plus: we review Winter Duty by E. E. Knight.

First some award news to get to this week.  Jeffrey Ford won the Shirley Jackson award of best novel for his book The Shadow Year a nostalgic 1960s era piece about a dysfunctional Long Island family and a mysterious prowler haunting their neighborhood.  Had I a vote I would have selected Doug Dorst’s Alive in Necropolis…part police suspense and part ghost story novel.

…Phyllis Gotlieb passed away on July 14.  Gotleib was a renowned Canadian Science Fiction writer and one of the true founders of Canadian Sci-fi.  Some of her works include:  O Master Caliban! (1976) and Heart of Red Iron (1989); her Starcats series: Nebula-nominated novella "Son of the Morning" (1972) and novels including Aurora Award winner A Judgment of Dragons (1980), Emperor, Swords, Pentacles (1982), and Tiptree and Aurora finalist The Kingdom of the Cats; the Flesh and Gold series: Flesh and Gold (1998), Violent Stars (1999); Mindworlds (2002); and standalone feminist fantasy Birthstones (2007).  Gotleib was 83.

…The truly big news this week release wise is Songs of the Dying Earth from Subterranean Press.  They Dying Earth was the masterwork of Sci-fi/Fantasy great Jack Vance.  The Vance Estate and Subterranean have put together a who’s who of modern fantasy literature to write all-new stories set in the world of the Dying Earth.  The list includes: Dan Simmons, Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, Robert Silverberg, Tad Williams, Tanith Lee, Liz Williams, Glen Cook, and more.  Yes it’s pricey at $40 but that’s a small sum for a roster of such incredible talent.

Speak of the Devil (Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist, Book 4) by Jenna Black (Dell)

Morgan Kingsley, America’s most successful exorcist, is paying the price for an exorcism gone wrong. The victim’s family is suing the daylights out of her, the Exorcism Board has suspended her, and now she’s living on a diet of ramen noodles and bad coffee. But Morgan has a few good men at her side. One is her current boyfriend, nice-guy legal eagle Brian, who’s suddenly starting to reveal his inner bad boy. The other is Philly cop Adam White, who’s trying to help Morgan find out who sent her a little present—a severed human hand—and why someone seems determined to destroy her.   As her stalker turns more violent, leaving dead bodies in his wake, Morgan turns to the dark side of her life: a group of demons steeped in secrets, sinful eroticism, and otherworldly family feuds, including one sexy beast who shares Morgan’s body—and some X-rated fantasies. Soon Morgan must choose between her friends, her enemies, and her libido: to escape a mad demon determined to destroy her completely.

Shadow Magic by Jaida Jones (Spectra hardcover)

From the widely acclaimed authors of Havemercy comes this stunning new epic fantasy, set in the chaotic aftermath of a hundred years of war. Here, amidst the treacherous dance of diplomacy and betrayal lie the darkest secrets of all…and a peace more deadly than war itself.

Led to victory by its magic-fueled Dragon Corps, Volstov has sent a delegation to its conquered neighbors to work out the long-awaited terms of peace. Among those sent are the decorated war hero General Alcibiades and the formerly exiled magician Caius Greylace. But even this mismatched pair can’t help but notice that their defeated enemies aren’t being very cooperative.

The truth is even worse than they know. For the new emperor is harboring a secret even more treacherous—one that will take every trick in Alcibiades’ and Caius’ extensive arsenal to unveil. And once it is revealed, they may still be powerless to stop it.  With their only ally, an exiled prince, now fleeing his brother’s assassins, the countryside rife with treachery and terror, and Alcibiades and Caius all but prisoners, it will take the most powerful, most dangerous kind of magic to heal the rift between two strife-worn lands and unite two peoples against a common enemy…shadow magic.

Monster Hunter International by Larry Corriea (Baen)

Five days after Owen Zastava Pitt pushed his insufferable boss out of a fourteenth story window, he woke up in the hospital with a scarred face, an unbelievable memory, and a job offer.  It turns out that monsters are real. All the things from myth, legend, and B-movies are out there, waiting in the shadows. Officially secret, some of them are evil, and some are just hungry. On the other side are the people who kill monsters for a living. Monster Hunter International is the premier eradication company in the business. And now Owen is their newest recruit.  

It’s actually a pretty sweet gig, except for one little problem. An ancient entity known as the Cursed One has returned to settle a centuries old vendetta. Should the Cursed One succeed, it means the end of the world, and MHI is the only thing standing in his way. With the clock ticking towards Armageddon, Owen finds himself trapped between legions of undead minions, belligerent federal agents, a cryptic ghost who has taken up residence inside his head, and the cursed family of the woman he loves.  

The Light of Burning Shadows: Book Two of the Iron Elves by Chris Evans (Pocket Hardcover)

Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in this second epic fantasy adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans. As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves' perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry elf witch, the Shadow Monarch, takes on greater urgency.

The Iron Elves, shunned by their own people for bearing the mark of the Shadow Monarch, and desperately wanting to forever erase this shame, became legendary for their prowess on the battlefield as the Calahrian Imperial Army's elite shock troops. But when their commanding officer, Konowa Swift Dragon, murdered the Viceroy of Elfkyna, he was exiled, and these brave elves were banished to a remote desert outpost, doomed and leaderless, their honor in tatters.

Recalled to duty to reform his regiment from the dregs of the Imperial Army, Konowa thwarted the plans of the Shadow Monarch at the Battle of Luuguth Jor -- ensuring that the fabled Red Star, a source of great natural energy, did not fall into Her hands. Now Konowa must cross storm-tossed seas to seek out the lost elves and the prophesied return of another Star somewhere in a desert wasteland roiling with mysterious power, infernos of swirling magic, and legends brought back to life in new and terrible ways. And the fate of every living creature will come to depend on a small band of ragged and desperate soldiers, whose very loyalty to the Empire they have sworn to serve is no longer certain. When death is but a temporary condition, a terrifying question arises: who is the true ally -- and fearsome enemy -- in a growing conflict that threatens all?

Demon Inside by Stacia Kane (Pocket)

It's been three months since psychologist Megan Chase made the stunning discovery that the world is filled with demons, and once more the situation is too hot to handle. Ironically, Megan -- the only person in the world without a little personal demon sitting on her shoulder -- has become the leader of a demon "family," but now some unknown arcane power is offing her demons in a particularly unpleasant fashion. And while her demon lover Greyson Dante is still driving her wild with desire, he's also acting strangely evasive. Then there's the truth about Megan's past -- the truth she's never known. Caught between personal problems and personal demons, Megan is having one hell of a hard time. Will the help of her Cockney guard demons and her witch friend Tera be enough so that Megan can finally resolve the past, survive the present, and face the future?

Conqueror: Time's Tapestry Book Two by Stephen Baxter (Ace)

When William of Normandy, whom history will call the Conqueror, rises to power, the fate of the land rests on actions inspired by the words found in an ancient scroll. It is known as The Prophecy, and it reveals secrets about the future.

Always Forever (Age of Misrule Book Three) by Mark Chadbourn (Pyr)

The eternal conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race. Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods. This is the stunning conclusion of a powerful fantasy saga by one of Britain's most acclaimed young writers.

Songs of the Dying Earth by George R. R. Martin (Subterranean Press Hardcover)

Jack Vance was a seminal figure in the development of modern fantasy, so much so that it’s nearly impossible to imagine the genre as we know it today existing without him. In the course of his more than fifty-year career, he has published dozens of major novels, as well as collections filled with marvelously crafted stories, winning the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the Edgar Award, the Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America, and several World Fantasy Awards, including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Vance’s masterpiece, The Dying Earth, may be the most influential fantasy novel of the Twentieth Century, surpassed only by J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy; it has not only inspired several generations of fantasy writers, from Gene Wolfe and Michael Moorcock to Neil Gaiman and George R.R. Martin, but its influence has reached deep into the realms of graphic novels, comics, fantasy role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, and even computer gaming.

In Songs of the Dying Earth, we have called on one of the most distinguished casts of authors ever assembled—including Dan Simmons, Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, Paula Volsky, Mike Resnick, Robert Silverberg, Lucius Shepard, Tad Williams, Tanith Lee, Liz Williams, Glen Cook, and eleven other famous writers—to write stories in honor of the genius of Jack Vance, stories using the bizarre and darkly beautiful far future setting of the Dying Earth, near the very end of Earth’s lifespan, where mighty wizards duel with spells of dreadful potency under a waning and almost burnt-out red sun, and adventurers and cutpurses strive to hoodwink and out-trick each other in haunted forests full of demons and monsters strange almost beyond comprehension.

New In Science Fiction

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Soul Key by Olivia Woods (Star Trek Books)

There is a void in the alternate universe that demands to be filled. Iliana Ghemor, the Cardassian operative who years ago was altered in both body and mind to replace Kira Nerys, dreams of fulfilling a prophecy that will mark her as the one true Emissary of that other reality -- a messianic figure who could lead her followers into an era of renewed hope...or an age of deepening darkness.  Ghemor's claim to the mantle of the Emissary is by no means certain, however, as the inexorable pull of providence tugs also at other souls who are swept into the vortex of the Prophets, the remote and timeless beings who have set these strange events in motion.

But the stakes are higher than anyone imagines: for the outcome of this struggle for the fate of one universe will ripple across many others, and become the key to unlocking a future that will prove to be the greatest trial yet for the heroes of station Deep Space 9.  

Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant by Karen Traviss  (Del Rey TPB)

Based on the blockbuster Xbox game, this is the stunning story of the men and women who stood between a planet and total destruction–and now have to face the consequences of their actions.  After a brutal fifteen-year war for survival, the Coalition of Ordered Governments is forced to destroy mankind’s last city in a final bid to stop the Locust Horde. As the survivors flee Jacinto, they must contend with the last of the Locust, bent on vengeance, as they struggle to stay alive in an icy wilderness. Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago, and their fellow Gears fight to get Jacinto’s refugees to a safe haven, but find themselves in a lawless new world where the enemy is human–and as desperate and dangerous as any grub.

Desolation Road by Ian McDonald (Pyr TPB)

It all began thirty years ago on Mars, with a greenperson. But by the time it all finished, the town of Desolation Road had experienced every conceivable abnormality from Adam Black's Wonderful Travelling Chautauqua and Educational ‘Stravaganza (complete with its very own captive angel) to the Astounding Tatterdemalion Air Bazaar. Its inhabitants ranged from Dr. Alimantando, the town’s founder and resident genius, to the Babooshka, a barren grandmother who just wants her own child—grown in a fruit jar; from Rajendra Das, mechanical hobo who has a mystical way with machines to the Gallacelli brothers, identical triplets who fell in love with—and married—the same woman.

The 4400: Welcome to Promise City by Greg Cox (Pocket)

Mere months have passed since a viral outbreak transformed Seattle. Over nine thousand people died horribly, while thousands more gained remarkable new abilities. The disaster has also left Jordan Collier, the charismatic leader of The 4400 Movement, in charge of the city, much to the dismay of the rest of the world.  To Collier's followers, the birth of "Promise City" heralds the dawn of a glorious new future that will forever change the face of humanity. But not everyone welcomes Collier's vision of tomorrow. An internationalconspiracy, composed of many of the world's most powerful figures, will stop at nothing to destroy the Movement, even if it means igniting an all-out war against Promise City.

NTACNTAC agents Tom Baldwin and Diana Skouris find themselves caught in the middle of a historic clash as they try to save Seattle from both Jordan Collier and his mortal enemies...with the future of the planet hanging in the balance.

New In Horror

Far Dark Fields by Gary A. Braunbeck  (Leisure Horror)

More than three decades ago high-school senior Andy Leonard snapped. When he stopped shooting, thirty-two people were dead. But not little Geoff Conover. Andy spared Geoff for reasons no one ever knew. Now, all these years later, tragedy has struck again. Bruce Dyson too has gone on a murder spree, leaving nine dead in his wake. Even though they never met, there’s only one person Dyson will speak to—Geoff Conover. And what he tells Geoff will shake him to his core. With one word, Dyson will reveal that he knows the dark truth behind the legendary bogeyman used to terrify local children for years, the deformed creature known as Hoopsticks…and the final, shocking secret of Cedar Hill, Ohio.

Cthulhu's Dark Cults (Call of Cthulhu Fiction)  (Chaosium)

Journey across the globe to witness the numerous and diverse cults that worship Cthulhu and the Great Old Ones. Lead by powerful sorcerers and fanatical necromancers, their followers are mad and deranged slaves. The ancient and alien gods whom they willingly devote themselves are truly terrifying. These cults control real power, for they are the real secret masters of our world. Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu is an endless source of imagination of all things dark and mysterious.  

This book is part of an expanding collection of Cthulhu Mythos horror fiction and related topics. Call of Cthulhu fiction focuses on single entities, concepts, or authors significant to readers and fans of H.P. Lovecraft.

Zombies: Encounters with the Hungry Dead by John Skipp (Black Dog & levanthal)

From a master of Zombie fiction and a founding father of “splatterpunk” comes a mind-bending

anthology of 35 new and classic stories from both renowned writers and rising stars. In the tradition of Black Dog & Leventhal's bestselling Vampires and Ghosts, this anthology of 35 stories is set in a world where the dead have risen from the grave to consume

the living. This rich collection showcases the best of the genre—from short-story masters such as Ray Bradbury and H.P. Lovecraft, zombie stalwarts such as David J. Schow and Jack Ketchum, “bizarro” founders such as Carlton Mellick III, and popular up-and-comers such as Max Brooks and S.G. Browne—and will satisfy the insatiable hunger of zombie fans everywhere.

A series of captivating essays about zombies in folklore and in popular culture by John Skipp, award-winning zombie anthologist and author, enrich an already extraordinary collection by discussing the past, present, and future of the living dead. And a resources section encompassing the best of longform fiction, movies, websites, and writers is included for any reader interested in learning more about the wider world of the undead.  

Reviews

Winter Duty: A Novel of the Vampire Earth E.E. Knight (Roc)

This is the eighth book in Knight’s Vampire/Sci-fi series.  The series is set in the year 2076.  The invading alien Kurian Empire has conquered most of the planet and have either enslaved or nearly destroyed mankind.  Their main weapon is the genetically created Reapers who live on the blood of humans.  The continued story follows Major David Valentine and the resistance fighters who battle against the Reapers.   

This book opens in Kentucky as Valentine as the people of that state battle their oppressors for freedom although there are those in their ranks who would prefer to be absorbed into the Kurian Empire.  The rebellion does not go over well with the Kurian Overlords who seek to put down the insurgency by having the Reapers obliterate the entire population.  Valentine and his men are left to battle back the tide of evil with slim resources and apparently no reinforcements from Southern Command.   

While the book is filled with tons of action, some of it nightmarishly grisly, Knight also continues to make world-building a central goal of the series and the book is filled with strong political maneuverings on all sides.  Knight makes uses of some supporting characters who have only been seen sparingly in some of the previous novels.  After eight books Knight continues to make each novel fresh and exciting, particularly since the last novel, “Fall with Honor” was a bit lukewarm.  Grade B+