Seen in January

+ Ackroyd, Peter The Plato Papers (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday 0-385-49768-7, $21.95, 173pp, hc, February 2000) First US edition (UK: Chatto & Windus April 1999). Literary SF novel set in London A.D. 3700 where Plato orates on history, especially about the Age of Mouldwarp, A.D. 1500-2300. Reviewed by Faren Miller in the September 1999 Locus. Amazon has Kirkus review. Dust jacket as a blurb from John Clute. (Sat 22 Jan 2000)

* Aldiss, Brian, & Roger Penrose White Mars
(UK: Little Brown UK 0-316-85243-0, £16.99, 323pp, hc, November 1999)
SF novel, subtitled ''Or, The Mind Set Free: A 21st Century Utopia''. Though it doesn't say so anywhere in the book, this is presumably Aldiss's response to Kim Stanley Robinson's Red-Green-Blue trilogy. The review on Amazon.co.uk by Roz Kaveney confirms this and calls this ''a wise book and also a knowledgeable one''. The US edition is coming from St. Martin's in April. (Thu 27 Jan 2000)

* Baker, Kage Mendoza in Hollywood (Harcourt 0-15-100448-x, $24, 334pp, hc, February 2000) Baker's third novel, and third novel about 'the Company', a mysterious organization of time travelers; follows In the Garden of Iden and Sky Coyote. Amazon has Kirkus review, and two very positive reader reviews. (Wed 12 Jan 2000)

+ Banks, Iain M. Inversions
(Pocket 0-671-03668-8, $23.95, 343pp, hc, February 2000, cover by Brian Baley)
First US edition (UK: Orbit June 1998). SF novel, reviewed by Faren Miller in the September 1998 Locus. Amazon has its own review by J.B. Peck, plus reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Science Fiction Weekly. (Fri 28 Jan 2000)

+ Baxter, Stephen Manifold: Time (Del Rey 0-345-43075-1, $24, 440pp, hc, January 2000) First US edition (UK: HarperCollins/Voyager August 1999). SF novel, published in the UK as Time: Manifold I. Portions, as the ''Saddle Point'' stories about Reid Malefant, have been previously published in SF Age magazine. Amazon has Booklist and Kirkus reviews. Reviewed by Gary K. Wolfe in the August 1999 issue of Locus. (Tue 4 Jan 2000)

* Boston, Bruce The Lesions of Genetic Sin (Miniature Sun Press 0-9676666-0-0, $4, broadside, January 2000) Long poem, published in a press run of 200 copies, 125 of them numbered and signed by the author. Order from Miniature Sun Press, PO Box 11002, Napa, California 94581; or e-mail miniaturesunpress@hotmail.com. (Sat 8 Jan 2000)

Cherryh, C.J. The Faded Sun Trilogy (DAW 0-88677-869-7, $7.99, 775pp, pb, January 2000, cover by Michael Whelan) Omnibus volume of three novels from early in Cherryh's career, The Faded Sun: Kesrith (1978; Hugo and Nebula nominee), The Faded Sun: Shon'jir (1978), and The Faded Sun: Kutath (1979). Previously published as an omnibus by Methuen (UK) in 1987. (Sat 22 Jan 2000)

* Hamilton, Laurell K. Obsidian Butterfly (Ace 0-441-00684-1, $21.95, 386pp, hc, January 2000) An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novel. Amazon has its own review, by Nona Vero. Reviewed by Carolyn Cushman in the December 1999 Locus. (Wed 12 Jan 2000)

* Ing, Dean Firefight Y2K (Baen 0-671-57848-0, $6.99, 313pp, pb, January 2000, cover by Larry Elmore) Collection of fiction and nonfiction, a revision/update of Firefight 2000 (Baen June '87). (Sat 8 Jan 2000)

+ Jacques, Brian The Legend of Luke (Philomel 0-399-23490-x, $22.95, 374pp, hc, January 2000, cover by Troy Howell) First US edition (UK: Hutchinson July 1999). A Tale from Redwall; 12th book in the YA fantasy series. Amazon has a review by Susan Harrison. (Sat 22 Jan 2000)

* Johnson, Kij The Fox Woman
(Tor 0-312-85429-3, $24.95, 382pp, hc, January 2000, cover by Susan Seddon Boulet)
Fantasy novel based on medieval Japanese legends; reviewed by Faren Miller in the January 2000 Locus. Amazon has Booklist and Kirkus reviews, plus (5-star) reader reviews from Bridget McKenna and Chris McKitterick. (Fri 28 Jan 2000)

+ Joyce, Graham Indigo
(Pocket 0-671-03937-7, $23.95, 258pp, hc, January 2000)
First US edition (UK: Michael Joseph July 1999). Enigmatic thriller, maybe fantasy, maybe horror; reviewed by Faren Miller in the November 1999 Locus. Amazon has mixed reader reviews. (Tue 25 Jan 2000)

Lynn, Elizabeth A. The Dancers of Arun (Ace 0-441-00687-6, $13, 245pp, tpb, January 2000, cover by Judy York) Reprint (Berkley-Putnam July 1979). Second volume in the Chronicles of Tornor trilogy, following Watchtower, which won the World Fantasy Award in 1980. (This book was nominated the same year.) (Sat 22 Jan 2000)

+ MacLeod, Ken The Stone Canal (Tor 0-312-87053-1, $24.95, 304pp, hc, January 2000) First US edition (UK: Legend September 1996). SF novel; the author's second novel, a precursor to The Cassini Division, published last year by Tor as his US debut. Amazon has Kirkus review. (Fri 7 Jan 2000)

* Matthews, Susan R. Avalanche Soldier (Avon Eos 0-380-80315-1, $6.5, 251pp, pb, December 1999) SF novel. Amazon has a statement from the author. Carolyn Cushman's review will appear in the February 2000 Locus. (Tue 11 Jan 2000)

* McDevitt, Jack Infinity Beach
(HarperPrism 0-06-105123-3, $25, 435pp, hc, February 2000, cover by Craig Attebery)
SF novel about SETI. (Tue 25 Jan 2000)

* Riley, Judith Merkle The Master of All Desires (Viking 0-670-88450-2, $26.95, 386pp, hc, November 1999, cover by Kuniko Y. Craft) Historical novel with fantasy elements, set in 1556 Paris; Nostradamus is involved. Just selected by Library Journal's reviewer as one of the best SF books of 1999. Amazon has Kirkus review. (Wed 12 Jan 2000)

* Sturgeon, Theodore Baby is Three: Volume VI: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon
(North Atlantic Books 1-55643-319-0, $30, 12+424pp, hc, October 1999, cover by Richard Powers)
Collection of stories from Sturgeon's most fruitful period, the early 1950s, edited by Paul Williams and with a foreword by David Crosby (yes, the Crosby-Stills-Nash-Young David Crosby). [Seen earlier; late listing.] (Fri 28 Jan 2000)

* Wolfe, Gene Strange Travelers (Tor 0-312-87227-5, $25.95, 383pp, hc, January 2000) Collection of 15 stories, including ''The Ziggurat'', ''Counting Cats in Zanzibar'', ''The Man in the Pepper Mill'', ''Useful Phrases'', and Hugo-nominated ''No Planets Strike''; Wolfe's first new collection in a decade. Amazon has Kirkus review, and a reader review from Patrick O'Leary. (Fri 7 Jan 2000)

+ Wurts, Janny Grand Conspiracy
(HarperPrism 0-06-105219-1, $26, 626pp, hc, January 2000, cover by Janny Wurts)
First US edition (UK: HarperCollins/Voyager November 1999). Fantasy novel; it is both the ''Second Book of the Alliance of Light'' and ''The Wars of Light and Shadow Third Part'' (Fri 28 Jan 2000)