Now Read This! January 2022: Science Fiction & Fantasy Recommendations

Our Now Read This! newsletters offer suggestions for your next favorite read, from hidden gems to the latest hot pick. Available in six genres, these newsletters include:

  • a featured book of the month
  • a special event worth checking out
  • a curated selection of newly acquired and upcoming titles
  • booklists for further reading

Whether you prefer epic fantasies or hard sci-fi, your friendly BPL Reader Services Librarians have recommendations for every reader.

Answer the questions and follow the arrows in the flowchart below to get a reading recommendation from this month's Science Fiction & Fantasy newsletter. Sign up for our newsletters here.

Q1: Aftermath of the Apocalypse or Asian-Inspired Fantasy? Apocalypse → Q2: Caused by Climate Crisis or by Space Colonization?Climate: How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu | Colonization: Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi | Fantasy → Q3: Political Intrigue or Mythic Retelling? Political Intrigue: The Veiled Throne by Ken Liu | Mythic Retelling: Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan.

This Month's Recommendations:

How High We Go in the Dark

This prescient debut follows a cast of characters over the course of hundreds of years, after humanity is devastated by an ancient virus that is unleashed when climate change melts the Arctic permafrost.

Goliath

When space colonies become the new reality for the rich and privileged, those left behind inherit an empty Earth. This is the story of one of these communities, told through a series of vignettes.

The Veiled Throne

In his third Dandelion Dynasty novel, local author Liu returns to a world steeped in myth, philosophy, and Asian culture to tell a tale of cultural conflict, political intrigue, and family rivalry.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess

This debut fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess follows Xingyin as she embarks on a quest to save her mother, who was exiled for stealing the Celestial Emperor's elixir of life and immortality.