Summer Geek Reading List 

In the summer, there's nothing better than slathering on some sunscreen, finding a nice shady spot for a hammock and curling up with a good book to read—as long as the sun isn't trying to directly kill you, and global warming hasn't pushed the temperature from unbearable to EZ-Bake oven, as we've seen off and on for the last few weeks. So, if you're looking for some light reading in the genre section of the library, I've got some suggestions for you to curl up with.

The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias (Mulholland Books): This horror noir swept up a Bram Stoker Award and a Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel, which is already saying something about its quality and readability. It's a book that belongs to that summer reading heat, because even if you're not in the sun, the book will make you squirm and sweat. It tells the story of a father who loses his daughter to cancer, and ends up taking increasingly dangerous and morally-dubious jobs to pay the bills and find a way to piece his relationship back together. It reads like very early Stephen King, and with Iglesias's injection of diverse flavor, it's perfect for you. Iglesias is appearing in Salt Lake City next month as well, the Guest of Honor at the League of Utah Writers Quills Conference (Full disclosure: I am the current president of that organization.) Come see him speak and get a book signed. More info at leagueofutahwriters.com.

Star Wars: Inquisitor - Rise of the Red Blade by Delilah S. Dawson (Random House Worlds): If you have even half an interest in Star Wars, the new stand-alone installment from Delilah S. Dawson is going to be for you. It doesn't require much knowledge of Star Wars beyond having watched the movies and maybe dabbled in the Disney+ series offerings. It tells the story of a Jedi who becomes disillusioned with the order, and after the great Jedi purge is offered a choice. Ultimately, Iskat Akaris chooses to pick up a red-bladed lightsaber and join the Inquisitorius, the Empire's Force-sensitive enforcers who hunt down errant Jedi across the galaxy. It's a fascinating look at the psychology of a person who would go from being a Jedi to hunting them down, and worth your time to read.

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames (Orbit Books): If fantasy books are more your jam, there is nothing more fun out there than Kings of Wyld. Imagine a fantasy setting based on metal-band culture, where bands of heroes go out adventuring with the same sort of renown as your favorite musical act. With that punk-rock attitude and a writing style that draws you in, Kings of the Wyld is some of the most fun I've ever had reading a book. It tells the tale of a mercenary who's way past his prime, from an adventuring band that was once the best of the best. When an ex-bandmate shows up at his door with a desperate request for help, there's really only one option: Get the band back together. There's a sequel to this book already out as well, focusing on the next generation of bands called Bloody Rose, and both are must-reads in my view.

Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack (Versify/ HarperCollins) A local pick for this list, Sofiya Pasternack—an author who hails from Utah, and is also appearing at the Quills Conference—has mastered the art of historical fantasy. Though it's shelved as a middle-grade novel, it's perfect for anyone of any age. It tells the story of two siblings, one of them plagued with leprosy. They've spent so much time seeking a cure, but one of the twins has a vision that the Angel of Death is coming for them on Rosh Hashannah, and they run away to find a cure. It's a tearjerking book of magic and mourning, and reads like a breeze—until you suddenly have something in your eye. Grab it for yourself or for a kid, it's perfect fodder for the summer.

Whatever it is you decide to read—whether it's a classic like Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano or Ursula K. LeGuin's Wizard of Earthsea, or something far more recent like the books I suggested above—be sure to tell people about it if you like it. There's nothing more infectious than the un-ironic love of a story, and that's something the world needs more of. Talk less about the stuff you don't like, and enthusiastically overshare about the stuff you do.

Wise words of advice, if I do say so myself.