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Interested in science fiction or fantasy but unsure where to start? Love science fiction and fantasy but don’t have time to invest in a whole novel? Try out one of these SciFi/Fantasy novelas.
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To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
In a world where humanity is starting to develop deep space flight, Ariadne signs up to be on one of a few crews sent to explore new planets. The crew must be held in stasis between missions, meaning they catch up on news from home only every few decades. What happens then, when Earth stops responding? To Be Taught, If Fortunate is a poignant look at the costs of long term space flight could be, as well as the fortitude of the human race when it encounters hardships it didn't expect.
Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a giant bird of prey as a pet? Wonder no longer. Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee follows Ester as she grows up and trains her very own roc (a giant bird of prey straight out of Middle Eastern mythology) and begins their life together hunting monsters. How much of the relationship between bird and human is love and how much is well-trained obedience? Ester will learn this when they embark on a dangerous hunt that will change their lives forever.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
Cleric Chih is tasked with traveling around and collecting people's personal histories for their monastery's records. During their travels, they meet with an old woman named Rabbit, who once was the handmaiden of a past empress. While Cleric Chih records artifacts from the empress's life, Rabbit tells the tale of her life with the empress after the emperor exiled her into obscurity. Full of beautiful language and evocative imagery, The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a stunning story of resilience and ruthlessness.
Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky
What is magic if not science we just don't understand yet? In Elder Race, a young princess, Lynesse, sets off to find a fabled sorcerer who lives in a remote tower in order to ask for help defeating a monster. Elder Nyr, however, is an anthropologist from a far off world, left on Lynesse's planet to study their culture until he is retrieved. Unable to perform the magic Lynesse is hoping for, and forbidden from interfering with a developing culture, how can Elder Nyr help the first people to interact with him in ages?
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Murderbot is an android security unit, owned by a company and hired out to protect humans on their various missions and projects in a capitalistic dystopia. While other security units are held in check by their programming, Murderbot hacked its own, but not to go on a murderous rampage. Instead, Murderbot quietly continues its job, pretending to itself that it couldn't care less about the humans in its care. The Murderbot Diaries explore what it means to be human, and above all, what it is to be a good person. All Systems Red is the first book in the series, but you'll want to check them all out at once because once you've started, you can't get enough!
About the Author
Adrienne is a Library Associate at Petworth Neighborhood Library. She enjoys reading books of all genres, especially books recommended by other people. When not at the library, Adrienne is usually spending way too much time online, or taking a nap with her two cats.