Mark Charan Newton Signs a Two-Book Deal with Tor UK

Mark Charan Newton, the author of the excellent Legends of the Red Sun series just signed a new deal with Tor UK for the rights of his new fantasy-crime series' first two books. The author had already made his intentions to leave New Weird aside and to try something different public. So now we have something concrete. The press release that came out earlier this morning gives some information about the upcoming series (emphasis mine):

"The first book in a series provisionally titled DRAKENFELD introduces the eponymous hero, an investigator. The series is set in a fantasy world, but will appeal to fans of historical mysteries. In this opening volume, Lucan Drakenfeld is called home after the death of his father – but is immediately thrown into the investigation of a royal death. He also finds that his father’s demise is not as clear-cut as it at first appears..."

After the announcement, Newton blogged about the deal and gave more information about his new books (emphasis mine):

"It’s very much a fantasy novel, but equally a crime novel, with a locked-room mystery at the heart of it. Whilst I’ve dabbled with the odd crime sub-plot before, it was mainly a pastiche – Drakenfeld is much more committed to the crime genre, perhaps along the lines of the CJ Sansom novels. (It needs to be rewarding for readers of both genres.) The world is very much a classically inspired setting (Ancient Rome in particular), and there virtually no weirdness. I’m also really enjoying writing the Drakenfeld novel, much more so than any of the previous series, and especially the locked-room element: the impossible crime."

The fourth and last book of Legends of the Red Sun will be published in the summer of 2012. And it looks like we'll be able to read Drakenfeld, the first book of Newton's new series, in 2013.

I wish him all the best with his new books and I am really looking forward to reading them.

PRESS RELEASE – 21st November 2011

New Deal For Mark Charan Newton

Bella Pagan, Senior Commissioning Editor at Tor UK, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, has acquired world rights to the first two volumes of a fantasy series by Mark Charan Newton. The agent was John Jarrold.

The first book in a series provisionally titled DRAKENFELD introduces the eponymous hero, an investigator. The series is set in a fantasy world, but will appeal to fans of historical mysteries. In this opening volume, Lucan Drakenfeld is called home after the death of his father – but is immediately thrown into the investigation of a royal death. He also finds that his father’s demise is not as clear-cut as it at first appears…

Pagan said ‘Mark writes compulsive adventures set in utterly convincing new worlds – he’s a terrific writer. I couldn’t ask for a better start to my new position at Tor UK than this first deal’.

Tor UK have successfully published three fantasy novels by Mark in the Legends of the Red Sun series since 2009, with a fourth to appear in the summer of 2012. They have been strongly acclaimed by China Miéville, Peter F Hamilton and reviewers on both sides of the Atlantic.

The first book in the new series will be published in 2014. For more information about Mark, see his website markcnewton.com or follow him on twitter @MarkCN.

Contact Chloe Healy or John Jarrold for further details:

Chloe Healy: c.healy@macmillan.co.uk 00 44 20 7014 6000 Twitter: @UKTor
John Jarrold: j.jarrold@btinternet.com 00 44 1522 510544

Seventh Star Press Proudly Announces New Four Book Urban Fantasy Series From Michael West

November 15, 2011

Seventh Star Press is proud to announce Legacy of the Gods, an exciting new urban fantasy series from Michael West that begins with Poseidon's Children. Four titles are scheduled in the series. The award-winning horror author's foray into urban fantasy is his second series with Seventh Star Press, joining his Harmony Indiana novels in a schedule that will see two books a year released from the prolific author.

Poseidon's Children has already received high praise from Maurice Broaddus, whose series, The Knights of Breton Court, has been making big waves in the urban fantasy world. As Maurice commented, “Poseidon’s Children is some of Michael West’s best writing and storytelling!”

As with all Seventh Star Press novels, the books will feature interior artwork, with covers and illustrations being done by acclaimed fantasy/horror artist Matthew Perry. His artwork appears in other Seventh Star Press releases from Jackie Gamber, H.David Blalock, Stephen Shrewsbury, and Stephen Zimmer.

"This has been an epic story that I have been passionate about for a long time, an idea that would not let go of my brain, it just kept growing, and growing, demanding that I start writing it all down,” Michael said in regards to the upcoming series. “I've talked about wanting to do this series for years, and my faithful readers kept asking me, 'When are you going to do that? When is it coming out?' Well, I'm happy to say that the answer is now, and I am so pleased that Seventh Star Press has given me the opportunity to finally make this dark, horrific, fantastical dream a reality."

In Poseidon's Children, man no longer worships the old gods; forgotten and forsaken, they have become nothing more than myth and legend. But all that is about to change. After the ruins of a vast, ancient civilization are discovered on the ocean floor, Coast Guard officers find a series of derelict ships drifting in the current--high-priced yachts and leaking fishing boats, all ransacked, splattered in blood, their crews missing and presumed dead.

And that's just the beginning.

Vacationing artist Larry Neuhaus has just witnessed a gruesome shark attack, a young couple torn apart right before his eyes ... at least, he thinks it was a shark. And when one of these victims turns out to be the only son of Roger Hays, the most powerful man in the country, things go from bad to worse. Now, to stop the carnage,Larry and his new-found friends must work together to unravel a mystery as old as time, and face an enemy as dark as the ocean depths.

Michael West is a fast rising force in the speculative fiction world. His work includes novels such as The Wide Game (Graveside Tales), Cinema of Shadows (Seventh Star Press) and a single author collection, Skull Full of Kisses (Graveside Tales). He also has an array of short fiction published, spanning many magazines and anthologies, including appearances in Shroud Magazine, and the Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest.

Amanda DeBord will be handling editing duties on Poseidon's Children and the other three Legacy of the Gods titles.

"Seventh Star Press is simply amazing to work with,” Michael commented. “They know good fiction, put out hardcover, paperback, and eBook editions of the highest quality, and they support their authors and releases more than any other publisher in the business. I could not be happier to be working with them on my Harmony, Indiana books and now the Legacy series."

The projected release date window for Poseidon's Children is March of 2012, with versions released in limited hardcover, trade paperback, and several eBook formats, such Kindle, iPad, the Nook, and Sony/Sony compatible eBook reading devices. The second novel is slated for spring of 2013, with other titles to follow on an annual basis.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com, or at the author's site, www.bymichaelwest.com.

Contact: C.C. James
Public Relations, Seventh Star Press
ccjames@seventhstarpress.com

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction located in Lexington Kentucky.

Books That Surround Me

There are so many books that I'd like to read but so little time... I've been telling myself the same thing for a long while. And today I just wanted to write about the books that I just left behind, the book that I'm currently reading and the books that are patiently waiting to be read.

House of Fear edited by Jonathan Oliver, Infinity Blade: Awakening by Brandon Sanderson and 21 Erased by Barbara Rayne were the last three books that I read. They were all very different but I enjoyed them all. I'm going to post their reviews soon.

Currently I'm reading Courtney Schafer's The Whitefire Crossing. I've already read close to 100 pages and it has been a captivating read so far. I've been particularly impressed by the setting.

The list of the books that are vying for my attention and that are shouting "Pick me! Pick me!" is longer (in alphabetical order):

• Final Days by Gary Gibson
• Hell Train by Christopher Fowler
• Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
• Manhattan in Reverse by Peter Hamilton
• Ossard's Hope by Colin Taber
• The Recollection by Gareth L. Powell
• Solaris Rising: The New Solaris Book of Science Fiction edited by Ian Whates
• Spellbound by Blake Charlton
• Tattoo by Kirsten Imani Kasai

I don't know about you but most of the time my mood dictates which book I pick from the pile next. Regardless of the next book, I'm dying to go through this list as soon as I can.

Here's more detail about the books that surround me:

House of Fear edited by Jonathan Oliver

The tread on the landing outside the door, when you know you are the only one in the house. The wind whistling through the eves, carrying the voices of the dead. The figure glimpsed briefly through the cracked window of a derelict house.

Editor Jonathan Oliver brings horror home with a collection of haunted house stories by some of the finest writers working in the horror genre, including Joe R. Lansdale, Sarah Pinborough, Lisa Tuttle, Christopher Priest, Adam L. G. Nevill, Nicholas Royle, Chaz Brenchley, Christopher Fowler, Gary Kilworth, Weston Ochse, Eric Brown, Tim Lebbon, Nina Allan, Stephen Volk, Paul Meloy and more.

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Infinity Blade: Awakening by Brandon Sanderson

Trained from birth in swordplay and combat, a young knight named Siris has journeyed to the Dark Citadel with a single purpose: fight through the army of Titans to face the tyrannical God King in one-on-one combat. This was his father’s sacred mission, and his father’s before him, going back countless generations in an effort to free their people from enslavement. But when Siris somehow succeeds where all those from his bloodline previously have failed, he finds himself cast into a much larger world, filled with warriors and thieves, ancient feuds and shifting alliances, Deathless immortals and would-be kings. His quest for freedom will take him on an epic journey in search of the mythical figure known as the Worker of Secrets – the one being in the world who can unravel the secrets of the Infinity Blade.

Based on the bestselling video game from ChAIR Entertainment and Epic Games, this all-new adventure from acclaimed fantasy author Brandon Sanderson digs deeper into the fantastical world of Infinity Blade, a world of mystery and intrigue where magic and technology are indistinguishable, and even life and death are not what they seem.

[UK/Kindle]

21 Erased by Barbara Rayne

The code is your identity, your bank account, your credit card, the bus fare…your existence. When they take it away, you disappear like you never lived at all. All it takes is a moment and you’re no longer a human being…you’re nothing. Everything you thought you owned is shattering into pieces in front of your eyes, you’re disappearing without leaving a single trace of your existence. You were that insignificant. The system had you that much, nothing was yours but the illusion. They own your life. When you got in their way, they spat you out like a chewing gum that lost its flavor. You no longer exist. You have been erased...

[UK/Kindle]

The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer

Dev is a smuggler. Technically, he's a tracker for the caravan teams that bring legitimate merchandise from the free city of Ninavel into the kingdom of Alathia. The spring trails are treacherous, and it takes an expert climber to locate the safest route through the Whitefire mountains. But with the right connections, one can slip magical gems from one side of the mountain pass, where they are legal, to the other side, where they are not. Having made a promise to a dying friend, Dev is forced to make a singularly dangerous Whitefire crossing. Instead of smuggling gems, he's smuggling a person. Kiran: A blood mage on the run from his master... a blood mage desperate to sneak into a kingdom where blood mages are imprisoned for life. Caught up in a web of subterfuge and magic that endanger the entire caravan, Dev and Kiran must find a way to trust each other with their darkest secrets in order to overcome the forces arrayed against them! The debut novel by Courtney Schaffer, The Whitefire Crossing is the story of a sardonic young smuggler and a runaway apprentice mage caught in a deadly game of intrigue between rival mages that will determine the fate of a city.

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Final Days by Gary Gibson

But this new mode of transportation comes at a price and there are risks. Saul Dumont knows this better than anyone. He’s still trying to cope with the loss of the wormhole link to the Galileo system, which has stranded him on Earth far from his wife and child for the past several years.

Only weeks away from the link with Galileo finally being re-established, he stumbles across a conspiracy to suppress the discovery of a second, alien network of wormholes which lead billions of years in the future. A covert expedition is sent to what is named Site 17 to investigate, but when an accident occurs and one of the expedition, Mitchell Stone, disappears – they realise that they are dealing with something far beyond their understanding.

When a second expedition travels via the wormholes to Earth in the near future of 2245 they discover a devastated, lifeless solar system - all except for one man, Mitchell Stone, recovered from an experimental cryogenics facility in the ruins of a lunar city.

Stone may be the only surviving witness to the coming destruction of the Earth. But why is he the only survivor — and once he’s brought back to the present, is there any way he and Saul can prevent the destruction that’s coming?

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Hell Train by Christopher Fowler

Imagine there was a supernatural chiller that Hammer Films never made. A grand epic produced at the studio's peak, which played like a cross between the Dracula and Frankenstein films and Dr Terror's House Of Horrors... Four passengers meet on a train journeying through Eastern Europe during the First World War, and face a mystery that must be solved if they are to survive. As the Arkangel races through the war-torn countryside, they must find out: What is in the casket that everyone is so afraid of? What is the tragic secret of the veiled Red Countess who travels with them? Why is their fellow passenger the army brigadier so feared by his own men? And what exactly is the devilish secret of the Arkangel itself? Bizarre creatures, satanic rites, terrified passengers and the romance of travelling by train, all in a classically styled horror novel.

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

Humanity has colonized the planets - interstellar travel is still beyond our reach, but the solar system has become a dense network of colonies. But there are tensions - the mineral-rich outer planets resent their dependence on Earth and Mars and the political and military clout they wield over the Belt and beyond. Now, when Captain Jim Holden's ice miner stumbles across a derelict, abandoned ship, he uncovers a secret that threatens to throw the entire system into war. Attacked by a stealth ship belonging to the Mars fleet, Holden must find a way to uncover the motives behind the attack, stop a war and find the truth behind a vast conspiracy that threatens the entire human race.

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Manhattan in Reverse by Peter Hamilton

A collection of short stories from the master of space opera. Peter F Hamilton takes us on a journey from a murder mystery in an alternative Oxford in the 1800s to a brand new story featuring Paula Mayo, Deputy Director of the Intersolar Commonwealth’s Serious Crimes Directorate. Dealing with intricate themes and topical subject this top ten bestselling author is at the top of his game.

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Ossard's Hope by Colin Taber

The wealthy city state of Ossard has fallen amidst blood, rioting and flames. Through the chaotic aftermath, Juvela leads the hopeful to safety within a set of mysterious ruins, but are they already claimed? Whilst leading them, the divine addiction is taking root within her, something she's triggered in her flight from doomed Ossard. The deep hunger of soul feeding has overwhelmed and enslaved every god it has touched; how can she, only newly into her own godhood, possibly beat it? And if she can't, what of the divine war she was born to trigger? Yet hope remains... Ossard's Hope follows the unique tale first begun in The Fall of Ossard.

[Worldwide] - [UK]

The Recollection by Gareth L. Powell

When his brother disappears into a bizarre gateway on a London Underground escalator, failed artist Ed Rico and his brother's wife Alice have to put aside their feelings for each other to go and find him. Their quest through the 'arches' will send them hurtling through time, to new and terrifying alien worlds. Four hundred years in the future, Katherine Abdulov must travel to a remote planet in order to regain the trust of her influential family. The only person standing in her way is her former lover, Victor Luciano, the ruthless employee of a rival trading firm. Hard choices lie ahead as lives and centuries clash and, in the unforgiving depths of space, an ancient evil stirs...

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Solaris Rising: The New Solaris Book of Science Fiction edited by Ian Whates

Solaris Rising is the first in an exciting new series of anthologies that are set to reaffirm Solaris's proud reputation for producing high quality science fiction. The book will feature all original short stories from Peter F. Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter, Paul di Filippo, Adam Roberts, Lavie Tidhar, Ian Watson, Ken MacLeod, Mike Resnick, Tricia Sullivan, Eric Brown, Steve Rasnic Tem along with other top name authors; stories guaranteed to surprise, thrill and delight, demonstrating why science fiction remains the most innovative, satisfying, and downright exciting genre of all.

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Spellbound by Blake Charlton

Francesca DeVega is a successful healer in the city of Avel, wielding magical text to close wounds and disspell curses, but her life is thrown into chaos when a dead patient suddenly sits up and tells her to run. Now Francesca is in the middle of a game she doesn’t understand, one that ties her to the notorious rogue wizard, Nicodemus Weal, and brings her face to face with demons, demigods, and a man she thought she’d never see again.

It has been ten years since Nicodemus Weal escaped the Starhaven Academy, where he was considered disabled and useless, where he battled the demon who stole his birthright and killed his friends. Unable to use the magical languages of his own people, Nico has honed his skills in the dark language of the kobolds, readying himself for his next encounter with the demon. But there are complications: his mentor suffers from an incurable curse, his half-sister’s agents are hunting him, and he’s still not sure what part Francesca DeVega will play. He certainly doesn’t know what to make of Francesca herself...

[Worldwide] - [UK]

Tattoo by Kirsten Imani Kasai

HER FATE IS IN HER FLESH.

In an environmentally fragile world where human and animal genes combine, the rarest mutation of all—the Trader—can instantly switch genders. One such Trader, the female Sorykah, is battling her male alter, Soryk, for dominance and the right to live a full life.

Sorykah has rescued her infant twins from mad Matuk the Collector. Her children are safe. Her journey, she believes, is over, but Matuk’s death has unleashed darker, more evil forces. These forces, led by the Collector’s son, cast nets of power that stretch from the glittering capital of Neubonne to the murky depths below the frozen Sigue, where the ink of octameroons is harvested to make addictive, aphrodisiacal tattoos. Bitter enemies trapped within a single skin, Sorykah and Soryk are soon drawn into a sinister web of death and deceit.

[Worldwide] - [UK]

24 Books! 24 Hours! Up To 80% Off! Today!

Today, at 12:00 GMT (7:00 AM EST), The Book Depository is starting a 24-hour campaign where they will be offering up to 80% off on a book every hour on the hour. I don't think that the titles are known yet so you have to check regularly to see if there's something that you'd like (or someone else would like as a present). I'm hoping there are going to be some fiction on the list (and not offered at 4 AM, thank you!)

As usual, the offer include their free worldwide shipping. And if you make a mistake during the buying frenzy, you can always contact them to cancel your order. Of course, if you are not fast enough, there's a chance that the book sells out before you order your copy.

Now that you know about it, you cannot blame me for not having told you ;).

Graphic Novel Review: Orcs: Forged for War by Stan Nicholls & Joe Flood

Title: Orcs: Forged for War
Author: Stan Nicholls & Joe Flood
Trade Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: First Second Books (21 Oct 2011)
ISBN 10: 1596434554
ISBN 13: 978-1596434554

"Orcs: Forged for War is the first graphic novel in Stan Nicholls’ beloved Orcs universe. The fantasy landscape in this world is brutal and unforgiving, and populated by a race of unlikely protagonists: the powerful and violent warriors, orcs.

Orcs: Forged for War is an original story—a new entry in this series, not an adaptation of old material. It follows a ruthless and deadly cohort of warrior orcs as they fight their way free of the dominion of an evil human enchantress. Sitting on an exhilarating peak with high fantasy on one side and the thrilling, gruesome battlefields of graphic novel classics like Frank Miller’s 300 on the other, Orcs presents the world of its ogre-like protagonists with technicolor violence and moments of unexpected sympathy."

Please find the rest of the review on Speculative Book Review...

You can order a copy of Orcs: Forged for War from:

• Amazon UK
• Book Depository

Kultus by Richard Ford - Read the First Two Chapters

You can now read the first two chapters of Richard Ford's Kultus on the author's Free Stuff page.

Additionally, you can find The Ballad of Spring Heeled Jack, a thirteen-page Kultus comic, on the same page.

About the Book

Title: Kultus
Author: Richard Ford
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Solaris (14 Nov 2011)
ISBN-10: 1907992278
ISBN-13: 978-1907992278

A steam-powered burlesque of brutal demonic action!

Thaddeus Blaklok mercenary, demonist, bastard and thug-for-hire is pressed into retrieving a mysterious key for his clandestine benefactors. Little does he know that other parties seek to secure this artefact for their own nefarious ends and soon he is pursued by brutal cultists, bloodthirsty gangsters, deadly mercenaries and hell-spawned monsters, all bent on stopping him by any means necessary. In a lightning-paced quest that takes him across the length and breadth of the steam-fuelled city of Manufactory, Blaklok must use his wits and his own demonic powers to keep the key from those who would use it for ill, and open the gates to Hell itself.

About the Author

Richard Ford originally hails from Leeds in the heartland of Yorkshire but now resides in Wiltshire, where he can now be found frolicking by the Thames, drinking cider and singing songs about combine harvesters.

The Heroes Wallpaper, Wild Cards Film & TV Deal and The Liveship Traders Graphic Novel

Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes was one of my top reads this year. For the other fans out there, I'd like to point out that Orbit posted a The Heroes-themed wallpaper in various sizes (including iPad and iPhone).

If you're into graphic novels then you probably already know the graphics novel publisher Soleil. They had already published Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy and now it seems they signed the deal to continue the job with the following trilogy, The Liveship Traders. Unfortunately, they are not available in English but French and Dutch speakers can enjoy them.

The current success of the new TV series Game of Thrones seems to be helping George R. R. Martin a great deal. The fans of Martin's Wild Cards series will be delighted to hear that SyFy Films has acquired the rights to this series. I look forward to seeing them.