Grimdark Magazine, DARK FIRE and MARGINAL
Grimdark Magazine, DARK FIRE and MARGINAL
Fantasy books news and recs
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Dear reader,
Happy All Hallows’ Day! Here’s your monthly roundup of fantasy book news, recommendations and free indie ebooks.
Fantasy book news:
-Grimdark Magazine celebrated their 10th anniversary with a special issue featuring an all-star line-up of authors, including part 1 of a new Locke Lamora story by Scott Lynch! (Part 2 in January issue.) They had the gall to publish it on 1st October so I missed it in my last roundup, but here you are in case you didn’t know: Only $3.99 / £2.98 on Amazon!
-Last month friend of the newsletter and traditionally published author T.K. Hall had the second novel in his acclaimed dark fantasy Robin Hood retelling series, THE BLIND BOWMAN, published by David Fickling Books. These are on my TBR list—just look at the blurbs for book 1! Get DARK FIRE here and book 1, SHADOW OF THE WOLF, here.
-Not a fantasy, but last month my dear friend Tom also had his second horror novel, MARGINAL, a ‘devilishly gory body horror’, published by Titan Books. I loved his first one, but I’m sorry, TC, this one looks too gory for me! However I’m happy to stick it here for people who like horror to check it out!
-The World Fantasy Awards for fantasy books published in 2023 have been announced. The winner of best novel was, er, a horror, THE REFORMATORY by Tananarive Due.
-The British Fantasy Awards for 2024 have been announced at the Society’s recent convention. The winner of best novel was TALONSISTER by Jen Williams (her COPPER CAT books are on my TBR list!).
-The 2024 Kindle Storyteller Awards long- and shortlists are out, and there’s a whole section for indie SFF ebooks.
Your free and discounted indie fantasy ebooks and audiobooks for this month:
What I’ve been reading:
Since September my teaching hours have gone up and I haven’t had as many since 2021. I’ve rediscovered that when I’m teaching this much I can’t read for more than 10-15 minutes in the evening before I literally pass out. (I’m not entirely sure why I’m in this profession as a hyper-introvert, but I’ve advanced quite far along the pay scale by now and I’m not sure what else I would do for a day job…) Trouble is, reading a novel for 10-15 minutes a day is quite unsatisfying. So…I’ve switched to reading short stories during term time! I’ll read novels in the breaks. This month I read FEARSOME JOURNEYS, a fantasy anthology edited by Jonathan Strahan. The standard was extremely high, and I only used two ‘track skips’. Particular highlights for me were Saladin Ahmed’s compressed mini-epic ‘Amethyst, Shadow, and Light’ (though it’s quite rude in places!), Ellen Kushner and Ysabeau S. Wicle’s twisted fairytale ‘One Last Great Adventure’ and Elizabeth Bear’s poetic sword-and-sorcery ‘The Ghost Makers’. Highly recommended!
What I’ve been listening to:
I finally finished listening to RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES. Ok, I understand now. IMO, though, it was great right up until the final act. The final act of LOCKE LAMORA had me laughing and punching the air. No spoilers; but this did not. Still an incredible book though.
Taking a break from Scott Lynch audiobooks for a bit so now I’m back on the nostalgic Warhammer-tie-in sword-and-sorcery GOTREK AND FELIX train! Next up, GIANTSLAYER, the last of William King’s Gotrek and Felix novels, where they get teleported to ‘Albion’ and have to team up with a High Elven mage. It’s started strong and so far is way better than VAMPIRESLAYER, which isn’t difficult.
What Jo’s been reading:
Joanna is back to her old tricks and this month stole another book from my TBR pile, THE CURSE OF CHALION by Lois McMaster Bujold, which I found by searching for the best in ‘theological fantasy’ and which won the Mythopeic Fantasy and was nominated for the Hugo, World Focus and Locus awards in 2002. I have forbidden Jo from telling me anything else about it, but apparently it’s awesome, so awesome that she went straight on and read (and finished) the next book in the pentalogy, PALADIN OF SOULS, this month as well:
What I’ve been working on:
This month I finished my latest edit of SAGA OF THE JEWELS BOOK ONE: FIRE AND LIGHTNING in response to my editor’s feedback. Hence……the free digital advanced review copy is now out! ICYMI, here’s a link to that:
I also started drafting a new science fiction short story inspired by 10 years of teaching kids about the cosmological argument for the existence of God. In the last week of school term 1, I didn’t do any writing because my brain melted.
In other news:
One of the blessings (curses?) of being the daughter of a Massive Dork is that you spontaneously request to play tabletop fantasy wargames during your brother’s naptime. We’re on holiday on the south coast (of England) for half-term now, and here’s the 6yo playing BATTLELORE 2nd edition, a kind of Warhammer-lite (I asked her permission to share the photo). Check out that mounted roc-warrior on the left!
Also, here’s a picture of Jo and 1yo on a train:
That’s all for this month! As ever, see below for the latest episode of the serial version of SAGA OF THE JEWELS (if you’re new, we’re currently in Season/Book 2).
TTFN,
Faenon
Click here or below for the latest episode of the SAGA OF THE JEWELS serial!
Thanks for the mention of Dark Fire, Luke! And thanks for the rest of the great round up. Lots of good reading for me to catch up on as always. And Battlelore looks like a brilliant way to spend time with your family! Hope you've had a splendid break and well earned rest