New Books : 22 September 2020
Alternate universes are sure to intrude on your reality through this week’s books with AND THE LAST TRUMP WILL SOUND, THE LEFT-HANDED BOOKSELLERS OF LONDON, and THE DOORS OF EDEN.
New books this week include an anthology of original novellas by Harry Turtledove, James Morrow, and Cat Rambo, and novels and collections by Scott Edelman, Garth Nix, Daniel Polansky, Adrian Tchaikovsky, K.S. Villoso, Natalie Zina Walschots, and Jeff Wheeler.
* Anonymous, ed. : And the Last Trump Shall Sound: A Future History of America
(Arc Manor/Caezik SF & Fantasy 978-1-64710-005-6, $16.99, 248pp, trade paperback, September 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: B086Q1M8VQ
Anthology of three original novellas, by Harry Turtledove, James Morrow, and Cat Rambo, set after Trump’s death in 2024, when Mike Pence has become president and three western states have seceded from the union.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “For the liberal reader, these novellas will serve as well-crafted nightmare fuel.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Edelman, Scott : Things That Never Happened
(Cemetery Dance 978-1-58767-774-8, $17, 302pp, trade paperback, September 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: B08DW4W9LG
Collection of 13 stories. The author provides story notes at the end of the book.
• The publisher’s site has this description.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Edelman’s subtle surrealism and simple prose will keep readers engrossed.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Nix, Garth : The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
(Katherine Tegen Books 978-0-06-268325-0, $19.99, 416pp, hardcover, September 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780062683274
Young adult fantasy novel, set in an alternate 1983 London, about a girl’s search for her father in a world where left-handed booksellers (the fighters) and right-handed booksellers (the intellectuals) police the modern world for intrusions from the Old World.
• HarperCollins’ site has this description with a link to a sample.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Nix builds meta mentions of genre greats into his tale, which marries fey elements and spectacular bookshops with booksellers who wield mystical artifacts, cold steel, and magic. Though the plotting covers well-trod ground, unflappable Susan and wonderfully costumed, magically gender-fluid Merlin make for a fantasy that genre fans, teen or adult, won’t want to miss.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Polansky, Daniel : The Seventh Perfection
(Tordotcom 978-1-250-76756-1, $14.99, 174pp, trade paperback, September 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250767578
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781250767646
Fantasy novel about a woman, amanuensis to the God-King, who has perfect memory.
• Macmillan’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “While readers will crave more details about this world, the unique, challenging way the mystery unfolds presents a delightful puzzle. This is sure to impress.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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+ Tchaikovsky, Adrian : The Doors of Eden
(Orbit 978-0-316-70580-6, $17.99, 640pp, trade paperback, September 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780316705783
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781549106361
SF novel about the disappearance and return of a girl on Bodmin Moor and the investigator who discovers cracks between our world and parallel Earths.
• Hachette’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The UK hardcover edition was published August 20th.
• The Publishers Weekly review begins, “Tchaikovsky (Children of Ruin) examines alternate dimensions and speculative evolution in this tropey, entertaining sci-fi adventure that’s both outrageously bizarre and utterly convincing.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Villoso, K. S. : The Ikessar Falcon
(Orbit 978-0-316-53271-6, $16.99, 640pp, trade paperback, September 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780316532693
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9781549104886
• Chronicles of the B*tch Queen #2
Fantasy novel, second in a trilogy following The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Feb. 2020), about the queen of a divided land who struggles to unite her people.
• Hachette’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Villoso crafts believable, complex characters and spices up the politics with dragons and magic. Fantasy readers will enjoy this intricate epic and be pleased by the broadening scope of the series.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Walschots, Natalie Zina : Hench
(William Morrow 978-0-06-297857-8, $27.99, 416pp, hardcover, September 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780062978592
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9780062978608
Fantasy superhero novel, the author’s first novel, about a woman who works for an agency that hires out “henches,” minions for evildoers.
• HarperCollins’ site has this description with a sample.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Walschots playfully pokes at both office politics and comic book absurdity while offering gripping action and gut-wrenching body horror. The inventive premise, accessible heroine, and biting wit will have readers eager for more from this talented author.”
• Paul Di Filippo’s review for Locus Online will be posted soon.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Wheeler, Jeff : The Immortal Words
(Amazon/47north 978-1542015073, $14.95, 347pp, trade paperback, September 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: B083DT9GBT
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 978-1713506737
• The Grave Kingdom #3
Fantasy novel, third in a series following The Killing Fog (March 2020) and The Buried World (June 2020), about a mercenary whose mission to retrieve treasures from a lost palace awakens an ancient evil emperor.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• Publishers Weekly said of the previous book, “Fans of Wheeler’s work and Asian-influenced fantasy will find this a worthy outing.”
• 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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