Widdershins by Charles de Lint
reviewed by Michael M Jones
For as long as there have been stories about Newford, the mythical North American city which has become the author's
signature setting, there have been Geordie Riddell and Jilly Coppercorn. Geordie's a musician with a fear of commitment
and a long string of failed relationships (sometimes, he'll even tell you about the girlfriend who was stolen by a ghost
from the past...) Jilly is Newford's answer to Kevin Bacon -- everyone knows her. An artist whose career and life were shattered
by a tragic accident several years ago, she's been recovering ever so slowly. Geordie and Jilly are the best of friends,
but what they don't realize, what everyone around them does, is that they'd be perfect for each other.
The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle
reviewed by Paul Kincaid
The author has always eschewed the falseness of sentimentality, while wringing all manner of emotions from his audience. That
he does so with such unfailing grace is what has made him one of the finest of modern fantasists. Each one of the stories
gathered here is aimed directly at the heart, and whether told in the voice of a sparky girl or an old man burdened by too
many memories the tone is always the same. This, it tells us through all the joys and excitements, is the way we experience
the sadness of the world.
Honored Enemy by Raymond E. Feist and William R. Forstchen
reviewed by Steven H Silver
One of the standard practices in any war is the vilification of the enemy. This can be as obvious as using derogatory names
for them to more insidious propagandistic techniques. In this first book of the Legends of the
Riftwar series, the enemy forces of Kelewan and Midkemia find that in
order to survive they must work together, and perhaps discover some of their hatred is misplaced.
New Arrivals
compiled by Neil Walsh
Check out the latest from Stephen Baxter, Gwyneth Jones, Brian Lumley, Paul Park, Bruce Boston, Mark Chadbourn, and many more, as well as sneak previews of forthcoming books from Alan Dean Foster, Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, John Crowley, and, yes, plenty more.
Visionary in Residence by Bruce Sterling
reviewed by Greg L. Johnson
In the blink of an adult lifetime, Bruce Sterling has gone from fiery young literary radical to respected spokesman
and commentator. Works such as Schismatrix and Islands in the Net, along with editing Mirrorshades, the
defining cyberpunk anthology, quickly established his reputation in science fiction. Non-fiction like The Hacker Crackdown
and a continual presence on the internet have given him name recognition and influence outside his science fiction audience.
V2:B4, The Vampire Vignettes Prequel by G.L. Giles
reviewed by Jonathan Fesmire
Set in the early 90s, the novel covers, in great detail, a vampire attack at a Charleston carnival. A lot happens that
night, and many characters contribute, so pay close attention. The narrative style -- a stream of consciousness, omniscient
viewpoint -- must have been tricky to pull off, but it works well for this story. The narrator, Jameson, is a
witch and stripper. As the author used to work as an exotic dancer, she is able to get right into Jameson's thoughts and world.
Mythic edited by Mike Allen
reviewed by Michael M Jones
In this first volume of a new anthology series, the editor brings several aspects of the SF/fantasy field together, creating something
that's neither fish nor fowl, but an enjoyable blend of both, kind of like a literary platypus: rich, strange, comical,
confusing, thought-provoking and definitely memorable. Here are over a dozen talented writers bringing unique visions
of fiction and poetry to life.
Le Morte d'Arthur: An Epic Limerick, Vol I by Jacob Wenzel
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
Sir Thomas Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur is the English language cornerstone of Arthurian lore. However
trying to read the hundreds of pages can sometimes get so involved in deciphering the language that one loses the essentials
of the plot and message. Here, however, we have Mallory retold in modern, slightly colloquial English, in limerick form.
|
|
Feeling Very Strange edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel
reviewed by David Soyka
This is the second "please don't call us science fiction or fantasy" anthology of the summer. Unlike
the "new wave fabulists" in Paraspheres, this collection is more firmly rooted in the genre; the editors
are well-recognized SF&F authors in their own right, as are most of the anthologized writers. Moreover,
the subtitle employs a term originated by Bruce Sterling back in 1989. This is "The
Slipstream Anthology," though the stylistic variations among the selections don't help to clarify exactly what slipstream
is. The editors themselves note that they weren't sure "there was such a thing as slipstream."
Lester Dent's Zeppelin Tales by Lester Dent
reviewed by Georges T. Dodds
From the acid-crumbled pages of early depression era pulps comes, count 'em, not one, not two, but five pulp tales of dirigibles
by the creator of the pulp icon Doc Savage. If you're looking for plausibility, subtlety, or deep insights
into the human condition, you've come to the wrong place. This is pulp fiction, action for the sake of action, swell young dames
mostly present to be saved by brawny pistol-in-the-fist heroes, and the usual complement of nefarious and sadistic villains of
various non-Anglo-Saxon ethnicities.
Babylon 5.1
TV reviews by Rick Norwood
Rick offers his thoughts on surveys of online publications and the television work of Howard Chaykin.
The Hashish Man and Other Stories by Lord Dunsany
reviewed by Matthew Hughes
There is nothing here to startle modern sensibilities, but there is a great deal to captivate
what was once called the poetic imagination. The lure of golden cities, far; the sense that horror may lurk unseen among the
reeds beside a stream or beneath the cobblestones of a London street; the realization that the shadowy dinner guest of a young
gentleman in an ornate restaurant is indeed Death, or that a private club down a quiet street might be the final retreat of
gods who have lost their last worshippers, waited upon by kings who have lost their thrones.
Roger Corman: Metaphysics on a Shoestring by Alain Silver and James Ursini
reviewed by David Maddox
From monster movies to epic pictures, from historical drama to tense thrillers, no man has directed or produced a more varied
catalogue of film than Roger Corman. He has built his reputation on being a maverick filmmaker who doesn't play by Hollywood's
rules. His decades-spanning career has lead to an incredible cult following and the helpful development of such filmmakers as
James Cameron and Jonathan Demme.
A Small and Remarkable Life by Nick DiChario
reviewed by Steven H Silver
Set in rural New York in the 1860s, the novel tells the story of Tink Puddah's life and death. Mirroring Tink's
life is the character of Jacob Piersol, the preacher in Skanoh Valley. Following in his father's footsteps, Jacob is constantly
trying to prove himself his father's equal and sees Tink's failure to accept Christianity as one of his major failings.
What Jacob doesn't know is that Tink, whom everyone in town refers to as a foreigner, is, in fact an alien.
To Hold Infinity by John Meaney
reviewed by Rich Horton
On a partly terraformed colony world, Fulgar, a very high tech society has developed. The key to the society
is an elite group called Luculenti, people who have been technologically enhanced by the addition of plexcores, artificial
brains, in a sense. One of the leading Luculenti is Rafael Garcia de la
Vega, but he is a psychopath, who has exploited some new technology to become a sort of mind vampire, capable of sucking the memories and
personality of other Luculenti into his own illegally expanded set of plexcores.
|
