Lane's Picks

 
Bay Area native Lane is a recent graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, where she played tennis and studied French, History, and Environmental Studies. Lane loves fantasy, horror, and science fiction, as well as classical literature. She loves to chat, so give her a holler when you see her!
 

Staff Pick Badge
Ninefox Gambit (The Machineries of Empire #1) By Yoon Ha Lee Cover Image
$14.99
ISBN: 9781781084496
Availability: Usually Arrives at Kepler's in 3-14 Days
Published: Solaris - June 14th, 2016

This far-future science fiction is a short read with massive scale. Lee's calculating, mathmatical military operatic has notes of "Starship Troopers" and "Heart of Darkness". Captain Kel Cheris finds herself tasked with squashing a rebel insurrection, and is given the cryostatically preserved 800-year old General Shuous Jedao as her aide-de-camp. This book is remarkably innovative in a short amount of pages, and I have found myself thinking about it long after finishing. Absolutely excellent. --Lane


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Annihilation: A Novel (The Southern Reach Series #1) By Jeff VanderMeer Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780374104092
Availability: In Stock at Kepler's Now
Published: FSG Originals - February 4th, 2014

People keep vanishing from Area X, a stretch of territory on the Gulf Coast that has inexplicably become inhospitable to humans. The government has sent in team after team of scientists, but either they come back ill, or they don't come back at all. The narrative follows the Biologist of the most recent team as she and her collegues venture into the unknown, in search of answers or oblivion. Vandermeer's writing is haunting, thoughtful, and mesmerising. --Lane


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The Grace of Kings (The Dandelion Dynasty #1) By Ken Liu Cover Image
By Ken Liu
$19.99
ISBN: 9781481424288
Availability: In Stock at Kepler's Now
Published: S&S/Saga Press - August 9th, 2016

Fan of Game of Thrones and other large-scale fantasy novels? Consider this gem from the translator of "The Three Body Problem". "The Grace of Kings" takes place within a unique, east-meets-west world, and puts politics on the center stage. This is a great, engrossing story with tremendously compelling characters. --Lane


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The Water Knife By Paolo Bacigalupi Cover Image
$19.00
ISBN: 9780804171533
Availability: Usually Arrives at Kepler's in 3-14 Days
Published: Vintage - April 5th, 2016

Bacigalupi crafts a dystopian future in "The Water Knife" that every Californian would recognize, where the very basic natural resource of water has become so scarce that states are forced to fight over rights to it. Set against the backdrop of parched and crime-infested Pheonix, this neo-noir is both gripping and chillingly prophetic. "Chinatown" meets "Oryx and Crake". --Lane


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I'm Thinking of Ending Things: A Novel By Iain Reid Cover Image
$25.25
Not available
ISBN: 9781501126925
Published: Gallery/Scout Press - June 14th, 2016

This book is terrifying, and I could not put it down. Though not strictly a horror novel, the tense setting has a palpable psychological effect on the reader. A young couple travels through a snowy night to visit the boyfriend's parents, and through a series of bizarre events and flashbacks, the reader becomes progressively more disoriented. --Lane


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Never Cry Wolf By Farley Mowat Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316881791
Availability: Usually Arrives at Kepler's in 3-14 Days
Published: Back Bay Books - September 13th, 2001

Looking for a fun, uplifting nonfiction? This classic by naturalist Farley Mowat chronicles his adventures in the Canadian backcountry, where he was sent to study the behavioral and hunting habits of arctic wolves. At times funny and others moving, this is a great read for any nature lover. --Lane