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Friday, March 31, 2017

Covers Revealed - Upcoming Novels by DAC Authors


Here are some of the recent and upcoming novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors! The year in parentheses is the year the author was featured in the DAC.



Max Gladstone (2012)

The Craft Sequence
Three Parts Dead, Two Serpents Rise, Full Fathom Five, Last First Snow, Four Roads Cross
Tor Books, March 14, 2017
eBook Bundle, 1808 pages

This discounted ebundle includes: Three Parts Dead, Two Serpents Rise, Full Fathom Five, Last First Snow, Four Roads Cross

The Gods are dead, mostly, but for how long?

“Stunningly good. Stupefyingly good.” —Patrick Rothfuss

Set in a phenomenally-built world in which lawyers ride lightning bolts, souls are currency, and cities are powered by the remains of fallen gods, MAX GLADSTONE's Craft Sequence introduces readers to a modern fantasy landscape and an epic struggle to build a just society.

Three Parts Dead — A god has died, and it's up to Tara, first-year associate in the international necromantic firm of Kelethres, Albrecht, and Ao, to bring Him back to life before His city falls apart.

Two Serpents Rise — Caleb Altemoc—casual gambler and professional risk manager—is sent by Red King Consolidated to cleanse shadow demons from the Dresediel Lex city water supply, and uncovers a scheme to forever alter the balance of power in the city.

Full Fathom Five — On the island of Kavekana, Kai nearly loses her life trying to save one of her creations, a god built to order. But when Kai starts digging into the reasons her creations die, she uncovers a conspiracy of silence and fear—which will crush her, if Kai can't stop it first.

Last First Snow — Craft lawyer Elayne Kevarian and warrior-priest Temoc must fight dark magic, secret agendas, and their own demons to save the peace between the citizens and rulers of Dresediel Lex, before hell opens to swallow the city whole.

Four Roads Cross — Protests rock the city of Alt Coulumb, Kos Everburning's creditors attempt a hostile takeover of the fire god's church, and Craftswoman Tara Abernathy must defend the church against the world's fiercest necromantic firm.


The Scholast in the Low Waters Kingdom
A Tor.com Original
Tor Books, March 29, 2017
eBook, 32 pages

A stranger claiming knowledge of realms beyond the known world attempts to stop a war.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.


The Ruin of Angels
A Novel of the Craft Sequence
Tor.com, September 5, 2017
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages

Max Gladstone returns with The Ruin of Angels, the sixth novel in the Craft Sequence, which The Washington Post calls "the best kind of urban fantasy" and NPR calls "sharp, original, and passionate"

The God Wars destroyed the city of Alikand. Now, a century and a half and a great many construction contracts later, Agdel Lex rises in its place. Dead deities litter the surrounding desert, streets shift when people aren’t looking, a squidlike tower dominates the skyline, and the foreign Iskari Rectification Authority keeps strict order in this once-independent city—while treasure seekers, criminals, combat librarians, nightmare artists, angels, demons, dispossessed knights, grad students, and other fools gather in its ever-changing alleys, hungry for the next big score.

Priestess/investment banker Kai Pohala (last seen in Full Fathom Five) hits town to corner Agdel Lex’s burgeoning nightmare startup scene, and to visit her estranged sister Lei. But Kai finds Lei desperate at the center of a shadowy, and rapidly unravelling, business deal. When Lei ends up on the run, wanted for a crime she most definitely committed, Kai races to track her sister down before the Authority finds her first. But Lei has her own plans, involving her ex-girlfriend, a daring heist into the god-haunted desert, and, perhaps, freedom for an occupied city. Because Alikand might not be completely dead—and some people want to finish the job.


The Witch Who Came in From the Cold
     with Lindsay Smith, Cassandra Rose Clarke, Ian Tregillis, and Michael Swanwick
Saga Press, June 13, 2017
Hardcover and Trade Paperback, 624 pages

Spies and sorcerers face off during the Cold War, with the fate of the world in balance in this print edition of a hugely popular serial novel from five award-winning and critically acclaimed authors.

The Cold War rages in back rooms and dark alleys of 1970s Prague as spies and sorcerers battle for home and country. The fate of the East and the West hangs in the balance right along the Iron Curtain—and crackling beneath the surface is a vein of magic that is waiting to be tapped.

Note: the digital version of The Witch Who Came in From the Cold is published by Serial Box and was created by Lindsay Smith and Max Gladstone. Check out The Witch Who Came in From the Cold - Seasons One here and Season Two here. Max also is a writer for and the creator of Bookburners - Season One here and Season Two here.




Sophie Jaff (2015)

Crown of Stars
Night Song Trilogy 2
Harper Paperbacks, June 6, 2017
Trade Paperback and eBook, 432 pages

In Sophie Jaff’s spellbinding sequel to Love is Red, two women living centuries apart are bound together by an ancient prophecy, which ignites a dark story of obsession, betrayal, and revenge

Rumors of witchcraft have haunted Margaret ever since she was born. A strange, dark-eyed child, she was feared and then shunned by her medieval English village after her mother’s brutal murder. When her father remarries, Margaret—now a young woman—realizes that she must leave the village for good.

Hundreds of years later, as fall comes to Manhattan, Katherine Emerson prays her horrific summer is over. She survived a killer’s attack, but her roommate Andrea was not so lucky and now Katherine is raising Andrea’s son, Lucas. However, the rest of her world is in ruins: the man she loves has left her and she’s pregnant with his child. She accepts she’ll be a single mother—until he insists on doing “the right thing”, which means taking her and Lucas with him to London for his new job. Katherine hopes that maybe she too can start over.

But starting over doesn’t mean that the disturbing and dangerous encounters with strangers will end. As Katherine begins to fall apart, Margaret’s fight to survive in a hostile world reveals she has inherited her mother’s extraordinary gifts—but will she use them for good or evil? Can Margaret change the destiny of Katherine and her unborn child? And what will happen if she succeeds?

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Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series - Official Trailer



Telltale Games has released the official trailer for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series.  The series will premiere the first of the five episodes on April 18th for US$4.99 (or equivalent) for Windows PC, Mac, PS4, and XboxOne. The games will also be available via the Apple AppStore and Google Play. Additional platforms for release are yet to be announced.

The series will also be available as a special 'Season Pass Disc' on May 2nd at retailers across North America for an MSRP of US$29.99. On May 5th the series will be available at retailers elsewhere across the globe. The special 'Season Pass Disc' will include Episode One: Tangled Up in Blue, and will grant access to download the subsequent four episodes via online updates as they are released in the coming months of 2017.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series is a brand new story of the universe's unlikeliest heroes: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot. In the wake of an epic battle, the Guardians discover an artifact of unspeakable power. Each of them has a reason to desire this relic, as does a ruthless enemy who is the last of her kind, and who will stop at nothing to tear it from their hands.

From Earth to the Milano to Knowhere and beyond, and set to the beat of awesome music, you wear the rocket-powered boots of Star-Lord in an original Guardians adventure, where your decisions and actions drive the story you experience.

The series will feature a star-studded cast of voice talent, including Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights, The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series) as Star-Lord, Emily O'Brien (The Young and the Restless, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor) as Gamora, Nolan North (the Uncharted series, Pretty Little Liars) as Rocket Brandon Paul Eells (Watch Dogs) as Drax, and Adam Harrington (The Wolf Among Us, League of Legends) as Groot.





[click to embiggen the images]


You may follow Telltale Games via the website, Facebook, and Twitter @TelltaleGames.




App Store is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.  App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.
© 2017 MARVEL.

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Thursday, March 30, 2017

Covers Revealed - Upcoming Novels by DAC Authors


Here are some of the recent and upcoming novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors! The year in parentheses is the year the author was featured in the DAC.


Laura Lam (2016)

 Shattered Minds
A Pacifica Novel
Tor Books, June 20, 2017
Hardcover and eBook, 400 pages

Johnny Mnemonic meets a female Dexter in Laura Lam's new speculative thriller, set in the near-future SF world of False Hearts

Carina used to be one of the best biohackers in Pacifica. But when she worked for Sudice and saw what the company's experiments on brain recording were doing to their subjects, it disturbed her—especially because she found herself enjoying giving pain and contemplating murder. She quit and soon grew addicted to the drug Zeal, spending most of her waking moments in a horror-filled dream world where she could act out her depraved fantasies without actually hurting anyone.

One of her trips is interrupted by strange flashing images and the brutal murder of a young girl. Even in her drug-addicted state, Carina knows it isn’t anything she created in the Zealscape. On her next trip, she discovers that an old coworker from Sudice, Max, sent her these images before he was killed by the company. Encrypted within the images are the clues to his murder, plus information strong enough to take down the international corporation.

Carina's next choice will transform herself, San Francisco, and possibly the world itself.





Yoon Ha Lee (2016)

Extracurricular Activities
A Tor.com Original
Tor Books, February 15, 2017
eBook, 32 pages

A space opera adventure set in a distant future where an undercover agent has to go behind enemy lines to recover a lost ship and a possible traitor.


Raven Stratagem
Machineries of Empire 2
Solaris, June 13, 2017
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages

Captain Kel Cheris is possessed by a long-dead traitor general. Together they must face the rivalries of the hexarchate and a potentially devastating invasion.

When the hexarchate's gifted young captain Kel Cheris summoned the ghost of the long-dead General Shuos Jedao to help her put down a rebellion, she didn't reckon on his breaking free of centuries of imprisonment – and possessing her.

Even worse, the enemy Hafn are invading, and Jedao takes over General Kel Khiruev's fleet, which was tasked with stopping them. Only one of Khiruev's subordinates, Lieutenant Colonel Kel Brezan, seems to be able to resist the influence of the brilliant but psychotic Jedao.





Michael Poore (2012)

Reincarnation Blues
Del Rey, August 22, 2017
Hardcover and eBook, 384 pages

In the tradition of Cloud Atlas comes a wildly imaginative novel about a man who is reincarnated over ten thousand lifetimes to be with his one true love: Death herself.

First we live. Then we die. And then . . . we get another try? 

Ten thousand tries, to be exact. Ten thousand lives to “get it right.” Answer all the Big Questions. Achieve Wisdom. And Become One with Everything.

Milo has had 9,995 chances so far and has just five more lives to earn a place in the cosmic soul. If he doesn’t make the cut, oblivion awaits. But all Milo really wants is to fall forever into the arms of Death. Or Suzie, as he calls her.

More than just Milo’s lover throughout his countless layovers in the Afterlife, Suzie is literally his reason for living—as he dives into one new existence after another, praying for the day he’ll never have to leave her side again.

But Reincarnation Blues is more than a great love story: Every journey from cradle to grave offers Milo more pieces of the great cosmic puzzle—if only he can piece them together in time to finally understand what it means to be part of something bigger than infinity. As darkly enchanting as the works of Neil Gaiman and as wisely hilarious as Kurt Vonnegut’s, Michael Poore’s Reincarnation Blues is the story of everything that makes life profound, beautiful, absurd, and heartbreaking.

Because it’s more than Milo and Suzie’s story. It’s your story, too.

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Huck Gee's SKLFKR

Press Release

Clutter Magazine are proud to announce their latest project with Huck Gee.


HUCK GEE'S SKLFKR

Clutter and The Designer Toy Awards are excited to
announce a brand-new project with Toy of the Year
2015, and Artist of the Year 2015 DTA winner, Huck Gee!
Introducing – SKLFKR!! 20 inches of mecha, skull-laden,
robotic awesomeness!

As part of winning those prestigious DTA awards, Huck was provided a sponsorship to work with 3D printing technology to bring to life a brand new creation. Huck wasted no time and went to work. What came back blew us away!
"The mission of the DTA's is to celebrate and honor the art of designer toy creators all over the world. When we helped arrange this sponsorship for the winner of Artist of the Year we didn’t know what would be created - Huck Gee jumped on this opportunity and brought it to a new level! Seeing the SKLFKR come to life over the last year has been an amazing journey." - Miranda O'Brien (Clutter & the DTA's)
To make this dream a reality we partnered with 3D sculpting and printing masters, CUBO – the only team we knew could pull this off. Helping us bring this massive project to reality, Cubo 3D sculpted, rendered and printed this mighty beast. Not only that, they engineered and constructed a series of 3D printed gaskets in order to joint the SKLFKR and give it 7 points of articulation!!
"Take us to your leader...WE DO NOT COME IN PEACE!" - Victor D.L.A (Cubo).
Literally standing at 20" tall, this piece will be cast in resin and hand assembled here in NYC by Clutter Studios. More release information will be announced soon.

Over a year in the making and it's a Giant!
"Because mechs and laser beams. Because skulls, spikes and giant axes. Because destroy. Because crushing it. Because SKLFKR." - Huck Gee
______

COMPETITION TIME!

As part of its release into the world, Five Points Festival is giving away the very special first pull of this monumental release! To enter the competition visit the Facebook Page here. Good Luck!!

______

3D Renders Below - NOT final color ways.


______


About Huck Gee:

Huck Gee is a contemporary artist, illustrator, designer, and toy maker based in San Francisco, California.

Huck is a driving force in the world of ‘Art Toys’ and is widely known for the amazing worlds of toys that he develops. He hand crafts small runs of handmade figures that sell out instantly online to a global clientele. His production toy designs have brought him international acclaim and are highly prized. Huck’s artwork has been exhibited in galleries worldwide, he has consigned pieces for Christie’s Auction House and has a design in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. In addition, he has journeyed on numerous international signing tours and has had his art published in an ungodly amount of books and magazines.

https://www.huckgee.com

_________

About Cubo:

Cubo is a 3D scanning and 3D modeling service in the NYC area. Using 3D printing we bring your ideas to life. If you can dream it and draw it, we can print it.

http://www.cubodesigns.com/

_________

About the Designer Toy Awards:

The Designer Toy Awards (DTAs) are the leading awards honoring excellence and innovation in the Designer Toy art field. Established in 2011, the DTAs are presented by Clutter Magazine— a leading informational organization within Designer Toys, a community that after more than a decade has become a prominent and legitimate form of artistic and commercial expression as well as a leader in global trendsetting.

Reflecting the tremendous and ongoing growth of the Designer Toy community, the DTAs celebrate the best of the industry’s artists, designers, and brands, as well as honoring those involved in championing Designer Toys throughout the world. Members of the DTA Board select the majority of finalists and winners in each category from the nominees, however, you — the online community — determine finalists and, in some cases, winners by voting for nominated work, individual or brand that you believe to be the best in each category. Each year, the DTAs bring together the Designer Toy community all over the world.

www.designertoyawards.com

_________

About Clutter Magazine:

Since 2004, Clutter has been the go-to destination for creatives, companies and collectors, providing regular in-depth trend analysis directly from the vinyl frontier where fine art meets fine artifacts.

The world’s premiere source for counterculture and art toy information, Clutter brings neo-pop, dark surrealist, and street artist collectible figures, to our dedicated readership who rely on us to keep them informed on what they care about most.

With a high-quality, FREE, monthly print magazine, dynamic online portals, an art gallery, and the first industry-established annual award ceremony, Clutter is the catalyst for a uniquely active and vocal community engaged in the serious business of work and play.

www.cluttermagazine.com

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Thunderbirds Are Go for Season Three


Thunderbirds Are Go for a 3rd Season premiering on April 21st on Amazon Prime.
Whenever disaster strikes, International Rescue answers the call! From their hidden island base in the south Pacific, the five Tracy Brothers pilot remarkable, cutting-edge Thunderbird vehicles from the depths of the oceans to the highest reaches of space – all for one purpose: to help others in need. International Rescue’s identities may be a closely guarded secret, but their heroism is legendary.


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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Cosmic Powers, edited by John Joseph Adams


Next month, Saga Press will publish Cosmic Powers: The Saga Anthology of Far-Away Galaxies edited by John Joseph Adams. Check out the Table of Contents below and the gorgeous cover art by Chris Foss.


Cosmic Powers: The Saga Anthology of Far-Away Galaxies
Saga Press, April 18, 2017
Hardcover, Trade Paperback and eBook, 352 pages

A collection of original, epic science fiction stories by some of today’s best writers—for fans who want a little less science and a lot more action—and edited by two-time Hugo Award winner John Joseph Adams.

Inspired by movies like The Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Wars, this anthology features brand-new stories from some of science fiction’s best authors including Dan Abnett, Jack Campbell, Linda Nagata, Seanan McGuire, Alan Dean Foster, Charlie Jane Anders, Kameron Hurley, and many others.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
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James Harren to be Guest Artist for Seven to Eternity

Press Release


BESTSELLING SEVEN TO ETERNITY
WELCOMES GUEST ARTIST HARREN
The series will feature artwork by James Harren

PORTLAND, OR, 03/28/2017 — Image Comics is pleased to announce that James Harren will take the reins as guest artist on the ongoing series created by bestselling writer Rick Remender and artist Jerome Opeña. This second story arc’s SEVEN TO ETERNITY #7 will introduce Harren’s contributions this June.

Suffering from the aftermath of the sentient swamp, The Mosak follow Adam to Jevalia’s childhood home to discover a trampled paradise, the bled souls of its heroes, and a fetid industry thirsting for more.

“I've literally been trying to work with James for seven years, so it's fitting he join Seven to Eternity. He's one of the most talented artists in comics, expressive and unique art with perfect storytelling,” said Remender. “James is joining us for a two-issue story that I can't talk much about or I'd spoil issues five and six, but it's a big tale that digs into who our Mosak are and why they are each so desperate to see Zhal freed of the God of Whispers.”

In this chapter in the SEVEN TO ETERNITY saga, Remender and Harren team up to unveil the heights of heroism in a world awash with corruption.

SEVEN TO ETERNITY #7 Cover A by Harren and Hollingsworth (Diamond Code APR170872) and Cover B by Opeña and Hollingsworth (Diamond Code APR170873) will hit stores on Wednesday, June 14th. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, May 22nd.




About Image Comics
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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New Story Arc for Cannibal in May


Press Release


NEW STORY ARC FOR ANTI-APOCALYPSE TALE CANNIBAL COMING THIS MAY
The second story arc kicks off with issue #5

PORTLAND, OR, 03/28/2017 — New York Times bestselling writer Brian Buccellato (SONS OF THE DEVIL, The Flash, Injustice), co-writer Jennifer Young, and artist Matías Bergara (Sons of Anarchy) will dive into a new story arc in their ongoing southern-fried horror series CANNIBAL this May.

In the small Everglades town of Willow, the cannibal pandemic has only just begun. Told through the eyes of the Hansen family, it’s an anti-apocalypse story about a community that’s just too damn stubborn to give in.

In CANNIBAL #5, folks come to grips with the reality of cannibals, and Jolene’s fate is revealed.

CANNIBAL #5 (Diamond code: MAR170697) hits comic book stores Wednesday, May 10th. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, April 17th.

Select praise for CANNIBAL:

“Entertaining through and through.” —Comicosity

“CANNIBAL, both visually and textually, offers a unique twist to the human-eat-human
genre.” —Rogues Portal 

“Offers backwoods terror more in line with the gritty depravity of Deliverance than the
B-movie schlock of The Hills Have Eyes.” —Paste Magazine

“CANNIBAL transcends the basic zombie story we all know and love, delving into the
more complex, emotional, and moral side of cannibalism—the human side, if you
will—through an ensemble cast of characters residing in the sleepy, Southern Gothic
setting of Willow, Florida (now a ghost town in real life).” —SlackJaw Punks

“This is southern brewed horror with a dose of heartbreak.” —Horror Talk




About Image Comics
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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God Country Rushed Back to Print




Press Release


EVERY ISSUE OF GOD COUNTRY
RUSHED BACK TO PRINT

PORTLAND, OR, 03/24/2017 — The bestselling series GOD COUNTRY by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw (REDNECK) is being rushed back to print on issues #1, #2, and #3 in order to keep up with overwhelming customer demand.

In GOD COUNTRY, Emmet Quinlan, an old widower rattled by dementia, isn't just a problem for his children—his violent outbursts are more than the local cops can handle. When a tornado levels his home—as well as the surrounding West Texas town—a restored Quinlan rises from the wreckage. The enchanted sword at the eye of the storm gives him more than a sound mind and body, however. He's now the only man who can face the otherworldly creatures the sword has drawn down to the Lone Star State...

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Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Review - Aftermath: Empire's End (Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy 3) by Chuck Wendig


Aftermath: Empire's End
Author:  Chuck Wendig
Series:  Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy 3
Publisher:  Del Rey, February 21, 2017
Format:  Hardcover and eBook, 448 pages
List Price: US$28.99 (print); US$14.99 (eBook)
ISBN:  9781101966969 (print); 9781101966976 (eBook)
Review Copy:  Reviewer's Own

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Following Star Wars: Aftermath and Star Wars: Life Debt, Chuck Wendig delivers the exhilarating conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy set in the years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

EVERY END IS A NEW BEGINNING.

As the final showdown between the New Republic and the Empire draws near, all eyes turn to a once-isolated planet: Jakku.

The Battle of Endor shattered the Empire, scattering its remaining forces across the galaxy. But the months following the Rebellion’s victory have not been easy. The fledgling New Republic has suffered a devastating attack from the Imperial remnant, forcing the new democracy to escalate their hunt for the hidden enemy.

For her role in the deadly ambush, Grand Admiral Rae Sloane is the most wanted Imperial war criminal—and one-time rebel pilot Norra Wexley, back in service at Leia’s urgent request, is leading the hunt. But more than just loyalty to the New Republic drives Norra forward: Her husband was turned into a murderous pawn in Sloane’s assassination plot, and now she wants vengeance as much as justice.

But Sloane, too, is on a furious quest: pursuing the treacherous Gallius Rax to the barren planet Jakku. As the true mastermind behind the Empire’s devastating attack, Rax has led the Empire to its defining moment. The cunning strategist has gathered the powerful remnants of the Empire’s war machine, preparing to execute the late Emperor Palpatine’s final plan. As the Imperial fleet orbits Jakku, an armada of Republic fighters closes in to finish what began at Endor. Norra and her crew soar into the heart of an apocalyptic clash that will leave land and sky alike scorched. And the future of the galaxy will finally be decided.



Trinitytwo's / Tracey's Review

Star Wars: Aftermath: Empire's End, the stunning conclusion to Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath series, tidily wraps up the adventures of an unlikely group of New Republic heroes. In the wake of the devastation caused by the bloodbath on Chandrila, Norra Wexley, leader of a team of "Imperial Hunters", uncovers information that Grand Admiral Rae Sloane has fled to the desert planet of Jakku. For Norra, bringing Sloane to justice, is personal. Her husband was one of the released Imperial captives that was programmed, via implant, to assassinate high ranking New Republic personnel during the Liberation Day celebrations. Norra is determined to make Sloane pay for the pain and anguish that was inflicted on the innocent.

But Norra and the New Republic are wrong: Sloane was not responsible for the terrorist attack. She's tracked the organizer of the slaughter, Gallius Rax, to Jakku. Sloane's agenda is simple: for his perversion of her beloved Empire, she will find him and kill him. Norra and her squad are hot on Sloane's trail, but as they drop out of hyperspace they are alarmed to discover that what's left of the Imperial fleet is orbiting this remote planet. But to what purpose? Will this discovery set off a chain of events that will lead to the Empire's ultimate end?

Empire's End is a beautifully written finale to the Aftermath series. Wendig meticulously ties up the multitude of story arcs into a neat package. Fans of the film will definitely appreciate how the final battle sets the stage for Episode VII. But by laying the necessary groundwork for the film, I felt the main characters' stories suffered slightly. I got the feeling that Empire's End was much more of a staging area for the film than Aftermath or Aftermath: Life Debt. This doesn't necessarily make the story bad, in fact, it's pretty darn good. I really enjoy Wendig's characters and feel that they were a bit short-changed.

For instance, I simply did not get enough of ex-Imperial loyalty officer Sinjir Rath Velus. I always enjoy Sinjir's exploits; whether he is extracting information from an unwilling bounty hunter, or on a covert mission to expose corrupt senators. I especially like his interactions with bounty hunter Jas Emari, Chancellor Mon Mothma, and his relationship with tech slicer Conder Kyl.

The modified B1 battle droid, Mister Bones, is always a favorite. Although Bones is a supporting character, he is totally unforgettable. I am seriously excited because Wendig tantalizes readers with a few of the maniacal droid's memories; proving that there is much more to Mister Bones that meets the eye.

Who doesn't love reuniting with old friends? Wendig's story is peppered with interludes, some of which feature the suave scoundrel Lando Calrissian retaking Bespin, a certain infamous Gungan on Naboo, and the ongoing struggles on Kashyyyk featuring Chewbacca.

Aftermath: Empire's End is an exciting and entertaining book. It seems to have been given the momentous task of taking a galaxy of loose threads and tying them together. Wendig does this brilliantly. Lovers of the Star Wars Universe shouldn't pass up the book, or the series; it provides tons of insight into future events and succeeds by being both appealing and exhilarating.




Previously

Aftermath
Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy 1
Del Rey, March 29, 2016
Mass Market Paperback, 432 pages
Hardcover and eBook, September 4, 2015

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens

“Star Wars: Aftermath [reveals] what happened after the events of 1983’s Return of the Jedi. It turns out, there’s more than just the Empire for the good guys to worry about.”—The Hollywood Reporter

As the Empire reels from its critical defeats at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance—now a fledgling New Republic—presses its advantage by hunting down the enemy’s scattered forces before they can regroup and retaliate. But above the remote planet Akiva, an ominous show of the enemy’s strength is unfolding. Out on a lone reconnaissance mission, pilot Wedge Antilles watches Imperial Star Destroyers gather like birds of prey circling for a kill, but he’s taken captive before he can report back to the New Republic leaders.

Meanwhile, on the planet’s surface, former rebel fighter Norra Wexley has returned to her native world—war weary, ready to reunite with her estranged son, and eager to build a new life in some distant place. But when Norra intercepts Wedge Antilles’s urgent distress call, she realizes her time as a freedom fighter is not yet over. What she doesn’t know is just how close the enemy is—or how decisive and dangerous her new mission will be.

Determined to preserve the Empire’s power, the surviving Imperial elite are converging on Akiva for a top-secret emergency summit—to consolidate their forces and rally for a counterstrike. But they haven’t reckoned on Norra and her newfound allies—her technical-genius son, a Zabrak bounty hunter, and a reprobate Imperial defector—who are prepared to do whatever they must to end the Empire’s oppressive reign once and for all.


Read Tracey's Review here.




Aftermath: Life Debt
Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy 2
Del Rey, March 28, 2017
Mass Market Paperback, 512 pages
Hardcover and eBook, July 19, 2016

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Set between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, the never-before-told story that began with Star Wars: Aftermath continues in this thrilling novel, the second book of Chuck Wendig’s bestselling trilogy.

It is a dark time for the Empire. . . .

The Emperor is dead, and the remnants of his former Empire are in retreat. As the New Republic fights to restore a lasting peace to the galaxy, some dare to imagine new beginnings and new destinies. For Han Solo, that means settling his last outstanding debt, by helping Chewbacca liberate the Wookiee’s homeworld of Kashyyyk.

Meanwhile, Norra Wexley and her band of Imperial hunters pursue Grand Admiral Rae Sloane and the Empire’s remaining leadership across the galaxy. Even as more and more officers are brought to justice, Sloane continues to elude the New Republic, and Norra fears Sloane may be searching for a means to save the crumbling Empire from oblivion. But the hunt for Sloane is cut short when Norra receives an urgent request from Princess Leia Organa. The attempt to liberate Kashyyyk has carried Han Solo, Chewbacca, and a band of smugglers into an ambush—resulting in Chewie’s capture and Han’s disappearance.

Breaking away from their official mission and racing toward the Millennium Falcon’s last known location, Norra and her crew prepare for any challenge that stands between them and their missing comrades. But they can’t anticipate the true depth of the danger that awaits them—or the ruthlessness of the enemy drawing them into his crosshairs.


Read Tracey's Review here.

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2017 Compton Crook 35th Award Finalists


The Baltimore Science Fiction Society has announced the 2017 Compton Crook 35th Award Finalists

About the Compton Crook Award:
The members of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society, Inc. (BSFS) created the Compton Crook Award in 1982 to honor the best first novel of the year written by an individual author (collaborations are not eligible) in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror genre. Since its inception, the award has been presented at Balticon — the four-day annual Maryland regional science fiction convention produced by BSFS, currently held on Memorial Day weekend in the Baltimore, MD area.
Read more here.



The Finalists

Ninefox Gambit (The Machineries of Empire 1) - Yoon Ha Lee - Solaris, June 14, 2016

Arabella of Mars (The Adventures of Arabella Ashby) - David D. Levine - Tor Books, July 12, 2016

Sword and Verse - Kathy MacMillan - HarperTeen, January 19, 2016

Sleeping Giants (The Themis Files 1) - Sylvain Neuvel - Del Rey, April 26, 2016

Too Like the Lightning (Terra Ignota 1) - Ada Palmer - Tor Books, May 10, 2016

Sleep State Interrupt - T.C. Weber - See Sharp Press, September 1, 2016




Yoon Ha Lee

Ninefox Gambit
The Machineries of Empire 1
Solaris Books, June 14, 2016
Trade Paperback and eBook, 384 pages

To win an impossible war Captain Kel Cheris must awaken an ancient weapon and a despised traitor general.

Captain Kel Cheris of the hexarchate is disgraced for using unconventional methods in a battle against heretics.  Kel Command gives her the opportunity to redeem herself by retaking the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a star fortress that has recently been captured by heretics.  Cheris's career isn't the only thing at stake.  If the fortress falls, the hexarchate itself might be next.

Cheris's best hope is to ally with the undead tactician Shuos Jedao. The good news is that Jedao has never lost a battle, and he may be the only one who can figure out how to successfully besiege the fortress.

The bad news is that Jedao went mad in his first life and massacred two armies, one of them his own.  As the siege wears on, Cheris must decide how far she can trust Jedao--because she might be his next victim.




David D. Levine

Arabella of Mars
The Adventures of Arabella Ashby 1
Tor Books, July 12, 2016
Hardcover and eBook, 352 pages
Mass Market Paperback, May 30, 2017

Since Newton witnessed a bubble rising from his bathtub, mankind has sought the stars. When William III of England commissioned Capt. William Kidd to command the first expedition to Mars in the late 1600s, he proved that space travel was both possible and profitable.

Now, one century later, a plantation in a flourishing British colony on Mars is home to Arabella Ashby, a young woman who is perfectly content growing up in the untamed frontier. But days spent working on complex automata with her father or stalking her brother Michael with her Martian nanny is not the proper behavior of an English lady. That is something her mother plans to remedy with a move to an exotic world Arabella has never seen: London, England.

However, when events transpire that threaten her home on Mars, Arabella decides that sometimes doing the right thing is far more important than behaving as expected. She disguises herself as a boy and joins the crew of the Diana, a ship serving the Mars Trading Company, where she meets a mysterious captain who is intrigued by her knack with clockwork creations. Now Arabella just has to weather the naval war currently raging between Britain and France, learn how to sail, and deal with a mutinous crew…if she hopes to save her family remaining on Mars.

Arabella of Mars, the debut novel by Hugo-winning author David D. Levine offers adventure, romance, political intrigue, and Napoleon in space!




Kathy MacMillan

Sword and Verse
HarperTeen , January 19, 2016
Hardcover and eBook, 384 pages

In a sweeping fantasy that award-winning author Franny Billingsley called "fascinating and unique," debut author Kathy MacMillan weaves palace intrigue and epic world building to craft a tale for fans of Rae Carson and Megan Whalen Turner.

Raisa was just a child when she was sold into slavery in the kingdom of Qilara. Before she was taken away, her father had been adamant that she learn to read and write. But where she now lives, literacy is a capital offense for all but the nobility. The written language is closely protected, and only the King, Prince, Tutor, and Tutor-in-training are allowed to learn its very highest form. So when she is plucked from her menial labor and selected to replace the last Tutor-in-training, who was executed, Raisa knows that betraying any hint of her past could mean death.

Keeping her secret guarded is hard enough, but the romance that's been blossoming between her and Prince Mati isn't helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground rebel army—to help liberate the city's slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.




Sylvain Neuvel

Sleeping Giants
Themis Files 1
Del Rey, April 26, 2016
Hardcover and eBook, 320 pages
Trade Paperback, January 24, 2017

A page-turning debut in the tradition of Michael Crichton, World War Z, and The Martian, Sleeping Giants is a thriller fueled by an earthshaking mystery—and a fight to control a gargantuan power.

A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.

Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved—its origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Its carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected.

But some can never stop searching for answers.

Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top secret team to crack the hand’s code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the provenance of relic. What’s clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history’s most perplexing discovery—and figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result prove to be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?




Ada Palmer

Too Like the Lightning
Terra Ignota 1
Tor Books, May 10, 2016
Hardcover and eBook, 432 pages
Trade Paperback, January 24, 2017

Mycroft Canner is a convict. For his crimes he is required, as is the custom of the 25th century, to wander the world being as useful as he can to all he meets. Carlyle Foster is a sensayer--a spiritual counselor in a world that has outlawed the public practice of religion, but which also knows that the inner lives of humans cannot be wished away.

The world into which Mycroft and Carlyle have been born is as strange to our 21st-century eyes as ours would be to a native of the 1500s. It is a hard-won utopia built on technologically-generated abundance, and also on complex and mandatory systems of labelling all public writing and speech. What seem to us normal gender distinctions are now distinctly taboo in most social situations. And most of the world's population is affiliated with globe-girdling clans of the like-minded, whose endless economic and cultural competion is carefully managed by central planners of inestimable subtlety. To us it seems like a mad combination of heaven and hell. To them, it seems like normal life.

And in this world, Mycroft and Carlyle have stumbled on the wild card that may destablize the system: the boy Bridger, who can effortlessly make his wishes come true. Who can, it would seem, bring inanimate objects to life...




T.C. Weber

Sleep State Interrupt
See Sharp Press, September 1, 2016
Trade Paperback and eBook, 318 pages

In Sleep State Interrupt, a giant media corporation has taken over the Internet, created an addictive virtual reality called BetterWorld, and controls nearly all information. Politicians do their bidding and a brainwashed humanity serves a privileged few.

Waylee Freid, an unemployed Baltimore journalist with ever-worsening bipolar disorder, is the only hope for a brighter future. She and her countercultural friends bust a notorious teenage hacker out of jail and sneak into a closed presidential fundraiser at the Smithsonian castle, where they hope to record incriminating admissions that will wake up the world. Hunted by Homeland Security, Waylee and her friends must reach a sufficient audience by broadcasting their video during the Super Bowl. But to do so, they'll have to break into one of the most secure facilities ever built.

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