BOOK NEWS FOR NOV 3RD: MYTHOLOGY AND FANTASY

from the San Antonio Business Journal: Disney sets release date for San Antonio Author’s latest book

The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid is a new fantasy book that brings ancient Egyptian mythology to life in a modern-day setting. Disney-Hyperion has scheduled a release date for the book on May 4, 2010, in both print and audio editions. When a magical accident unleashes the Egyptian gods on the modern world, siblings Carter and Sadie Kane must find a way to defeat the evil god Set before he can destroy them.

Riordan is also the creator behind the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, which has sold more than 7 million copies to date in the United States and has been printed in 32 different languages.

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By Annalee Newitz at io9: The Experts’ Picks for Notable Books of the Year at World Fantasy Con
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At the World Fantasy Convention this weekend, I moderated a panel about the most notable books of the past year. Experts from the worlds of publishing, bookselling, and fandom weighed in. Here are their picks.

I asked panelists about whether there is a recent trend in which fantasy has overtaken science fiction in popularity, and everyone seemed to agree that this idea isn’t a recent trend at all. Jo and Justin pointed out that fantasy has been more popular since the early 1980s, and that there hasn’t been a big science fiction bestseller in years (though there have been big fantasy bestsellers, and bestsellers by mainstream authors who have written science fiction novels, like Michael Chabon). Tom pointed out that almost since science fiction became a recognizable genre, people have been declaring it dead.

See their picks here

by Devi Pillai at Orbit Books: New Urban Fantasy Debut: TEMPEST RISING!
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TEMPEST RISING is the story of Jane True, outcast, night swimmer, and half-selkie. It’s a fabulous world full of characters straight out of myth, from rock gnomes that bag groceries to a sea pony named Trill. What made this one really stand out for me was the fact that Jane True  didn’t live in big urban city, but in a small town off the coast of Maine.  The big attraction there? The Old Sow, a whirlpool that once in a while throws out something interesting. Like a dead body.  Which is how Jane True discovers — and is dragged into—a world of supernaturals that she didn’t even know existed in her small and sleepy town.

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It’s been a long time since I’ve read a Selkie book. My mom read them to me when I was little, but I haven’t found one that wasn’t a picture book, until now. So I’ll have to check this out. And the lists from the panel are great! There’s quite a few that I’ll have to take a look at. And I love when author’s take old mythology and rework it, especially Egyptian mythology (part of why I love Stargate!).

What do you think of the panels choices? Do any of the books sound good to you?