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| Exhalation: Stories by Ted ChiangWhat it is: the long-awaited 2nd short story collection by the author of Stories of Your Life and Others.
Don't miss: "The Life Cycle of Software Objects," in which humans and machines form parent-child bonds; "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate," a time travel tale in the style of One Thousand and One Nights.
Reviewers say: "likely to linger in the memory the way riddles may linger -- teasing, tormenting, illuminating, thrilling" (The New Yorker). |
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Spine of the Dragon
by Kevin J. Anderson
What it's about: When a powerful ancient race reawakens with plans to remake the world, two continents at war are challenged to set aside generations of hatred to form an alliance against their common enemy.
For fans of: Erika Johansen's Queen of Tearling series and Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series.
Review: "The pages turn almost by themselves, because you absolutely, categorically have to find out what happens next." (Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2019)
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Ravnica : war of the spark
by Greg Weisman
What it's about: After elder dragon Nicol Bolas claims dominion over Ravnica and is on the verge of obtaining godhood, powerful mages, known as Planeswalkers, join forces with the Gatewatch to defeat Bolas and his army of Eternals and save the multiverse.
For fans of: Uprooted by Naomi Novik and The Orc King by S.A. Salvatore.
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| A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel KayWhat happens: Elderly courtier Guidanio Cerra recounts how his life changed forever after a fateful encounter with assassin Adria Ripoli. His story, and hers, intertwine with other people's perspectives on the event.
Read it for: an evocative setting inspired by Renaissance Italy, and a richly detailed tapestry of a narrative that explores the ripple effects of individual actions and choices.
Want a taste? "It was interesting, I suppose it still is, how vicious men can take power and be accepted, supported by those they govern, if they bring with them a measure of peace." |
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| Middlegame by Seanan McGuireWhat it's about: Created by alchemists, twins Roger (linguistically talented) and Dodger (mathematically gifted) can communicate via quantum entanglement yet can't escape their fate.
Is it for you? This dark and stylistically complex novel by the author of the Wayward Children series opens with the line, "There is so much blood," giving readers some idea of how much violence to expect.
For fans of: the complex characters and exploration of moral gray areas in V.E. Schwab's Villains series. |
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| Ironfoot by Dave DuncanWhat it's about: Known as "Ironfoot" on account of his prosthetic boot, Saxon adept Durwin must use his magic to solve a murder after a grim prophecy comes to pass.
Why you might like it: Set during the reign of Henry II, Ironfoot balances a fantastical premise with historical details of 12th-century England.
Series alert: This engaging whodunit kicks off the Enchanter General series, which continues with Trial by Treason. |
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Soulless
by Gail Carriger
What it's about: When she accidentally kills the vampire who attacked her, Alexia Tarabotti, a spinster with no soul, is being held responsible by Queen Victoria for the unexpected appearances and disappearances of vampires and must use her abilities to find out what is really happening to London’s high society.
Series alert: The first in the Parasol Protectorate series.
Award Winning: ALA's Alex Award winner.
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| A Study in Honor by Claire O'DellStarring: Dr. Janet Watson, a disabled veteran of America's second Civil War, and her new roommate, the enigmatic Sara Holmes.
Why you might like it: Full of literary references (Watson is very well-read!), this near-future gender-swapped Sherlock Holmes adaptation introduces a pair of LGBTQIA women of color who solve mysteries.
You might also like: Alexis Hall's The Affair of the Mysterious Letter. |
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Fair Game : an Alpha and Omega novel
by Patricia Briggs
What it's about: When the FBI request a pack consultant on a serial killer case they're following in Boston, Anna and Charles are sent in. They quickly realise that not only the last two victims were werewolves all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And if Charles and Anna can't get to the bottom of this mystery, they may be next.
Crossover alert: Set in the same fantastic world as the Mercy Thompson series.
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| Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José OlderWhat it's about: Neither fully alive nor fully dead, "inbetweener" Carlos Delacruz, an agent of the New York Council of the Dead, must apprehend a malevolent sorcerer who plans to open an entrada to the Underworld, literally unleashing Hell upon an unsuspecting city.
Crossover alert: This 1st book in the Bone Street Rumba series is loosely linked to the author's YA Shadowshaper Cypher series.
Try this next: For more urban fantasy about the thin line between life and death, check out Doug Dorst's Alive in Necropolis. |
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| Bannerless by Carrie VaughnIn a (post-apocalyptic) world... where giving birth is a privilege to be earned and murder is almost unheard of, Enid of Haven and her partner Tomas investigate a suspicious death.
Why you might like it: If there's such a thing as a post-apocalyptic cozy mystery, Bannerless is it.
Series alert: This Philip K. Dick Award-winner kicks off a series that continues with The Wild Dead. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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Forsyth County Public Library 660 W 5th Street Winston Salem, North Carolina 27101 336-703-3030www.forsythlibrary.org |
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