Our Chatswood team have been charmed by these great reads!
The Fireman by Joe Hill:
If you’re ready to take your love of teen dystopian fiction into adulthood then this is the book for you. Don’t be fooled by the bleak storyline of people trying to survive a wildfire of the spontaneous combustion plague engulfing the world. This book delivers plenty of familiar pop culture references with likeable “glowing” characters. If this book ever becomes a movie it would be one the first apocalyptic movies to have a sing along including references from Mary Poppins to Taylor Swift.
The story had me hooked from the start to finish, reminiscent of other books like The Firestarter and The Stand by Stephen King and also Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. This book portrays a similar storyline of how the true horror of what is going on is created by humans and not the monsters portrayed in the story. – Chris (Store Manager)
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin:
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin is the first of what looks to be one of the most incredible fantasy series I’ve ever read. Set in a world wracked frequently by near-extinction level cataclysms, the people of the Stillness live in a permanent state of readiness for the next time the sky turns dark with ash – or worse. Yet none could ever have been prepared for the cataclysm which splits the world right at the start of the book.
Jemisin tell her story from three different points of view, all three of them orogenes: people who can control the earth, deciding whether to stop the quakes or cause them. These intertwining narratives will have you on the edge of your seat, desperate to find out what will happen next, and how anyone could possibly save the world from the cataclysm which has befallen it.
I cannot recommend this highly enough to fantasy readers. Jemisin’s cast is diverse, each of them with their own motivations and desires, and the world she has built – and destroyed – is incredible in its dark viciousness. – Eleanor (Assistant Manager)
Lord of the Flies by William Golding:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is set on a deserted island where a plane has just crashed leaving only school boys alive and stranded. Forced to fend for themselves, the boys’ lives turn into a spiral of insanity. It’s a story of survival and chaos.
Although the book is about young boys, don’t be fooled into thinking that this book is for children. Full of gore and violence, this is no book for the weak-hearted. Fitting into the adventure genre with obvious elements of horror, this book is suited to teenagers and adults because they can relate to the youthful qualities and characters of the book but also they would enjoy the brutality of it. Its dark and gruesome story confronts the audience with the savagery that, according to Golding, dwells in all human kind. – Tara
Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples:
I first read this when I was in the dreaded post-Star Wars VII slump, and it absolutely delivered all the ‘galactic space opera’ that I needed. In simple terms it’s about a pair of soldiers, on opposite sides of a galactic war, falling in love and attempting to raise a family in the midst of chaos. In actuality it’s a wild, funny, and subversive drama about complex and bizarre people (read: people with TV heads, talking polar bears, spider bounty hunters…) just trying to survive. The art is excellent, the dialogue is sharp and witty, and the plot is amazing. A warning, however, it’s not a read for the faint-hearted and definitely not for children. – Jamaica
The Secret History by Donna Tartt:
A group of elite Classics students at an exclusive Vermont College are forced to explore their own morality following the murder of a classmate. Described as ‘a murder mystery in reverse,’ this brooding and atmospheric novel begins with the narrator revealing that a murder will take place and goes on to explore how the characters’ consciences are transformed. Donna Tartt combines complex characters, plot-twists and a love for literature in a well-spaced, compelling novel in which you will feel like a part of the secret history of its central characters. – Sacha
Only Time will Tell by Jeffrey Archer:
Bought as a whim during one of my many bookshop wanderings, I’m so happy this book found its way into my hands because Jeffrey Archer doesn’t disappoint with this first instalment of the Clifton Chronicles. Delivered with his brilliant story telling and riveting style of writing, you will be sucked into the story of a young Harry Clifton, walking alongside him as he tackles the ups and downs of a scholarship at an elite British public school with a few Archer twists chucked in just for fun.
Only Time Will Tell follows Harry through his first 18 years; from the rumours surrounding the circumstances of his father’s death and a slight confusion over who his father may actually be to the start of the Second World War and Harry wanting, like so many others, to serve both Queen and country.
Archer will have your hands glued to this page turner and your heart will tremble for this poor young man thrust into situations he can’t control, leaving you wishing that everything was as easily fascinating as Archer’s writing.
With the last in the chronicle set to be published in November, you have just enough time to read through the ones that come before it (if you put your life on hold), and you’ll want to once you start reading the first chapter! – Chantelle
Ancient Future Trilogy 01: The Dark Age by Traci Harding:
Set in in England during the Dark Ages, this is the first book of a magical series written by local author Traci Harding. The story follows the heroine, Tory Alexander, as she explores a world filled with magic and Celtic myth. It is a must -read for any sci-fi fan, as it – and the entire series – beautifully blends the modern world with the medieval. – Bianca
The Beast’s Garden by Kate Forsyth:
A haunting retelling of Beauty and the Beast, set in Nazi Germany. I loved the characters, and the story had me hooked from the start. – Jackie
Chasing Embers by James Bennett:
An exciting new urban fantasy: Ben Garston is trying to live a normal life, but this is not always easy when you are a dragon. So far he seems to have been coping but, in a desert in Africa, an ancient power is awakening: one which will cause the mythical and modern worlds, which run alongside one another, to collide. Ben is drawn into the battle to preserve his way of life. This is a great read, the plot is good and the characters are varied and well portrayed. Looking forward to the next episode. – Tina
