Genres: science fiction
The first novel in an exciting new series, Every Sky a Grave is a thrilling space epic following a powerful woman who can destroy planets with a single word and who is suddenly faced with an adversary that threatens the entire known universe.
Mankind has conquered the galaxy. Since decoding the language of the universe 8,000 years ago, they have reached the very edges of their known galaxy and built a near-utopia across thousands of worlds, united by a common language and a powerful organization known as the Ascendance. The peaceful stability of their society relies solely on this Language.
As the Ascendance prepares for the next stage of human evolution — making the leap from one galaxy to the next — they send Elyth, a female agent trained in the art of a math-encoded language that allows humans to travel to the edges of the galaxy, on a clandestine mission to suppress an uprising before it begins. While doing reconnaissance, she follows the trail of a unique speech pattern thought to be extinguished long ago and comes face-to-face with a man who should no longer exist — Varen Fedic, the First Speaker and one of the Ascendance’s most dangerous adversaries.
Varen’s understanding of the deep Language is thorough, so much so that Elyth soon learns that the disciples whom she mistook for followers are actually his captors. Forcing Varen to teach them his ways, they plan to use his powers against an unknown force that is stopping humanity from leaving the galaxy. And now Elyth and Varen face something truly alien — an unknown species for which the Language has no name.
Every Sky a Grave is the beginning of an expansive and ambitious space opera about the power of words and identity from the author of “thrilling, action-packed science fiction that grabs and doesn’t let go” (Jason M. Hough, New York Times bestselling author).
Read more: Every Sky a Grave - Jay Posey
Review: Eden by Tim Lebbon
- Written by Seregil of Rhiminee
- Category: Reviews
Tim Lebbon's Eden was published by Titan Books in April/June 2020.
About Tim Lebbon:
Tim Lebbon is the New York Times bestselling author of Coldbrook, The Silence, and the Relics trilogy. He has also written many successful movie novelizations and tie-ins for Alien and Firefly. Tim has won three British Fantasy Awards, a Bram Stoker Award, a Shocker, a Tombstone and been a finalist for the International Horror Guild and World Fantasy Awards. The Silence is now a gripping Netflix movie starring Stanley Tucci and Kiernan Shipka.
Click here to visit his official website.
About Eden:
Earth’s rising oceans contain enormous islands of refuse, the Amazon rainforest is all-but destroyed, and countless species edge towards extinction. Humanity’s last hope to save the planet lies with The Virgin Zones, thirteen vast areas of land off-limits to people and given back to nature.
Dylan leads a clandestine team of adventure racers, including his daughter Jenn, into Eden, the oldest of the Zones. Jenn carries a secret - Kat, Dylan’s wife who abandoned them both years ago, has entered Eden ahead of them. Jenn is determined to find her mother, but neither she nor the rest of their tight-knit team are prepared for what confronts them. Nature has returned to Eden in an elemental, primeval way. And here, nature is no longer humanity’s friend.
REVIEW: EDEN BY TIM LEBBON
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Guest post: The Final Reckoning by Gail Z. Martin
- Written by Seregil of Rhiminee
- Category: Guest Post
Risingshadow has an opportunity to feature a guest post by Gail Z. Martin. This guest post is part of the author's Hawthorn Moon blog tour.
In this guest post, the author tells about Reckoning, which is the third book in the Darkhurst fantasy series.
Click here to read an excerpt from Vengeance (the second book in the Darkhurst series).
Guest post: The Final Reckoning by Gail Z. Martin
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Audio story review: Dreamcoat by Matthew G. Rees
- Written by Seregil of Rhiminee
- Category: Reviews
Matthew G. Rees' Dreamcoat was published as an audio story at YouTube in May 2020.
About the audio version of Dreamcoat:
Simon Howells reads 'Dreamcoat', a short story by Matthew G. Rees, author of 'Keyhole', 'The Word' and 'The Tip'.
This story concerns traveller lore, friendship and loss.
Simon Howells is a Welsh actor with interests in fiction and script writing.
Click here to listen to the story.
About Matthew G. Rees:
Matthew G. Rees is a critically acclaimed British fiction writer and playwright in the fields of folk horror, fantasy, the supernatural and dark humour.
Click here to visit his official website.
Review: Dreamcoat by Matthew G. Rees
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Review: Animals of the Exodus by Alexander Zelenyj
- Written by Seregil of Rhiminee
- Category: Reviews
Alexander Zelenyj's Animals of the Exodus was published by Eibonvale Press in August 2019.
About Alexander Zelenyj:
Alexander Zelenyj is the author of the books Blacker Against the Deep Dark, Songs for the Lost, Experiments At 3 Billion A.M., and Black Sunshine. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada with his wife and their menagerie of animals.
Click here to visit his official website.
About Animals of the Exodus:
- This was the secret Paradise hidden amid the world’s great weights.
- A door was opening.
- “Karen: I will see you again.”
- Together, they would reach a new place.
A 70-page festival for the world-broken. Because there are paths.
Dark and surreal, these four interlinked stories examine the places of refuge sought out by damaged individuals.
Contents:
- Taking Karen Away
- Celeste Had to Go Away
- Some Saw the Fire Exodus
- The Mayflies Want to Fly
REVIEW: ANIMALS OF THE EXODUS BY ALEXANDER ZELENYJ
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Guest post: You May Change the World by Matthew Kressel
- Written by Seregil of Rhiminee
- Category: Guest Post
Risingshadow has an opportunity to feature a guest post by Matthew Kressel, who is one of the contributors to the Psi-Wars: Classified Cases of Psychic Phenomena anthology.
About Matthew Kressel:
Matthew Kressel is a three-time Nebula Award finalist, a World Fantasy Award finalist, and a Eugie Award Finalist. He has written dozens of short stories, a few novels, and is the co-host of the Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series in Manhattan. He is also the creator of the Moksha submissions system.
About Psi-Wars: Classified Cases of Psychic Phenomena:
WELCOME TO THE ULTIMATE MINDMELD
From Atlantis to the Third Reich and beyond, these thirteen original tales of cerebral science fiction and horror explore the evils that abound when humanity wields extraordinary minds as weapons, whether to wage war or prevent it. Steeped in psychic savagery, telekinetic combat, and extrasensory espionage, PSI-WARS imagines corrupt governments and daring operatives, gods and soldiers and hackers and spies. The authors don't flinch when they peer around the darkest, most violent corners of the human psyche. Will you?
Guest post: “You May Change the World” by Matthew Kressel
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