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Dysfunctional Families at Tor: A List of Our Most Chaotic Households

Dysfunctional family dynamics, anyone? If you love messy relationships, complicated histories, and drama, then these reads belong on your shelf. With Olivie Blake’s opens in a new windowGifted & Talented right around the corner, we thought it’d be fun to get a little messy. 😏


opens in a new window9781250883407 opens in a new windowGifted & Talented by Olivie Blake

Three siblings. One massive inheritance. A lifetime of unresolved issues. Thayer Wren’s death leaves his three telepathic and electrokinetically gifted children in a war for his empire, but the real battle is against each other. Sibling rivalries, personal failures, and long-held grudges explode in this biting, dark take on power, legacy, and family dysfunction. Out on 4/01/2025!

opens in a new windowGREEN CREEK SERIES  opens in a new windowThe Green Creek Series by TJ Klune

Werewolves, found family, and generational trauma–what more could you ask for? The Green Creek series is a sweeping saga of loyalty, betrayal, and complicated family bonds that stretch beyond blood. Whether it’s sons struggling to live up to their fathers’ expectations or packs built on both love and heartbreak, Klune delivers an emotional rollercoaster where family is everything…and nothing is ever simple.

opens in a new window9781250871251 opens in a new windowCascade Failure by L.M. Sagas

Surviving in space is hard. Surviving with your family? Even harder. Cascade Failure follows a scrappy crew of smugglers on the fringes of the universe, but their biggest problem isn’t just staying alive, it’s each other. This novel is full of found family dynamics, grudges, and the kind of loyalty that only comes from being trapped in the same spaceship for way too long. If you love stories where sibling tensions and unresolved drama bubble under the surface of high-stakes adventures, this is the book for you.

opens in a new window9781250217431 opens in a new windowIn the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

What happens when your family isn’t just dysfunctional but also… not entirely human? In this heartwarming yet chaotic sci-fi fairytale, a small found family of robots and a human live in peaceful isolation until the past comes knocking. In the Lives of Puppets explores the complexities of love, memory, and what it truly means to be family, even when secrets threaten to tear them apart. If you enjoy heart-wrenching yet hopeful stories about unconventional families, this one will stick with you.

opens in a new window9781250907981 opens in a new windowThe Naming Song by Jedediah Berry

In a world where words are vanishing, a nameless courier finds herself caught up with a traveling theater troupe that brings lost language back to life. But the past has a hold on her, and the more she unravels her own history, the more she realizes that her family is at the root of it all. Secrets, betrayals, and a legacy built on things left unsaid make this a haunting exploration of identity and belonging.

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Celebrate Women’s History Month with These Must-Read SFF Books

To celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting some of the latest and upcoming books by female authors that you won’t want to miss.

Check them out!


opens in a new window9781250852519Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods 

Upon a Starlit Tide is a dark and enchanting historical fantasy combining elements of “The Little Mermaid” and “Cinderella” into a wholly original tale of love, power, and betrayal.

*The hardcover edition features beautiful custom endpapers.*

Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758. To Lucinde Léon, the youngest daughter of a wealthy French shipowner, the high walls of Saint-Malo are more hindrance than haven.

While her sisters are busy trying to secure advantageous marriages, Luce spends her days secretly being taught to sail by Samuel, her best friend—and an English smuggler. Only he understands how the waves call to her. Then one stormy morning, Luce rescues a drowning man from the sea.

Immediately drawn in by the stranger’s charm, Luce is plunged into a world of glittering balls and faerie magic, seduction and brutality. Secrets that have long been lost in the shadowy depths of the ocean begin to rise to the surface, but as Luce wrestles with warring desires, she finds that her own power is growing brighter and brighter, shining like a sea-glass slipper. Or the scales of a seamaid’s tail.

opens in a new window9781250883407Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes the story of three siblings who, upon the death of their father, are forced to reckon with their long-festering rivalries, dangerous abilities, and the crushing weight of all their unrealized adolescent potential.

Where there’s a will, there’s a war.

Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne.

Or at least, so they like to think. Meredith, textbook accomplished eldest daughter and the head of her own groundbreaking biotech company, has recently cured mental illness. You’re welcome! If only her father’s fortune wasn’t her last hope for keeping her journalist ex-boyfriend from exposing what she really is: a total fraud.

Arthur, second-youngest congressman in history, fights the good fight every day of his life. And yet, his wife might be leaving him, and he’s losing his re-election campaign. But his dead father’s approval in the form of a seat on the Wrenfare throne might just turn his sinking ship around.

Eilidh, once the world’s most famous ballerina, has spent the last five years as a run-of-the-mill marketing executive at her father’s company after a life-altering injury put an end to her prodigious career. She might be lacking in accolades compared to her siblings, but if her father left her everything, it would finally validate her worth—by confirming she’d been his favorite all along.

On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins—but which Wren will come out on top? Out on 04/01/2025! 

opens in a new window9781250910691Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin

“Do you mind me asking—what kind of help do you need?”

After losing her job and her fiancé and moving back from the city to live with her parents, Shell Pine needs some help. And according to the sign in the window, the florist shop in the mall does too. Shell gets the gig, and the flowers she works with there are just the thing she needs to cheer up. Or maybe it’s Neve, the beautiful shop manager, who is making her days so rosy?

But you have to get your hands dirty if you want your garden to grow—and Neve’s secrets are as dark and dangerous as they come. In the back room of the flower shop, a young sentient orchid actually runs the show, and he is hungry . . . and he has a plan for them all.

When the choices are to either bury yourself in the warmth of someone else’s fertile soil, or face the cold and disappointing world outside—which would you choose? And what if putting down roots came at a cost far higher than just your freedom?

This is a story about desire, dreams, decay—and working retail at the end of the world. Out on 04/22/2025!

opens in a new window9781250807281Archangels of Funk by Andrea Hairston

Run from your past. Hide from your future. Protect your present.

The Water Wars have scrambled the world. Flood refugees are on the run. Disrupters and the nostalgia militia roam the roads wreaking havoc. Invisible Darknet Lords troll the internet, solidifying their power, while Cinnamon, her three Circus-Bots, and two dogs work with a community of farmers, Motor Fairies, and Wheel-Wizards to provide housing, health care and education for flood refugees.

As Cinnamon confronts threats from the Darknet Lords and the nostalgia militia, she must determine how best to honor her elders and her history while building a future for herself and her charges.

It’s not going to be easy. Out in paperback on 05/07/2025!

opens in a new window9781250835017 opens in a new windowThe Incandescent by Emily Tesh

Naomi Novik’s Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

“Look at you, eating magic like you’re one of us.”

Doctor Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School and one of the most powerful magicians in England. Her days consist of meetings, teaching A-Level Invocation to four talented, chaotic sixth formers, more meetings, and securing the school’s boundaries from demonic incursions. Walden is good at her job—no, Walden is great at her job. But demons are masters of manipulation. It’s her responsibility to keep her school with its six hundred students and centuries-old legacy safe. And it’s possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from—is herself. Out on 05/13/2025!

opens in a new window9781250320520 opens in a new windowBury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab

ALL first edition copies will be signed by the author! Signed copies available while supplies last.

From V. E. Schwab, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying novel about immortality and hunger.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 1532.
London, 1827.
Boston, 2019.

Three young women, their bodies planted in the same soil, their stories tangling like roots.

One grows high, and one grows deep, and one grows wild.

And all of them grow teeth. Out on 6/10/2025!

opens in a new window9781250334183 opens in a new windowA Far Better Thing by H. G. Parry

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell meets A Tale of Two Cities in H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing, a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution.

I feared this was the best of times; I hoped it could not get any worse.

The faeries stole Sydney Carton as a child, and made him a mortal servant of the Faery Realm. Now, he has a rare opportunity for revenge against the fae and Charles Darnay, the changeling left in his stead.

It will take magic and cunning—cold iron and Realm silver—to hide his intentions from humans and fae and bring his plans to fruition.

Shuttling between London and Paris during the Reign of Terror, generations of violence-begetting-violence lead him to a heartbreaking choice in the shadow of the guillotine. Out 6/17/2025!

opens in a new window9781250805584 opens in a new windowThe Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J.R. Dawson

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a powerful and poignant contemporary Queer fantasy perfect for fans of Hadestown and Under the Whispering Door

At the edge of Chicago, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, there is a waystation for the dead. Every night, the newly-departed travel through the city to the Station, guided by its lighthouse. There, they reckon with their lives, before stepping aboard a boat to go beyond.

Nera has spent decades watching her father—the ferryman of the dead—sail across the lake, each night just like the last.

But tonight, something is wrong.

The Station’s lighthouse has started to flicker out. The terrifying, ghostly Haunts have multiplied in the city. And now a person—a living person—has found her way onto the boat.

Her name is Charlie. She followed a song. And she is searching for someone she lost. Out on 07/29/2025!

opens in a new window9781250342034 opens in a new windowHemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

DELUXE EDITION—a gorgeous hardcover edition featuring bright green sprayed edges, a foil stamp on the casing, and custom endpapers illustrated by the author.

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a dark reimagining of “Snow White” steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison.

Not to die, but to save—seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.

But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja’s unorthodox methods can save her.

Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick.

Or it might be the thing that kills them all. Out on 8/19/2025!

opens in a new window9781250867322 opens in a new windowLessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders

This epic science fantasy about giant robots that eat people, tyrannical AI deities, and totalitarian police states follows a man named Sunai who cannot die. He was inferfacing with his AI god when it corrupted and now he’s immortal and upset about it. He’s been killed plenty of times though. It just hasn’t stuck. Sunai is fundamentally sad however, and unlikely to seek revenge against his many killers. Himself though? Yeah, he’ll take revenge on himself for every mistake he’s ever made. 

Pretty heavy, and the rest of this book is too. It’s also heart-achingly beautiful and there’s a robot composed of a chittering shifting coral carapace. Out on 8/19/2025!

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Fantasizing About Revenge ❤️‍🔥

S.E. Porter’s opens in a new windowProjections is now out in paperback! What better time to revisit this fun listicle for those who love (or deserve) to hold a grudge?

They say revenge is best served cold, but these fiery, vengeance-fueled fantasy novels prove otherwise. 🔥

Check them out!


opens in a new windowprojections by sarah porter opens in a new windowProjections by S. E. Porter

Catherine Bildstein is dead. She is not gone. She was murdered. Now, she’s out for revenge. 

In a gothic historical fantasy about poisonous attraction and strange magic, a sorcerer obsesses over a woman, and when he understands he cannot possess her, kills her. Unsatisfied with this peak level of despicability, he sends projections of himself out into the world to ruin the lives of more women who won’t deliver to him the affection to which he believes himself entitled. 

Dead Catherine may be, but her slighted ghost feels strongly the magnetism of revenge. The world is full of strange magic. Garbage wizards better watch out. Out now in paperback! 

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

This story of star-crossed love and Manhattan’s occult underworld is Romeo & Juliet done Olivie Blake-style. Those who have read opens in a new windowThe Atlas Series know that Blake doesn’t play when it comes to writing emotionally devastating arcs, and One for My Enemy is no exception. It’s the scions of shadow underlord Koschei the Deathless versus the daughters of potion maven Baba Yaga as heirs to two respective magical crime families. Doesn’t matter how supernatural you are though—love will turn the lives of you and everyone you know upside down, and strong feeling is a prerequisite for revenge. 

opens in a new windowthe traitor baru cormorant by seth dickinson opens in a new windowThe Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Baru wants revenge. She needs it, and her target: a colonial empire called the Masquerade. Educated in their schools and knowledgeable in their ways, Baru begins accumulating power but plays by their rules—for now. She becomes an accountant. Her goal is to hold the Masquerade accountable. 

Sometimes revenge is a numbers game. 

opens in a new window9781250183507 opens in a new windowVicious by V.E. Schwab

Victor and Eli start out as college roommates and that’s also where things go wrong. In their senior year, their shared passion leads them to research superpowers and the conditions under which a person might develop them. Of course, like many roommates in college, everything goes wrong and they despise each other. Victor’s been in prison for ten years now but is cooking an escape. Eli is at large in the world on a mission to exterminate everyone with superpowers. They both want vengeance. 

opens in a new windowthe archive undying by emma mieko candon opens in a new windowThe Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon

This epic science fantasy about giant robots that eat people, tyrannical AI deities, and totalitarian police states follows a man named Sunai who cannot die. He was inferfacing with his AI god when it corrupted and now he’s immortal and upset about it. He’s been killed plenty of times though. It just hasn’t stuck. Sunai is fundamentally sad however, and unlikely to seek revenge against his many killers. Himself though? Yeah, he’ll take revenge on himself for every mistake he’s ever made. 

Pretty heavy, and the rest of this book is too. It’s also heart-achingly beautiful and there’s a robot composed of a chittering shifting coral carapace.

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Tor’s Most Notorious Villains

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and you can take that from one of the greatest villains of all time, Khan from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. With the paperback release of opens in a new windowStarter Villain by John Scalzi officially out now, we’re diving back into the chilling world of villains—perfect for the crisp, cool vibes of fall. So, grab your copy and get ready to root for some ice-cold baddies. 😎

Here’s a rundown of some of Tor’s most notorious villains.


opens in a new windowstarter villain by john scalziCharlie from opens in a new windowStarter Villain by John Scalzi

Okay we’re warming things up a little for this one. Charlie isn’t really ice-cold, but he’s a good villain to start with, if you’re more looking to dip toes in the waters of villainy. That’s really what Charlie’s doing, in a lot of ways. He’s new to the gig, the inheritor of an evil organization, weapons, and a cadre of spy cats from his long-lost uncle. This is a cozy story for when you need to steal a little warmth back from an ice-cold world. Cozy villainy. Out now in paperback! 


opens in a new windowVicious by V.E. SchwabEli & Victor from opens in a new windowVicious by V. E. Schwab

Roommate squabbles are often a sad fact of life. Sometimes dishes pile up and noise happens at unfortunate times and you have to work that stuff out for the communal good of your homespace. Or, you could read Vicious, which has the worst ever case of and they were roommates… Eli and Victor go from arrogant and ambitious college roommates working together to arrogant and ambitious and superpowered ex-roommates now enemy villains.*

Eli would contend that he is not a villain, and in fact saving the world by doing all that murder. And Victor is trying to stop him, but is more of an antihero, in this case, technically


opens in a new windowImage Place holder  of - 47Kreon from opens in a new windowArch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth

Oh, this villain is a classic. Literally. Arch-Conspirator is Veronica Roth’s science fiction retelling of Sophocles’s famous tragedy Antigone. Diligent scholars may note that the spelling “Kreon” is a little different from the original “Creon,” but Antigone goes by Tig in this story too, because it’s the future. Other things have changed too—in Roth’s dystopian world, only those birthed through a eugenic process are considered rightly souled. Tig and her sisters, being born outside of the process, are unnatural, and Kreon doesn’t like that, or women. The rest of the story is pretty deadly, but far be it from us to spoil it, if somehow you’ve managed to avoid learning the deets of a famous story that’s been around for 2464 years. 


opens in a new windowThe Atlas Six by Olivie BlakeEverybody from opens in a new windowThe Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Not only does the rigorous process of higher education often feel like a system designed by a particularly sadistic villain, but sometimes the best way to survive a mad situation is to go a little mad. Enter, the entire cast of The Atlas Six, basically. They’re grad students with a lot of magical powers and even more issues and attractions to work out amongst themselves. And while they work on their research, they also must contend with the mandatory institutional tradition of sacrificing one member of each cohort. Sometimes grad school is murder. 


opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of - 52Cairdine Farrier from opens in a new windowThe Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

So Cairdine Farrier. This villain wears a lot of hats, including: merchant, explorer, agent, father figure (?!), and patron. He’s part of the Masquerade—the empire that took over Baru’s home and killed her parents. Manipulative and highly savvy, it’s difficult for others to parse his full motives and hidden thoughts. A truly dangerous villain, by which we mean: The kind who knows how to ingratiate. 

shivers

 

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2006: The Lit Listicle

This is a listicle about a bygone age that some who read it may not remember, prompting us to marvel at the impressive and intimidating march of time. This is a listicle about the year 2006, and it exists because of Cory Doctorow. Well, not the year—that was going to happen anyway, but the listicle, yes. That’s thanks to Cory, and his new novel The Bezzle, which is set in 2006. 

You can read about it, and other titles that feature, include, or span the year 2006 below!


opens in a new windowthe bezzle by cory doctorow opens in a new windowThe Bezzle by Cory Doctorow

The year is 2006. Martin Hench is at the top of his game as a self-employed forensic accountant, a veteran of the long guerrilla war between people who want to hide money, and people who want to find it. In The Bezzle, Martin squares off against a cadre of the ultra-wealthy, and the arena where they clash is California’s Department of Corrections. This novel is a rebuke of the privatized prison system and the arcane financial chicanery that lead to the 2008 financial crisis. 

opens in a new windowwolfsong by tj klune opens in a new windowWolfsong by TJ Klune

The Green Creek Series chronicles the lives of a pack of smalltown werewolves, and the year 2006 is pivotal to the first novel in the series, Wolfsong. This is a story of familial trauma and queer love—the story of Joe and Ox, two young werewolves who one day will fall in love. Perhaps it is a coincidence that in all the chapters of this book, which encompass a broad swath of time, specifies 2006 as the year Joe and Ox first meet. 

Perhaps. 

But imagine how excited we were to discover this significance to the year so crucial to this listicle. 

. . .

In case imagination fails, we were quite thrilled. 

opens in a new windowthe atlas six by olivie blake opens in a new windowThe Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

The Atlas Series devotes much time to the relationships between big concepts like space, life, energy, death, and time. But we’re not talking about time broadly. We want time specific. Specifically, 2006. What was happening in the Atlas universe of magic grad students and dangerous research in 2006? 

Well, the world was falling apart, for one. For two, Atlas was going through a deep and soul-shaking emotional journey that we can’t fully disclose in this list for fear of spoiling an incredible book series, but trust us. It was happening. 

In 2006, Atlas Blakely was going through it. 

opens in a new windowlast exit by max gladstone opens in a new windowLast Exit by Max Gladstone

Speaking of ‘Going through it’ as a colloquialism for having a tough time, let’s talk about Last Exit. Zelda, our primary point-of-view in Last Exit, is most certainly going through it. A relatively sheltered child, Zelda’s world expanded when she went to college and met her girlfriend Sal, and then expanded rapidly when she and Sal discovered a magic sort of power that allowed them to explore adjacent dimensions. It is likely that 2006 was somewhere in the soon-to-meet-Sal / going steady with Sal / optimistically exploring alternate realities phase of Zelda’s life. 

Years later, in the present, that phase is over. 

An interdimensional rot spreads between worlds, and the optimism is gone. So is Sal. Can the old gang muster together for an attempt at doing things right this time? It’s probably their last chance. 

opens in a new windowexordia by seth dickinson opens in a new windowExordia by Seth Dickinson

When performing research for this list, we received ironclad confirmation that the events of the novel Exordia do, in fact, predate and postdate the year 2006, therefore giving us reason enough to include this book about the team-up of a disaffected office worker / refugee and an eight-headed snake alien as they combat an extra-extraterrestrial threat. 

Read Exordia. It is Very Good. 

 

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Fantasizing About Revenge

Revenge is a dish best served cold, but these revenge-centric fantasy novels are hot! 

Check ‘em out!


opens in a new windowprojections by sarah porter opens in a new windowProjections by S. E. Porter

Catherine Bildstein is dead. She is not gone. She was murdered. Now, she’s out for revenge. 

In a gothic historical fantasy about poisonous attraction and strange magic, a sorcerer obsesses over a woman, and when he understands he cannot possess her, kills her. Unsatisfied with this peak level of despicability, he sends projections of himself out into the world to ruin the lives of more women who won’t deliver to him the affection to which he believes himself entitled. 

Dead Catherine may be, but her slighted ghost feels strongly the magnetism of revenge. The world is full of strange magic. Garbage wizards better watch out. 

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

This story of star-crossed love and Manhattan’s occult underworld is Romeo & Juliet done Olivie Blake-style. Those who have read opens in a new windowThe Atlas Series know that Blake doesn’t play when it comes to writing emotionally devastating arcs, and One for My Enemy is no exception. It’s the scions of shadow underlord Koschei the Deathless versus the daughters of potion maven Baba Yaga as heirs to two respective magical crime families. Doesn’t matter how supernatural you are though—love will turn the lives of you and everyone you know upside down, and strong feeling is a prerequisite for revenge. 

opens in a new windowthe traitor baru cormorant by seth dickinson opens in a new windowThe Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Baru wants revenge. She needs it, and her target: a colonial empire called the Masquerade. Educated in their schools and knowledgeable in their ways, Baru begins accumulating power but plays by their rules—for now. She becomes an accountant. Her goal is to hold the Masquerade accountable. 

Sometimes revenge is a numbers game. 

opens in a new windowvicious by v. e. schwab opens in a new windowVicious by V. E. Schwab

Victor and Eli start out as college roommates and that’s also where things go wrong. In their senior year, their shared passion leads them to research superpowers and the conditions under which a person might develop them. Of course, like many roommates in college, everything goes wrong and they despise each other. Victor’s been in prison for ten years now but is cooking an escape. Eli is at large in the world on a mission to exterminate everyone with superpowers. They both want vengeance. 

opens in a new windowthe archive undying by emma mieko candon opens in a new windowThe Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon

This epic science fantasy about giant robots that eat people, tyrannical AI deities, and totalitarian police states follows a man named Sunai who cannot die. He was inferfacing with his AI god when it corrupted and now he’s immortal and upset about it. He’s been killed plenty of times though. It just hasn’t stuck. Sunai is fundamentally sad however, and unlikely to seek revenge against his many killers. Himself though? Yeah, he’ll take revenge on himself for every mistake he’s ever made. 

Pretty heavy, and the rest of this book is too. It’s also heart-achingly beautiful and there’s a robot composed of a chittering shifting coral carapace. 

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Tor’s Ice-Cold Villains

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and you better believe it, because one of those people doing the saying is Khan, titular villain of 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In the spirit of Khan, and winter—being the time of cold, and of villains in general—being incredibly cool, have inspired us. 

Here’s a rundown of some of Tor’s Ice-Cold Villains™ 😎


opens in a new windowVicious by V.E. SchwabEli & Victor from opens in a new windowVicious by V. E. Schwab

Roommate squabbles are often a sad fact of life. Sometimes dishes pile up and noise happens at unfortunate times and you have to work that stuff out for the communal good of your homespace. Or, you could read Vicious, which has the worst ever case of and they were roommates… Eli and Victor go from arrogant and ambitious college roommates working together to arrogant and ambitious and superpowered ex-roommates now enemy villains.*

Eli would contend that he is not a villain, and in fact saving the world by doing all that murder. And Victor is trying to stop him, but is more of an antihero, in this case, technically


opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of - 61Kreon from opens in a new windowArch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth

Oh, this villain is a classic. Literally. Arch-Conspirator is Veronica Roth’s science fiction retelling of Sophocles’s famous tragedy Antigone. Diligent scholars may note that the spelling “Kreon” is a little different from the original “Creon,” but Antigone goes by Tig in this story too, because it’s the future. Other things have changed too—in Roth’s dystopian world, only those birthed through a eugenic process are considered rightly souled. Tig and her sisters, being born outside of the process, are unnatural, and Kreon doesn’t like that, or women. The rest of the story is pretty deadly, but far be it from us to spoil it, if somehow you’ve managed to avoid learning the deets of a famous story that’s been around for 2464 years. 


opens in a new windowstarter villain by john scalziCharlie from opens in a new windowStarter Villain by John Scalzi

Okay we’re warming things up a little for this one. Charlie isn’t really ice-cold, but he’s a good villain to start with, if you’re more looking to dip toes in the waters of villainy. That’s really what Charlie’s doing, in a lot of ways. He’s new to the gig, the inheritor of an evil organization, weapons, and a cadre of spy cats from his long-lost uncle. This is a cozy story for when you need to steal a little warmth back from an ice-cold world. Cozy villainy. 


opens in a new windowThe Atlas Six by Olivie BlakeEverybody from opens in a new windowThe Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Not only does the rigorous process of higher education often feel like a system designed by a particularly sadistic villain, but sometimes the best way to survive a mad situation is to go a little mad. Enter, the entire cast of The Atlas Six, basically. They’re grad students with a lot of magical powers and even more issues and attractions to work out amongst themselves. And while they work on their research, they also must contend with the mandatory institutional tradition of sacrificing one member of each cohort. Sometimes grad school is murder. 


opens in a new windowPlaceholder of  -59Cairdine Farrier from opens in a new windowThe Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

So Cairdine Farrier. This villain wears a lot of hats, including: merchant, explorer, agent, father figure (?!), and patron. He’s part of the Masquerade—the empire that took over Baru’s home and killed her parents. Manipulative and highly savvy, it’s difficult for others to parse his full motives and hidden thoughts. A truly dangerous villain, by which we mean: The kind who knows how to ingratiate. 

shivers

 

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Tor’s December eBook Deals of 2023

The year’s almost over, but the eBook deals are just starting! Check out these hot downprices that’ll keep you warm and well-read through the cold winter months.


opens in a new windowEverfair opens in a new windoweverfair by nisi shawl by Nisi Shawl — $2.99

In this re-imagining of Belgium’s disastrous colonization of the Congo, African American missionaries join forces with British socialists to purchase land from the Congo Free State’s “owner,” King Leopold II. This land, which they name Everfair, is set aside as a safe haven for native populations of the Congo as well as settlers from around the world, including dream-eyed Europeans attempting to create a better society, formerly enslaved people returning from America, and Chinese railroad builders escaping hard labor. Using the combined knowledge of four continents, Everfair becomes a land of spying cats and gulls, nuclear dirigibles buoyed by barkcloth balloons, and silent pistols that shoot poison knives. With this technology, Everfair will attempt to defeat the Belgian tyrant Leopold II. But even if they can defeat their great enemy, a looming world war and political infighting may threaten to destroy everything they have built.

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opens in a new windowThe Traitor Baru Cormorant opens in a new windowthe traitor baru cormorant by seth dickinson by Seth Dickinson — $2.99

Baru Cormorant believes any price is worth paying to liberate her people-even her soul. When the Empire of Masks conquers her island home, overwrites her culture, criminalizes her customs, and murders one of her fathers, Baru vows to swallow her hate, join the Empire’s civil service, and claw her way high enough to set her people free. Sent as an Imperial agent to distant Aurdwynn, another conquered country, Baru discovers it’s on the brink of rebellion. Drawn by the intriguing duchess Tain Hu into a circle of seditious dukes, Baru may be able to use her position to help. As she pursues a precarious balance between the rebels and a shadowy cabal within the Empire, she orchestrates a do-or-die gambit with freedom as the prize. But the cost of winning the long game of saving her people may be far greater than Baru imagines.

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opens in a new windowFairhaven Rising opens in a new windowfairhaven rising by l. e. modesitt, jr. by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. — $2.99

Sixteen years have passed since the mage Beltur helped to found the town of Fairhaven, and Taelya, Beltur’s adopted niece, is now a white mage undercaptain in the Road Guards of Fairhaven. Fairhaven’s success under the Council has become an impediment to the ambition of several rulers, and the mages protecting the town are seen as a threat. Taelya, a young and untried mage, will find herself at the heart of a conspiracy to destroy her home and the people she loves, and she may not be powerful enough to stop it in time.

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opens in a new windowNecroscope opens in a new windownecroscope by brian lumley by Brian Lumley — $1.99

Harry Keogh is the man who can talk to the dead, the man for whom every grave willingly gives up its secrets, the one man who knows how to travel effortlessly through time and space to destroy the vampires that threaten all humanity. In Necroscope, Harry is startled to discover that he is not the only person with unusual mental powers—Britain and the Soviet Union both maintain super-secret, psychically-powered espionage organizations. But Harry is the only person who knows about Thibor Ferenczy, a vampire long buried in the mountains of Romania—still horribly alive, in undeath–and Thibor’s insane “offspring,” Boris Dragosani, who rips information from the souls of the dead in a terrible, ever-lasting form of torture. Somehow, Harry must convince Britain’s E-Branch that only by working together can they locate and destroy Dragosani and his army of demonic warriors—before the half-vampire succeeds in taking over the world!

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opens in a new windowKellanved’s Reach opens in a new windowkellanved's reach by ian c. esslemont by Ian C. Esslemont — $2.99

The incessant war between the bickering city states of Quon Tali rages. So engrossed are the warring lords and princes in their own petty feuds that few notice that an upstart mage from Dal Hon has gained control of the southern seas. Kellanved could not care less about any of this petty politicking or strategy or war. Something other and altogether more mysterious has caught his attention and he – together with a reluctant and his decidedly skeptical friend Dancer – traverse continents and journey through the Realms. But this ancient mystery that has so captivated Kellanved is neither esoteric nor ephemeral. It involves the Elder races themselves, and more alarmingly, the semi-mythic Army of Dust and Bone. Surely no one in their right mind would be so foolish as to embark on a journey from which none have returned? Well, no one except Kellanved.

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Top 12 Books to Use as Bludgeoning Weapons in a Pinch

We’ve all been there: sometimes you’re peacefully reading your newest novel, only to see a cockroach scuttle by in front of your cozy armchair. Or you’ve got something that needs some light percussive recalibration to fix. Or your cousin has insulted your reading taste at Thanksgiving dinner, and all you have is the book you brought to the gathering to avoid talking to anyone. We’ve all had to use our books as bludgeoning weapons before, so here’s a list of SF/F doorstoppers that you can pitch in a pinch, now updated to include The First Binding by R. R. Virdi—on sale in paperback now!

By Yvonne Ye


opens in a new windowThe First Binding by R. R. Virdi#1: opens in a new windowThe First Binding by R. R. Virdi

Volume one of R. R. Virdi’s new Tales of Tremaine series, The First Binding, is a fresh face on the “books large enough to qualify as a two-hand weapon” scene. With 832 pages of epic fantasy contained within, The First Binding is professionally rated to block everything from sword-strikes to gamma lasers, and is guaranteed to OHKO any mortal-class adversary. Use this book to win your next grudge match, and then dive into this exciting and expansive new series with all the time you’ve saved by making it your go-to armament for close combat. Find the paperback in stores now!

opens in a new windowPoster Placeholder of - 25#2: opens in a new windowRhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

Weighing in at a hefty 1232 pages, this latest installment in the Stormlight Archive will be sure to beat up your feelings while bludgeoning your enemies. Follow the Knights Radiant to war as tactical subterfuge, political maneuvering, and scientific innovation collide to change the very shape of Roshar’s future. For conducting guerilla warfare and internal sabotage in an occupied tower, the hardcover will be sure to deal maximum damage. For a stealth invasion of said tower, we suggest utilizing the paperback for its dexterity and flexibility. Find the paperback in stores now!

opens in a new windowImage Place holder  of - 5#3: opens in a new windowOathbringer by Brandon Sanderson

Book three of the Stormlight Archive actually outweighs book 4, coming in at an impressive 1248 pages. Add some psychic damage to your bludgeoning attack by shouting “YOU CANNOT HAVE MY PAIN” at your foes in time-honored Kholin tradition while hurling this brick.

opens in a new windowPlaceholder of  -67#4: opens in a new windowWords of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

Fervent collectors of Stormlight hardcover editions noticed that Words of Radiance, despite only having 1088 pages, is actually quite a bit chunkier than Oathbringer. This is because the paper weight dropped from a 45# stock to a 35# stock between printings (we could go on about book production and paper weight, but we’ll spare you for now). At any rate, this book lives up to its working title, The Book of Endless Pages, and comes pre-equipped with the best one-liner in the series (so far): “Honor is dead, but I’ll see what I can do.”

opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of - 94#5: opens in a new windowTo Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini 

You thought we were going to go all the way with Stormlight titles, didn’t you? We thought about it, but decided to branch out to Christopher Paolini’s debut adult novel, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. This galaxy-spanning odyssey of first contact and apocalypse earns its hefty page-count with its complexity and scope, and yes, if you were wondering, it outweighs each of the Eragon books at 880 pages. Bonus: you can also get it in paperback to realize your dual-wielding potential!

opens in a new windowexordia by seth dickinson#6: opens in a new windowExordia by Seth Dickinson

Clocking in at a chonkin’ 544 pages, Exordia by Seth Dickinson is a double-edged threat as a bludgeoning weapon. Not only will it physically clobber you with it’s rounds-up-to-quadruple-digits page count, but this book will also emotionally destroy you. This book will wreck you body and soul, and for that reason demands to be read.

opens in a new windowPlace holder  of - 70#7: opens in a new windowLord of Chaos by Robert Jordan

The longest book in the Wheel of Time series, we think this book could also be a strong contender for any therapeutic smashin’ you might need (goodness knows Rand could use some therapeutic smashin’ throughout this book). But if you’re new to the Wheel of Time series, we recommend starting with the first book, The Eye of the World. We know that media tie-in covers can be somewhat divisive, but with the new edition of The Eye of the World coming in at 784 pages, it is an undisputed tome and thus highly suitable for a spot of bludgeoning when necessary.

opens in a new windowthe ruin of kings by jenn lyons#8: opens in a new windowThe Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons

Come see the book that Lev Grossman called “rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying” — much like how you will both look and feel if you come to a book fight prepared with Jenn Lyons. With all five of the Chorus of Dragons series on hand, you’ll be well-stocked for either hurling or bludgeoning, or just curling up in a corner and reading all 2,784 pages (cumulative!) while the melee rages about you.

opens in a new window#9: opens in a new windowDeath’s End by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu

Clocking in at only 608 pages, this series-ender makes up for its lower page count with its absolutely badass title. We recommend this book for the aura of awe it will generate in your foes, along with its special Area-of-Effect abilities of inducing existential dread in your opponents and cautious hope in your allies.

opens in a new window#10: opens in a new windowHarrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

At a respectable 512 pages, Harrow is well-suited to fighters of smaller statures, delicate wrists, and a deeply murderous streak. Seriously, look me in the eyes and tell me that you wouldn’t bring a necromancer to a fight.

opens in a new window#11: opens in a new windowNothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

“But wait,” you say. “This is a novella, with only a measly 128 pages!” you scoff. “How can this be a good bludgeoning weapon?” you laugh.

Just as there is a time and a place for every door-stopping saga, one must never underestimate the lethal capabilities of a well-crafted novella, and Cassandra Khaw’s latest is an exquisite weapon for the task. Lyrical, unflinching, dreadful, and vicious, Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a haunted-house novella perfectly-matched for those who are both courageous and deadly. A few well-placed bonks with this novella at high speed might just win your fight, and that book jacket alone may be enough to terrify most opponents into submission.

opens in a new window#12: opens in a new windowDawnshard by Brandon Sanderson

We’re not done with Sanderson yet! With Dawnshard’s upcoming release for the first time in hardcover, it felt right to finish this list where we began — with the Stormlight Archive. At a petite 4.25” x 6.7” (and a healthy… 304 pages), Dawnshard may be small but it packs a punch. Its size makes it the perfect handbag bludgeoning weapon, featuring finely-tapered print-over-board corners and some truly earth-shattering Cosmere reveals. And come on — wouldn’t you want the Lopen by your side in a fight?

Disclaimer: Tor does not actually encourage you to use your books as bludgeoning weapons. Please consider deploying your house slipper instead, as we cannot issue replacements should your copy become tragically stained by cockroach innards.

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Tor Books at New York Comic Con 2023!

Poster Placeholder of - 79

We’re thrilled to join you all at  opens in a new windowNew York Comic Con 2023! Check out all the awesome panels and booth events we’ve got slated for this epic weekend!

Please note that giveaways and drops do not indicate author attendance at New York Comic Con. For attending authors, please check out panels and signing events. 


Thursday — October 12

Booth 3335

Author Signing + ARC Giveaway: opens in a new windowSeth Dickinson

12:00 – 1:00 PM
opens in a new windowExordia

Author Signing: opens in a new windowJulia Vee & Ken Bebelle

1:00 – 2:00 PM
opens in a new windowEbony Gate

Author Signing: opens in a new windowHolly Black

2:00 – 3:00 PM
opens in a new windowBook of Night

Author Signing: opens in a new windowChristopher Golden**

3:00 – 4:00 PM
opens in a new windowAll Hallows & opens in a new windowRoad of Bones

Author Signing: opens in a new windowNat Cassidy

4:00 – 5:00 PM
opens in a new windowMary: An Awakening of Terror

 


Friday — October 13

Panels & Events

opens in a new windowMysteries, Magic, & Mayhem

Room 1B-02
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Rules are meant to be broken, and genre-boundaries are meant to be smashed. Join some of your favorite authors, including: opens in a new windowJohn Scalzi ( opens in a new windowStarter Villain), opens in a new windowDaniel M Ford ( opens in a new windowThe Warden), opens in a new windowR.R. Virdi ( opens in a new windowThe First Binding), opens in a new windowVeronica Roth ( opens in a new windowArch-Conspirator), and opens in a new windowKristen Simmons ( opens in a new windowFind Him Where You Left Him Dead), with moderation by opens in a new windowSeth Dickinson ( opens in a new windowExordia) for a panel all about transcending science fiction, fantasy, and horror into a delightful mashup of all of our favorite tropes into their magnificent stories.

opens in a new windowThe Horror, The Horror

Room 1B-02
12:15 – 1:15 PM

Ever find a gripping story that you can’t put down, but that you have to read with the lights on? If so, you’ve found one of genre-fiction’s great joys: the horror novel. Join these acclaimed writers as they discuss their novels and why reading with the lights on is a good idea. This panel features James Kennedy, Mariam Metoui, opens in a new windowRichard Kadrey ( opens in a new windowThe Dead Take the A Train), and Eric Larocca.

Author Autographs

Celebrity Signing Tables #1-4
12:15 – 1:15 PM
opens in a new windowJohn Scalzi, opens in a new windowDaniel M. Ford, opens in a new windowR.R. Virdi, opens in a new windowVeronica Roth, opens in a new windowKristen Simmons opens in a new windowSeth Dickinson

Author Autographs

Celebrity Signing Tables #1-4
1:30 – 2:30 PM
opens in a new windowRichard Kadrey

opens in a new windowSpotlight on V. E. Schwab

Room 406.2
4:30 – 5:30 PM

Join critically acclaimed and bestselling author opens in a new windowV. E. Schwab ( opens in a new windowThe Fragile Threads of Power, opens in a new windowThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue) for an intimate conversation about the creative process and the life of a writer with moderation by Tamara Fuentes.

Author Autographs

Room 1A-01
5:45 – 7:15 PM
opens in a new windowV. E. Schwab

Booth 3335

Author Signing: opens in a new windowKristen Simmons

10:00 – 11:00 AM
opens in a new windowFind Him Where You Left Him Dead

Author Signing: opens in a new windowCassandra Khaw & opens in a new windowRichard Kadrey

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
opens in a new windowThe Dead Take the A Train

Author Signing: opens in a new windowV. E. Schwab – *100 tickets

1:00 – 2:00 PM
opens in a new windowThe Fragile Threads of Power

Author Signing: opens in a new windowVeronica Roth

2:30 – 3:30 PM
opens in a new windowArch-Conspirator

Author Signing: opens in a new windowDaniel M. Ford

5:00 – 6:00 PM
opens in a new windowThe Warden

 


Saturday — October 14

Panels & Events

opens in a new windowCompanion Showdown: Let’s Hear it for the Sidekicks of SFF

Room 1B-02
10:30 – 11:30 AM

Let’s face it: Frodo would never have destroyed the ring without Samwise Gamgee, and Batman ain’t nothing without Robin. So let’s hear it for the sidekicks of SFF, because it’s obvious our heroes are nothing without them. Join: opens in a new windowJohn Scalzi ( opens in a new windowStarter Villain), opens in a new windowV. E. Schwab ( opens in a new windowThe Fragile Threads of Power), opens in a new windowAlix E. Harrow ( opens in a new windowStarling House), and opens in a new windowCassandra Khaw ( opens in a new windowThe Dead Take the A Train) with moderation by opens in a new windowP. Djèlí Clark ( opens in a new windowAbeni’s Song & opens in a new windowThe Dead Cat Tail Assassins) as they discuss the unlikely companions that bring their stories to life, whether it’s a sentient Roomba, a talking cat, or just a seemingly inept but brave best friend.

Author Autographs

Celebrity Signing Tables #1-4
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
opens in a new windowJohn Scalzi, opens in a new windowV. E. Schwab, opens in a new windowAlix E. Harrow, opens in a new windowCassandra Khaw, opens in a new windowRichard Kadrey, opens in a new windowP. Djèlí Clark

opens in a new windowBuilding Bestselling Worlds

Room 408
12:45 – 1:45 PM

Join these two critically acclaimed and bestselling authors as they discuss their approach to building rich, diverse, and unique worlds. This panel will feature Cassandra Clare and opens in a new windowV. E. Schwab ( opens in a new windowThe Fragile Threads of Power) with moderation by A.Y. Chao.

Author Autographs

Celebrity Signing Tables #1-4
2:00 – 3:30 PM
opens in a new windowV. E. Schwab

opens in a new windowTor Spotlight: Chaotic Book Club

Room 1B-02
6:00 – 7:00 PM

Tor Publishing Group publishes some of the greatest sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and horror stories around. This panel will shine a spotlight on some of the exciting books that Tor, Tor Teen, Tordotcom Publishing, Nightfire, and our newest imprint, Bramble, have to offer. Join the book lovers from the Tor teams as they share a sneak peek at new and upcoming books that you will definitely have to add to your TBR list.

Booth 3335

Author Signing: opens in a new windowKevin J. Anderson

10:00 – 11:00 AM
opens in a new windowPrincess of Dune opens in a new windowDune: The Heir of Caladan

Author Signing: opens in a new windowP. Djèlí Clark

1:00 – 2:00 PM
opens in a new windowAbeni’s Song opens in a new windowThe Dead Cat Tail Assassins galleys

Author Signing: opens in a new windowAlix E. Harrow

2:00 – 3:00 PM
opens in a new windowStarling House & Other Titles

Author Signing: opens in a new windowChristopher Paolini

3:00 – 4:00 PM
opens in a new windowTo Sleep in a Sea of Stars opens in a new windowFractal Noise

Author Signing: opens in a new windowJohn Scalzi

4:00 – 5:00 PM
opens in a new windowStarter Villain & Other Titles

 


Sunday — October 15

Panels & Events

opens in a new windowReturn to Arrakis: Visiting the world of Dune with Tor Publishing Group and Abrams ComicArts

Room 1B-02
2:45 – 3:45 PM

Don’t miss the exciting in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at the gripping worldwide science-fiction sensation from long-time Dune author opens in a new windowKevin J. Anderson on the upcoming Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad’Dib: Deluxe Collector’s Edition and Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 3: The Prophet (Abrams ComicArts) and the continuation of this incredible saga with opens in a new windowPrincess of Dune (Tor), with Charlotte Greenbaum, Senior Editor, Abrams ComicArts and Robert Davis, Editor, Tor Publishing Group.

Booth 3335

Author Signing: opens in a new windowR.R. Virdi

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
opens in a new windowThe First Binding 

  • Free author signing with tickets to be given away at 10:00 AM each day in the booth. Other titles will be available for purchase in the booth.
  • Author at St. Martin’s Press

Panelists and giveaways subject to change

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