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Fantasy and Science Fiction July 2023 |
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| The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko CandonWhat happens: Archivist Sunai, sole survivor of the corruption that caused the AI Iterate Fractal to destroy itself and the city-state of Khuon Mo, discovers he can no longer run from his past.
Why you might like it: Unfolding from multiple perspectives and set in an immersive world of AI gods and battle mecha, this post-apocalyptic science fantasy novel is the 1st book in the Downworld Sequence.
For fans of: Ada Hoffman's Outside trilogy; Sascha Stronach's Endsong duology; or Tamsyn Muir's Locked Tomb series. |
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| The Combat Codes by Alexander DarwinIn a world... where hand-to-hand combat has replaced war, retired Grievar Knight Murray Pearson, now a recruiter for the prestigious combat school the Lyceum, finds a protégé in Cego, a talented orphan with a mysterious past.
Series alert: This "perfect blend of fantasy, cyberpunk, and mixed martial arts" (Library Journal) kicks off the Combat Codes Saga.
For fans of: Sarah Beth Durst's Race the Sands or Will Wight's Unsouled series. |
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| The First Bright Thing by J.R. DawsonWelcome to... the Circus of the Fantasticals, where society's magical outcasts, known as "Sparks," find safety and belonging as they travel the early-20th-century American Midwest.
Where you'll meet: Ringmaster "Rin," who can travel in time; her wife, Odette, a trapeze artist; and their chosen family of Sparks, all of whom will be tested as they face off against the nefarious Circus King.
For fans of: GennaRose Nethercott's Thistlefoot, V.E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, or Robert Jackson Bennett's The Troupe. |
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| The Battle Drum by Saara El-ArifiWhat happens: Anoor, now the ruler of the Warden's Empire, struggles to hold on to her throne, while her partner, warrior Sylah, seeks information about the deadly tidewinds that threaten the land, and Ghostling Hassa makes unsettling discoveries about the realm's history.
Why you might like it: Three complex, well-drawn female leads become enmeshed in political intrigue in this 2nd installment of the Ending Fire series, after The Final Strife.
You might also like: C.L. Clark's The Unbroken or Suyi Davies Okungbowa's Son of the Storm. |
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| Mortal Follies by Alexis HallWhat it's about: Desperate to break the curse that threatens her society debut, Miss Maelys Mitchelmore seeks out Lady Georgianna Landrake, rumored to be both sorceress and murderess. Well, nobody's perfect.
Think: TV's Bridgerton meets A Midsummer Night's Dream, narrated by Puck-as-Lady-Whistledown.
Want a taste? "I am not above interfering in the affairs of mortals if it seems truly necessary, or if it would be mildly entertaining." |
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| Translation State by Ann LeckieWhat it is: a stand-alone novel set in the world of author Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series.
Starring: reluctant diplomat Enae Athtur, tasked with locating a fugitive who disappeared centuries ago; juvenile Presger translator Qven, who rebels against the job they were created to do; and Reet Hluid, an adopted mechanic searching for his birth family.
Reviewers say: This "tautly plotted adventure" (Publishers Weekly) is "another of Leckie’s beautiful mergings of the political, philosophical, and personal" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| The Surviving Sky by Kritika H. RaoWelcome to: the floating city of Nakshar, kept aloft and safe from the devastating earthrages below by architects who "traject," or manipulate, the life force of plants.
Where you'll meet: powerful architect Iravan and his idealistic, non-magical wife, Ahilya, whose differing philosophies strain their marriage.
Series alert: Informed by Hindu principles, this "transcendent debut" (Library Journal) marks the opening installment of the Rages series. |
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| Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma TörzsWhat it's about: Estranged half-sisters Esther and Joanna must reunite to protect their late father's collection of magical books from the unseen enemies who have killed the rest of their family.
Book buzz: This "bewitching" (Kirkus Reviews) debut is a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.
For fans of: Alix E. Harrow's The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Peng Shepherd's The Cartographers, or Erin Morgenstern's The Starless Sea. |
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| Witch King by Martha WellsStarring: "Witch King" Kai, more formally known as the demon Kaiisteron, Fourth Prince of the Underearth, who awakens in an underwater prison and must piece together how he got there.
Read it for: a compelling anti-hero, organic and immersive world-building that expects readers to keep up, and parallel narratives that gradually connect Kai's past and present-day adventures.
Is it for you? The tone, structure, and pacing of this series opener by author Martha Wells may appeal more to fans of her Books of the Raksura series than her popular Murderbot Diaries. |
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| The Road to Roswell by Connie WillisWhat happens: Abducted by an "animate tumbleweed" of an alien en route to her college roommate's UFO-themed wedding in Roswell, New Mexico, Francie Driscoll encounters a number of eccentric hitchhikers, including handsome con artist Wade.
Is it for you? This screwball road trip rom-com will best please fans of author Connie Willis' lighter fare, such as To Say Nothing of the Dog or Crosstalk. |
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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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