"Humankind has changed, fractured, Prismed into a dozen breeds of fairy-tale grotesques, the chaos of expansion, war and ruin flinging humanity like bouncing sparks around the blankness of space." ~ from Tom Toner's The Promise of the Child
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| Ancillary Mercy by Ann LeckieSpace Opera. Housed in a composite human body not her own, Fleet Captain Breq is the last remaining "ancillary" fragment of a fallen starship's AI, as well as the commander of her own vessel. With civil war raging throughout the rapidly fracturing Radchaai Empire, Breq and her crew devise a plan to defend Atheok Station from ancient nemesis Anaander Mianaai, Lord of the Radch. Action-packed heroics unfold side-by-side with reflections on identity and personhood in this dramatic conclusion of the Imperial Radch trilogy, which begins with Ancillary Justice and Ancillary Sword. |
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| Radiance by Catherynne M. ValenteAlternate History SF. The daughter of one of Earth's most acclaimed movie directors, Severin Unck blazes her own artistic trail by making documentaries about obscure and overlooked cultures within the solar system. However, her latest project, a film about a lost colony on Venus, becomes her controversial final work when she disappears during the shoot. In a "found footage" narrative style that compiles transcripts, news items, eyewitness accounts, and more, Radiance -- described by its author as a "decopunk alt-history Hollywood space opera mystery thriller with space whales" -- is a must-read for SF fans seeking a lush, lyrical outer space adventure. |
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| A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. DickHis identity obscured by a "scramble suit," which provides camouflage by making him a non-entity, drug dealer Bob Arctor leads a dangerous double life as Agent Fred, an undercover narcotics agent investigating the source of the illegal and highly addictive Substance D. During the course of the operation, Arctor gets hooked on the drug, which draws him ever deeper into a surreal underworld in which no one is quite what they seem. Originally published in 1968, A Scanner Darkly draws on author Philip K. Dick's own experiences to paint a stark, compelling picture of a futuristic society characterized by constant surveillance. |
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| Clean: A Mindspace Investigations Novel by Alex HughesSF Mystery. Now working as a consultant for the DeKalb County Police Department in near-future Atlanta, Georgia, the unnamed narrator of this suspenseful, gritty SF mystery is a level-eight telepath who's been expelled from his Guild for substance abuse. Paired with Homicide Detective Isabella Cherabino, he must track down a serial killer who may have connections to the Guild. Don't miss this 1st installment in the Mindspace Investigations series, which continues with Sharp. |
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| The One-Eyed Man: A Fugue, With Winds and Accompaniment by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.Hard SF. Sent by the interstellar Union of the Ceylesian Arm to the colony world of Stittara, scientist Dr. Paulo Verano must assess the impact of human activity on the planet's ecosystem. Complicating his assignment, however, are political and economic considerations, for Stittara is a source of anagathics, a class of life-extending drug more valuable to his employers than either the planet's unique ecology or its many and varied inhabitants. For more stories about plantetary exploration in which scientific, political, and corporate interests intersect, check out Joan Slonzcewski's Elysium cycle or Jane Lindskold's Artemis Awakening series. |
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| Flashback: A Novel by Dan SimmonsSF Mystery. BIAHTF: "Before It All Hit the Fan." That's the last time Nick Bottom was happy. Now homeless and jobless, Nick's life revolves around flashback, a drug that enables users to relive the best moments of their lives. Desperate to stay "under the flash" so that he can spend time with his dead wife, the former Denver police detective accepts money from a Japanese billionaire to revisit a cold case that he couldn't solve six years ago. Using flashback to review now-destroyed evidence from the investigation, Nick pursues suspects who live only in his mind and leads that shouldn't go anywhere, yet point to sinister motives on the part of nearly all parties involved. |
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