SF&F Literati meet 3/25/2019

9,995 Chances and Counting . . . 

Date: Monday, March 25, 2019, at 7:00 p.m.
Title: Reincarnation Blues
Author: Michael Poore
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not.

A wildly imaginative novel about a man who is reincarnated over ten thousand lifetimes to be with his one true love: Death herself.

“Tales of gods and men akin to Neil Gaiman’s Sandman as penned by a kindred spirit of Douglas Adams.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

First we live. Then we die. And then . . . we get another try?

Ten thousand tries, to be exact. Ten thousand lives to “get it right.” Answer all the Big Questions. Achieve Wisdom. And Become One with Everything.
 
Milo has had 9,995 chances so far and has just five more lives to earn a place in the cosmic soul. If he doesn’t make the cut, oblivion awaits. But all Milo really wants is to fall forever into the arms of Death. Or Suzie, as he calls her.

More than just Milo’s lover throughout his countless layovers in the Afterlife, Suzie is literally his reason for living—as he dives into one new existence after another, praying for the day he’ll never have to leave her side again.
     
But Reincarnation Blues is more than a great love story: Every journey from cradle to grave offers Milo more pieces of the great cosmic puzzle—if only he can piece them together in time to finally understand what it means to be part of something bigger than infinity. As darkly enchanting as the works of Neil Gaiman and as wisely hilarious as Kurt Vonnegut’s, Michael Poore’s Reincarnation Blues is the story of everything that makes life profound, beautiful, absurd, and heartbreaking.

Because it’s more than Milo and Suzie’s story. It’s your story, too.

Praise for Reincarnation Blues

“The most fun you’ll have reading about a man who has been killed by both catapult and car accident.”—NPR

“This book made me laugh out loud. And then a page later, it made me sob. Reminiscent of Tom Robbins and Christopher Moore, Poore finds humor in the dark absurdities of life.”—Chicago Review of Books


“Charming . . . surprisingly light and uplifting . . . It reads like a writer having fun.”—New York Journal of Books

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon, for the Reincarnation Blues cover. 

A woman's place is . . . among the stars?

The Kansas City SF&F Literati November Selection
Have you read it yet?
Next meeting: Monday, November 26, 2018; 7 p.m. at the Oak Park Barnes & Noble.

The Calculating Stars
by Mary Robinette Kowal

Book One of the Lady Astronaut series, based on the premises behind her Hugo Award-winning "Lady Astronaut of Mars."

The Calculating Stars has received acclaim since its release:
Goodreads―Most Popular Books Published in July 2018 (#66)
The Verge―12 fantastic science fiction and fantasy novels for July 2018
Unbound Worlds―Best SciFi and Fantasy Books of July 2018
Den of Geek―Best Science Fiction Books of June 2018
Omnivoracious―15 Highly Anticipated SFF Reads for Summer 2018

The Story:
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.

Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

Available from booksellers everywhere, including host location Barnes & Noble Booksellers. And don't forget to check for it at your local library! 

IMAGE: Many thanks to Macmillan Publishers for the cover photo. Thanks also are due to Amazon, for the list of recognitions and the book description, and to Barnes & Noble for saving me the trouble of looking up a source for "Lady Astronaut of Mars."

Calculate this!

Get your copy today!  
The Kansas City SF&F Literati November Selection
Next meeting: Monday, November 26, 2018; 7 p.m. at the Oak Park Barnes & Noble.

The Calculating Stars
by Mary Robinette Kowal

Book One of the Lady Astronaut series, based on the premises behind her Hugo Award-winning "Lady Astronaut of Mars."

The Calculating Stars has received acclaim since its release:
Goodreads―Most Popular Books Published in July 2018 (#66)
The Verge―12 fantastic science fiction and fantasy novels for July 2018
Unbound Worlds―Best SciFi and Fantasy Books of July 2018
Den of Geek―Best Science Fiction Books of June 2018
Omnivoracious―15 Highly Anticipated SFF Reads for Summer 2018

The Story:
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.

Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

Available from booksellers everywhere, including host location Barnes & Noble Booksellers. And don't forget to check for it at your local library! 

IMAGE: Many thanks to Macmillan Publishers for the cover photo. Thanks also are due to Amazon, for the list of recognitions and the book description, and to Barnes & Noble for saving me the trouble of looking up a source for "Lady Astronaut of Mars."

-- AND --

In case you missed it:
(because Jan missed the chance to promote it--sorry)
The October 2018 Selection was 

Flex ('Mancer Book One)
by Ferrett Steinmetz
See what the SF&F Literati thought of this book!

The Story:
FLEX: Distilled magic in crystal form. The most dangerous drug in the world. Snort it, and you can create incredible coincidences to live the life of your dreams.

FLUX: The backlash from snorting Flex. The universe hates magic and tries to rebalance the odds; maybe you survive the horrendous accidents the Flex inflicts, maybe you don’t.

PAUL TSABO: The obsessed bureaucromancer who’s turned paperwork into a magical Beast that can rewrite rental agreements, conjure rented cars from nowhere, and track down anyone who’s ever filled out a form.


But when all of his formulaic magic can’t save his burned daughter, Paul must enter the dangerous world of Flex dealers to heal her. Except he’s never done this before – and the punishment for brewing Flex is army conscription and a total brain-wipe.

Also available from the Library and host location Barnes & Noble Booksellers!

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon, for both the cover image and the book description.

SF&F Literati go Interstellar Sept. 24!

Reading beyond the Solar System

Book: Noumenon
Author: Marina J. Lostetter; Amazon Author Page; Facebook 
Discussion Where: Oak Park Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214, on 2nd floor by the windows
Discussion Date: September 24, 2018
Discussion Time: 7:00 p.m.
Dinner Before Discussion: Keep your eye on the SF&F Literati Facebook Page for updates on the optional dinner destination.
No, you DON'T need to have read/finished the book to participate!

The Reviewers say:
A Publishers Weekly "Best Books of 2017" pick!
A Kirkus Reviews "Best Books of 2017" pick!
A B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasty Blog "Best SFF of 2017" pick!

Book Description:
With nods to Arthur C. Clarke’s Rama series and the real science of Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves, a touch of Hugh Howey’s Wool, and echoes of Octavia Butler’s voice, a powerful tale of space travel, adventure, discovery, and humanity that unfolds through a series of generational vignettes.

In 2088, humankind is at last ready to explore beyond Earth’s solar system. But one uncertainty remains: Where do we go?

Astrophysicist Reggie Straifer has an idea. He’s discovered an anomalous star that appears to defy the laws of physics, and proposes the creation of a deep-space mission to find out whether the star is a weird natural phenomenon, or something manufactured.

The journey will take eons. In order to maintain the genetic talent of the original crew, humankind’s greatest ambition—to explore the furthest reaches of the galaxy— is undertaken by clones. But a clone is not a perfect copy, and each new generation has its own quirks, desires, and neuroses. As the centuries fly by, the society living aboard the nine ships (designated Convoy Seven) changes and evolves, but their mission remains the same: to reach Reggie’s mysterious star and explore its origins—and implications.

A mosaic novel of discovery, Noumenon—in a series of vignettes—examines the dedication, adventure, growth, and fear of having your entire world consist of nine ships in the vacuum of space. The men and women, and even the AI, must learn to work and live together in harmony, as their original DNA is continuously replicated and they are born again and again into a thousand new lives. With the stars their home and the unknown their destination, they are on a voyage of many lifetimes—an odyssey to understand what lies beyond the limits of human knowledge and imagination.

Next Month's Selection: Flex, by Ferrett Steinmetz, October 22, 2018

IMAGES: Many thanks to Amazon Smile, for both the Noumenon cover and the cover image for Flex.

Death or the stars . . . NEXT MONDAY!

Do you have the next book?

SF&F Literati meet next week July 23, 2018. Do you have your copy of the book they'll discuss?

Title: The Wrong Stars 
Author: Tim Pratt
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: ALL ARE WELCOME to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not.

Publisher's plot overview:
Finalist for the 2018 Philip K. Dick Award.

A ragtag crew of humans and posthumans discover alien technology that could change the fate of humanity… or awaken an ancient evil and destroy all life in the galaxy.

The shady crew of the White Raven run freight and salvage at the fringes of our solar system. They discover the wreck of a centuries-old exploration vessel floating light years away from its intended destination and revive its sole occupant, who wakes with news of First Alien Contact. When the crew break it to her that humanity has alien allies already, she reveals that these are very different extra-terrestrials… and the gifts they bestowed on her could kill all humanity, or take it out to the most distant stars.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the book cover image.

The price of a perfect world

Kansas City SF&F Literati to meet!
Date: Monday, June 25, 2018
Title: Scythe
Author: Neal Schusterman
Available from: Barnes & Noble and other fine booksellers.
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: ALL ARE WELCOME to meetings, even if you haven't read the book. 

Publisher's plot overview:
Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind Dystology.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.

Would you believe there's a book trailer?


IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the cover image, and to Neal Schusterman via YouTube for the book trailer.

Less than two weeks to go!

SF&F Literati storm the gates of Hell in March

Date: Monday, March 26, 2018, at 7:00 p.m.
Title: Who Wants to be The Prince of Darkness?
Author: Michael Boatman
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not.

Overview:
Lucifer is enjoying his retirement in an obscure corner of Limbo when he learns of a plot by Gabriel, the current ruler of Hell, to use humanity’s greatest weapon against it – Television!

Cue the hottest reality game-show ever conceived: Who Wants To Be The Prince Of Darkness? Gabriel orchestrates an “Infernal takeover” of Earth by stealing unwitting mortal souls and sending them to a mostly empty Hell, hoping to reinvigorate the Infernal Realm.

Now Lucifer must find a living champion to seize control of Hell and free millions of stolen mortal souls before the theft becomes permanent. But who would ever want to be Hell’s champion?

Many thanks to Amazon, for this book description.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads for the cover image.

Will Gabriel's devious plot succeed?

SF&F Literati storm the gates of Hell in March

Date: Monday, March 26, 2018, at 7:00 p.m.
Title: Who Wants to be The Prince of Darkness?
Author: Michael Boatman
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not.

Overview:
Lucifer is enjoying his retirement in an obscure corner of Limbo when he learns of a plot by Gabriel, the current ruler of Hell, to use humanity’s greatest weapon against it – Television!

Cue the hottest reality game-show ever conceived: Who Wants To Be The Prince Of Darkness? Gabriel orchestrates an “Infernal takeover” of Earth by stealing unwitting mortal souls and sending them to a mostly empty Hell, hoping to reinvigorate the Infernal Realm.

Now Lucifer must find a living champion to seize control of Hell and free millions of stolen mortal souls before the theft becomes permanent. But who would ever want to be Hell’s champion?

Many thanks to Amazon, for this book description.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads for the cover image.

Do you Tesseract?

Coming Monday! 
The SF&F Literati discuss a classic!

Date: Monday, February 26, 2018, at 7:00 p.m.
Title: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble
Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2nd Floor, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214
NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not. But we recommend you use this opportunity to read this SF classic before you see the movie! (opens in theaters March 9, 2018).

Overview: 
It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."

A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

A Wrinkle in Time is the first book in The Time Quintet, which also consists of A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. A Wrinkle in Time is soon to be a movie from Disney, directed by Ava DuVernay, starring Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling.

Many thanks to Amazon for this book description.

IMAGE: Many thanks to witchqueen of arkham's Twitter feed, @voidember, for this particular  A Wrinkle in Time cover, by 2004 ConQuesT Artist Guest of Honor, Jody A. Lee.

Cultivate the seeds of discussion with the SF&F Literati THIS MONDAY!

When: January 22, 2018, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Oak Park Mall Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 11323 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS
Discussing: Seeds of Earth, by Michael Cobley

Join the Kansas City SF&F Literati on the second floor by the windows, to discuss the first selection of 2018--then help pick the next four selections the group will read. All are welcome (including first-timers) to come to meetings--even if you haven't finished it. Come join the discussion!

Seeds of Earth
The first intelligent species to encounter mankind attacked without warning. Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable. With little hope of halting the invasion, Earth's last roll of the dice was to dispatch three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. The human race would live on ... somewhere.

150 years later, the planet Darien hosts a thriving human settlement, which enjoys a peaceful relationship with an indigenous race, the scholarly Uvovo. But there are secrets buried on Darien's forest moon. Secrets that go back to an apocalyptic battle fought between ancient races at the dawn of galactic civilization. Unknown to its colonists, Darien is about to become the focus of an intergalactic power struggle where the true stakes are beyond their comprehension. And what choices will the Uvovo make when their true nature is revealed and the skies grow dark with the enemy?
--Overview provided by the publisher

Reviews
"A complex, finely detailed thriller-cum-space opera"
--SFX

"Proper galaxy-spanning Space Opera ... a worthy addition to the genre"
--Iain M. Banks

"After a devastating and unanticipated alien war, Earth sent out colony ships to preserve humanity. The human colony on Darien has coexisted peacefully with the indigenous Uvovo for the past 150 years, but now a power struggle for control of the galaxy threatens the amity. A space opera series opener by the author of the Shadowkings trilogy."
--Library Journal

"Seeds of Earth has everything: well-realised extraterrestrials, scheming artificial intelligences, set-piece space battles and bizarre technology from the dawn of the galaxy. The first book of the trilogy is also a convincing portrayal of political machinations and the plight of individuals caught up in events beyond their comprehension."
--Eric Brown, The Guardian online

"Seeds of Earth is as powerful as Smoke on the Water, as twisted as Paranoid and as epic as Stairway to Heaven. As a lover of epic fantasy I tell you that is the kind of space opera I want to read. For me it is epic fantasy in future. I recommend it! Give it a go...."
--"Edifanob," on Only The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the cover art.

2-Week notice: SF&F Literati discuss Seeds of Earth sooner than you think!

Have you finished it yet?
Michael Cobley's "Humanity's Fire" series-opener Seeds of Earth is the selection up for discussion at the Kansas City SF&F Literati meeting, set for January 22, 2018.

"Seeds of Earth has everything: well-realised extraterrestrials, scheming artificial intelligences, set-piece space battles and bizarre technology from the dawn of the galaxy. The first book of the trilogy is also a convincing portrayal of political machinations and the plight of individuals caught up in events beyond their comprehension."
--Eric Brown, The Guardian online

The discussion's in just two weeks! 
But there's still time to read it! 
Mark your calendar for January 22, 2018 at the Oak Park Mall Barnes & Noble, second floor, 7:00 p.m. Everyone's welcome--even if they haven't finished the book. First-timers are welcome!

Note that the January meeting offers a special opportunity: that's the night they'll choose the Spring selections! Don't miss it!

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the Seeds of Earth cover image.

Did you get book gift cards in your stocking?

Did Santa bring you bookstore gift cards?
The Fourth Monday of December fell on Christmas Day this year--and the Kansas City SF&F Literati did not meet. But they WILL on January 22, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. at the Oak Park Mall Barnes & Noble (2nd floor). 

Their January selection is Seeds of Earth, by Michael Cobley. If you have bookstore gift cards burning a hole in your pocket, here's a golden opportunity!

Praise for Seeds of Earth from critics:
"A complex, finely detailed thriller-cum-space opera"
SFX

"Proper galaxy-spanning Space Opera ... a worthy addition to the genre"
Iain M. Banks

"After a devastating and unanticipated alien war, Earth sent out colony ships to preserve humanity. The human colony on Darien has coexisted peacefully with the indigenous Uvovo for the past 150 years, but now a power struggle for control of the galaxy threatens the amity. A space opera series opener by the author of the Shadowkings trilogy."
Library Journal

"Seeds of Earth has everything: well-realised extraterrestrials, scheming artificial intelligences, set-piece space battles and bizarre technology from the dawn of the galaxy. The first book of the trilogy is also a convincing portrayal of political machinations and the plight of individuals caught up in events beyond their comprehension."
Eric Brown, The Guardian online

"Seeds of Earth is as powerful as Smoke on the Water, as twisted as Paranoid and as epic as Stairway to Heaven. As a lover of epic fantasy I tell you that is the kind of space opera I want to read. For me it is epic fantasy in future. I recommend it! Give it a go...."
"Edifanob," on Only The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy online

"This is Space Opera in the truest sense: no wonder there is an Iain M. Banks blurb on the cover."
Goodreads contributor

Or you could try this . . . 
Of course, if your friends and relatives don't love you enough to give you book gift cards, or you have other purchases in mind, this might be a good moment to reserve your copy from the library!

Either way, the Kansas City SF&F Literati would love to see you at the book discussion next year!

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon, for the Seeds of Earth book cover image!

It's not too early to plan for 2018!

Get your copy now! 
The Kansas City SF&F Literati were holding their November book discussion when this post went live. If you read The Clown Service but couldn't attend the meeting, you might enjoy the after-meeting online summaries and comments they post on their Facebook page.

And there's no time like the present to plan for their next meeting! 

Since their regular Fourth Monday of December always falls during the height of the winter holidays, the group takes a month off, but that just gives you more time to read and enjoy the January selection, a sweeping space opera. Order or reserve your copy now!

Seeds of Earth
By Michael Cobley

Overview 
from Barnes & Noble:
The first intelligent species to encounter mankind attacked without warning. Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable. With little hope of halting the invasion, Earth's last roll of the dice was to dispatch three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. The human race would live on ... somewhere.

150 years later, the planet Darien hosts a thriving human settlement, which enjoys a peaceful relationship with an indigenous race, the scholarly Uvovo. But there are secrets buried on Darien's forest moon. Secrets that go back to an apocalyptic battle fought between ancient races at the dawn of galactic civilization. Unknown to its colonists, Darien is about to become the focus of an intergalactic power struggle where the true stakes are beyond their comprehension. And what choices will the Uvovo make when their true nature is revealed and the skies grow dark with the enemy?

Hope to see you next year!

Plan now to join the discussion January 22, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the Oak Park Mall Barnes & Noble Booksellers (second floor, by the windows). Everyone's welcome, even if you haven't finished the book or have never joined the group before. 

IMAGE: Many thanks to Amazon for the Seeds of Earth cover image.

Join Section 37 and the discussion with SF&F Literati Monday!

Save Britain from Zombies on Monday:

The Kansas City SF&F Literati meet MONDAY!
When: November 27, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: at the Oak Park Barnes & Noble in Overland Park, KS on the second floor
Selection Title: The Clown Service,
First book in The Clown Service series.

Author: Guy Adams.

Join the discussion:
The Kansas City SF&F Literati always host a fun and fascinating conversation. They also warmly welcome new people, even if they haven't read the selection! (You may find you have something to say, anyway!).

About the November selection:
Toby Greene has been reassigned. After one screw-up too many, he finds himself at a largely forgotten branch of the British Intelligence Service, working for August Shining, a Cold War relic, and charged with defending the country from paranormal terrorism. But when an ex-Soviet-era enemy returns with an insidious plan to raise the dead and destroy London, it seems Toby's impossible job is to save Great Britain—whether he believes it or not.

"The Clown Service is fun and rips along like the finest episode of the old Avengers series" —The Independent on Sunday

"I just couldn't put it down ... highly recommended" —FantasyBookReview.co.uk The Clown Service is a Recommended Book of the Month from Fantasy Book Review, which also called it "a fantastic read."

"The Clown Service is a great beginning to what could become a classic series. Guy Adams has all his pieces in place, and ably demonstrates what he can do with them. If the dark gods of publishing -- and his audience -- so decree. ... one of my top three reads of the year" —SFSite.com

"it feels like Men in Black but a lot more British and sensibly funny" —The Bookbag 

"This is the spy thriller that Douglas Adams never wrote ... it's hilarious and well worth your time" —Starburst magazine

Plan ahead:
The SF&F Literati meet most months on the Fourth Monday of the month (no meeting in December, since there's often a conflict with Christmas; Meet a week earlier in May, so there's no conflict with ConQuesT).

MANY THANKS: to Goodreads for the cover art image, and to Amazon for the Editorial review shorts and Description.

Just over two weeks left to save Britain from Zombies!

Two weeks till doomsday!

The clock is ticking!

The Kansas City SF&F Literati meet November 27, 2017, at the Oak Park Barnes & Noble in Overland Park, KS, at 7:00 p.m. on the second floor, to discuss the November selection, The Clown Service, by Guy Adams.

What do the critics say?
"The Clown Service is fun and rips along like the finest episode of the old Avengers series" —The Independent on Sunday

"I just couldn't put it down ... highly recommended" —FantasyBookReview.co.uk The Clown Service is a Recommended Book of the Month from Fantasy Book Review, which also called it "a fantastic read."

"The Clown Service is a great beginning to what could become a classic series. Guy Adams has all his pieces in place, and ably demonstrates what he can do with them. If the dark gods of publishing -- and his audience -- so decree. ... one of my top three reads of the year" —SFSite.com

"it feels like Men in Black but a lot more British and sensibly funny" —The Bookbag 

"This is the spy thriller that Douglas Adams never wrote ... it's hilarious and well worth your time" —Starburst magazine

Toby Greene has been reassigned. After one screw-up too many, he finds himself at a largely forgotten branch of the British Intelligence Service, working for August Shining, a Cold War relic, and charged with defending the country from paranormal terrorism. But when an ex-Soviet-era enemy returns with an insidious plan to raise the dead and destroy London, it seems Toby's impossible job is to save Great Britain—whether he believes it or not. (Editorial review shorts and Description courtesy of Amazon)

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads for the cover art image.

Discuss the Lightless experience Monday!

Date: Monday, October 23, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.

Title: Lightless

Author: C. A. Higgins

Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble

Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2^nd Floor, 11323 W. 95^th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214

NOTE: All are welcome to the meeting, whether you’ve read the book or not.

What's the buzz about Lightless? 
Here's the publisher's overview.
Named one of the best books of the year by BuzzFeed and Kirkus Reviews.

“Gripping . . . sci-fi flavored with a hint of thriller.”—New York Daily News

“[A] measured, lovely science-fiction debut [that is] more psychological thriller . . . contained, disciplined, tense . . . The plot is compulsive. . . . Lightless is the first of a planned series, and you can’t help looking forward to learning what’s next.”—The New York Times

“Lightless is full of suspense and fun as hell to read.”—BuzzFeed

“Absolutely brilliant . . . This is science fiction as it is meant to be done: scientific concepts wedded to and built upon human ideals.”—Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of the October Daye series

“The stakes in this story are high—life and death, rebellion and betrayal—and debut novelist Higgins continually ratchets up the tension. . . . A suspenseful, emotional story that asks plenty of big questions about identity and freedom, this is a debut not to be missed.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A taut, suspenseful read.”—Tech Times

“Lightless is an exercise in lighting a very slow fuse and building the tension to an unbearable pitch while making us guess just how apocalyptic the ultimate explosion will be. . . . It is a high-wire act, a wonderment, and a fine accomplishment from a name we’ll be seeing again.”—Sci Fi

IMAGE: Many thanks to Goodreads, for the cover image for Lightless.