Read Any Good Books Recently?

Figured this would be a humorous way to end the year. Best wishes for 2011.

REVIEW: In the Shadow of Swords by Val Gunn

In the Shadow of Swords by Val Gunn
Publishing information: Paperback; 358 pages
Publisher: Errant Press; 28 February 2011
ISBN 10: 0615232698
ISBN 13: 9780615232690
Series: Tales of Ciris Sarn Book 1
Copy:  provided by publisher (Advanced Readers Copies)
Reviewers: Victoria and Tyson

On the Back of the Book. . .


When legendary killer Ciris Sarn ends a life in an empty city plaza with a single dagger thrust, little does he know that an insidious game has been triggered by the brutal slaying. Turning predator into prey, this part fantasy, part espionage novel races along as it follows the now hunted Sarn across the brilliant white sands and sparkling seas of Mir'aj, pursued by the widow of his latest victim who will stop at nothing for vengeance.


Tyson:  In the Shadow of Swords is a novel that takes place in a world very similar to the Middle East, many of the environments and religious practices seem to stem directly from Islam. There are a few differences that I found. For one Alcohol is not forbidden and the is magic alive and well in this world. To a certain extent if felt as if it were a lost or modern retelling of 1,001 Arabian Nights.

Victoria:  As Tyson has already stated, the world of  In the Shadow of Swords seems to owe everything to this world's Middle East.  I love tales that are set in deserts and the Middle East such as 1,001 Arabian Nights and the old British adventure classics such as A.E.W. Mason's The Four Feathers.  I did not, however, like the fact that Mr. Gunn incorporated Arabic, with Arabic letters, into the novel.  I cannot read nor speak Arabic, so at times I was lost and did not know what was being stated.

Tyson:  The novel has a handful of people that we follow throughout the story but our main protagonist is Sarn, a well-known and feared assassin. While I wanted to like Sarn and the other individuals in the novel, I found them very two dimensional. He and the rest of the cast were introduced along with their motivations and from there they never really grew or became likable. They were just characters. While Sarn and a few others like Marin, the woman who is hunting Sarn because he killed her husband, progressed the story, they never really captured my imagination. I never got around to worrying about their well-being or whether they succeeded in their quest. The characters just fell flat.

Victoria:  I agree with Tyson on this one.  I did not care for any of the characters and I believe this to be a problem with the execution of the novel itself.  The novel contained ninety-five per cent of telling and five per cent showing.  Instead of learning about Sarn through his actions, his dialogue, mannerisms or any other personal interaction, the author simply told us.  This went for every character in the novel.

Tyson:  The world building was also not to my liking. The book provided a map to the world but it was hard to read and I eventually gave up and just decided to not worry about the various locations that I was taken to as I read. There are a lot of places that we encounter in this first book and they all took but a few days to reach. It made the world feel really small considering that they go to all points of the globe it did not seem as though the world was very large.

Victoria:  I also found the world hard to follow.  The book jumped from character to character, place to place and time to time seemingly at random.  Many times I had no idea what was going on, or who I was following, or what the focus of a chapter was.  And then there were the chapters.  Each chapter only consisted of a couple or a few pages and this helped create a disjointed effect not only to the world, but to the story itself.

Tyson:  There is a lot of magic in the form of summoners, jinn (djinn or Genies), and demons which can be summoned. I really enjoyed this portion of the book. It was a fresh concept that largely seems to go unnoticed as of late. I thought this was the highlight of the book and that it could have used more instances of the magic found in the world. However, the magic did not carry the book and was really the only redeeming portion of the book.


Victoria:  Here we're going to have to agree to disagree, Tyson.  While I found the concept of the summoning system to be refreshing, I thought it could have held a little more mystique.  I was told so much by the narration that the magic just was not magic to me.

Tyson:  The pacing moves rather fast, mainly due the fact that the world appears to be small. As a result, most of the time In the Shadow of Swords felt disjointed because of that fact. In the Shadow of Swords begins very strong and had me at the edge of my seat, but as I read more, the book started to fray at the edges and there were far too many sub-plots and political games going on to keep my interest. However, the book does attempt to redeem itself towards the end. It just never made it past that hurdle for me.

Victoria:  I thought the prologue was strong, but then everything went downhill from there.  I found many parts of this novel to be close to unreadable.  I really felt like I was reading a draft at many points.  While I love the concept and the ideas behind In the Shadow of Swords the execution fell flat.

Tyson:  I am not sure whether I would stay with the series. There would have to be some serious improvements with character development and plot (and its various threads) to keep me interested. It is not a bad book, it just needs more editing and development. Bearing in mind this was an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) that I received so there may be improvements to everything that I complained about when the book is finally released.

Victoria:  I'll pass on reading the rest of the series.  In the Shadow of Swords needs an entire re-write before I'll consider it.  Again, the concept was great, but the work needs far more editing and polishing.

Tyson's Ratings:

Plot 5
Characters 4
Style 5

Overall 4/10

Victoria's Ratings:

Plot 6
Characters 2
Style 3

Overall 3/10

Forthcoming Books 2011

Trying to keep up with all of the book releases is difficult thanks to Locus Online for constantly updating their site and keeping us abreast of the latest news. Bottom of the page contains the legend to help you read the list.

January 2011

• Aaronovitch, Ben • Rivers of London • (Gollancz, hc)
• Adams, John Joseph, ed. • Brave New Worlds • (Night Shade Books, anth, tpb)
• Armstrong, Kelley • Counterfeit Magic • (Subterranean Press, nva, hc)
• Azinger, Karen • The Steel Queen • (Harper Voyager, hc)
• Bacigalupi, Paolo • The Alchemist • (Subterranean, nva, hc)
• Bear, Elizabeth • The White City • (Subterranean Press, nva, hc)
• Berg, Carol • The Soul Mirror • (Roc, tpb)
• Buckell, Tobias S. • The Executioness • (Subterranean, nva, hc)
• Card, Orson Scott • The Lost Gate • (Tor, hc)
• de Bodard, Aliette • Harbinger of the Storm • (Angry Robot, tpb)
• Donaldson, Stephen R. • The Best of Stephen R. Donaldson • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
• Emshwiller, Carol • The Collected Stories of Carol Emshwiller • (NonStop Press, cln, hc)
• Farmer, Philip José • Up the Bright River • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
• Foglio, Phil, & Kaja Foglio • Agatha H. and the Airship City • (Night Shade Books, hc)
• Haig, Matt • The Radleys • (Simon & Schuster/Free Press, hc)
• Holt, Tom • Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sausages • (Orbit, tpb)
• Jones, Gwyneth • The Universe of Things • (Aqueduct Press, cln, tpb)
• King, J. Robert • Death's Disciples • (Angry Robot, tpb)
• Lovegrove, James • Age of Odin • (Solaris, tpb)
• Lovegrove, James • Age of Odin • (Solaris US)
• Masterton, Graham • Ninth Nightmare • (Severn House, hc)
• + McAuley, Paul • Cowboy Angels • (Pyr, tpb)
• Moorcock, Michael • Modem Times 2. 0 • (PM Press/Outspoken Authors, cln, tpb)
• Murakami, Ryu • Popular Hits of the Showa Era • (Norton, tpb)
• Parker, K. J. • The Hammer • (Orbit US, tpb)
• Parker, K. J. • The Hammer • (Orbit, tpb)
• Robson, Justina • Down to the Bone • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Silverberg, Robert • Hunt the Space-Witch: Seven Adventures in Time and Space • (Paizo/Planet Stories, cln, tpb)
• Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • Engineering Infinity • (Solaris, anth, tpb)
• Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • Engineering Infinity • (Solaris US, anth)
• Walton, Jo • Among Others • (Tor, hc)
• + Warren, Kaaron • Walking the Tree • (Angry Robot US)
• Williams, Conrad • Loss of Separation • (Solaris, tpb)
• Wolfe, Gary K. • Evaporating Genres: Essays on Fantastic Literature •(Wesleyan University Press, nf, hc/tpb)
• Wolfe, Gene • Home Fires • (Tor, hc)
   

February 2011

• + Aaronovitch, Ben • Midnight Riot • (Ballantine Del Rey)
• Abercrombie, Joe • The Heroes • (Gollancz, hc)
• + Abercrombie, Joe • The Heroes • (Orbit US, hc)
• Anderson, Poul • The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 4: Admiralty • (NESFA Press, cln, hc)
• Bear, Elizabeth • The Sea Thy Mistress • (Tor, hc)
• Bova, Ben • Leviathans of Jupiter • (Tor, hc)
• Briggs, Patricia • River Marked • (Orbit)
• Briggs, Patricia • River Marked • (Ace, hc)
• Britain, Kristen • Blackveil • (DAW, hc)
• Chadbourn, Mark • The Scar-Crow Men • (Pyr, tpb)
• Courtenay Grimwood, Jon • The Fallen Blade • (Orbit, tpb)
• Courtenay Grimwood, Jon • The Fallen Blade • (Orbit US, tpb)
• + Deas, Stephen • The King of the Crags • (Roc, hc)
• Delany, Samuel R. • Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders • (Alyson, tpb)
• Ellis, Warren • Listener • (Morrow, hc)
• Emshwiller, Carol • In the Time of War and Master of the Road to Nowhere •(PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Erikson, Steven • The Crippled God • (Tor, hc)
• Erikson, Steven • The Crippled God • (Bantam UK, hc)
• Fforde, Jasper • One of Our Thursdays is Missing • (Hodder & Stoughton, hc)
• Gilman, Laura Anne • Pack of Lies • (Luna, tpb)
• Goodkind, Terry • The Omen Machine • (Harper Voyager, hc)
• Goodkind, Terry • The Omen Machine • (Tor, hc)
• Griffin, Kate • The Neon Court • (Orbit)
• Hairston, Andrea • Redwood and Wildfire • (Aqueduct Press, tpb)
• + Holt, Tom • Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Sausages • (Orbit US, tpb)
• Hurley, Kameron • God's War • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
• Kerr, Katharine • License to Ensorcell • (DAW)
• Kittredge, Caitlin • The Iron Thorn • (Delacorte, nvl-ya, hc)
• Lansdale, Joe R., ed. • Crucified Dreams • (Tachyon Publications, anth, tpb)
• Lansdale, Joe R. • Hyenas • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
• Lovegrove, James • Diversifications • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• MacLeod, Ian R. • Wake Up and Dream • (PS Publishing, hc)
• Marr, Melissa • Darkest Mercy • (HarperCollins, nvl-ya, hc)
• Martin, Gail Z. • The Sworn • (Orbit)
• McDermott, J. M. • Never Knew Another • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
• McLeod, Suzanne • The Bitter Seed of Magic • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Pierce, Tamora • Tortall and Other Lands • (Random House, cln, hc)
• Priest, Cherie • Bloodshot • (Ballantine Spectra, tpb)
• Reed, Kit • What Wolves Know • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Ryman, Geoff • Paradise Tales • (Small Beer Press, cln, tpb)
• Saberhagen, Joan, ed. • Golden Reflections • (Baen, anth, hc)
• Stross, Charles • Boskone Book • (NESFA Press, cln, hc)
• Swann, S. Andrew • Messiah • (DAW)
• Tchaikovsky, Adrian • The Sea Watch • (Tor UK)
• Weber, David, ed. • Worlds of Honor #5: In Fire Forged • (Baen, anth, hc)
• Williams, Walter Jon • Deep State • (Orbit)
• Williams, Walter Jon • Deep State • (Orbit US, tpb)
   

March 2011

• Aylett, Steve • Rebel at the End of Time • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• Barlough, Jeffrey E. • A Tangle in Slops • (Gresham & Doyle, tpb)
• Barnes, John • Daybreak Zero • (Ace, hc)
• Beagle, Peter S. • Sleight of Hand • (Tachyon Publications, cln, tpb)
• Bear, Elizabeth • Grail • (Ballantine Spectra)
• Bishop, Anne • Twilight's Dawn • (Roc, cln, hc)
• Buckner, M. M. • Gravity Pilot • (Tor, hc)
• Bullington, Jesse • The Enterprise of Death • (Orbit, tpb)
• Feist, Raymond E. • A Kingdom Besieged • (Harper Voyager, hc)
• + Fforde, Jasper • One of Our Thursdays Is Missing • (Viking, hc)
• Guran, Paula, ed. • Vampires: The Recent Undead • (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
• Gustainis, Justin, ed. • Those Who Fight Monsters • (Hades/EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy, anth, tpb)
• Hardinge, Frances • Twilight Robbery • (Macmillan Children's Books UK, nvl-ya, hc)
• Harrison, Kim • Pale Demon • (Harper Voyager, hc)
• Hodder, Mark • The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man • (Pyr, tpb)
• Matheson, Richard • Other Kingdoms • (Tor, hc)
• McGuire, Seanan • Late Eclipses • (DAW)
• McKenna, Bridget, & Marti McKenna, eds. • End of an Aeon • (Fairwood Press, anth, tpb)
• Moon, Elizabeth • Kings of the North • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
• Moon, Elizabeth • Kings of the North • (Orbit)
• Morris, Mark • Long Shadows, Nightmare Light • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Piccirilli, Tom • Every Shallow Cut • (ChiZine Publications, hc/tpb)
• Rambo, Cat, Paul Tremblay & Sean Wallace, eds. • Worlds of Fantasy: The Best of Fantasy Magazine • (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
• Reed, Robert • Eater-of-Bone • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Remic, Andy • Cloneworld • (Solaris, tpb)
• Rothfuss, Patrick • The Wise Man's Fear • (DAW, hc)
• Rothfuss, Patrick • The Wise Man's Fear • (Gollancz, hc)
• Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume Five • (Night Shade Books, anth, tpb)
• Tidhar, Lavie • Osama • (PS Publishing, hc)
• Vaughn, Carrie • Steel • (HarperTeen, nvl-ya, hc)
• Wells, Martha • The Cloud Roads • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
• Whates, Ian • City of Hope and Despair • (Angry Robot, tpb)
• + Williams, Conrad • Loss of Separation • (Solaris US)
   

April 2011

• Abraham, Daniel • The Dragon's Path • (Orbit, tpb)
• Abraham, Daniel • The Dragon's Path • (Orbit US, tpb)
• Aiken, Joan • The Monkey's Wedding and Other Stories • (Small Beer Press, cln, hc)
• Armstrong, Kelley • The Gathering • (HarperCollins, nvl-ya, hc)
• Armstrong, Kelley • The Gathering • (Little, Brown UK/Atom, nvl-ya, tpb)
• Auel, Jean M. • The Land of Painted Caves • (Hodder & Stoughton, hc)
• Auel, Jean M. • The Land of Painted Caves • (Crown, hc)
• Bakker, R. Scott • The White Luck Warrior • (Overlook Press, hc)
• Baxter, Stephen • Gravity Dreams • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• Beaulieu, Bradley P. • Winds of Khalakovo • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
• Bennett, Robert Jackson • The Company Man • (Orbit US, tpb)
• Bennett, Robert Jackson • The Company Man • (Orbit, hc)
• Black, Holly • Red Glove • (McElderry, nvl-ya, hc)
• Bledsoe, Alex • Dark Jenny • (Tor, tpb)
• Brown, Eric • The Kings of Eternity • (Solaris US)
• Brown, Eric • The Kings of Eternity • (Solaris, tpb)
• Brust, Steven • Tiassa • (Tor, hc)
• Butcher, Jim • Ghost Story • (Orbit, hc)
• Butcher, Jim • Ghost Story • (Roc, hc)
• Campbell, Alan • Sea of Ghosts • (Tor UK, hc)
• Cherryh, C. J. • Betrayer • (DAW, hc)
• Clare, Cassandra • The Mortal Instruments: City of Fallen Angels • (McElderry, nvl-ya, hc)
• Datlow, Ellen, & Terri Windling, eds. • Teeth: Vampire Tales • (Harper, anth, hc)
• + Feist, Raymond E. • A Kingdom Besieged • (Harper Voyager, hc)
• Fox, Daniel • Hidden Cities • (Ballantine Del Rey, tpb)
• Goodman, Alison • Eona • (Viking, nvl-ya, hc)
• Goodman, Alison • Eona • (Random House/Fickling UK, nvl-ya, hc)
• Hobb, Robin • Inheritance • (Harper Voyager, hc)
• Hughes, Matthew • Yellow Cabochon • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• Hulick, Douglas • Among Thieves • (Tor UK)
• Kennedy, Leigh • Collection • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Lalumière, Claude • The Door to Lost Pages • (ChiZine Publications, hc/tpb)
• Lo, Malinda • Huntress • (Little, Brown, nvl-ya, hc)
• Maberry, Jonathan • The King of Plagues • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• McIntosh, Will • Soft Apocalypse • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
• Morden, Simon • Equations of Life • (Orbit US)
• Morden, Simon • Equations of Life • (Orbit, tpb)
• Murphy, C. E. • Spirit Dances • (Luna, tpb)
• Nickle, David • Eutopia • (ChiZine Publications, hc/tpb)
• Nye, Jody Lynn • View from the Imperium • (Baen)
• Okorafor, Nnedi • The Akata Witch • (Viking, nvl-ya, hc)
• Orullian, Peter • The Unremembered • (Tor, hc)
• Park, Paul • Ghosts Doing the Orange Dance • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• + Pevel, Pierre • The Alchemist in the Shadows • (Pyr, tpb)
• Pinborough, Sarah • A Shadow of the Soul • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Pohl, Frederik • All the Lives He Led • (Tor, hc)
• Redick, Robert V. S. • The River of Shadows • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• + Redick, Robert V. S. • The River of Shadows • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
• Sawyer, Robert J. • WWW: Wonder • (Ace, hc)
• Sedia, Ekaterina, ed. • Bewere the Night • (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
• Silverwood, Sarah • The Traitor's Gate • (Gollancz, hc)
• Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • Life on Mars: Tales of the New Frontier • (Viking, anth, hc)
• Tidhar, Lavie • Camera Obscura • (Angry Robot, tpb)
• Valente, Catherynne M. • Deathless • (Tor, hc)
• Vaughn, Carrie • After the Golden Age • (Tor, hc)
• + Wells, Dan • I Don't Want to Kill You • (Tor, hc)
   

May 2011

• Anderson, Kevin J., ed. • Nebula Awards Showcase 2011 • (Tor, anth, tpb)
• Baxter, Stephen • The Bronze Summer • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Canavan, Trudi • The Rogue • (Orbit US, hc)
• Canavan, Trudi • The Rogue • (Orbit, hc/tpb)
• Connolly, John • Hell's Bells • (Hodder & Stoughton, hc)
• Cooper, Elspeth • Songs of the Earth • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Deas, Stephen • The Order of the Scales • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• + Esslemont, Ian C. • Stonewielder • (Tor, hc)
• Files, Gemma • A Rope of Thorns • (ChiZine Publications, hc/tpb)
• Freeman, Pamela • Ember and Ash • (Orbit)
• Gilman, Laura Anne • Dragon Virus • (Fairwood Press, cln, tpb)
• + Haddon, Mark • Boom! • (Random House/Yearling, nvl-ya, tpb)
• Harris, Charlaine • Dead Reckoning • (Ace, hc)
• Harris, Charlaine • Dead Reckoning • (Gollancz, hc)
• + Hobb, Robin • The Inheritance • (Harper Voyager, tpb)
• Hobson, M. K. • The Hidden Goddess • (Ballantine Spectra)
• Hughes, Matthew • The Damned Busters • (Angry Robot, tpb)
• Irvine, Ian • Mare Ultima • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• Jakober, Marie • The Demon Left Behind • (Hades Publications/EDGE SF and Fantasy, tpb)
• Koontz, Dean • Frankenstein: The Dead Town • (Bantam)
• Lachlan, M. D. • Fenrir • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Lee, Tanith • Court of the Crow • (Night Shade Books, hc)
• Marshall, Michael • Killer Move • (Morrow, hc)
• McCaffrey, Anne, & Todd McCaffrey • Dragon's Time • (Bantam UK, hc)
• McDougall, Sophie • Savage City • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Miéville, China • Embassytown • (Macmillan, hc)
• Miéville, China • Embassytown • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
• Millet, Lydia • The Fires Beneath the Sea • (Small Beer Press, nvl-ya, hc)
• Nix, Garth, & Sean Williams • Troubletwisters • (Scholastic Press, nvl-ya, tpb)
• Novik, Naomi, & Yishan Li • Will Supervillains Be on the Final? • (Ballantine Del Rey, tpb)
• Nylund, Eric • The Resisters • (Random House, nvl-ya, hc)
• + Rajaniemi, Hannu • The Quantum Thief • (Tor, hc)
• Roberts, Adam • By Light Alone • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Rusch, Kristine Kathryn • City of Ruins • (Pyr, tpb)
• Saramago, José • Small Memories • (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, nf, hc)
• Scalzi, John • Fuzzy Nation • (Tor, hc)
• Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • Eclipse Four • (Night Shade Books, anth, tpb)
• Swanwick, Michael • Dancing With Bears • (Night Shade Books, hc)
• + Tidhar, Lavie • Camera Obscura • (Angry Robot US)
• Valentine, Genevieve • Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti • (Prime Books, tpb)
• Wentworth, K. D., ed. • L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume XXVII • (Galaxy, anth)
• Whates, Ian • The Noise Revealed • (Solaris, tpb)
• + Wooding, Chris • Retribution Falls • (Ballantine Spectra, tpb)
• Youers, Rio • Dark Dreams, Pale Horses • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
   

June 2011

• Akers, Tim • Dead of Veridon • (Solaris US, tpb)
• Anderson, M. T. • Empire of Gut and Bone • (Scholastic Press, nvl-ya, hc)
• Brenchley, Chaz • Rotten Row • (PS Publishing, hc)
• Carey, Jacqueline • Naamah's Blessing • (Grand Central, hc)
• Carey, Jacqueline • Naamah's Blessing • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Corey, James S. A. • Leviathan Wakes • (Orbit US, tpb)
• Datlow, Ellen, ed. • Best Horror of the Year: Volume Three • (Night Shade Books, anth, tpb)
• Deas, Stephen • The Warlock's Shadow • (Gollancz, hc)
• Douglass, Sara • The Devil's Diadem • (Harper Voyager, tpb)
• Duchamp, L. Timmel • Never at Home • (Aqueduct Press, cln, tpb)
• Duncan, Andy • The Pottawatomie Giant • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Englehart, Steve • The Plain Man • (Tor, hc)
• Fenner, Cathy, & Arnie Fenner, eds. • Steampunk Illuminations • (Underwood Books, anth, hc)
• Foss, Chris • The Art of Chris Foss • (Titan Books, art, hc)
• Gilman, Carolyn Ives • The Isles of the Forsaken • (ChiZine Publications, hc/tpb)
• Godwin, Parke • The Prince from Nowhere • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• Goldstein, Lisa • The Uncertain Places • (Tachyon Publications, tpb)
• Goonan, Katherine • Collection • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Grant, Mira • Deadline • (Orbit US)
• Grant, Mira • Deadline • (Orbit)
• Hamilton, Laurell K. • Hit List • (Headline, hc)
• Hamilton, Laurell K. • Hit List • (Berkley, hc)
• + Hardinge, Frances • Fly Trap • (HarperCollins, nvl-ya, hc)
• Hartwell, David G., & Kathryn Cramer, eds. • Year's Best SF 16 • (Harper Voyager, anth)
• Horton, Rich, ed. • The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy: 2011 Edition •(Prime Books, anth, tpb)
• + Hughes, Matthew • The Damned Busters • (Angry Robot US)
• Kushner, Ellen, & Holly Black, eds. • Welcome to Bordertown • (Random House, anth, hc)
• Lackey, Mercedes • Unnatural Issue • (DAW, hc)
• Lake, Jay, ed. • Hugo Award Showcase, 2011 Volume • (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
• Lynch, Scott • The Republic of Thieves • (Gollancz, hc)
• Lynch, Scott • The Republic of Thieves • (Ballantine Spectra, hc)
• Martin, George R. R., ed. • Wild Cards: Fort Freak • (Tor, anth, hc)
• Martinez, A. Lee • Chasing the Moon • (Orbit US, hc)
• Navarro, Yvonne • Concrete Savior • (Pocket/Juno Books)
• Newton, Mark Charan • Book of Transformations • (Tor UK, hc)
• Resnick, Laura • Vamparazzi • (DAW)
• Reynolds, Alastair • Blue Remembered Hills • (Gollancz, hc)
• Rucker, Rudy • Jim and the Flims • (Night Shade Books, hc)
• Sinclair, Alison • Shadowborn • (Roc, tpb)
• Steele, Allen • Hex • (Ace, hc)
• Steele, Jon • The Watchers • (Bantam UK, hc)
• van Eekhout, Greg • The Boy at the End of the World • (Bloomsbury USA, nvl-ya, hc)
• Warren, Kaaron • Mistification • (Angry Robot, tpb)
• Wolfe, Gary K. • Sightings: Reviews • (Beccon Publications, nf, tpb)
• Yep, Laurence • City of Ice • (Tor/Starscape, nvl-ya, hc)
• Zafón, Carlos Ruiz • The Palace of Midnight • (Little, Brown, nvl-ya, hc)
   

July 2011

• Anderson, Kevin J. • The Key to Creation • (Orbit US, tpb)
• Ballantine, Philippa • Spectyr • (Ace)
• Carriger, Gail • Blameless • (Orbit)
• Carriger, Gail • Heartless • (Orbit US)
• Datlow, Ellen, ed. • Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy • (St. Martin's, anth, hc)
• + Douglass, Sara • The Devil's Diadem • (Harper Voyager, hc)
• Dozois, Gardner • When the Great Days Come • (Prime Books, cln, hc)
• Dozois, Gardner, ed. • The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-eight Annual Collection • (St. Martin's Griffin, anth, tpb)
• Drake, David • Out of the Waters • (Tor, hc)
• Fenn, Jaine • Bringer of Light • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Gibson, Gary • Final Days • (Tor UK, hc)
• Goonan, Kathleen Ann • This Shared Dream Called Earth • (Tor, hc)
• Gould, Steven • 7th Sigma • (Tor, hc)
• Grant, Charles • Scream Quietly • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Gregory, Daryl • Raising Stony Mayhall • (Ballantine Del Rey, tpb)
• Hoffman, Nina Kiriki • Meeting • (Viking, nvl-ya, hc)
• Horwood, William • Hyddenworld: Summer • (Macmillan, hc)
• Hunt, Stephen • Jack Cloudie • (Harper Voyager, hc/tpb)
• Kearney, Paul • Kings of Morning • (Solaris)
• Lackey, Mercedes • Beauty and the Werewolf • (Luna, hc)
• Lloyd, Tom • The Dusk Watchman • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Marr, Melissa • Graveminder • (Morrow, hc)
• + McCaffrey, Anne, & Todd McCaffrey • Dragon's Time • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
• McMahon, Gary • The Concrete Grove • (Solaris, tpb)
• Palmer, Philip • Hell Ship • (Orbit, tpb)
• Palmer, Philip • Hell Ship • (Orbit US, tpb)
• Romero, George A. • The Living Dead: The Beginning • (Grand Central, hc)
• Scott, Rob • Asbury Park • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Sedia, Ekaterina • Heart of Iron • (Prime Books, tpb)
• Smith, Gavin • War in Heaven • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Somers, Jeff • The Final Evolution • (Orbit)
• Stross, Charles • Rule 34 • (Orbit, tpb)
• Stross, Charles • Rule 34 • (Ace, hc)
• Turtledove, Harry • The Big Switch • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
• VanderMeer, Jeff, & Ann VanderMeer, eds. • The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities • (Harper Voyager, anth, hc)
• Vaughn, Carrie • Kitty's Big Trouble • (Tor)
• + Warren, Kaaron • Mistification • (Angry Robot US)
• Watson, Howard, ed. • The Charmed Pot • (PS Publishing, anth, hc)
• Wilbur, Rick, ed. • Future Media • (Tachyon Publications, anth, tpb)
• Williams, Conrad • Iron Mantis • (Angry Robot)
• Williams, Conrad • Penetralia • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Wilson, Robert Charles • Vortex • (Tor, hc)
   

August 2011

• Asher, Neal • The Departure • (Tor UK, hc)
• Beagle, Peter S., & Joe R. Lansdale, eds. • Urban Fantasy • (Tachyon Publications, anth, tpb)
• Carroll, Lee • Watchtower • (Tor, tpb)
• Carroll, Lee • The Watchtower • (Bantam UK, tpb)
• + Chandler, David • Den of Thieves • (Harper Voyager)
• Duane, Diane • Omnitopia: East Wind • (DAW, hc)
• Duncan, Dave • When the Saints • (Tor, hc)
• Fowler, Christopher • The Horrors • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• Grant, John • Lonely Hunter • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• Guran, Paula, ed. • The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror: 2011 Edition •(Prime Books, anth, tpb)
• + Gustainis, Justin • Hard Spell • (Angry Robot US, tpb)
• Gustainis, Justin • Sympathy for the Devil • (Solaris US)
• Harris, Charlaine, & Toni L. P. Kelner, eds. • Home Improvement: Undead Edition • (Ace, anth, hc)
• Harrison, M. John • Pearlant • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Kent, Jasper • The Third Section • (Bantam UK, tpb)
• Kollin, Dani, & Eytan Kollin • The Unincorporated Woman • (Tor, hc)
• Lamplighter, L. Jagi • Prospero Regained • (Tor, hc)
• Lawrence, Mark • Prince of Thorns • (Harper Voyager, hc/tpb)
• Lee, Sharon, & Steve Miller • Ghost Ship • (Baen, hc)
• Monette, Sarah, & Elizabeth Bear • The Tempering of Men • (Tor, hc)
• Moody, David • Them or Us • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Niven, Larry, & Steven Barnes • The Moon Maze Game • (Tor, hc)
• Rawn, Melanie • The Diviner • (DAW, hc)
• Ruckley, Brian • The Edinburgh Dead • (Orbit, tpb)
• Wooding, Chris • The Iron Jackal • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Wrede, Patricia C. • Across the Great Barrier • (Scholastic, nvl-ya, hc)
   

September 2011

• Barclay, James • Elves: Rise of the TaiGethan • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Brennan, Marie • With Fate Conspire • (Tor, tpb)
• Brooks, Terry • The Measure of the Magic • (Orbit, hc/tpb)
• Brooks, Terry • The Measure of the Magic • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
• Campbell, Ramsey • Ghosts Know • (PS Publishing, hc)
• Campbell, Ramsey • The Inhabitant of the Lake • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Cashore, Kristin • Bitterblue • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Cooper, Brenda • Mayan December • (Prime Books, tpb)
• Datlow, Ellen, ed. • Blood and Other Cravings • (Tor, anth, hc)
• Doubinsky, Sebastien • Absinthe • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
• Elliott, Kate • Cold Fire • (Orbit, tpb)
• Elliott, Kate • Cold Fire • (Orbit US, tpb)
• + Erikson, Steven • The Crack'd Pot Trail • (Tor, nva, tpb)
• Hamilton, Peter F. • Manhattan in Reverse • (Macmillan, cln, hc)
• McGuire, Seanan • The Brightest Fell • (DAW)
• McMahon, Gary • Dead Bad Things • (Angry Robot, tpb)
• Meaney, John • Transmission • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Moore, Christopher • Sacre Bleu • (Morrow, hc)
• Painter, Kristen • Blood Rights • (Orbit)
• Rankin, Robert • The Mechanical Messiah and Other Marvels of the Modern Age • (Gollancz, hc)
• Royle, Nicholas • Regicide • (Solaris, tpb)
• Slonczewski, Joan • The Highest Frontier • (Tor, hc)
• Smith, Sherwood • Banner of the Damned • (DAW, hc) 

These are the US and UK "Selected Books by Author" from LocusMagazine, combined and resorted by month. For complete lists sorted by publisher, see Locus Magazine. (Subscribe!)

hc=hardcover;
tpb=trade paperback;
otherwise mass-market pb,
or we're not sure

cln=collection;
om=omnibus;
anth=anthology;
otherwise novel

h=horror;
nf=nonfiction;
a=associational [non-sffh];
otherwise sf/fantasy

+   indicates 1st US editions of books previously published in the UK or other countries; otherwise titles listed are 1st English language editions published in the US or UK.

This color indicates UK publishers.

Schedules are tentative and subject to change -- particularly in later months.

REVIEW: The Stars Dispose by Michaela Roessner

The Stars Dispose by Michaela Roessner

Paperback: 416 pages

Publisher: Tor Books (28 Dec 1998)

ISBN-10: 0812550145

ISBN-13: 978-0812550146

Copy: Bought secondhand

Reviewer: Cara

From the back of the book:

Here is the tale of young Tommaso de Befanini, whose family has practiced the secret magics of the kitchen and hearth through many generations of the Medici dynasty. Trained in the culinary arts, befriended by the great Michelangelo himself, Tommaso seems destined for a life as a master chef. But when war and intrigue threaten the city's future, Tommaso finds himself playing a crucial role in a grand and intricate mystical design.

The Stars Dispose is more than just an historical novel set in Florence in the early 16th century; it has at it's heart the magic of the strega, Italian witches. This, combined with alchemy, underpins the events detailed in the novel; the political machinations of the de Medici and their enemies, plague and the siege of the city. Michaela Roessner's research is impeccable, mixing fact with the lives of her characters and producing a novel that is, in my view compelling reading.

Tommaso de Befanini is the central character, son of the head chef of the Ruggiero family, he is already in training to follow in his father's footsteps. His mother's family have run the kitchens of the de Medici for generations and they are strega, hearth witches with considerable power. Thoughout the book, their attention is focussed on the safekeeping of young Caterina, the heir to the Medici family and Tommaso's mother, Piera, plays a leading role in ensuring the safety of the young girl. Tommaso plays a central role in the protection of Caterina and although only 11 at the start of the book, he shows a maturity beyond his years. Childhood is short in Renaissance Italy and Tommaso accepts his responsibilities with good grace. At times I forgot how young he was, given that he had considerable culinary skills which he put to good use when apprenticed to Il Tribolino, the sculptor. He was also the lover of Michelangelo, creator of the Cistine Chapel ceiling fresco in the Vatican and the statue of David, which to our modern day morality is abhorrent but was acceptable behaviour in Florence at that time. Certainly Tommaso was a willing participant in the affair and this subject is dealt with sensitively and without prejudice. Whatever we may think of this relationship, it was not unusual at that time and indeed, at no point is it portrayed as abusive or exploitative. 

Food too plays a significant role in The Stars Dispose, which, given that most of the central characters work in the kitchens of Florence's leading families, is appropriate. I have often wondered what Italian food was like before the introduction of the tomato from the Americas. Well, now I know! Meals are lovingly and skillfully prepared by Tommaso's family and Michaela Roessner even provides us with several recipes at the end of the  book.

The magic intrigued me from the outset. Piera is a highly adept witch and she uses her skills in the protection of the young Caterina de Medici. We see her perform blood magic rituals to ensure the young girl's safety during the dark times facing Florence. She is part of a network of witches within the city, all of whom co-operate behind the scenes. Piera also communicates with higher powers, using astral projection to converse with these mysterious magical beings. Her employer, Ruggiero is an alchemist and occultist; he casts horoscopes and scrys the future, using his own magical skills. The focus of all this magic is ensuring that Caterina, and indeed the city of Florence, is protected from the political machinations of the Pope in Rome. Dark shadows abound in Florence, most notably in the form of Alessandro, the illegimate son of the Pope and another member of the Medici family. When plague comes to the city, Tommaso sees dark spectres in the streets, instruments of a dark power intent on destroying Florence and the de Medici. He also sees them when the city is besieged by Charles, the Holy Roman Emperor and ally of the Pope. They are portents of what might be should the magic of Piera and her strega coven fail.

I enjoy historical fiction and The Stars Dispose is a particularly well written and researched novel. The addition of magic enhances the atmosphere and tension throughout the book and personally I was fascinated by it. Roessner's writing draws the reader into the world of Renaissance Italy, a place where the magic of the strega is part of the life of the city. The intrigue and politics are complex and dark, with both sides manipulating situations with magic and occult arts which go well beyond the bounds of superstition. It is the acceptance of magic as the norm that places this book firmly in the realm of speculative fiction. It also lifts this book from a good historical novel to an excellent one. 

The sequel, The Stars Compel continues with the entwined story of Tommaso and the young Caterina, now infamous in French history as Catherine de Medici.

Plot: 9

Characters: 9

Style: 9

Overall rating 9/10

REVIEW: (Audiobook) The Passage by Justin Cronin

The Passage by Justin Cronin (audiobook)
Publishing information: 12 CDs
Publisher: Orion Publishing; 24 June 2010
ISBN 10: 1409112357
ISBN 13: 9781409112358
Standalone
Copy: out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the case "Amy Harper Bellafonte is six years old and her mother thinks she's the most important person in the whole world. She is. Anthony Carter doesn't think he could ever be in a worse place than Death Row. He's wrong. FBI agent Brad Wolgast thinks something beyond imagination is coming. It is. THE PASSAGE."

The Passage is one of the most talked about novels of 2010. It all started with a bidding war that ended up giving Cronin $5 million in his pocket (minus agent fees I am sure). Needless to say that made everyone stand up and take notice. After the news of this auction was released the book forum world took notice and debate heated up as to what the hype was all about. In a word it is about vampires, or virals as they are known in the book.

Vampires seem to be a hit with everyone whether they are on TV or glittering on the big screen. Everyone wants a big hunky male vampire or sexy little nymph female vampire to take an interest in them. The bookstores are full of these types of escapades. The good news is that Cronin's The Passage goes back to the original idea of vampires as scary, unstoppable killing machines.

To me the idea of a vampire invasion is new; however, the way in which the book presents it is not new. In The Passage the infestation occurs almost exactly as Stephen King envisioned a mutated "controlled" virus wiping out humanity in the his novel The Stand. Which is where Cronin started to lose me. I was hoping for something ground breaking which would explain why he was warranted such a high price in his bidding war for his book. Instead it was stolen from one of the biggest names in horror. While you could argue that the situations were different and the way events unfolded were different, I personally did not see it that way.

Cronin also seemed to borrow heavily from Max Brooks' World War Z in how the US military attempts to contain the viral threat. A blockade of the infected regions of the United States seemed lifted directly from World War Z. Which also turned me off of the book. I expected originality and seemed to have received anything but.

The Passage does have great and interesting characters. They are developed well and you get a very good sense of who these individuals are and what motivates them. From the first page of The Passage, Cronin gives the reader a clear image of the characters of his book. As you read (or in my case hear) the book you are transported into the mind of each protagonist. It felt as if you could reach out and touch them or phone them up for a day out. Of course, you would have to avoid the virals on that particular outing.

Cronin's style is quite entertaining. He gives the reader a clear picture and still somehow manages to keep you in suspense. There are a few times were motivations and agendas are hidden from you but they are quickly revealed when the time calls for it. While the book does deal with vampires or virals, the real story is about relationships and how they interconnect. Cronin does an impressive job of bringing the various and distinct personalities together and making them work as a unit. There are a few names to juggle around but The Passage does a great job of keeping them straight in your head.

A big bonus for reading/listening to the audiobook version of The Passage was the narrator, Edward Herrmann lends his voice talent to the tale and while I have always enjoyed him in TV and movies, as well as many documentaries, his voice is perfect for this novel. He does do some different voices for the many parts depicted in the novel and not once did it seem over the top or campy. There were times where I felt the story lagged a bit and his voice was the main reason for me to continue with The Passage.

In the end, The Passage was a good novel but due to the hype it received before it's release and what I felt was a rip off of Stephen King's The Stand and Max Brooks' World War Z, I can not give it full marks. Had this been more original I could see it rated higher but as it stands, I was slightly disappointed with the book. When Cronin releases his second book I will more than likely order it as I enjoyed his pacing and characters.

Plot 6
Characters 9
Style 7
Voice Talent 10

Overall 7/10 (only because of voice talent, otherwise 6/10)

Looking forward: Cara's anticipated releases in 2011

Now that Christmas Day is behind us, it is time to look to the future and see what delights 2011 has to offer in the way of book releases. The following books are some of what I plan to read and review over the course of 2011.

Harbinger of the Storm by Aliette de Bodard
First up, from Angry Robot Books is the second in her Obsidian and Blood series. As regular readers will know, I loved the first book in the series, Servant of the Underworld.  Set in the pre-Columbian Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, Harbinger of the Storm follows on from the events told in Servant of the Underworld:

"The year is Two House and the Mexica Empire teeters on the brink of destruction, lying vulnerable to the flesh-eating star-demons – and to the return of their creator, a malevolent goddess only held in check by the Protector God’s power.

The council is convening to choose a new emperor, but when a councilman is found dead, only Acatl, High Priest of the Dead, can solve the mystery.

When he hears rumours of a sinister cabal of sorcerors he must face up to demons, not all of them his own."

I hope to receive a pre-release review copy within the next few days and will review Harbinger of the Storm here on Speculative Book Review as soon as I have finished reading it.

Harbinger of the Storm by Aliette de Bodard
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot (25 Jan 2011)
ISBN-10: 0857660764
ISBN-13: 978-0857660763

The Fallen Blade: Act One of the Assassini (Vampire Assassin Trilogy 1) by Jon Courtney Grimwood
With this book,  Jon Courtney Grimwood hopes to reclaim the Vampire mythos from the Twilight brigade, so don't expect any vegetarian, sparkly vampires here. From what I have read about this book to date, I think he might just succeed in his aim. Certainly I am looking forward to reading The Fallen Blade as not only has it got vampires and assassins, but it is set in an alternative Venice in 1407.

"In the depths of night, customs officers board a galley in a harbour and overpower its guards. In the hold they find oil and silver, and a naked boy chained to the bulkhead. Stunningly beautiful but half-starved, the boy has no name. The officers break the boy's chains to rescue him, but he escapes.

Venice is at the height of its power. In theory Duke Marco commands. But Marco is a simpleton so his aunt and uncle rule in his stead. They command the seas, tax the colonies, and, like those in power before them, fear assassins better than their own.

In a side chapel, Marco's fifteen-year old cousin prays for deliverance from her forced marriage. It is her bad fortune to be there when Mamluk pirates break in to steal a chalice, but it is the Mamluks' good luck - they kidnap her.

In the gardens beside the chapel, Atilo, the Duke's chief assassin, prepares to kill his latest victim. Having cut the man's throat, he turns back, having heard a noise, and finds a boy crouched over the dying man, drinking blood from the wound. The speed with which the boy dodges a dagger and scales a wall stuns Atilo. And the assassin knows he has to find the boy.

Not to kill him, but because he's finally found what he thought he would never find. Someone fit to be his apprentice."

The Fallen Blade: Act One of the Assassini by Jon Courtney Grimwood
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Orbit (3 Feb 2011)
ISBN-10: 1841498459
ISBN-13: 978-1841498454

Grail by Elizabeth Bear
The final in the Jacob's Ladder trilogy, Grail is due to be released in late February 2011. I am about to start reading Chill, and reviewed the first in the series, Dust, giving it a rating of 8/10.

"I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dust, finding it to be a very original take on a ‘quest to save the world’ theme. Set in a decaying, broken generation ship, the world of Dust is one of airlocks, varying gravities, and artificial environments. The ship, the Jacob’s Ladder, is populated by two warring factions or Houses; Rule and Engine." [taken from my review of Dust]

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Spectra Books (22 Feb 2011)
ISBN-10: 0553591096
ISBN-13: 978-0553591095

City of Hope and Despair by Ian Whates
Another release from Angry Robot books, one of the most innovative new publishing houses in the UK, City of Hope and Despair is the second in Ian Whates' Urban Fantasy series, set in the vertical city of Thaiburley. I reviewed the first, City of Dreams and Nightmare on another blog I write for, Temple Library Reviews.

*EXCLUSIVE*
I have it on very good authority that Angry Robot Books have commissioned a third book in the series, City of Light and Shadow, which is scheduled for publication early in 2012.

City of Hope and Despair by Ian Whates
Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot (3 Mar 2011)
ISBN-10: 0061994294
ISBN-13: 978-0061994296

The Book of Transformations by Mark Charan Newton
This is the third book in the Legends of the Red Sun series and is due for release in June 2011. I am very eager to read this book as the previous two books in the series have been firm favourites of mine in 2010. I reviewed Nights of Villjamur on amazon.co.uk (I read it before I started reviewing here) and City of Ruin here on Speculative Book Review. Both books received top ratings from me, so I have high expectations for the forthcoming release.

"A new and corrupt Emperor seeks to rebuild the ancient structures of Villjamur to give the people of the city hope in the face of great upheaval and an oppressing ice age. But when a stranger called Shalev arrives, empowering a militant underground movement, crime and terror becomes rampant. The Inquisition is always one step behind, and military resources are spread thinly across the Empire. So Emperor Urtica calls upon cultists to help construct a group to eliminate those involved with the uprising, and calm the populace.

But there’s more to The Villjamur Knights than just phenomenal skills and abilities - each have a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything they represent. Investigator Fulcrom of the Villjamur Inquisition is given the unenviable task of managing the Knights’, but his own skills are tested when a mysterious priest, who has travelled from beyond the fringes of the Empire, seeks his help. The priest’s existence threatens the church, and his quest promises to unweave the fabric of the world.

And in a distant corner of the Empire, the enigmatic cultist Dartun Súr steps back into this world, having witnessed horrors beyond his imagination. Broken, altered, he and the remnants of his cultist order are heading back to Villjamur. And all eyes turn to the Sanctuary City, for Villjamur’s ancient legends are about to be shattered..."

The Book of Transformations by Mark Charan Newton
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Tor (3 Jun 2011)
ISBN-10: 0230750060
ISBN-13: 978-0230750067

Other new releases I am anticipating:

Twilight's Dawn: A Black Jewels Book by Anne Bishop
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Roc (Mar 2011)
ISBN-10: 0451463781
ISBN-13: 978-0451463784

Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series) by J.R.Ward
Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Piatkus Books (29 Mar 2011)
ISBN-10: 0749955600
ISBN-13: 978-0749955601

The Land of Painted Caves - Earth's Children Book 6 by Jean M. Auel
Hardcover: 672 pages
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (29 Mar 2011)
ISBN-10: 0340824255
ISBN-13: 978-0340824252

Iron Crowned: Dark Swan 3 by Richelle Mead
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bantam (31 Mar 2011)
ISBN-10: 0553826107
ISBN-13: 978-0553826104