| Bridge by Lauren BeukesWhat happens: While sorting through her late mother's possessions, Bridget Kittinger finds the "dreamworm," a mysterious object that facilitates interdimensional travel.
Why you might like it: This mind-bending thriller by the author of The Shining Girls follows its determined heroine through multiple selves and realities to solve a mystery.
For fans of: the complex mother-daughter relationship in Aimee Pokwatka's Self-Portrait With Nothing; the multiverse-related intrigue of Micaiah Johnson's The Space Between Worlds. |
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| The Water Outlaws by S.L. HuangStarring: disgraced weapons instructor Lin Chong, dismissed from the Emperor's service and recruited by the legendary Bandits of Liangshan.
Why you might like it: Inspired by the classic Chinese novel Water Margin, this short novel by the author of Burning Roses should appeal to readers who enjoy wuxia-inspired fantasy epics.
For fans of: Wesley Chu's War Arts series or Jin Yong's Legends of the Condor Heroes books. |
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| The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle by T.L. HuchuWhat it's about: Teenage ghosttalker Ropa arrives on the Isle of Skye to attend the Society of Skeptical Enquirers’ conference shortly before a valuable magical scroll disappears.
Why you might like it: This 3rd book in the Edinburgh Nights series (after Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments) takes its heroine away from her usual haunts to solve a locked room mystery in a creepy old castle.
For fans of: Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series. |
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| Thornhedge by T. KingfisherOnce upon a time... Toadling, a changeling child, was tasked with guarding a sleeping princess in a bramble-covered castle.
And then... two centuries after Toadling begins her solitary vigil, a knight arrives at the castle to break a curse that should not be broken.
Why you might like it: This fractured fairy tale turns Sleeping Beauty on its head in ways that may appeal to fans of Alix E. Harrow's A Spindle Splintered or Tamsyn Muir's Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower. |
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| Whalefall by Daniel KrausWhat happens: While diving in the Pacific, Jay Gardiner is swallowed by an 80-foot-long sperm whale and has just one hour to escape before his oxygen supply runs out.
Reviewers say: The "scientific and biological accuracy enhances the disturbing realism" (Publishers Weekly) of this "moving character study disguised as a riveting, cinematic survival thriller" (Booklist).
For fans of: tense SF survival stories, such as Andy Weir's The Martian. |
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| Prophet by Sin Blaché and Helen MacdonaldWhat happens: Unexplained phenomena on a military base prompt an investigation by ex-MI6 agent Sunil Rao and American intelligence officer Adam Rubinstein.
Reviewers say: This collaboration between musician Sin Blaché and author Helen Macdonald (H is for Hawk) is "shrewdly imagined, sharply crafted, witty, chilling, psychologically lush, grotesque, and romantic" (Booklist). |
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| Forged by Blood by Ehigbor OkosunWhat it's about: Living under an oppressive regime, Dèmi secretly works to reclaim her blood magic and liberate her people.
Why you might like it: This debut, which kicks off the Tainted Blood duology, "puts a Nigerian spin on epic fantasy tropes" (Library Journal) as it introduces a compelling young heroine and her intriguing world.
For fans of: Tomi Adeyemi's Legacy of Orisha series, Deborah Falaye's Blood Scion series, or Namina Forna's The Gilded Ones. |
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| He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-ChanWhat it's about: Following her victory over the Mongol army, Zhu Yuanzhang, the Radiant King, sets her sights on becoming emperor -- but she's not the only one eyeing the throne.
Series alert: He Who Drowned the World is the sweeping 2nd book in the Radiant Emperor duology; newcomers are advised to start with book 1, She Who Became the Sun. |
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| Where Peace Is Lost by Valerie ValdesWhat it's about: Retired supersoldier Kelana Gardavros lives a quiet life on a backwater planet as a refugee "Kel Garda"...until her past comes back to haunt her.
Is it for you? Less humorous than author Valerie Valdes' Chilling Effect series, this standalone novel offers an adventure story with a side of romance. |
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Recent Releases in Fantasy
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The Year's Best African Speculative Fiction 2022
by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
The first won the World Fantasy Award for best anthology and was met with widespread critical acclaim from across the world, with the science fiction trade magazine, Locus, calling it a "must read."
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, who created the first anthology now joins forces with Eugen Bacon, a 2022 World Fantasy Award finalist and Milton Davis, an award-winning Black Speculative fiction writer and editor to introduce readers to an ever more diverse set of writers associated with Africa.
Timely and relevant to today's world, the set of stories in this book will astonish, shock and amaze the reader while introducing them to a whole new world.
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Lolth's warrior : a novel
by R. A. Salvatore
The drow city of Menzoberranzan has fallen into discontent, sowed by the growing legend of the one who escaped: Drizzt Do'Urden. Now many of the drow--including the city's most powerful house, led by the Matron Mother--are questioning the influence of the Spider Queen and the very history of the city's founding.
What secrets lie ahead? The drow are determined to find out, and they'll stop at nothing to dismantle the very structure they've called home.
As social tensions rise and the demands for answers boom, a fight erupts between the adherents of Lolth's chaotic evil and those drow who demand more, demand better. In the Underdark there are only absolutes and no compromise will be found. With winner taking all, Drizzt Do'Urden cannot and will not remain on the sidelines anymore. This will be an uprising Menzoberranzan will never forget, and the rest of the Forgotten Realms won't be able to look away.
Way of the Drow #3
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Contrarian
by L. E. Modesitt
In Contrarian, protests against unemployment and poor harvests have become armed riots as the people sink deeper into poverty. They look to a government struggling to emerge from corruption and conspiracy.
Recently elected to the Council of Sixty-Six, Steffan Dekkard is the first Councilor who is an Isolate, a man invulnerable to the emotional manipulations and emotional surveillance of empaths--but not the recent bombing of the Council Office Building by insurrectionists.
His patron, the Premier of the Council, has been assassinated, leaving Dekkard with little first-hand political experience and few political allies.
Not only must Dekkard handle political infighting, and continued assassination attempts, but it appears that someone high up in the government and corporations has supplied arms and explosives to insurrectionists.
Insurrectionists who have succeeded in taking over a naval cruiser that no one can seem to find.
Grand Illusion #3
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Masters of death
by Olivie Blake
There is a game that the immortals play.
There is only one rule: Don't lose.
Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent, and a vampire. But her biggest problem currently is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the mansion has been murdered, and until he can solve the mystery of how he died, he refuses to move on.
Fox D'Mora is a medium, and though he is also most-definitely a shameless fraud, he isn't entirely without his uses--seeing as he's actually the godson of Death.
When Viola seeks out Fox to help her with the ghost infestation, he becomes inextricably involved in a quest that neither he nor Vi expects (or wants). But with the help of an unruly poltergeist, a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a few mindfulness-practicing creatures, Vi and Fox soon discover the difference between a mysterious lost love and an annoying dead body isn't nearly as distinct as they thought.
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Medusa's sisters
by Lauren J. A. Bear
The end of the story is only the beginning…
Even before they were transformed into Gorgons, Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale were unique among their immortal family. Curious about mortals and their lives, Medusa and her sisters entered the human world in search of a place to belong, yet quickly found themselves at the perilous center of a dangerous Olympian rivalry and learned--too late--that a god's love is a violent one.
Forgotten by history and diminished by poets, the other two Gorgons have never been more than horrifying hags, damned and doomed. But they were sisters first, and their journey from lowly sea-born origins to the outskirts of the pantheon is a journey that rests, hidden, underneath their scales.
Monsters, but not monstrous, Stheno and Euryale will step into the light for the first time to tell the story of how all three sisters lived and were changed by each other, as they struggle against the inherent conflict between sisterhood and individuality, myth and truth, vengeance and peace.
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Cassiel's servant
by Jacqueline Carey
In Kushiel's Dart, a daring young courtesan uncovered a plot to destroy her beloved homeland. But hers is only half the tale. Now see the other half of the heart that lived it.
Cassiel's Servant is a retelling of cult favorite Kushiel's Dart from the point of view of Joscelin, Cassiline warrior-priest and protector of Phèdre nó Delaunay. He's sworn to celibacy and the blade as surely as she's pledged to pleasure, but the gods they serve have bound them together. When both are betrayed, they must rely on each other to survive.
From his earliest training to captivity amongst their enemies, his journey with Phèdre to avert the conquest of Terre D'Ange shatters body and mind... and brings him an impossible love that he will do anything to keep.
Even if it means breaking all vows and losing his soul.
Kushiel's Legacy #4
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Inanna
by Emily H. Wilson
Stories are sly things...they can be hard to catch and kill.
Inanna is an impossibility. The first full Anunnaki born on Earth in Ancient Mesopotamia. Crowned the goddess of love by the twelve immortal Anunnaki who are worshiped across Sumer, she is destined for greatness.
But Inanna is born into a time of war. The Anunnaki have split into warring factions, threatening to tear the world apart. Forced into a marriage to negotiate a peace, she soon realizes she has been placed in terrible danger.
Gilgamesh, a mortal human son of the Anunnaki, and notorious womanizer, finds himself captured and imprisoned. His captor, King Akka, seeks to distance himself and his people from the gods. Arrogant and selfish, Gilgamesh is given one final chance to prove himself.
Ninshubar, a powerful warrior woman, is cast out of her tribe after an act of kindness. Hunted by her own people, she escapes across the country, searching for acceptance and a new place in the world.
As their journeys push them closer together, and their fates intertwine, they come to realize that together, they may have the power to change the face of the world forever.
Sumerians #1
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Shigidi and the brass head of Obalufon
by Wole Talabi
Shigidi is a disgruntled and demotivated nightmare god in the Orisha spirit company, reluctantly answering prayers of his few remaining believers to maintain his existence long enough to find his next drink. When he meets Nneoma, a sort-of succubus with a long and secretive past, everything changes for him.
Together, they attempt to break free of his obligations and the restrictions that have bound him to his godhood and navigate the parameters of their new relationship in the shadow of her past. But the elder gods that run the Orisha spirit company have other plans for Shigidi, and they are not all aligned--or good.
From the boisterous streets of Lagos to the swanky rooftop bars of Singapore and the secret spaces of London, Shigidi and Nneoma will encounter old acquaintances, rival gods, strange creatures, and manipulative magicians as they are drawn into a web of revenge, spirit business, and a spectacular heist across two worlds that will change Shigidi's understanding of himself forever and determine the fate of the Orisha spirit company.
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Fit for the gods : Greek mythology reimagined
by Jenn Northington
An anthology of gender-bent, queered, race-bent, and inclusive retellings from the enchanting and eternally popular world of Greek myth, featuring stories by:
Marika Bailey - Alyssa Cole - Zoraida Córdova - Maya Deane - Sarah Gailey - Zeyn Joukhadar - Mia P. Manansala - Juliana Spink Mills - Susan Purr - Taylor Rae - Jude Reali - Suleikha Snyder - Valerie Valdes - S. Zainab Williams - Wen Wen Yang
Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, and the other denizens of Mount Olympus feel almost as present and larger than life today as they did when they were worshiped as gods. Humanity has been telling and retelling stories about the characters from Greek and Roman myth for centuries--heck, the Romans liked the Hellenic originals so much, they remade them faster than Marvel remakes Spider-Man movies. And from Virgil's Aeneid to Xena: Warrior Princess to Percy Jackson to The Song of Achilles, the obsession has never waned.
Yet Fit for the Gods shows how these stories still have a power of metamorphosis that would impress Ovid. Brave, bold, and groundbreaking, the stories in Fit for the Gods will be like ambrosia for those craving fresh interpretations of their favorite myths, and give long-time fans a chance to finally see themselves in these beloved legends.
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The hanging city
by Charlie N. Holmberg
Seven years on the run from her abusive father, and with no hope of sanctuary among the dwindling pockets of human civilization, Lark is out of options. Her only leverage is a cursed power: she can thrust fear onto others, leaving all threats fleeing in terror. It's a means of survival as she searches for a place to call home. If the campfire myths of her childhood are true, Lark's sole chance for refuge could lie in Cagmar, the city of trolls--a brutal species and the sworn enemies of humanity.
Valuing combat prowess, the troll high council is intrigued. Lark could be much more useful than the low-caste humans who merely labor in Cagmar. Her gift makes her invaluable as a monster slayer to fight off the unspeakable creatures that torment the trolls' hanging city, suspended from a bridge over an endless dark canyon.
Lark will do anything to make Cagmar her home, but her new role comes with a caveat: use her power against a troll, and she'll be killed. Her loyalty is quickly put to the test when she draws the hatred of a powerful troll who loathes humankind. Still, she finds unexpected friendship in the city and, even more surprisingly, love. But if everything else doesn't undo her, being caught in the arms of a troll surely will. Now in the fight of her life, Lark has a lot to learn--about her past, about trust and hope when all seems lost, and above all, about the extraordinary power of fear itself.
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Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz : stories of the witch king and the puppet sorcerer
by Garth Nix
Sir Hereward: the only male child of an ancient society of witches. Knight, artillerist, swordsman. Mercenary for hire. Ill-starred lover.
Mister Fitz: puppet, sorcerer, loremaster. Practitioner of arcane arts and wielder of sorcerous needles.
Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz: godslayers. Agents of the Council of the Treaty for the Safety of the World, charged with the location and removal of listed extra-dimensional entities, more commonly known as gods.
Together, they are relentless travelers in a treacherous world of magic, gunpowder, and adventure.
Compiled for the first time ever, these eight magical stories--plus an all-new tale, "The Field of Fallen Foe"--featuring fabulous, quintessential Garth Nix protagonists Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz comprise a must-have adult fantasy collection for fans and those about to discover the witch knight and his puppet sorcerer for the first time.
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Recent Releases in Science Fiction
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Five years after
by William R. Forstchen
Five years after The Final Day, the Republic of New America has all but collapsed into regional powers and the world at large is struggling to remain stable as regional conflicts ravage the post EMP landscape. After several years attempting to lead a quiet life, John Matherson receives the news that the President is dying from a possible assassination attempt, and is asked to step in to negotiate with what appears to be a new military power hidden in the wreckage of the world.
Pulled back into the fray, John struggles to hold the tottering Republic together. Facing threats on multiple fronts, he races against time to stop another EMP attack on the former United States and China, putting years of progress at risk. With so much of his work under threat, John must find the strength within to start over, so that he can save the country and the people that he holds dear from even greater calamity.
John Matherson Novel #4
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The blue, beautiful world
by Karen Lord
The world is changing, and humanity must change with it. Rising seas and soaring temperatures have radically transformed the face of Earth.
Meanwhile, Earth is being observed from afar by other civilizations . . . and now they are ready to make contact.
Vying to prepare humanity for first contact are a group of dreamers and changemakers, including Peter Hendrix, the genius inventor behind the most advanced VR tech; Charyssa, a beloved celebrity icon with a passion for humanitarian work; and Kanoa, a member of a global council of young people drafted to reimagine the relationship between humankind and alien societies.
And they may have an unexpected secret weapon: Owen, a pop megastar whose ability to connect with his adoring fans is more than charisma. His hidden talent could be the key to uniting Earth as it looks toward the stars.
But Owen's abilities are so unique that no one can control him and so seductive that he cannot help but use them. Can he transcend his human limitations and find the freedom he has always dreamed of? Or is he doomed to become the dictator of his nightmares?
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Ladyhoppers
by Sarah Thérèse Pelletier
When the planet is being eaten by interdimensional parasites who literally tear holes in reality, what do you do? If you're Charlie Chase, you dive headfirst into an interdimensional adventure. Charlie knows her calling is a weighty one, but she trusts her mentor's orders: Travel to another dimension, fix the tear, and get home to do it all over again.
But when she gets stuck on an alternate Earth, she has to turn to the most unexpected of allies: a younger, more eccentric, more infamous version of the brilliant mind that sent her on her mission. This version of Vera Baum is as much socialite as scientist, who seems to embrace the notion that curiosity killed the cat, in the way that means she's determined to use up all nine of her lives blasting through a kaleidoscope of genre-bending realities. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better, especially when they're pursued by reality-eating parasites and a biomechanical hound hellbent on killing Vera.
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Devil's gun
by Cat Rambo
Life's hard when you're on the run from a vengeful pirate-king…
When Niko and her crew find that the intergalactic Gate they're planning on escaping through is out of commission, they make the most of things, creating a pop-up restaurant to serve the dozens of other stranded ships.
But when an archaeologist shows up claiming to be able to fix the problem, Niko smells something suspicious cooking. Nonetheless, they allow Farren to take them to an ancient site where they may be able to find the weapon that could stop Tubal Last before he can take his revenge.
There, in one of the most dangerous places in the Known Universe, each of them will face ghosts from their past: Thorn attempts something desperate and highly illegal to regain his lost twin, Atlanta will have to cast aside her old role and find her new one, Dabry must confront memories of his lost daughter, and Niko is forced to find Petalia again, despite a promise not to seek them out.
Meanwhile, You Sexy Thing continues to figure out what it wants from life--which may not be the same desire as Niko and the rest of the crew.
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From a certain point of view
by Saladin Ahmed
On May 25, 1983, Star Wars cemented its legacy as the greatest movie franchise of all time with the release of Return of the Jedi. In honor of its fortieth anniversary, forty storytellers re-create an iconic scene from Return of the Jedi through the eyes of a supporting character, from heroes and villains to droids and creatures.
From a Certain Point of View features contributions by bestselling authors and trendsetting artists:
- Olivie Blake provides a chilling glimpse into the mind of Emperor Palpatine.
- Saladin Ahmed recounts the tragic history of the rancor trainer.
- Charlie Jane Anders explores the life and times of the Sarlacc.
- Fran Wilde reveals Mon Mothma's secret mission to save the Rebel Alliance.
- Mary Kenney chronicles Wicket the Ewok's quest for one quiet day on the forest moon of Endor.
- Anakin Skywalker becomes one with the Force in a gripping tale by Mike Chen.
Plus more hilarious, heartbreaking, and astonishing tales from:
Tom Angleberger, K Arsenault Rivera, Kristin Baver, Akemi Dawn Bowman, Emma Mieko Candon, Olivia Chadha, Gloria Chao, Adam Christopher, Paul Crilley, Amal El-Mohtar, M. K. England, Jason Fry, Adam Lance Garcia, Lamar Giles, Max Gladstone, Thea Guanzon, Ali Hazelwood, Patricia A. Jackson, Alex Jennings, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Sarah Kuhn, Danny Lore, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Kwame Mbalia, Marieke Nijkamp, Danielle Paige, Laura Pohl, Dana Schwartz, Tara Sim, Phil Szostak, Suzanne Walker, Hannah Whitten, Sean Williams, Alyssa Wong
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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