Fantasy
Bog Myrtle
Sid Sharp
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Sharp
Fantasy, Humor, Graphic Novels, Kids, Early Readers, Early Chapter Books, Picture Books, Animals, Nature
"From the acclaimed author of The Wolf Suit comes another weirdly hilarious, masterfully thought-provoking, and lushly painted early reader graphic novel. . . . Bog Myrtle is a witty modern folktale that touches on themes of capitalism, environmentalism, labor rights, and being a nice person."--
Piranesi
Susanna Clarke
FICTION Clarke Susanna
Fiction, Fantasy
"From the New York Times bestselling author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, an intoxicating, hypnotic new novel set in a dreamlike alternative reality. Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house. There is one other person in the house-a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known. For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth, full of startling images and surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds"--
The atmosphere in "Piranesi" is so calming; the waves, the clouds, the statuary its a perfect balance of stillness and movement terrible secrets and inevitable knowledge- a stillness disrupted- reread and edit this -Chelsea
I'm afraid you've got dragons
Peter S. Beagle
SCIENCE FICTION Beagle Peter
Fiction, Fantasy
Dragons are common in the backwater kingdom of Bellemontagne, coming in sizes from mouse-like vermin all the way up to castle-smashing monsters. Gaius Aurelius Constantine Heliogabalus Thrax (who would much rather people call him Robert) has recently inherited his deceased dad's job as a dragon catcher/exterminator, a career he detests with all his heart in part because he likes dragons, feeling a kinship with them, but mainly because his dream has always been the impossible one of transcending his humble origin to someday become a prince's valet. Needless to say, fate has something rather different in mind...
If "The Last Unicorn" is about the ways in which we are irrevocably changed by the world, "I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons" is about having the courage to be yourself in spite of the external forces that try to shape you. The characters all have an assigned role, a person that they think they want to be, and the person that they need to be. It is delightful to accompany them on their (very much unexpected) journeys of self discovery. -Chelsea
The bright sword : a novel of King Arthur
Lev Grossman
SCIENCE FICTION Grossman Lev
Fantasy, Historical Fiction
"Collum, a brilliantly gifted young knight from the provinces, arrives at Camelot two weeks after the Battle of Camlann, hoping to compete for a spot on the Round Table. But he finds the city empty, King Arthur dead, and the Table destroyed. The remaining six knights aren't the mighty heroes, the legends, like Lancelot and Gawain and Tristram and Galahad. These are the survivors, a grab-bag of minor oddball knights from the margins--Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight; Sir Bedivere, Arthur's one-handed longtime companion; Sir Dagonet, Arthur's fool, knighted as a joke; Sir Dinadan, a cutting wit who's hiding a deep secret. Arthur's death has exposed the splinters of his kingdom, and a void has opened in the heart of Britain. As power-hungry lords from the north descend on Camelot to seize control of the land, Collum is thrust into the front lines. Here lies the battlefield between pagans and Christians, fantasy and empire, power and destiny. Monsters and fairies are reawakening, the moral center is gone, and the fragile alliances that held Britain together are breaking. It is up to the surviving knights, the rebellious sorceress Nimue, and young Collum to avenge Arthur's murder and save Camelot. Can they re-build the Table and bring back the glory that was Camelot? Should they even try? The first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings, The Bright Sword is a story about power and hope, and the struggle for the soul of England between the new Christian God and the old gods of fairy. But most of all it's a story about flawed men and women full of strength and pain who are looking for a way to reforge a broken land, in spite of being broken themselves"--
I'm a huge fan of Grossman's "Magicians" trilogy, so I was very excited to dive into his new novel. It did not disappoint at all, and it's easily my favorite book of the year. It reimagines Arthurian legend and gives it great emotional heft. It follows the "leftover" knights after Arthur has fallen and fills in their backstories, while bringing a new knight, Collum, into the fold. I highly recommend to readers who enjoy Arthurian legend and those who know nothing about it all. -Brian
The fellowship of the ring : being the first part of The Lord of the Rings
J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien
SCIENCE FICTION Tolkien, J. R. R.
Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy
After discovering the true nature of the one ring, Bilbo Baggins entrusts it to the care of his young cousin, Frodo, who is charged with bringing about its destruction and thus foiling the plans of the Dark Lord.
My favorite book in the LOTR trilogy! I could read this series over and over again and never tire of Frodo and Sam's adventures. -Violette
The republic of thieves
Scott Lynch
SCIENCE FICTION Lynch Scott
Fantasy
With the greatest heist of their career gone spectacularly sour, con artist extraordinaire Locke Lamora and his trusted partner, Jean, have barely escaped with their lives. Or at least Jean has. Locke is slowly succumbing to a lethal poison that no alchemist can cure. With the end nearing, Locke’s only hope is to accept a mysterious Bondsmage’s offer: act as a political pawn in the Magi elections, and in exchange be healed. But the lifesaving sorcery promises to rival even the most excruciating death, and Locke refuses. Until the Bondsmage invokes the name of Sabetha, the love of Locke’s life, his equal in skill and wit . . . and now his greatest rival. From his first glimpse of Sabetha as a fellow orphan and thief-in-training, Locke was smitten. But after a tumultuous courtship, she broke away. Now they will reunite in another clash of wills. Faced with his only equal in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha—or woo her. It is a decision on which both of their lives may depend.
Sabetha--the character teased in the first and second book--finally appears. I repeat--SABETHA!!! And she was more than worth the wait. Now I'm caught up with the series and have to wait like a chump for the next installment (if it ever comes out.) -Brian
The saint of bright doors
Vajra Chandrasekera
SCIENCE FICTION Chandras Vajra
Fantasy
"The Saint of Bright Doors sets the high drama of divine revolutionaries and transcendent cults against the mundane struggles of modern life, resulting in a novel that is revelatory and resonant. Fetter was raised to kill, honed as a knife to cut down his sainted father. This gave him plenty to talk about in therapy. He walked among invisible powers: devils and anti-gods that mock the mortal form. He learned a lethal catechism, lost his shadow, and gained a habit for secrecy. After a blood-soaked childhood, Fetter escaped his rural hometown for the big city, and fell into a broader world where divine destinies are a dime a dozen. Everything in Luriat is more than it seems. Group therapy is recruitment for a revolutionary cadre. Junk email hints at the arrival of a god. Every door is laden with potential, and once closed may never open again. The city is scattered with Bright Doors, looming portals through which a cold wind blows. In this unknowable metropolis, Fetter will discover what kind of man he is, and his discovery will rewrite the world"--
This book is incredibly hard to describe--it's fantasy, but grounded, also, paradoxical, wildly dreamlike? It's hard to know what's "true" in the book. At first, characters seem dishonest and manipulative, but maybe there's reality in what they're telling us. It's an amazing book, and I do it disservice in trying to tell you about it. I highly recommend it. -Brian
The café at the edge of the woods
Mikey Please
jE Please
Fantasy, Humor, Kids, Picture Books
"Rene and Glumfoot are ready to serve very fine cuisine at the café at the edge of the woods. But when their first customer, an ogre, demands pickled bats and battered mice, Rene is ready to give up! She can't possibly serve such rubbish. Or can she? With a little bit of compromise, perhaps she can satisfy her customer and still serve the most delicious grub"--Provided by publisher.
What a debut! This one had me in stitches. With perfectly paced rhythm and rhyme, and hilarious illustrations, Mikey Please's first solo book will be a read-aloud favorite, especially for littles who enjoy icky humor. -Casey
Black Sun
Rebecca Roanhorse
SCIENCE FICTION Roanhorse, Rebecca
Diverse Characters, Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ+
"A god will return when the earth and sky converge under the black sun in the holy city of Tova... The winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man's mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain. Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade"--Provided by publisher.
"Between Earth and Sky" is an excellent series, and it just concluded with "Mirrored Heavens" this year. Roanhorse creates a detailed and intriguing wold inspired by Native American cultures. I love how messy the politics get in this series. The main characters are frequently at odds with one another and the tensions that creates are fascinating to explore. -Chelsea
Someone You Can Build a Nest in
John Wiswell
SCIENCE FICTION Wiswell John
Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+
"Shesheshen has made a mistake fatal to all monsters: she's fallen in love. Shesheshen is a shapeshifter, who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor. When her rest is interrupted by hunters intent on murdering her, she constructs a body from the remains of past meals: a metal chain for a backbone, borrowed bones for limbs, and a bear trap as an extra mouth. However, the hunters chase Shesheshen out of her home and off a cliff. Badly hurt, she's found and nursed back to health by Homily, a warm-hearted human, who has mistaken Shesheshen as a fellow human. Homily is kind and nurturing and would make an excellent co-parent: an ideal place to lay Shesheshen’s eggs so their young could devour Homily from the inside out. But as they grow close, she realizes humans don’t think about love that way. Shesheshen hates keeping her identity secret from Homily, but just as she’s about to confess, Homily reveals why she’s in the area: she’s hunting a shapeshifting monster that supposedly cursed her family. Has Shesheshen seen it anywhere? Eating her girlfriend isn’t an option. Shesheshen didn’t curse anyone, but to give herself and Homily a chance at happiness, she has to figure out why Homily’s twisted family thinks she did. As the hunt for the monster becomes increasingly deadly, Shesheshen must unearth the truth quickly, or soon both of their lives will be at risk. And the bigger challenge remains: surviving her toxic in-laws long enough to learn to build a life with, rather than in, the love of her life."--
A cozy queer romance seasoned with cosmic horror. "Someone You Can Build a Nest in" asks what it really means to be monstrous, and challenges us to break away from cycles of familial abuse. -Chelsea
Bog Myrtle is a true forest treasure. Don't miss out and join Arachnid Local 175! -Casey