Upcoming: SOCKPUPPET by Matthew Blakstad (Hodder)

March 15, 2016March 13, 2016 Civilian Reader Upcoming Cybercrime, Hodder, Matthew Blakstad, Most Anticipated 2016, Mulholland, Mystery, Online, Sockpuppet, Suspense, Thriller

BlakstadM-SockpuppetUK This sounds really good. Society is becoming increasingly dominated by social media. And, with an online society often run amok (see, for example, US political “discussion”, endless misogynist internet trolls, and countless other examples), not to mention ever-more reports of cyber-crimes, maybe Sockpuppet is the novel we need? Here’s the synopsis:

You shared your life online. Now how will you get it back?

Twitter. Facebook. Whatsapp. Google Maps. Every day you share everything about yourself – where you go, what you eat, what you buy, what you think – online. Sometimes you do it on purpose. Usually you do it without even realizing it. At the end of the day, everything from your shoe-size to your credit limit is out there. Your greatest joys, your darkest moments. Your deepest secrets.

If someone wants to know everything about you, all they have to do is look.

But what happens when someone starts spilling state secrets? For politician Bethany Leherer and programmer Danielle Farr, that’s not just an interesting thought-experiment. An online celebrity called sic_girl has started telling the world too much about Bethany and Dani, from their jobs and lives to their most intimate secrets. There’s just one problem: sic_girl doesn’t exist. She’s an construct, a program used to test code. Now Dani and Bethany must race against the clock to find out who’s controlling sic_girl and why… before she destroys the privacy of everyone in the UK.

Matthew Blakstad’s Sockpuppet is published in the UK by Hodder, on May 19th, 2016. For more on the author’s writing and novels, be sure to check out his website, and follow him on Twitter and Goodreads. Check back on May 4th for an interview with the author.

[This is the first of four Hodder Upcoming posts, today.]

New Books (February)

March 1, 2016August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books Adrian Tchaikovsky, AJ Hartley, Alex Stewart, Allen Steele, Andy Remic, Back Bay Books, Baen, Black Library, Brian McClellan, Bryony Pearce, Christopher Charles, Claire North, Corgi, Dan Cluchey, David Annandale, David Baldacci, David Fisher, David Levien, Don DeLillo, Elizabeth Bonesteel, Faber, Gollancz, Grand Central Publishing, Hadley Freeman, Hodder, Jack Sutherland, Jessica Chiarella, Jo Baker, Jo Spurrier, Joe R Lansdale, John Connolly, John Lansdale, K.J. Parker, Katie Heaney, Knopf, Lauren Groff, Lee Kelly, Marc Turner, Mark Andrew Ferguson, Max Allan Collins, Mickey Spillane, Mishell Baker, Mitchell Hogan, Molly Prentiss, Mulholland Books, Noah Hawley, Orbit, Patrick Hemstreet, Penguin, Pierce Brown, Plume, Rachel Dunne, Riverhead Books, SB Divya, Scout Press, Scribner, Shane Kuhn, Simon Kurt Unsworth, Stripes Books, Stuart Stevens, Subterranean Press, Teddy Wayne, Thomas Dunne Books, Tim Lebbon, Titan Books, Tor Books, Tor Teen, Tor UK, Tor.com, Touchstone, Transworld, Victor Pelevin, Voyager, William Shatner, Willow Palecek

Featuring: David Annandale, Jo Baker, Mishell Baker, David Baldacci, Elizabeth Bonesteel, Pierce Brown, Christopher Charles, Jessica Chiarella, Dan Cluchey, Max Allan Collins, John Connolly, Don DeLillo, S.B. Divya, Rachel Dunne, Mark Andrew Ferguson, Hadley Freeman, S.L. Grey, Lauren Groff, A.J. Hartley, Noah Hawley, Katie Heaney, Patrick Hemstreet, Mitchell Hogan, Lee Kelly, Shane Kuhn, Joe R. Lansdale, John Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, David Levien, Brian McClellan, Claire North, Willow Palecek, K.J. Parker, Bryony Pearce, Victor Pelevin, Molly Prentiss, Andy Remic, William Shatner, Mickey Spillane, Jo Spurrier, Allen Steele, Stuart Stevens, Alex Stewart, Jack Sutherland, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Marc Turner, Simon Kurt Unsworth, Teddy Wayne

* Continue reading →

Covers: The Gorgeous UK Jackets of David Mitchell

January 7, 2016 Civilian Reader Covers, Upcoming Black Swan Green, Bone Clocks, Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell, Fantasy, Fiction, Ghostwritten, Hodder, Literary, Must Read 2016, Number 9 Dream, Sceptre, Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

MitchellD-NewUK2016

Sceptre has published David Mitchell’s novels in the UK with some truly gorgeous covers (above) — it’s a little hard to tell which of these are recent re-jackets, but I’m pretty sure a number of them are new.

I have still not read anything by Mitchell. I really don’t know why, to be honest. Alyssa’s mother waxes lyrical about his novels on a weekly basis, and I have to say she has excellent taste (I also bought Slade House for her for Xmas). I’ve heard such great things from so very many people about The Bone Clocks, but apparently reading Slade House will point out that they are all (at least in some small way) connected.

Despite writing the other week that I wasn’t going to set any reading goals in 2016, maybe I should propose one: read David Mitchell.

Here are links to the books: Ghostwritten, number9dream, Cloud Atlas, Black Swan Green, The Thousand Lives of Jacob de Zoet and The Bone Clocks.

New Books! (December, Pre-Xmas)

December 20, 2015August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books A.F.E. Smith, Alison Gaylin, Andrew Marr, Andy Remic, Anna Smaill, Catherynne M Valente, Charles McCarry, Charlotte Silver, Clifford Beal, Constable, Cristina Alger, Dan Fesperman, Daniel Polansky, Eric Brown, Fourth Estate, Harper, Head of Zeus, Helen Lowe, Hester Young, Hodder, Ian Graham, Ilija Trojanow, Jamie Doward, Jamie Sawyer, Jean Stein, Jo Walton, Joe R Lansdale, KJ Parker, Knopf, Mary Robinette Kowal, Matt Carter, Melville House, Michael Cobley, Michael Ebner, Michael Thomas, Mulholland Books, Oneworld, Pen & Picture, Random House, Robin Burcell, Ros Barber, Samantha Hunt, Sarah Cain, Simon & Schuster, Solaris, Stefan Ahnhem, Stephen Birmingham, Stephen S. Power, Steven Gore, Talos, Terry Pratchett, Toby Clements, Tricia Sullivan, Verso, Victoria Schwab, Voyager, William Morrow

PageTurnLettersFallOut

Featuring: Stefan Ahnhem, Cristina Alger, Ros Barber, Clifford Beal, Stephen Birmingham, Eric Brown, Robin Burcell, Sarah Cain, Matt Carter, Toby Clements, Michael Cobley, Jamie Doward, Michael Ebner, Dan Fesperman, Alison Gaylin, Steven Gore, Ian Graham, Samantha Hunt, Mary Robinette Kowal, Joe R. Lansdale, Helen Lowe, Andrew Marr, Charles McCarry, Peter Newman, K.J. Parker, Daniel Polansky, Stephen S. Power, Terry Pratchett, Jamie Sawyer, Victoria Schwab, Charlotte Silver, Anna Small, A.F.E. Smith, Jean Stein, Tricia Sullivan, Michael Thomas, Ilija Trojanow, Catherynne M. Valente, Jo Walton, Hester Young

FireflyCurseInevitableBetrayal

Continue reading →

Upcoming: HEX by Thomas Odd Heuvelt (Hodder/Tor)

October 27, 2015 Civilian Reader Upcoming Hex, Hodder, Horror, Luitingh-Sijthoff, Most Anticipated 2016, Thomas Odd Heuvelt, Tor Books

I tweeted about Thomas Odd Heuvelt‘s Hex yesterday, and figured that it also made sense to mention it on the blog. It looks interesting (not to mention creepy), and I’ve been hearing great things from people who have read it early. Here’s the synopsis:

Whoever is born here, is doomed to stay until death. Whoever comes to stay, never leaves.

Welcome to Black Spring, the seemingly picturesque Hudson Valley town haunted by the Black Rock Witch, a seventeenth-century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. Blind and silenced, she walks the streets and enters homes at will. She stands next to children’s beds for nights on end. So accustomed to her have the townsfolk become that they often forget she’s there. Or what a threat she poses. Because if the stitches are ever cut open, the story goes, the whole town will die.

The curse must not be allowed to spread. The elders of Black Spring have used high-tech surveillance to quarantine the town. Frustrated with being kept in lockdown, the town’s teenagers decide to break the strict regulations and go viral with the haunting. But, in so doing, they send the town spiraling into a dark nightmare.

Hex is published in April 2016 in the US by Tor Books, in the UK by Hodder, and in the Netherlands by Luitingh-Sijthoff.

Upcoming: THOSE BELOW by Daniel Polansky (Hodder)

October 26, 2015 Civilian Reader Upcoming Cover Art, Daniel Polansky, Empty Throne Series, Epic, Fantasy, Grimdark, Hodder, Most Anticipated 2016, Those Above, Those Below

Earlier today, Tor.com shared the cover artwork for Daniel Polansky‘s upcoming new novel, Those Below. It was unveiled earlier by Hodder, although I inexplicably managed to miss that post… The sequel to Those Above, and final novel in the author’s epic fantasy Empty Throne series, it’s due to be published by Hodder in the UK, on March 10th, 2016. I really can’t wait to get my mitts on this one…

Here’s what it’s about:

For centuries beyond counting, humanity has served the Others, god-like Eternals who rule from their cloud-capped mountain-city, building a civilization of unimagined beauty and unchecked viciousness.

But all that is about to change. Bas Alyates, grizzled general of a thousand battles, has assembled a vast army with which to contend with the might of Those Above. Eudokia, Machiavellian matriarch and the power behind the Empty Throne, travels to the Roost, nominally to play peacemaker – but in fact to inspire the human population toward revolt. Deep in the dark byways of the mountain’s lower tiers, the urchin Pyre leads a band of fanatical revolutionaries in acts of terrorism against their inhuman oppressors. Against them, Calla, handmaiden of the Eternals’ king, fights desperately to stave off the rising tide of violence which threatens to destroy her beloved city.

Audio Review: TRUTHS, HALF TRUTHS & LITTLE WHITE LIES by Nick Frost (Hodder)

October 22, 2015October 21, 2015 Civilian Reader Review Audible, Audiobook, Biography, Comedy, Hodder, Memoir, Nick Frost, Shaun of the Dead, Spaced, Truths Half Truths and Little White Lies

An amusing, at times moving, memoir of a life up to stardom

“No life can really be all black, right? Even during the darkest times, what got me through that bleakness was laughter and time. With enough of both of these things I reckon you could get over just about anything.”

Nick Frost burst onto our screens in a blaze of camo fatigues and weaponry as the Territorial Army obsessed loveable idiot Mike Watt in the hit cult comedy Spaced. Since then, fans around the world have watched him with a fervent devotion as he fought zombies, rescued aliens and salsa’d his way to box office smash after smash.

It’s quite a story. But it’s not this story. This story isn’t the romp from movie set to Hollywood party. This is a story of a life like no other.

With blistering candour Frost recounts his childhood growing up in Essex in a household full of love and optimism but tragically blighted by alcoholism, illness and sudden life shattering misfortune.

Dogged by his own personal demons, Nick tells of the hilarious, jaw dropping and at times heartbreaking experiences that have punctuated his tumultuous life.

Nick Frost is possibly best known for his roles in Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Paul. He’s probably also best known as Simon Pegg’s best bud. After reading (or listening) to this audiobook, though, you’ll know him as a very funny, friendly, yet introverted fellow, too. I didn’t know anything about him outside of his film roles, so I was very interested in listening to this audiobook. I was not disappointed — this could be one of the top five audiobooks I’ve listened to this year. Continue reading →

New Books (September-October)

October 17, 2015August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books Adrian J Walker, Alison Littlewood, Allen Eskens, Amie Kaufman, Ann Leckie, Apocalyptic, Audible UK, David Ellis, David Mitchell, David Tallerman, David Wong, Deborah Biancotti, Delacorte Press, Emily Foster, Emma Kavanagh, Fantasy, Gillian Anderson, Hodder, James Patterson, Jay Kristoff, Jeff Rovin, Jim Butcher, Johanna Basford, John Seabrook, Knopf, Linda Nagata, Louise Hall, Margo Lanagan, Neil Gaiman, Nick Frost, Orbit Books, Paul Murray, Richard Ford, Robinson, Roc Books, Salman Rushdie, Sam Munson, Sci-Fi, Scott Westerfeld, Susan Dennard, Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Will McIntosh

Featuring: Gillian Anderson, Johanna Basford, Jim Butcher, Susan Dennard, David Ellis, Allen Eskens, Richard Ford, Emily Foster, Nick Frost, Neil Gaiman, Louise Hall, Amie Kaufman, Emma Kavanagh, Jay Kristoff, Ann Leckie, Alison Littlewood, Will McIntosh, David Mitchell, Sam Munson, Paul Murray, Linda Nagata, James Patterson, Jeff Rovin, Salman Rushdie, John Seabrook, David Tallerman, Adrian J. Walker, Scott Westerfeld, David Wong

[Yes, those GIFs have nothing to do with books. So?] Continue reading →

New Books (August-September)

September 25, 2015August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books A.J. Smith, Alter S Reiss, Angela Slatter, Angry Robot Books, Anthony Reynolds, Chrissie Hynde, Chuck Wendig, Daniel Polansky, Doubleday, F. Wesley Schneider, Garth Risk Hallberg, Geoff Renoff, Head of Zeus, Hodder, House of Anansi Press, Jeffrey Rotter, Joel McIver, John French, John Grisham, Jonathan Maberry, K.J. Parker, Kai Ashante Wilson, KJ Parker, Lauren Holmes, Little Brown, Lucas Books, Matt Wallace, Michael Livingston, Michael R Underwood, Nnedi Okorafor, Patrick DeWitt, Patrick Ness, Patrick S. Tomlinson, Paul Cornell, Sphere, Sunil Yapa, Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, Sylvia Spuck Wrigley, Tom Wood, Tor, Tor.com

Featuring: Paul Cornell, Patrick DeWitt, John French, John Grisham, Garth Risk Hallberg, Lauren Holmes, Chrissie Hynde, Michael Livingston, Jonathan Maberry, Joel McIver, Patrick Ness, Nnedi Okorafor, K.J. Parker, Daniel Polansky, Alter S. Reiss, Geoff Renoff, Anthony Reynolds, Jeffrey Rotter, F. Wesley Schneider, Angela Slatter, A.J. Smith, Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, Patrick S. Tomlinson, Michael R. Underwood, Matt Wallace, Chuck Wendig, Kai Ashante Wilson, Tom Wood, Sunil Yapa

Continue reading →

Upcoming: SLADE HOUSE by David Mitchell (Hodder)

August 21, 2015 Civilian Reader Upcoming David Mitchell, Fiction, Hodder, Most Anticipated 2015, Must Read 2015, Slade House

I’ve still not read anything by David Mitchell, which is probably wrong. Hotter unveiled the UK cover for his next book, SLADE HOUSE, yesterday, and it’s gorgeous:

Here’s the synopsis:

Born out of the short story David Mitchell published on Twitter in 2014 and inhabiting the same universe as his latest bestselling novel The Bone Clocks, this is the perfect book to curl up with on a dark and stormy night.

Turn down Slade Alley — narrow, dank and easy to miss, even when you’re looking for it. Find the small black iron door set into the right-hand wall. No handle, no keyhole, but at your touch it swings open. Enter the sunlit garden of an old house that doesn’t quite make sense; too grand for the shabby neighbourhood, too large for the space it occupies.

A stranger greets you by name and invites you inside. At first, you won’t want to leave. Later, you’ll find that you can’t.

This unnerving, taut and intricately woven tale by one of our most original and bewitching writers begins in 1979 and reaches its turbulent conclusion around Hallowe’en, 2015. Because every nine years, on the last Saturday of October, a ‘guest’ is summoned to Slade House. But why has that person been chosen, by whom and for what purpose? The answers lie waiting in the long attic, at the top of the stairs…

Slade House is published in the UK by Hodder on October 27th, 2015.