Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.

SQT's can't wait to read selection is:



Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ace

Date: July 31, 2012

Pages: 448



Some people have everything figured out — Andrea Nash is not one of those people. After being kicked out of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea's whole existence is in shambles. All she can do is try to put herself back together, something made easier by working for Cutting Edge, a small investigative firm owned by her best friend, Kate Daniels.



When several shapeshifters working for Raphael Medrano — the male alpha of Clan Bouda and Andrea's former lover — die unexpectedly at a dig site, Andrea is assigned to investigate ... and must work with Raphael. As her search for the killer leads her into the secret underbelly of supernatural Atlanta, Andrea knows that dealing with her feelings for Raphael might have to take a backseat to saving the world ...



I only have a handful of "must read" authors- especially when it comes to paranormal fiction- and Ilona Andrews is one of them. "Gunmetal Magic" is an offshoot of the Kate Daniels series, but I'm just as excited to get my hands on this one as I would be if it were part of the regular series.



Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



Age of Aztec by James Lovegrove



Publisher: Solaris

Date: 3/27/12

pages: 512





The date is 4 Jaguar 1 Monkey 1 House – November 25th 2012 by the old reckoning – and the Aztec Empire rules the world.



The Aztecs’ reign is one of cruel and ruthless oppression, encompassing regular human sacrifice. In the jungle-infested city of London, one man defies them: the masked vigilante known as the Conquistador.



Then the Conquistador is recruited to spearhead an uprising, and discovers a terrible truth about the Aztec and thier gods. The clock is ticking. Apocalypse looms, unless the Conquistador can help assassinate the mysterious, immortal Aztec emperor, the Great Speaker. But his mission is complicated by Mal Vaughn, a police detective who is on his trail, determined to bring him to justice.



I was somewhat aware of the first book in this "series" (I believe they are not really interconnected, only different takes on alternate universes where certain mythologies of Earth were based on reality), Age of Ra, but I haven't had the chance to check out any of the books as yet. I do enjoy updating mythologies though (see my interest in Marvel's Thor) and I've got a particular fondness for the Mayans having visited ruins from that civilization (yes, I know the Aztecs aren't the same, but it's close enough for me in this case). And hey, with all the talk about the Mayan calendar, I'm intrigued and would like to check this book out.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.

SQT's can't wait to read selection is:



Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ace

Date: July 31, 2012

Pages: 448



Some people have everything figured out — Andrea Nash is not one of those people. After being kicked out of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea's whole existence is in shambles. All she can do is try to put herself back together, something made easier by working for Cutting Edge, a small investigative firm owned by her best friend, Kate Daniels.



When several shapeshifters working for Raphael Medrano — the male alpha of Clan Bouda and Andrea's former lover — die unexpectedly at a dig site, Andrea is assigned to investigate ... and must work with Raphael. As her search for the killer leads her into the secret underbelly of supernatural Atlanta, Andrea knows that dealing with her feelings for Raphael might have to take a backseat to saving the world ...



I only have a handful of "must read" authors- especially when it comes to paranormal fiction- and Ilona Andrews is one of them. "Gunmetal Magic" is an offshoot of the Kate Daniels series, but I'm just as excited to get my hands on this one as I would be if it were part of the regular series.



Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



Age of Aztec by James Lovegrove



Publisher: Solaris

Date: 3/27/12

pages: 512





The date is 4 Jaguar 1 Monkey 1 House – November 25th 2012 by the old reckoning – and the Aztec Empire rules the world.



The Aztecs’ reign is one of cruel and ruthless oppression, encompassing regular human sacrifice. In the jungle-infested city of London, one man defies them: the masked vigilante known as the Conquistador.



Then the Conquistador is recruited to spearhead an uprising, and discovers a terrible truth about the Aztec and thier gods. The clock is ticking. Apocalypse looms, unless the Conquistador can help assassinate the mysterious, immortal Aztec emperor, the Great Speaker. But his mission is complicated by Mal Vaughn, a police detective who is on his trail, determined to bring him to justice.



I was somewhat aware of the first book in this "series" (I believe they are not really interconnected, only different takes on alternate universes where certain mythologies of Earth were based on reality), Age of Ra, but I haven't had the chance to check out any of the books as yet. I do enjoy updating mythologies though (see my interest in Marvel's Thor) and I've got a particular fondness for the Mayans having visited ruins from that civilization (yes, I know the Aztecs aren't the same, but it's close enough for me in this case). And hey, with all the talk about the Mayan calendar, I'm intrigued and would like to check this book out.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Silver by Rhiannon Held



Publisher: Tor

Date: June 5, 2012

Pages: 320



Andrew Dare is a werewolf. He’s the enforcer for the Roanoke pack, and responsible for capturing or killing any Were intruders in Roanoke’s territory. But the lone Were he’s tracking doesn’t smell or act like anyone he’s ever encountered. And when he catches her, it doesn’t get any better. She’s beautiful, she’s crazy, and someone has tortured her by injecting silver into her veins. She says her name is Silver, and that she’s lost her wild self and can’t shift any more.



The packs in North America have a live-and-let-live attitude, and try not to overlap with each other. But Silver represents a terrible threat to every Were on the continent.



Andrew and Silver will join forces to track down this menace while discovering their own power and their passion for each other.





I haven't read a good werewolf fantasy in quite a while- in fact I think it has probably been over a year. (I think I got distracted by all the good zombie fiction out there these days.) The description reminds me a little of "Bitten" by Kelly Armstrong and I enjoyed that one quite a bit. I'm in the mood for a good romance and this looks like it'll  do the job nicely.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



  Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories

by John Jackson Miller

 Publisher: Del Rey

 Date: July 31, 2012

 Pages: 432



  At last in one volume the eight original installments of the epic Lost Tribe of the Sith eBook series . . . along with the explosive, never-before-published finale, Pandemonium—more than one hundred pages of new material! Five thousand years ago. After a Jedi ambush, the Sith mining ship Omen lies wrecked on a remote, unknown planet. Its commander, Yaru Korsin, battles the bloodshed of a mutinous faction led by his own brother. Marooned and facing death, the Sith crew have no choice but to venture into their desolate surroundings. They face any number of brutal challenges—vicious predators, lethal plagues, tribal people who worship vengeful gods—and like true Sith warriors, counter them with the dark side of the Force. The struggles are just beginning for the proud, uncompromising Sith, driven as they are to rule at all costs. They will vanquish the primitive natives, and they will find their way back to their true destiny as rulers of the galaxy. But as their legacy grows over thousands of years, the Sith ultimately find themselves tested by the most dangerous threat of all: the enemy within. 



This is a prologue of sorts to the Fate of the Jedi series (I'll be reviewing the final book in that series, Apocalypse, at the end of this week), written by the author of my favorite Star Wars book from last year (Knight Errant). I don't really have a comfortable way of reading ebooks, so I've skipped reading these stories so far (they are free for anyone who is looking to try them out), which is one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to this collected edition - not to mention the new material as well.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Silver by Rhiannon Held



Publisher: Tor

Date: June 5, 2012

Pages: 320



Andrew Dare is a werewolf. He’s the enforcer for the Roanoke pack, and responsible for capturing or killing any Were intruders in Roanoke’s territory. But the lone Were he’s tracking doesn’t smell or act like anyone he’s ever encountered. And when he catches her, it doesn’t get any better. She’s beautiful, she’s crazy, and someone has tortured her by injecting silver into her veins. She says her name is Silver, and that she’s lost her wild self and can’t shift any more.



The packs in North America have a live-and-let-live attitude, and try not to overlap with each other. But Silver represents a terrible threat to every Were on the continent.



Andrew and Silver will join forces to track down this menace while discovering their own power and their passion for each other.





I haven't read a good werewolf fantasy in quite a while- in fact I think it has probably been over a year. (I think I got distracted by all the good zombie fiction out there these days.) The description reminds me a little of "Bitten" by Kelly Armstrong and I enjoyed that one quite a bit. I'm in the mood for a good romance and this looks like it'll  do the job nicely.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



  Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories

by John Jackson Miller

 Publisher: Del Rey

 Date: July 31, 2012

 Pages: 432



  At last in one volume the eight original installments of the epic Lost Tribe of the Sith eBook series . . . along with the explosive, never-before-published finale, Pandemonium—more than one hundred pages of new material! Five thousand years ago. After a Jedi ambush, the Sith mining ship Omen lies wrecked on a remote, unknown planet. Its commander, Yaru Korsin, battles the bloodshed of a mutinous faction led by his own brother. Marooned and facing death, the Sith crew have no choice but to venture into their desolate surroundings. They face any number of brutal challenges—vicious predators, lethal plagues, tribal people who worship vengeful gods—and like true Sith warriors, counter them with the dark side of the Force. The struggles are just beginning for the proud, uncompromising Sith, driven as they are to rule at all costs. They will vanquish the primitive natives, and they will find their way back to their true destiny as rulers of the galaxy. But as their legacy grows over thousands of years, the Sith ultimately find themselves tested by the most dangerous threat of all: the enemy within. 



This is a prologue of sorts to the Fate of the Jedi series (I'll be reviewing the final book in that series, Apocalypse, at the end of this week), written by the author of my favorite Star Wars book from last year (Knight Errant). I don't really have a comfortable way of reading ebooks, so I've skipped reading these stories so far (they are free for anyone who is looking to try them out), which is one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to this collected edition - not to mention the new material as well.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent

Publisher: Simon & Shuster YA

Date: August 14, 2012

Pages: 320



In an alternate London where magical creatures are preserved in a museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and danger.Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.



As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.



I admit, I was totally taken in by that cover. Sounds like steampunk mixed with urban fantasy, but the other thing that really caught my attention in the description was the idea of cataloging creatures for a museum - it has the potential to be a really interesting location. I like the idea of researching the unknown in libraries and museums like in Indiana Jones and The Mummy, so the set-up for this one appeals to me.





SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards



Publisher: Night Shade Books

Publication date: 5/8/2012

Pages: 320



Many tales are told of the Syldoon Empire and its fearsome soldiers, who are known throughout the world for their treachery and atrocities. Some say that the Syldoon eat virgins and babies-or perhaps their own mothers. Arkamondos, a bookish young scribe, suspects that the Syldoon's dire reputation may have grown in the retelling, but he's about to find out for himself.



Hired to chronicle the exploits of a band of rugged Syldoon warriors, Arki finds himself both frightened and fascinated by the men's enigmatic leader, Captain Braylar Killcoin. A secretive, mercurial figure haunted by the memories of those he's killed with his deadly flail, Braylar has already disposed of at least one impertinent scribe . . . and Arki might be next.



Archiving the mundane doings of millers and merchants was tedious, but at least it was safe. As Arki heads off on a mysterious mission into parts unknown, in the company of the coarse, bloody-minded Syldoon, he is promised a chance to finally record an historic adventure well worth the telling, but first he must survive the experience!



A gripping military fantasy in the tradition of Glen Cook, Scourge of the Betrayer explores the brutal politics of Empire-and the searing impact of violence and dark magic on a man's soul.



I am always looking for the next traditional fantasy epic to fall in love with. This sounds a little dark, but well worth the journey.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent

Publisher: Simon & Shuster YA

Date: August 14, 2012

Pages: 320



In an alternate London where magical creatures are preserved in a museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and danger.Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.



As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.



I admit, I was totally taken in by that cover. Sounds like steampunk mixed with urban fantasy, but the other thing that really caught my attention in the description was the idea of cataloging creatures for a museum - it has the potential to be a really interesting location. I like the idea of researching the unknown in libraries and museums like in Indiana Jones and The Mummy, so the set-up for this one appeals to me.





SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards



Publisher: Night Shade Books

Publication date: 5/8/2012

Pages: 320



Many tales are told of the Syldoon Empire and its fearsome soldiers, who are known throughout the world for their treachery and atrocities. Some say that the Syldoon eat virgins and babies-or perhaps their own mothers. Arkamondos, a bookish young scribe, suspects that the Syldoon's dire reputation may have grown in the retelling, but he's about to find out for himself.



Hired to chronicle the exploits of a band of rugged Syldoon warriors, Arki finds himself both frightened and fascinated by the men's enigmatic leader, Captain Braylar Killcoin. A secretive, mercurial figure haunted by the memories of those he's killed with his deadly flail, Braylar has already disposed of at least one impertinent scribe . . . and Arki might be next.



Archiving the mundane doings of millers and merchants was tedious, but at least it was safe. As Arki heads off on a mysterious mission into parts unknown, in the company of the coarse, bloody-minded Syldoon, he is promised a chance to finally record an historic adventure well worth the telling, but first he must survive the experience!



A gripping military fantasy in the tradition of Glen Cook, Scourge of the Betrayer explores the brutal politics of Empire-and the searing impact of violence and dark magic on a man's soul.



I am always looking for the next traditional fantasy epic to fall in love with. This sounds a little dark, but well worth the journey.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor



Publisher: Little, Brown

Pages: 304 pages

Date: September 18, 2012



In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.



Daughter of Smoke and Bone was declared a "must read" by Entertainment Weekly, was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, and The New York Times called it "a breath-catching romantic fantasy."



I LOVED Daughter of Smoke and Bone and as soon as I saw that "Days of Blood and Starlight" had a release date I knew I had to put it on the list. I only wish I had the final cover to post and a more complete description-- but I urge anyone who hasn't read "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" to pick up a copy-- it was the best book I read last year.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



 A Just Determination by John G. Hemry (Jack Cambell)

Publisher: ACE

Date: March 27, 2012 (reissue)

Pages: 272



Ensign Paul Sinclair is fresh out of the Naval Academy and assigned to the USS Michaelson as the ship's lone legal officer. The warship's mission is to patrol a very large volume of space, enforcing the U.S. claim on valuable transit routes and mineral rich asteroids.

When a South Asian Alliance ship trespasses into U.S. territory and runs from the Michaelson when approached, Captain Pete Wakeman decides to try and catch the intruding vessel before it leaves U.S. space. Wakeman's attempts at communication with the mysterious ship go unanswered, and when he fires a warning shot across the ship's bow, the ship changes its course and begins heading right for the Michaelson. Although the Alliance ship has no visible weapons, Wakeman takes no chances and fires on the ship, destroying it and everyone aboard.

When the Michaelson is ordered to return to port and the captain is court-martialed, young Sinclair must decide whether to keep quiet like everyone else or stand up for what he believes in -- a decision that could ruin his career as well as Wakeman's.





Despite my love of Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series, I have yet to branch out and read any of the other novels he's written. This re-release (which was also done recently by ACE for his Stark's War series, but with a much worse cover design, looking like something out of the romance aisle) provides me a nice opportunity to correct that.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor



Publisher: Little, Brown

Pages: 304 pages

Date: September 18, 2012



In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.



Daughter of Smoke and Bone was declared a "must read" by Entertainment Weekly, was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, and The New York Times called it "a breath-catching romantic fantasy."



I LOVED Daughter of Smoke and Bone and as soon as I saw that "Days of Blood and Starlight" had a release date I knew I had to put it on the list. I only wish I had the final cover to post and a more complete description-- but I urge anyone who hasn't read "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" to pick up a copy-- it was the best book I read last year.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



 A Just Determination by John G. Hemry (Jack Cambell)

Publisher: ACE

Date: March 27, 2012 (reissue)

Pages: 272



Ensign Paul Sinclair is fresh out of the Naval Academy and assigned to the USS Michaelson as the ship's lone legal officer. The warship's mission is to patrol a very large volume of space, enforcing the U.S. claim on valuable transit routes and mineral rich asteroids.

When a South Asian Alliance ship trespasses into U.S. territory and runs from the Michaelson when approached, Captain Pete Wakeman decides to try and catch the intruding vessel before it leaves U.S. space. Wakeman's attempts at communication with the mysterious ship go unanswered, and when he fires a warning shot across the ship's bow, the ship changes its course and begins heading right for the Michaelson. Although the Alliance ship has no visible weapons, Wakeman takes no chances and fires on the ship, destroying it and everyone aboard.

When the Michaelson is ordered to return to port and the captain is court-martialed, young Sinclair must decide whether to keep quiet like everyone else or stand up for what he believes in -- a decision that could ruin his career as well as Wakeman's.





Despite my love of Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series, I have yet to branch out and read any of the other novels he's written. This re-release (which was also done recently by ACE for his Stark's War series, but with a much worse cover design, looking like something out of the romance aisle) provides me a nice opportunity to correct that.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines

Publisher: DAW

Pages: 400

Date: August 7, 2012



Isaac Vainio has spent the past two years working at the Copper River Library in northern Michigan, secretly cataloguing books for their magical potential, but forbidden from using that magic himself . . . except for emergencies. Emergencies like a trio of young vampires who believe Isaac has been killing their kind, and intend to return the favor.



Isaac is a libriomancer, brilliant but undisciplined, with the ability to reach into books and create objects from their pages. And attacking a libriomancer in his own library is never a good idea.



But vampires are only the beginning. This was merely the latest in a series of attacks against members of Die Zwelf Portenære, a secret organization founded five centuries ago by Johannes Gutenberg to protect the world from supernatural threats. Among the casualties is Ray Walker, Isaac’s friend and mentor in magic.



Complicating matters further is the arrival of a dryad named Lena Greenwood. Lena packs a pair of wooden swords and proves to be quite adept at helping to beat down various magical threats. She also seems to be a little too interested in Isaac . . . not that he minds. Yet Lena’s nature could make her a greater threat than any vampire.



Along with a neurotic fire-spider named Smudge, Isaac and Lena set out to find and stop whoever is behind the attacks. But things are worse than Isaac imagined. An unknown killer of unimaginable power has been torturing and murdering humans and vampires alike. And Gutenberg, now more than six hundred years old, has disappeared.



As Isaac searches for Gutenberg and the murderer, hoping they aren’t one and the same, he uncovers dark secrets about magic’s history and potential. Secrets which could destroy Die Zwelf Portenære and loose a magical war upon the world. If Isaac is to have any hope of preventing that war, he will have to truly master the magic of libriomancy.



Assuming he doesn’t lose control and wipe himself from existence first.



I've became a fan of Jim C. Hines after reading The Stepsister Scheme and if "Libriomancer" has any of the charm of that series (and I'm sure it will) then it's a guaranteed winner.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



The Devil's Nebula by Eric Brown

Publisher: Abaddon (Solaris)

Date: May 29, 2012

Pages: 320



Best-selling author Eric Brown has created a brand new shared world for Abaddon Books: Weird Space. This thrilling space-opera series will begin in June 2012 with the release of The Devil's Nebula by the best-selling author of Helix, Engineman and The Kings of Eternity.



In the first book in this epic new series, Brown will introduce readers to the human smugglers, veterans and ne’erdowells who are part of the Expansion – and their uneasy neighbours, the Vetch Empire. When an evil race threatens not only the Expansion, but the Vetch too - an evil from another dimension which infests humans and Vetch alike and bends individuals to do their hideous bidding, only cooperation between them means the difference between a chance of survival and no chance at all.



Brown has meticulously created a massive shared world of interstellar potential, which other writers will explore with each new book.



Space-opera shared universe from the fine folks at Solaris. And just look at that cover - drool worthy for the scifi fan. I haven't read anything by Eric Brown as yet, but I'm thinking this is going to be my first try at his stuff.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines

Publisher: DAW

Pages: 400

Date: August 7, 2012



Isaac Vainio has spent the past two years working at the Copper River Library in northern Michigan, secretly cataloguing books for their magical potential, but forbidden from using that magic himself . . . except for emergencies. Emergencies like a trio of young vampires who believe Isaac has been killing their kind, and intend to return the favor.



Isaac is a libriomancer, brilliant but undisciplined, with the ability to reach into books and create objects from their pages. And attacking a libriomancer in his own library is never a good idea.



But vampires are only the beginning. This was merely the latest in a series of attacks against members of Die Zwelf Portenære, a secret organization founded five centuries ago by Johannes Gutenberg to protect the world from supernatural threats. Among the casualties is Ray Walker, Isaac’s friend and mentor in magic.



Complicating matters further is the arrival of a dryad named Lena Greenwood. Lena packs a pair of wooden swords and proves to be quite adept at helping to beat down various magical threats. She also seems to be a little too interested in Isaac . . . not that he minds. Yet Lena’s nature could make her a greater threat than any vampire.



Along with a neurotic fire-spider named Smudge, Isaac and Lena set out to find and stop whoever is behind the attacks. But things are worse than Isaac imagined. An unknown killer of unimaginable power has been torturing and murdering humans and vampires alike. And Gutenberg, now more than six hundred years old, has disappeared.



As Isaac searches for Gutenberg and the murderer, hoping they aren’t one and the same, he uncovers dark secrets about magic’s history and potential. Secrets which could destroy Die Zwelf Portenære and loose a magical war upon the world. If Isaac is to have any hope of preventing that war, he will have to truly master the magic of libriomancy.



Assuming he doesn’t lose control and wipe himself from existence first.



I've became a fan of Jim C. Hines after reading The Stepsister Scheme and if "Libriomancer" has any of the charm of that series (and I'm sure it will) then it's a guaranteed winner.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



The Devil's Nebula by Eric Brown

Publisher: Abaddon (Solaris)

Date: May 29, 2012

Pages: 320



Best-selling author Eric Brown has created a brand new shared world for Abaddon Books: Weird Space. This thrilling space-opera series will begin in June 2012 with the release of The Devil's Nebula by the best-selling author of Helix, Engineman and The Kings of Eternity.



In the first book in this epic new series, Brown will introduce readers to the human smugglers, veterans and ne’erdowells who are part of the Expansion – and their uneasy neighbours, the Vetch Empire. When an evil race threatens not only the Expansion, but the Vetch too - an evil from another dimension which infests humans and Vetch alike and bends individuals to do their hideous bidding, only cooperation between them means the difference between a chance of survival and no chance at all.



Brown has meticulously created a massive shared world of interstellar potential, which other writers will explore with each new book.



Space-opera shared universe from the fine folks at Solaris. And just look at that cover - drool worthy for the scifi fan. I haven't read anything by Eric Brown as yet, but I'm thinking this is going to be my first try at his stuff.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to highlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four) by Kevin Hearne

Publisher: Del Rey

Date: April 24, 2012

Pages: 368



Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.



But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.



I put "Tricked" on my "Most Anticipated" list for 2012, but I had to add it to my WoW list for those who haven't read this series. If you like paranormal fiction, you have to give this series a go. It's funny, action packed and inventive. It isn't just UF for guys-- it's for anyone who likes the paranormal genre.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



 The Black Dragon by Chris Claremont & John Bolton

 Publisher: Titan Books

 Date: August 14, 2012

 pages: 200



  It is the Year of Our Lord 1193. James Dunreith, exiled by his leige lord and king, Henry, has returned to reclaim the land that is his birthright.Branded a sorceror, Dunreith is pressed into the service of his queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, to seek out one who rebels against the crown - one who was once his truest friend. Yet more dangerous than any political threat is the plot to harness the ancient, magical soul of the land and turn it into the ultimate evil.Can Dunreith's brave heart, and the power of queens both faery and mortal, save the land from the predations of the Black Dragon? 



You might see me feature some graphic novels in this space in the year ahead, since I anticipate some of those releases as much as I do novels. I haven't always loved everything written by Chris Claremont (see his Willow novels and some of his more recent Marvel work) but this sounds very interesting, and it was first published at a time when I think he was still close to his prime.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



Simon Vector by JAK Holding

Publisher: JAK Books

Date: March 27, 2012

pages: 272



Alpha Draconis. Its name alone makes even the most law-abiding citizens of the Empire uneasy. The most remote prison facility in the Imperial corrections system, tunneled deep into the rock of a barren, vacuum-sealed planetoid, Alpha Draconis is home to hundreds of the known worlds most violent and disturbed criminals. From the serial murderer and rapist Buck Hangman Combs, to disgraced military leader General Rex Mason, every last one of these monsters plots escape. To be confined on Alpha Draconis is both a life sentence and a death sentence, for no prisoner entombed within its walls ever leaves the facility alive.



No less a prisoner is Doctor Lucius Feen, whose dead-end career has earned him an assignment to Alpha Draconis as chief medical officer. Under the eyes of the sadistic xenomorph guards, taunted by prisoners and staff alike, Feen flees to the darkest recesses of the prison. It is there, on a sublevel long ago abandoned, that Feen makes a terrifying discovery.



Strapped into a gravity chair and locked away in a hidden laboratory is the body of a fearsome cyborg. The dead man is not just any corpse, however. He is Captain Simon Vector, whose crew sacrificed themselves years before while repelling an abrupt and horrific alien invasion. The mysterious aliens, dubbed the Harvesters, have left their mark on Captain Vector, twisting and remaking parts of his body with cruelly inhuman efficiency. A scientist, Doctor Thadeus Kong, hid Vector's recovered body while trying to reverse-engineer the Harvesters prostheses. No one knows why Kong did it... for the process has driven Dr. Kong to madness and suicide.



As rumors of renewed Harvester incursions begin to seep in from the galactic rim, an investigator from Zodiac Battlesystems, Ana Bolo, is assigned to Alpha Draconis. Her mission is to find the very thing Lucius Feen hopes to hide: the body of Captain Vector, whose alien implants may hold the key to the corporation's continued dominance of Imperial weapons technology.



What no one on Alpha Draconis understands, however, is that Simon Vector is neither alive nor dead. He is something else, and the Harvester aliens may be drawn to their prodigal creation should he eventually wake. As Ana Bolo sifts through the classified research notes of the doomed Thaddeus Kong, she finds herself asking the question that Kong asked again and again. It is the question Lucius Feen must also ask, the question whose answer will mean life or death for the human race as the Harvester menace looms:



What is Simon Vector?



A little bit of background, JAK Holding is the pen-name used by John Jackson and Ken Chapman (John And Ken). John is also known as the cover artist, Johnny Atomic. (Z Is for Zombie and V Is for Vampire). Ken a co-creator of Choose Your Doom: Zombie Apocalypse, written by DeAnna Knippling. Simon Vector looks to hit a lot of my sweet spots - a comic book vibe with a scifi setting. I'm looking forward to giving this one a try.

SQT's can't wait to read selection is:



Fated (An Alex Verus Novel) by Benedict Jacka

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication date: 2/28/2012

Pages: 304



Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London. And while Alex's own powers aren't as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future--allowing him to pull off operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success.



But when Alex is approached by multiple factions to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever's inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none...



This sounds like a fun diversion-- and the recommendation by Jim Butcher on the cover doesn't hurt. :)

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait for selection this week is:

Ironskin by Tina Connolly

Publisher: Tor Books

Date: October 2012



Jane Eliot wears an iron mask. It's the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain -- the ironskin.



Now Jane returns to the war-torn country to help a fey-cursed child. Helping the unruly Dorie suppress her curse is hard enough -- she certainly didn't expect to fall for the girl's father, the enigmatic artist Mr. Rochart. 



But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio -- and come out as beautiful as the fey. Jane knows he cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things are true? Step by step Jane must unlock the secrets of her new life -- and discover just how far she will go to become whole again.



Normally the word "crush" would put me off a title, but there's something about this one that appeals to me. Maybe it's the iron mask, or maybe my girly-side is craving romance. Either way it makes my TBR list. I just wish I didn't have to wait until October...



Jim's can't wait for selection this week is:



Under the Moons of Mars edited by John Joseph Adams







Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date: February 7, 2012

Pages: 368



Readers of all ages have read and loved Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom series since the first book, A Princess of Mars, was published in 1912. Now, in time for the 100th anniversary of that seminal work, comes an anthology of original stories featuring John Carter of Mars in brand-new adventures. Collected by veteran anthology editor John Joseph Adams, this anthology features stories from titans of literature such as Peter S. Beagle and Garth Nix and original art from Mark Zug, Charles Vess, and many more—plus an introduction by Tamora Pierce and a glossary of Mars by Richard A. Lupoff.



I have to admit, I haven't read any of the "John Carter of Mars" books - but with the impending movie, they are very much on my mind. I like this Conan meets scifi vibe this series has going for it, and I love that cover for this new anthology. And within not only stories by the likes of Tobias Buckell, Garth Nix, S. M. Stirling, L. E. Modesitt, Jr. and Chris Claremont, but also illustrations by Charles Vess, and Jeff Carlisle among many others.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to highlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.

SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire

Publisher: DAW

Date: March 6, 2012

Pages: 368 pages



Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night... The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity-and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance. Sounds pretty simple, right? It would be, if it weren't for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family's old enemies, the Covenant of St. George. When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed. To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone's spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city...



Sometimes you just want a good urban fantasy... Seanan McGuire has really begun to make a name for herself with her October Daye series as well as her Newsflesh series (written under the pseudonym Mira Grant). This looks like a lot of fun and has the benefit of being written by an author with a track record.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



The Secret History of Marvel Comics by Blake Bell and Dr. Michael J. Vassallo

Publisher: Fantagraphics

Date: August 28, 2012

pages: 168



The untold story of the House of Ideas.



Marvel Comics is home to such legendary super-heroes as Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man, all of whom have spun box office gold in the 21st century. But Marvel Comics has a secret history hidden in the shadows of these well-known franchises. The Secret History of Marvel Comics digs back to the 1930s when Marvel Comics wasn't just a comic-book producing company. Marvel Comics owner Martin Goodman had tentacles into a publishing world that might have made that era’s conservative American parents lynch him on his front porch. Marvel was but a small part of Goodman’s publishing empire, which had begun years before he published his first comic book. Goodman mostly published lurid and sensationalistic story books (known as “pulps”) and magazines, featuring sexually-charged detective and romance short fiction, and celebrity gossip scandal sheets. And artists like Jack Kirby, who was producing Captain America for eight-year-olds, were simultaneously dipping their toes in both ponds.



The Secret History of Marvel Comics tells this parallel story of 1930s/40s Marvel Comics sharing offices with those Goodman publications not quite fit for children. The book also features a comprehensive display of the artwork produced for Goodman’s other enterprises by Marvel Comics artists such as Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, Alex Schomburg, Bill Everett, Al Jaffee, and Dan DeCarlo, plus the very best pulp artists in the field, including Norman Saunders, John Walter Scott, Hans Wesso, L.F. Bjorklund, and Marvel Comics #1 cover artist Frank R. Paul. Goodman’s magazines also featured cover stories on celebrities such as Jackie Gleason, Elizabeth Taylor, Liberace, and Sophia Loren, as well as contributions from famous literary and social figures such as Isaac Asimov, Theodore Sturgeon, and L. Ron Hubbard.



These rare pieces of comic art, pulp and magazine history will open the door to Marvel Comics’ unseen history.



I'm a big Marvel Comics guy, and as soon as I saw something about this book it caught my interest.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



 



Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



 Greatshadow by James Maxey

 Publisher: Solaris

 Date: January 31, 2012

 pages: 448



  Greatshadow is the primal dragon of fire, an elemental evil whose malign intelligence spies upon mankind through every candle flame, waiting to devour any careless victim he can claim. The Church of the Book has assembled a team of twelve battle-hardened adventurers to slay the dragon once and for all. But tensions run high between the leaders of the team who view the mission as a holy duty and the super-powered mercenaries who add power to their ranks, who view the mission primarily as a chance to claim Greatshadow's vast treasure trove. If the warriors fail to slay the beast, will they doom mankind to death by fire?



I loved the first two books in James Maxey's A Novel of the Dragon Age trilogy (Bitterwood and Dragonforge) - and the third one is sitting on my shelf waiting for me to read. This is a new trilogy of books from Maxey, unrelated to the previous series, so it's a great way to check out an author who might be new to you without having to catch up on a series.



 SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Unholy Night by Seth Grahame-Smith

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Date: April 20, 2012

Pages: 320



From the author of the New York Times bestselling Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, comes UNHOLY NIGHT, the next evolution in dark historical revisionism.



They're an iconic part of history's most celebrated birth. But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity, besides the fact that they followed a star to Bethlehem bearing strange gifts? The Bible has little to say about this enigmatic trio. But leave it to Seth Grahame-Smith, the brilliant and twisted mind behind Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to take a little mystery, bend a little history, and weave an epic tale.



In Grahame-Smith's telling, the so-called "Three Wise Men" are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod's prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary and their infant. But when Herod's men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt.



It's the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.



I'm intrigued by Grahame-Smith's willingness to tweak the Bible to tell what sounds like a very imaginative story. I definitely have my eye on this one...

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to highlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Thief's Covenant by Ari Marmell



Publisher: Pyr Books

Date: February 21, 2012

240 pages



Once she had climbed to the ranks of the city’s aristocracy in a rags-to-riches story straight from an ancient fairy tale. Today she is Widdershins, a thief making her way with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god.



Widdershins and Olgun are going to find answers, and justice, for what happened to her—but only if those who almost destroyed her in those years gone by don’t finish the job first.



Two things caught my attention when I first saw this book-- the cover and the publisher. Pyr Books doesn't have a large catalog, but what they do have is awfully good. They have just recently started publishing YA titles and I'm interested to see how they compare to other publishing houses.





Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



The Lost Fleet: Invincible by Jack Campbell

Publisher: ACE

Publication Date: 5/1/2012

Pages: 400



Admiral John “Black Jack” Geary earned his rank after being revived from cryogenic sleep to lead the Alliance to victory against the Syndicate Worlds. But his superiors question his loyalty to the regime. Now in command of the First Fleet, Geary is tasked with exploring the frontier beyond Syndic space, a mission he fears deliberately puts the fleet—andhimself—in harm’s way.





I think my love of this series should be well known by now, since I've reviewed (and raved about) just about the entire series here. Not a single book in this series has been bad, not even disappointing. That's 7 books so far, with Invincible being book 8 (but if you're looking to catch up before the new book arrives, you could start with Dreadnaught - book 7, as it's a nice jumping on point) - and I doubt my feelings will be changing on this series anytime soon.

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.



 Jim's can't wait to read selection is:



The Taken by Vicki Pettersson

 Publisher: Harper Voyager

 Publication Date: 6/12/2012

 Pages: 400



  He’s a fallen angel. She’s a rockabilly reporter. Together they must solve a deadly string of murders plaguing the mortal and the immortal worlds. Griffin Shaw used to be a PI, but that was over fifty years ago when gumshoes hoofed the streets . . . and he was still alive. Now he’s a Centurion, an angel who assists other murdered souls through their journey to the afterlife. But while Shaw might be an angel … he’s no saint. Haunted by the mysterious events surrounding his own death, he seizes a chance to wreak some vengeance when he witnesses a deadly attack on journalist Katherine “Kit” Craig. Joining forces, the unlikely avengers take to the streets, hunting a killer whose trail of bodies stretches across Las Vegas and into an immortal netherworld. It is a dangerous trek that lead them into the darkest corners of Sin City and into the heart of an evil conspiracy extending beyond the lights of the Strip that could destory them both. But destruction isn’t the only threat Griffin faces. The closer he gets to Kit, the more he finds himself bewitched by her mortal charms. Can he resist falling under her spell? And does he want to?



I'm not normally much of an Urban Fantasy reader, but I did read two entries in Vicki Pettersson's Signs of the Zodiac series, which I enjoyed. This combination of old school detective novel with angels has me intrigued.

 SQT's can't wait to read selection is:



Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Publisher: Dial

Publication Date: May 1, 2012

Pages: 576



Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

I adored "Fire" (though I still have to read "Graceling") and was really taken with the world Cashore created with this series. I look at "Bitterblue" as a great opportunity to read "Graceling" in anticipation of the next installment!