Official Brandon Sanderson’s WebsiteBrandon Sanderson’s Blog
Order “The Well of Ascension” HERE
Order “Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians” HERE
Read Chapter One, Chapter Two + Chapter Three from “The Well of Ascension”
Read Chapter One + Chapter Two From Alcatraz
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of The Well of Ascension
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of The Well of Ascension
With his standalone debut novel “Elantris” and the current Mistborn trilogy, the second volume (The Well of Ascension) of which was recently released in August 2007, Brandon Sanderson has established himself as a writer to watch and has become one of my favorite new fantasy authors out there. So securing an interview was always a goal of mine. Unfortunately, Mr. Sanderson has quite the workload, finishing up the Mistborn trilogy, writing a new children’s fantasy series that just debuted (“Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians” — October 1, 2007), working on various other projects (Warbreaker, Dragonsteel, Scribbler, etc.), not to mention the book tour and a new addition to the family :D So, I was extremely grateful that Mr. Sanderson took the time to answer what questions he could and I hope that you’ll enjoy the following interview. And for more Q&A fun, be sure to check out A Dribble of Ink’s recent interview with Mr. Sanderson HERE. Thanks for reading and much love & respect:
Q: When I think about some of the bright new voices in fantasy and science fiction literature, Brandon Sanderson always comes to mind. Technically you’re not that new since you’ve just released your third and fourth novels with lots more to follow, but for those that may not be familiar with your work, can you just tell us a little about what inspired you to become a writer, how & why you ended up at Tor, and why readers might find your books worthwhile?
Brandon: After being a voracious reader as an elementary school student, I eventually got bored with the books people were handing me, and by Jr. High I didn’t read at all if I could help it. Luckily, a wonderful English teacher introduced me to the fantasy genre, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I read everything I could get my hands on, and even tried to write a fantasy novel when I was fifteen. It was a bit of a disaster, but when I tried again at 21 things went better. Though I started college as a bio-chem major, I soon realized that I enjoyed writing so much more than chemistry. I changed my major to English and dedicated myself to becoming an author. All through my undergraduate classes I worked nights as a hotel desk clerk because they let me write during my shift, and I could still go to school full time. I began to learn about marketing and publishing and sending my works to editors. I was writing my 13th novel when “Elantris”, my 6th novel was sold. I met my agent at the Nebula awards. He didn’t actually become my agent until I had a contract, though. I met my editor at the World Fantasy convention. Tor was my favorite publisher, and so I looked for Tor editors, and tried to get them to read my work…
Q: With your debut novel “Elantris” (2005) you made some noise with the intriguing storyline, imaginative magic system and the fact that it was a standalone book. What were the greatest challenges you faced in writing Mistborn, a series that follows the more traditional trilogy format, and in particular “The Well of Ascension”, which is the middle volume in the trilogy, oftentimes considered the weakest of the three? What about the positives of writing a series opposed to a standalone?
Brandon: Mistborn was difficult because it was the first trilogy I’d ever written. I want all my books to feel like standalones because I really like wrapping up a story satisfactorily in one volume, but with the Mistborn books I had to make sure the story was consistent across three volumes. “The Well of Ascension” was particularly difficult in that a second book in a series has to effectively recap what happened in the first book, without being too repetitive. Also, a second book has to end in such a way that it leaves readers wanting to read the third, but I’ve never liked big cliffhangers. I struggled with finding a balance in these two things with the second book. To me, the advantages to writing a trilogy are that I can develop characters further and get more in depth into the world. For example, I could develop three magic systems in Mistborn instead of just the one in "Elantris". People like to read about continuing characters, and it is fun for me to be able to expand on some of the side characters.
Q: In both “Elantris” and “Mistborn: The Final Empire” you pointedly made an effort to defy certain age-old, fantasy clichés. What formulaic story elements did you try to redefine or avoid in the second volume of the Mistborn trilogy?
Brandon: In “The Well of Ascension” I focused on the concept of prophesy. So many fantasy stories involve the idea of an ancient, infallible, and comprehensible prophesy which guides the actions of the characters. In “The Well of Ascension” I wanted to show the dangers of relying only on prophesy to provide a guide for your life. I also wanted to turn on its head my own concept of optimism. Many fantasies, including “Elantris”, show that If you are just determined enough you will succeed. I wanted to deal with what happens if you believe in yourself and things go wrong anyway.
Q: Regarding “Elantris”, I read a while back that you had no intentions of writing any sequels, but then you had a change of heart. I know that you’ve been busy with a lot of other projects, but has there been any progress at all on a possible follow-up, or maybe ideas you could share on an “Elantris” sequel that have been bouncing around in your head?
Brandon: I doubt I will do a sequel that begins just after “Elantris” ends, at least not with the same characters and in the same place. There are lots of ideas I want to explore in the world of "Elantris", though. I might do something about the Seons, or focus on a different culture, or write about something that happens many years after the story of “Elantris”.
Q: One of the many projects that you’re working on is a new children’s fantasy series, book one of which just came out October 1, 2007 via Scholastic Press and is called “Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians”. Can you give us a rundown on how this idea was conceived, what kind of story readers can expect from it, your plans for the series, and why you chose Scholastic as the publisher?
Brandon: Alcatraz actually started out as a freewrite. In the middle of writing the Mistborn series I needed a break, so I wrote down a silly sentence that had been tumbling around in my head, then just kept writing. It took me 16 days, and I wasn’t really setting out to write anything in particular. I ended up with the completely looney first Alcatraz book. I wasn’t even sure if it could be marketable, but I sent it to my agent, who suggested some small but significant changes, and then sent it out to children’s publishers.
Once I realized it could go somewhere, it fit into my plans quite well. I knew I wanted to start a second series, because it is much easier to make a living as an author if you have two books coming out a year rather than one. I wanted to write something that was different enough from my epic fantasies that my readers wouldn’t feel overwhelmed, but similar enough that those who liked my other books would still read it. I decided this meant writing either humor, science fiction, or young adult. I’d actually been reading a lot of YA, and was most excited about that idea, so when we decided to market Alcatraz as middle-grade, I was pleased. I immediately had all kinds of wacky ideas for the series.
Q: As far as the writing, what are the differences between a children’s fantasy and the books that you’ve already produced?
Brandon: Obviously the biggest difference between a middle-grade fantasy like Alcatraz and the stuff I write for Tor is the length. Alcatraz is sixty thousand words long, while “The Well of Ascension” is two hundred fifty thousand. Writing the Alcatraz books is nice because I can do it relatively quickly, and they don’t take themselves so seriously the way my epic fantasies do. I do find that I have to simplify things in order to write for kids — fewer viewpoint characters, simpler plot, etc. It is sometimes more satisfying to create an intricate story like I can do with my Tor fantasies. I’m actually really enjoying having the two types of books to write.
Q: Moving on, another of your projects is the standalone fantasy novel “Warbreaker”. What’s cool about this book is that you’re offering it as a free download while you’re writing it, giving readers the opportunity to witness & provide feedback on the book as it evolves from its roughest stages to eventually, a final version and publication, all in the name of publicity. Personally, I love the concept and just wondered if you had any other innovative ways for authors & publishers to promote books, especially with newer writers?
Brandon: I like the multimedia idea. I’ve often wondered if offering a CD with a book might be good–an audio book with some of it read by the author, or music inspired by the story, or something like that. I post excerpts of different drafts of my books on my website, and readers, especially those who are aspiring writers themselves, seem to like that. I think there are many kinds of “bonus material” that writers could include with their books in the way of special features that are often included on the DVD versions of movies. This is what I try to do on my website with my annotations and deleted scenes.
Q: Cover art is another area that is very important to you and one of the highlights of your books has been the uniquely breathtaking artwork. That trend continues in “The Well of Ascension” as artist Jon Foster (“Mistborn: The Final Empire”) outdoes himself in what I think is the best cover yet. So, just wondering what your thoughts are on how the artwork for “The Well of Ascension” turned out, how it stacks up to the other books’ covers, and any other thoughts you may have on the topic?
Brandon: I really liked Jon Foster’s art. I think he captures movement and action well, which was excellent on the Mistborn covers. Foster’s covers almost look like stained glass pieces themselves, and with the sort of gothic cathedrals I had in mind for some of the scenes of “The Well of Ascension”, this was perfect. As far as my personal opinion, I like the cover of Well better than that of Final Empire, but not quite as much as the cover for Elantris. I have to say, though, that the image they’ve chosen for Mistborn 3 may make it my favorite cover yet.
Q: I believe congratulations are in order :D You have a baby due out soon! How’s it feel to almost be a father?
Brandon: It’s very exciting and I don’t know really what to expect. I just hope he doesn’t come while I’m on book tour.
Q: Let’s hope not ;) So do you have any last thoughts or comments that you’d like to share with your readers?
Brandon: Try reading “Warbreaker” if you haven’t already. My goal is to get better with each book. I hope you stick with me during the process as I figure out what my style is!
Q: When I think about some of the bright new voices in fantasy and science fiction literature, Brandon Sanderson always comes to mind. Technically you’re not that new since you’ve just released your third and fourth novels with lots more to follow, but for those that may not be familiar with your work, can you just tell us a little about what inspired you to become a writer, how & why you ended up at Tor, and why readers might find your books worthwhile?
Brandon: After being a voracious reader as an elementary school student, I eventually got bored with the books people were handing me, and by Jr. High I didn’t read at all if I could help it. Luckily, a wonderful English teacher introduced me to the fantasy genre, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I read everything I could get my hands on, and even tried to write a fantasy novel when I was fifteen. It was a bit of a disaster, but when I tried again at 21 things went better. Though I started college as a bio-chem major, I soon realized that I enjoyed writing so much more than chemistry. I changed my major to English and dedicated myself to becoming an author. All through my undergraduate classes I worked nights as a hotel desk clerk because they let me write during my shift, and I could still go to school full time. I began to learn about marketing and publishing and sending my works to editors. I was writing my 13th novel when “Elantris”, my 6th novel was sold. I met my agent at the Nebula awards. He didn’t actually become my agent until I had a contract, though. I met my editor at the World Fantasy convention. Tor was my favorite publisher, and so I looked for Tor editors, and tried to get them to read my work…
Q: With your debut novel “Elantris” (2005) you made some noise with the intriguing storyline, imaginative magic system and the fact that it was a standalone book. What were the greatest challenges you faced in writing Mistborn, a series that follows the more traditional trilogy format, and in particular “The Well of Ascension”, which is the middle volume in the trilogy, oftentimes considered the weakest of the three? What about the positives of writing a series opposed to a standalone?
Brandon: Mistborn was difficult because it was the first trilogy I’d ever written. I want all my books to feel like standalones because I really like wrapping up a story satisfactorily in one volume, but with the Mistborn books I had to make sure the story was consistent across three volumes. “The Well of Ascension” was particularly difficult in that a second book in a series has to effectively recap what happened in the first book, without being too repetitive. Also, a second book has to end in such a way that it leaves readers wanting to read the third, but I’ve never liked big cliffhangers. I struggled with finding a balance in these two things with the second book. To me, the advantages to writing a trilogy are that I can develop characters further and get more in depth into the world. For example, I could develop three magic systems in Mistborn instead of just the one in "Elantris". People like to read about continuing characters, and it is fun for me to be able to expand on some of the side characters.Q: In both “Elantris” and “Mistborn: The Final Empire” you pointedly made an effort to defy certain age-old, fantasy clichés. What formulaic story elements did you try to redefine or avoid in the second volume of the Mistborn trilogy?
Brandon: In “The Well of Ascension” I focused on the concept of prophesy. So many fantasy stories involve the idea of an ancient, infallible, and comprehensible prophesy which guides the actions of the characters. In “The Well of Ascension” I wanted to show the dangers of relying only on prophesy to provide a guide for your life. I also wanted to turn on its head my own concept of optimism. Many fantasies, including “Elantris”, show that If you are just determined enough you will succeed. I wanted to deal with what happens if you believe in yourself and things go wrong anyway.
Q: Regarding “Elantris”, I read a while back that you had no intentions of writing any sequels, but then you had a change of heart. I know that you’ve been busy with a lot of other projects, but has there been any progress at all on a possible follow-up, or maybe ideas you could share on an “Elantris” sequel that have been bouncing around in your head?
Brandon: I doubt I will do a sequel that begins just after “Elantris” ends, at least not with the same characters and in the same place. There are lots of ideas I want to explore in the world of "Elantris", though. I might do something about the Seons, or focus on a different culture, or write about something that happens many years after the story of “Elantris”.
Q: One of the many projects that you’re working on is a new children’s fantasy series, book one of which just came out October 1, 2007 via Scholastic Press and is called “Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians”. Can you give us a rundown on how this idea was conceived, what kind of story readers can expect from it, your plans for the series, and why you chose Scholastic as the publisher?
Brandon: Alcatraz actually started out as a freewrite. In the middle of writing the Mistborn series I needed a break, so I wrote down a silly sentence that had been tumbling around in my head, then just kept writing. It took me 16 days, and I wasn’t really setting out to write anything in particular. I ended up with the completely looney first Alcatraz book. I wasn’t even sure if it could be marketable, but I sent it to my agent, who suggested some small but significant changes, and then sent it out to children’s publishers.Once I realized it could go somewhere, it fit into my plans quite well. I knew I wanted to start a second series, because it is much easier to make a living as an author if you have two books coming out a year rather than one. I wanted to write something that was different enough from my epic fantasies that my readers wouldn’t feel overwhelmed, but similar enough that those who liked my other books would still read it. I decided this meant writing either humor, science fiction, or young adult. I’d actually been reading a lot of YA, and was most excited about that idea, so when we decided to market Alcatraz as middle-grade, I was pleased. I immediately had all kinds of wacky ideas for the series.
Q: As far as the writing, what are the differences between a children’s fantasy and the books that you’ve already produced?
Brandon: Obviously the biggest difference between a middle-grade fantasy like Alcatraz and the stuff I write for Tor is the length. Alcatraz is sixty thousand words long, while “The Well of Ascension” is two hundred fifty thousand. Writing the Alcatraz books is nice because I can do it relatively quickly, and they don’t take themselves so seriously the way my epic fantasies do. I do find that I have to simplify things in order to write for kids — fewer viewpoint characters, simpler plot, etc. It is sometimes more satisfying to create an intricate story like I can do with my Tor fantasies. I’m actually really enjoying having the two types of books to write.
Q: Moving on, another of your projects is the standalone fantasy novel “Warbreaker”. What’s cool about this book is that you’re offering it as a free download while you’re writing it, giving readers the opportunity to witness & provide feedback on the book as it evolves from its roughest stages to eventually, a final version and publication, all in the name of publicity. Personally, I love the concept and just wondered if you had any other innovative ways for authors & publishers to promote books, especially with newer writers?
Brandon: I like the multimedia idea. I’ve often wondered if offering a CD with a book might be good–an audio book with some of it read by the author, or music inspired by the story, or something like that. I post excerpts of different drafts of my books on my website, and readers, especially those who are aspiring writers themselves, seem to like that. I think there are many kinds of “bonus material” that writers could include with their books in the way of special features that are often included on the DVD versions of movies. This is what I try to do on my website with my annotations and deleted scenes.
Q: Cover art is another area that is very important to you and one of the highlights of your books has been the uniquely breathtaking artwork. That trend continues in “The Well of Ascension” as artist Jon Foster (“Mistborn: The Final Empire”) outdoes himself in what I think is the best cover yet. So, just wondering what your thoughts are on how the artwork for “The Well of Ascension” turned out, how it stacks up to the other books’ covers, and any other thoughts you may have on the topic?
Brandon: I really liked Jon Foster’s art. I think he captures movement and action well, which was excellent on the Mistborn covers. Foster’s covers almost look like stained glass pieces themselves, and with the sort of gothic cathedrals I had in mind for some of the scenes of “The Well of Ascension”, this was perfect. As far as my personal opinion, I like the cover of Well better than that of Final Empire, but not quite as much as the cover for Elantris. I have to say, though, that the image they’ve chosen for Mistborn 3 may make it my favorite cover yet.
Q: I believe congratulations are in order :D You have a baby due out soon! How’s it feel to almost be a father? Brandon: It’s very exciting and I don’t know really what to expect. I just hope he doesn’t come while I’m on book tour.
Q: Let’s hope not ;) So do you have any last thoughts or comments that you’d like to share with your readers?
Brandon: Try reading “Warbreaker” if you haven’t already. My goal is to get better with each book. I hope you stick with me during the process as I figure out what my style is!
9:16 AM | 
Posted by
Robert |
Official Sarah Langan WebsiteOfficial Sarah Langan Blog
Order “The Missing” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
When I was younger I used to read horror almost as prodigiously as I did fantasy. I was particularly into Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert McCammon, Anne Rice, Brian Lumley, and basically anything that had vampires in it. Nowadays, even though I’m still a fan of the genre and watch countless scary movies all the time, I don’t read horror nearly as much. I mean, I still pick up Koontz books but he’s basically just writing suspense thrillers right now; McCammon retired there for a bit and while he’s writing again, he’s also veered away from his horror roots; Anne Rice & Brian Lumley have lost their luster; Clive Barker has been busy with the YA fantasy series Abarat and other projects (but thankfully has a new horror novel on the way :); Stephen King I’ve never really been a fan of apart from The Dark Tower and The Green Mile; Peter Straub, John Saul and Bentley Little I could never get into; and I’ve been pretty bad about trying out new authors apart from Tim Lebbon, Douglas Clegg, Caitlin R. Kiernan, etc. So honestly, I’ve been craving some new horror for a while now and when Sarah Langan’s “The Missing” showed up in my mail I couldn’t wait to get started :D
A graduate in creative writing from Columbia University and currently pursuing a Master's in Environmental Health Science/Toxicology at New York University, Sarah Langan debuted last year with “The Keeper”, which was a finalist for the 2006 Bram Stoker Award (Best First Novel) and has drawn comparisons to such horror greats as Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, and Peter Straub. Normally I don’t put much stock in such accolades, but I have to say that I was pretty impressed with what was being said about Ms. Langan and I had really high hopes for her sophomore novel “The Missing” (UK version is titled “Virus”). Suffice it to say that Sarah Langan delivers, big time…
In literature, especially speculative fiction, it can be argued that it’s nearly impossible to come up with a story that is truly original anymore and “The Missing” is no exception. Just looking at the obvious, there’s the small-town Maine setting which of course recalls Stephen King, while the plot, which features a virus that spreads in apocalyptic fashion transforming normal people into flesh-eating monsters, brings to mind Resident Evil, 28 Days/Weeks Later or various other zombie-like stories. Of course there’s much more to telling a story than just originality. It’s been proven time and again that you can take something that’s been done before and make it work successfully. It’s all about presentation. Perhaps in a lesser writer’s hands a book like “The Missing” might not work so well but Sarah Langan is definitely no ordinary writer. Even though “The Missing” is only the author’s second novel, Ms. Langan exudes a confidence and flair that really comes across in her writing and elevates her book to a level that is usually reserved for more experienced novelists. Breaking it down, the prose is wonderful, Ms. Langan is quite adept at setting the mood, she’s very descriptive and very in tune with contemporary pop culture (Elimidate, Gilmore Girls, the Tick, etc). Also, Sarah Langan has a pretty wicked imagination ;) Horror can come in many forms, but it usually varies between the more psychological, atmospheric variety and the gory, shock-value type. Ms. Langan does both extremely well so whether you’re in the mood for thought-provoking, tension-building scares or disturbing scenes of graphic violence, “The Missing” has it covered.
Most impressive of all was Sarah Langan’s ability to write believable characters with believable problems. Husbands, fathers, mothers, wives, teenagers, children, brothers, sisters; Ms. Langan has it all covered in “The Missing” and does a fantastic job of developing & capturing each person’s personality and the everyday problems they’re dealing with—wife having an affair, living up to a parent’s expectations, job-related stress, being different from other kids, peer pressure, sexual urges, etc. The time spent in establishing all of the characters are then put to good use when the author uses the virus to feed on each individual’s fears, regrets or hatred and leads them on a downward spiral toward madness, death or something much worse. In fact, some of the best moments in the book were seeing how Fenstad, Meg, Lois, Danny, Lila, etc. dealt with their increasingly dire situations and in what terrifying ways they were changed. All I can say is that’s it’s definitely not pretty…
My biggest, and really, only pet peeve with the book is that I had the sense that I was missing something – no pun intended – especially regarding the origins of the virus, which was never really explained. So after finishing “The Missing”, I dug around a little and discovered that the book was actually a sequel to Ms. Langan’s debut novel “The Keeper”. Why the publisher failed to mention this little tidbit on the cover of “The Missing” I’m not sure, but I did read somewhere that the book is a loose sequel and that both it and “The Keeper” are considered standalones. Regardless, it should have been mentioned somewhere on the book so a completist like myself could have the option of reading “The Keeper” first or not. If Ms. Langan does decide to write another follow-up which is a possibility considering the way the “The Missing” ended – a tiny ray of hope in an otherwise bleak future – then I hope this oversight is corrected. For those interested by the way, Ms. Langan is currently at work on a collection of short fiction and her third novel “Audrey's Door” which is supposedly a “much more intimate, nuanced story than my previous novels.”
Anyways, aside from the sequel business, there’s not much to complain about in “The Missing”. Sure, I mentioned the originality factor earlier, but it’s not really an issue since the plot is more character-driven and Ms. Langan does a really good job of imbuing the material with her own unique flourishes. As far as comparisons to other horror authors, they’re pretty much unavoidable and not without merit. After all, I definitely see some Stephen King and Peter Straub influences in the writing and parts of the book also reminded me of early Dean Koontz & Robert McCammon. In fact, I would go so far to say that Sarah Langan is an old-skool stylist—I’m thinking 70s/80s horror—crossed with new skool sensibilities. In short, “The Missing” is nightmarishly good, Sarah Langan is definitely the real deal, and my love for horror literature has been rekindled in a big way!
A graduate in creative writing from Columbia University and currently pursuing a Master's in Environmental Health Science/Toxicology at New York University, Sarah Langan debuted last year with “The Keeper”, which was a finalist for the 2006 Bram Stoker Award (Best First Novel) and has drawn comparisons to such horror greats as Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, and Peter Straub. Normally I don’t put much stock in such accolades, but I have to say that I was pretty impressed with what was being said about Ms. Langan and I had really high hopes for her sophomore novel “The Missing” (UK version is titled “Virus”). Suffice it to say that Sarah Langan delivers, big time…
In literature, especially speculative fiction, it can be argued that it’s nearly impossible to come up with a story that is truly original anymore and “The Missing” is no exception. Just looking at the obvious, there’s the small-town Maine setting which of course recalls Stephen King, while the plot, which features a virus that spreads in apocalyptic fashion transforming normal people into flesh-eating monsters, brings to mind Resident Evil, 28 Days/Weeks Later or various other zombie-like stories. Of course there’s much more to telling a story than just originality. It’s been proven time and again that you can take something that’s been done before and make it work successfully. It’s all about presentation. Perhaps in a lesser writer’s hands a book like “The Missing” might not work so well but Sarah Langan is definitely no ordinary writer. Even though “The Missing” is only the author’s second novel, Ms. Langan exudes a confidence and flair that really comes across in her writing and elevates her book to a level that is usually reserved for more experienced novelists. Breaking it down, the prose is wonderful, Ms. Langan is quite adept at setting the mood, she’s very descriptive and very in tune with contemporary pop culture (Elimidate, Gilmore Girls, the Tick, etc). Also, Sarah Langan has a pretty wicked imagination ;) Horror can come in many forms, but it usually varies between the more psychological, atmospheric variety and the gory, shock-value type. Ms. Langan does both extremely well so whether you’re in the mood for thought-provoking, tension-building scares or disturbing scenes of graphic violence, “The Missing” has it covered.
Most impressive of all was Sarah Langan’s ability to write believable characters with believable problems. Husbands, fathers, mothers, wives, teenagers, children, brothers, sisters; Ms. Langan has it all covered in “The Missing” and does a fantastic job of developing & capturing each person’s personality and the everyday problems they’re dealing with—wife having an affair, living up to a parent’s expectations, job-related stress, being different from other kids, peer pressure, sexual urges, etc. The time spent in establishing all of the characters are then put to good use when the author uses the virus to feed on each individual’s fears, regrets or hatred and leads them on a downward spiral toward madness, death or something much worse. In fact, some of the best moments in the book were seeing how Fenstad, Meg, Lois, Danny, Lila, etc. dealt with their increasingly dire situations and in what terrifying ways they were changed. All I can say is that’s it’s definitely not pretty…
My biggest, and really, only pet peeve with the book is that I had the sense that I was missing something – no pun intended – especially regarding the origins of the virus, which was never really explained. So after finishing “The Missing”, I dug around a little and discovered that the book was actually a sequel to Ms. Langan’s debut novel “The Keeper”. Why the publisher failed to mention this little tidbit on the cover of “The Missing” I’m not sure, but I did read somewhere that the book is a loose sequel and that both it and “The Keeper” are considered standalones. Regardless, it should have been mentioned somewhere on the book so a completist like myself could have the option of reading “The Keeper” first or not. If Ms. Langan does decide to write another follow-up which is a possibility considering the way the “The Missing” ended – a tiny ray of hope in an otherwise bleak future – then I hope this oversight is corrected. For those interested by the way, Ms. Langan is currently at work on a collection of short fiction and her third novel “Audrey's Door” which is supposedly a “much more intimate, nuanced story than my previous novels.”
Anyways, aside from the sequel business, there’s not much to complain about in “The Missing”. Sure, I mentioned the originality factor earlier, but it’s not really an issue since the plot is more character-driven and Ms. Langan does a really good job of imbuing the material with her own unique flourishes. As far as comparisons to other horror authors, they’re pretty much unavoidable and not without merit. After all, I definitely see some Stephen King and Peter Straub influences in the writing and parts of the book also reminded me of early Dean Koontz & Robert McCammon. In fact, I would go so far to say that Sarah Langan is an old-skool stylist—I’m thinking 70s/80s horror—crossed with new skool sensibilities. In short, “The Missing” is nightmarishly good, Sarah Langan is definitely the real deal, and my love for horror literature has been rekindled in a big way!
Welcome to the October 2007 edition of Fantasy Book Critic's monthly SPOTLIGHT. Previous spotlights can be visited here: June 2007, July 2007, August 2007 + September 2007. Just a warning, but this spotlight is over twice as long as the others. Not sure if it’s because of Halloween, but October is overflowing with great releases. So whether you’re a fan of fantasy, science fiction, horror or YA, October 2007 is going to keep you busy :D As always, thanks for your support… (NOTE: Unless stated otherwise, all release dates are for the US):
“The Arrival” by Shaun Tan. Release Date: October 1, 2007. How does a book with no words tell a story? Check out Shaun Tan’s young adult graphic novel “The Arrival” for a perfect example. Initially released in 2006 in Australia, “The Arrival” relates the migration of one man’s heartbreaking journey to a new world in search of a better future for his family. Features stunning artwork from the multiple award-winning Mr. Tan who has already won two awards for “The Arrival”, which is destined to be a classic…
Official Shaun Tan Website
Arthur A Levine Book’s The Arrival Page
Order “The Arrival” HERE
Click HERE For Information/Artwork on “The Arrival”
Read Newsarama’s INTERVIEW With Shaun Tan
“Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians” by Brandon Sanderson. Release Date: October 1, 2007. In such novels as “Elantris”, “Mistborn: The Final Empire” and the recently released “The Well of Ascension” (August 2007), author Brandon Sanderson has been breathing new life into epic fantasy. With his latest book “Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians”, Mr. Sanderson turns to young adult fiction and introduces Alcatraz Smedry, “a hero with an incredible talent...for breaking things…”
Official Brandon Sanderson Website
Order “Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians” HERE
Read Chapter One + Chapter Two
“The Sword-Edged Blonde” by Alex Bledsoe. Release Date: October 1, 2007. Alex Bledsoe’s debut novel “The Sword-Edged Blonde” is the first in a series of Eddie LaCrosse Mystery books that is being marketed to fans of Glen Cook’s Garrett P.I. novels and anyone who loves Dashiell Hammet & Raymond Chandler. The book has received glowing blurbs from Orson Scott Card, David Drake, Charles de Lint & Virginia Baker who claims it’s “utterly unique, often hilarious and with moments of great heart…”
Official Alex Bledsoe Myspace
Order “The Sword-Edged Blonde” HERE
“The Awakened Mage” by Karen Miller. Release Date: October 1, 2007. Stunning conclusion to the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker Duology that began in last month’s “The Innocent Mage”, Karen Miller’s “The Awakened Mage” finds Prince Gar and Asher “caught up in a dangerous deception which threatens to tear apart the kingdom and destroy the fragile balance between Olken & Doranen. And no-one, not even Dathne and her secret Circle, is prepared for the consequences when the Innocent Mage is revealed at last...”
Official Karen Miller Website
Order “The Awakened Mage” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read REVIEWS of “The Awakened Mage” via The Fantasy Review + The Book Swede
“Betwixt” by Tara Bray Smith. Release Date: October 1, 2007. A graduate of both Dartmouth College and Columbia University’s School of the Arts, Tara Bray Smith impressed critics in 2005 with her memoir "West of Then: A Mother, a Daughter, and a Journey Past Paradise". In her new book “Betwixt”, Ms. Smith takes on YA and delivers “an electrifying fantasy novel that draws readers into a hidden world layered within our own reality, a world more challenging & complex than anything humans know…”
Official Tara Bray Smith Website
Official Betwixt Website
Order “Betwixt” HERE
“The Solitudes” by John Crowley. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Mr. Crowley's Ægypt series is considered a landmark in contemporary fiction and helped the author earn the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters Award for Literature. Now, following the May 2007 release of the final book in the series (Endless Things), Overlook is bringing the entire tetralogy back into print. Completely revised by the author, “The Solitudes” (1987) opens a series “that will certainly take its place amongst the great books of our time…”
Official John Crowley LiveJournal
Order “The Solitudes” HERE
“The Shadow Speaker” by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu. Release Date: October 2, 2007. In 2005, Nigerian writer/professor Dr. Okorafor-Mbachu made a strong first impression with her YA debut novel “Zarah the Windseeker” (shortlisted for the 2005 Parallax, Kindred & Golden Duck Awards), a delightful blend of fantasy, science fiction and ethnic culture. Set in the same universe, but a standalone story, “The Shadow Speaker” is “an adventure worthy of Harry Potter, told from a new and intriguing part of the world…”
Official Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu Website
Official Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu Blog
Order “The Shadow Speaker” HERE
“Not Flesh Nor Feathers” by Cherie Priest. Release Date: October 2, 2007. A standalone sequel to “Four and Twenty Birds” (2005) and “Wings” to the Kingdom” (2006), “Not Flesh Nor Feathers” once again stars medium Eden Moore in another harrowing tale of mystery, Southern Gothic horror and supernatural action. Ms. Priest is also a reviewer for Chiaroscuro, has written “Dreadful Skin” (Subterranean Press-2007) & other short fiction, and has two more novels forthcoming from Tor (Fathom, Awake Into Darkness)…
Official Cherie Priest Website
Official Cherie Priest LiveJournal
Order “Not Flesh Nor Feathers” HERE
“Halting State” by Charles Stross. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Ever since 2003, Charles Stross (Accelerando, Glasshouse, the Eschaton series, The Merchant Princes, the Bob Howard novels) has been churning out books at a prodigious rate covering everything from SF to fantasy to horror, etc., all while accumulating numerous awards & nominations (Hugo, John W. Campbell, Nebula, Prometheus, Locus). In “Halting State”, Mr. Stross tackles the near future in a “brilliantly conceived techno-crime thriller…”
Official Charles Stross Website
Order “Halting State” HERE
Read REVIEWS of “Halting State” via Green Man Review, SF Diplomat + The Book Swede
“Ha'penny” by Jo Walton. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Winner of the 2002 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer and the World Fantasy Award for “Tooth and Claw” (2003), Jo Walton is also the author of the acclaimed alternate history whodunit novel “Farthing”. In “Ha’penny”, the sequel to “Farthing”, Ms. Walton “continues her alternate history of an England that could have been, with a novel that is both an homage of the classic detective novels of the thirties & forties, and an allegory of the world we live in today…”
Official Jo Walton Website
Official Jo Walton LiveJournal
Order “Ha’penny” HERE
“Extras” by Scott Westerfeld. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Specializing in YA SF/fantasy, Mr. Westerfeld’s bibliography includes the New York Times-bestselling Uglies trilogy. A companion piece to the series, “Extras” is described so: "The world of uglies, pretties, and specials is over. Now it's all about fame. In Extras, everyone's social status is constantly monitored & rated. It's like a gigantic worldwide game of American Idol, where everyone knows how famous you are. And anyone can be a celebrity in an instant…"
Official Scott Westerfeld Website
Order “Extras” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read An Interview with Scott Westerfeld HERE
FYI: Though new information is scarce, the Uglies series has been optioned for film adaptation by 20th Century Fox and producer John Davis (I, Robot, Aliens vs. Predator).
“When All Seems Lost” by William C. Dietz. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Bestselling novelist of more than thirty titles including tie-ins to Star Wars, the wildly popular videogame franchise Halo, and Hitman, William C. Dietz is back with the seventh entry in the epic military SF series Legion of the Damned, which features a “mission that will determine humanity's future in a galaxy full of unpredictable enemies.” Publisher’s Weekly calls it “jam-packed with intrigue, deep space adventure and futuristic combat…”
Official William C. Dietz Website
Order “When All Seems Lost” HERE
“Postsingular” by Rudy Rucker. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Professor (math, computer science), programmer, writer; Rudy Rucker is all of these and then some with his first book, a nonfiction on geometry, published in 1977. Since then, Mr. Rucker has released numerous works of nonfiction, short stories and science fiction including the Ware Tetralogy which won two Philip K. Dick Awards, as well as developing his own subgenre “Transrealism”. “Postsingular” continues the author’s distinct blend of hard SF and zaniness…
Official Rudy Rucker Website
Order “Postsingular” HERE
Click HERE for more “Postsingular” Information
“Servant: The Awakening” by L. L. Foster. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Better known as romance novelist Lori Foster, a Waldenbooks, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly and New York Times-bestselling author of over 65 titles and recipient of the 2001 Romantic Times "Career Achievement Award" for Series Romantic Fantasy, the writer is adopting the moniker L. L. Foster as she branches out into urban fantasy with “Servant: The Awakening”, which features demon slayer heroine Gaby Cody…
Official L. L. Foster Website
Official Lori Foster Website
Order “Servant: The Awakening” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE + HERE
Watch the “Servant: The Awakening” Book Video HERE
“Stealing Light” by Gary Gibson. UK Release Date: October 5, 2007. Mr. Gibson’s background isn’t flashy. He’s based out of Scotland; is associated with the Glasgow Science Fiction Writer’s Circle (Hal Duncan); currently works in graphic design; has written short fiction; and is the author of two science fiction novels in “Angel Stations” (2004) + “Against Gravity” (2005). “Stealing Light” is Mr. Gibson’s third novel and starts a new epic-scale space opera series that will continue in “Stealing Fire” 2008) + “Stealing Time” (2009)…
Official Gary Gibson Website
Official Gary Gibson Myspace
Order “Stealing Light” HERE (UK) + HERE (US)
Read REVIEWS of “Stealing Light” via The Agony Column (scroll down) + Neal Asher
“Fatal Revenant” by Stephen R. Donaldson. Release Date: October 9, 2007. With the classic First and Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever, author Stephen R. Donaldson established himself as one of the most distinguished writers in fantasy literature. Over twenty years after the completion of the second Covenant trilogy, “The Runes of the Earth” (2004) was released heralding the start to The Last Chronicles tetralogy. “Fatal Revenant” is the highly anticipated second volume in the new series…
Official Stephen R. Donaldson Website
Order” Fatal Revenant” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE, HERE (Chapter 1) + HERE (Chapter 2)
Read Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist’s Review of “Fatal Revenant” HERE
“World Without End” by Ken Follett. Release Date: October 9, 2007. A writer of spy/espionage thrillers, historical fiction and techno-thrillers, Ken Follet is best known for the historical novel “The Pillars of the Earth” (1989). Now, with over 90 million readers worldwide, Mr. Follet is releasing the long-awaited sequel to his most popular book. Kirkus Reviews describes “World Without End” as “A lively entertainment for fans of The Once and Future King, The Lord of the Rings and other multilayered epics…”
Official Ken Follett Website
Order “World Without End” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Emissary” by Fiona McIntosh. Release Date: October 9, 2007. Yet another Australian novelist (Sean Williams, Karen Miller, Joel Shepherd, etc.) trying to make it here in the US, Fiona McIntosh’s works include two completed trilogies (Trinity, The Quickening), children’s books (Shapeshifters, the upcoming “The Whisperer”) and her current series The Percheron Saga. “Emissary” is the second book in the current trilogy, following "Odalisque" (March 2007), and will be completed with the forthcoming “Goddess”…
Official Fiona McIntosh Website
Official Fiona McIntosh Myspace
Order “Emissary” HERE
“Grimpow: The Invisible Road” by Rafael Ábalos. Release Date: October 9, 2007. Already a #1 Bestseller in Spain & Italy, as well as being sold in 27 countries, Rafael Ábalos’ first book for young readers, the acclaimed “Grimpow: The Invisible Road”, is being published in English for the first time. “Set amongst a historical accurate 14th century European backdrop, the tale unfurls amid war, kings, popes and jousts only to be juxtaposed with a fantastical world of magic, visions and supernatural abilities…”
Order “Grimpow: The Invisible Road” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Commons” by Matthew Hughes. Release Date: October 15, 2007. Originally run as episodes in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Matthew Hughes’ (Black Brillion, The Spiral Labyrinth) popular Guth Bandar adventures are being released as an Archonate novel (“The Commons”) by Robert J. Sawyer’s (The Terminal Experiment, Mindscan, Hominids) publishing imprint Robert J. Sawyer Books (Karl Schroeder), with an introduction by the Canadian SF writer Mr. Sawyer himself…”
Official Matthew Hughes Website
Order “The Commons” HERE
“20th Century Ghosts” by Joe Hill. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Originally released in 2005 (PS Publishing) in limited circulation, the multiple award-winning (Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, International Horror Guild, Ray Bradbury Fellowship) short-story collection “20th Century Ghosts” by up-and-coming writer Joe Hill—son of the Master of Horror Stephen King and author of the New York Times-bestselling debut novel “Heart-Shaped Box” (2007)—is finally available to readers everywhere…
Official Joe Hill Website
Official Joe Hill Myspace
Order “20th Century Ghosts” HERE
“The Almost Moon” by Alice Sebold. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Because of the overwhelming success enjoyed by Alice Sebold’s first fiction novel “The Lovely Bones” (2002) – New York Times Bestseller with nearly three million copies sold in the US alone; selected for Good Morning America’s Bookclub; being adapted into a film by Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong), et cetera – I’m pretty interested to see how her new novel “The Almost Moon” fares…
Steven Barclay Agency’s Alice Sebold Page
Order “The Almost Moon” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“A Sword From Red Ice” by J.V. Jones. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Long in the making, “A Sword From Red Ice”, the third volume in the Sword of Shadows saga by J.V. Jones—author of the USA Today Bestselling Book of Words trilogy and “The Barbed Coil”—is finally coming out to continue “an unforgettable tale of ambition, betrayal, and the indomitable strength of the human spirit.” “A Sword From Red Ice” is an “epic fantasy of enormous scope, set on a world peopled by fascinating, compelling characters…”
Official J.V. Jones Website
Order “A Sword From Red Ice” HERE
Read The Prologue HERE
“The Arrival” by Shaun Tan. Release Date: October 1, 2007. How does a book with no words tell a story? Check out Shaun Tan’s young adult graphic novel “The Arrival” for a perfect example. Initially released in 2006 in Australia, “The Arrival” relates the migration of one man’s heartbreaking journey to a new world in search of a better future for his family. Features stunning artwork from the multiple award-winning Mr. Tan who has already won two awards for “The Arrival”, which is destined to be a classic…Official Shaun Tan Website
Arthur A Levine Book’s The Arrival Page
Order “The Arrival” HERE
Click HERE For Information/Artwork on “The Arrival”
Read Newsarama’s INTERVIEW With Shaun Tan
“Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians” by Brandon Sanderson. Release Date: October 1, 2007. In such novels as “Elantris”, “Mistborn: The Final Empire” and the recently released “The Well of Ascension” (August 2007), author Brandon Sanderson has been breathing new life into epic fantasy. With his latest book “Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians”, Mr. Sanderson turns to young adult fiction and introduces Alcatraz Smedry, “a hero with an incredible talent...for breaking things…”Official Brandon Sanderson Website
Order “Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians” HERE
Read Chapter One + Chapter Two
“The Sword-Edged Blonde” by Alex Bledsoe. Release Date: October 1, 2007. Alex Bledsoe’s debut novel “The Sword-Edged Blonde” is the first in a series of Eddie LaCrosse Mystery books that is being marketed to fans of Glen Cook’s Garrett P.I. novels and anyone who loves Dashiell Hammet & Raymond Chandler. The book has received glowing blurbs from Orson Scott Card, David Drake, Charles de Lint & Virginia Baker who claims it’s “utterly unique, often hilarious and with moments of great heart…”Official Alex Bledsoe Myspace
Order “The Sword-Edged Blonde” HERE
“The Awakened Mage” by Karen Miller. Release Date: October 1, 2007. Stunning conclusion to the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker Duology that began in last month’s “The Innocent Mage”, Karen Miller’s “The Awakened Mage” finds Prince Gar and Asher “caught up in a dangerous deception which threatens to tear apart the kingdom and destroy the fragile balance between Olken & Doranen. And no-one, not even Dathne and her secret Circle, is prepared for the consequences when the Innocent Mage is revealed at last...”Official Karen Miller Website
Order “The Awakened Mage” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read REVIEWS of “The Awakened Mage” via The Fantasy Review + The Book Swede
“Betwixt” by Tara Bray Smith. Release Date: October 1, 2007. A graduate of both Dartmouth College and Columbia University’s School of the Arts, Tara Bray Smith impressed critics in 2005 with her memoir "West of Then: A Mother, a Daughter, and a Journey Past Paradise". In her new book “Betwixt”, Ms. Smith takes on YA and delivers “an electrifying fantasy novel that draws readers into a hidden world layered within our own reality, a world more challenging & complex than anything humans know…”Official Tara Bray Smith Website
Official Betwixt Website
Order “Betwixt” HERE
“The Solitudes” by John Crowley. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Mr. Crowley's Ægypt series is considered a landmark in contemporary fiction and helped the author earn the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters Award for Literature. Now, following the May 2007 release of the final book in the series (Endless Things), Overlook is bringing the entire tetralogy back into print. Completely revised by the author, “The Solitudes” (1987) opens a series “that will certainly take its place amongst the great books of our time…”Official John Crowley LiveJournal
Order “The Solitudes” HERE
“The Shadow Speaker” by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu. Release Date: October 2, 2007. In 2005, Nigerian writer/professor Dr. Okorafor-Mbachu made a strong first impression with her YA debut novel “Zarah the Windseeker” (shortlisted for the 2005 Parallax, Kindred & Golden Duck Awards), a delightful blend of fantasy, science fiction and ethnic culture. Set in the same universe, but a standalone story, “The Shadow Speaker” is “an adventure worthy of Harry Potter, told from a new and intriguing part of the world…”Official Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu Website
Official Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu Blog
Order “The Shadow Speaker” HERE
“Not Flesh Nor Feathers” by Cherie Priest. Release Date: October 2, 2007. A standalone sequel to “Four and Twenty Birds” (2005) and “Wings” to the Kingdom” (2006), “Not Flesh Nor Feathers” once again stars medium Eden Moore in another harrowing tale of mystery, Southern Gothic horror and supernatural action. Ms. Priest is also a reviewer for Chiaroscuro, has written “Dreadful Skin” (Subterranean Press-2007) & other short fiction, and has two more novels forthcoming from Tor (Fathom, Awake Into Darkness)…Official Cherie Priest Website
Official Cherie Priest LiveJournal
Order “Not Flesh Nor Feathers” HERE
“Halting State” by Charles Stross. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Ever since 2003, Charles Stross (Accelerando, Glasshouse, the Eschaton series, The Merchant Princes, the Bob Howard novels) has been churning out books at a prodigious rate covering everything from SF to fantasy to horror, etc., all while accumulating numerous awards & nominations (Hugo, John W. Campbell, Nebula, Prometheus, Locus). In “Halting State”, Mr. Stross tackles the near future in a “brilliantly conceived techno-crime thriller…”Official Charles Stross Website
Order “Halting State” HERE
Read REVIEWS of “Halting State” via Green Man Review, SF Diplomat + The Book Swede
“Ha'penny” by Jo Walton. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Winner of the 2002 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer and the World Fantasy Award for “Tooth and Claw” (2003), Jo Walton is also the author of the acclaimed alternate history whodunit novel “Farthing”. In “Ha’penny”, the sequel to “Farthing”, Ms. Walton “continues her alternate history of an England that could have been, with a novel that is both an homage of the classic detective novels of the thirties & forties, and an allegory of the world we live in today…”Official Jo Walton Website
Official Jo Walton LiveJournal
Order “Ha’penny” HERE
“Extras” by Scott Westerfeld. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Specializing in YA SF/fantasy, Mr. Westerfeld’s bibliography includes the New York Times-bestselling Uglies trilogy. A companion piece to the series, “Extras” is described so: "The world of uglies, pretties, and specials is over. Now it's all about fame. In Extras, everyone's social status is constantly monitored & rated. It's like a gigantic worldwide game of American Idol, where everyone knows how famous you are. And anyone can be a celebrity in an instant…"Official Scott Westerfeld Website
Order “Extras” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read An Interview with Scott Westerfeld HERE
FYI: Though new information is scarce, the Uglies series has been optioned for film adaptation by 20th Century Fox and producer John Davis (I, Robot, Aliens vs. Predator).
“When All Seems Lost” by William C. Dietz. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Bestselling novelist of more than thirty titles including tie-ins to Star Wars, the wildly popular videogame franchise Halo, and Hitman, William C. Dietz is back with the seventh entry in the epic military SF series Legion of the Damned, which features a “mission that will determine humanity's future in a galaxy full of unpredictable enemies.” Publisher’s Weekly calls it “jam-packed with intrigue, deep space adventure and futuristic combat…”Official William C. Dietz Website
Order “When All Seems Lost” HERE
“Postsingular” by Rudy Rucker. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Professor (math, computer science), programmer, writer; Rudy Rucker is all of these and then some with his first book, a nonfiction on geometry, published in 1977. Since then, Mr. Rucker has released numerous works of nonfiction, short stories and science fiction including the Ware Tetralogy which won two Philip K. Dick Awards, as well as developing his own subgenre “Transrealism”. “Postsingular” continues the author’s distinct blend of hard SF and zaniness…Official Rudy Rucker Website
Order “Postsingular” HERE
Click HERE for more “Postsingular” Information
“Servant: The Awakening” by L. L. Foster. Release Date: October 2, 2007. Better known as romance novelist Lori Foster, a Waldenbooks, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly and New York Times-bestselling author of over 65 titles and recipient of the 2001 Romantic Times "Career Achievement Award" for Series Romantic Fantasy, the writer is adopting the moniker L. L. Foster as she branches out into urban fantasy with “Servant: The Awakening”, which features demon slayer heroine Gaby Cody…Official L. L. Foster Website
Official Lori Foster Website
Order “Servant: The Awakening” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE + HERE
Watch the “Servant: The Awakening” Book Video HERE
“Stealing Light” by Gary Gibson. UK Release Date: October 5, 2007. Mr. Gibson’s background isn’t flashy. He’s based out of Scotland; is associated with the Glasgow Science Fiction Writer’s Circle (Hal Duncan); currently works in graphic design; has written short fiction; and is the author of two science fiction novels in “Angel Stations” (2004) + “Against Gravity” (2005). “Stealing Light” is Mr. Gibson’s third novel and starts a new epic-scale space opera series that will continue in “Stealing Fire” 2008) + “Stealing Time” (2009)…Official Gary Gibson Website
Official Gary Gibson Myspace
Order “Stealing Light” HERE (UK) + HERE (US)
Read REVIEWS of “Stealing Light” via The Agony Column (scroll down) + Neal Asher
“Fatal Revenant” by Stephen R. Donaldson. Release Date: October 9, 2007. With the classic First and Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever, author Stephen R. Donaldson established himself as one of the most distinguished writers in fantasy literature. Over twenty years after the completion of the second Covenant trilogy, “The Runes of the Earth” (2004) was released heralding the start to The Last Chronicles tetralogy. “Fatal Revenant” is the highly anticipated second volume in the new series…Official Stephen R. Donaldson Website
Order” Fatal Revenant” HERE
Read Excerpts HERE, HERE (Chapter 1) + HERE (Chapter 2)
Read Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist’s Review of “Fatal Revenant” HERE
“World Without End” by Ken Follett. Release Date: October 9, 2007. A writer of spy/espionage thrillers, historical fiction and techno-thrillers, Ken Follet is best known for the historical novel “The Pillars of the Earth” (1989). Now, with over 90 million readers worldwide, Mr. Follet is releasing the long-awaited sequel to his most popular book. Kirkus Reviews describes “World Without End” as “A lively entertainment for fans of The Once and Future King, The Lord of the Rings and other multilayered epics…”Official Ken Follett Website
Order “World Without End” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Emissary” by Fiona McIntosh. Release Date: October 9, 2007. Yet another Australian novelist (Sean Williams, Karen Miller, Joel Shepherd, etc.) trying to make it here in the US, Fiona McIntosh’s works include two completed trilogies (Trinity, The Quickening), children’s books (Shapeshifters, the upcoming “The Whisperer”) and her current series The Percheron Saga. “Emissary” is the second book in the current trilogy, following "Odalisque" (March 2007), and will be completed with the forthcoming “Goddess”…Official Fiona McIntosh Website
Official Fiona McIntosh Myspace
Order “Emissary” HERE
“Grimpow: The Invisible Road” by Rafael Ábalos. Release Date: October 9, 2007. Already a #1 Bestseller in Spain & Italy, as well as being sold in 27 countries, Rafael Ábalos’ first book for young readers, the acclaimed “Grimpow: The Invisible Road”, is being published in English for the first time. “Set amongst a historical accurate 14th century European backdrop, the tale unfurls amid war, kings, popes and jousts only to be juxtaposed with a fantastical world of magic, visions and supernatural abilities…”Order “Grimpow: The Invisible Road” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Commons” by Matthew Hughes. Release Date: October 15, 2007. Originally run as episodes in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Matthew Hughes’ (Black Brillion, The Spiral Labyrinth) popular Guth Bandar adventures are being released as an Archonate novel (“The Commons”) by Robert J. Sawyer’s (The Terminal Experiment, Mindscan, Hominids) publishing imprint Robert J. Sawyer Books (Karl Schroeder), with an introduction by the Canadian SF writer Mr. Sawyer himself…”Official Matthew Hughes Website
Order “The Commons” HERE
“20th Century Ghosts” by Joe Hill. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Originally released in 2005 (PS Publishing) in limited circulation, the multiple award-winning (Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, International Horror Guild, Ray Bradbury Fellowship) short-story collection “20th Century Ghosts” by up-and-coming writer Joe Hill—son of the Master of Horror Stephen King and author of the New York Times-bestselling debut novel “Heart-Shaped Box” (2007)—is finally available to readers everywhere…Official Joe Hill Website
Official Joe Hill Myspace
Order “20th Century Ghosts” HERE
“The Almost Moon” by Alice Sebold. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Because of the overwhelming success enjoyed by Alice Sebold’s first fiction novel “The Lovely Bones” (2002) – New York Times Bestseller with nearly three million copies sold in the US alone; selected for Good Morning America’s Bookclub; being adapted into a film by Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong), et cetera – I’m pretty interested to see how her new novel “The Almost Moon” fares…Steven Barclay Agency’s Alice Sebold Page
Order “The Almost Moon” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“A Sword From Red Ice” by J.V. Jones. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Long in the making, “A Sword From Red Ice”, the third volume in the Sword of Shadows saga by J.V. Jones—author of the USA Today Bestselling Book of Words trilogy and “The Barbed Coil”—is finally coming out to continue “an unforgettable tale of ambition, betrayal, and the indomitable strength of the human spirit.” “A Sword From Red Ice” is an “epic fantasy of enormous scope, set on a world peopled by fascinating, compelling characters…”Official J.V. Jones Website
Order “A Sword From Red Ice” HERE
Read The Prologue HERE
“The Merchants’ War” by Charles Stross. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Science fiction meets fantasy meets alternate history meets crime/mystery in The Merchant Princes, an ongoing series by Charles Stross that won the 2006 Sidewise Award for Alternate History. “The Merchants’ War” is the fourth volume in the saga following “The Family Trade” (2004), “The Hidden Family” (2005) & “The Clan Corporate” (2006), and continues the story of reporter Miriam Beckstein. Expect at least two more volumes in the series…
Official Charles Stross Website
Order “The Merchant’s War” HERE
“God’s Demon” by Wayne Barlowe. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Following in the footsteps of Mark J. Ferrari, Wayne Barlowe (Hellboy, Harry Potter, Blade 2, Babylon 5) is a noted SF/fantasy artist who’s turning his visionary talents to literature. Inspired by his artbooks Barlowe’s Inferno and Brushfire: Illuminations from the Inferno, “God’s Demon” is an epic novel “exploring a fallen angel’s personal quest for redemption in a work so sweeping and intricate that it has been compared to Milton’s Paradise Lost…”
Official Wayne Barlow Website
Order “God’s Demon” HERE
“Eat the Dark” by Joe Schreiber. Release Date: October 16, 2007. “Moving at breakneck speed, Joe Schreiber’s new novel sets readers off on an even scarier ride than his acclaimed, chilling debut, Chasing the Dead (2006)” Romantic Times says Eat the Dark “packs a powerful punch as an alien force takes on sinister paranormal tones in this terrifying drama. In the tradition of Stephen King, Schreiber takes a seemingly innocuous plot premise and turns it into a psychological thrill ride of immense proportions…”
Official Joe Schreiber Blog
Official Joe Schreiber Myspace
Order “Eat the Dark” HERE
“A Companion To Wolves” by Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Featuring the impressive pairing of Sarah Monette (author of The Doctrine of Labyrinth series, John W. Campbell Award nominee) and Elizabeth Bear (2005 John W. Campbell Award winner for Best New Writer; author of the Hammered trilogy, “Carnival”), “A Companion to Wolves is the story of a young nobleman, Isolfr, who is chosen to become a wolfcarl – a warrior who is bonded to a fighting wolf…”
Official Sarah Monette Website
Official Charles Stross Website
Order “The Merchant’s War” HERE
“God’s Demon” by Wayne Barlowe. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Following in the footsteps of Mark J. Ferrari, Wayne Barlowe (Hellboy, Harry Potter, Blade 2, Babylon 5) is a noted SF/fantasy artist who’s turning his visionary talents to literature. Inspired by his artbooks Barlowe’s Inferno and Brushfire: Illuminations from the Inferno, “God’s Demon” is an epic novel “exploring a fallen angel’s personal quest for redemption in a work so sweeping and intricate that it has been compared to Milton’s Paradise Lost…”Official Wayne Barlow Website
Order “God’s Demon” HERE
“Eat the Dark” by Joe Schreiber. Release Date: October 16, 2007. “Moving at breakneck speed, Joe Schreiber’s new novel sets readers off on an even scarier ride than his acclaimed, chilling debut, Chasing the Dead (2006)” Romantic Times says Eat the Dark “packs a powerful punch as an alien force takes on sinister paranormal tones in this terrifying drama. In the tradition of Stephen King, Schreiber takes a seemingly innocuous plot premise and turns it into a psychological thrill ride of immense proportions…”Official Joe Schreiber Blog
Official Joe Schreiber Myspace
Order “Eat the Dark” HERE
“A Companion To Wolves” by Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear. Release Date: October 16, 2007. Featuring the impressive pairing of Sarah Monette (author of The Doctrine of Labyrinth series, John W. Campbell Award nominee) and Elizabeth Bear (2005 John W. Campbell Award winner for Best New Writer; author of the Hammered trilogy, “Carnival”), “A Companion to Wolves is the story of a young nobleman, Isolfr, who is chosen to become a wolfcarl – a warrior who is bonded to a fighting wolf…”Official Sarah Monette Website
Official Elizabeth Bear Website
Order “A Companion To Wolves” HERE
“Let Me In” by John A. Lindqvist. Release Date: October 16, 2007. “Already sold in ten countries, Let Me In (a Swedish bestseller originally published in 2004) introduces a startling new talent from Sweden whose work is creating an international sensation. John Ajvide Lindqvist has been compared to such top horror writers as Anne Rice, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Whitley Strieber, and last but certainly not least, Stephen King.” Let Me In is “a must for vampire fans, even those who think they’ve seen it all…”
Official Thomas Dunne Website
Order “Let Me In” HERE
FYI: John A. Lindqvist’s debut novel was released in the UK August 2, 2007 under the title “Let the Right One In”.
“Air Apparent” by Piers Anthony. Release Date: October 16, 2007. For thirty years and counting, bestselling author Piers Anthony has been entertaining readers with his successful fantasy series Xanth, which has even resulted in a video game, a board game, and film adaptation—“A Spell For Chameleon” (Volume 1). “Filled with exhilaration and excitement, ribaldry and romance, Air Apparent (Volume 31) is a fabulous new fantasy saga from the lively imagination of master storyteller Piers Anthony…”
Official Piers Anthony Website
Order “Air Apparent” HERE
“Bloodfever” by Karen Marie Moning. Release Date: October 16, 2007. With her beloved paranormal romance series Highlander, Karen Marie Moning appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists, and won numerous awards including the prestigious Rita Award for “The Highlander’s Touch” (2001). In the author’s new Fever series which began in “Darkfever” (2006), readers can expect “a seductive mix of Celtic mythology and dark, sexy danger” that continues in “Bloodfever”…
Official Karen Marie Moning Website
Order “Bloodfever” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Star Wars: Death Star” by Michael Reaves & Steve Perry. Release Date: October 16, 2007. “Thirty years ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the infamous Death Star was destroyed on silver screens around the world. Since then, Star Wars fans could only speculate on the creation of this monstrous technical behemoth. Now, in “Star Wars: Death Star”, veteran Star Wars authors Michael Reaves & Steve Perry finally tell the story of the largest weapon the Galactic Empire ever assembled, from the beginning to the explosive end…”
Official Michael Reaves Website
Official Steve Perry Website
Order “Star Wars: Death Star” HERE
“The Fade” by Chris Wooding. UK Release Date: October 18, 2007. Author of numerous novels & short stories including the Silver Smarties Award-winning “The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray”, Chris Wooding has also written two movie screenplays, both of which are in development, and is developing an original cartoon series. “With a beautiful baroque world, sharp characterization and Chris Wooding's trademark insight into the fantasy genre, the dawning of The Fade is an event more than worth waiting for…”
Official Chris Wooding Website
Order “The Fade” HERE
“Mister B. Gone” by Clive Barker. UK/US Release Date: October 23, 2007/October 30, 2007. A personal favorite of mine, Clive Barker is finally returning to adult fiction with his new novel “Mister B. Gone”. “A propulsive frightfest layered with psychological nuances, textured characterizations, philosophical reflections and theological meditations, Mister B. Gone is the Clive Barker original his millions of fans worldwide have been awaiting, one packed with subtle scares and heart-stopping terrors from cover to cover…”
Official Clive Barker Online Resource
Official Clive Barker Myspace
Order "Mister B. Gone" HERE (UK) + HERE (US)
“The Queen of Bedlam” by Robert McCammon. Release Date: October 23, 2007. Another favorite of mine, three-time Bram-Stoker winner Robert McCammon (Swan Song, Boy’s Life) retired in the 90s before returning with 2002’s “Speaks the Nightbird”. “Now, Robert McCammon brings the hero of that spellbinding novel, Matthew Corbett, to eighteenth-century New York, where a killer wields a bloody and terrifying power over a bustling city carving out its identity—and over Matthew's own uncertain destiny…”
Official Robert McCammon Website
Official Robert McCammon Website
Order “The Queen of Bedlam” HERE
“A Lick of Frost” by Laurell K. Hamilton. Release Date: October 23, 2007. While Laurell K. Hamilton built her reputation with fifteen acclaimed Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novels, the New York Times-Bestselling author has also enjoyed success with her other paranormal romance series. “In A Lick of Frost (Volume Six), the suspenseful and sexy saga of Meredith Gentry continues as her and her lovers are caught between the dark and light courts of faerie and human law and face a fate worse than death …”
Official Laurell K. Hamilton Website
Official Laurell K. Hamilton Myspace
Order “A Lick of Frost” HERE
Read Chapter One + Chapter Two
“Gentlemen of the Road” by Michael Chabon. Release Date: October 30, 2007. In the latest from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay), the author “summons the rollicking spirit of legendary adventures—The Arabian Nights, Alexandre Dumas, Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser—in a wonderful new novel brimming with breathless action, raucous humor, cliff-hanging suspense, and a cast of colorful characters worthy of Scheherazade’s most tantalizing tales…”
Order “Gentlemen of the Road” HERE
Read Chapter One HERE
FYI: “Gentlemen of the Road” was originally serialized in the New York Times Magazine (January-May 2007).
“Dreamsongs: Volume I” by George R. R. Martin. Release Date: October 30, 2007. “Dubbed ‘the American Tolkien’ by Time Magazine, #1 New York Times-bestselling author GRRM is a giant in the field of fantasy literature and one of the most exciting storytellers of our time. Now he delivers a rare treat for readers: a compendium of his shorter works, collected into two stunning volumes that offer fascinating insight into his journey from young writer to award-winning master.” “Dreamsongs: Volume II” is due out November 11, 2007…
Official George R. R. Martin Website
Order “Dreamsongs: Volume I” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“A War of Gifts: An Ender Story” by Orson Scott Card. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Returning to the popular Enderverse series that brought readers the Hugo & Nebula Award-winning “Ender’s Game” and “Speaker for the Dead”, Orson Scott Card (The Tales of Alvin Maker, Wyrms, Ultimate Iron Man) offers a treat for his fans with the novella “A War of Gifts”, which is “set during Ender's first years at the Battle School where it is forbidden to celebrate religious holidays…”
Official Orson Scott Card Website
Order “A Companion To Wolves” HERE
“Let Me In” by John A. Lindqvist. Release Date: October 16, 2007. “Already sold in ten countries, Let Me In (a Swedish bestseller originally published in 2004) introduces a startling new talent from Sweden whose work is creating an international sensation. John Ajvide Lindqvist has been compared to such top horror writers as Anne Rice, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Whitley Strieber, and last but certainly not least, Stephen King.” Let Me In is “a must for vampire fans, even those who think they’ve seen it all…”Official Thomas Dunne Website
Order “Let Me In” HERE
FYI: John A. Lindqvist’s debut novel was released in the UK August 2, 2007 under the title “Let the Right One In”.
“Air Apparent” by Piers Anthony. Release Date: October 16, 2007. For thirty years and counting, bestselling author Piers Anthony has been entertaining readers with his successful fantasy series Xanth, which has even resulted in a video game, a board game, and film adaptation—“A Spell For Chameleon” (Volume 1). “Filled with exhilaration and excitement, ribaldry and romance, Air Apparent (Volume 31) is a fabulous new fantasy saga from the lively imagination of master storyteller Piers Anthony…”Official Piers Anthony Website
Order “Air Apparent” HERE
“Bloodfever” by Karen Marie Moning. Release Date: October 16, 2007. With her beloved paranormal romance series Highlander, Karen Marie Moning appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists, and won numerous awards including the prestigious Rita Award for “The Highlander’s Touch” (2001). In the author’s new Fever series which began in “Darkfever” (2006), readers can expect “a seductive mix of Celtic mythology and dark, sexy danger” that continues in “Bloodfever”…Official Karen Marie Moning Website
Order “Bloodfever” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Star Wars: Death Star” by Michael Reaves & Steve Perry. Release Date: October 16, 2007. “Thirty years ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the infamous Death Star was destroyed on silver screens around the world. Since then, Star Wars fans could only speculate on the creation of this monstrous technical behemoth. Now, in “Star Wars: Death Star”, veteran Star Wars authors Michael Reaves & Steve Perry finally tell the story of the largest weapon the Galactic Empire ever assembled, from the beginning to the explosive end…”Official Michael Reaves Website
Official Steve Perry Website
Order “Star Wars: Death Star” HERE
“The Fade” by Chris Wooding. UK Release Date: October 18, 2007. Author of numerous novels & short stories including the Silver Smarties Award-winning “The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray”, Chris Wooding has also written two movie screenplays, both of which are in development, and is developing an original cartoon series. “With a beautiful baroque world, sharp characterization and Chris Wooding's trademark insight into the fantasy genre, the dawning of The Fade is an event more than worth waiting for…”Official Chris Wooding Website
Order “The Fade” HERE
“Mister B. Gone” by Clive Barker. UK/US Release Date: October 23, 2007/October 30, 2007. A personal favorite of mine, Clive Barker is finally returning to adult fiction with his new novel “Mister B. Gone”. “A propulsive frightfest layered with psychological nuances, textured characterizations, philosophical reflections and theological meditations, Mister B. Gone is the Clive Barker original his millions of fans worldwide have been awaiting, one packed with subtle scares and heart-stopping terrors from cover to cover…”Official Clive Barker Online Resource
Official Clive Barker Myspace
Order "Mister B. Gone" HERE (UK) + HERE (US)
“The Queen of Bedlam” by Robert McCammon. Release Date: October 23, 2007. Another favorite of mine, three-time Bram-Stoker winner Robert McCammon (Swan Song, Boy’s Life) retired in the 90s before returning with 2002’s “Speaks the Nightbird”. “Now, Robert McCammon brings the hero of that spellbinding novel, Matthew Corbett, to eighteenth-century New York, where a killer wields a bloody and terrifying power over a bustling city carving out its identity—and over Matthew's own uncertain destiny…”Official Robert McCammon Website
Official Robert McCammon Website
Order “The Queen of Bedlam” HERE
“A Lick of Frost” by Laurell K. Hamilton. Release Date: October 23, 2007. While Laurell K. Hamilton built her reputation with fifteen acclaimed Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novels, the New York Times-Bestselling author has also enjoyed success with her other paranormal romance series. “In A Lick of Frost (Volume Six), the suspenseful and sexy saga of Meredith Gentry continues as her and her lovers are caught between the dark and light courts of faerie and human law and face a fate worse than death …”Official Laurell K. Hamilton Website
Official Laurell K. Hamilton Myspace
Order “A Lick of Frost” HERE
Read Chapter One + Chapter Two
“Gentlemen of the Road” by Michael Chabon. Release Date: October 30, 2007. In the latest from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay), the author “summons the rollicking spirit of legendary adventures—The Arabian Nights, Alexandre Dumas, Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser—in a wonderful new novel brimming with breathless action, raucous humor, cliff-hanging suspense, and a cast of colorful characters worthy of Scheherazade’s most tantalizing tales…”Order “Gentlemen of the Road” HERE
Read Chapter One HERE
FYI: “Gentlemen of the Road” was originally serialized in the New York Times Magazine (January-May 2007).
“Dreamsongs: Volume I” by George R. R. Martin. Release Date: October 30, 2007. “Dubbed ‘the American Tolkien’ by Time Magazine, #1 New York Times-bestselling author GRRM is a giant in the field of fantasy literature and one of the most exciting storytellers of our time. Now he delivers a rare treat for readers: a compendium of his shorter works, collected into two stunning volumes that offer fascinating insight into his journey from young writer to award-winning master.” “Dreamsongs: Volume II” is due out November 11, 2007…Official George R. R. Martin Website
Order “Dreamsongs: Volume I” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“A War of Gifts: An Ender Story” by Orson Scott Card. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Returning to the popular Enderverse series that brought readers the Hugo & Nebula Award-winning “Ender’s Game” and “Speaker for the Dead”, Orson Scott Card (The Tales of Alvin Maker, Wyrms, Ultimate Iron Man) offers a treat for his fans with the novella “A War of Gifts”, which is “set during Ender's first years at the Battle School where it is forbidden to celebrate religious holidays…”Official Orson Scott Card Website
Order “A War of Gifts” HERE
“The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice” by Catherynne M. Valente. Release Date: October 30, 2007. “Every once in a great while a book comes along that reminds us of the magic spell that stories can cast over us–to dazzle, entertain, and enlighten. Welcome to the Arabian Nights for our time–a lush and fantastical epic guaranteed to spirit you away from the very first page…” “In the Cities of Coin and Spice” is the conclusion to the 2006 James Tiptree, Jr. Award-winning “In the Night Garden”…
Official Catherynne M. Valente Website
Order “The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Upon The Midnight Clear” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Writing as Sherrilyn Kenyon and Kinley MacGregor, Ms. Kenyon has more than ten million copies of her books in print in twenty-six countries; has appeared on the Top-Ten lists of the NYTs, Publishers Weekly & USA Today; and is the author of several series, including Brotherhood of the Sword, Lords of Avalon, B.A.D., and the internationally best-selling Dark-Hunter novels. “Upon The Midnight Clear” is a Dream-Hunter novel…
Official Sherrilyn Kenyon Website
Official Dark-Hunters Website
Official Hunter Legends Website
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Fear The Darkness Website
Order “Upon The Midnight Clear” HERE
“The Third Lynx” by Timothy Zahn. Release Date: October 30, 2007. A New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author of more than thirty original science fiction titles (Conqueror’s Trilogy) and dozens of short stories, Timothy Zahn also wrote the YA Dragonback series (named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults) and a number of Star Wars novels including “Heir to the Empire”, the bestselling Star Wars spin-off novel of all time. “The Third Lynx” is the sequel to 2005’s “Night Train to Rigel”…
Tor-Forge’s Timothy Zahn Page
Order “The Third Lynx” HERE
“Patrimony” by Alan Dean Foster. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Highly prolific, Alan Dean Foster’s bibliography covers a variety of genres including science fiction (Commonwealth novels), fantasy (Spellsinger series), horror, detective, western, historical, contemporary fiction, nonfiction, movie novelizations (Aliens, The Chronicles of Riddick, Transformers) and other media tie-ins (Star Wars, Star Trek). “Patrimony” is A Pip & Flinx Adventure and is the thirteenth volume in the author’s whimsical series...
Official Alan Dean Foster Website
Order “Patrimony” HERE
“Empyre” by Josh Conviser. Release Date: October 30, 2007. In addition to working as an executive consultant on HBO’s television series Rome and developing projects as a screenwriter/producer including a film for Fox, Princeton grad Josh Conviser is also an author who debuted in 2006 with the science fiction thriller “Echelon”. In the sequel “Empyre”, Mr. Conviser continues to explore a near future that “is fascinating to imagine — and terrifying, because we might just be heading for it…"
Official Josh Conviser Website
Order “Empyre” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Queen Ferris” by S.C. Butler. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Second volume in The Stoneways fantasy trilogy from new author S.C. Butler, “Queen Ferris” continues the epic adventure that began in last year’s “Reiffen’s Choice”. The Stoneways is described as “a trilogy about innocence and struggle” and has been compared to Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance series, The Once and Future King, Artemis Fowl, and Raymond E. Feist’s Magician. “It will be an experience you will never forget…”
Official S.C. Butler Website
Order “Queen Ferris” HERE
Read Chapter One HERE
Watch Tobias S. Buckell’s Interview with S.C. Butler HERE
“Halo: Contact Harvest” by Joseph Staten. Release Date: October 30, 2007. With Halo 3 just released for the Xbox 360, now’s the perfect time for “Contact Harvest”, the fifth novel set in the Halo universe. Written by Joseph Staten, a video game writer/designer whose credits include Halo, Halo 2, Myth, and Oni, “Contact Harvest” is set 27 years before the events of the original Halo game and tells the story of the United Nations Space Command’s first encounter with the alien Covenant on the colony world of Harvest…
Official Halo Website
Order “Halo: Contact Harvest” HERE
“Sepulchre” by Kate Mosse. UK Release Date: October 31, 2007. Following up a multi-million selling international No. 1 bestseller (Labyrinth) that has been translated into 35 languages, published in 40 countries, won Richard & Judy's Best Read at the 2006 British Book Awards and chosen as one of Waterstone's Top 100 novels of the past twenty five years is no easy feat but author Kate Mosse gives it a go in “Sepulchre”, “a haunting mystery of revenge and obsession, set against the rich backdrop of southern France…”
Official Sepulchre Website
Order “Sepulchre” HERE
“The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice” by Catherynne M. Valente. Release Date: October 30, 2007. “Every once in a great while a book comes along that reminds us of the magic spell that stories can cast over us–to dazzle, entertain, and enlighten. Welcome to the Arabian Nights for our time–a lush and fantastical epic guaranteed to spirit you away from the very first page…” “In the Cities of Coin and Spice” is the conclusion to the 2006 James Tiptree, Jr. Award-winning “In the Night Garden”…Official Catherynne M. Valente Website
Order “The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Upon The Midnight Clear” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Writing as Sherrilyn Kenyon and Kinley MacGregor, Ms. Kenyon has more than ten million copies of her books in print in twenty-six countries; has appeared on the Top-Ten lists of the NYTs, Publishers Weekly & USA Today; and is the author of several series, including Brotherhood of the Sword, Lords of Avalon, B.A.D., and the internationally best-selling Dark-Hunter novels. “Upon The Midnight Clear” is a Dream-Hunter novel…Official Sherrilyn Kenyon Website
Official Dark-Hunters Website
Official Hunter Legends Website
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Fear The Darkness Website
Order “Upon The Midnight Clear” HERE
“The Third Lynx” by Timothy Zahn. Release Date: October 30, 2007. A New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author of more than thirty original science fiction titles (Conqueror’s Trilogy) and dozens of short stories, Timothy Zahn also wrote the YA Dragonback series (named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults) and a number of Star Wars novels including “Heir to the Empire”, the bestselling Star Wars spin-off novel of all time. “The Third Lynx” is the sequel to 2005’s “Night Train to Rigel”…Tor-Forge’s Timothy Zahn Page
Order “The Third Lynx” HERE
“Patrimony” by Alan Dean Foster. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Highly prolific, Alan Dean Foster’s bibliography covers a variety of genres including science fiction (Commonwealth novels), fantasy (Spellsinger series), horror, detective, western, historical, contemporary fiction, nonfiction, movie novelizations (Aliens, The Chronicles of Riddick, Transformers) and other media tie-ins (Star Wars, Star Trek). “Patrimony” is A Pip & Flinx Adventure and is the thirteenth volume in the author’s whimsical series...Official Alan Dean Foster Website
Order “Patrimony” HERE
“Empyre” by Josh Conviser. Release Date: October 30, 2007. In addition to working as an executive consultant on HBO’s television series Rome and developing projects as a screenwriter/producer including a film for Fox, Princeton grad Josh Conviser is also an author who debuted in 2006 with the science fiction thriller “Echelon”. In the sequel “Empyre”, Mr. Conviser continues to explore a near future that “is fascinating to imagine — and terrifying, because we might just be heading for it…"Official Josh Conviser Website
Order “Empyre” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Queen Ferris” by S.C. Butler. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Second volume in The Stoneways fantasy trilogy from new author S.C. Butler, “Queen Ferris” continues the epic adventure that began in last year’s “Reiffen’s Choice”. The Stoneways is described as “a trilogy about innocence and struggle” and has been compared to Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance series, The Once and Future King, Artemis Fowl, and Raymond E. Feist’s Magician. “It will be an experience you will never forget…”Official S.C. Butler Website
Order “Queen Ferris” HERE
Read Chapter One HERE
Watch Tobias S. Buckell’s Interview with S.C. Butler HERE
“Halo: Contact Harvest” by Joseph Staten. Release Date: October 30, 2007. With Halo 3 just released for the Xbox 360, now’s the perfect time for “Contact Harvest”, the fifth novel set in the Halo universe. Written by Joseph Staten, a video game writer/designer whose credits include Halo, Halo 2, Myth, and Oni, “Contact Harvest” is set 27 years before the events of the original Halo game and tells the story of the United Nations Space Command’s first encounter with the alien Covenant on the colony world of Harvest…Official Halo Website
Order “Halo: Contact Harvest” HERE
“Sepulchre” by Kate Mosse. UK Release Date: October 31, 2007. Following up a multi-million selling international No. 1 bestseller (Labyrinth) that has been translated into 35 languages, published in 40 countries, won Richard & Judy's Best Read at the 2006 British Book Awards and chosen as one of Waterstone's Top 100 novels of the past twenty five years is no easy feat but author Kate Mosse gives it a go in “Sepulchre”, “a haunting mystery of revenge and obsession, set against the rich backdrop of southern France…”Official Sepulchre Website
Order “Sepulchre” HERE
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