New & Notable, November 2024
Brom, Evil in Me (Nightfire 9/24) A woman who dreams of making it in the punk scene gets possessed, and the only way to exorcize the demon is to get hundreds of people to chant a spell together in this dark tale of music and mayhem. This author shows off his noted artistic talent as well with b&w illustrations throughout and eight pages of full-color plates.
P. Djèlí Clark, The Dead Cat Tail Assassins (Tordotcom 8/24) Eveen, a memory-wiped member of a guild of dead (well, resurrected) assassins, faces revelations that shake her loyalty in this richly-detailed adventure in the fascinating city of Tal Abisi, ‘‘far more textured than a generic fantasy stage setting, just as Eveen is far more complex than most of those lurking assassins who have become nearly an archetype of fantasy novels and games.’’ [Gary K. Wolfe]
Ellen Datlow, ed., Fears (Tachyon 9/24) The chills that come from within the mind dominate in this anthology from acclaimed editor Datlow, who has selected 21 stories of psychological horror from an impressive roster of authors including Laird Barron, Simon Bestwick, Stephen Graham Jones, Margo Lanagan, Josh Malerman, Stewart O’Nan, Joyce Carol Oates, and Priya Sharma.
Joanne Harris, The Moonlight Market (Pegasus 7/24) An unaware photographer pursues a striking woman into a magical alternate world in the heart of London in this enchanting urban fantasy/modern fairytale novel set in a city caught in the middle of a war between the Butterfly and Moth kingdoms over a long-lost love.
T.J. Klune, Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Tor 9/24) This charming fantasy novel, sequel to the much-loved The House in the Cerulean Sea, returns to the story of the headmaster of a strange orphanage, who hopes to adopt the magical kids, but now finds himself facing difficult questions about his past, and dealing with a new child who calls himself a monster.
Ian McDonald, The Wilding (Gollancz UK) Noted SF writer McDonald takes a stab at an ecological fable mixed with folk horror. A rookie ranger at a rewilded peat bog in Ireland, helping with a sleepover for teens, finds local myths seeming to come true when the camp is attacked. ‘‘While we learn a good deal about the history, culture, and earlier economic exploitation of Ireland’s great bogs, the tone is consistently closer to folk horror than to SFnal speculation. And it’s pretty effective folk horror at that.’’ [Gary K. Wolfe]
Premee Mohamed, The Rider, the Ride, the Rich Man’s Wife (Absinthe Books 7/24) A teen’s efforts to save his twin from being sacrificed result in a thrilling, post-apocalyptic fantasy novella that mixes Wild West elements with the Wild Hunt of fairy tales.
Leslye Penelope, Daughter of the Merciful Deep (Redhook 6/24) This historical fantasy novel follows a mostly mute young woman living in an all-Black town in 1935, who worries that her town is threatened by flooding from a new dam, and learns of an underwater Black utopia of gods and magic that could save the community – at a price. ‘‘An emotional story full of heart and adventure… that sheds light on an overlooked part of our history.’’ [Alex Brown]
Sarah Pinsker, Haunt Sweet Home (Tordotcom 9/24) Pinsker gives the haunted house story a twist in this ‘‘soft horror’’ novella about a ghost-hunting home-makeover reality TV show where at least one haunt turns out to be real. Pinsker nails ‘‘with a sharp satirical eye the portentous, kitschy narration, and false camaraderie of reality TV… consistently compelling.’’ [Gary K. Wolfe]
Michael Shea, Momma Durtt (Hippocampus 7/24) This creepy Lovecraftian eco-horror novel was expanded from a 2012 novelette (included) as the author’s unpublished master’s thesis. It follows the increasingly bizarre happenings around the Quicksilver Mine in California, where dead bodies are being dumped, and strange sounds and smells come from the depths. The novel definitely improves on the novelette: ‘‘With a bevy of colorful characters (including various vehicles), a more muted Lovecraftian connection, and much more room for Shea’s vibrant writing, Momma Durtt becomes far more entertaining and relevant.’’ [Paula Guran]
Adrian Tchaikovsky, Alien Clay (Orbit US 9/24; Tor UK 3/24) This far-future SF novel follows a dissident professor of ecology dumped in a prison camp on a far-off planet (with its own fascinating eco-system) to help investigate mysterious structures built by unknown beings. Scientific discoveries, rebellion, and adventure on this deadly planet keeps things lively, while philosophical ideas about tyranny add depth, all leading up to a ‘‘final resolution, which must remain behind the Spoiler Curtain but is simultaneously literal and metaphorical, uncomfortable and satisfying.’’ [Russell Letson]
From the November 2024 issue of Locus.
While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field.
©Locus Magazine. Copyrighted material may not be republished without permission of LSFF.
