New Books : 8 December 2020
BLACK MOON, RED HANDS, a world of horror, and tigers! Check out this week’s list of new books.
New books this week are by Eugen Bacon, Michel Faber, Christopher Golden, James D. Jenkins & Ryan Cagle, Nghi Vo, and Walter Jon Williams.
* Bacon, Eugen : Black Moon
(IFWG Publishing Australia 978-1925956658, $21.99, 72pp, trade paperback, December 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Dec 2020
Collection of flash fiction, illustrated by Elena Betti.
• The publisher’s site has this description.
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Bacon, Eugen : Ivory’s Story
(NewCon 978-1-912950-77-5, $12.99, 154pp, trade paperback, December 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Dec 2020
Fantasy novel about an African Australian detective, cursed by a demon, pursuing a serial killer in Sydney.
• The publisher’s site has this description with blurbs and quotes from reviews.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Seasoned speculative fiction readers will be wowed by Bacon’s careful, layered worldbuilding, well-developed characters, and otherworldly atmosphere. This deserves a wide audience.”
• Katharine Coldiron reviewed it in the November issue of Locus Magazine: “Ivory’s Story is not a simple read, but it is a daring, rewarding read. Bacon demonstrates unusual virtuosity in tone and style and offers a rare book which is at once playful and meaningful, with well-calibrated touches of heartbreak.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Faber, Michel : D (a Tale of Two Worlds)
(Hanover Square 978-1-335-91674-7, $27.99, 304pp, hardcover, December 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Dec 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780369702265
Fantasy novel about a morning when the letter D disappears from language.
• The publisher’s site has this description with a blurb from Neil Gaiman.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Dicky and Nelly enter wintry Liminus from a Chronicles of Narnia-esque portal and see Ds carried aloft by dragonflies. A catlike Drood character helps Dicky reclaim the letter D, while they work together to restore warmth to the frozen land. … This splendid tale will enchant readers of all ages.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Golden, Christopher : Red Hands
(St. Martin’s 978-1-250-24630-1, $27.99, 320pp, hardcover, December 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Dec 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250246318
• Ben Walker #-
Supernatural thriller, third in a series following Ararat (2017) and The Pandora Room (2019), about weird science expert Ben Walker and a woman afflicted by a killing touch.
• Macmillan’s site has this description with an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Golden again maintains engagement by making even secondary characters feel real and well-rounded. Series fans will be pleased by this solid installment.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Jenkins, James D., & Ryan Cagle, eds. : The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories: Vol. I
(Valencourt 978-1-948405-64-5, $19.99, 428pp, trade paperback, December 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Dec 2020
Anthology of 21 horror stories, all but one appearing in English for the first time, from 19 countries on 5 continents and originally written in 13 different languages.
• The publisher’s site has this description with quotes from reviews and the table of contents.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Jenkins and Cagle cast their net wide to cull stories that would distinguish any compilation in which they appeared. This book is a must for horror fans and the start of an exciting new series.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Vo, Nghi : When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain
(Tor.com 978-1-25078-613-5, $15.99, 126pp, trade paperback, December 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Dec 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9781250786166
• The Singing Hills Cycle #2
Fantasy novella, second book set in the world of The Empress of Salt and Fortune (March 2020), about a cleric who keeps a band of tigers at bay by telling the human version of a famous tiger legend.
• Macmillan’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides previews.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Readers who missed Vo’s debut will have no trouble following the second leg of Chih’s travels, and those returning will be pleased to sink into another lush, sophisticated story of queer love and survival.”
• Purchase this book from Amazon | Indiebound
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* Williams, Walter Jon : Fleet Elements
(Harper Voyager 978-0-06-246704-1, $16.99, 512pp, trade paperback, December 2020)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 8 Dec 2020
• Ebook ISBN [link to Amazon Kindle edition]: 9780062467065
• Audiobook ISBN [link to Amazon]: 9780063034273
• Praxis #2
Military SF novel, second in a trilogy following The Accidental War (2018), set in the author’s Praxis universe.
• HarperCollins’ site has this description with a sample.
• Publishers Weekly gives it a starred review: “Williams never lets the tense action sequences overwhelm the complex inner struggles of his characters…. Newcomers will have no problem getting oriented in this rip-roaring sci-fi world, and returning readers will be thrilled to dive back in.”
• Russell Letson reviewed it in the November issue of Locus Magazine: “…perhaps I should call the series ‘multi-conventional,’ since, while the packaging and promotional language correctly signal ‘space opera’ and ‘military SF,’ the books also include strong elements of romance (if not romantic comedy), novel-of-manners, and even crime/intrigue-thriller.”
• 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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