The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
In this review, Georges discusses event-based horror versus atmospheric horror, and draws some interesting parallels between Stephen King's latest novel and Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo," a much earlier story of something inimical to man, lurking in the woods.

Tom Holland
An interview with Georges T. Dodds
In this interview, the British author Tom Holland talks about history and horror and how they have influenced his Gothic vampire novels, as well as his other horror novels set in historical periods from Ancient Egypt to Imperial Rome to the American Wild West.

Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones
reviewed by Rich Horton
The author employs a mixture of engaging characters, interesting fantasy concepts, and a light touch with serious undertones, to create a novel that is infectious and absorbing. Just as her YA novels are good fare for adults, this mature novel would likewise be appreciated by younger readers.

The Granite Shield by Fiona Patton
reviewed by Jean-Louis Trudel
Fantasy is too often the preferred venue for light adventure, stock characters, and comic relief for this one not to come as a rather refreshing change of pace. The stakes are weighty and the confrontations unforgiving. The complexity of the characters and their occasional ruthlessness lend the novel a rare verisimilitude. As a result, the Branion Realm feels exceptionally true to its medieval ambience.

Forthcoming Books
compiled by John O'Neill
Peter S. Beagle returns to the shelves with his first book since Giant Bones, Peter Garrison continues The Changeling Saga, Denise Vitola brings us another adventure of werewolf-detective Ty Merrick, and more. Stock up before it's too hot to go to the bookstore.

Dakota Dreamin' by Bill Johnson
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
This is a sophisticated collection, palatable to a wide variety of tastes. The writing is of the caliber you should expect from a Hugo Award-winning author. The deep, visceral response may not always be here, but sometimes it's up to the readers to feel it for themselves. Sometimes, it's about what's inside you.

The Terrorists of Irustan by Louise Marley
reviewed by James Seidman
This is a dark sad look at a colony planet where women are terribly repressed. Women have almost no rights, must remain veiled, cannot go outside without an escort, and must suffer with however their husbands choose to treat them. Until one woman decides to strike back at the worst elements of Irustani society. But being a terrorist is not easy work.

Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
In his column, Rick gives us his opinion after having viewed the first 3 episodes of J. Michael Straczynski's Crusade, the sequel to Babylon 5. These episodes were filmed in the reverse order from the order in which they were aired.

The Gnomewrench in the Dwarfworks by Nick O'Donohoe
reviewed by Todd Richmond
The author adds a lot of extra details to this enjoyable story of World War II Americana, furnace manufacturing and mythical creatures in the hidden corners of our culture. He conveys the feelings of fear and uncertainty surrounding WWII as friends and families desperately wait to hear word from their loved ones.

Mid-June Books
compiled by John O'Neill
It's a big month if you're a fan of epic fantasy, as Valery Leith, Cory Daniels, and Thomas Harlan all launch brand new series -- and Mark Sumner, James Clemens, Elaine Cunningham, Jack Whyte, Anne McCaffrey, and Lynn Flewelling bring us fresh chapters in theirs. All that and new novels from K.W. Jeter, L.E. Modesitt Jr., Judith Tarr, Sean McMullen, Lisa Goldstein, Ian McDonald, and many more.

Fearful Symmetries by S. Andrew Swann
reviewed by Jeri Wright
Want an enjoyable mix of a hard-boiled detective novel with near-future SF? Ex-P.I. Nohar Rajasthan, a moreau -- one of the many descendents of animals engineered in the labs -- is on a personal quest; there is someone he has to find. Opposing him are powerful people determined to protect a dangerous conspiracy.

Prom Night edited by Nancy Springer
reviewed by A.L. Sirois
When you think about pop music of the 50s and 60s, there are a tremendous number of titles having to do with love, from Milly Small's silly "My Boy Lollipop" to the Beatles wistful "And I Love Her." But the odd thing is, not one song has anything to do with a prom. With this distinct lack in the music culture, the marketing geniuses at DAW have come up with this anthology to fill the gap.

First Evidence by Ken Goddard
reviewed by Todd Richmond
What would you expect from a book that begins with a 3-page evidence list, a crime scene diagram and the personnel list from 3 law enforcement agencies? A suspenseful murder mystery with a detailed, complex plot? A tale of alien abduction and elaborate cover-ups? How about both?

Sword and Sorceress XVI edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley
reviewed by Thomas Myer
The latest installment from Marion Zimmer Bradley brings us some unique voices and vistas. Thomas had some favourites: "Weaving Spells," by Lawrence Watt-Evans and Deborah Wheeler's "Enaree, an Azkhantian Tale."

Mood Shifts by Dan Weiss
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
In the Mood Shifts makeover salon, you can change your whole personality. In this brilliantly shallow vision of the future, no one really knows what's going on, and hardly anyone cares. Fred Duff cares... or at least he thinks he does. This novel is a riveting ride through a house of mirrors. Confusion, lunacy, and subtle threats spring up on every side.

Far Horizons edited by Robert Silverberg
reviewed by Rich Horton
Interested in a thick collection of original work from 11 of today's most acclaimed SF authors with original stories set in many of today's most popular SF worlds -- including Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game), David Brin (Uplift Universe), Dan Simmons (The Hyperion Cantos) and Frederik Pohl (The Heechee)?

Tarzan A Walt Disney Animated Film
reviewed by Rick Norwood
Our Babylon 5.1 columnist gives us his take on the new Tarzan movie. He found that in spite of some liberties with the text, this movie is actually much closer to the original book than any previous adaptation. It succeeds in capturing Burroughs' mythic hero, fantasy setting, and larger than life romance, and is true to Burroughs' main theme of noble beasts and brutal men.

The SFWA Grandmasters, Volume 1 edited by Frederik Pohl
reviewed by Ken Newquist
In a genre that's committed to thinking about tomorrow, sometimes it's easy to forget about yesterday. This new series remembers the good old days. Reading the stories in this book is like visiting childhood friends whom you've never quite forgotten.

New Magazines
compiled by John O'Neill
The FictionHome website has dramatically expanded, and now includes coverage of such magazines as Amazing Stories, Cemetery Dance, Locus, Adventures of Sword & Sorcery, Science Fiction Age, Realms of Fantasy, The 3rd Alternative, LC-39, and many others. From Star Wars fiction to a new tale of Dune, from far galaxies to the First Lady on Venus, these magazines offer a wide variety of exciting fiction from both established names and fresh new talent.

Deep Time by Gregory Benford
reviewed by Jean-Louis Trudel
What is deep time? One could describe it as the object of a viewpoint that is increasingly needed by our civilization as it attempts to act over longer and longer time spans. Here, the author explores several ways in which we are attempting to make a lasting mark on the Universe, not always intentionally.

The Science of Star Wars by Jeanne Cavelos
reviewed by Jonathan Fesmire
The scientific aspects of Star Wars may be fantastic and far-fetched. Or so Jonathan thought before reading this book. When Star Wars: A New Hope came out in 1977, concepts like faster than light travel, alien life, and even planets around distant stars, seemed highly unlikely. Now it's 1999, and scientists have changed their minds. Science is finally catching up to George Lucas and Star Wars.

The Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
With so much of her work out of print, it's an occasion for rejoicing when one is re-issued. This re-publication (OP for more than a decade) is an especially exciting event, for it's one of the author's best -- lush, sensual, dark, and utterly enthralling.

Someplace to be Flying by Charles de Lint
reviewed by Neil Walsh
In a reprise review to coincide with the paperback release, Neil thinks that if you don't find something in the plot to keep you turning pages ravenously, then the colourful characters, both animal people and people people, will charm you thoroughly. All in all, this is a very enjoyable book from one of the genre's best.

Signal To Noise by Eric S. Nylund
reviewed by Greg L. Johnson
A reprise review to coincide with the paperback release. When communications with an alien give Jack Potter access to new technology that will make him rich, he cannot say no. And it propels him into a world of corporate and national intrigue. The plot is a classic case of learning who is lying, who is telling the truth, and who can be trusted.

Antarctica by Kim Stanley Robinson
reviewed by Jean-Louis Trudel
A reprise review to coincide with the paperback release. This is a rousing book: reactions may vary according to your outlook, but indifference should not be one of them. It'll take you on an endlessly fascinating voyage to a little-known land. Comparable to the Mars of his Mars Trilogy in many ways, although smaller in scale, closer at hand, and not quite so sexy.

Shattered Sphere by Diane Piron-Gelman et al.
reviewed by Don Bassingthwaite
BattleTech is a game that already has an overwhelming amount of published material. But this is the one supplement that can give you a real feel for the current state of affairs in the game setting.