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Author: John ONeill

Vintage Treasures: Two Decades of Interzone

Vintage Treasures: Two Decades of Interzone

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Interzone 108-small Interzone 119-small Interzone 138-small

Interzone is the leading British science fiction magazine and has been for over 30 years. It was founded in 1982 and editor David Pringle remained at the helm for 193 issues, until he stepped down in 2004. Since then, it has been part of the TTA Press stable, with the capable Andy Cox as editor; their latest issue — Interzone 252, May–June 2014 — arrived earlier this month. In fact,the only thing not marvelous about Interzone is that it’s so hard to come by here in the US. Barnes & Noble imports issues every two months (although at the prohibitively high price tag of $11.95), but back issues are almost impossible to find. Even eBay isn’t much help.

Enter 2013 Windy City Pulp & Paper last month. I made some terrific purchases at the show, and I’ll be telling you about them over the next few weeks. But hands down, my best find of the weekend was a vast collection of fanzines and assorted 70s and 80s fantasy magazines in a $1 bin at the Adventure House booth — including 64 issues of Interzone, most of them unread. I ended up buying all of them… by far the largest collection of Interzone I’ve ever purchased. I bought about 30 recent issues from a UK seller a few years ago, but these were much older, and much less expensive: a beautiful assortment of issues between 75 and 191, with original fiction from Michael Bishop, Paul Di Filippo, Michael Moorcock, Tony Ballantyne, Paul Park, Thomas M. Disch, Eric Brown, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Geoff Ryman, Tanith Lee, Ian Watson, Richard Calder, and many, many others.

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2013 Nebula Award Winners Announced

2013 Nebula Award Winners Announced

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Ancillary Justice Ann Leckie-smallThe 2013 Nebula Awards were presented yesterday at a solemn SFWA ceremony in downtown San Jose. Folklore tells us these events occur at carefully planned intervals every year, but I suspect the truth is that Nebula Awards erupt spontaneously whenever a critical mass of science fiction and fantasy writers gather together. Like bar fights and flash mobs.

Here’s the complete list of winners.

Novel

Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (Orbit)

Novella

“The Weight of the Sunrise,” Vylar Kaftan (Asimov’s SF, February 2013)

Novelette

“The Waiting Stars,” Aliette de Bodard (The Other Half of the Sky, Candlemark & Gleam)

Short Story

“If You Were a Dinosaur, My Love,” Rachel Swirsky (Apex, March 2013)

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New Treasures: The Dark Rites of Cthulhu edited by Brian M. Sammons

New Treasures: The Dark Rites of Cthulhu edited by Brian M. Sammons

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The Dark Rites of Cthulhu-smallI first met Neil Baker over a decade ago and was surprised by how much we had in common, including our shared love of genre films. He told vastly more entertaining stories than I did — especially his tales of the British film industry, and working on films like Lifeforce. So I wasn’t at all surprised when he told me late last year that he was joining the noble and distinguished brotherhood of small press publishers.

In an article for Black Gate last month, Neil told us that his first release, The Dark Rites of Cthulhu, was a collection of stories dealing with “the more magical aspects of Lovecraft’s tales, smaller, more intimate stories that explored the consequences of humans meddling in powers beyond their understanding.” In a marketplace crowded with a multitude of Cthulhu volumes, this one stands out, with terrific reviews, fabulous design, and excellent interior art by Neil himself. Here’s the book description.

For centuries, students of the forbidden arts have probed the inky recesses of the spaces inbetween. Hapless mortals have invoked monstrous entities from beyond through foul magicks, incantations and rituals. When will they learn that there can be no profit nor joy to be gained through relations with the insidious old ones? These sixteen tales of depravity, sorcery and madness may offer some illumination, but ultimately there can be no salvation for those who dabble in The Dark Rites of Cthulhu.

Featuring terrifying new stories by Glynn Owen Barrass, Edward M. Erdelac, John Goodrich, Scott T. Goudsward, T. E. Grau, C.J. Henderson, Tom Lynch, William Meikle, Christine Morgan, Robert M. Price, Pete Rawlik, Josh Reynolds, Brian M. Sammons, Sam Stone, Jeffrey Thomas and Don Webb and edited by Brian M. Sammons, The Dark Rites of Cthulhu shares cautionary tales set in a multiverse of jealousy, greed, desperation and naivety and is guaranteed to delight students of the Dark Arts and followers of the Great Old Ones alike.

The Dark Rites of Cthulhu was edited by Brian M. Sammons and published by April Moon Books on March 28, 2014. It is 224 pages, priced at $18.99 in trade paperback and just $2.99 for the digital version. Buy it directly from the April Moon website. It gets our highest recommendation.

Future Treasures: Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell

Future Treasures: Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell

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Traitor's Blade-smallThere’s been a lot of pre-publication buzz about Canadian Sebastien de Castell’s debut novel Traitor’s Blade. Dave Duncan called it “A wild dance of fights, treachery, and jaw-dropping surprises,” and Fantasy Book Critic said it was “The first ‘new’ fantasy of 2014 that met and even exceeded my expectations.”

But it was Niall Alexander’s review over at Tor.com that really piqued my curiosity. He called it “A bunch of fun from one cover to the other. Recommended especially to readers who’ve had it up to here with unhappy heroes.” Sounds like just what I need. Here’s the book description.

Falcio is the first Cantor of the Greatcoats, the elite corps of 144 men and women whose mission is to travel the land and uphold the King’s Law. Highly trained in the sword-fighting, diplomatic, and judicial arts, the Greatcoats are heroes. Or at least they were heroes, until the powerful Dukes, feudal noblemen with ambitions of their own, overthrew the king and placed his head on a pike as a warning to his supporters.

In the power vacuum left by the death of the king, Tristia is on the verge of collapse and the barbarians are sniffing at the borders. As the power struggle among the Ducal powers brings chaos to the land, the Greatcoats are scattered far and wide; reviled as traitors to the king they failed to protect, their reputation and legendary leather coats are both in tatters.

All the Greatcoats have left is the secret set of instructions given to each one by King Paelis before his death. If Falcio and his best friends Brasti and Kest have any hope of fulfilling the king’s final mission, the Greatcoats must reunite — or else they must stand aside and watch as the world they were sworn to protect burns.

Traitor’s Blade will be published July 1, 2014 by Jo Fletcher Books, a division of Quercus. It is 372 pages, priced at $26.99 in hardcover and $13.99 for the digital edition.

Vintage Treasures: Galactic Derelict by Andre Norton

Vintage Treasures: Galactic Derelict by Andre Norton

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Galactic Derelict-smallI came too late to science fiction and fantasy to catch Andre Norton’s true heyday in the 50s and 60s, when she published over two dozen novels — including early classics like Star Man’s Son (1952), Star Rangers (1953), Star Gate (1958), The Time Traders (1958), The Beast Master (1959), Witch World (1963), Three Against the Witch World (1965), and Year of the Unicorn (1965).

True, she continued to publish books steadily throughout the 70s, 80s, and even the 90s — though by the last decade of her life (she died in 2005), she was writing almost solely in collaboration with other authors. But it was her early Ace paperbacks that really stirred my collector’s soul. Perhaps it was the splendid covers. Here’s the back cover copy from the 1961 Ace paperback Galactic Derelict — with one of those splendid covers — reprinting a review from Galaxy:

“All the classic elements are present in full measure in Galactic Derelict. It suffers not at all in being a sequel to Andre Norton’s excellent Time Traders.

“The U.S. Army’s race with the Russians through and against Time remains Norton’s background. Both search for abandoned wrecks of a race that had interstellar travel back in man’s infancy.

“Travis Fox, Apache, joins Ross Murdock and Dr. Gordon Ashe, time agents, in attempting the transfer, intact, of an alien ship through 20,000 years to present. Inadvertently, controls are activated and the group is launched on an involuntary galactic tour. Their efforts to return to Here and Now constitute a top-notch science-adventure yarn.” – Galaxy Magazine

Galactic Derelict is part of Norton’s Forerunner universe. The other books in the series include The Time Traders (1958), The Defiant Agents (1962), Key Out of Time (1963), and others.

Galactic Derelict was published in 1959 by the World Publishing Company and has been reprinted in eight different editions over the last half-century. It first appeared in paperback from Ace Books in 1961. It is 192 pages in paperback, priced at 35 cents. The cover is by Ed Emshwiller. If I have a few moments this weekend, I may assemble some of the other covers to display them here.

Mary Stewart, September 17, 1916 – May 10, 2014

Mary Stewart, September 17, 1916 – May 10, 2014

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The Hollow Hills-smallMary Stewart, my wife’s favorite author, died last week.

I’ve read only a handful of Stewart’s novels. Her Merlin Trilogy — The Crystal Cave (1970), The Hollow Hills (1973), and The Last Enchantment (1979) — is one of the top-selling Arthurian sagas of all time, hitting bestseller lists around the world. It was her only fantasy series, but it instantly made her one of the most popular fantasy authors of the 70s.

But I got used to seeing the covers of her romantic mystery novels. My wife re-read them constantly. Alice is a voracious reader and she’s read widely in both mystery and contemporary fiction, but at least once a year she pulls out one of her tattered Mary Stewart paperbacks.

“Why are you constantly re-reading those, when you have so many others to choose from?” I asked her once, shortly after we were married.

“Because these are the best,” she said simply.

Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy eventually extended to five novels, including The Wicked Day (1983) and The Prince and the Pilgrim (1995), but her gothic romance included Madam, Will You Talk? (1954), Thunder on the Right (1957), Nine Coaches Waiting (1958), My Brother Michael (1959), The Moon-Spinners (1962) — made into a 1964 Walt Disney film starring Hayley Mills, This Rough Magic (1964), The Gabriel Hounds (1967), Touch Not the Cat (1976), Thornyhold (1988), Stormy Petrel (1991), and her final novel, Rose Cottage (1997).

Mary Stewart lived in Edinburgh, Scotland. She died on May 10th at the age of 97.

New Treasures: End of the Road edited by Jonathan Oliver

New Treasures: End of the Road edited by Jonathan Oliver

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End of the Road Jonathan Oliver-smallBack in March, we saluted Solaris and their rapidly expanding line of anthologies — a rare thing in today’s market — in a post titled “Is the Original SF and Fantasy Paperback Anthology Series Dead?”

In researching that article, I discovered Solaris had released a standalone anthology of original fantasy fiction in December: End of the Road. I ordered a copy, it arrived last week, and I’m very happy to say that I’m not disappointed.

Each step leads you closer to your destination, but who, or what, can you expect to meet along the way?

Here are stories of misfits, spectral hitch-hikers, nightmare travel tales and the rogues, freaks and monsters to be found on the road. The critically acclaimed editor of Magic, The End of The Line and House of Fear has brought together the contemporary masters and mistresses of the weird from around the globe in an anthology of travel tales like no other. Strap on your seatbelt, or shoulder your backpack, and wait for that next ride… into darkness.

An incredible anthology of original short stories from an exciting list of writers including the bestselling Philip Reeve, the World Fantasy Award-winning Lavie Tidhar and the incredible talents of S. L. Grey, Ian Whates, Jay Caselberg, Banjanun Sriduangkaew, Zen Cho, Sophia McDougall, Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, Anil Menon, Rio Youers, Vandana Singh, Paul Meloy, Adam Nevill and Helen Marshall.

Jonathan Oliver is the editor-in-chief of Solaris and Abaddon. He has two novels out with Abaddon Books, The Call of Kerberos and The Wrath of Kerberos, and three other anthologies: House of Fear, The End of the Line, and the World Fantasy award nominee Magic: An Anthology of the Esoteric and Arcane.

End of the Road was published by Solaris Books on December 15, 2013. It is 304 pages, priced at $7.99 in paperback and $6.99 for the digital edition. The moody and effective cover is by Nicolas Delort.

Weird Tales 362 on Sale Soon!

Weird Tales 362 on Sale Soon!

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Weird Tales 362-smallOur roving correspondent — and new Online Editor for Weird Tales magazine — Douglas Draa reports on the latest issue of the world’s oldest (and arguably greatest) fantasy magazine.

Weird Tales magazine and Nth Dimension Media are pleased to announce the pending publication of the Spring 2014 issue of Weird Tales magazine. Continuing the successful concept of themed issues, #362 is our unsettling, but entertaining, Undead issue.

And as always, there is also a sizable amount of un-themed fiction included in this issue. Issue #362 contains a mixture of themed and un-themed weird fiction and poetry along with sprinkling of non-fiction. Some of the Contributors to Issue #362 “Undead Issue,” along with many other talented writers, are Ron Goulart, Ramsey Campbell, Brian Lumley, Darrell Schweitzer, Jane Yolen, M. R. James & Helen Grant, and James Aquilone.

This issue also contains an exclusive interview with Joyce Carol Oates, and a new short story written for Weird Tales by Minimum Wage comic book artist, Bob Fingerman, whose work influenced Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman. The front cover art is by Danielle Tunstall with a Richard Matheson tribute painting on the rear cover by Jeff Wong.

This is the third issue produced by Nth Dimension Media, under new editor Marvin Kaye. We’re told the issue has gone to the printers and will be on newsstands (and in subscribers mailboxes) in the very near future. We have an electronic reviewer’s copy in our hot little hands and we’ll be reporting on it shortly.

In the meantime, here’s a peek at the complete table of contents.

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Vintage Treasures: Marianne, The Magus, and the Manticore by Sheri S. Tepper

Vintage Treasures: Marianne, The Magus, and the Manticore by Sheri S. Tepper

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Marianne The Magus and the Manticore-smallI’ve written a lot of Vintage Treasures articles (over 400 now, believe it or not.) Most of them feature collectible paperbacks and virtually all of them — even the old Ace Doubles from the 1950s — are inexpensive to acquire for the patient collector. It’s very, very rare that I discuss one that costs as much as a new paperback, for example.

Sheri S. Tepper’s Marianne, The Magus, and the Manticore is an exception. Used copies start at $10 – 15 on both Amazon and eBay and copies in good shape will run you closer to $40. It’s not particularly old — published in 1985 — and it’s not even all that rare. So why is it so expensive? Because it was published just before her groundbreaking novel The Gate to Women’s Country (1988) and the Hugo-nominated Grass (1989). In other words, before Tepper became a Big Name in the industry. The book was reprinted once, in 1988, but has now been out of print for nearly 30 years. Tepper has a great many fans, and the law of supply and demand dictates that the volumes in this trilogy are likely to be hot properties for some time.

Legacy Of Magic

Marianne was born to luxury in the tiny nation of Alphenlicht, nestled in the mountains between Turkey and Iraq. The her parents died, leaving control of their fortune to the older brother she fears. Struggling to make her way as a student in America, Alphenlicht seems as unreal as a fairy tale, her childhood there as distant as a dream…

… Until the Magus comes to claim her, and the Black Madame to destroy her, and the Manticore to hunt her down through the streets of another world. For there is magic in the land of Alphenlicht. Magic in Marianne’s blood, and magic in her soul…

Marianne, The Magus, and the Manticore was followed by two sequels in what’s now known as the Marianne series: Marianne, The Madame, and the Momentary Gods (1988), and Marianne, the Matchbox, and the Malachite Mouse (1989). A 592-page omnibus volume, The Marianne Trilogy, was offered briefly in paperback by Corgi in 1990 — it’s a great value, if you can find it.

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New Treasures: Nebula Awards Showcase 2014, edited by Kij Johnson

New Treasures: Nebula Awards Showcase 2014, edited by Kij Johnson

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Nebula Awards Showcase 2014-smallThe first volume of the revered Nebula Awards anthologies was released nearly half a century ago, in 1966, and it’s been an annual event ever since. I really can’t think of a single anthology series that’s lasted even half as long.

It’s no accident, either. Year after year these books, which gather Nebula Award-winning short fiction from the previous year — alongside additional nominees, excerpts from winning novels, author retrospectives and appreciations, and survey pieces — collectively form a record of the most acclaimed SF and fantasy our industry has produced for the last 49 years.

Want an example? Have a look at the Tables of Contents for the first three volumes, which contained such stories as “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman” by Harlan Ellison, “The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth” by Roger Zelazny, “Light of Other Days” by Bob Shaw, “The Last Castle” by Jack Vance, “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” by Philip K. Dick, “Aye, and Gomorrah…” by Samuel R. Delany, “Behold the Man” by Michael Moorcock, and “Gonna Roll the Bones” by Fritz Leiber.

It’s not just that those are some of the most famous SF tales ever written. It’s that the Nebula Awards — and these volumes — helped preserve and promote them and they’re likely the reason you know about these stories today.

All that begs the question: who’s in the latest volume? Who are the writers who will be remembered and acclaimed half a century from today?

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