I write a regular column on sci-fi & fantasy books for The Guardian. About this time every year I sit down and think what the year ahead in sci-fi publishing has to offer. And right now, I’d love you to help me with that. It’s a big field, and while I do keep a burning eye in a high tower that can peer into the hearts of men, even that can’t read everything! But collectively you folks can and do.
- What are the books you’re looking forward to in 2016? They can be genre sci-fi (by which I mean anything even slightly fantastical), or mainstream with a sci-fi flavour. They don’t have to be published only in 2016. For instance, I’m really excited to see readers discover Last Song Before Night by Ilana C Meyer, published late this year.
- Who are the indie published authors I should be looking out for? The field is huge, the gems are rare. Feel free to tip your own book, I will find time to look.
- Also, I want to know about sci-fi related projects. Kickstarters for RPGs. Small press ‘zines with Patreons in need of support. Anything you think I should know about. Sci-fi is a great community, I try and support it every way I can.
Please drop a comment below, and help spread the word by sharing this post with your friends.
Self-publicising: A few readers nominated Synthesis:Weave for the Guardian first book award this year and it’s remained relatively undiscovered. Given that it has a strong and positive representation of disability it’s being given away free this week on selected ebook platforms.
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Take a look at the Riven Wyrde Saga, a trilogy beginning with Fae – The Wild Hunt. The final book in the trilogy, Fae – The Sins of the Wyrde, releases on Dec 15th.
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Semi-OT: I’m glad about your “they don’t have to be published in 2016,” partly because this is a funny time of year, ain’t it, with all these BEST FICTION OF 2015 lists already popping up everywhere, but BOOKS STILL COMING OUT AS WELL. Like e.g. Adam Roberts’s new one that isn’t quite out (it even has a Christmassy cover). Books are like babies, this is probably a slightly annoying time of year to have one come out.
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Self-promo: I’ve got a science fantasy thriller called Silent Clarion coming out next year from Curiosity Quills Press.
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I’m looking forward to the next China Mieville particularly. My own fantasy novel, Snakewood, published by Orbit, is out in March; a ‘found footage’ style tale of the demise and murder of a now disbanded and once legendary mercenary crew.
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Self-promo: our Patreon-backed Comedic Portal Fantasy Audiodrama THE ONCE AND FUTURE NERD (@_toafn) wrapped up its first ~12 hour Season in September and we’re in the very very primordial development stages for Season 2. Always looking to spread the word and maybe wrangle up some more fundage.
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African Monsters, published late December this year, by Fox Spirit Books. Full of speculative stories based on African folklore. See toc here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2015/11/table-of-contents-african-monsters-edited-by-margret-helgadottir-and-jo-thomas/ Also AfroSF volume two, with five science fiction novellas by African writers. Have read the galley, it’s brillant. Also coming now in December.
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And Winter Tales, anthology published by Fox Spirit Books in February/March. Full of grim and dark speculative stories. See toc here: http://www.foxspirit.co.uk/winter-tales-update/
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In response to your invitation tweet: Don’t know if you look at Wattpad much, anyway my SF novel “Starship Walker” is free at : https://www.wattpad.com/story/7725511-starship-walker
(Wattpad is great for free proofreading via its thousands of eyeballs). “Starship Walker” is approaching 65,000 reads there, ie about 2,200 readers. It’s also up on Smashwords and their distributors, eg Apple iBooks, for $s’.
I published one SF story many years ago in an Australian Magazine called “Aurealis”. Then I went ‘mainstream’: I had about a dozen short stories published in an Aus magazine called “Quadrant”, but I abandoned it when they got too right-wing for me. A pity because they paid well (their literary editor is the Australian poet Les Murray, who my wife says “gets me”).
I managed to publish one item several years ago in another Aus magazine called “Island”, before I stopped writing short stories. Now I’ve wandered back to SF again (and need to catch up on some reading).
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Damien, I nodded along with your recent essay when you wrote about point of view and reader hunger “to step into a reality created on the page” and I’ve wanted you to read my self-published RPG The Clay That Woke since you wrote this past summer about RPGs being left out of the popular discussion about books and reading.
I wrote it to be a reading experience unlike any other RPG. It uses forward references with purpose, not with the usual awkward shame, and it has a spine of fiction that’s fundamental to creating its reality, not just garnishing.
It is though more of a 2015 than 2016 title. Let me send it to you anyway?
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Please download part 1 of 5 of my Aoleon The Martian Girl Saga, a middle grade science fiction series here. https://brentlevasseur.com/free-galley-copy/
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R.E. Weber’s The Star Agency Chronicles. I really feel like once people start discovering him, it’ll take off.
For kids sci-fi, Aoleon the Martian Girl.
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My son and I loved Aoleon The Martian Girl by Brent LeVasseur. It’s tongue-in-cheek classic sci-fi with eye-popping illustrations. I also enjoyed The Path by Peter Riva, which was more steampunk sci-fi. Original and suspenseful.
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I really enjoyed Aoleon the Martian Girl by Brent LeVasseur. I’ve always wanted to know what Mars was like and now I do. Space girls rock!
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Hey,
I am coming over to plug two authors:
Brent LeVesseur for his Aoleon The Martian Girl Saga, it is a 5 part book and the photos give that WOW factor.
Also, Michael Phillip Cash for his Darracia Trilogy. His self-made world is fantastic!
Thanks,
Naila Moon
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I’m quite eager to have a look at the Ilana Meyer book, Damien! It would also be interesting to read your thoughts on newish works you were excited about in 2015, 2014, 2013 (etc)… how previous faves stand up to the (very small) test of time…!
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Self-promotion: The second book in the Subtle Alchemy series, League of Taikonauts, will be out this year. You can find out about the first book, Sea of Dreams at http://seaofdreamsbook.com.
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Very late to the party, but I’m a long time reader of your guardian column, and I’ve just self-published an alternate-world novel called The Blood.
http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Sam-Carter-ebook/dp/B01AVNJJCK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1453744003&sr=1-1
Cheers
Sam
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Hi Damien
Please consider my novel, “The Mothersea”. It was reviewed by Kirkus in the US with the following conclusion:
“Everything a great sci-fi novel should be: visionary, immersive,
and thematically profound.”
– Kirkus Reviews
It was selected by Kirkus for the Best Books of 2016 list.
Regards
Stephen Renneberg
For more info:
http://www.stephenrenneberg.com/
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