The best novels on saving mankind from itself using elements of fantasy, from dreams to artificial intelligence

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a Black woman who writes stories that will give readers an insight into areas of corporate and governmental politics, with a touch of reality, suspense, humor, and romance. Oh, let me add…a touch of fantasy. At times, I will mix the genres simply because that is where the story takes me. Writing is a passion; messaging is a responsibility (I aim to intrigue you!), and humor is my way of balancing the intense topic. I have a degree in Organizational Management, 30 years of working in state agencies, and a vivid imagination to share. I'm enjoying the second chapter of my life by doing what I love…writing stories that entice your mind.  


I wrote...

S.I.B.s: The Society of Intellectual Beings

By Iris Bolling,

Book cover of S.I.B.s: The Society of Intellectual Beings

What is my book about?

S.I.B.s is about a research project that goes terribly wrong. A journalist who is connected to the project in ways so unimaginable starts investigating the death of his parents and opens the door to a multiple generational experiment to create a community of exceptionally intelligent humans. Through a series of journals from his deceased mother, Wade Tyson has the experience of not only reading her words but absorbing her thoughts. Each time he reads one of her journals, certain powers are bestowed upon him. 

In the mortal world, it is believed that there are six degrees of separation. That number diminishes within The Society of Intellectual Beings where the bloodlines are intertwined, blurring the degrees of separation.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Parable of the Sower

Iris Bolling Why did I love this book?

It is difficult to go wrong with any of Butler’s work. Her work is poignant in its translation of real-life experience. In The Parable of the Sower, she uses the diary of the visionary main character to take the reader on a journey of an all too real battle to save the goodness of mankind even if it puts her life in danger. Journal you say?? I was immediately intrigued by this concept.  

By Octavia E. Butler,

Why should I read it?

25 authors picked Parable of the Sower as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The extraordinary, prescient NEW YORK TIMES-bestselling novel.

'If there is one thing scarier than a dystopian novel about the future, it's one written in the past that has already begun to come true. This is what makes Parable of the Sower even more impressive than it was when first published' GLORIA STEINEM

'Unnervingly prescient and wise' YAA GYASI

--

We are coming apart. We're a rope, breaking, a single strand at a time.

America is a place of chaos, where violence rules and only the rich and powerful are safe. Lauren Olamina, a young woman with the extraordinary power to…


Book cover of Parable of the Talents

Iris Bolling Why did I love this book?

It would be criminal not to recommend the follow-up to The Parable of the Sower. The Parable of Talent takes place years after the hard fraught ideal community is formed. You are going to want to know what happens in this perceived utopia. The unrest on the survival of Christian values is happening all around them. The effect uncovers elements that existed beneath the surface of the somewhat pleasant surroundings of the community. Therein lies the reality that a change is going to come.  

By Octavia E. Butler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Parable of the Talents as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The stunning sequel to Parable of the Sower, the NEW YORK TIMES-bestselling novel.

'In the ongoing contest over which dystopian classic is most applicable to our time... for sheer peculiar prescience, Butler's novel may be unmatched' NEW YORKER

'Octavia Butler was playing out our very real possibilities as humans. I think she can help each of us to do the same' GLORIA STEINEM

---

In order for me to understand who I am, I must begin to understand who she was.

Asha was born into a broken world. There are many things she needs to know: how her country could…


Book cover of Mind Bullet

Iris Bolling Why did I love this book?

I can appreciate an author who can inject humor into a story that is not traditionally a comedy. In Mind Bullet, we follow the life of an assassin who has the ability to kill with his mind and his artificial intelligence sidekick Bubbles (who frequently asks for a name change throughout the book). Make no mistake, there is plenty of fast-paced, action-packed scenes as Jonas tries to stay one step ahead of the ninjas (yes ninjas!) in between the funny appearances of Bubbles. The mixture of danger and humor is all-consuming as you go along for the ride. This story had me laughing while sitting on the edge of my seat. 

By Jeremy Robinson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Mind Bullet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A telekinetic assassin’s quest to avenge his parents’ murders triggers an all-out war between an eccentric cast of killers, from the New York Times bestselling author of INFINITE and THE DARK.

Jonas kills people…with his mind. He reaches out, focuses for a moment, and feels a snap of pain between his eyes. Then his target falls over dead, a hole in the center of their brains. The cause of death is unknown to all aside from Jonas, and his lone companion: Bubbles, a sarcastic AI with aspirations to be more human, or a serial killer. One of the two. Maybe…


Book cover of How Long 'til Black Future Month?

Iris Bolling Why did I love this book?

How Long 'til Black is a collection of short stories all worthy of your attention. "Red Dirt Witch" takes you through a journey of history. The main character’s dreams give her the ability to see when danger is about to touch her family (I mean, how fascinating is that!), so of course I wanted to read more about this superpower. While Emmaline used her gift to protect her daughter, her daughter used hers to protect the family. Surprisingly, this did not have them at odds with each. As it turns out, they worked as a cohesive team to secure the future of the civil rights movement. I was fascinated from the start. 

By N. K. Jemisin,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked How Long 'til Black Future Month? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Three-time Hugo Award winner and NYT bestselling author N. K. Jemisin challenges and delights readers with thought-provoking narratives of destruction, rebirth, and redemption that sharply examine modern society in her first collection of short fiction, which includes never-before-seen stories.

"Marvelous and wide-ranging." -- Los Angeles Times"Gorgeous" -- NPR Books"Breathtakingly imaginative and narratively bold." -- Entertainment Weekly

Spirits haunt the flooded streets of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In a parallel universe, a utopian society watches our world, trying to learn from our mistakes. A black mother in the Jim Crow South must save her daughter from a…


Book cover of The Handmaid's Tale

Iris Bolling Why did I love this book?

Many people have been glued to their televisions watching this in abject horror thinking no way would this happen! The Handmaid’s Tale is a mind-boggling book with a forecast of what may cause you not to want to continue reading. I employ you to not deny yourself. As a woman you will find this book disturbing, a bit of dystopian fiction. It is hard to digest the concept of a totalitarian world, however when reading it against the recent events of our Supreme Court it becomes plausible in ways, we as women could not imagine. Fertility of women and those who plan to control it takes center stage in this tale. Clear your mind before reading this one. 

By Margaret Atwood,

Why should I read it?

34 authors picked The Handmaid's Tale as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

** THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER **
**A BBC BETWEEN COVERS BIG JUBILEE READ**

Go back to where it all began with the dystopian novel behind the award-winning TV series.

'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it' Guardian

I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no light without shadow; or rather, no shadow unless there is also light.

Offred is a Handmaid in The Republic of Gilead, a religious totalitarian state in what was formerly known as the United States. She is placed in the household of The Commander, Fred Waterford -…


You might also like...

Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

By Rebecca Wellington,

Book cover of Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

Rebecca Wellington Author Of Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I am adopted. For most of my life, I didn’t identify as adopted. I shoved that away because of the shame I felt about being adopted and not truly fitting into my family. But then two things happened: I had my own biological children, the only two people I know to date to whom I am biologically related, and then shortly after my second daughter was born, my older sister, also an adoptee, died of a drug overdose. These sequential births and death put my life on a new trajectory, and I started writing, out of grief, the history of adoption and motherhood in America. 

Rebecca's book list on straight up, real memoirs on motherhood and adoption

What is my book about?

I grew up thinking that being adopted didn’t matter. I was wrong. This book is my journey uncovering the significance and true history of adoption practices in America. Now, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the renewed debate over women’s reproductive rights places an even greater emphasis on adoption. As a mother, historian, and adoptee, I am uniquely qualified to uncover the policies and practices of adoption.

The history of adoption, reframed through the voices of adoptees like me, and mothers who have been forced to relinquish their babies, blows apart old narratives…

Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

By Rebecca Wellington,

What is this book about?

Nearly every person in the United States is affected by adoption. Adoption practices are woven into the fabric of American society and reflect how our nation values human beings, particularly mothers. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, the renewed debate over women's reproductive rights places an even greater emphasis on adoption. As a mother, historian, and adoptee, Rebecca C. Wellington is uniquely qualified to uncover the policies and practices of adoption. Wellington's timely-and deeply researched-account amplifies previously marginalized voices and exposes the social and racial biases embedded in the United States' adoption industry.…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in artificial intelligence, dystopian, and romantic love?

11,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about artificial intelligence, dystopian, and romantic love.

Artificial Intelligence Explore 290 books about artificial intelligence
Dystopian Explore 560 books about dystopian
Romantic Love Explore 872 books about romantic love