It’s time to pack your bags, friendos; we’re leaving home. These five books are all about people uprooted—sometimes willingly, sometimes unwillingly—from the place they’ve always known and thrust into the great unknown. Will they ever return home? If they do, they won’t be the same as who they were when they left.
A Country of Ghosts by Margaret Killjoy
Margaret Killjoy always writes speculative fiction that screams radical and anarchic, and this one is no different. A Country of Ghosts is written like the protagonist, muckracking journalist Dimos Horacki, is writing an accounting of his travels. He is sent by his newspaper employer to the frontlines of a colonial war led by the Imperial Army. What he sees and who he meets alter his perspective on the war and his nation. This was rereleased in 2022 by AK Press, and I love the new cover. (Combustion Books, 2014)
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen (The Nyxia Triad #1)
Babel Communications offers ten teens the chance to see the galaxy. Emmett, a Black kid from Detroit, secures a spot on the ship headed for the planet Eden to extract nyxia, a mysterious, powerful, pricey substance. On the way, the teens must battle it out in dangerous competitions. Emmett just wants to earn enough money to get back home, but Babel has other plans. An action-packed young adult science fiction novel perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Squid Games. (Ember, 2017)
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig (Shadow Players Trilogy #1)
Never underestimate Heidi Heilig’s ability to make your heart ache. This riveting trilogy is a young adult fantasy take on French (Aquitan) occupation and colonization of South Asia (Chakrana). Jetta, who deals with bipolar disorder, can summon spirits, a talent that puts her in the crosshairs of scheming Chakrans and cruel Aquitans alike. Jetta, her family, and her new friends and enemies are forced from their home in a grueling journey. There’s nothing quite like this series, and it’s a shame more people haven’t read it. (Greenwillow Books, 2018)
Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden (Escaping Exodus #1)
Centuries ago, human-kind fled earth. Now the remnants of humanity survive inside a space leviathan, carving out neighborhoods from living flesh until there’s nothing left and they’re forced to move again. Seske and Adalla want to be together but are kept apart by social castes. Of course, there are secrets upon secrets and conspiracies upon conspiracies. (Harper Voyager, 2019)
The Map and the Territory by A.M. Tuomala (Spell and Sextant #1)
The city of Sharis is destroyed in an earthquake. Rukha was in town as part of her work as a cartographer charting the region, but now she only wants to go home. Eshu, a wizard, agrees to travel with her, but he’s not easy to get along with. The pair wander through a fantastical realm, witnessing devastation and wonders. If you like how Martha Wells does her fantasy worldbuilding, this is a must-read. (Candlemark & Gleam, 2022)
