Terror in the House by Henry Kuttner
reviewed by Mario Guslandi
Although he died when he was only 42, Henry Kuttner, in the late 30s and 40s published, under a score of pen-names,
hundreds of tales in the most famous pulp magazines (Weird Tales, Thrilling Mystery,
Strange Stories, Spicy Mystery, Marvel Science Stories, etc). And
the present collection, subtitled The Early Kuttner, includes forty stories and,
mind you, is only the first volume.
Albedo One, Issue 39
reviewed by Seamus Sweeney
The magazine has, for a long time, borne the speculative
fiction standard in Ireland. For a country with such a strong literary tradition, speculative fiction per se
does not loom large in considerations of Irish literature. Of course, some of this is the same blend of snobbery
and ignorance seen elsewhere, and some of this is due to the understandable but, as some think, rather tiresome
preoccupation with exploring the same themes of "Irishness" again and again.
Shadowheart by James Barclay
reviewed by Sandra Scholes
The novel sees The Raven having to survive a war that rages over their land
as the mages of Balaia wage war on them in order to take their world for them by force. Ry Darrick has come back
to his homeland to answer the charges laid against him for his past mistakes; treason, desertion and cowardice;
accusations that are not normally associated with the warrior.
The Prefect by Alastair Reynolds
an audiobook review by Dale Darlage
A hard-boiled detective novel, it is set in a future in which mankind has moved
to new worlds far away from Earth and created any number of new technologies. But people still find themselves
confronted by age-old problems that come from within humanity itself. In the end, despite all of the glitz of
spaceships and high tech weaponry, this is really a book about freedom vs. tyranny, redemption, revenge, justice, and honor.
Christine by Stephen King
an audiobook review by Steven Brandt
Dennis Guilder has known Arnie since they were little, and he was with Arnie the first day he saw
Christine. Dennis, more than anyone, is aware of the unhealthy hold the car has on his friend, and
has witnessed first-hand the changes Arnie has undergone. But Dennis knows a few things that even
Arnie doesn't. He knows, for instance, how much Christine's first owner loved her, how he poured
his heart and soul into the car, and how Christine was still the most important thing to him, even
after his wife and daughter died in her. Dennis doesn't understand how, but he is convinced that
the malign spirit of Roland D. LeBay still inhabits Christine, and that now, that spirit is
beginning to take hold of Arnie. When the people that get in the way of Arnie, or Christine, begin to die,
Dennis knows the car must be destroyed. He can only hope that it is not too late to save his friend.
The River Kings' Road by Liane Merciel
an audiobook review by Sarah Trowbridge
A knight-for-hire whose lord is ambushed in a chapel during a diplomatic expedition in the hostile kingdom
next door. The infant heir is the only other survivor of the ambush. Add in an unwed, potato-faced baker's daughter
with her baby on her back. When these characters converge, so begins a tale of political intrigue, high adventure,
blood feud and diabolical enchantment in a land of ancient enmities and shifting alliances.
Immortalis, Part 2: The Demon Wars by R.A. Salvatore
an audiobook review by Gil T. Wilson
The schemes of Adryan, son of Elbryan and Jilseponie, are revealed in this installment of the
series. Before his birth, Adryan was taken from Jilseponie's womb by Lady Dasselrond, a leader of
the Tu'elafar elves, and raised as a ranger in hopes that he would save their land. It turns out
that not letting the child or the mother know of each other's existence has stained Adryan's view
on life. Leaving the elves, Adryan comes under the tutelage of the renegade monk De'Unnero, and
plots to take the throne and conquer the world. Those that don't bow to him will be destroyed.
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The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
reviewed by Dominic Cilli
The Malazan Book of the Fallen has single-handedly raised the bar for fantasy
literature. Its full impact upon the world of writing in general probably won't be felt for several years, but
for fans of the genre and of the series, its impact is immediate and world changing. After Dominic finished
The Crippled God, he closed the book and reflected back upon what he had just read and realized that this
series of books is surely the best fantasy series that has ever been written. In fact, he couldn't think of
anything even close. However, he took it one step further and asked himself if this once obscure series genre
writer from Canada has created the crown jewel of fiction? The answer is, arguably, yes and why not? If you
don't believe him, read it and then you tell him the work that you believe surpasses it. Dominic dares you.
Among Others by Jo Walton
reviewed by Paul Kincaid
Jo Walton's latest novel is already being touted as one of the books of the year. Paul is not about to dissent
from that opinion, except that what most critics have picked out for praise is one of the things that bothers
him about the book, and what excites him about it hardly seems to have been noticed by other reviewers.
New Arrivals
compiled by Neil Walsh
We've been inundated with new books lately, including the latest from Eric Brown, Mark Chadbourn, Steven Erikson, Marie Jakober, Sarah Pinborough, Patrick Rothfuss, Catherynne M. Valente, and many others.
Watching the Future
a column by Derek Johnson
Civilization is a Faustian bargain. For every progressive step, individuals and societies pay some equal
price. Farming allows us to feed large groups of people, but at the cost of settling populations to till the
land, thus diminishing hunter-gatherers. Understanding the universe often means giving up our superstitions,
forcing us to question our most basic religious beliefs. Circumventing this bargain poses the same problems as
creating a perpetual motion machine. All of the schematics designed by the most earnest Da Vinci wannabe won't
sidestep the first law of thermodynamics.
But the dream persists. It fuels most science fiction, and has since the days of Victor Frankenstein.
Nexus Graphica
a column by Rick Klaw and Mark London Williams
As the comics cognescenti you are, you've already read about Action Comics 900, that double-zero'd
milestone of Super-ness which has made the rounds of "mainstream" news because Supes his own self
appears be renouncing "truth, justice, and the American way," in favor of a more global perspective.
Mark London Williams has a look at the furor raised over this nisunderstanding.
Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
Fringe is better than Smallville, though Smallville used to be
great when Al Gough and Miles Miller were writing it. Sanctuary is better than Fringe. But
now Doctor Who is back. And Doctor Who is so much better than any other genre
show on television that it makes Rick ashamed to have praised the others. Doctor Who is really
good. As good as Firefly. As good as Babylon 5...
Game of Thrones, Season 1, Episode 1
a TV review by Dominic Cilli
A Song of Ice and Fire began way back in 1996
with the publication of A Game of Thrones and here we are 15 years later and still just over half of this
series has been published. When you compound that with the fact that this series was shaping up to be one of the
greatest fantasy series ever written, it's easy to see why his readers were upset. However, when the news broke
several years ago about a possible TV series...
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