For the City Times

The Portage County Public Library will soon debut its new sci-fi/fantasy book club.

The Strange New Worlds Book Club will meet at Galaxy Comics, Games & More, 925 Clark St., on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 PM to 7 :30 PM.

“In the past 20 years, we’ve seen books and movies like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games bring science fiction and fantasy into mainstream culture,” said Eddie Glade, public services librarian at the Downtown branch of the Portage Co. Library.

“Speculative fiction, which can also include horror, superhero, and dystopian books, basically tries to answer the question, ‘What if?’ and the answers give us some deep insights into the human psyche and the effects of technology,” Glade added. “Through this book club, we’ll explore new and classic works of science fiction and fantasy with fellow enthusiasts.”

The first three book selections are as follows:

• June 20 – Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. This is one of the very first works of what would become Science Fiction, and a whole lot of fun to read.
• July 18 – The Magicians by Lev Grossman. Is the book better than the TV show? Only one way to find out—read this modern fantasy and then discuss.
• August 15 – Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. This 2014 novel about a powerful A.I. stuck in a frail human body won that year’s Hugo and Nebula awards.

The book club is free of charge, and no registration necessary. Adults ages 18 and over are welcome.

Multiple copies of each book and audio-book will be available at the downtown library about four weeks prior to each discussion.

The Portage County Public Library’s mission is to provide equal opportunity to access information, high quality materials, programs, and on-line resources to meet the needs of our diverse community for lifelong learning, cultural enrichment, and intellectual stimulation.

The library has branches in Stevens Point, Plover, Rosholt and Almond. For more information on book clubs and other activities, visit www.pocolibrary.org.