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Fantasy and Science Fiction September 2017 |
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| Gork, The Teenage Dragon by Gabe HudsonHumorous Fantasy. Nicknamed "Weak Sauce" by his classmates at WarWings Military Academy, adolescent dragon Gork is no alpha male. That's bad news, because if he fails to find a mate by graduation, he'll be enslaved. As Gork recounts his quixotic quest for love, he also reveals little-known aspects of dragon history and culture. Reminiscent of a John Hughes movie, this novel's fantastical premise is grounded by its sympathetic, slightly snarky narrator and relatable coming-of-age story. |
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| At the Table of Wolves by Kay KenyonHistorical Fantasy. At the end of the Great War came the "bloom" and, with it, paranormal abilities in the form of "Talents." Now it's 1936 and England is on the verge of war with Germany. Kim Tavistock's Talent, the "spill," causes others to confide their secrets to her, which makes her an ideal spy. For another WWII-era historical fantasy featuring espionage and super-powered individuals, try Ian Tregillis' Milkweed Triptych, which begins with Bitter Seeds. |
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| The Witches of New York: A Novel by Ami McKayHistorical Fantasy. "Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply." After Beatrice Dunn answers this peculiar advertisement, she is hired by the witch-proprietresses of Tea and Sympathy, an establishment that discreetly caters to the needs of its female clientele in 1880 New York City. Beatrice's discovery of her own magic unfolds alongside a growing threat to the city's witches in this atmospheric novel, which should enchant readers who enjoyed Paula Brackston's Shadow Chronicles or Louisa Morgan's A Secret History of Witches. |
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| The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha PulleySteampunk. Still recovering from his latest, near-lethal mission abroad, smuggler Merrick Tremayne is tapped by the East India Company to acquire cinchona tree cuttings from Peru, thus breaking the country's monopoly on quinine. But Merrick's expedition to the Andes soon takes a unexpected turn. Although the plot of The Bedlam Stacks is not directly connected to the events of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, readers can expect brief cameo appearances from some of the previous novel's characters. |
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| The Clockwork Dynasty: A Novel by Daniel H. WilsonScience Fiction. The avtomat have always lived among us, as anthropologist June Stefanov learns while researching these mysterious mechanical beings. Although June's discovery threatens their survival, so does the avtomat's ignorance of their own history. If you enjoy political fantasies about intelligent automatons created by fusing magic and machinery, check out Ekaterina Sedia's The Alchemy of Stone or Ian Tregillis' The Mechanicals. |
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| Portal of a Thousand Worlds by Dave DuncanHistorical Fantasy. Once in a millennium, a portal opens, bringing chaos and destruction. This time, it seems likely to bring about the downfall of a dynasty. Inspired by the events of the Boxer Rebellion, this intricately plotted novel boasts a large cast of characters and takes place in a richly detailed alternate version of late-19th-century China, which may appeal to fans of Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven. |
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| Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuireDark Fantasy. Recently returned from the Underworld, where she was the Lord of the Dead's beloved, Nancy has no desire to stay at Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children. Established to help young people who have journeyed to other realms and returned home to find that their former lives no longer fit, this highly unorthodox boarding school is supposed to be a sanctuary for girls like Nancy. However, when a killer starts stalking its hallowed halls, stealing pieces of the students' souls, Nancy must put aside her dreams of death and keep her peers alive. |
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| The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen BaxterParallel Worlds SF. In the not-too-distant future, a process called "Stepping" allows humans to travel to parallel Earths. Only a few, like Joshua Valienté, can do so without technical assistance. Hired by the transEarth Institute to explore the limits of the Long Earth, Joshua soon makes an alarming discovery. Simultaneously amusing and thought-provoking, this collaboration by the late Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter kicks off the five-volume Long Earth series, which continues with The Long War. |
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| A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. SchwabFantasy. 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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| Empire Games by Charles StrossParallel Worlds SF. Rita Douglas is a world-walker, who can travel between different versions of Earth. This unusual ability makes her a person of interest to not one but several government agencies across the multiverse, all of which have their own agendas. Although Empire Games is set in the world of the author's Merchant Princes fantasy series, the novel reads more like a futuristic tech thriller. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Pasadena Public Library
1201 Jeff Ginn Memorial Dr.
Pasadena, Texas 77506
713-477-0276www.ppltx.net |
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