(p)review forecast March part 2
1. The Tyranny of Night by Glen Cook, Tor
Welcome to the world of
the Instrumentalities of the Night, where imps, demons, and dark gods
rule in the spaces surrounding upstart humanity. At the edges of the
world stand walls of ice which push slowly forward to reclaim the land
for the night. And at the world's center, in the Holy Land where two
great religions were born, are the Wells of Ihrain, the source of the
greatest magics. Over the last century the Patriarchs of the West have
demanded crusades to claim the Wells from the Pramans, the followers of
the Written. Now an uneasy truce extends between the Pramans and the West, waiting for a spark to start the conflict anew. Then, on a mission in the Holy Land, the young Praman warrior Else is attacked by a creature of the Dark-in effect, a minor god. Too ignorant to know that he can never prevail over such a thing, he fights it and wins, and in so doing, sets the terrors of the night against him. As a reward for his success, Else is sent as a spy to the heart of the Patriarchy to direct their attention away from further ventures into the Holy Lands. Dogged by hidden enemies and faithless allies, Else witnesses senseless butchery and surprising acts of faith as he penetrates to the very heart of the Patriarchy and rides alongside their armies in a new crusade against his own people.
But the Night rides with him, too, sending two of its once-human agents from the far north to assassinate him. Submerged in his role, he begins to doubt his faith, his country, even his family. As his mission careens out of control, he faces unanswerable questions about his future. It is said that God will know his own, but can one who has slain gods ever know forgiveness? In The Tyranny of the Night, Glen Cook introduces a new fantasy epic for the ages.
2. Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines, Del Rey UK
Isaac Vainio is a
Libriomancer, a member of the secret organization founded five centuries
ago by Johannes Gutenberg. Libriomancers are gifted with the ability
to magically reach into books and draw forth objects. When Isaac is
attacked by vampires that leaked from the pages of books into our world,
he barely manages to escape. To his horror he discovers that vampires
have been attacking other magic-users as well, and Gutenberg has been
kidnapped.
With the help of a motorcycle-riding dryad who packs a
pair of oak cudgels, Isaac finds himself hunting the unknown dark power
that has been manipulating humans and vampires alike. And his search
will uncover dangerous secrets about Libriomancy, Gutenberg, and the
history of magic. . . .
3. The Blue Blazes by Chuck Wendig, Angry Robot
Meet Mookie Pearl.
Criminal underworld? He runs it.
Supernatural underworld? He hunts in it.
Nothing stops Mookie when he’s on the job.
But when his daughter takes up arms and opposes him, something’s gotta give…
The Blue Blazes – the first in a new urban fantasy series in which lovable thug Mookie Pearl must contend with the criminal underworld, the supernatural underworld, a new drug that makes the invisible visible, and a rebellious teen daughter who opposes him at every turn.
Criminal underworld? He runs it.
Supernatural underworld? He hunts in it.
Nothing stops Mookie when he’s on the job.
But when his daughter takes up arms and opposes him, something’s gotta give…
The Blue Blazes – the first in a new urban fantasy series in which lovable thug Mookie Pearl must contend with the criminal underworld, the supernatural underworld, a new drug that makes the invisible visible, and a rebellious teen daughter who opposes him at every turn.
4. Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson, Tor
Caeli-Amur: an ancient
city perched on white cliffs overlooking the sea; a city ruled by three
Houses, fighting internecine wars; a city which harbours ancient
technology and hidden mysteries. But things are changing in Caeli-Amur.
Ancient minotaurs arrive for the traditional Festival of the Sun. The
slightly built New-Men bring their technology from their homeland.
Wastelanders stream into the city hideously changed by the chemical
streams to the north. Strikes break out in the factory district.
In a hideout beneath the city, a small group of seditionists debate ways to overthrow the Houses. How can they rouse the citizens of the city? Should they begin a campaign of terror? Is there a way to uncover the thaumaturgical knowledge that the Houses guard so jealously? As the Houses scramble to maintain their rule, it becomes clear that things will change forever in Caeli-Amur.
In a hideout beneath the city, a small group of seditionists debate ways to overthrow the Houses. How can they rouse the citizens of the city? Should they begin a campaign of terror? Is there a way to uncover the thaumaturgical knowledge that the Houses guard so jealously? As the Houses scramble to maintain their rule, it becomes clear that things will change forever in Caeli-Amur.
5. The Emperor's Knife by Anthony Riches, Hodder and StougthonThe seventh novel in Anthony Riches' acclaimed Empire sequence brings Marcus Aquila back to Rome, hunting the men who destroyed his family.
But the revenge he craves may cost him and those around him dearly.
The young centurion's urge to exact his own brutal justice upon the shadowy cabal of assassins who butchered his family means that he must face them on their own ground, risking his own death at their hands.
A senator, a gang boss, a praetorian officer and, deadliest of all, champion gladiator Mortiferum - the Death Bringer - lie in wait.
The knives are unsheathed, and ready for blood . . .
---------------------------------------------------
What will you be reading the coming weeks?
Cheers,
Jasper
Comments
Post a Comment