Close
post-featured-image

Every Paperback from Tor in Spring 2024

It’s Spring, and flower’s aren’t all that’s growing! We’ve got paperback books springing up left and right! 

Check them out 😎


April 2, 2024

opens in a new windowone for my enemy by olivie blake opens in a new windowOne for My Enemy by Olivie Blake

In modern-day Manhattan where we lay our scene, two rival witch families fight to maintain control of their respective criminal empires. On one side of the conflict are the Antonova sisters — each one beautiful, cunning, and ruthless — and their mother, the elusive supplier of premium intoxicants, known only as Baba Yaga. On the other side, the influential Fedorov brothers serve their father, the crime boss known as Koschei the Deathless, whose ventures dominate the shadows of magical Manhattan. After twelve years of tenuous co-existence, one family member brutally crosses the line. Bad blood reignites old grudges; at the same time, fate intervenes with a chance encounter between enemies. In the wake of love and vengeance, everyone must choose a side. As each of the siblings struggles to stake their claim, bloodshed is inevitable. The question is: Whose?

opens in a new windowtress of the emerald sea by brandon sanderson opens in a new windowTress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?


April 9, 2024

opens in a new windowforge of the high mage by ian c. esslemont opens in a new windowForge of the High Mage by Ian C. Esslemont

After decades of warfare, Malazan forces are poised to consolidate the Quon Tali mainland. Yet it is at this moment that Emperor Kellanved orders a new, some believe foolhardy campaign: the invasion of Falar that lies far to the north . . . And to fight on this new front, a rag-tag army raised from orphaned units and broken squads is been brought together under Fist Dujek, and joined by a similarly motley fleet under the command of the Emperor himself. So the Malazans head north, only to encounter an unlooked-for and most unwelcome threat. Something unspeakable and born of legend has awoken and will destroy all who stand in its way. Most appalled by this is the Empire’s untested High Mage, Tayschrenn. All too aware of the true nature of this ancient horror, he fears his own inadequacies when the time comes to confront it. Yet confront it he must. 


April 16, 2024

opens in a new windowthe cradle of ice by james rollins opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice by James Rollins

To stop the coming apocalypse, a fellowship was formed. A soldier, a thief, a lost prince, and a young girl bonded by fate and looming disaster. Each step along this path has changed the party, forging deep alliances and greater enmities. All the while, hostile forces have hunted them, fearing what they might unleash. Armies wage war around them. For each step has come with a cost—in blood, in loss, in heartbreak. Now, they must split, traveling into a vast region of ice and to a sprawling capital of the world they’ve only known in stories. Time is running out and only the truth will save them all.

opens in a new windowdual memory by sue burke opens in a new windowDual Memory by Sue Burke

Antonio Moro lost everything to the Leviathan League. Now he’s alone in a city on an Arctic island fighting the ruthless, global pirates with the chance to be the artist he always wanted to be. Unfortunately, he thinks it’s a cover story for his real purpose—spying on sympathizers. When things look bleak, he discovers an unusual ally. His new personal assistant program, Par Augustus. It’s insolent, extroverted, moody, and a not-quite-legal nascent A. I. Together they create a secret rebellion from unlikely recruits to defend the island from ideological pirates with entitlement and guns, and capitalist pirates with entitlement and money.


April 30, 2024

opens in a new windowstan lee's the devil's quintet: the shadow society by stan lee & jay bonansinga opens in a new windowStan Lee’s The Devil’s Quintet: The Shadow Society by Stan Lee & Jay Bonansinga

Ever since The Armageddon Code, the Devil’s Quintet have been using their demonic powers to fight evil and protect the world, while remaining nothing but an urban legend to the general public. But the Devil is not about to let them keep using his powers for good. Created by Satan himself to counter the Quintet, the Shadow Society are five saintly men and women that have been secretly (and strategically) possessed by five of Hell’s most powerful demons. Granted supernatural powers of their own, they are part of a literally diabolical plot to strike at the very heart of the Quintet—and destroy humanity’s last hope!

opens in a new windowweb of angels by john m ford opens in a new windowWeb of Angels by John M. Ford

Originally published in 1980, the legendary John M. Ford’s first published novel was an uncannily brilliant anticipation of the later cyberpunk genre—and of the internet itself. The Web links the many worlds of humanity. Most people can only use it to communicate. Some can retrieve and store data, as well as use simple precoded programs. Only a privileged few are able to create their own software, within proscribed limits. And then there are the Webspinners. Grailer is Fourth Literate, able to manipulate the Web at will—and use it for purposes unintended and impossible for anyone but the most talented Webspinner. Obviously, he cannot be allowed to live. Condemned to death at the age of nine, Grailer must go underground, hiding his skills, testing his powers- until he is ready to do battle with the Web itself. With a new introduction from Cory Doctorow, written especially for this edition.


May 7, 2024

opens in a new windowthe silverblood promise by james logan opens in a new windowThe Silverblood Promise by James Logan

Lukan Gardova is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and—thanks to a duel that ended badly—the disgraced heir to an ancient noble house. His days consist of cheap wine, rigged card games, and wondering how he might win back the life he threw away. When Lukan discovers that his estranged father has been murdered in strange circumstances, he finds fresh purpose. Deprived of his chance to make amends for his mistakes, he vows to unravel the mystery behind his father’s death. His search for answers leads him to Saphrona, fabled city of merchant princes, where anything can be bought if one has the coin. Lukan only seeks the truth, but instead he finds danger and secrets in every shadow. For in Saphrona, everything has a price—and the price of truth is the deadliest of all.


May 14, 2024

opens in a new windowmalarkoi by alex pheby opens in a new windowMalarkoi by Alex Pheby

Nathan Treeves is dead, murdered by the Master of Mordew, his remains used to create the powerful occult weapon known as the Tinderbox. His companions are scattered, making for Malarkoi, the city of the Mistress, the Master’s enemy. They are hoping to find welcome there, or at least safety. They find neither – and instead become embroiled in a life and death struggle against assassins, demi-gods, and the cunning plans of the Mistress. Only Sirius, Nathan’s faithful magical dog, has not forgotten the boy. Bent on revenge, he returns to the shattered remains of Mordew – only to find the city morphed into an impossible mountain, swarming with monsters. The stage is set for battle, sacrifice, magic and treachery in the stunning sequel to Mordew. Welcome to Malarkoi.


May 21, 2024

opens in a new windowfractal noise by christopher paolini opens in a new windowFractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

July 25th, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the anomaly.

On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII: a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide. Its curve not of nature, but design. Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why. But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space. For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe. Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last. And the ghosts of their past follow.


June 4, 2024

opens in a new windowwolfsong by tj klune with orange sprayed edges opens in a new windowWolfsong by TJ Klune (with beautiful sprayed edges!)

Oxnard Matheson was twelve when his father taught him a lesson: Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then his father left. Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harboring a secret that would change him forever. The Bennetts are shapeshifters. They can transform into wolves at will. Drawn to their magic, loyalty, and enduring friendships, Ox feels a gulf between this extraordinary new world and the quiet life he’s known, but he finds an ally in Joe, the youngest Bennett boy. Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his heart. Violence flared, tragedy split the pack, and Joe left town, leaving Ox behind. Three years later, the boy is back. Except now he’s a man – charming, handsome, but haunted – and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.


June 11, 2024

opens in a new windowthe first bright thing by j r dawson opens in a new windowThe First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson

Ringmaster — Rin, to those who know her best — can jump to different moments in time as easily as her wife, Odette, soars from bar to bar on the trapeze. And the circus they lead is a rare home and safe haven for magical misfits and outcasts, known as Sparks. With the world still reeling from World War I, Rin and her troupe — the Circus of the Fantasticals — travel the midwest, offering a single night of enchantment and respite to all who step into their Big Top. But threats come at Rin from all sides. The future holds an impending war that the Sparks can see barrelling toward their show and everyone in it. And Rin’s past creeps closer every day, a malevolent shadow she can’t fully escape. It takes the form of another circus, with tents as black as midnight and a ringmaster who rules over his troupe with a dangerous power. Rin’s circus has something he wants, and he won’t stop until it’s his.

opens in a new windowicehenge by kim stanley robinson opens in a new windowIcehenge by Kim Stanley Robinson

SF titan Kim Stanley Robinson’s breakout novel, now in a Tor Essentials edition with a new introduction by Henry Farrell

Decades before his massively successful The Ministry for the Future, Kim Stanley Robinson wrote one of SF’s greatest meditations on extended human lifespan, the limitations of human memory, and the haunted confabulations that go with forgetting. On the North Pole of Pluto there stands an enigma: a huge circle of standing blocks of ice, built on the pattern of Earth’s Stonehenge—but ten times the size, standing alone at the edge of the Solar System. What is it? Who could have built it? The secret lies in the chaotic decades of the Martian Revolution, in the lost memories of those who have lived for centuries.


June 18, 2024

opens in a new windowebony gate by julia vee & ken bebelle opens in a new windowEbony Gate by Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle

Emiko Soong belongs to one of the eight premier magical families of the world. But Emiko never needed any magic. Because she is the Blade of the Soong Clan. Or was. Until she’s drenched in blood in the middle of a market in China, surrounded by bodies and the scent of blood and human waste as a lethal perfume. The Butcher of Beijing now lives a quiet life in San Francisco, importing antiques. But when a shinigami, a god of death itself, calls in a family blood debt, Emiko must recover the Ebony Gate that holds back the hungry ghosts of the Yomi underworld. Or forfeit her soul as the anchor. What’s a retired assassin to do but save the City by the Bay from an army of the dead?


June 25, 2024

opens in a new windowfoul days by genoveva dimova opens in a new windowFoul Days by Genoveva Dimova

As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice treating lycanthrope bites, bargaining with kikimoras, and slaying bloodsucking upirs. There’s only one monster she can’t defeat: her ex, the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed by someone close to her, Kosara’s only choice is to trade her shadow—the source of her powers—for a quick escape.

Unfortunately, Kosara soon develops the deadly sickness that plagues shadowless witches—and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To find it, she’s forced to team up with a suspiciously honorable detective. Even worse, all the clues point in a single direction: To get her shadow back, Kosara will have to face the Foul Days’ biggest threats without it. And she’s only got twelve days. But in a city where everyone is out for themselves, who can Kosara trust to assist her in outwitting the biggest monster from her past?

opens in a new windowthe frugal wizard's handbook for surviving medieval england by brandon sanderson opens in a new windowThe Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval opens in a new window England by Brandon Sanderson

A man awakes in a clearing in what appears to be medieval England with no memory of who he is, where he came from, or why he is there. Chased by a group from his own time, his sole hope for survival lies in regaining his missing memories, making allies among the locals, and perhaps even trusting in their superstitious boasts. His only help from the “real world” should have been a guidebook entitled The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, except his copy exploded during transit. The few fragments he managed to save provide clues to his situation, but can he figure them out in time to survive?

post-featured-image

Five Books for Full Moon Enthusiasts

Ah, the full moon – a powerful time for releasing negative energy, emotions, or habits. While some engage in practices such as journaling, burning photos of their exes, or engaging in a cleansing ritual, others are… I don’t know. Shifting into werewolves, fighting intergalactic battles, and facing cosmic forces that have the power to shape destinies… no pressure or anything.

Let’s explore some books that will have you over the moon (no pun intended)!


opens in a new window9781250766755 opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice by James Rollins

The second book in the New York Times bestselling Moonfall series from thriller-master James Rollins, The Cradle of Ice is a page-turning tale of action, adventure, betrayal, ambition, and the struggle for survival in a harsh world that hangs by a thread. With the moon casting its light over the icy terrain, ancient mysteries and modern-day threats collide in a pulse-pounding race against time.

opens in a new window9780765395818 opens in a new windowEmpress of Forever by Max Gladstone

Get ready for a smart, swashbuckling, wildly imaginative adventure; the saga of a rag-tag team of brilliant misfits, dangerous renegades, and enhanced outlaws in a war-torn future. Think cosmic battles, celestial wonders, and a moon that shines as a beacon of hope in a universe on the brink of chaos.

opens in a new window9781250890313 opens in a new windowWolfsong by TJ Klune

Discover love, loyalty, and transformation in the Green Creek Series’ Wolfsong, from beloved fantasy romance sensation and New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune. Follow the journey of a young man discovering his destiny amidst a pack of werewolves. The moon’s phases mirror inner turmoil, adding depth to this captivating tale of werewolves and destiny. Deep, right?

opens in a new window9781250236968 opens in a new windowThe Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal

Amidst Earth’s escalating climate crisis due to meteor impacts, widespread riots, and space program sabotage, a determined protagonist faces the challenge of navigating both a deteriorating planet and the conflicts within a moon colony. It’s like House of Cards meets Space: The Final Frontier. Need I say more?

opens in a new window9781250264947 opens in a new windowSweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus

Maurice Broaddus’s Sweep of Stars is the first in a trilogy that explores the struggles of an empire. Get to know the Muungano empire—a coalition of city-states stretching from O.E. to Titan—as it faces escalating threats and internal power struggles. This one’s a must-read!

post-featured-image

7 Icy Songs & 7 Cool Books

by Julia Bergen & a cat

Yo VIP, let’s kick it.

Ice. It’s cool. It’s…there. But there’s not much humor to it. Not like opens in a new windowsand

But with winter upon us, we wanted to make an article about ice. But how to give ice a little chaos, a little twinkle, a little magic?

We thought. And we thought.

Ice…

Ice…

Baby?

And thus was born, the chaotic, twinkling, maybe even magical, icy songs and books pairing listicle.


opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice by James RollinsVanilla Ice’s Ice Ice Baby + James Rollins’ opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice

Taken in a certain light, Vanilla Ice’s classic Ice Ice Baby is a quest song. A group of heroes must collaborate and listen. They travel for a while, pursuing to the next stop. Action heats up when Gunshots ranged out like a bell and our heroes must get away before the jackers jack. But in the end they pull together as if with a rallying cry of, if there was a problem, yo, I’ll solve it.

What does that make you think of?

Obviously, the fantasy epic The Cradle of Ice by James Rollins! Where a soldier, a thief, a lost prince, and a young girl must form a fellowship to stop an apocalypse by traveling into a vast region of ice and to a sprawling capital of the world they’ve only known in stories. It’s an incredible, gripping fantasy, because Rollins truly understands that “anything less than the best is a felony.”


opens in a new windowThe Atlas Six by Olivie BlakePat Benetar’s Fire And Ice + Olivie Blake’s opens in a new windowThe Atlas Six

This anthem to the inevitability of attraction and heartbreak is the perfect tune to compliment the messy, messy personal dynamics at play in The Atlas Six. In the book, six powerful magicians do graduate research and contemplate asking out their crushes and murdering their friends. In the song, Pat Benetar is familiar with the capricious and cruel nature of the one she’s craving (You come on like a flame, then you turn a cold shoulder), but knowledge is not enough to prevent carnage. She knows if she surrenders to the heat she feels, it’ll fall away and she’ll be left in the cold (I want to give you my love, but you’ll just take a little piece of my heart). 

In the end, Pat seems determined not to fall for her crush’s games, while the characters of The Atlas Six are pretty much incapable of not allowing their peers to burn them, but talk is cheap. 

Ask Atlas Society resident Tristan Caine if he’s going back for more Fire And Ice, knowing he’ll be hurt, and he’ll tell you to shut up and get lost, but that’s only because he has somewhere to be. 

Also something something re: Robert Frost’s poem about fire, ice, and the end of the world. 


opens in a new windowstarter villain by john scalziForeigner’s Cold as Ice + John Scalzi’s opens in a new windowStarter Villain

Okay, on the outside, Cold as Ice by Foreigner may seem like it’s about a broken-hearted ex describing a former lover’s rejection. But ice can be deceiving, just like this song! I think it’s actually about a group of billionaire super villains trying to run the world, much like the cabal in John Scalzi’s sf romp, Starter Villain

They are cold as ice. They are willing to sacrifice. The line you’re digging for gold, particularly relevant, as these turds are just as into money as they into power. You want paradise well, their version of paradise, anyway. You leave the world behind, they don’t care about the world, they just want what they can get out of it.

But it ends on a hopeful note, as both Starter Villain and Foreigner promise us, someday you’ll pay the price, I know. Oh, we know.


opens in a new windowthe archive undying by emma mieko candonPinkPantheress & Ice Spice’s Boy’s a liar Pt. 2 + Emma Mieko Candon’s opens in a new windowThe Archive Undying

So before getting into more advanced parsing, The Archive Undying is a match for Boy’s a liar Pt. 2 because every boy in this book is lying through his teeth. Now, you could say that about all the women characters, nonbinary characters, and nonhuman characters too, and you’d be right. But Sunai, who is the main character of The Archive Undying—well, you just want to grab him by shoulders and plead with him to love himself a little and tear himself away from the long line of men that have only emotionally devastated him, knowing that Sunai himself is absolutely one of those men. The lyrics I don’t sleep enough without you / And I can’t eat enough without you are very Sunai-coded; he’s definitely not taking care of himself. He’s a man who would sooner feed himself to a giant starving robot than love himself enough to tell someone he loves them. 


opens in a new windowthe bezzle by cory doctorowBilly Joel’s Running on Ice + Cory Doctorow’s opens in a new windowThe Bezzle

When we were picking out pairings, this one felt like an obvious choice. Although Billy Joel could not possibly have read The Bezzle (on sale 2.20.2024) when he wrote Running on Ice (part of Joel’s album The Bridge, released 7.9.1986), it does feel like this song is about forensic accountant Martin Hench, AKA the culmination of technology and civilized experience.

The song describes someone pushed to the brink by modern civilization, and though the narrator doesn’t specifically say that he’s battling amoral billionaires trying to make their next buck no matter the cost, it’s basically implied. In a world of high rise ambition most people’s motives are ulterior? Definitely what Hench runs into in both Red Team Blues and the follow up, The Bezzle, where now he’s pitted against a group of the ultra rich taking advantage of the private prison system to make even more money. Poor Martin Hench, always wandering into another nefarious scheme. But as the song says, as soon as I get one fire put out

There’s another building burning down.

At least that means we’ve got lots of Martin Hench adventures to read?


opens in a new windowlast exit by max gladstoneSimon & Garfunkel’s A Hazy Shade of Winter + Max Gladstone’s opens in a new windowLast Exit

Look around / Leaves are brown / And the sky is a hazy shade of winter

Last Exit is kind of like that. Look around—things are not as they were. Leaves are brown—no youth, no hope. There’s a patch of snow on the ground

In the distant past before the events of Last Exit, Zelda and her friends discovered a magic sort of spiritual momentum that could propel one into a different dimension. The roads to alternate realities were a navigable spiderweb, and they knew they could use their findings to improve not just their world, but all of them. 

There’s a patch of snow on the ground

They were wrong, and they suffered for it, and the future is colder than the past. The rot between worlds—an interdimensional sickness—claimed Zelda’s girlfriend, but she’s still out there. Calling. Approaching. Does the old gang have enough idealism left to band together for one last adventure? 

There’s a patch of snow on the ground.

It is very cold. 


opens in a new windowprojections by s.e. porterChristina Perri’s Jar of Hearts + S. E. Porter’s opens in a new windowProjections

When we made this list, things were pretty silly. We called our brainstorming sess ice ice meeting. We were so, so goofy.  But honestly, a lot of these songs that invoke ice are about pain, which perhaps we could have anticipated, had we not been so initially focused on Vanilla Ice. 

Anyway, the ice in Jar of Hearts comes from this chorus: You’re gonna catch a cold / From the ice inside your soul / So don’t come back for me / Who do you think you are? The novel Projections is about as harrowing as those lines. A rejected sorcerer murders Catherine, the woman who denied him, and then sends projections of himself out into the world to seduce more women to add them to his jar of hearts. 

Catherine’s not about this, and haunts him. Seeks vengeance. As Christina Perri sang, Don’t you know I’m not your ghost anymore? 

The song and book aren’t 1-1 parallels, but the notes are all present. The hurt. The betrayal. The haunting. 


video soruce

post-featured-image

What to Read While You Wait for The Wheel of Time Season 3

by Kaleb Russell

In 2021, Amazon’s long awaited The Wheel of Time TV series arrived onto the scene to instant acclaim for its sumptuous production, compelling cast of characters, and its gorgeously rendered world; brimming with sprawl and wonder. Simply put, a faithful adaptation of the late Robert Jordan’s iconic fantasy series. Unfortunately, the first season ended as soon as it came, leaving many starved for more fantastical storytelling. And then season 2 released and it rocked! But also same problem—what do you do once you’re done watching? Fret not, for we have prepared a feast! Here are 7 fantasy series to tide you over until season 3 arrives!


opens in a new windowThe First Binding by R. R. Virdi opens in a new windowTales of Tremaine — R.R. Virdi

The first book in R.R. Virdi’s Tales of Tremaine series follows an enigmatic singer/storyteller named Ari and his journey to outrun his sinful past. Crafted in the tradition of stories like Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind, opens in a new windowThe First Binding is a harrowing love letter to the fantasy genre and the art of storytelling. Based in a South Asian mythos, readers will find themselves enraptured by Virdi’s dashing prose and elegant world building. And as if you needed even more reasons to start reading,  opens in a new windowThe First Binding is now available in paperback! 


opens in a new windowThe Mystic Trilogy opens in a new windowMystic Skies by Jason Denzel — Jason Denzel

So you loved The Wheel of Time (of course!). You know who else loved Wheel? Jason Denzel. This stalwart Robert Jordan fan founded community fansite Dragonmount.com, and then went on to pen his own trilogy of epic fantasy. In this trilogy, a primal force called Myst pulses at the heart of the world. One young magi will defy law and tradition to unravel its secrets… One lucky reader who’s scrolling this post right now will discover their next fantasy binge… That’s right! The trilogy’s epic conclusion, opens in a new windowMystic Skies, is out now, so you can dive through this entire series in one go!


opens in a new windowThe Craft Sequence opens in a new windowThe Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone — Max Gladstone

The Craft Sequence takes place in a 21st century fantasy world where, after a terrible war that left significant swaths decimated, Gods deal and compete with wizard-run corporations for power and influence while necromantic lawyers levy dark magic to litigate their conflicts. Imagine rogue magicians flying to work on lightning bolts. CEOs taking the form of business suit clad skeletons whose flesh has worn away after years of manipulating elements of the universe. Monasteries operated by the lifeless corpses of their devote followers. Part fantasy epic, part legal thriller, Gladstone explores a myriad of topics including but not limited to religion, faith, finance, climate change, and so much more with an alarming level of wit and innovation. It’s a series that’s strange, wondrous, and terrifying in equal measure. Better yet, one could start with any book in the series as each book functions as interconnected standalones!

AND even BETTER yet, Max has returned to the world of the craft with opens in a new windowThe Craft Wars—a new series and entry point to this universe. This series is perfect for readers that just itch to squabble with gods and hate capitalism, and starts with opens in a new windowDead Country and will continue in  opens in a new windowWicked Problems.

opens in a new windowDead Country by Max Gladstone


opens in a new windowThe Stormlight Archive opens in a new windowRhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson — Brandon Sanderson

Who better to read than the author chosen by Robert Jordan himself to bring the The Wheel of Time series to a satisfying conclusion? Sanderson went on to craft a myriad of his own sprawling fantasy worlds, one such being Roshar, a world wracked by storms so violent, the planet’s ecology has taken a rather peculiar evolutionary track with animals growing shells to escape into and plant life developing internal evasive measures to survive. Then there are the Knights Radiant, 10 ancient orders whose magical weapons are the impetus for a cataclysmic war taking place on a ruined landscape known as the Shattered Plains. 10 years in the making, The Stormlight Archive promises to be another operatic fantasy on par with The Wheel of Time.


 

opens in a new windowA Chorus of Dragons opens in a new windowThe Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons — Jenn Lyons

After learning he’s the long-lost son of a treacherous prince, young Kihrin quickly realises the storybooks he was raised on – fanciful tales of heroic royals achieving heroic victories– are the furthest thing from the truth. Trapped in his new family’s web of deceit and maniacal ambitions, Kihrin must fight to find his own path. A path removed from the ruinous fate laid before him, a fate where he’s the villain destined to destroy the world. Intricately weaving two compelling narratives together, Lyons tells a compelling story about harrowing family drama and a boy vying for freedom.


opens in a new windowMoonfall opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice by James Rollins — James Rollins

New York Times bestselling author James Rollins flexes his storytelling chops by seamlessly transitioning from the realm of thrillers to that of science fantasy in the exciting debut of his new Moonfall series: opens in a new windowThe Starless Crown. The world of Urth has stopped rotating on its axis. Leaving one side of the planet sun swept, the other wreathed in shadow and ice. Follow Nyx, a gifted student who sees visions of a bleak apocalypse, and her band of outcasts in their journey to uncover the secrets of old that might just give them answers necessary to save their world. Wheel of Time fans will surely love this world of floating ships and prophetic gods.

And watch out for its sequel,  opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice, on sale now!


opens in a new windowWake the Dragon opens in a new windowGods and Dragons by Kevin J. Anderson — Kevin J. Anderson

his series marks Kevin J. Anderson’s triumphant return to epic fantasy in this tale of two warring continents setting aside their millenia-long blood feud to fight a common enemy. The reawakening of an ancient race that wants to see the world remade forces the the Three Kingdoms and Ishara to put aside past bloodshed to stand a fighting chance of saving their respective homes from ruin. Dragons, political intrigue, bombastic battles. What’s not to like?

post-featured-image

Is a Bat a Dragon? We Asked James Rollins

opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice by James RollinsBy now, Tor is at the forefront of research into what exactly constitutes “dragon.” We’ve entertained many queries throughout the years, determining if the umbrella of dragon extends to opens in a new windowhippos, opens in a new windowsnakes, and opens in a new windowGodzilla. Now, we turn to the expertise of James Rollins to advise on the dragonic status of bats. If you’ve read opens in a new windowThe Starless Crown and its sequel  opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice, you probably know the answer.

Check it out!


by James Rollins      

My love for the natural world and all its myriad creatures was one of my main drives for pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Even today as a full-time writer, I’ve not fully stepped away from that profession. As I’ve stated many times during book talks—yes, I can still neuter a cat in under thirty seconds.

Still, my greatest fascination about Nature is how it adheres to a dictate stated so succinctly in Jurassic Park:  Life will find a way.  I’ve always been captivated by the manner in which animals and plants discover innovative survival strategies to fill different environmental niches and how that fight has resulted in all the marvels (and horrors) found in the natural world.

While growing up, I found a new way of exploring this subject matter:  in science fiction and fantasy novels set on different worlds. I found myself especially drawn to material that explored life’s resilience across fantastic worlds. Whether it was the sandworms of Herbert’s Dune, the engineered landscape of Niven’s Ringworld, the many species of Card’s Ender’s Game, or a universe of other writers tackling how life finds a way.

Even when it came to those novels that featured dragons, I found myself most interested in the biology and the circumstance of their origins. How did the telepathy and bonding in Anne McCaffrey’s Pern books come about? What steps were taken to harness the physicality of dragons to become warriors in Novik’s Temeraire series? In Martin’s books, could dragon eggs truly be encysted for ages and require fire to bring them back to life? If so, how and why?

When it came to crafting my own fantastic world in the Moonfall Saga, I took a similar scientific eye to its construction. The series takes place on a tidally locked planet, a world that circles its sun with one side forever facing the sun, the other locked in eternal darkness. The only truly livable clime is the band between those extremes of ice and fire. Across such a harsh and unforgiving landscape, I wanted to build a biosphere of flora and fauna that made evolutionary sense. How would species survive the extreme cold and lack of sunlight? Could life find a way in the sunblasted hemisphere?

And what about dragons?

In the novel, one of the apex predators is a species of massive bat, with a wingspan of ten meters or more. We first see them in Book One (The Starless Crown). They inhabit the vast swamplands of Mýr—found in that more temperate climate of the world. They are nocturnal, haunting a drowned forest and roosting in a volcanic mountain. I wanted those bats to make biological sense, to have them fit that environmental niche in a natural way. Being arboreal, they would likely have evolved prehensile tails. As nocturnal creatures, they would need bell-shaped ears and still use ultrasonics to navigate. And without giving away any of the surprises in the books, there is a significant aspect to their biology that will allow them to bond to certain people.

In the books, I also wanted to add a level of verisimilitude to the bestiary by adding naturalistic sketches, drawings that you might find in a turn-of-the-century research journal.

Here is the Mýr bat:

sketch of a winged giant bats

Keep in mind, life will find a way, so this species is not limited to those swamplands. A subspecies evolved in the dark, frozen half of the world. It adapted to fit that harsh niche, becoming smaller and stockier, with shaggy fur, and nasal flaps that could seal to conserve body heat. Likewise, in this treeless landscape, that prehensile tail would no longer be needed. They make an appearance in the second book in the series, The Cradle of Ice.

Here is their sketch:

sketch of a winged giant batt

But what about the title of this blog post: Is a bat a dragon?

In the third volume in the series (A Dragon of Black Glass), which will be coming out in 2024, this species has also adapted to the sunblasted half of the world. To survive, they would need to burrow to survive, growing larger claws for digging, and bodies that would be hairless and elongated, with fanned tails for aerial maneuvering when out of their burrows. They would become known as “sanddragons.”

Here is a sneak peek at their preliminary incarnation (with the final version still to come):

preliminary sketch  massive crawling bat

I must note that all of these drawings were beautifully executed by graphic artist, opens in a new windowDanea Fidler—as were all the other creature sketches featured in the books. I look forward to sharing the final versions of these “dragons” in 2024 when A Dragon of Black Glass hits bookshelves.

Order The Cradle of Ice Here:

opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of amazon- 8 opens in a new windowImage Place holder  of bn- 83 opens in a new windowPlaceholder of booksamillion -20 opens in a new windowibooks2 95 opens in a new windowindiebound

 

 

post-featured-image

Tor Books Presents…Dragon Week 5eva: Aliens Vs. Dragons

We at Tor are SO excited to bring you Dragon Week 5eva, and we’ve—BZZZZZZZT—incoming transmission. Signal Source: The stars. Message: “Dragons beware. We are aliens. We are here.”

Uh oh. Looks like we’ve got company for Dragon Week 5eva, but good news! We’ve also got a whole slew of mythically extraterrestrial content lifting off in the coming week. Check out our roundup of everything to watch out for during Dragon Week 5eva: Aliens Vs. Dragons!


Monday, 7/10

opens in a new windowQuiz: What Kind of Dragon Are You?

opens in a new windowbackground is a volcano, which is also a dragon. many different dragons populate the foreground including traditional, snake, polygonal, and dragonfly, plus semi-transparent ourobouros


Tuesday, 7/11

opens in a new windowHow to Worship Your Dragon: Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle Advise

opens in a new windowAncient Bronze Dragons Carving in the Ancient Dragon King Temple along Yangtze River,China.

opens in a new windowDevilishly Dragonic Moments from Dragon Week History

opens in a new windowa dragon the size of the world approaches the world in space


Wednesday, 7/12

opens in a new windowShowdown in the Skies: Aliens Vs. Dragons!

opens in a new windowarea 51, the desert, during the day. a sign warns of aliens and a flying dragon menaces a landed spacecraft

opens in a new window5 Dragons Daniel M. Ford’s Adept Wizard Could Beat in a Fight

opens in a new windowthe shadow of a woman punching with sunset background


Thursday, 7/13

opens in a new windowTor Staff Builds a Dragon

opens in a new windowan array of shiny metal gears with a series of vector dragon images in a circle around the biggest one

opens in a new windowIs a Bat a Dragon? James Rollins Answers

opens in a new windowBat sketches by danea fidler in front of a transparent moon


Friday, 7/14

opens in a new windowInterstellar Dragoncore Tunes for Soaring Through Space

opens in a new windowa dragon shadow curling in front of a bunch of rainbow music notes with little alien spaceships inside the shadow

 

post-featured-image

Which Fantasy Class Are You? (and what you should read next)

by a cat

Ever wonder what your fantasy ttrpg class is? Ever wonder what book you should read next? While seemingly disparate, these two questions are inextricably linked, and we’ll prove it with this quiz.

Check it out!



And while you’ve got books on the brain, Ebony Gate by Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle releases soon, and deserves a spot on the list of any fan of urban fantasy.

Pre-order opens in a new windowEbony Gate Here:

opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of amazon- 39 opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of bn- 83 opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of booksamillion- 74 opens in a new windowibooks2 89 opens in a new windowPlaceholder of bookshop -64

post-featured-image

May 7th: SUPER MEGA eBook Sale Day!!!

Who’s ready for some super hot ebook deals for ONE DAY ONLY?! Check out all the amazing books you can snag for only $2.99 today!


The Starless Crown by James Rollins opens in a new windowThe Starless Crown by James Rollins

A gifted student foretells an apocalypse. Her reward is a sentence of death. Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of outcasts: A broken soldier, who once again takes up the weapons he’s forbidden to wield and carves a trail back home. A drunken prince, who steps out from his beloved brother’s shadow and claims a purpose of his own. An imprisoned thief, who escapes the crushing dark and discovers a gleaming artifact – one that will ignite a power struggle across the globe. On the run, hunted by enemies old and new, they must learn to trust each other in order to survive in a world evolved in strange, beautiful, and deadly ways, and uncover ancient secrets that hold the key to their salvation. But with each passing moment, doom draws closer.

opens in a new windowkindle-1 opens in a new windownook-1 opens in a new windowebooks-1 opens in a new windowgoogle play-1 opens in a new windowibooks2 78 opens in a new windowkobo-1

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean opens in a new windowThe Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book’s content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries. Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon—like all other book eater women—is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairy tales and cautionary stories. But real life doesn’t always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger—not for books, but for human minds.

opens in a new windowkindle-2 opens in a new windownook-2 opens in a new windowebooks-2 opens in a new windowgoogle play-2 opens in a new windowibooks2 40 opens in a new windowkobo-2

Book of Night by Holly Black opens in a new windowBook of Night by Holly Black

Charlie Hall has never found a lock she couldn’t pick, a book she couldn’t steal, or a bad decision she wouldn’t make. She’s spent half her life working for gloamists, magicians who manipulate shadows to peer into locked rooms, strangle people in their beds, or worse. Gloamists guard their secrets greedily, creating an underground economy of grimoires. And to rob their fellow magicians, they need Charlie Hall. Now, she’s trying to distance herself from past mistakes, but getting out isn’t easy. Bartending at a dive, she’s still entirely too close to the corrupt underbelly of the Berkshires. Not to mention that her sister Posey is desperate for magic, and that Charlie’s shadowless, and possibly soulless, boyfriend has been hiding things from her. When a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie descends into a maelstrom of murder and lies. Determined to survive, she’s up against a cast of doppelgangers, mercurial billionaires, gloamists, and the people she loves best in the world—all trying to steal a secret that will give them vast and terrible power.

opens in a new windowkindle-3 opens in a new windownook-3 opens in a new windowebooks-3 opens in a new windowgoogle play-3 opens in a new window opens in a new windowkobo-3

opens in a new windowPoster Placeholder of - 71Vengeful by V. E. Schwab

Magneto and Professor X. Superman and Lex Luthor. Victor Vale and Eli Ever. Sydney and Serena Clarke. Great partnerships, now soured on the vine. But Marcella Riggins needs no one. Flush from her brush with death, she’s finally gained the control she’s always sought—and will use her new-found power to bring the city of Merit to its knees. She’ll do whatever it takes, collecting her own sidekicks, and leveraging the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Ever, against each other. With Marcella’s rise, new enmities create opportunity–and the stage of Merit City will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning.

opens in a new windowkindle-4 opens in a new windownook-4 opens in a new windowebooks-4 opens in a new windowgoogle play-4 opens in a new window opens in a new windowkobo-4

opens in a new windowThe Kaiju Preservation Society by John ScalziThe Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on. What Tom doesn’t tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm, human-free world. They’re the universe’s largest and most dangerous panda and they’re in trouble.mIt’s not just the Kaiju Preservation Society who have found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

opens in a new windowkindle-5 opens in a new windownook-5 opens in a new windowebooks-5 opens in a new windowgoogle play-5 opens in a new window opens in a new windowkobo-5

post-featured-image

Which Dysfunctional Fantasy Crew Should You Join?

by a bunch of raccoons in a trench coat & a cat

Rolling with a fantasy crew is no dream! Surprisingly, conflict management is actually not made easier with magic and swords.

Find out which dysfunctional fantasy crew you ride with by taking this quiz!



And while you’ve got books on the brain, the opens in a new windowMoonfall Series by James Rollins is pretty cool. You should read it.

Order opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice Here:

opens in a new windowPoster Placeholder of amazon- 23 opens in a new windowPlaceholder of bn -42 opens in a new windowPlace holder  of booksamillion- 10 opens in a new windowibooks2 39 opens in a new windowPlace holder  of bookshop- 49

 

post-featured-image

Ongoing Series of 2023

Hey! Hot Continuations of Science Fiction and Fantasy Series in Your Area!

Check out our unfinished stories that continue to spin in 2023!


opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice opens in a new windowThe Cradle of Ice by James Rollins by James Rollins

The second book in the New York Times bestselling Moonfall series from thriller-master James Rollins, The Cradle of Ice is a page-turning tale of action, adventure, betrayal, ambition, and the struggle for survival in a harsh world that hangs by a thread. And check out his volume one, opens in a new windowThe Starless Crown, now available in paperback!

On Sale Now!


opens in a new windowThe Cage of Dark Hours opens in a new windowPlace holder  of - 60 by Marina Lostetter

The Cage of Dark Hours is the second novel in the epic fantasy trilogy from acclaimed author Marina Lostetter, where the defeat of a serial killer back from the dead has pulled the mask off the myths and magics of a fantastical city.

On Sale Now!


opens in a new windowFurious Heaven opens in a new windowPlaceholder of  -3 by Kate Elliott

Furious Heaven is Kate Elliott’s highly anticipated sequel to the thrilling space adventure Unconquerable Sun!

On Sale 4.18.23


opens in a new windowStan Lee’s The Devil’s Quintet: The Shadow Society opens in a new windowStan Lee's The Devil's Quintet: The Shadow Society by Stan Lee & Jay Bonansinga by Stan Lee & Jay Bonansinga

Born of the legendary imagination that brought us Spider-Man, The Avengers, The X-Men, and an enduring universe of marvelous heroes and villains, Stan Lee’s The Devil’s Quintet return to take on a fiendish new adversary: The Shadow Society.

On Sale 5.9.23


opens in a new windowFractal Noise by Christopher Paolini opens in a new windowFractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

A new blockbuster science fiction adventure from world-wide phenomenon and #1 New York Times bestseller Christopher Paolini, set in the world of New York Times and USA Today bestseller To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

On Sale 5.16.23


opens in a new windowCassiel’s Servant opens in a new windowCassiel's Servant by Jacqueline Carey

The lush epic fantasy that inspired a generation with a single precept: “Love As Thou Wilt.” Returning to the realm of Terre d’Ange which captured an entire generation of fantasy readers, New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Carey brings us a hero’s journey for a new era.

On Sale 8.1.23


opens in a new windowRavensong opens in a new windowPoster Placeholder of - 19 by TJ Klune

The beloved fantasy romance sensation by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and joy. The Bennett family has a secret: They’re not just a family, they’re a pack. Ravensong is Gordo Livingstone’s story.

On Sale 8.1.23


opens in a new windowDevil’s Gun opens in a new windowDevil's Gun by Cat Rambo

No one escapes their past as the crew of the You Sexy Thing attempts to navigate the hazards of opening a pop-up restaurant and the dangers of a wrathful pirate-king seeking vengeance in Cat Rambo’s Devil’s Gun.

On Sale 8.29.23


opens in a new windowThe Mystery at Dunvegan Castle opens in a new windowThe Mystery at Dunvegan Castle by T.L. Huchu

Duels, magic, and plenty of ghosts await in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third book of T. L. Huchu’s USA Today bestselling Edinburgh Nights series.

On Sale 8.29.23


opens in a new windowTraitor of Redwinter opens in a new windowImage Place holder  of - 23 by Ed McDonald

The second in Ed McDonald’s Chronicles of Redwinter, full of shady politics, militant monks, ancient powers… and a young woman navigating a world in which no one is quite what they seem.

On Sale 10.24.23


opens in a new windowMalarkoi opens in a new windowMalarkoi by Alex Pheby

Volume 2 of the Cities of the Weft

On Sale 10.24.23


opens in a new windowBookshops & Bonedust opens in a new windowBookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek. Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books.

On Sale 11.7.23


opens in a new windowAll the Hidden Paths opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of - 87 by Foz Meadows

The follow-up to Foz Meadows’s A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, a sultry political & romantic fantasy exploring gender, sexuality, identity, and self-worth.

On Sale 12.5.23

The owner of this website has made a commitment to accessibility and inclusion, please report any problems that you encounter using the contact form on this website. This site uses the WP ADA Compliance Check plugin to enhance accessibility.