New York Times: It’s easy to get lost in the kaleidoscopic world-building of NINEFOX GAMBIT (Solaris, paper, $9.99), the first novel by the well-regarded story writer Yoon Ha Lee. Lee submerges readers without explanation into the hexarchate – a star-spanning far-future society whose culture relies on advanced mathematics to produce “exotic effects” that are nigh magical. …. The story is dense, the pace intense, and the delicate East Asian flavoring of the math-rich setting might make it seem utterly alien to many readers yet metaphors for our own world abound. Mathematics is often lauded as a universal language, but this is blatantly untrue; for universality to work, adherents must believe in the same basic truths, or principles, to the same degree. Lee’s quasi-religious treatment of mathematics, and Cheris’s need to simultaneously exploit and rely on Jedao, both serve as metaphors for colonialism. (As does the quiet, oblique rebellion taking place in the background amid the hexarchate’s artificially intelligent servitors.) And the lesson of colonialism applies as well: Brute-force domination gets you only so far. For stability, trust is key.
Readers willing to invest in a steep learning curve will be rewarded with a tight-woven, complicated but not convoluted, breathtakingly original space opera. And since this is only the first book of the Machineries of Empire trilogy, it’s the start of what looks to be a wild ride.
Read N.K. Jemisin’s The New York Times review of Ninefox Gambit here.
Eliza Maxwell’s self-published first novel, THE GRAVE TENDER, a hauntingly beautiful story set in a claustrophobic small town in Texas about a broken family where no one is who they seem, and one woman willing to go to any lengths to set things right, and her next novel, THE UNREMEMBERED GIRL, a twisted love story set in the brutal woods of east Texas about a gentle soul who falls for a mysterious abandoned feral girl, until the strength of their love turns against them in dangerous ways, to Miriam Juskowicz at Lake Union Publishing, in a two-book deal, by Katie Shea Boutillier.
An annotated edition of the iconic DC comics series Watchmen (1986-87), written by Alan Moore with art by Dave Gibbons, to be created by master annotator Leslie S. Klinger (The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft), sold to DC Comics by Donald Maass.
Booklist: Book two in McCammon’s highly entertaining vampire-western series finds reluctant vampire Trevor Lawson and his human sidekick, sharpshooter Ann Remington, still on the hunt for LaRouge, the woman who turned Lawson during the Civil War, in the hopes that killing her will allow Lawson to become human again. It’s now 1886, and a new job takes the pair from New Orleans to the frontier town of Perdition, Montana, to rescue a wealthy young man from a band of outlaws. Lawson tries to extricate the man without violence, but between the outlaws and the vampire Dark Society, it appears a peaceful getaway is not going to be an option. This thrilling story culminates with a fantastic battle scene on a train, where unlikely alliances are formed, adding a new wrinkle to Lawson’s quest for freedom from his vampiric curse. Readers can jump right in, as the backstory details are supplied without sacrificing the pace. This is perfect for Deadwood fans and those who enjoy the American Vampire graphic-novel series by Scott Snyder. Clear a couple of hours, you’ll want to devour this in one sitting.
B&N SFF&F Blog: Kowal retains her crown as one of the most imaginative SFF writers working today with a thoughtful new book that imagines the “Spirit Corps” of the British Military of 1916. Led by American Ginger Stuyvesant, the Corps communicates with recently dead soldiers on the killing fields of Europe in order to glean vital intelligence. When Ginger’s fiancé, Captain Ben Harford, tips her off concerning a German plot to destroy the Corps, she has to use the its powers, as well as a series of unlikely but effective allies, to protect it. Kowal brings her keen eye for historical detail and an impeccable sense of plotting to bear on a smart, exciting story that combines an accurately rendered World War I setting with occult flourishes.
Turkish rights to Robert Jackson Bennett’s THE DIVINE CITIES trilogy, to Ithaki, in a three-book deal, by Merve Ongen at ONK Agency, in association with Katie Shea Boutillier on behalf of Cameron McClure.
Leena Likitalo’s debut THE FIVE DAUGHTERS OF THE MOON and a sequel, magically re-imagining the fall of the Romanov dynasty from the perspective of five sisters in mortal peril, to Claire Eddy at Tor.com Publishing, in a two-book deal, for publication in summer 2017, by Cameron McClure.
RT Book Reviews: Once again, Kowal takes an innovative premise and executes it superbly, imaginatively marrying history with a fresh fantasy concept. Though the romance between Ginger and Ben is bittersweet, the story never becomes maudlin — in fact, it’s absolutely riveting. The story moves briskly as Ginger struggles to identify a spy in the English army, revealing itself as an engrossing amalgam of romance, historical fiction, fantasy and mystery. I only have one caution: When you start Ghost Talkers, clear your schedule — you won’t be able to put it down.
Publishers Weekly: When Dahlia Dutton’s father sends her and a small crew to salvage a house near Lookout Mountain, Tenn., she finds that what you don’t know can hurt you in Priest’s spectacular modern haunted-house story. Dahlia is no stranger to ghosts, whether she’s being emotionally haunted by a failed marriage or by the metaphorical spirits that linger in old buildings. The concept of home salvage disturbing ghosts is brilliant, and while common elements of haunted house stories are certainly present (a mysterious owner with family secrets, locked rooms, unnatural storms, etc.), Priest (Boneshaker) handles them with tremendous skill, putting the pieces together to keep the reader guessing and more than a little scared. The characters are given a compelling reason to stay (the family business will fail if this job falls through) and their interpersonal dynamics humanize them, making them more than just cannon fodder as the hauntings increase in severity. Priest has written an excellent modern house story from start to finish.