Fantasy and Science Fiction
January 2023
Recent Releases
Màgòdiz
by Gabe Calderón

In a world... where war has wiped out most of the human population, those who remain live under the oppressive rule of the Madjideye and their brutal Enforcers.

Meet: storyteller A'tugwewinu, sole survivor of the Andwánikádjigan people, who mourns her murdered lover, Bèl; firekeeper Shkitagen and his partner, healer Nitawesi, who seek sanctuary; and Riordan Streetking, hunted by Elite Enforcer H-09761.

About the author: novelist and poet Gabe Calderón's work has appeared in the Lambda Literary Award-winning anthology Love After the End: 
An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction. 
The Stars Undying
by Emery Robin

What happens: To seize the throne from her sister, Altagracia Caviro Patramata, would-be ruler of Szayet, forges an alliance with military commander Matheus Ceirran of the Ceian Empire.

Why you might like it: Full of intrigue, this space opera is the 1st installment of the Empire Without End series, which draws inspiration from the reign of Cleopatra.

For fans of: Kate Elliott's Unconquerable Sun. 
The Djinn Falls in Love and Other Stories
by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin (editors)

Contains: 22 stories about djinn by an all-star lineup of speculative fiction authors.

Contributors include: Amal El-Mohtar, Neil Gaiman, Saad Z. Hossain, Usman T. Malik, Nnedi Okorafor, K.J. Parker, Sami Shah, Kamila Shamsie, and Neon Yang.

You might also like: Usman T. Malik's Midnight Doorways, Ayesha Muzaffar's Jinnistan, or Saad Z. Hossain's Djinn City.
A Fire Endless
by Rebecca Ross

What it is: the sequel to A River Enchanted and the conclusion to the Elements of Cadence duology.

Read it for: well-drawn characters, both familiar and new; a magical island setting inspired by Scotland; and an inventive twist on Celtic folklore.

You might also like: Freda Warrington's Aetherial Tales series, Charles de Lint's Jack of Kinrowan novels.
Series Starters
Age of Ash
by Daniel Abraham

What it's about: In the ancient city of Kithamar, street thief Alys searches for her brother's murderer.

Read it for: sympathetic characters, immersive world-building, and a slowly unfurling mystery.

Series alert: Age of Ash marks the opening installment of the Kithamar series, which continues with Blade of Dream.
Over the Woodward Wall
by A. Deborah Baker

Introducing: Avery and Zib, two very different children from the same "very safe, very ordinary town" whose separate lives intersect when they find their way to a strange place known as the Up and Under.

Metafiction alert: Fans of Seanan McGuire's novel Middlegame may recall the children's book Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker; now, using the Baker pseudonym, McGuire has made this fictional book a reality.

Series alert: Over the Woodward Wall kicks off the Up-and-Under series, which continues with Along the Saltwise Sea and the newly published Into the Windwracked Wilds. 
Ice Planet Barbarians
by Ruby Dixon

Starring: Florida woman Georgie Carruthers, who escapes her alien captors -- only to be claimed by Vektal, a blue-skinned alien from the ice planet "Not-Hoth."

Book buzz: Originally self-published, this steamy BookTok fan favorite (the 1st novel in a 20-volume series) is now available in print.

You might also like: Cheryl Brooks' Cat Star Planet series; Ann Aguirre's Galactic Love series.
The First Sister
by Linden A. Lewis

Three Civilizations: the Icarii, a technologically advanced social democracy; the Geans, a nature-revering military theocracy; and the Asters, genetically modified humans despised by both Icarii and Geans.

Three people: First Sister, a Gean priestess abandoned by the man who promised to free her; Icarii duellist Lito sol Lucius, tasked with tracking down and executing his traitorous former partner; and Hiro val Akira, who explains their decision to defect in a letter to Lito.

Series alert: The First Sister kicks off the trilogy, which continues with The Second Rebel and the recently published finale, The Last Hero. 
Shards of Earth
by Adrian Tchaikovsky

What it's about: A century after the alien Architects destroy Earth, genetically modified supersoldier Idris Telemmier joins the crew of the salvage ship Vulture God and discovers a derelict craft containing some dangerous and in-demand cargo.

Series alert: Shards of Earth kicks off the Final Architecture series, which continues with Eyes of the Void and the forthcoming Lords of Uncreation.

Book buzz: This "dazzlingly suspenseful space opera" (Publishers Weekly) won the 2022 BSFA Award for Best Novel.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune
by Nghi Vo

What it's about: A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage and is befriended by Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, and gets more than she bargained for. 

Reviewers say: "Equal parts love and rage, this masterfully told story is sure to impress" (Publishers Weekly). 

Series alert: The Empress of Salt and Fortune kicks off the Singing Hills Cycle series, which continues with When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain and the newly released Into the Riverlands. 
Contact your librarian for more great books!
If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Fremont Public Library District at 847-566-8702.