|
|
"London showed its hidden nature only at night. People moved like wraiths, appearing out of nowhere, shades made suddenly solid." ~ from The Shadow Revolution
|
|
| Winterwood: Rowankind, Book One by Jacey BedfordHistorical Fantasy. Rossalinde Tremayne doesn't regret leaving home to become a cross-dressing privateer. She does regret coming ashore to visit her estranged mother, who has a few secrets to reveal before she dies. The first is that Rossalinde's (illegal, unregistered) witchcraft is a family trait; the second involves an ancient winterwood box whose magical properties attract the wrong sort of attention from enemies both mortal and fae. Accompanied by the half-brother she never knew she had and the ghost of her late husband, Rossalinde must solve the mystery of the box and fulfill her undesired destiny. Fans of V.E. Schwab's A Gathering of Shadows may enjoy this swashbuckling tale of a magic-wielding lady pirate, while readers who like historical fantasy starring seafaring heroines may like Emily Foster's The Drowning Eyes. |
|
| The Immortals by Jordanna Max BrodskyContemporary Fantasy. Part of the Olympian Diaspora, Greek goddess Artemis -- currently living in New York City under the alias Selene DiSilva -- fulfills her ancient calling by pursuing vigilante justice on behalf of abused women. However, when she discovers the mutilated corpse of a woman dressed in the robes of a sacrificial virgin and crowned with a laurel wreath, Artemis realizes that this murder is a message for her and the remaining Olympians. Can the immortal Huntress unmask a killer before it's too late? Readers who enjoyed the collision of ancient myth and modern-day magic in Mark Chadbourn's Age of Misrule Trilogy should check out this atmospheric, suspenseful debut. |
|
| Kingfisher by Patricia A. McKillipContemporary Fantasy. Growing up on Cape Misbegotten in northern California, Pierce Oliver never knew his father. In fact, he assumed the man was dead (or a deadbeat) until a chance encounter with a roving band of knights prompts a confession from Heloise, his sorceress mother: Pierce's sire is alive and well and living in the kingdom of Severluna -- with Pierce's older brother. Shocked by this revelation, Pierce immediately sets off the court of King Arden to find his father and seek his birthright. The journey to Severluna turns into a quest in which he encounters mysterious people and magical places, while unraveling family secrets. |
|
| Snakewood by Adrian SelbySword and Sorcery. "The greatest mercenary crew ever to take a purse," Kailen's Twenty is notorious for never betraying a client or one another. Unfortunately, one of their former associates does not adhere to the same code of honor: soon mercenaries are turning up dead, each clutching a black coin in his hand -- the mark of a traitor. But who betrayed whom? And why? Presented as an oral history by Goran, the scholar-son of one of the Twenty, this debut spins an layered tale of betrayal and bloody revenge that may appeal to fans of Alex Marshall's A Crown for Cold Silver. |
|
| Doktor Glass by Thomas BrennanSteampunk. A faceless corpse lies on the recently completed Transatlantic Span, the vast suspension bridge that connects Liverpool and New York City. Assigned to the case is newly widowed police Inspector Matthew Langton. The investigation quickly takes a turn for the supernatural, bringing Langton into the orbit of a gang of soul-stealers known as Jar Boys and their shadowy patron, Doktor Glass, who may be connected to the body on the bridge, as well as the death of Langton's own wife. Steampunk fans who enjoy a good police procedural should enjoy this alternate world, Victorian-themed whodunit. |
|
| The Diabolical Miss Hyde by Viola CarrSteampunk. Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, this series opener introduces Eliza, daughter of the infamous Henry Jekyll. Like her father, Eliza is a doctor -- though unlike her murderous parent, she works for the police as a crime scene investigator. She's also got an alter ego: the impulsive Lizzie Hyde. As if chasing down serial killers weren't enough of a challenge, Eliza must also protect Lizzie (and herself) from Captain Remy Lafayette of the Royal Society, which distinguishes between science (the law of the realm) and sorcery (punishable by death). If you enjoy The Diabolical Miss Hyde, don't miss its sequel, The Devious Dr. Jekyll. |
|
| The Shadow Revolution: Crown & Key by Clay Griffith and Susan GriffithSteampunk. Werewolves stalk the streets of London and it's up to magician Simon Archer to stop them from preying on the city's human population. Complicating the situation is alchemist Kate Anstruther, who has evidence linking the attacks to a conspiracy that could destabilize England. This series opener, the 1st book in a trilogy, continues with The Undying Legion and The Conquering Dark. The novel's action-packed plot, atmospheric setting, and odd-couple protagonists may appeal to fans of Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris' Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. |
|
| The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark HodderSteampunk. When the supposedly mythical Spring-Heeled Jack starts terrorizing 1861 London, it's up to explorer and adventurer Sir Richard Francis Burton to track down the monster. Accompanied by his louche and libidinous sidekick, poet Algernon Swinburne, Burton tracks the beast and attempts to thwart a werewolf invasion by enlisting the help of everyone who was anyone in 19th-century Britain, except Queen Victoria (sorry, she was assassinated). With its steampunk-inflected world, nifty technology (complete with pneumatic railways), and time travel hijinks, this inventive fusion of fantasy, mystery, classic literature, and historical fiction will delight fans of Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. |
|
| King of the Cracksmen: A Steampunk Entertainment by Dennis O'FlahertySteampunk. Sometimes, the luck of the Irish runs out. When Liam McCool, dubbed "King of the Cracksmen" by his fellow safecrackers, is caught and arrested, he's given a choice: go to prison for a very long time or become an informant for the government. Partnering with muckracking journalist Becky Fox, Liam discovers a conspiracy involving former U.S. Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, who now runs the powerful Department of Public Safety, enforcing harsh laws with an army of automatons. Set in an alternate Reconstruction-era United States, one in which Lincoln was never assassinated and Russia controls most of the territory west of the Mississippi River, this novel may appeal to Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century series. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Millburn Free Public Library at 973-376-1006, 200 Glen Avenue, Millburn, NJ 07041
|
|
|