New & Notable Books, January 2021
Aliette de Bodard, Seven of Infinities (Subterranean 10/20) A scholar investigates murder in a house designed by an architect fond of puzzles in this engaging far-future SF mystery novella set in the Xuya universe. “It’s a tightly written jewel of a story, intense and full of feeling, and I recommend it highly.” [Liz Bourke]
Scott Edelman, Things that Never Happened (Cemetery Dance 9/20) Edelman’s latest collection offers 13 eerie and engrossing horror stories, with comments on each by the noted author/editor.
Paula Guran, The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, Volume One (Pyr 10/20) Guran’s year’s best anthology series continues with its first volume from Pyr, after ten previously from Prime, with 25 stories from 2019. The impressive line-up of authors includes Pat Cadigan, Theodora Goss, Ellen Klages, Ken Liu, Carmen Maria Machado, Sam J. Miller, Joyce Carol Oates, and Rivers Solomon.
Peter F. Hamilton, The Saints of Salvation (Del Rey 11/20) Hamilton’s latest rousing space opera novel brings fascinating technology and stirring battles to this triumphant conclusion to the Salvation Sequence trilogy. First published in the UK by Macmillan.
R.F. Kuang, The Burning God (Harper Voyager US 11/20) Kuang brings her historical fantasy series, begun in The Poppy War, to a triumphant conclusion. “Sticking the landing of an acclaimed trilogy that has garnered multiple nominations in its field?… R.F. Kuang does it beautifully.” [Elsa Sjunneson]
Lisa Mason, Oddities (Bast Books 11/20) This second collection from Mason gathers 22 stories, six new, ranging from the past to the future, plus a healthy helping of fantasy, with comments on the origins of each.
Dolores Reyes, Eartheater (HarperVia 11/20) Magical realism mystery about a woman who gets visions from eating soil in this magical realism mystery novel, a first novel getting a lot of buzz. “Eartheater is a powerful debut that tackles the challenging, distressing subject of sexual violence with a nuance and humanity that is deeply felt.” [Ian Mond]
Brandon Sanderson, Rhythm of War (Tor 11/20) The tides of war shift with new technologies in this fourth epic fantasy novel in the Stormlight Archive saga, part of the overall Cosmere series.
Gavriel Savit, The Way Back (Knopf 11/20) Two Eastern European teens travel through the Far Country, the land of demons, in this young-adult historical fantasy novel based on Jewish folklore, which has been getting considerable critical praise.
James Van Pelt, The Best of James Van Pelt (Fairwood Press 11/20) This hefty collection offers 62 stories, 11 not previously collected, chosen as the best from 30 years of writing by an author both “very prolific, and quietly excellent.” [Rich Horton]
Yoss, Red Dust (Restless Books 7/20) The positronic robot Raymond hunts down a fugitive on a space station in this humorous SF space opera detective novel, an homage to Raymond Chandler. The latest book from this popular Cuban SF writer to be come out in English, translated by David Frye. “An entertaining yarn… It’s a privilege to read the work of a writer as inventive and erudite as Yoss.” [Ian Mond]
This and more like it in the January 2021 issue of Locus.
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