Books

'Ancillary Sword,' is a solid effort but it pales in comparison to the first book in the series. The innovative elements of 'Ancillary Justice' have lost their novelty, and much that remains in 'Sword' lacks the complexity of a great novel.

'The Bazaar of Bad Dreams' is a fantastic collection whether you want a good, spooky tale to make you appreciate the fire on a cold night or want to dive into the subconscious swamp of a master horror writer’s mind.

In 'Star Wars Psychology,' Travis Langley and the PsychGeeks use the Lucas/Disney franchise to shine some light on the human mind's dark side. And the light.

While it may strike some as a stall tactic, 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' is a worthy addition to the 'Game of Thrones' canon and should hold fans over until 'The Winds of Winter.'

The end of the world as a whole is reflected brilliantly in the end of the world for just one man in Adam Nevill's dark and brutal 'Lost Girl.'

Overall, David Lagercrantz has done a marvelous job with the Millennium series continuation and whether Larsson’s unfinished efforts ever make it to press or not, more in this vein would be marvelous.

'Bats of the Republic' is a wonderfully original debut novel by Zachary Thomas Dodson. Billed as “an illuminated novel,” it is a remarkable physical object with gorgeous maps, illustrations and even a sealed envelope that holds the key to the novel’s conclusion. But Bats of the Republic is not gimmicky—the storytelling is every bit as strong as the visual layout.

'Lie in Wait' is a perfect mystery companion for the lengthening autumn nights and is almost certain to become another notch in Eric Rickstad’s bestseller belt.

'Luna: New Moon' is a western that just happens to take place on Earth’s moon in the 22nd Century. Ian McDonald set the debut novel of his epic saga on a dangerous world with its own versions of a gold rush and range wars. This is a classic empire story about rival families looking to out-compete—and out-fight—each other for control of the moon’s natural resources.

Chicago got a big Power-Up this past Wed., Sept. 30, as Jane McGonigal and the SuperBetter team talked about games, health, and the forging of new alliances.

For when the pleasures of reading alone just aren't enough, here are 20 perfect pairings of your favorite books and desserts.

For National Comic Book Day, here are 10 non-fiction books about comics that will deepen your knowledge and appreciation about this wonderful medium.

In 'Mycroft Holmes' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Anna Waterhouse have added a lively and engrossing document to the Holmes dossier that any Sherlockian should enjoy.

Ann Leckie refreshes space opera tropes in 'Ancillary Justice' to create a unique world and genderless future. Not only doe the book succeed in rendering a spaceship human, it challenges our very notion of gender and does so with little more than a clever use of pronouns. Few works of literature boast of a similar achievement.

With characteristic humor and genuineness, Gilbert distills a lifetime of reflection about the joys and torments of creativity and will help you increase the former while minimizing the latter.