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Fantasy and Science Fiction September 2019
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| The Lightest Object in the Universe by Kimi EiseleWhat happens: As society breaks down, a high school principal embarks on a journey across the United States to find his long-distance lover.
Is it for you? Fans of gritty post-apocalyptic survival stories à la Cormac McCarthy's The Road should look elsewhere, as this hopeful debut focuses on community-minded folks rebuilding after catastrophe.
For fans of: Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven and James Howard Kunstler's World Made By Hand. |
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Tears of the truffle-pig by Fernando A. FloresWhat it's about: In a world where narcotics are legal and extinct animals have been brought back to clothe, feed and amuse the super-rich, Esteban becomes immersed in a dangerous, psychedelic journey to find the mysterious Truffelpig, said to possess strange powers. Is it for you? For fans of magical realism and near-future settings, e.g., Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake, and of Hunter S. Thompson's psychedelic energy.
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| The Dragon Republic by R.F. KuangWhat it's about: Haunted by her deeds during the Third Poppy War, warrior and shaman Rin is determined to redeem herself -- by allying herself with the Dragon Warlord to depose the treacherous Empress.
Is it for you? This dark and ultra-violent military fantasy, set in a world reminiscent of 19th-century China and starring an opium-addicted heroine struggling with PTSD, does not pull any punches.
Should you start here? Due to the complexity of the plot and world-building, newcomers should start with The Poppy War. |
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| Jade War by Fonda LeeWhat it is: the fast-paced, action-packed sequel to Jade City.
Starring: the Kaul siblings, Hilo, Shae, and Anden. As leaders of the No Peak Clan, they battle the rival Mountain Clan for control of the island of Kekon and its valuable natural resources.
Why you might like it: This 2nd installment of the Green Bone Saga revolves around magic-infused gang warfare in a setting reminiscent of contemporary Hong Kong. |
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| Wanderers by Chuck WendigWhat happens: A mysterious epidemic of sleepwalking accelerates societal collapse as sufferers and their caregivers traverse a deeply divided near-future United States.
Why you might like it: Unfolding from multiple perspectives, this sprawling yet suspenseful apocalyptic novel combines action with explorations of contemporary social issues.
For fans of: Stephen King's The Stand. |
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| Radicalized by Cory DoctorowWhat it is: a quartet of thought-provoking science fiction novellas by Cory Doctorow (Little Brother, Walkaway).
Includes: "Unauthorized Bread," which pits refugees against their "smart" appliances; "Radicalized," in which domestric terrorists target insurance companies; "The Masque of the Red Death," about doomsday preppers unprepared for an actual apocalypse; and "Model Minority," in which superheroes fail in the face of a racist criminal justice system.
Why you might like it: each story examines the intersection of technology, politics, and social issues as it envisions a plausible near-future world. |
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| A People's Future of the United States: Speculative Fiction from 25 Extraordinary... by Victor D. LaValle and John Joseph Adams (editors)What you'll find: 25 dystopian and utopian visions of the future by writers of color, LGBTQIA writers, Muslim writers, and other underrepresented voices in speculative fiction.
Includes: stories by Charlie Jane Anders, Omar El-Akkad, N.K. Jemisin, Seanan McGuire, Daniel José Older, and Charles Yu, to name just a few.
For fans of: anthologies such as Octavia's Brood, edited by Adrienne Maree Brown and Walidah Imarisha or New Suns, edited by Nisi Shawl. |
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Includes: From little-known, brilliant tales by sci-fi legends Jules Vernes and Olaf Stapledon, to intense short works by sci-fi masters Ursula K. Le Guin, Connie Willis, Jack Vance, and Brian W. Aldiss, to haunting works by contemporary authors Dale Bailey and others. Why you might like it: A unique collection for longtime and new fans of speculative fiction, This way to the end of times roars into the future wide-eyed and full speed ahead.
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| How to Fracture a Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen; introduction by Marissa MeyerContains: inventive adaptations of classic fairy tales by fantasy author Jane Yolen.
Includes: detailed author's notes describing the origins of the stories, plus original poetry.
Is it for you? Like fairy tales themselves, the stories in this collection vary in tone, from the lighthearted Pied Piper retelling "Green Plague" to the heartbreaking "Granny Rumple," about a Jewish Rumpelstiltskin. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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