What are you looking forward to? Anything you want to argue with us about? Is there something we should consider spotlighting in the future? Let us know in the comments!
Jemisin, N. K., The Stone Sky [Orbit, August, 2017]
Publisher's Description:
THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS... FOR THE LAST TIME.
The Moon will soon return. Whether this heralds the destruction of humankind or something worse will depend on two women.Essun has inherited the power of Alabaster Tenring. With it, she hopes to find her daughter Nassun and forge a world in which every orogene child can grow up safe.For Nassun, her mother's mastery of the Obelisk Gate comes too late. She has seen the evil of the world, and accepted what her mother will not admit: that sometimes what is corrupt cannot be cleansed, only destroyed.
Why We Want It: Jemisin is a literary rock star. Plain and simple. I will forever and greedily purchase anything she publishes and finally getting my hands on the conclusion to this trilogy means I'll be doing some summer hibernation to inhale this gem.
Sullivan, Michael J., Age of Swords [Del Rey, July, 2017]
Publisher's Description:
In Age of Myth, fantasy master Michael J. Sullivan launched readers on an epic journey of magic and adventure, heroism and betrayal, love and loss. Now the thrilling saga continues as the human uprising is threatened by powerful enemies from without—and bitter rivalries from within.
Raithe, the God Killer, may have started the rebellion by killing a Fhrey, but long-standing enmities dividing the Rhunes make it all but impossible to unite against the common foe. And even if the clans can join forces, how will they defeat an enemy whose magical prowess renders them indistinguishable from gods?
The answer lies across the sea in a faraway land populated by a reclusive and dour race who feel nothing but disdain for both Fhrey and mankind. With time running out, Persephone leads the gifted young seer Suri, the Fhrey sorceress Arion, and a small band of misfits in a desperate search for aid—a quest that will take them into the darkest depths of Elan. There, an ancient adversary waits, as fearsome as it is deadly.
Why We Want It: I have Sullivan's Age of Myth sitting on my shelf waiting for me, now I can sit down and binge read them both. Plus, both covers scream "you will love this!" and I am not one to ignore a book's calling.
Synder, Scott and Jeff Lemire, A.D. After Death [Image Comics, July, 2017]
Publisher's Description:
What if we found a cure for death?
Two of comics' most acclaimed creators, SCOTT SNYDER (WYTCHES, Batman, American Vampire) and JEFF LEMIRE (DESCENDER, PLUTONA, Moon Knight, Sweet Tooth) unite to create an epic like no other, set in a future where a genetic cure for death has been found. Years after the discovery, one man starts to question everything, leading him on a mind-bending journey that will bring him face-to-face with his past and his own mortality.
A unique combination of comics, prose, and illustration, A.D.: AFTER DEATH is an oversized hardcover graphic novel written by SNYDER and fully painted by LEMIRE.
Why We Want It: I stumbled across this one while looking for something random and was immediately intrigued. Image Comics continues to blow me away and I am excited to see what this mixed medium/format mash-up might offer.
Williams, David, When the English Fall [Algonquin Books, July, 2017]
Publisher's Description:
When a catastrophic solar storm brings about the collapse of modern civilization, an Amish community in Pennsylvania is caught up in the devastating aftermath. Once-bright skies are now dark. Planes have plummeted to the ground. The systems of modern life have crumbled. With their stocked larders and stores of supplies, the Amish are unaffected at first. But as the English (the Amish name for all non-Amish people) become more and more desperate, they begin to invade Amish farms, taking whatever they want and unleashing unthinkable violence on the peaceable community.
Seen through the diary of an Amish farmer named Jacob as he tries to protect his family and his way of life, When the English Fall examines the idea of peace in the face of deadly chaos: Should members of a nonviolent society defy their beliefs and take up arms to defend themselves? And if they don’t, can they survive?
Why We Want It: As some of you may know, I live on a farm and am surrounded by the Amish, our Wal-Mart has horse parking. When I heard about this novel I knew I needed to read it.
Guran, Paula (editor), The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2017 [Prime Books, July, 2017]
Publisher's Description:
The darkness creeps upon us and we shudder, or it suddenly startles and we scream. There need be no monsters for us to be terrified in the dark, but if there are, they are just as often human and as supernatural. Join us in this outstanding annual exploration of the year's best dark fiction that includes stories of quiet fear, the utterly fantastic, the weirdly surreal, atmospheric noir, mysterious hauntings, seductive nightmares, and frighteningly plausible futures. Featuring tales from masterful authors and talented new writers sure to make you reconsider walking in the shadows alone...
Why We Want It: Any collection from Paula Guran is certain to be a wonderfully curated mix. Dark fantasy and horror are tied for my favorite subgenres and these Guran collections help me catch up on stories I may have missed throughout the year. I cherish them.
Carrasco, Jesús, Out in the Open [Riverhead Books, July, 2017]
Publisher's Description:
A young boy has fled his home. He’s pursued by dangerous forces. What lies before him is an infinite, arid plain, one he must cross in order to escape those from whom he’s fleeing. One night on the road, he meets an old goatherd, a man who lives simply but righteously, and from that moment on, their paths intertwine.
Out in the Open tells the story of this journey through a drought-stricken country ruled by violence. A world where names and dates don’t matter, where morals have drained away with the water. In this landscape the boy—not yet a lost cause—has the chance to choose hope and bravery, or to live forever mired in the cycle of violence in which he was raised. Carrasco has masterfully created a high stakes world, a dystopian tale of life and death, right and wrong, terror and salvation.
Why We Want It: I am always on the lookout for genre fiction in translation. I wish we had more of it and when I find it I am going to buy it and shout about it from every rooftop. Out in the Open was a bestseller in Spain and won multiple awards, how could I not be anticipating this title?
POSTED BY: Shana DuBois--extreme bibliophile and seeker of raindrops.
