Awesome Books

It may sound like the plot from some ridiculous zombie movie, but Joe Schreiber’s Deathtroopers is the real deal: it’s the first Star Wars horror novel, due out before Halloween ’09.

Jane Austen is clawing her way out of her grave: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies somehow blends witty repartee, blood-soaked battlefields and hordes of flesh-eating undead. Thanks, Kyle!

Filled with 240 pages of creative, quirky gadgets, Steve Greenberg’s Gadget Nation covers gems like Personalized Marshmallow Sticks and My Pet Fat, a simulated piece of human fat.

These 1960s-style paperback covers actually show off contemporary movies including Shaun of the Dead and Big; made by Mitch Ansara, they’re a funky blend of cinema and literature.

With Yankee Stadium now a part of history, we think The Yankee Years makes a fitting bookend; it’s a delicious, behind the scenes look at the Joe Torre era, written by Joe himself.

It’s a bit out there, but The Next 100 Years forecasts the next century of world events; it’s written by George Friedman, whose clients include the Fortune 500 and foreign gov’t agencies.

We figured that any book with NPH on the cover is worth a look, and The Bro Code doesn’t disappoint; filled with 150 bro commandments, it’s a must for How I Met Your Mother fans.

Easily one of the most prolific artists around, Chuck Anderson has released Wandering Off Into Space, a gorgeous 64-page book filled with his art; it’s limited to 2k pieces.

Michael Phelps may be milking his moment of fame, but No Limits: The Will to Succeed is an Amazon top seller and getting positive reviews from both athletes and casual readers.

With booby trap plans and fake dog poop aplenty, this 174 page Practical Joker’s Handbook is a prankster’s paradise; your friends and coworkers will never know what hit ’em.

DC Comics fans should pick up The DC Vault; it’s a 192 page “museum in a book” of memorabilia and collectibles stretching back to the 30s, including early sketches and covers.

Got movie buff friends? Packed with over 1,500 examples from 15 countries over the past 60 years, Modern Movie Posters is a giant 500-page coffee table book for cinemaphiles.

Kotaku’s Brian Ashcraft puts his time spent in Japan to good use with Arcade Mania; it explores the land of the rising sun’s game centers and the powerful hold gaming has on Japanese culture.

With the job market in the tank, Johnny Burko is a timely read for 21st century job seekers: it mixes manga-style illustrations with six essential steps to building your career.

There’s nothing quite like Denis Leary’s legendary rants, so we’re looking forward to Why We Suck: his new book explores why we’re fatter, dumber and lazier than ever. Thanks, Thomas!

We have to wonder how palatable Wookie Cookies are, but these two Star Wars Cookbooks with 50 recipes are going for only $15: perfect if you’re going to the Jedi culinary academy.

Neo-Aztecs, floating cities and space zombies are either a recipe for total disaster or pure genius; fortunately, we think Tobias Buckell’s Sly Mongoose is space opera at its finest.

Written by BBC beer correspondent (yes, they actually have one) Tim Hampson, The Beer Book is 352 sudsy pages that cover everything from history and types of beer to brewing techniques.

We’re big fans of eBoy’s pixel art so we’re pretty stoked with Pixorama, a 14-page full-color book with eight of his prints; it’s printed on thick cardboard stock with rounded corners.

The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy is perhaps a bit too deep, with questions about Link’s free will and Hyrulean society; it’s perfect for those who prefer pondering over pillaging.

Need help with the Jedi SATs, young Padawan? Obsessed with Star Wars is packed with 2,500 bits of Star Wars trivia; it also includes an electronic gizmo that’ll quiz you and keep score.

Critical thinking champion and Bad Astronomy founder Phil Plait has written Death from the Skies. It’s a collection of plausible end of the world scenarios, sans the 2012 doomsday hype.

Street Fighter Tribute commemorates the 20th anniversary of the franchise and is packed with original illustrations, including 200 brand-new pieces from artists around the world.

Liquid City is a beautifully illustrated urban anthology of comics from artists primarily based in Southeast Asia. Stories vary from charming to post apocalyptic and can be previewed here.

Available 11/25, Halo: The Cole Protocol is the sixth Halo novel; it’s written by Nebula Award-winning author Tobias S. Buckell and reveals the location of the missing Spartan Gray Team.

Have you ever wanted to do more than simply design for clients? The Design Entrepreneur is filled with stories of individuals who took their art and turned it into products.