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Our Ships Will Never Sink: A List of Tor Staffer’s Ultimate OTPs!

We have a lot of OTPs (One True Pairings) here at Tor, but today, we’re here to talk about our ULTIMATE OTPs. We asked our staff to tell us about their favorite TDA ships and they delivered.

Check them out below!


Image Place holder  of - 81Samantha Friedlander, Marketing Assistant (she/her)

My favorite TDA OTP would have to be Esther and Cye from opens in a new windowUpright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey. Their chemistry leapt off the page and was one of the many reasons why I loved this novella!

Place holder  of - 58Yvonne Ye, Ad/Promo Assistant (she/her)

opens in a new windowThe Stormlight Archive: I ship Kaladin/therapy, and if you’ve met the man, you’ll understand why

Alternatively! For the opens in a new windowTeixcalaan duology by Arkady Martine, I ship Three Seagrass/Mahit Dzmare because I support beleaguered bureaucrat 4 beleagured bureaucrat :))))) If your OTP doesn’t have email work sessions together, do they even love each other?

Image Placeholder of - 82a cat, Marketing Coordinator (he/him)

My TDA OTP is a match made in magic hell and it’s Talasseres Charossa from  opens in a new windowThe Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood and John Gaius from  opens in a new windowHarrow the Ninth. Tal is a rogue with a thing for garbage wizards and John Gaius, the Emperor Undying, is the garbage-ist wizard of all. This pairing is literally cursed, but so potent it must be true.

Poster Placeholder of - 28Anna Merz, Publicity Assistant (she/her)

I would like to start this off by saying I for one ship the Marketing and Publicity teams at TDA xoxo

But also I mega ship Samson and Abitha from  opens in a new windowSlewfoot. A wholesome Monster/devil love of flower crowns, bees, and revenge.

Placeholder of  -39Becky Yeager, Manager of Ad/Promo & Marketing (she/her)

Kadou and Evemer from  opens in a new windowA Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

One is a prince. The other one is a bodyguard. Could I make it any more obvious? Prince Kadou is kind, thoughtful, and anxious. Evemer is loyal, honorable, and reserved. Together they are everything I want out of a couple: a perfect balance of sweet and oh no, he’s hot. They bring out the very best in each other as they contend with conspiracies, a counterfeit crisis, and the periodic assassination attempt. If slow burn and pining are your cup of tea, then look no further than A Taste of Gold and Iron.

cover of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz MeadowsRachel Taylor, Marketing Manager (she/her)

Definitely Caethari and Velasin from  opens in a new windowA Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows. Arranged marriage trope? Queer romance? Yearning? WHAT MORE COULD I WANT?!?!?!

What is your SFF OTP? Let us know in the comments? 

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5 Iconic & Dangerous Power Couples of SFF

by a cat

Name a more iconic duo than peanut butter and jelly! Okay, we can. And we will. This is PB&J with magic and swords. 

Your favorite lunchtime sammie can eat its heart out, because here are our favorite dangerous power couples of science fiction & fantasy!


opens in a new windowone for my enemy by olivie blakeLev & Sasha from opens in a new windowOne for My Enemy by Olivie Blake

Heavens (or hells?) to Betsy, *insert expletive*—she’s a daughter of Baba Yaga and he’s a scion of Koschei the Deathless, two centers of witchly power at feud in modern Manhattan, and: 

“Write me a tragedy, Lev Fedorov,” she whispered to him. “Write me a litany of sins. Write me a plague of devastation. Write me lonely, write me wanting, write me shattered and fearful and lost. Then write me finding myself in your arms, if only for a night, and then write it again. Write it over and over, Lev, until we both know the pages by heart. Isn’t that a story, too?” she asked him softly.

Brb, gotta scream


opens in a new windowthe unspoken name by a.k. larkwoodOlenna & Belthandros Sethennai from opens in a new windowThe Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

Ohhhhhh, this one’s a classic! She’s the crass and sometimes heretical resident librarian of a cult to the unnamed god of death, and he’s a smarmy, insufferable Garbage Wizard (and not a refuse-based practitioner. No, he is trash, metaphorically speaking). Basically, if you run afoul of either of these two, not only is your whole day ruined but probably your life. Regardless, the author of this blog feature would marry Olenna in less than one (1) mortal heartbeat, if ever so lucky. 


opens in a new windowLegends & Lattes by Travis BaldreeViv & Tandry from opens in a new windowLegends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Okay, so as a former professional sword-swingin’ adventure-haver, Viv could choose to be dangerous. That’s kind of not her thing anymore, BUT, sometimes the greatest evidence of strength is restraint. She’s decided to no longer live by the sword, and given the amount of problems her and new barista / perhaps crush Tandry could solve with sharpened steel, we’re talking true strength indeed. Look, Viv might not be super into cutting your heart out anymore, but her and Tandry will melt it, and that’s a whole other class of danger. 


opens in a new windowOcean's Echo by Everina MaxwellTennal & Surit from opens in a new windowOcean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell

It’s a classic boy (can read minds) meets boy (tasked with brain-dominating mind-readers by dangerous space fascists) bumpy road romance. Basically, Surit accepted a shady promotion track out of desperation and is to turn telepath socialite Tennal into a weapon. Neither of them are super chill with this, but they are in a lot of danger. Their best chance at survival? Faking that mind-sync, and selling it. And that’s pretty much where they’re at when things really go off the rails. 


opens in a new windowThe Atlas Paradox by Olivie BlakeCallum Nova from opens in a new windowThe Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake & Me from Real Life, please

Hey, I promise I’m mostly okay. Don’t know what wildness will go down when opens in a new windowThe Atlas Complex comes out, but this is just what’s up right now. 

Callum Nova art by Little Chmura

 

[artwork depicting Callum Nova by opens in a new windowLittle Chmura]

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Magic Users Are The Worst: 5 Examples of Garbage Wizards

Out of all the wizards you might encounter in your life, the ones you probably want to meet are powerful yet kind guides. Begrudgingly helpful and somewhat strong wizards are also a possibility, yet not as fun. But perhaps the number one wizard to look out for is The Garbage Wizard. This wizard is either entirely unhelpful and there just for vibes – or they could be rancid evil wizards. Take heed if you ever encounter a Garbage Wizard like the one in The Thousand Eyes by A. K. Larkwood, out February, or any of the ones below! Warning, spoilers for opens in a new windowThe Unspoken Name below.

by Lizzy Hosty


Cover of The Thousand Eyes by A. K. LarkwoodBelthandros Sethennai from The Thousand Eyes by A. K. Larkwood – Phantom Garbage

In this sequel to The Unspoken Name, two years have passed since Csorwe and Shuthmili have risked a Garbage Wizard Belthandros Sethennai’s anger in order to gain their freedom. But when they release an eldritch power that has slept undisturbed for generations, and they run into the former lover of the wizard they are escaping, they might just discover there are worse threats out there than the Phantom Garbage Wizard they fled.


opens in a new windowPlace holder  of - 64Aelis de Lenti from opens in a new windowThe Warden by Daniel M. Ford – Aimless 20-something Garbage

Aelis had a plan. First, attain connections. Great, check one, she’s actually got those, wow. Second, gain prestige by graduating from the Magister’s Lyceum? Got that too. And like many Aimless 20-something Garbage-entities of any vocation, this is where everything falls apart. What does she do now? Performing local community necromancy at her assigned post in a rural mountain forest did not have a place in her two-step plan. But she’ll do it—aimlessly she will, and she’ll drink a little too. And complain. And this is where and how perilous adventure will find her. 


Cover of Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirHarrow from Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – Goth Garbage

The second part of the Locked Tomb series, Harrow the Ninth follows Harrowhark Nonagesimus, the last necromancer of the Ninth House, and truly the Gothest Garbage Wizard to exist. After Harrow is drafted by the Emperor into an unwinnable war along with her detested rival, Harrow has to perfect her skills and become an angel of undeath. But her health is failing, her sword makes her nauseous, and even her mind is threatening to betray her. Is somebody trying to kill her? And if they succeeded, would the universe be better off?


The Craft Sequence by Max GladstoneRed King from Max Gladstone’s Craft Sequence Series – Recyclable Garbage

In this collection of the first five books of the Craft Sequence, the Red King is the Recyclable Garbage Wizard that keeps coming back for more. In a world where souls are currency, cities are powered by the fallen gods, necromantic law firms, and warrior priests exist, The Red King and Red King Consolidated continue to insert themselves into where the characters least expect – and perhaps, least want.

And check out  opens in a new windowDead CountryGladstone’s recent return to the world of the Craft, and a great new entry point into his mythos!


Shades of Magic Box Set by V. E. SchwabKell from V. E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic Series – Insufferable Garbage

The most Insufferable of Garbage Wizards, Kell has the rare ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. Kell works a double life as an ambassador to the Maresh Empire and travels between all Londons, but also as a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. When Kell discovers new perilous magic, the once precarious balance of power among the four Londons might just reach its breaking point.

AND make sure to check out opens in a new window The Fragile Threads of Power, Schwab’s forthcoming and much-anticipated return to the world that began in the Shades of Magic!

What type of Garbage Wizard is your favorite? Let us know in the comments! 

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Meet-Cute Quiz! What’s Your Fantasy Dating Dynamic?

by a cat

Love is in the air! It’s the time of the year that we like to get all mushy and gushy and heart-melty sweet ❤️

And what better way than with a fun little fantasy quiz to determine your preferred relationship dynamic?



Oh, and while you’re in the lovey-dovey mood……. Bookshops & Bonedust (available for pre-order now) is the delightfully cozy romantical fantastical sequel to Legends & Lattes!

Pre-order opens in a new windowBookshops & Bonedust Here:

opens in a new windowPoster Placeholder of amazon- 4 opens in a new windowPoster Placeholder of bn- 16 opens in a new windowPlace holder  of booksamillion- 16 opens in a new windowibooks2 76 opens in a new windowindiebound

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Tor Books EPIC Holiday Gift Guide For Your Oddball Family

Hello hello, and welcome back to our annual TOR BOOKS HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE, where we give you what we think are the best gifts for the hyper specific, super chaotic individuals in your life. From your childhood BFF to your mildly traumatized game master, we have a whole slew of bookish picks for you this holiday season. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays, y’all!

By Rachel Taylor and a cat


For your long suffering GM (Game Master) who just wants a break from your party

Stranger Things' Eddie Munson hosting a session of DnD

opens in a new windowvia tenor

Anyone who acts as game master for Dungeons & Dragons (or any other TTRPG, to be frank) deserves an award for powering through all the shenanigans their party puts them through. From attempting to fight a dragon with a fork to accidentally leading your party off a cliff, your deeply stressed out GM deserves a cozy novel to help them decompress. opens in a new windowLegends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is out now and, for an extra little something, you can submit your receipt to get an opens in a new windowadorable acrylic charm, a perfect addition to your gift!


For your cousin who remained loyal and never left Tumblr 

Books whimsically flying off a shelf to a concerned-looking guy

opens in a new windowvia GIPHY

You remember the Tumblr exodus of 2019, and for shame—you were part of it, you fragile soul. But not your cousin. Resolute, they stood by their blog and posted through the long, long night. Three years later, Tumblr is resurging and you need a gift for the one who never lost faith. What’s more Tumblr than magic danger-nerds alternatively hooking up with and hating each other as they conduct research and mainline caffeine and/or alcohol? Redeem your past mistakes with the perfect bookly gifts for your cousin: Olivie Blake’s opens in a new windowThe Atlas Six and thrilling sequel, The Atlas Paradox.


For the enthusiastic players who got their GM Legends & Lattes

Cartoon Doge Rogue—a 'Dogue'

opens in a new window@lookhuman via GIPHY

You love the players at your table, but even after years of collaborative TTRPG storytelling, you’ve never once anticipated the many ways they have conspired to unravel every plot thread you’ve ever written. How then could you ever predict what they might like as a gift? Easy. Just listen to us: opens in a new windowDaughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald is a fantastic epic fantasy about a girl who can A) see ghosts, and B) turn people into them with an expertly placed arrow, if she takes the mind. Of course, if anyone finds out about her power, she’s dead, and circumstances have led her to become a ward in the monastery of the very warrior-magi that would execute her. Oops! What gamesplayer can resist a quick-paced and twisting tale of magic, adventure, and deceit?


For your ex-boyfriend who’s still blowing up your phone with House of the Dragon TikTok’s

Daemon Targaryen very sexily receiving troubling news that his brother Viserys loves him with the GIF ending frames before he does something evil. I'm so sorry whoever's reading this I'm not perfect

opens in a new windowvia GIPHY

So your ex-boyfriend (who you’re still friends with, DESPITE THE ADVICE OF OTHERS) just finished House of the Dragon and he won’t stop texting you about how much it sucks to have to wait 2 years for season 2. He’s right, but you can still give him a new epic fantasy to obsess over with The First Binding by R.R. Virdi. At over 800 pages, it’ll keep him busy for quite a while AND it also doubles as a premium bludgeoning weapon for you if he doesn’t appreciate your gift. Win win!


For your chronically-online uncle who needs to stop doomscrolling for his own health

very cool neon void road this artist is so good (@dualvoidanima)

opens in a new window@dualvoidmania via GIPHY

He’s mister doom-and-gloom. If there’s an upsetting tweet, you’ve seen it because he’s retweeted it. You don’t quite know him well enough to be comfortable with direct intervention. You need to gift him Last Exit by Max Gladstone. It’s a book about the death of idealism and the rot that creeps through the cracks of reality like so many corrosively fecund vines. It’s about a generation who thought they would transform the world and failure’s fallout. He’ll still be very DOOM-ful, but in an artistically fun, yet still scary way.


For your brother who is OBSESSED with The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime

Rosamund Pike casting some overpowered magic. Queen

opens in a new windowvia GIPHY

So your brother watched The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime and has fallen down the 14+ book-deep rabbithole that is Robert Jordan’s timeless epic fantasy series. Help him delve even further into the lore with opens in a new windowOrigins of the Wheel of Time by Michael Livingston! He’ll be able to learn even more about all the mythology and legends that inspired Robert Jordan’s universe and you’ll get some peace and quiet while he’s absorbed in his new book.


For your sister who is always has at least 5 open browser tabs of Ao3 fics

dancing, logging in to ur laptop for fanfiction time!

opens in a new windowvia Gfycat

Who among us hasn’t spent some time reading fix-it fics on Ao3? Well, no one compares to your sister, who currently has 30 tabs open on her iPhone filled with her favorite OTP falling in love 30 different ways (IF THE SHOW WON’T GIVE THEM A HAPPILY EVER AFTER, THE INTERNET WILL). You can’t buy her the perfect 100 chapter slow burn coffee shop fix-it fic of her OTP, but you CAN buy her opens in a new windowOcean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell! It features all the choicest tropes like mutual pining, slowburn, and fake dating and will be sure to put a smile on her face for the holidays.


For your estranged mother, to subtly let her know that your relationship still requires some Conversations

Lucille Bluth: "If you're saying I play favorites, you're wrong. I love all my children equally."

*Earlier that day* Lucille Bluth: "I don't care for Gob."

opens in a new windowvia GIPHY opens in a new window& tenor

Do you want to give your mother a gift that’s also a hint about how you feel about your tumultuous parental relationship? opens in a new windowJust Like Home by Sarah Gailey is the gift for her! It’s got great thriller vibes, with a daughter coming back to her family home for the first time after her father was arrested for being a serial killer…which she kind of caused. And mom’s still holding a grudge over a DECADE later. It’s got drama, monsters, and enough parallels to make your mom go ‘Wait, is this f*cking play about US?!’


For the loved one in your life who waited 2.5 years to finally see My Chemical Romance live in Fall 2022

dark spell book with eye on the cover it's VERY cool

opens in a new window@KyleeConriquez via GIPHY

A million years ago (Or two and a half. Whatever. Time is meaningless mush) your loved one planned to attend the My Chemical Romance reunion. A show that would eventually be put off and off and off due to ongoing events until earlier this year. It was epic, but you know what else is? opens in a new windowBook of Night by Holly Black. Your loved one won’t have to wait 900~ days for this literary event, and just like an MCR show, they’ll want to acquire (more) goth clothes and tattoos after.


For the childhood BFF everyone called a ‘voracious reader’ growing up / anyone who was ‘a delight to have in class’

Matilda reading. "She devoured one book after another"

via Goodreads

Did your childhood BFF simply devour every book in front of her? Is she still That Person whose TBR pile is precariously stacked in the corner of her living room, a threat to anyone who brushes too close? Give her a book to really whet her appetite for reading in opens in a new windowThe Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean, where a very special family literally sustains themselves entirely by eating books. Did we bite a book while reading this to see if we were book eaters? Who’s to say.


For your college best friend with at least one historical quote tattoo

Joan of Arc look at the MET Gala

opens in a new windowvia GIPHY

Does your college best friend have an encyclopedic knowledge of historical retellings? Do they have, at minimum, one historically linked tattoo that prompts a 20 minute lecture whenever someone asks what it means? Do they have five different editions of The Song of Achilles on their shelf? And most importantly, do they crave a new, queer retelling to sink their teeth into? Look no further! Neon Yang has a Joan of Arc inspired, post-apocalyptic sci-fi story for you. Check out opens in a new windowThe Genesis of Misery, ​​starring a queer and diverse array of pilots, princesses, and prophetic heirs.


For the ambiguously LGBTQ+ niece whose fashion sense you try to understand, but ultimately makes you feel insecure about how fast you’re aging

wildly cool psychedelic snake meets girl shadow

opens in a new window@yifan via GIPHY

You love them, but no one makes you feel old like your nebulously but definitely queer niece. They’re so cool, and are very helpful in keeping you up to date on the hippest trends, but every time you talk to them, you feel the pent-up years in your joints. Get your niece A. K. Larkwood’s opens in a new windowThe Serpent Gates series, including The Unspoken Name and The Thousand Eyes. It’s about a gay orc death priestess who rebrands herself as a garbage wizard’s personal assassin and picks up a gods-cursed, magi-baddie mid-adventure. There are cosmic gods, ancient ruins, devious machinations, and a lot of awesome gay stuff.


For the sibling on their third+ rewatch of The Expanse

The Expanse's incredible Naomi Nagata: "I'm using my last remaining brain cells to try and kill my last remaining brain cells."

opens in a new windowvia GIPHY

We get it. Your sibling buddy is bummed that The Expanse has finished its TV run and is still hopelessly in love with its marriage of adrenaline-flooding action and introspective parsing of human expansion / empire. Again, we do get it, and what you need to get is opens in a new windowSweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus.


For the nephew who you gifted The Way of Kings to last year

Old book leafing through pages

opens in a new windowvia GIPHY

Your nephew reads through books at speeds generally known only to muscle cars and lightning, and he needs long fantasy books now! The time required to produce the next installment in an epic series is often as long as the books themselves, which is unfortunate since it’s time for you to gift your nephew another book. Here’s the good news: Brandon Sanderson writes as fast as your nephew reads, and his long-awaited continuation of the opens in a new windowMistborn series, opens in a new windowThe Lost Metal, is the perfect gift. And then next year you can get him the next Brando Sando, and the book cycle of giving goes on and on and on.

We hope you and your loves ones have a happy and safe holiday season! Did we miss a super niche friend/family member that you want to see a gift for? Let us know in the comments! 

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EPICLY FANTASTIC MEGA EBOOK SALE DAY: 10/16/22

Big News: We’re all eBook sale, all day, but only for today (Sunday, 10/16/22)! Get every title on this epic list for $2.99 for the next 24 hours!


opens in a new windowDaughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald opens in a new windowDaughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald

Raine can see—and speak—to the dead, a gift that comes with a death sentence. All her life she has hidden, lied, and run to save her skin, and she’s made some spectacularly bad choices along the way.

But it is a rare act of kindness—rescuing an injured woman in the snow—that becomes the most dangerous decision Raine has ever made.

Because the woman is fleeing from Redwinter, the fortress-monastery of the Draoihn, warrior magicians who answer to no king, and who will stop at nothing to reclaim what she’s stolen. A battle, a betrayal, and a horrific revelation force Raine to enter the citadel and live among the Draoihn. She soon finds that her secret ability could be the key to saving an entire nation.

Though she might have to die to make it happen . . .

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opens in a new windowKushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey opens in a new windowKushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey

A nation born of angels, vast and intricate and surrounded by danger… a woman born to servitude, unknowingly given access to the secrets of the realm…

Born with a scarlet mote in her left eye, Phédre nó Delaunay is sold into indentured servitude as a child. When her bond is purchased by an enigmatic nobleman, she is trained in history, theology, politics, foreign languages, the arts of pleasure. And above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Exquisite courtesan, talented spy…and unlikely heroine. But when Phédre stumbles upon a plot that threatens her homeland, Terre d’Ange, she has no choice.

Betrayed into captivity in the barbarous northland of Skaldia and accompanied only by a disdainful young warrior-priest, Phédre makes a harrowing escape and an even more harrowing journey to return to her people and deliver a warning of the impending invasion. And that proves only the first step in a quest that will take her to the edge of despair and beyond.

Phédre nó Delaunay is the woman who holds the keys to her realm’s deadly secrets, and whose courage will decide the very future of her world.

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opens in a new windowThe First Binding by R. R. Virdi opens in a new windowThe First Binding by R. R. Virdi

All legends are born of truths. And just as much lies. These are mine. Judge me for what you will. But you will hear my story first.

I buried the village of Ampur under a mountain of ice and snow. Then I killed their god. I’ve stolen old magics and been cursed for it. I started a war with those that walked before mankind and lost the princess I loved, and wanted to save. I’ve called lightning and bound fire. I am legend. And I am a monster.

My name is Ari.

And this is the story of how I let loose the first evil.

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opens in a new windowChronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook opens in a new windowChronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook

Darkness wars with darkness as the hard-bitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must. They bury their doubts with their dead.

Then comes the prophecy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more…

This omnibus edition comprises The Black Company, Shadows Linger, and The White Rose—the first three novels in Glen Cook’s bestselling fantasy series.

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opens in a new windowFate of the Fallen by Kel Kade opens in a new windowFate of the Fallen by Kel Kade

Not all stories have happy endings.

Everyone loves Mathias. Naturally, when he discovers it’s his destiny to save the world, he dives in head first, pulling his best friend Aaslo along for the ride.

However, saving the world isn’t as easy, or exciting, as it sounds in the stories. The going gets rough and folks start to believe their best chance for survival is to surrender to the forces of evil, which isn’t how the prophecy goes. At all. As the list of allies grows thin, and the friends find themselves staring death in the face they must decide how to become the heroes they were destined to be or, failing that, how to survive.

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opens in a new windowGardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson opens in a new windowGardens 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…

Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, Gardens of the Moon is epic fantasy of the highest order—an enthralling adventure by an outstanding new voice.

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opens in a new windowThe Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons opens in a new windowThe Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons

Kihrin grew up in the slums of Quur, a thief and a minstrel’s son raised on tales of long-lost princes and magnificent quests. When he is claimed against his will as the missing son of a treasonous prince, Kihrin finds himself at the mercy of his new family’s ruthless power plays and political ambitions.

Practically a prisoner, Kihrin discovers that being a long-lost prince is nothing like what the storybooks promised. The storybooks have lied about a lot of other things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, and how the hero always wins.

Then again, maybe he isn’t the hero after all. For Kihrin is not destined to save the world.

He’s destined to destroy it.

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opens in a new windowRise of the Mages by Scott Drakeford opens in a new windowRise of the Mages by Scott Drakeford

Emrael Ire wants nothing more than to test to be a weapons master. His final exam will be a bloody insurrection, staged by corrupt nobles and priests, that enslaves his brother.

With the aid of his War Master tutor, herself an undercover mage, Emrael discovers his own latent and powerful talents.

To rescue his brother, Emrael must embrace not only his abilities as a warrior but also his place as last of the ancient Mage Kings—for the Fallen God has returned.

And he is hungry.

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opens in a new windowThe Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley opens in a new windowThe Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley

Kaden, the heir to the Unhewn Throne, has spent eight years sequestered in a remote mountain monastery, learning the enigmatic discipline of monks devoted to the Blank God. Their rituals hold the key to an ancient power he must master before it’s too late.

An ocean away, Valyn endures the brutal training of the Kettral, elite soldiers who fly into battle on gigantic black hawks. But before he can set out to save Kaden, Valyn must survive one horrific final test.

At the heart of the empire, Minister Adare, elevated to her station by one of the emperor’s final acts, is determined to prove herself to her people. But Adare also believes she knows who murdered her father, and she will stop at nothing—and risk everything—to see that justice is meted out.

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opens in a new windowThe Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood opens in a new windowThe 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.

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opens in a new windowThe Starless Crown by James Rollins opens in a new windowThe Starless Crown by James Rollins

A gifted student foretells an apocalypse. Her reward is a sentence of death.

Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of outcasts:

A broken soldier, who once again takes up the weapons he’s forbidden to wield and carves a trail back home.

A drunken prince, who steps out from his beloved brother’s shadow and claims a purpose of his own.

An imprisoned thief, who escapes the crushing dark and discovers a gleaming artifact – one that will ignite a power struggle across the globe.

On the run, hunted by enemies old and new, they must learn to trust each other in order to survive in a world evolved in strange, beautiful, and deadly ways, and uncover ancient secrets that hold the key to their salvation.

But with each passing moment, doom draws closer.

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How Long Our Fav Characters Would Survive in a Horror Novel

HI EVERYBODY IT’S OUR FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR IT’S HALLOWEEN SEASON AT LAST YES 🎃👻🍬🍭🕸🕷🦇😈🧟‍♂️🔮🕯

Whew, okay that was a lot of emoji’s there BUT y’all get it. We’re excited for Halloween! And in an excess of autumnal holiday warm feelings, we’re asking folks around our virtual office how long they think some of their favorite characters would survive if transplanted into a horror novel.

Check it out! (And also check out that fantastic header image made for us by opens in a new windowa really cool person on tumblr)


opens in a new windowThe Unspoken Name by A. K. LarkwoodTalasseres Charossa — opens in a new windowThe Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood

My favorite character / unrequited love interest Talasseres Charossa is as petulant and grouchy as he is brave and gay. He’s gone toe-to-toe and steel-on-steel with god(s) and garbage wizards, but would he survive a horror novel? Unfortunately not. Let’s be real. He’s gonna trip and fall into a patch of evil quicksand, or willingly surrender to a hot vampyre lord of advanced age.

a cat, Digital Marketing Coordinator


opens in a new windowNettle & Bone by T. KingfisherThe Demon-chicken — opens in a new windowNettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

Would this chicken survive? Absolutely. This chicken would be the VILLAIN of the horror movie. But just as the protagonists wipe the blood off their brows and the sun breaks over the horizon and hope seems to burn anew, the camera would slowly pan to the side until we are greeted with the beady black eyes of the demon-chicken. You will gaze into those eyes and witness the abyss, understanding that the true horror is that we will never escape from its fowl [sic] clutches.

Yvonne Ye, Ad/Promo Assistant


opens in a new windowLegends & Lattes by Travis BaldreeViv — opens in a new windowLegends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

So I know my favorite character and general light of my life, Viv from Legends & Lattes, would absolutely DEMOLISH anything that came at her in a horror novel. A bad-ass orc barbarian who’s spent years on the road packing steel and raising hell as a sword for hire? Yeah, she’ll be fine. PLUS she has a cozy coffee shop filled with lattes, giant cinnamon rolls, and other treats to make it home to. What other motivation does she need? 💪

Rachel Taylor, Senior Marketing Manager


opens in a new windowBook of Night by Holly BlackCharlie Hall — opens in a new windowBook of Night by Holly Black

Back again with another character because authors are simply too good at their game and have created too many favs. Next up, I’m choosing Charlie Hall from Book of Night and I’m saying she’s Final Girl™️ material and she’s going to survive. So Charlie occupies a world of devious shadow magic practitioners and they’re all kind of in competition with each other to access more techniques, knowledge, and power. The presence of supernatural powers puts vanilla human Charlie at a disadvantage, but that’s why she’d survive a horror novel. She’s used to this shit, y’all. Also she’s really cool and Book of Night makes me want to buy goth clothes and get another tattoo.

 a cat, Digital Marketing Coordinator


opens in a new windowNettle Bone by TKingfisherThe Demon-chicken (again) — opens in a new windowNettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

For me, T. Kingfisher is the ultimate horror author. Whether she’s writing low stakes fantasy or high stakes horror, you know it’s gonna be spooky and that I’m gonna be wrapped in a blanket with a cup of tea in my paw and it’s GONNA be raining. Therefore, I choose the chicken familiar from Nettle & Bone. This chicken is literally possessed by an evil entity but only helps our protagonist princess to her end goal. The chicken only uses her evil powers for good. In conclusion, the chicken familiar is quite literally a horror novel unto herself; not only would she survive, she’d help her friends along the way, and maybe even lay an egg or two.

Jordan Hanley, Senior Marketing Manager


opens in a new windowVicious by V. E. SchwabVictor Vale —  opens in a new windowVicious by V. E. Schwab

Cold, calculating Victor Vale is as ambitious as he is intelligent. He also has a tendency to be ruthless and obsessive, willing to push the limits of his own body to the brink of death in the pursuit of powers beyond imagination. With his ability to manipulate the pain of others he may last until the grand finale of the horror movie, but his tendency to adopt kids and dogs with his former cellmate will inevitably get him killed. The real question is whether he’ll stay dead or if he might rise up in the post-credits scene to star in a horror movie of his own.

Becky Yeager, Senior Manager of Ad/Promo & Marketing

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Love The Classics? Try These New Stories!

Classics—we know them, we’ve read them. Basically, we’ve all heard of them. And that is why we put this list together. Fan of Classic A? Check out New Story B. We’ve got a hot list of fantastic new title / classic pairs primed for your perusal 😎

Check it out! 


opens in a new windowPlaceholder of  -13The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller

The Count of Monte Cristo is a much-lauded and time-honored adventure tale of revenge, and an adventure of vengeance is something author Sara A. Mueller delivers in spades with her novel, The Bone Orchard. 

When prisoner, survivor, necromancer, and mistress Charm is summoned to the deathbed of her conquering, now dying emperor, she is charged with determining the fate of the empire by discovering which of his terrible sons has killed him. To do so will deliver her from captivity, but betray the ghosts of her past that still whisper, leaving her with this choice: Justice, or revenge? 

The Bone Orchard is on sale 3/22/22!

opens in a new windowImage Placeholder of - 26The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho

The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong is a classic tale of adventure, betrayal, and wuxia martial arts. Plots will be hatched, and secrets shared, and pacts broken. 

And for modern fans of the vibrancy of old school martial arts, we have to recommend The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho. It’s a wuxia story about found family, as a bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. 

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is available now!

opens in a new windowPoster Placeholder of - 59The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood

This brilliant epic fantasy from A. K. Larkwood is perfect for fans of Ursula K. Le Guin’s celebrated A Wizard of Earthsea. Fans of Le Guin’s book will remember young wizard Sparrowhawk’s education and coming of age, as well as the devouring shadow that followed him. 

In The Unspoken Name, young orcish death priestess Csorwe’s is haunted by her betrothed: a nameless death god older than the world. But when she receives an unexpected offer of employment from a traveling wizard, she leaves death hanging at the alter* to launch into an incredible and world-spanning adventure of mistakes, love, action, and growth. 

The Unspoken Name is available in paperback now!

ominous mountain shrine filled with many, many bones

opens in a new windowImage Place holder  of - 36What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Scary good and scary scary, that’s Edgar Allen Poe’s famed tale of isolation, madness, and the disintegration of the line that separates the known and concrete from everything else. You guessed it: The Fall of the House of Usher

In What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher, the old story is given a grippingly atmospheric and fungus-filled retelling. Yes, fungal. Poe’s work isn’t the only classic that pairs with this suspenseful new book. What Moves the Dead is also perfect for anyone who still can’t get this unforgettable Tumblr post out of their head. Read this if you cannot be killed in a way that matters. 

What Moves the Dead is available on 7/12/22!

opens in a new windowPlace holder  of - 98The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

There’s a lot to love about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The opulence. The pining. The emptiness of wild parties and vacuity of the lavish. 

Nghi Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful retells the story from the perspective of Jordan Baker, who navigates her identity as a queer Vietnamese adoptee and practitioner of magic. Enter demonic pacts, elemental mysteries, and dazzling illusion into the classic we all know as Vo transforms it into something wholly new and absolutely enchanting. 

The Chosen and the Beautiful is available in paperback now!

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The Official The Unspoken Name .GIF Recap

opens in a new windowThe Thousand Eyes by A. K. Larkwood, the hotly anticipated sequel to 2020’s opens in a new windowThe Unspoken Name, is out now! To bring you up to speed with just what happened to Csorwe, her friends, and her foes, we’ve assembled this handy .GIF recap. Reacquaint yourself with a multiverse of orcs, wizards, ancient serpent societies, and the Maze that connects them all. Take a look! And here’s two words of warning: spoilers abound!


Csorwe, an orc priestess, is destined to become the next sacrifice for the Unspoken One until she is offered a chance to escape with the powerful wizard Belthandros Sethennai.

Csorwe becomes Sethennai’s assassin-in-training. Sethennai plots to take back the Chancellorship of Tlaanthothe and recover a lost and ancient artifact known as the Reliquary.

During her training, Sethennai takes Csorwe to visit the Withered City in Enchentyr. The city of serpents was destroyed by their very own goddess, Iriskavaal. Oranna, the librarian from the shrine of the Unspoken One, crosses their path. She is also on the search for the Reliquary and has come here to explore the ruins for clues.

Once she is ready, Csorwe and Sethennai travel to Tlaanthothe. Before they can overthrow the city, Csorwe must infiltrate the guards’ fortress and assassinate their general. She disguises herself by taking a job in the kitchen.

After a successful but harrowing assassination, Csorwe rejoins with Sethennai. She might have had an easier time if not for Talasseres Charossa and his attempt to sabotage her, take the credit, and return to Sethennai’s side in good favor. Sethennai battles the sitting Chancellor and wins. Tal and Csorwe become rivals and begrudging allies. They begin searching for the Reliquary together under Sethennai’s orders.

Five years pass. Csorwe and Qanwa Shuthmili, a Qarsazhi girl with immense forbidden power, meet at the research compound in Precursor World A-20-22-17. Csorwe and Tal join the Imperial Survey Office of Qarsazh under the guise of doctoral students studying the Hollow Monument in the area.

Shuthmili is kidnapped from camp. Csorwe and Tal enter the Hollow Monument with the Qarsazhi in search of her. Oranna has taken Shuthmili hostage since she is the only one powerful enough to break the bonds sealing the Reliquary in the heart of the Hollow Monument. Oranna takes the Reliquary, but does not know how to open it. The Hollow Monument collapses.

Everyone is split up after the collapse. Csorwe and Shuthmili escape the Precursor World together after fighting off some revenants. Their friendship begins to blossom and is definitely the start of something more. Oranna takes Tal captive and interrogates him. The Qarsazhi begin a manhunt to find Shuthmili.

Csorwe and Shuthmili return to Tlaanthothe. Soon after, Shuthmili feels duty bound to return to Qarsazh. Csorwe accompanies her on her journey and overhears what will happen to Shuthmili if she returns. She and Shuthmili embark on finding the key to the Reliquary.

Csorwe convinces Shuthmili to run with her. They return to the shrine where Csorwe grew up to ask the Unspoken One the location of the key to the Reliquary. The key is a place, the throne of Iriskavaal herself, but the Unspoken One will not disclose where the throne is because Csorwe is no longer a faithful follower like Oranna. “The Reliquary opens before the throne and earthly mansion of Iriskavaal.” (310)

Time for some map shopping! (More like map stealing.) Csorwe and Shuthmili shoplift a map showing the location of the Lignite Spire (the supposed location of Iriskavaal’s throne) from a pirate.

It’s time for a showdown at the Lignite Spire! Oranna awakens Iriskavaal and discovers the Lignite Spire is not the place where her throne is kept. The Qarsazhi take Shuthmili back by force. Csorwe challenges Oranna and takes the Reliquary and Oranna back to Tlaanthothe. When Csorwe gives Sethennai the Reliquary he manages to open it, learn the truth of its contents, but keeps it to himself.

Csorwe begins to doubt her devotion to Sethennai. Shuthmili is alive, but Sethnnai does nothing to help Csorwe free Shuthmili from her fate. Csorwe goes to see Oranna and they make a deal. If Csorwe will free Oranna, Oranna will ask the Unspoken One where Shuthmili is being imprisoned. Sethennai doesn’t believe that Csorwe has the capacity to betray him.

There’s only one mission on Csorwe’s mind: BUST SHUTHMILI OUT OF PRISON. Csorwe murders an important and powerful Qarsazhi in procress and suffers some perilous wounds herself. Shuthmili does some serious damage to her captors too. Oranna brings back Csorwe from the brink of death.

Sethennai and Tal track down Oranna and Csorwe and return Shuthmili to the Qarsazhi once more. Oranna reveals she has discovered that Sethennai is the actual throne and earthly mansion of Iriskavaal. Tal eavesdrops on this conversation and realizes, like Csorwe, that he could never have been anything more than a pawn to Sethennai after all. Tal decides to betray Sethennai by freeing Csorwe and stealing the Reliquary. Tal also gives the Reliquary to Csorwe.

Shuthmili is sentenced to a public execution for her crimes, but Csorwe saves her before it’s too late. Before Csorwe can do much else Sethennai, from among the spectators, stops time and confronts her and Shuthmili.

Csorwe uses the Reliquary as leverage to force Sethennai to let her and Shuthmili go. By standing before Sethennai, the actual throne and earthly mansion of Iriskavaal, Csorwe is able to open the Reliquary and discovers Sethennai’s heart lying inside the box. She threatens to destroy it if he will not relent.

Csorwe and Shuthmili leave on their own ship and begin travelling the worlds together.

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On the (Digital) Road: Tor Author Events in December 2021

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

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo: Tor Goes International

Alex Pheby author photo (left) Mordew cover (right) Kerstin Hall author photo (left) Star Eater cover (right)Shelley Parker-Chan author photo (left) She Who Became the Sun cover (right) A. K. Larkwood author photo (left) The Unspoken Name cover (right)

Friday, December 10
Virtual Screening

Featuring A. K. Larkwood, Alex Pheby, Freya Marske, Kerstin Hall, and Shelley Parker-Chan
10:00 AM CLT


Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo: Waiter There’s Some Sci Fi In My Fantasy!

James Rollins author photo (left) The Starless Crown (right)

Ryka Aoki author photo (left) Light From Uncommon Stars cover (right) John Scalzi author photo (left) Kaiju Preservation Society (right)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, December 10
Virtual Screening

Featuring James Rollins, Ryka Aoki, Tochi Onyebuchi, Jay Bonansinga, Neon Yang, and John Scalzi
10:00 AM CLT

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