Sajam 2014 - preporuke

Ovogodišnji oktobarski Sajam knjiga biće po svemu sudeći mršav kada je o fantastici reč. Ipak, biće da se probere nekoliko knjiga i stripova - sasvim dovoljno da se popuni ranac prosečnog ljubitelja žanrovske književnosti.

Naravno, prosečan ljubitelj žanrovske književnosti u Srbiji hronično nema para, pa je samim tim i ranac mali. Ali šta da se radi. Tako je kako je.

Za početak, Čarobna knjiga se - uz Lagunu - odavno izdvojila kao najagilniji izdavač fantastike, pre svega se okrećući mlađoj čitalačkoj populaciji.

Na ovogodišnjem Sajmu svakako treba obratiti pažnju na poslednja dva nastavka serijala o vešcu (sa sve tr

agičnim naslovnicama), ali bih čak više od toga naglasio novo izdanje "Govornika za mrtve". Pohitajte i kupite ovaj kultni da kultniji ne može biti roman & remek-delo naučne fantastike. Naravno, usput kupite i "Enderovu igru", ako već niste. Potrebno je dati podstrek ne samo ČK već i ostalim izdavačima da objavljuju vrhunsku fantastiku - naročito naučnu, pošto je kod nas odavno u zapećku u odnosu na raznorazne podžanrove fantazije.

Pored dva romana o Enderu Čarobna knjiga je objavila i "Oni drugi" iz pera Džo Valton - koja spada među kritički najbolje prihvaćene autore novije generacije, a "Oni drugi" je dobio i Huga i Nebulu, što je veliki uspeh čak i u današnje vreme. Caveat emptor, Valtonova nije baš najlakše štivo na svetu - a naslovnica je takođe imbecilna.

Laguna je ove godine zakazala što se tiče ekskluzivne sajamske ponude, iako je u pripremi nekoliko vaistinu kapitalnih dela.epske fantastike, koji će se u prodaji verovatno naći pred novogodišnje praznike. Međutim, u poslednjih dva meseca Laguna je ipak objavila sasvim dovoljno naslova da oni koji kupuju od Sajma do Sajma imaju čime da se omrse.

"Vorska igra" by Lois Mekmaster Bižol objavljena je još prvog avgusta, ali svakako vredi da se uvrsti u sajamski spisak. Reč je o drugom po redu romanu u glavnom pripovednom nizu jedne od najznačajnijih svemirskih opera svih vremena. Obaška što je "Vorska igra" dobila Huga i Lokus, a u vreme kada ih je dobila te nagrade nikako nisu bile za bacanje.

"Vitez Sedam kraljevstava" je obavezna kupovina. U ovoj knjizi objedinjene su sve tri novele o Danku i Egu, dve iz "Legendi" i jedna iz Martinove antologije Warriors. Nažalost, Martin nije dovršio Wild Women of Winterfell za antologiju Dangerous Women, inače bi se sasvim sigurno i ta novela našla u ovoj knjizi. Ali ove godine nas očekuje svojevrsni "Silmarilion" njegovog sveta, pa se nadajmo da će po završetku tog projekta da se vrati glavnom serijalu, ali i prikvel novelama.

Tradicionalno, Laguna pred svaki Sajam objavljuje Pračetov roman iz serijala o Disksvetu. Ove godine to je "Noćna straža", inače jedan od meni manje dragih romana smeštenih u Disksvet, ali i manje dragih romana o Vajmsu i kompaniji. Međutim, to je Pračet. Ovo je dvadeset deveta knjiga u serijalu, s tim da mi se čini kako je Laguna preskočila barem dve (Last Hero i Amazing Maurice), pretpostavljam zbog njihovog neobičnog formata. Moram reći da se radujem narednoj godini i početku potciklusa o Tifani Ejčing, naslednici Bake Vedervaks (cue Lepa Lukić i ona klinka, sa pesmom "Briši briši suze s lica, ja sam tebi naslednica...").

Ovaj septembarsko-oktobarski niz Laguna završava romanom "Slomljeni anđeli" Ričarda Morgana. Morgan je pokupio Klarka, Dika i Kembela, ali ne dok su stopirali, već nagrade koje nose njihova imena, tako da ćovek knows his shit, što moja baba voli da kaže. Takeši Kovač, protagonista "Slomljenih anđela" je jedan od naj-BAMF likova u novijem SF-u, tako da se ovo ne sme propustiti.

Kada smo kod "Slomljenih anđela", prevodilac rečenog romana je Goran Skrobonja, koji je i izdavač i head honcho izdavačke kuće Paladin. 

Paladin ove godine nudi ozbiljne popuste na kupovinu više naslova odjednom, u određenim kompletima i to sledećeg sastava:

1. Komplet KIM NJUMEN (Povratak u SSAD + Čovek iz Diogenovog kluba + Britansko pitanje) po ceni od 1.500 din (umesto 1900);
2. Komplet LESLI LOKO (Sirotice i bogatašice + Jedno tajno leto) po ceni od 1.500 din (umesto 1.800)
3. Komplet KASL (Talas vreline + Gola vrelina + Vrelina raste) po ceni od 2.000 din (umesto 2.500)
4. Komplet VONEGAT (Doručak šampiona + Svračje noge) po ceni od 1.500 din (umesto 1.800)
5. Komplet SKROBONJA (Nakot + Poklade) po ceni od 1.200 din (umesto 1.400)
6. Komplet HERBERT (Pacovi + Magla + Preživeo) po ceni od 1.200 (umesto 1.500)

OK, nije sve fantastika, ali dovoljno toga jeste da ova sajamska akcija bude zanimljiva. Naravno, tu su i premijere. Pre svega, Goranova nova zbirka, "Poklade", ali i romani Roberta Makamona, "Vučji sat" i "Labudova pesma". Paladin i ove godine nudi tematsku antologiju domaće kratke i duge priče, pod naslovom "HAARP i druge priče o teorijama zavere", a sadržaj je poprilično impresivan:

OTVORENO PISMO SRPSKOM NARODU OD ILJIČA RAMIREZA SANČEZA, Goran Gocić
ONI, Jelica Greganović
ATENTAT KOJI SE NIJE DOGODIO, Filip David
KARANTIN, Darko Tuševljaković
GDO JE VUBIL KNDJA, Ilija Bakić
HAARP U DRUGOM SVETU, Ivan Vukadinović
KIKIMORA SPAVA U MOM DŽEPU, Branka Selaković Milošević
OČI BOJE MUDROSTI I NADE, Ivan Lutz
BEZ OBZORJA, Miljan Marković
SVET KAO VOLJA I ZAVERA, Vasa Pavković
NAJLEPŠA, KRAJ PRIČE?, Mirjana Marinšek Nikolić
NEKRONOMIKON, TREĆE DOPUNJENO IZDANJE, Dejan Ognjanović
BALAMSKA AVET, Đorđe Bajić
POSLEDNJA ŽELJA, Zoran Pešić Sigma
PROGRAM, Nataša Milić
PLITKI GRBOVI, Sebastian Adanko
1138, Mladen Milosavljević
OTMICA, Miloš Petrik
MESO, Pavle Teofilović
MIJAZMA, Radoslav Slavnić
DANAS PADAŠ U ROPSTVO, Relja Antonić
SUMRAK BOGOVA, SVITANJE VAMPIRA, Željko Obrenović
TROPIKANA, Stevan Šarčević
SEMENIŠTE, Tamara Lujak
ZNALAC ČISTIH DANA, Vladimir Kolarić
ZAŠTO SE NISMO ZAUSTAVILI DA KUPIMO CIGARETE, Ivan Nešić
FABULATOR, Oto Oltvanji
VIŠE OD IGRE, Goran Skrobonja
HAARP I DRUGE PRIČE, Jovan Ristić

 

Svakako bih izdvojio Davida, Bakića i Nešića kao dovoljan razlog da se ova antologija nađe na policama svakog ozbiljnog zaljubljenika u fantastiku, a zanima me i kako se Greganovićka snašla u ovim vodama.

Dakako, uz sve navedeno tu je i novi Makdonald, "Srce, ruke, glasovi".

Na kraju bloka književnih preporuka osvrnuću se na novu nadu domaćeg tržišta fantastike, izdavačku kuću Urban Reads. UR se za sada specijalizovala za distopijsku naučnu fantastiku za omladinu, odnosno takozvanu YA književnost. Pored trilogije "Divergentni" Urban Reads je domaći izdavač trilogija "Legende" i "Lavirint", a u planu je i 5th Wave Rika Jencija. 

Stariji čitaoci, naročito čitaoci skloni urbanoj fantastici, koja se kod nas retko nalazi u knjižarama, valjalo bi da obrate pažnju na roman "Groznica tame". Evo i sinopsisa:

Makajla Lejn je doskora verovala da su ona i njena sestra Alina obične devojke iz malog učmalog američkog gradića, da je život zapravo sjajan, i da sve ide baš kako bi trebalo. A onda je Alina otišla u Dablin da studira. Tri meseca kasnije, bila je mrtva.

U potrazi za ubicom svoje sestre, Mak u Dablinu otkriva misteriozni svet drevnih tajni i natprirodnih bića, koliko opasnih, toliko i privlačnih. U ovom carstvu senki i misterija inspirisanih keltskom mitologijom, ništa nije onako kako izgleda, a dobro i zlo nose iste zavodljive maske.

Da li je čovek koji ju je spasao, bogati  tajanstveni Džeriko Barons, tu da joj pomogne, da je iskoristi ili samo da je zavede? Hoće li Mak uspeti da se odupre magičnoj privlačnosti Vilenjačkog princa? Šta se krije u tajanstvenoj knjizi mračne magije za kojom tragaju mnogi stanovnici tajnovitog paralelnog sveta? I ko je uopšte Mak i kakve moći poseduje – da li je ona stvarno jedina nada koja može da zaustavi tamu koja nadolazi?

Uronite u Groznicu tame, prvi deo uzbudljive sage o borbi svetla i tame, u legendu o strasti, dobru i zlu, među živopisne likove, senke i demone, koji samo naizgled obitavaju jedino u legendama…

 Stripovska scena u Srbiji kao da nikada nije bila življa. Pored veoma agilnog Darkvuda, Čarobna knjiga istrajava u ponudi odličnih naslova. U odnosu na prošli Sajam u ponudi imamo još tri toma "Princa Valijanta", kao i "Iznoguda", objavljenog u saradnji sa Darkvudom.

Međutim, najlepša novost je odluka Veselog četvrtka da nastavi sa serijalom "Dragonero". 

 "Dragonero" je odličan izbor za ljubitelje epske fantastike. Reč je o još jednoj biblioteci kolekcionarskih izdanja, a moj nešto opširniji stav o "Dragoneru" moći ćete da pročitate ako kupite ovaj broj, budući da sam gostujući saradnik (da se pohvalim, kada već niko drugi neće...)

OK, to bi bilo to. Vidimo se na Sajmu. 

Nightflier out...

Nova fantazija u 2014. godini - deo prvi

Kada je reč o fantaziji i srodnim podžanrovima fantastike, 2014. za sada veoma obećava. 

Na prvom mestu su svakako najavljeni nastavci najvećih fantazijskih noviteta iz 2013. Naravno, reč je o novim romanima Entonija Rajana i Brajana Maklelanda. 

Tower Lord (A Raven's Shadow Novel) by Anthony Ryan

 In Blood Song, Anthony Ryan introduced readers to “a fascinating world of conflicting religions and the wars fought in the name of those faiths” (Library Journal). Now Ryan’s epic tale continues as Vaelin Al Sorna discovers that there is no escape from the call of destiny…

“The blood-song rose with an unexpected tune, a warm hum mingling recognition with an impression of safety. He had a sense it was welcoming him home.”

Vaelin Al Sorna, warrior of the Sixth Order, called Darkblade, called Hope Killer. The greatest warrior of his day, and witness to the greatest defeat of his nation: King Janus’s vision of a Greater Unified Realm drowned in the blood of brave men fighting for a cause Vaelin alone knows was forged from a lie. Sick at heart, he comes home, determined to kill no more. Named Tower Lord of the Northern Reaches by King Janus’s grateful heir, he can perhaps find peace in a colder, more remote land far from the intrigues of a troubled Realm.

But those gifted with the blood-song are never destined to live a quiet life. Many died in King Janus’s wars, but many survived, and Vaelin is a target, not just for those seeking revenge but for those who know what he can do. The Faith has been sundered, and many have no doubt who their leader should be. The new King is weak, but his sister is strong. The blood-song is powerful, rich in warning and guidance in times of trouble, but is only a fraction of the power available to others who understand more of its mysteries. Something moves against the Realm, something that commands mighty forces, and Vaelin will find to his great regret that when faced with annihilation, even the most reluctant hand must eventually draw a sword.

The Crimson Campaign (The Powder Mage Trilogy) by Brian McClellan

When invasion looms...

Tamas's invasion of Kez ends in disaster when a Kez counter-offensive leaves him cut off behind enemy lines with only a fraction of his army, no supplies, and no hope of reinforcements. Drastically outnumbered and pursued by the enemy's best, he must lead his men on a reckless march through northern Kez to safety, and back over the mountains so that he can defend his country from an angry god, Kresimir.

But the threats are closer to home...

In Adro, Inspector Adamat only wants to rescue his wife. To do so he must track down and confront the evil Lord Vetas. He has questions for Vetas concerning his enigmatic master, but the answers will lead Adamat on a darker journey.

Who will lead the charge?

Tamas's generals bicker among themselves, the brigades lose ground every day beneath the Kez onslaught, and Kresimir wants the head of the man who shot him in the eye. With Tamas and his powder cabal presumed dead, Taniel Two-shot finds himself as the last line of defense against Kresimir's advancing army.

In a rich, distinctive world that mixes magic with technology, who could stand against mages that control gunpowder and bullets? THE CRIMSON CAMPAIGN is the epic sequel to Brian McClellan's Promise of Blood.

 

Maklelan je u protekloj godini bio nešto aktivniji i objavio je par priča maskiranih u novele, pa je očigledno da je pošao koracima svog učitelja, Sandersona, koji često objavljuje kraće radove smeštene u svoje svetove, ali ih objavljuje u formi samostalnih naslova. Elektronsko izdavaštvo sve je naklonjenije kraćim književnim formama, pa se izgleda i pisci privikavaju na mogućnosti koje im se nude.

Ne mogu a da odmah nakon ova dva naslova ne izdvojim 

The Dark Defiles by Richard Morgan

Nažalost, o završnici trilogije No Land for Heroes ne zna se ništa sem da je reč o završnici trilogije. Za neupućene, istaći ću da je reč o romanima koji dele žanrovske poklonike na istinske sladokusce i legitimne poznavaoce žanra, koji su ih pročitali - i na diletante koji nisu. Zaista je reč o obaveznom štivu.

Petnaesti roman u serijalu "Drezdenovi dosijei" još je jedan roman na čije se objavljivanje dugo čekalo. Bučeru je pošlo za rukom da u romanima od Changes pa na ovamo u potpunosti sruši Drezdenov svet, ali da ostavi temelje na kojima će zapravo podići novi serijal u starom ruhu... ili možda obratno. 

Bilo kako bilo, novi Bučerov roman je nešto što se mora pročitati čim bude objavljeno, makar zarad opšte kulture - ali i zbog toga što su "Drezdenovi dosijei" jedan od retkih serijala urbane fantastike koji nisu skliznuli u paranormalnu romantiku ili čak nepatvorenu erotsku fantaziju.

Skin Game (The Dresden Files, #15) by Jim Butcher

 

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, is about to have a very bad day….

Because as Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do. Usually, it’s something awful.
He doesn’t know the half of it….

Mab has just traded Harry’s skills to pay off one of her debts. And now he must help a group of supernatural villains—led by one of Harry’s most dreaded and despised enemies, Nicodemus Archleone—to break into the highest-security vault in town so that they can then access the highest-security vault in the Nevernever.

It’s a smash-and-grab job to recover the literal Holy Grail from the vaults of the greatest treasure hoard in the supernatural world—which belongs to the one and only Hades, Lord of the freaking Underworld and generally unpleasant character. Worse, Dresden suspects that there is another game afoot that no one is talking about. And he’s dead certain that Nicodemus has no intention of allowing any of his crew to survive the experience. Especially Harry.

Dresden’s always been tricky, but he’s going to have to up his backstabbing game to survive this mess—assuming his own allies don’t end up killing him before his enemies get the chance…

Sworn in Steel (Tales of the Kin, #2) by Douglas Hulick

Halikov prvenac bio je potpuno veličanstven i možda čak i bolji od Low Town-a Denijela Polanskog. Međutim, na drugi naslov u serijalu čekalo se toliko dugo da je dobar deo publike već zaboravio na ovog izvanredno pisca, koji je zajedno sa Polanskim potpuno promenio pejzaž urbane fantastike i skrenuo je prema tradicionalnom maču&magiji.

It’s been three months since Drothe killed a legend, burned down a portion of the imperial capital, and unexpectedly elevated himself into the ranks of the criminal elite. Now, as the newest Gray Prince in the underworld, he’s learning just how good he used to have it.

With barely the beginnings of an organization to his name, Drothe is already being called out by other Gray Princes. And to make matters worse, when one dies, all signs point to Drothe as wielding the knife. As members of the Kin begin choosing sides – mostly against him – for what looks to be another impending war, Drothe is approached by a man who not only has the solution to Drothe’s most pressing problem, but an offer of redemption. The only problem is the offer isn’t for him.

Now Drothe finds himself on the way to the Despotate of Djan, the empire’s long-standing enemy, with an offer to make and a price on his head. And the grains of sand in the hour glass are running out, fast…

Kad smo kod nastavaka, Đango Veksler je već napisao nastavak svog prošlogodišnjeg prvenca. Moglo bi se reći da se već formira novi podžanr "barutske fantazije", koja je mahom okrenuta vojnoj tematici, premda ima tu i nešto malo detektivskih romana zabašurenih u alternativnu istoriju. Meni se Vekslerov prvenac nije posebno dopao i batalio sam ga relativno brzo, premda sam baš i mogao da mu posvetim nešto veću pažnju.

The Shadow Throne (The Shadow Campaigns, #2) by Django Wexler

Anyone can plot a coup or fire an assassin’s bullet. But in a world of muskets and magic, it takes considerably more to seize the throne.

The ailing King of the Vordan lies on his deathbed. When he dies, his daughter, Raesinia Orboan, will become the first Queen Regnant in centuries—and a ripe target for the ambitious men who seek to control her. The most dangerous of these is Duke Orlanko, Minister of Information and master of the secret police. Having meticulously silenced his adversaries through intimidation, imprisonment, and execution, Orlanko is the most feared man in the kingdom.

And he knows an arcane secret that puts Raesinia completely at his mercy.

Exposure would mean ruin, but Raesinia is determined to find a way to break herself—and her country—out of Orlanko’s iron grip. She finds unlikely allies in the returning war hero Janus bet Vhalnich, fresh from a brilliant campaign in the colony of Khandar, and his loyal deputies, Captain Marcus d’Ivoire and Lieutenant Winter Ihernglass.

As Marcus and Winter struggle to find their places in the home they never thought they would see again, they help Janus and Raesinia set in motion events that could free Vordan from Orlanko’s influence—at the price of throwing the nation into chaos. But with the people suffering under the Duke’s tyranny, they intend to protect the kingdom with every power they can command, earthly or otherwise.

The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley

O ovome ne znam ništa sem da se gradi neverovatan hajp. Ubrzo ćemo saznati kakav je roman.

When the emperor of Annur is murdered, his children must fight to uncover the conspiracy—and the ancient enemy—that effected his death.
Kaden, the heir apparent, was for eight years sequestered in a remote mountain monastery, where he learned the inscrutable discipline of monks devoted to the Blank God. Their rituals hold the key to an ancient power which Kaden must master before it’s too late. When an imperial delegation arrives to usher him back to the capital for his coronation, he has learned just enough to realize that they are not what they seem—and enough, perhaps, to successfully fight back.
Meanwhile, in the capital, his sister Adare, master politician and Minister of Finance, struggles against the religious conspiracy that seems to be responsible for the emperor’s murder. Amid murky politics, she’s determined to have justice—but she may be condemning the wrong man.

 Their brother Valyn is struggling to stay alive. He knew his training to join the Kettral— deadly warriors who fly massive birds into battle—would be arduous. But after a number of strange apparent accidents, and the last desperate warning of a dying guard, he’s convinced his father’s murderers are trying to kill him, and then his brother. He must escape north to warn Kaden—if he can first survive the brutal final test of the Kettral.

Novi naslovi - decembar 2013. (A ujedno i dopuna spiska za čitanje.)

Svašta nešto ovog meseca. Kao i svakog, preko 200 naslova raznih žanrova i podžanrova. No, ovoga puta izdvojiću samo ono što će se naći na mom spisku za čitanje.

Something More Than Night by Ian Tregillis 

 Tredžilis (valjda se tako izgovara; moraću da ga pitam) jedan je od najboljih pisaca - u smislu umeća pisanja i lepote stila - fantastike koji su u poslednjih nekoliko godina izronili iz senke autora kakav je GRRM. Dapače, Tredžilis je član podmlatka Martinovog kružoka, Critical Mass, i "Veliki Bradati Lednik" ga često pominje i ističe kao pisca na kojeg valja obratiti pažnju.

Ovaj autor čitaocima se predstavio trilogijom o alternativnom Drugom svetskom ratu, tokom kojeg nacisti koriste ibermenše po ugledu na X-mene, a Britanci lavkraftovske vešce. Pročitao sam samo prvu knjigu u toj trilogiji i već duže vreme čekam da mi se sklope kockice i da se stvore prave okolnosti da pročitam i preostale dve. 

U međuvremenu, Tredžilis nije džabalebario već je napisao novi roman.

Ian Tregillis's Something More Than Night is a Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler inspired murder mystery set in Thomas Aquinas’s vision of Heaven. It’s a noir detective story starring fallen angels, the heavenly choir, nightclub stigmatics, a priest with a dirty secret, a femme fatale, and the Voice of God.

Somebody has murdered the angel Gabriel. Worse, the Jericho Trumpet has gone missing, putting Heaven on the brink of a truly cosmic crisis. But the twisty plot that unfolds from the murder investigation leads to something much bigger: a con job one billion years in the making.

Because this is no mere murder. A small band of angels has decided to break out of heaven, but they need a human patsy to make their plan work.

Much of the story is told from the point of view of Bayliss, a cynical fallen angel who has modeled himself on Philip Marlowe. The yarn he spins follows the progression of a Marlowe novel—the mysterious dame who needs his help, getting grilled by the bulls, finding a stiff, getting slipped a mickey.

Angels and gunsels, dames with eyes like fire, and a grand maguffin, Something More Than Night is a murder mystery for the cosmos. 

The Iron Wolves: Book 1 of The Rage of Kings by Andy Remic

 Endi Remik ima dva zapažena B serijala. Jedan sam pokušao da čitam (The Clockwork Vampire Chronicles) i nije mi se dopao. Biće da je stvar do mene, pošto je Remik postao solidna zvezdica na SF&F nebu. Ako bih morao da ga poredim sa nekim ko je poznat našem čitateljstvu, rekao bih da je najsličniji Piteru Bretu, makar po kvalitetu pisanja. 

Thirty years ago, the Iron Wolves held back mud-orc hordes at the Pass of Splintered Bones, and led a brutal charge that saw the sorcerer Morkagoth slain. This ended the War of Zakora, and made the Iron Wolves heroes.

Now, a new terror stalks the realm. In hushed whispers, it is claimed the Horse Lady, Orlana the Changer, has escaped from the Chaos Halls and is building an army, twisting horses, lions and bears into terrible, bloody hunters, summoning mud-orcs from then slime and heading north to Vagandrak where, it said, the noble King Yoon has gone insane...

After hearing a prophecy from a blind seer, aged General Dalgoran searches to reunite the heroes of old for what he believes will be the final battle. But as mud-orcs and twisted beasts tear through the land, Dalgoran discovers the Iron Wolves are no longer heroes of legend... Narnok is a violent whoremaster, Kiki a honey-leaf drug peddler, and Prince Zastarte a drinker, a gambler, amoral and decadent: now he likes to hear people scream as they burn...

United in hate, the Iron Wolves travel to the Pass of Splintered Bones; and as half a million mud-orcs gather, General Dalgoran realises his grave error. Together, the Iron Wolves hold a terrible secret which has tortured them for three decades. Now, they only wish to be human again...

The Greatship by Robert Reed 

Nisam čitao Rida, ali gikovskom internetu je preskočilo srce na najavu objavljivanja zbirke njegovih priča, čija se radnja dešava na ogromnom svemirskom brodu. 

Since the beginning of the universe, the giant starship wandered the emptiest reaches of space, without crew or course, much less any clear purpose. But humans found the relic outside the Milky Way, and after taking possession, they named their prize the Great Ship and embarked on a bold voyage through the galaxy’s civilized hearts.

Larger than worlds, the Great Ship is laced with caverns and oceans, scenes of exalted beauty and corners where no creature has ever stood. Habitats can be created for every intelligent species, provided that the passengers can pay for the honor of a berth, and the human captains make the rules and dispense the justice in what soon becomes thousands of alien species joined a wild, unpredictable journey.

The first Great Ship story was “The Remoras”, published in 1994 by THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION. All but the most recent titles in the series have been included in this volume, arranged in a rough chronological order, each story partly rewritten to capture the author’s growing expertise in the starship. New material has been added to bridge the centuries, hopefully enriching the resident confusion. 

Ascension: A Tangled Axon Novel by Jacqueline Koyanagi 

Potpuno nova spisateljica, koja se pojavila niotkuda i objavija roman za ne baš veliku i prestižnu izdavačku kuću. No, siže njenog prvenca bio mi je dovoljno zanimljiv da mi ovaj naslov odma' uleti na tablet.

Alana Quick is the best damned sky surgeon in Heliodor City, but repairing starship engines barely pays the bills. When the desperate crew of a cargo vessel stops by her shipyard looking for her spiritually-advanced sister Nova, Alana stows away. Maybe her boldness will land her a long-term gig on the crew. But the Tangled Axon proves to be more than star-watching and plasma coils. The chief engineer thinks he's a wolf. The pilot fades in and out of existence. The captain is all blond hair, boots, and ego... and Alana can't keep her eyes off her. But there's little time for romance: Nova's in danger and someone will do anything - even destroying planets - to get their hands on her!

The Cormorant by Chuck Wendig

Vending je skorašnja fantazijska senzacija. 

  Ono što piše spada u urbanu fantaziju, a piše dovoljno dobro da je već stekao pristojan broj poklonika. Meni je zanimljivo to što je Vending neko vreme radio kao dizajner fantasy role play igara smeštenih u Svet tame, izdavača White Wolf. Ti su ljudi radili urbanu fantastiku i pre nego što je postojala. Jednog od narednih dana zaista ću morati da pročitam sve što je napisao.

Miriam is on the road again, having transitioned from "thief" to "killer".

Hired by a wealthy businessman, she heads down to Florida to practice the one thing she's good at, but in her vision she sees him die by another's hand and on the wall written in blood is a message just for Miriam. She's expected...

The Suicide Exhibition: The Never War by Justin Richards

Ne ide mi baš u glavu da se izdavač kalibra Del Reya odlučio da objavi nešto nalik ovome, tako da je jedino logično objašnjenje da je reč o sjajnom romanu, samo sam ja toliki duduk da mi to nije jasno na prvi pogled. Će da vidimo.

 A groundbreaking alternate history World War 2 thriller.
    
The threat is not new. The aliens have been here before -- if indeed they are aliens. Obsessed with the Occult, Hitler and other senior Nazis believed they were destined to inherit the Earth. To this end, they are determined to recover 'their' ancient artifacts -- the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, the Spear of Destiny. When Dunkirk veteran and Foreign Office trouble-shooter Major Guy Pentecross stumbles across a seemingly unbelievable conspiracy, he, together with pilot and American spy Sarah Diamond and SOE operative Leo Davenport, enter the shadow world of Section Z. All three have major roles to play as they uncover the Nazis' insidious plot to use the alien Vril's technology to win the war... at any cost.

This is The Thirty-Nine Steps crossed with Indiana Jones and Quatermass. Justin Richards has an extremely credible grasp of the period's history and has transformed it into a groundbreaking alternate reality thriller.

Najslađe za kraj...

Fell Sword by Miles Cameron

Ovo je drugi roman Majlsa Kamerona. Prvi je objavljen krajem 2012, ali ja sam ga pročitao u 2013. Što se mene tiče, Red Knight - Kameronov prvenac - biće ozbiljan kandidat za najbolji roman kojeg sam pročitao ove godine.

Loyalty costs money. Betrayal, on the other hand, is free When the Emperor is taken hostage, the Red Knight and his men find their services in high demand - and themselves surrounded by enemies. The country is in revolt, the capital city is besieged and any victory will be hard won. But The Red Knight has a plan. The question is, can he negotiate the political, magical, real and romantic battlefields at the same time - especially when intends to be victorious on them all?

Šta smo propustili...

Kraj prethodne godine zatekao me je u moru obaveza, a obala nikako da se pojavi na vidiku. To je najvećim delom bio razlog zašto su mi naslovi objavljeni s kraja godine potpuno promakli. "Crvenog viteza" sam slučajno pronašao početkom ovog meseca, ali propustio sam niz romana novih ili malo poznatih autora. Čak mi se prvi put u životu desilo da tokom prošle godine bude objavljen jedan roman kojeg sam veoma dugo čekao i kojem sam se radovao, a da ga ne pročitam istog trena kada se pojavi. No, tu je internet da skrene pažnju na propušteno i da pruži priliku da se propušteno ispravi - naročito uzevši u obzir da je januar 2013. relativno mršav kada je reč o naslovima koji mi upadaju u oči na prvi pogled.

Evo jednog omanjeg spiska romana koje sam propustio da pročitam, a voleo bih da to ove godine ispravim:

Blood Song by Anthony Ryan  

Moram priznati da me je amaterska naslovnica, ravna najgorim sočinjenijima naših IPS-a i Evro-Đuntija debelo odbila od ove knjige, međutim hajp na Amazonu dovoljno je veliki da bih joj progledao kroz prste. Istine za volju, naslov Blood Song i naslov serijala Raven's Shadow navode me da pomislim kako je pre reč o nekoj publikaciji iz edicije Elora's Cave nego o ozbiljnom romanu, ali kolektivni internetski glas vaskolikih gikova tera me da mu pružim priliku. 

“The Sixth Order wields the sword of justice and smites the enemies of the Faith and the Realm.”

 

Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order. The Brothers of the Sixth Order are devoted to battle, and Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate, and dangerous life of a Warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order.

Vaelin’s father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the unified realm. Vaelin’s rage at being deprived of his birthright and dropped at the doorstep of the Sixth Order like a foundling knows no bounds. He cherishes the memory of his mother, and what he will come to learn of her at the Order will confound him. His father, too, has motives that Vaelin will come to understand. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the realm, but the world.

 

Naravno, presudno je bilo poređenje sa "Imenom vetra", što je gotovo opšti utisak svih blogera koji su čitali Blood Song.

 

Daughter of the Sword: A Novel of the Fated Blades by Steve Bein

 

Naslov objavljen u oktobru prošle godine, zanimljiv zbog nekoliko značajki. Najpre, autor je muškog pola i roda - i to ne krije - a protagonista je žensko. Ovo je već samo po sebi retkost, budući da je glavna publika urbane fantastike suprotnog, odnosno ženskog pola, tako da većina muškaraca koji pišu u ovom podžanru obično bira nekakav neutralni pseudonim, ili čak žensko nom de plume (videti intervju koji sam vodio sa Denijelom Ejbrahamom, u kome sam ga baš o tome i pitao). Međutim, kada se pročita blurb - da ne kažem sinopsis - vidi se da Daughter of the Sword ipak nije urbana fantastika, iako se deklarativno odigrava u epitomu urbanosti, Tokiju.

Mariko Oshiro is not your average Tokyo cop. As the only female detective in the city’s most elite police unit, she has to fight for every ounce of respect, especially from her new boss. While she wants to track down a rumored cocaine shipment, he gives her the least promising case possible. But the case—the attempted theft of an old samurai sword—proves more dangerous than anyone on the force could have imagined.

The owner of the sword, Professor Yasuo Yamada, says it was crafted by the legendary Master Inazuma, a sword smith whose blades are rumored to have magical qualities. The man trying to steal it already owns another Inazuma—one whose deadly power eventually comes to control all who wield it. Or so says Yamada, and though he has studied swords and swordsmanship all his life, Mariko isn’t convinced.

But Mariko’s skepticism hardly matters. Her investigation has put her on a collision course with a curse centuries old and as bloodthirsty as ever. She is only the latest in a long line of warriors and soldiers to confront this power, and even the sword she learns to wield could turn against her.

Za razliku od prethodnog romana, naslovnica za Daughter of the Sword je prelepa i delo je Krisa Magrata, u njegovom prepoznatljivom stilu. Nažalost, imam utisak da će ovaj roman proći relativno slabo. Pre svega, Tor se ne ubija od marketinga, a potom - roman nema jasno određenu publiku. Ljubiteljke urbane fantastike svakako se neće zaleteti da ga kupe, dok će tvrdokorniji poklonici fantazijskih romana verovatno biti odbijeni činjenicom da su elementi fantastike dati u Daughter of the Sword krajnje suptilni, ako je verovati prikazivačima. Autor je dobio vrsne kritike za stil i izraz, tako da će se ovaj roman naći na mom spisku ovogodišnjeg štiva.

Throne of The Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed

Saladin Ahmed izgleda baš kao što mu ime zvuči. To jest, izgledao bi kada bi nosio turban. Međutim, uopšte ne zvuči kako izgleda, niti kako se zove. Čovek je rođen i odrastao u Detroitu, magistrirao je engleski i kreativno pisanje, predavao je kreativno pisanje deset godina i bio je finalista za Nebulu u konkurenciji kratke priče i Kembela za novog pisca. Naravno, najvažnije je to što je D&D gejm master. 

The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, land of djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, Khalifs and killers, is at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron-fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. It is up to a handful of heroes to learn the truth behind these killings:

Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, "The last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat," just wants a quiet cup of tea. Three score and more years old, he has grown weary of hunting monsters and saving lives, and is more than ready to retire from his dangerous and demanding vocation. But when an old flame's family is murdered, Adoulla is drawn back to the hunter's path.

Raseed bas Raseed, Adoulla's young assistant, a hidebound holy warrior whose prowess is matched only by his piety, is eager to deliver God's justice. But even as Raseed's sword is tested by ghuls and manjackals, his soul is tested when he and Adoulla cross paths with the tribeswoman Zamia.

Zamia Badawi, Protector of the Band, has been gifted with the near-mythical angelic power, but shunned by her people for daring to take up a man's title. She lives only to avenge her tribe's death. Until she learns that Adoulla and his allies also hunt the same killer. Until she meets Raseed.

When they learn that the murders and the Falcon Prince's brewing revolution are connected, the companions must race against time--and struggle against their own misgivings--to save the life of a vicious despot. In so doing they discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.

Throne of The Crescent Moon mu dođe nešto kao križanac "1001. noći" i sword & sorcery romana začinjenih sa nekoliko kašika D&D-a. Iako je roman bio hajpovan dosta dugo pre nego što se zvanično pojavio, mene je ta kombinacija odbijala sve dok nisam shvatio da a) Obožavam "1001. noć" - i to integralno izdanje (ponosan sam vlasnik svih čini mi se osam tomova) i b) Poslednja fantastika sa muslimansko-arapskim elementima koju sam čitao (doduše, naučna) potpuno me je oduševila (Bel Dame Apocrypha by Kameron Hurley). I na kraju, čovek drži D&D sesije grupi od DESET igrača, koju listom čine najpopularniji mladi pisci fantazijskog štiva! Bring it on!

The Dead Of Winter by Lee Collins

Ilizana je maksima da je sve već napisano. To je ne čini ništa manje tačnom. Pasionirani čitaoci fantastike - ili krimića, ili bilo koje druge žanrovske literature - ne mogu a da ne oguglaju na iste potke, slične protagoniste, dosadne nemeze. To je dovelo do toga da nam u većini slučajeva radnja, zaplet, protagonista, šta god - nije ni najmanje bitan činilac. Bitna nam je oblanda u koju je slatkiš zavijen, sve dok je slatkiš makar približnog ukusa koji volimo. Dakle, kupujemo knjige na kojima piše "isto kao Martin" ili "stimpank" ili "vampir i vukodlak u ljubavnom trouglu sa zombijem". Međutim, ponekad i oblanda dosadi. Neki pisci su to uvideli, pa su počeli da mešaju scenografije iz različitih predstava. Tako smo u skorije vreme dobili mešance urbane fantastike i mača & magije, sve je više sajens fantazija (opet), stimpanka ima u 26 ukusa najmanje - a jedan od tih ukusa je i Weird West. 

Definicija ovog... pravca? Podžanra? Šta god Weird West bio, njegova definicija ne traži preveliko pametovanje. Stimpank na vestern način. Kraj priče. 

The book begins in 1883 in Colorado and features Cora and Ben Oglesby. They both are bounty hunters who hunt vampires and have been successfully doing so for more than a decade. As they are passing through the small settlement of Leadville in Colorado, they are beseeched to save the settlement from a mysterious animal that has been killing the poor folk. With their fees being settled, Cora and Ben get down to their job only to find out that the creature they are hunting might not be their usual supernatural quarry. Things get even hairier as they find out what they might be against. The plot then has them dealing with further problems as they make the acquaintance of a British vampire hunting academic who tells them of a problem infesting his lord’s mines. Its up to Cora and Ben to make light amid all the problems and save themselves as well as all the people around them.

 

Nije mi, doduše, najjasnije da li je ovaj roman baš onakav kakvim se na prvi pogled čini. Recenzenti o njemu pričaju kao o melanžu žanrova, sa podosta elemenata horora. U svetu u kojem je reč "vampir" postala sinonim za "bling", pojam "horor" ne upotrebljava se olako. Između ostalog i da ne bi privukao pogrešnu publiku. No, videćemo.

Land of Hope and Glory by Geoffrey Wilson

Ovo sam čak počeo da čitam. Prekinuo sam nakon dve stranice. Nisam prekinuo zbog lošeg pisanja ili nezanimljive radnje. Prekinuo sam zbog premise romana, po kojoj su Indijci porobili Veliku Britaniju. Budući da sam pomalo upoznat sa istorijatom britanske vladavine indijskim potkontinentom, predstava krvoločnih Hindusa koji maltretiraju jadne Engleze odmah me je zgadila. No, jedan od uticajnijih fantasy rivjuera - koji je pri tom i Indijac - veoma je pohvalio ovaj naslov. 

It is 1852. The Indian empire of Rajthana has ruled Europe for more than a hundred years. With their vast armies, steam-and-sorcery technology and mastery of the mysterious power of sattva, the Rajthanans appear invincible. But a bloody rebellion has broken out in a remote corner of the empire, in a poor and backward region known as England.

At first Jack Casey, retired soldier, wants nothing to do with the uprising, but then he learns his daughter, Elizabeth, is due to be hanged for helping the rebels. The Rajthanans will spare her, but only if Jack hunts down and captures his best friend and former army comrade, who is now a rebel leader. Jack is torn between saving his daughter and protecting his friend. And he struggles just to stay alive as the rebellion pushes England into all-out war.

 

The Rajthanan Empire from India has conquered many parts of the world and like the Roman Empire previously, has now colonized England. The Rajthanan Empire is most likely a synonym for the area known as Rajputana or as it’s currently known as Rajasthan. They have discovered the means to a power called Sattva nearly eight hundred years ago and since then have managed to overthrow the Mughal Empire in India. Since then they have also taken over many parts of the known world and now are exploring the new world.

Amidst all their explorations they have also conquered England and Wales nearly a hundred years ago. The rest of the continental Europe previously was under Muslim Caliphate rule and England was the only country to rebuff their advances under the rule of King Edward. It is not clear how much of continental Europe is under the rule of the Rajthanan Empire but its safe to presume that majority of the area would be under their rule. Currently there have been small mutterings against the Rajthanans and their rule over the English people and a person called the Ghost has been leading a group of soldiers all over the countryside looting army posts and generally calling for the overthrow of the Rajthanan rule.