This page is updated as books are received throughout the month.
Touch of Madness by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp
(sequel to Touch of Evil), Tor, $6.99, 311pp, pb, 9780765356635. Paranormal romance.
Kate Reilly is having a bad month…
She’s on trial for murders she didn’t commit. She’s next on the list of a serial killer. The parasitic vampires known as the Thrall want her to investigate the murder of their young, and will use any means necessary to force her to bow to their demands.
And—possibly worst of all—her boyfriend Tom’s werewolf pack is trying to break them up so Tom can mate with a werewolf to ensure the survival of his pack.
Now Kate must fight for Tom—and fight for her very survival in this brand new paranormal romance from the unbeatable, bestselling team of C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
WGBH, $19.95, 90 minutes/1 DVD, 9781593757076. Horror.
A young aristocrat with the world at his feet is about to marry the love of his life when he discovers he’s inherited an horrific disease. His desperation to cheat death brings destruction to all those around him—including his new wife—as he becomes embroiled with a sinister cult, sends an innocent man to meet a grisly fate in a foreign land, and unleashes the evil force of the fatally charismatic Count Dracula.
Contrasting the beauty of Victorian England with the dark horror of Dracula’s world, this stunning new version of Bram Stoker’s terrifying novel stars Marc Warren (Hustle; Band of Brothers) as Dracula, Sophia Myles (Doctor Who) as the doomed young wife Lucy, and David Suchet (Agatha Christie’s Poirot) as Dracula’s nemesis, vampire scholar Van Helsing.
The Sharing Knife, Volume Two: Legacy by Lois McMaster Bujold
Eos, $25.95, 377pp, hc, 9780061139055. Fantasy.
Acclaimed science fiction and fantasy author Lois McMaster Bujold—five-time Hugo Award winner—brings us The Sharing Knife Volume Two: The Legacy, the next chapter in her New York Times-bestselling romantic fantasy.
Clever young farmer girl Fawn Bluefield and Dag Redwing Hickory, soldier-sorcerer, have only been married for two hours when they depart her family’s farm to leave for Dag’s home at Hickory Lake Camp. The couple hopes to find a reception not unlike the one he received from her family, but such is not the case. His family and people greet them with prejudice and suspicion, setting many in the camp against them, including Dag’s own mother and brother. A faction of the camp even goes so far as to threaten Dag with permanent exile.
Before their fate can be decided, however, Dag is called away by an unexpected—and vicious—magical malice attack on a neighboring hinterland that threatens Lakewalkers and farmers alike. What his patrol discovers will call into question the uneasy relationship between their peoples—yet may offer a glimmer of hope for the future.
Filled with heroic deeds, wondrous magic, and rich, all-too-human characters, The Sharing Knife is at once a gripping adventure and a poignant romance from one of the most imaginative and thoughtful writers in fantasy today.
Darkness of the Light by Peter David
(Book 1 of The Hidden Earth), Tor, $24.95, 413pp, hc, 9780765311733. Fantasy.
Not one individual in the 12 races of the Damned World knows that they are actually creatures out of the myths and legends of the Earth. For generations each race has fought the others for survival, but all live collectively in fear under the vicious Overseer.
But a new spirit of hope has arisen among the Damned World. Weary from years of battling each other, many begin to seek peace between the races and united front to fight the overseer. Two daring creatures, Jepp, a human woman and Karsen, a Bottom oFeeder, hunt for the elusive Orb of Light with which they believe they can release the beleaguered Damned World from years of oppression and violence. But though everyone who knows about the Orb would kill to get it, none realizes the true, deadly power of the ancient artifact. An epic fantasy as only the unique Peter David could write it, Darkness of the Light is a fast paced adventure that will capture readers to the last suspenseful page!
Transformers by Alan Dean Foster
Del Rey, $6.99, 304pp, pb, 9780345497994. Science fiction movie novelization.
They once lived on a distant planet, which was destroyed by the ravages of war—a war waged between the legions who worship chaos and those who follow freedom. In search of a powerful energy source that is essential to the survival of their race, they have now come to Earth. They are among us, silent, undetected, waiting to reveal themselves, for good or evil.
The Decepticons will stop at nothing to seize the coveted prize, even if it means the destruction of countless human lives. The only things standing in their way: the Autobots and a handful of determined men and women who realize that when it comes to this advanced race of machines, there is much more than meets the eye. With forces mounting for the ultimate showdown, the future of humankind hangs in the balance.
Ilario: The Lion’s Eye by Mary Gentle
(Book One of A Story of the First History), Eos, $14.95, 303pp, tp, 9780060821838. Fantasy.
Mary Gentle, author of A Sundial In a Grave: 1610 now offers her readers a stunning new historical fantasy, Ilario: The Lion’s Eye, part one of a powerfully evocative, boldly written tale of betrayal, intrigue, and destiny set in the glittering world of her award-winning Ash series.
For the young Ilario, life has not been predictable or easy. Born with a terrible secret, abandoned on the steps of a chapel, Ilario is found by Federico, an impoverished Iberian noble who plans to offer the foundling to King Roderigo to curry favor. Then, years later, the teenaged Ilario joins the court as the King’s Freak, where another surprise awaits—Rosamunda, wife of the king’s most powerful advisor, has arrived, and is determined to keep the mystery of her child’s shameful birth hidden at all costs—even murder. Fleeing assassination, Ilario lands in Carthage, where the Penitence shrouds the sky in a darkness, and a terrible and strange destiny awaits that will send him across continents.
Jewish Sci-Fi Stories for Kids
Pitspopany, $12.95, 190pp, tp, 0943706742. Science fiction.
Strap in and prepare for lift off….
Here are six far out tales unlike anything you have ever read before. They will take you to destinations you have never dreamed about, to meet monsters and mavens your parents forgot to warn you about.
Once in orbit, you’ll find: a fetus who won’t give any lip… even when his Angel asks for it; a dybbuk who wishes he was dead; a shtetl magician who has some very powerful connections; a child prodigy who really gives of himself at his bar mitzvah; an ancient word that brings the un-dead back to life, again; an interplanetary leavened monster that must be destroyed before Passover.
Contributors: Stephanie Burgis, Eliot Fintushel, Yaacov Peterseil, Miriam Baskin, Dan Pearlman, and Mark Blackman.
Driven by Eve Kenin
Shomi, $6.99, 321pp, pb, 9780505527097. Futuristic romance. On-sale date: September 2007.
With explosive action and riveting characters, Eve Kenin delivers the third book in Dorchester’s ground-breaking new Shomi line, cutting-edge romance with manga-inspired covers designed to pull in a new generation of readers.
“I live to call Driven my ‘post-apocalyptic Siberian trucker romance’ and watch people’s jaw drop,” said Editor Leah Hultenschmidt. “I’m so grateful that we have a special new line to showcase this story because it really is one of the most unusual, interesting books I’ve ever come across.”
Raina Bowen is one of the most feared names in the harsh arctic territory known as the Northern Waste. Rumor has it she’s so tough she even killed her own father. But to get a pass to haul her load of goods across the Waste, she needs help. “Help” comes in the form of Wizard, a mysterious drifter with a strange attitude who soon pulls Raina into a helpless tangle of rival truckers, ice pirates, and raging desire.
Eve Kenin also writes highly acclaimed gothic historicals under the name Eve Silver for Kensington. In a rare show of publishers working together, Eve’s August release with Kensington, Dark Prince, will feature an excerpt of Driven. And, in turn, Driven will contain a teaser for Dark Prince.
The Best of Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet edited by Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant
Del Rey, $14.95, 416pp, tp, 9780345499134. Reprint anthology. On-sale date: 28 August 2007.
After more than a decade of publishing on the fringe, the twice-yearly published ‘zine known as Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet (“LCRW“) goes legit with this anthology. A mix of poetry, nonfiction, and particularly speculative fiction, LCRW has attracted a cavalcade of great writers—the likes of Karen Russell, Jeffrey Ford, and Nalo Hopkinson—and won acclaim from underground and mainstream media outlets alike. And, the book is exactly what its title promises, a selection of the very best of this strange and wonderful ‘zine ready to be discovered by a wider readership.
Contributors: David Blair, Gwenda Bond, John Brown, Richard Butner, Dan Chaon, Becca De La Rosa, K.E. Duffin, David Findlay, Amy Beth Forbes, Jeffrey Ford, Karen Joy Fowler, Nan Fry, Geoffrey H. Goodwin, D.M. Gordon, Theodora Goss, Seana Graham, Gavin J. Grant, Nalo Hopkinson, Sunshine Ison, Jan Lars Jensen, John Kessel, Douglas Lain, Kelly Link, Ian McDowell, Sarah Micklen, David Moles, Sarah Monette, Margaret Muirhead, David Erik Nelson, Philip Raines & Harvey Welles, Deborah Roggie, Mark Rudolph, Karen Russell, James Sallis, Veronica Schanoes, Lawrence Schimel & Sara Rojo, David J. Schwartz, William Smith, Cara Spindler & David Erik Nelson, and Ray Vukcevich.
The Fantasy Illustrator’s Technique Book by Gary A. Lippincott
Barron’s, $21.99, 128pp, tp, 9780764135743. Art (nonfiction).
From conception to publication, the fantasy artist uses a wide range of skills to create magical, mythical, and monstrous characters and worlds of wonder. This indispensable book provides a thorough grounding in the tools and techniques you will need to produce spellbinding fantasy artwork in both traditional and digital media.
Each unit is devoted to a different element of fantasy art: find out where to look for inspiration; how to visualize the unreal; interpret narrative; bend the traditional rules of anatomy, perspective, and composition to create dramatic effects; render and color your work using pencils, paint, and pixels.
Experiment with different genres and create truly magical settings with extraordinary characters, from terrifying ogres and trolls to mischievous imps and fairies. Take your work to the next level and discover how to become a professional fantasy artist with advice and tips on how to present, promote, and sell your finished artwork.
A Nameless Witch by A. Lee Martinez
Tor, $24.95, 320pp, hc, 9780765318688. Fantasy.
Being born undead can have its disadvantages, such as eternal youth and flawless beauty—things most unsuitable for a witch. Hiding behind the guise of a grimy old crone, the witch is content living outside Fort Stalwart with her unlikely band of allies: a troll named Gwurm, an enchanted broom, and a demonic duck named Newt. She leads a simply life filled with spells, potions, and the occasional curse.
So when a White Knight arrives at Fort Stalwart, the witch knows her days of peace are at an end. The Knight is just days in front of a horde of ravenous goblings, and Fort Stalwart lies right in the horde’s path. But the goblings are just the first wasve of danger, and soon the witch and the Knight must combine forces on a perilous quest to stop a mad sorcerer from destroying the world.
Filled with menace, monsters, and magic, A Nameless Witch is a properly witchly read by the award-winning author of Gil’s All Fright Diner and In the Company of Ogres.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Razor Bill, $8.99, 366pp, tp, 9781595141743. Teen fantasy. On-sale date: 20 September 2007.
Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies…
Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth’s magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires—the ones who never die.
The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa’s best friend, makes her a Dhampir; She is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.
After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir’s Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking Academy hearts.
Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir’s—but their world is fraught with danger both inside and out of the Academy’s iron gates. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals, and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever…
Thirteen by Richard K. Morgan
Del Rey, $24.95, 544pp, hc, 9780345485250. Science fiction.
The future isn’t what it used to be sincec Richard K. Moran arrived on the scene. Named by the New York Times as “one of science fiction’s bright young lights” and winner of the Philip K. Dick Award, Morgan first unleashed Takeshi Kovacs—private eye, soldier of fortune, and all-purpose antihero—into the hard-boiled urban jungle of tomorrow in Altered Carbon, Broken Angels, and Woken Furies. Then in Market Forces, he launched corporate gladiator Chris Faulkner into the brave new business of war-for-profit. Now, in Thirteen, Morgan reshapes and recharges science fiction yet again with a new and unforgettable hero in Carl Marsalis: hybrid, hired gun, and a man without a country… or a planet.
Marsalis is one of a new breed… literally. He is a Thirteen. Genetically engineered by the U.S. government to embody the naked aggression and primal survival skills that centuries of civilization have erased from humankind, Thirteens were inteneded to be the ultimate military fighting force. The project was scuttled, however, when a fearful public condemned the supersoldiers as dangerous mutants, dooming the Thirteens to forced exile on Earth’s distant, desolate Mars colony. But Marsalis found a way to slip back—and into a lucrative living as a bounty hunter and hit man before a police sting landed him in prison—a fate worse than Mars, and much more dangerous.
Lucky for him, his “enhanced” life also seems to be a charmed one. A new chance at freedom beckons, courtesy of the government. All Marsalis has to do is use his superior skills to bring in a fugitive. But his prey is no common criminal. He’s another Thirteen… Can Marsalis remain sane—and alive—long enough to succeed?
Part of a new generation of talked-about speculative fiction writers, Richard K. Morgan is a fierce talent and his latest novel is at the same time fast-paced, gritty, and elegant.
The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull
Shadow Mountain, $17.95, 416pp, hc, 9781590387832. Fantasy. On-sale date: 12 September 2007.
Brandon Mull, the New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning Fablehaven series, is releasing his first stand-alone novel, The Candy Shop War. Filled with imagination and originality, parents are bound to start paying more attention to their children as The Candy Shop War brings to life every kid’s wildest dream of eating candy that will give them supernatural powers—among them, the ability to fly, spit fire, or freeze things.
The book follows four young students that are befriended by a magical candy vendor who asks them to retrieve an ancient talisman hidden beneath their school. However, there are other candy magicians in town who are after the same magical artifact. Through various adventures and tasks, the kids learn who they can really trust, how to deal with bullies, and ultimately how to survive the candy shop wars.
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
(Temeraire, Book 4), Del Rey, $7.99, 400pp, pb, 9780345496874. Historical fantasy. On-sale date: October 2007.
This book is reviewed in this article.
Tragedy has struck His Majesty’s Aerial Corps, whose magnificent fleet of fighting dragons and their human captains valiantly defend England’s shores against the encroaching armies of Napoleon Bonaparte. An epidemic of unknown origin and no known cure is decimating the noble dragons’ ranks—forcing the hopelessly stricken into quarantine. Now only Temeraire and a pack of newly recruited dragons remain uninfected—and stand as the only means of an airborne defense against France’s ever bolder sorties.
Bonaparte’s dragons are already harrowing Britain’s ships at sea. Only one recourse remains: Temeraire and his captain, Will Laurence, must take wing to Africa, whose shores may hold the cure to the mysterious and deadly contagion. On this mission there is no time to waste, and no telling what lies in store beyond the horizon or for those left behind to wait, hope, and hold the line.
Macedonia: What does it take to stop a war? by Harvey Pekar and Heather Roberson, illustrated by Ed Piskor
Villard, $17.95, trade paperback, 163pp, tp, 9780345498991. Non-fiction graphic novel.
Award-winning creator of American Splendor and godfather of the autobiographic comic Harvey Pekar emerges with a new graphic novel about his first-ever female protagonist in Macedonia.
For years Heather Roberson—a passionate peace studies major at Berkeley—has argued that war can always be avoided. But she had repeatedly faced counterarguments that fighting is an inescapable consequence of world conflicts. Indeed, Heather finds proving her point to be a little tricky without examples to bolster her case. So she does something a little crazy: she sets out for far-off Macedonia, a landlocked country in the heart of the conflict-laden Balkans, to explore a region that has edged dangerously close to the brink of violence, yet somehow managed to avoid all-out war.
In the process—and as vividly portrayed by the talented duo of Harvey Pekar and Ed Piskor—Heather is tangled in red tape, ripped off by cabdrivers and hotel clerks, hit on by creepy guys, secretly photographed, and mistaken for a spy. She also creates unlikely friendships, learns that getting lost means seeing something new, and makes some startling discoveries. War is hell and peace is difficult—but conflict is always necessary.
A Distant Magic by Mary Jo Putney
Del Rey, $24.95, 352pp, hc, 9780345476913. On-sale date: 17 July 2007.
Mary Jo Putney’s passionate, vivid characters and captivating stories have earned enthusiastic acclaim from reviewers and readers everywhere. Now, in A Distant Magic, the New York Times bestselling author weaves a new tale in the Guardian series, which began in A Kiss of Fate and continued with Stolen Magic. A Distant Magic is a dazzling romantic fantasy that takes readers across time, from the elegant streets of London to a dangerously tempting Mediterranean island.
Jean Macrae’s family is one of the most prominent clans of Guardians, humans whose magical powers come from nature, but Jean considers her skills modest at best. She has never been able to summon the intense, earth-altering ability that has marked the most talented Guardians, and she is content without the adventure that such skill brings… until the day she is confronted by a handsome stranger whose magic imprisons her on his pirate ship.
Captain Nikolai Gregorio is convinced that Jean’s father abandoned him, as a child, to slavers. Now he seeks vengeance against the Macraes, no matter the cost. But Jean soon finds his untrained magical gifts far more dangerous than his thirst for revenge, especially when they intensify their own powers to an unthinkable—and enticing—degree. And when Jean and Nikolai’s irresistible connection summons a woman from the future, they are charged with a formidable task: protect those who will oppose slavery’s evil and forever change the face of two nations. This quest will sweep Jean and Nikolai into the most fantastic of realms and try their powers beyond even what the Guardians themselves would dare. And when ultimate disaster threatens, they will stake everything on a shattering test of love that could secure the fate of generations… or destroy them and all they cherish.
The Return of Planet-X and Its Effects on Mother Earth: A Natural Disaster Survivor’s Manual by Jaysen Q. Rand, Ph.D.
Futureworld Publishing, $29.95, 342pp, tp, 9780977920914.
Planet-X is admittedly a volatile/argumentative/controversial and in many cases a politically, socially, and religiously charged subject. By keeping an open mind, heart, and spirit—your vested interest level will provide rewards both surprising and plentiful to seekers of the truth.However, once forewarned with the knowledge and information about Planet-X contained in this book—your imagination should take over creating your own prophecy regarding
Earth’s near future.
Starfist: Firestorm by David Sherman and Dan Cragg
Del Rey, $21.95, 300pp, hc, 9780345460561. Science fiction.
The huge popularity of Starfist is due largely to the unique experience of its authors. In addition to their individual successes as authors of military non-fiction, both David Sherman and Dan Cragg are combat veterans who bring real-life knowledge and credibility into this intensely action-packed series about twenty-fifth-century warfare. The series continues in Starfist: Firestorm, complete with all of the pulse pounding action, expertly choreographed battles and relentless pacing that go with it.
It’s the 25th Century, and humans have settled across the galaxy. But after centuries of peaceful exploration, the Skinks appeared, aliens bent on destroying humanity. The Confederation of Human Worlds moves to bolster its defenses against this alien menace, but to citizens on the outer edges of Human Space around Ravenette—unaware that a deadly enemy even exists—the government’s move seems oppressive, and ten planets have responded with a war of secession.
So it falls to the marines of the 34th Fleet Initial Strike Team (FIST) to try to defend a base against overwhelming odds, with little hope of reinforcement. Full of heart-stopping, desperate battles, Firestorm is filled with nonstop action as the rebellion kicks into full swing, knowing that if they must crush the 34th FIST before reinforcements arrive. And it’ll take every trick in the book for Charlie Bass to get any of his marines out alive.
Dangerous Offspring by Steph Swainston
Eos, $13.95, 325pp, tp, 9780060753894. Fantasy.
Critically acclaimed Steph Swainston, considered by many to be the most important—and certainly most original—new fantasy author to come along in the past five years, returns to the dazzling, dizzying world of the Fourlands with Dangerous Offspring, the audacious sequel to her earlier The Year of Our War and No Present Like Time.
Jant Comet, the messenger, has survived attacks by deadly insects, internecine politics, and even his own debilitating yet life-saving addiction to cat. But now faces a challenge greater than any he has met in the last several centuries, one that could shake the foundations of the Fourlands forever. And even more worrisome, San, the Emperor, who has ruled the Circle and guided the immortals for millennia, has a sinister, even shocking plan for the immortals—especially Jant.
50 Fantasy Vehicles to Draw & Paint by Keith Thompson
Barron’s, $21.99, 128pp, tp, 9780764135224. Art (nonfiction).
Discover how to draw and paint spectacular fantasy vehicles—from futuristic dream cars to magical floating ships and alien spacecraft—in a wide range of traditional and digital media.
The book’s main directory is a great mechanical workshop of fantastic designs to copy and adapt to your own unique specifications. Each concept features basic constructional shapes, sketched outline drawings, and a fully rendered finished artwork. Thirteen super-simple starter models allow you to start drawing right away.
A core techniques section advises on getting inspired and instructs in storytelling, working in varied media, adding context, creating metallic and textured effects, implying scale, and depicting motion as you create dynamic fantasy crafts.
The War in the Air by H.G. Wells
with an introduction by Jay Winter, Penguin Classics, $15.00, 296pp, tp, 97801414413060. Classic science fiction.
“And then above the flames of Manhattan Island came a battle, the first battle in the air.”
Following the development of massive airships, naive Londoner Bert Smallways becomes accidentally involved in a German plot to invade America by air and reduce New York to rubble. But although bombers devastate the city, they cannot overwhelm the country, and their attack leads not to victory but to the beginning of a new and horrific age for humanity. And so dawns the era of Total War, in which brutal aerial bombardments reduce the great cultures of the twentieth century to nothing. As civilization collapses around Smallways, now stranded in a ruined America, he clings to only one hope—that he might return to London, and marry the woman he loves.
A powerful depiction of an era in which war affects all humanity, this is one of the most remarkably prescient of all Wells’s novels. Part of a brand-new Penguin series of H.G. Wells’s works, this edition includes a newly established text, a full biographical essay on Wells, a further reading list and detailed notes. The introduction, by Jay Winter, places the book in its social and political context, and considers the enduring significance of this great tragicomic nightmare.
The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation by Drew Westen
Public Affairs, $26.95, 480pp, hc, 9781586484255. Non-fiction/politics.
In politics, when reason and emotion collide, emotion invariably wins. The marketplace that matters most of the time in American politics is the marketplace of emotion, filled with values, images, analogies, moral sentiments, and moving oratory. Drew Westen, professor of psychology, shows—through a tour of speeches, ads, and campaign strategy in American elections from the dawn of the television era through the 2006 midterm elections—what happens when candidates start with the wrong vision of mind, and shows how the political landscape would change if candidates began with a twenty-first century understanding of how the mind and brain really work.