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Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with Six Must-Read Books by AAPI Authors

This May, Tor Books is spotlighting a stellar lineup of reads from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) authors. Got a craving for heart-pounding adventures? Dreaming of magical realms with intricate lore? Whatever your reading style, we’ve got you covered! Our selection offers a world of discovery for every kind of reader.

Check it out!


blood jadeBlood Jade by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle (out on 7/16/2024)

Emiko Soong, newly minted Sentinel of San Francisco, just can’t catch a break. Just after she becomes the guardian for a sentient city, a murder strikes close to home. Called by the city and one of the most powerful clans to investigate, she traces the killer whose scent signature bears a haunting similarity to her mother’s talent. The trail will lead her back to Tokyo where the thread she pulls threatens to unravel her whole world and bring dark family secrets to light. Meanwhile, the General rises in the East and Emiko must fight the hidden enemies of his growing army who are amped up on Blood Jade, while keeping her promises to her brother Tatsuya as he prepares for his tourney. Her duties as Sentinel and her loyalties collide when she must choose between hiding her deepest shame or stopping the General’s relentless march.


The Doors of MidnightThe Doors of Midnight by R.R. Virdi (out on 8/13/2024)

Some stories are hidden for a reason. All tales have a price. And every debt must be paid.

I killed three men as a child and earned the name Bloodletter. Then I set fire to the fabled Ashram. I’ve been a bird and robbed a merchant king of a ransom of gold. And I have crossed desert sands and cutthroat alleys to repay my debt. I’ve stood before the eyes of god, faced his judgement, and cast aside the thousand arrows that came with it. And I have passed through the Doors of Midnight and lived to tell the tale. I have traded one hundred and one stories with a creature as old as time, and survived with only my cleverness, a candle, and a broken promise. And most recently of all, I have killed a prince, though the stories say I have killed more than one.

My name is Ari. These are my legends.


Januaries Januaries by Olivie Blake (out on 10/15/2024)

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, a wish-granting spirit rapidly approaches burnout. Meanwhile, a banished fairy answers a Craigslist ad, a Victorian orphan navigates an occult situationship, and a multiverse assassin contemplates the one who got away.

With both iconic fan-favorite stories and entirely original pieces, Januaries features modified fairy tales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry, and at least one set of actual wedding vows. Escape the slow trudge of mortality by diving into these enchanting new worlds with a master of imagination.


the atlas complex by olivie blakeThe Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake

An explosive return to the library leaves the six Alexandrians vulnerable to the lethal terms of their recruitment. Old alliances quickly fracture as the initiates take opposing strategies as to how to deal with the deadly bargain they have so far failed to uphold. Those who remain with the archives wrestle with the ethics of their astronomical abilities, while elsewhere, an unlikely pair from the Society cohort partner to influence politics on a global stage. And still the outside world mobilizes to destroy them, while the Caretaker himself, Atlas Blakely, may yet succeed with a plan foreseen to have world-ending stakes. It’s a race to survive as the six Society recruits are faced with the question of what they’re willing to betray for limitless power—and who will be destroyed along the way.

New to the Atlas Series? Dive into the first book here!


Light From Uncommon Stars Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka’s ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She’s found her final candidate. But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn’t have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan’s kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul’s worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline. As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.


9781250749895 Zero Sum Game by  S. L. Huang

Cas Russell is good at math. Scary good. The vector calculus blazing through her head lets her smash through armed men twice her size and dodge every bullet in a gunfight, and she’ll take any job for the right price. As far as Cas knows, she’s the only person around with a superpower…until she discovers someone with a power even more dangerous than her own. Someone who can reach directly into people’s minds and twist their brains into Moebius strips. Someone intent on becoming the world’s puppet master. Cas should run, like she usually does, but for once she’s involved. There’s only one problem…
She doesn’t know which of her thoughts are her own anymore.

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Chaos and Cosmos: Bookish Horoscopes!

We’ve been giving our Chaos and Cosmos authors a run for their money with all these delightfully chaotic questions, but today we’ve given them their most daunting task yet…WRITING HOROSCOPES! From meeting handsome strangers to fleeing vengeful pigs, check out what our authors predicted here.

Write a horoscope based on your book

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Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun

Today you will face an obstacle and an opening. Keep your temper in check. Charge right in.

May Robinette Kowal, author of The Relentless Moon

Today watch out for accidents. You will find yourself in close quarters, far from loved ones. Trust your friends to be there for you.

Ryan Van Loan, author of The Sin in the Steel

Remember that harissa-rubbed pork shoulder you enjoyed? Today, the porcine will have their revenge.

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Alaya Dawn Johnson, author of Trouble the Saints

Someone has committed a great wrong against you and your people. It’s your choice: fight alone, or fight together. The truth, and the power, is in your hands.

Jenn Lyons, author of The Memory of Souls

Change is in the air, and you know what they say: adapt or die! It’s a tough world out there, and it’s not always easy to see the dragons in your path until they fly right into you. With Kimeron in retrograde, be careful of family gatherings, as it’s going to be especially easy to say the wrong thing to a loved one. You may find such reunions to be a little disagreeable, even cut-throat. Remember not to take what people say at face value — everyone had their own motives.

Most of all, be prepared to make sacrifices to get what you want.

Kit Rocha, author of Deal with the Devil

Today, a tall, handsome stranger will ask you to team up. You can’t trust him. Do it anyway.

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Andrea Hairston, author of Master of Poisons

Today everything will be upside down and inside out, unpredictable, dangerous. If you work together with folks you love and folks you can’t stand, you might make it to tomorrow.

Christopher Paolini, author of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

Today you will encounter adventure, tentacles, and cosmic wonder. Today dreams and nightmares will find unity.

S. A. Hunt, author of I Come With Knives

Don’t feed the wildlife today. Embrace your nature and let your impulsive side take over for a little while. Don’t attend any dinner parties your neighbors might be throwing. A new challenge will present itself in the form of a Mesopotamian death-goddess.

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S. L. Huang, author of Burning Roses

You’re going to have to decide whether you can kill your friend’s son today. Also, it turns out gods and monsters exist, and you might be the monster.

Stay tuned for even more Chaos and Cosmos!

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What Would You Keep in a Bag of Holding? (Chaotic Answers Only)

The Chaos and Cosmos continues!

We asked our Chaos and Cosmos authors: What would you keep in a bag of holding? And then we just sat back and embraced the chaos.

We have some ideas of our own of course: A lightsaber. Two-hundred and seven cheese wheels. A dragon egg maybe.

Let us know what you’d keep in yours in the comments!


What would you keep in your bag of holding?

Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun

A trans-dimensional gateway, and an unending supply of freshly baked cookies.

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Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Relentless Moon

Fountain pens, paper, books, crochet, my laptop, and a blanket for a cozy nap. Also, my cat Elsie would probably be in there, because it is a thing that she can get inside that she should not be inside.

S. A. Hunt, author of I Come With Knives

Definitely not a portable hole, or another bag of holding. That’s a good way to rip a hole in space and time, and get sucked into the Astral Plane. What I would keep in my bag of holding? Probably a sword, my wallet, and chargers for my devices. Maybe a pack of soft-baked cookies and a water bottle.

Alaya Dawn Johnson, author of Trouble the Saints

Futon mattress, green tea, electric kettle, pens, ink, notebooks, towel, a lot of conditioner and a hair pick.

Ryan Van Loan, author of The Sin in the Steel

Oh! Can I say another bag of holding whose destruction results in opening a gate to the Astral Plane? No? Hmm…well I imagine it’d probably be pretty similar to the contents of the bag Hermione has in The Deathly Hallows. Books and glamping tents and more books and potions and wands and quills and ink and…have I mentioned books?

Kit Rocha, author of Deal with the Devil

A bowling alley (complete with skunky beer), fifty pounds of hot smoked salmon, and a 1961 Thunderbird.

Jenn Lyons, author of The Memory of Souls

If my backpack is anything to go by: fountain pens, journals, and watercolor supplies.

Andrea Hairston, author of Master of Poisons

  • Portals to other worlds
  • A bike that never rusts or needs air in the tire
  • Dark chocolate bonbons with caramel filling
  • A truth serum

Christopher Paolini, author of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

Survival equipment and writing supplies.

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S. L. Huang, author of Burning Roses

Toilet paper. (Too real?)

Also a sword, my TI-92 graphing calculator, and a whole lot of tea.

Cory Doctorow, author of Attack Surface

A wet bar, an espresso machine, a burr grinder, well, I already have the bag I take on planes that has a sleeping bag, good pajamas, a hot water bottle, an ice pack, footie slippers, an eye mask…I’m the most comfortable man in the sky, so I’ll definitely carry all of that, some really good pens, more spare batteries than is wise, I could go on.

 Us: How many spare batteries is wise?

Like, if there was a lithium fire, you’d want it to be terrible but not catastrophic, that’s the wise level.

V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Dark chocolate and really good English Breakfast tea, at all times.

_

Relatable, right?

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Chaos and Cosmos: Choose. Your. Weapon.

Everyone knows that when challenged to a duel, it’s on you to pick the weapon. Fisticuffs? Fencing at dawn? Compliments? In order to be prepared to defend your honor, you should really have a weapon of choice.

Relatedly, in the event of an unfortunate fencing-at-dawn accident, what would you replace your hand with if it were chopped off?

We ask our authors the important questions.

What is your weapon of choice?
Or, if your hand was cut off what would you replace it with? 

Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun

If my hand was cut off I would replace it with a Swiss Army knife multi-tool prosthetic with additional sensitive claw grip.

Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Relentless Moon

Weapon of choice: Namiki pilot fountain pen with Noodler Ink’s Black Swans in English Roses. 

S. A. Hunt, author of I Come With Knives

Chainsaw, of course. Barring that, a short-sword. Something agile, but still has a little reach. No! No! A hookshot! A claw-hand that shoots out on a cable!

Alaya Dawn Johnson, author of Trouble the Saints

Nothing beats a well-aimed throwing knife.

Ryan Van Loan, author of The Sin in the Steel

Can this be an ‘and’ question? Weapon of choice would be a Colt .45 (God made people, Sam Colt made them all equal right?) The truth is, I have a fascination with a double-edged broadsword with a basket-hilt and red leather lining (think Scottish sword), but I haven’t put my 10,000 hours in and would die…but if I could replace my hand with a badass sword AND have the Colt .45? Possibilities, friends, possibilities.

Kit Rocha, author of Deal with the Devil

A PS4 controller.

Jenn Lyons, author of The Memory of Souls

My weapon of choice would be vast cosmic powers. Because hell yes.

Andrea Hairston, author of Master of Poisons

The pen! (For both.)

Christopher Paolini, author of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

Pistol-caliber carbine with armor-piercing rounds. If my hand was cut off . . . a phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range.

S. L. Huang, author of Burning Roses

A laser. Because I could both cut through diamond AND entertain a posse of playful cats.

Cory Doctorow, author of Attack Surface

The Content Management System.

V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Definitely a really old-fashioned dagger.

 

Stay tuned for even more Chaos and Cosmos!

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Meet Our Books Cosmos: Fire Signs

Ready to meet more of the shining stars of our Chaos and Cosmos campaign?! We’re shouting about our incredible Fire signs today: To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini, Burning Roses by S. L. Huang, and Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott.

Why are they Fire signs? We don’t know, ask publicity team members and astrology wizards Laura Eztkorn, Giselle Gonzalez, and Anna Merz.


Aries

Aries are passionate, very ‘head first, eyes closed, can’t lose’–which is also very Kira, the protagonist of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. It’s all about courage and determination for them. Which you’ll need when your area of space starts to fill with angry aliens…”

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To 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 . . .

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Sagittarius

“Sagittarius are empathetic, pick up on peoples social energies, and selfless with their actions. But look their symbol is the archer and we cannot NOT tag Burning Roses when one of the heroes (Hou Yi) is an archer.”

Image Place holder  of - 99Burning Roses by S. L. Huang

Rosa, also known as Red Riding Hood, is done with wolves and woods. Hou Yi the Archer is tired, and knows she’s past her prime. They would both rather just be retired, but that’s not what the world has ready for them. When deadly sunbirds begin to ravage the countryside, threatening everything they’ve both grown to love, the two must join forces. Now blessed and burdened with the hindsight of middle age, they begin a quest that’s a reckoning of sacrifices made and mistakes mourned, of choices and family and the quest for immortality.

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Leo

“Oh Leos. So ready to dominate, insecure but also willing own the spotlight. No one gives off that sunny, lion-esque, dominant Leo energy like Sun and her mother Eirene in Unconquerable Sun.” 

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Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott

Princess Sun has finally come of age. 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.

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Are you Chaos or Cosmos? TAKE OUR QUIZ AND FIND OUT!

In your heart of hearts, do you know…are you CHAOS or COSMOS?! We’re going to help you find out with our shiny new quiz, featuring questions around all our amazingly chaotic books! Take the quiz here, and let us know what you think in the comments!


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Chaos and Cosmos Authors Answer: Should Pluto be a Planet? And What OTHER Things Should Be Planets?

We’re all about the big questions in our Chaos and Cosmos campaign and we asked our authors a dozy this time: Should Pluto be a planet? And what OTHER things should be planets? Check out their answers below and let us know what you think should be a planet in the comments!


image-36818Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun

Should Pluto be a planet?

Pluto should get to be whatever Pluto wants to be.

What other things should be planets?

My rage.

image-36820Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Relentless Moon

Should Pluto be a planet?

Trick question. Pluto is a planet so the word “should” is misleading.

What other things should be planets?

Books. I mean, who hasn’t felt the irresistible gravitational pull of a book? They’ve got gravity, atmosphere, and orbit the sun.

image-37072S. A. Hunt, author of I Come With Knives

Should Pluto be a planet?

I already consider Pluto to be a planet.

What other things should be planets?

Fictional planets should be real planets. I’d love to hear news that scientists have discovered a way to travel through the multiverse, and found that all the worlds in our books, shows, and movies are real. Hey, I have a question for you – what if an entire library was a planet?

image-36468Alaya Dawn Johnson, author of Trouble the Saints

Should Pluto be a planet?

Pluto knows it’s a planet, it doesn’t need our permission.

What other things should be planets?

Russel’s teapot, dark matter, the morning star (wait, sorry, that is a planet)

Image Place holder  of - 15Ryan Van Loan, author of The Sin in the Steel

Should Pluto be a planet? 

Absolutely! I didn’t realize this was a controversial opinion to take, but there was quite a spirited discussion about it with the Tor Books folks, I can tell you. The millenial in me thinks Pluto is a planet and even if it’s not, deserves to be recognized as a planet after pretending to be one for so long. Participation trophies FTW!

What other things should be planets? 

Planet-killing asteroids? I feel like we’d take the threat of extinction by asteroid much more seriously if we named them like planets. Planet ‘Destroyer of Worlds’ sounds much scarier than Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 for example. Also, the weight of the average teenage angst as measured by the amount of My Chemical Romance in the air.

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Should Pluto be a planet?

It is a planet. *hard stare*

What other things should be planets?

National treasure Dolly Parton. The guitar riff from Smoke on the Water. The French Quarter of New Orleans. My dog’s ego.

Place holder  of - 99Jenn Lyons, author of The Memory of Souls

Should Pluto be a planet?

Yes. While Pluto fits the definition of dwarf-planet and there are a suspected 200 or so dwarf planets in the Sol System, it’s also not making the definition of planet primarily because of its location — were Pluto where Mercury is, we probably wouldn’t be having this discussion. But of course, there’s a lot of masses out in the Kuiper Belt which meet the same qualifications. Still, I’m nostalgic.

What other things should be planets?

I’m personally a fan of a geophysical definition — which means, yes, there should be 200 or so dwarf planets we call as such in the Sol system. Because come on, how cool would it be to have 200 planets in our solar system?

Image Placeholder of - 76Andrea Hairston, author of Master of Poisons

Should Pluto be a planet?

Why not? Size isn’t the only issue! Pluto is a wanderer, a traveler and that’s what planet means—from the Greek for wanderer to Latin to Old French and Middle English.

What other things should be planets?

Nine is a nice number, like the supreme court, but the other dwarf planets Ceres, Eris, Makemake and Haumea could just be “planets” too!

image-36609Christopher Paolini, author of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

Should Pluto be a planet?

Maybe?

What other things should be planets?

Planet X … if it exists (also, Titan, if it weren’t a moon)

image-36684S. L. Huang, author of Burning Roses

Should Pluto be a planet?

Yes. DUH! (Sorry, Dr. Tyson.)

What other things should be planets?

Oh, no, now you’ve gotten me going. I have a whole rant about this. We as humans are so obsessed with defining categories and drawing bright lines between classifications. But Nature, in all its messiness, abhors our need to fit everything in little boxes.

Gender, speciation, fruits versus vegetables, PLANETS—we think we’ve got a way of differentiating them all cleanly and then something like a platypus comes and blows it all up, and we have to make more caveats and carve out exceptions until it becomes really obvious the cosmos is just a continuum of chaos that defies our attempts to order it.

If Pluto wants to be a planet, let it be a planet. I support self-identification of celestial bodies.

Also platypuses can be planets. Tomatoes aren’t a vegetable, they’re a planet. And stop the debate about whether Denisovans were a subspecies of ancient humans or not; they can come be planets too.

LET CHAOS REIGN.

attacksurfaceCory Doctorow, author of Attack Surface

Should Pluto be a planet? What other things should be planets?

My solar system includes Pluto as a planet and also includes many other things as planets, including large mammals, touring vans, extremely large San Francisco burritos, and many other odd sized things.

image-36682V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Should Pluto be a planet?

I feel like it should, absolutely. I mean, do we have a very high standard for planets? They could be added, I don’t understand why there are only eight.

What other things should be planets?

Here’s the things, right, I always think of planets as people that are super impactful to me, I wrote this whole open letter several years ago about how I felt like a tiny spec of mass and authors like Neil Gaiman were planets to me, but yeah, I don’t think anyone should have a planetary force, I just think there is something to be said about having enough mass that you feel like you move the world a little bit.

Stay tuned for more #ChaosandCosmos all year long!

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Queer SFF Books from 2020 You Can Read Now!

Queer SFF Books from 2020 You Can Read Now!

Happy Pride, everyone! We’re doing some socially distant celebrating this month by moving these brand new queer SFF books to the top of our TBR pile. Which ones are you most excited to read?


image-37128Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton

This is the motto of the Lady Knights—sworn to fealty under a struggling kingdom, promised to defend the prospective heir, Banna Mora. But when a fearsome rebellion overthrows the throne, Mora is faced with an agonizing choice: give up everything she’s been raised to love, and allow a king-killer to be rewarded—or retake the throne, and take up arms against the newest heir, Hal Bolingbrooke, Mora’s own childhood best friend and sworn head of the Lady Knights.

 

image-37064Burn the Dark by S. A. Hunt

Robin is a YouTube celebrity gone-viral with her intensely-realistic witch hunter series. But even her millions of followers don’t know the truth: her series isn’t fiction. Her ultimate goal is to seek revenge against the coven of witches who wronged her mother long ago. Returning home to the rural town of Blackfield, Robin meets friends new and old on her quest for justice. But then, a mysterious threat known as the Red Lord interferes with her plans….

 

image-36437The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood

What if you knew how and when you will die? Csorwe does—she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice. But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard’s loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power. But Csorwe will soon learn—gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.

 

image-36448The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He’s tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world. Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.

 

image-36457Critical Point by S. L. Huang

Math-genius mercenary Cas Russell has stopped a shadow organization from brainwashing the world and discovered her past was deliberately erased and her superhuman abilities deliberately created. And that’s just the start: when a demolitions expert targets Cas and her friends, and the hidden conspiracy behind Cas’s past starts to reappear, the past, present, and future collide in a race to save one of her dearest friends.

 

image-36950The Unconquered City by K. A. Doore

Seven years have passed since the Siege—a time when the hungry dead had risen—but the memories still haunt Illi Basbowen. Though she was trained to be an elite assassin, now the Basbowen clan act as Ghadid’s militia force protecting the resurrected city against a growing tide of monstrous guul that travel across the dunes. Illi’s worst fears are confirmed when General Barca arrives, bearing news that her fledgling nation, Hathage, also faces this mounting danger.  To protect her city and the realm, Illi must travel to Hathage and confront her inner demons in order to defeat a greater one—but how much can she sacrifice to protect everything she knows from devastation?

 

image-36473The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison

In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings in a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.otJack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows.

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#ICYMI- A Recap of TorCon 2020

A Recap of TorCon 2020

We are so grateful to everyone who joined us for TorCon 2020, and we hope you had as much fun as we did!

If you’re bummed you couldn’t make it to all of the activities, don’t worry, we’ve got your back. You can see the recordings of almost all of TorCon plus some short recaps below!


On the first day of TorCon, Christopher Paolini (To Sleep in a Sea of Stars) and Brandon Sanderson (Rhythm of War) chatted about writing fantasy and science fiction, writing veeerrry long books, steak, and finding truth in fiction. Their event was only available at TorCon, but you’ll get a chance to see their conversation again this fall!


Later on, V. E. Schwab (The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue) and Neil Gaiman (The Annotated American Gods) came together live and in conversation. It was beautiful and inspiring and we stan two legends and we weren’t crying it was just raining directly over our faces.

Rewatch below through Crowdcast:

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Nothing pairs better with brunch than books. So we grabbed a brunch cocktail and joined The Calculating Stars author Mary Robinette Kowal for a balanced brunchfest of book talk…and a sneak peek at her upcoming “Lady Astronauts” novel, The Relentless Moon. Books & Brunch was moderated by Den of Geek contributor Natalie Zutter.

Rewatch now via Crowdcast:

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Authors can take inspiration from anything to write stories, and we got a special inside look into how some of our favorite authors did when WE were the inspiration. At Saturday’s Chaotic Communal Storytime, K. A. Doore (The Unconquered City), S. L. Huang (Critical PointBurning Roses), Arkady Martine (A Memory Called Empire), and Kit Rocha (Deal With the Devil) used audience writing prompts to create a brand new story—filled with MURDER, of course.

Rewatch now via Facebook Live!

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Books are portals to different worlds, or so people say—but what exactly goes into creating those worlds? We joined P. Djèlí Clark (Ring Shout), Charlotte Nicole Davis (The Good Luck Girls), Bethany C. Morrow (A Song Below Water), Tochi Onyebuchi (Riot Baby), and moderator Saraciea Fennell as they discussed worldbuilding, craft, and the fun of creating limitless new universes contained within the pages of their works.

Check it out now via YouTube!

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What better way to enjoy brunch than to pair it with some books? Authors Jenn Lyons (The Ruin of Kings and the upcoming The Memory of Souls) and Nathan Makaryk (Nottingham and the upcoming Lionhearts) joined TorCon for a brunch to end all brunches…complete with MULTIPLE CAMERA ANGLES and dramatic readings from both authors! Books & Brunch was moderated by Den of Geek contributor Natalie Zutter.

Watch it again via Crowdcast:

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Pop culture has shifted its attention to the messy, the morally ambiguous, and the weird, and we’re LOVING IT! We joined some of the genre’s most exciting authors at TorCon to discuss how chaos reigns in their fantasy worlds, the cosmos, and the real world alike. Our panelists included Kate Elliott (Unconquerable Sun), Andrea Hairston (Master of Poisons), Alaya Dawn Johnson (Trouble the Saints), and Ryan Van Loan (The Sin in the Steel) and was moderated by Kayti Burt of Den of Geek.

Rewatch the Chaos and Cosmos panel now on YouTube:

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Technology. Science. Politics. Their books touch on all of these, and they had the chance to talk about it at TorCon. We joined critically acclaimed, award-winning authors Cory Doctorow (Attack Surface, Little Brother) and Nnedi Okorafor (Binti, Remote Control) for our last TorCon panel, and what an amazing way to close out the weekend!

Rewatch this discussion, moderated by Kayti Burt of Den of Geek, via Crowdcast:

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On the (Digital) Road: Tor Author Events in June

We are in a time of social distancing, but your favorite Tor authors are still coming to screens near you in the month of June! Check out where you can find them here:

S. L. Huang, Critical Point

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Friday, June 5- Sunday, June 7
Renaissance Virtual Conference
Zoom
Full Schedule Here

TBD
Inverse SFF Happy Hour
Instagram Live
5:00 PM EST

John Scalzi, The Last Emperox

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Tuesday, June 9
In Conversation with Sarah Gailey (Upright Women Wanted, Tor.com Publishing)
Zoom
12 PM PT

Wednesday, June 24
Reading/Q&A with Hudson (OH) Library/The Learned Owl Bookstore
TBD
TBD

S. A. Hunt, I Come With Knives

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Tuesday, June 9
Tor After Dark
Instagram Live
7:00 PM EST

Gregory Benford and Larry Niven, Glorious

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Tuesday, June 16
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
Instagram Live
7:00 PT

Wednesday, June 17
Poisoned Pen
Zoom
6:00 PT

Thursday, June 18
Tubby & Coo’s Mid-City Book Shop
Bookstream
7:00 PM EST

Friday, June 19
Reddit r/Books AMA
Reddit
TBD

Tuesday, June 30
Powell’s
TBD
TBD

Katherine Addison, The Angel of the Crows

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Tuesday, June 16
Tor After Dark
Instagram Live
7:00 PM EST

Tuesday, June 30
Boswell Books, in conversation with Jim Higgins from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Zoom
TBD

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