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Fantasy and Science Fiction April 2019
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| The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane AndersWhat it's about: The planet January boasts two politically opposed cities capable of sustaining human life -- and disgraced student Sophie is in neither of them, instead exiled in the wilderness among January's original inhabitants.
About the author: i09 cofounder Charlie Jane Anders made a splash with her debut, All the Birds in the Sky.
For fans of: Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness. |
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| Ancestral Night by Elizabeth BearWhat it's about: A space salvage crew discovers advanced technology that shouldn't exist -- along with evidence of a crime. On the run from the (corrupt) authorities, they encounter space pirates.
Starring: Self-medicating salvage operator Haimey Dz, augmented pilot Connla, and ship's AI Singer. (Also, two cats.)
Expanded universe: Ancestral Night is set in the world of the author's Jacob's Ladder trilogy, although it takes place well after the events of that series. |
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| The Women's War by Jenna GlassThe premise: Thanks to an enchantment, women living in a patriarchal society suddenly gain control over their own fertility, thus igniting a revolution.
Is it for you? This debut, which ends on a cliffhanger, contains depictions of sexual violence and suicide.
For fans of: the retribution-driven plot of Naomi Alderman's The Power. |
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| Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation by Ken LiuWhat it is: an anthology of Chinese science fiction edited and translated by Ken Liu, who provides brief introductions to each featured author.
Contains: 16 stories by 14 authors, including by Cixin Liu, Chen Qiufan, and others whose work has been translated into English for the first time.
For fans of: Invisible Planets, Liu's previous anthology of Chinese SF. |
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| The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha ShannonWhat it is: a lush epic fantasy saga by the author of The Bone Season.
Why you might like it: In addition to detailed world-building and an intricate plot, this standalone saga boasts a predominantly female cast of queens, mages, alchemists, warriors, assassins, and dragon riders.
You might also like: Sofia Samatar's The Winged Histories, another gynocentric fantasy novel told from the perspectives of LGBTQIA-diverse viewpoint characters. |
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| The Bird King by G. Willow WilsonWhat it's about: The arrival of the Inquisition in the royal court of Granada sends concubine Fatima and her friend, magically gifted mapmaker Hassan, on a quest to the island of the Bird King.
Why you might like it: Set during the Reconquista, this lush and leisurely paced novel by the author of Alif the Unseen draws on Sufi literature to present a richly detailed recreation of Muslim Spain.
You might also like: Guy Gavriel Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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