New and Notable Books
Poul Anderson, For Love and Glory
(Tor Mar 2003)
Two stories originally written for the “Isaac’s Universe” anthology series were significantly reworked to become part of this independent SF novel, an SF adventure in classic style, following a human archaeologist and her saurian alien partner as they discover an immense Forerunner artifact on a remote world.
David Brin, Tomorrow Happens
(NESFA Press Feb 2003)
Brin’s Guest of Honor appearance at Boskone 40 was celebrated with this collection of ten stories and ten essays from the last 15 years. Two stories and four essays are original to this collection.
John W., Campbell Jr, A New Dawn: The Don A. Stuart Stories of John W. Campbell, Jr.
(NESFA Press Feb 2003)
Campbell had not one but two writing careers before he became a noted editor, one as super-science writer John W. Campbell, Jr. and the other as moody, more poetic writer Don A. Stuart. This collects all his work published as by Stuart, including “Who Goes There?” and the classic “Forgetfulness”.
Storm Constantine, The Thorn Boy & Other Dreams of Dark Desire
(Stark House Dec 2002)
Return to the sensuous world of the “Chronicles of Magravandias” and explore the darker aspects of desire with these nine stories, five original to this collection.
Robert Holdstock, Celtika
(Tor Mar 2003)
Greek and Celtic myth merge in this first book of “The Merlin Codex”, which introduces a new Merlin, ages old in a young body, who sailed with Jason and the Argonauts, and centuries later revives Jason from a frozen grave in northern Europe. “A rich and satisfying blend of mythic fantasy.” [Jonathan Strahan]
Wil McCarthy, The Wellstone
(Bantam Spectra Mar 2003)
Far-future SF novel, sequel to The Collapsium. An adolescent prince tired of being controlled by his immortal parents escapes with other discontented teens in a makeshift spacecraft, inspiring young people across the Queendom of Sol to revolt.
Syne Mitchell, The Changeling Plague
(Penguin/Roc Feb 2003)
A genetically engineered cure changes the world when it becomes a plague that modifies everyone it infects. A fascinating near-future SF novel that mixes medical thriller with cyberpunk.
Richard K. Morgan, Altered Carbon
(Ballantine Del Rey Mar 2003)
A man investigates his own murder in this tightly-plotted SF noir mystery, set in a future where minds can be downloaded into new bodies. An impressive first novel finally available in the US.
Tamora Pierce, The Circle Opens: Shatterglass
(Scholastic Press Apr 2003)
Young weather mage Tris acquires an unexpected student and helps track a serial killer in this enchanting fourth young-adult fantasy novel in “The Circle Opens” quartet.
Ricardo Pinto, The Standing Dead
(Tor Mar 2003)
The second volume in “The Stone Dance of the Chameleon” trades in the oppressive opulence of the court of The Chosen for an equally dramatic tale of survival as the two captured young nobles struggle to deal with unfriendly nomadic tribes living on dry plains inhabited by giant saurians.
Mike Resnick, The Return of Santiago
(Tor Mar 2003)
Resnick returns to the wild Inner Frontier for this outrageous far-future SF adventure. A thief is inspired to re-create the legendary heroic outlaw Santiago, but he encounters mostly villains and mayhem in his search for the new King of the Outlaws.
Jessica Rydill, Children of the Shaman
(Penguin/Roc Feb 2003)
Two youngsters go to live with the eccentric father they hardly know in this accomplished first novel set in a fascinating alternate 19th-century Europe, where magic is part of everyday life.
Carter Scholz, The Amount to Carry
(Picador Feb 2003)
This collection presents 12 stories, one original, by a critically-acclaimed author known for stretching the boundaries of SF.
A.E. van Vogt, Transfinite: The Essential A.E. van Vogt
(NESFA Press Feb 2003)
This collection presents 25 of the “most popular and important” stories from one of the great authors of SF’s Golden Age, starting with his very first SF story, “Black Destroyer”.
Manly Wade Wellman, Sin’s Doorway and Other Ominous Entrances
(Night Shade Books Feb 2003)
The fourth volume of “The Selected Stories of Manly Wade Wellman” gathers 25 stories of the weird and fantastic, six not previously collected. The amusing introduction by David Drake recounts several biographical anecdotes told to him by Wellman himself.
Scott Westerfeld, The Risen Empire
(Tor Mar 2003)
Space opera reaches new heights in this rousing SF adventure set in an empire ruled by a select few immortals called the Risen, now threatened by alien cyborgs and their godlike artificial intelligences.
