More for Your Summer Reading List: Science Fiction + One YA Fantasy

      Do you realize it is almost the fourth of July?  My grandmother used to sit on the beach on that day and tell me that summer was half over. At the time, I never believed her.  Summer, calendar-wise, is just beginning, right?  But now that I’m older, I know better.  Summer flies, just as all good times do and you have to learn to cram in everything you want to do. So grab some beach reads, folks, before you’re having to sit by the fire and read them.

     I’m doing a combo post here.  I’ve got three adult science fiction novels to recommend and one young adult fantasy so excuse me for keeping the summaries short.

 

Cauldronby Jack McDevitt  This is the 2007 installment of McDevitt’s Priscilla Hutchins Academy series.  “Hutch” is retired but a physicist invented a new star drive which can go to the core of the galaxy.  Naturally Hutch is on the first ship outfitted with the drive.  Great characters, wonderful writing, this series can literally transport the reader right out of this world.

 

All Seated on the Ground.

The winds of Marble Arch and other stories a Connie Willis compendium

     Both these books are by Connie Willis

     I love this author.  Lincoln’s Dreams,  The Doomsday Book—well, let’s just say the woman can write.  I try to keep her on my watch list, so I know when she has something new out.   And yet, somehow or another, both these books came out recently and  I didn’t know about them.  These are on the top of my TBR pile.  Since The Winds of Marble Arch is a short story compendium, I figure it’s self explanatory.

     In All Seated on the Ground, Meg Yates is on a commission which is attempting to communicate with six aliens who have landed here in a spaceship.  This book made the Hugo list.  ‘Nuff said?

 

Laila & Tokar and the Chaos Scroll by Larraine Stacey

       Fifteen-year-old Tokar and his younger sister, Laila, must journey to fight the evil Var.  All they have to rely on is each other and a mysterious scroll.    This book is great for kids from fifth through eighth grades.   Available in both e-format and print.