Weekly book reviews in most genres, including classics and not-to-be-missed. Books selected and reviews written by a librarian specializing in readers’ advisory.
A speculative, science fiction novel that explores the big questions about the relationship humans have with other life on Earth, and our quest to understand the universe and ourselves. Fascinating intellectually, but not heart warming.
Read MoreA time travel romance, bringing a near-future woman together with a early Victorian Royal Naval officer. Add some spy adventure, and you have a good-enough, fun summer read.
Read MorePart suspenseful action page turner, part speculation on the meaning of time in our lives, Winters delivers as both an entertaining and thoughtful writer.
Read MoreHugo Award-winning science fiction novel about Earth’s contact with an advanced alien race. Read before watching the Netflix series!
Read MoreA dystopic, tech thriller that asks big questions about humanity, freedom, technology, and whether we can survive and thrive.
Read MoreVery funny, James Bond-style science fiction involving uber-smart, genetically engineered cats, dolphins, whales, a volcano lair, giant laser beams, and a worldwide network of villains. An entertaining novel from John Scalzi, who I highly recommend.
Read MoreLike old Godzilla movies? You’ll love this sci-fi, action novel of four nerds trying to stay alive, keep the Kaiju alive, and beat the bad guys.
Read MoreQuirky, funny sci fi novel, perfect for a light weekend read. TV, bacon, cheese, and plastic are our greatest achievements of human civilization, apparently.
Read MoreCan we hack our genome to become smart enough to think our way out of our current environmental and political problems? Crouch’s novel sets up a cool answer to that question in this sci fi action adventure.
Read MoreA novel of time travel and big questions for humanity. More pandemic fiction from Mandel, in a cleverly plotted novel.
Read MoreIt’s the rise of the plants and their choking pollen in this postapocalyptic world, and a serial killer is on the loose. Great climate disaster-mystery mashup, good for your book discussion group.
Read MoreA pandemic novel, but far, far more. Nagamatsu tries to explore all of human history in this speculative novel.
Read MoreStephenson takes us a few steps into the future, when climate change threats are addressed by independent geoengineering efforts, sparking a new climate cold war.
Read MoreThe Murderbot Diaries, a series of novellas and one novel, following the story of rogue SecUnit, Murderbot, as he tries to find his place in the world of a distant future. Highly recommended.
Read MorePart legal thriller, part science fiction, and part detective fiction, this mashup by Winters is entertaining, and asks bigger questions.
Read MoreAnother winner from Andy Weir. Here’s your science nerd read for the summer.
Read MoreA beautiful and gentle cautionary tale— Ishiguro describes a world where artificial intelligence and gene editing may lead, and not perhaps to our liking.
Read MoreSecUnit, secretly self-named Murderbot, is an almost James Bond-like android hero is this terrific sci-fi adventure.
Read MoreGreat science fiction novel, combining good story telling with much food for thought. One of this year’s best, and a first novel from YouTuber Lindsay Ellis.
Read More“One's agency is one's independent capability or ability to act on one's will. This ability is affected by the cognitive belief structure which one has formed through one's experiences, and the perceptions held by the society and the individual, of the structures and circumstances of the environment one is in and the position they are born into. Disagreement on the extent of one's agency often causes conflict between parties, e.g. parents and children.” “Agency (Sociology), Wikipedia.
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