"The Temple and the Stone"
by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Historical fantasy fans take note. Kurtz and Harris deftly
handle this story of the famous Knights Templar, heroes of
the Crusades and a powerful force in European history. "The
Temple and the Stone" tells a tale of intrigue, political
conquest, and spiritual warfare, with a dash of sorcery to
season the mix.
"The Merlin Mystery"
by Jonathan Gunson and Marten Coombe
The book: "The Merlin Mystery," a beautiful and intriguing
puzzle with clues woven throughout. The prize: a golden,
bejeweled wand, plus a cash prize that increases with every
sale of the book. The winner: the bright kid or expert
puzzler who solves the mystery first, using imagination and
patience to find the clues. Could it be you?
"Full Tide of Night"
by J.R. Dunn
Long ago, Lady Julia Amalfi fled Earth to escape the
diabolical, machinelike Erinye. She seeded the icy planet
Midgard with genetic stock brought from Earth, hoping to
re-create human society with the assistance of an immature
artificial intelligence named Carion. Now Cary and her
"children" are rebelling against Lady Julia, and the Erinye
are speeding toward Midgard. Inspired by John Webster's
classic revenge tragedy "The Duchess of Malfi," J.R. Dunn's
"Full Tide of Night" weaves a tale of loyalty and betrayal
among the stars. Dunn blends philosophy, worldbuilding,
politics, and good old human nature to tell a gripping and
tragic story.
"Mockingbird"
by Sean Stewart
Sean Stewart's "Mockingbird" is one of those delightful
books that is hard to categorize, but easy to love. Toni
Beauchamp's mother could work magic; in fact, she used magic
the way other people use credit cards, ringing up huge bills
to get the things she wanted. But the debts had to be paid off
sooner or later. By way of pure atmospheric magic, Stewart
transports us to the Deep South where a woman and her gods
must put things right after the mysterious death of her mother.
"Deepdrive"
by Alexander Jablokov
What if alien races set up home on the planets and moons of
our solar system? In this tale of interplanetary secrets and
lies, ragtag human clans play catch-up with mysterious
beings transforming Mercury, Venus, and even Earth.
Humanity would love to join these far-flung adventurers in
their travels, but without the secret of the faster-than-
light deepdrive, we can't level the playing field. A few
years ago, an alien by the name of Ripi crash-landed in our
system, and he may have brought an intact drive with him.
"Roads Not Taken"
edited by Gardner Dozois and Stanley Schmidt
Powerhouse science fiction editors Gardner Dozois (Asimov's
SF magazine) and Stanley Schmidt (Analog) team up to edit an
intriguing set of "what-ifs." This luminous alternate-
history collection includes stories from science fiction
greats such as L. Sprague de Camp, Gene Wolfe, Robert
Silverberg, and Gregory Benford.
Here are some post-apocalyptic tales, each with a unique take on the end of the world as we know it.
"Echoes of Honor"
by David Weber
Burial services for Honor Harrington don't signal the end--
not for our heroine! In fact, it's just the beginning of her
adventures on the planet Hell. Weber's blend of military
tradition, political intrigue, and vivid characterization
make this one of the best books in this hard science fiction
series.
"Wizard and Glass"
by Stephen King; illustrated by Dave McKean
Fourth in Stephen King's Dark Tower series, "Wizard and
Glass" tells a bizarre love story set in the wastelands of
the West, aboard a psychotic train bound for nowhere.
"The Forever War"
by Joe Haldeman
Haldeman's classic "The Forever War" is enjoying new
popularity, thanks in part to his 1998 best novel Hugo Award
for "Forever Peace." This allegorical tale of conflict on a
strange planet draws parallels to the Vietnam War, as young
soldiers find coming home to be as hard as anything they
faced at war with the Taurans.
"Temple of the Winds"
by Terry Goodkind
Although it's part of Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, the
satisfyingly hefty "Temple of the Winds" can be enjoyed on
its own. Fighter-wizard Richard Rahl and his beloved Kahlan
Amnell must battle a deadly magical plague unleashed by the
Imperial Order.
"Roads Not Taken: Tales of Alternate History"
edited by Gardner Dozois and Stanley Schmidt
At the heart of each one of the stories in this fantastic
collection lies the question "What if...?" What if the
Chinese had colonized America before the Europeans? What if
Joseph McCarthy had become president? Highlights include
stories by Harry Turtledove, Gene Wolfe, and Robert
Silverberg.
"Path of Daggers"
by Robert Jordan
Publication date: October 20, 1998
Robert Jordan fans are a loyal (and opinionated) bunch.
We've received so many customer comments on this upcoming
Wheel of Time continuation that we just couldn't pick a
favorite. Even Robert Jordan wrote in to reassure his fans
that the book's on its way! Pre-order now and we'll ship
"Path of Daggers" to you as soon as it's published.
"Last Summer at Mars Hill"
by Elizabeth Hand
This is a terrific collection of stories from Elizabeth
Hand, the masterful fantasy stylist who wrote "Winterlong"
and "Glimmering."
"Vast"
by Linda Nagata
A prophet's son carries a strange virus aboard a ship with
survivors seeking out the aliens who murdered humanity. This
is intricately detailed, fast-moving hard SF of the highest
order.
"Lord of the Fantastic: Stories in Honor of Roger Zelazny"
edited by Martin H. Greenberg
Talented authors pay their respects to the late, great
fantasy master, Roger Zelazny. This collection features
Robert Silverberg, Neil Gaiman, Gregory Benford, and Andre
Norton, among others.
"Jupiter Project"
by Gregory Benford
"Jupiter Project" was written 25 years ago as Gregory
Benford's tribute to Robert Heinlein. In true Heinlein
style, it's got a smart, brave young protagonist and lots of
exciting space action.
"Twice Seven"
by Ben Bova
"Twice Seven" features 14 fantastic tales from SF master Ben
Bova. From time travel to cosmic annihilation to JFK's
assassination, these stories offer far-flung adventure and
great ideas.
"Sky Trillium"
by Julian May
Now available in a mass-market paperback edition, this third
volume in the Black Trillium universe (created by superb
fantasists Julian May, Andre Norton, and Marion Zimmer
Bradley) tells a tale of three princesses, each of whom
possesses a talisman. All three talismans are needed to
create the Sky Trillium, upon which rests the fate of the
world.