If You Like Game of Thrones

“Wait – what?! Literally NONE of this happened on TV!!”

Frustrated that George RR Martin’s “Game of Thrones” series still isn’t finished, or that the TV spinoff is? Either way, if you’re looking for fresh  fantastical worlds to lose yourself in, replete with political machinations, bloodthirsty scheming and shocking twists, here are some recent epic fantasy series starters for you to dive into.

• The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
  Jude was just seven when her parents were murdered and she and her sisters were stolen away to the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, but is despised by Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. Black brings GOT style plotting and betrayal to the world of the Fey.
• The Wolf, by Leo Carew.
  In this promising debut, Roper – the young heir to the Black Kingdom of the Anakim – ascends to a beleaguered throne as enemy forces, rival rulers and devious underlings converge to steal his power – and his life. Will the young cub rise to meet the challenge? Time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: the North remembers.
• City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
  In this brilliant debut, the young trickster Nahri accidentally calls forth a djinn warrior, drawing her into a world even more treacherous than the one she knows, and into an otherworldly power struggle that continues in the even more gripping sequel, The Kingdom of Copper.
• Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
  This bloody, visceral fantasy debut by Booker Award winning James is packed with shocking action and a fascinating array of exotic creatures and beings: small wonder many are calling it “the African Game of Thrones.”
• An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
  The Scholars may have been conquered by the Warriors, but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Seeking to rescue her brother, young Laia infiltrates the Martial Kingdom’s elite academy posing as a slave, setting wheels in motion that just might lead to a revolution.

You’ll find many more great titles for GOT fans in our If You Like Game of Thrones list, in the library catalog.

     ~ Posted by David W. 

The Year’s Best Crime Writing: The 2019 Edgar Awards

Pulitzers, Bookers, Nobels – bah! For crime fiction fans it’s all about the Edgars. Last night the winners in several categories of crime and thriller books were announced at the Mystery Writers of America’s annual Edgar Awards ceremony: here’s a full list of these titles in our catalog, including non-fiction, books for children and teens, and the Mary Higgins Clark Awards for less violent novels with strong heroines.

As for the felonious Best In Show, we give you the nominees for the category of Best Novel:

‘Tis the Season for Hanami

Spring has sprung in the Pacific Northwest and the cherry trees are putting on quite a show! One of the more popular attractions in Seattle for cherry blossom viewing, also known as Hanami, is our cherry trees located at the University of Washington Quad.

Although the origin of the trees is debated, according to The Daily:

“In 1912, Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki donated cherry trees to the United States, which marked the growth in friendship between the United States and Japan. The trees were distributed around the country, with 34 of them planted in the Washington Park Arboretum. Because of construction [of State Route 520], the trees had to be relocated, and 31 of them were relocated to the UW, where they are now planted in the Quad.” –The Daily of the University of Washington

The Daily – Takae Goto

They just reached peak viewing on March 29th. However, there is still time to celebrate! ParentMap has a list of other locations in Seattle and nearby to enjoy cherry blossom viewing.

If You Liked Where the Crawdads Sing

With its lyrical descriptions of nature and tempestuous love story, Delia Owens’ evocative debut novel Where the Crawdads Sing (a current Peak Pick selection) has taken the literary world by storm. If you enjoyed it, or if you’re still waiting for your reserve copy to arrive, here are some similar titles you might enjoy.

Aldo Leopold’s classic A Sand County Almanac is one of the books that Owens says inspired her to write her novel: “After university, I spent much of my adult life studying wildlife in some of the most remote regions of Africa. Living in those far reaches of the earth inspired me to wonder if I could write a work of compelling fiction against the backdrop of a wild and wonderful place. To combine Leopold-inspired nature writing with a (hopefully) page-turning plot. Where The Crawdads Sing is my attempt at such a dream.”

Seattle Rep’s A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2 – Beyond the Theater

Have you ever wondered what became of a beloved or engaging literary character after the last page turns, or the curtain falls? What happens next? In his award-winning play A Doll’s House, Part 2 – playing at the Seattle Repertory Theater from March 15 to April 28, 2019 – Lucas Hnath applies this curiosity to one of the most startling and provocative endings in all of theater, when Nora Helmer walks out on her husband and family in Henrik Ibsen’s epochal 1879 play A Doll’s House, slamming the door behind her.