A big week with a lot of the April Releases from the Penguin Imprints and the late March releases from The Black Library plus some other odds and ends:
The Lost (A Gaunt’s Ghost’s Omnibus [#3]) by Dan Abnett (Black Library 03/39/2010) – Abnett is not only one of the best selling Warhammer authors, but one of the UK’s best selling SF authors, period. This is the third omnibus collecting his best-selling Gaunt’s Ghosts series. I read the first omnibus, The Founding late last year and really enjoyed it.
The Tanith First-And Only are among the most legendary regiments of Imperial Guard and at their head stands Commissar Ibram Gaunt, unflinching in duty and unrelenting in combat. The Lost sees the very furure of the regiment in jeopardy as Gaunt battles the forces of Chaos the Sabbat Worlds, from rescue missions to the horrors of the battlefield, the Tanith First-And-Only must survive extreme dangers or be forever lost.
Hell Fire: (Corine Solomon #2) by Ann Aguirre (RocMass Market Paperback 04/06/2010) –Aguirre is consistent and fast, this is second in her ubiquitous “Urban Fantasy” series.
The second in the thrilling national bestselling series
As a handler, Corine Solomon can touch any object and know its history. It's too bad she can't seem to forget her own. With her ex-boyfriend Chance in tow-lending his own supernatural brand of luck-Corine journeys back home to Kilmer, Georgia, in order to discover the truth behind her mother's death and the origins of "gift".
But while trying to uncover the secrets in her past, Corine and Chance find that something is rotten in the state of Georgia. Inside Kilmer's borders there are signs of a dark curse affecting the town and all its residents-and it can only be satisfied with death...
Directive 51 by John Banes (Ace Hardcover 04/06/2010) – I’ve only read one book by Barnes and it was a few years ago (The Duke of Uranium), this one has an interesting description:
Heather O'Grainne is the Assistant Secretary in the Office of Future Threat Assessment, investigating rumors surrounding something called "Daybreak." The group is diverse and radical, and its members have only one thing in common-their hatred for the "Big System" and their desire to take it down.
Now, seemingly random events simultaneously occurring around the world are in fact connected as part of Daybreak's plan to destroy modern civilization-a plan that will eliminate America's top government personnel, leaving the nation no choice but to implement its emergency contingency program...Directive 51.
The Devil's Playground (The Morgan Kingsley Series #5) by Jenna Black (Dell Mass Market Paperback 03/23/2010) – Urban fantasy series about an exorcist :
Morgan Kingsley, a kick-ass exorcist, can deal with Lugh, the supersexy demon living inside her, but does he have to moan softly during her intimate moments with her mortal lover? Understandably, Brian is reluctant to share the pleasures of Morgan’s flesh with a gorgeous rogue from the Demon Realm.
But personal matters will have to wait when the opportunistic owner of the Seven Deadlies demon club in Philadelphia enlists Morgan’s help in heading off a crisis: It seems that demons have started showing up at the hot spot in alarming numbers and in the unwilling bodies of rough trade club-goers. Morgan is sure that Dougal, Lugh’s sworn enemy, is behind this, but why? To find out, Morgan must summon every ounce of power at her command—or risk becoming just another casualty in an all-out demon war.
Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson Book Five) by Patrica Briggs (Ace Hardcover 3/30/2010) – I gave the fourth book in the series a try last yearand I just didn’t connect with the book. The series is a huge hit and consistently hits the best seller lists
All-new action in the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series
When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...
Spellwright (Book 2 of he Spellwright Trilogy #1) by Blake Charlton (Tor Paperback 03/02/2010) – Considerable buzz and chatter has preceded the release of this anticipated debut.
Nicodemus is a young, gifted wizard with a problem. Magic in his world requires the caster to create spells by writing out the text . . . but he has always been dyslexic, and thus has trouble casting even the simplest of spells. And his misspells could prove dangerous, even deadly, should he make a mistake in an important incantation.
Yet he has always felt that he is destined to be something more than a failed wizard. When a powerful, ancient evil begins a campaign of murder and disruption, Nicodemus starts to have disturbing dreams that lead him to believe that his misspelling could be the result of a curse. But before he can discover the truth about himself, he is attacked by an evil which has already claimed the lives of fellow wizards and has cast suspicion on his mentor. He must flee for his own life if he’s to find the true villain.
But more is at stake than his abilities. For the evil that has awakened is a power so dread and vast that if unleashed it will destroy Nicodemus... and the world.
Mind Games (The Disillusionists Trilogy #1) by Carolyn Crane (Bantam Spectra Mass Market Paperback 03/23/2010) – An author with an alliterative name writes about an alliterative heroine, whose occupation/description is alliterative as well. This is a mix of superhero fiction and urban fantasy/paranormal romance that sounds a bit different:
JUSTINE KNOWS SHE’S GOING TO DIE. ANY SECOND NOW.
Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity’s worst criminals, and finally get the freedom from fear she’s always craved. End of problem.
Or is it? In Midcity, a dashing police chief is fighting a unique breed of outlaw with more than human powers. And while Justine’s first missions, including one against a nymphomaniac husband-killer, are thrilling successes, there is more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to two very different men, Justine is plunging deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets. With Packard’s help, Justine has freed herself from her madness—only to discover a reality more frightening than anyone’s worst fears.
A Magic of Dawn (The Nessantico Cycle Book Three) by S.L. Farrell (DAW Hardcover 3/23/2010)– This is the third and final book in Farrell’s acclaimed trilogy, the first of which, A Magic of Twilight, was the February Book of the Month in SFFWorld’s Fantasy Book Club:
The last chapter in the epic "richly imagined world (New York Times bestselling author George R.R. Martin)" of The Nessantico Cycle
Kraljica Allesandra sits on the Sun Throne of a much-diminished Holdings empire, while her son Jan rules the rival Coalition of Firenzcia. The schism between them threatens to tear apart the realm when they need solidarity the most. Facing powerful threats, from the rising influence of the Numetodo sect to the fundamentalist preacher Nico Morel-as well as the army of Tehuantin from across the sea- Allesandra and Jan must each find a pathway to survival for themselves and their people.
Nebula Awards Showcase 2010 edited by Bill Fawcett (Roc Trade Paperback 04/63/2009) – This would be the annual anthology collecting the stories from the previous year nominated for the Nebula Award:
The year's best science fiction and fantasy in one essential volume.
An annual commemoration, the Nebula Awards are presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America to those members whose imaginations refine and re-define the infinite storytelling possibilities found within the genre. The Nebula Awards Showcase represents the best of the best in fantasy in one indispensible collection.
This year's compilation includes stories by:
•Ursula K. LeGuin
•Catherine Asaro
•John Kessel
•Nina Kiriki Hoffman
•Harry Harrison, this year's Grandmaster
Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch (DAW Paperback 04/06/2010) – Paranormal Romance meets Alien/monster hunter.
How can a sexy marketing manager join forces with an Alpha Centauri male in Armani to save the planet-using hairspray, a Mont Blanc pen, and rock n' roll? Easy...
She's Touched by an Alien
Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt steps into the middle of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned ugly. And it only gets uglier when the man turns into a winged monster, straight out of a grade-Z horror movie, and goes on a killing spree. Though Kitty should probably run away, she springs into action to take the monster down.
In the middle of the chaos a handsome hunk named Jeff Martini appears, sent by the "agency" to perform crowd control. He's Kitty's kind of guy, no matter what planet he's from. And from now on, for Kitty, things are going to be sexy, dangerous, wild, and out of this world.
Nagash the Unbroken (Warhammer Time of Legends) by Mike Lee (Black Library Mass Market Paperback 02/23/2010) – Mike Lee is one of the bigger names in the roll call of Warhammer writers and this is the second in his look back at the old world of Warhammer.
The powerful necromancer Nagash, having suffered defeat on the battlefield at the hands of the priest kings, is forced to lick his wounds in the mountains of Nehekhara. Over time he rebuilds his strength and finds new allies in the skaven, mutant ratmen that live beneath the earth. In his new lair of Cripple Peak, the necromancer discovers something dark and powerful - warpstone. Coveted by the skaven, this magical rock could make the evil Nagash unstoppable... The Time of Legends series continues with the second book in the Rise of Nagash trilogy, an epic story of power and revenge for all lovers of dark fantasy and the World of Warhammer.
Starfinder (Book 1 of The Skylords by John Marco (DAW Hardcover 04/06/2010) – This is the mass market paperback version of the book I received twice last year. The book/series (Skylords) has a steampunkish feel, but is also a coming of age story. The book might have more of a YA appeal than his previous work. I enjoyed the book quite a bit, here’s part of my review:
Steam trains and electricity are rapidly changing the world. Moth of Calio is obsessed with the airships developed by his friend Fiona’s grandfather Rendor, and dreams of taking to the air one day like his heroes, the Skyknights.
But not everyone is happy to see humans reach the skies. For thousands of years, the mysterious and powerful race known as the Skylords have jealously guarded their heavenly domain. But Moth and Fiona are about to breach the magical boundary between the world of humans and the world of the Skylords.
WWW: Watch (WWW #2) by Robert J. Sawyer (Ace Hardcover 04/06/2010) – I read the first in the trilogy (WWW: Wake) last year and liked it VERY much, so I’ll be definitely jumping into this book:
Sixteen-year-old Caitlin Decter was born blind. But, thanks to an implant in her head, she can now see the real world—and also see webspace, the structure of the World Wide Web. There, she’s found a nascent consciousness, which she’s helped bring forth, letting it, too, see the world for the first time.
The consciousness takes the name Webmind. Caitlin’s parents know about it, and so does WATCH, a secret US government agency that monitors terrorist activity on the Web (violating civil liberties as it does so). Caitlin is convinced that Webmind is benign, but her parents are afraid the public will view Webmind—which can now crack any password and read everyone’s email—as Big Brother.
Caitlin discovers that WATCH is on to them. She figures the best way to protect Webmind is by having it prove its benevolence to the world by eliminating all the spam from the Internet.
But Caitlin’s boyfriend accidentally reveals the secret of Webmind’s structure to WATCH. Armed with that information, the government tries to wipe out Webmind. Caitlin travels into webspace, helping Webmind overwhelm WATCH’s computers by redirecting all the billions of intercepted spam messages at them.
Webmind really is trying to help humanity, but Caitlin knows that they’ve only bought a little time. The dark forces of the government—the real Big Brother—will try again to wipe Webmind out. But Caitlin is determined to triumph: she’ll show them that her Big Brother can take their Big Brother.
Flesh and Iron (A Bastion’s War Novel / Warhammer 40K) by Henry Zou (Black Library Paperback 03/30/2010) – Zou is a newcomer to WH40K, this being his second book. The first received a fair amount of praise, plus this being a prequel has pushed it up the to-read pile
There are reports of an uprising on the planet of Solo-Baston. Indigenous forces are rebelling against Imperial rule, led by the mysterious 'Dos Pares.' Amidst the conflict, the 31st Riverine Imperial Guard are dispatched to seek and retrieve a vital piece of weaponry, but find themseleves beset on all sides by hostile forces. And what they orginally thought wasd simple tribal warfare soon reveals a much more sinister activity. Henry Zou's latest novel serves as a prequel to Emperor's Mercy and delivers non-stop action and mystery in the grim worls of Warhammer 40,000
The Lost (A Gaunt’s Ghost’s Omnibus [#3]) by Dan Abnett (Black Library 03/39/2010) – Abnett is not only one of the best selling Warhammer authors, but one of the UK’s best selling SF authors, period. This is the third omnibus collecting his best-selling Gaunt’s Ghosts series. I read the first omnibus, The Founding late last year and really enjoyed it.The Tanith First-And Only are among the most legendary regiments of Imperial Guard and at their head stands Commissar Ibram Gaunt, unflinching in duty and unrelenting in combat. The Lost sees the very furure of the regiment in jeopardy as Gaunt battles the forces of Chaos the Sabbat Worlds, from rescue missions to the horrors of the battlefield, the Tanith First-And-Only must survive extreme dangers or be forever lost.
Hell Fire: (Corine Solomon #2) by Ann Aguirre (RocMass Market Paperback 04/06/2010) –Aguirre is consistent and fast, this is second in her ubiquitous “Urban Fantasy” series.The second in the thrilling national bestselling series
As a handler, Corine Solomon can touch any object and know its history. It's too bad she can't seem to forget her own. With her ex-boyfriend Chance in tow-lending his own supernatural brand of luck-Corine journeys back home to Kilmer, Georgia, in order to discover the truth behind her mother's death and the origins of "gift".
But while trying to uncover the secrets in her past, Corine and Chance find that something is rotten in the state of Georgia. Inside Kilmer's borders there are signs of a dark curse affecting the town and all its residents-and it can only be satisfied with death...
Directive 51 by John Banes (Ace Hardcover 04/06/2010) – I’ve only read one book by Barnes and it was a few years ago (The Duke of Uranium), this one has an interesting description:Heather O'Grainne is the Assistant Secretary in the Office of Future Threat Assessment, investigating rumors surrounding something called "Daybreak." The group is diverse and radical, and its members have only one thing in common-their hatred for the "Big System" and their desire to take it down.
Now, seemingly random events simultaneously occurring around the world are in fact connected as part of Daybreak's plan to destroy modern civilization-a plan that will eliminate America's top government personnel, leaving the nation no choice but to implement its emergency contingency program...Directive 51.
The Devil's Playground (The Morgan Kingsley Series #5) by Jenna Black (Dell Mass Market Paperback 03/23/2010) – Urban fantasy series about an exorcist :Morgan Kingsley, a kick-ass exorcist, can deal with Lugh, the supersexy demon living inside her, but does he have to moan softly during her intimate moments with her mortal lover? Understandably, Brian is reluctant to share the pleasures of Morgan’s flesh with a gorgeous rogue from the Demon Realm.
But personal matters will have to wait when the opportunistic owner of the Seven Deadlies demon club in Philadelphia enlists Morgan’s help in heading off a crisis: It seems that demons have started showing up at the hot spot in alarming numbers and in the unwilling bodies of rough trade club-goers. Morgan is sure that Dougal, Lugh’s sworn enemy, is behind this, but why? To find out, Morgan must summon every ounce of power at her command—or risk becoming just another casualty in an all-out demon war.
Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson Book Five) by Patrica Briggs (Ace Hardcover 3/30/2010) – I gave the fourth book in the series a try last yearand I just didn’t connect with the book. The series is a huge hit and consistently hits the best seller listsAll-new action in the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series
When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...
Spellwright (Book 2 of he Spellwright Trilogy #1) by Blake Charlton (Tor Paperback 03/02/2010) – Considerable buzz and chatter has preceded the release of this anticipated debut.Nicodemus is a young, gifted wizard with a problem. Magic in his world requires the caster to create spells by writing out the text . . . but he has always been dyslexic, and thus has trouble casting even the simplest of spells. And his misspells could prove dangerous, even deadly, should he make a mistake in an important incantation.
Yet he has always felt that he is destined to be something more than a failed wizard. When a powerful, ancient evil begins a campaign of murder and disruption, Nicodemus starts to have disturbing dreams that lead him to believe that his misspelling could be the result of a curse. But before he can discover the truth about himself, he is attacked by an evil which has already claimed the lives of fellow wizards and has cast suspicion on his mentor. He must flee for his own life if he’s to find the true villain.
But more is at stake than his abilities. For the evil that has awakened is a power so dread and vast that if unleashed it will destroy Nicodemus... and the world.
Mind Games (The Disillusionists Trilogy #1) by Carolyn Crane (Bantam Spectra Mass Market Paperback 03/23/2010) – An author with an alliterative name writes about an alliterative heroine, whose occupation/description is alliterative as well. This is a mix of superhero fiction and urban fantasy/paranormal romance that sounds a bit different:JUSTINE KNOWS SHE’S GOING TO DIE. ANY SECOND NOW.
Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity’s worst criminals, and finally get the freedom from fear she’s always craved. End of problem.
Or is it? In Midcity, a dashing police chief is fighting a unique breed of outlaw with more than human powers. And while Justine’s first missions, including one against a nymphomaniac husband-killer, are thrilling successes, there is more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to two very different men, Justine is plunging deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets. With Packard’s help, Justine has freed herself from her madness—only to discover a reality more frightening than anyone’s worst fears.
A Magic of Dawn (The Nessantico Cycle Book Three) by S.L. Farrell (DAW Hardcover 3/23/2010)– This is the third and final book in Farrell’s acclaimed trilogy, the first of which, A Magic of Twilight, was the February Book of the Month in SFFWorld’s Fantasy Book Club:The last chapter in the epic "richly imagined world (New York Times bestselling author George R.R. Martin)" of The Nessantico Cycle
Kraljica Allesandra sits on the Sun Throne of a much-diminished Holdings empire, while her son Jan rules the rival Coalition of Firenzcia. The schism between them threatens to tear apart the realm when they need solidarity the most. Facing powerful threats, from the rising influence of the Numetodo sect to the fundamentalist preacher Nico Morel-as well as the army of Tehuantin from across the sea- Allesandra and Jan must each find a pathway to survival for themselves and their people.
Nebula Awards Showcase 2010 edited by Bill Fawcett (Roc Trade Paperback 04/63/2009) – This would be the annual anthology collecting the stories from the previous year nominated for the Nebula Award:The year's best science fiction and fantasy in one essential volume.
An annual commemoration, the Nebula Awards are presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America to those members whose imaginations refine and re-define the infinite storytelling possibilities found within the genre. The Nebula Awards Showcase represents the best of the best in fantasy in one indispensible collection.
This year's compilation includes stories by:
•Ursula K. LeGuin
•Catherine Asaro
•John Kessel
•Nina Kiriki Hoffman
•Harry Harrison, this year's Grandmaster
Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch (DAW Paperback 04/06/2010) – Paranormal Romance meets Alien/monster hunter.How can a sexy marketing manager join forces with an Alpha Centauri male in Armani to save the planet-using hairspray, a Mont Blanc pen, and rock n' roll? Easy...
She's Touched by an Alien
Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt steps into the middle of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned ugly. And it only gets uglier when the man turns into a winged monster, straight out of a grade-Z horror movie, and goes on a killing spree. Though Kitty should probably run away, she springs into action to take the monster down.
In the middle of the chaos a handsome hunk named Jeff Martini appears, sent by the "agency" to perform crowd control. He's Kitty's kind of guy, no matter what planet he's from. And from now on, for Kitty, things are going to be sexy, dangerous, wild, and out of this world.
Nagash the Unbroken (Warhammer Time of Legends) by Mike Lee (Black Library Mass Market Paperback 02/23/2010) – Mike Lee is one of the bigger names in the roll call of Warhammer writers and this is the second in his look back at the old world of Warhammer.The powerful necromancer Nagash, having suffered defeat on the battlefield at the hands of the priest kings, is forced to lick his wounds in the mountains of Nehekhara. Over time he rebuilds his strength and finds new allies in the skaven, mutant ratmen that live beneath the earth. In his new lair of Cripple Peak, the necromancer discovers something dark and powerful - warpstone. Coveted by the skaven, this magical rock could make the evil Nagash unstoppable... The Time of Legends series continues with the second book in the Rise of Nagash trilogy, an epic story of power and revenge for all lovers of dark fantasy and the World of Warhammer.
Starfinder (Book 1 of The Skylords by John Marco (DAW Hardcover 04/06/2010) – This is the mass market paperback version of the book I received twice last year. The book/series (Skylords) has a steampunkish feel, but is also a coming of age story. The book might have more of a YA appeal than his previous work. I enjoyed the book quite a bit, here’s part of my review:Steam trains and electricity are rapidly changing the world. Moth of Calio is obsessed with the airships developed by his friend Fiona’s grandfather Rendor, and dreams of taking to the air one day like his heroes, the Skyknights.
But not everyone is happy to see humans reach the skies. For thousands of years, the mysterious and powerful race known as the Skylords have jealously guarded their heavenly domain. But Moth and Fiona are about to breach the magical boundary between the world of humans and the world of the Skylords.
WWW: Watch (WWW #2) by Robert J. Sawyer (Ace Hardcover 04/06/2010) – I read the first in the trilogy (WWW: Wake) last year and liked it VERY much, so I’ll be definitely jumping into this book:Sixteen-year-old Caitlin Decter was born blind. But, thanks to an implant in her head, she can now see the real world—and also see webspace, the structure of the World Wide Web. There, she’s found a nascent consciousness, which she’s helped bring forth, letting it, too, see the world for the first time.
The consciousness takes the name Webmind. Caitlin’s parents know about it, and so does WATCH, a secret US government agency that monitors terrorist activity on the Web (violating civil liberties as it does so). Caitlin is convinced that Webmind is benign, but her parents are afraid the public will view Webmind—which can now crack any password and read everyone’s email—as Big Brother.
Caitlin discovers that WATCH is on to them. She figures the best way to protect Webmind is by having it prove its benevolence to the world by eliminating all the spam from the Internet.
But Caitlin’s boyfriend accidentally reveals the secret of Webmind’s structure to WATCH. Armed with that information, the government tries to wipe out Webmind. Caitlin travels into webspace, helping Webmind overwhelm WATCH’s computers by redirecting all the billions of intercepted spam messages at them.
Webmind really is trying to help humanity, but Caitlin knows that they’ve only bought a little time. The dark forces of the government—the real Big Brother—will try again to wipe Webmind out. But Caitlin is determined to triumph: she’ll show them that her Big Brother can take their Big Brother.
Flesh and Iron (A Bastion’s War Novel / Warhammer 40K) by Henry Zou (Black Library Paperback 03/30/2010) – Zou is a newcomer to WH40K, this being his second book. The first received a fair amount of praise, plus this being a prequel has pushed it up the to-read pileThere are reports of an uprising on the planet of Solo-Baston. Indigenous forces are rebelling against Imperial rule, led by the mysterious 'Dos Pares.' Amidst the conflict, the 31st Riverine Imperial Guard are dispatched to seek and retrieve a vital piece of weaponry, but find themseleves beset on all sides by hostile forces. And what they orginally thought wasd simple tribal warfare soon reveals a much more sinister activity. Henry Zou's latest novel serves as a prequel to Emperor's Mercy and delivers non-stop action and mystery in the grim worls of Warhammer 40,000
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