FREE/BARGAIN — Science Fiction & Fantasy

[salty-horse]

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho is $2 on Amazon.com
Was on my wishlist.

A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

When Jessamyn Teoh starts hearing a voice in her head, she chalks it up to stress. Closeted, broke and jobless, she’s moving back to Malaysia with her parents – a country she last saw when she was a toddler.

She soon learns the new voice isn’t even hers, it’s the ghost of her estranged grandmother. In life, Ah Ma was a spirit medium, avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a business magnate who has offended the god—and she's decided Jess is going to help her do it, whether Jess wants to or not.

Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business, but dealing with her grandmother is just as complicated. Especially when Ah Ma tries to spy on her personal life, threatens to spill her secrets to her family and uses her body to commit felonies. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny – or the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.

[ZodWallop]

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark is $2.99 at Amazon US.

This is a sequel to the short story A Dead Djinn in Cairo, which I believe was a Tor freebie. But can be picked up at Amazon for $2.

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world forty years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and a familiar person from her past, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city—or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems…

[salty-horse]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

This is a sequel to the short story A Dead Djinn in Cairo, which I believe was a Tor freebie.

It's still a freebie: https://www.tor.com/2016/05/18/a-dead-djinn-in-cairo/

The other stories:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...postcount=6188

[lkmiller]

A Dead Djinn in Cairo is also online at Tor.com. There are a couple other stories in this alternate history Cairo, but they all stand alone.

[Tarana]

The DC Comics Encyclopedia: New Edition By DK Publishing $1.99 Amazon and Kobo

I bought the Star Wars Encyclopedia when that was on special and it was great for my Star Wars adoring cousin. However, it works far better on a Fire than an ereader.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

A Dead Djinn in Cairo is also online at Tor.com. There are a couple other stories in this alternate history Cairo, but they all stand alone.

Yeah, I got the Haunting Of Tram Car whatever it was. That seems to stand apart as a story with different characters in the same universe.

But the novel Master of Djinn makes callbacks to Dead Djinn in Cairo in ways that impact the story. All this from the user reviews so many deride as 'useless'. The only P. Djèlí Clark I've yet read is Ring Shout, which I thought was terrific.

[salty-horse]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

But the novel Master of Djinn makes callbacks to Dead Djinn in Cairo in ways that impact the story. All this from the user reviews so many deride as 'useless'.

What user reviews, and why go far? We talked about how the stories affect each other here, earlier this month.

[Ashartus]

All 3 books in the Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jen Williams are on sale for $0.99 on Kobo and Amazon in Canada, looks like also in the US. I'm not familiar with the series but looks like it won some awards (British Fantasy Award).

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by salty-horse

What user reviews...

User reviews on Amazon.

...and why go far? We talked about how the stories affect each other here, earlier this month.

That discussion was a billion sales ago.

My point is that while every review isn't gold, Amazon user reviews aren't the flaming tire fire they are often made out to be.

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Yeah, I don't think I'd read the whole Riftwar series, but I have been interested in Magician as a stand-alone read (or a duology, if I'm buying the split version).

How many books are in Riftwar? There seem to be a lot of trilogies related together.

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

The only Feist book I've read was the horror-ish novel Faerie Tale.

Snap! That's the only one I've read so far too!

I feel I need to try his other stuff.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by ReadingManiac

How many books are in Riftwar? There seem to be a lot of trilogies related together.

Here's the list on Feist's official website.

ETA: There are some reading order suggestions available there too.

[CubGeek]

Originally Posted by salty-horse

What user reviews, and why go far? We talked about how the stories affect each other here, earlier this month.

I would agree with you with regards to A Dead Djinn in Cairo needing to be read prior to A Master of Djinn for a better understanding of established events and characters that are referenced in Master. I read Master before I read Dead and I did enjoy it, but it was occasionally annoyed at the callbacks and oblique references to events of Dead that I had no clue what the author was talking about.

MUST you read Dead prior to Master? No. SHOULD you? Yes. (imo).

I just picked up Haunting but haven't read it yet, so can't comment on that one.

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by ReadingManiac

How many books are in Riftwar? There seem to be a lot of trilogies related together.

Good Reads lists thirty-one books total in the complete Riftwar Cycle.

The initial Riftwar Saga has three (with the combined author's preferred edition of books one & two into one book) or four (with the split version). Reading it's not a huge time sink, but reading the whole cycle definitely is.

[rguion]

Originally Posted by Tarana

The DC Comics Encyclopedia: New Edition By DK Publishing $1.99 Amazon and Kobo

I bought the Star Wars Encyclopedia when that was on special and it was great for my Star Wars adoring cousin. However, it works far better on a Fire than an ereader.

Here is the link!