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Fantasy and Science Fiction January 2025 |
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| Usurpation by Sue BurkeLevanter is a member of the sentient Rainbow Bamboo species from the planet Pax, dispatched to Earth to explore the planet and report their findings. However, a strange phenomenon spreading through humans threatens the fate of all on the planet. Expanding on Burke's previous titles in the Semiosis series, this "thought-provoking and richly detailed" (Booklist) 3rd entry will appeal to fans of thoughtful ecofiction such as A Half-Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys and Jeff Vandermeer's Southern Reach series. |
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| The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt by Chelsea IversenIn 19th-Century London, Harriet Hunt has been abandoned by her father in their family manor with only her plants for company. After marrying a man even worse than him, Harriet learns that her garden magically responds to her emotions, and uses it to take back her own power. For fans of: fantastical stories of women overcoming abuse and societal expectation such as Threadneedle by Cari Thomas and Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid.
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| The Sapling Cage by Margaret KilljoyLorel has always dreamed of joining a coven of witches in the Kingdom of Cekon. However, all witches are women, and Lorel was born a boy. Disguising herself as her friend to enter the coven, Lorel learns about dark secrets threatening Cekon as she struggles to keep her own secret from her new friends and mentors. For fans of: LGBTQIA-focused fantasy about acceptance, such as The Story of the Hundred Promises by Neil Cochrane or The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg. |
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| The Ancients by John LarisonA trio of orphaned siblings leave home to find their extended family. The trio's mother struggles to survive slavery after being shipped to a waning empire. A scholar of the empire ponders his future as the successor of a wool business. These three stories converge in a future Earth shifted by climate change. "A moving and expansive tale illuminating the emotional range of the human spirit" (Booklist) that fans of After the Flood by Kassandra Montag and The New Wilderness by Diane Cook will enjoy. |
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| Out of the Drowning Deep by A.C. WiseScribe IV, an obsolete automaton living in an isolated monastery on the far reaches of space, must solve the murder of a visiting Pope with the help of a private investigator struggling with addiction and a curious angel. If they don't find the killer, the entire monastery will be punished by the elusive Sisters of the Drowned Deep. For fans of: unconventional sci-fi with intricate plots such as Becky Chambers' Wayfarers and Monk & Robot series, and The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older |
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Graphic Novels You May Have Missed
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| Gleem by Freddy CarrascoDrawn to life with layered and complex art, this collection of cyberpunk stories includes a young boy being bored at church, a group of friends trying to revive one of their own no matter the cost, and even more wild narratives that coalesce into a story of escapism but also kindness. For fans of: offbeat and surreal graphic novels such as Alienation by Ines Estrada and Tekkon Kinkreet by Taiyo Matsumoto.
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| The Last Delivery by Evan DahmA parcel delivery boy arrives at a dark and looming mansion, the site of an endless party. Despite how lost the boy becomes, he must get a signature from The Resident for his package. However, navigating through the dark and chaotic halls of the mansion will bring him face-to-face with his own existence. For fans of: richly detailed and foreboding dark fantasy such as Bill Willingham's Fables series and Marjorie M. Liu's Monstress series. |
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| Steel of the Celestial Shadows by Daruma MatsuuraWould-be samurai Konosuke Ryudo is tragically cursed: no metal can come anywhere near his skin. His life changes when a mysterious woman named Tsuki propositions him for an arranged marriage, as he uncovers a hidden world of magic and intrigue. Beautifully detailed and emotional, this adult historical fantasy manga will appeal to fans of Hiroaki Samura's Blade of the Immortal and Satoshi Shiki'sThe Legend of Dororo and Hyakkimaru. |
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| Fall Through by Nate PowellThe underground punk band Diamond Mine have spent a long time touring the country. Whenever lead singer Diana performs their signature song, "Fall Through", it opens up a rift in space-time and teleports the band to a new fractured dimension, turning their six-week van tour into a never-ending one. Readers will love the "infectious nostalgia for humid basement shows and 3:00 am revelations" (Publishers Weekly) like those found in Dan Watters' Home Sick Pilots. |
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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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