Release Week: Rip-Off!, Mayan December, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Terry Goodkind's The First Confessor, and more

Release Week: Rip-Off!, Mayan December, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Terry Goodkind's The First Confessor, and more

Posted on 2012-12-21 at 19:00 by Sam

The middle of December brings some ear candy for the holiday season, including an all-star author/narrator anthology, the end of the world, secondary world fantasy, and quite a bit more. Still, with all that, my mind’s on a “missing” audiobook, that for Jesse Bullington’s The Folly of the World, my most-anticipated title this week. And at the bottom, details for another “Whispersync for Voice” price quirk, this time netting you both the Kindle and Audible formats of Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim. (Sorry for the 2-day delay in the usual Wednesday release week posting — been quite an unexpected adventure this week!)

The all-star author/narrator anthology is Rip-Off!, bringing authors John Scalzi, Jack Campbell, Robert Charles Wilson, Mike Resnick, Elizabeth Bear, Allen Steele, Daryl Gregory, Lavie Tidhar, Mary Robinette Kowal, Tad Williams, James Patrick Kelly, Nancy Kress, Paul Di Fillipo, and Gardner Dozois (editor), with narrators Wil Wheaton, Scott Brick, Christian Rummel, Jonathan Davis, Stefan Rudnicki, David Marantz, Ilyana Kadushin, Khristine Hvam, L. J. Ganser, Dina Pearlman, Allyson Johnson, Marc Vietor, and Nicola Barber for Audible Frontiers, in partnership with SFWA— Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins — “13 of today’s best and most honored writers of speculative fiction face a challenge even they would be hard-pressed to conceive: Pick your favorite opening line from a classic piece of fiction (or even non-fiction) - then use it as the first sentence of an entirely original short story. In the world of Rip-Off!, “Call me Ishmael” introduces a tough-as-nails private eye - who carries a harpoon; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz inspires the tale of an aging female astronaut who’s being treated by a doctor named Dorothy Gale; and Huckleberry Finn leads to a wild ride with a foul-mouthed riverboat captain who plies the waters of Hell.”

Just in time for the end of the world — if you start listening now — is Mayan December By Brenda Cooper, Narrated By Allyson Johnson for Audible Frontiers — Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins — “Dr. Alice Cameron is a famous scientist - an archeoastronomer - devoted to studying ancient Mayan culture. The era driving her career has always been the end of the Mayan baktun, so she’s on the Yucatan Peninsula in December 2012 with her daughter Nixie…and so are fellow serious scholars, plenty of end-of-the-world crazies, and - at an international summit - the President of the United States and other heads of state. When Nixie disappears into the past in the Mayan jungle, rationality and mysticism, the present and the past start merging. Meanwhile, Alice is drawn into the machinations of statecraft by an old friend. A savvy scientist, a handsome dreadlocked time-traveler, an ancient shaman, a noble Mayan couple, a computer nerd, and an 11-year-old traverse the past and present in a search for the meaning of life and a way to save two worlds.”

A very well-regarded secondary world fantasy series has started to come to audio, with The Winds of Khalakovo: The Lays of Anuskaya, Book 1 and The Straits of Galahesh: The Lays of Anuskaya, Book 2 By Bradley P. Beaulieu, Narrated By Ray Chase for Audible Frontiers — Series: Lays of Anuskaya, Book 1 — each book is 20+ hours — “Among inhospitable and unforgiving seas stands Khalakovo, a mountainous archipelago of seven islands, its prominent eyrie stretching a thousand feet into the sky. Serviced by windships bearing goods and dignitaries, Khalakovo’s eyrie stands at the crossroads of world trade. But all is not well in Khalakovo. Conflict has erupted between the ruling Landed, the indigenous Aramahn, and the fanatical Maharraht, and a wasting disease has grown rampant over the past decade. Now, Khalakovo is to play host to the Nine Dukes, a meeting which will weigh heavily upon Khalakovo’s future.”

Earlier this year, multiple bestselling author Terry Goodkind raised a few eyebrows when he self-published a book in his Sword of Truth series. Now, via ACX, he’s brought the book to audio as well. The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus is narrated By Kellie Fitzgerald for Goodkind’s own FINE Group. Some of his thoughts and notes on the audiobook publishing process are at the audiobook listing, with a physical edition coming soon as well.  It’s a well-produced audiobook, with music and a very clear and clean studio grade narration. Length: 16 hrs and 54 mins.

OUT TUESDAY:

• The Merchant of Dreams: Night's Masque, Book 2 By Anne Lyle, Narrated By Michael Page for Angry Robot on Brilliance Audio -- Series: Night's Masque, Book 2. Page's narrations are always a delight, which nets this audiobook the "first past the jump" listing -- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins -- "Exiled from the court of Queen Elizabeth for accusing a powerful nobleman of treason, swordsman-turned-spy Mal Catlyn has been living in France with his young valet, Coby Hendricks, for the past year. But Mal harbours a darker secret: he and his twin brother share a soul that once belonged to a skrayling, one of the mystical creatures from the New World. When Mal’s dream about a skrayling shipwreck in the Mediterranean proves a reality, it sets him on a path to the beautiful but treacherous city of Venice – and a conflict of loyalties that will place him and his friends in greater danger than ever."
• Blood Is Red: Eight Disturbing Short Stories: The Color Series by Scott Sigler, Narrated by Scott Sigler -- Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
• King David's Spaceship By Jerry Pournelle, Narrated By Rob Dean for Audible Frontiers -- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins -- this is narrator Robertson Dean, whose work I have quite enjoyed on several William Gibson books -- another Pournelle book, High Justice, is narrated By Time Winters
• A Miracle of Rare Design By Mike Resnick, Narrated By Adam Verner -- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins -- additional Resnick books this week are Exploits: The Chronicles of Lucifer Jones 1926-1931: Lucifer Jones, Book 2, Inferno: The Galactic Comedy, Book 3, Prophet: Oracle Trilogy, Book 3, The Best Rootin' Tootin' Shootin' Gunslinger in the Whole Damned Galaxy: Tales of the Galactic Midway, Book 4, Paradise: The Galactic Comedy, Book 1
• Cathouse By Dean Ing, Narrated By Michael Goldstrom -- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
• Eric John Stark: Outlaw of Mars: Eric John Stark, Book 1 By Leigh Brackett, Narrated By Kirby Heyborne -- Series: Eric John Stark, Book 1 -- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
• The Necessary Beggar by Susan Palwick, Narrated by David Roche -- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
• Teen: Mirrorstorm: Mirrorscape, Book 2 by Mike Wilks, Narrated by Paul English -- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins

• Legacies: A Repairman Jack Novel, Book 2 by F. Paul Wilson, Narrated by Christopher Price for Brilliance Audio -- Series: Repairman Jack, Book 2 -- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
• The Islander By Christopher Priest, Narrated By Michael Maloney for Audible Ltd -- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
• The Cleansed: A Postapocalyptic Adventure of Our Times, Season 1 By Frederick Greenhalgh, Narrated as a radio/program production by Philip Hobby, Kate Gurney, Paul Drinan, Kym Dakin, Chris Newcomb, Brent Askari, Dylan Chestnutt, and Erik Moody for Blackstone Audio -- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
• The Wreck of The River of Stars By Michael F. Flynn, Narrated By Dave Giorgio for Audible Frontiers -- Length: 21 hrs and 49 mins
• Animals by Craig Spector and John Skipp, Narrated by John Lee -- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
• The Assassin Gambit: Gamester Wars, Book 2 By William R. Forstchen, Narrated By George Newbern for Audible Frontiers -- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
• Toth: A Science Fiction Novel By James C. Glass, Narrated By Nick Podehl for Audible, Inc. -- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
• Paladins By Joel Rosenberg, Narrated By Alex Hyde-White for Audible Frontiers -- Series: Paladins, Book 1 -- Length: 18 hrs and 30 mins
• Mirror Maze By James P. Hogan, Narrated By Moe Egan for Audible Frontiers -- Length: 16 hrs and 53 mins
• Frey: The Frey Saga, Book 1 By Melissa Wright, Narrated By Heidi Baker -- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
• The Moon Children By Jack Williamson, Narrated By Charles Carroll for Audible Frontiers -- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
• Gravity Wells: Speculative Fiction Stories By James Alan Gardner, Narrated By P. J. Ochlan, Marisol Ramirez -- Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
• Demons of the Dancing Gods: The Dancing Gods, Book 2 By Jack L. Chalker, Narrated By Eric G. Dove -- Series: Dancing Gods, Book 2 -- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
• The Ring of Charon: Hunted Earth, Book 1 By Roger MacBride Allen, Narrated By John Haag -- Series: Hunted Earth, Book 1 -- Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins
• The Depths of Time: Chronicles of Solace, Book 1 By Roger MacBride Allen, Narrated By Jeremy Gage -- Series: Chronicles of Solace, Book 1 -- Length: 18 hrs and 12 mins

• The Apocalypse Ocean (Xenowealth #4) by Tobias S. Buckell (self-published via Kickstarter campaign, Dec 13)
• The Abolition of Species by Dietmar Dath, translated by Samuel P. Wilcocks (Seagull Books, Dec 15)
• The Folly of the World by Jesse Bullington (Orbit, Dec 18) — “On a stormy night in 1421, the North Sea delivers a devastating blow to Holland: the Saint Elizabeth Flood, a deluge of biblical proportions that drowns hundreds of towns, thousands of people, and forever alters the geography of the Low Countries. Where the factions of the noble Hooks and the merchant Cods waged a literal class war but weeks before, there is now only a nigh-endless expanse of grey water, a desolate inland sea with moldering church spires jutting up like sunken tombstones. For a land already beleaguered by generations of civil war, a worse disaster could scarce be imagined. Yet even disaster can be profitable, for the right sort of individual, and into this flooded realm sail three conspirators: a deranged thug at the edge of madness, a ruthless conman on the cusp of fortune, and a half-feral girl balanced between them.”
• Nexus by Ramez Naam (Angry Robot, Dec 18)

• Alchemystic: A Spellmason Chronicle, Book 1 By Anton Strout, Narrated By Linda Borg — Length: 19 hrs and 14 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 12-21-12
• Half Life By Hal Clement, Narrated by Nick Sullivan — Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 12-24-12
• The Ramal Extraction By Steve Perry (Ace, December 24), Narrated by To Be Announced — Length: 8 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 12-24-12
• Scoundrels: Star Wars By Timothy Zahn, Narrated by To Be Announced — Length: 15 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 12-26-12
• A Memory of Light By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, Narrated by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading for Macmillan Audio — Series: Wheel of Time, Book 14 — Length: 38 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 01-08-13
• Venom in Her Veins: A Forgotten Realms Novel By Tim Pratt, Narrated by T. David Rutherford — Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 01-08-13 — (Along with dozens and dozens more Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms audiobooks due January 8)
• Teen: Through the Ever Night: Under the Never Sky, Book 2 By Veronica Rossi, Narrated by Michael Goldstrom — Series: Eberron: Chronicles of Abraxis Wren, Book 2 — Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 01-08-13
• Ender’s World: Fresh Perspectives on the SF Classic Ender’s Game By Orson Scott Card (editor), Narrated by To Be Announced — Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 02-05-13
• Farside By Ben Bova, Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki — Length: 10 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 02-12-13
• The Gate Thief By Orson Scott Card, Narrated by To Be Announced (though my money’s on Stefan Rudnicki) — Series: Mither Mages, Book 2 — Length: 13 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 03-19-13

• The Complete John Thunstone by Manly Wade Wellman (Haffner Press, Dec 22)
• Luck of the Draw by Piers Anthony (Tor, Dec 24)
• The Hermetic Millennia by John C. Wright (Tor, Dec 24) — sequel to Count to a Trillion
• The Shadow’s Heir by K.J. Taylor (Ace, Dec 24)
• Anthology: Latin American Science Fiction: Theory and Practice edited by M. Elizabeth Ginway and J. Andrew Brown (Palgrave Macmillan, Dec 24)
• The Shadow’s Heir (The Risen Sun) by K. J. Taylor (Ace, Dec 24)
• Unnatural Acts (Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I.) by Kevin J. Anderson (Kensington and Brilliance Audio, Dec 24)
• Blood and Bone: A Novel of the Malazan Empire by Ian C. Esslemont (Bantam Press, Dec 25)
• Witchbreaker: The Dragon Apocalypse 3 by James Maxey (Solaris, Dec 25) — after Greatshadow and Hush
• Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth L. Powell (Solaris, Dec 26)
• Day by Day Armageddon: Shattered Hourglass by J. L. Bourne (Permuted Press, Brilliance Audio, Dec 26)
• Glass Thorns (Glass Thorns 1) by Melanie Rawn (Titan, Dec 28)
• Doktor Glass by Thomas Brennan (Ace, Dec 31)
• Ember: A Penguin Special from Roc by James K. Decker (Roc, Dec 31) — prequel novella to The Burn Zone
• Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea by Kage Baker & Kathleen Bartholomew (Subterranean, Dec 31)
• The Dog in the Dark: A Novel of the Noble Dead by Barb Hendee & J.C. Hendee (Roc Hardcover, Dec 31)
• The Circle by Bentley Little (Cemetery Dance, December)

Buy the first installment of Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim series, Sandman Slim, for $0.99 on Kindle, get the audiobook for $4.99. Not bad, not bad at all.

Posted in Release Week | Tagged brenda cooper, gardner dozois, john scalzi, mayan december, rip-off, sfwa, wil wheaton