SF/Fantasy

Calliope Reaper-Jones leads a normal life as a New York City working girl until her father is kidnapped and she has to take his place. As her father is the Grim Reaper, Calliope has to become the personification of death—or die trying. Benson, a former cast member of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and coauthor (with Christopher Golden) of the "Ghosts of Albion" series, launches an urban fantasy series featuring a heroine whose macabre humor fits perfectly with her circumstances. Sure to appeal to fans of Tanya Huff's "Vicky Nelson" series and Charles de Lint's urban fantasies.

When Alfeo, Nostradamus's apprentice, comes to him with the tale of the murder of his mistress's courtesan mentor, the clairvoyant astrologer takes on the dangerous task of using magic to solve an increasingly puzzling mystery. Duncan's latest entry in his fictional biography of the enigmatic prophet not only brings the Renaissance to vivid and passionate life but also demonstrates the author's genius for telling a good story. A top-notch addition to libraries boasting solid demand for historical fantasy.

As a starship of cultists travels toward the Void at the heart of the universe, the Intersolar Commonwealth faces both the danger represented by this voyage and the threat of genocide by aliens. Continuing the sf epic tale begun in The Dreaming Void, Hamilton ties together many plot threads as he solidifies his believable characters and crafts a page-turner sf thriller on a grand scale. Reminiscent of Robert Heinlein's best space operas; for most libraries.

Running afoul of the law, youthful actor Will Hawthorne barely escapes the Empire's guards with the help of a band of adventurers, who survive with their wits and by hiring themselves out to solve impossible problems. Traveling with them to distant lands and encountering situations that bend Will's definitions of reality lead him inexorably to a choice that will define him forever. This exuberant historical fantasy tale of adventure and humor by Shakespearean expert and thriller author Hartley (On the Fifth Day) re-creates a world that resembles the Elizabethan era yet is its own distinct fantasy world. For most libraries.

When Sorykah's twin babies are stolen, she leaves her job as engineer aboard an ice-drilling submarine in the frozen land of the Sigue to search for her children, for they, like her, are members of the gender-shifting Traders, a rare subspecies of humans that can shift from male to female and back again. Kasai's first novel creates a frozen world inhabited by permutations of humans and animals, from the eight-limbed octoroons to dog-faced humans and wolves who can become men. Despite the bleak images of a world too often tampered with, Sorykah and her alter ego, the male Soryk, demonstrate the strength and persistence of love and loyalty. Reminiscent of Ursula Le Guin's paradigm-shattering The Left Hand of Darkness, this piercingly moving story belongs in most fantasy collections. [Library marketing.]

Leading her displaced House from their traditional home in Amberlight, Tellurith follows the great river south to a new life in which she tries to bring about an equal relationship between men and women and forge a lasting peace between her two husbands and herself. This sequel to Amberlight, set against a landscape that draws from the stark beauty of Australia, features strong characters and a distinctive storytelling style. A good choice for most libraries.

Upon the death of Lord Bahl, the youthful and charismatic Isak takes his place as heir and Lord of the Farlan and faces attempted assassination and outright war as subversives of all kinds seem to flock to the minor city of Scree. This sequel to The Stormcaller continues the tale of a young man of unprepossessing beginnings, chosen for a great destiny and thrust into struggles that threaten his life and identity. Epic battles and highly personal drama combine to create grand fantasy adventure, filled with strongly realized characters and a richly vivid worldscape. A good addition to fantasy collections.

Brought back from the dead and fitted with his dead lover's heart, police lieutenant Donal Riordan has the duty of finding the man who killed both himself and the woman whose heart keeps him alive in a zombie state. This sequel to Meaney's groundbreaking macabre fantasy Bone Song, set in the same moodily atmospheric necropolis of Tristopolis, a city powered by the bones of the recently dead, features graphic horror and dark comedic touches. A superb addition to adult dark fantasy that portends a long life for the series.

Though the son of a wool merchant, Rhennthyl aims to become a portraiturist, but his studies are cut short when an accident that kills his teacher reveals to him that he is an imager, someone who can make real his visions. Excelling in his characterizations and the verisimilitude of his world building, the author of the long-standing "Recluce" novels and the "Spellsong Cycle" crafts an intriguing series opener about the magic of creation and perception that should find a place in most fantasy collections.

Jelena Preseren's marriage to Ashinji Sakehara, the younger son of the Lord of Kerala, should have brought her happiness, but the discovery that her true father is the king of the elves thrusts her into the middle of a three-sided war that could tip the balance between the forces for good and those of the Nameless One. In her sequel to Griffin's Daughter and the second title in her trilogy, Moore introduces a deeper conflict on a grand scale. Her strong male and female characters and their abiding feelings of love and honor bring a sense of true heroism to their struggles against their obstacles. A solid choice for larger libraries and for readers who enjoy fantasy with an Asian overlay.

As the city-sized ship Chathrand sets sail on a peacemaking mission to an enemy land, its passengers and crew reflect their world's hopes and fears. A reluctant bride-to-be, a young sailor from a family accused of treason, a race of tiny humanlike stowaways, and a magical rat find their fortunes tossed to the fates as the ship is besieged by assassins, slavers, and other treacherous creatures desperate to unlock the secret of the artifact known as the Red Wolf. Redick's debut presents a unique setting for an epic fantasy and includes memorable characters. With comparisons to Geroge R.R. Martin and Philip Pullman, this is highly recommended for all fantasy collections. [Library marketing.]

Dan Clay and his companions travel into a parallel world, crossing a dangerous forest to find a sinister castle where Dan believes his brother William, who vanished as a boy, is held prisoner. This sequel to A World Away provides more battles with evil creatures and soul searching as the characters discover what course of action is right for them. A suspenseful ending leads into the forthcoming third volume of this Christian fantasy. Suitable for both adults and YA readers.

Once a war hero in the Seelie Army, former Captain Mauritaine now languishes in the mountain prison of Crere Sulace, accused of treason. But when Queen Titania needs someone to undertake a delicate and suicidal mission, she calls for Mauritaine to choose a small group of companions to fulfill her quest. Known for his talents as a writer of comic book series including "House of Mystery" and the Eisner Award-nominated "Jack of Fables," Sturges turns his storytelling mastery to epic fantasy. With an enigmatic hero and a supporting cast of colorful and varied personalities, his latest work breathes new life into a genre too often stunted by stereotypical portrayals of good and bad creatures of the faerie realms. Joining Neil Gaiman in making the crossover from comics to prose fiction, Sturges represents a strong, new voice in fantasy.

College friends united by their love of online games make their passion a successful business, until a currency crash and government coup strand one of them in a foreign country—and their alternate reality games suddenly blur the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds, threatening real fortunes and real lives. Along with William Gibson (Neuromancer) and Bruce Sterling (Schismatrix), Williams (Voice of the Whirlwind) helped create the cyberpunk fiction movement of the late 20th century. Now, he moves beyond cyberpunk into an even nearer future, with all-too-real technologies and all-too-believable possibilities. Sharply drawn characters and sizzling prose make Williams's latest novel essential for all sf collections.

Hugo and Nebula award-winning Beagle, best known for his beloved fantasy The Last Unicorn, offers this collection of new and previously released stories with an introduction by Charles de Lint. Although different fantastical elements are explored—angels, dybbuks, ghosts, fairies—the stories remain rooted in rich, thoughtful prose set in real-world thinking. Characters are drawn with an economy of words into believable, multilayered, and compelling people. While each tale is a beautifully crafted gem, cut and polished to perfection, the title story is the standout. To say it's about a venomous newsman and his brother struggling for supremacy in the ultimate case of sibling rivalry is to understate vastly the depth and simplicity of the writing and the sucker punch of an ending. Also included is "The Unicorn Tapestries," a cycle of seven poems that celebrates the famous tapestries hanging in the Cloisters branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is a worthwhile purchase for public libraries where fantasy and short story collections are popular.—Charli Osborne, Oxford P.L., MI

Baron Rudolfo Zginski awakens after 60 years inside a coffin with a gold crucifix wedged into his heart. He has been transported from a small town in Wales, where he had been judged to be a vampire, to a morgue in Memphis, TN. The year is now 1975; an unsuspecting medical examiner pulls the crucifix from his chest. Bad move. The hungry vampire is now awake and must find sustenance immediately. Zginski needs prompt help understanding modern life. His fortunate discovery of a group of naive young vampires (their knowledge of their undead status coming mostly from movies) helps him navigate this bizarre new world. Zginski and his new cohorts must track down the source of a street drug that kills vampires. Note to readers with delicate sensibilities: there are a few gory scenes, but only a few, and sexual seduction, because it is a primary vampire power, is often employed. Bledsoe's debut urban fantasy is an intoxicating brew of mystery, humor, and horror. This edgy, enthralling, entertaining tale is recommended for all fantasy collections.—Patricia Altner, BiblioInfo.com, Columbia, MD

Miéville (Un Lun Dun; Perdido Street Station) tells vivid stories in the borderlands of literary fantasy, science fiction, and horror, and here he adds noir crime to the mix. Fittingly, his tale is set in the borderlands, creating a mysterious pair of cities somewhere on Europe's eastern edge. Beszel and Ul Qoma share the same ground, but their citizens are not allowed to react to one another, learning to "unsee" the other city and its inhabitants from a young age. Enforcing this division is a mysterious power called Breach. When an archaeology student is found dead, Inspector Tyador Borlú gets caught up in a case that forces him to navigate precariously between the cities, perhaps into the sinister worlds that straddle them. It's a fascinating premise. Unfortunately, the cities, protagonist, and case remain stubbornly in the haze. For all genre fiction collections because Miéville is a trailblazer with a dedicated following, but this work is more an existential thought piece than a reading pleasure. [Library marketing.]—Neil Hollands, Williamsburg Regional Lib., VA