A Slew of Pyr Covers (New covers for Sykes, Hodder, and the Griffiths)

Information on Pyr's Fall/Winter 2012 is starting to trickle out and it looks to be a great season ahead with a couple series being wrapped up that I've been following since the beginning.

The Skybound Sea will finish off Sam Sykes' first trilogy The Aeons' Gate, which started so well with Tome of the Undergates [reviewed here]. Pyr has done a much better job with the cover than the UK version, which is all kinds of blah. I was still hoping to finally get my Dragonman cover though. I'll shut up about that now since that ship has clear sunk and how could I not like a cover that put me a quote from me on the front? That's a first for me though I've been on quite a few back covers and inside pages at this point. It still never gets old.

After two volumes of odd, bloody introspection and diversions Sykes has left himself a lot of story to wrap-up, but he's more than equipped to handle it. The Skybound Sea will be out in early September. I haven't found an official blurb that says much , but here is the brief UK description:

After the misadventures of the first two books Lenk and his companions must finally turn away from fighting each other and for their own survival and look to saving the entire human race. A terrible demon has risen from beneath the sea and where it came from thousands could follow. And all the while an alien race is planning the extinction of humanity. The third volume in the Aeon's Gate trilogy widens the action out dramatically. TOME OF THE UNDERGATES was based mainly on a ship, BLACK HALO moved the action to an island of bones, THE SKYBOUND SEA takes us out into a world threatened with a uniquely imagined and terrifying apocalypse.

A Red Sun Also Rises is Mark Hodder's first non-Burton & Swinburne novel, but it does involved Steampunk is some fashion. The alien on the cover is so creepy I'll have to check it out. Bottom line is it sounds like a Sword & Planet novel influenced by Edgar Rice Burroughs and given Hodder's style he's apt to make it a fun take. Little has been released about this story yet except this interesting post from Hodder, but here's the blurb:

When Reverend Aiden Fleischer, vicar of the sleepy town of Theaston Vale, finds a hunchbacked, light-sensitive and crippled vagabond named Clarissa Stark begging at his door, little does he suspect it's the start of an adventure that's literally out of this world!

Bribed by an unscrupulous family, Fleischer and his companion flee to London's missionary college, but in wicked Whitechapel, the faithless priest stumbles upon one of Jack the Ripper's victims and becomes convinced that he himself is the notorious killer. With her friend's mind shattered, Miss Stark is relieved when they are both posted to the far away Melanesian island of Koluwai, but here they encounter an even darker evil, one that transports them to another planet.

Beneath the twin suns of the planet Ptallaya, Fleischer and Stark encounter an alien species, the Yatsill, master mimics who, after gaining access to Miss Stark's mind, create their own bizarre version of Victorian London.

But Fleischer and Stark's new home from home is not safe, for the Blood Gods will soon invade, and if he is to defeat them and rescue the woman he's come to love, Fleischer must first face his own inner demons!

A Red Sun Also Rises will be released in early December. Also, of note is the fact that Hodder recently signed with Pyr for 3 more Burton & Swinburne novels.

The Kingmakers by Clay and Susan Griffith is also the final book in the Vampire Empire trilogy, although I think there is plenty more to this world to explore. Even though I haven't done full reviews of the first two books they've quickly become one of my favorite Vampire series as they blend action pulp sensibilities with Steampunk, Colonialism, Romance and  Post-Apocalyptic fiction so well. The Kingmakers will be out in September as well. No blurb has been released.

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The I'm on vaction so here are some cool new covers post

Artist Unknown

The Falling Machine by debut author Andrew P. Mayer is the first in the Society of Steam series. I've been excited about this one ever since Lou Anders from Pyr mention it was like a Steampunk Justice League. That's like honey to a bear for a fan of comics and Steampunk.  This may not be the final, final cover though as Pyr often tweaks things.  I quite like the type setting job and the look of the automaton.  Something looks a little off with the woman in the foreground to me, but in this case I can't put my finger on it.  The Falling Machine is set for a May 2011 release.  The official blurb isn't available, but I did find this:

In 1880 women aren’t allowed to vote, much less dress up in a costume and fight crime. But nineteen year-old socialite Sarah Stanton still dreams of becoming a hero. Her opportunity arrives in tragedy when Dennis Darby, the leader of the Society of Paragons—New York’s greatest team of gentlemen adventurers—is murdered right before her eyes. To uncover the truth behind the assassination, Sarah joins forces with Darby's greatest creation; the amazing mechanical man known as The Automaton. Together they begin to unmask a conspiracy at the heart of the Paragons that reveals the world of heroes and high-society is built on a crumbling foundation of greed and lies. But it is only when Sarah comes face to face with the megalomaniacal villain behind the murder that she will discover if she has the courage to sacrifice her life of privilege and truly become the hero she has always wanted to be.

THE SOCIETY OF STEAM takes place in a Victorian New York where Fortified Steam allows ordinary men to wield extraordinary abilities, but can also corrupt gentlemen of great moral strength. The formula behind this amazing substance is something that villains will gladly kill for, and a secret that Sarah must try and protect, no matter what the cost.

Mayer created some stickers which depict the Society members.  It is interesting to see how The Automaton  character is a bit more dapper in Mayer's version.

Next up we have another Pyr cover that has been making the rounds, but I can't help myself.

Art by Jon Sullivan

The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man is the second in the Burton & Swinburne series of Steampunk adventures from Mark Hodder.  I love everything about this cover.  It makes me want to drop right into this adventure especially given how much I enjoyed The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack.  It will be interesting to see what device Hodder uses as the crux of this novel since he used Time Travel so well in the first. The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man is set for a March release from Pyr. No blurb is out on this one either but LEC Reviews got the scoop in their interview:

It’s called THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE CLOCKWORK MAN, it’s based around the famous real-life case of the Tichborne Claimant, it involves spiritualism, and there are more real historical personages in it. Stuff happens that, according to the natural laws of science, should be impossible. But how? I mean, just ‘cos the timeline is different doesn’t mean physics is different. Does it? Hmmmm?

Also of note is that Hodder has been releasing a Burton & Swinburne short story via twitter and than collected on this blog called The Strange Affair of the Cross Channel Grasshopper.


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Steampunk: The Spirit of the Time by Mark Hodder

REVIEW | The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder (Pyr)

At this point in Steampunk Month I thought I would get tired of reading within the same genre with such similar tropes as I generally try to mix my genres a bit so nothing becomes too stale. To a degree this has been happening what with four reads in a row now, but The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack enlivened me again and reminded me of all that I love about Steampunk.

The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack takes the more traditional definition of Steampunk with a Victorian setting, an altering of history, and the use of historical characters as stars and supporting cast. In fact, Hodder makes use of historical characters more than any other Steampunk novel I've read using everyone from famous explorers of the Victorian era to its Scientific geniuses and even poets of only low note and a spate of references to people, places, and events of the time. There is also an index which covers the true historical happenings of many of the people mentioned, which was a nice touch.

At its core The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack is a time travel mind bender mashed up with a pulp. The beginning was a bit all over the place, but it quickly turned into a very entertaining romp with adventurer extraordinaire Sir Richard Francis Burton and de Sade follower and poet Algernon Swinburne. Like Westerfeld Hodder chooses to innovate with not only technological wonders, but also genetic using Darwin as a keystone. Everything from giant swans, coal-driven horses, odd chimney sweeps, and broomcats come into the fold in this well realized alternative England. And not since Dicken's have chimney sweeps been so well used. The Spring Heeled Jack mythos is used to great effect as Hodder unveils this mysterious hopping bogey monster. There are many groups all vying for power. Nearly too many with political, technological, and anti-tech groups all jumping into the fray as well as their offshoots.

Despite some quibbles with the first quarter of the story Hodder brings it all home and clearly shows how much fun he had writing this tale. The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack pays homage to many of the forebears to Steampunk with a healthy nod to Tim Powers' The Anubis Gates. Hodder brings plenty of his own style to the table in terms of intricate plotting. There are some very complex happenings that he goes to great lengths to explain. In fact in the big reveal section it goes a little too far for me. After the first couple of examples we get the point, but that is probably a better way to go than leaving too much open. Burton comes off too distant, too perfect, and needed some sort of major flaw to make you feel he was in true danger. And the women of the story might as well not have been there given how marginalized they became. It is Algeron Swinburne that truly takes the show away when he eventually comes in to the fold. He turns out to be quite an odd and kinky fellow.

This was definitely one of those books where I connected more with the world than the characters who felt a bit distant although quite amusing and witty. Still Sir Richard Francis Burton comes out of the history books to become more than he ever was and historical figures become some very odd villains, but it was the Spring Heeled Jack storyline that will keep you vested. If you like time travel and alternative history this would definitely be worth your attention and if you are just a plain-old fan of Steampunk this is another must to add to the to-read pile. There are many good twists and some very weird ones that will give you pause. I give The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack 8 out of 10 hats. The cover is one of my favorites this year and if you haven't seen it in person go to a bookstore and check it out.  It just may seal the deal with all the finishing details. This is a planned series with the sequel The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man scheduled from a release in March 2011 from Pyr. I'll definitely be back for more and hope Hodder can improve some of the pacing issues.

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Steampunk: The Spirit of the Time by Mark Hodder

Steampunk: The Spirit of the Time

by Mark Hodder,
author of The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack

I have a favourite word: zeitgeist. It's German, and translates as “time spirit.” It refers to the general outlook of a period—to its obsessions and concerns, as reflected in art, literature, politics and pop culture. For example, the Beatles and Rolling Stones, the mini skirt and Mini Cooper, bright primary colours and London's Carnaby Street, all expressed something of the collective consciousness of 1960s Britain.

So what does the current popularity of steampunk tell us about today's zeitgeist?

I see steampunk as existing on the threshold of mystery; it is the off-balanced moment where the comprehensible teeters on the brink of the inexplicable.

As a vehicle for storytelling, the steampunk ethos can be applied to any time and any place—Wild West steampunk, American Civil War steampunk, future history steampunk—but wherever and whenever you place it, its roots are set firmly in the technology, social divisions, fashions, mannerisms and culture of post 1850 Victorian England.

The iconic machinery of that age was—and still is—a symbol of strength, hope and ambition. It was powering the Victorians into a bright future. For the educated classes, it promised the spread—and thus an affirmation—of their cultural values (of “civilisation”). For the working classes, it hinted at a possible future release from the backbreaking drudgery of labour—for surely machines would do all the ugly, horrible, uninteresting jobs?—freeing up time for something (anything!) else.

Steam technology was not exclusive. It represented a shared vision. Every class of citizen could engage with it, because it was so blatant. The boilers and furnaces, the pipes and valves, the pistons and crankshafts, the funnels and wheels—every part of every engine was visibly working to advance the Empire to which the people belonged.

The different “components” of Victorian society were similarly obvious and unambiguous. The classes were clearly divided, widely separated by income, mannerisms, leisure pursuits, dress code, and language. You could never mistake a person of one class for a person of another. Individuals knew their “place,” knew to which class they “belonged,” and knew how they fitted into, and contributed to, the vast and complex mosaic of Victorian culture.

That all changed with the arrival of the internal combustion engine.

As its name indicates, functional parts of the machine vanished from sight, and the engine itself became distinct from, and concealed within, the body of the contraption it powered.

At the same time, machines gave rise to a new social division: the middle class. It muddled things considerably, for, as it rapidly expanded, this new economic force blurred the line between the lower and upper classes by taking on characteristics of both. An entirely new phenomenon occurred: social movement. A working class person could, conceivably go up in the world, becoming “lower middle class.” Conversely, a “toff” could fall from grace (as one side of my own family did), and plunge into the "upper middle class" category (we sank even farther).

Steampunk thus references the certainties of the Victorian age in the context of what came after, when distinctions started to get fuzzy. But why has it become popular now? What is it about now that resonates with then?

One of the things I really like about steampunk is that it's much more than a literary genre. There's steampunk fashion and steampunk art and steampunk music and, definitely, a hard to define steampunk personal ethos. Of these, steampunk fashion gives the biggest clue. It puts functional components back in the open. Buttons are numerous and shiny. Belts are thick and big-buckled. Cogs and pistons are in evidence. Mechanical enhancements are attached. There are goggles.

However—and this is the crux of the matter— these elements have no function. They don't do anything. They are merely on display.

Which brings me to my iPad. I love my iPad. I'm quite reliant on it. Yet it became obsolete practically the day I bought it. Why? Because it’s the ultimate, and perhaps the final, example of what you might term “localised tech.” It’s an object with a specific function.

I believe steampunk captures the current zeitgeist because it knows that we are on a new precipice, about to tip over into a time where technology—which has already vanished from sight, stopped moving and shrunk—will also soon disappear altogether. Localised tech is on its way out. It’s going to disappear into our walls, into our furniture, into the fabric of our clothes, and, dare I say it, maybe even into our bodies.

Distinct technological objects will become as quaint as steam locomotives.

That’s why Steampunk celebrates blatant technology. It knows the complete opposite is on our doorstep.

----------

Mark Hodder is the author of THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING HEELED JACK (Pyr Books 2010) and it's sequel, THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE CLOCKWORK MAN (Pyr Books, due Spring 2011). Hodder is the creator and caretaker of the BLAKIANA Web site, which he designed to celebrate, record, and revive Sexton Blake, the most written about fictional detective in English publishing history. A former BBC writer, editor, journalist, and Web producer, Mark has worked in all the new and traditional medias and was based in London for most of his working life until 2008, when he relocated to Valencia in Spain to de-stress and write novels. He can most often be found at the base of a palm tree, hammering at a laptop. Mark has a degree in cultural studies and loves British history (1850 to 1950, in particular), good food, cutting-edge gadgets, cult TV, Tom Waits, and a vast assortment of oddities.

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Covers Unveiled for new Resnick, Akers, Barclay, & more

Pyr's Fall list has started appearing on Amazon along with a few of the covers. The first three are the Steampunk covers, which are all winners and exude the fun ascetic of the genre. The last 3 are for James Barclay's series Legends of the Raven, which sport some gorgeous and action packed art. Again these may not be the final versions and I'll add artist credits as I find them. UPDATE: Artists added via Lou Anders.

(Art by J. Seamas Gallagher. Design by Nicole Sommer-Lecht)

The Buntline Special by Mike Resnick is the start to his Weird West series. The art is very reminiscent of Dr. Grordbort. If I wasn't already interested in this it would have turned into an emphatic YES! This is guaranteed to be a wild and fun ride. December release.

The year is 1881. The United States of America ends at the Mississippi River. Beyond lies the Indian nations, where the magic of powerful Medicine Men have halted the advance of the Americans east of the river.

An American government desperate to expand its territory sends Thomas Alva Edison out West to the town of Tombstone, Arizona on a mission to discover a scientific means of counteracting magic. Hired to protect this great genius, Wyatt Earp and his brothers.

But there are plenty who would like to see the Earps and Edison dead. Riding to their aid--old friends Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson. Against them stand the Apache wizard Geronimo and the Clanton gang. Battle lines are drawn, and the Clanton gang, which has their own reasons for wanting Edison dead, sends for Johnny Ringo, the one man who might be Doc Holliday's equal in a gunfight. But what shows up instead is The Thing That Was Once Johnny Ringo, returned from the dead and come to Tombstone looking for a fight.

Welcome to a West like you’ve never seen before, where “Bat Masterson” hails from the ranks of the undead, where electric lights shine down on the streets of Tombstone, while horseless stagecoaches carry passengers to and fro, and where death is no obstacle to The Thing That Was Once Johnny Ringo. Think you know the story of the O.K. Corral? Think again, as five time Hugo winner Mike Resnick takes on his first steampunk western tale, and the West will never be the same.

(Art and type by Benjamin Carre.)

The Horns of Ruin by Tim Akers is the start to a new world for Akers after his Heart of Veridon, which started him on the Noird path. Ohh, rocket packs! I love the detailing on the lettering. November release.

Eva Forge is the last paladin of a dead God. Morgan, God of battle and champion of the Fraterdom, was assassinated by his jealous brother, Amon. Over time, the Cult of Morgan has been surpassed by other gods, his blessings ignored in favor of brighter technologies and more mechanical miracles. Eva was the last child dedicated to the Cult of Morgan, forsaken by her parents and forgotten by her family. Now she watches as her new family, her Cult, crumbles all around her.

When a series of kidnappings and murders makes it clear that someone is trying to hasten the death of the Cult of Morgan, Eva must seek out unexpected allies and unwelcome answers in the city of Ash. But will she be able to save the city from a growing conspiracy, one that reaches back to her childhood, even back to the murder of her god?

 

(Art by Jon Sullivan, design by Nicole Sommer-Lecht)

The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder is the first in the Burton and Swinburne series and also his debut novel. Wow. This cover is electric.  It is almost a little too busy what with the long title and series name, but it  works miraculously well with the art. September release.

When one man changes history, history changes everyone!

London, 1861.

Sir Richard Francis Burton--Explorer, linguist, scholar and swordsman; his reputation tarnished; his career in tatters; his former partner missing and probably dead.

Algernon Charles Swinburne--Unsuccessful poet and follower of de Sade; for whom pain is pleasure, and brandy is ruin!

They stand at a crossroads in their lives; and are caught in the epicentre of an empire torn by conflicting forces: Engineers transform the landscape with bigger, faster, noisier and dirtier technological wonders; Eugenicists develop specialist animals to provide unpaid labour; Libertines oppose repressive laws and demand a society based on beauty and creativity; while the Rakes push the boundaries of human behaviour to the limits with magic, drugs and anarchy.

The two men are sucked into the perilous depths of this moral and ethical vacuum when Lord Palmerston commissions Burton to investigate assaults on young women committed by a weird apparition known as Spring Heeled Jack, and to find out why werewolves are terrorising London's East End.

Their investigations lead them to one of the defining events of the age; and the terrifying possibility that the world they inhabit shouldn't exist at all!

(Click to embiggen, artist has been confirmed to be Raymond Swanland)

Elfsorrow, Shadowheart, and Demonstorm by James Barclay are the first three books in the Legends of the Raven series, which Pyr is bring over to the US for the first time in an accelerated published schedule with one a month starting in November. Another jaw dropper set of covers and they are much better than their UK counterparts as the designs are very much in the vein of Forgotten Realms. I have a feeling the artist is Raymond Swanland as it has the feel and color palette of his work on Glen Cooks's Black Company omnibuses.

Look for my interview with Lou Anders, the Editorial Director of Pyr, who discusses quite a few of these books.


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