+ Chadbourn, Mark : The Queen of Sinister
(Pyr 978-1-61614-200-1, $16, 309pp, trade paperback, June 2010, cover illustration John Picacio)
• Dark Age #2

Fantasy novel, second in the "Dark Age" trilogy following The Devil in Green (2010), set in the same magical Britain of the "Age of Misrule" novels (World's End, Darkest Hour, and Always Forever).
• In this book a suburban doctor travels to the Celtic Otherworld in search of a plague cure.
• Pyr's website has this description.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review: "Chadbourn fills the twisty narrative with history, myth, fairies, ghosts, unusual undead, and links to his earlier Age of Misrule works. Notes of optimism and enthusiasm around recreating human civilization are tempered by the realization of how much suffering this new world order would entail..."

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* Daniells, Rowena Cory : The Uncrowned King
(UK: Solaris 978-0-907519-04-8, £7.99, 396pp, mass market paperback, August 2010, cover art Clint Langley)
• King Rolen's Kin #2

Fantasy novel, second in the "King Rolen's Kin" trilogy following The King's Bastard, set in a kingdom where those afflicted with "Affinity" must serve in the royal abbey.
• Solaris' site has this description with an author bio.
• Series site http://king-rolens-kin.com/ has blog posts by the author, and a book trailer.

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* Del Franco, Mark : Face Off
(Ace 978-0-441-01903-8, $7.99, 322pp, mass market paperback, August 2010, cover art Chris Corozza)
• Laura Blackstone #2

Fantasy novel, second in the "Laura Blackstone" series following Skin Deep (2009), concerning the PR director for the Fey Guild who doubles as a secret agent.
• The author's site has this page about the book, with a PDF first chapter excerpt.

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* Egan, Greg : Zendegi
(UK: Gollancz 978-0-575-08617-3, £18.99, 332pp, hardcover, June 2010, cover illustration Greg Egan)

Near-future SF novel set in Iran, about the Human Connectome Project to construct a detailed map of the wiring of the human brain, and a virtual world called Zendegi.
• Egan's site has this page with a description, an excerpt, and several pages of Egan's diary describing his visits to Iran.
• The book is due in the US from Night Shade Books; their edition was originally due in June, simultaneously with the UK Gollancz edition, but is currently scheduled for September.
• Amazon's page for the US edition has starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Booklist; PW says "Egan creates a thought-provoking, intensely personal story about conflicting instincts and desires as technology recapitulates humanity."
• Russell Letson reviews it in the August issue of Locus Magazine: "This book satisfies the claims that SF has to being an art form as fully engaged with the worlds of the family and the community as it is with those of the laboratory, the machine shop, the space habitat, or the computational environment. Egan's aliens and post-human personalities are engaging, sympathetic, and understandable creations. When he turns his attention to ordinary humans, living in a world that is just around the corner from our own, he will break your heart." The full review is posted here.

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* Glass, Seressia : Shadow Chase
(Pocket Books/Juno 978-1-4391-5877-7, $7.99, 339pp, mass market paperback, August 2010)
• Shadowchasers #2

Urban fantasy novel, second in the Shadowchasers series following Shadow Blade (Feb. 2010), about Atlanta antiquities expert Kira Solomon.
• The publisher's site has this description with a "browse inside" function.
• The author's site also has a description.

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* Golden, Christopher, & Tim Lebbon : The Chamber of Ten
(Ballantine Spectra 978-0-553-38656-1, $7.99, 369pp, mass market paperback, August 2010)
• Hidden Cities #3

Horror thriller, third book in the loose "Hidden Cities" sequence following Mind the Gap (2008), set in London, and The Map of Moments (2009), set in New Orleans.
• This one is set in Venice, as archaeologists uncover the lost library of Petrarch, and behind it, the fabled Chamber of Ten.
• Series site Novels of the Hidden Cities hasn't been updated for this book, but has descriptions of the first two.
• The publisher's site has this description with a preview function.

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* Harrison, Harry : The Stainless Steel Rat Returns
(Tor 978-0-7653-2441-2, $24.99, 304pp, hardcover, August 2010)
• Stainless Steel Rat #11

Humorous SF novel, the first new book in over a decade in the series about Slippery Jim DiGriz, a Special Corps agent and con man in the 35th century.
• In this book Jim is pursued by relatives wanting a piece of his fortune.
• Tor's site has this description, which calls it a "darkly satiric work".
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, which finds the series' 1960s origins "painfully obvious".
• Wikipedia's entry for Stainless Steel Rat has descriptions of the 10 previous books, and analyses of the characters.

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* Jamieson, Trent : Death Most Definite
(Orbit 978-0-316-07800-9, $7.99, 326pp, mass market paperback, August 2010, cover illustration Richard Jones)
• Steven de Selby #1

Humorous urban fantasy novel, the author's first novel and first in the "Steven de Selby" series, about a Brisbane businessman who sends souls to the afterlife.
• Parent publisher Hachette's site has this description with a preview function.
• Orbit's site has a post by the author describing his home city of Brisbane, plus an this descripton with quotes from numerous reviews.
• Orbit's site has this post by the author about her "different kind of fantasy heroine: the pregnant, short-sighted scholar..."
• Amazon has three 5-star reader reviews.

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* Lore, Pittacus : I Am Number Four
(HarperCollins 978-0-06-196955-3, $17.99, 440pp, hardcover, August 2010)
• Lorien Legacies #1

Young adult SF novel about nine alien children from Lorien hiding out on Earth from evil Mogadarians who so far have killed three, with the narrator due to be targeted next.
• The book is being heavily promoted, with "Pittacus Lore" being a pseudonym for James Frey and Jobie Hughes. The publisher's site has this description plus a special book site with news, character descriptions, blurbs, and quotes from reviews.
• The film version is due for release in February 2011.
• Reader reviews are mixed, though Amazon includes it among its Best Books of the Month for August 2010: "This is the first of a slated multi-book series that, judging by this first book, will help reinvigorate a traditional YA genre that's grown a bit light on strong character development. So, gear-up sci-fi fans, the battle for Earth is on and there's a new kid in town!"

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+ Mann, George : The Osiris Ritual
(Tor 978-0-7653-2321-7, $24.99, 319pp, hardcover, August 2010, jacket art Viktor Koen)
• Newbury & Hobbes Investigations #2 First US edition (UK: Snowbooks, July 2009)

Steampunk SF novel set in an alternate early-20th century London, second in a series following The Affinity Bridge (UK 2008, US 2009).
• This book concerns an Egyptian mummy that wakes up inside the British Museum, and a villain bent on achieving immortality.
• Tor's site has this description.
• The author's website has this page about the series, with US and UK cover images, descriptions, and links to a timeline and to some Newbury & Hobbes short stories.
• Amazon's "Look Inside" function includes an excerpt.
• Adrienne Martini reviews the book in the August issue of Locus Magazine.

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* Mead, Richelle : Spirit Bound
(Razorbill 978-1595142504, $17.99, 489pp, hardcover, May 2010)
• Vampire Academy #5

Young adult vampire romance novel, fifth in the "Vampire Academy" series following the title debut novel (2007), Frostbite (2008), Shadow Kiss (2008), and Blood Promise (2009).
• The publisher's site has a Vampire Academy subsite, with this page for the book and an excerpt.
• The book spent several weeks on bestseller lists beginning June 1st, when it debuted at #1 on USA Today's list.
• Amazon has over 100 5-star reader reviews.

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* Meding, Kelly : As Lie the Dead
(Dell 978-0-553-59287-0, $7.99, 423pp, mass market paperback, August 2010, cover art Cliff Nielsen)
• Dreg City #2

Urban fantasy novel, second in the "Dreg City" series about supernatural bounty hunter Evangeline Stone who is killed and resurrected in someone else's body, following Three Days to Dead (2009).
• In this book Evy discovers a conspiracy as she fights to protect the race of shapeshifters.
• The publisher's site has this description with an excerpt.
• Amazon has reader reviews.

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* Modesitt, L. E., Jr. : Imager's Intrigue
(Tor 978-0-7653-2562-4, $27.99, 495pp, hardcover, July 2010, jacket art Donato Giancola)
• Imager #3

Fantasy novel, third book in the Imager Portfolio trilogy following Imager (March 2009) and Imager's Challenge (Oct. 2009), about an apprentice artist who discovers his rare ability to visualize things and make them real.
• Tor's website has this description with an excerpt.
• Amazon has the Booklist review by Frieda Murray: "Modesitt has drawn a superb portrait of an honest and powerful man handed a crisis that even he may not be able to handle. ... This is an extremely satisfying conclusion to the Imager Portfolio, but given the problems facing Rhenn at the end of the novel, Modesitt fans will be pleased and not surprised if we see more of Rhennthyl in the future."

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* Moore, Moira J. : Heroes Return
(Ace 978-0-441-01952-6, $7.99, 358pp, mass market paperback, August 2010, cover art Eric Williams)
• Heroes #5

Fantasy novel, fifth in the "Heroes" series following Resenting the Hero (2006), The Hero Strikes Back (2006), Heroes Adrift (2008), and Heroes Return (2009), about a bonded pair, Source and Shield, who protect their land.
• In this book the pair are assigned to protect the duchy of Westsea-Taro's ancestral lands.
• Amazon has reader reviews.

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* Rowley, Christopher : The Bloodstained Man
(Tor/Heavy Metal Pulp 978-0-7653-2389-7, $14.99, 254pp, trade paperback, June 2010, cover art Gregory Manchess)
• Netherworld #2

SF noir detective novel, second in the "Netherworld" series following Pleasure Model (Feb. 2010), about a detective and a sex-android on the run from government agents. With illustrations by Justin Norman.
• Tor's site has this description.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, and reader reviews.

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* Somers, Jeff : The Terminal State
(Orbit US 978-0-316-06982-3, $7.99, 356pp, mass market paperback, August 2010)
• Avery Cates #4

SF thriller, fourth in a series following The Electric Church (2007), The Digital Plague (2008), and The Eternal Prison (2009), about killer-for-hire Avery Cates.
• Orbit's website has results of a contest for readers to provide voiceovers for characters from the books; winning YouTube clips can be found by mouse-overing images at http://www.theterminalstate.com/.

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* Swann, S. A. : Wolf's Cross
(Spectra 978-0-553-80739-4, $15, 323pp, trade paperback, August 2010, cover illustration Gene Mollica)
• Wolfbreed #2

Fantasy novel, sequel to Wolfbreed (2009), set in 14th-century Prussia, concerning a romance between a young woman, and injured soldier, and one of the werewolves the soldiers are hunting.
• The publisher's site has this description with a preview function.
• Publishers Weekly gave the earlier book a starred review, but said about this one, "Swann's considerable writing skill isn't matched by originality in this historical supernatural romance..."
• Faren Miller reviewed it in the July issue of Locus Magazine: "Swann keeps all this from heading too far into Supernatural Romance territory with the rawness of the setting, an awareness of the social rules that govern men and wolves alike, and a knack for writing action scenes that leads to an extended climax which proves to be clever, moving, and exactly right."

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