Articles tagged "Mary Robinette Kowal"

Our 2017 YALSA & RUSA Award Winners!

Congratulations to all of the amazing Macmillan authors who won awards or were selected for YALSA and RUSA’s various reading lists this year!

2017 Alex Awards (the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences):
EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF IVAN ISAENKO by Scott Stambach
IN THE COUNTRY WE LOVE by Diane Guerrero

See the full Alex Award list here.

2017 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
YOU KNOW ME WELL by Nina LaCour & David Levithan
WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore
SUMMER DAYS AND SUMMER NIGHTS: Twelve Love Stories, edited by Stephanie Perkins
IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo
AMERICAN GIRLS by Alison Umminger

See the full BFYA list here.

2017 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers
IN REAL LIFE by Jessica Love
IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo (a Top 10 pick)

See the full Quick Picks list here.

2017 YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Reading List
THIS IS NOT A TEST by Courtney Summers (Horror: Better Dead than Unread)
COMPLICIT by Stephanie Kuehn (Mental Health: Invisible Wounds)

See the full PPYA list here.

2017 YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens
MOONCOP by Tom Gauld
SHIRLEY JACKSON’S “THE LOTTERY” by Miles Hyman

See the full GGNT list here.

2017 ALA Amelia Bloomer Project Book List (best feminist books)
WE BELIEVE YOU: Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out by Annie E. Clark & Andrea L. Pino (a Top 10 pick)
STEP ASIDE, POPS: A Hark! A Vagrant Collection by Kate Beaton
AMERICAN GIRLS by Alison Umminger

See the full Amelia Bloomer list and the top 10 list here.

Stonewall Book Awards 
IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo (Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award)
WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore (Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award honor book)
DESERT BOYS by Chris McCormick (Barbara Gittings Literature Award)
HIDE by Matthew Griffin (Barbara Gittings Literature Award honor book)

See the full Stonewall Book Award list here.

2017 Rainbow Book List (Honors books with significant gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning content, and which are aimed at youth, birth through age 18.)
YOU KNOW ME WELL by Nina LaCour & David Levithan
EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire (a Top 10 pick)
WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore (a Top 10 pick)
IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo

See the full Rainbow list here.

The ALA’s Reference and User Services Division (RUSA) has announced their 2017 Notable Books, Reading, and Listening Lists:

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LJ Genre Spotlight: SF/Fantasy

Library Journal‘s genre spotlight on SF/Fantasy has so much Macmillan goodness, it’s out of this world!

A MULTIPLICITY OF CHARACTERS

September marks the publication of James Tiptree Jr. Literary Award–winning short story writer Nisi Shawl’s highly anticipated first novel, EVERFAIR, a steampunk alternate history set in the Belgian Congo. “It’s as diverse in about as many ways as you can count. The author is a queer black woman, and several of [her] characters are queer (and often women and/or nonwhite as well),” explains Tor Books editor Liz Gorinsky. “The [other] characters represent a multiplicity of voices that have been historically silenced—Africans, East Asians, and African Americans—as well as a few Europeans, in complex relationships with one another.”

WORKS IN TRANSLATION

Increasingly, publishers’ fall lists are featuring speculative fiction in translation, and awards committees have taken note. In 2015, Cixin Liu’s THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM became the first translated sf novel to win a Hugo Award and wound up on the reading lists of President Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg. Arriving in September from Tor is DEATH’S END, the highly anticipated conclusion to Liu’s “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” trilogy.

“I have somehow fallen into the Chinese [sf] publishing business, and I couldn’t be happier,” exclaims Tor’s Gorinsky. “This fall we actually have two books translated by Ken Liu (who’s an amazing author in his own right—the only one to ever win Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards for the same story).” The second title is INVISIBLE PLANETS, an anthology of Chinese short stories; it includes two tales by Cixin Liu and the rest by rising talents, including the Hugo- and Sturgeon Award–nominated “Folding Beijing” by Hao Jingfang. Coming in October is Mariko Koike’s THE GRAVEYARD APARTMENT; known for her hybrid works that mix detective fiction with horror, the author is one of Japan’s most popular writers. Originally published in 1986, this novel follows a young family as they move into what they believe is the perfect home—despite the cemetery next door.

DRAWN FROM OTHER LANDS

Pseudonymous author Lian Hearn, who has lived in Japan and is a student of the Japanese language, explores that country’s medieval history and mythology in her four-volume “Tale of Shikanoko” series. In the third outing, LORD OF THE DARKWOOD, the warrior Shikanoko must confront the Spider Tribe that he had some part in creating.

Authors are also incorporating some unusual urban settings in the natural world for their epics. Australian Thoraiya Dyer’s series opener, CROSSROADS OF CANOPY, due from Tor in January, introduces a city set in the canopy of a rainforest ruled by gods. Unar, the young servant of the goddess Audblayin, must descend to the deprived realms of Understorey and Floor to seek her destiny. Fran Wilde introduced readers to her towering city of living bone and its flying inhabitants in her award-winning debut UPDRAFT, but more trouble brews for residents in CLOUDBOUND. readmoreremove

Fall 2016 & Winter 2017 Sci-Fi Preview

We loved seeing Booklist‘s Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror picks and are excited for Tor.com’s Fall 2016 season. Here’s even MORE sci-fi and fantasy we’re looking forward to this fall and in Winter 2017, plus a special video for all you lovely librarians from Leanna Renee Hieber, author of ETERNA & OMEGA (available now).

SPELLBREAKER by Blake Charlton – THREE STARS!!!
“The thrilling conclusion to the Spellwright trilogy answers some lingering questions about Leandra’s parents and brings descriptive depth to her character. … It will appeal to readers who enjoy high fantasy, complex worlds, and characters that change and grow throughout the story.” —Booklist, starred review

“There is significant emotional depth to the story, and ponderings on fate, love, and the purpose of human society give the novel some gravitas. Intricate plotting, strong characters, and a wonderfully imagined world make this a winner.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“The worldbuilding and the conflict are expertly delineated, but much of the trilogy’s focus is far more intimate: a richly textured portrait of personal growth . . . Vivid, intelligent, and painful in an authentically laudable way.” Kirkus Reviews, starred review

EVERFAIR by Nisi Shawl
A Publishers Weekly Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2016! In this deeply compelling debut novel, Shawl takes readers to an alternate Earth where the inhumane history of the Belgian Congo is brilliantly rewritten when Africa’s indigenous populations learn about steam power. “This highly original story blends steampunk and political intrigue in a compelling new view of a dark piece of human history.”
Publishers Weekly, starred review

CLOUDBOUND by Fran Wilde
The sequel to UPDRAFT, which won the 2015 Nebula Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. “What makes this a must-read are the further explorations of Wilde’s City of Towers and the residents who soar the skies between them. Those who have always wondered what was beneath the clouds will finally get their answer.” — Library Journal

GHOST TALKERS by Mary Robinette Kowal
Ginger Stuyvesant, an American heiress living in London during World War I, is working as a medium for the Spirit Corps when she discovers a traitor. “The well-drawn characters and the story’s gripping action and deep emotion will captivate readers.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

NEVERNIGHT by Jay Kristoff
“Launching the Nevernight fantasy series, Kristoff (the Lotus War trilogy) creates a splendid world of corruption and violence. Absorbing in its complexity and bold in its bloodiness, this beginning promises (and delivers) equal shares of beauty and decay. With a delicate balance of the ancient and the magical, this tense and brutal tale is unflinching, thrilling, and satisfying.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

REPORTS ON THE INTERNET APOCALYPSE by Wayne Gladstone
In the third and final installment of the Internet Apocalypse Trilogy, Gladstone, the would-be Internet Messiah, finds himself in exile from America, falsely accused of terrorism and murder. When the World Wide Web returns in a highly compromised and commercialized state, possibly due to the efforts of a billionaire presidential candidate, Gladstone and his pursuers must collaborate in an attempt to reclaim a free and open Internet.

Winter 2017:

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Booklist’s Best SF/Fantasy/Horror of 2016

Booklist recently unveiled their Top 10 SF/Fantasy/Horror reading lists of 2016, including these Macmillan titles:
Top 10 SF/Fantasy: 2016 (full list)

ARABELLA OF MARS by David D. Levine
The alternate-world science is novel, and the plot is thrilling in this Verne-inspired tale, a joyous throwback to sf adventure of old.

Top 10 Horror: 2016 (full list)

PRESSURE by Brian Keane
Carrie free-dives deep underwater to help determine why the ocean floor is collapsing. As if that’s not scary enough, she encounters a creature that destroys everything in its path. A gory, winning horror thriller—a different kind of beach read, you might say.

Top 10 Youth SF/Fantasy/Horror on Audio (full list)

CARRY ON by Rainbow Rowell, read by Euan Morton
Dramatizing a Harry Potter–like world filled with wizards, vampires, ghosts, pixies, and shape-shifting demons coexisting with “Normals,” Morton displays a chimerical skill at voicing characters and captivates with his humor- and horror-steeped performance.

CARRY ON was also mentioned in Michael Cart’s Carte Blanche column on Speculative Fiction and LGBTQ Literature.

Core Collection: Space Operas (full list)

THE DARK BETWEEN THE STARS by Kevin J. Anderson
Anderson (also famous for his many series titles) hits it out of the galaxy again: space opera doesn’t get much more exciting, or much more richly populated with alien races, technologies, and cultures, than it does in this sprawling, engrossing epic. A joint exploratory mission to the edge of the galaxy reveals an alien presence, one so powerful that it could conceivably wipe out all life in the galaxy.

EARTH UNAWARE by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston
The beginning of this prequel series to the ever-popular ENDER’S GAME finds young Victor Delgado risking his life to warn earth of the impending invasion.

REDSHIRTS by John Scalzi
Ensign Andrew Dahl, assigned to the spaceship Intrepid, begins to notice that things are a bit weird. His shipmates frequently behave in an unpredictable or unmotivated manner, and problems are often resolved by the use of the Box, a mysterious vessel that, when you input a seemingly unsolvable problem, spits out a resolution after a suitably dramatic pause. As he tries to figure out what the heck is going on around him, Andy discovers a truth so staggering that he has no choice but to believe it. readmoreremove

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Roundup

These new & forthcoming science fiction & fantasy titles will transport you to another world:

SPELLS OF BLOOD AND KIN by Claire Humphrey
“Human warmth underlies this exciting and furiously paced fable of fur, fangs, and family. Emphasizing intricate family dynamics alongside shape-changing and magic, Humphrey’s debut merges victim and victimizer, reality and the occult. This paranormal tale stands out even in its very crowded field.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

THE BIG SHEEP by Robert Kroese
Sherlock meets Blade Runner in this novel that explores society’s fascination with celebrity in a futuristic dystopic LA, with a genetically modified sheep in the center of it all. “Fans of Sherlock Holmes and Douglas Adams’s ‘Dirk Gently’ novels will find things to love in Kroese’s latest.” — Library Journal, starred review

TIME SIEGE by Wesley Chu
“In this engrossing sequel to TIME SALVAGER, Chu continues a futuristic saga that pits fugitive time traveler James Griffin-Mars and his allies, who seek to rescue a ravaged Earth from utter destruction, against Valta, the megacorporation that rules the galaxies. The story’s intricate plotting, breathtaking battles, and hefty doses of cruelty, betrayal, sacrifice, courage, and hope culminate in a cliff-hanger that will leave readers longing for the next installment.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

INFOMOCRACY by Malka Older
Little Brother meets The West Wing in this “sparkling debut”* high-tech political cyberthriller about a global information monopoly attempting to prevent election sabotage and world war. “This intriguing thought experiment is perfectly timed to leave readers pondering the meaning of voting and representative government in the run-up to the 2016 elections.” — *Publishers Weekly

LAST NIGHT A SUPERHERO SAVED MY LIFE: Neil Gaiman!! Jodi Picoult!! Brad Meltzer!!…and an All-Star Roster on the Caped Crusaders That Changed Their Lives by Liesa Mignogna
An anthology of essays exploring the origins of bestselling and award-winning authors’ relationships to their favorite superheroes. “This is a collection with a lot of heart and variety; each piece takes the premise in a different direction and unveils in compelling ways why these superheroes are so revered.” — Library Journal readmoreremove

Tor.com Winter 2016 Season

Calling all sci-fi/fantasy readers! Here are the Winter 2016 books to look forward to from Tor.com Publishing:

THE DROWNING EYES by Emily Foster
On sale 1/12/16
The Dragon Ships took everything from Shina, but her weather magic might help win it back in this epic fantasy debut.

THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor LaValle
On sale 2/16/16
People move to New York looking for magic and nothing will convince them it isn’t there. A subversive Lovecraftian tale of cosmic horror from superstar author LaValle.

THE DEVIL YOU KNOW by K. J. Parker
On sale 3/1/16
The greatest philosopher of all time is offering to sell his soul to the Devil. All he wants is twenty more years to complete his life’s work. He’s almost certainly up to something; but what?

EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
On sale 4/5/16
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes, and emerging somewhere…else. But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children. “Mysterious, curious, peculiar; can be read in an afternoon curled up in your papasan chair; mashes Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and X-Men.”
Library Journal, Books for Dudes
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Kirkus Best Fiction Books of 2014

Macmillan, oh Macmillan, why must you steal nearly all the spots on Kirkus’ Best Fiction Books of 2014 list?

Song of the Shank

Steles of the Sky

Monday, Monday

Wolf in White Van

American Innovations

Afterparty

Broadchurch

The Last Illusion

Valour & Vanity

The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher

The Long Way Home

In the Light of What We Know

Lila

Lock In

Annihilation

Eyrie

The Secret Life of William Shakespeare

 

Uncategorized

Kirkus April SF picks!

We're so excited to see so many of our titles included in Kirkus Reviews's April Best Bets for Speculative Fiction


STELES OF THE SKY
by Elizabeth Bear
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Having amassed an army of warriors and teamed with a wizard, an exiled heir to the Great Khan finally stakes his claim to the rule the Khaganate and defeat the evil that threatens all the lands with war.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ IT: The previous books in The Eternal Sky trilogy, RANGE OF GHOSTS and SHATTERED PILLARS, were met with wide acclaim and deservedly so. Its depiction of magic, politics and war set amongst diverse cultures makes for great reading.

SHIPSTAR by Gregory Benford & Larry Nevin
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Human space exploration is thrown into uncertainty when a massive artifact—an enormous bowl-shaped object that encompasses a star and contains a habitable area equivalent to many millions of Earths—is found to be headed toward the same system that Humans are trying to colonize.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ IT: Two science fiction masters team up for a classic space story filled with sense of wonder? A better question would be: Why wouldn't you read it?

TRANSHUMAN by Ben Bova
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: A brilliant cellular biologist named Luke Abramson abducts his granddaughter from the hospital to circumvent the red tape that would allow him to cure her brain tumor with a new experimental enzyme. But the clock is ticking: Abramson has lung cancer and it's spreading rapidly, despite injecting himself with another experimental enzyme that reverses his aging.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ IT: Bova's premise is enticing and his books are grounded in realistic science.

THE REVOLUTIONS by Felix Gilman
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Set amongst spiritualist and occult societies of 1893 London, a young journalist-turned-accountant fights to save his fiance, who is fighting for her own survival somewhere in the vicinity of Mars.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ IT: This standalone Victorian science fiction story is a throwback to planetary romances of yesteryear where the emphasis is on adventure and fun.

AFTERPARTY by Daryl Gregory
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Technology meets Big Pharma in a story where anybody with an Internet connection can download recipes and print their own drugs—even if those drugs turn out to be deadly.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ IT: Science fiction excels at asking "What if?" questions and this merging of mind-altering drugs with easily accessible technology is a great platform that does just that.

VALOUR AND VANITY by Mary Robinette Kowal
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Set in a world where illusionary magic is possible, a couple who fell victim to a scam that cleaned them out of all their money devise a scheme to get it all back. Think: old-fashioned heist with magic.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ IT: Unlike sprawling epic fantasies where the fate of the word is at stake, Mary Robinette Kowal's quaint Regency stories are more intimate and personal, and thus quite refreshing.

THE FOREVER WATCH by David Ramirez
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: The last survivors of humanity—on a 1,000-year journey across the stars to find a new planet to call home—are all aboard one generation starship...and one of them is a dangerous serial killer.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ IT: This mystery-in-space story features a woman who is a gifted psychic and finds purpose in her life again after she serves her society-mandated Breeding Duty.

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Monday Fun Day! (5/13/2013 Edition)

Happy Monday, friends! This is a short week for me as I'm heading off on vacation starting Thursday. Let's jump into a little Macmillany goodness to get your week started, shall we?

- Congratulations to 2013 Locus Award finalists John Scalzi, author of REDSHIRTS which is up for Best Science Fiction Novel, Mary Robinette Kowal, author of GLAMOUR IN GLASS which is up for Best Fantasy Novel (I recommended this series in Uncharted Pages!), and Gardner Dozois, editor of The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-ninth Annual Collection up for Best Anthology!

We're also delighted to see that Tor.com is a finalist for Best Magazine and Tor Books has been nominated for Best Publisher! And while we're at it, a hearty applause for Tor Teen author Cory Doctorow and Mac Kids author Catherynne M. Valente  who are nominated for awards as well. See the full list of Locus finalists here.

Indie next logo- Looking ahead, the July 2013 Indie Next List has two perfect summer reads from St. Martin's Press: AMY FALLS DOWN by Jincy Willett and SWEET SALT AIR by Barbara Delinsky!

- We would also like to point you in the direction of Doug Lord's latest (and dare I say, greatest?) selections for Library Journal's Books for Dudes column, "A Simple Murder, Wool, and The Human Division."

- And last, but not even close to least, actually closer to most—a basket full of puppy:

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Monday Fun Day! (3/18/2013 Edition)

Happy post-St. Patrick's Day Monday! I know, I know. I'm not actually all that happy about being awake either. So let's get straight into the good stuff going on this week.

Good thing #1: Library Journal is hosting a totally rad webinar tomorrow at 3pm (EDT) that you must sign up for called "Editors' Picks: Hot Summer Titles from HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Random House." Details! Register!

Good thing #2: We have all sorts of awesome new e-galleys up on Edelweiss ready for you to download, including:

ALWAYS WATCHING by Chevy Stevens

THE HIGHWAY by C.J. Box

WITHOUT A SUMMER by Mary Robinette Kowal

THE HUMAN DIVISION by John Scalzi

THE DEVIL IN HER WAY by Bill Loehfelm

HER LAST BREATH by Linda Castillo

DEATH OF A DYER by Eleanor Kuhns

LOOKAWAY, LOOKAWAY by Wilton Barnhardt

Get whitelisted now

Good thing #3: You can start reading or listening to Z: A Novel Of Zelda Fitzgerald now on HeroesandHeartbreakers.com. This will help you get through your lunch break. 

Good thing #4: You can finally get the Sweet Valley sisters on your claws (see below).

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