by Samantha White
Northwest Asia Weekly
Gear Crusher
Zoe Hana Mikuta
Fawell and Friends, 2021
Tyranny runs rampant in Cordoria, thanks to giant mechanized weapons known as Windups to aid the rulers. And for the people of the Badlands, life under their Godorian overlord brings war and oppression every day.
Enter Eris Shindanai, a brash young rebel and Gearbreaker who specializes in taking down Windups from the inside. When things go awry in the mission and she ends up being captured, she encounters Sona Steelcrest, a cybernetically enhanced Windup pilot.
Naturally, Eris sees Sona as an enemy, but she soon learns that another young woman has the same goal as her – destroying Gordoria. Like Eris, Sona works from within.
After Sona gained the trust of Eris, the two escaped, and Sona joined the fight against Godoria. As the two work together and prepare for their deadliest mission to date – with Eris’ team and the rest of the Gearbreakers – the two grow closer, first comrades, then friends, and ultimately, something more .
There are all kinds of villains in the story, for a variety of reasons – some may even seem plausible. But here, the villain’s evil deeds seem to be motivated by a need for power. Power for power’s sake. So, it’s great to see Eris, Sona, and the rest of the Gearbreakers stand up and fight those who rule them. I love a good underdog story, and the Gearbreakers are the ultimate underdogs fighting their oppressors who really built gods to overwhelm them.
Stories about dystopian worlds are not uncommon, in which young people are somehow responsible for saving everyone (where are all the rational adults?). And “Gearbreakers” is just that. But what sets it apart is that at the center of all the action are two young queer women of color — which we rarely see — doing all the savings. Mikuta doesn’t make Eris and Sona’s sexuality a big deal (because they’re not), but for readers who might question these parts of themselves, seeing someone like them save them could be a big deal for the day.
validator
Jane Peck
Vintage, 2022
Claudia Lin is used to disappointing family members. She doesn’t aspire to a typical nine-to-five career, nor does she want to meet a nice Chinese boy. She was also used to hiding from them. For example, she actually prefers girls. Additionally, she was recruited and worked for Veracity, a recommendation-only online dating detective agency focused on verifying people’s online lives and lies.
A lifelong mystery reader and Jane Austen fan, Claudia thinks she’s found her dream job. But then one client – who seems to have an agenda other than finding out the lies of her online game – disappears and ends up dying under suspicious circumstances (at least for Claudia). So Claudia broke the agreement to investigate the matter. What she found was a web of lies and deception at the individual and corporate level.
As a nerd, I really appreciate how Claudia is trying to unravel the meta-nature of this mystery. I also like that she’s slightly judgmental about other people’s reading choices – because that’s something I can understand.
“Verifier” is a mystery wrapped in an immigrant family story that delves into how technology shapes our lives. When a story has multiple plotlines, one subplot intrigues me more than the others. But Peck does a great job of balancing all the elements of her story, leaving readers wanting to learn more about each element—whether it’s trying to guess the culprit, or waiting to see the latest Lin family drama.
Pek’s details on technology and how big companies use the information we give them so freely will make you think twice about how you’re going to spend your online life. While some of this may seem outrageous, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that it has happened (not disturbing at all). Also, I don’t know if this was Pek’s intent, but I’ve never used an online dating site or app, and after reading “Verifier” I don’t think I’ll ever.
Battle of Steel: Treasure Island Remix
by CB Lee
Fawell and Friends, 2021
The year was 1826, and the sun was setting, the golden age of pirates. The Dragon Fleet, the disaster in the South China Sea—its ruthless leader, a woman known only as the Dragon Head—is nothing more than the story of 16-year-old Xiang Xiang who grew up with her. But when she learns of the dragon head’s treasure and discovers a map that might lead to the treasure in a necklace pendant given to her by her late father, Shan sees it as a chance to prove herself to her savvy businesswoman mother .
So, Shan joins Anh, the 17-year-old girl who stole the necklace and actually revealed the true nature of the pendant, and her motley crew to find the treasure, promising to help decipher the clues left by Xiang’s father. But the two girls soon learn that the sea, especially those who sail it, is far more dangerous than stories and legends have led them to believe.
In this remix of the classic tale “Treasure Island,” Lee takes us to Asia – from China to Vietnam – and tells us a story as domineering and adventurous as any pirate story. Before reading Iron Man, I wasn’t too familiar with the original story, but I’ll admit, I’m definitely curious now.
Xiang, though innocent and secretive, is a strong young woman who just wants to be able to choose her life – from what she wants to do, to who she loves. It was great to see her blend in with herself and learn to stand up for herself. Anh complements Xiang Xiang’s innocence with a worldly sense from life at sea. As the two get closer, we see how their relationship grows even closer – showing readers how friendship can be the foundation of love.
Samantha is available at info@nwasianweekly.com.
