Four hundred years in the future, the most dangerous criminals are kept in suspended animation aboard prison ships and "rehabilitated" in a shared virtual reality environment. But Miska Storrow, a thief and hacker with a background in black ops, has stolen one of these ships, the Hangman's Daughter, and made it her own. Controlled by explosive collars and trained in virtual reality by the electronic ghost of a dead marine sergeant, the thieves, gangsters, murderers, and worse are transformed into Miska's own private indentured army: the Bastard Legion.
In FRIENDLY FIRE, the Bastard Legion are hired to pull off a daring power-armoured heist of propriety tech.
Getting the tech will be hard. Getting off the planet, deadly.
New Fears (edited by Mark Morris) was published by Titan Books in September 2017.
Information about Mark Morris:
Mark Morris has written over twenty-five novels, including four books in the popular Doctor Who range. He is also the author of two short story collections and several novellas. His short fiction, articles and reviews have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and magazines, and he is editor of Cinema Macabre, a book of horror movie essays for which he won the 2007 British Fantasy Award.
The horror genre’s greatest living practitioners drag our darkest fears kicking and screaming into the light in this collection of nineteen brand-new stories. In “The Boggle Hole” by Alison Littlewood an ancient folk tale leads to irrevocable loss. In Josh Malerman’s “The House of the Head” a dollhouse becomes the focus for an incident both violent and inexplicable. And in “Speaking Still” Ramsey Campbell suggests that beyond death there may be far worse things waiting than we can ever imagine... Numinous, surreal and gut wrenching, New Fears is a vibrant collection showcasing the very best fiction modern horror has to offer.
Risingshadow has the honour of publishing a guest post about worldbuilding by Aidan Russell.
Aidan Russell is not a New York Times bestselling author, but he has written a few short stories for 13Thirty Books’ Never Fear anthologies alongside a few bestsellers. He also drinks Irish car-bombs faster than Tom Monteleone, a matter of historical fact. He is the author of Road of the Lost, the first book in his epic fantasy series, which will be available for pre-order in October 2017.
Aidan began the dream of writing his own harrowing tales of adventure and derring-do as so many other fantasy authors before him had: by reading The Lord of the Rings and spending too many late nights with friends, pizza, and too much soda while rolling the dice to slay orcs, orks, and whatever other foul beasts imaginations could create.
Having completed several combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as a U.S. Marine, Aidan’s stories always feature intense, vivid, and consuming action and conflict that is as much a revelation about the characters as it is a fight for survival.
Currently, he is working on a the final edits of Road of the Lost, polishing the second book in the series, finishing up the first draft of the third book, as well as working on a military thriller set in the Baltic States.
When not writing, Aidan enjoys rocking out to some good ol’ heavy metal, lifting weights, and skiing well above his skill level.
Risingshadow has had the honour of interviewing Glynn Stewart.
Glynn Stewart is the author of Starship’s Mage, a bestselling science fiction and fantasy series where faster-than-light travel is possible - but only because of magic. His other ongoing works include science fiction series Duchy of Terra, Castle Federation and Vigilante, as well as the urban fantasy series ONSET.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Kitchener, Ontario with his wife, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
Allen Ashley's The Planet Suite was published by Eibonvale Press in May/June 2016.
Information about Allen Ashley:
Allen Ashley is an award-winning editor, writer, poet, creative writing tutor, event host, critical reader, writing mentor, singer and lyricist. Allen is available for readings, running workshops at any level, moderating panels, hosting literary and musical events, and writing-related consultations.
Allen currently runs five regular creative writing groups including a Novel Focus Group and the advanced science fiction / fantasy group Clockhouse London Writers. Allen has also run workshops at various literary events and festivals including Alt-Fiction, the British Fantasy Society’s “FantasyCon”, Finchley Literary Festival, Greenacre Writers Literary Festival, Kilburn Literary Festival and Newham Festival of Science Fiction.
All of the books featured on this page have been published by Tachyon Publications. Tachyon Publications is an independent press specialising in speculative fiction.
Information about the books:
Ellen Klages: Wicked Wonders (May 2017):
The award-winning author of The Green Glass Sea returns with smart and subversive new tales
A rebellious child identifies with Maleficent instead of Sleeping Beauty. Best friends Anna and Corry share one last morning on Earth. A solitary woman inherits a penny arcade haunted by a beautiful stranger. A prep-school student requires more than luck when playing dice with a faerie. Ladies who lunch - dividing one last bite of dessert - delve into new dimensions of quantum politeness. At summer camp, a young girl discovers the heartbreak of forbidden love.
Whether on a habitat on Mars or in a boardinghouse in London, discover Ellen Klages’ wicked, wondrous adventures full of cheeky wit, empathy, and courage.
James Morrow: The Asylum of Dr. Caligari (June 2017):
If you think today’s profiteers are diabolical, blink again…
It is the summer of 1914. As the world teeters on the brink of the Great War, a callow American painter, Francis Wyndham, arrives at a renowned European insane asylum, where he begins offering art therapy under the auspices of Alessandro Caligari - sinister psychiatrist, maniacal artist, alleged sorcerer.
Determined to turn the impending cataclysm to his financial advantage, Dr. Caligari will - for a price - allow governments to parade their troops past his masterpiece: a painting so mesmerizing it can incite entire regiments to rush headlong into battle.
As the doctor’s outrageous scheme becomes a reality, Francis joins with his brilliant, spider-obsessed student, Ilona Wessels, and a band of lunatic saboteurs to thwart the mercenary magic.
By radically reimagining the most famous of all German Expressionist silent films, satirist James Morrow has wrought a timely tale that is by turns funny and erotic, tender and bayonet-sharp - but ultimately The Asylum of Dr. Caligari emerges as a love letter to that mysterious, indispensible thing called art.
The New Voices of Fantasy (edited by Peter S. Beagle and Jacob Weisman, July 2017):
Eugene Fisher, Brooke Bolander, Amal El-Mohtar, Maria Dahvana Headley, Max Gladstone, Ben Loory, Carmen Maria Machado, Usman T. Malik, Sarah Pinsker, Hannu Rajaniemi, Adam Ehrlich Sachs, Sofia Samatar, Kelly Sandoval, Chris Tarry, A. C. Wise, Alyssa Wong, JY Yang, E. Lily Yu
What would you do if a tornado wanted you to be its Valentine? Or if a haunted spacesuit banged on your door? When is the ideal time to turn into a tiger? Would you post a supernatural portal on Craigslist?
In these nineteen stories, the enfants terribles of fantasy have entered the building - a love-starved, ambulatory skyscraper. The New Voices of Fantasy tethers some of the fastest-rising talents of the last five years. Their tales were hand-picked by the legendary Peter S. Beagle (The Last Unicorn) and genre expert Jacob Weisman (The Treasury of the Fantastic).
So go ahead, join the Communist revolution of the honeybees. The new kids got your back.
Patricia A. McKillip: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld:
Young Sybel, the heiress of powerful wizards, needs the company of no-one outside her gates. In her exquisite stone mansion, she is attended by exotic, magical beasts: Riddle-master Cyrin the boar; the treasure-starved dragon Gyld; Gules the Lyon, tawny master of the Southern Deserts; Ter, the fiercely vengeful falcon; Moriah, feline Lady of the Night. Sybel only lacks the mysterious Liralen, which continues to elude her most powerful enchantments.
But when a soldier bearing an infant arrives, Sybel discovers that the world of man and magic is full of love and deceit - and the possibility of more power than she can imagine.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is one of the true classics of fantasy.
Peter S. Beagle: The Overneath (November 2017):
New short fiction from the beloved author of The Last Unicorn
An odd couple patrols a county full of mythological beasts and ornery locals. A familiar youngster from the world of The Last Unicorn is gifted in magic but terrible at spell-casting. A seemingly incorruptible judge meets his match in a mysterious thief who steals his heart. Two old friends discover that the Overneath goes anywhere, including locations better left unvisited.
Lyrical, witty, and insightful, The Overneath is Peter S. Beagle’s much-anticipated return to the short form. In these uniquely beautiful and wholly original tales Beagle once again proves himself a master of the imagination.
Jane Yolen: The Emerald Circus (November 2017):
Where is Wendy? Leading a labor strike against the Lost Boys, of course.
A Scottish academic unearths ancient evil in a fishing village. Edgar Allan Poe’s young bride is beguiled by a most unusual bird. Dorothy, lifted from Kansas, returns as a gymnastic sophisticate. Emily Dickinson dwells in possibility and sails away in a starship made of light. Alice’s wicked nemesis has jaws and claws but really needs a sense of humor.
In Jane Yolen’s first full collection in more than ten years discover new and uncollected tales of beloved characters, literary legends, and much more. Enter the Emerald Circus and be astonished by the transformations within.
HIGH-QUALITY SPECULATIVE FICTION FROM TACHYON PUBLICATIONS (SHORT REVIEWS)
New Fears (edited by Mark Morris) was published by 
Risingshadow has the honour of publishing a guest post about worldbuilding by Aidan Russell.
Risingshadow has had the honour of interviewing Glynn Stewart.
Allen Ashley's The Planet Suite was published by 
All of the books featured on this page have been published by