Island Dreams: Montreal Writers of the Fantastic edited by Claude Lalumière
reviewed by Kit O'Connell
From this American's perspective, Montreal has always seemed to be one of Canada's cultural hotbeds. In his introduction to the anthology, the editor explains that within that city is a dedicated group of science fiction, fantasy, and horror authors many of whom write primarily in the English language. it introduces us to twelve up and coming authors, most with only a few story publications to their name. In fact, some of the best stories come from the authors with the fewest credits on their bio.

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. His column will fill you in on recent news in science fiction. We'll be updating the page as he sends in new items.

The Affinity Trap by Martin Sketchley
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Alexander Delgado is a veteran soldier and experienced covert operative for Structure, the world government that has come to exist in the wake of humanity's withdrawal into gigantic habitat towers, sealed off from the trashed, polluted, disease-ridden world of the far future. Since a bloody coup by the power-hungry General William Myson, Structure has become a corrupt dictatorship. Delgado, whose loyalty to the previous regime caused him to be punished by the sidelining of his career, is called out of his semi-retirement by General Myson himself. Earth is in imminent danger of war with the Seriatts, a powerful three-gendered alien race whose homeworld lies close to the locus of some of Myson's many illegal dealings.

Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
Rick offers his predictions, based entirely on the writers, for which genre films in 2004 will be worth watching. Will his choices include Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Village, Thunderbirds or The Brothers Grimm?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
a movie review by Rick Norwood
This is a SF art flick, which means it has some boring stretches but an emotional payoff so powerful it more than makes up for them. It would be the most original SF film in years, if it didn't happen to come at the end of a whole slew of movies told backward and an equal number of movies about memory wipes.

Hellboy
a movie review by Rick Norwood
This is a minor but fairly entertaining superhero film. The problem with the film is that Hellboy is impervious to harm. The best action movies feature a vulnerable hero in a tight spot: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Die Hard, Titanic. When you have an invulnerable hero, such as Superman or Hellboy, you have to focus on the supporting cast.

Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K. Hamilton
reviewed by Alisa McCune
It begins a few weeks after the end of Caress of Twilight. Merry and her guards have moved onto the estate of the fey actress Maeve Reed, who is pregnant due to fertility rites performed by Merry and Galen. Public interest and political intrigue seem to be weighing down all her guards, and Merry herself is frustrated. King Kurag figures prominently in the book, as he attempts to thwart his alliance with Merry.

The Other Side of the Lens by G.O. Clark
reviewed by Chris Przybyszewski
In easy, open language, the author starts his poetry collection with a symbolic bang in "Audience of One." The evening's first star appears on the horizon and is observed by a single person, settling down for the night. "[A]s I settle in for the night,/audience of one,/to take in another incredible show."

For Us, the Living by Robert A. Heinlein
reviewed by Cindy Lynn Speer
Naval Airman Perry Nelson, trying to avoid an oncoming car, crashes through a guardrail in 1939. He hits his head, and when he really wakes up he's no longer laying on the beach, but naked in a soft bed. The young woman who helped him takes off her parka and she is naked, as well. It's only when he explains to her what happened, and her confusion over the idea of a tire blowing out that the two realize the truth. Somehow Perry's be transported to the year 2086.

Geeks With Books
a column by Rick Klaw
Rick Klaw gives us a look at how things work from behind the counter of a book store. But, this time, he's on the move. He takes us to visit with Hal Hall, the curator of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Collection at the Cushing Memorial Library at Texas A&M University and gives us a thumbnail view of what is housed in their stacks.

Fire Logic by Laurie Marks
reviewed by Michael M Jones
Fifteen years after the fall of the House of Lilterwess, the land of Shaftal is dying, torn apart by a vicious guerilla war between the native Shaftali and the conquering. Without an earth-witch, without the power of the G'deon to rule and heal the land, there seems to be no hope. The former defenders of Shaftal are scattered or slaughtered, waging a desperate war in the hills and forests as their loved ones suffer the repercussions and reprisals.

Usurper's Crown by Sarah Zettel
reviewed by Sherwood Smith
Readers familiar with A Sorcerer's Treason might be disappointed to discover that this novel goes back in time and not forward but that will last about three breaths. Avanasy, a mage, is condemned to death if he dares to enter the kingdom again but he's not only in Isavalta, he's in the royal palace itself, because he is forcing himself to see if his beloved royal student, the princess Medeoan, will marry Kucha, prince of Hastinapuran despite his warning.

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
reviewed by Alisa McCune
Elena Michaels is women going places. She has a great job as a journalist, a nice apartment in Toronto, a very attentive boyfriend, and a serious problem. She is a werewolf. The only female werewolf in existence. So starts the first book in the Women of the Otherworld series.

Sequential Art
a column by Matthew Peckham
Matthew Peckham reviews selected titles of one week's worth of comics. But don't look for frequent reviews of the more popular stuff here, e.g. Spider-Man or Batman, X-Men or JLA -- they get plenty of attention. Instead, he is dipping into a combination of the low print run mainstream and independent, alternative, web-based or small press stuff.

The Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson
reviewed by Sam Ashurst
After two encounters with radiation combine to create a freak reaction in his body, Scott Carey begins to shrink. Stuck in a cellar, fighting off an ever growing spider, Carey remembers his life before, and during, the change, discovering that he has many regrets.

Troll Fell by Katherine Langrish
reviewed by Cindy Lynn Speer
When Peer's father died, the last thing the twelve-year-old expected was to have an uncle lay claim to him. Demanding that the boy accompany him to Troll Fell, where he runs a mill, he lets Peer know right away that he's not going to a better life. When he gets there he meets his other uncle. Both men are large, oafish and greedy, as he soon learns when he overhears them dividing up the money they got from selling everything Peer and his father owned, and making dark references to the Gaffer.

Blood and Mind by Melanie L. Bonnefoux
reviewed by Alisa McCune
Our heroine, Holly-Anne Feather is not your average co-ed. She posses incredible PSI abilities and is an empath. Because of these powers, she is noticed by the local vampire community. Lucien, the vampire 'Holder' or master, takes a very keen interest in her. Of course, Holly is torn. Lucien is technically a dead man -- reanimated flesh. But, Holly finds herself lusting after Lucien. Into this mix comes Ryan, a fellow student. Then the bodies start to appear.

Sometimes The Magic Works by Terry Brooks
reviewed by Nathan Brazil
How to bottle lightning, that's the theme at the heart of this book. The author comes across as a likeable, genuine sort of bloke, who freely admits what a major part luck played in his early success. The fact that The Sword of Shannara was the right book in exactly the right place and time, is not lost on him. Thankfully, he avoids falling into the ego trap of believing his own publicity.