Staff Recommendations
Daryl M.
Pages
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The human division
by Scalzi, John, 1969-
January 13, 2014
Call Number: SF
When we last left the Colonial Union (CU)--the human political/military force in John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series--things were in a bit of a mess. Since there is no way to describe this mess without giving away the ending to the last books in the series (The Last Colony and Zoe’s Tale), mess will simply have to suffice to describe the difficulties facing the CU (some of their own making and some issuing from their rival, The Conclave). In The Human Division, Scalzi takes us back to the Colonial Union to see how it is dealing with these challenges... Read Full Review
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Stoker's manuscript
by Prouty, Royce.
December 23, 2013
Call Number:
When is a risk too great? Even when the possible rewards are tempting? How do you decide? Who’s council do you seek? And what do you do, if after all the consideration and deliberation, you find that you’ve chosen poorly and the costs are higher than you could have possibly imagined? These are just some of the questions explored in Stoker’s Manuscript by Royce Prouty.Joseph Barkeley leads a comfortable life after a rocky childhood. He and his brother were orphaned in their native Romania after their father murdered their mother. They were rescued from an orphanage... Read Full Review
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Quintessence
by Walton, David, 1975-
December 9, 2013
Call Number:
What if Magellan was wrong and the world is FLAT? What if the earth really is a flat disc covered by a dome that houses the moon, stars and the sun? And those celestial objects are made of something known as “quintessence.” Quintessence is an alchemist’s dream! It allows for any of a number of transmutations to occur, and may even hold the power to bring the dead back to life. But it is also highly theoretical. Would the possible risks outweigh the potential rewards in pursuing the use of such a substance? How far would you go, and what would you risk, if you really could... Read Full Review
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Dreams and shadows
by Cargill, C. Robert, 1975-
November 12, 2013
Call Number:
Shortly after his birth, Ewan Thatcher is stolen from his crib and replaced by a changeling. He is taken to the Limestone Kingdom outside of Austin, Texas to be raised by fairies. The changeling, who was never expected to live beyond the devastation he brought to the Thatcher family, is adopted by a group of nixie sisters living in Lady Bird Lake and named Knocks. Ewan and Knocks are growing up together in the Limestone Kingdom and are friendly, even though Knocks has always felt inferior to Ewan.Colby Stephens is a typical kid growing up just outside of Austin. As an... Read Full Review
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Oz reimagined : new tales from the Emerald City and beyond
October 21, 2013
Call Number: SS
Oz. The mere mention of the name can conjure up images of flying monkeys, roads of yellow brick, witches (both good and wicked) and the Emerald City. For well over a century, children and adults alike have cherished L. Frank Baum’s original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 34 sequels with 13 written by Baum and, after his death, the remaining 21 written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. Even more people have been introduced to Oz... Read Full Review
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The coldest girl in Coldtown
by Black, Holly.
October 15, 2013
Call Number: YA
Tana Bach is a typical seventeen-year-old. She is looking forward to her senior year and is recovering from the most recent break-up with her exasperating on again/off again boyfriend Aidan. She’s been invited to an end of the summer party, but she’s not sure she wants to go because she is sure Aidan will be there. And, if she goes, she will have to go alone because Pauline, her best friend, is away at drama camp. She determines Aidan shouldn’t keep her from seeing the rest of her friends and decides to attend. . .Very early the next morning, Tana wakes up... Read Full Review
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London falling
by Cornell, Paul.
October 7, 2013
Call Number:
What if there was another world of beings and power, coexisting with our own? We can’t see this world, but its inhabitants can see and affect us. What if suddenly, and very unexpectedly, you could see that world and began to see how these creatures interfered in the lives of those who are unaware? How would you react? Would you try to prevent a potential tragedy by attempting to thwart forces you don’t completely understand (possibly risking yourself in the process)? These are just some of the questions explored in London Falling by Paul Cornell.Under the supervision... Read Full Review
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Scarlet
by Meyer, Marissa.
September 23, 2013
Call Number: YA SF
Scarlet Benoit lives with her grandmother on the family farm. She helps tend the crops, and makes deliveries to the local businesses in Rieux, France. Three weeks ago, her grandmother disappeared without a trace. The local authorities have closed the missing person's investigation claiming there is no evidence of foul play, but Scarlet knows better. She knows her grandmother would never leave their farm without telling her and, even if she had, she would have contacted Scarlet by now. Scarlet is determined to find her grandmother, but little does she... Read Full Review
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Fuzzy nation
by Scalzi, John, 1969-
August 26, 2013
Call Number: SF
What if, on an otherwise ordinary day, something happened on your job that could make you rich beyond your wildest dreams? And what if, a few days after this event, you encountered an alien life form that may be sentient? But if it is sentient, you would not be able to successfully collect your recently acquired wealth. Would you put your efforts behind the discovery of these creatures and the protection of their planet? Or would you try to hide them and protect your own interests? These are the questions explored by John Scalzi in Fuzzy Nation.... Read Full Review
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Queen Victoria's book of spells : an anthology of Gaslamp fantasy
August 19, 2013
Call Number: SS
Steampunk, the sub-genre of science fiction set primarily in the 19th century and featuring fantastic, often steam-powered, technologies with a Victorian flare, has been steadily growing in popularity over the last two decades. But what if you are more of a fantasy reader than a sci-fi reader? Well, prolific editors Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling have just the collection for you: Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells. Within this book, Datlow and Windling have gathered a marvelous collection of all new Victorian tinged fantasy stories (a new fantasy sub-genre referred to as... Read Full Review
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The Cassandra project
by McDevitt, Jack.
June 24, 2013
Call Number: SF
What if Neil Armstrong was not the first human to walk on the moon? What if there had been a secret moon landing that had never been publicized or acknowledged? And all involved who knew the truth had been sworn to secrecy, with some actually taking that truth to the grave? How could this have happened? And, more importantly, why? These are some of the intriguing questions explored in The Cassandra Project, by Jack McDevitt and Mike Resnick.
When a reporter asks Jerry Culpepper, NASA’s Director of Public Affairs, about a story in The National Bedrock (a... Read Full Review -
Hard magic
by Correia, Larry.
May 13, 2013
Call Number:
What if Phillip Marlowe or Sam Spade were able to use magic to assist them in solving mysteries? And what if the culprits they were tracking had magic as well? What would a pre-World War II world infused with magic be like? And how would the addition of magic alter the progress of world events? All of these questions are explored in Hard Magic: Book I of the Grimnoir Chronicles, by Larry Correia.Jake Sullivan is a decorated World War I vet, an ex-con, a private eye and an Active (person with magical abilities). He was released early from the Special Prisoners’ Wing of Rockville... Read Full Review