Notable new SF, Fantasy, and Horror books seen : Posted 18 July 2004

SF novel in the author's "Star Risk" series about space mercenaries, third following Star Risk, Ltd. (2002) and The Scoundrel Worlds (2003).
(Thu 15 Jul 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Manga, translated from the 2003 Japanese edition, about a man indentured to a time-space witch. Second the series beginning with xxxHOLiC, published by Del Rey in May, described here, and reviewed in this article by Cynthia Ward.
• Del Rey's manga site has details about the books.
• The Amazon page has the review from Publishers Weekly, which begins "Although it contains many familiar manga elements, this tale's goth sensibilities, stunning art and nonstop philosophizing sets it apart."
(Mon 12 Jul 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Collection of 20 stories, described as Fractal Paisleys II in the author's introduction, referring to his earlier 1997 book, this being "a second collection of comic science fiction stories set mainly in the present, wherein average folks of less-than-sterling character get warped up in improbable events."
• Stories include "Destroy All Brains!" (1992), "The Man Who Stole the Moon" (1999), "A Martian Theodicy" (2002), and "What's Up Tiger Lily?" (2003).
• The author's website is www.pauldifilippo.com.
(Thu 15 Jul 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Anthology of 17 original stories in which fairy tales are translated into contemporary settings.
• Authors include Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Pamela Sargent, Tanya Huff, Fiona Patten, etc.
(Thu 15 Jul 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Historical fantasy novel, first in the "Dead Rivers Trilogy".
• The author's website, www.naomikritzer.com, has a description and brief excerpt.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review.
• The publisher's site has this description and excerpt.
• Faren Miller reviews the book in the upcoming August issue of Locus Magazine.
(Thu 15 Jul 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Short fantasy novel about murder and reincarnation.
• The publisher's site has this description and excerpt.
• Also available as an e-book, published in April.
(Sat 10 Jul 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Star Wars novel, third of six novels set against the backdrop of the Clone Wars, and first in the Medstar duology about a unit of medical healers.
• The Amazon page has reader reviews.
• StarWars.com has this description.
(Wed 14 Jul 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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SF novel, sequel to 2003's Singularity Sky (currently a Hugo Award nominee), by one of the exemplars of SF's so-called "new space opera" movement.
• The Amazon site has Publishers Weekly's starred review, from its June 28th issue, describing the book as "compelling space opera and cutting-edge tech with a tasty dash of satire".
• Stross' blog, Charlie's Diary, includes this entry about the book with a link to a deleted scene.
• Locus Magazine's July issue has reviews of the book by Jonathan Strahan and Nick Gevers. Strahan calls it "just as entertaining, but definitely more substantial" than its predecessor, while Gevers says the book is "vintage Stross, boisterous and provacative, opinionated and hilarious, and is likely to enhance his standing further still." Another review by Russell Letson will appear in the August issue of Locus.
(Thu 15 Jul 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Wednesday ran through the darkened corridors of the station, her heart pounding. Behind her, unseen yet sensed as a constant menacing presence, ran her relentless pursuer -- a dog. The killhound wasn't supposed to be here: neither was she. Old Newfoundland Four was in the process of final evacuation, the last ship supposed to have undocked from bay green fourteen minutes ago -- an icon tattooed on the inside of her left eye showed her this, time counting negative -- heading out for the nearest flat space-time for the jump to safety. The launch schedule took no notice of tearaway teens, crazed Dresdener captains with secret orders, and gestapo dogs with murder burning in their gunsight eyes. She panted desperately, nerves straining on the edge of panic, lungs burning in the thin, still air. Sixteen years old and counting, and if she didn't find a way to elude the dog and climb back to the docking hub soon --