Privacy Policy
|
|
King Kelson's Bride by Katherine Kurtz
reviewed by Steven H Silver
This novel is a triumphant return to the magical Medieval realm of Gwynedd
in the first Deryni novel since The Bastard Prince
(1994). It begins with the coming of age of King Liam of Torenth. Although
Torenth and Gwynedd are mortal enemies, Liam has been living as a squire at
Kelson's court. When the boy attains his majority, it is time for Kelson to
undertake an embassy to return Liam to his own land. On the eve of their
journey, Kelson's one-time fiancée, Rothana, suggests an appropriate wife
for the young king...
Shadowsong by Jenny Jones and Dreamcatcher by Stephen Bowkett
reviewed by Neil Walsh
These 2 stories begin a dark fantasy series of 6 from various authors, each one based
on an overall unified concept. Each detail the efforts of the Shadowman -- a sort of disgruntled Morpheus figure -- to extend his
nefarious reach from the realm of dream into the waking reality. Behind the contemporary setting of each book is
the influence of the myths and legends of the the applicable culture -- in the case of these 2: Greek, and Native American.
Nebula Awards Showcase 2000 edited by Gregory Benford
reviewed by David Soyka
Originally, David thought this series was a way for writers, otherwise
marginalized from the mainstream, to pat themselves on the back a bit and
honour their own. But it seems this isn't the case. He wondered how then to
evaluate this year's anthology, which has dropped its historical numerical
appellation in favour of a designation with deep science fictional
connotations. Well, it would seem that the volume's editor can offer a
helping hand...
Land Without Evil by Matthew J. Pallamary
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
One glance at the flyleaf is enough to cue you in that this is not your standard fantasy novel. In fact,
it might be better to think of it in the magic realism corner for now. You're going to be shown spirits, gods,
and, well, astral projection, but it won't be quite like anything of that nature that you've seen before. Chances
are, the people you discover in this book are a civilization you never knew existed and will probably never meet.
Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
Rick is deep in the summer doldrums and indulging his passion for making lists --
his top 22 entertainers alive at century's end.
It seems clear to Rick that the greatest artists of the last half of the 20th century have been the
writer-directors, just as the greatest artists of the first half were the writer-artists.
Crimewave 3 edited by Andy Cox
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Dark realism, mystery, even a splash of speculative fiction -- this is a perfect outlet for
the flourishing, breakaway school of crime fiction. Gone are the police procedurals, the two-bit crooks, the
hard-boiled dicks; they have a place, but this isn't it.
Instead, you are locked eye-to-eye with the human monsters among us. And it's a chilling experience.
Anonymous Rex by Eric Garcia
reviewed by Ernest Lilley
Vince Rubio is a classic LA Private Investigator. He's also a dinosaur.
His partner got killed while investigating a spectacular murder a year before the story starts. In true genre
form, he started a downward spiral into oblivion and bankruptcy. Now a nightclub owner's lying crisped
in LA County hospital and Vincent gets the job of checking it out for the
insurance company.
Forthcoming Books
compiled by Neil Walsh
Here's a sampling of some of the F&SF books that are headed our way in the coming months...
New Magazines
compiled by John O'Neill
The SF Site's FictionHome page brings you the latest news and
reviews of genre magazines and other short fiction. We look at brand new issues of
Talebones, Interzone, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and many more.
|
|
A Conversation With Stanley Schmidt
An interview with Jayme Lynn Blaschke
On a definition of SF:
"My definition of science fiction is simply fiction in which some element of speculation plays such an essential and
integral role that it can't be removed without making the story collapse, and in which the author has made a reasonable
effort to make the speculative element as plausible as possible."
The Tower at Stony Wood by Patricia A. McKillip
reviewed by Margo MacDonald
This is a tricky sort of book. It reads like dreaming, with images and elements
sometimes blending together, sometimes pulling apart. There are moments when everything is clear, and moments when
you realize you have not understood what exactly has just happened.
It starts traditionally enough, when a renowned knight, Sir Cyan Dag, is given a dark warning by a far-seeing bard
that the new queen is not what she appears -- namely human.
Goddess of the Mountain Harvest by Brenda Gates Smith
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Sequel to Secrets of the Ancient Goddess, the story concentrates on
two women destined to be high priestesses of a peaceful matriarchal agrarian
society in prehistoric Turkey. Yana has had to undergo a taxing
initiation/rebirth, which has brought her spiritually closer to the
nurturing/mothering aspect of the goddess. Henne has escaped from capture,
enslavement and rape, returning with a very practical hands-on understanding
of the limitations of the more passive aspects of the goddess.
Mid-June Books
compiled by Neil Walsh
Recent arrivals include brand new titles from Katherine Kurtz, F. Paul Wilson, Martha Wells, Eve Forward, Storm Constantine, William C. Dietz, Douglas Niles, Mickey Zucker Reichert, and more.
The Faded Sun Trilogy by C.J. Cherryh
reviewed by Charlene Brusso
This SF series is the author's second, and demonstrates her masterful skill
at drawing the reader smoothly into alien mindsets and cultures. It
contains the novels: Kesrith (1978), Shon'jir (1978), and
Kutath (1979). The trilogy opens in the uneasy aftermath of a
galaxy-spanning war hard-fought between humans and humanoid mri mercenaries,
hired by the decidedly inhuman regul...
Eternal Light by Paul J. McAuley
reviewed by Jean-Louis Trudel
In this sequel to Four Hundred Billion Stars is all that real science fiction fans could
wish for: complex societies, characters shaped by the technologies of our wildest dreams, wild rides through
space and time, glimpses of surreal landscapes and transcendent beings...
Goodnight, My Angel by Margaret Murphy
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
The novel's focus is on the agony of a murder survivor. Kate Pearson's beloved daughter Melanie
is gone forever -- the victim of a brutal, unnerving murder. The case remains unsolved, causing Kate more pain. The
murderer has decided, though, that Kate hasn't begun to suffer. No, now Melanie's murderer has found a way to bring
her back from the grave.
|
|
