The Seaboard Review of Books: June 16, 2025
Volume 2, Issue 23
In this issue:
New books by Jeremy Thomas Gilmer, and Madeleine Thien, some lighter “summer reads” from Christine Stringer and Sarah Harman, whimsical speculative poetry from Lisa Timpf, a book excerpt, a memoir and two interviews round out this mid-June issue of The Seaboard Review of Books. Thanks for reading!
Review of the Week
Other Reviews
Fiction
Non-Fiction
Poetry
Excerpt
Michael Greenstein Reviews:
Interviews
Hot Takes: Brief Notes on Books Present & Past
(Note: clicking on the underlined link takes you to the book’s publisher page or Amazon.ca for more information or for purchasing purposes)
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is the second in her Iron Widow series. At the end of the first novel, Zetien had just revived Emperor Qin Zheng and lost Shimin when the gods took the wreckage of the Vermilion Bird to the Heavenly Court. Now she and Qin Zheng are reluctantly thrust together as Empress and Emperor and Zetien must play the part perfectly. The gods are watching. Qin Zheng sets off a Communist revolution and Zetien uses her influence to improve the lives of women. Secretly, Qin Zheng trains Zetien so they’ll be ready to attack the Heavenly Court and kill the gods. Inspired by the life of Wu Zetien, the only female emperor in Chinese history, Heavenly Tyrant is set in a compelling futuristic world filled with political intrigue, love, betrayal, mech battles, and revolution. (Contributed by Melanie Marttila)
Linghun by Ai Jiang is a Nebula-Award-winning novella and a modern gothic. Set in the mysterious town of Home, a place where people who can’t release their beloved dead move to reunite with them, Linghun tells the stories of Wenqi, Liam, and Mrs. Wenqi’s family has moved from Toronto into one of Home’s haunted houses to summon the ghost of her brother, who died when he was a child. Wenqi barely remembers him and wants to go back to Toronto and live a normal life. Liam and his family are “lingerers,” people who can’t afford a haunted house and engage in blood-sport auctions when one becomes available. Liam has been assigned the task of making Wenqi and her family give up their house, but Liam has other ideas. Mrs. lives and dies in the house where her deceased husband refuses to apparate, but she has a strange connection to both Wenqi and Liam. Great, creepy read! (Melanie Marttila)
Book News
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Emily Weedon’s Drunk Fiction Event:
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Thanks for reading this issue of The Seaboard Review of Books!
James M. Fisher, editor-in-chief
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