Reading a story set in the place where you live or have lived has a special appeal. If you grew up in the city and its environs, the story can give you a new point of view, possibly from a character whose life is different than yours.
If you are new to the area, this type of reading gives you an insight into the mythologies that have built up around the place. Or, it can provide a source of good-natured nitpicking with friends if you think the author got something wrong in their portrayal.
With science fiction, fantasy and horror, the author adds an extra layer onto the locality of their fiction, transforming a known place with elements of the unknown. The strange is stranger in juxtaposition with the daily elements of our city.
What if UFOs landed at the Point? What if all that was left of the city was a virtual reality archive? What if we slipped into Elfland? These books ask these questions and more.
Check out our other Pittsburgh fiction lists for Realistic and Contemporary fiction, Historical fiction, and Mysteries and Thrillers, too!
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UFOs in the sky over Pittsburgh, a sinister new boss at his work, and a local author of conspiracy theories drawing his best friend into his cult of personality are leading Peter Morrison to believe that his current reality may not be all there is to the world. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby.
The classic tale of what happens when your car loves you back – and the love is not a healthy or balanced kind, but jealous and violent. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby or as eAudio on OverDrive/Libby.
Cotman’s speculative tales of near-immortals of Pittsburgh and nightmare volleyball tournaments play with genre to create fresh perspectives.
In a future Pittsburgh come under the sway of Elven rule, a girl genius and inventor happens to save the life of a local elf lord and becomes part of his political and romantic machinations.
Pittsburgh is ashes, but its past can be explored in virtual reality called the Archive. Losing himself in the Archive in grief for his wife and daughter, John Blaxton discovers a body in Nine Mile Run that someone tried to delete from the program, and must find out why. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby or as eAudio on OverDrive/Libby.