Necropolis by Tim Waggoner
reviewed by Cindy Lynn Speer
Matthew Adrion was a cop on Earth until he and his partner followed a suspect through a magical portal and ended up at Necropolis, where Vampires, Lycanthropes, demons and every other creature famous for going bump in the night have decided to make their home. Created by the five Dark Lords, its light source, Umbriel (sort of a stationary moon that stays constant in the sky) needs to be renewed every year through a ceremony where they unite their considerable powers.

Sequential Art
a column by Matthew Peckham
Beckett Comics' The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty #1 arrived in July on Free Comic Book Day to rousing reviews and enthusiastic fans. Two months later, Matt takes a look at the first and second issues to see how this sold-out supernatural western from a fledgling indie publisher is holding up.

New Spring by Robert Jordan
reviewed by William Thompson
The story revolves around the early careers of two of the more popular and important characters, Moiraine Damodred and Lan Mandragoran, and the events leading up to their fateful meeting. The initial chapter suggests the reader may actually experience the birth of The Dragon Reborn, but instead the story soon shifts to the halls of Tar Valon, leaving the circumstances of Rand al-Thor's birth the stuff of legend and prophecy.

Space and Time, Spring 2004
reviewed by Rich Horton
The current issues offers nine stories and as many poems. (No other features -- no editorial, no reviews, no non-fiction. Though there is copious black and white artwork.) In a very general sense, the stories are typical of the better semi-professional magazines -- in nearly every case one can see why they may not have made the cut at the top magazines, but they are generally decent work, with a spark in every case that will keep you reading.

Mortal Companion by Patrick Califia
reviewed by Alisa McCune
This novel is not for the easily offended or those who are not comfortable with explicit sex. Subtitled as "an erotic tale of love and vengeance" like no other, it delivers. The author has created a world where everything is possible and nothing is taboo. This world is opened up to the reader layer by layer -- chapter by chapter -- until the final climatic end which leaves us panting and waiting for the sequel.

Seven Threads by Susan J. Boulton and Dan Bieger
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
A collection of 7 tales of fantasy and science fiction with strong elements of male-female romance, or other intense interpersonal relationships, this book is itself apparently the result of the blossoming of a trans-Atlantic Internet-mediated interpersonal relationship. With the advent of role playing games and quasi-instantaneous communication, it is now possible for two people to act out a story by e-mail or chat service, capturing a certain spontaneity that was perhaps absent in earlier times.

Aurealis #32
reviewed by Matthew Cheney
An Australian fantasy and science fiction magazine, it includes fiction, interviews, essays, reviews, and market reports. Issue 32 contains six stories and a variety of non-fiction. The non-fiction is, overall, stronger than the fiction, with good interviews with HarperCollins editor Stephanie Smith, literary agent Selwa Anthony, and writer Lynn Flewelling. There are articles on computer games and war games, the scientific possibilities of enhancing human evolution, and even a thoughtful essay on gun control. The magazine often reads as if it is aimed at aspiring writers who are just discovering the world of publishing.

Staying Dead by Laura Anne Gilman
reviewed by Michael M Jones
In a world like our own, where magic works and supernatural beings walk the streets in secret, those who work magic lead a shadowy existence. Those with the Talent for manipulating magic either belong to the overly-restrictive Council or have gone rogue, operating as independents known as lonejacks. One of the very best is Genevieve Valere, better known as Wren. With her human partner Sergei, she operates a profitable and highly successful "retrieval" business, penetrating the best security in the world to steal back items for their rightful owners.

Ravenor by Dan Abnett
reviewed by Nathan Brazil
The story concerns Gideon Ravenor, Inquisitor, Ordo Xenos Helican, and his team, as they seek the origins of a new drug called flects. An ingenious invention, with a suitably fascinating origin, flects come in the form of glass shards which have a psycho-narcotic effect on users. Due to an earlier incident, Inquisitor Ravenor is seriously crippled in body, and exists within a special chair-like environment. Ravenor's mind is free to roam, guiding his team of special operatives, and occasionally wearing them, like suits of flesh.

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
a give-away contest
With a strength surpassed only by the power of his heart, Hercules faces new challenges and exciting adventures in his quest to help those who cry out in need. The fun, action-packed adventures of Hercules continue with the nine-disc DVD release of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys™ - Season Four.
Read the contents, answer the questions, win a DVD. Easy, eh?

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.

Geeks With Books
a column by Rick Klaw
Rick Klaw has some thoughts on robots, libertarianism and open source software. Think he can tie them together? You bet. Linux may not be for everyone but it is for him.

Nightingale's Lament by Simon R. Green
reviewed by Michael M Jones
In the Nightside, London's secret, dark heart, anything is possible, and sooner or later, everyone who's anyone comes to visit, or to stay. There's a lot that goes on in the Nightside, almost all of it illegal, immoral, unpleasant, or self-destructive. It's a place where angels and demons jostle each other in the waiting lines of clubs run by the Fae, where time travelers get revenge on pulp-era adventurers, where monsters perform in musical numbers, and where the taxicabs might just eat you if you forget to tip the driver. And that's on a good day.

Highlander 2
a give-away contest
It's 2024 and MacLeod and Ramirez are back to save planet Earth. Ozone depletion, time travel and corporate greed are at the core of all thrilling twists and turns in this stylish action sequel. The 2 disc special edition DVD features a newly re-mastered high definition video transfer plus over 100 new and improved special effects produced by the film's original visual effects designer using the latest in digital technology.
Read the contents, answer the questions, win a DVD. Easy, eh?

Apocalypse Array by Lyda Morehouse
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
In the late 21st century, just about everyone is LINKed -- hooked up through a nexus implanted at birth to the electronic realm where all commerce, education, communication, and entertainment now takes place. At the same time, paradoxically, there has been a backlash against science, in the wake of the horrible Medusa bombs that devastated hundreds of cities in the last Great War. Governments have become theocracies, with men and women unable to hold political position unless they also hold religious rank, and a multi-national Inquisition taking the place of the international police force, Interpol.

The Apparition Trail by Lisa Smedman
reviewed by Donna McMahon
It is 1884 on the prairies, but a very different 1884 than the one in Canadian history books. Since a mysterious comet struck Earth's moon in 1877, magical phenomena have become real. For Europeans, this has manifested in the development of perpetual motion technology, which is swiftly replacing coal and steam on the partially completed Canadian Pacific Railroad. And for tribes like the Cree and Blackfoot, magic holds the promise of powerful spells to banish foreign interlopers from the plains and restore the vanishing buffalo herds.

Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
Rick finished watching the Firefly DVD. What did he discover? That it is one of the best SF TV series of all time? No. That it is the best SF TV series of all time. He also offers his thoughts on what to watch on TV in September.

New Arrivals
compiled by Neil Walsh
The latest new arrivals here at the SF Site office include new works from Adam Roberts, Nick Sagan, Hal Clement, Sarah Zettel, Neal Barrett, Jr., Terry Brooks, Elizabeth Haydon, Juliet Marillier, Nancy Kress, Robert Rankin, and many more.

The Gernsback Days by Mike Ashley and Robert A.W. Lowndes
reviewed by Steven H Silver
Although there is nothing on the cover to indicate it, the book is, in reality, two complementary non-fiction works about Hugo Gernsback's role in the formation of science fiction. In the first work, Mike Ashley provides a combination biography of Gernsback and history of the evolution in the field. The second part is Robert A.W. Lowndes's reader's guide to the field in which he provides synopses of the stories published during the time period.

Faces of Mist and Flame by Jon George
reviewed by Michael M Jones
Phoenix Lafayette is a combat correspondent following the exploits of a group of Marines during World War II, starting with their days in boot camp, all the way up to now, as they slog through the jungles of 1941 Guam, fighting "the Enemy" for every inch, every step of territory. He'll make sure the people back home know and appreciate exactly what's happening out there in the middle of nowhere, turn these boys into heroes and martyrs, and open their eyes to the grim realities of war. But he secretly fears that the stress of war is driving him mad. Why else would he be hearing a soft female voice in his head?