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Fantasy and Science Fiction October 2018
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| Temper by Nicky DraydenIn a world... where everybody has a twin, and virtues and vices are split unevenly between pairs, siblings Auben and Kasim Mtuze's symbiotic bond is strained to the breaking point by Kasim's higher social status and Auben's sudden possession by demons.
Read it for: detailed world-building that encompasses a South African setting in which European colonization never occurred, and a society underpinned by a non-binary conception of gender.
You might also like: Laura Lam's False Hearts, another genre-blending speculative tale about twins with a complex and unusual bond. |
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Dark Sentinel
by Christine Feehan
"In an explosive novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan, a human woman ignites the desire of her Carpathian lifemate--and of an ancient vampire with a score to settle. After the devastating loss of her entire family, Lorraine Peters heads to the woods searching for peace of mind and anything to quell the anger in her soul. Instead, she stumbles upon a scene of horrific violence, as one man lies helpless in the face of three attackers. Andor Katona's existence has been a harsh one, living for centuries as a monk in the Carpathian Mountains. Unable to find his lifemate, he almost welcomes his release from a colorless and unfeeling world at the hands of the vampire hunters who have mistaken him for their prey. That is, until a whirling ball of fury bursts onto the scene, determined to save him. In one glimpse, in one breath, Andor recognizes Lorraine as his lifemate, but it will take more than their telepathic connection to convince her of their immortal bond. Lorraine is a lethal combination of cunning and courage. So much so that she captures the attention of a master vampire, one who has already lost what was once irreplaceable to him. One who will strike with deadly precision at Andor and his ancient Carpathian comrades in a war to end all wars... "
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| Relic by Alan Dean FosterStarring: Ruslan, the last surviving human after a bioweapon wipes out his entire civilization.
The situation: The alien Myssari want to clone Ruslan and revive the human species. In exchange for his cooperation, they promise to help him locate his ancestral planet: Earth.
About the author: Alan Dean Foster is best known for his long-running series set in the Humanx Commonwealth, which begins with Midworld. |
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| Wild Hunger: An Heirs of Chicagoland Novel by Chloe NeillIntroducing: Elisa Sullivan, the first and only vampire to be born instead of made.
What happens: Following a period of self-imposed exile in Paris, Elisa must return to Chicago to broker peace talks among the different vampire factions.
Series alert: Wild Hunger kicks off the Heirs of Chicagoland series, a spin-off of the Chicagoland Vampires novels. |
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| The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart TurtonWhat it is: an unusual take on an Agatha Christie-style country house mystery, in which an unnamed narrator must solve a murder while imprisoned in a time loop. As if that's not difficult enough, each day the protagonist wakes up in the body of a different guest.
What's at stake: Failure to identify the killer will reset the entire scenario.
Further reading: For another science fictional take on Golden Age detective fiction, try Adam Roberts' Jack Glass. For mysteries involving time loops, check out Sean Ferrell's Man in the Empty Suit. |
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The Sisters of the Winter Wood
by Rena Rossner
A tale inspired by Jewish mythology is set in a woodland village on the border of Moldova and Ukraine and follows the experiences of two sheltered sisters who uncover a secret magical heritage.
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Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat
by Anne Rice
Navigating his new leadership of the vampire world, Lestat uncovers the story of a mysterious outcast demon who he traces to 18th-century Petersburg and the court of Empress Catherine.
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Neogenesis: A New Liaden Universe Novel
by Sharon Lee
In a sequel to the national best-seller The Gathering Edge, Theo Waitley, the captain of intelligent ship Bechimo and his brother, along with a shadowy mastermind, all have an interest in the newly awakening Self-Aware Logic that is rumored to have the power to destroy universes. Part of a national best-selling series.
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Timeless: A Drizzt Novel
by R. A. Salvatore
"At long last, New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore returns with one of fantasy's most beloved and enduring icons, the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, in an all-new trilogy full of swordplay, danger, and imaginative thrills, Centuries ago, in the city of Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders, the City of Drow, nestled deep in the unmerciful Underdark of Toril, a young weapon master earned a reputation far above his station or that of his poor house. The greater nobles watched him, and one matron, inparticular, decided to take him as her own. She connived with rival great houses to secure her prize, but that prize was caught for her by another, who came to quite enjoy the weapon master. This was the beginning of the friendship between Zaknafein and Jarlaxle, and the coupling of Matron Malice and the weapon master who would sire Drizzt Do'Urden. R. A. Salvatore reveals the Underdark anew through the eyes of Zaknafein and Jarlaxle--an introduction to the darkness that offers a fresh view of the opportunities to be found in the shadows and an intriguing prelude to the intriguing escapes that lie ahead in the modern-day Forgotten Realms. Here, a father and his son are reunited and embark on adventures that parallel the trials of centuries long past as the friends of old are joined by Drizzt, Hero of the North, trained by Grandmaster Kane in the ways of the monk. But the scourge of the dangerous Lolth's ambitions remain, and demons have been foisted on the unwitting of the surface. The resulting chaos and war will prove to be the greatest challenge for all three"
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Target Rich Environment
by Larry Correia
"Hard-hitting Stories from the Creator of Monster Hunter International. The first short story collection from nationally best-selling author Larry Correia. Larry Correia, the New York Times best-selling author of the wildly popular Monster Hunter International and Grimnoir Chronicles series of no-holds-barred urban fantasy and the Dead Six trilogy of military adventure novels, now sets his sights on the short story form. Together for the first time, fourteen action-packed tales of demons, monster, vampires, and cosmic horrors too terrible to name--and the men and women who take them all down. Oh, and toss in an interdimensional insurance salesman for good measure. You'll also find: An elven princess from the pages of Monster Hunter International on a mission to redeem her people. A samurai pirate with a blood vendetta against an extremely large sea beast. And a magic-wielding P.I. who walks the mean streets of Detroit. Journey back to the origins of Monster Hunter International in "Bubba Shackleford's Professional Monster Hunters." Uncover the origin of one of Dead Six's central characters in "Sweothi City." And celebrate the holidays with the Grimnoir Chronicle's own Jake Sullivan in "Detroit Christmas." Discover why it always pays to hire the very best when it comes to fighting a war when Correia takes on David Drake's genre-defining Hammer's Slammers series. And find out just how much damage a vampire can do when he was a Green Beret before he became one of the undead as Correia tackles Jonathan Maberry's V Wars universe. Includes three stories never before in print! "Murder on the Orient Elite" and "The Adventures of Tom Strange, Interdimensional Insurance Salesman" have previously only been available in audio format (narrated by Adam Baldwinof Firefly fame). And "Blood on the Water" makes its first appearance. About Larry Correia and the Monster Hunter International series: "[E]verything I like in fantasy: intense action scenes, evil in horrifying array, good struggling against the darkness, and most of all people--gorgeously flawed human beings faced with horrible moral choices that force them to question and change and grow."--Jim Butcher on Son of the Black Sword "[A] no-holds-barred all-out page turner that is part science fiction, part horror, and an absolute blast to read."--Bookreporter.com "If you love monsters and action, you'll love this book. If you love guns, you'll love this book. If you love fantasy, and especially horror fantasy, you'll love this book."--Knotclan.com "A gun person who likes science fiction--or, heck, anyone who likes science fiction--will enjoy [these books]. The plotting is excellent, and Correia makes you care about the characters. I read both books without putting them down except for work. sowhaddaya waitin' for? Go and buy some. for yourself and for stocking stuffers."--Massad Ayoob "This lighthearted, testosterone-soaked sequel to 2009's Monster Hunter International will delight fans of action horror with elaborate weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, disgusting monsters, and an endless stream of blood and body parts."--Publishers Weekly on Monster Hunter Vendetta"
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| The Power by Naomi AldermanWhat if... women were in charge? Would they create a more just society...or would they electrocute men with their bare hands and establish a matriarchy?
What it is: Framed as historical fiction penned millennia after the balance of power shifts, this thought-provoking novel follows a diverse cast whose abilities transform them from victims to oppressors.
Book buzz: The Power won the 2017 Women's Prize for Fiction. |
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| The Waking Land by Callie BatesWhat it's about: Lady Elanna Valtai grew up as a hostage in the court of a king who took her to ensure her rebellious father's compliance. Now the prime suspect in the king's murder, Elanna has nowhere to go to but the homeland she's spent her life trying to forget and no one to turn to except the family she's been raised to hate.
Why you might like it: Elanna's transformation from sheltered girl to courageous leader may appeal to fans of Erika Johansen's The Queen of the Tearling. |
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| The Girl in the Road by Monica ByrneWhat happens: After university dropout Meena survives an assassination attempt in future Mumbai, she heads for her native Addis Ababa by way of the Trail, or Trans-Arabian Linear Generator, a high-tech bridge spanning the Arabian Sea. Ethiopia is also the destination of 10-year-old Mariama, an enslaved child in present-day Mauritania who sneaks aboard an oil truck crossing the Sahara.
Why you might like it: Despite differences in time and circumstance, the women's paths are destined to cross in ways neither one could predict. |
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| Star's End by Cassandra Rose ClarkeWhat it's about: Philip Coramina is dying. His final wish? To see his daughters one last time. Loyal Esme already serves as his second-in-command, but her three estranged half-sisters want nothing to do with the family's corporate empire.
Why you might like it: Although family drama is the beating heart of this character-driven novel, there's plenty of intrigue surrounding the Coramina Group and its various enterprises.
For fans of: the complex relationships in Nicola Griffith's Slow River. |
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| Uprooted by Naomi NovikBackstory: Once every ten years, a powerful wizard known as the Dragon chooses one young woman from Agnieszka's valley and spirits her away to his enchanted tower. Why? Nobody knows.
What happens: Unexpectedly chosen over more likely candidates, Agnieszka discovers untapped talents, challenges the Dragon's rules (and patience), and battles the malevolent influence of the nearby enchanted Wood in order to save her village.
Why you might like it: Based on Polish folklore, this stand-alone novel by Temeraire series author Naomi Novik is a fantastical coming-of-age tale combining magic, warfare, politics, and romance. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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