Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

How to Make Friends with Demons by Graham Joyce

Promo copy:

William Heaney is a man well acquainted with demons. Not his broken family – his wife has left him for a celebrity chef, his snobbish teenaged son despises him, and his daughter’s new boyfriend resembles Nosferatu – nor his drinking problem, nor his unfulfilling government job, but real demons! For demons are real, and William has identified one thousand five hundred and sixty-seven smoky figures, dwelling on the shadowy fringes of human life, influencing our decisions with their sweet and poisoned voices. After a series of seemingly unconnected personal encounters with a beautiful and captivating woman met in the company of an infuriating poet, a troubled and damaged veteran of Desert Storm with demons of his own, and an old school acquaintance with whom he shared a mystical occult ritual, William Heaney’s life is thrown into a direction he does not fully comprehend. Past and present collide. Long-dormant choices and forgotten deceptions surface. Secrets threaten to become exposed. To weather the changes, William Heaney must learn one thing: how to make friends with demons!

(Originally issued in the UK as Memoirs Of A Master Forger)

Child of Fire by Harry Connolly

Promo copy:

Ray Lilly is living on borrowed time. He’s the driver for Annalise Powliss, a high-ranking member of the Twenty Palace Society, a group of sorcerers devoted to hunting down and executing rogue magicians. But because Ray betrayed her once, Annalise is looking for an excuse to kill him–or let someone else do the job.

Unfortunately for both of them, Annalise’s next mission goes wrong, leaving her critically injured. With the little magic he controls, Ray must complete her assignment alone. Not only does he have to stop a sorcerer who’s sacrificing dozens of innocent lives in exchange for supernatural power, he must find–and destroy–the source of that inhuman magic.

House of Windows by John Langan

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When a young writer finds himself cornered by a beautiful widow in the waning hours of a late-night cocktail party, he seeks at first to escape, to return to his wife and infant son, but the tale she weaves, of her missing husband, a renowned English professor, and her lost stepson, a soldier killed on a battlefield on the other side of the world, of phantasmal visions, a family curse, and a house… the Belvedere House, a striking mansion whose features suggest a face, hidden just out of view, draws him in, capturing him.

What follows is a deeply psychological ghost story of memory and malediction, loss and remorse. This unnerving tour-de-force, exploring the literary haunted house, from Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, and H. P. Lovecraft to today, incorporates family trauma, abstract art, literary criticism, the occult Dickens, and the war in Afghanistan. From John Langan (Mr. Gaunt and Other Uneasy Encounters) comes House of Windows, a chilling novel in the tradition of Peter Straub, Joe Hill, and Laird Barron.

The Grave Thief (Book Three of the Twilight Reign) by Tom Lloyd

Promo copy:

For Isak, the time for heartless decisions and ruthless action has come if he is to save the land from its oppressors…

Scree has been wiped from the face of the Land in a brutal demonstration of intent. While those responsible scatter to work on the next step in their plan, the stakes are raised—all the way to the heavens—as the Gods themselves enter the fray. Returning home to a nation divided by fanaticism, Lord Isak is haunted both by the consequences of his actions in Scree and by visions of his own impending death. As the full extent of Azaer’s schemes become clearer, he realises prophecy and zealotry must play their part in his battle-plans if there is to be any chance of surviving the coming years. As a white-eye, Isak has had to embrace the darker parts of his own soul, but now the savage religious fervour sweeping his nation must also be accepted and turned to purpose, in the name of survival. With the battle lines vague and allegiances uncertain, the time for heartless decisions and ruthless action has come. Two figures oppose Isak and his allies: the greatest warrior in history, who dreams of empire and Godhood, and a newborn baby whose dreams have no limit.

This past weekend, I spent time with my youngest nephew Stanley.

Saturday, Stanley and I saw Monsters Vs. Aliens. We both found the movie cute, but nothing spectacular. Afterwards, we went to my mother’s house, where I stayed the night. Stanley was nearing the end of a week long visit with his grandmother.

A very good speller (he was second in his school’s spelling bee), Stanley wanted to play Scrabble. Scrabble is a family tradition. I first started playing my mother around ten (as she did with her folks). When I was thirteen, we started playing a game a week. My mom doesn’t believe in letting you win. She’ll teach you strategy, but doesn’t give in because you are child. It wasn’t until I was fifteen when I finally beat her. And I earned it.

His grandmother beat the ten year old Stanley the night before, and as expected, I won this game. But he made a good showing and his first play was “naive.” Pretty impressive!

Stanley like his big brother is definitely a geek but of a slightly different variety. While his brother loves wargames and computers, Stanley prefers action video games (which makes the whole Scrabble thing weird), but has no interest in the computers themselves or games that take a lot of planning. Stanley loves telling jokes and watching goofy movies.

After Scrabble, we watched Horton Hears A Who, which is far superior than the rest of the current crop of Dr. Seuss movies.

Sunday morning, Stanley and I played Pokemon Stadium on the NS64. It’s the only game console at my mother’s house and the only two player game. What a stupid game. Poor controls and interactivity. Why was this popular?

I then shared with him some Linux-based games from my laptop. He really enjoyed the intense, high speed action of the top scrolling shoot ’em up Chromium B.S.U. and several other games, but his favorite was Sling Shot, a deceptively simple two-player game where you attempt to blow up your enemy’s ship. The complications arise when dealing with planetary gravities. Since on every game, the planets are different sizes and in different places, each round is unique.

Sunday afternoon, my mom and I returned Stanley to his dad, and I went home. I look forward to spending more time with him and introducing him to even more geek stuff.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation by Tim Hamilton

Promo copy:

"Monday burn Millay, Wednesday Whitman, Friday Faulkner, burn ’em to ashes, then burn the ashes." For Guy Montag, a career fireman for whom kerosene is perfume, this is not just an official slogan. It is a mantra, a duty, a way of life in a tightly monitored world where thinking is dangerous and books are forbidden.

In 1953, Ray Bradbury envisioned one of the world’s most unforgettable dystopian futures, and in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, the artist Tim Hamilton translates this frightening modern masterpiece into a gorgeously imagined graphic novel. As could only occur with Bradbury’s full cooperation in this authorized adaptation, Hamilton has created a striking work of art that uniquely captures Montag’s awakening to the evil of government-controlled thought and the inestimable value of philosophy, theology, and literature.

Including an original foreword by Ray Bradbury and fully depicting the brilliance and force of his canonic and beloved masterwork, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is an exceptional, haunting work of graphic literature.

Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? Deluxe Edition Written by Alan Moore Art by Curt Swan et al

Promo copy:

An unforgettable hardcover collection of WATCHMEN writer Alan Moore’s definitive Superman tales that is sure to appeal of readers of his BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE graphic novel. Moore teams with Curt Swan, the definitive Superman artist from the 1950’s through the 1970’s, to tell the final adventure of the Man of Steel featuring his last stand against Lex Luthor, Brainiac and his other foes in "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW?". This volume also includes Moore’s classic early collaboration with WATCHMEN illustrator Dave Gibbons, "FOR THE MAN WHO HAS EVERYTHING", in which Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman find Superman held captive by the villain Mongul in the Fortress of Solitude and dreaming of an idyllic life on Krypton courtesy of a wish-fulfilling parasitic plant known as the Black Mercy. Both tales are considered two of the top five all-time best Superman stories among fans.

The rare first team-up adventure between the Man of Tomorrow and Swamp Thing, the character that first brought Moore to notoriety in the United States, is included as an additional bonus.

Flight Volume Six edited by Kazu Kibuishi

Promo copy:

Anthology of stories by

JP Ahonen
Graham Annable
Bannister
Phil Craven
Mike Dutton
Michel Gagné
Cory Godbey
Rodolphe Guenoden
Steve Hamaker
Kazu Kibuishi
Andrea Offermann
Richard Pose
Justin Ridge
Rad Sechrist
Kean Soo

Beautiful book!

Chuck Written by Peter Johnson and Zev Borow Art by Jeremy Haun and Phil Noto

Promo copy:

The 6-issue miniseries based on the hit NBC television series is collected in one exciting volume! Series co-executive producer Peter Johnson (SUPERNATURAL: RISING SON) and series writer Zev Borow take Chuck Bartowski and his friends on a globe-trotting, action-packed adventure too big for television! Will Chuck survive his first trips to Japan, South America, Eastern Europe and Singapore?

Solomon Kane: Castle of the Devil Written by Scott Allie Art by Mario Guevara

Promo copy:

Robert E. Howard’s vengeance-obsessed adventurer begins his supernatural adventures in the haunted Black Forest of Germany in this adaptation of Howard’s "The Castle of the Devil." When Solomon Kane stumbles upon the body of a boy hanged from a rickety gallows, he goes after the man responsible – a baron feared by the peasants from miles around. Something far worse than the devilish baron or the terrible, intelligent wolf that prowls the woods lies hidden in the ruined monastery beneath the baron’s castle, where a devil-worshiping priest died in chains centuries ago.

On June 26th, I tweeted:

Now all can be revealed.

On Thursday, July 9, I will be in Pittsburgh at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie-Mellon University to attend the much anticipated unveiling of the Bossa Nova Concepts robotic line.

Look out for more info in future Geek Curmudgeon blogs on the when and where of my article on this event.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Implied Spaces by Walter Jon Williams

Promo copy:

From Walter Jon Williams, the celebrated and influential author of Hardwired, Voice of the Whirlwind, and Angel Station comes Implied Spaces, a new novel of post-singularity action, pyrotechnics, and intrigue. Aristide, a semi-retired computer scientist turned swordsman, a scholar of the implied spaces, seeking meaning amid the accidents of architecture in a universe where reality itself has been sculpted and designed by superhuman machine intelligence. While exploring the pre-technological world Midgarth, one of four dozen pocket universes created within a series of vast, orbital matrioshka computer arrays, Aristide uncovers a fiendish plot threatening to set off a nightmare scenario, perhaps even bringing about the ultimate Existential Crisis: the end of civilization itself! Traveling the pocket universes with his wormhole-edged sword Tecmessa in hand and talking cat Bitsy, avatar of the planet-sized computer Endora, at his side, Aristide must find a way to save the multiverse from subversion, sabotage, and certain destruction.

Lightbreaker by Mark Teppo

Promo copy:

Markham has returned to Seattle, searching for Katarina, the girl who, a decade ago, touched his soul, literally tearing it from his body. But what he discovers upon arriving is dark magick – of a most ancient and destructive kind! An encounter with a desperate spirit, leaping destructively from host to host, sets Markham on the trail of secretive cabal of magicians seeking to punch a hole through heaven, extinguishing forever the divine spark. Armed with the Chorus, a phantasmal chain of human souls he wields as a weapon of will, Markham must engage in a magickal battle with earth-shattering stakes! Markum must delve deep into his past, calling on every aspect of his occult training for there to be any hope of a future. But delve he must, for Markham is a veneficus, a spirit thief, the Lightbreaker…

Passage at Arms by Glen Cook

Promo copy:

The ongoing war between Humanity and the Ulant is a battle of attrition that Humanity is losing. Humans do, however, have one technological advantage – trans-hyperdrive technology. Using this technology, specially designed and outfitted spaceships – humanity’s climber fleet – can, under very narrow and strenuous conditions, pass through space undetected. "Passage at Arms" tells the intimate, detailed, and harrowing story of a climber crew and its captain during a critical juncture of the war.

More in Part 1.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Moon Flights by Elizabeth Moon

Promo copy:

Over the past two decades, few authors have garnered the critical acclaim and fan following of Elizabeth Moon, Nebula Award-winning author of The Speed of Dark, The Deed of Paksenarrion, and Remnant Population. Moon Flights, the definitive Elizabeth Moon short story collection, represents the highlights of an impressive career. Gathering together fifteen tales of fantasy, alternative history, and science fiction, Moon Flights features an original story, "Say Cheese," set in the Vatta’s War cosmology, and an all-new introduction by Anne McCaffrey, legendary creator of the Dragonriders of Pern series.

After the Downfall by Harry Turtledove

Promo copy:

From Harry Turtledove, the master of alternate history, comes After the Downfall, a novel of magic, epic warfare, and desperate choices. 1945: Russian troops have entered Berlin, and are engaged in a violent orgy of robbery, rape, and revenge. Wehrmacht officer Hasso Pemsel, a career soldier on the losing end of the greatest war in history, flees from a sniper’s bullet, finding himself hurled into a mysterious, fantastic world of wizards, dragons, and unicorns. There he allies himself with the blond-haired, blue-eyed Lenelli, and Velona, their goddess in human form, offering them his knowledge of warfare and weaponry in their genocidal struggle against a race of diminutive, swarthy barbarians known as Grenye. But soon, the savagery of the Lenelli begins to eat at Hasso Pemsel’s soul, causing him to question everything he has long believed about race and Reich, right and wrong, Ubermenschen and Untermenschen. Hasso Pemsel will learn the difference between following orders… and following his conscience.

The Princes Of The Golden Cage

The King’s Daughters

by Nathalie Mallet

Promo copy:

The first two installments in the Prince Amir series.

The Princes Of The Golden Cage

Prince Amir lives in a lavish and beautiful cage. He lives in a palace with hundreds of his brothers, all barred by law from ever leaving the palace until he, or one of his brothers, becomes the next Sultan. Living under constant threat of death at the hands of his scheming brothers, Amir has chosen a life of solitude and study. His scholarly and alchemical pursuits bring him under suspicion when his brothers begin to die from seemingly supernatural means. Amir finds himself thrown together with his brother Erik, the son of a barbarian princess. Together they must discover the dark secret that is stalking the halls of their golden cage.

The King’s Daughters

Far to the north of the hot desert land of Telfar lies the frozen kingdom of Sorvinka. Prince Amir has traveled there, leaving his sultanate in the hands of his half-brother Erik as he seeks to ask the king, the father of the beautiful Princess Eva, for her hand in marriage. But Sorvinka has grown dangerous during Princess Eva’s absence, as she and Amir discover to their terror, when their force of guards and eunuchs is cut down by ruthless brigands. And upon their arrival, their welcome to Eva’s family stronghold is as bitterly cold as the land itself. Accustomed to the golden cage of his upbringing, Prince Amir must navigate his way through the strange and cold-blooded customs of the Sorvinkans, and somehow find the truth behind the kidnapping of the king’s youngest daughter, the Princess Aurora, by the Sorvinkan’s traditional enemies, the neighboring Farrellians. But what can a stranger in a foreign land do?

More in Part 2.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Darkest Hour (Age of Misrule Book Two)

Always Forever (Age of Misrule Book Three)

by Mark Chadbourn

Promo copy:

Pyr concludes their American editions of the acclaimed trilogy Age of Misrule beyond beautiful covers by the award-winning artist John Picacio.

Darkest Hour

The eternal conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race. Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods. But they didn’t count on things going from bad to worse …this is the stunning continuation of a powerful fantasy saga by one of Britain’s most acclaimed young writers.

Always Forever

The eternal conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race. Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods. This is the stunning conclusion of a powerful fantasy saga by one of Britain’s most acclaimed young writers.

Faust 2

Promo copy:

A brilliant anthology featuring manga-inspired fiction from today’s best writers with artwork from top manga creators, including

“ECCO,” by Tatsuhiko Takimoto (illustrated by D.K): Is life nothing but a cruel joke? One young rebel decides to find out.

“Jagdtiger,” by Kouhei Kadono (illustrated by Ueda Hajime): She’s a combat-ready synthetic human with a dangerous flaw: a heart.

“Where the Wind Blows,” by Otsuichi (illustrated by Takeshi Obata): A newspaper from the future carries a very disturbing story for one particular woman: She will die by the hand of the man she loves.

“Magical Girl Risuka,” by NISIOISIN (illustrated by Kinu Nishimura): She’s a beautiful witch with magical powers that could change the world. And he’s the boy who will give her a reason to do it.

“Gray-Colored Diet Coke” by Yûya Satô: He’s nineteen, surrounded by morons, and desperate to escape his crummy part-time job. His best friend’s plan worked great, but surely suicide can’t be the only way out.

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

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Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn’t quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever-rub the genie’s lamp.

If you love Sookie Stackhouse, then you’ll want to dive into Nicole Peeler’s enchanting debut novel.

The Other Lands by David Anthony Durham

Promo copy:

The thrilling new installment in the ambitious Acacia trilogy, praised by the Washington Post as “gripping and sophisticated.”

A few years have passed since the conquering of the Mein, and Queen Corinn is firmly in control of the Known World-perhaps too firmly. With plans to expand her empire, she sends her brother, Daniel, on an exploratory mission to the Other Lands. There Daniel discovers a lush, exotic mainland ruled by an alliance of tribes that poses a grave danger to the stability of the Known World. Is Queen Corinn strong enough to face this new challenge? Readers of this bold, imaginative sequel will not be disappointed in the answer.

An excerpt from our very own Peggy Hailey’s review accompanies the book.

"David Anthony Durham has pulled off something remarkable: a huge, sprawling epic that manages to weave together history, politics, intrigue and thunderous action scenes without ever losing track of the multitudes of finely-drawn characters… Acacia has wonders in store both for those who love epic fantasy and for those who think it’s old hat." —Revolution SF

I interviewed Durham in 2007.

My interview with Joe R. Lansdale appears in today’s San Antonio Current.

I am still trying to figure out how this always happens. I have four doctor appointments, an interview to transcribe (ugh!), several reviews to write, a feature to craft, a half dozen books to read, a comic book script to produce, an agents’ conference to attend, a new column to compose plus the creation of numerous smaller things all by the first.

How does this always happen? The first two+ weeks were relatively serene. I enjoyed ballgames, played with the dog, and relaxed in the leisure that was my life.

Well not now. Tomorrow I hit the ground running.

Otherwise, how else am I suppose to enjoy the first two weeks of July? I’ll have baseball games to enjoy, a dog to play with, and some serious leisure time. Well until the deadlines, as they inevitably do, come barreling in and the last two weeks are an action packed frenzy of creativity.

This is my way of saying, I’ll be keeping my head down for the next two weeks or so. Unless something… ooo.. shiny.

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.

Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938 by Harold Foster

Promo copy:

HAROLD FOSTER’S LEGENDARY MEDIEVAL EPIC, FINALLY IN ITS DEFINITIVE EDITION

Universally acclaimed as the most stunningly gorgeous adventure comic strip of all time, Prince Valiant ran for 35 years under the virtuoso pen of its creator, Hal Foster. (Such was its popularity that today, decades after Foster’s death, it continues to run under different hands.)

The giant Sunday-funnies pages (Valiant ran only on Sundays) gave Foster a huge canvas upon which he was able to limn epic swordfights, stunning scenes of pomp and pageantry, and some of the most beautiful human beings — male and female — ever to appear in comics. And he matched his nonpareil visual sense with the narrative instincts of a born storyteller, propelling his daring young hero from one crisis to another with barely a panel to catch one’s breath.

Prince Valiant has previously been widely available only in re-colored, somewhat degraded editions (now out of print and fetching collectors’ prices). Thanks to advances in production technology and newly available original proof sheets, this new series from the industry leader in quality strip classics is the first to feature superb restored artwork that captures every delicate line and chromatic nuance of Foster’s original masterpiece. Comic strip aficionados will be ecstatic, and younger readers who enjoy a classic adventure yarn will be bowled over.

Volume One is rounded out with a rare, in-depth classic Foster interview previously available only in a long out-of-print issue of The Comics Journal, as well as an informative Afterword detailing the production and restoration of this edition.

WOW!

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Abyss by Troy Denning

Promo copy:

Following a trail of clues across the galaxy, Luke Skywalker continues his quest to find the reasons behind Jacen Solo’s dark downfall and to win redemption for the Jedi Order. Sojourning among the mysterious Aing-Tii monks has left Luke and his son Ben with no real answers, only the suspicion that the revelations they seek lie in the forbidden reaches of the distant Maw Cluster. There, hidden from the galaxy in a labyrinth of black holes, dwell the Mind Walkers: those whose power to transcend their bodies and be one with the Force is as seductive and intoxicating as it is potentially fatal. But it may be Luke’s only path to the truth.

Meanwhile, on Coruscant, the war of wills between Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala and the Jedi Order is escalating. Outraged over the carbonite freezing of young Jedi Knights Valin and Jysella Horn after their inexplicable mental breakdowns, the Jedi are determined to defy Daala’s martial tactics, override Council Master Kenth Hamner’s wavering leadership, and deal on their own terms with the epidemic of madness preying on their ranks. As Han and Leia Solo, along with their daughter Jaina, join the fight to protect more stricken Knights from arrest, Jedi healers race to find a cure for the rapidly spreading affliction. But none of them realize the blaster barrel is already swinging in their direction–and Chief Daala is about to pull the trigger.

Nor do Luke and Ben, deep in the Maw Cluster and pushing their Force abilities beyond known limits, realize how close they are–to the Sith strike squad bent on exterminating the Skywalkers, to a nexus of dark-side energy unprecedented in its power and its hunger, and to an explosive confrontation between opposing wielders of the Force from which only one Master–good or evil–can emerge alive.

Dawnthief (Chronicles of the Raven)

Noonshade (Chronicles of the Raven)

by James Barclay

Promo copy:

Beginning in September, Pyr introduces America to the acclaimed Chronicles of the Raven.

Dawnthief (Sept. ’09)

The Raven have fought together for years, six men carving out a living as swords for hire in the war that has torn Balaia apart, loyal only to themselves and their code. But when they agree to escort a Xesteskian mage on a secret mission they are pulled into a world of politics and ancients secrets. For the first time The Raven cannot trust even their own strength and prowess, for the first time their code is in doubt. How is it that they are fighting for one of the most evil colleges of magic known? Searching for the secret location of Dawnthief; a spell that could end the world? Aiming not to destroy it but to cast it …DAWNTHIEF is a fast paced epic about a band of all-too-human heroes.

Noonshade (Oct. ’09)

The enthralling sequel to DAWNTHIEF takes the adventure into a new dimension. The Raven must fight to help the dragons of the Brood Kan defend the dimensional rip opened in the skies of Balaia by the casting of Dawnthief. And then they must somehow close the rip. And all the time the Wesmen are rampaging through Balaia, laying waste to its cities and besieging the mages of Julatsa in Dordova.

More in Part Two.