Something More than Night by Ian Tregilis
During the nineties I spent a lot of my reading time working my way through the noir classics of Raymond Chandler and Dashell Hammett and the synopsis of this noir urban fantasy sound like it hits on a lot of the things I enjoy. Angels seem to be the thing on the rise with urban fantasy with yet another season of the series Supernatural and the recent well received Bobby Dollar novels of Tad Williams. Ian Tregillis' Milkwood tryptic is high on my list of must reads so this is really tempting for me to get on board for what looks like a great ride. Here is the synopsis...
Something More Than Night is a Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler-inspired murder mystery set in Thomas Aquinas’s vision of Heaven. It’s a noir detective story starring fallen angels, the heavenly choir, nightclub stigmatics, a priest with a dirty secret, a femme fatale, and the Voice of God.
Somebody has murdered the angel Gabriel. Worse, the Jericho Trumpet has gone missing, putting Heaven on the brink of a truly cosmic crisis. But the twisty plot that unfolds from the murder investigation leads to something much bigger: a con job one billion years in the making.
Because this is no mere murder. A small band of angels has decided to break out of heaven, but they need a human patsy to make their plan work.
Much of the story is told from the point of view of Bayliss, a cynical fallen angel who has modeled himself on Philip Marlowe. The yarn he spins follows the progression of a Marlowe novel — the mysterious dame who needs his help, getting grilled by the bulls, finding a stiff, getting slipped a mickey
Angels and gunsels, dames with eyes like fire, and a grand maguffin, Something More Than Night is a murder mystery for the cosmos.
Lost Covenant by Ari Marmell
A while ago I gave a growing review to the first book in this YA fantasy series that I'm sure will thrill adult sword and sorcery fans equally as teen readers. Widdershins is a marvelously sarcastic thieving heroine and Ari's setting though fairly European-ish has some very cool tweets to gods, societal conventions and myths. The second book which I still have to post my review of was much grimmer and action packed and left me wondering where he could take us next. Glady this third volume is out now.... Here is the synopsis and a link to PYR books.
It's been six months since Widdershins and her own "personal god" Olgun fled the city of Davillon. During their travels, Widdershins unwittingly discovers that a noble house is preparing to move against the last surviving bastion of the Delacroix family. Determined to help the distant relatives of her deceased adopted father, Alexandre Delacroix, she travels to a small town at the edge of the nation. There, she works at unraveling a plot involving this rival house and a local criminal organization, all while under intense suspicion from the very people she's trying to rescue. Along the way she'll have to deal with a traitor inside the Delacroix family, a mad alchemist, and an infatuated young nobleman who won't take no for an answer.
Dance of Mirrors by David Dalglish
So this is another of one of those great experiments of Orbit books of publishing a series one a month for three months. I have yet to really dive in but based on the past choices like Brent Weeks Way of Shadows I have great hopes for this assassin based series. Here is the synopsis....
Haern is the King's Watcher, protector against thieves and nobles who would fill the night with blood. Yet hundreds of miles away, an assassin known as the Wraith has begun slaughtering those in power, leaving the symbol of the Watcher in mockery.
When Haern travels south to confront this copycat, he finds a city ruled by the corrupt, the greedy and the dangerous. Rioters fill the streets and the threat of war hangs over everything. To forge peace, Haern must confront the deadly Wraith, a killer who would shape the kingdom's future with the blade of his sword.
Also a digital only short story called Cloak and Spider also hits today so you can go and get a taste of David's fiction if you like...
Malice by John Gwynne
As a fan of sword and sorcery and the more recent iteration e grim dark, GRRM more realistic fantasies this one seems to be something I must read. To give you a taste there is an excerpt you can look at here and for your reading pleasure here is the synopsis from John's website....
A black sun is rising … Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors under King Brenin’s rule, learning the art of war. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. But that day will come all too soon. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage. The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed shields in battle, the earth running dark with their heartsblood. Although the giant-clans were broken in ages past, their ruined fortresses still scar the land. But now giants stir anew, the very stones weep blood and there are sightings of giant wyrms. Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. Sorrow will darken the world, as angels and demons make it their battlefield. Then there will be a war to end all wars. High King Aquilus summons his fellow kings to council, seeking an alliance in this time of need. Some are skeptical, fighting their own border skirmishes against pirates and giants. But prophesy indicates darkness and light will demand two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. They would be wise to seek out both, for if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind’s hopes and dreams will fall to dust.
Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi
Now I believe I did mention this sci if novel a few months back when it came out in eBook version and I have to mention it again because it is coming out in paperback version this week. I can't say why but books that explore issues of sexuality and society have a draw for me and the little bit of this novel that I have read reminds me of the book Light by M John Harrison setting wise and in its tone. Here is a bit of a synopsis for you and a link to an excerpt...
Alana Quick is the best damned sky surgeon in Heliodor City, but repairing starship engines barely pays the bills. When the desperate crew of a cargo vessel stops by her shipyard looking for her spiritually-advanced sister Nova, Alana stows away. Maybe her boldness will land her a long-term gig on the crew.
But the Tangled Axon proves to be more than star-watching and plasma coils. The chief engineer thinks he’s a wolf. The pilot fades in and out of existence. The captain is all blond hair, boots, and ego... and Alana can’t keep her eyes off her. But there’s little time for romance: Nova’s in danger and someone will do anything—even destroying planets—to get their hands on her!
But the Tangled Axon proves to be more than star-watching and plasma coils. The chief engineer thinks he’s a wolf. The pilot fades in and out of existence. The captain is all blond hair, boots, and ego... and Alana can’t keep her eyes off her. But there’s little time for romance: Nova’s in danger and someone will do anything—even destroying planets—to get their hands on her!
Darkwalker by E.L. Tettensor
This one I found because I was looking through the recent issue of Writers magazine. Looks like this is a second world version of nineteenth century with its own Sherlock Holmes or Sexton Blake who has a dark secret and according to reviews I read it sounds like something I'll like. Check out the review over on goodreads...and here is the synopsis...
Once a legendary police inspector, Nicolas Lenoir is now a disillusioned and broken man who spends his days going through the motions and his evenings drinking away the nightmares of his past. Ten years ago, Lenoir barely escaped the grasp of the Darkwalker, a vengeful spirit who demands a terrible toll on those who have offended the dead. But the Darkwalker does not give up on his prey so easily, and Lenoir has always known his debt would come due one day.
When Lenoir is assigned to a disturbing new case, he treats the job with his usual apathy—until his best informant, a street savvy orphan, is kidnapped. Desperate to find his young friend before the worst befalls him, Lenoir will do anything catch the monster responsible for the crimes, even if it means walking willingly into the arms of his own doom…...
Dangerous Women edited by George RR Martin & Gardner Dozois
This is a collection that I have been anxious for since I read about it so long ago and will likely not be waiting for the paperback version as I do with most of these like I did Legends and Warriors. Dangerous Woman includes many of my favorite authors and the tease of more Somg of Ice and Fire history especially Targarian history is too strong a draw. If your a fantasy fan of any stripe this will more then likely be on your wish list... Speaking of wish lists here is the contents and over at Tor.com there are multiple excerpts you and check out at this here link.
- “Some Desperado” by Joe Abercrombie - A First Law story
- “My Heart is Either Broken” by Megan Abbott
- “Nora’s Song” by Cecelia Holland
- “The Hands That Are Not There” by Melinda Snodgrass
- “Bombshells” by Jim Butcher - A Harry Dresden story
- “Raisa Stepanova” by Carrie Vaughn
- “Wrestling Jesus” by Joe R. Lansdale
- “Neighbors” by Megan Lindholm
- “I Know How to Pick ’Em” by Lawrence Block
- “Shadows For Silence in the Forests of Hell” by Brandon Sanderson - A story from Sanderson’s cosmere
- “A Queen in Exile” by Sharon Kay Penman
- “The Girl in the Mirror” by Lev Grossman - A Magiciansstory
- “Second Arabesque, Very Slowly” by Nancy Kress
- “City Lazarus” by Diana Rowland
- “Virgins” by Diana Gabaldon - An Outlander story
- “Hell Hath No Fury” by Sherilynn Kenyon
- “Pronouncing Doom” by S.M. Stirling - An Emberverse story
- “Name the Beast” by Sam Sykes
- “Caretakers” by Pat Cadigan
- “Lies My Mother Told Me” by Caroline Spector - A Wild Cards story
- “The Princess and the Queen” by George R.R. Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire story
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