Fantasy and Science Fiction
January 2023
Recent Releases
Màgòdiz
by Gabe Calderón

In a world... where war has wiped out most of the human population, those who remain live under the oppressive rule of the Madjideye and their brutal Enforcers.

Meet: storyteller A'tugwewinu, sole survivor of the Andwánikádjigan people, who mourns her murdered lover, Bèl; firekeeper Shkitagen and his partner, healer Nitawesi, who seek sanctuary; and Riordan Streetking, hunted by Elite Enforcer H-09761.

About the author: novelist and poet Gabe Calderón's work has appeared in the Lambda Literary Award-winning anthology Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction. 
The Stars Undying
by Emery Robin

What happens: To seize the throne from her sister, Altagracia Caviro Patramata, would-be ruler of Szayet, forges an alliance with military commander Matheus Ceirran of the Ceian Empire.

Why you might like it: Full of intrigue, this space opera is the 1st installment of the Empire Without End series, which draws inspiration from the reign of Cleopatra.

For fans of: Kate Elliott's Unconquerable Sun. 
The Djinn Falls in Love and Other Stories
by Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin (editors)

Contains: 22 stories about djinn by an all-star lineup of speculative fiction authors.

Contributors include: Amal El-Mohtar, Neil Gaiman, Saad Z. Hossain, Usman T. Malik, Nnedi Okorafor, K.J. Parker, Sami Shah, Kamila Shamsie, and Neon Yang.

You might also like: Usman T. Malik's Midnight Doorways, Ayesha Muzaffar's Jinnistan, or Saad Z. Hossain's Djinn City.
A Fire Endless
by Rebecca Ross

What it is: the sequel to A River Enchanted and the conclusion to the Elements of Cadence duology.

Read it for: well-drawn characters, both familiar and new; a magical island setting inspired by Scotland; and an inventive twist on Celtic folklore.

You might also like: Freda Warrington's Aetherial Tales series, Charles de Lint's Jack of Kinrowan novels.
Series Starters
Age of Ash
by Daniel Abraham

What it's about: In the ancient city of Kithamar, street thief Alys searches for her brother's murderer.

Read it for: sympathetic characters, immersive world-building, and a slowly unfurling mystery.

Series alert: Age of Ash marks the opening installment of the Kithamar series, which continues with Blade of Dream.
The Blood Trials
by N.E. Davenport

What happens: Determined to avenge her grandfather's assassination at the hands of the Republic of Mareen's ruling Tribunal, Black warrior-in-training Ikenna pledges herself to the Praetorian Trials, a brutal initiation rite with a very low survival rate.

Is it for you? Blood and gore abound in this opening installment of the Blood Gift duology, which concludes with the forthcoming The Blood Gift.

For fans of: the strong-willed fighters and blood-soaked vengeance quests of Pierce Brown's Red Rising saga or Evan Winter's The Burning series.
Ice Planet Barbarians
by Ruby Dixon

Starring: Florida woman Georgie Carruthers, who escapes her alien captors -- only to be claimed by Vektal, a blue-skinned alien from the ice planet "Not-Hoth."

Book buzz: Originally self-published, this steamy BookTok fan favorite (the 1st novel in a 20-volume series) is now available in print.

You might also like: Cheryl Brooks' Cat Star Planet series; Ann Aguirre's Galactic Love series.
The Outside
by Ada Hoffman

Starring: Dr. Yasira Shien, branded a heretic by the Gods after the reactor she invented warps reality and destroys a space station.

Why you might like it: This trilogy opener, which blends space opera and cosmic horror, introduces an autistic heroine and takes place in a universe ruled by superintelligent AI and their post-human angels.

For fans of: Yoon Ha Lee's Machineries of Empire series, beginning with Ninefox Gambit.
Steal the sky
by Megan E. O'Keefe

Detan Honding, a wanted conman of noble birth and ignoble tongue, has found himself in the oasis city of Aransa. He and his trusted companion Tibs may have pulled off one too many cons against the city's elite and need to make a quick escape. They set their sight's on their biggest heist yet - the gorgeous airship of the exiled commodore Thratia. But in the middle of his scheme, a face changer known as a doppel starts murdering key members of Aransa's government. The sudden paranoia makes Detan's plans of stealing Thratia's ship that much harder. And with this sudden power vacuum, Thratia can solidify her power and wreck havoc against the Empire. But the doppel isn't working for Thratia and has her own intentions. Did Detan accidentally walk into a revolution and a crusade? He has to be careful - there's a reason most people think he's dead. And if his dangerous secret gets revealed, he has a lot more to worry about than a stolen airship.
The Rage of Dragons
by Evan Winter

Starring: Tau Tafari, a reluctant warrior-in-training who fights his way to the top of a socially stratified society to exact revenge on his enemies.

Why you might like it: This debut, 1st in a series, boasts a sympathetic protagonist and a vividly depicted, African-inspired setting.

For fans of: the inventive system of magic in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn novels, the gritty battles of Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, and the world-building of Pierce Brown's Red Rising trilogy.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Newmarket Public Library
438 Park Ave.
Newmarket, Ontario L3Y1W1
905-953-5110
www.newmarketpl.ca