Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, and Other Speculative Fiction
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Once a month, we’re spotlighting a Tor book that will soon become available in paperback. Today, we’re featuring Fortune’s Blight by Evie Manieri, to be released October 6.
Fortune’s Blight, the second in Manieri’s Shattered Kingdoms novels, continues the conflict begun in Blood’s Pride. King Daryan struggles not only to maintain peace for the Shadari people, but bring to a halt an unknown murderer killing anyone with magical powers. The foundations of Shadari and Norland begin to crack, all while a mysterious figure watches from Rivindal Castle, knowing that her years of patience will soon be rewarded. Please enjoy this excerpt.
Chapter One
Lahlil sat on the carpet beside her nephew’s cradle, waiting and willing something to happen. The light filtering in through the sailcloth tent had faded down to nothing and the hush of twilight had replaced the noises of the Nomas camp outside, but she hadn’t yet lit the lamp. Oshi looked up at the ceiling of the tent with his round silver-blue eyes shining faintly in the darkness, indifferent to her presence. She reached into the driftwood cradle to adjust a fold of his swaddling and accidentally set the finely balanced vessel rocking. The clinking noise of the little suns and moons dangling over it drifted through the tent. A dozen versions of herself winked back at her from the twisting medallions, illuminated by the pale gray glow of her skin: the smooth oval eye-patch, the nicks and tiny scars, the jagged line pulling up her lips at one corner.
At least the sleeve of her Nomas sailor’s blouse hid the scaly pink scars that ran over her left forearm—scars nearly as old as she was herself.
Let all so afflicted be numbered among the damned.
Tor Books is heading to San Diego Comic-Con!
We hope to see many of you there. Stop by Booth #2707 to say hi or to participate in one of our many events and signings.
But for those of you who couldn’t make it out to California, we wanted to offer you the chance to grab some of the same amazing swag and books that we’re promoting at #SDCC. To enter for the chance to win one of these three prize bundles, leave a comment on this post telling us one amazing thing that you’ll be doing this week while you are #NotAtComicCon. Whether you’re training your dragon, building your own TARDIS, or dealing with that pesky deadline at work, we hope you have a wonderful week. Here’s a look at the prize:
And here’s a list of what’s included in each prize bundle:
Plus, one winner will receive this display exclusive – a signed Three Parts Dead booth poster!
And, after you comment below to enter this sweepstakes, head over here to enter for a chance to win our other amazing swag bag!
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Blood’s Pride by Evie Manieri is Library Journal’s February 2013 SF/F Debut of the Month!
Here’s the full starred review, or you can read it on the Library Journal website:
Without warning, the warlike Norlanders invaded the lands of the Shadar, enslaving the people and reaping the profits from the black ore mined to make the enchanted swords of the Norlander warriors. Unable to defend themselves against the pale-skinned, undead conquerors, the Shadar nevertheless attempt a rebellion and hire a fierce mercenary known only as The Mongrel, a woman whose body bears the ravages of previous wars and whose temperament is both volatile and, some say, mad. VERDICT Manieri’s debut, the first of a projected epic fantasy series, presents a striking world with civilizations similar to those of the Vikings and the nomadic cultures of the Middle East, and with the Mediterranean sensibilities of the ancient Greeks. Her characters are passionate and memorable, lending a personal touch to a complex tale of clashing cultures and philosophies. Fans of Sharon Shinn, Elspeth Cooper, and Gail Z. Martin should enjoy Manieri’s approach to culture and drama.
Written by Evie Manieri
It’s fair to say that creating dialogue for the characters in a story isn’t just about putting words in their mouths. Facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice can convey just as much information – or more, especially when a character is being less than honest. We rely on them to convey the speaker’s state of mind.
When the Norlanders invade the Shadar at the opening of Blood’s Pride, the Shadari give them a gruesome nickname: the Dead Ones. They are gaunt, pale – and seemingly entirely without speech. Not only are their words inaudible to the Shadari, but they have no facial expressions, no gestures and no body language of any kind. Their language occupies a middle ground between the spoken word and mind-reading: it developed as an adaptation to the harsh environment of their homeland, an unrelenting landscape of cold, snow, and dangerous predators.
There’s a unique challenge, then, in writing dialogue for the Norlanders. On the one hand, it keeps those dreaded, over-used gestures from creeping in. There’s nothing like a character who wouldn’t know the meaning of an eye-roll if you hit him over the head with it to keep you from getting lazy. On the other hand, it chucks an entire lexicon of physicality straight out of the window.
The Norlanders aren’t without emotion: far from it. They project words to each other as in traditional speech, but they also experience each other’s emotions in a direct and intimate way, often perceiving them metaphorically as colors, images, or a sense of movement. So, in place of the knowing smile and the sidelong glance, we have a paint-box of shades and motifs that any Impressionist would envy. It’s a trade-off I’ll take any day.
Interactions from the Shadari point of view are even more challenging. The few Norlanders who trouble themselves to speak Shadari do so without facial expressions or vocal inflection of any kind. The Shadari have to look for more subtle clues: for example, a Norlander who finds speaking painful may be uncomfortable with what they’re saying. An agitated person might muddle their syntax or have trouble finding words. Someone who cringes when spoken to might not like the content of what they’re hearing, and not just the effect of the sound on their hyper-sensitive ears.
It’s no coincidence that the protagonists in Blood’s Pride are all translators of sorts, navigating between verbal speech and silent speech, the spoken and the unspoken, protective lies and ugly truths. Their heroism comes from their courage to forge and fight for relationships with each other despite the obstacles. That is, until they get around to inventing the emoticon. ;–)
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From the Tor/Forge February newsletter. Sign up to receive our newsletter via email.
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More from the February Tor/Forge newsletter:
Celebrating LOCUS Magazine’s Best Publisher for the 25th year in a row!
Once again, we continue our popular *in-booth signings and giveaways, offering you a chance to meet your favorite authors up close and personal! There will also be panels, autographings and spotlight stages including New York Times Bestselling author CORY DOCTOROW!
Stop by Tor’s Booth (#920), and pick up a schedule for a full listing of events!
Thursday, October 11
PANELS
5pm – 6pm | JUSTICE IS SERVED | Room 1A14
Cops, P.I.’s, government agents and regular Joe’s fight for all that is good and just in these Science-Fiction and Fantasy tales, even if the villains are vam | pires, telepaths, and the magically gifted. These protagonists solve crimes, kick-ass, and don’t let anyone – supernatural or otherwise – stand in the way of justice.
With Christopher L. Bennett (Only Superhuman), moderated by Michael P. Spradlin.
Friday, October 12
PANELS
11am | CHARACTERS: HARDCORE vs. BADASS | Author Spotlight Stage
What makes one character HARDCORE and another BADASS? Is there really a difference? Novelist Max Gladstone breaks it down by dissecting some of the greatest heroes and villains from books, gaming, comics, film, and television, revealing the unique alchemy of each one and what every writer needs to think about in order to create truly unforgettable characters.
With Max Gladstone (Three Parts Dead).
4pm – 5pm | PUBLISHER’S PARADISE: ADULT PUBLISHER SPOTLIGHT | Room 1A06
Get the inside scoop on upcoming SF/F novels publishing houses are buzzing about! Editors from Harper Voyager, Orbit, Del Rey Spectra, Ace and Roc, and Tor dish on forthcoming books from our exciting authors and licensed properties. You can expect lots of giveaways you won’t see anywhere else at the convention, including free advance reading copies!
With Tor’s own Melissa Frain.
SIGNINGS & GIVEAWAYS
12pm – Tor Booth giveaway, Bard’s Oath, the long-awaited sequel to the epic fantasy Dragon and Phoenix coming in November.
2pm – Tor Booth Way of Kings (by #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson) giveaway! First 25 fans in line will receive a Wheel of Time® bag.
3:30pm – Tor Booth signing with Max Gladstone, signing copies of Three Parts Dead, his brilliant debut novel (October).
5pm – Tor Booth signing with Christopher L. Bennett, signing copies of Only Superhuman, described by Kevin J. Anderson as a “heady comic book fix for the discerning SF reader” (October).
5pm – You can also head over to the autographing area and meet New York Times bestselling author, Cory Doctorow. Barnes and Noble will be on hand with a variety of books from his back list.
Saturday, October 13
PANELS
12pm | INFORMATION DOESN’T WANT TO BE FREE, BUT KIDS DO | Author Spotlight Stage
Every single kid in America is a presumed copyright criminal. We spy on them in school, we raid their parents’ life savings, we censor their creative works. And oh, how we LIE to them: “It’s not creative if you’re copying something else.” “All great art starts with permission and ends with a lawyer.” “Giving more money to the record industry will make musicians richer.” Kids are in the streets over SOPA, PIPA and ACTA. They know that the locks we put on their information aren’t for their benefit – because we won’t give them the keys.
With Cory Doctorow (Pirate Cinema).
12:15pm – 1:15pm | MYTH MIXOLOGY: HOW URBAN FANTASISTS CREATE THE PERFECT COCKTAIL | Room 1A08
Many New Yorkers know their Manhattans, Cosmos, and Long Island Iced Teas. While the average happy hour drink takes gin, rum, or vodka, these authors spice things up with mystics, witches, daemons, Celtic gods, and other magical beings. Join top-shelf authors, F. Paul Wilson, Kevin Hearne, Theo Lawrence, Anton Strout, Faith Hunter, Nancy Holzner, Allison Pang, and Nicole Peeler, as they discuss the elements of mythology that go into making your favorite cocktails of urban fantasy.
With F. Paul Wilson (Repairman Jack Series), moderated by Kim Alexander.
1:30pm – 2:30pm | HOCUS POCUS: MAGIC & MONSTERS IN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY | Room 1A08
Science-Fiction and Fantasy authors discuss the costs and consequences of “magic” in their novels. Moderator Beth Revis will have authors Andrea Cremer, Jacqueline Carey, Jocelynn Drake, Kim Harrison, Max Gladstone, Cecil Castellucci, Victoria Schwab, and Richard Kadrey dishing about the the scary, hairy, and dangerous creatures that lurk in the worlds they have created.
With Max Gladstone (Three Parts Dead), moderated by Beth Revis. (Signing from 2:45pm – 3:45pm at autographing tables 2, 3, and 4.)
2:45pm – 3:45pm | GENRE BENDERS: OUT-OF-THE-BOX SCIENCE-FICTION AND FANTASY NOVELS THAT BLUR THE LINES OF FANTASY, SF, HORROR, ROMANCE, STEAMPUNK, YOU NAME IT! | Room 1A01
Join authors in a discussion about stories that can’t be bound by the constraints of any genre. Whether mixing elements of romance with horror, or fantasy with thrillers, these authors show that a good tale can be spun from multiple traditions.
With Steven Walker (The Battle of Blood and Ink), moderator Cici James of Singularity & Co. (Signing from 4:45pm – 5:45pm at the autographing area.)
5:15pm – 6:15pm | HERO’S QUEST: SWORDS AND SORCERY IN FANTASY FICTION | Room 1A08
Some of the most unforgettable heroes in literature are characters that embark on a fantastical journey. Whether their tales tell of slaying dragons, overthrowing regimes, or magical lands, these authors put the EPIC in Fantasy fiction. Join authors Joanne Bertin, Peter Brett, Rae Carson, Peter Lerangis, Steve Bein, Stefan Bachmann, Sarah Beth Durst, and Matt Myklush as they discuss all things fantastical, from swords and sorcery to horselords and warlords.
With Joanne Bertin (Bard’s Oath), moderated by Gwen Reyes. (Signing from 11:45am – 12:45pm at autographing tables 2, 3, and 4.)
5:15pm – 6:15pm | GEEK THOUGHTS: TOP BLOGS DISCUSS WRITING ABOUT SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY AND FANDOM | Room 1A01 (otherwise known as The Sauce)
Your favorite Geek Blogs: Live! Join Tor.com, Boing Boing, The Mary Sue, io9, The Beat, and Bleeding Cool as they discuss how their blogs approach the conversation of science fiction, fantasy, genre and fandom online.
With Cyriaque Lamar, Heidi McDonald, Jamie Frevele, Jill Pantozzi, Rich Johnston. Moderated by Ryan Britt of Tor.com.
7:45pm – 8:45pm | THE WORLD OF GRAPHIC NOVELS | Room 1A06
Restaurants, outer space, fantastical worlds, high school – graphic novels today will take readers to all these places and more! How do graphic novelists combine words and pictures to create the worlds within their books? Authors discuss how world-building works in the world of comics.
With Fred Chao (Johnny Hiro: Half Asian, All Hero), moderated by Scott Robins. (Signing from 3:45pm – 4:45pm at autographing tables 4 and 5.)
SIGNINGS & GIVEAWAYS
11am – Tor Booth Dead Space: Martyr (by B. K. Evenson) giveaway!
12pm – Tor Booth signing with Halo: Silentium artist, Sparth. Come by for a copy of Halo: Cryptum, Halo: Glasslands, a poster, or a patch!
3pm – Tor Booth signing with Cory Doctorow, signing copies of For the Win, which Scott Westerfeld has called “a rousing tale of techno-geek rebellion.”
5pm – Tor Booth signing with F. Paul Wilson, signing copies of The Tomb, the first in his Repairman Jack series.
Sunday, October 14
PANELS
12:15pm – 1:15pm | OTHERWORLDLY WEENIES, TIME TRAVELING TWEENS, UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE, AND OTHER THINGS KIDS LOVE | Room 1A01
From creepy tales set in a spooky pet cemetery, to dreamy stories of time-traveling in style, to epic journeys featuring dynamic young heroes (with swords!), these middle grade authors know the secrets to entertaining the tween set. Join the group as they discuss superpowers, supervillians, and super-hilarious storytelling.
With David Lubar (Weenies Series) and Annette & Gina Cascone (Deadtime Stories Series), moderated by Matthew Cody. (Signing from 1:30pm – 2:30pm at autographing tables 2, 3, and 4.)
1:30pm – 2:30pm | KIDS/YA PUBLISHER SPOTLIGHT | Room 1A07
Come hear the advance buzz about what’s coming up from Disney-Hyperion, First Second, Macmillan Kids, HarperCollins, Little, Brown, Random House, Penguin Young Readers, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, and Tor! Editors and marketing staff come together to recommend their favorite upcoming books by exciting new authors and illustrators – accompanied with giveaways, trivia, and most of all, FUN!
With Tor’s own Susan Chang.
SIGNINGS & GIVEAWAYS
11am – Tor Booth joint signing with David Lubar, signing Attack of the Vampire Weenies, and Annette & Gina Cascone, signing Grave Secrets.
1pm – Tor Booth signing with Evie Manieri, signing Blood’s Pride, her epic fantasy debut coming in February.
3pm – Tor Booth giveaway of YA dystopian smash hit and series opener Article 5 (by Kristen Simmons)!
All giveaways are on a first come, first serve basis.