Beyond Reality discussion

Hi everyone,

Here's the monthly list of major SF&F books due out in June. Please let us know if you're planning to read any of these!

Abercrombie, Joe: Best Served Cold (pap)
Adams, Cat: Blood Song (tpo)
Anderson, Kevin J: The Map of All Things (#2 Terra Incognita Trilogy) (tpo)
Anderson, Taylor: Distant Thunders (#4 Destroyermen)
Archer, Alex: Rogue Angel #25: Tribal Ways (pbo)
Asaro, Catherine: Diamond Star (pap)
Baker, Kage: The Anvil of the World (#1) (Reissue) (tp)
Bear, Greg: Legacy (Reissue) (pap)
Birmingham, John: Without Warning (pap)
Campbell, Alan: God of Clocks (#3 Deepgate Codex Trilogy) (pap)
Carey, Jacqueline: Naamah’s Curse (#2 Moirin’s Quest Trilogy)
Carey, Jacqueline: Naamah’s Kiss (#1 Moirin’s Quest Trilogy) (pap)
Colfer, Eoin: And Another Thing... (tp)
Cook, Glen: Angry Lead Skies (#9 Garrett, P.I.) (Reissue) (pap)
Couper, Lexxie: Death, The Vamp and His Brother (tpo)
Cronin, Justin: The Passage
Davys, Tim: Lanceheim
Douglass, Sara: The Infinity Gate (#3 Darkglass Mountain)
Doyle, Larry: Go, Mutants!
Fallon, Jennifer: The Palace of Impossible Dreams (#3 Tide Lords Quartet)
Farmer, Philip Jose: The Dark Design (#3 Riverworld) (Reissue) (tp)
Flint / Spoor: Threshold (Sequel to Boundary)
Foster, Alan Dean: Flinx Transcendent (Conclusion to Pip & Flinx) (pap)
Francis, Diana Pharoah: The Hollow Crown (Crosspointe) (pbo)
Frost, P R: Faery Moon (#3 Tess Noncoire) (pap)
Goldsher, Alan: Paul Is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion (tpo)
Green Simon R: The Spy Who Haunted Me (#3 Secret Histories) (pap)
Green, Simon R: From Hell with Love (#4 Secret Histories)
Hodgell, P C: Bound in Blood (#5 Kencyr) (tpo)
Hoffman, Pau:l The Left Hand of God
Holmes, Jeannie: Blood Law (#1 Alexandra Sabian) (pbo)
Holt, Tom: Blonde Bombshell (tpo)
Howard, Jonathan L: Johannes Cabal the Necromancer (tp)
Huff, Tanya: The Enchantment Emporium (#1) (pap)
Hunt, Stephen: The Kingdom Beyond the Waves (pap)
Jones / Bennett: Dragon Soul
Kane, Stacia: Unholy Magic (#2 Downside Ghosts) (pbo)
Kessler / Kittredge: Shades of Gray (tpo)
Kilworth, Garry: Angel (Reissue) (pap)
Lackey, Mercedes: The Sleeping Beauty (#5 Five Hundred Kingdoms)
Lee / Miller: Mouse and Dragon (Liaden Universe)
Lee / Miller: The Dragon Variation (First Three Novels in the Liaden Universe Series) (tp)
Mieville, China: Kraken
Miller, Karen: The Prodigal Mage (#1 Fisherman’s Children) (pap)
Modesitt, L E, Jr: Scepters (#3 Corean Chronicles) (Reissue) (pap)
Neumeier, Rachel: The Land of Burning Sands (#2 Griffin Mage) (pbo)
Newton, Mark Charan: Nights of Villjamur
O’Neal, James: The Double Human (Sequel to The Human Disguise)
Okorafor, Nnedi: Who Fears Death
Ostergren, Klas: The Hurricane Party (tpo)
Phoenix, Adrian: Black Dust Mambo (pbo)
Pournelle, Jerry: Fires of Freedom (pap)
Reynolds, Alastair: Terminal World
Robertson, Linda: Fatal Circle (#3 Circle) (pbo)
Rollins, James: The Devil Colony
Rucker, Rudy: Hylozoic (tp)
Shan, Darren: Procession of the Dead
Sigler, Scott: Ancestor
Sinclair, Alison: Lightborn (#2) (tpo)
Strieber, Whitley: The Omega Point
Tate, Benjamin: Well of Sorrows (tpo)
Thurman, Rob: Chimera (pbo)
Turtledove, Harry: The War That Came Early: Hitler’s War (tp)
Warrington, Freda: Elfland (pap)
Weber, David: Mission of Honor (Honor Harrington)
Weldon, Phaedra: Revenant (#4 Zoe Martinique Investigation) (tpo)
Williamson, Michael Z: Contact with Chaos (pap)
Wilson, Robert Charles: Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd Century America (pap)
Wrede, Patricia C: A Matter of Magic (Mairelon the Magician & The Magician’s Ward) (tp)
Friedman, Michael Jan: Lara Croft -- Tomb Raider: Tech Manual (tp)
Eds. Gaiman / Sarrantonio: Stories
Ed. Dozois: The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty- Seventh Annual Collection
Eds. Gevers / Halpern: Is Anybody Out There? (pbo)
Ed. Kowal: The Hugo Award Showcase: 2010 Volume (tpo)
Eds. Showalter / Deutsch / Forstchen: If the Allies Had Fallen: Sixty Alternate Scenarios of World War II
Ed. Strahan: Wings of Fire (tpo)
Scalzi et al: Metatropolis

Stefan

While I haven't been entirely thrilled with the previous books, I will be picking up God of Clocks by Alan Campbell to finish off the trilogy. Probably won't get to it in June, though.

Other than not, nothing pops out.

Carey and Huff's new books.

The SFF book I am most looking forward to and will definitely be reading is not on this list. Kraken by China Miéville (release date: June 29)

From the above list, I am most interested in the Scalzi-edited Metatropolis collection. But I am confused: Is this a re-issue? There are 2008 and 2009 dates for this, as well, and my local library has the already-released 2009 form.

I am interested in the David Weber and Robert Charles Wilson offerings, but I am not caught up on the previous books in their respective series yet, so I will not be reading these for a while.

Candiss,

I've just added Kraken to the list. Strange it wasn't on there. I get this list from a bookstore's website, and usually they don't make glaring mistakes like that... Anyway, fixed now.

The Scalzi anthology is actually interesting, in that it was originally released as an audio-book a while back. The book version, due next month, is the first "paper" edition. I have an ARC of it on the shelf, which will be the next book I read and review, once I'm done with my current read.

The Robert Charles Wilson book is not part of a series - and very highly recommended. I'm actually going to nominate it for Book of the Month here soon, now it's out in paperback.

Thanks, Stefan!

Ah, I see. I saw that the Scalzi anthology had an audio format, and I was trying to determine the publishing details regarding this new paper version. How interesting that the audio version came first. I like both Scalzi and Jay Lake, so I'll definitely be checking this one out.

I don't know what led me to think the Wilson book was part of a Comstock series. I just noticed it is a paperback release. Duh! (I know several folks who I'm sure very much wish it was actually part of a series!)

hmm its been a dry couple of months. Nothing this month

Can somebody explain the pbo, tp, pap? Did I miss any?
I will read the Liaden stuff by Lee/Miller eventually. I will probably read the John Birmingham, David Weber, Tanya Huff and the Kevin Anderson. All these authors are on my mostly read list. Although I don't read all of Tanya Huff. But I won't necessarily read them soon. And any that get chosen by this group for book of the month....:)

Marty, I think pap=paperback and tp = trade paperback.... not sure about pbo (Stefan, help?)

I will definitely be purchasing Naamah's Kiss now that it's out in pb. I *love* Carey's two Kushiel trilogies and am psyched to revisit that world. I'm also mildly interested in the Abercrombie book - I enjoyed his First Law trilogy but there was something about his writing style that put me off a little. Maybe it'll be a library read.

The Mieville sounds awesome, but as usual I'll be waiting for the paperback.

Marty wrote: "Can somebody explain the pbo, tp, pap? Did I miss any? "

pap = paperback
tp = trade paperback
pbo = paperback original (meaning, never published in hardcover --- I actually had to contact the bookstore for this explanation!)

Stefan

I'll probably be checking out Lightborn by Alison Sinclair, since I enjoyed the first one, but probably through the library.

Shel wrote: "I *love* Carey's two Kushiel trilogies and am psyched to revisit that world."

Shel, I know you (and others) seem to really like Carey's Kushiel books, but every time I look at them, even at the used book store, I end up putting them back. Can you explain their appeal?

I like most of Tanya Huff's books so I'll keep my eyes open for that, also may look for the Wilson book now that it's in paperback.

Kathi, the books are gorgeous. They are very sensual and I know that a lot of people are put off by the sexual content, and I'll give you fair warning that it's a little more graphic than most mainstream fantasy, but there's a LOT more to the story. It's set in a sort of alternate Europe with cultures that are loosely based on today's world (kind of like Guy Gavriel Kay, but with a wildly different writing style).

The characters are beautifully drawn, and the plot is full of political intrigue, which the protagonist Phedre is swept up in the middle of, first as a pawn, later as a player in her own right. *shrug* the books are not for everyone, but I think it would be worth your while to at least give the first one a shot if you find it used. There's a lot more to it than a courtesan's sexual adventures.

Stefan wrote: "Marty wrote: "Can somebody explain the pbo, tp, pap? Did I miss any? "

pap = paperback
tp = trade paperback
pbo = paperback original (meaning, never published in hardcover --- I actually had to c..."

thank you!

Shel wrote: "Kathi, the books are gorgeous. They are very sensual and I know that a lot of people are put off by the sexual content, and I'll give you fair warning that it's a little more graphic than most mai..."

Thanks, Shel. I don't mind sensual/sexual content, but the book blurbs never seem to give me the idea that there was more to the books than that. Maybe I'll borrow the first from the library and see what I think.

You'll have to let me know what you thought of it :)

I have just finished a bunch of Catherine Asarobooks, non Skolian Saga, and I am now about to read The Poison Throneby Celine Kiernan which was recommended by Glenda Larke

I will buy then read Naamah's Curse the instant it gets to the bookstore.

Other than that, not much for me; I am happy to see that they appear to be reissuing some Kage Baker stuff in light of her recent death. . . I found her around the beginning of the year and devoured every single one of her novels and have been plugging her writing to everyone that will listen, so this will make my task a little easier. ;)

And Kathi, I agree wholeheartedly with everything Shel said about the Jacqueline Carey novels. Give them a try!

Thanks Candiss for the Kraken alert; that goes to the top of my list. I've read the new Alastair Reynolds book, "Terminal World"; it's very different from other work of his but it gripped me throughout. After that I see three maybes: the Tanya Huff, the Tom Holt and Wilson's "Julian Comstock" in paperback.

Stefan wrote: "
pbo = paperback original (meaning, never published in hardcover --- I actually had to c..."

I guessed right at the first two, but PBO got me.
Thanks

I plan to read Kraken and the Jacqueline Carey novels.

The only ones that interest me are Kraken and the Alastair Reynolds. Although getting to them is months or more in the future.

Cv wrote: "The only ones that interest me are Kraken and the Alastair Reynolds. Although getting to them is months or more in the future."

Kraken is one I'd like to read. I'm hoping the library gets it. The Passage by Justin Cronin is getting a ton of buzz across the board. I'm debating getting it, but I have so many books on my to-read shelves.