We recently asked some of your favorite speculative fiction authors about what they’re currently working on. Here’s what they had to say:

Rachel Aaron: I’m signed up to write a new series! Unfortunately I can’t get into details yet, but it’s going to be very different from ELI MOONPRESS, though hopefully no less awesome.

Danielle Ackley-McPhail: Now that the ETERNAL CYCLE trilogy has been wrapped up I’m working on a number of anthologies for 2013. Three are to be published by Dark Quest Books: Best Laid Plans (Book 5 in the DEFENDING THE FUTURE anthology series), Gaslight and Grimm: Steampunk Faerie Tales, and Eternal Flame (Book 2 in the LEGENDS OF A NEW AGE series). The final anthology is Bad-Ass Faeries 4: It’s Elemental, which will be published by Mundania Press. There are also six novels in the line-up, but the first that needs to be completed is The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale, sequel to the Halfling’s Court, by Dark Quest Books.

Alma Alexander: Book 5 of the WORLDWEAVERS trilogy, and a brand new YA series with book one written and now in the planning stages for the rest of the story…

Alex Bledsoe: I’ve turned in the manuscript for Wisp of a Thing, the follow-up to The Hum and the Shiver, which is scheduled for release in 2013.  I’m currently in the middle of writing the fifth EDDIE LACROSSE book, so far untitled, also due out next year.  And I’m working on some other, new stuff that I can’t talk about right now, but that I’ll announce soon.

Stephen Deas: I have a prequel novella, The Thief-Taker’s Blade which will be made available on the internet at some point over the next few months, either as an e-book or as a download from my website. Right now I’m working on a fantasy series set in something like the Dark Ages (sorry, historians) which might loosely be described as vikings vs. saxons vs. the undead, only they’re not vikings and saxons. I’ve just finished the copy-edits for The King’s Assassin (the third and last THIEF-TAKER book out in October) and the proofs for The Black Mausoleum (out in August).

Chris Evans: My next novel is another fantasy, but set in a new world with new characters different from the Iron Elves. Currently titled The Tree Line, this will be a single, stand alone novel using a time frame similar to that of the Middle Ages, but inspired by the cultural upheaval, racial animus, and bloody conflict of the Vietnam War. The tag line we’ve been using is LORD OF THE RINGS meets Apocalypse Now, but my agent came up with one I like even better — a fantasy that wails like Hendrix. It comes out Spring/Summer 2013.

Justin Gustainis: In addition to Known Devil, the third HAUNTED SCRANTON book, I’m writing a couple of novellas for Solaris featuring occult investigator Quincey Morris and his partner, white witch Libby Chastain. Quincey and Libby have already been the focus of three novels: Black Magic Woman, Evil Ways, and Sympathy for the Devil.

Kevin Hearne: I’m working on an IRON DRUID novella called Two Ravens and One Crow.

Jim C. Hines: At the moment, most of my energy is going into the sequel to Libriomancer. I’d tell you what it’s called, but I don’t have a title yet. This is the epic battle of Jim vs. First Draft, and so far, First Draft is winning. I’ll knock it down eventually, though.

Matthew Hughes: Hell to Pay, the third in the TO HELL AND BACK series.

L.E. Modesitt Jr: I just finished and turned in a stand-alone SF novel — The One-Eyed Man — and I’m currently working on the eighth book of THE IMAGER PORTFOLIO. Books 6 & 7 are finished and in production. They are Imager’s Battalion and Antiagon Fire.

Janny Wurts: The draft for Destiny’s Conflict — next volume in the WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW series, and arc IV’s finale (also the second to last volume in the series, entire).

We’ll be back with more news next week!

Dark Magic by James Swain

James Swain is the author of several crime thrillers, featuring series characters like a casino detective and an ex-cop who searches for missing children. Dark Magic is his first attempt at a supernatural thriller. Dark Magic is set in New York City with a main character who is a stage magician and a psychic.

Dark Magic opens with a group of psychics conducting a séance. The leader, Peter Warlock, has a horrifying vision. He is standing in Times Square, surrounded by people who are dying by the score. The weapon that is killing them is invisible. Peter sees a single man, unaffected by the attack, standing in the center of the square, a glowing sigil tattooed on his neck. His psychic group figures out that this attack will happen in four days. Previously, the group has notified law enforcement of potential disasters anonymously, but in this case, there isn’t enough time. Someone will have to go public and reveal their supernatural abilities, and it will probably have to be Peter. Read more »

Princeps by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Princeps is a direct follow-up to Scholar and continues the story of Quaeryt, the Scholar/Imager. In Scholar, Quaeryt grew greatly both as a person and as an Imager through his service to Lord Bhayar in investigating the reason for heavy military requirements in the province on Tilbor. Quaeryt’s resounding success in figuring out the underlying issue and protecting Lord Bhayar’s interests is rewarded… Princeps is another solid Modesitt novel. It’s nothing special in and of itself, but there are definitely elements of the book, including the philosophical discussion, that are well worth reading. Quaeryt is not a dynamic heroic character, but he is interesting because he uses tactics that are rooted in common sense and hard work. Putting that together with the long-established writing style and world development that Modesitt has mastered, and you have a good book for fans of the author. Clearly there is more to come from Quaeryt, and I look forward to seeing what happens next and how his life provides a continued foundation for the future that we have already seen in previous books. Read the rest.

Railsea  by China Miéville

You just know there are lots of reasons people might give a pass to China Miéville’s newest novel, Railsea. Some will see the YA or sci-fi/fantasy labels hanging on it and dismiss it out of hand. Others will hear it features a captain obsessed with hunting a giant white moldywarpe that cost her an arm and think “I hate parody/allusion” or “I really hated Moby Dick” or “Boy, I hate books with words like ‘moldywarpe” (or all three). Some will sigh mightily at the references to “symbol,” “philosophies,” environmental deprivation, and the woes of capitalism. Finally, some will note the direct address to the readers and discussion of the novel’s own narrative choices, and shrug “Metafiction. Meh.” To which I say they get what they deserve — missing out on a great wild and raucous romp of a novel filled to the brim with all the above plus trains, pirates, nomads, mole hunts, trips to the end of the known world, faithful and brave animal companions, loyal siblings, brilliant wordplay, literary allusions, ampersands, orphans, monsters, twists and turns aplenty, exploration and a plucky young boy who knows little save he has yet to discover his life’s task. Sucks for them, obviously… Read the rest.

The Warlock in Spite of Himself by Christopher Stasheff

… The Warlock in Spite of Himself, published in 1969, is a humorous science fantasy. I picked it up because I like science fantasy, I knew that Christopher Stasheff collaborated with L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt whose humorous HAROLD SHEA stories I enjoyed, and, lastly, an audiobook version of The Warlock in Spite of Himself has just been released by Wild Voices. According to the publisher, The Warlock in Spite of Himself is “sword-and-sorcery with a witty, edgy, wry twist.” Though the story is fun and action-packed, I found that The Warlock in Spite of Himself, especially this audio version, didn’t live up to the publisher’s promise… Read the rest.

We’re really moving into summer now…

John: I am reading Pantheons by E.J Dabel, my first experience with a book wholly on an e-Reader. It’s not as bad as I feared, but I still think I like a regular book better!

Kat: Another week gone by already?? I read two novellas by Robert Silverberg: The World Inside and Tower of Glass. I also read Christopher Stasheff’s The Warlock In Spite of Himself (do not buy this on audio!) and Terry Pratchett’s The Colo(u)r of Magic, the first of his DISCWORLD books. All of this was on audio. Then I sort of finished Ann and Jeff VanderMeer’s anthology The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories. I reviewed that last week. I’m busy with classes again — our summer term started — so not much time to sit down and read.

Marion: I’m reading Rebecca Skloot’s medical nonfiction best seller The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It’s pretty fascinating! I also just started Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel, the sequel to Wolf Hall. I’m not convinced that her concept of Thomas Cromwell is historically supported, but it’s convincingly done. She makes Henry VIII’s personal enforcer complicated and even appealing.

Terry: This week I finished up Seanan McGuire‘s Discount Armageddon, now her second urban fantasy series. I also started reading Blackout by her alter ego, Mira Grant, and it’s every bit as good as the first two in the NEWSFLESH trilogy. I also read Issue 3 of Shadows & Tall Trees, a magazine of “gentle horror” previously unknown to me, but a pleasant new discovery. Finally, I’m also reading A Book of Horrors, edited by Stephen Jones, which contains a fair amount of fiction nominated for the Shirley Jackson Awards. It’s been a good week..

Tim: This week I’ve been staying with some relatives and visiting took precedence over sticking my nose in a book, but I did manage to get a bit of reading done. I’ve gone through the entirety of Kevin Hearne‘s IRON DRUID series now, having finished Tricked this past Tuesday, and I followed it up with John Steinbeck‘s The Red Pony. I enjoyed the latter quite a bit, but was a little dissatisfied with the former, which failed to interest me as much as its predecessors.

The Dragon’s Eye by Kaza Kingsley

… The Dragon’s Eye is clearly meant to appeal to youngsters who haven’t yet read HARRY POTTER, or maybe are too young for how dark HARRY POTTER can get, and that’s fine. However, it’s hard to admire a work that’s so derivative but lacks the qualities that make the imitated work so brilliant. I think that most discerning readers who love Rowling’s series will be disappointed in The Dragon’s Eye. And if it didn’t want to be compared to HARRY POTTER, it shouldn’t have copied it. I read the audio version which was produced by Simon & Schuster Audio and narrated by Simon Jones. Mr. Jones was a terrific reader. If you’re going to read The Dragon’s Eye, I recommend this version. Read the rest.

Scholar by L.E. Modesitt Jr

… Scholar is a good book for a number of reasons. First off, it’s a Modesitt fantasy novel, so his well-honed world-building skills, his believable characters, and his established formula of the main character’s learning and growth are all enjoyable. Quaeryt is no great departure from Modesitt’s previous heroes. What is really remarkable about Scholar is the principal villain… Scholar is a solid addition to Modesitt’s work. It’s good, but not awesome. The political maneuvering and the supporting cast are some of Modesitt’s best yet. The most brilliant aspects will become apparent after you’ve finished, and you’ll probably find yourself looking back and thinking, “Wow, that was cool!” Read the rest.

SKULLKICKERS Vol. 1: 1000 Opas and a Dead Body
by  Jim Zubkavich (author) & Chris Stevens (artist)

Note: Vol 1. collects issues #1-5

No one knows the names of these two monster slayers for hire. One is a dwarf who wields two short battle-axes and the other a big bald brute that carries an almost unknown weapon: a pistol. For the right price, this pair will do any killings you require. They can out-fight, out-drink, and usually out-smart most anything — man, beast, or creature. They are the SKULLKICKERS. How can anyone not dig a title like that?

Sword & sorcery fans take heart. SKULLKICKERS, by Image Comics, follows the tradition of Robert E. Howard’s tales and Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser, although with a more ribald tone. These brash, hardened killers — referred to only as “Shorty” and “Baldy” — are in many ways the classic brains-n-brawn, straight man/funny man, action-adventure duo. However, in their case, it’s the big, muscle-bound guy who’s the serious strategist, while the crazy dwarf is the overaggressive braggart — of course it’s not really bragging because he backs up what he says — that is always ready to kick ass. The Skullkickers cleverly tackle every job with confidence and in their own unique style. However, not much can be said for their social skills, because they have none. There is no better way to put it: SKULLKICKERS is just ol’ fashioned fun.

Life for the SKULLKICKERS is a never-ending jump out of the frying pan and into the fire with the occasional break for drunken debauchery in their favorite saloon, The Gizzard. They take on any job, regardless of danger, with a confidence that the reader is never quite sure if it’s due to an abundance of skill or lack of knowledge. More often than not, they have a harder time collecting their pay than they do defeating the monsters.

Jim Zubkavich writes SKULLKICKERS with tongue-in-cheek humor that suits these comics perfectly. The strictly mercenary attitudes of “Shorty” and “Baldy” are balanced out with their ridiculous antics. ( I should also mention that the elves are freakin’ hilarious. )

Chris Stevens is a talented artist, but for some reason his style changed after the preview issue SKULLKICKERS #0. Between the coloring and the detailed drawing, #0 was more vivid. In the other issues, Stevens’ art has more of a cartoon-like look; this does go along with the stories, but my preference was for the original look.

SKULLKICKERS is an awesome take on the old school sword & sorcery tales. Since the 70’s, with the exception of Conan, there just hasn’t been much S&S in comics. It warms this fanboy’s heart to finally see it making a comeback with series like these.

At The Edge of the Universe, we review books that may not be classified SFF but that incorporate elements of speculative fiction. However you want to label them, we hope you’ll enjoy discussing these books with us.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

While mid-20th century Russian propaganda wizards were twisting words to hide the truth, Mikhail Bulgakov wrote a response that proved fantasy could be used to reveal wisdom rather than confuse it.

An absolute feast of a book, The Master and Margarita serves up a delicious variety of characters and scenarios — naked witches, talking cats, and a devil’s ball — as a less-than-subtle riposte to communist cant. In the process, Bulgakov simultaneously subverts the doctrine of his day, declaring the universal power of the written word to have a staying power government ideology can never achieve.

Reading the incisive and often comedic manner in which Bulgakov eviscerates communist dogma, it’s a wonder fantasy is not used satirically more often. Suffice to say, The Master and Margarita is not meant to be read as a story in any linear sense. There is a plot, but symbolism and metaphor bear the lion’s share of the narrative, and as such it is difficult to sum up the story into a neat sentence or paragraph.

Painstakingly written to avoid censors, The Master and Margarita requires effort from the reader to place meaning and sort through the variety of representations as they relate to the work’s ultimate message. That Mikhail Bulgakov is likewise able to draw in threads of religion and history into an already powerful theme elevates his work to a height achieved by few novels ever written. If you thought you had read all of the best literature of the 20th century but not yet picked up The Master and Margarita, by all means do, if not for the re-read value alone.

The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer

I haven’t actually read every page of The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories, yet I’m giving it my highest recommendation. Edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, Master and Mistress of Weird, The Weird is 1126 pages long and should really be considered a textbook of weird fiction. It contains 110 carefully chosen stories spanning more than 100 years of weird fiction… The Weird is not meant to be read front to back all at once, but is rather more like a manual or primer in the scholarly field of Weird Fiction. I read many of the stories (most of them were stories I had not previously read) and familiarized myself with a few authors I’d never heard of before. I look forward to reading all of these weird tales eventually and I’m glad to have this text on my shelf. The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories deserves a place on every speculative fiction lover’s bookshelf. Read the rest.

They’ve been questing for weeks. They are sore, hungry and in desperate need of rest. As darkness begins to close about them, they spot some lights emanating from a small building just ahead. They quicken their pace, eager to find somewhere they can get off their feet and fill their bellies. As they get closer they begin to hear the faint sound of pipes cheerfully playing within. The sound of laughter and singing is audible and their spirits soar as they know they’ve found an inn. Before they enter, they look up and notice a small sign swinging from a pair rusted chains. The sign reads in ornately carved letters, “[Insert Fantasy Tavern Name Here]“.

The Dancing Badger? The Smug Unicorn? Maybe it’s not named after an animal at all. Finish this classic scene from one of a thousand fantasy novels we’ve all read, and name the tavern. You can also share your favorite taverns from books you’ve read in the past. We’ll choose our favorite from the comments below and reward you with a choice from our Stacks.

Schrödinger’s Kitten by George Alec Effinger

Jehan is a pretty 12-year-old Islamic girl who sees visions of her own possible futures. These visions suggest that she will be raped in an alley, disowned by her fundamentalist Muslim father, and forced to live as a whore until she dies. Or she could kill her potential rapist first, but if she does that she will be executed, unless somebody saves her by paying the blood price… There are too many “ifs” and too many potential paths and, as a child, Jehan is haunted by all the possibilities and her knowledge that something bad will happen, but not knowing exactly which of those branches her life will take.

Interspersed with these disturbing visions, we see Jehan in a possible future as an assistant and then a colleague to the men who are, during World War II, trying to unravel the secrets of quantum physics. Their findings will enlighten the world, but may also give the Nazis the knowledge they need to design horrific weapons. Does Jehan have the power to influence these sorts of future possible paths, too? Read more »

Lightbringers and Rainmakers by Felix Gilman

Lightbringers and Rainmakers is a good novelette with some neat hooks tying it to the larger tale of The Half-Made World… Lightbringers and Rainmakers got better as it progressed, but it still pales in comparison to Gilman’s novel set in the same world… understandable given the short length of this novelette. I think I was hoping for a bit more from this story, either an unexpected twist or perhaps a wider range of characters/situations to give a broader overview of the people of the unmade West, but it was still an enjoyable excursion back to the Half-Made world. Read the rest.

In the coming weeks, if you find something interesting you think everyone should read, drop me a line via the contact form and let me know, or just post it below. Let’s get started:

1) John W. Campbell Memorial Award Finalists: The John W. Campbell Memorial Award nominations have been announced. To be well read in the best SF and fantasy of 2011, pretty much all you need to do is read these 11 novels.

2) British Fantasy Awards: The short list for the British Fantasy Awards has been announced. Some of the nominees are familiar to American audiences, but some works haven’t been published here yet.

3) A Wool Movie?: Fox has acquired the movie rights to Hugh Howey’s breakout indie publisher sensation Wool. Ridley Scott is currently attached to the project, which should make any sci-fi fan sit up and take note.

4) Cthulhu for Everyone!: If you’re a Lovecraft fan, this is especially for you: an exhaustive listing of books that pay homage to the founder of American eldritch literature. Frightening or funny, it’s all on this list.

5) Spooky or Jokey? 10 Favorite YA Fantasies: Here’s a great reading list for teens’ summer reading.

6) Nightmare Magazine Kickstarter: John Joseph Adams and Creeping Hemlock Press team up to kickstart a new Horror magazine.