+ Buchanan, Col : Stands a Shadow
(Tor 978-0-7653-3106-9, $24.99, 432pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011
• Heart of the World #2
First US edition (UK: Tor UK, July 2011)

Fantasy novel, second of a series following Farlander (UK 2010, US Jan. 2011), set in a religious empire where an assassin and his apprentice seek vengeance for the murder of a woman under their protection.
• Tor’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
• The Publishers Weekly review comments that “the book has a leisurely pace atypical of military fantasies, feeling more like an epic quest without a well-defined goal.”

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* Dick, Philip K., edited by Pamela Jackson & Jonathan Lethem : The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 978-0547549255, $40, 1056pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Mon 7 Nov 2011

First of two planned volumes presenting a vast final work, drawn from personal notes and journals, of Philip K. Dick, as edited by Jackson and Lethem.
• Plans for this publication were announced a year and half ago in New York Times and elsewhere.
• The publisher’s site has this press release about the book.
• Tor.com has an appreciation by Ryan Britt: “…if you like Philip K. Dick, and you like thinking outside of every box ever known, then this book will not only be satisfying, but also make you hungry to go back and read all of Dick’s novels and short fiction.”

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* Heitz, Markus : The Revenge of the Dwarves
(Orbit 978-0-316-10283-4, $15.99, 816pp, trade paperback, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Thu 3 Nov 2011
• Dwarves #3

Fantasy novel, first published in German in 2005 and a sequel to The Dwarves (US 2009) and The War of the Dwarves (US 2010), about a dwarf raised among men.
• The parent publisher’s site has this description, with an “OpenBook” feature providing an excerpt.
• The Isfdb page for Heitz indicates one more book published in German in 2008.
• Orbit’s website has this post about the book, and an extract.

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* King, Stephen : 11/22/63
(Scribner 978-1-4516-2728-2, $35, 864pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011

Alternate history thriller about a man who goes back in time to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy.
• The author’s site has this promo page for the book, with links to the official book site (you can enter via 1963 or via 2011) and an excerpt, plus links to numerous reviews.
• Amazon also provides an excerpt, and has a video interview with King.
• Publishers Weekly ran this long review by Peter Cannon — “Clearly inspired by Jack Finney’s classic Time and Again, King smoothly blends their romance into the main story line, setting up the bittersweet ending that’s as apt as it is surprising. He also does a fine job evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of the late ’50s and early ’60s.”
• Amazon.com just ranked it 4th on their list of Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2011.

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* Kittredge, Caitlin : The Curse of Four
(Subterranean Press 978-1-59606-398-3, $25, 144pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Mon 31 Oct 2011
• Black London #4

Urban fantasy novel in the world of the author’s “Black London” trilogy — Street Magic (2009), Demon Bound (2009), and Bone Gods (2010) — about a reformed underworld mage who becomes involved in a locked-room murder mystery.
• Subterranean’s site has this description and order page.
• The Publishers Weekly review says “Kittredge fans will welcome this tension-filled short work.”

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* Lake, Jay : Endurance
(Tor 978-0-7653-2676-8, $26.99, 320pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011
• Green #2

Fantasy novel, sequel to Green (2009), about an assassin and ex-courtesan in a world where the Gods meddle in human affairs.
• The publisher’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• The starred Publishers Weekly review comments, “Lake deftly weaves complicated, stubborn characters into a plot that reaches the grandest and most personal scales without ever straining credulity”, and concludes, “his complex, lonesome, haunting novel will appeal to fans of Valente, Monette, and Miéville.”

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* Lethem, Jonathan : The Ecstasy of Influence: Nonfictions, Etc.
(Doubleday 978-0-385-53495-6, $27.95, 464pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011

Associational nonfiction collection of new and previously published essays on various literary and cultural topics.
• The publisher’s site has this description with an excerpt and the table of contents — including pieces about used bookstores, Philip K. Dick, SF conventions, J.G. Ballard, and Shirley Jackson.
• Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review: “In a tsunami of literary and cinematic references, familiar and obscure, Lethem easily rises to the surface as a brilliant, incisive essayist who loves to sing the body eclectic.”

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* McHugh, Maureen F. : After the Apocalypse
(Small Beer Press 978-1-931520-29-4, $16, 264pp, trade paperback, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011

Collection of nine stories, six of them first published from 2006 to 2010, the other three, including the title story, original to this book.
• Small Beer Press’ site has this description with quotes from reviews, the table of contents, and links to two of the stories available online.
• Publishers Weekly just included the book on their Top 10 Best Books of 2011. PW earlier gave it a starred review: “McHugh puts a human face on global disaster in nine fierce, wry, stark, beautiful stories.”
• Adrienne Martini reviewed it in the October issue of Locus Magazine: “McHugh has an uncanny ability to layer emotions and backstory in a way that captures what it feels like to be human, no matter what the world might be doing around you. Her stories are not blunt force works; instead they are delicate yet strong, like wrought iron.”

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* Modesitt, L. E., Jr. : Scholar
(Tor 978-0-7653-2955-4, $27.99, 512pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011
• Imager Portfolio #4

Fantasy novel, new book in the universe of the Imager Portfolio trilogy — Imager (March 2009), Imager’s Challenge (Oct. 2009), and Imager’s Intrigue (2010) — where some have the magical skill to visualize things and make them real.
• Tor’s website has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” fuction provides a preview.
• The Publishers Weekly review calls it a “somewhat sluggish political fantasy.”
• Carolyn Cushman reviews it in the November 2011 issue of Locus Magazine, commenting “Modesitt, as usual, has numerous philosophical/political points to make, and isn’t shy about doing so…”

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* Paolini, Christopher : Inheritance
(Knopf 978-0-375-85611-2, $27.99, 880pp, hardcover, November 2011, cover art John Jude Palencar)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011
• Inheritance #4

Young adult fantasy novel, fourth book in the Inheritance Cycle following Eragon (2002), Eldest (2005), and Brisingr (2008).
• The publisher’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Amazon.com just ranked it 3rd on its Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of 2011.
• Publishers Weekly has this review: “In full Tolkienesque style, Paolini luxuriates in excess details, side quests, and a lengthy dénouement in which every last thread is wrapped up. … It’s a can’t-miss for fans and completionists, and a worthy end to the story.”

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* Sanderson, Brandon : The Alloy of Law
(Tor 978-0-7653-3042-0, $24.99, 336pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011
• Mistborn #4

Fantasy novel, fourth book in the Mistborn series following Mistborn (2006), The Well of Ascension (2007), and The Hero of Ages (2008), set 300 years after those books.
• Tor’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Part Sherlock Holmes, part X-Men, this exciting stand-alone adventure is full of close shaves, shootouts, and witty banter.”

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* Ziegler, Rob : Seed
(Night Shade Books 978-1-59780-323-6, $24.99, 350pp, hardcover, November 2011)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Nov 2011

SF novel, the author’s first novel, set in a ravaged 22nd century in which the US government is overshadowed by a huge city-coporation that distributes genetically engineered seed to the world.
• Night Shade’s site has this description; Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Fans weary of common postapocalyptic tropes will greatly appreciate Ziegler’s imaginative world-building, vivid writing, and compelling and racially diverse cast full of unique voices.”

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