Upcoming: THE BLACK DREAM by Col Buchanan (Tor UK)

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BuchananC-HotW3-BlackDreamIf you have been reading CR for a while, you may have caught my reviews of the first two novels in Col Buchanan‘s Heart of the World series, Farlander (2010) and Stands a Shadow (2011). The short version of both of my reviews is, “I love this series.” It is with quite some measure of excitement, therefore, that I learned a little while ago that the third volume in the series, The Black Dream, is finally coming out! Tor UK will be publishing the novel on March 12th, 2015. The cover was unveiled earlier today, alongside new covers for the first two in the series (at end). First, here’s the synopsis:

As the empire of Mann threatens the world with enslavement, only a single island nation continues to stand in its way – the Free Ports of the democras. For ten years they have held their own, but now the empire draws its noose even tighter over them.

Rallying to its defence are those from the secretive network known as the Few, including the cripple and troubleshooter Coya Zeziké. Coya has hopes of enlisting the forest contrarè in the aid of the besieged city of Bar-Khos. With him is Shard, the only Dreamer of the Free Ports, a woman capable of manipulating waking reality or the strange dimensions of the Black Dream.

The Roshun order of assassins have also engaged in the war at last. But Ash, their ailing farlander, has more urgent business to overcome. Facing him is a skyship voyage into the Great Hush, then further journeying to the fabled Isles of Sky, where he hopes bring his dead apprentice Nico back to life. Yet, his voyage into the unknown may save more than just Nico… it may save the Free Ports themselves.

Can’t wait to read this. Here are the new (top) and original covers for Farlander and Stands a Shadow:

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Also on CR: Interview with Col Buchanan

Review: TOUCH by Claire North (Redhook/Orbit)

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NorthC-TouchA triumphant second novel

Your violent death usually triggers the first switch.

Just before your life ebbs away, your skin happens to touch another human being – and in an instant, your consciousness transfers completely to the person you touched.

From that moment on, you can leap from body to body with a touch of the skin. You can remain for a minute, an hour, a lifetime, and after you leave, the host has no memory of the time you were there.

My name is Kepler. I could be you.

For me, the carefree life of jumping between bodies has become a terrifying nightmare. I am being hunted. I don’t know who. I don’t know why. If you’ve read this far, our lives have already touched. Now you are part of the conspiracy too.

Get ready to run.

Claire North’s debut, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, blew me away. It has easily become one of my favourite novels. It was with great anticipation and trepidation, therefore, that I began Touch. I needn’t have worried, though. This is another fantastic novel, one that gripped me from the beginning and didn’t let go. North is my new favourite author. Continue reading →

Review: THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA by Matthew Reilly (Gallery/Orion)

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Reilly-GreatZooOfChinaUSA ferociously-paced action adventure

It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for 40 years. They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It will amaze the world.

Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed. A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time. Among them is Dr Cassandra Jane ‘CJ’ Cameron, a writer for National Geographic and an expert on reptiles.

The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong…

I’m a big fan of Matthew Reilly’s novels — they’re unashamedly fun, action-packed adventure stories writ large. There is always a lot of research behind the extravagant action, which keeps the story rooted in reality (slightly twisted on occasion, of course). Each new novel by the author is a very welcome addition to my library, and I have enjoyed each one I’ve read (I’ve fallen a bit behind, recently). The Great Zoo of China is no exception: this is an absolute blast of a read.

Continue reading →

The Strand’s 2015 Reading Resolutions…

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Strand-2015ReadingResolutionsMyke Cole tweeted a picture of a sign outside of New York’s magnificent Strand Bookstore (right), and it got me thinking: which books would I choose to meet these resolutions? Ordinarily, I find making resolutions of any kind a pointless task, as I will not stick to them (and likely not even try). But, the Strand’s list was interesting and so I thought I’d come up with some books that I could pick to follow them, should I wish to follow them. Which I still probably won’t. Here they are, in case the photo’s not clear enough:

  • Read a book that intimidates you
  • Read a book that is ~100 years old
  • Read a short story collection
  • Read a book before seeing the movie
  • Read a book you’ve lied about reading

The first is interesting. I’m rarely intimidated by a book, but I think I’d pick a massive novel and/or non-fiction title: so, maybe Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch and/or Robert A. Caro’s The Power Broker. I’ve started the latter, actually, and while it is excellent, its exhaustiveness is also a little exhausting in almost equal measures. Another novel could be James Clavell’s The Noble House: sequel to Tai-Pan which is one of the best books ever written (and easily one of my favourites, as well as the novel that got me reading properly). Not intimidating in terms of a single book, but maybe one of the epic Big Book fantasy series? Malazan Book of the Fallen, Stormlight Archive or Wheel of Time, perhaps? I’m interested in trying the first two, but to be honest not as interested as I am in reading many, many other series…

A book that is over 100 years old? Hm. I had thought of picking something by Virginia Woolf, but her most famous novels were all published less than 100 years ago — except, that is, for her debut, The Voyage Out (1915). I’d never heard of the novel, before looking up Woolf’s publication dates. It sounds kind of interesting, though:

The young Rachel Vinrance leaves England on her father’s ship, the Euphrosyne, on a voyage to South America. Despite being accompanied by her father and her aunt and uncle, Helen and Ridley Ambrose, the passage leads to Rachel’s awakening, both as a woman and as an individual. As the ship is wracked by storms, she finds herself romantically entangled with Richard Dalloway, an encounter that leaves her troubled and confused.

Upon arrival in Santa Marina, Rachel strikes off alone to contemplate her identity, and finds finds herself with the aspiring novelist Terence Hewet. As the emerging romance between the two is complicated by their disagreements about gender and art, another storm, and tragedy, appear on the horizon.

Other novels that could work: Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), John Hay’s Democracy (1880)…

Reading story collections isn’t really something that I’m new to, but I do read fewer anthologies than I do novels and novellas. I’m rather tempted by Benjamin Percy’s The Language of Elk and Refresh Refresh, though, as I loved Red Moon [review], and am so very excited for The Dead Lands.

Read the book before I see the movie? I’d hoped this would be Joe Hill’s Horns, but Alyssa gave me the movie for Christmas, so I feel we will end up watching it before I can read the novel. I could cheat, and point to Michael Lewis’s Flash Boys, which is being adapted for screen by Aaron Sorkin? But yeah, that’s a real big cheat… Oh, maybe Suzanne Collins’s Mockingjay? I’ve seen the first two movies, but never read the trilogy. I do have them already, too, so I don’t really have any excuse.

A book I’ve lied about reading…? I’ve never felt the need to lie about having read a book. If I haven’t read something, I don’t say I have, because that’s a) weird, and b) bound to lead to embarrassment. So I guess I get to skip this one. Or, I could change it to: “Read a book everyone else has read but you haven’t”? So I guess that would be most of the English Literature classics people were taught in class, but because my year was invariably an “experimental” one, we didn’t. There are so very many, so I won’t list them here. This one could double up with the over 100 years old resolution.

Which books would you pick, if you were following the Strand’s resolutions?

*

While I’m at it, if you haven’t read Myke’s novels, then you really should: Control Point, Fortress Frontier and Breach Zone make up his debut trilogy, Shadow Ops. Later this year, Ace Books (US) and Headline (UK) are publishing a stand-alone prequel, Gemini Cell. Military fantasy at its best, well worth checking out.

Also on CR: Reviews of Control Point, Fortress Frontier, Breach Zone; Interview with Myke Cole (2011); Influence & Inspirations Guest Post

Review: Black Library Short Stories

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Abnett-GG-ForgottenDan Abnett, FORGOTTEN

As they travel between warzones, veterans of the Tanith First and Only gather to tell tales and remember victories past. When it comes to Scout Sergeant Mkoll, his story, reluctantly told, is of a mist-shrouded battlefield in the night and a dangerous presence that lurked in the darkness, preying on the soldiers of the regiment. But just what horror could haunt the Ghosts?

A marvellous return for Gaunt’s Ghosts. Abnett’s (sub-)genre redefining series remains one of my favourites: he managed to update and improve on the established WH40k canon expertly. This short tale reunites us with a handful of fans’ favourite Ghosts, and simultaneously reminds us of how badass Mkoll really is. Forgotten is a perfect example of Abnett’s skill. I can’t wait to read Warmaster, the next novel in the series. It feels like so very long since last we spent any time with Ibram Gaunt and his regiment — Forgotten has completely reignited my interest in and anticipation for the series.

*

LeeM-NoneMoreLoyalMike Lee, NONE MORE LOYAL

Crimson Fists Sergeant Galleas and his squad are assigned to aid an inquisitor who hunts a notorious renegade Space Marine. Setting out to entrap the traitor, the Crimson Fists soon find themselves surrounded and in danger – and their enemy may know them as well as they know themselves, as an ancient and deadly secret is revealed.

This was a pretty good short story. The plot is balanced quite well, between action and… not-action (I wouldn’t go so far as to say “peace”). It’s an interesting premise, with a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming (although, looking back on it, one thing is a bit telegraphed — unless it’s just something I missed, being less familiar now with WH40k than I am with the Horus Heresy series). The ending wasn’t bad, but it could have been better, I think. There were a few moments when the pace and momentum dipped precipitously, which ended up robbing the story of some of its impact, so I think this could have been tighter. Nevertheless, a decent read with plenty of the elements that go into a very good WH40k story (or military sci-fi story in general).

*

ThorpeG-HH-ValueOfFearGav Thorpe, THE VALUE OF FEAR

The Raven Guard under Corax continue to gather all leaderless loyalists to their banner, determined to take the fight to Horus and his heretics. In the industrial nightmare of the underhive, the XIXth Legion receive a lesson in terror tactics from the most unlikely of allies – the Night Lords…

This was a very cool short story — uncluttered, focused, and original. I enjoyed the different approach to the story, the mix of Legions involved, not to mention the duelling approaches to war that appear diametrically opposed but could work in concert rather well. Very cool indeed, I wish there was more readily-available Heresy fiction from Thorpe (he’s written a couple of the limited edition novellas, which have yet to make the transition to eBook). Definitely recommended. I’m just sad it was not longer.

*

WraightC-HH-BrotherhoodOfTheMoonChris Wraight, BROTHERHOOD OF THE MOON

In the aftermath of the rebellion within his Legion, Jaghatai Khan ordered the trials of his wayward sons to determine whether or not they would atone. The proud Terran legionary Torghun Khan now stands before his accusers, and must account for the events that could have led him into outright heresy…

Picking up the story begun in Wraight’s Scars and Brotherhood of the Storm…, this is a pretty good extension. It doesn’t offer a huge amount of extra detail, nor greater understanding (it’s a little too vague and teaser-esque, really), but it is well-written and engaging throughout. If you’ve read and enjoyed Wraight’s aforementioned Horus Heresy stories, then I think you’ll enjoy this, too.

*

These short stories are currently available only through Black Library’s website: Forgotten, None More Loyal, The Value of Fear, Brotherhood of the Moon,

Excerpt: THINGS HALF IN SHADOW by Alan Finn (Gallery Books)

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FinnA-ThingsHalfInShadowToday, we have an excerpt from Alan Finn‘s Things Half in Shadow, a historical and supernatural thriller. Published by Gallery Books in the US today, here is the synopsis:

Postbellum America makes for a haunting backdrop in this historical and supernatural tale of moonlit cemeteries, masked balls, cunning mediums, and terrifying secrets waiting to be unearthed by an intrepid crime reporter.

The year is 1869, and the Civil War haunts the city of Philadelphia like a stubborn ghost. Mothers in black continue to mourn their lost sons. Photographs of the dead adorn dim sitting rooms. Maimed and broken men roam the streets. One of those men is Edward Clark, who is still tormented by what he saw during the war. Also constantly in his thoughts is another, more distant tragedy — the murder of his mother at the hands of his father, the famed magician Magellan Holmes… a crime that Edward witnessed when he was only ten.

Now a crime reporter for one of the city’s largest newspapers, Edward is asked to use his knowledge of illusions and visual trickery to expose the influx of mediums that descended on Philadelphia in the wake of the war. His first target is Mrs. Lucy Collins, a young widow who uses old-fashioned sleight of hand to prey on grieving families. Soon, Edward and Lucy become entwined in the murder of Lenora Grimes Pastor, the city’s most highly regarded — and by all accounts, legitimate — medium, who dies mid-séance. With their reputations and livelihoods at risk, Edward and Lucy set out to find the real killer, and in the process unearth a terrifying hive of secrets that reaches well beyond Mrs. Pastor.

Blending historical detail with flights of fancy, Things Half in Shadow is a riveting thriller where Medium and The Sixth Sense meet The Alienist — and where nothing is quite as it seems…
Continue reading →

Upcoming: FORTUNE’S BLIGHT by Evie Manieri (Jo Fletcher Books/Tor)

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ManieriE-SK2-FortunesBlight

I rather enjoyed Evie Manieri‘s debut, Blood’s Pride (first in the Shattered Kingdoms series). Since then, I’ve been rather eagerly awaiting the sequel, Fortune’s Blight — whose publication, thankfully, is fast approaching. I just found the US cover, too (above left). The novel will be published in eBook on December 30th in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books, with the hardcover to follow on January 1st. The novel is due to be published in February 2015 in the US by Tor Books. (These are the publishers’ dates — I’ve seen slightly different release dates mentioned on retail sites.)

Here’s the UK synopsis:

Victory for the Shadari rebels has come at a terrible price. Hardship, superstition and a murderous cabal poison King Daryan’s young regime, but help is nowhere to be found: the mercenary who led their rebellion has vanished, their Nomas allies have troubles of their own, and the Norlanders who returned home to plead – or fight – for the Shadari’s independence have found themselves embroiled in the court politics of an empire about to implode.

As the foundations of the two far-flung countries begin to crack, an enigmatic figure watches from a tower room in Ravindal Castle. She is old, and a prisoner, but her reach is long, and her patience is about to be rewarded…

Also on CR: Interview with Evie Manieri; Guest Post (“Why I Write Fantasy”)

Books Received: December #2 (Or, “It Rained Books Just Before Xmas…”)

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A nice wave of new titles arrived or were purchased just before Christmas. I’ve just been slow about posting this, which means I’ve already read a couple (and dismissed a couple). Some more have arrived since, too, but I’ll post about those at the beginning of January.

Featuring: Kate Atkinson, Belinda Bauer, Gregory Benford, Douglas Brunt, Chelsea Cain, John Connolly, Christopher Farnsworth, Helen Giltrow, Karl Taro Greenfeld, Lev Grossman, Glenda Larke, Karen Lord, Alex Marhsall, Peyton Marshall, Brian McClellan, D.J. Molles, Syliva Moreno-Garcia, Mark Morris, Larry Niven, Claire North, Chuck Palahniuk, Matthew Pearl, D.B.C. Pierre, Jennifer Ridyard, Jeff Somers, Gabriel Squailia, Mark Sullivan, S.J. Watson, Jaye Wells Continue reading →

Upcoming: GUNS OF THE DAWN by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor UK)

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TchaikovskyA-GunsOfTheDawnThis is easily one of my most anticipated novels of 2015 — I am a big fan of Adrian Tchaikovsky‘s writing, despite being woefully behind on his truly epic Shadows of the Apt fantasy series. I mentioned this novel before on the blog, but Tor unveiled the final cover artwork, so I get to share it again. Guns of the Dawn is a stand-alone fantasy, and it sounds really interesting:

Denland and Lascanne have been allies for generations, but now the Denlanders have assassinated their king, overthrown the monarchy and marched on their northern neighbour. At the border, the war rages; Lascanne’s brave redcoats against the revolutionaries of Denland.

Emily Marshwic has watched the war take her brother-in-law and now her young brother. Then comes the call for more soldiers, to a land already drained of husbands, fathers and sons. Every household must give up one woman to the army and Emily has no choice but to join the ranks of young women marching to the front. 

In the midst of warfare, with just enough training to hold a musket, Emily comes face to face with the reality: the senseless slaughter; the weary cynicism of the Survivor’s Club; the swamp’s own natives hiding from the conflict. 

As the war worsens, and Emily begins to have doubts about the justice of Lascanne’s cause, she finds herself in a position where her choices will make or destroy both her own future and that of her nation.

Guns of the Dawn is published in the UK by Tor Books, on February 12th, 2015. I can’t wait to get my mitts on it.

In the same post (linked above), Tor shared information about Adrian’s other two 2015 releases, Children of Time and The Tiger and the Wolf. Here’s what they had to say about the novels: Children of Time (publication date unconfirmed at the moment) is

“Adrian’s first science fiction novel – and it’s epic. The last remnants of humanity left a dying earth behind, desperate to find a new home. Then when they finally find it, terror is waiting. Think Battlestar Galactica meets Alien – dramatic, stirring and a story with big themes. People seeking a sense of wonder will find everything they need here.”

The Tiger and the Wolf (due to be published November 19th, 2015) is the start of a new epic fantasy series:

“[T]he story of a young girl who is able to shift into the two forms – that of a wolf of her own clan – but also that of their mortal enemies – the tiger. It’s a coming-of-age story about the choices she has to make to decide where she belongs set against a backdrop of warfare and politics. Fantastically-written and a rip roaring read.”

So yeah: 2015 could become the Year of Adrian Tchaikovsky…

Excerpt: WILD SEED by Octavia E. Butler (Open Road)

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ButlerOE-P1-WildSeedA little while back, Headline began publishing some of Octavia E. Butler‘s critically-acclaimed backlist in the UK. I haven’t read any of the novels, yet, but I fully intend to do so. In the US, Open Road Media started releasing some of the author’s earlier novels in eBook, and were kind enough to let me run this excerpt from Wild Seed, part of the Patternist Series — which also includes Mind of My Mind, Clay’s Ark and Patternmaster. Here’s the synopsis:

When two immortals meet in the long-ago past, the destiny of mankind is changed forever

For a thousand years, Doro has cultivated a small African village, carefully breeding its people in search of seemingly unattainable perfection. He survives through the centuries by stealing the bodies of others, a technique he has so thoroughly mastered that nothing on Earth can kill him. But when a gang of New World slavers destroys his village, ruining his grand experiment, Doro is forced to go west and begin anew. He meets Anyanwu, a centuries-old woman whose means of immortality are as kind as his are cruel. She is a shapeshifter, capable of healing with a kiss, and she recognizes Doro as a tyrant. Though many humans have tried to kill them, these two demi-gods have never before met a rival. Now they begin a struggle that will last centuries and permanently alter the nature of humanity.

Continue reading →