New Releases by Chuck Wendig

Michael Crichton meets Elon Musk in this gripping sci-fi tech thriller, set in the eye-opening, paranoid world of the electrifying Zeroes and From the author of Wanderers and the Miriam Black series. Hannah Stander is a consultant for the FBI—a futurist who helps the Agency with cases that feature demonstrations of bleeding-edge technology. It’s her job to help them identify unforeseen threats: hackers, AIs, genetic modification, anything that in the wrong hands could harm the homeland. Hannah is in an airport, waiting to board a flight home to see her family, when she receives a call from Agent Hollis Copper. “I’ve got a cabin full of over a thousand dead bodies,” he tells her. Whether those bodies are all human, he doesn’t say. What Hannah finds is a horrifying murder that points to the impossible—someone weaponizing the natural world in a most unnatural way. Discovering who—and why—will take her on a terrifying chase from the Arizona deserts to the secret island laboratory of a billionaire inventor/philanthropist. Hannah knows there are a million ways the world can end, but she just might be facing one she could never have predicted—a new threat both ancient and cutting-edge that could wipe humanity off the earth.

Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens The second Death Star has been destroyed, the Emperor killed, and Darth Vader struck down. Devastating blows against the Empire, and major victories for the Rebel Alliance. But the battle for freedom is far from over. As the Empire reels from its critical defeats at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance-now a fledgling New Republic-presses its advantage by hunting down the enemy''s scattered forces before they can regroup and retaliate. But above the remote planet Akiva, an ominous show of the enemy''s strength is unfolding. Out on a lone reconnaissance mission, pilot Wedge Antilles watches Imperial Star Destroyers gather like birds of prey circling for a kill, but he''s taken captive before he can report back to the New Republic leaders. Meanwhile, on the planet''s surface, former rebel fighter Norra Wexley has returned to her native world-war weary, ready to reunite with her estranged son, and eager to build a new life in some distant place. But when Norra intercepts Wedge Antilles''s urgent distress call, she realizes her time as a freedom fighter is not yet over. What she doesn''t know is just how close the enemy is-or how decisive and dangerous her new mission will be. Determined to preserve the Empire''s power, the surviving Imperial elite are converging on Akiva for a top-secret emergency summit-to consolidate their forces and rally for a counterstrike. But they haven''t reckoned on Norra and her newfound allies-her technical-genius son, a Zabrak bounty hunter, and a reprobate Imperial defector-who are prepared to do whatever they must to end the Empire''s oppressive reign once and for all.

Come home to Star Wars with this ebook sampler of excerpts from Del Rey’s latest novels—including the official adaptation of The Force Awakens—set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . . . In this year’s sampler, you’ll also find selections from the Battlefront videogame tie-in novel and from a pair of gripping titles that fill the gaps between Episodes VI and VII. Plus, don’t miss four Star Wars short stories presented in their entirety: “Bait” by Alan Dean Foster, “Inbrief” by Janine K. Spendlove, and “Blade Squadron” and “Blade Squadron: Zero Hour” by David J. Williams and Mark S. Williams! BLOODLINE by Claudia Gray Taking place in the years before the events of The Force Awakens, this thrilling novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Lost Stars recounts the birth of the Resistance as witnessed by Leia Organa. THE FORCE AWAKENS by Alan Dean Foster The acclaimed novelization of Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens, the international megahit film directed by J. J. Abrams, Alan Dean Foster’s sweeping narrative “gives us glimpses of an even more vast, unseen universe,” raves The Washington Post. AFTERMATH by Chuck Wendig The second Death Star has been destroyed, the Emperor killed, and Darth Vader struck down. Devastating blows against the Empire, and major victories for the Rebel Alliance. But the battle for freedom is far from over. BATTLEFRONT: TWILIGHT COMPANY by Alexander Freed A companion novel inspired by the blockbuster videogame Star Wars: Battlefront, this action-packed adventure “effortlessly thrusts readers onto the frontlines of the Galactic Civil War in a gripping tale” (New York Daily News).

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens “Star Wars: Aftermath [reveals] what happened after the events of 1983’s Return of the Jedi. It turns out, there’s more than just the Empire for the good guys to worry about.”—The Hollywood Reporter As the Empire reels from its critical defeats at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance—now a fledgling New Republic—presses its advantage by hunting down the enemy’s scattered forces before they can regroup and retaliate. But above the remote planet Akiva, an ominous show of the enemy’s strength is unfolding. Out on a lone reconnaissance mission, pilot Wedge Antilles watches Imperial Star Destroyers gather like birds of prey circling for a kill, but he’s taken captive before he can report back to the New Republic leaders. Meanwhile, on the planet’s surface, former rebel fighter Norra Wexley has returned to her native world—war weary, ready to reunite with her estranged son, and eager to build a new life in some distant place. But when Norra intercepts Wedge Antilles’s urgent distress call, she realizes her time as a freedom fighter is not yet over. What she doesn’t know is just how close the enemy is—or how decisive and dangerous her new mission will be. Determined to preserve the Empire’s power, the surviving Imperial elite are converging on Akiva for a top-secret emergency summit—to consolidate their forces and rally for a counterstrike. But they haven’t reckoned on Norra and her newfound allies—her technical-genius son, a Zabrak bounty hunter, and a reprobate Imperial defector—who are prepared to do whatever they must to end the Empire’s oppressive reign once and for all. Praise for Aftermath “The Force is strong with Star Wars: Aftermath.”—Alternative Nation “The Star Wars universe is fresh and new again, and just as rich and mysterious as it always was.”—Den of Geek “[Chuck] Wendig neatly captures the current states of the Empire and Rebel Alliance and does so through flawed, real, and nuanced characters. His writing gets you up close and personal. . . . Wendig does wonders with dialogue and voice and carving out space for everyone to breathe. Aftermath is a strong foot forward into unexplored territory and puts down just enough foundation that you can start picturing the Resistance and First Order of The Force Awakens taking shape.”—Nerdist “If the opening chapter of the Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy is any indication, the ‘Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ will be every bit as exciting as the movie.”—New York Daily News “A wonderful Star Wars adventure by a gifted author.”—SF Book Reviews

In the third installment of the suspenseful Miriam Black series, Miriam is on the road again, having transitioned from “thief” to “killer.” Miriam Black is being developed as a TV series on Starz with the producers of Breaking Bad. Hired by a wealthy businessman, Miriam heads down to Florida to practice the one thing she’s good at: knowing when people are going to die. In her vision she sees the businessman murdered by another’s hand and on the wall written in blood is a message just for her: She’s expected…

NEW ONGOING SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “Daughter of the Revolution, Part 2” Running out of places to hide, the Shield discovers she is not without allies. Detective Nicole Simmons seems to know exactly who—and what—the Shield is, but with the enigmatic government agent Walter Chase closing the noose, the pair faces two difficult questions: why is the Shield back now… and whose side is she really on?

A VAMPIRE IN ZOMBIELAND You wouldn’t like Coburn. People don’t, as a rule. And that’s okay, because he doesn’t like people much either. People are food. Five years ago, Coburn went to sleep – wasn’t exactly planned – and he’s just woken up to find most everybody in the world dead. Not dead like him; he looks human, drinks blood. He’s smart. They’re... none of those things. They outnumber him by about a million to one, and their clotted blood cannot sustain him. Now he’s starving, and on the run. He has to find blood, soon, and – like it or not – he’s gonna have to keep an eye on the frail flesh-bags he finds it in. Time for the wolf to turn shepherd. No, Coburn doesn’t like people. But he’ll have to learn to.

Set between the events of "Return of the Jedi" and "The Force Awakens," the second entry in the "Aftermath" trilogy continues the story of a galactic civil war under the leadership of Wedge Antilles, Admiral Ackbar, and others after the destruction of the second Death Star.

NEW ONGOING SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “Daughter of the Revolution, Part 1” Since the dawn of the republic, whenever her country faces its blackest days, she returns: a spirit of the revolution sent to fight for what is right. But when she reappears for the first time in a generation with no memories—not even of her own identity—and encounters an evil force expecting her arrival, all the Shield can do is… run!

Mockingbird is a tornado of a crime thriller that exposes Miriam Black''s life on the edge, and a novel of suspense that skulks through the dilapidated edges of America, casting light in its neglected corners. This is the second book in the Miriam Black series.

“[A] high-octane blend of nervy characters, dark humor and bristling dialogue... smart, timely, electrifying.” — NPR An exhilarating thrill-ride through the underbelly of cyber espionage in the vein of David Ignatius’s The Director and the television series Leverage, CSI: Cyber, and Person of Interest, which follows five iconoclastic hackers who are coerced into serving the U.S. government. An Anonymous-style rabble rouser, an Arab spring hactivist, a black-hat hacker, an old-school cipherpunk, and an online troll are each offered a choice: go to prison or help protect the United States, putting their brains and skills to work for the government for one year. But being a white-hat doesn’t always mean you work for the good guys. The would-be cyberspies discover that behind the scenes lurks a sinister NSA program, an artificial intelligence code-named Typhon, that has origins and an evolution both dangerous and disturbing. And if it’s not brought down, will soon be uncontrollable. Can the hackers escape their federal watchers and confront Typhon and its mysterious creator? And what does the government really want them to do? If they decide to turn the tables, will their own secrets be exposed—and their lives erased like lines of bad code? Combining the scientific-based, propulsive narrative style of Michael Crichton with the eerie atmosphere and conspiracy themes of The X-Files and the imaginative, speculative edge of Neal Stephenson and William Gibson, Zer0es explores our deep-seated fears about government surveillance and hacking in an inventive fast-paced novel sure to earn Chuck Wendig the widespread acclaim he deserves.

"Part one of Atlanta Burns was first published in 2011 by Chuck Wendig as the novella Shotgun gravy. Parts two through five of Atlanta Burns were first published in 2012 by Chuck Wendig as the novel Bait dog."--Title page verso.

When Cael awakens from a Blightborn sleep, he sets out across the Heartland to gather his friends for one last mission--to uncover a secret weapon and save the world.

Meet Mookie Pearl. Father, barkeep, former Mafioso. The Organization is back, and they''ll do anything to get Mookie on board, but Mookie has gone legit, and it''s taking every ounce of effort for him to keep his new bar from crashing and burning. To top it all, his daughter is missing, and when Nora''s not in plain sight, that''s usually a sign of bad things to come! On one hand, the Organization. On the other, Nora. Why can''t Family ever be easy...? File Under: Urban Fantasy [ Tell Nora I Love Her Mookie''s Back Family Man Going On A Bar Hunt ]

Five iconoclastic hackers, recruited against their will to serve the U.S. government by working as cyberspies, discover an NSA artificial intelligence program that is rapidly growing out of control.

Roll the Bones! In a world ruled by chance, one rash decision could bring down the house, one roll of the dice could bring untold wealth, or the end of everything. The players have gathered around the table, each to tell their story - often dark, always compelling. Within you will find tales of the players and the played, lives governed by games deadly, weird, or downright bizarre. Multi-award winning editor Jonathan Oliver (The End of the Line, House of Fear, Magic, End of the Road) brings together new stories featuring a diverse collection of voices. Here you will find incredible new fiction by Chuck Wendig, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Lavie Tidhar, Benjanun Sriduangkaew, Paul Kearney, Libby McGugan, Yoon Ha Lee, Gary Northfield, Melanie Tem, Hillary Monahan, Tade Thompson, Rebecca Levene, Ivo Stourton, Gary McMahon, Robert Shearman, Nik Vincent, Helen Marshall, and Pat Cadigan.

Along with his pals Lane and Rigo, Cael journeys to the Empyrean to rescue his sister and Gwennie, risking everything while outmaneuvering Boyland, while Gwennie makes a bold move that changes the course of an Empyrean man''s life.

Mara Dyer est une jeune fille de 16 ans comme les autres, jusqu’au jour où elle s’éveille dans un hôpital, sans aucun souvenir de l’accident dans lequel ses trois meilleurs amis ont perdu la vie. Dévastée par le chagrin et un terrible sentiment de culpabilité, elle souffre terriblement de la perte de ses proches. Pour pouvoir repartir à zéro, la famille de Mara part s’installer en Floride. Mais là encore, les nuits de la jeune fille restent agitées alors que des visions de l’accident hantent son esprit. Mara a l’impression de revoir ses amis décédés, et même de sentir la mort de certaines personnes. Mais que lui arrive-t-il ? Est-elle en train de devenir folle ? Qui est vraiment Mara Dyer ?

Miriam versucht, ein normales Leben zu führen. Doch das ist nicht so leicht, denn sie hat eine außergewöhnliche Gabe: Bei der Berührung eines Menschen sieht sie den Moment seines Todes. Dann bekommt Miriam von einer Lehrerin an einem Mädcheninternat Geld geboten, damit sie ihr "die Hand auflegt". Als sie dort ist, berührt sie aus Versehen eine Schülerin und sieht: Das Mädchen wird in wenigen Jahren brutal ermordet. Und es wird nicht das einzige Opfer bleiben. Kann Miriam die Mordserie verhindern?

The journey to become a successful writer is long, fraught with peril, and filled with difficult questions: How do I write dialogue? How do I build suspense? What should I know about query letters? How do I start? The best way to answer these questions is to ditch your uncertainty and transform yourself into a KICK-ASS writer. This new book from award-winning author Chuck Wendig combines the best of his eye-opening writing instruction--previously available in e-book form only--with all-new insights into writing and publishing. It''s an explosive broadside of gritty advice that will destroy your fears, clear the path, and help you find your voice, your story, and your audience. You''ll explore the fundamentals of writing, learn how to obtain publication, and master the skills you need to build an army of dedicated fans. No task is too large or small for the kick-ass writer. With his trademark acerbic wit and gut-punch humor, Wendig will explain: • How to build suspense, craft characters, and defeat writer''s block. • How to write a scene, an ending--even a sentence. • Blogging techniques, social media skills, and crowdfunding. • How to write a query letter, talk to agents, and deal with failure--and success! Whether you''re just starting out or you need one more push to get you over the top, two things are for certain--a kick-ass writer never quits, and chuck Wendig won''t let you down in this high-octane guide to becoming the writer you were born to be.

Life begins when your boss is killed. Five years ago, Cason Cole walked away from his wife and son and became a chew toy to an actual god. Now, as the being he both loves and hates lies dying at his feet, the explosion still ringing in his ears, Cason is finally free. For the past thirty years, gods and monsters have walked among us, making us their pawns and playthings. But mortals aren’t the poor things they were in aeons past. It’s time for payback. Includes Bonus Novella Drag Hunt by Pat Kelleher Someone has stolen Coyote’s penis. His quest to retrieve it—his latest victim, Richard Greene, in tow—will drag him into a terrifying conspiracy. Saving the world is going to take everything in his bag of tricks—and he’s suffering from the ultimate performance anxiety. “Ultra-twisted.” Charlie Jane Anders, io9 “A grittier version of American Gods... Unclean Spirits is a lesson in how to write godpunk.” Starburst Magazine “There is a powerful edge to Wendig’s writing, a unique voice that stands apart. This voice is dark, gritty, dirty almost, but elegant and rich and absorbing.” SFBook Reviews

The force of nature that is Chuck Wendig returns with an original urban fantasy novel, creating a brand new series for Abaddon Books. Five years ago, it all went wrong for Cason Cole. He lost his wife and son, lost everything, and was bound into service to a man who chews up human lives and spits them out, a predator who holds nothing dear and respects no law. Now, as the man he both loves and hates lies dying at his feet, the sounds of the explosion still ringing in his ears, Cason is finally free. The gods and goddesses are real. A polytheistic pantheon—a tangle of divine hierarchies—once kept the world at an arm’s length, warring with one another for mankind’s belief and devotion. It was a grim and bloody balance, but a balance just the same. When one god triumphed, driving all other gods out of Heaven, it was back to the bad old days: cults and sycophants, and the terrible retribution the gods visit on those who spite them. None of which is going to stop Cason from getting back what’s his...

Meet Mookie Pearl. Criminal underworld? He runs in it. Supernatural underworld? He hunts in it. Nothing stops Mookie when he''s on the job. But when his daughter takes up arms and opposes him, something''s gotta give... File Under: Urban Fantasy [ Family Matters When Underworlds Collide Thrill of the Hunt Chips and Old Blocks ]

Thrown through time and space, Jet Black and his friends find themselves in a future that has changed everything they''ve ever known. Hunted, exhausted, and desperate to return home, they must stay one step ahead of the conquering psychosaurs who have taken over the world and enslaved humanity! But as the world changed, so did the people they left behind. Bitter enemies turn into vital allies and old friends sacrifice their ideals to seek victory by any means necessary in this fast-paced sequel to Dinocalypse Now!

Imagine: A fantasy world, but not one based on Medieval/Dark Ages European culture and myth, but rather on the tropes of the Spaghetti Western and Chinese Wuxia. Add steampunk elements. Mix well. A fantasy world that mixes the inspirations of Django and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon... The Good, The Bad & The Ugly and House of Flying Daggers... Fistful of Dollars and Fist of Legend. A fantasy world that''s explored through a book series, a constantly-updated website, a tabletop role-playing game, comics, artwork, webseries and much, much, more. This is FAR WEST. Tales of the Far West is the first book in Adamant Entertainment''s Wuxia-Western mash-up, featuring a dozen all-new tales written by critically-acclaimed and award-winning fantasy, science-fiction, horror and adventure authors, including: "He Built The Wall To Knock It Down" by Scott Lynch: A master teaches an unforgettable lesson in the pursuit of excellence in all things. "In Stillness, Music" by Aaron Rosenberg: A wandering musician is all that stands between a village and a cattle baron. "Riding The Thunderbird" by Chuck Wendig: A herd of giant, flightless birds, a young girl, and a sudden lesson. "Purity of Purpose" by Gareth-Michael Skarka: Who seeks the secret of the Unsurpassed Weapons? "Paper Lotus" by Tessa Gratton: A strange girl tasks a wounded man to deliver a crucial message. "In the Name of the Empire" by Eddy Webb: A sheriff is charged with the murder of an Imperial Magistrate. "Errant Eagles" by Will Hindmarch: A gunslinger faces the consequences of his past. "Railroad Spikes" by Ari Marmell: A bandit finds that he''s robbed the wrong train. "The Fury Pact" by Matt Forbeck: An inventor''s son faces the responsibility of his name. "Seven Holes" by T.S. Luikart: An apprentice learns the true nature of demons. "Local Legend" by Jason L. Blair: Red Phoenix was dead, and the bounty hunter tells the tale. "Crippled Avengers" by Dave Gross: A band of fighters seek to take revenge on the steam baron who crippled them.

Coburn''s been dead now for close to a century, but seeing as how he''s a vampire and all, it doesn''t much bother him. Or at least it didn''t, not until he awoke from a forced five-year slumber to discover that most of human civilization was now dead--but not dead like him, oh no. See, Coburn likes blood. The rest of the walking dead, they like brains. He''s smart. Them, not so much. But they outnumber him by about a million to one. And the clotted blood of the walking dead cannot sustain him. Now he''s starving. And nocturnal. And more pissed-off than a bee-stung rattlesnake. The vampire not only has to find human survivors (with their sweet, sweet blood), but now he has to transition from predator to protector--after all, a man has to look after his food supply.

San Francisco after the zombie apocalypse. Vampire predator turned human-protector Coburn is on the trail of his vampire sire. When he finds him, it is not to catch up on the good times, but take revenge. Alcatraz. Super-zombies. Aketamine-trip cult of New-age weirdos who eat the flesh of the zombie as some kind of grotesque communion. Double Dead: Bad Blood is the incredible e-exclusive novella sequel to Double Dead. This is another tale from the inimitable Chuck Wendig.