New Books : 17 July 2018
Maria Dahvana Headley’s The Mere Wife, Seanan McGuire’s The Girl in the Green Silk Gown, Adrian Tchaikovsky’s The Expert System’s Brother, and titles by Ann Aguirre, Gail Carriger, B. Caitling, Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne, Sebastien de Castell, Jason Denzel, Craig DiLouie, Alan Dean Foster, Kathleen O’Neal Gear, Chadwick Ginther, Kameron Hurley, A. Lee Martinez, Nick Setchfield, Emily Skrutskie, Melinda Snodgrass, and Carrie Vaughn
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* Aguirre, Ann : Like Never and Always
(Tor Teen 978-0-7653-9758-4, $17.99, 336pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780765397614
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781427298232
Young adult sf novel about a teen-age girl who wakes from a car accident and finds herself in her best friend’s body.
• Macmillan’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “This suspenseful science fiction thriller is a fresh take on the standard body-swapping story and comes with a few surprisingly dark twists. Liv’s fearful and emotional reactions to her predicament ring true, and it immediately draws the reader into a tender—but conflicted—romance that tugs at the heartstrings.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Carriger, Gail : Competence
(Orbit 978-0-316-43388-4, $26, 320pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780316433877
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781549169083
• The Custard Protocol #3
Steampunk fantasy novel set in the Victorian London world of the author’s Parasol Protectorate series (Soulless (2009), etc.), third in a series following Prudence (2015) and Imprudence (2016).
• Hachette’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review calls it a “charming, laugh-out-loud steampunk escapade” and concludes, “There’s a genuine sense of whimsy and fun running throughout this story, making it a treat for fans of the series.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Catling, B. : The Cloven
(Vintage 978-1-101-97274-8, $16.95, 448pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781101972755
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9780525631231
• The Vorrh #3
Fantasy novel, third in a trilogy following The Vorrh (2015) and The Erstwhile (2017), about an African forest in an alternate 20th century where trees were intended for divine knowledge, not Adam and Eve.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with a preview function.
• The Publishers Weekly review comments, “The portrayal of plants as the intended dominant life-form is intriguing, but the stories of myriad characters, including real-life South African naturalist Eugène Marais, are harder to engage with. The dense plotting and complex backstory make this installment inaccessible to all but devoted fans.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Dawson, Delilah S., & Kevin Hearne : Kill the Farm Boy: The Tales of Pell
(Del Rey 978-1-5247-9774-4, 384pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781524797751
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9780525593669
• The Tales of Pell #1
Satirical fantasy novel about a faraway kingdom in which the chosen one is a farm boy.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description, which calls it “an irreverent new series in the tradition of Monty Python,” with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review comments, “There’s a Pratchettian humor at play here, manifesting in frequent pun wars, silly songs, and an underlying level of societal absurdity—everyone takes cheese rather seriously, for instance.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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+ de Castell, Sebastien : Spellslinger
(Orbit 978-0-316-52575-6, $15.99, 432pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780316525749
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781549116452
• Spellslinger #1
Fantasy novel, first in a series, about a magician whose magic is fading.
• The UK hardcover edition appeared in May 2017.
• Hachette’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review comments, “Though de Castell writes well, the plot and tone have a young adult vibe, especially after Kellen ends up allied with an intelligent non-human creature.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Denzel, Jason : Mystic Dragon
(Tor 978-0765381996, $27.99, 480pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781466885691
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781427295682
• The Mystic Trilogy #2
Epic fantasy novel, second in a series following Mystic (2015), about high-born nobles called Mystics who explore the Myst, the energy at the heart of the universe.
• Macmillan’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Publishers Weekly said of the first book, “This fantasy adventure is clearly inspired by the classics but still finds something new to say.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* DiLouie, Craig : One of Us
(Orbit 978-0-316-41131-8, $26, 400pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780316411356
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781549194405
SF novel set in 1984 about a group of children born in 1968 who have developed supernatural powers.
• Hachette’s site has this description with an excerpt and a video introduciton.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Foster, Alan Dean : Mad Amos Malone: The Complete Stories
(Del Rey 9780525620822, $7.99, 304pp, ebook, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
Collection of 18 stories, one story original to this book, about a giant mountain man in the Old West; it’s an expansion of the 1996 collection Mad Amos.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review comments, “The consistent rhythms of Foster’s language, his shaggy-dog puns, and the distinctive clarity of Malone’s rough yet occasionally educated voice draw readers quickly into the each story’s mood while maintaining strong connections between the pieces.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Gear, Kathleen O’Neal : Maze Master
(St. Martin’s 978-1250121998, $27.99, 352pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250122001
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781250311344
SF thriller about a catastrophic retrovirus whose cure relies on a brilliant but insane geneticist who has gone missing.
• Macmillan’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Ginther, Chadwick : Graveyard Mind
(ChiZine Publications 978-1-77148-463-3, $17.99, 300pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781771484640
Horror novel, first in a series, about morticians and a necromancer in Winnipeg.
• ChiZine’s site has this description.
• The Publishers Weekly review comments, “Ginther takes a pop culture kitchen sink approach to this new world, throwing in vampires, ghosts, living corpses, magicians, and more” and concludes, “this series launch should appeal to fans of the hard-boiled fantasy novels of Richard Kadrey and Simon R. Green.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Headley, Maria Dahvana : The Mere Wife
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux/MCD 978-0-374-20843-1, $27, 320pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780374715540
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781427297839
Contemporary fantasy novel that retells Beowulf in the context of an idyllic American suburb.
• Macmillan’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review comments, “Headley (Magonia) applies the broad contours of the Beowulf story to her tale but skillfully seeds her novel with reflections on anxieties and neuroses that speak to the concerns of modern parenting. Her narrative leaps between grisly incidents of violence and touching moments of motherly love that turn her tale’s source material inside out and situate it in a recognizable modern landscape…”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Hurley, Kameron : Apocalypse Nyx
(Tachyon Publications 978-1-61696-294-4, $15.95, 288pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781616962951
Collection of five stories about a post-apocalypse ex-government assassin turned bounty-hunter.
• Tachyon’s site has this description with numerous quotes from reviews.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Martinez, A. Lee : Constance Verity Saves the World
(Saga Press 978-1481443548, $27.99, 400pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781481443562
• Constance Verity #2
Fantasy novel, second in a series following The Last Adventure of Constance Verity (2016), about a super-heroine who has retired to live an ordinary life.
• Simon & Schuster’s site has this description.
• A simultaneous trade paperback (9781481443555) is also available.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* McGuire, Seanan : The Girl in the Green Silk Gown
(DAW 978-0-7564-1380-4, $16, 352pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780756413828
• Ghost Roads #2
Fantasy novel, second in a series following Sparrow Hill Road (2014), about a hitchhiking ghost in a battle with her killer.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Publishers Weekly gives this a starred review: “This stunning, richly imagined story of love and destiny features an irresistible heroine and is one of the accomplished McGuire’s best yet.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Setchfield, Nick : The War in the Dark
(Titan 978-1785657092, $14.95, 352pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
Alternate history fantasy novel, set in 1963, in which the Cold War plays out with demons and occult knowledge.
• Titan’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Skrutskie, Emily : Hullmetal Girls
(Delacorte 978-1524770198, $17.99, 320pp, hardcover, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781524770211
Young adult SF novel about two girls who become mechanically enhanced soldiers in the service of a collective of starships.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Skrutskie’s examination of what defines humanity, family, and free will makes this an engaging, satisfying story.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Snodgrass, Melinda : The Hidden World
(Titan US 978-1783295869, $14.95, 356pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Imperials Saga #3
Military SF novel, third in a series following The High Ground (2016) and In Evil Times (2017), about two friends who have graduated the academy and become posted on battleships light years apart.
• Titan’s site has this description.
• Publishers Weekly said of the first book, “Snodgrass’s worldbuilding has several creative touches: intriguing alien races, English and Spanish as the common languages of the Solar League, and the origin of the upper echelons of the nobility, known pointedly as the Fortune Five Hundred.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Tchaikovsky, Adrian : The Expert System’s Brother
(Tor.com 978-1-250-19756-6, $14.99, 176pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250197559
Short SF novel about a 13-year-old boy exiled from his community and forced to wander a world he doesn’t understand.
• Macmillan’s site has this brief description.
• Liz Bourke reviews it in the July issue of Locus Magazine: “The Expert System’s Brother has an engaging voice. Told in first person from Handry’s point of view, it showcases Tchaikovsky’s growing versatility as a writer of long-form science fiction, depicting an interesting world with compelling characters.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Vaughn, Carrie : The Wild Dead
(John Joseph Adams 978-0-544-94731-3, $14.99, 272pp, trade paperback, July 2018)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 17 Jul 2018
• Bannerless #2
SF novel, second in a series following Bannerless (2017), about a population-controlled society that has survived the collapse of most of the United States.
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review begins, “This mostly standalone sequel to Bannerless, set a century after the collapse of modern civilization, further explores the intricacies of a world dedicated to sustainable resource management and rigid population control, with an emphasis placed on cooperative households and earning the right to bear children.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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These listings are based on publisher schedules and availability on Amazon (rather than on confirmation of physical publication via purchase, review copies, or sightings in bookstores). Titles are listed only once they are published (with rare exception). We do not list galleys or advance reading copies.
Page counts are based on publisher or Amazon listings, and typically only approximate the bibliographic page counts of finished books.
* = first edition
+ = first US edition
Date with publisher info is official publication month.
‘Nominal Publication Date’ is the day of publication, typically as indicated by Amazon.com.
