Most Anticipated 2025

Quick Review: A HOLLYWOOD ENDING by Yaron Weitzman (Doubleday)

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The dreams and drama of the LeBron Lakers

When LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, it looked like a match made in heaven. Here was the preeminent athlete of his generation, fresh off ending Cleveland’s 50-year title drought and in need of a new challenge to help further burnish his legacy, joining forces with one of the most iconic teams in all of sports. And here were the Lakers, in the midst of their worst stretch in franchise history and reeling from the death of the legendary owner Dr. Jerry Buss, in need of a savior. The script wrote itself.

A little over two years later, LeBron and Dr. Buss’ daughter, Jeanie, were standing shoulder to shoulder, hoisting the NBA finals trophy into the air. Having won their record-tying 17th NBA title, the Lakers had reclaimed their accustomed perch on top of the basketball world. It looked to be the birth of a new dynasty.  

But this was a new Lakers’ franchise, one beset by infighting and years removed from Kobe’s prime. And this was LeBron James, the catalyst of the “player empowerment” era, an athlete chasing things greater than Michael Jordan’s ghost. The two parties were too big to peacefully coexist under one roof. The 2020 title would represent the pinnacle of their pairing, and the beginning of a precipitous decline.

Drawing from over 250 interviews, Yaron Weitzman takes readers on a riveting, behind the scenes journey of this fraught partnership. From the Succession-like power struggle between the Buss children, to the rise of LeBron’s landscape-altering talent agency and its attempts to assert its own power within the Lakers’ walls, to the evolution of LeBron’s priorities and political voice, “A Hollywood Ending” is the definitive story of an American icon’s final years on stage, one portraying him, a fabled NBA franchise, and the world of modern professional sports in a light never seen before.

The latest book by long-time NBA journalist, and author of the excellent Tanking to the Top, is an account of “the high stakes drama” inside the Los Angeles Lakers organization as they adjust to their LeBron era. Weitzman covers everything from the initial attempts to lure the superstar to LA, to their Bubble Championship, up to last season’s blockbuster (and still incredible) trade for Luka Dončić. Engaging, often amusing, and well-written, this is a must for all NBA fans. Continue reading →

Upcoming: OUTLAW PLANET by M. R. Carey (Orbit)

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In November, Orbit Books are due to publish Outlaw Planet, a new stand-alone science fiction novel by M. R. Carey! I’ve been a fan of the author’s work since The Girl With All the Gifts, and am very much looking forward to reading this — although, it has reminded me that I have fallen a little behind, and must get around to reading the author’s Pandominion duology. Here’s the synopsis for the new novel:

Sometimes the fate of entire worlds can be decided by a woman with nothing to lose, and the smartest gun in the multiverse in her hand…

This is the story of Bess — or Dog-Bitch Bess as she came to be known. It’s the story of the gun she carried, whose name was Wakeful Slim. It’s the story of the dead man who carried that gun before her and left a piece of himself inside it. And it’s the tale of how she turned from teacher, to renegade, and ultimately to hero.

This is also the tale of the last violent engagements in an inter-dimensional war — one of the most brutal the multiverse had ever seen.

This is how Bess learned the truth about her world. Came to it the hard way, through pain and loss and the reckless spilling of blood, and carried it with her like a brand on her soul. And once she knew it – knew for sure how badly she’d been used – she had no option but to do something about it.

M. R. Carey’s Outlaw Planet is due to be published by Orbit Books in North America and in the UK, on November 18th.

Also on CR: Guest Post on “Writing Strong Women”; Review of The Girl With All the Gifts

Follow the Author: Goodreads, BlueSky

Upcoming: THE AGE OF EXTRACTION by Tim Wu (Knopf)

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The other day, I finished Cory Doctorow’s highly recommended Enshittification, in which Tim Wu’s work is mentioned — and, consequently, I was reminded to check to see if he had a new book coming out. In November, Knopf are due to publish The Age of Extraction, which looks highly relevant to my interests and maybe a good companion book to Doctorow’s; certainly it looks like a book that will be of interest to anyone who observes today’s tech/online ecosystem with wariness, suspicion, frustration, and maybe contempt. Here’s the synopsis for The Age of Extraction:

Tim Wu explores how today’s dominant platforms manipulate attention, extract wealth, and deepen inequality — urging us to recognize their influence and reclaim control to create a balanced economy that works for all.

Our world is dominated by a handful of tech platforms. They provide great conveniences and entertainment, but also stand as some of the most effective instruments of wealth extraction ever invented, seizing immense amounts of money, data, and attention from all of us. An economy driven by digital platforms and AI influence offers the potential to enrich us, and also threatens to marginalize entire industries, widen the wealth gap, and foster a two-class nation. As technology evolves and our markets adapt, can society cultivate a better life for everyone? Is it possible to balance economic growth and egalitarianism, or are we too far gone?

Tim Wu — the preeminent scholar and former White House official who coined the phrase “net neutrality” — explores the rise of platform power and details the risks and rewards of working within such systems. The Age of Extraction tells the story of an Internet that promised widespread wealth and democracy in the 1990s and 2000s, only to create new economic classes and aid the spread of autocracy instead.  Wu frames our current moment with lessons from recent history — from generative AI and predictive social data to the antimonopoly and crypto movements — and envisions a future where technological advances can serve the greatest possible good. Concise and hopeful, The Age of Extraction offers consequential proposals for taking back control in order to achieve a better economic balance and prosperity for all.

I was first introduced to Wu’s work via his 2016 book, The Attention Merchants, which I would also recommend.

Tim Wu’s The Age of Extraction is due to be published by Knopf in North America (November 4th) and Bodley Head in the UK (November 13th).

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, BlueSky

Upcoming: THE BURNING GROUNDS by Abir Mukherjee (Harvill Secker/Pegasus)

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I’ve long been a fan of Abir Mukherjee‘s Wyndham & Banerjee series of historical crime novels, set in early 20th Century India. I was relatively late to this series, but it fast became one of my must-read crime series. I finished the fifth novel in the series, The Shadows of Man, a couple of days ago, and it ended with one of the main character’s situations in limbo, so I am particularly eager to read this next volume.

This November, fans of the series will be able to get their hands on the highly-anticipated sixth novel in the series: The Burning Grounds!

In the Burning Ghats of Calcutta where the dead are laid to rest, a man is found murdered, his throat cut from ear to ear.

The body is that of a popular patron of the arts, a man who was, by all accounts, beloved by all: so what was the motive for his murder? Despite being out of favour with the Imperial Police Force, Detective Sam Wyndham is assigned to the case and finds himself thrust into the glamorous world of Indian cinema.

Meanwhile, Surendranath Banerjee, recently returned from Europe after three years spent running from the fallout of his last case, is searching for a missing photographer; a trailblazing woman at the forefront of the profession. When Suren discovers that the vanished woman is linked to Sam’s murder investigation, the two men find themselves working together once again – but will Wyndham and Banerjee be able to put their differences aside to solve the case?

Abir Mukherjee’s The Burning Grounds is due to be published by Harvill Secker in the UK (November 13th) and Pegasus Crime in North America (November 4th).

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky

Quick Review: IN A DISTANT VALLEY by Shannon Bowring (Europa Editions)

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Events in Dalton are coming to a head, as a record-breaking storm rolls in…

For a while, Rose Douglas believed life had given her a break. She was enjoying a steady job at the local clinic in Dalton; her two young boys, Adam and Brandon, were doing well in school; and their little family had found an easy friendship with widower Nate Theroux and his daughter, Sophie. The possibility of something deeper even hung between her and Nate—until the day Tommy Merchant, her ex and the father of her sons, showed up without warning on her doorstep. While Rose knows all too well his erratic and abusive nature, he swears he’s clean, and ready to turn over a new leaf.

Tommy isn’t the only one who’s found his way back to the town that defined him. Lost after a disastrous stint living down south with her father, Angela Muse has returned home to Dalton. There she runs into Greg Fortin, the friend who once saved her life when they were children and finally starts to believe there may be someone who understands her in a world that offers more questions than answers.

But secrets are the lifeblood of a small town, and everyone in Dalton soon finds themselves part of a chain of events hurtling towards outcomes beyond their control, where more than one future will be decided.

In a Distant Valley is the third, excellent novel in Shannon Bowring’s Dalton novels — following The Road to Dalton and Where the Forest Meets the River. It forms the end of a trilogy, of sorts, as the various characters are maneuvered into new situations and down new paths. I really enjoyed this. Continue reading →

Upcoming: THE FINAL SCORE by Don Winslow (William Morrow)

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Later this year, readers will get a new book from Don Winslow! The Final Score is a collection of six never-before-published, all-new short novels. Learning about this book was a very nice surprise, because I had been under the impression that Winslow had retired from writing, after the publication of his Danny Ryan trilogy. I guess, as in the case with Stephen King, retirement is rather difficult for some authors… A long-time fan of Winslow’s, it’s great that we’ll be getting more fiction from him; and this is easily one of my most-anticipated books of the year. Here’s the synopsis:

In six all-new short novels written with the trademark literary style, trenchant wit, and incisive characterization that have made Don Winslow “America’s greatest living crime writer” (Providence Journal), this repeat New York Times bestselling author serves up a collection of tales sure to delight Winslow’s most devoted fans and first-time readers.

The multi-million-dollar casino heist is impossible — it can’t be done. That’s what makes it irresistible to a legendary robber facing the rest of his life in prison for his “Final Score.” An ambitious, hard-working college-bound teenager has a side job delivering illegal booze to “The Sunday List” until a crooked cop, a seductive customer, and a fake guru threaten to end his dreams. Two wise guys tell each other a “True Story” over breakfast at a diner. It’s all bullshit and laughs until someone else has to pick up the check. An otherwise honest patrolman has to make an excruciating choice between his loyalty to the job and his love for a ne’er-do-well cousin in “The North Wing.” The entitled, substance-addicted movie star that surfer/PI Boone Daniels and his crew are hired to babysit in “The Lunch Break” is a problem. She also has a problem — someone wants her dead. Finally, the one terrible, momentary mistake that a devoted family man makes sends him to prison and on a “Collision” course between the man he wants to be and the killer he’s forced to become to survive.

With a foreword written by award-winning crime author Reed Farrel Coleman, The Final Score is a propulsive, perceptive, and deeply immersive collection of crime writing — the ultimate testament to Don Winslow’s prowess as a living legend of the genre.

Don Winslow’s The Final Score is due to be published by William Morrow in North America (September 16th) and Hemlock Press in the UK (October 23rd).

Also on CR: Reviews of The Force, Broken, City on Fire, City of Dreams, and City in Ruins

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky

Quick Review: DEEP CUTS by Holly Brickley (Borough Press/Crown)

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The story of a complex, complicated, and oft-fraught relationship

Look, the song whispered to me, that day in my living room. Life can be so big.

It’s a Friday night in a campus bar in Berkeley, fall of 2000, and Percy Marks is pontificating about music again. Hall and Oates is on the jukebox, and Percy — who has no talent for music, just lots of opinions about it — can’t stop herself from overanalyzing the song, indulging what she knows to be her most annoying habit. But something is different tonight. The guy beside her at the bar, fellow student Joe Morrow, is a songwriter. And he could listen to Percy talk all night.

Joe asks Percy for feedback on one of his songs — and the results kick off a partnership that will span years, ignite new passions in them both, and crush their egos again and again. Is their collaboration worth its cost? Or is it holding Percy back from finding her own voice?

Moving from Brooklyn bars to San Francisco dance floors, Deep Cuts examines the nature of talent, obsession, belonging, and above all, our need to be heard.

Holly Brickley’s Deep Cuts got a lot of pre-publication buzz, with early readers name-dropping novels like Daisy Jones and the Six as a comparator (mainly because this is also connected to music, and with a complicated central relationship). As it turns out, the buzz was justified: this is a very good novel, and I quickly found myself invested in Percy and Joe’s fates. Continue reading →

Upcoming: A HOLLYWOOD ENDING by Yaron Weitzman (Doubleday)

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Later this year, Doubleday Books are due to publish the second book by Yaron Weitzman: A Hollywood Ending. Weitzman’s Tanking to the Top was one of the first books about the NBA that I read (it’s excellent, and is a must-read for anyone interested in whatever it is that the 76ers have been trying to do). The new book takes a look at LeBron James’s move to the Los Angeles Lakers, and everything that has happened since. Here’s the official synopsis:

NBA journalist Yaron Weitzman lays out the high stakes drama happening inside the Lakers’ organization at a crucial juncture in their history, as they try to juggle the warring priorities between Lebron James and the Buss family.

When LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, the match looked like one made in heaven. Here was a living legend, the preeminent athlete of his generation, joining forces with one of the most iconic teams in all of sports. The Lakers, in the midst of their worst stretch in franchise history and reeling from the death of their legendary owner Dr. Jerry Buss, needed a savior. LeBron, fresh off ending Cleveland’s 50-year title drought, needed a new challenge to help further burnish his legacy. The script wrote itself.

A little over two years later, LeBron and Dr. Buss’ daughter, Jeanie, were standing shoulder to shoulder, hoisting the NBA finals trophy into the air. Having won their record-tying 17th NBA title, the Lakers had reclaimed their accustomed perch on top of the basketball world and seemed destined to dominate the NBA for years to come.

Traditionally, the Lakers’ didn’t celebrate championships, they celebrated dynasties. But this was a different Lakers’ organization, one beset by infighting. A single title wouldn’t be enough to cement Lebron James status as a Lakers’ legend or help him surpass the ghost of Michael Jordan. Both parties needed sustained success, but for that to happen they needed to be on the same page. Sadly, the 2020 title would represent the pinnacle of their pairing, and the beginning of a precipitous decline.

Drawing from over 250 interviews, Yaron Weitzman takes readers on a riveting, behind the scenes journey of this fraught partnership. From the Succession-like power struggle between the Buss children, to the rise of LeBron’s landscape-altering talent agency and its attempts to assert its own power within the Lakers’ walls, to the evolution of LeBron’s priorities and political voice, “A Hollywood Ending” is the definitive story of an American icon’s final years on stage, one portraying him, a fabled NBA franchise, and the world of modern professional sports in a light never seen before.

Really looking forward to reading this. Yaron Weitzman’s A Hollywood Ending is due to be published by Doubleday Books in North America, on October 21st.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky

Quick Review: ANT by Chris Hine (Harper)

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An early biography of a rising star of the NBA

The first in-depth look at the Minnesota Timberwolves rising star, from his backstory to his mindset, and the relationships that fueled his drive to greatness.

From his jaw-dropping dunks to his charismatic personality, Anthony Edwards draws comparisons to the greatest shooting guards of all time like Kobe and Jordan. A portrait in the education of a budding NBA superstar, Ant chronicles Edward’s meteoric rise. The number-one pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, a two-time All-Star, Edwards has, in just a few seasons, become a household name and the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves. And he’s only twenty-three years old.

With locker room access, original interviews, and fresh reporting by Chris Hine, the Minnesota Star Tribune’s beat writer covering the Wolves, Ant delves into Edwards’ early life in Atlanta, the challenges and family tragedy he overcame, and the relentless determination that has propelled him to stardom.

Anthony Edwards, the charismatic and personable star of the Minnesota Timberwolves, made a splash in last year’s NBA playoffs, making the jump to potential-future-face-of-the-league. This year, the ‘Wolves are blazing a path through the Western Conference playoffs once again, and will appear in the conference finals against OKC. This all makes Chris Hine’s book rather timely. It’s a well-written and engaging biography of the rising superstar; but perhaps too soon? Continue reading →

Very Quick Review: MAKING HISTORY by K. J. Parker (TorDotCom)

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How to manipulate history and (maybe) get away with it

A group of scholars must do the impossible for a ruthless king. The cost of refusal, of course, is death.

History isn’t truth, it’s propaganda.

Seeking war with his neighbor, the tyrannical ruler of Aelia convenes several of his kingdom’s professors for a chat. First citizen Gyges only just invaded Aelia a few years back and, naturally, his public image can’t take the hit of another unjustified assault.

His totally sane solution? Simple, really. These scholars must construct a fake ancient city from scratch to verify Gyges’s apocryphal claims.

Now these academics must put their heads together to make history. Because if they don’t, they’ll lose their heads altogether.

In a country ruled by a usurper king, history can be a powerful tool for cementing authority and power. To do a decent job of manipulating the past, it’s important to turn to the people who know the most about it: historians. In Parker’s latest, excellent novella, a group of historians are (quietly) threatened by their new king into creating a new history that supports his authority and mandate. Continue reading →