The Immune by Doc Lucky Meisenheimer

The Immune by Doc Lucky Meisenheimer

Publishing Information: ARC Paperback; 348 pages
Publisher: LJS&S Publishing; 13 May 2011
ISBN 10: 0966761227
ISBN 13: 9780966761221
Standalone
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "A biological crisis of epic proportions threatens the world. Genetically manufactured creatures, named airwars, attack and kill at random. Despite having captured and sequestered the airwar's creator, a hastily formed world government appears more effective in consolidating power than managing the crisis. Hope emerges when a navy admiral discovers there are individuals born genetically immune to the deadly stings of the creatures. As the "immunes" struggle to protect humanity, they bemoan escalating governmental control. There is, however, one key "immune" with the intelligence and leadership to look beyond the crisis. As the government unfolds its secret plans to end the crisis, the future of humanity may well rest on his shoulders."

Not knowing anything about the author or the book when it reached my doorstep, I had no idea what to expect when I began to read The Immune. The cover is a little campy, but I have to admit I kind of like it. The novel starts out in a rather serene situation until strange floating jellyfish known as Airwars start appearing around the globe. I really enjoyed the build up to the "first contact." We spend some time with our protagonist (later known to the world as "The Immune") and got a feel for the world before everything changes. This also did a great job of setting things up for all of the United Nations changes that rapidly come to become world-wide law.

One of the most enjoyable aspects to The Immune was when chaos begins to spread across the globe and the world seems to change overnight due to a quick acting multi-national group. At times Meisenheimer has some really bleak and dark moments in human history occur. There were a few times where it did not quite hit the mark but still manages to get us to believe in the swift policy changes. Meisenheimer also give you an opportunity to think about national governments and world governing bodies as well as various other political ideas and concepts. He does not browbeat you, but I get the feeling our author has a few libertarian leanings. If fact, I could be wrong as the way in which he presents them is more in the vein of devil's advocate. I really enjoyed it as it got me to thinking about many of the ideas he brought up in the book as they all play a major role in how the world shift when a world-wide crisis occurs without warning.

However, the biggest thrill was how the book loved to use PR or Public Relations to sway the public to either go along with what the government's plans or to single out cells of hold outs who refuse to go with what the UN has deemed required. The propaganda and its uses are interesting and a huge plot point in the book which was nicely done and did a fairly good job of keeping me off-balance.

Through out The Immune, Meisenheimer weaves an intricate tale of characters and events that all build up towards a major ending. Except it was not the ending I was expecting. Just when I thought I knew who and why the Airwars appeared I was stunned to find out I was completely wrong. It is rare to find a book that manages to pull an ace from its sleeve and catch me unawares and I found that I liked it. The book felt a little too predictable and then the rug was pulled out from under me, I liked the fact that I was wrong in my prediction. Once the real conspiracy was uncovered it was resolved a little too quickly but with the big reveal there was very little more to do than deal directly with the new knowledge. However, it would have been nice to have a little bit more of the real cover up as it came from left field and was completely unexpected.

The Immune is a nice change of pace it tells of a world-wide threat that is unexplained, how the governments of the world step in or in most cases get out of the way and, and how people cope with their new realities. It also raises a lot of questions about our world governments, the UN, and the secrets that they keep. Science and genetics are also questioned in the book. I have a feeling that The Immune may escape a lot of readers attention, but it really should not be missed. It just might be the sleeper hit of the year. A book with the same ideas as Heinlein but a bit more in your face and focused on today's current concerns. Recommended.

Plot 8
Characters 7
Style 8

Overall 8/10

REVIEW: Contra Alliance: Shadows of the Past by Tom Kolega (Kindle Edition)

Contra Alliance: Shadows of the Past by Tom Kolega
Publishing information: Kindle
Publisher: State of the Art Entertainment, LLC; 9 October 2010
ISBN 10: 9780615302027
ISBN 13: 978-0615302027
ASIN: 0615302025
Series: The Contra Alliance Trilogy Book One
Copy: Provided by Author
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "The year is 2035. America's preeminence has withered. Global warming, scarce resources, and conflict have pushed the world to its breaking point. Throughout the increasing turmoil, a rogue group called The Revolution has risen to prominence seeking domination over humanity.

Shadows of the Past explores the adventures of a NATO Counter-Revolutionary (CONTRA) Strike Force as it battles against the mysterious organization. Elite Special Forces operators use advanced military technology to hunt The Revolution, finding its feared wickedness is worse than imagined. When secrets of the enemy's origin threaten accepted reality, dangers intensify.

Disturbing evidence exposed by CONTRA uncovers stunning truths about the galaxies. A covert faction of extraordinary messengers race to save Earth. Legends of the past and visions of the future collide when a long-dormant evil resurfaces to challenge the most powerful space alliance in the universe. The course of human history irrevocably alters, setting the world on an unforeseen path.

When Time Unlocks The Truth to History . . . The Epic Begins."

When I received Contra Alliance I could not help but think about the classic video game. However, after a few chapters in I knew that it was not the case. Contra Alliance deals with a highly secretive branch of operators working for the United Nations and two powerful alien races who are secretly waging a secret war on Earth.

The biggest obstacle is that there is a huge cast of characters, nations, and abilities to juggle. Many of which really don't play a major factor in the story or the characters abilities, at least at this point in the story. But it truly is an international group, and to a degree, interstellar force. While the setting takes place in the near future not much has happened in the way of weapons. Lasers have started to make an appearance on the battlefield, as well as battle suits that augment the person wearing them. We are told that the United States has lost its grip on being the ultimate superpower yet they are still at the forefront of every altercation, still have the best equipment, and continue to play a major role in international affairs which left me a little confused as to how or if they had truly fallen.

Contra Alliance has two plot lines going: the evil plan of the Revolution that plans to use earth for their personal revenge against their ancient enemies and the constant, well-planned and oftentimes violence from radical groups, and the second plot is the newly formed UN's Contra force must assist in bringing order out of chaos. There is a third plot, where earth's alien protectors must keep their involvement and identities secret but it is a minor plot point.

There is a lot of action and the way Kolega weaves them is quite good. They are quick and the results felt well into the final pages of the book. No one is really safe from injury or death except for a few key players that will be obvious from the start. Contra Alliance has the feel of a novelizaton for a comic book and I could see this as a Sci-fi (sorry Syfy) television show similar in the vein of Stargate: SG1 if it ever made it to the small screen. Which I think would bring in a lot of viewers.

At the end of the day, Contra Alliance is a suprising military action story with some great characters and the potential for a great series. I know there is a plans for a prequel and its sequel should be released soon. While not the deepest story you will ever find, it is a lot of fun to read and does a great job of keeping you guessing. Had I not been asked to review the book would have missed out on a great science fiction military adventure. While it does not take place in space, there is some foreshadowing of what is to come and it has me excited to see what happens next. Contra Alliance: Shadows of the Past is the perfect read for anyone looking to escape. I am glad I was introduced to the series and hope that I have a chance to continue the adventures that Kolega started in this book.

Plot  7
Characters 7.5
Style  7

Overall 8.5/10

The Dangers of Reviewing Books

I am sure everyone has already seen this review and response from the author, but it should be noted that sometimes you need to take a deep breath and think before you speak.


Jaqueline Howett, a self-published author, does not care for negative reviews and goes on a tirade against the reviewer and the reviewing community at large. This is spreading like wildfire and some good advice is attempted to be given by the internet community, unfortunately it has fallen on deaf ears. The comments are exploding and it is has also started a debate on Amazon.

REVIEW: Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts

Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts
Publishing Information: Paperback; 336 pages
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co.; 22 January 2009
ISBN 10: 0575083573
ISBN 13: 9780575083578
Standalone
Copy: Out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book "It is 1946. WWII is over, the Soviet Union has crushed Nazi Germany and now exerts control over a vast swathe of Eastern Europe. However, Stalin is uneasy. He knows that the decadent United States will collapse within a decade and without an enemy to galvanize it, the Soviet Union's pursuit of worldwide Communist revolution may falter. He summons a group of the USSR's leading science fiction writers to a remote dacha and has them create a new foe to energise the Russian people. They concoct a story of radiation-based aliens launching an assault on the Earth by initially destroying an American spacecraft and then launching a devastating radioactive assault on the Ukraine. After several months of work, Stalin has the project terminated and the writers are sent back to their lives, warned never to speak of the project again."

This is my second attempt to read Adam Roberts, my first attempt was with New Model Army, which I felt was less than stellar. In Yellow Blue Tibia Adams does a much better job. The book spans forty years of Konstantin Andreiovich Skyorecky's life. From his encounter with Stalin where he is to brainstorm the ultimate Science Fiction story to keep the Soviet people in fear from an outside invaders to his time when Chernobyl meltdown.

The character of Konstantin is an interesting one as his sense of humor helps to propel Yellow Blue Tibia beyond the mundane and adds a distinct feel of Russian humor to the novel. The one scene in particular that demonstrates this is his time being interrogated by the KGB. I felt that it sums up the character rather well and does an excellent job of humanizing the secretive agency while injecting some humor. All of the supporting characters are also written fairly well and do a good job of projecting their personalities in the story.

Yellow Blue Tibia supposedly takes place in our history, but Roberts ends the novel in a fairly strange way which makes you wonder if the book really takes place in our time line or in an alternate reality. I know that as I finished the book, I was uncertain of just where or when things took place. It made for a more entertaining read that I enjoyed all the more for it.

While Yellow Blue Tibia was by far a better book than his New Model Army, I still am on the fence as to whether I actually like Roberts as an author. There are some funny situations and dialogue in the book but the book also loses focus and makes for a confusing read here and there which turned me off as we neared the second act of the book. If Roberts has another book that sounds interesting, I may pick it up otherwise I doubt I will go out of my way to pick up another of his novels. It should also be noted that Yellow Blue Tibia was nominated in 2010 for the Arthur C. Clarke Award.

Plot 9
Characters 7
Style 7

Overall 7/10

Two New Neal Asher Artwork Revealed

This week Tor UK revealed new artwork for two Neal Asher books: Line War and Hilldiggers.

Line War by Neal Asher

Paperback: 566 pages
Publisher: Tor (3 April 2009)
ISBN-10: 9780330441544
ISBN-13: 978-0330441544

The Polity is under attack from a ‘melded’ AI entity with control of the lethal Jain technology, yet the attack seems to have no coherence. When one of Erebus’s wormships kills millions on the world of Klurhammon, a high-tech agricultural world of no real tactical significance, agent Ian Cormac is sent to investigate, though he is secretly struggling to control a new ability no human being should possess . . . and beginning to question the motives of his AI masters.

Further attacks and seemingly indiscriminate slaughter ensue, but only serve to bring some of the most dangerous individuals in the Polity into the war. Mr Crane, the indefatigable brass killing machine sets out for vengeance, while Orlandine, a vastly-augmented haiman who herself controls Jain technology, seeks a weapon of appalling power and finds allies from an ancient war.

Meanwhile Mika, scientist and Dragon expert, is again kidnapped by that unfathomable alien entity and dragged into the heart of things: to wake the makers of Jain technology from their five-million-year slumber.

But Erebus’s attacks are not so indiscriminate, after all, and could very well herald the end of the Polity itself . . .

Hilldiggers by Neal Asher

Paperback: 551 pages
Publisher: Tor (4 April 2008)
ISBN-10: 0330441531
ISBN-13: 978-0330441537

During a war between two planets in the same solar system – each occupied by adapted humans – what is thought to be a cosmic superstring is discovered. After being cut, this object collapses into four cylindrical pieces, each about the size of a tube train. Each is densely packed with either alien technology or some kind of life. They are placed for safety in three ozark cylinders of a massively secure space station. There a female research scientist subsequently falls pregnant, and gives birth to quads. Then she commits suicide – but why?

By the end of the war one of the contesting planets has been devastated by the hilldiggers – giant space dreadnoughts employing weapons capable of creating mountain ranges. The quads have meanwhile grown up and are assuming positions of power in the post-war society. One of them will eventually gain control of the awesome hilldiggers . . .

From the Inside Flap

"A terrible war once raged between the two rival planets within a distant solar system. Over the centuries their human inhabitants had 'adapted' themselves to the extremely different conditions of their new homes, far outside Polity influence.

In the midst of this merciless conflict, one side encountered a bizarre object suspected of being a cosmic superstring employed as a new weapon by the rival side. Their attack on it caused the object to collapse into four parts, each found to be packed either with alien technology or some unknown form of life. Pending further study, these were quickly encased inside four separate Ozark cylinders and stored in a massively secure space station in orbit.

Sometime later, while conducting research on this alien entity, which they now call 'the Worm', a female scientist falls pregnant and subsequently gives birth to quads. She then inexplicably commits suicide by walking directly out into space . . .

The war was finally brought to an end by the use of new weapons arising as a result of research on the Worm. These weapons were deployed by giant space dreadnoughts nicknamed 'hilldiggers' - and their destructive power was sufficient to create entire new mountain ranges out of the vanquished planet's ravaged terrain. Twenty years after the dust has settled, those four exceptionally talented orphans have grown up to assume varying degrees of power and influence within a post-war society.

And one of this exceptional breed now seems determined to gain total control over the deadly hilldiggers. But why?"

Sanderson and Vinge New Cover Art

Recently two new covers were uncovered over at Tor.

Brandon Sanderson's The Alloy of Law which is the fourth book in the Mistborn Series and scheduled to be released in November.  It has a steampunk feel to it.

And a stunning Vernor Vinge for The Children of the Sky. The follow up to the Hugo Award winning A Fire Upon the Deep. Have yet to read anything by Vinge but I may have to change that soon. Tor is having a giveaway for The Children of the Sky. click here for more information and a chance to win one of 50 copies.

REVIEW: Regarding Ducks and Universes by Neve Maslakovic

Regarding Ducks and Universes by Neve Maslakovic
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: AmazonEncore; 22 February 2011
ISBN 10: 1935597345
ISBN 13: 978-1935597346
ASIN: B003WQAZ3Q
Standalone
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "On a foggy Monday in 1986, the universe suddenly, without warning, bifurcated. Fast-forward to 35 years later: Felix Sayers is a culinary writer living in San Francisco of Universe A who spends his days lunching at Coconut Café and dreaming of penning an Agatha Christie-style mystery. But everything changes when his Aunt Henrietta dies, leaving Felix a photograph of his father and himself--dated ten days before Felix was born. It can only mean one thing: Felix has an 'alter' in Universe B. Panicked that his mystery novel may exist already, Felix crosses to San Francisco B and proceeds to flagrantly violate the rules of both worlds by snooping around his alter's life. But when he narrowly escapes a hit-and-run, it becomes clear that someone knows he's crossed over... and whoever it is isn't happy about it. Now Felix must uncover the truth about his alter, the events of one Monday, and a wayward rubber duck before his time in both worlds runs out."

When I received Regarding Ducks and Universes I really had no idea what to expect. The blurb made is sound like a humorous romp with the feel of Christopher Moore. to a certain extent, it is. But what I ended up getting was a light mystery more in the vein of China Mielville.

When we start the book we are in a transporter that allows individuals to travel from Universe A to Universe B. Neither universe is ours although both have a striking resemblance. However, Universe A relies on computers and has a serious inflation problem and Universe B still contains books and personal motor vehicles. Each universe was unique and I found myself being drawn into both of them without really realizing what was happening. Before I knew it, I was hunting for more of the little things to see how they compared to each other and our own universe. I also was looking for clues to the mystery the novel was attempting to solve.

Felix A (from Universe A) is our main character and from the moment we are introduced to him, he quickly comes off as a very real individual with real concerns and feelings. The rest of the characters do a decent job of rounding out the cast and some are wacky but overall they all add to the story. Felix A is a bored to death writer who dreams of writing a mystery novel and hopes to find out more about his double (Felix B) and to see if his double leads a better life than he does and if he has been beaten to the punch about his novel.

Another interesting thing about the two universes was how they came to be and how one could travel and communicate between the two. The two universes have a privacy law that far exceeds anything we have here in our universe and really holds the two universes together and to a certain degree, apart. The whole same yet different concept was explored in Mielville's The City and The City and Regarding Ducks and Universes is similar yet, much easier to take in. The rules are quickly established and then the characters look for ways to turn it to their advantage or in some cases blatantly disregard it.

There are many humorous incidents and observations within Regarding Ducks and Universes, which offer a few light-hearted moments. There are a few science fictional elements that make up the story but the core of the story is a mystery. As Felix A (from Universe A) and Felix B (from Universe B) work with and against each other to help different organizations find out just what event lead to the two (nearly) identical universes to become (slightly) altered. I really had no idea just what to expect when I started reading Regarding Ducks and Universes and found myself enjoying the adventure and mystery found within. It is a light read with a lot of great moments and a decent mystery that leaves you guessing until the end. The brilliance that I found in Regarding Ducks and Universes is that there is a lot of mystery in the book, from our character wanting to write a mystery novel, to his love of Agatha Christie, to the mystery contained within the book. The book itself is an enigma, wrapped up in a puzzle and all of it is done simply and without difficulty.

Plot 8
Characters 7
Style 7

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: Wintertide by Michael J Sullivan (Kindle Edition)

Wintertide by Michael J Sullivan
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: Ridan Publishing; 1 October 2010
ISBN 10: 0982514581
ISBN 13: 978-0982514580
ASIN: B00452VB5W
Series: The Riyria Revelations Book 5
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "A FORCED WEDDING. A DOUBLE EXECUTION. TWO THIEVES HAVE OTHER PLANS.


The New Empire intends to celebrate its victory over the Nationalists with a day that will never be forgotten. On the high holiday of Wintertide the empress will be married. Degan Gaunt and the Witch of Melengar will be publically executed. Then the empress will suffer a fatal accident leaving the empire in the hands of the new emperor. It will be a perfect day. There is only one problem-Royce and Hadrian have finally found the lost heir."

A year ago today we started Speculative Book Review with the first review of Michael Sullivan's The Emerald Storm, book four in the Riyria Revelations series. It seems only fitting that we review the fifth book in the series, Wintertide, on our anniversary.

With each new installment in the Riyria Revelations the characters just get better. Wintertide is no exception. This addition focuses is on a much smaller scale than the previous novels as it all takes place in one location, for the most part. As things took a turn for the worst at the end of The Emerald Storm. Royce and Hadrian go their separate ways for the majority of the novel in order to take on their personal quests.

In Wintertide, we head to the Empire's capital, Aquesta, for the celebration known as Wintertide. As Royce and Hadrian enter the city there is a lot of great characters introduced. We meet a few street smart kids that take on a more important role and and also provide some levity to the story. With their introduction we also catch a glimpse about what life is like for the underprivileged and just how important the world's rulers are to the down trodden. The conversations the kids have when plotting their crimes and how to handle the city's newcomers was a lot of fun.

We also have a few recurring characters take on a larger role in Wintertide, they tend to help out our main characters in one shape or another. The story of Hadrian's taking on the role of a recently dubbed knight is interesting as he must learn the ways of a noble and the warfare that takes place during the gatherings and royal occasions are a lot of fun to read as the snubbing that takes place is highly amusing and intelligent. Royce's story is very minor and he really only shows up at the end; however, we he does his actions speak louder than words and the ending sets the stage for the final book. His story has him confronting a friend from the past and while I could see it coming from the previous books, I was not prepared for what happens in Wintertide. His role while minor, has a dramatic impact on how this story comes to a conclusion.

As with all of Sullivan's books in the Riyria Revelations series, Wintertide can be read as an individual book, but not recommend it as you miss out on a lot of the little stuff and many of the holes are plugged as we venture forth in this book. For those waiting for the last book in the series you will have a somewhat longer wait than expected as Orbit has recently purchased the series and will be releasing it as a trilogy. Percepliquis, will be contained in the third book in the trilogy. While I have spoken to Mrs. Sullivan she has stated that they may be able to do a limited run on the final book in the series and if you go to Michael Sullivan's website you may be able to complete your collection with all of Sullivan's amazing covers. Wintertide is highly recommended and should be congratulated on his recent success with Orbit purchasing his series.

Plot 8
Characters 7.5
Style 8

Overall 9/10

REVIEW: Skywatcher by Jon Connington

Skywatcher by Jon Connington
Publishing information: Paperback (proof copy) 324 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace; 27 Sept 2010
ISBN 10: 145384435X
ISBN 13: 978-1453844359
Series: book 2 of 2
Copy: Provided by author version was a proof addition
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book "Armies gather on the horizon. A world on the edge of destruction A hero faces the ultimate choice.


Driven onward by his quest for revenge, Macsen has come the Kingdom of Audran, There he joins with the Order of the Skywatchers to bring down Goren, the mage responsible for the destruction of his village.


Armies gather in the wilds of the Upper Airs, as Goren readies the final step of his plan to destroy the world and then remake it in his image.


Battle rages in the killing skies, swords and magic clash. And the fate of the world lies in the hands of one man.


SKYWATCHER: the thrilling conclusion of The Storm at the Center of the World!"

Not long ago Speculative Book Review was approached by Jon Connington to review his first novel Field of Fire, the majority of us really enjoyed what we read and were dying to see the conclusion to his series. Luckily Connington approached us again to review his second and final book in the series, Skywatcher.

When I read Field of Fire there were a lot of unanswered questions such as what keeps the world afloat and how do the flying ships stay in the air. I was delighted to find out how both were possible but they were also a little bit of a let down and the reasons for both were a little too quickly explained without further information. While it may have slowed down the pacing of the book, I still would have liked to have learned more about how these things were possible. In truth, aside from learning these two facts there was little world building in the book. Considering the potential that Connington presented in the first book I had hoped that he would take advantage of the massive world, but unfortunately he did not.

As Skywatcher opens up I was a little disoriented and lost as you are swept up in events. Not a lot of what occurs in the opening scene makes a lot of sense in the beginning but as the book unfolds it becomes more apparent as to what has happened and why it occurred. The problem that I had with Skywatcher is the pacing. The book seems disjointed at times, as I read it it felt rushed, as if the author was hurrying to complete the novel without filling us in on some vitally important things. There were a few holes that I hope are made clear when the final version is released.

We also return to the life of Macsen, our hero and even he did not seem to be the good guy he appeared to be from the first novel. There was also a major love sub-plot that just never seemed to get off the ground and was a little confusing. It seemed very forced as there was no chemistry before the actual encounter where the two "fall in love." Again, I felt as if it was due to the fact that the story felt rushed. Had Skywatcher taken its time and let things develop more naturally, I think it not have been so muddled. It is not that the characters were so bad, just that it did not feel natural.

When compared to Field of Fire, Skywatcher is not as good. The pacing and characters did not flow as well as they did in the debut novel. The end was also a little disappointing. However, the end was fitting. Skywatcher is a decent novel and while I had a proof copy, the final version should prove to be a decent end to the series.

Plot 6
Characters 7
Style 5

Overall 6/10

REVIEW: Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (Kindle Edition)

Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
Publishing Information: Kindle Edition; 1008 pages
Publisher: DAW; 1 March 2011
ISBN 10: 0756404738
ISBN 13: 978-0756404734
ASIN: B00475AYJQ
Series: Kingkiller Chronicles Day 2
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."

My name is Kvothe.

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.

So begins the tale of a hero told from his own point of view-a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man's Fear, Day Two of The Kingkiller Chronicle, an escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King's road.

All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived...until Kvothe.

In The Wise Man's Fear, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time."

When The Name of the Wind came out a few years ago, I was blown away at the narrative. Rothfuss was able to tell a tale we have already heard countless times and make it original. His characters were gripping, his story was hard to put down, and when I reached the end I wanted nothing more than to continue the story. It has taken a little longer than I wanted, but with great anticipation Wise Man's Fear has finally been released.

In Wise Man's Fear we continue the story of Kvothe and we were hoping that we would learn much more about his life and how he became infamous. Unfortunately, that just is not the case. The novel still manages to capture the imagination; however, it does not advance the story very far. When the second book opens up we pick up right were we left off and a good portion stays with his time at the University. Once we get away from the school of magic, I was hoping for a major advancement to the story instead Kvothe tells of two side quests which do in fact add to his growing legend but fail to really go anywhere when the big picture is taken into account. Wise Man's Fear also felt very padded. While Rothfuss does a great job of storytelling, I felt that more editing would have made the sequel move a little quicker and not felt so repetitious. There was a lot of images and ideas that felt repeated. Even when Kvothe leaves the University and ends up going to a famed Adem mercenary training camp he nearly has the same experiences that he had while he attended school to learn magic. Simply switch out book learning for soul searching, magic for sword and hand to hand combat and you have a nearly identical situation. He is once again shunned by peers and slowly gains the help of his "classmates" while rising the ire of others. Kvothe's education continues to new and epic heights, he never really learns to think to very far into the future. He has an education but has yet to show any real wisdom, this could perhaps could be due to his youth but it still is a little infuriating.

All of the supporting cast from the first novel are present in Wise Man's Fear and many are brought a little closer to the forefront of the story for a good portion of the book which is nice to see. While the first portion of the book is set back at the University, many of his professors are finally given reasons for their actions and it was interesting to see some of the politics that goes on between them. We also have a fair number of new players in the story. Kvothe encounters the Fae as well as gaining some influence with the nobility which add to his growing legend. The portion of the book where Kvothe meets Felurian, was quite good, it also gives us a sneak peek at what we may be encountering in the third novel in the series. Some of the supporting characters lead interesting lives and I would have liked to know more about their backgrounds but that was not to be. Kvothe also gets a little closer to learning more about the Chandrian and his ultimate goal of confronting them.

For the few faults that are present in Wise Man's Fear, Rothfuss proves that he is not a one hit wonder. If you enjoyed The Name of the Wind you will enjoy Wise Man's Fear just as much. There are times when the book feels a little padded or at least repeating itself to a certain degree which is why I gave it an average overall score. Rothfuss still goes to show us how he can weave an interesting tale and since this book did little to advance the story as far as the big picture is concerned it does a great job of building up his legend. I still feel that a portion of the story could have been edited out to ease the repetition but with not much advancement in the story it should make for a quick paced and action packed finale.

Plot 8
Characters 9
Style 10

Overall 7/10

Taiwan's Take on George RR Martin's Series and Release Date

If you haven't heard the news already, A Dance With Dragons will be released in the US and UK on 12 July 2011. That being said it has even impacted Taiwan. Below is their animated news report:

Mutant Turtles and Daleks

Two interesting videos hit the web recently. The first is the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which will premiere soon on Nickelodeon and the second is a fan based take on the Daleks from Doctor Who. Not sure how I feel about the new turtles look, although Donatello now has more than just a stick. It has been improved to a stick with knife attachment.

TMNT


The Doctor Who may have some language not appropriate for some viewers so you have been warned.

DALEKS

News From Ian Tregillis and the Status of the Milkweed Trilogy

There have been some serious setbacks in the release of Bitter Seeds and its sequels. Many, including myself, are waiting to see what happens in his take on World War II. While the books are going to be delayed again there is some good news.

He also sheds some light on his issues with the publishing world and why we have been waiting so long for their releases -

I've been trying to figure out how to write this post for a couple of weeks.


There are two reasons for the difficulty. First and foremost, this topic makes me feel helpless, and furious, and very very depressed. Second, I've been dithering over how much of this I can talk about in public. The very last thing I'd ever want to do is sound like a disgruntled troublemaker.


But a few days ago I unwisely let something slip in the comment thread to a recent blog post, where I thought very few people would see it. Instead, it ended up on Twitter. (I really wish I'd taken a more moderate tone in my off-the-cuff comments there.)


So I'll cut to the chase: My publisher has delayed—yet again—the publication dates for the mass market paperback of Bitter Seeds, as well as for the hardcover of Milkweed #2, The Coldest War. This means that contrary to my last announcement (which came on the heels of a face-to-face meeting with my editor), Coldest War will NOT debut in October 2011.


For more on why the books are delayed and just what is going on click here.

Two For One eBook Offer From Daniel Abraham

I already took advantage of the deal so I figured I would pass it along as both books sound awesome and with luck it will start a trend if enough people take advantage of it.

From Orbit's website:

NEW YORK: MARCH 2, 2010 — Orbit (US), the Science Fiction and Fantasy imprint of Hachette Book Group, announced an eBook promotion for THE DRAGON’S PATH by Daniel Abraham and LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S.A. Corey. The bonus eBook edition of THE DRAGON’S PATH (April 11, 2011; ISBN: 9780316175074) will feature a complimentary edition of LEVIATHAN WAKES in the same eBook package; while the bonus eBook edition of LEVIATHAN WAKES (June 15, 2011; ISBN: 9780316134675) will include THE DRAGON’S PATH.

Orbit launched the promotion as a unique way to introduce readers to these new series. Orbit VP and Publisher Tim Holman explains, “Although the two genres are often categorized alongside each other, direct cross-promotion of new Science Fiction and Fantasy releases in this way is quite new. We’re very excited to be giving readers the chance to discover both these exciting new series at the same time. “

THE DRAGON’S PATH marks the launch of The Dagger and the Coin, a new fantasy series from Daniel Abraham, one of the most critically acclaimed new fantasy writers in recent years. LEVIATHAN WAKES, the first book in The Expanse Series, is co-authored by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, writing together as James S.A. Corey.

Daniel Abraham says, “This kind of promotion is exactly what would have gotten me grinning when I was a kid, like the old Ace Doubles reimagined for a new millennium. I remember sitting on my porch at sixteen reading doubles of Silverberg and Delaney and LeGuin and Dick. There was stuff from all corners of the genre, and I’m delighted to see us reaching back toward that, and at the same time reading fantasy on devices that would have been pure science fiction.”

Ty Franck says, “Daniel and I are both trying to write stories that appeal to people who typically might not stray outside their chosen genre. And as a reader, I will boldly assert that two books is always better than one.”

The bonus editions will be available through all major US ebook platforms beginning with the launch of THE DRAGON’S PATH on April 11th.

ABOUT ORBIT: Orbit is a division of Hachette Book Group. It publishes across the spectrum of Science Fiction and Fantasy — from action-packed urban fantasy to widescreen space opera; from sweeping epic adventures to near-future thrillers.

ABOUT DANIEL ABRAHAM: Daniel Abraham is the author of the critically-acclaimed Long Price Quartet. He has been nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards, and won the International Horror Guild award. He also writes as MLN Hanover and (with Ty Franck) James S.A. Corey. He lives in New Mexico.

ABOUT JAMES S.A. COREY: James S.A. Corey is the pen name of fantasy author Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.

REVIEW: Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay

Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Publishing information: Paperback; 528 pages
Publisher: Eos; 01 July 2005
ISBN 10: 0060733497
ISBN 13: 9780060733490
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: " The ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite Empire has splintered into decadent city-states lead by warring petty kings. King Almalik of Cartada is on the ascendancy, aided always by his friend and advisor, the notorious Ammar ibn Khairan – poet, diplomat; soldier – until a summer afternoon of savage brutality changes their relationship forever.
Meanwhile, in the north, the conquered Jaddites’ most celebrated – and feared – military leader, Rodrigo Belmonte, driven into exile, leads his mercenary company south.
In the dangerous lands of Al-Rassan, these two men from different worlds meet and serve – for a time – the same master. Sharing their interwoven fate – and increasingly torn by her feelings – is Jehane, the accomplished court physician, whose own skills play an increasing role as Al-Rassan is swept to the brink of holy war, and beyond.
Hauntingly evocative of Medieval Spain, The Lions of Al-Rassan is both a brilliant adventure and a deeply compelling story of love, divided loyalties, and what happens to men and women when hardening beliefs begin to remake – or destroy – a world."

I have a few Guy Gavriel Kay titles in the pile and I was told by my fellow Speculative Book Reviewers that The Lions of Al-Rassan is the best place to start. Since this book has been staring at me for nearly a year, I thought that it was time I finally man up and see what Mr. Kay was all about.

The three main characters in The Lions of Al-Rassan represent the three religious factions: Asharites, Jaddites, and Kindath. These three groups represent Islam, Christians, and Jews. The three characters are all very charismatic and are considered to be the perfect specimen of their given factions. Ammar ibn Khairan is a well-known warrior and poet who represents the Asharites/Muslims, Rodrigo Belmonte (El Cid) is the champion for the Christians/Jaddites, and Jehane is the beautiful and intelligent Kindath/Jewish doctor that the two men fall in love with. I did enjoy each of the characters and it was refreshing to see the Asharites/Muslims shown in a favorable light even if it was a more romanticized version. Ammar was a character that you could respond to. Belmonte was also a great character, except he also had a huge flaw, in that he was married to one, if not the most beautiful woman in the realm and he found himself in a love triangle with Ammar and Jehane. This was a lot to swallow as his introduction showed him as honorable and loving no one else aside from his wife. For the story to work you had to buy into his love for another woman. The other woman, Jehane, was also a great character. She was very strong and did a great job of moving the story forward. Even the supporting cast had great parts to play as the story unfolded. Kay does an excellent job with characters, although there is a small need to stretch the imagination and buy into Belmonte's love for Jehane but as I said it is a small stretch even if it tarnishes his honorable image.

The world building is a little less than average as Kay has taken medieval Spain and renamed all of the cities and locations to his world. The map in the beginning of the novel should give you a clue as to what time of topography you are going to encounter in the book. For me I simply pictured Don Quixote. The Lions of Al-Rassan has very little magic within its pages. There is one child who has visions of the future which is more of a plot device than anything else. The book is more of Kay's take on the world at that time in history without actually calling it Spain.

The Lions of Al-Rassan is a tad slow as there is a lot of ground to cover before any action occurs. Much of the book has the characters traveling to a new city or discussing strategy. While I know that Kay is not a huge action writer it may have helped me get through this novel a bit faster if the pace had picked up. That is not to say that the book was bad, quite the opposite, but there are a lot of slow moments. However, even though it was much slower than other fantasy books I have read it was a fairly good read with some amazing characters and an interesting take on the Spanish medieval period (It reminded me a lot of Daniel Abraham's books). While I have not read anything else by Kay at this point in time I am willing to give him another try as the book was interesting and a nice change of pace from what I normally read. It should also be noted that The Lions of Al-Rassan was chosen as the 2010 World Scholar's Cup novel, as it coincides with their theme of "A World Divided."

Plot 8.5
Characters 10
Style 8

Overall 8/10

Poster Artwork

With three major books coming to you in the very near future. The studios have released their posters. We Have Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tide, Game of Thrones, and Conan 3D. All look interesting and I was looking forward to the new spin on Conan but the fact that it is 3D kinda leaves a sour taste in my mouth but I will still give it a shot.

Goodnight Dune

A really great storybook website has managed to find me. Goodnight Dune takes a sci-fi look at the popular children's story Goodnight Moon.

It really is creative and should be read to any young child or fan of the Dune series. You might just have to hop into bed and read yourself to sleep with this one.

PRESS RELEASE: Redheart by Jackie Gamber

Jackie Gamber's Redheart Cover Art and Illustrations Revealed

Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil the cover art and illustrations to

Redheart, Book One of the Leland Dragon Series, from Mary Shelley Award

winning author Jackie Gamber.

The first installment of the exciting new YA fantasy series is slated for

release on April 19th.  The cover art and illustrations were created by

Matthew Perry, whose artwork appears on the covers and interiors of other

Seventh Star Press authors such as Steven Shrewsbury and Stephen Zimmer.

A pre-ordering window is now open for readers interested in a limited

edition hardcover of Redheart, which features an illustration created

especially for that version.  There is also a pre-order offer for the

regular trade paperback edition.  Both of the pre-order offers include

packages of bonus materials, ranging from 14X20 posters of one of the

illustrations, to a set of four 5X7 glossy prints.

Redheart invites readers into the lands of Leland Province, where dragon

and human societies have long dwelled side by side. Superstitions rise

sharply, as a severe drought strips the land of its bounty, providing

fertile ground for the darker ambitions of Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon

Council Leader, who seeks to subdue humans or wipe them off the face of

the land.

As the shadow of danger creeps across Leland Province, a young dragon

named Kallon Redheart, who has turned his back on dragons and humans

alike, comes into an unexpected friendship. Riza Diantus is a young woman

whose dreams can no longer be contained by the narrow confines of her

village, and when she finds herself in peril, Kallon is the only one with

the power to save her. Yet to do so means he must confront his past, and

embrace a future he stopped believing in.

A tale of friendship, courage, and ultimate destiny, Redheart invites

readers to a wondrous journey through the Leland Dragon Series.

Redheart will ultimately be available in trade paperback, hardcover, and a

variety of eBook editions.

Sela, Book Two of the series, is targeted for a third quarter release in

2011, with Book Three scheduled for mid-2012 release in all of the

aforementioned formats.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site

for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's

site at www.jackiegamber.com

Contact:  C.C. James

Public Relations, Seventh Star Press

ccjames@seventhstarpress.com

Seventh Star Press Mailing Address:

3801 Dylan Place Suite 116, #7

Lexington, Ky. 40514-1062

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction

located in Lexington Kentucky.

CONTEST: Reviewers Wanted

Life has caught up with many of the reviewers here at Speculative Book Review. We all work full-time, go to school, have lives, and many of us just started a family. With that in mind, we are looking for a couple of people to join SBR and help us review.

Our requirements:
1. Read and review at least two books per month. If you want to review more books than that, that is even better. We don't care what you read, just as long as you tell us in advance so we don't double up on reviews.
2. Allow us to review and if necessary edit your review before it is published. (This will change once you are accepted into the SBR family)
3. Provide your own books for review, if you receive ARCs even better but for the most part all of our reviewed novels are bought and paid for with our own hard earned money.
4. Your reviews must follow our review format. We also tend to keep the reviews family oriented so try to avoid any of those pesky curse words.
5. You can be located anywhere in the world. We are a very diverse group to begin with.

This is a serious offer for those who want to make a serious effort. We take pride in our work, and we are also control freaks. We want your work to be high-quality, and we want it to be reliable. If you don't think you can be reliable, don't bother entering our "contest."

This is a competition. you will pick a book (science fiction, fantasy, or horror), and you will read and review it.

The Contest:

1) You pick a book.
2) You read it and review it.
3) You email us the review along with your personal details.
4) We read your review. We will judge it on originality, quality of writing (it doesn't have to be perfect, we WILL edit you reviews after all), clarity of writing, and whether or not your review was in line with what we requested.
5) The one, or two reviewers we felt were best, we will choose to be permanent reviewers on SBR.

Again, SBR is a big deal to us. We are beginning to show up on the covers of books and getting books from major publishing houses. We want to maintain the confidence that publishers, agents, editors, publicists, and readers have in us. We are special, and we want to keep it that way.

Contest will run until April 29th GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) as this is the time our website is set to. Good luck to everyone we look forward to your submissions.

FAQs
Q-- Can I review more than one book for the contest?
A-- Sure, if they are solid reviews, it will give us confidence in you. However, if one sucks, it may hinder you.

Q-- How long should the reviews be?
A-- Look at our reviews (there are dozens of them). While the lengths may vary in some cases, they are almost all around the same length.

Q-- Is it OK to put spoilers in the review?
A-- No. Remain spoiler free, although if it is in a series we understand some things may slip.

Q-- Where will I be on the SBR totem-pole?
A-- We try to maintain a democracy at SBR, you will have a say in all decisions with the website, but since we started the website and know which direction we want to go we hope you will understand when we strongly share our opinion on the website and its future. We always put things to a vote at SBR with majority ruling.

Please email us with any other question at Speculative Book Review.

Interesting Top 25 Steampunk Aficianados List

I recently was directed to an interesting list of the top 25 steampunk Aficianados novels list. I think it is worth checking out, especially if you are thinking about dipping your toes into the steampunk world. I would have liked to have seen some of Chris Wooding's work make the list but, you can't have everything.

Anyone studying literature, art and design or film (particularly speculative pieces) has likely come across steampunk in some manner. Regardless of what many misguided Etsy sellers claim, this offshoot of cyberpunk (along with the similar retrofuturist subgenres dieselpunk and atompunk) originates from authors emulating 19th Century scientific romances. Most — though by no means all — envision a Victorian or Edwardian world boasting technologies far beyond what reality ever saw. Many of these involve gears, clocks and obviously liberal amounts of steam. Though taste is always subjective, the following literary works should provide a reasonable foundation for anyone curious about exploring steampunk culture.

Follow the link for the complete list.

Attack the Block

Great new movie coming out from the Sean of the Dead people. London gangs versus aliens.

REVIEW: The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2009 Edited by Rich Horton

The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2009 Edited by Rich Horton
Publishing Information: Paperback; 544 pages
Publisher: Prime Books; 6 January 2010
ISBN 10: 1607012146
ISBN 13: 978-1607012146
Series: Annual publication
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "The first volume of The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy features over a quarter million words of fiction by some of the genre's greatest authors, including Peter S. Beagle, Elizabeth Bear, Jay Lake, Ian McDonald, Sarah Monette, Garth Nix, Naomi Novik, Robert Reed, Patrick Rothfuss, and many more, as selected by Rich Horton, a well-known and well-received contributor to many of the field's most respected magazines."

Title of Story and Author -

26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss, Kil Johnson
Shoggoths in Bloom, Elizabeth Bear
Glass, Daryl Gregory
The Hiss of Escaping Air, Christopher Golden
Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake, Naomi Novik
We Love Deena, Alice Sola Kim
The Art of Alchemy, Ted Kosmathka
Falling Angel, Eugene Mirabelli
The Fifth Star in the Southern Cross, Margo Lanagan
King Pelles the Sure, Peter S. Beagle
Character Flu, Robert Reed
Gift From a Spring, Delia Sherman
The Region of Unlikeness, Rivka Galchen
Daltharee, Jeffery Ford
The Ray-Gun: A love Story, James Alan Gardner
The God of Au, Ann Leckie
The Fantasy Jumper, Will McIntosh
The Magician's House, Meghan McCarron
Balancing Accounts, James L. Cambias
Suicide Drive, Charles Anders
The Small Door, Holly Phillips
The Eyes of God, Peter Watts
Firooz and his Brother, Alex Jeffers
Infestation, Garth Nix
A Water Matter, Jay Lake
The Golden Octopus, Beth Bernobich
Blue Vervain Murder Ballad #2: Jack of Diamonds, Erik Amundsen
The Road to Levinshir, Patrick Rothfuss
Fixing Handover, Jeff Vandermeer
Boojum, Elizabeth Bear and Sara Monette
The Difficulties of Evolution, Karen Heuler
Catherine Drewe, Paul Cornell
Silent as Dust, James Maxey
Evil Robot Monkey, Mary Robinette Kowal
If Angels Fight, Richard Bowes
Spiderhorse, Liz Williams
The Tear, Ian McDonald

I am not a huge short story reader, I read a few here and there but usually if I am in the mood to read a series of short stories I tend to pick up a collection by a single author but, this particular collection featured a story by Patrick Rothfuss that I really wanted to read as I am eagerly awaiting the next book in his Kingkiller Chronicles. Not to mention it gave me an opportunity to read a few authors I have not had a chance to read before and get a sample of their work. There were also a few authors that I had not read in quite a while and it allowed me a chance to catch up with them as well.

There were quite a few stories that I either dealt with a subject matter that failed to get my attention or in some cases just was not anything I was interested in; however, there were quite a few gems inside. Mainly, the stories by Rothfuss, Beagle, Nix and James Alan Gardner.

If you are a fan of Peter S. Beagle, his story King Pelles the Sure should be right up your alley. Strong characters from the start with the moral of be careful what you wish for.

Garth Nix is an author I haven't read in a fairly long time and his story Infestation is a vampire tale that explores a new origin for the species and has a impressive, yet mysterious protagonist. Full of action and while it had a Young Adult slant to it, that did not keep it from being really entertaining. If it were to become a novel or series I would more than likely put down cash to read it as I was hooked and hoping for more.

James Alan Gardner chimes in with his story The Ray-Gun: A Love Story, in which I found rather clever. When the main character finds an alien weapon on Earth and we follow him as he uses his new found power. The weapon also has the ability to protect itself and we see just how small and fragile humanity and Earth are in the big picture of the universe.

The reason I purchased this collection was for Patrick Rothfuss' short story The Road to Levinshir, the main character from his Kingkiller Chonicles, Kvothe is featured in this story as he is in his role of bard and rights the wrongs of a fellow traveling troupe that had recently visited a small village. While it was nice to read something featuring Kvothe again it was rather disappointing from the prospective that I was hoping to gain more dirt on Kvothe but that was not to be the case. It was still a strong story but I was hoping for a few glimpses into Kvothe or at least a taste of what was to come in the second book that I have been waiting forever for it to be released.

The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2009, has a lot to offer if you are looking for a new author or want to read a few quick but fascinating stories from some of the best in the business. The only real complaint is that a few of the stories contain minimal fantasy or science fiction; however, nearly every story is strong and capable of standing on its own, the complaint is minor. It is hard to give the book that contains several stories from different authors a score, but this is what I came up with.

Plot(s) 8
Characters(s) 7
Style(s) 9

Overall 8.5/10

The Red Skull

Marvel has released their first picture of Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull for the upcoming movie Captain America.

I have to say, I like it a lot. I like the tiny details like the Hydra belt buckle. If the movie is half as good as the costumes, it should be a decent movie.

Captain America hits theaters on 22 July 2011.

Heroes and Heartbreakers from Tor

Tor is launching a new site called Heroes and Heartbreakers. Looks like a mix between romance and urban fantasy.

The community site that brings together the best in all things romance, including historical and paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. As a Tor.com member, you can use your existing username and password to access exclusive content on Heroes and Heartbreakers, and receive the weekly H&H newsletter. Below are this week's highlights.

To kick off the website there is a short story from Darynda Jones as well as a sneak peek of Laura Leigh's latest Live Wire. The first chapter is available on the site. Aside from the sneak peeks and short stories there are several blog entries and commentaries.

Registration and log in is required.

New Posters to Sucker Punch

Not sure whether I will like the movie Sucker Punch, but I have a feeling I will. Regardless of the story, it should entertain me for the 90+ minutes with plenty of eye candy and explosions. But, the latest promotional posters are absolutely awesome and a throwback to Rosie the Riveter.

Sucker Punch hits theaters 25 March 2011 in the States.

Bram Stoker Award Finalists

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A NOVEL

Horns by Joe Hill
Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Dead Love by Linda Watanabe McFerrin
Apocalypse of the Dead by Joe McKinney
Dweller by Jeff Strand
A Dark Matter by Peter Straub

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A FIRST NOVEL

Black and Orange by Benjamin Kane Ethridge
A Book of Tongues by Gemma Files
Castle of Los Angeles by Lisa Morton
Spellbent by Lucy Snyder

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN LONG FICTION
"The Painted Darkness" by Brian James Freeman
"Dissolution" by Lisa Mannetti
"Monsters Among Us" by Kirstyn McDermott
"The Samhanach" by Lisa Morton
"Invisible Fences" by Norman Prentiss

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SHORT FICTION
"Return to Mariabronn" by Gary Braunbeck
"The Folding Man" by Joe R. Lansdale
"1925: A Fall River Halloween" by Lisa Mannetti
"In the Middle of Poplar Street" by Nate Southard
"Final Draft" by Mark W. Worthen

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ANTHOLOGY
Dark Faith edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon
Horror Library IV edited by R.J. Cavender and, Boyd E. Harris
Macabre: A Journey Through Australia's Darkest Fears edited by Angela Challis and Marty Young
Haunted Legends edited by Ellen Datlow and Nick Mamatas
The New Dead edited by Christopher Golden

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A COLLECTION
Occultation by Laird Barron
Blood and Gristle by Michael Louis Calvillo
Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King
The Ones That Got Away by Stephen Graham Jones
A Host of Shadows by Harry Shannon

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN NONFICTION
To Each Their Darkness by Gary A. Braunbeck
The Conspiracy Against the Human Race by Thomas Ligotti
Wanted Undead or Alive by Jonathan Maberry and Janice Gable Bashman
Listen to the Echoes: The Ray Bradbury Interviews by Sam Weller

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A POETRY COLLECTION
Dark Matters by Bruce Boston
Wild Hunt of the Stars by Ann K. Schwader
Diary of a Gentleman Diabolist by Robin Spriggs
Vicious Romantic by Wrath James White

The awards will be presented at the Stoker Awards Banquet held at World Horror Con in Austin, Texas the weekend of April 28.
Congratulations to all the nominees!