Genre Defying Science Fiction: Written in Starlight and Prophet

13 Oct
Cover of Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks. Features a man in uniform holding a woman dressed as a Victorian maid. On the side of the man is a futuristic city and on the side of the woman is an old fashioned town and an open book near her foot.
Cover of Prophet by Sin Blanche and Helen MacDonald. Features two men standing beside a car at night.

Sometimes novels fit easily into categories, but these two Science Fiction novels cross boundaries. Written in Starlight merges space opera with romance, fantasy, and historic fiction. Prophet on the other hand is a technothriller with horror and romance.

Written in Starlight
by Sloane Brooks
Written in Starlight is the new novel by Sloane Brooks. A maid, Della, living in a city similar to Victorian London finds a book about a daring space captain, Ansel, but she soon learns that he also has found a book about her. They soon discover though finding the books was only the start of each other’s stories and they are still being written. Could they be meant for each other even though they are worlds apart? Della and Ansel are engaging main characters and the other supporting cast are also a fun bunch and form a strong found family. This story will appeal to those who enjoy romantic speculative fiction and readers who are fans of metafiction, which is cleverly handled. The ending left room open for future stories and I’d personally love to revisit the world Brooks created. If you love Written in Starlight, you can also check out her previous novel, another portal fantasy, The Underachiever’s Guide to Love and Saving the World. She also has a paranormal rom-com, Every Wish Way, under the name Shannon Bright.

Prophet
by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché
Prophet is an intriguing novel written by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché together online during the global Pandemic. We read it for the Hoboken Public Library’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Group for our May discussion in 2026. The group felt even though the book had two authors that it still felt cohesive. While some members loved the book, others were less enthralled, but all had a lot of interesting thoughts on the book which brought some mystery and romance into the mix. The story focuses on two estranged partners who come from vastly different backgrounds, but must come together again when a mysterious substance is discovered that can make people’s fondest nostalgic objects into reality. I found the start and the ending particularly strong and the group agreed that it would make a terrific movie adaptation. If you are looking for a timely novel that merges a variety of genres than check out Prophet and let us know what you think! Helen Macdonald is also the author of the best-selling memoir, H is for Hawk.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Group meets once a month on Mondays. See the library’s calendar for details on upcoming discussions. We also have Mystery, Horror, and more great discussions!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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August Book Club Pick: Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare (2020)

8 Oct

Clown in a Cornfield is a fun small town ride that takes on the weirdness of growing up through the angsty and pubescent teenager years – trying to follow your own path and ambition, but the powers at be want it their way. 

Book cover for Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare. The black and red cover shows a dark rural cornfield at night, with a farmhouse, silo, and glowing moon in the background. Large red text reads “CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD,” with “ADAM CESARE”. The tagline at the bottom reads, “The kids are not all right.”

This young adult novel follows Quinn Maybrook as she and her father relocate to Kettle Springs, Missouri. Right from the get go, the title fulfills its genre’s promise, by exploring Quinn’s navigation through high school, her encounters with cliques and the popular kids, and the collective banding against the evil science teacher, Mr. Vern.

With the adults suspicious and with gratuitous malice towards the children of Kettle Springs can you blame the kids for exercising daily revolts? The cycle is endless…until one night Frendo, the town’s clown mascot, takes havoc into his own hands one crossbow shot, ax swing, and fireball launch at a time.

It’s a quick read, even at 330+ pages, but the narrative flows easily with a simple event after event. A fast reader can get this done in a week if not sooner. 

Quinn is quickly engaged in her own gaggle of mischievous kids, bent on using the town’s run-down buildings and abandoned plots of land for their own use…but Frendo is always watching and they don’t approve. 

The internal monologue and overthinking was a bit much, but I recognize that that too is a trait of the young adult genre. The action really picks up around the 200 page mark, and from there is 130+ pages of fiery roller-coaster mayhem with fun deaths, psycho chases through corn, a few fun call backs to a new generation handling older technology, and more.

In the end, it’s a summer slasher founded in teenage angst, romantic curiosity, and rallying against a killing spree to keep a town in the past.  

Once you’ve had a read, you can follow it up with the movie.

Have you read Clown in a Cornfield, seen the movie, or both? Comment below.

You can reserve the book in the BCCLS system here. Audiobook also available on eLibraryNJ/Libby and Hoopla. Hoopla also has the sequel Frendo Lives.

You can reserve the movie in the BCCLS system here.

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Written by:
Sean Willey
Information and Digital Services Assistant

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