New Scifi and Fantasy Releases: Week of May 16

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There aren't too many new releases this week, though considering all the books on my shelves that are still waiting to be read, this is actually a bit of a relief.

If you are a fan of the Vampire Academy books than you will probably be excited about the release of the fifth novel in the series, Spirit Bound, which will be available this Tuesday. Worldshaker, by Richard Harlen, is a new addition to the YA stempunk genre and it looks like it could be a pretty good book, and one which I will probably want to try sometime soon. And if you like graphic novels, perhaps Sweet Tooth, by Jeff Lemire, will appeal to you, though I don't know much about graphic novels so I have no idea if this is actually any good.

Hope you have a great reading week!

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Title: Dirty Rotten Aliens: An Anthology of Science Fiction
by Mike Resnick
Genre: Science Fiction Anthology
Publisher: IBooks, Inc.
Release Date: May 16
Description: Science fiction writers have a long and honored history of borrowing and building upon each other's concepts. It's not commonly known, but they have an equally and only slightly less honored history of poking fun at each other. This light-hearted collection of science fiction parodies by some of the greats like Isaac Asimov, Paul Anderson, and Arthur C. Clarke, among many others, is a must-own for any fan of the genre.


Title: Sword of Fire
by William R. McGrath
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: IBooks, Inc.
Release Date: May 16
Description: A young prince is forced to choose between his own life, and that of his ancestor's as expertly, and some say hellishly, planned forces begin to usurp the throne that has been ruled by his blood for eons. His struggle to learn the truth behind recent deaths, and restore some order to a turbulent land, is aided and yet tossed by a mysterious cleric who tries to bring him comfort and assistance, while bringing a greater knowledge of his own savior to the world. The boy is torn between his own desires, the needs of his people, and the legacy his family has left for him.



Title: The Demon’s Covenant (The Demon’s Lexicon, Book 2)
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: May 18
Description: The Demon's Covenant is the sequel to The Demon's Lexicon. Mae was always in control, but suddenly everyone she trusted is lying--and in danger.




Title: Worldshaker
by Richard Harlen
Genre: YA steampunk
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Release Date: May 18
Description: Col is the grandson and nominated heir of the Supreme Commander. He’ll become the most powerful person on the juggernaut when he’s completed his schooling and training. But one night, a girl Filthy from the engine rooms down Below tries to hide in his bedroom. The Filthies are dirty and ragged, never spoken about in polite society—but this one is on the loose and running free. ‘Don’t let ‘em take me,’ she pleads. Every rational thought in Col’s head tells him to call the officers and hand her over. Yet there’s something about her …


Title: Sweet Tooth
by Jeff Lemire
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: May 18
Description: Following on the heels of THE NOBODY, his Vertigo graphic novel debut, writer/artist Jeff Lemire pens his very first ongoing series SWEET TOOTH. A cross between Bambi and Cormac McCarthy's The Road, SWEET TOOTH tells the story of Gus, a rare new breed of human/animal hybrid children, has been raised in isolation following an inexplicable pandemic that struck a decade earlier. Now, with the death of his father he's left to fend for himself . . . until he meets a hulking drifter named Jepperd who promises to help him. Jepperd and Gus set out on a post-apocalyptic journey into the devastated American landscape to find 'The Preserve' a refuge for hybrids.
This unique and haunting new series is written and illustrated by Eisner-nominated creator Lemire (The Essex County Trilogy) and colored by fellow Eisner nominee Jose Villarubia.


Title: Flight of Shadows
by Sigmund Brouwer
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group
Release Date: May 18
Description: Her genetic secret could change humanity forever.
Her DNA grants her the ultimate power.
But all she wants is to disappear.

Looming buildings rise into the sky of a near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing what she needs to hide is the deformity on her back.

The powerful want her for so much more. She’s forced to take flight again, relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she can’t trust. Her only hope is to reach friends already tracked by government. With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself to change human destiny.

In this lightning-fast chase through an all-too-plausible future, best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer is at his best. Flight of Shadows is a terrifying ride into the heart of compelling moral questions about science and society.


Title: Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, Bk 5)
by Richelle Mead
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: May 18
Description: Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong... After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere. She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.


Title: Wolfsangel
by M.D Lachlan
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Gollancz
Release Date: May 20
Description: The Viking King Authun leads his men on a raid against an Anglo-Saxon village. Men and women are killed indiscriminately but Authun demands that no child be touched. He is acting on prophecy. A prophecy that tells him that the Saxons have stolen a child from the Gods. If Authun, in turn, takes the child and raises him as an heir, the child will lead his people to glory. But Authun discovers not one child, but twin baby boys.

Ensuring that his faithful warriors, witness to what has happened, die during the raid Authun takes the children and their mother home, back to the witches who live on the troll wall. And he places his destiny in their hands.

And so begins a stunning multi-volume fantasy epic that will take a werewolf from his beginnings as the heir to a brutal viking king, down through the ages. It is a journey that will see him hunt for his lost love through centuries and lives, and see the endless battle between the wolf, Odin and Loki - the eternal trickster - spill over into countless bloody conflicts from our history, and over into our lives. This is the myth of the werewolf as it has never been told before and marks the beginning of an extraordinary new fantasy series from Gollancz.