Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday (70) Radiance

Tuesday, October 7, 2014 8:13 PM with 2 comments

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. Click the link to see the original post plus a whole slew of links to other blogs. After you read this one, of course.


18490533 Radiance
 
Authors: Catherynne M. Valente 
Publisher: Tor 
Release Date: August 18, 2015

Link to Goodreads:

The first adult novel in more than three years from the bestselling author of the Fairyland books,
Radiance is a decopunk pulp SF alt-history space opera mystery set in a Hollywood—and solar system—very different from our own, from the phenomenal talent behind the New York Times bestselling The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.

Severin Unck’s father is a famous director of Gothic romances in an alternate 1986 in which talking movies are still a daring innovation due to the patent-hoarding Edison family. Rebelling against her father’s films of passion, intrigue, and spirits from beyond, Severin starts making documentaries, traveling through space and investigating the levitator cults of Neptune and the lawless saloons of Mars. For this is not our solar system, but one drawn from classic science fiction in which all the planets are inhabited and we travel through space on beautiful rockets. Severin is a realist in a fantastic universe.

But her latest film, which investigates the disappearance of a diving colony on a watery Venus populated by island-sized alien creatures, will be her last. Though her crew limps home to earth and her story is preserved by the colony’s last survivor, Severin will never return.

Aesthetically recalling A Trip to the Moon and House of Leaves, and told using techniques from reality TV, classic film, gossip magazines, and meta-fictional narrative, Radiance is a solar system-spanning story of love, exploration, family, loss, quantum physics, and silent film.

Why I'm Excited:

I'm not going to pretend to understand what I just read, but this certainly sounds intriguing. I love that it is told using "techniques from reality TV, classic film, gossip magazines, and meta-fictional narrative". Mostly because I have no idea what that is going to sound like. I've always meant to read the Fairyland books, but never have. Also, that cover is gorgeous.

What are you waiting for on this Wednesday? Link me up!

Hey lovely GFC and new followers, please follow me by Bloglovin as we all know Google Reader has gone/is going by the wayside. (I like to follow back, so please let me know if you're a new follower--and leave a link!) Thank you!!!



2 comments:

  1. Beautiful cover! Love the retro style. Sounds like an interesting concept, and I love Valente's writing in her Fairyland books. I'll have to check this one out!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This one definitely intrigues me, but I'll have to read reviews before I commit to it. I love the idea of an alternate 1986! Great pick! ~Pam

    ReplyDelete

Hello, there! Thanks for taking the time to comment. I read each and every one and will do my best to respond--usually on your blog instead of on mine. I will, however, always answer direct questions. Due to serious time restraints, this blog is now an award free zone, but I appreciate the thought!