Given the Governor’s directive that we stay home and stay safe, many of us have time on our hands. Why not take some of that time to read? Here are some new science fiction selections to consider:

The world in “Gamechanger” by L.X. Beckett has suffered through dramatic climate change, economic collapse, and plagues. The Clawback generation survived, and now the Bounceback generation is trying to rebuild a stable, viable world. Rubi Whiting, a bouncer, is a defense lawyer who focuses on those with mental issues. For some reason, her current client, Luce, won’t meet with her in the flesh and continues to exhibit antisocial behaviors. Rubi is also a celebrity gamer, who needs to decide if she’ll have a rematch with her arch nemesis, Gimlet or focus on her law career. Then there is Javier Anselmo, a police officer/unicorn chaser, who is convinced that Luce is a dangerous AI bent of destroying mankind. Is he? Or is he something even worse?

What began as the promise for an equal color-blind socienty in Red Rising has now fallen in Pierce Brown’s “Dark Age.” Darrow, without the support of that society is fighting the new breed of Golds on Mercury. The Sovereign, Virginia, is trying to convince the Republic to support him, but she is facing her own troubles. Ephraim, kidnapper of Pax and Electra, fleeing to Mars and working for the Obsidians, hopes to rescue Volga and Lyria and thus redeem himself. Meanwhile, Lysander, joins Atalantia, hoping to recreate the old hierarchy with benevolent Golds ruling the masses. Will these pieces be able to resolve their differences before destroying all they hope to save?

After terror attacks and deadly viruses force humanity into isolation, with public gatherings forbidden, Luce Cannon, the last to perform a live concert, wonders if her musical career is over. At the same time, Rosemary, wants something more for herself than being an isolated Superwally customer service employee, working from her parents’ house. A lover of music, she becomes a scout, looking for musical talent for StageHoloLive, in Sarah Pinsker’s “Song for a New Day.”

A “Beginning at the End” by Mike Chen also deals with the results of a pandemic. Six years after a virus wipes out most of humanity, those who are left are trying to rebuild their lives. Everyone has lost someone; now it is time to deal with the trauma and move on. That is what Rob in San Francisco has been trying to do after the loss of his wife. He has not, however, explained to his daughter Sunny that her mom is actually dead, and Sunny has been acting out at school as a result. Into their lives come Krista, a wedding planner, and Moira, a former pop star, whose feelings for Sunny help them deal with the trauma in their own lives.

Roger and Dodger have been created by the alchemist Reed to embody the Doctrine of Ethos in Seanan McGuire’s “Middlegame.” Roger is a genius with words, and Dodger is a genius with numbers. Separated at birth, they discover each other telepathically, but Reed must keep them apart so that he can control them. Together, they can destroy or build the universe. By controlling them, Reed seeks to harness whatever powers they manifest.

The world has a new holiday, “Last Day” the title of a new novel by Domenica Ruta. Every year, people celebrate May 28 as if it will be the last day on Earth, a world that has progressively become more populated and polluted. Ruta focuses on three diferent but connected sets of individuals: intelligent and asexual teenage Sarah looking for love from 40 something tattoo artist Kurt; dysfunctional Karen, abused as a child, and her one friend Rosette; and astronauts Bear and Svec with their billionaire tourist Yui.

By Carolyn McManis

Programming Coordinator