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Every Book Coming From Tor in Fall 2024!

As the weather cools down, it’s the perfect time to dive into some new reads. This fall, Tor Books has an amazing lineup that’s sure to keep you hooked. From epic adventures to twisty tales, there’s something for everyone. Check out the upcoming releases that you won’t want to miss!


September 24

 

9781250269393Rumor Has It by Cat Rambo

The crew of the You Sexy Thing navigates the aftermath of facing down a pirate king and the relationships that they have created with one another in Cat Rambo’s action adventure science fiction Rumor Has It, the third book in the Disco Space Opera. The crew of the You Sexy Thing have laid a course for Coralind Station, hoping the station’s famed gardens will provide an opportunity to regroup, recoup, and mourn their losses while while finding a way to track down their enemy, pirate king Tubal Last. All Niko wants to do is pry their insurance money from the bank and see if an old friend might be able to help them find Last. Unfortunately, old friends and enemies aren’t the only unreliable elements awaiting her and the crew at Coralind. Each will have to face themselves—the good and the bad—in order to come together before they lose everything.

9781250907981The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry

There’s nothing more dangerous than an unnamed thing. When the words went away, the world changed. All meaning was lost, and every border fell. Monsters slipped from dreams to haunt the waking while ghosts wandered the land in futile reveries. Only with the rise of the committees of the named—Maps, Ghosts, Dreams, and Names—could the people stand against the terrors of the nameless wilds. They built borders around their world and within their minds, shackled ghosts and hunted monsters, and went to war against the unknown.

For one unnamed courier of the Names Committee, the task of delivering new words preserves her place in a world that fears her. But after a series of monstrous attacks on the named, she is forced to flee her committee and seek her long-lost sister. Accompanied by a patchwork ghost, a fretful monster, and a nameless animal who prowls the shadows, her search for the truth of her past opens the door to a revolutionary future—for the words she carries will reshape the world.

October 08

 

9781250895332Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-il Kim; translated by Anton Hur

In an Empire run on necromancy, dead sorcerers are the lifeblood. Their corpses are wrapped in chains and drained of magic to feed the unquenchable hunger for imperial conquest. Born with magic, Arienne has become resigned to her dark fate. But when the voice of a long-dead sorcerer begins to speak inside her head, she listens. There may be another future for her, if she’s willing to fight for it.

Miles away, beneath a volcano, a seven-eyed dragon also wears the Empire’s chains. Before the imperial fist closed around their lands, it was the people’s sacred guardian. Loran, a widowed swordswoman, is the first to kneel before the dragon in decades. She comes with a desperate plea, and will leave with a sword of dragon-fang in hand and a great purpose before her. In the heart of the Imperial capital, Cain is known as a man who gets things done. When his best friend and mentor is found murdered, he will leave no stone unturned to find those responsible, even if it means starting a war. Step into a world of necromancy, murder, and twisted magic. A world in need of a hero.

October 22

 

9781250877352Monstrous Nights by Genoveva Dimova

Dive into the breakneck conclusion to the Slavic folklore-inspired Witch’s Compendium of Monsters duology, which began with Foul Days. With her magic reclaimed and her role in the community of Chernograd restored, Kosara’s life should finally be back to normal—but, of course, things can’t possibly be that simple. She is now in possession of twelve witch’s shadows. Holding them may grant her unprecedented power, but that doesn’t mean they’re always willing to do her bidding.

Across the wall in Belograd, Asen chases his only lead on the latest witch murder case. He follows the trail of smuggling kingpin Konstantin Karaivanov to an underground monster auction—which leads him right back to Chernograd. There, sinister events follow one after another: snow falls in midsummer, a witch with two shadows is found dead, and monsters that should only appear during the Foul Days are sighted. The barrier between worlds thins… and Kosara is certain it’s her fault—and her job to fix.

October 29

 

9781250342782Legends & Lattes by  Travis Baldree

LIMITED FIRST PRINT RUN—for the first time in hardcover, this luxe edition of the New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes will feature new chapter art, beautiful new endpapers, and special stenciled edges. Only available for a limited time and while supplies last.

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time. The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is. If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone. But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

9781250342751Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

LIMITED FIRST PRINT RUN—for the first time in hardcover, this luxe edition of the #1 New York Times bestselling Bookshops & Bonedust will feature new chapter art, beautiful new endpapers, and special stenciled edges. Only available for a limited time and while supplies last.

When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek. Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree’s Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and secondhand books. Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned. Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it. What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine. Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

9781250809162Usurpation by Sue Burke

After her rollicking standalone Dual Memory, Sue Burke returns to her Semiosis series and the world of Pax in Usurpation, which combines the thrill of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening with the eco-empowerment of VanderMeer’s Dead Astronauts.

Stevland, the dominant sentient lifeform of Pax, has clandestinely sent some of its progeny to Earth. To explore, to spread, to report back. Since their germination, Earth has been a powder keg. Human rebellion, robot uprisings, and global pandemics have created chaos, distrust, and deaths. As more and more conflicts break out across Earth, Stevland’s children work in the background, in an attempt to control human behavior and perhaps, bring peace to the planet. Stevland took control of Pax. Earth shouldn’t be too difficult…

November 12

 

9781250265128Breath of Oblivion by Maurice Broaddus

Maurice Broaddus returns with Breath of Oblivion, the second book in his Astra Black trilogy, which explores the struggles of an empire. Epic in scope and intimate in voice, it follows members of the Muungano Empire—a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretches from Earth to Titan and beyond—as it faces renewed threats to its progress. Beyond the Orun Gate, Epyc Ro and her elite soldiers are stranded. Capturing an alien ship and searching for a way home, they discover a stowaway who may be the key to overcoming the alien forces swarming all around them.

On board the Cypher, Captain Stacia Chikeke is struggling to keep her ship and its fractured crew together. But the discovery of an interstellar phenomenon and the opportunity to explore unites them in a singular purpose, for now. In the slums of Indianapolis, Wachiru Adisa works to free the children of the diaspora detained in Old Earth facilities, only to be captured and sent to a nightmarish criminal justice facility, the Panopticon. On Old Earth, Ishant Sangsuwangul is the newly assigned liaison to the corporate entity running the government there. He feels like a prisoner, but must find a way to stem the tide of conflict as animosity toward his people grows.

In the Badlands of Mars, Amachi Adisa and her new teacher Nehanda begin her training to learn from her past, chart her future, and unlock the power that is her birthright. In the Dreaming City, the lunar heart of Muungano power, Maulana Buhari struggles with how to lead his people. Is now the time for isolation or aggression? Together they, and all of Muungano, will guide the empire forward by any means necessary, as enemies of old and new extraterrestrial threats mount.

9781250811967Witch Queen of Redwinter by Ed McDonald

Having been saved from execution at the hands of the Draoihn—powerful magic users Raine used to count as allies—Raine finds herself in the Fault, a vast magical wasteland, which is falling apart before her eyes. Alongside her two closest companions, they are searching for the only person Raine believes can help them get back home: the enigmatic and infuriatingly elusive Queen of Feathers.

But what home are they trying to get back to? Ovitus LacNaithe, power-hungry traitor that he is, has taken control of the Draoihn and is unwittingly doing the bidding of a darker master. He is soon to take control of the Crown of Harranir and plunge the land into unending darkness. The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance. The stakes have never been higher. It’s going to take Raine’s dark, terrible powers, as well as the unbreakable bond of three friends, to ensure everyone lives to see the dawn.

9781250883094The Legacy of Arniston House by T. L. Huchu

A dangerous cult craves a dark power. The Legacy of Arniston House is the spellbinding fourth instalment of the USA Today bestselling Edinburgh Nights series by T. L. Huchu. Ropa Moyo is a wannabe magician, can speak to the dead, and has officially given up being an intern. Leaving Scottish magic behind, she now works for the English Sorcerer Royal. But just as she adjusts to working for the English, an old enemy reveals a devastating secret about her Gran, and Ropa’s world falls apart. Outraged, she rushes home, but finds her grandmother dead – murdered – with no killer in sight. What’s more, she’s the prime suspect. In her quest to find the true murderer, Ropa becomes caught in the dark tendrils of a cult, hell-bent on resurrecting an ancient power. Ropa must use her wits, her magic, and call in all favors to stop the ritual – and clear her name.

9781250902900Overcaptain by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

L. E. Modesitt, Jr. continues the Saga of Recluce, the long-running, best-selling epic fantasy series. Overcaptain, the sequel to From the Forest, continues to follow the early life of a man known by many names depending on who you ask—hero, tyrant, emperor. Alyiakal, overcaptain in the Mirror Lancers of Cyador, has completed his tour of duty as officer-in-charge of a small, remote post. He just wants to finish and see his best friend consorted and assume his next post assignment. If only it were that easy.

He discovers corruption in the Merchanter Clans of Cyador, but investigating Mirror Lancer officers end up dead. Before he can go on leave, he has to replace one of these officers, close a post, dodge an attempt on his life, and an investigation from Magi-i. At Lhaarat, Alyiakal is assigned as a deputy commander to a post that never had one, and the commander doesn’t want one—and that’s just the beginning of Alyiakal’s problems.

9781250851253The Relentless Legion by J. S. Dewes

J. S. Dewes is back with her acclaimed and action packed Divide series (The Last WatchThe Exiled Fleet) where The Expanse meets the Night’s Watch. The Sentinels have rallied under the leadership of Adequin Rake, and Cavalon Mercer has uncovered the horrifying genetic solution his grandfather is about to unleash on the unsuspecting outer colonies. Both Rake and Cavalon race against time to save the universe once again. They’ll need every resource, every ally who might answer the call. It might not be enough.

November 19

 

9781250861375Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells

A traitor and a swordsman join forces to save the world from being rewritten into devastation.

Every year the image of the Wheel of the Infinite must be painstakingly remade to ensure another year of peace and harmony for the Celestial Empire. Every hundred years the very fabric of the world must be rewoven. Linked by the mystic energies of the Infinite, the Wheel and world are one. But a black storm is spreading across the Wheel, reappearing each morning, bigger and darker than before, unraveling the beautiful and orderly patterns. Maskelle, a murderer and traitor, has been summoned back to help put the world right with the assistance of the mysterious Rian, a swordsman of some renown. If they can’t find the source of the problems that plague the Wheel, the world may find its latest rotation is its last.

December 6

 

Windandtruth FCWind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson

The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive—the iconic epic fantasy masterpiece that has sold more than 10 million copies, from acclaimed bestselling author Brandon Sanderson. Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare—and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray.

Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide—Adolin in Azir, Sigzil and Venli at the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah in Thaylenah. The former assassin, Szeth, must cleanse his homeland of Shinovar from the dark influence of the Unmade. He is accompanied by Kaladin, who faces a new battle helping Szeth fight his own demons . . . and who must do the same for the insane Herald of the Almighty, Ishar. At the same time, Shallan, Renarin, and Rlain work to unravel the mystery behind the Unmade Ba-Ado-Mishram and her involvement in the enslavement of the singer race and in the ancient Knights Radiant killing their spren. And Dalinar and Navani seek an edge against Odium’s champion that can be found only in the Spiritual Realm, where memory and possibility combine in chaos. The fate of the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.

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Announcing Tor Books Programming at San Diego Comic-Con 2024!

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We’re thrilled to join you all at San Diego 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 San Diego Comic Con. For attending authors, please check out panels and signing events. 


Thursday — July 25

 

Panels

Don’t Stick Me in a Box: Genre Mashup Edition

DESCRIPTION: 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 genre legends Olivie Blake (The Atlas Complex), Sarah Beth Durst (The Spellshop), TJ Klune (Somewhere Beyond the Sea), Seanan McGuire (Tidal Creatures),  and Chuck Tingle (Bury Your Gays) as they gather to talk fantasy, romance, horror, and everything in between. Moderated by Maureen Lenker (Entertainment Weekly).

Room 24ABC
10:30 – 11:30 AM

Supporting Women’s Wrongs

DESCRIPTION: This panel dedicated to the damsels dishing out distress features Ava Reid (Lady Macbeth; A Study Drowning), CJ Leede (American Rapture), Rachel  Howzell Hall (The Last One), and Comic-Con special guests  Cecy Robson  (Bloodguard) and Kiersten White (Lucy Undying) discussing writing powerful female characters who aren’t afraid of committing a few wrongs to make things right. Moderated by Mysterious Galaxy’s Michelle Bucud.

Room 23ABC
11:00 – 12:00 PM

Booth Signings

Jonathan Maberry | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM signing Dragon in Winter (GALLEY GIVEAWAY)

Seanan McGuire | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM signing Tidal Creatures and others

Seanan McGuire | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Sarah Beth Durst| 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM signing The Spellshop

CJ Leede | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM signing American Rapture (GALLEY GIVEAWAY)

Author Signings

Olivie Blake, Sarah Beth Durst, Seanan McGuire, TJ Klune, and Chuck Tingle

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM in AA09

Kendare Blake, Rachel Howzell Hall, CJ Leede, Ava Reid, Cecy Robson, and Kiersten White

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM in AA02


Friday — July 26

Panels

Romantic Retellings

DESCRIPTION: It’s time to take a fresh look at classic tales. Authors Alexene Farol Follmuth  (Twelfth Knight), Christina Lauren (Tangled Up in You; The Paradise Problem), Nikki Payne (Sex, Lies, and Sensibility), and Scarlett St. Clair (A Touch of Chaos) share how they take famous stories from once-upon-a-time to a whole new happily ever after. Moderated by Mysterious Galaxy’s Jenni Marchisotto.

Room 24ABC
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Across the Universes with Tor

DESCRIPTION: 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 their newest imprint, Bramble, have to offer. The book lovers from the Tor teams-Laura Etzkorn (senior publicist), Giselle Gonzalez (publicist), Emily Honer (marketing associate), and Rachel Taylor (senior marketing manager)—share a sneak peek at new and upcoming books that you will definitely have to add to your TBR list.

Room 29CD
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Booth Signings

Moses Ose Utomi | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM signing The Lies of the Ajungo and The Truth of the Aleke

Alexene Farol Follmuth| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM signing Twelfth Knight and others

Author Signings

Alexene Farol Follmuth, Christina Lauren, Nikki Payne, and Scarlett St. Clair

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM in AA09


Saturday — July 27

Panels

Robots and Other Mechanical Beings

DESCRIPTION: Explore works with robots, cyborgs, androids, and other mechanical characters in central and supporting roles created by John Barber  (SIGNA), Alexene Farol Follmuth (My Mechanical Romance), Frederick L, Jones (Clock Striker), and  Greg van Eekhout (Cog, Happy Town). Maryelizabeth Yturralde (publishing maven, Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide) will drill down into what it takes to construct stories featuring automated machines in meaningful ways.

Room 4
10:00 – 11:00 AM

In Our Villain Era: Tor’s Version

DESCRIPTION: Everyone has their favorite era, and Tor is here to tell you why their Villain Era is fiercer than the rest. Jenn Lyons (The Sky On Fire), Moses Ose Utomi (The Truth of the Aleke), and Ken Bebelle (Blood Jade) dive into the villains—and maybe even some heroes—of their stories. Moderated by Ryka Aoki (Light from Uncommon Stars).

Room 10
10:30 – 11:30 AM

How to Bookend a Bestselling Series

DESCRIPTION: The End is often the two hardest words an author writes. Is it captivating enough? Is it satisfying to loyal readers? How do you wrap up the pieces? Or will the threads be left open enough for a companion? No one knows this better than bestselling authors  Tricia Levenseller (The Darkness Within Us), Alexandra Bracken (The Mirror of Beasts), and Aiden Thomas (Celestial Monsters), who have all crafted compelling endings to beloved young adult series. Be warned: spoilers are a risk! Moderated by Sarah Henning  (The Lies We Conjure).

Room 10
1:30 – 2:30 PM

Let There Be Dragons

DESCRIPTION : Take to the skies with a panel dedicated to the mythical creatures that have inspired fear and awe across the globe for centuries: dragons. Jenn Lyons (The Sky on Fire), Ken Bebelle (Blood Jade), and Comic-Con special guests Naomi Novik discuss what it’s like to bring these magical and mercurial beings to life. Moderated by Mysterious Galaxy’s Matthew Berger.

Room 23ABC
3:00 – 4:00 PM

Booth Signings

Sarah Henning | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM signing The Lies We Conjure  (GALLEY GIVEAWAY)

Roger Clark | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM signing Red Dead’s History

Ryka Aoki | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM signing Light from Uncommon Stars

Adam Christopher | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM signing The Burning Dark 

Rebecca Thorne | 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM signing A Pirate’s Life for Tea

TJ Klune | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Ken Bebelle | 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM signing Blood Jade

Author Signings

John Barber, Alexene Farol Follmuth, Andrew Lee Griffith, Frederick L Jones, Judd Winick 

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM in AA09

Ryka Aoki, Ken Bebelle, Jenn Lyons, Moses Ose Utomi, and Julia Vee

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM in AA06

Alexandra Bracken, Sarah Henning, Tricia Levenseller, and Aiden Thomas 

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM in AA06

Ken Bebelle, Jenn Lyons, and Naomi Novik

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM in AA09


Sunday — July 28

Panels

Take Me Away

DESCRIPTION: We’re getting out of town without getting out of bed thanks to these fantastic tales. Book your ticket out of this world as Jordan Ifueko (The Maid and the Crocodile), T. J. Klune (Somewhere Beyond the Sea), Rebecca Thorne (Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea), Sara Wolf (Heavenbreaker), and Deeba Zargarpur (Farrah Noorzad and the Ring of Fate) discuss how to create the worlds and characters that readers want to visit (and revisit). Moderated by Mysterious Galaxy’s Jenni Marchisotto.

Room 7AB

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM 

Page-Turning Thrillers and Mysteries

DESCRIPTION: If you like high-stakes, twisty mind games, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and stories that feel like the big screen, you are in for a treat! Sarah Henning (The Lies We Conjure), Trish Lundy (The One That Got Away with Murder), and Caitlin Schneiderhan (Medici Heist) discuss their thrillers and mysteries that will leave you glued to your reading nook until the very last page. Moderated by Lily Anderson (Scout’s Honor).

Room 24ABC

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

There’s Something About YA

DESCRIPTION: Bestselling YA authors Alexene Farol Follmuth (Twelfth Knight), Terry J. Benton-Walker (The White Guy Dies First), Sarah Henning (The Lies We Conjure), Tricia Levenseller (The Darkness Within Us), and Christine Riccio (Attached at the Hip) discuss spinning stories that bring the heat in romantasy, the snark in romcoms, the death in horror and the sabotage in thrillers/mysteries for teens. Moderated by Erika Lewis (Kelcie Murphy series).

Room 23ABC
2:30 – 3:30 PM

Deadly Deeds

DESCRIPTIONS: Creators of dark and creeptastic works discuss their tales and debate not only when readers might choose to root for the monsters but also what and who defines monsters. Lily Anderson (Killer House Party), Desiree S. Evans (The Black Girl Survives in This One), Stephen Graham Jones  (I was a Teenage Slasher) , CJ Leede (American Rapture), Trish Lundy (The One That Got Away with Murder), Comic-Con special guest Kiersten White (Lucy Undying), and Justine Puncella Winans (One Killer Problem) chill out with Maryelizabeth Yturralde (publishing maven, Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide).

Room 4
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Booth Signings

Terry J. Benton-Walker | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM signing The White Guy Dies First

Erika Lewis | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM signing the Kelcie Murphy Series

Jenn Lyons | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM singing The Sky on Fire

Author Signings

Lily Anderson, Sarah Henning, Trish Lundy, and Caitlin Schneiderhan

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM in AA09

Jordan Ifueko, TJ Klune, Rebecca Thorne, Sara Wolf, and Deeba Zargarpur

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM in AA04

Lily Anderson, Trish Lundy, CJ Leede,  Alison Saft, Justine Puncella Winans

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM in AA09

Terry J. Benton-Walker, Alexene Farol Follmuth, Sarah Henning, Tricia Levenseller, and Erika Lewis

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM in AA09

Panelists and giveaways subject to change

post-featured-image

Announcing Tor Books Programming at San Diego Comic-Con 2023!

Image Place holder  of - 99

We’re thrilled to join you all at San Diego Comic-Con 2023! Check out all the awesome panels and booth events we’ve got slated for this epic weekend. And don’t forget to join our SDCC 2023 ARC Bundle Sweepstakes (you don’t actually have to be at con to enter. This is a celebratory sweepstakes for everyone)!

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


Thursday — July 20

Panels

Welcome to Fantasy Land

Room 9
10:00 – 11:00 AM

Darcie Little Badger, Terry J. Benton-Walker, Rachel Griffin, Adalyn Grace, Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Michelle Bucud (moderator)

Robots and Aliens and Blasters, Oh My

Room 24ABC
10:30 – 11:30 AM

Emma Mieko Candon, Sylvain Neuvel, and Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle, Charlie Jane Anders (Moderator)

In the Beginning…There was Worldbuilding

Room 32AB
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

TJ Klune, Comic-Con Special Guest Holly Black, Wesley Chu, LR Lam, Victoria Aveyard, Dr. Jeanelle Horcasitas (moderator)

A Different Type of Romance

Room 21AB
2:00 – 3:00 PM

Holly Black, Becky Cloonan, Linda Sejic, Stjepan Sejic, and Rachel Smythe. Tina Horn (moderator)

Booth 2802 Events

Giveaway: After the Forest by Kell Woods

10:00 – 11:00 AM

Giveaway: One Blood by Denene Millner

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Author Signing: Terry J. Benton-Walker*

12:00 – 1:00 PM
Blood Debts

Giveaway: Exadelic by Jon Evans

1:00 – 2:00 PM

Author Signing: Chuck Tingle*

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Camp Damascus

Author Signing: Charlie Jane Anders*

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Victories Greater Than Death

Author Signing: Paul Cornell*

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Rosebud 

Author Signing: Cory Doctorow*

4:00 – 5:00 PM
The Lost Cause


Friday — July 21

Panels

Wish They All Could be CA MCs

Room 24ABC
10:30 – 11:30 AM

Diane Marie Brown, Nidhi Chanani, Mike Chen , Cory Doctorow, and Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle, Maryelizabeth Yturralde (moderator)

Love in all the Fantastic Places

Room 32AB
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Olivie Blake, Jacqueline Carey, Piper J. Drake,  Laura Thalassa, Mia Tsai, Rachel Smythe, Dr. Jenni Marchisotto (moderator), Haydee Smith (moderator)

Spotlight on Martha Wells

Room 28DE
1:00 – 1:00 PM

Comic Con Special Guest Martha Wells

SF in Comics

Room 29AB
3:00 – 4:00 PM

John Barber, Andrew Griffin, Charlie Jane Anders , Nicholas Tana,  Maryelizabeth Yturralde (moderator)

Boundless Adventures: San Diego Festival of Books

Room 10
4:30 – 5:30 PM

Charlie Jane Anders, John Jennings, TJ Klune, Jarrod Shusterman and Sofia Lapuente, Alonso Nunez (moderator)

Tor Presents:Calling All Book Lovers

Room 29CD
5:30 – 6:30 PM

TPG staff: Saraciea J. Fennell (Senior Publicity Manager), Giselle Gonzalez (Publicist), Emily Mlynek (Director of Marketing), Rachel Taylor (Senior Marketing Manager)

Booth 2802 Events

Giveaway: Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

10:00 – 11:00 AM

Author Signing: Martha Wells*

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Witch King

Giveaway: The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab audiobook excerpt with special item

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Author Signing: Liz Kerin*

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Night’s Edge

Author Signing: Sarah Gailey*

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Just Like Home 

Author Signing: Nina Nesseth*

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Nightmare Fuel

Author Signing: Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle*

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Ebony Gate

Author Signing: Holly Black

4:00 – 5:00 PM
Book of Night


Saturday — July 22

Panels

Mysteries, Magic, & Mayhem

Room 7AB
10:00 – 11:00 AM

Holly Black, Johnny Compton, Martha Wells, Catriona Ward, and Philip Fracassi, Liz Kerin (moderator)

A Scare is Born

Room 7AB
12:00 – 1:00 PM

Silvia Moreno Garcia, Junji Ito, Johnny Compton, Chuck Tingle, Catriona Ward, Erin A. Craig, Judy Prince-Neeb (moderator)

Science Fiction (At Least for Now)

Room 29AB
1:00 – 2:00 PM

Emma Mieko Candon, Pierce Brown, Nnedi Okorafor, Comic Con Special Guest Martha Wells

The Worlds We Return To

Room 23ABC
3:00 – 4:00 PM

Stephen Blackmoore, Jacqueline Carey, Cory Doctorow, Chloe Gong, E.K. Johnston, Matthew Berger (moderator)

Things Could Be Worse

Room 25ABC
8:00 – 9:00 PM

Tananarive Due, CJ Leede, Meriam Metoui, Chuck Tingle, and Danielle Valentine, Maryelizabeth Yturralde (moderator)

Booth 2802 Events

Giveaway: The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard

10:00 – 11:00 AM

Author Signing: Emma Mieko Candon*

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The Archive Undying

Author Signing: J.R. Dawson*

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The First Bright Thing

Giveaway: Starter Villain by John Scalzi

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Author Signing: Sylvain Neuvel*

1:00 – 2:00 PM
A History of What Comes Next

Author Signing: Phillip Fracassi*

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Boys in the Valley

Author Signing: TJ Klune*

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Wolfsong

Author Signing: Johnny Compton*

3:00 – 4:00 PM
The Spite House

Author Signing: CJ Leede*

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Maeve Fly

Author Signing: Catriona Ward*

4:30 – 5:30 PM
Looking Glass Sound


Sunday — July 23

Panels

Spotlight on Holly Black

Room 29AB
10:00 – 11:00 AM

Comic Con Special Guest Holly Black

Let’s Hit Critical

Room 29AB
12:00 – 1:00 PM

Jef Aldrich, Travis Baldree, James D’Amato, E.K. Johnston, Jon Taylor, Cecil Castellucci (moderator)

Romantasy: When SFF & Romance Kiss

Room 23ABC
2:30 – 3:30 PM

Jacqueline Carey, Olivie Blake, J.R. Dawson, Travis Baldree, TJ Klune (moderator)

Booth 2802 Events

Giveaway: The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu

10:00 – 10:30 AM

Author Signing: Travis Baldree*

10:30 – 11:30 AM
Bookshops & Bonedust 

Author Signing: Jacqueline Carey*

12:00 – 1:00 PM
Kushiel’s Dart 

Author Signing: Olivie Blake*

1:00 – 2:00 PM
The Atlas Six 

Giveaway: Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout audiobook excerpt with special item

2:00 – 3:00 PM

Giveaway: Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo

3:00 – 4:00 PM

Free author signing with tickets to be given away at 10:00 AM each day in the booth. Other titles will be available for purchase in the booth.

Panelists and giveaways subject to change

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Trope Spotlight: 5 Accidental Child Acquisitions

by Merlin Hoye

Here at Tor, we love stories, and the building block tropes that make them! Today, we’re thinking about The Mandalorian, The Last of Us, and Accidental Child Acquisition.

If you’re going through withdrawal from lack of content involving Pedro Pascal accidentally acquiring a child under extremely dangerous circumstances and then reluctantly growing to love said child so much that he would die for them, we totally get it. Lucky you, we’re here to fill that Pedro-shaped hole in your heart with some equally hot reluctant parental figures!

Check them out here. 


Mistborn by Brandon SandersonMistborn by Brandon Sanderson

In a world torn apart by a despot known only as Lord Ruler, a thief named Kelsier forms a crew to take back the world. Kelsier is a Mistborn, a person with the ability to use Allomancy, or metal magic. When he comes across a girl named Vin with the same unique ability, he begins training her in the arts of Allomancy and crime. Vin has had a hard life and she is initially reluctant to allow herself to grow attached to anyone, but as the two broken souls work together, they soon form a kind of trust that is new to both of them.


The Thousand Eyes by A. K. LarkwoodThe Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood

Without being too plot-specific because The Thousand Eyes is the second and final book in the incredible Serpent Gates Duology—this book is in many ways about getting older, as we all must, and do. Our lives don’t turn out the way we thought, for better or for worse. Sometimes that can involve not being wed and sacrificed to the god of death. Sometimes that means not getting as much time as we would like with those we love. In The Thousand Eyes, a character (who never really learned how to get this whole life thing right so much as always be landing on their feet) finds themselves in a guardian role to the precocious child of a former enemy. The kid is powerful, and reckless, and their mom is scary, but so is their world, and our reluctant, frequently exasperated, and sharply witty guardian might be the ideal candidate to help them prepare for it. 


Pinocchio by Carlo CollodiPinocchio by Carlo Collodi

While there’s nothing accidental about the way Geppetto comes by Pinocchio, he’s kind of the OG when it comes to acquiring a child under unusual circumstances. After the lonely cobbler carves a boy out of wood and gives him a name, he is initially overjoyed when the boy magically comes to life. However, the puppet quickly shows a remarkable capacity for mischief and it isn’t long before Geppetto is rather wishing he could unacquire his new son as soon as possible. Don’t miss T.J. Klune’s wholesome take on the classic tale with In the Lives of Puppets, out next March!


Witch King by Martha WellsWitch King by Martha Wells

Kai is a demon. And he was dead. But after getting rudely re-alived by a particularly inept mage, Kai must rally his few allies in order to figure out what on earth has been going on since his assassination. A power called the Rising World Coalition is growing and Kai’’s ragtag group of demons, witches, and sorceresses sets out to stop them, picking up a plucky street urchin named Sanja along the way. There is no one better at writing prickly, emotional characters than Martha Wells and this is a touching story of loveable monsters who ultimately care greatly about one another.


Vicious by V.E. SchwabVicious by V.E. Schwab

When Victor is released from prison, he has only one thought in his mind – getting even with his best friend-turned-arch-nemesis, Eli. The two were college roommates who conducted dangerous experiments involving supernatural powers and superhuman abilities which eventually landed Victor in jail. With the help of Sydney, a young girl with extraordinary powers, he sets out to track down his old friend who he now blames for his misfortunes. In a story of superpowers gone wrong and morally-grey characters, the relationship between Victor and Sydney is the beating heart. If their budding friendship doesn’t bring tears to your eyes, yes it did. You’re lying.

 

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But What if You Added a Dragon? How Jenn Lyons Would Improve 6 Books

13Jenn Lyons is the author of the epic A Chorus of Dragons series, and she’s also one of the foremost dragonic scholars of the contemporary age. Here we consult her comprehensive knowledge of dragon lore to understand what SFF titles would benefit from the inclusion of one (or more) dragon(s).


by Jenn Lyons

I have a confession to make: I’ve never written a novel that didn’t have a dragon in it. Now, as I’m known as an epic fantasy author whose first series literally has the word dragon in the title, this may not seem like much of a confession, but please I understand: I mean all the novels. The unpublished novels that no one has ever seen, sitting in a metaphorical drawer.

Yes, the sci-fi novels too.

Why not, after all? Dragons deserve some love in any genre fiction story, whether that’s something set in a slightly speculative version of our world today to stories of the far future set in space. Raymond Chandler used to say that anytime he was stuck in a story, he’d have someone walk into a room holding a gun. Me? I have a dragon crash the party.

Works every time.

Now obviously, there are a number of sci-fi books which already contain dragons. The Dragonriders of Pern books by Anne McCaffery, Roadmarks by Roger Zelazny, and Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee are just a few books where the setting is scifi but my favorite monster is still in the house.

With that said, here’s a few sci-fi books that I feel might have been made just that tiny bit better by the introduction of a dragon:

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John ScalziThe Kaiju Preservation Society

No, don’t be silly. This already has dragons in it. John Scalzi just calls them something else. Respect.

 

 

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirGideon the Ninth

It’s easy to look at Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir and accuse me of cheating by slipping a fantasy novel into the mix, but no, it turns that this story of necromancers, dead worlds, and the cost of resurrection is, in fact, sci-fi. That said, there’s enough magic flying around (or what looks like magic) to make the addition of a dragon not just thematically plausible, but easily justifiable. Who wouldn’t want to see a cadre of necromancers forced to deal with a dragon? (Probably a dead dragon. Yeah, let’s face it: this dragon’s absolutely dead. And angry about it.) Quite frankly, nobody in any Houses would’ve been surprised to find a dragon in the bowels of Canaan House. Maybe the only surprise was that there wasn’t one.

The Fifth Season by N. K. JemisinThe Fifth Season

N.K. Jemisin’s The Broken Earth trilogy about a world regularly torn asunder by extinction level events (book one’s titular The Fifth Season) hardly needs a dragon. There’s more than enough fire from volcanoes and that one time someone opened a rift right across the entire continent, straight down into the world’s mantle. In fact, I suspect the biggest issue with a dragon in these books is the distinct possibility that no one would notice. Or if they did, would probably just give a resigned shrug as if to say “Sure, why not a dragon, too?”

All Systems Red by Martha WellsAll Systems Red

Given the nature of Martha Well’s stories about a very cranky SecUnit construct called Murderbot and its battles against far-future corporations (and its own feelings), I would absolutely want to see a dragon in one of these tales. A dragon that I suspect would immediately adopt Murderbot, because it too understands what it’s like to live in a universe where everyone assumes you’re only around to kill people and tear shit up.

I mean, yes, watching Murderbot fight a dragon would be awesome. More awesome? Watching Murderbot and a dragon fight something else.

Cibola Burn by James S. A. CoreyCibola Burn

I love the Expanse series, written by James S.A. Corey (the joint pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank). I’d love to say that I was into the books way before the TV show; that would be lying. I discovered the books because of the TV show, and immediately devoured everything that was out at the time (and continued to do so until the end of the series). Cibola Burn, the fourth book, takes places almost entirely on an alien world that humanity is attempting to colonize. It was the perfect opportunity to introduce a dragon, and I’ve got to be honest here: the authors completely missed their shot. Not a single dragon to be found anywhere. Not even a protomolecule entity shaped vaguely like a dragon. Disappointing.

And no, despite the name, Tiamat’s Wrath also has a depressing lack of actual dragons.

Dune by Frank HerbertDune

I know what you’re going to say here: Frank Herbert’s masterpiece doesn’t need dragons; it already has sandworms. But hear me out here. What if the Empire had tried to genetically engineer an alternative to sandworms? An alternative developed on another equally inhospitable planet more fully under the empire’s control, like say, Salusa Secundus? The experiment wouldn’t have worked, of course, but perhaps they ended up with something useful anyway, if only for having bad tempers and lots of sharp, pointy teeth.

All I’m saying is the Empire’s forces could’ve shown up on Arrakis with both Sardaukar troops AND dragons.

And those are just a few examples. Now I don’t expect authors to go rush out and write a bunch of sci-fi complete with dragons in it…

But why not?

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Five of Our Favorite Fictional Hackers

Look, our mothers are still disappointed in us for not becoming doctors. But we are disappointed in ourselves for not becoming hackers. 

It’s a digital world and an uncertain world, and our vision of hacking (perhaps a little influenced by pop culture) presents a robin-hood, windy-side-of-the-law path to a little more control over our world. And an opportunity to stick it to jerks and tyrants.

We haven’t ruled out a career change, but in the meantime, we will live our hacker dreams vicariously through badass fictional hackers. Here’s a list of some of our favorite sci-fi hackers.


Image Place holder  of - 28Murderbot from The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells

Hacking is easier when you’re part bot and you’ve got loads of raw processing power to go with your organic parts. Murderbot could have become a mass murderer when they hacked their governor module, but instead they turned their hacking skills to torrenting hours and hours of media to read, watch, and listen to while still pretending to do their day job: trying to stop humans from dying.

Place holder  of - 93Marcus Yallow  a.k.a “w1n5t0n” and Masha Maximow from Little Brother, Homeland, and Attack Surface

Look we like Marcus because he’s a rebel wunderkind who takes on the evil overreaching DHS with modded xboxes and a can-do attitude. He’s kind of easy to love.

Masha is… less easy to love. She rationalizes herself into some downright morally dubious things in all three books (she’s a bit of an antagonist in Little Brother and Homeland), but she’s a wildly intelligent realist with a chip on her shoulder who likes defying her corporate overlords for fun. So we can’t help but love her too. Check out Attack Surface in paperback now! 

Placeholder of  -33The Zer0es from Zer0es by Chuck Wendig

We’re cheating because there are several hackers to vie for favorite in Zer0es. The Zer0es themselves are a motley crew of hackers of varying skill levels.

There’s Chance, who’s a little bit of a con man but he dreams of being an Anonymous-style hacker; Aleena, an Arab Spring hacktivist; DeAndre, a criminal hacker who specializes in credit card data; Reagan, who’s a hacker but also kind of an douchey troll; and Wade, a grizzled old conspiracy theorist. At first look, they sound like a bunch of assholes. But so are the guardians of the galaxy, and these guys have to come together when their blackmailed into working for the government and learn… surprise surprise, our government is way more evil than they are.

Poster Placeholder of - 70Image Placeholder of - 65Case (Henry Dorsett Case) from Neuromancer by William Gibson

Look we know he’s a mess. But we love ourselves a scrappy anti-hero and the fact that he’s a hacker just makes it better. Washed-up hacker is a great archetype (and our favorite way to play Honey Heist). Case has mad skills and considering he’s been booby-trapped and blackmailed, a hell of a lot of motivation. We won’t… spoil it (THIS BOOK CAME OUT IN THE 80s GET ON IT), but he’s also the centerpiece of a cyberpunk classic that is designed to mess with your mind and expectations, and we can’t help but love him for that too.

book-catfishingCheshireCat from Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer

So it’s also a little easier to hack when you are a sentient AI like CheshireCat. But Cheshire is a gem and we love them too much to not include them in any list of excellent hackers. They are fully willing to hack anything from smart cars to bad robo sex ed teachers to help out their favorite humans. They also hack a small army of service bots as a small private army and we stan a sentient AI who’s willing to put in the work to keep their squishier friends around.

Honorable mentions to Mitch from Vicious by V. E. Schwab and Wade from Ready Player One (and Two now!) by Ernest Kline.

*We tried to write about our favorite real life hackers but they somehow managed to hack this article and make it fictional.

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Tor Books at NYCC 2021!

Image Placeholder of - 87New York Comic Con is once again coming to us virtually in 2021 and we are so excited to participate! Join the convention from October 7-10 (tickets for virtual access can be bought here) for some amazing panels, listed below, and don’t forget to follow us on social media and the hashtag #TorNYCC2021 for announcements, sweepstakes, and more. All panels excerpt the Wheel of Time panel and the Space Odysseys panel will be release on October 7 at 10 AM ET.

Brandon Sanderson and Christopher Paolini in conversation

Join two of the genre’s biggest authors–and pals–Brandon Sanderson (Rhythm of War) and Christopher Paolini (To Sleep In a Sea of Stars) as they celebrate the paperback releases of their bestselling books and talk about all things fantasy science fiction and beyond. Watch the panel here.

Just Kiss Already

SciFi and Fantasy sure can be full of Ships… not just spaceships and pirate ones! Join some of your favorite Tor and Tor.com Publishing authors as they discuss the mushy gushy FEELINGS side of speculative fiction. How do they craft those will-they-or-won’t-theys into OTPs you want to root for?  With TJ Klune (Under the Whispering Door), Ryka Aoki (Light From Uncommon Stars), Alix E. Harrow (A Spindle Splintered), Freya Marske (A Marvelous Light), and Everina Maxwell (Winter’s Orbit). Moderated by Andrea Hairston (Master of Poisons). Watch the panel here.

Tor Presents: Chaotic Horror Storytelling

Just in time for Halloween, Tor and Nightfire task a brave panel of authors with telling us a horror story unlike any other. This group of talented horror authors will spin us a brand new tale. Join Thomas Olde Heuvelt (HEX, Echo), Zin E. Rocklyn (Flowers for the Sea), Catriona Ward (The Last House on Needless Street), and your host Christopher Buehlman (The Blacktongue Thief), as they incorporate writing prompts to create an improvised story on the spot–and talk about their craft and inspirations along the way. Watch the panel here.

Tor Goes International

From Scotland to Australia and back again, Tor, Tor.com, and Nightfire authors can be found spinning their tales from across the globe – and setting them in some international locales as well. Join authors Kerstin Hall (Star Eater), T. L. Huchu (The Library of the Dead), Cassandra Khaw (Nothing But Blackened Teeth), and moderator James Rollins (The Starless Crown) as they take you on a virtual tour of SciFi Fantasy and Horror. Watch the panel here.

Tor Spotlight- Calling All Book Lovers Panel

Tor publishes some of the greatest sci-fi fantasy and horror stories around. This will be a panel to shine a spotlight on some of the exciting books that Tor, Tor Teen, Tordotcom Publishing, Forge, and Nightfire have to offer. Join the book lovers from the Tor teams as they share a sneak peek at new and upcoming SFF. Watch the panel here.

AIs and Cyberspies: Science Fiction Authors and Technology

Privacy technology and the future of our online lives… join some of today’s top science fiction authors as they discuss their prescient work the intersection of SF and science/tech what the future might bring and where we might be heading. With authors including Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries), Becky Chambers (A Psalm for the Wild-Built), Nnedi Okorafor (Remote Control), Neil Sharpson (When the Sparrow Falls), John Scalzi (The Kaiju Preservation Society) as moderator. Watch the panel here.

Tor Teen Presents: The Good, the Bad, and the Deadly

Join YA fantasy authors Charlotte Nicole Davis (The Sisters of Reckoning), Elayne Audrey Becker (Forestborn), Lauren Shippen (Some Faraway Place), Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman (All of Us Villains) and Mark Oshiro (Each of Us a Desert) as they spill the tea on what it’s like to craft story arcs for heroes, villains, and every morally ambiguous character in-between. Watch the panel here.

The Wheel of Time: Exclusive Q&A with Cast and Showrunner (Virtual Screening)

Friday, October 8
2:30-3:30 PM ET
Main Stage 1D Hall

Based on Robert Jordan’s best-selling fantasy novels of the same name, The Wheel of Time is set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it. The story follows Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), a member of the incredibly powerful all-female organization called the Aes Sedai, as she arrives in the small town of Two Rivers. There, she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn, who will either save or destroy humanity. Join the series cast and showrunner as they discuss bringing this stunning world to life and what fans can most look forward to when the series premieres Friday, November 19th, exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Watch the panel here.

Space Odesseys: A Chat with Charlie Jane Anders and Tochi Onyebuchi

Saturday, October 9
2:15-3:15 PM ET
Main Stage 1A24 Hall

In this panel, Tor.com and Book Riot contributor Aurora Dominguez will be in conversation with two amazing authors of YA Science Fiction. Charlie Jane Anders is the former editor-in-chief of io9.com, the popular Gawker Media site devoted to science fiction and fantasy. Her debut novel, All the Birds in the Sky, won the Nebula Award for Best Novel and was a Hugo Award finalist. Her journalism has appeared in Salon, the Wall Street Journal, Mother Jones, and many other outlets. Tochi Onyebuchi is the author of the award-winning novella Riot Baby from Tordotcom Publishing. He holds a B.A. from Yale, a M.F.A. in screenwriting from the Tisch School for the Arts, a Master’s degree in droit économique from Sciences Po, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. His next novel, Goliath, hits shelves on 1/25/22. Watch the panel here.

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Books That Helped the Tor Staff Survive 2020

We are so, so close to 2020 being over and while we can’t wait to finally escape the dumpster fire that was this year, we’re also taking the time to look back at the books that helped get us through. Check out which books we are most grateful for here.


book-jordan-hanleyJordan Hanley, Marketing Manager

Tor.com Publishing novellas have really pulled me through 2020. They’ve also saved my Goodreads reading challenge! Here’s a few short novellas I’ve read that kept my passion for reading good horror alive:

I still have quite a few horrific Tor.com Publishing novellas on my TBR, including Ring Shoutby P. Djèlí Clark. These slender volumes keep me turning pages long into the night and have kept my 2020 reading challenge alive (or, perhaps, undead!)

book-system-redLauren Anesta, Senior Publicist

I, personally, think The Murderbot Diaries (by Martha Wells) is the #1 science fiction series ever published. I stand by this bold claim because it has been absolutely the only thing I’ve been able to read for pleasure since March 8, 2020, the day my attention span officially died. Murderbot, a mascot for socially anxious people everywhere, feels somehow even more relevant at a time when we’re all isolated. Like Murderbot, I’ve fully retreated into the comfort of my favorite TV shows and have lost my ability to maintain a conversation with people IRL. Murderbot has Sanctuary Moon, I have 21 seasons of Midsomer MurdersMurderbot is often angry and frustrated and doesn’t want to stop watching TV, but it gets up and gets the job done anyway, because people rely on it. I know I’ve certainly needed that reminder more than once in the past year, and Murderbot does that for me—but gently, and cushioned in pages full of high-intensity space battles, heist action, and technobabble.

book-9781250229861Libby Collins, Publicist

WHAT A YEAR, AM I RIGHT. Books were the most (only?) consistent thing in my 2020, and I’m grateful for so many of them. I took special comfort in some amazing TDA titles, including The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. What a timely testament to the beauty of being alive, even during the hard times. This was also the year I *finally* made myself acquainted with Murderbot, and I am extremely in love. Martha Wells’s novella series, The Murderbot Diaries, were a source of comfort and I can’t wait to get to the novel, Network Effect. Two others that provided a different sort of comfort were Lavie Tidhar’s By Force Alone and Matt Goldman’s Dead West. The former is an Arthurian myth reimagined with Scorsese-type gangster characters—very bloody, very profane, very fun. The latter is a mystery, the fourth in Goldman’s Nils Shapiro series, with a well-rounded, funny, very lovable Midwesterner visiting LA for the first time to solve a Hollywood murder. I have to mention an upcoming title from the one and only Catherynne M. Valente, called The Past is Red. It’s a sharp, satirical, dystopian novella rooted in environmentalism featuring one of the most enjoyable main characters I’ve read recently. And finally, She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. This one also doesn’t come out until 2021 (July 20, 2021, in case anyone wants to jot that date down so they can run to their nearest bookstore or pre-order the heck out of this one) but I read it in 2020 and wow, did I love it. I felt consumed by this book while I was reading it, and all the moments I wasn’t reading it were spent basically thinking about it and the characters in it. Here’s to another year and an endless pile of new books to get us through.

book-9781250217288Rachel Taylor, Marketing Manager

So I don’t know about y’all, but I kicked off this year thinking I was going to CRUSH my Goodreads challenge. But then…2020 happened and my attention span went straight out the window. But suddenly, TJ Klune was there to save the day. The House in Cerulean Sea was one of the first books I read after starting at Tor and I devoured it in a single day. It was the warm, comforting read I needed this year and it truly saved me in the early days of the pandemic. I spent most of the year anxiously hovering, waiting for Under the Whispering Door, TJ’s next adult book with Tor, to come in. Though it’s not publishing until September 2021, I was lucky enough to read it early and once again was completely absorbed. This is a must-read for 2021 and I personally can’t wait for more people to get their hands on the book so we can scream about it together.

book-9781250214751Giselle Gonzalez, Publicity Assistant

There’s so many books that I’m so greatful to have read in 2020, but if I had to narrow it down, Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi would definitely be at the top of my list. Riot Baby was the first work I’ve read by Tochi and it is absolutely essential reading. It is powerful, eye-opening, moving, and nerdy-as-heck. A book I will never forget and will recommend to everyone! Another novel that I’m grateful to have read this year is Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia. As a Cuban American woman it’s rare that I find a book that portrays my experience and that of the women in my family, but this novel felt like coming home. It’s a story of family, women, immigration, loss and it’s absolutely stunning, fierce and left me in a puddle of tears. It was one of the first times I saw myself and my family in a book and it holds a special place in my heart.

book-9781250229793Leah Schnelbach, Staff Writer, Tor.com

Two of my favorite reads this year were, on the surface, quite different: Drowned Country, Emily Tesh’s sequel to her lovely Silver in the Wood, and Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005.

Drowned Country is a funny, ache-y return to characters I loved. Henry Silver and Tobias Finch are one of my favorite literary couples (honestly, my only quibble with these books is that they’re not giant fantasy doorstoppers because I want to spend more time with those two) and Henry’s monster-hunting mother is hilarious. But what’s great about Drowned Country is that it takes this trio and deepens them. The narrative hops around in time, stranding us in terrible memories before dropping us back in the present, creating a palpable sense of Henry’s grief. By letting Henry’s neediness shade into real selfishness, Tesh is able to explore the consequences and put the poor, silly boy through more of an emotional wringer. Meanwhile, Tobias’ taciturn nature very nearly ruins everything, until the moment when he allows himself to act on impulse (and thus saves the day), and Adela Silver is older now, and has vulnerabilities of her own. Plus there’s a terrifying quest? And a whole new fantasy country? And a new character, Maud Lindhurst, who holds her own even with Henry’s mother? The book gently worries at the idea of past mistakes echoing up into the present—both personal failings like Henry’s, and the giant, world-shattering choices that led to the Drowned Country in the first place.

Now, Gilead is again, on the surface, quite different. The engine of the book is that Reverend John Ames, a septuagenarian father, is writing letters for his seven-year-old son. The Reverend has a heart condition. He could go at any time. The letters may be the only way the boy will know his father, so Rev. Ames knows he has to get them right. This is a slow, quiet, meditative book about the different shapes love can take. It spends pages and pages turning over one idea, one memory. It also talks, beautifully and at length, about John Brown’s fight against slavery, and the ultimate moral failure of the nice white people who refused to back his fight. The threads of personal history and national catastrophe weave together beautifully to add up to a book that is, at its heart, about the need to connect across time.

In both cases, these books allowed me to slow down and spend time with characters who became quite real. They gave me space to think about the past as both personal and political, and to read about people who are brave enough to drop their defenses and be honest with each other in order to heal sins of the past.

book-AnnelieseAnneliese Merz, Publicity Assistant 

I’ve been immensely grateful for so many books this year, but I think that if I had to choose (help, Tor is making me!), I would say The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune was the perfect pick me up and feel good book that I needed in this god awful year that is 2020. I would also say, I finally read the Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo in preparation for the show coming to Netflix in April 2021 and my body and mind is SO ready!

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Let’s Go to SPACE with Our Favorite Crews!!!

We all have dreams and one of our biggest ones? To go to SPACE!!! We want to touch the stars, see the aliens, get lost in the void—you know, the usual space dreams. But to fulfill our deepest wish, we need a chaotic crew to get us there. Check out our favorite space cohorts here!


Place holder  of - 52Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott

Growing up in the shadow of her mother, Eirene, has been no easy task. The legendary queen-marshal did what everyone thought impossible: expel the invaders and build Chaonia into a magnificent republic, one to be respected—and feared. But the cutthroat ambassador corps and conniving noble houses have never ceased to scheme—and they have plans that need Sun to be removed as heir, or better yet, dead.

Image Place holder  of - 15The Last Watch by J. S. Dewes

The Divide. It’s the edge of the universe. Now it’s collapsing—and taking everyone and everything with it. The only ones who can stop it are the Sentinels—the recruits, exiles, and court-martialed dregs of the military. At the Divide, Adequin Rake, commanding the Argus, has no resources, no comms—nothing, except for the soldiers that no one wanted. They’re humanity’s last chance.

Placeholder of  -46In the Black by Patrick S. Tomlinson

In a demilitarized zone on the border of human space, long range spy satellites are mysteriously going quiet, and no one knows why. Captain Susan Kamala and her crew are dispatched to figure out what’s going on and solve the problem. That problem, however, is a mysterious, bleeding edge alien ship that no human vessel could hope to match in open conflict. But, it’s not spoiling for a fight. Now, the Captain and her Crew must figure out how to navigate a complicated game of diplomacy, balancing the needs of their corporate overlords, and the honest desire for a lasting peace between the two races, all without letting a long standing cold war turn hot.

Image Placeholder of - 46To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she’s delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move. As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn’t at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human. While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity’s greatest and final hope . . .

Poster Placeholder of - 18All Systems Red by Martha Wells

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

book-9781250186119The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams

Jane Kamali is an agent for the Justified. Her mission: to recruit children with miraculous gifts in the hope that they might prevent the Pulse from once again sending countless worlds back to the dark ages. Hot on her trail is the Pax–a collection of fascist zealots who believe they are the rightful rulers of the galaxy and who remain untouched by the Pulse. Now Jane, a handful of comrades from her past, and a telekinetic girl called Esa must fight their way through a galaxy full of dangerous conflicts, remnants of ancient technology, and other hidden dangers. And that’s just the beginning . . .

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Fantasy Shapeshifters Galore!

Fantasy Shapeshifters Galore!

We are OBSESSED with shapeshifters at the moment, thanks to The Glass Magicians by Caroline Stevermer. Who doesn’t want to deal with their problems by spontaneously turning into a bear?

Here’s some of our favorite shapeshifter fantasies–Tell us what we missed in the comments!

image-36516The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer

Thalia Cutler doesn’t have prolific family connections. What she does know is stage magic and she dazzles audiences with an act that takes your breath away. That is, until one night when a trick goes horribly awry. In surviving, she discovers that she can shapeshift, and has the potential to take her place among the rich and powerful. But first, she’ll have to learn to control that power…before the real monsters descend to feast.

 

image-36502Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the “Sliver of Infinity,” reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler’s most hellish prison. Kelsier “snapped” and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn.

 

image-36539The True Game by Sheri S. Tepper

In the lands of the True Game, your lifelong identity emerges as you play-Prince or Sorcerer, Demon or Doyen. Raising the dead is the least of the Necromancer’s Talents-he is a wild card who threatens the True Game itself. A giant stalks the mountains. Shadowpeople gather by the light of the moon. Bonedancers raise up armies of the dead. And the Wizard’s Eleven sleep trapped in their dreams. Players, take your places. The final Game begins now…

 

image-36541Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze. However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand…

 

image-36512The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

Moon has spent his life hiding what he is: a shape-shifter able to transform himself into a winged creature of flight. An orphan with only vague memories of his own kind, Moon tries to fit in among the tribes of his river valley, with mixed success. Just as he is once again cast out by his adopted tribe, he discovers a shape-shifter like himself—someone who seems to know exactly what he is, who promises that Moon will be welcomed into the shape-shifter community.

 

image-36537The Last Dragonlord by Joanne Bertin

Dragonlord Linden Rathan, last-born of a race of immortal weredragons, has spent six hundred years alone, searching for his soultwin while his fellow Dragonlords watch over humanity’s Five Kingdoms. When the Queen of Cassori dies mysteriously, Linden and the other Dragonlords are called upon to prevent civil war as two human claimants vie for the regency.

As the battle for Cassori rule escalates, Linden becomes the target of the Fellowship, a secret society of true-humans who could actually destroy his immortal life. Then he meets a beautiful young ship captain named Maurynna who may be the only one who can help Linden bring Cassori back from the brink of chaos.

 

image-36511The Tiger and the Wolf by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Maniye’s father is the Wolf clan’s chieftain, but she’s an outcast. Her mother was queen of the Tiger and these tribes have been enemies for generations. Maniye also hides a deadly secret. All can shift into their clan’s animal form, but Maniye can take on tiger and wolf shapes. She refuses to disown half her soul, so escapes, rescuing a prisoner of the Wolf clan in the process. The killer Broken Axe is set on their trail, to drag them back for retribution. Maniye’s father plots to rule the north, and controlling his daughter is crucial to his schemes. However, other tribes also prepare for strife. Strangers from the far south appear too, seeking allies in their own conflict. It’s a season for omens as priests foresee danger, and a darkness falling across the land. Some say a great war is coming, overshadowing even Wolf ambitions. A time of testing and broken laws is near, but what spark will set the world ablaze?

 

Image Placeholder of - 68The Belgariad by David Eddings

It all begins with the theft of the Orb that for so long protected the West from an evil god. As long as the Orb was at Riva, the prophecy went, its people would be safe from this corrupting power. Garion, a simple farm boy, is familiar with the legend of the Orb, but skeptical in matters of magic. Until, through a twist of fate, he learns not only that the story of the Orb is true, but that he must set out on a quest of unparalleled magic and danger to help recover it. For Garion is a child of destiny, and fate itself is leading him far from his home, sweeping him irrevocably toward a distant tower—and a cataclysmic confrontation with a master of the darkest magic.

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