Eight more science fiction and fantasy books to check out this February

I've been behind on my reading so far this year, but I have been enjoying what I've got on my TBR. Currently at the top of the list is a much older book: Footfall by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. I came across it in a Reddit thread, where it was described as a plausible, hard science fiction alien invasion novel, which piqued my interest. It's pretty zippy and very much a product of the Reagan era, but it's really holding my interest.

Plus, it has a wonderfully pulpy cover:

It's certainly giving me lots to think about, especially as I'm planning on doing a little more writing about alien invasions later on this spring/summer. Stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, February's brought a solid crop of newer books along with it to check out. You can see the first list for February here, and posts for prior months here.

Here are eight that caught my eye for you to check out over the rest of the month:

After the Fall by Edward Ashton (February 24th)

In Edward Ashton's latest, humanity was conquered by aliens more than a century ago, and one survivor, John, has a mantra to ensure that he stays alive: "Humans must be silent. Humans must be obedient. Humans must be good." He's bonded to one of the "good" aliens, Martok Barden, also known as Black Hand, who's treated him decently.

However, when Martok decides to go build a wilderness retreat for his wealthier counterparts, he puts John up as collateral, and the human finds the limits of what that friendship was, and discovers what life is like for a lot of other people. He also has to contend with something in the woods that's been killing people. He has sixty days before Martok's loan comes due to figure out how to not only ensure that the alien's plan works, but also how humanity ended up in the state that it is.

The Rainseekers by Matthew Kressell (February 17th)

An influencer named Sakunja Salazar was able to earn incredible wealth and status and bring her family out of poverty, only to crash hard because of addiction. She's given a new chance when an editor came across her photography and offered her an opportunity to accompany an expedition to Mars, where they'd get to witness the first rainfall. She's now tasked with boosting others, and discovers a whole new world and sense of awe at the experience.

Writing in New Scientist, Emily H. Wilson says "Kressel is very good at telling people’s stories, powerfully and in just a few words, and that gives the novella some heft."

Loss Protocol by Paul McAuley (February 12th)

It took eight years, but Marc Winters has finally been able to put the downfall of a dangerous cult behind him, becoming a wildlife ranger on a quiet island, where he's working to help preserve the place against a backdrop of climate change and bad weather.

That quiet life is interrupted when his narrowboat is robbed and the police come to investigate. He soon finds that everything he thought he knew about the cult and his sister's involvement was wrong, and the police think that he might have some information into their dealings.

The Halter by Darby McDevitt (February 17th)

Kennedy Stark is a "halter" – someone who tracks down people lost in virtual reality, and sometimes pulls people out before it kills them. After one rescue attempt goes south, he's offered a new job: track down a software engineer named Delia Wash – Kennedy's ex – who vanished in a program called "The Forum."

He slips in and finds that it's different than he expected: a place for cutting-edge research and thinking, but one where corruption is rampant. As he searches, he finds that Delia was working on a new project that could transform The Forum, and that not everyone was eager to see that happen.

Publishers Weekly says "McDevitt’s Chandleresque protagonist finds the path to halting Delia’s immersion challenging and hazardous, creating a gripping and twisty mystery for readers."

The Daughter Who Remains by Nnedi Okorafor (February 17th)

Nnedi Okorafor closes out the story that she began with her Africanfuturist breakout Who Fears Death and continued with She Who Knows and One Way Witch.

In She Who Knows, Okorafor filled in the story of Najeeba, a sorceress who had The Call, and she set off from her village to mine salt at the Dead Lake, where she finds that her presence on the road has a profound effect on everything. In the second, One Way Witch, Najeeba had become the kponyungo, the beast of wind, fire and dust, but eventually settled into a life where she married and had a daughter, Onyesonwu (the lead character in Who Fears Death).

She's now on a path to track down and kill the demon spirit that had been terrorizing her father's family, and accompanied by a glassmaker and a camel, she's headed back to where everything began, where she'll be forced to face her deepest fears.

Kirkus Reviews says "this is a page-turning novella for all the mothers and daughters faced with impossible tasks who have the resolve to carry on anyway, a fable-like story about how to walk straight into the storm, face insurmountable challenges, and fight for freedom."

The Iron Garden Sutra by A. D. Sui (February 24th)

Vessel Iris, a member of the Starlit Order, is tasked with performing funeral rites across the galaxy. While he finds his work fulfilling, he's also lonely. When a long-lost starship called the Counsel of Nicaea is rediscovered, he's assigned to the mission to study it, and to work to put its long-dead crew to rest.

When he arrives on the ship, he finds himself at odds with his fellow expedition members, who react to his work with amusement and downright hostility. They also discover that the ship has turned into something of a forest, with sentient vines covering the entire thing. They're also hiding something that's been capturing the newcomers one by one...

Library Journal gave the book a starred review, saying "Sui’s elaborate novel takes a locked-room murder mystery into outer space. Exploring themes of faith and philosophy, evolution and self-awareness, Sui creates a beautifully crafted world, sprinkled with a bit of horror and romance."

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan (February 24th)

Decades ago, monster hunter Professor Sebastian Grave attempted to hunt down a creature known as the Beast of Gévaudanin the 1760s after it went on a rampage through France. With the help of a demon that resided inside of him, he was able to take it down, something that nearly killed him in the process.

Two decades later, he receives terrible news: the Beast has returned, and it's resumed killing. He's been called back by an ex-lover named Antoine Avenel d’Ocerne to try and finish it off for good. Upon his return to Gévaudan, he finds a changed landscape: reminders of his past failures are everywhere, and the local clergy are wary of his tactics. But should he fail, the Beast will bring chaos to Europe.

Kirkus Reviews gave the book a starred review, calling it "a delightful, genre-defying debut."

The Obake Code by Makana Yamamoto (February 17th)

Malia got away with a huge heist that has her set for life. She's now living it up in a great apartment on Kepler Station, but something's missing, and she's bored. She had been living as the most infamous hacker in the galaxy, and misses the highs and lows of her previous life.

When she goes and rigs a couple of fights, she finds herself on the bad side of a brutal gang leader. Instead of a beat-down, she's "offered" a new gig: take down a promising, up-and-coming politician to get him out of the way, or get killed. She takes the job, and pulls in some old friends for it, only to find that there's a much bigger conspiracy at play, and he has to figure out how to get out of the way of what's coming.

Thanks for reading. Let me know in the comments what catches your eye and what you're currently reading!