Speculative – Page 5 – LDS Publisher

The Renewed Earth by Chad Daybell

Title: The Renewed Earth (Standing in Holy Places, Vol. 5)

Author: Chad Daybell

Publisher: Spring Creek

Release Date: April 1, 2011

ISBN: 978-1932898637

Size: 170 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Speculative

Series: The Great Gathering (v1), The Celestial City (v2), The Rise of Zion (v3), The Keys of the Kingdom (v4)

In the final days before the Second Coming of Christ, a showdown is looming in Jerusalem between the two apostles and the Coalition army as the Jews hurry to complete their holy temple.

The plagues mentioned in the Book of Revelation continue to be poured out on the inhabitants of the world, but many key events—such as the resurrection of the righteous dead and the return of the City of Enoch—await the Saints as they prepare to meet their King and usher in the Millennium.

The Renewed Earth, the fifth and final novel in the Standing in Holy Places series, paints a vivid picture of exciting prophesied events that still must occur before the Second Coming.

The Third by Abel Keogh

Title: The Third

Author: Abel Keogh

Publisher: Bonneville (CFI)

Release Date: April 8, 2011

ISBN: 978-1599554945

Size: 272 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Speculative

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Each new birth is one step closer to the brink of destruction…

When Ransom Lawe, a recycler in the Pacific Northwest, finds out his wife is pregnant with their third—and therefore illegal—child, he’s forced to choose between the government who proclaims a desire to save the planet and his hope for a place where his family can live in freedom. But with the Census Bureau Sentinels closing in on his wife and unborn child, Ransom’s choice will either save his family or tear them apart forever.

Abel Keogh offers a stark and haunting look at a not-so-distant future in this chilling new novel. Crossing lines between good and evil, freedom and oppression, and political and environmental responsibility, The Third is a gut-wrenching tale of intense loyalty and unconditional love.

Worlds Without End: The Mission by Shaun F. Messick

Title: Worlds Without End: The Mission (Book 1)

Author: Shaun F. Messick

Publisher: Self

Release Date: March 2011

ISBN: 978-1460910603

Size: 356 pages, 6×9, paperback (also available in hardcover)

Genre: LDS Science Fiction

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Twenty-three years after the disappearance of the Mars I space shuttle, NASA receives a mysterious transmission from Adrian Palmer, the commander of the mission. Adrian’s brother, Kevin, wastes no time funding the Mars II rescue mission, commanded by Jake Palmer, Adrian’s son. Jake and Dr. Steven “Skip” Hendricks, a NASA physicist, travel through a wormhole that Skip believes was the reason the Mars I crew disappeared. They eventually crash-land on the planet Terrest and are thrust into a dangerous conflict. The native Terrestrians are at war against a super-race of humans called the Gnols, led by Koroan Chast. The Terrestrian’s struggle is futile because of the godlike abilities of the Gnols. Now, the only hope mankind has may rest on a 2000-year-old prophecy discovered in an ancient temple on Terrest. But before the prophecy can come to pass, Adrian and Jake must first stop the Gnols from attacking Earth and enslaving the human race.

Stone Dreams by Michelle Erickson

Title: Stone Dreams (Chest of Souls, Book 6)

Author: Michelle Erickson

Publisher: lulu.com

Release Date: March 17, 2011

ISBN: 978-1458373465

Size: 350 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: YA Speculative

Series: Chest of Souls (Book 1), Lend Me Your Mind (Book 2), Aftermath (Book 3), Sacrifice of Souls (Book 4), Traps (Book 5)

Talon and his men have been training for seven years, but there is one competition they can’t train for. Stone Dreams is an invitation-only nightmare Nez will arrange with one goal in mind: death of all competitors. There’s a good chance the traitor will make his move because Stone Dreams takes place at night and ‘accidents’ happen in the dark. Brenna now understands what it’s going to take to power the Chest of Souls. There’s only one choice she can make that will save Talon and bring about the fall of Sogo. She’d rather repeat all the traps the Ancients made by herself than tell Talon what will make the constellation Three Sisters fall and what his part in powering the Chest will be.

I Don’t Want to Kill You by Dan Wells

Title: I Don’t Want to Kill You (US release)

Author: Dan Wells

Publisher: TOR

Release Date: March 29, 2011

ISBN: 9978-0765328441

Size: 320 pages, 5.5×8″, hardcover

Genre: Speculative/Horror

Series: I Am Not a Serial Killer (bk 1), Mr. Monster (bk 2)

Dan Wells introduced us to John Wayne Cleaver in the chilling novels I Am Not a Serial Killer and Mr. Monster. In I Don’t Want to Kill You, Cleaver faces his toughest challenge yet.

John Wayne Cleaver has called a demon—literally called it on the phone—and challenged it to a fight. He’s faced two monsters already, barely escaping with his life, and now he’s done running; he’s taking the fight to them. As he wades through the town’s darkest secrets, searching for any sign of who the demon might be, one thing becomes all too clear: in a game of cat and mouse with a supernatural killer, you are always the mouse.

In I Am Not a Serial Killer we watched a budding sociopath break every rule he had to save his town from evil. In Mr. Monster we held our breath as he fought madly with himself, struggling to stay in control. Now John Wayne Cleaver has mastered his twisted talents and embraced his role as a killer of killers. I Don’t Want to Kill You brings his story to a thundering climax of suspicion, mayhem, and death.

It’s time to punish the guilty.

And in a town full of secrets, everyone is guilty of something.

The Demon Cross by Nathan Shumate

Title: The Demon Cross

Author: Nathan Shumate

Publisher: CreateSpace

Release Date: March 12, 2011

ISBN: 978-1461001157

Size: 102 pages, 5×8″, softcover

Genre: Horror

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Private investigator Rennie Avalon’s current job seems simple: to find and regain an antique book purloined from the collection of an elderly archivist. But nothing is ever that simple for Rennie.

The book in question is no ordinary book: once the property of a high-ranking Nazi official with occult obsessions.

The thief in question is no ordinary thief: a white supremacist who’ll use any means necessary to accomplish his mission of hate.

But Rennie Avalon is no ordinary private eye. Now with dangers looming on a literally apocalyptic scale, will her past experience dealing with the darkness be enough?

Mist Warriors by Rebecca Shelley

Title: Mist Warriors

Author: Rebecca Shelley

Publisher: Wonder Realms

Release Date: March 17, 2011

ISBN: 978-1463507114

Size: 234 pages, 5×8, paperback

Genre: Childrens (Grades 4–6)

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The mist on Lake Tahoe holds powerful and dangerous secrets. When Robby’s sister vanishes into the mist, Robby follows and finds himself entangled in an ancient struggle between magical foes. Only courage and loyalty can bring him and his sister out alive.

The Horn of Moran by M.L. Forman

Title: The Horn of Moran (Adventurer’s Wanted, Book 2)

Author: M.L. Forman

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Release Date: February 2, 2011

ISBN: 978-1606412268

Size: 400 pages, 6×8, hardcover

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Series: Slathbog’s Gold

The land of Alusia is on the brink of war as two men have each claimed the throne. Only the true king can sound the Horn of Moran and prove his nobility. But the Horn has been lost for years. If it is not found — and soon — it could mean the destruction of an entire nation.

It wasn’t that long ago that young Alexander Taylor embarked on his first adventure, where he discovered he was a wizard and destroyed the fearsome dragon, Slathbog. Now he joins a band of seasoned adventurers who have been called up to retrieve the legendary Horn of Moran.

Their journey to the mysterious Tower of the Moon will take them through an enchanted forest, into battle against a goblin army, past the watchful eyes of griffin guards, and face-to-face with a sphinx and her deadly riddles.

With his sword, Moon Slayer, and the wise counsel of his wizard mentor, Whalen Vankin, Alex must use all his wizard and warrior skills to fight a darkness that may consume them all.

Traps by Michelle Erickson

Title: Traps (Chest of Souls, Book 5)

Author: Michelle Erickson

Publisher: lulu.com

Release Date: February, 2011

ISBN: 978-1458341099

Size: 362 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: YA Speculative

Series: Chest of Souls (Book 1), Lend Me Your Mind (Book 2), Aftermath (Book 3), Sacrifice of Souls (Book 4)

Talon was born of a woman without a heart and a man without a soul into a world without a conscience. Now he has to fix it. Too bad he’s in the Sogoian Barracks, where hope of escape is trapped in the jaws of the hounds, the horns of the stone bull-men, and the look in his father’s eyes. The Book of Benamii claims there is a traitor among his men. He’s determined to find out who it is and save as many of his men as he can while they all train for the blood sport known as Cubes. Safe on the other side of time, Brenna is learning things she never wanted to know about the past, present, and future. The past concerns the fact the Five Creators are not myths and they left a deadly surprise beneath the Phoenix. The present concerns what the Forest Wife does to those who disobey, and the future has no guarantees.

Sacrifice of Souls by Michelle Erickson

Title: Sacrifice of Souls (Chest of Souls, Book 4)

Author: Michelle Erickson

Publisher: lulu.com

Release Date: January, 2011

ISBN: 978-0557829941

Size: 322 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: YA Speculative

Series: Chest of Souls (Book 1), Lend Me Your Mind (Book 2), Aftermath (Book 3)

Brenna is on the other side of time to be trained. To her horror, it is a place she cannot reach or see Talon. Others are there, including her mysterious teacher — a woman known only as the Forest Wife. She has eerie eyes yet is beautiful, as hard as Tasut, and as intelligent as Brenna’s mother. That combination doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room. The Forest Wife already knows Brenna will do whatever she has to do, pay whatever price must be paid, to save Talon. That fact guarantees her obedience — for now. Talon is in Sogo — courtesy of his father’s great fist. He is to be sold at auction and join those destined for the Barracks. He doesn’t understand why. He can’t see how he can protect Brenna while he’s in Sogo. His plan at the moment is to survive the training and the odds are stacked against him: 300-1 .

Spellweaver by Lynn Kurland

Title: Spellweaver (The Nine Kingdoms)

Author: Lynn Kurland

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Release Date: January 4, 2011

ISBN: 978-0425238639

Size: 400 pages, 5.5×8, softcover

Genre: Fantasy

Sarah of Doìre is finished with mages, magic, and the mayhem caused by both. Her quest to find her brother and stop his terrible spells has failed, her future lies in ruins, and her trust in Ruith shattered. What she wants is peace, safety, and a quiet place to weave. And all that stands between her and that dream is a collection of black mages suddenly hunting her, her own sense of do-gooding, and a past she knows nothing about . . . yet.

Ruitneadh of Ceangail has managed to ignore the magic in his veins for a score of years, hiding in the mountains until aiding Sarah with her ill-fated quest forced him into places where his past was impossible to deny. Now, faced with an ever-increasing number of former enemies knowing he’s alive and wanting his power, his choice is to accept his birthright and gather all his father’s spells together so he can destroy them, or turn away and allow the Nine Kingdoms to be overcome by his father’s evil.

Sarah reluctantly agrees to help Ruith, though she’s fairly sure she’ll do so at the peril of her life . . . and her heart.

The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card

Title: The Lost Gate (Mither Mages, book 1)

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publisher: Tor Books

Release Date: January 4, 2011

ISBN: 978-0765326577

Size: 384 pages, 6×9, hardcover

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy

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Danny North knew from early childhood that his family was different, and that he was different from them. While his cousins were learning how to create the things that commoners called fairies, ghosts, golems, trolls, werewolves, and other such miracles that were the heritage of the North family, Danny worried that he would never show a talent, never form an outself.

He grew up in the rambling old house, filled with dozens of cousins, and aunts and uncles, all ruled by his father. Their home was isolated in the mountains of western Virginia, far from town, far from schools, far from other people.

There are many secrets in the House, and many rules that Danny must follow. There is a secret library with only a few dozen books, and none of them in English — but Danny and his cousins are expected to become fluent in the language of the books. While Danny’s cousins are free to create magic whenever they like, they must never do it where outsiders might see.

Unfortunately, there are some secrets kept from Danny as well. And that will lead to disaster for the North family.

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

Title: The Lost Saint

Author: Bree Despain

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Release Date: December 28, 2010

ISBN: 978-1606840580

Size: 416 pages, hardcover

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Series: The Dark Divine

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Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She gave her soul to the wolf to save him and lost her beloved mother. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot – a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel begins to crumble.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace becomes prideful in her new abilities – not realizing that an old enemy has returned and deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Forsaken (Fall of Angels #2) by Keary Taylor

It’s been four months since Alex gave everything to save Jessica. Life should be perfect; she has Alex, she’s been freed of the nightmares, and most of all- she’s alive. But some things have changed, some things haven’t. That’s the problem. Alex still hasn’t asked “the question”. Jessica can’t see the reason why and it’s tearing her apart. He’s keeping something from her.

Alex isn’t the only one who has changed though. Something is different about Jessica but she doesn’t understand what’s happened. She just knows something’s wrong, that she feels different than she used to, on a skin deep level. And it may keep her and Alex apart. Forever.

But while Alex and Jessica struggle to stay together, Cole is not about to be forgotten. There are a few things he didn’t tell Jessica, about his past and her future. There are reasons why he came after her, reasons that are tied to his history that is darker than she could have ever realized.

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Title: Forsaken (Fall of Angels #2)

Author: Keary Taylor

Publisher: CreateSpace/Self

Release Date: December 23, 2010

ISBN: 978-1456470289

Size: 330 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, softcover

Genre: Paranormal

Fall of Angels Series: Branded (bk 1)

The Fallen Guardian (#2) by Steven R. Burke

Title: The Fallen Guardian (The Guardian Chronicles, Book 2)

Author: Steven R. Burke

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Release Date: December 21, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-61739-206-1

Size: 228 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Fantasy

As Kana flew toward the southern edge of the Black Forest, she could see a massive group of orcs below her… She knew that this day would mark the end of the elves’ reign in the land.

On the eve of battle, Kishi gathers her troops and prepares for the greatest fight of her life, knowing that this could mean the end of all she holds dear. The Orcs are moving and the evil that has already broken apart her home and family is reaching ever further across the land she hold dear. With the help of those still loyal to her and her cause, Kishi must ride out and meet the force that threatens her very livelihood.

In the thrilling second installment of The Guardian Chronicles swords finally cross and irrevocable allegiances met. Join author Steven R. Burke once again for the epic tale of The Fallen Guardian.

The Broken Council (#1) by Steven R. Burke

Title: The Broken Council (The Guardian Chronicles, Book 1)

Author: Steven R. Burke

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Release Date: December 21, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-61663-747-7

Size: 222 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Fantasy

Read Chapter 1.

Kishi felt her body temperature rising even though the spring morning was quite cool. Her temper was always just under the surface these days, and she was growing weary of being told what to do and how to think. Today that would all change, and nothing would ever be the same. She would do what she wanted regardless of what her sister chose to do. Her father, the king, would not have the satisfaction of using her as leverage against Kira.

The lands of Tuwa are once again embroiled in conflict. Ancient councils are convened as old partnerships break apart, and new, tenuous alliances are forged. The threat of war is spreading throughout the land, and no one is sure what will become of the once peaceful land. The Guardians have been compelled to intervene as one of their own breaks sacred laws in search of forbidden powers. Lives will be lost, deception will abound, and life as the people know it will cease to exist. As events escalate, families will be forced to face off as circumstances spiral out of control. Former enemies will unite against common foes while the dark forces combine to fight for their right to rule. Heroes will be forged in the heat of battle on both sides. Prepare for battle…war will find you in the midst of The Broken Council.

The Slab by Michael R. Collings

Title: The Slab

Author: Michael R. Collings

Publisher: Borgo Press (Wildside)

Release Date: December 18, 2010

ISBN: 978-1434412072

Size: 312 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Horror

On the surface, 1066 Oleander Place seems a typical twenty-something-year-old tract house in the peaceful Southern California town of Tamarind Valley. What no one—not even the closest neighbors—grasps is that this house is deadly: dark, dangerous, and evil to the core. It consumes those who enter it, one by one—spiritually, psychologically, physically! Even to visit the place challenges fate…and promises horror for everyone there.

The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley

Title: The Peasant Queen

Author: Cheri Chesley

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Release Date: December 8, 2010

ISBN: 978-1599554167

Size: 256 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

“Sire, I don’t understand your plans for me,” Krystal pleaded. “Please send me home. After all, I’m only a mere peasant girl.”

King Gregory stepped closer and lifted a strand of her hair in his hand. “I don’t want you to ask me that again. And as for being a mere peasant girl, you are that no longer,”

“What do you mean?”

“I have the authority to name a princess of Avolonya, and I have. You are now that princess.”

After running away from home, Krystal is transported to a faraway kingdom where an evil tyrant is bent on taking the crown—and Krystal’s hand in marriage. But when she falls in love with the rightful heir to the throne, she must make an impossible choice: sacrifice her one chance at happiness and agree to marry King Gregory, or face the destructin of an entire kingdom.

Klaus by Michelle Erickson

Title: Klaus

Author: M. Erickson

Publisher: lulu.com

Release Date: November 30, 2010

ISBN: 978-0557756247

Size: 328 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: YA Speculative

Eralee is a misfit among immortals. She is supposed to marry a philandering river Prince. She doesn’t want him. She wants to save the human called Klaus. Klaus lives alone at the edge of the Everaude Forest, a dangerous forbidden place. He’s convinced he will never know love until he meets Eralee. Unfortunately, she’s immortal and he isn’t sure how such a love could work. There is another immortal who wants him. She is Kamichen, the Winter Witch, known in legend for eating men’s hearts. She has plans for Klaus and they don’t include Eralee.

Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Release Date: November 30, 2010

ISBN: 978-0525423645

Size: 384 pages, 6×9, hardcover

Genre: YA Dystopian

Matched website.

Read an excerpt.

In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one… until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow — between perfection and passion.

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card

Title: Pathfinder

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: November 23, 2010

ISBN: 978-1416991762

Size: 672 pages, 5.5×8, hardcover

Genre: YA Fantasy

A powerful secret. A dangerous path.

Rigg is well trained at keeping secrets. Only his father knows the truth about Rigg’s strange talent for seeing the paths of people’s pasts. But when his father dies, Rigg is stunned to learn just how many secrets Father had kept from him–secrets about Rigg’s own past, his identity, and his destiny. And when Rigg discovers that he has the power not only to see the past, but also to change it, his future suddenly becomes anything but certain.

Rigg’s birthright sets him on a path that leaves him caught between two factions, one that wants him crowned and one that wants him dead. He will be forced to question everything he thinks he knows, choose who to trust, and push the limits of his talent…or forfeit control of his destiny.

The Jaguar Prophecies by Phyllis Gunderson

Title: The Jaguar Prophecies

Author: Phyllis Gunderson

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Release Date: November 8, 2010

ISBN: 978-1599554624

Size: 224 pages, 6×9 paperback

Genre: Speculative

When Matt Howard receives a mysterious invitation to attend a Mayan festival in Mexico, she jumps at the chance to escape her everyday life as an archaeology professor and mom to a crabby thirteen-year-old. Little does Matt know she’s about to be plunged into a world of ancient secrets concealed for centuries. Now, with the help of a few unexpected allies, she’ll have to accept her role as messenger of the jaguar prophecies and warn the world of what’s coming before it’s too late.

In this thrilling novel, Phyllis Gunderson draws on her own experience and research to present a convincing story of what humanity is about to face. Travel the globe and discover what so many ancient civilizations knew, even without modern science to confirm their findings. The evidence is everywhere: in the stars, in the ruins of ancient temples, even in our own backyards. Full of action and suspense, The Jaguar Prophecies is a must-read that will change the way you think about the past, the present, and the future.

Absolution by Jennifer Laurens

Title: Absolution (#3)

Author: Jennifer Laurens

Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing, LLC

Release Date: October, 2010

ISBN: 978-1933963822

Size: 220 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: YA Paranormal

Series: Heavenly (book 1), Penitence (book 2)

Read an excerpt.

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Zoe’s secret is out. And the powers of Hell are ravenous to claim her soul. Her brother, Luke, knows her secret: that she sees both good and evil spirits. Her boyfriend knows. At least Matthias is her guardian angel again. But now Hell’s most ruthless leader will stop at nothing to have her soul.

Albert, Matthias’ father, is relentless in his hunger for Zoe. He wants to destroy Matthias and will use Zoe to do so.

The battle between Heaven and Hell tests everything Zoe has. As she witnesses everyone important in her life suffering, she’s brought to the ultimate choice: will she sacrifice her soul to save the ones she loves?

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

Title: Towers of Midnight (#13 in the Wheel of Time series)

Author: Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

Publisher: Tor Books

Release Date: November 2, 2010

ISBN: 978-0765325945

Size: 864 pages, Hardcover

Genre: Fantasy

The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One’s prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unraveling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to boil out of the Blight.

The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age.

Perrin Aybara is now hunted by specters from his past: Whitecloaks, a slayer of wolves, and the responsibilities of leadership. All the while, an unseen foe is slowly pulling a noose tight around his neck. To prevail, he must seek answers in Tel’aran’rhiod and find a way–at long last–to master the wolf within him or lose himself to it forever.

Meanwhile, Matrim Cauthon prepares for the most difficult challenge of his life. The creatures beyond the stone gateways–the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn–have confused him, taunted him, and left him hanged, his memory stuffed with bits and pieces of other men’s lives. He had hoped that his last confrontation with them would be the end of it, but the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. The time is coming when he will again have to dance with the Snakes and the Foxes, playing a game that cannot be won. The Tower of Ghenjei awaits, and its secrets will reveal the fate of a friend long lost.

This penultimate novel of Robert Jordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling series–the second of three based on materials he left behind when he died in 2007–brings dramatic and compelling developments to many threads in the Pattern. The end draws near.

Dovie’andi se tovya sagain. It’s time to toss the dice.