So, someone mentioned this book in a recent post:
Whispering Wood is due to drop in early November, which seems REALLY SOON to me because I’m trying to get books in shape to drop in September and October and wow, that does not seem far away AT ALL. By that time, I expect I will need something comfortable to relax with, and here this book will be, so that’s nice to look forward to. Did anybody realize it’s been seven years since the last book in this series? Astonishing.
Here’s the description:
Valentina Serlast has reluctantly traveled to the royal city to witness her brother Darien be crowned the king of Welce. A hunti woman with an affinity for the forest, Val is much more comfortable living in isolation on her country estates, almost forgotten by everyone. When Darien convinces her to extend her stay, she is drawn into an unfamiliar whirl of activity, meeting with ambassadors from other countries, becoming friends with the unpredictable Princess Corene, and trying to learn the secrets of a glamorous foreign visitor named Melissande.
But nothing makes Val more breathless than the reappearance of Sebastian Ardelay, a red-headed rogue who has been her best friend since childhood. She quickly learns that Sebastian has been risking his life in a dangerous venture that could get him banned from the kingdom—or even lead Welce to the brink of war.
Darien’s sister! That’s a good point of view. I love Darien, so I expect I’ll enjoy seeing him from his sister’s viewpoint.
Thinking of upcoming releases brings a couple other books to mind, such as this one:
Menewood, now, has been long-awaited FOR SURE. Hild came out in 2013, so ten years! For a change, that feels like it’s been even longer. I really will have to re-read the first book before I can read the sequel. I remember just tiny bits of the events of Hild. Mostly what I remember is thinking how the writing was just amazing and the worldbuilding was just amazing and the research behind the story was just amazing. Re-reading the first book will be great, but though I’ll preorder the second … despite the high price for a kindle ebook … anyway, fine, I’ve preordered it. Not sure when I’ll actually read it. This may be something I put off till I’m a lot less busy. OR I might decide it would be perfect to read in tiny little bits while I work on other things.
What else is coming out this fall? OH LOOK —
Defiance is due out in October. I’m not sure whether I should cheer or not quite? I would be happier not to see a coauthor on the cover. I do not have any great faith in Jane Francher as an author considering comments on the Alliance Rising books. Still … even so …
Here’s the description:
In the east, outright warfare has tied down the Assassins’ Guild, and that region is in confusion. Ready to hand is an age-old feud in the west, where the Master of Ashidama Bay has long hated the Edi people of the north shore and equally hated the Aishidi’tat for bringing the Edi to his shores—and hatred is a resource the Shadow Guild knows how to use to its advantage. Bren Cameron is tasked with getting Ilisidi, the aiji-dowager, back to the capital alive, on an urgent basis. But events are cascading down on the south, the Guild is stretched thin in the east, and the Shadow Guild is within striking distance of critical targets that could bring war to the entire south.
I think I’ll wait and see what early reviews look like. And re-read Book 21 to remind myself what’s going on. I think the events of Book 21 set up this situation, but I don’t remember all that clearly.
Okay! What else is coming out this fall that I haven’t noticed? If you’re excited about an upcoming release, please drop title and author in the comments!
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Thanks for heads-up about the new Elemental Blessings book. I’ve just pre-ordered it.
It’s coming out in winter, not fall, but I’m looking forward to Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett. This is a sequel to Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
Oh wow, I had all but given up hope of there ever being another Elemental Blessings book–I’m so pleased to see this!
I’m looking forward to Patricia C. Wrede’s “The Dark Lord’s Daughter” coming out in September–I suspect my 14yo and I will be quarreling over who gets to read it first!
Oh, yes, I should preorder both of those because I’m definitely going to want them both! Louise, it seems fair that whoever reads faster OR whoever is better at not hinting at spoilers should get the book first!
Looking at my preorders for the rest of the year. Wow, more than I realized. Many are sequels but a few are standalone.
An Exile Aboard Ship, MCA Hogarth. Starting a new series following onto the Earthrise and other series. Protagonist was a villain in the earlier series but has already begun a turnaround toward the end. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel, KJ Charles. Historical m/m romance. Sequel to The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen.
System Collapse, Martha Wells. New Murderbot, out in November.
(Also, City of Bones, an older Martha Wells book, is being re-released by Tor in the fall. I have this in both paperback and ebook so will probably not buy the “author’s preferred” edition, but if you haven’t read it I recommend it.)
Starter Villain, John Scalzi. I like John’s blog and online presence. His fiction tends to be hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed The Kaiju Preservation Society. And the cover on this one is marvelous.
Thornhedge, T. Kingfisher. One of her changed-up fairy tales. Neither a horror book (although given her usual, there are likely to be creepy parts) nor part of the paladins series.
All the Hidden Paths, Foz Meadows. Sequel to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance.
Uncanny Vows, Laura Anne Gilman. Sequel to Uncanny Times. Historical Supernatural.
Oh, of course, System Collapse! Yes! Definitely!
I’ve read City of Bones; it’s my second-least-favorite book by Martha Wells because the setting hit my “claustrophobic grim setting” button. I have trouble with a setting in which most people are basically trapped in a fairly oppressive, unpleasant city. This one qualifies. I’ve only read it once.
I haven’t read Laura Anne Gilman’s Sequel to Uncanny Times, but she’s a great writer and I’ve loved others of hers! I should definitely try it. I’ve got something or other by T Kingfisher sitting here already, but I’ll probably pick up Thornhedge eventually.
I’ll check out the others on your list too, though I don’t know that I’m all that interested in going on with the MCA Hogarth books. I mean, maybe. Especially if there’s a good redemption character arc. Picking up samples of this and that …
I’m a little afraid to read Menewood. I read Hild on your suggestion in the blog and was equally enthralled and shocked. I just don’t think I can read a book which is so clearly headed for tragedy romantically, even though the bio says she ends up in a good place. If other people here say they loved it, though, I will likely make the attempt.
Alison, if you wait hopefully less than another ten years, perhaps the third book will actually move HILD into a good place in her life. I suspect this second book probably won’t. We’ll see!
Re City of Bones, I haven’t thought of it as a dystopian (claustrophobic grim) setting, but clearly it is. What I like is the history – ancient ruins, artifacts, etc. – built into the world. And the main characters and their day to day lives and support of each other.
Not trying to persuade you otherwise – you like what you like – just offering a little more context for other readers.
OtterB, yes, no one does ancient ruins better than Martha Wells! I agree there’s a lot to like about the book and I may re-read it eventually, but yeesh. I had the same reaction to CJC’s Rider at the Gate world. Everyone is trapped, and it’s hard for me to put that aside.
One more coming soon that I was just reminded of: Devil’s Gun, by Cat Rambo, a sequel to You Sexy Thing. I am a sucker for space operas with crews of different species all getting along. In the first book, a group of retired soldiers operating a restaurant on a space station end up on the run from pirates and bad guys in a sentient ship. The second one, I think, picks up where the first leaves off, and is due out in late August.