The following books are being considered for our reading list:
Contemporary
- Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa (383 pp)
In this space opera, a tea expert becomes a spy, fighting for her nation’s freedom and independence. - Mal Goes to War by Edward Ashton (304 pp)
A cynical AI trapped inside a dead cyborg’s body must protect and escort a modified girl across a war-torn landscape. - Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear (351 pp)
In a steampunk Old West, a young woman battles a deadly killer equipped with a mind-controlling machine. - Sargassa by Sophie Burnham (416 pp)
A historian, a spy, and a conflicted soldier unite when a dangerous artifact threatens Rome, pulling them into political intrigue, queer romance, and revolution that forces each to choose loyalty, identity, and the empire’s future. - Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (391 pp)
A famous tradwife influencer unexpectedly wakes up in 1855 and must survive the harsh reality of pioneer life. - The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo (392 pp)
In 1908 Manchuria, a vengeful fox spirit disguised as a woman crosses paths with an aging detective who can detect lies. - The House Witch by Delembach (472 pp)
A royal chef secretly practices witchcraft while juggling court intrigue, magical mishaps, and romance—alongside his cat familiar. - Unpronounceable by Susan diRendi (262 pp)
A cranky Jersey waitress is randomly chosen to represent Earth to friendly aliens, and her no-nonsense attitude becomes both humanity’s greatest asset and biggest headache. - Acts of God by Kanan Gill (410 pp)
A PI faces worldwide existential cataclysms caused by godlike scientist from future. Humorous and philosophical. - The Resisters by Gish Jen (320 pp)
Part dystopian satire, part family drama, this novel follows a gifted young pitcher whose talent makes her a symbol of resistance in a deeply divided future America. - The Hospital at the End of the World by Justin C. Key (398 pp)
A medical student in near-future New Orleans investigates his father’s death and a plague linked to global AI. - Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz (344 pp)
A former evil sorcerer’s sidekick wants only to run a flower shop, but magical disasters—and romance—have other plans. - The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (336 pp)
A woman is detained for potential future crimes predicted by an AI analyzing her dreams. - Artificial Truth by J. M. Lee (220 pp)
In a VR city, a creator’s widow is haunted by AI versions of her late husband. - All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu (416 pp)
“Orphan hacker” Julia Z uses her AI skills to rescue a kidnapped dream artist who weaves memories into VR. - A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (472 pp)
Ambassador Mahit Dzmare investigates her predecessor’s murder while navigating the complex culture of the Teixcalaanli Empire. - Rich Man’s Sky by Wil McCarthy (496 pp)
In a future where billionaires run space, rival governments and private empires clash across the Solar System in a battle for humanity’s future. - Red Star Hustle / Apprehension (Saga Double) by Sam J Miller & Mary Robinette Kowal (416 pp)
Two tales featuring a framed escort evading a bounty hunter and a combat-vet grandmother on a rescue mission. - Rise from Ruin by Melissa Olthoff (358 pp)
Harper dreams of becoming a dragon rider, but after an accident bonds her to a griffin instead, she must rethink her future while preparing for war. - Mills of the Gods by Tim Powers (336 pp)
Secret societies, reincarnation, ancient gods, and literary icons collide in 1920s Paris as two unlikely heroes uncover a dangerous supernatural conspiracy. - The Midnight Shift by Cheon Seon-Ran (298 pp)
A Korean police officer investigates mysterious hospital deaths that may point toward vampire involvement. - When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (321 pp)
Society unravels—and adapts—when the moon unexpectedly turns into cheese. - Moss’d in Space by Rebecca Thorne (304 pp)
An ex-smuggler buys a rundown alien starship and discovers its resident moss is a sarcastic computer with abandonment issues.
Older Titles
- Ancient of Days by Michael Bishop (420 pp)
A prehistoric human discovered in 1920s Georgia upends a community’s beliefs, forcing a collision of faith, science, and identity. - What Mad Universe by Fredric Brown (288 pp)
A pulp writer is hurled into a chaotic alternate reality where cosmic war rages, heroes are clichés come alive, and survival means navigating a universe shaped by his own imagination gone feral. - The Time of the Dark by Barbara Hambly (310 pp)
A graduate student and her friend are pulled into a besieged fantasy realm where monstrous forces spread darkness. - The Paradox Men by Charles L. Harness (191 pp)
A time-manipulating rebel battles a tyrannical future empire in a mind-bending blend of revolution, metaphysics, and high-concept adventure. - Of One Blood by Pauline Hopkins (259 pp)
Reuel Briggs, a mixed-race Harvard medical student, discovers Telassar—a secret Ethiopian city of advanced technology and mystic power—and confronts his hidden ancestry and destiny. - What Not by Rose Macauley (247 pp)
An offbeat romp through a near-future Britain where well-meaning reforms turn daily life upside down-awkward romances, absurd rules, and satire about control, conformity, and human stubbornness and resilience. - Agent of Change by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (240 pp)
A runaway spy and a tough ex-mercenary navigate space adventure, danger, and romance. - Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm (225 pp)
An urban fantasy set in Seattle, following a homeless man with real magical powers confronting old ghosts and hidden threats. - Stalking the Unicorn by Mike Resnick (284 pp)
A down-on-his-luck detective chases a missing unicorn into a bizarre parallel Manhattan filled with magic, monsters, and surreal dangers. - Odd John by Olaf Stapledon (159 pp)
A super-intelligent mutant seeks a society worthy of his abilities, exploring ethics, evolution, and the cost of being exceptional.