Jennifer Jackson – Literary Agent

Weight of Stone: Book Two of the Vineart War by Laura Anne Gilman

Gilman’s second Vineart War offering is a fast-paced and tightly plotted tale that picks up right where the first book left off. Jerzy is a complex and likable hero who is loyal and intelligent. The magical system is highly original. Adventure fantasy fans will enjoy this series.

Vineart apprentice and former slave Jerzy is on the run after being accused of apostasy by the Washers, the religious sect of the Vin Lands. Accompanied by runaway noble Mahault, novice trader Ao, and Kainam, the named heir of the vanished island of Atakus, Jerzy has only begun to trace the source of the taint when he is called home to account for his actions. Unbeknownst to Jerzy and his friends, this is just the beginning of the fight for the soul of the Vin Lands.

–Romantic Times, 4 Stars

Available in paperback: Flesh and Fire: Book One of The Vineart War

Truthseeker by C. E. Murphy

Truthseeker is the first half of a duology, and it’s a charming and fast-paced novel from veteran fantasist Murphy. Featuring a contemporary setting with a fantastical twist, there are no dark demons or vampires here: just a faerie prince, a practical-minded young woman with the knack of knowing the truth and a compelling story that will leave you wanting more.

Summary:
Lara Jansen is a quiet young woman serving an apprentice-ship at a bespoke tailoring firm in Boston when she is swept into the middle of a war in Faerie. Blessed­or cursed­with the ability to tell when people are telling the truth, she encounters Dafydd ap Caerwynn (faerie prince and hapless weatherman) and her life changes forever when he asks her to solve his brother’s murder. Outside of her comfort zone, Lara agrees to help and she steps through the doorway into Faerie, where things and time aren’t always what they seem.

Romantic Times, 4 Stars

Dreadnought by Cherie Priest

An intimate, well-crafted portrait of a nurse on a mission adds depth to this exceptional Civil War steampunk thriller, the self-contained sequel to 2009’s Locus Award–winning Boneshaker. Mercy Lynch, recently widowed and taxed to exhaustion by caring for Confederate wounded in Richmond, must cross the war-torn nation to reach her estranged father, who lies dying in the Washington territories. After her dirigible is shot out of the air, Mercy joins Horatio Korman, a Texas Ranger with an agenda, on the Union’s famous steam engine, the Dreadnought. On their trail are desperate Confederate soldiers and a zombified Mexican legion. The battles and intrigue are entertaining, but the real draw is Priest’s latest no-nonsense heroine, who comes equipped with a full measure of sharp judgment and brutal competence as well as a nurse’s kind (but not saintly) heart. –Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Take Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and add a dash of magic and you have this delightful story by Mary Kowal. This is the story of two sisters, Jane, who is more magically talented, and Melody, a stunning beauty, and their quest to find love and stability. Both girls hope to marry well despite their lack of inheritance, and are pursued by various suitors. They are quickly embroiled into the intricacies of their neighbors’ lives, and the resulting series of events is sure to entrance the reader. For those who love reading Jane Austen’s books, this will at least temporarily satisfy the craving. A touch of magic inserted into the story is enough to enhance, but not overwhelm the story line. A quick, light read, with characters that the reader will feel right at home with. –Booklist

Antiphon by Ken Scholes

The third installment of Scholes’s grand-scale Psalms of Isaak saga (after 2009’s Canticle) expands the genre-blending narrative in glorious style. The secret revival of the bloody Y’Zirite religion, which may be an elaborate conspiracy created generations ago to bring down the Androfrancine Order, has brought madness to the Named Lands. Gypsy King Rudolfo, whose infant son is being called the “Child of Promise” by the cultists, finds blood-magicked spies in his home and enemies in his forest. And as the invisible enemy furthers its masterfully orchestrated invasion, Rudolfo and others hear an ethereal music that seems to require some kind of response. A diverse cast of dynamic characters, a tantalizingly labyrinthine mystery, a world full of wonders, and powerful symbolism and imagery power this seamless merging of epic fantasy and science fiction. –Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Read Lamentation and Canticle (released today in paperback) — Book 1 and Book 2 of the Psalms of Isaak, both of which also garnered Starred Reviews.

Also, a special e-book offer this month for the first book, Lamentation, for just $2.99 Kindle | Nook | Sony