Over the last few months I’ve been having a lot of fun reading the first titles to be published by Aconyte Books – the new ‘novels division’ of Asmodee Games. While I’m not much of a board gamer, so I’m not really familiar (yet) with the worlds these stories are illustrating, I am a big fantasy and science fiction fan, so the idea of a whole heap of new settings to explore is pretty exciting! I mean, that’s the joy of reading IP fiction, right? Aconyte’s release schedule is absolutely packed full of great-sounding books, so I thought it might be useful to take a look at everything that’s coming out this month. For each title I’ve included links to my reviews and author interviews where available!
It’s worth pointing out that Aconyte seem to be going with a two-stage publication process, releasing (global) ebooks at the same time as paperbacks are published in the United States, with UK paperbacks following a month later. With that in mind, I’ve included a quick recap of the September titles first, followed by details of the October releases (and a very brief mention of what’s coming November). If this sort of article proves popular, I can make it a regular occurrence – so do let me know what you think!
Recap on September’s releases
In case you missed my reviews and interviews for last month’s Aconyte releases, here’s a quick overview – both of these are now available as paperbacks in the UK too!
- Arkham Horror – Wrath of N’Kai by Josh Reynolds
- Keyforge – Tales from the Crucible edited by Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells
- Review (including links to individual reviews of the stories)
- Editor interview
October’s releases
There are no fewer than five Aconyte books either published today (6th October) or coming later in the month – see what I mean about a packed release schedule! The first four are all following this schedule…
- Ebook/US paperback: 6th October
- UK paperback: 26th November
…while the fifth is slightly different – I’ve provided the specific details for that one below.
For the purposes of this article I’ve included the publisher’s blurb for each book, along with links to reviews/interviews where they’re available. I’ve read three of these novels already (all excellent…genuinely great), with two reviews already published – keep an eye out for more reviews coming soon – and I’ve published author interviews for four of these.
Legend of the Five Rings – The Curse of Honor by David Annandale
Striking Dawn Castle defends the mountains between the Rokugan empire and the demon-haunted Shadowlands. When a mythical city is discovered in the forbidding peaks, Hida Haru, heir and sore disappointment to his family, seizes the opportunity to prove himself. His rash expedition ends in disaster – just one samurai returns alive, and Haru is lost. Before a power struggle can break out, Striking Dawn’s battle-hardened commander, Ochiba, is dispatched to rescue Haru. She succeeds against supernatural horrors, but Haru is… changed. Now, mysterious deaths and ill fortune plague his family. Something evil is loose and must be stopped, at any cost.
Check out my review of The Curse of Honor
Check out my interview with David Annandale
Marvel: Legends of Asgard – The Head of Mimir by Richard Lee Byers
It is a dark time for Asgard. The Allfather is trapped in a bewitched Odinsleep, inspiring an all-out assault from the Frost Giants. They evade the gods’ defenses with uncommon ease, as if guided by augury. Heimdall, a quick-witted young warrior still finding his place amongst Asgard’s defenders, believes it no coincidence that Odin lies enchanted and that the Giants are so well-informed. Sneaking into Odin’s inner chambers, he discovers that the severed head of Mimir, a great source of wisdom, is missing. Accompanied by his sister, Lady Sif, Heimdall must quest across the Ten Realms to retrieve it, lest mighty Asgard fall.
Check out my review of The Head of Mimir
Check out my interview with Richard Lee Byers
Descent: Journeys in the Dark – The Doom of Fallowhearth by Robbie MacNiven
When the Baroness of Forthyn’s daughter disappears, she calls on the legendary orc hero, Durik, to find her. Durik enlists his old questing partners – the dwarf alchemist, Ulma Grimstone, and roguish Logan Lashley – in the hopes of reliving their glory days. Together they journey to fearstruck Fallowhearth. There, instead of clues, they uncover necromancy: graveyards emptied of corpses, with trails of footprints leading into sinister Blind Muir Forest… But the forest holds more than just the walking dead: between its boughs lurk treachery, a sorcerous ally turned to darkness, and a shocking infestation of giant, murderous monsters.
Check out my review of The Doom of Fallowhearth
Check out my interview with Robbie MacNiven
Marvel: Heroines – Domino: Strays by Tristan Palmgren
The job: infiltrate a Chicago conman’s cult to liberate some brainwashed twins. For former X-Force operative Domino, that’s a “hell no”. Fanatics are bad news. She still has nightmares about Project Armageddon, the super-soldier program that wrecked her life and destroyed her family. If only she’d had someone to help her back then, someone… like her. It’s a total pain in the ass, but maybe it is time to finally face those demons. With her probability manipulating superpowers she can turn even the worst of situations to her advantage.
Check out my review of Domino: Strays
Check out my interview with Tristan Palmgren
Watch Dogs: Legion – Day Zero by Josh Reynolds and James Swallow
Bike messenger and wannabe troublemaker Olly Soames is the newest recruit to DedSec’s Resistance movement, but when a stranger is shot dead in front of him, he realizes that danger is closer than he thinks…
Sarah Lincoln is an aggressive young politician with questionable methods and big ambitions, and when a string of murders unfolds in her borough, it may be the opportunity she has been looking for to make a name for herself…
Ex-MMA fighter turned leg-breaker Ro Hayes is in deep with the vicious Clan Kelley, the most brutal organized crime firm in the city’s underworld, and her survival rests on uncovering a dead man’s secrets…
And for Danny, Ro’s estranged brother and former soldier, his new career with private military contractor Albion is leading him down a very dark path, toward choices he may never be able to take back…
Four lives are drawn into a murderous conspiracy that threatens to destroy Dedsec and plunge the city of London into chaos. Something very bad is going down in London town…
This one snuck into the release schedule at the last minute (well, as far as we’re concerned in the public – I imagine Aconyte knew it was coming!) but I managed to catch up and sort out both a review and an interview! It’s also using a slightly different publishing schedule, as follows:
- Ebook: 13th October
- US paperback: 3rd November
- UK paperback: 5th November
Check out my review of Day Zero.
Check out my interview with James Swallow and Josh Reynolds.
Coming in November
To finish off, here’s a quick list of what’s been announced for November. If October is anything to go by then there might yet be surprises to come, too!
- Marvel: Xavier’s Institute – Liberty & Justice For All by Carrie Harris
- Twilight Imperium – The Fractured Void by Tim Pratt
- Arkham Horror – The Last Ritual by S.A. Sidor
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I hope this has been useful – I’d love to know what you think, and whether there’s anything you would like to see more or less of in future. Let me know in the comments below, or find me on Twitter and say hi!
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