SF/Fantasy

After Ferabek and his armies destroyed the Stoneholding, young Kal Wright receives his Investiture as High Bard and sets out on a journey to find and restore to his throne the missing Prince Starigan. Captured by his enemies, Kal realizes that to achieve his goal he must escape and lay claim to the Talamadh, a legendary golden harp that can restore Harmony to the world. The second volume in this trilogy (after The Stoneholding) follows in the epic fantasy tradition of Terry Brooks's "Shannara" series and David Eddings's "The Belgariad" titles. VERDICT This standard fantasy enjoys colorful world building and likable characters and should appeal to both YA and adult fans of epic fantasy.

In a noir version of the present, a group of immortals known as Olympians engage in an ongoing struggle against a secret cabal of vampires, quasihumans whose evolution paralleled that of Homo sapiens. Olympian Montgomery Quinn finds himself drawn into an ancient feud between the vampire Callianne and her former lover—a conflict that draws many occult powers to its battle lines. Armstead introduces yet another permutation on the portrayal of modern vampires, focusing on political intrigue and personal vendettas. VERDICT The evocative prose and mythic underpinnings are likely to appeal to fans of vampire fiction. Suitable for large libraries.

Cataclysmic visions and pronouncements of impending doom have Varus and his friend Corylus, along with his sister and his stepmother, attempting to uncover the cause of a magical working that threatens the existence of the powerful city of Carce and the empire it rules. The author of "The Lord of the Isles" series launches a new fantasy quartet set in an alternate Earth that calls to mind the late Roman Empire. VERDICT Drake's characters are both engaging and believable, while his world building and attention to historical detail lend a realistic touch to a tale of magic and mystery. Fans of historical fantasy as well as the author's many novels should anticipate this series opener.

The Darkwar ended a decade ago, but trouble once again threatens the dual worlds of Midkemia and Kelewan as the Demon King and his Dread Legion seek entry from their realm into the lands of the living. As Pug, the world's greatest magician, and his allies search for the knowledge to defeat them, even darker magic is at work. Feist ("The Riftwar Saga," "The Darkwar Saga") develops the plot threads begun in Rides a Dread Legion, stepping up the danger and introducing new enemies. VERDICT Feist's avid readership will look forward to the continued adventures of familiar characters, and fans of David Eddings and George R.R. Martin should enjoy this ongoing fantasy megaseries.

The Hound Bridget ban has disappeared, and her employers, the elite espionage agency known as the Kennel, have given her up for lost. Her daughter, the harper Mearana, however, is determined to find her mother, even if she has to enlist a stranger with a mind fractured into seven personalities to help her. Set in the same far future universe as The January Dancer, Flynn's latest novel celebrates the art and artifice of storytelling with language that mirrors the cultural shifts and lost paradigms of centuries. VERDICT With well-drawn characters and a colorful universe, this narrative tour de force brings space opera to the next level and belongs in most libraries.

To honor the death of his father, an Imperial general, Shen Tai spends two years burying the dead at a battle site on the empire's border. When he receives a gift of 250 coveted Sardian horses from former enemies, he travels homeward to seek an audience with the emperor, knowing that the gift has not only conferred great power upon him but terrible danger as well. Just as he re-created an alternate Renaissance Italy in Tigana, the author of "The Fionavar Tapestry" series evokes the subtle politics and careful social intercourse of eighth-century Tang dynasty China. VERDICT Meticulously researched yet seamlessly envisioned, the characters and culture present a timeless tale of filial piety and personal integrity. Highly recommended for all collections and particularly for fans of the author's distinctive approach to fantasy.

When the Thirteen Orphans and their allies succeed in opening the Ninth Gate, hoping to pass into the Lands Born from Smoke and Sacrifice and set right an unjust but necessary exile, they discover that a great evil has altered the Lands beyond recognition. When their scouting attempts lead to danger in both the Lands and modern Earth, young Brenda Morris must gather new allies to assist her in a desperate rescue attempt. VERDICT The author demonstrates a talent for creating believable characters, while her gentle humor adds depth and credence to a tale drawn from Chinese culture. This third volume in a series (Thirteen Orphans, Nine Gates) resolves many plot threads but leaves enough unfinished business to warrant further books involving the series characters and should appeal to fans of Charles de Lint's urban fantasies.

As a succubus, Georgina Kincaid is immortal, passionately seductive, and able to shift into any form she desires, yet she is also a modern woman trying to juggle both her human and her demonic natures. Further complicating a life that includes dealing with a new succubus in town and an ex-boyfriend who is marrying her best friend, Georgina feels inexplicably drawn toward an unfamiliar darkness more terrifying than anything she has ever known. VERDICT This fifth series installment (after Succubus Heat) displays the author's sharp humor, trendy storytelling voice, and stylishly erotic sex scenes. Mature fans of urban fantasy/romance should enjoy.

Born blind, 16-year-old Caitlin Decter is able to see thanks to a computerized retinal implant that also makes her able to "see" the data streams that flow along the Internet. Her gift enables her to awaken a conscious entity that calls itself Webmind. Even as her bond with her new friend strengthens, government agencies seek to eliminate what they perceive as a security threat. The sequel to WWW: Wake contrasts the innocence of developing friendship with the cynical approach of governments and corporate technology even as it develops the Decter family and their human (and digital) friends. VERDICT This page-turning thriller by the author of Flashforward and the "Neanderthal Parallax" trilogy is a top-notch choice for sf fans and AI fiction in particular.

A conspiracy of religious cultists has opened a gate to another dimension and allowed nightmarish creatures known as the Old Ones to enter. Policeman Richard Oort and his family have the knowledge and the ability to combat the intruders with the weapons of reason, science, and an antimagic sword. This sequel to The Edge of Reason brings the champions of reason face to face with the promoters of superstition in a battle that could decide the fate of the world. VERDICT Snodgrass, cocreator with George R.R. Martin of the popular "Wild Cards" novels, has crafted a fast-paced science fantasy that combines a Lovecraftian atmosphere with modern-day sensibilities. Combining high-impact action with a thought-provoking premise, this volume should appeal to the author's fans and to readers of speculative fiction.

When talent agent Jimmy Balaban discovers an ad lib comic named Ralf who claims to be from the future, he recognizes a potential moneymaker. Together with a once-famous sf writer and a New Age guru, the trio transform Ralf into a messiah-like figure who brings a message about a desolate future and the need to transform the world in order to avert disaster. When Ralf refuses to break character, his handlers wonder whether he is their creation or whether his message from the future is in fact real. VERDICT First published in France, this latest novel by one of sf's most distinguished authors (Bug Jack Barron, The Iron Dream) presents a cautionary tale that is at once sardonically witty and intellectually thought-provoking. A big book in more than pagination, this meaty saga of a contemporary prophet is essential for sf fans.

Though apparently human, Adrian Breze belongs to the ancient species Homo lupens—also known as Shadowspawn—the elder race whose existence gave rise to the legends of supernatural creatures. When his sister, a passionate believer in the supremacy of their kind, threatens Adrian's human lover, he must once again become embroiled in the intrigues and dangers of a hidden war against humankind. VERDICT The author of the popular "Change" novels (Dies the Fire, The Protector's War) begins a new urban fantasy series featuring a variant version of werewolves, bringing to it an extraordinary eye for detail and a feel for characterizations. Some graphic scenes of sex and violence, both typical of the genre, make this suitable for mature readers.

British spy Raybould Marsh's strange encounters during the Spanish civil war lead to his involvement during World War II in a secret confrontation between Germans with superpowers and extradimensional creatures summoned by British warlocks. The fantasy debut by Tregillis, a Los Alamos physicist, brings together the supernatural lore of World War II and wartime intrigue in this fantasy thriller that blends alternate history with period horror reminiscent of F. Paul Wilson's horror classic The Keep. VERDICT This period fantasy should appeal to fans of World War II fiction, superheroes, and alternate history.

The young King Cayleb and his queen have created the Charisian Empire, a sanctuary of intellectual freedom on a planet restricted to primitive technology owing to the control of the Church of God Awaiting. Spearheading the rebellion against the church, the king's adviser, in reality a cybernetic avatar of a long-dead officer, knows that the world's only salvation from destruction lies in swift technological progress. The fourth installment in Weber's series (after By Heresies Distressed) highlights the struggle for progress in the face of an intellectually stifling, hierarchical, state-supported religion. VERDICT Fascinating world building and memorable characters make this a series worth following. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/09.]