Mystic Warrior by Tracy and Laura Hickman
reviewed by Cindy Lynn Speer
On three very different worlds, three sets of people will find themselves in a life and death struggle, adventures that intertwine
with each other in subtle ways. Galen lives on a world where the Dragon Kings overthrew the evil human
rulers, bringing an age of peace. The second is Dwynwyn, the Seeker fairy, has long held to the belief that there is nothing new in the world,
just new truths. The last is Mimic who lives with his fellow goblins and gremlins on a world filled with machinery.
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
reviewed by Mario Guslandi
According to Mario, this is, without any doubt, one of the finest short story collections he has ever read, so much so as it comes
from the pen of a newcomer, whose short fiction has appeared so far only in a bunch of genre magazines.
Although the stories date back no farther than
four years or so, it was high time to put them together in a single volume.
Wizard Sword by William Hill
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Brin is an amnesic warrior hero with a living telepathic sword and a similarly telepathic miniature dragon
sidekick. In a world straight out of a D&D campaign led by an inexperienced, not
to say inept dungeon-master, the heroes go from encounter to encounter, seemingly invincible if perhaps temporarily
delayed, conveniently healing themselves over and over again, while trying to save the last dimension dancer from
being cloned into an army of super-soldiers by the evil Dark Lord (who incidentally is actually called the Dark Lord).
California Ghosting by William Hill
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
A novel with the promise of a haunted house and troublesome ghosts is just too tempting to pass up.
A haunted luxury hotel, overlooking the wild Pacific, is staffed with only the best — living and
dead — to cater to every whim of some rather whimsical guests. A perfect combination for murder.
The Magic Bicycle by William Hill
reviewed by Todd Richmond
When a young boy receives a wonderful gift, he must decide how to use it.
Should he travel back in time and make some adjustments? Not to change all
of history; just the small part of it that affects him...
Goblin War by Jim C. Hines
reviewed by Sherwood Smith
Jig, the runty, nearsighted goblin hero of the previous adventures (Goblin Quest and Goblin Hero) is taken
to war, even though no one, including Jig himself, thinks of him as much of a warrior... except that he's called Jig
Dragonslayer because in a previous conflict between Jig and a dragon, it was the goblin who survived. And he did
seem to outlive a host of other fierce enemies, from princes to pixies.
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
reviewed by Sherwood Smith
Okay, so there's a call out for a great hero to come and do some vastly needed heroic deed-work. What have you got?
A small, runty goblin who is nearsighted, haunted by a minor and totally forgotten god.
A big, bone-headed goblin named Braf whose personality is limited.
A fat, whiny goblin named Veka who is a reject even in the goblin world.
A wizened, crabby, nasty old goblin named Grell who used to diaper goblin brats
...and assorted hobgoblins, ogres, dragons, snakes, and other monsters.
GoblinQuest by Jim C. Hines
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Jig, a runty, nearsighted, cowardly and ugly goblin, finds himself leading an expeditionary force hell-bent on reclaiming a
long lost artefact, the Rod of Creation, apparently hidden deep underground by a powerful Necromancer. Through all the
dangers, both those from within (a possessed wizard, a gung-ho I've-got-something-to-prove warrior, a captive she-elf thief,
and a tough as nails warrior-cartographer dwarf) and without the group (venomous lizard-fish, skeletal zombies, bats,
dragons, hobgoblins, and a necromancer), Jig learns of courage, friendship, faith and what it really means to be a hero.
Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton
reviewed by Sandy Auden
The story opens with a wonderful premise: a young man is admitted to a psychiatric hospital literally
out of his mind. Dr. McDevitt is determined to discover what could have happened to an otherwise healthy twenty-year-old
that could have driven him insane. Expecting a slowly unravelling plot concluding in a climactic revelation about the horror that
caused such devastating trauma is a mistake. About a quarter the way through the novel it's revealed: Jamie was driven insane by a vampire.
American Morons by Glen Hirshberg
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Glen Hirshberg's strengths as a writer are his skill in creating a tangible atmosphere of dread -- in part by alienizing the
everyday, revealing the horror that lurks behind even the most familiar things -- and his ability to make his stories seem larger
than they are. More than many writers, he succeeds in creating characters who you believe have lives and histories that extend
beyond the boundaries of the particular incident he has chosen to relate.
The Trokeville Way by Russell Hoban
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Victoria found this book to pack a powerful, creepy punch. The discordant
atmosphere of the puzzle-world is compellingly evoked, making this a
fascinating and thoroughly worthwhile read.
The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" and Other Nautical Adventures by William Hope Hodgson
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Here are collected many of the author's horror tales of the Sargasso Sea,
all the lesser-known (and hard-to-find) tales of his Raffles-like rogue, Captain Gault smuggler-extraordinaire, and some other
tales of similar salty dogs. What is interesting to the reader is the very different nature of the Captain Gault
tales. Constantly coming up with dodges to smuggle items through customs, Capt. Gault is never nasty or vindictive,
but always has the last laugh. There's plenty of adventure, nefarious crooks, and innocent maidens at risk too. This
isn't entirely the case in the Capt. Jat and the D.C.O. Cargunka stories.
Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman
reviewed by Amal El-Mohtar
In Cape Cod, there is a small farm compassing a small house, called Blackbird House. It's called that because of
the white blackbird -- perhaps a ghost, perhaps not -- that has haunted the house since the eighteenth century. In
it, people lose things; people who are lost find things; desire, love, heartbreak and fulfillment chase each other
through the rafters and around the fields full of sweet peas, while the house witnesses and keeps their stories.
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Curse of the Shamra by Barry Hoffman
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
At first glance, the peaceful Shamra would seem to have everything a society could want. Their time is spent at satisfying work, rest,
and celebration. True, the bounds of tradition keep women from full participation, and the holy men are determined that nothing will
change, but they know nothing of the danger creeping ever closer.
Judas Eyes by Barry Hoffman
reviewed by Lisa Dumond
It's the 3rd volume in this series and the lethal
Shara Farris is back for another hunt. Her prey this time is a female killer as driven and
deadly as Shara, but one she has mixed feelings about tracking down. A mysterious mental
link between the two women will make the case both more
challenging and more personal than any she has tackled yet.
Shara is a bounty hunter, though; she has a job to do and a mission to fulfill.
Born Bad by Barry Hoffman
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
This novel tells the harrowing story of a string of suicides on the UPENN campus and the sociopath who is
the instigator of the deaths. It is more than just your standard psychological thriller or a voyeuristic peek into
dark realism; the novel is as much about the safety nets and support offered by the university as it is
about the mystery. But, according to UPENN officials, the subject matter covered in the novel is too "sensitive"
to publicize. So they chose to ban it.
Blood Is Thicker Than Water by Wynette A. Hoffman
reviewed by Alisa McCune
Amy Reilly has some very dangerous friends. Amy is unable to feel pleasure and as a result, experiences pain as pleasure. This
little quirk has brought her to S&M and a very dangerous, degenerate vampire. Through help from an unknown source, Amy survives
her encounter, but she is changed. Her sadistic vampire has marked her for death and is not happy she has survived.
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.
Outward Bound by James P. Hogan
reviewed by Rich Horton
Linc Marani makes money by acting as collection muscle for a local thug, and his only ambition
is to advance up the ladder of crime. He's arrested and he's sentenced to the labour camps. But he's offered
an alternative: an entré into a mysterious program, with the promise he can quit at any time.
Enemies by Lee Hogan
reviewed by Cindy Lynn Speer
Belarus was a beautiful planet. Hard in the winter, true, but in the summer it was a jewel. A perfect place for Andrei Mironenko to set
up his new Russia, filled with people of all faiths, who adhered to the Bill of Rights with the same devotion they used when reading their
holy books. At least, until the Enemy came.
Belarus by Lee Hogan
reviewed by Donna McMahon
Andrei Mironenko, a member of one of the powerful families that controls the galactic Republic, is fulfilling the dream of his 337-year
lifetime as he leads a fleet of colony ships to settle the newly terraformed planet Belarus.
Also fulfilling her career dreams is world engineer Tally Korsakova, but Tally is worried by the abandoned alien spaceships orbiting
Belarus. Although the damaged hulks are 20,000 years old, Tally isn't sure their alien builders are dead. Perhaps they
will return. Or perhaps the aliens, shielded by an advanced technology, are hiding somewhere on Belarus....
The Soul Thief by Cecilia Holland
reviewed by Cindy Lynn Speer
Corban and Mav are twins, one soul in two bodies. She is the stronger, the favourite child of their unforgiving warrior
farmer of a father. When Corban refuses to offer his sword to the High King, his father kicks him out of the house. Mav
follows Corban into the forest, and promises to speak to their father when his temper cools. She goes home while her brother
sleeps in the woods, her second sight teasing her with images of coming danger. It is not enough to warn her. Vikings
come that very night, pillage and burn the homestead, kill the men and children, and take the women for slaves.
Supping With Panthers by Tom Holland
reviewed by Kim Fawcett
Sleeping too well at night? Plagued by sweet dreams?
Well, here's a book to cure you. It reads like a nightmare -- dark, twisted, frightening, and
surreal. Don't say you weren't warned.
Attis by Tom Holland
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
The author has taken characters from Roman history and faithfully recreated a portion of their
lives but in a Rome with cars, fax machines, labour unrest, and archaeological digs. This
Rome and its people remind one of the sort of lost souls and urban neighbourhoods in recent
movies such as Trainspotting and The Crying Game.
Deliver Us From Evil by Tom Holland
reviewed by Victoria Strauss
Having suffered a fatal overdose of vampire fiction in the late 80s, Victoria
tries to steer clear of the genre. But she colun't resist
this vampire extravaganza set during the Restoration period in England.
The Sleeper in the Sands by Tom Holland
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
This is a book that would stand well, both
stylistically and in terms of quality, on a bookshelf among the
early classics of fantasy and horror based around ancient Egypt. His books
have the stamp of the great British adventure and horror writers of the late
19th-early 20th century.
The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
This is a story of adventure and mystery, set in 18th century Japan. Seikei,
the young son of a tea salesman, dreams of becoming a samurai, but given his
social standing, he cannot. Seikei witnesses a strange manifestation at the
Tokaido Inn, and is later deputized by Judge Ooka (a Japanese Sherlock
Holmes) to help find the stolen ruby Lord Hakuseki, the samurai, had been
planning to present to the shogun.
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