DC’s Continuing Rebirth

DC’s Continuing Rebirth

Green Lanterns - Rebirth (2016) 001-002Rebirth still sounds a bit weird to say, like I’m saying DC was born in Kenya or something. In reality, I’m continuing from my last post which started my look at DC Rebirth, what I’m referring to as a corrective reboot.

To recap: DC seems to be explaining the discrepancies of the last 5 years (called the New 52) by saying that there’s a plot afoot and everyone in the DCU got their memory reprogrammed. This is comic books, so I’m ok with suspending belief over that one, because I’m intrigued as to who would be powerful enough to fiddle with the memory of everyone in the DCU and why they would do it.

So in the last two weeks, DC has unfolded more of Rebirth through a series of one-shot issues designed to propel readers back into the regular monthlies, some of which have already started under their “rebirth” banners. Here are the seven one-shots:

Batman Rebirth: Bruce gets a new helper. I don’t know yet if he’s a sidekick or not. That will roll out in the coming weeks. The fact that this new hero is a black guy certainly helps with diversity of voices DC will have to tell stories.

I liked the thematic concern too. This issue was about what superheroes do and why they keep going on when villains keep returning, changed, grown, more powerful. These are central questions to the central conceit of the superhero. I liked the hopeful answer.

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Uncanny Magazine Issue 10 Now on Sale

Uncanny Magazine Issue 10 Now on Sale

Uncanny Magazine May June 2016-smallOver at Tangent Online, reviewer Herbert M. Shaw weighs in on the May/June Uncanny, which features a lot of tales of the undead this issue.

“The Sound of Salt and Sea” by Kat Howard
When the ghost of a brash face from his past returns, it is up to an island’s mortal protector to right a recent wrong. Secluded to a tropical are where the dead rise at low tide, the protagonist describes his struggle as the sole protector with a wide array of metaphors and similes. Howard takes on the undead by fighting fire with fire in a story about friendships, family ties, and skeleton horseback riding.

“You’ll Surely Drown Here If You Stay” by Alyssa Wong
A second-person novella places the reader as the main character to become immersed in the mindset of a person capable of controlling the dead. Some call it witchcraft, some call it a family trait. Through deep understandings of the other character’s perceptions, Wong manages to create a sense of how dangerous and significant your power can be as you lead an expedition to an abandoned mine to rid it of its infestation.

“The Drowning Line” by Haralambi Markov
This issue’s trend of stories involving the undead and death by water culminates in a sort of ‘Freddy meets Jason’ myth held by one person. After a demon killed the father, it is up to the son to prevent it from coming for his newly teenage daughter on the cusp of womanhood. His journey is plagued by a past he cannot let go of for fear that being forgotten will not mean it is gone. As the only male writer in this month’s issue, Markov concludes these stories by unknowingly borrowing aspects of the previous four, those being family values, brash actions, facing the dead, and the ever-present environment of water.

Read Shaw’s complete review here. The magazine also includes fiction by Seanan McGuire, Kameron Hurley, and JY Yang, and non-fiction by Foz Meadows, Sarah Monette, Stephanie Zvan, and Tanya DePass, plus poetry, interview, and an editorial. All of the content became available for purchase as an eBook (PDF, EPUB, MOBI) on May 1, 2016.

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John DeNardo on The Must-Read Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror in June

John DeNardo on The Must-Read Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror in June

Infomocracy Malka Older-small League of Dragons-small Ninefox Gambit-small

Kirkus Reviews has become a lively place for SF and fantasy discussion, thanks primarily to the efforts of Andrew Liptak and John DeNardo, who have been producing weekly articles that look at the best in the genre, old and new. John has taken to doing a monthly survey of the most intriguing new titles in SF, fantasy and horror, and I find it invaluable. This month he highlights new books by Stephen King, Malka Older, Naomi Novik, Brenda Cooper, Anthony O’Neill, Charles Stross, and many others — including the first novel by acclaimed short story writer Yoon Ha Lee.

Here’s a sample of some of John’s top choices for the month.

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New Treasures: The Year’s Best Military & Adventure SF 2015, edited by David Afsharirad

New Treasures: The Year’s Best Military & Adventure SF 2015, edited by David Afsharirad

The Year's Best Military & Adventure SF 2015-smallLast June Baen Books launched an intriguing new Best of the Year series, The Year’s Best Military SF and Space Opera, edited by David Afsharirad. It was a commercial and critical success, and I was pleased to see a second volume arrive this month. This year’s edition has a slightly tweaked title, The Year’s Best Military & Adventure SF 2015, but it’s still packed with the best military SF, space opera, and adventure SF stories from last year, culled from the top magazines and online venues. Here’s the complete Table of Contents.

Preface by David Afsharirad
Introduction by David Drake
“The Siege of Denver” by Brendan DuBois (Baen.com, December 2015)
“Save what You Can” by David Drake (Onward, Drake!)
“For the Love of Sylvia City” by Andrea M. Pawley (Clarkesworld, May 2015)
“The Wizard of the Trees” by Joe R. Lansdale (Old Venus)
“Helping Hand”by Claudine Griggs (Lightspeed, June 2015, Queers Destroy Science Fiction! Special Issue)
“Morrigan in Shadow” by Seth Dickinson (Clarkesworld, December 2015)
“Remembery Day” by Sarah Pinsker (Apex Magazine, issue 72)
“Gyre” by Brad R. Torgersen (Galaxy’s Edge, March 2015)
“Twilight on Olympus” by Eric Leif Davin (Galaxy’s Edge, March 2015)
“The Trouble with Telepaths” by Hank Davis (Onward, Drake!)
“This is the Way the Universe Ends: With a Bang” by Brian Dolton (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April 2015)
“The Tumbledowns of Cleopatra Abyss” by David Brin (Old Venus)

The Year’s Best Military & Adventure SF 2015 was published by Baen on June 7, 2016. It is 288 pages, priced at $16 in trade paperback and $8.99 for the digital edition. The cover is by Kurt Miller. Find all the details — and sample excerpts — at Baen.com.

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Check Out the Latest Fantasy Fiction at Tor.com

Check Out the Latest Fantasy Fiction at Tor.com

Your Orisons May Be Recorded-small The Weather Caighlan Smith-small Freedom is Space for the Spirit-small

Okay, not technically the latest fiction, since I’m still getting caught up. Let’s say recent fiction, and leave it at that. We’ll start with “Your Orisons May Be Recorded” by Laurie Penny, a hilarious and poignant story of an angel working in call center, answering prayers. Her co-worker is a demon, and she’s not allowed to actually answer any prayers, but those aren’t her greatest concerns… far from it, as it turns out. “Your Orisons May Be Recorded” was edited by Patrick Nielsen Hayden and illustrated by Yuko Shimizu (above left). It was published March 15.

Caighlan Smith’s dark fantasy “The Weather” was edited by Ann VanderMeer, and illustrated by Keith Negley (above middle). It was posted on March 23rd. Here’s the description.

In the middle of a barren wasteland, a small town goes through the motions as if nothing’s changed. Lolly has school, a part time job, a senile grandmother that needs looking after. But everything has changed, and Lolly’s always one storm away from facing that.

Finally, we have “Freedom is Space for the Spirit,” a contemporary fantasy by Glen Hirshberg. It was edited by Ellen Datlow and published on April 6, 2016, with artwork by Greg Ruth (above right).

“Freedom is Space for the Spirit” by Glen Hirshberg is a fantasy about a middle-aged German, drawn back to Russia by a mysterious invitation from a friend he knew during the wild, exuberant period in the midst of the break-up of the Soviet Union. Upon his arrival in St. Petersburg, he begins to see bears, wandering and seemingly lost.

We last covered Tor.com with Alter S. Reiss’s epic fantasy “Recalled to Service.” For more free fiction, see our recent online magazine coverage.

And In The Centre Ring: Mongo the Magnificent!

And In The Centre Ring: Mongo the Magnificent!

Chesbro Horseman EdenI haven’t heard much about George C. Chesbro lately, and I don’t think it’s entirely because he died in 2008. Chesbro was one of those writers who are somehow just a little bit too extreme – in one way or another – to become widely popular. The people who like Chesbro’s stuff really like it, and the ones who don’t, are often left a little perplexed.

Take his most well-known, and certainly his most popular character. Robert Frederickson is a dwarf, with a genius-level IQ, a black belt in Karate, and a PhD in criminology. He’s also a retired circus headliner who went by the name “Mongo the Magnificent.” He got bored just being a college professor, so he became a licensed private investigator. Somehow, the cases he gets all seem to skew into the weird end of the spectrum. Go figure.

So, what was too much for you? The dwarf? The IQ? The PhD? The PI license? If your reaction to Mongo’s description is “oh come on! Really?” you might want to look at some of Chesbro’s other work. But if your reaction is more like mine was back in the day, “oh, this I gotta see,” then you might really enjoy a walk down Mongo’s dark streets. This is hard-boiled, even noir crime fiction the like of which you’ve never seen.

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Future Treasures: Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Future Treasures: Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Age of Myth Michael J. Sullivan-smallMichael J. Sullivan is the author of two popular adventure fantasy trilogies: Riyria Revelations (Theft of Swords, Rise of Empire, and Heir of Novron), and The Riyria Chronicles (The Crown Tower, The Rose and the Thorn, and The Death of Dulgath).

Now, in his US hardcover debut, Age of Myth, he kicks off his most ambitious project yet: a five-book epic of gods, men, and the powerful destiny that ties both together.

Since time immemorial, humans have worshiped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between men and those they thought were gods changes forever.

Now, only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer. Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom. And Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people.

The Age of Myth is over; the time of rebellion has begun.

Age of Myth will be published by Del Rey on June 28, 2016. It is 416 pages, priced at $26 in hardcover and $12.99 for the digital edition. The eye-catching cover is by Marc Simonetti.

See all of coverage of the best upcoming fantasy here.

Science Fiction’s Unsung Hero: SFX on Perry Rhodan

Science Fiction’s Unsung Hero: SFX on Perry Rhodan

SFX on PerryRhodan page 1-small

Two weeks ago I got a cryptic e-mail from the distinguished John DeNardo, founder and publisher of SF Signal. The whole thing read:

Just read David Barnett’s SFX article on Perry Rhodan, including quotes by you. Very cool!

Wait, what? When did I say stuff about the mighty Perry Rhodan? DeNardo, what are you talking about? John kindly elaborated in his next note:

It’s the Summer 2016 issue. I’m a digital subscriber. Screen caps attached.

The first of two double-page spreads John forwarded me is above. It’s a terrific full-color article from SFX magazine on Perry Rhodan, the long-running space opera, and it does indeed include a quote from me. I knew nothing about it. You know what that means. That’s right — there’s a science fiction magazine called SFX out there and I didn’t know about it. What the hell, world?

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Mighty Pirate Kingdoms, Weather Wizards, and Quarrelsome Ghosts: Sarah Avery’s The Imlen Brat

Mighty Pirate Kingdoms, Weather Wizards, and Quarrelsome Ghosts: Sarah Avery’s The Imlen Brat

The Imlen Brat-small

To me, The Imlen Brat will always be the story that got away.

After I bought “The War of the Wheat Berry Year” from Sarah Avery (it appeared in Black Gate 15), I begged her to send me something new. She responded in spectacular fashion, with a dynamite novella called “The Imlen Bastard.” It was a marvelous tale of mighty pirate kingdoms, weather wizards, quarrelsome ghosts, secret magics, and deadly court intrigue, all seen through the eyes of an adopted daughter in an enemy royal house. I told Sarah I wanted to buy it, and happily set the wheels in motion to publish it.

Alas, it was not to be. BG 15 was our final issue, and I was forced to return all the fiction I was holding for future issues — including “The Imlen Bastard.” Scarcely three years later, Sarah won the Mythopoeic Award for her first book, Tales from Rugosa Coven, and the world finally began to realize that Sarah was  a major new talent. Her successful Kickstarter to self-publish the novella wrapped up late last year (see her blog post about it all, “Kickstarting a Belated Black Gate Story: The Imlen Bastard“), and the book, now known as The Imlen Brat, is inching closer to release. Last month Sarah shared the gorgeous final cover design (above), saying:

This morning the book designers sent me a proof of the cover design, and it looks like just the kind of book I’d pick up if I saw it on the bookstore shelf… As a thank-you for email list subscribers, I’m offering a free short story ebook, a spin-off about Stisele, the heroine of The Imlen Brat. For at least the next three years, this story will be available only to my list subscribers.

The Imlen Brat will be released later this summer. The cover art is by Kate Baylay, and the cover was designed by designforwriters.com. Click on the image above for a bigger version, and subscribe to Sarah’s e-mail list here to get the free 9,000-word story, “The Enemy in Snowmelt Season.”

Prowling and Howling Through the Moonlit Forests of Lycanthropia: Thomas McNulty’s Werewolves!

Prowling and Howling Through the Moonlit Forests of Lycanthropia: Thomas McNulty’s Werewolves!

Werewolves! A Study of Lycanthropes in Film, Folklore and Literature-small Werewolves! A Study of Lycanthropes in Film, Folklore and Literature-back-small

Werewolves! A Study of Lycanthropes in Film, Folklore and Literature
By Thomas McNulty.
BearManor Media (215 pages, including Notes and Sources, Selected Werewolf Filmography, Bibliography, and Index; $19.95 in trade paperback, November 17, 2011)

Thomas McNulty’s Werewolves! is an insightful, informative and scholarly look at the legend and cinestory (film history) of werewolves.  Now, I consider myself a pretty fair hand when it comes to all things “lycanthropic,” but McNulty has me beat by a mile.  I learned about films I’d never heard of before, such as The Werewolf, a lost 1913 silent film; 1995’s Huntress: Spirit of the Night; and 2003’s Dark Wolf (which I have finally viewed and highly recommend.)

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