New Releases by Carrie Vaughn

In this magical tale of self-discovery from New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn, a young widow taps into the power that will change the world--if the man''s world she lives in doesn''t destroy her and her newfound friends first. In the summer of 1880, the death of Beth Stanley''s husband puts her life''s work in jeopardy. The magic of Arcane Taxonomy dictates that every natural thing in the world, from weather to animals, can be labeled, and doing so grants the practitioner some of that subject''s unique power. But only men are permitted to train in this philosophy. Losing her husband means that Beth loses the name they put on her work--and any influence she might have wielded. Brandon West and Anton Torrance are campaigning for their expedition to the South Pole, a mission that some believe could make a taxonomist all-powerful by tapping into the earth''s magnetic forces. Their late friend Harry Stanley''s knowledge and connections would have been instrumental, but when they attempt to take custody of his work, they find that it was never his at all. Tied together by this secret and its implications, Beth, Bran, and Anton must find a way for Beth to use her talent for the good of the world, before she''s discovered by those who would lay claim to her rare potential--and her very freedom.

An original collection of interwoven short stories set in the Wild Cards universe, where an alien virus mutates some and grants superpowers to others, created by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones An alien virus ravages the world, with effects as random as a hand of cards. Those infected either draw the black queen and die, draw an ace and receive superpowers, or draw the joker and are bizarrely mutated. Croyd Crenson is the Wild Card’s greatest failure—and its greatest success. Dubbed “The Sleeper,” he randomly undergoes hibernations that can span days, weeks, or even months. After each hibernation, he awakens with a new appearance and set of powers—sometimes a joker, sometimes an ace, and sometimes a combination of both—until exhaustion claims him and his next inevitable sleep shuffles the cards anew. Ever since his initial infection in 1946, he’s awoken in a singular body—until now. His latest awakening has left him split into six different incarnations, each of them a self-contained piece of the original and each with a unique look and ability. One of them, at least, recognizes this for the disaster that it is, and tasks the clever and elusive Tesla—a joker with ace powers—to locate and gather the remaining five versions of himself before sleep claims them again and leaves Croyd permanently fractured. What follows is a journey through Croyd’s long and colorful life, through the lens of some who have encountered the world’s most unusual wild carder. And as Tesla delves deeper into the investigation, he’ll have to work fast, because not every Croyd is as amiable as the first—and they’ll do whatever it takes to survive. Featuring stories from: Christopher Rowe • Carrie Vaughn • Cherie Priest • William F. Wu • Walter Jon Williams • Stephen Leigh • Mary Anne Mohanraj • Max Gladstone • Edited by George R. R. Martin • Assisted by Melinda M. Snodgrass

The latest short fiction from bestselling, award-winning science fiction and fantasy author Carrie Vaughn. These stories revel in and subvert beloved tropes of the genre. What happens when the city''s new supervillain turns out to be your high school sweetheart? Your punk-folk band saved Faerie - but that was twenty years ago. Now what? This collection includes the Hugo Award finalist story, "That Game We Played During the War."

On one of their earliest Visigoth assignments, Graff and Ell stumble into each other’s secrets (and one significant surprise) while conducting a recovery mission on a mining asteroid scheduled for imminent pulverization. . . At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Two heroes revisit a traumatic incident from their past—and learn hard truths in the present—in this original graphic novel set in the Wild Cards universe, where an alien virus mutates some and grants superpowers to others, created by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones. In 1946, an alien virus ravaged the world, its results as random as a hand of cards. Those infected either draw the black queen and die, draw an ace and receive superpowers, or draw the joker and are bizarrely mutated. Over a year ago, the U.N.’s Committee for Extraordinary Interventions sent ace heroes Ana Cortez and Kate Brandt—Earth Witch and Curveball—to Brazil to investigate Aurora Mission, a charity that claimed to provide education and medical care for those affected by the Wild Card virus. But local ace and activist Gabriel Silva reported abuses. Ana and Kate helped him get to the truth, which turned out to be far more sinister than anyone expected. Ana and Kate thought that case was closed, but now a Brazilian official has questions. Did they do the right thing or overreach their authority? The case amply demonstrates that, even in a world of incredible powers, there will always be victims. Written by New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn with art by Eisner-nominated creator Renae De Liz, this dynamic story gives readers a new look into the Wild Cards universe, and shows how even those with great powers have their limits.

Graff isn''t quite human. His people move through the galaxy collecting memories and experiences, recording their lives and passing them on. Then, one day, he breaks: he discovers a chunk of his memory is missing. This should be impossible—he''s never forgotten a moment in his life. Now, he has to learn to forget, and to remember, and this has consequences for all his people, his culture, and his whole world. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Cormac used to be a bounty hunter specializing in supernatural creatures. Amelia used to be a Victorian aristocrat traveling the world in search of magic. Now, more than a hundred years after her supposed death, her spirit shares his body, and together they''ve become supernatural problem solvers. Detectives. Fixers, if you will. Each new case they wonder - is this one more than they can handle? So far, the answer is no...For the first time, five previously published novellas full of mystery, magic, and horror are collected, with brand-new material revealing just how much attention Cormac and Amelia''s exploits have attracted.

Even time travel can’t unravel love Time-travel is a way for writers to play with history and imagine different futures – for better, or worse. When romance is thrown into the mix, time-travel becomes a passionate tool, or heart-breaking weapon. A time agent in the 22nd century puts their whole mission at risk when they fall in love with the wrong person. No matter which part of history a man visits, he cannot not escape his ex. A woman is desperately in love with the time-space continuum, but it doesn’t love her back. As time passes and falls apart, a time-traveller must say goodbye to their soulmate. With stories from best-selling and award-winning authors such as Seanan McGuire, Alix E. Harrow and Nina Allan, this anthology gives a taste for the rich treasure trove of stories we can imagine with love, loss and reunion across time and space. Including stories by: Alix E. Harrow, Zen Cho, Seanan McGuire, Sarah Gailey, Jeffrey Ford, Nina Allan, Elizabeth Hand, Lavanya Lakshminarayan, Catherynne M. Valente, Sam J. Miller, Rowan Coleman, Margo Lanagan, Sameem Siddiqui, Theodora Goss, Carrie Vaughn, Ellen Klages

A collection of some of the best original science fiction and fantasy short fiction published on Tor.com in 2021. Includes stories by: ''Pemi Aguda G. V. Anderson Elizabeth Bear Kate Elliott Aliza Greenblatt Glen Hirshberg Elsie Kathleen Jennings Cheri Kamei Jasmin Kirkbride Matthew Kressel Usman T. Malik Sam J. Miller Annalee Newitz noc Sarah Pinsker Daniel Polansky Peng Shepherd Cooper Shrivastava Lavie Tidhar Catherynne M. Valente Carrie Vaughn E. Lily Yu At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

An Easy Job is a short story from Carrie Vaughn, the New York Times bestselling author of the Kitty Norville series. Graff''s official role is muscle for the Visigoth--but his personal mission is internally cataloguing all of his experiences to relay to the other beings from his home planet when they cross paths. His professional life rarely clashes with his identity, but when he realizes his newest mission is to take down one of his kind, everything becomes a bit less simple. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The March/April 2021 issue of Hugo Award-winning Uncanny Magazine. Featuring new fiction by Catherynne M. Valente, Dominica Phetteplace, Caroline M. Yoachim, Carrie Vaughn, Rati Mehotra, and Sarah Pinsker. Reprint fiction by Alaya Dawn Johnson. Essays by Tansy Rayner Roberts, Sid Jain, Marieke Nijkamp, and Jay Edidin, poetry by Tamara Jerée, Brandon O''Brien, Terese Mason Pierre, and Ali Trotta, interviews with Caroline M. Yoachim by Tina Connolly, and Sarah Pinsker by Caroline M. Yoachim, a cover by Paul Lewin, and editorials by Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas. Uncanny Magazine is a bimonthly science fiction and fantasy magazine first published in November 2014. Edited by 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020 Hugo award winners for best semiprozine, and 2018 Hugo award winners for Best Editor, Short Form, Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, and Chimedum Ohaegbu and Elsa Sjunneson, each issue of Uncanny includes new stories, poetry, articles, and interviews.

A collection of some of the best original science fiction and fantasy short fiction published on Tor.com in 2020. Includes stories by: Charlie Jane Anders G. V. Anderson Gregory Norman Bossert Jeremy Packert Burke Katharine Duckett Brian Evenson Carolyn Ives Gilman Maria Dahvana Headley Stephen Graham Jones Justin C. Key Naomi Kritzer Rich Larson Yoon Ha Lee S. Qiouyi Lu Usman T. Malik Melissa Marr Maureen McHugh Tamsyn Muir Sarah Pinsker C. L. Polk Matthew Pridham M. Rickert Zin E. Rocklyn Rachel Swirsky Lavie Tidhar Carrie Vaughn Fran Wilde Claire Wrenwood At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

It''s said that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and an eccentric billionaire has set out to prove it by building an island retreat that brings the fantastic to life. In an action-packed novel for fans of Ready Player One, Carrie Vaughn asks what happens when a bunch of tech geeks and fantasy nerds don''t realize the game they are now playing is for real?

Kitty Norville isn''t just a radio DJ, she''s a werewolf and despite her best efforts, keeping that a secret is harder than you would expect in this bind-up of three complete books that are "fresh, hip, [and] fantastic" (L. A. Banks, author of the Vampire Huntress Legends series). KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR: Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station and a werewolf in the closet. Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it''s Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew. KITTY GOES TO WASHINGTON: Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen, but when she''s invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of the country''s supernaturals, her face gets plastered all over national TV. Before long Kitty''s inherited a brand-new set of friends and enemies. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone''s itching for a fight -- and she''s about to be caught in the middle. KITTY TAKES A HOLIDAY: After getting caught turning into a wolf on national television, Kitty retreats to a mountain cabin to recover and write her memoirs. When werewolf hunter Cormac shows up with an injured Ben O''Farrell, Kitty''s lawyer, slung over his shoulder, and a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes starts sniffing around the cabin, Kitty wonders if any of them will get out of these woods alive...

"Kitty Norville still can''t stay away from trouble --of the supernatural kind. Everyone''s favorite werewolf DJ is here to mix it up just one last time. Here you will find, or will be lucky to newly discover, the irrepressible Kitty Norville with friends and enemies alike: Rick the vampire; Jessi Hardin, paranormal detective; Kitty''s werewolf husband Ben; Cormac, the bounty hunter; and the ever-villainous Dux Bellorum. These irresistible tales are full of unpredictable twists and turns: lupines experimenting with astronomy, a cheating boxer with preternatural strength, vampires arriving from the Philippines."--Provided by publisher.

Carrie Vaughn follows up The Ghosts of Sherwood with the charming, fast-paced The Heirs of Locksley, continuing the story of Robin Hood''s children. "We will hold an archery contest. A simple affair, all in fun, on the tournament grounds. Tomorrow. We will see you there." The latest civil war in England has come and gone, King John is dead, and the nobility of England gathers to see the coronation of his son, thirteen year old King Henry III. The new king is at the center of political rivalries and power struggles, but John of Locksley—son of the legendary Robin Hood and Lady Marian—only sees a lonely boy in need of friends. John and his sisters succeed in befriending Henry, while also inadvertently uncovering a political plot, saving a man''s life, and carrying out daring escapes. All in a day''s work for the Locksley children... At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Carrie Vaughn''s The Ghosts of Sherwood revisits the Robin Hood legend with a story of the famed archer''s children. Everything about Father is stories. Robin of Locksley and his one true love, Marian, are married. It has been close on two decades since they beat the Sheriff of Nottingham with the help of a diverse band of talented friends. King John is now on the throne, and Robin has sworn fealty in order to further protect not just his family, but those of the lords and barons who look up to him – and, by extension, the villagers they protect. There is a truce. An uneasy one, to be sure, but a truce, nonetheless. But when the Locksley children are stolen away by persons unknown, Robin and Marian are going to need the help of everyone they’ve ever known, perhaps even the ghosts that are said to reside deep within Sherwood. And the Locksley children, despite appearances to the contrary, are not without tricks of their own... At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Tor.com''s science fiction and fantasy flash fiction collection originally published in 2017 inspired by the now-iconic statement, now available in e-book format. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted. Three short lines, fired over social media in response to questions of why Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced on the floor of the United States Senate, for daring to read aloud the words of Coretta Scott King. As this message was transmitted across the globe, it has become a galvanizing cry for people of all genders in recognition of the struggles that women have faced throughout history. Three short lines, which read as if they are the opening passage to an epic and ageless tale. We have assembled this flash fiction collection featuring several of the best writers in SF/F today, including Seanan McGuire, Charlie Jane Anders, Maria Dahvana Headley, Jo Walton, Amal El-Mohtar, Catherynne M. Valente, Brooke Bolander, Alyssa Wong, Kameron Hurley, Nisi Shawl and Carrie Vaughn. Together these authors share unique visions of women inventing, playing, loving, surviving, and – of course – dreaming of themselves beyond their circumstances. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Pilot Graff has been keeping a big secret from his closest friends, the captain and crew of a pirate-hunting starship. He expected to die before they ever discovered what he really is. But he''s not dead, and now he has to explain. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

For over 25 years, the Wild Cards universe has been entertaining readers with stories of superpowered people in an alternate history. "Long is the Way" by Carrie Vaughn and Sage Walker sheds light on what people will do to escape the sins of their past, and whether anyone can find redemption. Zoe Harris is a marked woman: in hiding for decades because of her connection to a terrorist attack on Jerusalem almost twenty years ago. One determined reporter, Jonathan Hive, stumbles upon a lead that takes him to the south of France to discover the truth. What he finds out is a lesson in how life can bring about the most unexpected miracles. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From the editor of the award-winning anthology Unfettered comes the newest installment in the science fiction and fantasy series, Unfettered III. Be haunted by the chilling ghost story of Megan Lindholm. Revisit the Magicians world with Lev Grossman. Return to Osten Ard in an epic first look at Tad Williams''s Empire of Grass. Share a heartfelt story of loss and gain with Callie Bates. Cross the sands of the desert planet Dune with Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Travel the Ways in a new Wheel of Time novella with Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson. Enter the amazing potter city of Seven with Naomi Novik. And many more stories, all wondrous alongside beautiful art by Todd Lockwood! More than 700 pages of stellar SF&F from the likes of: Callie Bates Terry Brooks Delilah S. Dawson Jason Denzel David Anthony Durham Lev Grossman John Gwynne Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson Mark Lawrence Megan Lindholm (Robin Hobb) Seanan McGuire Naomi Novik Peter Orullian Cat Rambo Robert V.S. Redick Ken Scholes Scott Sigler Anna Smith Spark Shawn Speakman Anna Stephens Patrick Swenson Ramon Terrell Marc Turner Carrie Vaughn Tad Williams Deborah A. Wolf Lacking health insurance when he was diagnosed with cancer, Shawn Speakman asked friends in the science fiction and fantasy writing community to donate short stories he could use to counter mounting medical debt. The result was Unfettered, an anthology offering tales from some of the best authors working today. Now, in Unfettered III, Speakman continues to pay forward the aid he received, raising money to combat medical debt for SF&F artists and authors. He has gathered together a great mix of new and favorite writers_free to write what they like_the result a powerful new anthology perfect for all readers. Unfettered III is sure to astound with the magic bound within its pages. All the while raising money for a charitable cause. Because protecting our artists and authors is as important as the stories they tell.

Sam has been a vampire for 15 years, and now he''s having a midlife crisis. That is, if he were still human, he''d be turning 40 and having a midlife crisis. He''s just met exactly the kind of woman he''s always wanted -- but these days, all he really wants is blood. Maybe he could work through it, but his vampire roommates just don''t understand. Wasn''t unlife supposed to get easier?This novella is set in the world of Carrie Vaughn''s bestselling Kitty Norville series.

In the pages of Lightspeed Magazine, you will find the finest science fiction: from near-future, sociological soft SF, to far-future, star-spanning hard SF-and fantasy: from epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, and contemporary urban tales, to magical realism, science-fantasy, and folktales.Issue #1 was launched in June 2010, and now eight years later, we''ve reached a milestone: Issue 100. To celebrate, we decided to publish a super-sized issue, with ten original stories-more than twice the amount of original fiction than usual-plus ten reprints and some special nonfiction to boot. And to make things even more commemorative, the vast majority of our fiction in this issue, both original and reprint, comes from our most frequently published fiction contributors-the Lightspeediest writers to ever Lightspeed. It''s a distillation of what we''re made of, and we''re beyond excited to share it with all of you.Featuring work by Vylar Kaftan, Carrie Vaughn, Adam-Troy Castro, A. Merc Rustad, Ken Liu, Sofia Samatar, Charles Yu, Caroline M. Yoachim, An Owomoyela, Seanan McGuire, David Barr Kirtley, Genevieve Valentine, Cadwell Turnbull, Yoon Ha Lee, Maria Dahvana Headley, Sam J. Miller, Kat Howard, Theodora Goss, Charlie Jane Anders, Jeremiah Tolbert, and more.

This discounted ebundle includes: Kitty Goes to War, Kitty’s Big Trouble, Kitty Steals the Show, Kitty Rocks the House, Kitty in the Underworld, Low Midnight, Kitty Saves the World, Kitty’s Greatest Hits “The open nature of Kitty''s character and the way Vaughn makes her such a likeable character make this the only urban fantasy world where I want to read every book of the series.” —The Denver Post This New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series from Carrie Vaughn follows Kitty Norville, everybody’s favorite werewolf DJ and out-of-the-closet supernatural creature. She’s fought evil vampires, were-creatures, and some serious black magic. She’s done it all with a sharp wit and the help of a memorable cast of werewolf hunters, psychics, and if-not-good-then-neutral vampires by her side. Other Tor books by Carrie Vaughn Discord’s Apple After the Golden Age Dreams of the Golden Age Martians Abroad At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The world as they know it is ending, a new world is taking its place. Among the doctors and nurses of a clinic-turned-fortress, Kath is coming of age in this new world, and helping define it. But that doesn''t make letting go of the old any easier. "Where Would You Be Now?" is a prequel to Carrie Vaughn''s novel Bannerless, a finalist for the Philip K. Dick Award. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Soon to be a show on Hulu Mississippi Roll: A Wild Cards Novel is an adventurous journey along Ol'' Man River, featuring beloved characters from the bestselling shared-universe science fiction superhero series, edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin. Now on its final voyage, the historical steamboat Natchez is known for her super-powered guest entertainers. But after the suspicious death of a crewmember, retired NY police detective Leo Storgman decides to make this incident his personal case. His findings only lead to a growing number of questions. Is there some truth behind the ghostly sightings of the steamboat''s first captain Wilbur Leathers? What secret does the current captain seem to be hiding? And could the Natchez be ferrying mysterious - and possibly dangerous - cargo onboard? Mississippi Roll features the writing talents of Stephen Leigh, John Jos. Miller, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Carrie Vaughn (Martians Abroad), Hugo-Award winning author David D. Levine (Arabella of Mars), and Hugo and Nebula Award finalist Cherie Priest (Boneshaker). Now in development for TV: Rights to develop Wild Cards have been acquired by Universal Cable Productions, the team behind The Magicians and Mr. Robot, with the co-editor of Wild Cards, Melinda Snodgrass, as executive producer. The Wild Cards Universe The Original Triad #1 Wild Cards #2 Aces High #3 Jokers Wild The Puppetman Quartet #4: Aces Abroad #5: Down and Dirty #6: Ace in the Hole #7: Dead Man''s Hand The Rox Triad #8: One-Eyed Jacks #9: Jokertown Shuffle #10: Dealer''s Choice #11: Double Solitaire #12: Turn of the Cards The Card Sharks Triad #13: Card Sharks #14: Marked Cards #15: Black Trump #16: Deuces Down #17: Death Draws Five The Committee Triad #18: Inside Straight #19: Busted Flush #20: Suicide Kings The Fort Freak Triad #21: Fort Freak #22: Lowball #23: High Stakes The American Triad #24: Mississippi Roll #25: Low Chicago #26: Texas Hold ''Em

In this Philip K. Dick Award–winning, post-apocalyptic mystery, murder leads a novice investigator to question her population-controlled society. Decades after economic and environmental collapse destroys much of civilization in the United States, the Coast Road region isn’t just surviving but thriving by some accounts, building something new on the ruins of what came before. A culture of population control has developed in which people, organized into households, must earn the children they bear by proving they can take care of them and are awarded symbolic banners to demonstrate this privilege. In the meantime, birth control is mandatory. Enid of Haven is an Investigator, called on to mediate disputes and examine transgressions against the community. She’s young for the job and hasn''t yet handled a serious case. Now, though, a suspicious death requires her attention. The victim was an outcast, but might someone have taken dislike a step further and murdered him? In a world defined by the disasters that happened a century before, the past is always present. But this investigation may reveal the cracks in Enid’s world and make her question what she really stands for. Praise for Bannerless “Bannerless is both a fine murder mystery and a multi-layered look at a different kind of society.” —Analog Science Fiction & Fact “Vaughn skillfully portrays a vastly altered future America that’s almost unrecognizable decades after its total collapse; the . . . focus on sustainability and responsibility is unusual, thought-provoking, and very welcome.” —Publishers Weekly “[A]n intimate post-apocalyptic mystery. . . . a deft portrait of a society departed so completely from the complexities of the now-destroyed civilization . . . that survivors don’t even understand what it is they’ve lost. . . . [A] well-crafted and heartfelt effort.” —Kirkus “Amazing and compelling, Vaughn brings her deft characterization and humanity to bear on a post-apocalyptic world that is all too real.” —Tobias S. Buckell, bestselling author of Arctic Rising

Please enjoy this convenient anthology of Tor.com Publishing''s 2017 Hugo finalists, including four novellas, two novelettes, and three short stories. Best Novella The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson Best Novelette “The Art of Space Travel” by Nina Allan “The Jewel and Her Lapidary” by Fran Wilde Best Short Story “The City Born Great” by N. K. Jemisin “A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers” by Alyssa Wong “That Game We Played During the War” by Carrie Vaughn At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

A collection of some of the best original science fiction and fantasy short fiction published on Tor.com in 2016. Includes stories by: Charlie Jane Anders Nina Allan Tara Isabella Burton Monica Byrne Rebecca Campbell P. Djèlí Clark Indrapramit Das Alix E. Harrow N. K. Jemisin Margaret Killjoy Cixin Liu Melissa Marr David Nickle Laurie Penny Daniel Polansky Lettie Prell Delia Sherman Angela Slatter Caighlan Smith Lavie Tidhar Rajnar Vajra Genevieve Valentine Carrie Vaughn Alyssa Wong At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Behind the Mask is a multi-author collection with stories by award-winning authors Kelly Link, Cat Rambo, Carrie Vaughn, Seanan McGuire, Lavie Tidhar, Sarah Pinsker, Keith Rosson, Kate Marshall, Chris Large and others. It is partially a prose nod to the comic world - the bombast, the larger-than-life, the save-the-worlds and the calls-to-adventure. But it''s also a spotlight on the more intimate side of the genre. The hopes and dreams of our cape-clad heroes. The regrets and longings of our cowled villains. That poignant, solitary view of the world that can only be experienced from behind the mask. The authors in this collection, both established and new, are all dexterous and wonderfully imaginative, each deserving of their own form-fitting uniforms and capes. Some of the stories pulse with social commentary, like Cat Rambo''s whimsical and deft "Ms. Liberty Gets a Haircut" and Keith Rosson''s haunting "Torch Songs." Others twist the genre into strange and new territories, like Stuart Suffel''s atmospheric "Birthright," Kate Marhsall''s moving "Destroy the City with Me Tonight," and Adam Shannon''s reality-bending "Over an Embattled City." Some punch with heart and humor, like Matt Mikalatos''s satisfying "The Beard of Truth" and Chris Large''s adventurous "Salt City Blue," while others punch with bite and grit, such as Michael Milne''s evocative "Inheritance," Aimee Ogden''s poignant "As I Fall Asleep," and Jennifer Pullen''s heartfelt "Meeting Someone in the 22nd Century." Some of the stories feature characters who might not be superheroes in the traditional sense, yet are heroic nonetheless, such as Sarah Pinsker''s imaginative "The Smoke Means It''s Working" and Stephanie Lai''s majestic "The Fall of the Jade Sword." Some shine a unique, captivating spotlight on supervillains, like Keith Frady''s dramatic "Fool" and Carrie Vaughn''s romantic "Origin Story." Some are somber, ponderous works, where our heroes consider their impact on the world, like Lavie Tidhar''s regret-tinged "Heroes" and Nathan Crowder''s resonant "Madjack." Others tread more light-hearted waters, with heroes adjusting to the sometimes-comical, sometimes-stressful life in the public eye, like Seanan McGuire''s entertaining "Pedestal" and Patrick Flanagan''s lively "Quintessential Justice." And then there are the softer, quieter moments between heroes, as they navigate their extraordinary lives in their own unique ways, such as Ziggy Schutz''s tender "Eggshells" and, of course, Kelly Link''s captivating "Origin Story." Publisher''s Weekly - "Reeks and Richardson have pulled together a treasure trove of 20 stories . . . exploring the lives of superheroes when they''re not saving the world. . . . There is nary a miss in this diverse and thoughtful collection, which will have readers considering what it means to be human." Kirkus Reviews - (starred review) "A momentous, readable collection, its sole downside being that there are only 20 superhero stories."