Reading Group

Welcome to the 'Strange Worlds Society'!

Meeting on the last Thursday of every month, the 'Strange Worlds Society' will celebrate science fiction and fantasy books by women.

This book group is dedicated to exploring the strange and wonderful worlds created by women in sci-fi and fantasy. We'll be looking at what these amazing authors can do in less than 500 pages! You should come along if you're interested in finding a brilliant new favourite author, or book series, or like-minded sci-fi/fantasy fans to chat with. We'll be discussing the merits of the books, their world-building, and their significance. How does the sci-fi compare to the fantasy? Only time will tell!

This group is hosted by Amy, one of our resident Sci-Fi/Fantasy enthusiasts.

Our Book for July is: The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard

Xích Si: bot maker, data analyst, mother, scavenger. But those days are over now-her ship has just been captured by the Red Banner pirate fleet, famous for their double-dealing and cruelty. Xích Si expects to be tortured to death-only for the pirates' enigmatic leader, Rice Fish, to arrive with a different and shocking proposition: an arranged marriage between Xích Si and herself.

Rice Fish: sentient ship, leader of the infamous Red Banner pirate fleet, wife of the Red Scholar. Or at least, she was the latter before her wife died under suspicious circumstances. Now isolated and alone, Rice Fish wants Xích Si's help to find out who struck against them and why. Marrying Xích Si means Rice Fish can offer Xích Si protection, in exchange for Xích Si's technical fluency: a business arrangement with nothing more to it.

But as the investigation goes on, Rice Fish and Xích Si find themselves falling for each other. As the interstellar war against piracy intensifies and the five fleets start fighting each other, they will have to make a stand-and to decide what kind of future they have together...

An exciting space opera and a beautiful romance from an exceptional SF author, shortlisted for the 2023 Arthur C. Clarke Award.

Reading Group Structure

Ticketing: Each place is £5, which can be redeemed against a copy of a reading group book.

Frequency: Each reading group will meet once a month, on a set day of the week. You do not need to commit to one group, or every meeting! Just book for those you're interested in each month, and we hope to entice you back for another one.