New Books (February-March)

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Civilian Reader New Books AJ Smith, Alexander Freed, Ben Golliver, Benjamin Percy, C F Barrington, Catherynne M Valente, Chris Power, Christopher Buehlman, Corry L Lee, David Swinson, Derek Künsken, Django Wexler, EJ Beaton, G R Matthews, Graham Hurley, Jackson Ford, Jason Schreier, Jessica Anya Blau, Kim Bo-Young, M J Kuhn, Marjorie Liu, Martha Wells, Richard Marx, Robert VS Redick, Rosecrans Baldwin, Stark Holborn

Featuring: John Appel, Rosecrans Baldwin, C.F. Barrington, E.J. Beaton, Jessica Anya Blau, Tom Bradby, Christopher Buehlman, A.A. Dhand, Carolyn Ferrell, Jackson Ford, Alexander Freed, Ben Golliver, Sam Hill, Graham Hurley, Kim Bo-Young, M.J. Kuhn, Derek Künsken, Corry L. Lee, David Liss, Marjorie Liu, Richard Marx, G. R. Matthews, Benjamin Percy, Chris Power, Robert V.S. Redick, Jason Schreier, A. J. Smith, David Swinson, Catherynne M. Valente, Martha Wells, Django Wexler

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Excerpt: THE SWORD FALLS by A. J. Smith (Head of Zeus)

March 1, 2021February 27, 2021 Civilian Reader Excerpt AJ Smith, Fantasy, Form and Void, Head of Zeus, Most Anticipated 2021, Sword Falls

I first read Smith’s work when I was an intern at a publisher (way back in 2012), and I read his debut that had been submitted: I was immediately struck by how well he writes, and he became an author to watch. This year, A. J. Smith returns with The Sword Falls — the second novel in his Form & Void fantasy series. Due to be published by Head of Zeus, the publisher has kindly provided an excerpt to share with CR’s readers. First, here’s the synopsis:

A MAN OF THE DAWN CLAW WILL BE THE ALWAYS KING.

It will ever be so. They will always rule… but they will not always lead.

Prince Oliver Dawn Claw, heir to the Kingdom of the Four Claws, is thrust into a world he doesn’t understand as he waits for his father to die. Away from home, with few allies – and too many enemies – he faces a new and otherworldly threat from beneath the sea. Alliances break and masks fall, as the Dark Brethren reveal their true master.

Meanwhile, Adeline Brand – called the Alpha Wolf – refuses to wait, and becomes the edge of the sword that swings back at the Dreaming God. Assembling allies and crushing resistance, she enters a fight she doesn’t know if she can win, as the sea begins to rise.

And now, on with the excerpt…!

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Upcoming: “The Black Guard” by A.J. Smith (Head of Zeus)

April 13, 2013 Civilian Reader Uncategorized 2013, AJ Smith, August, Black Guard, Epic, Fantasy, Head of Zeus, Long War, Upcoming

There’s been a little bit of buzz surrounding this novel, but not as much as I’ve expected. The Black Guard is the first in A.J. Smith’s The Long War fantasy series.

I actually read a little bit of a very early version of The Black Guard on submission when I was interning at a publisher last year, only to discover that Head of Zeus had already picked it up. Nevertheless, I was happy to learn it was going to make it to the shelves, and I look forward to reading the final version.

Here’s the synopsis:

The Duke of Canarn is dead, executed by the King’s decree. The city lies in chaos, its people starving, sickening, and tyrannized by the ongoing presence of the King’s mercenary army. But still hope remains: the Duke’s children, the Lord Bromvy and Lady Bronwyn, have escaped their father’s fate.

Separated by enemy territory, hunted by the warrior clerics of the One God, Bromvy undertakes to win back the city with the help of the secretive outcasts of the Darkwald forest, the Dokkalfar. The Lady Bronwyn makes for the sanctuary of the Grass Sea and the warriors of Ranen with the mass of the King’s forces at her heels. And in the mountainous region of Fjorlan, the High Thain Algenon Teardrop launches his Dragon Fleet against the Red Army. Brother wars against brother in this, the epic first volume of the long war.

It’ll be interesting to see how this shapes up. It’ll be released as a Special Edition and also a “standard” Hardcover in August 2013.