Commissar Ploss delivers his picks for the month of July. Here are the books you should be reading this month! Recommended Reading is here to give you an overview of books that are coming out across the the Science Fiction and Fantasy industry. This feature will cover multiple publishers and cover all aspects of the sci-fi and fantasy genres. No better time to kick these segments off then! woo! You’ll be able to click on any of the titles provided and purchase them from us at reduced prices! Take a look, i’m sure there’s something you’ll like. July features selections from Baen, Tor/Forge, DelRey, Orbit, Angry Robot, Black Library, Solaris, and Abaddon books.

Angry Robot Books:

Dark War – Tim Waggoner (novel) (US Release)
Dark War – Tim Waggoner (ebook) (US Release)

Meet Matt Richter. Zombie. PI.From his arrival at Nekropolis, Matt has found himself embroiled in disputes with the city’s vampire lords, shapeshifters, golems and other monstrosities.Nothing has prepared him for the Dark War.File Under: Urban Fantasy [ Turf | Fang Gangs | Endurance | Dead Streets ]

 TFF projected rating: 8/10

 Mistification – Kaaron Warren (US Release)

Marvo is a stage magician. His magic is real.Marvo grows up without knowing his parents, without knowing his heritage, without knowing much about life.The magicians have always been with us, since the beginning of civilisation. They fill our heads with the mist, keeping us from witnessing the stark reality of existence. But are things so bad that Marvo will bring it down on all of us, forever?Marvo begins to understand those around him, and his place in the world; he discovers that his remarkable powers can be put to good, or to evil.He only has to choose…FILE UNDER: Horror [Sleight of Hand / Find the Lady / All is Illusion / Death Rules]

TFF projected rating: 7/10

Hard Spell – Justin Gustainis (UK Release)

Stan Markowski is a Detective Sergeant on the Scranton PD’s Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit.Like the rest of America, Scranton’s got an uneasy ‘live and let unlive’ relationship with the supernatural. But when a vamp puts the bite on an unwilling victim, or some witch casts the wrong kind of spell, that’s when they call Markowski. He carries a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.File Under: Urban Fantasy [ Dial V For Vampire | Forbidden Spells | Bite Club | Scranton By Night ]

TFF projected rating: 8/10

Restoration (The World House book 2) – Guy Adams (UK Release)

 NONE WHO ENTER THE WORLD HOUSE LEAVE IT UNCHANGED. In some rooms, forests grow; animals roam and objects come to life. Great secrets and treasures await the brave or foolhardy. And at the very top of the house, the prisoner it was all built to contain sat behind a locked door waiting for the key to turn. The day that happened, the world ended.Modern Fantasy [Worlds within Worlds | End of Days | A Prisoner Escapes | Dark Powers]


TFF projected rating: 9/10

Baen Books:

Ring of Fire III – Eric Flint

Let’s do the “Time Warp” again! Another anthology of rollicking, thought- provoking collection of tales by a star-studded array of top writers such as bestseller Mercedes Lackey and Eric Flint himself all set in Eric Flint’s phenomenal Ring of Fire series. After a cosmic accident sets the modern-day West Virginia town of Grantville down in war-torn seventeenth century Europe, these everyday, resourceful Americans must adapt or be trod into the dust of the past.

TFF projected rating: 9/10

Undercurrents – Robert Buettner

Second in the hard-hitting military science fiction Orphan’s Legacy series. Ace intelligence operative Lt. Jazen Parker parachutes into a giant habitat known as Paleozoic on a mission to bring down the local politicos. He quickly realizes he’s been handed a near-impossible task. Paleozoic is a politically quarantined nightmare world with a culture confined to iron rivet technology and a ruling regime a bit to the right of Heinrich Himmler. Jazen’s inclined to abandon this particular hellhole to its ways—that is, until he uncovers a plot afoot that will throw a five hundred-planet alliance into the death-throes of anarchy.

 TFF projected rating: 8/10

Loose Cannon – David Drake

David Drake’s two Tom Kelly technothrillers in one volume.

TFF Projected Rating: 9/10

Mission of Honor – David Weber

The Star Kingdom of Manticore and the Republic of Haven have been enemies for Honor Harrington’s entire life, and she has paid a price for the victories she’s achieved in that conflict. And now the unstoppable juggernaut of the mighty Solarian League is on a collision course with Manticore. The millions who have already died may have been only a foretaste of the billions of casualties just over the horizon, and Honor sees it coming.

TFF projected rating: 9/10

Black Library:

Atlas Infernal – Rob Sanders

Read the Review Here!

Rating:  8/10

Sigvald – Darius Hinks

Read the Review Here!

Rating: 8/10

Tor/Forge Books:

Ganymede – Cherie Priest

The air pirate Andan Cly is going straight. Well, straighter. Although he’s happy to run alcohol guns wherever the money’s good, he doesn’t think the world needs more sap, or its increasingly ugly side-effects. But becoming legit is easier said than done, and Cly’s first legal gig—a supply run for the Seattle Underground—will be paid for by sap money.

TFF projected rating: 8/10 

DelRey: 

 Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension – Christie Golden

 As Luke and Ben Skywalker pursue the formidable dark-side being Abeloth, the Lost Tribe of the Sith is about to be sundered by an even greater power—which will thrust one Dark Lord into mortal conflict with his own flesh-and-blood. On Coruscant, a political vacuum has left tensions at the boiling point, with factions racing to claim control of the Galactic Alliance. Suddenly surrounded by hidden agendas, treacherous conspiracies, and covert Sith agents, the Jedi Order must struggle to keep the GA government from collapsing into anarchy.

TFF projected rating: 8/10 

Orbit Books: 

The Reluctant Mage – Karen Miller (Fisherman’s Children Book 2)

It’s been many months since Rafel ventured over Barl’s Mountains into the unknown, in a desperate bid to seek help for their ravaged land. With his father’s Weather Magic exhausted, there seemed no other hope. Now this too has died.
Only Deenie believes Rafel still lives, sensing her brother in tortured dreams. She also knows she must try to find him, as only Rafel’s talents can heal their land. The prospect terrifies Deenie, yet she sees no other choice.

TFF projected rating: 8/10

Solaris Books:

The Concrete Grove – Gary McMahon

Imagine a place where all your nightmares become real. Think of dark urban streets where crime, debt and violence are not the only things to fear. Picture a housing project that is a gateway to somewhere else, a realm where ghosts and monsters stir hungrily in the shadows. Welcome to the Concrete Grove. It knows where you live…

 TFF projected rating: 9/10

Abaddon Books:

The Afterblight Chronicles: America (Omnibus) – Simon Spurrier and Others

The Blight arose from nowhere. It swept across the bickering nations like The End of Times and spared only those with a single fortuitous blood type. Hot headed religion and territorial savagery rule the cities now. Somewhere amidst the chaos, however, there are groups of people fighting to survive. Heroes determined to create a better world. But can these warriors of the apocalypse hope to rediscover the humanity lost long ago in the blood and filth and horror of the Cull?

TFF projected rating: 10/10

And these have been your Recommended Reading selections for the month of July 2011. I hope you enjoy and hopefully you’ll find something you like. cheers!

CP