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.
Dark Terrors 5 edited by Stephen Jones and David Sutton
reviewed by Lisa Brunetta
If you have a soft spot in your heart for horror and you enjoy the short
story genre, here's an anthology for you: the stories here are clever and
well selected. If you're in the mood to get freaked out, spooked, frightened
and creeped out, you could have a great time with this book.
Ghosts in the Snow by Tamara Siler Jones
reviewed by Hank Luttrell
A forensic medieval fantasy murder mystery. With ghosts. Magic of many sorts, not just ghosts, exists in this world. Most
magic has been banished or minimized during past conflicts, but magical influences
still lurk and threaten, and can't be dismissed. Normally, the scientific methodology of criminal forensic investigation would
routinely eliminate "the impossible," supernatural explanations, but this investigator doesn't have this option.
Douglas Adams's Starship Titanic by Terry Jones
reviewed by Margo MacDonald
Margo wonders how could anyone resist a
book that is a collaboration between Douglas Adams
(who brought us The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame? In this case, Terry Jones wrote
the novel based on a scenario by Douglas Adams.
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan & Teresa Patterson
reviewed by Jim Seidman
Despite some sub-standard art, this book is one that every diehard Jordan
fan will want to have. While owning this book is certainly not necessary
to enjoy Jordan's books, it provides wonderful insight into the past
and the present of the denizens of The Wheel of Time.
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From The Pest Zone: Stories From New York edited by S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz
reviewed by Gabe Mesa
This collection contains the five stories H.P. Lovecraft wrote during the two year stint in New York City that
he would later refer to as his "New York exile." Lovecraft arrived in New York from his beloved Providence in 1924 with high hopes
for his new marriage and his future as a writer. He left the city two years later, wifeless, penniless and filled with an
abiding loathing for the metropolis that would accompany him the rest of his short life.
The Last Oblivion: The Best Fantastic Poems of Clark Ashton Smith edited by S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Those of you who have read his delectable short tales of fantastic horror such as "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis" or "The
Black Abbot of Puthuum" know already of the author's vocabulary-rich prose, his dark sense of humour and his ill-fated protagonists. If
you're not amongst those graced with a knowledge of his prose, then pick up the recent reissue of his best stories
in Emperor of Dreams. Certainly, Smith is not for everyone...
The Shadow Out of Time by H.P. Lovecraft: The Corrected Text edited by S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz
reviewed by Marc Goldstein
Often cited as pulp horror master H.P. Lovecraft's last major story (and some would argue, his greatest), it
has never been published as Lovecraft originally intended, until now. The introduction, by editors S. T. Joshi and
David E. Schultz, details the story's difficult path from conception to publication. Written between November 1934 and
February 1935, Lovecraft's confidence was so poor at the time that he refused to type a draft of the manuscript.
Jupiter, Issue 19
reviewed by Rich Horton
Rich's favorite story of the five plus a poem here is the longest, a novelette called
"O-Topper: The Musical", by Monte Davis. Much of what he likes is the weird presentation of what is a fairly familiar basic
story: time travel tourism, in this case rich men battling Huns. But the organizer of the tours insists on art -- he's a
cross-dressing clown and he dresses up his clients similarly. The tour itself has a shocking side
-- the tourists' mantra is "You can't kill what's already dead," but of course they are killing these people.
Jupiter, Issue 18
reviewed by Rich Horton
This is an SF magazine -- SF as in Science Fiction -- based in the UK. The
magazine's appearance is modest: A-size sheets folded in half and saddle-stapled, black and white cover and no interior
illustrations. But that's really not a drawback -- the presentation is very clean, the font nicely chosen and nicely
sized. The focus is heavily on fiction -- there are five stories, plus one poem and one brief book review.
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