Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Coming in December 2013

I remembered to use the Canadian Amazon site, so the list was easier to put together than some of the other months have been.  That means we're back to Canadian release dates.

Hardcover:

Brazen – Kelley Armstrong

The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic – Emily Croy Barker

Mars, Inc. – Ben Bova

1920: America's Great War – Robert Conroy

Andromeda's Choice – William Dietz

The Night of the Hunter – Davis Grubb (reprint)

Magistrates of Hell – Barbara Hambly

Warhammer: Bane of Malekith – William King

The Man Who Made Models: The Collected Short Fiction – R. A. Lafferty & Michael Swanwick

The Space Trilogy, 75th Anniversary Edition – C. S. Lewis

Dangerous Women – George Martin & Gardner Dozois, Ed.

The Suicide Exhibition: The Never War – Justin Richards

Kaleidocide – Dave Swavely

Something More Than Night – Ian Tregillis

The Bread We Eat in Dreams – Cathrynne Valente & Kathleen Jennings

War of the Grail – Geoffrey Wilson

Trade Paperback:

Warhammer 40K: Pariah: Ravenor vs Eisenhorn – Dan Abnett

Perception – Alaric Albertsson

Board Stiff – Piers Anthony

The Winter Witch – Paula Brackston

The Last Ship – William Brickley

Her Husband's Hands and Other Stories – Adam-Troy Castro

A Dance of Mirrors – David Dalglish

Sunroper – Natalie Damschroder

Witches of East End – Melissa de la Cruz

A Distant Soil: The Ascendant – Colleen Doran

The Chaos Crystal – Jennifer Fallon

Venus on the Half-Shell – Philip Jose Farmer

A Game of Battleships – Toby Frost

Lady into Fox – David Garnett & R. A. Garnett

Malice – John Gwynne

Year's Best SF 18 – David Hardwell, Ed.

Kicking It – Faith Hunter & Kalayna Price, Ed.

The Man With Six Senses – Muriel Jaeger & Mark Kingwell

Warhammer: Sword of Caledor – William King

The Maggot People – Henning Koch

Ascension – Jacqueline Koyanagi

Warhammer 40K: Vulkan Lives – Nick Kyme

Dragon's Teeth – Mercedes Lackey

Prospero Regained – L. Jagi Lamplighter

Night Watch – Sergei Lukyanenko (reprint)

Fire Logic – Laurie Marks

Things Withered – Susie Moloney

Man-Kzin Wars XIV – Larry Niven, Ed.

Dark Descent – Marlene Perez

The Chosen Seed – Sarah Pinborough

The Long Earth – Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter

Greatship – Robert Reed
Wild Fell - Michael Rowe

Strykers – K. M. Ruiz

Was – Geoff Ryman

The Seventh Day – Scott Shepherd

Taste of Darkness – Maria Snyder

The Secret Zombie History of the World: Best of Tomes of the Dead, Vol 3 – Toby Venables, Paul Finch & Matthew Sprange

A Young Man Without Magic – Lawrence Watt-Evans

The Golem and the Jinni – Helene Wecker

The Broken Wheel – David Wingrove (reprint)

Mass Market Paperback:

Flamebound – Tessa Adams

Once Upon a Time in Hell – Guy Adams

Deadshifted – Cassie Alexander

Farside – Ben Bova

Witch Wraith – Terry Brooks

Shadowdance – Kristen Callihan

The Spider – Jennifer Estep

Seven Sorcerers – John Fultz

Great North Road – Peter Hamilton

Tarnished – Rhiannon Held

When It's a Jar – Tom Holt

A Study in Ashes – Emma Jane

Fifth Grave Past the Light – Darynda Jones

A Memory of Light – Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

Everlasting Enchantment – Kathryne Kennedy

Alien Research – Gini Koch

Elementary – Mercedes Lackey

Dragondoom – Dennis McKiernan

The Iron Breed – Andre Norton (reprint)

Hive Monkey – Gareth Powell

The Doctor and the Dinosaurs – Mike Resnick

Shannivar – Deborah Ross

The Grendel Affair – Lisa Shearin

The Shadowed Throne – K. J. Taylor

Darkwalker – E. L. Tettensor

Invasive Species – Joseph Wallace

Star Trek: Peaceable Kingdoms – Dayton Ward

The Cormorant – Chuck Wendig

Sunset of the Gods – Steve White

The Sharpest Blade – Sandy Williams

Pathfinder Tales: The Dagger of Trust – Chris Willrich

ebook:

Blade to the Keep – Lauren Dane

Whom The Gods Would Destroy - Brian Hodge

The Furnace – Timothy Johnston

Doctor Who: The Death Pit – A. L. Kennedy

Hot Redemption – K. D. Penn

Journey of Wisdom – Shawna Thomas

Young Adult:

The Grey Star – James Bartholomeusz

Swamp Angel – Colleen Boyd

The Diviners – Libba Bray

Deep Betrayal – Anne Greenwood Brown

Rise – Anna Carey

Pawn – Aimee Carter

Snakeroot – Andrea Cremer

Virus – Megan Crewe

Vortex – Julie Cross

Doomed – Tracy Deebs

Gates of Paradise – Melissa de la Cruz

The Essence – Kimberly Derting

The Offering – Kimberly Derting

After Eden – Helen Douglas

The Hidden World – Schuyler Ebersol

Glass Heart – Amy Garvey

Princess of the Silver Woods – Jessica Day George

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow – Jessica Day George

Firstborn – Lorie Ann Grover

Boundless – Cynthia Hand

Blood Storm – Rhiannon Hart

Echo in Time – C. J. Hill

Control – Lydia Kang

These Broken Stars – Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Night Creatures – Jeremy Jordan King

Unravel Me – Tahereh Mafi

Lost Covenant – Ari Marmell

Don't Close Your Eyes (Omnibus Edition: Wake, Fade & Gone) – Lisa McMann

Vampire Academy – Rachel Mead

Asunder – Jodi Meadows

Let The Sky Fall – Shannon Messenger

Prophecy – Ellen Oh

Warrior – Ellen Oh

Faebles: Birds Without Wings – Cally Pepper

Summerking – Sarah Prineas

The Extraordinaries – Michael Pryor

Sorrel – David Randall

Code – Kathy Reichs

Rebel Spring – Morgan Rhodes

Through the Ever Night – Veronica Rossi

Altered – Jennifer Rush

The Revolt – Gloria Skurzynski

Deadly Little Lessons – Laurie Faria Stolarz

Eternally Yours – Cate Tiernan

The Book of Love – Lynn Weingarten

The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers – Lynn Weingarten

Rain of the Ghosts – Greg Weisman

Pivot Point – Kasie West

Fireblood – Trisha Wolfe

Happy Halloween!

Whether you're trick or treating, handing out candy, attending a party or working (like me), be safe and have an awesome Halloween. :D

An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth's Book Trailer

Now this is a fun book trailer.  Chris Hadfield's awesome.

Books Received in October, 2013

I've already read and reviewed the first two books on this list, so instead of giving the synopsis, I'll just link to my reviews.  I really enjoyed both books, though for different reasons.  My work schedule has increased dramatically, giving me less time for reading and reviewing books.  I'm still hoping to get reviews up for some of these, but things are moving at a slower pace than anticipated.

I also attended the Random House kids preview for booksellers, but I'll cover those books in a separate post.

This House is Haunted by John Boyne

Delia's Shadow by Jaime Lee Moyer

Zombies: A Hunter's Guide by Joseph McCullough

The dead have always walked among us, from the shambling corpses of Eastern European folklore to the drug-created zombie of Haitian voodoo. Now, in the post atomic-age, advanced science and globalization have increased the threat a thousand fold. Since World War II, the number of zombie outbreaks has increased every year, while governments desperately try to cover up the facts.

Zombies: A Hunter''s Guide contains all of the information necessary to recognize and combat this growing threat. Beginning with an explanation of the historical origins of zombies, it follows their history straight through to the threat they pose to the world today. All varieties of zombie are cataloged and examined, giving their strengths and weakness, with a special emphasis on recognition and elimination.

Finally, the book covers the tactics and equipment used in zombie fighting, from the man on the street with his sharpened hockey stick to the latest fully automatic grenade launchers and anti-undead armor employed by top-secret government "Containment Teams." Accompanied by numerous full-color reconstructions to help with identification, this book is a must for anyone on the frontlines of the Zombie Wars.

Myths and Legends: Thor, Viking God of Thunder by Graeme Davis

In the stories of the ancient Vikings, Thor is a warrior without equal, who wields his mighty hammer in battles against trolls, giants, and dragons. He is the god of storms and thunder, who rides to war in a chariot pulled by goats, and who is fated to fall in battle with the Midgard Serpent during Ragnarok, the end of all things. This book collects the greatest myths and legends of the thunder god, while also explaining their historical context and their place in the greater Norse mythology. It also covers the history of Thor as a legendary figure, how he was viewed by different cultures from the Romans to the Nazis, and how he endures today as a popular heroic figure.

The One-Eyed Man by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. - I've never read Modesitt, Jr., but I suspect I'll have to change that.

The colony world of Stittara is no ordinary planet. For the interstellar Unity of the Ceylesian Arm, Stittara is the primary source of anagathics: drugs that have more than doubled the human life span. But the ecological balance that makes anagathics possible on Stittara is fragile, and the Unity government has a vital interest in making sure the flow of longevity drugs remains uninterrupted, even if it means uprooting the human settlements.

Offered the job of assessing the ecological impact of the human presence on Stittara, freelance consultant Dr. Paulo Verano jumps at the chance to escape the ruin of his personal life. He gets far more than he bargained for: Stittara's atmosphere is populated with skytubes--gigantic, mysterious airborne organisms that drift like clouds above the surface of the planet. Their exact nature has eluded humanity for centuries, but Verano believes his conclusions about Stittara may hinge on understanding the skytubes' role in the planet's ecology--if he survives the hurricane winds, distrustful settlers, and secret agendas that impede his investigation at every turn.

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autusm by Naoki Higashida - I heard about this book from a co-worker, who read and loved it (and is, incidentally the mother of an autistic boy herself).  Given the number of autistic characters popping up in SFF novels, I'm very curious to hear what life is like from an actual autistic POV.  It may also be a great reference material for authors choosing to write such a character accurately.

A story never before told and a memoir to help change our understanding of the world around us, 13-year-old Naoki Higashida's astonishing, empathetic book takes us into the mind of a boy with severe autism. With an introduction by David Mitchell, author of the global phenomenon, Cloud Atlas, and translated by his wife, K.A. Yoshida.

Naoki Higashida was only a middle-schooler when he began to write The Reason I Jump. Autistic and with very low verbal fluency, Naoki used an alphabet grid to painstakingly spell out his answers to the questions he imagines others most often wonder about him: why do you talk so loud? Is it true you hate being touched? Would you like to be normal? The result is an inspiring, attitude-transforming book that will be embraced by anyone interested in understanding their fellow human beings, and by parents, caregivers, teachers, and friends of autistic children. Naoki examines issues as diverse and complex as self-harm, perceptions of time and beauty, and the challenges of communication, and in doing so, discredits the popular belief that autistic people are anti-social loners who lack empathy.

This book is mesmerizing proof that inside an autistic body is a mind as subtle, curious, and caring as anyone else's.

Money: The Unauthorized Biography by Felix Martin - A history of money isn't something I'd have gone looking for, but I must say, this sounds fascinating.

The essential handbook for anyone who wants to understand how our economic system really works, what has gone wrong with it, and what we can do to fix it.

What is money and how does it work? The conventional answer is that once upon a time people exchanged what they produced for what they wanted--cod in Newfoundland, sugar in the West Indies, tobacco in Virginia--and that today's financial universe evolved from barter. But there is a problem with this story. It''s wrong. And dangerous.

Putting the record straight, Money: The Unauthorised Biography draws on stories from around the world and throughout history, from the primitive tribe using as cash an enormous underwater stone wheel to the credits used by modern-day babysitting circles, taking in along the way spendthrift Dauphins, sixteenth-century vampire squid, rituals of sacrificial feasts in Ancient Greece, and the credit crisis in Ancient Rome (an eerie pre-echo of recent events).

In wonderfully witty and lucid style Felix Martin unfolds this panoramic secret history and explains the truth about money: what it is, where it comes from, and how it works. His absorbing account will rearrange your understanding of the world and show how money can once again become the most powerful force for good. By misunderstanding money we have become its slaves. This book sets us straight in order to set us free.

Book Review: This House is Haunted by John Boyne

Pros: some chilling scenes

Cons: it takes Eliza a long time to figure out what's happening

After the sudden death of her father, Eliza Caine answers an ad to become governess at Gaudlin Hall.  But something's not right in her new home and no one will answer her questions about the parents of her charges, the tragedies that have taken place at Gaudlin Hall, or the ghost that's trying to kill her.

I'd say this book is a cross between The Haunting of Hill House, for the atmospherics and period, and The Shining, for the constant anticipation of something bad happening.  Boyne does an excellent job of putting you in Eliza's place, feeling her terror, and trying to survive what's to come.

While I really liked Eliza I did feel it took longer than it should have for her to figure out what was going on.  Having said that, I enjoyed seeing regular life at the Hall interspersed with her learning more about the place's history.

If you like ghost stories, this is a winner.

Shout-Out: The Cusanus Game by Wolfgang Jeschke

This book came out earlier this month but as I haven't seen anyone talking about it I thought I'd give it a shout-out.  It sounds pretty interesting.

Biologist Domenica Ligrina fears her planet is dying. She might be right.

An atomic disaster near the French-German border has contaminated Northern Europe with radioactivity. Economic and political calamities are destroying the whole planet. Human DNA is mutating, plant species are going extinct, and scientists are feverishly working on possible solutions. It becomes increasingly apparent that the key to future salvation lies in the past. In 2052 a secret research facility in the Vatican is recruiting scientists for a mission to restore the flora of the irradiated territories. The institute claims to have time travel. When Domenica's sometime-lover tells her that he knows her future but that she must decide her own fate, she enlists despite his ambiguous warning.

The Middle Ages hold Domenica spellbound. She immerses herself in the mysteries, puzzles, and peculiarities of a culture foreign to her, though she risks changing the past with effects far more disastrous than radiation poisoning. Perhaps there is more than one Domenica, and more than one catastrophe

In the tradition of Stanislaw Lem and Philip K. Dick, Wolfgang Jeschke's The Cusanus Game is a novel of future disaster in Europe by the grand master of German science fiction.

Recommended Reading by Professionals... with David Lomax

In this series, I ask various publishing professionals (including authors, bloggers, editors, agents etc.) to recommend 2-3 authors or books they feel haven't received the recognition they deserve.

Today's recommendations are by David Lomax. David Lomax is an English teacher who's dreamed of writing since he was eight. His first novel, Backward Glass, has just come out from Flux books.