Upcoming in the UK: “Black Jewels Trilogy” by Anne Bishop (Jo Fletcher Books)

Anne Bishop’s award-winning BLACK JEWELS trilogy is coming to the UK! The first trilogy in the series will be published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books: Daughter of the Blood (March 6th 2014), Heir to the Shadows (May 1st), and Queen of the Darkness (July 3rd). JFB are publishing the first trilogy in Bishop’s Urban Fantasy series, but in the US the series has already grown to nine books, published by Roc Books. (If they’re as successful in the UK as across the pond, I’m sure the others will soon follow!) Below are the synopses for the three novels, and also the covers for the first two (third hasn’t been unveiled just yet).

DAUGHTER OF THE BLOOD:

The Darkness has had a Prince for a long, long time. Now the Queen is coming.

For years the realm of Terreille has been falling into corruption, as the powerful Queens who rule it have turned to cruelty.

But there is hope – a prophetic vision has revealed the coming of a Queen more powerful than any other. And once the foundations of her power – father, brother, lover – are in place, she will emerge from the darkness, bringing freedom.

For she is the living myth, dreams made flesh; not just any witch, but Witch.

HEIR OF THE SHADOWS:

Witch – the Queen who would bring freedom to the realms – has come, but now she is lost in darkness, and has a long road to recovery ahead of her.

While her adopted father, Saeten, waits for her to return to the living world, the third side of the triangle needed to complete the prophecy – the lover, Daemon – walks in the Twisted Kingdom on the edge of madness.

As insidious whispers and dark schemes ferment treachery and betrayal, Jaenelle must make a choice: to protect those she loves, she must be more than an heir, she must become a Queen.

QUEEN OF THE DARKNESS:

Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen-protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all.

Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in madness, is Daemon, her promised Consort. Only his unyielding love can complete her Court and secure her reign. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to hold back the most malevolent of forces.

This third synopsis was taken from the US edition, as JFB haven’t yet released information, outside of the publication date, for their edition. I don’t imagine it’ll be that different – it is, after all, the same book (there may just be a few tweaks).

TANYA HUFF Finally Coming to the UK! (Titan Books)

I’ve been aware of Tanya Huff’s writing for a long time – her novels have been mentioned on so many of the US-based book blogs that I read. I also consider he agent a friend. And, of course, I know of the TV show, Blood Ties, that was inspired by her Urban Fantasy series of the same name (sometimes called the Victoria Nelson Series, after the protagonist). I have, however, never read a single one of her novels… This year, Titan Books will be publishing two of her novels, which should help me remedy this oversight – and very soon. Here are the details…

THE SILVERED

The Empire has declared war on the small, were-ruled kingdom of Aydori, capturing five women of the Mage-Pack, including the wife of the were Pack-leader. With the Pack off defending the border, it falls to Mirian Maylin and Tomas Hagen — she a low-level mage, he younger brother to the Pack-leader — to save them. Together the two set out on the kidnappers’ trail, racing into the heart of enemy territory. But with every step the odds against their survival, let alone their success, grow steeper...

This sounds like a pretty interesting fantasy novel. Maybe a little steampunk-y, given the US cover? Regardless, I’m certainly intrigued. The Silvered is already available in the US, published by DAW Books.

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VALOUR’S CHOICE

In the distant future, humans and several alien races have been granted membership in the Confederation — at a price. They must serve and protect the far more civilized species who have long since turned away from war. When her transport ship is shot down, a routine diplomatic mission across the galaxy becomes anything but, and Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr must fight to keep her platoon alive.

This is the first novel in Huff’s Confederation series. I believe Titan will be re-issuing all of the books in this series, although I’m not sure of the timetable. The rest of the series: The Better Part of Valour, The Heart of Valour, Valour’s Trial, and The Truth of Valour. [In the British spelling, of course…] The Confederation series is also published in the US by DAW Books (first published in 2000).

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Neither of these UK editions have a Goodreads listing, yet, but I’m sure that’ll be fixed in the near future. I’m really looking forward to both of them. Be sure to follow the author on Twitter, for more up-to-date news and all the usual stuff one finds on Twitter.

UK Release: “Throne of the Crescent Moon” by Saladin Ahmed (Gollancz)

A new voice in adventure sword & sorcery, finally gets a UK release

The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, home to djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, are at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron-fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. It is up to a handful of heroes to learn the truth behind these killings.

Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, “the last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat,” just wants a quiet cup of tea. Three score and more years old, he has grown weary of hunting monsters and saving lives, and is more than ready to retire from his dangerous and demanding vocation. But when an old flame’s family is murdered, Adoulla is drawn back to the hunter’s path.

Raseed bas Raseed, Adoulla’s young assistant, is a hidebound holy warrior whose prowess is matched only by his piety. But even as Raseed’s sword is tested by ghuls and manjackals, his soul is tested when he and Adoulla cross paths with the tribeswoman Zamia.

Zamia Badawi, Protector of the Band, has been gifted with the near-mythical power of the lion-shape, but shunned by her people for daring to take up a man’s title. She lives only to avenge her father’s death. Until she learns that Adoulla and his allies also hunt her father’s killer. Until she meets Raseed.

When they learn that the murders and the Falcon Prince’s brewing revolution are connected, the companions must race against time—and struggle against their own misgivings—to save the life of a vicious despot. In so doing they discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.

I’ve already written a review of Ahmed’s Throne of the Crescent Moon, so I won’t reproduce the whole thing here again. But, I thought I’d offer a compressed version of my earlier review, picking up on a couple of important things (in my opinion) – mainly Ahmed’s style and the world. I didn’t find the novel perfect (as is often the case with me, the issues lay in some pacing anomalies). Overall, though, this is a very strong debut novel, set in an interesting world populated by three-dimensional characters.