I have a bit of a paradoxical relationship with fantasy and sci-fi books. Although I enjoy both, neither are genres that I tend to reach for very often. Given the choice, I’m generally more likely to read fantasy than sci-fi, and actually a lot of my favourite books are fantasy. I rarely read sci-fi at all, but I have enjoyed most of the sci-fi books that I’ve read. I think in both cases, I need to be in a certain mood to really get into it since both can be quite complex. Most of the time, judging by the first third or so of my TBR, I’m more likely to pick up a contemporary or possibly a suspense/thriller. Actually, I think part of the reason I tend to stay away from fantasy sometimes is because there are so few standalone fantasy books. Everything seems to lead into a trilogy or series, which is a time commitment I may not be able to make.
When compiling this list, I decided to leave out any sci-fi or fantasy books that I’m already intending to read this year. I’ve made a specific effort to take on some of the more popular YA fantasy series this year, which I can talk about in a later post if anyone is interested. So below is five sci-fi and/or fantasy books that I’m looking forward to, but probably won’t get to any time soon.
Top 5 Wednesday is a meme created by Gingerreadslainey on Youtube, and the official GoodReads group with the weekly topics can be found here.
1) The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
I was first exposed to Patrick Ness last year because of the outstanding A Monster Calls. Immediately after I finished that book, I went straight to Goodreads to see what else he had written, and I found a trilogy that looks very interesting. I actually don’t know very much about this series, but I read a preview of the first couple of pages during which the main character, Todd, reads the mind of his dog and it seemed really funny! The book is set in a town called Prentisstown, where everyone can read each other’s minds so there is a constant stream of noise. I’ve seen many positive reviews, and I’m looking forward to reading a lot more books by Patrick Ness so this seems like a good place to start. I do have another Ness book on my list for this year (The Rest of Us Just Live Here), which I’m also hoping to love!
2) Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan Maguire
This book seems to have been everywhere lately. I was initially put off because it was so short, at just over 170 pages. I generally don’t read books that short because it doesn’t give enough time for the story to develop. However, I was so fascinated by the idea behind it. The story is about the children who have returned from magical lands, such as Narnia or Wonderland, and who have trouble adapting back to their normal lives. I’ve always found it interesting to think about what it must be like for these kinds of characters. Also, it wasn’t until just a few days ago that I realized this book was written by the same author as the Newsflesh trilogy, which I started earlier this year. I liked that book, although I’m not a huge fan of zombie stories, so I think this one will appeal to me even more.
3) Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
If I’m honest, one of the main reasons I was drawn to add this book to my TBR in the first place is because of the cover — and that’s something I never do. This book is about a girl named Kami who is in love with a boy who has been her imaginary friend since childhood. The mysterious Lynburn family moves back into their home overlooking Kami’s town, and along with them come quite a few unanswered questions. I’m not necessarily in a rush to read this book any time soon, but it definitely seems like it has the potential to be a very interesting story. It is also the first book in a trilogy, which I think is part of the reason I put it off for so long already. I have quite a few series on the go, but this one is definitely in line for the future.
4) Gifted by H.A. Swain
I first found this book through Goodread recommendations not too long after it was released last summer. This is another book that I thought had an intriguing cover, but I was also drawn in by the concept. This book is set in a world where “Acquired Savant Abilities” can be induced into people for a price, instead of being a natural talent or result of practice. As someone who has studied psychology, I’ve always been pretty interested in what makes some people naturally more inclined toward certain talents. Although I’ve seen mixed reviews of this book, and it seems to gear more toward the romance element than the sci-fi, it still seems like it could be an really strong story.
5) Crosstalk by Connie Willis
This was another book that I discovered through the recommendations pages, and I was very interested by the the idea of taking social media and connection between people to an extreme. In this book, Briddey Flannigan undergoes a procedure to improve her connection and relationship with her soon-to-be fiancee, but something goes wrong and she ends up connected to someone else instead. Lately, I’ve really enjoyed books that use social media as a plot device in some way, and this was the first sci-fi book that I discovered that fit the theme. Based on the direction I think it will take, it seems like it will be a very relevant topic that has potential to touch on so many sides of social media and relationships. Of all the books listed here, I think this is the one I’m most excited for.
Abyssal Librarian 