* Acevedo, Mario : The Nymphos of Rocky Flats
(HarperCollins Rayo 0-06-083326-2, $13.95, 354pp, trade paperback, March 2006, cover illustration Will Staehle)

Humorous vampire novel, the author's first novel, about an ex-soldier who became a vampire while serving in Iraq, now a P.I. investigating an outbreak of nymphomania at a secret government installation.
• The publisher has this description and a chapter excerpt. The author's site seems to be down at the moment.
• Amazon has reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist; the former says "This debut novel succeeds largely because Acevedo gleefully acknowledges that it takes a lot to make a vampire story interesting anymore. ... Not everything adds up by the book's dizzying finale, but most readers will be too charmed by the crisp style to notice the loose ends."

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+ Bova, Ben : Titan
(Tor 0-765-30413-9, $24.95, 464pp, hardcover, March 2006, jacket art John Harris) First US edition (UK: Hodder & Stoughton, February 2006)

SF novel, fifth in Bova's "Grand Tour" series about human exploration of the solar system (following eponymous novels about Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury). In this book a colony ship from Earth stops at Saturn's moon Titan, where the disappearance of its exploration vessel causes tension to erupt among the colonists.
• This is one of Tor's "Sci Fi essential books" publicized in association with the Sci Fi Channel; Tor's site has this description of the book, which is reproduced on Bova's site. In February Sci Fi Wire ran this interview with Bova.
• Amazon has the PW and Booklist reviews; the latter's Roland Green concludes that Bova "maintains a brisk pace as the narrative rises to a thunderous and even triumphant climax" and notes that the series "employs the latest scientific findings in forging a major work of both hard-science sf and space advocacy."

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+ Brown, Simon : Rival's Son
(DAW 0-7564-0338-3, $7.5, 440pp, mass market paperback, March 2006, cover art Romas Kukalis)

Fantasy novel (first published by Tor Australia, 2005), second in the Chronicles of Kydan following Empire's Daughter.
• Amazon and the publisher both have just a single line of description: "The Empress of Hamilay has killed many in her quest to take over the entire known world-and there are those who seek revenge...."
• The author has this somewhat out-of-date website.

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* Duchamp, L. Timmel, ed. : Talking Back
(Aqueduct Press 1-933500-05-0, $9, 91pp, trade paperback, April 2006)

Anthology of 18 'epistolary fantasies', letters written to various people, some imaginary and some dead. Authors include Eileen Gunn (writing to Oscar Wilde), Nisi Shawl (Jack Kerouac), Cat Rambo (Williams S. Burroughs), Carol Emshwiller (Abiel/Beal Ledoyt), and L. Timmel Duchamp (to Alice Sheldon).
• The publisher's site has this description.

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+ Feist, Raymond E. : Flight of the Nighthawks
(HarperCollins/Eos 0-06-079278-7, $25.95, 347pp, hardcover, April 2006, jacket illustration Steve Stone) First US edition (UK: Voyager, September 2005)

Fantasy novel, Book One of the Darkwar Saga, set in the world of Midkemia, setting of Feist's earlier Riftwar series.
• Amazon has the book description, which calls it the "first book in a gripping new trilogy that ushers in the third, and most dramatic, Riftwar yet: the Darkwar."
• The author's site has this description of the book, as well as background on Midkemia and maps.
• HarperCollins has a description and chapter excerpt.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review: "Those looking for the numinous wonder of Tolkien or the beautiful language of Ursula Le Guin will have to look elsewhere, but readers seeking to move one step up from adventure-gaming tie-in novels will find this a good starting place."

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+ Forsyth, Kate : The Shining City
(Roc 0-451-46080-4, $7.99, 531pp, mass market paperback, April 2006)

Fantasy novel, second book in the "Rhiannon's Ride" trilogy following The Tower of Ravens (2004 Australia, 2005 US from Roc). The book was first published by Random House Australia in June 2005. In this book Rhiannon, awaiting trial for murder and treason, is haunted by the ghost of a dead queen.
• The author's site has this description. The third book, Heart of Stars, is out this June in Australia.
• Amazon has reader reviews.

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* Friedman, David D. : Harald
(Baen 1-416-52056-2, $24, 298pp, hardcover, April 2006, cover illustration Kurt Miller)

Fantasy novel, the author's first novel, about a farmer, storyteller, and sometime army commander who, when the old king dies, steps forward to help protect his land from a threatening empire.
• The author, an "anarchist-anachronist-economist" according to his webpage, is the son of economist Milton Friedman (according to Baen's site). He has a blog and a webpage for the book with a description and background information.
• Baen's site has a description and links to several chapters.

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* Harrison, Kim, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong & Lori Handeland : Dates from Hell
(Avon 0-06-085409-x, $6.99, 404pp, mass market paperback, April 2006)

Anthology of four original paranormal romance novellas, by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland.
• Parent publisher HarperCollins has this description and a chapter excerpt.
• Amazon has the PW review, which says the "collection's one gem" is Kelley Armstrong's "tale of a bold and sassy half-demon peacekeeper who finds herself falling for a werewolf thief".

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* Hickman, Tracy & Laura : Mystic Empire
(Warner Aspect 0-446-53107-3, $25.95, 400pp, hardcover, April 2006, jacket illustration Matt Stawicki)

Fantasy novel, third in the "Bronze Canticles" series following Mystic Warrior (2004) and Mystic Quest (2005), involving parallel worlds of human, goblin, and faery.
• The series' website www.bronzecanticles.com has previews, sample chapters, etc.
• The publisher's site has this description and an excerpt.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, which calls it a "mystical, and sometimes mystifying, conclusion of the Hickmans' Bronze Canticle trilogy", and Harriet Klausner's review.

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* Keck, David : In the Eye of Heaven
(Tor 0-765-31320-0, $25.95, 412pp, hardcover, April 2006, jacket art David Grove)

Fantasy novel, the author's first novel, and first in a trilogy, that the author describes as "a gritty medieval fantasy following a tournament knight from lowly shield-bearer to savior of an ancient kingdom."
• The author's website includes a longer description, some background on Creation, the setting of the novels, and a sample chapter.
• Amazon has the starred review from Publishers Weekly's Feb. 6th issue, which calls the book "a gritty medieval fantasy full of enchantment" and comments "Durand is a convincingly human character who isn't preternaturally skilled or supersmart like so many fantasy heroes, yet he manages to rise to the various challenges he faces."
• Faren Miller reviewed it in the March issue of Locus Magazine, calling it "a work of laudable ambition and a promising debut."
• Book editor: Patrick Nielsen Hayden.

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* Kent, Steven L. : The Clone Republic
(Ace 0-441-01393-7, $7.99, 384pp, mass market paperback, April 2006, cover art Christian McGrath)

SF novel set in 2508 where the United Authority controls Earth's colonies with an army of clones.
• The publisher's site has this description.
• It's the first novel by the author of The Ultimate History of Video Games and numerous other gaming titles.
• Amazon has the book description and several reader reviews.

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* Lindskold, Jane : Wolf Hunting
(Tor 0-765-31288-3, $27.95, 528pp, hardcover, April 2006, jacket art Julie Bell)

Fantasy novel, fifth in the "Firekeeper" series following Through Wolf's Eyes (2001), Wolf's Head, Wolf's Heart (2002), The Dragon of Despair (2003), and Wolf Captured (2004) about a human girl raised by wolves thrust back into human society. In this book Firekeeper helps the jaguar oracle named Truth regain her sanity.
• The author's website has a sample chapter.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, which says "With a smaller cast of characters and more interaction between animals, this volume is more tightly focussed than earlier entries in the series. The intriguing plot makes for a quick and enjoyable read."

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+ McDonald, Ian : River of Gods
(Prometheus/Pyr 1-59102-436-6, $25, 599pp, hardcover, March 2006, jacket illustration Stephan Martiniere) First US edition (UK: Simon & Schuster UK, June 2004)

SF novel set in India on its 100th anniversary -- August 15, 2047. This is the first US edition; the 2004 UK edition was nominated for the Hugo and Arthur C. Clarke awards in 2005, and won the British SF Association award.
• Pyr's website has this description with quotes from reviews and a chapter excerpt.
• Amazon has PW's review: "The deliberate pace and lack of explanation require patience at the outset, but readers will become increasingly hooked as the pieces of McDonald's richly detailed world fall into place."
• Nick Gevers' review in Locus Magazine called it "a big, thoroughly ambitious SF novel of the Third World" this is "hugely adventurous and entertaining, sumptuously inventive and full of heart."

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* Modesitt, L. E. Jr. : Cadmian's Choice
(Tor 0-765-31528-9, $27.95, 510pp, hardcover, April 2006, jacket art Raymond Swanland)

Fantasy novel, fifth in the Corean Chronicles following Legacies (2002), Darknesses (2003), Scepters (2004), and Alector's Choice (2005). This book like the fourth takes place several millennia before the first three books in the series (the 'Legacies' trilogy).
• Modesitt's website has this page for the series, but nothing yet about this book.
• Amazon reproduces the PW review, which says "Set on the vividly imagined world of Corus, Modesitt's well-crafted fifth volume of his Corean Chronicles picks up where the fourth book, Alector's Choice (2005), left off."
• Book editor: David G. Hartwell

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* Picacio, John : Cover Story: The Art of John Picacio
(MonkeyBrain Books 1-932265-16-3, $39.95, 200pp, hardcover, May 2006, jacket illustration and design John Picacio)

Art book showcasing 78 of Picacio's cover art and magazine illustrations, each on a 2-page spread with comments by the artist and preliminary sketches.
• There's also an introduction by Michael Moorcock, and an interview with Picacio conducted by Joseph McCabe.
• The publisher's site has an introduction and ordering information, while the artist's website has news, a biography, and a gallery of editorial and book art.
• Picacio won the International Horror Guild Award in 2002, the World Fantasy Award in 2005, and the Chesley Award also in 2005, the last for the cover of Tachyon Publications' edition of Tiptree's Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, which is included here on page 102.

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* Roberson, Jennifer : Karavans
(DAW 0-7564-0172-0, $25.95, 425pp, hardcover, April 2006, jacket painting Todd Lockwood)

Fantasy novel, first of a trilogy, about a karavan fleeing a war-torn land into a changeable deepwood called Alisanos.
• The author's site has this description, and an excerpt.
• Amazon has the PW review, which notes that the book "establishes a universe teeming with fascinating humans, demons and demigods, but a multitude of subplots make for a meandering start, with no real action until the final chapters."
• Carolyn Cushman's review in the April issue of Locus Magazine describes a similar reaction: "There's so much background and so many characters to establish that very little actually happens until the very end, but the many mysteries set up are tantalizing enough to make me impatient for more."

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* Wludyka, Peter : The Myth of Death
(Xlibris 1-59926-111-1, $20.99, 110pp, trade paperback, January 2006)

Short SF novel set in 2041 where cloning is legal but driven underground by anti-cloning activists.
• The publisher's site has a description and excerpt. A hardcover edition is also available.
• The author is a statistician at the University of North Florida, and previously published novel Past is Another Country with Simon & Schuster in 1988.

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