Books Received, July 19 to July 25

Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch (July 2025)

The brand new novel in the international #1 bestselling Rivers of London series.

“This isn’t London. The rules are different up here…”

All Detective Sergeant Peter Grant wanted was a nice holiday up in Scotland.

He’ll need one once this is over…

Sea: check.

Sand: some.

Sun: sort of — but that’s not the only thing in the sky…

The Adventure of the Demonic Ox by Lois McMaster Bujold (July 2025)

When sorcerer Learned Penric hears of the suspected demonic possession of an ox at his brother-in-law’s bridgebuilding worksite, he thinks it an excellent opportunity to tutor his adopted daughter and student sorceress Otta in one of their Temple duties: identifying and restraining such wild chaos elementals before harm comes to their hosts or surroundings.

What begins as an instructive family outing turns anything but routine when a mountain search becomes a much more frightening adventure for Penric and his charges. What is undergone there by both mentor and students will yield lessons both unexpected and far-reaching.

They Call Her Regret by Channelle Desamours (February 2026)

In this young adult speculative mystery, a teen must find a way to free a cursed witch in order to save her best friend before time runs out.

Every year horror-loving Simone Washington throws an epic Halloween party for her classmates. Party-planning is her favorite escape from the dark secrets in her past, and this year, she’s taking things up a notch with an invitation-only event to celebrate her eighteenth birthday — something that will leave the halls of Pinegrove Academy flooded with gossip about the big ghoulish bash. The overnight stay at Doll’s Head Lake will be filled with spooky pranks and scary stories told by the fire — including the legend of a local witch named Regret.

But those dark secrets from Simone’s past are forced to the surface at the party when her best friend Kira drowns under questionable circumstances. The witch appears and offers Simone a deal: if Simone can figure out how to release Regret from the curse trapping her at the lake within fourteen days, all of Simone’s regrets will be erased. If Simone accepts, Kira’s life will be immediately restored. But if she fails, Kira will die again — and Simone will be the one to kill her.

Sky on Fire by E. K. Johnston (July 2025)

A fast-paced and thought-provoking queer sci-fi/fantasy novel from #1 New York Times bestseller E.K. Johnston.

Morgan Enni has things to do. A science prodigy in a university full of mage-scientists, she’s notable for having no magical ability, which only increases her ambition and drive to prove herself. Her research has the potential to devastate every aetherworker in the galaxy and shake the crumbled foundations of the Stavenger Empire. It’s no wonder she can’t find anyone who wants to listen to her, much less fund her expedition.

But Morgan is stubborn, and eventually her work catches the attention of a group of rebels, who hope it might turn the tide in their favour. When they try to recruit the young scientist, they get much more than they bargained for. Morgan Enni has secrets of her own.

Set in the world of Aetherbound, E.K. Johnston continues to entwine Arthurian myth and the history of North Atlantic fisheries in a clever, character-driven space fantasy.

The Rainseekers by Matthew Kressel (February 2026)

Burned out and looking to put her past behind her, a former addict and recovering influencer interviews her fellow travelers en route to witness the first rain on Mars.

Sakunja Salazar had it all. Money, toys, women, and all the drugs money could buy. A breakout Holo influencer, seemingly overnight she lifted her family out of their tiny Mexico City apartment and into the world of the rich and famous. That all changed when she hopped on a rocket and blasted into the cosmos, never to hawk lavender moisturizer again.

What goes up must come down, and when Sakunja finally crashed back down on Mars an alcoholic, addict, and has-been she thought her life was pretty much over. That is, until a magazine editor discovered her photography and offered her a job. Now, she’s the resident documentarian on a barebones expedition seeking to be the first humans to witness rain on Mars. For the first time in her life, Sakunja is turning the spotlight on someone else – interviewing her fellow travelers about what brought them to join this incredibly foolhardy crew of souls adrift in a world of danger and awe. And what they discover, both in their stories and their journey, will be more incredible than they could have ever imagined.

Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game, Gamemaster’s Guide by Dominic McDowall and Pádraig Murphy et al (Q1 2026)

This 192 page full colour hardback provides Gamemasters with tools and guidance used when running the game. Combined with the core rules in the Player’s Guide, it’s everything your group needs for a Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game campaign.

Practical, expert gamemaster advice for first-time GMs, specific to the system and setting of the Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game.
Directions on how to use tools like your Grim Portent, Contacts, and Dark Threads of connected NPCs to create an amazing campaign experience that engages your players.
Embellishment of the core setting of Talagaad and its inhabitants, along with guidance on how to adapt your campaigns to other settings.
Rules for magic items, downtime Events, and Paths to Corruption, that you can use to surprise your players.
A massive bestiary of Allies and Adversaries, including not just dozens of NPCs profiles but named examples of those types, with plot hooks, agendas, and conspiracies to use in your game.

Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game, Player’s Guideby Dominic McDowall and Pádraig Murphy et al (Q1 2026)

Welcome to the World of Legend

The Empire is locked in unending war. Beyond the light of civilisation, its armies clash with furious Beastmen, marauding Orc & Goblin tribes, and accursed sorcerors. Perhaps you thought yourself safe from such horrors, far from the frontlines, hidden behind tall walls and lofty promises. Such lies no longer comfort you.

You have seen the face of true evil — the corruption of Chaos, the dead returned to life, or the blind and grasping greed of the Empire’s own citizens. Worse, that evil has seen you too, and marked you as a witness to be silenced. To survive, you must find your courage, take up arms, and fight back against the ravening hordes. If fate is kind, you will rise to glory and vanquish your foe. If not, the Garden of Morr will have your corpse.

This 192 page full colour hardback contains everything players need to begin their adventures in Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game.

Everything you need to create a character, including 6 Origins and 30 iconic Careers, from cunning Rat Catchers to tarnished Knight-Exiles.
An introduction to the World of Legend, the beloved setting of the Old World tabletop wargame.
The grim and glorious rules, a fast-paced, easy to learn, d10 dice pool system with all the lethality you’d expect of gaming in the Old World.
Options to customise your character, including 18 Skills to advance, dozens of Talents and Lores to learn, trappings and Assets to purchase, and Endeavours to pursue in downtime.
Rules for magic, both lists of spells your Wizard can memorise, and rules for casting your own improvised spells.
Favours, prayers, and miracles bestowed by ten of the gods.

This book contains everything a player needs to explore the World of Legend. Gamemasters should also own a copy of the Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game, Gamemaster’s Guide.

Starlost Unauthorized by D G Valdron (October 2024)

THE GIANT EARTHSHIP ARK, DRIFTING THROUGH DEEP SPACE OVER EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS INTO THE FAR FUTURE, ITS PASSENGERS DESCENDANTS OF THE LAST SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD PLANET EARTH, LOCKED IN SEPARATE WORLDS HEADING FOR DESTRUCTION…

The Starlost (1973). The most controversial Sci Fi Television series ever made. It began with high hopes, created by Harlan Ellison with participation by such luminaries as Ben Bova and Ursula K. LeGuin, featuring special effects by 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Doug Trumbull, starring 2001’s Keir Dullea. Somehow it all went wrong, Harlan Ellison denounced his creation, and the series became legendary as “the worst ever!’ But was it really?

Produced in Canada, constrained physically and financially, the show began to reflect Canadian issues and sensibilities, at a time when Canada and Canadians were going through a national identity crisis, forming a nation, building a culture and confronting challenges from regionalism within, to the overwhelming presence of the United States without. What was Canada? What did it and its people stand for, and where were they going?

The Starlost became a mirror of national concerns and preoccupations as the stars confronted alien and interlopers, industrialization, pollution, militarism, ethics and morality and ultimately humanity’s place in the world.

This extensively researched work, written with dry humor and deep insight, draws on interviews and correspondence with stars Robin Ward and Gay Rowan, series writer Norman Klenman, and features a comprehensive episode guide with detailed reviews encompassing behind the scenes information and thematic analysis, as well as a full section on the production process and making of the show.

STARLOST UNAUTHORIZED is the most comprehensive and detailed work ever produced on this unique and controversial television series.