Upcoming: SPELLBREAKER by Blake Charlton (Tor/Voyager)

October 30, 2015 Civilian Reader Upcoming Blake Charlton, Fantasy, Magic, Most Anticipated 2016, Spellbreaker, Spellwright Trilogy, Tor Books, Voyager

Above are the covers for the long-awaited third novel in Blake Charlton‘s Spellwright Trilogy, Spellbreaker. The sequel to Spellbound, it works as a stand-alone. It’s due out in June 2016, published in the US by Tor Books and in the UK by Voyager. Here’s the synopsis:

Leandra Weal has a bad habit of getting herself in dangerous situations.

While hunting neodemons in her role as Warden of Ixos, Leandra obtains a prophetic spell that provides a glimpse one day into her future. She discovers that she is doomed to murder someone she loves, soon, but not who. That’s a pretty big problem for a woman who has a shark god for a lover, a hostile empress for an aunt, a rogue misspelling wizard for a father, and a mother who — especially when arguing with her daughter — can be a real dragon.

Leandra’s quest to unravel the mystery of the murder-she-will-commit becomes more urgent when her chronic disease flares up and the Ixonian Archipelago is plagued by natural disasters, demon worshiping cults, and fierce political infighting. Everywhere she turns, Leandra finds herself amid intrigue and conflict. It seems her bad habit for getting into dangerous situations is turning into a full blown addiction.

As chaos spreads across Ixos, Leandra and her troubled family must race to uncover the shocking truth about a prophesied demonic invasion, human language, and their own identities — if they don’t kill each other first.

I rather enjoyed the first two novels in the trilogy, but four years and many novels later, I have forgotten a fair bit of what happened in them…

Also on CR: Interview with Blake Charlton; Reviews of Spellwright and Spellbound

For more, be sure to check out the author’s website, and follow him on Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook.

Quick Q&A with NATHAN GARRISON

October 30, 2015October 29, 2015 Civilian Reader Interview Fantasy, Nathan Garrison, Shadow of the Void, Veiled Empire, Voyager, Voyager Impulse

Let’s start with an introduction: Who is Nathan Garrison?

I am a father, husband, musician, chef, soldier, dreamer, and geek. Oh, and I write stuff too!

Your debut novel, Veiled Empire, is published by Voyager. It looks pretty interesting: How would you introduce it to a potential reader? Is it part of a series?

I’d say it’s got a decent blend of classic and modern styles, both in tone and content, and is packed with action. It is part of a (forthcoming) series, but it can also be read as a standalone. Continue reading →

Guest Post: “Building a World on One Idea” by Gerrard Cowan

August 25, 2015August 24, 2015 Civilian Reader Guest Post Gerrard Cowan, Harper Collins, Machinery, Sci-Fi, Voyager, Worldbuilding

I was digging through ancient emails the other day when I came across an old plan for my novel, The Machinery. After admonishing myself for never cleaning my inbox, I decided to take a look and was struck by how different it was from the finished book. In fact, you would be hard pushed to recognise it as the same story.

This is probably true of many novels, but in my case, it stemmed from how the story developed. In the past, when I’ve had an idea for a book, I would come up with the narrative thrust, the main characters, the general setting. I’d have a hazy picture of what was going to happen and where it would take place. With The Machinery, it was different: all I had was the premise of the novel, and I had to build from there.

The conceit of The Machinery is based on the existence of an omnipotent machine, which chooses the leaders of society. They could be anyone at all, adult or child: the Machinery picks them as they are the best suited to their particular roles. There’s only one problem: it seems as if the machine is breaking. Continue reading →

New Books (June-July)

July 4, 2015August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books Abaddon, Andy Abramowitz, Bennett R Coles, Caseen Gaines, Charles Stross, Ctein, Daniel H Wilson, DAW Books, Dead Assassin, Del Rey UK, Dennis Dunaway, Drew Karpy, Ed Greenwood, Edgar Cantero, Fran Wilde, Gollancz, GP Putnam's Sons, Janet Groth, Jo Fletcher Books, John Gilstrap, John Joseph Adams, John Niven, John Sandford, Jon Wallace, Joshua Cohen, Marshall Ryan Maresca, Matthew Dunn, Michael R Fletcher, Random House, Regan Arts, Ronda Rousey, St Martin's Press, Teresa Frohock, Thomas Dunne, Titan Books, Tom Pollock, Tor Books, Touchstone, Vaughn Entwhistle, Vintage, Voyager, Voyager Impulse, Witness Impulse

Featuring: John Joseph Adams, Andy Abramowitz, Edgar Cantero, Joshua Cohen, Bennett R. Coles, Ctein, Dennis Dunaway, Matthew Dunn, Vaughn Entwhistle, Michael R. Fletcher, Teresa Frohock, Caseen Gaines, John Gilstrap, Ed Greenwood, Janet Groth, Paul Kane, Marshall Ryan Maresca, John Niven, Tom Pollock, Ronda Rousey, John Sandford, Charles Stross, Neely Tucker, Jon Wallace, Fran Wilde, Daniel H. Wilson Continue reading →

New Books (April-May)

May 8, 2015August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books Aleksandar Hemon, Bond Street Books, Catie Disabato, Charlaine Harris, Chris Holm, Dan Wells, Duff McKagan, Faber, FSG, GP Putnam's, Grand Central, Harper, Headline, Jason LaPier, Jeffery Deaver, Jenny T. Colgan, Joe Perry, John Sandford, Jonathan Freedland, K.J. Parker, Kate Atkinson, Macmillan, Melville House, Mulholland, Nelson DeMille, Orbit, Quercus, Richard Ford, Robert Charles Wilson, Sabaa Tahir, Sebastien de Castell, SL Grey, Stefan Spjut, Stephanie Saulter, Todd Moss, Tor Books, Voyager

Featuring: Kate Atkinson, Jenny T. Colgan, Sebastien de Castell, Jeffery Deaver, Nelson DeMille, Katie Disabato, Richard Ford, Jonathan Freedland, S.L. Grey, Charlaine Harris, Aleksandar Hemon, Chris Holm, Jason LePier, Duff McKagan, Todd Moss, K.J. Parker, Joe Perry, John Sandford, Stephanie Saulter, Stefan Spjut, Sabaa Tahir, Dan Wells, Robert Charles Wilson Continue reading →

New Books (March-April)

April 16, 2015August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books Andrew Pyper, Becky Chambers, Black Library, Bryony Pearce, Chuck Wengid, Daniel Torday, David Guymer, David Wellington, Del Rey UK, Delilah S Dawson, Ecco, Guy Adams, JABberwocky, Jack Campbell, Josh Reynolds, JP Smythe, Ken Liu, KT Medina, Liesel Schwarz, Lilith Saintcrow, Lucy Hounsom, Minotaur, Nick Cole, Nnedi Okorafor, Pantheon, Paul Witcover, Robert Glinski, Roger Hobbs, Ross Ritchell, Sally Green, Samantha Harvey, Sara Taylor, Stephen Lloyd Jones, Steve Toltz, Thomas Mallon, Transworld, Voyager

Featuring: Guy Adams, Jack Campbell, Becky Chambers, Nick Cole, Delilah S. Dawson, Robert Glinski, Sally Green, Dave Guymer, Samantha Harvey, Roger Hobbs, Lucy Hounsom, Stephen Lloyd Jones, Ken Liu, Thomas Mallon, K.T. Medina, Nnedi Okorafor, Bryony Pearce, Andrew Pyper, Josh Reynolds, Ross Ritchell, Lilith Saintcrow, J.P. Smythe, Liesel Schwarz, Sara Taylor, Steve Toltz, Daniel Torday, David Wellington, Chuck Wendig, Paul Witcover Continue reading →

Interview with PETER NEWMAN

April 13, 2015March 23, 2015 Civilian Reader Interview Debut 2015, Fantasy, Peter Newman, Vagrant, Voyager

Let’s start with an introduction: Who is Peter Newman?

Peter Newman lives in Somerset with his wife and son. Growing up in and around London, Peter studied Drama and Education at the Central School of Speech and Drama, going on to work as a secondary school drama teacher. He now works as a trainer and Firewalking Instructor. He sometimes pretends to be a butler for the Tea and Jeopardy podcast, which he co-writes, and which has been shortlisted for a Hugo Award.

Your debut novel, The Vagrant, is due to be published this year by Voyager Books. How would you introduce it to a new reader? And is it part of a planned series?

A quick description would be: A silent figure wanders a far-future, post-demonic apocalypse, carrying humanity’s last hope. It features singing swords, demon knights, a baby and a goat.

It has been described recently (to my great delight) as: “A bit like China Mieville writing post-apocalyptic angelic knights.” A quote I’m sharing at every available opportunity!

The sequel will be out next year. [Possibly called The Malice – TBC] Continue reading →

An Aside: On a Bit of a SF Buying Binge…

April 9, 2015April 22, 2015 Civilian Reader Random, Upcoming Al Robertson, Alex Lamb, Becky Chambers, Del Rey UK, Gollancz, Hodder, Jamie Sawyer, Jason LaPier, JP Smythe, Justina Robson, Kim Stanley Robinson, Mike Brooks, Orbit, Rob Boffard, Sci-Fi, Voyager

I seem to be on an unusual sci-fi purchasing kick at the moment. Or, if not actively purchasing/pre-ordering sci-fi novels, I’m filing them away on my To Buy list, or on my Amazon wishlist. Today, I purchased Becky Chambers’s The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet — which was recently published by Hodder.

This is a little bit strange, because I don’t really read much sci-fi. Sure, I read almost everything set in Black Library’s Horus Heresy series (which is becoming a tad drawn-out), and I used to read every Star Wars novel I could get my hands on (as long as it was set after New Hope). But, over the past couple of years, I’ve cooled on SW novels (mainly because I haven’t really liked any that I’ve tried to read over the past couple of years). This has left a rather gaping SF hole on my shelves. Save for a mere handful of SF novels by Richard Morgan, Rachel Aaron, and … well, actually I think that’s about it… I just don’t read much SF. I read the first book in James S.A. Corey’s Expanse series, Leviathan Wakes (Orbit), which was pretty good.

This fleeting observation made me look at my various lists and TBR pile, and it looks like there are going to be some interesting SF book in the next few months. Alongside Chambers’s novel, above, I recently acquired an ARC of Kim Stanley Robinson’s next novel, Aurora (Orbit, July 9th), which I’m really interested in reading; and also Justina Robson’s The Glorious Angels (Gollancz). I also pre-ordered Jason LaPier’s Unexpected Rain (Voyager, May 7th), and will probably buy Jamie Sawyer’s The Lazarus War: Artefact (Orbit) in the not-too-distant future. Looking a bit further ahead, Rob Boffard’s Tracer looks interesting (Orbit, July 2nd), as do Mike Brooks’s Dark Run (Del Rey UK, June 4th), Alex Lamb’s Roboteer (Gollancz, July 16th – I’ve preordered this, only £1.99!) and Al Robertson’s Crashing Heaven (Gollancz, June 18th). There’s also J.P. Smythe’s Way Down Dark (Hodder, July2nd). And, of course, there’s Ernest Cline’s Armada (Century, July 16th)… [Details for all of these titles after the break.]

So, maybe I have a few months of (uncharacteristic) sci-fi reading coming up?

Continue reading →

Upcoming: THE LIAR’S KEY by Mark Lawrence (Ace/Voyager)

March 15, 2015 Civilian Reader Covers, Upcoming Ace Books, Fantasy, Grimdark, Liar's Key, Mark Bagley, Most Anticipated 2015, Prince of Fools, Voyager, Wheel of Osheim

I’m a big fan of Mark Lawrence‘s novels. His debut, Prince of Thorns (published in 2011) blew me away, and I blitzed through it in just two sittings. King of Thorns, the sequel, was a heftier beast, but no less good. I haven’t managed to get around to Emperor of Thorns, just yet, but I do intend to do so ASAP. He has since completed his first trilogy and begun a second, parallel trilogy set in the same world and at the same time. The cover for the second novel in this new trilogy, The Liar’s Key now has UK (below) and US (above) covers.

After harrowing adventure and near-death, Prince Jalan Kendeth and the Viking Snorri ver Snagason find themselves in possession of Loki’s Key, an artefact capable of opening any door, and sought by the most dangerous beings in the Broken Empire — including The Dead King.

Jal wants only to return home to his wine, women, and song, but Snorri has his own purpose for the key: to find the very door into death, throw it wide, and bring his family back into the land of the living.

And as Snorri prepares for his quest to find death’s door, Jal’s grandmother, the Red Queen continues to manipulate kings and pawns towards an endgame of her own design…

The Broken Empire trilogy includes Prince of Thorns, King of Thorns and Emperor of Thorns.

The Red Queen’s War trilogy includes Prince of Fools, The Liar’s Key and The Wheel of Osheim (2016).

The Liar’s Key is published in the US by Ace Books, on June 2nd, 2015; and in the UK by Voyager, on June 18th, 2015.

Also on CR: Interview with Mark Lawrence

Cover: THE SKULL THRONE by Peter V. Brett (Voyager)

March 2, 2015March 2, 2015 Civilian Reader Covers, Upcoming Del Rey, Demon Cycle, Fantasy, Most Anticipated 2015, Peter V Brett, Skull Throne, Voyager

The US cover for THE SKULL THRONE, Peter V. Brett‘s fourth Demon Cycle novel, was released a while ago (at end). Today, Voyager Books finally unveiled the UK artwork (right) – Starburst Magazine had the exclusive first reveal. It’s pretty good. Here’s the book’s synopsis:

The Skull Throne of Krasia stands empty.

Built from the skulls of fallen generals and demon princes, it is a seat of honour and ancient, powerful magic, keeping the demon corelings at bay. From atop the throne, Ahmann Jardir was meant to conquer the known world, forging its isolated peoples into a unified army to rise up and end the demon war once and for all.

But Arlen Bales, the Warded Man, stood against this course, challenging Jardir to a duel he could not in honour refuse. Rather than risk defeat, Arlen cast them both from a precipice, leaving the world without a saviour, and opening a struggle for succession that threatens to tear the Free Cities of Thesa apart.

In the south, Inevera, Jardir’s first wife, must find a way to keep their sons from killing one another and plunging their people into civil war as they strive for glory enough to make a claim on the throne.

In the north, Leesha Paper and Rojer Inn struggle to forge an alliance between the duchies of Angiers and Miln against the Krasians before it is too late.

Caught in the crossfire is the duchy of Lakton—rich and unprotected, ripe for conquest.

All the while, the corelings have been growing stronger, and without Arlen and Jardir there may be none strong enough to stop them.

Only Renna Bales may know more about the fate of the missing men, but she, too, has disappeared…

The Skull Throne is published by Voyager on April 9th, 2015. It is published in the US by Del Rey on March 31st, 2015. I received an eARC from Del Rey recently, and I intend to get started on the novel in about a week or so.

Also on CR: Reviews of The Painted Man, The Desert Spear, The Daylight War, The Great Bazaar & Brayan’s Gold and Messenger’s Legacy.