Featuring: Dan Abnett, Kaliane Bradley, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, P. Djèlí Clark, Katie M. Flynn, Max Gladstone, Kelly Link, Daniel Polansky, Nita Prose, David L. Roll, Alexander Sammartino, Stuart Turton

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Dan Abnett, THE END AND THE DEATH, VOLUME II (Black Library)

The final battle aboard the Warmaster’s flagship has begun in earnest, as Sanguinius defies his fate and the Dark Gods in an attempt to end his brother’s life, and the war along with it.

Terra is besieged. The outcome of the war lies on a knife edge. The Warmaster Horus’ bloody seven-year crusade has led to this – the cradle of humanity, where he is to kill his father, the Emperor.

With the war at this critical juncture, Sanguinius, primarch of the loyalist Blood Angels, braves the horrors of the Warmaster’s flagship, The Vengeful Spirit, with a single purpose in mind – to slay his brother Horus, decapitate the Heresy once and for all, and stop the forces of Chaos from taking Terra.

But at the whim of a Warmaster fallen so far from grace, the Dark Gods will not make Sanguinius’ task easy. As the war edges towards its explosive, bloody conclusion, events are about to unfold that could either save humanity or plunge it headlong into an eternity of darkness.

Part 2 of 3 in the final novel in the epic Horus Heresy series. (First it was expected to be a single volume, then two, and then — surprise! — three. Fair enough, there’s a LOT of stuff to be wrapped up.) Really looking forward to this book, which promises to finally cover a very particular tragedy… The End and the Death, Volume II is out now, published by Black Library in North America and in the UK.

Also on CR: Reviews of Horus Rising, Prospero Burns, Know No Fear, The Unremembered Empire, and Saturnine

Follow the Author: Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter

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Kaliane Bradley, THE MINISTRY OF TIME (Avid Reader Press)

A time travel romance, a speculative spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingeniously constructed exploration of the nature of truth and power and the potential for love to change it all: Welcome to The Ministry of Time…

In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible — for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.

She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machine,” “Spotify,” and “the collapse of the British Empire.” But he adjusts quickly; he is, after all, an explorer by trade. Soon, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a seriously uncomfortable housemate dynamic, evolves into something much more. Over the course of an unprecedented year, Gore and the bridge fall haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences they never could have imagined.

Supported by a chaotic and charming cast of characters — including a 17th-century cinephile who can’t get enough of Tinder, a painfully shy World War I captain, and a former spy with an ever-changing series of cosmetic surgery alterations and a belligerent attitude to HR — the bridge will be forced to confront the past that shaped her choices, and the choices that will shape the future.

An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks the universal question: What happens if you put a disaffected millennial and a Victorian polar explorer in a house together?

I first learned about this novel from a friend of the author’s, when we were visiting the UK. The premise caught my attention, and I’ve been keeping an eager eye open for any chance to request a review copy. Avid Reader Press were kind enough to approve my request (very quickly), and I’ll be reading this as soon as I can. The Ministry of Time is due to be published by Avid Reader Press in North America (May 7th, 2024) and Sceptre in the UK (May 14th).

Follow the Author: Goodreads, Twitter
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Suyi Davies Okungbowa, LOST ARK DREAMING (Tor.com)

Off the coast of West Africa, decades after the dangerous rise of the Atlantic Ocean, the region’s survivors live inside five partially submerged, kilometers-high towers originally created as a playground for the wealthy. Now the towers’ most affluent rule from their lofty perch at the top while the rest are crammed into the dark, fetid floors below sea level.

There are also those who were left for dead in the Atlantic, only to be reawakened by an ancient power, and who seek vengeance on those who offered them up to the waves.

Three lives within the towers are pulled to the fore of this conflict: Yekini, an earnest, mid-level rookie analyst; Tuoyo, an undersea mechanic mourning a tremendous loss; and Ngozi, an egotistical bureaucrat from the highest levels of governance. They will need to work together if there is to be any hope of a future that is worth living — for everyone.

Thought this sounded really interesting, so looking forward to giving it a try. I’ve enjoyed some of the author’s previous work, so have high hopes for this one as well. Lost Ark Dreaming is due to be published by Tor.com in North America and in the UK, on May 21st, 2024.

Also on CR: Interview with Suyi Davies Okungbowa (2019)

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky
Review copy received via NetGalley

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P. Djèlí Clark, THE DEAD CAT TAIL ASSASSINS (Tor.com)

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats.

Nor do they have tails.

But they are most assuredly dead.

Eveen the Eviscerator is skilled, discreet, professional, and here for your most pressing needs in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. Her guild is strong, her blades are sharp, and her rules are simple. Those sworn to the Matron of Assassins — resurrected, deadly, wiped of their memories — have only three unbreakable vows.

First, the contract must be just. That’s above Eveen’s pay grade.

Second, even the most powerful assassin may only kill the contracted. Eveen’s a professional. She’s never missed her mark.

The third and the simplest: once you accept a job, you must carry it out. And if you stray? A final death would be a mercy. When the Festival of the Clockwork King turns the city upside down, Eveen’s newest mission brings her face-to-face with a past she isn’t supposed to remember and a vow she can’t forget.

I first discovered P. Djèlí Clark’s work via his Dead Djinn Universe, and have been a happy follower of his work ever since. I was especially looking forward to trying this new novella, given how much I’ve enjoyed his past work. This book introduces a new world/setting, and it is excellent — I started reading the novella only a couple of days after receiving it, and it exceeded my high expectations. Full review soon. The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is due to be published by Tor.com in North America and in the UK, on April 23rd, 2024.

Also on CR: Interview with P. Djèlí Clark (2018); Reviews of The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and Ring Shout

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Katie M. Flynn, ISLAND RULE (Gallery/Scout Press)

A genre-bending collection of interconnected short stories in the tradition of Jennifer Egan and Karen Russell.

An angry mother turns into a literal monster. A company in San Francisco can scrub your entire reputation and create a new one… for a price. A failed actor on a reality show turns into an unlikely world savior. And much more.

Through each of these twelve interconnected stories, Katie Flynn masterfully blends people, places, and even realities.

I really enjoyed Flynn’s debut novel, The Companions, and had actually forgotten about the book until I saw this novel appear in the publisher’s catalogue. Looking forward to reading it as soon as I can. Island Rule is due to be published by Gallery/Scout Press in North America and in the UK, on March 5th, 2024.

Also on CR: Review of The Companions

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Max Gladstone, WICKED PROBLEMS (Tor.com)

Gods and lawyers battle for the soul of the world…

A deadly force has been unleashed into the world. With apocalypse on the horizon, a girl and a god have joined in order to turn back the coming end. Young, brash, and desperate, they are willing to destroy anything and everything that stands between them and their goals. The structures of the Craft are theirs to overturn, with billions of lives in the balance. And it is all Tara Abernathy’s fault.

The battle for the world of the Craft is heating up. A dead god will rise. A mountain will fall. Ancient fire will be stolen. And while Tara races to stop Dawn’s plans, the end draws ever closer, skittering across the stars to swallow the world. The Craft Wars enter their second stage in Wicked Problems.

This is the second novel in Gladstone’s Craft Wars series, following Dead Country. I’ve got a lot of Gladstone’s novels to catch up on (the Craft Wars series is set after the six novels in the Craft Sequence series…), but I do hope to get to this as soon as I can — I’ve heard only good things. Wicked Problems is due to be published by Tor.com in North America and in the UK, on April 9th, 2024.

Also on CR: Interview with Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar (2019)

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter
Review copy received via NetGalley

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Kelly Link, THE BOOK OF LOVE (AdAstra/Head of Zeus)

Laura, Daniel and Mo disappeared without trace a year ago. They have long been presumed dead.

Which they were.

But now they are not.

And it is up to the resurrected teenagers to discover what happened to them.

Revived by Mr Anabin – the man they knew as their high school music teacher – they are offered a chance to return to the mortal realm if they can solve solve the mystery of their deaths, learn how to use the magic they now possess, and identify the mysterious fourth soul that crossed back over with them.

This has been getting a lot of pre-publication buzz. I’ve read a few of Link’s short stories, but not as much as I would like. When I saw this available for review, I jumped at the chance. I hope to get to it pretty soon. The Book of Love is due to be published by AdAstra/Head of Zeus in the UK (February 8th, 2024) and Random House in North America (February 13th).

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Twitter
Review copy received via NetGalley

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Daniel Polansky, TOMORROW’S CHILDREN (Angry Robot)

Tomorrow, the funk descends on Manhattan – a noxious cloud which separates the island from the rest of the world and mutates the population.

Some generations on, the surviving population exists amid the rubble of modernity, wearing our cast-off clothing, worshipping celebrities as dim gods and using emojis in place or written language. The Island exists in a state of uneasy peace, with each neighborhood an independent fiefdom, protecting itself with scrap metal spears and Molotov cocktails.

But something new has come to the Island, the first tourist in centuries, and this uneasy equilibrium is about to shatter…

I’ve been a fan of Polansky’s fiction ever since his debut novel, Straight Razor Cure (Low Town in North America). Ever since, each new book — full-length novel, novella, or short story — has been a must-read for me. Really looking forward to reading this as soon as I can. Tomorrow’s Children is due to be published by Angry Robot Books in North America and in the UK, on February 27th, 2024.

Also on CR: Interview with Daniel Polansky (2011); Reviews of Straight Razor Cure/Low Town, Tomorrow the Killing, She Who Waits, The Builders, A City Dreaming, and The Seventh Perfection

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter
Review copy received from publisher

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Nita Prose, THE MYSTERY GUEST (Harper Collins)

A new mess.
A new mystery.
Molly the maid returns…

Molly Gray wears her Head Maid badge proudly for every shift at the Regency Grand Hotel, plumping pillows, sweeping up the guests’ secrets, silently restoring rooms to a state of perfection.

But when a renowned guest – a famous mystery writer – drops very dead in the grand tea room, Molly has an unusual clean-up on her hands.

As rumours and suspicion swirl in the hotel corridors, it’s clear there’s grime lurking beneath the gilt. And Molly knows that she alone holds the key to the mystery. But unlocking it means thinking about the past, about Gran, and everything else she’s kept tidied away in her memory for so long.

Because Molly knew the dead guest once upon a time – and he knew her…

I really enjoyed Prose’s debut novel, The Maid, and have been eagerly awaiting the follow-up ever since. I’ll be reading this very soon. The Mystery Guest is due to be published by Harper Collins in the UK (January 18th, 2024), and Ballantine in North America (November 28th, 2023).

Also on CR: Review of The Maid

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter
Review copy received via NetGalley

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David L. Roll, ASCENT TO POWER (Dutton)

The fascinating story behind the most consequential presidential transition in US history, from Franklin Roosevelt to Harry Truman, and the legacy Truman struggled to overcome to lead America into a new, post-war world

In 1944, Franklin Roosevelt selected as his next running mate a hardworking, uncontroversial senator from Missouri named Harry Truman. On April 12, 1945, Roosevelt died, and Truman, after only 82 days as vice president, was thrust into the presidency, a turning point that generations of historians have inexplicably addressed as shocking. Yet Roosevelt’s failing health had been plain to staffers for at least a year. With the end of his life looming, FDR met alone only twice with his vice president, and failed to brief him on domestic issues or foreign affairs, most notably his intentions for ending World War II, including the existence of the atomic bomb program. It was, as author David L. Roll contends, one of the most irresponsible oversights in presidential history.

As president, Truman was woefully unprepared. He immediately faced the surrender of Germany, a continent in ruins, and the decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan. Most significantly, the Soviet Union, an ally during the war, was growing increasingly hostile towards US power. Truman inherited FDR’s hope that peace could be maintained through cooperation with the Soviets, but he would soon learn that imitating his predecessor would lead only to missteps and controversy.

Spanning the years of transition, 1944 to 1948, Ascent to Power explores Roosevelt’s post-war illusions, and the very real challenges faced by Truman as a supposed “accidental president,” including the revival of Western Europe, the reform of Japan, and the hotly-debated birth of Israel. Detailing the long shadow cast by FDR, this remarkable book reveals Truman’s struggle to emerge as a president in his own right, and how the decisions made during these years of transition changed the world.

Every year, I help out with a university course on the Cold War, and the early years are always a tricky period to teach — students bring their opinions about contemporary America and transpose them on the 1940s version of the country, assuming they are one and the same, and that nothing has changed in the 80-ish years since the end of World War 2. As a result, I’m always on the lookout for new books about the period, and this one caught my attention. Very much looking forward to reading it soon. Ascent to Power is due to be published by Dutton in North America and in the UK, on April 23rd, 2024.

Follow the Author: Goodreads
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Alexander Sammartino, LAST ACTS (Scribner)

A rollicking, satirical debut novel about a gun-store-owning father and son forced to live together after a near-death experience — an unflinching look at the absurdities of contemporary capitalism and what it means to be a family in America today.

Even though his firearms store is failing, things are looking up for David Rizzo. His son, Nick, has just recovered after a near-fatal overdose, which means one thing: Rizzo can use Nick’s resurrection to create the most compelling television commercial for a gun emporium that the world has ever seen. After all, this is America, Rizzo tells himself. Surely anything is possible. But the relationship between father and son is fragile, mired in mutual disappointment. And when the pair embarks on their scheme to avoid bankruptcy, a high stakes crash of hijinks, hope, and disaster ensues.

Featuring a cast of unforgettable characters, this razor-sharp social satire lays bare both the gun and opioid crises. Fans of Don DeLillo and Stephen Markley will be thrilled by this smart, inventive debut.

This novel has been getting a slowly-growing amount of buzz in advance of publication, and I thought it sounded exactly like something I’d enjoy. The publisher was kind enough to approve my request for a review copy. I’ll probably read it very soon, but hold off a bit on posting a review until December (maybe). Last Acts is due to be published by Scribner in North America on January 23rd, 2024, and will be available also in the UK.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Stuart Turton, THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD (Raven Books)

Solve the murder to save what’s left of the world.

Outside the island there is nothing: the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island: it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.

Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.

If the murder isn’t solved within 92 hours, the fog will smother the island – and everyone on it.

But the security system has also wiped everyone’s memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer – and they don’t even know it…

One of my most-anticipated novels of 2024! Very happy to have received an early review copy. I’ll be reading it very soon. The Last Murder at the End of the World is due to be published by Raven Books in the UK (March 28th, 2024) and Sourcebooks Landmark in North America (May 21st).

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter
Review copy received via NetGalley