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Recommendations based on The Speed of Darkby Elizabeth Moon
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Doomsday Book
by Connie Willis
A time-traveling historian struggles to contain a deadly pandemic in the Middle Ages.
For Kivrin, preparing an on-site study of one of the deadliest eras in humanity's history was as simple as receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth century and inventing an alibi ... (Goodreads)
Rendezvous with Rama
by Arthur C. Clarke
A mysterious alien spacecraft discovered in the Solar System, explored by a human team.
After an asteroid falls in Northeast Italy in 2077, creating a major disaster, the government of Earth sets up the Spaceguard system as an early warning of arrivals from deep space. The "Rama" of the ... (Wikipedia)
Dragonsinger
by Anne McCaffrey
A young singer discovers her magical connection to dragons and embarks on a quest to save her people.
The novel follows Menolly , now apprenticed into the Harper Hall, a type of music conservatory for harpers ( minstrels /educators) and other music professionals, as she begins her musical training to ... (Wikipedia)
Speaker for the Dead
by Orson Scott Card
A search for the truth about an alien species, uncovering secrets of the past.
Now available in mass market, the revised, definitive edition of the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning classic. In this second book in the saga set 3,000 years after the terrible war, Ender Wiggin is ... (Goodreads)
Trading in Danger
by Elizabeth Moon
Kylara Vatta, a young space trader, is betrayed by her family and must navigate through dangerous space to prove her worth and regain her honor.
Kylara Vatta is the only daughter in a family full of sons, and her father's only child to buck tradition by choosing a military career instead of joining the family business. For Ky, it's no ... (Goodreads)
The Curse of Chalion
by Lois McMaster Bujold
A man's spiritual journey to heal the kingdom and free himself from a powerful curse.
Cazaril was formerly a noble in the land of Chalion, but was betrayed and sold into slavery. He returns to a regional court where he is hired as tutor to Iselle (second in line for the throne of ... (Wikipedia)
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
by Robert A. Heinlein
Revolutionary group fight for freedom from an oppressive lunar colony.
In 2075, the Moon (Luna) is used as a penal colony by Earth's government, with three million inhabitants (called "Loonies") living in underground cities. Most Loonies are criminals, political exiles, ... (Wikipedia)
The Dispossessed
by Ursula K. Le Guin
A sci-fi exploration of utopian and dystopian societies, and the struggle for a better world.
Librarian note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN, 9780061054884,. Shevek, a brilliant physicist, decides to take action. He will seek answers, question the unquestionable, and attempt to tear down the ... (Goodreads)
Among Others
by Jo Walton
A young girl navigates life after a traumatic event, finding solace in books and magic.
The novel is presented as the diary of Morgana, a 15-year-old Welsh science fiction and fantasy fan, in 1979 and 1980. She and her twin sister Morwenna, both frequently using the nicknames "Mor" or ... (Wikipedia)
Foundation
by Isaac Asimov
Exploring the possibilities of a galactic empire in a future driven by science and technology.
For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future – to a dark age ... (Goodreads)
Flag in Exile
by David Weber
Honor Harrington is exiled to a remote planet, where she must defend it against pirates and corrupt officials while navigating political intrigue.
After the scandal caused by killing Pavel Young in a duel, Honor retreats to Grayson until things settle down on Manticore. She intends to oversee the development of her Steading, and overcome the ... (Wikipedia)
Honor Among Enemies
by David Weber
Captain Honor Harrington is stranded on a hostile planet with her crew, facing a deadly enemy and a race against time to survive.
After more than three years in exile on Grayson, several of Honor's old political enemies decide to try to kill two birds with one stone. Klaus Hauptman is able to have Honor appointed as commander ... (Wikipedia)
Pawn of Prophecy
by David Eddings
A young man must accept his destiny and fulfill an ancient prophecy to save the world.
A magnificent epic set against a history of seven thousand years of the struggles of Gods and Kings and men - of strange lands and events - of fate and a prophecy that must be fulfilled! THE ... (Goodreads)
Dragonquest
by Anne McCaffrey
A group of brave adventurers traverse a world of dragons and magical powers in search of a powerful artifact.
As it opens, tensions are rising between the Oldtimers, those dragonriders who came forward in time 400 turns (Pernese years) to help the undermanned contemporary dragonriders protect the planet Pern ... (Wikipedia)
Seventh Son
by Orson Scott Card
In a world where seventh sons possess special powers, a young boy must navigate a dangerous journey to become a powerful wizard.
Alvin's family is migrating west. When they try to cross the Hatrack River, an unknown force known as the Unmaker tries to stop the as-yet-unborn Alvin from being born - since Alvin would be the ... (Wikipedia)
The Forever War
by Joe Haldeman
A soldier's story of the horror of war and its consequences in the far future.
The monumental Hugo and Nebula award winning SF classic— Featuring a new introduction by John Scalzi,The Earth's leaders have drawn a line in the interstellar sand—despite the fact that the fierce ... (Barnes & Noble)
Imago
by Octavia E. Butler
A journey through a post-apocalyptic future, exploring the power of human connection and love.
The stunning conclusion to a postapocalyptic trilogy about an alien species merging with humans—from “one of science fiction’s finest writers” (TheNew York Times). Human and Oankali have been mating ... (Goodreads)
The Left Hand of Darkness
by Ursula K. Le Guin
A diplomat's mission to a distant planet, exploring themes of gender and identity.
The protagonist of the novel is Genly Ai, a male Terran native, who is sent to invite the planet Gethen to join the Ekumen, a coalition of humanoid worlds. , Ai travels to the Gethen planetary system ... (Wikipedia)
The Vor Game
by Lois McMaster Bujold
A young military officer's trials and tribulations as he navigates a corrupt and dangerous universe.
Hugo Award Winner! Miles Vorkosigan graduates from the Academy, joins a mutiny, is placed under house arrest, goes on a secret mission, reconnects with his loyal Dendarii Mercenaries, rescues his ... (Goodreads)
The Deed of Paksenarrion
by Elizabeth Moon
Epic fantasy tale of a young woman who embarks on an extraordinary journey to save the world.
The Deed of Paksenarrion revolves around the life of Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter, known as Paks. It takes place in a fictional medieval world comprised of kingdoms of humans, dwarves, and elves. The ... (Goodreads)
Parable of the Talents
by Octavia E. Butler
A post-apocalyptic tale of survival, exploring themes of faith and power.
Parable of the Talents is told from the points of view of Lauren Oya Olamina and her daughter Larkin Olamina/Asha Vere. The novel consists of journal entries by Lauren and passages by Asha Vere. Four ... (Wikipedia)
A Civil Campaign
by Lois McMaster Bujold
Miles Vorkosigan navigates the tricky waters of romance and politics in a comedic space opera.
Miles Vorkosigan has a problem: unrequited love for the beautiful widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson, violently allergic to marriage after her first exposure. If a frontal assault won't do, Miles thinks, try ... (Goodreads)
Sheepfarmer's Daughter
by Elizabeth Moon
A young woman's quest to become a knight, facing obstacles of gender and class.
Paksenarrion — Paks for short — is somebody special. She knows it, even if nobody else does yet. No way will she follow her father's orders to marry the pig farmer down the road. She's off to join ... (Goodreads)
Blindsight
by Peter Watts
A sci-fi tale of a journey to the outer reaches of space and a confrontation with alien life.
In the year 2082, thousands of large, coordinated objects of an unknown origin, dubbed "Fireflies", burn up in the Earth's atmosphere in a precise grid, while momentarily broadcasting across an ... (Wikipedia)
Dragonsong
by Anne McCaffrey
A young girl's quest to unlock the secrets of dragon music and save her world.
Taking place seven years after the events of, Dragonflight, , the book opens with Menolly , youngest daughter of Masterfisher Yanus, Sea Holder of Half-Circle Seahold, ,[e], in the fictional world of ... (Wikipedia)
2001: A Space Odyssey
by Arthur C. Clarke
An interstellar journey of exploration, confronting humanity's place in the universe.
A mysterious alien civilization uses a tool with the appearance of a large crystalline monolith to investigate worlds across the galaxy and, if possible, to encourage the development of intelligent ... (Wikipedia)
The Last Continent
by Terry Pratchett
A comedic adventure through a fantasy world, uncovering secrets of the past.
The story opens weeks after the events of, Interesting Times, , in which Rincewind is magically transported to the continent of Xxxx due to a miscalculation made by the Unseen University wizards. He ... (Wikipedia)
A Wizard of Earthsea
by Ursula K. Le Guin
A young wizard embarks on a quest to master his own magical powers and battle a mysterious force of evil.
Ged, the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, was called Sparrowhawk in his reckless youth. Hungry for power and knowledge, Sparrowhawk tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon ... (Goodreads)
Ilium
by Dan Simmons
An epic sci-fi tale of gods, robots, and humans on a quest to uncover the secrets of the ancient past.
The novel centers on three character groups: that of Hockenberry (a resurrected twentieth-century Homeric scholar whose duty is to compare the events of the Iliad to the reenacted events of the ... (Wikipedia)
The Demolished Man
by Alfred Bester
In a world where telepathy is the norm, a wealthy businessman plans a murder, but a telepathic detective is on his trail.
Ben Reich is the paranoid, impetuous owner of Monarch Utilities & Resources, a commercial cartel that the Reich family has possessed for generations. Monarch Utilities & Resources is in danger of ... (Wikipedia)
