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Fantasy and Science Fiction January 2019
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The Memory of Fire
by Callie Bates
What happens: In this follow-up to The Walking Land, Paladisian nobleman Jahan Korakides must hide his magic powers -- or face punishment by death. But as the former emperor prepares to invade, Jahan finds that magic might be the only way to maintain peace.
Welcome back: While this 2nd epic fantasy in a planned trilogy does introduce readers to a new main character, fans will be happy that the star of the 1st volume, Elanna Valtai, also appears.
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| The Monster Baru Cormorant by Seth DickinsonWhat happens: Baru Cormorant continues her quest to bring down the Masquerade (i.e. the Imperial Republic of Falcrest) in this sequel to The Traitor Baru Cormorant.
Contains: High-stakes politics and a complex protagonist who will sacrifice everything -- and everyone -- to achieve her goals.
For fans of: Kameron Hurley's Worldbreaker saga, another intricately plotted epic fantasy series whose marginalized characters must navigate a treacherous world of courtly intrigue. |
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The Hills Have Spies
by Mercedes Lackey
What it's about: A debut entry in a new series set in the fan-favorite world of Valdemar finds Heralds Mags and Amily protecting the realm while raising their children to follow in their footsteps.
Author note: Fantasy fiction author Mercedes Richie Lackey was born in Chicago on June 24, 1950, and she received a B.S. from Purdue University in 1972.
Lackey started writing her own short stories when her favorite science fiction and fantasy authors weren't producing new books fast enough for her. She has authored numerous series, including the Bardic Voices series and a series of occult mysteries featuring Diana Tregarde, a modern-day witch. .
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| The Razor by J. Barton MitchellIntroducing: incarcerated engineer Marcus Flynn and disgraced former soldier James Maddox, both sent to a penal colony on the planet 11-H37.
What happens: When the already unstable planet becomes uninhabitable, the prisoners are left behind to die...or escape.
You might also like: Ann Aguirre's Perdition, whose incarcerated characters likewise form uneasy alliances as they fight their way out of brutal futuristic prisons. |
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Awakened
by James S Murray
What it's about: The star of truTV's Impractical Jokers shares the story of a new state-of-the-art subway that is found empty and drenched in blood, signaling the release of an ancient horror and civilization-destroying dark forces.
If you like: Ezekiel Boone's books you may enjoy this fast-paced, creepy; gruesome horror - thriller.
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The Blade Itself
by Joe Abercrombie
What it's about: Jezal dan Luther, a soldier in the Kingdom known as the Union, is drawn into a magical conflict with the rival Empire of Gurhkul alongside a barbarian named Logen, a wizard named Bayaz, a torturer named Glokta and a former slave named Ferro.
Book buzz: "Abercrombie has written the finest epic fantasy trilogy in recent memory. He's one writer that no one should miss."―Junot Diaz
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The Windup Girl
by Paolo Bacigalupi
What it's about: What happens when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits? And what happens when this forces humanity to the cusp of post-human evolution? This is a tale of Bangkok struggling for survival in a post-oil era of rising sea levels and out-of-control mutation.
What reviewers say: "This complex, literate and intensely felt tale, which recalls both William Gibson and Ian McDonald at their very best, ... is clearly one of the finest science fiction novels of the year." - Publisher's Weekly
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| Senlin Ascends by Josiah BancroftWhat it's about: For their honeymoon, schoolmaster Thomas Senlin takes his new bride Marya to the Tower of Babel. When they get separated, Thomas must ascend the Tower's "ringdoms" to get her back.
Is it for you? To its classic hero's journey, this allegorical fantasy adds intricate Kafka-esque scenarios and Steampunk-inflected world-building.
Series alert: Originally self-published, this debut is the 1st installment of a planned four-book series; book 2, Arm of the Sphinx, is available now. |
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| What Should Be Wild by Julia FineMeet: Maisie Cothay, whose touch can kill the living and resurrect the dead. Raised by her anthropologist father, Maisie grows up in almost total isolation -- as well as total ignorance of her unusual family history.
Is it for you? Although the premise is reminiscent of TV's Pushing Daisies, the tone of this Gothic-tinged modern fairy tale is decidedly darker.
Want a taste? "Still, I killed my father three times before the age of eight, and caused the demise of over a dozen small animals." |
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| Noumenon by Marina J. LostetterWhat it's about: The discovery of an anomalous extrasolar star leads to the launch of Project Noumenon, a convoy of generation ships piloted by a crew of clones.
Why you might like it: Structured as a series of vignettes, this thought-provoking debut explores human relationships without skimping on science.
You might also like: Neal Stephenson's Seveneves, Kim Stanley Robinson's Aurora, or Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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