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Fantasy and Science Fiction February 2019
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| The Winter of the Witch by Katherine ArdenStarring: witch and warrior maiden Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna, who -- aided by frost demon Morozko -- must save Russia from foes both mortal and immortal.
Series alert: The Winter of the Witch concludes the Winternight trilogy, which began with The Bear and the Nightingale.
Try this next: Leigh Bardugo's YA Grisha trilogy is a similarly lush and descriptive fantasy series inspired by Russian folklore. |
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| King of the Road by R.S. BelcherWhat it is: the eerie sequel to urban fantasy adventure The Brotherhood of the Wheel.
Featuring: the Brethren, the secret society descended from the Knights Templar that protects travelers on U.S. highways from shadow people, alchemist-led cults, killer clowns, and other paranormal menaces.
You might also like: Seanan McGuire's Ghost Stories series, which combines Americana and supernatural intrigue. |
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Zero Sum Game
by S. L. Huang
What it is about: Cas Russell wields her math skills like a superpower, using vector calculus to dodge bullets and beat up armed men but is very surprised to find someone with a power more dangerous than her own, the ability to control minds.
Fun fact: Zero Sum Game was originally self-published through Amazon as an ebook only. Recently, the publisher Tor picked up the book and is re-publishing it for print.
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The Valley of Shadows
by John Ringo
What it's about: When his efforts to formulate a vaccine for the zombie virus force him into unsavory alliances with shady politicians and unsavory entrepreneurs, security director Tom Smith quietly considers an incomplete and dire backup plan for Earth's survivors.
Series Alert: This is Book 5 in the Black Tide Rising Series. Other titles are as follows: 1. Under a Graveyard Sky 2. To Sail a Darkling Sea 3. Islands of Rage & Hope 4. Strands of Sorrow
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| The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky ChambersWhat it's about: Fleeing trouble at home, Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, an aging ship with an eccentric and friendly crew.
Why you might like it: This upbeat novel features a diverse cast of likable misfits who form a family of sorts during a deep space mission.
Series alert: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is the 1st novel in the Wayfarer series, although each installment can be read on its own. |
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Pale Demon
by Kim Harrison
What it's about: Condemned to death for practicing witchcraft, bounty hunter Rachel Morgan is given three days to clear her name and get to the annual witches' convention in San Francisco, an effort that forces her to endure a cross-country drive with a motley crew of supernatural companions.
You might also like: Ill Wind by Rachel Caine, another urban fantasy fiction about road trips with a motley crew of characters/
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| Deadmen Walking: A Deadman's Cross Novel by Sherrilyn KenyonWhat it is: the opening installment of a historical fantasy trilogy loosely linked to author Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series.
Starring: Devyl Bane, an ancient warlord reincarnated as an 18th-century pirate captain, and his crew of the damned, whose redemption depends on defeating powerful evil forces.
Contains: "swashbuckling, death, glory, and just the tiniest hint of romance" (Booklist). |
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| The Bastard Legion by Gavin SmithWhat happens: Former special forces operative Miska Corbin hijacks the prison ship Hangman's Daughter and sets to work turning the inmates into her own private army of mercenaries. Like you do.
Is it for you? Miska's sociopathic tendencies may not endear her to some readers, but fans of action-packed novels full of plot twists and double dealing should check out this gritty military SF adventure.
For fans of: Suicide Squad, Demolition Man, and The Dirty Dozen. |
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| A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex WhiteMeet: Pan Galactic Racing Federation superstar Nilah Brio and con artist Elizabeth "Boots" Elsworth.
What happens: As their pursuers close in on them, Nilah and Boots are rescued by the salvage ship Capricious, where they encounter the captain Boots once double-crossed. Awkward.
Read it for: compelling characters, breakneck pacing and an action-packed plot, plus futuristic technology powered by magic. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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