I’ve been reading a lot of books recently, and here are three that I really liked. Two are science fiction and one is not.
Lost Ark Dreaming
The premise: decades after the Earth’s oceans have risen, all that remains near west Africa is one half submerged tower complex. Class divisions are clear, with the wealthy inhabiting the top floors and the poor living close to the water line, or below it. Outside, the drowned are stirring…
Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a compelling story of three very different people uniting to try to save what is left of humanity. I couldn’t put it down. Recommended! (it’s coming out in May 2024)
The Design of Books
This book delivers what the title promises: a deep dive into how books are designed. Author Debbie Berne shows the many decisions that are made during the book making process.
I learned a lot! Do you know what a headband is? It’s a part of a hardcover book!
Deconstructing the hardcover book is only a small part of The Design of Books. Author Berne goes into detail on the various people involved in book design, from publishers and editors to copy editors and promoters… and of course, authors. It is filled with many tips and explanations that are invaluable to would-be authors and the general public.
I read this through Netgalley so I didn’t have a physical copy of the book. I’ll keep an eye out for in bookstores to see what it looks like!
The Limits of My World
The premise: Kanan and Tei live in a tiny universe, with synthetic walls, small enough that a human like them can run around it in 17 minutes. There’s “Nothing” beyond the walls, and these are humans unlike any you’ve seen. Things get weirder from there.
I was really intrigued by the premise of The Limits of My World and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Without giving too much away, I’ll say that the author Gregory Coles has a special interest in language and you can tell.
Highly recommended as an innovative and differentl SF book.l
Interesting. I like the first two recommendations