While READERs often turn to sf and fantasy for “out-of-this-world” experiences, many of these titles are often grounded in current events woven into fantastical landscapes. Reflecting a resurgence of hard sf, two debut authors this month are ensuring that the world’s challenges are not lost. Annalee Newitz’s Autonomous introduces a pharmaceutical pirate trying to bring a big company to justice and an indentured AI discovering its identity. From the streets of New York to the tropics of Costa Rica, a man is drawn into a corporate conspiracy in Tal M. Klein’s near-future thriller The Punch Escrow.

Anthologies give sf/fantasy fans access to more writers and stories, while allowing readers who are unfamiliar with the genres sample tastings without having to commit to a full series course. Some of the most popular urban fantasy authors contribute to Urban Enemies, which provides insights into the villains of favorite series. The Best of Subterranean collects 30 of the top stories published in Subterranean magazine over the course of its almost 20-year run.—KC

Check These Out

Abraham, Brad. Magicians Impossible. Thomas Dunne: St. Martin’s. Sept. 2017. 400p. ISBN 9781250083524. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250083531. FANTASY

DEBUT Upon the apparent suicide of his estranged father, bartender Jason Bishop is further shocked to discover that Daniel had been a member of an ancient, secret group of magic-wielding spies called the Invisible Hand. This organization has been locked in battle for centuries with another group of magicians, the Golden Dawn, and each side believes that Jason is their key to ultimate victory. The Invisible Hand train Jason to use his inherited abilities, but when they fail to tell him the truth about his family, he doesn’t know whom to trust. Abraham creates a sympathetic lead in Jason, who might level up quickly in magic but needs more time on the emotional side. The premise of espionage between dueling secret magical societies is exciting, but the added family drama gives this outing extra dimension. VERDICT From its action-packed opening sequence, this is a cinematic, fast-paced debut from a writer more known in comics, television, and film. [Library marketing.]—MM

Chance, Karen. Ride the Storm. Berkley. (Cassie Palmer, Bk. 8). Aug. 2017. 608p. ISBN 9781101989982. pap. $7.99; ebk. ISBN 9781101989999. FANTASY

In her eighth outing (after Reap the Wind), Cassie Palmer is still learning on the job in her new role as pythia, the chief seer of the supernaturals and daughter of long-dead goddess Artemis. This time, Cassie will need all her friends and foes to stand by her, because older forces are returning to take back the world they once ruled. But the fey and the vampires are getting ready to battle, and without them, Cassie has no chance of winning, which will mean everyone loses. VERDICT There is little that can stand in the face of Chance’s engaging heroine, and urban fantasy readers will find this series still running strong.—KC

Gandert, Sean. Lost in Arcadia. 47North: Amazon. Jul. 2017. 412p. ISBN 9781477848531. pap. $14.95. SF

DEBUT In 2037, the world has adopted a new online obsession: Arcadia—an operating system, game platform, and social media engine all in one. The invention of game designer Juan Diego Reyes, Arcadia made his family wealthy, but one day, Juan Diego mysteriously disappeared. Left behind are his wife, Autumn, who does her best to hold the family together, oldest son Gideon, who becomes a marketing genius, making the world believe in fantasy, and middle child Holly, who works halfheartedly as an artist. The youngest, Devon, spends all his time on Arcadia, until real life intrudes in an all too serious way. While this is not the first novel to consider how life online can rob people of true intimacy, the characters are well drawn in this debut. Especially affecting is the downward spiral of Gideon, who almost completely retreats from the world, becoming obsessed with a woman he watches undress online for money. VERDICT For those who enjoy sf one step into the future.—MM

Jemisin, N.K. The Stone Sky. Orbit: Hachette. (Broken Earth, Bk. 3). Aug. 2017. 300p. ISBN 9780316229241. pap. $16.99; ebk. ISBN 9780316229258. FANTASY

Essun is now the planet’s most powerful orogene, a human in full possession of the elemental powers. Having unleashed the power of the Gate, destroyed the community that took her in, and killed Alabaster Tenring, she now suffers the same effects that Alabaster was succumbing to. Before she completely turns into stone (the result of wielding her full orogene powers), Essun has two goals: catch the Moon and save the human race, and find her daughter, Nassun. Nassun is on her own quest. She travels with the damaged guardian Schaffa to the other side of the world, where Nassun believes she can find the root of the power she feels. The anger and hatred toward her own kind, until now, has shown her life’s darker side. For Nassun, sometimes the only way to fix something is to destroy it. VERDICT The powerful conclusion to the “Broken Earth” trilogy (The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate) will please the author’s many fans with its fully developed world, detailed settings, and complex characters.—KC

Lostetter, Marina J. Noumenon. Harper Voyager. (Noumenon, Bk. 1). Aug. 2017. 432p. ISBN 9780062497840. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062497857. SF

DEBUT With the invention of subdimensional drive technologies, humanity can finally reach far beyond our solar system. Several manned missions are chosen; one, christened Noumenon, heads for a distant star that appears to be shielded by something, possibly artificial. Since the voyage will take hundreds of years, the ship is crewed by clones. As the centuries go by, the cloned descendents of the original crew discover the many difficulties of maintaining a society in space, not to mention the challenges they face when they reach their destination. The extreme time jumps necessary to tell the story of multiple generations means that this is not a primarily character-driven tale, although that doesn’t mean that there are not interesting characters featured, most notably the only constant over the eons—the ship’s AI. While readers might be let down by how little we learn about the star the mission discovers, there is apparently a sequel in the works. VERDICT Revolving around a space ship’s crew that is cloned and recloned, this first novel explores questions of genetics and identity.—MM

Lucas, Dale. First Watch. Orbit: Hachette. (Fifth Ward, Bk. 1). Jul. 2017. 416p. ISBN 9780316469074. pap. $14.99; ebk. ISBN 9780316469043. FANTASY

Not long after waking up in the dungeons of the Fifth Ward in the city of Yenara, Rem talks his way into joining the ward watch. Partnered with the dwarf Torval, he isn’t given much trust (or a weapon) at first, but as Rem and Torval stumble into a murder, they start to form a bond. Young women are being abducted from Yenara’s streets, and to uncover the culprits, our duo will have to go up against orc crime lords, smooth-talking elves, and the vicious ward captain who thinks they’re invading his patch. Rem is afraid a young woman he met in the marketplace might be one of the victims, and when an attempt is made to assassinate the pair, it looks like they might be getting close. VERDICT Fans of diverse cityscapes, mismatched buddy cops, and high adventure will relish this fantasy series launch by the author of the “Doc Voodoo” supernatural thrillers. One hopes the tantalizing clues about Rem’s noble blood and the reason he ended up in Yenara will be addressed in the next volume.—MM

Merbeth, K.S. Raid. Orbit: Hachette. (Wastelanders, Bk. 2). Jul. 2017. 368p. ISBN 9780316308731. pap. $9.99; ebk. ISBN 9780316308724. FANTASY

Bounty hunter Clementine has captured the notorious Jedediah Johnson, but no one is willing to pay the bounty, at least not in the eastern wastelands. But she may get her due in the western wastes. However, crossing this desert with such a person, who is loved and hated in equal measure, means that Clem will be battling other hunters and raiders seeking this prize. Along the way, Clem discovers that her unwilling companion holds a number of secrets. Everything Clem has faced in her solo hunts has not prepared her for the lawlessness of the west —or its need for a new ruthless leader. VERDICT This volume is not a direct sequel to Bite, but readers will find familiar references and characters here. Merbeth’s fast-paced Mad Max–style adventure, set in a postapocalyptic desert, is difficult to put down.—KC

Newitz, Annalee. Autonomous. Tor. Sept. 2017. 304p. ISBN 9780765392077. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9780765392091. SF

Judith “Jack” Chen is a pharmaceutical pirate: by reverse-engineering prohibitively expensive drugs, she can make antivirals and other therapies available to the poor. Unfortunately, one of the drugs she duplicates is resulting in a series of lethal overdoses, and now she has to fix it and expose the truth about the corporation that created the original. Tracking down Jack is ­Paladin, a military-issue robot from the African Federation, and his human partner, Eliasz. Paladin’s first mission starts his countdown clock—ten (or so) years of indentured servitude for his robot body and bio brain, both belonging to the Federation. As Jack and Paladin’s paths bring them closer together, the black-and-white truths of the corporate and military worlds begin to bleed into gray. The cofounder of the sf website io9.com takes some of today’s key social and technical issues (the nature of artificial intelligence, the notion of property and ownership) and wraps them in a compelling, original story line acted out by memorable characters. VERDICT Lovers of original, thought-provoking sf should not miss this one. [Newitz was a panelist at LJ’s Day of Dialog: ow.ly/UNS430cD2o1.—Ed.]—KC

Shaw, Vivian. Strange Practice. Orbit: Hachette. (Dr. Greta Helsing, Bk. 1). Jul. 2017. 400p. ISBN 9780316434607. pap. $14.99; ebk. ISBN 9780316434614. FANTASY

DEBUT When Greta Helsing is summoned to help the wounded vampire Sir Francis Varney, it is just another work assignment. A physician to London’s supernatural creatures, she keeps their secrets and heals them as best she can. Her new patient had been stabbed by men dressed as monks, chanting about doing God’s will and wielding unusual weapons. With the help of Lord Ruthven (another vampire of a different variety than Varney), an old family friend who happens to be a demon, a pack of ghouls, and a human scholar, Greta is determined to discover who is attacking both the human and supernatural community of London. Shaw’s lively debut introduces a great cast of characters who should sustain this new series for many volumes to come. VERDICT Fans who enjoyed gaslamp fantasies such as P.N. Elrod’s The Hanged Man or Viola Carr’s The Diabolical Miss Hyde will appreciate how Shaw brings her Victorian monsters into the modern age.—MM

Stross, Charles. The Delirium Brief. Tor.com. (Laundry Files, Bk. 8). Jul. 2017. 384p. ISBN 9780765394668. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9780765394675. FANTASY

The Laundry, Britain’s agency for policing all things supernatural, has already had a rough year after the near-catastrophe of an elven invasion in The Nightmare Stacks. Led by a charismatic evangelical preacher named Raymond Schiller, a rogue group that has already toppled their sister agency in America decides the time is ripe to take over the Laundry as well. Laundry employees are quickly sacked, and a new contractor is scheduled to take over operations. But when your operations involve protecting the UK from vampires, elven mages, and other eldritch horrors, a pink slip is not going to suffice. Bob Howard, once a lowly computer tech and now a powerful member of the Laundry’s inner circle, is at the center of the efforts to find out what Schiller has in mind and how to protect the agency’s assets. There’s plenty of humor, action galore, and enough fantastical sf horror to keep things delightfully weird. While this isn’t the easiest entry point, Stross does a good job of catching up new readers. VERDICT Those who enjoyed the combination of bureaucracy and espionage of Daniel O’Malley’s The Rook should give this series a try.—MM

Wulff, Leslie Peter. Uncle Brucker the Rat Killer: A Novel of Tall Tails and Other Dimensions. Night Shade. Jul. 2017. 272p. ISBN 9781597808941. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781597806152. FANTASY

DEBUT At age 12, Walt Thompson found that his uncle’s home down the road was a better place to be than his own. By the time he turned 16, Walt was living with his Uncle Brucker, hearing the tales of the rats he’d killed through the years: decades of tracking, learning rat lore, and discovering the truth about these vermin. For Uncle Brucker is a rat killer, and these creatures roamed the earth freely before humanity rose to take center stage. Uncle Brucker insists that the rats are hiding in another dimension, planning to retake the planet. Walt begins his training as a rat killer himself and discovers the work is harder than listening to the stories. One night, Uncle Brucker goes off on a secret mission; when he doesn’t return, Walt has to find him, even if he is only a half-trained rat killer. VERDICT Witty characters and silliness permeate Wulff’s entertaining debut. Mixing traditional tropes of family honor and duty with dysfunction and fun result in an enjoyable read.—KC

Collections & Anthologies

The Best of Subterranean. Subterranean. Jul. 2017. 752p. ed. by William Schafer. ISBN 9781596068377. $45. SF

From 2005 until 2014, Subterranean magazine published a wealth of sf and fantasy short fiction, written by some of the best-known writers in the genres. This collection of 30 stories highlights some of the most imaginative prose released during the publication’s run. In Alastair Reynolds’s “The Last Log of the Lachrimosa,” the search for a missing captain brings a new discovery to light. Kelley Armstrong highlights her mysterious town of Cainsville in “The Screams of Dragons.” A mother confronts her teenage daughter’s new vampire boyfriend in Karen Joy Fowler’s “Younger Women.” Learn about a museum devoted to the dying’s final exhale in Joe Hill’s “Last Breath.” This anthology brings a range of what may be lesser-known short works from great authors back to the world. VERDICT Readers who were fans of the magazine or who enjoy short speculative fiction will dive right into this hefty tome.—KC

Novik, Naomi. Golden Age and Other Stories. Subterranean. Aug. 2017. 184p. illus. ISBN 9781596068292. $25; ebk. ISBN 9781596068308. FANTASY

With League of Dragons, Novik ended her nine-volume historical “Temeraire” dragon-themed fantasies, set in an alternate 19th century against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. Now Temeraire, ­Laurence, and many other characters from the series appear in this original collection of short fiction. The usually affable Volly is routed when he runs for Parliament in “Volly’s Cow.” Capt. Jane Roland stands her ground in “Dawn of Battle.” And in “Dragons and Decorum,” readers will see a very familiar (here Capt.) Elizabeth ­Bennet meeting a certain Mr. Darcy. Adorning many of the pages are illustrations from supportive fans. VERDICT This illustrated collection, which can serve as a stand-alone or as a companion volume for readers of military fantasy and dragon fiction, will bring joy to the series’ many admirers.—KC

Urban Enemies. Gallery: S. & S. Aug. 2017. 448p. ed. by Joseph Nassise. ISBN 9781501155086. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781501155093. FANTASY

With contributions from the greatest names in the genre and less well-known authors, the range in this collection of antagonist-focused stories is wide. Opening the volume with Jim Butcher’s “Even Hand,” about Harry Dresden’s longtime enemy, Gentleman John Marcone, is a good choice. We get to see that the sometimes vicious criminal, who has been around since the beginnings of the series, has his own personal code. Other standouts include “Hounded,” a Cainsville story from Kelley Armstrong, and “Bellum Romanun,” the backstory of the enemy Roman from Carrie Vaughn’s “Kitty Norville” series. For many of these stories, the series hero doesn’t even make an appearance, which means that these side tales might resonate more with those already familiar with that particular world. And being all about the villains, the violence quotient occasionally runs a little higher than series readers might expect. ­VERDICT Still, there are treats for urban fantasy fans and a taste of some writers they may want to explore further.—MM

QUOTABLE “At first people laughed at him. When he actually showed up to collect, they fought him. Soon, those who fought and those who left were all dead. Everybody left didn’t dare do anything but obey the self-declared king.”—M.R. Merbeth, Raid

Megan M. McArdle is a Collection Specialist at the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Kristi Chadwick is Advisor for the Massachusetts Library System. In addition to being a 2013 LJ Reviewer of the Year and 2014 Mover & Shaker, she was also a finalist judge for the 2015 LJ SELF-e Award in Fantasy