Books That Burn

Highlight 23: Sassinak by Elizabeth Moon and Anne McCaffrey

This fortnight we’re discussing “Sassinak” by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon. This covers several decades of the protagonists life as she's enslaved by planet pirates and then spends several decades getting the skills for stopping them.

• TITLE: Sassinak

• AUTHOR: Elizabeth Moon, Anne McCaffrey

• PUBLISHER: Baen

• YEAR: 2020

• LENGTH: 304 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy, Science Fiction

• RECOMMENDED: Yes

Book TW for sexual content (brief mention), ableism (brief), grief (graphic), xenophobia, bullying, sexual harassment, mental illness (brief), drug abuse (backstory), kidnapping, vomit, blood, gore, violence, gun violence, torture (brief mention), child abuse, slavery (graphic), suicide (brief), animal death (brief mention), murder, child death (graphic), parental death, death (graphic).

Topic 1: Abandonment. Begins at (1:35), CW for suicide, death.

Topic 2: Racism. Begins at (16:12), CW for racism, death.

Topic 3: Enslavement. Begins at (34:28), CW for slavery, death.

Promo for The Real Movie Critic vs the Cine-Guy; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (43:32).

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You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Stand-Alone 23: Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente

This fortnight we’re discussing “Radiance” by Catherynne M. Valente. Set in an alternate version of the 1920's where the planets are as lush as as early sci-fi thought they'd be, and the moon makes a surprisingly good film set as long as you don't mind that the actors turn blue.

• TITLE: Radiance

• AUTHOR: Catherynne M. Valente

• PUBLISHER: Tor Books

• YEAR: 2015

• LENGTH: 352 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy, Science Fiction

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Book TW for ableist language (brief), cursing, grief (graphic), abortion (backstory), racism (backstory), homophobia, sexual harassment (backstory), sexual content, drug use, drug abuse, alcohol, body horror, animal cruelty (not depicted), domestic abuse, vomit (graphic), blood (graphic), gore (graphic), violence, war (brief mention), gun violence (backstory), self harm, suicide, cannibalism (ambiguous), murder, death.

Topic 1: Percival Unck - Child Death. Begins at (1:37 after intro), CW for child death, death.

Topic 2: Anchises - Lone Survivor. Begins at (15:45), CW for death.

Topic 3: Severin Unck- Death? Begins at (26:02), CW for drug use, death.

Promo for CPOV RobCast; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (34:40). Honored guest Grimoire makes an appearance at (39:18) and (42:54-44:28).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Stand-Alone 22: Fledgling by Octavia Butler

This fortnight we’re discussing the vampire novel, “Fledgling”, by Octavia Butler.

• TITLE: Fledgling

• AUTHOR: Octavia E. Butler

• PUBLISHER: Grand Central Publishing

• YEAR: 2005

• LENGTH: 310 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Book TW for memory loss, animal death, ableism, racism, racial slurs, violence, gun violence, blood, major character death, death.

Topic 1: Coercion. Begins at (1:35), CW for murder.

Topic 2: Memory Loss. Begins at (9:35), CW for adult/minor relationship (brief mention), murder, death.

Topic 3: Racism. Begins at (19:05), CW for racism, murder, death.

Promo for CPOV - Fun & Games Promo; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (29:35).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Highlight 22: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

This fortnight we’re discussing “Gideon The Ninth” by Tamsyn Muir, a book best described as "lesbian necromancers in space". We’re joined by special guest S.T. ("Saint") Gibson! You can find all their stuff at their website.

• TITLE: Gideon the Ninth

• AUTHOR: Tamsyn Muir

• PUBLISHER: Tor/Forge

• YEAR: 2019

• LENGTH: 448 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy, Science Fiction

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Book TW for cursing, ableism (brief), grief, toxic friendship/relationship, vomit, blood (graphic), violence (graphic), gore (graphic), body horror (graphic), cannibalism, medical content, degenerative illness, emotional abuse, physical abuse (backstory), child abuse (backstory), suicide (backstory), child death (graphic), murder (graphic), self harm, parental death (backstory), major character death (graphic), death (graphic).

Topic 1: Toxic Relationship. Begins at (1:35), CW for toxic relationship, blood, cannibalism, death.

Topic 2: Suicide. Begins at (14:27), CW for toxic relationship, suicide, murder, death.

Topic 3: Cannibalism. Begins at (24:40), CW for vomit (brief mention), gore, body horror, child death, suicide, death.

Promo for Comics Quest from Certain POV; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (35:16). The wrapup contains an extended discussion of how suicide is handled in the book as a topic for the care rating.

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This episode discusses fictional depictions of suicide. If you're in the United States the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. For those of our audience outside of the United States, you may be able to find the suicide hotline number or other appropriate emergency services for your country inthis directory provided by OpenCounseling.

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Highlight 21: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

This fortnight we’re discussing “Legendborn” by Tracy Deonn. Unusually for us, we have just one main topic where we discuss how the deaths and absences of several characters’ mothers are handled.

• TITLE: Legendborn

• AUTHOR: Tracy Deonn

• PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster

• YEAR: 2020

• LENGTH: 511 pages

• AGE: Young Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Book TW for discussion of slavery, discussion of sexual assault, discussion of colonization, grief (graphic), racism, sexism, kidnapping, child abuse (backstory), blood, violence, gore (graphic), torture, car accident, animal death, parental death, major character death. Harry Potter reference (brief).

Main Discussion: Death of Parent. Begins at (1:35), CW for abandonment, neglect, memory loss, alcoholism (brief mention), parental death, death.

Promo for CPOV - Reignite; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (30:50).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Stand-Alone 21: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

This fortnight we’re discussing “The Song of Achillles” by Madeline Miller, a retelling of the story of Achilles and Patroclus. We're joined by special guest Taylor!

• TITLE: The Song of Achilles
• AUTHOR: Madeline Miller
• PUBLISHER: Ecco Press / Bloomsbury Publishing
• YEAR: 2011
• LENGTH: 416 pages
• AGE: Adult
• GENRE: Fantasy, Historical
• RECOMMENDED: Yes

Book TW for sexism, homophobia, possible biphobia, grief (graphic), kidnapping, confinement, terminal illness, slavery, vomit, blood (graphic), gore (graphic), sexual content, medical content, domestic abuse, rape, cannibalism (backstory), animal death, murder, child death (graphic), major character death (graphic), death (graphic).

Topic 1: Exile. Begins at (1:35), CW for violence, death, murder.

Topic 2: Hovering Shade. Begins at (13:30), CW for homophobia, death.

Topic 3: Rape. Begins at (30:05), CW for rape, slavery.

Promo for Circle of Friendship from CPOV; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (55:45).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Highlight 20: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

This fortnight we’re discussing “The Marrow Thieves” by Cherie Dimaline. This is speculative fiction so good it made Robin rethink how they read the closely related but distinct genre of dystopian fiction. 

• TITLE: The Marrow Thieves
• AUTHOR: Cherie Dimaline
• PUBLISHER: Dancing Cat Books
• YEAR: 2017
• LENGTH: 240 pages
• AGE: Young Adult
• GENRE: Speculative Fiction
• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Book TW for sexual content (brief), cursing, ableist language (brief), alcohol (backstory), alcoholism (backstory), drug use (backstory), dug abuse (backstory), kidnapping (graphic), confinement (backstory), starvation (graphic), genocide (graphic), sexual assault, rape, child abuse, physical abuse, excrement (brief), vomit (brief), violence, gun violence, cannibalism, animal death, parental death (backstory), child death, murder, major character death, death.

Topic 1: Food Scarcity. Begins at (1:35), CW for food scarcity,

Topic 2: PTSD. Begins at (10:37), CW for ptsd, food scarcity.

Topic 3: Cannibalism. Begins at (21:45), CW for cannibalism, murder, death.

Promo for CPOV Autographs; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (32:12).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Stand-Alone 20: “The Atrocities” by Jeremy C. Shipp

This fortnight we’re discussing the horror novella “The Atrocities” by Jeremy C. Shipp.

Apologies for the odd episode schedule, the next two episodes will be a month apart, then we should be back to our usual fortnightly schedule after that.

• TITLE: The Atrocities

• AUTHOR: Jeremy C. Shipp

• PUBLISHER: St. Martins Press-3PL

• YEAR: 2018

• LENGTH: 112 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Horror

• RECOMMENDED: Highly

Book TW for child abuse (backstory), mental illness, medical content, medical trauma, child abuse, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, body horror, gore, self harm, animal death, animal cruelty (backstory), child death, death.

Topic 1: Mental Illness. Begins at (1:35), CW for mental illness, physical abuse, emotional abuse, child death, death.

Topic 2: Kidnapping. Begins at (15:00), CW for kidnapping, institutionalization, mental illness, child death, death.

Topic 3: Child Death. Begins at (22:25), CW for kidnapping, mental illness, child death, death.

Promo for Another Pass from CPOV; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (32:55).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Highlight 19: Scavenge The Stars by Tara Sim

This fortnight we’re discussing “Scavenge The Stars" by Tara Sim. This is the first half of a duology retelling "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas.

• TITLE: Scavenge The Stars

• AUTHOR: Tara Sim

• PUBLISHER: Disney-Hyperion

• YEAR: 2020

• LENGTH: 352 pages

• AGE: Young Adult

• GENRE: Fantasy, Retelling

• RECOMMENDED: Yes

Book TW for grief, ableist language (brief), kidnapping (graphic), alcohol (graphic), gambling addiction (graphic), drug use, child abuse, slavery, terminal illness, medical content, excrement, vomit, blood (graphic), gore, violence (graphic), gun violence, child death (graphic), parental death, murder (graphic), death (graphic).

Topic 1: Debt Slavery. Begins at (1:35), CW for child abuse, slavery, death.

Topic 2: Betrayal. Begins at (13:10), CW for betrayal, terminal illness, death.

Promo for CPOV Autographs; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (27:36).

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn. 

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.

Stand-Alone 19: The Forever War - Joe Haldeman

This fortnight we’re discussing “The Forever War” by Joe Haldeman.

• TITLE: The Forever War

• AUTHOR: Joe Haldeman

• PUBLISHER: Gollancz

• YEAR: 1974

• LENGTH: 238 pages

• AGE: Adult

• GENRE: Science Fiction, War

• RECOMMENDED: Yes

Book TW for cursing, grief, xenophobia, chemical control of sexual orientation (nonconsensual), homophobia, acephobia (ambiguous), ableism, mental illness, sexual content, sexual assault (not depicted), rape (brief), medical content (graphic), medical trauma (graphic), alcohol, drug use, vomit, blood, gore, violence, gun violence, eugenics, genocide, torture (brief), suicidal thoughts (brief), animal death (brief), murder, parental death, death.

Topic 1: Compulsory Homosexuality. Begins at (1:35), CW for homophobia, conversion therapy, compulsive sexuality, war, death.

Topic 2: Suicidal Thoughts. Begins at (14:42), CW for suicidal thoughts, war, death.

Topic 3: Future Shock. Begins at (22:58), CW for homophobia, war, death.

Promo for CPOV - Men of Steel; Spoiler-free wrap-up and ratings: Begins at (35:42).

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This episode mentions suicidal thoughts in fiction. If you're in the United States the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. For those of our audience outside of the United States, you maybe able to find the suicide hotline number or other appropriate emergency services for your country inthis directory provided by OpenCounseling.

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If you'd like to make a monthly donation, please check us out on Patreon.

To make a one-time donation please support us on Ko-Fi.

For fortnightly news and updates, as well as links to recent written reviews, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can check out Robin's written review of the book at Reviews That Burn.

Find all our links on our Carrd.

Music provided by HeartBeatArt and is used with permission.

Members of the Certain Point of View network of podcasts.