American Gods by Neil Gaiman
On his way to his wife's funeral, ex-convict Shadow meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, who has an uncanny knowledge of Shadow's life. Accepting Wednesday's job offer throws Shadow into a supernatural world where ancient gods abound. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2001. Download American Gods, DB52917

Anathem by Neal Stephenson
In the thirty-seventh century, mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers are cloistered in sanctuaries to nurture and safeguard knowledge from the corrupting forces of the Secular realm outside. When catastrophe looms, young scholar Erasmas and his highly intelligent friends are called upon to save their world. Bestseller. 2008. Download Anathem, DB67760

The Angel Experiment: Maximum Ride, Book 1 by James Patterson
Fourteen-year-old Max and her adopted family--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel--are part-human, part-bird lab experiments pursued by mutant predators. When Angel is kidnapped, Max leads the flock on a cross-country mission to rescue Angel, find their parents, exact revenge, and save the world. Some violence. For grades 6-9. 2005. Download The Angel Experiment: Maximum Ride, Book 1, DB61892

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
Alternate 1800s. Inventor Leviticus Blue unleashes a zombie-generating gas and decimates Seattle with his Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine. His son Zeke runs into danger trying to clear his father's name, while Zeke's mother Briar rushes to rescue her son within the city's walls. Some violence and some strong language. 2009. Download Boneshaker, DB70887

A Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr
This futuristic novel is set in a monastery after the destruction of the present civilization. The central theme is the church's role as preserver of wisdom and spiritual life. Some violence. Download A Canticle for Leibowitz, DB32968

The Children of Men by P.D. James
In 1995, aware that all living men are infertile, Theo Faron notes that the earth's last human being has been born. On January 1, 2021, that last human born, Joseph Ricardo, dies at the age of twenty-five. Theo's cousin Xan Lyppiatt, warden of England, rules supreme as he watches the world crumble because of despair-based oppression. Then suddenly a pregnant woman is discovered! Some violence. Bestseller. Download The Children of Men, DB35885

The Color of Magic: A Novel of Discworld by Terry Pratchett
First Discworld novel, containing four episodic novellas. In the title story a being from the mythical Counterweight Continent visits the twin city of Ankh-Morpork and hires Rincewind the wizard as his guide. Other adventures follow. 1983. Download The Color of Magic: A Novel of Discworld, DB60775

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
While exploring her new home, Coraline goes through a doorway that shouldn't be there into a dangerous world where she has a disturbingly different set of parents. Since this other mother kidnaps Coraline's real parents, it is up to Coraline to rescue them and return to her world safely. For grades 4-7. 2002. Download Coraline, DB54845

The Crystal Shard: Icewind Dale Trilogy, Book 1 by R.A. Salvatore
Inhabitants of the Ten-Towns villages in the Icewind Dale are threatened by a tribe of barbarians. Hope for survival rests on Wulfgar, a barbarian under the tutelage of dwarf Bruenor. But another menace appears--an inept mage and his crystal shard. Prequel to Streams of Silver (RC 56151). Violence. Download The Crystal Shard: Icewind Dale Trilogy, Book 1, DB56127

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
In this English science fiction work, a blinding blast from meteors causes the earth to be overrun by great flesh-eating plants, which almost exterminate humankind. The survivors are fighting not only against a hostile form of life, but also against each other and themselves. Download The Day of the Triffids, DB33690

Debt of Bones: The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind
Young peasant woman Abigail petitions the First Wizard to help her besieged homeland. Zedd refuses, for granting her request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. Then he learns they are bound in a debt of bones. Prequel to Wizard's First Rule (RC 41067). Some violence. 1998. Download Debt of Bones: The Sword of Truth, DB59062

Dragons of Autumn’s Twilight, Dragonlance Chronicles Vol. 1 by Margaret Weis
Dragons have returned to Krynn, and war and destruction threaten to engulf the land. But the promise of hope appears in the form of a beautiful barbarian woman with a blue crystal staff in her hand. Knight, barbarian, warrior, dwarf, and half-elf join forces to search for the legendary Dragonlance. Download Dragons of Autumn Twilight: DragonLance Chronicles, Volume 1, DB29171

Dune by Frank Hebert
In this science fiction novel with sociological and religious overtones, an exile with psychic powers becomes the prophet of the savage people on the planet Dune. Download Dune, DB44126

The Elvenbane: The Halfblood Chronicles, Book 1 by Andre Norton
In a land where elven lords rule over human slaves, an exiled concubine gives birth to a halfblood daughter, Shana. The child possesses elven powers and is raised by dragons, who help her develop her sorcery. Prequel to Elvenblood (RC 56239). Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 1991. Download The Elvenbane: The Halfblood Chronicles, Book 1, DB56238

Eragon: Inheritance, Book 1 by Christopher Paolini
Fifteen-year-old Eragon bonds with the baby dragon, Saphira, that hatches from a mysterious blue stone. They train in magic and martial arts and, refusing to serve the evil king, sally forth to encounter warriors, dwarves, and others battling the empire. Some violence. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2003. Download Eragon: Inheritance, Book 1, DB57232

Halo: Contact Harvest by Joseph Staten
The year 2524. Harvest, a peaceful farming colony on a remote planet, is threatened by an aggressive alien empire known as the Covenant. Avery Johnson, a young marine staff sergeant fresh from Earth's civil war, leads an inexperienced militia to save Harvest's citizens--and all of humanity. Some violence. Bestseller. 2007. Download Halo: Contact Harvest, DB65688

The Hammer of God by Arthur C. Clarke
In the year 2110, when men and women have colonized the moon, Mars, and other planets and satellites of the solar system, an amateur astronomer discovers an asteroid careening through space on a collision course with Earth. The resulting impact could kill all life on Earth, unless Captain Robert Singh and the crew of the spaceship Goliath can intercept and somehow divert the huge object. Download The Hammer of God, DB37455

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In a future North America, Panem's rulers maintain control through a televised survival competition pitting teens from twelve districts in a fight to the death. Sixteen-year-olds Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are this year's girl and boy contestants from District Twelve. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2008. Download The Hunger Games, Book 1, DB68384

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
U. S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc, headed by the strong-minded Susan Calvin, manufactures and sells intelligent, human-like robots. Nine stories illustrate how the robots are programed with the three Laws of Robotics to serve man, despite many of the ingrained fears and predudices humans have against them. Download I, Robot, DB15779

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Alek Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, escapes in a Cyklop Stormwalker from the clutches of the Clanker powers who are plotting global domination. He forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn, a girl disguised as a boy fighting genetically engineered beasts like the airship Leviathan. For senior high readers. 2009. Download Leviathan, DB70906

Man Plus by Frederick Pohl
In a future plagued by near certainty of thermonuclear war, the United States races to turn astronaut Roger Torraway into a cyborg able to survive on Mars. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. Nebula Award. Download Man Plus, DB60854

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
England, 1990s. Kathy H., Ruth, and Tommy attended Hailsham, one of the better academies where human clones bred to be organ donors are sheltered from reality. Now thirty-one, Kathy has been a donor caregiver for eleven years. As her own time to donate nears, Kathy appreciates her privileged upbringing. 2005. Download Never Let Me Go, DB59667

A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
In a near-future, drug-ridden America, narcotics agent Bob Arctor goes undercover to catch a drug dealer. In the junkie culture in which he operates (even his girlfriend is a dealer), he takes large doses of a drug that splits his brain into two separate personalities. The agent has no knowledge of his other self, who, as it turns out, is the drug dealer he is after. Strong language.  Download A Scanner Darkly, DB36829

Stardust by Neil Gaiman
The town of Wall in rural England borders on a bewitched meadow inhabited by Faeries. At a festival, Dunstan Thorn, of Wall, mates with a Faerie lass and produces a son, Tristran. Years later, Tristran promises his intended to retrieve a fallen star and embarks on an arduous quest. Some violence. 1999. Download Stardust, DB49777

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Born and raised on Mars, Valentine Michael Smith returns to Earth unfamiliar with its cultural and social customs. Tutored in earthly matters by Jubal Harshaw, Smith evolves into a messianic figure preaching free love. Original uncut version. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Hugo Award. 1961. Download Stranger in a Strange Land, DB55938

The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Hitchhiker series novels, dated 1979-1992: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Life, the Universe and Everything; So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish; Mostly Harmless; and a bonus story, "Young Zaphod Plays It Safe" (1986). Foreword by Neil Gaiman. 2002. Download The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, DB62183

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Author of The Zombie Survival Guide (RC 64675) records firsthand interviews with survivors of humanity's devastating clash with the undead. Personal accounts from all over the world reveal the scope of the conflict, from the first zombie outbreak to the aftermath of war. Strong language and some violence. 2006. Download World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, DB65111