Indie Sci-Fi and Fantasy Buzz
X users are sharing indie sci-fi and fantasy recommendations, including *Obsidian Awakening* by Sienna Frost, *Wistful Ascending* by JCM Berne, and *Theft of Fire* by Devon Eriksen 1. Shami Stovall's *Time-Marked Warlock* (urban noir fantasy) is also gaining traction as an alternative to mainstream titles 2. Discussions also highlight John Varley's *Gaea Trilogy* and Brandon Sanderson's *Mistborn* series 3.
Sienna Frost's *Obsidian Awakening* is a grimdark fantasy inspired by the desert cultures of Mongolian nomads and Bedouins. The story follows characters from warring cultures who find love and resilience in the absence of hope. Hasheem, a male escort turned assassin, and Djari, the daughter of a Shakshi tribe leader, are central figures in the plot. JCM Berne's *Wistful Ascending* is the first book in the space opera fantasy series, Hybrid Helix. The main character, Rohan, is half-human and half-il'Drach, possessing superpowers. He tries to live a quiet life on the space station Wistful, but a wormhole opening brings unwanted attention from the Empire. Devon Eriksen's *Theft of Fire* is a space opera set at the frozen edge of the solar system. It features Marcus Warnoc, an asteroid miner whose ship is hijacked by Miranda Foxgrove, a corporate heiress. They embark on a mission to snatch a hidden treasure, navigating corporate conspiracies and their own conflicting agendas. Shami Stovall's *Time-Marked Warlock* is an urban noir fantasy novel. It revolves around Adair Finch, a retired warlock and private investigator with time manipulation abilities. He is drawn back into the game by Bree Blackstone, a young girl seeking help with her mother's murder. John Varley's *Gaea Trilogy* tells of humanity's encounter with a living being in the shape of a 1,300 km diameter Stanford torus, called Gaea. The trilogy consists of *Titan*, *Wizard*, and *Demon*. The stories involve explorers interacting with various species inside Gaea, including centaur-like Titanides. Brandon Sanderson's *Mistborn* series is an epic fantasy published by Tor Books. The first trilogy, "Era One," includes *The Final Empire*, *The Well of Ascension*, and *The Hero of Ages*. A second series, "Era Two," consists of *The Alloy of Law*, *Shadows of Self*, *The Bands of Mourning*, and *The Lost Metal*. Apple TV secured rights for Sanderson's Cosmere universe, planning to adapt *Mistborn* as feature films, with Sanderson writing the screenplay for the first film.
