What’s new this month in the realms forgotten, the rusty, clanky land of enraged automata, and the galaxy far, far away? Let us see.

In the Forgotten Realms, we have Shadowbane, from friend and colleague Erik Scott deBie. This is a sequel to the well-received Downshadow, and I think readers who’ve enjoyed my work will enjoy Erik’s, for whatever that’s worth. From the back matter:

The city of Luskan has always been a den of pirates, thieves, and murderers. But lately, things have gotten much worse. A ship crashes offshore with nothing but corpses. Every day, people go crazy and brutalize those around them. And the only signs that even the most hardened criminals still walk the streets at night are bones.

And from Angry Robot Books, we have Dead Bad Things: A Thomas Usher Novel , from Gary McMahon. From the back matter:

He sought to flee his tragic past, but when Thomas Usher hears a clockwork voice on the phone, and sees ever-more disturbing visions in a derelict warehouse, Usher realizes that he has to return home – for the sake of his own sanity. Meanwhile, a deadly figure from Usher’s past threatens to undermine the very fabric of reality.

And, while not a book release, in the Galaxy Far Far Away this month we do see the release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) for Blu-Ray.   Yes, yes, I understand there have been some controversial changes made to the movies, but I haven’t yet seen them and have no particular opinion about them either way.    I do, however, love the symbolic imagery on the cover (if I’m seeing it correctly), with Anakin walking away from his home (and symbolically abandoning his moral compass) and Luke walking back to it (and so restoring both the Jedi Order and redeeming Anakin).

Anyway, a good month.  Enjoy.