New Books : 5 March 2019
20 new science fiction and fantasy books released this week!
New titles this week are by Andrew Bannister, Elizabeth Bear, Laura Bickle, Anne Bishop, K. Chess, Brian Lee Durfee, Jenna Glass, Kevin Hearne/Lila Bowen/Chuck Wendig, Kate Heartfield, John Lanchester, Tim Maughan, Seanan McGuire, Rati Mehrotra, Dan Moren, Helen Oyeyemi, Tim Powers, John Ringo & Gary Poole, Amber Royer, Martin L. Shoemaker, and Travis S. Taylor & Jody Lynn Nye.
+ Bannister, Andrew : Creation Machine
(Tor 978-1-250-17913-5, $16.99, 368pp, trade paperback, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250179128
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781250203281
• Spin Trilogy #1
SF novel, the author’s first novel and first in a trilogy, about a rebellion in an artificial galaxy.
• The UK edition appeared in May, 2016.
• Macmillan’s site has this description.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “…the worldbuilding is unusual and inspired, lending readers some hope that future entries in the series will be something to look forward to.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Bear, Elizabeth : Ancestral Night
(Saga 978-1-5344-0298-0, $25.99, 512pp, hardcover, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781508281535
• White Space #1
SF novel, first in a series, about a pair of salvage operators searching for lost human and alien vessels.
• Simon & Schuster’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Anyone who enjoys space opera, exploration of characters, and political speculation will love this outstanding novel, Bear’s welcome return to hard SF…”
• Russell Letson reviews it in the February issue of Locus Magazine: “The chases, escapes, and discoveries of ancient alien artifacts and haring across half the galaxy and back again make for as gaudy an adventure as one could want, as does the cast of AIs, sociopathic libertarian pirates, snoozy cats, and particularly a charming giant predatory alien-insectoid cop. And this is just Volume One.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Bickle, Laura : Phoenix Falling
(Harper Voyager 978-0-06-256735-2, $7.99, 384pp, mass market paperback, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 26 Feb 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780062567338
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9780062909268
• Wildlands #5
Historical fantasy novel, fifth in a series that began with Nine of Stars (2016), about the daughter of an alchemist in a small Wyoming town.
• HarperCollins’ site has this description with a sample.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “This emotionally resonant installment is a standout in a consistently superb series.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Bishop, Anne : Wild Country
(Ace 978-0-399-58727-6, $27, 496pp, hardcover, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780399587283
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781984847089
• The World of the Others #2
Fantasy novel, second in a series following Lake Silence (2018) set in the world of earlier series The Others about a territory controlled by paranormal beings.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Carolyn Cushman reviews it in the March issue of Locus Magazine: “Fans of the series will probably enjoy seeing how things come together, but this is not a good place for new readers to start.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Chess, K. : Famous Men Who Never Lived
(Tin House Books 978-1-947793-24-8, $24.95, 324pp, hardcover, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 978-1-947793-25-5
SF novel, the author’s first novel, about refugees from nuclear war who have escaped to an alternate timeline United States.
• The publisher’s site has this description with an excerpt and blurbs by Charles Yu and others.
• Ian Mond reviews it in the March issue of Locus Magazine, commenting about recent debut authors from outside the field: “K. Chess continues this trend with Famous Men Who Never Lived, a take on parallel realities that substitutes the traditional multiple world hijinks, what-ifs, and evil twins with something more nuanced, more in touch with the current political moment.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Durfee, Brian Lee : The Blackest Heart
(Saga 978-1-4814-6525-0, $31.99, 960pp, hardcover, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 26 Feb 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: B075RVQD9M
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: B07NZ1V9D5
• The Five Warrior Angels #2
Epic fantasy novel, second in a series following The Forgetting Moon (2016), set in the aftermath of a war in which the five warrior angels were revealed.
• Simon & Schuster’s site has this description.
• There’s a simultaneous trade paperback (978-1-4814-6526-7).
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Squeamish readers may find Durfee’s assassins and their murderous ceremonies especially distasteful, but his cinematic shifts of perspective and his artist’s eye for shades of atmosphere propel this enormous tapestry of human frailties and will keep fans of dark fantasy turning the many, many pages.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Glass, Jenna : The Women’s War
(Del Rey 978-1-984817-20-4, $28, 560pp, hardcover, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780525481515
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781984883179
• The Women’s War #1
Fantasy novel, first in a series, about a patriarchal society where a new spell gives women the ability to control their fertility.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Glass’s substantial novel stands out as both social commentary on contemporary issues of bodily autonomy, gender, and social power and as feminist retribution fantasy, made manifest through an appealing epic fantasy setting and grounded in a carefully designed magic system.”
• Liz Bourke reviews it in the March issue of Locus Magazine: “It’s a worthy epic fantasy, and is definitely in conversation with the angry feminist works of the 1970s and early 1980s.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Hearne, Kevin, Lila Bowen & Chuck Wendig : Death & Honey
(Subterranean Press 978-1-59606-914-5, $45, 301pp, hardcover, February 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Thu 28 Feb 2019
Anthology of three novellas, illustrated by Galen Dara.
• Subterranean’s site has this description and order form. (Amazon lists the book at a higher price.)
• The Publishers Weekly review notes that, “In this blood-soaked collection of fantasy novellas tied to larger series, three otherwise unconnected tales are linked by the thematic inclusion of murder and bees.” The review concludes, “While all three stories rely heavily upon previous knowledge of their respective series, they’re still accessible for newcomers. Established fans and completionists will undoubtedly enjoy seeing what these characters are up to now.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Heartfield, Kate : Alice Payne Rides
(Tor.com 978-1250313751, $14.99, 176pp, trade paperback, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250313768
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781250231703
• Alice Payne #2
Short SF novel, second in a series following Alice Payne Arrives (2018), about a time-traveling thief.
• Macmillan’s site has this description.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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+ Lanchester, John : The Wall
(Norton 978-1-324-00163-8, $25.95, 288pp, hardcover, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: B07DP6MV5J
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: B07P976GPC
Near future SF novel about an island nation that has a built a concrete barrier around its entire coastline to keep out those affected by rising seas.
• Norton’s site has this description with blurbs and quotes from reviews.
• The UK edition appeared in January.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “This terrifyingly resonant depiction of desperation will spark lively discussions about the responsibilities climate change is restructuring, and is electrifying storytelling to boot.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Maughan, Tim : Infinite Detail
(MCD x FSG Originals 978-0-374-17541-2, $16, 384pp, trade paperback, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780374718602
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781250203168
Near-future SF novel, the author’s first novel, in which cyberterrorism has switched off the internet.
• Macmillan’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Maughan handles it beautifully with maximalist daring and depth; the result is an energetic novel about civilization as it races toward the ultimate overload.”
• Ian Mond reviews it in the February issue of Locus Magazine: “What’s so timely and powerful about this book is how pragmatic it is about the current moment, how Maughan appreciates that the internet, the cloud, those pesky algorithms are firmly embedded in our capitalist reality and that disentangling ourselves, without completely destroying civilisation as we know it, will be a difficult task.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* McGuire, Seanan : That Ain’t Witchcraft
(DAW 978-0-7564-1179-4, $7.99, 448pp, mass market paperback, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780756411800
• InCryptid #8
Urban fantasy novel, eighth in a series following Discount Armageddon (2012), Midnight Blue-Light Special (2013), Half-Off Ragnorak (2014), Pocket Apocalypse (2015), Chaos Choreography (2016), Magic for Nothing (2017), and Tricks for Free (2018), about a crytozoologist who’d rather study ballroom dancing than the monsters of the world.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with a preview function.
• Carolyn Cushman reviews it in the March issue of Locus Magazine: “Still, getting [to the conclusion is] a lot of fun, with plenty of funny snark and some charming romance to go with the really grim bits.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Mehrotra, Rati : Mahimata
(Harper Voyager 978-0-06-256455-9, $16.99, trade paperback, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780062564573
• Asiana #2
Fantasy novel, second in a series following Markswoman (2018), about magical-knife wielding female assassins in a post-apocalyptic world.
• HarperCollins’ site has this description with a sample.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Mehrotra spends some time developing the setting, but her focus is on the romantic issues of her two fate-driven protagonists. Readers who enjoyed the first Asiana volume will be rewarded by this amorous wallow amid the battles and mountain treks.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Moren, Dan : The Bayern Agenda
(Angry Robot 978-0-85766-819-6, $12.99, 384pp, trade paperback, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780857668202
• UK edition: 9780857668196 (Tue 5 Mar 2019)
• Galactic Cold War #1
SF thriller about an intelligence operative and his undercover team fighting a new galactic cold war.
• Angry Robot’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Fans of suspenseful space opera will look eagerly for the next book.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Oyeyemi, Helen : Gingerbread
(Riverhead 978-1594634659, $27, 272pp, hardcover, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780525539087
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781984839459
Fantasy novel about a British schoolgirl whose family is tied together by a gingerbread recipe.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Oyeyemi excels at making the truly astounding believable and turning even the most familiar tales into something strange and new. This fantastic and fantastical romp is a wonderful addition to her formidable canon.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Powers, Tim : More Walls Broken
(Subterranean 978-1-59606-886-5, $25, 136pp, hardcover, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Thu 28 Feb 2019
• SF Encyclopedia: Tim Powers
Fantasy novella about three Cal Tech professors who attempt to open a door to the world of the dead.
• Subterranean’s site has this description and order form. (Amazon indicates it sold out.)
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “This quick tale is recommended for lovers of short fiction that tramples genre boundaries.”
• Gary K. Wolfe reviewed the book in the February 2019 issue of Locus Magazine: “More Walls Broken isn’t Powers at his most complex or baroque, but within its efficient and compact frame, it has plenty of charms of its own.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Ringo, John, & Gary Poole, eds. : Voices of the Fall
(Baen 978-1-4814-8382-7, $26, 336pp, hardcover, March 2019, cover art Kurt Miller)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 978-1-62579-703-2
• Black Tide Rising #7
Anthology of 13 original stories set in the zombie apocalypse “Black Tide Rising” series.
• Baen’s site has this description with a link to sample chapters.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Royer, Amber : Pure Chocolate
(Angry Robot 978-0857667533, $12.99, 464pp, trade paperback, March 2019)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780857667540
• UK edition: 9780857667533 (Thu 7 Mar 2019)
• Chocoverse #2
SF novel, second in a series following Free Chocolate (2018), set in a far future in which chocolate is Earth’s most valuable export.
• Angry Robot’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Shoemaker, Martin L. : Today I Am Carey
(Baen 978-1-4814-8384-1, $16, 336pp, trade paperback, March 2019, cover art Adam Burn)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 978-1-62579-705-6
SF novel, the author’s first novel, about an android medical assistant.
• Baen’s site has this description with a link to sample chapters.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Kindness, love, and compassion make Carey an empathetic character through which to view Shoemaker’s complex, beautiful world.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Taylor, Travis S., & Jody Lynn Nye : Moon Tracks
(Baen 978-1-4814-8383-4, $24, 256pp, hardcover, March 2019, cover art Dominic Harman)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 Mar 2019
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 978-1-62579-704-9
Middle grade SF novel, sequel to Moon Beam (2017), about a teenage girl competing in a race to circle the moon.
• Baen’s site has this description with a link to several sample chapters.
• 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.
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