Shattered Pillars is the second book in the Eternal Sky trilogy, following the phenomenal Range of Ghosts. The final book in the trilogy, Steles of the Sky, is scheduled for release in April 2014 (and the gorgeous cover was revealed not too long ago).

Since this review covers the second book in a series, it will contain spoilers for the first book. If you are curious about Eternal Sky but do not want to start with a review of the middle volume, here is my review of Range of Ghosts. I don’t have much to say about the second book that I didn’t say about the first anyway—I loved everything about it and think it’s an incredibly well-written and executed fantasy novel, certainly among the best I’ve ever read.

In Range of Ghosts, the ruling Khagan and his heir were both killed, leaving Temur as the successor. However, Temur’s uncle Qori Buqa would be Khagan and would like to remove Temur as an obstacle. When Temur became close to a young woman, Edene, Qori Buqa had her captured by the Nameless and their blood ghosts. Temur sought to rescue her from her captivity and eventually met and joined forces with Samarkar, a former princess who gave up this role in order to become a wizard. Shattered Pillars continues the story of their attempts to gain recognition for Temur as Khagan and their journey to rescue Edene from al-Sepehr’s fortress—and expands to show the influence of al-Sepehr and his plots, as well as Edene’s own journey after her successful escape from her captor at the end of the first book.

When I read my very first book written by Elizabeth Bear, I was enchanted by her elegant prose and smart, subtle storytelling, and I knew I had discovered something special. As I’ve read more of her writing, I’ve only grown more impressed, especially since her books keep getting better and better. Her Edda of Burdens trilogy, completed a couple of years ago, contained my favorite of her books, but now that I’ve read the first two Eternal Sky books I’m quite confident this trilogy will surpass it. It’s cemented my opinion that Elizabeth Bear is one of the very best speculative fiction authors writing at the moment. Certainly, she’s the best I’ve read in terms of consistently writing high quality fiction—and Shattered Pillars is now my favorite of her books.

Shattered Pillars is a middle book with some of the key characteristics of the second book in a trilogy. It does seem to have a lot of setup with some major events in the final chapter leading up to an exciting finale. Despite this, I hardly noticed that this was the case since I actually enjoyed reading it even more than the first book. It has a lot of different point of view characters, especially considering it’s not a massive doorstopper of a fantasy book at a mere 333 pages, but they all add to the story. I felt like I got a better sense of both the world cultures and the different characters and their motivations than in the first book because of all the different perspectives. It had the perfect amount of detail, enough to effortlessly picture the scenes but not enough to bog down the novel.

One of the reasons I loved this book so much despite the fact that there was not much progression toward a plot resolution is that it had more of the same excellent qualities of the first book—more gorgeous prose, more depth of culture and amazing world mythology, and more characterization. It also had an occasional bit of humor that I don’t remember being in the first book (but it’s been awhile since I read the first book so it’s entirely possible I just don’t remember those moments!).

The characters are all wonderfully written. Samarkar was my favorite in the first book, and I grew to admire her character even more in Shattered Pillars. I just love how politically savvy, intelligent, and practical she is. In Range of Ghosts, Samarkar makes the sacrifice that is required to become a wizard even though it is a great risk. She could have died, and even if she survived, there was no guarantee her sacrifice would gain her power. Many wizards do not, but Samarkar is one of the fortunate who does, though she is told she is not extraordinarily powerful. Yet she can inspire awe in others due to her ability to think quickly: her wit is where her true power lies. Her magic is not hand-waving and chanting the correct words but using real-world knowledge to solve problems.

The contrast between Samarkar and Temur’s characters due to their pasts is very well-done, and I think it’s rare that an author manages to capture how characters are shaped by their pasts so naturally. Samarkar was born before her brothers and was raised as a princess, and she is more knowledgeable about politics, more practical, and more confident. Temur seems less sure of himself and more naive. He is both younger than Samarkar and a second son, one it was assumed would serve his brother the Khagan rather than be Khagan himself, and he appears to be less experienced due to this. These show in their actions, but it also doesn’t beat readers over the head with all the contributing factors due to the two characters’ respective upbringings.

In addition, I love how capable the women in these books are. Samarkar has saved Temur numerous times, even though he is not defenseless or incapable. When Samarkar points out Temur should listen to her because she saved his life once, he laughs at this remark because she has saved him far more than once. In one memorable scene, a character asks to be clothed like a queen, and it’s assumed she means silks and satins. Her response is that she means armor and flame. She is one who acts, one who is in the position to be dressed like a queen because she put herself in that position—and dressing like a queen does not mean looking elegant but being ready for action.

Samarkar and Temur are certainly my favorite characters, but they are far from the only well-written characters. I also enjoyed learning more about Hrahima and Brother Hsiung’s pasts, and I really appreciated that I could sympathize with Saadet, even though she is an enemy of Temur and Samarkar. To my surprise, I even found myself warming up to Qori Buqa, the cause of so many of Temur’s problems, in a scene where he just seemed like an ordinary man who liked to hunt and had affection for his horse. Even Bansh, Temur’s horse, is a well-developed character (and the most useful horse to have around when one is in a tight spot!).

There’s much to praise about Shattered Pillars, and I loved everything about it. The world is definitely fantasy, but it’s also realistic with its different cultures and factions. It has amazing characters, gorgeous writing, a touch of horror with a creepy plague, occasional humor, subtlety, and poise. If the final book in this trilogy is even close to the quality of the first two, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Eternal Sky became a fantasy classic.

My Rating: 10/10

Where I got my reading copy: Review copy from the publisher.

Read an Excerpt from Shattered Pillars

Other Reviews:

Books of 2013 is a feature for highlighting books coming out this year that sound interesting. Today’s featured book is the upcoming anthology Once Upon a Time: New Fairy Tales edited by Paula Guran.

Once Upon a Time: New Fairy Tales edited by Paula Guran

I actually hadn’t heard anything about this book until I got one of those emails from Amazon trying to get me to buy something. Normally I disregard those emails, but this time I looked at it because the subject “New from Tanith Lee” caught my eye. I hadn’t heard anything about a new book by her so I was curious and opened the email to see what it was about. While the book isn’t actually written by Tanith Lee, it contains one of her short stories, and I was immediately intrigued by it. I LOVE retold fairy tales, plus this book contains short stories by both authors whose work I’ve been wanting to read and some authors who have written books I really enjoyed (such as Cinda Williams Chima, Ekaterina Sedia, and Jane Yolen).

Once Upon a Time: New Fairy Tales will be available in October.

About Once Upon a Time: New Fairy Tales:

Eighteen extraordinary authors devise all-new fairy tales: imaginative reinterpretations of the familiar, evocative new myths, speculations beyond the traditional realm of “once upon a time.” Often dark, occasionally humorous, always enthralling, these stories find a certain Puss in a near-future New York, an empress bargaining with a dragon, a princess turned into a raven, a king’s dancing daughters with powerful secrets, great heroism, terrible villainy, sparks of mischief, and a great deal more. Brilliant dreams and dazzling nightmares with meaning for today and tomorrow…

“The Giant In Repose” by Nathan Ballingrud
“Eat Me, Drink Me, Love Me” by Christopher Barzak
“Tales That Fairies Tell” by Richard Bowes
“Warrior Dreams” by Cinda Williams Chima
“Blanchefleur” by Theodora Goss
“The Road of Needles” by Caitlín R. Kiernan
“Below the Sun Beneath” by Tanith Lee
“The Coin of Heart’s Desire” by Yoon Ha Lee
“Sleeping Beauty of Elista” by Ekaterina Sedia
“Egg” by Priya Sharma
“Lupine” by Nisi Shawl
“Castle of Masks” by Cory Skerry
“Flight” by Angela Slatter
“The Lenten Rose” by Genevieve Valentine
“The Hush of Feathers, the Clamour of Wings” by A.C. Wise
“Born and Bread” by Kaaron Warren
“The Mirror Tells All” by Erzebet YellowBoy
“The Spinning Wheel’s Tale” by Jane Yolen

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature where I talk about books I got over the last week – old or new, bought or received for review consideration. Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included.

This week’s pile is much more manageable than last with three books that showed up. One of these was already covered as an ARC, but here’s the basic details with a link to more in case it’s one you missed and might be curious about:

Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach

Fortune’s Pawn (Paradox #1) by Rachel Bach

This is the first book in a new science fiction series written by Rachel Aaron, author of the Legend of Eli Monpress books. Fortune’s Pawn will be released in trade paperback and ebook in November. Book two, Honor’s Knight, is scheduled for release in February 2014.

 

Devi Morris isn’t your average mercenary. She has plans. Big ones. And a ton of ambition. It’s a combination that’s going to get her killed one day – but not just yet.

That is, until she just gets a job on a tiny trade ship with a nasty reputation for surprises. The Glorious Fool isn’t misnamed: it likes to get into trouble, so much so that one year of security work under its captain is equal to five years everywhere else. With odds like that, Devi knows she’s found the perfect way to get the jump on the next part of her Plan. But the Fool doesn’t give up its secrets without a fight, and one year on this ship might be more than even Devi can handle.

The Grim Company by Luke Scull

The Grim Company (Grim Company #1) by Luke Scull

This first book in a new fantasy series has already been released in the UK, and it will be available in the US on September 3 (hardcover, ebook). An excerpt from The Grim Company can be read on Tor.com.

 

The Gods are dead. The Magelord Salazar and his magically enhanced troops, the Augmentors, crush any dissent they find in the minds of the populace. On the other side of the Broken Sea, the White Lady plots the liberation of Dorminia, with her spymistresses, the Pale Women. Demons and abominations plague the Highlands.

The world is desperately in need of heroes. But what they get instead are a ragtag band of old warriors, a crippled Halfmage, two orphans and an oddly capable manservant: the Grim Company.

Today I’m happy to be giving away one copy of the recently released mass market paperback of The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams! It is the first book in the Bobby Dollar series, and it will be followed by Happy Hour in Hell (coming September 2013) and Sleeping Late on Judgement Day.

The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams

About The Dirty Streets of Heaven:

Set in modern-day California, Bobby is wrestling with his own sins, as well as those of his clients, not to mention a mysterious she-demon known as Countess Cold Hands.

Bobby Dollar has a secret.  Actually he’s got a ton of them.  The most important one is that his real name’s Doloriel and he’s an angel.  Not an important angel, maybe, but a rough-and-tumble guy who’s always done his part in the long cold war between Heaven and Hell.

But now he’s stepped into the middle of something that’s got both sides very nervous—an unprecedented number of missing souls.  And if that wasn’t enough, someone has summoned a truly unpleasant Babylonian demon that’s doing its best to track him down and rip him to pieces.  Also, his opposite number on the case is arguably the world’s sexiest she-devil, and Bobby has feelings for her that Heaven definitely does not allow.

Bobby’s story is as dark and gritty as the setting and Tad Williams’ legions of fans will delight in seeing this new side of his writing.

Read an Excerpt from The Dirty Streets of Heaven

Courtesy of Penguin, I have one copy of The Dirty Streets of Heaven to give away! This giveaway is open to those with a mailing address in the US or Canada.

Giveaway Rules: To be entered in the giveaway, fill out the form below OR send an email to kristen AT fantasybookcafe DOT com with the subject “Dirty Streets Giveaway.” One entry per person and one winner will be randomly selected. Those from the US or Canada are eligible to win this giveaway. The giveaway will be open until the end of the day on Friday, September 6. The winner has 24 hours to respond once contacted via email, and if I don’t hear from them by then a new winner will be chosen (who will also have 24 hours to respond until someone gets back to me with a place to send the book).

Please note email addresses will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner. Once the giveaway is over all the emails will be deleted.

Good luck!

(Now that the giveaway is over, the form has been removed.)

Magic Rises is the sixth book in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. The book includes a short story, “An Ill-Advised Rescue,” that takes place before events in Magic Rises. I went to the end of the book and read it first as advised on the Acknowledgments page, but I was unsure about how it tied in with the novel before reading it and whether or not I really wanted to follow that suggestion. It is set before the beginning of Magic Rises, and it just fills in the backstory on an event involving Saiman that is referenced. You won’t miss anything important if you do skip it or read it after the novel since the novel supplies the basic details on what happened.

The novels in the Kate Daniels series definitely should be read in order. The previous books in the series are as follows:

  1. Magic Bites (Review)
  2. Magic Burns (Review)
  3. Magic Strikes (Review)
  4. Magic Bleeds (Review)
  5. Magic Slays (Review)

This series was originally supposed to contain 7 novels, but it is now supposed to contain 10. There are also several related shorter stories, and a novel about Kate’s friend Andrea, Gunmetal Magic, was released last year. Gunmetal Magic does take place between the end of Magic Slays and Magic Rises, but it’s not necessary to read it before Magic Rises.

There will be spoilers for previous books in the series in this review starting after the line below. If you have not read the previous five books and dislike spoilers, you will not want to read this review. I do highly recommend this series and think it’s the very best urban fantasy series I have read. If you aren’t completely won over by the first book, don’t let that deter you from reading more, though. Book three is where everything really starts to come together and it pays off in a BIG way!

A common tragedy that befalls shapeshifters is their children dying before reaching adulthood. Approximately 25% of these young shapeshifters go loup, losing control to the Lyc-V virus and becoming so violent toward others they need to be put down. Once a shapeshifter gets to this point, there is no returning to their former selves—unless one happens to be in possession of panacea, a difficult-to-obtain drug produced in Europe that sometimes cures loupism. When Kate and Curran are offered the opportunity to travel to Europe to perform a job in return for panacea, they cannot turn down a medicine that would so greatly benefit their Pack, even though it’s quite obvious to both of them that they’ll be walking right into a trap.

They’ve been asked to be a neutral third party in a dispute involving a young woman, her father, and the two fathers of her unborn children. Desandra, the young woman, has been used as a pawn by her father Jarek, who once tried to “gift” her to Curran himself. Her father eventually married her off to a man belonging to a pack in the Ukraine, but once the marriage was no longer convenient for him, he had her divorce her husband and marry an Italian shapeshifter. Recently, the Italian pack angered him and he decided Desandra should no longer be with them, either.

Unfortunately for him, this was after he promised a sought-after mountain pass to his daughter’s firstborn. His distraught daughter slept with both her current husband and her ex-husband, and became pregnant with twins—one fathered by each of the men. Jarek made it clear that he’d rather his daughter die than see the pack from Italy possess his mountain pass, and there’s concern that he may try to kill her himself. In addition, both packs desire that pass. Kate and Curran’s role is to guard Desandra until her children are born, and witness which is born first, putting the newborn’s family in control of this excellent mountain pass. They gather their best people and head to Europe to do just this—despite being under no illusion whatsoever that it’s incredibly fishy that their presence was requested rather than a closer neutral third party.

The Kate Daniels series is the one I would urge someone to read if they were only going to read one urban fantasy series. The first book intrigued me without managing to hook me, but I enjoyed the second one more. The third book is perhaps the finest urban fantasy story I’ve ever read, and it made me an enthusiastic fan of the series for its great pacing, sense of humor, action-packed scenes, characters and characterization, incorporation of myths, and the way it built up and metered out revelations about Kate’s family history. The fourth one started a little slower, but I enjoyed it nearly as much since it did have many of the same qualities I enjoyed about the third book, and it also dealt more with the arc about Kate’s family. After books three and four built upon the revelations about Kate so well, I admit to being a little disappointed that book five largely ignored them only to hint at returning to a related storyline at the very end. I started Magic Rises with some trepidation since it seemed to be setting up an unrelated story, and I thought it was entirely possible this book may ignore all story threads related to Roland since I knew it was no longer the next-to-last book and the urgency to develop this story arc may no longer be there.

I need not have worried: what appears to be a random side adventure turns into more than that. While it doesn’t feel like the next-to-last book (thankfully since that is no longer the case!) it also does build on this underlying storyline like books three and four did. As a result, I loved it as much as these two books in the series despite feeling it wasn’t quite as good in some ways. There were times this novel reminded me of a soap opera, mainly the reason for Kate and Curran’s trip to Europe (twins by an estranged husband and ex-husband with the firstborn deciding the fate of two families!) and some relationship drama. I also wasn’t as captivated by the world mythology as I was in the third and fourth books, but everything else was done right—the humor, the pacing, the action, the characters, and the riveting conclusion. I was never bored for an instant, and the second half especially was very intense.

Normally, I find fight scenes extremely dull, but Ilona Andrews has a gift for writing gripping fight scenes that I can’t get enough of (Magic Strikes was the same way). They’re exciting scenes, but at the same time they tend to tie in with characterizing Kate and showcasing her abilities, and the way action is blended with dealing with either her character or abilities is a winning combination.

On the subject of Kate’s character, one of the things I love so much about this series is that Kate’s past shapes her character and I understand her well because of it. She’s only recently found a place to belong after spending her entire life alone, with one purpose: hide who she is and what she can do long enough to defeat Roland. Friendship, love, and belonging are not things she ever expected to have, and trusting people goes completely against her training. She also had a difficult time becoming part of the Pack because of her fear of becoming a liability to others because of her status of the daughter of Roland. Kate overcame all of it and fought tooth and nail to become the Pack’s Consort, yet others are unable to see her as being worthy of that place due to her humanity. She is not a shapeshifter and cannot truly understand their ways, and there’s still so much she doesn’t know that is basic shapeshifter knowledge. Some wonder how can she ever be a suitable mate for Curran when she’s not truly like him. After the lengths she took to become Consort, what Kate faced in this book from other shapeshifters, including Curran’s odd behavior, was devastating.

The plot itself—oh wow, it’s up to us to go to Europe and deal with these two Packs by making sure this pregnant woman and her twins of two fathers survive and settle this dispute about who gets control of this mountain pass!—was really quite outlandish. It was a great relief to me that Kate and Curran realized this had to be some sort of trap because otherwise I would have spent the whole book thinking it didn’t make sense that they specifically were called upon to do this. As it is, the story of Desandra being impregnated by both her current husband and her ex-husband and her father claiming the family of the firstborn would have access to the pass was like something out of a soap opera. Now that I think of it, so were Kate and Curran’s relationship issues, though I at least thought the lack of communication made some sense since Kate had a job to do and was often unavailable to ask Curran what he was thinking.

Fortunately, so much was done well that I really didn’t think about any flaws while reading it because it was so thoroughly enjoyable to read. It did have the trademark Ilona Andrews humor, and I think their humor hits the mark exactly. It comes across as a natural part of Kate’s personality, not as an overdone attempt at adding some humor to the oft-dark novel. As mentioned, the fight scenes and Kate’s character are very well done. Plus, all the secondary characters even have their own traits and personalities and stand out as individuals, and I was delighted by how interesting I found one of the more prominent ones in this book. Ilona Andrews does know how to write intriguing characters.

In some ways, Magic Rises isn’t technically the strongest installment in the Kate Daniels series since it does have an out-of-left-field dramatic plot and I thought the mythological components were better done in other books in the series. Yet, I didn’t notice any of this while reading it because I found this book far more gripping than the vast majority of books I read due to its strengths, and I had every bit as much fun reading it as the fourth book in the series. Ilona Andrews know how to deliver when it comes to building up story arcs and characters, and I also really love the blend between darkness and humor. The ending is particularly intense, and I’m now salivating for book 7 (especially after reading some hints of what is to come on the author’s website!).

My Rating: 9/10

Where I got my reading copy: I purchased it.

Read Chapter One

Other Reviews of Magic Rises:

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature where I talk about books I got over the last week – old or new, bought or received for review consideration. Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included.

This week’s post is rather large because a) I included last week’s books since I didn’t do this post last week in order to spend my weekend time on finishing a book/writing a review and b) a lot of books came in this week. They are all ARCs/finished copies from publishers, except the first which is an ARC I got from the author, who happens to be a friend of mine.

For reviews, I did almost get one finished last week, but I wasn’t able to finish it since last week was CRAZY and I wasn’t home very much last week because of it. But the review is really close to wrapped up so I’m hoping to get it up this week!

On to the books!

Celtic Moon by Jan DeLima

Celtic Moon (Celtic Wolves #1) by Jan DeLima

Celtic Moon will be released in mass market paperback/ebook on September 24, and two more books in the series will follow. A brief excerpt can be read on the author’s website, and you can also read more about it in a guest post Jan wrote for Women in SF&F Month last April. This will be her first published novel.

Jan is a friend of mine so I’ve heard some about both this and book two and am pretty excited about reading it!

 

Like father, like son…

Sophie Thibodeau has been on the run from the father of her son for more than fifteen years. Now her son, Joshua, is changing, and her greatest fears are about to be realized. He’s going to end up being just like his father—a man who can change into a wolf.

Dylan Black has been hunting for Sophie since the night she ran from him—an obsession he cannot afford in the midst of an impending war. Dylan controls Rhuddin Village, an isolated town in Maine where he lives with an ancient Celtic tribe. One of the few of his clan who can still shift into a wolf, he must protect his people from the Guardians, vicious warriors who seek to destroy them.

When Sophie and Dylan come together for the sake of their son, their reunion reignites the fierce passion they once shared. For the first time in years, Dylan’s lost family is within his grasp. But will he lose them all over again? Are Joshua and Sophie strong enough to fight alongside Dylan in battle? Nothing less than the fate of his tribe depends on it…

She Walks In Darkness by Evangeline Walton

She Walks In Darkness by Evangeline Walton

Evangeline Walton’s first novel was published in 1936, and she received the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award. Sadly, I hadn’t even heard of her work before She Walks In Darkness showed up in the mail. I’m glad I have now since it sounds very interesting!

She Walks In Darkness, written in the 1960s, is being published for the first time in September (trade paperback/ebook). Evangeline Walton died in 1996, but it’s possible some of her other unpublished work may be made available as well.

A brief excerpt from She Walks In Darkness is on the publisher’s website.

 

A gorgeous Tuscan villa harboring a terrible secret houses this original harrowing adventure of ancient mystery and modern intrigue.

Archaeologist Richard Keyes and his resourceful young bride, Barbara, are expecting a blissful honeymoon in a welcoming new country. But from the moment they arrive in their secluded new home, circumstances conspire against them. A car crash leaves Richard lying unconscious in a bed surrounded by frescoes of a benevolent goddess, while a far more sinister deity in the courtyard seems to gain power in the night.

Meanwhile, in Barbara’s hour of need, a beautiful, young Tuscan appears, and she is drawn to his seductive charms. A conflict has been reawakened after generations of sacrifice, betrayal, and madness, and the key to the mystery lies in the catacombs under the villa.

This first publication of newly-discovered novel from classic fantasist Evangeline Walton (The Mabinogoion series) is sure to please fans of all genres.

Shadows of the New Sun: Stories in Honor of Gene Wolfe

Shadows of the New Sun: Stories in Honor of Gene Wolfe edited by Bill Fawcett and J. E. Mooney

Shadows of the New Sun will be released on August 27 (hardcover, ebook, and audiobook). It’s a tribute to the respected author Gene Wolfe, who has won Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards. There are some stories by some excellent authors in this one, including Neil Gaiman and Nancy Kress. In addition, there are two new stories by Gene Wolfe.

 

Perhaps no living author of imaginative fiction has earned the awards, accolades, respect, and literary reputation of Gene Wolfe. His prose has been called subtle and brilliant, inspiring not just lovers of fantasy and science fiction, but readers of every stripe, transcending genre and defying preconceptions.

In this volume, a select group of Wolfe’s fellow authors pay tribute to the award-winning creator of The Book of the New Sun, The Fifth Head of Cerberus, Soldier of the Mist, The Wizard Knight and many others, with entirely new stories written specifically to honor the writer hailed by The Washington Post as “one of America’s finest.”

Shadows of the New Sun 
features contributions by Neil Gaiman, David Brin, David Drake, Nancy Kress, and many others, plus two new short stories by Gene Wolfe himself.

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

This creepy-sounding young adult novel will be released on September 10 (hardcover, ebook, audiobook). An excerpt containing the first 31 pages is available.

 

They called it the killing day. Twelve people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors, relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn’t even know why she killed—or whether she’ll do it again.

Something is waking in the sleepy town of Oleander’s, Kansas—something dark and hungry that lives in the flat earth and the open sky, in the vengeful hearts of upstanding citizens. As the town begins its descent into blood and madness, five survivors of the killing day are the only ones who can stop Oleander from destroying itself. Jule, the outsider at war with the world; West, the golden boy at war with himself; Daniel, desperate for a different life; Cass, who’s not sure she deserves a life at all; and Ellie, who believes in sacrifice, fate, and in evil. Ellie, who always goes too far. They have nothing in common. They have nothing left to lose. And they have no way out. Which means they have no choice but to stand and fight, to face the darkness in their town—and in themselves.

The Exodus Towers by Jason M. Hough

The Exodus Towers (The Dire Earth Cycle #2) by Jason M. Hough

This science fiction novel will be released on August 27 (mass market paperback, ebook, audiobook). The Darwin Elevator, the first book in the series, is now available. The third book in the trilogy, The Plague Forge, is scheduled for release on September 24. (These are the US release dates. The UK release dates are 3 days later for both books.)

 

The Exodus Towers features all the high-octane action and richly imagined characters of The Darwin Elevator—but the stakes have never been higher.
 
The sudden appearance of a second space elevator in Brazil only deepens the mystery about the aliens who provided it: the Builders. Scavenger crew captain Skyler Luiken and brilliant scientist Dr. Tania Sharma have formed a colony around the new Elevator’s base, utilizing mobile towers to protect humans from the Builders’ plague. But they are soon under attack from a roving band of plague-immune soldiers. Cut off from the colony, Skyler must wage a one-man war against the new threat as well as murderous subhumans and thugs from Darwin—all while trying to solve the puzzle of the Builders’ master plan . . . before it’s too late for the last vestiges of humanity.

Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

Frozen (Heart of Dread #1) by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

Frozen, the first book in a new YA fantasy series, is written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz and her husband Michael Johnston, who has worked with her on other books she has written (with the creation of the Blue Bloods and Witches of East End books and also with writing the Wolf Pact series). It will be published on September 17 (hardcover, ebook). An excerpt from Frozen is available on USA Today.

 

From New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston comes this remarkable first book in a spellbinding new series about the dawn of a new kind of magic.

Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.

At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she’s heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.

But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.

Transcendental by James Gunn

Transcendental by James Gunn

This science fiction novel by Hugo Award winner James Gunn will be released on August 27 (hardcover, ebook). An excerpt from Transcendental can be read on Tor.com.

 

Transcendental, an epic, high-concept space opera, is a Canterbury Tales of the far future in which beings from many planets hurtle across the universe to uncover the secrets of the legend of Transcendentalism. Riley, a veteran of interstellar war,  however, is not journeying to achieve transcendence, a vague mystical concept that has drawn everyone else on the ship to this journey into the unknown at the far edge of the galaxy. His mission is to find and kill the prophet who is reputed to help others transcend. As the ship speeds through space, the voyage is marred by violence and betrayal, making it clear that Riley is not the only one of the ship’s passengers who is not the spiritual seeker they all claim to be. As tensions rise, Riley realizes that the ship’s journey is less like the Canterbury Tales and more like a harrowing, deadly voyage on a ship of fools. Looking for allies, he becomes friendly with a mysterious passenger named Asha, who, like so many others on the ship, is more than she appears. But while she professes to be just another pilgrim, he comes to realize that like him, she is keeping secrets could be the key to Riley’s assignment, or might make him question everything he thought he knew about Transcendentalism and his mission to stop it.

This long-awaited novel is a grand space adventure of exploration, intrigue, redemption, and the universal spirit that unites all beings.  This is a real departure for Gunn, a novel of grand scope and high concept, a capstone to the career of this Grand Master of science fiction.

A Dance of Cloaks by David Dalglish

A Dance of Cloaks (Shadowdance #1) by David Dalglish

The Shadowdance trilogy has been self-published, and the first book be released in paperback by Orbit Books in October. The second and third books (A Dance of Blades and A Dance of Mirrors) are scheduled for release in November and December of this year. You can learn more about the differences between the self-published editions and the upcoming Orbit editions on the author’s blog. There have been some changes, but they are looking into arranging it so those who bought ebooks of the earlier version can update to the new one without paying for it a second time.

 

Thren Felhorn is the greatest assassin of his time. Marshalling the thieves’ guilds under his control, he declares war against the Trifect, an allegiance of wealthy and powerful nobles.

Aaron Felhorn has been groomed since birth to be Thren’s heir. Sent to kill the daughter of a priest, Aaron instead risks his own life to protect her from the wrath of his guild. In doing so, he glimpses a world beyond poison, daggers, and the iron control of his father.

Guilds twist and turn, trading allegiances for survival. The Trifect weakens, its reputation broken, its money dwindling. The players take sides as the war nears its end, and Thren puts in motion a plan to execute hundreds.

Only Aaron can stop the massacre and protect those he loves…

Assassin or protector; every choice has its consequences.

Children of Fire by Drew Karpyshyn

Children of Fire (Chaos Born #1) by Drew Karpyshyn

Children of Fire will be released on August 27 (hardcover, ebook, audiobook). An excerpt starting at chapter 9 is available at Suvudu.

 

Drew Karpyshyn has made his mark with imaginative, action-packed work on several acclaimed videogames, including Mass Effect and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, as well as in a succession of New York Times bestselling tie-in novels. Now Karpyshyn introduces a brilliantly innovative epic fantasy of perilous quests, tormented heroes, and darkest sorcery—a thrilling adventure that vaults him into the company of such authors as Terry Goodkind, Brandon Sanderson, and Peter V. Brett.

Long ago the gods chose a great hero to act as their agent in the mortal world and to stand against the demonic spawn of Chaos. The gods gifted their champion, Daemron, with three magical Talismans: a sword, a ring, and a crown. But the awesome power at his command corrupted Daemron, turning him from savior to destroyer. Filled with pride, he dared to challenge the gods themselves. Siding with the Chaos spawn, Daemron waged a titanic battle against the Immortals. In the end, Daemron was defeated, the Talismans were lost, and Chaos was sealed off behind the Legacy—a magical barrier the gods sacrificed themselves to create.

Now the Legacy is fading. On the other side, the banished Daemron stirs. And across the scattered corners of the land, four children are born of suffering and strife, each touched by one aspect of Daemron himself—wizard, warrior, prophet, king.

Bound by a connection deeper than blood, the Children of Fire will either restore the Legacy or bring it crashing down, freeing Daemron to wreak his vengeance upon the mortal world.

Dark Shadows: Wolf Moon Rising by Lara Parker

Dark Shadows: Wolf Moon Rising (Dark Shadows #3) by Lara Parker

This novel will be available on August 20 (mass market paperback, ebook). An excerpt from Dark Shadows: Wolf Moon Rising can be read on the publisher’s website.

 

The first all-new Dark Shadows novel in years, written by Lara Parker, one of the stars of the cult classic TV show!

When a portrait is lost that has maintained Quentin Collins’s youthful appearance for over a century—and has also kept his werewolf curse at bay—Quentin begins to dread the full moon.

Meanwhile, David, the sixteen-year-old heir to the Collins fortune, has fallen in love with Jacqueline, a young girl living at the Old House who is the reincarnation of Angelique. David and Jacqueline are swept back in time to the prohibition era of the Twenties, where David uncovers the dark secrets of the Collins family history.

Most threatening of all, Dr. Nathanial Blair, an expert in the paranormal, has come to Collinwood because he suspects they are harboring a vampire. Fortunately, Barnabas Collins has returned to his coffin after a disastrous flirtation with life as a human. Nevertheless, what Blair discovers places the entire Collins family in jeopardy.

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel

Dearly, Beloved (Gone With the Respiration #2) by Lia Habel

This zombie novel will be released in trade paperback on September 3. It is already available in hardcover and ebook formats. The first 50 pages from Dearly, Beloved can be read on Suvudu.

 

Can the living coexist with the living dead?

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.

As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the virus—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the apocalypse.

Lia Habel’s spellbinding, suspenseful sequel to Dearly, Departed takes her imaginative mash-up of period romance, futuristic thriller, and zombie drama to a whole new level of innovative and irresistible storytelling.