New Releases by Jane Espenson

Today’s software can only imitate art, but what about tomorrow? Will true artificial intelligences be able to appreciate or even create art? Explore dystopian societies, where AI generates most of the content and human artists must eke out an existence, and utopias, where artificial minds help unlock and enhance human creativity. Delve into the minds of robot painters, AI poets, drone forgers, and electronic theater curators. These and other possible futures are imagined by award-winning and bestselling human authors from the USA, UK, China, Ukraine, Chile, Japan, Madagascar, Brazil, Czech Republic, and Sri Lanka. "In this impressive collection, a star-studded lineup of 17 authors assembled by Shvartsman (Kakistocracy) raise angst-ridden questions about human-AI collaboration. ... This smart, kaleidoscopic view into the digital future will have readers longing to log off." - Publishers Weekly

La véritable identité de Crépuscule a enfin été révélée. Après la bataille contre l''armée de ce terrible adversaire qui a séparé le Scooby Gang, Buffy a obtenu une série de nouveaux pouvoirs. Mais la Tueuse doit encore faire face à la trahison ultime... Joss Whedon réunit Buffy, Angel et Spike pour les mettre face au plus grand des défis : défendre la réalité contre un assaut de démons. En bonus, retrouvez une histoire d''espionnage de Riley qui infiltre les rangs de Crépuscule. Joss Whedon, le créateur de Buffy contre les vampires, poursuit les aventures de la célèbre Tueuse en bande dessiné. Succès critique et commercial, les comics de la Saison 8 sont la suite officielle de la série TV.

Harmony Kendall, désormais transformée en vampire, a sa propre émission de téléréalité... et des humains font la queue pour offrir leur sang ! Pendant ce temps, les Tueuses sont forcées de se cacher, menacées par le mystérieux Crépuscule. En Allemagne, Faith et Giles découvrent une ville où les Tueuses vivent à l''écart d''un monde qui s''est retourné contre elles. Quant au loup-garou Oz, il doit trouver un moyen pour que Buffy et son armée, ainsi que les Wiccans, échappent au radar magique de Crépuscule. Joss Whedon, le créateur de Buffy contre les vampires, poursuit les aventures de la célèbre Tueuse en bande dessinée. Succès critique et commercial, les comics de la Saison 8 sont la suite officielle de la série TV.

Series creator Joss Whedon unites with writers from the television series and comics creators to tell tales of the vampires and Slayers through time--including stories set during the New York Times bestselling Season 8! Buffy was never the first Slayer, nor will she be the last . . . Here we delve deep into the histories of the young women--Slayers--destined to fight against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. You''ll find stories of Buffy, Nikki Wood, Melaka Fray, and even the primitive first Slayer, among others. In the tales of the vampires, you''ll find stories of dungeon-dwelling vampires and also those in the modern age--including a few dealing with the latest in vampire trends from Season 8: living in the public eye. And you''ll see some familiar vampires as well, like Angel, Spike, Drusilla, and Dracula . . . It''s an anthology that explores the mythos of the Slayers and vampires, written by Joss Whedon, along with Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress, Amber Benson, the amazing writers of the television series including David Fury (24, Lost), Doug Petrie (Daredevil), Jane Espenson (Once Upon a Time, Battlestar Galactica), Rebecca Sinclair (Gilmore Girls), Drew Goddard (The Martian), the creator of The Tick, Ben Edlund (The Venture Bros., Firefly), novelist Jackie Kessler (Hell''s Belles), and Becky Cloonan (Demo, Batman), and illustrated by comic book luminaries such as Cameron Stewart (Fight Club 2), Tim Sale (Batman), Alex Sanchez (Star Wars), Karl Moline (Fray), and Leinil Francis Yu (Ultimate Avengers).

Creator Joss Whedon''s official sequel to Season 7 of the television series continues in this second of two volumes that contain the entirety of the Chosen One''s eighth season of fighting demons and dark forces to save the world and mankind. This oversized omnibus edition includes the last four arcs of the Season 8 series along with one-shots and short stories written by Joss Whedon (The Avengers), Scott Allie (Abe Sapien), Steven S. DeKnight (Pacific Rim: Uprising), Jane Espenson (Once Upon a Time), Drew Goddard (The Martian), Drew Z. Greenberg (Marvel''s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Jim Krueger (X-Men), Jeph Loeb (Lost), Brad Meltzer (The House of Secrets), and Doug Petrie (American Horror Story), with art by the acclaimed Georges Jeanty (Serenity), as well as Karl Moline (Fray), Cliff Richards, Camilla d''Errico, and more. Also included in this volume is a cover gallery showcasing all of the variant covers that were produced for the comics and collections. Buffy experiences Big Bad Twilight''s overwhelming reach through the strange and sudden mass popularity of vampires (they even have a spokesperson with a reality TV show, Harmony Kendall!) that leads Buffy and her Slayer army to come under public scrutiny. As the world''s distaste for Slayers grows, Buffy takes her troops to a refuge in the Tibetan mountains, where she hopes to receive some help from longtime friend--and werewolf--Oz. Following a losing battle against Twilight''s insurmountable army when their location is discovered, Buffy finds herself imbued with mysterious new superpowers. As she tries to pick up the pieces in the aftermath, she discovers allies gone missing and unexplained massacres of Slayer squads around the globe. This leads Buffy straight to Twilight for a confrontation that rocks the earth''s foundation . . . Then in their Season 8 debut, Angel and Spike come to Buffy, each with vital information that guides her back home to Sunnydale. While the remaining Slayer squads fight an onslaught of demons raining down across the earth, Buffy faces the ultimate betrayal and suffers through sacrifice as she scrambles to finally put an end to Twilight and save the world from complete destruction. The losses are great, and when the dust settles, everyone and everything will be different . . .

Written by Husbands creators Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Brad Bell, this is the comic-book continuation of the sitcom phenom. Husbands tells the story of famous gay newlyweds Brady and Cheeks, who sparked a media firestorm when they woke up legally wed after a drunken Vegas weekend. Now, a mystical wedding gift launches the couple on a series of adventures-a tongue-in-cheek journey through iconic genre realms-filled with obstacles that threaten to tear them apart. Follow Brady and Cheeks into a superhero showdown, a fairytale fantasy, a Holmesian mystery, an epic galactic battle, a madcap high school romp, and a saucy secret-spy thrill ride. Includes bonus "making of" material and a special introduction.

Crépuscule, le nouvel ennemi de Buffy, s''est avéré être son bien-aimé Angel, qui prétend n''avoir agi que pour le bien commun... Mais la tueuse de vampires n''est malheureusement pas au bout de ses peines car le destin lui réserve une perte tragique. Josh Whedon réunit Buffy et les deux vampires de sa vie, Angel et Spike, dans ce final explosif. En bonus, un flash-back évoquant l''infiltration de Riley dans l''organisation de Crépuscule.

Though Joss Whedons television show Dollhouse ended in January 2010 after its second season, its small but devoted cult following is still reeling from not only from its mind-blowing plot twists but also its challenging, dystopic look at the ethics of new technology. INSIDE JOSS'' DOLLHOUSE is a fitting tribute to this complex, engaging show. The anthologys 18 sometimes funny, always insightful pieces cover Dollhouse from anticipated start to explosive finish. Drawn from an international contest judged by fan favorite Whedon screenwriter Jane Espenson, its essays get right to heart of what Dollhouse viewers loved most about the show. Espenson also acts as the books editor, offering context and extra insight on its topics and the show-a role she played in previous anthologies Finding Serenity and Serenity Found, also on Joss Whedon creations. From programmer Tophers amorality to the accuracy of the shows neurobiology, INSIDE JOSS'' DOLLHOUSE brings Dollhouse back to life with a depth sure to satisfy its many still-mourning fans.

Though Joss Whedon''s television show Dollhouse ended in January 2010 after its second season, its small but devoted cult following is still reeling from not only from its mind-blowing plot twists but also its challenging, dystopic look at the ethics of new technology. Inside Joss'' Dollhouse is a fitting tribute to this complex, engaging show. The anthology''s 18 sometimes funny, always insightful pieces cover Dollhouse from anticipated start to explosive finish. Drawn from an international contest judged by fan favorite Whedon screenwriter Jane Espenson, its essays get right to heart of what Dollhouse viewers loved most about the show. Espenson also acts as the book''s editor, offering context and extra insight on its topics and the show—a role she played in previous anthologies Finding Serenity and Serenity Found, also on Joss Whedon creations. From programmer Topher''s amorality to the accuracy of the show''s neurobiology, Inside Joss'' Dollhouse brings Dollhouse back to life with a depth sure to satisfy its many still-mourning fans.

A sinister presence stirs among the charred rubble of what used to be Sunnydale High. It seems that the ghost of Sunnydale''s former mayor has a bone to pick with Buffy...Now, on top of dealing with her nightmares about a certain raven-haired, trash-talking former Slayer, she''s got a body-snatching, blood-sucking poltergeist stalking her every waking moment! Now Buffy must confront demons from her past, with Faith''s chilling message ringing in her ears: You''re already dead''...''

Stories from Austria, China, Germany, USA, and Russia. "Old People''s Folly" features a cantankerous, disabled old lady protagonist living a difficult life many generations after the collapse of modern society. When she meets a young and idealistic woman from before the collapse, whose personality has been digitally stored, there''s both a culture clash and a generational divide. Can the two find something in common in order to help a teenager in need? "The Life Cycle of a Cyber-Bar" is a madcap, unorthodox narrative that may have minor notes of Douglas Adams but is really unlike anything you''ve read. To say too much would be to spoil the story. Alexa Seidel returns to the pages of Future SF with a dark novelette about a xenoarchaeologist who finds more in an alien dig than she bargained for. I mean, does anyone ever find nice things in a creepy alien structure? Whether or not you know Jane Espenson by name, you''ve probably enjoyed her work. She''s written for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Game of Thrones, Gilmore Girls, Battlestar Galactica, and, most recently, Foundation. Her epistolary story is about a despicable human being who ends up doing something very good, despite himself. Finally. there''s a story by another returning author, Oleg Divov. His satirical and very Russian look at the process of elections is guaranteed to feel relevant to modern readers everywhere.

The Unidentified Funny Objects series delivers an annual dose of funny, zany, and unusual science fiction and fantasy stories. All-new fiction from the genre''s top voices! In this volume you''ll find: * Overworked fairies distributing swords. * Alien yeti slackers * Elf bakers * Absconded books * Superhero dance battles * Matchmakers ... in spaaace! This anthology contains the following stories: "The Hero of Small Things" by Amanda Saville "Chai Noon" by Esther Friesner "If Pages Could Blush" by Kyle A. Massa "The Time Loop Device is Counting Down" by Beth Goder "Crouching Swan Hidden Polka" by Jim C Hines "Sgt. Yeti" by Gini Koch "The Great Beyond Commands" by John Wiswell "The Second Wish" by James Beamon "These Three Aliens Walk into a Bar" by Simon R. Green "Our Most Sincere Apologies to the People of Brazil" by Jane Espenson "Liability Insurance Policy for Immortals, Cryptids, and Other Magical Beings: Annual Newsletter" by Tina Connolly "The Shadchen of Venus" by Lavie Tidhar "Cory Sucks" by Auston Habershaw "Sunnyside Daycare Employees'' Chat Log, Post Alien Takeover" by Amanda Helms "Cooking Up Trouble" by C. Flynt "Right to Remain Silent" by Jody Lynn Nye "Auntie Elsie''s Compleat Guide to Heartbreak" by Tim Pratt "The Troll Bridge" by Adam Gaylord "Do Gumshoes Dream of Electric Sleep" by Dave Vierling "Hell''s Bureaucracy" by David Hankins "A Crisis of Fate" by Zach Shephard