“Necessary Evil” by Ian Tregillis (Orbit/Tor)

The masterful conclusion to the Milkweed Triptych

12 May 1940. Westminster, London, England: the early days of World War II. Again…

The history of the Twentieth Century has been shaped by a secret conflict between technology and magic. When a twisted Nazi scientist devised a way to imbue ordinary humans with supernatural abilities – to walk through walls, throw fire and see the future – his work became the prized possession of first the Third Reich, then the Soviet Army. Only Britain’s warlocks, and the dark magics they yield, have successfully countered the threat posed by these superhuman armies.

But for decades, this conflict has been manipulated by Gretel, the mad seer. And now her long plan has come to fruition. And with it, a danger vastly greater than anything the world has known. Now British Intelligence officer Raybould Marsh must make a last-ditch effort to change the course of history – if his nation, and those he loves, are to survive.

In the final book in Tregillis’s awesome Milkweed Triptych, superhumans and dark magic collide once again in a secret, supernatural history of early Twentieth Century. A series that has consistently impressed me, and improved with each book, Necessary Evil brings the story to a close with aplomb. This is a superb conclusion, and Tregillis has pulled it off, managing to tie everything up skillfully. And I almost cried at the end…

Ian Tregillis Jacketed for the UK

Orbit UK today revealed the new book covers for Ian Tregillis’s second and third novels, The Coldest War and Necessary Evil. Some of you will no doubt have caught my reviews of the Bitter Seeds, the first in the Milkweed Triptych, and also The Coldest War (which is already available in the US). To say I am excited about book three is a complete understatement. This series is incredible, and both Orbit UK and Tor US have done great jobs putting together striking cover artwork for Tregillis’s dark, supernatural war stories.

Here are the two new UK covers:

For more, check out Tregillis’s guest post for the blog, and also his website, where you can find plenty of information on his writing.

“The Coldest War” by Ian Tregillis (Tor)

The second book in the Milkweed Triptych

A precarious balance of power maintains the peace between Britain and the USSR. For decades, Britain’s warlocks have been all that stands between the British Empire and the Soviet Union – a vast domain stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the shores of the English Channel. Now, someone is killing the warlocks, and Britain’s national security is threatened.

Meanwhile, a brother and sister escape from a top-secret facility deep behind the Iron Curtain. Once subjects of a twisted Nazi experiment to imbue ordinary people with superhuman abilities, then prisoners of war in the immense Soviet research effort to reverse-engineer the Nazi technology, they head for England.

Because that’s where former spy Raybould Marsh lives. And Gretel, the mad seer, has plans for him.

As Marsh is once again drawn into the world of Milkweed, he discovers that Britain’s darkest acts didn’t end with the war. And while he strives to protect queen and country, he is forced to confront his own willingness to accept victory at any cost.

A few months ago, I finally got around to reading Ian Tregillis’s superb debut novel, Bitter Seeds. Luckily, the sequel was already out in the US, and I was very happy to get my hands on it so soon after finishing the first book. The Coldest War builds brilliantly on Bitter Seeds – it’s darker, tighter, and utterly engrossing. Easily a contender for best novel of 2012.

[Warning: Some spoilers, though I have kept this review short to avoid too many. Proceed with caution.]

Guest Post: “The Origin of the Götterelektron” by Ian Tregillis

I recently finished reading Bitter Seeds, the superb first novel in Ian Tregillis’s Milkweed trilogy. To celebrate its release in the UK, and the release of the sequel, The Coldest War, in the US, Ian was kind enough to write a guest post for Civilian Reader….

Bitter Seeds features a cadre of soldiers who have been imbued with superhuman abilities thanks to a liberal dose of mad science. The twisted genius who created these übermenschen is Doctor Karl Heinrich von Westarp: a sick but brilliant man, short on compassion but long on determination.

“Bitter Seeds” by Ian Tregillis (Orbit/Tor)

The Milkweed Triptych Begins

The year is 1939. Raybould Marsh and other members of British Intelligence have gathered to watch a damaged reel of film in a darkened room. It appears to show German troops walking through walls, bursting into flames and hurling tanks into the air from afar.

If the British are to believe their eyes, a twisted Nazi scientist has been endowing German troops with unnatural, unstoppable powers. And Raybould will be forced to resort to dark methods to hold the impending invasion at bay.

But dealing with the occult exacts a price. And that price must be paid in blood.

It’s been a long time coming to these shores, but Bitter Seeds is finally available in the UK. The wait has been entirely worth it, too, as this is one of the best novels I’ve read this year. It’s original, inspired and engrossing from the first page until the last. It is a very assured, well-written, and accomplished debut.

The 3 Faces of Ian Tregillis’s BITTER SEEDS… (Tor/Orbit)

Orbit UK recently released the artwork for the British edition of Ian Tregillis’s Bitter Seeds – the first book in the Milkweed Triptych. I am very much looking forward to reading this novel (I have pre-ordered it for Kindle) and its soon-to-be-published sequel, The Coldest War. This brings the total number of Bitter Seeds covers up to three, and they are all pretty great:

US HC, US MMPB, UK PB

Is it just me, or do the three covers each suggest a different type of atmosphere and style to the novel? What do you think? Which is your favourite?

I don’t remember where I first read about Tregillis’s novels (I think it was a review on an America-based blog), but I know the second time my attention was drawn to his work was this blog post, in which he chronicled his tough experiences with getting his books out there. It’s an interesting and very well-written post. Here’s the synopsis for Bitter Seeds (from Amazon UK):

The year is 1939. Raybould Marsh and other members of British Intelligence have gathered to watch a damaged reel of film in a darkened room. It appears to show German troops walking through walls, bursting into flames and hurling tanks into the air from afar.

If the British are to believe their eyes, a twisted Nazi scientist has been endowing German troops with unnatural, unstoppable powers. And Raybould will be forced to resort to dark methods to hold the impending invasion at bay.

But dealing with the occult exacts a price. And that price must be paid in blood.

Bitter Seeds is out now in the US (Tor), and will be published in the UK (Orbit) on July 12th 2012. The Coldest War will be published on July 17th 2012 in the US, and February 7th 2013 in the UK.

If you want to learn more about Ian Tregillis and his novels, check out his website and blog (which is certainly one of the most visually interesting author websites I’ve seen).