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Moths In My Music Moths In My Music an interview with Sarah Ash
by David Mathew
David talked to Sarah Ash about her life and work at the World Fantasy Convention in Docklands, UK in the east end of London over the Halloween weekend, 1997. She believes that a fantasy writer's advantage over a mainstream writer is precisely that a fantasy writer has a way of tackling unpleasant subject matter in a more palatable manner. Fantasy provides the necessary distancing effect.

To Say Nothing of the Dog To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
reviewed by Margo MacDonald
Interwoven with humour, wit and unfailing romanticism, this book is a pure pleasure which leaves you feeling as relaxed and satisfied as a picnic on a green lawn by a rolling river on a warm summer's day.

Corrupting Dr. Nice Corrupting Dr. Nice by John Kessel
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Kessel's clever vision of the social transformations worked by the novel's time travel core are meant to amuse rather than to educate -- he's satirizing, but not darkly. Victoria found it to be one of the most enjoyable reads she has had in some time.

Island In the Sea of Time Island In the Sea of Time by S. M. Stirling
reviewed by Steven H Silver
First of a trilogy, Steven tells us this novel can stand on its own. Its realistic portrayal of the characters, without any Smithian or Heinleinesque superheroes who rarely make mistakes, is one of the novel's strengths.

The Eleventh Plague The Eleventh Plague by John S. Marr and John Baldwin
reviewed by Todd Richmond
Todd really enjoyed the book with its classic elements: an old, knowledgeable professional with a secret past; a trustworthy sidekick; an intelligent, eager young student; a young beautiful wife; an old flame; a suspicious FBI agent who won't admit he's wrong; and a brilliant psychopath who provides clues for the hero.

Girl In Landscape Girl In Landscape by Jonathan Lethem
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
If you're not familiar with Jonathan Lethem, step up and meet the man who's going to lead you into an esoteric world. He's got a firm grasp and a twisted genius that will keep you crossing the line for more. And, please, pay close attention -- Lethem doesn't mumble, and he never repeats himself.

New Arrivals March New Arrivals
compiled by John O'Neill
The slow winter months are over, at least as far as publishing is concerned. The first two weeks of March have seen a flurry of new titles from such folks as Adam Lee, James Alan Gardner, Steven Gould, Michael Reaves, Kay Kenyon, Damien Broderick, Victoria Strauss, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, Michael Flynn, Jack Vance, John Barnes, Fred Saberhagen, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Jack McDevitt, and many others.

Kingdom Come Kingdom Come by Elliot S. Maggin
reviewed by Mark Shainblum
Mark thinks the author has distinguished himself as a man who truly understood the mythological underpinnings of the material he was writing before such understanding was fashionable. He is one of a very small stable of writers who can convincingly write superhero adventure in prose form.

The Alleluia Files The Alleluia Files by Sharon Shinn
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Victoria felt that, like its predecessors, this novel is competently written and paced, with attractive central characters and an appealing romance element. However, the book suffers from sequelitis. There's a flatness to the story, a feeling of places too often revisited and ground trod too many times.

The Time Patrolman Gazette The Time Patrolman Gazette
a Web site review by Steven H Silver
Steven found the site's design to be relatively simple. Four interconnected pages which include an introduction, a bibliography, a short list of time travel devices and time travel characters. There is a focus on the literary aspect of time travel, along with a curious mix of film and television references.

Editor's Choice: Short Fiction Reviews Editor's Choice
short fiction reviews by David A. Truesdale
In his column, David looks at the March 1998 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. His choice is
"White Magic" by Albert E. Cowdrey.

The Troika The Troika by Stepan Chapman
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
The author plays with words like trick cards. He surrounds each character with infinite layers of disguise and dares you to "find the lady." Getting too close to the truth? He simply sheds another onion skin and allows the story to twist away.

The Gratitude of Kings The Gratitude of Kings by Marion Zimmer Bradley
reviewed by Margo MacDonald
This charming little volume offers up a story of magic and salamanders. It is a fairy tale without the strong moral meaning but with all the other necessary elements -- a royal wedding, a beautiful princess, magicians, an old woman with ill intentions, magical creatures and secrets.

Between the Rivers Between the Rivers by Harry Turtledove
reviewed by Steven H Silver
This novel covers familiar Turtledove ground work, however it does so in a manner which is frequently fresh and inventive. It does a fantastic job of depicting a Mesopotamian culture and the elements of humanity breaking free from the rule of gods and superstition.

The Wild Road The Wild Road by Gabriel King
reviewed by S. Kay Elmore
Kay's take on this novel is one of a story about the overwhelming instinct to survive against insurmountable odds. The characters grow, mature, and realize that the survival of their best and brightest -- perhaps even the whole cat species -- depends on completing their quest.

Series Review

The Farseer: Assassin's Quest The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
reviewed by Katharine Mills
This is a series about growing up, and Hobb doesn't spare us the painful moments. Katharine thinks that's what she admires most about this series. A hero who invariably triumphs over all challenges is a sure sign of a second-rate writer. Hobb isn't afraid to let FitzChivalry fail, yet his failures do not diminish him.

First Novels

Outpost Outpost by Scott Mackay
reviewed by Todd Richmond
This is a story about a struggle for freedom and survival, combining elements of science fiction, mystery and suspense. It begins in a prison, clearly not on Earth, where the prisoners are watched and guarded by machines, robots which guide them around, feed them, and keep them.

Second Looks

Song of Kali Song of Kali by Dan Simmons
reviewed by Wayne MacLaurin
Tor recently re-released a new edition of this World Fantasy Award-winning horror novel. Only in a setting so foul, so depraved, so utterly without promise -- evoked by the author's brilliant writing -- could the nightmare Dan Simmons has crafted, fester and find life. He conveys the sense of disgust, hopelessness and utter terror of his characters so accutely that you'll squirm as you read.

Freeware Freeware by Rudy Rucker
reviewed by A. John O'Neill
In a reprise review to coincide with the paperback release, John found that, chapter by chapter, Rucker's characters and the world they inhabit are made real. The more outlandish the premise, the more energy he expends to make it plausible.


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