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February 1999

This page lists selected new science fiction, fantasy, and horror books published this month as seen in bookstores or received (by Locus Online) as review copies. This listing is independent of the comprehensive Books Received listings in Locus Magazine, which are accumulated as the online Locus Index.

Key: * = first edition, + = first US edition. Date with publisher info is official publication month; date in parentheses at paragraph end is date seen or received.


* Barnes, John Finity (Tor 0-312-86118-4, $22.95, 303pp, hc, March 1999) SF novel about virtual reality and alternate reality. Gary K. Wolfe in the February Locus: ''Barnes's use of VR is one of the most inventive I've seen yet, and Finity, despite its graceless lumps of exposition… is a fine example of what is becoming a rarity in SF or anywhere else: a geniune adventure of ideas, set in a world that is the pure product of ideas, and driven by characters who actually seem to think about ideas'' (Thu 18 Feb 1999)

* Codrescu, Andrei Messiah (Simon & Schuster 0-684-80314-3, $25.00, 366pp, hc, February 1999) Millennial SF novel by the essayist, novelist, and NPR commentator. Locus reviewer Faren Miller wrote in the November 1998 issue: ''a strange, spicy Slavic stew/New Orleans gumbo of a Second Coming (while some await Apocalypse) … In this wild -- and wildly entertaining -- tale, Codrescu satirizes fads, politics, and culture..'' (Mon 1 Feb 1999)

* Gardner, James Alan Vigilant (Avon Eos 0-380-80208-2, $5.99, 374pp, pb, March 1999) SF adventure novel with the same setting as the author's first novel. Carolyn Cushman in the January Locus: ''There are some improbable moments, but fewer and less distracting than in Expendable...''. (Sat 13 Feb 1999)

+ Kay, Guy Gavriel Sailing to Sarantium (HarperPrism 0-06-105117-9, $24.00, 399pp, hc, March 1999, cover by Keith Birdsong) First US edition (UK/Canada: Simon & Schuster/Earthlight/Viking Canada September 1998). First volume of a duology, ''The Sarantine Mosaic'', this is a quasi-historical novel clearly based on Byzantium, the setting for some of Kay's earlier novels; reviewed by Faren Miller in the October 1998 Locus and named one of the year's ''top-notch fantasies'' in her year-end review (February 1999). (Fri 5 Feb 1999)

* King, Stephen Storm of the Century: An Original Screenplay (Pocket Books 0-671-03264-x, $15.00, 19+376pp, tpb, February 1999) Teleplay for the ABC miniseries to be broadcast next week; with an introduction by the author. (Mon 1 Feb 1999)

* Leigh, Stephen Speaking Stones (Avon Eos 0-380-79914-6, $5.99, 15+330pp, pb, March 1999) SF novel. (Thu 18 Feb 1999)

+ Martin, George R.R. A Clash of Kings (Bantam Spectra 0-553-10803-4, $25.95, 761pp, hc, February 1999, cover by Stephen Youll) First US edition (UK: HarperCollins/Voyager November 1998). Second volume in Martin's acclaimed fantasy series (now projected to a total of 6 volumes); follow-up to A Game of Thrones; among Locus editor Charles N. Brown's favorite fantasy novels of 1998: ''although I hardly ever read series books, Martin caught me''. (Fri 5 Feb 1999)

+ McCaffrey, Anne Nimisha's Ship (Del Rey 0-345-38825-9, $25.00, 388pp, hc, February 1999, cover by Michael Herring) First US edition (UK: Bantam UK December 1998). SF novel, reviewed by Carolyn Cushman in the February '99 Locus: ''a pallid imitation of McCaffrey's previous colony books… [A]n entertaining, if derivative, adventure.'' (Fri 5 Feb 1999)

+ Pratchett, Terry The Last Continent (HarperPrism 0-06-105048-2, $24.00, 292pp, hc, March 1999) First US edition (UK: Doubleday May 1998). Yet another novel of Discworld; reviewed by Carolyn Cushman in the October '98 Locus: ''Pratchett's definitely on his stride… A hilarious time for all.'' (Fri 5 Feb 1999)

* Simmons, Dan The Crook Factory (Avon 0-380-97368-5, $24.00, 9+436pp, hc, March 1999) Suspense novel about Ernest Hemingway in Cuba in the 1940s; reviewed by Gary K. Wolfe in the January '99 Locus, the book ''is not SF at all (except in terms of technique), but rather a sophisticated historical espionage thriller with apparent aspirations to becoming a pop bestseller.'' (Tue 9 Feb 1999)

* Turtledove, Harry Colonization: Second Contact (Del Rey 0-345-43019-0, $25.95, 486pp, hc, February 1999, cover by Tim O'Brien) SF novel. (Fri 5 Feb 1999)

* Waitman, Katie The Divided (Del Rey 0-345-41437-3, $12.95, 358pp, tpb, February 1999, cover by Cliff Nielsen) The author's second novel, following The Merro Tree, is ''lost-colony SF with a fantasy feel'' according to Carolyn Cushman in the January '99 Locus. (Fri 5 Feb 1999)

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