Twice-Spent Comet

by Ziggy Schutz

Meercat Press/ IDG

    Ziggy Schutz manages to put a great deal into a very slim book. This is a moving story of freedom, responsibility, love and how incredibly important friendships can be.

    I hope there are more books coming from this wonderful writer.

If you would like to know more about, or purchase this book, please check your local independent bookshop or this great place: bookshop.org

State of Paradise                                           

Laura van den Berg

Farrar, Straus and Giroux/ Macmillan

    This is a strange and strangely moving work. Its setting is a Florida of, and not of, our time. There are many recognizable events and people, and more who are partially or wholly from this wondrous imagination. All of it comes together to be an enjoyable, sometimes funny, portrait of a future we're not hoping for, beautifully portrayed as it is.

If you want to know more about, or own this book, please check with your local independent bokstore or this fine place: bookshop.org

Stories of Your Life and Others                                

by Ted Chiang

Vintage Books/PRH

    

   Even if you rarely read short stories, try "Story of Your Life" in this collection. Chiang gives us a heartbreaking, life affirming tale told in a manner closely related to the communication system of the heptapods, visitors to earth whose written language consists of complex logograms. But no, this is not a difficult read. The film "Arrival" was based on this story but reading it is a completely different level. Just freakin' brilliant.

    The other stories here are also well worth your time.

If you want to know more about this book, or own it, please check with your local independent bookstore or this great place bookshop.org

Exhalation                             

Stories

by Ted Chiang

Knopf/PRH

     This is a varied collection of marvelous stories, concerning teaching AI, accessing memories, Einstein's theory of time travel (this one would be a brilliant Twilight Zone, but we do need Rod Serling's voice), personal responsibility and wondering if it can or will change, and much more.

    Not just for a science fiction lover, these are thoughtful stories for anyone.

If you would like to know more about, or own this book,  please check with your local independent bookstore or this great place: Bookshop.org .

 Translation State

by Ann Leckie

Orbit / Hachette Book Group

You don't need to be a Science Fiction fan to enjoy this book. There is a stronger sense of family, in all its permutations, and belonging, than space. But there is also an intergalactic feud and a wonderful penultimate scene on a constantly twisting space ship that will fulfill SF lovers' needs.

If you'd like to know more about this book, or own it, please check with your local independent bookstore or this great placebookshop.org

 

Tell Me an Ending

by Jo Harkin

Simon & Schuster

   If you could have a memory (or two) permanently removed, would you want to? Even if you knew that you wouldn't remember doing this or what the memory was? 

   People all around the world are suddenly notified that they have the opportunity to regain  memories that they don't remember having had removed and now they have a brief window in which to decide if they want to have a part of their lives returned.

   We meet several of the people making this choice and come to sympathize with their fears and desires and the immense gravity of the decisions they must make.

   Noor is a psychologist recently hired by a clinic in London where these restorations will take place. The more she learns about the program, the greater her moral ambiguity becomes. She must decide if she wants to work for this company and if she does, if there is any way that she can help these people. 

If you would like to know more about or own this book, please try your local bookstore or bookshop.org

Drunk on All Your Strange New Words 

by Eddie Robson 

Tordotcom/Macmillan Press 

   Lydia is a human, a translator working with the extra-terrestrial, Fitz, who is a Logi official in the early days of Earth’s first-contact. The difficulties are many, most profoundly that the Logi communicate telepathically in a language that works like tequila on the human brain. A translator can only do so much before becoming reeling drunk; Lydia and Fitz both understand this and Fitz tries to help Lydia maintain decorum. 

   Unfortunately, a murder occurs and Lydia needs to clear her name within a very dicey situation. Robson writes a deft and humorous science fiction/murder mystery with characters you come to care about and technology you can only wish were real.

If you would like to know more about or own this book, please try your local bookstore or bookshop.org