Locus Book Release List

A few people have asked to post the complete list of book being scheduled for release for the remainder of the year. So, from Locus, we present the list of planned books to be released the rest of the year with a legend at the bottom:

July 2010

Anders, Lou, ed. • Masked • (Simon & Schuster/Gallery, anth, tpb)
Anderson, Poul • The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 3: The Saturn Game • (NESFA Press, cln, hc)
Azinger, Karen • The Steel Queen • (HarperVoyager, hc)
Baker, Kage • The Bird of the River • (Tor, hc)
Beamer, Amelia • The Loving Dead • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
+ Chadbourn, Mark • The Hounds of Avalon • (Pyr, tpb)
Chiang, Ted • The Lifecycle of Software Objects • (Subterranean Press, nva, hc)
Daniells, Rowena Cory • The King's Bastard • (Solaris)
Dann, Jack • Insinuations • (PS Publishing, nf, hc)
Dowling, Terry • Amberjack: Tales of Fear and Wonder • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Dozois, Gardner, ed. • The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-seventh Annual Collection • (St. Martin's Griffin, anth, hc)
Emshwiller, Carol • Collection • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
Gibson, Gary • Empire of Light • (Tor UK, hc)
Holland, Cecelia • Kings of the North • (Forge, hc)
Holmes, Julia • Meeks • (Small Beer Press, tpb)
Howard, Jonathan • Johannes Cabal the Detective • (Headline Review, hc)
Howard, Jonathan L. • Johannes Cabal the Detective • (Doubleday, hc)
Hull, Elizabeth Anne, ed. • Gateways • (Tor, anth, hc)
Kowal, Mary Robinette, ed. • The Hugo Award Showcase, 2010 Volume • (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
Lackey, Mercedes, & Rosemary Edghill • The Shadow Grail #1: Legacies • (Tor Teen, nvl-ya, hc)
Lackey, Mercedes • The Sleeping Beauty • (Harlequin/Luna, tpb)
Lloyd, Tom • The Ragged Man • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
MacLeod, Ken • The Restoration Game • (Orbit, hc)
McDonald, Ian • The Dervish House • (Pyr, hc)
McDonald, Ian • The Dervish House • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
+ Miéville, China • Kraken • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
Novik, Naomi • Tongues of Serpents • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
Nylund, Eric • All that Lives Must Die • (Tor, tpb)
Romero, George A. • The Living Dead: The Beginning • (Grand Central, hc)
Romero, George A. • The Living Dead: The Beginning • (Headline, tpb)
Stoddard, Jason • Winning Mars • (Prime Books, hc/tpb)
Strahan, Jonathan, & Lou Anders, eds. • Swords and Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery • (Eos, anth, tpb)
Stross, Charles • The Fuller Memorandum • (Ace, hc)
Stross, Charles • The Fuller Memorandum • (Orbit, tpb)
Tchaikovsky, Adrian • The Scarab Path • (Tor UK)
Vance, Jack • Hard-Luck Diggings: The Early Jack Vance • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Weber, David • Mission of Honor • (Baen, hc) 


August 2010

Armstrong, Kelley • Waking the Witch • (Penguin/Dutton, hc)
Armstrong, Kelley • Waking the Witch • (Orbit UK, hc)
Asher, Neal • The Technician • (Tor UK, hc)
Bakker, R. Scott • The White-Luck Warrior • (Orbit, tpb)
Barclay, James • Elves: Once Walked with Gods • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Beagle, Peter S., ed. • The Secret History of Fantasy • (Tachyon Publications, anth, tpb)
+ Birmingham, John • After America • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
Collins, Suzanne • Mockingjay • (Scholastic Press, nvl-ya, hc)
Deas, Stephen • The Thief-Taker's Apprentice • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Di Filippo, Paul • A Princess of the Linear Jungle • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
Dowling, Terry • Clowns at Midnight • (PS Publishing, hc)
Doyle, Debra, & James D. Macdonald • Lincoln's Sword • (Eos)
Duane, Diane • Omnitopia Dawn • (DAW, hc)
Elrod, P. N., ed. • Dark and Stormy Knights • (St. Martin's Griffin, anth, tpb)
Evans, Arthur B., & Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr., eds. • The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction • (Wesleyan University Press, anth, hc/tpb)
Harris, Charlaine, & Toni L. P. Kelner, eds. • Death's Excellent Vacation • (Ace, anth, hc)
Harrison, Harry • The Stainless Steel Rat Returns • (Tor, hc)
Hoffman, Nina Kiriki • Thresholds • (Viking, nvl-ya, hc)
Kowal, Mary Robinette • Shades of Milk and Honey • (Tor, hc)
Lovegrove, James • Diversifications • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
McCaffrey, Todd • Dragongirl • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
McCaffrey, Todd • Dragongirl • (Bantam UK, hc)
Millar, Martin • Curse of the Wolf Girl • (Little, Brown UK/Piatkus, tpb)
Niven, Larry • Stars and Gods • (Tor, hc)
Patterson, William H., Jr. • Robert A. Heinlein • (Tor, nf, hc)
Pratt, Tim, ed. • Sympathy for the Devil • (Night Shade Books, anth, tpb)
Resnick, Laura • Unsympathetic Magic • (DAW)
Robinson, Kim Stanley • The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson • (Night Shade Books, cln, hc)
Sanderson, Brandon • The Way of Kings • (Tor, hc)
Scholes, Ken • Diving Mimes, Weeping Czars, and Other Unusual Suspects • (Fairwood Press, cln, tpb)
Sedia, Ekaterina • The House of Discarded Dreams • (Prime Books, tpb)
Somers, Jeff • The Terminal State • (Orbit US)
Somers, Jeff • The Terminal State • (Orbit UK)
Straub, Peter • The Juniper Tree and Other Blue Rose Stories • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Sutter, James L. • Before They Were Giants: First Works from Science Fiction Greats • (Paizo/Planet Stories, tpb)
Weeks, Brent • The Black Prism • (Orbit, hc)
Wooding, Chris • The Black Lung Captain • (Gollancz, hc/tpb) 


September 2010

Adams, John Joseph, ed. • The Living Dead 2 • (Night Shade Books, anth, tpb)
Ashley, Allen, ed. • Catastrophia • (PS Publishing, anth, hc)
Bakker, Scott • Disciple of the Dog • (Orion, hc)
Beckett, Chris • Dark Eden • (PS Publishing, hc)
Beukes, Lauren • Zoo City • (Angry Robot)
Brennan, Marie • A Star Shall Fall • (Tor, tpb)
Brooks, Terry • Bearers of the Black Staff • (Orbit, hc)
Brooks, Terry • Bearers of the Black Staff • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
Brusen, Claus, ed. • Imaginaire III • (Fantasmus-Art, anth, hc)
Campbell, Ramsey • The Seven Days of Cain • (PS Publishing, hc)
Carriger, Gail • Blameless • (Orbit US)
Carriger, Gail • Blameless • (Orbit UK, tpb)
Clare, Cassandra • The Clockwork Angel • (Simon & Schuster/McElderry, nvl-ya, hc)
Connolly, Harry • Game of Cages • (Ballantine Del Rey)
Datlow, Ellen, & Nick Mamatas, eds. • Haunted Legends • (Tor, anth, hc)
de Queiroz, Eça • Alves & Co. and Other Stories • (Dedalus, cln, tpb)
del Toro, Guillermo, & Chuck Hogan • The Fall • (Morrow, hc)
Elliott, Kate • Cold Magic • (Orbit UK, tpb)
Elliott, Kate • Cold Magic • (Orbit US, tpb)
Fenn, Jaine • Guardians of Paradise • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Fowler, Karen Joy • What I Didn't See and Other Stories • (Small Beer Press, cln, hc)
Funke, Cornelia • Reckless • (Scholastic/Chicken House UK, nvl-ya, hc)
Funke, Cornelia • Reckless • (Little Brown, nvl-ya, hc)
Gibson, William • Zero History • (Putnam, hc)
Gilman, Felix • The Half-Made World • (Tor, hc)
Gribbin, John • The Alice Encounter • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
Hamilton, Peter F. • The Evolutionary Void • (Macmillan UK, hc)
Hamilton, Peter F. • The Evolutionary Void • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
Hobson, M. K. • The Native Star • (Ballantine Spectra)
Huff, Tanya • The Truth of Valor • (DAW, hc)
Jones, Gwyneth • The Universe of Things • (Aqueduct Press, cln, tpb)
Kilworth, Garry • Tales from the Fragrant Harbour • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
King, Stephen • The Secretary of Dreams, Volume 2 • (CD Publications, cln, hc)
Lake, Jay • The Sky that Wraps • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
MacLeod, Ian R. • Journeys • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
McGuire, Seanan • An Artificial Night • (DAW)
McLeod, Suzanne • The Bitter Seed of Magic • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
+ Ness, Patrick • Monsters of Men • (Candlewick Press, nvl-ya, hc)
Pratchett, Terry • I Shall Wear Midnight • (Doubleday UK, nvl-ya, hc)
Rajaniemi, Hannu • The Quantum Thief • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Rankin, Robert • The Japanese Devil Fish Girl and Other Unnatural Attractions • (Gollancz, hc)
Rochelle, Warren • The Called • (Golden Gryphon Press, hc)
Scholes, Ken • Antiphon • (Tor, hc)
Smith, Sherwood • Coronets and Steel • (DAW, hc)
Tepper, Sheri S. • The Waters Rising • (Eos, hc)
+ Weeks, Brent • The Black Prism • (Orbit US, hc)
Wentworth, K. D., ed. • L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume XXVI • (Galaxy, anth)
Wingrove, David • Son of Heaven • (Atlantic Books UK/Corvus, hc) 


October 2010

Anderson, Kevin J., ed. • Blood Lite II: Overbite • (Simon & Schuster/Gallery, anth, tpb)
Anvil, Christopher • The Power of Illusion • (Baen, tpb)
Baker, Kage • Nell Gwynne's Scarlet Spy • (Subterranean Press, cln, tpb)
Banks, Iain M. • Surface Detail • (Orbit UK, tpb)
Banks, Iain M. • Surface Detail • (Orbit USA, hc)
Beagle, Peter S. • Return • (Subterranean Press, hc)
Beckett, Galen • The House on Durrow Street • (Ballantine Spectra, tpb)
Bennett, Robert Jackson • The Company Man • (Orbit, hc)
Bennett, Robert Jackson • The Company Man • (Orbit US, hc)
Bernobich, Beth • Passion Play • (Tor, hc)
Block, Francesca Lia • The Frenzy • (HarperTeen, nvl-ya, hc)
Brackett, Leigh • Shannach -- The Last: Farewell to Mars • (Haffner Press, cln, hc)
Bradbury, Ray • Dawn to Dusk • (Gauntlet Press, cln, hc)
Brown, Eric • Engine Man • (Solaris US)
Brown, Eric • Engineman • (Solaris)
Colombo, John Robert, & Brett Alexander Savory, eds. • Tesseracts Fourteen: Strange Canadian Stories • (Hades/EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy, anth, tpb)
+ de Pierres, Marianne • Dark Space • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
Dietz, William C. • Bones of Empire • (Ace, hc)
Donaldson, Stephen R. • Against All Things Ending • (Gollancz, hc)
Donaldson, Stephen R. • Against All Things Ending • (Putnam, hc)
Duncan, Dave • Pock's World • (Hades/EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy, tpb)
Fowler, Karen Joy, & Debbie Notkin, eds. • Eighty Years of Ursula K. Le Guin: A Celebration • (Aqueduct Press, anth, tpb)
Hamilton, Edmond • The Collected Captain Future, Volume Two • (Haffner Press, omb, hc)
Hamilton, Edmond • The Collected Edmond Hamilton, Volume Three: The Universe Wreckers • (Haffner Press, cln, hc)
Herbert, James • Ash • (Macmillan UK, hc/tpb)
Jones, Stephen, ed. • The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror: 21 • (Running Press, anth, tpb)
Joyce, Graham • The Silent Land • (Gollancz, hc)
Kadrey, Richard • Kill the Dead • (Eos, hc)
Koja, Kathe • Under the Poppy • (Small Beer Press, hc)
Lackey, Mercedes • Intrigues • (DAW, hc)
Lansdale, Joe R. • Deadman's Road • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Leiber, Fritz • Strange Wonders • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
McIntosh, Fiona • King's Wrath • (HarperVoyager, hc)
Newman, Kim • Mysteries of the Diogenes Club • (MonkeyBrain Books, cln, tpb)
Niffenegger, Audrey • The Night Bookmobile • (Jonathan Cape, hc)
Niffenegger, Audrey • The Night Bookmobile • (Abrams, hc)
Niven, Larry, & Edward M. Lerner • Betrayer of Worlds • (Tor, hc)
Okorafor, Nnedi • The Akata Witch • (Viking, nvl-ya, hc)
Parks, Richard • The Heavenly Fox • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
+ Pratchett, Terry • I Shall Wear Midnight • (HarperCollins, nvl-ya, hc)
Priest, Cherie • Dreadnought • (Tor, tpb)
Rambo, Cat, Paul Tremblay & Sean Wallace, eds. • Worlds of Fantasy: The Best of Fantasy Magazine • (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
Ramslie, Lars • Ugly Bugly • (Dedalus, tpb)
Remic, Andy • Soul Stealers • (Angry Robot)
Resnick, Mike • Blasphemy • (Golden Gryphon Press, cln, hc)
Shinn, Sharon • Troubled Waters • (Ace, hc)
Silverberg, Robert • The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg, Volume Five: The Palace at Midnight: 1980-82 • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Sinisalo, Johanna • Birdbrain • (Peter Owen, tpb)
Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • Eclipse Four • (Night Shade Books, anth, tpb)
Stroud, Jonathan • The Ring of Solomon • (Doubleday UK, nvl-ya, hc)
Sturgeon, Theodore • Case and the Dreamer: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon: Volume XIII • (North Atlantic, cln, hc)
Tidhar, Lavie • Gorel and the Pot-Bellied God • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
Tidhar, Lavie • Osama • (PS Publishing, hc)
Tremblay, Paul • In the Mean Time • (ChiZine Publications, cln, tpb)
Underwood, Tim, ed. • Savage Art: 20th Century Genre & the Artists Who Defined It • (Underwood Books, anth, hc)
Underwood, Tim, ed. • Shameless Art: Paintings of Dames, Dolls, Pin-ups, and Bad Girls • (Underwood Books, anth, hc)
Valente, Catherynne M. • Collection • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
VanderMeer, Ann, & Jeff VanderMeer, eds. • Steampunk Reloaded • (Tachyon Publications, anth, tpb)
+ Wells, Dan • Mr. Monster • (Tor, hc)
Westerfeld, Scott • Behemoth • (Simon Pulse, nvl-ya, hc)
Willis, Connie • All Clear • (Ballantine Spectra, hc) 


November 2010

Adams, John Joseph, ed. • The Way of the Wizard • (Prime Books, anth, tpb)
Akers, Tim • The Horns of Ruin • (Pyr, tpb)
Armstrong, Kelley • Counterfeit Magic • (Subterranean Press, nva, hc)
+ Bakker, Scott • Disciple of the Dog • (Tor/Forge, hc)
Barnes, Steven • Collection • (ISFiC Press, cln, hc)
Bear, Greg • Hull Zero Three • (Orbit US, hc)
Briggs, Patricia • Wolfsbane • (Ace)
Bujold, Lois McMaster • CryoBurn • (Baen, hc)
Butcher, Jim • Side Jobs • (Roc, cln, hc)
Cook, Glen • Gilden Latten Bones • (Roc)
Cook, Glen • Surrender to the Will of the Night • (Tor, hc)
+ Cornish, D. M. • The Foundling's Tale, Part Three: Factotum • (Penguin/Putnam, nvl-ya, hc)
Enge, James • Crescendo • (Simon & Schuster, nvl-ya, hc)
Esslemont, Ian C. • Stonewielder • (Bantam UK, hc)
Fenner, Cathy, & Arnie Fenner, eds. • Spectrum 17: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art • (Underwood Books, anth, hc)
Forbeck, Matt • Amortals • (Angry Robot)
Frith, R. J. • The Nemesis List • (Tor UK, hc)
Hoban, Russell • Angelica Lost and Found • (Bloomsbury, hc)
Jemisin, N. K. • The Broken Kingdoms • (Orbit US, tpb)
Jemisin, N. K. • The Broken Kingdoms • (Orbit UK, tpb)
Jones, Stephen, ed. • Visitants: Stories of Fallen Angels and Heavenly Hosts • (Ulysses Press, anth, tpb)
Jordan, Robert, & Brandon Sanderson • Towers of Midnight • (Orbit UK, hc)
Jordan, Robert, & Brandon Sanderson • Towers of Midnight • (Tor, hc)
Kearney, Paul • Corvus • (Solaris US)
Kearney, Paul • Corvus • (Solaris)
King, Stephen • Full Dark, No Stars • (Simon & Schuster/Scribner, cln, hc)
King, Stephen • Full Dark, No Stars • (Hodder & Stoughton, cln, hc)
Lansdale, Joe R. • Flaming Zeppelins: The Adventures of Ned the Seal • (Tachyon Publications, cln, tpb)
MacLeod, Ian R. • Wake Up and Dream • (PS Publishing, hc)
Martin, George R. R., & Gardner Dozois, eds. • Songs of Love and Death • (Simon & Schuster/Gallery, anth, hc)
McDevitt, Jack • Echo • (Ace, hc)
McKinley, Robin • Pegasus • (Putnam, nvl-ya, hc)
Reed, Robert • Eater-of-Bone • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
Rickert, M. • Holiday • (Golden Gryphon Press, cln, hc)
Rushdie, Salman • Luka and the Fire of Life • (Random House, nvl-ya, hc)
Sargent, Pamela • Seed Seeker • (Tor, hc)
Silverberg, Robert • The Song of Orpheus • (Subterranean Press, nva, hc)
Snyder, Lucy A. • Shotgun Sorceress • (Ballantine Del Rey)
+ Stroud, Jonathan • Bartimaeus: The Ring of Solomon • (Disney-Hyperion, nvl-ya, hc)
Swenson, Patrick, ed. • The Best of Talebones • (Fairwood Press, anth, tpb)
Valente, Catherynne M. • The Habitation of the Blessed • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
Vukcevich, Ray • Boarding Instructions • (Fairwood Press, cln, tpb)
Warrington, Freda • Midsummer Night • (Tor, hc)
Williams, Tad • Shadowheart • (DAW, hc)
Wurts, Janny • Initiate's Trial • (HarperVoyager, hc/tpb) 


December 2010

Anderson, Poul • Sir Dominic Flandry: The Last Knight of Terra • (Baen, cln, tpb)
Armstrong, Jon • Yarn • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
Aylett, Steve • Rebel at the End of Time • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
Bear, Elizabeth • The Sea Thy Mistress • (Tor, hc)
Brown, Eric • Guardians of the Phoenix • (Solaris)
de Pierres, Marianne • Transformation Space • (Orbit UK)
+ Marillier, Juliet • Seer of Sevenwaters • (Roc, hc)
McKillip, Patricia A. • The Bards of Bone Plain • (Ace, hc)
Niven, Larry • The Best of Larry Niven • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Parker, K. J. • Blue and Gold • (Subterranean Press, nva, hc)
Resnick, Mike • The Buntline Special • (Pyr, tpb)
Rice, Anne • The Dybbuk • (Knopf, hc)
Sanderson, Brandon • Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens • (Scholastic Press, hc) 


January 2011

Aaronovitch, Ben • Rivers of London • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Berg, Carol • The Soul Mirror • (Roc, tpb)
Brennan, Herbie • The Faeman Quest • (Bloomsbury, nvl-ya, tpb)
Bullington, Jesse • The Enterprise of Death • (Orbit UK, tpb)
Card, Orson Scott • The Lost Road • (Tor, hc)
Cornish, D. M. • Monster Blood Tattoo, Book Three: Factotum • (Random House/Fickling UK, nvl-ya, tpb)
Courtenay Grimwood, Jon • The Fallen Blade • (Orbit UK, tpb)
de Bodard, Aliette • Harbinger of the Storm • (Angry Robot)
Donaldson, Stephen R. • The Best of Stephen R. Donaldson • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
Erikson, Steven • The Crippled God • (Bantam UK, hc)
Holt, Tom • Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sausages • (Orbit UK, tpb)
King, J. Robert • Death's Disciples • (Angry Robot)
Lovegrove, James • Age of Odin • (Solaris US)
Lovegrove, James • Age of Odin • (Solaris)
+ McAuley, Paul • Cowboy Angels • (Pyr, tpb)
Moorcock, Michael • Modem Times 2. 0 • (PM Press/Outspoken Authors, cln, tpb)
Parker, K. J. • The Hammer • (Orbit UK, tpb)
Parker, K. J. • The Hammer • (Orbit US, tpb)
Redick, Robert V. S. • The River of Shadows • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Robson, Justina • Down to the Bone • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • Engineering Infinity • (Solaris US, anth)
Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • Engineering Infinity • (Solaris, anth, tpb)
Walton, Jo • Among Others • (Tor, hc)
Wolfe, Gary K. • Evaporating Genres: Essays on Fantastic Literature • (Wesleyan University Press, nf, hc/tpb)
Wolfe, Gene • Home Fires • (Tor, hc) 


February 2011

Abercrombie, Joe • The Heroes • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Baxter, Stephen • Gravity Dreams • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
Bova, Ben • Leviathans of Jupiter • (Tor, hc)
Briggs, Patricia • River Marked • (Ace, hc)
Cherryh, C. J. • Betrayer • (DAW, hc)
+ 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)
+ Erikson, Steven • The Crippled God • (Tor, hc)
Goodman, Alison • Necklace of the Gods • (Bantam UK, tpb)
Griffin, Kate • The Neon Court • (Orbit UK, tpb)
+ Holt, Tom • Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Sausages • (Orbit US, tpb)
Hunt, Stephen • Jack Cloudie • (HarperVoyager, hc/tpb)
Kerr, Katharine • License to Ensorcell • (DAW)
Lansdale, Joe R., ed. • Crucified Dreams • (Tachyon Publications, anth, tpb)
Morris, Mark • Long Shadows, Nightmare Light • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
Tregillis, Ian • The Coldest War • (Tor, hc)
Williams, Walter Jon • Deep State • (Orbit US, tpb) 


March 2011

Barnes, John • Daybreak Zero • (Ace, hc)
Beagle, Peter S. • Sleight of Hand • (Tachyon Publications, cln, tpb)
Bear, Elizabeth • Grail • (Ballantine Spectra)
Bledsoe, Alex • Dark Jenny • (Tor, tpb)
Buckner, M. M. • Gravity Pilot • (Tor, hc)
Englehart, Steve • The Plain Man • (Tor, hc)
Furey, Maggie • Exodus of the Xandim • (Gollancz, tpb)
Gentle, Mary • Black Opera • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
Godwin, Parke • The Prince from Nowhere • (PS Publishing, nva, hc)
Gonzales, Tony • Dust 514 • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
Harrison, Kim • Pale Demon • (Eos, hc)
Howe, Harrison, ed. • It Never Sleeps: Tales from the Darker History of New York City • (PS Publishing, anth, hc)
+ Hunt, Stephen • The Rise of the Iron Moon • (Tor, hc)
Irvine, Ian • Vengeance • (Orbit UK, tpb)
Jakober, Marie • The Demon Left Behind • (Hades Publications/EDGE SF and Fantasy, tpb)
Lynch, Scott • The Republic of Thieves • (Ballantine Spectra, hc)
Lynch, Scott • The Republic of Thieves • (Gollancz, hc)
Matheson, Richard • Other Kingdoms • (Tor, hc)
Moon, Elizabeth • Kings of the North • (Ballantine Del Rey, hc)
Moorcock, Michael • Ghosts • (Tor, hc)
Rothfuss, Patrick • The Wise Man's Fear • (DAW, hc) 


April 2011

Fox, Daniel • Hidden Cities • (Ballantine Del Rey, tpb)

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

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.

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

REVIEW: Sassinak by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon

Sassinak by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon

Publisher: Baen
Format: Tradepaper, Book Two of The Planet Pirates trilogy, 280 pages.
ISBN 10: 0671721879
ISBN 13: 9780671721879
Copy: Purchased on-line.
Reviewer: Victoria

On the back of the book. . .

The Planet Pirates traces the careers of two remarkable women..  Sassinak escaped from slavery to freedom, and then used that freedom to fight the evil that had wrecked her world, first as a cadet, later as a captain, and finally as an Admiral of the Fleet.  Lunzie, one of the galaxy's greatest healers, is Sassinak's great grandmother - but in actual years she is her junior; Lunzie spent nearly a century in coldsleep waiting for rescue when her ship was destroyed.  Imagine their mutual surprise when Sassinak rescued her.  How together Sassinak and Lunzie save first a world, and then a confederation of worlds - and almost in passing establish amity between the genetically engineered Heavy Worlders and normal humanity - is the story of The Planet Pirates.

I reviewed the first book of The Planet Pirates trilogy and found it to be a mediocre to poor read at best.  I kept going with the trilogy, because the second and third books were co-authored with Elizabeth Moon instead of Jody Lynn Nye.  And thank goodness for Elizabeth Moon.  She saved the series from becoming a train wreck.

The Death of Sleep, the first book, was full of sex, wonky science and cringe-causing dialogue.  Sassinak is not so full of sex, still contains some wonky science and has much stronger dialogue.  It benefits from Elizabeth Moon's military experience, peppering the world with structure and realism. 

While Sassinak, the main character, could easily fall into the trap of becoming a Mary Sue, it's obvious after reading the first novel that Moon was the one who kept her from falling over the precipice.  The military regulations kept her from it, however devious she may be - and she's devious.  Deliciously devious, I might say.  She's strong-willed, she's intelligent, she's sharp, compassionate, and quick to act.  She's a very likable character.

I was very happy to find that coffee made a come back into the popular culture of Sassinak's world.  (Lunzie, in the first book, woke up from coldsleep the first time around, to find out that in the sixty-odd years she'd been in cryo, coffee had fallen out of vogue.  That little detail just did not jive with me.  If coffee had been popular for centuries upon centuries, why would it suddenly fall out of favour?)  I was sad to find out that everyone were still vegetarians, though.  My partner is a vegetarian, so I have nothing against that lifestyle choice, but when 'normal' humanity is so set against eating flesh of any living creature, that it is part of their religion (and some take it so far as to not even eat plants, in case they're sentient.  Instead they eat synthetic foods.) and then the bio-engineered Heavy Worlders - the 'bad guys' - eat meat, I cringe.  Really?  That felt a little too preachy for my omnivorous tastes.

I must admit, that at times, I did feel like I was reading some of Moon's other military science fiction, and that is a positive thing, because I think her serial science fiction is great.  Unfortunately, I was pulled out of it from time to time by little details like the ones I pointed out above.  They seemed over the top, and pulpy - but not in a good way.  I could have done without all the sex, and I am pretty sure that the sex was most likely put in by McCaffrey.  I found it to be distracting, and it did not really further the plot.  The relationships between the characters were shallow, and at times, unbelievable.

All in all, I liked the book, but I could have done without a lot of the world building.  I am also beginning to wonder if maybe I have grown out of Anne McCaffrey.  I loved her books when I was a kid (I even wrote to her once, asking for her autograph to give as a retirement gift to my school librarian.  Mrs. Showers had introduced me to McCaffrey's work, you see.  McCaffrey sent me a personalized letter, and not just one autographed bookplate, but two.  I was one hell of a happy twelve year old, let me tell you.), but after reading this, I'm not so sure I love her as an adult.  I should try rereading some of her Dragonriders of Pern books to make sure it's her, and not just this trilogy.

Characters: 7
Plot: 8.5
Style: 5.5

Overall Rating: 6.5

Dante's Journey Trailer

Just released is the trailer for J.C. Marino's Dante's Journey a book we here at Speculative Book Review had a great time reading and reviewing:

REVIEW: The Left Hand of God, by Paul Hoffman

The Left Hand of God, by Paul Hoffman

Hardcover: 372 pages

Publisher: Penguin USA (Dutton); ©2010

ISBN 10: 0-525-95131-5

ISBN 13: 978-0-525-95131-5

Copy: Penguin Group publicists

Reviewer: PeterWilliam

From inside the dust cover: In the Redeemer Sanctuary, the stronghold of a secretive sect of warrior monks, torture and death await the unsuccessful or disobedient. Raised by the Redeemers from early childhood like hundreds of other young captives, Thomas Cale has known only deprivation, punishment, and grueling training. He doesn't know that another world exists outside the fortress walls or even that secrets he can't imagine lurk behind the Sanctuary's many forbidden doorways. He doesn't know that his master Lord Bosco and the Sanctuary's Redeemers have been preparing for a holy war for centuries -- a holy war that is now imminent. And Cale doesn't know that he's been noticed and quietly cultivated.

And then, Cale decides to open a door.

It's a door that leads to one of the Redeemers' darkest secrets and a choice that is really no choice at all: certain death or daring escape. Adrift in the wider world for the first time in his young life, Cale soon finds himself in Memphis, the capital of culture -- and the den of Sin. It's there that Cale discovers his prodigious gift: violence. And he discovers that, after years of abuse at the hands of the Redeemers, his embittered heart is still capable of loving -- and breaking.

But the Redeemers won't accept the defection of their special subject without a fight. As the clash of civilizations that has been looming for thousands of years draws near, a world where the faithful are as brutal as the sinful looks to young Cale to decide its fate.

When I received this book in the mail, I wasn't sure what to think. There had been a fair amount of hype concerning the book, and some reviews that seemed to indicate that the amount of hype received was, perhaps, too generous. I'm glad I am fairly removed from that time -- the time of the original release -- because I can now look on the book fairly.

First, Hoffman opens the book with a great line -

"Listen. The Sanctuary of the Redeemers on Shotover Scarp is named after a damned lie, for there is no redemption that goes on there and less sanctuary."

Yeah, it has some grim aspects to it. While there are a couple of POVs in the book, the lion's share of the reading follows Cale. The reader trails along with Cale, and friends, from the fretful and angst-ridden drudgery in the Sanctuary, to the daring escape across the Scablands and through their rise in the society of Memphis, the most relevant city of the region. It is a slow process of revelation by which we discover what the true nature of the boys' lives in the Sanctuary was like, and to what purposes they existed.

In Memphis, the reader bears witness to Thomas Cale's discovery of love. Like all young boys and girls, Cale also discovers love's twin - the pain of a broken heart. The reader follows these things through a standard third-person, limited, approach with some sprinkling of first-person insights, offered through the ponderings of Cale.

Indeed, the most developed character we see is Cale. The rest of the cast seem richly developed, perhaps because they conform to the conventional expectations of them. People have read, and viewed, such characters before and, thus, familiarity brings the reader closer to an easy understanding of the characters than might have otherwise.

A pet peeve of mine is the search for something "new" or "innovative" in a piece of fiction that, if not properly satisfied, must render a judgement of bad, poor or "m'eh" to a work. Seriously, "there is nothing new under the sun." Such innovation is an extreme rarity, so I prefer to simply work with what we have. All this having been said, Hoffman takes great handfuls of the familiar, and makes it work rather well.

Is the book worthy of all it's early hype? I have no idea. It is, however, worth reading.

Plot - 7
Characters - 8
Style - 7

Overall - 7.5

Around the Net

R.I.P.

Unfortunately we had a death in the genre this past week:

Peter Fernandez may not be know to everyone. He is not a household name but his work is very well known. Fernandez is the voice of Racer X, Speed, and a few other characters on the show Speed Racer. He also rewrote the Speed Racer theme song for the US version of the show. His voice was also used on such classic cartoons as Astro Boy and Star Blazers.




BOOKS

Free Reads

If you head on over to Subterranean Press you can read a free short story by K.J. Parker entitled "Amor Vincit Omnia." Not sure how long the link will be up and there are a few more stories available as well from authors Lucas Shepard and Corey Doctorow.

From Harry Markov's Temple Library Review he is offering a free download of the debut novel The Choir Boats by Daniel Rabuzzi. According to Harry the book is being described as Gulliver's Travels crossed with The Golden Compass with some Pride and Prejudice thrown in for good measure. The free book can be found at Wowie.com. Offer is good through July.

The BBC had an interesting article online recently regarding the future of 'traditional books.'

from the BBC:

Traditional books 'may not survive electronic age'

Books may not survive in their current form as reading habits change during the electronic age, an expert has said. Dr Bill Bell, from the University of Edinburgh, said the book format was going through a "seismic shift". Books may need to be adapted to include technology, he said, as new devices now encouraged different reading styles. Dr Bell will join historians and IT experts at a conference in the city which will look at how new forms like iPads are changing the way people read.

The academic from the university's School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures said books appeared to be enjoying a boom at the moment. But he believes traditional texts may eventually be superseded by electronic books. Dr Bell suggested they may need to become easier to navigate, with more information links to satisfy people who are used to flicking between different programmes on computer screens.
'Hybrid experience' Readers may also be less inclined to read texts straight through from start to finish and instead be diverted by links on screen, he said.

Dr Bell added: "There's an older generation who might complain about shorter attention spans but there is a new literacy which has emerged among younger users and readers who are incredibly adept at multi-tasking. "The older generation might want to read a book from beginning to end but it takes a different type of skill to multi-task and keep all of those things going simultaneously.
"It's about having a hybrid experience, it's no longer sitting and reading linearly from beginning to end, it's about developing new kinds of skill. "A new generation of authors are starting to think in more multi-linear ways about the way they can structure narrative." The three-day "Material Cultures" conference, which starts on Friday, will focus how electronic books and media devices might influence the world of publishing.

Life after Twilight?

There have been a few forum discussions as what will be the new fad after vampires are put to rest. Mummies, witches, and my personal favorite, minotaurs. However, over at Grasping for the Wind suggests that the answer just might be robots.

INTERVIEW

Ari Marmell

Apex Book Company has a great interview with Conquerer's Shadow author Ari Marmell. It is worth checking out.

MOVIES


Flash Gordon

Flash Gordon may be coming to a screen near you soon. While 2012 is just around the corner and the first movie will be a standalone there are plans for a franchise.

From Blastr:

Director Breck Eisner is continuing work on a new Flash Gordon movie for 2012, but his plans don't end there by any means. He said he's writing the film as an origin story that will be the start of a new Flash franchise.

"It'll be a franchise for sure," he told Airlock Alpha. "It will be a stand-alone story. It definitely won't be left open for more, but the ultimate goal is to turn it into a franchise. It will be an origins story for Flash. He's going to Mongo, he's gonna save the planet, and it will have a superhero buy-in and will be unique. It is very much a superhero origins story."

He also said that his version will be based on the original comic strips from the 1930s but that he'll "update those and shoot the movie as if the strips were drawn today. It will be an action and adventure sci-fi." Unfortunately he can't use any material that was unique to the 1980 Flash Gordon film, which means no Queen song.

Although he wants the show to be edgy like Syfy's remake of Battlestar Galactica, he wants to stay away from the recent short-lived Syfy Flash TV series, which he called "total crap."

Is An eReader Right For You?

Tyson: There is a constant debate on many book forums, should I buy a eReader? While a few of us at Speculative Book Review have eReaders many of the books we receive are physical copies. Yagiz and I both have eReaders. I have an Amazon Kindle. When I first bought it I fell in love with it but I also enjoy my physical copies as well.

When I decided to make the switch from brick and mortar bookstores and move to the electronic book I had to approach it with logic. While the eReader is expensive right out of the box the majority of releases are the same price as the physical book or in many cases, they are cheaper. Especially when one compares the price to a nice new hardbound copy. That was a major selling point for me. Another selling point was the fact that I was already planning on moving to South Korea and to say shelf space is limited, is putting it nicely.  I tend to keep only a select few of the titles I end up purchasing or receive in the mail and donate the rest to my school's library for the kids to enjoy (assuming the material is appropriate). The Kindle has a virtual limitless amount of space for new and old books alike. It is also perfect for travel as it fits in nearly any bag imaginable.

The Kindle 2, the model that I have works perfect for someone who wants to read books. It has an easy access dictionary that is literally available with a flick of your finger and it does not interfere with your progress as you can continue to read unhindered. The feature my mom likes is that with certain titles the Kindle will read the book to you. It has the ability to keep notes on what you are reading. It also has wireless capability that allows you to download a book in less than a minute. While I have never downloaded a book in under a minute, Amazon claims that it is possible. When I used Amazon's WhisperNet I lived in Seattle, home of Amazon, and had great access to wireless network and still it never happened. It was around two or three minutes. which may not be as advertised but that is not bad considering you continued to eat Cheetos and flipped channels on your TV all in the space that it took to download a 800 page bestseller. You can surf the web but it is slow and not recommended unless you have no alternative. No matter how you look at it, the Kindle does as advertised and it does it well. The extras that came with it are not top of the line but they work.

The problem that I have with my eReader isn't in the hardware. The Kindle works and operates flawlessly. It is in the formats of the books and the fact that a lot of the books that I am looking forward to are not readily available for purchase when I want to read them. Nearly 80% of the titles I want to read or look forward to reading are not available on the Kindle, or at least not right away. I do not like to wait so, a lot of the books that I read currently are not through my Kindle.

Another problem that a few people have is not with the Kindle device but with Amazon. Not long ago an illegal copy of 1984 by George Orwell was removed from individual's Kindles without authorization or warning through the wireless network. This caused an understandable uproar which lead to an apology from Amazon and a refund from the company. Since operating their digital books this is the only case that I know of where big brother has stepped in. While Amazon has stated that it will try not to do this in the future it is a possibility and it has rubbed some consumers the wrong way. Another reason to back up your purchases and to turn off your wireless to save battery power.

Yagiz, on the other had has the Sony PRS 505. While he likes the Kindle it was not an option at the time that he made his purchase (2 years ago). The reason he went with with the Sony eReader was it was the best eReader for the money. He also has a terrific program for the device called Calibre. With Calibre he can read magazines and newspapers, as well as novels.

The major issue that Yagiz has stated with his eReader is that there is a limited amount of titles available. Yagiz goes on to say that this is slowly changing with Google teaming up with Sony to provide more titles. The problem he has with most eBooks is that they are regionally protected so even if a title is available in one country it may not be available for another. DRM or Digital Rights Management is what protects copyrighted material from certain devices or in this case countries. It is a very controversial format that is delaying access to certain titles and media around the world.

It should be noted that if I did not purchase my Kindle when I lived in the United States that it would be much harder for me to use the Kindle abroad. However, since I purchase my titles through my American bank account and then download my titles through my computer I am able to read anything Amazon has to offer. Kindle is now offered in the United Kingdom and a few other countries, but it is still used mainly in the United States but it is a growing market.

There is always the option to go with the new Apple iPad as well. I myself have considered making the switch as all of my titles for the Kindle would be available to read through a simple downloadable program. I have yet to try the iPad yet, as it is currently illegal in South Korea, I am told that many people love it. Others who have used the iPad to read say that it causes eye strain and the battery is rather lackluster and it is nearly impossible to use outside due to the sun blocking some of the content on the screen. Since I have yet to play around with it I really can not comment on it. The iPad is an eReader, plus a bunch of other electronic devices, where the Sony PRS and Kindle models are first and foremost an electronic device to read novels.

I will say that with the older eReaders like the Sony PRS 505 and the Kindle use eInk which looks just like a page in a physical book and does not cause any eye strain. You can take it outside and read them and they are not effected by the sun. They also have an amazing battery life. My Kindle requires a charge every 2 weeks and Yagiz reports a similar battery life. They also are extremely lightweight. They weigh no more than the average paperback (less in most cases), and they contain a decent amount of memory to store a nearly infinite amount of books.

While Yagiz and I both love our particular eReader we both have difficulty using it as much as we would like to due to certain restrictions. However, if you are thinking about taking the plunge, we suggest you do some research. See what titles are available for the particular device that you are interested in. See what features you want in your device IE: dictionary, battery life, memory, weight, etc. and then find one in a store to see if it is comfortable enough to use in your hands. They do take a few days to get use to holding them and using them. It should also be noted that a new version of the eInk has been developed cubbed eInk Pearl it is said to offer better contrast and will be used in the latest Sony eReaders and is currently being used successfully in the new Kindle DX. The Kindle DX offers a larger screen than its predecessors the Kindle and Kindle 2.

Yagiz: As Tyson mentioned previously, I have been a proud owner of a Sony PRS 505 for more than 2 years. Why did I buy my eReader in the first place? Because I love reading and I love having books with me at all times. From this point of view, it's really hard to beat an eReader.

In terms of reading quality goes, there are many display technologies out there. However the most popular technology is the ePaper technology used in Sony's readers, Amazon's Kindle and B&N's Nook, among many others sharing the fast-growing eReader market. ePaper is very different from the regular back-lit screens that we see on our TVs, notebooks, tablets or phones. It doesn't strain the eyes like an LCD screen would do. I, personally, find the ePaper quality almost identical to the dead-tree format. I haven't seen it yet (only from online pictures and videos) but the new E Ink Pearl technology improves the current ePaper's contrast by 50%. This is a great improvement and I'm sure most readers will find it very satisfying.

eReaders have other advantages:

A 6" eReader is as light as a small paperback. The 5" devices are probably ligther than most paperbacks. While I can compare an eReader's weight to a paperback, there's obviously no comparing it to a hardback. I hold my PRS 505 with one hand only, because it is very light. I don't have to use my other hand to stabilize the book or to turn the pages.

It's size and weight makes an eReader a great day-to-day companion. Especially the 5" devices are easily slipped into a pocket or in a bag. They are great to read in bed too. They are silent as there are no physical pages to turn. They are easily held in various positions such as laying on your side or on your back.

It may weight as much as a paperback, but an eReader can hold thousands of books in his memory or in a memory card. This has two direct implications: First, the user is not limited to carry one book at a time and is not burdened with two physical books. I travel regularly, for work and for leisure. I often take with me more than one book because the trip may be long or I may be nearing the end of a book. So if I finish my book in the middle of a flight, I don't have to have a second physical book with me. My eReader contains it already. And it is a matter of a few seconds for me to turn the first page of the second book. Second, as an eReader can store a great number of books in his memory or memory card, considerable physical space is saved. This may not be an issue for people living in big houses but for people who have limited space at home, it is a bliss.

Furthermore, with an eReader, you don't have to read only commercial books. I regularly read work-related papers on my eReader. I also store some online articles for later reading. As Tyson mentioned above, Calibre is an eReader owner's best friend. Not only it helps you to organize your electronic library, it also helps you with various conversions and regularly downloading of newspapers, online magazines etc. Its Fetch News functionality gives the user the ability to select feeds among hundreds of online resources such as The New York Times, The Observer, El Mundo, BBC, Le Monde, The Irish Times, etc.

But do I only read eBooks? Not at all. I regularly receive reading copies from publishers. Almost all of them are paper books. I much prefer them but I rarely get electronic advanced reading copies. For instance, I've only gotten 6 of them this year.

This is all great but when is the right time to buy an eReader? If you wait for the next technology you can never buy an eReader (or any electronic device for that matter). Because by the time a product hits the shelves, its next generation is already being tested/talked about/advertized and future generations are being researched & developed. So, rather than being mesmerized by a technology, it is important to set your priorities right. Are you interested in a device, then go and talk to the other users on MobileRead forums. Some of their regulars are amazingly knowledgeable in various devices, the technologies used and their pros and cons. It is definitely worth your while if you are considering buying an eReader.

Last but not least, a quick word about Apple's iPad: I own an iPad through work (I work in a software development house where we develop iPhone and iPad applications among other types of applications). In my humble opinion, iPad is too heavy to be a successful eReader. It is very awkward to hold with one hand and its display technology is not as comfortable as ePaper.

Tyson: Yagiz and I hope that this post has been informative and that if you do find yourself in the market for an eReader that you enjoy your purchase.

REVIEW: (Audiobook) The Ninth Avatar by Todd Newton

The Ninth Avatar by Todd Newton


Physical Book Information


Publishing Information: Paperback; 374 pages
Publisher: Trapdoor Books 26 Febuary 2010
ISBN 10: 1441403620
ISBN 13: 978-1441403629
standalone
Copy: Free via iTunes
Reviewer: Tyson


Back of the book: "For Starka, an outcast priestess accused of incest, life is simple until a nightmare prophecy of the ascension of the Avatar of Darkness forces her to return to a world of intrigue and treachery. Pushed unwillingly into an epic journey with a priest who despises her, Starka finds allies in a mysterious warrior bent on protecting her, the last surviving members of two feuding nations, and a rebel wizard seeking revenge for his fallen comrades. Faced with the sweeping onslaught of the Carrion Army led by Zion and his three murderous generals, time is running out. With each battle, the ranks of the carrion swell with freshly-killed recruits. New terrors are constructed from the heights of the Great Watchtower. Ancient enemies must band together, Starka must survive the assassins within her own order, and prophecy must somehow be stopped. The price of failure is absolute destruction. The Ninth Avatar is coming."


When they announced that Todd Newton's The Ninth Avatar would be getting new cover art that would better reflect the book, I was curious. Just looking at the two covers they are literally night and day. The difference is stunning. I for one, would not have picked up the novel or even glanced at it with a woman praying on the cover. However, when I saw the new cover I had to give it a try and with it available on iTunes as a free download, there was no reason not to.


The Ninth Avatar is the debut novel for Todd Newton and it shows. The characters have interesting names to say the least. The main character Starka is portrayed as a rich girl who has lost favor with her religious sect and when a vision is given to her she is forced into action. Nearly all of the characters that inhabit Newton's Ninth Avatar have odd names. For example, Wondu, which reminded me of fondu. It was something that as I continued to listen to I constantly had strange thoughts as the names were said in the audiobook.

The magic in The Ninth Avatar was also a big letdown. There were not any consequences or sacrifices made when casting spells. They were also huge spells that included larger than life fireballs that rained down upon a city, a huge wave of destruction and yet the wizards and magicians that would cast these spells did not even break a sweat after they were completed.


There were a few issues with the audiobook itself. About halfway through the reading Newton, who narrates the novel himself, starts adding sound effects to the story and the chapter's introductions. He then gives up after a few chapters. He also loses his place and only acts out the parts later on in the story as he finally gets comfortable with reading his own work. For all of its faults it adds personality to the book and you soon get over it.


The pacing is fairly well done. We are constantly swapping prospectives to keep things moving and once things get started The Ninth Avatar does not let up. For a debut novel to have this much action is impressive. 


While I had issues with the novel, they were only because I think that I have grown out of this type of fantasy novel, it seems like a book perfect for individuals new to the genre or someone just leaving the young adult section of the book store. It brought back memories of reading The Dragonlance Chronicles back in junior high school. An undead army created through the use of magic to bring evil to mankind while a select few are chosen to fight on the behalf of mankind. If a young person wants a gripping novel with the same flavors of Lord of the Rings or Dragonlance they would not have to look very far as Todd Newton is there to fill in the gap. When I started to listen to The Ninth Avatar I was originally unimpressed. Later, I learned to just sit back and enjoy it. A fine debut from a promising author.


Plot  7
Characters  6
Style  7


Overall  7