SPEC.FIC

all about diverse, debut, and indie sci-fi & fantasy books written by women and nonbinary authors

Tag: indie

  • ARC Review: Intergalactic Feast by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

    ARC Review: Intergalactic Feast by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

    FEAST continues right where Interstellar MegaChef left off and pushes ahead further into the chaos of politics, food culture, protests, betrayals, and horniness – it’s a guaranteed Ur-drama!

    If you haven’t read the first book in this series yet, check out my review of Interstellar MegaChef here.

    One of the reasons I enjoyed Book #1 so much is one of the reasons I didn’t enjoy Book #2 as much. The book starts off with an extreme level of horniness from one of our leads, and it was too much for me. It was desperation which aligns well with their character but this isn’t something I like to read that’s constant in the book. I can see how some might find the characters a bit frustrating in this book with their decisions and actions, but again, these are characters and not everyone is every book is meant to be likeable – how boring would that be!

    Other than that, this book delves further into the relationships established in the first book, featuring a lot of interpersonal drama. The heat intensifies from all directions, and it feels like Saraswati is in a pressure cooker!

    I would recommend this for anyone looking for a Sci-Fi adventure with a queer-normative cast of main characters, an imaginative premise, and action/drama that doesn’t seem to let up from the start!

    Thank you to Solaris for the eARC via NetGalley – all opinions are my own.

    Pre-order Intergalactic Feast for March 10, 2025 – preferably direct from a local indie bookstore but there’s always bookshop.org here if you don’t have any indie shops near you!

    About the Author

    Lavanya Lakshminarayan is an award-winning author also known for The Ten Percent Thief (a dystopian sci-fi set in the future of Bangalore). She has also worked in game design building worlds for Zynga Inc.’s FarmVille franchise, Mafia Wars, and others.

    About the Publisher

    Solaris Books is an imprint of independent publisher Rebellion Publishing based in the UK.

  • Book Review: Interstellar MegaChef by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

    Book Review: Interstellar MegaChef by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

    One of the most exciting and imaginative sci-fi adventures I’ve read. Please, don’t read this on an empty stomach though…or at least have some snacks ready!

    Saraswati Kaveri is a talented chef running away from something on Earth. Serenity Ko is trying to differentiate herself in the corporate world of tech simulations and immersive reality on the planet of Primus. A chance meeting kicks off a series of adventures involving an interstellar chef competition, found family, lots of drama, and a deep exploration into technology and food and what would it mean to integrate the two at the next level. And if it would even be ethical.

    We get a serious look at ambition from both the perspective of those with ambition who see the allure of it but also those affected negatively by being close to a person with high ambition. This was one of my favorite pieces of commentary in the book. What is the cost of ambition? What is the cost of isolation as well? And if people stepped up and spoke to their friends about poor behavior, can people recognize it and change?

    Additionally, the story dives into what it means to come to a new place as a refugee and exist as an other in a culture that isn’t yours, especially one that considers itself superior to all others in the galaxy and wants to enforce that superiority in all ways.

    So, while the cover and synopsis may indicate to some that this book is all fun and no bite, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The author hits many concepts and themes that are quite serious and complex. The book is rich and has great depth to it and I found myself wanting even MORE.

    Primus is a world that appears to be LGBTQIAP+ normative which is very welcomed!

    The world-building is exquisite, pacing is even, and the layout of scenes and plot points is well-crafted. The author leaves little breadcrumbs and moments later draws up the curtains for the reveals and it’s delightful. The writing/editing is class. Character development is supreme and the mini romantic subplot feels genuine.

    I was honestly salivating during several parts of this book, frequently debating whether or not to head straight over to the closest Indian restaurant I could find. It was delicious and I CANNOT WAIT to get started with the ARC of book #2 – Intergalactic Feast (March 2026).

    BTW – there is an AUDIOBOOK version of this. Book #2 will have one as well.

    About the Author

    Lavanya Lakshminarayan is an award-winning author also known for The Ten Percent Thief (a dystopian sci-fi set in the future of Bangalore). She has also worked in game design building worlds for Zynga Inc.’s FarmVille franchise, Mafia Wars, and others.

    About the Publisher

    Solaris Books is an imprint of independent publisher Rebellion Publishing based in the UK.