speculative fiction
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Series Highlight: Black Dawn from AK Press
Science and Speculative Fiction has long been a way to explore other ways of existence, as well as a way to think about current moments through alternative lenses. In 2021 AK press, a worker-run, collectively managed anarchist small press that aims to “expand minds and change worlds,” launched Black Dawn, a series of speculative fiction… Continue reading
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Seattle Reads: Read Deeper
Whether the 2024 Seattle Reads selection of Parable of the Sower was your introduction to the work of Octavia Butler or you’re a long time fan of the author, I hope you’re enjoying diving into Butler’s world of speculative fiction. Her creative and sometimes terrifying visions of the future, centering of Black experience, dreams of anti-hierarchical… Continue reading
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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
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Tired of Grim Dystopias? Try Solarpunk!
Solarpunk is a relatively newer subset of the cyberpunk and steampunk genres, being introduced in 2008. Solarpunk focuses on what the future might be like using renewable resources. Often humanity is managing to coexist in a more harmonious way with the world and while natural disasters might not have been avoided, they are less likely… Continue reading
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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
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Top 10 Noteworthy 2019 Speculative Fiction Books Part 2
A continuation of our favorite speculative fiction works this year! So far… The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz. Annalee Newitz just won a Hugo Award for the Our Opinions Are Correct podcast with their partner Charlie Jane Anders and is a writer of both science and science fiction. TFOAT is a fiercely feminist… Continue reading
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Top 10 Noteworthy 2019 Speculative Fiction Books Part 1
Even though it’s only October and there are still two more months left for publishing and reading in 2019 we are already assembling our “best lists”. Here are some of our favorite speculative fiction works this year (so far): The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders. This is a science… Continue reading
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Love Science Fiction & Fantasy? Join the Other Realms Roundtable!
If you love science fiction and fantasy and are looking to find out about more good books to read, then the Other Realms Roundtable may be just for you! Starting in January, the Other Realms Roundtable book group will be meeting on the 2nd Thursday of the month at noon at City Hall’s City Grind… Continue reading
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The Science Fiction Checklist Challenge: Near Future
~posted by Lindsay S. I would like to talk to you about the wonder that is Margaret Atwood, but I feel a little weird associating her with a Science-Fiction checklist. Margaret Atwood writes important novels like The Handmaid’s Tale. She’s a serious author and science-fiction is so very genre. It would be like suggesting William… Continue reading
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Do you like speculative fiction? Check out Seattle’s own Clarion West!
The Clarion West Writer’s Workshop is a gem of the Seattle literary world. They hold workshops throughout the year and a fantastic, crowd-funded write-a-thon for writers around the world. Continue reading
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What do we do after the world ends: Fight (Part 1)
The post-apocalyptic young adult novel is a genre that has been around for years, but seems to be holding steady and even picking up in frequency. I find them fascinating. Why? Because this is one of the new frontiers in speculative fiction – an acceptance that the world is likely to change radically in our… Continue reading
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The ultimate Hunger Games read-alike list
This is a short public service announcement: There is life after The Hunger Games. There are more books out there for you! Start with our Ultimate Hunger Games read-alike list, with 24 suggestions for those of us looking for unlikely heroes starring in fast-paced dystopian adventures. You’ll find titles in e-book version on this list. And we… Continue reading
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Author crush: Ted Chiang
In my tween and teen years, I devoured science fiction like Godzilla devoured Tokyo train cars. I read all the great authors and all the classic titles until I found myself, around age 19, sated. No more science fiction for me. I got it. Space. Aliens. The Future. A year or so ago, I subscribed… Continue reading