Black Man by Richard Morgan
Release Date: Mid Sept
This is a re-issue rather than a new book, with new cover artwork to match the sequel that Morgan fans will be pleased to here is due out in late October. If however you haven’t read it, then there’s time to get up to date before the new one comes out. While Black Man is not set in the same world as his more famous book, Altered Carbon it has the same sort of gritty science fiction action, so fans of Altered Carbon will certainly enjoy it.
Mecha Samurai Empire by Peter Tieryas
Release Date: Mid Sept
An unusual mix of fun and intense, this is the story of a boy growing up in California who wants to be a mecha pilot (giant robot thingy) in a world where Germany and Japan won WWII and the United States is controlled by Japan. It’s got robots and tech, but also looks at the clash between ethnic and cultural identity.
War Cry by Brian McClellan
Release Date: Early Sept
Part of the Tor.com range, this is a hundred-ish page novella unconnected to his other series. Instead it’s a war story about a soldier who has to undertake a dangerous mission to help resupply his stranded squad. Oh, and he’s a shapeshifter.
Fierce Fairytales & Other Stories to Stir Your Soul by Nikita Gill
Release Date: Mid Sept
This is a collection of poems, flash fiction and musings inspired by fairy tales and folklore, all with a feminist perspective. Classic tales are reinterpreted, de-constructed and parodied in a book that is part art and part polemic.
A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan
Release Date: Late Sept
A post script to the classic tale of King Midas told by the daughter he famously turned into gold. A girl with golden skin and strange powers. When the kingdom is threatened she comes out of seclusion and must face her fears to resolve a crisis that again seems to be all about the power of gold.
We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix
Release Date: Mid Sept
The new dark humour / parody book from Grady Hendrix is about an aging ’90s heavy metal musician who learns there may have been a sinister reason why her career faltered into nothing and the singer in the band went onto solo stardom. Can you sell someone else’s soul for rock ‘n roll?
Garnethill by Denise Mina
Release Date: Early Sept
This is a re-issue rather than a new book and it’s the first in a gritty crime trilogy set in Glasgow. With a strong and smart woman protagonist who is not police, this is very much in the ‘ordinary person in extraordinary situation’ style of crime novel that is so popular. If you like that, or Scottish crime in general, then this is for you.
Flight or Fright by Stephen King
Release Date: Early Sept
Short story collection edited by Stephen King where a bunch of famous authors imagine a variety of terrifying aeroplane scenarios, both natural and decidedly not so. It also includes Richard Matheson‘s Nightmare at 20,000 feet which was adapted as a Twilight Zone episode in 1963 and stared a young William Shatner. I wonder how well this will sell in airports?
Supercute Futures by Martin Millar
Release Date: Early Sept
Two friends start a business based on their love of Japanese cute /kitsch and end up a world-wide corporate phenomenon. Now they want to use their influence to oppose the short-sighted companies that are destroying the world. Can kawaii save the planet? Find out in this strange manga / cyberpunk mash up.
Zombie Gnome Defense Guide by Andrew Farago
Release Date: Late Sept
No, I don’t know if this is a thing. To be honest, it’s not really that much more outrageous than normal zombies really and folks are mad for that stuff, so here we are. I imagine that there are some important tactical differences, so you don’t what to be the one all sorted for old school walking dead and have these little buggers turn up. I mean if you’re going to be prepared, might as well be thorough.
Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams
Release Date: Early Sept
Debut space opera set in a universe where a mysterious galactic level disaster wiped out technology, but only on some worlds. A small group of super-soldiers scour what remains, going from planet to planet looking for tech and gifted people who could help them restore the galaxy. But they are not the only ones with an agenda and they’re about to find that out the hard way.
Condomnauts by YossRelease Date: Early Sept
Strange and satirical commentary on modern sexuality from Cuba’s most famous transgressive speculative fiction writer. It’s the 24th century and humanity is entering negotiations with an alien race. Negotiations that have a peculiar sexual component. Enter Josue Valdes, sex ambassador for humanity. There are no words for how odd Yoss‘ books are, but they are very clever.