Review:THE CHILDREN OF OLD LEECH edited by Ross E Lockhart & Justin Steele (Word Horde)

As I've recently stated, I've been trying to catch up and read all of Laird Barron's works.  The man's writing is magnificent; it draws you in and doesn't let you go easily.  I've found myself more than once reading the last page, closing the book and then simply laying there, absorbing what I'd just read.  Embracing the weird.  Relishing the dread.

Apparently I wasn't the only one so transfixed.  Ross Lockhart, editor extraordinaire from Word Horde, and Justin Steele, author of the wonderful blog The Arkham Digest, have gathered together a stellar list of speculative fiction writers to pay tribute to the inimitable Mr Barron.  With The Children of Old Leech, Lockhart and Steele have not only assembled a brilliant collection of dark, weird fiction but they also present a truly fitting homage to a writer whose imprint on the horror and weird fiction genres is epic.

Each story in The Children of Old Leech leads you deeper and deeper into the "carnivorous cosmos" of Laird Barron; all the authors here have crafted glorious tributes to the master, faithfully plumbing his Mythos to create a truly stunning collection.  Each story is indeed worthy of its own review; here are my favorites:

The Harrow by Gemma Files opens the collection with a dark story that descends into true horror at the end.  Sets the bar high for the following tales, loved it.

Orrin Grey is a writer who I find myself enjoying more and more. Walpurgisnacht continues that trend, telling the story of a revel held for a retiring artist that turns into quite another kind of celebration.

Snake Wine by Jeffrey Thomas takes us to Vietnam and an ex-pat pub owner from Melbourne who is seduced by an exotic young woman  What follows after their night of passion is an increasingly sinister mystery told with frightening imagery.

Both Love Songs from the Hydrogen Jukebox and Firedancing feature protagonists that are caught up in the rapturous spell of their worldly mentors, leading them to higher places and unknown fates.  In Love Songs, T.E. Grau perfectly captures the feeling of the 1950s and delivers a truly horrifying climax. Meanwhile, in Firedancing,  Michael Griffin presents a dark tale of art, relationships and enlightment. A nice one, two punch.

Reading Cody Goodfellow's Of a Thousand Cuts made me squirm.  Which for me is the sign of a story that is really getting under my skin with its imagery and language.  A good sign.  Excellent story, masterful storytelling.

And finally, my favorite jewel in this dark treasure chest, John Langan's Ymir.  The story acts a continuation of Barron's classic "Hallucigenia" and revisits the story of Wallace and Helen Smith and the mysterious Choate clan brilliantly.  Langan channels Barron here so completely and the climax is so stunning that the reader is left breathless.

The Children of Old Leech is a triumph for Lockhart and Steele, and a tremendous gift for purveyors of dark fiction.  Look for this volume to be on multiple "best of" lists this year.  Mr Barron would be proud!

Happy reading!

Review: HANG WIRE by Adam Christopher (Angry Robot)

I don't know how Adam Christopher does it.

First the genre-bending, retro-futuristic Empire State books, then the technicolor action of Seven Wonders; with each novel, Christopher gets better and better.  I repeatedly find myself wishing I could peek into his brain, just to see how he wrangles all these wildly original ideas into the words that keep me glued to the pages of his books.  Again, I don't know how he does it.

With Hang Wire, Christopher keeps the reading fun going, this time giving us an urban fantasy novel that brings gods, a traveling circus and a serial killer all to the rolling streets of San Francisco.  Readers that are familiar with Christopher's work will find more of the same enjoyment here; if you're experiencing Adam Christopher for the first time-Welcome!-and make yourself comfortable, since you will be kept reading in your seat til the book is finished.  

Hang Wire starts off with a bang-an explosion, actually-which gets the action going right from the gate, and Christopher keeps the pace up throughout the book, using a multiple POV narrative that is perfectly suited to telling this story.  There isn't too much time spent on world building here, Christopher preferring to dole these details out to us piece by piece, so we are left to find things out when the characters do.  Also with each chapter, we are given more and more of the characters' histories, oftentimes traveling back in time and place as the story progresses.  I found myself enjoying these characters very much and felt they were fleshed out fully as Hang Wire unfolded.

Typical of Christopher's work, there is alot going on in Hang Wire, so please take your time and read carefully.  You definitely don't want to miss anything and trust me, it will be worth it.  Christopher's strength is in his storytelling, which is always superior, and the manner in which he keeps all the plot lines woven together is masterful.  Everything comes to an action packed climax in the end and Christopher fits all the pieces together nicely.

Hang Wire is another feather in Adam Christopher's cap.  It is a great, fun book and perfect summer reading.  Pick up a copy and take it with you everywhere you go.  You won't be sorry!

Happy reading!

Review: BUDDY by Brett Williams (Zoe Books)

I read Buddy by Brett Williams based solely on Mr Williams' reputation, and I am glad I did.  In all honesty, there were several moments reading this story that made me cringe, or plucked unmercifully at my heart strings, but Mr Williams' skill as a writer was not to denied and I soldiered through til the end.  Buddy is a harrowing read, and not one for the faint of heart.

The story opens with our young protagonist, Danny James, saving a young puppy from attack by rats.  The vermin have already injured the dog but Danny rescues it and wanting to heal it from its injuries, sneaks it into the house to nurse it back to health.  Dogs are not allowed in the house, so Danny has to hide the puppy, which he names Buddy,  in his room, the better to avoid the wrath of his mother and her boyfriend.  We also find out that Danny's brother Tom bullies him at every turn, so Danny and Buddy spend alot of time in his bedroom.  Unfortunately, Tom finds out about Buddy and threatens both the boy and his dog daily, making life a living Hell for the young companions.

Again, Buddy is a hard read but it is fast paced and Williams knows how to keep you in your seat, hanging on every word.  There were plenty of times I wanted to put the book down for a minute, if only to shake off the emotions the story was wringing out of me but I didn't.  The material is not easy to stomach but Williams writes with a very sure hand, telling a story of abuse and love and companionship and trust that hits home all the more harder because stories like this are happening everyday, these things are real.  And that's the real horror.     


(This counts towards the 2013 Horror Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader)

Review: THE WOKEN GODS by Gwenda Bond (Strange Chemistry)

I don't usually read too much Young Adult fiction, unless word of mouth is so rampant that my interest can't help but be piqued.  But when one of my favorite publishers Angry Robot started releasing daring, new YA fiction under its Strange Chemistry imprint, I threw caution to the winds and took a chance.  First came Blackwood by Gwenda Bond, then Shift by Kim Curran and I thought to myself, now here was YA fiction that I could sink my teeth into and really enjoy!  There were no angst ridden teenage girls or pale, tragic vampire teen heartthrobs in sight, just more great speculative fiction  in the glorious Angry Robot tradition, and I started to read all the SC titles that I could get my hands on.

And along came The Woken Gods.

When I was younger, and due to my father's influence, I read alot of books on mythology and ever since then have always enjoyed reading fiction that integrates those familiar myths and legends.  So I was very interested in The Woken Gods from the start.  And I can report that it is a novel that I enjoyed very much; full of enough adventure to keep me satisfied but leaving me wanting more from the promise I feel went unfulfilled.

The premise is awesome: gods from the earth's mythologies are very real and have returned to earth.  All the major pantheons are here and Bond chooses to keep the gods among us as they should be; mysterious, aloof and certainly beyond the understanding of we mere mortals.  In Washington, D.C.,where the novel takes place, there are liaisons from each pantheon that interact with the Society of the Sun, an organization created to deal with the newly awoken gods.

Also in Washington live Kyra Locke and her father, a "librarian" with the Society.  Only, unbeknownst to Kyra, he isn't really a librarian at all and has made off with an ancient relic that the Society would like to have returned to it...

Both the action and fantasy sequences in The Woken Gods are well written, and once the pacing of the book picks up, keep it moving right along.  For me, it is a book with a slow introduction; there is alot of information and back story that Bond has to impart to us to get the party started and sometimes the expositions got to be quite lengthy.  After a few chapters, however, the narrative found its legs and I dived right in.

Kyra and Oz, the two main characters, are well developed and they and their supporting cast kept me engaged throughout the book.  I do feel that The Woken Gods is just the first adventure that we will share with them, since the climax of the book feels open ended and I believe that there is plenty more of this world that Bond can explore.

I would honestly recommend The Woken Gods to anyone who are looking for something different in the YA field, or who are just looking for a great read.  I was entertained and am now left wanting to see what happens next...happy reading!



(This counts toward the Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Reading Challenge 2013 hosted by Book Chick City)

Review: THIS IS HOW YOU DIE edited by Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo and David Malki ! (Grand Central Publishing)

In 2010, there was quite a lot of buzz around a new anthology entitled Machine of Death which collected stories exploring a single premise; a machine that could predict, without fail, the manner in which you would die.  All it needed was a sample of your blood and a tiny slip of paper would have your ultimate fate written on it.  I myself never read it but definitely had it on the ever growing TBR pile.  Then this year, the editors unleashed upon the world a sequel, This Is How You Die: Stories of the Inscrutable, Infallible, Inescapable Machine of Death.  Word of mouth was that this volume was even bigger, better and not to be missed.  So I gave in to the siren song, threw caution to the wind and picked up This Is How You Die.

The collection opens with the heartbreakingly brilliant Old Age, Surrounded by Loved Ones by 'Nathan Burgoine.  Burgoine is now on my list of go-to writers that I know will deliver a great story; I have yet to be disappointed.  Also, the story wasn't what I expected at all; Burgoine has written an emotional story about sisters that will require tissues after reading it.  If you're not teary eyed after this, then you have no heart to break.  

Other favorites:

Execution by Beheading by Chandler Kaiden is a thriller that features three children who, upon hearing a rumor about someone who is different, go to extremes to collect a rare "Cause Of Death" card from their machine...

Apitoxin is a very clever spin on the book's premise by John Takis, who places his tale right in the hands of none other than Sherlock Holmes.  Apitoxin is both a wonderful tribute to the famous detective and a well written mystery that was great fun to read.

Monsters from the Deep, editor David Malki !'s contribution to the anthology, is a weird, creepy tale complete with aliens and a delightful Lovecraftian atmosphere.

Lake Titicaca by editor Matthew Bennardo instantly reminded me of The Body and Goonies, with kids a little afraid of what they're doing but too excited not to go off and have an adventure.

Be warned: This Is How You Die is indeed a long book but the stories are so varied and encompass so many genres that you will continually be pulled along to keep reading, unwilling to put the book down. And with a collection like this, that is exactly what you want; great story after great story that keeps you glued to the page til the last sentence is read.

Then you start over again.

Happy reading!

New Book Deal for Adam Christopher, plus New Cover Art for THE BURNING DARK

Today on his blog Adam Christopher finally revealed the new cover art for his next book (and his first for Tor) The Burning Dark, PLUS the exciting news that he has inked a deal for two more books set in the same universe!  Here is the final cover:

which is pretty awesome and clearly more hard SF than the Empire State books.  Plus, Adam also revealed tentative titles and release dates for the next two book; in March 2015 we can expect The Jovian Conspiracy and a year later in March 2016, The Stars Below.

Tor.com also got in on the shenanigans of the cover art reveal plus offered the alternate covers that were in the running before the final decision was made.

Congratulations to Adam, who has given me many, many hours of reading bliss!  Now I can look forward to many, many more!

Miscellany

June is Pride Month and over at the SF Signal website, they've compiled a list of favorite LGBT authors, stories and novels, asking some authors to chime in with their own recommendations.  Here is that list; use it to help find books and authors for your own reading lists!

"Q: LGBT themes and characters have, thankfully, enjoyed an emergence in speculative fiction the past few years, and we’d love to know who some of your favorite LGBT authors, stories, and novels are, and why?"

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/06/mind-meld-lgbt-themes-in-fantasy-and-sf-recommendations/

Happy reading!

Review: THE SUMMER OF WINTERS by Mark Allan Gunnells (Evil Jester Press)

Readers of this blog will know that I am a very enthusiastic fan of Mark Allan Gunnells.  Ever since he came out with Asylum, his awesomely original take on the zombie apocalypse, I have been addicted to this man's writing.  I know that anytime I open a Mark Allan Gunnells book that I am in for a great story with memorable characters and powerful storytelling.  And The Summer of Winters is no exception.

Told in flashback, it is the story of Mike Guthrie during the summer of 1983.  He is eleven, a scrawny and awkward adolescent that gets bullied at school and has no friends.  His father has abandoned the family and his mother has to work twelve hour days at a textile plant to support Mike and his younger brother Ray.  It is during this summer that Mike meets his new neighbor, Paige Moore.

The Moores move into the house next door to the Guthries, and Mike hasn't ever met anyone like Paige before.  She takes a liking to him immediately, and in asking him to be her "guide" around town and to show her the sights puts Mike in a position he hasn't been in before; the role of friend and playmate.  Paige's enthusiasm for adventure is contagious, and Mike finds himself attempting things he would never had tried before, such as interacting with the other local kids.  He also develops a crush on Paige's older brother, Brody.  But Mike's summer of fun and new found friendship is soon brought to a terrible halt by the death of nine-year old Sarah Winters.

The Summer of Winters is an intimate coming of age story that is laced throughout with a quiet horror.  Gunnells tells Mike Guthrie's story with a very precise hand; he perfectly captures both the local color of the area, plus the thoughts and feelings of an eleven year old boy, with the twin emotions of dread and loss that young Mike experiences speeding the story right along to its chilling climax.

With The Summer of Winters, Gunnells cements his reputation as a master storyteller.  It is a poignant tale of horror and loss that will reverberate with its readers for a long time to come.


(This counts toward the 2013 Horror Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader )

New Cover Art: The First Four EXHIBIT A Book Covers

Here they are, the first four book covers from Exhibit A, the crime fiction imprint of speculative fiction publishers extraordinaire, Angry Robot.  Take a gander!

I know that you will definitely want to pick these up for your summer reading, since Scare Me and Penance come out in late April/early May with Wounded Prey to follow in late May/early June and The Cambodian Book of the Dead in late June/early July.  Happy reading!

New Year, New Challenges

So Book Chick City is hosting Zombie Reading Challenge 2013!!  I wasn't able to finish last year's challenge, so hope to redeem myself with this.  I am going for two chomps; wish me luck!  Click on the image in the sidebar for details on how to join the challenge!

Other challenges I thought sounded fun and decided to join are both hosted by Midnyte Reader, the Horror Reading Challenge 2013 and the New Orleans Reading Challenge 2013.  For details on these, again, click on the images in the sidebar!

Happy Reading!

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This Is Halloween: SEQUEL by Mark Allan Gunnells

Marl Allan Gunnells first came to my attention when I heard about Asylum, his zombie apocalypse novella that placed the action in the middle of a gay bar.  This idea sounded too good to be true to me; I mean, could the author pull off such an original approach without the story coming across as mere drivel?

So I read Asylum.

And it was great!  Not only had Mark created a terrifying, action packed zombie tale but he had also written an original, fresh piece of queer horror that proved to me that this was a writer to watch.

Then I read Tales From the Midnight Shift, Volume 1.

An awesome collection that shows off Mark's originality and range as a writer, Tales confirmed for me that Mark has talent to spare and that he was going to be one of my "go-to" authors when I wanted fresh, new horror.

And now Mark Allan Gunnells brings us Sequel...

Sequel is an homage to all those creepy 80s slasher films like Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc.  And it is a pitch perfect one.  Clearly, Mark is a big fan of the genre and his reverence shows through with every word. All the tropes are here: psycho killer, small town, helpless victims...and Mark has centered the plot around the 10th anniversary of a cult horror film.  A major studio has green lit a sequel, reuniting the cast from the original.  But even before the new film goes into production, the killings start happening.  The studio scrambles to save its film and the remaining cast lives in fear as the body count continues to rise...

Mark writes the kind of horror I like; it's thoughtful, fast paced, more "chills and thrills" than "blood and guts" and always rises above the fray.  He creates characters that you become invested in, and keeps the tension ratcheted up, so you wind up reading the entire novel in one sitting, on the edge of your seat the whole time.

I enjoyed Sequel very much and it is a great tribute to the masked killer genre.  Because the story stays true to the classics, there were points in the story that I was able to predict.  But Mark is able to throw in some original twists that I enjoyed and the ending had me rooting for (what else?) a sequel!!  What better time of year to pick up a creepy, scary read like Sequel than right now?!  Or any of Mark's books, for that matter; you can see my thoughts on Asylum here and Tales here.  It would be scary NOT to!

Happy reading...and unpleasant dreams!



(This book counts as 3/10 in the 2012 Horror/Thriller Reading Challenge hosted by Sweeping Me.)

Superhero Month: SHERO by Jack Wallen

SHERO by Jack Wallen is a fun, breezy yet still superheroic adventure with a very different kind of hero.

Shero, the hero(ine) of Wallen's story, is an intrepid crime fighter and member of the Society of Superheroes, doing it all and then some in fabulous couture and three inch heels.  Shero is dedicated to protecting the innocent and being an exemplary leader in the SSH...until it's all turned upside down and she doesn't know who she can trust or where to turn to.  Now instead of fighting crime and keeping the citizenry safe from VILE, the group of supervillains at odds with the SSH, Shero must clear her name and figure out who in the Society has it in for her and why.

Wallen has done an admirable job of creating a colorful, over-the-top comedic take on the superhero genre and seasoned it with the tropes one would find in more traditional  adventures.  Shero is not your ordinary crime fighter; she is a transgendered superhero top to bottom and embraces herself totally and is also accepted by society.  From her custom made, Kevlar coated black dresses to her poisonous fingernail polish, there is no shame in her game!  And her compatriots are just as colorful, with their code names and awesome super powers.  There are leagues for both the heroes and villains in this story, double crosses and secret histories.  Clearly,Wallen has read more than a few comics in his day, and has turned out a new adventure here with a very clever twist.

I really appreciated that Wallen was able to try his hand at telling a superhero story, especially with a protagonist such as Shero, and keep it fun and light.  Just because there are gay characters in a story, too often  it seems that the story will wind up in the gutter, with said characters winding up in the sheets.  Wallen never takes it there and decides instead to titillate his readers, even in the scenes that involve the sensual temptress, Mephistopheles.

In fact it's with the scenes between Mephistopheles and Shero that I had a small issue with.  It's stated that she is irresistible and she and Shero do have a past from years before but I felt that with a protagonist that is unapologetically transgendered, would this be the lover that Shero would really be with?  Ultimately though, this is a superhero story, and I didn't think twice about it as the story rushed to it's climax.  Wallen leaves the door wide open for a sequel (do I smell franchise?) and I'd be more than happy to see what shenanigans Shero will get into next.

This is NOT your classic superhero adventure but something different.  Shero is a different kind of superhero indeed but still embodies what makes a person a superhero in the first place; she is honorable, forthright and true.  And most importantly, true to herself.  Pick up your copy here and you will enjoy Shero's adventures as much as I did.

Happy reading!

Superhero Month: SEVEN WONDERS by Adam Christopher

Adam Christopher exploded onto the scene with his debut novel Empire State, and  he is poised to make even more noise with his sophomore effort, Seven Wonders.  Seven Wonders is a big budget summer blockbuster action packed superhero movie, all of it brilliantly captured in novel form and with enough plot twists, secret identities and double crosses to satisfy even the most jaded of comic book aficionados.


Christopher sets his story in the "Shining City" of San Ventura, home to the last superhero team on earth, the Seven Wonders, who protect San Ventura and its citizens from the machinations of the last supervillian, the mysterious Cowl.  The Cowl is a criminal mastermind, with multiple powers at his disposal, and along with his sidekick Blackbird, he keeps the Seven Wonders on their toes.  We also meet Tony Prosdocimi, an average Joe who wakes up one morning to discover he himself has started to develop super powers. Christopher tells his tale through the POV of all these characters, and it moves the action along at a fast clip while illustrating the growth and changes each character goes through by the story's big climax.

Seven Wonders  greatly benefits from Christopher's knowledge of comic books; each chapter is as colorful and action packed as the panels would be if he were a comic book scribe.  The writing is concise, the pace is furious, and many of the chapters end with cliffhangers, compelling the reader to plow right along, unable to put the book down.  And the scope of the story gets bigger, keeping the reader engaged as the threat to San Ventura escalates to to a world wide call to arms to earth's other heroes, defunct and retired individuals still ready to band together and help the Seven Wonders protect the planet.

Adam Christopher has written a big love letter to the Golden and Silver Ages of comics with Seven Wonders.  His affection for the medium is evident, and he's taken that tried and true template and created something new that celebrates all the classic comic book tropes while also being a new and exciting entrant in the superhero genre.  It is truly just as exciting and daring as the other superhero blockbusters that preceded it this summer; it has the edge of your seat action of The Avengers, plus the chilling mystery of The Dark Knight Rises.

I firmly believe that Christopher has written the standard against which other superhero novels will be held  and is himself now coming into his own super-author powers.  Seven Wonders is a big, colorful joy to read and it shows that it was also a joy to write.  The author's love for the genre is stamped on each page and he has even left room for a sequel (or better yet, sequels!) as any good superhero adventurer should.  YES, believe all the hype, run to your favorite bookstore or click your favorite link and buy this book!  (Better yet, let me help!  BAM!  KA-POW!)  It just may be the most fun you're going to have this summer!

In My Mailbox

So happy to receive some Angry Robot awesomeness today!

Thanks, Angry Robot!

(makes obeisance to Robot Overlords)

Short Fiction Month: 8 POUNDS: Eight Tales of Crime, Horror & Suspense by Chris F Holm (Poisonville Press)

Chris Holm first came to my attention as the author of the acclaimed noir fantasy Dead Harvest, from Angry Robot Books.  And now having completed his short story collection 8 Pounds: Eight Tales of Crime, Horror & Suspense, I can see what all the hubbub is about!

First off, let me say that 8 Pounds is an outstanding collection of stories.  Yes, these are tales of crime, horror and suspense but Holm infuses each piece with such atmosphere that it flows effortlessly from one story into another without jarring the reader from their experience.  It is a collection that needs to be read and reread often.

As always, I like to try to talk about each story individually, so let's go:

Both "Seven Days of Rain" and "The World Behind" have the flavor of vintage Stephen King, each blending the past with the present as the protagonists recall childhood memories and things better left undisturbed come to light. Holm expertly layers the atmosphere in these tales, keeping the reader engaged until the climax comes and hits them between the eyes.  Well done.

In "A Better Life" what I first thought of as a predictable new-couple-moving-to-the-country story really threw me for a loop at the end.  The increasing sense of foreboding builds and builds and the ending is both gruesome and horrific.

"A Simple Life" is a prime example of Holm's mastery of writing a great pulp story.  It follows a very unsympathetic character getting himself deeper and deeper into a very sticky situation for the affections of the very pretty femme fatale.  Again, a great story.

"The Toll Collectors" takes a hit-man from a classic noir yarn and drops him into a ghost story that turns into a revenge tale where his past sins come back to haunt him he finally gets his just desserts.

My favorite piece in the collection is the title cut, "8 Pounds".  And I hesitate to say anything as I don't want to give too much away but this story here is worth the price of admission alone.  Holm slowly (agonizingly) ratchets the tension up, up and just when you think you can breath again-BAM!! he lets you have it!  LOVED IT!

"The Well" is the little sister to "8 Pounds".  I definitely place them both squarely in the horror set of these tales but "The Well" is a much shorter, moody piece but the ending is just as satisfying.

And finally "The Big Score" is a story of double and triple crosses that I read through at light speed, so engrossed was I in lobsterman Mike Mallory and the trouble he finds himself in when he is mistaken for another fisherman who has something that two very unscrupulous treasure hunters want.  Again, Holm stages this story nicely and it is the most action packed of the set.

I cannot recommend this collection highly enough.  Usually I seek out short story collections as an introduction to an author's work but with 8 Pounds Chris Holm has made me want to try an entire new genre on for size.  My crime/noir/pulp reading is very infrequent but if there are writers out there producing stuff like this, stuff like Chris Holm, then I may have to take a longer, keener look at what's out there.  Thank you Chris Holm, for not only entertaining me with 8 Pounds but for showing me that dark, well written fiction can come in many, many forms.


(Book 2/10 toward the Horror/Thriller Reading Challenge 2012 hosted by Sweeping Me ).

Cover Revealed for Devil Said Bang (Sandman Slim 4)

These covers keep getting better and better!

Via Richard Kadrey's Damn Tumblr:

"Devil Said Bang


While ruling the denizens of darkness does have a few perks, James Stark isn't exactly thrilled with the course his career (not to mention his soul) has taken.  Breaking out of Hell once was a miraculous trick.  But twice?  If anyone can do it, it's Sandman Slim.  While he's working out the details of his latest escape plan, Slim has to figure out how to run his new domain and hold off a host of trigger-happy killers mesmerized by that bullseye on his back.  Everyone in Heaven, Hell and in between wants to be the fastest gun in the universe, and the best way to prove it is to take down the new Lucifer, aka Sandman Slim aka James Stark.

Then again, LA isn't quite the paradise it once was since he headed south. A serial killer ghost is running wild   and his angelic alter-ego is hiding somewhere in the lost days of time with a secret cabal who can rewrite reality.  And starting to care about people and life again is a real bitch for a stone-cold killer.

A violent and atmospheric tale full of edgy fun and packed with angels and demons, monsters and madmen, Devil Said Bang is another thrilling hit of kickass fun from the diabolically talented Richard Kadrey."

The fourth book in the Sandman Slim series, look for it August 28, 2012.    

Cover Revealed for The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination

I've been waiting for this anthology, too!

Via Mad Hatter's Bookshelf and Book Review:

I first heard about The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination nearly two years ago. It was actually Adams' second all-original anthology announced.and then Under the Moons of Mars and Armored quickly came before it was even given a publication date. But this is the anthology I've been waiting for and Tor nailed the cover. Mad geniuses never disappoint me and given the names involved in this anthology it shouldn't let us down. So far confirmed are: Carrie Vaughn, Alan Dean Foster, Daniel H. Wilson, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., L. A. Banks, Austin Grossman, Marjorie M. Liu, Ben Winters, David Farland, Mary Robinette Kowal, Harry Turtledove, Seanan McGuire, David D. Levine, Genevieve Valentine, Naomi Novik, Jeffrey Ford, Grady Hendrix, Theodora Goss, Jeremiah Tolbert, and David Brin, and a long novella from Diana Gabaldon. That should be all the contributors, but I might be missing one. Chris Claremont is also doing the Introduction. Quite a line-up. Here's the blurb:

From Victor Frankenstein to Lex Luthor, from Dr. Moreau to Dr. Doom, readers have long been fascinated by megalomaniacal plans for world domination and the madmen who come up with them. Typically, we see these villains through the eyes of superheroes (or other good guys) as they attempt to put an end to their evil ways. This anthology, however, will explore the world of mad scientists and evil geniuses–from their own point of view.

Evil geniuses are always so keen on telling captured heroes all their fiendish plans. Isn’t it about time someone gave them a platform such as this one to reach the masses with their messages of hope death and prosperity destruction?

The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Dominion will be out in February from Tor.

Review: EMPIRE STATE by Adam Christopher (Angry Robot)

About the book

The stunning superhero-noir fantasy thriller set in the other New York.

It was the last great science hero fight, but the energy blast ripped a hole in reality, and birthed the Empire State – a young, twisted parallel prohibition-era New York.

When the rift starts to close, both worlds are threatened, and both must fight for the right to exist.

.........

I have long been a fan of "alternate histories" and "multiverses" in comics and fiction.  Harry Turtledove's Worldwar, Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept and, of course, Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion books all helped to kick off my affection for parallel realities, people with doppelgangers in other dimensions and the like.  The DC "Elseworlds" comics and Amalgam crossover line with Marvel Comics were incredible, as well.

                                                      
I enjoyed the way they put familiar characters in other worlds, or other histories, sometimes changing that character significantly but still being faithful to the original.  There has always been a soft spot in my heart for something that takes the familiar and reinterprets it to make something new and unique.

More recently, I've become a fan of Adam Christopher, comic book fanatic and tea drinker.  I came across his entertaining and informative timeline on Twitter and have been hooked ever since.  Not only is he a font of knowledge on comics and superheroes but he is a great writer as well.  I was able to read some of his shorter pieces on his website and thoroughly enjoyed them, always hoping he would put out longer work.

Well, Angry Robot must've caught wind of his genius, too, because they signed him to a two book deal that includes the superhero adventure Seven Wonders, to be published in August of this year, and his debut novel, Empire State.

When both Adam and Angry Robot both broke the news of the deal, plus the details of the first novel, I was immediately intrigued.  The blurb sounded amazing and brought to mind some of the adventures I remembered from the old "Elsewhere" comics.  I just knew this was going to be something new and fresh and exciting to read.  And I was not disappointed!

As I opened the first page of Empire State I was caught up in a speeding car chase, careening through the fog shrouded streets of New York along with small time bootleggers Rex and Jerome, trying to get away from racketeer McCabe and his henchmen.  And then all hell broke loose, an epic battle between New York's two superheroes, the Science Pirate and the Skyguard, high above the Empire State Building!  And this all in the first few pages!

What Adam Christopher has done from here is to take a pinch of gritty noir, a bit of retro sci fi and blended it all together to churn out a science fiction novel so original and so daring as to leave you breathless.  And I mean that literally.  There are plot twists after plot twists and mysteries and murders and a cast of characters that grab you by your collar and won't let you off this rocket powered ride of a book until you're left panting from exhilaration at the end of it!

And he makes it all seem so effortless.  Expertly weaving together all the many plot threads into a complex yet compelling read, Adam Christopher keep the pace moving right along, never letting the reader's experience get too bogged down.

The Empire State itself is a rich, fully realized world that I fervently hope Christopher visits again and again.  There are so many ideas packed into this first trip there, I just know any subsequent adventures will be equally awesome.

Empire State is so engrossing and so action packed a read, it is hard to believe this is Adam Christopher's debut. This is a novel that will surely be talked about for years to come as a science fiction classic.  Yet I would recommend this to fans of mystery and pulp fiction as well.  PICK THIS BOOK UP...NOW!  You will be captivated, entertained, and before you know it,  left for wanting more of Adam Christopher's Empire State.

Miscellany

Bits and pieces from my surfing this week...

At Strange Chemistry books, editor Amanda Rutter announced on the website the news of the first two authors signed to the new YA imprint, Kim Curran and Sean Cummings!  Both will have new books from Strange Chemistry out this autumn, with second books following in 2013.  Congrats to both authors and to the team at Strange Chemistry on such a great start!

Meanwhile over at Angry Robot, brand new content has been posted to EmpireState.cc !!  Empire State-the RPG is a complete, original and self-contained roleplaying game system created by long time game designer David Wendt.  You can read more about it here.   

Miscellany

Tidbits and more from my web surfing this week:

First up, new cover art for THE QUARRY, the new book forthcoming from Mark Allan Gunnells.  The artist is David Naughton-Shires and is based on photos Gunnells took of the actual location:

THE QUARRY will be Mark's first novel and comes out in February from Evil Jester Press; keep a watch out for it and of course, I'll be talking about it here on the blog!


And another friend has something coming out; Sergio Kardenas's new album THE TIME MACHINE is finally out!

 I've been a big fan of Sergio's forever; he truly is a renaissance man!  In 2007 to celebrate his 20th anniversary as a photographer, he put out his first collection of his photography, THE MAGAZINE OF SEX, designed to look like a vintage adult magazine from the 60s and 70s; in 2009 he followed this with the award winning film La Functionaria Asensia a.k.a. The Slayer Bureaucrat and now he's hitting us with the one, two punch of his long awaited 10 song CD and his new book PULP FANTASIES & FETISHES that I talked about here.  I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of the CD and will be talking about it here very soon!

And finally,the momentum that EMPIRE STATE by Adam Christopher has reached dizzying heights this week, what with the book finally been released (it seems like it's been forever!) and two big events accompanying it; 

The first event was the London launch of EMPIRE STATE at Forbidden Planet Megastore on January 5th; the second will be the January 10th reading and signing in New York at the Mid-Manhattan Library.  You can read about the Forbidden Planet event on Adam's blog, here and here.

                                                          Photos by Stephen J Sweeney 


And that's the round up for today!  Happy reading!