Jeff VanderMeer - Macmillan Library

Super Sci-Fi/Fantasy!

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Anne Spieth

Booklist recently announced their Best SF/Fantasy/Horror picks for 2014 and surprise, surprise, Macmillan made the list:

THE BONE SEASON by Samantha Shannon
The first in a series of seven novels, in which we find ourselves in a totalitarian state in England around 2059, is a dazzlingly brainy, witty, and bewitching tale of courage and freedom.

THE KRAKEN PROJECT by Douglas Preston
The Kraken Project is a NASA initiative to send a probe to Titan, a large moon of Saturn; the author sells his premise by sheer force of will and with compelling characters and persuasive storytelling.

ON THE RAZOR'S EDGE by Michael Flynn
This magnificent and satisfyingly open-ended conclusion to the tale of the civil war between the Shadows of the Names is a beautifully told story with colorful characters out of the epic tradition.

What's that you say? You've read these and want even MORE sci-fi/fantasy? Your wish is our command!

THE TIME TRAVELER'S ALMANAC by Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer
On the heels of the World Fantasy Award–winning THE WEIRD, the next genre-defining anthology from Ann and Jeff VanderMeer explores the popular world of time travel fiction. “The VanderMeers' latest giant anthology does the genre a great service, reaching back through that history for classics as well as newer pieces readers might have missed.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

THE REVOLUTIONS by Felix Gilman
Gilman pens a sweeping stand-alone tale of Victorian science fiction, arcane exploration, and planetary romance. “Gilman pulls one surprise after another out of his hat, winking slyly as he does so, and floods of action never let readers come up for air. A remarkable, hugely enjoyable performance.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

MY REAL CHILDREN by Jo Walton
Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Walton delivers a powerful tale of one woman who lived two lives, each with their own loves and losses. “Walton is a beautiful writer... The subtle nature of the 'what if?' could make this book a hit with literary fiction fans who enjoyed Kate Atkinson's LIFE AFTER LIFE.” — Library Journal

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#BookBday Bonus: ANNIHILATION

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Anne Spieth

If J.J. Abrams, Margaret Atwood, and Alan Weisman collaborated on a novel...it might be this awesome!

Ok, we know we just did a bunch of Book Birthdays, but this one is extra special: Jeff VanderMeer's ANNIHILATION, the first book in the Southern Reach trilogy.

With more buzz than a hornet's nest, this futuristic supernatural thriller has three fabulous starred reviews and is on several 2014 Most-Anticipated lists, including io9, SF Signal, Vulture, The Onion's A.V. Club, B&N.com, and Omnivoracious!

Praise for ANNIHILATION:

“After their high-risk expedition disintegrates, it’s every scientist for herself in this wonderfully creepy blend of horror and science fiction.... Speculative fiction at its most transfixing.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“A gripping fantasy thriller, ANNIHILATION is thoroughly suspenseful. In a manner similar to H. G. Wells’ in THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (1896), VanderMeer weaves together an otherworldly tale of the supernatural and the half-human. Delightfully, this page-turner is the first in a trilogy.” — Booklist, starred review

“Using evocative descriptions of the biologist's outer and inner worlds, masterful psychological insight, and intellectual observations both profound and disturbing—calling Lovecraft to mind and Borges—VanderMeer unfolds a tale as satisfying as it is richly imagined.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

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Monday Fun Day! (8/13/2012 Edition)

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Ali Fisher

Happy Monday!

- We're very excited to see some really excellent fiction published by Tor on the official ballot for the 2012 World Fantasy Awards! Jo Walton's AMONG OTHERS is up for Best Novel and two wonderful anothologies BLOOD AND OTHER CRAVINGS edited by Ellen Datlow and THE WEIRD edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (which kept me company one dark and lonely workday) are both up for Best Anthology!

- Lydia Netzer's debut novel, SHINE SHINE SHINE, is a New York Times Editors' Choice!

- And for all you librarians out there moonlighting as writers, the 2013 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition is now open. Last year's winning novel, A SIMPLE MURDER, was written by a librarian! Let's make it two years in a row!

- Also:

This may just be the tiniest kitten. twitter.com/EmergencyPuppy…

— Emergency Cute Stuff (@EmergencyPuppy) August 8, 2012

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Ali Gets (The) Weird

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Ali Fisher

Talia's at the Boston Book Buzz and most of the Academic Marketing Department is out today, so I'm creeping around the 21st floor like a moody sphinx in a defunct labyrinth and/or a manticore demon looking for someone to chat with between circles seven and eight (violence and fraud, respectively) of the Inferno/breakroom.

Won't someone come talk to me about something? ...Anything?! I can make you coffee! I’m better at making up riddles than Bilbo! I have things to say about the weather! Time-sensitive things!!

Do I sound familiar? If you’re smiling and shaking your head right now thinking, "Been there, girl," well then have I got the compendium for you: THE WEIRD edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer!

This anthology of peculiar short stories is here to keep you (and, more urgently, me) occupied over those dreary co-worker-less lunches and solitary afternoon coffee breaks. In the strange company of Franz Kafka, Neil Gaiman, Michael Chabon, Daphne Du Maurier, Algernon Blackwood, George R.R. Martin, and so many more, you may not feel more human, but you will feel less isolated... or will you?!

Seriously, someone come say hi. I'm losing it up here.

Not convinced by my manticorian ramblings? Publishers Weekly gave THE WEIRD a starred review and said,

"Ambitious in the extreme, the Vandermeers’ latest genre-blurring endeavor, which compiles 110 weird stories from the past century, is one of the most far-reaching and inclusive speculative anthologies to ever see print."

They also called it "a deeply affectionate and respectful history of speculative fiction’s blurry edges, and its stunning diversity, excellent quality, and extremely reasonable price point [...] will entice a wide variety of readers—including those who think they don’t like 'weird.'"

And how did the editors pick these delightful tales of strange and dark deeds?

We read over 6 million words in order to select the stories for The Weird. #torchat

— Ann VanderMeer (@AnnVanderMeer) May 16, 2012

Whoa! And what was the—how should I put this?—main thread of interior weird?

@WmHenryMorris Yes, Kafka is the main thread of interior weird in our antho. Stories where you r already embedded. #TORCHAT

— Jeff VanderMeer (@jeffvandermeer) May 16, 2012

I have goose bumps already!

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