"The DC Comics Action Figure Archive" by Scott Beatty
© Chronicles Books
Get Over Those Terrible Gifts
By: Pat FerraraDate: Monday, December 24, 2007
No matter what holiday you celebrate there’s always one constant during the winter season: terrible gifts. Because of a schedule / travel conflict with the fam I happened to celebrate Christmas early this year. Did I get Subterranean Press’ limited edition print of George R.R.’s Fevre Dreams? Or maybe the deluxe edition of Tolkien’s Children of Hurin? Did my loved ones even read the holiday shopping guide I featured in last week’s column?
The short answer is, unsurprisingly, no on all fronts. As I sat near the tree Sunday morning I had to smile my way through the haze of a bad hangover and try to pretend that I liked my fake aquarium lamp set and Robert Ludlum thriller. Another Christmas gone without a “wow” gift. It made me think of all my childhood holidays and how much cooler they seemed when compared to the adult counterparts. Gone are the days when my brother and I would sneak out of our rooms on Christmas eve, sliding atop our pillows across the hardwood floors of our house to see our presents. I guess that’s the tradeoff of growing up; the joy I felt for Christmas as a child will probably only be matched by the vicarious sensation I’ll experience through my own kids (when I have them).
But I’m a man, and there’s no point in letting a crappy gift get the better of you over the holidays. Like a cancer that must be surgically removed for the benefit of its host those bad gifts have to be dealt with in an efficient and timely manner. So gather up those gift cards and liquidate that embarassing trash into something you really want.
Though this week’s release schedule isn’t hitting the shelves in time to impact the first wave of holiday buying, there are a handful of rebound gems coming out that are worht your attention.
Doctor Who fans have three new hardback releases debuting through Random House UK, includingTrevor Baxendale’s Wishing Well, Simon Guerrier’s The Pirate Loop, and James Swallow’s Peacemaker. Subterranean Press is also releasing a limited, hardback edition of Jack Vance’s rare novella The Kragen and Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter have teamed up once again to pen the third Time Odyssey installment Firstborn.
A new novel set in the HEROES universe, Del Rey’s Saving Charlie is also debuting in between the holidays and offers a more in-depth look behind the modern superhero lore made popular in the TV series. Much like a literary ‘retcon’ as described last week in Kurt’s always insightful Comicscape column, Saving Charlie focuses on one of Hiro’s lost loves and his tribulations while trying to save her (in a very Wellsian Time Machine fashion).
Chronicles Books definitely takes the cake this week for top fan-pleasing release with the impressive paperback compendium The DC Comics Action Figure Archive by Scott Beatty. Featuring over 600 full-color photographs, the Archive covers everything DC toy related and includes the hard-to-find documentation on the countless ‘redecoes’ of their action figure lines. Lead collector Scott Beatty and other experts at DC Comics provide plenty of insight that action figure aficionados will not want to miss.
New in Hardcover:
Star Wars Darth Bane: Rule of Two, Drew Karpyshyn (Del Rey)
In the New York Times bestseller Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, Drew Karpyshyn painted a gripping portrait of a young man’s journey from innocence to evil. That man was Darth Bane, a twisted genius whose iron will, fierce ambition, and strength in the dark side of the Force made him a natural leader among the Sith–until his radical embrace of an all-but-forgotten wisdom drove him to destroy his own order… and create it anew from the ashes. As the last surviving Sith, Darth Bane promulgated a harsh new directive: the Rule of Two. Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody the power, the other to crave it. Now Darth Bane is ready to put his policy into action, and he thinks he has found the key element that will make his triumph complete: a student to train in the ways of the dark side. Though she is young, Zannah possesses an instinctive link to the dark side that rivals his own. With his guidance, she will become essential in his quest to destroy the Jedi and dominate the galaxy. But there is one who is determined to stop Darth Bane: Johun Othone, Padawan to Jedi Master Lord Hoth, who died at Bane’s hands in the last great Sith War. Though the rest of the Jedi scoff at him, Johun’s belief that there are surviving Sith on the loose is unshakeable. As Johun continues his dogged pursuit of the man who killed his master, Zannah, faced unexpectedly with a figure from her past, begins to question her embrace of the dark side. And Darth Bane is led by Force-induced visions to a moon where he will acquire astonishing new knowledge and power… power that will alter him in ways he could never have imagined…
The Kragen, Jack Vance (Subterranean Press)
Subterranean Press is pleased to announce a small limited edition of the rare novella by Jack Vance that was eventually expanded into his novel Blue World. The Kragen has been out of print for nearly twenty years, with the exception of its appearance in the Vance Integral Edition, a set of volumes published over the past few years that carried a cover price of $1500, for the least expensive edition alone. Here's your chance to acquire a Vance limited at a bargain price, and cast your eyes upon a novella rarely seen since its original appearance in 1969.
Heroes: Saving Charlie, Aury Wallington (Del Rey)
“Save the cheerleader, save the world” are the defining words of Heroes, the phenomenal series that has transformed television drama. They are also the cryptic marching orders for the show’s cross section of ordinary individuals united by an extraordinary bond. Each possesses a superhuman ability, and together they must prevent the course of history from taking a terrifying turn. Now, in this original novel based on the TV phenomenon, in a thrilling story that will captivate even those who haven’t seen the show, one of these unexpected saviors steps center stage on a deeply personal quest that will test the limits of his gift, the depth of his love, and the ultimate strength of his will. Hiro Nakamura possesses the remarkable power to control time. And like his uniquely blessed comrades, he’s on a mission for the good of humankind. But another challenge awaits him: saving the love of his life from an unspeakable death. Charlene “Charlie” Andrews is the big-hearted, small-town beauty whose sunny smile and sweet soul knocked the shy Hiro head over heels. But when Charlie’s young life is snuffed out by a grisly serial killer, their budding romance is brutally cut short. Or is it? Thanks to his astounding newfound skill, Hiro has the means to do what no tragedy-stricken lover in history ever could–turn back time. And no matter how raw his abilities, or how many twists of circumstance conspire to foil him, he vows to deliver Charlie from the evil poised to claim her. He will be her hero. But what possible consequences might changing the past visit upon the future? How could saving one cherished life affect millions of others? And what ultimate choice will Hiro make when the power of fate rests in his hands?
Firstborn, Arthur C. Clarke & Stephen Baxter (Del Rey)
The Firstborn–the mysterious race of aliens who first became known to science fiction fans as the builders of the iconic black monolith in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY–have inhabited legendary master of science fiction Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s writing for decades. With Time’s Eye and Sunstorm, the first two books in their acclaimed Time Odyssey series, Clarke and his brilliant co-author Stephen Baxter imagined a near-future in which the Firstborn seek to stop the advance of human civilization by employing a technology indistinguishable from magic. Their first act was the Discontinuity, in which Earth was carved into sections from different eras of history, restitched into a patchwork world, and renamed Mir. Mir’s inhabitants included such notables as Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and United Nations peacekeeper Bisesa Dutt. For reasons unknown to her, Bisesa entered into communication with an alien artifact of inscrutable purpose and godlike power–a power that eventually returned her to Earth. There, she played an instrumental role in humanity’s race against time to stop a doomsday event: a massive solar storm triggered by the alien Firstborn designed to eradicate all life from the planet. That fate was averted at an inconceivable price. Now, twenty-seven years later, the Firstborn are back. This time, they are pulling no punches: They have sent a “quantum bomb.” Speeding toward Earth, it is a device that human scientists can barely comprehend, that cannot be stopped or destroyed–and one that will obliterate Earth. Bisesa’s desperate quest for answers sends her first to Mars and then to Mir, which is itself threatened with extinction. The end seems inevitable. But as shocking new insights emerge into the nature of the Firstborn and their chilling plans for mankind, an unexpected ally appears from light-years away. The third book in the Time Odyssey series.
Doctor Who: Wishing Well, Trevor Baxendale (Random House UK)
The old village well is just a curiosity - something to attract tourists intrigued by stories of lost treasure, or visitors just making a wish. Unless something alien and terrifying could be lurking inside the well. Something utterly monstrous that causes nothing but death and destruction! But who knows the real truth about the well? Who wishes to unleash the hideous force it contains? What terrible consequences will follow the search for a legendary treasure hidden at the bottom? No one wants to believe the Doctor's warnings about the deadly horror lying in wait - but soon they'll wish they had...
Doctor Who: The Pirate Loop, Simon Guerrier (Random House UK)
The Doctor's been everywhere and everywhen in the whole of the universe and seems to know all the answers. But ask him what happened to the Starship Brillant and he hasn't the first idea. Did it fall into a sun or black hole? Was it shot down in the first moments of the galactic war? And what's this about a secret experimental drive? The Doctor is skittish. But if Martha is so keen to find out he'll land the TARDIS on the Brilliant, a few day before it vanishes. Then they can see for themselves... Soon the Doctor learns the awful truth. And Martha learns that you need to be careful what you wish for. She certainly wasn't hoping for mayhem, death, and badger-faced space pirates!
Doctor Who: Peacemaker, James Swallow (Random House UK)
The Doctor and Martha are about to find out if a sonic screwdriver is more powerful than a six-shooter in the latest in the bestselling series of Doctor Who novels. The peace and quiet of a remote homestead in the 1880s American West is shattered by the arrival of two shadowy outriders searching for 'the healer'. When the farmer refuses to help them, they raze the house to the ground using guns that shoot bolts of energy instead of bullets. Meanwhile, in the town of Redwater, the Doctor and Martha learn of a snake-oil salesman who's patent medicines actually cure his patient. But when the Doctor and Martha investigate they discover the truth is stranger, and far more dangerous. Caught between the law of the gun and the deadly plans of intergalactic mercenaries, the Doctor and Martha are about to discover just how wild the West can become...
Thunderer, Felix Gelman (Spectra Books)
In this breathtaking debut novel by Felix Gilman, one man embarks on a thrilling and treacherous quest for his people's lost god—in an elaborate Dickensian city that is either blessed… or haunted. Arjun arrives in Ararat just as a magnificent winged creature swoops and sails over the city. For it is the day of the return of that long-awaited, unpredictable mystical creature: the great Bird. But does it come for good or ill? And in the service of what god? Whatever its purpose, for one inhabitant the Bird sparks a long-dormant idea: to map the mapless city and liberate its masses with the power of knowledge. As the creature soars across the land, shifting topography, changing the course of the river, and redrawing the territories of the city's avian life, crowds cheer and guns salute in a mix of science and worship. Then comes the time for the Bird's power to be trapped—within the hull of a floating warship called Thunderer, an astounding and unprecedented weapon. The ship is now a living temple to the Bird, a gift to be used, allegedly, in the interests of all of Ararat. Hurtled into this convulsing world is Arjun, an innocent who will unwittingly unleash a dark power beyond his imagining—and become entangled in a dangerous underground movement that will forever transform Ararat. As havoc overtakes the streets, Arjun dares to test the city's moving boundaries. In this city of gods, he has come to search among them, not to hide. A tour de force of the imagination, and a brilliant tale of rebellion, Thunderer heralds the arrival of a truly gifted fantasy writer who has created a tale as rich, wondrous, and captivating as the world in which it is set.
Rise of the Blood Royal, Robert Newcomb (Del Rey)
Prince Tristan and his band of wizard and warrior allies confront their ultimate challenge as the forces of darkness unite to launch a horrific conspiracy to take over the world, while Tristan struggles to harness his own nascent magical talents to unite the powers of the Vigors and Vagaries into a single immutable force, in the conclusion of the epic fantasy trilogy. Book three of The Destinies of Blood and Stone.
New in Paperback:
The DC Comics Action Figure Archive, Scott Beatty (Chronicles Books)
For the legions that collect the immensely popular DC Comics action figures, we have good news: the official visual compendium of more than 1,400 characters has finally arrived. The DC Comics Action Figure Archive is the definitive reference for the serious enthusiast. Assembled by lead collector Scott Beatty and the experts at DC Comics, this sturdy hardcover features more than 600 full-color photographs and an easily navigable A-to-Z structure. Here, too, are previously impossible-to-find release dates, variants and "redecoes," as well as detailed information on action figure scales and articulation points. From Ace the Bat-Hound to Zauriel, with lots of Batman and Superman in-between, this collector's must-have guide doesn't miss a beat.
Cenotaxis, Sean Williams (MonkeyBrain Books)
In the far future, in the aftermath of a mysterious galactic catastrophe, a false prophet comes face to face with his greatest adversary yet: a man who thinks he's god, and might very well be right. While the battle for Earth rages around them, they face off, one wanting to conquer the world and the other to redeem it, and the victory may well decide the future of the galaxy, and of humanity itself.
Third Reich Victorious, Peter G. Tsouras (Presidio Press)
This book is a stimulating and entirely plausible insight into how Hitler and his generals might have defeated the Allies, and a convincing sideways look at the Third Reich's bid at world domination in World War II. What would have happened if, for example, the Germans captured the whole of the BEF at Dunkirk? Or if the RAF had been defeated in the Battle of Britain? What if the U-Boats had strangled Britain with an impregnable blockade, if Rommel had been triumphant in North Africa or the Germans had beaten the Red Army at Kursk? The authors, writing as if these and other world-changing events had really happened, project realistic scenarios based on the true capabilities and circumstances of the opposing forces. Third Reich Victorious is a spirited and terrifying alternate history, and a telling insight into the dramatic possibilities of World War II.
Star Wars Allegiance, Timothy Zahn (Del Rey)
Never before has the incendiary mix of action, politics, and intrigue that has become Timothy Zahn's trademark, been mmore evident that in this new Star Wars epic. On the heels of the stunning events chronicled in Star Wars: A New Hope, the newly minted heroes of the Rebellion-fledgling Jedi Luke Skywalker, smuggler turned reluctant freedom-fighter Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa, a bold leader with a world to avenge-must face the harsh realities of the cataclysmic conflict into which they have so bravely plunged. From this point forward, legends will grow, treachery will abound, and lives will be irrevocably altered, in the long, hard fight to counter the fist of tyranny and restore hope to a galaxy too long in darkness. The destruction of the Death Star by the Rebel Alliance was a decisive blow against the Empire, but Palpatine and his monstrous enforcer, Darth Vader, are no less of a threat. The brutal extermination of Alderaan not only demonstrated the magnitude of their murderous power, but served as a chilling testament to their resolve to crush the Rebel uprising. Standing against them, Skywalker, Solo, and the Princess remain uncertain opponents. Luke is gifted and brave, but unschooled in the power he possesses. Han has doubts about waging someone else's war-and his contentiousness is one more burden for Leia to bear as she struggles to help keep the Rebellion alive. The three have been sent to mediate a dispute between Rebel Alliance factions in Shelsha Sector-agitating matters by forcing Han to deal not only with pirates, but with his more dreaded enemy, politics. At the same time, Mara Jade-all of eighteen and years away from her fateful meeting withLuke-is serving her evil master, Palpatine, well in her role as the Emperor's Hand: tracking suspected treachery in the Empire to what may be high places-while trying to stay out of Darth Vader's way.
But the Rebels will prove to be only one of the Empire's concerns. For Imperial Stormtrooper Daric LaRone, his faith in the Empire shaken by the wanton destruction of Alderaan, will commit a sudden and violent act of defiance, and take four other enforcers with him, in a desperate bid to elude their masters' wrath. Each of these fateful actions, whether sanctioned, secret, or scandalous, will expose brutality and corruption, spur upheavals destined to shake the Empire to its core, and shape momentous events yet to come.
But the Rebels will prove to be only one of the Empire's concerns. For Imperial Stormtrooper Daric LaRone, his faith in the Empire shaken by the wanton destruction of Alderaan, will commit a sudden and violent act of defiance, and take four other enforcers with him, in a desperate bid to elude their masters' wrath. Each of these fateful actions, whether sanctioned, secret, or scandalous, will expose brutality and corruption, spur upheavals destined to shake the Empire to its core, and shape momentous events yet to come.
Star Trek Excelsior: Forged in Fire, Michael Martin & Andy Mangels (Star Trek Books)
An untold tale of Star Trek, history revealed at last! A vicious pirate known as the Albino is cutting a deadly swath across space, creating turmoil in the Klingon Empire that threatens to spill into the Federation. But this criminal also has a secret that could shake the halls of Imperial power, and his genocidal plans against the race that bore him will have consequences even he cannot imagine, as several unlikely allies join swords to bring the Albino to justice: Hikaru Sulu of the U.S.S. Excelsior; Klingon captains Kor, Koloth, and Kang; and a hotheaded young Federation diplomat named Curzon Dax. Tempered in the flames of their shared adversity, a captaincy is forged, a Blood Oath is sworn...and a hunt begins that will stretch from one generation to the next.
Savor Me Slowly, Gena Showalter (Pocket Star)
Half human, half machine, all woman.Mishka Le'Ace was created to be an undercover operative...literally. Her beautiful body has been mechanically augmented to give her superhuman strength -- strength she's going to need. Her latest mission sends her to rescue Alien Investigation and Removal agent Jaxon Tremain from torture and death. With him, she discovers a passion unlike any other. A passion she was forbidden to know... From the moment they meet in a darkened cell, Jaxon craves her touch. But the machine half of Le'Ace forces her to do things she doesn't always want to do. Even betray him... and ultimately destroy him. Now Jaxon must battle the man controlling Le'Ace, and even Le'Ace herself, to at last claim the woman he's come to love. The third novel in the Alien Huntress series.
Prayers for the Assassin: A Novel, Robert Ferrigno (Pocket Star)
SEATTLE, 2040. The Space Needle lies crumpled. Veiled women hurry through the busy streets. Alcohol is outlawed, replaced by Jihad Cola, and mosques dot the skyline. New York and Washington, D.C., are nuclear wastelands. Phoenix is abandoned, Chicago the site of a civil war battle. At the edges of the empire, Islamic and Christian forces fight for control of a very different United States. Enormous in scope and brilliantly imagined, Prayers for the Assassin promises to be the powerhouse read of the year. Burning with cinematic violence, fiendish betrayal, and global intrigue, Robert Ferrigno's sensational thriller asks: What would happen to America if the terrorists won? After simultaneous suitcase-nuke attacks destroy New York, Washington, D.C., and Mecca — attacks blamed on Israel — a civil war breaks out. An uneasy truce leaves the nation divided between an Islamic republic with its capital in Seattle, and the Christian Bible Belt in the old South. In this frightening future there are still Super Bowls and Academy Awards, but calls to Muslim prayer echo in the streets and terror is everywhere. Freedom is controlled by the state, paranoia rules, and rebels plot to regain free will... One of the most courageous is the beautiful young historian Sarah Dougan, who uncovers shocking evidence that the nuclear attacks might not have been planned by Israel, evidence that, if true, will destabilize the nation. When Sarah suddenly goes missing, the security chief of the Islamic republic calls upon Rakkim Epps, her secret lover and a former elite warrior, to find her — no matter what the risk. But as Rakkim searches for Sarah, he istracked by Darwin, a brilliant psychopathic killer trained in the same secretive unit as Rakkim. To survive, Rakkim must become Darwin's assassin — a most forbidding challenge. A bloody, nerve-racking chase takes them through the looking-glass world of the Islamic States of America, and culminates dramatically as Rakkim and Sarah battle to expose the truth to the entire world. Can the couple outrun Darwin? Who is really behind the nuke attacks? Will Sarah and Rakkim stay alive long enough to deliver the truth? Does a nation divided have a prayer? Robert Ferrigno's Prayers for the Assassin shows the novelist at the height of his powers, and delivers a masterful, unforgettable read.
Oath of Fealty, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle (Baen)
In the near future, Los Angeles is an all but uninhabitable war zone, racked by crime, violence, pollution and poverty. But above the blighted city, a Utopia has arisen: Todos Santos, a thousand-foot high single-structured city, designed to used state-of-the-art technology to create a completely human-friendly environment, offering its dwellers everything they could want in exchange for their oath of allegiance and their constant surveillance . But there are those who want to see the utopia destroyed, whose answer to tomorrow's best and brightest hope is mindless violence. And they have just entered Todos Santos…
Moonsinger, Andre Norton (Baen)
Moon of Three Rings: It is the time of the Moon of the Three Rings when the Free Trader ship Lydis lands on the primitive world of Yiktor, a world the Combine was seeking to control for the power the Three Rings would bring them. The life of a Free Trader was all junior crew member Krip Vorlund knew. That life ended at a beast show on Yiktor when Vorlund was strangely attracted to the owner of the show animals, a delicate and mysterious woman named Maelen. Too soon Vorlund learned the nature of Maelen's sorcery, too soon he is caught up in the struggle over the fate of a world... But his soul would remain his own. Exiles of the Stars: The galactic trade ship Lydis is making a run to the planet Thoth when a civil war lands her in a battle of ancient powers and nameless evil, with a Forerunner treasure at its heart. The crew seems normal—until you look closely at two of its members: Krip Vorlund, a man who walks in a body not his own, and his pet, a four-legged beast hiding the mind of Maelen the Moon Singer, a woman whose esper powers can save them all—or bring them to eternal destruction. Moonsinger has appeared separately as Moon of Three Rings, and its sequel, Exiles of the Stars. This is the first time the complete saga has appeared in one mass market volume.
Final Impact, John Birmingham (Del Rey)
In the year 2021 a multinational fleet–experimenting with untested weapons technology–pitched through time, crash-landing in 1942. The world is thrown into chaos as Roosevelt, Hitler, Churchill, Tojo, and Stalin scramble to adapt to new, high-tech killing tools, and twenty-first-century ways of war. For “uptimers” like Britain’s Prince Harry and the men and women who serve aboard the supercarrier USS Hillary Clinton, war is a constant struggle with their own downtime allies, who are mired in ignorance and bigotry. As the Allies counter the Nazi assault and set off for the coast of France, Japan begins to buckle, soon every battle will be played out in a lethal dance of might and intelligence, unholy alliances and desperate gambles, and each clash will be fought with the ultimate weapon; knowledge from the future. Thanks to the historical records, all sides know that two superpowers will emerge, while the losers will be pounded into submission. But time has shifted on its axis, so none know who will survive, or how peace will take hold in a world turned upside down. These are the questions that John Birmingham brilliantly answers in his critically acclaimed adventure of war and imagination.
East of the Sun, West of the Moon, John Ringo (Baen)
When the council that controlled the world-spanning computer Mother fell out in civil war, it plunged the world in an instant from high-tech utopia to medieval nightmare. Now Herzer Herrick and Megan Trevante have been assigned the mission to capture the spaceship that supplies the fuel for all of Earth. Given that Herzer vaguely thinks orbital decay is something having to do with teeth it should be… interesting. With all the usual combat expected in a John Ringo novel, East of the Sun, West of the Moon sheds new light on the bizarre relationship between Herzer and Megan, the politics of the new born world and fascinating details of space technology battles.
Dust, Elizabeth Bear (Spectra Books)
On a broken ship orbiting a doomed sun, dwellers have grown complacent with their aging metal world. But when a serving girl frees a captive noblewoman, the old order is about to change... Ariane, Princess of the House of Rule, was known to be fiercely cold-blooded. But severing an angel’s wings on the battlefield—even after she had surrendered—proved her completely without honor. Captive, the angel Perceval waits for Ariane not only to finish her off—but to devour her very memories and mind. Surely her gruesome death will cause war between the houses—exactly as Ariane desires. But Ariane’s plan may yet be opposed, for Perceval at once recognizes the young servant charged with her care. Rien is the lost child: her sister. Soon they will escape, hoping to stop the impending war and save both their houses. But it is a perilous journey through the crumbling hulk of a dying ship, and they do not pass unnoticed. Because at the hub of their turning world waits Jacob Dust, all that remains of God, following the vapor wisp of the angel. And he knows they will meet very soon.
Warhammer 40k: Desert Raiders, Lucien Soulban (Games Workshop)
When an Imperial listening station receives an enigmatic call for help from a farflung planet, a regiment of Tallarn Desert Raiders is sent to investigate. Pretty soon, the Imperial Guard find themselves locked in a desperate running battle with wave upon wave of tyranids. Is there any way they can ever triumph against such numberless alien hordes?
Warhammer: Defenders of Ulthuan, Graham McNeill (Games Workshop)
A story of war, betrayal and redemption that explores the magical world of the elves. Two brothers fight for the love of the same woman against a backdrop of war as the dark elves launch a massive invasion of the elf homeland, Ulthuan. Can the high elves drive back their evil kin before the forces of magic are unleashed and rip the world apart?
The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson, William Jones (Chaosium)
Steap into the past... where timeless horrors exist. After the Great War, a terrifying threat is discovered in New York City. For countless years it lurked unseen. But when a professor from Columbia University unravels a dark secret, a centuries' old mystery awakens...
Blood Bowl: Rumble in the Jungle, Matt Forbeck (Games Workshop)
Fourth Blood Bowl novel that follows the rags to riches career of star thrower Dunk Hoffnung and his team the Bad Bay Hackers. After winning the Spike! Magazine tournament final, the Hackers set sail for the fabulous land of Lustria to seek new challenges. In the hot, steamy jungles, Dunk and his friends have to fight off zombies, pygmy halflings, lizardmen and more – and that's before they face off against the Amazon team in the Tobazco Bowl!
My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon, Ed by P.N. Elrod (St. Martin’s Griffith Press)
What newly married couple doesn't dream of a romantic retreat where they can escape the world for a while—but what happens when supernatural forces intrude on their wedded bliss?
Nine of today’s hottest paranormal authors answer that question in this all-star collection of supernatural stories. Can a vampire-hunter enjoy her honeymoon when she’s just learned that her new hubby is a werewolf? How can newlyweds focus on their wedding night when their honeymoon suite is haunted by feuding ghosts? And what’s a wizard to do when a gruesome monster kidnaps the bride on her way home from the wedding? With so much otherworldly mayhem awaiting our newlyweds, will they ever get around to the honeymoon itself? Find out in…My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon. Stories by Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher, Caine, P.N. Elrod, Caitlin Kittredge, M. Liu, Katie MacAlister, Lilith Saintcrow, & Ronda Thompson.
A March into Darkness, Robert Newcomb (Del Rey)
The defeat and death of the evil Wulfgar should inspire a time of rejoicing throughout Eutracia. But Prince Tristan grieves. Not only is his beloved wife dead, but across the Sea of Whispers, in the island fortress known as the Citadel, Wulfgar's bride, the sorceress Serena, plots to continue her husband's nefarious plans, aided by the Scroll of the Vagaries and the advice of the otherworldly Heretics. Although the ranks of Tristan's faithful soldiers were decimated in recent battle, the prince nevertheless plans a bold surprise attack. But on the eve of the mission, disaster strikes. From behind the towering azure wall of magical energy in the forbidding face of the massive Tolenka Mountains comes Xanthus, a powerful warrior dispatched by the Heretics to bring Tristan into their mysterious realm. A master of a mystical martial art against which even the great swordsman Tristan is helpless, Xanthus launches a reign of terror against Eutracia's innocent subjects, compelling Tristan to journey behind the azure wall. There, in a magical land as beautiful as it is violent, Tristan will learn the shocking truth about the destiny he and Shailiha, his sister, will share. In Tristan's absence, Shailiha must lead the fleet of Black Ships against the Citadel, accompanied by the wizards Faegan and Wigg and the beautiful pirate queen Tyranny. But unknown to them, Serena has prepared a deadly trap with hellish creatures summoned by the Heretics. And as Shailiha's troops sail blindly into danger, Serena is preparing a spell unlike anything the world has ever seen-a spell powerful enough to defeat death itself.
Half the Blood of Brooklyn, Charlie Huston (Del Rey)
There’s a bad vibe in the air. Every Vampyre in Manhattan feels it in their bones . . . and in their blood. The mother of all gang rumbles is brewing between the divided Clans of the city’s undead. A battle royal for more turf that will tear the island from stem to stern. And just his luck, Joe Pitt is smack in the middle of it. A rogue Vampyre who shunned Clan life, Joe’s his own man. Kind of. Thing is, there’s certain people have a claim on his talents. When they need someone who’s . . . expendable, they call on Joe Pitt. They’re calling now. With war drums beating from the Hudson to the Harlem River, Joe’s been dispatched into the uncharted territory of Brooklyn to seal an alliance with the Freaks - a Clan who more than live up to their name. But across the bridge, things go south with savage swiftness, as Joe gets swept into a murderous family feud between crazed Clans that will paint the borough scarlet from Gravesend to Coney Island. A Joe Pitt Novel.
By Venom’s Sweet Sting, Tiffany Trent (Mirrorstone Books)
Are Corrine and her friends strong enough to take on the Fey? Following the destruction of Falston, Corrine and her schoolmates embark for Scotland to chase Rory and the stolen rathstone. On the moors of Kenmore, tensions mount between the friends as a new love interest comes into Corrine's life. In the layers of lies and secrets, who can she trust? In this exciting sequel to In the Serpent's Coils, Tiffany Trent delivers a larger-then-life battle between the Fey that readers will never forget! A Hallowmere novel.
New in Audiobook:
Dragon Harper: A New Novel of Pern, Anne & Todd McCaffrey (Brilliance Audio Unabridged)
Life in the Harper Hall is busy for best friends Kindan, Nonala, and Kelsa. As the only female apprentices, Nonala and Kelsa are the butt of jokes and easy targets for the bully Vaxoram and his cronies. But when Kindan springs to Kelsa’s defense, he winds up in a fight for his life against the older, bigger Vaxoram - a fight that will lead to a surprising friendship. Meanwhile, in nearby Fort Hold, a clutch of fire-lizard eggs is about to hatch, and Lord Bemin’s beautiful young daughter, Koriana, is determined to Impress one of the delightful creatures. At the hatching, Kindan Impresses a fire-lizard of his own…and wins the heart of Koriana. But Lord Bemin mistrusts harpers and will not hear of a match between his daughter and the low-born Kindan. Then fate intervenes in the form of a virulent plague as fast-spreading as it is deadly. Arising suddenly, as if out of nowhere, the contagion decimates hold after hold, paying no heed to distinctions of birth. In this feverish crucible, friendship and love will be tested to the breaking point and beyond. For with Threadfall scant years away, the Dragonriders dare not expose themselves to infection, and it will fall to Kindan and his fellow apprentices to bravely search for a cure and save humanity. The price of failure is unthinkable. But the price of success may be even harder to bear. Narrated by Susan Ericksen.
Anita Black Vampire Hunter: Micah, Laurell K. Hamilton (Brilliance Audio Unabridged)
There are lots of reasons to raise the dead - some private, some public. In this case, the feds have a witness who died before he could speak on the record. They want him raised so his testimony can be taken. So here I am, on a plane to Philadelphia, flying off to do my job. But I’m not alone. Micah is with me. Micah, head of the St. Louis wereleopard pard. King to my Queen. The only one of my lovers who can stir my blood with just a glance from his chartreuse cat’s eyes. I was happy to have him at my side. Until he mentioned that this will be our first time alone together. No Master Vampire. No Alpha Werewolf. Just me and Micah. And all my fears and doubts… Narrated by Rey Colette.
