New and Forthcoming Books: Atwood, Richard Morgan, Creatures, Latin American SF, and More

Books have been flowing into the house as usual. Here's a selection of recent titles that I've found particularly interesting...John Grant's investigations of weirdness, illogic, and more in the field of science are top-notch, and this new book promises to be just as good. The Atwood, meanwhile, is likely to raise some eyebrows given the perception of her stance toward science fiction. The Latin American SF title promises to be fascinating!---Denying Science: Conspiracy Theories, Media Distortions, and the War Against Reality by John Grant---In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood---The Emergence of Latin American Science Fiction (Early Classics of Science Fiction)Steve Rasnic Tem has been on the verge of finishing up his gothic novel for awhile, and a dip into the advance reading copy indicates its been worth the wait. If you like Edward Gorey and Shirley Jackson, this is one for you. As for Creatures, I'm a little biased since my third bear story is in there, but I really think it's a high-quality and entertaining reprint anthology. When She Woke, meanwhile, conjures up comparisons to Atwood's dystopias but seems fairly original.---Deadfall Hotel by Steve Rasnic Tem---Creatures: Thirty Years of Monsters---When She Woke by Hillary JordanRichard Morgan is a fearless writer who manages a swagger that's matched by sophistication in everything he writes, so the new anti-heroic fantasy novel he's got coming out is near the top of my list. Sarah Monette is a perennially underrated writer who I always find interesting. And Meta-Maus is a wonderful enhanced version of the classic original.---The Cold Commands by Richard K. Morgan---Somewhere Beneath Those Waves by Sarah Monette---MetaMaus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus by Art SpiegelmanThe first title here, In the Time of the Blue Ball by Manuela Draeger, is translated from the French by Brian Evenson and blurbed by China Mieville and Shelley Jackson. Surreal, dreamlike stories. The hard-to-classify dark fantasy by Sweet is a gorgeously designed trade paperback---the publisher, ChiZine, has really come into their own. As for the last title, a first novel by Rosen...I'm pretty jaded about Steampunk but this looks like a potential breath of fresh air...---In the Time of the Blue Ball by Manuela Draeger---The Pattern Scars by Caitlin Sweet---All Men of Genius by Lev AC Rosen