* Flint, Eric, ed. : Ring of Fire II
(Baen 978-1416573876, $25, 562pp, hardcover, January 2008, cover by Tom Kidd)

Anthology of 14 stories and a short novel set in the "1632" universe that began with Flint's 1632 (2000), with numerous novels and anthologies following. Contributors to this book include Flint, K.D. Wentworth, and Jonathan Cresswell.
• Baen's site has this blurb with links to the introduction and several chapters.
• There are several Wikipedia pages for the series and this book in particular, with summaries of some of the stories.

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* Frost, Gregory : Shadowbridge
(Ballantine Del Rey 978-0-345-49758-1, $14, 255pp, trade paperback, January 2008, cover illustration Thomas Thiemeyer)

Fantasy novel, first of a duology, about a shadow-puppeteer on an ocean-covered world whose inhabitants live on a complex system of linked bridges.
• Del Rey's site has this page for the book, with the back cover description and quotes from several reviews, including Gary K. Wolfe's review in the November '07 issue of Locus Magazine, and an excerpt.
• Frost's website has the complete texts of several reviews, including Wolfe's. Frost is interviewed about the book by Amazon.com's Jeff VanderMeer.
• Gary K. Wolfe's review called the book "rather stunning"; "For all its painterly beauty, Shadowbridge is a tough-minded novel that confronts some disturbing issues, and that is remarkably efficient in the telling; even though it's only the first half of a duology to be completed next spring, it gets as much done in barely over 250 pages as many other fantasies do in big-brown-bag trilogies." Wolfe concludes that "Frost could be on his way toward a masterpiece."

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* Green, Simon R. : The Unnatural Inquirer
(Ace 978-0-441-01558-0, $21.95, 246pp, hardcover, January 2008, jacket illustration Jonathan Barkat)

Fantasy novel, eighth in the author's "Nightside" series about detective John Taylor in an otherworldly realm in London where the sun never rises. The series began with Something from the Nightside (2003) and most recently included Hell to Pay (2007).
• Green's Wikipedia entry has a description of the series and a list of the previous books.
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• The Publishers Weekly review concludes "Green skillfully blends action and humor, and shows no sign of running out of ideas. This installment will undoubtedly rope in new readers who enjoy his blend of dark humor and the supernatural."

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* Hawking, Lucy & Stephen : George's Secret Key to the Universe
(Simon & Schuster 978-1-4169-5462-0, $17.99, 297pp, hardcover, October 2007)

Young adult novel about a boy whose new neighbor, an astronomer, has an advanced computer that can transport people to any point in the universe.
• The book includes four sections of color plates of astronomical photographs, planetary diagrams, etc.
• The publisher's site has this listing with an excerpt, a Q&A, a curriculum guide, and links to several podcasts about the book.
• Amazon also has the Chapter One excerpt, and 19 reader reviews that average 4 1/2 stars.

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* Heald, Michael A. : A Rumor of Dragons
(Lulu Press 978-1-4303-2509-3, $19.95, 396pp, trade paperback, February 2008)

Young adult fantasy novel, about a handless prince and a dwarf dragon confronting a menace that could destroy their world.
• The publisher's site has this page for the book, with a description and previews.
• The author's site has a description, excerpts from reviews, a list of the author's other publications, a FAQ, etc., plus a link to the author's blog.
• Amazon also has several review excerpts, including a blurb from G.P. Taylor (Shadowmancer).

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* Hendee, Barb, & J. C. Hendee : Child of a Dead God
(Roc 978-0-451-46187-2, $24.95, 407pp, hardcover, January 2008, jacket art Steve Stone)

Fantasy novel, sixth in the "Noble Dead" series following Dhampire, Thief of Lives, Sister of the Dead, Traitor to the Blood, and Rebel Fay, about a half-vampire vampire-hunter and her half-elf partner.
• The author's site NobleDead.com has a description, a pronunciation guide, and an excerpt.
• Amazon has a short description. The Publishers Weekly review, from its subscription site, calls the book "complex and bloody" and concludes "Interspecies distrust, grand ambitions and the lure of dangerous secrets protected by the undead drive the action in this neat mix of horror with more traditional fantasy elements."

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+ Hobb, Robin : Renegade's Magic
(Eos 978-0-06-075764-9, $25.95, 662pp, hardcover, January 2008, jacket illustration Steve Stone) First US edition (UK: HarperVoyager, July 2007)

Fantasy novel, conclusion of the "Soldier Son" trilogy following Shaman's Crossing and Forest Mage,
• The publisher's site has this description with its "Browse Inside" function.
• Locus Magazine's New and Notable Books listing for February describes it thus: "The third volume in the Soldier Son trilogy finds the former soldier Nevarre a fugitive, forced to turn to the enemy whose hated magic has transformed him. Hobb avoids fantasy conventions while spinning a fascinatingly grim and ultimately satisfying narrative of one man caught in the middle between two cultures incapable of coexisting."
• The Publishers Weekly review concludes that Hobb "provides a stunning resolution to this epic fantasy about the importance of environmental and social balance."

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* Jones, William, ed. : Frontier Cthulhu
(Chaosium 978-1568822198, $14.95, 265pp, trade paperback, October 2007, cover art Steven Gilberts)

Anthology of 15 stories, subtitled "Ancient Horrors in the New World", about frontier explorers in North America encoutering the cosmic horrors of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos stories.
• Two of the stories, by Stephen Mark Rainey & Durant Haire and by Darrell Schweitzer, are reprints; the other 13 stories are originals. Authors include Paul Melniczek, Tim Curran, and Angeline Hawkes.
• The publisher's site has this product info page, with the complete table of contents and an image of the wraparound cover painting.
• Amazon has several blog posts by the editor.

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* Jones, William, ed. : Horrors Beyond 2
(Elder Signs Press 978-0-9779876-3-4, $15.95, 333pp, trade paperback, October 2007, cover art Dave Carson)

Anthology of 21 original horror stories. Authors include Richard A. Lupoff, John Shirley, Greg Beatty, Tim Curran, E. Sedia, A.A. Attanasio, and William C. Dietz.
• The publisher's site has this order page for the book, with the complete list of contributors.

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* Kimberling, Nicole : Turnskin
(Blind Eye Books 978-0-9789861-2-4, $14.95, 259pp, trade paperback, March 2008, cover art Sam Dawson)

Fantasy novel about a shapeshifter from a remote farming community who travels to the city of Riverside, where he becomes involved with a criminal syndicate and seeks refuge in the Turnskin Theatre.
• The publisher's site has order page with a description and PDF excerpt.

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* King, Stephen : Duma Key
(Scribner 978-1-4165-5251-2, $28, 611pp, hardcover, January 2008, jacket illustration Mark Stutzman)

Horror novel about a man who survives and construction site accident and starts life anew in the Florida Keys, where he becomes consumed with a passion for creating art.
• Amazon has a video by the author, an excerpt, and a review by its own Daphne Durham: "It would be impossible to convey the wonder and the horror of Stephen King's latest novel in just a few words."
• King's site has the wraparound cover art and a promotional video.
• The Publishers Weekly review calls it a "well-crafted tale of possession and redemption", and concludes "The transition from the initial psychological suspense to the supernatural may disappoint some, but even those few who haven't read King (Lisey's Story) should appreciate his ability to create fully realized characters and conjure horrors that are purely manmade."

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+ Kirkpatrick, Russell : Across the Face of the World
(Orbit US 978-0316003414, $7.99, 701pp, mass market paperback, January 2008)

Fantasy novel, first book in the "Fire of Heaven" trilogy (and first published in Australia by Voyager in 2002), about five people from a remote mountain village who challenge a prophecy about Kannwar, the Immortal Destroyer.
• The author's site has this page about an earlier edition, with a description, extracts, and quotes from reviews.
• Cynthia Ward's Sci Fi Weekly review gave it a B: "Across the Face of the World will be a joyous experience for readers who love getting lost in a complex fictional world and/or embarking on a long fictional voyage."

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* Martin, Gail Z. : The Blood King
(Solaris 978-1844165315, $7.99, 623pp, mass market paperback, February 2008, cover art Michael Komarck)

Fantasy novel, second in the "Chronicles of the Necromancer" following The Summoner (2007), about a prince who summons the ranks of the dead to avenge the death of his father.
• Solaris' website has a description and a PDF sample chapter.
• The author's official site has background, a blog, quotes from reviews, a map, two excerpts, etc.

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* Martin, George R. R., ed. : Inside Straight
(Tor 978-0-7653-1781-0, $24.95, 384pp, hardcover, January 2008, jacket art Michael Komarck)

Mosaic novel, first of a trilogy, set in the "Wild Cards" shared-world universe begun in 1987, about an alien virus that hits New York City in 1946 and leaves a minority of survivors with superhuman powers.
• Contributors to this volume include Daniel Abraham, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Carrie Vaughn, and Michael Cassutt.
• Tor's site has this description.
• Publishers Weekly's review said the "fast-paced and sardonic story will appeal to comic book aficionados and heroic fantasy fans alike."

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* McCord, Symm Hawes, & Jacquelyn Brooks Strike-McCord : The Challenge of JHWH
(PublishAmerica 1-60441-250-x, $24.95, 282pp, trade paperback, November 2007)

SF novel about the government's conspiracy to cover up the truth about UFOs, alien abductions, and the Roswell incident.
• The book's site http://www.thechallengeofjhwh.com/ has a description and excerpt.

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* Palmer, Philip : Debatable Space
(Orbit US 978-0-316-01892-0, $12.99, 469pp, trade paperback, January 2008)

Far future SF novel about a space pirate who kidnaps the former president of humanity, Lena Smith.
• The parent publisher's site has this brief description. The Orbit site has this extract.
• The book is receiving very mixed reviews; Publishers Weekly calls it a "muddled debut space opera" in which the "concepts, writing and plotting leave a great deal to be desired". In contrast, D. Douglas Fratz' Sci Fi Weekly review gives in an A: "clearly one of the best first novels to appear in the science-fiction field in recent years, and it marks Philip Palmer as a writer to watch for SF readers seeking innovative, cutting-edge space opera." And Eric Brown's review in Guardian yesterday concluded "It's a debut of rare accomplishment."

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* Romanko, Karen, ed. : Sporty Spec: Games of the Fantastic
(Raven Electrick Ink 978-0-6151-7361-0, $13.95, 153pp, trade paperback, November 2007)

Anthology of 42 original short-short stories about sports and games.
• Contributors include Marge Simon, Robert Frazier, James S. Dorr, Deborah P Kolodji, Roger Dutcher, Ruth Berman, Lawrence Schimel, G.O. Clark, and Daniel Ausema.
• The publisher's site has this page with a description and the complete table of contents (with indications that at least seven of the stories were previously published).
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* Taylor, Bruce : Edward: Dancing on the Edge of Infinity
(RedJack 978-1-892619-10-5, $10, 194pp, trade paperback, November 2007)

A "novelized collection of semi-autobiographical short stories", with an introduction by Jay Lake.
• The publisher's site has this page about the book, with the text of Jay Lake's introduction and a PDF excerpt.

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* Williams, Sean : Cenotaxis
(MonkeyBrain Books 978-1-932265-26-2, $9.95, 111pp, trade paperback, November 2007, cover illustration Sparth)

SF novella, set in the universe of Williams' Astropolis series that began with Saturn Returns, about a messiah who tries to reunite humanity by returning to its birthplace, Earth.
• The publisher's site has this order page with a description.
• Russell Letson reviewed it in the December '07 issue of Locus Magazine, saying that he enjoyed the "rather Silverbergian combination of exotic far-future landscape and gloomy emotional atmosphere (think Nightwings or even Son of Man).... the sightseeing was worth the ticket price."

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