Welcome to The Speculative Herald’s inaugural post! As a very quick introduction, The Speculative Herald is a new collaborative blog made of up established bloggers. You can see who we are over on the About Us page. We have come together to create a common site to really highlight the newest and upcoming books in speculative fiction. This will be a great week with reviews for the latest/upcoming releases from Jim Butcher, Margaret Atwood, Brandon Sanderson, Kameron Hurley and more. And we figured what better way to introduce ourselves than to let you know what books we are really looking forward to for the rest of the year.

So here it is, each of our picks for upcoming 2015 releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

What books are you excited for? What did we miss? (as much as we wanted to, we couldn’t list everything!)

BOB’S PICKS

This Gulf of Time and Stars by Julie E. Czerneda

As much as I’m looking forward to a 3rd title in her Night’s Edge fantasy series, it’s nice to see Julie returning to the world that made her a household name. The King’s Justice by Stephen R. Donaldson

Donaldson is hardly the most prolific of authors (3 years between novels is pretty standard), so any new material is worth getting excited about. The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King

There’s no doubt King can be bloated and self-indulgent at times, but his short fiction always captures the essence of what makes him such a great writer. The Empire Ascendant by Kameron Hurley

The Mirror Empire was one of the most impressive creative feats to come out of 2014, so I’m eager to see how she carries the story forward without the novelty factor of first.

LISA’S PICKS

The Last Witness by K. J. Parker

I have to confess, the only Parker book I have read is The Folding Knife. But I absolutely loved it, with its morally ambiguous protagonist and I loved all the questions it leaves the reader with. When I saw this, I knew I had make it my next K. J. Parker book. No excuses. Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie

I loved the first book in this series because it was original and gave me plenty to think about. I loved the second book because it was addictive. I’m really looking forward to this third installment. The Flux by Ferrett Steinmetz

If you haven’t read Flex yet, seriously, go do that now. That book is incredibly fun and it is more there than just a surface level action story. The very nature of how abilities manifest, the cost of the magic, the balance of flex and flux, and the stigma of being ‘mancer in a society where magic is feared and loathed, all of these things speak at a deeper level if the reader chooses to go there. Flex is raw magic with a deep soul. Highly recommend and really looking forward to The Flux. Mystic by Jason Denzel

I absolutely love books that feature a protagonist breaking through the social barriers and making waves by doing something that they’ve been told is not their place or right to do. I also love books with a strong female protagonist, and this book sounds like it will feature both of these in a wonderful way. Add in the mystery magic of the Myst, and I am completely intrigued, I honestly can’t wait to read it. Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed Thief’s Magic. What Canavan gave us in that first book is a great look at two characters and how their lives have been completely upheaved, sending them in directions they could never have imagined at the start of the book. I’m really looking forward to continuing the story with Angel of Storms and finding how the two stories will intersect. The Rising by Ian Tregillis

The Mechanical is a wonderful steampunk, alternate history novel that takes the reader into the dark world of spies and war and also examines issues of slavery versus free will and religion. The Mechanical can be quite dark, but it balances the horrific parts with a fascinating world and wonderful characters. I’m excited to get my hands on The Rising to find out how the story continues on.

LYNN’S PICKS



The Flux by Ferrett Steinmetz

Flex was one of my favourite reads for 2015. It was like a blast of fresh air and as well as being fast paced was fun. The magic system is so original and it was a compelling and addictive read. Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marilier

I absolutely loved Dreamer’s Pool. It’s beautifully written and the two main characters are very easy to like. ToT is definitely highly anticipated for me. It’s a fairy tale type story, whimsical and enchanting but at the same time it has elements of darkness. Quite spellbinding. City of Wonders: Seven Forges Book III by James A Moore

This is the final book in a trilogy which has been very intriguing. Some of the revelations in the last book were a huge surprise and it ended on a note that promises an explosive finish. The Geomancer by Clay and Susan Griffith

I’m really enjoying this vampire series, in fact it’s got me into reading about vampires again. The two main characters of Adele and Greyfriar are both equally easy to read about and in fact I think this is one of the winning elements of the story for me – that both characters are strong. Made to Kill by Christopher Adams.

I haven’t read this author before but I really liked the idea of a robot PI/assassin and his high tech assistant. It sounds like a great twist on the detective noir and I’m really looking forward to it.

STEPHENIE’S PICKS



Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson

I’m a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson, and I confess I loved Alloy of Law probably more than the entire original Mistborn trilogy itself. I’ve been waiting a while for this follow-up. The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong

Actually, this one’s a pretty recent entry into my most-anticipated list. As a Canadian, I’m a little embarrassed to admit I’ve never read Kelley Armstrong, but I’ve always wanted to. So when a friend told me about this amazing sounding book, I immediately went to find out more: YA, Horror/Thriller, inspired by the isolated wilderness of the Yukon? Yeah, I really want this now. Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier

I think my excitement speaks for itself. Dreamer’s Pool was probably my favorite read of 2014, and its sequel is one of my most highly anticipated titles this year. If there’s one book I need to read in 2015 THIS IS IT. The Shards of Heaven by Michael Livingston

Historical fantasy can be tricky, because I think I have to have interest in the time period and/or historical figures involved before I can get excited about it. No problem here, though. This book chronicles the power struggle in Rome after the assassination of Julius Caesar. The mention of Antony and Cleopatra’s daughter Selene in the description also grabbed my attention, because I think she’s one of the most fascinating women in history.

TAMMY’S PICKS

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