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Fantasy and Science Fiction June 2019
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The October Man
by Ben Aaronovitch
What it is: An expansion of the Broken Homes universe to include new countries, new characters, and an exciting take on the supernatural.
What Happens: A man is found dead, covered in impossible fungal rot. In order to solve the case, investigator Tobias Winter must unearth the secret magical history of a city that goes back two thousand years.
Reviewers Say: "Aaronovitch delivers yet another classic detective novel rich with the magical world building accomplished in his previous work."
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Theater of Spies
by S. M Stirling
What Happens: The second novel in an alternate history series where Teddy Roosevelt is president once more right before WWI breaks out, and on his side is the Black Chamber, a secret spy network watching America's back. From knife-and-pistol duels on airships to the horrors of the poison-gas factories to harrowing marine battles in the North Sea, the fight continues--with a world as the prize
Read It for: a romp through an alternate history that will have the reader asking "what if"
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| A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel KayWhat happens: Elderly courtier Guidanio Cerra recounts how his life changed forever after a fateful encounter with assassin Adria Ripoli. His story, and hers, intertwine with other people's perspectives on the event.
Read it for: an evocative setting inspired by Renaissance Italy, and a richly detailed tapestry of a narrative that explores the ripple effects of individual actions and choices.
Want a taste? "It was interesting, I suppose it still is, how vicious men can take power and be accepted, supported by those they govern, if they bring with them a measure of peace." |
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| Middlegame by Seanan McGuireWhat it's about: Created by alchemists, twins Roger (linguistically talented) and Dodger (mathematically gifted) can communicate via quantum entanglement yet can't escape their fate.
Is it for you? This dark and stylistically complex novel by the author of the Wayward Children series opens with the line, "There is so much blood," giving readers some idea of how much violence to expect.
For fans of: the complex characters and exploration of moral gray areas in V.E. Schwab's Villains series. |
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| The Gordian Protocol by David Weber and Jacob HoloIntroducing: 21st-century history professor Benjamin Schröder, who has two sets of conflicting memories, and 30th-century time traveler Raibert Kaminski, who has an explanation for Schröder's plight that involves multiverse theory and temporal knots.
About the authors: David Weber is best known for his Honor Harrington series; Jacob Holo wrote the military SF novel The Dragons of Jupiter.
Reviewers say: "time travel enthusiasts will enjoy the moral dilemmas, nonstop action, and crisp writing" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Ironfoot by Dave DuncanWhat it's about: Known as "Ironfoot" on account of his prosthetic boot, Saxon adept Durwin must use his magic to solve a murder after a grim prophecy comes to pass.
Why you might like it: Set during the reign of Henry II, Ironfoot balances a fantastical premise with historical details of 12th-century England.
Series alert: This engaging whodunit kicks off the Enchanter General series, which continues with Trial by Treason. |
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| A Study in Honor by Claire O'DellStarring: Dr. Janet Watson, a disabled veteran of America's second Civil War, and her new roommate, the enigmatic Sara Holmes.
Why you might like it: Full of literary references (Watson is very well-read!), this near-future gender-swapped Sherlock Holmes adaptation introduces a pair of LGBTQIA women of color who solve mysteries.
You might also like: Alexis Hall's The Affair of the Mysterious Letter. |
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The Witch's Kind
by Louisa Morgan
What Happens: Regarded as oddities in their Pacific Northwest home, two women hiding a dangerous family secret find their circumstances upended by a long-lost husband and an abandoned baby with familiar powers.
Reviewers Say: "Epic in scope and heartbreakingly tender" Booklist
You Might also like: A Secret History of Witches, Morgan's debut novel.
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| Rosewater by Tade ThompsonWelcome to: Rosewater, a doughnut-shaped Nigerian city that rings the mysterious alien biodome that has become an object of veneration since it first appeared back in 2055.
Meet: government agent Kaaro, who owes his psychic abilities to the biodome. When his fellow "sensitives" start dying, Kaaro investigates and makes some unsettling discoveries about his past -- and his future.
Book buzz: Rosewater, the 1st installment of the Wormwood trilogy, made the 2019 Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlist. |
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| Bannerless by Carrie VaughnIn a (post-apocalyptic) world... where giving birth is a privilege to be earned and murder is almost unheard of, Enid of Haven and her partner Tomas investigate a suspicious death.
Why you might like it: If there's such a thing as a post-apocalyptic cozy mystery, Bannerless is it.
Series alert: This Philip K. Dick Award-winner kicks off a series that continues with The Wild Dead. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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