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Upcoming: THE CITY IN GLASS by Nghi Vo (TorDotCom)

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VoN-CityInGlassUSHCOn October 1st, TorDotCom are due to publish The City in Glass, the latest novel by Nghi Vo: a “beguiling” fantasy stand-alone, set in a “city in the tradition of Calvino, Mieville, and Le Guin.” I’ve enjoyed some of Vo’s previous books, and really must get caught up on her Singing Hills Cycle (also published by TorDotCom). Described as “an epic love story, of death and resurrection, memory and transformation, redemption and desire”, it sounds great. The synopsis caught my attention a while before the publisher unveiled the great cover artwork — check it out below:

A demon. An angel. A city.

The demon Vitrine — immortal, powerful, and capricious — loves the dazzling city of Azril. She has mothered, married, and maddened the city and its people for generations, and built it into a place of joy and desire, revelry and riot.

And then the angels come, and the city falls.

Vitrine is left with nothing but memories and a book containing the names of those she has lost — and an angel, now bound by her mad, grief-stricken curse to haunt the city he burned.

She mourns her dead and rages against the angel she longs to destroy. Made to be each other’s devastation, angel and demon are destined for eternal battle. Instead, they find themselves locked in a devouring fascination that will change them both forever.

Together, they unearth the past of the lost city and begin to shape its future. But when war threatens Azril and everything they have built, Vitrine and her angel must decide whether they will let the city fall again.

Nghi Vo’s The City in Glass is due to be published by TorDotCom in North America and in the UK, on October 1st.

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Quick Review: THE FIREBORNE BLADE by Charlotte Bond (TorDotCom)

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BondC-FB1-FireborneBladeUSHCA classic fantasy tale with a twist…

Kill the dragon. Find the blade. Reclaim her honor.

It’s that, or end up like countless knights before her, as a puddle of gore and molten armor.

Maddileh is a knight. There aren’t many women in her line of work, and it often feels like the sneering and contempt from her peers is harder to stomach than the actual dragon slaying. But she’s a knight, and made of sterner stuff.

A minor infraction forces her to redeem her honor in the most dramatic way possible, she must retrieve the fabled Fireborne Blade from its keeper, legendary dragon the White Lady, or die trying. If history tells us anything, it’s that “die trying” is where to wager your coin.

Maddileh’s tale contains a rich history of dragons, ill-fated knights, scheming squires, and sapphic love, with deceptions and double-crosses that will keep you guessing right up to its dramatic conclusion. Ultimately, The Fireborne Blade is about the roles we refuse to accept, and of the place we make for ourselves in the world.

I was looking for something new and short to read, when Charlotte Bond’s The Fireborne Blade became available for review. With no preconceptions, I dove right in, and found myself quickly swept up by the story and writing. I really enjoyed this. Continue reading →

Very Quick Review: THE DEAD CAT TAIL ASSASSINS by P. Djèlí Clark (TorDotCom)

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DjeliClarkP-DeadCatTailAssassinsUSHCA fantastic new fantasy novella: assassins, gods, mystery… excellent

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.

Any new book from P. Djèlí Clark is something to be thankful for. Ever since I read The Haunting of Tram Car 015, I’ve kept my eyes open for each new book from him. The premise for this new novella caught my attention, and I’m happy to report that it exceeded my high expectations. A dark, intriguing new fantasy world, with a solid mystery at its heart. Continue reading →