Living Next Door to the God of Love by Justina Robson
reviewed by Greg L. Johnson
The novel deals with the stuff of myth and legend. Desire
and lust, self-sacrifice and the desire to merge into a greater whole are the essence of Jalaeka, the seemingly god-like
character who draws all the other characters towards him and into his goals and
plans. And it all takes place within a thoroughly hard science fiction framework, a landscape determined by the mathematics
of string theory, with beings beyond human comprehension capable of manipulating space and time in all eleven dimensions.
Paragaea by Chris Roberson
reviewed by Rich Horton
This new novel is old again. That is, it's quite explicitly, indeed exuberantly, in the mold of planetary romances such as Edgar
Rice Burroughs's Mars books, Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon serials, and Leigh Brackett's work. And, as the author reminds us, the
television series Land of the Lost. He also includes buried references to many other SF books and
grounds his story in at least vaguely plausible speculative science. The end result is quite a lot of fun.
Goblin Fruit #1 edited by Jessica Wick & Amal El-Mohtar
reviewed by Neil Walsh
The stated intent is to publish quarterly, with each issue offering at least one of the poems in both text and
downloadable sound file of the author's reading of the poem -- a laudable idea, to be sure. The first issue
has only ten original short poems, of which you may hear four being read by their respective authors.
Regrettably, Neil only found one of those readings added to his enjoyment of the poetry, and that was Mike Allen's
reading of his excellent poem "Sisyphus Walks."
Accidental Goddess by Linnea Sinclair
reviewed by Steve Lazarowitz
Gillie, aka Captain Gillian Devre, has several problems, not the least of which
is that she has lost 342 years of her life. One minute she's fighting in a war, enters riftspace on the tail of an enemy
vessel, and then she's thrown through a freak hole in time/space, ending up more than three centuries hence. Her second big surprise
is, during the lapsed years, she has become a goddess, the patron saint of the Star Fleet, an object of worship.
Goddesses don't swill beer and play billiards in seedy space bars, and she wasn't the saint the religious texts claimed she was.
Crimewave 8: Cold Harbours edited by Andy Cox
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Some people camp out overnight to snatch up a copy of the latest Harry Potter adventure; Lisa moons around her post office now,
waiting for the next issue. The strange thing is, no matter how high her expectations are, the magazine always
exceeds them. There truly is no other magazine out there that brings readers the kind of stories you see in every
issue of Crimewave.
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Children of Chaos by Dave Duncan
reviewed by Donna McMahon
When the peaceful land of Florengia is invaded by bloodlord Stralg and his horde of crazed Werist soldiers, the city of Celebre is
among the first to fall, and the doge is forced to give up his four children as hostages. Fifteen years later, amid rumours the
doge is about to die, those hostages suddenly become strategically important. One hostage will be selected and sent back to Celebre
to be installed as a puppet ruler, and the others must be killed.
X and Y and Other Like Stories by Heidi Cyr
reviewed by David Hebblethwaite
"Is it love, or just another psychotic episode?" This question is posed on the back cover of this enigmatic little
book, and it expresses the main theme of the auhtor's first collection; you may find yourself asking it as you read many
of the stories.
New Arrivals
compiled by Neil Walsh
So far this month, books newly arrived at the SF Site office include the latest from Charles Stross, Ursula Le Guin, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Terry Brooks, Robert Rankin, Ramsey Campbell, Charles de Lint, and many more. No shortage of reading material for the summer months ahead.
The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook
reviewed by Michael M Jones
All her life, Princess Contessa of Costenopolie has been raised as a proper princess should, well-versed in fashion, diplomacy,
politics, and shopping. However, she's also been trained quite thoroughly in how to protect herself. Tess has never thought
much about it, really. Being a princess is a dangerous job, and sometimes a girl has to protect herself. However, every skill
Tess has learned still won't prepare her for the tasks at hand when her entire world is turned inside out, and her very identity
revealed as a lie.
Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
Rick asks what happened to the six new SF and fantasy shows that premiered on TV in Fall 2005?
The Green Knowe Series by L.M. Boston
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Some of us are fortunate enough to have had that grandmother or aunt with a house full of fascinating things to discover
as well as all sorts of family stories to tell. While the history in these books spans close to nine centuries, they
capture the essence of such a time in a child's life when
an unfettered imagination, a locale which invites exploration, and an older adult present to pass on the historical
continuity of the family and locale, combine in a life-affirming and altering experience.
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