Unheralded Doomsday Prophets: 2012 Books of the Apocalypse by Debut Authors

[Jussi]

John Jarrold wrote in April:

Some of you have heard me rhapsodising about John Gwynne’s magnificent epic fantasy debut SO DEEP A MALICE, coming from Tor UK towards the end of this year (world rights are available from Tor in London). It remains the book I would recommend to fans of A GAME OF THRONES above anything published since that. I can now announce that the title has changed to MALICE, and that Tor UK will publish in hardback on December 6. Reviewers should look out for (or request) bookproofs…

http://www.johnjarrold.co.uk/news/775/john-gwynne-epic-fantasy-update/

[Bastard of Godsgrace]

John Jarrold wrote in April:

Some of you have heard me rhapsodising about John Gwynne’s magnificent epic fantasy debut SO DEEP A MALICE, coming from Tor UK towards the end of this year (world rights are available from Tor in London). It remains the book I would recommend to fans of A GAME OF THRONES above anything published since that. I can now announce that the title has changed to MALICE, and that Tor UK will publish in hardback on December 6. Reviewers should look out for (or request) bookproofs…

http://www.johnjarro...fantasy-update/

Once again, cool title changed into a shitty one. What gives? Color me deeply disappointed :bang:

[Jussi]

Two debut authors for 2013:

James Smythe's The Explorer will be published in January by Harper Voyager.

Ambitious journalist Cormac Easton has always yearned for adventure. Selected to document the first manned mission into deep space, he dreams of securing his place in history as one of humanity’s great explorers.

But in space, nothing goes according to plan.

Waking from hypersleep, Cormac and the crew discover the captain dead in his allegedly fail-proof safety pod. Back on Earth, Ground Control tells them there is no turning back. No matter what happens, the mission must continue.

But the captain’s mysterious death is only the beginning of the paranoia. As the body count rises, Cormac finds himself alone and spiralling towards his own inevitable death . . . unless he can find a way to stop it.

James Smythe has created a gripping, darkly atmospheric psychological thriller full of paranoia and terror, set in the near future, within the cramped confines of a spaceship destined for disaster. Written with the piercing insight and wondrous sense of possibility embodied in the greatest science fiction, his tense, twisty, and fantastically imaginative ride examines the complexities of human relationships—and what it means to be human.

http://www.harpercollinscatalogs.com/harper/516_2350_333430323739.htm

Mark Barnes's Garden of Stones is coming out in spring 2013.

Australian author Mark Barnes’s debut fantasy novel and two sequels have been acquired by 47North, Amazon Publishing’s Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror imprint, in a deal by John Jarrold, to editor David Pomerico. The first novel, titled Garden of Stones, will be published in spring 2013, with the first sequel following six months later.

When civil war breaks out in Shrīan, the ancient rivalries of the Great Houses threaten even further conflict. Indris, a knight of the Sēq Order of Scholars, returns against his instincts to a city he had foresworn to level the balance of power. In a world of created races, baroque magic, political assassination and arcane science, the author has created a rich setting, never to be forgotten.

‘I believe this is one of the best and most commercial fantasies I have seen in fifteen years,’ said John Jarrold. ‘There are echoes of both Macbeth and Dune. Mark’s writing, storytelling, invention and characterisation are remarkable. It’s a fascinating time in publishing, and I’m delighted to have done this first deal with David Pomerico in his new home at Amazon. We worked together when he was at Random House and I hold him in the highest regard.’

Mark is a graduate of the Clarion South Writer’s Workshop. Amongst his tutors were Scott Westerfeld, Michael Swanwick, Ian Irvine and Sean Williams. His previous publications have been short fiction.

http://www.johnjarrold.co.uk/news/811/three-book-world-rights-deal-for-debut-fantasy-novelist/

[Jussi]

Two interesting 2013 debuts from Night Shade Books:

Exile by Betsy Dornbusch

Draken vae Khellian, bastard cousin of the Monoean King, had risen far from his ignominious origins, becoming both a Bowrank Commander and a member of the Crown’s Black Guard. But when he is falsely condemned for the grisly murder of his beloved wife, he is banished from the kingdom and cast upon the distant shore of Akrasia, at the arse-end of the world.

Compared to civilized Monoea, Akrasia is a forbidding land of Moonlings, magic, and restless spirits. It is also a realm on the brink of a bloody revolution, as a sinister conspiracy plots against Akrasia’s embattled young queen–and malevolent banes possess the bodies of the living.

Consumed by grief, and branded a murderer, Draken lives only to clear his name and avenge his wife’s murder. But the fates may have bigger plans for him. Alone in a strange land, he soon finds himself sharing the bed of an enigmatic necromancer and a half-breed servant girl, while pressed into the service of a foreign queen whose life and land may well depend on the divided loyalties of an exiled warrior . . .

Exile is the beginning of an ambitious fantasy saga by an acclaimed new author.

The Daedalus Incident by Michael J. Martinez

Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, once said his show was like “Horatio Hornblower in space.”

I’m taking that concept somewhat more literally.

The Daedalus Incident, my debut novel, begins in 2132 at a backwater mining colony on Mars. Earthquakes (well, Marsquakes) and other strange occurrences plague the outpost, and soon they’re faced with the possibility that the past may be trying to push into the future…

And what a past! In this alternate history, sailing ships ply the Void between the planets in our solar system. and due to the schemes of a mad alchemist, this strange universe now threatens our future.

[Gormenghast]

I'll repeat what I was asking in the other thread. There was this debut, or maybe not exactly a debut, that was announced in Summer 2011 or even earlier. I don't remember much to identify this, but I do remember that the release date was quite distant, possibly even into 2013. And I remember that the publisher was enthusiastic because there was a big publisher bid war over this author and in the end they won.

It wasn't fantasy and I think it was kind of weird or very twisted historical fiction set in Russia or something like that. The few things I remember about the synopsis were quite absurd.

While looking around I thought it could have been about this book: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_%28Dukaj_novel%29

Which sounds EXCEPTIONAL. But I don't think it's this one since I can't find a similar announce by the publisher to the one I described, and because the rights for this book have been lost and, I think, never officially announced.

So can anyone remember if there was a new author announced in the last year mentioning these bid wars, that led to a rather big advance, set in Russia and planned for 2012 or 13?

I eventually found it: http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2011/10/gollancz-acquires-major-genre-debut-at-auction/

[Lord of Rhinos]

As far as I can tell these five titles have all been moved to 2013:

The Red Knight by Miles Cameron

Gallow: the Crimson Shield by Nathan Hawke

Son of the Morning by Mark Alder:

The Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson

A Stranger In Olondria by Sofia Samatar

[Garlan the Gallant]

Two interesting 2013 debuts from Night Shade Books:

Exile by Betsy Dornbusch

The Daedalus Incident by Michael J. Martinez

I want to thank you for running an amazing website and posting here at Westeros about amazing upcoming books. Thanks so much. You have introduced me to countless great novels!

[AncalagonTheBlack]

As far as I can tell these five titles have all been moved to 2013:

The Red Knight by Miles Cameron

Amazon (UK) - 25 Oct 2012

Same date on publisher and author website -

http://www.orionbook...s/cameron-miles

http://www.traitorson.com/

[Lord of Rhinos]

Oops. Was looking at Amazon US.

[Jussi]

I want to thank you for running an amazing website and posting here at Westeros about amazing upcoming books. Thanks so much. You have introduced me to countless great novels!

You're welcome. :)

[AncalagonTheBlack]

Definitly looks like an interesting book this one.

Also, So Deep a Malice by John Gwynne which had an interesting synopsis appears to come out in December, as per John Jarrold.

Well,the first mini review is out at FBC and it's not good,i had high hopes for this one -

Somewhat unexpectedly I got a review copy of Malice by John Gwynne and I was quite excited and oh, what a let down as the book reads so juvenile and without any sophistication, but straight-out from the manual of how to write an epic fantasy for the pg 13 reader crowd.

The beginning which has a bargain with the evil, sealed by blood obtained by cutting the throat of a prisoner and ended by the villain asking timidly "what do you want for your help?" and the big booboo answering ominously "I want you!" was ominous indeed but at least I still had some hopes.

Only to be completely dashed in the next few pages which are pure juvenile writing; I then skimmed the book just in case and came upon pearls like:

"I am a warrior Hal, not a nursemaid"

Yuck... A drop and never to hear of this series again.

Note - these are comments based on a browse through of the book, not an end to end read, but life is too short for wasting even a fast read on it; Malice may actually be awesome in the pages I skipped but somehow I doubt it...

http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.in/2012/11/three-dissapointing-books-juli-zeh.html

[Calibandar]

Yeah I had read that already, though I take his opinion with a pinch of salt.

There was however another mini-review at sffworld, which was also not glowing.