Our staff holiday gift picks begin with some truly legendary books in beautiful new editions!
(click on each cover for more info)

Dune by Frank Herbert
"This massive classic gets a gorgeous hardcover upgrade, with a foil cover, painted endpapers and pages stained blue, of course," says Scott. "It's a gift edition as big and beautiful and weird as Arrakis itself."
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy omnibus by Douglas Adams 
"It’s a perennial favourite that makes a great introduction to genre," says Chinelo, "perfect for those who don’t yet know the subversive genius of Douglas Adams and for fans who want the whole series in one place."
The Hainish Novels by Ursula K. LeGuin
Michelle recommends this set -- eight masterpieces in two hardcover volumes in one beautiful slipcase.

Angela Carter’s Book of Fairy Tales
Chinelo loves "this beautiful edition that presents a range of global fairy tales in a subversive new way."

The History of the Hobbit by JRR Tolkien 
With this in-depth examination of the beloved classic, Michelle notes, "It's amazing to learn that the Tolkien classic I'd always read was actually the second edition, with the original presented here."
 

The Rosewater Trilogy by Tade Thompson 
"This series is great for sci-fi lovers who want more from the genre than the voices and perspectives they’re used to seeing," says Chinelo, "and a great read if you want your expectations shaken up."
"No spoilers!" cries Scott, who's gripped in the middle of book two.
The Murderbot Quartet by Martha Wells
"The self-described Murderbot is a security unit, designed to protect clients for hire," says Kristen. "But what Murderbot really wants is to be left alone to watch as much media as it can, and make sure no one knows it has free will. Needless to say, things do not remain simple for Murderbot, and the results are very enjoyable." This is the rare series that is loved and recommended by pretty much every member of our staff.

Robots vs. Fairies edited by Dominik Parisien and Navah Wolfe
"This recent anthology is just so much fun," says Becca. "The authors (including the likes of Ken Liu, Mary Robinette Kowal, John Scalzi, Seanan McGuire and many more) got to choose a side about who would win in the war of magic vs science."
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Ben recommends the book Becca calls, "Giant alien spiders in space!"
"Well, not quite in space," says Ben.
"Giant alien spiders not quite in space!" says Becca.
Star Wars: Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse
"A direct prequel to the saga's conclusion in theatres this month, this all-new novel from the author of the terrific Trail of Lightning is a rollicking adventure in its own right," says Scott. "Roanhorse nails every character's voice, especially our beloved General Leia."

I'm Sad by Michael Ian Black and Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Michelle chose the first installment of a funny and kind series for kids about dealing with the messiest of feelings. 
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Cat Valente
"A sensitive, generous and wickedly funny take on stories like Oz and Narnia," says Chinelo. "It’s the first of a beautiful, five-book series that kids of all ages will love."
COG by Greg Van Eekhout
"Cog is a human-seeming robot built to learn but, as he and his friends discover, sometimes the best way to learn comes from making bad decisions," says Chris, "Funny and thoughtful for the middle-grade reader in your life."
The Narwhal and Jelly Boxset by Ben Clanton
"Narwhal is a force of optimism and his best friend Jelly is a pessimist," says Kristen, "The three graphic novels in this boxset are absolutely delightful, full of fun ocean facts, and some of the best I've found for reluctant and first-time readers."

The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
This first book a series of hardcovers repackaging the classic fairy tales we all know (watch for the Yellow and Green volumes coming this February!) impressed Michelle: "They did such a lovely job on these volumes."

Amazing NEW fantasy

While our shop has always been home to the greatest imaginations of the past century, we love welcoming bold new voices and these recent releases will excite anyone on your holiday list:
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker
"In the face of utter military disaster, an engineer must save the capital from siege and ruin," says Kristen. "It's a little Roarke’s Drift and a little Siege of Constantinople, with a very entertaining and unreliable narrator." Becca agrees when Kristen says, "Parker’s story maintains a strong tension that had my heart racing."

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno Garcia
This epic of Mexican mythos is recommended by Chinelo because "Garcia is an powerful writer who’ll play with your emotions like a master." Kristen agrees that "this is a very pretty book."
The Sacred Throne trilogy by Myke Cole
"Heloise's journey from obscurity to greatness comes at a cost," says Chris. "This series is action-packed but also tender, and a penetrating examination of the true consequences of war. Plus, mechanized armour!"
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
"Creepy midwinter reading!" says Kristen. "A First Nations band, north of Thunder Bay, slowly becomes aware that some sort of apocalypse has wiped out civilization to the south and they have to survive on their own. But there are complications..."

The Gurkha And The Lord Of Tuesday by Saad Z. Hossain
"Mighty djinn Melek Ahmar wakes from his long slumber into a world reduced but full of plenty," says Chris. "When the foul-mouthed and sybaritic djinn meets the murderous Gurkha Bhan Guran, even the world-running A.I. Karma may not know what to do next."

How to: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems by Randall Munroe
The former NASA roboticist and author of the web-comic xkcd returns with this new boo,k which, Becca explains, "advises how best to do things like...make a moat out of lava! How to dig really big holes, and how to mail packages. From space. This book is just so fun."
You Look Like a Thing and I Love You by Janelle Shane
"A hilariously unsettling (or unsettlingly hilarious) look at the present and future of artificial intelligence," says Scott. "It's wonderfully informative, drily funny and just a bit frightening."

The Monsters Know What They're Doing by Keith Ammann
"For the people in your life who are just getting into DMing (or for those who want to spice up their battles)," says Becca, "this book helps go through battle tactics and combat strategies for the fifth edition. This will help with everything from NPCs, Oozes, Beasts, Dragons, and more."

How to Invent Everything by Ryan North
"This is a great gift," says Ben, "whether it's for a stranded time traveller, an explorer crashed on a lost colony planet, or an Isekai protagonist in a low-fantasy world."
Strange Planet by Nathan Pyle
"The adorably literal cartoon aliens who took over your social media earlier this year are now collected in one charming volume," says Scott, "and better yet, they're signed copies. Collect your volume at a rapid pace!"