Books by John Scalzi
“This novel is pure entertainment, very skilfully executed. Charlie Fitzer inherits his deceased uncle’s business, which is – although the optics of the word is not always ideal – villainy. The FBI are almost immediately after him, so he relocates to the volcano island lair (which exists for purely practical reasons). He is soon swept up in managing a labour dispute with the dolphins, but the real problem lies beyond his island’s borders: the other villains. His uncle was not popular, and now, neither is Charlie.” Read more...
“Lock In takes the idea of locked-in syndrome, which is a thing that actually happens to people; but he’s imagining that there’s a highly contagious virus called Haden’s syndrome. There’s been a global pandemic that caused people to get locked in. So instead of having a small handful of society who’ve been locked in by something like Lou Gehrig’s disease, this is a huge, huge amount of the population. People are still completely awake and alert.” Read more...
Mary Robinette Kowal, Novelist
“Scalzi returns with a sci-fi caper that begins in New York in the early days of the pandemic. The novel is, gleefully and explicitly, pandemic escapism – the book that Scalzi wrote when producing his intended brooding epic novel proved impossible. As Scalzi says in the author’s note: ‘It’s a pop song. It’s meant to be light and catchy, with three minutes of hooks and choruses for you to sing along with, and then you’re done and you go on with your day, hopefully with a smile on your face.'” Read more...
The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2023: The Hugo Awards
Interviews where books by John Scalzi were recommended
The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2023: The Hugo Awards, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
The Hugo Awards, first presented in 1953, were originally known as the ‘Science Fiction Achievement Awards.’ But, in practice, their shortlists encompass speculative fiction as a whole, including fantasy—and is considered one of that genre’s most prestigious prizes. Here, Sylvia Bishop offers an overview of this year’s nominees in the ‘Best Novel’ category, which represent the most popular sci-fi and fantasy books of 2023.
The Best Sci-Fi Mysteries, recommended by Mary Robinette Kowal
When the rules for technology, geography and even personal identity can be changed, murder mysteries get complicated – and fascinating. Mary Robinette Kowal, award-winning novelist and author of the Hugo-nominated mystery The Spare Man, talks to us about her top five sci-fi mystery books – and takes us on a tour of the whodunnits, howdunnits, and whydunnits available to us in science fictional worlds.
The Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Novels, as Chosen by Fans: the 2024 Hugo Award, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
Every year, members of the World Science Fiction Society nominate writers for the Hugo Award, then vote for the winner. All speculative fiction is eligible – fantasy as well as sci-fi – and the shortlist is one of the most prestigious for both genres. Here, Sylvia Bishop introduces us to the nominees for the title of the best speculative novel of 2024 – and the page-turning champion. See all our best science fiction books, fantasy fiction, and best novels of 2024 recommendations.
