September provides a diverse selection of new science fiction works, catering to those seeking sophisticated literary works by acclaimed authors such as Rachel Kushner and Richard Powers, as well as expansive and fascinating series by Yume Kitasei and Riley August. Presented here are new artworks by the esteemed grandmaster Peter F.
Hamilton, a preview of a future France by Michel Houellebecq, and a captivating perspective on potential strategies to address future epidemics by Hannu Rajaniemi. My intention is to begin with Kushner’s novel Creation Lake, then progress to Kitasei’s novel The Stardust Grail, and finally delve into Powers’ narrative Playground.
1. Creation Lake, authored by Rachel Kushner
Undoubtedly, this book is included on my reading list. on fact, I am optimistic that we may select it for a future New Scientist Book Club reading. Already included in the Booker list, this work has been characterized by our science fiction columnist Emily H. Wilson as a “thriller, a spy caper, a comedy, and a poetic exploration of human history dating back to the time when our species, Homo sapiens, coexisted with the Neanderthals.” Additionally, it has been deemed “sensationally enjoyable.” The story chronicles the exploits of Sadie Smith, a US contracted spy, as she attempts to penetrate a community of extremist environmental activists in France – I am eagerly anticipating the outcome.
2.Artwork titled “Playground” by Richard Power
This novel is also included in the Booker longlist, and it is written by the remarkably talented Powers (Bewilderment is truly exceptional). The author’s most recent work is set on the island of Makatea in French Polynesia, where a diverse group of individuals assemble as humanity devises a plan to deploy floating, self-governing cities into the ocean. “The writing evokes a strong sense of vastness.” “A vast, enigmatic, profound, and vibrant work,” Percival Everett describes this novel. I am eagerly anticipating it.
3.The “Stardust Grail” is a novel written by Yume Kitasei.
Despite transitioning from being an art thief to an anthropology student, Maya Hoshimoto is enticed to revert to her previous behavior when tasked with locating a potent artifact capable of preventing the extinction of an extraterrestrial species. Upon embarking on her exploration of the cosmos, she realizes that she is not the sole individual seeking it. Characterised as a “anti-colonial space heist,” this sounds great.
4.Film “Annihilation” directed by Michel Houellebecq
This latest work by the renowned (and occasionally contentious) French novelist takes place in 2027, when France experiences a sequence of cyberattacks during a presidential campaign. The narrative centers around Paul Raison, a consultant to the finance minister of France, whose father has suffered a stroke and is currently in a state of uncertainty within a hospital facility. This book has already achieved bestseller status in France.
5.Title: Exodus: The Archimedes Engine authored by Peter F. Hamilton
Science fiction authors rarely achieve greater fame than Peter F. Hamilton, and his latest work is captivating – it is a novel set in the setting of the immersive science fiction role-playing game Exodus. Many millennia after humanity escaped a deteriorating Earth aboard ark ships, the inhabitants of Centauri have developed into sophisticated intelligences. Finn, however, aspires to a distinct future and seizes the opportunity to assume the role of a Traveller, embarking on an expedition to the furthest regions of human space. While not a gamer, I have a strong affinity for ark-ship narratives and have confidence in Hamilton’s ability to successfully execute this one.
6.Film Darkome directed by Hannu Rajaniemi
In this most recent work by an exceptional science fiction author, pandemics have completely halted global civilization. Survival is contingent upon the use of a “Aspis chip”, which confers immunity against newly emerging viruses as they invade the body. Not everyone, however, desires it, since an alternative exists in the form of an underground community of biohackers, referred to as Darkome, who alter their physical forms. The central character, Inara, is from a Darkome village, although she requires an Aspis to manage her cancer, which contradicts the principles upheld by the society… This seems fantastic and alarmingly relevant.
7.“The Last Gifts of the Universe” is a novel written by Riley August.
The universe is replete with extinct civilizations, and Scout is an archivist who meticulously searches desolate realms for any intriguing remnants that may have been abandoned. Researchers have recently discovered a communication from an extraterrestrial being who saw the demise of their planet millennia ago.
The quotation offered by writer Nadia El-Fassi for this novel is quite amusing: “Enter the realm of space archaeologists and the charmingly aggressive Pumpkin the cat, but remain for a science fiction narrative that will rejuvenate your inner being.”
8.Wilding, a novel written by Ian McDonald
This sounds delightfully eerie, coinciding with the arrival of autumn in the northern hemisphere. The play takes place in a rehabilitated wilderness project in Ireland, where a group of five youngsters, three teachers, and one ranger are staying overnight. But peculiar occurrences have been taking place here, ranging from animal mutilations to the unearthing of inexplicable tracks – and as the children journey to the site, they observe animals that have not yet been introduced, ranging from wolves and wolverines to species that were previously thought to be extinct.
9.The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal are literary works authored by Jodi Taylor.
This latest novel by the author of the Time Police and The Chronicles of St Mary’s series is replete with intriguing time travel adventures. In this instance, Taylor is recounting the foundational narrative of bounty hunters Lady Amelia Smallhope and Pennyroyal: “No criminal they are unable to apprehend.” The expenditure account lacks sufficient flexibility. No adventure is too extravagant.
10.Francis Stevens’ Works: The Heads of Cerberus and Other Stories
This is a reprint of a compilation of short stories authored by Francis Stevens, the pen name of Gertrude Barrows Bennett, a writer who predominantly produced her body of work between 1904 to 1919 and is sometimes referred to as the pioneer of dark fantasy. One of these stories takes place in a dystopian version of Philadelphia, where the city is now a totalitarian nation-state where individuals are merely denoted by numbers rather than names. This is precisely my preference, and I thoroughly enjoy re-exploring classic science fiction works.
11.The Short Story “Before We Forget Kindness” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
This film is the fifth installment of Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, which takes place in a Tokyo café where patrons have the ability to travel back in time, as long as they return to the current moment before their coffee cools down. On this occasion, the individuals venturing into the past consist of a father who was unable to grant permission for his daughter to marry, and a boy who desires to display his smile to his divorced parents.
