* Bestwick, Simon : The Faceless
(Solaris 978-1907992759, $8.99, 480pp, mass market paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012

Horror novel set in the Lancashire town of Kempforth, where people are mysteriously vanishing.
• Solaris’ site has this description.
• The author’s blog has these posts about the book.

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* Cole, Myke : Control Point
(Ace 978-1-937007-24-9, $7.99, 400pp, mass market paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012
• Shadow Ops #1

Military SF novel, first of a series and the author’s first novel, in which the US Army tries to control the many people who have developed magical talents.
• Amazon’s Omnivoracious blog has this post about the book with praise from Peter V. Brett and Ann Aguiree and an interview exchange with the author.
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes, “Though clearly a debut, the novel shows promise; the rather Spartacusesque protagonist is not an infallible combat machine but a man who is able to learn from his errors, and Cole’s apparent disapproval of state-sanctioned brutality, slavery, and torture even in the face of possible existential threats is a welcome novelty in the era of 24.”

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* Del Franco, Mark : Undone Deeds
(Ace 978-1-937007-25-6, $7.99, 336pp, mass market paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012
• Connor Gray #6

Urban fantasy novel, sixth in the series about Druid detective Connor Gray following Unshapely Things (2007), Unquiet Dreams (2008), Unfallen Dead (2009), Unperfect Souls (2010), and Uncertain Allies (2011), about a battle between Celtic fairies and Teutonic elves that threatens the city of Boston.
• The author’s website has a description with a link to a PDF excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review says “Fans of the series will relish the long-awaited resolution of the mystery surrounding the dark mass in Connor’s brain, and newcomers will enjoy the merger of urban fantasy and old-school police procedural….”

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+ Jones, Diana Wynne : Earwig and the Witch
(HarperCollins/Greenwillow 978-0-06-207511-6, $15.99, 128pp, hardcover, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012

Children’s fantasy novel about a girl, Earwig, whose happy life in an orphanage is interrupted when she’s chosen to live with a strange couple.
• Illustrations are by Paul O. Zelinsky.
• This is the last book by the author, who died in March 2011. The UK edition was published in June 2011.
• The US publisher’s site has this description with a “Browse Inside” function.

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* Littlefield, Sophie : Horizon
(Luna 978-0-373-80342-2, $14.95, 400pp, trade paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Jan 2012
• Aftertime #3

Post-apocalypse zombie novel, third in a series following Aftertime (Feb 2011) and Rebirth (Jul 2011), about survivors in a world where almost everyone has been turned into ‘Beaters’.
• The author’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function has a preview.
• The Publishers Weekly review has some reservations but concludes, “Littlefield evokes her dystopian California with unnerving conviction, and Cass’s encounters with Beaters retain their horrifying power.”

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* Maxey, James : Greatshadow
(Solaris 978-1907992728, $8.99, 448pp, mass market paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012
• Dragon Apocalypse #1

Fantasy novel, first of a series, about a team of 12 adventurers who try to slay a malevolent dragon who spies on human affairs.
• Solaris’ site has this description.

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* McDermott, J. M. : When We Were Executioners
(Night Shade 978-1-59780-338-0, $14.99, 240pp, trade paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012
• Dogsland #2

Fantasy novel, second of a trilogy following Never Knew Another (2011), about two outcasts in the city of Dogsland.
• The publisher’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review says “The author’s real achievement, though, is his vivid evocation of Dogsland, a quasi-medieval realm whose squalor, depravity, and brutality give credible context for the best and worst behaviors, as well as the novel’s subtly fantastic goings-on.”

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* McIntosh, Will : Hitchers
(Night Shade Books 978-1-59780-335-9, $24.99, 296pp, hardcover, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Jan 2012

SF novel set in a plague-ridden Atlanta in which a comic strip artist senses a ghostlike presence – his late grandfather, who founded the strip – and discovers similar sufferers throughout the city.
• Night Shade’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides an excerpt.
• Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review: “From a premise designed for over-the-top bombast, McIntosh pulls a quiet, un-treacly, and often beautiful tale of complex love and grief.”
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews it in the January issue of Locus Magazine: “Hitchers may not be as original in its treatment of apocalypse as [the author’s first novel] Soft Apocalypse, but it’s a satisfying and, in the end, ingeniously worked out tale of restitution and resolution on its own terms.”

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* Meding, Kelly : Wrong Side of Dead
(Bantam 978-0345525796, $7.99, 368pp, mass market paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012
• Dreg City #4

Urban fantasy novel, fourth in the “Dreg City” series following Three Days to Dead (2009), As Lie the Dead (2010), and Another Kind of Dead (2011), about supernatural bounty hunter Evangeline Stone who is killed and resurrected in someone else’s body.
• The publisher’s site has this description with an excerpt.

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* Safrey, Jennifer : Tooth and Nail
(Night Shade Books 978-1-59780-392-2, $14.99, 320pp, trade paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 24 Jan 2012

Fantasy novel about a woman who discovers she is half faerie – in fact, a tooth faerie.
• Night Shade’s site has this description.
• Amazon’s “Look Inside” function provides a preview.

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+ Sullivan, Michael J. : Heir of Novron
(Orbit 978-0-316-18771-8, $14.99, 960pp, trade paperback, January 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012
• Riyria Revelations #3

Fantasy novel, third of a trilogy following Theft of Swords (Nov 2011) and Rise of Empire (Dec 2011).
• Orbit’s website has this excerpt.
• The UK edition was published a few days earlier, 26 Jan 2012.
• The author’s blog clarifies the sequence of books in this post, indicating that this trilogy follows an earlier six-volume series, five of which are out of print and one of which is forthcoming. There’s also a link to a sample from this book.
• The Publishers Weekly review says: “Sullivan is not a subtle writer, and the sudden romance between Hadrian and Arista is hastily tacked on, but he delivers a fun story with plenty of sword fighting and some genuine surprises.”

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* Tallerman, David : Giant Thief
(Angry Robot 978-0-85766-211-8, $7.99, 400pp, mass market paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012
• Easie Damasco #1

Fantasy novel, first of a series and the author’s first novel, about a thief who manages to steal a giant from two opposing factions.
• Angry Robot’s site has this description. The UK edition is due 2 Feb 2012.
• The Publishers Weekly review says “Tallerman’s charming, devil-may-care hero has plenty of swashbuckling roguishness to carry him through the planned sequels.”

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* Tidhar, Lavie : The Great Game
(Angry Robot 978-0857661999, $7.99, 416pp, mass market paperback, February 2012)
• Nominal Publication Date: Tue 31 Jan 2012
• The Bookman Histories #3

Steampunk novel, third in a series following The Bookman (2010) and Camera Obscura (2011).
• Angry Robot’s site has this description with a link to sample chapters.
• The UK edition is due 2 February.
• The author’s site has this description – “Smiley’s people meet the War of the Worlds”.

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