Zeb felt it was his duty to protect his people, and his failure to do so forced him into more pragmatic expectations about who he could save. This is why he leaves Ezra behind in the first episode, despite how awful he clearly feels about it ("Spark of Rebellion"). Learning the Lasat weren't wiped out was a healing experience for him, and the way he struggles to overcome his guilt and learns to open himself to the ritual to find Lira San, echoes Kanan's healing journey with the Force ("Legends of the Lasat"). Also, it's worth noting that Zeb is the one to bring Kallus, another Badger Primary, into the fold ("The Honorable Ones").

Sabine Wren: Lion/Bird

Growing up on Mandalore, Sabine was taught Badger Primary values: devote your loyalty and service to your clan, and follow tradition as law. Because of those values, Sabine followed orders blindly as a cadet at the Imperial Academy, a situation she later describes as a nightmare ("Out of Darkness"). Between that trust and the desire to take on a challenge, a sign of her young, glory-seeking Lion Primary, she created a super-weapon ("Heroes of Mandalore"). When she spoke out against the use of the weapon and her family sided against her, she distanced herself from her Mandalorian Badger values, fled the Academy, and became a bounty hunter who dreamed of money and power ("Blood Sisters"). She scoffed at that dream when Ketsu later reminded her of it because could hardly believe that that was what she had wanted before joining the rebels, that her Lion Primary yearned for power before finding a more noble cause. Being a part of the Ghost crew gave Sabine the room to find her own voice, allowing her to take on Fenn Rau and later Garr Saxon on her own terms, to spare their lives because while killing them may be the Mandalorian way, it was no longer hers ("The Protector of Concord Dawn," "Legacy of Mandalore").

As for her secondary, Sabine has a highly efficient Bird Secondary. Whenever planning a mission the Spectres look to Sabine for her expertise on Imperial protocols and strategies. When something inevitably goes wrong with the plan, she either looks to one of her Improvisational crewmates for suggestions, or can Rapid-Fire a solution, provided she's in her element of weapons, explosives, or Imperial tactics she learned at the academy. She much prefers to go into a situation prepared, however. Even when she is furious over seeing Hera injured, she goes to confront Fenn Rau with a careful plan in place and effectively cripples the Concord Dawn fleet before addressing Rau ("The Protector of Concord Dawn"). The Spectres know they can count on her to be prepared and to always pack enough explosives.

Ezra Bridger: Snake/Snake

When we first meet Ezra, his Snake Primary is Burnt. When the Empire took his parents, it not only left him with nobody to depend on, but also taught him that sticking your neck out for others will only hurt you. So, he's all about himself at first. Sure, he'll help a merchant getting harassed by troopers, but only so he can take some of the merchant's goods ("Spark of Rebellion"). Meeting the Ghost crew helps him heal and trust again. When he encounters Tseebo, it's only with their encouragement that Ezra can admit he still cares for and forgives the Rodian ("Gathering Forces"). The crew very quickly becomes like family, and once Ezra opens his heart, he starts taking in other rebels and even the whole of Lothal into his circle. Having such an expansive circle may make him appear like a Badger at first, but consider how he reacts when he's repeatedly told that the rebellion has to focus on helping other planetary systems first. He struggles to understand the decision and feels betrayed, like the Rebel Alliance has abandoned his home world. A Badger Primary would be more open to to the reasoning of the Alliance, even if it is painful to see their loved ones suffer. For Ezra, however, Lothal will always come first. And it's this determination to always protect those he loves that both saves them, like his refusal to give up on Kanan at the end of the first season ("Rebel Resolve"), and draws Ezra to the dark side of the Force. The reason he starts listening to the Sith holocron is because he wants the strength to protect everyone, especially after what happened to Kanan and the loss of Ahsoka ("Steps into Shadow"). It's only through Kanan reaching out again that Ezra turns away from the dark side, and by the end of the series, he comes full circle, from a Burnt Snake only out for himself, to a Snake that has inherited the importance of self-sacrifice from Kanan ("A World Between Worlds").

Ezra's secondary is clear from the moment we meet him ("Property of Ezra Bridger," "Spark of Rebellion"). He's quick with the charm, chatting people up so they look away as he slips around their defenses to steal a bit of food or something to sell. He finds the same sort of techniques just as effective on Imperials, and so has a knack for escaping from the detention cell by using distractions or feigning illness ("Spark of Rebellion," "Stealth Strike"). He's a believable actor, like when he pretends to be a bounty hunter in an attempt to rescue Kallus ("Through Imperial Eyes"), or when he mimics others' voices over comm channels in an attempt to bluff his way out of trouble ("In the Name of the Rebellion," "Crawler Commandeers").

Grand Admiral Thrawn: Bird/Bird

I would be remiss if I didn't note here that, while I have not read any of the Thrawn books, what I have heard about them suggests Thrawn may have some form (innate, model, or values) of a Badger Primary, with his loyalty going to the Chiss Ascendancy. In the EU, he expressed Authoritarian Badger views by suggesting a strong government was the only way to keep so many different species and cultures protected and in order. In the current canon books he outright says how important he considers all life and is repeatedly shown working to protect civilians in battle. That said, we don't see any of these Badger ideals in Rebels, suggesting that these are only Badger values that he never taps into on screen. In fact, at one point he opens fire on the civilians of Lothal all to force Ezra's hand ("Family Reunion—and Farewell"). His only clear goal is to perfect the art of war, and he has built his Bird Primary around it. He works on this goal by collecting intel with his Bird Secondary, studying everything he can about his enemies, from their tactics to their art. After learning about Hera's history and ingenuity, he lets the Ghost flee Ryloth without pursuit, a move that may have looked disloyal to those around him, because he felt he had learned enough about his opponents to consider it a win ("Hera's Heroes"). He also holds no qualms about using his troops as pawns on a chessboard, moving everyone into carefully calculated positions. The only things we see that anger Thrawn are when people get in the way of his preparation and plans for victory, like when Konstantine disobeys Thrawn and breaks formation ("Zero Hour"), when Slavin suggests they destroy the Syndulla Kallikori instead of studying it ("Hera's Heroes"), or when Ezra pulls a move so unexpected that Thrawn has no counter ("Family Reunion — and Farewell").

tl;dr

Kanan Jarrrus - (Burnt but healing) Badger/Lion

Hera Syndulla - Lion/Lion + Bird Model

Chopper - Snake/(Neutral) Snake

Zeb Orrelius - (Burnt but healing) Badger/Lion

Sabine Wren - Lion (shed toxic Mandalorian Badger values)/Bird

Ezra Bridger - (Burnt but heals early on) Snake/Snake

Thrawn - Bird (Badger values)/Bird

[eyayah-oya]

It Is Enough

Jet/Howzer

Rated: G

Warnings: loneliness, isolation

Jet and Gus are both inspired by @thefoundationproject‘s Soft Wars

           “You’ve reached the GAR, the Greatest Ass in the Republic, how can I assist you today?”

           Jet huffed out an exhausted chuckle.  “You do have a fine ass,” he said.

           “Thank you, Commander Jet,” the vod on the other end said. “I thought you’d be past the blockade by now.”

           “There was a pod of purrgil that delayed me by half a day. So, I have time to spare,” Jet answered, glad to have the company for however long Captain Howzer could spare.

           He was the only one on this supply run, too far past the blockade for a Republic-issued ship, and this one only fit one man.  None of his vod’ike should be forced to spend a week and a half in isolation, especially with the comms blackout behind the blockade.  Jet took as many of these solo missions as he feasibly could; no vod handles isolation well—Jet only had to think of Nova and Commander Bacara to see proof—but he could handle it better than his younger vod’e. Winder delivered what a vod needs to survive, and Jet made sure his men stayed in one piece as they brought hope to their vod’e.

           Still, the long hours wore on him, and he only had a day and a half before comms would most likely cut out.  He’d already talked to Jag for several hours earlier in the trip, and Fenn and Spar were both unavailable.

           “I have plenty of time on my end,” Howzer said.

           Jet sighed with relief, stretching as best as he could in the pilot’s seat.  He could go and lay on his bunk for this call, but Jet preferred the view of the stars swirling by in hyperspace.  “I heard you had an exciting campaign.”

           “Did Keeli rat me out to Gus?” Howzer asked.

           “Doom did, actually.  He seemed a bit more . . . annoyed the last time I talked to him, and I finally got him to tell me what happened,” Jet said.  There was a reason why Jet was the oldest of all the CCs.  It made it very helpful to wheedle information out of grumpy little brothers who thought that repressing their emotions was a Healthy Thing to do.

           The comm crackled as Howzer heaved a heavy sigh.  “It would most likely be considered against regulations to toss a pile of younglings at your commanding officer with a can of paint each, right?”

           “Afraid so, Captain,” Jet giggled.  “Send me a holo?”

           “Of course.  Commanders Neyo and Bacara would both enjoy the holo.  Blackmail for the next time Doom complains about being the only one fighting the war,” Howzer suggested, a smug grin quite evident in his voice. Jet knew Doom grumbled and complained about the disaster that was the Priority Chat to anyone that held still long enough.  However, Jet could never despise the shenanigans the Shebes got up to on Priority—not when it brought a smile to Commander Bacara’s face.

           “Doom also said you’ve got a burr attached to your leg?” Jet prodded.  “He refused to elaborate on that.”

           Howzer laughed, and Jet couldn’t help but smile at the sound.  It was nice after the endless emptiness of space.

           “General Syndulla has a daughter named Hera. Apparently, I’m her designated obstacle course.  She tries to climb up to my shoulders in a different way every day.”

           “Holos?”

           “She takes a new one every time she makes it to my shoulders without help.  Her mother sends them to me later so I’ve got quite a few now.  I’m sending over a few now.”

           Jet picked up his datapad and grinned when he saw the message from Howzer.  He immediately opened the files and his smile grew impossibly wider.  The little Twi’lek girl was absolutely adorable.  She was sitting on top of Howzer’s bucket, looking every bit like she ruled the entire galaxy.  The next one was a holo of the same girl sitting on Howzer’s shoulders, squishing her cheek against his as they both smiled.  There were several more, and Jet quickly downloaded and saved every single one.

           “Tell me about her?” Jet asked.

           “Gladly,” Howzer said.  They talked long enough that the little girl—Hera—eventually found Howzer and started chattering to Jet about all the adventures she was going on and asking him questions about the kinds of ships he flew.  A little pilot after his own heart.

           For a moment, Jet wished he could turn his ship around and fly to Ryloth so he could spend a night bunked down next to Howzer or teach Hera how to fly.  Wishes whispered to every deity in the galaxy in the hopes that one day Cody would succeed. That one day, the Forward Companies would be called Home, never to be sent away or isolated again.

           Jet hoped and talked.  And that was enough for now.

[hecckyeah]

giving

a kanera fic/character study, brought to you by a lot of feelings. because when i can't emote correctly, i analyze. and kanan seems like the type to love giving presents, and hera is equally selfless. so here, have some sadness :)

.

.

Hera Syndulla had not received many gifts in her lifetime.

As a child, living on a war-torn planet, even necessities were hard to come by, never mind trinkets and toys and fancy clothes. She was grateful for what she had, and recognized the value of precious things, such as her family’s Kalikori—a gratefulness her father modeled for her as the Clone Wars began.

When she left Ryloth and began carving out her place in the galaxy, the concept of receiving a gift was the furthest thing from her mind. Instead, she gave to people less fortunate than herself. She gave of her time, her energy, her skills, her resources . . . She gave and gave until she had nothing left to give. Then, still, she gave of her thoughts, her words, her wisdom. And she never expected anything in return.

~

When Kanan left a meiloorun fruit on her pilot’s seat one day, she had to do a double take. She picked up the spiky orange fruit like it was the most precious gem in the galaxy, examining it as if it would crack open and reveal all the universe’s mysteries. And something strange and warm lodged itself into her chest, where only a vague emptiness had been. Something she couldn’t describe.

~

When she sat heavily onto the couch in the belly of the Ghost, hearing pounding footsteps above her and shouting voices around her, she smiled. Sabine’s colorful hair poked around the corner, and Chopper grumbled incoherently at the computer panel. This family was a gift to her. And she gave back with her whole heart and soul. Kanan had helped her gather this ragtag group—his lasting gift to her, without even realizing it. He’d given her the gift of a new chance to do a bit of good in the galaxy. As Kanan clambered down from his meditation session, trying and failing to corral Ezra for training, she wished she could find the words to tell him what this gift, this family meant to her.

~

When she said she hated his hair, she meant it. But he was still beautiful to her. Not even the drugs that coursed through her veins could change her mind on that. He’d saved the Kalikori and presented it to her with all the love in the world, and words couldn’t express her deep, unending gratitude. So when she said, finally, finally, that she loved him, her heart felt like it would burst. How could he understand? He’d saved her life and saved her family’s history in the process. He’d given her the gift of a second chance, saved her life twice, and given up his own in the process. So, through tears, she gave him the greatest gift she could imagine in return: a lasting, permanent place in her family’s history.

~

When she saw the result on the med-bay screen, she couldn’t stop the tears. He should have been there with her, hugging her, kissing her, celebrating this new life they’d created together. She could almost picture the terrified expression—the way his face would have dropped, deathly pale, but the way he would have shouted for joy and maybe fell to his knees in shock. The way he would have settled into the role of a father so naturally, like he was born for it. The way he would have worried about her and made sure she took the safest, easiest assignments. The way he would have grilled the medical droid for information on the safety of twi-lek/human reproduction and the process of a safe gestation. She could see it all. But it was not to be. His last gift to her was one he would never experience. One she would cherish forever.

~

When Jacen Syndulla made his screaming, angry debut into the galaxy, Hera realized she had never loved anyone more, in the whole galaxy. She had thought mothers spoke in hyperbole; that when they said their children were the most beautiful in the world, they exaggerated. But she understood, and realized how blind she had been. She would have given everything and more for this tiny boy with a scrunched, puffy face and little green ears. He wore Kanan’s annoyed expression and clenched his little fists in defiance against the universe. And she loved him so much it hurt. Loved him enough for both herself and the father he would never know. Loved him until she convinced herself she would never love anyone else. A warmth surrounded her, pulling her closer into the sweet aura of this little boy she’d carried for so many months. A weight settled on her shoulders, but a welcome one. Just like a crushing embrace, and she knew—she knew—that Kanan was there with her, and with their son. Their son, a gift to both his parents—a shining light in an uncertain world—the brightest, most beautiful star. And as the pressing warmth faded again, Hera looked into Jacen’s eyes as they saw the world for the first time, and they were the deepest, brightest blue. Kanan’s eyes.

She could never have asked for anything more.

.

.

[elionwriter]

STAR WARS TOP TEN CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS (PART 3)

7) PADME AMIDALA

Usually when characters are "TOO GOOD" they end up being unrealistic and unlikable. NOT HER! A queen by election, an uncompromising senator, a great speaker, a true defender of democracy, a politician that fights in the front lines if necessary and definitely the one true fashionista of the Galaxy. Padme, both in stile and principals, reflects all the good and opulence of the High Republic, an age of stability, greatness and awareness in which debate was a preferable weapon to actual weapons even though she had no problems handling a blaster. Even though we are presented with many great politicians throughout the series no one is quite as resourceful or capable as her. Not even the great Bail Organa. She manages to gain and hold the respect of most senators, even her rivals, despite her young age; she brokers seemingly impossible negotiations, at one point almost bringing the Clone Wars at an end via a peace treaty with the Separatist Alliance; with a single speech she stops the production of new clone batches saving the Republic from bankruptcy. And yet, despite all this wisdom and capacity her greatest asset is her pure and kind heart. It's truly heartbreaking that she of all people found herself in such a painful and controversial relationship. Her love for Anakin is ultimately her downfall as she realizes too late how far gone he is. If anyone ever died of heartbreak is her. It seems a contradiction that someone so strong could abandon herself to sadness in such a manner and yet this single weakness makes her all the more precious, pure and beautiful. With her death all the goodness of that age is burried too leaving the Galaxy colder, dimmer and scarier.

8) HERA SYNDULLA & SABINE WREN

While the entire Specter crew is worthy of the spot, I want to celebrate its queens. I already called Ashoka Togruta pride, but for a species whose females are usually objectified and reduced to cantina dancers, Hera really elevates Twi'leks to the next level. Daughter of a famous and respected leader, Hera inherits that leadership and creates her own rag-tag team to guide the Galaxy towards insurgency against the Empire. It's always a brave decision to stand up against power and tyranny but to do so when one doesn't even know if they're alone in that effort is a titanic feat. Hera leaded the Spectres before the rebel alliance was even formed and had a pivotal role in their operations both as a strategist and an A class pilot. Acting as the mother of the crew she is one of the main reasons the other characters of her team remained alive and bloomed to their full potential. If it wasn't for her, Ezra Bridger wouldn't have joined the fray. Also, she manages to make Han Solo admit that the Ghost is better than the Falcon. Can one blame Kanan for falling head over heels in love with her? And Sabine, well...she is proof that one can be level-headed and hot-headed at the same time. A sassy, trigger-happy, genius, teen Mandalorian with a talent for street art. If you don't love her for this alone then it's definitely all her colors and wicked style that are gonna knock it out of the park. Not only does she change hair-cut and dye each season of "Star Wars: Rebels" she gives her armour a different paint-job too! While Din Djarin's armour is probably the most beautiful and impressive structure and defence wise, Sabine turned hers into a proper masterpiece. Her artistic merits are so good that even art expert Grand Admiral Thrawn wants to collect some of her works. At one point, she wields the dark sabre and manages to unite Mandalorian clans against the Empire's puppet leader. The fact that she had been accepted as a leader by her people but still decided to take a step back and pass the power to older and wiser Bo-katan Kryze is truly a point in her favour. Unforgettable is her relationship with Ezra, built on camaraderie, mutual trust and frienship. Wherever Ezra has ended up Sabine will keep searching for him until he is safely back home.

9) CAPTAIN REX AND THE 501

The prequel trilogy doesn't really tell us much about the clones and what happened during the years of their faithful service to the Republic before the tragic events of order 66 unfold. Thank goodness a lot of additional material got that covered! (Anyone watching the Bad Batch?!) All clones should be celebrated and mourned but no clone captured the heart more that Cpt./Commander Rex along with all the 501st. legion. The faithful and elite group of soldiers led by Anakin Skywalker and Ashoka has proven itself both in and out of the battlefield. Not only did this squad survive the treacherous General Krell, they managed to win the battle he was actively trying to sabotage, get a full confession out of him and imprison him. Not only this, it was one of the squad members, Fives, that almost uncovered the full plot against the Jedi order designed by Chancellor Palpatine. While all clones regarded each other as brothers there was a special bond that tied the men of this group and its leaders. Rex went to extensive lengths to retrieve his lost companion Echo, a move that Anakin supported; Fives ran to Rex and Anakin to reveal his discoveries and had they all not been interrupted, even in his frenzied state, the two seemed willing to listen to his side of the story. There was a solid complicity and trust between Anakin and his men to the point that he revealed to Rex his secret relationship with Padme (Something he didn't openly speak of even with Obi-Wan and Ashoka) and told him of her pregnancy. In exchange, Rex always trusted his general even when he got them all in the most dangerous and unorthodox situations, looking up to him and regarding him as the best of the Jedi even years after the war had ended (when complimenting Kanan's skills he purposefully underlines that he's still not as good as Skywalker). But the most heartwarming instance of all is when Rex and the 501 greet Ashoka, banished from the Jedi order and the military, with painted helmets to remind of her markings still referring to her as Commander. Rex goes always above and beyond his duty, aiding Ashoka and the rebellion years after being dismissed from service. Even as an old timer, he proves that the new Stormtroopers have nothing on him and that he is truly the ultimate soldier and friend. I only wish he could have met Luke, considering he was one of the very few who knew Anakin was expecting a child and he never realised that Anakin hadn't died at the end of the war but had become Darth Vader.

[lessattitudemorealtitude]

For the headcanon thing: Kanan, Ezra, and Hera :)

Alrighty!

Kanan

Realistic Headcanon: The reason Kanan made his lightsaber the way he did was because he had a… not really a vision, just a strong feeling that it would be useful to be able to hide his lightsaber as some other innocuous objects. 

Hilarious Headcanon: He has a mug that says “Galaxy’s Greatest Dad”. He never uses it and no one has ever seen it (Except Hera, who just rolled her eyes, amused) but he loves it because he loves that he’s been unofficially been assigned to be the ‘Dad’ of the crew. 

Awful But Fun Headcanon: When Kanan realized that Ezra was born literally the same day his master died, he couldn’t help but feel like the Force was trying to give him a second chance. He had failed his master… he wouldn’t fail Ezra as well. 

Unrealisitic Headcanon: Kanan is bisexual as fuck and… might have a thing for Twi’leks (that he will never admit out loud, because that’s vaguely racist). But seriously, he had such a thing for Sammo back at the Temple (which he could never act on because, you know, no relationships allowed). He’s been with people of many species but Twi’leks seem to hit the right chords with him. 

Hera (Hmm, this is actually going to be hard, I don’t headcanon with Hera much)

Realistic Headcanon: It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with Kanan. Sliding into a physical relationship was easy. Even an affectionate one. The only reason she never really took the final step until the very end was because they were in a war. It could take either one of them at any moment, and she didn’t want to do that to him (she assumed she was much more likely to die). 

Hilarious Headcanon: Growing up, she thought she was asexual. Then she fell for Kanan. Maybe she’s Kanan-sexual?

Awful But Fun Headcanon: Her brother was seven when he died. Ezra was seven when his parents were arrested. She sees a lot of her brother in Ezra.

Unrealistic Headcanon: Hera briefly met Anakin Skywalker as a child and dreamed of becoming a pilot as good as him. (Okay, not exactly unrealistic, but I honestly couldn’t think of any headcanons I have that were terribly unrealistic). 

Ezra

Realistic Headcanon: He privately thinks of Hera and Kanan as his second mom and dad. He would never say it out loud because 1) he feels like he would betraying his birth parents’ memory and 2) he’s not sure how either Kanan or Hera would react. 

Hilarious Headcanon: Ezra likes to ‘encourage’ loth cats to attack Chopper. 

Awful But Fun Headcanon: There actually was a couple who took Ezra in not long after his parents were arrested. However, they became pregnant and realized they didn’t have the money to support two children. So they kicked Ezra back out onto the streets. 

Unrealistic Headcanon: Ezra is trans (though I try not to think about it too much, because imagining a child growing up on the street with dysphoria on top of everything else… Ezra’s been traumatized enough, thank you). 

[aion-rsa]

Best New Science Fiction Books

https://ift.tt/2LtypGt

Here are the best new science fiction books in September 2019.

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There's so much to look forward to in our speculative fiction future. Here are some of the science fiction books we're most excited about and/or are currently consuming...

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Best New Science Fiction Books in July 2019

Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

Type: Novel Publisher: Del Rey Release date: 7/2/19

Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking. She cannot talk and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. But Shana and her sister are not alone. Soon they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shana, there are other “shepherds” who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead.

For as the sleepwalking phenomenon awakens terror and violence in America, the real danger may not be the epidemic but the fear of it. With society collapsing all around them—and an ultraviolent militia threatening to exterminate them—the fate of the sleepwalkers depends on unraveling the mystery behind the epidemic. The terrifying secret will either tear the nation apart—or bring the survivors together to remake a shattered world.

Best New Science Fiction Books in June 2019

Fall; or, Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson

Type: Novel Publisher: William Morrow Release date: 6/4/19

In his youth, Richard “Dodge” Forthrast founded Corporation 9592, a gaming company that made him a multibillionaire. Now in his middle years, Dodge appreciates his comfortable, unencumbered life, managing his myriad business interests, and spending time with his beloved niece Zula and her young daughter, Sophia.

One beautiful autumn day, while he undergoes a routine medical procedure, something goes irrevocably wrong. Dodge is pronounced brain dead and put on life support, leaving his stunned family and close friends with difficult decisions. Long ago, when a much younger Dodge drew up his will, he directed that his body be given to a cryonics company now owned by enigmatic tech entrepreneur Elmo Shepherd. Legally bound to follow the directive despite their misgivings, Dodge’s family has his brain scanned and its data structures uploaded and stored in the cloud, until it can eventually be revived.

In the coming years, technology allows Dodge’s brain to be turned back on. It is an achievement that is nothing less than the disruption of death itself. An eternal afterlife—the Bitworld—is created, in which humans continue to exist as digital souls.

But this brave new immortal world is not the Utopia it might first seem . . .

Fall, or Dodge in Hell is pure, unadulterated fun: a grand drama of analog and digital, man and machine, angels and demons, gods and followers, the finite and the eternal. In this exhilarating epic, Neal Stephenson raises profound existential questions and touches on the revolutionary breakthroughs that are transforming our future. Combining the technological, philosophical, and spiritual in one grand myth, he delivers a mind-blowing speculative literary saga for the modern age.

Read Fall by Neal Stephenson

Alphabet Squadron by Alexander Freed

Type: Novel set in Star Wars universe Publisher: Del Rey Release date: 6/11/19

The Emperor is dead. His final weapon has been destroyed. The Imperial Army is in disarray. In the aftermath, Yrica Quell is just one of thousands of defectors from her former cause living in a deserters’ shantytown—until she is selected to join Alphabet Squadron.   Cobbled together from an eclectic assortment of pilots and starfighters, the five members of Alphabet are tasked by New Republic general Hera Syndulla herself. Like Yrica, each is a talented pilot struggling to find their place in a changing galaxy. Their mission: to track down and destroy the mysterious Shadow Wing, a lethal force of TIE fighters exacting bloody, reckless vengeance in the twilight of their reign.   The newly formed unit embodies the heart and soul of the Rebellion: ragtag, resourceful, scrappy, and emboldened by their most audacious victory in decades. But going from underdog rebels to celebrated heroes isn’t as easy as it seems, and their inner demons threaten them as much as their enemies among the stars. The wayward warriors of Alphabet Squadron will have to learn to fly together if they want to protect the new era of peace they’ve fought so hard to achieve.

Part of a Marvel and Del Rey crossover event, Alphabet Squadron is the counterpart to Marvel’s TIE Fighter miniseries, which follows the exploits of Shadow Wing as they scheme to thwart the New Republic.

Read Alphabet Squadron by Alexander Freed

Read more about Alphabet Squadron here.

Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O'Keefe

Type: Book one in the Protectorate series Publisher: Orbit Release date: 6/11/19

Sanda and Biran Greeve were siblings destined for greatness. A high-flying sergeant, Sanda has the skills to take down any enemy combatant. Biran is a savvy politician who aims to use his new political position to prevent conflict from escalating to total destruction.

However, on a routine maneuver, Sanda loses consciousness when her gunship is blown out of the sky. Instead of finding herself in friendly hands, she awakens 230 years later on a deserted enemy warship controlled by an AI who calls himself Bero. The war is lost. The star system is dead. Ada Prime and its rival Icarion have wiped each other from the universe.

Now, separated by time and space, Sanda and Biran must fight to put things right.

Read Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O'Keefe

Empress of Forever by Max Gladstone

Type: Novel Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 6/18/19

A wildly successful innovator to rival Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, Vivian Liao is prone to radical thinking, quick decision-making, and reckless action. On the eve of her greatest achievement, she tries to outrun people who are trying to steal her success.

In the chilly darkness of a Boston server farm, Viv sets her ultimate plan into motion. A terrifying instant later, Vivian Liao is catapulted through space and time to a far future where she confronts a destiny stranger and more deadly than she could ever imagine.

The end of time is ruled by an ancient, powerful Empress who blesses or blasts entire planets with a single thought. Rebellion is literally impossible to consider--until Vivian Liao arrives. Trapped between the Pride―a ravening horde of sentient machines―and a fanatical sect of warrior monks who call themselves the Mirrorfaith, Viv must rally a strange group of allies to confront the Empress and find a way back to the world and life she left behind.

A magnificent work of vivid imagination and universe-spanning action, Empress of Forever is a feminist Guardians of the Galaxy crossed with Star Wars and spiced with the sensibility and spirit of Iain M. Banks and William Gibson.

Read Empress of Forever by Max Gladstone

FKA USA by Reed King

Type: Novel Publisher: Flatiron Books Release date: 6/18/19

In Reed King’s wildly imaginative and possibly prescient debut, the United States has dissolved in the wake of environmental disasters and the catastrophic policies of its final president.

It is 2085, and Truckee Wallace, a factory worker in Crunchtown 407 (formerly Little Rock, Arkansas, before the secessions), has no grand ambitions besides maybe, possibly, losing his virginity someday.

But when Truckee is thrust unexpectedly into the spotlight he is tapped by the President for a sensitive political mission: to deliver a talking goat across the continent. The fate of the world depends upon it.

The problem is―Truckee’s not sure it’s worth it.

Joined on the road by an android who wants to be human and a former convict lobotomized in Texas, Truckee will navigate an environmentally depleted and lawless continent with devastating―and hilarious―parallels to our own, dodging body pickers and Elvis-worshippers and logo girls, body subbers, and VR addicts.

Elvis-willing, he may even lose his virginity.

FKA USA is the epic novel we’ve all been waiting for about the American end of times, with its unavoidable sense of being on the wrong end of the roller coaster ride. It is a masterwork of ambition, humor, and satire with the power to make us cry, despair, and laugh out loud all at once. It is a tour de force unlike anything else you will read this year.

Read FKA USA by Reed King

Read more about FKA USA here.

The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

Type: Novel Publisher: Berkley Release date: 6/18/19

It's not safe for anyone  alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.

There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined. 

Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....

Read The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

Read about Christina Henry's previous book, Lost Boy, here.

The Record Keeper by Agnes Gomillion

Type: Novel Publisher: Titan Books Release date: 6/18/19

After World War III, Earth is in ruins, and the final armies have come to a reluctant truce. Everyone must obey the law--in every way--or risk shattering the fragile peace and endangering the entire human race.

Arika Cobane is on the threshold of taking her place of privilege as a member of the Kongo elite after ten grueling years of training. But everything changes when a new student arrives speaking dangerous words of treason: What does peace matter if innocent lives are lost to maintain it? As Arika is exposed to new beliefs, she realizes that the laws she has dedicated herself to uphold are the root of her people's misery. If Arika is to liberate her people, she must unearth her fierce heart and discover the true meaning of freedom: finding the courage to live--or die--without fear.

Read The Record Keeper by Agnes Gomillion

The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind by Jackson Ford

Type: Novel Publisher: Orbit Release date: 6/18/19

Teagan Frost is having a hard time keeping it together. Sure, she's got telekinetic powers -- a skill that the government is all too happy to make use of, sending her on secret break-in missions that no ordinary human could carry out. But all she really wants to do is kick back, have a beer, and pretend she's normal for once.

But then a body turns up at the site of her last job -- murdered in a way that only someone like Teagan could have pulled off. She's got 24 hours to clear her name - and it's not just her life at stake. If she can't unravel the conspiracy in time, her hometown of Los Angeles will be in the crosshairs of an underground battle that's on the brink of exploding . . .

Read The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind by Jackson Ford

Hexarchate Stories by Yoon Ha Lee

Type: Short story collection set in the Machineries of Empire series Publisher: Solaris Release date: 6/25/19

From New York Times best-selling author Yoon Ha Lee. The essential short story collection set in the universe of the Hugo Award nominated Machineries of Empire series!

An ex-Kel art thief has to save the world from a galaxy-shattering prototype weapon...

A general outnumbered eight-to-one must outsmart his opponent...

A renegade returns from seclusion to bury an old comrade...

From the incredible imagination of Hugo- and Arthur C. Clarke-nominated author Yoon Ha Lee comes a collection of stories set in the world of the best-selling Ninefox Gambit. Showcasing Lee’s extraordinary imagination, this collection takes you to the very beginnings of the hexarchate’s history and reveals new never-before-seen stories. 

Read Hexarchate Stories by Yoon Ha Lee

Best New Science Fiction Books in May 2019

Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang

Type: Short story collection Publisher: Knopf Release date: 5/7/19

From the acclaimed author of Stories of Your Life and Others—the basis for the Academy Award –nominated film Arrival—comes a groundbreaking new collection of short fiction: nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories. These are tales that tackle some of humanity’s oldest questions along with new quandaries only Ted Chiang could imagine.

In “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate,” a portal through time forces a fabric seller in ancient Baghdad to grapple with past mistakes and second chances. In “Exhalation,” an alien scientist makes a shocking discovery with ramifications that are literally universal. In “Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom,” the ability to glimpse into alternate universes necessitates a radically new examination of the concepts of choice and free will.

Including stories being published for the first time as well as some of his rare and classic uncollected work, Exhalation is Ted Chiang at his best: profound, sympathetic—revelatory.

Read Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang

Light From Other Stars by Erika Swyler

Type: Standalone Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Release date: 5/7/19

From the author of national bestseller The Book of Speculation, a poignant, fantastical novel about the electric combination of ambition and wonder that keeps us reaching toward the heavens.

Eleven-year-old Nedda Papas is obsessed with becoming an astronaut. In 1986 in Easter, a small Florida Space Coast town, her dreams seem almost within reach--if she can just grow up fast enough. Theo, the scientist father she idolizes, is consumed by his own obsessions. Laid off from his job at NASA and still reeling from the loss of Nedda's newborn brother several years before, Theo turns to the dangerous dream of extending his living daughter's childhood just a little longer. The result is an invention that alters the fabric of time.

Amidst the chaos that erupts, Nedda must confront her father and his secrets, the ramifications of which will irrevocably change her life, her community, and the entire world. But she finds an unexpected ally in Betheen, the mother she's never quite understood, who surprises Nedda by seeing her more clearly than anyone else. Decades later, Nedda has achieved her long-held dream, and as she floats in antigravity, far from earth, she and her crewmates face a serious crisis. Nedda may hold the key to the solution, if she can come to terms with her past and the future that awaits her.

Light from Other Stars is about fathers and daughters, women and the forces that hold them back, and the cost of meaningful work. It questions how our lives have changed, what progress looks like, and what it really means to sacrifice for the greater good.

Read Light From Other Stars by Erika Swyler

Westside: A Novel by W.M. Akers

Type: Standalone Publisher: Harper Voyager Release date: 5/7/19

New York is dying, and the one woman who can save it has smaller things on her mind.

A young detective who specializes in “tiny mysteries” finds herself at the center of a massive conspiracy in this beguiling historical fantasy set on Manhattan’s Westside—a peculiar and dangerous neighborhood home to strange magic and stranger residents—that blends the vivid atmosphere of Caleb Carr with the imaginative power of Neil Gaiman.

It’s 1921, and a thirteen-mile fence running the length of Broadway splits the island of Manhattan, separating the prosperous Eastside from the Westside—an overgrown wasteland whose hostility to modern technology gives it the flavor of old New York. Thousands have disappeared here, and the respectable have fled, leaving behind the killers, thieves, poets, painters, drunks, and those too poor or desperate to leave.

It is a hellish landscape, and Gilda Carr proudly calls it home.

Slightly built, but with a will of iron, Gilda follows in the footsteps of her late father, a police detective turned private eye. Unlike that larger-than-life man, Gilda solves tiny mysteries: the impossible puzzles that keep us awake at night; the small riddles that destroy us; the questions that spoil marriages, ruin friendships, and curdle joy. Those tiny cases distract her from her grief, and the one impossible question she knows she can’t answer: “How did my father die?”

Yet on Gilda’s Westside, tiny mysteries end in blood—even the case of a missing white leather glove. Mrs. Copeland, a well-to-do Eastside housewife, hires Gilda to find it before her irascible merchant husband learns it is gone. When Gilda witnesses Mr. Copeland’s murder at a Westside pier, she finds herself sinking into a mire of bootlegging, smuggling, corruption—and an evil too dark to face.

All she wants is to find one dainty ladies’ glove. She doesn’t want to know why this merchant was on the wrong side of town—or why he was murdered in cold blood. But as she begins to see the connection between his murder, her father’s death, and the darkness plaguing the Westside, she faces the hard truth: she must save her city or die with it.

Introducing a truly remarkable female detective, Westside is a mystery steeped in the supernatural and shot through with gunfights, rotgut whiskey, and sizzling Dixieland jazz. Full of dazzling color, delightful twists, and truly thrilling action, it announces the arrival of a wonderful new talent.

Read Westwide by W.M. Akers

A Chain Across the Dawn by Drew Williams

Type: Second book in The Universe After series Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 5/7/19

It’s been three years since Esa left her backwater planet to join the ranks of the Justified. Together, she and fellow agent Jane Kamali have been traveling across the known universe, searching for children who share Esa’s supernatural gifts.

On a visit to a particularly remote planet, they learn that they’re not the only ones searching for gifted children. They find themselves on the tail of a mysterious being with impossible powers who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the very children that Esa and Jane are trying to save.

With their latest recruit in tow―a young Wulf boy named Sho―Esa and Jane must track their strange foe across the galaxy in search of answers. But the more they learn, the clearer it becomes―their enemy may be harder to defeat than they ever could have imagined.

Read A Chain Across the Dawn by Drew Williams

Read our review of the first book in the series here.

Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Type: Second book in Children of Time series Publisher: Orbit Release date: 5/14/19

Thousands of years ago, Earth's terraforming program took to the stars. On the world they called Nod, scientists discovered alien life - but it was their mission to overwrite it with the memory of Earth. Then humanity's great empire fell, and the program's decisions were lost to time.

Aeons later, humanity and its new spider allies detected fragmentary radio signals between the stars. They dispatched an exploration vessel, hoping to find cousins from old Earth.

But those ancient terraformers woke something on Nod better left undisturbed.

Read Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Her Silhouette, Drawn in Water by Vylar Kaftan

Type: Novella Publisher: Tor.com Release date: 5/21/19

All Bee has ever known is darkness.

She doesn’t remember the crime she committed that landed her in the cold, twisting caverns of the prison planet Colel-Cab with only fellow prisoner Chela for company. Chela says that they’re telepaths and mass-murderers; that they belong here, too dangerous to ever be free. Bee has no reason to doubt her―until she hears the voice of another telepath, one who has answers, and can open her eyes to an entirely different truth.

Read Her Silhouette, Drawn in Water by Vylar Kaftan

The Gameshouse by Claire North

Type: Trilogy of novellas Publisher: Orbit Release date: 5/28/19

The World Fantasy Award-winning author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry Augustpresents a mesmerizing tale of a gambling house whose deadly games of chance and skill control the fate of empires.

Everyone has heard of the Gameshouse. But few know all its secrets...

It is the place where fortunes can be made and lost through chess, backgammon - every game under the sun.

But those whom fortune favors may be invited to compete in the higher league... a league where the games played are of politics and empires, of economics and kings. It is a league where Capture the Castle involves real castles, where hide and seek takes place on the scale of a continent.

Among those worthy of competing in the higher league, three unusually talented contestants play for the highest stakes of all...

Read The Gameshouse by Claire North

Five Unicorn Flush by TJ Berry

Type: Second book in The Reason series Publisher: Angry Robot Release date: 5/28/19

Only one woman with a magical parasite can unite the galaxy, in the mind-blowing SF sequel to Space Unicorn Blues

Reasonspace is in shambles after the disappearance of all magical creatures. Without faster-than-light travel, supply and communication routes have dried up, leaving humankind stranded and starving. Cowboy Jim and his complement of Reason soldiers search for the relocated Bala using the only surviving FTL drive. On their new utopian planet, the Bala are on the brink of civil war between those who want peace under old-fashioned unicorn rule and those who seek revenge on their human oppressors. Only Captain Jenny and her new brain parasite can stop the Reason plan to enslave the Bala again.

Read Five Unicorn Flush by TJ Berry

Best New Science Fiction Books in April 2019

Finder by Suzanne Palmer

Type: Novel Publisher: DAW Release date: 4/2/19

From Hugo Award-winning debut author Suzanne Palmer comes an action-packed sci-fi caper starring Fergus Ferguson, interstellar repo man and professional finder   Fergus Ferguson has been called a lot of names: thief, con artist, repo man. He prefers the term finder.     His latest job should be simple. Find the spacecraft Venetia's Sword and steal it back from Arum Gilger, ex-nobleman turned power-hungry trade boss. He’ll slip in, decode the ship’s compromised AI security, and get out of town, Sword in hand. 

Fergus locates both Gilger and the ship in the farthest corner of human-inhabited space, a backwater deep space colony called Cernee. But Fergus’ arrival at the colony is anything but simple. A cable car explosion launches Cernee into civil war, and Fergus must ally with Gilger’s enemies to navigate a field of space mines and a small army of hostile mercenaries. What was supposed to be a routine job evolves into negotiating a power struggle between factions. Even worse, Fergus has become increasingly—and inconveniently—invested in the lives of the locals.   It doesn’t help that a dangerous alien species Fergus thought mythical prove unsettlingly real, and their ominous triangle ships keep following him around.     Foolhardy. Eccentric. Reckless. Whatever he’s called, Fergus will need all the help he can get to take back the Sword and maybe save Cernee from destruction in the process.

Read Finder by Suzanne Palmer

Atlas Alone by Emma Newman

Type: Book four in Planetfall series Publisher: Ace Release date: 4/16/19

Hugo Award winner Emma Newman returns to the captivating Planetfall universe with a novel about vengeance and the lengths to which one will go to save the future of humanity.

Six months after she left, Dee is struggling to manage her rage toward the people who ordered the nuclear strike that destroyed Earth. She’s trying to find those responsible, but she’s not getting very far alone.

A dedicated gamer, Dee is endeavoring to discover a mersive good enough to enable her to escape her trauma. When she is approached by a designer who asks her to play test his new game, she hopes it will be what she needs—but it isn’t like any mersive she’s played before. When a man suddenly dies in the real world, she realizes that at the same time in the game, she killed a character who bears a striking resemblance to the dead man—a man she discovers was one of those responsible for the death of millions on Earth.

Disturbed, but thinking it must be a coincidence, Dee continues the hunt for information. But when she finds out the plans for the future colony, she realizes that to save what is left of humanity, she might have to do something that risks what remains of her own.

Read Atlas Alone by Emma Newman

Read our review of Before Mars, the third book in the Planetfall series.

Winds of Marque: Blackwood & Virtue by Bennett R. Coles

Type: First book in series Publisher: HarperVoyager Release date: 4/16/19

The first novel in an exciting science fiction series—Master and Commander in space—a swashbuckling space adventure in which a crew of misfit individuals in the king’s navy are sent to dismantle a dangerous ring of pirate raiders. 

In a dense star cluster, the solar winds blow fiercely. The star sailing ship HMSS Daring is running at full sheet with a letter of marque allowing them to capture enemy vessels involved in illegal trading. Sailing under a false flag to protect the ship and its mission, Daring’s crew must gather intelligence that will lead them to the pirates’ base.

Posing as traders, Daring’s dashing second-in-command Liam Blackwood and brilliant quartermaster Amelia Virtue infiltrate shady civilian merchant networks, believing one will lead them to their quarry.

But their mission is threatened from within their own ranks when Daring’s enigmatic captain makes a series of questionable choices, and rumblings of discontent start bubbling up from below decks, putting the crew on edge and destroying morale. On top of it all, Liam and Amelia must grapple with their growing feelings for each other.

Facing danger from unexpected quarters that could steer the expedition off course, Blackwood and Virtue must identify the real enemy threat and discover the truth about their commander—and their mission—before Daring falls prey to the very pirates she’s meant to be tracking.

Read Winds of Marque: Blackwood & Virtue by Bennett R. Coles

Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray

Type: Tie-in novel Publisher: Del Rey Release date: 4/16/19

An unexpected offer threatens the bond between Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi as the two Jedi navigate a dangerous new planet and an uncertain future in the first canon Star Wars novel to take place before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

A Jedi must be a fearless warrior, a guardian of justice, and a scholar in the ways of the Force. But perhaps a Jedi’s most essential duty is to pass on what they have learned. Master Yoda trained Dooku; Dooku trained Qui-Gon Jinn; and now Qui-Gon has a Padawan of his own. But while Qui-Gon has faced all manner of threats and danger as a Jedi, nothing has ever scared him like the thought of failing his apprentice.

Obi-Wan Kenobi has deep respect for his Master, but struggles to understand him. Why must Qui-Gon so often disregard the laws that bind the Jedi? Why is Qui-Gon drawn to ancient Jedi prophecies instead of more practical concerns? And why wasn’t Obi-Wan told that Qui-Gon is considering an invitation to join the Jedi Council—knowing it would mean the end of their partnership? The simple answer scares him: Obi-Wan has failed his Master.

When Jedi Rael Averross, another former student of Dooku, requests their assistance with a political dispute, Jinn and Kenobi travel to the royal court of Pijal for what may be their final mission together. What should be a simple assignment quickly becomes clouded by deceit, and by visions of violent disaster that take hold in Qui-Gon’s mind. As Qui-Gon’s faith in prophecy grows, Obi-Wan’s faith in him is tested—just as a threat surfaces that will demand that Master and apprentice come together as never before, or be divided forever.

Read Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

Type: Novel Publisher: Orbit Release date: 4/23/19

When a beloved family dog is stolen, her owner sets out on a life-changing journey through the ruins of our world to bring her back in this fiercely compelling tale of survival, courage, and hope. Perfect for readers of Station Eleven and The Girl With All the Gifts.

My name's Griz. My childhood wasn't like yours. I've never had friends, and in my whole life I've not met enough people to play a game of football.

My parents told me how crowded the world used to be, but we were never lonely on our remote island. We had each other, and our dogs.

Then the thief came.

There may be no law left except what you make of it. But if you steal my dog, you can at least expect me to come after you.

Because if we aren't loyal to the things we love, what's the point?

Read A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

Delta-V by Daniel Suarez

Type: Novel Publisher: Dutton Release date: 4/23/19

The bestselling author of Daemon returns with a near-future technological thriller, in which a charismatic billionaire recruits a team of adventurers to launch the first deep space mining operation--a mission that could alter the trajectory of human civilization.   When itinerant cave diver James Tighe receives an invitation to billionaire Nathan Joyce's private island, he thinks it must be a mistake. But Tighe's unique skill set makes him a prime candidate for Joyce's high-risk venture to mine a near-earth asteroid--with the goal of kick-starting an entire off-world economy. The potential rewards and personal risks are staggering, but the competition is fierce and the stakes couldn't be higher.   Isolated and pushed beyond their breaking points, Tighe and his fellow twenty-first century adventurers--ex-soldiers, former astronauts, BASE jumpers, and mountain climbers--must rely on each other to survive not only the dangers of a multi-year expedition but the harsh realities of business in space. They're determined to transform humanity from an Earth-bound species to a space-faring one--or die trying.

Read Delta-V by Daniel Suarez

Waste Tide by Chen Quifan, translated by Ken Liu

Type: Novel Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 4/30/19

Award-winning author Chen Qiufan's Waste Tide is a thought-provoking vision of the future.

Translated by Ken Liu, who brought Cixin Liu's Hugo Award-winning The Three Body Problem to English-speaking readers.

Mimi is drowning in the world's trash.

She’s a waste worker on Silicon Isle, where electronics -- from cell phones and laptops to bots and bionic limbs ― are sent to be recycled. These amass in towering heaps, polluting every spare inch of land. On this island off the coast of China, the fruits of capitalism and consumer culture come to a toxic end.

Mimi and thousands of migrant waste workers like her are lured to Silicon Isle with the promise of steady work and a better life. They're the lifeblood of the island’s economy, but are at the mercy of those in power.

A storm is brewing, between ruthless local gangs, warring for control. Ecoterrorists, set on toppling the status quo. American investors, hungry for profit. And a Chinese-American interpreter, searching for his roots.

As these forces collide, a war erupts -- between the rich and the poor; between tradition and modern ambition; between humanity’s past and its future.

Mimi, and others like her, must decide if they will remain pawns in this war or change the rules of the game altogether.

Read Waste Tide by Chen Quifan, translated by Ken Liu

Best New Science Fiction Books in March 2019

Radicalized by Cory Doctorow

Type: Novella anthology Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 3/19/19

From New York Times bestselling author Cory Doctorow, Radicalized is four urgent SF novellas of America's present and future within one book

Told through one of the most on-pulse genre voices of our generation, Radicalized is a timely collection consisting of four SF novellas connected by social, technological, and economic visions of today and what America could be in the near, near future. 

Unauthorized Bread is a tale of immigration, the toxicity of economic and technological stratification, and the young and downtrodden fighting against all odds to survive and prosper.

In Model Minority, a Superman-like figure attempts to rectifiy the corruption of the police forces he long erroneously thought protected the defenseless...only to find his efforts adversely affecting their victims.

Radicalized is a story of a darkweb-enforced violent uprising against insurance companies told from the perspective of a man desperate to secure funding for an experimental drug that could cure his wife's terminal cancer.

The fourth story, Masque of the Red Death, harkens back to Doctorow's Walkaway, taking on issues of survivalism versus community.

Read Radicalized by Cory Doctorow

The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

Type: Novel Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press Release date: 3/19/19

The Light Brigade: it’s what soldiers fighting the war against Mars call the ones who come back…different. Grunts in the corporate corps get busted down into light to travel to and from interplanetary battlefronts. Everyone is changed by what the corps must do in order to break them down into light. Those who survive learn to stick to the mission brief—no matter what actually happens during combat.

Dietz, a fresh recruit in the infantry, begins to experience combat drops that don’t sync up with the platoon’s. And Dietz’s bad drops tell a story of the war that’s not at all what the corporate brass want the soldiers to think is going on.

Is Dietz really experiencing the war differently, or is it combat madness? Trying to untangle memory from mission brief and survive with sanity intact, Dietz is ready to become a hero—or maybe a villain; in war it’s hard to tell the difference.

A worthy successor to classic stories like Downbelow Station, Starship Troopers, and The Forever War, The Light Brigade is award-winning author Kameron Hurley’s gritty time-bending take on the future of war.

Read The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

Luna: New Moon Rising by Ian McDonald

Type: Third book in Luna series Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 3/19/19

The continuing saga of the Five Dragons, Ian McDonald's fast-paced, intricately plotted space opera pitched as Game of Thrones meets The Expanse

A hundred years in the future, a war wages between the Five Dragons—five families that control the Moon’s leading industrial companies. Each clan does everything in their power to claw their way to the top of the food chain—marriages of convenience, corporate espionage, kidnapping, and mass assassinations.

Through ingenious political manipulation and sheer force of will, Lucas Cortas rises from the ashes of corporate defeat and seizes control of the Moon. The only person who can stop him is a brilliant lunar lawyer, his sister, Ariel.

Witness the Dragons' final battle for absolute sovereignty in Ian McDonald's heart-stopping finale to the Luna trilogy.

Read Luna: New Moon Rising by Ian McDonald

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Type: First in a series Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 3/26/19

Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn't an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court.

Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan's unceasing expansion—all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret—one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life—or rescue it from annihilation.

A fascinating space opera debut novel, Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire is an interstellar mystery adventure.

Read A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Read our review of A Memory Called Empire

Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey

Type: Eighth book in The Expanse series Publisher: Orbit Release date: 3/26/19

The eighth book in the NYT bestselling Expanse series, Tiamat’s Wrath finds the crew of the Rocinante fighting an underground war against a nearly invulnerable authoritarian empire, with James Holden a prisoner of the enemy. Now a Prime Original series.

  Thirteen hundred gates have opened to solar systems around the galaxy. But as humanity builds its interstellar empire in the alien ruins, the mysteries and threats grow deeper.

In the dead systems where gates lead to stranger things than alien planets, Elvi Okoye begins a desperate search to discover the nature of a genocide that happened before the first human beings existed, and to find weapons to fight a war against forces at the edge of the imaginable. But the price of that knowledge may be higher than she can pay.

At the heart of the empire, Teresa Duarte prepares to take on the burden of her father’s godlike ambition. The sociopathic scientist Paolo Cortázar and the Mephistophelian prisoner James Holden are only two of the dangers in a palace thick with intrigue, but Teresa has a mind of her own and secrets even her father the emperor doesn’t guess.

And throughout the wide human empire, the scattered crew of the Rocinante fights a brave rear-guard action against Duarte’s authoritarian regime. Memory of the old order falls away, and a future under Laconia’s eternal rule — and with it, a battle that humanity can only lose — seems more and more certain. Because against the terrors that lie between worlds, courage and ambition will not be enough…

Read Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey

Read our full review of Tiamat's Wrath here.

Best New Science Fiction Books in February 2019

The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

Type: Standalone novel Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 2/12/19

Um, please drop what you are doing and go read this novel from io9 co-founder Charlie Jane Anders. The second speculative fiction novel for the author, following 2016's wonderful All the Birds in the Sky, The City in the Middle of the Night is set on a tidally-locked planet (one side always faces the sun, the other... doesn't) where humanity has settled, living mostly in cities on the light side of the planet.

The novel follows two point-of-view characters: Sophie, a working class student living in the strict city of Xiosphant, and Mouth, a smuggler whose native nomadic culture has been completely wiped out. When Sophie is exiled from Xiosphant and left to die in the cold, darkness outside of the city, she is saved by the psychic, crocodile-like creatures native to the planet and viewed by the human population as dangerous beasts.

There's so much more to this tale of survival and revolution, and the messy, interpersonal relationships that complicate both. It's sure to be one of the best books of the year.

Read The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

Doctor Who Meets Scratchman by Tom Baker

Type: Set in Doctor Who universe Publisher: Penguin Group UK Release date: 2/12/19

One of the best things about the Doctor Who universe is that it is endlessly expansive. It's been decades since Tom Baker played the iconic role, as the Fourth Doctor. Now, he's back in more ways than one, with Baker having penned a novel featuring his Doctor.

Originally imagined as a Doctor Who feature film in the 1970s, Baker's idea (which he co-wrote with James Goss) has been turned into a novel. The book follows the Doctor, as well as Companions Harry and Sarah Jane, as they arrive on a remote Scottish island. They're looking for a vacation, but what they find is much creepier: an isolated village under attack by scarecrows, a trap set for the Doctor by a devil known as the Scratchman.

Grab some jelly babies and sit down for another Who adventure!

Read Doctor Who Meets Scratchman by Tom Baker

Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation

Type: Anthology Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 2/19/19

Explore the world of contemporary Chinese science fiction with this anthology from Ken Liu, the English language translator of Cixin Liu's Three-Body Problem, as well as author of books like The Paper Menagerie. The collection brings together 16 stories written by Chinese authors such as  Xia Jia, Han Song, Baoshu, Hao Jingfang, Chen Quifan. The anthology gets some greater context with a collection of three essays about the current state of Chinese science fiction.

Read Broken Stars Edited by Ken Liu

Best New Science Fiction Books in January 2019

The Lost Puzzler by Eyal Kless

Type: Book one in a series Publisher: Harper Voyager Release date: 1/8/19

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, 100 years after a devastating event known as "The Catastrophe," The Lost Puzzler sees a lowly scribe from the Guild of Historians searching the puzzle-filled, post-apocalyptic world for a missing Puzzler who may be the key to restoring the fallen empire. This book was written by an internationally-acclaimed classical violinist, so that's pretty neat.

Read The Lost Puzzler by Eyal Kless

Alliance Rising by C.J. Cherryh & Jane S. Francher

Type: Set in Alliance-Union Universe Publisher: DAW Release date: 1/8/19

Political intrigue! Backwater space stations! Meet the latest installment in the Hugo-winning Company Wars series, the first new story set in the Alliance-Union universe in a very long time. Alliance Rising is set before the Company Wars, when the Merchanter Alliance is still forming, giving us a new perspective on this acclaimed fictional universe.

Read Alliance Rising by C.J. Cherryh and Jane S. Francher

What new speculative fiction books are on your radar? Let us know in the comments below or over at the Den of Geek Book Club!

Kayti Burt is a staff editor covering books, TV, movies, and fan culture at Den of Geek. Read more of her work here or follow her on Twitter @kaytiburt.

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The Lists Kayti Burt

Sep 11, 2019

Science Fiction Books

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