Reading SF in June 2026

[Raf]

We Were Martyrs, Book 2 of the Flesh and Chrome series by Sean Robins. This novel carrying forward the further adventures of Mark Calder and Ash (Combat AI) as he and his colleagues attempt to serve out a 5-year contract with the Veylorian Empire in a profession that has a 5% survivability rate.

It was supposed to be a piece of cake. Guard the Planetary Shield Generator protecting a single large city of 2 million and assist the militia in whatever they needed. Except the Veylorians have irritated a reptilian race of " apex predators from a high gravity death world. Evolved for coordinated aggression".

That warrior race is sending a single ship of some 4000 warriors to the place that Mark, his team and the Militia are defending. Even with a chance to escape, the team knows if they do that, they will leave a population of 2 million civilians to face the incoming onslaught. So, of course, they will stay.

And we are also learning a bit on the origins of the food supply chain virus on Earth.

The story is darkly humorous and can be very tongue in cheek in places. It is extremely well written. The author teaches College level English and is well traveled. And it shows in his characters and writing style. Sometimes these KU books can be iffy with editing and writing errors. But this story is hugely entertaining, and I'll definitely be looking at some of his other work after I finish this series.

On to the 3rd book.

 

[dannymcg]

We Were Martyrs, Book 2 of the Flesh and Chrome series by Sean Robins

I've looked up the series, it's titled a trilogy but he's already got book 4 out

 

[Raf]

I've looked up the series, it's titled a trilogy but he's already got book 4 out

Yeah, I saw that too. Okay with me.

 

[dannymcg]

I just finished The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee today, and I thought it was really good. 4/5 stars. I will say that the first half of it was just decent

I'm reading it now and I'm still in the first half.
I've got through the world building and how their society works.....my initial thoughts are "it's just an update on Logan's Run!"

But I'll persevere with it to see what happens, I've 2 other (non genre) books on the go as well so I keep dipping from story to story, it could take me a good while to finish the book.

Update:-
I think I've got it sussed now, I imagine there's been a secret brain swap in a synthetic body...I'll read on!

 

[Raf]

Finished the 3rd novel, "We Were Martyrs", Book 3 of the Flesh and Chrome series by Sean Robins.

Ok, this one was a short read at 247 pages. I got to the end last night and was thinking, "that's it"? Now that I'm reading the 4th novel, I guess I kind of see what the author did in the previous book. He used it as sort of a bridge to the wider story in book 4.

Our MC's are not soldiers. They are EMT's, engineers, cops, high school music teachers, chefs and secretaries removed from their bodies and inserted into 7 ft combat frames. Faced with an ethical choice that leads them to disobey a direct order from Command, Calder's group revolts and join the Rebels.

Calder sends a message out to all 150,000 + combat frames in service to the empire via rebel FTL communications and informs them of the true origins of the earth's fall. All the frames revolt and take over hundreds of Empire ships in a bloody uprising.

Setting the scene for the next battle of the Veylorian Homeworld. Which is protected by immense layers of orbital fortresses and laser / missile platforms. Now on to book 4. Still a good story even with this short...novella?

 

[Ropie]

Following Mark's review I'm giving Ray Nayler's Mountain in the Sea a go. Can't wait to get started on this one

 

[Hobbit]

Following Mark's review I'm giving Ray Nayler's Mountain in the Sea a go. Can't wait to get started on this one

I hope you like it, Ropie! For what my opinion's worth, I think that this *might* be your kind of book. Looking forward to reading what you think.

 

[Raf]

Finished this in a single day. "We Were Kings", Book 4 (final) of the Flesh and Chrome series by Sean Robins.

One of those stories that was just hard to put down. I didn't see that ending coming either. All in all, a really good space opera series by a new author (to me). The artwork is cool, but misleading. The "combat frames" used by humans are far more robotic in nature than the art implies.

I've downloaded the entire series (9 books, I think?) of the author's original books "The Crimson Deathbringer" series. I mean who can't love a title like that? Right out of Buck Rogers.

But I'm going to put Robins aside for a bit and catch up on John Birmingham's Axis of Time 3.2 & 3.3 offerings...it turns out I had read 3.1 after all.

I'll review later,

 

[mylinar]

Finished C S Garrand’s ‘The Architect’ second book of ‘Humanity’s Leap’ series. I was kind of hoping for space samurai encounters but not yet.
I think the author is doing a very good job of pacing out the plot and throwing in a reveal here or a head scratching clue there.
Normally I move to a different book to take a pause in a series but not sure this time. Sun Eater book 4 is (as mentioned here) kind of a depressing story and in this instance I’m in a conundrum.

 

[chitman13]

Homebound by Portia Elan - other than good prose, good enough to keep my engaged to the end, I did not gel with this book. Multiple POV's over hundreds of years, and while there is a thread connecting them, it just wasn't enough to keep it cohesive for me.

The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu - a hard one to really describe (and I'm not going to try, here's the synopsis), but a solid science fiction story that was quick and enjoyable.

Dead Fire (Slow Burn #4) by Bobby Adair - plodding through these when I want an easy listen, and I do enjoy them enough to carry on with the series. Another entry here that gives us a different look at the evolving world Zed finds himself in as he deals with his changes due to the infection, and what he discovers as things don't go to plan for him.

 

[AtramentousFlux]

Read the first 3 books in Akart's Black Swan series. Don't want to be unkind, but there's a lot of repetition in these books and I found myself skimming page after page. The story is interesting enough, but there are apparently 2 more books and I don't know if I can.

Started a comfort re-read of Rendezvous with Rama and enjoying that again.

 

[Raf]

Read the first 3 books in Akart's Black Swan series. Don't want to be unkind, but there's a lot of repetition in these books and I found myself skimming page after page. The story is interesting enough, but there are apparently 2 more books and I don't know if I can.

Started a comfort re-read of Rendezvous with Rama and enjoying that again.

Yep, I DNF'd about halfway into the 3rd one. How much can a person read about data analysis? Glad I never found out.

 

[Fryan]

I read The Winds of Gath by E.C. Tubb. The first book in his 25+ Dumarest series.

I went in expecting a very pulpy SF adventure…but it wasn’t as pulpy as I thought. The standard of writing was higher than I expected in some areas, but it wasn’t pretty uneven. Definitely got the sense that these were rushed to the printer with little polish.

So, a decent read. A nice vacation read, but I’m unsure if I’ll carry on with the remainder of the books. There wasn’t really anything that hooked me to make me feel invested.

 

[Hobbit]

I read The Winds of Gath by E.C. Tubb. The first book in his 25+ Dumarest series.

I have a set of these I keep meaning to get to read. I don't mind pulpy stuff; I can live with the simplicity. One day... but appreciate your thoughts, Fryan. It might just get me to read them.

I also have the first 25 Gor books by John Norman too... but that's another story!

 

[Fryan]

I have a set of these I keep meaning to get to read. I don't mind pulpy stuff; I can live with the simplicity. One day... but appreciate your thoughts, Fryan. It might just get me to read them.

I think if I had physical copies I would be more inspired to keep going. Maybe someday when I live somewhere with good secondhand bookshops I’ll nab some of the series and dive deeper.

One thing that surprised me was that in many places the prose was much better than I expected and a higher quality than what I’ve read in some more modern mainstream sf.

I also have the first 25 Gor books by John Norman too... but that's another story!

Haha, oh man that’s gonna be a fun reading project for you one day!

 

[Ropie]

I hope you like it, Ropie! For what my opinion's worth, I think that this *might* be your kind of book. Looking forward to reading what you think.

It's taken me 8 or 9 chapters to get into it but I think I'm there now. Although the characters are a bit forced, with international names and long resumé credentials, it gives the story a bit of an old fashioned SF feel. These are scientists at work!

 

[chitman13]

Squad Kill by Jack Campbell - new stand-alone, and one I very much enjoyed. Oz is a newly graduated navy officer given his first assignment - in charge of a small team of marines stationed on a scientific ship that's off to investigate a planet that has strong potential for life. The marines are stragglers and cast-offs that have somehow managed to stay in the navy, and their attitude reflects that, as does the attitude of their sargeant. Oz isn't willing to let the status quo continue, and gets to work doing what he can with limited resources. And then they get to the planet and things take an interesting turn...

I'm not going to say more, or link the synopsis, as I think it gives away too much, and also removes some of the enjoyment of seeing the early parts of the novel (I basically went in blind). I couldn't put it down as listened at every chance. Definitely one of Campbell's best for a while.

 

[Raf]

Finished the 2nd novel John Birmingham's "Axis of Time: Reloaded Trilogy - World War 3.2". Reloaded is the follow up trilogy to his original trilogy where an alt Earth modern nuclear battlegroup found itself portaled into the Battle of Midway in WW2.

This series takes place after that event that changed the face of this alternate Earth in many ways. The acquisition of nuclear and computer tech by all 3 sides of WW2 has led to an invigorated Russia now pushing their way across Europe. A late to the game USA trying to overcome several orbital strikes by Russia and aid Europe at the same time. While Pacific US forces and Australia attempt to keep China, Japan and North Korea bottled up.

While at the same time several covert teams attempt to rescue a German rocket scientist from a Russian spymaster. In this novel, except for passing references to the "Uptimers" this could be a a WW2 spy novel. Good story with lot of politics and general skullduggery. But it barely touches its original scifi roots.

 

[chitman13]

EXODUS: The Helium Sea by Peter F Hamilton - I tried to get through the ARC of this before release, but my free time failed me, so listened to the audiobook as soon as I could. As expected, a vast and epic novel bringing together all the threads from The Archimedes Engine into a good finale, though if I'm honest somewhat underwhelming for me. Not that Hamilton didn't do the story justice, but

Spoiler

how can you top the first book's finale where the human protagonist throws one planet at another?

Lots of ideas, lots of information, lots of game-playing, and ultimately a solid duology set in this universe.

 

[Hobbit]

EXODUS: The Helium Sea by Peter F Hamilton - I tried to get through the ARC of this before release, but my free time failed me, so listened to the audiobook as soon as I could. As expected, a vast and epic novel bringing together all the threads from The Archimedes Engine into a good finale, though if I'm honest somewhat underwhelming for me. Not that Hamilton didn't do the story justice, but

Spoiler

how can you top the first book's finale where the human protagonist throws one planet at another?

Lots of ideas, lots of information, lots of game-playing, and ultimately a solid duology set in this universe.

I was SO disappointed, I didn't finish it. Really the two books need reading back to back: there's so much going on from the start of this one that depends on you remembering who, what, where and when from the first.