The Silicon Mage by Barbara Hambly

More a review after the fact, as I didn’t scribble down many notes while reading.  Overall I liked it.  I didn’t read the previous book, but it works perfectly well as a standalone novel, surprisingly.  I’d even say, despite the focus on ‘main character is here to save her lover’, it’s a pretty good feminist book, with a caveat—it doesn’t appear particularly intersectional.  Some vague spoilers below.  Also, warning for this review and for the book: discusses sexual assault/coercion, not in great depth but it does happen.  Discussion of ableism (big part of the book though it's more complicated than just 'it's wrong') and probable homophobia (very quick and could be waved away, but probable).

 

( good but problematic )