Halo: the Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund is a science fiction novel that serves as a prequel to the popular video game series. It follows the story of the Spartan program's inception and the training of Master Chief, humanity's greatest warrior, from his childhood as the young orphaned boy named John, to his transformation into a highly skilled super-soldier. As John and his fellow Spartans undergo rigorous training under the guidance of Dr.
Live In Infamy is a science fiction look into a well-developed historical world where the Allied powers won WWII. The book tackles difficult subjects well, including racism and inequality in the United States, and Nazi-Japanese eugenic beliefs. It bases its world on historical ideas on Japan and features a page-turning spy story where the main character, Ren Cabot, tries his best to take down the Japanese Empire, in a plotline very similar to A New Hope.
The story follows a lower class Nick Carraway navigating the hustle and bustle of wealthy life in Long Island. Nick befriends the notorious playboy Jay Gatsby, his next door neighbor who seems to only live to party. Through his wealthy cousin Daisy and his neighbor turned friend, Nick learns of the piping hot affairs, drama, and tortured lives of the wealthy. He quickly learns that even if you have it all, you’ll still be chasing after that light across the water.
A group of vignettes that at first glance seem random, but overtime will lead to impactful life lessons. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a novel filled with a variety of relatable stories that are brought to life by its vivid imagery. Story after story, you will find the true meaning behind all her vignettes– you just have to read the book to find out
What if the grand story of the Odyssey was written from the perspective of his wife, Penelope who was left for twenty-one years? The Penelopiad is a heart-wrenching tale showing the actual truth. The truth that was hidden away to keep the glorious and heroic Odysseus in the spotlight. Songs and backstories scattered throughout the book telling a deeper meaning than what The Odyssey ever showed to its audience.
Life for an Irish girl changes after she is taken by her father to live with unfamiliar relatives– the Kinsella’s. Unaccustomed to the feeling of love and affection, she learns what a real family is all about with her relatives. Growing closer and closer each day of staying there, the little girl slowly becomes attached to what she now calls her real family.
The Mill House Murders is about a masked man who, after a tragic accident, lives in a secluded house with his wife, the butler, and the housekeeper. Once a year, four other people are allowed to enter the house- an art dealer, a professor, a director of a hospital, and a priest at the masked man's family temple. In 1985, one man is murdered, another disappears, and a priceless painting is stolen. The police close the case, but it doesn’t add up.
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall is a captivating tale set in a fantasy world where a young gender-fluid pirate named Flora rescues a captive mermaid, Evelyn, from a cruel imperial ship. As they navigate the treacherous seas together, their fates become entwined with a secretive witch, the mysterious Lady Blaine, who has her own agenda.
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, is set in a utopian society where humans are bred to belong to different classes. The highest class is Alphas, which are bred to be the most intelligent and good-looking members of society, while lowly Epsilons are made for labor. Life in this society is only about pleasure without any deeper meaning. Soma is used to keep those in this society happy and passive.
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is the story of Victor Frankenstein and the creation of his monster. Victor Frankenstein is an obsessive scientist who dedicates himself to creating life. When his plan succeeds, it sends Victor and the monster he created down a path of violence that endangers not only Victor, but his family and friends.
