10/19/2015
In Bear's War Dogs, aliens called the Gurus offered humans advanced technology. U.S. Army Master Sgt. Michael Venn discovered the price tag: war against a relentless enemy. Meanwhile, contact with the Drifter, an ancient fragment of a moon that crashed into Mars, turned his fellow soldiers into what resembled black glass. In this satisfying sequel, Venn learns that his encounter with the Drifter gave him the ability to communicate with someone he thought dead, and possibly with the remains of ancient beings who lived in Saturn's system billions of years before—including on Titan, where the war has raged far hotter than on Mars. Venn can find the answers he needs, and save his comrades, if he can live long enough to put the pieces together on Titan. Bear slowly transforms Venn from a cynical grunt to someone who can alter Earth's destiny, without taking the soldier out of him. Readers will appreciate the mix of fast-paced military fiction and eons-long mystery, a blend of brutal and sublime in which life is precious no matter how vast the scope—or the type of life. Agent: Richard Curtis, Richard Curtis Associates. (Oct.)
For over a decade, Jim Killen has served as the science fiction and fantasy book buyer for Barnes & Noble. Every month on the B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog and Tor.com, Jim shares his curated list of the month’s can’t-miss new SF/F releases.
We always love a good war story, and it has been far too long since we last took a look at what new military SF units are inbound on your bookshelf position. Take cover, and get ready to receive supplies for the next push up the to-be-read mountain. Forward!
This week’s new SF/F releases are leagion. We highlight an astonishing 18 of them below. No time to dawdle—let’s get to it.