The Adventures of Indiana Jones.
© Del Ray
And The Nominees Are...
By: Pat FerraraDate: Monday, February 25, 2008
Hello Maniacs and welcome to this week’s hootenanny of science fiction and fantasy skullduggery. Though I try to pace content on these columns as best I can, sometimes the publishing side of the business just doesn’t want to oblige. After several weeks of meager genre offerings we’ve got a loaded release schedule, the lists for this year’s Nebula and Bram Stoker Awards finalists, and a juicy, make-my-month Dark Tower tidbit I’m still digesting from Saturday.
Christopher Golden, a Bram Stoker-winner himself, debuts two new novels on paperback this week; the mind-bending thriller The Boys are Back in Town and the supernatural yarn Wildwood Road.
Matthew Costello tries his hand in the SF horror Doom universe with Doom 3: Worlds on Fire, and Mel Odom provides a follow-up to Exodus (2007) with Goetia, the second novel set in the newly minted Hellgate: London shared fiction universe.
Speaking of shared fiction universes, Josepha Sherman and Susan Schwartz round out the Star Trek: Vulcan’s Soul trilogy with the paperback Epiphany while Karen Traviss debuts Revelation, the eighth novel of the Star Wars: Legacy of the Force series, on softcover and audiobook. In anticipation of the upcoming INDIANA JONES reboot, Del Rey is releasing a very affordable paperback collection of the original trilogy novelizations from authors Campbell Black, James Kahn, and Rob MacGregor.
When I clicked on the link to J.J. Abrams video update of STAR TREK and CLOVERFIELD 2 I was expecting the comments on STAR TREK’s new release date and the insight into the prospect of a second CLOVERFIELD film, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the news that J.J. Abrams and Stephen King are finally prepared to take anti-hero Roland Deschain to the silver screen in a Dark Tower adaptation. With the recent production deals struck with Sword of Truth and Ice and Fire I’ll be interested to see where this series is headed, to the big screen or the small.
In the meantime enjoy this week’s top picks and, in light of the Oscar season, check out the nominees’ list for this year’s Nebula and Bram Stoker Awards in science fiction, fantasy, and horror fiction.
This week’s top picks: David Gunn’s Death’s Head, Iain M. Banks’ Matter, Robert E. Howard’s Almuric, & John Meaney’s Bone Song
Nebula Awards Finalists:
The Accidental Time Machine, Joe Haldeman
The New Moon's Arms, Nalo Hopkinson
Odyssey, Jack McDevitt
Ragamuffin, Tobias S. Buckell
The Yiddish Policeman's Union, Michael Chabon
"Awakenings", Judith Berman (Black Gate Spr 2007)
"The Fountain of Age", Nancy Kress (Asimov's Jul 2007)
"The Helper and His Hero", Matt Hughes (F&SF Feb,Mar 2007)
"Kiosk", Bruce Sterling (F&SF Jan 2007)
"Memorare", Gene Wolfe (F&SF Apr 2007)
"Stars Seen through Stone", Lucius Shepard (F&SF Jul 2007)
"Child, Maiden, Mother, Crone", Terry Bramlett (Jim Baen's Universe Jun 2007)
"The Children's Crusade", Robin Wayne Bailey (Heroes in Training)
"The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs Of North Park After the Change", Kij Johnson (The Coyote Road)
"The Fiddler of Bayou Teche", Delia Sherman (The Coyote Road)
"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate", Ted Chiang (F&SF Sep 2007)
"Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter (Fantasy)", Geoff Ryman (F&SF Oct/Nov 2006)
"Safeguard", Nancy Kress (Asimov's Jan 2007)
"Always", Karen Joy Fowler (Asimov's Apr/May 2007)
"Captive Girl", Jennifer Pelland (Helix #2 Fall 2006)
"Pride", Mary Turzillo (Fast Forward 1)
"The Story of Love", Vera Nazarian (Salt of the Air 2006)
"Titanium Mike Saves the Day", David D. Levine (F&SF Apr 2007)
"Unique Chicken Goes In Reverse", Andy Duncan (Eclipse One)
Children of Men, Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby (Universal Studios)
Doctor Who: Blink, Steven Moffat (BBC/The Sci-Fi Channel)
Pan's Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro (Time/Warner)
The Prestige, Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan (Newmarket Films, Oct06 based on the novel by Christopher Priest)
Star Trek: New Voyages: World Enough and Time, Marc Scott Zicree & Michael Reaves (www.startreknewvoyages.com)
V for Vendetta, Larry Wachowski & Andy Wachowski (Warner Films, based on the graphic novel illustrated by David Lloyd)
Flora Segunda, Ysabeau S. Wilce
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J. K. Rowling
Into the Wild, Sarah Beth Durst
The Lion Hunter, Elizabeth Wein
The Shadow Speaker, Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu
The True Meaning of Smekday, Adam Rex
Vintage: A Ghost Story, Steve Berman
Bram Stoker Award Finalists:
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A NOVEL
The Guardener's Tale by Bruce Boston
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
The Missing by Sarah Langan
The Terror by Dan Simmons
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A FIRST NOVEL
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
I Will Rise by Michael Calvillo
The Memory Tree by John R. Little
The Witch's Trinity by Erika Mailman
The Hollower by Mary SanGiovanni
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN LONG FICTION
Afterward, There Will Be A Hallway by Gary Braunbeck
Almost The Last Story By Almost The Last Man by Scott Edelman
General Slocum's Gold by Nicholas Kaufmann
The Tenth Muse by William Browning Spencer
An Apiary Of White Bees by Lee Thomas
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SHORT FICTION
"The Death Wagon Rolls On By" by C. Dean Andersson
"Letting Go" by John Everson
"The Teacher" by Paul G. Tremblay
"There's No Light Between Floors" by Paul G. Tremblay
"Closet Dreams" by Lisa Tuttle
"The Gentle Brush Of Wings" by David Niall Wilson
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ANTHOLOGY
Five Strokes To Midnight edited by Gary Braunbeck and Hank Schwaeble
Inferno edited by Ellen Datlow
Dark Delicacies 2: Fear edited by Del Howison & Jeff Gelb
Midnight Premiere edited by Tom Piccirilli
At Ease With The Dead edited by Barbara & Christopher Roden
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A COLLECTION
Proverbs For Monsters by Michael A. Arnzen
The Imago Sequence by Laird Barron
Old Devil Moon by Christopher Fowler
5 Stories by Peter Straub
Defining Moments by David Niall Wilson
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN NONFICTION
Encyclopedia Horrifica by Joshua Gee
The Portable Obituary: How The Famous, Rich, And Powerful Really Died by Michael Largo
the cryptopedia: a dictionary of the weird, strange & downright bizarre by Jonathan Maberry & David F. Kramer
Storytellers Unplugged by Joe Nassise and David Niall Wilson
SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN POETRY
"Being Full Of Light, Insubstantial" by Linda Addison
"Heresy" by Charlee Jacob
"Vectors: A Week In The Death Of A Planet" by Charlee Jacob & Marge Simon
"Phantasmapedia" by Mark McLaughlin
"Ossuary" by JoSelle Vanderhooft
New in Hardcover:
Matter, Iain M. Banks (Orbit)
In a world renowned even within a galaxy full of wonders, a crime within a war. For one brother it means a desperate flight, and a search for the one - maybe two - people who could clear his name. For his brother it means a life lived under constant threat of treachery and murder. And for their sister, even without knowing the full truth, it means returning to a place she'd thought abandoned forever. Only the sister is not what she once was; Djan Seriy Anaplian has changed almost beyond recognition to become an agent of the Culture's Special Circumstances section, charged with high-level interference in civilizations throughout the greater galaxy. Concealing her new identity - and her particular set of abilities - might be a dangerous strategy, however. In the world to which Anaplian returns, nothing is quite as it seems; and determining the appropriate level of interference in someone else's war is never a simple matter. Matter is a novel of dazzling wit and serious purpose. An extraordinary feat of storytelling and breathtaking invention on a grand scale, it is a tour de force from a writer who has turned science fiction on its head.
Bone Song, John Meaney (Spectra)
Hailed as “the first important new SF writer of the 21st century,” John Meaney delivers a darkly luminous new thriller that blends futuristic noir with gothic fantasy. Here, in a city of the dead where desire is very much alive and murder a pleasure for connoisseurs, an honest cop must face his own darkest impulses just to have a prayer. There have been four victims already. Famed for their beauty and one-of-a-kind artistic gifts, they were murdered in the most shocking ways imaginable and their corpses stolen. Now the famed diva Maria daLivnova is arriving in Tristopolis—a city literally powered by the massive necroflux generators that process the dead—and it is up to Lieutenant Donal Riordan to make sure she ends her limited engagement alive.
But Riordan isn’t the only one watching deLivnova. For the Diva is being followed by two other secret “protectors”: Commander Laura Steele—who’s made a more or less successful transition to para-life—and her partner, the invisible free-wraith Xalia. They are part of the necropolis’s vast underground network and they’ve mobilized against an unseen enemy for a battle of epic proportions. For a perverse death cult with powerful members in every stratum of society has learned how to distill from the bones of their sacrificed victims the ultimate thrill—a nectar that, once tasted, is impossible to resist. And the more precious the life, the greater the pleasure it is to take it away. Soon Riordan will find himself in the unlikeliest of alliances as he journeys through a world of corruption—both aboveground and below—among gargoyles and zombies, spiritslaves and assassins, science and sorcery, in search of an enemy even the dead have every reason to fear…
New in Paperback:
The Adventures of Indiana Jones, Campbell Black, James Kahn, Rob MacGregor (Del Rey)
For the first time in a single volume the three thrilling novels inspired by the blockbuster films! With bullwhip in hand, Indiana Jones has unearthed a wealth of ancient treasures. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, the fearless archeologist journeys from Nepal to Cairo to the Mediterranean, dodging poisons, traps, and snakes, battling rivals old and new–all in pursuit of an ancient artifact that holds the key to dazzling, invincible power. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom finds our intrepid hero in a remote village in India, where a mysterious old shaman tells him that his arrival has been foreseen–and that he must retrieve a stolen mystical stone. And finally, Indy must face the most challenging and personal endeavor of his life: rescue his estranged father, the eminent professor Dr. Henry Jones, from a Nazi’s lair, and recover the legendary Holy Grail. Yet Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade doesn’t mean the adventure is over… Hell no it don’t!
The Boys are Back in Town, Christopher Golden (Spectra)
From a master of horror, dark fantasy, and suspense comes a compelling and uniquely original work of paranormal suspense in which one man finds himself trapped in a web of ever-shifting reality which threatens to remake the whole of the world—unless he can find a way to stop it. For Will James, facing his tenth high school reunion is far from his finest hour—especially since his life has not gone exactly as he planned. Dumped at the altar by his high school sweetheart and with his dreams of being a prize-winning reporter dashed by his job at a Boston tabloid, he is not sure he is ready to face his former peers. But what he does find at the reunion is far more than he bargained for. He soon learns that one of his buddies had died several years back—even though Will had received an e-mail from him only a few days before. It is not long before other people Will was convinced were alive are turning out to be dead as well—or married to other people, or childless where they used to have children. And new memories are swarming in to replace what Will is convinced was his old life, until he no longer knows what is real and what is not. The only thing he does know for certain is that he has to figure out why he alone remembers snatches of another life before everything dissolves into this new, darker reality.
Maelstrom, Anne McCaffrey & Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (Del Rey)
In Changelings, bestselling authors Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough returned to the sentient planet Petaybee with a story of growth and transformation in the face of deadly new threats. The telepathic, shapeshifting twins Murel and Ronan found that Petaybee had plans for them as well. Now those plans begin to bear fruit with fresh possibilities… and dangers. Maelstrom: Now that Petaybee is forming a new equatorial island, the planet has agreed to harbor a group of new refugees, workers indentured to the powerful InterGal Corporation. But the mission to collect the immigrants becomes a rescue operation when it is revealed that InterGal is doing nothing to help these survivors of a world devastated by a meteor shower. Murel and Ronan set out to persuade the frightened refugees to come out of hiding, leave their world, and bring along their sacred totem animals, the gifted sea turtles called the Honus. But the twins discover that they’ve taken on more than they expected: The Honus are not the only animals sacred to the refugees. There are also the Manos, intelligent sharks who have lost none of their predatory habits–and who cannot be left behind to die. When the Manos are released into Petaybee’s waters, a tragic misunderstanding endangers the whole resettlement operation. At the same time, the mysterious sea otters who once rescued the twins’ father are suddenly revealed to be much more than they appear to be. Now it is up to Ronan and Murel, with the intrepid assistance of their river otter friend Sky, to smooth the waters before a maelstrom of revenge destroys Petaybee’s harmonious way of life. But even as the twins uncover startling new facts about Petaybee’s past that will change everything they thought they knew about the planet, the forces of InterGal are gathering, preparing to strike… Book two in the Twins of Petaybee series.
Hellgate London: Goetia, Mel Odom (Pocket Star)
The trilogy that began in Exodus continues… 2024: Four years after the Demons opened the planar rift known as the Hellgate, mankind's desperate struggle to survive continues. Simon Cross, expatriate of the secret Templar order, works to find and transport survivors out of the ruined city. Hiding within London's Underground system, Simon is raising an army to fight against the encroaching Darkness. Now, he battles the monsters that roam the city and fends off a jealous Knight who plans to take Simon down...all while striving to reunite the divided Templar forces. Warren Schimmer, a Cabalist who is magically linked to a powerful demon, searches for Goetia. Also known as the Lesser Key of Solomon, this ancient artifact could provide the forces of good or evil with an edge in the ongoing war. Standing in his path is Simon Cross. Warren has made a bargain with his Demon lord for survival and the promise of vengeance against the persuasive Templar...but a Demon's promise is made to be broken.
Wildwood Road, Christopher Golden (Spectra)
Michael and Jillian Dansky seemed to have it all–a happy marriage, two successful careers, a bright future. But late one October evening, all that changed. Driving home from a Halloween masquerade, Michael momentarily nods off behind the wheel–and wakes to find nothing is the same. Standing by his car is the little girl he came within a breath of running down. She leads Michael to her “home,” an empty house haunted by whispers, and sends him away with a haunting whisper of her own: “come find me.” But in the weeks to follow, it’s clear that someone–or some thing–doesn’t want Michael to find her: ominous figures in grey coats with misshapen faces are following him everywhere. And then Jillian wakes one morning replaced by a cold, cruel, vindictive woman Michael hardly recognizes as his wife. Michael must now search not only for the lost girl, but for a way to find the Jillian he's always loved, and to do so he must return to where the nightmare began. Down an isolated lane where he’ll find them, or die trying.
Von Neumann’s War, John Ringo & Travis Taylor (Baen)
New series. Mars is changing. Seemingly overnight the once "Red" planet is turning to gray. Something is happening, something unnatural. A team of, literally, rocket scientists figure out a way to send a probe, very fast, to Mars to determine how and why it is changing. However, when the probe is destroyed well short of the formerly red planet, it's apparent that Mars is being used as a staging ground. The only viable target for that staging ground is Earth. Ranging from rocket design to brilliant paranoids to “in your face” fighting in Iraq, Von Neumann’s War is a fast paced look at what would happen if the earth was attacked by a robot race that, quite accidentally, was bent on destroying civilization.
Star Trek Vulcan’s Soul: Epiphany, Josepha Sherman & Susan Schwartz (Star Trek)
Following their bestsellers Vulcan's Forge and Vulcan's Heart, Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz conclude their new trilogy chronicling the latter-day adventures of one of Star Trek's most beloved characters, shedding new light on his world's shocking history. The distant past: The great ships have left war-torn Vulcan behind and, after a most arduous journey, have arrived at their destination. Two worlds become the new home of the exiles: Romulus is a verdant paradise, one much different from their desert home, while Remus is a barren wasteland, albeit one that is laden with natural resources. When Karatek and his family find themselves trapped on Remus with no hope of joining their brothers and sisters on Romulus, it sparks a conflict that leads the exiles into vicious civil war. One year after the Dominion War: The Watraii are determined to destroy the Romulan Star Empire. Ambassador Spock is equally determined to learn their secret. With the aid of his wife Captain Saavik and the U.S.S. Alliance, his old comrades Scotty, Uhura, and Chekov, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise, Spock executes a daring plan to bring about peace before the Alpha Quadrant is once again plunged into war... The stunning conclusion to the trilogy that changes everything you thought you knew about the Vulcans and the Romulans!
The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction Vol. 2, Ed. by George Mann (Solaris)
Following the successful format established by The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, this new anthology brings together an eclectic selection of all-original stories by some of the genre's best-loved and most popular writers. Authors include: Michael Moorcock, Karl Schroeder, Robert Reed, Kay Kenyon, David Louis Edelman, Peter Watts, Paul Di Filippo, Chris Roberson, Dan Abnett, Dominic Green, Brenda Cooper, Neal Asher and Mary Robinette Kowal.
Warhammer: Scourge of the Heretic, Sandy Mitchell (Games Workshop)
Science fiction action-adventure in the style of Eisenhorn and Ravenor, to tie in with the new Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy rolepaying game. By the author of Ciaphas Cain Omnibus and Duty Calls.
Star Wars Legacy of the Force: Revelation, Karen Traviss (Del Rey)
During this savage civil war, all efforts to end Jacen Solo’s tyranny of the Galactic Alliance have failed. Now with Jacen approaching the height of his dark powers, no one–not even the Solos and the Skywalkers–knows if anything can stop the Sith Lord before his plan to save the galaxy ends up destroying it. Jacen Solo’s shadow of influence has threatened many, especially those closest to him. Jaina Solo is determined to bring her brother in, but in order to track him down, she must first learn unfamiliar skills from a man she finds ruthless, repellent, and dangerous. Meanwhile, Ben Skywalker, still haunted by suspicions that Jacen killed his mother, Mara, decides he must know the truth, even if it costs him his life. And as Luke Skywalker contemplates once unthinkable strategies to dethrone his nephew, the hour of reckoning for those on both sides draws near. The galaxy becomes a battlefield where all must face their true nature and darkest secrets, and live–or die–with the consequences.
Heart of Light, Sarah A. Hoyt (Spectra)
Set in a magical Victorian British Empire that never was, this unique fantasy blends adventure, intrigue, and romance, as a newlywed couple embark on a dangerous quest—and, in the process, discover their own heart’s desires. On a luxury magic carpetship in 1889, an English couple travel to Cairo for their honeymoon. Except for a brush with a dragon, the voyage is uneventful. But for Nigel Oldhall and his beautiful Indian-born bride, Emily, the holiday hides another purpose. Within hours of arriving in the teeming city, they are plunged into an extraordinary struggle among demons, murderers, and magic. In Cairo, Nigel can no longer hide his secret from his wife: he is on a mission to rescue a ruby that will ensure Queen Victoria’s hold on Africa forever. But the search has already swallowed up Nigel’s older brother—and now it has put his own Emily in mortal danger. But is she the innocent Nigel imagines? Soon, separately and apart, the two will set off for the heart of the continent among conspirators and traitors, all seeking the ruby and the gifts and curses it offers them—and all of humankind…
Dead to Me, Anton Strout (Ace)
A new urban fantasy featuring a man working on the right side of law-with talents that come from left field. Psychometry- the power to touch an object and divine information about its history-has meant a life of petty crime for Simon Canderous, but now he's gone over to the good side. At New York's underfunded and (mostly) secret Department of Extraordinary Affairs, he's learning about red tape, office politics, and the basics of paranormal investigation. But it's not the paperwork that has him breathless. After Simon spills his coffee on (okay, through) the ghost of a beautiful woman-who doesn't know she's dead-he and his mentor plan to find her killers. But Simon's not prepared for the nefarious plot that unfolds before him, involving politically correct cultists, a large wooden fish, a homicidal bookcase, and the forces of Darkness, which kind of have a crush on him.
Planet of the Damned, Harry Harrison (Cosmos Books)
Classic Science Fiction adventure from the creator of The Stainless Steel Rat and Bill the Galactic Hero. Brion has just won the Twenties, a global competition that tests one' achievements in 20 categories of human activities. But Brion must leave his world to help salvage the world of Dis, the most hellish planet in the galaxy.
Hammer of Daemons, Ben Counter (Games Workshop)
In the nightmare future of Warhammer 40,000, a superhuman warrior must battle his way free from a world of daemons. Of the Grey Knights series.
Death’s Head, David Gunn (Del Rey)
Set in a chillingly realistic far-future world, and featuring a gritty antihero even more frightening than the evil empire he serves as soldier and assassin, Death’s Head is sure to be one of the most talked-about novels of the year. David Gunn is loaded–and he shoots to kill. At the top of the galactic pecking order is the United Free, a civilization of awe-inspiring technological prowess so far in advance of other space-faring powers as to seem untouchable gods. Most of the known universe has fallen under their inscrutable sway. The rest is squabbled over by two empires: one ruled with an iron fist by OctoV, a tyrant who appears to his followers as a teenage boy but is in reality something very different, the other administered by the Uplifted, bizarre machinelike intelligences, and their no-longer-quite-human servants, cyborgs known as the Enlightened. Sven Tveskoeg, an ex-sergeant demoted for insubordination and sentenced to death, is a vicious killer with a stubborn streak of loyalty. Sven possesses a fierce if untutored intelligence and a genetic makeup that is 98.2 percent human and 1.8 percent… something else. Perhaps that “something else” explains how quickly he heals from even the worst injuries or how he can communicate telepathically with the ferox, fearsome alien savages whose natural fighting abilities regularly outperform the advanced technology of their human enemies. Perhaps it is these unique abilities that bring Sven to the attention of OctoV. Drafted into the Death’s Head, the elite enforcers of OctoV’s imperial will, Sven is given a new lease on life. Armed with a SIG diabolo–an intelligentgun–and an illegal symbiont called a kyp, Sven is sent to a faraway planet, the latest battleground between the Uplifted and OctoV. There he finds himself in the midst of a military disaster, one that will take all his courage–and all his firepower–to survive. But an even deadlier struggle is taking place, a struggle that will draw the attention of the United Free. Sven knows he is a pawn, and pawns have a bad habit of being sacrificed. But Sven is nobody’s sacrifice. And even a pawn can checkmate a king.
The Alchemist’s Apprentice, Dave Duncan (Ace)
To the legendary clairvoyant Maestro Nostradamus, the future is forever in motion. But for young swordsman Alfeo Zeno, his apprentice and protector, the present is hard enough to contend with. His days are spent poring over astrology charts and making calculations, his nights learning arcane magic or transcribing Nostradamus's nebulous prophecies. Until one night, when the Council of Ten arrives to take the seer into custody. It seems that a high-ranking friend of the prince died under mysterious circumstances after Nostradamus cast his horoscope, warning of danger-and rumors are swirling that the mystic poisoned the victim to enhance his own reputation. Alfeo is stunned when his master refuses to flee. Instead, Nostradamus charges Alfeo with the task of clearing his name. Now, Alfeo must unravel a web of magic and murder if he is to have any future of his own.
Dark Horrors 2, Sean O’Reilly & Stjepan Sejic (Arcana Studio)
Kade, called "The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Chain to the Abyss of Hell," must once again face the demon known as Apollyon, who has merged with Karmic to form The Beast, Abbaddon! And, if that wasn't bad enough, The Fallen - seven angels who defied God - are released, determined to bring about the Apocalypse! Kade: Sun of Perdition takes place 1,000 years after Identity and is set during the Dark Ages.
Grimspace, Ann Aguirre (Ace)
As the carrier of a rare gene, Sirantha Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace-a talent which makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. Then a crash landing kills everyone on board, leaving Jax in a jail cell with no memory of the crash. But her fun's not over. A group of rogue fighters frees her...for a price: her help in overthrowing the established order.
Echoes of an Alien Sky, James P. Hogan (Baen)
Eighteen years have passed since the first manned mission to Earth arrived from Venus. With the first colonists already establishing themselves across the bright, sunny world of clear blue skies and wonderlands of towering mountains and ice deserts, Kyal Reen arrives to join the Venusian scientific and archeological teams that are working to reconstruct the story of the mysterious and enigmatic extinct Terran race that once flourished there. Studies of Terran geology, scientific works, and ancient records show that Earth's early peoples witnessed terrifying cataclysmic cosmic events in skies very different from those seen today. In his travels among the Terran ruins, Kyal meets a biologist called Lorili, who is attempting to explain certain baffling similarities between some Terran and Venusian life forms that are irreconcilable with the established fact that Venus is a far younger planet than Earth. Formerly aligned with the “Progressive” activists back on Venus, Lorili admires the qualities of tenacity and determination written through Terran history. She constructs a theory of Venusians being descended from Terran ancestors. However, even allowing for the greatly exaggerated time scales that Terran science assigned to the processes of biological and planetary evolution, further research shows that there could have been no overlap. The Terrans were extinct long before life emerged on Venus. But there is a different, unexpected answer to the riddle. Lorili and Kyal will have to fight for their theory—and their lives.
Doom 3: Worlds on Fire, Matthew Costello (Pocket Star)
The year is 2144...and the battle over Earth's precious resources has raged for a century. With global economies in ruins and all-out world war more than a possibility, the U.S government turned to the Union Aerospace Corporation, giving it carte blanche on the legendary red planet of Mars in a desperate bid to construct an off-world outpost that might provide resources, a military advantage...as well as something so secret that even members of government don't have a clue about it... Special Ops Marine Lieutenant John Kane was once a careerist simply glad to have a job, and couldn't care less about politics just as long as Uncle Sam's check cleared. But that was before he listened to his conscience and disobeyed a direct order. Busted down to private, Kane has been reassigned to the "U.S. Space Marines" -- the private army of the UAC -- with the prospect of becoming little more than a glorified security guard on Mars... Now Lt. Kane's fate leads him to Mars City -- part environmental community, part lab center, and all owned and protected by the UAC. It's a strange world with a fatal environment, and the thousands who live and work within the city have already begun to think of themselves as Martians. And away from Mars City, at the strange ancient sites uncovered on the planet, a small squad of marines stand guard while scientists uncover wall glyphs and search for artifacts, having already found something that is so far amazing and inexplicable -- including the relic called "U1," nicknamed "the Soul Cube" -- and unknown to all, the bringer of destructive chaos and unspeakable horror...
By Slanderous Tongues, Mercedes Lackey & Roberta Gellis (Baen)
Great Harry is dead, and England is ruled by a dour Protector for 10-year-old Edward VI-a Protector intent on keeping total control over the young king and no friend to Lady Elizabeth because of her brother's fondness for her. In the great lens and the dark pool that hold Visions for the FarSeers of the Bright Court and the Dark, the images change and waver. A pale, thin girl sometimes wears a crown and sometimes has no head; King Edward and his Court grow misty as he changes from boy to stripling. But the fires of Mary's reign still burn bright as they swallow writhing men, women, and children, and if she ever reigns the red-haired queen brings a burgeoning of art and joy. Elimination of that last possibility for England is Vidal Dhu's prime purpose, but he has been forbidden by King Oberon to attack Elizabeth. Though he may not attack her directly, still he hatches schemes within schemes. And if his plan to involve the young princess in a scandal that would render her unfit to rule in the opinion of the Proctor and his Council, he has more twisted plans to eliminate Elizabeth once and for all.
No Humans Involved, Kelley Armstrong (Spectra)
Armstrong is known for her intoxicating, sensual, and wicked tales of the paranormal, in which demons, witches, werewolves, and vampires collide--often hilariously, sometimes violently--with everyday life. Now get ready for Jaime Vegas, the luscious, lovelorn necromancer.
Heroes Adrift, Moira J. Moore (Ace)
The Empress wants to locate the descendants of her exiled sister. No magically-bonded Pair is more ill-suited for the job than long-suffering Shield Lee Mallorough and her all-too-charming Source Shintaro Karish. Yet it's a mission they can't refuse.
BSI Starside: Final Inquiries, Roger Macbride Allen (Spectra)
It’s the most dangerous assignment of their careers—a mission so top-secret, not even their commanding officer has been permitted to know the details. Within minutes, BSI agents Jamie Mendez and Hannah Wolfson are whisked aboard an Elder Race ship as massive as a small moon, hurtling across the galaxy at unheard-of speed toward the scene of a crime no one dares to put into words. They’ve been partnered on the case with Brox 234—an agent of the Kendari, humanity’s chief rival in the endless game of interstellar diplomatic threat and bluster. Mendez and Wolfson quickly learn one thing for certain: they’re about to face a threat so deadly that only an alliance between the human race and its fiercest foes will give any of them even the slimmest chance of survival. And even that chance is about to slip away.
Blue War: A Punktown Novel, Jeffrey Thomas (Solaris)
Over a decade ago Earth's Colonial Forces battled in a bloody war against the blue-skinned Ha Jiin people. Now, the hard-won peace is about to crumble as the work of an Earth-owned biotech corporation goes disastrously wrong. It's up to Jeremy Stake to uncover the truth behind mysterious events, and prevent a new war from beginning...
My Immortal Protector, Jen Holling (Pocket)
From acclaimed author Jen Holling comes the captivating and sensual story of Deidra MacKay, a reluctant witch who would do anything to give up her powers -- until she meets a darkly handsome man who may give her reason to use them... A fiery witch able to communicate with animals, Deidra MacKay longs to relinquish her powers -- they bring her nothing but misfortune and danger. So when she learns that years ago, her ancestors signed a blood pact with a vampire, cursing the MacKay clan with witchcraft, she presumes that a member of the undead can also take her magic away. So she embarks on a quest to find the one who can hopefully ease her misery. An embittered and crippled Scotsman, Stephen Ross lives as a recluse -- hiding from the world in a dreary castle. But when the intriguing and adorable Deidra arrives at his door hoping he is a vampire, he is intoxicated and aroused by her company. He joins her on her journey, hoping a vampire's magic might also heal his wounds -- and soon finds himself enraptured in the heat of passion with Deidra, an affair that could put both their lives at stake.
Northwest of Earth: The Complete Northwest Smith, C.L. Moore & C.J. Cherryh (Paizo Publishing)
75th Anniversary Edition! Among the best-written and most emotionally complex stories of the Pulp Era, the tales of intergalactic smuggler Northwest Smith still resonate strongly 75 years after their first publication. From the crumbling temples of forgotten gods on Venus to the seedy pleasure halls of old Mars, Northwest Smith blazes a trail through the underbelly of the solar system in 13 action-packed stories you won't soon forget.
Almuric, Robert E. Howard (Paizo Publishing)
The creator of Conan looks to the stars in one of fantasy's most enduring science fantasy classics! Robert E. Howard's Almuric is a savage planet of crumbling stone ruins and debased, near-human inhabitants. Into this world comes Esau Cairn, Earthman, swordsman, murderer. Only he can overthrow the terrible devils that enslave Almuric, but to do so he must first defeat the inner demons that forced him to abandon Earth. Filled with vile beasts and thrilling adventure in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Almuric is one of Howard's few novels, and an excellent yarn from one of America's most distinct literary voices.
Warhammer: Oathbreaker, Nick Kyme (Games Workshop)
In this storming tale of courage and heroism, a band of dwarf adventurers make a doomed attempt to reconquer the lost dwarf hold of Karak Varn.
Madhouse, Rob Thurman (Roc)
Half-human Cal Leandros and his brother, Niko, aren't exactly prospering with their preternatural detective agency. Who could have guessed that business could dry up in New York City, where vampires, trolls, and other creepy crawlies are all over the place? But now there's a new arrival in the Big Apple. A malevolent evil with ancient powers is picking off humans like sheep, dead-set on making history with an orgy of blood and murder. And for Cal and Niko, this is one paycheck they're going to have to earn.
New in Audiobook:
Star Wars Legacy of the Force: Revelation, Karen Traviss (RH Audio Abridged)
During this savage civil war, all efforts to end Jacen Solo’s tyranny of the Galactic Alliance have failed. Now with Jacen approaching the height of his dark powers, no one–not even the Solos and the Skywalkers–knows if anything can stop the Sith Lord before his plan to save the galaxy ends up destroying it. Jacen Solo’s shadow of influence has threatened many, especially those closest to him. Jaina Solo is determined to bring her brother in, but in order to track him down, she must first learn unfamiliar skills from a man she finds ruthless, repellent, and dangerous. Meanwhile, Ben Skywalker, still haunted by suspicions that Jacen killed his mother, Mara, decides he must know the truth, even if it costs him his life. And as Luke Skywalker contemplates once unthinkable strategies to dethrone his nephew, the hour of reckoning for those on both sides draws near. The galaxy becomes a battlefield where all must face their true nature and darkest secrets, and live–or die–with the consequences. Narrated by Mark Thompson.
Alright guys that’ll do it for this week’s Buzz. Check back next Monday for all the latest info on current sci fi, fantasy, and horror book releases. Questions or comments? Hit me up at Pferrara.mania@gmail.com.
Which only proves why I think awards are the bunk.
The last and best work of a major screen writing talent (think original "The Twilight Zone") and it is ignored.