Kaspian Lost by Richard Grant
reviewed by David Soyka
The author couples the politics of two otherwise unlikely connected subjects -- school reform and UFO abductions -- and grafts them onto a highly amusing coming-of-age fable (as if growing up isn't weird enough without having to endure crackpot politicos and alien visitations).

Lydon's Lament
commentary by Paul T. Riddell
Paul takes aim at the movies released in the doldrums between July 31 and October 1 and why studios have preview screenings. In 2 interludes he takes us to Skywalker Ranch and what it is like attending a preview for a kid's film, especially in the summertime.

The Color of Distance by Amy Thomson
reviewed by Ken Newquist
Alien worlds are exactly that: alien. The terrain, the atmosphere, bacteria, the plant spores, the weather, the life forms -- we can expect some or all of these things to be different when we arrive on an extra-solar world. Most mainstream SF avoids or ignores these possibilities, but this author takes them head on.

This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman
reviewed by Charlene Brusso
Centuries ago, when Earth first sent humans to the stars, something about the Hausman stardrive caused bizarre mutations to those aboard the ships. Just as Earth's colonies were getting started, Earth panicked, abandoning their own people -- mutants known as "Hausman Variants" -- on foreign worlds. Today the only safe way to cross deep space is by outpilot, for only they have the peculiar mutation allowing them to navigate the dangerous folds in spacetime. But now a fierce brainware computer virus is wreaking havoc throughout known space, killing the starship outpilots.

Forthcoming Books
compiled by Neil Walsh
September has a good showing of collections, including (but certainly not limited to) the much talked-about 999 original horror anthology, and Stephen King's collection of interconnected novellas. Other highlights include Jeff Long's hellishly hyped The Descent, Stephen Lawhead's vision of Arthur in the 21st century, and new titles by Nina Kiriki Hoffman, N. Lee Wood, Susan Sizemore, and more.

Shadowrun: Crossroads by Stephen Kenson
reviewed by Don Bassingthwaite
Don't let the giant ant on the cover of this book throw you. This not a book about the insect shamans. There is one, but he is quickly, efficiently, and heroically dispatched in the opening pages as we meet the main character. Talon is a shadowrunner in the cybermagical Awakened world of 2060. He's a streetmage, a rough and tumble wizard who came into his power in the damp concrete and rusty steel of the toughest parts of Boston.

Teek by Stephen Krane
reviewed by Todd Richmond
Allison Boyle appears to be a completely normal teenager, living alone with her mother. She has a boyfriend, a favourite stuffed animal, and is secretly writing a romance novel. Unfortunately, she also has her very own stalker. When she is finally attacked, she lashes out in self-defense with previously dormant telekinetic abilities. She escapes, but at a cost. Her newly revealed abilities bring her under the scrutiny of a mysterious black ops agency, determined to capture her...

New Magazines
compiled by John O'Neill
The FictionHome page brings you the latest from the world of SF, Fantasy, and Horror magazines. This issue we look at new issues of Asimov's SF, Analog, Dark Regions / Horror Magazine, and many others.

Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
In his column, Rick gives us a snapshot view of Crusade's "Visitors From Down the Street" (**) by J. Michael Straczynski, some thoughts on what The X-Files holds for us in the fall season and a look at the first 3 episodes of Star Trek: Voyager.

Laws of the Blood: The Hunt by Susan Sizemore
reviewed by Steve Lazarowitz
If vampires had somehow survived into the 20th century, wouldn't they have constructed a set of laws to govern themselves? How would they go about escaping detection? How are outlaws dealt with and who has the authority -- and the power -- to dole out punishment?

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, September 1999
reviewed by John O'Neill
The September issue is a compact, beautiful, and inexpensive package. A bargain, in other words. It entertains as well as makes a handy introduction to an author or two you may not be familiar with now, but soon will be. The centrepiece of the issue is a huge novella from the collaborative trio of John Kessel, Jonathan Lethem, and James Patrick Kelly -- an original tale of first contact, bizarre alien biology, and eccentric human personalities.

Mid-August Books
compiled by Neil Walsh
New arrivals here at the SF Site offices over the past couple of weeks include new works by Timothy Zahn, Tess Gerritsen, William Sleator, Donna Jo Napoli & Richard Tchen, Tony Daniel, Robert Silverberg, and others; a new collection of essays by Arthur C. Clarke; a tribute to Clark Ashton Smith; and more...

The Phantom Menace Movie Storybook
reviewed by Jonathan Fesmire
If you have children who enjoy Star Wars (or to whom you'd like to introduce it!), you'll want to get them this book. You may even want to check it out to satisfy the science fiction loving child in yourself.

From the End of the Twentieth Century by John M. Ford
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Sometimes, reading a book is like a conversation with an old friend. Mike Ford is your close companion, even if you've never even heard of him. This strange and wonderful collection is a cross-section of the considerable talents of the man. The pieces stretch over a 20-year time span, covering essays, poems, short fiction, a game scenario, and even a hauntingly elegant song.

Free Live Free by Gene Wolfe
reviewed by Jean-Louis Trudel
Few authors succeed half so well when it comes to assembling a cast of uncommonly interesting characters challenged to go beyond the confines of their everyday lives. This novel will delight readers looking for a character-driven story set in a familiar world whose underlying eeriness is slowly revealed.

Dragon's Winter by Elizabeth A. Lynn
reviewed by Charlene Brusso
Ippa is a land where rare bloodlines in certain families lead to changelings, children with the magical ability to shape-change into animals whose form and powers are straight out of totemic legend. The Dragons are the most revered and dangerous of the changelings, and most powerful of these is the Lord Karadur Atani.