Katrina is on the run to find a better life when she is discovered by famed violin teacher Shizuka– who happens to be searching for one more soul to finish her deal with Hell. As she trains Katrina, Shizuka also meets Lan, former starship captain turned donut shop owner. I was entranced by this story …
From Oregonlive.com July 31, 2021: The Ursula K. Le Guin stamp, the 33rd in the U.S. Postal Service’s Literary Arts series, was released Tuesday in a ceremony at the Portland Art Museum. Among those who spoke at the event was Portland arts critic Martha Ullman West, a longtime friend of Le Guin’s; Oregon Arts Watch published her remarks. Other …
An astronaut wakes up with amnesia, and discovers he is on a mission to save the world. This book is a return to what made The Martian such a great read. There’s a sarcastic but earnest narrator, many a life-threatening disaster, and so very much clearly and cleverly explained science. Once I started reading it, I could …
We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinsker is… wow. Proof that I need a bit more faith in the good authors because Pinsker went places with this story I was not expecting and that is glorious! In the near future, Pilot is released. It’s a small brain implant that allows the brain to come close to …
I have absolutely loved everything Nnedi Okorafor has ever written, and this latest book from her is no exception! Her amazing ability to blend traditional African stories and themes with hardcore science fiction is spectacular. While Sankofa cannot remember her name, she does remember her past as she travels from town to town. Even as …
Be sure to read the full list, with recommendations from booksellers around the country, but why not start here, with favorites from Portland and Seattle booksellers? John Rember, A Hundred Little Pieces on the End of the World (University of New Mexico Press) Jeremy Garber, Powell’s, Portland: John Rember’s A Hundred Little Pieces on the End of the World collects …
Octavia Butler (a Seattleite!) should be required reading, and this book is a prime example as to why. This novel follows teenage Lauren, a visionary leader dedicated to seeking freedom and safety despite the fear, violence, and complacency of those around her. You will be in awe of her at every turn. Butler transcends the …
We have a new Christopher Paolini book. Now, Paolini, as you may recall, wrote a book about dragons once up a time, and it turned out that more than a few folks wanted to know what happened next. Paolini showed up for a few more books, and became somewhat of a wild success story (given …
Le Guin can do more with a novella than most people can do with a full-length book. She writes with complexity about justice, cruelty, home, and grief just as deftly as she moves between science fiction, fantasy, and realism, and each of these stories is populated by characters so real you can almost feel their …
by Amy Wang | The Oregonian/OregonLive In times of upheaval, readers naturally turn to books to make sense of what’s happening. With protesters now marching through Portland regularly under the banner of the Black Lives Matter movement, we asked several local Black writers if they’d be willing to recommend books that address racial issues. Here …
