Prix Aurora short-list and new releases

Posted by Lorina Stephens/Five Rivers, 5 weeks ago

Shortlisted for the Prix Aurora.

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Sharing some great news from Five Rivers Publishing today.

Michell Plested's debut YA novel, Mik Murdoch: Boy Superhero, has been short-listed for the Prix Aurora Award, YA novel category. It's both hilarious and heart-breaking, the first of many Mik Murdoch novels yet to come.

We also have two great new SF releases. The first is a debut novel from Michael R. Fletcher, 88. 88 is a brilliant autistic girl, who has been genetically engineered and raised from birth to serve one purpose: become a human computer. Plagued by memories of a mother she never knew and a desire for freedom she barely understands, she sets herself against those who would be her masters. Unfortunately for 88, the Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan have other plans for her.

This is an energetic and robust novel that clips along at a relentless pace.

The second new release is a gripping second novel from author Alicia Hendley, Type. Here Hendley explores a dystopian society in which psychological profiling goes horribly wrong. Recommended from ages 14+.

All three are available in print and digital formats.

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Sunburst Award

Posted by Paul Marlowe, 12 months ago

The shortlist for the Sunburst Award for Canadian SF is out:
www.sunburstaward.org/content/2012-shortlists

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Book Launch for Gemma Files' A TREE OF BONES: 3rd in the Hexslinger Series, June 2nd, 2012

Posted by Word Taster, 13 months ago

For those living in Toronto and environs, our country's oldest independent Science Fiction & Fantasy bookstore, Bakka-Phoenix will host a launch for A TREE OF BONES by local author Gemma Files, on Saturday June 2nd, 2012 It's the third and final book in her Hexslinger series, "that amazingly creepy, mythological-western-horror saga." Join the gang at the store at 3pm, and help kick off her book in style! I know this is a C-I competitor (C-I also carries Gemma's books), but we hafta support our small independents too, and our local authors!... some cities don't actually have a single small independent bookseller left, so if you're in or close to T.O., visit the store where Tanya Huff, Cory Doctorow and Michelle Sagara (Michelle still works there a couple days a week) all got their starts while employees, and where Robert J. Sawyer and Robert Charles Wilson might just be hanging out for a chat and to pick up some reading material for themselves.

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Hargreaves' Landmark Collection Brought to Life

Posted by Lorina Stephens/Five Rivers, 16 months ago

Also available on Kobo March 1, 2012

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Hank Hargreaves' classic short story collection, North by 2000 is being reissued March 1, 2012, by Five Rivers as North by 2000+, the plus indicating that it includes five new stories written since the first edition came out.

North by 2000 was the first collection ever marketed as Canadian SF and had a profound influence on the subsequent generation of Canadian SF writers. The stories are timeless.

Author and reviewer, J.W. Schnarr says, "This book is more than just classic science fiction with familiar names and places. The stories feel Canadian, and Hargreaves is a hell of a writer to so beautifully package what that means."

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Book launch for Alyxandra Harvey's new book, BRIAR ROSE on Saturday January 21st, 2012

Posted by Word Taster, 17 months ago

For those living in Toronto, our country's oldest independent Science Fiction & Fantasy bookstore, Bakka-Phoenix is having their first book launch of the new year. On Saturday January 21st, Alyxandra Harvey's new book, BRIAR ROSE, will be launched. Alyx will be there at 3pm. I know this is a C-I competitor, but we hafta support our small independents too... some cities don't actually have a single small independent bookseller left, so if you're in or close to T.O., visit the store where Tanya Huff, Cory Doctorow and Michelle Sagara (Michelle still works there a couple days a week) all got their starts while employees, and where Robert J. Sawyer and Robert Charles Wilson might just be hanging out for a chat and to pick up some reading material for themselves.

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Anne McCaffrey, Rest In Peace

Posted by Word Taster, 2 years ago

It is with incredible sadness that I learned today of the passing of a great dame of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Anne McCaffrey. She passed away yesterday, November 21st, 2011, at her home, Dragonhold–Underhill, in Ireland, of a stroke.

She was one of the first science fiction writers whose work I discovered independently, having been raised on classic SF by my Dad. However, her Pern books were not something that were part of his 'canon' which tended toward more "hardcore" science fiction, and Annie's books, particularly her early Pern and "Talents" books (which began with the collection of short stories, "Get Off the Unicorn" - misnamed by a junior editor who mistook the word "of" for "off", a mistake she decided not to correct) were more appealing to a girl of 11, than to her dad. Throughout her life, she published close to 100 books, and co-authored over 30, with authors such as S. M. Stirling, Misty Lackie, Jody Lynn Nye, Margaret Ball, Elizabeth Moon, and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, and her own son, Todd McCaffrey.

Many of these women were also favourite authors of mine, and through her, I discovered many other of my favourite authors, She was a most incredible woman; surprisingly warm and accessible, a dry wit and great intellect, and a lovely person. Though she did not suffer fools gladly, she could be both patient and giving, and was incredibly loyal. It was these qualities, as well as her wonderful writing, that helped draw so many of her fans to the conventions she so often participated in as her health permitted, particularly Atlanta's DragonCon, which she tried to get to as often as possible (her Pern books made her a favourite for obvious reasons), and she often sat as a judge for science fiction awards.

She, herself, was the first woman to win a Hugo, and then a Nebula award, and with her book "The White Dragon" she became the first with a science fiction title on the New York Times Bestseller List. In 2005, the Science Fiction Writers of America named her their 22nd Grand Master, and she was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2006.

I can't imagine what the too-often sterile, frustrating and sometimes painful years I spent during my teens in Regina would have been like without her writing, and the writing of other authors her generous praise introduced me to. I can't count the times I've reread her books, and they are to me, what she herself called, "comfort books" - those we go to when we need an old friend to relax and renew ourselves with. Whether her Pern books, the books in the Talents/Tower & Hive/Barque Cat series', the Ship and City (Brain and Brawn) books, Petaybee, the Crystal universe books, or her other series, the worlds of her books encompass something for almost everyone.

She was 85 years old.

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Toronto Launch of Robert Charles Wilson's new book, VORTEX

Posted by Word Taster, 2 years ago

For those in Toronto and surrounding environs, Canada's oldest SF & F bookstore (open since 1972, and named after ‘the weeper who mourns for all mankind’ from Frank Herbert's DUNE... not really that cryptic, but as it's not a C-I location, I'm tippy-toeing around) will be celebrating the launch of Robert Charles Wilson's new book, VORTEX, the third book in his extraordinary 'Spin' series. He'll be there to kick things off himself, on Saturday July 9th, and the party starts at 3pm.

As it's a Saturday, Michelle Sagara should be working (though unless he flies in from London, UK, Cory Doctorow will probably not be in attendance... his presence is missed, as is Tanya Huff's, who also used to work there). But Kris throws great get-togethers, so if you're in the Spadina and Harbord area (or even if you're not, then get there and...), pop in... it's a short walk from Spadina subway, and by the time the party's winding down, the Boulevard Cafe across and down the street should just be opening for dinner and as it's as good as it ever was (very tasty food), all in all it would make for a lovely day's outing.

DISCLAIMER: I have no affiliation or business interest whatsoever with either Canada's oldest SF & F bookstore, or the Boulevard Cafe, except insofar as I've been a patron of the first since I was a kid and visited Toronto for the first time, and of the second since I moved here when I was 17... which makes me feel really old to admit, cause that was almost 30 years ago. Good grief...

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