House of Chains by Steven Erikson
reviewed by Neil Walsh
This is the fourth book in the massive epic, Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. Unlike the previous novels in this cycle, it begins as a clear, relatively straightforward narrative following one central character. It is so linear, in fact, that it almost reads like another author altogether -- albeit, an equally talented one. But by the second quarter of the book, we return to the multiple inter-linked story lines we have come to expect.

Manta's Gift by Timothy Zahn
reviewed by Alma A. Hromic
Alma loved its central idea -- an ornery, shallow and callow human youth trades a hopeless existence as a quadriplegic for a chance to be reborn as an alien being with a (reasonably) human mind. The description of a birth from the point of view of the thing being born is... interesting. The depiction of what is a truly alien society -- in setup, in physiology, in mindset -- is well done, and is a fascinating thread to follow throughout.

New Arrivals
compiled by Neil Walsh
Here are the new & forthcoming books, plus some new editions of old favourites, that were received at our office recently. Highlights include new novels from Michael Moorcock, Kate Elliott, Steven Krane, and S.M. Stirling.

Boston Blackie by Stefan Petrucha
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Maybe you are familiar with this serial from the short stories of Jack Boyle. It could be you remember Chester Morris portraying the "gentleman thief" in films, or Kent Taylor stepping into the role for the fledgling medium of television. The last of these dramas premiered more than 50 years ago, so you can be forgiven if this graphic novel is your first exposure, or if it sets you off on a quest to find more of his adventures.

A Telling of Stars by Caitlin Sweet
reviewed by Cindy Lynn Speer
When they were children, Jaele and her little brother Elic would act out the story of the great warrior Queen Galha, and her quest to protect her land from the Sea Raiders who had already taken so much from her. That was before the raiders came to Jaele's home one day and destroyed everything. Hiding out among the rocks, Jaele is the sole witness to her family's murder.

The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Imagine Who Framed Roger Rabbit in Toy City rather than Toon Town, where the characters are wind-up toys or Mother Goose characters, and you'll have some idea of where this book is headed. Chock full of puns, double-entendres, quirky in-jokes, lampooned clichés and loopy characters, this is a story that you will find either outrageously funny or forgettable puerile humour.

Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
Rick offers his thoughts on the redefined Hugo Award categories for Best Dramatic Production, Long Form and Best Dramatic Production, Short Form. And he provides us with a list of what to watch in February.

From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury
reviewed by Trent Walters
The overarching plot is fairly simple: a "family" -- or, rather, a group of societal misfits like loping werewolves, living gargoyles, ghosts who starve in a world without belief, vampires and other winged creatures of the night who can no longer fly at night but must etch out a new meaningful existence, and Egyptian mummies who can bestow knowledge of the dead -- congregates every now and again at a haunted house and decides how to define who they are and what they should do, pausing to tell individual tales of the family members.

The Dreamthief's Daughter by Michael Moorcock
reviewed by Alma A. Hromic
He is a pioneering writer of his generation. His tortured prince, Elric of Melniboné, was a lasting memorable character with a complex, multi-dimensional existence and a brooding central sorrow which wounded his spirit but never dulled the edge of the warrior prince who continued doing what circumstances demanded of him. This is the latest novel in the Elric saga, and it plunges its protagonist squarely into the moral morass that was Nazi Germany in the 30s.

Sisters of the Raven by Barbara Hambly
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
In the Realm of the Seven Lakes, magic is dying. Or so fear the men, in whom the world's magic has always, exclusively, been born. But reluctant as they are to admit the dwindling of their powers, the male mages are even more unwilling to acknowledge the fact that the sorcerous ability they are losing isn't actually vanishing from the world, but only awakening in different vessels: women.

Conquistador by S.M. Stirling
reviewed by Steven H Silver
One minute Tom Christiansen is a warden for the California Department of Fish and Game working with the FBI to crack an animal smuggling ring, the next minute he's trying to figure out how a practically extinct California Condor was found without any genetic ties to other existing California Condors. Thus begins this a novel of a parallel California.

In Memoriam: 2002
a memorial by Steven H Silver
Science fiction fans have always had a respect and understanding for the history of the genre. Unfortunately, science fiction has achieved such an age that each year sees our ranks diminished. The science-fictional year 2002 could have been much worse for the science fiction community in sheer numbers. While there were a few tragic surprises, the mortality rate for 2002 was no higher than would normally be expected.

Explorer by C.J. Cherryh
reviewed by Cindy Lynn Speer
Bren Cameron returns as the Paidhi and newly-made Lord of the Heavens, and it will take all his diplomatic skills and his deep understanding of the Atevi to keep the fragile peace between humans and Atevi alive. He has discovered that all their knowledge of the human past may be based on a lie. Recently, Ramirez, the captain of the human ship Phoenix confessed that he falsified reports that the human station, Reunion, had been destroyed by aliens.

A Shortcut In Time by Charles Dickinson
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Josh Winkler calls himself an artist, but his main project is wasting time. That he should be the first person to confess to being taken for a ride on the time-mangling footpaths of Euclid, Illinois, is one of those cruel practical jokes fate plays on people. Take the flakiest, least respected member of the community and make him the messenger for an unbelievable secret...

SF Site News
compiled by Steven H Silver
Every day, items of interest to you arrive in our email. Our bi-monthly format doesn't lend itself to daily updates. However, this is a small inconvenience to our Contributing Editor Steven H Silver. He's begun a new column which will fill you in on recent news in science fiction. We'll be updating the page as he sends in new items.

Nemonymous, #2
reviewed by Steven H Silver
The idea of this anthology series is to present authors' works without the baggage that the authors' names might carry with it. Readers of all sorts, particularly science fiction readers whose genre is such a small society, bring expectations upon seeing an author's name. If the accompanying story does not match those expectations, it may have a negative effect on the reader's enjoyment of the tale. This approach allows the reader to enjoy the story (or not) based on the story's own merits, with the author's name only revealed several months later in the subsequent issue.

The Summer Country by James A. Hetley
reviewed by William Thompson
Naskeag Falls, Maine, a run-down mill town, is experiencing a typical winter: not of snow but sleet and ice. Maureen Pierce, a convenience clerk at the local Quick Shop, finds she is being followed home through slushy, midnight streets. Forced to duck into an alleyway to confront her stalker, Maureen finds herself faced with a drama that defies all logic and threatens what may already be a slim hold on reality.