New Books, 3 January
* Armstrong, Kelley : Hidden
(Subterranean Press 978-1-59606-423-2, $48, 200pp, hardcover, December 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Sat 31 Dec 2011
• Women of the Otherworld #-
Short novel set in the author’s Otherworld series.
• Subterranean’s site has this description and order page, which notes that the limited edition has a different cover.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Armstrong’s werewolves have a gritty depth created by encounters with modern-day confusions, bureaucracies, and banalities, and though the tale at times feels too short when compared to the full-size Otherworld novels, series fans will find it a tasty holiday treat.”
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* Ashgrove, Claire : Immortal Hope
(Tor 978-0-7653-6758-7, $7.99, 355pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
Historical fantasy novel, subtitled “The Curse of the Templars”, about a history professor who possesses a sacred artifact giving her the ability to heal one of the ancient Templar knights.
• Tor’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
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* Berg, Carol : The Daemon Prism
(Penguin/Roc 978-0-451-46434-7, $14, 496pp, trade paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Collegia Magica #3
Fantasy novel, third in a trilogy following The Spirit Lens (2010) and The Soul Mirror (2011), set in a world in which magic is giving way to natural science.
• The author’s site has this page about the series, with descriptions and an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review says elements of the book “consistently raises this novel above sword-and-sorcery routine.”
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* Blackmoore, Stephen : City of the Lost
(DAW 978-0-7564-0702-5, $15, 224pp, trade paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
Zombie novel, the author’s first novel, about a Los Angeles thug who is killed, returns as a zombie, and searches for a talisman that can grant him immortality.
• The publisher’s site has this brief description.
• The author’s site has this description.
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* Boudinot, Ryan : Blueprints of the Afterlife
(Grove/Atlantic/Black Cat 978-0802170910, $14, 416pp, trade paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
Literary SF novel set in a post-apocalyptic era in which reality is in flux, concerning an award-winning dishwasher named Woo-jin Kan, a mysterious man reconstructing Manhattan in Puget Sound, and other assorted characters.
• The book site features excerpts, and author blog, a reference library, and an author profile.
• The Publishers Weekly review calls it “a frenzied, hilarious, and paranoid trip through a hypernetworked near future”.
• The Kirkus review concludes: “Challenging, messy and funny fiction for readers looking for something way beyond space operas and swordplay.”
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* Bova, Ben : Power Play
(Tor 978-0-7653-1786-5, $24.99, 352pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
SF novel about an astronomer recruited by a senatorial candidate to develop MHD, magnetohydrodynamics, as a cheaper alternative to nuclear power.
• Tor’s site has this description with a PDF excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review is here.
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* Fultz, John R : Seven Princes
(Orbit 978-0-316-18786-2, $15.99, 544pp, trade paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Books of the Shaper #1
Fantasy novel, the author’s first novel and first of a trilogy, in which an ancient sorcerer overruns the kingdom of Yaskatha.
• Orbit’s site has this post about the book’s release, with a link to an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review notes that “Fultz attempts to marry the scope of doorstop fantasy with the lush language of Clark Ashton Smith…”
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* Gibson, William : Distrust That Particular Flavor
(Penguin/Putnam 978-0-399-15843-8, $26.95, 240pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
Nonfiction collection of articles and essays, the author’s first nonfiction book.
• The publisher’s site has this description.
• The New York Times‘ Dwight Garner reviewed the book with a mixed reaction; “It’s a slim volume, with wide-ish margins and ample space between the lines. You get the sense of a man raking a lawn where few leaves have fallen.”
• The Kirkus review concludes, “A provocative, surprising look at the lesser-known parts of a sci-fi superstar’s writing career.”
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* Gonzales, Tony : EVE: Templar One
(Tor 978-0-7653-2620-1, $24.99, 464pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• EVE-Gonzales #2
SF novel based on the MMORPG EVE Online, set 20,000 years in the future and concerning elite spaceship pilots who can download themselves into clone bodies in the event of physical destruction.
• This is Gonzales’ second book in the series, following EVE: The Empyrean Age (2009);
• Tor’s site has this description and an excerpt.
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* Green, Simon R : The Bride Wore Black Leathers
(Ace 978-1937007133, $25.95, 320pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Nightside #12
Fantasy novel, 12th in the author’s “Nightside” series about detective John Taylor in an otherworldly realm in London where the sun never rises, following A Hard Day’s Knight (2011).
• Wikipedia’s entry for the Nightside series has descriptions of characters and a list of titles.
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* Hendee, Barb, & J.C. Hendee : Between Their Worlds
(Penguin/Roc 978-0-451-46435-4, $26.95, 448pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Noble Dead #9
Fantasy novel, ninth in the “Noble Dead” series following Dhampire, Thief of Lives, Sister of the Dead, Traitor to the Blood, and Rebel Fay, In Shade and Shadow, Child of a Dead God, Through Stone and Sea, and Of Truth and Beasts, about a half-vampire vampire-hunter and her half-elf partner.
• The series site NobleDead.com has this list of titles, indicating this book as the first in the third series, a link to a description, and a link to several excerpts.
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* Herbert, Brian, & Kevin J. Anderson : Sisterhood of Dune
(Tor 978-0-7653-2273-9, $27.99, 496pp, hardcover, January 2012, jacket art Steve Stone)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Dune #11
SF novel, the eleventh collaboration by Brian Herbert, son of original Dune author Frank Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson.
• This book is first in a new trilogy that add addresses the formation of the Dune universe.
• Tor’s site has this description with an audio excerpt.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a text preview.
• The Publishers Weekly review says the book “zips along faster than light.”
(Fri 16 Dec 2011)
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* Hunter, Faith : Raven Cursed
(Penguin/Roc 978-0-451-46433-0, $7.99, 384pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Jane Yellowrock #4
Urban fantasy novel, fourth in the series following Skinwalker (2009), Blood Cross (2010), and Mercy Blade (2011), about a shapeshifting vampire-hunter of Cherokee descent.
• The author’s website has this description of the book with an excerpt.
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* Love, John : Faith
(Night Shade Books 978-1-59780-390-8, $14.99, 373pp, trade paperback, January 2012, cover art Adam Paquette, cover design Noble, Claudia)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
Space opera novel, the author’s first novel, about a mysterious spaceship called Faith that has destroyed an alien empire and is now attacking worlds of the Commonwealth.
• Night Shade’s site has this description, which calls it “Moby Dick meets Duel”.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Love’s deft touch with complex characters and ethical quandaries make his work worth reading.”
(Wed 21 Dec 2011)
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* Rowland, Diana : Sins of the Demon
(DAW 978-0-7564-0705-6, $7.99, 320pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Kara Gillian #4
Urban fantasy/police procedural novel, fourth in the “Kara Gillian” series following Mark of the Demon (2009), Blood of the Demon (2010), and Secrets of the Demon (2011), about a Louisiana cop who consults with a demon lord while investigating a series of murders.
• The publisher’s site has this brief description.
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* Shufeldt, Ken : Tribulations
(Tor 978-0-7653-6558-3, $7.99, 375pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
SF novel in which survivors of an asteroid storm that has destroyed Earth attempt to exceed the speed of light and are left near a mysterious planet in the midst of war between two nations.
• The publisher’s site has this description with a PDF excerpt.
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Steele, Allen : Sex and Violence in Zero-G
(Fantastic Books 978-1-61720-358-9, $19.99, 513pp, trade paperback, January 2012, cover art Ron Miller)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
(First edition: Meisha Merlin, January 1999)
Expanded edition of the collection published in 1999, subtitled “The Complete ‘Near Space’ Stories, Expanded Edition”, with appendices giving a Near Space timeline and space station and spacecraft designs.
• This edition has six additional stories, including “The Emperor of Mars” (2010), which won the 2011 Hugo Award, and a new introduction by the author.
• The publisher’s site has this description and order page.
(Mon 19 Dec 2011)
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* Tate, Benjamin : Leaves of Flame
(DAW 978-0-7564-0704-9, $7.99, 560pp, mass market paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Well of Sorrows #2
Fantasy novel, second book in a trilogy following Well of Sorrows (2010), about a family that emigrates to a new continent, where they face underground dwellers and mysterious shadow creatures.
• The author’s site has this description.
• The Publishers Weekly review: “New readers will find it difficult to invest as much in this dense middle book, but fans who reach the cliffhanger ending will be eager for book three.”
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* Wells, Martha : The Serpent Sea
(Night Shade Books 978-1-59780-332-8, $14.99, 340pp, trade paperback, January 2012, cover art Steve Argyle, cover design Silvers, Rebecca)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• The Books of Raksura #2
Fantasy novel, second novel in a series following The Cloud Roads (2011).
• Night Shade’s site has this description.
• The author’s site has this description with long excerpt.
(Wed 21 Dec 2011)
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* West, Michelle : Skirmish
(DAW 978-0-7564-0701-8, $25.95, 608pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• The House Wars #4
Fantasy novel, fourth in “The House Wars” series following The Hidden City (2008), City of Night (2009), and House Name (2011) about a city besieged by worshippers of the Lord of the Hells.
• The publisher’s site has this brief description.
• The Publishers Weekly review notes a change in emphasis; “West capably handles the shift, which almost feels like a change in genre, but for fans who liked the House War series as ‘mannerpunk’ more than epic fantasy, that may not be enough.”
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* Zahn, Timothy : Cobra Gamble
(Baen 978-1-4516-3769-4, $25, 320pp, hardcover, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Jan 2012
• Cobra War #3
Military SF novel, third in a trilogy following Cobra Alliance (2009) and Cobra Guardian (2011), about nano-tech enhanced warriors built to defend humanity against aliens called Trofts.
• Baen’s site has this description with links to several chapters.
• Amazon has several reader reviews.
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