New Books : 5 May 2020

New books this week are by W.M. Akers, Neal Asher, Stephen Blackmoore, Lois McMaster Bujold, Eric Flint & Dave Freer, Danielle L. Jensen, Nancy Kress, Laura Lam, Suzanne Palmer, Adrian J. Walker, and Martha Wells.

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* Akers, W. M. : Westside Saints
(Harper Voyager 978-0-06-285404-9, $27.99, 304pp, hardcover, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780062854063
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9780063012677
• Gilda Carr #2

Historical fantasy novel, second in a series following Westside (2019), about a female detective in a 1921 New York split by a fence separating the Eastside from the Westside.
• HarperCollins’ site has this description with a sample.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “The harsh realities of Westside Manhattan is richly imagined and the diverse cast is expertly shaded. New readers won’t want to start with this one, but series fans will be gratified by this excellent outing.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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+ Asher, Neal : The Human
(Night Shade Books 978-1-950994-83-0, $26.99, 480pp, hardcover, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: B084QD4CRH
• Rise of the Jain #3

First US edition (UK: Macmillan, April 2020)

SF novel, third in a trilogy following The Soldier (2018) and The Warship (2019), about the discovery of an accretion disc built by a long-dead race.
• Simon & Schuster’s site has this description.
• Publishers Weekly gave the previous book a starred review: “Asher depicts warfare as a catalyst of biological and technological evolution while entwining the reader in twisty conundrums and misdirections. This is Asher at the top of his game and the field of military science fiction.”
• Russell Letson reviews it in the May issue of Locus Magazine: “…I tore through the book, assembling that big picture and gaping at the gaudy, exploding scenery along the way and wondering how the cast members were going to get past the latest cliff-hanger moment and whether the resolution was going to go as I suspected, thematically and dramatically. I declare myself satisfied and entertained and impressed.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Blackmoore, Stephen : Ghost Money
(DAW 978-0-7564-1296-8, $7.99, 304pp, mass market paperback, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 28 Apr 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780756412975
• Eric Carter #5

Urban fantasy novel, fifth in a series following Dead Things (2013), Broken Souls (2014), Hungry Ghosts (2017), and Fire Season (2019), about a necromancer in Los Angeles.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with a preview function.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Carter’s wry voice is amusing as ever, but the grief he carries is palpable, adding depth and a sense of desperation to this action-packed adventure. Readers will be eager for more after this thrilling, emotionally fraught installment.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Bujold, Lois McMaster : Penric’s Travels
(Baen 978-1-9821-2457-1, $25, 336pp, hardcover, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 978-1-62579-767-4

Omnibus of three previously-published novellas: Penric’s Mission (2016), Mira’s Last Dance (2018), and The Prisoner of Limnos (2019).
• Baen’s site has this description with a “sample” link to several chapters.
• Publishers Weekly gave the third title a starred review: “While the rescue lives up to Bujold’s high standards of action and has its own droll comedy as well, the real highlight here is the romance between Penric and Nikys as the two explore their growing love and how that can coexist with Desdemona, the demon who lives in Penric’s mind.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Flint, Eric, & Dave Freer : The Shaman of Karres
(Baen 978-1-9821-2456-4, $25, 304pp, hardcover, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 978-1-62579-766-7
• Witches of Karres #4

SF novel, fourth in a series beginning with the popular 1966 novel The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz, then The Wizard of Karres by these authors and Mercedes Lackey (2004), and then The Sorceress of Karres by Flint and Freer (2010).
• Baen’s site has this description with a “sample” link to a page of chapters.

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Jensen, Danielle L. : Dark Skies
(Tor Teen 978-1250317766, $19.99, 480pp, hardcover, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250317759
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781250755056
• Dark Shores #2

Young adult fantasy novel, second in a series following Dark Shores (2019), about rival empires on a world of Endless Seas.
• Macmillan’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Publishers Weekly said of the first book, “While this series opener starts slowly as it establishes the ambitious world-building, mythology, and protagonists’ parallel story lines, events escalate at a satisfying rate once Teriana and Marcus’s stories intersect. This blend of romance, epic fantasy, and military strategy by Jensen makes for an engaging tale, setting up plenty of material for subsequent installments.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Kress, Nancy : The Eleventh Gate
(Baen 978-1-9821-2458-8, $16, 352pp, trade paperback, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 978-1-62579-768-1

SF novel about the discovery of a new stargate as the three factions of the Eight Worlds system go to war.
• Baen’s site has this description with a “sample” link to a page of chapters.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “This swift, political story proves a rip-roaring diversion.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Lam, Laura : Goldilocks
(Orbit 978-0-316-46286-0, $27, 352pp, hardcover, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780316462891
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781549131141

SF novel about the all-female crew of an interstellar expedition to a planet in the Goldilocks Zone of its star.
• Orbit’s site has this excerpt.
• Hachette’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishsers Weekly review concludes, “This deeply felt space opera will please those who like their sci-fi to focus more on the characters than the science.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Palmer, Suzanne : Driving the Deep
(DAW 978-0-7564-1506-8, $27, 432pp, hardcover, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780756415129
• The Finder Chronicles #2

SF novel, second in a series following Finder (2019), about interstellar repo man and professional finder Fergus Ferguson.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with a preview function.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Fergus makes an endearing hero as he fights for those he cares about, but his special ability to produce electricity—granted by alien bioware installed in his body in the previous book—is overused, conveniently getting him out of one too many jams. This serviceable entry maintains the series’ charm but loses some of its momentum.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Walker, Adrian J. : The Human Son
(Solaris 978-1-78108-788-6, $11.99, 380pp, trade paperback, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 28 Apr 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781786183002

SF novel in which humanoids called Erta have taken over the Earth 500 years in the future, and their plan to raise one human child to see if humanity is worthy of reclaiming the world.
• Solaris’ site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Walker’s argument is decidedly stacked in favor of human nature, but the novel does not shy away from depicting the greed, cruelty, and lack of forethought that led to the devastated Earth. This impressive, surprisingly hopeful take is as rigorous as a thought experiment as it is delightful as pure entertainment.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Wells, Martha : Network Effect
(Tor.com 978-1-250-22986-1, $26.99, 352pp, hardcover, May 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 5 May 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250229847
• The Murderbot Diaries #5

SF novel, fifth in a series after All Systems Red (2017, Hugo and Locus award winner), Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, and Exit Strategy (all 2018), about a self-aware humanoid robot.
• Macmillan’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• Carolyn Cushman reviewed it in the April issue of Locus Magazine: “Murderbot’s quirky point-of-view remains consistently entertaining, despite some oddly chatty bits and lots of flashbacks, mixed with intense action sequences to produce an ultimately affecting tale of Murderbot’s continuing efforts to figure out who it is and what it wants…”

• 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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