alternate history | Book Girl & Little Bear

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

The First Book of Nampeshiweisit

This is the best fantasy debut I’ve read in years. 500 pages was not too long, and I eagerly await To Ride a Rising Storm, to be published this October. This novel is from 2023 and won the Andre Norton Nebula Award. Teen Anequs sees a dragon flying east from the island of Masquapaug, then finds a dragon egg. Her village gathers around the egg in celebration, and the hatchling dragon, Kasaqua, bonds with Anequs. Her brother Niquiat, working on the mainland, says that she must apply to attend the Anglish dragon academy with Anequs. No dragon has been seen in the islands for many generations. This alternate history fantasy with some steampunk elements is set in a version of the 1840s in which the Vikings rule eastern North Makeslund. The breath of a dragon can have both useful and destructive powers, so Anequs must learn skiltakraft, a combination of alchemy and chemistry. Having never attended a traditional school, she has some catching up to do.

As an indigenous islander and a girl, some of the academy staff look down on Anequs and her unpedigreed dragon. Only one other student is female, and Marta’s from a wealthy family. Anequs studies hard and speaks her mind, affecting the status quo, making connections at all levels of society. Her goal is to take her dragon and move back to the island, probably an alternate Nantucket, to use her new skills to help her village. Kasaqua, unlike dragons in books by some other writers, grows slowly and is not yet flying by the end of the book. This is listed as a readalike for the popular Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, beginning with Fourth Wing, but it sounds darker than To Shape a Dragon’s Breath. Moniquill Blackgoose is a member of the Seaconke Wampanoag tribe and lives in Rhode Island. Anequs is a memorable protagonist, and I loved reading about her world. Adult and teen fans of dragon fantasy books will likely enjoy.

Brenda

The Martian Contingency: A Lady Astronaut Novel by Mary Robinette Kowal

Elma York, 48, is the deputy administrator on Bradbury Base on Mars. The year is 1970, but this is an alternate timeline. In Kowal’s award-winning Lady Astronaut series, the race to space was accelerated after a meteor strike in 1952 triggered global warming as well as causing many, many deaths. Technology developed for space is also helping conditions on Earth. Racism and discrimination against women are evident here, but they are being dealt with much sooner than on our version of Earth. Elma and her husband Nathaniel, an engineer, are part of the 2^nd expedition to Mars, and they will not be returning to Earth. Elma really enjoys math, piloting, and baking, especially when she’s anxious. Nathaniel is a workaholic and they are both Jewish. On the base the habitat observes Jewish, Islamic, Chinese, Hindu, and Christian holidays. The calendar is a focus here as days on Mars are 39 minutes longer and the year is twice as long as on Earth, and there is a time lag for communications. While technology is more advanced than our Earth was in 1970 (or in 2025), in others not so much, such as for healthcare. Secrets from the first expedition are gradually uncovered, and there are complications in preparing for the next expedition, which will include teens as well as adults. This is the fourth book, after The Relentless Moon. Calculating Stars is the first book, and they are all excellent, compelling reads. I am enjoying the combination of science fiction and alternate history, as well as the memorable characters. I read a digital review copy; the novel will be published March 18.

Brenda