Author Archives: Michael

RAPID FIRE: Jonathan D. Beer Talks The King of the Spoil

Hello and welcome to this Rapid Fire author interview here on Track of Words, where today I’m welcoming Jonathan D. Beer to the site to chat about his debut novel – The King of the Spoil, out now from Black Library. The latest novel in BL’s Warhammer Crime range, I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of The King of the Spoil and very much enjoyed it, so I’m delighted that Jonathan was up for talking more about the book. Whether you’re a hardened 40k veteran or this is your first step into the world of Warhammer Crime, read on to find out more about what you can expect from The King of the Spoil, its characters and locations, Jonathan’s writing process, and loads more.

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Spotlight on J.S. Collyer’s Original Fiction

If you’re a regular Track of Words reader then you will probably be familiar with SF author J.S. Collyer from her excellent Black Library short stories, which are well worth reading. If you’ve enjoyed those stories though, she has a whole host of original fiction available too (including a short story right here on Track of Words), which you should definitely seek out as well! As part of my ongoing series of ‘Spotlight On…’ guest posts, today I’ve invited J.S. Collyer onto the site to tell us a little bit about her original fiction – including free short fiction available on her website, a fast-paced SF novel trilogy, and a range of short stories published in various anthologies. If you’re on the lookout for some new SF or speculative fiction, read on and fill your TBR list!

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The King of the Spoil – Jonathan D. Beer

The fifth novel in Black Library’s Warhammer Crime range, Jonathan D. Beer’s The King of the Spoil is another gritty tale of everyday life on the brutal streets of Varangantua, this time exploring the socio-political implications of a power vacuum forming in perhaps the poorest sector of this gargantuan city. When Andreti Sorokin is murdered, the vast gang of which he was the undisputed king – the Har Dhrol – begins to fall apart, bringing chaos to the Spoil. As the shockwaves caused by Sorokin’s death race through the city, information broker Melita Voronova is tasked by the Valtteri cartel (for whom she begrudgingly works) with uncovering the culprit behind Sorokin’s murder. Meanwhile Haska Jovanic, a wannabe ganger on the fringes of the Har Dhrol, finds herself swept up in the upswell of anger forming on the streets of the Spoil, which can only lead to violence and pain.

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I Am AI – Ai Jiang

A story about a cyborg called Ai who moonlights as an AI writing tool, written by an author was name is also Ai – it takes a moment to wrap your head around this, but Ai Jiang’s intriguing and darkly powerful tale novelette I Am AI is definitely written by a human (not an AI) and is very, very good. In a distant but utterly believable future, the city of Emit is dominated by a single, monopolistic corporation – the creepily titled New Era – with vast numbers of citizens living in poverty. Cyborg Ai works herself into the ground trying to earn enough to pay off her crippling debts and strip away her inefficient human flesh, even while doing what she can to support her neighbours and make their lives a little better. As her battery wanes though, and work pressures mount, her choices come increasingly into question.

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Curating Online Book Spaces

The online book community can be a great place, but it can also feel daunting sometimes, with unwritten rules you might feel like you ought to follow, regular (and often baffling) platform changes, a huge amount of noise going on all the time (so many people and conversations to follow and keep track of), and the constant temptation to judge yourself against others. Whether you’re a reader, writer, reviewer or combination thereof, it can be easy to get lost amongst everything that’s going on and feel uncomfortable, unhappy, or even burned out. There are few, if any, hard and fast rules or easy answers for how to make the most of the community, but one thing I’ve learned from running Track of Words for nearly a decade is the importance of curating your spaces.

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The Sleepless – Victor Manibo

Victor Manibo’s debut novel The Sleepless is a sharp, thought-provoking science fiction mystery with an instantly compelling premise and some strong commentary on technology and corporate power. In a near future in which large swathes of the population have become physically incapable of sleeping, Jamie Vega is a journalist for a global media outlet, and a hyperinsomniac himself – one of the Sleepless. When he finds the body of his beloved boss and mentor in the buildup to a huge takeover bid, Jamie can’t believe that it’s a case of suicide, and puts his investigative skills to use in trying to uncover the truth. The deeper he digs, as he uncovers dangerous secrets and reopens old wounds, the more he realises that not only can he not trust many of the people around him, but he might not even be able to trust his own mind.

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Winter’s Gifts – Ben Aaronovitch

Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London crosses the Atlantic with Winter’s Gifts, the fourth novella in this hugely popular series. Not only is this the first time the series has ventured to America though, with FBI agent Kimberley Reynolds stepping into the spotlight for her own story, but it’s also the first time the series has really delved into the realm of the horror story. It’s a classic horror setup – a small town in Wisconsin, snow blanketing the ground and cutting off access, a missing man, locals hiding secrets, and a lone FBI agent trying to piece together a mystery which might involve a lost 19th century expedition, while dealing with the inimical weather and a lurking darkness (which inevitably steps out of the shadows soon enough).

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The Daughter of Doctor Moreau – Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s eighth novel, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is – as the title suggests – a retelling of H.G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau, transplanting the story to Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula in the nineteenth century and focusing on Carlota Moreau rather than her father, the doctor. Carlota lives a happy, sheltered life, beholden to an illness that only her father’s medical expertise can keep at bay, content with just the hybrids for friends – amalgams of humans and animals, brought to life by the doctor’s arts. When the son of her father’s patron arrives out of the blue though, the Moreaus’ safe life is turned upside down. Carlota begins to wonder what else life might offer beyond the walls of her quiet home, while her father sees opportunity, and the hybrids see only danger.

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Spotlight On Justin Hill’s Original Fiction

You might be familiar with Justin Hill for his Black Library fiction (written as Justin D. Hill), but outside of the worlds of Warhammer he has a considerable backlog of original work too, all exploring various aspects of contemporary and historical fiction. His seven books cover all manner of periods and locations from 11th century England to 20th century Eritrea, and characters from Viking kings to Chinese poets. As part of an ongoing series of guest posts in which I invite authors onto the site to tell us about their original fiction, Justin is here to talk a little bit about each of his novels, what inspired each of them, and what went into their writing. The stories behind these books are fascinating, featuring rapid evacuations, overseas volunteering, meeting the descendents of royalty and more, so settle in to add some books to your TBR list!

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Monthly Roundup – May 2023

Hello and welcome to May’s Monthly Roundup post here on Track of Words. After a couple of months in which I really struggled for motivation and headspace, and therefore didn’t have a lot to talk about in my roundups, I’m pleased to report that May went pretty well, and has definitely felt like an uptick all around. As always I’ve put together a quick recap of everything I posted this month, and then this time around I’ve also written a quick reading update, some thoughts on several book events I recently attended – including Comic Con, and the brilliant Black Crow Blogger Brunch – and some cool book news and recommendations.

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