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Fantasy and Science Fiction January 2021
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| Ready Player Two by Ernest ClineWhat it is: the long-awaited sequel to Ready Player One, as steeped in geek lore and 1980s pop culture nostalgia as its predecessor.
The situation: After winning the treasure hunt that his hero, eccentric tech titan James Halliday, hid in the virtual world of OASIS, Wade Watts now holds the keys to the kingdom -- and is about to embark on another quest that will reveal more of Halliday's secrets.
Reviewers say: Fans of the first book "will enjoy revisiting old friends and meeting new ones" (Booklist). |
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| Nophek Gloss by Essa HansenWhat happens: After his planet is destroyed, vengeance-obsessed asexual teenager Caiden finds sanctuary aboard a sentient spaceship and learns about the multiverse from its crew of human and xenid (alien) Passengers.
What does the title mean? In the world of the Graven series, "nophek gloss" is a valuable animal-derived substance that powers spaceships.
For fans of: the sentient ships of Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy, the found families of Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series, the motley crew of TV's Firefly, and the expansive world-building of Mass Effect. |
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War of the Maps
by Paul McAuley
What it's about: On a giant artificial world surrounding an artificial sun, one man - a lucidor, a keeper of the peace, a policeman - is on the hunt. His target was responsible for an atrocity, but is too valuable to the government to be truly punished. Instead he has been sent to the frontlines of the war, to use his unique talents on the enemy.
What happens: The lucidor has deserted from his job, left his home and thrown his life away, in order to finally claim justice. Separated by massive seas, the various maps dotted on the surface of this world rarely contact each other. But something has begun to infiltrate the edges of the lucidor's map, something that genetically alters animals and plants and turns them into killers. The way is long and dangerous. The lucidor's government has set hunters after him. He has no friends, no resources, no plan. But he does have a mission.
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Of Ants and Dinosaurs
by Cixin Liu
What happens: In a time long long ago ants and dinosaurs joined forces to build a magnificent civilisation.Yet from such humble beginnings came writing, mathematics, computers, fusion, antimatter and even space travel -- a veritable Age of Wonder! But such magnificent industry comes at a price -- a price paid first by Earth's biosphere, and then by all those dependent on it. And yet the Dinosaurs refused to heed the Ants' warning of impending ecological collapse, leaving the Ant Federation facing a single dilemma: destroy the dinosaurs, destroy a civilization... or perish alongside them?
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Chilling Effect
by Valerie Valdes
What it's about: Captain Eva Innocente of La Sirena Negra and her crew must take on dangerous secret missions to raise the ransom money to save Eva's sister, Mari, from crime syndicate The Fridge.
Want a taste? "Someone is paying me to take you to another planet, and if I don't deliver, I don't get paid. And if I don't get paid, I lose my ship, so pretty please with sugar on top, get in your cabrón crate already, coño."
For fans of: the appealing characters in Becky Chambers' The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet; the spacefaring capers of Mike Brooks' Keiko novels.
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| Witchmark by C.L. PolkStarring: former army officer Dr. Miles Singer, who's hiding from his powerful family while concealing his magical powers from society; and Tristan Hunter, the mysterious gentleman who convinces Miles to join his investigation into baffling crimes involving veterans.
Book buzz: In addition to winning the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, this debut was also a finalist for the Nebula Award, the Locus Award, and the Lammy Award.
Series alert: Set in a world reminiscent of Edwardian England, Witchmark is the opening installment of the Kingston Cycle, followed by Stormsong and the forthcoming Soulstar. |
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| The Sol Majestic by Ferrett SteinmetzStarring: itinerant teen philosopher Kenna, whose answer to the question "Why do you love food?" wins him a life-changing free dinner at The Sol Majestic, the galaxy's most renowned restaurant.
What happens: Kenna bonds with the staff, falls in love with a cute boy, escapes his parents' toxic belief system, and confronts a deep moral quandary while working to save the place he's come to call home.
Read it for: a heartwarming coming-of-age story, the diverse members of Kenna's found family, and mouthwatering descriptions of food. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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