It is officially summer! Because this is Britain, that means we’re forecast for pretty solid rain for the next week. Hooray. But while my homeland is notorious for its terrible weather, it does have its perks. Free healthcare, for one. This month, however, I’m more interested in the science fiction writers who call these islands their home. In both quantity and quality, the UK has a rich history of science fiction, from Thomas Moore all the way through to today’s authors.

British SF is the theme for this month’s TBR. I’m starting with Michael Cobley’s Humanity’s Fire novels, which are a reread I intended to start last month but completely forgot about. I’ve got the original trilogy plus an additional standalone set in the same universe to keep me going. I have mixed memories of these, but there’s something satisfying about holding a chunky space opera in your hand that I just can’t deny.

I’ve got two other long series I plan to start tackling this month. First we have Ken MacLeod’s Fall Revolution series. This is four books, but I’m lacking the third. However, since the last book appears to be an alternative take on the series, I should be fine to read it without the intervening novel. Either way, I’m probably going to read a different MacLeod novel (Newton’s Wake) first, as standalones are a great way of trying a new author for the first time. The other series is The Long Earth, a collaborative effort from Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. Now, regular readers will know of my love for Baxter’s work, but I am one of the tiny minority of British SFF fans who find Pratchett rather dull, so I’m interested to see how their very different styles work together.

I don’t want to get too bogged down in these longer series, so I’ll be alternating instalments with standalone books That’s where a bunch of new-to-me authors step up. I’ve got there Is No Antimemetics Division, by qntm – a much-hyped book that I’ll be giving a go, and a slice of hard SF in the form of Ian Stewart’s Loophole. Though technically not a standalone, I have Allen Stroud’s Fearless, which will hopefully satisfy my military SF cravings for the month. Alongside it is a reread of Ian McDonald’s Luna: New Moon. Finally, there is a 2026 release from Charlotte Robinson, Mars One. This year’s releases have been massively underwhelming so far, so I’m hoping this one bucks the trend.

Oh, and this month’s book club pick is also by a British author. Aztec Century is an alternative history novel by Christopher Evans. I’m looking forward to reading it and hearing everyone else’s thoughts on this award-winning book.

With luck, I’ll make enough of a dent on this massive TBR to update my ‘Best of British’ rankings from last year. Just don’t expect that to arrive until the end of the month.

June is also the month when my LARP season finally kicks off, so if you’re at Empire this month, let me know and we an say hi to each other. I expect this will put a slight dent in my reading schedule, but who can say how severe it will be? On the topic of days out, I’m also considering attending FantasyCon or BristolCon in October, so let me know your thoughts on those conventions.

Dates for your Diary

Only a few releases this month, so let’s get straight to it.

19th – Sugar (Season 2) – Yes, it’s SF. Trust me. If you haven’t seen the first season, go to AppleTV and do so right now. It’s slick, stylish, and absolutely compelling.

25th – Green City Wars, by Adrian Tchaikovsky – I’ve fallen behind on my Tchaikovsky reading, and to be honest I initially thought this was a fantasy offering. But no, this is apparently a sci fi take on animal detectives. One to keep an eye out for, to be sure.

26th – The Wow Signal, by Muse – A new Muse album is always something to look forward to. Even more so when it so openly embraces SF trappings. Even as my taste in music changes, Muse continue to deliver, and if it’s SF enough, it might even get a review here.

As always, if there’s something I’ve forgotten or overlooked, let me know in the comments. Until next time, enjoy your reading.