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Fantasy and Science Fiction June 2017
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The Waking Land
by Callie Bates
Lady Elanna is fiercely devoted to the king who raised her like a daughter. But when he dies under mysterious circumstances, Elanna is accused of his murder, and must flee for her life. Returning to the homeland of magical legends she has forsaken, Elanna is forced to reckon with her despised, estranged father, branded a traitor long ago. Feeling a strange, deep connection to the natural world, she also must face the truth about the forces she has always disdained as superstition, powers that suddenly stir within her. But an all-too-human threat is drawing near, determined to exact vengeance. Now Elanna has no choice but to lead a rebellion against the kingdom to which she once gave her allegiance. Trapped between divided loyalties, she must summon the courage to confront a destiny that could tear her apart.
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| Within the Sanctuary of Wings: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie BrennanHistorical Fantasy. Naturalist and dragon expert Lady Isabella Trent continues her globetrotting adventures in this 5th and final volume of the Memoirs of Lady Trent series, which features a strong-willed scientist heroine and takes place in an alternate version of Victorian England. Fans will welcome the return of the redoubtable Lady Trent and her dragon-obsessed colleagues, but newcomers should start with A Natural History of Dragons. |
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| Assassin's Fate by Robin HobbEpic Fantasy. Believing his beloved daughter, Bee, to be dead, assassin FitzChivalry "Fitz" Farseer converts his rescue mission into a revenge quest -- accompanied (as always) by his enigmatic companion, the Fool. Assassin's Fate concludes the Fitz and the Fool trilogy, which begins with Fool's Assassin. Although this atmospheric series stands on its own, these flawed yet sympathetic characters and their richly detailed world, the Realm of the Elderlings, made their first appearance in The Farseer trilogy (starting with Assassin's Apprentice). |
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Cold Reign
by Faith Hunter
Jane walks softly and carries a big stake to keep the peace in New Orleans, all part of her job as official Enforcer to Leo Pellissier, Master of the City. But Leo's reign is being threatened by a visit from a delegation of ancient European vampires seeking to expand their dominions. And there’s another danger to the city. When she hears reports of revenant vampires, loose in NOLA and out for blood, Jane goes to put them down—and discovers there’s something unusual about these revenants. They never should have risen. Jane must test her strength against a deadly, unnatural magic beyond human understanding, and a ruthless cadre of near-immortals whose thirst for power knows no bounds.
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Alien Education
by Gini Koch
It’s a typical day of bureaucracy and stress for President and First Lady Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini, in part because Kitty’s been tapped to represent Earth in the Galactic Council. Kitty feels that’s a bad idea, and she might be right. When her first official TV morning show goes awry, it’s only the quick thinking of the actor determined to make the “Code Name: First Lady” movie a reality that saves the day. It also forces Kitty to work with Hollywood. Meanwhile, the Embassy Daycare kids are all about to enter “real school”—and none of them want to go. They may have grounds to be concerned because many of the other students and their familes seem shady, and everyone seems to have an evil agenda. Dealing with the assimilation of the aliens who have come to Earth, while fending off advances from a variety of Hollywood types, seems like Kitty’s biggest challenge. But then she and Jeff discover that Stephanie Valentino—Jeff’s niece and the true Heir Apparent to the original Mastermind—is back.
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The Rescue
by Diana Palmer
Rhemun, commander of the Cehn-Tahr Holconcom, has worked tirelessly to get where he is—and he's not going to let any human drag him back down. Especially not Lt. Commander Edris Mallory, whose very presence aboard the Morcai serves as a too-painful reminder of a past tragedy he can neither forgive nor forget. But Mallory has secrets of her own—ones she can't afford to see come to light. Frantic to protect herself, she flees, abandoning her position. When Rhemun learns of her devastating situation, he realizes the all-consuming feelings he's harbored for her may not be hatred. But in a vast universe rife with peril, is it already too late?
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| Borne: A Novel by Jeff VanderMeerApocalyptic SF. Animal, mineral, or vegetable? When scavenger Rachel rescues Borne, the discarded creation of a defunct biotech company, she has no idea what she's discovered. That doesn't stop her from taking it home and raising it. To her surprise, the shapeshifting Borne is not only sentient, but intelligent. But Rachel's partner, Wick, is not enchanted with the new arrival. With its dark dystopian setting and non-human(oid) characters, author Jeff VanderMeer's latest novel has more in common with his Ambergris series than his more recent Southern Reach novels. |
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Invasive
by Chuck Wendig
On an isolated island in the middle of the Pacific, a team of scientists is employed by a charismatic billionaire hoping to change the world through cutting-edge research. In a small cabin on a remote lake in the middle of the Adirondacks, FBI futurist Hannah Stander confronts a barely recognizable human body—one skinned alive by thousands of genetically engineered ants. Hannah’s investigation ultimately leads her to Kohole Atoll. Though the team there vehemently denies any connection to the body, the more Hannah studies the group, the more she suspects their work has sinister applications. And the more it looks like no one is getting off the island alive.
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| The Book of Joan by Lidia YuknavitchScience Fiction. When Earth becomes uninhabitable, wealthy survivors head to space and take up residence on suborbital complex CIEL, ruled by celebrity dictator Jean de Men. CIEL inhabitants, physically transformed by radiation, pass their allotted 50-year lifespans by tattooing stories on their skin. The one forbidden tale -- that of eco-warrior Joan of Dirt, who dared defy Jean de Men -- is central to this imaginative SF adaptation of the story of Joan of Arc. |
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| The Dragon's Path by Daniel AbrahamEpic Fantasy. Following the downfall of the Dragon Empire, the world's 13 races -- which range from humanoid to dragon-esque -- divide themselves into new kingdoms, most at odds with one another. When the nation of Antea attacks the city of Vanai, the invasion ignites a widespread war that links the destinies of three people: banker Cithrin; former war hero Marcus; and scholar-turned-soldier Geder. The Dragon's Path is the 1st book in The Dagger & The Coin series. |
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| The Swarm by Orson Scott Card and Aaron JohnstonMilitary SF. Although Earth emerged victorious from its first engagement with the Formic fleet, the second wave of the invasion will be harder to repel. A group of humanity's best and brightest are working hard to develop the technology that will enable them to defend the planet against the aliens, but their efforts may be too little, too late. While this opening installment of the Second Formic War series stands on its own, it will especially appeal to fans of Ender's Game interested in the "Buggers." |
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| King of Thorns by Mark LawrenceEpic Fantasy. He's avenged his family's death (in Prince of Thorns) . Now, to hold onto his newly acquired throne, 18-year-old King Jorg must defeat an invading army. Will the discovery of magical artifacts beneath the castle aid his cause or bring about the destruction of his kingdom? Dark, gritty, and violent, this 2nd book in the Broken Empire series should tempt fans of Joe Abercrombie's First Law novels. |
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| Victory of Eagles by Naomi NovikHistorical Fantasy. When Napoleon mounts a full-scale invasion of Britain, the nation's only hope is Captain Will Laurence and his dragon comrade-in-arms Temeraire. Alas, Laurence, convicted on charges of treason, now languishes on a prison ship, while Temeraire has been exiled to Welsh breeding grounds. Can they reunite before it's too late? Find out in this 5th installment of the Temeraire series, which begins with His Majesty's Dragon. |
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| Live Free or Die by John RingoMilitary SF. With the alien Horvath in control of Earth, humanity's only hope is webcomic artist Tyler Vernon. His plan? To exploit the extraterrestrials' insatiable appetite for the mysterious substance known variously as "Dragon's Tears," "Product 156," and "maple syrup." Establishing trade relations with the rest of the galaxy will enable humanity to reclaim its sovereignty. That's the plan, anyway. This fast-paced, action-packed novel is the 1st installment of the Troy Rising trilogy, which continues with Citadel and The Hot Gate. |
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