DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER
Events and News From Borderlands Books
August 2016
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Upcoming Events
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Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Carlos Allende, Juliana Delgado Lopera, Wendy Newman, Emmanuel Saadia, and Roberto F. Santiago - Saturday, August 13th at 7:30 pm
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci and Ben Loory (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm
Drop-by signing with Becky Chambers, A LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET (Harper, Trade Paperback, $15.99) on Monday, August 15th
Michael J. Martinez, INCEPTION: A MAJESTIC 12 THRILLER (Night Shade Books, Hardcover, $24.99) Tuesday, September 6th at 6:00 pm
Curtis Chen, WAYPOINT KANGAROO (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $24.99) and Patrick Swenson, THE ULTRA BIG SLEEP (Fairwood Press, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 10th at 1:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, ONCE BROKEN FAITH (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 10th at 5:00 pm
Why (and How) Writers Write: A Panel with S.G. Browne, Dana Fredsti, and Loren Rhoads - Sunday, September 11th at 12:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Robert Silverberg and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, September 11th at 4:30 pm (PLEASE NOTE EARLY START TIME)
J. Patrick Black, NINTH CITY BURNING (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) Saturday, September 24th at 1:00 pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
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News
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* Overheard in the store:
"What he SAID: 'You'll surely have an unforgettable travel experience.' What I HEARD: 'You'll surely have an on-board cannibal experience.'"
* Borderlands Cafe is currently on the lookout for some stalwart adventurers to join our Caffeinated Coalition (i.e. the Cafe is hiring!). Our adventuring schedule is flexible and occupies 20 - 40 hours per week. No prior experience in either making coffee or slaying dragons is necessary, but fluent English is required and avid readers are preferred. Strong work ethic, active imagination, & sense of humor also all pluses. Resumes may be left at the cafe counter, and inquiries may be directed to Z. Jenerik, Cafe Manager, zjenerik@borderlands-books.com.
* Borderlands and Comix Experience were profiled in SF Weekly. Read the article Open Borders: Keeping a Mission Bookstore Open here: http://www.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco/open-borders-keeping-a-mission-bookstore-open-borderlands-books-minimum-wage-gentrification-alan-beatts-comix-experience/Content?oid=4828224
* SFist also included Borderlands among its list of The 12 Best Independent Bookstores in San Francisco. How wonderful! (It’s also important to remember how lucky we are to live in an area that has more than 12 independent bookstores.) http://sfist.com/2016/07/21/the_best_independent_bookstores_in.php
* The first footage from the upcoming "American Gods" television show has been released. All the fans who thought it would never be made can now let out a huge gust of air, and then proceed to hold their breath again and hope it’s everything they want it to be: http://www.tor.com/2016/07/22/feast-your-eyes-on-the-first-footage-from-american-gods/
* Local author Nick Mamatas is teaching a class in "Fabulist Fiction: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Mysteries, Young Adult, Magical Realism, Chick Lit & More" from August 13th - October 1st for the SF Creative Writing Institute. The class meets for six sessions and costs $395. More information is available, and you can also sign up here: https://sfwriting.institute/portfolio/fabulist-fiction/
* SFWA has started to admit Game Writers to its ranks. For all the rules and regulations, go here: http://www.sfwa.org/2016/07/sfwa-admit-game-writers-starting-august-1st-2016/
* Over at the Mary Sue there’s a great article written by Emma Newman on why feminism in fantasy is so important to so many people: http://www.themarysue.com/why-is-feminism-in-fantasy-so-important/
* In an interesting compliment to the above article, Cecilia D’Anastasio has an article in The Nation asking "Where is the new cyberfeminism?" Especially in light of all the progress on the horizon.
https://www.thenation.com/article/where-is-the-new-cyberfeminism/
* When satire gets too close to truth: Cthulhu and the British government? Seems like a match made by the Elder Gods: https://thedailybelter.com/2016/07/01/cthulhu-launches-bid-for-conservative-leadership/
* Speculative magazine Fireside Fiction did a special report on the state of black speculative fiction, showing that as many as half of science fiction magazines published no black writers in 2015, and that looking at the numbers, the probability of that being random chance are astronomical. Read the full report, all the data and accompanying essays here: https://medium.com/fireside-fiction-company/blackspecfic-571c00033717#.okiqxdeum
* The daily cycle on Jupiter’s moon Io would fit into many a science fiction story: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/232891-science-fiction-becomes-science-fact-with-a-better-look-at-jupiters-moon-io
* The Big Book of Science Fiction is over 1,100 pages of science fiction, interesting not only for the stories it contains but also the research and history it covers. Much like The Weird anthology (also edited by Jeff & Ann VanDerMeer) it is quite large and much more a coffee table book than a pocket book. http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/21/12187852/the-big-book-of-science-fiction-vandermeer-anthology
* Personally we miss a lot of the campier subgenres of science fiction that are no longer with us. Bring back science fantasy! Here are a list of the scientific breakthroughs that killed some of them: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/08/9-scientific-breakthroughs-that-killed-science-fiction-subgenres/
* Award-winning Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu disabused people of the idea that Africa is somehow not interested in science fiction or has no connection with the genre with a recent speech. Article and link to her full presentation here: http://qz.com/743683/without-allowing-space-for-imagination-we-lose-hope/
* It’s summer! Here’s have a list of movies where temperature change tries to kill us!: http://io9.gizmodo.com/8-science-fiction-tales-where-heatwaves-nearly-killed-u-1784668775
* Harry Potter & The Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2 has been released, and although it seems already to be a huge fan favorite, most of the reviews have been less-than-stellar. Case in point: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-disappointed_us_57a2c2fce4b0456cb7e1799b
* Here’s a list of books to read after finishing The Cursed Child (or for some people, instead of). We're especially glad they mentioned Kathleen Duey’s series, which is very underrated: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/what-read-after-cursed-child/
* Over at geek.com, the origin of elves as a species is explored with much attention to history and literature: http://www.geek.com/news/the-origin-of-the-species-elves-1663330/
* Ana Grilo explores a number of newer superheroines in comics that refuse to be bound by the misogynistic ideas that box in many female characters. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/comics-superheroines-difference/
* Many long term GRRM fans have been agitating for an adaptation of his Wild Cards anthology series, about a disease that alters people into heroes, villains and jokers. Well, it looks like it’s finally going to happen. http://www.hitfix.com/harpy/george-rr-martin-is-bringing-wild-card-superheroes-sci-fi-to-tv
*Speaking of having hope for adaptations! A Wrinkle of Time is being adapted with Jessica Lee (Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Zootopia) as screenwriter, Ava DuVernay as director and Oprah Winfrey as Mrs. Which. We're excited! http://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/news/a38126/oprah-ava-duvernay-a-wrinkle-in-time/
* An interview with Harry Turtledove where he talks about what got him started, how he plays with history, and what interests him about certain eras: https://www.inverse.com/article/19307-harry-turtledove-alternate-history-fallout
* The most expensive film in Chinese history, "The Great Wall" has understandably angered many people, including many Asian communities, because it seems to be another white savior movie along the lines of Dances with Wolves, but with dragons and Matt Damon. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/08/03/first-trailer-the-great-wall-receives-massive-backlash-asian-community/
* The 10 Speculative Fiction Beach Reads of 2016 according to Inverse and Zebbie Watson: https://www.inverse.com/article/18922-sci-fi-fantasy-books-summer-2016-beach-reads
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Award News
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* The winners of the Shirley Jackson Awards have been announced. The full list is here: http://www.shirleyjacksonawards.org/award-winners/2015-shirley-jackson-awards-winners/
* The 2016 World Fantasy Awards have announced their nominees and Locus Online News has the full list: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/07/11044/
* The winners of the 2016 Seiun Awards have been announced. Most of the details are in Japanese, but the winners and categories are translated to English. http://www.sf-fan.gr.jp/awards/2016result.html
* The Sunburst Award Society, which celebrates excellence in Canadian Literature of the fantastic, have announced their nominees for 2016: http://www.sunburstaward.org/node/105
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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for July, 2016
Hardcovers
1. THE NIGHTMARE STACKS by Charles Stross
2. STILETTO by Daniel O’Malley
3. HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD PARTS 1 & 2 by Jack Thorne & J.K. Rowling
4. RISE: A NEWSFLESH COLLECTION by Mira Grant
5. POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL by Serena Valentino
6. THE PERDITION SCORE by Richard Kadrey
7. IMPRUDENCE by Gail Carriger
8. PRESSURE by Brian Keene
9. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
10. UNDERGROUND by Ben Winters
Trade Paperbacks
1. HEROINE COMPLEX by Sarah Kuhn
2. THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers
3. POISON OR PROTECT by Gail Carriger
4. THE LAST DREAMKEEPER by Amber Benson
5. EVERYONE PAYS by Seth Harwood
6. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by CIXIN LIU, translated by Ken Liu
7. MECHANICAL FAILURE by Joe Zieja
8. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
9. UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas
10. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor Lavelle
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. THE AERONAUT’S WINDLASS by Jim Butcher
2. THE ANNIHILATION SCORE by Charles Stross
3. ZEROES by Chuck Wendig
4. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
5. THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman
6. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
7. THE PRICE OF VALOR by Django Wexler
8. A CALL TO DUTY by David Weber & Timothy Zahn
9. THE CONCLAVE OF SHADOW by Alyc Helms
10. THE INTERMINABLES by Paige Orwin
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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, August 14th, at 5 pm to discuss AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson. The book for August will be PROXIMA by Stephen Baxter. Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, August 17th, at 6 pm to discuss THE NAME OF THE WIND. The book for the following month will be LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS by Ursula K. LeGuin. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
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Upcoming Event Details
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Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm - We're very happy to welcome Sonia Orin Lyris, who will be showing off her compelling new fantasy THE SEER! From the publisher's website: "In a remote mountain village, a single mother sells her younger sister Amarta's prophecies to keep them and her infant child from starving. It's a dangerous game, when Amarta's predictions gain more mistrust than coin. In a tapestry of loyalty, intrigue, magic, and gold, Amarta becomes the key to everyone's ambitions. To survive, Amarta must do more than predict the future. She must create it." Meet Sonia and have your book signed! If you'd like a preview of the novel, you can read the first chapter here: http://lyris.org/seer/ch1/
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Carlos Allende, Juliana Delgado Lopera, Wendy Newman, Emmanuel Saadia, and Roberto F. Santiago - Saturday, August 13th at 7:30 pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders! August's lineup includes the following amazing authors: Carlos Allende, Juliana Delgado Lopera, Wendy Newman, Emmanuel Saadia, and Roberto F. Santiago! Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture. Doors open at 6:30, readings start at 7:30. Borderlands will be on hand to sell books. More info here: http://www.writerswithdrinks.com/
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci and Ben Loory (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Drop-by signing with Becky Chambers, A LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET (Harper, Trade Paperback, $15.99) on Monday, August 15th - Becky will be stopping by at some point to sign copies of her debut novel, which Jude thought was fantastic. Feel free to request inscribed copies!
Michael J. Martinez, MJ-12: INCEPTION, A MAJESTIC 12 THRILLER (Night Shade Books, Hardcover, $24.99) Tuesday, September 6th at 6:00 pm - We are very excited to welcome Michael J. Martinez as he kicks off his new paranormal spy thriller series MAJESTIC-12 with the first installment, MJ-12: INCEPTION! From the author's website: "From the ashes of World War II, a Cold War ignites. And from the nuclear fire of Hiroshima, something else has arisen. Normal people around the world have been changed by an unknown phenomenon and now possess extraordinary, super-human abilities. And the government conspiracy known as MAJESTIC-12 is gathering them together -- to use them if it can, to destroy them if it cannot." Learn more about the conspiracy at https://mj-12.net/
Curtis Chen, WAYPOINT KANGAROO (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $24.99) and Patrick Swenson, THE ULTRA BIG SLEEP (Fairwood Press, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 10th at 1:00 pm - Join us to meet two authors of fast-paced science fiction adventure! Curtis Chen's novel WAYPOINT KANGAROO sounds like great fun - check out this synopsis from the publisher: "Kangaroo isn't your typical spy. Sure, he has extensive agency training, access to cutting-edge technology, and a ready supply of clever (to him) quips and retorts. But what sets him apart is "the pocket." It's a portal that opens into an empty, seemingly infinite, parallel universe, and Kangaroo is the only person in the world who can use it. But he's pretty sure the agency only keeps him around to exploit his superpower. After he bungles yet another mission, Kangaroo gets sent away on a mandatory "vacation:" an interplanetary cruise to Mars. While he tries to make the most of his exile, two passengers are found dead, and Kangaroo has to risk blowing his cover. It turns out he isn't the only spy on the ship -- and he's just starting to unravel a massive conspiracy which threatens the entire Solar System."
Joining Curtis will be fellow Seattle-ite Patrick Swenson, who will be showing off his new novel, THE ULTRA BIG SLEEP, the sequel to THE ULTRA THIN MAN: "Dave Crowell is a hero of the eight worlds of the Union, but he doesn't want fame or fortune. These days he just wants to run his private detective business with his partner and forget about the Ultras, the insidious aliens that attacked the Union, then vanished. But a client turns up dead under mysterious circumstances, and Crowell knows the Ultras have not gone away. With the help of a beautiful alien, he uncovers fragments of memory that might lead to his missing father. When it becomes clear that Crowell's past also contains the information he needs to save the Union, he is caught up in a conspiracy beyond his understanding and pulled into an underworld drug war on a hostile planet. With the crisis deepening, Crowell must learn the answer to the biggest question of all: Where are the Ultras?" Don't miss this awesome event!
Seanan McGuire, ONCE BROKEN FAITH (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 10th at 5:00 pm - Any new Seanan McGuire book calls for a celebration, but the release of the tenth October Daye book calls for a Circus! We're happy to host Seanan and friends, who will show off the newest Toby book. . . here's the description from the book jacket: "Politics have never been October "Toby" Daye's strong suit. When she traveled to the Kingdom of Silences to prevent them from going to war with her home, the Kingdom of the Mists, she wasn't expecting to return with a cure for elf-shot and a whole new set of political headaches. Now the events she unwittingly set in motion could change the balance of modern Faerie forever, and she has been ordered to appear before a historic convocation of monarchs, hosted by Queen Windermere in the Mists and overseen by the High King and Queen themselves. Naturally, things have barely gotten underway when the first dead body shows up. As the only changeling in attendance, Toby is already the target of suspicion and hostility. Now she needs to find a killer before they can strike again --and with the doors locked to keep the guilty from escaping, no one is safe. As danger draws ever closer to her allies and the people she loves best, Toby will have to race against time to prevent the total political destabilization of the West Coast and to get the convocation back on track. . . ." Join us for the typical music, raffles, and revelry!
Why (and How) Writers Write: A Panel with S.G. Browne, Dana Fredsti, and Loren Rhoads - Sunday, September 11th at 12:00 pm - We're happy to welcome three successful local authors, who will be discussing their creative processes! Scott, Dana, and Loren will cover dealing with writer's block and distractions, developing writing routines and habits, balancing writing and day-to-day jobs/life, along with what made them want to become writers in the first place, what drives them to write, and why they tell the stories they tell! This will be a fascinating event for aspiring writers and avid readers alike.
SF in SF with authors Robert Silverberg and Alvaro Zinos-Amaro (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, September 11th at 4:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 3:30 pm, event begins at 4:30 pm - please note the earlier-than-usual start time. Robert Silverberg and his biographer will discuss the new biography published by Fairwood Press, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Patrick Swenson, the publisher, will also be in attendance. PLEASE NOTE: there will be signing restrictions for this event; email sfinsfevents@gmail.com for more info. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Ferrett Steinmetz, FIX (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 17th at 3:00 pm - We are thrilled to host Ferrett Steinmetz with the third and final installment of his popular 'Mancer series, FIX. Featuring a cast of unusual magicians -- chief among them Paul Tsabo, a bureaucromancer, and his daughter Aliyah Tsabo-Dawson, a videogamemancer -- FIX follows fugitive Paul and his family across the globe as they are hunted by the terrifying and hive-minded Unimancers, agents of the government's anti-'mancer squad. Author Ken Liu praises the series: "With the ‘Mancer series, Ferrett Steinmetz has achieved something rare in contemporary fantasy: a world that feels both truer and more magical than our own." Don't miss Ferrett and the conclusion of his electrifying and inventive series!
J. Patrick Black, NINTH CITY BURNING (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) Saturday, September 24th at 1:00 pm - We are very excited to host J. Patrick Black with his debut science fiction novel NINTH CITY BURNING. Here's the official synopsis: "We never saw them coming. Entire cities disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing but dust and rubble. When an alien race came to make Earth theirs, they brought with them a weapon we had no way to fight, a universe-altering force known as thelemity. It seemed nothing could stop it--until we discovered we could wield the power too. Five hundred years later, the Earth is locked in a grinding war of attrition. The talented few capable of bending thelemity to their will are trained in elite military academies, destined for the front lines. Those who refused to support the war have been exiled to the wilds of a ruined Earth. But the enemy’s tactics are changing, and Earth's defenders are about to discover this centuries-old war has only just begun. As a terrible new onslaught looms, heroes will rise from unlikely quarters, and fight back." You can read an excerpt from the book here: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/19/ninth-city-burning-cover-excerpt?xid=IFT-Section. We hope you'll join us for a memorable afternoon with this talented new author!
This newsletter is distributed monthly free of charge and may be distributed without charge so long all the following information is included.
Dispatches from the Border
Editor - Na'amen Tilahun
Assistant Editor - Jude Feldman
All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of Borderlands Books, 866 Valencia St.
San Francisco CA 94110
415 824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com
Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com
*******
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Dispatches from the Border: July 2016
Events and News From Borderlands Books
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Upcoming Events
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Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (ORBIT, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (ACE, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Sarah Kuhn, Allison Mick, Anne Lesley Selcer, Charles Stross, Shruti Swamy, and Abigail Ulman on Saturday, July 9th at 7:30 pm
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (ACE, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm
Donald Sidney-Fryer, HOBGOBLIN APOLLO: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DONALD SIDNEY-FRYER (Hippocampus Press, Trade Paperback, $25.00) on Saturday, July 16th at 1:00 pm (please note the unusually early start time for this event)
Early Closing - Borderlands Books and Cafe will both be closing at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th for a private event
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown & Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm
Seth Harwood, EVERYONE PAYS (Thomas & Mercer, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Sunday, July 24th at 3:00 pm
Todd Lockwood, THE SUMMER DRAGON (DAW, Hardcover, $26.00) on Wednesday, July 27th at 6:00 pm
Eliot Fintushel, ZEN CITY, (Zero Books, Trade Paperback, $11.95) on Saturday, July 30th at 3:00 pm
A celebration of Avram Davidson with Grania Davis and Ethan Davidson, reading from the new collection DAVID & SON, plus special guest Trina Robbins! (Surinam Turtle Press, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Sunday, July 31st at 6:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, THE PERDITION SCORE (HarperVoyager, Hardcover, $25.99) on Saturday, August 6th at 3:00 pm
Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci, David D. Levine, and Ben Loory (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm
Drop-by signing with Becky Chambers, A LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET (Harper, Trade Paperback, $15.99) on Monday, August 15th
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
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News
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* A warm welcome to Borderlands' publicity and marketing intern, Miranda Phaal! Miranda is a Borderlands sponsor and a student at Tufts University. She'll be helping us out with events, hopefully helping with our elusive YouTube channel, and writing some promotional material and other items for the store, including this month's From the Office piece. You'll mostly see Miranda at events or in the office, so feel free to say hi when you do!
* Overheard in the store:
[Author]: "I'm not really very collectible. My audience is primarily composed of people who shoplift books."
"I _really_ need to finish what I'm reading right now. But this one just looks so cool. . . AND this one. . . ."
* PLEASE NOTE: Because of a sponsor rental, we'll be closing both the bookstore and cafe early, at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th.
* Science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer was just appointed to the Order of Canada for his contribution to science fiction and futurism. Presented twice a year, it is one of the nation’s highest civilian honors. The full list of appointments is here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/governor-general-announces-113-appointments-to-the-order-of-canada/article30686986/
* The Horror Writers' Association (HWA) has announced a new program that will fund endowments to help libraries set up and maintain teen writing programs! The whole announcement is here: http://horrorscholarships.com/young-adults-write-now-endowment-program/
* Person of Interest started as a weekly criminal procedural with an interesting science fiction element, and through its run (which just ended after 5 seasons), became one of the best recent science fiction shows. Io9 goes into all the details. http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-person-of-interest-became-essential-science-fiction-1782518427
* Although Kotaku argues that Metal Gear Solid is one of the best science fiction stories in any medium, perhaps a Person of Interest/Metal Gear Solid deathmatch to settle the question? http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/07/metal-gear-solid-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-science-fiction-stories-in-any-medium/
* With Oculus on the horizon and other gaming companies coming out with their own VR headsets, this article tracing the idea of virtual reality through science fiction is especially timely. http://venturebeat.com/2016/07/03/how-science-fiction-writers-predicted-virtual-reality/
* This article in Women’s News states what many of us have always known: women love science fiction and read it just as often as men. http://womensenews.org/2016/07/in-science-fiction-the-race-for-female-readers-should-be-underway/
* Two great science fiction voices, Ann VanderMeer and Annalee Newitz were interviewed and gave their picks for the best summer reads. http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-07-02/best-science-fiction-books-your-summer-reading-list
* Many of us noticed that most of our favorite military SF writers are veterans. This article explores the reasons behind those connections and introduces us to some newer voices in military SF: http://www.stripes.com/former-troops-building-second-careers-in-military-science-fiction-1.417224
* Blastr gives us a list of 12 female presidents in science fiction, some wonderful and some absolutely terrible: http://www.blastr.com/2016-6-30/commandresses-chief-top-12-female-presidents-science-fiction
* Great in-depth review/article on Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera novel NINEFOX GAMBIT which combines space, math, and religion into an unforgettable novel. http://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2016/06/ninefox-gambit-is-military-science-fiction-for-people-who-love-mathematics/
* The latest New York Times speculative fiction reviews by N.K. Jemisin! http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/books/review/the-latest-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy.html
* And The Washington Post's monthly science fiction reviews! https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/best-science-fiction-novels-to-read-this-month/2016/06/21/6dd0f2f2-33e3-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html
* In geek fandoms/actors crossing-the-streams news, Tom Felton (DRACO MALFOY, WE LOVE YOU!) will be a series regular in Season 3 of "The Flash".
http://sciencefiction.com/2016/07/03/draco-nian-casting-tom-felton-announced-series-regular-flash-season-3/
* Interesting conversation about science, fiction, and religion featuring two scientists, a science-fiction writer, and a theologian -- (it sounds like the beginning to a really bad joke, but it's a good article):
http://wnpr.org/post/imagining-aliens-conversation-science-fiction-and-theology-0#stream/0
* You’ll never look at classic SF authors the same way again, once you see these ads.
http://io9.gizmodo.com/all-the-times-science-fiction-authors-have-shilled-rand-1777851410
* A really interesting discussion about comics targeted at girls that actually had a lot of science fiction and fantasy adventures. Many dismissed the comics Bunty and Mandy, but there were a lot of great ideas in those pages. http://www.denofgeek.com/books-comics/girls-comics/40252/a-girl-like-you-genre-adventures-in-girls-comics
* The New Yorker talks to the the talented Catherynne Valente about her Fairyland series, which started online and has since become a phenomenon for both kids and adults. http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-wildly-inventive-fantasy-series-that-began-on-the-web-and-became-a-best-seller
* This article argues that Indian fantasy writers are not simply rewriting their mythological epics (as has been argued), but that there is a diversity in Indian fantasy for those who wish to look for it. http://scroll.in/article/810251/indian-fantasy-writers-are-creating-worlds-beyond-the-epics-but-readers-must-know-where-to-look
* Wired has a great interview with author N.K. Jemisin where she talks Patreon, writing, inspiration, and choices. Check it out! http://www.wired.com/2016/06/wired-book-club-nk-jemisin/
* In honor of Fathers' Day this past month, let's take a look at (arguably) the worst fictional fathers in SF/F: https://www.inverse.com/article/17120-the-10-worst-fictional-fathers-in-sci-fi-fantasy-stories
* The always-brilliant Ursula K. LeGuin responds to a note that "technology is studiously avoided" in her works : http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Note-Technology.html
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Award News
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* The inaugural Eugie Foster Award has announced its first nominees! http://www.eugiefoster.com/eugieaward
* The Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA) has announced the winners of the 2016 Rhysling Awards. Check them out on their (very retro-1996 Geocities) webpage here:
http://www.sfpoetry.com/ra/pages/16rhysling.html
* The Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ) has announced the winner for their 2016 Sir Julius Vogel Awards, which recognize excellence in SF/F/H by New Zealanders. Check out all the winners here: http://www.sffanz.org.nz/sjv/sjvResults-2016.html
* The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel has announced their 2016 nominees: http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/campbell-finalists.htm
* New Award Alert: Nalo Hopkinson has announced The Lemonade Award to honor five people/groups which are doing something to foster joy and positive change in the science fiction community. More information and links on how to donate if you feel inclined are here: http://www.strangehorizons.com/blog/2016/06/announcement_the_lemonade_awar.shtml
* The Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists have announced the nominees for the 2016 Chesley Awards. Full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/2016-chesley-awards-finalists/
* The British Fantasy Society has announced its nominees for the 2016 British Fantasy Award. Full list here: http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/british-fantasy-awards/british-fantasy-awards-2016-the-nominees/
* The Lambda Awards were announced and Locus has a list of the winners of interest to SF/F/H fans. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/28th-annual-lambda-awards-winners/
* Locus has also announced the winners of their annual awards and have a complete list of their nominees and winners here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/2016-locus-awards-winners/
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From The Office
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London, the Heart of the Urban Fantasy Empire
Modern London has become the capital of the new urban fantasy empire. Although a contemporary setting is not a requirement of urban fantasy, what makes the subgenre so appealing is its blend of the old and the new. The ancient historical and literary -- and, most importantly, rural -- tradition of magic is adapted to a new setting: the city. The supernatural is thus made less fantastic, and more familiar. With urban fantasy, the reader need not conjure up an unreachable realm long ago and far away to immerse herself in the world of the novel and experience its magic. All that is required, at least for the city-dweller, is to step out the front door.
Urban fantasy makes the impossible credible in our own world. Typically, it does this by taking tenets of traditional or high fantasy, placing them some distance back in the history of the imagined world, and deducing how they would have evolved over time to function in a contemporary urban environment. Something old becomes something new.
It is no coincidence that about half of all urban fantasy novels since the subgenre's inception have been set in London. Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and a handful of other subsequent seminal works in the subgenre have no doubt influenced other authors to write about London's magic, but that magic was already there.
No city churns together the new and the old, the grittily real and the majestically fantastic, quite like London does. In the nineteenth century, London was the world’s largest city and most important financial center, as well as the heart of the largest empire in history. From the city's founding by the Romans in the first century A.D., through the Viking invasions and the devastation of the Black Death, London's early history was fraught with violence and upheaval. The still-extant Corporation of London survived the Norman Conquest and has remained at the core of a strong mercantile vein through the city’s history, of which the East India Company (established by London merchants at the dawn of the Age of Imperialism) is also a part. Early Modern London saw almost as much bloodshed as its medieval forebear. The Great Fire of London razed most of the medieval city in 1666. The failed Gunpowder Plot left Guy Fawkes and many of his co-conspirators drawn and quartered. Jack the Ripper prowled the streets of Whitechapel in 1888, and Sir Robert Peel's Metropolitan Police at Scotland Yard struggled against a rising wave of crime. Literary greats from William Shakespeare to Bram Stoker, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley have called London home. The Industrial Revolution, the London Underground (the world's first underground railway) and the city's "pea soup fogs" were the backdrop of a particularly brutal time in London's history, but the city's traditional institutions survived, adapting to modern times by fits and starts. London's incredible perseverance through the Blitz was a trial by fire of just how much Britain and the people living in its capital valued their history and way of life. London's rich history and culture have consistently demonstrated a simultaneous reverence for tradition and a progressive drive to embrace the future.
The city itself is a physical manifestation of those two trends. London is perhaps the most iconic city in the world, but it has collected its icons over many centuries, from the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey dating back to the eleventh and thirteenth centuries respectively, through the famous London Underground roundel, black cabs and red telephone boxes of the last century, to newer icons such as the London Eye, the Gherkin and The Shard, which all came into being within the last twenty-five years. During World War II, the Blitz ravaged London like a wildfire through a forest, destroying much, but making way for new growth amidst the old. The modern city with an ancient and very present past is the perfect place for traditional fantasy to shed its skin and slither in amongst the cobblestone streets and sodium lights.
As a setting for so much urban fantasy, one might expect London to have become a tired subject, but each author has managed to find different facets of the city to explore. Several authors see the enormous and diverse city as a place of chaos, and approach it from a law enforcement standpoint, drawing on the history of the Metropolitan Police Service (the Met), the first professional police force in the world. Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series follows the investigations of constable Peter Grant, apprentice to Inspector Nightingale, the head of an old and secret branch of the Met devoted to solving magical crimes. While the setting is modern, Aaronovitch's magic is traditional in flavor, with ancient secret societies, literal ghosts of the city's past, personifications of nature (the River Thames, for example), grimoires and Latin incantations, and the magicians' master/apprentice relationship, which causes some initial friction between the protagonist of West African heritage and his "Master." It is the integration of ancient magical practices with modern police work that makes Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series so compelling, and which provides the dynamo for works like it, such as Paul Cornell's Shadow Police series.
Other authors engage London's history more directly by choosing a historical setting. V.E. Schwab's new Shades of Magic series takes place during King George III's reign -- at least in Grey London, the version of London that most closely parallels our own out of Schwab's four. Red London is the capital of a flourishing magical empire and the home of the series’ protagonist, Kell. White London’s magic is draining away, and its inhabitants fight viciously for the scraps that are left. And Black London was, at least according to legend, consumed by its magic and sealed off from the three other realms long ago. Kell is one of the few who can travel between the three remaining Londons, and a name is one of the only things that the cities share. Each iteration of London is very much a product of the its own realm's magic -- in magic-rich Red London, almost nothing is permanent as the skyline changes with the daily trends, and in White London the air smells of blood. Each London, to some extent, provides a look at a different aspect of British imperialism, and its consequences. Similarly, Jonathan Barnes' Domino Men duology begins in Victorian London with The Somnambulist, and then jumps forward to modern London in The Domino Men when the creature with whom Queen Victoria made a Faustian bargain for the fate of her empire returns to collect its debt. Barnes forges into the blood and shadows of the politics of the imperial capital, embodied best by the monstrous men kept in the cellar of 10 Downing Street.
Another popular method authors use to explore London's magical side is the creation of an alternate London. Three of the subgenre's most prominent works do this: Gaiman's Neverwhere, Simon R. Green's Nightside series and Mike Carey's Felix Castor series. Gaiman constructs "London Below," the magical community situated literally beneath London in the network of old ruins, Victorian sewers and abandoned Underground tunnels. There is little interaction between the two Londons, not least because the inhabitants of London Below are effectively invisible to their counterparts in London Above. In the same vein as Gaiman's London Below is "the Nightside" in Green’s series. The Nightside is a secret, bizarre netherworld located in the heart of London, despite being larger than the city itself, and shrouded in perpetual darkness. In the Nightside, futuristic technology and the supernatural thrive side-by-side, and almost anything can be bought--for the right price. Carey, on the other hand, creates an alternate London very different from Gaiman's or Green's. The Felix Castor series is set in a near, post-almost-apocalyptic-but-not-quite future in which the dead, demons and were-kind have risen in droves, but are kept in check by people like London-based freelance exorcist Felix Castor. Carey's London is openly engaged in a struggle with the supernatural, and all are affected.
A large part of what makes urban fantasy so compelling as a subgenre, however, is the relatability of the setting. It is almost always set in our world as we know it, and an alternate or hidden London is a step removed from the one we know. Like Aaronovitch, Benedict Jacka succeeds in bringing to life a vibrant, magical community throughout real-world London in his Alex Verus series. Also like Aaronovitch, Jacka relies largely on concepts of traditional magic plucked from their historical and high fantasy origins, tweaked and bent in a few interesting ways, and then plopped down into modern London, as seer Alex Verus must track down a magical artefact from the ancient war between Dark and Light mages, all the while doing his damndest to avoid being caught up in the machinations of mage factions both light and dark.
Kate Griffin's Matthew Swift series is among the best (and certainly one of the most underrated) works of urban fantasy to date, because she expands upon a relatively unexplored form of magic: urban magic. Fritz Lieber's concept of megapolisomancy which he began to develop in the 1940s with stories such as "Smoke Ghost" and "The Hound," is an early example. Lieber wrote of megapolisomancy as a pseudoscience, and believed that the buildup of artificial "city-stuff" either created or attracted extremely dangerous entities known as paramentals. Cities, to Lieber, were dark places of cancerous growth and psychological entropy, but also sources of great power to those foolhardy enough to harness them. Kate Griffin takes quite a different approach. While the city does have a mind of its own, it is simply a manifestation of the next stage of life, and urban magic is a neutral force. As Robert Bakker, (Matthew's teacher) explains it, "Magic is life. Where there is magic, there is life; the two cannot be separated… And in this new time, the magic is no longer of the vine and the tree; magic now focuses itself where there is most life, and that life burns neon." Griffin's urban magic is based on the principle that magic -- like the people and creatures that use it -- adapts and changes. In Griffin's re-imagining of real-world London, The Whites are a clan of magicians who can only be found by taking the last Circle Line train, and who watch the city through their graffiti which, occasionally, comes to life. The Bikers can bend the laws of space and time to cover miles in a second. Fairies have tin foil wings, vampires screen their blood donors for communicable diseases and attend support groups, bloodhounds are creatures not to be trifled with, and the gods of the city are the Bag Lady, the Beggar King, Fat Rat and Lady Neon. Matthew, an urban sorcerer, can pull electricity out of the power mains, scry through the eyes of pigeons and urban foxes, send a hex via email, cast a barrier spell using the legalese on the back of his Oyster card, walk along the old city walls to commune with London itself, and on top of all that, he happens to be partially possessed by godlike creatures born of all of the life people have poured into the telephone lines ever since the first "Mr. Watson, are you there?". Like London itself, Griffin's urban magic is a vibrant and dynamic blend of old and new -- and that is what makes great urban fantasy.
All of the authors mentioned in this article -- and many more -- have built upon the great foundation of traditional fantasy. As much as modernizing those traditions keeps urban fantasy fresh and interesting, the subgenre is nothing without its history -- just like the cities that provide its essential settings.
- Miranda Phaal
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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for June, 2016
Hardcovers
1. THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill
2. THE CITY OF MIRRORS by Justin Cronin
3. RISE: A NEWSFLESH COLLECTION by Mira Grant
4. THE LONG COSMOS by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter
5. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
6. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
7. WAR FACTORY by Neal Asher
8. LEAGUE OF DRAGONS by Naomi Novik
9. THE NIGHTMARE STACKS by Charles Stross
10. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
2. UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas
3. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
4. JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER by Jodi Taylor
5. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
6. UPROOTED by Naomi Novik
7. GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
8. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
9. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
10. NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
3. SILENT HILL by N.S. Dolkart
4. VICKY PETERWALD: REBEL by Mike Shepherd
5. THE PRICE OF VALOR by Django Wexler
6. FROM A HIGH TOWER by Mercedes Lackey
7. THE DINOSAUR LORDS by Victor Milan
8. ARTEFACT by Jamie Sawyer
9. LAWLESS AND THE DEVIL OF EUSTON SQUARE by William Sutton
10. ASSASSIN QUEEN by Anna Kashina
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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, July 10th, at 5 pm to discuss THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi. The book for August will be AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson. Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, July 17th, at 6 pm to discuss ALTERED CARBON by Richard K. Morgan. The book for the following month will be BLINDSIGHT by Peter Watts. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
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Upcoming Event Details
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Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (ORBIT, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (ACE, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm - We couldn't be happier to welcome this trio of fabulous authors to Borderlands!
Sarah Kuhn's new novel is a sensational, fast-moving, super-fun super-heroine story set in San Francisco! The book introduces Evie Tanaka, the tremendously put-upon personal assistant to Aveda Jupiter, Evie's childhood best friend and San Francisco's most beloved super-heroine. But everything changes when Evie's forced to impersonate Aveda for an evening and Evie's own powers make their very dramatic appearance.
Mira Grant really needs no introduction, but we do love this line from her webiste: "Mira Grant was born and raised in Northern California, where she has made a lifelong study of horror movies, horrible viruses, and the inevitable threat of the living dead." She's also the author of The Newsflesh and Parasitology Trilogies; RISE is a collection of short stories in the Newsflesh universe, including the ever-popular "San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats".
Amber Benson is the talented and versatile author of more than a dozen novels, including the Calliope Reaper-Jones series, the Ghosts of Albion books with Christopher Golden, and now a new urban fantasy series that began with THE WITCHES OF ECHO PARK. THE LAST DREAM KEEPER continues the adventures of Lyse MacAllister, who has stepped into a very difficult role as master of the Echo Park coven of witches following her great-aunt's death -- and now there's a new threat, a group of fanatics intent on bringing about the end of times. . . . You won't want to miss this high-energy, awesome event!
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Sarah Kuhn, Allison Mick, Anne Lesley Selcer, Charles Stross, Shruti Swamy, and Abigail Ulman on Saturday, July 9th at 7:30 pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders! July's lineup includes the following amazing authors: Sarah Kuhn, Allison Mick, Anne Lesley Selcer, Charles Stross, Shruti Swamy, and Abigail Ulman! Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture. Doors open at 6:30. Borderlands will be on hand to sell books, (and yes, Sarah will be sprinting out of the Borderlands event to appear at Writers With Drinks)!
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (ACE, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm - We're thrilled to host Charles Stross, who only very infrequently makes it across the Atlantic to hang out with us! Charlie will be showing off the newest in the always-fun Laundry Files novels, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS! From the publisher's website: "Alex Schwartz had a promising future -- until he contracted an unfortunate bout of vampirism, and agreed (on pain of death) to join the Laundry, Britain's only counter-occult secret agency. His first assignment is in Leeds - his old hometown. The thought of telling his parents that he's lost his old job, let alone them finding out about his 'condition', is causing Alex more anxiety than learning how to live as a vampire secret agent preparing to confront multiple apocalypses. His only saving grace is Cassie Brewer, a student appearing in the local Goth Festival, who flirts with him despite his awkward personality and massive amounts of sunblock. But Cassie has secrets of her own - secrets that make Alex's night life seem positively normal . . ." You can check out the covers (both US and UK) of THE NIGHTMARE STACKS, as well as a Q&A about the book here: http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2015/11/cover-reveal-the-nightmare-sta.html .
Donald Sidney-Fryer, HOBGOBLIN APOLLO: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DONALD SIDNEY-FRYER (Hippocampus Press, Trade Paperback, $25.00) on Saturday, July 16th at 1:00 pm (please note the unusually early start time for this event) - We are delighted to welcome the Last of the Courtly Poets, Donald Sidney-Fryer, presenting his fascinating autobiography HOBGOBLIN APOLLO! Donald is a leading authority on Clark Ashton Smith and the California Romantics, and an absolutely captivating character. Come hear the professional and personal stories of this poet, author, editor, and marvelously eccentric individual.
Early Closing - Borderlands Books and Cafe will both be closing at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th for a private event. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF, at a lovely new venue! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown & Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm - We're very excited to welcome Daniel O'Malley, author of the wildly popular novel THE ROOK, to Borderlands, for the next book in the The Rook Files, STILETTO! Daniel lives in Australia, so it is a special treat to host him. Alan really liked THE ROOK, and STILETTO sounds fantastic! From the publisher's website: "When secret organizations are forced to merge after years of enmity and bloodshed, only one person has the fearsome powers -- and the bureaucratic finesse -- to get the job done. Facing her greatest challenge yet, Rook Myfanwy Thomas must broker a deal between two bitter adversaries: The Checquy -- the centuries-old covert British organization that protects society from supernatural threats, and. . . The Grafters -- a centuries-old supernatural threat. But as bizarre attacks sweep London, threatening to sabotage negotiations, old hatreds flare. Surrounded by spies, only the Rook and two women who absolutely hate each other, can seek out the culprits before they trigger a devastating otherworldly war." We hope you'll join us in welcoming Daniel O'Malley to the store!
Seth Harwood, EVERYONE PAYS (Thomas & Mercer, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Sunday, July 24th at 3:00 pm - Seth Harwood is back with a brand new thriller set in the ugly underbelly of San Francisco! From the book jacket: "Before becoming a homicide investigator, Clara Donner spent years on vice alongside the runaways and vulnerable women who walk San Francisco’s streets. She thinks she’s seen the worst things people can do - until she’s assigned to investigate a particularly ruthless serial killer. As the body count rises and a pattern emerges - each victim is known for his brutal abuse of women - Donner follows the killer’s trail across the city. In spite of a nagging sense that the world may be better off without these men, she pursues every lead. When Donner finds a damaged girl with links to both the killer and his prey, she wonders if this new witness is the key to unraveling these murders or another victim left in the killer’s wake." Meet Seth and check out this fascinating new novel.
Todd Lockwood, THE SUMMER DRAGON (DAW, Hardcover, $26.00) on Wednesday, July 27th at 6:00 pm - We are absolutely delighted to welcome acclaimed fantasy illustrator Todd Lockwood, who will be showing off his debut novel of high adventure, dragons, and political intrigue, THE SUMMER DRAGON! Just check out the great synopsis from the publisher's website: "Maia and her family raise dragons for the political war machine. As she comes of age, she hopes for a dragon of her own to add to the stable of breeding parents. But the war goes badly, and the needs of the Dragonry dash her hopes. Her peaceful life is shattered when the Summer Dragon -- one of the rare and mythical High Dragons -- makes an appearance in her quiet valley. The Summer Dragon is an omen of change, but no one knows for certain what kind of change he augurs. Political factions vie to control the implied message, each to further their own agendas. And so Maia is swept into an adventure that pits her against the deathless Horrors -- thralls of the enemy -- and a faceless creature drawn from her fears. In her fight to preserve everything she knows and loves, she uncovers secrets that challenge her understanding of her world and of herself." Do not miss the opportunity to meet this talented artist and author!
Eliot Fintushel, ZEN CITY, (Zero Books, Trade Paperback, $11.95) on Saturday, July 30th at 3:00 pm - We're happy to welcome the brilliant (and local!) Eliot Fintushel! Publishers Weekly has given his new novel ZEN CITY a starred review! Here's what they have to say about it: "Author and performance artist Fintushel (BREAKFAST WITH THE ONES YOU LOVE) blends Asian philosophy with science fiction in a mind-melting exploration of love, loss, and cultural appropriation. Like every other "hick" on the outside of the City, Big Man dreams of gaining access to it: a place of pure Buddha-nature, where every inhabitant has abandoned desire and reached a state of absolute oneness. Unable to enter by official channels, Big Man enlists the help of his would-be lover, Angela, to sneak in through a back way. In the process, he attracts the attention of the supposed bodhisattva No Mind and the less-than-holy Buddhist teacher Bobo Shin, who pursue him into the City for their own ends. Each character is fascinatingly developed in a somewhat Dadaist fashion, all while moving the plot along. Fintushel’s goal is never to mock or deride Buddhism itself, but rather to expose the ways in which the Eightfold Path is corrupted by human nature; in that regard, this book succeeds brilliantly, deftly weaving a tragic romance that’s about all of us, and none at all." We hope you'll come meet Eliot and discover his quirky and fascinating works.
A celebration of Avram Davidson with Grania Davis and Ethan Davidson, reading from the new collection DAVID & SON, plus special guest Trina Robbins! (Surinam Turtle Press, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Sunday, July 31st at 6:00 pm - Join us to meet author and editor Grania Davis, and author Ethan Davidson, along with special guests, to celebrate the life and work of Avram Davidson! DAVID & SON: PEREGRINE PARENTS AND OTHER TALES presents stories that Ethan, Grania and Avram's son, wrote in collaboration with his father, and Grania edited. Grania, Ethan, and others will share stories about writing and life with Avram. Join us for a fascinating tribute to this very influential author!
Richard Kadrey, THE PERDITION SCORE (HarperVoyager, Hardcover, $25.99) on Saturday, August 6th at 3:00 pm - We're always happy to welcome the awesome Richard Kadrey back to Borderlands! THE PERDITION SCORE is adventure number 8 for Stark, and without giving too much away, here's a little bit about the book from the publisher's website: "Not only does the fate of the world hang in the balance, but so do the souls of everyone in it. Stark has to find a way to break the stalemate in the angel war, score the Perdition cure for the black poison, and make it back to L.A. in one piece . . . where an old enemy waits to finish him once and for all." We hope you'll join us to meet Richard and catch up with his most famous anti-hero.
Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm - We're very happy to welcome Sonia Orin Lyris, who will be showing off her compelling new fantasy THE SEER! From the publisher's website: "In a remote mountain village, a single mother sells her younger sister Amarta’s prophecies to keep them and her infant child from starving. It’s a dangerous game, when Amarta’s predictions gain more mistrust than coin. In a tapestry of loyalty, intrigue, magic, and gold, Amarta becomes the key to everyone’s ambitions. To survive, Amarta must do more than predict the future. She must create it." Meet Sonia and have your book signed! If you'd like a preview of the novel, you can read the first chapter here: http://lyris.org/seer/ch1/
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci, David D. Levine, and Ben Loory (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Drop-by signing with Becky Chambers, A LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET (Harper, Trade Paperback, $15.99) on Monday, August 15th - Becky will be stopping by at some point to sign copies of her debut novel, which Jude thought was fantastic. Feel free to request inscribed copies!
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Upcoming Events
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Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (ORBIT, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (ACE, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Sarah Kuhn, Allison Mick, Anne Lesley Selcer, Charles Stross, Shruti Swamy, and Abigail Ulman on Saturday, July 9th at 7:30 pm
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (ACE, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm
Donald Sidney-Fryer, HOBGOBLIN APOLLO: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DONALD SIDNEY-FRYER (Hippocampus Press, Trade Paperback, $25.00) on Saturday, July 16th at 1:00 pm (please note the unusually early start time for this event)
Early Closing - Borderlands Books and Cafe will both be closing at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th for a private event
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown & Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm
Seth Harwood, EVERYONE PAYS (Thomas & Mercer, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Sunday, July 24th at 3:00 pm
Todd Lockwood, THE SUMMER DRAGON (DAW, Hardcover, $26.00) on Wednesday, July 27th at 6:00 pm
Eliot Fintushel, ZEN CITY, (Zero Books, Trade Paperback, $11.95) on Saturday, July 30th at 3:00 pm
A celebration of Avram Davidson with Grania Davis and Ethan Davidson, reading from the new collection DAVID & SON, plus special guest Trina Robbins! (Surinam Turtle Press, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Sunday, July 31st at 6:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, THE PERDITION SCORE (HarperVoyager, Hardcover, $25.99) on Saturday, August 6th at 3:00 pm
Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci, David D. Levine, and Ben Loory (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm
Drop-by signing with Becky Chambers, A LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET (Harper, Trade Paperback, $15.99) on Monday, August 15th
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
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News
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* A warm welcome to Borderlands' publicity and marketing intern, Miranda Phaal! Miranda is a Borderlands sponsor and a student at Tufts University. She'll be helping us out with events, hopefully helping with our elusive YouTube channel, and writing some promotional material and other items for the store, including this month's From the Office piece. You'll mostly see Miranda at events or in the office, so feel free to say hi when you do!
* Overheard in the store:
[Author]: "I'm not really very collectible. My audience is primarily composed of people who shoplift books."
"I _really_ need to finish what I'm reading right now. But this one just looks so cool. . . AND this one. . . ."
* PLEASE NOTE: Because of a sponsor rental, we'll be closing both the bookstore and cafe early, at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th.
* Science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer was just appointed to the Order of Canada for his contribution to science fiction and futurism. Presented twice a year, it is one of the nation’s highest civilian honors. The full list of appointments is here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/governor-general-announces-113-appointments-to-the-order-of-canada/article30686986/
* The Horror Writers' Association (HWA) has announced a new program that will fund endowments to help libraries set up and maintain teen writing programs! The whole announcement is here: http://horrorscholarships.com/young-adults-write-now-endowment-program/
* Person of Interest started as a weekly criminal procedural with an interesting science fiction element, and through its run (which just ended after 5 seasons), became one of the best recent science fiction shows. Io9 goes into all the details. http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-person-of-interest-became-essential-science-fiction-1782518427
* Although Kotaku argues that Metal Gear Solid is one of the best science fiction stories in any medium, perhaps a Person of Interest/Metal Gear Solid deathmatch to settle the question? http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/07/metal-gear-solid-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-science-fiction-stories-in-any-medium/
* With Oculus on the horizon and other gaming companies coming out with their own VR headsets, this article tracing the idea of virtual reality through science fiction is especially timely. http://venturebeat.com/2016/07/03/how-science-fiction-writers-predicted-virtual-reality/
* This article in Women’s News states what many of us have always known: women love science fiction and read it just as often as men. http://womensenews.org/2016/07/in-science-fiction-the-race-for-female-readers-should-be-underway/
* Two great science fiction voices, Ann VanderMeer and Annalee Newitz were interviewed and gave their picks for the best summer reads. http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-07-02/best-science-fiction-books-your-summer-reading-list
* Many of us noticed that most of our favorite military SF writers are veterans. This article explores the reasons behind those connections and introduces us to some newer voices in military SF: http://www.stripes.com/former-troops-building-second-careers-in-military-science-fiction-1.417224
* Blastr gives us a list of 12 female presidents in science fiction, some wonderful and some absolutely terrible: http://www.blastr.com/2016-6-30/commandresses-chief-top-12-female-presidents-science-fiction
* Great in-depth review/article on Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera novel NINEFOX GAMBIT which combines space, math, and religion into an unforgettable novel. http://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2016/06/ninefox-gambit-is-military-science-fiction-for-people-who-love-mathematics/
* The latest New York Times speculative fiction reviews by N.K. Jemisin! http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/books/review/the-latest-in-science-fiction-and-fantasy.html
* And The Washington Post's monthly science fiction reviews! https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/best-science-fiction-novels-to-read-this-month/2016/06/21/6dd0f2f2-33e3-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html
* In geek fandoms/actors crossing-the-streams news, Tom Felton (DRACO MALFOY, WE LOVE YOU!) will be a series regular in Season 3 of "The Flash".
http://sciencefiction.com/2016/07/03/draco-nian-casting-tom-felton-announced-series-regular-flash-season-3/
* Interesting conversation about science, fiction, and religion featuring two scientists, a science-fiction writer, and a theologian -- (it sounds like the beginning to a really bad joke, but it's a good article):
http://wnpr.org/post/imagining-aliens-conversation-science-fiction-and-theology-0#stream/0
* You’ll never look at classic SF authors the same way again, once you see these ads.
http://io9.gizmodo.com/all-the-times-science-fiction-authors-have-shilled-rand-1777851410
* A really interesting discussion about comics targeted at girls that actually had a lot of science fiction and fantasy adventures. Many dismissed the comics Bunty and Mandy, but there were a lot of great ideas in those pages. http://www.denofgeek.com/books-comics/girls-comics/40252/a-girl-like-you-genre-adventures-in-girls-comics
* The New Yorker talks to the the talented Catherynne Valente about her Fairyland series, which started online and has since become a phenomenon for both kids and adults. http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-wildly-inventive-fantasy-series-that-began-on-the-web-and-became-a-best-seller
* This article argues that Indian fantasy writers are not simply rewriting their mythological epics (as has been argued), but that there is a diversity in Indian fantasy for those who wish to look for it. http://scroll.in/article/810251/indian-fantasy-writers-are-creating-worlds-beyond-the-epics-but-readers-must-know-where-to-look
* Wired has a great interview with author N.K. Jemisin where she talks Patreon, writing, inspiration, and choices. Check it out! http://www.wired.com/2016/06/wired-book-club-nk-jemisin/
* In honor of Fathers' Day this past month, let's take a look at (arguably) the worst fictional fathers in SF/F: https://www.inverse.com/article/17120-the-10-worst-fictional-fathers-in-sci-fi-fantasy-stories
* The always-brilliant Ursula K. LeGuin responds to a note that "technology is studiously avoided" in her works : http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Note-Technology.html
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Award News
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* The inaugural Eugie Foster Award has announced its first nominees! http://www.eugiefoster.com/eugieaward
* The Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA) has announced the winners of the 2016 Rhysling Awards. Check them out on their (very retro-1996 Geocities) webpage here:
http://www.sfpoetry.com/ra/pages/16rhysling.html
* The Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ) has announced the winner for their 2016 Sir Julius Vogel Awards, which recognize excellence in SF/F/H by New Zealanders. Check out all the winners here: http://www.sffanz.org.nz/sjv/sjvResults-2016.html
* The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel has announced their 2016 nominees: http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/campbell-finalists.htm
* New Award Alert: Nalo Hopkinson has announced The Lemonade Award to honor five people/groups which are doing something to foster joy and positive change in the science fiction community. More information and links on how to donate if you feel inclined are here: http://www.strangehorizons.com/blog/2016/06/announcement_the_lemonade_awar.shtml
* The Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists have announced the nominees for the 2016 Chesley Awards. Full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/2016-chesley-awards-finalists/
* The British Fantasy Society has announced its nominees for the 2016 British Fantasy Award. Full list here: http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/british-fantasy-awards/british-fantasy-awards-2016-the-nominees/
* The Lambda Awards were announced and Locus has a list of the winners of interest to SF/F/H fans. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/28th-annual-lambda-awards-winners/
* Locus has also announced the winners of their annual awards and have a complete list of their nominees and winners here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/06/2016-locus-awards-winners/
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From The Office
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London, the Heart of the Urban Fantasy Empire
Modern London has become the capital of the new urban fantasy empire. Although a contemporary setting is not a requirement of urban fantasy, what makes the subgenre so appealing is its blend of the old and the new. The ancient historical and literary -- and, most importantly, rural -- tradition of magic is adapted to a new setting: the city. The supernatural is thus made less fantastic, and more familiar. With urban fantasy, the reader need not conjure up an unreachable realm long ago and far away to immerse herself in the world of the novel and experience its magic. All that is required, at least for the city-dweller, is to step out the front door.
Urban fantasy makes the impossible credible in our own world. Typically, it does this by taking tenets of traditional or high fantasy, placing them some distance back in the history of the imagined world, and deducing how they would have evolved over time to function in a contemporary urban environment. Something old becomes something new.
It is no coincidence that about half of all urban fantasy novels since the subgenre's inception have been set in London. Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and a handful of other subsequent seminal works in the subgenre have no doubt influenced other authors to write about London's magic, but that magic was already there.
No city churns together the new and the old, the grittily real and the majestically fantastic, quite like London does. In the nineteenth century, London was the world’s largest city and most important financial center, as well as the heart of the largest empire in history. From the city's founding by the Romans in the first century A.D., through the Viking invasions and the devastation of the Black Death, London's early history was fraught with violence and upheaval. The still-extant Corporation of London survived the Norman Conquest and has remained at the core of a strong mercantile vein through the city’s history, of which the East India Company (established by London merchants at the dawn of the Age of Imperialism) is also a part. Early Modern London saw almost as much bloodshed as its medieval forebear. The Great Fire of London razed most of the medieval city in 1666. The failed Gunpowder Plot left Guy Fawkes and many of his co-conspirators drawn and quartered. Jack the Ripper prowled the streets of Whitechapel in 1888, and Sir Robert Peel's Metropolitan Police at Scotland Yard struggled against a rising wave of crime. Literary greats from William Shakespeare to Bram Stoker, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley have called London home. The Industrial Revolution, the London Underground (the world's first underground railway) and the city's "pea soup fogs" were the backdrop of a particularly brutal time in London's history, but the city's traditional institutions survived, adapting to modern times by fits and starts. London's incredible perseverance through the Blitz was a trial by fire of just how much Britain and the people living in its capital valued their history and way of life. London's rich history and culture have consistently demonstrated a simultaneous reverence for tradition and a progressive drive to embrace the future.
The city itself is a physical manifestation of those two trends. London is perhaps the most iconic city in the world, but it has collected its icons over many centuries, from the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey dating back to the eleventh and thirteenth centuries respectively, through the famous London Underground roundel, black cabs and red telephone boxes of the last century, to newer icons such as the London Eye, the Gherkin and The Shard, which all came into being within the last twenty-five years. During World War II, the Blitz ravaged London like a wildfire through a forest, destroying much, but making way for new growth amidst the old. The modern city with an ancient and very present past is the perfect place for traditional fantasy to shed its skin and slither in amongst the cobblestone streets and sodium lights.
As a setting for so much urban fantasy, one might expect London to have become a tired subject, but each author has managed to find different facets of the city to explore. Several authors see the enormous and diverse city as a place of chaos, and approach it from a law enforcement standpoint, drawing on the history of the Metropolitan Police Service (the Met), the first professional police force in the world. Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series follows the investigations of constable Peter Grant, apprentice to Inspector Nightingale, the head of an old and secret branch of the Met devoted to solving magical crimes. While the setting is modern, Aaronovitch's magic is traditional in flavor, with ancient secret societies, literal ghosts of the city's past, personifications of nature (the River Thames, for example), grimoires and Latin incantations, and the magicians' master/apprentice relationship, which causes some initial friction between the protagonist of West African heritage and his "Master." It is the integration of ancient magical practices with modern police work that makes Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series so compelling, and which provides the dynamo for works like it, such as Paul Cornell's Shadow Police series.
Other authors engage London's history more directly by choosing a historical setting. V.E. Schwab's new Shades of Magic series takes place during King George III's reign -- at least in Grey London, the version of London that most closely parallels our own out of Schwab's four. Red London is the capital of a flourishing magical empire and the home of the series’ protagonist, Kell. White London’s magic is draining away, and its inhabitants fight viciously for the scraps that are left. And Black London was, at least according to legend, consumed by its magic and sealed off from the three other realms long ago. Kell is one of the few who can travel between the three remaining Londons, and a name is one of the only things that the cities share. Each iteration of London is very much a product of the its own realm's magic -- in magic-rich Red London, almost nothing is permanent as the skyline changes with the daily trends, and in White London the air smells of blood. Each London, to some extent, provides a look at a different aspect of British imperialism, and its consequences. Similarly, Jonathan Barnes' Domino Men duology begins in Victorian London with The Somnambulist, and then jumps forward to modern London in The Domino Men when the creature with whom Queen Victoria made a Faustian bargain for the fate of her empire returns to collect its debt. Barnes forges into the blood and shadows of the politics of the imperial capital, embodied best by the monstrous men kept in the cellar of 10 Downing Street.
Another popular method authors use to explore London's magical side is the creation of an alternate London. Three of the subgenre's most prominent works do this: Gaiman's Neverwhere, Simon R. Green's Nightside series and Mike Carey's Felix Castor series. Gaiman constructs "London Below," the magical community situated literally beneath London in the network of old ruins, Victorian sewers and abandoned Underground tunnels. There is little interaction between the two Londons, not least because the inhabitants of London Below are effectively invisible to their counterparts in London Above. In the same vein as Gaiman's London Below is "the Nightside" in Green’s series. The Nightside is a secret, bizarre netherworld located in the heart of London, despite being larger than the city itself, and shrouded in perpetual darkness. In the Nightside, futuristic technology and the supernatural thrive side-by-side, and almost anything can be bought--for the right price. Carey, on the other hand, creates an alternate London very different from Gaiman's or Green's. The Felix Castor series is set in a near, post-almost-apocalyptic-but-not-quite future in which the dead, demons and were-kind have risen in droves, but are kept in check by people like London-based freelance exorcist Felix Castor. Carey's London is openly engaged in a struggle with the supernatural, and all are affected.
A large part of what makes urban fantasy so compelling as a subgenre, however, is the relatability of the setting. It is almost always set in our world as we know it, and an alternate or hidden London is a step removed from the one we know. Like Aaronovitch, Benedict Jacka succeeds in bringing to life a vibrant, magical community throughout real-world London in his Alex Verus series. Also like Aaronovitch, Jacka relies largely on concepts of traditional magic plucked from their historical and high fantasy origins, tweaked and bent in a few interesting ways, and then plopped down into modern London, as seer Alex Verus must track down a magical artefact from the ancient war between Dark and Light mages, all the while doing his damndest to avoid being caught up in the machinations of mage factions both light and dark.
Kate Griffin's Matthew Swift series is among the best (and certainly one of the most underrated) works of urban fantasy to date, because she expands upon a relatively unexplored form of magic: urban magic. Fritz Lieber's concept of megapolisomancy which he began to develop in the 1940s with stories such as "Smoke Ghost" and "The Hound," is an early example. Lieber wrote of megapolisomancy as a pseudoscience, and believed that the buildup of artificial "city-stuff" either created or attracted extremely dangerous entities known as paramentals. Cities, to Lieber, were dark places of cancerous growth and psychological entropy, but also sources of great power to those foolhardy enough to harness them. Kate Griffin takes quite a different approach. While the city does have a mind of its own, it is simply a manifestation of the next stage of life, and urban magic is a neutral force. As Robert Bakker, (Matthew's teacher) explains it, "Magic is life. Where there is magic, there is life; the two cannot be separated… And in this new time, the magic is no longer of the vine and the tree; magic now focuses itself where there is most life, and that life burns neon." Griffin's urban magic is based on the principle that magic -- like the people and creatures that use it -- adapts and changes. In Griffin's re-imagining of real-world London, The Whites are a clan of magicians who can only be found by taking the last Circle Line train, and who watch the city through their graffiti which, occasionally, comes to life. The Bikers can bend the laws of space and time to cover miles in a second. Fairies have tin foil wings, vampires screen their blood donors for communicable diseases and attend support groups, bloodhounds are creatures not to be trifled with, and the gods of the city are the Bag Lady, the Beggar King, Fat Rat and Lady Neon. Matthew, an urban sorcerer, can pull electricity out of the power mains, scry through the eyes of pigeons and urban foxes, send a hex via email, cast a barrier spell using the legalese on the back of his Oyster card, walk along the old city walls to commune with London itself, and on top of all that, he happens to be partially possessed by godlike creatures born of all of the life people have poured into the telephone lines ever since the first "Mr. Watson, are you there?". Like London itself, Griffin's urban magic is a vibrant and dynamic blend of old and new -- and that is what makes great urban fantasy.
All of the authors mentioned in this article -- and many more -- have built upon the great foundation of traditional fantasy. As much as modernizing those traditions keeps urban fantasy fresh and interesting, the subgenre is nothing without its history -- just like the cities that provide its essential settings.
- Miranda Phaal
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Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for June, 2016
Hardcovers
1. THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill
2. THE CITY OF MIRRORS by Justin Cronin
3. RISE: A NEWSFLESH COLLECTION by Mira Grant
4. THE LONG COSMOS by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter
5. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
6. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
7. WAR FACTORY by Neal Asher
8. LEAGUE OF DRAGONS by Naomi Novik
9. THE NIGHTMARE STACKS by Charles Stross
10. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
2. UNITED STATES OF JAPAN by Peter Tieryas
3. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
4. JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER by Jodi Taylor
5. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
6. UPROOTED by Naomi Novik
7. GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
8. STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang
9. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
10. NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi
3. SILENT HILL by N.S. Dolkart
4. VICKY PETERWALD: REBEL by Mike Shepherd
5. THE PRICE OF VALOR by Django Wexler
6. FROM A HIGH TOWER by Mercedes Lackey
7. THE DINOSAUR LORDS by Victor Milan
8. ARTEFACT by Jamie Sawyer
9. LAWLESS AND THE DEVIL OF EUSTON SQUARE by William Sutton
10. ASSASSIN QUEEN by Anna Kashina
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Book Club Information
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The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, July 10th, at 5 pm to discuss THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi. The book for August will be AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson. Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, July 17th, at 6 pm to discuss ALTERED CARBON by Richard K. Morgan. The book for the following month will be BLINDSIGHT by Peter Watts. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
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Upcoming Event Details
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Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (ORBIT, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (ACE, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm - We couldn't be happier to welcome this trio of fabulous authors to Borderlands!
Sarah Kuhn's new novel is a sensational, fast-moving, super-fun super-heroine story set in San Francisco! The book introduces Evie Tanaka, the tremendously put-upon personal assistant to Aveda Jupiter, Evie's childhood best friend and San Francisco's most beloved super-heroine. But everything changes when Evie's forced to impersonate Aveda for an evening and Evie's own powers make their very dramatic appearance.
Mira Grant really needs no introduction, but we do love this line from her webiste: "Mira Grant was born and raised in Northern California, where she has made a lifelong study of horror movies, horrible viruses, and the inevitable threat of the living dead." She's also the author of The Newsflesh and Parasitology Trilogies; RISE is a collection of short stories in the Newsflesh universe, including the ever-popular "San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats".
Amber Benson is the talented and versatile author of more than a dozen novels, including the Calliope Reaper-Jones series, the Ghosts of Albion books with Christopher Golden, and now a new urban fantasy series that began with THE WITCHES OF ECHO PARK. THE LAST DREAM KEEPER continues the adventures of Lyse MacAllister, who has stepped into a very difficult role as master of the Echo Park coven of witches following her great-aunt's death -- and now there's a new threat, a group of fanatics intent on bringing about the end of times. . . . You won't want to miss this high-energy, awesome event!
Writers With Drinks at the Make Out Room (3225 22nd Street, San Francisco) with Sarah Kuhn, Allison Mick, Anne Lesley Selcer, Charles Stross, Shruti Swamy, and Abigail Ulman on Saturday, July 9th at 7:30 pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders! July's lineup includes the following amazing authors: Sarah Kuhn, Allison Mick, Anne Lesley Selcer, Charles Stross, Shruti Swamy, and Abigail Ulman! Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture. Doors open at 6:30. Borderlands will be on hand to sell books, (and yes, Sarah will be sprinting out of the Borderlands event to appear at Writers With Drinks)!
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (ACE, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm - We're thrilled to host Charles Stross, who only very infrequently makes it across the Atlantic to hang out with us! Charlie will be showing off the newest in the always-fun Laundry Files novels, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS! From the publisher's website: "Alex Schwartz had a promising future -- until he contracted an unfortunate bout of vampirism, and agreed (on pain of death) to join the Laundry, Britain's only counter-occult secret agency. His first assignment is in Leeds - his old hometown. The thought of telling his parents that he's lost his old job, let alone them finding out about his 'condition', is causing Alex more anxiety than learning how to live as a vampire secret agent preparing to confront multiple apocalypses. His only saving grace is Cassie Brewer, a student appearing in the local Goth Festival, who flirts with him despite his awkward personality and massive amounts of sunblock. But Cassie has secrets of her own - secrets that make Alex's night life seem positively normal . . ." You can check out the covers (both US and UK) of THE NIGHTMARE STACKS, as well as a Q&A about the book here: http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2015/11/cover-reveal-the-nightmare-sta.html .
Donald Sidney-Fryer, HOBGOBLIN APOLLO: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DONALD SIDNEY-FRYER (Hippocampus Press, Trade Paperback, $25.00) on Saturday, July 16th at 1:00 pm (please note the unusually early start time for this event) - We are delighted to welcome the Last of the Courtly Poets, Donald Sidney-Fryer, presenting his fascinating autobiography HOBGOBLIN APOLLO! Donald is a leading authority on Clark Ashton Smith and the California Romantics, and an absolutely captivating character. Come hear the professional and personal stories of this poet, author, editor, and marvelously eccentric individual.
Early Closing - Borderlands Books and Cafe will both be closing at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 16th for a private event. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF, at a lovely new venue! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown & Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm - We're very excited to welcome Daniel O'Malley, author of the wildly popular novel THE ROOK, to Borderlands, for the next book in the The Rook Files, STILETTO! Daniel lives in Australia, so it is a special treat to host him. Alan really liked THE ROOK, and STILETTO sounds fantastic! From the publisher's website: "When secret organizations are forced to merge after years of enmity and bloodshed, only one person has the fearsome powers -- and the bureaucratic finesse -- to get the job done. Facing her greatest challenge yet, Rook Myfanwy Thomas must broker a deal between two bitter adversaries: The Checquy -- the centuries-old covert British organization that protects society from supernatural threats, and. . . The Grafters -- a centuries-old supernatural threat. But as bizarre attacks sweep London, threatening to sabotage negotiations, old hatreds flare. Surrounded by spies, only the Rook and two women who absolutely hate each other, can seek out the culprits before they trigger a devastating otherworldly war." We hope you'll join us in welcoming Daniel O'Malley to the store!
Seth Harwood, EVERYONE PAYS (Thomas & Mercer, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Sunday, July 24th at 3:00 pm - Seth Harwood is back with a brand new thriller set in the ugly underbelly of San Francisco! From the book jacket: "Before becoming a homicide investigator, Clara Donner spent years on vice alongside the runaways and vulnerable women who walk San Francisco’s streets. She thinks she’s seen the worst things people can do - until she’s assigned to investigate a particularly ruthless serial killer. As the body count rises and a pattern emerges - each victim is known for his brutal abuse of women - Donner follows the killer’s trail across the city. In spite of a nagging sense that the world may be better off without these men, she pursues every lead. When Donner finds a damaged girl with links to both the killer and his prey, she wonders if this new witness is the key to unraveling these murders or another victim left in the killer’s wake." Meet Seth and check out this fascinating new novel.
Todd Lockwood, THE SUMMER DRAGON (DAW, Hardcover, $26.00) on Wednesday, July 27th at 6:00 pm - We are absolutely delighted to welcome acclaimed fantasy illustrator Todd Lockwood, who will be showing off his debut novel of high adventure, dragons, and political intrigue, THE SUMMER DRAGON! Just check out the great synopsis from the publisher's website: "Maia and her family raise dragons for the political war machine. As she comes of age, she hopes for a dragon of her own to add to the stable of breeding parents. But the war goes badly, and the needs of the Dragonry dash her hopes. Her peaceful life is shattered when the Summer Dragon -- one of the rare and mythical High Dragons -- makes an appearance in her quiet valley. The Summer Dragon is an omen of change, but no one knows for certain what kind of change he augurs. Political factions vie to control the implied message, each to further their own agendas. And so Maia is swept into an adventure that pits her against the deathless Horrors -- thralls of the enemy -- and a faceless creature drawn from her fears. In her fight to preserve everything she knows and loves, she uncovers secrets that challenge her understanding of her world and of herself." Do not miss the opportunity to meet this talented artist and author!
Eliot Fintushel, ZEN CITY, (Zero Books, Trade Paperback, $11.95) on Saturday, July 30th at 3:00 pm - We're happy to welcome the brilliant (and local!) Eliot Fintushel! Publishers Weekly has given his new novel ZEN CITY a starred review! Here's what they have to say about it: "Author and performance artist Fintushel (BREAKFAST WITH THE ONES YOU LOVE) blends Asian philosophy with science fiction in a mind-melting exploration of love, loss, and cultural appropriation. Like every other "hick" on the outside of the City, Big Man dreams of gaining access to it: a place of pure Buddha-nature, where every inhabitant has abandoned desire and reached a state of absolute oneness. Unable to enter by official channels, Big Man enlists the help of his would-be lover, Angela, to sneak in through a back way. In the process, he attracts the attention of the supposed bodhisattva No Mind and the less-than-holy Buddhist teacher Bobo Shin, who pursue him into the City for their own ends. Each character is fascinatingly developed in a somewhat Dadaist fashion, all while moving the plot along. Fintushel’s goal is never to mock or deride Buddhism itself, but rather to expose the ways in which the Eightfold Path is corrupted by human nature; in that regard, this book succeeds brilliantly, deftly weaving a tragic romance that’s about all of us, and none at all." We hope you'll come meet Eliot and discover his quirky and fascinating works.
A celebration of Avram Davidson with Grania Davis and Ethan Davidson, reading from the new collection DAVID & SON, plus special guest Trina Robbins! (Surinam Turtle Press, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Sunday, July 31st at 6:00 pm - Join us to meet author and editor Grania Davis, and author Ethan Davidson, along with special guests, to celebrate the life and work of Avram Davidson! DAVID & SON: PEREGRINE PARENTS AND OTHER TALES presents stories that Ethan, Grania and Avram's son, wrote in collaboration with his father, and Grania edited. Grania, Ethan, and others will share stories about writing and life with Avram. Join us for a fascinating tribute to this very influential author!
Richard Kadrey, THE PERDITION SCORE (HarperVoyager, Hardcover, $25.99) on Saturday, August 6th at 3:00 pm - We're always happy to welcome the awesome Richard Kadrey back to Borderlands! THE PERDITION SCORE is adventure number 8 for Stark, and without giving too much away, here's a little bit about the book from the publisher's website: "Not only does the fate of the world hang in the balance, but so do the souls of everyone in it. Stark has to find a way to break the stalemate in the angel war, score the Perdition cure for the black poison, and make it back to L.A. in one piece . . . where an old enemy waits to finish him once and for all." We hope you'll join us to meet Richard and catch up with his most famous anti-hero.
Sonia Orin Lyris, THE SEER (Baen, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, August 13th at 3:00 pm - We're very happy to welcome Sonia Orin Lyris, who will be showing off her compelling new fantasy THE SEER! From the publisher's website: "In a remote mountain village, a single mother sells her younger sister Amarta’s prophecies to keep them and her infant child from starving. It’s a dangerous game, when Amarta’s predictions gain more mistrust than coin. In a tapestry of loyalty, intrigue, magic, and gold, Amarta becomes the key to everyone’s ambitions. To survive, Amarta must do more than predict the future. She must create it." Meet Sonia and have your book signed! If you'd like a preview of the novel, you can read the first chapter here: http://lyris.org/seer/ch1/
SF in SF with authors Cecil Castellucci, David D. Levine, and Ben Loory (at The American Bookbinders' Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco, CA) on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Drop-by signing with Becky Chambers, A LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET (Harper, Trade Paperback, $15.99) on Monday, August 15th - Becky will be stopping by at some point to sign copies of her debut novel, which Jude thought was fantastic. Feel free to request inscribed copies!
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Dispatches from the Border: June 2016
Events and News From Borderlands Books
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Upcoming Events
----------------------
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 6:30 pm
Brian Keene, PRESSURE (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $25.99) on Friday, July 1st at 6:00 pm
Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (ORBIT, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (ACE, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown and Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
And, coming up later this year, we're delighted to host Todd Lockwood, Eliot Fintushel, Seth Harwood, Grania Davis, Donald Sidney-Fryer, Curtis Chen and Patrick Swenson, and many, many, more!
-------
News
-------
* Overheard in the store:
"They're publishing a 'Classroom Edition' of THE MARTIAN in the fall." "Of course they are; it's made of Science!"
"Coffee -- because adulting is hard."
* One year ago Ursula K. LeGuin urged people to stop using Amazon. Her reasoning is still sound. http://electricliterature.com/ursula-k-le-guin-i-keep-asking-you-not-to-buy-books-from-amazon/
* Speaking of alternatives to Amazon, we're happy to announce that our neighbor Dog Eared Books has opened up another store on Castro Street! They're having a gala opening party on June 20th from 6 pm - 10 pm with so many wonderful local authors: Armistead Maupin, Rebecca Solnit, Peter Orner, Brontez Purnell, Alejandro Murguía, Katrina Dodson, and Amy Berkowitz, along with their MC, Baruch Porras-Hernandez! Come down to mix 'n' mingle with their staff, drink swanky cocktails, eat fancy hors d'oeuvres, and listen to brief readings! http://www.dogearedbooks.com/castro.html
* Bookriot suggests 100 science fiction and fantasy novels by women that you should read. There are a few surprises on the list, but overall it’s a great selection. Organized, somewhat oddly, (mostly) alphabetical by title. http://bookriot.com/2016/05/02/100-must-read-sci-fi-fantasy-novels-by-female-authors/
* Bids for NASFiC 2017 and bids for WorldCon 2018: since WorldCon 2017 will be held outside the U.S. (in Helsinki), NASFiC will be running in North America. There are currently two bids for it: San Juan, PR (http://www.sanjuan2017.org/) and Valley Forge, PA (http://www.valleyforge2017.org/). (We know which place we'd rather vacation.)
* As for WorldCon 2018, the bids are coming in from New Orleans, LA (http://neworleansin2018.org/wp2018/) and San Jose, CA (http://www.sjin2018.org/). We'd love for it to be local to the Bay Area again, but. . . we also know where we'd rather go for a weekend. Head over to the websites to check out the bids.
* SFWA elections have been finished and winners have been announced. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/05/2016-sfwa-election-results/
* Katherine Dunn, the author most well-known for her novel GEEK LOVE, has passed away from complications related to lung cancer. An innovative writer, her voice will be missed. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/books/katherine-dunn-author-of-geek-love-dies-at-70.html
* Rolling Stone has come up with their list of the 40 Best Science Fiction Shows of all time. It’s a pretty thorough list with some cult classics that usually get ignored making the cut -- like Aeon Flux (the cartoon series, not the horrible movie). http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/lists/40-best-science-fiction-tv-shows-20160526/aeon-flux-1991-20160524
* An interesting article by IGN, on the seven science-fiction technologies that are poised to become science-fact. The tech is pretty "Star Trek" heavy, but when you think of time-frame and the number of years since the first series premiered, it makes sense. http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/05/31/7-ways-science-fiction-is-becoming-science-fact
* For a biological take on technology gone amok, take a look at these six current genetic manipulations that sound like science-fiction but have already happened, or are in process. Making micro-pigs, beagles with twice their normal strength, and cross-species transplants are just the beginning. http://fusion.net/story/305317/genetic-experiments-that-sound-like-science-fiction/
* Fandom darling, and all around amazing guy John Boyega has just made a deal to star in "Pacific Rim 2", which should stir interesting reactions in both fans of the first film and its ardent critics. http://deadline.com/2016/06/john-boyega-pacific-rim-sequel-star-wars-the-force-awakens-1201767756/
* Speaking of the "Star Wars" franchise, at least tangentially, here are some facts to calm down the massive fan panic that erupted when re-shoots were announced for Rogue One. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/06/06/setting-record-straight-rogue-one-reshoots/
* Looking for a vacation idea this summer that tie into your geeky nature? Here are seven suggestions from conventions to museums to theme parks to nature to start you off. http://www.space.com/32883-best-summer-vacations-for-science-fiction-lovers.html
* An inside look at novels and crowdsourcing: "4 Lessons I Learned Crowdsourcing a Science-Fiction Novel" is a surprisingly insightful look into work-sharing and the potential for the internet: http://www.cnet.com/news/4-lessons-i-learned-crowdsourcing-a-science-fiction-novel/
* An interesting take from Robert Kirkman, (creator of "The Walking Dead") on George R.R. Martin revealing his novel storyline to the producers of the television show. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/06/05/robert-kirkman-disappointed-george-r-r-martin/
* Annalee Newitz gives us a list of the 100 best stories from the early 20th century Radium Age of Sci-Fi over at Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2016/05/recapture-the-glory-of-radium-age-sci-fi-from-a-century-ago-with-these-books/
* A list of a few horror and science fiction film festivals happening around the US; submit a film or just kick back and and enjoy a massive media binge. http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/28/these-horror-and-science-fiction-film-festivals-will-give-you-the-chills-5908512/
* Over at io9, props are given to the thirty-year old film "Space Camp," which we'd barely heard of but seems like it should have some sort of cult status alongside other children/tech films like "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" or "Flight of the Navigator". . . we hope it's available at Lost Weekend Video < http://www.lostweekendvideo.com/#/new-page/ >! http://io9.gizmodo.com/30-years-later-the-space-camp-movie-is-still-fantastic-1780460215
* Geek Dad gives us a list of the top 10 mothers in science-fiction & fantasy, covering well-known territory like Martha Kent to more interesting choices like Lady Jessica from Dune: https://geekdad.com/2016/05/10-mothers-science-fiction-fantasy/
* Kotaku Australia has given us a list of awesome new science-fiction comics to check out. Na'amen can personally vouch for "ODY-C" & "Kaptara", both of which are interesting blends of science fiction with fantasy elements. The rest are going on the to-read list immediately. http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/05/12-new-science-fiction-comics-you-absolutely-need-to-be-reading/
* Rumors about the third "Thor" film, "Thor: Ragnarok", hint at the possibility of Planet Hulk elements. If this is so? We're really excited and a canon Marvel Universe "Hulk" film with Mark Ruffalo can’t be that far behind. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/06/02/thor-ragnarok-rumored-include-planet-hulk-elements/
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Award News
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* The finalists for the 2016 Mythopoeic Awards have been announced! Winners will be announced at MythCon 47 in August. http://www.mythsoc.org/news/2016-mythopoeic-awards-finalists-announced/
* The winner of the 2016 Compton Crook award has been announced as Fran Wilde’s UDRAFT. http://file770.com/?p=29023
* The winners of the 2015 Nebula Awards were just announced in Chicago. http://www.sfwa.org/nebula-awards/
* The winners of the 2015 Bram Stoker Awards were announced by the Horror Writers Association. http://horror.org/2015-bram-stoker-award-winners/
* New Awards Alert:
(1) Eugie Foster, a hugely talented short fiction author, was taken from us too soon and so an award has been set up in her memory. For eligibility requirements and other information head to this website: http://www.eugiefoster.com/eugieaward
(2) It looks like the Chinese government will be setting up their own major science fiction award. http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/06/the-chinese-government-is-setting-up-its-own-major-science-fiction-award/
----------------
Best Sellers
----------------
Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for May, 2016
Hardcovers
1. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
2. THE CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY by Guy Gavriel Kay
3. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
4. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
5. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
6. WAR FACTORY by Neal Asher
7. THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill
8. A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall
9. SLEEPING GIANTS by Sylvain Neuvel
10. KING OF THE WORLDS by M. Thomas Gammarino
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
3. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
4. THE ETERNA FILES by Leanna Renee Hieber
5. THE SILKWORM by Robert Galbraith
6. DEAD ICE by Laurell K. Hamilton
7. STRAITS OF HELL by Taylor Anderson
8. ULTIMA by Stephen Baxter
9. ZERO WORLD by Jason Hough
10. ALPHA by Greg Rucka
Trade Paperbacks
1. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
2. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
3. NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey
4. CENTRAL STATION by Lavie Tidhar
5. THE FOREST OF MEMORY by Mary Robinette Kowal
6. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor LaVelle
7. THE GHOST BRIDE by Yangsze Choo
8. SECONDHAND SOULS by Christopher Moore
9. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
10. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
------------------------------
Book Club Information
------------------------------
The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, June 12th, at 5 pm to discuss THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA by Matthew Reilly. Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, July 17th, at 6 pm to discuss SINGULARITY SKY by Charles Stross. The book for the following month will be ALTERED CARBON by Richard K. Morgan. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
------------------------------
Upcoming Event Details
------------------------------
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF, at a lovely new venue! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Brian Keene, PRESSURE (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $25.99) on Friday July 1st at 6:00 pm - It's been years since we've seen Brian Keene at Borderlands, and now he's back with a high-profile ecological thriller, PRESSURE! From Macmillan's website: "Off the coast of tropical Mauritius, an ecological catastrophe with global implications is occurring. The ocean's floor is collapsing at a rapid rate. World-champion free diver and marine biologist Carrie Anderson joins a scientific expedition determined to discover the cause - and how to stop it. But what they uncover is even more horrific. Deep beneath the surface, something is awake. Something hungry. Something. . . . cold. Now, the pressure builds as Carrie and her colleagues must contend with the murderous operatives of a corrupt corporation, an unnatural disaster that grows bigger by the day, and a monstrous predator that may spell the extinction of all mankind. PRESSURE is this summer's hot new thriller from bestselling author and World Horror Grandmaster Award winner Brian Keene."
Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (Orbit, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (Ace, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm - We couldn't be happier to welcome this trio of fabulous authors to Borderlands!
Sarah Kuhn's new novel is a sensational, fast-moving, super-fun super heroine story set in San Francisco! The book introduces Evie Tanaka, the tremendously put-upon personal assistant to Aveda Jupiter, Evie's childhood best friend and San Francisco's most beloved super heroine. But everything changes when Evie's forced to impersonate Aveda for an evening and Evie's own powers make their very dramatic appearance.
Mira Grant really needs no introduction, but we do love this line from her website: "Mira Grant was born and raised in Northern California, where she has made a lifelong study of horror movies, horrible viruses, and the inevitable threat of the living dead." She's also the author of The Newsflesh and Parasitology Trilogies; RISE is a collection of short stories in the Newsflesh universe, including the ever-popular "San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats".
Amber Benson is the talented and versatile author of more than a dozen novels, including the Calliope Reaper-Jones series, the Ghosts of Albion books with Christopher Golden, and now a new urban fantasy series that began with THE WITCHES OF ECHO PARK. THE LAST DREAM KEEPER continues the adventures of Lyse MacAllister, who has stepped into a very difficult role as master of the Echo Park coven of witches following her great-aunt's death -- and now there's a new threat, a group of fanatics intent on bringing about the end of times. . . . You won't want to miss this high-energy, awesome event!
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (ACE, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm - We're thrilled to host Charles Stross, who only very infrequently makes it across the Atlantic to hang out with us! Charles will be showing off the newest in the always-fun Laundry Files novels, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS! From the publisher's website: "Alex Schwartz had a promising future -- until he contracted an unfortunate bout of vampirism, and agreed (on pain of death) to join the Laundry, Britain's only counter-occult secret agency. His first assignment is in Leeds - his old hometown. The thought of telling his parents that he's lost his old job, let alone them finding out about his 'condition', is causing Alex more anxiety than learning how to live as a vampire secret agent preparing to confront multiple apocalypses. His only saving grace is Cassie Brewer, a student appearing in the local Goth Festival, who flirts with him despite his awkward personality and massive amounts of sunblock. But Cassie has secrets of her own - secrets that make Alex's night life seem positively normal . . ." You can check out the covers (both US and UK) of THE NIGHTMARE STACKS, as well as a Q&A about the book here: http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2015/11/cover-reveal-the-nightmare-sta.html .
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to participate in the marvelous work of SF in SF! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown and Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm - We're very excited to welcome Daniel O'Malley, author of the wildly popular novel THE ROOK, to Borderlands, for the next book in the The Rook Files, STILETTO! Daniel lives in Australia, so it is a special treat to host him. And STILETTO sounds fantastic! From the publisher's website: "When secret organizations are forced to merge after years of enmity and bloodshed, only one person has the fearsome powers -- and the bureaucratic finesse -- to get the job done. Facing her greatest challenge yet, Rook Myfanwy Thomas must broker a deal between two bitter adversaries: The Checquy -- the centuries-old covert British organization that protects society from supernatural threats, and. . . The Grafters -- a centuries-old supernatural threat. But as bizarre attacks sweep London, threatening to sabotage negotiations, old hatreds flare. Surrounded by spies, only the Rook and two women who absolutely hate each other, can seek out the culprits before they trigger a devastating otherworldly war." We hope you'll join us to meet Daniel O'Malley!
This newsletter is distributed monthly free of charge and may be distributed without charge so long all the following information is included.
Dispatches from the Border
Editor - Na'amen Tilahun
Assistant Editor - Jude Feldman
All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of Borderlands Books, 866 Valencia St.
San Francisco CA 94110
415 824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com
Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com
*******
----------------------
Upcoming Events
----------------------
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 6:30 pm
Brian Keene, PRESSURE (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $25.99) on Friday, July 1st at 6:00 pm
Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (ORBIT, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (ACE, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (Ace, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown and Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
And, coming up later this year, we're delighted to host Todd Lockwood, Eliot Fintushel, Seth Harwood, Grania Davis, Donald Sidney-Fryer, Curtis Chen and Patrick Swenson, and many, many, more!
-------
News
-------
* Overheard in the store:
"They're publishing a 'Classroom Edition' of THE MARTIAN in the fall." "Of course they are; it's made of Science!"
"Coffee -- because adulting is hard."
* One year ago Ursula K. LeGuin urged people to stop using Amazon. Her reasoning is still sound. http://electricliterature.com/ursula-k-le-guin-i-keep-asking-you-not-to-buy-books-from-amazon/
* Speaking of alternatives to Amazon, we're happy to announce that our neighbor Dog Eared Books has opened up another store on Castro Street! They're having a gala opening party on June 20th from 6 pm - 10 pm with so many wonderful local authors: Armistead Maupin, Rebecca Solnit, Peter Orner, Brontez Purnell, Alejandro Murguía, Katrina Dodson, and Amy Berkowitz, along with their MC, Baruch Porras-Hernandez! Come down to mix 'n' mingle with their staff, drink swanky cocktails, eat fancy hors d'oeuvres, and listen to brief readings! http://www.dogearedbooks.com/castro.html
* Bookriot suggests 100 science fiction and fantasy novels by women that you should read. There are a few surprises on the list, but overall it’s a great selection. Organized, somewhat oddly, (mostly) alphabetical by title. http://bookriot.com/2016/05/02/100-must-read-sci-fi-fantasy-novels-by-female-authors/
* Bids for NASFiC 2017 and bids for WorldCon 2018: since WorldCon 2017 will be held outside the U.S. (in Helsinki), NASFiC will be running in North America. There are currently two bids for it: San Juan, PR (http://www.sanjuan2017.org/) and Valley Forge, PA (http://www.valleyforge2017.org/). (We know which place we'd rather vacation.)
* As for WorldCon 2018, the bids are coming in from New Orleans, LA (http://neworleansin2018.org/wp2018/) and San Jose, CA (http://www.sjin2018.org/). We'd love for it to be local to the Bay Area again, but. . . we also know where we'd rather go for a weekend. Head over to the websites to check out the bids.
* SFWA elections have been finished and winners have been announced. http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/05/2016-sfwa-election-results/
* Katherine Dunn, the author most well-known for her novel GEEK LOVE, has passed away from complications related to lung cancer. An innovative writer, her voice will be missed. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/books/katherine-dunn-author-of-geek-love-dies-at-70.html
* Rolling Stone has come up with their list of the 40 Best Science Fiction Shows of all time. It’s a pretty thorough list with some cult classics that usually get ignored making the cut -- like Aeon Flux (the cartoon series, not the horrible movie). http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/lists/40-best-science-fiction-tv-shows-20160526/aeon-flux-1991-20160524
* An interesting article by IGN, on the seven science-fiction technologies that are poised to become science-fact. The tech is pretty "Star Trek" heavy, but when you think of time-frame and the number of years since the first series premiered, it makes sense. http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/05/31/7-ways-science-fiction-is-becoming-science-fact
* For a biological take on technology gone amok, take a look at these six current genetic manipulations that sound like science-fiction but have already happened, or are in process. Making micro-pigs, beagles with twice their normal strength, and cross-species transplants are just the beginning. http://fusion.net/story/305317/genetic-experiments-that-sound-like-science-fiction/
* Fandom darling, and all around amazing guy John Boyega has just made a deal to star in "Pacific Rim 2", which should stir interesting reactions in both fans of the first film and its ardent critics. http://deadline.com/2016/06/john-boyega-pacific-rim-sequel-star-wars-the-force-awakens-1201767756/
* Speaking of the "Star Wars" franchise, at least tangentially, here are some facts to calm down the massive fan panic that erupted when re-shoots were announced for Rogue One. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/06/06/setting-record-straight-rogue-one-reshoots/
* Looking for a vacation idea this summer that tie into your geeky nature? Here are seven suggestions from conventions to museums to theme parks to nature to start you off. http://www.space.com/32883-best-summer-vacations-for-science-fiction-lovers.html
* An inside look at novels and crowdsourcing: "4 Lessons I Learned Crowdsourcing a Science-Fiction Novel" is a surprisingly insightful look into work-sharing and the potential for the internet: http://www.cnet.com/news/4-lessons-i-learned-crowdsourcing-a-science-fiction-novel/
* An interesting take from Robert Kirkman, (creator of "The Walking Dead") on George R.R. Martin revealing his novel storyline to the producers of the television show. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/06/05/robert-kirkman-disappointed-george-r-r-martin/
* Annalee Newitz gives us a list of the 100 best stories from the early 20th century Radium Age of Sci-Fi over at Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2016/05/recapture-the-glory-of-radium-age-sci-fi-from-a-century-ago-with-these-books/
* A list of a few horror and science fiction film festivals happening around the US; submit a film or just kick back and and enjoy a massive media binge. http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/28/these-horror-and-science-fiction-film-festivals-will-give-you-the-chills-5908512/
* Over at io9, props are given to the thirty-year old film "Space Camp," which we'd barely heard of but seems like it should have some sort of cult status alongside other children/tech films like "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" or "Flight of the Navigator". . . we hope it's available at Lost Weekend Video < http://www.lostweekendvideo.com/#/new-page/ >! http://io9.gizmodo.com/30-years-later-the-space-camp-movie-is-still-fantastic-1780460215
* Geek Dad gives us a list of the top 10 mothers in science-fiction & fantasy, covering well-known territory like Martha Kent to more interesting choices like Lady Jessica from Dune: https://geekdad.com/2016/05/10-mothers-science-fiction-fantasy/
* Kotaku Australia has given us a list of awesome new science-fiction comics to check out. Na'amen can personally vouch for "ODY-C" & "Kaptara", both of which are interesting blends of science fiction with fantasy elements. The rest are going on the to-read list immediately. http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/05/12-new-science-fiction-comics-you-absolutely-need-to-be-reading/
* Rumors about the third "Thor" film, "Thor: Ragnarok", hint at the possibility of Planet Hulk elements. If this is so? We're really excited and a canon Marvel Universe "Hulk" film with Mark Ruffalo can’t be that far behind. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/06/02/thor-ragnarok-rumored-include-planet-hulk-elements/
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Award News
------------------
* The finalists for the 2016 Mythopoeic Awards have been announced! Winners will be announced at MythCon 47 in August. http://www.mythsoc.org/news/2016-mythopoeic-awards-finalists-announced/
* The winner of the 2016 Compton Crook award has been announced as Fran Wilde’s UDRAFT. http://file770.com/?p=29023
* The winners of the 2015 Nebula Awards were just announced in Chicago. http://www.sfwa.org/nebula-awards/
* The winners of the 2015 Bram Stoker Awards were announced by the Horror Writers Association. http://horror.org/2015-bram-stoker-award-winners/
* New Awards Alert:
(1) Eugie Foster, a hugely talented short fiction author, was taken from us too soon and so an award has been set up in her memory. For eligibility requirements and other information head to this website: http://www.eugiefoster.com/eugieaward
(2) It looks like the Chinese government will be setting up their own major science fiction award. http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/06/the-chinese-government-is-setting-up-its-own-major-science-fiction-award/
----------------
Best Sellers
----------------
Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for May, 2016
Hardcovers
1. VELVETEEN VS. THE SEASONS by Seanan McGuire
2. THE CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY by Guy Gavriel Kay
3. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
4. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
5. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
6. WAR FACTORY by Neal Asher
7. THE FIREMAN by Joe Hill
8. A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall
9. SLEEPING GIANTS by Sylvain Neuvel
10. KING OF THE WORLDS by M. Thomas Gammarino
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
2. AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman
3. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
4. THE ETERNA FILES by Leanna Renee Hieber
5. THE SILKWORM by Robert Galbraith
6. DEAD ICE by Laurell K. Hamilton
7. STRAITS OF HELL by Taylor Anderson
8. ULTIMA by Stephen Baxter
9. ZERO WORLD by Jason Hough
10. ALPHA by Greg Rucka
Trade Paperbacks
1. SEVENEVES by Neal Stephenson
2. THE ROOT by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
3. NEMESIS GAMES by James S.A. Corey
4. CENTRAL STATION by Lavie Tidhar
5. THE FOREST OF MEMORY by Mary Robinette Kowal
6. THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM by Victor LaVelle
7. THE GHOST BRIDE by Yangsze Choo
8. SECONDHAND SOULS by Christopher Moore
9. THE GUNSLINGER by Stephen King
10. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
------------------------------
Book Club Information
------------------------------
The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, June 12th, at 5 pm to discuss THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA by Matthew Reilly. Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, July 17th, at 6 pm to discuss SINGULARITY SKY by Charles Stross. The book for the following month will be ALTERED CARBON by Richard K. Morgan. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
------------------------------
Upcoming Event Details
------------------------------
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF, at a lovely new venue! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Brian Keene, PRESSURE (Thomas Dunne Books, Hardcover, $25.99) on Friday July 1st at 6:00 pm - It's been years since we've seen Brian Keene at Borderlands, and now he's back with a high-profile ecological thriller, PRESSURE! From Macmillan's website: "Off the coast of tropical Mauritius, an ecological catastrophe with global implications is occurring. The ocean's floor is collapsing at a rapid rate. World-champion free diver and marine biologist Carrie Anderson joins a scientific expedition determined to discover the cause - and how to stop it. But what they uncover is even more horrific. Deep beneath the surface, something is awake. Something hungry. Something. . . . cold. Now, the pressure builds as Carrie and her colleagues must contend with the murderous operatives of a corrupt corporation, an unnatural disaster that grows bigger by the day, and a monstrous predator that may spell the extinction of all mankind. PRESSURE is this summer's hot new thriller from bestselling author and World Horror Grandmaster Award winner Brian Keene."
Sarah Kuhn, HEROINE COMPLEX (DAW, Trade Paperback, $15.00); Mira Grant, RISE (Orbit, Hardcover, $25.00); and Amber Benson, THE LAST DREAM KEEPER (Ace, Trade Paperback, $15.00) on Saturday, July 9th at 6:00 pm - We couldn't be happier to welcome this trio of fabulous authors to Borderlands!
Sarah Kuhn's new novel is a sensational, fast-moving, super-fun super heroine story set in San Francisco! The book introduces Evie Tanaka, the tremendously put-upon personal assistant to Aveda Jupiter, Evie's childhood best friend and San Francisco's most beloved super heroine. But everything changes when Evie's forced to impersonate Aveda for an evening and Evie's own powers make their very dramatic appearance.
Mira Grant really needs no introduction, but we do love this line from her website: "Mira Grant was born and raised in Northern California, where she has made a lifelong study of horror movies, horrible viruses, and the inevitable threat of the living dead." She's also the author of The Newsflesh and Parasitology Trilogies; RISE is a collection of short stories in the Newsflesh universe, including the ever-popular "San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats".
Amber Benson is the talented and versatile author of more than a dozen novels, including the Calliope Reaper-Jones series, the Ghosts of Albion books with Christopher Golden, and now a new urban fantasy series that began with THE WITCHES OF ECHO PARK. THE LAST DREAM KEEPER continues the adventures of Lyse MacAllister, who has stepped into a very difficult role as master of the Echo Park coven of witches following her great-aunt's death -- and now there's a new threat, a group of fanatics intent on bringing about the end of times. . . . You won't want to miss this high-energy, awesome event!
Charles Stross, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS (ACE, Hardcover, $27.00) on Sunday, July 10th at 3:00 pm - We're thrilled to host Charles Stross, who only very infrequently makes it across the Atlantic to hang out with us! Charles will be showing off the newest in the always-fun Laundry Files novels, THE NIGHTMARE STACKS! From the publisher's website: "Alex Schwartz had a promising future -- until he contracted an unfortunate bout of vampirism, and agreed (on pain of death) to join the Laundry, Britain's only counter-occult secret agency. His first assignment is in Leeds - his old hometown. The thought of telling his parents that he's lost his old job, let alone them finding out about his 'condition', is causing Alex more anxiety than learning how to live as a vampire secret agent preparing to confront multiple apocalypses. His only saving grace is Cassie Brewer, a student appearing in the local Goth Festival, who flirts with him despite his awkward personality and massive amounts of sunblock. But Cassie has secrets of her own - secrets that make Alex's night life seem positively normal . . ." You can check out the covers (both US and UK) of THE NIGHTMARE STACKS, as well as a Q&A about the book here: http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2015/11/cover-reveal-the-nightmare-sta.html .
SF in SF with authors Richard Kadrey and Thomas Olde Heuvelt (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, July 17th at 6:30 pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to participate in the marvelous work of SF in SF! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Daniel O'Malley, STILETTO (Little, Brown and Company, Hardcover, $26.00) on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:00 pm - We're very excited to welcome Daniel O'Malley, author of the wildly popular novel THE ROOK, to Borderlands, for the next book in the The Rook Files, STILETTO! Daniel lives in Australia, so it is a special treat to host him. And STILETTO sounds fantastic! From the publisher's website: "When secret organizations are forced to merge after years of enmity and bloodshed, only one person has the fearsome powers -- and the bureaucratic finesse -- to get the job done. Facing her greatest challenge yet, Rook Myfanwy Thomas must broker a deal between two bitter adversaries: The Checquy -- the centuries-old covert British organization that protects society from supernatural threats, and. . . The Grafters -- a centuries-old supernatural threat. But as bizarre attacks sweep London, threatening to sabotage negotiations, old hatreds flare. Surrounded by spies, only the Rook and two women who absolutely hate each other, can seek out the culprits before they trigger a devastating otherworldly war." We hope you'll join us to meet Daniel O'Malley!
This newsletter is distributed monthly free of charge and may be distributed without charge so long all the following information is included.
Dispatches from the Border
Editor - Na'amen Tilahun
Assistant Editor - Jude Feldman
All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of Borderlands Books, 866 Valencia St.
San Francisco CA 94110
415 824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com
Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com
*******
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Dispatches from the Border: May 2016
Events and News From Borderlands Books
----------------------
Upcoming Events
----------------------
Nick Mamatas, THE LAST WEEKEND (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $15.99) & Steve Toutonghi, JOIN (Soho Press, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, May 21st at 1:00pm
Guy Gavriel Kay, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY (NAL, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday May 21st at 3:00pm
Writers With Drinks at The Make-Out Room hosted by Charlie Jane Anders, with authors Kwan Booth, Yangsze Choo, Guy Gavriel Kay, David Lau, and Ariel Waldman, on Saturday May 21st at 7:30pm
SF in SF with authors Marie Brennan and Thomas Gammarino (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, May 22nd at 5:30pm
Katie Morton, RE-IMAGINING FILM FUTURES Art Opening on June 3rd at 6:00pm
Janet Dawson, DEATH DEALS A HAND (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) and Wendy Hornsby, DISTURBING THE DARK (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00pm
Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, THE ROOT (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) on Saturday June 4th at 3:00pm
Robots and Goons: A Reading with Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 5:30pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
-------
News
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* Mission Local attended the Sponsors' General Meeting on March 31st and wrote a detailed article where several of our sponsors are quoted: http://missionlocal.org/2016/04/sponsors-support-save-sf-mission-genre-bookstore/
* An article on Forbes.com talks about San Francisco's $15 minimum wage and its effects on three independent stores including Borderlands: http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2016/03/31/what-a-15-minimum-wage-means-for-three-small-businesses-in-san-francisco/#a820faf17779
* Beloved Hugo-winning website SF Signal is shutting down. They will no longer be updating and are looking into ways to preserve the archives of their work beyond this month. Check out their full announcement here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2016/05/all-good-things/
* io9 took suggestions and created a Spotify playlist of the 30 SF/F songs guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Check out the list and the runners-up here: http://io9.gizmodo.com/30-science-fiction-and-fantasy-songs-absolutely-certain-1775094591
* The Guardian provides their monthly list of the best recent SF/F novels here: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/05/eric-brown-science-fiction-roundup
* When "Ghostbusters" announced an all-female reboot many of us celebrated -- until we saw the trailer, which has since become one of the most disliked movie trailers of all time on Youtube. Melissa McCarthy shares her thoughts on the trailer and agrees that it makes no sense. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Ghostbusters-Trailer-Was-Confusing-According-Melissa-McCarthy-128577.html
* Spike TV is planning a series adaptation of the Stephen King novel THE MIST, with 10 one-hour long episodes. Although this book has already been made into a film, perhaps the longer arc will lend itself to more expansive storytelling. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/06/spikes-adaptation-the-mist-gains-director-pilot-episode/
* Slate draws our attention to this beautifully shot, dark, short film on the topic of body-swapping. As the article says, some of the twists and turns won't be new to the speculative fiction fan but the atmosphere, acting and sinister hints make "Trial" one to watch. http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2016/05/03/trial_a_science_fiction_short_film_by_the_brothers_lynch_features_a_mind.html
* Read about the "Star Wars" saga as it was originally intended: a twelve-movie epic that included much more Boba Fett. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/06/boba-fett-originally-intended-main-villain-star-wrs-return-jedi/
* Indian science fiction thriller "24" has been getting a lot of press and attention. This article lists 10 other science fiction movies from India that you should check out if you're in need of something new and interesting. http://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2016/05/05/top-10-science-fiction-films-made-in-india-apart-from-24411437/
* Vice has a great article up about African-American contributions to science fiction, and the soon-to-be released documentary "Invisible Universe" that will tackle this often-ignored topic. http://www.vice.com/read/black-sci-fi-documentary-speculative-fiction
* Save "Supergirl"! The freshman superhero show has dropped in ratings despite fairly good reviews and much anticipation. There are several ideas in motion to save the show including moving it to The CW (which would hopefully mean more crossovers with The Flash). http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/05/saving-supergirl-will-show-shift-cbs-cw/
* The 13 Most Devastating Deaths in Science Fiction. Sure, there are some missing from the list, but at least a couple of these are sure to get you choked up. http://www.outerplaces.com/science-fiction/item/11874-13-most-devastating-deaths-in-science-fiction
* Actor Jason Momoa, who will be playing Aquaman in the upcoming Justice League movies, released a photo of himself on the set and decided to lace it with a decidedly political statement that not only fits his own politics but is also definitely something Aquaman would fight for. http://movieweb.com/justice-league-aquaman-photo-jason-momoa/
* A look back at five of Disney's most notable movie flops, although we think at least "Dick Tracy" has redeemed itself in the fullness of time, and also - dare we say it - "The Rocketeer"? http://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2016/05/05/cant-blockbusters-look-back-5-notable-disney-flops/
* Author Peter Tieryas, who will be appearing at Borderlands on June 5th, talks about his personal history, inspiration for novel THE UNITED STATES OF JAPAN, and mecha in a post over at geekdad.com. https://geekdad.com/2016/05/author-peter-pieryas-geeks-out-about-mecha/
* Ever since the announcement that we were getting a Captain Marvel movie, fans have eagerly waited to see Carol on the big screen, and it looks like we may get our chance before her solo film: it seems Carol Danvers will be appearing in "Avengers: Infinity War". http://screenrant.com/avengers-infinity-war-captain-marvel/
* "Doctor Who" spin-off "Torchwood" has been gone for a number of years now. Although starting with a large fanbase, much of that seemed to fizzle out by the fourth season. Luckily the gang (those who are still alive) are returning, in comic book form, and written by John Barrowman, the actor who played Captain Jack Harkness. http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/captain-jack-returns-titans-new-torchwood-ongoing
* The reboot of "Power Rangers" (including the white-washing of Rita Repulsa,) has already been met with skepticism and criticism, and now we have a glimpse of the new uniforms, which remind us of the old science fiction film "Guyver" in five different colors -- but you be the judge. http://collider.com/power-rangers-reboot-costumes-image/
* Small Beer Press has launched their first Kickstarter, to publish three hardcover editions of John Crowley's version of The Chemical Wedding, illustrated by Theo Fadel and designed by Jacob McMurray. They're also planning to publish the book as a trade paperback and DRM-free ebook in November. More information here: http://smallbeerpress.com/forthcoming/2016/03/13/the-chemical-wedding-by-christian-rosencreutz/ and info on the Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2142694884/the-chemical-wedding-by-john-crowley
* Local author Nick Mamatas, who will be appearing at Borderlands on May 21st, will again be teaching a genre fiction writing class at SF Creative Writing Institute. This class starts Saturday May 14 and runs until June 18th, and the cost is $395. Nick's students are getting published left and right; many sell their first short story after taking his class and one landed her very first book deal. More details here: https://sfwriting.institute/fabulist-fiction
* More local authors teaching: In 2014, Litquake launched their Master Class Mixers, intensive seminars with an award-winning author who teaches an aspect of craft. Best of all, each class is followed by a wine and hors d'oeuvres reception for teachers and students to mingle. This May features classes with Beth Lisick and Cara Black. More details can be found here: http://www.litquake.org/event-series/master-class-mixers
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Award News
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* The 2016 Locus Award nominees have been announced. Check out the full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/05/2016-locus-awards-finalists/
* Despite the thoroughly inflammatory title of their article, The Guardian has an interesting point in suggesting that no award system is immune from bias: http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/may/06/have-the-locus-awards-myopic-sexism-ya-fiction
* The 2016 Hugo Award nominees have been announced. http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2016-hugo-awards/
The Hugos continue controversial. If you missed last year's brouhaha, Wikipedia has a relatively drama-free explanation of the history of this controversy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sad_Puppies. While this year's nominees (and process) are seemingly not as contested as last year's, folks are still having plenty of strong reactions to this year's lineup.
- The statement of Thomas Mays who removed his story from competition: https://improbableauthor.com/2016/04/26/regarding-my-2016-hugo-award-nomination/
- The statement from Black Gate Magazine which also withdrew from consideration: https://www.blackgate.com/2016/05/01/black-gate-declines-hugo-nomination/
- And the story of the anonymous porn author, Chuck Tingle, who not only wrote a meta-story about the situation but has taken his nomination and used it as a platform to troll the Sad and Rabid Puppies: http://www.dailydot.com/lol/chuck-tingle-trolling-hugo-zoe-quinn-genius/
* The Shirley Jackson Award nominees have been announced: http://www.shirleyjacksonawards.org/nominees/
* Those eligible for inclusion in the Science Fiction & Fantasy Hall of Fame have been announced and they include Neil Gaiman, Nichelle Nichols, Lana & Lilly Wachowski and many more. If you would like to vote, go here: http://empmuseum.org/vote
* The shortlist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award has been announced; see the nominees here: https://www.clarkeaward.com/2016-shortlist-announced/
----------------
Best Sellers
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Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for April, 2016
Hardcovers
1. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
2. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
3. WHEN WE ARE NO MORE by Abby Smith Rumsey
4. IN THE LABYRINTH OF DRAKES by Marie Brennan
5. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
6. FELLSIDE by MR Carey
7. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
8. VISITOR by CJ Cherryh
9. THE BANDS OF MOURNING by Brandon Sanderson
10. FALL OF LIGHT by Steven Erikson
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
2. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. ROSEMARY & RUE by Seanan McGuire
4. DAY SHIFT by Charlaine Harris
5. THE DRAFTER by Kim Harrison
6. THE GRACE OF KINGS by Ken Liu
7. DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON by Seanan McGuire
8. UNDERCITY by Catherine Asaro
9. MOTHERSHIP by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
10. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
3. THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR by Scott Hawkins
4. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
5. BORDERLINE by Mishell Baker
------------------------------
Book Club Information
------------------------------
The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, June 12th, at 5 pm to discuss THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA by Matthew Reilly. Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, May 15th, at 6 pm to discuss THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu. The book for the following month will be SINGULARITY SKY by Charles Stross. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
------------------------------
Upcoming Event Details
------------------------------
Nick Mamatas, THE LAST WEEKEND (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $15.99) & Steve Toutonghi, JOIN (Soho Press, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, May 21st at 1:00pm - We're pleased to host two disparate authors for one fantastic event! Nick Mamatas' new novel is called THE LAST WEEKEND, and it's a wonderful, cynical dystopian nightmare. Think Charles Bukowski meets George Romero, in San Francisco. From the publisher: "Nick Mamatas takes a high-powered drill to the lurching, groaning conventions of zombie dystopias and conspiracy thrillers, sparing no cliche about tortured artists, alcoholic "genius," noir action heroes, survivalist dogma, or starry-eyed California dreaming. Starting in booze-soaked but very clear-eyed cynicism and ending in gloriously uncozy catastrophe, THE LAST WEEKEND is merciless, uncomfortably perceptive, and bleakly hilarious." Steve Toutonghi's debut novel is getting great reviews. Here's the synopsis from the author's website: "What if you could live multiple lives simultaneously, have constant, perfect companionship, and never die? That's the promise of Join, a revolutionary technology that allows small groups of minds to unite, forming a single consciousness that experiences the world through multiple bodies. But as two best friends discover, the light of that miracle may be blinding the world to its horrors." Read an excerpt from JOIN here: http://sohopress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Join-INT-fin.pdf We hope you'll JOIN us to meet this outstanding pair of authors!
Guy Gavriel Kay, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY (NAL, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday May 21st at 3:00pm - We are thrilled to welcome distinguished fantasist and brilliant author Guy Gavriel Kay to Borderlands! Check out the synopsis of his newest title, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY, from the publisher's website: "From the small coastal town of Senjan, notorious for its pirates, a young woman sets out to find vengeance for her lost family. That same spring, from the wealthy city-state of Seressa, famous for its canals and lagoon, come two very different people: a young artist traveling to the dangerous east to paint the grand khalif at his request - and possibly to do more - and a fiercely intelligent, angry woman, posing as a doctor's wife, but sent by Seressa as a spy. The trading ship that carries them is commanded by the accomplished younger son of a merchant family, ambivalent about the life he's been born to live. And farther east a boy trains to become a soldier in the elite infantry of the khalif - to win glory in the war everyone knows is coming. As these lives entwine, their fates - and those of many others - will hang in the balance, when the khalif sends out his massive army to take the great fortress that is the gateway to the western world . . . ." Don't miss this chance to meet Guy Gavriel Kay!
Writers With Drinks at The Make-Out Room on Saturday May 21st at 7:30pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders! May's lineup includes the following amazing authors: Kwan Booth (Black Futurists Speak: An Anthology of New Black Writing), Yangsze Choo (The Ghost Bride), Guy Gavriel Kay (Children of Earth and Sky), David Lau (Virgil and the Mountain Cat), and Ariel Waldman (What's It Like in Space?) Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture. Doors open at 6:30. Borderlands will be on hand to sell books.
SF in SF with authors Marie Brennan and Thomas Gammarino (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, May 22nd at 5:30 - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF, at a lovely new venue! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Katie Morton, RE-IMAGINING FILM FUTURES Art Opening on June 3rd at 6:00pm - We're happy to host an art show with Katie Morton in the Cafe, and hope you'll join us for this science-fiction inspired opening event! Morton's new series consists of oil-painted master copies of classic sci-fi film dystopias, inspired by the smogscapes she painted during her four years in Beijing. They will be exhibited at Borderlands Cafe from June 1st through August 29th. We're kicking off this show with an opening event including readings of original sci-fi compositions by Borderlands sponsor Louis Evans, Philip K. Dick award-winner Meg Elison, and Danielle Truppi, along with light refreshments. There will also be a contest -- the first three attendees to correctly identify all of the films depicted in Morton's paintings will have the opportunity to take home a signed print of a painting from the show. One of our featured speakers will be Louis Evans, presenting WHAT WAS ART: A FORWARD-LOOKING RETROSPECTIVE. Dr. Evans, a professor at the New Stanford Institute of Pre-Crisis Studies, is visiting briefly from his dark future, and will share some comparative and historical remarks on contemporary art and future artlessness to commemorate the Re-imagining Film Futures opening. RSVP here, if you do the Facebook thing: https://www.facebook.com/events/1784328881802851/
Janet Dawson, DEATH DEALS A HAND (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) and Wendy Hornsby, DISTURBING THE DARK (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00pm - We're happy to welcome two exciting mystery authors! Janet Dawson and Wendy Hornsby are both seasoned writers who have each penned multiple excellent novels. This time around, Janet is showing off the followup to DEATH RIDES THE ZEPHYR, starring Zephyrette Jill McLeod as she deals with everything from troublesome passengers to unexpected death on the train from Chicago to the Bay Area. Janet is presenting DISTURBING THE DARK, the latest in the Maggie McGowen series, about an irrepressibly curious investigative filmmaker. We hope you'll join us to meet this dynamic duo from Perseverance Press!
Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, THE ROOT (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) on Saturday June 4th at 3:00pm - We are beyond delighted to welcome local author and long time Borderlands employee Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, who is presenting his debut novel (first in the trilogy) THE ROOT! From the publisher's website: "When a secret government agency trying to enslave you isn't the biggest problem you're facing, you're in trouble. Erik, a former teen star living in San Francisco, thought his life was complicated; having his ex-boyfriend in jail because of the scandal that destroyed his career seemed overwhelming. Then Erik learned he was Blooded: descended from the Gods. Struggling with a power he doesn't understand and can barely control, Erik discovers that a covert government agency is selling off Blooded like lab rats to a rival branch of preternatural beings in 'Zebub -- San Francisco's mirror city in an alternate dimension. Lil, a timid apprentice in 'Zebub, is searching for answers to her parents' sudden and mysterious deaths. Surrounded by those who wish her harm and view her as a lesser being, Lil delves into a forgotten history that those in power will go to dangerous lengths to keep buried. What neither Erik nor Lil realize is that a darkness is coming, something none have faced in living memory. It eats. It hunts. And it knows them. In THE ROOT, the dark and surging urban fantasy debut from Na'amen Tilahun, two worlds must come together if even a remnant of one is to survive." We hope you'll join us. RSVP here if you're on Facebook thing: https://www.facebook.com/events/776101015824427/
Robots and Goons: A Reading with Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00pm - We are delighted (and a little trepidatious) about welcoming these four awesome authors to Borderlands! Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas are reading/diatribing/commenting and raving about robots, goons, and their views on the strangeness of daily existence at Borderlands Books. Come out and join us for the fireworks! More details about the authors can be found here:
https://www.evensi.us/robots-amp-goons-a-reading-at-borderlands-books-borderlands/176800658
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 5:30pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
This newsletter is distributed monthly free of charge and may be distributed without charge so long all the following information is included.
Dispatches from the Border
Editor - Na'amen Tilahun
Assistant Editor - Jude Feldman
All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of Borderlands Books, 866 Valencia St.
San Francisco CA 94110
415 824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com
Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com
*******
----------------------
Upcoming Events
----------------------
Nick Mamatas, THE LAST WEEKEND (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $15.99) & Steve Toutonghi, JOIN (Soho Press, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, May 21st at 1:00pm
Guy Gavriel Kay, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY (NAL, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday May 21st at 3:00pm
Writers With Drinks at The Make-Out Room hosted by Charlie Jane Anders, with authors Kwan Booth, Yangsze Choo, Guy Gavriel Kay, David Lau, and Ariel Waldman, on Saturday May 21st at 7:30pm
SF in SF with authors Marie Brennan and Thomas Gammarino (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, May 22nd at 5:30pm
Katie Morton, RE-IMAGINING FILM FUTURES Art Opening on June 3rd at 6:00pm
Janet Dawson, DEATH DEALS A HAND (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) and Wendy Hornsby, DISTURBING THE DARK (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00pm
Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, THE ROOT (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) on Saturday June 4th at 3:00pm
Robots and Goons: A Reading with Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00pm
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 5:30pm
(for more information check the end of this newsletter)
-------
News
-------
* Mission Local attended the Sponsors' General Meeting on March 31st and wrote a detailed article where several of our sponsors are quoted: http://missionlocal.org/2016/04/sponsors-support-save-sf-mission-genre-bookstore/
* An article on Forbes.com talks about San Francisco's $15 minimum wage and its effects on three independent stores including Borderlands: http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2016/03/31/what-a-15-minimum-wage-means-for-three-small-businesses-in-san-francisco/#a820faf17779
* Beloved Hugo-winning website SF Signal is shutting down. They will no longer be updating and are looking into ways to preserve the archives of their work beyond this month. Check out their full announcement here: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2016/05/all-good-things/
* io9 took suggestions and created a Spotify playlist of the 30 SF/F songs guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Check out the list and the runners-up here: http://io9.gizmodo.com/30-science-fiction-and-fantasy-songs-absolutely-certain-1775094591
* The Guardian provides their monthly list of the best recent SF/F novels here: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/05/eric-brown-science-fiction-roundup
* When "Ghostbusters" announced an all-female reboot many of us celebrated -- until we saw the trailer, which has since become one of the most disliked movie trailers of all time on Youtube. Melissa McCarthy shares her thoughts on the trailer and agrees that it makes no sense. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Ghostbusters-Trailer-Was-Confusing-According-Melissa-McCarthy-128577.html
* Spike TV is planning a series adaptation of the Stephen King novel THE MIST, with 10 one-hour long episodes. Although this book has already been made into a film, perhaps the longer arc will lend itself to more expansive storytelling. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/06/spikes-adaptation-the-mist-gains-director-pilot-episode/
* Slate draws our attention to this beautifully shot, dark, short film on the topic of body-swapping. As the article says, some of the twists and turns won't be new to the speculative fiction fan but the atmosphere, acting and sinister hints make "Trial" one to watch. http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2016/05/03/trial_a_science_fiction_short_film_by_the_brothers_lynch_features_a_mind.html
* Read about the "Star Wars" saga as it was originally intended: a twelve-movie epic that included much more Boba Fett. http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/06/boba-fett-originally-intended-main-villain-star-wrs-return-jedi/
* Indian science fiction thriller "24" has been getting a lot of press and attention. This article lists 10 other science fiction movies from India that you should check out if you're in need of something new and interesting. http://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2016/05/05/top-10-science-fiction-films-made-in-india-apart-from-24411437/
* Vice has a great article up about African-American contributions to science fiction, and the soon-to-be released documentary "Invisible Universe" that will tackle this often-ignored topic. http://www.vice.com/read/black-sci-fi-documentary-speculative-fiction
* Save "Supergirl"! The freshman superhero show has dropped in ratings despite fairly good reviews and much anticipation. There are several ideas in motion to save the show including moving it to The CW (which would hopefully mean more crossovers with The Flash). http://sciencefiction.com/2016/05/05/saving-supergirl-will-show-shift-cbs-cw/
* The 13 Most Devastating Deaths in Science Fiction. Sure, there are some missing from the list, but at least a couple of these are sure to get you choked up. http://www.outerplaces.com/science-fiction/item/11874-13-most-devastating-deaths-in-science-fiction
* Actor Jason Momoa, who will be playing Aquaman in the upcoming Justice League movies, released a photo of himself on the set and decided to lace it with a decidedly political statement that not only fits his own politics but is also definitely something Aquaman would fight for. http://movieweb.com/justice-league-aquaman-photo-jason-momoa/
* A look back at five of Disney's most notable movie flops, although we think at least "Dick Tracy" has redeemed itself in the fullness of time, and also - dare we say it - "The Rocketeer"? http://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2016/05/05/cant-blockbusters-look-back-5-notable-disney-flops/
* Author Peter Tieryas, who will be appearing at Borderlands on June 5th, talks about his personal history, inspiration for novel THE UNITED STATES OF JAPAN, and mecha in a post over at geekdad.com. https://geekdad.com/2016/05/author-peter-pieryas-geeks-out-about-mecha/
* Ever since the announcement that we were getting a Captain Marvel movie, fans have eagerly waited to see Carol on the big screen, and it looks like we may get our chance before her solo film: it seems Carol Danvers will be appearing in "Avengers: Infinity War". http://screenrant.com/avengers-infinity-war-captain-marvel/
* "Doctor Who" spin-off "Torchwood" has been gone for a number of years now. Although starting with a large fanbase, much of that seemed to fizzle out by the fourth season. Luckily the gang (those who are still alive) are returning, in comic book form, and written by John Barrowman, the actor who played Captain Jack Harkness. http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/captain-jack-returns-titans-new-torchwood-ongoing
* The reboot of "Power Rangers" (including the white-washing of Rita Repulsa,) has already been met with skepticism and criticism, and now we have a glimpse of the new uniforms, which remind us of the old science fiction film "Guyver" in five different colors -- but you be the judge. http://collider.com/power-rangers-reboot-costumes-image/
* Small Beer Press has launched their first Kickstarter, to publish three hardcover editions of John Crowley's version of The Chemical Wedding, illustrated by Theo Fadel and designed by Jacob McMurray. They're also planning to publish the book as a trade paperback and DRM-free ebook in November. More information here: http://smallbeerpress.com/forthcoming/2016/03/13/the-chemical-wedding-by-christian-rosencreutz/ and info on the Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2142694884/the-chemical-wedding-by-john-crowley
* Local author Nick Mamatas, who will be appearing at Borderlands on May 21st, will again be teaching a genre fiction writing class at SF Creative Writing Institute. This class starts Saturday May 14 and runs until June 18th, and the cost is $395. Nick's students are getting published left and right; many sell their first short story after taking his class and one landed her very first book deal. More details here: https://sfwriting.institute/fabulist-fiction
* More local authors teaching: In 2014, Litquake launched their Master Class Mixers, intensive seminars with an award-winning author who teaches an aspect of craft. Best of all, each class is followed by a wine and hors d'oeuvres reception for teachers and students to mingle. This May features classes with Beth Lisick and Cara Black. More details can be found here: http://www.litquake.org/event-series/master-class-mixers
------------------
Award News
------------------
* The 2016 Locus Award nominees have been announced. Check out the full list here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2016/05/2016-locus-awards-finalists/
* Despite the thoroughly inflammatory title of their article, The Guardian has an interesting point in suggesting that no award system is immune from bias: http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/may/06/have-the-locus-awards-myopic-sexism-ya-fiction
* The 2016 Hugo Award nominees have been announced. http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2016-hugo-awards/
The Hugos continue controversial. If you missed last year's brouhaha, Wikipedia has a relatively drama-free explanation of the history of this controversy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sad_Puppies. While this year's nominees (and process) are seemingly not as contested as last year's, folks are still having plenty of strong reactions to this year's lineup.
- The statement of Thomas Mays who removed his story from competition: https://improbableauthor.com/2016/04/26/regarding-my-2016-hugo-award-nomination/
- The statement from Black Gate Magazine which also withdrew from consideration: https://www.blackgate.com/2016/05/01/black-gate-declines-hugo-nomination/
- And the story of the anonymous porn author, Chuck Tingle, who not only wrote a meta-story about the situation but has taken his nomination and used it as a platform to troll the Sad and Rabid Puppies: http://www.dailydot.com/lol/chuck-tingle-trolling-hugo-zoe-quinn-genius/
* The Shirley Jackson Award nominees have been announced: http://www.shirleyjacksonawards.org/nominees/
* Those eligible for inclusion in the Science Fiction & Fantasy Hall of Fame have been announced and they include Neil Gaiman, Nichelle Nichols, Lana & Lilly Wachowski and many more. If you would like to vote, go here: http://empmuseum.org/vote
* The shortlist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award has been announced; see the nominees here: https://www.clarkeaward.com/2016-shortlist-announced/
----------------
Best Sellers
----------------
Borderlands Best-Selling Titles for April, 2016
Hardcovers
1. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire
2. THE EVERYTHING BOX by Richard Kadrey
3. WHEN WE ARE NO MORE by Abby Smith Rumsey
4. IN THE LABYRINTH OF DRAKES by Marie Brennan
5. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
6. FELLSIDE by MR Carey
7. SHARP ENDS by Joe Abercrombie
8. VISITOR by CJ Cherryh
9. THE BANDS OF MOURNING by Brandon Sanderson
10. FALL OF LIGHT by Steven Erikson
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. CHAOS CHOREOGRAPHY by Seanan McGuire
2. AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. ROSEMARY & RUE by Seanan McGuire
4. DAY SHIFT by Charlaine Harris
5. THE DRAFTER by Kim Harrison
6. THE GRACE OF KINGS by Ken Liu
7. DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON by Seanan McGuire
8. UNDERCITY by Catherine Asaro
9. MOTHERSHIP by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
10. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
Trade Paperbacks
1. THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu
2. THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi
3. THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR by Scott Hawkins
4. ARMADA by Ernest Cline
5. BORDERLINE by Mishell Baker
------------------------------
Book Club Information
------------------------------
The QSF&F Book Club will meet on Sunday, June 12th, at 5 pm to discuss THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA by Matthew Reilly. Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet on Sunday, May 15th, at 6 pm to discuss THE THREE BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu. The book for the following month will be SINGULARITY SKY by Charles Stross. Please contact bookclub@borderlands-books.com for more information.
------------------------------
Upcoming Event Details
------------------------------
Nick Mamatas, THE LAST WEEKEND (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $15.99) & Steve Toutonghi, JOIN (Soho Press, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday, May 21st at 1:00pm - We're pleased to host two disparate authors for one fantastic event! Nick Mamatas' new novel is called THE LAST WEEKEND, and it's a wonderful, cynical dystopian nightmare. Think Charles Bukowski meets George Romero, in San Francisco. From the publisher: "Nick Mamatas takes a high-powered drill to the lurching, groaning conventions of zombie dystopias and conspiracy thrillers, sparing no cliche about tortured artists, alcoholic "genius," noir action heroes, survivalist dogma, or starry-eyed California dreaming. Starting in booze-soaked but very clear-eyed cynicism and ending in gloriously uncozy catastrophe, THE LAST WEEKEND is merciless, uncomfortably perceptive, and bleakly hilarious." Steve Toutonghi's debut novel is getting great reviews. Here's the synopsis from the author's website: "What if you could live multiple lives simultaneously, have constant, perfect companionship, and never die? That's the promise of Join, a revolutionary technology that allows small groups of minds to unite, forming a single consciousness that experiences the world through multiple bodies. But as two best friends discover, the light of that miracle may be blinding the world to its horrors." Read an excerpt from JOIN here: http://sohopress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Join-INT-fin.pdf We hope you'll JOIN us to meet this outstanding pair of authors!
Guy Gavriel Kay, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY (NAL, Hardcover, $27.00) on Saturday May 21st at 3:00pm - We are thrilled to welcome distinguished fantasist and brilliant author Guy Gavriel Kay to Borderlands! Check out the synopsis of his newest title, CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY, from the publisher's website: "From the small coastal town of Senjan, notorious for its pirates, a young woman sets out to find vengeance for her lost family. That same spring, from the wealthy city-state of Seressa, famous for its canals and lagoon, come two very different people: a young artist traveling to the dangerous east to paint the grand khalif at his request - and possibly to do more - and a fiercely intelligent, angry woman, posing as a doctor's wife, but sent by Seressa as a spy. The trading ship that carries them is commanded by the accomplished younger son of a merchant family, ambivalent about the life he's been born to live. And farther east a boy trains to become a soldier in the elite infantry of the khalif - to win glory in the war everyone knows is coming. As these lives entwine, their fates - and those of many others - will hang in the balance, when the khalif sends out his massive army to take the great fortress that is the gateway to the western world . . . ." Don't miss this chance to meet Guy Gavriel Kay!
Writers With Drinks at The Make-Out Room on Saturday May 21st at 7:30pm - Writers With Drinks is the most awesome spoken-word variety show in the world, hosted by Charlie Jane Anders! May's lineup includes the following amazing authors: Kwan Booth (Black Futurists Speak: An Anthology of New Black Writing), Yangsze Choo (The Ghost Bride), Guy Gavriel Kay (Children of Earth and Sky), David Lau (Virgil and the Mountain Cat), and Ariel Waldman (What's It Like in Space?) Cost: $5 to $20, no-one turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds benefit the Center for Sex and Culture. Doors open at 6:30. Borderlands will be on hand to sell books.
SF in SF with authors Marie Brennan and Thomas Gammarino (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, May 22nd at 5:30 - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. We're so happy to celebrate the return of SF in SF, at a lovely new venue! Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
Katie Morton, RE-IMAGINING FILM FUTURES Art Opening on June 3rd at 6:00pm - We're happy to host an art show with Katie Morton in the Cafe, and hope you'll join us for this science-fiction inspired opening event! Morton's new series consists of oil-painted master copies of classic sci-fi film dystopias, inspired by the smogscapes she painted during her four years in Beijing. They will be exhibited at Borderlands Cafe from June 1st through August 29th. We're kicking off this show with an opening event including readings of original sci-fi compositions by Borderlands sponsor Louis Evans, Philip K. Dick award-winner Meg Elison, and Danielle Truppi, along with light refreshments. There will also be a contest -- the first three attendees to correctly identify all of the films depicted in Morton's paintings will have the opportunity to take home a signed print of a painting from the show. One of our featured speakers will be Louis Evans, presenting WHAT WAS ART: A FORWARD-LOOKING RETROSPECTIVE. Dr. Evans, a professor at the New Stanford Institute of Pre-Crisis Studies, is visiting briefly from his dark future, and will share some comparative and historical remarks on contemporary art and future artlessness to commemorate the Re-imagining Film Futures opening. RSVP here, if you do the Facebook thing: https://www.facebook.com/events/1784328881802851/
Janet Dawson, DEATH DEALS A HAND (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) and Wendy Hornsby, DISTURBING THE DARK (Perseverance Press, Trade Paperback, $15.95) on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00pm - We're happy to welcome two exciting mystery authors! Janet Dawson and Wendy Hornsby are both seasoned writers who have each penned multiple excellent novels. This time around, Janet is showing off the followup to DEATH RIDES THE ZEPHYR, starring Zephyrette Jill McLeod as she deals with everything from troublesome passengers to unexpected death on the train from Chicago to the Bay Area. Janet is presenting DISTURBING THE DARK, the latest in the Maggie McGowen series, about an irrepressibly curious investigative filmmaker. We hope you'll join us to meet this dynamic duo from Perseverance Press!
Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, THE ROOT (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.99) on Saturday June 4th at 3:00pm - We are beyond delighted to welcome local author and long time Borderlands employee Na'amen Gobert Tilahun, who is presenting his debut novel (first in the trilogy) THE ROOT! From the publisher's website: "When a secret government agency trying to enslave you isn't the biggest problem you're facing, you're in trouble. Erik, a former teen star living in San Francisco, thought his life was complicated; having his ex-boyfriend in jail because of the scandal that destroyed his career seemed overwhelming. Then Erik learned he was Blooded: descended from the Gods. Struggling with a power he doesn't understand and can barely control, Erik discovers that a covert government agency is selling off Blooded like lab rats to a rival branch of preternatural beings in 'Zebub -- San Francisco's mirror city in an alternate dimension. Lil, a timid apprentice in 'Zebub, is searching for answers to her parents' sudden and mysterious deaths. Surrounded by those who wish her harm and view her as a lesser being, Lil delves into a forgotten history that those in power will go to dangerous lengths to keep buried. What neither Erik nor Lil realize is that a darkness is coming, something none have faced in living memory. It eats. It hunts. And it knows them. In THE ROOT, the dark and surging urban fantasy debut from Na'amen Tilahun, two worlds must come together if even a remnant of one is to survive." We hope you'll join us. RSVP here if you're on Facebook thing: https://www.facebook.com/events/776101015824427/
Robots and Goons: A Reading with Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas on Sunday, June 5th at 3:00pm - We are delighted (and a little trepidatious) about welcoming these four awesome authors to Borderlands! Sarah Gailey, Alyc Helms, Sunil Patel, and Peter Tieryas are reading/diatribing/commenting and raving about robots, goons, and their views on the strangeness of daily existence at Borderlands Books. Come out and join us for the fireworks! More details about the authors can be found here:
https://www.evensi.us/robots-amp-goons-a-reading-at-borderlands-books-borderlands/176800658
SF in SF with authors Rudy Rucker and Michael Blumlein (at the American Bookbinders Museum, 355 Clementina, San Francisco) on Sunday, June 12th at 5:30pm - (Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for lack of funds.) Doors and bar at 5:30 pm, event begins at 6:30 pm. Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson. Authors will schmooze & sign books after. Books available for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Seating is limited, so first come, first seated. Bar proceeds benefit the American Bookbinders Museum. Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015. Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com.
This newsletter is distributed monthly free of charge and may be distributed without charge so long all the following information is included.
Dispatches from the Border
Editor - Na'amen Tilahun
Assistant Editor - Jude Feldman
All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of Borderlands Books, 866 Valencia St.
San Francisco CA 94110
415 824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com
Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com
*******
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