The collection’s wide range of international authors means it has something to offer everyone. Recommended for libraries with strong SFF collections and readers who enjoy short fiction.
Some of the stories merely sidle up to the line between dark fantasy and horror, and some stake their oozing, bleeding hearts with it, but all bring a shiver of fear, dread, or understanding.
Holborn’s blend of gritty Western and science fiction set in the stark landscape of a barren moon is the sequel to Ten Low that fans have been waiting for. Certainly the novel’s centerpiece are its action sequences, but its heart lies in Ten, her ragtag band, and their redemptive and hopeful attempts at survival.
This Hindu-inspired sci-fi fantasy is a transcendent debut, full of cosmic magic and set in an exquisitely glorious and treacherous world. Such a daring ecological and metaphysical endeavor is perfect for fans of Wesley Chu and Brandon Sanderson.
Jarvis brings the city of Florence to life, including many of its well-known residents. However, fantasy readers will wish she had spent more time building the magical aspects of her world. A good choice for fans of historical fiction authors such as Susan Vreeland and Tracy Chevalier.
This novel from Long (Temple of No God) is a self-contained story that can be read without reading the previous titles set in the same universe, but readers will definitely want to seek out the others. Fans of character-centric fantasy with a well-built world will find much to love about Thray, the Hall of Smoke world, and its denizens.
Keyes’s (Realms of the Deathless) high seas, epic fantasy is fast-paced, contains exceptional worldbuilding, and offers multiple intricate plots woven together to create a marvelous adventure that will appeal to Game of Thrones fans. Readers will eagerly await future volumes.
Multiverse stories are popular right now, and Tavares’s first novel will appeal to fans of the concept, along with readers who enjoy science fiction that digs into characters’ relationships in a setting that spans worlds. Recommended.