Hey everyone. Andrew here.
There is so much to cover this week. Firstly, last week Wunderkind was free and did it ever do well! Thousands of downloads which will hopefully turn into a bunch of new readers. Fingers crossed! It’s still free, too but for a short time only. So please check it out while you can!
Secondly (and how do I put this politely) you guys don’t make this newsletter thing easy, do you? I mean, I make one throw-away comment about audiobooks and bang, we have the derail of the century. Instead of me finessing things this week into a discussion about wormholes and faster-than-light travel and the intersection between portal fantasy and science fiction, we end up with a (brilliant) dissection (by you) of the state of audiobooks. The comments I received from you were amazing and gave me a lot to think about. I’ve put a summary of them further down. Seriously though, as much as it sounds like I am complaining, I really appreciate the thoughtfulness, because with my eye surgery, audiobooks have become a topic I have been thinking about a lot.
The other comment I received a lot of last week was in the vein of “When will we see another book like [insert your favorite ZZ book here]?”. The short answer is that I am still working on Muni (I wrote another two chapters today and hopefully will write another tomorrow) and after that I can get back to finishing some ZZ novels. Damian and I have been talking about it. He’s waiting on me, not the other way around, so yeah… it’s my fault we are slow. He is writing a lot lately, so if you are looking for new reads, please check out his site (https://damianjayclay.com/). There will be a lot of new material there to find and read.
Speaking of sci-fi that challenges our assumptions, I’ve been thinking about something that could be coming down the pipeline sooner than we might like. Imagine this: nanobots that could enhance your body, give you superhuman abilities (better eyesight, faster healing, enhanced strength), but the catch is that they might develop their own agenda. You’d have to decide upfront whether to use them or not. There’s no trial period. No way to test drive them first. Just one choice and you live with the consequences. Some of the stuff I’ve been reading lately suggests we’re not that far away from this kind of technology. The question is, would you take the risk? Would the power be worth potentially losing control? I know what my answer would be, but I’m curious about yours. Check out the poll below and let me know where you stand.
We’ve got some fantastic book promotions for you this week from our fellow authors (always check out the promo section below). There are some real gems in there. And don’t forget to share your thoughts on the isekai question from last week. I genuinely want to hear what you think on this one.
All the best,
Andrew (ZZ)
Wunderkind: A Science-Fiction Action Adventure (Zero-Point Awakening)
Alien invasion or supernatural threat? The answer will change everything.
“Things which will matter come to light…and some things are explained. Since I read this before diving into the series, there are mysteries yet to be discovered. Overall, a delightful read!.”
– Amazon 5 Star Review
FREE Promos
Check out these bargain and discounted reads from our fellow speculative fiction authors!
Meet Lowan, a telepathic alien working as a private detective in the 1930s!
Insurrection: When the world crumbles, can Terra Blanca stand?
A test of leadership, loyalty, and legacy.
Sophia McFadden, a Water Microbiologist, never thought her assignment to solve a water crisis in Romala could put her in harm’s way.
Tattiana the Blood Seer works her grim trade in Noctara, a neon-choked city on a lightless world. She wants out—but Noctara isn’t finished with her.
Check this out One choice. What would you do? Nanobots could give you superhuman abilities — but you might lose control.
I’d use them – power is worth the risk
I wouldn’t – the risk is too high
I’d want more control first
Other (let us know your view by replying)
Survey Result
And now, let’s take a look at last week’s poll results. We asked, “Isekai / reincarnation stories — still fun or totally played out?”
Here are the incredible results:
・It depends on the writer’s ability to build a believable world –> 50%
・Still fun! –> 22%
・What are you talking about? What’s isekai? –> 20.4%
・Totally played out –> 8%
Andrew: Alright, so for those scratching their heads, let me explain what “isekai” actually is. It’s a Japanese storytelling genre (usually in anime, manga, or light novels) where the protagonist gets transported to, reborn, or trapped in another world. Think about it like this: you’re living your normal life, then boom, you wake up in a fantasy world with magic, or a video game universe, or some alternate reality. The term literally means “different world” in Japanese.
Classic examples would be things like Sword Art Online (trapped in a video game), Re:Zero (guy keeps dying and resetting in a fantasy world), or even older Western stuff like The Chronicles of Narnia (though that predates the term). It’s basically the portal fantasy concept but with its own specific flavor and tropes.
50% of us said it depends on the writer’s ability to build a believable world. I agree 100% with this and I think this is key for all science fiction and fantasy. It has to work and it has to be realistic. The isekai concept itself isn’t the problem. It’s the execution. I’ve read some absolutely brilliant stories that use the “character transported to another world” premise (and if we’re being honest, a lot of classic fantasy does exactly this). But I’ve also read some that are just lazy wish fulfillment with paper-thin world-building.
The 20% of us who asked “What are you talking about? What’s isekai?” made me smile because it reminded me that these genre labels can get pretty niche. Not everyone is deep in the weeds of Japanese light novel terminology and that’s perfectly fine. To be honest, I wasn’t either. But I started researching portals and portal fantasy and came across this and I think it is a good catch-all term for all of these kinds of “swept off to another world” type stories.
For those 22% who still find it fun and the 6% who think it’s played out, I get both perspectives. When done well, there’s something deeply satisfying about watching a character navigate a completely unfamiliar world with rules they have to learn from scratch. It taps into that same feeling we get from good hard science fiction where the world-building is tight and consistent.
What I find most compelling about the good ones is how they force the protagonist to question everything they thought they knew. That fish-out-of-water perspective can be a powerful storytelling tool when handled with care.
YOUR THOUGHTS
David wrote in asking about the “A Starborn King Novella – Anthropoid” I mentioned months ago. David, I haven’t forgotten about it! It’s still in the pipeline but it needs some major surgery. I need to finish Muni first before I can properly get back to that. If I gave it to you as it is now, you’d give it one star and curse ZZ’s name for eternity and we can’t have that! Thanks for keeping me honest though.
Kathy shared that they love the combination of Christopher Boucher and Jessica Threet as narrators for Fantasy, Science Fiction, Post-apocalyptic and military genres. They mentioned they currently have 501 audiobooks (501!) and these narrators are consistently excellent. This reader also pointed out that Amazon now offers great discounts when you buy both the book and audible version together, which makes alternating between reading and listening much more affordable when your eyes get tired. They even included a picture of their reading buddy. So cute!
Phil made some excellent points about why he prefers Kindle over audiobooks. He also pointed out something I hadn’t fully considered: the ability to search for text and review passages easily. For Phil, having an electronic helper is crucial, and while voice recordings can be useful when eyes aren’t functioning properly, reading remains the preference when possible. Fair points all around and very close to my heart. Thanks Phil.
Kris mentioned Kate Reading and Michael Kramer as top voices in the audio world (they’ve done the Stormlight Archive series). They also recommended Allyson Johnson who voiced the Honor Harrington Universe series. And there was a recommendation for Nathan Lowell who narrated his own series, Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, starting with Quarter Share. Apparently you can listen to some of his books free on scribl.com. I’m making notes of all these recommendations.
Detlev wrote that he would only use audio as a last resort, which is where I am currently too from a mental headspace perspective. He’s read countless thousands of books over the years and reading at his own pace is his total preference. He also had to look up what “Isekai” meant (joining the 20% club!). Detlev made a great point about never knowing how good or bad a story is until you begin to read, and that some books that start strong can become heavy going and slow. He asked (and I love this): “When are we going to see/read more books similar to Zero Point Awakening?” Soon, Detlev. Soon. I promise. I have a partially completed draft of another prequel in the series that tells the story of Arthur and how he ended up the way he did (following on from Fire and Sand).
Gail echoed my own thoughts, saying she’s not sure whether she likes audiobooks or not and is interested to know what others recommend. She’s thinking that as eyesight diminishes with age, audiobooks might become more necessary. I think a lot of us are in this boat. If I can get past my own issues with listening to books, I would embrace it, but I am not there yet.
Separately, enormous heartfelt thanks to Lily for going through all the books in the series and sending through the typos. There were even some in the Stanley stand-alone and I know that was edited like crazy. It just goes to show that no matter how many editing passes a book goes through, something always slips through the cracks. Thank you so much, Lily! Your attention to detail is genuinely appreciated and helps make the books better for everyone.
**Please note: All links in this newsletter are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
ZZ ADAMS
Kyodo Setagaya City, Tokyo
Japan
We love connecting with readers and fans but if you’ve been added to this mailing list by mistake or you no longer want to be subscribed you can easily at any time by clicking the link below.
I no longer want to receive ZZ Adams updates and freebies
