EDITOR’S NOTE – This is part of a series featuring Salina Public Library staff and guest bloggers’ recommendations for summer reading. We hope these lists will help you find your next book!
By Mark Messenger ι June 10, 2014
- “Seventh Son” by Orson Scott Card. Although the author is best noted for his Ender books, his Alvin Maker series is also about a young man destined for greatness — only
set in an alternate (or “parallel universe”) early-19th-century America. Alvin has a “knack” for manipulating “earth” elements, such as wood, stone, metal and flesh. Card is an
excellent writer in any genre.
- “Dies the Fire” by S.M. Stirling. Post-apocalyptic literature has emerged as a significant
genre in recent years. This is the first in a series that chronicles the decline of modern civilization to a state not unlike the Dark Ages. Very cool.
- “Swan Song” by Robert McCammon. Here’s another post-apocalyptic epic for readers
who loved Stephen King’s “The Stand”. Creepy, heart-breaking, spine-tingling, etc.
- “Lightning” by Dean Koontz. I’m kind of hit-and-miss with Koontz, but this one gripped me. I remember thinking as I read this that as much as stories about time travel make me crazy (especially the flippant way Star Trek and other SciFi shows portray it) Koontz really had me–if not believing–at least imagining time travel in a way I could wrap my brain around.
- “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood. I think about this story all the time. Could we be heading in this direction? An awesome cautionary tale, on a level with Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”.
- “The Forever War” by Joe Haldeman. Here’s another brain-twisting concept — travelling through space at speeds approaching (or, exceeding — yeah, right, whatever) the speed of light. It probably doesn’t quite work the way Kirk and Spock and Luke and Han and those guys experience it. Haldeman knows all about Einstein’s pesky theory of relativity and he applies it to his story in a way that will make you think twice about deep space travel. Prepare to leave everything and everyone you know way behind in the past (and have your insides rearranged while you’re at it). Great fun!
Mark Messenger is an Information Services Assistant.
About The Author: Mark Messenger
Mark has worked a variety of library jobs over the past 20 years, holding positions in circulation, acquisitions, computer technology, cataloging and reference. He received a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology and behavior science from the University of Kansas. Mark enjoys spending time with his family, reading and listening to books, watching movies, doing crosswords, and playing trivia games. He is originally from McPherson and considers the central part of Kansas the greatest place in the world. Mark can be reached at [email protected]
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