SF/Fantasy

As the Galt Empire advances, they focus on the once invulnerable eastern city states, using a special weapon to strip the cities of their magical defenses until only the city of Machi remains. Led by their ruler, the unpredictable Otah Machi, the poets and warriors of the city clash with their opponents in a war that will change the world. The third volume in Abraham's "Long Price Quartet" (A Shadow in Summer; A Betrayal in Winter) brings the complex political and military action to new heights. Powerful writing and a keen eye for detail make this a strong addition to most fantasy collections.

Allegra's life as a free woman of Aronsdale ends when Jazid nomads capture her with the intent of selling her to the highest bidder. Deprived at first of her spells, Allegra has only her wit and determination to keep her sane. When a prince of Jazid buys her, she finds a way to charm him into marriage, but despite her change in fortune, Allegra must figure out how to save her people from invasion. Asaro's latest installment in her fantasy romance series (Moonglow; The Fire Opal; The Misted Cliffs) features her characteristically sensual prose and rich descriptions. A good addition to fantasy and romance collections.

With his marriage shattered and his life in danger from the criminal Jhereg organization, Vlad Taltos (Dzur; Isola) flees to faraway Fenario, to the papermaking town of Burz, where he tries to locate his distant relatives, the Merss. There, his real troubles begin, and the irrepressible Taltos must locate his relatives and solve the city's problems with its oppressive Guilds without his usual allies. Brust's popular hero once again takes on the world armed with his wit and his military and social prowess. Fans will look forward to this latest installment. Libraries should purchase where there is demand.

Anathema to his own elven people for bearing the birthmark of the Shadow Monarch, which enables him to handle the forged weapons that burn most elves, Konowa Swiftdragon had served the Calahrian Empire as leader of the Iron Elves, an elite company made up of others like him who could fight with musket and sword. His murder of a Viceroy of the Empire resulted in his court-martial and exile and the disbanding of his company. But when the fall of a Red Star marks the return of legendary monsters, Konowa is reinstated as commander of a newly reformed—and very different—Iron Elves and sent on a deadly mission. Evans's first novel heralds the launch of an outstanding military fantasy series unlike any since Glen Cook's beloved "Black Company" series. Konowa, a hero worthy of both admiration and scorn, struggles with his heritage and his conscience as supernatural forces gather around him. Strong storytelling, a compelling cast of heroes and villains, and a keen knowledge of military tactics of the Napoleonic era make this a priority purchase for most libraries and a splendid read for fans of both sf and fantasy military adventure. Highly recommended.

On a world where lands are connected by mysterious bridges across vast oceans, Leonora is a puppeteer and storyteller, a vocation practiced only by men. Because of this, Leonora must pose as a boy while avoiding pursuit by agents from her family's distant past. The author's ability to portray both compelling characters and otherworldly images adds depth and emotional impact to this gracefully written sequel to Shadowbridge. For most fantasy collections.

Tired of being passed over for promotion and suspecting that her recently deceased Tunisian husband is the cause, Tessa Sanderson leaves the FBI and relocates to the small town of Tyler, MD. Trouble follows her, however, in the form of a mysterious and sudden canine plague that heightens the aggression of its victims, causing them to attack anyone in their path—even their beloved owners. A series of threatening emails implicating Tessa in a terrorist plot connected with the plague causes her to turn fugitive in order to track down the perpetrators of the illness and restore the good name of both herself and her husband. The author of the "Probability" trilogy (Probability Moon; Probability Sun; Probability Space) has crafted a fast-moving thriller (think Stephen King's Cujo) that capitalizes on Americans' love for their dogs. Unfortunate breed stereotyping—most of the dogs involved in the attacks are pit bulls, rottweilers, German shepherds, and other "big" dogs—mars an otherwise well-told tale of one woman's determination to uncover the truth, whatever its consequences. For larger sf collections.

The Quantum Bomb of 2015 caused a fusion of dimensions, opening Earth to the creatures of Faerie, ghosts, demons, and elementals. Special Agent Lila Black, part human, part artificial intelligence, and all business, travels deep into the world of the fae, where she becomes involved in their tricksterish, deadly games as she tries to sort out both herself and her new world. The third outing for Lila Black (Keeping It Real; Selling Out) tackles the elusive world of Faerie, a place far from the stereotypes of legends. Robson's (Mappa Mundi) mercurial style suits her quick-witted heroine in a fantasy/sf adventure that is a good addition to most fantasy or sf collections.

After the extinction of the human race in the 23rd century, robots and androids continue to function, forming their own stratified society to carry out their creators' dreams of space colonization. Freya Nakamichi 47—a femmebot designed as a concubine for a race that no longer exists—occupies a place in society midway between the elite Aristos and the slave-chipped worker robots. Having to make her own way, she accepts a commission to deliver a small package from Mercury to Mars, unaware of the trouble that awaits her as humanoid factions vie for the contents of the package. The author of Singularity Sky and The Atrocity Archives always brings a fresh perspective to the genre, reinventing the future in bold new ways. Part space opera, part homage to late sf Grand Masters Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, this tale of a very "human" android belongs in most sf collections.

The conquest of the land of Kymru is complete. The Coranian war leader Havgan seeks the title of High King but lacks the four sacred items that would confirm his kingship—the Stone, the Cauldron, the Spear, and the Sword. Among the Kymri fugitives, Gwydion the Dreamer and his three chosen companions (Rhiannon the exiled queen; her daughter Gwenhwyvar, the Princess of Prydyn; and Gwydion's nephew Arthur, destined to be High King) set out to find the four items before they can fall into Coranian hands. Taylor's third installment of her epic reimagining of the story of Arthur (after Night Birds' Reign and Crimson Fire) draws heavily on Welsh mythology rather than the traditional medieval legends used by Sir Thomas Malory in Le Morte d'Arthur. This volume belongs, along with its predecessors, in most libraries.

Mercenary and former conman Jon Moore and his constant companion Lobo, an intelligent PCAV (Predator Class Assault Vehicle), get drawn into a multiplanet confidence operation revolving around a former partner and perennial troublemaker named Slanted Jack. Involving a quasireligious cult, a master arms dealer, a psychic child and the boy's self-appointed body guard, and a woman who both infuriates and attracts Jon, the operation takes Jon and Lobo to a number of planets, accessible through a series of jump gates, and keeps his several marks guessing as plans change, betrayals complicate matters, and Slanted Jack's unpredictability constantly threatens to topple Jon's intricate house of cards. Van Name's fast-paced follow-up to One Jump Ahead expands on the gritty future universe made up of expansionist governments, greedy corporations, interplanetary arms dealers—and a few decent individuals who do the right thing, even if it means breaking all the laws in the books. With strong appeal to fans of John Ringo (see p. 72) and Eric Flint, this sf adventure belongs in most libraries.

Half-Gypsy, Carnival carries his dead Poppa inside him as a perpetual adviser as he works as fortune-teller and occult troubleshooter, banishing demons and succubi with a carefree confidence born only of youth. His life journey takes a distinctly different turn when he meets Maya, an alluring female vampire. Vernon's series opener details a dark version of the modern world, in which demons appear unbidden and where having a talent and using it successfully can mean either life or death. Nonstop action and roller-coaster twists and turns of plot and character make this a good addition to large dark urban fantasy and horror collections.

From Holly Black's wry love story about a library student and a young woman who could put herself into a book ("Paper Cuts Scissors") to Theodora Goss's original fairy tale of a princess who discovers her real parents ("Princess Lucinda and the Hound of the Moon"), these 23 tales, all published in 2007, demonstrate a broad spectrum of fantasy. Featuring other notable authors like Neil Gaiman, Fred Chappell, and Nalo Hopkinson, this collection belongs in most libraries where fantasy anthologies circulate.

The 32 stories in this annual anthology feature both relatively new authors (David Moles's "Finisterra") and veteran writers (Gregory Benford's "Dark Heaven"). A stellar array of writers presented here demonstrates the continuing strength of the genre. Note that many pieces were previously published in periodicals. For libraries where sf short story collections circulate.

In the not-so-distant future, in which civilized races wage a secret war against a coral polyp-based group mind known as the Modhri, ex-government agent Frank Compton arrives home to find an armed woman in his house asking him to rescue her ten-year-old sister. When the woman is later found murdered, Compton, now a suspect, travels to distant worlds in search of the girl who is part of the resistance group fighting the Modhri. Compton's third noir sf thriller set on the interstellar Quadrail (after Night Train to Rigel and The Third Lynx) expands on the secret war and gives a closer glimpse into Zahn's imagined future. For most libraries where hard sf is popular.

Bear (Darwin's Radio; Blood Music), five-time winner of the prestigious Nebula Award, has written a dreamlike tale that interweaves cutting-edge cosmology theory, creation mythology reminiscent of Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and the Librarian and library of Jorge Luis Borges's classic short story "The Library of Babel." Spinning between the two spools of contemporary Seattle—in the present universe aged ten billion years and the Kalpa, a reality that exists 100 trillion years ahead in a future universe—Bear develops the stories of four young people embedded in an epic 100 trillion years long as they interact with a malevolent godlike being and overwhelming chaos while connecting the present with the future and acting as channels for the rebirth of the universe. Plunging readers into a visceral experience of cosmological theory and the big creation stories of mythology, this challenging and imaginative work will receive critical attention. Recommended for public and academic libraries where intelligent speculative fiction circulates.—Sara Rutter, Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa Lib., Honolulu

Ivy Lockwell is a responsible eldest daughter who dreams of mastering enough magic to save her mentally ill father. He has left her clues to the puzzle, but mysterious "others" may solve things before Ivy can. Perhaps the rakish Mr. Rafferdy can help? Too bad Ivy can't stick around town to find out. She's off to the remote countryside to serve as a governess to the enigmatic Mr. Quent's niece and nephew. Earning her living is the only way to save her family from financial ruin. Marrying the boss could really solve her problems. Beckett's tepid debut is partly an homage to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, only without any energy, drama, or originality. He creates a world (the island nation of Altania) with great potential, which he then squanders through slow pacing, minimal character development, an implausible romance, and very little fantasy. Not recommended.—Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.

Ringo's (Unto the Breach) latest tale of military sf adventure focuses on a soldier, identified only as "Bandit Six," who commands a battalion of mechanized infantry stranded in the Middle East after various disasters wreak havoc on the United States and the rest of the world. Duly acknowledging the precedent of the Greek soldier Xenophon who battled his way through enemy territory back to his homeland, he relates the tale of his battalion's fighting withdrawal to Greece and his later involvement in dealing with the domestic disasters that have afflicted the States. The military action is fast-paced and exciting, but foul-mouthed, jingoistic political screeds that will limit the book's appeal make up much of the novel. In Ringo's fantasy world, all liberals are clueless "tofu-eaters"; nonwhite immigrants are disease spreaders; small-town vigilantes are heroes; and women, especially nonwhite women, are chattels to be casually acquired and discarded. A thinly veiled analog of Hillary Clinton ("the nation's first female president") is portrayed as a hysterical, drug-addled "whiny bitch" whose political supporters, according to the protagonist, "deserve to die." Purchase according to local demand.—Bradley Scott, Brighton Dist. Lib, MI