Review: Tundras, Travelers, and Other Travesties, by Amara Lynn

After I reviewed Amara Lynn’s last mlm fantasy book, I was excited to hear about their latest work, described to me as ‘a queer sci-fi hopepunk solarpunk short with an agender MC who uses neopronouns (ze/zir) and has chronic pain’. As a queer non-binary person who deals with chronic pain, this is the book I never knew I needed. How could I say no?

Everything that was promised was delivered – the book is very queer, very hopeful, and very short. In the story, the main character Eis struggles with chronic pain and constant snow storms in order to ensure any weary traveler that makes their way through the snow receives the very best care. When Ignis, a handsome traveler from the stars, crashes into zir’s outpost, ze has some big decisions to make about trust, gender, and the nature of home. The real star of the book is Ieas, an albino moose who lives at the outpost and who’s name I never learned to pronounce but who absolutely stole my heart.

This is a very cute read, with no sexual tension to speak of but some fierce queer romantic attraction. The main characters bond in front of a fire, in a hot spring, in each other’s arms – the mood is quiet, cosy, and wrapped up snug layers of Eis’s tender exploration of zirself.

My one complaint about this little book is that it’s very short. It’s a very pleasant afternoon‘s read that focuses on Eis’s feelings and zir’s blossoming relationship with Ignis, and I wish the book had more time to explore Ignis’s life and origins in Space. This is definitely a ‘complaint’ and not a ‘critique’, in that I understand why the focus was where it was and the story really works when it’s contained to the lonely, cold world that Ignis crashes in to. It’s also not much of a complaint, come to think of it – when your only complaint about a story is that you wish there was more of it, that’s much more of a compliment, in my eyes. Basically, I’d absolutely love a sequel.

This book is freshly published and out now! You can pick up a copy right here. A copy was provided to me for free in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for the opportunity, Amara Lynn!

You can also click below to buy me a coffee!