If James J. Butcher ’s name sound conversant , particularly in a “ author of urban fantasy books ” setting , that ’s because he ’s the Word of well - sellingDresden Files writer Jim Butcher . The younger Butcher continue his Unorthodox Chronicles with the abide by - up tolast twelvemonth ’s Dead Man ’s Hand — and io9 has a first spirit to partake in today .
The Bible is forebode Long Past due , it go far October 10 , and here ’s what it ’s about :
Against all odds , Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby has become an attender , enforce practice of law about thaumaturgy for Boston ’s Department of Unorthodox Affairs . But Grimsby before long realizes the casual grind of his job is far removed from the glamour he reckon . overlook for every exciting case , Grimsby tire of being state to handle terrestrial sorcerous troubles , and appropriates a case file intended for a protagonist .
Image: Ace Hardcover
Alongside Leslie Mayflower , the temporarily unretired Huntsman , Grimsby aims to crack the case and discover the origin of a unusual , bare ritual — one that seems to copy the handiwork of a foe Mayflower put down twenty days ago .
Together , they ’ll have to parcel out with escaped werewolves , a cursed artefact , and a perilous journeying to the mystic subterranean metropolis below Boston , all to bring out the shocking true statement . At any monetary value , Grimsby must cease this ritual from finally being completed . Yet the cost may be pay not by himself but by his supporter . . . .
Here ’s a flavour at the full cover , exemplify by Chris McGrath and designed by Adam Auerbach ( and making its debut here on io9 ! ) , followed by an exclusive selection from the first chapter .
Image: Ace Hardcover
Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby slid his enchanted bicycle to a stop on the cracked sidewalk leading up to the house ’s Dominicus - scour door . Green electric discharge scranch from the rear geartrain as his Torque spell attempt nudge the cycle forth , but he hold it in position with the handbrakes as he gauged the structure . This finicky edifice was worn , even for the quaint standard of Hyde Park , just a narrow assembling of cut off brick , cracked timber , and rusted fixtures , not unlike the others grind away in on either side of it .
He wiped at the exertion on his brow with the loose sleeve of his outsized courtship - jacket before rip a shut down paper from his pocket . He doubly - go over the reference , then lean his bike against the short wall that guard the narrow yard of wild , overgrown Mary Jane , shore up the ever - spin roulette wheel up off the ground , where it spun in the still good afternoon air like a windmill . Even from the broken - hinge gate , he could smell out warm spring atmosphere was dampened by the odor of mold and something wet and biting .
His step grind over sun - cracked concrete and creaked on the sometime porch as he approached the doorway , and all the way he could n’t help but feel eyes on him . It made a shiver front crawl through the knotty burning scrape along his unexpended side , like ice piddle nervure from his fingertips all the elbow room up the side of his neck . He expunge at the wizard and shook aside the nervous opinion , force himself to remain as inflexible and professional as he could .
He was an Auditor now , after all .
Though it did n’t exactly find like he had always imagined it would .
He rapped his knuckle joint on the brave out threshold , the rough control surface stripped clean of paint by sunsets and carelessness . His rap sounded little , almost shallow , and no reply came from within .
He scowled and knocked more steadfastly , making his knuckles ache , until he was sure the occupant must have heard . It was the last name on his leaning , and he would n’t return to the Department before checking it off . lowly task or not , he ’d get the job done .
Footsteps creaked inside the house , drawing slowly closer . Grimsby saw the spyhole in the doorway darken as someone on the other side peer through , then heard the clatter and clack valve of multiple deadbolts and locks unwind and recede .
The room access unfold a crack , and a portly face with red-faced eye and gangling locks of dark , sinewy hair peered out from within , “ Yeah ? ”
“ Samuel Goode ? ” Grimsby asked , trying to attend impose yet respectable as he imitate Auditors he had met in the past times , though he had choose to waive their traditional white field - mask in favor of his specs . The masks were for when things got horrible , and he expected today to be as banal as any other .
The man ’s face was smooth and shiny with sweat , but the circles around his heart were deep and dour , cracked with more sleepless line of reasoning than the paving material out of doors , “ Tentatively . Who ’s asking ? ”
“ I am Auditor Grimsby , ” he pronounce , still feeling a tingle of excitation at that finical pair of run-in , though it had slightly dulled over the last few calendar week . stimulate home calls and mount his cycle was n’t exactly what he had in judgement a few months ago , when he received his badge , although it had been much more than he had ask before that .
Goode eyed Grimsby ’s outfit and scoffed , “ for a while to go for Halloween , Thomas Kid . fall back when you fit in pappa ’s suit . ”
He set about to shut the doorway , but Grimsby slid his animal foot in the path . He instantly regretted the decision as the man ’s idle forte nearly rick his foot against the doorway ’s human body . Samuel Goode was a lot stronger than he count , though Grimsby supposed most Therians must be .
He sting back a yelping and draw his Department badge , a bifold of leather with a pentangle embed in a silver buckler within and his name below , “ I ’m afraid I ’m a literal Auditor , Mr. Goode , ” he say , trying to keep his voice straight over the pain of a likely - stubbed toe , “ I just need a moment of your fourth dimension . ”
Goode appear at the badge in disbelief , then back at Grimsby , “ If you ’re a real Auditor , where ’s your mate ? I call back you guys never fly solo—. ”
Grimsby feel his stomach dip at the mention of a mate , and burn back an unprofessional answer . Before he could add up up with an appropriate substitute , however , Goode peek behind him and a grinning draw in his face .
“ hold off , ” he said , his smile wolfish , “ Did you ride a bike here ? ”
Grimsby tried to keep his face even , but felt his fingers squeeze fast around the badge as he put it off , “ May I do in ? ”
Goode sighed , though a smirk still litter his face , “ Fine , whatever , Mister Auditor . ”
He give the door wider and stepped aside . He wore a duad of stained cargo shorts and a T - shirt that had a sloppy , indecipherable logo on it , though it was of a style that looked to be for a heavy metallic element band . Now close to him , Grimsby could say the olfactory property he sense outdoors had fall from Goode himself .
Grimsby put down , though the house was so dark it took his eyes a moment to correct . Every windowpane had been coated with layers of curtains , bed plane held up by pushpin , or even tin foil glued to the glass . The few threads of light that manage to stray their mode inside shone in the drifting dust like crossbeams .
Sam must have notice Grimsby examining the source of the faintness , “ The light gives me a headache . It ’s part of my … condition , ” he say , “ And no , I ’m not a psychopath . ”
“ Oh , good , because that ’s exactly what a non - sociopath would say , ” Grimsby said , shaking his school principal , “ No , Mr. Goode , I ’m here because — “
“ You ’re my new zookeeper ? ” He need .
“ Well — I would n’t call it that . As a register Therian , I ’m here to insure you ’re prepared for your come period of compulsory institution . I require to — ”
Goode interrupt him in a stuffy voice , “ ‘ verify I am ready for a menses of hitch lasting no less than three days , beginning not later than twenty - four hour before the apex of the lunar cycle ’ blah , blah , blah , ” He sighed bitterly , using his bridge player to mime a drogue puppet talking , “ Yeah , kid , I ’ve pick up the speech before . Every calendar month , really , so yeah , I know why you ’re here . So , which is it ? ”
Grimsby frowned , changeable if he had miss some circumstance , “ I ’m sorry ? ”
“ If you ’re here , that means you ’re on Department house - call duty . Which means you ’re either the new guy , or you draw the short straw . So , which is it ? ”
“ Well , I — ” he lead off , brook up a little straight .
“ Modern guy cable , of course , ” Sam flout , “ heed up , fresh guy cable . I know the deal , okay ? I ’ve been going to the John Cage since I was thirteen . I have n’t overleap it once , and I ’m not exit to miss it this prison term . ”
Grimsby felt vexation crawl into his jaw and prickle his scalp . He say he should n’t have been surprised at the flippant attitude . Goode was a Therian with a speckless phonograph recording of Asylum attendance , it was why the task to make trusted he was inclined to for the coming full - moonlight was one of Grimsby ’s many dully routine project . He supposed he would be get at too if someone with a badge show up every night to prompt him to brush his tooth .
Though the posture was n’t what bothered him .
What bothered him was Sam had been whole correct in his assumption .
Grimsby was the Modern cat .
It had been six months since he got his badge , and he had been doing nothing but busy piece of work since . House calls , register complaints , write citations for minor magic offense , like kids hexing their teacher ’s hair to fall out . His most exciting instant to date was when he to corral a rogue Familiar , though it had only been a rabbit , much more accomplishable than some of the others he had confront in the yesteryear .
Much more .
He had dream of being an Auditor all his life-time , imagining what it would be like during his long shifts as a minimum - earnings youngster ’s wizard . He had cook up every scenario and figure in his forefront .
But he never once woolgather it would be boring .
Excerpt from James J. Butcher ’s Long Past Dues reprinted by permit of Ace Hardcover .
Long Past Dues by James J. Butcher publish October 10 ; you may pre - order a copyhere .
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