“Scourge of the Betrayer could be a highlight 2012 release for me.”

May 8th 2012 at 1:20 pm

“Night Shade Books, under the editorial direction of Jeremy Lassen, has been publishing some of the boldest and freshest new voices in science fiction and fantasy. Writers like Kameron Hurley, Rob Ziegler, Bradley Beaulieu and now Jeff Salyards. Salyards debut novel, Scourge of the Betrayer is the first installment in the Bloodsounder’s Arc trilogy and is firmly entrenched as a military fantasy. It is a novel of stark honesty, bare wounds, and harsh, uncompromising characters.

The protagonist and narrator of the story is Arki (short for Arkamondos) the scribe (embedded journalist) responsible recounting Syldoon military campaign led by Captain Braylor Killcoin. Arki is a bit hesitant about joining a military campaign, though he does wish to see more of the world. As the story progresses, the reader learns more about the Syldoons, Braylor and the realities of how much orders are followed when a military troop is a far distance from those superiors – in this case the Emperor – who issued the orders.

The plot is fairly linear as Braylor and his men journey across the land sowing discord and getting in and out of trouble with other lawmakers of the land. Salyards doesn’t offer up very much information about the world in which the novel takes place, but I found this to be very effective. With Arki providing the first person narration of the novel, why would he transcribe in great detail the history and culture of a world which the audience of his war notes would already know? Some may consider this a cheat for a new fantasy writer, but from my perspective, this allows the weight of Arki’s words, experience, and most importantly, his interactions with Captain Killcoin to possess the necessary weight of the narrative.

I found the strength of the novel to be the characters, how well they were drawn and how much I was able to sympathize, empathize, and ultimately believe in them as real people. Arki was annoying at times, Braylor was often less than personable; essentially both were flawed, imperfect human characters. The closest thing Arki had to a friend in Braylor’s crew was the enigmatic Lloi, who does draw some comparisons to or at least resonates with Joe Abercrombie’s Monza from Best Served Cold. One thing both Arki and Braylor share is an overriding sense of persistence. Braylor continues on with his orders despite the hardships and challenges that get in his way and Arki continues to inquire and basically ask “why” when he knows Braylor would end him without hesitation, after all, Arki is the fourth scribe Braylor has had to take into his unit.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Bloodsounder, the flail Braylor uses which doubles as the title of the series. Bloodsounder is a powerful enchanted weapon that doesn’t quite give its bearer the benefits one might typically associate with a magical weapon. Sure it might warn of him of pending violence, but the toll it takes on Braylor’s soul and body after it is used is very exacting. Another layer setting this world outside of our own is the hint of a possibly magical barrier known as the godveil which does not do pleasant things to those who cross its threshold. It is viewed with fear and reverence and I can only draw a parallel to a war-torn regions where nuclear devices have detonated.” Read more at SFF World.

“A worthy addition to any sci-fi and fantasy reader’s bookshelf.”

May 7th 2012 at 12:57 pm

“Editing a “best of” short-story anthology is challenging enough, but according to Jonathan Strahan’s introduction to Night Shade Books’ THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY OF THE YEAR, VOLUME SIX, the past year was particularly daunting.

On one hand, there’s the ever-shrinking roster of magazines devoted to publishing short fiction, along with the depressing closure of both independent and franchise book sellers across the country. On the other hand, there’s the proliferation of original anthologies, published both on paper and online, to keep track of.

Fortunately the short-story format, especially in science fiction and fantasy, refuses to die, and determined individuals like Strahan continue to bring the finer published efforts to our attention.” Read more at Bookgasm.

“Brutal, uncompromising, brilliant, enthralling: That’s God’s War in a nutshell.”

May 7th 2012 at 12:43 pm

“My curiosity was piqued when I learned that Kameron Hurley’s God’s War was a nominee for the 2012 Nebula Award for best novel. But since it had been blurbed by Jeff VanderMeer and his taste in books and mine don’t often agree, I was a bit reticent to give it a shot. And yet, Night Shade Books has been publishing some killer material for a while now, so I caved in and decided to give it a go.

And hot damn am I happy I did! Indeed, Kameron Hurley’s God’s War is everything I want a book to be and then some! Had I read it in 2011, it would have tied for my favorite read of the year alongside Steven Erikson’s The Crippled God. Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. Hurley’s debut is better than C. S. Friedman’s Legacy of Kings, George R. R. Martin’s A Dance With Dragons, R. Scott Bakker’s The White-Luck Warrior, and James S. A. Corey’s Leviathan Wakes!” Read the review at Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist!

The Next Coming of H.P. Lovecraft: Laird Barron’s Debut Novel is a Masterpiece of “Unholy Art”

May 4th 2012 at 10:44 am

“Let’s face it – many of us love seeking out and reading novels that scare us senseless. It’s an addictive literary rush – one that, if I’m being totally honest with myself, I have only truly experienced a few times in my life. Only a handful of novels or anthologies have actually frightened me, compelled me to sleep with a knife under my mattress, relentlessly haunted my subconscious for weeks or months or years after reading: At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft, Night Shift by Stephen King, The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty, Swan Song by Robert McCammon, and Occultation and Other Stories by Laird Barron.

When I read Barron’s second short story collection Occultation and Other Stories back in 2010 (after 2007′s The Imago Sequence and Other Stories), I was blown away by the intensity, dark depth, and unadulterated existential dread of the narrative. I called him “horror’s new messiah” and essentially crowned him the next coming of Lovecraft. I even predicted that when his debut novel The Croning was eventually released, “everyone will be talking about this guy and heralding him as horror’s next superstar.”

Well – after waiting two long years – The Croning is finally on bookshelves and this novel not only met but exceeded my high expectations. It is nothing short of a masterwork, comparable in so many ways to Lovecraft’s 1931 classic At the Mountains of Madness. Powered by a luminously dark writing style, a phantasmagoria of nightmarish imagery, and a bladder-loosening mythos, this is exactly the kind of novel Lovecraft would’ve written had he been alive in the 21st century.

In The Croning, Barron blends together elements from folkloric fantasy, mystery, and cosmic horror to create a story that is simultaneously epic and intimate. It’s a grand-scale nightmare that evolves as the story progresses. Largely centered around absent-minded geologist Donald Miller and his secretive anthropologist wife Michelle, certain unexplainable events in Miller’s past come into question as he discovers incredible information about his spouse, her frequent research trips to remote areas of the globe, and her mysterious family heritage. But the mind-blowing truth, once uncovered, threatens to drive him to the brink of total and utter insanity…” Read Paul Goat Allen’s awesome review of the Croning at B&N.com.

Solid, Gritty Fantasy: Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards

May 4th 2012 at 9:59 am

“Arkamondos has been making a decent living as a scribe. He writes letters, keeps ledgers for merchants, and generally takes any scribing work that pays the bills, even though most of it is utterly boring. When he has the option to become the embedded record keeper for a band of Syldoon soldiers, it seems like an opportunity to do something meaningful and exciting, something that will leave a mark on this world, but once he takes the job, he quickly learns that, along with that excitement, he will also experience a great deal of misery and danger….

Jeff Salyards’ debut novel Scourge of the Betrayer jumped out at me for two reasons. First of all, I’ve learned to pay careful attention to the many debuts Night Shade Books has been releasing over the last few years, because it’s abundantly clear that someone there has an amazing nose for promising new authors. Secondly, I love the idea of a record keeper or historian as the main narrator of a story. It’s obviously nothing new — see also: Croaker in Glen Cook’s Black Company novels or Duiker in Steven Erikson’s Malazan novels — but then again, it’s merely a starting point that allows lots of variation, and as a starting point it’s a promising one that hasn’t been completely over-used yet.” Read more at Tor.com.

Announcing our Winter Schedule!

May 3rd 2012 at 3:25 pm

Here’s our Winter Schedule, for a very short time we’re making most of these books available as part of our 50% off sale. Don’t miss out on a bargain!

December 2012
Agatha H. and the Clockwork Princess – Phil and Kaja Foglio. Trade Paperback Edition
The Siren Depths, Volume 3 of The Books of Raksura – Martha Wells. Trade Paperback.
Ghost Pirates and Others: The Best of William Hope Hodgson – William Hope Hodgson. Trade Paperback.
January 2013
Blind God’s Bluff – Richard Lee Byers. Trade Paperback.
Scourge of the Betrayer – Jeff Salyards. Trade Paperback Edition.
Earth Thirst – Mark Teppo. Trade Paperback.
February 2013
The Departure – Neal Asher. Trade Paperback.
The Croning – Laird Barron. Trade Paperback Edition.
Exile – Betsy Dornbusch. Hardcover.

Guest Post & Giveaway: Alexander Outland Blog Tour by G.J. Koch

May 3rd 2012 at 2:24 pm

“Please welcome G.J. Koch to the blog. I was asked to participate in this Alexander Outland: Space Pirate Blog Tour a few months ago and had no idea who the author was. It pretty much stayed that way until a few weeks back when I came to the realization the she was the author of the Kitty Katt Alien novels, Gini Koch. Yeah, no need to say it, I was hit with the dumb stick. I’ve been very curious about that series for some time now, and after reading this guest post, she made a believer out of me. So, I’ve finally ordered the first book of the series which I hope arrives soon.

In any case, was later asked for ideas for a topic for this post. I’ll tell you right off the bat that I hate coming up with these sort of ideas, and one I provided was something along the lines of “the fine line between fun, funny, and just being silly”. Well, Koch seems to think it was the “Guest Post Topic From Hell”. About a month ago I was told I did the interview from Hell, so I guess we’re on the right track. Plus, it was about time someone called me by my proper title, “Sir Bastard”.

Hope you guys have fun with this one, I certainly did. And don’t forget the giveaway at the end of the post. Have fun (or something)!

Make Me Laugh, Clown
G.J. Koch

Proving that the name of this blog is accurate, I was asked to discuss the fine line between fun, funny, and just being silly. (Dear Sir Bastard, I hate you. Love, Moi.)

I write the Alexander Outland: Space Pirate series, coming from Night Shade Books June 5th of this fine year. I also, as Gini Koch, write the Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series for DAW Books/Penguin. Both series have things in common — they’re written by moi, released by great publishers, they’re science fiction with a lot of action and romance, and they’re funny.

So, now you’re thinking what your Lord and Master, Sir Bastard was thinking (if Sir Bastard thinks, which, so far, I’m not convinced he does): she’s a funny girl, so naturally, give her the topic that delves into the crux of the issue with humor — what’s funny and what isn’t. Brilliant! She’ll love it!

Wrong. She hates it.” Read on.

Sense of Wonder Interviews Marty Halpern!

May 3rd 2012 at 1:31 pm

“Marty Halpern is a two-time finalist for the World Fantasy Award-Professional for his work with Golden Gryphon Press, where he edited 23 ½ hardcovers, 4 limited edition chapbooks, and 4 reprint trade paperbacks in eight years. The “½” hardcover is original anthology The Silver Gryphon, which he co-edited with publisher Gary Turner. Marty Halpern has also co-edited (with Claude Lalumière) an anthology of sardonic fiction entitled Witpunk, and with co-editor Nick Gevers, he has edited the original theme anthology Is Anybody Out There? which deals with the Fermi Paradox. His solo anthology, Alien Contact, was published by Night Shade Books in November 2011 and it is one of the best anthologies I’ve read recently. Thus, I’m very happy that he agreed to answer a few questions about Alien Contact and his work in general.

Odo: You have edited Alien Contact and also, together with Nick Gevers, Is Anybody Out There?, an anthology of science fiction stories related to the Fermi Paradox. Why do you think the topic of alien races is so fascinating for science fiction readers and writers?” Find out more here.

Exclusive Excerpt from Jane Carver of Waar!

May 2nd 2012 at 5:59 pm

Check out an exclusive excerpt from Nathan Long’s novel Jane Carver of Waar over at io9, “John Carter was a blast — but you might be waiting a long, long time for the next movie in the series, sadly. But you can help fill the gaping hole in your life by reading a new Burroughs-inspired novel, Jane Carver of Waar by Nathan Long. We’ve got an exclusive excerpt, in which Jane Carver tangles with a big purple guy who has too many damn limbs.” Read the excerpt here.

Congratulations to the Locus Award Finalists!

May 1st 2012 at 3:25 pm

Locus have announced the finalists for the 2012 Locus Awards. Night Shade are thrilled to announce that both Kameron Hurley and Will McIntosh have been nominated in the First Novel category for God’s War and Soft Apocalypse respectively. Ellen Datlow and Jonathan Strahan are both finalists in the Editor category, and Eclipse Four, edited by Jonathan Strahan, has been nominated in the Anthology section! Congratulations to all the authors, editors and publishers on their nominations! Head over to Locus to read the full announcement.