I haven't read such a good end-of-the-earth story since On The Beach. An aging astronomer stranded in the Arctic, and a woman on a spaceship returning to earth, struggle understand their places in the world, after what may be the end of civilization. 

Dark Matter

By Blake Crouch

$26.99, Crown Publishing Group

Jason Dessen wakes up in a world that is not his own--his wife is another woman and his son was never born. He's crossed over into an alternative universe--one of the many that are created every time you make a decision. Which life is "real?" And how can he get back to the people he loves? I enjoyed the quantum physics and other fascinating science packed into this thriller.  

The Fireman

By Joe Hill

$28.99, William Morrow & Company

A fast-spreading disease causes people to spontaneously combust and is threatening the end of civilization. When a pregnant nurse becomes infected, she is determined to survive until her baby is born, but as her husband loses his sanity and neighbors hunt down the infected, how is she to stay alive? There's a strong horror element in this story of the chaos at the end of community, as well as a warped perspective - how do you know who's good and who's bad?

Eagle in Exile

By Alan Smale

$9.99, Del Rey Books

The second in the Clash of Eagles series. In this alternate history, the last legionnaire to survive the Roman invasion of the US is now settled with a Native American tribe, and is teaching them the Roman art of battle so they can overcome other tribes. Great historical fantasy. Just out in paperback.

The Last Days of Magic

by Mark Tompkins

$27, Viking

What happened to magic? This book looks back to a medieval Ireland where magical being battle against enemies sent by the Vatican and the King of England. An epic fantasy with an incredible combination of myth, fantasy and history, which includes fairies, Vikings, Kings, the Dead Sea Scrolls and much more. Tompkins is a local author who lives in Aspen - take a look at his website. 

Lair of Dreams

Libya Bray

$19, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

The second in the Diviners series. The novel is set in 1920s New York, where a misuse of the occult leads to a rise of monsters and a sleeping sickness spreads through the city. The teenage Diviners must enter the Dreamworld to save the city. A good series in a different setting - I look forward to more. 

Genius - The Game

Leopoldo Gout

$17.99, Feiwel & Friends

200 young geniuses from around the world compete in a game that could mean life or death for three of them. Fast-moving with great characters, plus fascinating graphics that enhance the text. 

Brandon Sanderson

$18.99, Delacorte Press

Brandon Sanderson, need I say more? Sequel to Steelheart and Firefight, and just as exciting. Great suspense, action and drama. 

Ghostly Echoes: A Jackaby Novel

By William Ritter

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

By Kelly Barnhill

$16.95, Algonquin Young Readers

The Zodiac Legacy - The Dragon's Return 

by Stan Lee, Stuart Moore and Andie Tong (illustrator)

$16.99, Disney Press

Another sequel that is just as good as the first in the series. When the line between good and evil is blurred, it's hard to tell which is which. And is there any such thing as pure good, or pure evil? 

Moving Target

by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Hugely popular and the first in a series, this will be out in paperback at the end of this month. A young American girl studying in Rome discovers she is a descendant of a family that can wield the Sword of Destiny - a sword that can change the future. She is being hunted for her power and must find the sword before her enemies.

Behind the Canvas

by Alexander Vance

$16.99, Feiwel & Friends

An artistic girl discovers a young boy who can travel between famous paintings - but he is trapped in the world of art. He'll never escape - unless she's prepared to go into paintings and help. I particularly liked the tongue-in-cheek footnotes.