The 19 best sci-fi and fantasy books to read in February 2020

The end of January has brought cold temperatures and a new layer of snow, which is a fitting background for a book I've been reading recently: Waubgeshig Rice & # 39; s 2018 novel Month of frozen snow, is a very interesting post-apocalyptic novel set in Northern Canada. Rice, a member of the Wasauksing First Nation, is following Evan Whitesky, who has to take care of his young family and help his community cooperate as the largest power-generating state in North America.

An apt novel, Rice uses it to explore the art of civilization and how a society that relies on it is closer to infrastructure. While reading it, I arrived beyond the tweet that seems to reinforce his argument: "Dystopia is the name of a white people made for & # 39; how could all that happen in the US?" It is not a new track in fictional fiction books, but Rice puts that interesting spin on it.

The cold weather doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon, and February brings more books to be picked up while we wait for warmer weather to arrive. (And if you missed them, here are our January selections.)

February 4

An angel, a dragon, and a spooky child on the cover of James Cambias's The Initiate

Seeking answers after his family was killed by a demonic attack, Sam Arquero meets an old man who informs him of an ancient magical weapon known as Apkallu. If he wants answers, he should join them. But the order has strict rules and customs, and that they can be responsible for the death of his loved ones.

Read the first six chapters here.

a gradient-like fire covers the town on the cover of Joel Dane's Burn Cycle

Cried Pilot, Joel Dane's novel, of data, is set in the near future when people fight for military positions. Maseo Kaytu volunteers to be a "pilot," a drone person. In Burn the Cycle, after a decisive battle, has been given a new mission: find the "burning place" of their enemy, and destroy it – the next step in the war the world is in danger of losing.

Listen to the quotes.

Sarah Gailey wrote one of my favorite novels last year, The False Magic. In Good Women, he turns back toward the boundless west. Gailey follows the story of Esther, a young woman who rode in a cart to escape an arranged marriage. He was found, and the librarians (tasked with distributing approved books to all the new places) found that he had stumbled upon a place of change. Being brought to a camp in Utah, he discovers a secret about one of the refugees he escorted to, and throws the rest of their group in danger.

Publishers Weekly available to book a starred review, "Gailey's beautiful writing and authentic characters make this small volume a total delight."

Read the take out.

Power cover scenarios have barricades that turn on their sides

In this classic fantasy novel, Wade writes about Pelismara, a city in the heart of a deep cave, inhabited by 12 ruling families that form a solid class system. The city was devastated, and when an epidemic destroyed the city and killed its ruler, 17-year-old Margaret is forced to represent her family to compete to become the royal heir. He will have to fight his other rivals in the throne, including his younger brother of the public, Nekantor, who threatens everything he has worked for.

Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review and argues that the novel "has an impressive structure, world-building, and mental well-being should surely capture the attention of readers."

Read the quote.

February 11

In her classic fantasy novel, Kelly Braffet follows the story of Judah, a gifted young woman and raised alongside Gavin, the heir to the whole empire. But having been elevated to the throne, he realizes that he has no future in the kingdom, and that the king of kings, Elban, sees him as an alcoholic in the struggle for supreme power. When the mysterious healer arrives at Highfall, it becomes clear that he has his plans for the emperor, and Judah can play a part in their plans. Publishers Weekly it means "Students who really enjoy complex characters will find it great to be heard here."

Read the take out

the scattering head of a woman on the Daughter from the Dark by Marina & amp; Sergey Dyachenko

To save a 10-year-old girl named Alyona is throwing the life of DJ Alexey Igorevitch Grimalsky into chaos. The girl insists that she stay with him, comes up with strange stories to recount his origins, and claims to be hunting for his lost brother. Refusing to leave, his bored bear lives and becomes a vicious beast, interrupting any attempt to get him out of his apartment and return home.

Publishers Weekly it means "The change Alyona is taking care of for her refusing caregiver is completely satisfying. The founders of family archeology will find themselves entertained by this unusual subject."

light knocks clouds over the city through The Light Age by R.W.W. Greene cover

Long before Hisako Saski was born, his parents arranged for him to marry Adem Sadiq, a space engineer for his family, Hajj, to get expensive education. As he grows older, he becomes angry with the arrangement, and the physics he needs to learn that can be the key to changing human history by opening the key to an easy-to-navigate journey.

Publishers Weekly it means "An incredibly complex and varied world-building, emotional actors make Greene the author to watch."

Read the take out.

The burning horn on the cover of the name is forbidden by A.K. Larkwood

Osorwe, the royal priest of the orc, will one day climb the holy mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unknown, and be offered. But when the day comes, a convert named Belthandros Sethennai gives him a new destiny: come with him and help him return to his kingdom in the city of Tlanthoth. He trains him to become a thief and a murderer – a pure tool to help him in his quest.

Publishers Weekly give a book a star review and say that "Dear fairy fans will surely be impressed with this cleverly crafted approach."

Read the first five chapters here.

captain picard holding Starfleet badge on Picard cover: Una McCormack's The Best Hope

CBS All Access paid for the new one Star Trek series Picard a few days ago, and to commemorate the event, releases a binding novel that stops the events of the series, written by Una McCormack. The novel will provide a backstory for some of the newest characters

a strong storm with a horse and sleeves riding in the snow

In Witch, C.L. Poland introduces an unpleasant new world called Aeland (unlike Edwardian England) which is suffering the consequences of a major world war. The Miles Singer family of magicians wanted to carve out some of his skills, and escape to fight and hide his skills from persecution. Injured by the war, he is helped by an angel in disguise, and his sister Dame Grace Hensley drags him back into the magical and political world.

In this novel, Polk picks up on the stories of Grace, who helped try the assassination now, will have to find out who did it, and goes with Miles to their rival nation, Laneeri. Aeland is threatened by a bad storm and the transition begins, and he is forced to make major decisions to help save his country.

Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review, stating that "this believable administration is a follow-up to his left."

Read the take out.

February 18

bridge on the bridge of Bridge 108 by Anne Charnock

In the near future, Europe is overcome by climate change. When a 12-year-old refugee is abandoned by her mother, she is snatched by smugglers who take her to Manchester. When he escapes with a fellow victim, he finds himself a new life in a dangerous new world.

Publishers Weekly it means "The construction of Charnock's land is getting bigger and more detailed with Caleb's departure. Readers who enjoy the age-old newsletter with hopeful messages will be delighted by the recent news of human handiwork in the face of the climate crisis."

Read the take out.

the space station floats on the cover of Gravity of a distant Sun by Rs. Stearns

R.E. Stearns & # 39; s first novel Barbary Station he was one of mine popular 2017 novels, and it was the busy entertainment of two engineers joining a pirate crew on a space station with a killer AI. Oh, and there are big, bad megacorporations to find.

After skipping their strings in the second installment of the trilogy, Mutiny in Vesta, Adda and Irdia are on the run again, both from the management and from the understanding made, and find themselves trapped in the orbit of Jupiter. They have one shot to escape – walking past one bridge to another galaxy. First, they need to survive.

Kirkus Review says the book "is a great ending to SF adventure fun."

the ship orbits the planet on the cover of Gareth L. Powell's Impact Stars

In 2018, Gareth L. Powell kicked off his trilogy of Light of Impible Stars Intervention of War, receiving the British British Photographic Award of 2018 for Best Novel, and followed the wrong track of a former war organization trying to keep up with its role in the devastating war.

At this end in the trilogy, the ship is hunted by the Fleet of Knives, and then tracks down an anomaly called Intrusion, where the reality itself is blocked. With human civilization under attack and about to collapse, the ship can be the key to saving everyone.

Read the quote.

a woman fighting a sword on the cover of The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso

Queen Talyien treated her kingdom of Oren-yaro with a devastating war that almost destroyed her home. To help reconcile, she arranges a wedding with the son of her rival's family, so that things don't go wrong when her husband, who disappeared five years ago, is back. When he receives a message from across the sea, a request for reconciliation is created, he is pulled into a trap, and is forced to take drastic measures for survival.

Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review, stating that "the pace of the novel is refreshing but not overwhelming. This excellent work will attract all readers of good fiction."

Read the take out.

February 25th

A map of the city on the cover of The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold

Actor Luke Arnold (Black Sails) made the myth a fantasy with his first novel, The Last Smile in Sunder City, where he follows a private detective named Fetch Philips, who tries to deal with his past in a diminished magical city. He was a soldier in a destructive war, when magic was cast out of the earth and its inhabitants, resulting in tragic consequences. He is now hired by the school principal to track down the missing professor – a 300-year-old vampire, and discover that there is a large building nearby.

Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review, states that "by conquering (includes) the misery of Chinatown with a quirky metal of Harry Potter, this open-source series should readers come back for more. ”

Read the take out.

an airy pattern in the mask of Master of Sorrows by Justin T. Call

Hidden far from the world, the Academy of Chaenbalu has been responsible for teaching the secrets of magic for centuries. Students learn how to find and steal magical items, with the aim of protecting themselves from misuse. Another student, Annev de Breth wants to be an Avatar – a military thief assigned to this most challenging task – but he carries a mysterious history: born marked as the son of a black god named Keos, saved from death by the ancient priest Sodar, and worked to keep his secret secret. But now that he's in school, he feels a sense of urgency to accept who he is.

Grimdark Magazine says the novel "(The plot) and the backstory of Master of Shadows are well-made and historical," and that the novel is "a perfect example of short philosophy," which balances something dark with hope.

Finna by Nino Cipri

In this short Nino Cipri slogan, the old store is tucked into an interactive section of Swedish Ikea-like furniture stores, encouraging two store employees, Ava and Jules, to go above and beyond to follow the lost customer. Along the way, they deal with body furniture, doppelgänger, and their own issues.

Press the MIT Press & # 39; Stanislaw Lem series

Stanislaw Lem is responsible for some of the biggest breeds of the genre, such as Solaris. MIT Press is also releasing new editions of six author works: The voice of his Master, translated by Michael Kandel, about a team of scientists designing a alien signal; Highcastle: A Monument, Translated by Michael Kandel, Lem's memir of his childhood; The default, translated by Bill Johnston, about a multstellar mission sent to a distant planet, only to discover the civilization of the machines it uses; Back to the Stars, translated by Barbara Marszal and Frank Simpson, about a nobleman returning to Earth after a century of service; Transition Hospital, translated by William Brand, about a doctor working in a shelter during the Second World War; and Reminiscences of A Traveler in Space: Also Remembered by Ijon Tichy Translated by Joel Stern, Maria Swiecicka-Ziemianek, and Antonia Lloyd-Jones, a collection of several short stories about spacecraft named after Ijon Tichy.

many colored balls floating on the body of a girl hidden by Ken liu

Ken Liu is one of my favorite writers currently writing, and his collection of short fiction works Paper Menagerie and Other Stories it was a fantastic volume for his short story.

Now, he's getting a second collection of short stories from some of his best recent stories, as well as actual horror and research from the edges of his brilliant genius, Covered Throne.

You can read the news bulletin online:To be born again, ""Thoughts and Prayers, ""Byzantine sensation, ""Sitting in the background, ""At All Times, Vast Herds Herd, ""Memories of Mom, ""Seven birthdays, ”And“Air Days. ”You can also listen to a few stories:Real Artists ” and “The demon of Maxwell. ”