Dawson mashes up history, fantasy, and the magic of the circus in an emotionally immersive, character-driven story.”– Library Journal, starred review Judaism plays a role as well, both in the faith of the characters and through parallels of persecution. “Dawson’s debut is haunting, employing themes of gaslighting, trauma, and war, which are woven through dual points of view and multiple timelines. A good purchase for large SFF collections.”– Library Journal Will appeal to readers who like their giant robots paired with explorations of emotional intimacy and moving forward after trauma. The action-packed finale mixes mech battles with equally dramatic personal revelations. “AI divinities and war machines provide the perfect setting for the characters to grapple with physical and mental upheaval and find strength in each other. This is easily the author’s strongest work to date.”– Publishers Weekly, starred review “In this superb thriller from Anthony Award winner Cosby ( RAZORBLADE TEARS), Titus Crown, the first Black sheriff of Charon County, Va., is investigating a high school shooting that leaves a history teacher and his killer dead… The hard-edged storytelling is supplemented by richly developed characters, especially Titus and his family, and Cosby elegantly layers his narrative over Virginia’s racial history, giving the proceedings uncommon emotional depth.

Rin’s circus has something he wants, and he won't stop until it’s his.Download, read, and vote for your favorite June titles for the June 2023 LibraryReads list!

It takes the form of another Spark circus, with tents as black as midnight and a ringmaster who rules over his troupe with a dangerous power. And Rin's past creeps closer every day, a malevolent shadow Rin can’t fully escape. The future holds an impending war that the Sparks can see barrelling toward their Big Top and everyone in it. Every night, Rin and the Fantasticals enchant a Big Top packed full with audiences who need to see the impossible.īut while the present is bright, threats come at Rin from the past and the future. Like the circus she’s built and the magical misfits and outcasts – known as Sparks – who’ve made it their home. With the scars of World War I feeling more distant as the years pass, Rin is focusing on the brighter things in life. Ringmaster – Rin, to those who know her best – can jump to different moments in time as easily as her wife, Odette, soars from bar to bar on the trapeze. Welcome to the Circus of the Fantasticals.

Dawson is a spellbinding debut for fans of The Night Circus and The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue. If you knew how dark tomorrow would be, what would you do with today?

The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson