Monday, October 30, 2023

Cover Reveal News Round-Up, Including Books By Adrian Tchaikovsky, Sebastien de Castell, Hannah Kaner, Erin Young, John Grisham, TJ Klune, Tomi Adeyemi, Jenn Lyons, Adam Silvera, And Seanan McGuire

There's a lot in our plates in this edition of cover reveal news roundup. Genres, stand-alones, and serials are swirling up in a chaotic mixture. Books by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Sebastien de Castell, Hannah Kaner, Erin Young, John Grisham, TJ Klune, Tomi Adeyemi, Jenn Lyons, Adam Silvera, and Seanan McGuire are taking center stage.

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Synopsis

City-by-city, kingdom-by-kingdom, the Palleseen have sworn to bring Perfection and Correctness to an imperfect world. As their legions scour the world of superstition with the bright flame of reason, so they deliver a mountain of ragged, holed and scorched flesh to the field hospital tents just behind the front line.

Which is where Yasnic, one-time priest, healer and rebel, finds himself. Reprieved from the gallows and sent to war clutching a box of orphan Gods, he has been sequestered to a particularity unorthodox medical unit.

Led by 'the Butcher', an ogre of a man who's a dab hand with a bone-saw and an alchemical tincture, the unit's motley crew of conscripts, healers and orderlies are no strangers to the horrors of war. Theirs is an unspeakable trade: elbow-deep in gore they have a first-hand view of the suffering caused by flesh-rending monsters, arcane magical weaponry and embittered enemy soldiers.

Entrusted - for now - with saving lives deemed otherwise un-saveable, the field hospital's crew face a precarious existence. Their work with unapproved magic, necromancy, demonology and Yasnic's thoroughly illicit Gods could lead to the unit being disbanded, arrested or worse.

Beset by enemies within and without, the last thing anyone needs is a miracle.


House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky will be released on December 7, 2023.

The Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien de Castell

The Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien de Castell

Synopsis

A mortally wounded magistrate faces his deadliest trial inside an ancient abbey where the monks are going mad and the gods themselves may be to blame!

Estevar Borros, one of the legendary sword-fighting magistrates known as the Greatcoats and the king's personal investigator of the supernatural, is no stranger to tales of ghosts and demons. When the fractious monks of the abbey rumoured to be the birthplace of the gods begin warring over claims of a new pantheon arising, the frantic abbot summons him to settle the dispute.

But Estevar has his own problems: a near-fatal sword wound from his last judicial duel, a sworn knight who claims he has proof the monks are consorting with demons, a diabolical inquisitor with no love for the Greatcoats, and a mysterious young woman claiming to be Estevar's ally but who may well be his deadliest enemy.

Armed only with his famed investigative talents, his faltering skill with a blade and Imperious, his ornery mule, Estevar must root out the source of the madness lurking inside the once-sacred walls of Isola Sombra before its chaos spreads to the country he's sworn to protect.

Investigate alongside Estevar and the most heroic mule ever to appear in print in this thrilling swashbuckling fantasy mystery by Sebastien de Castell, author of the Internationally acclaimed Greatcoats and Spellslinger series!


The Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien de Castell will be released on December 7, 2023.

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

Synopsis

The godkiller is dying.

Having plunged into the sea’s depths to save Elo, Inara and Skedi from the fire god Hseth, her only chance of survival is to put her life in the hands of yet another god: Osidisen, god of the sea for whom she is named.

But no godkiller wants to be at the mercy of one, and if she lives she will find herself torn between honour and destruction of all the gods she comes across.

That includes the little god of white lies, Skedi, to whom Inara is bound. As they search for answers to their bond, Elo takes up the call of rebellion to destroy the man he once called friend, and still calls king.

A king who once devoted himself to destroying all gods throughout the land, but has now entered into an unholy pact with the most dangerous of them all.

And where once his heart beat, a god now burns.


Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner will be released on February 15, 2024.

Original Sins by Erin Young

Original Sins by Erin Young

Synopsis

It's a brutal winter in Des Moines, Iowa, and the city is gripped by fear. A serial attacker known as the Sin Eater is stalking women and has just struck again. It's a tough time and a tough place for Riley Fisher, a former small-town sergeant, to be reporting for duty as an FBI agent on her first assignment.

Teamed with a man she's not sure she can trust and struggling to prove herself - while fighting the pull of her old life and family dramas - Riley is tasked with investigating a vicious death threat against the newly elected female state governor. Gradually, she traces a disturbing connection between this case and the hunt for the Sin Eater. Through snow, ice, violence and lies, Riley Fisher is drawn towards a terrifying revelation.

Erin Young follows up her acclaimed crime debut, The Fields, which has drawn comparisons with Mare of Easttown, Silence of the Lambs and True Detective, with another stunning thriller full of dark menace and suspense.


Original Sins by Erin Young will be released on March 7, 2024.

Camino Ghosts by John Grisham

Camino Ghosts by John Grisham

Synopsis

John Grisham, #1 bestselling author and master of the legal thriller, takes us back to paradise. Bookstore owner Bruce Cable is reunited once again with Mercer Mann for another thrilling mystery packed with sun, sand, and mayhem. Filled with unpredictable twists, the return to Camino Island is guaranteed to be this summer’s perfect escape.

Camino Ghosts by John Grisham will be released on May 28, 2024.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

Synopsis

Featuring gorgeous gold color sprayed edges! Somewhere Beyond the Sea is the hugely-anticipated sequel to TJ Klune's TheHouse in the Cerulean Sea, one of the best-loved and best-selling fantasy novels of the past decade.

A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.

Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one.

He’s the master of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six dangerous and magical children who live there.

Arthur works hard and loves with his whole heart so none of the children ever feel the neglect and pain that he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago. He is not alone: joining him is the love of his life, Linus Baker, a former caseworker in the Department In Charge of Magical Youth. And there's the island's sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite, and her girlfriend, Mayor Helen Webb. Together, they will do anything to protect the children.

But when Arthur is summoned to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself at the helm of a fight for the future that his family, and all magical people, deserve.

And when a new magical child hopes to join them on their island home―one who finds power in calling himself monster, a name that Arthur worked so hard to protect his children from―Arthur knows they’re at a breaking point: their family will either grow stronger than ever or fall apart.

Welcome back to Marsyas Island. This is Arthur’s story.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.


Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune will be released on September 10, 2024.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi

Synopsis

Featuring gorgeous spray-painted and stenciled edges, dazzling metallic foil designs on the jacket and case, and an exclusive endpaper map that reveals new unexplored territories, Tomi Adeyemi’s #1 New York Times-bestselling Legacy of Orïsha series comes to an earth-shaking conclusion.

New allies rise.
The Blood Moon nears.
Zélie faces her final enemy.
The king who hunts her heart.


When Zelie seized the royal palace that fateful night, she thought her battles had come to an end. The monarchy had finally fallen. The maji had risen again. Zélie never expected to find herself locked in a cage and trapped on a foreign ship. Now warriors with iron skulls traffic her and her people across the seas, far from their homeland.

Then everything changes when Zélie meets King Baldyr, her true captor, the ruler of the Skulls, and the man who has ravaged entire civilizations to find her. Baldyr’s quest to harness Zélie’s strength sends Zélie, Amari, and Tzain searching for allies in unknown lands.

But as Baldyr closes in, catastrophe charges Orïsha’s shores. It will take everything Zélie has to face her final enemy and save her people before the Skulls annihilate them for good.


Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi will be released on June 25, 2024.

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons

The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons

Synopsis

Enter a world ruled by dragons...

A daring new fantasy heist adventure that will thrill fans of Temeraire, Fourth Wing, and Dragonriders of Pern

Anahrod lives only for survival, forging her own way through the harsh jungles of the Deep with her titan drake by her side. Even when an adventuring party saves her from capture by a local warlord, she is eager to return to her solitary life.

But this is no ordinary rescue. It’s Anahrod’s past catching up with her. These cunning misfits―and their frustratingly appealing dragonrider ringleader―intend to spirit her away to the dragon-ruled sky cities, where they need her help to steal from a dragon’s hoard.

There’s only one problem: the hoard in question belongs to the current regent, Neveranimas―and she wants Anahrod dead.

From the acclaimed author of the Chorus of Dragons series, this soaring standalone fantasy combines conniving dragons, lightning banter, high-stakes intrigue, and a little bit of heat.


The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons will be released on July 9, 2024.

Infinity Kings by Adam Silvera

Infinity Kings by Adam Silvera

Infinity Kings by Adam Silvera

Infinity Kings by Adam Silvera

Synopsis

In this epic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Infinity Cycle, two brothers find themselves in a heartbreaking war against one another. The hardcover edition features a reversible jacket with two stunning covers by Kevin Tong and Meybis Ruiz Cruz!

After the ultimate betrayal, Emil must rise up as a leader to stop his brother before he becomes too powerful. Even if that means pushing away Ness and Wyatt as they compete for his heart so he can focus on the war.

Brighton has a legion of followers at his command, but when he learns about an ancient scythe that can kill the unkillable, that’s all he will need to become unstoppable against Emil and other rising threats.

Meanwhile, Maribelle aligns with her greatest enemy to resurrect her lost love, and Ness infiltrates political circles to stop Iron from ruling the country, but both missions lead to tragedies that will change everyone’s lives forever.

As the Infinity Son and the Infinity Reaper go to war, who will be crowned the Infinity King?


Infinity Kings by Adam Silvera will be released on March 12, 2024.

Tidal Creatures by Seanan McGuire

Tidal Creatures by Seanan McGuire

Synopsis

Every night, a Moon shines down on the Impossible City...

New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire takes us back to the world of the award-winning Alchemical Journeys series in this action-packed follow-up to Middlegame and Seasonal Fears.

All across the world, people look up at the moon and dream of gods. Gods of knowledge and wisdom, gods of tides and longevity. Over time, some of these moon gods incarnated into the human world alongside the other manifest natural concepts. Their job is to cross the sky above the Impossible City―the heart of all creation―to keep it connected to reality.

And someone is killing them.

There are so many of them that it's easy for a few disappearances to slip through the cracks. But they aren't limitless.

In the name of the moon, the lunar divinities must uncover the roots of the plot and thwart the true goal of those behind these attacks―control of the Impossible City itself.


Tidal Creatures by Seanan McGuire will be released on June 4, 2024.

Monday, October 2, 2023

HarperCollins To Re-Issue Matching Boxed Sets Of "The History Of Middle-Earth" By J. R. R. Tolkien And Christopher Tolkien

A couple of months ago I ordered the entire lot of "The History of Middle-earth" (including the index) from the official HarperCollins UK website. They were so pricey but I was quite happy and excited to have the UK editions (I have copies of the US editions). Unfortunately after a weeks they were cancelled and I was refunded, but with a juicy piece of information included in the email. The publisher will not be able supply the order with the then edition as they are "reprinting" the books. It turns out the reprinting is a total redesign and a totally new revision!

In a news that got me all excited, HarperCollins will be publishing the entire collection in 4 boxed sets. The books will have reversible jackets, featuring matching John Howe art on one side and the original design on the other. They will be released in a span of months starting with the first boxed set, which includes The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The Book of Lost Tales, Parts One & Part Two.

Check out the first boxed set of The History of Middle-Earth by J. R. R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien, which includes The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The Book of Lost Tales, Parts One & Part Two.

The History of Middle-Earth

The History of Middle-Earth

Synopsis

First in a series of hardback boxed sets celebrating the literary achievement of Christopher Tolkien, featuring double-sided dustjackets. Set 1 contains special editions of THE SILMARILLION and UNFINISHED TALES reproducing the first edition text, together with the two volumes of THE BOOK OF LOST TALES.

The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s World. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.

Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth and the rise of Númenor in the Second Age to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the twentieth century’s most acclaimed popular author.

The Book of Lost Tales stands at the beginning of the entire conception of Middle-earth and Valinor for the Tales were the first form of the myths and legends that came to be called The Silmarillion. Embedded in English legend and English association, they are set in the narrative frame of a great westward voyage over the Ocean by a mariner named Eriol to the lonely Isle where the Elves dwelt; from them he learned their true history, the Lost Tales of Elfinesse.

In the two volumes of the Tales are found the earliest accounts of Gods and Elves, Dwarves, Balrogs and Orcs; of the Silmarils and the Two Trees of Valinor; of the geography and cosmology of Tolkien’s invented world.

Published together for the first time, these four books collect the beginning of Christopher Tolkien’s forty-year career devoted to presenting his father J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings on Middle-earth, a unique accomplishment that celebrates the greatest invented world in all of fantasy literature.


The History of Middle-earth (Boxed Set 1): The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The Book of Lost Tales, Parts One & Part Two by J. R. R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien will be released on November 23, 2023.