Posted on July 17, 2020 Posted by John Scalzi 28 Comments
I got a little behind here, so today’s stack of new books and ARCs is a double-wide, filled with booky goodness from the last couple of weeks. What here is calling to you? Tell us all in the comments!
Taunting the tauntable since 1998
John Scalzi, proprietor – JS
Athena Scalzi, contributor – AMS
About the site
What's the Big Idea? Authors explaining the the big ideas behind their latest works, in their own words. See the latest Big Ideas!
Authors/Editors/Publicists: for information on how to participate, click here.
Chuck Gannon’s Marque of Caine, and Give Me Libertycon.
Another Joe Abercrombie book I need to get! And Hank Green, too. But what I am really excited about is “Black Future Month” by N. K. Jemisen
NKJ’s “How Long ‘Til…” was excellent and thought-provoking. My favorite was probably “The Evaluators”
Just reading that Savage Legion book.
The Only Good Indians for the win!
If anyone else was like “Something new from Pournelle? I didn’t know he was still alive.” …
Well. He’s not. Mamelukes is Janissaries IV. He’d apparently written most of it before he died, and his son and David Weber finished it. See Wikipedia for more.
Didn’t Jerry Pournelle die a couple of years back? (checking… almost 3 years ago) Surprised that he has a “new” book out.
I enjoyed The Orphans of Raspay. I giggle a fair bit at Penric’s “internal” dialogue with Desdemona.
Oooo. A new Tim Powers book?!
And N K Jemison is terrific.
Joe Abercrombie and Lois Mcmaster Bujold.
Probably Jerry Pournelle when it makes it to paperback … but 33 years after the last book in the series. It may read in a dated fashion. Something I’m finding in other older favourites I re-read during Covid lockdown.
I agree with praise for The Orphans of Raspay, but the one I really want to point out is Evolution Device, by Lif Strand. Technically it’s not out til the end of the month but Amazon goofed (?) and sent mine early. It’s about a 70’s rock star dealing with the magic channeled in his music — or failing to deal with it. Five Stars!!!!
“A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor” has an intriguing title.
The Block book’s title sounds like a crime in academia story collection but I could be wrong.
The Jemisin would be one I’d definitely enjoy reading…and imagining the howls of bigots who can’t handle the concept of Black futures.
Peter, I suggest you read An Absolutely Remarkable Thing first – Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the sequel, and I look forward to reading it.
Already read the stories in How Long ’til Black Future Month – highly recommend.
I am catching up with Abercrombie after having read Best Served Cold several years ago. I’m in the last chapter of the audiobook of The Last Argument of Kings. Could we call these Game of Thrones with a smaller body count? I only got as far as the first 100 pages of GoT.
Bujold and Green are on my nightstand
I’m halfway through the Lawrence Block collection of college-set stories. Good one.
There’s a lot that looks interesting. (I have a horrid headache else I’d be reading now. )
Give me Libertycon
Savage Legion (must be about a costume club)
Live to tell the tale – hmmmm
The Properties of Rooftop Air – fascinating
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor – well that’s the story my life!
Marque of Caine gets a glance too
But I am really intrigued by The Properties of Rooftop Air. Need to see if the synopsis is something I’d be interested in.
Just in case people aren’t aware, David Weber and Jerry Pournelle’s son (Phillip) are going to finish the Janissary series, Mamelukes is not the end. A youtube interview with David said they plan two more books.
The Architects of Memory sounds interesting, and I’ve already pre-ordered the Matt Effin Wallace book.
All new Abercrombie books go to the top of my list! And looking forward to that Hank Green sequel as well.
Definitely “The Only Good Indians”!
Hey John, feel free to send that Abercrombie back this way to your old NoVA stomping grounds – I’ll pay 1st class!
Looks like a new Cinnabar Navy story from David Drake. Will be interesting to see if he continues telling stories from the non-Leary/Mondy POV.
I read the David Drake one a couple weeks ago. It was a good read, but I was missing all my favorite RCN characters.
The Trouble with Peace!!! Oh yes …
I just ordered Malerman’s Malorie (a Bird Box sequel) and The Darkling Halls of Ivy (the title lured me, and I love a themed anthology – especially with contributions from folks like Joe R. Lansdale and Seanan McGuire). I’d have ordered the Hank Green book too except that I already did!
So you got “The trouble with peace” 3 months earlier than the Hoi Polloi…
Now I know why I wake up in the night and tell my wife “Marge, I think I hate John Scalzi”
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor looks interesting
HMM… Pournelle or Jones
I’ve been looking at buying the Indian book. Let me know if it is good.