J. Scott Coatsworth's 3 favorite reads in 2025

• 2024
• 2025

Heart of Dust starts out with a bang, and although there are places to rest along the way, it carries you through the story like a heat-seeking missile. The slow burn relationship between Nathaniel and Doran is completely believable, somewhat tragic, and not entirely resolved by the end of the story, leaving the reader craving more. And truly unexpected revelations rock his world – I love it when an author’s plot can truly surprise me.

Although there’s no actual magic, the world itself is magical and fantastic – the bright city of Iole behind the roar of the waterfall. The dark mines that threaten to swallow parts of it whole. And the fragile coalition of miners and their secret helper in the palace who dream of the possibility of something better.

The only thing I hated about the book was that it ended.

I’ve wanted to read it ever since I saw the glorious cover, and I’m so glad I finally did. This is an e-ticket ride, a roller coaster plunge through the machinations and politics of a fascinating society – a master class in fantasy storytelling. I’m thrilled that I can throw myself into the next volume as soon as I finish this one. And thank Gaibhne that books three and four are not too far behind.

At 182 pages, it’s a fairly short read, but man is it packed full of stuff. The backdrop to the story is a culture where it’s possible to change your sex drive, your body from one sex to another, and even into something like a devil or a porcupine or any other of thousands of different forms. Not unlike today, people find themselves divided and unsure where the future is headed. It’s fascinating watching this group of young men navigating their biases and their own bullshit, and figuring out how to become a team that can survive on the harsh colony world.

At the same time, James undergoing his own personal evolution, feeling like José is his family but also very unsure about how they could ever live a life together. It’s a fascinating look at the male gender, and how men relate to one another in our culture. Themes of homosexuality, asexuality, and basic human relationships all come into play. I wish there had been a little exploration of how transgender folks fit into the world and the idea of creating monosexual colony worlds. But that’s a minor quibble.

Spoiler alert – I realized about three quarters of the way through that we were never going to actually get to Praxis. That’s all right, because, as I mentioned the outset, the adventure really is in the journey. This is very much an internal story, told in the first person and taking place inside James’ head.

I hope that Gerrold returns to this tale, because I really want to see what Praxis itself is like. It sounds like a fascinating place, fertile ground for additional stories. But in the meantime, I am content with what he has presented here.

A deep dive into what it means to be a man, a human, and where our society might be going in the next hundred years. Very well, written, and highly recommended.

Of all the stories in the series so far:

The Snails of Dun Nas: November 2021
In the Pass of Ghosts: October 2023
The Merchant Witch: March 2024
Hexes of Bronze: January 2025
This one is the quietest, an idle interlude that gives the characters a chance to breathe and reflect. In a stand-alone story, this risks making for a bit of a slow pace, but because of the short length of this one, it works. And once Noone releases the whole thing as a single story, this bit will fit in perfectly.

I loved the story, mostly because of the enchanting relationship between the sword master and the magician. It’s fascinating to watch Em swing effortlessly from one gender to another, and also to realize when and why she/him/they decides to manifest as man, woman, or something else. I also loved Berd, Aric’s younger brother, and his assistant Roger, who has a secret man crush on the architect.

It all ended way too soon, but I can see how the story arc is leading up nicely toward the climax of the series, when Em finally confronts her father. I can’t wait. Magical, sweet, and romantic in an incredibly lovely and queer way.

I hope Noone is busy writing the next story!