Welcome to the March 2009 edition of Fantasy Book Critic’s monthly SPOTLIGHT which covers fantasy, science fiction, horror, thrillers, YA, and more. With over a hundred titles in the Spotlight this month, there were just too many notable books to choose from. My best advice is to browse through the article at your leisure, because March offers a little bit of everything...
NOTE: Previous spotlights are listed at the end of this article Also, unless stated otherwise, all release dates are for the US. Providing valuable assistance with the Spotlight as usual is Liviu C. Suciu. Finally, for more March 2009 titles, please check out Walker of Worlds:
“Kitty Raises Hell” by Carrie Vaughn. Release Date: March 1, 2009. Published by Grand Central Publishing. Sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas… Kitty and Ben flee The City That Never Sleeps, thinking they were finished with the dangers there, but the sadistic cult of lycanthropes and their vampire priestess have laid a curse on Kitty in revenge for disrupting their rituals. In order to break the curse, Kitty and friends must trap a supernatural being . . . a supernatural being that none of them ever thought to face…
Official Carrie Vaughn Website
Order “Kitty Raises Hell” HERE
Read Reviews via Darque Reviews, SciFiGuy + The Discriminating Fangirl
NOTE: “Kitty Raises Hell” is the sixth Kitty Norville novel and is a direct continuation of “Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand”.
“The Pilo Family Circus” by Will Elliott. Release Date: March 1, 2009. Published by Underland Press. “Audition or die.” Delivered by a trio of psychotic clowns, this ultimatum plunges Jamie into the centuries-old Pilo Family Circus, a borderline world between hell & earth from which humankind's greatest tragedies have originated. Yet, in this horrible alternate universe where violence & savagery are the norm, Jamie finds that his worst enemy is himself. For when he applies the face paint, Jamie is transformed into JJ, the most vicious clown of all. And JJ wants Jamie dead...
Official Will Elliott Website
NOTE: Previous spotlights are listed at the end of this article Also, unless stated otherwise, all release dates are for the US. Providing valuable assistance with the Spotlight as usual is Liviu C. Suciu. Finally, for more March 2009 titles, please check out Walker of Worlds:
“Kitty Raises Hell” by Carrie Vaughn. Release Date: March 1, 2009. Published by Grand Central Publishing. Sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas… Kitty and Ben flee The City That Never Sleeps, thinking they were finished with the dangers there, but the sadistic cult of lycanthropes and their vampire priestess have laid a curse on Kitty in revenge for disrupting their rituals. In order to break the curse, Kitty and friends must trap a supernatural being . . . a supernatural being that none of them ever thought to face…Official Carrie Vaughn Website
Order “Kitty Raises Hell” HERE
Read Reviews via Darque Reviews, SciFiGuy + The Discriminating Fangirl
NOTE: “Kitty Raises Hell” is the sixth Kitty Norville novel and is a direct continuation of “Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand”.
“The Pilo Family Circus” by Will Elliott. Release Date: March 1, 2009. Published by Underland Press. “Audition or die.” Delivered by a trio of psychotic clowns, this ultimatum plunges Jamie into the centuries-old Pilo Family Circus, a borderline world between hell & earth from which humankind's greatest tragedies have originated. Yet, in this horrible alternate universe where violence & savagery are the norm, Jamie finds that his worst enemy is himself. For when he applies the face paint, Jamie is transformed into JJ, the most vicious clown of all. And JJ wants Jamie dead...Official Will Elliott Website
Order “The Pilo Family Circus” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE
Read Reviews via Blogcritics + HorrorScope
NOTE: “The Pilo Family Circus” was first published in Australia in 2006 (ABC Books) and published in limited edition (Hardcover + Slipcased Hardcover) by PS Publishing in August 2008.
“Firefight” by Kate Wild. Release Date: March 1, 2009. Published by Scholastic. Recruited into a black ops unit after bringing down an illegal fight club, Freedom Smith is now an agent for Phoenix, investigating criminal underworlds. His next assignment is solving the mystery of the Screamer—a viral video that's already made thirteen kids vanish. When Freedom faces the music, he finds himself imprisoned in a nightmare fortress. To escape, he'll have to master Dragon Fire, the ultimate fighting technique, and battle a supernatural enemy immune to his strength...
Official Kate Wild Website
Order “Firefight” HERE
NOTE: “Firefight” is the second book starring Freedom Smith after “Fight Game” and was first released in the UK in July 2008 (Chicken House).
“Bayou Dogs” by Tony Abbott. Release Date: March 1, 2009. Published by Scholastic. Could the road to the afterlife be a two-way street? Derek's brother Ronny isn't himself. No, really. Ronny's body has been taken over by the long-dead soul of a man named Virgil Black. Lucky for him, Virgil is one of the good guys. Not all of them are. In fact, a Legion of evil souls is staging a serious comeback. And they're staging it at Bayou Malpierre, the site of Derek's most horrible nightmare. That nightmare is about to get even worse...
Official Tony Abbott Website
Order “Bayou Dogs” HERE
Read Reviews via Armchair Interviews
NOTE: “Bayou Dogs” is the second novel in The Haunting of Derek Stone series after “City of Dead”.
“Arch Wizard” by Ed Greenwood. UK Release Date: March 2, 2009. Published by Solaris. Having been drawn into a fantasy world of his own creation, Rod Everlar continues his quest to defeat the corruption he has discovered within... “Arch Wizard” is the second thrilling adventure in The Falconfar Saga, a classic sword and sorcery adventure that displays all the hallmarks of Ed Greenwood's (Forgotten Realms) reputation for creating a richly realized fantasy setting, and characters that shine...
Official Ed Greenwood Wikipedia
Order “Arch Wizard” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
“Necroscope: Harry and the Pirates” by Brian Lumley. UK Release Date: March 2, 2009. Published by Solaris. Harry Keogh makes his long-awaited return as the Necroscope in two novella-length stories. Set during the fan-favourite Lost Years-era of Harry Keogh's career, “For the Dead Travel Slowly” and “Harry and the Pirate” see the Necroscope do battle with horrors both real and imagined, eternal and ethereal...
Official Brian Lumley Website
Order “Necroscope: Harry and the Pirates” HERE
NOTE: The US version will be published in Hardcover on July 21, 2009 (Tor).
“Patient Zero” by Jonathan Maberry. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s Griffin. Joe Ledger is a Baltimore detective that has just been secretly recruited by the government to lead a new taskforce created to deal with the problems that Homeland Security can't handle. This rapid response group is called the Department of Military Sciences or the DMS for short. His first mission: help stop a group of terrorists from releasing a dreadful bio-weapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies...
Official Jonathan Maberry Website
Order “Patient Zero” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
Sign Up for the FREE Short Story “Countdown” HERE
Read Reviews via Fangoria, Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review + The Wertzone
NOTE: “Patient Zero” will be released in the UK on April 16, 2009 (Gollancz).
“Storm from the Shadows” by David Weber. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Baen. Rear Admiral Michelle Henke was commanding one of the ships led by Honor Harrington in an all-out space battle. During the battle, she was taken prisoner and then repatriated to Manticore with the task of carrying a request for a summit conference between the leaders of the two sides which might end the war. Unfortunately, she finds herself on a collision course with the interstellar syndicate of criminals known as Manpower who have their own plans for eliminating Manticore...
Official David Weber Wikipedia
Order “Storm from the Shadows” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE
Read Reviews via King of the Nerds
NOTE: “Storm from the Shadows” is the sequel to “The Shadow of Saganami”, which is set in David Weber’s ultra-popular Honor Harrington series.
“A Magic of Nightfall” by S.L. Farrell. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by DAW. “A Magic of Nightfall”, the second novel in the Nessantico Cycle—after “A Magic of Twilight”—by S.L. Farrell (Cloudmages Trilogy, Stephen Leigh) continues the epic tale of an empire at its height, yet poised on the brink of what could be a devastating descent into ruin. It is a story of murder and magic, of deception and betrayal, of Machiavellian politics, star-crossed lovers, and a realm facing war on every front...
Official S.L. Farrell Website
Order “A Magic of Nightfall” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE
“The Alchemist’s Pursuit” by Dave Duncan. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Ace. Someone is murdering the courtesans of Venice. All were well-known, admired for their skills—and somehow connected by a sinister event involving one of the great families of the city. While Nostradamus attempts to use the dark arts to solve riddles which confound explanation, Alfeo finds himself led by a possibly demonic force through a maze of deceit & death. And when the master & apprentice come to the end of their intertwined paths, there may be hell to pay...
Official Dave Duncan Website
Order “The Alchemist’s Pursuit” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “The Alchemist’s Pursuit” is the third Alchemist novel after “The Alchemist’s Apprentice” and “The Alchemist’s Code”.
“Act of Will” by A.J. Hartley. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Tor. Will Hawthorne, a medieval actor and playwright, flees the authorities only to find himself inextricably bound to a group of high-minded adventurers on a deadly mission. In the course of Will’s uneasy alliance with his new protectors, he has to get his pragmatic mind to accept selfless heroism (which he thinks is absurd) and magic (which he doesn’t believe in), while eventually deciding where his loyalties really lie and how much he is prepared to do to stand up for them...
Official A.J. Hartley Website
Order “Act of Will” HERE
“The Last Paladin” by Kathleen Bryan. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Tor. Averil, once hunted across the land and sea by her uncle the king, is now the Queen Lys. But if she cannot defy and defeat her late uncle’s sorcerous masters, she will never live to be crowned... “The Last Paladin” is the conclusion to Kathleen Bryan’s highly praised romantic fantasy trilogy, The War of the Roses, after “The Serpent and the Rose” and “The Golden Rose”.
Official Kathleen Bryan LiveJournal
Order “The Last Paladin” HERE
“The Shadow Queen” by Anne Bishop. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Roc. Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to find the key that reveals a treasure great enough to restore Dena Nehele to its former glory. But first he needs to find a Queen who remembers the Blood’s code of honor and lives by the Old Ways. The woman chosen to rule Dena Nehele, Lady Cassidy, is not beautiful and believes she is not strong. But she may be the only one able to convince bitter men to serve once again...
Official Anne Bishop Website
Order “The Shadow Queen” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “The Shadow Queen” is the newest volume in the Black Jewels series after “Tangled Webs”.
“Coyote Horizon” by Allen Steele. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Ace. The planet of Coyote has become the last, best hope of humankind But it has also become the principal point of contact with the alien race, the hjadd. Although the hjadd have built an embassy near the original colony, they remain a mystery. And as the colonists make preparations to explore the rest of the new world, ex-convict Hawk Thompson discovers more about the hjadd than anyone has learned before—and his knowledge will change human history…
Official Allen Steele Website
Official Coyote Series Website
Order “Coyote Horizon” HERE
NOTE: “Coyote Horizon” is the newest Coyote novel after “Galaxy Blues”.
“Corsair” by Richard Baker. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Wizards of the Coast. When pirates threaten his home, Geran is elected by the city council to track the blood-thirsty pirates to their hidden base, infiltrate them, and find a way to stop them before it's too late. But the pirates are motivated by more than greed. Kin to his enemies, they seek a deeper revenge, one Geran only begins to glimpse when they kidnap the woman he loves... “Corsair” is the second Blades of the Moonsea novel after “Swordmage”.
Official Richard Baker Wikipedia
Order “Corsair” HERE
“Prophets” by S. Andrew Swann. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by DAW. It’s been nearly two hundred years since the collapse of the Confederacy, the last government to claim humanity’s colonies. So when signals come in revealing lost human colonies that could shift the power balance, the race is on between the Caliphate ships and a small team of scientists and mercenarys. But what awaits them all is a threat far beyond the scope of any human government...
Official S. Andrew Swann Website
Order “Prophets” HERE
Watch the Book Trailer HERE
NOTE: “Prophets” is the first book in the Apotheosis series, which is the long-awaited sequel to the Hostile Takeover trilogy.
“Living With Ghosts” by Kari Sperring. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by DAW. For centuries, Merafi’s safety & prosperity have relied on a pact sealed in blood between its first king and the land’s elemental forces. But now a priestess and a prince weave a sorcerous plot to shatter the pact and only a failed assassin-priest, a noble lord, an officer of the city guard, a woman warrior who was the former lover of a now-dead lord, and the ghost of that lord himself stand between Merafi and the ruin that may soon be flooding down upon the city...
Official Kari Sperring Website
Order “Living With Ghosts” HERE
“Ages of Wonder” by Julie E. Czerneda & Rob St. Martin. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by DAW. Fantasy—the very word conjures infinite possibilities. And yet far too often, writers limit themselves to a few well-mined areas of the vast fantasy realms. But the history of our world offers many cultures and areas rich in lore and legend that have barely been explored. And so we have “Ages of Wonder”. Here are nineteen original stories of myth, magic, and the creatures of fantasy, as seen through different historical eras— from the Age of Antiquity to the Age of Sails, the Colonial Age, the Age of Pioneers, the Pre-Modern Age, and the Age to come...
Official Julie E. Czerneda Website
Official Rob St. Martin Website
Order “Ages of Wonder” HERE
“The Kindly Ones” by Jonathan Littell. US Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Chatto & Windus. “Oh my human brothers, let me tell you how it happened.” So begins the chilling fictional memoir of Dr. Maximilien Aue, a former Nazi officer who has reinvented himself, many years after the war, as a middle-class family man and factory owner in France. A supreme historical epic and a haunting work of fiction, Jonathan Littell's masterpiece is intense, hallucinatory, and utterly original. A morally challenging read, “The Kindly Ones” holds up a mirror to humanity...
Official Jonthan Littell Wikipedia
Order “The Kindly Ones” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Browse Inside HERE
Read Reviews via The Observer + Times Online
NOTE: “The Kindly Ones” was first published to critical acclaim in France in 2006, and went on to win the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary award.
“Angels of Destruction” by Keith Donohue. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Shaye Areheart Books. “Angels of Destruction” is the story of Norah, a nine-year-old girl who seems to materialize out of thin air when she arrives one night on the doorstep of Margaret Quinn. A widow who lives alone, Margaret has never gotten over the loss of her own missing child. So Norah becomes Margaret's secret, a child possessed of magical qualities. But who is she really? What is her purpose on earth? And what is her connection to Margaret's missing daughter?
Official Keith Donohue Wikipedia
Order “Angels of Destruction” HERE
NOTE: The UK version will be published on July 2, 2009 (Jonathan Cape Ltd).
“The Tourist” by Olen Steinhauer. US Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s Minotaur. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by HarperCollins UK. Milo Weaver used to be a “tourist” for the CIA—an undercover agent with no home, no identity—but he’s since retired from the field and now has a wife, a daughter, and a brownstone in Brooklyn. However, when the arrest of a long-sought-after assassin sets off an investigation into one of Milo’s oldest colleagues and exposes new layers of intrigue in his old cases, he has no choice but to go back undercover and find out who’s holding the strings once and for all...
Official Olen Steinhauer Website
Order “The Tourist” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “The Tourist” is being adapted into a movie by Warner Bros. with George Clooney possibly starring.
“Lowboy” by John Wray. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. UK Release Date: March 19, 2009. Published by Canongate. “Lowboy” tells the story of a 16-year-old paranoid schizophrenic’s fantastic & terrifying odyssey through New York City’s tunnels, back alleys, and streets in search of Emily Wallace, his one great hope, and of Violet Heller’s desperate attempts to locate her son before psychosis claims him completely... Suspenseful and comic, devastating and hopeful by turns, “Lowboy” is a fearless exploration of youth, sex, and violence in contemporary America, seen through one boy’s haunting and extraordinary vision...
Official John Wray Wikipedia
Order “Lowboy” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Interview with John Wray HERE
Read Reviews via BookGeeks
“The Little Sleep” by Paul Tremblay. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Henry Holt & Company. Mark Genevich is a South Boston P.I. with a little problem: he’s narcoleptic, and he suffers from the most severe symptoms, including hypnogogic hallucinations. These waking dreams wreak havoc for a guy who depends on real-life clues to make his living... Wildly imaginative and with a pitch-perfect voice, “The Little Sleep” is the first in a new series that casts a fresh eye on the rigors of detective work, and introduces a character who has a lot to prove—if only he can stay awake long enough to do it.
Official Paul Tremblay Website
Order “The Little Sleep” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Pain Killers” by Jerry Stahl. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by William Morrow. From the acclaimed and controversial author of “Permanent Midnight” comes one of the most vividly subversive, savagely funny, and explosive novels yet unleashed in our tender century. Capturing one man's struggle against a perverse and demented scheme of global proportions, “Pain Killers” is a violent, original and mind-wrenching masterpiece in the gonzo noir style that has earned Jerry Stahl his legion of avid fans...
Official Jerry Stahl Website
Order “Pain Killers” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament” by S.G. Browne. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Broadway. Meet Andy Warner, a recently deceased everyman and newly minted zombie. Resented by his parents, abandoned by his friends, and reviled by a society that no longer considers him human, Andy is having trouble adjusting to his new existence. But all that changes when he goes to an Undead Anonymous meeting and finds kindred souls. When the group meets a rogue zombie who teaches them the joys of human flesh though, things start to get messy, and Andy embarks on a journey of self-discovery...
Official S.G. Browne Website
Official Breathers Website
Order “Breathers” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Dark Scribe Magazine
NOTE: A film adaptation of “Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament” will be produced by Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer’s Body).
“New Blood” by Gail Dayton. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Tor. In 1636, the last blood sorceress was burned at the stake. More than two hundred years later, her blood servant Jax has found her successor. Amanusa at first turns down the opportunity to learn what she perceives as an evil art. But she craves justice, and innocent blood cries out for justice. Needing each other for their very survival, Amanusa and Jax grow ever closer on their journey to discover answers—about magic, blood sorcery, the dead zones, and even love...
Official Gail Dayton Website
Order “New Blood” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Night Owl Romance
“Deathwish” by Rob Thurman. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Roc. In the fourth Cal Leandros novel after “Madhouse”, half-human Cal Leandros and his brother Niko are hired by the vampire Seamus to find out who has been following him—until Seamus turns up dead (or un-undead). Worse still is the return of Cal’s nightmarish family, the Auphe. The last time Cal and Niko faced them, they were almost wiped out. Now, the Auphe want revenge. But first, they’ll destroy everything Cal holds dear...
Official Rob Thurman Website
Order “Deathwish” HERE
“Second Skin” by Caitlin Kittredge. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s. While investigating the murders of werewolves from Nocturne City’s oldest packs, police officer Luna Wilder traces the killings to a band of shapeshifters made of smoke and shadow. Now their leader, Lucas Kennuka, is out to wrest Luna’s heart from her beloved Dmitri. To make matters worse, Dmitri is suffering from a mysterious illness brought on by a demon bite, and his condition grows more grave with each passing day. Now Luna must rely on Lucas to defeat an invisible enemy—a serial were-killer bringing death and destruction to all who stand in its path…
Official Caitlin Kittredge Website
Order “Second Skin” HERE
Read Reviews via Darque Reviews
NOTE: “Second Skin” is the third Nocturne City novel after “Night Life” and “Pure Blood”.
“A Drop of Red” by Chris Marie-Green. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Ace. Hollywood stuntwoman-turned-vampire-hunter Dawn Madison and her comrades managed to wipe out the Los Angeles Vampire Underground—and uncovered not only her own dark family heritage but also a terrible truth about the man she loves. When a new Underground is found in England, Dawn and a vampire-fighting team are dispatched to London. Dawn knows by now how deceiving appearances can be—and she is about to find out that it’s not only the beautiful people of Hollywood who are willing to bargain with evil…
Official Chris Marie-Green Website
Order “A Drop of Red” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Darque Reviews
NOTE: “A Drop of Red” is the fourth Vampire Babylon novel after “Break of Dawn”.
“Angels’ Blood” by Nalini Singh. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Berkley. Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux is hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael. But this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other—and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn’t destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break...
Official Nalini Singh Website
Order “Angels’ Blood” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Babbling About Books, Errant Dreams Reviews, Literary Escapism, LoveVampires + Monsters & Critics
NOTE: “Angels’ Blood” is the first volume in The Guild Hunter series which introduces a world of beauty and bloodlust, where angels hold sway over vampires.
“As Shadows Fade” by Colleen Gleason. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Signet. While Sebastian Vioget appears to be both the perfect warrior and lover to ensure the Gardella legacy, Victoria cannot forget Max Pesaro—the former slayer still haunted by the vampire queen Lilith who may be the key to saving all of humanity. Demons, enemies of both mortals and the undead, have found their way to earth. To defeat them, vampires and slayers must fight side by side. But Lilith wants Max in return for her cooperation...
Official Colleen Gleason Website
Order “As Shadows Fade” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via All About Romance
NOTE: “As Shadows Fade” is the fifth novel in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles after “When Twilight Burns”.
“Truancy: Origins” by Isamu Fukui. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Tor. Fifteen years ago, the Mayor of the Education City was presented with twin six-month-old boys. Raised in the comfort of the Mayoral mansion, Umasi & Zen are complete opposites. Umasi is a good student; Zen an indifferent one. They love their adoptive father, but when they discover that he is responsible for their suffering, affection turns to bitterness. Umasi & Zen are thrust onto two diverging paths. One will try to destroy the City. The other will try to stop him...
Official Truancy Website
Order “Truancy: Origins” HERE
“Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot” by Andrew Auseon. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. Jo-Jo Dyas doesn't believe he has any reason to live, but then he meets the surprisingly lively dead girl. She and her punk band, the Fiendish Lot, come from the Afterlife, a place where souls sometimes pause on the journey between this world and the next. When Jo-Jo follows her there, he gets a chance to make right all the things that have gone wrong in his life . . . but only if he can figure out how before he fades away into nothing...
Official Andrew Auseon Website
Order “Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot” HERE
Read Reviews via The Book Muncher
“Godmother” by Carolyn Turgeon. US Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Three Rivers Press. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Headline. Lil is an old woman living in a Manhattan apartment. Once though, she was the fairy godmother responsible for getting Cinderella to the ball to unite with Prince Charming. But on that fateful night, Lil allowed herself to feel the emotions of human beings, falling in love with the prince herself, and went to the ball disguised as Cinderella. For her unforgivable mistake, she was banished to live among humans. Now Lil’s been given a chance at redemption, if she can find a soul mate for Veronica...
Official Carolyn Turgeon Website
Order “Godmother” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story” has been optioned for film adaption by Random House Films/Focus Pictures.
“The Amaranth Enchantment” by Julie Berry. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Bloomsbury USA. When Lucinda Chapdelaine was a small child, her parents left for the royal ball and never returned. Ever since, Lucinda has been stuck in perpetual servitude at her evil aunt’s jewelry store. Then one day, a mysterious visitor and a bizarre piece of jewelry both enter the shop, setting in motion events that will forever alter Lucinda’s path. In this magical story filled with delightful surprises, Lucinda will dance at the royal ball, fall under the Amaranth Witch’s spell, avenge her parents’ death, and maybe—just maybe—capture the heart of a prince...
Official Julie Berry Website
Order “The Amaranth Enchantment” HERE
NOTE: “The Amaranth Enchantment” was the winner of the 2007 Vermont College Program Scholarship Prize and is a Junior Library Guild selection.
“Serendipity Market” by Penny Blubaugh. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. When Toby breathes on Mama Inez's bird-shaped invitations, giving them the power to fly, plans for the Serendipity Market begin. Soon, eleven honored guests travel from afar and make their way to the storytellers' tent to share their stories. Each tale proves what Mama Inez knows—that magic is everywhere. Sometimes it shows itself subtly and sometimes it makes itself known with trumpets & fireworks. But when real magic is combined with the magic of storytelling, it can change the world...
Official Penny Blubaugh Blog
Order “Serendipity Market” HERE
“The Hunt for Dark Infinity” by James Dashner. Release Date: March 4, 2009. Published by Shadow Mountain. It’s been a quiet summer for Tick, Paul, and Sofia, but the latest message from Master George changes everything. The Realities are in danger and from something more terrible than Mistress Jane and the mutated Chi karda of the Thirteenth Reality—a mysterious new weapon called Dark Infinity. Now, Mistress Jane and Tick find themselves in a race to reach the weapon first, but who will destroy it and who will become its master?
Official 13th Reality Website
Official James Dashner Blog
Order “The Hunt for Dark Infinity” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “The Journal of Curious Letters”
NOTE: “The Hunt for Dark Infinity” is the second volume in The 13th Reality children’s fantasy series after “The Journal of Curious Letters”.
“Rides a Dread Legion” by Raymond E. Feist. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by HarperVoyager. US Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by EOS Books. Ten years after the cataclysmic events of “Wrath of a Mad God” took place, Midkemia now faces a new danger—the Clan of the Seven Stars, the last remnants of an ancient advanced race who have returned to Midkemia to reclaim their lost homeworld. But close on their heels is the Dread Legion, relentless demon hordes that are sweeping through their galaxy and destroying the elves' vast empire planet by planet...
Official Raymond E. Feist Website
Order “Rides a Dread Legion” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Rides a Dread Legion” is the first book in the new Demonwar Saga.
“This Is Not a Game” by Walter Jon Williams. UK/US Release Date: March 5/March 24, 2009. Published by Orbit. Dagmar is a producer for an ARG (Alternate Reality Game) gaming company, but her latest project is spiraling out of control, and she finds herself dodging the Russian Mob as she tries to figure out why her game seems to be causing an international financial crisis and murder. To survive, Dagmar must draw on all her resources—including millions of online gamers—to track down a killer...
Official Walter Jon Williams Website
Order “This Is Not a Game” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read Reviews via Concept Sci-Fi + From A Sci-Fi Standpoint
“Firebirds Soaring” edited by Sharyn November. Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Puffin. First there was “Firebirds”. Then “Firebirds Rising”. Now there is “Firebirds Soaring”, the third anthology of original stories by some of today’s finest writers of fantasy and science fiction. These authors have brought new worlds and Old Magic to life in nineteen remarkable short stories which continue to set the standard for short fiction for teenagers and adult fans of the genre...
Official Sharyn November Website
Order “Firebirds Soaring” HERE
Read Reviews via Green Man Review
NOTE: Includes contributions by Christopher Barzak, Nancy Farmer, Ellen Klages, Margo Lanagan, Chris Roberson, Sherwood Smith, Jo Walton, Jane Yolen, and many others. Decorative vignettes are provided by Mike Dringenberg (Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, co-creator of Death).
“Seeds of Earth” by Michael Cobley. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Orbit. The first intelligent species to encounter Mankind attacked without warning and swarmed locust-like through the solar system. With little hope of halting the savage invasion, Earth sent out three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. 150 years later, the human colony on the planet Darien has established a new world for Humanity and forged a peaceful relationship with the planet’s indigenous race. But there are secrets buried beneath the surface of Darien’s forest moon and life is about to change for the last children of Earth...
Official Michael Cobley Website
Order “Seeds of Earth” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via BookGeeks, Concept Sci-Fi, The Bookbag + Walker of Worlds
NOTE: “Seeds of Earth” is the first volume in the Humanity’s Fire sequence—a multi-layered, 21st century take on the classic tropes of space opera by a bold new voice in British science fiction.
“Thicker Than Water” by Mike Carey. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Orbit. Names and faces he thought he'd left behind in Liverpool resurface in London, bringing Felix Castor far more trouble than he'd anticipated. See, Castor’s stepped over the line this time, and he knows he’ll have to pay. The only question is: how much? Not the best of times, then, for an unwelcome confrontation with his holier-than-thou brother, Matthew. And just when he thinks things can't possibly get any worse, along comes Father Gwillam and the Anathemata...
Official Mike Carey Website
Order “Thicker Than Water” HERE
NOTE: “Thicker Than Water” is the fourth Felix Castor novel after “Dead Men’s Boots”.
“Thieving Fear” by Ramsey Campbell. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Virgin Books. For Charlotte Nolan and her cousins Ellen, Hugh and his brother Rory, much more than their jobs begin to go wrong as something reaches out of the past for them. What has it to do with the summer night they spent on Thursaston Common and the Victorian occultist Arthur Pendemon? Before the nightmare can end, more than one of them will have to enter what remains of Pendemon's house and confront what still lives there in the dark…
Official Ramsey Campbell Website
Order “Thieving Fear” HERE
Read Reviews via The Curmudgeon
NOTE: “Thieving Fear” was released in June 2008 in limited edition via PS Publishing. The US version will be published by Tor.
“Handling the Undead” by John Ajvide Lindqvist. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Quercus. Something very peculiar is happening in Stockholm. There's a heatwave going on and people cannot turn their lights out or switch off their appliances. Then the terrible news breaks. The dead are waking up. What do they want? To come home. John Ajvide Lindqvist's second novel, “Handling the Undead”, is a haunting story about our greatest fear and about a love that defies death…
Official John Ajvide Lindqvist Wikipedia
Order “Handling the Undead” HERE
NOTE: John Ajvide Lindqvist is also the author of the Swedish bestselling vampire novel “Let the Right One In”—or Let Me In as it is known in the US—and was adapted into a Swedish film that won the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature.
“Hell’s Horizon” by D.B. Shan. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by HarperVoyager. When Al Jeery investigates the murder of a woman at a hotel, he little suspects that the dead woman will turn out to be his girlfriend. Soon he is involved in a terrifying mystery that draws in the dead, the city's Incan forefathers, the imposing figure of The Cardinal himself, and the near-mythical assassin, Paucar Wami—a mysterious figure who can apparently kill anyone he chooses without fear of punishment or retribution. And Al is about to find out that he has a lot more in common with Wami than he could ever have imagined...
Official Darren Shan Website
Order “Hell’s Horizon” HERE
NOTE: “Hell’s Horizon” is the second volume in The City Trilogy after “Procession of the Dead”.
“Vlad: The Last Confession” by C.C. Humphreys. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Orion. Dracula. A name of horror, depravity and the darkest sensuality. Yet the real Dracula was just as alluring, just as terrifying, his story not of a monster but of a man and a contradiction. For the one they called 'The Devil's Son' was both tyrant and lawgiver, crusader and mass slaughterer, torturer and hero, lover and murderer. “Vlad: The Last Confession” spins legend and facts together into a monumental novel of blood, love and terror. This is the true story of Dracula as it has never been told before…
Official C.C. Humphreys Website
Order “Vlad: The Last Confession” HERE
Read An Extract HERE
Read Reviews via Quill & Quire
“Hand of Isis” by Jo Graham. UK/US Release Date: March 5/March 23, 2009. Published by Orbit. Against the rising power of Rome, Egypt is the last and strongest bastion of the Eastern Hellenistic kingdoms. Charmian is Cleopatra's half sister, daughter of Pharaoh and a woman of the harem, and together with their sister Iras, they are fated to defend Egypt from those who would destroy her. So when Roman Julius Caesar comes to Egypt in pursuit of his enemies, Charmian and her sisters are drawn into a deadly struggle. One that will shape the world to come...
Official Jo Graham LiveJournal
Order “Hand of Isis” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via My Favourite Books
“In Great Waters” by Kit Whitfield. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Jonathan Cape. Since the ninth century, when the deepsmen invaded Venice, an uneasy alliance has held between the people of the land and the sea. Now, centuries later, no navy can cross the seas without allies in the ocean—and without deepsmen guarding its shores, no nation can withstand invasion. The hybrid kings keep the treaty between both sides, protecting their people from the threat of war. But change is on the horizon... In this work of stunning imagination, Kit Whitfield has written a fictional history at once familiar and alien.
Official Kit Whitfield Website
Order “In Great Waters” HERE
“Private Midnight” by Kris Saknussemm. Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by The Overlook Press. Detective Birch Ritter is a man on the edge—of himself. His past is filled with secrets, shadows, guilt, and ghosts. Then a dubious police buddy introduces him to a mysterious woman who says her business is shadows. What she knows about what lies between the darkness and the light inside men is more than Ritter may want to find out, and much more than he can resist learning. It’s said that to try to forget is to try to conceal, and concealing evidence is a crime. But maybe revelation is another kind of crime—against nature...
Official Kris Saknussemm Website
Order “Private Midnight” HERE
Watch the Book Trailer HERE
“The Warded Man” by Peter V. Brett. Release Date: March 10, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Del Rey. Touched by the demon plague, Arlen leaves the safety of the wards to discover a different path… Her future destroyed by betrayal and a lie, Leesha becomes the guardian of dangerous knowledge… Orphaned & crippled in a demon attack, Rojer takes solace in the arts of a Jongleur, only to learn that his unique talent gives him power over the night… Together, these three young people will offer humanity a last, fleeting chance of survival…
Official Peter V. Brett Website
Order “The Warded Man” HERE
Read Reviews via Blood of the Muse, Fantasy Book Critic, Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review, NextRead, Realms of Speculative Fiction, SFFWorld, SFRevu, SF Site +The Wertzone
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read An Interview with Peter V. Brett HERE
NOTE: The UK version was published September 1, 2008 (HarperVoyager) under the title “The Painted Man”. The sequel, “The Desert Spear”, will be released in the UK in August 2009.
“Midwinter” by Matthew Sturges. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Pyr. Winter comes to the land only once in a hundred years. But the snow covers ancient secrets—secrets that could topple a kingdom. Mauritaine was a war hero. Then he was accused of treason and sentenced to life without parole at Crere Sulace, a dark and ancient prison in the mountains, far from the City Emerald. But now the Seelie Queen—Regina Titania herself—has offered him one last chance to redeem himself . . . an opportunity to regain his freedom and his honor...
Official Matthew Sturges Blog
Order “Midwinter” HERE
Read Reviews via Grasping for the Wind
Read BookSpot Central’s Interview with Matthew Sturges
Read Excerpts HERE
Read Reviews via Blogcritics + HorrorScope
NOTE: “The Pilo Family Circus” was first published in Australia in 2006 (ABC Books) and published in limited edition (Hardcover + Slipcased Hardcover) by PS Publishing in August 2008.
“Firefight” by Kate Wild. Release Date: March 1, 2009. Published by Scholastic. Recruited into a black ops unit after bringing down an illegal fight club, Freedom Smith is now an agent for Phoenix, investigating criminal underworlds. His next assignment is solving the mystery of the Screamer—a viral video that's already made thirteen kids vanish. When Freedom faces the music, he finds himself imprisoned in a nightmare fortress. To escape, he'll have to master Dragon Fire, the ultimate fighting technique, and battle a supernatural enemy immune to his strength...Official Kate Wild Website
Order “Firefight” HERE
NOTE: “Firefight” is the second book starring Freedom Smith after “Fight Game” and was first released in the UK in July 2008 (Chicken House).
“Bayou Dogs” by Tony Abbott. Release Date: March 1, 2009. Published by Scholastic. Could the road to the afterlife be a two-way street? Derek's brother Ronny isn't himself. No, really. Ronny's body has been taken over by the long-dead soul of a man named Virgil Black. Lucky for him, Virgil is one of the good guys. Not all of them are. In fact, a Legion of evil souls is staging a serious comeback. And they're staging it at Bayou Malpierre, the site of Derek's most horrible nightmare. That nightmare is about to get even worse...Official Tony Abbott Website
Order “Bayou Dogs” HERE
Read Reviews via Armchair Interviews
NOTE: “Bayou Dogs” is the second novel in The Haunting of Derek Stone series after “City of Dead”.
“Arch Wizard” by Ed Greenwood. UK Release Date: March 2, 2009. Published by Solaris. Having been drawn into a fantasy world of his own creation, Rod Everlar continues his quest to defeat the corruption he has discovered within... “Arch Wizard” is the second thrilling adventure in The Falconfar Saga, a classic sword and sorcery adventure that displays all the hallmarks of Ed Greenwood's (Forgotten Realms) reputation for creating a richly realized fantasy setting, and characters that shine...Official Ed Greenwood Wikipedia
Order “Arch Wizard” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
“Necroscope: Harry and the Pirates” by Brian Lumley. UK Release Date: March 2, 2009. Published by Solaris. Harry Keogh makes his long-awaited return as the Necroscope in two novella-length stories. Set during the fan-favourite Lost Years-era of Harry Keogh's career, “For the Dead Travel Slowly” and “Harry and the Pirate” see the Necroscope do battle with horrors both real and imagined, eternal and ethereal...Official Brian Lumley Website
Order “Necroscope: Harry and the Pirates” HERE
NOTE: The US version will be published in Hardcover on July 21, 2009 (Tor).
“Patient Zero” by Jonathan Maberry. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s Griffin. Joe Ledger is a Baltimore detective that has just been secretly recruited by the government to lead a new taskforce created to deal with the problems that Homeland Security can't handle. This rapid response group is called the Department of Military Sciences or the DMS for short. His first mission: help stop a group of terrorists from releasing a dreadful bio-weapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies...Official Jonathan Maberry Website
Order “Patient Zero” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
Sign Up for the FREE Short Story “Countdown” HERE
Read Reviews via Fangoria, Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review + The Wertzone
NOTE: “Patient Zero” will be released in the UK on April 16, 2009 (Gollancz).
“Storm from the Shadows” by David Weber. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Baen. Rear Admiral Michelle Henke was commanding one of the ships led by Honor Harrington in an all-out space battle. During the battle, she was taken prisoner and then repatriated to Manticore with the task of carrying a request for a summit conference between the leaders of the two sides which might end the war. Unfortunately, she finds herself on a collision course with the interstellar syndicate of criminals known as Manpower who have their own plans for eliminating Manticore...Official David Weber Wikipedia
Order “Storm from the Shadows” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE
Read Reviews via King of the Nerds
NOTE: “Storm from the Shadows” is the sequel to “The Shadow of Saganami”, which is set in David Weber’s ultra-popular Honor Harrington series.
“A Magic of Nightfall” by S.L. Farrell. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by DAW. “A Magic of Nightfall”, the second novel in the Nessantico Cycle—after “A Magic of Twilight”—by S.L. Farrell (Cloudmages Trilogy, Stephen Leigh) continues the epic tale of an empire at its height, yet poised on the brink of what could be a devastating descent into ruin. It is a story of murder and magic, of deception and betrayal, of Machiavellian politics, star-crossed lovers, and a realm facing war on every front...Official S.L. Farrell Website
Order “A Magic of Nightfall” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE
“The Alchemist’s Pursuit” by Dave Duncan. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Ace. Someone is murdering the courtesans of Venice. All were well-known, admired for their skills—and somehow connected by a sinister event involving one of the great families of the city. While Nostradamus attempts to use the dark arts to solve riddles which confound explanation, Alfeo finds himself led by a possibly demonic force through a maze of deceit & death. And when the master & apprentice come to the end of their intertwined paths, there may be hell to pay...Official Dave Duncan Website
Order “The Alchemist’s Pursuit” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “The Alchemist’s Pursuit” is the third Alchemist novel after “The Alchemist’s Apprentice” and “The Alchemist’s Code”.
“Act of Will” by A.J. Hartley. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Tor. Will Hawthorne, a medieval actor and playwright, flees the authorities only to find himself inextricably bound to a group of high-minded adventurers on a deadly mission. In the course of Will’s uneasy alliance with his new protectors, he has to get his pragmatic mind to accept selfless heroism (which he thinks is absurd) and magic (which he doesn’t believe in), while eventually deciding where his loyalties really lie and how much he is prepared to do to stand up for them...Official A.J. Hartley Website
Order “Act of Will” HERE
“The Last Paladin” by Kathleen Bryan. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Tor. Averil, once hunted across the land and sea by her uncle the king, is now the Queen Lys. But if she cannot defy and defeat her late uncle’s sorcerous masters, she will never live to be crowned... “The Last Paladin” is the conclusion to Kathleen Bryan’s highly praised romantic fantasy trilogy, The War of the Roses, after “The Serpent and the Rose” and “The Golden Rose”.Official Kathleen Bryan LiveJournal
Order “The Last Paladin” HERE
“The Shadow Queen” by Anne Bishop. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Roc. Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to find the key that reveals a treasure great enough to restore Dena Nehele to its former glory. But first he needs to find a Queen who remembers the Blood’s code of honor and lives by the Old Ways. The woman chosen to rule Dena Nehele, Lady Cassidy, is not beautiful and believes she is not strong. But she may be the only one able to convince bitter men to serve once again...Official Anne Bishop Website
Order “The Shadow Queen” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “The Shadow Queen” is the newest volume in the Black Jewels series after “Tangled Webs”.
“Coyote Horizon” by Allen Steele. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Ace. The planet of Coyote has become the last, best hope of humankind But it has also become the principal point of contact with the alien race, the hjadd. Although the hjadd have built an embassy near the original colony, they remain a mystery. And as the colonists make preparations to explore the rest of the new world, ex-convict Hawk Thompson discovers more about the hjadd than anyone has learned before—and his knowledge will change human history…Official Allen Steele Website
Official Coyote Series Website
Order “Coyote Horizon” HERE
NOTE: “Coyote Horizon” is the newest Coyote novel after “Galaxy Blues”.
“Corsair” by Richard Baker. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Wizards of the Coast. When pirates threaten his home, Geran is elected by the city council to track the blood-thirsty pirates to their hidden base, infiltrate them, and find a way to stop them before it's too late. But the pirates are motivated by more than greed. Kin to his enemies, they seek a deeper revenge, one Geran only begins to glimpse when they kidnap the woman he loves... “Corsair” is the second Blades of the Moonsea novel after “Swordmage”.Official Richard Baker Wikipedia
Order “Corsair” HERE
“Prophets” by S. Andrew Swann. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by DAW. It’s been nearly two hundred years since the collapse of the Confederacy, the last government to claim humanity’s colonies. So when signals come in revealing lost human colonies that could shift the power balance, the race is on between the Caliphate ships and a small team of scientists and mercenarys. But what awaits them all is a threat far beyond the scope of any human government...Official S. Andrew Swann Website
Order “Prophets” HERE
Watch the Book Trailer HERE
NOTE: “Prophets” is the first book in the Apotheosis series, which is the long-awaited sequel to the Hostile Takeover trilogy.
“Living With Ghosts” by Kari Sperring. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by DAW. For centuries, Merafi’s safety & prosperity have relied on a pact sealed in blood between its first king and the land’s elemental forces. But now a priestess and a prince weave a sorcerous plot to shatter the pact and only a failed assassin-priest, a noble lord, an officer of the city guard, a woman warrior who was the former lover of a now-dead lord, and the ghost of that lord himself stand between Merafi and the ruin that may soon be flooding down upon the city...Official Kari Sperring Website
Order “Living With Ghosts” HERE
“Ages of Wonder” by Julie E. Czerneda & Rob St. Martin. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by DAW. Fantasy—the very word conjures infinite possibilities. And yet far too often, writers limit themselves to a few well-mined areas of the vast fantasy realms. But the history of our world offers many cultures and areas rich in lore and legend that have barely been explored. And so we have “Ages of Wonder”. Here are nineteen original stories of myth, magic, and the creatures of fantasy, as seen through different historical eras— from the Age of Antiquity to the Age of Sails, the Colonial Age, the Age of Pioneers, the Pre-Modern Age, and the Age to come...Official Julie E. Czerneda Website
Official Rob St. Martin Website
Order “Ages of Wonder” HERE
“The Kindly Ones” by Jonathan Littell. US Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Chatto & Windus. “Oh my human brothers, let me tell you how it happened.” So begins the chilling fictional memoir of Dr. Maximilien Aue, a former Nazi officer who has reinvented himself, many years after the war, as a middle-class family man and factory owner in France. A supreme historical epic and a haunting work of fiction, Jonathan Littell's masterpiece is intense, hallucinatory, and utterly original. A morally challenging read, “The Kindly Ones” holds up a mirror to humanity...Official Jonthan Littell Wikipedia
Order “The Kindly Ones” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Browse Inside HERE
Read Reviews via The Observer + Times Online
NOTE: “The Kindly Ones” was first published to critical acclaim in France in 2006, and went on to win the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary award.
“Angels of Destruction” by Keith Donohue. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Shaye Areheart Books. “Angels of Destruction” is the story of Norah, a nine-year-old girl who seems to materialize out of thin air when she arrives one night on the doorstep of Margaret Quinn. A widow who lives alone, Margaret has never gotten over the loss of her own missing child. So Norah becomes Margaret's secret, a child possessed of magical qualities. But who is she really? What is her purpose on earth? And what is her connection to Margaret's missing daughter?Official Keith Donohue Wikipedia
Order “Angels of Destruction” HERE
NOTE: The UK version will be published on July 2, 2009 (Jonathan Cape Ltd).
“The Tourist” by Olen Steinhauer. US Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s Minotaur. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by HarperCollins UK. Milo Weaver used to be a “tourist” for the CIA—an undercover agent with no home, no identity—but he’s since retired from the field and now has a wife, a daughter, and a brownstone in Brooklyn. However, when the arrest of a long-sought-after assassin sets off an investigation into one of Milo’s oldest colleagues and exposes new layers of intrigue in his old cases, he has no choice but to go back undercover and find out who’s holding the strings once and for all...Official Olen Steinhauer Website
Order “The Tourist” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “The Tourist” is being adapted into a movie by Warner Bros. with George Clooney possibly starring.
“Lowboy” by John Wray. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. UK Release Date: March 19, 2009. Published by Canongate. “Lowboy” tells the story of a 16-year-old paranoid schizophrenic’s fantastic & terrifying odyssey through New York City’s tunnels, back alleys, and streets in search of Emily Wallace, his one great hope, and of Violet Heller’s desperate attempts to locate her son before psychosis claims him completely... Suspenseful and comic, devastating and hopeful by turns, “Lowboy” is a fearless exploration of youth, sex, and violence in contemporary America, seen through one boy’s haunting and extraordinary vision...Official John Wray Wikipedia
Order “Lowboy” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Interview with John Wray HERE
Read Reviews via BookGeeks
“The Little Sleep” by Paul Tremblay. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Henry Holt & Company. Mark Genevich is a South Boston P.I. with a little problem: he’s narcoleptic, and he suffers from the most severe symptoms, including hypnogogic hallucinations. These waking dreams wreak havoc for a guy who depends on real-life clues to make his living... Wildly imaginative and with a pitch-perfect voice, “The Little Sleep” is the first in a new series that casts a fresh eye on the rigors of detective work, and introduces a character who has a lot to prove—if only he can stay awake long enough to do it.Official Paul Tremblay Website
Order “The Little Sleep” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Pain Killers” by Jerry Stahl. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by William Morrow. From the acclaimed and controversial author of “Permanent Midnight” comes one of the most vividly subversive, savagely funny, and explosive novels yet unleashed in our tender century. Capturing one man's struggle against a perverse and demented scheme of global proportions, “Pain Killers” is a violent, original and mind-wrenching masterpiece in the gonzo noir style that has earned Jerry Stahl his legion of avid fans...Official Jerry Stahl Website
Order “Pain Killers” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament” by S.G. Browne. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Broadway. Meet Andy Warner, a recently deceased everyman and newly minted zombie. Resented by his parents, abandoned by his friends, and reviled by a society that no longer considers him human, Andy is having trouble adjusting to his new existence. But all that changes when he goes to an Undead Anonymous meeting and finds kindred souls. When the group meets a rogue zombie who teaches them the joys of human flesh though, things start to get messy, and Andy embarks on a journey of self-discovery...Official S.G. Browne Website
Official Breathers Website
Order “Breathers” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Dark Scribe Magazine
NOTE: A film adaptation of “Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament” will be produced by Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer’s Body).
“New Blood” by Gail Dayton. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Tor. In 1636, the last blood sorceress was burned at the stake. More than two hundred years later, her blood servant Jax has found her successor. Amanusa at first turns down the opportunity to learn what she perceives as an evil art. But she craves justice, and innocent blood cries out for justice. Needing each other for their very survival, Amanusa and Jax grow ever closer on their journey to discover answers—about magic, blood sorcery, the dead zones, and even love...Official Gail Dayton Website
Order “New Blood” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Night Owl Romance
“Deathwish” by Rob Thurman. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Roc. In the fourth Cal Leandros novel after “Madhouse”, half-human Cal Leandros and his brother Niko are hired by the vampire Seamus to find out who has been following him—until Seamus turns up dead (or un-undead). Worse still is the return of Cal’s nightmarish family, the Auphe. The last time Cal and Niko faced them, they were almost wiped out. Now, the Auphe want revenge. But first, they’ll destroy everything Cal holds dear...Official Rob Thurman Website
Order “Deathwish” HERE
“Second Skin” by Caitlin Kittredge. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s. While investigating the murders of werewolves from Nocturne City’s oldest packs, police officer Luna Wilder traces the killings to a band of shapeshifters made of smoke and shadow. Now their leader, Lucas Kennuka, is out to wrest Luna’s heart from her beloved Dmitri. To make matters worse, Dmitri is suffering from a mysterious illness brought on by a demon bite, and his condition grows more grave with each passing day. Now Luna must rely on Lucas to defeat an invisible enemy—a serial were-killer bringing death and destruction to all who stand in its path…Official Caitlin Kittredge Website
Order “Second Skin” HERE
Read Reviews via Darque Reviews
NOTE: “Second Skin” is the third Nocturne City novel after “Night Life” and “Pure Blood”.
“A Drop of Red” by Chris Marie-Green. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Ace. Hollywood stuntwoman-turned-vampire-hunter Dawn Madison and her comrades managed to wipe out the Los Angeles Vampire Underground—and uncovered not only her own dark family heritage but also a terrible truth about the man she loves. When a new Underground is found in England, Dawn and a vampire-fighting team are dispatched to London. Dawn knows by now how deceiving appearances can be—and she is about to find out that it’s not only the beautiful people of Hollywood who are willing to bargain with evil…Official Chris Marie-Green Website
Order “A Drop of Red” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Darque Reviews
NOTE: “A Drop of Red” is the fourth Vampire Babylon novel after “Break of Dawn”.
“Angels’ Blood” by Nalini Singh. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Berkley. Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux is hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael. But this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other—and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn’t destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break...Official Nalini Singh Website
Order “Angels’ Blood” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Babbling About Books, Errant Dreams Reviews, Literary Escapism, LoveVampires + Monsters & Critics
NOTE: “Angels’ Blood” is the first volume in The Guild Hunter series which introduces a world of beauty and bloodlust, where angels hold sway over vampires.
“As Shadows Fade” by Colleen Gleason. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Signet. While Sebastian Vioget appears to be both the perfect warrior and lover to ensure the Gardella legacy, Victoria cannot forget Max Pesaro—the former slayer still haunted by the vampire queen Lilith who may be the key to saving all of humanity. Demons, enemies of both mortals and the undead, have found their way to earth. To defeat them, vampires and slayers must fight side by side. But Lilith wants Max in return for her cooperation...Official Colleen Gleason Website
Order “As Shadows Fade” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via All About Romance
NOTE: “As Shadows Fade” is the fifth novel in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles after “When Twilight Burns”.
“Truancy: Origins” by Isamu Fukui. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Tor. Fifteen years ago, the Mayor of the Education City was presented with twin six-month-old boys. Raised in the comfort of the Mayoral mansion, Umasi & Zen are complete opposites. Umasi is a good student; Zen an indifferent one. They love their adoptive father, but when they discover that he is responsible for their suffering, affection turns to bitterness. Umasi & Zen are thrust onto two diverging paths. One will try to destroy the City. The other will try to stop him...Official Truancy Website
Order “Truancy: Origins” HERE
“Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot” by Andrew Auseon. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. Jo-Jo Dyas doesn't believe he has any reason to live, but then he meets the surprisingly lively dead girl. She and her punk band, the Fiendish Lot, come from the Afterlife, a place where souls sometimes pause on the journey between this world and the next. When Jo-Jo follows her there, he gets a chance to make right all the things that have gone wrong in his life . . . but only if he can figure out how before he fades away into nothing...Official Andrew Auseon Website
Order “Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot” HERE
Read Reviews via The Book Muncher
“Godmother” by Carolyn Turgeon. US Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Three Rivers Press. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Headline. Lil is an old woman living in a Manhattan apartment. Once though, she was the fairy godmother responsible for getting Cinderella to the ball to unite with Prince Charming. But on that fateful night, Lil allowed herself to feel the emotions of human beings, falling in love with the prince herself, and went to the ball disguised as Cinderella. For her unforgivable mistake, she was banished to live among humans. Now Lil’s been given a chance at redemption, if she can find a soul mate for Veronica...Official Carolyn Turgeon Website
Order “Godmother” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story” has been optioned for film adaption by Random House Films/Focus Pictures.
“The Amaranth Enchantment” by Julie Berry. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by Bloomsbury USA. When Lucinda Chapdelaine was a small child, her parents left for the royal ball and never returned. Ever since, Lucinda has been stuck in perpetual servitude at her evil aunt’s jewelry store. Then one day, a mysterious visitor and a bizarre piece of jewelry both enter the shop, setting in motion events that will forever alter Lucinda’s path. In this magical story filled with delightful surprises, Lucinda will dance at the royal ball, fall under the Amaranth Witch’s spell, avenge her parents’ death, and maybe—just maybe—capture the heart of a prince...Official Julie Berry Website
Order “The Amaranth Enchantment” HERE
NOTE: “The Amaranth Enchantment” was the winner of the 2007 Vermont College Program Scholarship Prize and is a Junior Library Guild selection.
“Serendipity Market” by Penny Blubaugh. Release Date: March 3, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. When Toby breathes on Mama Inez's bird-shaped invitations, giving them the power to fly, plans for the Serendipity Market begin. Soon, eleven honored guests travel from afar and make their way to the storytellers' tent to share their stories. Each tale proves what Mama Inez knows—that magic is everywhere. Sometimes it shows itself subtly and sometimes it makes itself known with trumpets & fireworks. But when real magic is combined with the magic of storytelling, it can change the world...Official Penny Blubaugh Blog
Order “Serendipity Market” HERE
“The Hunt for Dark Infinity” by James Dashner. Release Date: March 4, 2009. Published by Shadow Mountain. It’s been a quiet summer for Tick, Paul, and Sofia, but the latest message from Master George changes everything. The Realities are in danger and from something more terrible than Mistress Jane and the mutated Chi karda of the Thirteenth Reality—a mysterious new weapon called Dark Infinity. Now, Mistress Jane and Tick find themselves in a race to reach the weapon first, but who will destroy it and who will become its master?Official 13th Reality Website
Official James Dashner Blog
Order “The Hunt for Dark Infinity” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “The Journal of Curious Letters”
NOTE: “The Hunt for Dark Infinity” is the second volume in The 13th Reality children’s fantasy series after “The Journal of Curious Letters”.
“Rides a Dread Legion” by Raymond E. Feist. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by HarperVoyager. US Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by EOS Books. Ten years after the cataclysmic events of “Wrath of a Mad God” took place, Midkemia now faces a new danger—the Clan of the Seven Stars, the last remnants of an ancient advanced race who have returned to Midkemia to reclaim their lost homeworld. But close on their heels is the Dread Legion, relentless demon hordes that are sweeping through their galaxy and destroying the elves' vast empire planet by planet...Official Raymond E. Feist Website
Order “Rides a Dread Legion” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Rides a Dread Legion” is the first book in the new Demonwar Saga.
“This Is Not a Game” by Walter Jon Williams. UK/US Release Date: March 5/March 24, 2009. Published by Orbit. Dagmar is a producer for an ARG (Alternate Reality Game) gaming company, but her latest project is spiraling out of control, and she finds herself dodging the Russian Mob as she tries to figure out why her game seems to be causing an international financial crisis and murder. To survive, Dagmar must draw on all her resources—including millions of online gamers—to track down a killer...Official Walter Jon Williams Website
Order “This Is Not a Game” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read Reviews via Concept Sci-Fi + From A Sci-Fi Standpoint
“Firebirds Soaring” edited by Sharyn November. Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Puffin. First there was “Firebirds”. Then “Firebirds Rising”. Now there is “Firebirds Soaring”, the third anthology of original stories by some of today’s finest writers of fantasy and science fiction. These authors have brought new worlds and Old Magic to life in nineteen remarkable short stories which continue to set the standard for short fiction for teenagers and adult fans of the genre...Official Sharyn November Website
Order “Firebirds Soaring” HERE
Read Reviews via Green Man Review
NOTE: Includes contributions by Christopher Barzak, Nancy Farmer, Ellen Klages, Margo Lanagan, Chris Roberson, Sherwood Smith, Jo Walton, Jane Yolen, and many others. Decorative vignettes are provided by Mike Dringenberg (Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, co-creator of Death).
“Seeds of Earth” by Michael Cobley. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Orbit. The first intelligent species to encounter Mankind attacked without warning and swarmed locust-like through the solar system. With little hope of halting the savage invasion, Earth sent out three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. 150 years later, the human colony on the planet Darien has established a new world for Humanity and forged a peaceful relationship with the planet’s indigenous race. But there are secrets buried beneath the surface of Darien’s forest moon and life is about to change for the last children of Earth...Official Michael Cobley Website
Order “Seeds of Earth” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via BookGeeks, Concept Sci-Fi, The Bookbag + Walker of Worlds
NOTE: “Seeds of Earth” is the first volume in the Humanity’s Fire sequence—a multi-layered, 21st century take on the classic tropes of space opera by a bold new voice in British science fiction.
“Thicker Than Water” by Mike Carey. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Orbit. Names and faces he thought he'd left behind in Liverpool resurface in London, bringing Felix Castor far more trouble than he'd anticipated. See, Castor’s stepped over the line this time, and he knows he’ll have to pay. The only question is: how much? Not the best of times, then, for an unwelcome confrontation with his holier-than-thou brother, Matthew. And just when he thinks things can't possibly get any worse, along comes Father Gwillam and the Anathemata...Official Mike Carey Website
Order “Thicker Than Water” HERE
NOTE: “Thicker Than Water” is the fourth Felix Castor novel after “Dead Men’s Boots”.
“Thieving Fear” by Ramsey Campbell. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Virgin Books. For Charlotte Nolan and her cousins Ellen, Hugh and his brother Rory, much more than their jobs begin to go wrong as something reaches out of the past for them. What has it to do with the summer night they spent on Thursaston Common and the Victorian occultist Arthur Pendemon? Before the nightmare can end, more than one of them will have to enter what remains of Pendemon's house and confront what still lives there in the dark…Official Ramsey Campbell Website
Order “Thieving Fear” HERE
Read Reviews via The Curmudgeon
NOTE: “Thieving Fear” was released in June 2008 in limited edition via PS Publishing. The US version will be published by Tor.
“Handling the Undead” by John Ajvide Lindqvist. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Quercus. Something very peculiar is happening in Stockholm. There's a heatwave going on and people cannot turn their lights out or switch off their appliances. Then the terrible news breaks. The dead are waking up. What do they want? To come home. John Ajvide Lindqvist's second novel, “Handling the Undead”, is a haunting story about our greatest fear and about a love that defies death…Official John Ajvide Lindqvist Wikipedia
Order “Handling the Undead” HERE
NOTE: John Ajvide Lindqvist is also the author of the Swedish bestselling vampire novel “Let the Right One In”—or Let Me In as it is known in the US—and was adapted into a Swedish film that won the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature.
“Hell’s Horizon” by D.B. Shan. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by HarperVoyager. When Al Jeery investigates the murder of a woman at a hotel, he little suspects that the dead woman will turn out to be his girlfriend. Soon he is involved in a terrifying mystery that draws in the dead, the city's Incan forefathers, the imposing figure of The Cardinal himself, and the near-mythical assassin, Paucar Wami—a mysterious figure who can apparently kill anyone he chooses without fear of punishment or retribution. And Al is about to find out that he has a lot more in common with Wami than he could ever have imagined...Official Darren Shan Website
Order “Hell’s Horizon” HERE
NOTE: “Hell’s Horizon” is the second volume in The City Trilogy after “Procession of the Dead”.
“Vlad: The Last Confession” by C.C. Humphreys. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Orion. Dracula. A name of horror, depravity and the darkest sensuality. Yet the real Dracula was just as alluring, just as terrifying, his story not of a monster but of a man and a contradiction. For the one they called 'The Devil's Son' was both tyrant and lawgiver, crusader and mass slaughterer, torturer and hero, lover and murderer. “Vlad: The Last Confession” spins legend and facts together into a monumental novel of blood, love and terror. This is the true story of Dracula as it has never been told before…Official C.C. Humphreys Website
Order “Vlad: The Last Confession” HERE
Read An Extract HERE
Read Reviews via Quill & Quire
“Hand of Isis” by Jo Graham. UK/US Release Date: March 5/March 23, 2009. Published by Orbit. Against the rising power of Rome, Egypt is the last and strongest bastion of the Eastern Hellenistic kingdoms. Charmian is Cleopatra's half sister, daughter of Pharaoh and a woman of the harem, and together with their sister Iras, they are fated to defend Egypt from those who would destroy her. So when Roman Julius Caesar comes to Egypt in pursuit of his enemies, Charmian and her sisters are drawn into a deadly struggle. One that will shape the world to come...Official Jo Graham LiveJournal
Order “Hand of Isis” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via My Favourite Books
“In Great Waters” by Kit Whitfield. UK Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by Jonathan Cape. Since the ninth century, when the deepsmen invaded Venice, an uneasy alliance has held between the people of the land and the sea. Now, centuries later, no navy can cross the seas without allies in the ocean—and without deepsmen guarding its shores, no nation can withstand invasion. The hybrid kings keep the treaty between both sides, protecting their people from the threat of war. But change is on the horizon... In this work of stunning imagination, Kit Whitfield has written a fictional history at once familiar and alien.Official Kit Whitfield Website
Order “In Great Waters” HERE
“Private Midnight” by Kris Saknussemm. Release Date: March 5, 2009. Published by The Overlook Press. Detective Birch Ritter is a man on the edge—of himself. His past is filled with secrets, shadows, guilt, and ghosts. Then a dubious police buddy introduces him to a mysterious woman who says her business is shadows. What she knows about what lies between the darkness and the light inside men is more than Ritter may want to find out, and much more than he can resist learning. It’s said that to try to forget is to try to conceal, and concealing evidence is a crime. But maybe revelation is another kind of crime—against nature...Official Kris Saknussemm Website
Order “Private Midnight” HERE
Watch the Book Trailer HERE
“The Warded Man” by Peter V. Brett. Release Date: March 10, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Del Rey. Touched by the demon plague, Arlen leaves the safety of the wards to discover a different path… Her future destroyed by betrayal and a lie, Leesha becomes the guardian of dangerous knowledge… Orphaned & crippled in a demon attack, Rojer takes solace in the arts of a Jongleur, only to learn that his unique talent gives him power over the night… Together, these three young people will offer humanity a last, fleeting chance of survival…Official Peter V. Brett Website
Order “The Warded Man” HERE
Read Reviews via Blood of the Muse, Fantasy Book Critic, Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review, NextRead, Realms of Speculative Fiction, SFFWorld, SFRevu, SF Site +The Wertzone
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read An Interview with Peter V. Brett HERE
NOTE: The UK version was published September 1, 2008 (HarperVoyager) under the title “The Painted Man”. The sequel, “The Desert Spear”, will be released in the UK in August 2009.
“Midwinter” by Matthew Sturges. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Pyr. Winter comes to the land only once in a hundred years. But the snow covers ancient secrets—secrets that could topple a kingdom. Mauritaine was a war hero. Then he was accused of treason and sentenced to life without parole at Crere Sulace, a dark and ancient prison in the mountains, far from the City Emerald. But now the Seelie Queen—Regina Titania herself—has offered him one last chance to redeem himself . . . an opportunity to regain his freedom and his honor...Official Matthew Sturges Blog
Order “Midwinter” HERE
Read Reviews via Grasping for the Wind
Read BookSpot Central’s Interview with Matthew Sturges
“The Glister” by John Burnside. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Nan A. Talese. Since George Lister’s chemical plant closed down, Innertown has been a shadow of its former self—strange sickly plants grow in the woods, homes are threatened by a mysterious illness, and every year or so a boy vanishes into the woods. The town policeman suspects foul play but, paralyzed with fear, he does nothing. And so it is up to the children who remain to take action. Their plan to stop the forces of evil that are destroying their town is at the shocking and terrifying heart of The Glister.
Official John Burnside Wikipedia
Official John Burnside Wikipedia
Order “The Glister” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via The Guardian, The Independent + Times Online
NOTE: “The Glister” was first published in the UK in May 2008 (Jonathan Cape).
“Hunted” by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s Griffin. At the start of this heart-pounding new installment in the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged in Neferet’s new consort, Kalona, who has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?
Official House of Night Website
Order “Hunted” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Forest of Hands and Teeth” by Carrie Ryan. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Delacorte. In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, Mary’s learning things she never wanted to know and when the fence is breached, she must choose between her village and her future...
Official Carrie Ryan Website
Order “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Watch the Trailer HERE
Read Reviews via In Search of Giants, Karin’s Book Nook + Monsters & Critics
NOTE: “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” was recently acquired by Gollancz for UK publication this Summer 2009.
“ReVamped” by J.F. Lewis. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Pocket Books. Eric has lost his strip club, his Mustang, the love of his life Marilyn, and even his body. In short, they “almost” got him. But with a little magical help from his friends, Eric is restored to corporeal form, and is now out to save Marilyn from one of Void City's most powerful soul-stealing demons. Salvation comes at a high price though, forcing Eric to venture into his own worst nightmare, Vampire High Society, to uncover the truth about the origin of his powers...
Official J.F. Lewis Website
Order “ReVamped” HERE
NOTE: “ReVamped” is a sequel to “Staked”.
“Corydon and the Siege of Troy” by Tobias Druitt. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Knopf. After the destruction of the city of Atlantis, Corydon is in a self-imposed exile. But, as ever, the gods of Olympos have other plans. Now the city of Troy is under siege, and Corydon’s friends are trapped inside. And so Corydon reluctantly joins them, hoping to help, and fearing that it is he that will tip the scales against them. In this thrilling conclusion to the trilogy about the gods and monsters of ancient Greece, Corydon knows that it will be up to him to thwart the mighty Zeus if the others are to live. But at what cost will he buy their freedom?
Official Tobias Druitt Wikipedia
Order “Corydon and the Siege of Troy” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Book of Unholy Mischief” by Elle Newmark. UK Release Date: March 12, 2009. Published by Bantam UK. In 1498, Venice teems with rumors of an ancient book that holds the secret to unimaginable power… Rich with the luxurious colors and textures of Venice, The Book of Unholy Mischief delights the senses and breathes fresh life into an age defined by intellectual revival and artistic vibrancy. A luminous and seductive novel, it is, at its heart, a high-spirited tribute to the fruits of knowledge and the extraordinary power of those who hold its key…
Official Elle Newmark Website
Order “The Book of Unholy Mischief” HERE
Read Reviews HERE
NOTE: “The Book of Unholy Mischief” was published in the U.S. on December 30, 2009 (Simon & Schuster).
“Max” by James Patterson. Release Date: March 16, 2009. Published by Little, Brown and Company. Maximum Ride and the other members of the Flock have barely recovered from their last adventure, when they are confronted by the most frightening catastrophe yet. Millions of fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii and someone—or something—is destroying hundreds of ships. While Max and her team are exploring the depths of the ocean, their every move is being carefully tracked by Mr. Chu—a criminal mastermind with his own plans for the Flock. Can they protect themselves from Mr. Chu's army of mercenaries and save the ocean from utter destruction?
Official James Patterson Website
Official Maximum Ride Website
Order “Max” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE
NOTE: “Max” is the fifth Maximum Ride YA novel after “The Final Warning”.
“The Best of Gene Wolfe” by Gene Wolfe. Release Date: March 17, 2009. Published by Tor. Gene Wolfe has produced possibly the finest and most significant body of short fiction in the SF and fantasy field in the last fifty years, and is certainly among the greatest living writers to emerge from the genres. “The Best of Gene Wolfe” is the first retrospective collection of his entire career and, from a literary perspective, will certainly be the best collection of the year in science fiction and fantasy. It is for the ages...
Official Gene Wolfe Wikipedia
Order “The Best of Gene Wolfe” HERE
“Imager” by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Release Date: March 17, 2008. Published by Tor. Although Rhennthyl is the son of a leading wool merchant in L’Excelsis, his passion lies with art and he has spent years as a journeyman portraiturist. Skilled and diligent enough to one day become a master portraiturist, Rhenn’s entire life is transformed in a single moment when his patron is killed in a fire, and Rhenn discovers he is an imager—one of the few in the entire world of Terahnar who can visualize things and make them real...
Official L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Website
Order “Imager” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Imager” is the first book in the new Imager Portfolio fantasy series.
“The Mystery of Grace” by Charles de Lint. Release Date: March 17, 2009. Published by Tor. On the Day of the Dead at the Solona Music Hall, hot rod mechanic Grace Quintero meets artist John Burns. Grace and John immediately fall for one another, and that would be wonderful, except that they meet two weeks too late. Now before their relationship can be resolved, they’re both going to have to learn things they don’t know about the world of the living and the world beyond . . . and why it’s necessary to let some things go...
Official Charles de Lint Website
Order “The Mystery of Grace” HERE
Read Reviews via Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review, Green Man Review + SF Reviews
“One Second After” by William R. Forstchen. Release Date: March 17, 2009. Published by Forge. Overnight, the world’s trains, planes, cars, trucks, phones, computers, power plants, electronics, and electrical equipment come to a screeching stop. Looting, food riots, and insurrection engulf the globe as the End Time descends. Can it be stopped? A small mountain village in the American South is humanity’s last best hope… “One Second After”, set in a typical American town, is a dire and terrifyingly real warning of what might be our future . . . and our end.
Official William R. Forstchen Website
Order “One Second After” HERE
“Zenith” by Julie Bertagna. Release Date: March 17, 2009. Published by Walker Books. 16-year-old Mara and her ship of refugees are tracking the North Star in search of land to call home. A Gypsea boy named Tuck becomes inextricably linked to their fate. Meanwhile, back in the drowned ruins at the feet of the towering sky city, Fox begins his battle with the cruel, corrupt rulers of the New World. Forced to make their own new beginnings in a savage world, three teens must struggle to make sense of the past, overcome the harsh dangers of the present, and build a future worth living...
Official Julie Bertagna Website
Order “Zenith” HERE
Read Reviews via Booklist + The Guardian
NOTE: “Zenith” is the thrilling sequel to the internationally-acclaimed and award-winning “Exodus”.
“The Alexander Cipher” by Will Adams. Release Date: March 18, 2009. Published by Grand Central. In his lifetime, Alexander the Great was beloved as a god. Upon his death, there was a mad scrabbling among his former allies to secure his empire for themselves. Even now, nearly 2500 years later, Alexander is still being fought over. With the discovery of his tomb and the revelation of its relics, the race is on to find Alexander. Rival archeologists, Egyptian officials, and Macedonian nationalists all scurry and scramble, attacking each other along the way as they hunt for a glorious prize—the body of Alexander the Great...
Order “The Alexander Cipher” HERE
Read Reviews via The Bookbag
NOTE: “The Alexander Cipher” was first published in the UK on November 5, 2007 (HarperCollins UK).
“The Adamantine Palace” by Stephen Deas. UK Release Date: March 19, 2009. Published by Gollancz. Once dragons ruled the world and man was little more than prey. Then a way of subduing the dragons was discovered and now the dragons are little more than mounts for knights and highly valued tokens in the diplomatic power-players that underpin the rule of the competing aristocratic houses. The Realms have grown fat. And now one man wants it for himself and will do anything to take it. But a single dragon has gone rogue, and returned to its full intelligence, its full fury, could spell disaster for the Realms...
Official Stephen Deas Website
Order “The Adamantine Palace” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review, Sandstorm Reviews, SFFWorld, The Wertzone + Total Sci Fi
“Wild Talent” by Eileen Kernaghan. Release Date: March 21, 2009. Published by Thistledown Press. “Wild Talent” tells the strange tale of Jeannie Guthrie, a 16-year-old girl, who possesses a frightening talent. Fearing that she will be sentenced as a witch, she flees to London. There, she is befriended by Alexandra David, and introduced to Madame Helena Blavatsky’s famous salon, where she begins to understand the source of her mysterious powers. From here, we follow Jeannie & Alexandra as Kernaghan weaves an accessible tale of myth and magic...
Official Eileen Kernaghan Website
Order “Wild Talent” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews HERE (PDF)
“Duke Elric” by Michael Moorcock. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Del Rey. Del Rey proudly presents the fourth in its definitive collection of stories featuring fantasy Grand Master Michael Moorcock’s greatest creation. Here is the full novel The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, the script of the DC comic Duke Elric, the new story “The Flaneur des Arcades de l’Opera,” essays by Moorcock and others, and a selection of classic artwork. Lavishly illustrated by Justin Sweet, with a Foreword by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon, “Duke Elric” is essential for all fans of the fantastic...
Official Michael Moorcock Website
Order “Duke Elric” HERE
“The Temporal Void” by Peter F. Hamilton. Release Date: March 24, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Del Rey. As the Living Dream’s deadline for launching its Pilgrimage into the Void draws closer, the Commonwealth is in turmoil. Not only is the Ocisen Empire fleet fast approaching on a mission of genocide, but an internecine war has broken out between the post-human factions over the destiny of humanity. At the heart of all this is Edeard the Waterwalker, the messiah of Living Dream. As Edeard nears his victory the true nature of the Void is finally revealed…
Official Peter F. Hamilton Website
Order “The Temporal Void” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “The Temporal Void”
NOTE: “The Temporal Void” is the second volume in The Void Trilogy after “The Dreaming Void”, and was first released in the UK on October 3, 2008 (Pan Macmillan).
“Outcast (Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi)” by Aaron Allston. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Del Rey. Following directly in the Legacy of the Force series, Fate of the Jedi launches a huge story arc, with heroic roles for the galaxy’s most beloved characters including Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo and their surviving children. While Luke and Ben set off on the journey of a lifetime, the others remain in more familiar territory, dealing with the aftermath of the civil war that rocked the galaxy in the Legacy of the Force...
Official Aaron Allston Website
Order “Outcast” HERE
NOTE: Fate of the Jedi will feature nine books in the series—three a year through 2011—and will be written by authors Aaron Allston, Troy Denning and Christie Golden.
“The Dark Volume” by Gordon Dahlquist. Release Date: March 24, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Bantam. With old loyalties tested by new & unlikely alliances, Miss Temple, Doctor Svenson, and Cardinal Chang from “The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters” must call on every reserve of courage to face a new and desperate struggle. From palace intrigue and a city in turmoil to wolf-haunted mountains, underground tunnels and a hidden factory, they must battle old enemies and a host of new villains, all hoping to seize for themselves the power of the blue glass books…
Official G.W. Dahlquist Website
Order “The Dark Volume” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Watch the Book Trailer HERE
NOTE: “The Dark Volume” is a sequel to “The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters” and was first published in the UK on May 1, 2008 (Viking UK).
“The Treasure Keeper” by Shana Abe. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Bantam. With such novels as Queen of Dragons and The Dream Thief, Shana Abé created a unique and vividly imagined world that exists side by side with our own—a realm populated by a race of supersensual men and women whose power to change shape permits them unlimited acts of pleasure . . . and ever-present danger. Now the survival of the drákon rests in the hands of a young woman with untried and unexpected powers—and the powerful Alpha male she must break every drákon law to save...
Official Shana Abe Website
Order “The Treasure Keeper” HERE
Read Reviews via Wendy’s Mining Spot
NOTE: “The Treasure Keeper” is the fourth Drákon novel after “Queen of Dragons”.
“The Twilight Herald” by Tom Lloyd. Release Date: March 24, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Pyr. After the shattering events of “The Stormcaller”, the eyes of the Land are on the minor city of Scree. There is a malevolent will at work in Scree and one that has a lesson for the entire Land—nations can be manipulated, prophecies perverted, and Gods denied. Nothing lies beyond the reach of a shadow, and no matter how great a man's power, there some things he cannot be protected from...
Official Tom Lloyd Website
Order “The Twilight Herald” HERE
Read Reviews via Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review + Total Sci Fi
NOTE: “The Twilight Herald” is the second book in the Twilight Reign saga and was first published in the UK in August 2007 (Gollancz).
“The Dakota Cipher” by William Dietrich. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. William Dietrich is back with another fast-paced Ethan Gage adventure—one that brings together Norse mythology, the American wilderness, and a swashbuckling explorer in an irresistible page-turner. This time, ancient Norse runes will lead Ethan Gage to his most fantastic discovery yet—and to wonder, danger, mystery, and sorrow that will test every ounce of wit and skill Gage can muster...
Official William Dietrich Website
Order “The Dakota Cipher” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read An Interview HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “Napoleon's Pyramids” & “The Rosetta Key”
NOTE: “The Dakota Cipher” is the third Ethan Gage novel after “Napoleon's Pyramids” and “The Rosetta Key”
“Genghis: Bones of the Hills” by Conn Iggulden. Release Date: March 24, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Delacorte Press. From Conn Iggulden, #1 bestselling author of six historical epics and coauthor of the international sensation The Dangerous Book for Boys, comes a magnificent new work of fiction. From the fertile lands of the Chin to the dust and rock of Afghanistan, Conn weaves the epic story of history’s most enigmatic conqueror—Genghis Khan—and those who feared him, those who defied him, and those whose bones he left behind...
Official Conn Iggulden Website
Order “Bones of the Hills” HERE
NOTE: “Bones of the Hills” is the third Conqueror novel after “Wolf of the Plains” and “Lords of the Bow”, and was first released in the UK on September 1, 2008 (HarperCollins UK).
“The Sacred Blood” by Michael Byrnes. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by William Morrow. When American geneticist Charlotte Hennesey examined what she believed were the bones of Jesus, the Vatican tried to stop word of her discovery from spreading. Now her proof has vanished. But the bones were just the beginning... Secrets, miracles, prophecies, and the threat of Armageddon intertwine in this riveting sequel to Michael Byrnes’ international bestseller, “The Sacred Bones”.
Order “The Sacred Blood” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Dante’s Numbers” by David Hewson. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Delacorte Press. A legendary director was premiering his new film version of Dante’s Inferno. From around the world, celebrities gathered at the Villa Borghese as the paparazzi thronged among them. But within moments the event was in chaos. A man was dead. The film’s star was missing—and a priceless relic had vanished. In David Hewson’s masterful new novel of suspense, Detective Nic Costa, finds himself and his fellow detectives drawn into a strange and terrifying limbo—the first of Dante’s nine circles of Hell...
Official David Hewson Website
Order “Dante’s Numbers” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Praise HERE
Read Reviews via The Bookbag
NOTE: “Dante’s Numbers” is the seventh Nic Costa novel after “The Garden of Evil” and was first released in the UK in October 2008 (Macmillan).
“Five Spice Street” by Can Xue. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Yale University Press. “Five Spice Street” is one of the most astonishing novels of the past twenty years. Exploring the collective consciousness of this little street of ordinary people, Can Xue penetrates the deepest existential anxieties of the present day—whether in China or in the West—where the inevitable impermanence of identity struggles with the narrative within which identity must compose itself...
Order “Five Spice Street” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE (PDF)
“Deadly Desire” by Keri Arthur. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Bantam. Riley Jensen and fate have never been on exactly stellar terms, but this time her nemesis has thrown her a doozie. The last thing Riley needs in the middle of the moon heat is to be investigating a case . . . let alone two. But with zombies on a rampage, and vamps showing up dead, Riley is finding it hard to get some much-needed alone time with her sexy vampire lover, Quinn. Worse, a freelance investigator has shown up—an imperious werewolf whom Riley doesn’t much like, but still can’t get off her mind . . . or her case...
Official Keri Arthur Website
Order “Deadly Desire” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Deadly Desire” is the seventh Riley Jensen novel after “The Darkest Kiss”.
“Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary” by Brandon Mull. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Shadow Mountain. The race is on to acquire all five of the artifact keys to the great demon prison. Two hidden artifacts have been found, but three more remain unrecovered. Reading in Patton’s Journal of Secrets, Kendra learns the location of the key to a vault housing one of the artifacts. In order to retrieve it, the Knights of the Dawn must enter a death trap—a dragon sanctuary called Wyrmroost. But the mission cannot proceed without stealing a sacred object zealously guarded by the centaurs...
Official Brandon Mull Website
Official Fablehaven Website
Order “Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary” HERE
Watch the Book Trailer HERE
NOTE: “Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary” is the fourth book in the New York Times-bestselling Fablehaven children’s fantasy series after “Grip of the Shadow Plague”.
“City of Glass” by Cassandra Clare. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Simon & Schuster. To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters. But entering the city without permission is against the Law and could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters. While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City—whatever the cost?
Official Cassandra Clare Website
Official Mortal Instruments Website
Order “City of Glass” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Karin’s Book Nook
NOTE: “City of Glass” is the final installment in the New York Times-bestselling trilogy, The Mortal Instruments.
“Stargazer” by Claudia Gray. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one of them. But Bianca fell in love with Lucas—a vampire hunter sworn to destroy her kind. They were torn apart when his true identity was revealed, forcing him to flee the school, but they will not give each other up even if it means coming face-to-face with the vampire hunters of Black Cross—or deceiving the powerful vampires of Evernight. But when Evernight is attacked by an evil force that seems to target her, Bianca discovers the truth she thought she knew is only the beginning...
Official Claudia Gray Website
Order “Stargazer” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Karin’s Book Nook + My Favorite Author
NOTE: “Stargazer” is the second Evernight novel after “Evernight”.
“The Third God” by Ricardo Pinto. UK Release Date: March 26, 2009. Published by Bantam UK. In “The Third God”, Carnelian has no choice but to stand with Osidian in defiance of the invincible power of the Masters. No choice but to take his loved ones deeper into peril. In his struggle he will find unlooked for allies and guidance with dreadful motives of its own. Ultimately, he will unleash apocalyptic forces which will bring him and his world to a reckoning none could have forseen, though it has been simmering for four thousand years...
Official Ricardo Pinto Website
Order “The Third God” HERE
NOTE: “The Third God” is the conclusion to The Stone Dance of the Chameleon trilogy after “The Chosen” and “The Standing Dead”.
“In the Courts of the Sun” by Brian D’Amato. Release Date: March 26, 2009. Published by Dutton. Jed DeLanda, a descendant of the Maya living in the year 2012, is a math prodigy raking in profits from online trading. But Jed’s life is thrown into chaos when he is offered the chance to travel back to 664 AD to learn more about a newly discovered Mayan codex. Theoretically, Jed’s brain waves will be sent through a wormhole, straight into the mind of a Mayan king. Instead though, Jed arrives inside the mind of a ballplayer who is seconds away from becoming a human sacrifice. If Jed can live through the next few minutes, he might just save the world...
Official Brian D’Amato Website
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via The Guardian, The Independent + Times Online
NOTE: “The Glister” was first published in the UK in May 2008 (Jonathan Cape).
“Hunted” by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s Griffin. At the start of this heart-pounding new installment in the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged in Neferet’s new consort, Kalona, who has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?Official House of Night Website
Order “Hunted” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Forest of Hands and Teeth” by Carrie Ryan. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Delacorte. In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, Mary’s learning things she never wanted to know and when the fence is breached, she must choose between her village and her future...Official Carrie Ryan Website
Order “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Watch the Trailer HERE
Read Reviews via In Search of Giants, Karin’s Book Nook + Monsters & Critics
NOTE: “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” was recently acquired by Gollancz for UK publication this Summer 2009.
“ReVamped” by J.F. Lewis. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Pocket Books. Eric has lost his strip club, his Mustang, the love of his life Marilyn, and even his body. In short, they “almost” got him. But with a little magical help from his friends, Eric is restored to corporeal form, and is now out to save Marilyn from one of Void City's most powerful soul-stealing demons. Salvation comes at a high price though, forcing Eric to venture into his own worst nightmare, Vampire High Society, to uncover the truth about the origin of his powers...Official J.F. Lewis Website
Order “ReVamped” HERE
NOTE: “ReVamped” is a sequel to “Staked”.
“Corydon and the Siege of Troy” by Tobias Druitt. Release Date: March 10, 2009. Published by Knopf. After the destruction of the city of Atlantis, Corydon is in a self-imposed exile. But, as ever, the gods of Olympos have other plans. Now the city of Troy is under siege, and Corydon’s friends are trapped inside. And so Corydon reluctantly joins them, hoping to help, and fearing that it is he that will tip the scales against them. In this thrilling conclusion to the trilogy about the gods and monsters of ancient Greece, Corydon knows that it will be up to him to thwart the mighty Zeus if the others are to live. But at what cost will he buy their freedom?Official Tobias Druitt Wikipedia
Order “Corydon and the Siege of Troy” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Book of Unholy Mischief” by Elle Newmark. UK Release Date: March 12, 2009. Published by Bantam UK. In 1498, Venice teems with rumors of an ancient book that holds the secret to unimaginable power… Rich with the luxurious colors and textures of Venice, The Book of Unholy Mischief delights the senses and breathes fresh life into an age defined by intellectual revival and artistic vibrancy. A luminous and seductive novel, it is, at its heart, a high-spirited tribute to the fruits of knowledge and the extraordinary power of those who hold its key…Official Elle Newmark Website
Order “The Book of Unholy Mischief” HERE
Read Reviews HERE
NOTE: “The Book of Unholy Mischief” was published in the U.S. on December 30, 2009 (Simon & Schuster).
“Max” by James Patterson. Release Date: March 16, 2009. Published by Little, Brown and Company. Maximum Ride and the other members of the Flock have barely recovered from their last adventure, when they are confronted by the most frightening catastrophe yet. Millions of fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii and someone—or something—is destroying hundreds of ships. While Max and her team are exploring the depths of the ocean, their every move is being carefully tracked by Mr. Chu—a criminal mastermind with his own plans for the Flock. Can they protect themselves from Mr. Chu's army of mercenaries and save the ocean from utter destruction?Official James Patterson Website
Official Maximum Ride Website
Order “Max” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE
NOTE: “Max” is the fifth Maximum Ride YA novel after “The Final Warning”.
“The Best of Gene Wolfe” by Gene Wolfe. Release Date: March 17, 2009. Published by Tor. Gene Wolfe has produced possibly the finest and most significant body of short fiction in the SF and fantasy field in the last fifty years, and is certainly among the greatest living writers to emerge from the genres. “The Best of Gene Wolfe” is the first retrospective collection of his entire career and, from a literary perspective, will certainly be the best collection of the year in science fiction and fantasy. It is for the ages...Official Gene Wolfe Wikipedia
Order “The Best of Gene Wolfe” HERE
“Imager” by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Release Date: March 17, 2008. Published by Tor. Although Rhennthyl is the son of a leading wool merchant in L’Excelsis, his passion lies with art and he has spent years as a journeyman portraiturist. Skilled and diligent enough to one day become a master portraiturist, Rhenn’s entire life is transformed in a single moment when his patron is killed in a fire, and Rhenn discovers he is an imager—one of the few in the entire world of Terahnar who can visualize things and make them real...Official L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Website
Order “Imager” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Imager” is the first book in the new Imager Portfolio fantasy series.
“The Mystery of Grace” by Charles de Lint. Release Date: March 17, 2009. Published by Tor. On the Day of the Dead at the Solona Music Hall, hot rod mechanic Grace Quintero meets artist John Burns. Grace and John immediately fall for one another, and that would be wonderful, except that they meet two weeks too late. Now before their relationship can be resolved, they’re both going to have to learn things they don’t know about the world of the living and the world beyond . . . and why it’s necessary to let some things go...Official Charles de Lint Website
Order “The Mystery of Grace” HERE
Read Reviews via Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review, Green Man Review + SF Reviews
“One Second After” by William R. Forstchen. Release Date: March 17, 2009. Published by Forge. Overnight, the world’s trains, planes, cars, trucks, phones, computers, power plants, electronics, and electrical equipment come to a screeching stop. Looting, food riots, and insurrection engulf the globe as the End Time descends. Can it be stopped? A small mountain village in the American South is humanity’s last best hope… “One Second After”, set in a typical American town, is a dire and terrifyingly real warning of what might be our future . . . and our end.Official William R. Forstchen Website
Order “One Second After” HERE
“Zenith” by Julie Bertagna. Release Date: March 17, 2009. Published by Walker Books. 16-year-old Mara and her ship of refugees are tracking the North Star in search of land to call home. A Gypsea boy named Tuck becomes inextricably linked to their fate. Meanwhile, back in the drowned ruins at the feet of the towering sky city, Fox begins his battle with the cruel, corrupt rulers of the New World. Forced to make their own new beginnings in a savage world, three teens must struggle to make sense of the past, overcome the harsh dangers of the present, and build a future worth living...Official Julie Bertagna Website
Order “Zenith” HERE
Read Reviews via Booklist + The Guardian
NOTE: “Zenith” is the thrilling sequel to the internationally-acclaimed and award-winning “Exodus”.
“The Alexander Cipher” by Will Adams. Release Date: March 18, 2009. Published by Grand Central. In his lifetime, Alexander the Great was beloved as a god. Upon his death, there was a mad scrabbling among his former allies to secure his empire for themselves. Even now, nearly 2500 years later, Alexander is still being fought over. With the discovery of his tomb and the revelation of its relics, the race is on to find Alexander. Rival archeologists, Egyptian officials, and Macedonian nationalists all scurry and scramble, attacking each other along the way as they hunt for a glorious prize—the body of Alexander the Great...Order “The Alexander Cipher” HERE
Read Reviews via The Bookbag
NOTE: “The Alexander Cipher” was first published in the UK on November 5, 2007 (HarperCollins UK).
“The Adamantine Palace” by Stephen Deas. UK Release Date: March 19, 2009. Published by Gollancz. Once dragons ruled the world and man was little more than prey. Then a way of subduing the dragons was discovered and now the dragons are little more than mounts for knights and highly valued tokens in the diplomatic power-players that underpin the rule of the competing aristocratic houses. The Realms have grown fat. And now one man wants it for himself and will do anything to take it. But a single dragon has gone rogue, and returned to its full intelligence, its full fury, could spell disaster for the Realms...Official Stephen Deas Website
Order “The Adamantine Palace” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review, Sandstorm Reviews, SFFWorld, The Wertzone + Total Sci Fi
“Wild Talent” by Eileen Kernaghan. Release Date: March 21, 2009. Published by Thistledown Press. “Wild Talent” tells the strange tale of Jeannie Guthrie, a 16-year-old girl, who possesses a frightening talent. Fearing that she will be sentenced as a witch, she flees to London. There, she is befriended by Alexandra David, and introduced to Madame Helena Blavatsky’s famous salon, where she begins to understand the source of her mysterious powers. From here, we follow Jeannie & Alexandra as Kernaghan weaves an accessible tale of myth and magic...Official Eileen Kernaghan Website
Order “Wild Talent” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews HERE (PDF)
“Duke Elric” by Michael Moorcock. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Del Rey. Del Rey proudly presents the fourth in its definitive collection of stories featuring fantasy Grand Master Michael Moorcock’s greatest creation. Here is the full novel The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, the script of the DC comic Duke Elric, the new story “The Flaneur des Arcades de l’Opera,” essays by Moorcock and others, and a selection of classic artwork. Lavishly illustrated by Justin Sweet, with a Foreword by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon, “Duke Elric” is essential for all fans of the fantastic...Official Michael Moorcock Website
Order “Duke Elric” HERE
“The Temporal Void” by Peter F. Hamilton. Release Date: March 24, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Del Rey. As the Living Dream’s deadline for launching its Pilgrimage into the Void draws closer, the Commonwealth is in turmoil. Not only is the Ocisen Empire fleet fast approaching on a mission of genocide, but an internecine war has broken out between the post-human factions over the destiny of humanity. At the heart of all this is Edeard the Waterwalker, the messiah of Living Dream. As Edeard nears his victory the true nature of the Void is finally revealed…Official Peter F. Hamilton Website
Order “The Temporal Void” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “The Temporal Void”
NOTE: “The Temporal Void” is the second volume in The Void Trilogy after “The Dreaming Void”, and was first released in the UK on October 3, 2008 (Pan Macmillan).
“Outcast (Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi)” by Aaron Allston. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Del Rey. Following directly in the Legacy of the Force series, Fate of the Jedi launches a huge story arc, with heroic roles for the galaxy’s most beloved characters including Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo and their surviving children. While Luke and Ben set off on the journey of a lifetime, the others remain in more familiar territory, dealing with the aftermath of the civil war that rocked the galaxy in the Legacy of the Force...Official Aaron Allston Website
Order “Outcast” HERE
NOTE: Fate of the Jedi will feature nine books in the series—three a year through 2011—and will be written by authors Aaron Allston, Troy Denning and Christie Golden.
“The Dark Volume” by Gordon Dahlquist. Release Date: March 24, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Bantam. With old loyalties tested by new & unlikely alliances, Miss Temple, Doctor Svenson, and Cardinal Chang from “The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters” must call on every reserve of courage to face a new and desperate struggle. From palace intrigue and a city in turmoil to wolf-haunted mountains, underground tunnels and a hidden factory, they must battle old enemies and a host of new villains, all hoping to seize for themselves the power of the blue glass books…Official G.W. Dahlquist Website
Order “The Dark Volume” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Watch the Book Trailer HERE
NOTE: “The Dark Volume” is a sequel to “The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters” and was first published in the UK on May 1, 2008 (Viking UK).
“The Treasure Keeper” by Shana Abe. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Bantam. With such novels as Queen of Dragons and The Dream Thief, Shana Abé created a unique and vividly imagined world that exists side by side with our own—a realm populated by a race of supersensual men and women whose power to change shape permits them unlimited acts of pleasure . . . and ever-present danger. Now the survival of the drákon rests in the hands of a young woman with untried and unexpected powers—and the powerful Alpha male she must break every drákon law to save...Official Shana Abe Website
Order “The Treasure Keeper” HERE
Read Reviews via Wendy’s Mining Spot
NOTE: “The Treasure Keeper” is the fourth Drákon novel after “Queen of Dragons”.
“The Twilight Herald” by Tom Lloyd. Release Date: March 24, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Pyr. After the shattering events of “The Stormcaller”, the eyes of the Land are on the minor city of Scree. There is a malevolent will at work in Scree and one that has a lesson for the entire Land—nations can be manipulated, prophecies perverted, and Gods denied. Nothing lies beyond the reach of a shadow, and no matter how great a man's power, there some things he cannot be protected from...Official Tom Lloyd Website
Order “The Twilight Herald” HERE
Read Reviews via Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review + Total Sci Fi
NOTE: “The Twilight Herald” is the second book in the Twilight Reign saga and was first published in the UK in August 2007 (Gollancz).
“The Dakota Cipher” by William Dietrich. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. William Dietrich is back with another fast-paced Ethan Gage adventure—one that brings together Norse mythology, the American wilderness, and a swashbuckling explorer in an irresistible page-turner. This time, ancient Norse runes will lead Ethan Gage to his most fantastic discovery yet—and to wonder, danger, mystery, and sorrow that will test every ounce of wit and skill Gage can muster...Official William Dietrich Website
Order “The Dakota Cipher” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read An Interview HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “Napoleon's Pyramids” & “The Rosetta Key”
NOTE: “The Dakota Cipher” is the third Ethan Gage novel after “Napoleon's Pyramids” and “The Rosetta Key”
“Genghis: Bones of the Hills” by Conn Iggulden. Release Date: March 24, 2009 (US Debut). Published by Delacorte Press. From Conn Iggulden, #1 bestselling author of six historical epics and coauthor of the international sensation The Dangerous Book for Boys, comes a magnificent new work of fiction. From the fertile lands of the Chin to the dust and rock of Afghanistan, Conn weaves the epic story of history’s most enigmatic conqueror—Genghis Khan—and those who feared him, those who defied him, and those whose bones he left behind...Official Conn Iggulden Website
Order “Bones of the Hills” HERE
NOTE: “Bones of the Hills” is the third Conqueror novel after “Wolf of the Plains” and “Lords of the Bow”, and was first released in the UK on September 1, 2008 (HarperCollins UK).
“The Sacred Blood” by Michael Byrnes. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by William Morrow. When American geneticist Charlotte Hennesey examined what she believed were the bones of Jesus, the Vatican tried to stop word of her discovery from spreading. Now her proof has vanished. But the bones were just the beginning... Secrets, miracles, prophecies, and the threat of Armageddon intertwine in this riveting sequel to Michael Byrnes’ international bestseller, “The Sacred Bones”.Order “The Sacred Blood” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Dante’s Numbers” by David Hewson. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Delacorte Press. A legendary director was premiering his new film version of Dante’s Inferno. From around the world, celebrities gathered at the Villa Borghese as the paparazzi thronged among them. But within moments the event was in chaos. A man was dead. The film’s star was missing—and a priceless relic had vanished. In David Hewson’s masterful new novel of suspense, Detective Nic Costa, finds himself and his fellow detectives drawn into a strange and terrifying limbo—the first of Dante’s nine circles of Hell...Official David Hewson Website
Order “Dante’s Numbers” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Praise HERE
Read Reviews via The Bookbag
NOTE: “Dante’s Numbers” is the seventh Nic Costa novel after “The Garden of Evil” and was first released in the UK in October 2008 (Macmillan).
“Five Spice Street” by Can Xue. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Yale University Press. “Five Spice Street” is one of the most astonishing novels of the past twenty years. Exploring the collective consciousness of this little street of ordinary people, Can Xue penetrates the deepest existential anxieties of the present day—whether in China or in the West—where the inevitable impermanence of identity struggles with the narrative within which identity must compose itself...Order “Five Spice Street” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE (PDF)
“Deadly Desire” by Keri Arthur. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Bantam. Riley Jensen and fate have never been on exactly stellar terms, but this time her nemesis has thrown her a doozie. The last thing Riley needs in the middle of the moon heat is to be investigating a case . . . let alone two. But with zombies on a rampage, and vamps showing up dead, Riley is finding it hard to get some much-needed alone time with her sexy vampire lover, Quinn. Worse, a freelance investigator has shown up—an imperious werewolf whom Riley doesn’t much like, but still can’t get off her mind . . . or her case...Official Keri Arthur Website
Order “Deadly Desire” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Deadly Desire” is the seventh Riley Jensen novel after “The Darkest Kiss”.
“Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary” by Brandon Mull. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Shadow Mountain. The race is on to acquire all five of the artifact keys to the great demon prison. Two hidden artifacts have been found, but three more remain unrecovered. Reading in Patton’s Journal of Secrets, Kendra learns the location of the key to a vault housing one of the artifacts. In order to retrieve it, the Knights of the Dawn must enter a death trap—a dragon sanctuary called Wyrmroost. But the mission cannot proceed without stealing a sacred object zealously guarded by the centaurs...Official Brandon Mull Website
Official Fablehaven Website
Order “Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary” HERE
Watch the Book Trailer HERE
NOTE: “Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary” is the fourth book in the New York Times-bestselling Fablehaven children’s fantasy series after “Grip of the Shadow Plague”.
“City of Glass” by Cassandra Clare. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by Simon & Schuster. To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters. But entering the city without permission is against the Law and could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters. While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City—whatever the cost?Official Cassandra Clare Website
Official Mortal Instruments Website
Order “City of Glass” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Karin’s Book Nook
NOTE: “City of Glass” is the final installment in the New York Times-bestselling trilogy, The Mortal Instruments.
“Stargazer” by Claudia Gray. Release Date: March 24, 2009. Published by HarperCollins. Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one of them. But Bianca fell in love with Lucas—a vampire hunter sworn to destroy her kind. They were torn apart when his true identity was revealed, forcing him to flee the school, but they will not give each other up even if it means coming face-to-face with the vampire hunters of Black Cross—or deceiving the powerful vampires of Evernight. But when Evernight is attacked by an evil force that seems to target her, Bianca discovers the truth she thought she knew is only the beginning...Official Claudia Gray Website
Order “Stargazer” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Karin’s Book Nook + My Favorite Author
NOTE: “Stargazer” is the second Evernight novel after “Evernight”.
“The Third God” by Ricardo Pinto. UK Release Date: March 26, 2009. Published by Bantam UK. In “The Third God”, Carnelian has no choice but to stand with Osidian in defiance of the invincible power of the Masters. No choice but to take his loved ones deeper into peril. In his struggle he will find unlooked for allies and guidance with dreadful motives of its own. Ultimately, he will unleash apocalyptic forces which will bring him and his world to a reckoning none could have forseen, though it has been simmering for four thousand years...Official Ricardo Pinto Website
Order “The Third God” HERE
NOTE: “The Third God” is the conclusion to The Stone Dance of the Chameleon trilogy after “The Chosen” and “The Standing Dead”.
“In the Courts of the Sun” by Brian D’Amato. Release Date: March 26, 2009. Published by Dutton. Jed DeLanda, a descendant of the Maya living in the year 2012, is a math prodigy raking in profits from online trading. But Jed’s life is thrown into chaos when he is offered the chance to travel back to 664 AD to learn more about a newly discovered Mayan codex. Theoretically, Jed’s brain waves will be sent through a wormhole, straight into the mind of a Mayan king. Instead though, Jed arrives inside the mind of a ballplayer who is seconds away from becoming a human sacrifice. If Jed can live through the next few minutes, he might just save the world...Official Brian D’Amato Website
Order “In the Courts of the Sun” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE
Read Reviews HERE
“The Owl Killers” by Karen Maitland. UK Release Date: March 26, 2009. Published by Michael Joseph. England, 1321. Deep in the countryside lies an isolated village governed by a sinister regime of Owl Masters—theirs is a pagan world of terror & blackmail, where sin is punishable by murder. This dark status quo is disturbed by the arrival of a house of religious women, who establish a community outside the village.When accusations of witchcraft & heresy run rife, the Owl Masters rain down hellfire & torment on the women, who must look to their faith to save them from the lengthening shadow of Evil...
Official Karen Maitland Website
Order “The Owl Killers” HERE
NOTE: The US version of “The Owl Killers” will be published on September 29, 2009 via Delacorte Press.
“Tutankhamun” by Nick Drake. UK Release Date: March 26, 2009. Published by Bantam UK. Tutankhamun, son of Akhenaten, has inherited an empire that seems to be at the height of its power & glory. But the young King, just eighteen years old, is faced with the political & personal intrigues and conspiracies of the Court, where his godfather Ay, and the General Horemheb are locked in a bitter struggle for ascendancy. Tutankhamun must steer the empire back from the brink of disaster and dissent to which his father Akhenaten's rule led the Two Lands of Egypt, and re-assert the stability and authority of his famous dynasty...
Order “Tutankhamun” HERE
“A Fantasy Medley” edited by Yanni Kuznia. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Subterranean Press. A Fantasy Medley features the superlative storytelling abilities of four diverse authors: In “Zen and the Art of Vampirism,” Kelley Armstrong explores a Toronto filled with with supernatural creatures from Otherworld. “Riding the Shore of the River of Death” returns us to the world of Kate Elliott’s Crown of Stars. Robin Hobb revisits her Farseer world in “Words Like Coins”. And C.E. Murphy takes us to frozen Moscow in “From Russia, With Love”...
Official Kelley Armstrong Website
Official Kate Elliott Website
Official Robin Hobb Website
Official C.E. Murphy Website
Order “A Fantasy Medley” HERE
Read Reviews via Green Man Review, Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
“Irons in the Fire” by Juliet E. McKenna. US/UK Release Date: March 31/April 6, 2009. Published by Solaris. “Irons in the Fire” tells of political upheaval born of civil war in the country of Lescar. Carved out of the collapse of the Old Tormalin Empire, the land has long been laid waste by its rival dukes, while bordering nations look on with indifference or exploit its misery. A mismatched band of exiles and rebels are agreed that the time has come for change. Full of rich characters and high adventure, “Irons in the Fire” is the start of a brand new epic fantasy series...
Official Juliet E. McKenna Website
Order “Irons in the Fire” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
“Aftershock and Others: 19 Oddities” by F. Paul Wilson. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Forge. “Aftershock & Others” is the third collection of short fiction by New York Times bestselling author F. Paul Wilson. The title novelette won the Bram Stoker Award and its companions touch on the past, present, and future. Wilson’s stylistic diversity and versatility are on display in stories that pay tribute to Ray Bradbury, use a sentient killer virus as a point-of-view character, and pay unabashed homage to pure pulp fiction. And finally, Wilson treats us to his popular antihero Repairman Jack at his most inventive...
Official F. Paul Wilson Website
Order “Aftershock and Others: 19 Oddities” HERE
“The Unincorporated Man” by Dani Kollin & Eytan Kollin. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Tor. “The Unincorporated Man” is a provocative social/political/economic novel that takes place in the future, after civilization has fallen into complete economic collapse. This reborn civilization is one in which every individual is incorporated at birth, and spends many years trying to attain control over his or her own life by getting a majority of his or her own shares. Now the incredible has happened: a billionaire businessman from our time, is discovered and resurrected—the only unincorporated man in the world...
Official Dani Kollin & Eytan Kollin Website
Order “The Unincorporated Man” HERE
Read Reviews HERE
“Buyout” by Alexander Irvine. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Del Rey. 100 years from now, politicians are faced with rampant overcrowding in the nation’s penal system and turn to a new method of cutting costs: life-term buyouts. Buyouts offer convicted murderers the chance to voluntarily allow themselves to be put to death in exchange for a one-time cash payment. It’s a win-win situation. At least that’s what Martin Kindred, the public face of the buyout program, believes. But then evidence comes to light that a felon in line for a buyout may have been involved with his brother’s death...
Official Alexander Irvine Website
Order “Buyout” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Killing Way” by Tony Hays. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Forge. It is the time of Arthur, but this is not his storied epic. Britain’s leaders have come to elect a new supreme king, and Arthur, a young and powerful warrior, is favored. But when a young woman is brutally murdered and the blame is placed at Merlin’s feet, Arthur’s reputation is at stake and his enemies are poised to strike. Arthur turns to Malgwyn ap Cuneglas, a man whose knowledge of battle and keen insight into how the human mind works has helped Arthur come to the brink of kingship. Malgwyn is also the man who hates Arthur most in the world...
Official Tony Hays Website
Order “The Killing Way” HERE
Read Praise HERE
NOTE: “The Killing Way” is the first in a mystery series that is sure to be a hit with both mystery readers and historical fans alike. Think CSI: Medieval.
“Darling Jim” by Christian Moerk. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Henry Holt. When two sisters and their aunt are found dead in their suburban Dublin home, it seems that the secret behind their untimely demise will never be known. But then Niall, a young mailman, finds a mysterious diary in the post office’s dead-letter bin. From beyond the grave, Fiona Walsh shares the most tragic love story he’s ever heard. Niall soon becomes enveloped by the mystery surrounding itinerant storyteller Jim, who traveled through Ireland enrapturing audiences and wooing women with his macabre mythic narratives...
Official Christian Moerk Website
Order “Darling Jim” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Praise HERE
Read Reviews via Merrimon Book Reviews + Raging Bibliomania
“Seven For a Secret” by Elizabeth Bear. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Subterranean Press. The wampyr has walked the dark streets of the world's great cities for a thousand years. In that time, he has worn out many names—and even more compatriots. Now, so that one of those companions may die where she once lived, he has come again to the City of London in 1938. Here he will meet his own ghosts, the remembrances of loves mortal—and immortal. And here he will face the Chancellor's secret weapon: a human child...
Official Elizabeth Bear Website
Order “Seven For a Secret” HERE
Read Reviews via Green Man Review
NOTE: “Seven For a Secret” is a sequel to “New Amsterdam”.
“The Holy Machine” by Chris Beckett. Release Date: March 31, 2009 (Reprint). Published by Cosmos Books. Illyria is a scientific utopia, an enclave of logic and reason founded off the Greek coast in the mid-21st century as a refuge from the Reaction, a wave of religious fundamentalism sweeping the planet. Yet to George Simling, first generation son of a former geneticist who was left emotionally and psychically crippled by the persecution she encountered in her native Chicago, science-dominated Illyria is becoming as closed-minded and stifling as the religion-dominated world outside...
Official Chris Beckett Wikipedia
Order “The Holy Machine” HERE
Read Reviews HERE
NOTE: “The Holy Machine” was first published by Wildside Press in 2004.
“Afraid” by Jack Kilborn. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Grand Central. Safe Haven is miles from everything and is so peaceful it has never needed a full-time police force. Until now. A helicopter crashes on the outskirts of town, unleashing something terrible: A classified secret weapon programmed to kill anything that stands in its way. Safe Haven’s only chance for survival depends on an aging county sheriff. And as the body count rises, the sheriff realizes that maybe death hasn’t come to his little town by accident…
Official Jack Kilborn Website
Order “Afraid” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE (PDF)
Read Reviews via Shotsmag
NOTE: “Afraid” has drawn comparisons to Stephen King and Dean Koontz and was first released in the UK on November 13, 2008 (Headline). Jack Kilborn is a pseudonym for J.A. Konrath (Jack Daniels series).
“Bestial” by Ray Garton. US/UK Release Date: March 31/April 1, 2009. Published by Dorchester. Something very strange is happening in the coastal California town of Big Rock—it’s residents are gradually transforming into werewolves. Bit by bit, as the infection spreads, the werewolves are becoming more and more powerful. In fact, humans may soon be the minority, mere prey for their hungry neighbors. Is it too late for the humans to fight back? Did they ever have a chance from the start?
Official Ray Garton Wikipedia
Order “Bestial” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
NOTE: “Bestial” is the sequel to “Ravenous”.
“The Golem” by Edward Lee. US/UK Release Date: March 31/April 1, 2009. Published by Dorchester. The original Golem was molded from riverbed clay centuries ago, enchanted by spells to protect the innocent. But now a diabolical design has perverted the ancient, mystical rites to forge new Golems that stalk the night. Into the twilight deeps of the quiet Maryland coast, they come forth, to rape, mangle, and murder, and to bring horror and atrocity to all in their demonic path. Only a young couple can stop them but little do they know, an even worse secret is buried in their own midst...
Official Edward Lee Website
Order “The Golem” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
“Red-Headed Stepchild” by Jaye Wells. US/UK Release Date: March 31/April 2, 2009. Published by Orbit. In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn’t really fit in. And being an assassin—the only profession fit for an outcast—doesn't help matters. But she's never brought her work home. Until now. For her latest mission is uncomfortably complex, and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she's on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family and some unexpected new talents…
Official Jaye Wells Blog
Order “Red-Headed Stepchild” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via SciFiChick, SciFiGuy + Tempting Persephone
NOTE: “Red-Headed Stepchild” is the first book in the new Sabina Kane urban fantasy series.
“Magic Strikes” by Ilona Andrews. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Ace. Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with these days. But when Kate's werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games—an invitation only, no holds barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament—she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta's shapeshifting community...
Official Ilona Andrews Website
Order “Magic Strikes” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Magic Strikes” is the third Kate Daniels novel after “Magic Bites” and “Magic Burns”.
“Close Encounters” by Katherine Allred. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by EOS. The Bureau of Alien Affairs needed a special GEP agent with empathic abilities to handle their most extraordinary assignments—and a rogue geneticist saw to it that Kiera fit their specifications. But she turned out stronger, faster, and smarter than anyone anticipated. A reluctant “superhero,” Kiera wishes she were normal, but it is not to be. On Orpheus Two, the indigenous Buri race faces extinction, and it is Kiera's job to protect these beautiful, exotic aliens...
Official Katherine Allred Website
Order “Close Encounters” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE (PDF)
“Undead On Arrival” by L.A. Banks. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s. Just one month ago, secret government operative Sasha Trudeau thought she’d tasted victory, including a future with Max Hunter, her mate and fellow Shadow Wolf. Until now. A poisonous virus is wreaking havoc on Hunter’s immune system. And the passionate man who Sasha loves has become unpredictable, dangerous—and possibly deadly. When Hunter disappears the night a human is found ravaged, Sasha is thrust into a race against the clock to find the cure for her mate . . . and the traitor who’s determined to see them both dead...
Official L.A. Banks Website
Order “Undead On Arrival” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Flames Rising
NOTE: “Undead On Arrival” is the third Crimson Moon novel after “Bad Blood” and “Bite the Bullet”.
“Night's Rose” by Annaliese Evans. Release Date: March 31. 2009. Published by Tor. For nearly one hundred years, Rosemarie Edenberg has worked tirelessly to wipe the dreaded ogre tribe from the earth. Now the tribe has gathered in London to work a spell that will destroy the scourge of their kind, the woman they call the Briar Rose. Two magnetic men will unite to aid Rose—her mysterious Fey advisor, Ambrose, and the vampire, Lord Shenley. One will save her, one will betray her, and both will challenge her to face the past that haunts her...
Official Annaliese Evans Website
Order “Night’s Rose” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: Rose’s adventures will continue in “The Prince of Frogs”.
“Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs” by Molly Harper. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Pocket. When children’s librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her boss and handed $25 in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender. On her way home, she’s mistaken for a deer, shot and left for dead. The next morning, Jane wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood. If that wasn’t enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What’s a nice undead girl to do?
Official Molly Harper Website
Order “Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Fallen Angel Reviews + Ruthie’s Book Reviews
NOTE: The sequel, “Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men”, will be published on August 25, 2009.
Previous Spotlights:
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
Read Excerpts HERE
Read Reviews HERE
“The Owl Killers” by Karen Maitland. UK Release Date: March 26, 2009. Published by Michael Joseph. England, 1321. Deep in the countryside lies an isolated village governed by a sinister regime of Owl Masters—theirs is a pagan world of terror & blackmail, where sin is punishable by murder. This dark status quo is disturbed by the arrival of a house of religious women, who establish a community outside the village.When accusations of witchcraft & heresy run rife, the Owl Masters rain down hellfire & torment on the women, who must look to their faith to save them from the lengthening shadow of Evil...Official Karen Maitland Website
Order “The Owl Killers” HERE
NOTE: The US version of “The Owl Killers” will be published on September 29, 2009 via Delacorte Press.
“Tutankhamun” by Nick Drake. UK Release Date: March 26, 2009. Published by Bantam UK. Tutankhamun, son of Akhenaten, has inherited an empire that seems to be at the height of its power & glory. But the young King, just eighteen years old, is faced with the political & personal intrigues and conspiracies of the Court, where his godfather Ay, and the General Horemheb are locked in a bitter struggle for ascendancy. Tutankhamun must steer the empire back from the brink of disaster and dissent to which his father Akhenaten's rule led the Two Lands of Egypt, and re-assert the stability and authority of his famous dynasty...Order “Tutankhamun” HERE
“A Fantasy Medley” edited by Yanni Kuznia. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Subterranean Press. A Fantasy Medley features the superlative storytelling abilities of four diverse authors: In “Zen and the Art of Vampirism,” Kelley Armstrong explores a Toronto filled with with supernatural creatures from Otherworld. “Riding the Shore of the River of Death” returns us to the world of Kate Elliott’s Crown of Stars. Robin Hobb revisits her Farseer world in “Words Like Coins”. And C.E. Murphy takes us to frozen Moscow in “From Russia, With Love”...Official Kelley Armstrong Website
Official Kate Elliott Website
Official Robin Hobb Website
Official C.E. Murphy Website
Order “A Fantasy Medley” HERE
Read Reviews via Green Man Review, Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
“Irons in the Fire” by Juliet E. McKenna. US/UK Release Date: March 31/April 6, 2009. Published by Solaris. “Irons in the Fire” tells of political upheaval born of civil war in the country of Lescar. Carved out of the collapse of the Old Tormalin Empire, the land has long been laid waste by its rival dukes, while bordering nations look on with indifference or exploit its misery. A mismatched band of exiles and rebels are agreed that the time has come for change. Full of rich characters and high adventure, “Irons in the Fire” is the start of a brand new epic fantasy series...Official Juliet E. McKenna Website
Order “Irons in the Fire” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
“Aftershock and Others: 19 Oddities” by F. Paul Wilson. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Forge. “Aftershock & Others” is the third collection of short fiction by New York Times bestselling author F. Paul Wilson. The title novelette won the Bram Stoker Award and its companions touch on the past, present, and future. Wilson’s stylistic diversity and versatility are on display in stories that pay tribute to Ray Bradbury, use a sentient killer virus as a point-of-view character, and pay unabashed homage to pure pulp fiction. And finally, Wilson treats us to his popular antihero Repairman Jack at his most inventive...Official F. Paul Wilson Website
Order “Aftershock and Others: 19 Oddities” HERE
“The Unincorporated Man” by Dani Kollin & Eytan Kollin. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Tor. “The Unincorporated Man” is a provocative social/political/economic novel that takes place in the future, after civilization has fallen into complete economic collapse. This reborn civilization is one in which every individual is incorporated at birth, and spends many years trying to attain control over his or her own life by getting a majority of his or her own shares. Now the incredible has happened: a billionaire businessman from our time, is discovered and resurrected—the only unincorporated man in the world...Official Dani Kollin & Eytan Kollin Website
Order “The Unincorporated Man” HERE
Read Reviews HERE
“Buyout” by Alexander Irvine. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Del Rey. 100 years from now, politicians are faced with rampant overcrowding in the nation’s penal system and turn to a new method of cutting costs: life-term buyouts. Buyouts offer convicted murderers the chance to voluntarily allow themselves to be put to death in exchange for a one-time cash payment. It’s a win-win situation. At least that’s what Martin Kindred, the public face of the buyout program, believes. But then evidence comes to light that a felon in line for a buyout may have been involved with his brother’s death...Official Alexander Irvine Website
Order “Buyout” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Killing Way” by Tony Hays. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Forge. It is the time of Arthur, but this is not his storied epic. Britain’s leaders have come to elect a new supreme king, and Arthur, a young and powerful warrior, is favored. But when a young woman is brutally murdered and the blame is placed at Merlin’s feet, Arthur’s reputation is at stake and his enemies are poised to strike. Arthur turns to Malgwyn ap Cuneglas, a man whose knowledge of battle and keen insight into how the human mind works has helped Arthur come to the brink of kingship. Malgwyn is also the man who hates Arthur most in the world...Official Tony Hays Website
Order “The Killing Way” HERE
Read Praise HERE
NOTE: “The Killing Way” is the first in a mystery series that is sure to be a hit with both mystery readers and historical fans alike. Think CSI: Medieval.
“Darling Jim” by Christian Moerk. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Henry Holt. When two sisters and their aunt are found dead in their suburban Dublin home, it seems that the secret behind their untimely demise will never be known. But then Niall, a young mailman, finds a mysterious diary in the post office’s dead-letter bin. From beyond the grave, Fiona Walsh shares the most tragic love story he’s ever heard. Niall soon becomes enveloped by the mystery surrounding itinerant storyteller Jim, who traveled through Ireland enrapturing audiences and wooing women with his macabre mythic narratives...Official Christian Moerk Website
Order “Darling Jim” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Praise HERE
Read Reviews via Merrimon Book Reviews + Raging Bibliomania
“Seven For a Secret” by Elizabeth Bear. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Subterranean Press. The wampyr has walked the dark streets of the world's great cities for a thousand years. In that time, he has worn out many names—and even more compatriots. Now, so that one of those companions may die where she once lived, he has come again to the City of London in 1938. Here he will meet his own ghosts, the remembrances of loves mortal—and immortal. And here he will face the Chancellor's secret weapon: a human child...Official Elizabeth Bear Website
Order “Seven For a Secret” HERE
Read Reviews via Green Man Review
NOTE: “Seven For a Secret” is a sequel to “New Amsterdam”.
“The Holy Machine” by Chris Beckett. Release Date: March 31, 2009 (Reprint). Published by Cosmos Books. Illyria is a scientific utopia, an enclave of logic and reason founded off the Greek coast in the mid-21st century as a refuge from the Reaction, a wave of religious fundamentalism sweeping the planet. Yet to George Simling, first generation son of a former geneticist who was left emotionally and psychically crippled by the persecution she encountered in her native Chicago, science-dominated Illyria is becoming as closed-minded and stifling as the religion-dominated world outside...Official Chris Beckett Wikipedia
Order “The Holy Machine” HERE
Read Reviews HERE
NOTE: “The Holy Machine” was first published by Wildside Press in 2004.
“Afraid” by Jack Kilborn. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Grand Central. Safe Haven is miles from everything and is so peaceful it has never needed a full-time police force. Until now. A helicopter crashes on the outskirts of town, unleashing something terrible: A classified secret weapon programmed to kill anything that stands in its way. Safe Haven’s only chance for survival depends on an aging county sheriff. And as the body count rises, the sheriff realizes that maybe death hasn’t come to his little town by accident…Official Jack Kilborn Website
Order “Afraid” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE (PDF)
Read Reviews via Shotsmag
NOTE: “Afraid” has drawn comparisons to Stephen King and Dean Koontz and was first released in the UK on November 13, 2008 (Headline). Jack Kilborn is a pseudonym for J.A. Konrath (Jack Daniels series).
“Bestial” by Ray Garton. US/UK Release Date: March 31/April 1, 2009. Published by Dorchester. Something very strange is happening in the coastal California town of Big Rock—it’s residents are gradually transforming into werewolves. Bit by bit, as the infection spreads, the werewolves are becoming more and more powerful. In fact, humans may soon be the minority, mere prey for their hungry neighbors. Is it too late for the humans to fight back? Did they ever have a chance from the start?Official Ray Garton Wikipedia
Order “Bestial” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
NOTE: “Bestial” is the sequel to “Ravenous”.
“The Golem” by Edward Lee. US/UK Release Date: March 31/April 1, 2009. Published by Dorchester. The original Golem was molded from riverbed clay centuries ago, enchanted by spells to protect the innocent. But now a diabolical design has perverted the ancient, mystical rites to forge new Golems that stalk the night. Into the twilight deeps of the quiet Maryland coast, they come forth, to rape, mangle, and murder, and to bring horror and atrocity to all in their demonic path. Only a young couple can stop them but little do they know, an even worse secret is buried in their own midst...Official Edward Lee Website
Order “The Golem” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
“Red-Headed Stepchild” by Jaye Wells. US/UK Release Date: March 31/April 2, 2009. Published by Orbit. In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn’t really fit in. And being an assassin—the only profession fit for an outcast—doesn't help matters. But she's never brought her work home. Until now. For her latest mission is uncomfortably complex, and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she's on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family and some unexpected new talents…Official Jaye Wells Blog
Order “Red-Headed Stepchild” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via SciFiChick, SciFiGuy + Tempting Persephone
NOTE: “Red-Headed Stepchild” is the first book in the new Sabina Kane urban fantasy series.
“Magic Strikes” by Ilona Andrews. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Ace. Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with these days. But when Kate's werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games—an invitation only, no holds barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament—she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta's shapeshifting community...Official Ilona Andrews Website
Order “Magic Strikes” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: “Magic Strikes” is the third Kate Daniels novel after “Magic Bites” and “Magic Burns”.
“Close Encounters” by Katherine Allred. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by EOS. The Bureau of Alien Affairs needed a special GEP agent with empathic abilities to handle their most extraordinary assignments—and a rogue geneticist saw to it that Kiera fit their specifications. But she turned out stronger, faster, and smarter than anyone anticipated. A reluctant “superhero,” Kiera wishes she were normal, but it is not to be. On Orpheus Two, the indigenous Buri race faces extinction, and it is Kiera's job to protect these beautiful, exotic aliens...Official Katherine Allred Website
Order “Close Encounters” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE (PDF)
“Undead On Arrival” by L.A. Banks. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by St. Martin’s. Just one month ago, secret government operative Sasha Trudeau thought she’d tasted victory, including a future with Max Hunter, her mate and fellow Shadow Wolf. Until now. A poisonous virus is wreaking havoc on Hunter’s immune system. And the passionate man who Sasha loves has become unpredictable, dangerous—and possibly deadly. When Hunter disappears the night a human is found ravaged, Sasha is thrust into a race against the clock to find the cure for her mate . . . and the traitor who’s determined to see them both dead...Official L.A. Banks Website
Order “Undead On Arrival” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Flames Rising
NOTE: “Undead On Arrival” is the third Crimson Moon novel after “Bad Blood” and “Bite the Bullet”.
“Night's Rose” by Annaliese Evans. Release Date: March 31. 2009. Published by Tor. For nearly one hundred years, Rosemarie Edenberg has worked tirelessly to wipe the dreaded ogre tribe from the earth. Now the tribe has gathered in London to work a spell that will destroy the scourge of their kind, the woman they call the Briar Rose. Two magnetic men will unite to aid Rose—her mysterious Fey advisor, Ambrose, and the vampire, Lord Shenley. One will save her, one will betray her, and both will challenge her to face the past that haunts her...Official Annaliese Evans Website
Order “Night’s Rose” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
NOTE: Rose’s adventures will continue in “The Prince of Frogs”.
“Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs” by Molly Harper. Release Date: March 31, 2009. Published by Pocket. When children’s librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her boss and handed $25 in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender. On her way home, she’s mistaken for a deer, shot and left for dead. The next morning, Jane wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood. If that wasn’t enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What’s a nice undead girl to do?Official Molly Harper Website
Order “Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Reviews via Fallen Angel Reviews + Ruthie’s Book Reviews
NOTE: The sequel, “Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men”, will be published on August 25, 2009.
Previous Spotlights:
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
3:01 AM | 
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7 comments:
Just to complement the list, some of the books I plan to review here from it, though of course unless mentioned that the review is done, plans are subject to change:
“The Pilo Family Circus” by Will Elliott - review done and published here
“A Magic of Nightfall” by S.L. Farrell - review done
“Prophets” by S. Andrew Swann - review likely since I liked a lot Hostile Takeover despite its fizzling ending
“The Kindly Ones” by Jonathan Littell - this is just a masterpiece; a huge bestseller in Europe, I plan to do the review after I read the English edition; I read the French edition close to original publication in 06 and have been waiting for the translation since
“This Is Not a Game” by Walter Jon Williams - any WJW original novel is an asap for me; plan to review after getting/reading it
“Seeds of Earth” by Michael Cobley - review done
“Vlad: The Last Confession” by C.C. Humphreys - review most likely, possibly together with Robert; I grew up on tons of Vlad Tepes novels, so Dracula is for me a gross distortion of history; very interested if this novel will do Vlad justice - the excerpt looks very promising
“Hand of Isis” by Jo Graham - review most likely; loved Black Ships; however Cleopatra is another historical personality I've read numerous novels and non-fiction books about or with her appearing even if not a lead character, so very, very high expectations for this one
“The Warded Man” by Peter V. Brett - review done and published here for the UK edition
“Midwinter” by Matthew Sturges - review done, mostly by Robert though; the best 09 debut for me in fantasy so far
“The Temporal Void” by Peter F. Hamilton - review done for the UK edition
“The Dark Volume” by Gordon Dahlquist - review possible, though I bought the UK edition last year and had not read it yet
“The Dakota Cipher” by William Dietrich - Ethan Gage returns in big forml though the second half is darker than the first two novels; review not yet done, but very soon
“In the Courts of the Sun” by Brian D’Amato - review most likely; not yet read, but soon
“Buyout” by Alexander Irvine - review possible; love some of Mr. Irvine ss, but mixed on his novels so far; not read yet
Again, a wonderful amount of effort must have gone into this - thanks :D
As for what I'd choose... I really don't know where to start.
Thankfully, and hopefully lots of bloggers will help me out by reviewing them!
Thanks Gav! Besides "Midwinter", I've already completed reviews for "Imager", "The Mystery of Grace", and "The Forest of Hands & Teeth". I'm reading "This Is Not A Game" right now which is my first WJW novel, and from there I hope to cover "Afraid", "Red-Headed Stepchild" and "A Fantasy Medley"...
This is my favorite part of Fantasy Book Critic! Thank you for taking the time to do this. =)
Robert, now you're just showing off!!
Looking forward as always to your thoughts, especially on The Imager (which I don't think you've posted yet) and This is Not a Game - it made me very paranoid during and after reading it.
Thanks Princess Allie! As long as readers continue to enjoy the spotlights, I'll keep putting them together :D
LOL! I wasn't showing off Gav ;) The only way I can keep up with all of the books is if I read them far in advance. Unfortunately, I'm starting to fall behind. As far as reviews, Imager, The Mystery of Grace, The Adamantine Palace, etc. have already been scheduled for posting, but just aren't posted yet. Soon though. Regarding This Is Not A Game, I'm really enjoying it!
I've checked these out - excellent:
“The Temporal Void” by Peter F. Hamilton - review done for the UK edition
“The Dark Volume” by Gordon Dahlquist - review possible, though I bought the UK edition last year and had not read it yet