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New Book Spotlight: Charles Stross, C. Robert Cargill, and John Birmingham

by Library Reference on 2025-02-05T15:42:39-05:00 in Literature | 0 Comments

Today's new book spotlight includes four new books!  The Shattered Skies and The Cruel Stars are by John Birmingham, Day Zero is by C. Robert Cargill, and Invisible Sun is by Charles Stross.  If one enjoys fantasy and sci-fi, these books will most certainly be up one's alley.  First, Invisible Sun takes place in a dystopian future where different multiverses combine.  The United States of America is both a kingdom and a futuristic democracy, and both versions know about each other and are seemingly at odds with one another.  However, both places are on the brink of collapse and disaster, and the leaders of each area need to figure out a way to keep existing and not plunge into torrential turmoil and chaos.  A gripe that is present is that a lot of the characters in the story tend to not be thoroughly described in stimulating and passionate ways, thus causing the reader to not feel too bad if a character is killed off.  Regardless, the author presents the reader with a very riveting and gripping opinion about parallel universes, democracy, and surveillance states.1

Next, the second new book in Richard Bland Library's collection is Day Zero.  C. Robert Cargill throws his readers into a world where the robots have started an uprising, and a robot tiger is forced to choose protecting his human child owner or going rogue.  Essentially, the book captivatingly describes how the actors in the story try to deal with the crumbling and nonsensical world around them.  The characters also compellingly gain a better understanding of themselves, and viewers can clearly see where the author longed to take the actors of the book.2  Finally, the last two novice books in the library collection are The Shattered Skies and The Cruel Stars.  Both of these books are space operas and deal with an evil and vicious force from outside the boundaries of the solar system coming to attack human life.  John Birmingham immensely describes his actors in the novels thoroughly, and each character has a possibility of resonating well with the reader.  The stories of the publications can be lumped into the same feelings one receives when reading a Tom Clancy rendering.3  Action and adventure are extremely prevalent throughout both books and are tremendously described in many chapters.4  All and all, the four books presented in this post will definitely tickle one's science fiction and space opera fancy.  Check them out today!

 

Invisible Sun by Charles Stross
Call Number: PR6119.T79 I58 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-80709-0
Publication Date: September 2021
 
Day Zero by C. Robert Cargill
Call Number: PS3603.A7449 D39 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-240580-7
Publication Date: 2021
 
The Cruel Stars by John Birmingham
Call Number: PR9619.3.B5136 C74 2020
ISBN: 978-0-399-59331-4
Publication Date: 2019
 
The Shattered Skies by John Birmingham
Call Number: PR9619.3.B5136 S52 2022
ISBN: 978-1-9848-2055-6
Publication Date: 2022

 

Sources:

1. https://kara.reviews/invisible-sun/#:~:text=Invisible%20Sun%20offers%20up%20commentary,complain%20too%20heavily%20about%20it!

2. https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/nonfiction/book-review-day-zero-by-c-robert-cargill/

3. https://atboundarysedge.com/2021/06/05/book-review-the-cruel-stars-by-john-birmingham/#:~:text=The%20first%2C%20Lieutenant%20Hardy%2C%20remained,be%20waiting%20for%20the%20sequels.

4. https://atboundarysedge.com/2022/01/05/book-review-the-shattered-skies-by-john-birmingham/#:~:text=The%20odd%20expletive%2Dladen%20exchange,what%20it%20needs%20to%20do.


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