Here’s a rundown of the books we think you should look out for in coming in the week. See any that you are really looking forward to? Find any you had not heard of yet? Know of books we missed?
We know we don’t have everything and would love to hear what you feel we may have overlooked.
FANTASY URBAN FANTASY SCIENCE FICTION
FANTASY
The Fall of the Dagger (The Forsaken Lands, #3) by Glenda Larke
Published by Orbit on April 19th 2016
Pages: 464 
Excommunicated cleric Saker returns from exile in the Spice Islands to find his homeland in chaos.
A dark sorcerer controls the ear of the King, turning him against his own son and heir, while a corrupted army gathers in the shadows.
With the illusionist Sorrel and islander Ardhi, armed with magic from Ardhi's homeland, Saker now must stand between his city and the corruption that threatens to cripple it before it is too late . . .The third and final novel in an epic fantasy trilogy from Glenda Larke, author of the Stormlord series - full of scheming, spying, action and adventure.
The Emperor's Railroad (Dreaming Cities, #1) by Guy Haley
Published by Tor.com on April 19th 2016
Pages: 176
Our reviews of this author: The Emperor's Railroad
Global war devastated the environment, a zombie-like plague wiped out much of humanity, and civilization as we once understood it came to a standstill. But that was a thousand years ago, and the world is now a very different place.
Conflict between city states is constant, superstition is rife, and machine relics, mutant creatures and resurrected prehistoric beasts trouble the land. Watching over all are the silent Dreaming Cities. Homes of the angels, bastion outposts of heaven on Earth. Or so the church claims. Very few go in, and nobody ever comes out.
Until now…
"Haley serves up equal helpings of horror, fantasy adventure, and SF in this stark, intriguing story of a ruined Earth where the remaining humans are determined to survive." - Publishers Weekly
Nettle King (Night and Nothing, #3) by Katherine Harbour
Published by Harper Voyager on April 19th 2016
Pages: 320
The mesmerizing conclusion to the Night and Nothing series—part Buffy the Vampire Slayer and part Alice in Wonderland—finds Finn fighting against the land of the dead.
When her beloved Jack disappears, Finn vows to find him—even if it means a daring odyssey into the land of the dead. But saving Jack comes at a terrible price: a dangerous fissure has opened, giving the dead access to the true world.
The lines between worlds are more blurred than ever. Finn’s sister, Lily, recently returned from the Ghostlands, seems to bear no scars from her time there. But then their friend Moth returns from Sombrus, the magical house once owned by Seth Lot, bearing shocking news. Something evil—a fearsome creature bearing a striking resemblance to Jack—has escaped Sombrus and is now stalking Fair Hollow, killing everyone it encounters, transforming them into terrifying Jacks and Jills and recruiting the Unseelie.
It will not stop until it gets what it wants . . .
Finn.
The Everything Box by Richard Kadrey
Published by Harper Voyager on April 19th 2016
Pages: 368
Reminiscent of the edgy, offbeat humor of Chris Moore and Matt Ruff, the first entry in a whimsical, fast-paced supernatural series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Sandman Slim novels-a dark and humorous story involving a doomsday gizmo, a horde of baddies determined to possess its power, and a clever thief who must steal it back . . . again and again
2000 B.C. A beautiful, ambitious angel stands on a mountaintop, surveying the world and its little inhabitants below. He smiles because soon, the last of humanity who survived the great flood will meet its end, too. And he should know. He’s going to play a big part in it. Our angel usually doesn’t get to do field work, and if he does well, he’s certain he’ll be get a big promotion. And now it’s time . . .The angel reaches into his pocket for the instrument of humanity’s doom. Must be in the other pocket. Then he frantically begins to pat himself down. Dejected, he realizes he has lost the object. Looking over the Earth at all that could have been, the majestic angel utters a single word.“Crap.”
2015 A thief named Coop-a specialist in purloining magic objects-steals and delivers a small box to the mysterious client who engaged his services. Coop doesn’t know that his latest job could be the end of him-and the rest of the world. Suddenly he finds himself in the company of the Department of Peculiar Science, a fearsome enforcement agency that polices the odd and strange. The box isn’t just a supernatural heirloom with quaint powers, they tell him.
It’s a doomsday device. They think. . .And suddenly, everyone is out to get it.
URBAN FANTASY
Published by Harper Voyager on April 19th 2016
Pages: 368
In this thrilling sequel to Black Dog—award-winning Caitlin Kittredge’s dark urban fantasy series, Hellhound Chronicles—a soul catcher must stop demonic monsters from her past from infecting the world
After winning her freedom from a reaper and facing off against a fearsome demon boss, Ava is now a masterless hellhound. Her friend, Leo, has found a new life after death himself: He’s returned as the Grim Reaper—the first in centuries. As both try to adjust to their new circumstances, Ava’s dark past comes back to wreak havoc on her . . . and the entire world.
A breed of monsters as smart as vampires—but who behave like zombies—have been sighted in Kansas. Ava can’t believe these “zompires” are back. She thought she’d kicked their asses for good when she first battled them in a Nazi death camp. Now, they’re spreading their infection across America’s heartland thanks to a nasty piece of business named Cain.
Free at last after being locked up in Hell for millennia, Cain has some scores to settle. To stop him, Ava must form an unholy alliance with some old foes . . . a bargain that will lead her to uncover deeply buried truths about her past—and Leo’s future.
SCIENCE FICTION
Almost Infamous: A Supervillain Novel by Matt Carter
Published by Talos on April 19th 2016
Pages: 328
Our reviews of this author: Almost Infamous: A Supervillain Novel
Eighteen-year-old Aidan Salt isn’t a superhero. With his powerful (and unpredictable) telekinetic abilities he could be one if he wanted to, but he doesn’t. He’s unambitious, selfish, and cowardly, and he doesn’t want to have to deal with all the paperwork required to become a professional superhero. But since the money, fame, and women that come with wearing the cape are appealing, he decides to become the first supervillain the world has seen in more than twenty years: Apex Strike.
However, he soon finds villainy in a world where the heroes have long since defeated all the supervillains. While half the world’s heroes seem to want him dead, the other half want to hire him as their own personal villain to keep them relevant. Choosing the latter course, Aidan enters a world of fame, fortune, and staged superhero fights that is seemingly everything he ever dreamed of . . . at least until he sees what truly hides behind the cape-and-mask lifestyle.
The House of Daniel by Harry Turtledove Published by Tor Books on April 19th 2016
Pages: 336
A picaresque tale of minor league baseball—in an alternate Great Depression America full of wild magic.
Since the Big Bubble popped in 1929, life in the United States hasn’t been the same. Hotshot wizards will tell you nothing’s really changed, but then again, hotshot wizards aren’t looking for honest work in Enid, Oklahoma. No paying jobs at the mill, because zombies will work for nothing. The diner on Main Street is seeing hard times as well, because a lot fewer folks can afford to fly carpets in from miles away.
Jack Spivey’s just another down-and-out trying to stay alive, doing a little of this and a little of that. Sometimes that means making a few bucks playing ball with the Enid Eagles, against teams from as many as two counties away. And sometimes it means roughing up rival thugs for Big Stu, the guy who calls the shots in Enid.
But one day Jack knocks on the door of the person he’s supposed to “deal with”—and realizes that he’s not going to do any such thing to the young lady who answers. This means he needs to get out of the reach of Big Stu, who didn’t get to where he is by letting defiance go unpunished.
Then the House of Daniel comes to town—a brash band of barnstormers who’ll take on any team, and whose antics never fail to entertain. Against the odds Jack secures a berth with them. Now they’re off to tour an America that’s as shot through with magic as it is dead broke. Jack will never be the same—nor will baseball.
FANTASY URBAN FANTASY SCIENCE FICTION
| Grim Tidings | Caitlin Kittredge | 4/19/2016 | Harper Voyager |
| The Fall of the Dagger | Glenda Larke | 4/19/2016 | Orbit |
| The Emperor’s Railroad | Guy Haley | 4/19/2016 | Tor.com |
| Nettle King | Katherine Harbour | 4/19/2016 | Harper Voyager |
| Almost Infamous | Matt Carter | 4/19/2016 | Talos |
| The Everything Box | Richard Kadrey | 4/19/2016 | Harper Voyager |
| The House of Daniel | Turtledove, Harry | 4/19/2016 | Tor Books |
You can also find me blogging about books at Tenacious Reader
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- Review: Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman - April 18, 2018
- Review: The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso - April 11, 2018
One Comment
I didn’t know that Glend Larke had written another trilogy, and after enjoying “The Last Stormlord” very much (need to go on with that series!!!) I will certainly take a look at this one as well. Thank you!