I am more amazed than you know that I actually made it to the 99th Weekly Update. So much has changed since the original and now that I look back on it I find it ironic that I am talking about the Wild Card series in both posts. I don't do the "Important Events in Alternate History" anymore, but they have been replaced by my "Today in #althist" on Twitter. I can't even remember what the blog looked like back in the day. I should have took some screenshots before I started making changes.
Next week I will be doing a special thank you to my fans to celebrate Weekly Update #100. I hope all of you check it out because it is really important for me to share with you how grateful I am that you gave The Update and I a chance to inform and entertain you.
And now the news...
Coming Soon: Lowball edited by George R.R. Martin
One of my favorite shared world series, Wild Cards, has an important announcement. For those who don't know, Wild Cards is a multi-author series edited by George R.R. Martin (Song of Ice and Fire) with assistance from Melinda M. Snodgrass. The POD is in 1946 when an alien genetically-tailored virus is released in Earth's stratosphere over New York city, killing or horribly deforming many, but giving a few lucky individuals super powers. With twenty-one volumes of content, the participating authors cover the many effects of the virus during the ensuing decades as super-heroes and super-villains appear all over the world.
Like a lot of comic book series, history is not altered greatly by the presence of these miraculous humans, but there some changes including the fall of communist Vietnam, a new Caliphate and a Marxist nation controlling much of Central and Western Africa. Paul at Gollancz reviewed the updated trillogy, calling the first book a "very entertaining book to read" and said the second book has a "kick-ass plot."
The news I am excited about, however, is the announcement made over at Martin's not a blog: the twenty-second volume LOWBALL is complete and has been delivered to Tor. Exciting!
Update: The Age Atomic by Adam Christopher
The Age Atomic, Adam Christopher's sequel to the superhero noir fantasy thriller Empire State, continues to get coverage across the Internet. Here is the description from Angry Robot in case you missed it:
The Empire State is dying. The Fissure connecting the pocket universe to New York has vanished, plunging the city into a deep freeze and the populace are demanding a return to Prohibition and rationing as energy supplies dwindle.
Meanwhile, in 1954 New York, the political dynamic has changed and Nimrod finds his department subsumed by a new group, Atoms For Peace, led by the mysterious Evelyn McHale.
As Rad uncovers a new threat to his city, Atoms For Peace prepare their army for a transdimensional invasion. Their goal: total conquest – or destruction – of the Empire State."Montoc1701" of Geek Syndicate reviewed the novel calling it a "sequel that not only delivers but shows how comfortable the author has become in his creation, delivering what can only be describing as a fun atomic rollercoaster of a ride that is begging for more." Cool. Adam Christopher was also a guest on Episode 140 of The Skiffy and Fanty Show to talk review etiquette for published authors, Amazon’s recent acquisition of Goodreads and his new book. Tim Pratt was also a guest on the episode.
Update: The Good, the Bad and the Infernal by Guy Adams
Guy Adams is continuing to promote his recent novel: The Good, the Bad and the Infernal. Here is the description in case you missed it:
A weird western, a gun-toting, cigarrillo-chewing fantasy built from hangman’s rope and spent bullets. The west has never been wilder. A Steampunk-Western-Fantasy from Guy Adams.
“You wish to meet your God?” the gunslinger asked, cocking his revolver, “well now... that’s easy to arrange.”
Every one hundred years a town appears. From a small village in the peaks of Tibet to a gathering of mud huts in the jungles of South American, it can take many forms. It exists for twenty-four hours then vanishes once more, but for that single day it contains the greatest miracle a man could imagine: a doorway to Heaven.
It is due to appear on the 21st September 1889 as a ghost town in the American Midwest. When it does there are many who hope to be there: traveling preacher Obeisance Hicks and his simple messiah, a brain-damaged Civil War veteran; Henry and Harmonium Jones and their freak show pack of outlaws; the Brothers of Ruth and their sponsor Lord Forset (inventor of the Forset Thunderpack and other incendiary modes of personal transport); finally, an aging gunslinger who lost his wings at the very beginning of creation and wants nothing more than to settle old scores.Those looking to learn more can read Adams' guest blog on SFX where he discusses the joys and challenges of writing a steampunk western and his interview over at The Qwillery, which described his novel as "a Weird Western with a remarkable cast of characters".
LoneStarCon 3 Announces Additional Program Participants
The latest additions include authors and editors from all areas of the science fiction field. Newly-confirmed authors include Catherine Asaro, David Brin, Steven Brust, Charlaine Harris, Tanya Huff, David D. Levine, George R. R. Martin, Elizabeth Moon, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Howard Waldrop and the master of alternate history Harry Turtledove. Editors include John Joseph Adams ("Lightspeed"), Lou Anders (Pyr), Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden (Tor), and Jacob Weisman (Tachyon).
With over 500 hours of programming planned, LoneStarCon 3 expects well over 400 participants, and they will be adding further names to the list regularly between now and the start of the convention on August 29. The full list of confirmed participants may be found on the LoneStarCon 3 website.
Calender
April 25-June 15: Steampunk: Nature & Machine in Norwalk, CT.
May 26: Last day to see the steampunk exhibition at Aigantighe Art Gallery in Fairfax, NZ.
June 15: JaycCon XIII in Portland, OR and the Time Traveler's Rummage Sales in Seattle, WA.
August 17: Another Time Traveler's Rummage Sales in Seattle, WA.
Oct 25-27: Steamcon in Seattle, WA.
Links to the Multiverse
Articles
The 5: Sports Alternate Histories at The Interrobang.
Asimov, de Camp and Heinlein at the Naval Aviation Experimental Station by Andrew Liptak at Kirkus.
Barnes & Noble Nook Press Contract Terms are INSANELY Bad! at Holly Lisle: Writer.
Coming Soon! “Fiendish Schemes”, The Long-Awaited Steampunk Sequel to K.W. Jeter’s “Infernal Devices” by John DeNardo at SF Signal.
The enigmatic and alternate Robert Harris by Alison Morton at Layered Pages.
Extract from Jasper Kent's THE PEOPLE'S WILL at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist.
Helping with the website by Richard Lee at Historical Novel Society.
HP Lovecraft, pulp philosopher by Brian Kim Stefans at Salon.
Iranian time travel machine not all it seems at Geeks are Sexy.
TOC: ‘Dead Man’s Hand: An Anthology of the Weird West’ Edited by John Joseph Adams at SF Signal.
What would the Senate look like without the 17th Amendment? by Scott Bomboy at Yahoo.
Book Reviews
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger at More Than a Reading Journal.
Necessary Evil by Ian Tregillis at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist.
The Rise of Ransom City by Felix Gilman at Functional Nerds.
The Spear of Destiny by Jason E. Thummel at Amazing Stories.
The Top 20 Zombie Novels of the Last Decade by Paul Goat Allen at B&N.
Comics
10 Insane Alternate Versions Of Batman You Won’t Believe Exist by Patrick Dane at WhatCulture!
Check out Chip Kidd’s ‘Before Watchmen’ deluxe edition covers by Kevin Melrose at CBR.
New comics releases include alternate-history fantasy-horror and a colorful foodie memoir by Noel Murray and Oliver Sava at AV Club.
Films
10 Movies That Improved On History By Blatantly Lying by Shaun Munro at WhatCulture!
Mortal Instruments’ Steampunk Prequel In Development…Too Soon? by Jessy Williams at Bleeding Cool.
Steampunk meets kung fu in action-comedy Tai Chi Hero at CultureMap Dallas.
Games
'BioShock Infinite': The steampunk style floating city, the 'virtual actress,' and more design notes by Nakisha Williams at EW.com.
Book Review - GURPS Alternate Earths at Other Times.
Interactive Storytelling In Video Games: How Much is Enough? by BH Shepherd at Lit Reactor.
Laika Believes preview: The robot space dog with a heart of gold by Jordan Mallory at Joystiq.
Pulp Manifesto - Crimson Skies and fan fiction gone horribly wrong/right by Grant Gardiner at Tommy Thunder.
Review of Zeitgeist III – Digging for Lies at Nerd Trek.
The Room for Android review: An excellent all-around puzzle game by Jason Parker at CNet.
Interview
Terry Bisson at Locus.
Ellen Datlow at LitStack.
Charles Stross at Tor.
Television
Review of Elementary: Season 1, Episode 19 at Thinking about books.
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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly and The Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
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