The AlchemystBy: Michael Scott
The Alchemyst is the first in a six book series. It focuses on the true legend of Nicholas Flamel, who is rumoured to know the secret of eternal life, or what is called the Philosopher’s Stone. The story takes place in San Francisco, where twins, Sophie and Josh Newman, are staying the summer with a relative. Josh gets a job at a bookstore which is owned by Flamel and his wife, but things are not as they seem. Dr. John Dee comes to the bookstore to steal a book, known as the Book of Abraham the Mage, which holds secrets that are so powerful that in the wrong hands they could destroy the world.
Sophie and Josh come to Nicholas’s rescue but Dr. Dee gets the book minus the last two pages. While Dr. Dee hunts down the twins for the pages, the twins learn that they are mentioned in a prophecy in the book and are the only ones that can save the world. But first their powers must be awakened.
This is a great novel which intertwines legend and fantasy with ease. If you’re looking for a book that provides excitement and thrills at every turn (and don’t mind crows attacking cars on the Golden Gate Bridge and cats turning half human) this is a book for you.
- Sheila
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Transformers: The Movie AdaptationWriter: Kris Oprisko
Artist: Alex Milne
As a lead-up to the much-anticipated Transformers feature film, Transformers: The Movie Adaptation generates as much excitement as any movie trailer. Kris Oprisko’s quick pacing keeps the reader engrossed while his quick dialogue keeps the reader smiling. Alex Milne’s art is dynamic and is a great mix of realistically rendered people and manga influenced vehicles and, of course, the Autobots and Decepticons. However, the best part of the comic is the constant sense of suspense waiting for the next reference to the classic 1980s cartoon show. There are several moments that will have fans of the old school Transformers excited, particularly the formal introduction of the heroic Autobots. It is this nostalgia that makes Transformers: The Movie Adaptation a fun read.
- Chud
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Marked By P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
You know what can get on my nerves at times? A review written on the front cover of a book where the reviewer is telling me how they could not put the book down. Okay. Fine. You couldn’t put the book down. Do I care? Let me tell you, I read this book and I did put it down all of two times because I had to go back to work. So there! They were so wrong. J Now, on with the review.
Nobody fully understands how people become vampyres. Zoey Redbird certainly doesn’t. All she knows is that one day she was at school, complaining about her mother and step-father to her best friend and trying to fight the beginnings of a nasty cold, when she was summoned by the Tracker: “Night has chosen thee; thy death will by thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice.”
Now Zoey is Marked—Marked for death, Marked to become a vampyre if she can survive the change.
But that’s not all.
She has been Marked in a special way, by the hand of the Goddess Nyx no less, to fulfill a destiny that has been long in the making.
Welcome, Zoey Redbird, to the House of Night. For fans of “Twilight” and “New Moon”, this is definitely a good book to read as you are waiting for the third instalment of the series. Just be sure to start it at the beginning of the day so that there’s no reason for you to put it down because, trust me, it’s hard to.
- Mel
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The SummonerBy: Gail Martin
Looking for a story that breathes new life into epic fantasy? Then look no further.
When Prince Martris Drayke accidentally witnesses his half-brother, Jared, murder their father, he is unexpectedly turned into the fugitive blamed for that death. Hunted by soldiers and Jared’s Firedan mage, Foor Arontala, Tris must make his way to Dhasson and the aid of his uncle.
But Jared’s plans are more varied than Tris believes, and if Tris wants to revenge himself on his brother and reclaim his country he will have to learn the magic of his grandmother and become a summoner.
Filled with ghosts, slavers, fights and a touch of romance, this novel has something for everyone.
- Jessica Strider
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Coming in August
Hardcover:
A Betrayal in Winter - Daniel Abraham
Aftermath - Ben Bova
Elves of Cintra - Terry Brooks
Warlord - Jennifer Fallon
Pyramid Power - Eric Flint & Dave Freer
Sandworms of Dune - Brian Herbert
Radio Freefall - Matthew Jarpe
Red Seas under Red Skies - Scott Lynch
Ravens of Avalon - Diana Paxson & Marion Zimmer Bradley
Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
Queen of Cadesce - Karl Schroeder
Fox - Sherwood Smith
Trade Paperback:
War Hammer: Saint - Dan Abnett
Trouble with Humans - Christopher Anvil
As Fate Decrees - Denyse Bridger
Infinity Plus - Keith Brooke & Nick Gevers
Miles, Mutants & Microbes - Lois McMaster Bujold
Ilario: The Stone Golem - Mary Gentle
Anubis Murders - Gary Gygax
Almuric - Robert Howard
Sleeping God - Violette Malan
Blade of Fortriu - Juliet Marillier
N-Space - Larry Niven
Ivory - Mike Resnick
Set the Seas on Fire - Chris Roberson
Cast in Secret - Michelle Sagara
Mass Market Paperback:
Embraced by Darkness - Keri Arthur
Machine’s Child - Kage Baker
Undertow - Elizabeth Bear
Door Through Space - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Sea Change - Patricia Bray
Straken - Terry Brooks
Tanequil - Terry Brooks
Till Human Voices Wake Us - Mark Budz
Widdershins - Charles De Lint
Star Wars: Inferno - Troy Denning
Star Trek: Resistance - J.M. Dillard
Midnight Tides - Steven Erikson
Star Trek: Death in Winter - Michael Jan Friedman
Pandora’s Closet - Martin Greenberg & Jean Rabe
Eberron: Storm Dragon - Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Black Wolf - Dave Gross
Death of a Darklord - Laurell Hamilton
War Hammer: Star of Damocles - Andy Hoare
The Two Worlds - James Hogan
Ultimates: Against All Enemies - Alex Irvine
Forgotten Realms: Shadow storm - Paul Kemp
Music to My Sorrow - Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edgehill
Mirror Prince - Violette Malan
Magic The Gathering: Lorwyn - Scott McGough & Cory Herndon
Man-Kzin Wars XI - Larry Niven
Dragon Lance: Rebellion - Jean Rabe
Spellbinder - Melanie Rawn
War Craft: Tides of Darkness - Aaron Rosenberg
Slaine the Defiler - Steven Savile
Thraxas & the Dance of Death - Martin Scott
Forgotten Realms: Storm of the Dead - Lisa Smedman
Inda - Sherwood Smith
Dervish Daughter - Sheri Tepper
Hallowmere: In the Serpent’s Coils - Tiffany Trent
Farthing - Jo Walton
Spriggan Mirror - Lawrence Watt-Evans
In Fury Born - David Weber
War Hammer: The Place of the Plague Lord - C.L. Werner
Blood of the Heroes - Steve White
I thought you should made aware of the information on the website
ReplyDeletewww.sfwa.org
as they give information on fraud within the publishing industry and what to watchout for in contract and like. It deals with Science Fiction and Fantasy but all writers should be made aware.