New Books : 18 August 2020

New books this week are by Marie Brennan, Lisbeth Campbell, Marina J. Lostetter, Chris Mooney, K.J. Parker, and Emily Tesh.

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* Brennan, Marie : Driftwood
(Tachyon Publications 978-1-61696-346-0, $15.95, 224pp, trade paperback, August 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Fri 14 Aug 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 978-1-61696-347-7

Fantasy novel set in the author’s Driftwood universe about a post-apocalyptic realm where other worlds go to die.
• Tachyon’s site has this description and order page.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Brennan skillfully builds a multiplicity of worlds, painting each unique and fully developed culture with bold, minimalist strokes and, though readers don’t get to spend much time with any single character, rendering each member of the sprawling cast with impressive nuance and subtlety.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Campbell, Lisbeth : The Vanished Queen
(Saga 978-1-982141-29-5, $27.99, 496pp, hardcover, August 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 18 Aug 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781982141318
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781797110837

Fantasy novel, the author’s first novel, about a resistance movement against a king who had a former queen disappeared.
• Simon & Schuster’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “By situating Anza within a larger resistance movement, Campbell steers refreshingly clear of typical ‘chosen one’ tropes, instead illuminating the collective effort required for revolution while drawing pointed parallels to the current U.S. political climate. This competent, character-driven debut may not be splashy, but it is solid.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Lostetter, Marina J. : Noumenon Ultra
(Harper Voyager 978-0062895721, $16.99, 576pp, trade paperback, August 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 18 Aug 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780062895738
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9780063012936
• Noumenon #3

SF novel, third in a series following Noumenon (2017) and Noumenon Infinity (2018), about descendants of human settlers on an artifically created planet.
• HarperCollins’ site has this description with an audio sample.
• Publishers Weekly gave both earlier books starred reviews; of the second, it said: “The massive scope of the ideas, and the more than geological amounts of time involved, mean that the human element is somewhat secondary to the full sweep of the saga, but this doesn’t read as a weakness so much as a necessity. Lostetter remains at the forefront of innovation in hard science fiction.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Mooney, Chris : Blood World
(Berkley 978-0-593-19763-9, $27, 448pp, hardcover, August 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 18 Aug 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780593197653
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9780593213681

SF crime novel about a treatment for aging derived from the blood of carriers who become targets of blood cartels.
• Penguin Random House’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “While Mooney’s worldbuilding is underdone, he maintains suspense throughout, and even engenders empathy for a bad guy. Those looking for an SF variant on a familiar thriller trope—the dedicated undercover cop taking on a vicious drug network—will be rewarded.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Parker, K. J. : How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It
(Orbit 978-0-316-49867-8, $16.99, 400pp, trade paperback, August 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 18 Aug 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780316498654
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781549157868

Historical fantasy novel, sequel to Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (2019), about a theater impresario in a city under siege.
• Hachette’s site has this description.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Still, with Notker possessing all the charm, wit, and resourcefulness of a Shakespearean fool, readers are ensured a good time and a barrel of laughs to boot.”
• Adrienne Martini reviews it in the August issue of Locus Magazine: “That tight first person is one that Parker frequently uses, which is a feature rather than a bug because he is so good at it. While you know, ultimately, that the hero will save the day, his journey to doing so is a hoot and, occasionally, surprising.”

• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound

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* Tesh, Emily : Drowned Country
(Tor.com 978-1-250-75660-2, $13.99, 160pp, trade paperback, August 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 18 Aug 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250756596
• The Greenhollow Duology #2

Fantasy novella, second in a duology following Silver in the Wood (2019), about the Wild Man of Greenhollow, his “practical folklorist” mother, and former steward Tobias Finch.
• Macmillan’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “The creepy supernatural elements are pitch perfect, and the tender, frustrated romance between the dramatic Henry and taciturn Tobias shines. Tesh’s second outing is elegant, evocative, and irresistible.”

• 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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