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| Summerlong by Peter S. BeagleContemporary Fantasy. Over the course of decades, retired history professor Abe Aronson and flight attendant Joanna Delvecchio have built a relationship and a lifestyle that work for them. Mostly. When Lioness Lazos arrives in Puget Sound, their comfortable, if dull, lives are changed forever. After they discover that the young woman has no home, they offer her a place to live. They don't realize that their generosity will have far-reaching consequences. Leisurely paced and bittersweet, Summerlong may appeal to fans of the author's A Fine and Private Place, as well as Patricia McKillip's Kingfisher, which similarly infuses myth into modern life. |
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| Breath of Earth: A Novel by Beth CatoHistorical Fantasy. Set in an alternate 1906 San Francisco, where the U.S. and Japan have forged the powerful United Pacific alliance, this series opener by the author of the Clockwork Dagger novels introduces geomancer Ingrid Carmichael, who hides her rare powers from everyone. But when her employer, the council of Earth Wardens, is wiped out in a bombing, it's up to Ingrid to take over their work of diverting the planet's seismic energy in order to prevent a massive earthquake. For another story about a magically gifted young woman saving a vividly depicted early 20th-century San Francisco, check out M.H. Boroson's The Girl with Ghost Eyes. |
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| Four Roads Cross by Max GladstoneFantasy. With the unexpected return of Moon Goddess Seril, the city of Alt Coulumb, already chaotic in the aftermath of the God Wars, is thrown into greater civil unrest. That puts Tara Abernethy, in-house Craftswoman for the Church of Kos Everburning, in a difficult position. Four Roads Cross is the 4th book in the Craft sequence. Fans of Three Parts Dead (the first published entry in the series) will be pleased to see Tara again. However, readers who prefer following the series' internal chronology should start with Last First Snow. |
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| An Accident of Stars: Book 1 of The Manifold Worlds by Foz MeadowsEpic Fantasy. Australian teen Saffron Coulter becomes an accidental worldwalker when she follows the mysterious Gwen Vere through a "shining rip" in the fabric of reality and comes out on the other side to find a magical realm in peril. Although Gwen, a rebel leader who wields jahudemet (portal magic), is none too pleased by the girl's arrival, she and her allies will need Saffron's help to keep the ruthless Leoden from taking power. An Accident of Stars kicks off the Manifold Worlds trilogy. |
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| The Dinosaur Knights by Victor MilánEpic Fantasy. Picking up where The Dinosaur Lords left off, this 2nd installment in a series finds mercenary captain Karyl Bogomirsky and dinosaur master Rob Korrigan on trial for their role in defending the pacifists of Paradise against the Empire of Nuevaropa's crusader armies. Even more dangerous than the Empire's tank-like war triceratops units, however, are the dreaded Grey Angels, emissaries of the Creator, whose mission is to cleanse the world of sin and ensure that all people adhere to the imperial faith. A large cast of characters and extensive world-building provide ample scope for a dramatic saga of war, politics, and religion that should please fans of George R.R. Martin fans currently awaiting The Winds of Winter. |
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| The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim ButcherSteampunk. Aboard the AMS Predator, airship captain Francis Grimm defends Spire Albion from attacks by rival Spire Aurora. Tapped for a top-secret military mission, Grimm teams up with members of the Spirearch's Guard, including rebellious noblewoman Gwendolyn Lancaster; her dashing cousin Benedict; etherealist Master Ferus and his apprentice Folly; and orphan Bridget Tagwynn and her feline guardian, Rowl. With its thrilling blend of espionage and high-altitude battles, this fast-paced, action-packed opening volume of the Cinder Spires series should entertain fans of Naomi Novik's Temeraire books. |
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| Magebane by Lee Arthur ChaneEpic Fantasy. After a commoners' uprising led by the magic-impervious Magebane, the ruling MageLords retreated beyond the Great Barrier, leaving behind a world devoid of magic. Eight hundred years later, memories of the bad old days have faded, prompting some to advocate for a unified realm and others to campaign for a strict separation between kingdoms. As opposing factions work to maintain or dismantle the Barrier, a MageLord sets his sights on ruling the entire world. Epic fantasy tropes (reluctant heroes, lost heirs, and forbidden magic) exist alongside dirigibles and other Steampunk-inspired technologies in this sweeping saga. |
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| The Cloud Roads by Martha WellsFantasy. Moon is an orphan with unusual abilities: he can transform into a dragon-like creature and fly. He's spent his entire life wandering from one human settlement to the next, seeking shelter -- and eventually getting thrown out when the inhabitants discover his true nature, which reminds them of the ruthless winged predators known as the Fell. Then, one day, Moon encounters another shapeshifter like himself, who promises him the home he's been seeking. Meeting his people, the Raksura, Moon thinks his journey is finally at an end; in fact, it's just beginning. Intrigued by this unusual world? Check out The Siren Depths and The Serpent Sea next. |
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| Updraft by Fran WildeFantasy. All Kirit Densira wants is to pass her wingtest, strap on her flying gear, and join her mother as a trader, ferrying much-needed supplies between towers made of living bone while eluding the predatory skymouths that snatch citizens from the air. When Kirit breaks Tower Law by deterring a skymouth attack, the enigmatic Singers -- who govern the city from within the Spire -- present her with an agonizing choice: sacrifice her life's dream in order to join their ranks or receive a sentence of death. Extensive world-building, layers of political intrigue, and a poignant coming-of-age story make this 1st book in the Bone Universe series a must-read. The saga continues with Cloudbound. |
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