Science Fiction
How high we go in the dark : a novel
Sequoia Nagamatsu
SCIENCE FICTION Nagamatsu, Sequoia
Science Fiction, Short Story
"For fans of Cloud Atlas and Station Eleven, a spellbinding and profoundly prescient debut that follows a cast of intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague-a daring and deeply heartfelt work of mind-bending imagination from a singular new voice. Beginning in 2030, a grieving archeologist arrives in the Arctic Circle to continue the work of his recently deceased daughter at the Batagaika crater, where researchers are studying long-buried secrets now revealed in melting permafrost, including the perfectly preserved remains of a girl who appears to have died of an ancient virus. Once unleashed, the Arctic Plague will reshape life on earth for generations to come, quickly traversing the globe, forcing humanity to devise a myriad of moving and inventive ways to embrace possibility in the face of tragedy. In a theme park designed for terminally ill children, a cynical employee falls in love with a mother desperate to hold on to her infected son. A heartbroken scientist searching for a cure finds a second chance at fatherhood when one of his test subjects-a pig-develops the capacity for human speech. A widowed painter and her teenaged granddaughter embark on a cosmic quest to locate a new home planet. From funerary skyscrapers to hotels for the dead to interstellar starships, Sequoia Nagamatsu takes readers on a wildly original and compassionate journey, spanning continents, centuries, and even celestial bodies to tell a story about the resiliency of the human spirit, our infinite capacity to dream, and the connective threads that tie us all together in the universe"--
Caliban's war
James S. A Corey
SCIENCE FICTION Corey James
Science Fiction
We are not alone. On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system. In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun . . .
I'm late to the party on continuing this series, but I highly recommend it to Sci-Fi fans. I absolutely love the characters, and I'm pleasantly surprised by the scope of the story. -Brian
God Emperor of Dune
Frank Herbert
SCIENCE FICTION Herbert, Frank
Science Fiction
Warner Bros released the trailer for Dune Part II, and it got me interested in continuing my re-read of the series. God Emperor of Dune has always been my favorite--and revisiting it has not disappointed. -Brian
Infinity gate
M. R. Carey
SCIENCE FICTION Carey, M. R.
Science Fiction, Adventure
"The Pandominion: a political and trading alliance of a million worlds. Except that they're really just one world, Earth, in many different realities. And when an A.I. threat arises that could destroy everything the Pandominion has built, they'll eradicate it by whatever means necessary. Scientist Hadiz Tambuwal is looking for a solution to her own Earth's environmental collapse when she stumbles across the secret of inter-dimensional travel, a secret that could save everyone on her dying planet. It leads her into the middle of a war on a scale she never dreamed of. And she needs to choose a side before every reality pays the price."--Provided by publisher.
Truly a sweeping epic, Infinity Gate is a face paced read, packed with lots of action and many memorable characters. Taking a different approach to how the multiverse works, there is no effective space travel and movement between realities, using what's termed Step technology, takes travelers to the exact same spot on a variant Earth to where they departed from on there own version Earth. Thrown into the mix are different cultural, historical, and evolutionary paths on each world, some fairly similar, others wildly different. To keep everything from getting out of hand, there is a very larger and extensive government/control structure in place, the Pandominion, which calls all the shots and has a well developed enforcement army. Unfortunately, there is also another force out in the multiverse that has a very different approach to things, especially the idea of sentience. -Paul
Star Wars. The Mandalorian, Season 1
Rodney (Producer) Barnes
COMIC Star Wars Mandalorian Season 1
Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Adventure
"Din Djarin, the armored bounty hunter known to friend and enemy as simply the Mandalorian, has agreed to track down a target for a mysterious ex-Imperial client who offers to pay in Beskar, a rare metal revered by Mandalorians. But when Djarin locates the target--an adorable green toddler--all bets are off! Will Djarin follow his Mandalorian code and turn over the Child? And if he doesn't, what will the consequences be?"--Back cover of Season 1, part 1.
This is a beautiful comic version of the hit series. Learn to love Baby Yoda all over again! -Mykle
Ancillary justice
Ann Leckie
SCIENCE FICTION Leckie Ann
Science Fiction
On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren - a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy. Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.
Have you ever had a book on your "To read" list, and think to yourself--"Why do it take me so long to start this one?!?!?" "Ancillary Justice" was one such title. I've had my eye on it for a long time. Someone told me that it's a "Murderbot Diaries" read-alike (it kind of, sort of is), so it jumped to the top of my list. It's a fantastic Sci-Fi series opener with interesting characters and a great premise. Seriously, I want to start the next book right now, but I feel like I should ration them out. I highly recommend this to Sci-Fi fans. -Brian
Greater good
Timothy Zahn
SCIENCE FICTION Star Wars Thrawn
Science Fiction
When a mysterious enemy strikes at the very foundation of the Ascendancy by widening the rifts between the Nine Ruling Families and Forty Great Houses, Thrawn and his allies must decide what matters most--the security of their family or the survival of the Ascendancy itself.
This series continues to be an outstanding Sci-Fi adventure in an unfamiliar part of the Star Wars universe. I've got one book left, and I don't want it to end! I definitely enjoy my Star Wars with a dash of political intrigue and plenty of original characters. -Brian
Finna
Nino Cipri
Hoopla
Science Fiction
When an elderly customer at a Swedish big box furniture store -- but not that one -- slips through a portal to another dimension, it's up to two minimum-wage employees to track her across the multiverse and protect their company's bottom line. Multi-dimensional swashbuckling would be hard enough, but those two unfortunate souls broke up a week ago. To find the missing granny, Ava and Jules will brave carnivorous furniture, swarms of identical furniture spokespeople, and the deep resentment simmering between them. Can friendship blossom from the ashes of their relationship? In infinite dimensions, all things are possible.
I listened to this book alongside my best friends while on a road trip. We all found it to be engaging while also being fun and witty. Finna was a short read, but an easy one. -Zach
To Be Taught, If Fortunate
Becky Chambers
SCIENCE FICTION/Chambers Becky
Science Fiction
Ariadne is one such explorer. As an astronaut on an extrasolar research vessel, she and her fellow crewmates sleep between worlds and wake up each time with different features. Her experience is one of fluid body and stable mind and of a unique perspective on the passage of time. Back on Earth, society changes dramatically from decade to decade, as it always does. Ariadne may awaken to find that support for space exploration back home has waned, or that her country of birth no longer exists, or that a cult has arisen around their cosmic findings, only to dissolve once more by the next waking. But the moods of Earth have little bearing on their mission: to explore, to study, and to send their learnings home. Carrying all the trademarks of her other beloved works, including brilliant writing, fantastic world-building and exceptional, diverse characters, Becky's first audiobook outside of the Wayfarers series is sure to capture the imagination of listeners all over the world.
If you want a quick and enjoyable read this is for you. All of Becky Chambers' books have queer characters of all varieties, and I love each of the books in their own way. This book brought me into her writing style, and while it's on the heavier side emotionally, it still showcases some excellent themes and characters whom I have not forgotten since. This got me through the beginning of the pandemic and I'm grateful to Chambers for that. -Zach
Light from Uncommon Stars
Ryka Aoki
SCIENCE FICTION/Aoki Ryka
Science Fiction, Fantasy
Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate. But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline. As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.
This is perhaps one of my favorite books of all time. I think the story was so amazingly silly and wonderful and I was hooked the whole way through. Read this if you need a smile. -Zach
This is an amazing and devastating novel. I had to psych myself up each time to read it, because I would always end up sobbing. I'm glad I read it though. It's beautiful and cathartic. -Brian