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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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84K
by Claire North
In the criminal justice system... cash fines have replaced prison sentences as offenders pay a literal debt to society. Assigning monetary value to these crimes falls to the members of the Criminal Audit Office.
These are their stories: Accountant Theo Miller is responsible for assessing penalties, but the murder of a woman from his past compels him to take a personal interest in the crime.
About the author: Claire North is the author of the brain-bending speculative novels The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and Touch.
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A Brightness Long Ago
by Guy Gavriel Kay
What 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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| 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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| Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-GarciaWhat happens: After 18-year-old Casiopea Tun accidentally reanimates Hun-Kamé, Lord of Shadows, she must accompany the Mayan death god on a quest to regain his stolen body parts and defeat his brother.
Why you might like it: the evocative 1920s Mexico setting; a slow-building romance; and a quest storyline that unfolds like a dark fairy tale.
About the author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of Signal to Noise and Certain Dark Things. |
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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 Darker Shade of Magic
by V.E. Schwab
Fantasy. Red London is rife with magic. Grey London has none at all. White London may soon destroy itself in its attempts to steal the powers of its rivals. (And Black London? Well, that city no longer exists except as a cautionary tale to magic abusers.) Traveling between these very different dimensions is Kell, ambassador for Red London's royal family. However, unbeknownst to his employers, he's also a smuggler, transporting forbidden artifacts from one world to the next. What happens when his illicit activities land him in serious trouble? This trilogy opener continues with A Gathering of Shadows and A Conjuring of Light.
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A Memory Called Empire
by Arkady Martine
What it's about: Newly appointed ambassador Mahit Dzmare investigates the suspicious death of her predecessor while navigating political intrigue within the expansionist Teixcalaanli Empire.
Why you might like it: This debut by a Byzantine historian boasts an intricately layered, slowly unfolding plot as well as detailed depictions of alien cultures.
For fans of: Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch trilogy, Seth Dickinson's Masquerade series, or Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor.
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A Study in Honor
by Claire O'Dell
Starring: 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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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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BRAZORIA COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM 912 N. Velasco Angleton, Texas 77515 (979) 864-1505bcls.lib.tx.us |
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