* Fforde, Jasper Lost in a Good Book
(UK: Hodder & Stoughton; NEL 0-340-82283-X, £17.99, 372pp, hc/tpb, July 2002)
Meta-fantasy novel, sequel to Fforde's acclaimed first novel The Eyre Affair, about an alternate history where people can interact with the characters in books. The author has an elaborate website, http://www.jasperfforde.com/, that includes news, contests, made-up words, and Thursday Next, concerning the literary detective main character of the books. The Amazon UK page [click title] has a synopsis and a brief excerpt. Jonathan Strahan reviews it in the September Locus Magazine, calling it a "light, fun romp" though "ultimately less successful than last year's debut". A third book is scheduled: The Well of Lost Plots. (Sat 31 Aug 2002)
* Jones, Gwyneth Castles Made of Sand
(UK: Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07032-3, £17.99, 12+356pp, hc/tpb, July 2002, jacket illustration Anne Sudworth)
Near-future rock'n'roll SF novel, sequel to last year's Bold As Love, which won the 2002 Arthur C. Clarke Award for best SF novel published in Britain, and second in a project five-volume sequence loosely patterned after "the rise of Arthur and his betrayal by those closest to him" according to Jonathan Strahan's review in the September Locus Magazine; he calls it "a dark, powerful adult fairy tale" and "a better novel than its predecessor". The author's website for the series has a page for this book with various features and annotations to the book. (Sat 31 Aug 2002)
* Layne, Deborah, & Jay Lake Polyphony, Volume 1
(Wheatland Press 0-9720547-0-7, $16.95, 12+216pp, tpb, August 2002, cover design John Elliott)
Original anthology of 12 stories--first volume in a projected biannual series of 4--by authors including Andy Duncan, Lucius Shepard (a 26-page novelette), Leslie What, Maureen McHugh, Carol Emshwiller, and Bruce Holland Rogers. Rich Horton reviewed the book for Locus Online, noting that the contents are better described as 'slipstream' than as straight SF. The publisher's site has the table of contents, ordering information, and the book's foreword. (Sat 31 Aug 2002)
* Morgan, Richard Altered Carbon
(UK: Orion/Gollancz 0-57507-321-7, £17.99, 404pp, hc, February 2002, cover illustration Chris Moore)
SF novel, a thriller, and a first novel, that has received considerable acclaim in the UK since its publication earlier this year. Set in the 25th (or 26th) century, it's a "noir private-eye investigation" with passages of violence that might put off faint-hearted readers, according to the David Langford review on the Amazon UK page (click on title). Gary K. Wolfe, reviewing it in the February 2002 Locus Magazine, remarked "Despite a tendency toward video-game exploding violence that echoes the early novels of Jon Courtenay Grimwood, it's a crisper, tighter SF mystery than the Brin novel [Kiln People], and its plotting is nothing short of first-rate". Here's another review at Infinity Plus. (Sat 31 Aug 2002)
* Reynolds, Alastair Turquoise Days
(Golden Gryphon Press no isbn, $15.95, 78pp, chap, September 2002, cover illustration Bob Eggleton)
SF novella, first in a new series of chapbooks from Golden Gryphon Press; set in the the same universe as the author's novels Revelation Space, Redemption Ark, etc.; edition limited to 500 copies. The publisher's page has description and details. Reviewed by both Jonathan Strahan and Nick Gevers in the September issue of Locus. (Fri 30 Aug 2002)
* Schafer, William, & Bill Sheehan, eds J.K. Potter's Embrace the Mutation
(Subterranean Press 1-931081-45-x, $40, 334pp, hc, May 2002, cover illustration J.K. Potter)
Original anthology of 13 stories--at least 2 of them, Lucius Shepard's Locus Award-winning novella "Radiant Green Star" and James Morrow's F&SF novelette "The Cat's Pajamas", already published--inspired by a gallery of artworks by J.K. Potter; other writers include Michael Bishop, Elizabeth Hand, Michael Marshall Smith, John Crowley, and Norman Partridge. The publisher's page has details of the various editions: from a $40 trade edition to a $500 signed, traycased edition of 26. The book was reviewed by Nick Gevers in the May Locus Magazine, and by Jonathan Strahan in the April issue; the latter called Hand's "Pavane for a Prince of the Air" "easily the best story". (Sat 31 Aug 2002)
Seen earlier in August:
* Budrys, Algis, ed L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume XVIII
(Galaxy Press 0-59212-052-0, $7.99, 462pp, pb, September 2002, cover art Frank Frazetta)
Original anthology 17 stories, the winners and finalists of the Writers of the Future contest, with illustrations by finalists for the Illustrators of the Future contest, whose grand prizes were just announced last week -- see news story. There are also four essays about writing and illustrating, by L. Ron Hubbard, H.R. Van Dongen, Andre Norton, and Tim Powers. For more about the contest, see http://www.writersofthefuture.com/. (Sat 17 Aug 2002)
* Card, Orson Scott Shadow Puppets
(Tor 0-765-30017-6, $25.95, 348pp, hc, August 2002, jacket art Shane Rebenschied, jacket design Carol Russo Design)
SF novel, latest in the series that began with Hugo- & Nebula-Award winning novels Ender's Game (1985) and Speaker for the Dead (1986) and the more recent parallel series that began with Ender's Shadow in 1999 and continued with last year's Shadow of the Hegemon, which placed 2nd in this year's Locus Poll for best SF novel. This book is the next in that parallel series, and concerns the ambition of Ender's elder brother Peter to restore a sense of purpose to Earth after the foiled alien invasion described in the previous two books. The Amazon page has a review by Jeremy Pugh, and slightly mixed reader reviews. The book is reviewed by Gary K. Wolfe in the September issue of Locus Magazine. You can view a multimedia bookwrap, featuring interviews with Card about various aspects of the book. The author's website features the book's first three chapters. (Mon 19 Aug 2002)
* Datlow, Ellen, & Terri Windling, eds The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Fifteenth Annual Collection
(St. Martin's Griffin 0-312-29069-1, $19.95, 128+542pp, tpb, August 2002, cover art Thomas Canty)
Reprint anthology of 48 stories and poems first published in 2001, by authors including Michael Chabon, Ursula K. Le Guin, Kelly Link, Elizabeth Hand, Graham Joyce, Gene Wolfe, Carol Emshwiller, James P. Blaylock, and many others. Like Dozois's annual SF anthology, the Datlow/Windling annual volume is by far the biggest and most comprehensive of the available fantasy/horror anthologies, and it comes with an encyclopedic overview of the year: a fantasy summary by Windling, a horror summary by Datlow, a media summary by Edward Bryant, a comics summary by Charles Vess, a "manga and anime" summary by Joan D. Vinge, and a compilation of obituaries by James Frenkel. In addition to the stories, there's 14 pages of "honorable mentions", which must surely include virtually every f&h story published last year not already included in the book. Also available in hardcover. The Amazon page has reviews and reader reviews confused with earlier volumes in the series. Gary K. Wolfe reviews the current volume in the August issue of Locus Magazine.
• Links: Ellen Datlow; Terri Windling's Endicott Studio of Mythic Arts.
(Tue 13 Aug 2002)
* David, Peter The Woad to Wuin
(Pocket Books 0-7434-4830-8, $24, 451pp, hc, August 2002, jacket illustration Sonia Hillios, jacket design ZuccaDesign)
Humorous fantasy novel, follow-up to Sir Apropos of Nothing. PW gave this book a starred review, Faren Miller reviews it in the September issue of Locus, and the Amazon page has a Booklist review by Roland Green. The publisher's page has a description and chapter excerpt. (Mon 19 Aug 2002)
* Eskridge, Kelly Solitaire
(HarperCollins/Eos 0-06-008857-5, $24.95, 353pp, hc, September 2002, jacket illustration Bruce Jensen, jacket design Amy Halperin)
SF novel, the author's debut novel, about a woman framed for murder and forced to undergo a harsh punishment in a battered, near-future Earth. Faren Miller's review in the July Locus called it "impressive"; Alyx Dellamonica's review appears in the September issue. Amazon has the Booklist review. The publisher's page has a description and blurbs from the back cover by Le Guin, Powers, Butler, et al. The author's website includes other reviews, and Chapter 1. (Mon 19 Aug 2002)
* Feintuch, David The King
(Ace 0-441-00902-6, $24.95, 508pp, hc, August 2002, jacket illustration Christian McGrath)
Fantasy novel, follow-up to The Still (1997), by an author who made his reputation (and a John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, in 1996) writing military SF novels (the Nicholas Seafort series). Carolyn Cushman reviews the book in the July Locus, remarking on the book's "stunningly abrupt -- but satisfying -- ending".
• Link: David Feintuch Welcomes You.
(Tue 6 Aug 2002)
* Foster, Alan Dean Impossible Places
(Ballantine Del Rey 0-345-45041-8, $6.99, 275pp, pb, September 2002, cover illustration Robert Hunt)
Collection of 20 stories, originally published since 1991, including a new "Pip and Flinx" story, "Sideshow". The Amazon page has a description. The author's website doesn't have anything about this book in particular, but does feature elaborate maps and graphics about Foster's Commonwealth universe. (Mon 19 Aug 2002)
* Gotlieb, Phyllis MindWorlds
(Tor 0-312-87876-1, $24.95, 253pp, hc, May 2002, jacket illustration Allen Douglas)
SF novel about a conspiracy of alien telepaths; third volume in the trilogy that began with Flesh and Gold (1998) and Violent Stars (1999). The Amazon page reprints the PW, Booklist, and other reviews, and Matthew McGowan reviewed it for SF Weekly earlier this year. Gotlieb's website features the first chapter. (Wed 21 Aug 2002)
* Kress, Nancy Probability Space
(Tor 0-765-30170-9, $24.95, 367pp, hc, September 2002, jacket art Bob Eggleton)
SF novel, third in the trilogy that began with Probability Moon and Probability Sun, all set on the world of her Nebula Award-winning novelette "The Flowers of Aulit Prison". This book concerns humanity's war with aliens, and the use of super-weapons that threaten the fabric of space-time. Cynthia Ward's review on Amazon calls it "literary hard SF". (Thu 22 Aug 2002)
* Lowder, James, ed Legends of the Pendragon
(Green Knight 1-928999-19-0, $19.95, 319pp, tpb, June 2002, cover art Don Maitz)
Original horror anthology of 20 stories about Camelot's founding. Authors include Darrell Schweitzer, Keith Taylor, Phyllis Ann Karr. The publisher's page has a brief description. (Fri 23 Aug 2002)
* Luceno, James Web Warriors: Memories End
(Ballantine Del Rey 0-345-44471-x, $6.99, 198pp, pb, July 2002, cover illustration Bob Warner)
SF cyberspace novel, first in a new YA series "drawing on the best aspects of mystery and gaming" according to the Press Release, with plans to publish 2 books each year. Luceno has made bestseller lists with several Star Wars tie novels, and co-authored the Robotech series with Brian Daley. See the Amazon page for further description of this book. (Fri 9 Aug 2002)
* Mixon, Laura J. Burning the Ice
(Tor 0-312-86903-7, $25.95, 544pp, hc, August 2002, jacket art Stephen Youll)
SF novel, loosely related to earlier novel Proxies (1998), about cloned colonists on the planet Brimstone trying to terraform their world but discovering evidence of native intelligent life. Amazon has a review by Cynthia Ward, and the starred Publishers Weekly review, which calls it "perhaps Mixon's best work to date". The author acknowledges her "huge debt to Ursula K. Le Guin", Chris Crawford, Kate Wilhelm's clones, and others.
• Link: Digital Noir.
(Fri 2 Aug 2002)
* Norton, Andre, & Mercedes Lackey Elvenborn
(Tor 0-312-86456-6, $24.95, 382pp, hc, August 2002, jacket art Julie Bell, jacket design Carol Russo Design)
Fantasy novel, Book Three of the Halfblood Chronicles, following The Elvenbane in 1990 and Elvenblood in 1995, set in a world where "humans, elves, and dragons live in troubled dissonance" (Press Release).
• Link: www.andre-norton.org
(Wed 7 Aug 2002)
+ Siegel, Jan The Witch Queen
(Ballantine Del Rey 0-345-43903-1, $24, 344pp, hc, August 2002, jacket art Eric Peterson, jacket design Min Choi & David Stevenson)
First US edition (UK: HarperCollins/Voyager July 2002). Fantasy novel, continuing the story begun in Prospero's Children (1999) and The Dragon Charmer (2000), "Siegel's peculiar combination of British and Greek folklore and myth with elements of her own devising…" according to Faren Miller's review in the July issue of Locus Magazine. The Amazon page has a longer description.
• Link: Jan Siegel Fantasy Site.
(Tue 6 Aug 2002)
Last month: July
