Notable new SF, Fantasy, and Horror books seen : November 2004 Week #1

Supernatural fantasy novel about witches and werewolves; third in the author's "Otherworld" series following Bitten (2001), Stolen (2002), and Dime Store Magic (2004, described here).
• The author's website has this page about the book, with a description and links to excerpts. The site also has a journal, discussion board, an e-serial, etc.
• The Amazon page has reader reviews.
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Fantasy novel, second in "The Dragon Throne" series following The Stone of the Stars (Feb 2004, described here).
• The author's website has a biography and cover images of her books.
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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SF novel concerning a "Gaudeamus machine" that makes ossible both teleportation and time travel, in which the author is a character.
• The author still doesn't seem to have a website, but he does have a Wikipedia entry. The Barnes & Noble page has the Publishers Weekly review, which calls it "a gonzo piece of metafiction that cleverly blurs the line between reality and fantasy" and concludes "This fascinating book is quite unlike anything else on the market today, but it's hard to know how the author's regular readers will react."
• Damien Broderick reviews it in the October issue of Locus Magazine, calling it an example of 'transrealism' in the Rudy Rucker/Jack Kerouac mode.
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Anthology of 15 original stories by "Writers of the Future" contest winners, including Grand Prize winner William T. Katz, with illustrations by "Illustrators of the Future" winners. There are also nonfiction pieces by William J. Widder, Robert Silverberg, L. Ron Hubbard (a reprinted essay about art, from 1973), Vincent di Fate, and Robert A. Heinlein ("On the Writing of Speculative Fiction" from 1947, in which he defines the three main plots for the human interest story, and his very famous five rules for writing).
• The contest website has this page listing winners and quarterly finalists, and in effect the complete table of contents of this book, along with photos from the ceremony.
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Military SF novel about invaders from Ganymede. A first novel.
• The author's website has a description, a biography and a discussion of cover art. The publisher's site also has a description, and an excerpt. Blurbs from Joe Haldeman, Gregory Benford, and others compare the book to Heinlein and .. Haldeman
• Paul Di Filippo reviewed it for SF Weekly, giving it an A-.
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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YA SF novel, second in the "Longlight Legacy" following The Dirt Eaters (2003), set in a post-apocalyptic future in which a 15-year-boy survives the death of his family and is taken in by a band of warriors.
• The author has written for TV and the stage in Canada. The publisher's site has this brief description and excerpt, and an author profile.
• Also published in hardcover.
(Mon 1 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Anthology of 22 original humorous stories about woman warriors, fifth in the "Chicks" series. Authors include Eric Flint, Jody Lynn Nye, Harry Turtledove, Wen Spencer.
• Baen's site has a description with links to the prologue and several stories.
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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YA fantasy novel, sequel to The Goose Girl (2003) based on a story by the Brothers Grimm. In this book Enna, friend of Princess Isi, learns the power of controlling fire.
• Amazon has the book description. The author's site, squeetus, has background and an excerpt from the first book, along with the test of the Grimm story.
(Mon 1 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Celtic fantasy novel, sequel to The Summer Country (2002), about a battle between mankind and the Old Ones, with two more books to follow in the series.
• The author's web page has a description and an excerpt.
• The Publishers Weekly review (reproduced on the Barnes & Noble page) concludes "Fans of "realistic fantasy" authors like Charles de Lint and George R.R. Martin will particularly enjoy sinking their teeth into this gritty and entertaining story."
• Faren Miller reviews it in the November issue of Locus.
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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YA fantasy mystery novel, third in the "Hermux Tantamoq" series featuring a talking mouse, following Time Stops for No Mouse (2000) and The Sands of Time (2001)
• The series has a website, www.hermux.com, with descriptions of the first two books, a game, wallpaper, etc.
• The publisher's site has this description. The B&N page has reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus.
• Carolyn Cushman reviews it in the upcoming December issue of Locus, concluding "Show-biz provides plenty of clich‚ targets for gentle satire, and plot twists aplenty keep things hopping in this charming tale, which should appeal to readers of all ages."
(Mon 1 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Satiric fantasy novel in the "Archonate" series following Fools Errant (1994) and Fool Me Twice (2001). It's set in a Vance-like far future and concerns con men and a fabulous gemstone called black brillion.
• The author's newly launched website, www.archonate.com, has the book's first chapter, as well as first chapters of the previous books.
• A Challenging Destiny review by James Schellenberg calls the book "short and satisfying, a well-told tale that feels a bit retro in its use of the apparatus of science fiction."
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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SF mystery novel concerning a spaceship found empty and adrift. It's a follow up to the author's second novel A Talent for War (1989), involving the same characters.
• McDevitt's website has a description on his work in progress page.
• The starred Publishers Weekly review, from its Sept 20th issue and reproduced on the Barnes & Noble page, begins "This SF mystery's smooth and exciting surface makes it difficult to appreciate how exceptionally good it is at combining action and ideas."
• Russell Letson reviews it in the November issue of Locus, commenting "Despite the long timescale, the interstellar setting, and the necessary involvement of SF enabling devices, McDevitt refuses to pull a robot out of the hat -- the solution to the mystery is rooted not in the posthuman but in the all-too-human."
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Anthology of 21 original horror stories. Authors include Tim Lebbon & Brett Alexander Savory, Jeffrey Thomas, Tom Piccirilli, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Brian Hodge, Brian A. Hopkins, and Steve Rasnic Tem.
(Mon 1 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Collection of 9 dark fantasy stories. It's revised and expanded from Ancient Exhumations published in 1999 by Mythos Books.
• The publisher's website has this description.
• The author's website has a description and table of contents listing.
(Sat 6 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Fantasy novel, first of a trilogy, about conflict between humans and a race of fairy folk called the Qar.
• Website www.shadowmarch.com has background about the world, a message board, and several excerpts.
• Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review in its Oct 4th issue; reproduced on the B&N page, it reads in part "Packed with intriguing plot twists, this surreal fantasy takes the reader on a thrill ride from a haunted wood where madness dwells and the sun never rises, to drafty castles and adventures deep underground."
(Thu 4 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Anthology of 8 original stories, 2 poems, 2 essays, and 2 interviews (with Cele Goldsmith Lalli and Ray Bradbury). Story authors include Charles L. Harness, Jan Lars Jensen, Eleanor Arnason, Damien Broderick.
• This is a revival of the 'Synergy' anthology series, edited by Zebrowski, that ran 4 volumes in the late 1980s.
• The publisher's site has this description.
(Wed 3 Nov 2004) • Purchase this book from Amazon | BookSense

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Come away, now. Climb onto the wind. It is a swift and frightening steed, but there are leagues and leagues before us.

"THE SUN WILL COME OUT ...TOMORROW . . ." Our pilot hums through her open mike into zero-Fahrenheit cabin air fogged with four hundred GIs' breath.

Luff Imbry came to Sherit on the shuttle from Olkney, traveling comfortably on a red-tab first-class travel voucher.