Release Week: 5 November 2024
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Release Week: 5 November 2024
Posted on 2024-11-05 at 12:00 by Samuel Montgomery-Blinn
Dungeon Crawler Carl
The new paperback/ebook is out, audiobook isn't out until next year cries THIS IS AN OUTRAGE
This one's been delayed a few times, but I'm glad to see it finally out:
- Worlds of Exile and Illusion: Three Complete Novels of the Hainish Series in One Volume—Rocannon's World; Planet of Exile; City of Illusions by Ursula K. Le Guin, read by Michael Crouch and Alyssa Bresnahan for Recorded Books -- "These three spacefaring adventures mark the beginning of grand master Ursula K. Le Guin’s remarkable career. Set in the same universe as Le Guin’s groundbreaking classics The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed, these first three books of the celebrated Hainish series follow travelers of many worlds and civilizations in the depths of space."
Now finally in unabridged audio:
- Star Wars: Lengends: The Force Unleashed: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Book 1 By: Sean Williams (2008), read by Marc Thompson for Random House -- "The overthrow of the Republic is complete. The Separatist forces have been smashed, the Jedi Council nearly decimated, and the rest of the Order all but destroyed. Now absolute power rests in the iron fist of Darth Sidious–the cunning Sith lord better known as the former Senator, now Emperor, Palpatine. But more remains to be done. Pockets of resistance in the galaxy must still be defeated and missing Jedi accounted for . . . and dealt with. These crucial tasks fall to the Emperor’s ruthless enforcer, Darth Vader. In turn, the Dark Lord has groomed a lethal apprentice entrusted with a top-secret mission: to comb the galaxy and dispatch the last of his masters’ enemies, thereby punctuating the dark side’s victory with the Jedi’s doom."
More fiction of interest to me:
The Naturalist Society: The Naturalist Society, Book 1 By: Carrie Vaughn, read by Caitlin Davies for Brilliance -- "In the summer of 1880, the death of Beth Stanley’s husband puts her life’s work in jeopardy. The magic of Arcane Taxonomy dictates that every natural thing in the world, from weather to animals, can be labeled, and doing so grants the practitioner some of that subject’s unique power. But only men are permitted to train in this philosophy. Losing her husband means that Beth loses the name they put on her work—and any influence she might have wielded. Brandon West and Anton Torrance are campaigning for their expedition to the South Pole, a mission that some believe could make a taxonomist all-powerful by tapping into the earth’s magnetic forces. Their late friend Harry Stanley’s knowledge and connections would have been instrumental, but when they attempt to take custody of his work, they find that it was never his at all. Tied together by this secret and its implications, Beth, Bran, and Anton must find a way for Beth to use her talent for the good of the world, before she’s discovered by those who would lay claim to her rare potential—and her very freedom."
Vortex By: Rodney Hall, read by Jack Twelvetree for Random House Australia -- "It is 1954, but not the same way the history books would have it. Events and characters swirl in a vortex of fragments and chance connections. Brisbane celebrates the young Queen Elizabeth II's arrival on her first royal tour of the commonwealth. Meanwhile the future is being shaped behind closed doors, laying the foundations for the 21st century."
Interstellar MegaChef: Flavour Hackers, Book 1 By: Lavanya Lakshminarayan, read by Soneela Nankani for Tantor -- I really, really liked Cat Valente's "Eurovision, but it's humanity singing to survive against various alien species" and this looks in a similar vein: "Looking for your one shot to rise to the "top of the pots" in the cutthroat world of interstellar cuisine? Look no further—you might have what it takes to be an Interstellar MegaChef!"
A Tribute of Fire: The Eye of the Goddess, Book 1 By: Sariah Wilson, read by Therese Plummer for Brilliance -- "The fate of a cursed nation depends on a princess who must outwit a mortal enemy and outlast the trials of a death-defying ritual in a thrilling adventure."
The Swarm: A Novel By: Andy Marino, read by Candace Fitzgerald for Redhook -- "From the bizarre and audacious imagination of horror author Andy Marino comes a harrowing tale of the insect that will herald the apocalypse."
The Teller of Small Fortunes By: Julie Leong, read by Phyllis Ho for Penguin -- "A wandering fortune teller finds an unexpected family in this warm and wonderful debut fantasy, perfect for fans of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna."
Under the Oak Tree: Volume 1 by Suji Kim, read by A. Jo for Random House -- "Most fairytales end with a wedding and a happily-ever-after—but this is no fairytale. The updated and official translation of Under the Oak Tree, the #1 webnovel on MANTA."
Shadow Lab edited by Brendan Deneen, read by Gary Tiedemann, Tim Lounibos, Soneela Nankani, Zura Johnson, January LaVoy, Natalie Naudus, and Kevin Kenerly for Blackstone -- "A brilliant roster of speculative fiction writers pulls listeners into a diverse and genre-bending collection of stories, each as irresistible as the last."
And some series entries of note:
Revenant-X: Red Space, Book 2 By: David Wellington, read by Laurel Laurel for Orbit -- "The terrifying second novel in a new trilogy of survival and exploration in deep space, from Arthur C. Clarke Award-nominated author David Wellington."
Before We Forget Kindness: Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Book 5 by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, read by Kevin Shen for Harlequin -- "The mysterious café where customers arrive hoping to travel back in time welcomes four new guests: The father who could not allow his daughter to get married; A woman who couldn't give Valentine's Day chocolates to her loved one; A boy who wants to show his smile to his divorced parents; A wife holding a child with no name."
And of course, my "most missing" in audio this week (other than, of course, the new Dungeon Crawler Carl which isn't out in audio until next year):
The Presidential Papers by John Kessel (PM Press, Outspoken Authors: Book 31) -- "Mixing satire, farce, and dystopia, the stories in John Kessel's The Presidential Papers deconstruct the character and politics of five imagined presidents, some of whom bear striking resemblance to individuals who have occupied the Oval Office over the last thirty years."
Pioneers of the Pathway: The Pathway Ring, Book 1 by Stuart Jaffe -- "In today’s world, travelling the stars via a Pathway Ring is commonplace. But have you ever wondered how it all came to be? Journey back to a time when mankind lived on only two planets, when we knew of no other advanced species, when a brave group of engineers, miners, and other hardworking folks took a leap into the unknown. Travel with them on an amazing adventure of survival and discovery, of betrayal and love, of everything that makes us human. Follow the Monclova family through generations as they fight to bring mankind into the future we all know. This is the story of one of the greatest achievements human beings have ever created."