Bernobich, Beth : Passion Play
(Tor 978-0-7653-6198-1, $7.99, 512pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• Passion Play #1

(First edition: Tor, October 2010)

Fantasy novel, the author’s first novel and first of a series, about the daughter of a wealthy merchant who flees an arranged marriage.
• Tor’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• The author’s bibliography lists several more titles forthcoming from Tor Books and Viking.
• The second book in this series, Queen’s Hunt, will be out in July.

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Campbell, Jack : Dreadnaught
(Ace 978-1937007492, $7.99, 384pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier #1

(First edition: Ace, May 2011)

Military SF novel, first book in a new “Lost Fleet” series following six earlier books, most recently Victorious (2010).
• In this book Admiral Geary leads a new “First Fleet” into alien territory.
• The author is John G. Hemry writing as Jack Campbell. His new website has a description and a link to a Word document excerpt.
• The second book in the series, Invincible, just came out in hardcover.

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Carey, Jacqueline : Naamah’s Blessing
(Grand Central 978-0-446-19808-0, $7.99, 704pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 1 May 2012
• Kushiel #9

(First edition: Grand Central, July 2011)

Fantasy novel, ninth installment in the Kushiel series following Naamah’s Curse (2010), set in an allegorical version of Earth where angels watch over lands called Terre d’Ange [France] and Alba [Great Britain].
• The publisher’s site has this description, with an “Open Book” function providing an excerpt.

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Correia, Larry : Hard Magic
(Baen 978-1451638240, $7.99, 624pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• Grimnoir Chronicles #1

(First edition: Baen, May 2011)

Alternate history fantasy novel, first of a series, about an ex-con hired by the Bureau of Investigation for his magical talent.
• Baen’s site has this description with links to several chapters.
• The second book in the series, Spellbound, was released in November 2011.

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de Lint, Charles : Eyes Like Leaves
(Tachyon Publications 978-1-61969-050-6, $15.95, 320pp, trade paperback, January 2012, cover art Lauren Kelly Small)
• Nominal Publication Date: Mon 16 Jan 2012

(First edition: Subterranean Press, October 2009)

Fantasy novel set in the Green Isles, where Summer is fading and forces of the Icelord threaten the land.
• This is an early de Lint novel, written around 1980 and shelved, later revised and published in 2009. The author’s introduction explains why.
• Tachyon’s site has this description with blurbs and excerpts from reviews.

(Sat 18 Feb 2012)
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Erikson, Steven : The Crippled God
(Tor 978-0-7653-4887-6, $9.99, 1200pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• Malazan Book of the Fallen #10

(First edition: Tor, February 2011)

Fantasy novel, tenth and final book of the “Malazan Book of the Fallen” series following Gardens of the Moon, Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice, House of Chains, Midnight Tides, The Bonehunters, Reaper’s Gale, Toll the Hounds, and Dust of Dreams, concerning the Malazan empire and its numerous enemies.
• Tor’s website has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• The series’ website, www.malazanempire.com, has background on the author and the books. Wikipedia has this detailed entry about Malazan Book of the Fallen.

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Millet, Lydia : The Fires Beneath the Sea
(Small Beer Press/Big Mouth House 978-1931520478, $12, 256pp, trade paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 3 Apr 2012
• Sykes Children #1

(First edition: Big Mouth House, June 2011)

Young adult novel, first of a series about the Sykes children, about Cara Sykes, who discovers that her scientist mother has discovered ancient creatures in the waters off their Cape Cod home.
• This is one of the first titles from Small Beer Press’ new YA imprint. The site has this description, with a link to a Scribd preview.
• The second book, The Shimmers in the Night, will be out in July.

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Ringo, John : The Hot Gate
(Baen 978-1451638189, $7.99, 560pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• Troy Rising #3

(First edition: Baen, May 2011)

SF novel, third of a three-book series following Live Free or Die (2010) and Citadel (2011), about humans fending off alien invaders from the Rangora Empire.
• Baen’s site has this description with links to several chapters.

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Schroeder, Karl : The Sunless Countries
(Tor 978-0-7653-2847-2, $15.99, 336pp, trade paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 May 2012
• Virga #4

(First edition: Tor, August 2009)

Science fiction novel, fourth book set in Virga, a miniature cosmos filled with numerous artificial worlds, following Sun of Suns (2006), Queen of Candesce (2007), and Pirate Sun (2008). (The books share a setting but do not need to be read in sequence.)
• This book is set in the city of Sere, where mysterious attacks from “outside” occur, and a religious movement challenges the idea that their world was not created, but is eternal.
• Tor’s website has this description.
• The fifth book, Ashes of Candesce, was published in February.
• Russel Letson reviewed this book last year in Locus Magazine: “What makes these books so much fun is not only their intricate and energetic storytelling but the density and variety of Schroeder’s imaginings — the unexpected and often amusing implications of the ideas that provide the everyday machineries and the underpinnings of this world.”

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Sinclair, Alison : Shadowborn
(Penguin/Roc 978-0-451-46425-5, $7.99, 368pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 1 May 2012
• Darkborn #3

(First edition: Roc, June 2011)

Romantic fantasy novel, third in a trilogy following Darkborn (2009) and Lightborn (2010), set in a world inhabited by the Darkborn, who can’t survive light, and the Lightborn, who need it to survive.
• The author’s website has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.

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Steele, Allen : Hex
(Ace 978-1-937007-51-5, $7.99, 313pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• Coyote #8

(First edition: Ace, June 2011)

SF novel set in Steele’s “Coyote” universe, in which humanity is referred by the alien danui to a habitable planet, which turns out to have been deconstructed to create an enormous sphere enclosing the entire system.
• The publisher’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function also provides an excerpt.

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Stephenson, Neal : Reamde
(Harpercollins/Morrow 978-0062191496, $18.99, 1056pp, trade paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 15 May 2012

(First edition: Morrow, September 2011)

Associational semi-SF thriller about the creator of an online role-playing game targeted by hackers who release a virus that holds players’ computer files hostage.
• The publisher’s site has this description with a preview function.
• Stephenson’s site also has the description with excerpts from reviews.
• Gary K. Wolfe reviewed the book last year in Locus Magazine: “When Stephenson sets down to write flat-out adventure (even with a surprisingly sentimental ending), he’s terrific at it.”
• This edition is due May 15th.

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Stirling, S. M. : The Council of Shadows
(Roc 978-0-451-46432-3, $9.99, 448pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 1 May 2012
• Shadowspawn #2

(First edition: Roc, May 2011)

Urban fantasy novel, second in a series following A Taint in the Blood (2010), about a race of Shadowspawn who live among humans.
• Stirling’s official website has this page of acknowledgements with links to excerpts across the bottom of the page.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.

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Tregillis, Ian : Bitter Seeds
(Tor 978-0765361202, $7.99, 416pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• The Milkweed Triptych #1

(First edition: Tor, April 2010)

Alternate history novel, the author’s first novel and first book of a trilogy, about a British secret agent in 1939 investigating supernatural beings created by the Nazis.
• Tor’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• The author’s site has this description, along with the titles of the next two volumes, and a PDF excerpt and links to reviews.
• The second book in the series, The Coldest War, is due in July.

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Valente, Catherynne M. : The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
(Macmillan/Square Fish 978-1250010193, $6.99, 288pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 May 2012

Young adult fantasy novel about a 12-year-old girl from Nebraska who travels to Fairyland, with illustrations by Ana Juan.
• This is a reprint of Feiwel and Friends’s 2011 hardcover edition; the novel was earlier published electronically on the author’s website in 2009, and won SFWA’s Andre Norton Award for young adult novel.
• Macmillan’s site has this description.
• The author’s site still has most of the book online, along with background and a page about the Fairyland Museum.
• The book is currently a finalist for this year’s Locus Awards.

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Vinge, Vernor : The Children of the Sky
(Tor 978-0-8125-7992-5, $7.99, 704pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• Zones of Thought #3

(First edition: Tor, October 2011)

SF novel, sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep (1992), concerning survivors on Tines World attempting to rebuild their civilization.
• Parent publisher Macmillan’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.
• The novel is currently a finalist for this year’s Locus Awards.

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Weis, Margaret, & Robert Krammes : Shadow Raiders
(DAW 978-0-7564-0722-3, $8.99, 704pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 1 May 2012
• The Dragon Brigade #1

(First edition: DAW, May 2011)

Epic military fantasy novel, first of a series, set in a world connected by airships where two rival empires vie for an invention that could revolutionize warfare.
• The publisher’s site has this description with links to excerpts.

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White, Steve, & Charles E. Gannon : Extremis
(Baen 978-1451638141, $7.99, 880pp, mass market paperback, May 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Apr 2012
• Starfire #2

(First edition: Baen, May 2011)

SF novel, sequel to Exodus by White and Shirley Meier (2007), about aliens whose sun has gone nova attempting to colonize a planet already occupied by humans.
• Baen’s site has this description with links to several chapters.

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