* Benulis, Sabrina : Archon: The Books of Raziel, Vol. 1
(Harper Voyager 978-0-06-206940-5, $22.99, 400pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Books of Raziel #1

Urban fantasy novel, the author’s first novel and first of a series, about angels and demons battling for the possession of a girl.
• Harper’s site has this description with a preview function.
• Publishers Weekly has this review.
• Reader reviews on Amazon are mixed.

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* Christopher, Adam : Empire State
(Angry Robot 978-0-85766-193-7, $12.99, 448pp, trade paperback, January 2012, cover by Will Staehle)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011

Steampunk superhero SF novel, the author’s first novel, set in an alternate 1950s New York.
• Angry Robot’s site has this description.
• The Publishers Weekly review notes that this book launches Angry Robot’s WorldBuilder project, which invites fan fiction and art based on certain works.
• The book site has this page about WorldBuilder.

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* Fowler, Christopher : Hell Train
(Rebellion/Solaris US 978-1-90799-244-5, $8.99, 320pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011

Horror novel about a writer who comes up with the script for a mid-60s Hammer Film Production starring Peter Cushing, based on a board game about people aboard a mysterious train.
• Solaris’ site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
• Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review: “The shocks never stop coming, bolstered by crisp writing and well-defined, sympathetic characters.”

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* Francis, Diana Pharaoh : Shadow City
(Pocket 978-1-4516-1385-8, $7.99, 384pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Horngate Witches #3

Urban fantasy novel, third of the Horngage Witches series following Bitter Night (2009) and Crimson Wind (2010), about Max, a woman bound by a witch into servitude as her ‘Shadowblade’.
• The author’s website has this page for the series, with a description and an excerpt.
• Amazon also has a excerpt.

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* Koontz, Dean : 77 Shadow Street
(Bantam 978-0-553-80771-4, $28, 464pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011

Horror novel about a former mansion turned into a luxury apartment building, now haunted by events from its past.
• The author’s site has this description with a trailer and a link to an excerpt.
• Amazon also provides an excerpt, while reader reviews so far are mostly positive.

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* Lee, Patrick : Deep Sky
(Harper 978-0-06-195879-3, $7.99, 400pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Travis Chase #3

SF thriller, third in a trilogy following The Breach (2009) and Ghost Country, about a portal into another dimension kept secret by the government. In this book a missile strike on the White House kills the president.
• Harper’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Lee, who tosses in a neat variant on time travel, smoothly combines the pulse-pounding suspense of the TV show 24 with the SF intrigues of the X-Files.”

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* Liu, Marjorie M : The Mortal Bone
(Ace 978-1937007188, $7.99, 304pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Hunter Kiss #4

Urban fantasy novel, fourth in the “Hunter Kiss” series following The Iron Hunt (2008), Darkness Calls (2009) and A Wild Light (2010), about demon hunter Maxine Kiss, whose tattoos are her armor against the demons who threaten humanity.
• The author’s website has a description.
• Ace’s site has a description and excerpt.

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+ McLeod, Suzanne : The Bitter Seed of Magic
(Ace 978-1937007201, $7.99, 368pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Spellcrackers #3
First US edition (UK: Gollancz, February 2011)

Urban fantasy novel, thrid book in the “Spellcrackers.com” series following The Sweet Scent of Blood (UK 2008, US 2010) and The Cold Kiss of Death (UK 2009, US 2011), about a company run by witches that solves magical problems.
• Ace’s site has a brief description.
• The author’s site has this description with an excerpt.

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* Melton, Henry : The Copper Room
(Wire Rim Books 978-1-935236-33-7, $14.99, 223pp, trade paperback, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Mon 28 Nov 2011

Young adult SF novel, part of the author’s loose series “Small Towns, Big Ideas”, about a boy whose uncle invents a room where time can be adjusted.
• The author’s site has this page for the book with a description

(Thu 15 Dec 2011)
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+ Rees, Rod : The Demi-Monde: Winter
(Morrow 978-0-06-207034-0, $26.99, 528pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Demi-Monde #1

SF thriller, the author’s first novel and first book in a series of four, about a virtual reality, created to train soldiers, run by cyber-duplicates of historical tyrants.
• The UK edition was published by Quercus in 2010. (The second book, The Demi-Monde: Spring, is due Jan. 5th 2012 from Quercus/Jo Fletcher Books.)
• The publisher’s site has this long description with a browse inside function.
• Book site http://www.thedemi-monde.com/ has excerpts from the first two novels, and interactive links to various background information.

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* Robertson, Linda : Wicked Circle
(Pocket Books 978-1-4516-4695-5, $7.99, 413pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Persephone Alcmedi #5

Urban fantasy novel, fifth in a series about witch Persephone (Seph) Alcmedi, following Vicious Circle (2009), Hallowed Circle (2010),, Fatal Circle (2010), and Arcane Circle (2011).
• The publisher’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.

(Fri 16 Dec 2011)
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* Sebold, Gaie : Babylon Steel
(Rebellion/Solaris US 978-1907992384, $7.99, 544pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Babylon #1

Fantasy novel, the author’s first novel and first of a series, about a woman who runs the best brothel in Scalentine, a city where many races and religions come together.
• Solaris’ site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.

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* Snyder, Lucy A. : Switchblade Goddess
(Ballantine Del Rey 978-0-345-51211-6, $7.99, 336pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Jessie Shimmer #3

Urban fantasy novel, third in a series following Spellbent (2009) and Shotgun Sorceress (2010), about a young mage trying to rescue her lover after accidentally opening a portal to Hell.
• The publisher’s site has this description with a preview function and an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Snyder injects this edgy urban fantasy with an erotic charge and a horrific flavor, creating a space where sex and terror coexist and no comfort zone is within sight.”

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* Snyder, Maria V. : Touch of Power
(Harlequin/Mira 978-0-7783-1307-6, $14.95, 400pp, trade paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 20 Dec 2011
• Healer #1

Fantasy novel, first of a new series, about magical healers who are accused of spreading plague to the Territories.
• The author’s site has a description with a link to an excerpt.
• Amazon has a text excerpt, and mostly positive reader reviews.

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* Wells, Jaye : Silver-Tongued Devil
(Orbit 978-0-316-17843-3, $7.99, 336pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• Sabina Kane #4

Urban fantasy novel, fourth in the series about half-vampire, half-mage Sabina Kane, an assassin for her vampire rulers, following Red-Headed Stepchild (2009), The Mage in Black (2010), and Green-Eyed Demon (2011)
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Wells improves on the previous novel with plenty of mystery and action.”

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* Whates, Ian : City of Light and Shadow
(Angry Robot Us 978-0857661906, $7.99, 400pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 27 Dec 2011
• City of a Hundred Rows #3

Fantasy novel, third in a series following City of Dreams and Nightmares (2010) and City of Hope and Despair (2011), set in the ancient vertical city of Thaiburley.
• Angry Robot’s site has this description. The UK edition is due 5 January 2012.

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