Third Wednesday of the month, that means it’s time to look at Goodreads’ top 5 of new releases in fantasy! The covers look quite alluring but I must admit that I didn’t look far beyond book number 4. That title! I mean, it sounds ludicrous and awesome at the same time, which the short description only confirmed. The description of book 1 also sounds promising: Mexico, vampires and gang wars. And book number 3 also intrigues me, it’s a collection of modern retellings of fairy tales by some of the best Science fiction and Fantasy authors out there. Let’s dive right in:
- Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Publication date: October 25th 2016
Welcome to Mexico City… An Oasis In A Sea Of Vampires… Domingo, a lonely garbage-collecting street kid, is busy eking out a living when a jaded vampire on the run swoops into his life. Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood drinkers, must feast on the young to survive and Domingo looks especially tasty. Smart, beautiful, and dangerous, Atl needs to escape to South America, far from the rival narco-vampire clan pursuing her. Little by little, Atl finds herself warming up to the scrappy young man and his effervescent charm. And then there’s Ana, a cop who suddenly finds herself following a trail of corpses and winds up smack in the middle of vampire gang rivalries. Vampires, humans, cops, and gangsters collide in the dark streets of Mexico City. Do Atl and Domingo even stand a chance of making it out alive? - Lost Gods: A Novel by Brom
Publication date: October 25th 2016
A young man descends into Purgatory to save his wife and unborn child in this gorgeous, illustrated tale of wonder and terror from the mind of master storyteller and acclaimed artist Brom. Fresh out of jail and eager to start a new life, Chet Moran and his pregnant wife, Trish, leave town to begin again. But an ancient evil is looming, and what seems like a safe haven may not be all it appears . . . To save the lives and souls of his wife and unborn child, he must journey into the bowels of purgatory in search of a sacred key promised to restore the natural order of life and death. With Lost Gods, Brom’s gritty and visceral prose takes us on a haunting, harrowing journey into the depths of the underworld. Thrust into a realm of madness and chaos, where ancient gods and demons battle over the dead, and where cabals of souls conspire to overthrow their masters, Chet plays a dangerous game, risking eternal damnation to save his family. - The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales ed. by Dominik Parisien and Navah Wolfe
An all-new anthology of cross-genre fairy tale retellings, featuring an all-star lineup of award-winning and critically acclaimed writers. A new generation of storytellers have taken up the mantle that the masters created and shaped their stories into something startling and electrifying. Packed with award-winning authors, this anthology explores an array of fairy tales in startling and innovative ways, in genres and settings both traditional and unusual, including science fiction, western, and post-apocalyptic as well as traditional fantasy and contemporary horror. From the woods to the stars, The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Talestakes readers on a journey at once unexpected and familiar, as a diverse group of writers explore some of our most beloved tales in new ways across genres and styles.
Contains stories by: Charlie Jane Anders, Aliette de Bodard, Amal El-Mohtar, Jeffrey Ford, Max Gladstone, Theodora Goss, Daryl Gregory, Kat Howard, Stephen Graham Jones, Margo Lanagan, Marjorie M. Liu, Seanan McGuire, Garth Nix, Naomi Novik, Sofia Samatar, Karin Tidbeck, Catherynne M. Valente, and Genevieve Valentine. - Dracula vs. Hitler by Patrick Sheane Duncan
Publication date: October 25th 2016
Ravaged by the Nazi Secret Service during World War II, Romanian resistance forces turn to one of their leaders, Professor Van Helsing for any way out. To fight these monstrous forces, Van Helsing raises a legendary monster from centuries of slumber… Prince Dracula himself. Once the ruler of Transylvania, prince Vlad Dracul, is, above all else, a patriot. He proves more than willing to once again drive out his country’s invaders. In Berlin, when Hitler hears about the many defeats his forces are suffering at the hands of an apparent true vampire, he is seduced by the possibility of becoming immortal. Thus two forces are set upon a collision course, the ultimate confrontation: Superpower against superpower. - A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson
Publication date: October 25th 2016
Long after the Towers left the world but before the dragons came to Daluça, the emperor brought his delegation of gods and diplomats to Olorum. As the royalty negotiates over trade routes and public services, the divinity seeks arcane assistance among the local gods. Aqib bgm Sadiqi, fourth-cousin to the royal family and son of the Master of Beasts, has more mortal and pressing concerns. His heart has been captured for the first time by a handsome Daluçan soldier named Lucrio. in defiance of Saintly Canon, gossiping servants, and the furious disapproval of his father and brother, Aqib finds himself swept up in a whirlwind romance. But neither Aqib nor Lucrio know whether their love can survive all the hardships the world has to throw at them.
Other new releases of November 2016 can be found by genre right here on Goodreads.
My verdict?
- Meh – doesn’t sound like something I’d enjoy reading
- Reminds me of Dante and ancient mythology – not right now, but does sound promising
- Just one word: yes!
- This looks to be so bad it’s good – yes!
- A little too complicated and far-fetched for me
So obviously, 3 and 4 have ended up on my to read lists. How about you? Do you agree with my verdict? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading as always,
Loes M.