In recent months, my spouse and I have been hiking a lot in Mount Rainier National Park. I’m always on the lookout for cute critters and colorful wildflowers, but I also get excited about rock formations that reveal past geologic or glacial activity. Lately, these vertical slabs of basalt and deep river canyons remind me of the many features Nan C Ballard describes in her Under Carico’s Moons trilogy*. While it is a planet with its own flora and fauna, Carico shows signs of uplift, erosion, and other familiar geologic (or should that be Caricologic?) forces—just the kinds of details that make an alien world real for the reader. Like many parts of Earth, Carico is a rugged and challenging world, but rewarding for humans who are themselves rugged enough to tough it out.
Karen Eisenbrey (she/her) lives in Seattle, WA, where she leads a quiet, orderly life and invents stories to make up for it. Karen writes fantasy and science fiction novels, as well as short fiction and the occasional poem or song if it insists. Published books include the Daughter of Magic fantasy trilogy: Daughter of Magic, Wizard Girl, and Death’s Midwife; and the St. Rage garage-rock/superhero series: The Gospel According to St. Rage; Barbara and the Rage Brigade; and Far from Normal (co-written with LeeAnn McLennan). Karen shares her life with her husband, two young adult sons, and four feline ghosts.
*Editor’s Note: The Under Carico’s Moon’s trilogy which began with Book 1: Distant Trails, will continue in Deep Canyons which will be released on November 22nd (in time for Black Friday) and which will be available for pre-order this week, so keep an eye on our social media for that announcement!