Most every week there's a sort of theme to The BoSS. Quite coincidentally, three books about werewolves will turn up at once, or a horde of short story collections, say, or classic fantasies from the 80s, reissued to catch up misbegotten left-behinds such as I. This week, the "theme" runs from start to finished: books all the way from America, one and all. You could think of this week's edition of The BoSS as its US special... like in Top Gear!
We all adore Top Gear, don't we?
For the moment, click through to Meet the BoSS for an introduction and an explanation as to why you should care about the Bag o' Speculative Swag, or read on for a sneak peek at some of the books - past, present and future - you can expect to see coverage of here on The Speculative Scotsman in the coming weeks and months.
We all adore Top Gear, don't we?
For the moment, click through to Meet the BoSS for an introduction and an explanation as to why you should care about the Bag o' Speculative Swag, or read on for a sneak peek at some of the books - past, present and future - you can expect to see coverage of here on The Speculative Scotsman in the coming weeks and months.
***
Esperanza
by Trish J. MacGregor
by Trish J. MacGregor
Release Details:
Published in the US on
14/09/10 by Tor
Review Priority:
14/09/10 by Tor
Review Priority:
3 (Moderate)
Plot Synopsis: "Tess Livingston met Ian Ritter at a roadside stop high in the Andes, waiting for a bus to the mysterious town of Esperanza. Tess is an FBI agent who remembers being on the track of a group of international counterfeiters. But she doesn’t remember booking a trip to Esperanza. Ian is a journalist who was planning to vacation to the Galapagos Islands. He, too, isn’t quite sure why he has a ticket to Esperanza.
"Their meeting will change their lives forever. For they have been brought together because they hold the key in a mystical war between the kind spirits of the dead who guard humanity, and the hungry ghosts who exist only to possess living human bodies, and return however briefly to life.
"In the midst of this war, Tess and Ian will find a love that can transcend time, and a cause that not even death will overcome."
Commentary: Just in time for Halloween, along pops a purported ghost story that the fans certainly seem to adore: it's all glowing four- and five-star reviews on the Amazon page, for whatever that's worth. Yet the Publisher's Weekly review which concludes "action that often drags and characters few will care about don't help a half-baked premise" rather gives me pause...
"Their meeting will change their lives forever. For they have been brought together because they hold the key in a mystical war between the kind spirits of the dead who guard humanity, and the hungry ghosts who exist only to possess living human bodies, and return however briefly to life.
"In the midst of this war, Tess and Ian will find a love that can transcend time, and a cause that not even death will overcome."
Commentary: Just in time for Halloween, along pops a purported ghost story that the fans certainly seem to adore: it's all glowing four- and five-star reviews on the Amazon page, for whatever that's worth. Yet the Publisher's Weekly review which concludes "action that often drags and characters few will care about don't help a half-baked premise" rather gives me pause...
Stars and Gods
by Larry Niven
Release Details:
Published in the US on
17/08/10 by Tor
Review Priority:
17/08/10 by Tor
Review Priority:
3 (Moderate)
Plot Synopsis: Larry Niven is the New York Times bestselling author of such classic science fiction novels as Ringworld and Destiny's Road. One of his previous collections, N-Space, was lauded by the Houston Post as "outstanding... hours of entertainment," while Publishers Weekly called it "a must for science fiction fans." A follow-up volume, Playgrounds of the Mind, was praised by Kirkus Reviews as "grand Entertainment."
"Niven returns with the sequel to his most recent collection, Scatterbrain, which gathers an equally engaging assortment of Niven's latest work, all in one captivating volume. Here are choice excerpts from his most recent novels, including Ringworld's Child, as well as short stories, non-fiction, interviews, editorials, collaborations, and correspondence. Stars and Gods roams all over a wide variety of fascinating topics, from space stations to conventional etiquette.
"Give yourself a treat, and feel free to pick the brain of one of modern science fiction's most fascinating thinkers."
Commentary: What an odd beast this book is! A collection of all sorts of stuff, including excerpts, introductions and - curious and curiouser - a whole host of other non-essential Larry Niven, wrapped up with a handful of short stories in a pretty little bow. I expect I'll give the shorts a shot when I can find the time and skip Chapter 8 of Ringworld's Child, thank you very much.
Release Details:
"Niven returns with the sequel to his most recent collection, Scatterbrain, which gathers an equally engaging assortment of Niven's latest work, all in one captivating volume. Here are choice excerpts from his most recent novels, including Ringworld's Child, as well as short stories, non-fiction, interviews, editorials, collaborations, and correspondence. Stars and Gods roams all over a wide variety of fascinating topics, from space stations to conventional etiquette.
"Give yourself a treat, and feel free to pick the brain of one of modern science fiction's most fascinating thinkers."
Commentary: What an odd beast this book is! A collection of all sorts of stuff, including excerpts, introductions and - curious and curiouser - a whole host of other non-essential Larry Niven, wrapped up with a handful of short stories in a pretty little bow. I expect I'll give the shorts a shot when I can find the time and skip Chapter 8 of Ringworld's Child, thank you very much.
Haunted Legends
edited by Ellen Datlow & Nick Mamatas
Release Details:
Published in the US on
14/09/09 by Tor
Review Priority:
14/09/09 by Tor
Review Priority:
4 (Very High)
Plot Synopsis: "Darkly thrilling, these twenty new ghost stories have all the chills and power of traditional ghost stories, but each tale is a unique retelling of an urban legend from the world over.
"Multiple award-winning editor Ellen Datlow and award-nominated author and editor Nick Mamatas recruited Jeffrey Ford, Ramsey Campbell, Joe R. Lansdale, Caitlin Kiernan, Catherynne M. Valente, Kit Reed, Ekaterina Sedia, and thirteen other fine writers to create stories unlike any they've written before. Tales to make readers shiver with fear, jump at noises in the night, keep the lights on.
"These twenty nightmares, brought together by two renowned editors of the dark fantastic, are delightful visions sure to send shivers down the spines of horror readers."
Commentary: Hoping to have a review of this one up before All Hallow's. I've read the Cat Valente and the Caitlin Kiernan already - so sue me! Surprisingly, Ekaterina Sedia's short story blows them both out of the water, which is saying something. Haunted Legends is shaping up to a great anthology, though as with all such publications, it has its low points too. I'll report back on the balance of good versus evil shortly.
"Multiple award-winning editor Ellen Datlow and award-nominated author and editor Nick Mamatas recruited Jeffrey Ford, Ramsey Campbell, Joe R. Lansdale, Caitlin Kiernan, Catherynne M. Valente, Kit Reed, Ekaterina Sedia, and thirteen other fine writers to create stories unlike any they've written before. Tales to make readers shiver with fear, jump at noises in the night, keep the lights on.
"These twenty nightmares, brought together by two renowned editors of the dark fantastic, are delightful visions sure to send shivers down the spines of horror readers."
Commentary: Hoping to have a review of this one up before All Hallow's. I've read the Cat Valente and the Caitlin Kiernan already - so sue me! Surprisingly, Ekaterina Sedia's short story blows them both out of the water, which is saying something. Haunted Legends is shaping up to a great anthology, though as with all such publications, it has its low points too. I'll report back on the balance of good versus evil shortly.
A Star Shall Fall
by Marie Brennan
by Marie Brennan
Release Details:
Published in the US on
31/08/10 by Tor
Review Priority:
31/08/10 by Tor
Review Priority:
3 (Moderate)
Plot Synopsis: "The Royal Society of London plays home to the greatest minds of England. It has revolutionized philosophy and scientific knowledge. Its fellows map out the laws of the natural world, disproving ancient superstition and ushering in an age of enlightenment.
"To the fae of the Onyx Court, living in a secret city below London, these scientific developments are less than welcome. Magic is losing its place in the world—and science threatens to expose the court to hostile eyes.
"In 1666, a Great Fire burned four-fifths of London to the ground. The calamity was caused by a great Dragon—an elemental beast of flame. Incapable of destroying something so powerful, the fae of London banished it to a comet moments before the comet’s light disappeared from the sky. Now the calculations of Sir Edmond Halley have predicted its return in 1759.
"So begins their race against time. Soon the Dragon’s gaze will fall upon London and it will return to the city it ravaged once before. The fae will have to answer the question that defeated them a century before: How can they kill a being more powerful than all their magic combined? It will take both magic and science to save London - but reconciling the two carries its own danger."
Commentary: Damn it! This sounds grand, but it's part something of a series, and at this stage I think it's safe to say the time it'd take for me to catch up on the past hijinx Onyx Court in order to read and review A Star Shall Fall properly would be better spent catching up on one of the myriad other series I've said I'll catch up on in the past.
Oh, the things I'd give for a 36 hour day... who's with me?!
"To the fae of the Onyx Court, living in a secret city below London, these scientific developments are less than welcome. Magic is losing its place in the world—and science threatens to expose the court to hostile eyes.
"In 1666, a Great Fire burned four-fifths of London to the ground. The calamity was caused by a great Dragon—an elemental beast of flame. Incapable of destroying something so powerful, the fae of London banished it to a comet moments before the comet’s light disappeared from the sky. Now the calculations of Sir Edmond Halley have predicted its return in 1759.
"So begins their race against time. Soon the Dragon’s gaze will fall upon London and it will return to the city it ravaged once before. The fae will have to answer the question that defeated them a century before: How can they kill a being more powerful than all their magic combined? It will take both magic and science to save London - but reconciling the two carries its own danger."
Commentary: Damn it! This sounds grand, but it's part something of a series, and at this stage I think it's safe to say the time it'd take for me to catch up on the past hijinx Onyx Court in order to read and review A Star Shall Fall properly would be better spent catching up on one of the myriad other series I've said I'll catch up on in the past.
Oh, the things I'd give for a 36 hour day... who's with me?!
The Habitation of the Blessed
by Catherynne M. Valente
Release Details:
Published in the US on
01/11/10 by Night Shade
Review Priority:
Review Priority:
5 (Immediate)
Plot Synopsis: "This is the story of a place that never was: the kingdom of Prester John, the utopia described by an anonymous, twelfth-century document which captured the imagination of the medieval world and drove hundreds of lost souls to seek out its secrets, inspiring explorers, missionaries, and kings for centuries. But what if it were all true? What if there was such a place, and a poor, broken priest once stumbled past its borders, discovering, not a Christian paradise, but a country where everything is possible, immortality is easily had, and the Western world is nothing but a dim and distant dream?
"Brother Hiob of Luzerne, on missionary work in the Himalayan wilderness on the eve of the eighteenth century, discovers a village guarding a miraculous tree whose branches sprout books instead of fruit. These strange books chronicle the history of the kingdom of Prester John, and Hiob becomes obsessed with the tales they tell. The Habitation of the Blessed recounts the fragmented narratives found within these living volumes, revealing the life of a priest named John, and his rise to power in this country of impossible richness. John's tale weaves together with the confessions of his wife Hagia, a blemmye--a headless creature who carried her face on her chest--as well as the tender, jeweled nursery stories of Imtithal, nanny to the royal family. Hugo and World Fantasy award nominee Catherynne M. Valente reimagines the legends of Prester John in this stunning tour de force."
Commentary: Time for a confession. I got The Habitation of the Blessed a couple of weeks ago, started reading it the second it popped through the letterbox with nary a break for sleeps or for eats till it was done (plenty of coffee, mind you). Hell of a book, ladies and gentlemen. Hell of a book; enough that I went and ordered up as much of Cat Valente's backlist as I could find.
Stay tuned for a full (spoilers: glowing) review soonly.
The Last Page
by Anthony Huso
Release Details:
Published in the US on
17/08/10 by Tor
17/08/10 by Tor
Review Priority:
4 (Very High)
Plot Synopsis: "The city of Isca is set like a dark jewel in the crown of the Duchy of Stonehold. In this sprawling landscape, the monsters one sees are nothing compared to what’s living in the city’s sewers.
"Twenty-three-year-old Caliph Howl is Stonehold’s reluctant High King. Thrust onto the throne, Caliph has inherited Stonehold’s dirtiest court secrets. He also faces a brewing civil war that he is unprepared to fight. After months alone amid a swirl of gossip and political machinations, the sudden reappearance of his old lover, Sena, is a welcome bit of relief. But Sena has her own legacy to claim: she has been trained from birth by the Shradnae witchocracy—adept in espionage and the art of magical equations writ in blood—and she has been sent to spy on the High King.
"Yet there are magics that demand a higher price than blood. Sena secretly plots to unlock the Cisrym Ta, an arcane text whose pages contain the power to destroy worlds. The key to opening the book lies in Caliph’s veins, forcing Sena to decide if her obsession for power is greater than her love for Caliph.
"Meanwhile, a fleet of airships creeps ever closer to Isca. As the final battle in a devastating civil war looms and the last page of the Cisrym Ta waits to be read, Caliph and Sena must face the deadly consequences of their decisions. And the blood of these conflicts will stain this and other worlds forever."
Commentary: Another book I've gobbled up already! A book which reminded me in turn of Nights of Villjamur, Retribution Falls, Perdido Street Station and on... which isn't to say The Last Page lacks an identity all its own. In fact, it's among the most impressive debuts I've read in 2010 - though I still can't quite parse my feelings on it. More on which note once we've washed our hands of Trick or Treat.
The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson
edited by Jonathan Strahan
Release Details:
Published in the US on
27/07/10 by Night Shade
Review Priority:
27/07/10 by Night Shade
Review Priority:
3 (Moderate)
Plot Synopsis: Kim Stanley Robinson has been an ongoing force in the Science Fiction genre for over twenty years, with his novels (Years of Rice and Salt, Forty Signs of Rain) crossing over to the mainstream, and routinely appearing on the New York Times best sellers list. During the 80s and early nineties, his short fiction continued to push the boundaries of science fiction, defining the science-focused side of the science fiction genre. Award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan worked with Kim Stanley Robinson to select the stories that make up this landmark volume. In addition to these reprints, The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson features a brand-new short story, "The Timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic, 1942."
Commentary: Al-right. Finally, an opportunity to read of the myriad masters of sci-fi I've lived in woeful ignorance of thus far, and what better place to start than with a collection of his very best and most fondly recalled shorts?
How could I have managed to live this long and not read any Kim Stanley Robinson, you might wonder? Why, the exact same way I've survived into my 27th year without a single page of George R. R. Martin!
Put me out of my misery now, eh?
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