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Unraveller, Frances Hardinge (Macmillan Chil­dren’s 978-1-50983-697-0, £14.99, 496pp, hc) September 2022. (Amulet 9-781-41985-931-4, $19.99, 432pp, hc). Cover by Vincent Chong. January 2023.

If you live in Raddith, and you hate someone deeply enough and long enough, you might develop what the people there call a curse egg. When you’ve really, really had enough of that per­son, you can let the curse go and the object of your hatred will ...Read More

Fantasy 8/22, 9/22 Lightspeed 8/22, 9/22 F&SF 9-10/22

August’s Fantasy brought a number of works dealing with the power of stories and narratives, including the complex “The Tails that Make You” by Eliza Chan. Written in second person, you are a woman with tails, a huli jing, and though for some it can be a mark of pride and power, for you it is clouded with shame, ...Read More

Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life and Influences, Bev Vincent (becker&mayer! books 978-0760376812, $30.00, 240pp, hc) September 2022.

In “After the Accident (2000s)”, the fifth and penultimate chapter of The Stephen King Ul­timate Companion: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences, a profusely illustrated biographical guide to King’s life and career, Bev Vincent writes: “Characters suffering grievous physical injuries began to appear regularly ...Read More

The Mountain in the Sea, Ray Nayler (MCD 978-0-37460-595-7, $28.00, 464pp, hc) October 2022.

Here’s another genre term that seems to have shifted meaning over time. For a field that some­times proudly calls itself “speculative fiction” – an upscale term designed to get you invited to more parties than “science fiction” would – most SF features remarkably few scenarios in which char­acters actively speculate about much of anything. (I guess ...Read More

Flash Fiction Online 7/22 Worlds of Possibility 8/22 GigaNotoSaurus 7/22

August brings some editorial additions to Flash Fiction Online, where publisher Anna Yeatts joins Emma Munro as co-editor-in-chief. As for the fiction itself, it’s a strong issue, including Adam Piñon Kerkman’s ‘‘Moon Eater & Housekeep­ing’’, a deep and beautiful piece that looks at the hidden people of the world, those who don’t have power and are cut ...Read More

Under ten minutes, we’ll catch you up for this week!!

The Dragon Awards have announced a reduction in award categories from 15 to 11 for 2023. The “Media Tie-In” and “Military Fantasy/Sci-Fi” categories will be removed, and other categories will be combined: “Comic Book” and “Graphic Novel” will become “Best Comic Book or Graphic Novel,” “PC/Console” and “Mobile Game” will be “Best Digital Game”, and “Board Game” and “Miniatures/Role-playing/CCG Game” will become “Best Tabletop Game.” “Best Illustrative Book Cover” is ...Read More

The Washington Post has released its list of the best science fiction and fantasy novels of 2022, as chosen by Charlie Jane Anders.

Editor Scott H. Andrews announced in an editorial that Beneath Ceaseless Skies (BCS) “recuses the magazine from further nominations or finalist appearances for the Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine.”

There are many other indie zines, run by dedicated staff and publishing great and important stories, whose work in our opinion deserves a Best Semiprozine finalist and the boost in reach and support it can provide. We want to see them ...Read More

SF writer Greg Bear, 71, died November 19, 2022, after complications from heart surgery. He suffered a number of strokes during the procedure, and after a week in which it became clear he would not recover, he was taken off life support in accordance with his advance directive. Bear was the celebrated author of over 50 novels and almost as many works of short fiction, and was a pillar in ...Read More

Greg Bear died November 19, 2022, after complications from a heart surgery. Doctors discovered he had suffered a number of strokes during the procedure, and a week after the surgery, in accordance to his directive, he was taken off life support.

Bear was the author of over 50 novels and almost as many works of short fiction, for which he won two Hugo Awards and five Nebula Awards and many ...Read More

Eversion, Alastair Reynolds (Gollancz 978-0-57509-076-7, £20.00, 320pp, hc) May 2022. (Orbit US 978-0-31646-282-2, $17.99, 304pp, tp) August 2022. Cover by Lauren Panepinto.

The strange shuffling sound you will be hear­ing is a reviewer tiptoeing around a text filled with spoiler trapdoors. The book in question is Alastair Reynolds’ Eversion, a novel designed to promote puzzlement, and in fact to be a puzzle as much as a story, which means ...Read More

The winners of the National Book Awards (NBA) in the Fiction, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature categories were announced at the 73rd National Book Awards Ceremony, held November 16, 2023 in New York.

Author and artist Art Spiegelman received the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, presented by Neil Gaiman.

Winners of genre interest include All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir (Razorbil) in the Young ...Read More

Belladonna, Adalyn Grace (Little, Brown 978-0-316-15823-7, $18.99, hc, 403pp) August 2022.

In Adalyn Grace’s historical fantasy Belladonna, 19-year-old orphan Signa has a problem with Death. He seems to be stalking her, following her from one complicated family situation to another, and always leaving a body behind. She can see Death, she talks to Death, but she doesn’t understand his motivations or how the two of them have formed ...Read More

Amazon has published its yearly array of lists to promote the best books of 2022, with editors’ selections in various categories. Titles and authors of genre interest follow, in ranked order.

The Clarion Workshop in San Diego CA has announced the instructors for its 2023 session: Andy Duncan, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Tochi Onyebuchi, Anjali Sachdeva, and Rae Carson & Charles Coleman Finlay. Jac Jemc is faculty director.

The workshop will be held June 25, 2023 – August 5, 2023. Applications for the workshop open on December 1, 2022.

The Clarion West Summer Workshop previously announced its instructors and dates.

While you ...Read More

Lucky Girl: How I Became a Horror Writer: A Krampus Story, M. Rickert (Tordotcom 978-1-250-81733-4, 110pp, tp; -81734-1, $4.99, ebook) September 2022.

M. Rickert has long demonstrated her skill in managing the venerable tradition of tales nested within tales in such brilliantly constructed stories as ‘‘Journey Into the Kingdom’’ and ‘‘Cold Fires’’ (not to mention last year’s The Shipbuilder of Bellfairie). Her new novella Lucky Girl, which ...Read More

Armentrout, Jennifer L.: A Light in the Flame

(Evil Eye Concepts/Blue Box Press 978-1-957568041, $31.99, 608pp, formats: hardcover, trade paperback, ebook, audio, November 15, 2022)

Fantasy romance novel, second in the Flesh and Fire series. The only person who can save Sera now is the one she’s spent her life planning to kill.

Arnold, Justin: Wicked Little Things

(Tiny Ghost 978-1739983475, $12.99, 244pp, formats: trade paperback, hardcover, ebook, November ...Read More

PseudoPod 7/27/22 Nightmare 8/22, 9/22 The Dark 7/22, 8/22 The Deadlands 7/22, 8/22

There are numerous worthy re-published stories and a single recent original at its supposedly darker sister PseudoPod. In PseudoPod #821’s “Celestial Shores” by Sarah Day & Tim Pratt, a troubled couple visit a vacation rental and wind up somewhere quite terrifyingly unexpected.

Nightmare #119 has two original short stories and a flash piece. Climate change ...Read More

Publishers Unnamed Press and Rare Bird have jointly opened North Figueroa Bookshop, an independent bookstore in Highland Park, Los Angeles.

The bookstore opened November 9, 2022 and aims to “connect the independent publishing community with readers, booksellers, authors, and book lovers.”

For more information, see their website.

©Locus Magazine. Copyrighted material may not be republished without permission of LSFF.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus ...Read More

Governor Douglas Ducey has declared November 30th Speculative Poetry Day in the state of Arizona.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA) spearheaded the effort, and seeks to “highlight the vibrant legacy and extraordinary achievement of speculative poets,” as well as “introduce communities to the delights and benefits of reading and writing speculative poetry.”

For more information, see the SFPA post.

While you are here, please take a moment ...Read More

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA) has announced the winners of the annual Rhysling Awards for SF, fantasy, and horror poetry in the long poem category.

Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra CA is hosting a retrospective exhibition on the work of Wayne Barlowe from November 19 – December 3, 2022.

The show will feature “various reproductions from some of Wayne’s notable book projects and film work” and “a curated selection of original drawings and paintings,” available for purchase. The opening reception will be held November 19. Admission to the reception and the exhibit is free.

A world-renowned ...Read More