Science Fiction

Recommended by Bill Kopplin, Social Sciences Librarian:
A fast-paced SF novel about the struggle to get hold of a new invention, an ”empathy enhancer” device, set in an alternate history South Africa, sometime around 2010. This is a South Africa in which apartheid never ended, and the novel examines prejudice and racism, and the horror and injustice of the apartheid system, while suggesting its universal lingering effects. There are several other inherent themes, like the value and limits of language, and the value and limits of technology. The first novel by the South African writer, it was shortlisted for four awards, including the John W Campbell and the British Science Fiction Association awards, and was described by Ursula Le Guin as “chilling and fascinating”.

Recommended by Dale Correa, Middle Eastern Studies Librarian: Samantha Shannon imagines a world that takes Victorian beliefs about the paranormal to a logical conclusion: There are certain people in the world who can see, communicate with, and manipulate spirits and the “aether.” These people are simultaneously persecuted in and recruited to the security forces of the fascist Scion state of the British Isles. Paige Mahoney, a curiously powerful young “voyant” starts to connect the dots between the Scion state and the Mime Order when she is kidnapped by the Rephaites: humanoid creatures of the aether who also comprise the Scion deep state. Paige finds herself fighting against corrupt and corrupting forces at every turn, and learns that the Rephaites are not all they seem to be.

Recommended by Carolyn Cunningham, Social Sciences Librarian: There are many things in The Dispossessed to sink your teeth into, including an indictment of a corrupt capitalist society. But what I loved reading about were the mundane details of the day-to-day lives of the anarchists who self-exile to a dusty planet to live out their utopian ideals of shared wealth, shared labor, and ambiguous gender roles. 10/10, would be radicalized by this book again.

Recommended by Hannah Jarzombek, Branch Supervisor, Architecture Library: Magic forests, found family, ravens, ghosts, curses, and true love find a home in Stiefvater's Raven Cycle series. The series follows Blue Sargent, who will kill her true love with a kiss, as she meets Aglionby Boys Adam Parrish, Ronan Lynch, Noah Czerny, and Richard Campbell Gansey III. Over four books, they fall in love with each other and their magic as they all grow up with the help of dead Welsh kings, dreams-come-to-life, and a sentient forest who loves them too. With beautiful writing, character dynamics, and a setting to sink into, the Raven Cycle is the book series that most feels like home to me.

Recommended by Sarah Dupont, Library Specialist: Not only was it entertaining and exciting, but it was beautifully descriptive and thought-provoking. I tend to favor books that are creatively reflective. The story wasn’t just plot; it was a study of the possible progression of human nature, and I found that fascinating.

Recommended by Gina Bastone, Humanities Librarian: Trail of Lightning is the first of a series about Maggie Hoskie, a Diné/Navajo monster-slayer. She lives in Dinetah – the land that used to be the reservation, but the rest of the former United States is mostly underwater. Now, I'm at capacity for dystopians in post-apocalyptic settings, but this is merely the backdrop for Maggie's adventures of going after monsters and other supernatural threats. It's non-stop fun, and if you're looking for a fresh take on fantasy, this book is a real treat.

Recommended by Carol Pettijohn, Graduate Intern Summer 2023: Written by local author Stina Leicht, Persephone Station features a gang of women mercenaries fighting corporate exploitation and colonization. The action is punchy and exciting, and Leicht's diverse characters shine. I loved the layered worldbuilding and had fun watching the different character POVs overlap. If you like action-packed space adventures with strong characters, you should check out this book.