In hardcover:

 
Stephen King's Fairy Tale is up four positions, ending the week at number 8. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of China Miéville's The Census-Taker for only 3.92$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

For readers of George Saunders, Kelly Link, David Mitchell, and Karen Russell, This Census-Taker is a stunning, uncanny, and profoundly moving novella from multiple-award-winning and bestselling author China Miéville.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR

In a remote house on a hilltop, a lonely boy witnesses a profoundly traumatic event. He tries—and fails—to flee. Left alone with his increasingly deranged parent, he dreams of safety, of joining the other children in the town below, of escape.

When at last a stranger knocks at his door, the boy senses that his days of isolation might be over.

But by what authority does this man keep the meticulous records he carries? What is the purpose behind his questions? Is he friend? Enemy? Or something else altogether?

Filled with beauty, terror, and strangeness, This Census-Taker is a poignant and riveting exploration of memory and identity.

The Uncrowned King

Let me begin by saying that I'm almost done with the third installment, The Shining Court, and that I'm in awe of Michelle West's The Sun Sword. Few SFF series are as good and I still can't explain why it remains what is probably the genre's best-kept secret. Think of the worldbuilding of Steven Erikson and R. Scott Bakker, with the superior characterization of Robin Hobb, George R. R. Martin, and Jacqueline Carey. Yes, it's that damn good!

And while The Broken Crown worked as a vast introduction to a decidedly multilayered tale, The Uncrowned King turned out to be a more self-contained novel. Not as sprawling as its predecessor, which by necessity needed to lay the groundwork for the rest of the series and spanned several years of timeline, this second volume focuses on the King's Challenge and its repercussions, and hence only covers a couple of weeks. This tighter focus makes for an easier and more streamlined reading experience. As was the case with Erikson's The Malazan Book of the Fallen, it appears that The Broken Crown is West's own Gardens of the Moon and not the easiest starting point for a complex and utterly satisfying fantasy saga. For a lot of Malazan fans, Deadhouse Gates was where it all began to make more sense and when the series became impossible to put down. In many respects, I feel that The Uncrowned King will work much the same way the second Malazan volume did for legions of readers. So if you were a bit put off by the first installment but still liked it, I suggest that you read the sequel before deciding whether or not Michelle West is for you. Because by the time you reach the last page of The Uncrowned King, either you'll be foaming at the mouth and begging to discover what happens next, or else The Sun Sword simply isn't for you.

Needless to say, I am now a huge fan of Michelle West. I'm at a total loss to explain how this amazing series could have fallen through the cracks over the last two decades. Even worse, I actually bought these books as they came out and never read them. Can't quite believe how much of a fool I am. Had this series found its way into the hands of all the Wheel of Time, the A Song of Ice and Fire, the Malazan Book of the Fallen, the Realm of the Elderlings, and the Kushiel aficionados, just to name a few, these novels would have been bestsellers. Shockingly, for some unfathomable reason, they remained criminally unread over the years. Hopefully I can help get the ball rolling and make sure to raise awareness in what appears to be one of the very best fantasy series ever written.

Here's the blurb:

The second novel of the acclaimed Sun Sword series returns to a war-torn world of noble houses divided and demon lords unleashed…

The King’s Challenge—it was a proving ground for warriors in the Essalieyan Empire, the hallowed contest that made legends of men. And for Valedan, last survivor of the ruling family of the Dominion, it was a declaration of his right to claim the throne stolen from the Leonne clan by treachery and assassination.

Failure to earn the title of King’s Champion would not deprive Valedan of either his Dominion or Essalieyan allies, but winning would announce to the world that he was no callow boy, no mere pawn in the games of power. And the games of power were indeed being played—not only in the Empire and Dominion, but in the far more dangerous realm of the Lord of Night.

As the time of the Challenge neared, Valedan and all those who guarded him would be hard-pressed to survive long enough for him to enter the competition. For the demon kin had been set to hunt him down and destroy him. They had failed before though many innocents had paid for the price. They must not fail again, for slaying Valedan was but the opening gambit in a war that would free the Lord of Night to reign over all the mortal world…

The worldbuilding continues to be remarkable. In my review of The Broken Crown, I mentioned that West had an eye for detail and that the imagery she creates leaps off the page at every turn. It sure looks as though this will be one of the author's trademarks moving forward because it's the same with this second volume. There is a depth to her universe that is seldom achieved in the fantasy genre, and so far only Tolkien, Erikson, and Bakker surpass her in that regard. Having said that, with yet more layers added with each new installment, there's no telling just how good Michelle West truly is. While the first volume alternated between the Dominion and the Essalieyan Empire, which I found jarring at times, the bulk of The Uncrowned King takes place in the Empire, in and around the city of Averalaan. Yes, West continues to be repetitive and some readers might feel like it's overdone, but I guess I got used to this quirk of hers and it doesn't really bother me. West has created a world that lives and breathes, and this time she gives life to the imperial capital in a way that I found captivating. And though political intrigue remains an important part of this novel/series, there are a lot more action sequences in this sequel. Still, don't expect any bells and whistles à la Brandon Sanderson or R. A. Salvatore. As I said before, this is adult fantasy in its truest form. With each new page, each new chapter, each new book, Michelle West weaves a tapestry that is as convoluted as it is breathtaking.

Structurally, The Uncrowned King is easier to follow than its predecessor. Focusing almost entirely on the King's Challenge taking place in Averalaan, it does reduce the Malazan-length Dramatis Personae of The Broken Crown to something that is easier to navigate through. Being away from the Dominion means that Serra Teresa and Serra Diora, who are at the very heart of the tale told in the first volume, aren't an active part of the story and their absence is felt deeply. After playing such a pivotal role in the first book, it felt odd to read a sequel whose spotlight was on a different set of protagonists. And even though you never truly forget about them, with a deft human touch and new plotlines and characters that capture your imagination West makes Valedan's tale hard to put down. A part of your mind wants to go back to the Dominion to find out what happens next, but your heart is firmly held in place by Valedan's plight. Born in the South but raised in the North, he must somehow find a way to prove himself worthy of both the Dominion and the Essalieyan Empire in order to claim his birthright.

Once again, the characterization is top notch, proving that The Broken Crown was no fluke. As a matter of course, Valedan takes center stage throughout the novel and I love the way he has grown as a protagonist. And yet, it's the supporting cast that makes The Uncrowned King such a memorable read. Some familiar faces such as Kiriel, Princess Mirialyn, the Ospreys, and Ramiro kai di'Callesta return and become even more important in the greater scheme of things. Revelations about Kallandras, Jewel, Avandar, Meralonne APhaniel, and Sigurne Mellifas offer tantalizing hints of buried pasts and powers that will probably change the course of this series. And last but not least, Ser Anton di'Guivera, whose past and whose current relationship with the boy Aidan will both break your heart and make him your favorite villain-turned-hero since Jaime Lannister.

Given the number of quotes from this book I posted on the Hotlist, it's obvious that Michelle West's beautiful prose has made quite an impression on me. It continues to be reminiscent of that of Guy Gavriel Kay and Jacqueline Carey. However, the author remains quite verbose and too many portions of The Uncrowned King were overwritten. As I mentioned before, I understand that it's a question of style, but regardless of how beautifully written it turned out to be, bloat remains bloat. Still, it's not as bad as it was with The Broken Crown. Which means that, even though it weighs in at 687 pages, this sequel doesn't suffer from pacing issues as much as its predecessor. It's not fast-paced by any stretch of the imagination, but the tighter focus on the narrative makes for a compulsive reading experience.

Say what you will of Michelle West, there's no denying that she knows how to weave the various threads of her story together and make them come together to form an exciting endgame. And for the second time now, she caps it all off with the sort of panache that hits you like a punch in the gut and leaves you breathless. God knows I'm happy not to have to wait a year or more to read the next volume!

I was told that the third installment, The Shining Court, was next level, and it is indeed an enthralling read. Bringing together the plotlines from both The Broken Crown and The Uncrowned King, West ups her game and elevates The Sun Sword to new heights. This series deserves the highest possible recommendation.

The final verdict: 9/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Quote of the Day

The wife was dead. She heard it in the words; dead but not dead, as her mother had been for most of her father's life; dead but not dead. She hadn't understood it before she had lost her own wives, lost Deidre's beautiful baby, her first baby, the child she had dared call son.

You could learn to hate the living, if you had to. You could learn to force them away, or force yourself away, from the things they stirred. Not so the dead. The dead would never again irritate by ugliness or pettiness or simple change and age; they were like the steel of the Sun Sword, tempered in fire.

For just a moment, his hands on hat and hair, she wondered if there would ever be a time, again, when the living drove her, not the dead.

And she hated herself for wondering it.

- MICHELLE WEST, The Shining Court

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Almost done with this third installment and it looks as though it should get close to a perfect score. It certainly looks like the Sun Sword if fantasy's best-kept secret! You can download the first two volumes for about 11$ and you should do so ASAP! Can't think of a more worthy investment! =)

Cover art and blurb for Tad Williams' THE NAVIGATOR'S CHILDREN

The folks at Daw just unveiled the covert art for Tad Williams' forthcoming The Navigator's Children.

Here's the blurb:

The latest saga in the New York Times bestselling world of Osten Ard concludes in the fourth and final Last King of Osten Ard novel.

The Hayholt is besieged by the Norns. Once the home of their immortal brethren, the Sithi, now capital of the kingdom of men, the fabled castle is under attack. And as the world is distracted by this strike against humankind, the Norns’ deathless witch-queen Utuk’ku turns towards the mysterious fateful valley called Tanakirú—the Vale of Mists.

Meanwhile, Queen Miriamele hurries to save the Hayholt and capture the treacherous noble Pasevalles, but arrives to discover the traitor has escaped.

And inside Tanakirú, Vale of Mists, the bond between Prince Morgan and Nezeru, a renegade Norn, has become something deeper and stranger than either of them could have anticipated. They journey ever deeper to the heart of the valley’s mystery, encountering wonder and horror, and come face to face at last with the ancient secret that has kindled the Norn Queen’s war—a secret that will destroy immortals and humans alike.

You can pre-order this novel by following this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download R. F. Kuang's The Poppy War, which many consider the fantasy debut of 2018, for only 2.48$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A "Best of May" Science Fiction and Fantasy pick by Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Audible, The Verge, SyFy Wire, and Kirkus.

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn: The Final Empire for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn series is a heist story of political intrigue and magical, martial-arts action.

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

This saga dares to ask a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails?

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Peter F. Hamilton's Fallen Dragon for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From science fiction master Peter F. Hamilton comes a standalone novel that is “a fascinating, compulsively readable clash of hardware and ideals”, political intrigue, and space opera at its best (Kirkus Reviews (starred review)).

In the distant future, corporations have become sustainable communities with their own militaries, and corporate goals have essentially replaced political ideology. On a youthful, rebellious impulse, Lawrence joined the military of a corporation that he now recognizes to be ruthless and exploitative. His only hope for escape is to earn enough money to buy his place in a better corporation.

When his platoon is sent to a distant colony to quell a local resistance effort, it seems like a stroke of amazing fortune, and Lawrence plans to rob the colony of their fabled gemstone, the Fallen Dragon, to get the money he needs. However, he soon discovers that the Fallen Dragon is not a gemstone at all, but an alien life form that the local colonists have been protecting since it crashed in their area.

Now, Lawrence must decide if he will steal the alien to exploit the use of its inherent biotechnical processes — which far exceed anything humans are capable of — or if he will help the Resistance get the alien home.

You can now download Peter F. Hamilton's The Dreaming Void for only 2.37$ here.

Here's the blurb:

Reviewers exhaust superlatives when it comes to the science fiction of Peter F. Hamilton. His complex and engaging novels, which span thousands of years–and light-years–are as intellectually stimulating as they are emotionally fulfilling. Now, with The Dreaming Void, the first volume in a trilogy set in the same far-future as his acclaimed Commonwealth saga, Hamilton has created his most ambitious and gripping space epic yet.

The year is 3589, fifteen hundred years after Commonwealth forces barely staved off human extinction in a war against the alien Prime. Now an even greater danger has surfaced: a threat to the existence of the universe itself.

At the very heart of the galaxy is the Void, a self-contained microuniverse that cannot be breached, cannot be destroyed, and cannot be stopped as it steadily expands in all directions, consuming everything in its path: planets, stars, civilizations. The Void has existed for untold millions of years. Even the oldest and most technologically advanced of the galaxy’s sentient races, the Raiel, do not know its origin, its makers, or its purpose.

But then Inigo, an astrophysicist studying the Void, begins dreaming of human beings who live within it. Inigo’s dreams reveal a world in which thoughts become actions and dreams become reality. Inside the Void, Inigo sees paradise. Thanks to the gaiafield, a neural entanglement wired into most humans, Inigo’s dreams are shared by hundreds of millions–and a religion, the Living Dream, is born, with Inigo as its prophet. But then he vanishes.

Suddenly there is a new wave of dreams. Dreams broadcast by an unknown Second Dreamer serve as the inspiration for a massive Pilgrimage into the Void. But there is a chance that by attempting to enter the Void, the pilgrims will trigger a catastrophic expansion, an accelerated devourment phase that will swallow up thousands of worlds.

And thus begins a desperate race to find Inigo and the mysterious Second Dreamer. Some seek to prevent the Pilgrimage; others to speed its progress–while within the Void, a supreme entity has turned its gaze, for the first time, outward. . . .

BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Peter F. Hamilton's The Temporal Void.

Finally, you can also get your hands on the digital edition of Alastair Reynolds' Galactic North for only 2.22$ here.

Here's the blurb:

A collection of eight short stories and novellas in the dark and turbulent world of Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space universe.

Centuries from now, solidarity stretches thin as humanity spreads past the solar system and to the nearest stars. Technology has produced powerful new tools-but lethal risk will always accompany great advancement.And without foresight, opposing groups may fracture multiple worlds. Between the Demarchists and the Conjoiners, the basic right to expand human intelligence-beyond its natural limits-has become a war-worthy cause. Only vast lighthugger starships bind these squabbling colonies together, manned by the panicky and paranoid Ultras. And the hyperpigs just try to keep their heads down.The rich get richer. And everyone tries not to think about the worrying number of extinct alien civilizations turning up on the outer reaches of settled space...because who's to say that humanity won't be next?

Quote of the Day

High upon the peaks of the Northern mountains, surrounded by the sparse life, the endless cold, the clarity of nights so perfect the desire to spend a decade caught by starlight was at times as strong as the desire for the single pleasure they'd been granted when they had chosen to cleave to their Lord, the world returned to them. The kinlords were awakening.

Perhaps the awakening would have been faster had the world been more recognizably what it was at the time of Moorelas' final ride. It was not. Even the flowers had dwindled in the long absence of the Kialli; the trees--on the rare occasion they were allowed to travel far enough to see them--had lost all voice; the earth had been struck dumb enough that only the great among them could hope to hear the whisper that had once been greater than the roar of dragons. Of the Firstborn and their children, of the brethren, of their ancient enemies, their ancient brothers, only the mortals had flourished.

Surprising, that. They had been the weakest, the shortest lived. In their youth, they were glorious, but their youth was short; they grew into their bindings, bending and folding under the weight, finding new ways in which to deny themselves pleasure and power--and finding perverse pride in that denial.

They called it dignity.

- MICHELLE WEST, The Shining Court

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Seriously, guys, you need to read these books! Think of the worldbuilding of Erikson and Bakker, with the superior characterization of Hobb, Martin, and Carey.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Alan Smale's Clash of Eagles for only 3.13$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This is a great series that deserve more attention. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale. At this low price, it's the best time to give it a shot!

Here's the blurb:

Perfect for fans of action-adventure and historical fiction—including novels by such authors as Bernard Cornwell, Steve Berry, Naomi Novik, and Harry Turtledove—this stunning work of alternate history imagines a world in which the Roman Empire has not fallen and the North American continent has just been discovered. In the year 1218 AD, transported by Norse longboats, a Roman legion crosses the great ocean, enters an endless wilderness, and faces a cataclysmic clash of worlds, cultures, and warriors.

Ever hungry for land and gold, the Emperor has sent Praetor Gaius Marcellinus and the 33rd Roman Legion into the newly discovered lands of North America. Marcellinus and his men expect easy victory over the native inhabitants, but on the shores of a vast river the Legion clashes with a unique civilization armed with weapons and strategies no Roman has ever imagined.

Forced to watch his vaunted force massacred by a surprisingly tenacious enemy, Marcellinus is spared by his captors and kept alive for his military knowledge. As he recovers and learns more about these proud people, he can’t help but be drawn into their society, forming an uneasy friendship with the denizens of the city-state of Cahokia. But threats—both Roman and Native—promise to assail his newfound kin, and Marcellinus will struggle to keep the peace while the rest of the continent surges toward certain conflict.

You can also download Max Gladstone's Three Parts Dead, first volume in the Craft Sequence, for only 2.55$ here.

Here's the blurb:

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.

Her client is Kos, recently deceased fire god of the city of Alt Coulumb. Without Him, the metropolis’s steam generators will shut down, its trains will cease running, and its four million citizens will riot.

Tara’s job: resurrect Kos before chaos sets in. Her only help: Abelard, a chain-smoking priest of the dead god, who’s having an understandable crisis of faith.

When Tara and Abelard discover that Kos was murdered, they have to make a case in Alt Coulumb’s courts—and their quest for the truth endangers their partnership, their lives, and Alt Coulumb’s slim hope of survival.

Set in a phenomenally built world in which justice is a collective force bestowed on a few, craftsmen fly on lightning bolts, and gargoyles can rule cities, Three Parts Dead introduces readers to an ethical landscape in which the line between right and wrong blurs.

A number of Craft Sequence installments are also on sale.

Finally, you can also get your hands on the digital edition of Travis Baldree's surprising bestseller Legends and Lattes for only 5.51$ here.

Here's the blurb:

The much-beloved BookTok sensation, Travis Baldree's novel of high fantasy and low stakes.

*This new edition includes a very special, never-before-seen bonus story, 'Pages to Fill.'*

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

In hardcover:

 
Stephen King's Fairy Tale is down three positions, ending the week at number 12. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Robert R. McCammon's The Southern Novels, an omnibus comprised of Boy's Life, Mystery Walk, Gone South, and Usher's Passing, for only 4.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From rural Alabama to the Louisiana bayou to the North Carolina mountains, World Fantasy and Bram Stoker Award–winning author Robert R. McCammon has made the American South his own Gothic playground in these four unforgettable novels.

A Boy’s Life: “Strongly echoing the childhood-elegies of King and Bradbury, and every bit their equal,” McCammon’s World Fantasy and Bram Stoker Award–winning novel takes place in 1964 Alabama, where a twelve-year-old boy’s idyllic life takes an abrupt turn into a dark world of mystery when he and his father witness a car roll into a lake—only to discover a corpse handcuffed to the steering wheel (Kirkus Reviews).

“It’s McCammon’s The Prince of Tides. . . . Incredibly moving.” —Peter Straub

Mystery Walk: Two boys with mysterious powers—a psychic who speaks with the dead and a faith healer—share a common bond and hold mankind’s fate in their hands in an epic showdown of good versus evil.

“As finely a turned tale of horror as the best of them.” —Houston Chronicle

Gone South: A veteran’s moment of rage leads to a grisly murder and a heated chase deep into the bayou, where he encounters a pair of bizarre bounty hunters—and a strange new friend, who might help him find redemption.

“A gothic picaresque that mixes gritty plot and black comedy.” —The Wall Street Journal

Usher’s Passing: Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tale, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” is no fiction in this Gothic novel of ancestral madness in the mountains of modern-day North Carolina, as the heir to the Usher legacy—a horror novelist—confronts his terrifying inheritance.

“A frightening pleasure.” —St. Louis Dispatch

Quote of the Day

Trust was a fool's game; it was also the game of desperate men. Desperation had forced him to trust.

- MICHELLE WEST, The Shining Court

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download K. J. Parker's The Folding Knife for only 2.22$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A new stand-alone novel from the acclaimed author of the Engineer Trilogy and The Company.

Basso the Magnificent. Basso the Great. Basso the Wise. The First Citizen of the Vesani Republic is an extraordinary man.

He is ruthless, cunning, and above all, lucky. He brings wealth, power and prestige to his people. But with power comes unwanted attention, and Basso must defend his nation and himself from threats foreign and domestic. In a lifetime of crucial decisions, he's only ever made one mistake.

One mistake, though, can be enough.

A number of K. J. Parker titles are also on sale:

- The Company
- Sharps
- Inside Man
- The Devil You Know
- The Long Game
- The Hammer
- Prosper's Demon
- Pulling the Wings Off Angels

Cover art and blurb reveal for Jacqueline Carey's CASSIEL'S SERVANT

The folks at Tor Books recently revealed the cover art and blurb for Jacqueline Carey's forthcoming Cassiel's Servant. The artist is Mélanie Delon.

Here's the blurb:

The lush epic fantasy that inspired a generation with a single precept: “Love As Thou Wilt."

Returning to the realm of Terre d’Ange which captured an entire generation of fantasy readers, New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Carey brings us a hero’s journey for a new era.

In Kushiel’s Dart, a daring young courtesan uncovered a plot to destroy her beloved homeland. But hers is only half the tale. Now see the other half of the heart that lived it.

Cassiel’s Servant is a retelling of cult favorite Kushiel’s Dart from the point of view of Joscelin, Cassiline warrior-priest and protector of Phèdre nó Delaunay. He’s sworn to celibacy and the blade as surely as she’s pledged to pleasure, but the gods they serve have bound them together. When both are betrayed, they must rely on each other to survive.

From his earliest training to captivity amongst their enemies, his journey with Phèdre to avert the conquest of Terre D’Ange shatters body and mind… and brings him an impossible love that he will do anything to keep.

Even if it means breaking all vows and losing his soul.

You can pre-order it by following this Amazon Associate link.

Nightborn: Coldfire Rising

When C. S. Friedman got in touch with me to see if I'd like an early read of the forthcoming Coldfire prequel Nightborn: Coldire Rising, needless to say I was extremely excited. Not only would we get the short novel of the founding of Erna, but the book would also include a revised edition of the novella Dominion, which I read and reviewed back in 2012. It's been a while, that's for sure. Crown of Shadows, final installment in the original series, was published in 1995. Since then, the Coldfire trilogy has remained in print and very few SFF works can boast of such longevity unless they're quite good.

Friedman has always been adamant that there would never be a sequel to the Coldfire series. And nearly three decades down the line, it doesn't look like she will change her mind. However, the market for shorter works, especially novellas, has been expanding in recent years. So much so that she realized that the time could be ripe to explore ideas and concepts that, while they lacked enough material to warrant a novel-length project, could be turned into books that couldn't have been published just a few years back. Dominion was the first such project and it turned out to be a wonderful read.

Nightborn: Coldire Rising focuses on the Founding of Erna and what led to the First Sacrifice. Fans might recall that it's a tale hinted at in the prologue of When True Night Falls. Dominion recounts the story of how Gerald Tarrant mastered the Forest and became the Hunter. This novella takes place 613 years following the settlement of the colony on Erna and about six centuries prior to the events of the Coldfire trilogy. Friedman realized that Erna has a rich history that is hinted at in the series and that there was a wealth of material for potential prequels. Mapping out such story arcs, the author envisioned a set of novellas that would also explore the Age of the False Messiahs, the Neo-Gothic Revival and its Unification Wars, the great Rakhene Genocide, the transformation of the Forbidden Forest into Tarrant’s private hunting ground, and the Church’s doomed war against him and his minions. All of which has this Coldfire fan pretty excited!

Some readers unfamiliar with the original trilogy will wonder if Nightborn: Coldire Rising makes a good starting point for newbies. Yes, it is a prequel and efforts were made by the author to make this book a somewhat stand-alone work that can be read and understood without having read the Coldfire trilogy. And yet, why would you want to do that? The Coldfire series is a seminal work of dark fantasy that has withstood the test of time, so why would you want to pick up this one before reading the original material? Though Nightborn: Coldire Rising can be read on its own, without the context provided by the original trilogy you'd be missing out on lots of things and not just a few nuances. You might enjoy Dominion without having prior knowledge of Gerald Tarrant, but if you actually know the story of this fascinating badass character you'll be ecstatic. This new one is slated to be released in July, so there is ample time for you to find out for yourself just how brillant the Coldfire trilogy truly is by starting with Black Sun Rising. Follow this Amazon Associate link to learn more about this title and its sequels. Believe you me: You'll love them! And you'll be up-to-date when this prequel hits the shelves this summer.

Here's the blurb:

A prequel to the lauded Coldfire trilogy, Friedman's latest novel mixes the best of dark fantasy and chilling sci-fi.

A ship full of colonists arrive on a seemingly hospitable planet, only to discover that it harbors a terrifying secret. Soon the settlers find themselves caught up in a desperate battle for survival against the fae, a natural force with the power to prey upon the human mind itself, bringing a person’s greatest fears and darkest nightmares to life.

As Colony Commander Leon Case and Chief Medic Lise Perez struggle to find a way to control the fae before more people die, other settlers have ideas of their own…and they may prove more of a threat to colony than the fae itself.

Nightborn: Coldfire Rising is a tale that blends sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, suspenseful and emotionally intense, as a handful of humans struggle to survive on an alien world that seems determined to kill them. In the end they will have to draw upon both scientific knowledge and mystical traditions to save themselves.

Whether you're just discovering the Coldfire universe through this prequel or returning to it as a classic favorite, Nightborn: Coldfire Rising is the perfect entry point to this unique, genre-blending space fantasy epic.

As mentioned, Nightborn: Coldire Rising is the story of the Founding of Erna. It focuses on the horrors that the colonists had to face when they first encountered the mysterious and all-encompassing force they'll come to know as the fae. Coming out of cryogenic sleep after decades spent searching for an habitable planet, the leading faction of the settlers discover that their ship has been observing Erna for ninety years before waking them up. There are obviously some anomalies that prevented the ship from approving the planet as an acceptable settlement for their colony, but they can't find anything concrete as to why the process took this long. In an essay she wrote for her Patreon, Friedman says that one of the most interesting facets of the Coldfire Trilogy is its science fiction background. The people who landed on Erna were rational, scientifically minded people, from a culture not unlike our own. Yet a thousand years later they would have lost all their technology, mastered the fae (as much as anyone could), and adopted terminology and trappings from mysticism and sorcery. How did they get from point A to point B, changing not only their technology but the very tenor of their society? This is the question that she tried to answer with this newest work. How did the colonists figure out what the fae was in the first place? Fans of the trilogy will know that there were no adepts when the colonists landed on Erna. Hence, nobody could see it without Working their sight, but human beings hadn’t learned to Work yet. According to Friedman, this was the biggest challenge to address. If the colonists couldn’t see the fae, didn’t even know it was there to begin with, and had never encountered anything like it to make them suspect it even existed, how did they figure out how to See it, much less control it? That ended up being the main theme of Nightborn: Coldire Rising: a group of colonists trapped on a planet where a seemingly supernatural force was manifesting their darkest instincts and wildest nightmares, who were struggling to figure out what the hell it was and how to gain a measure of control over it before it killed them all.

And time is running out. When I started reading the book, I believed that the tale would cover the span of several months. Imagine my surprise when I realized that Nightborn: Coldire Rising only covers a period of about twenty days. Less than three weeks, that's how long it took for everything to go down the crapper. This lends a tense and suspenseful atmosphere to the story and forces characters to make questionable decisions as their lives and their chances of survival continue to unravel with each passing day. Though I would have liked for the story to cover a bit more ground and give us more than a glimpse of the colonists' early days on Erna, there's no denying that it is self-contained and ends with the aftermath of the First Sacrifice. You reach the ending wanting more, but this new Coldfire tale does what it set out to do. Understandably, it's more scifi than fantasy, and might feel a little discordant with the original material, at least stylistically. Yet a settlement story couldn't be anything else, and I'm sure that fans will enjoy discovering how it all began.

As for Dominion, well it was a doozy! Even though I read the original version a decade ago, like all Coldfire fans I relished the opportunity to revisit one of my favorite SFF characters of all time: Gerald Tarrant. And even though this one occurs more than six centuries into the pass, Friedman recaptured the feel of the Coldfire books. This makes this one impossible to put down and you'll likely finish it in a single sitting. As I mentioned in my first review, Friedman sets the mood perfectly. The narrative grabs hold of you and won't let go. The prose is evocative and the Forest almost becomes a character in its own right. Sure, some will say that hardcore fans are already won over. But it's no secret that the author knows how to draw readers into her tales and Dominion is no different.

The novella features the POVs of two protagonists. The first is that of Gerald Tarrant, first Neocount of Merentha. Although the thirty pages or so don't provide enough of an opportunity to fully appreciate this chance to see Tarrant in action and witness events unfold through his eyes, I loved every single moment of it. Hot damn, I want more! The second perspective is that of Faith, last survivor of a band of knights of the Church hunting faeborn creatures in the Forest. She possesses a special gift known as the Earth's blessing; the fae does not respond to her. Both characters find themselves in the heart of the Forest; one trying to escape, while the other means to best it. I think Friedman created a good balance between the two POV sections throughout the novella. I also enjoyed how the author introduced Amoril and how he became part of Tarrant's entourage.You reach the end too quickly for my taste, but again this tale is as long as it needs to be.

If all goes according to plan, Friedman says that the next novella will be a tale from the Neo-Gothic era, when a young idealist named Gerald Tarrant brings faith to his world, even as darkness begins to take root within his own soul. The author believes that fans of Gerald Tarrant will love to watch that corruption unfold, as well as seeing parts of his personal history that he hinted at in the original trilogy. So Coldfire fans unite! Unless Nightborn: Coldire Rising is a success, we might never get to read that new story. And I for one cannot countenance such a thing! I also want to read every other planned Coldfire novella, so we need to make it happen!

The final verdict: 8/10

You can pre-order it by following this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of K. J. Parker's Sixteen Ways To Defend a Walled City for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

K. J. Parker's new novel is the remarkable tale of the siege of a walled city, and the even more remarkable man who had to defend it.

A siege is approaching, and the city has little time to prepare. The people have no food and no weapons, and the enemy has sworn to slaughter them all.

To save the city will take a miracle, but what it has is Orhan. A colonel of engineers, Orhan has far more experience with bridge-building than battles, is a cheat and a liar, and has a serious problem with authority. He is, in other words, perfect for the job.

Sixteen Ways To Defend a Walled City is the story of Orhan, son of Siyyah Doctus Felix Praeclarissimus, and his history of the Great Siege, written down so that the deeds and sufferings of great men may never be forgotten.

You can also download Barbara Hambly's Dragonsbane for only 1.99$ here.

Here's the blurb:

An idealistic young prince convinces an aging warrior and a struggling witch to help him kill the dragon that is terrorizing his kingdom.

As a vicious dragon stalks the Southlands, Crown Prince Gareth ventures to the forbidding North in search of the only man who can kill it. He is Lord Aversin, the Dragonsbane, whose dragon-slaying days have won him renown across the land. But when Gareth finds Lord Aversin, he discovers the mighty hero is squat and bespectacled, the ruler of a mud-village who admits that he killed the dragon not with a lance, but with ignoble poison. Still, he’ll have to do. Gareth and Aversin set off in company with Jenny Waynest, a witch with great ambitions but disappointingly puny powers—a ragtag crew destined to become legendary, or die in the attempt. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Barbara Hambly, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

 
Here's the blurb:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Discover Thrawn’s origins within the Chiss Ascendancy in the first book in an epic new Star Wars trilogy from bestselling author Timothy Zahn.

Beyond the edge of the galaxy lies the Unknown Regions: chaotic, uncharted, and near impassable, with hidden secrets and dangers in equal measure. And nestled within its swirling chaos is the Ascendancy, home to the enigmatic Chiss and the Nine Ruling Families that lead them.

The peace of the Ascendancy, a beacon of calm and stability, is shattered after a daring attack on the Chiss capital that leaves no trace of the enemy. Baffled, the Ascendancy dispatches one of its brightest young military officers to root out the unseen assailants. A recruit born of no title, but adopted into the powerful family of the Mitth and given the name Thrawn.

With the might of the Expansionary Fleet at his back, and the aid of his comrade Admiral Ar’alani, answers begin to fall into place. But as Thrawn’s first command probes deeper into the vast stretch of space his people call the Chaos, he realizes that the mission he has been given is not what it seems.

And the threat to the Ascendancy is only just beginning.

Quote of the Day

Truth hurts, or it isn't truth.

- MICHELLE WEST, The Shining Court

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

For Canadian readers. . .

Ever since I started raving about Michell West's The Sun Sword, lots of Canadian readers have complained about the fact that the digital edition of The Broken Crown costs a whopping 23.99$ The same goes for The Uncrowned King.

Well, I've got good news for you! While you can't download the cheaper ebooks from Amazon.com, you can do so from the UK website. You can download The Broken Crown for £3.79 (6.35$) here and The Uncrowned King for £4.27 (7.16$) here.

Here's the blurb for the first volume:

The first novel of the acclaimed Sun Sword series introduces readers to a war-torn world of noble houses divided and demon lords unleashed...

Tor Leonne—the heart of the Dominion of Annagar, where the games of state are about to become a matter of life and death—and where those who seek to seize the crown will be forced to league with a treacherously cunning ally...

Tor Leonne, ancestral seat of power, where Serra Diora Maria di’Marano—the most sought-after beauty in the land, a woman betrayed by all she holds dear—may strike the first blow to change the future of the Dominion and Empire alike...

Averalaan Aramarelas—that most ancient of civilized cities, the home of the Essalieyan Imperial court, has long been a center of magics both dark and bright. And though the Empire won its last war with the Dominion, and survived a devastating, magic-fueled battle with a far deadlier foe, both those victories were not without their cost...

But now the realm is on the brink of a far greater confrontation, faced with an unholy alliance that could spell the end of freedom for all mortalkind.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Stephen Baxter's The Thousand Earths for only 0.77$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

In 2145AD John Hackett's adventure is just beginning.

In Year 30, Mela's story is coming to a close.

Hackett, in his trusty ship the Perseus, is not just a space traveller - beginning his travels with an expedition to Neptune and back - but, thanks to the time-dilation effect, a time traveller as well. His new mission will take him to Andromeda, to get a close-up look at the constellation which will eventually crash into the Milky Way, and give humanity a heads-up about the challenges which are coming.

A mission which will take him five million years to complete.

Not only is Hackett exploring unknown space, but he will return to a vastly different time.

Mela's world is coming to an end. Erosion is eating away at the edges of every landmass - first at a rate of ten metres a year, but fast accelerating, displacing people and animals as the rising Tide destroys everything in its path. Putting more and more pressure on the people - and resources - which remain.

She and her people have always known that this long-predicted end to their home, one of the Thousand Earths, is coming - but that makes their fight to survive, to protect each other, no less desperate . . . and no less doomed.

A beautiful, page-turning story which interweaves the tale of these two characters, separated by both space and time, in a hopeful exploration of humanity's future, this is Stephen Baxter at his best.

You can also get your hands on the digital edition of Gene Wolfe's Starwater Strains: New Science Fiction Stories here.

Here's the blurb:

Gene Wolfe follows his acclaimed all-fantasy short story collection, Innocents Aboard, with a volume devoted primarily to his science fiction. The twenty-five stories here amply demonstrate his range, excellence, and mastery of the form that has traditionally been the heart of the field. Their diversity makes them otherwise impossible to characterize as a group, so a few tantalizing samples will have to suffice:

"Viewpoint" takes on the unreality of so-called "reality" TV and imagines such a show done truly for real, with real guns, and a real government clawing at the money. Wolfe has loved dinosaurs since he was kid, and in "Petting Zoo" he imagines the reunion of a man and an aged dinosaur who look back together on a day when they were much much younger, and much freer. "Empires of Foliage and Flower" is a special treat, an addition to the classic Book of the New Sun series first published only as a limited edition chapbook. The volume closes with its newest story "Golden City Far." It's about dreams, high school, and finding love, which Wolfe says "is about as good a recipe for a story as I've ever found." You're sure to agree.

Quote of the Day

Only the living can give a death purpose.

- MICHELLE WEST, The Shining Court

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

If this series lives up to its potential, chances are that it will join Steven Erikson's The Malazan Book of the Fallen at the top of my favorite SFF series of all time. Seriously, you need to read these books!

In hardcover:

 
Stephen King's Fairy Tale is down one position, ending the week at number 9. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook deal!

You can get your hands on the digital edition of Scott Hawkins' The Library at Mount Char for only 2.21$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A missing God.
A library with the secrets to the universe.
A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.

Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts.

After all, she was a normal American herself once.

That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father.

In the years since then, Carolyn hasn't had a chance to get out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient customs. They've studied the books in his Library and learned some of the secrets of his power. And sometimes, they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God.

Now, Father is missing—perhaps even dead—and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded. And with it, control over all of creation.

As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her, all of them with powers that far exceed her own.

But Carolyn has accounted for this.

And Carolyn has a plan.

The only trouble is that in the war to make a new God, she's forgotten to protect the things that make her human.

Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters and propelled by a plot that will shock you again and again, The Library at Mount Char is at once horrifying and hilarious, mind-blowingly alien and heartbreakingly human, sweepingly visionary and nail-bitingly thrilling—and signals the arrival of a major new voice in fantasy.

Quote of the Day

Shadows provided mercy, of a type. Light was often harsh when sorrow intruded; it allowed for no privacy, no illusion of the strength of expression that dignifies either a man or a woman who understands that life ends, that death is inevitable.

- MICHELLE WEST, The Shining Court

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Looks like this one will be another memorable read! =)

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download L. E. Modesitt, jr.'s Outcasts of Order for only 0.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Modesitt continues his bestselling Saga of Recluce with his 20th book in the long-running series. Beltur began his journey in The Mongrel Mage and continues with Outcasts of Order, the next book of his story arc in the Saga of Recluce.

Beltur, an Order mage, discovers he possesses frightening powers not seen for hundreds of years. With his new abilities, he survives the war in Elparta and saves the lives of all. However, victory comes with a price. His fellow mages now see him as a threat to be destroyed, and the local merchants want to exploit his power.

There’s only one way he can remain free and survive—he’s going to have to run.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on R. A. Salvatore's The Crimson Shadow omnibus for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

This “worthy, entertaining addition to fantasy literature” tells the epic saga of a righteous warrior/avenger who battles an evil wizard, dragons, and cyclopean armies to liberate an imperiled kingdom (Starlog).

The Sword of Bedwyr: Luthien Bedwyr vows to rescue the beleaguered land of Eriador from the evil reign of Wizard-King Greensparrow. But first Luthien must secure two weapons from a dragon’s lair: a legendary sword and a blood-red cape that renders its wearer invisible. Aided by a halfling thief, an ancient mage, and a beautiful elf slave, Luthien prepares for insurgence as the Crimson Shadow.

Luthien’s Gamble: With the rallying support of enslaved humans, defiant peasants, and Fairborn elves, Luthien has forged a path for the freedom of his kingdom as the avenging Crimson Shadow. But when his tyrannical adversary makes a bid for peace by calling back his army of cyclops, Luthien suspects the evil wizard is setting a trap.

The Dragon King: Luthien Bedwyr’s alter ego wields a magical sword and wears a scarlet cape that renders him invisible. But his greatest enemy, the evil Wizard-King, has a counterpart of his own: an unstoppable, bloodthirsty colossus of a dragon. Now the ultimate battle for a kingdom will reach its spellbinding endgame in the rousing finale to a trilogy “filled with memorable characters and compelling action” (Terry Brooks).

Quote of the Day

Our worst battles, Jewel thought, are always with ourselves. No one else can fight 'em.

- MICHELLE WEST, The Uncrowned King

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Hot damn, this one was a doozy!

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A major new work from "a writer to make readers rejoice" (Minneapolis Star Tribune)— a moving story of memory, magic, and survival.

Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.

Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. It is a stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.

Quote of the Day

Commander’s Personal Log

Year One

Day Seven

We have given a name to the strange blue force: fae. It was Ian’s suggestion, unanimously approved. It hearkens back to Terran legends of mysterious lights that lured men to other worlds--or perhaps to their deaths—and of shadowy creatures that might be either good or evil, who took pleasure in toying with mankind. Whatever is causing the phenomenon here, there is no denying that appears magical, so the name suits it.

That said, it is a natural force, woven into the fabric of this world, and natural forces have no emotions, no intentions, and no guiding intelligence. They were as likely to favor you as to harm you. We must keep reminding ourselves of that, as we seek to analyze the events of recent days. “The planet hates humans” is a tempting metaphor, but ultimately misleading.

Tonight I will tell the colony about the fae. It’s not right to keep the truth from them any longer. But I can’t share all the details. Telling people that an unseen force has been killing our people and attacking our equipment, and we have no clue how to defend ourselves, would be the equivalent of locking a man in a box and pumping in toxic gas. He can’t flee and he can’t fight, so what happens his most primitive instincts demand he do one or the other? Our world may be larger than a box, but given the circumstances, such distinctions are moot. We are trapped as surely as that man is, unable to flee from this planet, but lacking the knowledge we need to protect ourselves. Some may realize how bad the situation is, once I tell them about the fae, but for most it will take a while, and I will not hasten the moment when two hundred people must be told how existentially fucked we are.

- C. S. FRIEDMAN, Nightborn

You can pre-order it by following this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Neal Stephenson's Termination Shock for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

New York Times Bestseller

From Neal Stephenson—who coined the term “metaverse” in his 1992 novel Snow Crash—comes a sweeping, prescient new thriller that transports readers to a near-future world in which the greenhouse effect has inexorably resulted in a whirling-dervish troposphere of superstorms, rising sea levels, global flooding, merciless heat waves, and virulent, deadly pandemics.

One man—visionary billionaire restaurant chain magnate T. R. Schmidt, Ph.D.—has a Big Idea for reversing global warming, a master plan perhaps best described as “elemental.” But will it work? And just as important, what are the consequences for the planet and all of humanity should it be applied?

Ranging from the Texas heartland to the Dutch royal palace in the Hague, from the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas to the sunbaked Chihuahuan Desert, Termination Shock brings together a disparate group of characters from different cultures and continents who grapple with the real-life repercussions of global warming. Ultimately, it asks the question: Might the cure be worse than the disease?

Epic in scope while heartbreakingly human in perspective, Termination Shock sounds a clarion alarm, ponders potential solutions and dire risks, and wraps it all together in an exhilarating, witty, mind-expanding speculative adventure.

Quote of the Day

He prayed for a worthy enemy.

It was a true warrior's only prayer; to be given an enemy of worth against which to pit the skills of a lifetime. A true warrior didn't pray to win; he prayed to be allowed to prove his skill, beneath the eyes of the Lord.

- MICHELLE WEST, The Uncrowned King

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

As hard as it is to believe, this sequel is even better than its predecessor! =)

In hardcover:

 
Stephen King's Fairy Tale is up two positions, ending the week at number 8. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Leigh Bardugo's Hell Bent is down two spots, finishing the week at number 9. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download When Swords Fall Silent: An Assassination Anthology for only 4.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Only one profession is at once more reviled and revered than any other. That of the hired blade. The paid killer.

The assassin.

The When Swords Fall Silent anthology showcases the imaginations and talents of more than a dozen of the best modern science-fiction and fantasy authors, with each tale centered around one or more characters burdened with a bloody task they will see to completion no matter the cost. Featuring writers such as Michael J. Sullivan, Terry Mancour, Andrew Rowe, Marie Brennan, and many more, every story takes you for a vicious ride through a world of shadow and death, each as unique in perspective and execution as the contracts carried out within.