Candidate Books

The following books are being considered for our reading list:

Contemporary

  1. Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa (383 pp)
    Space opera where tea expert becomes spy to win her nation’s independence.
  2. Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear (351 pp)
    In steampunk Old West, young woman faces mind-controlling machine and ruthless killer.
  3. Acts of God by Kanan Gill (410 pp)
    PI faces worldwide existential cataclysms caused by godlike scientist from future. Humorous and philosophical.
  4. The Hospital at the End of the World by Justin C. Key (398 pp)
    In near-future New Orleans, medical student seeks answers about father’s death and emerging plague. Could global AI be involved?
  5. The House Witch by Delembach (472 pp)
    The chef for the King and Queen of Daxaria is secretly a witch. WIth his cat familiar, he faces courtly intrigue, political machinations, magical hijinks, and will-they-or-won’t-they romance.
  6. The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (336 pp)
    Woman is detained for a potential future crime predicted by an algorithm analyzing her dreams in future surveillance state. A Jenna Bush pick!
  7. Artificial Truth by J. M. Lee (220 pp)
    Korean sf set in future VR city, where widow of city’s creator is haunted by AI versions of himself.
  8. All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu (416 pp)
    “Orphan Hacker” Julia Z uses AI skills to rescue a kidnapped dream artist who weaves memories into VR.
  9. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (472 pp)
    Ambassador Mahit Dzmare investigates her predecessor’s murder and navigates alien culture in the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire.
  10. Red Star Hustle / Apprehension (Saga Double) by Sam J Miller & Mary Robinette Kowal (416 pp)
    Two stories: Escort is framed for client’s murder and must evade bounty hunter, falling in love with monarch’s clone along the way. Interplanetary family vacation goes awry when terrorists kidnap a child, resulting in combat vet grandmother ‘s rescue mission.
  11. There Is No Antimemetics Division by QNTM (267 pp)
    Malevolent and undetatable entities called antimemes prey on human memories and identity. The Antimemetics Division fights an enemy they can’t remember exists.
  12. The Midnight Shift by Cheon Seon-Ran (298 pp)
    Female Korean police investigator investigates mysterious deaths at a hospotal. Are vampires involved?
  13. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (321 pp)
    When the moon mysteriously transforms into cheese, people across society – from astronauts to presidents – react and adapt during a lunar cycle, facing absurdity, faith, and uncertainty.

Older Titles

  1. The Artificial Man and Other Stories by Clare Winger Harris (338 pp)
    1920s-30s stories by female sf writer: huge insects, Martian plot for Earth water, and time travel.
  2. Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm (225 pp)
    Bird-friendly wizard with gift of knowledge tries to save Seattle.