* Caine, Rachel : Working Stiff
(Roc 978-0-451-46413-2, $7.99, 320pp, mass market paperback, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011
• Revivalist #1

Urban fantasy novel, first of a new series, about an ex-soldier, Bryn Davis, who is killed and re-animated using a new drug at the heart of a corporate war.
• The series has its own site, with a video and an excerpt.
• Amazon has mixed but generally positive reader reviews.

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* Carroll, Lee : The Watchtower
(Tor 978-0-765-32598-3, $15.99, 400pp, trade paperback, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011
• Black Swan #2

Urban fantasy novel, second in a series following Black Swan Rising (2010), about a New York city jewelry designer, a silver box with the symbol of a swan, and evil forces unleashed into Manhattan.
• Lee Carroll is a pseudonym for mystery writer Carol Goodman and her husband, poet Lee Slonimsky.
• Tor’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.

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+ Grossman, Lev : The Magician King
(Viking 978-0-670-02231-1, $26.95, 448pp, hardcover, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 9 Aug 2011
• Magicians #2

Fantasy novel, sequel to The Magicians (2009), in which a high school boy discovered the land he’s read about in a series of fantasy novels actually exists.
• The publisher’s site has this description with a Chapter 4 excerpt.
• Amazon names it a best book of the month for August.
• Publishers Weekly says the book “smoothly fuses adventure fantasy, magic realism, and mythic fiction”.
• Adreinne Martini reviews it in the August issue of Locus Magazine, concluding “Grossman’s gift for plots that feel organic rather than outlined shines here, too. Like Sondheim, he’s folded our expectations into a new topography. All the right bits are there, yes, just not in the places that you’d expect them. Quentin does wind up on a quest, just like a hero should, only the reward isn’t quite what he believed it to be. Instead, he grows up. What’s so satisfying about The Magician King is how he gets there.”

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* Harris, Charlaine, & Toni L. P. Kelner, eds. : Home Improvement: Undead Edition
(Ace 978-0-441-02035-5, $26.95, 352pp, hardcover, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011

Anthology of 14 original urban fantasy stories, including a new “Sookie Stackhouse” story by Charlaine Harris.
• Other authors include Patricia Briggs, Melissa Marr, Simon R. Green, and E.E. Knight.
• The publisher’s site has a brief description.
• Carolyn Cushman reviewed it in the July issue of Locus Magazine, concluding “It’s a consistently entertaining selection of stories with some nice variety; if none were spectacular standouts, there were no real clunkers either.”

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* Jacobs, John Hornor : Southern Gods
(Night Shade Books 978-1-59780-285-7, $14.99, 300pp, trade paperback, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 26 Jul 2011

Southern gothic horror novel, the author’s first novel, about a World War II vet hired to find a mysterious blues man named Ramblin’ John Hastur.
• Night Shade’s site has this description.
• John Scalzi’s “The Big Idea” features the author with background about writing the book.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• Amazon has over a dozen 5-star reader reviews.

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* Lawrence, Mark : Prince of Thorns
(Ace 978-0-441-02032-4, $25.95, 336pp, hardcover, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011
• The Broken Empire #-

Fantasy novel, the author’s first novel and first of a trilogy, about a prince who becomes an outlaw following the murders of his mother and brother.
• Series site Prince of Thorns has a summary, map, descriptions of characters, a FAQ, and an author profile.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
• Publishers Weekly says “This morbidly gripping, gritty fantasy tale is not for the squeamish.”
• Amazon has over a dozen enthusiastic reader reviews.

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* Lee, Sharon, & Steve Miller : Ghost Ship
(Baen 978-1439134559, $25, 336pp, hardcover, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011
• Laiden #14

SF novel in the authors’ long-running Liaden Universe series, and sequel to last year’s Saltation.
• In this book Theo Waitley has graduated the Academy and become an ace starship pilot.
• Baen’s site has this description with links to several chapters.
• Amazon has a dozen 5-star reader reviews.

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* Schafer, Courtney : The Whitefire Crossing
(Night Shade Books 978-1-59780-283-3, $14.99, 375pp, trade paperback, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 26 Jul 2011

Fantasy novel, the author’s first novel, about a smuggler who guides caravans through treacherous Whitefire Mountains.
• Night Shade’s site has this description with a link to a six chapter sampler (PDF).
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• Carolyn Cushman reviews it in the August issue of Locus Magazine: “This isn’t the most polished of first novels, nor the most original, but it grabs you from the start, with a couple of characters struggling to overcome horrible pasts, and proving surprisingly likeable despite their flaws.”

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* Van Name, Mark L. : The Wild Side
(Baen 978-1439134566, $14, 272pp, trade paperback, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011

Anthology of 10 original urban fantasy stories, subtitled “Urban Fantasy with an Erotic Edge”.
• Authors include Tanya Huff, Sarah A. Hoyt, Caitlin Kittredge, and the editor.
• Baen’s site has this description with links to samples.
• Amazon has a couple story-by-story reader reviews.

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Other new titles noted without description:

* Jones, Jaida, & Danielle Bennett : Steelhands
(Spectra 978-0-553-80770-7, $26, 448pp, hardcover, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011
• Havemercy #4

Following Havemercy (2008), Shadow Magic (2009), and Dragon Soul (2011).

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* Kerr, Katharine : Water to Burn
(DAW 978-0-7564-0691-2, $7.99, 336pp, mass market paperback, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011
• Nola O’Grady #2

Following License to Ensorcell (Feb 2011).

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* Miller, Karen : A Blight of Mages
(Orbit 978-0-316-02922-3, $25.99, 640pp, hardcover, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Thu 4 Aug 2011
• Fisherman’s Children #3

Following The Prodigal Mage (2009) and The Reluctant Mage (2010), which in turn follow the “Kingmaker, Kingbreaker” duology, The Innocent Mage and The Awakened Mage.

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* Richardson, Kat : Downpour
(Roc 978-0-451-46398-2, $24.95, 356pp, hardcover, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011
• Greywalker #6

Following Greywalker (2006), Poltergeist (2007), Underground (2008), Vanished (2009), and Labyrinth (2010).
• Carolyn Cushman in the August issue of Locus Magazine calls it “a relatively self-contained, relatively simple supernatural mystery (with an authorial nod to Dashiell Hammett).”

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* Thurman, Rob : Basilisk
(Roc 978-0-451-46414-9, $7.99, 352pp, mass market paperback, August 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 2 Aug 2011
• Korsak Brothers #2

Following Chimera (2010)

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