If you want further reassurance of the continued validity of reading as a past pastime, read on for a pick of some of the outstanding sci-fi and fantasy offerings that have been claiming a space on our Kindle and tablets of late.

The Third Kingdom – Terry Goodkind

One of the heavyweights of the fantasy genre, Goodkind returns to the protagonists from The Sword of Truth series, Richard and Kahlan, in his latest offering, the sequel to The Omen Machine. Goodkind wastes no time thrusting readers into brutal but absorbing action, with both Richard and Kahlan finding themselves in dire straights. While having to contend with a new danger in the Dark Lands, Richard also has to deal with a conspiracy, and the lack of his power as a war wizard, as Kahlan’s life hangs in the balance.  Granted, familiarity with the Sword of Truth series is recommended, but for those who have been patiently waiting to return to The Sword of Truth’s world, this is the fantasy title to pick up. $12 (R117) on Amazon for Kindle edition.

The Atlantis Gene – A.G. Riddle

The first book in The Origin Mystery series seemingly has all the elements to entice lovers of science fiction, adventure and mystery. The technothriller’s premise is certainly alluring, involving the next stage of human evolution and genetic experimentation, a discovery of a mystery deep in Antarctica, a global conspiracy and a race of people with sinister ulterior motives. Add to this believable characters, and echoes of Michael Crichton and James Rollins’ work, and you have a highly recommended yarn to dive into. $5 (R50) on Amazon for Kindle edition.

The Eye of God – James Rollins

Another perennial and old time favourite, Rollins’ latest is a tour de force of action, suspense, smart science and future Armageddon prophecy, all tied in with some historic context that goes back to Attila the Hun and Genghis Kahn. In The Eye of God, just prior to crashing, a satellite tasked with studying dark energy sends out a disturbing image of the Eastern seaboard of the US having been completely devastated - in the near future.  

The novel blurs the boundaries between fiction and the realms of what could be, with Rollins opening by questioning the nature of reality, and referencing cutting edge, quantum physics thought, while mixing in some gripping action. All this  makes for a compelling read. The Eye of God is Rollins at his finest. $12 (R117) on Amazon for Kindle edition.

Read on

If avid readers have been longing for a subscription service for ebooks, then they need look no further than Oyster. The service gives readers access to 100 000 electronic books (ebooks) they can read on their iOS mobile devices for a monthly fee of $10 (R98). The service is accepting applications now at www.oysterbooks.com. Accompanying the newly updated Kindle Paperwhite in other good news for booklovers, is Amazon’s ambitious service, Kindle MatchBook. When it launches next month, this will allow users to access Kindle versions of any and most paperback editions that they have ever bought, now and in perpetuity, for under $3 (R30).