Release Week: 11 April 2023
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Release Week: 11 April 2023
Posted on 2023-04-11 at 12:00 by Samuel Montgomery-Blinn
FEATURED PICK:
- Veniss Underground: A Novel By: Jeff VanderMeer (2003), read by Ron Butler, Scott Brick, Emily Woo Zeller, and Bronson Pinchot for Blackstone -- "Set in the mysterious and magical city of Veniss, a surreal metropolis that sits over an underground labyrinth of tunnels and mines. In this tale, epic and mythological in scope, VanderMeer takes the listener below the surface of the earth to the dark and decadent future. It’s a world where Living Artists craft works out of biological material, and humans are either tossed out or recycled into something wholly unrecognizable. Told from three distinct viewpoints―Nicholas, a not-quite-talented-enough Artist; his twin sister, Nicola; and Nicola’s former lover, Shadrach."
FICTION WATCH:
The Trackers: A Novel By: Charles Frazier, read by Will Patton for Harper -- "Hurtling past the downtrodden communities of Depression-era America, painter Val Welch travels westward to the rural town of Dawes, Wyoming. Through a stroke of luck, he’s landed a New Deal assignment to create a mural representing the region for their new Post Office. A wealthy art lover named John Long and his wife Eve have agreed to host Val at their sprawling ranch. Rumors and intrigue surround the couple: Eve left behind an itinerant life riding the rails and singing in a western swing band. Long holds shady political aspirations, but was once a WWI sniper—and his right hand is a mysterious elder cowboy, a vestige of the violent old west. Val quickly finds himself entranced by their lives. One day, Eve flees home with a valuable painting in tow, and Long recruits Val to hit the road with a mission of tracking her down."
The Weight By: Jeff Boyd, read by JD Jackson for Simon and Schuster -- "A powerful coming-of-age novel about a twenty-something Black musician living in predominantly white Portland, Oregon, playing in a rock band on the verge of success while struggling with racism, romance, and the legacy of his strict religious upbringing."
The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda, read by Alex Allwine for Simon and Schuster -- "A decade ago, two vans filled with high school seniors on a school service trip crashed into a Tennessee ravine—a tragedy that claimed the lives of multiple classmates and teachers. The nine students who managed to escape the river that night were irrevocably changed. A year later, after one of the survivors dies by suicide on the anniversary of the crash, the rest of them make a pact: to come together each year to commemorate that terrible night."
Life and Other Love Songs By: Anissa Gray, read by Dominic Hoffman, Karen Murray, and Nicole Lewis for Penguin -- "It’s a warm, bright October afternoon, and Ozro Armstead walks out into the brilliant sunshine on his thirty-seventh birthday. At home, his wife Deborah and daughter Trinity prepare a surprise celebration; down the street, his brother waves as Oz heads back to his office after having lunch together. But he won’t make it to the party or even to his briefcase back at his desk. He's about to disappear."
HISTORICAL FICTION:
- Odin's Betrayal By: Donovan Cook, read by Sean Barrett for Boldwood Books -- "After a failed Viking raid on the Frankish coast over 20 years ago, Jarl Sven the Boar is forced to leave his only son, Torkel, as a hostage and warned never to raid Francia again or his son will die. In Hügelburg, a small town in East Francia, Torkel and his 9-year-old son Charles are ambushed at home. Before dying, Torkel thrusts a package into young Charles’s hands and tells him to flee Francia for Denmark in search of his grandfather Sven the Boar’s protection."
SCI-FI and FANTASY:
Some Desperate Glory By: Emily Tesh, read by Sena Bryer for Macmillan -- "Since she was born, Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the murder of planet Earth. Raised in the bowels of Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she readies herself to face the Wisdom, the powerful, reality-shaping weapon that gave the majoda their victory over humanity. They are what’s left. They are what must survive. Kyr is one of the best warriors of her generation, the sword of a dead planet. When Command assigns her brother to certain death and relegates her to Nursery to bear sons until she dies trying, she knows she must take humanity's revenge into her own hands."
In Ascension By: Martin MacInnes, read by Freya Miller for W.F. Howes -- "Leigh grew up in Rotterdam, drawn to the waterfront as a refuge from her unhappy home life and volatile father. Enchanted by the marine world of her childhood, she excels in postgraduate research on ancient algae. When an unfathomable vent appears in the mid-Atlantic floor, Leigh joins the investigating team; what she finds there will change her life forever. Around the same time, a trio of engineers, unknown to each other, make a seismic breakthrough in rocket propulsion, announcing an almost limitless era of space exploration. Billions of dollars is poured into projects, and Leigh's classified research on the ocean vent sees her recruited to develop an experimental food source for off-world travel."
The Keeper's Six By: Kate Elliott, read by Sharon Freedman for Podium -- "It’s been a year since Esther set foot in the Beyond, the alien landscape stretching between worlds, crossing boundaries of space and time. She and her magical traveling party—her Hex—haven’t spoken since the Concilium banned them from the Beyond for a decade. But when she wakes in the middle of the night to her grown son’s cry for help, the members of her Hex are the only ones she can trust to help her bring him back from wherever he has been taken. Esther will have to risk everything to find him. Undercover and hidden from the Concilium, she and her Hex will be tested by false dragon lords, a darkness so dense it can suffocate, and the bones of an old crime come back to haunt her. There are terrors that dwell in the space between worlds."
Brute Force By: Scott Meyer, read by Luke Daniels -- "A peaceful organization of civilized planets is faced with a threat to their very existence. Desperate to save themselves, they turn for help to the most brutal, backward, violent species in the known galaxy: humans."
The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson, read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading for Dragonsteel -- "A man awakens 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?" NOTE: Not available on Audible as Sanderson tries to push them into making changes.
YOUNG LISTENER WATCH:
- Creatures of the In Between by Cindy Lin, read by David Lee Huynh for Harper Children's -- "Princess Mononoke meets How to Train Your Dragon in this magical middle grade adventure from Cindy Lin, author of The Twelve, featuring a blend of East and Southeast Asian folklore and mythical creatures, and starring a boy with a hero's destiny."
NON-FICTION WATCH:
- You Could Make This Place Beautiful: a Memoir by Maggie Smith, read by the author for Simon and Schuster -- "Smith explores the disintegration of her marriage and her renewed commitment to herself in lyrical vignettes that shine, hard and clear as jewels."
SERIES WATCH:
Heir of Uncertain Magic: Whimbrel House, Book 2 By: Charlie N. Holmberg, read by Amanda Leigh Cobb and Graham Halstead for Brilliance -- "Thanks to house tamer Hulda Larkin, the mischief infesting Whimbrel House has calmed. But if Hulda’s job is done, what does that mean for Merritt Fernsby, inheritor of the remote Narragansett Bay estate, who’s only now coming to terms with his enchanted place in the world?"
Promises Stronger than Darkness: Unstoppable, Book 3 By: Charlie Jane Anders, read by Imani Jade Powers, Marcella Lentz-Pope, and Sena Bryer for Macmillan -- "When Elza became a space princess, she thought she'd be spending her time at the palace, wearing gorgeous couture and soaking up everything there is to know—but instead, she's on the run, with everyone hunting for her and her friends."
Black Girls Must Have It All: Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, Book 3 By: Jayne Allen, read by Marcella Cox for Harper -- "Tabitha is juggling work, relationships, and a newborn baby—but will she find the happy ending she’s always wanted?"
NEW EDITION WATCH:
Dust: The Silo Saga, Book 3 by Hugh Howey (2013), read by Edoardo Ballerini for Blackstone -- "Wool introduced the world of the silo. Shift told the story of its creation. Dust will describe its downfall."
The Mysterious Island By: Jules Verne (1875), read by Bill Homewood for Naxos -- "A group of men escape imprisonment during the American Civil War by stealing a balloon. Blown across the world, they are air-wrecked on a remote desert island. In a manner reminiscent of Robinson Crusoe, the men apply their scientific knowledge and technical skill to exploit the island s bountiful resources, eventually constructing a sophisticated society in miniature." About the narrator: "Bill Homewood is known for his innumerable television performances and leading credits in the West End and for the Royal Shakespeare Company."
WTF WATCH:
- Reincarnated into a Time-Loop Dungeon as a LVL100 Catgirl Chef! By: Sadie McKenzie, read by Reba Buhr for Podium -- "Dear Diary: I was reincarnated as a catgirl NPC in a dungeon. There are loops. There are marble races. There are other catgirls. What else is there? (Ice cream.) Press play and see!!!"
MOST MISSING:
Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee (Tor.com) -- "Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family. Ester’s path leads her to the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance."
Descendant Machine by Gareth L. Powell (Titan Books) -- "When Nicola Mafalda’s scout ship comes under attack, she’s left deeply traumatised by the drastic action it takes to keep her alive. Months later, when an old flame comes to her for help, she realises she has to find a way to forgive both the ship and her former lover. Reckless elements are attempting to reactivate a giant machine that has lain dormant for thousands of years. To stop them, Nicola and her crew will have to put aside their differences, sneak aboard a vast alien megaship, and try to stay alive long enough to prevent galactic devastation."
Multiverses: An Anthology of Alternate Realities edited by Preston Grassmann (Titan) -- "What if every decision you’ve ever made created a new reality. A new life, a new world of possibilities for what you could become? What if the best of all possible worlds is just around the corner? Or the worst? This anthology brings together an international cast of luminaries to explore the infinite worlds of what could be. The smashed together chaos of multiple Londons piled on top of each other; a world where a tunnel turns Japan and the United States into close neighbours; catastrophic accidents on multidimensional spacecraft; shadowy organisations and the merciless assassins they control; the unstoppable force of your infinite grandmothers. Explore the infinite beauties and terrors of the multiverse with the finest minds writing in science fiction today, and see what could have been."
Thar She Blows: A Novel by Susan Emshwiller (Pinehead Press) -- "Caught in a redundant housewife existence, Ann never leaves her beige suburban home, her schlubby do-nothing son Brian is directionless after graduating high-school, and it looks like nothing will ever change. But when Brian is swallowed by a whale and Ann receives a garbled phone call from him, she is determined to find that monstrous beast and rescue her son."
Ybor City: The Crucible of the Latina South by Sarah McNamara (Duke University Press) -- "When we think about the origins of Cuban immigration to the United States, we often imagine the anti-Communist exiles who fled the regime of Fidel Castro and settled in South Florida during the 1950s and 1960s. But before Miami became Havana USA, a wave of leftist, working-class migrants from prerevolutionary Cuba crossed the Florida Straits and made Ybor City the center of the immigrant South and the global capital of the Cuban cigar industry."
All These Worlds: Reviews and Essays by Niall Harrison -- "Harrison's first collection of reviews and essays, [examining] work by authors as varied as Stephen Baxter, Liu Cixin, Bernadine Evaristo, and Kelly Link. This retrospective collection of in-depth reviews and essays looks at SF between 2005 and 2014, painting a portrait of an increasingly international and diverse community of writers grappling with technological, political, social and ecological issues that in most cases remain only too relevant today."
MORE FICTION:
I Could Live Here Forever: A Novel By: Hanna Halperin, read by Megan Trout for Penguin -- "When Leah Kempler meets Charlie Nelson in line at the grocery store, their attraction is immediate and intense. Charlie, with his big feelings and grand proclamations of love, captivates her completely. But there are peculiarities of his life—he’s older than her but lives with his parents; he meets up with a friend at odd hours of the night; he sleeps a lot and always seems to be coming down with something. He confesses that he’s a recovering heroin addict, but he promises Leah that he’s never going to use again."
Under the Cover of Mercy: A Novel By: Rebecca Connolly, read by Justine Eyre for Shadow Mountain -- "The Great War has come to Brussels, the Germans have occupied the city, and Edith Cavell, Head Nurse at Berkendael Medical Institute, faces an impossible situation. As matron of a designated Red Cross hospital, Edith has sworn an oath to help any who are wounded, under whatever flag they are found. But Governor von Lüttwitz, the ranking German officer, has additional orders for her. She and her nurses must also stand guard over the wounded Allied prisoners of war and prevent them from escaping."
Things I Wish I Told My Mother by Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo, with James Patterson, read by Ellen Archer for Hachette -- "A mother and daughter on vacation in Paris unpack a lifetime of secrets and hopes."
MORE SCI-FI and FANTASY:
Going Zero: A Novel By: Anthony McCarten, read by Marin Ireland for Harper -- "Ten Americans have been carefully selected to Beta test a ground-breaking piece of spyware. FUSION can track anyone on earth. But does it work? For one contestant, an unassuming Boston librarian named Kaitlyn Day, the stakes are far higher than money, and her reasons for entering the test more personal than anyone imagines. When the timer hits zero, there will only be one winner."
Wings Once Cursed & Bound By: Piper Drake, read by Cindy Kay for Dreamscape -- "Bennet Andrews represents a secret organization of supernatural beings dedicated to locating and acquiring mythical objects, tucking them safely away where they cannot harm the human race. When he meets Peeraphan Rahttana, it's too late—she has already stepped into The Red Shoes, trapped by their curse to dance to her death. But Bennet isn't the only supernatural looking for deadly artifacts. And when the shoes don't seem to harm Peeraphan, he realizes that he'll have to save her from the likes of creatures she never knew existed."
Cries of a Dying World by G. Michael Hopf, read by TJ Clark for Tantor -- "What would you do if you only had two weeks to live? That's the very question billions of people are grappling with after news an asteroid, named Colossus, will impact Earth and bring about an extinction level event. Many are in shock; some turn inward and towards God while others lash out in panic and violence. There is nowhere to go and nowhere to hide . . . except for a select few who have been chosen to go live in bunkers deep below the surface."
The Hitherto Secret Experiments of Marie Curie edited by Bryan Thomas Schmidt and Henry Herz, read by a full cast for Blackstone -- "At the cusp of between child- and adulthood, at the crossroads between science and superstition, a teen Marie Curie faces the factual and the fantastic in this fabulous collection of stories that inspire, delight, and ask the question: What if she had used her talents for diabolical purposes?"
BACKLIST WATCH:
Our Blue Orange By: A Merrydew (2013), read by Martin Reeve -- "When inventor Godfrey Davis arrived at the ministry that Monday morning he had his first experience of the new phenomenon. There was something wrong with the aging android fleet that served the colony. Since when did they ever have names? The president’s visit to his office later that morning gave credence to his earlier experience in the foyer, and somehow his long deceased father now seemed implicated."
Departures By: E.J. Wenstrom (2021), read by Jillian Yetter for Tantor -- "Tonight, seventeen-year-old Evalee is scheduled to die. She's planned her celebration for weeks, and other than leaving her sister Gracelyn behind, she's ready. The Directorate says this is how it should be, and she trusts them, as all its citizens do. So tonight she dresses up, she has a party, and she dances. Then she goes to sleep for the last time . . . except, the next morning, Evalee wakes up."
It Rides a Pale Horse By: Andy Marino (2022), read by Brian Telestai for Tantor -- "The Larkin siblings are known around the small town of Wofford Falls. Both are artists, but Peter Larkin, Lark to his friends, is the hometown hero. The one who went to the big city and got famous, then came back and settled down. He's the kind of guy who becomes fast friends with almost anyone. His sister Betsy on the other hand is more . . . eccentric. She keeps to herself. When Lark goes to deliver one of his latest pieces to a fabulously rich buyer, it seems like a regular transaction. Even being met at the gate of the sprawling, secluded estate by an intimidating security guard seems normal. Until the guard plays him a live feed: Betsy being abducted in real time. Lark is informed that she's safe for now, but her well-being is entirely in his hands. He's given a book. Do what the book says, and Betsy will go free. It seems simple enough. But as Lark begins to read he realizes: the book might be demonic. Its writer may be unhinged. His sister's captors are almost certainly not what they seem. And his town and those within it are . . . changing."
An Ocean of Others: Dance of the Sibling Suns, Book 1 By: Joshua Scott Edwards (2022), read by Danny Gavigan for Podium -- "Survival is never easy, but it’s never been harder for Grim, the last bounty hunter in Liwokin. He survived the Great Riot that killed Liwo by the thousands, endured the bloody chaos that ruled the city in its aftermath, and avoided the crushing fist of the Agency created to quell the unrest. The rule of law has returned, but following the rules doesn’t put food in your belly."
The Melody and the Master: The Darkwood Cycle, Book 1 By: Sarah M. Cradit (2022), read by Alexis Van Aiken for OrangeSky -- "Siofra has lived her entire life in isolation, terrified of her unrestrained dark magic. Then the unthinkable happens, and she and her brother are imprisoned for murder. Before the law can deliver their punishment, the siblings are rescued by a mysterious benefactor, whisked away to a glamorous manor in the far north, where everyone treats them like a prince and princess."
The Altruist and the Assassin: The Guardians Cycle, Book 1 By: Sarah M. Cradit (2022), read by Kimberly M. Wetherell for OrangeSky -- "Rhiain enjoys a charmed life as the daughter of one of the most powerful men in the realm. Spoiled and vain, she has never met a need or want she couldn’t attain. The dark spots in her memory have been tucked away, with all other unpleasant things. Then a terrible mistake brings her entire world crashing down around her. Her life shifts in an instant; her fate, uncertain. Her father’s punishment for her is forcing her to train for a life as one of his prized assassins."
The Space Pioneers: A Tom Corbett Space Cadet Adventure, Book 4 By: Carey Rockwell (1953), read by Charles Constant for Oasis -- "Tom Corbett, Roger Manning, and the big Venusian Astro have triumphed over the perils of interplanetary pirates, rogue reactors, and hostile environments. But when the Polaris is assigned to lead a “wagon train” of ships to colonize a distant world, the cadets find themselves in a dangerous situation that could finally signal the end of the “best unit” in the Academy."