* Abraham, Daniel : A Shadow in Summer
(Tor 0-765-31340-9, $24.95, 331pp, hardcover, March 2006, jacket art Stephan Martiniere)

SF novel, the author's first novel, book one of the "Long Price Quartet", set in a city where poets control supernatural creatures called 'andat'; the story follows the andat Seedless, who has the power to remove seeds from cotton plants, and his poet-creator Heshai.
• The author's webpage lists his short fiction credits, and links to his online journal.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review -- "A blurb from George R.R. Martin will help alert his fans to this promising newcomer" -- publisher blurbs from numerous authors, and a reader review from Elaine Isaak.
• Online reviews include Cheryl Morgan's and the SF Weekly review by F. Brett Cox, who gives it an A-.
• Faren Miller reviews it in the March issue of Locus Magazine: "While I'm tempted to compare Abraham's writing to the darkness and psychological subtlety of some notable postwar Brits or that of George R.R. Martin (who aptly provides one of the blurbs), that wouldn't quite capture the feel of this book. There's something genuinely new here, and it will be fascinating to see how the Quartet develops."

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* Allen, Roger MacBride : BSI: Starside: The Cause of Death
(Bantam Spectra 0-553-58726-9, $6.99, 470pp, mass market paperback, March 2006, cover art Jim Burns & James Wang)

SF novel, first of a series, about the interstellar Bureau of Special Investigations. In this book two BSI agents are assigned to escort a prisoner to Earth, bringing them to a planet where murder is a time-honored tradition.
• The series has its own URL, www.bsi-starside.com.
• Bantam's website has this description and an excerpt.

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* Bailey, Robin Wayne : Dragonkin, Volume 3: Undersky
(ibooks 1416504311, $14.95, 294pp, hardcover, February 2006, jacket art Troy Howell)

Fantasy novel, third in a series about young dragons searching for a new homeland to escape the spread of humanity.
• The author's site has samples from volume one.
• The publisher's site has a description for volume two.

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+ Bunch, Chris : Knighthood of the Dragon: Book Two of the Dragonmaster Trilogy
(Penguin/Roc 0-451-46067-7, $15, 408pp, trade paperback, March 2006, cover art Jerry Vanderstelt) First US edition (UK: Orbit, May 2003)

Fantasy novel, second in the "Storm of Wings" trilogy, in which dragons are developed as weapons of war.
• The publisher's site has a breif description.
• The trilogy was first published in the UK, where it was called the "Dragonmaster" trilogy and the volumes were called Storm of Wings, Knighthood of the Dragon, and The Last Battle (the last title forthcoming from Roc in the US).
• Amazon has the PW review: "Good battle scenes and Bunch's grasp of military strategy will please fans of the first book in the trilogy".

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* Flint, Eric, & Ryk E. Spoor : Boundary
(Baen 1416509321, $26, 457pp, hardcover, March 2006, cover illustration Kurt Miller)

SF novel about the discovery of a strange fossil in Arizona (at the K-T boundary that marks the extinction of the dinosaurs) that leads a paleontologist to Mars.
• Baen's site has this description and links to several chapters.
• Co-author Spoor has posted a number of 'AmazonConnect' entries on the Amazon page, including a list of inspirations for the book, and news that two sequels are forthcoming.

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* Flint, Eric, ed. : The Grantville Gazette II
(Baen 1416520511, $25, 324pp, hardcover, March 2006, cover illustration Tom Kidd)

Alternate history anthology of 8 stories set in the universe of Flint's 1632 and sequels, plus 4 nonfiction articles on the world.
• Baen's site has a description with links to excerpts, including Flint's preface.
• The stories were first published online via Baen's WebScriptions.

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* Lackey, Mercedes : One Good Knight
(Harlequin/Luna 0-373-80217-X, $24.95, 360pp, hardcover, March 2006)

Fantasy novel, sequel to The Fairy Godmother, set in the Five Hundred Kingdoms. Princess Andromeda is chosen to be sacrificed to a dragon, and a champion named Sir George tries to rescue her.
• Lackey's site has this brief description with links to three excerpts.
• The publisher's site has a longer description and an excerpt in a pop-up window.
• Amazon has numerous reader reviews.

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+ Meaney, John : Resolution
(Prometheus/Pyr 1-59102-437-4, $25, 495pp, hardcover, March 2006, jacket illustration Jim Burns) First US edition (UK: Bantam Press, January 2005)

SF novel, third in the Nulapeiron trilogy following Paradox and Context, about a world of subterranean cities threatened by an Anomaly that has absorbed billions of humans and aliens into itself.
• Pyr's website has this description -- "Resolution concludes the trilogy of Nulapeiron tales featuring Tom Corcorigan, bringing the story to a triumphant climax and revealing the devastating secret of the Oracles' creation." -- and excerpts from reviews.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review: "British author Meaney brings his ambitious saga exploring the nature of space and time to a triumphant conclusion. ...this third volume of Meaney's SF epic pulls all the various characters and their time lines together for an emotionally and intellectually satisfying finale."

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* Morrow, James : The Last Witchfinder
(HarperCollins/Morrow 0-06-082179-5, $25.95, 526pp, hardcover, March 2006)

Historical fantasy novel, about the daughter of a 17th century 'witchfinder' who journeys from England to Massachusetts, an Algonquin village, and eventually Philadelphia in a quest to overturn rigid laws that allow the execution of women for acts of presumed sorcery.
• The author's site has this page about the book, with an illustrated summary of the story, a self-interview, and quotes from reviews.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly and Booklist reviews, both starred; PW calls it a "richly detailed, cerebral tale of rationality versus superstitious bigotry", while Booklist's Sarah Johnson concludes "This impeccably researched, highly ambitious novel--nine years in the writing--is a triumph of historical fiction."
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews the book in the March 2006 issue of Locus Magazine, who notes how the book's narrator is another book -- Newton's Principia Mathematica -- and who concludes "With its deeply humanist convictions, its manic humor, and its shameless melodrama, The Last Witchfinder may come as a pleasant surprise even to those of Morrow's followers who have long anointed him as the heir of Vonnegut. There's pride to be taken in that heritage, of course, but more pride to be taken in moving away from Vonnegut's shadow."

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* Nix, Garth : The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 4: Sir Thursday
(Scholastic 0439700876, $16.99, 344pp, hardcover, March 2006, jacket art John Blackford)

YA fantasy novel, fourth in the series following Mister Monday, Grim Tuesday, and Drowned Wednesday, about human Arthur Penhaligon battling a succession of enemies (each based on one of the seven deadly sins) for the 'keys' to inherit the Earth.
• The next three books will be called Lady Friday, Superior Saturday, and Lord Sunday.
• Australian site www.keystothekingdom.com.au has a description of the book and a pdf excerpt.
• US publisher Scholastic has this excerpt.
• Amazon has reviews from School Library Journal and Booklist; the former says "Fans of the fantasy genre will appreciate these books for their strong continuity, believable characters, and edge-of-your-seat-action."

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* Ringo, John : Kildar
(Baen 1-4165-2064-3, $26, 390pp, hardcover, March 2006, cover illustration Kurt Miller)

Military techno-thriller about a former Navy SEAL turned international warlord; sequel to Ghost. In this book Mike Harmon falls in with a Georgian mountain tribe (whose ruler is called a kildar) that's threatened by Chechen raiders.
• Baen's site has a description and links to several chapters.
• Amazon has the PW review, which calls it an "entertaining sequel, which again is more techno-thriller than SF" and concludes "As in his military SF, Ringo explores the moral complexities the warrior faces, giving fair warning that the road to hell is easy."
• As with the first book, reader reviews on Amazon are mixed, many disappointed by something different from Ringo's previous work.

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* Strauss, Victoria : The Awakened City
(HarperCollins/Eos 0-380-97892-X, $25.95, 449pp, hardcover, March 2006, jacket illustration Mark Harrison)

Fantasy novel, sequel to The Burning Land (2004), about conflict between two theocratic societies. In this book two sorcerers struggle for the role of 'Next Messenger'.
• The author has this page about the book with a description, excerpts from reviews, links to several excerpts, and background information, maps, a glossary, etc.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, which says "Through the two protagonists' opposing viewpoints, the author dramatically explores issues of religious oppression and transformation" but advises that "readers would do best to start with The Burning Land".

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* Ward, Dayton : The Genesis Protocol
(Phobos Impact 0977070808, $14.95, 385pp, trade paperback, March 2006)

SF novel, about a government project to create otherworldly lifeforms at a "New Eden" in the Utah desert. Things go wrong.
• The author's site has this description.
• SF Site recently posted this interview and review.

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* Watt-Evans, Lawrence : The Wizard Lord
(Tor 0-765-31026-0, $26.95, 335pp, hardcover, March 2006, jacket art Raymond Swanland)

Fantasy novel, "Volume One of the Annals of the Chosen", about a young man who is one of eight Chosen Heroes who have the responsibility of defeating the current rogue Wizard Lord.
• The author's site has this page for the book, with a description, excerpt, and tentative titles for the next two books.
• Amazon has the PW review, which calls it "straightforward, old-fashioned sword and sorcery, though a little more philosophical than most".
• Paul Di Filippo reviewed it for SF Weekly, giving it a B.

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