Del Rey: Novedades | Julio 2012. Nuevas entregas para «Legends of Shannara» y «Dragonriders of Pern»

Continuamos, como es tradición por estos rincones, con las novedades literarias en versión original en inglés. Le toca esta vez el turno a Del Rey (editorial parte del grupo Random House Mondadori), quienes nos ofrecen una nueva entrega en formato de bolsillo (mass market paperback) de Shannara, el mundo de Terry Brooks que con The Measure of the Magic alcanza la segunda entrega de la subserie "Legends of Shannara". Han transcurrido más de treinta años desde la publicación de The Sword of Shannara ("La Espada de Shannara, en castellano por Timun Mas), primera parte de la trilogía homónima que ha conseguido hacerse con el paso de los años un importante hueco en el panorama de la fantasía épica, ampliándose a diversas trilogías.

Por otro lado, la editorial nos ofrece también otra entrega del universo de ciencia-ficción de Anne McCaffrey "Dragonriders of Pern". Esta nueva entrega en tapa dura, Sky Dragons -secuela de Dragon's Time- se publica póstumamente gracias a su hijo Todd J. McCaffrey, quien se ha encargado de finalizar la saga en colaboración con su madre.

Tenemos también una nueva entrega de la serie de Jaida Jones y Danielle Bennett "Metal Dragon" con Steelhands, mientras que se publica a su vez en bolsillo la tercera entrega de la serie de Ben Aaronovitch "Rivers of London" con Whispers Under Ground. Recordemos que Minotauro se encarga de publicar la serie, con el primer título de la misma, Ríos de Londres, a la venta desde mayo de este año. Más información de las novedades a continuación:

The Measure of the Magic, de Terry Brooks. Edición en bolsillo, 480 páginas, 7,99 dólares. Género: Fantasía épica. Serie: Legends of Shannara/2.

Sinopsis:

For five hundred years, the survivors of the Great Wars lived peacefully in a valley sanctuary shielded by powerful magic from the dangerous outside world. But the enchanted barriers have crumbled, and the threat of annihilation looms large once more. As he lay dying, Sider Ament, bearer of the last black staff and protector of the valley, gave stewardship of the powerful talisman to the young Tracker Panterra Qu. Now the newly anointed Knight of the Word must take up the battle against evil wherever it threatens: from without, where an army of bloodthirsty Trolls is massing for invasion; and from within, where the Elf king of Arborlon has been murdered, his daughter stands accused, and a heinous conspiracy is poised to subjugate the kingdom. But even these affairs will pale beside the most harrowing menace Panterra is destined to confront—a nameless, merciless agent of darkness on a relentless mission: to claim the last black staff... and the life of whoever wields it.

Sky Dragons, de Anne McCaffrey y Todd J. McCaffrey. Edición en tapa dura, 368 páginas, 26 dólares. Género: Ciencia-ficción. Serie: Dragonriders of Pern.

Sinopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling mother-and-son team of Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey comes the final installment in the riveting Pern saga that began with Todd’s solo novel, Dragonsblood. Now, with all of Pern imperiled by the aftereffects of a plague that killed scores of dragons and left the planet helpless against the fall of deadly Thread, the only hope for the future lies in the past.

There, on an unexplored island, a group of dragonriders led by Xhinna, a brave young woman who rides the blue dragon Tazith, must battle lethal Merows and voracious tunnel-snakes to build a safe home for themselves and the dragons, whose offspring will one day—if they survive—replenish Pern’s decimated dragon population. But as the first female rider of a blue dragon, and the first female Weyrleader in the history of Pern, Xhinna faces an uphill battle in winning the respect and loyalty of her peers... especially after an unforeseen tragedy leaves the struggling colony reeling from a shattering loss.

Amid the grieving, one girl, Jirana, blessed—or cursed—with the ability to foresee potential futures, will help Xhinna find a way forward. The answer lies in time . . . or, rather, in timing it: the awesome ability of the dragons to travel through time itself. But that power comes with risks, and by venturing further into the past, Xhinna may be jeopardizing the very future she has sworn to save.

Steelhands, de Jaida Jones y Danielle Bennett. Edición en bolsillo, 496 páginas, 7,99 dólares. Género: Fantasía. Serie: Metal Dragon Series/4.

Sinopsis:

In the land of Volstov, Owen Adamo, the hard-as-nails ex–Chief Sergeant of the Dragon Corps, learns that Volstov’s ruler, the Esar, is secretly pursuing plans to resurrect magically powered sentient robot dragons—even at the risk of igniting another war. Though Adamo is not without friends—the magician Royston and former corpsman Balfour—there is only so much he and his allies can do. Adamo has been put out to pasture, given a professorship at the University. Royston, already exiled once, dares not risk the Esar’s wrath again. And Balfour, who lost both his hands in the war, is now a diplomat—and still trying to master the metal replacements that have earned him various nicknames . . . of which “Steelhands” is the least offensive.

But sometimes help comes where it’s least expected. In this case, from two students: Laurence, a feisty young woman raised by her father to be the son he never had, and Toverre, her brilliant if neurotic fiancé. When a mysterious illness strikes the university, Laurence takes her suspicions to Adamo—and unwittingly sets in motion events that will change Volstov forever.

Whispers Under Ground, de Ben Aaronovitch. Edición en bolsillo, 320 páginas, 7,99 dólares. A la venta el 31 de julio. Género: Fantasía urbana. Serie: Rivers of London/3.

Sinopsis:

A WHOLE NEW REASON TO MIND THE GAP

It begins with a dead body at the far end of Baker Street tube station, all that remains of American exchange student James Gallagher—and the victim’s wealthy, politically powerful family is understandably eager to get to the bottom of the gruesome murder. The trouble is, the bottom—if it exists at all—is deeper and more unnatural than anyone suspects... except, that is, for London constable and sorcerer’s apprentice Peter Grant. With Inspector Nightingale, the last registered wizard in England, tied up in the hunt for the rogue magician known as “the Faceless Man,” it’s up to Peter to plumb the haunted depths of the oldest, largest, and—as of now—deadliest subway system in the world.

At least he won’t be alone. No, the FBI has sent over a crack agent to help. She’s young, ambitious, beautiful... and a born-again Christian apt to view any magic as the work of the devil. Oh yeah—that’s going to go well.

The War that Came Early: The Big Switch, de Harry Turtledove. Edición en rústica, 448 páginas, 16 dólares. Género: Ucronía histórica. Serie: Independiente.

Sinopsis:

In 1941 Winston Churchill was Hitler’s worst enemy. Then a Nazi secret agent changed everything.

What if Neville Chamberlain, instead of appeasing Hitler, had stood up to him in 1938? Enraged, Hitler reacts by lashing out at the West, promising his soldiers that they will reach Paris by the new year. Instead, three years pass, and with his genocidal apparatus not fully in place, Hitler barely survives a coup, while Jews cling to survival, and England and France wonder whether the war is still worthwhile. The stage is set for World War II to unfold far differently from the history we know—courtesy of Harry Turtledove, wizard of “what if?,” in the continuation of his thrilling series: The War That Came Early.

Through the eyes of characters ranging from a brawling American serving with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain to a woman who has seen Hitler’s evil face-to-face, The Big Switch rolls relentlessly forward into 1941. As the Germans and their Polish allies slam into the gut of the Soviet Union in the west, Japan pummels away in the east. Meanwhile, in the trenches of France, French and Czech forces are outmanned but not outfought by their Nazi enemy. Then the stalemate is shattered. In England Winston Churchill dies suddenly, leaving the gray men wondering who their real enemy is. And as the USSR makes peace with Japan, the empire of the Rising Sun looks westward—its war with America about to begin.

Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories, de John Jackson Miller. Del Rey, edición en bolsillo, 432 páginas, 7,99 dólares. A la venta el 24 de julio. Género: Ciencia-ficción. Serie: Star Wars.

Sinopsis:

At last in one volume the eight original installments of the epic Lost Tribe of the Sith eBook series... along with the explosive, never-before-published finale, Pandemonium -more than one hundred pages of new material!

Five thousand years ago. After a Jedi ambush, the Sith mining ship Omen lies wrecked on a remote, unknown planet. Its commander, Yaru Korsin, battles the bloodshed of a mutinous faction led by his own brother. Marooned and facing death, the Sith crew have no choice but to venture into their desolate surroundings. They face any number of brutal challenges—vicious predators, lethal plagues, tribal people who worship vengeful gods—and like true Sith warriors, counter them with the dark side of the Force.

The struggles are just beginning for the proud, uncompromising Sith, driven as they are to rule at all costs. They will vanquish the primitive natives, and they will find their way back to their true destiny as rulers of the galaxy. But as their legacy grows over thousands of years, the Sith ultimately find themselves tested by the most dangerous threat of all: the enemy within.

por Loren Sparrow julio 22, 2012