Jennifer Jackson – Literary Agent

American Demon by Kim Harrison, the newest book in her Hollows series, has debuted on the New York Times fiction bestsellers list at #8 on the print & ebook combined list, and has also debuted at #12 on the USA Today bestsellers list!

Network Effect by Martha Wells

“Like a feature film following a television series, Network Effect faces the challenge of presenting a longer-than-usual episode for existing fans while standing on its own as an intelligible entry point for new readers. It more than succeeds, with all the intensity, humor and deep feeling of the novellas flourishing in a more complex and ambitious structure. While the chief pleasure of the Murderbot Diaries is the protagonist’s unique and delightful voice, Network Effect introduces new characters and subtly different perspectives in a way that only amplifies its shocking joy. I caught myself rereading my favorite parts the way Murderbot rewatches episodes of Sanctuary Moon, and I can’t recommend it enough.” — New York Times Book Review

The Tyrant Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

“The book under our gaze today is even more jam packed with action, reveals, reversals, and Machiavellian plots and counterplots, but it moves rather more linearly and stepwise towards a truly fine and resonant and surprising climax, one which, not to give too much away, revolves around, of all anti-swashbuckling maneuvers, a stock-market scheme. Thus does Dickinson remain true to the first book’s original presentation of Baru as Stealth Accountant.

Before we get there, Baru and company will have to traverse infinite perils, which include but are not limited to keelhauling, lobotomies, meningitis, a pandemic deliberately unleashed on the island of Kypranoke, with microbes whose source species is bats (timely indeed!), naval battles, swordfights, drug dreams, and more. Baru gets a reunion with her parents, for whom she has been doing all this, and it proves less than ideal. Her neurological deficit is shown to be a surprising and even touching survival adaptation. She reconciles with enemies and falls out with friends. The Cancrioth, a creepy, sorcerous biopunk cabal of sorts, venture out of hiding to become a force on the chessboard. And after rough times afield, Baru finds even more deadly, albeit superficially genteel challenges in the imperial city of Falcrest.

[…]

Dickinson can construct a five-page fight scene that never falters, and then turn around and describe that emotionally charged parental reunion with some tenderness. He tops himself with a vision that Baru has towards the end of the book, after all the dust has settled and she’s achieved a mixed victory: she sees the future she’s ensured as a kind of glittering utopian reward for all the suffering people of the Empire. But will it come to pass, given the mystery embedded in a small coda that posits more challenges just ahead?” — Locus

American Demon by Kim Harrison

“Rachel Morgan’s back in the Hollows for her 14th novel in the series, set before the happily-ever-after epilogue in the previous volume. She’s been outed as a demon and blamed for letting the demons free, the old church that was her home and office is unliveable, her living vampire housemate Ivy seems to be moving on, and money’s tight. Rachel’s relationship with Trent is good (finally), except for the not-so-little problem that the elves have all turned away from his leadership because of her. When some peculiar murders turn up, she’s eager to investigate, at least until the agency that hires her makes it clear they blame demons. The killers all had dreams that made them angry enough to kill loved ones, so something supernatural is up, but Rachel doesn’t believe demons caused it. Unfortunately, her usual source, Al, has disappeared, while a very strange, very old demon appears, hinting he has some inside knowledge. He’s clearly dangerous, but Rachel’s determined. Spells start flying, the politics get tangled, Rachel’s life is endangered, and the romance gets complicated. Once again, Rachel (with a little help from her friends) manages to pull off the impossible and save the day, if not without some personal loss in the end. Add some nice retribution against one smug asshole, in particular, and it’s a fun outing, a welcome and unexpected return to a world I’d thought we’d left behind.” — Locus

The 2020 Locus Awards Finalists include Elizabeth Bear, Yoon Ha Lee, and Tamsyn Muir!

SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL
Ancestral Night, Elizabeth Bear (Saga; Gollancz)

YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
Dragon Pearl, Yoon Ha Lee (Disney Hyperion)

FIRST NOVEL
Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (Tor.com Publishing)

NOVELLA
“A Time to Reap”, Elizabeth Bear (Uncanny 12/19)

NOVELETTE
“Erase, Erase, Erase”, Elizabeth Bear (F&SF 9-10/19)

SHORT STORY
“Lest We Forget”, Elizabeth Bear (Uncanny 5-6/19)

COLLECTION
Hexarchate Stories, Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris US & UK)