SF/Fantasy, March 15, 2011
Mar 15, 2011Beaulieu, Bradley P. The Winds of Khalakovo. Night Shade. Apr. 2011. c.312p. ISBN 9781597802185. pap. $14.99. FANTASY
The archipelago duchy of Khalakovo, a center of trade and the envy of other island duchies, suffers from internal strife led by the Maharraht, a group of nomadic extremists indigenous to the land. When Nikandr, the heir to the ducal throne, must accept a marriage of convenience to Atiana, daughter of the Duke of Vostroma, he finds it difficult to forsake his lover, a woman of the Aramahn tribe from which the Maharraht have arisen. Tensions reach the breaking point with the arrival of the Nine Dukes, which coincides with an attack by elemental spirits, an assassination, and the appearance of a young boy with unmistakable powers of elemental control. Overlaid with the rich feel of Cyrillic culture, Beaulieu’s debut introduces a fascinating world of archipelagic realms and shamanic magic worked primarily by women. VERDICT Strong characters and a plot filled with tension and difficult choices make this a good option for fantasy fans.
Bledsoe, Alex. Dark Jenny. Tor. Apr. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780765327437. pap. $14.99. FANTASY
The delivery of a coffin for Eddie LaCrosse to a tavern one winter’s night prompts the investigator and sword-jockey (or mercenary) to recall a past case involving King Marcus Drake, Queen Jennifer, and the Knights of the Double Tarn. The story begins with the death of a young knight from a poisoned apple meant for someone else and expands to include more murders, conspiracies, and forbidden love. The third Eddie LaCrosse adventure (The Sword-Edged Blonde; Burn Me Deadly) delivers a skewed version of the King Arthur legend that is at once both tongue-in-cheek and strangely powerful. VERDICT Combining hard-boiled detective fiction with a fantasy universe, this well-crafted novel should appeal to fans of Glen Cook’s “Garrett, P.I.” novels.
Hodder. Mark. The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man. Pyr: Prometheus. (Burton & Swinburne). Mar. 2011. c.364p. ISBN 9781616143596. >pap. $16.FANTASY
Sir Richard Burton, the king’s agent, and Algernon Swinburne, his companion and intellectual foil, realize that the course of their world has been altered because something has tampered with time. The discovery of a clockwork automaton in Trafalgar Square, the search for the missing Garnier collection of black diamonds, the media surrounding the grotesque person who claims to be the heir to the cursed Tichborne Estate, and the threat of class warfare in Victorian England confront the pair as they fight to right the history of the world and avert a shattering war. In this sequel to The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack, Hodder continues the entertaining adventures of Burton and Swinburne as he depicts a bizarrely engrossing steampunk England in 1862 and introduces period notables, including Herbert Spencer, Florence Nightingale, and Charles Babbage. VERDICT Hodder knows Victorian history well enough to take delightful liberties in a darkly humorous adventure that should appeal to genre fans as well as those interested in alternate histories.
McGuire, Seanan. Late Eclipses. DAW, dist. by Penguin. (October Daye, Bk. 4). Mar. 2011. c.400p. ISBN 9780756406660. pap. $7.99. FANTASY
Half-human, half-faerie October (“Toby”) Daye, PI for San Francisco’s supernatural community, also acts as a troubleshooter for the faerie Duke Torquill. When an old friend, Lady Lily of the Tea Gardens fief, falls victim to a mysterious illness, Toby finds that an old enemy, Oleander de Merelands, lies at the heart of the problem. Threading a careful path between rival faerie nobles and relying on occasional assistance from Tybalt, King of the Cats, Toby seeks to find a cure for her friend while avoiding having to choose once more between her human and faerie halves. McGuire’s fourth series entry (after An Artificial Night) featuring an engaging, personable heroine provides a further look into the hidden supernatural society that coexists alongside the mortal world. VERDICT Vibrant writing and a likable narrator make this one of the stronger entries in the urban fantasy genre. It should appeal to fans of Jim Butcher’s “Dresden Files.” McGuire also writes horror as Mira Grant (Feed; Deadline).
McIntosh, Will. Soft Apocalypse. Night Shade. Apr. 2011. c.248p. ISBN 9781597802765.pap. $14.99. SF
In the near future, social organization falls apart as resources become scarcer and the usual sequence of life—education, jobs, family, retirement—breaks down. Coming together in a new, tribelike alliance, a group of former middle-class Americans take to the road in an effort to survive in a world that grows more dangerous and violent each day. This debut novel by a Hugo Award–winning short story writer offers a sobering and not unlikely look at how a decaying society can transform the lives of everyday people. VERDICT Disturbing in its plausibility, this sf debut should appeal to fans of “soft” disaster fiction.
Modesitt, L.E., Jr. Lady-Protector. Tor. (Corean Chronicles, Bk. 8). Mar. 2011. c.496p. ISBN 9780765328045. $27.99. FANTASY
After the death of the Lord Protector Lanachrona and his son’s treachery, Mykella (The Lord-Protector’s Daughter), his oldest daughter and heir, becomes the first Lady Protector in many years. Along with her sisters, Mykella strives to sort out the tangled politics and fraying finances of her new protectorate while learning to use the long-buried magical talent that has just resurfaced. As she faces both magical and mortal enemies, Mykella learns quickly to sort friend from foe and discovers the true cost of power. The latest installment of Modesitt’s popular “Corean Chronicles” delivers a strong and admirable female protagonist and builds upon a richly detailed fantasy universe. VERDICT Moving easily from the big political picture to the minutiae that come with ruling a country, Modesitt crafts a world that is both magical and believable.
Orullian, Peter. The Unremembered. Tor. (Vault of Heaven, Bk. 1). Apr. 2011. c.672p. ISBN 9780765325716. $27.99. FANTASY
Bound behind a magical barrier, along with the horrific monsters of his making, for threatening to destroy the balance of creation, the god Quietus seeks to escape his prison and rule the world of Aeshau Vaal. Brought together by Vendanj, a member of the Order of Sheason, wielders of magic in a land that has forbidden its use, Than Junell, his sister Wendra, and his two best friends embark on a dangerous journey that will push the young folk from the Hollows to the limits of their endurance. VERDICT Orullian’s debut promises a series of epic proportions set in a world undergoing a cultural revolution that could prove its undoing. Engaging characters and powerful storytelling in the tradition of Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, and Dennis L. McKiernan make this a top-notch fantasy by a new author to watch.
Pehov, Alexey. Shadow Chaser. Tor. (Chronicles of Siala, Bk. 2). Apr. 2011. c.308p. tr. from Russian by Andrew Bromfield. ISBN 9780765324047. $24.99. FANTASY
Having suffered the loss of one of their own, the warrior Harold and his band of humans, gnomes, and elves make their way toward the underground palace of Hrad Spein, a critical stopping place on their journey in search of a magic horn that will help Harold protect his land from the Nameless One. Employing all the standard trappings of the genre, this sequel to Shadow Prowler enjoys a freshness of vision that elevates it beyond standard fantasy fare. VERDICT Published first in Russia, Pehov’s series, a best seller in his homeland, should appeal to fans of epic fantasy and sword and sorcery.
People of the Book: A Decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy. Prime. Mar. 2011. c.320p. ed. by Rachel Swirsky & Sean Wallace. ISBN 9781607012382. pap. $14.95. FANTASY
From Rachel Pollack’s distinctive retelling of the story of Joseph (“Burning Beard: The Dreams and Visions of Joseph Ben Jacob, Lord Viceroy of Egypt”) to Matthew Kressel’s far future tale of apocalypse and historic preservation (“The History Within Us”), the 20 stories in this collection reveal the Jewish experience through the medium of fantastic literature. Contributions by Jane Yolen, Neil Gaiman, Peter S. Beagle, Michael Chabon, and other authors demonstrate the rich literary tradition of Jewish culture. VERDICT From tales of golems and dybbukim to stories that touch on the Holocaust, this sampling of tales from the last decade will appeal to both sf fans and readers interested in Jewish literature.
Pevel, Pierre. The Alchemist in the Shadows. Pyr: Prometheus. Apr. 2011. c.384p. tr. from French by Tom Clegg. ISBN 9781616143657. pap. $16. FANTASY
As 1633 Paris seethes with tension below its often placid surface, Cardinal Richelieu calls into play his most trusted defenders: the Cardinal’s Blades, led by consummate swordsman Captain Étienne-Louis la Farge. Entrusted with the work of protecting France from the conspiracies of the Black Claw, a cabal dedicated to restoring dragons to the world, la Farge and his companions deal with beautiful, deadly spies, scheming courtiers, and an adversary known only as The Alchemist. Continuing the saga begun in The Cardinal’s Blades, the award-winning French author brings to life a rich period in French history and offers a unique look at one of history’s most controversial figures. VERDICT History and alternate history buffs, including fans of Naomi Novik’s “Temeraire” series, should flock to this stylish, swashbuckling fantasy.
Rajaniemi, Hannu. The Quantum Thief. Tor. May 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780765329493. $24.99. FANTASY
Liberated from the infamous Dilemma Prison run by the Archons of the Sobernost collective of the Inner Solar System, master thief Jean le Flambeur agrees to accompany his rescuer, a mysterious woman named Mieli who owns a sentient spaceship with a taste for flirtation, to the Oubliette, a moving city of Mars that traffics in time as currency. Flambeur’s tale intersects with that of detective Isidore Beautrelet in an intricately woven, highly charged pas de deux that brings both men to a startling discovery that reinvents the story of their experiences. VERDICT Finnish author Rajaniemi’s outstanding debut demonstrates a level of complexity and storytelling skill rarely found from even the most experienced authors. Rajaniemi belongs in a class with Gene Wolfe and Samuel Delany and deserves a wide readership.
Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2. Subterranean. Apr. 2011. c.296p. ed. by William Schafer. ISBN 9781596063686. $40. FANTASY
In Joe Hill’s chilling “Wolverton Station,” an American businessman in England discovers that the marketplace is not the only setting for predators, while in K.J. Parker’s “A Room with a View,” a magical examiner trains a newcomer in the art of entering an animal’s mind to check for demonic possession. This collection of 11 original tales of dark fantasy and horror by Caitlín R. Kiernan, Stephen R. Boyett, Glen Cook, and other contemporary genre authors exhibits the enduring power and disturbing appeal of dark fantasy and horror. VERDICT Like its predecessor, Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy, this anthology should appeal to genre fans.
Wooding, Chris. Retribution Falls. Spectra: Bantam. (Tales of the Ketty Jay, Bk. 1).Apr. 2011. c.480p. ISBN 9780345522511. pap. $16. FANTASY
Darian Frey, captain of the airship Ketty Jay and commander of a dysfunctional crew that specializes in running contraband, smuggling, and other illicit activities, accepts a job that goes awry and results in the pursuit of his ship and crew by the Coalition Navy. Dodging enemies on both sides of the law, the Ketty Jay sets out in search of the legendary haven of Retribution Falls, where the crew hopes to recuperate and, ultimately, prove their innocence, at least regarding their current predicament. YA author Wooding (“Broken Sky” series; The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray) presents his first adult fantasy, a sky pirate adventure that features quirky characters—including a mechanical golem and a bad-tempered cat—witty dialog, and enough fast-paced action to please fans of swashbuckler fantasy. VERDICT Intended as light fantasy with an emphasis on air tactics and swordplay, this should appeal to fans of action-based fantasy.
YellowBoy, Erzebet. Sleeping Helena. Prime. Mar. 2011. c.224p. ISBN 9781607012122. pap. $14.95. FANTASY
Gifted in her infancy with beauty, talent, grace, and various skills by her eight elderly aunts, the orphan Helena grows up strangely lacking in virtues such as compassion. She’s also fascinated with discovering the meaning of the ambiguous gift of her eldest aunt Kitty, a gift that has something to do with death. Raised in a secluded house in the forest, prevented from encountering sharp objects, mirrors, or anything that could be shattered, Helena discovers the true family heritage and the terrible choice she is called on to make. The author of The Bone Whistle (writing as Eva Swan) gives the tale of Sleeping Beauty a fresh spin that retains classic overtones while introducing a new element to the timeless story. VERDICT YellowBoy’s interest in myths and fairy tales shines in this deceptively simple story that resonates with multiple levels of meaning.
