The best new sci-fi this month from the latest Haruki Murakami and more Harlan Ellison

I’ve been waiting for the English translation of Haruki Murakami’s latest novel, The city and its uncertain wallssince its release in Japan early last year. It’s out just in time for Christmas, and it looks very dreamy and speculative. November also brings us what sounds like a delicious treat: an intergalactic cooking competition Interstar Mega Chef Author: Lavanya Lakshminarayan. But this month is notable for the wealth of short stories on offer, whether it’s the last hope of the sci-fi anthology helmed by the late Harlan Ellison (Ellison’s “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” remains one of the most disturbing stories I’ve ever read), or Eliza Clark’s debut collection. Enjoy lots of jumping in and out for all of us who might feel too eager to settle down with a whole novel.

I am very excited about this. Our previous sci-fi columnist, Sally Adee, called it something to watch out for in 2024: It’s an expansion of a story Murakami published in 1980 that came back during the pandemic. It follows a man whose girlfriend has disappeared, who sets out to find the imaginary walled city where his real self lives, but has no memory of their life in the other world. “At a time when society is experiencing tremendous changes, staying hidden inside the wall or going to the other side of the wall has become a bigger proposition than ever,” Murakami said. he said.

I missed this last month, but I’m including it in the November meeting, I’m sure many of you will be excited to learn about it. The legendary Ellison published two major science fiction anthologies, Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions. In 1973, he announced a third volume, The Last Dangerous Views. It was never published, but now, six years after his death, it has finally been released, with 32 previously unpublished stories, essays and poems by authors including Max Brooks, Dan Simmons, Adrian Tchaikovsky, James SA Corey and Cory Doctorow.

This is the second in a trilogy set in deep space, and I find it tempting enough that I’ll have to start at the beginning. It sees the crew of Artemis investigate why Earth’s first deep space colony has gone silent, and discover what happened to the remaining colonists. Horror and adventure – that’s right up my street.

This is more of a thriller than sci-fi, but it does have some sci-fi medical treatment, and it’s pretty funny if a little silly (I’ve read it). It follows troubled presenter Hollie, who exposes the dangers of extreme therapies in her Netflix series. Bad medicine. Ariel Rose has gone on the hunt for wellness guru who claims her ‘ice revival’ treatment can cure pain. Will Hollie survive her trip to Ariel’s luxury mountain retreat?

Set in a city populated by intelligent robots called Hums, it follows the story of May, who goes to the botanical garden in the heart of the city one weekend. But the green shelter is not the idyll he expected, and when his children are threatened, he is forced to rely on a Hum. “This elegant ride of a novel furthers Phillips’ position as one of the most profound writers of speculative fiction,” he said. The New York Times.

Described as a “genre-bending” collection of short stories, it covers everything from a teenage UFO enthusiast who meets a famous painter when a mysterious orb appears in her desert town, to married ghost hunters whose relationship begins to falter. he ceases to be able to see spirits. “Full of menace and delight,” says accomplished writer and editor Kelly Link.

Presented as a piece of postmodern horror about day jobs and monsters, it follows Noah, who takes a job working at a newspaper and unknowingly signs his life away, and Malachia, the only human left in the City of Silence.

described as the expanse fulfills Game of Thrones‘ Night’s Watch – a surefire way to attract me, at least – is the conclusion of Dewes’ Divide series and sees its heroes set out to save the universe from a terrifying genetic solution unleashed on the outer colonies.

This Korean bestseller, a sequel, is set in a world where there is a “dream industry” and sees Penny working at her Civil Complaint Center, where people file complaints about their dreams.

This looks like a lot of fun. Saras Kaveri is invited to compete on the most watched cooking show in the galaxy: she is the first contestant on Earth, given that it has very primitive inhabitants who still cook with fire. When Serenity finds out about Ko, they begin working on a new technology that could change the future of food forever.

The second in Broaddus’ Astra Black trilogy follows the story of the Muungano Empire, a coalition of city-states that expand from Earth beyond Titan, and the threats it faces.

This debut collection of speculative body horror stories ranges from the tale of a scientist working with fragile alien flora to a teenager yearning for perfect skin. His publisher has promised us that it will be disturbing and “tied” with dark humor.

Researcher Kembral is enjoying some time away from her newborn in the year-end rush, when a mysterious clock starts sending the ballroom through the layers of reality every time it chimes. Can he save the world before it’s too late?

Another interesting-sounding anthology, this time from the promising authors of Nicholas Sansbury Smith, whose story is set in the radioactive wasteland that is now Earth, and Brian Francis Slattery, who tells the story of a couple. the arrival of an alien species.

This new Star Trek adventure, based on the TV series Star Trek: Strange New WorldsIt sees Una Chin-Riley and Christopher Pike working together on the USS Enterprise, years after they first became friends. When a terrorist attack occurs, Una is found to have a history with the suspect…