S L Huang

S. L. Huang has a math degree from MIT and is a weapons expert and professional stuntwoman who has worked in Hollywood on Battlestar Galactica and a number of other productions. Her novels include the Cas Russell series (formerly known as Russel's Attic), which begins with Zero Sum Game.

Huang applied the Page 69 Test to Null Set, her new Cas Russell novel, and reported the following:

I write science fiction and fantasy for adults, but I make an effort to stretch my legs outside my own genre and category. It’s good to see what other authors are doing! And it’s relaxing to read something a little further removed from my day-to-day business life.

Recently, I thought I’d enjoy some middle grade fiction. I read a ton of kids’ books when I was a kid, but I hadn’t poked my head into that end of the field in a while, and I’d heard today’s middle grade authors are doing some amazing work.

I started with Carlos Hernandez’s Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, and I wasn’t disappointed. This book. This book! I cannot recommend it enough. The two protagonists are delightful and compelling—driven, precocious middle schoolers who are living their best lives while dealing with both some surreal magical interference and very real human tragedy.

Packed full of heartwarming family dynamics, Cuban-American culture, and a depth of emotional resonance most books only achieve a tenth of, Sal and Gabi Break the Universe is gripping for readers of any age. It’ll leave you with a spring in your step and a smile on your face, and maybe just a little more belief in magic.

Visit S. L. Huang's website.

The Page 69 Test: Zero Sum Game.

The Page 69 Test: Null Set.

--Marshal Zeringue