A Riddle of Roses by Caryl Cude Mullins
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
This is fantasy tale for young teenagers, steeped in Celtic mythology. As a
first novel, it reads remarkably well, with a nice mix of fantasy,
interesting and unusual characters, and an avoidance of didacticism and
moral preaching. It also has the nowadays seemingly ubiquitous headstrong
young woman who yearns to take on an untraditional role for women in her
society, against the wishes or the wisdom of her elders.
Shadowrun Companion by Michael Mulvihill and Robert Boyle
reviewed by Henry Harding
Capitalism is everywhere. Each day we are bombarded by images and words urging us to part with our
hard earned disposable income. The assault on young consumers is especially vigorous and
unrelenting. But there is a pearl of wisdom, old as the Roman empire, that when adhered to can act as a
beacon of reason in the tempest of hype. Buyer beware.
Shadowrun, 3rd Edition by Michael Mulvihill with Robert Boyle
reviewed by Henry Harding
This 3rd edition jazzes the setting with new and improved game mechanics: the developers have jumped
through flaming hoops covered in kerosene to simplify and quicken game play. Rules are grouped together
in similar sections and magic rules have been totally revamped to resemble the rest of the game system.
Black Light and The Caves of Terror by Talbot Mundy
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
In the past, Georges made the claim for the author being the best adventure writer of the 20th century.
In his stories, he used Eastern wisdom and mysticism as an important element,
having many of his adventurous heroes develop emotionally and spiritually as a consequence of their adventures. While
in Caves of Terror the extremely fast-paced adventure tends to obscure the mysticism, in Black Light
the adventure element is extremely minimal, but the novel is deeply steeped in Oriental mysticism. While perhaps
not his best novels, the first is a turning point in his writing, and the other a clear attempt to take his
novels beyond pulp magazines audiences.
Jimgrim and the Devil at Ludd by Talbot Mundy
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Combine the best adventure writer of the 20th century, a lavishly and beautifully illustrated edition
of some rare tales of one of his greatest fictional heroes, and a thoroughly researched introduction by Brian Taves,
currently writing a literary study on Mundy, and you have a book that no fan of adventure literature can be
without. This collection contains the novellas "The 'Iblis' at Ludd" and
"The Seventeen Thieves of El-Kalil" set in Palestine and first published in Adventure in January and February 1922.
Everyone in Silico by Jim Munroe
reviewed by Donna McMahon
The author, a former editor of Adbusters magazine and fervent anti-corporate campaigner, used well-known brand
names and slogans in his novel about consumerism gone mad -- then he invoiced the companies for his product placements.
That in-your-face publicity tactic is in keeping with the tone of the book, a story about the ultimate computer
upgrade -- trading in your messy, organic life to be programmed into a gigantic mainframe utopia called Frisco, where you can live
forever like a model in a glossy magazine ad.
Everyone In Silico by Jim Munroe
reviewed by Martin Lewis
Vancouver in 2036 is starting to empty as more and more people take up an offer to upload their personalities into Frisco,
a virtual reality simulation of San Francisco. This is, seemingly, the ultimate way to avoid the strife of the modern world; there
is zero crime, no hunger, sleep or need to commute. However Frisco is actually an ambiguous dystopia; the author shows its seductive
appeal but at the same time why it is an empty promise, like the very corporate culture that has created it.
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Flyboy Action Figure Comes With Gasmask by Jim Munroe
reviewed by Charlene Brusso
Ryan Slint can turn into a fly, something he discovered as a child and has
never told another living soul -- until he falls for Cassandra who
tells him, totally straight-faced, that her daughter was fathered by
an alien. Ryan shares his own big secret which prompts her to admit she has a superpower of
her own, the ability to make things disappear. Superheroes arise...
Steel Sky by Andrew C. Murphy
reviewed by Susan Dunman
A vast underground city is built in stone to save humanity from catastrophic events on the surface of the planet. Now, four
hundred years later, the citizens of Hypogeum have no memory of their origins or the purpose the Founders had for their subterranean
metropolis. In fact, they do not even realize there is anything above their colossal city entombed in rock.
For the Emperor by Christine W. Murphy
reviewed by Thomas Myer
Two warring factions, and stuck in between is a race of disinherited people
known as the Imsada -- sort of a cross between Geronimo's freedom fighters
of the Old West and the Afghani mujahedin. Vibrant with tension,
well-drawn characters and a plot which skips along at a good pace, this
novel may indicate a bright future for the medium of electronic books.
Wasps At the Speed of Sound by Derryl Murphy
reviewed by Donna McMahon
This first collection of stories is both a strong debut and the record of a growing
writer. Checking the original publication dates of the stories, it was pleasant to note that the story considered weakest was
the first published (1992), and the two strongest, "Summer's Humans" and "Island of the Moon" were most recent.
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.
The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy
reviewed by Paul Kincaid
In 1972, Joan is 12, her family has just moved to California from Connecticut and the strains
are showing. The first person she meets is Sarah, who prefers to be called Fox and who is still mourning the loss of her mother
who walked out some years before. Sarah has mythologised this event as her mother transforming into a fox, hence her chosen
name. Since the separation, Fox's father has become a successful science fiction writer, and he pretty well leaves Fox to get
on with her life the way she wants.
Adventures In Time And Space With Max Merriwell by Pat Murphy
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Our heroine Susan Galina and her best friend Pat -- Pat Murphy, that is -- are off on a Caribbean cruise to take a
break from the stress of their daily lives. Susan is out of work and just out of a marriage, so she's more than
ready for a self-indulgent experience. Her friend Pat, on the other hand, is always up for any kind of
experience.
Susan's favourite author, Max Merriwell, and his writing workshops are the highlight of this cruise. Max's wild
imagination should be a guarantee of a lively time, no matter what the circumstances.
Mythic Delirium, Issue 13
reviewed by Amal El-Mohtar
Have you ever tried to recommend a brilliant fantasy or science fiction novel to a friend who has never read fantasy or science
fiction before? Now, consider, these are obstacles that the avid SF reader must surmount in order to get readers of mainstream fiction to
broaden their horizons. Imagine, then, how much more difficult it is to get anyone at all to read fantasy poetry.
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