Tuesday 31 July 2007

Sci-Fi Fan Letter Issue 12

World’s Biggest Bookstore’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Newsletter Issue 12 August 2007

Perdido Street Station
By: China Mieville
For fans of Neil Gaiman, Perdido Street Station offers a mix of dark fantasy with an industrial sense of ambiguity and decay all wrapped up in the chilling story of a rogue theoretical physicist who, unwittingly releases a terrible evil on the bloated city of New Crobuzon. Mieville crafts this city into a character itself alongside insectile artists, Demonic ambassadors, humans twisted into abominations for the sake of justice, science, profit and many others. Followed by The Scar and The Iron Council, Perdido Street Station is a rich if morbid book in an intoxicating setting.
-Leeman (Yonge & Eglinton Chapters)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

One Jump Ahead
By: Mark L. Van Name
Think a military version of James Bond answering to no one but himself, with a sneaky AI attack ship in the role if ‘Q’ and you’ll have a decent idea of what to expect in One Jump Ahead.
Jon Moore accepts a job against his better judgement. And while the job comes off without a hitch, it comes back to haunt him as things in his life suddenly start going wrong and becoming more complicated.
Plenty of action, nifty gadgets and intelligent characters makes this a great read.
-Jessica Strider
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gardens of the Moon
By: Steven Erikson
The first book in one of the best fantasy series I have ever read. A fantasy book for those readers who are tired of the "by the numbers" fantasy book template. Similar to George R.R. Martin's books only in that the author continuously breaks with convention. Full of power, military might and magic, as well as a list of unforgettable characters who will get under your skin and force you to care about what happens to them. Highly recommended, the series continues to get better as you finish book after book...
-Frank (Yorkdale Indigo)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transformation
By: Carol Berg
Seyonne was once a Warden, a man with the magic and knowledge to fight demons - and win. For the past 16 years he has been a slave, his magic ability removed by the Derzhi, the race who conquered his people.
As the novel opens Seyonne is bought by Aleksander, prince of the Derzhi, an arrogant and seemingly unprincipled young man. This surprisingly humoruos novel traces the odd friendship that develops between master and slave. A friendship destined to change both of them.
Carol Berg writes with a facility for dealing with strong emotion that forces you to not just read about her character’s lives but experience them as though you were living the events yourself.
This is a touching tale of power, friendship and what it takes to be a man in a difficult world.
- Jessica Strider
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis
By: Thea Von Harbou
How did such an amazing piece of literature become so forgotten that it required the re-release of the silent, black and white film, for me to hear about it?
Thea Von Harbou’s exquisite use of repetition creates a novel that reads more like poetry, or a prayer, than a story. Yet it is the story of the young privileged son of Metropolis’s creator that makes the book memorable. Watching Freder learn about the plight of the working man and seeing his obsession with the beautiful Maria bloom into love culminates in the double message propounded by the author.
Furthermore, the description of the machines that run Metropolis, and their desire for ‘human food’, as well as their effect on the people who run them, makes this a look at the future that rivals the works of Wells, Verne and Orwell.
This is a book you’ll have to read more than once.
- Jessica Strider

Coming in September: Hardcover:
House of the Stag - Kage Baker
Queen of the Wolves - Douglas Clegg
Reap the Wild Wind - Julie Czerneda
Vorpal Blade - Eric Flint & Travis Taylor
Moon in the Mirror - P.R. Frost Dark Lord - Ed Greenwood
Palladian Mask - Tappan King
A Desert Called Peace - Tom Kratman
Feral Sapiens - M.I. Lake
Fleet of the Worlds - Larry Niven & Edward Lerner
Fathom - Cherie Priest
Forgotten Realms: Orc King - R.A. Salvatore
Return of the Sorcerer - Clark Ashton Smith
Sunrise Lands - S.M. Stirling
All About Elfland - Freda Warrington
Quadrail Sequel - Timothy Zahn

Trade Paperback:
Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie
Divine by Blood - P.C. Cast
Inferno - Ellen Datlow
Guards of Heaven - Simon R. Green
Darkness of the Gods - Amber Hayward
Ravenloft: Scholar of Decay - Tanya Huff
River of Gods - Ian McDonald
City of the Beast - Michael Moorcock
Splinter - Adam Roberts
Winterbirth - Brian Ruckley
When the People Fell - Cordwainer Smith
Electric Church - Jeff Somers

Mass Market Paperback:
War Hammer: Lord of Ruin - Dan Abnett & Mike Lee
Slan Hunter - Kevin J. Anderson
Class Dis-Mythed - Robert Asprin & Jody Lynn Nye
Vlad Novel - Steven Brust
Territory - Emma Bull
Destiny’s Forge - Paul Chafe
Spellwright - Blake Charlton
Lady of Serpents - Douglas Clegg
Man-kzin Wars XI - Hal Cole batch & Matthew Harrington
Dragon Lance: Destiny - Tonya Cook & Paul Thompson
Crossroads - Kate Elliott
Toll the Hounds - Steven Erikson
Worlds of Making - David Forbes
Hounding the Moon - P.R. Frost
Heroes in Training - Martin Greenberg & Jim Hines
The Two Worlds - James Hogan
Royal Destiny - Morgan Howell
Diablo: Veiled Prophet - Richard Knaak
30 Days of Night - Tim Lebbon
Music to my Sorrow - Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edgehill
Innocent Mage - Karen Miller
Diamond Isle - Stan Nicholls
Empire of Ivory - Naomi Novik
Battle at the Moons of Hell - Graham Sharp Paul
Birth of the Pack - Petru Popescu
War Hammer: Dark Apostle - Anthony Reynolds
Princess of Wands - John Ringo
Devil’s Right Hand - Lilith Saintcrow
Dragon Lance: Stolen Sun - Jeff Sampson
Star Trek: Captain’s Glory - William Shatner, Garfield Reeves-Stevens & Judith Reeves-Stevens
Genesis - Ken Shufeldt
Forgotten Realms: Heirs of Prophecy - Lisa Smedman
A Meeting at Corvallis - S.M. Stirling
At All Costs - David Weber

No comments: