| Waste Tide by Chen Qiufan; translated by Ken LiuWelcome to: "Silicon Isle," the e-waste recycling capital of southern China, which serves as the setting of this class-conscious, cyberpunk-inflected debut.
Featuring: "waste girl" Mimi, who sorts trash; Luo Jincheng, Mimi's boss and the scion of the family that controls the industry; American businessman Scott Brandle; and his translator, Chen Kaizong.
Try this next: Director Jiulang Wang's 2016 documentary Plastic China, which takes viewers behind the scenes of China's recycling industry and looks at the lives of the low-wage workers who make it possible. |
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Radicalized
by Cory Doctorow
Offers four science fiction novellas about America's near future, including "Radicalized," a story about violent uprisings against insurance companies
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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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The municipalists : a novel
by Seth Fried
When the United States Municipal Survey comes under attack, employee Henry Thompson, along with his day-drinking know-it-all partner, journeys to Metropolis looking for answers and soon finds himself fighting for his own life as well as for the lives of the city’s millions of inhabitants. Original.
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Storm front : a novel of the Dresden files
by Jim Butcher
A modern-day mage and consultant to the Chicago police, wizard Harry Dresden finds his stale life suddenly enlivened when he is called to share his expertise in the investigation into a grisly double murder, a crime that reveals the presence of a rival who practices the darkest of black arts. Originally in paperback.
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The caves of steel
by Isaac Asimov
Fearing a violent confrontation between Earthmen and Spacers, Detective Baley and his new partner, a robot, investigate the murder of a Spacetown scientist
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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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