The Book Haul 8/27/08
Posted on August 27, 2008 Posted by John Scalzi 18 Comments
Yesterday’s Book Haul covered the various hardcovers that had made it into the Scalzi Compound over the last couple of weeks; today we’ve got some of the various paperbacks. Ready? Here we go:
* Wanderlust, Ann Aguirre: The second of Aguirre’s Jax books, in which the main character is has the special ability to navigate faster-than-light ships. This time she’s taken a new job in which she has to deal with various shady types in order to get paid and/or make it out alive. Which I suppose means she’s gotten a gig in publishing. This came out yesterday. Also, apparently today is Ann Aguirre’s birthday. You know what present to give her.
* Legacy, Jeanne C. Stein: The fourth book in the Anna Strong, Vampire series. Our heroine, despite being a vampire an therefore some sort of dead, nevertheless inherits a fortune — but wait! Here comes a very angry werewolf to put a claim on the inheritance! Something tells me this one won’t just be fought in court. Also out now.
* Imaginary Friends: An anthology of stories about — oh, come on, you can guess — imaginary friends. Contributors to this one include my pal Jim C. Hines, SFWA president Russell Davis, Tim Waggoner (who lives just down the road from me), and recent Sidewise award winner Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Hits September 2.
* Acacia, David Anthony Durham: Durham’s very excellent fantasy debut, now in convenient paperback form. I’m a big fan of this book, so check it out if you haven’t done so already. It came out yesterday.
* The Soldier King, Violette Malan: The second novel featuring Dhulyn and Parno, psychic former slave and exiled nobleman, respectively. Trouble occurs when the pair decide to help a captive prince they had previously captured. See, this is why I don’t bother to capture princes anymore. Just too much work. This comes out next Tuesday.
* The Age of the Conglomerates, Thomas Nevins: A very slick-looking book which more or less recasts a 1984 dytopia into a conglomerate business setting. Author Nevins has been working in the publishing world for a while in sales, so this is his debut on the other side of the shark tank. Happy swimming, Thomas! This is out now.
* Just One Bite, Kimberly Raye: The fourth book in a series about a dating service for supernatural and occasionally undead folks. I find this a strangely appealing concept myself. Everyone needs love, folks. Everyone needs love. Out now.
* Pandemonium, Daryl Gregory: It’s the 1950s (mostly) and people all over the US are finding themselves possessed. One of them is looking for help to get rid of the demon inside his head, and his quest will, among other things, lead him to Philip K. Dick. No, really, it says so right here on the back cover. Tell you what, I’m looking forward to reading how that will pan out. This book came out yesterday.
* Heaven’s Net is Wide, Lian Hearn: The prequel to the Otori series, now available in paperback. Or will be available, next Tuesday.
* Leaving Fortusa, John Grant: Grant is perhaps better known for his nonfiction (most recently for his tomes Discarded Science and Corrupted Science, on the subjects suggested in the titles, and both of which I recommend), and this is a “novel in ten episodes” about the future of humanity. From Norilana Books, which is run by author Vera Nazarian. This comes out in October.
* Break of Dawn, Chris Marie Green: More vampires! They’re very popular these days, aren’t they. This is the third book of the “Vampire Babylon” trilogy. It comes out September 2.
* Elric: To Rescue Tanelorn, Michael Moorcock: Yay! More Elric! Also, it’s out now. That is all.
* A Field Guide to Surreal Botany: Co-Edited by frequent Whatever commenter Jason Erik Lundberg, this excellently fanciful volume features contributions from noted surreal botanists such as Jay Lake, Ann Leckie, Jon Hansen, Lucy A. Snyder and Merrie Haskell. The perfect thing to confuse the gardener in your life. Unlike the other books in this entry, it’s not on Amazon, so let point you in the direction of the publisher, Two Cranes Press.
I crave your thoughts on this collection of books.
I have heard nothing but good things about Daryl Gregory’s pandemonium. I’m at work but the book is in at home in an amazon.com box waiting for me.
Going to be tackling that one sooner rather than later.
I would love to see a The Big Idea piece from him as well.
Jonnie-boy, I wish you wouldn’t post pictures of all the books you get for free. It’s making me consider breaking several of the Commandments all at the same time, especially the coveting one. In closing…you suck.
p.s. Send me the Tanelorn book and I’ll change my mind…oh great, now you made me a whore too.
Yeah, hmmmm, Break of Dawn. That sounds familiar, but somehow I just can’t place it…
Man, when I opened the package and that fell out, it was a true headdesk moment, I can tell you. I know that publishing can get meretricious, but there’s such a thing as being meretricious, and then there’s being the kind of desperate whore who walks right into the front door of the busiest bus station in town, bends over the first desk she sees, and flips up her skirt to reveal the words “Get It Here!” tattooed on her ass.
The Elric is teh awesome, but I already have the third one, too. So nyah.
Feeling especially snarklicious today, Mr. Wagner?
I’s a kritik. Comes with the job.
The original 3 Otori books were very good; lots of violence and grand story arcs and cool assassin stuff. The 4th got kind of long-winded, and didn’t seem to me a satisfying wrap-up of the series, but the prequel gets back to the conflict that was central to the first three, and what made them exciting. You should check it out in your vast amounts of spare time (ha!).
“That is all!”? You didn’t even mention the fancy Kaluta drawings!
Leaving Fortusa, John Grant:
From the cover, I wasn’t sure this book wasn’t called “Leaving Fort USA” and trying to figure out what that would be about.
Daryl slipped me an ARC of Pandemonium at Denvention, and I dug the hell out of it. Any book with PKD, demonic possession, a punk-rock nun, and references to Carl Jung is fine by me. I’ve been recommending it to all and sundry (not that I’m not also recommending ZT)
Looks like a great bunch of books. Don’t know about you, but I am pretty burned out on the whole “vampire category” of books right now.
On a side note, two quick questions:
1. What do you do with those books when you are done with them?
2. How do you come to be on the receiving end of so many books?
The Elric is a reprint, which you don’t mention (and almost make it sound like a new Elric story).
Wow, I’m nonplussed to find a reference to my birthday here! Thanks for the mention. *g*
Acacia is flat out awesome, so nothing more needs to be said about that.
Imaginary Friends looks like an anthology I’d like to read.
Pandemonium seems interesting. Also, I was waiting for the MMPB of Acacia to come out.
Thanks for the shout-out, John! We’re very proud of Surreal Botany. I should mention that the other half of our editing team is the extremely talented Janet Chui, who also did all the design and layout for the book, not to mention the cover art and interior watercolor illustrations for all 48 entries. If anyone’s interested, her website is Illumina: The Fantasy Art of Janet Chui.
I also can’t wait for Pandemonium (full disclosure: Daryl Gregory owes me a beer).
Pandemonium is actually set in the present day, but in a universe where demonic possessions have been going on since at least the 50’s. Philip K. Dick is still around because his demon (called Valis, natch) has kept him alive. How do you pass up a book that has Philip K. Dick and Sinead O’Connor as major characters?
The Otori books are fantastic and I would recommend them to anyone. I read Heaven’s Net Is Wide first as my g/f was feeling down one day and she loves Japanese based books and the hardback was on sale so I got it for her as a cheer up pressie. After she finished I was informed I HAD to read it as well. I did and then we bought all the other books – I think i over took Anj as I read faster and they where sitting there watching me! Also this is an Australian Author which is good to see!! read it…