New Procurements Including an Instant Read

Most of the last couple weeks hardly any new books showed up and than I go away for the weekend and came back to a nice pile. First up is Hounded by Kevin Hearne, which I finally grabbed while buying a couple birthday presents at Barnes & Noble. I've been looking forward to this one for awhile as it has a Highlander vibe to it, so I'm eager to check it out as it stars an immortal druid living in modern day Arizona and the next two books in the series are already available. The Book of Transformations is the third book in Mark Charan Newton's incredible Legends of the Red Sun series, which is immediate read for me after the events of City of Ruin, which was one of my favorite books last year. Already I like where it is headed and it seems to be a more direct sequel to the first book in the series.  I'm already 150 pages in. Also, of note is the fact that City of Ruin just came out in the US for the first time along with the paperback of Nights of Villjamur.

Peeking out next is the hotly anticipated sophomore effort Spellbound from Blake Charlton, which I'll be sure to get to before it releases in a couple months.  I've been on the look out for a new gritty Urban Fantasy series and Low Town by debutist Daniel Polansky just may be the ticket.  This book is titled The Straight Razor Cure in the UK and Low Town the US, which is also the series title.  Next is the the limited edition of Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie. Sub Press did fix the type issue on the cover that I mentioned awhile back and also had the color plates more evenly distributed than their edition of The Blade Itself.  Gorgeous production and definitely shelf of honor stuff.

Dead Iron is the first in a new Steampunk Western series from the very popular Devon Monk. After that is Charles Stross' hotly awaited Rule 34, which is a title you probably don't want to google. I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive is by musician and debuting author Steve Earle who is also know for his roles in The Wire and Treme. My wife is a fan of his and bought and read this in the same weekend. She than told me I must read it this summer, so I must. Heaven's Shadow by Goyer and Cassutt is one I've talked a little about from two very well known Hollywood writers. I'm trying to keep my expectations in check, but certainly love first contact stories so fingers crossed. Lastly is Jim and the Flims by mathematician Rudy Rucker, which looks just about as odd as you'd expect a Rucker novel to look.

Out of the bunch The Book of Transformations is the big one I've been waiting for, but I plan on getting to Low Town and Spellbound before they are officially released and few of the other soonish. Hounded will probably be slipped in between some longer reads soon as well.

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