Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading any!

Upon A Burning Throne by Ashok K. Banker
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From international sensation Ashok K. Banker, pioneer of the fantasy genre in India, comes the first book in a ground-breaking, epic fantasy series inspired by the ancient Indian classic, The Mahabharata.

Emily Eternal by M.G. Wheaton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Meet Emily – she can solve advanced mathematical problems, unlock the mind’s deepest secrets and even fix your truck’s air con, but unfortunately, she can’t restart the Sun. She’s an artificial consciousness, designed in a lab to help humans process trauma, which is particularly helpful when the sun begins to die 5 billion years before scientists agreed it was supposed to.

Seven Blades In Black by Sam Sykes
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sam Sykes returns with a new fantasy that introduces to an unforgettable outcast magician caught between two warring empires. Betrayed by those she trusts most and her magic ripped from her, all Sal the Cacophony has left is her name, her story, and the weapon she used to carve both. But she has a will stronger than magic, and knows exactly where to go.

Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The gripping fifth installment in the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shatter Me series. Will Juliette’s broken heart make her vulnerable to the strengthening darkness within her?

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A thrilling, atmospheric debut with the intensive drive of The Martian and Gravity and the creeping dread of Annihilation, in which a caver on a foreign planet finds herself on a terrifying psychological and emotional journey for survival.

Sixteen Ways To Defend A Walled City by K.J. Parker
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

We Are Mayhem by Michael Moreci
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The second entry in the Star Wars-inspired series that Nerdist calls “the next big thing.” Though the ragtag group of misfits known as the Black Star Renegades won a decisive battle by destroying Ga Halle’s War Hammer, the war is far from over.

A Pack of Blood and Lies by Olivia Wildenstein
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Three months shy of her eighteenth birthday, Ness is forced to return to Colorado. Even though it’s been six years, and the wolves of her all-male pack don’t recognise her, she recognises them. Especially Liam Kolane–son of Heath, the crudest and cruellest Alpha to have ruled the Boulder Pack. Liam is as handsome as he is infuriating, as kind as he is punishing, and he makes Ness’s traitorous heart race, which isn’t good. When Heath dies, Liam vies to become the new Alpha and no one dares challenge him. Except Ness.

A Boy and His Dog At The End of the World by C.A. Fletcher
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When a beloved family dog is stolen, her owner sets out on a life-changing journey through the ruins of our world to bring her back in this fiercely compelling tale of survival, courage, and hope. Perfect for readers of Station Eleven and The Girl With All the Gifts.

We Rule The Night by Claire Eliza Bartlett
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Two girls use forbidden magic to fly and fight–for their country and for themselves–in this riveting debut that’s part Shadow and Bone, part Code Name Verity.

Finder by Suzanne Palmer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Hugo Award-winning debut author Suzanne Palmer comes an action-packed sci-fi caper starring Fergus Ferguson, interstellar repo man and professional finder

The Sword and the Dagger by Robert Cochran
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A rousing tale of adventure and romance about three young people who must grapple with fundamental issues of loyalty, friendship, faith, honor, and courage against the backdrop of conflicts that still resonate today.

Any other April fantasy or sci-fi books you’re excited to read? Tell us in the comments below!

The post April Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to find out more our Moreci’s work, writing advice, and book recommendations, and be sure to check out Black Star Renegades, We Are Mayhem, and Wasted Space next time you’re at a bookstore or browsing online!

Tell us a little about yourself!

Hi! I’m Michael Moreci, comics author and novelist. Some of my comics work includes Wasted Space, Roche Limit, Curse, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Planet of the Apes, and other titles. My novels are Black Star Renegades and its sequel, We Are Mayhem.

For those who haven’t read your 2018 debut novel, Black Star Renegades, can you tell us what it is about?

Sure! Black Star Renegades is a space adventure epic about a young man, Cade Sura, who has the galaxy’s most powerful weapon shoved into his hands; he doesn’t want it, and he’s the last person who should be responsible for it, but it’s his. And he has to figure out what to do with it. Alongside a ragtag group of friends, including ace pilot Kira Sen, Cade is tasked with using the weapon to help save the galaxy from a brutal regime. It’s a book inspired by Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy, with a little bit of Arthurian legend for good measure.

The sequel, We Are Mayhem, is set to publish on April 9^th. What can readers expect?

I like to think of it as a deeper extension of the first book. It still retains the fun and playfulness of Black Star Renegades, and that rock and roll attitude, but it’s a little more serious minded as we focus on the escalating war and the personal backstories that led Kira and Cade to this point. I wanted to go a little darker and, again, a little deeper, and I’m happy with the results that balance a good amount of fun and adventure with real character/emotional stakes.

Did you find anything challenging about writing the sequel?

It was a bit difficult to find that happy medium between deeper/more serious and recapturing the playfulness of the first book; I didn’t want one to overwhelm the other, but I did know the story had to evolve a bit. I didn’t want to just remix the first book, I want there to be progress and evolution. It was tough getting that balance right, but I think We Are Mayhem handles both sides fairly well.

You’ve written many comic series previously, but has writing a novel always been a dream of yours?

Absolutely. I actually have a pretty extensive background in writing prose, through my undergrad grad days through grad school, and beyond. I have a deep, deep love of books, and I’ve always wanted to have one published (I’d written a novel before, but thankfully—for all our sakes—it was unpublished). This is definitely a dream for me, and I couldn’t ask to be working with better people fulfilling it. My editor, everyone at St. Martin’s, all the indie bookstores and libraries I’ve worked with—they’re all the absolute best. I couldn’t ask to be surrounded by better people.

Writing comics and novels both present challenges – do you find you prefer working on one format over the other?

I probably prefer writing novels a bit better because there’s far more artistry in writing a book than there is writing a comic script. Scripts, in their form, are more or less directions for an illustrator to be the one making the artistry. But, I still love writing comics; I love the collaboration—seeing pages come in from artists will never stop being a thrill for me.

Do you have any interesting writing quirks?

Is writing nude a quirk?

Ahhhh! Burn that image from your minds, everyone. And I’m totally kidding. To be serious—nah, not many quirks for me. I’m a “butt in chair, do the work” kind of writer. I’m at my desk at 8:30, and I’m working. That’s really all there is to this thing—doing the work.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Well, this goes back to my previous response: Do the work. Writing can be discouraging and painful, and at the end of the day, no one is asking you to do this. So, the onus is on you to make yourself get after it, and that’s not easy. Under those conditions, in my mind, the only way through is doing the work. Treating this like a job (because it is). I don’t believe in the whole “kissed by the muses” line. I think if you work hard—and that includes studying the hell out of the craft of writing—and put in the time, you will get to where you want to go. It might take 10 years, it might take 30; you might end up with a bestselling book, you might end up with a self-published book you sell out of your car. But the end goal should be the finished product, and as long as you stay focused on that, and not that result, you’ll get there.

What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?

Always. I have some new stuff coming out with Vault (who publishes my series Wasted Space), I’m working on a new novel, and I have a few other thing percolating here and there.

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?

Hmmm…I loved Myke Cole’s Armored Saint; that was great. Mike Chen’s Here and Now and Then is superb. And there’s always the classics, which I go to time and time again—Vonnegut, Dick, Bradbury. I read Black Crouch’s Dark Matter recently, which I adored.

As for comics—Deadly Class is the best, and I’m loving Jeff Lemire’s Ascender and Hayden Sherman’s/SeanLewis’s The Few.

Have you read Michael’s Black Star Renegades series? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Interview: Michael Moreci, Author of ‘We Are Mayhem’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

From a novel adaption of Marvel and Hulu’s Runaways, to witches, Spartacus, post-apocalyptic worlds and spies, you’re sure to find a new read in our list!

Read on to discover what fantasy and sci-fi books are coming out this month and tell us in the comments which ones you’re excited for!

Black Star Renegades by Michael Moreci | Goodreads

Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there’ll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft | Goodreads

The Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel in the world. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of airships and steam engines, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. Soon after arriving at the Tower, Thomas Senlin, gets separated from his wife in the overwhelming swarm of tourists, residents, and miscreants. Determined to find her, he’ll have to navigate madhouses, ballrooms, and burlesque theaters. He must survive betrayal, assassins, and the long guns of a flying fortress.

Dark State by Charles Stross | Goodreads

In the sequel to Empire Games, the collision of two nuclear superpowers across timelines, one in the midst of a technological revolution and the other a hyper-police state, is imminent. In Commissioner Miriam Burgeson’s timeline, her top-level agents run a high risk extraction of a major political player. Meanwhile, a sleeper cell activated in Rita’s, the Commissioner’s adopted daughter and newly-minted spy, timeline threatens to unravel everything.

Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk | Goodreads

The Republic of Rome is on a relentless march to create an empire. Attia was destined to rule as queen and swordmaiden of Thrace, but now she’s a slave to Xanthus, the Champion of Rome. Enslaved as a child, Xanthus is the preeminent gladiator of his generation. The pair form a tentative bond that will spark a rebellion that threatens to bring the Roman Republic to its end―and gives rise to the legend of Spartacus…

The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson | Goodreads

Lynn McBride has learned much since society collapsed in the face of nuclear war and the relentless spread of disease. As memories of her old life haunt her, she has been forced to forge ahead in the snow-covered Canadian Yukon, learning how to hunt and trap to survive. Shadows of the world before have found her tiny community—most prominently in the enigmatic figure of Jax, who sets in motion a chain of events that will force Lynn to fulfill a destiny she never imagined.

Runaways by Christopher Golden | Goodreads

Based on the popular Hulu television series and comic books, fans and first-time readers will enjoy this new take on the story. The novel also includes the first issue of the revived Runaways comic series written by Rainbow Rowell and with art by Kris Anka.

The Raptor and the Wren by Chuck Wendig | Goodreads

The fifth book in the Miriam Black series sees Miriam continuing her journey to find answers on how to change her fate and begin to make right some of what she’s done wrong. Armed with new knowledge that suggests a great sacrifice must be made to change her fate, Miriam continues her quest and learns that she must undo the tragedies of her past to move forward.

The Sky Is Yours by Chandler Klang Smith | Goodreads

In the burned-out, futuristic city of Empire Island, three young people navigate a crumbling metropolis constantly under threat from a pair of dragons that circle the skies. As they wander toward the scalded heart of the city, they face fire, conspiracy, mayhem, unholy drugs, dragon-worshippers, and the monsters lurking inside themselves.

The King of Bones and Ashes by J.D. Horn | Goodreads

Magic is seeping out of the world, leaving the witches who’ve relied on it for countless centuries increasingly hopeless. But for young Alice Marin, she’s using magic’s waning days to solve the mystery of numerous disappearances in the occult circles of New Orleans. Alice disappeared once, too—caged in an asylum by blood relatives. Recently freed, she fears her family may be more involved with the growing crisis than she ever dared imagine.

Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra | Goodreads

Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, a highly trained sisterhood of elite warriors armed with telepathic blades. After the death of her mentor, Kyra is forced to run and finds herself at the Order of Khur, an order composed of all men. With the help of Rustan, a young, disillusioned Marksman, Kyra must obtain proof of who killed her mentor.

Time Shards by Dana Fredsti and David Fitzgerald | Goodreads

It’s called “the Event.” An unimaginable cataclysm in the 23rd century shatters 600 years of the Earth’s timeline into jumbled fragments of the past, present and future, all existing alongside one another. Amber Richardson is stranded on a tiny fragment of 21st century Britain surrounded by a Pleistocene wilderness. She crosses paths with Cam, a young warrior of a tribe from Roman Brittania—only to be imprisoned by Cromwellian soldiers. One of their captives is a man who Amber calls “Merlin, and who claims to be the 23rd century scientist responsible for the Event.

The Queen of All Crows by Rod Duncan | Goodreads

The year is 2012. The nations of the world are bound together in an alliance of collective security, overseen by the International Patent Office. When airships start disappearing, the Patent Office is desperate to discover what has happened and send spies to investigate. One of those spies is Elizabeth Barnabus. She must overcome her dislike of the controlling Patent Office, disguise herself as a man, and take to the sea in search of the floating nation of pirates who threaten the world order.

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