The Overnight by Ramsey Campbell
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
In 2002, the author stunned just about everybody by taking on a job in a large British bookstore chain. It is this experience which underlies this novel of what occurs to the staff of an American style mega-bookstore situated in a drained fen with a genius loci that is rather inimical to amicable interpersonal relationships and whose "physical expression" is actively fatal to people.

The Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
an audio review by Tom Marcinko
It's not just that these are even better than the novels, or that they compensate for the well-meaning dud of a movie. The Guide, originally conceived as a radio show, still works best in its original medium. (Please note that these are not audiobooks, but full-cast dramatizations, complete with actors, music, sound effects, and things blowing up.)

Serenity
a movie review by Steven H Silver
The film is based on the short-lived Joss Whedon television series Firefly (2002). Firefly told the stories of nine people on a smuggler. In addition to the crew of five, there was a registered companion (whore), a preacher, and two fugitives. While all nine of these characters appear in the film, Whedon wisely holds off on introducing two of them until the viewer can get comfortable with the other characters and the situation.

Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
What's on TV in October? Smallville is the only thing worth watching. Rick wrote individual reviews for each of the six new genre shows of the Fall season, three SF, three fantasy. But he says they really aren't worth that much of your time and attention.

Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison
reviewed by Michael M Jones
Some people have it easy. They haven't gone into business for themselves as a bounty hunter, with a hyperactive pixie and an actively-prowling vampire as their partners. They haven't made a deal with a demon to take down an ancient vampire crime lord. They haven't made the occasional dubious alliance with an elven drug runner. They don't have attempts made upon their life on a daily basis.

Wasps At the Speed of Sound by Derryl Murphy
reviewed by Donna McMahon
This first collection of stories is both a strong debut and the record of a growing writer. Checking the original publication dates of the stories, it was pleasant to note that the story considered weakest was the first published (1992), and the two strongest, "Summer's Humans" and "Island of the Moon" were most recent.

All the Rage This Year edited by Keith Olexa
reviewed by Kit O'Connell
One of the drawbacks of the average science fiction anthology is the mixture of good and bad stories. One story will entertain while the next will have you groaning at the approach of a predictable conclusion, or just struggling to contain your boredom as you skim ahead to the next story. As a reviewer, these stories are a bit more fun because you know you'll get to skewer them.

Enter the Dark Age: an interview with Mark Chadbourn
An interview with Sandy Auden
On duality:
"Much of my writing is about duality, how everything is defined by its opposite. You can only understand true goodness by seeing it in the context of evil. And the issues of hope, redemption and transcendence that I tackle in Devil In Green needed to be set against despair. That's why I love fantasy -- because it allows you to tackle big issues in a big way. Overcoming the worst possible scenario means you need the best possible abilities to do it. The issues become polarized, and therefore very clear."

Best Short Novels 2005 edited by Jonathan Strahan
reviewed by Steven H Silver
Through the courtesy of the Science Fiction Book Club, Jonathan Strahan returns for a second anthology of the Best Short Novels. The 2005 volume, which includes ten novellas first published in 2004, provides excellent stories representing a variety of voices in science fiction.

Serenity
a movie review by Rick Norwood
"This is going to be the shortest review I've ever written. Go see Serenity. And do not let anybody, not even me, tell you anything about it before you see it."

Guilty Pleasures, The Laughing Corpse and Circus of the Damned by Laurell K. Hamilton
reviewed by Nathan Brazil
Guilty Pleasures is where Laurell K. Hamilton began what was to become her vampire franchise, a kind of fast food version of Anne Rice, but with more mouthwatering ingredients. Here, readers got their first glimpse of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. The character is the type of woman -- most often an American woman -- that has risen to prominence in recent years.

The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart & Jack Cohen
reviewed by Steven H Silver
At a time when the President of the United States apparently equates teaching Intelligent Design with teaching Evolution, the authors provide in a nutshell an explanation of why comparing Intelligent Design and Evolution is like comparing sapient pearwood and a nauga.

Mr. Fox and Other Feral Tales by Norman Partridge
reviewed by Mario Guslandi
First published by Roadkill Press in 1992, this is the debut collection by an author who has become one of the most prolific and respected writers in the horror field. The present edition collects all the stories appeared in the original volume plus a bunch of early tales from the beginning of his successful career.