In Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, bounty hunter Rick Deckard “retires” escaped androids hiding in war-ravaged San Francisco. Since the androids look exactly like humans, Deckard administers empathy tests to determine which suspects are on his hitlist. But the newest android version, the Nexus-6, responds with human-like emotions that can foil the test. Rick Deckard’s job becomes even more complicated when he becomes romantically involved with a sophisticated Nexus-6 named Rachel who's programmed to believe she's human.
Our Novel Realities book club will discuss Rick Deckard’s dilemma and Philip K. Dick’s vision of the future in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? on Thursday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sharon Forks Library. Check out the novel, watch the film adaptation, Blade Runner, or view my 2020 Book Chat on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and come join our discussion.
What would you do if you found four million dollars?
Three men in rural Ohio think they've hit the jackpot when they find the wreckage of a small plane, the body of its pilot, and a duffel bag full of one hundred dollar bills in a nature preserve on New Year's Day. Rather than notify authorities, they decide to split the windfall among themselves. As a precaution, they plan to hide the money until they’re sure no one will suspect them of taking it.
Almost immediately tensions arise, confidences are betrayed, and promises are broken. Concealing the crime of opportunity becomes more complicated–and leads to a rising body count–in this suspenseful story about moral compromises that you won't want to put down.
In Federico Axat’s Kill the Next One, a married father of two with a terminal brain tumor and suicidal intent is abruptly interrupted by a stranger with an unusual proposition. Ted McKay’s mysterious visitor claims to be part of a covert organization that rights wrongs by targeting killers who’ve escaped justice. In exchange for Ted performing a hitjob on two well-deserving targets, someone from the organization will quickly eliminate Ted. It's a tempting Devil's bargain that spares Ted from taking his own life.
But things don’t seem as straightforward once Ted pulls off his half of the arrangement. Unusual details raise Ted’s suspicions about the organization he’s killed for. Dark secrets from Ted's past start to emerge, and he experiences unsettling hallucinations. The story's mind-bending twists will captivate fans of psychological suspense and speculative fiction.
Federico Axat was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Kill the Next One is his first novel to be translated into English. Check out our FCPL Hispanic Authors booklist for more titles by Hispanic authors and the events page for our Hispanic Heritage Month Series.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a new spin on the H.G. Wells classic novel The Island of Doctor Moreau. We will discuss The Daughter of Doctor Moreau at the next Novel Realities book discussion group at the Sharon Forks Library on Thursday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m.
The story takes place in 19th century Mexico, specifically on the Yucatán peninsula, an area so remote that it was often referred to as an island. There we find Carlota Moreau, the young, dutiful daughter of the doctor who spends his time creating animal-human hybrids to further his scientific pursuits.
Often when I’m going for a hike, one of my top concerns is the weight of my pack. Water is the heaviest thing I carry, and I have to make sure to take more than I need because I invariably end up needing more than I expect. Georgia’s heat and humidity are no joke. Typically, a book is the last thing you want to take on a hike. They’re heavy and can’t get wet, and when you’ve gone twelve miles without pulling the thing out, you regret packing it in the first place (I know because I’ve been that person). But isn’t there a way you can still learn about what you see along your hike?
Using an app, such as Seek by iNaturalist, is usually the best way to identify species you may encounter on your hike. That said, finding the species of a fungi on an app like Seek is very difficult! Fungi tend to be less distinctive between species by looking with the naked eye or with a camera. Instead I’ve found success with guide books on my fungus focused forays.
I highly recommend Mushrooms of the Southeast by Todd F. Elliott and Steven L. Stephenson. This book has a great sorting tool (called a dichotomous key), detailed descriptions, full-color images, a glossary and index, a very helpful introduction, and drawings to illustrate the parts of a mushroom. Another thing I love about this book is the ruler on the back cover! If you’re looking for a guide book on fungi, plants, or even insects, a ruler is an excellent built-in tool. Any time I am looking to invest in a guide book, I like to see what is available first. Checking out a book before you pick the guide you want is always a good call, so run to your local library and see what they have.
I am a sucker for books about time travel, and I recently found a new young adult series called Jump in Time by Andrew Varga. The first book in the series is called The Last Saxon King, and I read the entire book over one weekend! It was the perfect combination of historical fiction, action, adventure, and science fiction (and maybe just a little romance).
