Editor's picks: Summer reads

It's super hot outside and if you're anything like us, you'd like to curl up in the shade with a nice new book. Here are some amNewYork staffers' summer reading recommendations:

'Redshirts'
By John Scalzi, $24.99
Veteran sci-fi author Scalzi sets his satirical sights on one of the beloved classics of the genre: "Star Trek." A redshirt, by the way, is the term for the nameless, disposable crew members on "Star Trek" who would accompany the stars on away missions, and often didn't return. Ensign Andrew Dahl arrives on the flagship of the Universal Union and discovers that whenever the dashing Captain Abernathy and his senior officers go on an away mission, the support crew die in some fashion. Not content to simply hide from the officers like his fellow crew members, Dahl and a few of his pals begin to investigate what exactly is going on. Your background with "Star Trek" will certainly amplify your enjoyment, but even without, "Redshirts" is a clever, witty read. (New in hardcover) (Scott A. Rosenberg)