They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with Bishop O’Connell, who is the author of the American Faerie Tale series from Harper Voyager Impulse!
What does Bishop love when he’s not writing about faeries embracing the modern world? Spoiler alert: an apocalyptic tale of a modern Navajo nation; a trilogy with science so advance, it’s indistinguishable from magic; an award-winning trilogy that broke all the records; a tale of old gods and AI’s taking over the world; a more realistic take of Westerns, and a con that never was, yet has managed to become the biggest con of the year. Intrigued? Read on to learn more!
When I was first invited to do this piece, I spent a long time considering what I was going to write about. As a geek, there is just so much out there that I love. There’re new things I’ve found that I’m enjoying and want to share, and old things I’ve loved for a long time that still bring me joy. Then, just a few weeks ago, George Floyd was killed and the world changed, or has started to. I won’t go on about that change, or how important it is, aside to say it’s not just important but vital. I’ve spent these weeks talking as little as possible and instead listening to those who need to be heard. In keeping with that, the list of My Favorite Things is by those who are telling their own stories with their own voices.
The Sixth World series by Rebecca Roanhorse
Trail of Lightning, the first book in the series, was recommended to me by my agent. It’s the most unique post-apocalyptic story I’ve ever read. It’s set in Dinétah, an independent Navajo nation, after magic has returned and a worldwide flood has destroyed most of the US. The main character is Maggie Hoskie, a monster-killing badass who takes on bounties to hunt down monsters. What I especially like is that Roanhorse tackles the realism of someone who lives their entire life around, and for, violence. Maggie hunts the monsters while desperately trying not to become one, though she always fears that she’s one slip away. The rest of the cast, which include an incarnation of Coyote, a cat goddess, and a silver-tongued young medicine man, are brilliantly painted. The second book, Storm of Locusts, builds on the first and is even better. There’s a reason the first book won the Locus award and was a finalist for the Nebula and the Hugo for best novel. The world building is phenomenal, but it’s the characters that really make this series.
The Binti Series by Nnedi Okorafor
I’ve always been more of a fan of fantasy over science fiction. I love sci-fi, but fantasy is my home. The Binti series of novellas are a marvelous blend of science fiction that deals with technology so advanced, it’s nearly indistinguishable from magic. In Binti, the first novella, the titular character Binti is the first of the Himba people to be offered a place at Oomza University, one of the most prestigious institutions in the galaxy (think galactic MIT). Interstellar travel is via remarkable biomechanical ships, engineered and grown for the task. On the way to the university, her ship is hijacked by the Meduse, an alien species that resembles jellyfish with whom humans had previously been at war. Binti takes refuge in her private quarters as the remaining crew and passengers are killed, and she discovers that she can communicate with these aliens. Dr. Okorafor then weaves a magnificent story about understanding, healing, empathy, and compassion. The two novella sequels continue to follow Binti as she learns to live with the repercussions of her actions; no good deed goes unpunished. The stories are honest, and as such not always flattering, critiques of human societies, culture, and just humans in general. But what I love about this series is the hope that is woven through it. Hope is my jam. I’ll follow you anywhere if hope is involved.
The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
If you haven’t heard of these books, you probably don’t follow the speculative fiction world much on social media. Each book won the Hugo the year it came out, and the third book, The Stone Sky, also won the Nebula. The Fifth Season, the first book, follows three different storylines told in three different points of view: first person (I), third person (he/she/they), but also second person (you), which is almost unheard of. Writing in second person is not something many authors (myself included) ever try to tackle because it’s very hard to do well, and very easy to do horribly, but Jemisin pulls it off. I won’t lie, it was more than a little strange at first, reading a book telling me what I was doing, but it didn’t take long for me to slip into the story. The stories are set on a near Earth world where every few centuries, the single supercontinent suffers a catastrophic climate change event called the fifth season. The magic of this world is focused around controlling the tectonic plates in hopes of delaying, if not outright preventing, a fifth season. In a novel twist, the cost of this magic is the heat of human bodies. As such, out of control orogenes can kill when their torus (area of magical influence) grows too much and draws the heat of those around them. Being both dangerous and vital, orogenes are sought out and conscripted into service of the Fulcrum, a school that trains orogenes and controls them for the rest of their lives. The society outside the Fulcrum is built on a caste system. Each of the three stories seems utterly disconnected, until the end where the interconnectedness is revealed. No spoilers, read the books!
The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden
Some authors write books about old gods returning and the threat they pose to the world, some write about the rise of AI and the threat it poses to the world. Drayden decided to say, “why not both?” The awards and positive reviews this book won speak to how well she pulled it off. This book wasn’t just good, it was fun. The story is set in a futuristic South Africa where the world seems to be approaching utopia, at least on the surface, because isn’t that always the case? The characters are all looking for themselves, dealing with gender identity, sexuality, and the harassment and hatred that always accompany such discoveries. It’s an interesting twist on the old world against the new world trope and is a take on AI I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere else. Drayden manages to hold multiple story lines together and bring them all into one of the best climactic fight scenes I’ve ever read. Read the book, if for no other reason than that fight scene.
Sisters of the Wild Sage: A Weird Western Collection by Nicole Givens Kurtz
Weird Westerns, or Fantasy Westerns if you prefer, are a fairly niche genre. I enjoy them for the mix of fantasy elements with the (often just as fantastical) mythologies of the Old West. Sisters of the Wild Sage, ironically, brings greater realism into these Western stories by having the characters be people of color. For those who don’t know, it’s estimated that at least twenty-five percent of cowboys were black. You won’t see any black-hatted villains or white-hatted heroes. Instead, you’ll find snippets of characters, complex and intriguing, drawn with depth and power. There’s something for everyone, with stories that range from heartwarming to heartbreaking to terrifying. Add to this, as any good Western must, scenery as vivid as a desert sunset and you end up with a delightful charcuterie-like collection of stories, each adding to the others.
Finally, I’ll break from the literary and also move to something lighter.
Concellation
As COVID-19 was just starting to show us how bad it was going to be, conventions across the country, large and small, started cancelling their 2020 events. Like many geeks, I was heartbroken, even though I knew it was the right thing to do. For professionals, these cancellations also hit us in the pocket book. Enter Concellation, the con that never was. This is a Facebook group created originally to be a tongue-in-cheek means of letting nerds and geeks of all stripes connect, share their beloved fandoms, and also have a laugh at the lunacy of it. It has since grown to nearly 35,000 members from around the globe. Celebrities such as Felicia Day, Marina Sirtis, Wil Wheaton, John Cleese, Claudia Christian, Jewel Staite, and many others have accepted “non-invitations” and posted video clips. It has many of the joys of an in-person convention without the downsides, such as lack of showering, long lines, massive crowds, over-priced food, and of course con-crud, which I think we can all agree would be especially bad right now. There’s also merchandise available, as any good con would have, and I myself am delighted that my first guest of honor badge is a Concellation 2020 badge. Did I order a badge and have that text put on it? Yes. Yes I did. What’s your point?
As a writer, I’m usually entirely — and unapologetically — shameless when it comes to promoting my books. Which is as it should be (see above regarding unapologetic) as in most cases the only reliable advocate for your work is yourself. However, there is a distinct lack of representation in the writing world. As hard as it was for me to get published, it’s even harder for women, people of color, LGTBQ+, or people of any marginalized group. And for those who belong to more than one of those groups, the difficulty is compounded. So take a few minutes to look for books by one of those groups. If you want to buy my books, that’s wonderful and I thank you, but first (or also) look for books by those who don’t have the advantages I do.
Bishop O’Connell is the author of the American Faerie Tale series, a consultant, writer, blogger, and lover of kilts and beer, as well as a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. Born in Naples, Italy while his father was stationed in Sardinia, Bishop grew up in San Diego, CA where he fell in love with the ocean and fish tacos. After wandering the country for work and school (absolutely not because he was in hiding from mind controlling bunnies), he settled in Richmond, Virginia, where he writes, collects swords, revels in his immortality as a critically acclaimed “visionary” of the urban fantasy genre, and is regularly chastised for making up things for his bio. He can also be found online at A Quiet Pint (aquietpint.com), where he muses philosophical on life, the universe, and everything, as well as various aspects of writing and the road to getting published.
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