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Fantasy and Science Fiction May 2022 |
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| Atomic Anna by Rachel BarenbaumWhat it is: a time-hopping multigenerational family saga by the author of A Bend in the Stars.
Starring: Russian nuclear scientist Anna Berkova; her rebellious artist daughter, Molly, creator of the Atomic Anna comics; and Molly's daughter, Raisa, a math prodigy who must follow the clues in her mother's work to prevent a tragedy.
Read it for: complex mother-daughter relationships, an intricate tri-fold narrative, and well-researched Cold War history. |
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| Sweep of Stars by Maurice BroaddusWelcome to: Muungano, an Afrocentric space utopia that parted ways with O.E. (Original Earth) to spread across the stars.
Where you'll meet: community leader Amachi Adisa, who must make difficult decisions to ensure Muungano's survival; Fela Buhari, who commands a unit of elite soldiers in a distant conflict; and starship captain Stacia Chikeke, who makes a dangerous discovery.
Series alert: This intricately plotted space opera kicks off the Astra Black trilogy. |
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| Aspects by John M. Ford; with an introduction by Neil GaimanWhat it is: the final, never-before-published novel by the late John M. Ford (The Dragon Waiting), an intricate work of political fantasy.
Read it for: detailed and immersive world-building, elegant prose, and a tantalizing glimpse of what might have been.
Is it for you? Unfinished at the time of the author's death in 2006, the novel remains incomplete and may be most suitable for Ford's devoted fanbase. |
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| Spear by Nicola GriffithWhat it is: a "sparkling" (Booklist) gender-bent retelling of the Arthurian legend of Perceval by the author of Hild.
Starring: wilderness-born Peretur, who disguises herself as a man, sets out to join the court of King Artos at Caer Leon, and embarks on a quest for the Holy Grail.
You might also like: Alex Myers' The Story of Silence, Lucy Hollands' Sistersong, or the anthology Sword Stone Table: Old Legends, New Voices. |
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| Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by T.L. HuchuA very particular set of skills: Given her ability to communicate with the dead, erstwhile "ghostalker" Ropa Moyo is the perfect person to find the cause of a magical illness with links to the prestigious Edinburgh Ordinary School for Boys.
Series alert: Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments is the 2nd book in the Edinburgh Nights series, which begins with The Library of the Dead.
For fans of: Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series. |
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| Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca MayWhat happens: When Annie Mason returns to Crow Island to settle her late father's estate, she falls under the spell of the enigmatic Emmaline Delacroix.
Why you might like it: Set in the 1920s, this sapphic, magic-infused reimagining of The Great Gatsby offers Gothic atmosphere and occult intrigue.
You might also like: Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic books; Nghi Vo's The Chosen and The Beautiful. |
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| The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe, Yohanca Delgado, Eve L. Ewing, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Danny Lore, and Sheree Renée Thomas.What it is: a highly anticipated anthology inspired by Janelle Monáe's Grammy-nominated album (and accompanying short film) Dirty Computer.
Why you might like it: An all-star line-up of co-authors -- including Alaya Dawn Johnson, Eve L. Ewing, and Sheree Renee Thomas -- joins Monáe in this "celebration of queer and Afrofuturist science fiction" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Until the Last of Me by Sylvain NeuvelWhat it's about: Mia and Lola are Kibsu, aliens that work in mother-daughter pairs to push humankind towards the goal of space exploration while avoiding the Trackers that threaten to undo their efforts.
Why you might like it: Opening in 1968, this 2nd book in the Take Them to the Stars novels, after A History of What Comes Next offers a suspenseful shadow history of the Space Race.
For fans of: Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut novels. |
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| Fevered Star by Rebecca RoanhorseThe setting: the continent of Meridian, reeling in the aftermath of celestial events that shattered the Holy City of Tova.
The characters: Serapio, the blind avatar of the reborn Crow God; Xiala, the sea captain who loves him; Naranpa the Sun Priest, who must relearn everything she once knew; and Okoa, who, once again, has a crucial role to play in the events that unfold.
Series alert: Picking up where Black Sun left off, Fevered Star is the 2nd book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, which draws inspiration from the many pre-contact Indigenous cultures of the Americas. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Atlantic County Library System | 40 Farragut Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Phone: (609) 625-2776 | www.atlanticlibrary.org
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|  | Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson
Atlantic County Board of Commissioners, Maureen Kern, Chairwoman |
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