New Book Releases: November 23, 2010

★★★ Our Pick of the Week ★★★ Hull Zero Three [ Kindle ] By Greg Bear ISBN: 0316072818 Publisher: Orbit Publication date: November 22, 2010 Binding: Hardcover Estimated price: $11.60 Share this book on Twitter | Facebook

Description: A starship hurtles through the emptiness of space. Its destination-unknown. Its purpose-a mystery. Now, one man wakes up. Ripped from a dream of a new home-a new planet and the woman he was meant to love in his arms-he finds himself wet, naked, and freezing to death. The dark halls are full of monsters but trusting other survivors he meets might be the greater danger. All he has are questions— Who is he? Where are they going? What happened to the dream of a new life? What happened to Hull 03? All will be answered, if he can survive the ship.

News: Angry Robot launching Short Story Store

I just received the following press release via e-mail from Angry Robot.  It's an announcement that the publisher will be launching what it calls "Nano Editions," an online store for short stories. And may I just say, it's about (#@%^*) time someone did something along these lines. For years, I've been wondering why genre publications don't augment their subscriptions by selling short stories ala cart online. Shelling out thirty bucks to have banged up paper editions of my favorite magazines (that I don't have the shelf space to store) via snail mail each month is getting a bit old. Let's hope other publishers take note of Angry Robot's good idea. Read the full press release below:

ANGRY ROBOT ANNOUNCES DIGITAL SHORT STORY STORE

On December 1st 2010, Angry Robot will be launching “Nano Editions”. Exclusive to the publisher’s own webstore at angryrobotstore.com, Nanos are digital short stories by Angry Robot novelists, sold at sensible prices in ePub format, ready to load onto the world’s most popular eBook readers.

Quote

"I’ve always loved books, all my life. When I was a clerk at Scribner’s bookstore I dreamed of having a book of my own, of writing one that I could put on the shelf. When I would have to unpack and put up the National Book Award winners I used to wonder what it would feel like to be a National Book Award winner, so thank you for letting me find out. And please, publishers: there is nothing more beautiful than the book. The paper, the font, the cloth. Please, no matter how we advance technologically, please never abandon the book. There is nothing in our material world more beautiful than the book."
- Patti Smith, author of Just Kids, accepting the National Book Award

Book Trailer: Hull Zero Three

Here's a machinima-inspired trailer for Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear.

From what I've read in early reviews, the trailer is inspired by the novel's strong resemblance to many popular first person shooters. The story follows a man who wakes up lost and alone on a ship infested with monstrous creatures. Unlike many games that follow this trope, however, the book is built on the deftly wielded science Bear brings to all of his work.

The trailer was created using the game engine and textures from the Quake 2 World Project, a free, standalone first person shooter video game. Read a three chapters online.

Book Trailer: Hunger Games

A group of fans at a Utah-based production company have created this compelling trailer for Suzanne Collins' popular Hunger Games in anticipation of the upcoming Lions Gate movie based on the book.

It's not your run-of-the-mill fan trailer, though. Director John Lyde has created what could almost be a professional teaser trailer, if only it made less sense and featured more explosions. In any case, it's a must-see for Hunger Game fans.

Cover Art: Minimalist Harry Potter Covers

After years of fans imagining their own versions of the Harry Potter covers, the UK publisher of the series has finally come around. Later this year, Bloomsbury Publishing will re-release the series with new minimalist "signature series" designs for the cover. And yes, this time it's for real.

The art for "Half Blood Prince" is particularly good, though it would work better for a copy of Shakespeare's "The Tempest."

Word Art: Finally Reading

Source: ImgFav

Cover Art: Fuzzy Nation

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

Release: May 10, 2011

Design: Kekai Kotaki

No dustjacket description as of yet, but stay tuned to Scalzi's website for future details.

Art: Medium begins to overflow

溢れだす媒体

"Medium begins to Overflow"

Source: Pixiv

Book Trailer: Matched

Matched by Ally Condie

Release: November 30, 2010

Matched is a new young adult SF novel coming later this month. While I'm not big on YA fiction, distopian novels are right up my alley, especially when there's technology involved.

Dustjacket Summary: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Link Round-Up: November 3, 2010

Where do I pick up one of these?

14 Amazing Bookmark Designs

Listverse has compiled a seriously good list of the Top 10 Underrated Fantasy Stories After 1937

OMG, I don't know why you would ever destroy a book like this, but here's a tutorial on how to Make: Online : Make a secret hollowed-out book

Cover Art: City of Hope and Despair

City of Hope and Despair by Ian Whates

Release: March 29, 2011

Angry Robot recently released a gallery of cover art for its upcoming spring released. This cover in particular caught my eye. It's one of Angry Robot's best covers to date, in my opinion, and the story sounds promising. At least, the book to which this is a sequel has received favorable reviews.

DustJacket Summary: A SECOND VISIT TO THAIBURLEY: THE CITY OF DREAMS, THE FABLED CITY OF A HUNDRED ROWS.

Dark forces are gathering in the shadowy depths, and the whole city is under threat. The former street-nick, Tom, embarks on a journey to discover the source of the great river Thair, said to be the ultimate power behind all of Thaiburley.  Accompanying him are the assassin Dewar and the young Thaistess Mildra.  It soon becomes evident that their journey has more significance than any of them realise, as past secrets catch up with them and unknown adversaries hunt them... to the death!  

Cover Art: Steampunk Bible

The Steampunk Bible by Jeff VanderMeer

Release: May 1, 2011

Not a lot of information on this one yet, just a teaser image. Hopefully, there will be more details forthcoming soon. Stay tuned to VanderMeer's blog.

Cover Art: The Horns of Ruin

The Horns of Ruin by Tim Akers
Release: November 30, 2010

Pyr has just released the full cover illustration of the upcoming The Horns of Ruin, designed by Nicole Sommer-Lecht. It looks like a steampunk version of Assassin's Creed.

Panel: The Moral Distance Between the Author and the Work

This panel discussion, "The Moral Distance Between the Author and the Work," was recorded Saturday at the World Fantasy Convention (2010) in Columbus Ohio by a friend of Scott Edelman. The panel includes Scott Edelman, Eric Flint, Nancy Kress, Paul Witcover. Kathryn Cramer, and Jack Skillingstead. The panel is described in the program:

What do we make of good art by bad people, or at least people of whom we disapprove? Richard Wagner was a particularly vile anti-Semite, but he still wrote "Kill Da Wabbit!" and other great music. Should we listen? The official Nazi film industry made one very good fantasy film (BARON MUNCHAUSEN, to which the Terry Gilliam version owes a good deal). Should we watch this? What about an author who is a convicted child molester? Should we read his novel? CAN we read it for itself? Is it possible to truly experience any form of art as a thing until itself, rather than the product of its creator?