Patrick O'Leary

February 1, 2023

2023 Locus Recommended Reading List includes titles by Naseem Jamnia, R. B. Lemberg, Sam J. Miller, Patrick O’Leary, and Lavie Tidhar

Rick Klaw blog 51, boys beasts & men, lavie tidhar, Naseem Jamnia, neom, Patrick O'Leary, r. b. lemberg, Sam J. Miller, the bruising of qilwa, the unbalancing

LOCUS released their annual recommended reading list. Tachyon is proud to have several selections including Naseem Jamnia’s THE BRUISING OF QILWA, R. B. Lemberg’s THE UNBALANCING (also for Geometries of Belonging), Sam J. Miller’s BOYS, BEASTS & MEN and the original story from that collection “Sun in an Empty Room” (also for “Iconophobe” and Kid Wolf and Kraken Boy), Patrick O’Leary’s 51, and Lavie Tidhar’s NEOM (also for The Best of World SF: Volume 2 and “It Happened in ‘Loontown'”).

Cover for THE BRUISING OF QILWA by Naseem Jamnia — Cover by Elizabeth Story

Other Tachyon authors and editors receiving notice include Charlie Jane Anders, Ellen Datlow, Daryl Gregory, Eileen Gunn, John Kessel, Marjorie Liu, and Alastair Reynolds.

Congrats to all.

Neom by Lavie Tidhar — Cover by Elizabeth Story

Choose your favorites by voting in the 2022 Poll & Survey. The Poll decides the winners of the Locus Awards, presented in June 2023 at the Locus Awards Weekend, and is open to all.

January 16, 2023

Tachyon tidbits featuring Nicole Kornher-Stace, Josh Rountree, Patrick O’Leary, Brandon Sanderson, and Clifford Simak

Rick Klaw blog 51, brandon sanderson, clifford simak, Dean Sas, flight & anchor, gary scott, instagram, Jonathan Edward Feinstein, josh rountree, literary hub, Nicole Kornher-Stace, over the river and through the woods, Patrick O'Leary, review, rich horton, strange at ecbatan, the emperor's soul, the legend of charlie fish, the speculative shelf

The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web

Nicole Kornher-Stace as envisioned by Elizabeth Story

**At Literary Hub, Natalie Zutter includes Nicole Kornher-Stace’s FLIGHT & ANCHOR among 21 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books to Look Forward to in 2023.**

Since the publication of Archivist Wasp in 2015, Nicole Kornher-Stace has whisked readers through a post-apocalypse populated by the ghosts of supersoldiers and the Archivists who catalog what happened in the world before theirs. The followup Latchkey cemented this engaging world and especially its depiction of platonic friendships, written with the care and depth that these relationships deserve. Last year’s somewhat standalone Firebreak expanded the scope of the Archivist Wasp universe, a video game thriller that does Ready Player One one better. And now, Kornher-Stace has brought us another story within that universe: FLIGHT & ANCHOR, following two of that book’s characters (supersoldiers known only as 06 and 22) as twelve-year-olds on a misadventure in a shipping container in a wonderful homage to The Boxcar Children. Watching Kornher-Stace play within her own realms is a delight, and the added nostalgia factor of this book makes it a can’t-miss.

Flight and Anchor cover — Cover by Elizabeth Story

The Speculative Shelf delivers the first review of Josh Rountree’s forthcoming THE LEGEND OF CHARLIE FISH.

By recounting their past tales of loss and longing, Rountree effectively crafts deep characterizations for each of his cast members and makes you care for their plight, especially during the breathless final act as a colossal hurricane bears down on their Galveston locale.

I was thoroughly taken with this story, Rountree’s writing, and the unique island setting. Definitely add this to your TBRs.

★★★★½

Rich Horton on his Strange at Ecbatan praises 51 by Patrick O’Leary.

It’s a confusing story, entirely on purpose, in part because of the atemporal arrangement, in part because of the unreliable nested narrators — and maybe mostly because the IFs are confusing period. But it’s fascinating, and compulsively readable, and cumulatively quite moving. O’Leary’s first three novels proved he is a major writer in our field — and 51 shouldn’t change anyone’s mind about that!

**On his Instagram, O’Leary shared a marvelous gift from artist Gary Scott.**

An overwhelming present from an artist who felt inspired to sculpt the hidden hero of the tale: 51. Thanks, Gary Scott. Wow.

Dean Sas’ Reading 2022 included Brandon Sanderson’s Hugo-awarding novella THE EMPEROR’S SOUL.

lovely little novella that I’ve somehow missed out on

Cover of The Emperor's Soul — Cover art by Alexander Nanitchkov
Design by Elizabeth Story

On his eponymous blog, Jonathan Edward Feinstein lauds the audio book of Clifford Simak’s OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS: THE BEST SHORT FICTION OF CLIFFORD D. SIMAK.

The other stories are like that as well, and while, these are stories from the 1960’s (maybe some from earlier?) aside from the lack of smartphones and iPads and whatnot, it does not feel as dated as it probably ought to. By giving most of these stories a rural setting, you just don’t expect someone to say, “Oh, hang on, I’ll Google it.”

All told this was a fun set of stories to listen to.

December 12, 2022

Tacky-Pack: The End (of the Year) is Near! Get 22% off all 2022 titles including books from Lavie Tidhar, Brandon Sanderson, Naseem Jamnia, R. B. Lemberg, Joe R. Lansdale, Daniel Pinkwater, Kimberly Unger, Sam J. Miller, and Patrick O’Leary

Rick Klaw blog 51, born for trouble, boys beasts & men, brandon sanderson, crazy in poughkeepsie, daniel pinkwater, Joe R. Lansdale, kimberly unger, lavie tidhar, Naseem Jamnia, neom, Patrick O'Leary, r.b. lemberg, sale, sam j miller, tacky-pack, the bruising of qilwa, the emperor's soul, the extractionist, the unbalancing

Tacky-Pack: The End (of the Year) is Near!

Tachyon [is] known for their eclectic published works and always choose quality over quantity.
SF Book Reviews

Celebrate the year’s end with our newest Tacky-Pack, curated by the Tacky Rhino himself. In these 2022 Tachyon books, now 22% off, you’ll discover everything from the impossible to the improbable: a decades long government conspiracy, a queernormative medical mystery; a lovesick robot at the edge of revolution; two not-so-good old boys dealing out Texan style justice; one not-quite-human girl having a not-quite breakdown; and much, much more.

Tachyon Publications is giving 22% off on all 2022 titles until 2023!

As we get ready to ring in the new year (and engage in whatever holiday traditions you like best), celebrate with any or all of Tachyon’s 2022 titles, now at 22% off!

THE EMPEROR’S SOUL: 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Brandon Sanderson
When Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with her nearly flawless forgery, she must bargain for her life with an impossible task: to create a new soul for an emperor in fewer than one hundred days. This special edition of the Hugo-Award winning novella THE EMPEROR’S SOUL features the deleted prologue “The Imperial Fool,” which alludes to Sanderson’s bestselling Mistborn series; prologue commentary; and an original introduction from the publisher.

NEOM by Lavie Tidhar
Today, Neom is a utopian dream—a megacity of the future yet to be built in the Saudi desert. In this deeply imaginative novel from the award-winning universe of CENTRAL STATION, far-future Neom is already old. Sentient machines roam the desert searching for purpose, works of art can be more deadly than weapons, and the spark of a long-overdue revolution is in the wind.

THE BRUISING OF QILWA by Naseem Jamnia
In this intricate debut fantasy introducing a queernormative Persian-inspired world, a nonbinary refugee practitioner of blood magic discovers a strange disease that causes political rifts in their new homeland. Persian-American author Naseem Jamnia has crafted a gripping narrative with a moving, nuanced exploration of immigration, gender, healing, and family.

THE UNBALANCING by R. B. Lemberg
In this first full-length novel from the acclaimed Birdverse, new love blossoms between an impatient starkeeper and a reclusive poet as they try together to save their island home. THE UNBALANCING is a gorgeous tale of the inevitable transformations of communities and their worlds rooted in the mystical cosmology, neurodiversity, and queerness that infuses Lemberg’s lyrical prose.

BORN FOR TROUBLE: THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF HAP AND LEONARD by Joe R. Lansdale
In Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale’s newest Hap and Leonard story collection, the boys are back, with more righteous ass-kickings, highly improbable adventures, and disastrous fishing trips. These never before collected tales showcase the popular not-so dynamic duo as a little bit older, but not a whole lot wiser—Hap and Leonard were truly born for trouble.

THE EXTRACTIONIST by Kimberly Unger
In her breakout technothriller, virtual reality expert Kimberly Unger (NUCLEATION) has created the iconic, badass, nerdy heroine that you desperately need: Eliza McKay. McKay is disgraced underground hacker who is just trying to take back her career one dangerous job at a time. But when her latest contract throws her into the middle of a corporate power struggle, she finds herself fighting for her life.

BOYS, BEASTS & MEN by Sam J. Miller
Queer infatuation, inevitable heartbreak, and satisfying revenge seamlessly intertwine in Sam J. Miller (Blackfish City, The Art of Starving)’s long-awaited debut short story collection. Whether innocent, guilty, or not even human, the beings in Miller’s gorgeously-crafted worlds can destroy you—yet leave you longing for them even more.

CRAZY IN POUGHKEEPSIE by Daniel Pinkwater
The inimitable Daniel Pinkwater (The Big Orange Splot, The Hoboken Chicken Emergency) brings his zany wit and wisdom to a middle-grade adventure following a kid’s off-the-beaten-path journey, featuring an unfocused spiritual guide, a not-quite-dwarf, a graffiti “artist,” a ghost whale, and mystical shenanigans galore.

51 by Patick O’Leary
In his long-awaited newest novel, Patrick O’Leary (The Gift) deftly navigates the invisible currents of secrets and forgiveness, while upending one of the best-kept secrets in American history: the strange events at Area 51. Gripping, profound, and utterly unique, 51 is sure to please fans of fans of smart paranormal nostalgia, such as the X-Files, Old Man’s War, and Stranger Things.

September 13, 2022

Happy birthday to the lauded and mysterious Patrick O’Leary

Rick Klaw birthday, blog 51, birthday, Patrick O'Leary

A participant in the prestigious Michigan Writer Series, the acclaimed Patrick O’Leary exploded on the scene with Door Number Three (1995), which Publishers Weekly proclaimed a best book of the year. He continued receiving positive notices with the World Fantasy and Mythopoeic Awards finalist The Gift (1997) and The Impossible Bird (2002). The French translation of The Gift (Le don: L’ultime héritage) won the prestigious Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire. In 2022, O’Leary made his long awaited return to novel-length fiction with 51.

His numerous short stories have been collected in Other Voices, Other Doors (2000) and The Black Heart (2009). O’Leary’s poem “Nobody Knows It But Me” was read by James Garner in a popular 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe advertising campaign.

All of us at Tachyon wish the enigmatic Patrick a happy birthday full of conspiracies, both implausible and plausible.

May 25, 2022

Join David Ebenbach, Sam J. Miller, Patrick O’Leary, and Kimberly Unger for Awesome Con 2022

Rick Klaw blog, Events 51, awesome con, boys beasts & men, david ebenbach, how to mars, kimberly unger, nucleation, Patrick O'Leary, sam j miller, the extractionist

Tachyon authors David Ebenbach (HOW TO MARS), Sam J. Miller (BOYS, BEASTS & MEN), Patrick O’Leary (51), and Kimberly Unger (THE EXTRACTIONIST, NUCLEATION) are all attending this years Awesome Con, June 3-5 at Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Awesome Con is Washington DC’s Comic Con! We’re a star-studded celebration of geek culture, bringing over 70,000 fans together with their favorite stars from across comics, movies, television, toys, games, and more! And just like DC, we’re smart, family-friendly, and inclusive – as Awesome Con is home to:

Science Fair, an area of Awesome Con exploring where science and science fiction meet!

Book Fair, THE area of Awesome Con for passionate book dragons, dewy-eyed indie authors, casual readers, and lit lovers of all ages!

Awesome Con Jr, an all-ages destination for the next generation of fans

Pride Alley, a celebration of queer creators and fans curated by GeeksOUT

Destination Cosplay, an area of Awesome Con for cosplay fanatics with photo opportunities, Cosplay Meetups, and much much more!
Awesome Con

Cover of BOYS, BEASTS, & MEN, a collection by Sam J. Miller. — Cover by Jennifer O’Toole
Design by Elizabeth Story

David Ebenbach, Sam J. Miller, Patrick O’Leary, and Kimberly Unger are all participating in the varied and extensive Awesome Con programming.

Friday June 3

3:30 PM

Creative Worldbuilding in Fiction

Building a fully fleshed out world is the first step in making your creation real to the reader. Unless you can fully understand the world in which your characters live, you won’t be able to effectively write about their experiences. Another incredible part of worldbuilding in fiction is taking your readers into a completely fantasical and magical place. Let’s explore how a fictitious world can seem completely real while overwhelmingly magical through excellent writing.

Panelists: Sam J. Miller (Boys, Beasts & Men), Patrick O’Leary (51), Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures), E.J. Wenstrom (Rain – Chronicles of the Third Realm War), Megan Lynch (moderator)

The Extractionist — Cover by Elizabeth Story

Saturday June 4

12:30 PM

Writing the Tech of the Future

No one knows what the future holds, but it’s exciting to imagine what technology can be and then see it imagined as reality through writing. Join Kimberly Unger, author of the virtual reality science-fiction thriller Nucleation and game designer, Patrick O’Leary, science fiction author of Fifty One and Door Number Three, Dr. Timothy Brown, author of Black Panther and Philosophy: What Can Wakanda Offer the World, and David Ebenbach, science fiction author of How to Mars, for this conversation about writing the what-ifs and the realities of the world of tech and science fiction.

Panelists: Patrick O’Leary (51), Kimberly Unger (The Extractionist), Dr. Timothy Brown (Black Panther and Philosophy), David Ebenbach (How to Mars), Jonathan Williams (moderator)

How to Mars cover — Cover by Elizabeth Story

Sunday June 5

11 AM

SFF Author and Real World Ideas

How do real world religious beliefs, political doctrines, and views on society impact science fiction/fantasy writers, and the direction they take in their novels? This panel will explore how personal beliefs and reality can become subtly infused into science fiction/fantasy works. Explore how the lines between SFF and reality become blurred in this can’t miss conversation among well-known authors.

Panelists: Sam J. Miller (Boys, Beasts & Men), Patrick O’Leary (51), Kimberly Unger (The Extractionist), David Ebenbach (How to Mars), Emily Whitten (moderator)

2 PM

Ask an Author

Interested in becoming an author? Curious what it takes to go the distance as a writer? Your burning and bookish questions will be answered during this Q&A session with a variety of established authors across various genres including fiction, fantasy, science fiction, technology, and more.

Panelists: Sam J. Miller (Boys, Beasts & Men), Patrick O’Leary (51), Kimberly Unger (The Extractionist), David Ebenbach (How to Mars), Emily Whitten (moderator)

February 3, 2022

Join the acclaimed Patrick O’Leary for two events celebrating his long awaited new sci-fi conspiracy thriller 51

Rick Klaw blog, Events 51, alaya dawn johnson, ama, facebook live, Patrick O'Leary, r/books, reddit

On Tuesday, February 8th at 3PM ET, Patrick O’Leary answers your questions about the conspiracy thriller 51 in a REDDIT AMA at r/books.

Then later that day at 8PM ET during a special Facebook Live event, O’Leary and Nebula Award winner Alaya Dawn Johnson discuss O’Leary’s weird, wild trip into one of America’s best kept secrets.

February 1, 2022

Win a copy of 51, the long-awaited new conspiracy sci-fi thriller from the acclaimed Patrick O’ Leary “literary fiction on LSD” —William C. Dietz

Rick Klaw blog 51, giveaway, goodreads, Patrick O'Leary, roswell

With the help of the fine folks at GOODREADS, we’re giving away Patrick O’Leary’s 51, a weird, wild trip into one of America’s best kept secrets.

O’Leary and his metaphysical snake slither across a hallucinogenic Alice In Wonderland/Yellow Submarine/Slaughterhouse Five narrative that is even weirder than the reality that is America.
—Mario Acevedo, author of The Nymphos of Rocky Flats

Did the infamous Roswell site contain something so weird that it bears little resemblance to UFOs, aliens, or the most intricate conspiracy theories? With 51, Patrick O’Leary (The Gift) delivers a witty, unpredictable novel that upends one of the best-kept secrets in American history: the strange events at Area 51. This implausibly plausible explanation intricately entangles estranged friends, their not-quite-imaginary friends, and a series of very confused American presidents.

A deeply felt exploration of friendship, loyalty, memory, and growing old . . . there are also passages of truly lovely prose to remind us that this is much more than a conspiracy thriller.
—Locus

What really happened in Area 51?

Adam Pagnucco is just trying to help out a stranger who’s down and out. He has no idea that man is Winston Koop, his exceptionally talented, ex-best friend. Koop and Nuke had been inseparable in college, but then life happened. Nuke finally quit drinking, and Koop—Koop was at the center of a massive conspiracy that the government faked UFOs just to cover it up.

Even after confessing to removing the memories of hundreds of people, Koop is still hiding something crucial from Nuke. The truth is even stranger than fiction, and time is running out for the real inhabitants of the Roswell site. Can Nuke somehow find a way to forgive . . . but not to forget?

In his long-awaited new novel, Patrick O’Leary (Door Number Three) deftly navigates the invisible currents of secrets and forgiveness. Gripping, profound, and utterly unique, 51 is sure to please fans of fans of smart paranormal nostalgia, such as the X-Files, Old Man’s War, and Stranger Things.

O’Leary’s 51 is literary fiction on LSD, laced with surreal dreamscapes, humor, and dark insights into the human condition
—William C. Dietz, author of the Winds of War series

October 26, 2021

Booksellers, librarians, bloggers, and reviewers get 51, the long awaited new novel from the acclaimed Patrick O’Leary

Rick Klaw blog 51, edelweiss, netgalley, Patrick O'Leary

Review copies of 51 by Patrick O’Leary are now available via EDELWEISS and NETGALLEY.

O’Leary and his metaphysical snake slither across a hallucinogenic Alice In Wonderland/Yellow Submarine/Slaughterhouse Five narrative that is even weirder than the reality that is America.
—Mario Acevedo, author of The Nymphos of Rocky Flats

51

by Patrick O’Leary

ISBN: Print 9781616963484 Digita: 9781616963491

Published: February 2022

Available Format(s): Trade Paperback and Digital

With 51, Patrick O’Leary (The Gift) delivers a witty, unpredictable novel that upends one of the best-kept secrets in American history: the strange events at Area 51. What if the infamous Roswell site contains something so weird that it bears little resemblance to UFOs, aliens, or the most intricate conspiracy theories? The implausibly plausible explanation, ranging over sixty years, entangles estranged real-life friends, their not-quite-imaginary friends, and some very confused U.S. presidents.

O’Leary’s 51 is literary fiction on LSD, laced with surreal dreamscapes, humor, and dark insights into the human condition.
—William C. Dietz, author of the Winds of War series

Adam Pagnucco is just trying to help out a stranger who’s down and out. He has no idea that man is Winston Koop, his exceptionally talented, ex-best friend from college. Koop and Nuke had been inseparable, but then life happened. Nuke finally quit drinking, and Koop—well, Koop disappeared into such a massive conspiracy that the government faked UFOs just to cover it up.

After removing the memories of hundreds of people, Koop is still hiding something crucial from Nuke. Time is running out for the real inhabitants of Area 51. Can Nuke find a way to forgive but not forget?

In his long-awaited new novel, Patrick O’Leary (Door Number Three) deftly navigates the invisible currents of secrets, age, and forgiveness. Gripping, profound, and utterly unique, 51 is sure to please fans of fans of smart paranormal nostalgia, such as the X-Files, Old Man’s War, and Stranger Things.

September 13, 2021

Happy birthday to the lauded and mysterious Patrick O’Leary

Rick Klaw birthday, blog 51, birthday, Patrick O'Leary

A participant in the prestigious Michigan Writer Series, the acclaimed Patrick O’Leary exploded on the scene with Door Number Three (1995), which Publishers Weekly proclaimed a best book of the year. He continued receiving positive notices with the World Fantasy and Mythopoeic Awards finalist The Gift (1997) and The Impossible Bird (2002). The French translation of The Gift (Le don: L’ultime héritage) won the prestigious Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire. In February 2022, O’Leary makes his long awaited return to novel-length fiction with 51.

All of us at Tachyon wish the enigmatic Patrick a happy birthday full of conspiracies, both implausible and plausible.

June 30, 2021

COVER REVEAL: 51, the long awaited new novel from the acclaimed Patrick O’Leary

Rick Klaw Uncategorized 51, cover reveal, Patrick O'Leary

Coming your way in February 2022, 51 reveals the unspeakable secret behind what really happens in Area 51! The events at Roswell have long been one of the U.S. government’s best-kept secrets. But what if Area 51 contains something so bizarre that it bears little resemblance to UFOs, aliens, or anything imagined in even the most detailed conspiracy theories? In Patrick O’Leary’s long-awaited, witty, and moving new novel, a cruel government experiment and an unthinkable betrayal are set into motion by real life friends, not-quite-imaginary friends—and a series of very confused American presidents.

51

by Patrick O’Leary

ISBN: Print ISBN: 9781616963484: Digital ISBN: 9781616963491

Published: February 2022

Available Format(s): Trade Paperback and Digital

[O’Leary’s] voice is fresh and funny.
—New York Times

Adam Pagnucco has no idea that stopping to help a homeless man is an absolutely terrible idea. He doesn’t even recognize Winston Koop, his extremely charming—and extremely drunk—ex-best friend from college. Koop and Nuke had been inseparable, but then life happened. Nuke finally quit drinking, and Koop—well, Koop was at the center of a conspiracy so massive, and so strange, that the U.S. government faked the existence of UFOs at Roswell.

While covering up the unlikely experiments on the even more unlikely inhabitants of Area 51 for over sixty years, Koop has surreptitiously stolen the memories of hundreds of people—if they were lucky.

As Koop makes a tormented confession of his misdeeds, Nuke discovers that listening is more than dangerous—it’s devastating. Not only is Nuke is depending on Koop to keep his own past safe and locked away, time is running out for both of them. The strange inhabitants of Area 51 desperately need both of their help, and a rebellion is coming.