I am currently deeply engrossed in the November read for the New 女生小视频 Book Club, a piece of classic science fiction (well, from 2012) from Chris Beckett, Dark Eden. But I鈥檓 also in the mood for some fresh writing, and the new sci-fi on offer this month is an exciting and eclectic range. I鈥檓 keen to check out Benjamin Percy鈥檚 audio drama Exoplanet, produced by none other than Andy Weir, as well as books from some old favourites: Michael Moorcock, Carole Hailey, John Scalzi and Andrew Hunter Murray. And for all those still in the mood for scares after Halloween, there鈥檚 some space horror from SA Barnes in the deliciously named Cold Eternity.
by Benjamin Percy
This is something a little different 鈥� produced by Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Project Hail Mary, and written by Benjamin Percy, this sci-fi thriller is a full-cast audio drama from Audible, and it sounds really exciting. It follows the fallout when a quantum anomaly tears a starship apart, leaving its crew in different eras on the same deadly exoplanet 鈥� one in a machine-ruled future, for example, another in a past peopled by hostile aliens. I鈥檓 a recent (only this year) audiobook adopter, and this sounds right up my street.
by Andrew Hunter Murray
I really enjoyed Andrew Hunter Murray鈥檚 speculative novel The Last Day, in which the world stops turning, leaving half the planet in scorching sunlight and the other half permanently dark. This latest book sounds equally interesting. A young woman, Esme, escapes her dull job by taking tiny potions known as The Elsewheres, which allow her to visit alternate versions of herself. But then an 鈥渋ncident鈥� turns her into the most important person in this, or possibly any, universe. How will she handle it?
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by John Scalzi
Sci-fi legend John Scalzi鈥檚 latest speculative adventure has a Lovecraftian tinge, as the locals in Richland, Ohio, take offence to the actions of a predatory private-equity firm 鈥� and develop some unexpected tentacles. The local police chief, and former resident Mike, get entangled in what鈥檚 going on and in events that are likely to change humanity forever.
by Carole Hailey
I always appreciate a good 鈥渁steroid hitting Earth鈥� story (my recent-ish reads include Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle鈥檚 , a classic from 1977, and by Temi Oh, a twist on the tale). Carole Hailey鈥檚 previous book, The Silence Project, was great, so I鈥檓 looking forward to her take on this story. It follows Cassie, who grew up with a father obsessed with an impending apocalypse. Now she鈥檚 middle-aged and discovers that his teachings might have some use after all when an asteroid is found in the solar system, heading for northern Europe.
by Michael Moorcock
There aren鈥檛 many names in science fiction and fantasy bigger than Michael Moorcock, and this is the final part of his 鈥渇ictional autobiography鈥�. It sees, if I understand the blurb correctly, the author tell the story of both his real life (from the impact of his science fiction to the music of the sixties) and of a fantasy world only he can see (the example given: 鈥渢he Carmelite Monks must protect their latest multiverse-spanning invention鈥�). Intriguingly weird, as you鈥檇 expect from this wonderful writer 鈥� I鈥檓 keen to see how, as we鈥檙e promised, 鈥淢oorcock meets 鈥楳oorcock鈥� and together they produce a remedy for the world鈥檚 pain!鈥�.
by SA Barnes
If I were SA Barnes, I would be pretty pleased with the moniker laid on me by my publisher: she is, apparently, 鈥渢he queen of space horror鈥�. In this latest, Halley Zwick (who is on the run) boards the spaceship Elysian Fields. This was sold to the super-rich as a place to enter cryo-sleep until their immortality could be assured, but it has been silent and dark for decades鈥� although is it really?
by Solvej Balle, translated by Jennifer Russell and Sophia Hersi Smith
My colleague Gerardo loved previous instalments in this series, which follows a protagonist living the same day on repeat. Tara has now spent 12 years reliving 18 November, while her partner Thomas, to whom she has returned, repeats his own identical day. Tara sets off with her friends for a community where other time-stranded people have come together and begins to see a life beyond Thomas on the horizon.
by Jared Throne
This is a graphic novel in which four thieves travel to an abandoned colony planet (Bridge Planet Nine) with plans to rob one of the uncrewed freighter ships that land there. But it turns out this apparently deserted outpost isn鈥檛 as empty as they thought鈥�
by Lilja Sigurdard贸ttir, translated by Larissa Kyzer
This speculative crime novel was shortlisted for the Icelandic Crime Book of the Year award. It鈥檚 set in Reykjav铆k in 2052, where an artificial intelligence manages society and ensures it is almost crime-free. Sab铆na discovers that her brother, a dissident who lives outside the controlling AI鈥檚 reach, has been murdered, and she begins investigating his final days. I鈥檝e enjoyed Sigurdard贸ttir鈥檚 straight crime novels, so will definitely be exploring this one.
by Dan Moren
Ex-con Z is asked to help locate the tomb of Ikanto, which is hurtling through space towards a black hole. It鈥檚 a strange job offer 鈥� especially when it鈥檚 made by a floating brain in a jar. But Z is desperate and up for the challenge. This is an irreverent sort of caper, according to its publisher, and comparable to Guardians of the Galaxy 鈥� no bad thing in my eyes.
by Chloe Gong
Humans have moved to virtual reality to escape a world that is falling apart, in the second dystopian novel in The Strangeloom Trilogy. We follow those working against megacorporation NileCorp to bring it down. Sounds like some cyberpunky, futuristic fun.
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