SF/Fantasy

Modern-day Britain is rocked by the intrusion of mythical creatures that reawaken their old conflicts in the streets of London and Edinburgh and throughout the Isles. As the seemingly angelic Tuatha de Danaan face off against the demonic Formorii, heedless of the mortal damage their wars cause, a few humans stand against them to save the world. VERDICT Chadbourn's sequel to World's End embellishes the richness of Celtic mythology while turning the modern world on its head. Appealing characters and vivid storytelling make this a good choice for readers of Celtic-laced fantasy.

Long thought to be legends, the immortal Tide Lords are returning to the world of Amyrantha, bringing death and destruction in their wake. One Tide Lord, the Immortal Prince Cayal, resents his immortality and his power, longing only for the brevity of a mortal life, but finds himself called to stand against his peers to save the world. This sequel to The Immortal Prince heightens the conflict between Cayal and his fellow Tide Lords as well as the relationship between the Immortal Prince and the woman researcher who has won his heart. VERDICT Strong characters and well-crafted storytelling make this fantasy adventure by the popular Australian author of the "Hythrun Chronicles" an excellent choice for genre fans.

From Orson Scott Card's tale of a war hero's ultimate sacrifice and a quasiprequel to the events of Ender's Game ("Mazer in Prison") to Yoon Ha Lee's delicate story of a musician's confrontation with her deepest truth in a society where death and art are almost inseparable ("Swanwatch"), the 23 stories collected here share the political superstructure of a galactic federation or union of worlds. Inspired by the sociopolitical dynamics of sf classics like Frank Herbert's Dune series and Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy as well as the popular Star Wars® films and Star Trek® films and TV series, the 14 original and nine reprinted tales feature contributions from Anne McCaffrey, Robert Silverberg, Mary Rosenblum, Lois McMaster Bujold, Alan Dean Foster, and other contemporary authors. VERDICT This themed anthology should attract plenty of sf readers, thanks to the success of the new Star Trek® film and the high quality of the contributors.

A young female shaman of the Galayi tribe has a frightening vision of the destruction of the Eagle Feather Cape, a sacred protective artifact given to the tribe by Chief Thunderbird. Her visions also tell her of a child whose gifts may heal the cape and restore the goodwill of the gods. The birth of a young boy, despised by his grandfather, may provide that savior, if the boy survives his many trials. VERDICT Fox's debut delivers a powerful reshaping of a Cherokee legend and blends fantasy traditions with Native American culture and myths to create a unique atmosphere of nature magic and Indian lore. Fans of Native American myths as well as fantasy should enjoy this new twist on a young man's rite of passage and his date with destiny.

Exiled from Coruscant and the heart of his new Jedi Order, Luke Skywalker and his son, Ben, travel to the world of the alien Aing-Tii, Force-users who have knowledge of heretofore unknown Force powers and perhaps the answers to problems currently pressing the Jedi. As the Jedi fall victim to a spreading insanity, the Galactic government becomes more hostile toward the knights, and, unknown to all, the Sith threat grows stronger. VERDICT The second volume of a nine-book series tracks both the travels of Skywalker and son and the Jedi "insanity plague" in a series of nonstop action sequences that series fans have come to know and love. Golden, veteran author of numerous Star Trek® novels, brings her storytelling talent to this three-author series, which began with Aaron Allston's Star Wars®: Fate of the Jedi: Outcast.

Miranda, the daughter of the sorcerer Prospero and heroine of Shakespeare's The Tempest, now enjoys eternal youth in a contemporary world, along with her siblings and her father. When Prospero vanishes and Miranda discovers that hostile forces known only as the Three Shadowed Ones seek her family's magic, she sets out on a journey, accompanied by Mag, a bound air spirit who possesses the personality of a hard-nosed private eye, and her half-mad brother, Mephistopheles, to warn her siblings and rescue her father. VERDICT Lamplighter plays fast and loose with Shakespeare in this modern-day fantasy filled with homages to both the Bard and John Milton. The infighting among Miranda and her siblings recalls the complex family relationships of Roger Zelazny's "Chronicles of Amber" series and proves simultaneously infuriating and delightful. Intelligent and eminently enjoyable, this series opener by a first-time author is a first-rate choice for fans of mythic urban fantasy.

Exiled from the Lands of Smoke and Sacrifice, an alternate China where myths live and magic is bound up with the Chinese Zodiac and the game of mah-jongg, the 13 Orphans have diminished in number as cultural ties fall prey to assimilation. Now, war rages in the Lands, and as the Orphans' magic is needed by one of the factions, a delicate truce is forged between invaders from the Lands and the Earth-bound Orphans. VERDICT Drawing upon Chinese myth and legends to create a unique form of spell-casting, the author of the "Firekeeper" series continues the saga that began with Thirteen Orphans, developing ties among characters and capturing the feel of exotic new places and creatures in her depictions of the Land Between and its Four Guardians. Contrasting themes of love and duty, loyalty and ambition, and family and otherness lend a sense of universality to this urban fantasy. A strong choice for readers who enjoy Charles de Lint.

From a poignant, contemplative moment in the life of antihero Elric of Melniboné ("A Portrait in Ivory") to a previously unpublished new revision of the 1993 story "Lunching with the Antichrist," the 17 stories in this collection demonstrate the breadth of scope and the excellence in storytelling of sf Grandmaster and multigenre author Moorcock. VERDICT One of the progenitors of the sword-and-sorcery genre as well as the New Wave literary sf movement, Moorcock crosses genres, bends boundaries, and breaks rules as only a master storyteller can. This important contribution to the author's oeuvre contains variant versions and some previously uncollected stories; a must read for his most ardent fans.

The fifth volume of tall tales featuring the Right Reverend Honorable Doctor Lucifer Jones takes the intrepid adventurer, con man, and trouble magnet on a seriocomic tour of South America where he encounters the New Jersey-born god of the lost continent of Moo, a pair of high priestesses who might just be goddesses, an heiress, a mercenary, and a mad scientist, not to mention a particularly eccentric anaconda named Bubbles and a swarm of safari ants. VERDICT A winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards, Resnick is not only a talented and passionate sf novelist but also a raconteur in the grand style of picaresque tales featuring one-of-a-kind quasiheroes whose roguish qualities often mask a softer side. Fans of the series or the author will enjoy this cavalcade of adventure straight from the annals of pulp fiction and the mind of a true literary genius.

Arrested unjustly on charges of war crimes, Lt. Michael O'Neal faces trial and possible execution if not permanent incarceration in the Fleet Penal Facility until an invasion by an unknown alien race forces his reinstatement as the only one capable of leading the human contingent in the multispecies Federation and securing victory for the very ones who tried to have him put to death. Continuing the sf military Posleen War series (A Hymn Before Battle; Gust Front; When the Devil Dances; Hell's Faire), veteran sf author Ringo returns to his popular far-future universe filled with intriguing aliens, hardened soldiers, and high-tech space battles. VERDICT Fully realized characters and vividly described battles scenes help Ringo's novels stand out among the best of the best in military sf. For fans of hard sf.

Of the many novels written by sf Grandmaster Vance, his "Dying Earth" series remains the most popular and most memorable of his oeuvre. Now top sf and fantasy authors including Tanith Lee, Mike Resnick (Hazards, reviewed above), Tad Williams, and Robert Silverberg have contributed stories and reminiscences to this mammoth collection of tales set in that unforgettable universe, one in which Earth's sun is a dying red dwarf and in which irascible mages, clever scoundrels, and ordinary folk wait around for their world's inevitable demise. VERDICT From Dan Simmons's new novella about a wild search for the Ultimate Library ("The Guiding Nose of Ulfänt Banderoz") to Walter Jon Williams's tale of an architectural student caught up in a war between two great powers ("A brizonde"), the 23 stories not only capture the unique feel of Vance's dying universe but stand individually as one of the strongest gatherings of writers to pay homage to one of their own. Despite the price, this is highly recommended.

In "The Executioner," Jennifer Brissett tells an eerie tale of a woman randomly chosen to serve as a one-time bringer of death, while in Jennifer R. Povey's "Working the High Steel," a Mohawk woman defies her gender to traverse the "high beams" of space construction. Other contributors include Ian Whates, Ardath Mayhar, Jeff Crook, and Kate MacLeod. VERDICT The 15 original stories in this theme collection explore the many roles of women in the future, as warrior, nurturer, or sometimes both. A good selection for larger sf collections.

In the 22nd century, the United States is a "reborn" country, containing 60 states and stretching from its capital in New York to the plains of Athabaska. Led by President Deklan Comstock, the nation struggles to overcome the Efflorescence of Oil, the Fall of the Cities, and the Infertility Plague—only to be confronted by tales of a war hero known as Captain Commongold who proves to be none other than Deklan's nephew Julian, whose new ideas threaten the current regime. VERDICT Veteran sf author and Hugo Award winner Wilson (Darwinia) has crafted a postmodern parable of a nation caught up in extremes and what it takes to return to the politics of rationality and tolerance. An important book that will attract fans of alternate history and dystopian fiction.

Elrod ("The Vampire Files") curates another urban fantasy anthology featuring a mix of marquee names and newcomers. Unlike in his previous collections (My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding; My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon), the theme—witches—is looser, allowing the contributors freedom to expand upon their current popular series. Best-selling authors Patricia Briggs (Bone Crossed) and Jim Butcher (Turn Coat) open the anthology with stories set in familiar worlds. While Briggs's "Seeing Eye" is not tied to either of her current series, the themes are similar, and her weres make an appearance. Butcher's "Last Call," the highlight of the collection, finds wizard detective Harry Dresden tracing a batch of tainted beer to a Chicago Bulls game. Faith Hunter's promising new series featuring skinwalker Jane Yellowrock is launched in the surprisingly touching "Signatures of the Dead." The only misstep here is Karen Chance's (Curse the Dawn) contribution, "Vegas Odds," which focuses on a drawn-out fight scene at the expense of character development. VERDICT Readers will pick this one up for the popular authors and be pleasantly surprised by the tyros. Highly recommended.—Nanette Wargo Donohue, Champaign P.L., IL