Books In Our Future

The few months of 2009 are brimming with a bumper crop of new books so I figured I'd let you have a peek at some of the ones I'm looking forward to. Since I'm very fussy about what books I read, these are the series that I've consistently enjoyed. I also introduce a new pair of authors who hold great promise!

** I updated the list to include David Coe's latest book. Purely an oversight on my part and now that's corrected.


The Horsemen's Gambit by David B. Coe
(Hardcover - Jan 20, 2009)
I'm not much of a fantasy reader. Urban Fantasy, sure, but pure fantasy is usually too boring to slog through. David's book are just the opposite. The complexity of the characters, the depth of the plot and the overall story arcs keep me coming back. Always worth the read and the latest looks no different.


Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, Book 4
by Patricia Briggs (Hardcover - Feb 3, 2009)
Auto mechanic, shape-shifter Mercy Thompson always gets into a load of trouble, but she has the realistic spark I find compelling. After the last book, which contained some seriously personal devastating events for our heroine, I'm curious how Briggs will help Mercy move on in her life.


White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows, Book 7) by Kim Harrison
Hardcover - Feb 24, 2009)
Okay, I admit I was steamed at Kim for a time after she offed Rachel Morgan's hunky vampire lover. But I've gotten over that. Well, sort of. As the author, she calls the shots (sigh) but that hasn't stopped me from looking forward to the next in the series with great anticipation. Kim is a master at setting scenes and penning believable characters. Much like many of the others on this page, I read her not only for enjoyment but to study the craft.


Hunted (House of Night, Book 5) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
(Hardcover - Mar 10, 2009)
The next installment of this incredibly popular Young Adult vampyre series is due out in March and I'm eager to see how the story plays out. Think "Hogwarts Meets Dark Shadows." Too young to know the Dark Shadows reference? Click here.



Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3) by Ilona Andrews
(Mass Market Paperback - Mar 31, 2009)
Ilona (actually Ilona and her husband Gordon) set their Urban Fantasy in a dystopian Atlanta. Magic runs amok and they have a really cool twist on how vampires work. This series always surprises me. I recently reread the first two books (Magic Bites & Magic Burns) to ramp up for the next one. Yeah, I'm a fan.


The Unincorporated Man by Dani Kollin and Eytan Kollin
(Hardcover - Mar 31, 2009)
These are the two newcomers I was speaking of. I met these gents at WorldCon in Denver and just by talking to them I can tell this book is going to be dynamite. I'll be queuing up to buy a copy as soon as it's available.



Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) by Jim Butcher
(Hardcover - April 7, 2009)
Any guy who can spin out a series over twenty (20!) books and keep it on the rails has my unabashed admiration. Each of these books deepens the mystery, deepens our understanding of Harry and his continually messed up life. Pity these only come out once a year.