Siblings Rachel Hope Cleves and Aram Sinnreich writing as RA Sinn’s SAVEPOINT, near-future SF about a woman who works for a company that uses brain implants to rewind time five seconds — but when a new upgrade is tested, she finds herself moving back in time every day, and only a nonbinary hacker from her past might help, to Jim Killen at Rebellion, for publication in 2023, by Jennie Goloboy.
Locus: I’ve seen Darcie Little Badger’s A Snake Falls to Earth described as young-adult fantasy and young-adult science fiction, but it’s really young-adult Indigenous futurism.
In a novel full of remarkable things, one of the most remarkable is the narrative itself….The way Little Badger jumped between Oli and Nina, between first and third person, between mainstream and traditional narratives, is really quite something. It should feel jarring and disjointed, but it doesn’t. It flows seamlessly while also letting the structure act almost like a third main character.
Even the endings – Oli’s, Nina’s, and the book as a whole – show the depth of Little Badger’s vast talent. Throughout A Snake Falls to Earth, Nina and Oli encounter inexplicable things or mysterious animal people, but they never let their curiosity intrude on another person’s life. They recognize that they don’t need to have the answers to all their questions in order to be able to empathize, make wise decisions, or behave in a socially responsible manner. They can be respectful without analyzing or critiquing. Sometimes we can just let things be as they are without demanding “why” and “how.” These are not plot holes or loose threads but a clever, powerful way to bring Little Badger”s cultural storytelling traditions into a Western medium.
If Elatsoe was a ten out of ten, then A Snake Falls to Earth is a solid 11. This book could have been twice as long and I still would have begged for more. Although aimed at a young-adult audience, it has the kind of easy appeal and heartfelt tone that will entice younger kids and older adults as well. Anyone reading or buying YA needs to add this to their shelves immediately.
Booklist: Shortly after moving from Seattle to his father’s hometown of Merritt, Florida, Virgil Knox, 15, is attacked by a monster. Barely clinging to his sanity and bleeding copiously from his injuries, he makes his way to a parking lot and collapses. In spite of his wounds, however, people either don’t believe him, laugh at him, or say he asked for it by walking alone in a deserted area at night, and when he starts school, the pranks and teasing are nonstop. Virgil relives the attack at the slightest trigger, but all anyone tells him is to get over it. Virgil has more to worry about, however; he wonders whether he will become a monster as well. Hutchinson is known for offbeat, edgy books, and this is no exception. Convincing, well-rounded characters come to life in Hutchinson’s lyrical, punchy writing, and his skills for maintaining suspense and intrigue mean the story never drags. There are echoes of a werewolf story here, but Virgil’s experiences after the monster attack mirror the treatment of victims of sexual assault, which adds a dynamic level to the story. As Virgil starts to make connections in his new home, from irrepressible classmate Tripp to his seemingly dour grandmother, he realizes that he has more choices than he thought. Hutchinson never misses a beat in this gripping, dynamic novel.
Dutch rights renewal to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s WRITTEN IN RED, MURDER OF CROWS, VISION IN SILVER, MARKED IN FLESH, and ETCHED IN BONE, the first five novels of the Others, to DeFontein, by Emma Lind at Lennart Sane Agency in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.
French rights to Ada Palmer’s PERHAPS THE STARS, to Le Belial, by Zuzanna Brzezinska at Anna Jarota Agency on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier for Cameron McClure.
Italian rights to British Fantasy Award finalist Premee Mohamed’s THE ANNUAL MIGRATION OF CLOUDS, to Mosca Bianca, by Stefania Fietta at Donzelli Fietta Agency in association with Michael Curry.
Serbian rights to #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher’s STORM FRONT, the first book in the Dresden Files series, to ŽIR Izdavaštvo, by Milena Kaplarevic at Prava i Prevodi in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.
Ukrainian rights to Nebula and Hugo Award winner Martha Wells’ ALL SYSTEMS RED, ARTIFICIAL CONDITION, ROGUE PROTOCOL, EXIT STRATEGY, NETWORK EFFECT, and FUGITIVE TELEMETRY, the first six installments in the New York Times bestselling Murderbot Diaries series, to Zhorzh, by Igor Korzhenevski at Alexander Korzhenevski Agency in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.
Congratulations to Martha Wells on her incredible wins!
BEST NOVEL
Network Effect, Martha Wells (Tor.com)
BEST SERIES
The Murderbot Diaries, Martha Wells (Tor.com)
Photo by Weneals Photography
James J. Butcher sold world rights to DEAD MAN’S HAND and two sequels, to launch an action-packed new urban fantasy series, the Unorthodox Chronicles. Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby is an inexperienced witch on the run who will need to throw out the magical rule book, rip it up, and possibly set it on fire to solve the murder of his mentor. DEAD MAN’S HAND was preempted by Ace Books Executive Editor Anne Sowards via Jennifer Jackson, and will be released in hardcover in Fall 2022.
Best-selling author of A Wish For Home, Jo Ann Ferguson, writing as Jo Ann Brown, sold SAVING GRACES, a story of found family, quilts, grace, and a new chance at love set among the Amish community of Bliss Valley, to Tina James at Harlequin Love Inspired via Jennifer Jackson.
WHEN THE SPARROW FALLS by Neil Sharpson
REMOTE CONTROL by Nnedi Okorafor
