This page is updated as books are received throughout the month.
Darkling Fields of Arvon by James G. Anderson & Mark Sebanc
(Legacy of the Stone Harp: Book 2), Baen, $14.99, 424pp, tp, 9781439133538. Fantasy.
The dark night of chaos is falling—and the one talisman that might stop it is lost.
In the wake of the catastrophic invasion that has levelled the Stoneholding, the last bastion of order in the world of Ahn Norvys, Kalaquinn Wright pursues the mission entrusted to him. Freshly invested as High Bard, Kal sets forth across lands that lie under a dark cloud of uncertainty and strife, charged with the task of finding the lost Prince Starigan. This is but the first step in rekindling the Sacred Fire and restoring peace to a broken world.
The task, however, will not be an easy one, for the Talamadh, the golden harp that binds together heaven and earth in sacred harmony, remains in the clutches of the tyrant Ferabek. After securing safe haven for the remnant folk of his clanholding, Kal and his companions venture into the lowlandns of Arvon, a place of looming danger. Despite the adversities of a world sinking into the twilight of darknenss and chaos, the young Holdsman keeps faith and is sustained by the loyalty of friends, the resources he begins to discover in himself, and unwavering hope. In his quest for the lost prince, moreover, Kal learns that royalty is to be found in unexpected quarters.
By fate’s caprice, Kal falls prey to his enemies. In the trial that befalls him, his mettle is tested, and he draws upon an inner strength that he has never known before. He also discovers that the Talamadh, with which Ardiel, once High King of Arvon, inaugurated the Great Harmony, though weak and faltering, still retains a vestige of its ancient potency. But will it be enough to stem the tide of chaos that floods over the darkling fields of Arvon?
Destroyermen: Distant Thunders by Taylor Anderson
(Destroyermen: Book IV), Roc, $24.95, 416pp, hc, 9780451463333. Science fiction. On-sale date: 1 June 2010.
Distant Thunders is the fourth installment in a compelling series from Taylor Anderson. The book is a perfect blend of alternate history and military science fiction sure to mesmerize fans of the series and entice new readers.
In the aftermath of a terrible battle, Matt Reddy is surprised by the arrival of a strange ship captained by Commodore Jenks. Jenks has come in search of Rebecca Anne McDonald, the now ten-year-old daughter of the Governor-Emperor of the Empire of the New Britain Isles. Reddy is laboring to prepare the destroyer, Walker, and the rest of his fleet for further engagements. The Grik are far from defeated and Reddy will need all hands on deck to fight them when they next attack. But while the support that Jenks and his men might offer could make the difference between victory and defeat, Reddy is not certain that he can trust them. As the weeks go on and tension between the Allies and the Imperials mounts, Reddy will come to realize that his suspicions are not misplaced and that a greater danger than the Grik is closer than they think.
The Keepers’ Tattoo by Gill Arbuthnott
Chicken House, $17.99, 432pp, hc, 9780545171663. YA Fantasy.
Ten years ago, the marauder Alaric, leader of the Shadowmen, killed most of the Keepers—teachers of ancient knowledge that threatened his barbaric rule. Young Kit was captured, but his twin sister, Nyssa, escaped.
Orphaned as an infant, Nyssa can only dream about who she is, where she comes from—and the meaning behind the mysterious words branded on her skin. Only later will she learn that both she and her lost brother together bear the secret words of their people: three lines each of strange, unintelligible writing tattooed on their scalps.
Now the Shadowmen are on the attack again, determined to quell a growing rebellion, and Nyssa’s past is revealed: she is among the last descendants of the Keepers. Now the future of Nyssa’s people depends on her finding her brother, and together they must unlock the meaning—the power—behind the mysterious words written on them both.
Super Human by Michael Carroll
Philomel, $16.99, 336pp, hc, 9780399252976. YA Fantasy.
From Michael Carroll, the author of the popular Quantum Prophecy trilogy comes a super-powered adventure featuring the rise of a terrifying ancient threat to civilization. In Super Human, this young generation of heroes must band together to protect the world from an ancient and deadly villain.
Four-thousand years ago the world’s first super human walked the earth. Possessing the strength of one hundred men, skin impervious to attack, and the ability to read minds, this immortal being used his power to conquer and enslave nations. Now a secret society called the Helotry has put plans in motion to transport this super human to the present, where he’ll usher in a new age of tyranny unlike anything the world has ever seen.
Determined to stand against the Helotry, using powers they’ve only just begun to master, is a ragtag group of young heroes. For them this first test may be their greatest… and last. The latest battle in the war between good and evil kicks off here, and it won’t end until the last man is standing.
The Devil in Green by Mark Chadbourn
(The Dark Age, Book 1), Pyr, $16.00, 352pp, tp, 9781616141981. Fantasy.
Humanity has emerged, blinking, from the Age of Misrule into a world substantially changed: cities lie devastated, communications are limited, anarchy rages across the land. Society has been thrown into a new Dark Age where superstition holds sway.
The Tuatha
De Danaan roam the land once more, their terrible powers dwarfing anything mortals have to offer. And in their wake come all the creatures of myth and legend, no longer confined to the shadows.
Fighting to find their place in this new world, the last remnants of the Christian Church call for a group of heroes: a new Knights Templar to guard the priesthood as they set out on their quest for souls. But as everything begins to fall apart, the Knights begin to realize their only hope is to call on the pagan gods of Celtic myth for help…
The Hounds of Avalon by Mark Chadbourn
(The Dark Age, Book 3), Pyr, $16.00, 320pp, tp, 9781616142032. Fantasy. On-sale date: July 2010.
The Hounds of Avalon are coming…
For these are the twilight days, when eternal winter falls and the gods destroy themselves in civil war… when an invasion force of ghastly power threatens to eradicate all life.
Humanity’s last chance lies with two friends, as different as night and day, but bound together by an awesome destiny.
Hunter: a warrior, a rake, an assassin; Hal: a lowly records clerk in a Government office. They must pierce a mystery surrounding the myths of King Arthur to find the dreaming hero who will ride out of the mists of legend to save the world.
But time is running out, for when the Hounds of Avalon appear, all hope is lost…
Song of Scarbaeus by Sara Creasy
Eos, $7.99, 354pp, pb, 9780061934735. Science fiction.
Trained since childhood in advanced biocyph seed technology by the all-powerful Crib empire, Edie’s mission is to terraform alien worlds while her masters bleed the outlawed Fringe populations dry. When renegade mercenaries kidnap Edie, she’s not entirely sure it’s a bad thing… until they leash her to a bodyguard, Finn—a former freedom fighter-turned-slave, beaten down but never broken. If Edie strays from Finn’s side, he dies. If she doesn’t cooperate, the pirates will kill them both.
But Edie’s abilities far surpass anything her enemies imagine. And now, with Finn as her only ally as the merciless Crib closes in, she’ll have to prove it or die on the site of her only failure… a world called Scarabaeus.
Amazon Queen by Lori Devoti
Juno, $7.99, 384pp, pb, 9781439154274. Urban fantasy.
Amazon queen Zery Kostovska has never questioned tribe traditions. After all, these rules have kept the tribe strong for millennia and enabled them to live undetected, even in modern-day America. Zery is tough, fair, commanding—the perfect Amazon leader. At least, she was. A new high priestess with a penchant for secrecy and technology is threatening Zery’s rule. Plus, with the discovery of the Amazon sons, males with the same skills as their female counterparts, even Zery can’t deny that the tribe must change. But how? Some want to cooperate with the sons. Others believe brutal new leadership is needed—and are willing to kill to make it happen. Once, Zery’s word was law. Now, she has no idea who to trust, especially with one powerful Amazon son making her question all her instincts. For Zery, tribe comes first, but the battle drawing near is unlike any she’s faced before… and losing might cost her both the tribe and her life.
The Infinity Gate by Sara Douglass
(DarkGlass Mountain: Book Three), Eos, $26.99, 544pp, hc, 9780060882198. Science Fiction. On-sale date: June 2010.
Sara Douglass has won legions of fans around the world for her epic tales of sorcery, forbidden love, and heart-pounding action. The DarkGlass Mountain saga has proven to be her biggest adventure to date, a sweeping tale of love, magic and betrayal, set in the world of Douglass’ bestselling Wayfarer Redemption series.
In The Serpent Bride, readers were introduced to Ishbel Brunelle, priestess of the Serpent Coil; her husband, Maxel, the Lord of Elcho Falling; Isaiah, the Tyrant of Isembaard; and Axis, the resurrected leader of the Icarii people. They were drawn together to face the threat looming from DarkGlasss Mountain, where the Dark God Kanubai prepared to emerge from his imprisonment. Through treachery, deceit and murder, the dark god arose anew as The One, and The Twisted Citadel saw him reduce the kingdoms of Tencendor and Isembaard to molten fear, driving a seemingly irreparable wedge between the Lord and Lady of Elcho Falling—the obly beings powerful enough to effect his plans of domination.
Reminiscent of Tolkien in its epic battle scenes, The Infinity Gate is rife with conflict, as the forces of Light, led by Ishbel, Maximillian, Isaiad and Axis, battle to save Elcho Falling—and what remains of Tencendor—from The One and his minions. The Infinity Gate shows the battle-torn Maxel and Ishbel conquering all that ails their marriage to join efforts and try to conquer that which ails their kingdom. Axis is leveled by the loss of his Icarii troops, and must come to terms with the defection of the Lealfast. The One continues to quest for ultimate control of the Twisted Citadel and the world… but he&38212;and all the players of The Infinity Gate—are stunned by the actions of the new Lord of the Skraelings, the veritable army of twisted creatures who become the central deciding force in this epic battle for dominion.
The Legions of Fire by David Drake
(The Books of the Elements: Volume 1), Tor, $25.99, 368pp, hc, 9780765320780. Fantasy.
After the conclusion of his beloved fan-favorite Lord of the Isles series, bestselling author David Drake is back! Tor Books is pleased to present The Legions of Fire, the first installment in an all-new quartet of fantasy novels from this modern master of the genre.
The world of The Legions of Fire is an astonishingly rich and nuanced one, based on Europe during the later Roman Empire. Centered on the great city of Carce, this fantastical world combines traditional Western history with Drake’s trademark knack for artfully wrought high fantasy and beautifully rendered magic.
Far in the north, a group of hell-bent magicians perform a strange ritual dance with the intention of springing forth supernatural creatures that will devastate the whole earth and destroy all life. Meanwhile, in Carce, two young men, Corylus and Varus, and two women, Hedia and Alphena, separately pursue the answer to mysterious happenings in Carce. Their quest for knowledge will take them in and out of different and wild dimensions, as they are aided or hindered by supernatural beings and gods, and will ultimately decide the fate of all humankind!
Threshold by Eric Flint and Ryk E. Spoor
Baen, $25.00, 320pp, hc, 9781439133606. Science fiction. On-sale date: July 2010.
When the strange fossil she’d discovered had ended up giving her a trip to Mars, Helen Sutter thought she’d gone about as far as any paleontologist would ever go in her lifetime. But when you’ve also married A.J. Baker, overconfident super-sensor expert for the only private agency in space—the Ares Corporation—and your best friend Madeline Fathom Buckley is a former secret agent who’s just signed on as the chief of security for the newly created and already embattled Interplanetary Research Institute of the United Nations, there’s always somewhere farther to go.
The newest discoveries will take her, A.J., and their friends Jackie, Joe, and Madeline to the mysterious asteroid Ceres—and beyond, in a desperate race to Jupiter’s perilous miniature system of radiation-bombarded moons. The next gold rush is on—for alien technology, hidden in lost bases around the system. And there are people willing to do anything to get it—even plan the first interplanetary war, four hundred million miles from home!
Faery Moon by P.R. Frost
(a Tess Noncoiré adventure), DAW, $7.99, 370pp, pb, 9780756406066. Fantasy.
Tess Noncoiré is a bestselling fantasy writer—and a Celestial Blade Warrior, trained to guard our world against demonic incursions. Her partner in this fight is a strange, mischievous cigar-smoking imp called Scrap. Together the two have saved the world from destruction numerous times… and made some powerful enemies along the way.
Now Tess is attending a writer’s conference in Las Vegas, taking along her mother, who is mourning the death of her demon husband. But when Tess takes her mom to see one of the Big Acts in Vegas, she is amazed to see winged dancers flying about the stage, seemingly unsupported by any wires. Soon she discovers the dancers are actually faeries, held in the casino against their will. But the faeries are dying, and unless they can return to their home plane, their entire dimension may die, too.
And as Scrap makes some forays into the interdimensional Chat Room to which all portals lead, he finds that the energy leaking from the portal to the faery realm is undermining all the other dimensions as well.
Even with the aid of the two men in her life, Guilford Van der Hoyden-Smythe, Gollum to his friends, and Donovan Estevez, the handsome, enigmatic foster son of a demon, Tess doesn’t know if she and Scrap can break the spell that binds the winged dancers and set all the dimensions—including their own—back to their proper pathways.
Is Anybody Out There? edited by Nick Gevers and Marty Halpern
DAW, $7.99, 312pp, pb, 9780756406196. Science fiction anthology.
Why is it that, in such a vast cosmos, with hundreds of billions of stars in this galaxy alone, and no doubt billions of Earth-like planets orbiting them, we have found no evidence of intelligent alien life? No evidence that aliens have ever visited Earth (other than discredited UFO mythology), no detectable signals in all our SETI searches with radio telescopes…?
The stories in this anthology offer intriguing explanations for this enigma, looking seriously or comically at solutions. Is intelligent life a fluke, arising only once or twice in the universe’s long history? Does intelligence arise frequently, but with gulfs of time and distance keeping technological civilizations irretrievably apart? Do such civilizations inevitably implode or self-destruct within a few hundred years? Is our definition of intelligence fatally subjective? Are aliens among us right now, unseen? Are there aliens everywhere, but determined not to let us notice them? These are just some of the possibilities explored in—Is Anybody Out There?
[Contributors: Alex Irvine, Michael Arsenault, Yves Meynard, Mike Resnick & Lezli Robyn, Jay Lake, Paul Di Filippo, Sheila Finch, David Langford, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Ray Vukcevich, Pat Cadigan, Matthew Hughes, Ian Watson, Felicity Shoulders & Leslie What, and James Morrow.]
From Hell with Love by Simon R. Green
(A Secret Histories novel), Roc, $24.95, 362pp, hc, 9780451463326. Fantasy. On-sale date: 1 June 2010.
It’s no walk in the bloody park, being a Drood—one of the family who has protected ordinary humanity from the things that go bump in the night for centuries. We’re not much liked—by those things whose arses we kick regularly, by ungrateful ordinary humanity, or even by one another.
Now our Matriarch is dead. Murdered. Maybe by one of us. Maybe not.
It’s been left up to me, Eddie Drood, acting head of the family, to figure out whodunit. And that’s not going to be very easy. You see, opinion is divided evenly between two camps of thought: those who think my best girl, Molly, was actually the killer and those who think I was actually the killer.
And I know for a fact that I didn’t do it.
The Rolling Stones by Robert A. Heinlein
Baen, $7.99, 309pp, pb, 9781439133569. Science Fiction.
The rollicking adventures of the Stone Family on a tour of the Solar System.
It all started when the twins, Castor and Pollux Stone, decided that life on the Lunar colony was too dull and decided to buy their own spaceship and go into business for themselves. Their father thought that was a fine, idea, except that he and Grandma Hazel bought the spaceship and the whole Stone Family were on their way out into the far reaches of the Solar System, with stops on Mars (where the twins got a lesson in the interplanetary economics of bicycles and the adorable little critters called flatcats who, it turned out, bred like rabbits; or perhaps, Tribbles), out to the asteroids, where Mrs. Stone, an M.D., was needed to treat a dangerous outbreak of disease, even further out, to Titan and beyond.
Unforgettable Heinlein characters on an unforgettable adventure.
Plum Blossoms in Paris by Sarah Hina
Medallion, $14.95, 354pp, tp, 9781605421261. Fiction. On-sale date: August 2010.
Daisy Lockhart is a searcher. She just doesn’t know it yet.
Burdened with an unlikely name by her father, a preeminent Henry James scholar, Daisy is a tightly wound grad student on her way to fulfilling the American dream. When her boyfriend breaks up with her, though, Daisy succumbs to the vertigo of uncertainty for the first time in a scripted life.
Embracing the plunge, Daisy flees. Her namesake chose Rome; Daisy Lockhart settles on the celestial city: Paris.
There, Daisy finds a soft landing in the arms of Mathieu. An impassioned writer, Mathieu has been rocked by the recent death of his mother, who left him for her American dream when he was a boy. Reeling from the loss, he latches onto Daisy with a fierce commitment that exhilarates, and suffocates, her.
Over a golden autumn day, Daisy and Mathieu clash over religion, art, Iraq, food, the metaphysical possibilities of a good shoe, and the murky memories tunneling up from their pasts. Dancing along a razor’s edge of desire and discretion, the lovers lie to one another in minor and meaningful ways, until finally the deceptions and passions explode.
Torn between her blossoming love for Mathieu and the family and reams she’s left behind, Daisy must discover if the flickering flame of herself can survive the vacuum of this brilliant, difficult man, who will always take her breath away.
Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb
(Volume Two of The Rain Wilds Chronicles), Eos, $26.99, 508pp, hc, 9780061931413. Fantasy.
Dragon Haven opens with a tangle of dragons working their way up the Rain Wilds River. They are accompanied by an attendant corps of dragon keepers, as well as a team of hunters and the crew of Liveship Tarman. With their survival at stake, the fifteen dragons—among them the wise golden Mercor, the haughty and dazzling silver-blue queen Sintara, and the delicate copper beauty Relpda—have set off on this dangerous trek into the unknown. All are determined to find Kelsingra, the mystical homeland of the dragons’ ancestors, now remembered only in lore. No map exists to guide their way and the dragons’ ancient communal memory of Kelsingra is of little use in a land changed by centuries of earthquakes and seismic chaos. And even more pressing of a question to the keepers, as their journey grows more perilous daily: Is Kelsingra real or merely a fragment of a glorified past buried deep in the dragons’ shared memories?
As they journey up the Rain Wilds River, many of the company, dragons and dragon-keepers alike, find themselves changing in mysterious ways, as the bonds between human and beast strengthen. But they are continually challenged in their journey by internal dissent and the hazardous landscape of the Rain Wilds around them. All are threatened by the looming prospect of starvation as supplies dwindle—and all fear for their very lives amidst flash floods and earthquakes that change the landscape around them. Yet, they soon discover that the most savage menace comes from within their party.
Migration by James P. Hogan
Baen, $23.00, 298pp, hc, 9781439133521. Science fiction.
A new renaissance, reaching for the stars—or only a false rebirth?
After the long-anticipated and feared global war came, civilization was down—but not out. The scattered fragments of the old nations began to emerge from the ruins, pulling themselves together and trying to recover the old technology. And the most successful was the new nation of Sofi, which has rediscovered advanced science. Unfortunately, the reborn world was rediscovering other, more dangerous things.
As the old patterns of authoritarianism and aggressionn began to reassert their reign across the reborn world, a movement within Sofi argued that the only answer was to escape the planet and begin anew. They embarked upon a multi-generation starship that would enable a carefully selected crew to create a new world, without the deadly flaws of the old one, on a new planet.
Instead of deciding what sort of society the spaceborn generations to come should have for survival, the mission will include different groups of idealists, reformers, misfits, and dissidents who can spread out across the new planet after the ship arrives and build whatever they want. Whatever works—at least, that was the theory.
Unfortunately, the old demons hadn’t been left behind. Soon, all the old patterns of coercion and violence which they thought they had left behind began to reappear.…
Legends: Battles and Quests by Anthony Horowitz (illustrated by Thomas Yeates)
Kingfisher, $9.99, 160pp, hc, 9780753419373.
Legends: Beasts and Monsters by Anthony Horowitz (illustrated by Thomas Yeates)
Kingfisher, $9.99, 160pp, hc, 9780753419366.
Anthony Horowitz, creator of the bestselling Alex Rider series for young adults, turns his considerable talents to tales from the ancient past in Legends, a new series for young readers. The series launches with Legends: Beasts and Monsters and Legends: Battles and Quests. In both collections, Horowitz puts a modern twist on well-known and less-famous myths and legends from around the world. Renowned comic book artist Thomas Yeates brings the creatures and battles to vivid life with stunning graphic illustrations. Packed with Horowitz’s signature action, humor, and suspense, these collections feel fresh and current and are sure to capture the attention of today’s discriminating young reader.
“y original aim was to take the silver spoon out of the mouth of the narrator, so to speak,” says Horowitz. “Why did myths and legends have to be treated like relics in a museum? What happened to the excitement, the violence, the humor? Was it possible to reinvent them in a completely modern idiom, finding the life and the color in stupid giants and conniving nymphs, in fantastic dragons and those wandering heroes who had no right to kill them off? In other words, could I write these stories with the language and the pace of an Alex?”
In Beasts and Monsters, Horowitz retells stories of the classic beasts of mythology—Gorgons, Banshees, Dragons, Spinxes, Sea Monsters, and more. Reluctant readers will especially relish the fast-moving action, exciting fight scenes, and gruesome gore, as well as the humor and visual dramam of each tale. Stories in this collection include “The Dragon and Saint George”, “The Fabulous Spotted Egg”, and “The Riddle of the Sphinx”.
Wars and heroic journeys are the lifeblood of mythology, and in Battles and Quests, Horowitz thrusts readers into the heart of some of the best—and bloodiest—adventure stories from around the world. Stories in this collection include “Romulus and Remus”, “The Great Bell of Peking”, and “The Minotaur”.
The Legends series will debut two new titles each spring: Death and the Underworld and Heroes and Villains will publish in May 2011, and The Wrath of the Gods and Tricks and Transformations will be on Kingfisher’s May 2012 list.
The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff
DAW, $7.99, 473pp, pb, 9780756406059. Fantasy.
The Gales of southern Ontario can change the world with the charms they cast, and they prefer to keep all this power in the family. The Gale Aunties are in charge of this clan, or like to think they are. Alysha, like all her cousins, often finds herself beset with too many Aunties trying to run her life. So when a letter from his missing Gran arrives telling her that she’s inherited a junk shop in Calgary, Alysha is ready and willing to honor her grandmother’s last request to keep the shop open and serve “the community.” The Aunties, of course, want her to find out what really happened to Gran and come right back home, where they have her future mapped out for her.
It isn’t until she arrives in Calgary that Alysha realizes it’s the fey community she’ll be serving in The Enchantment Emporium—and that one person’s junk may be another person’s magical treasure. Finding out what happened to Gran will not be easy, especially since Alysha has no way of knowing just how much otherworldly trouble is brewing in Calgary. And even calling in family reinforcements may not be enough to save the day.…
Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey
Eos, $7.99, 404pp, pb, 9780061976261. Fiction.
Sandman Slim delivers a wild and weird, edge-of-your-seat supernatural thriller about a magician/hitman returned from hell,now in paperback.
Life sucks, and then you die. Or if you’re James Stark, you spend eleven years in Hell as a hitman before finally escaping, only to land back in the hell-on-earth that is Los Angeles. Now Stark’s back, and ready for revenge. And absolution, and maybe even love. But when his first stop saddles him with an abusive talking head, Stark discovers that the road to absolution and revenge is much longer than you’d expect, and both Heaven and Hell have their own ideas for his future.
Resurrection sucks. Saving the world is worse. Darkly twisted, irreverent, and completely hilarious, Sandman Slim is a breakthrough novel by an acclaimed author.
Much Fall of Blood by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint, and Dave Freer
Baen, $27.00, 594pp, hc, 9781439133514. Fantasy.
The epic fantasy begunin The Shadow of the Lion continues.
Prince Manfred and his mentor and bodyguard, the deadly warrior Erik Hakkonsen, have survived dangers and enemies both natural and supernatural. But if they thought that their new mission was going to be easy duty, they soon gave up on that hope. Returning from Jerusalem with a troop of Knights of the Holy Trinity, they are escorting an envoy of the Ilkhan Mongols to the lands of the Golden Horde between the Black Sea and the Carpathians—which happen to be the eastern bastion against their old enemies, the demon Chernobog and his possessed puppet Jagiellon, the Grand Duke of Lithuania and Poland.
But what began as a diplomatic mission leads to Manfred and his knights being caught up in an inter-clan civil war. They also become involved in the problems of Prince Vlad, Duke of Valahia, the grandson and namesake of the notorious Dragon.
Manfred and Erik are forced into an alliance of convenience between the Golden Horde and the ancient forces of Valahia, as directed by the troubled Vlad. The alliance requires blood magic, of which Vlad is deathly afraid—and at the same time, irresistibly drawn toward…
Mouse & Dragon by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
(a Liaden Universe novel), Baen, $22.00, 368pp, hc, 9781439133811. Science fiction. On-sale date: June 2010.
Aelliana Caylon has endured much, and finally, she appears to have won all: a spaceship, comrades, friends—and the love of a pilot she adores.
Even better that her lover—the man who was destined for her, a man as much a loner as she—is also the Delm of Korval, arguably the most powerful person on all of Liad. He has the power to remove her and protect her from the toxic environment of her home Clan. Best of all, he agrees to sit as her co-pilot and her partner in a courier business.
Even happy endings sometimes show a few flaws. Such as Aelliana’s home clan being not as agreeable to letting her go as it had first seemed. And the fact that someone is stealing pilots in the Low Port, which falls within the Delm of Korval’s honor. Oh, and the revelation that the man she loves—the man who is destined for her—isn’t entirely the man she thought he was. And finally, she discovers that even the lift from Liad she’d so fervently desired, is part of a larger plan, a plan requiring her to be someone she never thought she was, or could be.
The Computer Genius Who Changed the World: The Bill Gates Story written and illustrated by T.S. Lee
Joyful Stories, $14.95, 182pp, tp, 9780981954226. Children’s graphic biography.
Learn the Secrets to Bill Gates’ Success and Follow in His Footsteps Toward Your Own Dream!
Bill Gates, one of the wealthiest and most successful people alive, bet his future on just one single dream: to become the king of computers. Follow along as young Bill Gates transforms from the class clown into the founder of one of the most successful companies of all time. An extraordinary philanthropist, learn how Bill Gates now only helped the world through technology, but also, more importantly, through caring and generosity.
The Ragged Man by Tom Lloyd
(Book Four of The Twilight Reign), Pyr, $16.00, 548pp, tp, 9781616142063. Fantasy. On-sale date: August 2010.
Continuing the powerful epic that started with The Stormcaller…
Lord Isak is dead; his armies and entire tribe in disarry. As the Farlan retreat and Kastan Styrax mourns his dead son, it is King Emin who takes the initiative while he still can. The secret, savage war he has devoted his life to nears its terrible conclusion as Ruhen positions himself as answer to the Land’s problems. Before the conquering eye of the Menin turns in his direction Emin must take his chance and strike without mercy.
A showdown is coming and battle-lines are drawn as blood is spilled across the Land. The spectre of the Great War looms but this time the Gods are not marching to war, it will be men who decide the future now. But before victory, before survival, there must first be salvation—even if it must be sought in the darkest place imaginable.
With the tide turning against Emin and his allies the key to their survival may lie in the hands of a dead man.
The Dervish House by Ian McDonald
Pyr, $26.00, 358pp, hc, 9781616142049. Science fiction. On-sale date: July 2010.
It begins with an explosion. Another day, another bus bomb. Everyone it seems is after a piece of Turkey. But the shockwaves from this random act of 21st century pandemic terrorism will ripple further and resonate louder than just Enginsoy Square.
Welcome to the world of The Dervish House—the great, ancient, paradoxical city of Istanbul, divided like a human brain, in the great, ancient, equally paradoxical nation of Turkey. The year is 2027 and Turkey is about to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its accession to the European Union; a Europe that now runs from the Arran Islands to Ararat. Population pushing one hundred million, Istanbul swollen to fifteen million; Turkey is the largest, most populous and most diverse nation in the EU, but also one of the poorest and most socially divided. It’s a boom economy, the sweatshop of Europe, the bazaar of central Asia, the key to the immense gas wealth of Russia and Central Asia.
Gas is power. But it’s power at a price, and that price is emissions permits. This is the age of carbon consciousness: every individual in the EU has a card stipulating individual carbon allowance that must be produced at every CO2 generating transaction. For those who can master the game, who can make the trades between gas price and carbon trading permits, who can play the power factions against each other, there are fortunes to be made. The old Byzantine politics are back. They never went away.
The ancient power struggle between Sunni and Shia threatens like a storm: Ankara has watched the Middle East emerge from twenty-five years of sectarian conflict. So far it has stayed aloof. A populist Prime Minister has called a referendum on EU membership. Tensions run high. The army watches, hand on holster. And a Galatasary Champions’ League football game against Arsenal stokes passions even higher.
The Dervish House is seven days, six character, three interconnected story strands, one central common core—the eponymous dervish house, a character in itself—that pins all these players together in a weave of intrigue, conflict, drama and a ticking clock of a thriller.
The Ninth Avatar by Todd Newton
Trapdoor, $16.99, 374pp, tp, 9780984207046. Fantasy.
For Starka, an outcast priestess accused of incest, life is simple until a nightmare prophecy of the ascension of the Avatar of Darkness forces her to return to a world of intrigue and treachery. Pushed unwillingly into an epic journey with a priest who despises her, Starka finds allies in a mysterious warrior bent on protecting her, the last surviving members of two feuding nations, and a rebel wizard seeking revenge for his fallen comrades.
Faced with the sweeping onslaught of the Carrion Army led by Zion and his three murderous generals, time is running out. With each battle, the ranks of the Carrion swell with freshly-killed recruits. New terrors are constructed from the heights of the Great Watchtower. Ancient enemies must band together, Starka must survive the assassins within her own order, and prophecy must somehow be stopped. The price of failure is absolute destruction.
The Ninth Avatar is coming.
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
DAW, $24.95, 387pp, hc, 9780756406172. Fantasy. On-sale date: 1 June 2010.
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor is a dazzling blend of fantasy and reality, infused with elements of African history, tradition, and mysticism written from an insider’s perspective. An adventure that transports readers through the deserts and sandstorms of a far-future Africa, Who Fears Death tells the story of a young woman named Onyesonwu, who finds the power within herself to free the people of her tribe from a violent history and an uncertain future.
Who Fears Death offers readers an escape into the world of a post-apocalyptic Africa while exploring important cultural issues such as gender roles, social expectations, religion, social status, and prejudice. Nnedi Okorafor was compelled to create the character of Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death” in an ancient tongue, after reading an article about rape as a weapon of ethnic cleansing in Sudan. In the pages of Who Fears Death, the powerful story of a child born out of such brutality is brought to life. Nnedi explains, “I wondered what these children would be like, what would their struggles be, how would they survive, who would they grow up to be.”
Okorafor incorporates elements of both the supernatural and African mysticism to present Africa as a place not only a rich past, but also a vibrant future. Nnedi Okorafor writes a beautiful and compelling hero’s tale, but doesn’t shy away from telling a gritty, dark story. She holds nothing back when portraying acts of violence—war, rape, female circumcision—or acts of compassion—love, motherhood, and friendship.
Who Fears Death is Nnedi Okorafor’s first book for an adult audience and is unlike anything you’ve ever read. According to Romantic Times Books Review, “Onyesonwu is an unforgettable character with a powerful, exciting, sad and amazing story. The cadence and rhythm of her narrative voice draws the reader in and won’t let go. Okorafor is a master storyteller who combines recent history, fantasy, tradition, advanced technology and culture into something wonderful and new that should not be missed.”
In the Darkest Night by Patti O’Shea
Tor, $6.99, 320pp, pb, 9780765361707. Paranormal romance.
Paranormal romance author Patti O’Shea returns to the world of her Magical Troubleshooters series with her latest novel, In the Darkest Night. In this fresh and emotionally riveting tale, magic and love once again meet as two people learn to trust one another by facing their demons.
Fleeing from both her dark heritage and the magical council she attempted to steal from, Farran’s greatest fear is to be sent back to the father she has utterly betrayed. Yet when a demon attempts to capture her, Farran knows she cannot stay hidden. She must find help.
Kel Andrews is a magical troubleshooter with issues of his own. Recovering from being held captive and tortured by his enemies, the Taireil, Kel has been remomved from active duty by the magical council. However, when the mysterious Farran collapses on his doorstep while begging for help, Kel feels compelled to assist her.
As danger—both demonic and human—closes in on them from every side, Kel and Farran must learn to trust each other as they battle the monsters that are determined to keep them apart.
Skinners #3: Teeth of Beasts by Marcus Pelegrimas
Eos, $7.99, 383pp, pb, 9780061463075. Horror.
Book 3 of the Skinners: when a den of werewolves is uncovered underground in the subways, Cole and Page make an even more frightening discovery—a deadly plague affecting the creatures, which threatens humanity.
The Full Blood werewolves have been busy in their efforts to wipe out the Skinners. Werewolves have been carrying out deliberate strikes against the Skinners to take out senior members and new recruits alike. These attacks have been carried out all around the world, leaving the Skinners almost crippled. Cole and Paige’s search for any sort of edge in this fight takes them through Toronto on the trail of Half Breed werewolves called Mongrels thought to be created by Full Blood attack. The hunt leads them to a den of Mongrels living in a subway station—where a deadly virus has emerged, threatening humanity.
Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds
Ace, $26.95, 487pp, hc, 978044118666. Science Fiction. On-sale date: 1 June 2010.
Terminal World is a new and exciting novel from the master of far-future space opera, Alistair Reynolds. The meticulously thought-out plot and brilliant characterization will have readers at the edge of their seats.
In a far distant future, Spearpoint, the last human city, is an atmosphere-piercing spire of vast size. Following an infiltration mission that went tragically wrong, the enforcement agent named Quillon has been living incognito, working as a pathologist in the district morgue. But when a near-dead angel drops onto his dissecting table, his world is wrenched apart, once again.
The angel is a winged post-human from Spearpoint’s Celestial Levels and with the dying body comes bad news—in order to save the angel’s life, Quillon must leave his home and travel into the cold and hostile lands beyond Spearpoint’s base. As Quillon sets out, he can neither imagine how far the journey will take him nor comprehend how very much more is at stake.
Labyrinth by Kat Richardson
(a Greywalker novel), Roc, $24.95, 368pp, hc, 9780451463364. Fantasy. On-sale date: 3 August 2010.
Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died—for two minutes. New Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal ream. And she’s discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of “strange” cases.
Just back from London, Harper’s picked up some new skills while she was away. But instead of taking the time to hone them, she’d rather focus on what’s important. Like finding the two-bit perp who killed her. She’s convinced he’s a valuable clue in the puzzle of her past and the mystery of her missing father, as well as a key to figuring out who’s trying to manipulate her powers and why.
There’s just one problem. Turns out the man who killed her was murdered himself while she was in London. Lucky for Harper, she has an airtight alibi, but that doesn’t mean the police are going to play nice. With Seattle’s recent surge in violence—thanks to the vampires—she’s already under suspicion. Which means Harper has to watch her step. Because finding the ghost of her killer—and rescuing her father—will mean entering into the Grey. And with her growing powers pulling her more deeply into that paranormal world, Harper’s afraid she may not be able to come back out.
Citizens: Military Science Fiction by Military Veterans edited by John Ringo & Brian M. Thomsen
Baen, $16.00, 287pp, tp, 9781439133477. Science fiction anthology.
Veteran authors—in all meanings of the word.
The names appearing between these covers are not only veteran authors, among the very best in the field, they are all military veterans as well. New York Times best-selling author John Ringo, a veteran of the 82nd Airborne, and Brian M. Thomsen, a Hugo finalist and one of the most respected editors of science fiction, have selected a treasure trove of gems written by writers who know first hand what it means to wear their country’s uniform.
Among the top writers appearing in Citizens are Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Gene Wolfe, Keith Lumer, and more, including new fiction by rising stars of military SF. Citizens is a stellar volume for fans of military science fiction, of general science fiction, and everyone who enjoys a well told and engrossing story.
[Contributors: John Ringo, Keith Laumer, Eric Frank Russell, Murray Leinster, Arthur C. Clarke, Gene Wolfe, Hal Clement, Jerry Pournelle, David Drake, Joe W. Haldeman, Dave Freer, Kacey Grannis, Patrick A. Vanner, Michael Z. Williamson, John Ringo, and Robert A. Heinlein.]
Lightborn by Alison Sinclair
Roc, $15.00, 341pp, tp, 9780451463296. Fantasy. On-sale date: 1 June 2010.
Minhorne is a city divided, where two peoples live forever separate. An ancient curse makes darkness anathema to the Lightborn, while the touch of sunlight kills the Darkborn.
The Darkborn aristocracy has rejected magic, viewing the pursuit of science as the only worthy goal. But Lady Telmaine Hearne does not have that luxury. She has kept her own powers secret, fearful of being ruined in society… until her husband, Balthasar, draws her into a conspiracy to protect the archduke and his brother against a magical enemy. But who will protect them from her?
On the other side of sunrise, the Lightborn not only embrace magic but depend on it for their very survival. In the courts of the Lightborn, the assassin Floria White Hand is one of the prince’s most trusted guards, as well as Balthasar Hearne’s oldest friend. When the prince dies in darkness, Floria is suspected, and she must flee for her life to the Darkborn.
The murder turns Darkborn against Lightborn, earthborn against mage. A Darkborn lady, a Lightborn assassin, and a dissident Lightborn mage form an unlikely alliance as conspiracies ripen and treason declares itself on both sides of sunrise. And in the dreaded Shadowlands, an army is on the march.…
He Walked Among Us by Norman Spinrad
Tor, $27.99, 544pp, hc, 9780765325845. Science fiction.
Who is Ralf, the “Comedian from the Future,” really? And why is “The World According to Ralf” his runaway-success television show, increasingly bitter and foreboding? When a foul-mouthed, problem-touting cynical comedian claims to be shouting prophecies from the future, is anyone really listening?
When hack agent Texas Jimmy Balaban discovers Ralf on a Borscht Belt stage, is act appears to be a clever joke. Then Dexter D. Lampkin, a fading sciencce fiction writer, and Amanda Robin, a New Age guru-wannabe, magnificently transform Ralf into what the world really needs: a messenger sent from the future to save us from ourselves. Together with Tex they polish Ralf’s television persona to captivate America. The problem is that Ralf never goes out of character. He truly believes he is a prophet. And he delivers a harrowing message.
The world is in chaos. Our biosphere has been devastated, our air is unbreathable and the final stalwarts of mankind have taken refuge in pressurized shopping malls. Humanity clings to the last mediocre vestiges of life on a dead planet that we did not know how to save. But it might not be too late. Has Ralf returned to the past to awaken our consciences? Is he who he says he is, or is he insane? And if we have one last chance to save the world, does any of this matter?
Grand Central Arena by Ryk E. Spoor
Baen, $7.99, 671pp, pb, 9781439133552. Science fiction.
It was supposed to be a simple test flight of The Holy Grail, humanity’s first faster-than-light vessel, and pilot Ariane Austin was there only as a last-ditch backup for the computer. But when the Sandrisson Drive activated, every AI system in it shut down, and only Ariane’s reflexes and training saved the ship from crashing into the impossible wall that had appeared before them.
Now they were trapped in an incomprehensibly vast alien construct, called “The Arena” by its inhabitants. The only way out was to play by the Arena’s rules, and by those rules, one failed challenge could mean death or worse—perhaps for the entire human race.
Beset by alien conspiracies and dark secrets within her own crew, for the sake of humanity Ariane still had to bring The Holy Grail home—even if she and her crew had to beat every faction in the Arena to do it!
The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross
(A Laundry Files Memorandum), Ace, $24.95, 304pp, hc, 9780441018673. Science fiction. On-sale date: 6 July 2010.
Computational demonologist Bob Howard is taking a much needed break from the field to catch up on his filing in the Laundry’s archives when a top secret dossier known as the Fuller Memorandum vanishes—along with his boss, who the agency’s executives believe stole the file.
Determined to discover exactly what the memorandum contained (and perhaps clear his boss), Bob runs afoul of Russian agents, ancient demons, and the apostles of a hideous faith who have plans to raise a very unpleasant undead entity known as the Eater of Souls.
Now Bob must use all of his skills to learn the secret of the Fuller Memorandum in order to save the world—and avoid becoming an item on the Eater of Souls’ dinner menu…
The Aurora Awards: Thirty Years of Canadian Science Fiction with an introduction by Jean-Louis Trudel
NanoPress, $21.90, 290pp, tp, 9780981190532. Science fiction anthology.
Since their introduction as a lifetime achievement award in 1980, the Prix Aurora Awards have recognized Canada’s most accomplished writers of science fiction both early in their careers and at the apogee of their powers. Both Francophone and Anglophone categories were included after 1986, which was also the first year a work of short fiction, “Yadjine et la mort”, by Daniel Sernine, earned the prize.
Including work by Isaac Szpindel, James Alan Gardner, Eileen Kernaghan, Daniel Sernine, Robert J. Sawyer, Julie Czerneda, Élisabeth Vonarburg, Candas Jane Dorsey, Yves Meynard, David Nickle, Karl Schroeder, Edo Van Belkom, Hayden Trenholm, Douglas Smith, and Laurent McAllister, with an introduction by Jean-Louis Trudel, this collection celebrates the variety and depth of stories to win the Aurora.
The Aurora Awards: Thirty Years of Canadian Science Fiction will be released this May at Keycon 2010, this year’s Canvention, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Children No More by Mark L. Van Name
Baen, $22.00, 400pp, hc, 9781439133651. Science fiction. On-sale date: August 2010.
No child should ever be a soldier.
Jon Moore knew that better than most, having learned to fight to survive before he’d hit puberty. So when a former comrade, Alissa Lim, asks for his help in rescuing a group of children pressed into service by rebels on a planet no one cares to save, he agrees. Only later does he realize he’s signed up to do far more than he’d ever imagined.
Jon’s commitment hurtles him and Lobo, the hyper-intelligent assault vehicle who is his only real friend, into confrontations with the horrors the children have experienced and with a dark chapter from his past. The mission grows ever more complicated as they deal with:
* An assault on a rebel fortress deep in the jungle
* A government whose full agenda is never clear
* A woman Jon once loved and who still loves him—but who will sacrifice anything for her cause
* The best con man they’ve ever known
* And, toughest of all, their own demons, as we learn for the first time what happened after his home planet’s government yanked Jon’s sister out of his life
Jon and Lobo rush straight into the darkness at the heart of humanity to save a group of child soldiers—and then face an even tougher challenge:
When we’ve trained our children to kill, what do we do with them when the fighting is over?
Blood Out of a Stone by Élisabeth Vonarburg, with an introduction by Ursula K. Le Guin translation by the author, Howard Scott, and others)
NanoPress, $21.90, 248pp, tp, 9780981190518. Fantasy collection.
Aspiring translators undergo purposeful neurological alteration in symbiosis with alien beings. The organic/mechanical infrastructure of an interstellar colony ship begins to malfunction in ways which threaten the survival of its crew. Living art pieces descended from whales swim through the Milky Way. Doors to other worlds appear in a city descending into chaos. Eldritch emotional magnetism precipitates an eternal chase across spacetime. The mysterious retreats which mark the life of a multi-talented artist intrigue her lover. After the Earth’s seas have risen, a community of amphibious and terrestrial people struggle to defend their village and decide their own destiny. A devout priestess comes to terms with the truths her life and her visions have forced her to confront.
In her introduction Ursula K. Le Guin characterizes Vonarburg’s work as “sophisticated, controlled… sometimes very dark indeed, yet there is a buoyancy in it, a playfulness, and an energy like that of a child’s absorbed, all-consuming game of make believe… [T]he mind that made up these stories is keen, intellectually provocative; and it holds to a fine balance between the serious writer’s sober responsibility to audience, and the pure delight of story-telling.”
Storm from the Shadows by David Weber
Baen, $8.99, 1096pp, pb, 9781439133545. Science fiction.
The Storm is Rising…
Rear Admiral Michelle Henke’s always wished her life could have been simpler. But things can always change. Which is how someone who’s perfectly happy commanding a simple squadron of battlecruisers finds herself first a prisoner of war, second a high-level interstellar political envoy, third a brand-new vice admiral, and fourth squarely in the path of the storm.
It’s a new universe for Mike Henke—a deadly threat to her Star Kingdom and everything she loves, stirring in the shadows of an interstellar conspiracy more vast than anyone in the Star Kingdom of Manticore has ever even imagined. Still, Mike has a tendency to grow into challenges, and the enemies of Manticore who always thought that Honor Harrington by herself was bad enough are about to discover that they haven’t seen bad yet.
But it’s coming.
Revenant by Phaedra Weldon
(a Zoë Martinique Investigation), Ace, $15.00, 337pp, tp, 9780441018659. Fantasy. On-sale date: 1 June 2010.
The lesser of two evils…
Zoë Martinique’s life hasn’t been ordinary for quite a while. First she developed the ability to travel outside her body at will—where she encountered some seriously weird things. Things that left her with powers she didn’t really want or need. Still, a person can get used to almost anything—even being a Wraith. Though more often than not, it plays major havoc with her love life.
But for once, Zoë is glad of her abilities. Bodies are showing up all over Atlanta, drained of blood. Beings from the astral plane, they are called Revenants—and they’re being stalked by her old enemy, the Phantasm. The Revenants are hardly the nicest of creatures, but to preserve the cosmic balance, Zoë will need to put everything on the line to save them: her powers, her life—and the lives of those she loves…
I am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells
Tor, $9.99, 272pp, tp, 9780765327826. Horror.
Fifteen-year-old John Wayne Cleaver does not fit in. His psychiatrist has diagnosed him as “antisocial,” but sometimes he has an inkling that his urges may take a darker turn—into violence and murder. It isn’t just because he grew up in a mortuary or even the fact that he helps his mother clean up dead bodies. Serial killers have long captivated John—while the rest of his classmates write essays on George Washington and John Adams, John writes them on Jeffrey Dahmer and Dennis Radar. Dan Wells’ debut novel, I am Not a Serial Killer, the first volume of a trilogy, introduces this curious protagonist who worries that fate is leading him down a dark and deadly path.
How founded are John’s fears? Oddly enough, the similarities between John Cleaver and societies’ most disturbed killers are surprisingly uncanny. Not only does he share the same three traits that most serial killers have in common: bed-wetting, pyromania and animal cruelty, but his father’s name is Sam, making him literally the Son of Sam. In addition, his parents saddled him with the same name as John Wayne Gacy, the famous Chicago killer clown, along with the unfortunate last name of a murder weapon (Cleaver). He also works part time for the family business: a mortuary, and the dead bodies both fascinate and comfort him.
While destiny seems to call him to a life full of violence, John resists these urges by living life with a set of his own stringent rules:
1. If you watch one person for too long, then you must force yourself to ignore them for a whole week
2. Don’t mess with animals
3. If you ever feel the urge to hurt someone, you must do something nice for them instead
Despite his efforts to contain the dangerous monster within, an unnatural death at the local aundromat sparks John’s curious obsession and he feels compelled to investigate. For the first time, John comes across a danger apart from himself, and possibly one that is even more deadly than him…
With its unique and original storyline, I am Not a Serial Killer is a striking debut that will appeal to horror and mystery fans alike. Step into the world of a potential serial killer in this fast, suspenseful read, with a creepily appealing protagonist.
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
Pantheon, $24.00, 256pp, hc, 9780307379207. Science fiction.
Minor Universe 31 is a vast story-space on the outskirts of fiction, where paradox fluctuates like the stock market, lonely sexbots beckon failed protagonists, and time-travel is serious business. Every day, people get into time machines and try to do the one thing they should never do: change the past. That’s where Charles Yu, time travel technician, steps in. Accompanied by TAMMY, an operating system with low self-esteem, and a nonexistent but ontologically valid dog named Ed, he helps save people from themselves. Literally. When he’s not on the job, Yu visits his mother (stuck in a one-hour cycle, she makes dinner over and over and over) and searches for his father, who invented time travel and then vanished.
Wildly new and adventurous, Yu’s debut is certain to send shock waves of wonder through literary space-time.