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A review by belowvaultedsky
Omake: Stories from the Warchild Universe by Karin Lowachee
5.0
So, so, so stupidly good - even though I'd read half of these vignette/shorts before, even as Karin takes my heart from its silver platter and stomps it to a pile of goo.
This collection just showcases how
1) rich and deep the Warchild universe runs, and there are infinite facets of the characters and the overarching plot left to explore.
2) Karin's switching of the first person voice for different characters is impeccable (and I'll harp on about it forever). Genuinely one of the best I've encountered in SFF.
3) Jos needs more hugs in his life. Please.
The stories are unflinching about the realities of war and its casualties (as fans of the series should expect). There are no straight answers to trauma and the corners that were broken inside you as a child, or as an adult, and the stories make it clear that some are luckier than others - not everyone has an Omar or an Ilyana or a Niko to protect them and guide them onto a path of healing. But these stories are also about resilience. And defiance in the face of injustice and those who would harm you and your own. It's about finding moments of peace when you believe you have access to none. They're beautifully, painfully human and microcosms of everything I adore about the series as a whole.
It'd be easier for me to hammer together a spaceship out of plyboard and lint and make first contact with aliens than to dislike anything Karin Lowachee puts out.
This collection just showcases how
1) rich and deep the Warchild universe runs, and there are infinite facets of the characters and the overarching plot left to explore.
2) Karin's switching of the first person voice for different characters is impeccable (and I'll harp on about it forever). Genuinely one of the best I've encountered in SFF.
3) Jos needs more hugs in his life. Please.
The stories are unflinching about the realities of war and its casualties (as fans of the series should expect). There are no straight answers to trauma and the corners that were broken inside you as a child, or as an adult, and the stories make it clear that some are luckier than others - not everyone has an Omar or an Ilyana or a Niko to protect them and guide them onto a path of healing. But these stories are also about resilience. And defiance in the face of injustice and those who would harm you and your own. It's about finding moments of peace when you believe you have access to none. They're beautifully, painfully human and microcosms of everything I adore about the series as a whole.
It'd be easier for me to hammer together a spaceship out of plyboard and lint and make first contact with aliens than to dislike anything Karin Lowachee puts out.