Happy Friday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’ve got two more new releases for you, and a couple of books about nice AI to check out because it’s sure been a week for bad quasi-AI out there. I hope everyone had a lovely week! I’ve been reading a lot to relax (mostly Cassiel’s Servant, or as we call it in my house, “the book about the dumb boy”) but this weekend I’m hoping to go see the movie where Jason Statham punches a shark in the face for the second time. Wish me the time to do so! Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Tuesday!
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Bookish Goods
Caturn Enamel Pin by artbyleoniejonk
My weakness for enamel pins is well established. But look at this one! It’s Caturn. An adorable cat with rings around it! The seller has a lot of other really cute Sci Fi-ish pins and bookmarks, too. $11.50.
New Releases
Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun
Dèmi’s homeland has been invaded by the nonmagical Ajes who have committed a systematic genocide against her people, the darker-skinned, magic-wielding Oluso. Dèmi isn’t a revolutionary, though; she just wants to survive and live peacefully with her mother, who is teaching her to wield the magic that is her birthright. But when a misplaced act of trust by Dèmi causes the death of her mother, she gives up on peace and searches for vengeance instead.
Mister Magic by Kiersten White
Thirty years ago, the classic children’s program Mister Magic was shut down abruptly due to a tragic and horrific accident. Since then, the five cast members who survived have been trying to live their lives and move on; a thing made more difficult by the cultish fans of the old show — and the mystery of the show itself, which left behind no records and no evidence of who directed or produced it. But when the cast is brought back together at a remote filming compound in the desert, they find themselves reunited in purpose once more, to reclaim parts of their past…and perhaps to escape a trap.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
This has been a frustrating week for some authors — yet more machine learning “AI” stuff using books without permission, basically. It feels like we are truly living in the most ridiculous timeline where AI is so far evil, but not even a cool kind of evil. So instead, here are a couple of books about AI being good, darn it. I will cling to this.
The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole
I often bounce off sci-fi romance because it’s either too sci-fi or too romance and doesn’t quite marry the genres properly…but Alyssa Cole knocks it out of the park with this one as far as I’m concerned. A traumatized researcher with a janky memory discovers that her neighbor’s sexy “nephew” is secretly an AI.
Loki’s Ring by Stina Leicht
In a universe where AI are raised by being partnered with humans, the ones Gita Chithra has raised are accepted socially as her children. When one of her children turns out to be in trouble, trapped on a mysterious alien artifact/world called Loki’s Ring, Gita will move heaven and worlds to save her.
See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.