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Fantasy and Science Fiction February 2019
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| The Winter of the Witch by Katherine ArdenStarring: witch and warrior maiden Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna, who -- aided by frost demon Morozko -- must save Russia from foes both mortal and immortal.
Series alert: The Winter of the Witch concludes the Winternight trilogy, which began with The Bear and the Nightingale.
Try this next: Leigh Bardugo's YA Grisha trilogy is a similarly lush and descriptive fantasy series inspired by Russian folklore. |
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| King of the Road by R.S. BelcherWhat it is: the eerie sequel to urban fantasy adventure The Brotherhood of the Wheel.
Featuring: the Brethren, the secret society descended from the Knights Templar that protects travelers on U.S. highways from shadow people, alchemist-led cults, killer clowns, and other paranormal menaces.
You might also like: Seanan McGuire's Ghost Stories series, which combines Americana and supernatural intrigue. |
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| Abandoned by W. Michael GearWhat it's about: Despite the best efforts of a mining company and the military, the planet Donovan (so named for its first fatality) refuses to be colonized.
Why you might like it: This sequel to Outpost offers nuanced depictions of cultural conflict and a richly detailed setting.
About the author: With his wife Kathleen O'Neal Gear, author W. Michael Gear also writes well-researched historical fiction about North America's native peoples. |
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| How Long 'til Black Future Month? by N.K. JemisinWhat it is: a collection of new and previously published short stories by award-winning science fiction and fantasy writer N.K. Jemisin.
Contains: 22 tales, including "proof of concept" pieces that would become the author's Broken Earth trilogy ("Stone Hunger") and Dreamblood duology ("The Narcomancer").
Why you might like it: Diverse in style and subject matter, the stories display Jemisin's lyrical prose and talent for world-building. |
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| Dark Run by Mike BrooksIntroducing: Captain Ichabod Drift and the crew of the Keiko, a rogues' gallery of smugglers, swindlers, and soldiers of fortune.
The situation: Blackmailed into accepting a dangerous (but potentially lucrative) commission, Ichabod and his crew find themselves in over their heads when the job (predictably) goes south.
For fans of: science fiction caper novels such as Andy Weir's Artemis or Kieran Shea's Off Rock. |
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| The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky ChambersWhat it's about: Fleeing trouble at home, Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, an aging ship with an eccentric and friendly crew.
Why you might like it: This upbeat novel features a diverse cast of likable misfits who form a family of sorts during a deep space mission.
Series alert: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is the 1st novel in the Wayfarer series, although each installment can be read on its own. |
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| Deadmen Walking: A Deadman's Cross Novel by Sherrilyn KenyonWhat it is: the opening installment of a historical fantasy trilogy loosely linked to author Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series.
Starring: Devyl Bane, an ancient warlord reincarnated as an 18th-century pirate captain, and his crew of the damned, whose redemption depends on defeating powerful evil forces.
Contains: "swashbuckling, death, glory, and just the tiniest hint of romance" (Booklist). |
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| A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex WhiteMeet: Pan Galactic Racing Federation superstar Nilah Brio and con artist Elizabeth "Boots" Elsworth.
What happens: As their pursuers close in on them, Nilah and Boots are rescued by the salvage ship Capricious, where they encounter the captain Boots once double-crossed. Awkward.
Read it for: compelling characters, breakneck pacing and an action-packed plot, plus futuristic technology powered by magic. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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