3 Recommended Books Set in Imaginative Worlds

I've been doing a lot of reading and listening this summer, but not much review writing. Here are three books I can recommend.

The Crimson Skew by S. E. Grove: I've written about the Mapmakers Trilogy before (The Glass Sentence, The Golden Specific), and I still have nothing but praise for the incredibly original world Grove created in her alternate history universe. About 200 years ago, the chronology of Earth shattered, resulting in a planet in which different regions exist in different time periods: from the prehistoric Ice Age to the faraway future. Our heroes are from 1890s Boston, and their adventures take them on dangerous journeys through other ages, as they pursue personal missions and get caught up in global politics. I love the imaginative beings, the flawed and sympathetic main characters, and the unique way maps are created and used. The Crimson Skew satisfactorily closes the trilogy but (yay!) leaves the door open for additional installments. The audiobook is from Listening Library (13 hr, 15 min) and is beautifully read by Cassandra Campbell. The print version was released last week from Viking Books for Young Readers.

Monstress by Marjorie Lu: I've gotten away from comics series lately, but when I saw the cover art of this collected volume of Monstress issues, I jumped in with both feet. This is an alternate history universe, set in Asia, with a mix of medieval and steampunk technology (may sound odd, but it works perfectly). The plot involves an ongoing clash between two species or cultures. As I said on Litsy, the comic features bad-ass women, an intriguing world, great art, and good action. I love the characters and the story line and the way the past doesn't quite stay in the past. The artwork by Sana Takeda is stunning, with a wonderful earthy color palate. Despite some violent scenes, there is a strong sense of humor running throughout. I'm not yet sure whom our hero, Maika, should trust, but I love her strength and loyalty both to an absent childhood friend and to two companions she's picked up on her travels. This is from Image Comics and will be released tomorrow. Don't miss it.

Feed by Mira Grant: Yes it took me six years and some prodding from friends to finally get around to reading this first book in the Newsflesh series. Feed is a dystopian novel set in the very near future. The world's population has been depleted after being infected by a virus that turns its hosts into flesh-eating zombies. Wait! Don't turn away yet, this is more than a walking dead story. It explores the shape of the Internet, news, and politics in the years to come. The main characters are a brother-sister blogging team who have been given exclusive coverage of a presidential hopeful's campaign. Double-dealings, good action, and some unpredictable twists make this an absorbing read. I loved the amazing details of the surprisingly believable world, from the weapons to the everyday concessions people undergo to ensure their safety from the zombies. Published in 2010 from Orbit. The audiobook (Hachette Audio; 15 hr, 10 min) was read by Paula Christensen and Jesse Bernstein, who keep the action pumping and the emotions high.