New Jo Walton

"Here in the Just City you will become your best selves. You will learn and grow and strive to be excellent."

In The Just City, a planned community populated by more than 10,000 children and a few hundred adult teachers from all eras of history, its residents, consisting of gods and humans, discover that they must all learn from each other in order to survive this experiment and become their best selves. By the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of Among Others.

The Just City received a starred review from Booklist: "the award-winning Walton has written a remarkable novel of ideas that demands—and repays—careful reading. It is itself an exercise in philosophy that often, courtesy of Socrates, critically examines Plato's ideas. If this sounds abstruse, it sometimes is, but the plot is always accessible and the world building and characterization are superb. In the end, the novel more than does justice to the idea of the Just City."

Top 5 Classic Sci-Fi Titles Our Patrons Love

Our patrons love Sci-Fi! Here are the top five novels that have been checked out from our science fiction/fantasy collection:

Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert

This book was so well read that it's worn out. Don't worry, a replacement is on its way! Dune Messiah is the second in the popular Dune series and, according to Galaxy Magazine, is "brilliant...it is all that Dune was, and maybe a little bit more." Dune Messiah continues the story of Paul Atreides, better known-and feared-as the man christened Muad'Dib. As Emperor of the Known Universe, he possesses more power than a single man was ever meant to wield. Worshipped as a religious icon by the fanatical Fremens, Paul faces the enmity of the political houses he displaced when he assumed the throne-and a conspiracy conducted within his own sphere of influence. And even as House Atreides begins to crumble around him, the true threat to Paul comes to his lover and the unborn heir to his family's dynasty.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This cult classic, the Boston Globe called "Irrisitible" and Publishers Weekly describes as "[A] whimical odyssey...characters frolic through the galaxy with infectious joy,"was first published in 1979 and went on to become a television show, a radio show and a series of five more books.  For those unfamiliar with this book, here is a summary: Escaping Earth just before it is demolished to make way for a new galactic highway, reluctant galactic traveler Arthur Dent embarks on a series of off-beat and occasionally extraterrestrial journeys, accompanied by a variety of unusual companions.

The Seeress of Kell by David Eddingings

Time was running out for Garion and his companions in their quest to recover Garion's infant son and heir. If they could not locate the Place Which Is No More, then Zandramas, the Child of Dark, would use Garion's son in a rite that would raise the Dark Prophecy to eternal dominion over the universe. Only the Seeress of Kell could reveal the site of that mysterious place--and that she could do only once Garion and Polgara had fulfilled an ancient prophecy in the mountain fastness of the Seers. The Seeress of Kell is the fifth and final installment in Eddings Mallorean series. It is recommended to read this series in order. Start with Guardians of the West, followed by King of Murgos, Demon Lord of Karanda and The Sorceress of Darshiva.

First and Only: Gaunt's Ghost by Dan Abnett

One of the Warhammer 40,000 series based on the Warhammer 40,000 wargame which is set in a dystopian science fiction/fantasy universe, First and Only: Gaunt's Ghost is the first of the Warhammer 40,000 Gaunt's Ghost Founding Series and revisits the early adventures of Commisar Gaunt and the Tanith First-and-Only as they fight for survival in their war-torn homeworld. 

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Hired to break into the virtually inaccessible computer network of a large corporation, Case, the world's finest interface cowboy, and Molly, a street-smart samurai, venture deep into cyberspace only to discover that they have become pawns in a deadly game. With Neormancer, William Gibson launched the "cyberpunk" genre and won three coveted science fiction awards for best novel: the Nebula, the Hugo, and the Philip K. Dick awards.

2013 Nebula Award Winners Announced

The winner of The Nebula Award for Best Novel given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is:

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie 

Now isolated in a single frail human body, Breq, an artificial intelligence that used to control a massive starship and its crew of soldiers, tries to adjust to her new humanity while seeking vengeance and answers to her questions.

"Using the format of SF military adventure blended with hints of space opera, Leckie explores the expanded meaning of human nature and the uneasy balance between individuality and membership in a group identity. Leckie is a newcomer to watch as she expands on the history and future of her new and exciting universe."—Library Journal

To learn more about Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and to see the full list of Nebula Awards (including those for novella, novelette and short story), click here.

WWII Time-Travel Story Wins Nebula Award

In February, this blog announced the list of 2011 Nebula nominees for best novel. Now, the winner has finally been chosen: Connie Willis for Blackout its companion volume, All Clear. The books tell the story of three time-travelling historians from 2060 who become trapped in World War II, with dire consequences. These accessible titles will appeal not only to science fiction readers, but also to fans of historical fiction/alternate history and to people who enjoy books like The Time Traveller's Wife.

Announcing Nebula Award Nominees

The Science Fiction Writers of America have published their list of Nebula Award nominees for 2010. Nominees include example of are both traditional sci-fi and genre-blending, such as alternate history and paranormal romance. The winner will be announced on May 21, but until then, why not read a few and decide on your own favorite?

The Native Star by MK Hobson

In 1876, witch Emily Edwards is forced to run for her life when an enchanted artifact falls into her possession, and she teams up with a warlock from New York City to unlock the secret of the mysterious artifact.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin
After Yeine Darr is summoned to the city of Sky and named heiress to the king of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, she is thrust into a fierce power struggle, and drawn ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death.

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

In a Jane Austen-inspired alternate universe, two sisters, one beautiful and the other skilled in the glamour arts, test the limits of their gifts on an unscrupulous suitor.

Echo by Jack McDevitt

Antiques dealer Alex Benedict and his assistant look for a stone tablet that may prove the existence of several forms of alien life, an investigation that sends them into the path of an assassin.

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

Born into post-apocalyptic Africa to a mother who was raped after the slaughter of her entire tribe, Onyesonwu is tutored by a shaman and discovers that her magical destiny is to end the genocide of her people.

Blackout by Connie Willis

Stranded in the past during World War II, three researchers from the future investigate period behavior and seek each other out in a shared effort to return to their own time.