The presence of a black US president in a summer blockbuster used to mean that the film occurred in The Future. But in 2010, we need a new signifier. I think I know the one: the openly gay general.

Whether you want a fun beach read or a sweeping philosophical epic, June's books have you covered. You can encounter witches in Toronto and killer courtesans, or you can delve into America's dismal future, or Alastair Reynolds' eon-spanning colonization saga.