Locus Online: New Books, 1st week May 2005 (page 2)

+ Hoffman, Mary : Stravaganza: City of Flowers
(Bloomsbury USA 1-58234-887-1, $17.95, 489pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket illustration Carol Lawson) First US edition (UK: Bloomsbury, March 2005)

YA fantasy novel, latest in the series following Stravaganza: City of Masks (2002) and Stravaganza: City of Stars (2003), about young people transported to an alternate 16th century Italy. This one is about a 17-year-old boy who finds himself in Giglia, the equivalent of Florence.
• The series' website, www.stravaganza.co.uk, has a message from the author, an extract, list of characters, and comparison of the book's di Chimici family to the historical Medicis.
• The publisher's site has an author profile.
• Amazon has a review from Booklist, which comments "Although Hoffman writes well, keeping the many strands of story tightly woven and managing the shifts of time and place with ease, the explanatory references slow the story's movement, especially in the beginning...."

(Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Lackey, Mercedes : Sanctuary
(DAW 0-7564-0246-8, $25.95, 306pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket painting Jody A. Lee)

Fantasy novel, third in the "Dragon Jousters" series following Joust (2003) and Alta (2004), about knights who fight from the backs of dragons.
• The author's website has this page for the book, with links to excerpts.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review: "Spot-on dialogue and just the right amount of exposition mark this rip-roaring adventure as superior fantasy fare."

(Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

+ MacLeod, Ian R. : The House of Storms
(Ace 0-441-01280-9, $24.95, 457pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket illustration Steve Stone) First US edition (UK: Simon & Schuster, February 2005)

US edition of alternate history SF novel, a stand-alone sequel to The Light Ages (2003), set in a Dickensian England in which the discovery of 'aether' has brought about a different kind of industrial revolution, set a century after the earlier book.
• The author's website has a lost excerpt that was deleted from the final version of the book.
• Amazon reproduces the starred PW review, from its April 11th issue: "Full of detailed descriptions of landscapes and complex human feelings, this rich, leisurely novel bears some similarities to the more frenetic fiction of China Miéville, though the author's affinity to A.S. Byatt is even stronger. This is a major work by a master writing at the top of his form."
• Nick Gevers reviewed the UK edition in the February issue of Locus; Damien Broderick's review will appear in the upcoming June issue.

(Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Morgan, Richard : Woken Furies
(UK: Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07325-X, £9.99, 436pp, hardcover, March 2005, cover illustration Chris Moore)

SF novel, third in the author's series of noir SF adventures starring Takeshi Kovacs, following Altered Carbon (2002) and Broken Angels (2003).
• Morgan's website, under the 'current' heading, has some words about the completion of this novel.
• Amazon UK (click on the title or cover image here) has a review by David Langford: "Morgan's knack for grisly set-pieces and heart-stopping violence makes for compulsive reading--emphatically not for the squeamish. Against all odds, his fast-moving choreography of pursuits, escapes, shoot-outs, reversals and betrayals finally ends in a satisfying touch of compassion, a trace of hope. A superior SF thriller."
• Cheryl Morgan posted her review in the February Emerald City.

(Mon 2 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Ringo, John : Into the Looking Glass
(Baen 0-7434-9880-1, $24, 278pp, hardcover, May 2005, cover art Kurt Miller)

Near-future SF novel in which central Florida is wiped out by a huge explosion, the result of a quantum physics experiment, that opens gateways to other realities.
• Baen's site has a description and links to two chapters.
• Amazon has the PW review: "Ringo (Hell's Faire) excels in the depiction of combat, managing to capture the carnage and horror while maintaining a sense of the absurd. The plot flows naturally from the implications of the scientific background, but with the kind of unexpected twists that Ringo has made his hallmark."

(Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Sage, Angie : Septimus Heap, Book One: Magyk
(HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books 0-06-057731-2, $17.89, 564pp, hardcover, March 2005)

YA fantasy novel, first of a trilogy, about a baby boy presumed dead and the girl adopted by the baby's family. The book includes a mini-CD with games and other extras.
• The series' website, septimusheap.com, has information about the author, periodic excerpts from the book, a game, etc (though you'll have to click at random on the various icons to find the content).
• Amazon has reviews from School Library Journal and Booklist.
• Reviewed by Carolyn Cushman in the upcoming June issue of Locus: "This is a tongue-in-cheek tale, full of odd satiric bits and interesting magical creatures and devices that almost make up for an over-obvious plot. At least it's nicely resolved, despite being the first volume in a series."

(Wed 20 Apr 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Sanderson, Brandon : Elantris
(Tor 0-765-31177-1, $24.95, 492pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket art Stephan Martiniere)

Fantasy novel, the author's first novel and a stand-alone, about a beautiful city, Elantris, where magic has failed, and a second city affected by the same curse.
• The author's website has a section about the book, with links to sample chapters, reviews, resources, and the first few of the author's chapter annotations.
• Cover artist Stephan Martiniere has this cover image on his site.
• Amazon has the starred Publishers Weekly review, from its April 18th issue: "Sanderson's outstanding fantasy debut, refreshingly complete unto itself and free of the usual genre clichＴ, offers something for everyone: mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters."

(Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Sinclair, Linnea : Finders Keepers
(Bantam Spectra 0-553-58798-6, $6.99, 453pp, mass market paperback, May 2005, cover illustration Dave Seeley)

Space opera romance novel, the author's first novel, about an interstellar trader who rescues an enemy military officer.
• The publisher's site has this description, some background on the author, and an excerpt.
• LinneaSinclair.com has an excerpt, reviews, teasers about future titles, news of author appearances, and an author bio.
• Amazon has several reader reviews, who compare the book to the work of Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, Anne McCaffrey, and Tanya Huff.

(Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Stanton, Steve, ed. : Sky Songs II: Spiritual SF
(Skysong Press 0-9680502-3-9, $15.95, 236pp, trade paperback, June 2005)

Anthology of 17 previously-published SF and fantasy stories on Christian themes. Authors include Cherith Baldry, Michael Vance, Greg Beatty, and Donna Farley.
• Not available from Amazon; order from the publisher Skyson Press, which has this page listing the table of contents.
• Christian Fiction Review has posted this review.

(Wed 16 Mar 2005)

* Swainston, Steph : No Present Like Time
(UK: Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07006-4, £9.99, 317pp, hardcover, April 2005)

Fantasy novel, sequel to the author's acclaimed debut novel The Year of Our War, and second in a trilogy. This one is set five years after the war against insects described in the first book.
• Orion's site has this description, with a link to reviews.
• The Alien Online has this interview with the author about this book.
• Cheryl Morgan posted this review in Emerald City: "So what can I say? 'Another brilliant Steph Swainston novel' sounds a bit like faint praise, but No Present like Time is just as good as The Year of Our War and it would be hard for it to be much better."
• Gary K. Wolfe reviewed it in the April issue of Locus Magazine.

(Mon 2 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Thompson, Eldon : The Crimson Sword
(Eos 0-06-074150-3, $24.95, 537pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket illustration Koveck)

Fantasy novel, first of a trilogy by a new author, subtitled "Book One of the Legend of Asahiel". It's about a young man engaged on a quest to find one of the Swords of Asahiel that were used to forge the earth itself.
• The publisher's site has a description, author bio ("After washing out as a college quarterback, Eldon Thompson returned to his first love, writing..."), blurbs by Terry Brooks and others, and a chapter excerpt.
• Amazon reproduces the Publishers Weekly review.

(Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Yeffeth, Glenn, ed. : The War of the Worlds : Fresh Perspectives on the H. G. Wells Classic
(BenBella Books 1-932100-55-5, $17.95, 292pp, trade paperback, May 2005)

Anthology including the complete text of H.G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds, an introduction by Robert Silverberg, 12 essays about the impact of Wells' novel by Stephen Baxter, David Gerrold, David Zindell, Ian Watson, Jack Williamson, Robert Charles Wilson, and others, and Connie Willis' short story "The Soul Selects Her Own Society: Invasion and Repulsion: A Chronological Reinterpretation of Two of Emily Dickinson's Poems: A Wellsian Perspective", which won the Hugo Award in 1997.
• The publisher's order page for the book includes the complete list of contributors.

(Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

	MONITOR New Books May #1 (p1)- Alma Alexander Neal Asher Neal Asher Ben Bova Jim Butcher Patrick Carman Glen Cook Leah R. Cutter Julie E. Czerneda David Drake Gaiman & McKean Leathel Grody New Books April #4 Kim Antieau Ramsey Campbell L. Timmel Duchamp George Alec Effinger Carol Emshwiller Andreas Eschbach Kevin Guilfoile John G. Hemry Tracy & Laura Hickman Jan Lars Jensen Jerry Oltion Sean Williams 2005 Archive Advertisement KEY This page lists selected newly published SFFH books seen by Locus Online (independently from the listings compiled by Locus Magazine). Review copies received will be listed (though reprints and reissues are on other pages), but not galleys or advance reading copies. Selections, some based only on bookstore sightings, are at the discretion of Locus Online. * = first edition + = first US edition Date with publisher info is official publication month; Date in parentheses at paragraph end is date seen or received. LINKS Links Portal Bookseller Links Your purchase of books through Amazon.com and Amazon UK links (click on titles or covers) helps support Locus Online Publisher Links E-mail Locus Online		New SF, Fantasy, and Horror books seen : 1st Week May 2005 (2nd page) posted 12 May 2005 + Hoffman, Mary : Stravaganza: City of Flowers (Bloomsbury USA 1-58234-887-1, $17.95, 489pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket illustration Carol Lawson) First US edition (UK: Bloomsbury, March 2005) YA fantasy novel, latest in the series following Stravaganza: City of Masks (2002) and Stravaganza: City of Stars (2003), about young people transported to an alternate 16th century Italy. This one is about a 17-year-old boy who finds himself in Giglia, the equivalent of Florence. • The series' website, www.stravaganza.co.uk, has a message from the author, an extract, list of characters, and comparison of the book's di Chimici family to the historical Medicis. • The publisher's site has an author profile. • Amazon has a review from Booklist, which comments "Although Hoffman writes well, keeping the many strands of story tightly woven and managing the shifts of time and place with ease, the explanatory references slow the story's movement, especially in the beginning...." (Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Lackey, Mercedes : Sanctuary (DAW 0-7564-0246-8, $25.95, 306pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket painting Jody A. Lee) Fantasy novel, third in the "Dragon Jousters" series following Joust (2003) and Alta (2004), about knights who fight from the backs of dragons. • The author's website has this page for the book, with links to excerpts. • Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review: "Spot-on dialogue and just the right amount of exposition mark this rip-roaring adventure as superior fantasy fare." (Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| + MacLeod, Ian R. : The House of Storms (Ace 0-441-01280-9, $24.95, 457pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket illustration Steve Stone) First US edition (UK: Simon & Schuster, February 2005) US edition of alternate history SF novel, a stand-alone sequel to The Light Ages (2003), set in a Dickensian England in which the discovery of 'aether' has brought about a different kind of industrial revolution, set a century after the earlier book. • The author's website has a lost excerpt that was deleted from the final version of the book. • Amazon reproduces the starred PW review, from its April 11th issue: "Full of detailed descriptions of landscapes and complex human feelings, this rich, leisurely novel bears some similarities to the more frenetic fiction of China Miéville, though the author's affinity to A.S. Byatt is even stronger. This is a major work by a master writing at the top of his form." • Nick Gevers reviewed the UK edition in the February issue of Locus; Damien Broderick's review will appear in the upcoming June issue. (Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Morgan, Richard : Woken Furies (UK: Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07325-X, £9.99, 436pp, hardcover, March 2005, cover illustration Chris Moore) SF novel, third in the author's series of noir SF adventures starring Takeshi Kovacs, following Altered Carbon (2002) and Broken Angels (2003). • Morgan's website, under the 'current' heading, has some words about the completion of this novel. • Amazon UK (click on the title or cover image here) has a review by David Langford: "Morgan's knack for grisly set-pieces and heart-stopping violence makes for compulsive reading--emphatically not for the squeamish. Against all odds, his fast-moving choreography of pursuits, escapes, shoot-outs, reversals and betrayals finally ends in a satisfying touch of compassion, a trace of hope. A superior SF thriller." • Cheryl Morgan posted her review in the February Emerald City. (Mon 2 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Ringo, John : Into the Looking Glass (Baen 0-7434-9880-1, $24, 278pp, hardcover, May 2005, cover art Kurt Miller) Near-future SF novel in which central Florida is wiped out by a huge explosion, the result of a quantum physics experiment, that opens gateways to other realities. • Baen's site has a description and links to two chapters. • Amazon has the PW review: "Ringo (Hell's Faire) excels in the depiction of combat, managing to capture the carnage and horror while maintaining a sense of the absurd. The plot flows naturally from the implications of the scientific background, but with the kind of unexpected twists that Ringo has made his hallmark." (Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Sage, Angie : Septimus Heap, Book One: Magyk (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books 0-06-057731-2, $17.89, 564pp, hardcover, March 2005) YA fantasy novel, first of a trilogy, about a baby boy presumed dead and the girl adopted by the baby's family. The book includes a mini-CD with games and other extras. • The series' website, septimusheap.com, has information about the author, periodic excerpts from the book, a game, etc (though you'll have to click at random on the various icons to find the content). • Amazon has reviews from School Library Journal and Booklist. • Reviewed by Carolyn Cushman in the upcoming June issue of Locus: "This is a tongue-in-cheek tale, full of odd satiric bits and interesting magical creatures and devices that almost make up for an over-obvious plot. At least it's nicely resolved, despite being the first volume in a series." (Wed 20 Apr 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Sanderson, Brandon : Elantris (Tor 0-765-31177-1, $24.95, 492pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket art Stephan Martiniere) Fantasy novel, the author's first novel and a stand-alone, about a beautiful city, Elantris, where magic has failed, and a second city affected by the same curse. • The author's website has a section about the book, with links to sample chapters, reviews, resources, and the first few of the author's chapter annotations. • Cover artist Stephan Martiniere has this cover image on his site. • Amazon has the starred Publishers Weekly review, from its April 18th issue: "Sanderson's outstanding fantasy debut, refreshingly complete unto itself and free of the usual genre clichＴ, offers something for everyone: mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters." (Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Sinclair, Linnea : Finders Keepers (Bantam Spectra 0-553-58798-6, $6.99, 453pp, mass market paperback, May 2005, cover illustration Dave Seeley) Space opera romance novel, the author's first novel, about an interstellar trader who rescues an enemy military officer. • The publisher's site has this description, some background on the author, and an excerpt. • LinneaSinclair.com has an excerpt, reviews, teasers about future titles, news of author appearances, and an author bio. • Amazon has several reader reviews, who compare the book to the work of Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, Anne McCaffrey, and Tanya Huff. (Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Stanton, Steve, ed. : Sky Songs II: Spiritual SF (Skysong Press 0-9680502-3-9, $15.95, 236pp, trade paperback, June 2005) Anthology of 17 previously-published SF and fantasy stories on Christian themes. Authors include Cherith Baldry, Michael Vance, Greg Beatty, and Donna Farley. • Not available from Amazon; order from the publisher Skyson Press, which has this page listing the table of contents. • Christian Fiction Review has posted this review. (Wed 16 Mar 2005) \| * Swainston, Steph : No Present Like Time (UK: Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07006-4, £9.99, 317pp, hardcover, April 2005) Fantasy novel, sequel to the author's acclaimed debut novel The Year of Our War, and second in a trilogy. This one is set five years after the war against insects described in the first book. • Orion's site has this description, with a link to reviews. • The Alien Online has this interview with the author about this book. • Cheryl Morgan posted this review in Emerald City: "So what can I say? 'Another brilliant Steph Swainston novel' sounds a bit like faint praise, but No Present like Time is just as good as The Year of Our War and it would be hard for it to be much better." • Gary K. Wolfe reviewed it in the April issue of Locus Magazine. (Mon 2 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Thompson, Eldon : The Crimson Sword (Eos 0-06-074150-3, $24.95, 537pp, hardcover, May 2005, jacket illustration Koveck) Fantasy novel, first of a trilogy by a new author, subtitled "Book One of the Legend of Asahiel". It's about a young man engaged on a quest to find one of the Swords of Asahiel that were used to forge the earth itself. • The publisher's site has a description, author bio ("After washing out as a college quarterback, Eldon Thompson returned to his first love, writing..."), blurbs by Terry Brooks and others, and a chapter excerpt. • Amazon reproduces the Publishers Weekly review. (Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Yeffeth, Glenn, ed. : The War of the Worlds : Fresh Perspectives on the H. G. Wells Classic (BenBella Books 1-932100-55-5, $17.95, 292pp, trade paperback, May 2005) Anthology including the complete text of H.G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds, an introduction by Robert Silverberg, 12 essays about the impact of Wells' novel by Stephen Baxter, David Gerrold, David Zindell, Ian Watson, Jack Williamson, Robert Charles Wilson, and others, and Connie Willis' short story "The Soul Selects Her Own Society: Invasion and Repulsion: A Chronological Reinterpretation of Two of Emily Dickinson's Poems: A Wellsian Perspective", which won the Hugo Award in 1997. • The publisher's order page for the book includes the complete list of contributors. (Fri 6 May 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| Opening lines: On this soft night I followed the Moren River valley, flying back to the Castle, hearing the chimes of clock towers in the Plainslands villages as I passed high above. Opening lines: The place they woke me in would have been carefully prepared. The same for the reception chamber where they laid out the deal. The Harlan family don't do anything by halves and, as anyone who's been Received can tell you, they like to make a good impression. Gold-flecked black decor to match the family crests on the walls, ambient subsonics to engender a tear-jerking sense that you're in the presence of nobility. Some Martian artefact in a corner, quietly implying the transition of global custody from our long-vanished unhuman benefactors to the firmly modern hand of the First Families oligarchy. The inevitable holosculpture of old Konrad Harlan himself in triumphal 'planetary discoverer' mode. One hand raised high, the other shading his face against the glare of an alien sun. Stuff like that. Opening lines: Elantris was beautiful, once. It was called the city of the gods: a place of power, radiance, and magic. Visitors say that the very stones glowed with an inner light, and that the city contained wondrous arcane marvels. At night, Elantris shone like a great silvery fire, visible even from a great distance. Previous New Books: 1st week May (page 1)
	TOP