Kissing the Beehive by Jonathan Carroll
reviewed by Glen Engel-Cox
Faithful readers should not have worried. While quite different in plot from all of his previous work, this is still vintage Carroll. It has everything we have come to expect from Carroll after ten books and as many short stories: a first person narrator, quirky characters, richly told details, scenes horrendous and wonderful.

The Trokeville Way by Russell Hoban
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Victoria found this book to pack a powerful, creepy punch. The discordant atmosphere of the puzzle-world is compellingly evoked, making this a fascinating and thoroughly worthwhile read.

Earthling by Tony Daniel
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Three good ingredients don't guarantee one delectable dish, because not everything mixes well. It's happened before: a series of short stories can be formed into the parts of a successful novel, but not this time. Sometimes, the thread tying it all together is too weak.

January New Arrivals
compiled by John O'Neill
Plenty to keep you hurrying back to the bookstore this month, including the long-awaited launch of the Avon/EOS line. Authors in our most recent list include Greg Bear, Ben Bova, Gregory Benford, Amy Stout, Susan R. Mathhews, R. Garcia Y Robertson, Graham Joyce, Charles de Lint, Peter F. Hamilton, Steven Barnes, Phyllis Gotlieb, and S.P. Somtow.

Cross and Crescent by Susan Shwartz
reviewed by Steven H Silver
Steven finds Shwartz exhibits a strong knowledge of the period and location. Even if her characters' motivations often seem strange, Shwartz's understanding of the political situation and culture comes through, making her characters seem even more extraordinary than they already are.

Dracula: or The Un-Dead edited and annotated by Sylvia Starshine
reviewed by Margo MacDonald
Margo discovered that the introduction to this book is interesting; the play itself is unbearable. Stoker wrote this script for the sole purpose of preserving the theatrical rights to his masterpiece. It is basically a pared-down version of the novel, but it has lost the aspects of the story and storytelling that made Dracula, the novel, chilling and seductive.

Death of An Adept by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
reviewed by Todd Richmond
Kurtz and Harris offer us their vision of magic in the modern day: psychic abilities, scrying, astral projection, and post-cognition. Add some elements of mythology, the occult, and modern detective work, then throw in a few secret societies, each with a different agenda, and some ancient ruins and castles... and the result is a worthy brew.

SF Site: Best of 1997
There were over a thousand Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror books published in 1997. The writers, reviewers and editors of the SF Site present their pick for the Top Ten Books of the year. Have a look at their selection -- and cast your own vote for the Best of '97.

A Quantum Murder by Peter F. Hamilton
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
The novel's image of a civilization razed, but clawing its way out of the mud is a fascinating one. And sobering, too, if you can admit to yourself how possible that scenario is. It's a cautionary tale. It's a well-plotted mystery.

Magician's Ward by Patricia C. Wrede
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Victoria admires Wrede's lively writing style, likable characters, clever dialogue, and command of convincing period detail -- all of which combine to create a swift-paced, entertaining book. Fantasy fans and Regency buffs alike will thoroughly enjoy this sequel to Mairelon the Magician.

The Book of Night with Moon by Diane Duane
reviewed by Todd Richmond
Todd feels the book is an excellant addition addition to Duane's Wizardry series. The detailed descriptions of her creation mythology and some of the magical underpinnings of her series will delight most readers. If you have cats, you should enjoy Duane's unique vision of what those cats may be doing when you're not looking.

Call of Cthulhu
a survey by Wayne MacLaurin and Neil Walsh
A role-playing game set in the demon-haunted worlds of H.P. Lovecraft? Yikes! Senior Editors Wayne MacLaurin and Neil Walsh risk their health and sanity with a peek at the forbidden tomes of gaming lore from Chaosium. Part Three targets their non-1920s role-playing milieux as well as their Call of Cthulhu Fiction.