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Fantasy and Science Fiction January 2018
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| The Girl in the Tower: A Novel by Katherine ArdenStarring: Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna, first introduced in The Bear and the Nightingale, who disguises herself as a boy and sets out to see the world -- accompanied by faithful steed Solovey and aided by frost demon Morozko.
Why you might like it: This 2nd book in the Winternight trilogy boasts a strong heroine determined to choose her own path in life.
Try this next: Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy is a similarly lush and descriptive fantasy series inspired by Russian folklore. |
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| The Spark by David DrakeWhat it's about: Country boy Pal of Beune, a "Maker" who can shape the ancient artifacts of a fallen civilization, travels to Dun Add, the "capital of the human universe," in the hope of becoming a warrior in the service of the Leader.
Read it for: an inventive take on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, set in a far-future world in which magic and advanced technology are one and the same. |
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| Terminal Alliance by Jim C. HinesWhat it's about: Lt. Marion "Mops" Adamopoulos, head of the Shipboard Hygiene and Sanitation team of the ECMS Pufferfish, must clean up the mess caused by an alien bioweapon.
Why you might like it: This humorous SF adventure pits quirky underdog heroes against plagues and space-zombies.
Series alert: Terminal Alliance kicks off the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse series. |
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Canto Bight : Journey to Star Wars: the Last Jedi
by Saladin Ahmed
A collection of stories brings to the life the inhabitants and visitors of a mysterious casino city Canto Bight, which will be featured in the forthcoming film Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Movie tie-in
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| An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers SolomonWhat it's about: Born into slavery aboard the generational starship Matilda, Aster Grey struggles to survive in a rigidly stratified society ruled by the elite of the upper decks. But Aster's discovery that something is wrong with the ship sets the stage for dramatic transformation -- both personal and political.
Why you might like it: This ambitious debut tackles weighty topics (including race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and religion) in a manner that fans of Octavia Butler may appreciate. |
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| Midnight Riot by Ben AaronovitchWhat it's about: Rookie constable Peter Grant's ability to communicate with the dead attracts the notice of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who recruits him for a special branch of London's Metropolitan Police dedicated to investigating the paranormal.
Read it for: a snarky protagonist, a diverse cast of characters, and an atmospheric London setting.
You might also like: This fast-paced 1st entry in the Rivers of London series may appeal to fans of Mike Carey's Felix Castor series. |
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| The Invisible Library by Genevieve CogmanStarring: Librarian Irene, who travels between worlds to acquire books of power, and her new apprentice Kai, who's not quite what he seems.
Series alert: If you enjoy this opening installment of the Invisible Library series, check out its three sequels, including the forthcoming The Lost Plot.
For fans of: dimension-hopping fantasy adventures such as Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next novels or Jodi Taylor's The Chronicles of St. Mary's series. |
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| Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. CoreyIn a world... where Earth has colonized the solar system, diplomatic relations between Earth, Mars, and the unincorporated settlements of the asteroid belt are strained, to say the least.
What it is: A hard -- and hard-boiled -- geopolitical space opera with a dash of noir detective story.
Book buzz: This ongoing series provides the source material for the Syfy television series The Expanse. |
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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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| Hope and Red by Jon SkovronStarring: Bleak Hope, a young assassin bent on revenge for the murders of her family, and Red, the street urchin and thief who becomes her accomplice as they plot to take down a corrupt empire.
Series alert: This opening installment of the Empire of Storms series continues with Bane and Shadow, followed by Blood and Tempest.
You might also like: Hope's transformation from traumatized orphan to cold-blooded killer should appeal to readers of Mark Lawrence's Book of the Ancestor series, while fans of Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards novels will follow Red's path with anticipation. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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