A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers - Another Christmas present! From my wife! It's been a few years since I read the first book of this series, but I got about a third of the way through before I started doubting my memory. After checking a summary online, I was back in, assured I wasn't spoiling anything and we were off on another branch of the story with some different characters. This is has some deep, relatable considerations of what non-human consciousnesses interacting with humans might experience. I have the next two on my shelf and am looking forward to them.
Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki - Same origin story as the two above. The story here centers heavily on violinists and makers of violins, furiously passionate about their crafts each. I enjoyed reading it and Aoki makes it relatable, but it's a thing I've never been able to connect to that deeply. The idea of giving up your life for a single perfect performance. This all intertwines with an intergalactic war (again, possibly resolved through music?), the difficulties of owning a donut shop, and the challenges of transsexual existence in modern America. A ride and a parable I wish I was better equipped to comment on.
Token by Gabriel Robinson - Hey, another Christmas present, but from my brother this time. This is so cool because I was part of getting him into RPGs a few years ago and now he's recommending them back. This is a two-person, GM-less, one shot game about a human exile and a humanistic beast circling each other in a threatening wilderness. It's heavy on evocative tables and suggestive illustrations. I don't know if I could ever play this, but I love the craft of it and the potential of the tables and sample scenarios.
Soul Food Love by Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams - This was my selection for Black History Month. It's a cookbook focused on a Black family's history through four generations of kitchens. Some of the recipes are really function as anchors for stories, like the tequila ice: Pour an ounce of tequila over a couple ice cubes isn't much of a recipe, but at the end of a tale of a mother did this to regain control over some threads of her life, it hits differently. The recipes I would most like to try are the sweet potato broth and the Chocolate Communion, which is a brilliant way to serve dessert for a crowd.
Odious Uplands by Jason Sholtis - The sequel to Operation Unfathomable, whose reading a few years back had me backing this Kickstarter. A strange and lethal RPG sandbox. For me the most believable aspect was also the part I couldn't imagine working at my table: The land is swarming with imperial agents thirsty for bribes and officially charged to confiscate any magical items or relics they encounter. I love an RPG book where the author is also the artist, it gives such a clarity of vision. Could have used another proofread, though.
