Another week, another long list of SFF BOOK RELEASES THIS WEEK. Not last week, not next week, not ever two weeks from last Tuesday. No, sirreebob. THIS WEEK! Now here’s the copypasta:
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And now let’s get started looking at all these good things to read!
All the Birds in the Sky
by Charlie Jane Anders
Childhood friends Patricia Delfine and Laurence Armstead didn’t expect to see each other again, after parting ways under mysterious circumstances during middle school. After all, the development of magical powers and the invention of a two-second time machine could hardly fail to alarm one’s peers and families.
But now they’re both adults, living in the hipster mecca San Francisco, and the planet is falling apart around them. Laurence is an engineering genius who’s working with a group that aims to avert catastrophic breakdown through technological intervention. Patricia is a graduate of Eltisley Maze, the hidden academy for the world’s magically gifted, and works with a small band of other magicians to secretly repair the world’s every-growing ailments. Little do they realize that something bigger than either of them, something begun years ago in their youth, is determined to bring them together–to either save the world, or plunge it into a new dark ages.
The Bands of Mourning (Mistborn)
by Brandon Sanderson
The Bands of Mourning are the mythical metalminds owned by the Lord Ruler, said to grant anyone who wears them the powers that the Lord Ruler had at his command. Hardly anyone thinks they really exist. A kandra researcher has returned to Elendel with images that seem to depict the Bands, as well as writings in a language that no one can read. Waxillium Ladrian is recruited to travel south to the city of New Seran to investigate. Along the way he discovers hints that point to the true goals of his uncle Edwarn and the shadowy organization known as The Set.
The Brimstone Deception (SPI Files 3)
by Lisa Shearin
It’s called Brimstone. And after the first few hits, you’ll see every supernatural beast sharing the sidewalk, train, or office with you. After that, you’ll start seeing the really scary stuff.
I’m Makenna Fraser, seer for the SPI. And the collateral damage caused by Brimstone is something I’d like to unsee: dead drug dealers missing their hearts—and souls. Because your local pusher doesn’t stand a chance against the new cartel muscling its way into New York. And since the drug can only be produced with magic and molten brimstone fresh from Hell, that means a rift to the underworld is open somewhere in the city.
And when—not if—the cartel loses control of it, well…
It’s going to be Hell on earth.
Broken Hero (Arthur Wallace 4)
by Jonathan Wood
How’s a secret agent meant to catch a break? If it’s not a demi-god going through puberty, it’s a renegade Nazi clockwork army going senile. Or a death cult in Nepal. Or a battery-chewing wizard’s relationship problems. Arthur Wallace, agent of MI37—Britain’s agency for dealing with the supernatural, the extraterrestrial, and the generally odd—has to pull everything together, and he has to do it before a magical bomb tears reality apart.
City of Blades (The Divine Cities 2)
by Robert Jackson Bennett
A generation ago, the city of Voortyashtan was the stronghold of the god of war and death, the birthplace of fearsome supernatural sentinels who killed and subjugated millions.
Now, the city’s god is dead. The city itself lies in ruins. And to its new military occupiers, the once-powerful capital is a wasteland of sectarian violence and bloody uprisings.
So it makes perfect sense that General Turyin Mulaghesh— foul-mouthed hero of the battle of Bulikov, rumored war criminal, ally of an embattled Prime Minister—has been exiled there to count down the days until she can draw her pension and be forgotten.
At least, it makes the perfect cover story.
The truth is that the general has been pressed into service one last time, dispatched to investigate a discovery with the potential to change the world–or destroy it.
The trouble is that this old soldier isn’t sure she’s still got what it takes to be the hero.
Daughter of Blood (The Wall of Night 3)
by Helen Lowe
Malian of Night and Kalan, her trusted ally, are returning to the Wall of Night—but already it may be too late. The Wall is dangerously weakened, the Nine Houses of the Derai fractured by rivalry and hate. And now, the Darkswarm is rising . . .
Among Grayharbor backstreets, an orphan boy falls foul of dark forces. On the Wall, a Daughter of Blood must be married off to the Earl of Night, a pawn in the web of her family’s ambition. On the Field of Blood, Kalan fights for a place in the bride’s honor guard, while Malian dodges deadly pursuers in a hunt against time for the fabled Shield of Heaven. But the Darkswarm is gaining strength, and time is running out—for Malian, for Kalan, and for all of Haarth.
Dirty in Cashmere
by Peter Plate
Ricky Bellamy is shot in the head by a vigilante at the corner of Geneva and Mission in San Francisco. He’s declared brain-dead and hooked up to life support, but ten months later he emerges from his coma. The bullet stays lodged in his head—inoperable, the doctors say—but with it comes what Ricky calls “visions, a third eye.”
Dirty in Cashmere follows Ricky through the recent past of San Francisco, a city dealing with the fall-out from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, after which massive contamination spread across the Pacific Ocean to California. He’s set adrift in a world in which Life—the street name of an experimental radiation vaccine—is the currency by which both criminal enterprises and survival are won. As he squats in abandoned houses and brands himself as an “oracle” who can see the future, Ricky wonders whether there isn’t a bigger picture out there, one that maybe he can’t focus on or perhaps one that someone’s hiding from him. And as his skills as an oracle are called upon by more powerful forces, it becomes clear that the one thing Ricky wants most to predict is the city’s future—the mirror of his own destiny.
From Under the Mountain Paperback
by Cait Spivey
As the second child of the Aridan imperial family, nineteen-year-old Guerline knows exactly what is expected of her: be unobtrusive, be compliant, and do not fall in love with her low-born companion, Eva. She has succeeded at only two of those.
But before her feelings for Eva can become a point of contention for the royal house, Guerline’s calm and narrow life is ripped away from her-in the course of a single night-and she is abruptly cast in the role of empress.
Faced with a council that aggressively fears the four witch clans charged with protecting Arido and believes they are, in fact, waging war against the humans, Guerline struggles to maintain order. As her control over the land crumbles, she learns that the war is rooted in a conflict much older than she realized-one centuries in the making, which is now crawling from under the mountain and into the light. With the fate of Arido hanging in the balance, Guerline must decide who to trust when even her closest councilors seem to have an agenda.
Graveyard: The Mutant Files
by William C. Dietz
2069, Los Angeles. Decades after a bioterrorist attack decimated the population and left many of the survivors horribly mutated, the “norms” have forced mutants into dangerous areas known as red zones. And the tensions between the two groups are threatening to boil over…
LAPD detective Cassandra Lee is known for her single-mindedness, and right now, she’s got only one goal—track down the Bonebreaker, the man who murdered her father. But her quest for justice is derailed when LA comes under attack.
The Aztec Empire, a Central American group determined to take back the U.S. territories that their Spanish ancestors once controlled, has led a mutant army into California. Suddenly caught in the middle of a war, Lee must put all her energy into keeping her city safe while unearthing the political secrets of LA’s shady mayor. And with the Bonebreaker hunting her down, losing focus even for a second could mean death…
The Last Chronomancer (The Chronomancer Chronicles 1)
by Reilyn J. Hardy
January 29
Maestri Craft was perfectly content living in a small town in Aridete. A place he lived for nearly eight years now. His life was safe, simpleand ordinary; none of which was ever enough for his best friend, Jace.Jace was turning two decades and in the eyes of munfolk, that meant hewould become a man. Only Jace wasn’t of mun and that put him in danger.It would possibly even end his life.
Knowing he would be forcedto leave town, Mae was unwilling to let him go alone. He had secretstoo, and it was time he did something about it. Their journey will send them on a unique quest. From being chased by a hag, to flying on winged horses and even a confrontation with a vampire, they come acrossfriends and foes of all creatures. The only problem is, nothing is black and white, and not everyone is as friendly as they seem. Haunted by the curse that follows his bloodline, it soon becomes apparent to Mae thatno matter what you do or how far you run, your past will always catch up to you.
Lustlocked (Sin du Jour 2)
by Matt Wallace
The Sin du Jour books involve a restaurant that caters, in both senses of the word, to supernatural forces in our world.
The Goblin King (yes, that one) and his Queen are celebrating the marriage of their son to his human bride. Naturally the celebrations will be legendary.
But when desire and magic mix, the results can be unpredictable.
Our heroes are going to need more than passion for the job to survive the catering event of the decade!
Medium Rare: ‘Til Death Don’t Us Part (Medium Rare 2)
by Michelle Witvliet
January 29
Her daddy always said her impulsive nature would get her into serious trouble one day. Until now it was mostly minor, insignificant, easily fixed ways, but even Jennifer can’t deny she might have pushed her luck a mite too far this time.
When Valentine’s Night delivers much more than roses and romance, Jennifer Flagg finds herself in a predicament where she can only watch the events she set into motion as they effect her life and everyone else’s around her.
Much to her everlasting astonishment, she finds comfort and camaraderie with the most unlikely candidates and quickly discovers the rules she’d previously learned for talking to the already dead don’t apply when dealing with the almost dead, especially when she’s now one of them.
Mercury Striking (The Scorpius Syndrome 1)
by Rebecca Zanetti
With nothing but rumors to lead her, Lynne Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man—a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong. He’s more than muscle and firepower—and in post-plague L.A., he’s her only hope. As the one woman who could cure the disease, Lynne is the single most volatile—and vulnerable—creature in this new and ruthless world. But face to face with Jax Mercury.
Night Study (Study Series 5)
by Maria V. Snyder
Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana’s life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia is safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.
Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he’s quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he’s been keeping secrets from Valek…secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander’s mysterious plans, they realize it’s far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.
Pelion Preserved (Maze 3)
by Anna LaForge
January 30
Destruction or preservation for the city of Pelion?
For generations Pelion has been a city of rumor across the land, guarded and hidden behind its walls. Yet for the last hundred years, Pelion has opened its gates to seekers from foreign realms, returning those transformed by the Gift of the Sowers to use their new skills in towns, villages, and scattered settlements spread across a vast, empty continent.
But not all transformations are successful ones. The Nineteenth Mother of Pelion’s stewardship begins in tragedy and unheard-of murder, an event that leaves one adept dead and another driven mad. Still, she perseveres in keeping the promise of the Sowers–aliens who had seeded this world with the remnants of a ravaged and broken Earth–a promise of human enlightenment and a world reborn.
Now she must confront dire threats to the fulfillment of her task: the people of Pelion, long isolated behind their walls, reject the chance of transformation and, led by the President of the Guild Council, are starting to reject the idea of the Maze itself, as well as the foreigners who enter there. In the face of mounting civil unrest, the Mother vows that the Maze will endure.
If the Mother’s design–to bring together a scarred prince and a blind bard–should succeed, it would prove that the Gift can be received by all and that out of tragedy and failure, hope can be reborn. For in that hope lies the critical balance of whether Pelion will turn from its path and preserve only the prejudice of the past or embrace the preservation of a promise for the rest of the undiscovered world.
A Pocket Full of Lies (Star Trek: Voyager)
by Kirsten Beyer
The Full Circle Fleet has resumed its unprecedented explorations of the Delta Quadrant and former Borg space. Commander Liam O’Donnell of the U.S.S. Demeter makes a promising first contact with the Nihydron—humanoid aliens that are collectors of history. They rarely interact with the species they study but have created a massive database of numerous races, inhabited planets, and the current geopolitical landscape of a large swath of the quadrant. When an exchange of data is proposed via a formal meeting, the Nihydron representatives are visibly shaken when Admiral Kathryn Janeway greets them. For almost a century, two local species—the Rilnar and the Zahl—have fought for control of the nearby planet Sormana, with both sides claiming it as their ancestral homeworld. The shocking part is that for the last several years, the Rilnar have been steadily gaining ground, thanks to the tactics of their current commanding officer: a human woman, who appears to be none other than Kathryn Janeway herself.
Roadside Magic (Gallow and Ragged 2)
by Lilith Saintcrow
Robin Ragged has revenge to wreak and redemption to steal. As for Jeremy Gallow, the poison in his wound is slowly killing him, while old friends turn traitor and long-lost enemies return to haunt him.
In the dive bars and trailer parks, the sidhe are hunting. War looms, and on a rooftop in the heart of the city, the most dangerous sidhe of all is given new life. He has only one thought, this new hunter: Where is the Ragged?
The Skull Throne (Demon Cycle 4)
by Peter V. Brett
The Skull Throne of Krasia stands empty.
Built from the skulls of fallen generals and demon princes, it is a seat of honor 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 honor refuse. Rather than risk defeat, Arlen cast them both from a precipice, leaving the world without a savior, 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 Sleep Garden
by Jim Krusoe
January 27
In an underground apartment building called “the Burrow”–essentially purgatory―“twilight souls” inhabit the space between life and death. Interwoven with their stories are those of inhabitants of the living world: a retired sea captain, a psychotic former child actor (possibly the sea captain’s illegitimate son?), and the technicians who monitor the Burrow, making sure its occupants have a constant supply of oxygen and food.
Spider Game (GhostWalker 12)
by Christine Feehan
The Cajun dive in the middle of the godforsaken swamps wasn’t exactly Trap Dawkins’ idea of fun. But the GhostWalker wasn’t there for a good time. He was looking for her. Cayenne. It’s where she found her victims. Poor suckers. Then again, who wouldn’t want to leave a place like this with a woman like her?
It’s not Cayenne’s fault. Locked up, experimented on and never knowing kindness, she was bred this way—with a heart of pure venom. Trap understands her. He survived his own dark past and he shares her desire for getting even. But now Trap’s greatest danger is Cayenne herself. Because what’s inside her is hard to control—especially when it’s aroused by a lover as reckless as Trap.
Staked (The Iron Druid Chronicles 8)
by Kevin Hearne
When a Druid has lived for two thousand years like Atticus, he’s bound to run afoul of a few vampires. Make that legions of them. Even his former friend and legal counsel turned out to be a bloodsucking backstabber. Now the toothy troublemakers—led by power-mad pain-in-the-neck Theophilus—have become a huge problem requiring a solution. It’s time to make a stand.
As always, Atticus wouldn’t mind a little backup. But his allies have problems of their own. Ornery archdruid Owen Kennedy is having a wee bit of troll trouble: Turns out when you stiff a troll, it’s not water under the bridge. Meanwhile, Granuaile is desperate to free herself of the Norse god Loki’s mark and elude his powers of divination—a quest that will bring her face-to-face with several Slavic nightmares.
As Atticus globetrots to stop his nemesis Theophilus, the journey leads to Rome. What better place to end an immortal than the Eternal City? But poetic justice won’t come without a price: In order to defeat Theophilus, Atticus may have to lose an old friend.
Byron Dunn is not Mackenna Frasier. That’s what the book blurb said and he just did his job and copied it. Just between us, he’s really D.B. Cooper. Don’t tell anyone.
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