New arrivals

Posted by: Redhead on: July 28, 2011

• In: Brent Weeks | Daniel Polansky | Jeff Vandermeer | Ken MacLeod | Mark Lawrence | pyr | science fiction
• 9 Comments

We came home from vacation laden with fudge, wine, cherries, a few books,  and wonderful memories. Vacations out of town: I highly recommend ’em. Even if you only go a few hours away.

Came home to find a few packages waiting for us on the kitchen table as well (thanks garden/house sitter!)

behold, books review-copy, purchased, and borrowed, and hopefully to be read soon:

from bottom to top, we’ve got:

The Thackery T Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities, Edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer – This is my top priority, once I finish the book I’m reading right now (more on that later). I really have no idea how to describe this book, but I’ll try. It’s a massive collection of stories, articles, photos and artwork of the strange things (and the stories behind them) that were found in Dr. Lambhead’s sprawling home after his death. The man was a hoarder/collector of anything and everything strange.  I believe the Vandermeer’s solicited entries for this, and accepted only the strangest.   Suffice to say, I’ve been excited about this one for a while, and when I tore open than shipping envelope I squee’d around the apartment for most of that evening.  I’ve only been able to spend about 10 minutes with the book so far, and just reading random opening paragraphs I can tell I’m gonna be squeeing the entire time I’m reading.

Lowtown, by Daniel Polansky – my 2nd priority.  I’ve been looking forward to this title for months.  Since I got a well written e-mail from a gent that started out something like “Hi, my name is Daniel Polansky, and I’ve written this book. . . . “.  Early reviews were positive, focusing on the anti-hero and darkness of the book. Well, ya’ll know I loves me an anti-hero, and I loves me some dark.  Not to mention this is a beautiful hardcover edition too.

The Restoration Game, by Ken MacLeod – An upcoming title from PYR,  it appears to be a cyberpunk / mythology / thriller type thing?  A first blush perhaps a Valente meets Doctorow and crazy shit happens?  we shall see.  It hits bookshelves in September.

Anathem, by Neal Stephenson – Everytime I’m at the library, I look at this book, take it off them shelf, realize how frackin’ heavy the hardcover is, and put it back.  While on vaca, I found a paperback copy for $8!  of course I bought it!  When will I get to it? I have no frackin’ idea, but its Stephenson, which means I can’t stay away for long.

The Clockwork Man by William Jablonsky – borrowed from a friend, looks like a nice easy, chilled out read. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need, especially after reading a Stephenson

The Way of Shadows, by Brent Weeks – borrowed from a friend,  the first in Weeks’ Night Angel Trilogy. Not only has this entire series been getting glowing reviews, but it’s a trilogy!  Means I can actually get through the whole series in less than a year!

And speaking of anti-heroes and new books, I’m currently about 100 pages into  The Prince of Thorns, by Mark Lawrence, which hits bookshelves next month.   100 pages in, and I’m ready to order my “Mark Lawrence fan-girl” t-shirt. The book is that good. The dialog is stunning,  the writing dripping with show me, the plot dark and delicious and violent and heartbreaking and  instantly addictive.  I’m sure I’ll be saying this all summer, so I’ll start now: if you are going to buy one epic fantasy this year, buy Lawrence’s The Prince of Thorns. I can not put this book down, and I don’t want to.  It’s a little bit GRRM, a little bit Scott Lynch (as in, NOT for the kiddies), a metric frack-load of awesome.

ok, more on that later.

I also just finished World House: Restoration, by Guy Adams. So hopefull I’ll get a review of that up soon, if I can tear myself away from the Lawrence.

Tags: fantasy, science fiction, ToBeReadPile