Just Arrived, 2/22/10
Posted on February 22, 2010 Posted by John Scalzi 20 Comments
Look what the cat dragged in:
* White Cat, by Holly Black (Margaret K. McElderry): Holly’s latest YA, featuring a good kid in a family of black magic con men, drawn unwillingly into one of their schemes. We’re big fans of Holly’s stuff here in the Scalzi household, and this one looks particularly cool. Out May 4.
* The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, by Kelly O’Connor McNees (Amy Einhorn): This debut novel imagines a romance for the historically-not-known-to-have-had-a-romance writer Alcott. But can Alcott have romance and independence in the 1850s? McNees will be along in late March with a Big Idea piece about this book, which will arrive in book stores in early April.
* Mistwood, by Leah Cypess (Greenwillow): Weird fact: I was looking at the cover of this book this morning and the looked over to my Twitter feed, and there was tweet from Ms. Cypess pointing to something on Whatever. COINCIDENCE? Well, yes. But still amusing. This debut fantasy features a shapeshifter who must protect a king — if she can just remember how. Out in May.
* Petrodor, by Joel Shepherd (Pyr): The second book in the Shepard’s “Trial of Blood and Steel” fantasy quartet, featuring the series heroine Sasha struggling mightily to stop a madly onrushing war. Because war is bad, people. Out next month.
* Watcher of the Dead, by J.V. Jones (Tor): The fourth book in the “Sword of Shadows” series. Three heroes arise to try to reclaim a chaotic world. Out in April.
* Pleasure Model: Netherworld Book 1, by Christopher Rowley (Tor): This collaboration between Tor Books and Heavy Metal Magazine seeks to revive the look and feel of pulp novels; at the very least they’ve got the artwork down. Story involves a cop and a genetically-designed sex slave, working a murder case. Yeah, it’s pretty much exactly as you’d expect something from Heavy Metal to be. Out now.
* Repo Men, by Eric Garcia (Harper): Rebranded paperback version of The Repossession Mambo, with the title changed to reflect the name of the upcoming movie based on it, starring Jude Law. Because, hey, if a major motion picture based on your book was being released under a slightly different name, you’d probably put out a rebranded paperback, too. Out March 9, with the movie out ten days later.
Oh my God, finally a new J.V. Jones book. Great news, thank you.
I’m sorry, Windup Girl and Dollhouse took up my genetically modified sex slave as protagonist quota for this year. Perhaps I’ll get lucky next year and Stroll will write a followup to Saturn’s Children.
Er, Stross.
if a major motion picture based on your book was being released under a slightly different name, you’d probably put out a rebranded paperback, too
If the stars were to align in such a fashion, they can call my book whatever they want. I’d be quite happy with Spamtastic Monkey-Brain Eating Demons of Arkon IV.
Yes. Yes, I would.
Eeeek! I hope you like it!
I love Holly Black’s books! Hope it’s as awesome as the others were. =)
It’s Joel Shepherd, not Shepard. I’m also very confused by the release dates, since I thought the first three books of Trial of Blood and Steel where already out, but it looks like that they’re out in Australia/UK, but not yet the US.
I’ll def check out the Chris Rowley/Heavy Metal.
Him combined with Heavy Metal sensibilities ought to make it a rollicking good read.
His Bazil Broketail is one of my fav characters and his “chitin” books aren’t half bad either.
Your readers should know that in celebration of the mass market paperback release of “Ghost Radio” by Leopoldo Gout the book’s official blog (http://ghostradio.wordpress.com/) is hosting a series of contests with chances to win autographed copies of the book and other prizes!
The contests close on March 13, 2010.
So pop over to the blog and enter now. It only takes a few seconds.
The chance of free books and other cool stuff … what are you waiting for?
Here’s a sample of some of the raves “Ghost Radio” has received:
“Ghost Radio reminded me of early Stephen King — Carrie and Pet Sematary and The Dead Zone. The story sticks with you long after you’ve finished the final page.”
– James Patterson
“A first novel that moves with deserved confidence into Stephen King territory … Palpable, almost visible cross-cultural creepiness that never lets up: very smart thrills.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“A deliciously creepy yarn … Gout’s fusion of radio-show culture and paranormal occurrences produces a winning compound.”
– Booklist
“A thrilling literary and visual experience, this contemporary ghost story set in Mexico is a fast-moving and enjoyable read. The story and writing style recall early Stephen King and Joe Hill’s Heart-Shaped Box.”
– Library Journal
Josh Jasper, Stross has written a short-story follow up to Saturn’s Children, he read part of it (aiee, I need to know how it ends) at Boskone last weekend.
Is Repo Men at all related to Repo Man?
Heh. I assure you, it was a coincidence – I asked my publisher to send you a copy, but I am not in charge of when (or even whether) they do. Nice to know you got it, though.
Is Repo Men at all related to Repo Man?
No. The plot is actually closer to that of “Repo! The Genetic Opera,” but those two projects aren’t related either.
That Holly Black one sounds cool.
Totally excited about the new Holly Black book–especially since I got to hear her read from it this past summer. Squee!
Thanks for the information I really like J. V. Jones.
Yay. The world needs more genetically-designed sex slaves as protagonists…
I saw a preview of the Repo Men movie yesterday. I want to say it was on the Zombieland Blueray disc, but I can’t say for sure. It looks cool and the cast can’t be beat.
Although, from what I can tell, it lacks the crucial genetically-designed sex slave character.
Louisa May Alcott’s romance is with a lady, I hope! She was pretty clear about her romantic history: in an interview, she famously said “I have fallen in love in my life with so many pretty girls and never once the least bit with any man.”
Of course, in a world where we have Gyles Brandreth’s Oscar Wilde mysteries (where Oscar isn’t really interested in sex with men at all), who knows.
Doggone it!
Does anyone beside me get tired of “#3 in the series” reviews?
Somebody out there PLEASE build me a new world with ordinary people in extraordinary events, where every failure to come up with a plausible answer to the situation isn’t covered by a magic(k) spell or a fantastic creature.
Sigh. Scalzi, you will be the death of me, or at least my bookshelves and/or my bank account.
*goes to add more books to the to-be-read list of DOOM*