The Border by Marina Fitch
reviewed by S. Kay Elmore
This second novel, a contemporary fantasy revolving around the dirty streets of Tijuana, the strawberry fields of California with its sheltered suburbia, follows a family desperate to escape persecution and the poverty of Mexico.

Mid-February Books
compiled by John O'Neill
February may have been a short month but it's been a feast for hard SF fans, with some terrific new titles including Larry Niven's Rainbow Mars, Vernor Vinge's A Darkness in the Sky, Gentry Lee's Double Full Moon Night, and The Quotable Star Trek. Okay, scratch that last one. There's plenty to keep fantasy fans happy as well.

Becoming Human: The Seven of Nine Saga by Brannon Braga et al.
reviewed by Jonathan Fesmire
SF fans, and people in general, love to look behind the scenes of movie magic, which explains why programs about special effects are such fun. Watching them is a little like knowing a magician's secrets; only with special effects, this never seems to spoil the illusion.

The Revenant by Phoebe Reeves
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Nenut's life came to a grinding, shattering stop one day with the murder of her mother. That and the fact that her father and everyone else blamed her. Now -- even though what she sees may come from the past, the present, the never-was, and, just possibly, the future -- there is no other way to find the answers she seeks. This book is intense, and it requires the reader's full attention. Mesmerizing, heartbreaking, and beautifully done.

Tower of Dreams by Jamil Nasir
reviewed by A.L. Sirois
In a grimly drawn but all-too-likely near-future, this novel explores the landscape of the Jungian collective unconscious. It's a rewarding, thought-provoking experience not to be taken lightly.

Betrayals by Sharon Green
reviewed by Robert Francis
Betrayals is the fourth book in The Blending, and solidly builds upon the groundwork laid in the first three books. The story revolves around 5 people, each gifted with control one of the five elements -- Air, Water, Fire, Earth, or Spirit.

Forthcoming Books
compiled by John O'Neill
The latest details on some of the genre's most exciting upcoming titles -- including work from Neal Stephenson, Rober Silverberg, David Feintuch, Sharon Shinn, Phyllis Gotlieb, Glen Cook, Orson Scott Card, Jack Williamson, Alan Dean Foster, Sheri S. Tepper, and many others.

The Hallowed Isle by Diana L. Paxson
reviewed by Jonathan Fesmire
It's the goal of many mainstream authors to write the Great American Novel, and the goal of many fantasy writers to pen the Great Arthurian Novel. Paxson's off to a strong start with this first installment of The Book of the Sword, effectively mixing history with her own slant on the legend, creating a story that feels solid and real.

Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
In his column, Rick reviews the 2-part February sweeps episodes of The X-Files, "Two Fathers"/"One Son".

Life on Mars by Donn Kushner
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
It isn't often that you can describe a book in one word, but through every page of this one, a single thought kept surfacing: charming. The whole package will have adults -- young and old -- under its spell.

New Magazines
compiled by John O'Neill
Looking for the best in new magazines? The FictionHome page has news, reviews and links to the finest short fiction on the market, from SF magazines to anthologies and collections. This week sees the arrival of new issues of Weird Tales, SF Chronicle, and others.

Dragon Ultimate by Christopher Rowley
reviewed by Todd Richmond
It nicely finishes off the Bazil Broketail series, though you won't appreciate that if you haven't read the rest of the books. Dragon Ultimate leaps right in and doesn't look back.

The Blood Artists by Chuck Hogan
reviewed by Chris Donner
This book reminded Chris of his first read through of Stephen King's The Stand. There is an epic battle within these pages, and anyone who passes the book by simply because of its rather disappointing cover would be making a mistake.

Apostrophes & Apocalypses by John Barnes
reviewed by James Seidman
For James, the essays are by far the best part of this collection. They discuss the author's creative process, how he creates universes, his analysis of writing style, and the importance of science fiction to him growing up.

The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Georges believes that if the SF Site had existed in the 1840s, many of Alcott's books would have shown up on it under a byline or anonymously, and would have fit in nicely with the numerous action-packed dime-novels and late-Gothic potboilers of the era. This recently rediscovered and previously unpublished work is a fair pulp thriller with plenty of dangling from cliffs, wild horse rides and similar thrills.

Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections by David West Reynolds
reviewed by Steve Lazarowitz
Have you ever wanted to know where the electromagnetic freight barge clamp is on the Millennium Falcon? Or how many photon torpedoes Luke Skywalker carried in his X-Wing during his attack against the Death Star? If so, then this is the book for you.

The Star Trek Cookbook by Ethan Phillips and William J. Birnes
reviewed by Jonathan Fesmire
It includes recipes for the food of Star Trek, from Fineagle's Folly to Heart of Targ. Some of the food sounds disgusting at first, and probably would be if you had to eat the actual alien ingredients, such as Klingon gagh (worms) or Blood Pie.

Rant and Ravey
UK video reviews by Colin Ravey
Colin Ravey takes a thoughtful meander through the theatrical, frightening and fanciful world of fantasy and science fiction on the UK's small screen. In his column, Colin considers the vindication for readers of Doctor Who -- The New Adventures.

Spinners by Anthony McCarten
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
UFO sightings are nothing new in America (especially in some, shall we say, rural areas), but not so in New Zealand. Certainly, they never leave behind the seedlings of future offspring. Something like that could tear the village apart.

Making God by Stefan Petrucha
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
As if we didn't have enough to worry about with the Y2K problem, the new millennium in 2001, a possible Batman prequel, and Chinese restaurants lying about MSG, the author has given us something else to keep us up nights.

Storytellers by Julie Anne Parks
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
The author has you by the naughty bits from the start and maintains that grip until the final page. Genuine horror and the beauty of the Carolina wilds. It's an intoxicating blend. You may be a little wary of taking any long solo hikes in the near future, but you'll enjoy the mental scenery along the way.

Against Infinity by Gregory Benford
reviewed by Chris Donner
On Ganymede, where liquid ammonia flows in icy streams and a man's body parts can freeze so quickly that the cells split and pop with the suddenness of the cold, there is little time for uncertainty or hesitation.

Contraband by George Foy
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Slowly, this novel turns into a road story, propelling its protagonists from the anarchic decay of New York City, to the mall-bound barrens of an Indiana suburb, to the shabby but hip cafes of Germany, to the strife-wracked mountains of Afghanistan, and at last into a Joseph Conrad-like heart of darkness.

Murder in the Solid State by Wil McCarthy
reviewed by Greg L. Johnson
Nanotechnology in the near future forms the background for a tale of homicide and political oppression. Research has been slowed mainly by the achievements of one man who holds patents for the development of microtechnology, a step on the way to real nanotech.

A King of Infinite Space by Allen Steele
reviewed by Rich Horton
It begins with Alec Tucker, the spoiled rich kid narrator, attending a concert in St. Louis in 1995. The next chapter opens with Alec awakening 100 years in the future -- his father had paid for him to have his head frozen for future revival.

Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Rather than giving you a list of the reminiscences in the book, or a dry pedantic analysis as a series of sensory-rich vignettes of Bradbury's life as a youngster, Georges takes a similar approach to that of the author. Besides, it seems unlikely that he'd say anything reviewers and literary scholars haven't been saying over the last 40 years.

Green Shadows, White Whale by Ray Bradbury
reviewed by David Soyka
This book is neither memoir, nor novel. While it ostensibly parallels Bradbury's work in Ireland on the screenplay for Moby Dick, it is actually a series of vaguely connected short stories that primarily concern the slightly surreal adventures of the "boyos" who hang out in Finn's Pub.

Empire of the Ants by Bernard Werber
reviewed by Katharine Mills
In a reprise review to coincide with the paperback release, if you are the kind of person who won't even go into the bathroom if there's a spider in the tub -- well, you should be forewarned. This is a buggy book. But it's a fine read. And who knows, after your intimate glimpse into their world, you might find yourself actually able to go up to that spider, and gently remove it to a better world outside.

The Book of Night with Moon by Diane Duane
reviewed by Todd Richmond
In a reprise review to coincide with the paperback release, 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.

Land of Eight Million Dreams by Deena McKinney et al.
a gaming module review by Don Bassingthwaite
A lynch-pin for the Year of the Lotus products, the Shinma have a lot of crossover potential. Their story crosses that of the Kuei-jin and their concern over the activities of the Yama Kings to the Kithain of the west, creatures of superficial similarity and surprising differences.

Kindred of the East by Justin Achilli et al.
a gaming module review by Henry Harding
Designed as an Asian exploration of Vampire: The Masquerade, this supplement isn't a stand-alone game. But it is a fantastic storytelling platform on which to explore Oriental culture and art... Plus it's neat to have your Devil-tiger Kuei-jin rip the snot out of a haughty Toreador from Boston who thinks sake is just hot wine.

February Games
compiled by John O'Neill
Sierra brings us back to the world of Krondor with the latest in computer role playing, Pagan Publishing offers their best for Call of Cthulhu fans, White Wolf begins the Year of the Reckoning, and TSR returns to The Tomb of Horrors. It's all here in our February games column. Bring a snack -- this could take a while.