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Extras / What's New

The Official The Bones Beneath My Skin Playlist

Tiana TolbertLeave a comment

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9781250890436Another TJ Klune book dropped, you know what that means! Dive into TJ Klune’s carefully curated playlist to get the perfect listening experience while reading The Bones Beneath My Skin. 

By TJ Klune

The 90s were a weird, weird time. At the beginning of the decade, very few had cell phones or internet. By the end, many did. The 90s changed so much of how we view the world today.

And then, of course, there’s the music. Below, you’ll find twelve songs I’ve selected for The Bones Beneath My Skin playlist. For those who remember such a time, welcome back. I hope much of the music here makes you bittersweetly nostalgic. For the younger crowds, consider this a lesson in music from the 1900s. You are welcome.

TJ Klune

The Beatles — “Hey Jude”

Hey Jude, don’t make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.

Soundgarden — “Black Hole Sun”

In my eyes
Indisposed
In disguises no one knows
Hides the face
Lies the snake
And the sun in my disgrace

Foo Fighters – “Everlong”

If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I’ll ever ask of you
You gotta promise not to stop when I say when

The Cranberries — “Dreams”

Oh, my life is changing everyday

In every possible way
And oh, my dreams
It’s never quite as it seems
Never quite as it seems

R.E.M. — “Losing My Religion”

That’s me in the corner
That’s me in the spot-light
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don’t know if I can do it
Oh no I’ve said too much
I haven’t said enough

The Fugees — “Killing Me Softly”

Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song

INTERMISSION

 

Nirvana— “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

I’m worse at what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end

Radiohead — “Creep”

When you were here before
Couldn’t look you in the eye
You’re just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In a beautiful world
I wish I was special
You’re so fucking special

Eagle-Eye Cherry — “Save Tonight”

Save tonight
And fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
Tomorrow I’ll be gone

Wilson Phillips — “Hold On”

Some day somebody’s gonna make you

 want to turn around and say goodbye
Until then, baby, are you going to let ’em 

hold you down and make you cry?
Don’t you know?
Don’t you know, things can change
Things’ll go your way
If you hold… on for one more day

Depeche Mode — “Personal Jesus”

Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who’s there

The Verve — “Bittersweet Symphony”

‘Cause it’s a bittersweet symphony, that’s life
Tryna make ends meet, you’re a slave to money then you die
I’ll take you down the only road I’ve ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet, yeah

Order The Bones Beneath My Skin today!

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Lists / What's New

Let’s Talk Retellings

Tiana TolbertLeave a comment

Retellings offer the chance for authors to take a new perspective on classic tales, from fairytales gone wrong to history with a twist. Read on for some fresh new takes on old favorites! 

And check out Upon A Starlit Tide by Kell Woods, on sale today!

9781250852533Upon A Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

Upon a Starlit Tide is a dark and enchanting historical fantasy combining elements of “The Little Mermaid” and “Cinderella” into a wholly original tale of love, power, and betrayal.

Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758. To Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of a wealthy French shipowner, the high walls of Saint-Malo are more hindrance than haven.
While her sisters are busy trying to secure advantageous marriages, Luce spends her days secretly being taught to sail by Samuel, her best friend—and an English smuggler. Only he understands how the waves call to her. Then one stormy morning, Luce rescues a drowning man from the sea.

Immediately drawn in by the stranger’s charm, Luce is plunged into a world of glittering balls and faerie magic, seduction and brutality. Secrets that have long been lost in the shadowy depths of the ocean begin to rise to the surface, but as Luce wrestles with warring desires, she finds that her own power is growing brighter and brighter, shining like a sea-glass slipper.

Or the scales of a sea-maid’s tail.

9781250244079 (2) A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes A Sorceress Comes to Call—a dark reimagining of the Brothers Grimm’s “The Goose Girl,” rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic. Cordelia knows her mother is . . . unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms—there are no secrets in this house—and her mother doesn’t allow Cordelia to have a single friend. Unless you count Falada, her mother’s beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t evil sorcerers. When her mother unexpectedly moves them into the manor home of a wealthy older Squire and his kind but keen-eyed sister, Hester, Cordelia knows this welcoming pair are to be her mother’s next victims. But Cordelia feels at home for the very first time among these people, and as her mother’s plans darken, she must decide how to face the woman who raised her to save the people who have become like family.

Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie BrissettDestroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett

This Afro-futuristic retelling of the Greek myth of Persephone is set after the Earth was destroyed from an alien invasion, and the rest of humanity has been sequestered to the planet Eleusis. In this world divided into four habitable zones – Day, Dusk, Dawn, and Night – a young girl is kidnapped from Dusk by a violent warlord, leaving her mother desperately searching. On another side of the planet, a search for a child born from a human and alien in a criminal underground trafficking ring for unknown purposes, and a young woman with inhuman powers rises through the ranks to become a soldier. These stories build to a boiling point when the fate of humans and aliens will be determined.

The Genesis of Misery by Neon YangThe Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang

Joan of Arc with mechas in space. Do we have your attention yet? This retelling delivers devious politicking, high-stakes ship battles, and ruminations on queerness and the nature of identity.

 

Image Place holder of - 76She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Reimagining the rise to power of the Ming Dynasty’s founding emperor, She Who Became the Sun follows an unnamed girl who is destined for nothingness, while her brother is destined for greatness. But when her brother, Zhu Chongba dies, the girl decides to steal his identity to flee to a monastery and escape her own death. After her safe haven is destroyed, however, Zhu realizes she also has the chance to claim another future: her brother’s abandoned greatness.

In the Lives of Puppets paperback coverIn the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

Inspired by Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, and like Swiss Family Robinson meets Wall-E, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful stand-alone fantasy adventure from the beloved author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.

9780765392503Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton

In this genderbent retelling of Henry IV, the Lady Knights are sworn to defend the prospective heir, Banna Mora. But when a rebellion ousts Mora and replaces her with leader of the Lady Knights, Hal Bolingbrooke, Mora is forced to choose between letting a king-killer rule, or taking up arms against her childhood best friend. War between the two Princes is inevitable – but Lady Hotspur could turn the tides with her support.

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Lists

The 2024 Tor Books Holiday Gift Guide for All Your Niche Needs!

Tiana Tolbert

Do you hear that??

It’s the sweet, sometimes stressful sound of your gift list getting longer and longer as you remember all of the humans, animals, and unidentified entities in your life that you need to buy things for. That’s a lot of pressure, but don’t worry about it too much because we’ve put out heads together to come up with some egg-cellent recommendations for you, if we do say so ourselves.  Check them out here and let us know which ones you’re grabbing in the comments!

by Rachel Taylor and Tiana Tolbert

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson: For the person in your life who’s been dying to start reading Brandon Sanderson, but doesn’t know where to start

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Do you have that person in your life who’s always wanted to dive into Brandon Sanderson’s stunning worlds, but just didn’t know what to pick up first? We’re here to help and to tell you to kick their journey off with Mistborn, the first book in The Mistborn Saga. This book has heists, political intrigue, and epic fantasy–what more could they want? Even better, it has a fresh new cover AND there’s even a boxed set, if you really want to be the best gift giver ever!

Wind & Truth by Brandon Sanderson: For the Brandon Sanderson aficionado

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Every Sanderson fan knows the wait for the next installment in the Stormlight Archive series feels like a lifetime (okay, it has been a lifetime). But now, you can give them the ultimate present—Wind & Truth!!! Packed with epic battles, mind-blowing magic systems, and the complex characters they’ve come to love, this book is everything they’ve been dreaming of and more. It’s basically the fantasy version of hitting the jackpot. It’s the perfect gift for the fantasy lover who’s ready to dive back into Roshar for the next epic chapter.

Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust: For the special edition collector! 

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Some books are for reading, some books are for displaying, and some are for both! We are thrilled that BOTH Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust by #1 New York Times bestselling author Travis Baldree are now out with shiny new special editions, featuring updated covers, stenciled edges, beautiful endpapers, and delightful chapter art. Whether your friend has been dying to dive into cozy fantasy or just wants some beautiful books to show off on their shelves, you can’t go wrong by grabbing this set! 

Blood of the Old Kings: For the K-Drama connoisseur 

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Whomst among us hasn’t mooched off the friend who shelled out for Viki Pass PLUS? Listen, we need to know how My Sweet Gangster ends, okay?! But don’t worry, you can repay their kindness with a new epic fantasy they’ll love–Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-il Kim, translated by Anton Hur (who, fun fact, also translated the BTS memoir, also from Macmillan!) Filled with magic, necromancy, and the kind of high stakes we love to see from our dramas, you won’t regret making this the gift of choice this holiday season! 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune: For the person who wishes they were on an island vacation instead of dealing with winter storms

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We all have that friend in our life who hates, hates, HATESSS the cold. They yearn for sunshine and heat waves and a tropical paradise, so why not give them the gift of escapism this holiday season with Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune? Journey to Marsyas Island and bask in another magical adventure with TJ Klune, a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it. And don’t forget to get The House in the Cerulean Sea in hardcover to match, now with teal sprayed edges!

The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry: For the Studio Ghibli enthusiast in your life

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For the friend who watches Spirited Away on loop and swears their cat is secretly a Totoro, The Naming Song will feel like pure magic. With its dreamy, mystical vibes and heartwarming story, it’s like opening a portal to a world where everything is just a bit more whimsical. Perfect for those who believe that a strong breeze could carry you off on an adventure. (We highly recommend they read this with the Howl’s Moving Castle soundtrack playing in the background. Game. Changer.)

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab: For the reader ready to go on a new adventure to a beloved world

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Have someone on your list who’s been obsessing over A Darker Shade of Magic since forever? The Fragile Threads of Power is their ticket back to the world of four Londons—because let’s be honest, they never wanted to leave. This first book in V.E. Schwab’s new Threads of Power trilogy brings fresh faces (hello, Tess!) and old favorites together for a political chess game with magic, betrayal, and intrigue around every corner. Even though it can be read as a standalone, true fans will be thrilled to catch up with familiar characters. Gift it to the friend who’s ready for a new adventure—or who just needs a break from holiday small talk.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi: For the friend who sends you way too many pictures of their cat

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Got a friend whose phone is 90% cat pics? Starter Villain is the purr-fect gift for them (sorry, not sorry). It’s packed with evil felines, corporate takedowns, and just the right amount of cat-itude to keep them laughing—and sending even more pictures of their furball overlord. You’re welcome in advance. 

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher: For the person who can’t get enough of unhinged fantasy retellings

via GIPHY

Listen, this isn’t your typical fairytale retelling. A Sorceress Comes to Call takes The Goose Girl to a whooooole new level, complete with an evil sorceress, a white horse named Falada, and some truly terrifying killer geese. With dark magic, sinister schemes, and plenty of twists, it’s perfect for those who crave a little chaos in their stories. Plus, the stunning hardcover—featuring a foil stamp and custom endpapers illustrated by the author—makes this book as much of a treasure as the story itself. 

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth: For the reader who’s favorite Taylor Swift album is folklore

Taylor Swift Taylor GIFfrom Taylor Swift GIFs

Does someone in your life stand by the fact that folklore is Taylor Swift’s best album? Then they’re a person of *taste* and you should reward them with all kinds of folklore, including the Slavic folklore found in #1 New York Times bestseller Veronica Roth’s When Among Crows! Swift and striking, this powerful short novel packs a punch and will leave you longing for more of this alternate Chicago dreamscape. 

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake: For the friend who still wishes it was Halloween

Hello December Skeleton GIFfrom Hello December GIFs

Know someone who’s bummed scary season is over? Don’t worry, it lives on IN OUR HEARTS and on the pages of Masters of Death by Olivie Blake, now in paperback with beautiful purple stained edges! This is a story about vampire, ghosts, and death itself–’tis the season! 

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow: For the person whose favorite Disney movie is Beauty & the Beast

via GIPHY

For the friend who swoons over brooding castles and cursed heroes, Starling House is the perfect holiday gift. Think Beauty & the Beast, but with a haunted mansion, a cursed town, and no enchanted teapots—just eerie secrets and a misanthropic heir. With its stunning purple sprayed edges and a bonus short story, this edition is as gorgeous as it is spooky. It’s ideal for the friend who dreams of magical mansions, mysterious figures, and a whole lot of mystery (minus the enchanted rose).

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Events / What's New

Announcing Tor Books Programming at New York Comic-Con 2024!

Tiana Tolbert

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We’re thrilled to join you all at New York Comic Con 2024! Check out all the awesome panels and booth events we’ve got slated for this epic weekend!

Please note that giveaways and drops do not indicate author attendance at New York Comic Con. For attending authors, please check out panels and signing events. 

Thursday — October 17

Panel – Coffee, Croissants, and Catching Feelings: An NYCC Brunch with Your Favorite Romantasy Authors

River Pavilion
11:00am-1:30pm

We welcome you to Coffee, Croissants, and Catching Feelings: An NYCC Brunch with Your Favorite Romantasy Authors, with our very special guests Carissa Broadbent, Danielle L. Jensen, Elise Kova, and Brigid Kemmerer. Attendees will enjoy a continental breakfast while the authors dish about their novels, share their favorite tropes, and tease upcoming projects. Authors will then personally visit each table to greet attendees and take selfies. Each ticket includes pre-signed copies of Carissa Broadbent’s Six Scorched Roses, the reissued edition of Danielle L. Jensen’s The Bridge Kingdom, and the limited edition of Brigid Kemmerer’s Forging Silver into Stars with lavender sprayed edges. Attendees will also receive a specially designed, signed art print tied to The Bridge Kingdom series and be the first to learn exclusive news about Elise Kova’s new novel, Arcana Academy.

Buy Tickets to this Event:
https://www.showclix.com/event/nycc-author-brunch-2024fowc972f4a1

Authors: Carissa Broadbent, Danielle L. Jensen, Elise Kova, Brigid Kemmerer

Panel – Audible Presents: The Sounds of Storytelling! How Science Fiction and Fantasy’s Greatest Writers and Narrators Take Listeners on the Ride of Their Lives

Room 409
5:00-6:00pm

It looks good on the page, but how does it SOUND? Join some of the world’s best science fiction and fantasy authors and performers as they shed light on the unique and creative ways that words come alive through Audible performances. What makes an incredible audiobook? How does writing specifically for audio affect the creative process? How can narration and sound design transform a great story into a mind-blowing audio experience? What amazing feats can writers achieve in audio that aren’t possible in other mediums? Do authors make words deliberately difficult to pronounce to make things harder for their narrators? Emily Andras (Wynonna Earp), Mary Robinette Kowal (The Lady Astronaut series), Ray Porter (the Bobiverse series, Project Hail Mary), R.A. Salvatore (The Legends of Drizzt), John Scalzi (Starter Villain, Constituent Service), and Dennis E. Taylor (The Bobiverse series) join forces to reveal all. There’s more to imagine when you listen.

Authors: John Scalzi, Mary Robinette Kowal

Panel – Authors Reading Bad Reviews

1B02
6:30pm-7:30pm

An author pours their heart and soul into a work of fiction over the course of years only to encounter a one-word review on social media: “Meh.” Hear these authors read some of their most vexing negative reviews aloud in a fun and light-hearted session showing how important it is for creators to develop an impenetrable suit of armor.

Authors: Libba Bray, Gregory McGuire, Kyle Prue, John Scalzi, Alex Segura

In-Booth Signing: Nat Cassidy

Booth 3335
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

In-Booth Signing: Sarah Beth Durst

Booth 3335
1:00 – 2:00 PM

In-Booth Signing: Ananda Lima

Booth 3335
2:00 – 3:00 PM

In-Booth Signing: Carissa Broadbent (Giveaways of ARCs of Songbird and the Heart of Stone)

Booth 3335
4:00 – 5:00 PM

Friday — October 18

Panel – Spotlight on V.E. Schwab

Room 406.1
11:00am-12:00pm

NYCC is thrilled to welcome critically acclaimed and bestselling author V.E. Schwab (The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, The Fragile Threads of Power) to New York City for an intimate conversation about the creative process and the life of a writer.

Authors: V.E. Schwab

Panel – Across the Universes with Tor

Room 1B02
6:30pm-7:30pm

Tor Publishing Group publishes some of the greatest sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and horror books around. This panel will shine a spotlight on some of the exciting upcoming titles that Tor, Tor Teen, Tordotcom Publishing, Nightfire, and our newest imprint, Bramble, have to offer. Join the book lovers from the Tor teams as they share a sneak peek at new and upcoming books that you will definitely have to add to your TBR list. Attendees will be given free new and upcoming books as they leave.

Featuring: Tor Staff

In-Booth Signing: Yume Kitasei

Booth 3335
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

In-Booth Signing: John Scalzi (Giveaway of ARC of When the Moon Hits Your Eye)

Booth 3335
1:00 – 2:00 PM

In-Booth Signing: R.R. Virdi

Booth 3335
4:00 – 5:00 PM

Saturday — October 19

Panel – In Conversation: Olivie Blake and TJ Klune

Room 408
12:00pm-1:00pm

Join bestselling and critically acclaimed fantasy authors as they discuss their careers, their approach to writing, and their new books.

Authors: Olivie Blake and TJ Klune

Panel – Books to Keep You Up at Night: A Horror Panel

Room 1C03
3:15pm-4:05pm

Nightfire brings together some of the most talented and twisted horror writers today. Come and hear how Sunny Moraine (Your Shadow Half Remains), Chuck Tingle (Bury Your Gays), Johnny Compton ( Devils Kill Devils), Brom (Evil in Me), and C.J. Leede (American Rapture) are going to keep you on the edge of your seat with their bone-chilling books that mix body horror, psychological terror, thrills and twists, and take the reader through the depths of the darkest shadows of society. Moderated by Delilah Dawson (It Will Only Hurt for a Moment).

Authors: Brom, Johnny Compton, CJ Leede, Sunny Moraine, Chuck Tingle, Delilah Dawson (moderator)

In-Booth Signing: Mary Robinette Kowal

Booth 3335
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

In-Booth Signing: CJ Leede

Booth 3335
12:30 – 1:30 PM

In-Booth Signing: Alex Segura (Giveaway of ARC of Alter Ego)

Booth 3335
2:00 – 3:00 PM

Sunday — October 20

Panel – Build a World with Fantasy Authors

Room 1B02
11:00am-12:00pm

Bestselling and critically acclaimed fantasy authors will lead the audience through a collaborative process of imagining and building a new world.

Authors: Hugh Howey, Tochi Onyebuchi, Seanan McGuire, Amal El-Mohtar, K.A. Linde, Sarah Beth Durst (Moderator)

Panel – Tor and LitHub Present Voyage Into Genre Live

Room 406.2
3:15pm-4:05pm

Rules were meant to be broken, and genres were meant to be mashed—or however the saying goes. Leave your ideas of conventional genre at the door and join Tor and LitHub’s Voyage into Genre Podcast host Drew Broussard as he sits down with genre legends TJ Klune, Chuck Tingle, R.R. Virdi, Sara Raasch and Olivie Blake as to talk fantasy, romance, horror, and everything in between.

Authors: Olivie Blake, TJ Klune, R.R. Virdi, Sara Raasch, Chuck Tingle, Drew Broussard (moderator)

In-Booth Signing: Sunny Moraine

Booth 3335
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

In-Booth Signing: TJ Klune (Giveaway of ARCs of The Bones Beneath My Skin)

Booth 3335
1:00 – 2:00 PM

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Extras / Quizzes / What's New

Which TJ Klune Book Should You Read Next?

Tiana Tolbert

Look, if TJ Klune is gonna write about two things, they’re gonna be startlingly human non-humans and gay love.

To celebrate the release of the new edition of The House in the Cerulean Sea and it’s incredibly anticipated sequel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, we’re bringing back this little quiz that will help you figure out which TJ Klune novel you should read next!


And while you’ve got books on the brain, Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune is available now. It rocks. Check it out!

Order Somewhere Beyond the Sea

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Lists / What's New

Robot Book Recs from the Tor Team!

Tiana Tolbert

It’s Day Five of Robot Week, and we’re closing out with some robot-centric book recommendations from the Tor team! Check out our recs and get ready for another exciting Robot Week next year. Until then, happy reading!

System Collapse book cover System Collapse by Martha Wells

Everyone’s favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment in Martha Wells’s bestselling and award-winning Murderbot Diaries series.

Am I making it worse? I think I’m making it worse.

Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize. But there’s something wrong with Murderbot; it isn’t running within normal operational parameters. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they’re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what’s wrong with itself, and fast!

Yeah, this plan is… not going to work.

Service Model Book CoverService Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Murderbot meets Redshirts in a delightfully humorous tale of robotic murder from the Hugo-nominated author of Elder Race and Children of Time.

To fix the world they must first break it, further.

Humanity is a dying breed, utterly reliant on artificial labor and service. When a domesticated robot gets a nasty little idea downloaded into its core programming, they murder their owner. The robot discovers they can also do something else they never did before: They can run away. Fleeing the household they enter a wider world they never knew existed, where the age-old hierarchy of humans at the top is disintegrating into ruins and an entire robot ecosystem devoted to human wellbeing is having to find a new purpose.

Sometimes all it takes is a nudge to overcome the limits of your programming.

Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom by Bradley W. Schenck

If Fritz Lang’s Metropolis somehow mated with Futurama, their mutant offspring might well be Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom. Inspired by the future imagined in the 1939 World Fair, this hilarious, beautifully illustrated adventure by writer and artist Bradley W. Schenck is utterly unlike anything else in science fiction: a gonzo, totally bonkers, gut-busting look at the World of Tomorrow, populated with dashing, bubble-helmeted heroes, faithful robot sidekicks, mad scientists, plucky rocket engineers, sassy switchboard operators, space pirates, and much, much more—enhanced throughout by two dozen astonishing illustrations.
After a surprise efficiency review, the switchboard operators of Retropolis are replaced by a mysterious system beyond their comprehension. Dash Kent, freelance adventurer and apartment manager, is hired to get to the bottom of it, and discovers that the replacement switchboard is only one element of a plan concocted by an insane civil engineer: a plan so vast that it reaches from Retropolis to the Moon. And no one—not the Space Patrol, nor the Fraternal League of Robotic Persons, nor the mad scientists of Experimental Research District, nor even the priests of the Temple of the Spider God, will know what hit them.

In the Lives of Puppets paperback cover In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe. The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labeled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio–a past spent hunting humans. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming. Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached? Inspired by Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, and like Swiss Family Robinson meets Wall-E, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful stand-alone fantasy adventure from the beloved author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.

The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport Cover The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu

From international bestseller Samit Basu, The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport is an exuberant new sci-fi adventure with heart that reads like a mash-up of “Aladdin” and Murderbot—with gloriously chaotic results

Shantiport was supposed to be a gateway to the stars. But the city is sinking, and its colonist rulers aren’t helping anyone but themselves. Lina, a daughter of failed revolutionaries, has no desire to escape Shantiport. She loves her city and would do anything to save its people. This is, in fact, the plan for her life, made before she was even born. Her brother, Bador, is a small monkey bot with a big attitude and bigger ambitions. He wants a chance to leave this dead-end planet and explore the universe on his own terms. But that would mean abandoning the family he loves—even if they do take him for granted. When Shantiport’s resident tech billionaire coerces Lina into retrieving a powerful artifact rumored to be able to reshape reality, forces from before their time begin coalescing around the siblings. And when you throw in a piece of sentient, off-world tech with the ability to grant three wishes into the mix… None of the city’s powers will know what hit them.

Place holder of - 57The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon

War machines and AI gods run amok in The Archive Undying, national bestseller Emma Mieko Candon’s bold entry into the world of mecha fiction.

WHEN AN AI DIES, ITS CITY DIES WITH IT
WHEN A CITY FALLS, IT LEAVES A CORPSE BEHIND
WHEN THAT CORPSE RUNS OFF, ONLY DEVOTION CAN BRING IT BACK

When the robotic god of Khuon Mo went mad, it destroyed everything it touched. It killed its priests, its city, and all its wondrous works. But in its final death throes, the god brought one thing back to life: its favorite child, Sunai. For the seventeen years since, Sunai has walked the land like a ghost, unable to die, unable to age, and unable to forget the horrors he’s seen. He’s run as far as he can from the wreckage of his faith, drowning himself in drink, drugs, and men. But when Sunai wakes up in the bed of the one man he never should have slept with, he finds himself on a path straight back into the world of gods and machines. The Archive Undying is the first volume of Emma Mieko Candon’s Downworld Sequence, a sci-fi series where AI deities and brutal police states clash, wielding giant robots steered by pilot-priests with corrupted bodies. Come get in the robot.

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Quizzes / What's New

Robot Week Day Four: Take our Which Tor Robot Are You? Quiz!

Tiana Tolbert

It’s Robot Week Day Four! Ready to meet your mechanical match? Dive into our “Which Tor Robot Are You?” quiz to discover which bot from our books you’re most like.

(accept cookies in the popup to view the quiz!)

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Lists / What's New

Author Feature: L.M. Sagas on The Messiest Robots

Tiana Tolbert

cascade failure by l m sagasgravity lost

Its Day Three of Robot Week and today, we’ve tapped in Tor’s resident robot expert, L.M. Sagas to talk about the messiest robots. Curious to see who made the list? Read on and don’t forget to dive into her series, Ambit’s Run, today!

By L.M. Sagas

Androids. AI. Terminators. Replicators. There are more flavors of robots in scifi than ice cream in a freezer section, and I could gladly sit here and nerd out about pretty much every one of them. But if I had to pick (and for the sake of time, word counts, and the good of the Internet, I probably should), I’d say there’s one flavor of robot that gets me every time: The messy ones. The disaster droids. The aggro automatons. The Bad News Bots. There’s just something about machines misbehaving in new and interesting ways that never fails to entertain. And to celebrate Robot Week, I’ve jotted down a few of my favorites and why I love (or love to hate) them. If you’ve got others, drop a comment and share!

murderbot diariesMurderbot (The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells)

You would think, with a title like Murderbot, that we’d be talking about a series where a robot went full Skynet and kicked off a little robo-kill spree. The truth is (mostly) the opposite, and way more interesting for it. You’ve got a robot that’s factory designed for killing, that instead decides to spend its time binge-watching soap operas like a true Millennial folk hero. Across the different novellas, it gets into all sorts of trouble, usually despite its very best efforts, and somehow stumbles into its own brand of humanity along the way. Also, it’s funny as hell.

IG-11 featured on a poster promoting The Mandalorian IG-11 (The Mandalorian)

In the vein of robots bucking convention and climbing backwards up the man’s-best-friend-to-murderous-machine pipeline, another contender for messiest bot is IG-11 from The Mandalorian. Yes, O.G. IG was awesome in its own right—a bounty-hunting bot that could give old Mando a run for his credits in the gunslinger department. But after some rough-and-ready reprogramming, IG-11 became the best babysitter in a Galaxy Far, Far Away, and I think we can all agree that was a pretty spectacular career move.

Marvin the Paranoid Android Marvin the Paranoid Android (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)

He’s voiced by Alan Rickman in the movie. Need I say more?

… I feel like I should probably say more. Written off as a failed prototype of the so-called “Genuine People Personalities” program, Marvin the Paranoid Android (I feel like you
have to say the whole name every time; I don’t make the rules) is one of my all-time favorite examples of Robots Who Feel Things™. Unfortunately for Marvin the Paranoid Android, most of the things he feels are depression, anxiety, and ennui. He’s sad, and dour, and yes, definitely more than a little bit messy, but I think it’s a kind of messy we can all relate to sometimes, and that makes this big-brained little bot a big-time favorite in my book.

Ultron Textless AoU PosterUltron (Avengers: Age of Ultron)

Okay, now we have the Skynet robot. Ultron, who was the brainchild of Tony Stark (with the help of your run-of-the-mill remains of a spacetime singularity—Marvel fans, don’t quote me on that one), basically took one look at the news cycle and said, “Sorry, nope, humanity’s got to go.” While I do think he could’ve benefited from some well-curated cat videos and a frank conversation about his Daddy Issues, you can’t help but enjoy a robo-villain who sings Pinocchio songs like it’s slam poetry and adopts a pair of magical orphans like he’s trying to start a franchise. It doesn’t get much messier than that.

in the lives of puppetsBasically the Entire Cast of In the Lives of Puppets (In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune)

In a book with an anxious Roomba, a deadpan medical droid, and a Hysterically Angry
“Puppet” on a quest to save their Dad!Droid, it’s tough to pick just one robot for the Messiest In
Show superlative. So, I didn’t. This ragtag robo fam is a delight and a disaster, all rolled into
one, often at the same time, and they’re just the right bots to round out this round up of my
favorite messy robots in scifi.

 

That’s all for now, but I know there’s plenty more out there who are just as loveably chaotic. If you’ve got some in mind, please drop a comment and share. And if Messy Robots With Feelings are your jam, don’t forget to check out my AI captain, Eoan, and their merry crew of misfits in my scifi series, Ambit’s Run!

Dive into Cascade Failure today:

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Already read it? Dive into Gravity Lost next:

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Behind the Scenes / Extras / Fearless Women / What's New

Robot Week Day Two: 3 Tips On How to Befriend a Robot

Tiana Tolbert

How to Survive a Dragon Attack

In the Lives of Puppets paperback cover

It’s Day Two of Robot Week, a celebration of all things Robots!

Welcome to the future, where robots are more than just machines—they can be our best friends! Ready to turn your metal companion into your new BFF? Here’s your guide to befriending a robot, inspired by the charming characters from TJ Klune’s In the Lives of Puppets.

Here’s our expert advice on surviving:

Step 1: Get to Know Your Bot

Just like humans, robots have their own backstories and personalities. Spend some time understanding your robot’s programming and quirks. For example: 

Nurse Ratched: A fiercely protective yet slightly overbearing medical robot. 

Rambo: An anxious and adorable vacuum robot with a heart of gold. 

Hap: A mysterious and complex android with memory loss. 

See? Robots can have personalities, too. Embrace them, quirks and all! 

Is That Robot Doing The Robot GIFfrom Robot GIFs

Step 2: Speak Their Language

Robots appreciate straightforward communication. Keep your commands clear and concise, just like Victor and his robot family communicate in Klune’s book. No need for fancy language—simplicity is key!

Some examples for you to noodle on: 

“Engaging Empathy Protocol. That was very nice of you to say. You are wonderful. Disengaging Empathy Protocol. Idiot.”

“I am a lady, and I told you no. Learn to respect my boundaries. If you do not, your ending will not be swift nor without pain.”

“I am offended you consider me a kidnapper. I like to think it was more of an enthusiastic recruitment.”

“I would be impressed except I do not find idiocy impressive.”

“Please do not hold your applause. I need validation.”

Starting to get it?

That Makes Perfect Sense Three Robots GIFfrom That Makes Perfect Sense GIFs

Step 3: Be Patient and Persistent

Creating a bond with a robot takes time, okay? Look at Nurse Ratched! She is quite unconventional — like when offering painful medical procedures, but her intentions aren’t all that bad (though they may be threatening). Meanwhile, Rambo, a neurotic vacuum cleaner, seeks constant reassurance and affection. Vic learns that understanding and embracing these peculiarities, rather than resisting them, deepens their bonds. 

So remember, whether it’s enduring Nurse Ratched’s overzealous health care or providing Rambo with the validation he craves, patience and persistence are your best tools for nurturing a lasting friendship with your robot!

You Did It!

And there you have it! These three steps will help you forge a wonderful and perhaps unexpectedly heartfelt friendship with the robots in your life, taking a leaf from the delightful interactions in TJ Klune’s In the Lives of Puppets.

You Did It Congratulations GIFfrom You Did It GIFs

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Lists / What's New

Friendship!! Celebrating Fictional Friendships with Tor

Tiana Tolbert

Today, we’re celebrating those wonderful, wacky, and heartwarming friendships that leap off the pages of our favorite stories. Whether it’s a neurotic vacuum cleaner, a drill-wielding nurse, or an orc with a passion for coffee, fictional friendships remind us that the best pals come in all shapes, sizes, and sometimes with a few extra gears. So, grab your favorite beverage, get comfy, and join me on a fun journey through some of the most unforgettable and quirky friendships in fiction!

 

Poster Placeholder of - 42 Victor & Eli –Vicious by V. E. Schwab

Victor and Eli are a pair of college roommates turned sworn enemies and in a world of ambition, jealousy, and superpowers, the memory of their past friendship makes their bitter rivalry all the more heartbreaking.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Mistborn Vin & Kel – Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Vin is a street urchin adopted into a ragtag crew of thieves. When Kel becomes her magical mentor, he teaches her not only how to master her magical powers, but also the meaning of friendship and love.

A brilliant thief and natural leader, Kelsier recruits the underworld’s smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, who each share one of his many powers and relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream: not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel’s plan looks like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she’s a half-Skaa orphan, but she’s lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers that she’s never dreamed of.

In the Lives of PuppetsRambo and Nurse Ratched – In The Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune 

Rambo, the nervous and neurotic vacuum cleaner finds a steadfast  companion in Nurse Ratched, a medical robot whose bedside manner leaves much to be desired. Despite their stark differences, the bond they share is a testament to the power of friendship!

9781250342782Viv and Cal – Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

The friendship between Viv and Cal is as rich and comforting as the coffee they serve. They form an unbreakable bond, supporting each other through the challenges of running a new business and the remnants of Viv’s past…

9781250342751Viv, Fern, and Maylee – Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Through shared stories, baked goods, and the mutual goal of revitalizing the bookshop, Viv, Fern, and Maylee forge a bond that showcases the magic of friendship and the transformative power of community.

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