'A strategic enabler'

It’s hard to imagine an America without Simon &; Garfunkel. For over half a century‚ their warm harmonies and socially conscious lyrics have helped to define us as a nation. They’ve compelled us to think about our identity‚ quietly made us love New York (and‚ by extension‚ urbanism in general)‚ and reminded us that rock and roll is all about the size of your attitude‚ not the size of your amp. They’re deeply ingrained in our popular culture: they provided the soundtrack for the 1967 classic film The Graduate‚ they’ve appeared‚ together and separately‚ on Saturday Night Live many times‚ The post Top 10 Simon &; Garfunkel Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

“You know what you call it [when] a cobbler is just getting waves and waves of shoes in? A ‘shoenami.'” This A+ dad joke can be attributed to Jim McFarland‚ aka ‘America’s Cobbler’—a viral internet star who has millions of followers across Instagram‚ TikTok‚ and YouTube that tune in to watch him fix shoes. Some […] The post Third-Generation Craftsman Goes Viral–Now has Millions Watching Him Fix Shoes as ‘America’s Cobbler’ appeared first on Good News Network.

News Klara and the Sun Klara and the Sun Adaptation Sees Two New Cast Members Join Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams The film will also star Mia Tharia and Aran Murphy‚ son of Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on February 7‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Taika Waititi’s film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun has a growing cast. We found out earlier this week that Jenna Ortega (pictured above as Wednesday in the Netflix series of the same name) and Amy Adams have joined the production‚ with Ortega playing the titular Klara‚ a robot that a mother (Adams) buys to act as a companion to her daughter‚ Josie‚ who suffers from an illness. Klara‚ who is called an Artificial Friend in Ishiguro’s novel‚ then works‚ as Deadline describes‚ to try to “save Josie and those who love her from heartbreak.” The movie‚ like the book it seems‚ is aiming to make you cry your eyes out. Today‚ Deadline reported the news that Josie will be played by Mia Tharia (Phoenix Rise). Tharia is relatively new to the Hollywood scene‚ though she also has another feature coming out this year called Sisters. Josie’s best friend‚ Rick‚ will be played by newcomer Aran Murphy‚ who is also the son of Oppenheimer actor‚ Cillian Murphy. All this casting news suggests that Waititi’s adaption is moving forward as the writer-actor-director’s next project. We don’t have any official news yet‚ however‚ on when the film will go into production or make its way to a theater near you. In the meantime‚ you could (re)read Klara and the Sun‚ where you’ll likely have your heart (once again) wrenched in a way that only Ishiguro can muster. [end-mark] The post <;i>;Klara and the Sun<;/i>; Adaptation Sees Two New Cast Members Join Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams appeared first on Reactor.

Book Recommendations new releases All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in February! Obsessive sorcerers‚ mysterious librarians‚ and more in this month’s new releases. By Reactor | Published on February 7‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Here’s the full list of fantasy titles heading your way in February! Keep track of all the new SFF releases here. All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher. Release dates are subject to change. February 6 The Tainted Cup — Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey) In Daretana’s greatest mansion‚ a high imperial officer lies dead—killed‚ to all appearances‚ when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders‚ where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes‚ it’s a death both terrifying and impossible. Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra‚ a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times‚ and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home. At her side is her new assistant‚ Dinios Kol‚ magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized‚ perplexed‚ and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next‚ he must admit that she is‚ indeed‚ the Empire’s greatest detective. As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself‚ Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect. The Burning Land (Talmont 1) — David Hair (Mobius) The Falcons are knights of the Vestal Order‚ pledged to use their powers to protect the Empire of Talmont from the cruel Vyr and the carnage they have unleashed upon the world. When the Falcons take a Vyr alive‚ they go against the protocols of the Vestal Order and interrogate him. They are horrified to learn‚ if the Vyr speaks truly‚ that the Empire’s worst enemy may not be the Vyr… but the Vestal Order itself. Led by the charismatic Romara Challys‚ the Falcons go rogue‚ their quest for the truth taking them through burning forests‚ lost ruins and the uncanny traces of a dying race‚ desperate to find answers… before it’s too late. But the Vestal Order has no plans to let Challys and her knights succeed in their mission. With the greatest knight in history and an army of fanatics at their heels‚ the Falcons must evade capture and discover the truth as soon as possible. Because time is running out… for everyone. Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart: And Other Stories — GennaRose Nethercott (Vintage) The stories in Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart are about the abomination that resides within us all. That churning‚ clawing‚ ravenous yearning: the hunger to be held‚ and seen‚ and known. And the terror‚ too: to be loved too well‚ or not enough‚ or for long enough. To be laid bare before your sweetheart‚ to their horror. To be recognized as the monstrous thing you are. Two teenage girls working at a sinister roadside attraction called the Eternal Staircase explore its secrets—and their own doomed summer love. A zombie rooster plays detective in a missing persons case. A woman moves into a new house with her acclaimed artist boyfriend—and finds her body slowly shifting into something specially constructed to accommodate his needs and whims. A pack of middle schoolers turn to the occult to rid themselves of a hated new classmate. And a pair of outcasts‚ a vampire and a goat woman‚ find solace in each other‚ even as the world’s lack of understanding might bring about its own end. The Trials of Empire (Empire of the Wolf #3) — Richard Swan (Orbit) The Empire of the Wolf is on its knees‚ but there’s life in the great beast yet. To save it‚ Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena must look beyond its borders for allies—to the wolfmen of the southern plains‚ and the pagan clans in the north. But old grievances run deep‚ and both factions would benefit from the fall of Sova. Even these allies might not be enough. Their enemy‚ the zealot Bartholomew Claver‚ wields infernal powers bestowed on him by a mysterious demonic patron. If Vonvalt and Helena are to stand against him‚ they will need friends on both sides of the mortal plane—but such allegiances carry a heavy price. As the battlelines are drawn in both Sova and the afterlife‚ the final reckoning draws close. Here‚ at the beating heart of the Empire‚ the two-headed wolf will be reborn in a blaze of justice… or crushed beneath the shadow of tyranny.  Tales of the Celestial Kingdom — Sue Lynn Tan (Harper Voyager) Journey once more to the Immortal Realm‚ a world of gods‚ magic‚ and legendary creatures—and embark upon new adventures of valor‚ danger‚ and love. Tales of the Celestial Kingdom collects nine spellbinding stories—two previously published‚ seven original‚ including the epilogue to the duology—set in the enchanting world of Sue Lynn Tan’s stunning debut. Filled with magic and mythology‚ friendship and love‚ these stories intertwine through the past‚ present‚ and future of the two novels‚ told from the perspectives of multiple characters‚ including Chang’e‚ Shuxiao‚ Liwei‚ and Wenzhi. With beautiful illustrations from Kelly Chong throughout‚ these wondrous tales make the perfect complement to Sue Lynn Tan’s breathtaking series. February 13 The Warm Hands of Ghosts — Katherine Arden (Del Rey) January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps‚ leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax‚ Canada‚ Laura receives word of Freddie’s death in combat‚ along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth‚ Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital‚ where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield‚ only to fall prey to something—or someone—else? November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier‚ a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds‚ the two form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields‚ especially on opposite sides‚ they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear. As shells rain down on Flanders and ghosts move among those yet living‚ Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely. The Book of Doors — Gareth Brown (William Morrow) Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop‚ shelving books‚ making coffee for customers‚ and living an unassuming‚ ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers—a lonely yet charming old man—dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories‚ and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading.  But this is no ordinary book… It is the Book of Doors. Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings‚ it promises Cassie that any door is every door. You just need to know how to open them. Then she’s approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He’s a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. The tome now in Cassie’s possession is not the only book with great power‚ but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them. Now Cassie is being hunted by those few who know of the Special Books. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in‚ she has to decide if she will help the mysterious and haunted Drummond protect the Book of Doors—and the other books in his secret library’s care—from those who will do evil. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie’s book can get them there. But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force—in the form of a shadowy‚ sadistic woman—is at the very top of that list. An Education in Malice – S.T. Gibson (Redhook) Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua’s College. Isolated and ancient‚ it is not a place for timid girls. Here‚ secrets are currency‚ ambition is lifeblood‚ and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold. On her first day of class‚ Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together‚ they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor‚ De Lafontaine‚ who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla. But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious‚ Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics‚ bloodthirsty professors and magic‚ Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge.   The Book of Love — Kelly Link (Random House) Late one night‚ Laura‚ Daniel‚ and Mo find themselves beneath the fluorescent lights of a high school classroom‚ almost a year after disappearing from their hometown‚ the small seaside community of Lovesend‚ Massachusetts‚ having long been presumed dead. Which‚ in fact‚ they are. With them in the room is their previously unremarkable high school music teacher‚ who seems to know something about their disappearance—and what has brought them back again. Desperate to reclaim their lives‚ the three agree to the terms of the bargain their music teacher proposes. They will be given a series of magical tasks; while they undertake them‚ they may return to their families and friends‚ but they can tell no one where they’ve been. In the end‚ there will be winners and there will be losers. But their resurrection has attracted the notice of other supernatural figures‚ all with their own agendas. As Laura‚ Daniel‚ and Mo grapple with the pieces of the lives they left behind‚ and Laura’s sister‚ Susannah‚ attempts to reconcile what she remembers with what she fears‚ these mysterious others begin to arrive‚ engulfing their community in danger and chaos‚ and it becomes imperative that the teens solve the mystery of their deaths to avert a looming disaster. Projections — S. E. Porter (Tor Books) Love may last a lifetime‚ but in this dark historical fantasy‚ the bitterness of rejection endures for centuries. As a young woman seeks vengeance on the obsessed sorcerer who murdered her because he could not have her‚ her murderer sends projections of himself out into the world to seek out and seduce women who will return the love she denied―or suffer mortal consequence. A lush‚ gothic journey across worlds full of strange characters and even stranger magic. A Flame in the North — Lilith Saintcrow (Orbit) The Black Land is a myth: Centuries have passed since that Great Enemy was slain. Yet old fears linger‚ and on the longest night of the year‚ people in the South still light ritual bonfires to banish the dark. In her village‚ this duty falls to Solveig‚ a girl favored by the gods with powerful fire magic. But when her brother kills a Northern lord’s son during the ritual‚ it is Sol who faces punishment‚ by being weregild—part hostage‚ part guest—in the North for a year and a day. As she journeys to her captivity‚ Sol starts to realize that the Black Land is no myth. The forests teem with foul beasts. Her travel companions are not what they seem‚ and their plans for her magic are shrouded in secrecy. With only her loyal shieldmaiden and her own wits to rely upon‚ Sol must learn to master her powers and wrest control of her fate. For the Black Land’s army stirs‚ ready to cover the world in darkness—unless Sol can find the courage to stop it. The Briar Book of the Dead — A.G. Slatter (Titan) Ellie Briar is the first non-witch to be born into her family for generations. The Briar family of witches run the town of Silverton‚ caring for its inhabitants with their skills and magic. In the usual scheme of things‚ they would be burnt for their sorcery‚ but the church has given them dispensation in return for their protection of the borders of the Darklands‚ where the much-feared Leech Lords hold sway. Ellie is being trained as a steward‚ administering for the town‚ and warding off the insistent interest of the church. When her grandmother dies suddenly‚ Ellie’s cousin Audra rises to the position of Briar Witch‚ propelling Ellie into her new role. As she navigates fresh challenges‚ an unexpected new ability to see and speak to the dead leads her to uncover sinister family secrets‚ stories of burnings‚ lost grimoires and evil spells. Reeling from one revelation to the next‚ she seeks answers from the long dead and is forced to decide who to trust‚ as a devastating plot threatens to destroy everything the Briar witches have sacrificed so much to build. February 20 Sun of Blood and Ruin — Mariely Lares (Harper Voyager) In sixteenth-century New Spain‚ witchcraft is punishable by death‚ indigenous temples have been destroyed‚ and tales of mythical creatures that once roamed the land have become whispers in the night. Hidden behind a mask‚ Pantera uses her magic and legendary swordplay skills to fight the tyranny of Spanish rule. To all who know her‚ Leonora de las Casas Tlazohtzin never leaves the palace and is promised to the heir of the Spanish throne. The respectable‚ law-abiding Lady Leonora faints at the sight of blood and would rather be caught dead than meddle in court affairs. No one suspects that Leonora and Pantera are the same person. Leonora’s charade is tragically good‚ and with magic running through her veins‚ she is nearly invincible. Nearly. Despite her mastery‚ she is destined to die young in battle‚ as predicted by a seer. When an ancient prophecy of destruction threatens to come true‚ Leonora—and therefore Pantera—is forced to decide: surrender the mask or fight to the end. Knowing she is doomed to a short life‚ she is tempted to take the former option. But the legendary Pantera is destined for more than an early grave‚ and once she discovers the truth of her origins‚ not even death will stop her. Night for Day — Roselle Lim (Ace) Exes Ward Dunbar and Camille Buhay thought they would never see each other again. They had broken up to pursue their dream jobs on opposite sides of the country—her to New York City‚ and him to Los Angeles. But years later‚ they unexpectedly reconnect in London‚ where they are interviewing for similar jobs. The spark they feel when they meet again is palpable—the attraction comes back like muscle memory‚ reminding them of what they had lost. When Ward and Camille discover they both got the job working opposing shifts‚ they vow to give their relationship another try. Ward starts the day shift and finds the immortal clientele unusual and dazzling. When he clocks out at the end of the day‚ he finds the door locked and himself trapped in the building. After a horrific first night shift contending with restless spirits and ghosts‚ Camille is also unable to escape. In their respective prisons‚ they discover that they’re able to talk to each other a few minutes before dawn. This fleeting encounter incites longing for each other‚ but their promise to be together feels impossible. Because they are caught in the middle of a war of the gods—and their choices will determine the outcome. To Cage a God — Elizabeth May (DAW) To cage a god is divine. To be divine is to rule. To rule is to destroy. Using ancient secrets‚ Galina and Sera’s mother grafted gods into their bones. Bound to brutal deities and granted forbidden power no commoner has held in a millennia‚ the sisters have grown up to become living weapons. Raised to overthrow an empire―no matter the cost. With their mother gone and their country on the brink of war‚ it falls to the sisters to take the helm of the rebellion and end the cruel reign of a royal family possessed by destructive gods. Because when the ruling alurea invade‚ they conquer with fire and blood. And when they clash‚ common folk burn. While Sera reunites with her estranged lover turned violent rebel leader‚ Galina infiltrates the palace. In this world of deception and danger‚ her only refuge is an isolated princess‚ whose whip-smart tongue and sharp gaze threaten to uncover Galina’s secret. Torn between desire and duty‚ Galina must make a choice: work together to expose the lies of the empire―or bring it all down. River Mumma — Zalika Reid-Benta (Erewhon) Alicia has been out of grad school for months. She has no career prospects and lives with her mom‚ who won’t stop texting her macabre news stories and reminders to pick up items from the grocery store. Then‚ one evening‚ the Jamaican water deity‚ River Mumma‚ appears to Alicia‚ telling her that she has twenty-four hours to scour the city for her missing comb. Alicia doesn’t understand why River Mumma would choose her. She can’t remember all the legends her relatives told her‚ unlike her retail co-worker Heaven‚ who can reel off Jamaican folklore by heart. She doesn’t know if her childhood visions have returned‚ or why she feels a strange connection to her other co-worker Mars. But when the trio are chased down by malevolent spirits called duppies‚ they realize their tenuous bonds to each other may be their only lifelines. With the clock ticking‚ Alicia’s quest through the city broadens into a journey through time—to find herself and what the river carries. February 27 The Lady in Glass and Other Stories — Anne Bishop (Ace) Here‚ together for the first time‚ the shorter works of New York Times bestselling fantasy author Anne Bishop are included in one dazzling volume. A master of bringing fantasy worlds to life‚ this collection showcases Bishop’s impressive range‚ from rarities of her earliest writing to the Realms of the Blood‚ from darker fairytale retellings to the Landscapes of Ephemera‚ and from standalone stories of space exploration and fantastical creatures to the contemporary fantasy terrain of the World of the Others. Includes previously published and unpublished tales‚ as well as two brand-new stories‚ written especially for this collection: “Friends and Corpses‚” a murder mystery in which the corpse has some decidedly unusual qualities‚ and “Home for the Howlidays‚” a heartwarming return to the Blood Prophet Meg Corbyn and the shapeshifting Simon Wolfgard from The Others. Fathomfolk — Eliza Chan (Orbit) Welcome to Tiankawi—shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least‚ that’s how it first appears. But in the semi-flooded city‚ humans are‚ quite literally‚ on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk – sirens‚ seawitches‚ kelpies and kappas—who live in the polluted waters below. For half-siren Mira‚ promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust and respect of her human colleagues wasn’t hard enough‚ everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami‚ a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk princess—is exiled to the city‚ under Mira’s watch. When extremists sabotage a city festival‚ violence erupts‚ as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying‚ or if Tiankawi should be left to drown. The Moorings of Mackerel Sky — MZ (Hyperion Avenue) They say Mackerel Sky was founded when Captain Burrbank first saw Nimuë the Mermaid and forgot the sea. Stricken by love‚ he moored his tall ship and made camp on the highest cliff‚ hoping to forever gaze upon her beauty. That camp became a settlement‚ the settlement a town‚ the town a community both blessed and cursed by their tempestuous affair. Three hundred years later‚ the legend of the Mermaid and the Captain who loved her still invigorates and haunts the inhabitants of the small Maine lobstering town. Take gruff widow Myra Kelley‚ who finds herself the de facto guardian of Leo Beale and knows his drunken antics are really attempts to escape an opiate-addicted mother and her boyfriends. Or Derrick Stowe‚ the town’s star pitcher‚ who wants nothing more than to read his mother’s musings on mermaids‚ write poetry to his secret boyfriend‚ and come out to his father‚ though he will learn how devastatingly small small towns can be. Or the oft-institutionalized Manon Perle‚ whose gorgeous‚ detailed quilts of the Mackerel Sky legend belie the terrible pain of—as she claims—having given her only child to the women in the waves. In this close-knit town famous for its infamous mermaids‚ community is built through love and lore—willful elements that the townsfolk will have to harness if Mackerel Sky is to endure for another three hundred years. The post All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in February! appeared first on Reactor.

Book Recommendations new releases All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in February! Parallel earths‚ plastic women and more in this month’s new releases. By Reactor | Published on February 7‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Here’s the full list of science fiction titles heading your way in February! Keep track of all the new SFF releases here. All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher. Release dates are subject to change. February 6 Beggar’s Sky — Wil McCarthy (Baen) Trillionaire Igbal Renz has constructed a starship capable of making the twenty-year journey to Alpha Centauri. So why is he stopping at barely one-tenth that distance‚ with a cargo of a hundred frozen scientists and diplomats? Rumors abound that Renz Ventures‚ Inc.‚ has made contact with… something. And yet‚ as deadly stealth ships prowl the space lanes and as the corporate space race threatens to devolve into outright warfare‚ the Four Horsemen of space industry are discovering firsthand that even in a limitless and lawless frontier‚ no one can ever be truly self-sufficient. An Angel Called Peterbilt (Ring of Fire – Assiti Shards #5) — Eric Flint‚ Gorg Huff‚ Paula Goodlett (Baen) Michael and Melanie Anderle are hauling a tanker full of oil with their Peterbilt eighteen-wheeler when they’re struck by a temporal irregularity that sends them‚ the truck‚ and their daughter back in time a thousand years. The bubble that transports them also grabs a chemist and her two young children‚ along with half a convenience store in the middle of the United States. They just want to make a decent life for themselves in this new world of the past‚ with their Peterbilt and its oil providing a means of transportation‚ a generator‚ and shelter. But not all the locals are willing to live and let live‚ and when the area shamans decide that this community of temporally displaced persons is a threat to their power‚ the Anderles find out what it’s like to take a Peterbilt to war. George R. R. Martin Presents Wild Cards: Sleeper Straddle (Wild Cards #32) — ed. George R. R. Martin (Bantam) An alien virus ravages the world‚ with effects as random as a hand of cards. Those infected either draw the black queen and die‚ draw an ace and receive superpowers‚ or draw the joker and are bizarrely mutated. Croyd Crenson is the Wild Card’s greatest failure—and its greatest success. Dubbed “The Sleeper‚” he randomly undergoes hibernations that can span days‚ weeks‚ or even months. After each hibernation‚ he awakens with a new appearance and set of powers—sometimes a joker‚ sometimes an ace‚ and sometimes a combination of both—until exhaustion claims him and his next inevitable sleep shuffles the cards anew. Ever since his initial infection in 1946‚ he’s awoken in a singular body—until now. His latest awakening has left him split into six different incarnations‚ each of them a self-contained piece of the original and each with a unique look and ability. One of them‚ at least‚ recognizes this for the disaster that it is‚ and tasks the clever and elusive Tesla—a joker with ace powers—to locate and gather the remaining five versions of himself before sleep claims them again and leaves Croyd permanently fractured. What follows is a journey through Croyd’s long and colorful life‚ through the lens of some who have encountered the world’s most unusual wild carder. And as Tesla delves deeper into the investigation‚ he’ll have to work fast‚ because not every Croyd is as amiable as the first—and they’ll do whatever it takes to survive. Sons of War 4: Soldiers — Nicholas Sansbury Smith‚ Tom Abrahams (Blackstone) In the conclusion to the sweeping saga of postapocalyptic Los Angeles‚ Dominic Salvatore leads the Saints‚ a secret team of elite operatives‚ in a final push to purge the city of its demons. After sending their families into hiding‚ the Saints know that the stakes have never been higher—they will succeed decisively or perish. Broken by the death of his wife‚ Don Antonio Moretti seeks revenge against her killers. He embarks on a body-strewn campaign to crush his last rivals and secure the crown of Los Angeles. Nephew Vinny Moretti tires of the killings and wonders whether his uncle is going too far. Every eye is on the prize. And anyone trying to walk the fence between good and evil will have to pick a side. With either choice‚ hell awaits. February 13 Plastic — Scott Guild (Pantheon) Erin is a plastic girl living in a plastic world. Every day she eats a breakfast of boiled chicken‚ then conveys her articulated body to Tablet Town‚ where she sells other figurines Smartbodies: wearable tech that allows full‚ physical immersion in a virtual world‚ a refuge from real life’s brutal wars‚ oppressive governmental monitoring‚ and omnipresent eco-terrorist insurgency. If you cut her‚ she will not bleed—but she and her fellow figurines can still be cracked or blown apart by gunfire or bombs‚ or crumble away from nuclear fallout. Erin‚ who’s lost her father‚ sister‚ and the love of her life‚ certainly knows plenty about death. An attack at her place of work brings Erin another too-intimate experience‚ but it also brings her Jacob: a blind figurine whom she comforts in the aftermath‚ and with whom she feels an almost instant connection. For the first time in years‚ Erin begins to experience hope—hope that until now she’s only gleaned from watching her favorite TV show‚ the surrealist retro sitcom “Nuclear Family.” Exploring the wild wonders of the virtual reality landscape together‚ it seems that possibly‚ slowly‚ Erin and Jacob may have a chance at healing from their trauma. But then secrets from Erin’s family’s past begin to invade her carefully constructed reality‚ and cracks in the facade she’s constructed around her life threaten to reveal everything vulnerable beneath. The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles (Mossa and Pleiti #2) — Malka Older (Tordotcom Publishing) Mossa has returned to Valdegeld on a missing person’s case‚ for which she’ll once again need Pleiti’s insight. Seventeen students and staff members have disappeared from Valdegeld University―yet no one has noticed. The answers to this case may lie on the moon of Io―Mossa’s home―and the history of Jupiter’s original settlements during humanity’s exodus from Earth. But Pleiti’s faith in her life’s work as a scholar of the past has grown precarious‚ and this new case threatens to further destabilize her dreams for humanity’s future‚ as well as her own. Convergence Problems — Wole Talabi (DAW) In “An Arc of Electric Skin‚” a roadside mechanic seeking justice volunteers to undergo a procedure that will increase the electrical conductivity of his skin by orders of magnitude. In “Blowout‚” a woman races against time and a previously undocumented geological phenomenon to save her brother on the surface of Mars. In “Ganger‚” a young woman trapped in a city run by machines must transfer her consciousness into an artificial body and find a way to give her life purpose. In “Debut‚” Nairobi-based technical support engineer tries to understand what is happening when an AI art system begins malfunctioning in ways that could change the world. The sixteen stories of Convergence Problems‚ which include work published for the first time in this collection‚ rare stories‚ and recently acclaimed work‚ showcase Talabi at his creative best: playful and profound‚ exciting and experimental‚ always interesting. Angolin – C. E. Taylor (CamCat) The Hidden Realm of Angolin has existed in peaceful isolation for centuries‚ but that’s about to change. The enemy across the Abyss has discovered them and is intent on conquest. Lieutenant Dharmen Tate has a great love for his homeland and a greater understanding of its position in the world. When he discovers a plot by fellow officers to join the enemy and overthrow Angolin‚ he and his colleagues spring into action to defend the Hidden Realm from its foes―those without‚ and those within. The ensuing struggle magnifies Angolin’s vulnerability and exposes the collusion of a growing body of its citizens‚ signifying an uncertain and bloody future. February 20 Vangie’s Ghosts — Paul Di Filippo (Blackstone) Three-year-old Vangie is mute and unresponsive. She shows no interest in the people or world around her‚ much to the frustration of her callous foster parents. Little do they know‚ Vangie is otherwise occupied observing “ghosts”—an infinite number of versions of herself‚ in an infinite number of parallel universes. When a tornado hits their trailer and Vangie is severely injured‚ she makes a desperate leap into another timeline where she survives the tornado‚ but her foster parents do not. So begins a life of shuttling through various foster homes‚ cultivating her abilities to seek out alternate timelines‚ and making jumps calculated to better her circumstances in order to avoid the exploitation of adults who seek to harness her powers for their own means. Vangie never communicates with her avatars‚ until one day the “Council”—a group of Vangies—appear to her and warn her of an ominous‚ growing threat in the multiverse: a man they call the Massive. And thus begins an epic conflict‚ spanning millennia and worlds‚ in a brutal effort to control the fate of the multiverse. The Bezzle (Martin Hench #2) — Cory Doctorow (Tor Books) The year is 2006. Martin Hench is at the top of his game as a self-employed forensic accountant‚ a veteran of the long guerrilla war between people who want to hide money‚ and people who want to find it. He spends his downtime on Catalina Island‚ where scenic‚ imported bison wander the bluffs and frozen‚ reheated fast food burgers cost 25$. Wait‚ what? When Marty disrupts a seemingly innocuous scheme during a vacation on Catalina Island‚ he has no idea he’s kicked off a chain of events that will overtake the next decade of his life. Martin has made his most dangerous mistake yet: trespassed into the playgrounds of the ultra-wealthy and spoiled their fun. To them‚ money is a tool‚ a game‚ and a way to keep score‚ and they’ve found their newest mark―California’s Department of Corrections. Secure in the knowledge that they’re living behind far too many firewalls of shell companies and investors ever to be identified‚ they are interested not in the lives they ruin‚ but only in how much money they can extract from the government and the hundreds of thousands of prisoners they have at their mercy. The Oracle — Ari Juels (Talos) Life is comfortable for a prominent‚ if schlubby‚ developer at a New York City blockchain company. That is‚ until FBI Special Agent Diane Duménil seeks his help against a bewildering threat: The Delphians‚ worshippers of the god Apollo‚ have launched a rogue program on a blockchain. It’s offering a crypto bounty to assassinate a European archaeology professor.  The developer brushes off the danger until he learns the next target: Himself.  Mythical antiquity collides with a near-future cyberworld as The Oracle’s unassuming hero and his FBI partner race against time to dismantle the Delphians’ murderous blockchain software. Theirs is a whirlwind tale of oracles ancient and modern‚ vanished antiquities and conjured crypto billions‚ cybercriminals and digital idealists—narrated by a cynical hero normally more concerned with dark chocolate than the consequences of the technologies he’s pioneering. What happens when the crypto ideals of privacy and truth might cost human lives—especially your own? Exit Black — Joe Pitkin (Blackstone) Imperium is the most expensive structure ever created. Once an orbiting laboratory‚ it is now a space hotel for the fantastically wealthy. But as the station preps for its first group of space tourists‚ Dr. Chloe Bonilla‚ Imperium‘s resident biophysicist‚ finds herself questioning whether babysitting a passel of space glampers is worth the distraction from her research. A private rocket delivers a rogues’ gallery of the world’s elite to Imperium: eccentric billionaires‚ callow tech bros‚ a sponsored Instagram influencer‚ and a seemingly saintly philanthropist. However‚ posing among the staff are members of a global terrorist group who call themselves the Reckoners‚ hell bent on upending the economic inequality of twenty-first-century Earth—and they have a bone to pick with these scions of the 1 percent. As the Reckoners take control of Imperium and demand an $8 billion ransom from their wealthy hostages‚ it’s up to Dr. Bonilla to save them‚ and fast. Or the captives will be forced to exit the station—and there’s only one way out. Twice Lived — Joma West (Tordotcom Publishing) There are two Earths. Perfectly ordinary and existing in parallel. There are no doorways between them‚ no way to cross from one world to another. Unless you’re a shifter. Canna and Lily are the same person but they refuse to admit it. Their split psyche has forced them to shift randomly between worlds—between lives and between families—for far longer than they should. But one mind can’t bear this much life. It’ll break under the weight of it all. Soon they’ll experience their final shift and settle at last in one world‚ but how can they prepare both families for the eventuality of them disappearing forever? February 27 Redsight — Meredith Mooring (Solaris) Korinna has simple priorities: stay on the Navitas‚ stay out of trouble‚ and stay alive. She may be a Redseer‚ a blind priestess with the power to manipulate space-time‚ but she is the weakest in her Order. Useless and outcast. Or so she has been raised to believe. As she takes her place as a navigator on an Imperium ship‚ Korinna’s full destiny is revealed to her: blood brimming with magic‚ she is meant to become a weapon of the Imperium‚ and pawn for the Order that raised her. But when the ship is attacked by the notorious pirate Aster Haran‚ Korinna’s world is ripped apart. Aster has a vendetta against the Imperium‚ and an all-consuming‚ dark power that drives her to destroy everything in her path. She understands the world in a way Korinna has never imagined‚ and Korinna is drawn to her against her better judgment. With the Imperium and the justice-seeking warrior Sahar hot on her heels‚ Korinna must choose her side‚ seize her power and fulfil her destiny—or risk imperiling the future of the galaxy‚ and destroying the fabric of space-time itself. Moon of the Turning Leaves — Waubgeshig Rice (William Morrow) For the past twelve years‚ a community of Anishinaabe people have made the Northern Ontario bush their home in the wake of the power failure that brought about societal collapse. Since then they have survived and thrived the way their ancestors once did‚ but their natural food resources are dwindling‚ and the time has come to find a new home. Evan Whitesky volunteers to lead a mission south to explore the possibility of moving back to their original homeland‚ the “land where the birch trees grow by the big water” in the Great Lakes region. Accompanied by five others‚ including his daughter Nangohns‚ an expert archer‚ Evan begins a journey that will take him to where the Anishinaabe were once settled‚ near the devastated city of Gibson‚ a land now being reclaimed by nature. But it isn’t just the wilderness that poses a threat: they encounter other survivors. Those who‚ like the Anishinaabe‚ live in harmony with the land‚ and those who use violence. The post All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in February! appeared first on Reactor.

News Hell’s Hundred Soho Press Launches New Horror Imprint Called Hell’s Hundred The imprint’s first titles will hit shelves in summer of 2024. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on February 7‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Independent publisher Soho Press is launching a new horror imprint called Hell’s Hundred. This is Soho Press’ first new imprint since the launching of Soho Teen in 2012—according to an article in Publisher’s Weekly‚ the decision came after the Soho team received a selection of horror submissions that they were interested in‚ which didn’t match up with what their current imprints represent. The name of the imprint‚ according to a Soho Press statement‚ is inspired by “the once bleak‚ now chic New York City neighborhood of SoHo—formerly known as ‘hell’s hundred acres’ for its grim industrial facades and deadly fires—Hell’s Hundred provides fertile ground for new nightmares to take root.” The first two Hell’s Hundred books—youthjuice by E.K. Sathue and Blood Like Mine by Stuart Neville—come out in June 2024 and August 2024 respectively. Neville’s other books (Blood Like Mine is his tenth for Soho)‚ which are noir mysteries with supernatural elements‚ will also move over to the Hell’s Hundred imprint. Soho promises that Hell’s Hundred will appeal to all. “Both die-hard horror lovers and the horror-curious will find much to savor here‚” a statement from the publisher states. “From grisly and macabre to darkly humorous‚ Hell’s Hundred publishes evocative horror fiction by true genre aficionados‚ revealing profound truths about the most horrifying aspects of the human experience with perfect doses of terror.” You can see Hell’s Hundred’s catalog here. [end-mark] The post Soho Press Launches New Horror Imprint Called Hell’s Hundred appeared first on Reactor.

News The Three-Body Problem Rosalind Chao Voices New Audiobook for Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem The Star Trek actor will also appear in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Cixin Liu’s novel. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on February 7‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Rosalind Chao has had a long career; many of us saw her first in the 1990s in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Keiko O’Brien (pictured above). Chao’s career goes beyond Star Trek‚ of course—she was in The Joy Luck Club‚ played Mulan’s mother in the recent live-action envisioning of the Disney tale‚ and was even on two episodes of M*A*S*H*. Chao will also play the character Ye Wenjie in Netflix’s 3 Body Problem‚ an adaptation of Cixin Liu’s Remembrance of Earth trilogy helmed by David Benioff‚ D.B. Weiss‚ and Alexander Woo. And today‚ we found out via The Verge that she’s delving further into that sci-fi world by reading a new audiobook version of Liu’s The Three-Body Problem‚ the first in the aforementioned trilogy.   This isn’t the first audio recording of Three-Body Problem. An audiobook narrated by Luke Daniels came out in 2014‚ and the Macmillan podcast‚ Stories from Among the Stars had a version there that has since been taken down. Those looking to listen to Liu’s first book narrated by Chao will have to wait until February 27‚ 2024. That gives you almost a month‚ however‚ to listen before the Netflix adaptation releases on Netflix on March 21‚ where we can see Chao bring Ye Wenjie to life on screen. [end-mark] The post Rosalind Chao Voices New Audiobook for Cixin Liu’s <;i>;The Three-Body Problem<;/i>; appeared first on Reactor.

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It was love at first sight for Audrey and Glyndwr. However‚ mysterious weekends away and abrupt walks in the park made Audrey curious about what her husband did in his spare time. Years later‚ the truth finally comes out‚ thanks to strange documents found in a drawer. Audrey began to wonder if she ever really knew her husband at all. Audrey Phillips met Glyndwr at a bar‚ and it was love at first... Source