The Hymn Of The Pearl, by Brian Niemeier

This book looks interesting  – I read Brian Niemeier’s NETHEREAL a couple of years ago and thought it was an interesting mixture of Space Pirates and HP Lovecraft, so I think I’ll check out his new novella.

What really caught my eye was that it’s in a setting sort of inspired by the Late Roman Empire.

The Roman period and Late Antiquity is one that is underused in SF/F, I think, though I’ve played with it myself. SOUL OF SORCERY was sort of based on the Battle of Adrianople in 378 AD, and the Empire in THE GHOSTS is kind of like what the Western Roman Empire might have been like if it survived to the Renaissance period (albeit with more sorcerers).

So THE HYMN OF THE PEARL is next on my July reading list.

-JM