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Crises and Conflicts: Celebrating the First 10 Years of NewCon Press
From distant planets to space-borne combat, from desperate attempts to win a race to the last hope of a beleaguered world, fifteen stories of Military SF and space opera, written to celebrate the 10th anniversary of independent publisher NewCon Press
1. Introduction
2. The Last Tank Commander - Allen Stroud
3. Between Nine and Eleven - Adam Roberts
4. Taking Flight - Una McCormack
5. The 10 Second War - Michael Brookes
6. Decommissioned - Tade Thompson
7. Another Day in Paradise - Amy DuBoff
8. Round Trip - Robert Sharp
9. Arm Every Woman - Nik Abnett
10. Hill 435 - Tim C. Taylor
11. The Wolf, The Goat, and the Cabbage - Janet Edwards
12. Pickaxes and Shovels - Christopher Nuttall
13. The Gun - Ian Whates
14. Tactics for Optimal Outcomes in Negotiations with Wergen Ambassadors - Mercurio D Rivera
15. The Story of the Ten - Jo Zebedee
1. Introduction
2. The Last Tank Commander - Allen Stroud
3. Between Nine and Eleven - Adam Roberts
4. Taking Flight - Una McCormack
5. The 10 Second War - Michael Brookes
6. Decommissioned - Tade Thompson
7. Another Day in Paradise - Amy DuBoff
8. Round Trip - Robert Sharp
9. Arm Every Woman - Nik Abnett
10. Hill 435 - Tim C. Taylor
11. The Wolf, The Goat, and the Cabbage - Janet Edwards
12. Pickaxes and Shovels - Christopher Nuttall
13. The Gun - Ian Whates
14. Tactics for Optimal Outcomes in Negotiations with Wergen Ambassadors - Mercurio D Rivera
15. The Story of the Ten - Jo Zebedee
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 11, 2016
7 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Ian Whates
120 books76 followersIan Whates lives in a comfortable home down a quiet cul-de-sac in an idyllic Cambridgeshire village, which he shares with his partner Helen and their pets – Honey the golden cocker spaniel, Calvin the tailless black cat and Inky the goldfish (sadly, Binky died a few years ago).
Ian’s earliest memories of science fiction are fragmented. He remembers loving Dr Who from an early age and other TV shows such as Lost in Space and Star Trek, but a defining moment came when he heard a radio adaptation of John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. From that moment on he was hooked and became a frequent haunter of the local library, voraciously devouring the contents of their SF section.
This early love of science fiction manifested most tellingly during his school days, when he produced an SF murder mystery as homework after being set the essay title “The Language of Shakespeare”, much to the bemusement of his English teacher.
Ian’s first published stories appeared in the late 1980s in small press magazines such as Dream and New Moon Quarterly, after which he took a break from writing in order to research his chosen fields of science fiction and fantasy. In other words, he read copious amounts of both. Clearly the research was extensive, because he published nothing further for some seventeen years. In the early 2000s he made the decision to pursue writing seriously, joining the Northampton SF Writers Group in 2004 after being introduced to its chairman, Ian Watson.
In 2006 he started submitting stories again, and has subsequently been surprised at how many otherwise eminently sensible people have chosen to publish him. A couple have even appeared in the science journal Nature, and one, “The Gift of Joy”, even found its way onto the five-strong shortlist for best short story in the British Science Fiction Association Awards. And it didn’t come last! Ironically, the award was actually won by Ken MacLeod’s “Lighting Out”, a piece Ian had commissioned, edited and published in the NewCon Press anthology disLOCATIONS (2007).
In 2006 Ian launched independent publisher NewCon Press, quite by accident (buy him a pint sometime and he’ll tell you about it). Through NewCon he has been privileged to publish original stories from some of the biggest names in genre fiction, as well as provide debuts to some genuinely talented newcomers. The books, their covers and contents have racked up an impressive array of credits – four BSFA Awards, one BSF Award to date, inclusion in ‘Year’s Best’ anthologies and recommendations and honourable mentions from the likes of Gardner Dozios and Locus magazine.
In addition to his publishing and writing, Ian is currently a director of both the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) and the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), editing Matrix, the online news and media reviews magazine, for the latter.
His first two completed novels are both due to appear in early 2010: City of Dreams and Nightmare via Harper Collins’ imprint Angry Robot, and The Noise Within from Rebellion imprint Solaris, with sequels to follow. When not pinching himself to make sure this is all really happening, Ian is currently beavering away at the sequels… honest!
Ian’s earliest memories of science fiction are fragmented. He remembers loving Dr Who from an early age and other TV shows such as Lost in Space and Star Trek, but a defining moment came when he heard a radio adaptation of John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. From that moment on he was hooked and became a frequent haunter of the local library, voraciously devouring the contents of their SF section.
This early love of science fiction manifested most tellingly during his school days, when he produced an SF murder mystery as homework after being set the essay title “The Language of Shakespeare”, much to the bemusement of his English teacher.
Ian’s first published stories appeared in the late 1980s in small press magazines such as Dream and New Moon Quarterly, after which he took a break from writing in order to research his chosen fields of science fiction and fantasy. In other words, he read copious amounts of both. Clearly the research was extensive, because he published nothing further for some seventeen years. In the early 2000s he made the decision to pursue writing seriously, joining the Northampton SF Writers Group in 2004 after being introduced to its chairman, Ian Watson.
In 2006 he started submitting stories again, and has subsequently been surprised at how many otherwise eminently sensible people have chosen to publish him. A couple have even appeared in the science journal Nature, and one, “The Gift of Joy”, even found its way onto the five-strong shortlist for best short story in the British Science Fiction Association Awards. And it didn’t come last! Ironically, the award was actually won by Ken MacLeod’s “Lighting Out”, a piece Ian had commissioned, edited and published in the NewCon Press anthology disLOCATIONS (2007).
In 2006 Ian launched independent publisher NewCon Press, quite by accident (buy him a pint sometime and he’ll tell you about it). Through NewCon he has been privileged to publish original stories from some of the biggest names in genre fiction, as well as provide debuts to some genuinely talented newcomers. The books, their covers and contents have racked up an impressive array of credits – four BSFA Awards, one BSF Award to date, inclusion in ‘Year’s Best’ anthologies and recommendations and honourable mentions from the likes of Gardner Dozios and Locus magazine.
In addition to his publishing and writing, Ian is currently a director of both the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) and the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), editing Matrix, the online news and media reviews magazine, for the latter.
His first two completed novels are both due to appear in early 2010: City of Dreams and Nightmare via Harper Collins’ imprint Angry Robot, and The Noise Within from Rebellion imprint Solaris, with sequels to follow. When not pinching himself to make sure this is all really happening, Ian is currently beavering away at the sequels… honest!
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Want to read
November 30, 2016This hardcover copy is number 70 of 100 copies produced and is signed by:
Nik Abnett
Michael Brookes
Mercurio D Rivera
Adam Roberts
Robert Sharp
Tade Thompson
Tim C. Taylor
Ian Wates
Jo Zebeddee
Amy duBoff
Janet Edwards
Una McCormac
Christopher Nuttall
Gavin Smith
Allen Stroud
All stories are copywrite 2016.
Nik Abnett
Michael Brookes
Mercurio D Rivera
Adam Roberts
Robert Sharp
Tade Thompson
Tim C. Taylor
Ian Wates
Jo Zebeddee
Amy duBoff
Janet Edwards
Una McCormac
Christopher Nuttall
Gavin Smith
Allen Stroud
All stories are copywrite 2016.
October 7, 2016
So, I only actually read the "Earth Girl" related story by Janet Edwards, but I enjoyed it. It fit right in to that universe and we got an extra insight into a couple of the more minor characters. I will say that some of the story was a bit too predictable, but it was nonetheless quite satisfying!
July 2, 2019
I read this anthology due to Janet Edward's having a story in it.
1. Introduction
2. The Last Tank Commander – Allen Stroud
3. Between Nine and Eleven – Adam Roberts
4. Taking Flight – Una McCormack
5. The 10 Second War – Michael Brookes
6. Decommissioned – Tade Thompson
7. Another Day in Paradise – Amy DuBoff
8. Round Trip – Robert Sharp
9. Arm Every Woman – Nik Abnett
10. Hill 435 – Tim C. Taylor
11. The Wolf, The Goat, and the Cabbage – Janet Edwards
Featuring Commander Stone and Commander Leveque before the Earth Girl series starts. Stone is called in to aid in the retrieval of two people stuck on a planet after a bomb goes off, little does she know at the time that one is a terrorist who is willing to kill. A game of Wolf, Goat and Cabbage is had, and does not end how you expect it to. I laughed my ass off reading it.
The banter between married couple Stone and Leveque is hilarious as always, Leveque is so cut and dry sarcastic he makes me laugh a lot.
I want an entire book written about them, also Rono and Kerran.
5/5
12. Pickaxes and Shovels – Christopher Nuttall
13. The Gun – Ian Whates
14. Tactics for Optimal Outcomes in Negotiations with Wergen Ambassadors
– Mercurio D Rivera
15. The Story of the Ten – Jo Zebedee
16. The Beauty of our Weapons – Gavin Smith
1. Introduction
2. The Last Tank Commander – Allen Stroud
3. Between Nine and Eleven – Adam Roberts
4. Taking Flight – Una McCormack
5. The 10 Second War – Michael Brookes
6. Decommissioned – Tade Thompson
7. Another Day in Paradise – Amy DuBoff
8. Round Trip – Robert Sharp
9. Arm Every Woman – Nik Abnett
10. Hill 435 – Tim C. Taylor
11. The Wolf, The Goat, and the Cabbage – Janet Edwards
Featuring Commander Stone and Commander Leveque before the Earth Girl series starts. Stone is called in to aid in the retrieval of two people stuck on a planet after a bomb goes off, little does she know at the time that one is a terrorist who is willing to kill. A game of Wolf, Goat and Cabbage is had, and does not end how you expect it to. I laughed my ass off reading it.
The banter between married couple Stone and Leveque is hilarious as always, Leveque is so cut and dry sarcastic he makes me laugh a lot.
I want an entire book written about them, also Rono and Kerran.
5/5
12. Pickaxes and Shovels – Christopher Nuttall
13. The Gun – Ian Whates
14. Tactics for Optimal Outcomes in Negotiations with Wergen Ambassadors
– Mercurio D Rivera
15. The Story of the Ten – Jo Zebedee
16. The Beauty of our Weapons – Gavin Smith
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews