science fiction

  • Time is Fake!

    Time is Fake!

    “Happy” “New” “Year”? Celebrating the passage of time freaks me out. I feel unsettled by the acknowledgement that humans assign numbers and meaning to our spins through space and time. And we don’t even all use the same calendar! Time feels increasingly fake to me. I spent most of my college astronomy class either fighting… Continue reading

  • Hugo Award 2025 Finalists

    Hugo Award 2025 Finalists

    Every year, the Hugo Awards celebrate some of the most exciting voices in science fiction and fantasy. This year, the ceremony will be right here in Seattle during Worldcon on August 16. From time travel and resurrected mammoths to graphic novels and YA adventures, the 2025 finalists offer something for every reader. This month, we’ve… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: Mermaids

    With the live-action Little Mermaid in theatres, mermaids are on my mind! Are they on yours too? While they are often depicted as beautiful and sweet in pop culture and children’s fiction, these mythic creatures may haunt your nightmares after reading these three speculative fiction titles. Bonus: included are some relevant categories to help you… Continue reading

  • What’s new in Pacific Northwest Science Fiction and Fantasy

    The Pacific Northwest has always been a little different, as these wildly imaginative recent Fantasy and Science Fiction titles by NW authors attest. Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton. Facing a battle in Seattle against a mutant horde, Cheeto loving crow S.T. takes Dee, the sole surviving human, under his wing, in the hilarious sequel… Continue reading

  • Talking Romance (and Sci-Fi and Speculative Fiction) with Librarian Misha Stone

    At the Emerald City Writers’ Conference in October, the Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America (GSRWA) named our very own Adult Services Librarian Misha Stone their Librarian of the Year, citing Misha’s commitment to promoting the romance genre and uplifting traditionally marginalized voices. Misha has been a librarian in the Seattle area since graduating from… Continue reading

  • Recent Science Fiction: Journey to the Stars

    Science fiction, as a genre, covers many different subgenres and subjects, but one steadfast storyline is a trip to the stars. If you’re in the mood for fictional space exploration, check out one of these recent novels. We Have Always Been Here by Lena Nguyen Dr. Grace Park has always gotten along better with androids… Continue reading

  • A guide to exploring new genres

    Each year, groups of librarians from across the country hole up in a room (this year, a virtual room) to discuss and select the best books from the year before. The Notable Books List features literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; the Listen List is all about outstanding audiobooks; and The Reading List, which I want… Continue reading

  • Watch and Read: Stranger Things

    While I can honestly watch Stranger Things over and over and over again we have so much material that adds on to the Stranger Things universe to quench your nerdy hearts. As well as a few reads to give you the same feeling the show did – for all ages! The Stranger Things Field Guild… Continue reading

  • Read-alikes for the Emily St. John Mandel fan

    Want something like Emily St. John Mandel? We get this question quite a lot from fans of the author’s best-selling dystopian novel Station Eleven or her more literary mysteries starting with her debut Last Night in Montreal. Here are some read-alikes with similar qualities to St. John Mandel’s beautiful and haunting novels: Continue reading

  • Ray Harryhausen – Featuring Creatures

    As a kid in the 1960s I loved the Sunday afternoon movies. Sometimes a Tarzan flick, sometimes a Kung Fu movie, sometimes a Hammer Horror, and sometimes it was a creature feature. Sure Godzilla or Mothra were fun, but the BEST creature features were done by a guy by the name of Ray Harryhausen. Harryhausen… Continue reading

  • Book Series by Volume – Galactic Edition

    I’m one of those people that love book series – big book series. When I see a trilogy my first thought is often “Isn’t that cute!” as I turn my attention to truly massive piles of words. This can work to my disadvantage, as I have that compulsion to finish a series no matter the… Continue reading

  • Pandemic Post-Apocalyptic Podcast

    Pandemic Post-Apocalyptic Podcast

    It was amazing, astounding, this loss of communication with the world. It was exactly as if the world had ceased, been blotted out. …With the coming of the Scarlet Death the world fell apart, absolutely, irretrievably. – The Scarlet Plague, by Jack London Just a handful of years after the novella quoted above came out,… Continue reading

  • Science Fiction 4 All Seasons

    Four Science Fiction eAudiobooks featuring four different styles of Science Fiction stories. Happy listening! Anne Manx in Lives of the Cat by Larry Weiner, read by Claudia Christian and Patricia Tallman Anne Manx is an honest detective, maybe the last one remaining in the star system. And because of this, when a sudden insurrection within… Continue reading

  • Science fiction and fantasy books about change

    During these times of uncertainty, many of us are looking to our favorite writers for comfort and guidance. For decades, speculative-fiction writers have shown themselves to be especially well-versed in the subject of uncertainty, using their magical worlds to explore social problems and existential questions that complicate our daily lives. Here are three science fiction… Continue reading

  • Imagining Life, Post-Pandemic

    There was a time – two months or so ago – when readers flocked to dystopian fiction so that they might imagine  what strange, dark days might lay ahead. Now that we’re all living through something that feels a bit like sci-fi itself, futuristic fiction is still there to help us envision and contemplate the… Continue reading

  • Speculative Short Stories to Read or Listen to Online

    Friday the 13th of March was a dynamic scene at the Central Library, with patrons queuing for help to find good books to read during the library’s closure, and the DVD aisles packed with browsers. I miss assisting patrons in person in finding a great story to read or watch – though do visit my… Continue reading

  • Fantastic Librarians of the Future!!

    Fantastic Librarians of the Future!!

    Many years ago – back in the ‘oughts – we did a couple of popular posts on librarians in fiction, and in fantasy. Since then, librarians have only stepped up their fictional game, appearing in more and more novels, not so surprising when we consider that many authors basically grew up in libraries. They pop… Continue reading

  • Science Fiction for the Movie Based Fan!

    I love science fiction – but realized recently that the genre is really different to read than it is to watch. I have two dozen favorite TV shows and movies that are all science fiction, but really struggle to find the same styles and pacing in books. However, I have recently come across some titles… Continue reading