Locus Online: New Books, 3rd week July 2005

* Davidson, MaryJanice : Undead and Unappreciated
(Berkley Sensation 0-425-20433-2, $24.95, 271pp, hardcover, July 2005, jacket illustration Chris Long)

Humorous fantasy novel about Betsy, Queen of the Vampires, following Undead and Unwed and Undead and Unemployed (both 2004). In this volume, Betsy learns that her half-sister is the Spawn of Satan.
• Berkley's site has this author profile and this book description.
• The author's website includes sample chapters, plus links to a blog and a Yahoo group.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review.
• Carolyn Cushman reviewed it in the June issue of Locus Magazine, calling the book "goofy chick-lit vampire romance, full of snarky humor and light-hearted twists on horror conventions".

(Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Glass, Isabel : The Divided Crown
(Tor 0-765-30746-4, $25.95, 383pp, hardcover, July 2005, jacket art Kinuko Y. Craft)

Fantasy novel, sequel to Daughter of Exile (2004). In this volume Lady Angarred Hashan and her magician husband investigate an evil lord who holds influence over the realm's 14-year-old king.
• Since the first "Isabel Glass" novel was published, the author has been outed as Lisa Goldstein, who discusses the matter in her February newsletter.
• Amazon has reviews from PW and Booklist; the former calls it "mildly agreeable fantasy lite".
• Both Carolyn Cushman and Tim Pratt reviewed the book in the June issue of Locus; Pratt remarked "Essentially a standalone volume set fifteen years later, this is a darker, stranger, and more gripping book than its predecessor..." and "This is no fantasy-of-manners and court politics, but a relentless, fast-paced story of war, politics, and dangerous magic that merits comparison to the similarly-gritty and inventive Kingdom of Thorn and Bone series by Greg Keyes."

(Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Harris-Fain, Darren : Understanding Contemporary American Science Fiction: The Age Of Maturity, 1970-2000
(University of South Carolina Press 1-57003-585-7, $34.95, 208pp, hardcover, July 2005)

Nonfiction study that "explores the major trends and developments during three decades that witnessed science fiction's most dramatic progression from subliterary escapist entertainment to a more sophisticated literature of ideas" according to its description.
• The publisher's site has the description, and an 18-page pdf excerpt.

(Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Keene, Brian : City of the Dead
(Leisure 0-8439-5415-9, $6.99, 357pp, mass market paperback, June 2005)

Horror novel about zombies, sequel to Bram Stoker Award first novel winner The Rising (2003). In this book the zombies lay siege to a Manhattan skyscraper containing the last few human survivors.
• A limited edition of this book, already sold out, was published earlier this year by Delirium Books.
• The author's website has a list of upcoming releases, and a message board.
• Amazon has the PW review, which notes that the author is "inventive in imagining ways the human body can be disassembled, with vivid descriptions of torn flesh and spraying fluids...."
• The author has another novel just out, Terminal (Bantam, June), a non-supernatural thriller about a man who learns he has cancer.

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

* Lake, Jay : Rocket Science
(Fairwood Press 0-9746573-6-0, $17.99, 220pp, trade paperback, August 2005, cover illustration Getty Images)

Historical SF novel about a man who returns home from World War II in possession of a secret aircraft found under Arctic ice. Introduction by Deborah Layne.
• It's the first novel by the winner of the 2004 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, who has three collections of stories already published: Greetings from Lake Wu, American Sorrows, and Dogs in the Moonlight.
• The publisher's site has this description with an excerpt from Tim Pratt's review in the June '05 Locus, which said the book "is an auspicious debut, paying tribute to SF's Golden Age without mawkish sentimentality, action-packed without being shallow".

(Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* McHugh, Maureen F. : Mothers and Other Monsters
(Small Beer Press 1-931520-13-5, $24, 232pp, hardcover, July 2005)

Collection of 13 stories, including "The Lincoln Train" (Hugo and Locus winner), "Nekropolis" (Nebula and Sturgeon finalist), "The Cost to Be Wise" (Hugo and Nebula finalist), "Presence" (Hugo finalist), and "Ancestor Money" (World Fantasy Award finalist). One story, 2-page "Wicked", is original to this book.
• The publisher has this description with the table of contents and links to online versions of several of the stories. Also available is a $100 limited edition that includes five poems.
• Amazon has reviews from PW and Booklist, the latter concluding "McHugh's stories are hauntingly beautiful, driven by the difficult circumstances of their characters' lives--slices of life well worth reading and rereading."
• Gary K. Wolfe reviewed the book in the June issue of Locus Magazine: "McHugh's eclecticism and experimentation may help explain why her SF career has never entirely come into focus, but the passion and precision of the best of these tales make it more than a worthwhile trade-off; who'd want to lose 'The Lincoln Train' or 'Ancestor Money' for the sake of a career vector?"

(Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Mohanraj, Mary Anne : Bodies in Motion
(HarperCollins 0-06-078118-1, $22.95, 278pp, hardcover, July 2005)

Associational collection of 20 stories, set in various cities from 1939 to 2002, following the lives of two Sri Lankan families. Includes a geneaology chart. All but five of the stories are original to this book.
• The author's website has this page about the book, with the table of contents, links to five of the stories online, excerpts from reviews, and a tour schedule.
• The author is the former editor-in-chief of Strange Horizons.
• Amazon has the reviews from PW and Booklist; the latter describes the book's "thoughtful stories of the clash of tradition and modernity, and the search for love in all its various guises."

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

* Rowling, J. K. : Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
(Scholastic/Levine 0-439-78454-9, $29.99, 652pp, hardcover, July 2005, jacket art Mary GrandPré)

Young adult fantasy novel, sixth in the planned series of seven novels about the boy wizard's battle with evil. In this book the war against Voldemort intensifies as Harry returns for year 6 at Hogwarts. Interior illustrations are by Mary GrandPré.
• Harrypotter.com leads to a Warner Bros site. Scholastic's Harry Potter page includes discussion guides and an audio pronunciation guide.
• Amazon has its own review by Daphne Durham, 1600+ reader reviews whose average grade is 4 out of 5 stars, and an exclusive interview with Rowling.
• Metacritic.com has this summary of published reviews. Entertainment Weekly just published this review by Christopher Paolini.

(Sat 16 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Sydney, Robert : The Bright Spot
(Bantam Spectra 0-553-58759-5, $6.99, 337pp, mass market paperback, July 2005, cover illustration Dave Johnson)

SF detective novel about two actors, Nick and Luella, who become involved in a phony time-travel scam.
• Sydney is a pen name for Dennis Danvers, in whose name the book is copyrighted. Danvers discusses the matter in this article in Richmond, Virginia's Style Weekly.
• Bantam's site has this description and an excerpt.

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

* Van Pelt, James : The Last of the O-Forms & Other Stories
(Fairwood Press 0-9746573-5-2, $17.99, 216pp, trade paperback, August 2005, cover art Alan M. Clark)

Collection of 15 Stories, including the Nebula-nominated title story, all previously published, including two that first appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's. Introduction by James Patrick Kelly
• The publisher's site has this page about the book with a description and cover blurbs.
• Rich Horton reviews the book in the July issue of Locus Magazine, concluding "The book is enjoyable throughout - Van Pelt is a strong writer who continues to improve."

(Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

* Zindell, David : Black Jade
(UK: HarperCollins/Voyager 0-00-224759-3, £20, 728pp, hardcover, June 2005, jacket illustration Geoff Taylor)

Fantasy novel, Book Three of the Ea Cycle, following The Lightstone (2001) and The Lord of Lies (2003), about a quest to find a sacred gem. One more volume is planned, The Diamond Warriors.
• HarperCollins' site has this description and a pdf extract.
• This Infinity Plus interview, originally from Interzone, covers this and the author's other books.

(Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon

	MONITOR New Books July #2 Elizabeth Bear Jim Butcher James Clemens Marianne de Pierres Jennifer Fallon Laura Anne Gilman Hartwell & Cramer Juliet E. McKenna Garth Nix Karl Schroeder Charles Stross New Books July #1 Catherine Asaro Pierce Askegren Orson Scott Card Alan Dean Foster Kim Harrison Kelly Link C.E. Murphy Paul Park Tom Piccirilli M.J. Putney Wen Spencer Yolen & Stemple 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 : 3rd week July 2005 posted 26 July 2005 * Davidson, MaryJanice : Undead and Unappreciated (Berkley Sensation 0-425-20433-2, $24.95, 271pp, hardcover, July 2005, jacket illustration Chris Long) Humorous fantasy novel about Betsy, Queen of the Vampires, following Undead and Unwed and Undead and Unemployed (both 2004). In this volume, Betsy learns that her half-sister is the Spawn of Satan. • Berkley's site has this author profile and this book description. • The author's website includes sample chapters, plus links to a blog and a Yahoo group. • Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review. • Carolyn Cushman reviewed it in the June issue of Locus Magazine, calling the book "goofy chick-lit vampire romance, full of snarky humor and light-hearted twists on horror conventions". (Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Glass, Isabel : The Divided Crown (Tor 0-765-30746-4, $25.95, 383pp, hardcover, July 2005, jacket art Kinuko Y. Craft) Fantasy novel, sequel to Daughter of Exile (2004). In this volume Lady Angarred Hashan and her magician husband investigate an evil lord who holds influence over the realm's 14-year-old king. • Since the first "Isabel Glass" novel was published, the author has been outed as Lisa Goldstein, who discusses the matter in her February newsletter. • Amazon has reviews from PW and Booklist; the former calls it "mildly agreeable fantasy lite". • Both Carolyn Cushman and Tim Pratt reviewed the book in the June issue of Locus; Pratt remarked "Essentially a standalone volume set fifteen years later, this is a darker, stranger, and more gripping book than its predecessor..." and "This is no fantasy-of-manners and court politics, but a relentless, fast-paced story of war, politics, and dangerous magic that merits comparison to the similarly-gritty and inventive Kingdom of Thorn and Bone series by Greg Keyes." (Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Harris-Fain, Darren : Understanding Contemporary American Science Fiction: The Age Of Maturity, 1970-2000 (University of South Carolina Press 1-57003-585-7, $34.95, 208pp, hardcover, July 2005) Nonfiction study that "explores the major trends and developments during three decades that witnessed science fiction's most dramatic progression from subliterary escapist entertainment to a more sophisticated literature of ideas" according to its description. • The publisher's site has the description, and an 18-page pdf excerpt. (Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Keene, Brian : City of the Dead (Leisure 0-8439-5415-9, $6.99, 357pp, mass market paperback, June 2005) Horror novel about zombies, sequel to Bram Stoker Award first novel winner The Rising (2003). In this book the zombies lay siege to a Manhattan skyscraper containing the last few human survivors. • A limited edition of this book, already sold out, was published earlier this year by Delirium Books. • The author's website has a list of upcoming releases, and a message board. • Amazon has the PW review, which notes that the author is "inventive in imagining ways the human body can be disassembled, with vivid descriptions of torn flesh and spraying fluids...." • The author has another novel just out, Terminal (Bantam, June), a non-supernatural thriller about a man who learns he has cancer. (Wed 20 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Lake, Jay : Rocket Science (Fairwood Press 0-9746573-6-0, $17.99, 220pp, trade paperback, August 2005, cover illustration Getty Images) Historical SF novel about a man who returns home from World War II in possession of a secret aircraft found under Arctic ice. Introduction by Deborah Layne. • It's the first novel by the winner of the 2004 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, who has three collections of stories already published: Greetings from Lake Wu, American Sorrows, and Dogs in the Moonlight. • The publisher's site has this description with an excerpt from Tim Pratt's review in the June '05 Locus, which said the book "is an auspicious debut, paying tribute to SF's Golden Age without mawkish sentimentality, action-packed without being shallow". (Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * McHugh, Maureen F. : Mothers and Other Monsters (Small Beer Press 1-931520-13-5, $24, 232pp, hardcover, July 2005) Collection of 13 stories, including "The Lincoln Train" (Hugo and Locus winner), "Nekropolis" (Nebula and Sturgeon finalist), "The Cost to Be Wise" (Hugo and Nebula finalist), "Presence" (Hugo finalist), and "Ancestor Money" (World Fantasy Award finalist). One story, 2-page "Wicked", is original to this book. • The publisher has this description with the table of contents and links to online versions of several of the stories. Also available is a $100 limited edition that includes five poems. • Amazon has reviews from PW and Booklist, the latter concluding "McHugh's stories are hauntingly beautiful, driven by the difficult circumstances of their characters' lives--slices of life well worth reading and rereading." • Gary K. Wolfe reviewed the book in the June issue of Locus Magazine: "McHugh's eclecticism and experimentation may help explain why her SF career has never entirely come into focus, but the passion and precision of the best of these tales make it more than a worthwhile trade-off; who'd want to lose 'The Lincoln Train' or 'Ancestor Money' for the sake of a career vector?" (Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Mohanraj, Mary Anne : Bodies in Motion (HarperCollins 0-06-078118-1, $22.95, 278pp, hardcover, July 2005) Associational collection of 20 stories, set in various cities from 1939 to 2002, following the lives of two Sri Lankan families. Includes a geneaology chart. All but five of the stories are original to this book. • The author's website has this page about the book, with the table of contents, links to five of the stories online, excerpts from reviews, and a tour schedule. • The author is the former editor-in-chief of Strange Horizons. • Amazon has the reviews from PW and Booklist; the latter describes the book's "thoughtful stories of the clash of tradition and modernity, and the search for love in all its various guises." (Wed 20 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Rowling, J. K. : Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Scholastic/Levine 0-439-78454-9, $29.99, 652pp, hardcover, July 2005, jacket art Mary GrandPré) Young adult fantasy novel, sixth in the planned series of seven novels about the boy wizard's battle with evil. In this book the war against Voldemort intensifies as Harry returns for year 6 at Hogwarts. Interior illustrations are by Mary GrandPré. • Harrypotter.com leads to a Warner Bros site. Scholastic's Harry Potter page includes discussion guides and an audio pronunciation guide. • Amazon has its own review by Daphne Durham, 1600+ reader reviews whose average grade is 4 out of 5 stars, and an exclusive interview with Rowling. • Metacritic.com has this summary of published reviews. Entertainment Weekly just published this review by Christopher Paolini. (Sat 16 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Sydney, Robert : The Bright Spot (Bantam Spectra 0-553-58759-5, $6.99, 337pp, mass market paperback, July 2005, cover illustration Dave Johnson) SF detective novel about two actors, Nick and Luella, who become involved in a phony time-travel scam. • Sydney is a pen name for Dennis Danvers, in whose name the book is copyrighted. Danvers discusses the matter in this article in Richmond, Virginia's Style Weekly. • Bantam's site has this description and an excerpt. (Wed 20 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Van Pelt, James : The Last of the O-Forms & Other Stories (Fairwood Press 0-9746573-5-2, $17.99, 216pp, trade paperback, August 2005, cover art Alan M. Clark) Collection of 15 Stories, including the Nebula-nominated title story, all previously published, including two that first appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's. Introduction by James Patrick Kelly • The publisher's site has this page about the book with a description and cover blurbs. • Rich Horton reviews the book in the July issue of Locus Magazine, concluding "The book is enjoyable throughout - Van Pelt is a strong writer who continues to improve." (Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| * Zindell, David : Black Jade (UK: HarperCollins/Voyager 0-00-224759-3, £20, 728pp, hardcover, June 2005, jacket illustration Geoff Taylor) Fantasy novel, Book Three of the Ea Cycle, following The Lightstone (2001) and The Lord of Lies (2003), about a quest to find a sacred gem. One more volume is planned, The Diamond Warriors. • HarperCollins' site has this description and a pdf extract. • This Infinity Plus interview, originally from Interzone, covers this and the author's other books. (Fri 15 Jul 2005) • Purchase this book from Amazon \| Opening lines: It was nearing midnight and the Prime Minister was sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo that was slipping through his brain without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind. Opening lines: Each man and woman is a star. As long as we are alive, my grandfather used to say, we must endure burning if we are to give light. As for the dead, only the dead know if their eternal flame is a glory or an anguish. Opening lines: When my best friend Floyd Bellamy came home from the war in Europe, August, Kansas had a parade for him. Previous New Books: 2nd week July
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