Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.
The Urban Fantasy Anthology
Edited by Peter S. Beagle & Joe R. Lansdale
Cover by Elizabeth Story
Promo copy:
Urban fantasy, one of the fastest-growing categories of fiction, is finally fully defined and showcased in this comprehensive star-studded collection. Previously difficult for readers to discover in its new modes, urban fantasy is represented here in all three of its distinct styles, including the playful new mythologies of Charles de Lint, the sexy paranormal romances of Patricia Briggs, and the gritty urban-noir of Neil Gaiman. Whether they feature tattooed demon-hunters, angst-y vampires, supernatural gumshoes, or pixelated pixies, these authors mash-up traditional fare with pop culture, creating iconic characters, conflicted moralities, and complex settings. The result is starkly original fiction that has broad-based appeal and is immensely entertaining.
Table of Contents
Introduction by Peter S. Beagle
Mythic Fiction
Introduction: “A Personal Journey into Mythic Fiction” by Charles de Lint
Emma Bull, “A Bird That Whistles”
Charles de Lint, “Make a Joyful Noise”
Neil Gaiman, “The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories”
Jeffrey Ford, “On the Road to New Egypt”
Peter S. Beagle, “Julie’s Unicorn”
Paranormal Romance
Introduction: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Urban Fantasy” by Paula Guran
Charles de Lint, “Companions to the Moon”
Kelley Armstrong, “A Haunted House of Her Own”
Norman Partridge, “She’s My Witch”
Carrie Vaughn, “Kitty’s Zombie New Year”
Patricia Briggs, “Seeing Eye”
Bruce McAllister, “Hit”
Suzy McKee Charnas, “Boobs”
Francesca Lia Block, “Farewell, My Zombie”
Noir Fantasy
Introduction: “We Are Not a Club, but We Sometimes Share a Room” by Joe R. Lansdale
Thomas M. Disch, “The White Man”
Susan Palwick, “Gestella”
Holly Black, “The Coldest Girl in Coldtown”
Steven R. Boyett, “Talking Back to the Moon”
Joe R. Lansdale, “On the Far Side of the Cadillac Desert with Dead Folks”
Tim Powers, “The Bible Repairman”
Al Sarrantonio, “Father Dear”
WOW! An amazing collection of tales.
Hellbent (Cheshire Red Reports, Book 2)
by Cherie Priest
Promo copy:
BAD TO THE BONE
Vampire thief Raylene Pendle doesn’t need more complications in her life. Her Seattle home is already overrun by a band of misfits, including Ian Stott, a blind vampire, and Adrian deJesus, an ex-Navy SEAL/drag queen. But Raylene still can’t resist an old pal’s request: seek out and steal a bizarre set of artifacts. Also on the hunt is a brilliant but certifiably crazy sorceress determined to stomp anyone who gets in her way. But Raylene’s biggest problem is that the death of Ian’s vaunted patriarch appears to have made him the next target of some blood-sucking sociopaths. Now Raylene must snatch up the potent relics, solve a murder, and keep Ian safe—all while fending off a psychotic sorceress. But at least she won’t be alone. A girl could do a lot worse for a partner than an ass-kicking drag queen—right?
Star Wars: Heir to the Empire: The 20th Anniversary Edition
by Timothy Zahn
Promo copy:
Here is a special 20th anniversary edition of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel that reignited the entire Star Wars publishing phenomenon—featuring an Introduction and annotations from award-winning author Timothy Zahn, exclusive commentary from Lucasfilm and Del Rey Books, and a brand-new novella starring the ever-popular Grand Admiral Thrawn. The biggest event in the history of Star Wars books, Heir to the Empire follows the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia after they led the Rebel Alliance to victory in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.
Five years after the Death Star was destroyed and Darth Vader and the Emperor were defeated, the galaxy is struggling to heal the wounds of war, Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting twins, and Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of new Jedi Knights.
But thousands of light-years away, the last of the Emperor’s warlords—the brilliant and deadly Grand Admiral Thrawn—has taken command of the shattered Imperial fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to create.
The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale—in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars.
Circle of Enemies
by Harry Connolly
Cover by Christian McGrath
Promo copy:
Former car thief Ray Lilly is now the expendable grunt of a sorcerer responsible for destroying extradimensional predators summoned to our world by power-hungry magicians. Luckily, Ray has some magic of his own, and so far it’s kept him alive. But when a friend from his former gang calls him back to his old stomping grounds in Los Angeles, Ray may have to face a threat even he can’t handle. A mysterious spell is killing Ray’s former associates, and they blame him. Worse yet, the spell was cast by Wally King, the sorcerer who first dragged Ray into the brutal world of the Twenty Palace Society. Now Ray will have to choose between the ties of the past and the responsibilities of the present, as he and the Society face not only Wally King but a bizarre new predator.
Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular and the New Land
Edited by Harvey Pekar & Paul Buhle
Introduction by Neal Gabler
Cover by David Lasky
Promo copy:
Yiddish is everywhere. We hear words like nosh, schlep, and schmutz all the time, but how did these words come to pepper American English? In Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular and the New Land, Harvey Pekar and Paul Buhle trace the influence of Yiddish from medieval Europe to the tenements of New York’s Lower East Side. This comics anthology contains original stories by notable writers and artists such as Barry Deutsch, Peter Kuper, Spain Rodriguez, and Sharon Rudahl. Through illustrations, comics art, and a full-length play, four major themes are explored: culture, performance, assimilation, and the revival of the language. The last fully realized work by Harvey Pekar, this book is a thoughtful compilation that reveals the far-reaching influences of Yiddish.
What an unexpected pleasure. I was unaware of this fascinating book until it showed up at the Geek Compound. Can’t wait to dive into this beautiful tome.
Books received 8/19/11 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon