YA Steampunk author Gail Carriger is one of dozens of guests at the Tucson Festival of Books.

The Tucson Festival of Books announced its guests for 2015 and there are a few sci-fi/fantasy heavyweights appearing this year.

Literary supergroup The Rock Bottom Remainders are reuniting for the Tucson Festival of Books.

Founded in 2009, the festival, which is held on the University of Arizona campus, has grown into one of the largest book festivals in the country, attracting dozens of authors in a variety of fields. This year’s guest list boasts such luminaries as Scott Turow, Joyce Carol Oates, Mitch Albom and radical linguist Noam Chomsky. Of course the big event will be the reunion of the Rock Bottom Remainders — Dave Barry, Stephen King and Amy Tan’s rock band.

Valley author Sam Sykes is travelling to Tucson for the Festival of Books.

But we’re here to talk about sci-fi…

The sci-fi/fantasy lineup features over a dozen Arizona authors, including Relentless Reading faves Beth Cato and Sam Sykes, as well as military fantasy author Weston Ochse, epic fantasist Dennis McKiernan and sci-fi romance writer Gini Koch.

Joining the locals will be a handful of national stars:

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  Elizabeth Bear’s new steampunk novel “Karen Memory” will be available in time for the Tucson Festival.

  Elizabeth Bear — Fresh from her acclaimed, Mongol-inspired fantasy trilogy “The Eternal Sky” with The Steles of the Sky, the Hugo-winning Bear has switched gears to steampunk for her latest Karen Memory, which hits stores in February.

• Gail Carriger— The author of the popular YA steampunk series “The Parasol Protectorate” is kicking off a new series, “The Custard Protocol”. The first novel, Prudence, hits stores on March 17. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were copies available at the Festival, however.
• 

  Deborah Harkness’s best-selling “The Book of Life” wraps up the “All Soul’s Trilogy”.

  Deborah Harkness— Blending urban fantasy and paranormal romance with a strain of well-researched historical fiction, her acclaimed “All Souls’ Trilogy” has been a fixture on the New York Times bestseller list. The finale, The Book of Life hit stores last summer.

• 

  Scott Lynch will meet fans and talk about his “Gentleman Bastards” series at the Tucson Festival.

  Scott Lynch — The fan-fave Lynch is busy at work on The Thorn of Emberlain, the fourth novel in his bestselling “Gentleman Bastards” series, which follows the adventures of thief/raconteur Locke Lamora and his friend Jean.

• 

  Mary Doria Russell’s acclaimed “The Sparrow” follows a Jesuit priest on an ill-fated interstellar mission of first contact.

  Mary Doria Russell — This speculative fiction author first wowed fans in 1996 with The Sparrow, a harrowing look at first contact through the eyes of an idealistic Jesuit priest and the 1998 sequel Children of God. Since then she has dabbled in historical fiction and westerns (Doc). 

The festival runs from March 14-15, 2015, with the Rock Bottom Remainders performing on March 13. Admission is free, but tickets are required for the Rock Bottom Remainders show. Visit the website for complete author list and event schedule.

—Michael Senft