2015 Titles I am looking forward to.

It's going to be another action-packed year for SFF fans - with a lot of crackerjack titles lined up throughout. Here's some of the titles that I am eagerly looking forward to:

Half a World by Joe Abercrombie

Half a King was Yarvi's story. Of how a cripple survives cruel violent politics in a land lashed by Mother War and comes of age to his rightful inheritance. This one, though is about Thorn.

SOMETIMES A GIRL IS TOUCHED BY MOTHER WAR.

Thorn is such a girl. Desperate to avenge her dead father, she lives to fight. But she has been named murderer by the very man who trained her to kill.

SOMETIMES A WOMAN BECOMES A WARRIOR
Fate traps her in the schemes – and on the ship – of the deep-cunning minister Father Yarvi. Crossing half the world to find allies against the ruthless High King, she learns harsh lessons of blood and deceit.

SOMETIMES A WARRIOR BECOMES A WEAPON

Beside her on her gruelling journey is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill. A failure in his eyes and hers, he has one chance at redemption.

AND WEAPONS ARE MADE FOR ONE PURPOSE

Will Thorn forever be a tool in the hands of the powerful or can she carve her own path? Is there a place beyond legend for a woman with a blade?



Golden Son by Pierce Brown

I am about to wrap up this absolutely stunning sequel to Pierce Brown's winning debut, Red Rising. Ambitions are bursting beyond space-lines - this one's a big sprawling bad-ass stunner of a novel. I loved everything about this. More to come in a review !!

As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.

A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.
He must live for more.


Thorn of Emberlain by Scott Lynch

Well, this must be on the "Anticipated" list of every Fantasy fan worth their salt. Not much details out. The release got pushed from Fall-2014 to this year and we all fervently pray that it comes out. Here's a blurb:

The Thorn of Emberlain, the fourth book in the Gentleman Bastard sequence, picks up about half a year after The Republic of Thieves and finds Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen trying to get back on their feet with a major con. They’re trying to sell the services of a non-existent mercenary company to the besieged city-state of Emberlain, hoping to escape with the hiring fees before the chaos of the Vadran civil war overruns Emberlain. Naturally, things don’t go according to plan…

A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab

Victoria E Schwab happened to me by accident last year. Vicious, one of the finest tales of anti-heroes is a unique take on "superheroes" and "morality". A hauntingly beautiful tale of weird flawed characters. This new book gives me the shivers. In a good way.

From V E Schwab, the critically acclaimed author of Vicious, comes a new universe of daring adventure, thrilling power, and parallel Londons beginning with a darker shade of magic.

Kell is one of the last Travellers - magicians with a rare coveted ability to travel between parallel universes, such as - he can choose where he lands. there's grey london, dirty boring without magic, ruled by a mad king George. Then there's Red London where life and magic are revered, and Mahresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London, ruled by whomever has murdered their way to the throne - a place where people fight to control magic and magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London. ..but no one speaks of that now. 

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler. personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. A dangerous hobby and one that has set him up for accidental treason. 

Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations, first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy and then forces him to spirit her into a different world for a proper adventure. 

But perilous magic is afoot and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive - and that is proving trickier than they hoped.

Providence of Fire by Brian Staveley

Emperor's Blades was traditional fantasy done well. Very well in fact. Tautly plotted, filled with well realized living breathing characters we cared about. And ended at a very interesting juncture where Brian is actually flexing his world-building muscles and expanding the overall story into very interesting territories. I am hooked and Book-2 is out this Jan. Say Woohoooo and do a jig with me. (oh psst..you need more excuses ? read first 7 chapters for free. And whet that appetite !! Here.

 The conspiracy to destroy the ruling family of the Annurian Empire is far from over.

Having learned the identity of her father's assassin, Adare flees the Dawn Palace in search of allies to challenge the coup against her family. Few trust her, but when she is believed to be touched by Intarra, patron goddess of the empire, the people rally to help her retake the capital city. As armies prepare to clash, the threat of invasion from barbarian hordes compels the rival forces to unite against their common enemy.

Unknown to Adare, her brother Valyn, renegade member of the empire's most elite fighting force, has allied with the invading nomads. The terrible choices each of them has made may make war between them inevitable.

Between Valyn and Adare is their brother Kaden, rightful heir to the Unhewn Throne, who has infiltrated the Annurian capital with the help of two strange companions. The knowledge they possess of the secret history that shapes these events could save Annur or destroy it.

Gemini Cell by Myke Cole

I am blindly going to read anything new by Myke Cole. This is sort of a prequel trilogy to shadow ops - set in the same world. Bring it on !!

US Navy SEAL Jim Schweitzer is a consummate professional, a fierce warrior, and a hard man to kill. But when he sees something he was never meant to see on a covert mission gone bad, he finds himself—and his family—in the crosshairs. Nothing means more to Jim than protecting his loved ones, but when the enemy brings the battle to his front door, he is overwhelmed and taken down.

It should be the end of the story. But Jim is raised from the dead by a sorcerer and recruited by a top secret unit dabbling in the occult, known only as the Gemini Cell. With powers he doesn’t understand, Jim is called back to duty—as the ultimate warrior. As he wrestles with a literal inner demon, Jim realizes his new superiors are determined to use him for their own ends and keep him in the dark—especially about the fates of his wife and son…







Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Another author whose works are (for me) to die for. Immersive, engaging and absolutely epic. His foray into YA/Superhero was another crackler with Steelheart. Slightly breezy/predictable if you ask me but hey I am not complaining at all. I love that book two is coming out. Oh TODAY btw.

  They told David it was impossible - that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet Steelheart - invincible, immortal, unconquerable - is dead. and he died by David's hand.

Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. instead it only made David realize he has questions. Big Ones. And there's no one in Newcago who can give him the answers.

Babylon restored, the old borrough of Manhattan has possibilities though. ruled by the mysterious high epic, regalia, David is sure Babylon restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by another High epic despot is gamble, David's willing to risk it.

 Because killing steelheart left a hole in David's heart. a hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow he filled that hole with another epic - Firefight.

And now he's willing to go on a quest darker and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her and get to his answers.

Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho ( Tor UK Debut)

This was definitely a find for me - hitting the anticipated list of TOR UK releases. And that too a debut that's set the bells ringing and expectations soaring. The editorial team at TOR UK called it "Irresistible combination of Georgette Hayer and Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norell."
Here is what is known :

The book takes us to a Regency London where the Crown calls on magic, and English high society holds an uneasy truce with the land of the Faerie. Even though Zacharias Wythe has only begun his work as England's first African Sorcerer Royal, he’s is already facing three non-magical problems: The Fairy court thinks he murdered his predecessor, a dangerous faction is scheming to unseat him by any means necessary, and…Prunella Gentleman. Prunella, an orphan who has spent her life toiling at a school she hates, has just uncovered a secret that might change the course of English Magic. Wythe doesn’t want to work with her, but it looks like he doesn’t have a choice…

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So that's what 2015 looks like in terms of a wish-list. Obviously it is just the tip of an iceberg and I will dig up more and keep you guys updated !! Till then, Keep Calm. And Keep Reading.