Sometimes we’re recommended a fantasy or science fiction novel, and the first thought that crosses our minds is I don’t have time for that. I’ve been guilty of this too, even with my deep-rooted love for the genres. In our fast-paced, work-loaded lives where we try to juggle our careers, families, and hobbies, picking up a 500+ book filled with intricate worldbuilding and complex characters sometimes feels like too much of a burden.
Also, sometimes we want small buffers in our reading: something that doesn’t require too much time and attention, a small little snack to carry us over into the next meal.
I’ve especially felt this burden this year, between increasing demands at my job and the general state of the world as a whole. You would think this would make me want to delve into a several hundred page book about another world…but when you get home after a long day, that thick spine looks more intimidating than anything (I’m looking at you, Priory of the Orange Tree!).
I’ve been searching for more fantasy/sci-fi reads that are engaging enough for me to struggle putting down, yet are quick enough that they don’t feel like an overwhelming read.
Here’s a few I’ve enjoyed this year:
A Magical Girl Retires
Park Seolyeon, with Anton Hur (translator)
Contemporary fantasy, LGBTQ+
176 pages
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A depressed 29-year-old is drafted to become a magical girl after contemplating suicide. However, being a magical girl is more than frills and magic—it’s also joining unions, fighting credit card debt, and tackling climate change.
For some reason, stories whose concept is “x, but capitalism is involved” always gains my interest. With capitalism being such a reigning figure in the world, it’s always interesting to see certain themes or ideas that are traditionally pulled from it being thrust into it’s world, changing how we view it. A Magical Girl Retires ramps this up to a T, making the concept of traditional Japanese magical girls into a full industry with it’s entire essence dipped in a capitalistic view.
I think making the protagonist a millennial was an excellent choice, both in the aspect of making her relatable (to me, especially) and for exploring the impact capitalism has taken on a generation that is currently feeling the expense of it the most. The story takes a more comical approach to the idea, but sprinkles in more complex issues in society—like climate change—and uses the comedy in a way that highlights them rather than downplays them.
I do think this is a story that would’ve benefitted from being longer, if only because there are a lot of characters introduced within it, and there isn’t much time to properly explore all of them to the degree that such a story deserves. Also, if you don’t enjoy the more dry style of writing that translation from one language to another sometimes leads to, this might not be the story for you. However, the general concept and the comedy of it all is enough to carry this story, which is what led me to really enjoy it despite the smaller flaws.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Nghi Vo
Epic fantasy, LGBTQ+
121 pages
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A young royal is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Told in the perspective of her handmaiden Rabbit, empress In-yo will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies.
Vo has a way of creating beautiful scenes and character work in very few sentences. The fact this novella is a mere 121 pages always shocks me to remember since the world she crafts within it is so complex and intricate without being overbearing. The story pulls from Chinese history and mythology, but you don’t need to be familiar with either to enjoy the story Vo weaves.
I actually experienced this story twice: once through an audiobook and another through reading the physical book. I will say that reading this over listening is the way to go. No flack to the narrator, of course. I feel that, to fully enjoy the experience, you need to be able to read every word and sentence Vo hands you, as you can tell she specifically chose everything down to the letter in order to create as immersive of an experience as possible.
The only critique I could give it is that some parts of it felt a little short; not necessarily in the means of building the world, but to spend some more time with certain characters in order to create a more substantial relationship with them. But for the length of a novella, it serves its purpose well enough.
What’s even better, this is only the first in a six novella/book series! So if you find yourself craving more, there’s more to read.
Moon Soul
Nathaniel Luscombe
Cozy sci-fi, speculative
149 pages
⭐⭐⭐⭐
When August decides to quit her job on her small desert moon, she’s forced to face the overwhelming sense of emptiness and loneliness that it’s left her. She tries to gain control of her life again through new experiences and relationships.
I’d been considering reading this story for a long while, and getting a copy of it in a free giveaway convinced me to do just that. And I’m glad I finally picked it up, as it was a story that I could really relate to. I felt August’s journey from beginning to end, from her complex relationship with her parents and past to her uncertainty of the present and creating meaningful relationships.
There’s a lot of really great themes going on in this story, from the fear of confronting your past and allowing room for it in your present to juggling what relationships mean to a person. Compared to the last two stories I mentioned, the worldbuilding is on a lesser side, but I think this actually improved the overall story as it’s one meant to focus on character, and any more focus on the world at large would’ve been a detriment to it. There’s a perfect balance of setting and lore, allowing the characters here to really shine.
My major critique of the story is it can be a bit too telly on August’s struggles and feelings. There are moments that August, as the narrator, tells the reader how their feeling when the reader can garner pretty easily this notion through her actions. It can be a bit distracting at times, but I feel you can pull through it and still enjoy the story at large.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
Becky Chambers
Post-apocalypse sci-fi, LGBTQ+
160 pages
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A tea monk takes a pilgrimage to find meaning in their life. Meanwhile, the first robot in centuries emerges from the woods to ask humanity a simple question: “What do people need?”
If you know me, you know that A Psalm for the Wild-Built is my favorite book of all time. I reread this story at least once a year, and each reread never fails to bring me to tears by the end. Sibling Dex’s story is one that I relate to deeply and it’s one that always grounds me whenever I’m feeling lost in life. Mosscap is a guiding voice that always reminds me that everything will be okay, and that my existence doesn’t need to be anything more than to exist.
The setting of the story takes place almost entirely in a forest, in a world reclaimed by nature after nearly being destroyed by humanity’s greedy hands. Having the story take place entirely in this setting—in a world that exists merely to exists—and mirroring that back to Dex’s own struggles to find meaning in their life was an excellent choice on Chamber’s part. Furthermore, making the story focus on two characters, which includes a Mosscap who ventures from said forest to find out what it is humanity needs, further enhances this journey that Dex (and the reader) goes through, making the final scenes all the more satisfying, the end of a self-reflective journey in which the only answer you could receive is from your soul.
I’m biased on this story, because I genuinely could not give you anything in the form of critique. Every time I read this story again, I find new nuances, new things about it that only further makes this story one of its kind, makes it a journey worth taking with Sibling Dex and Mosscap. I cannot recommend it enough, especially if you’re someone who feels lost in life.
I’m hoping to making this kind of post a monthly occurrence along with the Little Free Library haul. Just some quick reviews of books I’ve read, good or bad, that maybe will spark someone’s interest and get them out of a reading slump.
I’m always looking for new short reads, especially in genres where expecting longer is the norm. If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them below!