Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Rusted Heroes
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1984
WEBSITE:
CITY:
STATE: MN
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://medallionpress.com/author/andrew-post/ * http://www.sffworld.com/2016/10/interview-with-rusted-heroes-author-andrew-post/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.:
no2013019518
LCCN Permalink:
https://lccn.loc.gov/no2013019518
HEADING:
Post, Andrew, 1984-
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__ |a Erie, Pa. |e Minn.
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__ |a Writing
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__ |a Science fiction author |a Horror author
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__ |a His Knuckleduster [ER], 2013: |b title frame (Andrew Post)
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__ |a Medallion Media Group website, Feb. 18, 2013 |b (Andrew Post was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1984 ; lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota ; grew up writing science fiction and horror stories)
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__ |a Science fiction author Andrew Post was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and currently lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.
PERSONAL
Born 1984, in Erie, PA; married.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
Author of a blog.
SIDELIGHTS
Andrew Post is an American science fiction writer. In an interview in the SFF World Web site, Post shared his motivations for wanting to become a writer. “I wanted to be a writer since I was very young. I was five when I wrote my first “book” which I think came in at about two and a half pages. More of a pamphlet, I guess. But from that moment it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do and that has yet to change. But what first got me into writing, or thinking about crafting stories longer than pamphlet-length, was Robert A. Heinlein’s Red Planet. I read that when I was in second grade (I think) and it blew my mind.”
Knuckleduster
Post published the novel Knuckleduster in 2013. Blind, veteran soldier Brody “Knuckleduster” Calhoun uses beta-carotene contact lenses to see. In the day he does community service, while at night he is a vigilante against men who abuse women. While he is tasked with helping to find an old army buddy’s missing sister, the pair come across a corporation that performs mind-control experiments on veterans, usually resulting in mass murder.
Booklist contributor David Pitt opined that “there’s plenty of room here for a sequel, or several, and that’s a perfectly good thing.” In a review in Library Journal, Jackie Cassada claimed that Knuckleduster is “a cut above most of its subgenre.” A contributor to Publishers Weekly thought that the general reader’s “interest is likely to wander well before the plot starts to cohere in the second half.”
Fabrick
Post published Fabrick in 2013. The nearly destroyed city of Geyser rests precariously atop a geyser nozzle on the planet of Gliese. Clyde, who has the ability to absorb others’ sorrow, arrives looking for his master’s killers. There he enlists help from the telekinetically talented Nevele and a hive mind of more than a thousand frisk mice collective named Rohm. They are attacked by large insects and assassins. But Clyde eventually uncovers the secrets of the city, clues to his own identity, and insight into the fabrick powers he and his friends have.
Reviewing the novel in Voice of Youth Advocates, Bonnie Kunzel observed that “the convoluted plot meanders along in some scenes and is propelled at breakneck speed through others, leaving enough loose ends to promise a sequel.” A contributor to Publishers Weekly lamented that “strong characterizations and an intriguing setting don’t quite offset the meandering storyline.” However, the same critic noted an “underlying charm” to the novel. A Kirkus Reviews contributor said that the story is a “wearisome” and “very long journey.” Nevertheless, the critic admitted that “dogged readers will be rewarded.”
Sired by Stone and Rusted Heroes
Post published Sired by Stone in 2015. Clyde, Flam, and Neville reunite to fight off many enemies while working to avert Odium from stealing the heart of Geyser. Again writing in Voice of Youth Advocates, Kunzel found that “like its predecessor, Sired by Stone has a convoluted plot, a cast of fascinating characters, nonstop action, and a cliff- hanger ending.” Writing in ForeWord, Pallas Gates McCorquodale described the novel as being “a whirlwind of action and intrigue.”
Post published Rusted Heroes in 2016. Retired tank captain Anoushka Demaine is offered the chance to get back in the action by Ruprecht LeFevre. A contributor to Publishers Weekly found the action in the book to be “tedious and predictable.” The same review noted that the novel’s conclusion “is merely a mercy killing of an idea that is better in concept than execution.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 1, 2013, David Pitt, review of Knuckleduster, p. 34.
Foreword, February 27, 2015, Pallas Gates McCorquodale, review of Sired by Stone.
Kirkus Reviews, November 1, 2013, review of Fabrick.
Library Journal, January 1, 2013, Jackie Cassada, review of Knuckleduster, p. 73.
Publishers Weekly, December 3, 2012, review of Knuckleduster, p. 59; October 14, 2013, review of Fabrick, p. 62; July 25, 2016, review of Rusted Heroes, p. 53.
Voice of Youth Advocates, February 1, 2014, Bonnie Kunzel, review of Fabrick, p. 76; June 1, 2015, Bonnie Kunzel, review of Sired by Stone, p. 81.
ONLINE
SFF World, http://www.sffworld.com/ (October 2, 2016), author interview.*
Andrew Post
Andrew Post was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1984. He spent the countless study halls of his formative years filling notebooks with science fiction and horror stories. Andrew lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota with his wife, who is also an author, and their two dogs. His blog can be found at www.andrewpost.blogspot.com.
Interview with Rusted Heroes author Andrew Post
Dag R. October 2, 2016 0 Comment
andrewpostWelcome to SFFWorld Andrew, many thanks for giving us some time here. In your own words, who is Andrew Post?
Thanks. Well, Andrew Post is a guy who, as a kid, spent a lot of time alone with his imagination who wrote some of it down, (sort of) grew up, and decided, “Let’s see if anyone else might want to read this stuff.”
Can you tell us a bit about your new book, Rusted Heroes? What do you feel is unique about your story?
Rusted Heroes is a fantasy novel except in the traditional setting being a perpetual medieval period like a lot of fantasy, I decided to shove this world’s timeline ahead to the equivalent of our 1914. War is a business now for the folks living in Rammelstaad. People don’t want to fight but because of these little books, called thrill-rags, they’re hearing about the derring-do of heroes past and they go off and fight, bolstered by the stories, hoping to be like them. Anoushka Demaine, the protagonist of Rusted Heroes, had a story written about her (without her permission). We meet her when she’s retired from the life of a warrior, working in a sawmill. After reading the thrill-rag about her, she decides to go back and get the ol’ gang together, her squad tank, and continue the fight against the orcs. Of course, she may’ve just fallen into the trap the same as so many other Rammelstaadians, but she’s been inspired by her own story, of who she used to be, or who the book portrays her as. She doesn’t know why she wants to go to continue fighting for her realm, or if she was ever that person in that book. She sees war is a product now, a brand, something to sell to continue the cycle. But she isn’t blameless; she, at one point, contributed to that happening to her world. And that’s where things start get interesting.
rustedheroesCan you give us some insight into your main characters?
Anoushka, our central character, believes she is a good person, as we all do, but spoiler alert: she is not. Her best friend, Kylie-Nae Browne (the great-great-grandmother of Aksel Browne from my Fabrick series) is the squad’s gunner and sharpshooter, who, after retirement, now works in a circus as a trick-shooter. These two are really the heart of the story and a lot of the squad’s past exploits are told through them reminiscing about their glory days. We also have Peter the berserker with his battle-ax. We have a dwarf. We have a burnout wizardess. We have a bard, the one recording the team’s story in hopes of selling more thrill-rags. And because every story needs one, we have our antagonist, the necromancer, the squad’s target who may not be all that he seems.
Did you set yourself any new challenges with this book?
I did. Previously, with Fabrick and Sired by Stone, I had a cast of many characters whom I’d jump from perspective to perspective as the story unfolded, which was a challenge to keep all of that straight, who was where, whose “eyes” the reader was seeing the scene through, etc., but with Rusted Heroes I wanted this story to be told exclusively from Anoushka’s POV.
I wanted it to be almost claustrophobic to be in her head with her all the time because of the distrust she begins to have with herself, learning who she really is. Like my other novel,Knuckleduster, which also deals a lot with war and war culture, Rusted Heroes is centered around guilt. Which, as you can probably imagine, isn’t real sunny material to spend eight hours a day zeroing in on. I took Anoushka to some pretty dark places, both mentally and geographically. And sometimes both at the same time, readers will find out, when our heroes venture into the Scorch . . .
Tell us a bit about the book cover.
Medallion, Rusted Heroes‘ publisher, sends out a questionnaire to their authors shortly after the contracts are signed. You’ll answer questions about the main characters; their ages, what they look like, etc., and if certain colors or shapes are germane to the plot so they can work all of that into the cover. Which I think is a fantastic approach. I detailed Anoushka to the art director and a few months later they sent me the cover they had done. I was blown away — the model they got to stand in for Anoushka looks exactly like I imagined her. And the propaganda poster vibe fits so, so well with the story.
How did you start writing? Was there a particular book or moment in your life that spurned you on?
I wanted to be a writer since I was very young. I was five when I wrote my first “book” which I think came in at about two and a half pages. More of a pamphlet, I guess. But from that moment it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do and that has yet to change.
But what first got me into writing, or thinking about crafting stories longer than pamphlet-length, was Robert A. Heinlein’s Red Planet. I read that when I was in second grade (I think) and it blew my mind. I read a lot of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror in high school and would look at the little tricks they’d do and I’d try to imitate styles and eventually found my own voice and, well, never looked back.
What sort of challenges, as a writer, might you have faced before your first book was published? Any insights you would be able to share for those aspiring writers seeking advice?
I thought I was wasting my time for a very long stretch before I was published. I’d put stuff together, a short story or a novel, send it out, wait, and often you don’t hear anything — whether they got it, liked it, didn’t like it. And often what comes out of the silence, more often than not, is a bland no, thanks. Each time I’d get one of those I’d sit outside and stare at nothing and brood and wait, wondering if the one thing I wanted to do was never going to happen for me. But when an editor or agent would respond with more than two words, I’d take people’s advice and I’d apply it if I believed they were onto something, hoping it’d make my next attempt stronger. I don’t think doubt ever goes away, even after you’re “successful” which is another thing that’s all but impossible to measure. But if you want to do something, it’s just a matter of sheer force of will. In Rusted Heroes, during a pretty bleak period for the characters, Anoushka tells her squad: “There is only forward.” And this isn’t just something badass for a character to say (though I think it definitely is) it’s also a personal mantra for me. I tell myself “There is only forward” all the time.
But, in the cold light of day, you’re still acting out the definition of insanity if you’re punching a brick wall and only getting bloody knuckles for your efforts again and again. Though, if you’re a writer and know you’re a writer, you’re probably not a hundred percent upstairs anyway so keep punching, I say. Eventually, EVENTUALLY, the wall will say fine, all right, you’ve earned it.
Besides saying never give up (thinking that should just be automatic for anyone working in a creative field) I think authors would be well advised to always be polite to people who gave them their time. Publishing is one of the last industries to have retained its dignity (for the most part) and I think authors should work to preserve that. And that begins with little things like not being a pissy little prima donna about being told no. If an agent or editor responds with anything more than a form letter, even in the case of a rejection, THANK THEM for it. Manners are free and the publishing world is not really that big. Editors are always moving to different positions within the industry all the time, and besides their red pens they’re also bringing along their stories. Tell someone off and it’s not just them that hear it, but dozens, hundreds. And reputations stick. Plus, it’s just nice to be nice, isn’t it?
How do you go about the marketing aspect and especially related to your online presence? Anything you’ve seen work better than other things?
This is somewhat of a tricky area for me because I’m still figuring out. In full disclosure, I like doing things like this, interviews, because I think people enjoy looking at books as having come from somebody and not just as products popping up in their Amazon recommendations list. Word of mouth is important and great if you can somehow nudge that boulder in motion. Being engaged with your readers is also important, let them see you’re not just a stack of three salesmen dressed in an author’s clothes. Being funny on Twitter works for a lot of people if you can key into that particular “internet voice” everyone seems to be trying to hit — which is scary to me because everyone is starting to sound so alike, it’s like some kind of smarmy hive-mind is taking over.
Personally, I like doing the conventions the best. The last one I attended I sold out in less than two hours. And I think it was because looking a potential reader in the eyes (the same set that I hoped would be glued to my book shortly after we’re done speaking), I could tell them, human to human, why they might like what I’m offering. It’s still being a shill, I was still hustling books, but it felt a lot more genuine than spamming my Twitter followers begging them to click. I could talk to the con-goers, find common ground, see what they like and maybe find some connective tissue between their likes and my work. Plus, at cons, I get to be around like-minded people. Or just be around people in general, something a lot of writers — myself, the Hermit of the North Hill, included — could probably stand to do more often. Point being: every author needs to find where they feel most comfortable.
What’s next? Do you have more new and exciting projects you’re working on?
The next thing after Rusted Heroes is my comedic horror novel, Aftertaste. It’s about an undead chef who has been tasked with hunting down the Were-Amphibian of North Carolina and he’s really not very good at it. It’s due out next year, I haven’t heard when exactly yet, but I’m very excited to see what people make of it. I’m also beginning to practice magick of the left-hand path. You know, for fun.
Once again, thank you very much for your time.
Thank you, this was great!
* * * * * * *
Interview by Dag Rambraut – SFFWorld.com © 2016
4/12/17, 12(36 PM
Print Marked Items
Rusted Heroes
Publishers Weekly.
263.30 (July 25, 2016): p53. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Rusted Heroes
Andrew Post. Medallion, $9.99 e-book (379p) ISBN 978-1-60542-654-9
In this genre mash-up set in a fantasy world where trolls, elves, and magic are common, Post (Sired by Stone) makes lots of promises but provides little payoff. Anoushka Demaine, retired against her will from being captain of a tank crew, seeks a way back to the only life that makes sense to her. She makes a confusing acquaintance in Ruprecht LeFevre, who offers her a chance to get the team back together and restore her life and tank to their former glory. LeFevre's ability to do so is not adequately explored. Various ideas are presented and abandoned throughout the text. The writing never excites interest in the world or its characters. This adventure strives to blend high fantasy and steampunk, but never finds its footing. The characters are doomed to halfhearted bravado, empty passion, and meaningless suffering. All of this could be forgiven for a thrilling wartime tale, but the action sequences are tedious and predictable. The ending, though intended to be a glorious revolution, is merely a mercy killing of an idea that is better in concept than execution. (Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Rusted Heroes." Publishers Weekly, 25 July 2016, p. 53. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA460285493&it=r&asid=283b8073d16b4911f024f22010b0fe61. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A460285493
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Post, Andrew. Sired by Stone: The Fabrick Weavers, Book 2
Bonnie Kunzel
Voice of Youth Advocates.
38.2 (June 2015): p81. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2015 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
3Q * 3P * J * S Post, Andrew. Sired by Stone: The Fabrick Weavers, Book 2. Medallion, 2015. 452p. $9.99 Trade pb. 978-1-60542-606-8.
This sequel to Fabrick (Medallion, 2014/VOYA February 2014), a truly inventive work of science fiction, continues the adventures of a unique set of characters on a quest to save the city of Geyser from destruction. Once again, Clyde, whose fabrick--or magical ability--makes it possible to balance confessions with jinxes, is joined by Flam, a seven- foot-tall Mouflon treasure hunter; tiny Rohm, the soul-surviving Hive Mind Rodent; and Royal Stitcher Nevele, able to control any kind of thread and string as well as unwind her own body and then weave it back together again. New to his band is Aksel, a cyclopean hitman with one working eye and one replaced by a gun. Up against them are the Odium pirates, who want to use the wendel stone hidden in the mines below Geyser to create monsters and have no problem destroying the city to obtain it. Working both for and against Clyde's team is Ernest Howerglaz, a capricious and amoral Father Time who would rather create monsters than face boredom. Finally, three of Clyde's siblings, trained assassins, two brothers and a sister, are on his trail, which means he is facing a very short life expectancy.
Like its predecessor, Sired by Stone has a convoluted plot, a cast of fascinating characters, nonstop action, and a cliff- hanger ending that will leave teen readers eagerly awaiting the final book in the trilogy. Those new to this world and its breakneck pace should start with the first book, but once on board they will enjoy a wild and satisfying ride.-- Bonnie Kunzel.
Kunzel, Bonnie
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Kunzel, Bonnie. "Post, Andrew. Sired by Stone: The Fabrick Weavers, Book 2." Voice of Youth Advocates, June 2015,
p. 81+. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA418845028&it=r&asid=adbd91b96092bb5548a460e5a3f06743. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A418845028
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Sired by Stone; Book II of the Fabrick Weavers Series
Pallas Gates McCorquodale
ForeWord.
(Feb. 27, 2015): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2015 ForeWord http://www.forewordmagazine.com
Full Text:
Andrew Post; SIRED BY STONE; Medallion Press (Children's: Young Adult Fiction) 9.99 ISBN: 9781605426068 Byline: Pallas Gates McCorquodale
On the planet Gleese, in a future so distant that Earth is a forgotten memory, unlikely heroes struggle to live up to the demands of their new roles. Picking up where Fabrick left off, Sired by Stone, book 2 of the Fabrick Weaver series from Andrew Post, is a whirlwind of action and intrigue. The gang reunites -- Flam as head officer of the Geyser Royal Patrol, Clyde as a public figure and leader, and Nevele, always hiding her true nature, terrified that Clyde won't be able to accept her love if he knew all her secrets. The crew battles space pirates, infectious blood worms, corrupt politicians, assassins, and mercenaries all while trying to stop the deadly Odium from stealing the heart of the city of Geyser, the wendal stone, in an attempt to build an army of fabrick weavers in a plot so outrageous, it might actually work.
Post brings to life an incredible world where sky whales and frog-like Gworks live alongside magically talented weavers like Nevele and enhanced humans like Aksel Browne, who eats bullets to shoot from his eye. While continuing onward in a race against time, the allies must also look inward, "Peril is a stage when we don't put masks on but instead take them off," underlining the universal need for love, acceptance, and self-worth.
Pallas Gates McCorquodale
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
McCorquodale, Pallas Gates. "Sired by Stone; Book II of the Fabrick Weavers Series." ForeWord, 27 Feb. 2015.
PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA403624103&it=r&asid=62c4326f0f8f7f65db3db755b1f33fc0. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A403624103
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Post, Andrew. Fabrick
Bonnie Kunzel
Voice of Youth Advocates.
36.6 (Feb. 2014): p76. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2014 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
3Q * 3P * J * S
Post, Andrew. Fabrick. Medallion Press, 2013. 544p. $9.99 Trade pb. 978-1-60542-501-6.
This inventive science fiction adventure introduces a unique set of characters on a quest for justice who wind up saving their city from destruction. The catalyst that draws the group together is nineteen-year-old Clyde, whose fabrick--or magical ability--makes him a conscience sponge, capable of easing the guilt of others by balancing their confessions with jinxes. Although he has no memory of who he is, Clyde, who survived the initial attack on his city, is determined to avenge the death of his master. He is joined by Flam, a seven-foot-tall Mouflon treasure hunter with his trusty blunderbuss; R.O.H.M., the Rodents of Hive Mind, a collective of a thousand tiny frisk mice formed by scientists to work in humanoid shape in the sewers of Geyser; and Nevele, a Royal Stitcher who can not only control thread and string of any kind, but is also able to unwind and then weave herself back together again, a helpful form of fabrick for someone being pursued by a deadly assassin. With the city of Geyser under attack, this group is faced with the very real threat of the murderer on their trail, as well as going up against an army of giant bugs, enemy guardsmen, and a cowardly, corrupt king who aligns himself with pirates.
The convoluted plot meanders along in some scenes and is propelled at breakneck speed through others, leaving enough loose ends to promise a sequel for teens interested in spending more time with this bizarre cast of adventurers.- -Bonnie Kunzel.
Kunzel, Bonnie
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Kunzel, Bonnie. "Post, Andrew. Fabrick." Voice of Youth Advocates, Feb. 2014, p. 76. PowerSearch,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA424529735&it=r&asid=bc084d8c7992c205f73ba741018ea77d. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A424529735
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Fabrick
Publishers Weekly.
260.41 (Oct. 14, 2013): p62. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2013 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Fabrick
Andrew Post. Medallion (IPG, dist.), $9.99 trade paper (544p) ISBN 978-1-60542-501-6
In this wildly imaginative SF adventure, Post (Knuckleduster) introduces an eclectic group of unlikely allies, who work together to protect a dying city--and each other--from myriad dangers. When an attack devastates the city of Geyser, 19-year-old Clyde, who is strangely ignorant of the world around him, sets out to avenge his slain master. He quickly accumulates several odd companions, including the animal-like mercenary Flam, a patchwork "Stitcher" named Nevele, and the intelligent rodent collective known as Rohm. Their quest takes them into the depths of Geyser, where they make some monumental discoveries, leading them on a collision course with several warring factions. Post delivers one bizarre concept after another in this epic coming-of-age story, packing it full of action, intrigue, and surprise. Strong characterizations and an intriguing setting don't quite offset the meandering storyline and several subplots that make this tale drag in places. However, the underlying charm of the strange and surprising ideas Post brings to the table does much to rectify these drawbacks--the sheer originality of the novel is its best asset. Ages 12- up. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Fabrick." Publishers Weekly, 14 Oct. 2013, p. 62. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA349606771&it=r&asid=e714d8792f6e497f1110d0223863ac9a. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A349606771
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Knuckleduster
David Pitt
Booklist.
109.11 (Feb. 1, 2013): p34. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2013 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Knuckleduster. By Andrew Post. Mar. 2013. 506p. Medallion, paper, $14.95 (9781605424934).
Broadwell Alexander Calhoun, known to his friends as Brody and to some unfortunates as Knuckleduster (on account of his weapon of choice, a metal plate he slides over his knuckles before he hits you), is blind. But special lenses allow him to see. Problem is, the lenses constantly need recharging, and batteries aren't cheap. So Brody, an army veteran living on a modest disability, earns a few extra bucks by (reluctantly) acting as muscle-for-hire for women who are in abusive relationships. When Brody's old army buddy asks him to find out what happened to his missing daughter, Brody faces a tough choice: step away or wade in with both fists. Set in a future that feels just around the corner, the story should appeal to sf fans--it has lots of new technology and terminology--and also to fans of Lee Child's Reacher novels. Like Jack Reacher, Brody is capable of using his brawn, but he never does so impulsively--only when his brain tells him violence is the only solution to a problem. There's plenty of room here for a sequel, or several, and that's a perfectly good thing.--David Pitt
Pitt, David
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Pitt, David. "Knuckleduster." Booklist, 1 Feb. 2013, p. 34. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA317308552&it=r&asid=f2dd6b378055baac7d571fe39d22f08d. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A317308552
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Science fiction/fantasy
Jackie Cassada
Library Journal.
138.1 (Jan. 1, 2013): p73. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2013 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Where in past years we have seen a preponderance of one type of speculative literature over another (epic fantasy, urban fantasy, dark fantasy, horror, space opera, etc.) parity is once more asserting itself, and the SF/F genre as a whole is experiencing a rebirth. Many of this month's titles have simultaneous ebook publications and, in fact, the advance of digital publishing seems to have spurred many authors to make their works available to the reading public without traditional publishing. The plethora of media choices seems to bode well for books in general and genre fiction in particular. Urban fantasy still holds its own as an abiding subgenre mixing dark and romantic fantasies with a hefty dose of action and adventure. Cat Adams's The Eldritch Conspiracy continues to redefine the seductive sirens as viable fantasy characters, while Anne Bishop's Written in Red launches a new series set in a modern world ruled by unearthly creatures. In Blood of Dragons, Robin Hobb offers a take that differs from the fire- breathing creatures of traditional fantasy.
Prolific author L.E. Modesitt, Jr. tackles military and political issues in Imager's Battalion. Melanie Rawn's high fantasy Elsewhens offers a serious tribute to the theater and the creative spirit, while David Walton's historical fantasy Quintessence--set on an earth that really is flat--provides a study of alchemy and the early days of medicine. Science fiction is represented by Robert Harken's Life on Nubis, which tackles some of science's biggest questions, Andrew Post's Knuckleduster, which takes on the "men's action" genre from a near future perspective, and Daniel M. Kimmel's Shh! It's a Secret: A Novel about Aliens, Hollywood, and the Bartender's Guide offers a bit of sf whimsy. Last but not least is horror fiction. Eccentric author Sean Munger turns the zombie tale on its decaying ear in Zombies of Byzantium, while Toby Tate brings together a supernatural presence and a gigantic hurricane in Lilith.
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Adams, Cat. The Eldritch Conspiracy. Tor. (Blood Song. Bk. 5.) Jan. 2013. 384p. ISBN 9780765328748. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781429948265. FANTASY
Although a vicious attack has partially transformed bodyguard Celia Graves into a part-vampire, part-human creature, Celia also bears the blood of her Siren ancestors. Many despise her for being an "Abomination," but others recognize the unique powers Celia possesses. When a political marriage between her Siren cousin, Princess Adriana, and Dahlmar, King of Rusland, a small but important country in Eastern Europe, requires her service as bodyguard and maid of honor, Celia puts her life on hold to do her duty. VERDICT The fifth installment (after The Isis Collar) of Adams's (the pen name of cowriters C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp) classy series mixes a glimpse of Siren society and mores with a compelling story of political intrigue, betrayal, and growing romance. Strong characters and the Siren "connection" make this title stand out from other more generic urban fantasies and should please series fans.
* Bishop, Anne. Written in Red: A Novel of the Others. ROC: NAL. Mar. 2013. 448p. ISBN 9780451464965. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9781101615058. FANTASY
Meg Corbyn is a cassandra sangue, a blood prophet who sees the future when her skin is cut. Along with others like her, she has lived under the tight reins of her Controllers, with no actual experiences of the real world. Knowing that
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eventually blood prophets lose their usefulness and, usually, their lives, Meg seeks refuge at the Lakeside Courtyard, a part of the city owned and operated by the Others--shapeshifters and other supernatural creatures. Even though the Others have ample reasons to despise humans, they give Meg a job as the Human Liaison, dealing with the elements in the outside world that do business with the shapeshifters. As Meg learns more about both the world of experience and the society of the Others, she also becomes aware that her Controllers are not going to let her go without a fight. VERDICT The award-winning author of the Black Jewels series (Daughter of the Blood; Heir to the Shadows; Queen of the Darkness; The Invisible Ring) continues to craft well-plotted fantasy that is filled with sensuality and detail and populated with characters who compel the reader's attention. This urban fantasy should appeal to fans of Tanith Lee, Tanya Huff, and Storm Constantine.
Gould, Steven. Impulse. Tor. Jan. 2013. 388p. ISBN 9780765327574. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781429987547. SF
Since childhood, Cent has lived off the grid with her parents in an isolated Yukon cabin. Cent's parents are both "jumpers," whose abilities to teleport have made them a target of governments and other organizations wanting to exploit them. Now a teenager, Cent wants to experience normal high school life. When an emergency situation triggers her first "jump," her parents reluctantly agree but decide they will all keep a low profile. But circumstances--and Cent's sense of honor--dictate otherwise, and the family finds itself back on the radar. Gould re-enters the world of his Jumper series (Jumper; Jumper: Griffin's Story; Reflex), following the first jumpers and their daughter as they confront a modern world even more complex and morally ambiguous than the one they fled. VERDICT With its teenage protagonist treading a treacherous path through high school, adult and YA fans of both J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels and Orson Scott Card's "Ender" series will enjoy this sf adventure.
* Hobb, Robin. Blood of Dragons. Harper Voyager. (Rain Wilds Chronicles, Bk. 4). Apr. 2013. 448p. ISBN 9780062116857. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062116871. FANTASY
In their fourth series outing (Dragon Keeper; Dragon Haven; City of Dragons) the dragons and their young keepers have reached the legendary lost city of Kelsingra, but all is not well. The city's stones cause addictive visions of times past, and the silver wells that are vital to the dragons' survival remain undiscovered. When humans from the coastal city of Bingtown, in the Rain Wilds, arrive in search of plunder and valuable dragon scales, the stage is set for a war that might mean the end of the ecological cycle that links dragons, sea serpents, and the sentient ships known as liveships. VERDICT Hobb excels at telling big stories and juggling multiple story arcs. Fans of the author and of this series who eagerly await this installment will not be disappointed. [See Prepub Alert, 10/15/12.]
Kimmel, Daniel M. Shh! It's a Secret: A Novel About Aliens, Hollywood, and the Bartender's Guide. Fantastic Bks. Jan. 2013. 194p. ISBN 9781617207334. pap. $14.99. SF
When the alien Brogardi land in the Catskill Mountains, they come armed with declarations of peace--and a desire to star in the movies. Hollywood executive Jake Berman agrees to make a film starring Abi Gezunt, the son of the Brogardi ambassador, which leads to numerous complications that grow increasingly strange and threaten to turn into an interstellar incident. VERDICT This first novel by Kimmel (film, Suffolk Univ.; Jar Jar Binks Must Die ... and Other Observations About Science Fiction Movies) throws caution to the winds as it spins a whimsical, amiable satire on alien first encounters, the movie industry, and American society.
Modesitt, L.E. Jr. Imager's Battalion. Tor. (Imager Portfolio, Vol. 6.) Jan. 2013. 512p. ISBN 9780765332837. $27.99. FANTASY
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All his life Quaeryt has had to hide his abilities as an "Imager," a mace who can create magic simply by thinking about something--even accidentally. As the brother-in-law of Lord Bhayar, the ruler of Telaryn, he has developed a reputation as a diplomat. When war breaks out with Bovaria, Quaeryt becomes sub-commander of a regiment of Imagers. Although he attempts to keep his own Imager status a secret, the time grows closer when he may have to reveal himself. VERDICT The latest addition (after Princeps) to Modesitt's popular "Imager" series takes the hero into the heat of battle as well as into the crucible of court intrigue. The author's world building is seamless and realistic, and his characters are not only well-rounded but somehow familiar. Series fans will put this on their must-read list.
Munger, Sean. Zombies of Byzantium. Samhain. Feb. 2013. 240p. ISBN 9781619212299. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9781619211803. HORROR
An ambitious usurper holds the Byzantine throne in the eighth century. Immediately the new Emperor Leo faces fresh attacks on Constantinople by the Saracens. A young monk witnesses the onset of a plague of walking dead, and Leo conceives of creating an army of undead to wreak havoc among the Saracens. When the plan becomes too successful, the monk responsible (albeit reluctantly) for creating the zombie soldiers must find a way to destroy them. VERDICT Munger (Giamotti in Winter) transports the popular "zombie plague outbreak" to an unusual time and place for a darkly humorous, undeniably quirky tale that should please fans of zombie fiction and alternate history. The author, who has a talent for telling strange but memorable stories, deserves a following among fans of eccentric fiction and "weird" storytelling.
Post, Andrew. Knuckleduster. Medallion. Mar. 2013. 506p. ISBN 9781605424934. pap. $14.95. SF
Blinded while serving overseas, Brody "Knuckleduster" Calhoun has specially made carotene lenses that enable him to see. Unfortunately, the batteries that power them are very expensive, so he works as a vigilante-for-hire to pay for them. He specializes in payback against abusive husbands and boyfriends, but his work has landed him a number of convictions and a long probation. When a war buddy's sister goes missing, however, Brody answers the call of friendship and begins a search that will involve him in a dark conspiracy that threatens to destroy his hard-won values. VERDICT The novelty of a blind protagonist who "sees" through artificially induced eyesight lifts this debut sf action- adventure a cut above most of its subgenre. With a "tough-guy" hero and the personal code of male honor common to Westerns, it should appeal to fans of action/adventure and military sf.
* Rawn, Melanie. Elsewhens. Tor. (Glass Thorns. Bk. 6). Feb. 2013. 384p. ISBN 9780765328779. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781429946902. FANTASY
Touchstone, the magical theatre troupe, has gained in skill and talent since its first year in competitive performances. While it fails to win the annual Trials, the group is chosen to accompany Prince Ashgar to the Continent to collect his new bride. Unfortunately, their destination is a part of the world suspicious of magic and nonhuman races such as elves, goblins, and trolls. In the meantime, the deep friendship between Cayden, the mostly human playwright, and Mieka, the brilliantly eccentric elven Glisker who creates the troupe's visual effects, increasingly grows strained as Cayden's Fae-given dreams, or "elsewhens," show him many futures in which Mieka dies and Touchstone unravels. VERDICT The sequel to Glass Thorns adds new details and builds complex relationships./Lawn's elegantly written saga about an artist's compulsion to create is a superb homage to the world of the theatre and sets a new benchmark for excellence in high fantasy.
Snyder, Maria V. Scent of Magic. Mira: Harlequin. (Healer. Bk. 2). Jan. 2013. 448p. ISBN 9780778314189; ebk. ISBN 9781460300312. FANTASY
The last healer of the Fifteen Realms, Avry has spent time in hiding, allowing both friends and enemies to believe she's dead. As King Tohon continues his pursuit of power, using armies of undead soldiers to strike fear into his opponents, Avry must do all she can to defeat him, even if it means separation from Kerrick, the forest mage she has come to love. The sequel to Touch of Power takes its heroine and her companions into new dangers and more complex entanglements, revealing new sides to their characters. VERDICT Even with the obligatory "cliff-hanger" ending common to series novels, Snyder's latest fantasy saga offers believable characters and a richly developed world setting. Fans of her "Study" (Poison Study; Magic Study; Fire Study) and "Glass" (Storm Glass; Sea Glass; Spy Glass)
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series will welcome another addition to Snyder's growing body of fantasy.
Tate, Toby. Lilith. DarkFuse. Jan. 2013. 330p. ISBN 9781937771515. pap. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9781937771997. HORROR
A routine training mission off the Carolina coast involving the USS Gerald Ford, a state-of-the-art aircraft carrier, becomes anything but ordinary when crew members exhibit strange behavior. The unexpected onset of a monster hurricane forces the Ford to redirect its course to New York City to provide aid at the site of the hurricane's landfall, and the shipboard problems become even more threatening since the supernatural presence may be able to spread its terror onto the shore and into the general population. VERDICT Tate's second maritime horror novel (after Diablero) is a supernatural technothriller that might appeal to a broader than usual audience.
Walton, David. Quintessence. Tor. Mar. 2013. 320p. ISBN 9780765330901. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781429992817. FANTASY
Alchemist Christopher Sinclair seeks the priceless element that can grant both immortality and magical powers-- quintessence. To acquire it, he sets sail for the Edge of the World, the place where sky touches sea. Traveling with him are Stephen Parr/s, a physician pursued by the Inquisition for heretical practices, and his daughter, Catherine, whose attempt to bond with one of the magical creatures found at the edge of the world has left her in a deep coma that can only be cured through the use of quintessence. Set in an alternate flat Earth during the Age of Exploration, this novel captures the era's heady atmosphere of discovery, exploration, and imagination. The story's conclusion leaves room for at least one, if not more, sequels. VERDICT Differing greatly from Walton's sf debut, Terminal Mind, which won the 2008 Philip K. Dick Award, this alternate historical fantasy exhibits the maturation of an exciting new voice in the genre.
Jackie Cassada, formerly with Asheville Buncombe Library System, NC, has been LJ's SF/Fantasy columnist since 1984
Cassada, Jackie
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Cassada, Jackie. "Science fiction/fantasy." Library Journal, 1 Jan. 2013, p. 73+. PowerSearch,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA313885179&it=r&asid=0f7f95f3b0530526f5b576916bc8e103. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A313885179
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Knuckleduster
Publishers Weekly.
259.49 (Dec. 3, 2012): p59. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Knuckleduster
Andrew Post. Medallion, $14.95 trade paper (506p) ISBN 978-1-60542-493-4
Veteran soldier Brody "Knuckleduster" Calhoun, blinded in an ambush and dependent on beta-carotene contact lenses for sight, spends his days doing community service and his nights as a vigilante, delivering violent revenge to abusive boyfriends and husbands on behalf of women who pay him for help. When Thorp Ashbury, Brody's old army buddy, enlists his help to find Thorp's missing sister, the trail leads them to a corporation whose mind-control experiments have driven a veteran to commit mass murder. The awkward premise sags further under Post's erratic prose ("He, unlike many of the averted-eyed masses, gazed unflinchingly into the vacuous abyss that mankind had chiseled itself into") and distracting perspective shifts, and the pacing is too slack for a thriller; too much time is spent on a serial killer with the improbable name of Titian Shandorf and a threadbare connection to the central conspiracy. Reader interest is likely to wander well before the plot starts to cohere in the second half. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Knuckleduster." Publishers Weekly, 3 Dec. 2012, p. 59. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA311292036&it=r&asid=0777fdff80ef0ae25acc7e88fbdd62bd. Accessed 12 Apr. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A311292036
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MILITARY SF/FANTASY MARCHES ON
While armed conflict is a part of the space opera, military sf concentrates on warfare, whether in its far-reaching aspects or small unit tactics. The fall publishing season sees a new work by a veteran as well as fresh recruits taking up the standard. David Weber’s 19th Honor Harrington book, Shadow of Victory (Baen, Nov.), has his protagonist facing her biggest challenge yet because the Mesan Alignment is trying to engineer a war between her Star Empire of Manticore and the Solarian League, the most powerful star nation in the galaxy. Instead of a dishonorable discharge, court-martialed Commander Elena Shaw and Capt. Greg Foster are tasked with patrolling the Third Sector, but they uncover a plot to foment war that leads back to their own Central Gov in Elizabeth Bonesteel’s new “Central Corps” novel, Remnants of Trust (Harper Voyager, Nov.).
Arriving in September from Ace is J. Patrick Black’s Ninth City Burning (see review, p. 67), which pits aliens and their thelemity weapon against the few humans on Earth who can also wield this power. Crown executive editor Julian Pavia calls it “a big ambitious debut.” Ace/Roc editors Sowards and Wade praise the book for its cast of engaging narrators, complex worldbuilding, and page-turning adventure. “This novel has echoes of [Orson Scott Card’s] Ender’s Game and [Pierce Brown’s] Red Rising—and has crossover appeal to both adult and YA readers.” Ace launches another new military series in October with William C. Dietz’s Into the Guns, in which corporations attempt to seize power after a massive meteor strike and its aftermath devastate Earth.
On the epic fantasy front, Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Guns of the Dawn, coming from Pan Macmillan in November, pits war machines against warlocks. Medallion’s September release of Andrew Post’s Rusted Heroes has the fairly straightforward and delightful premise of a tank squad, accompanied by a bard, against orcs and a necromancer.
FABRICK
by Andrew Post
Age Range: 12 - 15
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KIRKUS REVIEW
Characters with distinctly oddball psychic powers or attributes save this other-planet odyssey from sinking under its own weight.
Violent times have come to Geyser—a city perched high atop a towering geyser nozzle on the giant planet Gliese. When Clyde, a robotic, tuxedo-clad young man with hazy memories and the ability to “sponge” guilt from anyone’s troubled conscience, sets out to track down his beloved master’s killers, he finds the city wrecked and virtually empty. He gets help from several allies including Nevele, a sliced-up woman who literally keeps herself together with telekinetically controlled stitches, and a cultured hive mind, collectively named Rohm, made up of over 1,000 tiny “frisk mice.” With them, Clyde travels through noirish ruins, deep into a mine and up the geyser’s massive spout while surviving vicious attacks from oversized insects and a maniacal serial killer/hired assassin. Ultimately, he runs into dazzling revelations about both his true identity and the source of the strange powers dubbed “fabrick” that he and others display. It’s a very long journey. As Post also shoves in several elaborately developed side plots that are left to be resolved, presumably, in sequels, it’s also a wearisome one. Still, dogged readers will be rewarded with exotic locales aplenty, sometimes-grisly battles and a particularly colorful multispecies cast.
An unwieldy setup volume, bearable for its baroque tweaks and twists. (Science fiction. 12-15)