Koncocoo

Best Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction

Year One: Chronicles of the One, Book 1
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A stunning new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts— Year One is an epic of hope and horror, chaos and magick, and a journey that will unite a desperate group of people to fight the battle of their lives… It began on New Year’s Eve. As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. ” -- New York Times Book Review. NORA ROBERTS is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including The Obsession, The Liar, The Collector, Whiskey Beach, and many more.
Reviews
"I've been reading her for years and listening to her JD ROBB BOOKS."
"Once again Nora Roberts gives us characters that you can love and cheer for as well as ones to cheer against."
"This story sucked me in, a definitely different take on the apocalypse."
"Started a little slower for me than some it about 1\4 of the way through pulled me right in."
"Not what I expected as the story played out."
"I don't usually read Nora Roberts, but the theme of this book intrigued me."
"I've always loved Nora but this book was different, had an different feel, and I loved it!"
"I read when I am walking on the treadmill and 90 minutes passed before I knew it."
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Year One: Chronicles of the One, Book 1
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A stunning new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts― Year One is an epic of hope and horror, chaos and magick, and a journey that will unite a desperate group of people to fight the battle of their lives… It began on New Year’s Eve. As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. “Electric and ground-breaking…A fast-paced, mesmerizing, and thought-provoking novel that will no doubt add to Roberts' legions of fans.” -- Kirkus , Starred Review.
Reviews
"I've been reading her for years and listening to her JD ROBB BOOKS."
"Once again Nora Roberts gives us characters that you can love and cheer for as well as ones to cheer against."
"This story sucked me in, a definitely different take on the apocalypse."
"Started a little slower for me than some it about 1\4 of the way through pulled me right in."
"Not what I expected as the story played out."
"I don't usually read Nora Roberts, but the theme of this book intrigued me."
"I've always loved Nora but this book was different, had an different feel, and I loved it!"
"I read when I am walking on the treadmill and 90 minutes passed before I knew it."
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Best Science Fiction

Animal Farm and 1984
Animal Farm is Orwell's classic satire of the Russian Revolution -- an account of the bold struggle, initiated by the animals, that transforms Mr. Jones's Manor Farm into Animal Farm--a wholly democratic society built on the credo that All Animals Are Created Equal. 'I continue to find the Readers' Guides indispensable for teaching - they really give students a sense of criticsm having a history' - Professor Rachel Bowlby, University of York 'The series looks really excellent - attractively produced, user friendly; and outstanding value for money' - Ronald Knowles, Reader, University of Reading I continue to find the Readers' Guides indispensable for teaching - they really give students a sense of criticsm having a history' - Professor Rachel Bowlby, University of York. 'The series looks really excellent - attractively produced, user friendly; and outstanding value for money' - Ronald Knowles, Reader, University of Reading.
Reviews
"The pigs rewrite history and convince the others that things happened differently to how they remember, and rewrite their '7 Commandments' subtly in their favour and so on. There is plenty of depth if you want to go into the details of the allegory if you are interested, but the main point is pretty obvious really."
"An excellent read which will eternally be applicable to every generation."
"I kept hoping and hoping that the animals would rise up in a second rebellion, or that Snowball would return with some kind of relief force, when I knew very well that this book is based on Russian history and no such thing happened."
"As with any book review, I do not want to spill the plot, but suffice it to say that the (potential future) world Orwell paints in vivid detail is not always a pretty one. At less than 10 bucks for the Kindle edition this set is a true Amazon bargain!"
"My son and I both enjoyed reading this classic George Orwell novel, there are a lot of discussion points to be had at the end of each chapter, and it's a relatively short read - much like this review."
"I loved this, it is one of my all time favorites, and this was a refresher read for next months discussion at the book club I belong to."
"Small print and smaller book than expected."
"Don't waist your time with this printing of such a classic, great the book."
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Best Action & Adventure

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley. Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. After 11 years of disregard and neglect at the hands of his aunt, uncle and their swinish son Dudley, Harry suddenly receives a visit from a giant named Hagrid, who informs Harry that his mother and father were a witch and a wizard, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry himself.
Reviews
"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"I was ravenous to get my hands on my copy as soon as it was delivered this morning, but was quickly disappointed. But when I took a close look at my dust jacket, I was extremely upset to find that the gold foil lettering for "Harry Potter" had been rubbed away and destroyed completely in some places leaving ugly, black matte in its place-- pock marking the otherwise handsome gold lettering. Needless to say I'm in awe how Bloomsbury has managed to put together such an incredible project, with JK Rowling's remarkable literature and Jim Kay's otherworldly illustrations-- and allowed it to be put together in a low quality binding! Not all alone in a box... Update (October 9th): I have finally received my new book and it was in much, much better condition. The cover and spine were tight, intact and falling apart from the binding like my original copy."
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Best Paranormal Romance

Year One: Chronicles of the One, Book 1
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A stunning new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts— Year One is an epic of hope and horror, chaos and magick, and a journey that will unite a desperate group of people to fight the battle of their lives… It began on New Year’s Eve. As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. ” -- New York Times Book Review. NORA ROBERTS is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including The Obsession, The Liar, The Collector, Whiskey Beach, and many more.
Reviews
"In most of these, the characters were interesting enough for me to enjoy reading the books even if they felt a bit lighter in content and a bit rushed, too, over the last couple of series. We'll see... Bottom line, if you like darker stories and don't mind characters disappearing suddenly--and you like Nora Roberts books--you may find this enjoyable."
"IT is not a typical Nora Roberts book and it take some time to get in to the story."
"As always Nora Roberts Brings wonderful creations in her books and"Year One" (The Chronicles of the One) is no exception."
"I love the books Nora Roberts writes."
"It was an awesome book...a little different for Nora...was a little worried e gen I first started as I had read another book that started out similar, but it went on to Stand for its self..to bad we have to wait so long for book 2...I have already re read it."
"I have just now finished this book...it is an awesome story."
"An adventure in terror and heartbreak."
"This was a fantastic read!"
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Best Romance

Milk and Honey
The book is divided into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. (USA Today). “Rupi Kaur has vision beyond her years … Her work is simply but powerfully expressed, and viscerally captures both universal human experience and the particular struggles of a young woman today." Rupi Kaur's first book, Milk and Honey is the poetry collection every woman needs on her nightstand or coffee table. Rupi Kaur’s writing echoes of artistry and wisdom which is seen in the work of those that have been writing for years. rupi kaur is a bestselling author and illustrator of two collections of poetry. while studying at the university of waterloo rupi self-published her first collection milk and honey in 2014. milk and honey became an international phenomenon that's been translated into over 30 languages and sold over 2.5 million copies. through her poetry rupi explores a variety of themes ranging from love.
Reviews
"I would've maybe given it two stars if I checked it out at the local library for free, but I'm annoyed I invested my hard earned American dollars into this book. I seriously don't understand if everyone is just reading into the completely non-thought provoking "poems" in this book and making up their own deep meaning or if I'm just totally missing the boat on this one. If you told me my 9-year-old nephew and 6-month-old niece collabed on this book, with him covering the poetry while she handled the artwork, I would fully believe you. If you're a 10th grader who just got dumped by Jimmy from home room and you wanna post a snapchat of one of these heart wrenching break up poems to express how angsty you are, you'll love it."
"I found Rupi Kaur (after hearing her name drifting about) when I saw a breathtaking piece by her (starting with "let me tell you about a selfish person..."). I love poetry. I love traditional poetry, struxtured poetry, unstructured poetry, modern poetry, stand up poetry, you name it. My shelves are lined with just as much edgy, modern, is-this-even-poetry books from up-and-coming poets as they are lined with TS Elliot and Tennyson."
"I have been seeing this at all of the bookstores and decided to give it a read based on the brilliant cover design and book description. It has been a while since I have read a book of poetry, but I have to say I don't feel like I just read one."
"This is some of the most trite poetry I have ever read, and exemplifies zero skill of poetic craft."
"I had so much hope for this book since it had become so popular so I was of course eager to read it."
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Best Epic Fantasy

The Lord of the Rings: One Volume
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. The Lord of the Rings takes place in a fantasy world that is not too unlike the English countryside, though it has characters that range from hobbits to Elven creatures. Widely regarded as one of the genre's most loved works, The Lord of the Rings has garnered worldwide acclaim and praise from critics and fans alike. Originally broadcast in 1981 on BBC Radio, this full-cast adaptation of Tolkien's epic trilogy is justifiably regarded as a classic; unfortunately, in 2008, it faces inevitable comparison with Peter Jackson's films. Ian Holm (who appeared as Bilbo in the films) offers a mature, nuanced portrayal of Frodo that is far truer to the text than Elijah Wood's wide-eyed innocent approach.
Reviews
"I did a ton of research and decided upon this version (ISBN 116-1749849-2513827), illustrated by Alan Lee and published by Harper Collins in June 2014 (I am adding these details because the Amazon.com site does not make it clear what this version is). The only drawback is that the facsimile pages of the Book of Mazarbul was not included, which I found to be surprising and a bit disappointing Also, the ring inscription and the Gandalf "rune" are printed in black rather than silver and red. Probably the main issue is the clear plastic slipcover, which is barely bigger than the book itself, and it is difficult to slip the book back inside it after taking it out."
"I'll keep it brief, this is not a review of the actual story but of this specific edition."
"The font size seems to be based on the length of the books, the longer the books are, the smaller the font is (I suppose this was in order to keep them pocket-sized as well as consistent with the sizes of the other books throughout the set)."
"Most readers shouldn’t have an issue when you consider how comfortable the book is to hold in one hand. It’s a matte vinyl material that has a leather feel with recessed and stained cover lettering. After reading The Hobbit, with no special care, there were no creases in the outer binding."
"I was SO excited to listen to this as I have read the books and I’ve seen all the movies literally over 50 times."
"The copy I received, however, has a fairly significant manufacturing defect in that the pages of 'The Hobbit' were not cut properly."
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Best Galactic Empire Science Fiction

The Atlantis World (The Origin Mystery, Book 3)
The Atlantis World is the final book in The Origin Mystery , the trilogy that has become a global phenomenon. A GLOBAL CATACLYSM BEYOND IMAGINATION... A MYSTERIOUS SIGNAL FROM SPACE... AND ONE LAST HOPE TO SAVE THE HUMAN RACE: As the catastrophe circles the globe, Ares reveals the true nature of the threat to humanity, and Dorian agrees to one last mission: find and kill David Vale and Kate Warner. With Dorian in pursuit, Kate, David, and their team race through the ruins of the Atlantean ship left on Earth, across Atlantean science stations throughout the galaxy, and into the past of a mysterious culture whose secrets could save humanity in its darkest hour. ABOUT The Atlantis World is the final book in The Origin Mystery , the trilogy that has become a global blockbuster bestseller. A.G. Riddle spent ten years starting internet companies before retiring to pursue his true passion: writing fiction. His debut novel, The Atlantis Gene , is the first book in The Origin Mystery , the trilogy that has sold over two million copies in the US, has been translated into 18 languages, and is in development to be a major motion picture. His recently released fourth novel, Departure , follows the survivors of a flight that takes off in the present and crash-lands in a changed world.
Reviews
"I will say that the ending is far more predictable than the first book in that the analyst in the safe room, his departure was a surprise and the 3rd book was a safe "happy" ending of sorts."
"I have been busy building houses but am winding down and plan on doing more reading in my retirement and you are in the top three of my list."
"I understand wanting to connect some dots for readers who joined at the end rather than the beginning, but it inhibited my enjoyment of the book to have to quickly scan and skip 3 or 4 pages at a time to get past the summaries."
"The Atlantis World (The Origin Mystery, #3) by A.G. Riddle. A good finish to the trilogy!"
"A.G. Riddle's conclusion to his Atlantis series is my favorite of the bunch. The other two had more of a thriller/mystery threat theme, whereas World focuses more on the back story. The genetics, the dilemma of technological advancement, the origin theory."
"I agree with the author, that the third book in the trilogy was a departure from the first and second--and I loved it."
"This last book at times was hard to follow all that was happening and why, but in the end it all became clear."
"The 'good' guys win and the 'bad' guys lose but billions of other people lose too."
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Best Exploration Science Fiction

The Martian
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Perhaps it’s the rugged terrain, beautiful scenery, or vast natural landscape that appeals to you. You better bring a nice, sturdy container to hold air in. You probably plan to breathe during your stay, so you’ll need to have something in that pressure vessel. Earth’s liquid core gives it a magnetic field that protects us from most of the nasty crap the sun pukes out at us. The easiest way to do that is to bury your base in Martian sand and rocks. The Curiosity probe recently discovered that Martian soil has quite a lot of ice in it. Just think of how much food you eat in a year and imagine how much space it takes to grow it. Among other things, you’ll need to deal with heating your home and greenhouse. Mars’s average daily temperature is -50C (-58F), so it’ll be a continual energy drain to keep warm. Make a base with a big death ray so you can address the UN while wearing an ominous mask and demand ransom? Because in the end, Mars is a harsh, dangerous place and if something goes wrong you’ll have no hope of rescue. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reviews
"The main character, Watney, presumed dead, is accidentally left by his crew mates when an intense Martian dust storm forces them to abort their mission. What follows for part of the book is a logbook style narrative that describes in great technical detail Watney's efforts to extend his life until the next scheduled mission arrives in 4 years. After reading just the first 20% of the book (my Kindle has no page numbers) one can't help but be impressed by the author's depth of knowledge in this regard. There are no flashbacks of our main character fishing with Dad at the old water hole, or him riding his first bicycle without training wheels. Again, we don't follow our mission control cast of characters back too their respective homes and meet their wives and husbands and get served up cliche insights into their innermost thoughts. I highly recommend this book to people who are into reading hard sci-fi of the not-too-distant future, sci-fi without blasters and ray guns or 9' tall aliens that bleed acid."
"I really feel like reading this book has opened my mind in how I might approach problem solving in the future; looking for creative ways to solve to a problem that I might not have considered before. The comparison to the real ill-fated Apollo 13 mission has been mentioned by many. In that mission, the crew had to devise inventive ways to solve equipment issues using only what they had on hand, just as Mark Watney does in The Martian."
"As someone who has only a very basic knowledge of science though, I found this book a little hard to follow. While I appreciate and respect the amount of time Weir had to put into figuring out the calculations, I found myself skipping pages to avoid reading paragraph after paragraph of science technicalities. There were multiple parts in the book I found myself laughing out loud and his sense of humor was my favorite part of the book. The book was a good mix of humor and seriousness, and the his interactions with NASA seemed humorous but realistic."
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Best Colonization Science Fiction

The Atlantis World (The Origin Mystery, Book 3)
The Atlantis World is the final book in The Origin Mystery , the trilogy that has become a global phenomenon. A GLOBAL CATACLYSM BEYOND IMAGINATION... A MYSTERIOUS SIGNAL FROM SPACE... AND ONE LAST HOPE TO SAVE THE HUMAN RACE: As the catastrophe circles the globe, Ares reveals the true nature of the threat to humanity, and Dorian agrees to one last mission: find and kill David Vale and Kate Warner. With Dorian in pursuit, Kate, David, and their team race through the ruins of the Atlantean ship left on Earth, across Atlantean science stations throughout the galaxy, and into the past of a mysterious culture whose secrets could save humanity in its darkest hour. ABOUT The Atlantis World is the final book in The Origin Mystery , the trilogy that has become a global blockbuster bestseller. A.G. Riddle spent ten years starting internet companies before retiring to pursue his true passion: writing fiction. His debut novel, The Atlantis Gene , is the first book in The Origin Mystery , the trilogy that has sold over two million copies in the US, has been translated into 18 languages, and is in development to be a major motion picture. His recently released fourth novel, Departure , follows the survivors of a flight that takes off in the present and crash-lands in a changed world.
Reviews
"I will say that the ending is far more predictable than the first book in that the analyst in the safe room, his departure was a surprise and the 3rd book was a safe "happy" ending of sorts."
"I have been busy building houses but am winding down and plan on doing more reading in my retirement and you are in the top three of my list."
"I understand wanting to connect some dots for readers who joined at the end rather than the beginning, but it inhibited my enjoyment of the book to have to quickly scan and skip 3 or 4 pages at a time to get past the summaries."
"The Atlantis World (The Origin Mystery, #3) by A.G. Riddle. A good finish to the trilogy!"
"A.G. Riddle's conclusion to his Atlantis series is my favorite of the bunch. The other two had more of a thriller/mystery threat theme, whereas World focuses more on the back story. The genetics, the dilemma of technological advancement, the origin theory."
"I agree with the author, that the third book in the trilogy was a departure from the first and second--and I loved it."
"This last book at times was hard to follow all that was happening and why, but in the end it all became clear."
"The 'good' guys win and the 'bad' guys lose but billions of other people lose too."
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Best Hard Science Fiction

Ready Player One
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. Along with millions of other world-wide citizens, Wade dreams of finding three keys left behind by James Halliday, the now-deceased creator of OASIS and the richest man to have ever lived. Stuffed to the gills with action, puzzles, nerdy romance, and 80s nostalgia, this high energy cyber-quest will make geeks everywhere feel like they were separated at birth from author Ernest Cline. And I mean head over heels in love--the way you fall for someone who is smart, feisty, and who can effortlessly finish your favorite movie lines, music lyrics, or literature quotes before they come out of your mouth. Ready Player One expertly mines a copious vein of 1980s pop culture, catapulting the reader on a light-speed adventure in an advanced but backward-looking future. Our unlikely hero is an overweight trailer park kid who goes by Wade Watts in real life, and “Parzival” to his best friends and mortal enemies--all of whom he interacts with virtually. Just like the Arthurian knight that is his namesake, young Wade is on a quest for an incredible treasure guarded by mythical creatures. The setup is particularly brilliant, because Ernie Cline seems to have a laser-beam knowledge of (and warm, fuzzy love for) every pop song, arcade game, and giant robot produced in the last thirty years. Seriously, this is a guy who owns and regularly drives a 1982 DeLorean that has been mocked up to look exactly like the time-traveling car in Back to the Future , complete with a glowing flux capacitor. Worse, these corporate baddies are posers with no love for the game – they have movie dialogue piped in via radio earpieces, use bots to cheat at arcade games like JOUST, and don’t hesitate to terrorize or murder people in the real world to achieve their aims inside the OASIS. Our good guy has to leave his X-Wing fighter aboard his private flotilla so that he can pilot an authentic Ultraman recreation. And how do you not grin when someone dons a pair of virtual Chuck Taylor All Stars that bestow the power of flight? Instead, Cline keeps the stakes high throughout, and the epic treasure hunt structure (complete with an evolving high-score list) keeps the action intense. The plot unfolds with constant acceleration, never slowing down or sagging in the middle, to create a thrilling ride with a fulfilling ending. In your debut novel Ready Player One you incorporate literally hundreds of pop culture references, many of them in ways that are integral to the book’s plot. Q) Like the book’s hero, you possess a horrifyingly deep knowledge of a terrifyingly broad swathe of culture, ranging from John Hughes movies to super-obscure Japanese animation to 8-bit videogames to science-fiction and fantasy literature to role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Then as an adult, I worked at a long series of low paying tech support jobs that allowed me to surf the Internet all day, and I spent a lot of my cubicle time looking up obscure pop culture minutiae from my childhood while I waited for people to reboot their PCs. When I get home that night, I accidentally invent a cheap abundant clean energy source that saves human civilization. Cline’s imaginative and rollicking coming-of-age geek saga has a smash-hit vibe.”-- Booklist , starred review. "This adrenaline shot of uncut geekdom, a quest through a virtual world, is loaded with enough 1980s nostalgia to please even the most devoted John Hughes fans… sweet, self-deprecating Wade, whose universe is an odd mix of the real past and the virtual present, is the perfect lovable/unlikely hero.”-- Publishers Weekly. "Fascinating and imaginative…It's non-stop action when gamers must navigate clever puzzles and outwit determined enemies in a virtual world in order to save a real one. " Ready Player One expertly mines a copious vein of 1980s pop culture, catapulting the reader on a light-speed adventure in an advanced but backward-looking future. "The pure, unfettered brainscream of a child of the 80s, like a dream my 13-year-old self would have had after bingeing on Pop Rocks and Coke…I couldn’t put it down. Ernest Cline's hero competes in a virtual world with life-and-death stakes -- which is only fitting, because he's fighting to make his dreams into reality.
Reviews
"Yes, do read this book."
"Even if you are not a video game player, You will at least remember the video games like Pac-Man that came out in the 1980s."
"This book kept me engaged, maybe it's because I enjoy videogames, but the way the writer actually put me in the story was really good."
"Fun flashbacks to the 80s."
"My husband has not read a book in the 12 years I've been married to him."
"Being only a year older than the main cultural source of the book I was dancing between the story and my own memories. With such a huge cast of cultural references presented it would have been impossible to accumulate them as the characters in this book seem to. The 80s was a huge explosion of geek culture which would take a lifetime to experience, yet these people are able to absorb it in a few years. Even if you are not a child of the 80s, if you have a friend or family member who was this book will provide a great insight into the early days of geekdom."
"The author did a good job of relating how life would be if consumed by a virtual world and how easily humanity would use it as an outlet for everyday life. I believe the author did a find job describing the grandious nature of a world driven my imagination but inhabitted by real people."
"I loved how the real world aspects and cyber world aspect intertwined to create such a dynamic contrast. The adventure, action, and puzzles were all things I looked forward to."
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Best Military Science Fiction

Thrawn (Star Wars)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this definitive novel, readers will follow Thrawn’s rise to power—uncovering the events that created one of the most iconic villains in Star Wars history. One of the most cunning and ruthless warriors in the history of the Galactic Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn is also one of the most captivating characters in the Star Wars universe, from his introduction in bestselling author Timothy Zahn’s classic Heir to the Empire through his continuing adventures in Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, and beyond. Zahn is best known for his Star Wars novels ( Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, Specter of the Past, Vision of the Future, Survivor’s Quest, Outbound Flight, Allegiance, Choices of One, and Scoundrels ), with more than four million copies of his books in print.
Reviews
"There are familiar notes including character and ship names readers of Zahn's Legends material, new material including Thrawn's young protege, and for those who require an Imperial villain, we have Arhinda Pryce and her ruthless climb to political power that also explains a great deal about her character on Rebels and how she and Thrawn became allies of a sort. New-canon only fans may find things like the explanation of the "civilian casualties" on Batonn strange or not in keeping with the so-far almost simple-minded insistence in new canon on black and white morality, but readers familiar with Zahn's work recognize this is a design feature, not a bug."
"Timothy Zahn returns to the "Star Wars" universe with "Thrawn", a novel exploring the origin of his character, Grand Admiral Thrawn, a Chiss working with the Empire."
"Now that Disney has canonically introduced Thrawn in their Star Wars: Rebels series, I was excited to read Thrawn to see what Zahn could add for the character. His familiarity with the Star Wars universe allows him to fully immerse the reader in the story and setting in a way that honestly makes the reader feel like they are watching a Star Wars movie."
"Tim Zahn has always been one of my favorite science fiction authors, when I stumbled across The Thrawn Trilogy when I was 13 years old back in the bleak Texan midwinter of 1997-1998. Fast forward twenty years, and I find myself watching DisneyXD clips on youtube when I stumbled on the Season 3 trailer for Star Wars: Rebels when who should appear but Grand Admiral Thrawn."
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Best First Contact Science Fiction

The Heirs of Earth (Children of Earthrise Book 1)
Two thousand years ago, aliens destroyed Earth. The last humans fled a burning planet, heading to the stars. In deep caves on frozen worlds. A few of us, just a handful of brave souls, form the Heirs of Earth. The humans we save call us heroes. In 2016, the Earthrise series became a surprise bestseller, captivating hundreds of thousands of readers around the world. Set two thousand years later, Children of Earthrise begins a new story, one for both new readers and old fans. Praise for Children of Earthrise : "In a bleak future where humans are nearly extinct, heroes rise to face a horrific alien menace that threatens the galaxy. Full of action and brimming with sentient aliens, this book is impossible to put down and feels like the start of an incredible adventure , a truly galactic epic story." "Set in a horrid dystopia in which Earth has been devastated by alien invaders, the book is about the humanity that shines even in a time of privation and war."
Reviews
"I loved this book and cannot wait to read the next one in the series."
"Great book, great story!"
"A well written depressing story of the existence of humans in space."
"I have enjoyed all of the books in this universe so far."
"Just like the Earthrise Series."
"Full Characters, one of the Greatest Dystopian Space Operas with a BackStory EarthRise 1 2 3 worth reading or Listening to!!"
"I have read about 60% of this book."
"Fantastic story lots of action ,I can see these aliens as clear as being there in the battels."
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Best Humorous Science Fiction

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide . It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his comrades as they hurtle across the galaxy in a desperate search for a place to eat. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish Back on Earth, Arthur Dent is ready to believe that the past eight years were all just a figment of his stressed-out imagination. Mostly Harmless Just when Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life, all hell breaks loose. “WITH DROLL WIT, A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL AND HEAVY DOSES OF INSIGHT .
Reviews
"In true Hitchhikers Guide spirit, I'm reading my edition on a Kindle, which quite resembles the Guide itself."
"For fans of the Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy, this is one of the follow-up episodes that continue the arc of the story."
"Think about carrying forward all human foibles into the galaxy and that pretty much sums up the book."
"If you still haven't read Hitchhikers Guide Though The Galaxy, what is wrong with you?"
"This is a great book and a great author and I love all things Douglas Adams. HOWEVER. I feel totally ripped off by this ridiculous Audible Kindle version."
"This book was wonderful. My son recommended this book to me."
"And don't get lost on a tangent, don't worry we'll come back to the story after this semi brief explanation of something maybe possibly but mostly not related or could be mentioned later on so you better be paying attention or you'll be confused."
"Everything has already been said, but the 'guide' has an entry for the book which talks about the 'guide' and eventually about deep thought, and the ultimate answer."
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Best Alien Invasion Science Fiction

Rebel Stars: Books 0-2
FROM A USA TODAY bestseller and Audie-nominated author: A thousand years ago, an alien invasion set humanity back to the Iron Age.
Reviews
"I can’t wait to go back and read these in a year or so when I’ve forgotten enough about them so it will be new again."
"The space habitats and space ships are cool to imagine if only Robertson could have found some non alien technological advances these books may have been epic."
"This is a great extension to the Breakers series."
"Very well written with well-rounded, believable characters and a plot that makes you want to turn the next page."
"The Rebel Stars series explores the world of the Breakers series, but you do not need to read one to enjoy the other."
"The characters suck you and and make you feel like you are a part of the story."
"Some really great parts, but not many."
"The author didn't bother to imagine how humanity would develop after an earth-wide plague, a thousand years, and colonizing space - he just took the first-world Western earth culture of today and plunked it down in space."
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Best Cyberpunk Science Fiction

Ready Player One: A Novel
Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “The science-fiction writer John Scalzi has aptly referred to READY PLAYER ONE as a 'nerdgasm' [and] there can be no better one-word description of this ardent fantasy artifact about fantasy culture…But Mr. Cline is able to incorporate his favorite toys and games into a perfectly accessible narrative.” —Janet Maslin, The New York Times “Triggers memories and emotions embedded in the psyche of a generation...[Cline crafts] a fresh and imaginative world from our old toy box, and finds significance in there among the collectibles. It marries the fantastical world of Harry Potter with a touch of Orson Scott Card—where fantasy is reality, geeks are cool, and the possibilities are endless.” — New York Journal of Books “ Ridiculously fun and large-hearted, and you don't have to remember the Reagan administration to love it…[Cline] takes a far-out premise and engages the reader instantly…You'll wish you could make it go on and on.” —NPR.org. “A delirious, crypto-nerd fantasia...Crammed with ’80s nostalgia and sugar-high prose, it's ridiculous and addictive and full of toy surprises.” —Village Voice “A smart, funny thriller that both celebrates and critiques online culture...Layered with inside jokes and sly references.” —San Francisco Chronicle “A fun, funny and fabulously entertaining first novel…This novel's large dose of 1980s trivia is a delight…[but] even readers who need Google to identify Commodore 64 or Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde, will enjoy this memorabilian feast.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer “The grown-up's 'Harry Potter’…the mystery and fantasy in this novel weaves itself in the most delightful way, and the details that make up Mr. Cline's world are simply astounding. Grade: A.” —AVClub.com “A preposterously great read and a richly imagined science-fiction world that uses the very idea of nostalgia as a thematic jumping-off point...One of the true geek events of the year.” —HitFix.com “This non-gamer loved every page of READY PLAYER ONE.” —Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I loved every sentence of this book.” —Mark Frauenfelder, BoingBoing "A 'frakking' good read [featuring] incredible creative detail … I grinned at the sheer audacity of Cline's imagination.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “ [A] fantastic page-turner….READY PLAYER ONE may be science fiction, but it's also written for people who have never picked up an SF novel in their lives…” —Annalee Newitz, io9.com. “I really, really loved READY PLAYER ONE…Cline expertly mines a copious vein of 1980s pop culture, catapulting the reader on a light-speed adventure in an advanced but backward-looking future.” —Daniel H. Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Robopocalypse.
Reviews
"Yes, do read this book."
"Even if you are not a video game player, You will at least remember the video games like Pac-Man that came out in the 1980s."
"This book kept me engaged, maybe it's because I enjoy videogames, but the way the writer actually put me in the story was really good."
"Fun flashbacks to the 80s."
"My husband has not read a book in the 12 years I've been married to him."
"Being only a year older than the main cultural source of the book I was dancing between the story and my own memories. With such a huge cast of cultural references presented it would have been impossible to accumulate them as the characters in this book seem to. The 80s was a huge explosion of geek culture which would take a lifetime to experience, yet these people are able to absorb it in a few years. Even if you are not a child of the 80s, if you have a friend or family member who was this book will provide a great insight into the early days of geekdom."
"The author did a good job of relating how life would be if consumed by a virtual world and how easily humanity would use it as an outlet for everyday life. I believe the author did a find job describing the grandious nature of a world driven my imagination but inhabitted by real people."
"I loved how the real world aspects and cyber world aspect intertwined to create such a dynamic contrast. The adventure, action, and puzzles were all things I looked forward to."
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Best Genetic Engineering Science Fiction

The Atlantis Plague: A Thriller (The Origin Mystery, Book 2)
The Atlantis Plague is the second book in The Origin Mystery , the trilogy that has become a global phenomenon. In Marbella, Spain, Dr. Kate Warner awakens to a horrifying reality: the human race stands on the brink of extinction. Nearly a billion people are dead--and those that the Atlantis Plague does not kill, it transforms at the genetic level. Industrialized nations offer a miracle drug, Orchid, which they mass produce and distribute to refugee camps around the world. The Immari envision a world populated by the genetically superior survivors--a new human race, ready to fulfill its destiny. With control of the world population hanging in the balance, the Orchid Alliance and the Immari descend into open warfare. This global adventure takes readers back into the world of The Origin Mystery, which began with THE ATLANTIS GENE. A.G. Riddle spent ten years starting internet companies before retiring to pursue his true passion: writing fiction. His debut novel, The Atlantis Gene , is the first book in The Origin Mystery , the trilogy that has sold over two million copies in the US, has been translated into 18 languages, and is in development to be a major motion picture. His recently released fourth novel, Departure , follows the survivors of a flight that takes off in the present and crash-lands in a changed world.
Reviews
"This book definitely had me hitting the "buy next book" immediately."
"This is a military type drama where there is one good guy who has to upset the whole bad regime (think 24 the TV series). The final element of the plot is human evolution and history, which again is very intricately interwoven into the bio-military aspects and well researched. It almost feels like the story line may have had a well sculpted start and end (hopefully) and that this second book is for clarification and set-up for the final showdown."
"David and Kate find themselves in danger as we, the readers, find ourselves wanting answers to all the questions we have asked."
"I really enjoyed how the subject matter was handled, and I enjoyed learning all sorts of historical tidbits."
"I fell in love with the characters and the premis in the first book, and I would highly recommend the Atlantis Plague to continue the story."
"If you're buying this book, be sure you have read The Atlantis Gene first; it fills in some blanks that may leave you wondering."
"This would translate well to a movie series, or mini-series, something like Battlestar Galactica meet Star Wars. We like the overall message of the Atlantis Series & commend the author, who must have a wonderful, complex brain."
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Best Science Fiction Anthologies

Post-Human Omnibus Edition (1-4) (Post-Human Series)
-Mark Draper [TOP 10 AMAZON REVIEWER]. _____________________________________________________ BOOK DESCRIPTION: David Simpson's bestselling and award-winning Post-Human science fiction adventure series has been downloaded on the Kindle over one million times in the last three years, delighting readers with a blend of thought-provoking philosophy, cutting edge and speculative science fiction, and high-octane, action-packed suspense, mystery, and adventure. Readers have compared it most often with the works of science fiction master Isaac Asimov and have delighted in turning pages filled to the brim with all the best that science fiction and cyberpunk have to offer, like nanobots, A.I., androids, post-humans, cyborgs, and a cast of likeable characters, suspense, and star-crossed love that you won't be able to resist. ". I read through the books, feeling a strong connection to the characters, wishing at times some of the tech were real, and at others being very thankful that humanity is not quite there." "A thought-provoking, energetic sci-fi book, with a robust dose of high-octane exploits." CONTAINS: SUB-HUMAN ( BOOK 1 ) POST-HUMAN ( BOOK 2 ) TRANS-HUMAN ( BOOK 3 ) HUMAN PLUS ( BOOK 4 ).
Reviews
"There isn't a dull moment to be had in here and it is packed full of action and adventure, time travel, aliens and more with a sprinkle of romance. Even though I got lost in some of the technical jargon, I would definitely read more from this author."
"Just happened upon this series on amazon."
"Well written, and a fascinating look at one possible future for mankind."
"I had to read a bit more slowly than I'm accustomed to in order to process some of the mind blowing forays into which the author takes his readers."
"Fun, engaging, complex, and provocative--I recommend this series to lovers of truly scientific sci fi."
"One of the best sci-fi series I have ever read."
"Amazing series, that totally doesn't go where you think it will."
"It kept my interest throughout the book."
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Best Science Fiction Short Stories

The Complete Fiction of H. P. Lovecraft
Written between the years 1917 and 1935, this collection features Lovecraft's trademark fantastical creatures and supernatural thrills, as well as many horrific and cautionary science-fiction themes, that have influenced some of today's writers and filmmakers, including Stephen King, Alan Moore, F. Paul Wilson, Guillermo del Toro, and Neil Gaiman. Howard Phillips "H. P." Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author who achieved posthumous fame through his influential works of horror fiction.
Reviews
"Other reviewers have said that this is NOT the complete collection."
"These are the typos I've verified so far that are ported over to this volume, left uncorrected from the last B&N volume (please note that the typos are on the left, bordered by hyphens since Amazon doesn't allow formatting, with the correct version on the right): 202.11: sins like Ptolemaism, Calvinism, -anti-Darwinisn-,] sins like Ptolemaism, Calvinism, -anti-Darwinism-, 456.34: The next day they -spoke with- a ship with violet sails] The next day they -spoke- a ship with violet sails. 902.11: I made no -progess-.]. 994.1 I had seen him -one- or twice in my youth ] I had seen him -once- or twice in my youth. The contents don't seem to be listed anywhere, so I'll transcribe from the table of contents: CONTENTS: - "Introduction" [by Eric Carl Link]. - The Beast in the Cave. - The Alchemist. - The Tomb. - Dagon. - A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson. - Polaris. - Beyond the Wall of Sleep. - Memory. - Old Bugs. - The Transition of Juan Romero. - The White Ship. - The Street. - The Doom That Came to Sarnath. - The Statement of Randolph Carter. - The Terrible Old Man. - The Cats of Ulthar. - The Tree. - Celephaïs. - The Picture in the House. - The Temple. - Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family. - From Beyond. - Nyarlathotep. - The Quest of Iranon. - The Music of Erich Zahn. - Ex Oblivione. - Sweet Ermengarde. - The Nameless City. - The Outsider. - The Moon-Bog. - The Other Gods. - Azathoth. - Herbert West-Reanimator. - Hypnos. - What the Moon Brings. - The Hound. - The Lurking Fear. - The Rats in the Walls. - The Unnamable. - The Festival. - Under the Pyramids. - The Shunned House. - The Horror at Red Hook. - He. - In the Vault. - Cool Air. - The Call of Cthulhu. - Pickman's Model. - The Strange High House in the Mist. - The Silver Key. - The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. - The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. - The Colour Out of Space. - The Descendant. - The Very Old Folk. - History of the Necronomicon. - The Dunwich Horror. - Ibid. - The Whisperer in Darkness. - At the Mountains of Madness. - The Shadow Over Innsmouth. - The Dreams in the Witch House. - Through the Gates of the Silver Key. - The Thing on the Doorstep. - The Evil Clergyman. - The Book. - The Shadow Out of Time. - The Haunter of the Dark. - "The Life and Times of H.P."
"I won't go into the typos that appear in both the B&N editions and this one (that's already been covered by another reviewer) but I will talk about the books themselves. Bound in faux leather -- which, despite feeling kind of cheap-ish is still very nice -- with silver gilt edging, a satin bookmark and very cool marbled end-papers, it's definitely a step-up from the 2008 edition. Unlike the two B&N editions which have glued bindings, this edition has a stitched binding which should hold up better over time. The end-papers are light grey with a scale-like design, nice, but not nearly as nice as the end-papers on the 2011 B&N edition. The second B&N edition is decent but the faux leather and somewhat ugly cover design doesn't do it any favors, and it ends up looking and feeling like a book that's trying to be a lot more than what it actually is."
"Works for me."
"I'd recommend this collection to any fan of short stories, as this makes a great addition to a coffee table."
"Want to lay awake nights thinking to hard?"
"This collection is great, has all the most famous stories by HP Lovecraft, and a lot more that I never have seen before."
"A great collection of Lovecraft's works."
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Best Science Fiction History & Criticism

The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated): Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn
In this beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish, Gabaldon covers the first four novels of the main series, including: • full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn • a complete listing of the characters (fictional and historical) in the first four novels in the series, as well as family trees and genealogical notes. • a comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage. • The Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel, explained. • frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers. • an annotated bibliography. • essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, creating characters, and more. • professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire. • the making of the TV series: how we got there from here, and what happened next (including “My Brief Career as a TV Actor”). • behind-the-scenes photos from the Outlander TV series set. For anyone who wants to spend more time with the Outlander characters and the world they inhabit, Diana Gabaldon here opens a door through the standing stones and offers a guided tour of what lies within. For nine years, four books, and nearly 4,000 pages, Diana Gabaldon has entranced readers with her talent for historical authenticity, dramatic plot lines, and strong characters in the Outlander series.
Reviews
"Bought this as a gift, so I really did not read it, but have read most of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, which I love."
"Love her books, every one, read them over and over again and still can't get enough of them."
"This book helps put all of the marvelous characters together in an easy to use edition."
"If you LOVE Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER books and TV series this is a MUST HAVE!!!"
"Gave me all the background information I expected."
"A must have for the Outlander series of books by the same author."
"I was introduced to the Outlander series by my husband. At 1st I wasn't sure if I wanted to commit myself to the time it would take to read four 800+ page novels, knowing there wasn't an end to them."
"good show to Collection >> very comprehensive."
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Best Dystopian Fiction

Ready Player One: A Novel
Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “The science-fiction writer John Scalzi has aptly referred to READY PLAYER ONE as a 'nerdgasm' [and] there can be no better one-word description of this ardent fantasy artifact about fantasy culture…But Mr. Cline is able to incorporate his favorite toys and games into a perfectly accessible narrative.” —Janet Maslin, The New York Times “Triggers memories and emotions embedded in the psyche of a generation...[Cline crafts] a fresh and imaginative world from our old toy box, and finds significance in there among the collectibles. It marries the fantastical world of Harry Potter with a touch of Orson Scott Card—where fantasy is reality, geeks are cool, and the possibilities are endless.” — New York Journal of Books “ Ridiculously fun and large-hearted, and you don't have to remember the Reagan administration to love it…[Cline] takes a far-out premise and engages the reader instantly…You'll wish you could make it go on and on.” —NPR.org. “A delirious, crypto-nerd fantasia...Crammed with ’80s nostalgia and sugar-high prose, it's ridiculous and addictive and full of toy surprises.” —Village Voice “A smart, funny thriller that both celebrates and critiques online culture...Layered with inside jokes and sly references.” —San Francisco Chronicle “A fun, funny and fabulously entertaining first novel…This novel's large dose of 1980s trivia is a delight…[but] even readers who need Google to identify Commodore 64 or Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde, will enjoy this memorabilian feast.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer “The grown-up's 'Harry Potter’…the mystery and fantasy in this novel weaves itself in the most delightful way, and the details that make up Mr. Cline's world are simply astounding. Grade: A.” —AVClub.com “A preposterously great read and a richly imagined science-fiction world that uses the very idea of nostalgia as a thematic jumping-off point...One of the true geek events of the year.” —HitFix.com “This non-gamer loved every page of READY PLAYER ONE.” —Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I loved every sentence of this book.” —Mark Frauenfelder, BoingBoing "A 'frakking' good read [featuring] incredible creative detail … I grinned at the sheer audacity of Cline's imagination.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “ [A] fantastic page-turner….READY PLAYER ONE may be science fiction, but it's also written for people who have never picked up an SF novel in their lives…” —Annalee Newitz, io9.com. “I really, really loved READY PLAYER ONE…Cline expertly mines a copious vein of 1980s pop culture, catapulting the reader on a light-speed adventure in an advanced but backward-looking future.” —Daniel H. Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Robopocalypse.
Reviews
"I hope the film does justice to some of the more intense scenes, I think they'll be great in a movie if they pull out all the stops!"
"Ever started a book and honestly couldn’t put it down even if you have a full time job, a spouse, a kid, and bills to pay?"
"Just the despiriting and predictable stuff - fossil fuels shortage, social crysis, detoriating natural environment, right to the extent when no one can maintain the illusion that it's all right. The creator of this all-important universe left and easter egg in it before passing away, along with a couple of vague hints, and the one to uncover it will inherit both his vast fortune and the control over the virtual universe - which actually means "the power to shape the destiny of human race", quite obiously. In the story, to decipher the clues to the Easter Egg Hunt, one has to become an expert in culture of the last decades of XX century, which brings an all-encompassing 80's theme to the book. The references are amusing, but mostly explained carefully and tastefully enough to provide a neophite with necessery understanding, while not driving anyone else bored."
"I decided to read it in preparation for the movie."
"Really enjoyed this book and I knew all of the 80’s references!"
"This book was a fun read."
"Such a fun story that incorporates great 80’s references, fantasy, science-fiction, dystopian futures and romance."
"Cline has imagined an interesting (albeit unfortunate) future world and created a story around several endearing characters."
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Best Steampunk Fiction

The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut's Windlass
Jim Butcher, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files and the Codex Alera novels, conjures up a new series set in a fantastic world of noble families, steam-powered technology, and magic-wielding warriors... This is everything I’ve come to expect from Jim Butcher, but in a delightful new flavor.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss. “Wow. Butcher proves yet again that he is an amazing storyteller.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs. “This is Jim Butcher at his best, drawing a fully realized, richly detailed, and downright fun literary world where fearless aeronauts ride the aether, brilliant wizards struggle with doorknobs, and a thirty-pound feline warrior keeps a pet human named Little Mouse. Butcher brings a fresh and exciting perspective to secondary-world steampunk, giving the reader a thrilling ride.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review). “Butcher, the bestselling author of the Dresden Files, now launches the Cinder Spires, a new epic fantasy, steampunk hybrid series that has shades of both Naomi Novik and Cherie Priest...With shifting points of view, short chapters, fast-paced action, and awesome battle scenes, the large cast of characters, elaborate world building, and intricate plot are revealed quickly and realized fully.
Reviews
"The Spirearch suspects treachery, so he enlists Grimm -- an honorable outcast -- along with a trio of capable new Guard trainees, a snobby cat and a pair of very, very eccentric Etherealists. Mysterious attacks, rumors of horrors in the depths of the Spire, and Auroran spies all begin to coalesce around Grimm and his crew, trapping some and wounding others -- but the worst is yet to come, as one of the etherealists senses a terrible enemy lurking nearby... Jim Butcher is well-known for solid world-building, and "The Aeronaut's Windlass" is no disappointment. Rather than just pasting gears and steampunk trappings on an average fantasy, Butcher instead spins up an entire world like no other -- everyone lives in Spires (think a country's worth of cities stacked on top of each other) built by the mysterious, long-lost Builders. Butcher comes up with a complicated tale of espionage and sinister plans for Albion, and presents it with plenty of airship battles, crystal-blasting action, and the odd (literal) catfight. And there's a solid cast supporting him, such as the clever but naive aristocrat Gwen, her sensible cousin Benedict, the working-class Bridget, and the canny old Ferus; he even has some chapters from the perspectives of the Aurorans, allowing us to see how the enemy forces see the world."
"I mostly liked the world building – the idea of everyone living in spires built onto a toxic world but I would have liked to know a bit more about the world itself and what existed beyond the spires of Albion and the skies above. Jim Butcher is such a good writer and has created some great characters in his Dresden series, that maybe now that he has established his new world, he might be able to invest more in the characters."
"yeah yeah, talking cats great! I mean talking cats and the warriorborn, they probably have something to do with each other. What about the thing... you know the thing that the person wants that cause them to do the thing, and whats up with the guy?"
"Yes it does feel Victorian in The Fleet's mirroring of Victorian maritime, and there is a blend of magic with embellished mechanics, but whatever room Jim chooses to inhabit in the fantasy/scifi universe, the character arcs are what keep me engaged. Of course, the plots are always hell on wheels, too, but all the noise doesn't matter if you don't really care what happens to the people, right?"
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Best Time Travel Fiction

11/22/63: A Novel
WINNER OF THE 2012 LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE. Jake is blown away...but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. On Monday, March 25, Lee came walking up Neely Street carrying a long package wrapped in brown paper. Peering through a tiny crack in the curtains, I could see the words REGISTERED and INSURED stamped on it in big red letters. For the first time I thought he seemed furtive and nervous, actually looking around at his exterior surroundings instead of at the spooky furniture deep in his head. I knew what was in the package: a 6.5mm Carcano rifle—also known as a Mannlicher-Carcano—complete with scope, purchased from Klein’s Sporting Goods in Chicago. Five minutes after he climbed the outside stairs to the second floor, the gun Lee would use to change history was in a closet above my head. Marina took the famous pictures of him holding it just outside my living room window six days later, but I didn’t see it. As the tenth grew closer, those weekends with Sadie had become the most important, the dearest, things in my life. I came awake with a jerk, hearing someone mutter “Still not too late” under his breath. Sadie murmured some thick protest and turned over in bed. The familiar squeak of the springs locked me in place and time: the Candlewood Bungalows, April 5, 1963. I fumbled my watch from the nightstand and peered at the luminous numbers. It was quarter past two in the morning, which meant it was actually the sixth of April. Oswald was going to relocate to New Orleans for awhile after the attempt on the general’s life—another shitty apartment, one I’d already visited—but not for two weeks. The best one was beside me in this bed: long, lovely, and smoothly naked. Maybe she was just another trap laid by the obdurate past, but that didn’t matter, because I loved her. Hoping I could stay ahead of the cops just long enough to get to the rabbit-hole and escape into a future where Sadie Dunhill would be . There was a mud- or manure-splattered pickup truck with a trailer full of what looked like farm implements behind it. The moon was sliding in and out of thin clouds and it wasn’t possible to make out the color of the car’s lower half by that stuttery light, but I was pretty sure I knew what it was, anyway. The chilly air bit at my bed-warm skin, but I barely felt it. Yes, the car was a Fury, and yes, it was white over red, but this one wasn’t from Maine or Arkansas; the plate was Oklahoma, and the decal in the rear window read GO, SOONERS. Some student, maybe headed south to visit his folks on spring break. Or a couple of horny teachers taking advantage of the Candlewood’s liberal guest policy. I touched the trunk, as I had back in Lisbon Falls, then returned to the bungalow. Sadie had pushed the sheet down to her waist, and when I came in, the draft of cool air woke her up. “ My mother used to say if you kiss your honey, they won’t come true.”. I lay watching the smoke drift up and turn blue in the occasional moonlight coming through the half-drawn curtains. I’d never leave the curtains that way at Neely Street, I thought. At Neely Street, in my other life, I’m always alone but still careful to close them all the way. She inhaled deeply, enjoying her cigarette guiltlessly, as people do in the Land of Ago. “I suppose I am, but not with an angel.” Although Lee Oswald didn’t make much of a devil, either. I liked George de Mohren--schildt better for the devil role. In the Bible, Satan’s a tempter who makes the offer and then stands aside.
Reviews
"Yes, it is built around a well-used SF trope, time travel, but really, the portal to the past that Jake Epping is shown in the back of an aluminum diner is only the launch mechanism for this fantastic journey. Even SK's other "straight" fiction, "Misery", "Dolores Claiborne" and "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" come to mind, had elements of the supernatural and/or flat-out horror. I have read every novel and anthology that King has published, plus a large number of single short stories, starting with "Carrie" in a borrowed paperback back in the late 1970s. The lead-up to the day of the assassination is described in great detail, along with Oswald's relationship to his family and associates, all matters of historical record (at least according to the sources cited by SK, with which most of the readers who did not like the novel disagreed emphatically). The world of 1958-1963 is described in wonderful detail, through the eyes of Jake as he gradually sheds his early 21st century armored shell and falls in love with a small Texas town and Sadie, its new young librarian. I'm old enough to have experienced lots of the stuff that Jake encounters in 1958 (albeit as a child) and it jives with and jogs my recollections and induces a feeling of longing for older, simpler times."
"My biggest complaint with King is that many times he leaves his endings open and vague. If you're watching the miniseries on TV, just know the book is 10 times better. My history buff husband and son both read it after I told them how good it was and no one was disappointed."
"There is nobody who can spin a tale like King, and it is gratifying to see that critics are no longer dismissing him because of the unusual stories he tells. The book manifests a number of the features which I find so endearing in King. For those who still maintain the King can only write the scary stuff with clowns and pet cemeteries that scare the begebers out of you, and that he lacks the ability to write a sensitive and moving love story, I suggest they read pages 837 to the end. The paperback edition has some additional features, including an interview with King, a listing of some music from the period (most of which I never heard of although I am older than King), and a menu listing of dishes of the period (yes, young folks, we did eat that stuff, including me)."
"I was on the edge of my seat for the first half of this book and as a lot of the reviewers (more eloquently than myself) conveyed, it dragged in the middle but stick with it because the end revs up again and is worth the effort."
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Best Space Operas

Fahrenheit 451
Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television. A glorious American classic everyone should read: It’s life-changing if you read it as a teen, and still stunning when you reread it as an adult.” —Alice Hoffman, The Boston Globe. His is a very great and unusual talent.” —Christopher Isherwood, Tomorrow. A great storyteller, sometimes even a mythmaker, a true American classic.” —Michael Dirda, The Washington Post.
Reviews
"That's the job of one Guy Montag, but he begins to question his role as he gets in contact with a teenager who reads secretly. The most surprising thing about Fahrenheit 451 is that it's premise could, in the hands of a lesser writer, easily turn a condescending little lesson about the importance of reading books. The only sources of distraction for the denizens of Fahrenheit 451 are sports or soap operas in televisions the size of entire walls. From this insipid entertainment are born people who literally talk to the walls and a society unable to question. She is a cattle-person, described as having an invisible cataract behind her pupils, afraid of anything different, incapable of thinking or feeling without directions from the TV or authorities."
"The book itself, though slightly predictable, has a powerful message that keeps sucking in the reader even though there wount be a satisfying ending as is popular in dystopian literature."
"As a huge fan of this story, this author, and this genre, I can't recommend this book enough."
"Bradbury doesn't seem to dawdle with the menial details some authors mistakenly do, and is frequently to-the-point with his visualizations."
"This classic is totally relevant today."
"On the other hand, some terms like "Play the man, Master Ridley, we shall this day light such a candle, by..." and "knock hubcaps" should have been explained by Word wise."
"I was looking for a story that bordered on horror, and this book showed up on a list somewhere, but I feel like I just read three separate stories."
"A compelling book, creating within a desire - a thirst - for knowledge, and a sense of need - need to be an agent of change."
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