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New Science Fiction: April

Posted on April 21, 2017

April 4th

 

16361636: Mission to the Mughals

by Eric Flint, & Griffin Barber

The United States of Europe, the new nation formed by an alliance between the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus and the West Virginians hurled back in time by a cosmic accident, the Ring of Fire is beset by enemies on all sides. The U.S.E. needs a reliable source of opiates for those wounded in action, as well as other goods not available in Europe. The Prime Minister of the U.S.E., Mike Stearns, sends a mission to the Mughal Empire of India with the aim of securing a trade deal with the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan.

down stationDown Station

by Simon Morden
This revealing portal fantasy takes ordinary folks and drops them into an extraordinary landscape, something like Narnia noir. Seven London subway workers, escaping from a mysterious conflagration that engulfs the city, leap into the primitive wilderness of Down, a world of dragons and sea serpents that responds to the desires and abilities of its inhabitants.

April 18th

 

cosmic powersCosmic Powers: A Saga Anthology of Far-Away Galaxies

by John Joseph Adams, (Editor)

The latest anthology from prolific editor Adams collects stories from prominent sf authors on the theme of adventure on a cosmic scale. All are well worth reading, with stand-outs. From the experiences of a human uploaded into a robotic body to explore the stars, to a pair of adventurers attempts to steal a deadly super-weapon while escaping the attention of their former creators as well as the massive, mind-enslaving space creature they recently robbed. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a variety of engaging sf experiences.

April 25th

 

skullswornSkullsworn

by Brian Staveley

In this dramatic epic fantasy set in the same world as the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Staveley (The Last Mortal Bond) explores the relationship between love and death. Acolyte Pyrre is determined to pass her trial and become a full-fledged priestess of Ananshael, the god of death. To do this, she has to kill seven people in 14 days, including “the one who made your mind and body sing with love.”Pyrre struggles to define love and understand what it means to serve her god. Lush, evocative descriptions sharpen the setting, which recalls Southeast Asia. Visceral action scenes and memorable characters bring this tale to life.

Within the wingsWithin the Sanctuary of Wings: A Memoir by Lady Trent

by Marie Brennan
Lady Isabella Trent, renowned expert in all things draconian, is presented with an irresistible challenge when she hears that the remains of an extraordinary dragon have been found in the remotest, highest mountains in the world (think Himalayas). Of course she mounts an expedition to search for proof of the dragon, only to find something so amazing it will put all her other discoveries to shame. Within the Sanctuary of Wings is the conclusion to Marie Brennan’s thrilling Lady Trent Memoirs (1. A Natural History of Dragons 2. The Tropic of Serpents 3. Voyage of the Basilisk 4. In the Labyrinth of Drakes 5. Within the Sanctuary of Wings).