Fantasy

The Redemption of Althalus book cover

The Redemption of Althalus

David Eddings

OverDrive eBook
Fantasy

David and Leigh Eddings were mythmakers and world builders of the first order. With The Redemption of Althalus, the authors of the Belgariad and Malloreon sagas created a thrilling stand-alone epic—boldly written and brilliantly imagined. It would be sheer folly to try to conceal the true nature of Althalus, for his flaws are the stuff of legend. He is, as all men know, a thief, a liar, an occasional murderer, an outrageous braggart, and a man devoid of even the slightest hint of honor. Yet of all the men in the world, it is Althalus, unrepentant rogue and scoundrel, who will become the champion of humanity in its desperate struggle against the forces of an ancient god determined to return the universe to nothingness. On his way to steal The Book from the House at the End of the World, Althalus is confronted by a cat—a cat with eyes like emeralds, the voice of a woman, and the powers of a goddess. She is Dweia, sister to The Gods and a greater thief even than Althalus. She must be: for in no time at all, she has stolen his heart. And more. She has stolen time itself. For when Althalus leaves the House at the End of the World, much wiser but not a day older than when he'd first entered it, thousands of years have gone by. But Dweia is not the only one able to manipulate time. Her evil brother shares the power, and while Dweia has been teaching Althalus the secrets of The Book, the ancient God has been using the dark magic of his own Book to rewrite history. Yet all is not lost. But only if Althalus, still a thief at heart, can bring together a ragtag group of men, women, and children with no reason to trust him or each other. Praise for The Redemption of Althalus “Highly recommended . . . Featuring a cast of engaging characters, some fanciful plot twists, and a light-hearted atmosphere that should appeal strongly to fans and first-time readers alike.”—Library Journal “The story takes off. The interactions between characters, straightforward plotting, and doses of wry humor keep the tale humming.”—Booklist “An engaging young reprobate hero . . . [A] magical realm of good-natured fun.”—Publishers Weekly “A compelling, involving story.”—Science Fiction Chronicle

Mykle's picture

This is one of my favorite fantasy novels. A very easy and fun read of thief turned hero. -Mykle

The book eaters book cover

The book eaters

Sunyi Dean

SCIENCE FICTION Dean Sunyi
Science Fiction, Fantasy

"Sunyi Dean's The Book Eaters is a contemporary fantasy debut. It's a story of motherhood, sacrifice, and hope; of queer identity and learning to accept who you are; of gilded lies and the danger of believing the narratives others create for you. Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries. Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon--like all other book eater women--is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairytales and cautionary stories. But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger-not for books, but for human minds"--

Paul's picture

Ultimately, this is a tale exploring the limits and burdens of motherly love, delving into the joy, sacrifice, and unspeakable horror that such can entail. Set in modern day England we learn about all the major characters through current events balanced with past moments that come closer to the same point in time as this decently paced story progresses. -Paul

A spoonful of frogs book cover

A spoonful of frogs

Casey Lyall

jE Lyall
Picture Books, Fantasy, Humor, Cookbooks

Young readers will have a hopping good time in this hilarious story about a witch who is having a hard time wrangling a bunch of frogs into her frog soup until she comes up with a surprising solution.

Casey's picture

Deliciously funny, cute, and perfect for the upcoming Halloween season! A Spoonful of Frogs is excellent for sharing aloud and repeated reads. -Casey

The chosen and the beautiful book cover

The chosen and the beautiful

Nghi Vo

SCIENCE FICTION Vo Nghi
Fantasy, LGBTQ+

Immigrant. Socialite. Magician. Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society-she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She's also queer and Asian, a Vietnamese adoptee treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her. But the world is full of wonders: infernal pacts and dazzling illusions, lost ghosts and elemental mysteries. Nghi Vo's debut novel The Chosen and the Beautiful reinvents this classic of the American canon as a coming-of-age story full of magic, mystery, and glittering excess.

Becky's picture

A fantastical reimagining of "The Great Gatsby"— told from the perspective of Jordan Baker, a queer Vietnamese American. Read while you wait for Nghi Vo’s new novel, “Siren Queen.” -Becky

The drowned woods book cover

The drowned woods

Emily Lloyd-Jones

ON ORDER BOOK
Fantasy, Young Adult

"Mer, the last living water diviner in the isles of Wales, seeks revenge against the prince who used her powers for his own evil ends"--

Casey's picture

I'm halfway through listening to The Drowned Woods, and Moira Quirk's reading of this dark, ethereal fantasy is wonderful. Just right for Leigh Bardugo and Naomi Novik fans. -Casey

Star wars : lost stars book cover

Star wars : lost stars

Claudia Gray

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Star Wars
Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction

The arrival of the Galactic Empire to their planet allows Thane and Ciena to bond over a love of flying, but once Thane witnesses the horrors of the Empire and joins the Rebellion, Ciena is forced to choose between her love and her allegiance.

Mykle's picture

Lost Stars is fascinating in several ways. It's a wonderful look into the lives of two people, Luke Skywalker's age, as they grow up under the indoctrination of the Empire. It's also a whirlwind view of the original series from the Empire's view. -Mykle

Hot and badgered book cover

Hot and badgered

Shelly Laurenston

FICTION Laurenst Shelly
Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Humor

When her father places her entire family in danger, honey badger shape shifter, Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan, tries to protect her sisters and grudgingly accepts the help of a grizzly bear shifter, Berg Dunn.

Melody's picture

I first heard about Shelley Laurenston from an urban fantasy online book group I followed. This book drew me in because the main character was a HONEY BADGER shifter. (And, ya' know, honey badger don't care...) Wolves, vampires, necromancers--I'd thought I'd read through all the paranormal fantasy archetypes. Honey badger shifters were something new. Shelley Laurenston's book are wacky and off the wall, completely ridiculous and not always politically correct. But in my humble opinion, they are wildly entertaining and hilarious. Find her audiobook series on hoopla: https://www.hoopladigital.com/artist/465327044?kindId=8&page=1 -Melody

Ring shout : or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the end times book cover

Ring shout : or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the end times

P. Djèlí Clark

SCIENCE FICTION Clark P. Djeli
Fantasy, Horror

"In this dark fantasy historical novella that gives a supernatural twist to the Ku Klux Klan's reign of terror, The Birth of a Nation cast a spell across America, swelling the Klan's ranks and drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of white folk. All across the nation they ride, spreading fear and violence among the vulnerable. They plan to bring Hell to Earth. Standing in their way is Maryse Boudreaux and her fellow resistance fighters, a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter. Armed with blade, bullet, and bomb, they hunt their hunters and send the Klan's demons straight to Hell. But something awful's brewing in Macon, and the war on Hell is about to heat up. Can Maryse stop the Klan before it ends the world?"--

Brian's picture

Have you ever read a novella and wished that it was twice as long or--better yet--a series? That's exactly how I felt about "Ring Shout." I was drawn in by the cover and then hooked by the book's pulpy fantasy horror vibe. I mean, how can you beat a group of women hunting and killing demons that have disguised themselves as humans and joined the Ku Klux Klan? -Brian

Moon witch, spider king book cover

Moon witch, spider king

Marlon James

SCIENCE FICTION James, Marlon
Diverse Characters, Fiction, Fantasy

"From Marlon James, author of the bestselling National Book Award finalist Black Leopard, Red Wolf, the second book in the Dark Star trilogy, his African Game of Thrones. In Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Sogolon the Moon Witch proved a worthy adversary to Tracker as they clashed across a mythical African landscape in search of a mysterious boy who disappeared. In Moon Witch, Spider King, Sogolon takes center stage and gives her own account of what happened to the boy, and how she plotted and fought, triumphed and failed as she looked for him. It's also the story of a century-long feud-seen through the eyes of a 177-year-old witch-that Sogolon had with the Aesi, chancellor to the king. It is said that Aesi works so closely with the king that together they are like the eight limbs of one spider. Aesi's power is considerable-and deadly. It takes brains and courage to challenge him, which Sogolon does for reasons of her own. Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man, it is a fascinating novel that explores power, personality, and the places where they overlap"--

Jason's picture

Really looking forward to this fantasy sequel to James' "Black leopard, red wolf". Good mixture of adventure, magic, and folklore. TW: the first book had some difficult sections with regards to violence against women and children. -Jason

Circe book cover

Circe

Madeline Miller

OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Fantasy

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Casey's picture

Circe has had me spellbound since I listened to Perdita Weeks weave her magic in March of 2020. This is my third time around and I love it just as much as the first. -Casey