This is one that I stumbled across while searching for books that would bridge the gap between Norsevember and Sci-Fi month, and it was the title that first caught my attention, followed by the cover and the summary. Science-fantasy was my first introduction to reading fantasy/sci-fi through the Dragonriders of Pern series, and this one certainly appealed to that old love.

Firstly, I have to say that absolutely adored Bear’s writing – this was my first time reading her, but it won’t be my last – because her prose completely swept me away from the get go. All The Windwracked Stars is a fantastic blending of Norse Legend and all the myth and magic that you might expect from that, expertly blended with starkly-science fiction technology and settings, without either aspect losing out to the other, and instead creating a complicated, compelling narrative that tugs on more than a few heartstrings along the way.

I will say that this is a book you have to work for, as you are very much thrown in at the deep end and it can take a little while to find you feet, and keep track of the flow of time, but it is well worth the effort. This has to be my favourite discovery from the month, as it was one that wasn’t on any TBR or even on my radar, and I would have missed out greatly if I hadn’t stumbled across it, and I will now be checking out the rest of the series as well as the other books by Elizabeth Bear.