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The Powerby Naomi AldermanScience fiction. Dystopian novel. Feminist.
Alderman’s novel imagines a future where teenage girls discover that they have a latent ability to generate an electrical charge from their fingertips that is so powerful it can injure and kill. Every girl in the world has this power, or will have it, and it can be “awakened” in every older woman. Men are suddenly no longer the physically stronger of the two sexes and this fact disrupts the very structures of civilization--including family, religion, and government.
Would women use this power compassionately or would they abuse it? Can power ever be benevolent? Is there such anger and resentment over being suppressed/oppressed/violated over generations that repercussions towards men would be inevitable? As one of the main characters observes “Transfers of power, of course, are rarely smooth”.
This novel is thought-provoking, unsettling (violence), fast-paced, and discussable. It won the Baileys Prize for Women’s Fiction and is starting to appear on some major best of the year lists. Read-aikes would include The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Shared by Rebecca.
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The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magicby Emily Croy Barker“Think of this book as Hermione Granger: The Grad School Years” (Kirkus). PhD student Nora is struggling personally and professionally when she stumbles into an alternate world on a hike through the mountains. After an encounter with evil fairies, she becomes an apprentice to a crotchety old wizard, much to his chagrin. Nora’s adventures are relayed in lush language in a historical-feeling setting. And like the Harry Potter novels, don’t be alarmed by its size—it reads incredibly fast. You’ll be drawn in by a strong female protagonist and compelling story, and swept away in a richly detailed world.
Shared by Jennifer.
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Sharp Teeth by Toby BarlowSharp Teeth is a horror novel by Toby Barlow, published in 2007. Simply described, it's a book about werewolves, but the author makes things interesting by putting a few twists on the standard werewolf mythos and presenting the story in an atypical setting.
First of all, the werewolves turn into dogs as opposed to wolves or wolfmen, and they are not affected by the cycle of the moon. They can turn at will. The setting is Los Angeles and focuses on three packs all vying for power. These packs are street gangs who also happen to be able to turn into feral dogs. There are crimes committed and cops get involved. Into this madness comes a dogcatcher named Anthony. Of course, he falls for a female werewolf.
The setting of this book is one of its main characteristics, but the thing that really sets this novel apart from other horror novels is that it is written in free verse. It takes a few pages to get into the rhythm of the writing, but once you get a feel for the language and the cadence of the prose, it's a very enjoyable read. I thought it read a bit like a graphic novel, giving the reader a structure to the story but allowing them to fill in some blanks along the way.
I love werewolves in general and in this book I really enjoyed the twist on the werewolf lore, the parallels between the gangs and the dog packs, the gritty preset day city setting, and the way the free verse drives the story. Sharp Teeth is now one of my favorite books!
Shared by Valerie.
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Zero Dayby Ezekiel BooneFollowing directly on the heels of The Hatching and Skitter, Ezekiel Boone brings his excellent spider-apocalypse thriller to an exciting conclusion in Zero Day. Back is the same realistic, fast paced, edge of your seat action from the first two books, as the story continues to bounce around the world, following the cast of well developed and diverse characters readers have grown to loathe and love, as they inch closer to figuring out the key to defeating the spiders who are systematically destroying humanity. This final installment has everything readers crave in a solid thriller series, speculative or realistic, but it is the spiders, the inherent fear they invoke, their ability to reproduce efficiently, and their evolution as actors in this drama that raises the stakes, the suspense, and the enjoyment here. Also, unlike most adventure stories, this one is not fueled by testosterone; in fact quite the opposite, as it is the women here who posit that the key to saving the world might be in understanding the spider queens. In particular it is a female scientist and US President who fight the men to be heard, take over, and lead the final charge, hoping that their intuition will save all of humanity, but fully knowing that if they are wrong, the world as we know it will end. Readers will race to the trilogy’s finish with our heroes, and be glad that they went along for the entire ride. Zero Day cements the entire series as one you will be handing out for years to come for fans of all high action thrillers, but especially for those who like the speculative frame in titles by Mira Grant, Jonathan Maberry and Ben H. Winters. But more importantly, it is a series worth rooting for. In a landscape where the adventure thriller seems to be dragging, it is clear all we needed were some spiders to revive it.
Shared by Becky, who loves book talking trilogies when they are finished!
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A Natural History of Dragons: A memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan The story starts as a coming of age novel, when we meet Isabella, future Lady Trent. Her interest in nature and her fascination with dragons is considered unseemly for a young lady in her Victorian-like, but alternative world. She attracts a husband who does not mind that she reads scientific papers, and the two end up by happenstance going on an expedition to hunt and study rock-wyrms. This adventure to another land, allows Isabella to stretch her skills and learning while the expedition runs up against local barriers and customs. And just who is agitating those dragons? This is a slower novel, but full of interesting characters and adventure to another world. And there are dragons! Not being a regular fantasy reader, I first thought of non-fantasy titles as read-alikes. I think many people who like these titles could enjoy this fantasy novel. Read-alikes for non-fantasy readers: - Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith
This title is written in an epistolary style about being a (female) naturalist on an expedition to Yellowstone Park. - A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
Set in Victorian England, a young independent female naturalist / lepidopterist becomes involved in a mystery and murder that involves her previously unknown family origins. - Amelia Peabody Egyptian series by Elizabeth Peters – Starts with Crocodile on the Sandbank
Using a memoir / journal style, this series tells about the adventures Amelia has with archeologist and future spouse, Radcliff Emerson.
Read-alikes for fantasy readers: - His Majesty’s Dragon – Naomi Novak
When the HMS Reliant captures a French ship and its priceless cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, Captain Will Laurence is swept into an unexpected kinship with an extraordinary creature and joins the elite Aerial Corps as a master of the dragon Temaraire, in which role he must match wits with the powerful dragon-borne forces of Napoleon Bonaparte.
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The City of Brass by S. A. ChakrabortyI get so excited when I open a book and see that it has a map, because that tells me I’m going to get lost in a whole new world. So I was really happy to see this map of the mysterious and fascinating Middle Eastern lands in The City of Brass.
In this story, the main character Nahri is a hustler working the streets of Cairo. She has magical healing abilities, which she uses to make a living, but she’s not really sure how they work or why she has them. She doesn’t even know who her parents are. Then one day, Nahri accidentally summons a djinn, a magical spirit, who takes her to Daevabad, the djinn city that is only accessible to those with magical blood. There that she learns she is the last of a royal line of djinn healers. Now she has to survive court intrigue and learn the skills of her ancestors, all while trying to figure out the real truth of her lineage. And there's the start of a love triangle happening! Nahri is a tough, feisty female hero who reminds me of Star Wars’ Rey, or Cinder from the Lunar Chronicles. This lush, richly detailed fantasy has romance, adventure, and intrigue – and better yet, it’s the first of a trilogy, so there’s plenty more to come!
Shared by Andrea.
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The Girl from the Well by Rin ChupecoAfter centuries as a vengeance spirit, Okiku is distracted from her retaliation against child murderers by the tattoos covering Tarquin Halloway. Although Tarquin doesn’t know why his mother tattooed him as an infant, Okiku can see the seals binding a malevolent spirit to him. Tarquin’s situation slowly draws Okiku back into herself and a
new, active role in the world. The few gruesome scenes where Okiku exacts ghastly retribution don’t make her less sympathetic. The violence is no worse than a typical noir crime novel. In this modern retelling of the Japanese legend of “Okiku and the Nine Plates”, the narrator’s crisp, clean diction smooths over the foreign vocabulary allowing the reader to luxuriate in the Japanese folklore. Meanwhile Chupeco’s lyrical
even poetic writing just heightens the jolt when evil strikes. When the story moves to Japan, both Okiku’s and Tarquin’s pasts are finally revealed. The narrator’s calm tones and even pacing maintains belie the surrealism of the Halloways’ experiences, while simultaneously racketing the tension. While appropriate for teens, the elegant, atmospheric story easily appeals to adults. The beautiful horror teamed with mythological intricacies create an enthralling book discussion pick!
This was an excellent audiobook, but even at the most dangerous moments, the narrator never transmitted FEAR. So the print version might be better for those seeking to ramp up the terror.
Shared by Karen.
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The White Devilby Justin EvansAndrew is an American teen with a wealthy father and a troubled past. He is shipped off to England's Harrow School, a 400-year-old boarding school, for one last chance to shape up. Upon his arrival, Andrew is immediately the odd man out. Suddenly, the few friends he has made start dying under suspicious circumstances. To make things worse, a pale, sickly boy begins to visit Andrew in the dead of night. Is Andrew going crazy or are the rumors of a haunting at Harrow actually true? A teacher at Harrow notices Andrew's striking resemblance to Harrow's most famous alumnus, Lord Byron, and casts him in a play about the famed writer and notorious lover. Could this resemblance to Byron have something to do with the increasingly aggressive and disturbing acts of a jealous, vengeful ghost? What exactly does the pale boy want from Andrew? Homoeroticism fills the halls of this supernatural mystery with plenty of unsettling scenes for fans of Gothic horror, but very little gore. Recommended for fans of the atmospheric horror of Shirley Jackson, Dan Simmons, or Adam Nevill.
Shared by Layne.
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The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen Princess Kelsea is pulled out of exile on her nineteenth birthday to rule, you guessed it, the Tearling. She is not completely aware of what has been happening in her own country as she was isolated from current events by her caregivers. Armed with a magical stone, she enters her capital city to see that members of her kingdom are being placed into large, moving cages with the intention of transporting them to the next kingdom over as slaves. With the help of her magical stone, she ends this agreement between the two countries. This one action begins a set of events that Kelsea as the new queen must battle for the entire series. Kelsea is pitted against astronomical odds as a young queen. She has no standing army, no money, nobles that don’t like the change, and an evil, magical queen for a neighbor (yes, the same one that she just denied her slaves). This does not stop Kelsea from confronting these issues in the best kind of bad ass way. Plus, she is a reader. Who can’t help but love a fierce queen with a love of books? Shared by Emily.
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The Salt Line by Holly Goddard JonesThe Salt Line is a new novel by Holly Goddard Jones that falls into my favorite sub-genre: dystopian fiction. The story takes place sometime in the future where much of the population has been wiped out by deadly disease-carrying ticks. The United States has grouped itself into zones that are closed off from the outside world. The borders are tightly controlled and protected by a "salt line," keeping the people within the zones safe. Extreme tourist expeditions allow the wealthy to go beyond the salt line into the wilderness and experience what is left of nature. Though they take precautions and can treat tick bites, trips outside the salt line are very dangerous and can be deadly. On this expedition we have a group that includes a pop star and his girlfriend Edie, a tech giant named Wes, and Marta, a seemingly unknown woman, but who is actually the wife of a powerful man involved in organized crime. Her husband has presumably sent her on this trip to get her out of town for protection, but as the trip continues, we see that he had ulterior motives for sending her. Once they are outside the salt line, the group is taken hostage by a community that survives outside the zones. They have learned to live with the ticks and are determined to protect their community. They have chosen this group of hostages for a reason. Determined to get back to safety, Edie, Marta and Wes form an alliance and uncover a plot with far reaching consequences. This is a good recommendation for readers who enjoy dystopian fiction or survival stories, such as Dead Lands by Benjamin Percy, The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi, California by Edan Lepucki and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Shared by Melissa. |
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Spaceman of Bohemiaby Jaroslav KalfarWhen was the last time you read a book about a Czech man in space? It’s been a while? Ok. I have a book for you and it’s fantastic. It’s called Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar and it’s a story of Jakub, who volunteers to go on a dangerous solo mission to Venus to investigate a possibly Earth-threatening phenomenon. While in space, he is visited by a spider-like creature—an advanced-thinking alien being—who is interested in the nature of humanity and in the addictive deliciousness of Nutella and bacon. This book was compared to The Martian, and it can be since it’s about a lone man in space trying to get back home, but in its tone, it’s more reminiscent of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery than of MacGyver. It’s a story that combines a space adventure with philosophical musings about the nature of family, hope, shame, and humanity. It’s a love story (oh, I loved Lenka almost more than Jakub!), it’s a political novel (Jakub’s father was a communist informant and a torturer) but, above all, it’s a fun and funny science fiction book that will engage your emotions and your intellect, and make you appreciate the Earth and the deliciousness of Nutella. Kalfar also shares Kurt Vonnegut's cynical sense of humor, for another similar read.
Shared by Megan. (Beating Laura to sharing it; thus, a double recommendation!) |
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The Hikeby Drew MagaryOn a business trip to Pennsylvania, Ben decides to take an afternoon hike through the woods behind his hotel. But instead of a leisurely stroll, Ben finds himself on a nightmarish, never-ending journey past man-eating giants, six-foot crickets, flesh zombies, and a fifteenth century conquistador as he and his companion (a foul-mouthed, sarcastic crab) search for the enigmatic Producer -- the creator of this world.
This book sounds like a chaotic mish-mash of bizarre and horrifying elements, but there's a method to the madness here... like if Alice in Wonderland was transformed into a horror video game, or if Homer had written the Odyssey on acid. And if you can let go of the need to make sense of the story in the moment, you'll be rewarded with a mind-blowing reading experience and an emotional gut punch of an ending. It's weird and wonderful and horrifying and absolutely bonkers, and it will leave you with a sore brain and one hell of a book hangover.
It's hard to find a read-alike for a book as twisted and bizarre as The Hike, but for readers looking for stories about innocuous journeys turned into nightmarish ordeals, you might enjoy the brain-busting experimental novel House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. Shared by Katie. |
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Bite Me: A love story by Christopher MooreBite Me is the first in the Vampire Trilogy about a stylish, quirky romantic comedy. Hip vampires Jody, Tommy, Abby and Steve have to find Chet -- Abby's vampiric cat, who is stalking the streets with his meowing minions and getting bigger, and more like a human, every day--but first they must contend with three very old vampires with a bone to pick. Bite Me shifts the focus to Abby. Alas, she wants to be dark and mysterious, not quirky. The use of language is clever, but not too cute or too snarky. The audio version is very entertaining, and makes the best use of the language. The language is the major appeal of this series; however, the quirky characters are also very entertaining and draw the reader in. The plot has lots of twists and turns, but an unexpectedly happy ending. People are paired off, but not with whom you thought they would be!
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The Bees by Laline PaullThis surprising and imaginative dystopian fantasy will have you thinking of bees and the intricate social rituals of a hive in a whole new way. Sanitation worker Flora 717, born to the lowest social order of the hive, is excessively large, and unlike her sister sanitation workers, Flora 717 can speak. She is a variation and not a deformity, and so is permitted to live and even become part of the priestess Sister Sage's private experiment. This gives her permission to move among the different social strata, where she witnesses much of the beauty and mystery of the behavior rituals of bees. She works in the nursery, becomes a forager, and fights off enemies. When Flora breaks one on the hive's sacred laws, and lays an egg of her own, her secret pits her against the hive. Much of the information about life in the hive and social structure is accurate, but Paull does take some liberties with science. Even so, after reading this, I feel even more compelled to avoid using pesticides. For fans of dystopian fiction, natural history, and coming of age stories. Shared by Laura. |
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Dark Matterby Michelle Paver London, 1937. Desperate for a change, 28-year old Jack decides to join a year-long arctic expedition team. Their camp is at Gruhuken, an uninhabited and remote bay, off Spitsbergen (now known as Svalbard). Before they get there, the ship captain who delivers the team and their supplies tries to talk them out of that particular destination, but is ignored. The Arctic summer is brief and winter sets in before long, with no daylight at all. Spooky things start happening, bur remain unmentioned. When a medical emergency arises, Jack is temporarily left on his own, with only a pack of huskies to keep him company. But there is something lurking in the darkness… What did you really like about this book? You can feel the cold and desolation of the place. The book is menacing, gripping, and very suspenseful, even though there is only one guy and not much to do out in subzero temperatures with no sunlight. It has a very effective evocation of unease and dread. Novelist Jeffery Deaver called this book “Jack London meets Stephen King” and I think that is very apt description. Where does it fit within speculative fiction? The book has been called part horror, part ghost story. Fantastic Fiction lists it under HORROR. What are some read-alikes? NoveList does not list this title, strangely enough. It does list the author and her children’s series. Since it has been described as a combination of Jack London and Stephen King, both of those authors might be considered. I also thought of The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters when I read this, for the sense of dread and unease. Shared by Astrid.
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Heartstoneby Elle Katharine WhiteIt is a truth universally acknowledged that the only thing possibly greater than Pride and Prejudice is a book that takes Pride and Prejudice and adds dragons. Elle Katharine White is the genius behind this concept, and she makes you wonder why no one had thought of it before. Rather than mashing up the Austen original a la Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, she recasts Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy as Aliza Bentaine and Alastair Daired, the former a headstrong healer wise in herbology and friendly with hobgoblins, the latter a dashing dragon-riding warrior battling a murderous band of gryphons. Full of romance, wit, and derring-do, this is an enormously fun homage that provides satisfying twists on the classic story while offering enough fresh details to help it stand on its own. It’s also a wonderful readalike for Naomi Novik, and a great YA crossover.
Shared by Annabelle.
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We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse, Book 1 by Dennis E. TaylorBill shared two series, both of which are available only via Kindle or Audible. Audible recommended this trilogy to Bill based on other books he recommended. After he enjoyed it, Audible kept recommending Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson. Don't let the cover turn you off! This is a hilarious launch to Taylor's debut series. Bob Johansson is looking forward to a life of leisure after selling off his computer software company. So of course, he is immediately killed while crossing the street. Bob is awoken a century later to find that he (a corpsicle) no longer has any rights. He has been uploaded into a computer and is now owned by the state. He can become the AI for an interstellar probe, or he will be deleted. It's a space race, so being a probe isn't a safe mission because others will kill to be the first to claim a habitable planet. As he heads away from Earth, Bob finds a universe full of dangers -- many of whom he makes very, very angry. |
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Columbus Day: Expeditionary Force, Book 1 by Craig AlansonAfter Bill enjoyed the Bobiverse Trilogy, Audible kept recommending Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson. Again, this is only for purchase by Kindle or Audible users. It's a shame libraries can't share them with our users! This space opera launches on Columbus Day, when the Ruhar (an alien race of giant hamsters) attacked. Columbus Day seemed a fitting day for Earth to become a slave labor camp. Joe Cuttingham goes from fighting with the US Army in Nigeria to fighting aliens. He sets out to save the world, with a commendered ice cream truck. The the Kristang (giant lizards) appeared in the skies and begin fighting the Ruhar. The UN Expeditionary Force is allowed to hitch a ride on Kristang ships in exchange for being mercenaries against the Ruhar at the Kristang's demand. Humans are on the bottom of the pile as everyone seeks Elder technology from the Race of Elders, until Joe discovers what appears to be a magic beer can, but is actually an AI (and complete arsehole). The humor is witty, if juvenile, but not slapstick. The series has high action and good quality violence. It is a really good time. You aren't going to learn anything, but have a great time escaping into the story. Bill listened to the story, and can't imagine reading it. He thinks the audio is the best format to enjoy the humor. |
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