During news cycles that feel especially vicious, dispiriting or relentless — or worse, all three at once — it can be helpful to temper the ol' doomscrolling by cracking a book now and then.

Now, that's not to say that books are only good for a hit of escapism — though to be clear, they can be terrific at that, as well. This week sees the release of several works of fiction that challenge or outright shrug off the hard rigors of the day-to-day, in pursuit of something far more out there : proof, at least in concept, that other worlds are possible.

But this week's publishing calendar also offers help for readers seeking to understand, or simply cope with, this one. Because even if it isn't an escape, there's still value in applying a different, more deliberate lens to the — world, nati

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