Happy New Year! We made it to 2022! I hope you packed in plenty of good reading over the holiday and are feeling ready to build your TBR list for the year ahead. To get you started, here are my picks from January’s new science and sci-fi releases.
Shattered Skies by John Birmingham
Australian author Birmingham returns with the sequel to the popular and well reviewed Cruel Stars. The last survivors of humanity face a fierce battle against The Sturm, enemies of any humans with genetic or neural engineering. Look out for the conclusion to this action-packed space opera next year.
The Loop: How Technology is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back by Jacob Ward
Our subconscious being manipulated by AI was once the stuff of scary sci-fi movies, but now it’s here for real. Drawing on real-world examples, The Loop looks at the complex relationship between AI and human decision-making, and the ways in which technology is increasingly reinforcing our biases and dragging us into a downward spiral of fewer choices.
Light Years From Home by Mike Chen
Sci-fi crossed with family drama as the Shaos’ long-lost, alien-abducted son returns after fifteen years. Can he help heal his family and save the galaxy? Light on science, but strong in its characterization, this is sure to draw in more fans to Chen’s work.
The End of Genetics: Designing Humanity’s DNA by David B. Goldstein
Genetics research offers so much promise, but it’s also an ethical minefield. Goldstein, director of the Institute for Genomic Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, aims to raise awareness of the possible dangers ahead, with a particular focus on how parents could potentially control the genetic make-up of their children
The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Six by Neil Clarke (editor)
An anthology put together by the much respected editor of Clarkesworld is always going to be deserving of your time. With contributions by James Corey, Nancy Kress, and Adrian Tchaikovsky among others, this is a great way to start your sci-fi New Year!
The Art of More: How Mathematics Created Civilisation by Michael Brooks
A creative book cover for a fascinating topic: how fields such as calculus, algebra, and trigonometry have been, and continue to be, central to so many aspects of our lives. From early art, travel, and astronomy through to space exploration and robots, Brooks takes us on a tour of why we depend on math.
Kill Box by Rick Partlow
If military sci-fi’s your thing, you likely won’t be a stranger to Rick Partlow’s Drop Trooper series featuring space marine Cam Alvarez. No details available for book nine at the time of writing, but expect likeable characters, high-tech weapons, and lots of action. A good match if you enjoy Marko Kloos’ Frontlines series.
The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged): Adventures in Math and Science by Adam Rutherford & Hannah Fry
If you love science and British humor (or even humour), this is the book for you! Math/s and science demystified by a mathematician and geneticist in a laugh-out-loud guide to life, the universe, and everything.
Have you made any new year’s reading resolutions? Let me know in the comments! And till next month, stay safe out there.
Need to catch up?
New reads for December
New reads for November
