Sci-Fi Fan Letter Issue 15

World’s Biggest Bookstore’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Newsletter November 2007

Writers of the Future Event

Tuesday November 6th join us in store at 6pm as we host two of the winners of this year's L. Ron Hubbard Writer's of the Future Contest. Meet Grand Prize winner, Stephen Kotowych, for his short story 'Saturn in G Minor' and the 2nd Place winner, Tony Pi, for his novella 'The Stone Cipher'. Robert J. Sawyer, a judge of this year's contest and a prominent Canadian Science Fiction author will host the event.


Expendable
By: James Alan Gardner

Mankind has reached the stars, found fellow sentient life and lives in a utopia where sudden and violent death is unknown but for a handful of people known as Explorers. Explorers reach out to new worlds and in doing so are invariably killed by hostile terrain, plagued by unknown infections, or eaten by native lifeforms.

To keep the psychological strain these deaths have on the rest of society low, Explorers are unofficially picked from the outskirts of society: the handicapped, the deformed and the ugly.

Placed in this impossible situation, one Explorer does all she can to face up to the challenges and expectations.

Superb premise and a superb read.

-Leeman

The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse
By: Robert Rankin

Well, if you’re looking for a story that follows the standard fantasy formula, you may not want to pick up this book. The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse takes some of the stories that we grew up with and adds a twist that will leave you laughing and thinking that Robert Rankin is twisted. This is a story of mystery, love and control over Toy City.

Toy City is plagued with the murders of the rich and famous with no rhyme or reason. It is up to Eddie bear and a new comer to the city, Jack, to solve the cases and unravel the riddle of why this is happening. Their only clue is a hollow chocolate bunny left at the crime scenes. Meanwhile, Jack is trying to come to grips with the fact that the toys are alive and have their own city to live in, and you often wonder if Jack has a deeper and darker purpose to his presence in Toy City.

If you love a book with action, sex, crazy and in some cases literal murders, you have found the right book. But, whatever you do, don't read this book in a public place or you may get the crazy person look from everyone around you. Just remember that the truth about the murder victims comes to light in Chapter 4!

- Sheila

Elantris
By: Brandon Sanderson

Told from the circling viewpoints of the three main characters, Elantris is a well written High Fantasy.

Prince Raoden wakes one morning to discover that he’s been damned by the curse that destroyed Elantris, once the golden city of the blessed, now a decaying mass outside the capital. Exiled to Elantris, Raoden begins to learn the magic once practiced there as he attempts to discover why Elantris fell.

Princess Sarene of Teod arrives to meet her betrothed, only to be told that Raoden is dead and she is legally his widow. She is immediately thrust into court intrigues of which she is ignorant.

Hrathen, high priest of Fjordell, has come to convert the people of Arelon. This is their last chance. If they don’t accept his teachings, the Fjord army will wipe them out.

Brought to a satisfying ending, Elantris is a story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it.

- Jessica Strider

Coming in December
Hardcover:
War Hammer: Only in Death - Dan Abnett
Metal Swarm - Kevin Anderson
Captain’s Fury - Jim Butcher
First Born - Arthur Clarke & Stephen Baxter
Sorcerers’ Plague - David Coe
Inferno - Ellen Datlow
Star Wars: Rule of Two - Drew Karpyshyn
High Deryni - Katherine Kurtz
Dragon Harper - Anne & Todd McCaffrey
Rise of the Royal Blood - Robert Newcomb
Morcai Battalion - Diana Palmer
Starship: Mercenary - Mike Resnick
Sister Time - John Ringo & Julie Cochrane
Lifehouse Trilogy - Spider Robinson
Endless Blue - Wen Spencer
Voyage of the Snake Lady - Theresa Tomlinson
Borne in Blood - Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Trade Paperback:
Shadow Bridge - Grogory Frost
Dragon Outcast - E.E. Knight
Star Trek: Creative Couplings - David Mack
Blue Sword - Robin McKinley
Escapement - K.J. Parker
Another One Bites the Dust - Jennifer Rardin
The Terror - Dan Simmons
Soldier of Sidon - Gene Wolfe

Mass Market:
War Hammer: Armour of Contempt - Dan Abnett
Patron Saint of Plagues - Barth Anderson
Alpha - Catherine Asaro
Final Impact - John Birmingham
Devil Inside - Jenna Black
Lady of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Knighthood of the Dragon - Chris Bunch
Scar Night - Alan Campbell
Mistress of Winter - Giles Carwyn & Todd Fahnestock
1634: the Ram Rebellion - Eric Flint & Virginia De Marce
Eifelheim - Michael Flynn
Blood Bowl: Rumble in the Jungle - Matt Forbeck
Forgotten Realms: Neversfall - Ed Gentry
The Future We Wish We Had - Martin Greenberg & Rebecca Lickiss
Mechwar: Last Charge - Jason Hardy
Vampire’s Kiss - Raven Hart
Starcrash - Elysa Hendricks
Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond - Rosemary Jones
Dragon Lance: Black Talon - Richard Knaak
Star Trek: Forged in Fire - Michael Martin & Andy Mangels
War Hammer: Defenders of Ulhtuan - Graham McNeill
March Into Darkness - Robert Newcomb
Dragon Lance: Secret of Pax Tharkas - Douglas Niles
War Hammer: Hour of the Daemon - Aaron Rosenberg
Thraxas at War - Martin Scott
War Hammer: Desert Raiders - Lucien Soulban
Star Wars: Allegiance - Timothy Zahn
Blue-Haired Bombshell - John Zakour

Time Travel Reading List

Once or twice a month I'll be adding themed reading lists to the blog. These lists won't be comprehensive lists of all the books for any given topic (that's nigh on impossible), but they should give you ideas of other books to look into if you like that topic. Please note that some of these books are out of print, so support your local library or used bookstore!

I've got a few lists to start with but I'm open to suggestions. So if you've read a book and want something similar, either comment on one of these posts or send me an email at: scififanletter@gmail.com. Be sure to leave your name so I can credit you when the list goes up.

- Jessica Strider

Time Travel Reading List

Roger Allen - Depths of Time, Ocean of Years, Shores of Tomorrow
Richard Matheson - Somewhere in Time
Orson Scott Card - Pastwatch
S.M. Stirling - Island in the Sea of Time, Against the Tide of Years, On the Oceans of Eternity
Terry Pritchett - Night Watch
Kay Kenyon - Seeds of Time
Robert Sawyer - Flash Forward
Andre Norton - Echoes in Time
Will Hubbell - Cretaceous Sea, Sea of Time
Robert Asprin & Linda Evans - Time Scout, Wagers of Sin, Ripping Time
Lynn Abbey - Taking Time, Down Time, Out of Time, Beyond Time
Michael Crichton - Timeline
Jon Georges - Faces of Mist & Flame
H.G. Wells - The Time Machine
Connie Willis - Doomsday Book, To Say Nothing of the Dog
James Hogan - Thrice Upon a Time
Dennis Little, Ed - Time After Time
Audrey Niffenegger - Time Traveler’s Wife
Harry Turtledove, Ed - Best Time Travel Stories of the 20th Century
David Gerrold - Man Who Folded Himself
Chris Roberson - Here, There & Everywhere
Jack Finney - Time & Again, From Time to Time
John Varley - Millennium
Paul Levinson - Plot to Save Socrates


(My thanks to the staff at SF Signal, for pointing out some of my list omissions and linking to this site.)

Writers of the Future Signing at the World's Biggest Bookstore

For those of you who would like more information about the signing next month, the event will take place on Tuesday November 6th at 6pm and feature this year's L. Ron Hubbard Writer's of the Future Contest's Grand Prize winner, Stephen Kotowych, for his short story 'Saturn in G Minor' and the 2nd Place winner, Tony Pi, for his novella 'The Stone Cipher'. Robert J. Sawyer, a judge of this year's contest and a prominent Canadian Science Fiction author will also be in attendance.

Sci-Fi Fan Letter Issue 14

The World's Biggest Bookstore's Science Fiction and Fantasy Newsletter Issue 14 October 2007

Hominid
By Robert J. Sawyer.

In the Hugo Award winning first book in the Neanderthal Parallax Trilogy, Robert J. Sawyer posits an alternate Earth where Neanderthals rose to sentience while our forebears went the way of the dodo. A modern day Neanderthal physicist, through a freak quantum accident, finds himself trapped in our world's Northern Ontario surrounded by strange, thin, hairless apes. As the two cultures learn to bridge their differences, the ramifications of this event is seen on both Earths. Sawyer manages to combine the qualities of "Planet of the Apes", Clan of the Cave Bear, "Stargate" and Perry Mason into an imaginative work of speculative fiction.

-Leeman

***Meet Canadian Science Fiction author Robert J. Sawyer and several winners of L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future contest at the World’s Biggest Bookstore Tuesday Novembr 6th at 6 pm. ***

Lord of the Fading Lands
By: C. L. Wilson
If you enjoy the blend of romance and fantasy employed by LUNA books, then you will love this new book by Dorchester Publishing: Lord of the Fading Lands.
C.L. Wilson’s city of Celieria is impeccably detailed and populated with an interesting and yet wholly realistic cast of characters.
The Fey Truthspeaker is coming for her annual visit, and this year the Feyreisen, King of the Fey, is accompanying her. He is searching for the woman whom their oracle showed could save the dying tairen, magical winged cats, whose fates are intertwined with those of his people.
Little does he realize that this woman is his shei’tani, his soul-mate, and that she is already unwillingly betrothed to another. As if that weren’t enough, the Eld, mages and ancient enemy of the Fey, are plotting once more.
This debut will draw you into a magical weave of spirit and air that won’t release you until the last word is read.

-Jessica Strider

Poltergeist
By: Kat Richardson
Harper Blaine was an ordinary small-time PI on a case that went wrong when she was killed. She was medically dead for two minutes and when medical technology brought her back, she discovered something different about herself: she was able to see the unseen and to walk within the veil separating the past from the present and the normal from the paranormal. It is a power she does not want, especially as it seems to attract all sorts of trouble, including her most recent case centering around a research group that has created an artificial poltergeist that seems to have a penchant for murder.
What can I say about the Greywalker novels? The covers are intriguing, and that alone was enough to get me to pick up the books. But what about the actual stories themselves?
With Greywalker, there was something about the book that kept drawing me back no matter how many times I put it down and went to something else. I decided to reserve judgment until I read a second book. Now a second book has come out, Poltergeist, and this time I read it from start to finish without going to something else. Kat Richardson is an author to keep an eye on. She gets better and better with each book.

- Mel

Dreams of Inan: Stealing Life
By: Antony Johnston
If Nicco Salarum had been more careful during his bank heist he wouldn’t have gotten caught and thereby gone into debt to the local mob boss, Wallus Bazhanka, for getting him out of jail. He wouldn’t have gone further into debt by deciding to dump Bazhanka’s cargo rather than kill a man. And so he wouldn’t have taken the wizard Xandus’s job to steal Governor Werrdun of Hurrundan’s necklace of office during his visit to Azbantha. Which would have been good for Nicco. Because stealing the necklace is just the start of his troubles.
Dreams of Inan is a new series by Abaddon Books, where magic and technology are both highly developed though not equally or universally accepted.
A unique idea with a lot of potential, keep your eyes peeled for the next book in this series.

-Jessica Strider

Coming in November
Hardcover:
War Hammer: With Only Death - Dan Abnett
Prador Moon - Neal Asher
High King’s Tomb - Kristen Britain
Genesis - Paul Chafe
Fallowblade - Cecilia Dart-Thornton
Confessor - Terry Goodkind
Carnifex - Tom Kratman
Cauldron - Jack McDevitt
Sagittarius Command - R.M. Meluch
Reader & Raelynx - Sharon Shinn
Better to Beg Forgiveness - Michael Willamson
Pirate Freedom - Gene Wolfe

Trade Paperback:
Sky Coyote - Kage Baker
Tesseracts 11 - Cory Doctorow & Holly Phillips
Eifelheim - Michael Flynn
Heart of Stone - C.E. Murphy
Evil for Evil - K.J. Parker
Killswitch - Joel Shepherd
Elemental Magic- Sharon Shinn
Star Trek: Blood Will Tell - Scott Tipton

Mass Market Paperback:
War Hammer: Armour of Contempt - Dan Abnett
Star Wars: Fury - Aaron Allston
Cursor’s Fury - Jim Butcher
Empire - Orson Scott Card
Pearls - Deborah Chester
Tower of Fear - Glen Cook
Weatherwitch - Cecilia Dart-Thornton
Grantville Gazette Vol III - Eric Flint
Forgotten Realms: Neversfall - Ed Gentry
Prodigal - Marc Giller
Wizards, Inc. - Martin Greenberg & M. Coleman
Assassin King - Elizabeth Haydon
People of the Dark - Robert Howard
Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond - Rosemary Jones
Dragon Lance: Black Talon - Richard Knaak
Crystal Dragon - Sharon Lee
Dragon’s Fire - Anne McCaffrey & Todd McCaffrey
Dragon Lance: Secret of Pax Tharkas - Douglas Niles
Star Born - Andre Norton
Cracked Throne - Joshua Palmatier
Choosers of the Slain - John Ringo
Sixty Days & Counting - Kim Stanley Robinson
War Hammer: Hour of the Daemon - Aaron Rosenberg
Saint City Sinners - Lilith Saintcrow
War Hammer: Descent of Angels - Mitchel Scanlon
War Hammer: Desert Raiders - Lucien Soulban
Wolf Who Rules - Wen Spencer
Watcher - Jeanne Stein
Dragon Lance: Warroir’s Bones - Stephen Sullivan
Star Trek: Sword of Democles - Geoffrey Thorne
Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe - James Ward

Violette Malan comes to the WBB.

Violette Malan, author of fantasy novels Mirror Prince and Sleeping God was at the World's Biggest Bookstore on September 8th.

Sci-Fi Fan Letter Issue 13

Sleeping God
By: Violette Malan
Rather than sitting the characters down for a history lesson they already know, Violette Malan introduces her world through the actions and personalities of her protagonists.
And the actions begin with a well orchestrated scape goating campaign by the New Believers, a sect of the Sleeping God's priesthood, against the Marked, those with special abilities to Heal, Find, Mend and See.
Enter Dhulyn Wolfshead, mercenary partner of Parno Lionsmane and a carefully hidden Seer. They have returned to Parno's homeland, where unknown to them, the priesthood is coming to greater power. Their job to escort Mar-eMar to the capital takes several unexpected turns involving kidnapping, assassination and mob violence.

***Meet Violette in store on Saturday September 8th at 2pm.***


Stardust
By: Neil Gaiman
Now that the movie is out, and the reviews are floating around, I thought it would be nice to remind people that Stardust was a BOOK first, and not the other way around.
Following the journey of young Tristran Thorn, on his quest to bring back a fallen star for the girl he loves, Neil Gaiman spins a gorgeous tale of faerie magic and moonlight. Although magical and romantic, Stardust is also very terrifying and cold, but in a rather mischievous manner.
Seventeen year old Tristran, raised in the city of Wall, embarks on an innocent journey into the woods, into the Faerie realm, to find the one thing that will bring him love - a fallen star. With some curious help, he finds the Star, not realizing that this star - this girl - would bring him more than his Heart's Desire. And he is not the only one looking for her. Tristran and the Star must face a unicorn, a witch-queen, an old merchant woman, an heir-to-the-throne and each other to find the greatest prize of all quests - true love.
Neil Gaiman's wonderful prose captivates the reader with mystery and imagery that evokes the fairy tales of old. Stardust is hard to put down, and leaves you wanting more.
NOW, go see the movie.
- Kat

The Blade Itself
By: Joe Abercrombie
My only problem with this novel was that instead of using profanity to enhance the emotion of specific scenes, it was used everywhere, spoiling the effect it would otherwise have had. It was hard to picture the Gandalf figure, Bayaz, First of the Magi, employing casual curses. Then again, I'd also be hard pressed to imagine Gandalf using magic while naked and dripping from an interrupted bath. But Abercrombie makes you imagine all sorts of strange, yet oddly compelling things.
This book is great if you want a more realistic view of 'barbarian' life meets civilization. Here are 'heroes' whose arrows sometimes miss and who get injured during swordfights, outnumbered or not.
And if its realistic fight scenes fail to catch your interest, the characters can't. The three protagonists from the beginning are less than likeable and yet you find yourself liking them anyway.
There's Logan Ninefingers, a Named Man, for his fearsome deeds of the past, come form the barbarian North. Glokta, a crippled inquisitor, who doesn't get any pleasure from torturing people because, after being tortured for two years himself, he no longer gets any pleasure from anything. And Jezal, proud officer in the king's army and unhappily training for this year's fencing competition.
Brought together by the tidings of war and through the machinations of Bayaz, this book will leave you asking for more.
- Jessica Strider

Eclipse
By Stephenie Meyer
Our favourite ensemble of characters is back for a reappearance in Stephenie Meyer's latest instalment of her vampire series, Eclipse.
Isabella: Graduation draws ever closer and putting on a gown and cap are not the only things that Isabella Swan looks forward to -she also looks forward to the fruition of the promise that was made to her- to be made into a vampire.
Edward: He knows he's being selfish, but he wants Isabella by his side for an eternity, not only as an immortal being, but also as his wife. But will dangling the promise of transforming her into a vampire himself be enough to make her say yes instead of no?
Jacob: A werewolf who wants Isabella to choose humanity­ to choose him instead of Edward. And he will do anything in his power to convince her, even at the cost of his life.
And in the midst of it all, a new threat is approaching, memorizing Isabella's scent and slowly gathering in for the kill.
If you have not read this series yet, all I can say is: Why not? Don't let the fact that it is a teen book put you off it. Good writing is good writing and likeable characters are people we want to find out more about. Read the series already! Why delay the inevitable?
-Mel

Coming in October Hardcover:
Air Apparent - Piers Anthony
God's Demon - Wayne Barlowe
Queen Ferris - S.C. Butler
A War of Gifts - Orson Scott Card
When all Seems Lost - William Dietz
Themepunks - Cory Doctorow
1634: The Bavarian Crisis - Eric Flint & Virginia Demarce
Patrimony - Alan Dean Foster
V: The Second Generation - Kenneth Johnson
Sword From Red Ice - J.V. Jones
Phoenix Unchained - Mercedes Lackey
Reserved for the Cat - Mercedes Lackey
A Companion to Wolves - Sarah Monette
Metatemporal Detective - Michael Moorcock
Fleet of Worlds - Larry Niven
Star Flight - Andre Norton
Year of the Grey Wolf - Andre Norton
Making Money - Terry Pratchett
Star Wars: Death Star - Michael Reaves
Star Trek: The Academy: Collision Course - William Shatner, Judith Reeves-Stevens & Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Halting State - Charles Stross
The Merchant's War - Charles Stross
One Day on Mars - Travis Taylor
Ha'penny - Jo Walton
The Third Lynx - Timothy Zahn

Trade Paperback:
Keeper's Child - Leslie Davis
End of the World Blues - Jon Courtnay Grimwood
Nova Swing - M. John Harrison
Rewired - James Patrick Kelly & John Kessel
Counting Heads - David Marusek
Star Trek: Sky's the Limit - Marco Palmieri
Devices & Desires - K.J. Parker
Not Flesh nor Feathers - Cherie Priest
Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Jennifer Rardin
War Machine - Andy Remic
Selling Out - Justina Robson
Voice of Crow - Jeri Smith-Ready

Mass Market:
School's Out - Scott Andrews
Stork Naked - Piers Anthony
Eternity - Greg Bear
Reiffen's Choice - S.C. Butler
Destiny's Forge - Paul Chafe
Dragon Lance: Protecting Palanthas - Douglas Clark
Forgotten Realms: Star deep - Bruce Cordell
Star Trek: Before Dishonor - Peter David
Spirit Gate - Kate Elliott
Trouble Magnet - Alan Dean Foster
Fate Fantastic - Martin Greenberg & Daniel Hoyt
Battlestar Galactica: Unity - Steven Harper
Dragon's Teeth - James Hetley
Aerie - Mercedes Lackey
Clone Alliance - Steven Kent
Dog Days - John Levitt
War Hammer: Manslayer - Nathan Long
Blade of Fortriu - Juliet Marillier
Odyssey - Jack McDevitt
Awakened Mage - Karen Miller
Soarer's Choice - L.E. Modesitt Jr.
Blood Engines - T.A. Pratt
Princess of Wands - John Ringo
Horizons - Mary Rosenblum
Android's Dream- John Scalzi
Kris Longknife Audacious - Mike Shepherd
Star Wars: True Colors - Karen Traviss
At All Costs - David Weber
Forgotten Realms: Sands of the Soul - Victoria Whitney-Robinson
Lord of the Fading Lands - C.L Wilson
Eberron: Rise of the 7th Moon - Rich Wulf

Fan Expo 07

The World's Biggest Bookstore once again had a booth at this year's Fan Expo. We were in a much better location than last year with better stock, and so had a much busier show.