Notable new SF, Fantasy, and Horror books seen : May

Manga -- a Japanese graphic novel, first published in Tokyo in 2003 and here translated by Hajime Honda and adapted by Peter David and Kathleen O'Shea David -- about a 10 year old boy just graduated from wizard school in Britain assigned to teach English in a Japanese all-girl high school.
• This and the three volumes listed below are the first in Del Rey's ambitious manga program, which will publish 12 manga titles in its first year, including one or more sequels to each of these volumes. The books retain the Japanese format, reading right to left, and include an overview of Japanese honorifics, which are left intact in the translations.
• For further details and descriptions of each book, see www.delreymanga.com
• This volume is labeled "for mature audiences ages 16+". The author has a website at http://www.ailove.net/.
(Mon 17 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Fantasy novel, second in "The Black Magician" trilogy, by an Australian author whose website has this background on all three books. Locus Online listed the first book here.
• The HarperCollins website has this description and excerpt.
(Tue 18 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Manga, translated from the 2003 Japanese edition, set in an alternate reality and concerning archaeological digs and mysterious powers. This series crosses over with the same author's xxxHOLiC series.
• CLAMP is a group of four women who currently have three series running in Japan. This volume has a description of one of their past series, a Dramatis Personae from the two current series, translation notes, and a preview of the next volume.
(Mon 17 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Manga, translated from the 2003 Japanese edition, about a man haunted by visions who meets a mysterious witch. First of a three part series, which crosses over with the authors' Tsubasa described above.
(Mon 17 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Fantasy novel, first of a series, in which the human, goblin, and faery worlds are slowly drawn together.
• The series has a website, www.bronzecanticles.com, with previews, background on the authors, free downloads, a message board, etc.
• The publisher's site has this description, a free chapter, press release, etc.
• Publishers Weekly's starred review from its March 15th issue, reproduced on the Amazon page, says "This emotionally intense novel's meticulously crafted magical system and likable characters evoke an atmosphere both timely and timeless. ... Sure to hit many bestseller lists, this is a fine example of socially conscious and unpredictable imaginative fiction."
(Tue 18 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Manga, translated from the 2003 Japanese edition, about a future war between genetically enhanced and unmodified humans. First of two parts.
• Appendices include 'design files', a history of Gundam by Mark Simmons, notes about the creators, and translation notes.
(Mon 17 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Nonfiction examination of the sources of Tolkien's inspiration for Middle-earth--the English landscape. The author follows clues from Tolkien's fiction, letters, and interviews on a yearlong journey around England.
• The book includes chapter notes and a bibliography, though no index.
• The Amazon page has a long reader review from a historian.
(Fri 14 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon

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Fantasy novel, the author's debut novel and first of a trilogy, about a servant girl with strange powers who becomes the mistress of a nobleman.
• The book has its own website, www.firethorn.info, with a synopsis, excerpt, background on the world, a calendar of appearances, etc.
• Simon & Schuster's website has this description of the author, with a photo, and an excerpt.
• Amazon has a review by Cynthia Ward, who calls it "Bloody, insightful, emotionally wrenching, and beautifully written", while the Publishers Weekly starred review (from the April 5th issue) posted by Amazon calls it a "majestic and powerful debut".
• Faren Miller reviews it the upcoming June issue of Locus.
(Tue 18 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Collection of 23 stories, including 5 set in the world of Ambergris (one of which, "Corpse Mouth and Spore Nose", is original to this volume), each story with notes by the author. Introduction by Jeffrey Ford.
• The publisher's site has this description, with links to the full texts of two of the stories and to an image of the wraparound cover art by Scott Eagle.
• It's reviewed in the upcoming June issue of Locus Magazine by both Faren Miller -- who calls it "better than a day at the movies with a big tub of popcorn and your pockets stuffed with Snickers" -- and by Nick Gevers, who says "To read Secret Life is to understand radical new possibilities of fantastic narrative."
(Wed 19 May 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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