Science Fiction

Starter Villain by John Scalzi - Book Review

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Starter Villain By John Scalzi Cover Image
$28.99
ISBN: 9780765389220
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Published: Tor Books - September 19th, 2023

This brilliant satire is non-stop laugh-out-loud fun, layered over some ambitious big ideas. Charlie, a down-on-his-luck former journalist, has accidentally inherited his long-lost uncle's evil empire, complete with a volcano lair, a sidekick, typing cats, dolphin guards, and rival villains right out of central casting. I laughed out loud so often I almost forgot I was thinking, too. ~ Reviewed by Rachel Person


The Ministry of Time: A Novel by Kaliane Bradley - Book Review

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The Ministry of Time: A Novel By Kaliane Bradley Cover Image
$28.99
ISBN: 9781668045145
Availability: Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster - May 7th, 2024

You probably didn't realize you're desperate for a time travel novel about a polar explorer from the Victorian era acclimating to the near future - but I promise, you need this book. An infectiously fun story marries perfectly with a novel that grapples seriously with big ideas - colonialism, racism, and climate change. I enjoyed reading this so much, and I'll be thinking about it for a very long time to come. ~ Reviewed by Rachel Person


Beautyland: A Novel by Marie-Helene Bertino - Book Review

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Beautyland: A Novel By Marie-Helene Bertino Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9780374109288
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Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux - January 16th, 2024

I loved this quirky novel about a bright girl from Philadelphia who sees the people and places around her from a distinct vantage point: Adina is an alien, sent to Earth to observe and report on the human species by faxing her droll yet keen observations back to her home planet. Her story unfolds across four decades as she processes the contradictions that make humanity such a baffling--yet ultimately beautiful--species. Adina's engaging voice and the generous cast of characters kept me emotionally engaged until the inevitable yet poignant end. A lovely novel that offers fresh perspectives on family, friendship, love, and loss. ~ Reviewed by Kim van Alkemade


Sea of Tranquility: A novel by Emily St. John Mandel - Book Review

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$17.00
ISBN: 9780593466735
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Published: Vintage - March 28th, 2023

I read Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel in one sitting. Mandel's prose is not only gorgeous but also profoundly captivating. Within its pages, you'll journey through time, meeting characters from different eras who experience a perplexing phenomenon – existing, if only for a split second, in two places at once. This mysterious 'glitch' in time and space drives the narrative, leaving you with a reminder of the power of connection, humanity, and love. ~ Reviewed by Nicole Ihasz


Orbital by Samantha Harvey - Book Review

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Orbital By Samantha Harvey Cover Image
$24.00
ISBN: 9780802161543
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Published: Atlantic Monthly Press - December 5th, 2023

Following 24 hours in the lives of six astronauts and cosmonauts in their orbit around Earth (consisting of sixteen sunrises and sixteen sunsets, with the chapters divided as such), Orbital depicts their innermost thoughts as well as the thoughts of the people they've left behind. This novel is a postmodernist yet humble love letter to humanity, Earth, nature, and the universe beyond, and, while short, it is no less brilliant. Harvey's poetic prose is filled with wonder, beauty, and love, and the end result is a novel that is absolutely breathtaking. I will cherish this forever. ~ Reviewed by Bethany Marsfelder


The Sirens of Titan: A Novel by Kurt Vonnegut - Book Review

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The Sirens of Titan: A Novel By Kurt Vonnegut Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780385333498
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Published: Dial Press Trade Paperback - September 8th, 1998

"The wonder is that Earthlings have been able to make as much sense as they have,"(pg 304)


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