Books Are Freakin’ Cool

Reading is like magic mind-to-mind communication. It’s one of the best, least destructive ways to hide from how shitty real life can be. We get to pretend to be someone else and live in worlds created by a stranger. Books are the portals all that awesomeness passes through.

Here’s 5 Kick-Ass Science Fiction Books Worth Every Moment Spent Reading Them:

1. The Best of All Possible Worlds

Written by Karen Lord and published in 2013

A Deep Dark Well…

Karen Lord hit the crazy cool jackpot when she wrote The Best of All Possible Worlds. It explores the plight of off-planet refugees while making huge statements about interpersonal and political relationships. A dash of weird, unexpected romance, some literal world explorations, and a whole lot of gritty guts round out this exceptionally kick-ass novel.

2. Last Shot

Written by Daniel Jose Older and published in 2018

Getting To Know You…

Ever wonder what Han Solo and Lando Calrissian were doing for all that time? Here’s your answer. Daniel Jose Older spins us through a crazy fun Star Wars cannon story with The Last Shot. Older breathes new life into characters we’ve all come to know and love, expanding their backstories and making them 100x more dynamic. Who knew Lando was such a genius?

3. Amatka

Written by Karin Tidbeck and published in 2012

It all starts with a train…

Karin Tidbeck transports us through an unknown dimension to the world of Amatka. The strength of words, of speaking and naming, of writing and reading, pervades every aspect of this book. Words literally hold the world together. It feels like a cross between 1984 and some sad, dilapidated farming community, run down by eons of nothing and dead children. Clearly, Tidbeck did all kinds of interesting research and shares her knowledge in unexpected, kick-ass ways.

4. Oryx and Crake

Written by Margaret Atwood and published in 2003

The Purity of Creation…

Not the newest title on the list, Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake is a ecological post-apocalyptic wonder. Maybe not the best read for some during a pandemic, the novel is wonderfully iconic, toting flashbacks galore and a setting to die (or survive) for. Her characters struggle with class discrimination, political upheaval, food shortages, and the moral authority of humans. Is it really okay to genetically alter chickens to produce more breast meat? Um…no. How about crossing some wildcat apex predators to use as designer pets? Yeah, okay, that sounds like a gggrrreeeaaattt idea.

5. Lost Transmissions: The Secret History of Science Fiction and Fantasy

Various authors complied by Desirina Boskovish published 2019

When the Beginning Never Comes…

Ever wonder what was ‘supposed’ to happen? In Lost Transmissions: The Secret History of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Desirina Boskovich has collected essays, stories, and articles from various SF/F writers about the could-have-beens that hit the cutting room floor. Explore ideas like the original Alien 3 story-line, the brilliance of David R. Bunch, and how Science Fiction has (or should have) influenced every aspect of ‘real life’ from architecture to fashion.

Hop through some portals, kids. Have some fun and get away from the crap.

Catch ya on the flip side!

~Sarah

Image Credits:

Amatka:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33518530-amatka ,The Best of All Possible Worlds:https://novelniche.net/2014/04/19/47-the-best-of-all-possible-worlds-bykarenlord/ , Last Shot:https://connernorton123.wordpress.com/2018/05/07/star-wars-last-shot-by-danieljoseolder-book-review/ , Lost Trasmissions:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/two-new-books-examine-thelosthistoryof-speculative-fiction/ , Oryx and Crake:https://dghudson-rainwriting.blogspot.com/2013/04/oryxandcrakebook-review.html