November is a great month for speculative fiction fans. Nothing is
better than escaping to another world when pre-holiday stress gets to be
too much. Here are seven recent and forthcoming fantasy and
science-fiction books to ease you into the end-of-year shopping and
socializing frenzy.
Artemis by Andy Weir
(Crown, Nov. 14): The first city on the moon is dominated by the rich
and richer, so what's a lowly porter to do? Jazz supplements her
resources by smuggling and taking odd (illegal) jobs, one of which
exposes her to information that threatens her life and could change the
power structure of the lunar settlement. - City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty (Harper Voyager, Nov. 14):
In the Ottoman Empire, family-less street urchins must get by as best
they can, and Nahri earns her keep by reading fortunes, healing the
sick, and indulging in a little thievery. She has plans for a better
future, until she unwittingly awakens a djinn and discovers she can't
escape her past or her fate.
- The Complete Sookie Stackhouse Stories by Charlaine Harris (Ace, Nov. 21): Whether you're a fan of the original books or met Sookie through the HBO's True Blood,
you'll love revisiting Bon Temps, LA, for more fun with your
favorite not-quite-human friends. The ten stories are gathered
into a single volume for the first time.
- Jade City by Fonda Lee (Orbit, Nov. 7): In an alternative
Chinese world, jade is the key to magical abilities, and families vie
for control, especially after the development of a power-enhancing drug.
This adult fantasy involves clan wars, family loyalty, and life outside
the law. Kirkus made comparisons to the Godfather books.
Otherworld by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller (Delacorte, Oct. 31): Billed as a kind of Westworld
for teens, this science-fiction thriller explores the future of
full-experience gaming, in which players believe they face no limits or
consequences. Instead of the Wild West, expect familiar fantasy
elements, such as dragons and wizards.- This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada (Simon Pulse, Nov. 7): When a
devastating plague hits a high-tech future world, a teenage gene hacker
races to find, understand, and produce her late-father's potential
vaccine. The lines between friends and enemies, truth and fiction blur
in this action-adventure science fiction tale.
- The Wild Book by Juan Villoro (Restless Books, Nov. 14): Who
can resist a story in which books (literary) come alive, moving on their
own and stealing from each other. This coming-of-age story for middle
grade readers is set in Mexico and will appeal to book lovers and fans
of magical realism.
Thanks for sharing some good looking books.
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
LOVED The Martian ... i am a SciFi geek so i am looking forward to Artemis; the others sound good too... thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe Wild Book looks interesting to me, I like the concept
ReplyDeleteAll of them except for the Sookie Stackhouse books are new to me.
ReplyDeleteBecause The Martian was all the rage and then I really liked the movie, I grabbed up Artemis as soon as it was available on Netgalley. And I really like it. But if you asked me if I liked speculative fiction, I'd probably say "no." Because, apparently, I don't even know I'm reading it when I'm reading it!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting collection of titles. The Wild Book both looks and sounds fantastic - definitely one I'm off to investigate further - thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions. I'm very intrigued by Artemis. I enjoyed The Martian - both the book and the movie - so would definitely read something else by him.
ReplyDelete