New Books: 2 November 2021
Bardot, Charlatan, Guignard, Eric J., eds.: Professor Charlatan Bardot’s Travel Anthology to the Most (Fictional) Haunted Buildings in the Weird, Wild World (2021 Edition) 
(Dark Moon 978-1-949491-48-7, $19.95, 423pp, formats: trade paperback, hardcover, November 2, 2021)
Anthology of 63 pieces (27 stories and 36 microfictions) about haunted places around the world. Preface by Guignard, introduction by Bardot. Authors of short stories include Eugen Bacon, Ramsey Campbell, Terry Dowling, Jeffrey Ford, S. Qiouyi Lu, Lisa Morton, Joe R. Lansdale, Kaaron Warren, Illustrated by Steve Lines and James Gabb. Includes a list of novels of haunted buildings (not houses), and an interview with Bardot conducted by Guignard.
Farland, David, ed.: L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 37 
(Galaxy 978-1-61986-701-7, $15.95, 448pp, formats: trade paperback, ebook, November 2, 2021)
Original anthology of 26 original stories by contest winners, illustrated by artist contest winners, plus bonus short stories from L. Ron Hubbard, Jody Lynn Nye, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. This also has writing and art tips by L. Ron Hubbard, Orson Scott Card, and Craig Elliott.
Gannon, Charles E.: This Broken World 
(Baen 978-1-9821-2571-4, $25.00, 608pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, November 2, 2021)
Fantasy novel, the first in the Vortex of Worlds trilogy. Young prince Druadan gets assigned to a group that watches nearby kingdoms, and begins to realize much of his world seems impossible.
Hackwith, A.J.: The God of Lost Words 
(Ace 978-1-9848-0641-3, $17.00, 368pp, formats: trade paperback, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Contemporary fantasy novel, the second in the Hell’s Library/Library of the Unwritten series about former librarian Claire Hadley. Now that the true nature of unwritten books has been discovered, Hell will be coming for every wing of the Library.
Hall, Sarah: Burntcoat 
(HarperCollins/Custom House 978-0-06-265710-7, $27.99, 224pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Near-future SF novel of art and love during a global pandemic more deadly than COVID-19.
Maresca, Marshall Ryan: An Unintended Voyage 
(DAW 978-0-7564-1675-1, $18.00, 400pp, formats: trade paperback, ebook, November 2, 2021)
Fantasy novel, part of the Maradaine universe. Constabulary Sergeant Corrie Welling, abducted and confined on a ship, escapes only to find herself stuck on the other of the world.
Marske, Freya: A Marvellous Light 
(Tordotcom 978-1-250-78887-0, $27.99, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Queer fantasy novel set in an alternate Edwardian England, the first in the Last Binding trilogy. A baronet stumbles on a magical secret society and meets surly Edwin Courcey.
Marske builds a good mystery, but what we want to know about, what keeps the pages turning, is the evolving relationship between Robin and Edwin. The men’s love affair consumes most of the emotional space from the middle of the novel onward. It’s passionate, it’s way hot, and it doesn’t leave much room for anything else.
Will they get together? Will they stay together? Outside the romance genre, it’s rare to see this level of attention and sensuous fervor given to a love affair. Though it reduces the impact of the action, it isn’t disappointing, and, in this reader’s opinion, cushions the ending, which, if I didn’t love Robin and Edwin’s love so much, and, if I didn’t know A Marvellous Light was the first in a series, would have let me down.
—Caren Gussoff Sumption, Locus, November 2021
Martin, George R.R., et al.: A Clash of Kings: The Graphic Novel: Volume Three 
(Penguin Random House/Bantam 978-0-593-15832-6, $28.00, 192pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, November 2, 2021)
Third volume of the four part full-color graphic adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s A Clash of Kings, by author Landry Q. Walker and illustrator Mel Rubi.
McLean, Robin: Pity the Beast 
(And Other Stories 978-1913505141, $25.95, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Post-apocalyptic revenge novel with speculative elements, including prehistoric myth, data from 22nd-century extraterrestrials, and superintelligent telepathic mules. Ginny survives a gang rape and tries to get revenge, but her rapists—husband and friends—pursue her in a posse.
Meyer, Marissa: Gilded 
(Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends 978-1-250-61884-9, $19.99, 512pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Young-adult fairytale dark fantasy novel based on the story of Rumpelstiltskin, the first in a duology. A cursed miller’s daughter and a ghost fight the evil king.
Newman, Kim: Something More Than Night 
(Titan Books US 9781789097719, $15.95, 342pp, formats: trade paperback, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Noir mystery mashup/horror novel with Raymond Chandler and Boris Karloff investigating murder in a 1930s Hollywood where monsters aren’t just in movies.
Nix, Garth: Terciel & Elinor 
(HarperCollins/Tegen Books 978-0-06-304932-1, $19.99, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Young-adult fantasy novel, the sixth in the Old Kingdom series, telling the love story of Sabriel’s parents.
Nwoka, Okezie: God of Mercy 
(Astra House 978-1-66260-083-8, $23.99, 304pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Africa-inspired fable/magical realism novel dealing with issues of colonialism in a story about an Igbo village girl who can fly, setting off conflict between family, villagers, and Christian missionaries arguing over whether it’s a curse or blessing from feuding gods.
Supreme beings, elders, and ancestors clash in Okezie Nwọka’s God of Mercy, a decolonized, magical realist novel about a young girl named Ijeọma who can fly. Uncertain if her power is a curse or a blessing from feuding gods, a cast of bitter family members, sage elders, and violent pastors attempt to uncover what her power means for their livelihoods while Ijeọma seeks this deeply troubling answer in exile. The power in this novel lies in protagonist Ijeọma, who seeks out her truth for herself.
—Maya C. James, Locus, November 2021
Palmer, Ada: Perhaps the Stars 
(Tor 978-0-7653-7806-4, $29.99, 608pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
SF novel, fourth in the Terra Ignota series. With the arch-criminal Mycroft nowhere to be found, his successor, Ninth Anonymous, must not only chronicle the discord of war, but attempt to restore order in a world spiraling closer to irreparable ruin.
Ross, Rebecca: Dreams Lie Beneath 
(HarperCollins/Quill Tree 978-0-06-301592-0, $17.99, 496pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Every new moon nightmare monsters come to life, with only wardens to protect the people. Clementine is about to become warden for her small town, when she’s drawn into a much larger conflict.
Willett, Edward, ed.: Shapers of Worlds Volume II 
(Shadowpaw Press 978-1-989398-28-9, $22.95, 544pp, formats: trade paperback, ebook, hardcover, November 2, 2021)
Anthology of 24 stories, 18 new, all by authors featured on The Worldshapers podcast during its second year. Authors with new stories include Kelley Armstrong, Marie Brennan, Garth Nix, Matthew Hughes, and Tim Pratt.
Williams, Tad: Brothers of the Wind 
(DAW 978-0-7564-1268-5, $28.00, 272pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Fantasy novella, a prequel to the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, set a thousand years before the events of The Dragonbone Chair.
Winawer, Melodie: Anticipation 
(Simon & Schuster/Gallery 978-1-982113-69-8, $16.99, 480pp, formats: trade paperback, ebook, audio, November 2, 2021)
Fantasy novel. Helen, a scientist vacationing in Greece, meets a man who’s lived for centuries, but he has a dangerous enemy willing to threaten Helen.
