Try This Strategy for Discovering New Books and Authors
I am always looking for new books to read. One way that I have used to discover some great books is by researching the awards a novel I've loved has won, and then reading other books that have won the same award. This has been an effective way for me to find wonderful new books and authors. Three of my favorite awards are the Mythopoeic Award, the Otherwise Award, and the Carl Brandon Society Awards. I've listed some of my favorite selections from these awards below. Try this reverse engineering strategy with an award-winning book you love and see what you discover!
The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature, 1971 to the present
This award is given for the literary work which "best exemplifies the spirit of the Inklings." The Inklings were a literary discussion group at Oxford University whose members included J. R.R. Tolkein and C. S. Lewis.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (2005 winner)
At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England's history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England, until the reclusive Mr. Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight.
Soon, another practicing magician comes forth: the young, handsome, and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's student, and they join forces against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic, straining his partnership with Norrell, and putting at risk everything else he holds dear.
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (2014 winner)
Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic and dies at sea on the voyage from Poland. Chava is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899. Ahmad is a Jinni, a being born in the ancient Syrian desert, trapped in an old copper flask, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free.
Ahmad and Chava become unlikely friends and soul mates with a mystical connection. Marvelous and compulsively readable, Helene Wecker's debut novel The Golem and the Jinni weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction, and magical fable into a wonderously inventive and unforgettable tale.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik (2016 winner)
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life. Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the wood. The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid.
A tale inspired by Beauty and the Beast.
Kingfisher by Patricia McKillip (2017 winner)
After the son of a sorceress discovers the truth about his father, a knight in the court of King Arden who had a destructive infatuation with the queen, he sets out towards Severluna to help restore the kingdom to its former glory.
The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature, 1992 to the Present
The Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones (1999 winner)
Derk, an unconventional wizard, and his magical family become involved in a plan to put a stop to the devastating tours of their world arranged by the tyrannical Mr. Chesney. A funny, exciting, adventure spoof of classic fantasy tropes.
The Bartimaeous Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud (2006 winner)
Amulet of Samarkand (Book 1)
Intent on revenge, Nathaniel, a young magician's apprentice summons Bartimaeous, a five-thousand-year-old djinni, to steal the Amulet of Samarkand, a mysterious and enigmatic artifact, from ruthless master magician Simon Lovelace. The two become caught up in a dangerous world of espionage, blackmail, murder, and conspiracy.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (2010 winner)
Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.
The Inquisitor's Tale, or Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz (2017 winner)
Crossing paths at an inn, thirteenth-century travelers impart the wryly whimsical tales of a monastery oblate, a Jewish refugee, and a psychic peasant girl with a loyal greyhound. The three must escape evil knights, sit alongside a king, and save their land from a flatulent dragon.
The Carl Brandon Parallax and Kindred Awards, 2005 through 2011
The Carl Brandon Society has sponsored two literary awards: The Parallax Award "is given to works of speculative fiction created by a self-identified person of color." The Kindred Award "is given to any work of speculative fiction dealing with issues of race and ethnicity." In March 2020 it was anounced that they would be reinstated, so we can look forward to future Parallax and Kindred winners. While we wait for new titles, here are two Parallax Award winners that are available from The New York Public Library as e-books.
47 by Walter Mosley (2005 winner)
Living under the rigid control of a brutal slave master, a frustrated young slave feels no hope for his future until he meets Tall John , a runaway slave, who inspires him to take action into his own hands in order to live the free life he has always dreamed of having.
Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord (2010 winner)
When Paama leaves her husband, she attracts the attention of the undying ones, who present her with the Chaos Stick, which allows her to manipulate the subtle forces of the world. An intricately woven tale of adventure, magic, and the power of the human spirit.
Otherwise (Formerly the James Tiptree Jr. Award)
"The Otherwise Award celebrates science fiction, fantasy, and other forms of speculative narrative that expand and explore our understanding of gender in the context of race, class, nationality, disability, and more."
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi (2019 winner)
Traces the experiences of a deeply troubled young woman who alarms her devout Nigerian family as she succumbs to multiple personality disorder and begins to display increasingly dark and dangerous traits in accordance with her fractured personalities.
When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore (2016 winner)
As their deep friendship turns to love, Latina teenager Miel, who grows roses from her wrist, and Italian-Pakistani Samir, a transgender boy, fear their secrets will be exposed by the beautiful Bonner girls, four sisters who are rumored to be witches, and want the roses that grow from Miel's skin.
Lizard Radio by Pat Schmatz (2015 winner)
Attending summer camp in a strict, gender-rigid culture, 15-year-old Kivali, who was abandoned as an infant and raised by an ardent non-conformist, questions her sense of identity and her beliefs as she becomes aware of her special intuitive powers.
Don't forget to "return" your e-books when you're done—the sooner you return them, the sooner someone else can use them.
Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!
Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.