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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Winners of the Max Frei/The Stranger Giveaway!

Congratulations to Kelly VanHout (Texas) and Selinda McCumbers (Ohio) who were both randomly selected to win a COPY of Max Frei’s debut novel “The Stranger”, thanks to The Overlook Press!!! For more information, please read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “The Stranger” or visit the Official Max Frei Website.

Spotlight on Selected May Books









The Babylonian Trilogy by Sebastien Doubinsky; reviewed HERE and a highly recommended book for all connoisseurs of fine speculative fiction; modern fantastic city of Babylon in 3 vignettes; first in a projected "imaginary" cities sequence of stories by this extraordinary author

Slanted Jack by Mark VanName (mmpb reprint); Jon&Lobo 2 in a triple cross scheme with an unusual boy wanted by various parties and who is in the care of con-man expert and on and off partner of Jon, "Slanted" Jack of the title; if you are not familiar with this superb adventure sf series get the first one One Step Ahead and this one in preparation for book 3 Overthrowing Heaven which will be a June spotlight book and will have a review here that month. This series is a Personal Favorite

The City and the City by China Mieville - author's name says it all; the one *must* May book; review soon

The Laurentine Spy by Emily Gee - review HERE; personal favorite and a superb book

Fall of Thanes by Brian Ruckley - highly awaited ending of the trilogy; Winterbirth was reviewed HERE, Bloodheir HERE, this one will have an early/mid May review too

Consorts of Heaven by Jaine Fenn (UK only release)- Principles of Angels reviewed HERE was a personal favorite for 2008 and this one has been one of the most eagerly awaited books for 2009; review as soon as I get the book

The Ingenious Edgar Jones by Elizabeth Garner (first US edition) - "once there was a boy with an extraordinary gift.." - this is a book of major interest to us that will be checked out on publication and possibly reviewed here

Twisted Metal by Tony Ballantyne (UK only release) - Robots, robots, robots

Age of Misrule by Mark Chadbourn (first US edition) - Celtic gods wreak havoc in modern London; first in a multi-novel series brought by Pyr to the US public

Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey - Ms. Carey of Kushiel's fame (Kushiel 5 reviewed HERE, Kushiel 6 reviewed HERE, Kushiel 7 which starts a new cycle several generations later with fresh characters to be reviewed asap) in urban fantasy mode


Wings by Aprilynne Pike
A fantasy romance in which a young girl finds out that she is a fairy after living life as a human for so many years and is thrown into a world of mysterious creatures. While fighting off evil creatures the girl is in the middle of a love triangle.

Magic Thief: Lost by Sarah Prienas and Antonio J. Caparo (illus) - Sequel to the Magic Thief series. Comm, a wizard's apprentice hears voices every time he works a spell. After numerous attempts of warning other wizards, Comm decides to take action into his own hands and deal with it himself, where he runs into some weird encounters.

Starfinder by John Marco
No one ventures into the "Reach" and lives to tell about it. After life events cause a shocking change for 12 year old Moth, he decides to run away into the Reach, where another world is waiting for him and eventually the middle of a war that has been on the verge of breaking out.


Edit Later: Robert was kind to comment HERE and add a list of his favorite May books so I added the covers above and remixed a little bit the cover exposition for balance.

"The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún" by JRR Tolkien
“The Curse of the Mistwraith” by Janny Wurts (Reprint)
“The Ask and the Answer” by Patrick Ness (UK Only)
"Worst Nightmares" by Shane Briant
“Norse Code” by Greg Van Eekhout
"Bad Things" by Michael Marshall (US Debut)


Earlier Monthly Spotlights can be found HERE

2009 Arthur C. Clarke Award Winner

By SFXmagazine via Twitter: the winner of 2009 Arthur C. Clarke Award is Ian R MacLeod, with his novel Song of Time. Expect review soon here.

PS: Though the award has been given yesterday, neither the official award site nor the SCI-FI-LONDON Film Festival has confirmed the info yet -- but Graham Sleight, editor of Foundation, was there and saw everything, as told to Cheryl Morgan in the comments of the related post in Science Fiction Awards Watch. Thank you, Graham!!



Wednesday, April 29, 2009

“Nights of Villjamur” by Mark Charan Newton (Reviewed by Liviu C. Suciu)

Official Mark Charan Newton Website Order “Nights of VilljamurHERE Read An Excerpt HERE
INTRODUCTION:Nights of Villjamur” is the epic fantasy debut of Mark Charan Newton, who is also the author of the small press novel, “The Reef”. Having been in touch with Mark several times before, I had been aware of “Nights of Villjamur” for quite a while now, and the novel was one of my most anticipated fantasy releases of 2009. This of course was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I really wanted to like the novel and may have been unintentionally less than objective in the review because I’ve personally conversed with the author. But on the other hand, I’ve been easily disappointed by books with such high expectations. Fortunately, not only did “Nights of Villjamur” fully meet my expectaions, it exceeded them, being a novel that I plan on re-reading several times in the future... 

SETTING: Under the Red Sun, the long-awaited Freeze, which is expected to last for decades, is coming and the Jamur Empire is preparing... In the city of Villjamur, the corrupt ruling Council led by Chancellor Urtica wants to keep the population as low as possible, so tens of thousands of refugees from neighboring island-provinces are forced to starve in tents in front of the city walls. Mad Emperor Johynn Jamur is convinced that everyone is out to get him, so he finds solace in drink. 

Because of this, his heir and elder daughter Rika left Villjamur in disgust and fear taking refuge with a monastic order, while the younger, more naive and sheltered Eir is the only one keeping Johynn company. Brynd is the albino commander of the elite Night Guard, and hence of the whole Empire military, who finds himself on one too many supposedly safe missions that turn deadly. Jeryd is a rumel—a longer-lived hominid race coexisting with humanity that forms the higher ranks of the judiciary and the Inquisition of Villjamur. As a high ranking Investigator, Jeryd becomes in charge of a series of strange murders that may lead to dark deeds in positions of power. 

Dartun is a powerful magician—“cultist”—and godhi of the Order of the Equinox, the second most powerful magical order in Villjamur after the Order of Dawnir. Dartun believed himself to be immortal, but after discovering that he can die, he hatches a desperate plan to “regain” his immortality even if it threatens all of Villjamur and the world. Opposing Dartun is Papus, the leader of the Dawnir order. Jurro is a Dawnir—the only known member of the ancient, all powerful and very long-lived race that is credited in legends with amazing magic and technology. However “he” was found wandering around without any memory many centuries ago, and since then has become sort of an official archivist, Palace librarian and historical researcher of the city. Randur is a handsome islander from Folke, master of the arts of dance, sword and seduction. Though not really his name, he uses the opportunity left behind by the real Randur to come to Villjamur where he secures a job in the Palace as Eir’s sword and dance teacher. 

Eventually his path crosses Dartun, and Randur is forced to come up with an immense sum of money in order to receive the cultist’s aid. Tuya is an artist with a distinctive mark on her face and she practices the second oldest trade for a living, though she has some other interesting talents a well. Tryst is Jeryd’s human aide. Though usually loyal, Tryst has grown disgruntled by being passed over for promotion in the Inquisition because he is a ‘human’, and decides to teach Jeryd a lesson. Finally, *** is the Magus of the underground Ovinist order which is spreading its tentacles through Villjamur and has particular ideas about how the Empire should survive in the Ice Age to come... 

FORMAT/INFO:Nights of Villjamur” stands at 461 pages divided over forty-six numbered chapters and includes a prologue that occurrs about fifteen years earlier which introduces several main characters. Narration is in the third person via multiple POV's, most importantly Brynd, Jeryd, Dartun and Randur, with significant chunks dedicated to Eir, Papus, Tryst, Tuya and several others. The novel splits into four main threads which are clearly connected and will most likely converge in future installments of The Legends of the Red Sun. Each thread comes to a natural stopping point with no major cliffhangers, but there is a big To Be Continued sign. 

June 5, 2009 marks the UK Hardcover publication of “Nights of Villjamur” via Tor UK. Cover art provided by Benjamin Carre

PLOT HINTS AND ANALYSIS:Nights of Villjamur” opens with a prologue on the island/province of Folke that introduces us to younger versions of Papus, Randur and Brynd. Kapp, which is Randur's real name, is an inquisitive ten-year-old boy; Papus is an up-and-coming Dawnir cultist that carries a very important ‘relic’ and is being pursued by a relentless enemy; and Brynd is a captain in the army, commanding an Imperial force and tasked with “restoring order” on a neighbouring island. 

The novel proper starts when we are introduced to the city of Villjamur: “Garudas swooped by, engaged in city patrols, whilst cats looked up from walls in response to their fast-moving shadows.” From here, Villjamur is revealed to us in all of its splendor and decadence as we follow Randur making his way through the city as a wide-eyed newcomer and meet Tuya at an upscale bar. We also get to meet some of the city’s more striking occupants like the Banshees that announce death, the Garudas that patrol the skies, and the dog-like black Gheels that come to feast on blood and corpses. 

For the first fifty pages or so, the narrative shifts quite a lot as we encounter Brynd on a mission, Jeryd at the start of an Investigation, and the Palace denizens in Johynn, Urtica, and Eir, as well as the cultist leaders Papus and Dartun, but the beautiful prose, inventiveness and lyrical description help us navigate this part of the book with ease and become familiar with Villjamur and the novel’s main characters. Once I fully got into the flow of the novel, “Nights of Villjamur” was a book that I couldn’t help but savor, lingering on several memorable passages, although there are various points when the action heats up so much, that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. 

The novel re-reads extraordinarily well too since knowing what happens and having a better grip of the setting actually adds to the enjoyment. My only complaint with the book is that I now have to wait a while for the next installment :) In the end, even though it’s early yet, Mark Charan Newton’sNights of Villjamur” has established itself in my mind as a contender for Best Fantasy Novel of 2009. Highly, highly recommended...
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Winners of The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha Giveaway!

Congratulations to Melissa Hayden (Pennsylvania), Jean Bruce (Florida), and Lesley Dworshak (Washington) who were all randomly selected to win a SIGNED SET of Michael Sullivan’sThe Crown Conspiracy” and “Avempartha”, the first two volumes in The Riyria Revelations!!! For more information, please read Fantasy Book Critic’s reviews of “The Crown Conspiracy” and “Avempartha” or visit the Official Michael Sullivan Website.

"Agents of Artifice" by Ari Marmell (Reviewed by David Craddock)




Fantasy readers are no strangers to long-winded exposition. For every gripping battle and flowing stream of dialogue and intrigue come pages of meandering description of the leaves of a tree or a tavern's common room that ultimately resembles all the others. Even combat only has so much appeal before the interest in stances, cuts, and parries becomes akin to a how-to on surgical procedures rather than a visceral experience.

Author Ari Marmell's
Agents of Artifice is a prime example of what should be every writer's foremost axiom: show, don't tell. Marmell's successful application of breakneck character and plot development results in an excellent narrative that is equal parts truth and deception.

Agents of Artifice is two-thirds a tale set in its present day, and one-third a prequel to its own story. Less than 100 pages into the tale, I found myself completely stunned and enraptured by a plot twist that firmly has its way with the "nothing is what it seems" cliché, a pleasant surprise in an age where true plot twists are unforeseen. The twist propels both reader and protagonist (whose name I have intentionally omitted so as to preserve the surprise) back several years in an exploration of the events that led to the book's beginning before reinstating character and audience back in the present in search of resolution.

It's the sort of story that mandates a build-up to current events, and one that may seem adverse to skirting exposition. After all, if one is to understand a character's current predicament, one must be presented with a solid foundation, and that would seem to require copious explanation. Not so with
Agents of Artifice: Marmell's method of delivery makes the venture into the protagonist's past just as compelling as his present. Readers experience events for the first time right along with the protagonist at a smooth pace that never falters. Readers learn along with the protagonist, allowing events to build to a crescendo of puzzle pieces snapping logically into place with each turn of the page rather than constant narration interjections.

Questions posed at the beginning of the book--who is this person? who are his friends? why is this or that name so important?--are answered upon delving into the character's past. By comprising the bulk of the story as a prequel, Marmell assures readers insight into present and even future events without bogging them down in details.

The pace also allows characters to evolve gradually, blooming and evolving before a reader's eyes. While each of his characters is interesting, all suffer from Marmell's apparent affinity for witty and sarcastic quips. Such biting dialogue is used for every character, which often gives them all a feeling of sameness--and that's when the attempts at humor don't fall flat. Situations in which characters should be running for their lives regardless of their personalities are all too often preceded by cringe-worthy banter that would charm any loyal viewer of primetime sitcoms, but not necessarily fantasy.

That's not to say the dialogue is always inappropriate; it often works well, and most characters do drop their facetious pretenses when the need arises for their true nature to be revealed. It's simply overused and sometimes serves to induce eye-rolling when a situation calls more for intensity and drama.

Agents of Artifice is an excellent example of walking a character's road in his shoes. It is a self-contained trilogy that doesn't require two to three years of waiting between books, and comes highly recommended to all fantasy readers regardless of their familiarity with Magic: The Gathering fiction.
Monday, April 27, 2009

Flash News: FBC's co-editor Fabio Fernandes publishes second story


Fabio Fernandes, our co-editor here at Fantasy Book Critic has just published a new story in Everyday Weirdness:

"The Arrival of the Cogsmiths (oil on canvas, by Turner, 1815)"

The story is set in the same milieu as the story:

"The Boulton-Watt-Frankenstein Company"

published earlier this year by Everyday Weirdness.

Cindy and Liviu congratulate Fabio on his achievement.

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: Book 1 in the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson (Spotlight Reviewed by Cindy Hannikman)



Order On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness Here
Visit Andrew Peterson's Website

Sometimes there's just that book that isn't high fantasy, or have a whole bunch of complex magic but yet it makes it a great read and leaves you with a good feeling in the end. Andrew Peterson's "On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness" is just that book that is a relaxing read and a great story rolled into one.

The story revolves around three children,
Tink, Janner and Leeli Igiby who live in a cottage on the outskirts of the city of Skree with their mother and grandpa. A long time ago there was a Great War that took place and the Venomous Fang have moved into the city. These evil lizard like officers patrol the area, keeping the citizens of Skree in constant fear. However, the Fang are really looking for a set of jewels that hold the key to the great King of Anniera and the possibility to rule over the whole world, spreading fear and destruction wherever they go.

Even though the citizens live in fear, every year there is the great
Dragon Festivel and people gather to celebrate and at sunset watch the Dragons dance in the Dark Sea. This is where the whole story starts picking up. The Igiby children have an encounter with the Fangs and are in grave danger.

After escaping the danger, the
children go on a quest to find out what these jewels might be. Along the way they find out a lot more about their past, and what is to come in the future for the family. The story is laced with silly characters, adventures, and great story telling.

This book is pure magic from the beginning.
Andrew Peterson is a song writer, and while most song writers turned authors fall short on the story and plot line, Peterson does an excellent job. There are several appeal characteristics to this book.

First, this book can be loved an enjoyed by anyone no matter what age you are. Adults will find the whitty conversations, and quick flowing plot-lines a nice easy read that is sure to satisfy anyone looking for a fantasy read. On the other hand, it's a great story for children and teens. There isn't anything offensive, and there is plenty of action that will keep the kids interested. I can even picture this book being read out loud to children.

The second major strength of this book is the characters. While there are silly conversations, all the characters seem real. No one is really one sided. Instead
Peterson does a great job in creating these three children and their family. You really want to get to know and keep reading on about them and learn more about them and their adventures.

The culture of
Skree and the people, serve as the third strength of this book. Peterson has
created this whole world, where there are books that are referenced, and traditions that are followed. For older readers, he explains everything so that you feel as though you have grown up in
Skree your whole life.

There are only a few slight drawbacks on the book. As this is the first book of a series, it does take a tiny amount of time to get flowing and get to know the characters and land around them. After the reader knows the culture and characters it's an easy read. The second drawback is that the book ends just when it's getting good. So you are left with a cliff-hanger, but one that makes you want to keep reading the series.

In the end,
Peterson does an excellent job of creating a silly, witty world of Skree and making the readers feel as though they grew up in Skree. It's a great read for anyone of all ages, and there is a lot of promise for this series of books. I look forward to reading the rest of the books, because this series can only get better.



Sunday, April 26, 2009

2009 Nebula Award - The Winners

Via AurealisXpress and Cheryl Morgan (via Twitter), here are the the Nebula Award results:


Novel

* Powers - Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, Sep07)


Novella

* The Spacetime Pool - Catherine Asaro (Analog, Mar08)


Novelette

* Pride and Prometheus - John Kessel (F&SF, Jan08)


Short Story

* Trophy Wives - Nina Kiriki Hoffman (Fellowship Fantastic, ed. Greenberg and Hughes, Daw Jan08)


Script

* WALL-E - Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter (Walt Disney June 2008)


Andre Norton Award

* Flora's Dare: How a Girl of Spirit Gambles All to Expand Her Vocabulary, Confront a Bouncing Boy Terror, and Try to Save Califa from a Shaky Doom (Despite Being Confined to Her Room) - Ysabeau S. Wilce (Harcourt, Sep08)

I´m still running somewhat late as reviews are concerned - but I haven´t given up! I already started publishing reviews of the Nebula Finalists at Fantasy Book Critic (the first one was written by my pal Jacques a while ago, on Ian McDonald´s Brasyl - the others will start to be reviewed from tomorrow on. After that, I´ll resume the reviews of the PKD Award and also of the upcoming Arthur C. Clarke Award. Stay tuned!



Overlooked Masterpiece Novella: The Crystal Cosmos by Rhys Hughes (Spotlight Review by Liviu Suciu)



From PS Publishing I am presenting The Crystal Cosmos by Rhys Hughes

The Crystal Cosmos is a novella clocking at about 80 pages but pulling the weight of a book triple its size; I would say that extended to about 150 pages it would have been a masterpiece, but even so it's a very, very good read.

It's partly wacky space opera, partly planet adventure and partly satire with a two threaded storyline that converges and intertwines delightfully.

In one thread on a strange Earth-like planet but with some notable differences that I leave to the reader to discover, the "natural philosophers" and official dogma have a view of the Universe sort of like the science one today - material, uncreated, chaotic, no gods, billions of stars, the Earth revolves around the Sun - and it takes young goat shepherd Daphnis, uneducated but with a sharp mind. to perform experiments that show that actually some objects fall faster than others, the Earth is flat and the Sun revolves in a fixed and rigid orbit...

The Ptolemaic model of the Solar System and more generally the clockwork universe theory actually holds, so God or gods *must* exist since after all who created and started it, but it is heresy to claim so and Daphnis may find himself on "death row" if his claims become widely known.

In the other thread in a Multiverse analogue of our Earth, Sappho Ritsos an operative of the official "Trust" that supervises faster than light travel using the "altwhere" "drive" and protects the rights of the "natives" and their planets, teams with highly manipulative famous prospector Cankar who claims he found a Solar System made of a diamond like substance and wants mining rights.


Dense and worth at least one re-read I liked this novella a lot, but I felt a bit cheated of a masterpiece since 80 pages are just not enough to do justice to the wealth of ideas introduced here.

Highly, highly recommended if you can get a hold of a copy.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Nebula Awards Weekend


This weekend SFWA will present the winner of the 2008 Nebula Award in the annual Nebula Weekend event held this year in Los Angeles from April 24-26.

While the arcane rules of the award eligibility have been recently simplified (via SF Scope) this year's Nominees have been chosen based on the old rules, so they are from both 2007 and 2008.

For the full list click through the Nominees link, while here we will present the novels and their Fantasy Book Critic reviews when available.

The 2008 Nebula Award novel nominees are:

Little Brother - Cory Doctorow (Tor, Apr 08)
Powers -
Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, Sep 07)
Cauldron -
Jack McDevitt (Ace, Nov 07)
Brasyl -
Ian McDonald (Pyr, May 07)
Making Money -
Terry Pratchett (Harper, Sep 07)
Superpowers -
David J. Schwartz (Three Rivers Press, Jun 08)



Liviu's take: I read only two novels from the list Cauldron and Brasyl since those are the only ones of interest to me.

I love Jack McDevitt's fiction, own and have read all his
novels and loved most of them, some quite a lot, and *of course* this means you will see reviews of any new McDevitt novel here as long as I will contribute to FBC - starting with last year's The Devil's Eye reviewed in October 08.

I loved
Cauldron the last Academy novel featuring Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchinson and found it a fitting ending to the series. Not the best of the series which is still Engines of God, but not the so-so Omega which was the weakest one by far.

Excellent storytelling and great characters with solid sfnal content is what makes
Jack McDevitt a big time favorite author of mine and both the Academy series and the Alex Benedict one show that.


Regarding Ian McDonald, I was not that interested in his novels before the career defining River of Gods which was just superb; since then I started enjoying his new work including his superb short fiction set both in the
River of Gods universe collected in Cyberabad Days and in his Tear universe.


This last novella is just mind-blowing and was the highlight of the strong Galactic Empire anthology, ed. G. Dozois that I found the best original anthology of 2008.
I found Brasyl very well written and extraordinarily atmospheric, but I thought the sfnal elements do not coalesce well and River of Gods is still the superior novel.

So overall, I do not have an informed opinion on this year's award - which personally I consider the weakest by far of all major, pedigreed sff awards - since both novels nominated that I have read were very good, but not the respective author's best or in my top 10 of 2007.


Fabio Fernandes is continuing his superb major sff award coverage after the PKD with reviews of the Nebula novels and news of the event.
Friday, April 24, 2009

Nebula Awards Finalists, Part 1 - Brasyl, by Ian McDonald (reviewed by Jacques Barcia)



(Note by Fabio Fernandes - Following the trend set here before with the Philip K. Dick Award, nominees - by the way, said reviews aren´t done yet, but that cause-effect juggling in space-time continuum will be repaired soon, thanks for your patience and understanding - we are going to review, or publish reviews by other contributors, of award nominees. This is Nebula time - as you know, Bob, the Nebula winners will be announced next Sunday, April 26, 2009, in the Nebula Award Banquet in Los Angeles.

The first novel of the lot is Ian McDonald´s Brasyl. Jacques Barcia wrote it in March 2008 in his own blog. It is reproduced here with his permission.)


--------------

Parallel lives, parallel times, parallel universes. And a single country. Or not quite so. In Brasyl, Irish writer Ian McDonald opens a window to three distinct landscapes: one futurist, descending from cyberpunk tradition; other contemporary, an echo of news services and the fever of reality shows; and, at last, one in the past, in a mysterious and predatory jungle, an independent world inside a colony. Linking all these three universes, so distant from each other, and at the same time so close, is quantum physics, its possibilities and its consequences.

The book tells the story of three characters separated in time and space. In 2006 Rio de Janeiro, Marcelina Hoffman is a TV producer specialized in reality shows seeking Barbosa, the goalkeeper of the fateful 1950 final, when Brazil lost for Uruguay in the Maracanã stadium. In ultra-surveillance society of 2032 São Paulo, entrepreneur and street guy Edson Jesus Oliveira de Freitas has his life tured upside down when he gets involved with a girl member of a gang of quantumeiros, physicians that use illegal quantum computing to break any kind of code. And in 1732 Amazon, Jesuit father Luis Quinn hunts, in the name of the Church and the Portuguese Crown, another father that would be building his own theocracy in the heart of the jungle. And in the middle of all this, two conspiracies that cross the wall between realities: one tries to keep the multiverse a secret, while the other tries to open up the realities as the only way to save them.

But Brasyl is much more than this. It is a book that keeps the title Science Fiction has earned: that of last representative of the literature of ideas. Just because of that, Brasyl is not an easy book, even less a conventional SciFi book.

In the book, McDonald builds, in those three narrative lines, three discussions: the number of lives an individual may have, the quantity of landscapes and societies a country can have and, finally, how many different worlds fit in a universe. It is a tour, from micro to macrocosm, about the nature of identity. It is a book about philosophy, physics and the nature of reality. About choices, secrets and masks. It is a book about a country that never were and maybe never will be. About parallel realities, but focused in their similitudes rather than their differences.

In the end, Brasyl is not even a single book, but many, inside a single tome of about 400 pages. That is because McDonald wrote, between the lines, that he could have made made books with the same premise, the same elements and the same characters. Brasyl could have been a book about interdimensional intrigue. It could have been a action-packed book, with capoeira, gunshots and swordfights. It could have been an epic in the jungle. It could have been a book about the future of a country dominated by soap operas and reality cop shows, controlled by a surveillance system that monitors, from the stratosphere, every person, every object. Not that all these elements are not present in McDonald’s book. There are fight scenes in which capoeira is described in all its beaty, a afro-descendent version of Hong Kong movies. There are swordfights, both in 18th century chivalric tradition, and in a future one, with the Q-Blades, capable of cutting in the quantum level.

But instead, McDonald decided to spend most of the book writing about three characters and their individual parallel realities: a blond girl that is also a capoeira practiotioner and tries to keep her beauty tp be a little happier, and at the same time that maintains a love affair with a colleague without knowing if it is love at all; a priest, that is an assassin and a general; and a man that by day is an entrepreneur, in love for a Japanese descendent girl, by night is a cross-dresser, a dance queen, and in the weekends is a super-hero, a homoerotic fetish.

And McDonald tells these stories using a special, poetic and labyrinthine prose. The points of view going back and forth, both between the three main characters, as in their minds eye, their memories and multiples lives, too often jump to different scenes in the same paragraph. The structure McDonald uses in Brasyl completes the notion of parallel realities and is the mark of an author that has control over his book.

Through three main characters, both believable an empathic, McDonald explores the nature of Brazilian people. Even if he hasn’t lived in Brazil, doing his research in a couple of visits to São Paulo, Bahia and the Amazon, and reading the few books about Brazil available in English, McDonald was able to capture, with amazing precision, th Brazilian spirit. And he did this without clichés, without hullabaloos, but with critical observations regarding the importance Brazilian people gives to beauty, soccer and TV. Besides, geographically everything is right and linguistically, it is better than most foreigners trying the language of Camões.

The author mixes his English with many terms in Portuguese, which causes a positive estrangement much more interesting to fellow English speakers, but here it becomes the only and real downside of the book. There is a great deal of misspellings: non existent diacritical marks, misplaced accent marks and some inaccurate translations. But that is something that does not diminishes the book’s brilliance and importance.

A hell of an accomplishment for a gringo, definitely Brasyl is a book Brazilians must read.




Interview with Alan Campbell (Interviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)



Fantasy Book Critic was given the opportunity to interview Alan Campbell via email before the release of his newest novel: God of Clocks. God of Clocks is the third book in the Deepgate Codex series and was released in the US on April 14, 2009 and in the UK on July 3, 2009. Thanks to Mihir for his interviewing skills.



Q: Who is/are your favorite character/characters from your books and why?



I suppose I like Mr Nettle, because he's such a loner, and because of his relentless determination. And because I always wondered what his first name was.



Q: What type of writer are you. An Outliner or a freewriter? And could you give us a glimpse of your writing style and schedule?


Both. I outline, and then deviate wildly from it. My schedule depends on how close the deadline is, and on my mood that day. Sometimes I'll work in manic bursts, writing thousands of words in one sitting, and other times I'll just be staring at a blank screen for ages. I wish I could write to a fixed schedule, but my brain doesn't really work like that.



Q: The world of Deepgate codex which you have created is quite a encompassing one, how did you go about creating it? What was your inspiration and what were your inventions in context to world building? What's your take on the debate of character-driven story vs fully realized world?

Page by page, which sounds inane, but it's the truth. The Deepgate world began as a simple idea which I developed in more detail as the story went on. I don't really know where the idea came from, or if anything inspired it, but certain inventions in the book were born out of necessity. For example, a city under constant threat needs an army, but how do you support an army in this unusual environment? What allowances have to be made for horses? And so on.

If there's a debate about character-driven story vs full realized world, I'm firmly on both sides of it.


Q: If not fantasy which other genre would you have chosen to write in? And do you have any plans to publish books in any other genre?

I enjoy writing fantasy, so I'm happy to stick with that. I've heard it said that genres choose authors, rather than the other way round, which sort of makes sense and yet manages to be completely ridiculous at the same time.


Q: What book/books [irrespective of genre] have you read recently or in the past that have made an impression on you?

Everything by Cormac McCarthy. His prose is beautiful. I wish he'd hurry up and write some more books. Recently I've been reading a lot of Graham Greene. I love the way he gets inside his characters' heads.


Q: Which authors that you have read & are your favorites, would you recommend to your fans esp. in the fantasy/sci-fi genre, [you can cite other genres as well]

Read M John Harrison's Viriconium novels. There's nothing else like it out there. And I thoroughly recommend Clark Ashton Smith if you like gothic horror tales.


Q: To any new reader who hasn’t read any of your books what would you say about them and your writing so as to draw them to give your books a try!

Normally I just skulk around bookshops, wearing a fake beard, and approach people saying, "Have you read this? It's brilliant." But it's becoming more difficult now because the staff are on to me.


Q: What are your plans for the future? Are there any more books set in the Deepgate universe or are you planning a foray into another world?

There are three more books planned. They're not set in Deepgate, exactly.



Q: What do you do when you are not writing or reading books, what are your other hobbies?

My hobbies include having my old Triumph motorbike repaired each year and wondering when I'll have time to go out on it again before rust renders it unusable. I also enjoy gazing at my snowboard, and wondering when I'll find a spare moment to strap it on and hurtle down the slopes.



Q: What do you want to accomplish as a writer?

I want to write the sort of stories I enjoy reading. And I'd be happy if other people enjoyed them too. I'd also like a film deal, a million pounds and a yacht, thank you very much. Who wouldn't?



Q: You have created a vast & very alienistic world[in the sense of combining fantastical & sci-fi elements] how did you go about it & how much did your background as a Videogame designer help/hinder it.

People always ask me that, and I honestly don't know if a background in videogames helps when it comes to writing a book. Both processes are creative ones, I suppose, so I can see why people make the connection.


Q: God of Clocks ends the trilogy begun with Scar night followed by Iron Angel, what can we expect from this book?

Hopefully some surprises.


Q: In Scar night you focused only on Deepgate & the world below, however in Iron Angel the reader was exposed to panorama of sights and places & was given the rundown about the world’s previous god conflict, did you always plan to so drastically change the course of the series in the 2nd book & expand the horizons in such a vast way?

In a sense, yes. Deepgate was quite claustrophobic, and I wanted to write about characters and places far beyond its borders.


Q: Where do you see yourself ten years from now? Will you ever retire from professional writing?

I've no idea, so I'm going to say I see myself sitting on a beach sipping a Margarita, which is a nice thought. I'll probably be on holiday, but what the hell. I wouldn't want to retire – writing stories is too much fun. If I did retire, I'd only spend my free time writing.


Q: What was the reason for the rebellion/fight off the gods against their mother Ayen & what is Menoa doing in hell if he was on Ayen's side & if they won the war.... and why is Ayen not doing anything uptill now.

All is explained/revealed in the third book.


Q: Both your previous titles have had last line cliffhanger situations, Should readers brace for a hatrick?

No. The last book ends the series.

Note: The interview has been conducted for Fantasy Book Critic by Mihir Wanchoo who has assisted us in several other interviews and to whom we are grateful for his help.
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Index of Reviews

NOTE April 2011: This Review Index Post is now superseded by the Review Index Page, so all new reviews are indexed only there!

As promised we are going live with the Review Index. We covered almost all the reviews from the blog, the few exceptions will be added in time once we straighten out the inevitable mistakes in such a large undertaking. We welcome comments pointing to such - eg wrong or bad links, misspelled names...

The reviewers are noted by initials:

Main/Current:
Robert Thompson (RT),
Liviu Suciu (LS), Cindy Hannikman (CH), Mihir Wanchoo (MW)

Occasional/Former:
Fabio Fernandes (FF), Jaques Barcia (JB), David Craddock (DC)

We have 538 reviews indexed and linked so far and
of course new reviews are continuously added and will be indexed and linked on a weekly basis, while this list will be always linked from the main page.

Current # reviews: 746

A (32)

Aaron, Rachel, The Spirit Thief, MW + LS
Aaron, Rachel, The Spirit Rebellion, MW
Abercrombie, Joe, Before They Are Hanged RT
Abercrombie, Joe, Best Served Cold LS
Abercrombie, Joe, The Heroes LS
Abercrombie, Joe, The Blade Itself RT
Abraham, Daniel, A Betrayal in Winter RT
Abraham, Daniel, An Autumn War with bonus Q/A RT
Agarwal Shilpa, Haunting Bombay MW
Akers, Tim, Heart of Veridon LS
Alexander, Alma, Worldweavers RT
Allen, Justin, Slaves of Shinar RT
Amsterdam, Steven, Things We Didn't see Coming LS
Anders, Lou ed. Fast Forward 2 FF
Anderson, Barth, The Magician and the Fool RT
Anderson, Kevin, Enemies and Allies CH + FF
Anderson, Kevin, The Edge of the World LS + CH
Anderson, Kevin, The Map of all Things LS
Andrews, Ilona, Magic Bites and Magic Burns (MW)
Andrews, Ilona, Magic Strikes and Magic Mourns (MW)
Andrews, Ilona, Magic Bleeds and A Questionable Client (MW)
Agarwal, Shilpa, Haunting Bombay MW
Armstrong, Kelley, A Fantasy Medley RT
Ash, Sarah, The Eclectic Worlds of Artamon MW
Asher, Neal, Brass Man RT
Asher, Neal, Hilldiggers RT
Asher, Neal, Line War + Bonus Q/A RT
Asher, Neal, The Technician FF
Astruc, R.J., Festival of Skeletons LS
Athans, Philip, The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction DC
Auster, Paul, Invisible LS
Atwood, Margaret, The Year of the Flood LS
Avanti, Michele, GreeHee: The Journey of Five. Book One of the Tales of Tamoor CH

B (74)

Bacigalupi, Paolo, Ship Breaker CH
Bacigalupi, Paolo, The Windup Girl FF
Baker, Kage, Hotel Under the Sand CH
Bakker, R. Scott, The Judging Eye (Aspect-Emperor, #1) LS
Bakker, R. Scott, Neuropath RT
Bakker, R. Scott, Disciple of the Dog RT
Banks, Dakota, Dark Time MW
Banks, Iain, Transition LS
Banks, Iain, Surface Detail LS
Ballard, Gary A, Under the Amoral Bridge MW
Barclay James, Dawnthief CH
Barclay James, Noonshade CH
Barlow, Toby, Sharp Teeth RT
Barlowe, Wayne, God's Demon RT
Barnett, David, Angelglass LS
Barker, Clive, Mister B. Gone RT
Barnes, Jonathan, The Somnambulist RT
Barton, William, Invitation to His Work LS
Bazell, Josh, Beat the Reaper: A Novel RT
Bear, Greg, Hull Zero Three LS
Bear, Elizabeth, Dust RT
Beckett, Galen , The Magicians and Mrs. Quent RT
Beckett, Galen, The House on Durrow Street LS
Bennett, Robert Jackson, Mr. Shivers CH + MW
Beddor, Frank, Archenemy + Hatter M. Mad Bonus Review RT
Beddor, Frank and others Hatter M. The Nature of Wonder RT
Beddor, Frank, Seeing Redd RT
Bedford, K.A., Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait FF
Bemis, John Claude, Nine Pound Hammer CH
Berger, John, G LS
Beyer, Doug, Alara Unbroken DC
Bell, Alex, Jasmyn LS
Bell, Alex, The Ninth Circle LS
Bell Alex, Lex Trent Versus the Gods LS
Berg, Carol, The Spirit Lens LS
Berg, Carol, The Soul Mirror LS
Bernobich, Beth, A Handful of Pearls LS
Bernobich, Beth, Passion Play RT + LS
Berry, Jedediah, The Manual of Detection RT
Berry, Julie, The Amaranth Enchantment CH
Bilsborough, David, Wanderer's Tale RT
Birkegaard, Mikkel, The Library of Shadows LS + CH
Blatty, William Peter, Elsewhere RT
Bledsoe, Alex, Sword Edged Blonde RT
"Blissett, Luther", Q LS
Bodard, de, Aliette, Servant of the Underworld LS
Bolano, Roberto, Monsieur Pain LS
Bowman, James, The Adversary MW
Bowling, Drew, Tower of Shadows RT
Brett, Peter V., The Painted Man LS
Brett, Peter V., The Great Bazaar LS
Brett, Peter V, The Desert Spear MW + LS
Britain, Kirsten, High King's Tomb RT
Britain, Kirsten, Blackveil RT
Brooke, Keith, The Accord LS
Brooks, Terry, Dark Wraith of Shannara RT
Brooks, Terry, The Elves of Cintra RT
Brown, Eric, Kethani RT
Brown, John, Servant of a Dark God RT + CH
Bryant, Shane, Worst Nightmares DC
Buchanan, Col, Farlander LS
Bujold, Lois, The Sharing Knife 1 RT
Bujold, Lois, The Sharing Knife: Passage 3 + Bonus Q/A RT
Bullington, Jesse, The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart RT
Bullington, Jesse, The Enterprise of Death RT + LS
Bunn, Christopher, The Hawk and His Boy LS
Buroker, Lindsay, Encrypted LS
Butcher, Jim, Changes MW
Butcher, Jim, First Lord's Fury MW
Butcher, Jim, The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle RT
Butler, Robert Olen, Severance:Stories LS
Byatt, A.S., The Children's Book LS
Bynum, Laura, Veracity RT

C (53)

Cain, Chelsea, Heartsick RT
Cameron, Christian, Tyrant: King of the Bosporus LS
Canavan, Trudi, The Magician's Apprentice DC

Campbell, Alan, God of Clocks RT
Campbell, Alan, Iron Angel RT
Campbel, Alan, Lye Street RT
Campbell, Alan, Scar Night RT
Campbell, Alan, Sea of Ghosts RT + LS
Campbell, Ramsey, The Grin of the Dark RT
Card, Orson Scott, The Lost Gate RT
Carey, Jacqueline, Kushiel's Justice RT
Carey, Jacqueline, Kushiel's Mercy + Bonus Q/A RT
Carey, Jacqueline, Naamah's Kiss LS
Carey, Jacqueline, Naamah's Curse LS
Carey, Mike, Dead Men's Boots RT
Carey, Mike, Thicker Than Water RT
Carey, Mike, The Naming of the Beast RT
Carey, Mike, Vicious Circle with bonus Q/A RT
Carey, Mike, The Devil You Know RT
Carroll, Jonathan, The Ghost In Love FF
Carroll Lewis, illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland CH
Carlson, Jeff, Plague War FF
Cashore, Kristin, Graceling CH
Castro, Adam-Troy, Emissaries From the Dead RT
Castro, Adam-Troy, Emissaries From the Dead FF
Chabon, Michael, Gentlemen of the Road RT
Chadbourn, Mark, Age of Misrule 1: World's End CH
Chadbourn, Mark, Age of Misrule 2: Darkest Hour CH
Chadbourn, Mark, Lord of Silence MW
Chadbourn, Mark, The Silver Skull CH
Charlton, Blake, Spellwright RT
Christopher, Nicholas, The Bestiary RT
Clegg, Douglas, Neverland, CH
Cochran, Jeff ed, Alternative Coordinates #1 LS
Cochran, Jeff ed, Alternative Coordinates #2 LS
Cobley, Michael, The Seeds of Earth (Humanity's Fire) LS
Coe, David, The Horsemen Gambit CH
Coe, David, The Dark Eyes' War CH
Connington, John, Field of Fire LS
Connington, John, Skywatcher LS
Connolly, John, The Gates MW
Connolly, John, The Lovers MW
Connolly, John, The Whisperers MW
Conviser, Josh, Echelon RT
Conviser, Josh, Empire RT
Cook, Glenn, Surrender to the Will of Night RT
Cordell, Bruce R., Plague of Spells DC
Cordell, Bruce R, City of Torment DC
Cordell, Bruce R, Key of Stars DC
Corin, Joshua, Nuclear Winter Wonderland MW
Cook, Glen, Lord of the Silent Kingdom RT
Cronin, Justin, The Passage, LS
Czerneda, Julie, StMartin Rob ed., Ages of Wonder LS + Bogdan Lascu

D (31)

Dakin, Glenn, Candle Man CH
Dalglish, David, A Dance of Cloaks MW
D'Amato, Brian, In the Courts of the Sun LS
Danieels, Rowena Cory, King's Bastard CH
Dantec, Maurice G., Cosmos Incorporated LS
Dashner, James, Maze Runner CH
David, Peter, Tigerheart with Bonus Q/A RT
Davidson, Andrew, The Gargoyle LS
Davidson, Rjurik, The Library of Forgotten Books LS
Davys, Tim, Amberville RT
DeAngelis, Camille, Mary Modern RT
Deas, Stephen, The Adamantine Palace RT
Deas, Stephen, The King of the Crags LS
Deas, Stephen, The Thief-Taker's Apprentice LS
De Santis, Pablo, Voltaire's Calligrapher LS
Del Toro, Guillermo and Hogan, Chuck, The Strain FF
Dietrich, William, Napoleon's Pyramids LS
Dietrich, William, The Rosetta Key LS
Dietrich, William, The Dakota Cipher + bonus essay LS
Dietrich, William, The Barbary Pirates LS
DiLouie, Craig, Tooth and Nail MW
Dini, Paul and others, Madame Mirage RT
Doctorow, Cory, Little Brother RT
Doctorow, Cory, Little Brother FF
Donoghue, Emma, Room LS
Doub, David, Dusk: A Graphic Novel MW
Doubinsky, Sébastien, The Babylonian Trilogy LS
Dozois, Gardner, Strahan, Jonathan, The New Space Opera 2 LS
Dunlap, Susanne, Anastasia's Secret CH
Durham, David Anthony, Acacia RT
Durham, David Anthony, The Other Lands RT + LS


E (21)

Easton, Michael and Shy, Christopher, Soul Stealer: Blood and Rain RT
Easton, Michael and Shy, Christopher, Soul Stealer RT
Edelman, David Louis, MultiReal (The Jump 225 Trilogy, Book 2) LS
Edelman, David Louis, Geosynchron (The Jump 225 Trilogy, Book 3) LS
Elliot, Kate, Shadow Gate RT
Elliot, Kate, Traitors' Gate MW
Elliot, Kate, Cold Magic LS
Elliot, Will, The Pilo Family Circus LS
Ellis, Warren, Crooked Little Vein RT
Enge, James, Blood of Ambrose, RT
Enge, James, The Crooked Way CH
Erdelac, Ed, Merkabah Rider MW
Erikson, Steven, Bauchelain and Korbal, DC
Erikson, Steven, Reaper's Gale RT
Esslemont, Ian Cameron, Knight of Knives RT
Estep, Jennifer, Spider's Bite MW
Estep, Jennifer, Web of Lies MW
Evans, Chris (US), Iron Elves: A Darkness Forged in Fire RT
Evans, Chris (US), Iron Elves: The Light of Burning Shadows RT
Evans, Christopher (UK), Omega LS
Evenson, Brian, Last Days RT

F (27)

Fallon, Jennifer, The Gods of Amyrantha (MW+LS)
Fallon, Jennifer, The Immortal Prince (LS)
Fallon, Jennifer, The Palace of Impossible Dreams (MW+LS)
Farland, David, Worldbinder RT
Farnsworth, Christopher, Blood Oath RT
Farnsworth, Richard, Succumbing to Gravity MW
Farrell, S.L., A Magic of Nightfall: A Novel of the Nessantico Cycle LS
Farrell, S.L., A Magic of Dawn: A Novel of the Nessantico Cycle LS
Fenn, Jaine, Consorts of Heaven LS
Fenn, Jaine, Principles of Angels LS
Ferrari, Mark, The Book of Joby RT
Finlay, C.C., The Patriot Witch CH
Fisher, Catherine, Incarceron CH
Flynn Michael, The January Dancer LS
Flynn, Michael, Up Jim River LS
Ford, Jeffrey, The Drowned Life JB
Foster, Alan Dean, Terminator Salvation: Movie Novelization FF
Fox, Daniel, Dragon in Chains RT
Fox, Daniel, Jade Man's Skin RT
Fox, Daniel, Hidden Cities RT
Frei, Max, The Stranger (The Labyrinths of Echo Book 1) RT
Freeman, Pamela, Deep Water (The Castings Trilogy) LS
Freeman, Pamela, Blood Ties RT
Friedman, C.S., Wings of Wrath: Book Two of the Magister Trilogy LS
Frost, Gregory, Lord Tophet: A Shadowbridge Novel RT
Frost, Gregory, Shadowbridge RT
Frost, Toby, Space Captain Smith LS

G (39)

Gaiman, Neil, The Graveyard Book CH
Gaiman, Neil, The Graveyard Book FF
Gaiman, Neil, The Graveyard Book - revised after the Hugo 09 FF
Galgut, Damon, In a Strange Room, LS
Gee, Emily, The Laurentine Spy LS
Gee, Emily, The Sentinel Mage LS
Gemmell David and Stella, The Troy Trilogy LS + MW
Gevers, Nick, Other Earths LS
Gibson, Gary, Stealing Light RT
Gibson, Gary, The Dakota Merrick Series: Stealing Light and Nova War LS
Gibson, Gary, Empire of Light LS
Gilman, Felix, Gears of the City RT
Gilman, Felix, Thunderer RT
Gilman, Felix, The Half Made World LS
Golden, Christopher and Lebbon, Tim, The Map of Moments RT
Golden, Christopher and Lebbon, Tim, Mind the Gap RT
Golden, Christopher, Poison Ink RT
Golden, Christopehr, The Borderkind RT
Golden, Christopher, The Myth Hunter RT
Golden, Christopher, The New Dead RT
Goodkind, Terry, Confessor DC
Goodman, Alison, Eon: Dragoneye Reborn CH
Gout, Leopoldo Ghost Radio: A Novel LS
Gracq, Julien, The Opposing Shore LS
Graham, Ian, Monument RT
Graham, Jo, Black Ships RT
Graham, Jo, Stealing Fire LS
Greenberger, Robert, The Essential Batman Encyclopedia RT
Greenwood, Ed, The Annotated Elminster Collector's Edition DC
Greenwood, Ed, Elminster Must Die DC
Gregory, Darryl, The Devil's Alphabet MW
Griffin, Kate, A Madness of Angels LS
Grimwood, Jon Courtenay, End of the World Blues RT
Grimwood, Jon Courtenay, The Fallen Blade RT + LS
Groff, Laureen, The Monsters of Templeton RT
Grossman, Austin, Soon I Will Be Invincible, RT
Gunn, David, Death's Head RT
Gunn, David, Death's Head: Day of the Damned LS
Gunn, David, Death's Head: Maximum Offense RT
Gustainis, Justin, Black Magic Woman RT

H (58)

Haarsma, PJ, "The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1" CH
Hague, Michael, In the Small RT
Hall, Sarah, Daughters of the North aka The Carhullan Army LS
Hall, Sarah, How to Paint a Dead Man LS
Hale Shannon and Dean, Calamity Jack, CH
Haley, Cameron, Mob Rules MW
Hamerton, Greg, Riddler's Gift, The: First Tale of the Lifesong LS
Hamerton, Greg, Second Sight: Second Tale of the Lifesong LS
Hamilton, Peter F., The Temporal Void (Void Trilogy, Book 2) LS
Hamilton, Peter F., The Dreaming Void RT
Hammond, Warren, Kop RT
Hanover, MLM, Unclean Spirits RT
Harkaway, Nick, The Gone-Away World LS
Harlan, Thomas, Land of the Dead LS
Harlan, Thomas, House of Reeds/Wasteland of Flint LS
Harms, William and others, Impaler RT
Hartnett, Sonia, The Ghost's Child CH
Harrison, Kim, This Witch For Hire Omnibus RT
Harrison, Michael J., Nova Swing RT
Harrison, Michelle, 13 Treasure CH
Hawks, John Twelve, The Dark River RT
Hawks, John Twelve, The Golden City RT + MW
Hayward, Brett, Filaria LS
Healey, Karen, Guardian of the Dead CH
Heaney, William aka Joyce, Graham, Memoirs of a Master Forger LS
Hearn, Lian, Heaven's Net is Wide RT
Heermann, Travis, Heart of the Ronin LS
Hicks, Michael R., In Her Name LS
Hill, Joe, Horns RT
Hines, Jim, The Stepsister Scheme RT
Hobb, Robin, Renegade's Magic RT
Hobb, Robin, Dragon Keeper RT
Hodder, Mark, The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack LS
Hodder, Mark, The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man LS
Hoffman, Paul, The Left Hand of God RT + LS
Hogan, James, Migration LS
Holt, Terrence, In The Valley of the Kings LS
Hooper, Kay, Blood Dreams RT
Hoyt, Sarah, Heart of Light RT
Hubbard, Susan, The Society of S, RT
Hubbard, Susan, The Year of Disappearances + Bonus Q/A RT
Hughes, Matthew, Majestrum RT
Hughes, Matthew, Template FF
Hughes, Rhys, The Crystal Cosmos LS
Humphreys, C.C., Vlad The Last Confession LS
Hunt, Stephen, The Kingdom Beyond the Waves + Bonus Q/A RT
Hunt, Stephen The Court of the Air RT
Hunt, Stephen Secrets of the Fire Sea LS
Hurley, Kameron, God's War MW
Huso, Anthony, The Last Page LS
Hussey, Bill, The Absence RT
Hussey, Bill, Through a Glass Darkly, RT
Huston, Charlie, First Three Joe Pitt Cases RT
Huston, Charlie, My Dead Body RT
Huston, Charlie, The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death RT
Huston, Charlie, Shotgun Rule RT
Huston, Charlie, Sleepless RT
Hutchins, J.C., Seventh Son:Descent RT

I (2)

Iles, Greg, True Evil RT
Ishiguro, Kazuo, Nocturnes LS

J (11)

Jarpe, Matthew, Radio Freefall, RT
Jeschonek, Robert, Mad Scientist Meets Cannibal FF
Jemisin, NK, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms RT
Jemisin, NK, The Broken Kingdoms LS
Jones, Gwyneth, Spirit: The Princess of Bois Dormant LS
Jones, Howard, Andrew, The Desert of Souls RT
Jones, Jaida and Bennett Danielle, Havemercy RT + LS
Jones, Jaida and Bennett Danielle, Shadow Magic LS
Jones, Jaida and Bennett Danielle, Dragon Soul LS
Jordan, Robert and Sanderson Brandon, Towers of Midnight DC
Judson, Theodore, The Martian General's Daughter LS

K (32)

Kadrey, Richard, Sandman Slim, FF
Kadrey, Richard, Kill the Dead, RT
Karr, John, Rhone MW
Kawabata, Yasunari, Timeless Masterpieces: the 3 Nobel Novels and a short story LS
Kay, Guy Gavriel, Under Heaven LS + CH
Kasai, Kirsten Imani, Ice Song+ Author's Note LS
Kearney, Paul, The Ten Thousand LS
Kearney, Paul, Corvus LS
Keck, David, In the Eye of Heaven RT
Keck, David, In a Time of Treason RT
Kemp, Paul, Shadowrealm DC
Kemp, Paul, Shadowstorm DC
Kent, Jasper, Twelve RT
Kent, Jasper, Thirteen Years Later RT + LS
Keyes, Greg, The Born Queen RT
Kiernan, Caitlin, Daughter of Hounds RT
Kilborn, Jack, Afraid RT
Killeen, Andrew, The Father of Locks LS
King, Stephen, Duma Key RT
Kirkpatrick, Russell, Across the Face of the World RT
Kirov, Erica, The Pyramid of Souls CH
Kline, Otis Adalbert, The Swordsman of Mars FF
Kornher-Stace, Nicole, Desideria LS
Kornher-Stace, Nicole, To Seek Her Fortune (story from anthology) LS
Koontz, Dean, In Odd We Trust (Odd Thomas Novel, Book 5) RT
Koontz, Dean, Odd Hours (Odd Thomas Novel, Book 4) RT
Koontz, Dean, The Good Guy RT
Kowal, Mary Robinette, Shades of Milk and Honey LS
Kress, Nancy, Steal Across the Sky LS
Kristof, Agota, The Notebook LS
Kristian, Giles, Raven: Blood Eye LS
Kristian, Giles, Raven: Sons of Thunder LS

L (21)

Lake, Jay Mainspring + Bonus Q/A RT
Lake, Jay, Escapement RT
Lalumiere, Claude, Objects of Worship LS
Lamplighter, L Jagi, Prospero Lost LS
Langan, Sarah, The Missing RT
Langan, Sarah, Audrey's Door RT
Lappe, Anthony and Goldman, Dan, Shooting War RT
Lasky, Kathrin, Daughters of the Sea: Hannah CH
Lebbon, Tim, Dusk and Dawn RT
Lebbon, Tim, Fallen + Bonus Q/A RT
Leicht, Stina, Of Blood and Honey RT
Lewis, J.S., Invasion:CHAOS 1 CH
Ligotti, Thomas, Nightmare Factory Volume 2, RT
Lin, Grace, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon CH
Lint, Charles de, The Mystery of Grace RT
Lo, Malinda, Ash FF
Lovegrove, James, The Age of Ra LS
Lovegrove, James, The Age of Zeus LS
Lukas, Michael David, The Oracle of Stamboul LS
Lumley, Brain, Necroscope:The Touch RT
Lynch, Scott, Red Seas Under Red Skies RT

M (79)

Maberry, Jonathan, Patient Zero: A Joe Ledger Novel RT
Maberry, Jonathan, The Dragon Factory: A Joe Ledger Novel RT
MacLeod, Ken, The Restoration Game LS
Mace, James, Soldier of Rome (LS)
Mace, James, Soldier of Rome 2 - The Sacrovir Revolt (LS)
Magnum, Lisa, The Hourglass Door CH
Magnum, Lisa, The Golden Spiral CH
Mann, George, Ghosts of Manhattan LS
Mann, George, The Affinity Bridge LS
Mann, George, The Osiris Ritual LS
Mann, George, The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction Volume 3 LS
Mann, George, The Solaris Book of New Fantasy RT
Mantchev, Lisa, Eyes Like Stars CH
Mantel, Hilary, Wolf Hall LS
Marco, John, Starfinder CH
Margolin, Philip, Supreme Justice MW
Marino, JC, Dante's Journey MW
Marmell, Ari, Agents of Artifice DC
Marmell, Ari, The Conqueror's Shadow RT
Marmell, Ari, The Warlord's Legacy RT
Marquitz, Tim, Armageddon Bound MW
Marquitz, Tim, Sepulchral Earth MW
Marshall, Michael, The Intruders RT
Martin, Gail, The Summoner RT
Martin GRRM, Dozois ed, G, Warriors RT
Martin GRRM, Dozois, G, Abraham, D , Hunter's Run RT
Marusek, David, Mind Over Ship LS
Mass, Wendy, 11 Birthdays CH
Masello, Robert, Blood and Ice RT
Massey, Misty, Mad Kestrel RT
Matheson, Richard, I Am Legend RT
Mathias, M.R., The Sword and the Dragon LS
Mathias, M.R., The Royal Dragoneers LS
Maxey, James, Bitterwood RT
Maxey, James, Dragonseed: A Novel of the Dragon Age CH
McAuley, Paul J., The Quiet War LS
McAuley, Paul J., Gardens of the Sun LS
McDermott, JM, Never Knew Another RT
McDevitt, Jack, The Devil's Eye: An Alex Benedict Novel LS
McDevitt, Jack, Time Travelers Never Die LS
McDonald, Ian, Brasyl JB
Meaney, John, Absorption, LS
Meaney, John, Black Blood (Tristopolis, Book 2) RT
Meaney, John, Bone Song RT
Mellon, Mark, Escape From Byzantium LS + MW
Mellon, Mark, Napoleon Concerto LS
Meltzer, Brad, The Book of Lies FF
Merciel, Liane, The River King's Road RT
Micklem, Sarah,
Firethorn/Wildfire LS
Mieville, China, The City and the City FF
Mieville, China, The City and the City LS
Miller, Karen, Hammer of God CH
Miller, Karen, The Innocent Mage RT
Ming, Wu, Manituana LS
Miranda, Mei Lin, Lovers and Beloveds LS
Mitchell, David, Cloud Atlas LS
Mitchell, David, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet LS
Melko, Paul, Singularity's Ring RT
Melko, Paul, The Walls of the Universe LS
Meyer, Stephanie, The Host RT
Michael, Jacob Asher, Buddha's Thunderbolt MW
Modesitt, L.E., Imager: The First Book of the Imager Portfolio RT
Modesitt, L.E., Imager's Challenge (#2) LS
Modesitt, L.E., Imager's Intrigue (#3) LS
Monette, Sarah, Bear, E, A Companion to Wolves RT
Monette, Sarah, Corambis LS
Monette, Sarah, The Mirador RT
Moody, David, Hater RT
Moody, David, Dog Blood MW
Moore Leah, Reppion John, The Trial of Sherlock Holmes #1 FF
Moore, Steve and others, Hercules RT
Morgan, Richard K.,The Steel Remains RT + LS
Morgan, Richard K., Thirteen RT
Morton, Kate, The Distant Hours LS
Mortimus, Clay, The Purloined Boy CH
Mostert, Natasha, Keeper of Light and Dust RT
Mostert, Natasha, Season of the Witch RT
Murphy, C.E., Queen's Bastard RT

N (14)

Nayeri, Dina and Daniel, Another Pan CH
Neff, Henry H., The Second Siege CH
Ness, Patrick, The Knife of Never Letting Go + bonus Q/A FF
Neumeier, Rachel, Lord of the Changing Winds CH
Neville, Stuart, The Ghosts of Belfast MW
Newton, Mark Charan, Nights of Villjamur LS
Newton, Mark, City of Ruin LS
Newton, Todd, The Ninth Avatar CH
Nielson, Sheila, The Forbidden Sea CH
Niffenegger, Audrey, Her Fearful Symmetry LS
North, Pearl, Libyrinth CH
Northern, Chris, The Last King's Amulet LS
Novik, Naomi, Tongues of Serpents CH
Nylund, Eric, Mortal Coils RT

O (5)

O'Connell, Jack, The Ressurectionist RT
Oppegaard, David, The Suicide Collectors RT
Orringer, Julie, The Invisible Bridge LS
Overstreet, Jeffrey, Auralia's Colors RT
Oyeyemi, Helen, White is for Witching LS

P (38)

Packard, Jake, The Manhattan Prophet LS
Palahniuk, Chuck, Snuff RT
Palmer, Dexter, The Dream of Perpetual Motion RT
Palmer, Philip, Debatable Spaces RT
Palmer, Philip, Red Claw LS
Parker, KJ, Blue & Gold LS
Parker, KJ, Purple & Black LS
Parker, KJ, The Folding Knife LS
Parker, KJ, The Hammer LS
Parker, KJ, A Rich Full Week (story from anthology) LS
Parker, KJ, The Scavenger Trilogy LS
Parker, KJ, Three Short Stories LS
Paschen, Elise ed, Poetry Speaks Who I Am CH
Patterson, James, Dangerous Days of Daniel X RT
Pauley, Kimberley, Still Sucks To Be Me CH
Pears, Iain, Stone's Fall LS
Pearce, Jackson, Sisters Red CH
Pekearo, Nicholas, Wolfman RT
Peters, SM, Whitechapel Gods RT
Peterson, Andrew, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness CH
Pevel, Pierre, The Cardinal's Blades RT
Phillips, Holly, The Engine's Child LS
Pierres, Marianne de, Chaos Space (Sentients of Orion) LS
Pierres, Marianne de, Mirror Space (Sentients of Orion) LS
Pike, Aprilynne, Wings CH
Pitts, JA, Black Blade Blues MW
Poblocki, Dan, The Stone Child + Bonus Q/A MW
Pollard, Tony, The Minutes of the Lazarus Club LS
Pratchett, Terry, Nation CH
Pratt, TA, Blood Engines RT
Pratt, T.A, Poison Sleep RT
Preble, Joy, Dreaming Anastasia CH
Preston Douglas, Impact MW
Preston Douglas and Child, Lincoln, Cemetery Dance MW
Preston Douglas and Child, Lincoln, Fever Dream MW
Priest, Cherie, Boneshaker RT
Priest, Cherie, Clementine RT
Priest, Cherie, Dreadnought RT

Q (1)

Quidt, Jeremy De, The Toymaker CH

R (38)

Rabuzzi, Daniel, The Choir Boats LS
Raedeke, Christy, The Daykeeper's Grimoire 1 CH
Raicht, Mike and Smith, Brian, The Stuff of Legend Book 1 CH
Rector, John, The Cold Kiss MW
Reeve, Laura E., Peacekeeper: A Major Ariane Kedros Novel LS
Redick, Robert V.S., Red Wolf Conspiracy RT
Redick, Robert V.S., The Rats and The Ruling Sea RT
Redmond, KE, What Time Forgets LS
Remic, Andy, Kell's Legend MW

Remic, Andy, War Machine RT
Remic, Andy, Soul Stealers MW
Resnick, Mike, Stalking the Vampire RT
Reynolds, Alastair, House of Suns (Gollancz) LS
Reynolds, Alastair, Terminal World LS
Rhodes, Natasha, Dante's Girl RT
Ritter, Lukas, Monster Slayers CH
Roberts, Adam, Yellow Blue Tibia: A Novel LS
Roberts, Adam, New Model Army LS
Roberson, Chris, Dragon's Nine Sons RT
Roberson, Chris, End of the Century FF
Roberson, Chris, Set the Seas on Fire RT
Roberson, Jennifer, Deepwood RT
Robins, Lane, Maledicte RT
Rollins, James, The Doomsday Key MW
Rollins, James, The Judas Strain RT
Rollins, James, The Last Oracle (Sigma Force, Book 5) Bonus Q/a RT
Rollins, James, Subterranean MW
Rose, M.J., The Memorist LS
Rothfuss, Patrick, The Name of the Wind RT
Rothfuss, Patrick, The Wise Man's Fear RT
Rothfuss, Patrick, The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle CH
Rowley, Christopher, Pleasure Model RT
Ruckley, Brian, Bloodheir (The Godless World, Book 2) LS
Ruckley, Brian, Fall of Thanes LS
Ruckley, Brian, Winterbirth RT
Russell, D.L. Hell is an Awfully Big City MW
Rutheford, Alex, Raiders from the North MW
Rutkosk, Marie, The Celestial Globe CH
Ryan, Carrie, The Forest of Hands and Teeth RT


S (84)

Saintcrow, Lilith, Night Shift (Jill Kismet, Book 1) RT
Salvatore, RA, The Orc King DC
Salvatore, R.A. and Geno, The Stowaway DC
Salvatore, R.A. and Geno, The Shadowmask CH
Sanderson, Brandon, Warbreaker MW
Sanderson, Brandon, The Well of Ascension RT
Sapkowski, Andrzej, The Last Wish RT
Sarkar, Sam and others, Caliber RT
Savage, Scott J, Water Keep CH
Sawyer, Robert, WWW.Wake FF
Saylor, Steven, Empire LS
Saylor, Steven, Invitation to the Roma sub Rosa series LS
Scalzi, John, The God Engines RT
Schafer, William ed, Subterranean Tales of Dark Fantasy RT
Schlitz, Laura Ami, The Night Fairy CH
Scholes, Ken, Canticle RT
Scholes, Ken, Lamentation RT
Scholes, Ken, Antiphon RT
Schreiber, Joe, Eat the Dark RT
Schreiber, Joe, Star Wars: Death Troopers RT
Schroeder, Karl, Pirate Sun (Virga, Book 3) LS
Schwaeble, Hank, Damnable MW
Schwartz, David, Superpowers RT
Sedia, Ekaterina, The Alchemy of Stone RT
Sedia, Ekaterina ed, Paper Cities RT
Sensel, Joni, The Farwalker's Quest CH
Sensel, Joni, The Timekeeper's Moon CH
Shalev, Zeruya, Thera LS
Shan, Darren, Cirque du Freak CH
Shan, Darren, Procession of the Dead MW
Shan, Darren, Hell's Horizon MW
Shaw, Ali, The Girl with Glass Feet LS
Shea, Michael, The Extra RT
Shevdon, Mike, Sixty-One Nails MW
Shepherd, Joel, Breakaway RT
Shepherd, Joel, Killswitch RT
Sigler, Scott, Infected RT
Simmons, Dan, Black Hills LS
Simmons, Dan, Drood: A Novel LS
Simmons, Dan, The Terror RT
Simner, Janni Lee, Bones of Faerie CH
Simner, Janni Lee, Thief Eyes CH
Sinclair, Alison, Darkborn MW
Sington, Philip, The Einstein Girl LS
Sklar, David, Shadow of the Antlered Bird LS
Simth, Alexander Gordon, Lockdown:Escape from Furnace MW
Smith, Douglas, Impossibilia (PS Showcase #5) LS
Smith, Douglas, Chimerascope LS
Smith, Mark Andrew and Weldon, Matthew, "New Brighton Archaeological Society" CH
Snyder, Maria, Sea Glass LS
Snyder, Maria, Storm Glass LS
Somers, Jeff, Electric Church RT
Somers, Jeff, The Digital Plague RT
Spoor, Ryk, Grand Central Arena LS
Spradlin, Michael, It' Beginning to Look Like Zombies CH
Spradlin, Michael, Trail of Fate - Youngest Templar 2 CH
Sprunk, Jon, Shadows' Son LS + CH
St. Denis, Patrick ed, Speculative Horizons LS
Stephens, AP, The Stolen Moon of Londor CH
Stephenson, Neal, Anathem LS
Stephenson, Neal, Anathem FF
Stevens, EJ, Shadows of Myth and Legend CH
Stevens, Taylor, The Informationist MW
Stewart, KA, A Devil in the Details MW
Stiefvater, Maggie, Shiver CH
Stiefvater, Maggie, Linger CH
Stine, R.L. (ed), Fear CH
Stott, Rebecca, Ghostwalk RT
Stover, Matthew, Blade of Tyshalle LS
Stover, Matthew, Heroes Die LS
Stover, Matthew, Caine Black Knife LS
Strahan Jonathan ed, Eclipse 2 LS
Stratford, Sarah Jane, Midnight Guardian MW
Stroud, Jonathan, Heroes of the Valley, CH
Sturges, Matthew, Midwinter RT + LS
Sturges, Matthew, The Office of Shadow LS
Suarez, Daniel, Daemon LS
Sullivan, Michael J., The Crown Conspiracy LS
Sullivan, Michael J., Avempartha LS
Sullivan, Michael, Nyphron Rising CH + LS
Sullivan, Michael, The Emerald Storm CH + LS
Sullivan, Michael, Wintertide CH + LS
Swainston, Steph, The Year of Our War RT
Swierczynski, Duane, Severance Package RT

T (26)

Taber, Colin, The Fall of Ossard CH
Taylor, Laini, Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer CH
Taylor, Laini, Faeries of Dreamdark: Silksinger CH
Tchaikovsky, Adrian Blood of the Mantis LS
Tchaikovsky, Adrian, Dragonfly Falling RT + LS
Tchaikovsky, Adrian, Empire in Black and Gold RT
Tchaikovsky, Adrian Salute the Dark LS
Tchaikovsky, Adrian The Scarab Path LS
Tchaikovsky, Adrian The Sea Watch LS
Thomas, Jeffrey, Deadstock RT
Thomas, Jeffrey, Blue War RT
Thorpe, Gav, The Crown of the Blood LS
Thor, Brad, The Athena Project MW
Tidhar, Lavie, The Bookman LS
Tinti, Hannah, The Good Thief LS
Toibin, Colm, Brooklyn LS
Torres, Alissa, American Widow RT
Traviss Karen, Judge FF
Tregillis, Ian, Bitter Seeds LS
Tremain, Rose, Trespass LS
Truman, Timothy and others, Conan: The Hand of Nergal RT
Turney, SJA, Interregnum, LS
Turney, SJA, Ironroot, LS
Turner, Max, Night Runner, LS
Turtledove, Harry, Hitler's War LS
Turtledove, Harry, The Man with the Iron Heart LS

U (1)

Unsworth, Barry, The Ruby in Her Navel LS

V (12)

Valente, Catherinne M., Deathless RT
Valente, Catherinne M., Palimpsest FF

Valente, Catherinne M., The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden RT
Valente, C, M., The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice RT
Valtat, Jean-Christophe, Aurorarama, LS
Vandermeer Jeff, City of Saints and Madmen FF
Vandermeer Jeff, Finch FF
Vandermeer Jeff, Shriek: An Afterword FF
Van Name, Mark, Overthrowing Heaven (Jon & Lobo #3) LS
Van Name, Mark, Children No More (Jon & Lobo #4) LS
Vaughn, Carrie, Discord's Apple MW
Vries, Jetse de (ed), Shine: An Anthology of Optimistic SF LS

W (43)

Walton, David, Terminal Mind FF
Warrington, Freda, Elfland LS
Warrington, Freda, Midsummer Night LS
Watts-Evans, Lawrence, A Young Man Without Magic CH
Weber, David, At All Costs LS
Weber, David, Storm from the Shadows/Mission of Honor LS
Weber, David, A Mighty Fortress LS
Weber, David, By Heresies Distressed LS
Weber, David, By Schism Rent Asunder LS
Weber, David, Invitation to the Honorverse LS
Weber, David, Out of the Dark, RT
Weeks, Brent, The Way of Shadows (Night Angel, Book 1) LS
Weeks, Brent, The Black Prism LS
Weis, Margaret and Hickman, Tracy, Bones of the Dragon CH
Wells, Dan, I Am Not A Serial Killer RT
Wells, Martha, The Cloud Roads RT
Whates, Ian, City of Dreams and Nightmare LS
Whates, Ian, City of Hope and Despair LS
Whates, Ian, The Noise Within LS
Wells, Jaye, Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane, Book 1) RT
Wenzel, Kurt, Exposure RT
Westerfeld, Scott Leviathan LS
Wilks, Mike, Mirrorscape CH
Williams, David, Burning Skies MW

Williams, David, Mirrored Heavens RT
Williams, David, The Machinery of Light MW
Williams, Liz, Bloodmind RT
Williams, Liz, Darkland RT
Williams, Liz, Inspector Chen Stories MW
Williams, Liz, Shadow Pavilion, MW
Williams, Liz, Winterstrike LS
Williams, Sean, The Grand Conjunction LS
Williams, Tad, Shadowplay RT
Williams, Tad, Shadowrise/Shadowheart RT
Williams, Walter Jon, Implied Spaces LS
Williams, Walter Jon, This Is Not a Game: A Novel RT
Williams, Walter Jon, Deep State RT
Wilson, Robert Charles, Julian Comstock: A Story of 22-nd Century America LS
Wisoker, Leona, The Secrets of the Sands LS + CH
Wolfe, Gene, The Sorcerer's House LS
Wolfe, Gene, Home Fires LS
Wooding, Chris, Retribution Falls LS
Wooding, Chris, Malice CH

Z (2)

Zafon, Carlos Ruis, The Prince of Mist CH
Zarioiu, Dorin Cristian, The Labyrinth LS

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