Also out

Bradley Beaulieu’s epic fantasy series Song Of The Shattered Sands continues with OF SAND AND MALICE MADE (8 September, Gollancz), a prequel which brings us more of fiery female gladiator Çeda. Our reviewer rather liked opener Twelve Kings – though they found the worldbuilding a little bloated. Another series concludes in THE SPIDER’S WAR (8 September, Orbit), Daniel Abraham’s final The Dagger And The Coin book. We lauded saga-opener The Dragon’s Path – set in a medieval world populated by 13 breeds of humans – as “sharp and evocative”. THE WITCH’S VACUUM CLEANER (25 August, Doubleday Childrens) collects more stories penned by Terry Pratchett in the ’60s. Expect fantasy conventions lampooned with some charm; don’t expect the wit of Pratchett’s mature work. Meanwhile, anthology SHAKESPEARE VS CTHULHU (out now, Snowbooks) sees the likes of Adrian Tchaikovsky and James Lovegrove mashing up the Bard and Lovecraft. Disney obsessives will delight in THEY DREW AS THEY PLEASED VOLUME TWO (30 August, Chronicle Books), which includes concept art for the likes of Fantasia and Peter Pan. Finally: there’s an updated edition of Alan Jones’s 2004 book Profondo Argento. Retitled DARIO ARGENTO: THE MAN, THE MYTHS & THE MAGIC (22 August, FAB Press) ,it features loads of new material on the cult Italian horror director.