News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

From space warfare to space colonies, terrorism to dystopias, magic to monsters, this month’s selection of new science fiction and fantasy novels provides it all.

Transformation space / Marianne de Pierres.
“Sentients of Orion volume 4. Mira Fedor and her friends stand in the eye of the hurricane. Everything is in flux and nothing is as it appears to be. Mira’s pregnancy seems to be proceeding at an inhuman pace and the sedate acceptance of this state of affairs by her biozoon, Insigna, is as much an irritation as it is comfort. It seems clear that the extropists’ procedures have had an unforeseen effect, but will her child be more than human or less? Meanwhile, the galaxy-wide conspiracy that has plagued the Orion League for so long is blown wide open. The conspirators stand unmasked, but is there time to prevent their carefully laid plans coming to fruition? And even if there is, how many of the Orion Worlds will pay the price for their leaders’ blindness?” (adapted from Amazon.co.uk)

The dark divide / Jennifer Fallon.
“A journey through a Britain where the Druids are the most powerful magical force on Earth. Time is running out for Ronan and his psychically-linked twin brother, Darragh. In two weeks, at the Autumn Solstice in their own reality, the Queen of the Faerie will transfer the Undivided power to the new-found heirs and the older twins will die. But Darragh is trapped in 2001 Dublin and Ronan in a reality where the Undivided are not Druids, but Shinto warriors. The twins need to get home before the transfer takes place, not only to save their own lives, but to break the curse on Trasa, who is destined to remain trapped by Marcroy Tarth’s spell, and to rescue Hayley from the Faerie Lord’s seductive embrace.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

In the lion’s mouth / Michael Flynn.In the Lion’s Mouth
“Donovan buigh, an amnesiac with multiple personalities, is en route to his lover and their daughter when assassin Ravn Olafsdottr kidnaps him. Ravn plans to make Donovan a rallying symbol in a secret rebellion undertaken by the assassins called Shadows against the Confederation oligarchy. Donovan reluctantly agrees, at first watching from the sidelines and then overturning all expectations in a glorious culminating firefight.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Final days / Gary Gibson.
“It’s 2235 and through the advent of wormhole technology more than a dozen interstellar colonies have been linked to Earth. But this new mode of transportation comes at a price and there are risks. Saul Dumont knows this better than anyone. He’s still trying to cope with the loss of the wormhole link to the Galileo system, which has stranded him on Earth far from his wife and child for the past several years.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The killing moon / N.K. Jemisin.
“In Gujaareh, a city-state reminiscent of ancient Egypt (though the differences far outnumber the similarities), dreams are the source of magic, and it is Gatherer Ehiru’s job to collect the mystical life-giving dreamblood from the dying and those deemed too “corrupt” to live. Devout and loyal, Ehiru is slow to accept that heretical evil lurks behind Gujaareh’s unblemished facade; only after encountering Sunandi, a foreign spy who is far less naive about Gujaareh’s “mad bitch” goddess and her unscrupulous worshippers, does Ehiru begin to glimpse the rot that extends up to the pinnacle of Gujaareh’s social pyramid. As a hideous monster preys on the innocent, Ehiru’s faith is tested in a crisis of world-shaking proportions.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The games / Ted Kosmatka.
“A new gladiatorial contest between genetically engineered monsters has proven to be a popular Olympic sport. For this year’s games, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) uses its most sophisticated AI computer to design the latest combatant. Felix demonstrates a precociously advanced intelligence coupled with an insatiable thirst for violence, seemingly an ideal candidate for Olympic gold. Despite disturbing signs that the program’s reclusive creator is losing touch with reality, the USOC clears Felix for competition. The stage is set for a catastrophic finale, with international repercussions.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Chrysanthe / Yves Meynard.Chrysanthe
“Sent to live with her uncle when she was four, Christine, now an adult, has problems giving up her imaginary friend, a rabbit named Tap Fullmoon. Her psychiatrist convinces her she is suffering from the effects of an abusive childhood until she realizes, through a chance encounter with a young man named Quentin, that her life is an elaborate illusion. In reality, she is a princess of the kingdom of Chrysanthe, the only real world, and her uncle is actually her kidnapper. Quentin, who is a knight, talks Christine into returning with him to Chrysanthe. Her triumphant homecoming, however, is far from a happy ending, as the young, inexperienced princess faces the threat of a nobles’ rebellion. “(adpated from Syndetics summary)

Wizard undercover / K.E. Mills.
“Book 4 of the Rogue agent series Wedding bells are ringing for the constantly battling nations of Splotze and Borovnik, and the upcoming royal nuptials could at last put an end to their dangerous hostilities. But in a development that hardly bodes well, one of Gerald’s fellow janitors goes missing after delivering a dire warning of danger surrounding the marriage treaty. Gerald must embark on a dangerous mission to uncover the troublemakers, before wedded bliss becomes international war.” (adapted from Amazon.co.uk)

By light alone / Adam Roberts.
“In a world where we have been genetically engineered so that we can photosynthesize sunlight with our hair, hunger is a thing of the past, food an indulgence. The poor grow their hair, the rich affect baldness and flaunt their wealth by still eating. But other hungers remain. The young daughter of an affluent New York family is kidnapped. The ransom demands are refused. A year later a young women arrives at the family home claiming to be their long lost daughter. She has changed so much, she has lived on light, and can anyone be sure that she has come home?” (adapted from Amazon.co.uk)

Triggers / Robert J. Sawyer.
“After an assassination attempt, U.S. President Jerrison is rushed into surgery. Minutes later, a bomb explodes at the White House. Dr. Ranjip Singh is working with a veteran recovering from flashbacks when an energy surge from the explosion overloads his equipment and puts his patient’s into Jerrison’s mind. The event also swaps around the memories of the surgeon, Dr. Singh, Secret Service agent Susan Dawson, and several others-including someone who now has access to Jerrison’s memories on the eve of a major secret military operation.“ (adapted from Syndetics summary)