John Joseph Adams, ed., By Blood We Live
(Night Shade Books Oct 2009)
Noted new editor Adams explores the various myths of vampires, from monster to romantic hunk, in this anthology of 36 stories by an impressive group of authors including Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice, Nancy Kilpatrick, Stephen King, and Tanith Lee.
Paolo Bacigalupi, The Windup Girl
(Night Shade Books Oct 2009)
The first novel by a critically noted author of short fiction, this SF novel of an abandoned artificial woman is set in the world of "Yellow Card Man" and "The Calorie Man". "He writes with a clarity and focus that render the most unpromising scenarios with something approaching true beauty... easily among the most important debut novels of the year." [Gary K. Wolfe]
J. G. Ballard, The Complete Stories of J. G. Ballard
(Norton Sep 2009)
A collection of 98 stories from one of SF’s most original minds. Originally published in the UK by Flamingo (2001), this first US edition adds two stories not previously collected.
Iain M. Banks, Transition
(Orbit Sep 2009)
Banks spins a complex, thrilling tale of infinite parallel worlds, and the powerful Concern that seeks to control the transitioners who can travel between them. Published simultaneously in the UK by Little, Brown as by Iain Banks, the name usually reserved for his mainstream fiction.
Greg Egan, Oceanic
(Gollancz Jul 2009)
A collection of 12 stories from the last 11 years by one of the modern masters of hard SF, including the title novella, a Hugo and Locus Award winner. (This contains all but two of the stories collected in the two Subterranean Press volumes Dark Integers (2008) and Crystal Nights (2009).)
Frances Hardinge, The Lost Conspiracy
(HarperCollins Sep 2009)
Two sisters flee false accusations of murder and terrorism, finding adventure and encountering bizarre cultures in this unusual YA fantasy set on an island that relies on the guidance and out-of-body communications of specially talented people called the Lost. First published in the UK as Gullstruck Island (Macmillan 1/09). "There’s a different kind of poetic luxuriance to the language... this one transcends the YA category... far more than just a peculiarly imaginative adventure." [Faren Miller]
Robert Holdstock, Avilion
(Gollancz Jul 2009)
Holdstock returns to the British myth and magic of his classic Mythago Wood with a direct sequel that ties up numerous loose ends.
Caitlín R. Kiernan, The Red Tree
(Roc Aug 2009)
Kiernan takes a meta-literary tack in this novel, which incorporates autobiographical elements. A writer recovering from personal catastrophes moves to a remote farm, finds an abandoned typewriter, and becomes obsessed with the grisly legends about an old tree on the property. "Unreliable narration is rarely used to such good effect.... This is [Kiernan’s] most personal, ambitious, and accomplished work yet." [Tim Pratt]
George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois, eds., Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honor of Jack Vance
(Subterranean Press Oct 2009)
An all-star roster of authors teams up to provide 22 all-new stories using Vance’s far future Dying Earth as their setting. Authors include Robert Silverberg, Terry Dowling, Lucius Shepard, Dan Simmons, Howard Waldrop, and Neil Gaiman. "The stories are worthwhile in themselves as well as affectionate and perceptive responses to the work of one of the great originals of our field." [Russell Letson]
Paul McAuley, The Quiet War
(Pyr Sep 2009)
Earth’s neofeudal corporate states are at war with the Outer colonies around Jupiter and Saturn in this entertaining SF novel, "by turns a thriller, a political-intrigue novel, a space-pioneering adventure, a techno-semi-utopia.... And since it’s Paul McAuley in charge, all these components cooperate to produce a seamless, sophisticated piece of science fictional narrative." [Russell Letson] Originally published in the UK by Gollancz (10/08).
Frank R. Paul, From the Pen of Paul: The Fantastic Images of Frank R. Paul
(Shasta-Phoenix May 2009)
Oversize art book with beautifully reproduced samples of work from a seminal SF artist, from covers and illustrations for the early Gernsback pulp magazines to comics and book covers. This includes articles and reminiscences by Arthur C. Clarke, Sam Moskowitz, Forrest J Ackerman, and more.
Jack Skillingstead, Are You There and Other Stories
(Golden Gryphon Press Oct 2009)
An important first collection of 26 stories (one new) from a relatively new, critically acclaimed author.
Jonathan Strahan, ed., The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume Three
(Night Shade Books Sep 2009)
This noted year’s best series "seems stronger than ever in its third outing." [Gary K. Wolfe] The latest volume presents 28 stories — 12 nominated for major awards — from 2008. Authors include Ted Chiang, Peter S. Beagle, Paolo Bacigalupi, Stephen Baxter, Garth Nix, and Stephen King.
Jack Vance, This Is Me, Jack Vance!
(Subterranean Press Aug 2009)
An autobiography from one of the field’s most private authors, a Grand Master who openly avoids "shop-talk" of writing, instead focusing on entertaining tales of his family, friends, and travels.
Ann Vandermeer & Jeff VanderMeer, eds., Best American Fantasy 2
(Prime Books Feb 2009)
The second volume in an annual series devoted to finding a diverse range of stories, this presents 19 stories from 2007 by authors including Peter S. Beagle, Jeffrey Ford, Kage Baker, and Kelly Link.
|
