Locus #543 (April 2006)

APRIL 2006

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T H E M A G A Z I N E O F T H E S C I E N C E F I C T I O N & FA N TA S Y F I E L D

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ISSUE 543

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I S S U E !

VOL. 56 NO. 4

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$6.50

REMEMBERING O CTAVIA E. B UTLER 1947-2006

IN

T ERV I E W S

W I T H

ELIZABETH BEAR JUSTINA ROBSON

Eos Transcend the Ordinary Flight of the Nighthawks

The Amber Wizard The Osserian Saga: Book One

Book One of the Darkwar Saga The New York Times bestselling author revisits his signature world of Midkemia in the first book of a new trilogy that ushers in the third and most dramatic Riftwar yet: the Darkwar.

The first book in an action-packed, commercial epic fantasy trilogy about a young prince who discovers he is the legendary Amber Wizard—but he could also be the reincarnation of the nefarious Storm King.

Raymond E. Feist ISBN: 0-06-079278-7 $25.95 ($34.95 Can.) Hardcover

David Forbes ISBN 0-06-082011-X $7.99 ($10.99 Can.) Mass Market

The Curse of Chalion

Exile’s Return Conclave of Shadows: Book Three “Fine fantasy, a feast...Feist has this universe firmly under his control.”

—Contra Costa Times

“Living, breathing characters who inhabit unusual, yet believable worlds. Cazaril’s powerful story swept me up on the first page, carried me through exciting spins and unexpected turns, and didn’t let me down until the end. Read it! You’ll be glad you did.”

—Jean M. Auel

Raymond E. Feist ISBN 0-380-80327-5 $7.99 ($10.99 Can.) Mass Market

Lois McMaster Bujold ISBN 0-06-113424-4 $13.95 ($18.95 Can.) Trade Paperback

Dates From Hell

The Hidden Stars Book One of the Rune of Unmaking

She thought her date was out of this world. Actually he was not of this world, but rather a date from hell. Four tales of paranormal trysts from some of the hottest writers in the field today.

Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, Lori Handeland ISBN 0-06-085409-X $6.99 ($9.99 Can.) Mass Market

www.harpercollins.com An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

Avon Books

“The Hidden Stars is a panoramic tale spun by a master storyteller. Howard has written a rich and assured novel of high fantasy and adventure. I’m ready for the next volume!”

—Kate Elliott

Madeline Howard ISBN 0-06-057589-1 $7.99 ($10.99 Can.) Mass Market

To subscribe to the online monthly Eos newsletter “Out of This World” go to www.eosbooks.com

HarperTorch

Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.

The New York Times bestselling sequel to Airborn!

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With Airborn, Kenneth Oppel created a fantastic world of luxurious airships, swashbuckling pirates, astonishing new animals, and a brave young cabin boy named Matt Cruse. Now Matt Cruse is back with his intrepid friend Kate de Vries, and they’re off on another high-flying adventure.

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Stubbornness.

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What every princess needs when sacrificed to a dragon.

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Another story sparkling with wit and humor from New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey.

An extraordinary novel set in her Five Hundred Kingdoms series.

New York Times bestselling author

In stores now.

a world you can only imagine

© 2005 LUNA Books ® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee.

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April 2006 • Issue 543 • Vol. 56 • No. 4 39th Year of Publication • 26-Time Hugo Winner Cover and Interviews Design by Arnie Fenner

Octavia E. Butler 1947-2006

Justina Robson: The Tao of SF / 8 Elizabeth Bear: Broken Futures / 61 M a i n s t o r i e s / 7 & 12 Octavia E. Butler (1947-2006) • Annual Williamson Lectureship • 2005 Nebula Awards Ballot • Ryman Wins 2005 Tiptree Award • iBooks Files for Bankruptcy • 2006 SF Hall of Fame Inductees • 2005 Stoker Preliminary Ballot • 2006 Hugo Awards Nominations

P E O P L E & P U B L I S H I N G / 10 Notes on marriages, awards, books sold, etc., with news this issue about Peter Straub, Jane Yolen, Tim Powers, M. John Harrison, Holly Black, Tanya Huff, John Varley, and many others

t h E d a t A f i l e / 13 Philip K. Dick Is Missing • New New York Times Reviewer • Masters of Science Fiction • Tor E-book Uncertainty • Abebooks Changes • Rushdie Denounces Islamism • Glorifying Terrorism • Atwood’s Invention Malfunctions • Crichton Chats with Bush • Clarke Saves Time • SF Museum News • Dangerous Visions No More • Potter News • Windsorworld • Announcements • Awards News • Worldcons News • Contest News • Book Notes • Magazine News • Publishing News • Financial News • International Rights • Other Rights • Other Media Received • Publications Received • Catalogs Received

listings Magazines Received: February / 34 ary / 50 Bestsellers / 52

Books Received: February / 35

British Books Received: Janu-

O b i t u a r i e S / 64 Octavia E. Butler • Appreciations by Harlan Ellison®, Samuel R. Delany, Joe Haldeman, Steven Barnes, Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, Noel Sturgeon, Leslie Howle • David Feintuch • Ansen Dibbel [Nancy Ann Dibble] • Ronald Anthony Cross

Late-Breaking News: SF and fantasy writer JOHN MORRESSY, 75, died March 20,

2006 of a heart attack at home in Sullivan NH. Morressy wrote more than 20 books, from space opera to humorous fantasy, and was most famous for his character Kedrigern the wizard. Full obituary will follow in the May 2006 issue of Locus.

EDITORIAL

M A T T E R S / 59 & 68

Hugo Pre-editorial • Seattle • New Mexico • Williamson Lectureship • Visitors • Octavia E. Butler • This Issue • Next Issue • Vote in Locus Poll!

Charles N. Brown Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Gong-Wong Managing Editor MARK R. KELLY Electronic Editor-in-Chief LIZA Groen trombi Executive Editor Carolyn F. Cushman Tim Pratt Senior Editors Karlyn pratt Assistant Editor AMELIA BEAMER Editorial Assistant Jonathan Strahan Reviews Editor Terry Bisson DAMIEN Broderick nicK gevers KaRen Haber Rich Horton MArianne Jablon Russell Letson FAREN MILLER Gary K. Wolfe Contributing Editors William G. Contento Computer Projects Beth Gwinn Photographer Locus, The Magazine of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Field (ISSN 0047-4959), is published monthly, at $6.50 per copy, by Locus Publications, 34 Ridgewood Lane, Oakland CA 94611. Please send all mail to: Locus Publications, P.O. Box 13305, Oakland CA 94661. Telephone (510) 339-9196; (510) 339-9198.

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This magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.

 locus looks at books

p. 17

Short Fiction Reviews by Nick Gevers / 14

F&SF 5/06; Understanding Space and Time, Alastair Reynolds; ParaSpheres: Fabulist and New Wave Fabulist Stories, Rusty Morrison & Ken Keegan, eds; Interzone 2/06; Analog 4/06.

Short Fiction Reviews by Rich Horton / 15

Analog 4/06, Analog 5/06; Asimov’s 6/06; F&SF 4/06; One Million A.D., Gardner Dozois, ed.; Strange Horizons 3/06; Weird Tales 1-2/06; Fantasy Magazine #2; Jabberwocky 2, Sean Wallace, ed.; Elemental, Steve Savile & Alethea Kontis, eds.

Reviews by Gary K. Wolfe / 17

The Best of Philip José Farmer, Philip José Farmer; The Empire of Ice Cream, Jeffrey Ford; Visionary in Residence, Bruce Sterling; Nebula Awards Showcase 2006: The Year’s Best SF and Fantasy, Gardner Dozois, ed.; SHORT TAKES: Strange Relations, Philip José Farmer; Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer’s Wold Newton Universe, Win Scott Eckert, ed.; Farmerphile #2 (10/05) and #3 (1/06).

Philip José Farmer (2001) p. 21

Reviews by Faren Miller / 21

Vellum, Hal Duncan; Babylon, Richard Calder; Bronze: A Tale of Terror, Kit Reed; The Rainbow Opera (in the US as Dreamhunter), Elizabeth Knox; SHORT TAKE: Streaking, Brian Stableford.

Reviews by Russell Letson / 25

The Armies of Memory, John Barnes; Red Lightning, John Varley.

Hal Duncan (2005)

Reviews by Damien Broderick / 27

Rainbows End, Vernor Vinge.

p. 27

Reviews by Carolyn Cushman / 29

Sebastian, Anne Bishop; Proven Guilty, Jim Butcher; Definitely Dead, Charlaine Harris; One Good Knight, Mercedes Lackey; Thunderbird Falls, C.E. Murphy; Temeraire, Naomi Novik, Throne of Jade, Naomi Novik, Black Powder War, Naomi Novik; Memory in Death, J.D. Robb; Karavans, Jennifer Roberson; Wolf Who Rules, Wen Spencer.

Reviews by Divers Hands: Graham Sleight, Tim Pratt, Amelia Beamer / 31

Diana Wynne Jones: Children’s Literature and the Fantastic Tradition, Farah Mendlesohn; The Ocean and All Its Devices, William Browning Spencer; Triskell Tales 2, Charles de Lint; Visions and Re-Visions: [Re]constructing Science Fiction, Robert M. Philmus.

Terry Bisson: This Month in History / 15, 19, 23, 27

Vernor Vinge (2003) p. 47

Photo listing Octavia E. Butler.................... (BG)1 Elizabeth Bear . ......................(BG)1 Justina Robson .......................(BG)1 Octavia E. Butler.................... (LH)5 Octavia E. Butler . ..................(BG)5 Philip José Farmer .................(BG)6 Hal Duncan ............................(BG)6 Vernor Vinge ........................ (JAH)6 Bruce Sterling ........................(BG)6 Octavia E. Butler . .................. (LH)7 Connie Willis, Kim Stanley Robinson, Frederik Pohl, Walter Jon Williams, Melinda Snodgrass . ......... (CNB)7 Justina Robson .......................(BG)8 Peter Straub, Michael Easton... (F)10 Eric Rabkin ....................... (CNB)10 Tim Powers .......................... (ET)10 M. John Harrison .............. (CNB)10 Jane Yolen ............................(BG)10 Zoe Tamsin Van Gelder, Gordon Van Gelder .............. (F)10 C.S. Friedman ................... (CNB)11 Holly Black ..........................(BG)11 Tanya Huff ...........................(BG)11 Mary Doria Russell...............(DR)11 Karl Schroeder ......................(LT)11 John Varley . ............................ (F)11 Geoff Ryman . ......................(BG)12 Frank Herbert..................... (CNB)12 Frank Kelly Freas..................(BG)12 George Lucas........................... (F)12 Anne McCaffrey................ (CNB)12

6 / LOCUS April 2006

Philip K. Dick Android............ (F)13 Kirsten Gong-Wong, Charles N. Brown, Liza Groen Trombi.......... (CNB)59 Elizabeth Bear . ....................(BG)61 Elizabeth Bear . ....................(BG)63 Octavia E. Butler (1988) ... (CNB)64 Octavia E. Butler (1978) ... (CNB)64 Octavia E. Butler (1978) ... (CNB)64 Dan Simmons, Octavia E. Butler, Harlan Ellison® (1988) . (CNB)64 Octavia E. Butler (1984) ... (CNB)65 Bill Rotsler, Octavia E. Butler, David Brin (1996) .......... (CNB)66 Octavia E. Butler (1984)........ (JJ)66 Wayne Chang, Octavia E. Butler, Betsy Mitchell (1995) ......... (JJ)67 Octavia E. Butler (2000) ...... (LH)67 David Feintuch (1998)..........(BG)67 Frederik Pohl, Charles N. Brown . .............(SE)69 Kim Stanley Robinson, Charles N. Brown . .............(SE)69 Jack Williamson ................ (CNB)70 Cake ......................................(SE)70 Members of the Williamson Family ................................(SE)70 Jack Williamson busts . .........(SE)70 Edward Bryant, Connie Willis, Elizabeth Anne Hull, Walter Jon Williams, Melinda Snodgrass, Suzy McKee Charnas, Kim Stanley Robinson, Rick Hauptmann,

Eleanor Wood, Christopher Stasheff, Terry England, Charles N. Brown, Scott Edelman, Stephen Haffner; seated: Frederik Pohl, Jack Williamson . ........ (F)70 Photo Listing: (BG) Beth Gwinn, (LH) Leslie Howle, (JAH) Jennifer A. Hall, (CNB) Charles N. Brown, (ET) Elise Toth, (DR) Dina Rossi, (LT) Liza Groen Trombi, (JJ) Jane Jewell, (SE) Scott Edelman, (F) Furnished.

Ad index Ace ..........................................24,60 Audio Renaissance . .....................72 Baen ........................................30,39 Bantam Spectra ............................20 Classifieds ....................................54 DAW ............................................28 Del Rey.........................................44 Edge..............................................49 Firebird ........................................71 HarperCollins.....................2,3,37,69 Luna................................................4 Locus .......................................36,38 Night Shade Books ......................18 Omnidawn . ..................................16 Roc ..........................................41,45 Tor ......................................22,26,43 Trantor Publications . ...................34 Warner . ...................................32,65

Bruce Sterling (2003) Recently featured on Locus Online (<www.locusmag.com>) Claude Lalumière’s reviews of V for Vendetta and the Russian fantasy thriller Night Watch, and lots of letters about The New York Times’s new SF reviewer and about Gary Westfahl’s ‘‘Homo aspergerus’’ essay.

Plus, daily and weekly updates with – • Breaking news • ‘‘Blinks’’ to online reviews, articles, and SF/F/H e-publica- tions • Descriptions of notable new books and magazines, with links to online excerpts and reviews • Up-to-date author event and convention listings

Octavia E. Butler (1947 - 2006) SF writer OCTAVIA E[STELLE] BUTLER, 58, died February 24, 2006 at a hospital in Seattle WA, from head injuries suffered during a fall outside her home earlier that day. Local friends reported that Butler had been on high blood pressure medication for some time, and recent heart-related symptoms make it likely that congestive heart failure resulting in a heart attack or stroke led to her fall.

Butler was the first black woman to become a prominent professional SF writer, and her writings often included complex examinations of race, gender, and human society. In 1995, Butler won a MacArthur ‘‘genius’’ grant, which paid $295,000 over five years; she was the first pure SF writer to be given the prestigious prize. She memorably described herself as ‘‘comfortably asocial – a hermit in the middle of Seattle – a pessimist if I’m not careful, a feminist always, a Black, a quiet egoist, a former Baptist, and an oil-and-water combination of ambition, laziness, insecurity, certainty, and drive.’’ Though she was well-spoken and an imposing physical presence – by age 15 she was already six feet tall – Butler could be shy and preferred to keep to herself. She had dyslexia, which did not much hinder her reading and writing, but did make it impossible for her to drive.

Butler’s first story ‘‘Crossover’’ appeared in Clarion, a 1971 anthology collecting stories from the writing workshop. Though she claimed to ‘‘hate short story writing’’ and considered herself ‘‘essentially a novelist,’’ she wrote some powerful short fiction, including the Hugo-winning ‘‘Speech Sounds’’ (1983) and the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award-winning ‘‘Bloodchild’’ (1984). Her other stories are ‘‘Near of Kin’’ (1979), ‘‘The Evening and the Morning and the Night’’ (1987), ‘‘Amnesty’’ (2003), and ‘‘The Book of Martha’’ (2003). Four stories and two essays appeared in Bloodchild and Other Stories (1995), which was expanded in 2005 to include all her published short fiction.

First novel Patternmaster appeared in 1976, beginning her sprawling Patternist series about

Octavia E. Butler (2005) an immortal who selectively breeds humans to produce psychic traits. Other books in the series include Mind of My Mind (1977), Survivor (1978), Wild Seed (1980), and Clay’s Ark (1984). Her Xenogenesis trilogy is comprised of Dawn (1987), Adulthood Rites (1988), and Imago (1989), and her Parable series includes Parable of the Sower (1993) and Nebula Award winner Parable of the Talents (1998); a planned third volume, Parable of the Trickster, was not completed.

Standalone Kindred (1979) is probably her most famous novel, about a modern-day black woman who is transported back in time to slave days, where she must protect one of her ancestors. Butler’s final novel, Fledgling (2005), written after a long writer’s block, explored the idea of vampires with her signature emphasis on symbiosis and predation.

Butler was born June 22, 1947 in Pasadena, CA. Her father died when she was a baby, and Butler’s mother raised her while working as a maid. Butler began writing at age ten to stave off boredom, and turned to science fiction at age 12 after seeing film Devil Girl From Mars and deciding she could write better stories than

that. She attended Pasadena City College, and won a writing competition with a $15 prize at age 18, the first money she made from writing.

She earned an associate degree in 1968, and took classes at California State University, as well as UCLA extension courses (including one taught

by Theodore Sturgeon). She also took part in the Open Door Workshop in 1969, a program by the Screen Writers Guild designed to mentor Latino and African-American writers, where she took a course taught by Harlan Ellison®. Ellison suggested she apply to the Clarion Writers Workshop, which she attended in 1970. She sold two stories at Clarion, ‘‘Crossover’’ and ‘‘Childfinder’’ (the latter to Ellison’s still unpublished Last Dangerous Visions anthology), but didn’t sell anything else for five years. She continued to write as she worked in a variety of jobs, preferring factory and warehouse jobs to office work, because in blue-collar jobs ‘‘no one expected me to smile and pretend I was having a good time.’’ She became a full-time writer in 1979, as soon as she started making enough money from writing to survive. Butler moved from Southern California to Seattle in 1999.

Butler taught at the Clarion West writing workshop, and was a mentor and inspiration for many aspiring writers. She was Guest of Honor at Wiscon, the annual feminist SF convention, in 1980. She won the PEN Center West Lifetime Achievement award in 2000, and was on the advisory board of the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame.

She is survived by her aunt Hazel Walker, cousin Ernestine Walker, and several other cousins. Her funeral was held in Pasadena, CA on Saturday, March 11.

The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame hosted an evening of remembrances on March 2 with Octavia’s friends, colleagues, and family in attendance. Greg Bear, L. Timmel Duchamp, Eileen Gunn, Brian Herbert, Leslie Howle, and Vonda N. McIntyre were among the speakers who shared their memories of Octavia.  p. 64

Annual Williamson Lectureship

The 30th Annual Williamson Lectureship, and an early celebration of Jack Williamson’s 98th birthday on April 29, was held March 2, 2006 on the campus of Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico.

Kim Stanley Robinson was Guest of Honor; the topic was ‘‘Ecological Apocalypse’’; Connie Willis was toastmaster.

The official lectureship started as usual with a luncheon in Jack Williamson’s honor: Connie Willis told us why she was afraid of snakes falling out of the sky in New Mexico, but locals assured her it hadn’t happened in months. She talked about her awe of Jack Williamson – his  p. 70

Connie Willis, Kim Stanley Robinson, Frederik Pohl, Walter Jon Williams, Melinda Snodgrass

LOCUS April 2006 / 7

People & Publishing

Eric Rabkin (2005)

Peter Straub as retired officer Peter Braust on One Life to Live, with Michael Easton, who plays Detective John McBain

Milestones PETER STRAUB appeared on the soap opera One Life to Live on March 27, 2006. His character, police officer ‘‘Peter Braust,’’ may have a recurring role.

JANE YOLEN will receive an honorary doctorate of human letters from the University of Massachusetts Amherst at a ceremony on April 4, 2006.

GORDON VAN GELDER & BARBARA NORTON are the parents of ZOE TAMSIN VAN GELDER, born March 15, 2006.

CHERIE PRIEST & JAYMES ARIC ANNEAR were married March 4, 2006 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

CHRIS TODD is now represented by the Sternig & Byrne

literary agency.

ERIC RABKIN received the 2006 Golden Apple Award, given by students from the University of Michigan to the teacher ‘‘who gives each lecture as if it’s his or her last.’’

HARLAN ELLISON® has trademarked his name.

Awards ROBERT J. SAWYER’s Hominids is the only genre finalist for the Evergreen Award, given annually by the Ontario Library Association to a living Canadian author. Readers will vote on the winning book in October 2006. He also turned in novel Rollback to David G. Hartwell at Tor.

Books Sold

T I M P OW ERS sold historical fantasy The Lights Around the Shore to Jennifer Brehl at HarperCollins via Russell Galen.

M. JOHN HARRISON sold and delivered Nova Swing, a sequel to Light, to Orion.

C H A R L ES DE LINT sold All Hallows Angels to Patrick Nielsen Hayden at Tor via Russell Galen.

DAVE DUNCAN sold The Alchemist’s Apprentice and two sequels, set in Renaissance Venice, to Anne Sowards at Ace via Zoe Tamsin Van Gelder gives her dad Gordon her undi- Richard Curtis.

SE A N W I L vided attention as he reads to her from the February issue of Locus LIAMS’s Broken Land 10 / LOCUS April 2006

Tim Powers (2005)

M. John Harrison (2003)

YA trilogy sold to HarperCollins Australia via Richard Curtis.

C.S. FRIEDMAN sold the third book in her Magisters trilogy to Betsy Wollheim at DAW via Russell Galen, and resold the trilogy to Tim Holman at Orbit via Danny Baror on behalf of Russell Galen.

GLEN COOK’s new Garrett novel Cruel Zinc Memories sold to Jessica Wade for Roc via Russell Galen.

TIMOTHY ZAHN’s two sequels to Night Train to Rigel went to James Frenkel at Tor via Jane Yolen (2002) Russell Galen.

HOLLY BLACK sold a fan- at NAL via Pamela Harty of the tasy graphic novel series to David Knight Agency.

Levithan at Grafix/Scholastic via MIKE MOSCOE, writing as Barry Goldblatt, and with Tony MIKE SHEPHERD, sold Kris DiTerlizzi has a second five- Longknife: Audacious and Kris book Spiderwick Chronicles arc Longknife: Intrepid, the fifth and coming from Simon & Schuster. sixth in the series, to Ginjer BuchanNew book Arthur Spiderwick’s an at Ace via Jennifer Jackson of the Care and Feeding of Sprites is Donald Maass Literary Agency. planned for November 2006. A CATHERINE JINKS sold Evil Spiderwick Chronicles movie is ten- Genius and a sequel to Kathy Dawtatively scheduled for 2007 release son at Harcourt Children’s in a preby Nickelodeon, with Mark Waters empt via Jill Grinberg on behalf of directing.

Margaret Connolly. Allen & Unwin DEREK LANDY sold Skuldug- published in Australia. gery Pleasant, first in a YA fantasy MARISSA DOYLE’s Bewitchseries, to HarperCollins UK for ing Season and sequel Maiden O1.45 million at auction. US rights Voyage sold to Kate Farrell at Holt also went to HarperCollins.

Children’s via Emily Sylvan Kim at KRISTIN LANDON’s The the Prospect Agency.

Elusive Shore and a sequel went VALERIE STIVERS sold vamto Anne Sowards at Ace via Donald pire novel Blood Is the New Black Maass. to Allison McCabe at Three Rivers RAY GARTON sold Lot Liz- Press at auction via Joe Veltre at ards and Ravenous to Don D’Auria Artists Literary Group. at Dorchester via Richard Curtis.

MELISSA MARR sold debut ALEXIS GLYNN LATNER YA The Summer Queen and two sold Hurricane Moon to Lou An- more books to Anne Hoppe at ders at Pyr via Joshua Bilmes.

Harper Children’s via Rachel Vater JIM C. HINES sold humorous of Lowenstein-Yost. fantasy Goblin Quest and sequel New writer GRAHAM SHARP Goblin Hero to Sheila Gilbert at PAUL sold Michael Helfort’s War DAW via Steve Mancino of the and a sequel to Jim Minz at Del Rey JABberwocky Literary Agency. via Russell Galen.

Goblin Quest was first published JOHN CROWLEY’s non-ficby Five Star Books. tion collection In Other Words MAUREEN CHILD sold Dust- went to William K. Schafer at ing for Demons to Rose Hilliard Subterranean Press.

Forbidden Planets, an SF anthology about ‘‘worlds that are difficult and dangerous to visit,’’ to Andrew Wheeler at SFBC.

Media

C.S. Friedman (1990)

Holly Black (2005)

TAD WILLIAMS sold Rite, ‘‘a 140K-word collection of fiction, unproduced teleplays, and some non-fiction,’’ to William K. Schafer at Subterranean Press.

JACK McDEVITT sold collection Outbound to Steven H Silver at ISFiC Press.

ERIC BROWN sold novella Starship Summer to Peter Crowther at PS Publishing via John Jarrold.

KEALAN PATRICK BURKE sold Saturday Night at Eddie’s to William K. Schafer at Subterranean Press.

JON ARMSTRONG sold debut SF novel Grey to Jason Williams

Tanya Huff (2004)

at Night Shade Books via Ginger Clark at Curtis, Brown.

JOHN KLIMA will edit Logorrhea: Good Words Make Good Stories, ‘‘an anthology of fantastical fiction based on winning spelling bee words,’’ for Juliet Ulman at Bantam Spectra.

JOHN GLASBY sold Seetee Sun, set in John Russell Fearn’s Golden Amazon world, to Gary Lovisi at Gryphon Books.

AMBER BENSON & CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN sold fantasy novella The Seven Whistlers to William K. Schafer at Subterranean Press.

MIKE RESNICK will edit Alien Crimes, ‘‘kind of a companion piece to last year’s Down These Dark Spaceways,’’ for Andrew Wheeler at SFBC. Resnick & JOE SICLARI sold anthology Worldcon Guest of Honor Speeches to Steven H Silver at ISFiC Press.

Resnick delivered anthology Space Cadets to L.A.con IV, which will publish under its Sci-Fi Press imprint. The Palladin group renewed its movie option on his mystery novel Dog in the Manger.

BRIAN THOMSEN will edit The Further Adventures of Beowulf for Phillip Turner at Carroll & Graf via Frank Weimann of The Literary Group.

RICH HORTON will edit Science Fiction: The Best of the Year and Fantasy: The Best of the Year for Sean Wallace at Prime.

Mary Doria Russell (2005)

William K. Schafer at Subterranean Press via Vintage.

ZORAN ZIVKOVIC sold limited edition rights to The Bridge and Impossible Stories 2 to Peter Crowther at PS Publishing via John Jarrold. Film rights to his Hidden Camera went to UK production company Chocolate Films.

Books Delivered KARL SCHROEDER turned in Queen of Candesce, second in his Virga series, to David G. Hartwell at Tor. MARTIN SKETCHLEY delivered military space opera The Liberty Gun, third in his Structure series, to Lou Anders at Pyr. Simon & Schuster publishes the series in the UK, but the Pyr edition will appear first.

JAY LAKE turned in Trial of Flowers to Jason Williams at Night Shade Books.

MARVIN KAYE delivered

TANYA HUFF’s Blood series is being adapted as TV series Blood Ties by Kaleidoscope Entertainment, in a deal arranged by Joshua Bilmes. Canada’s CHUM Television has ordered 22 hour-long episodes.

Film rights to MARY DORIA RUSSELL’s The Sparrow went to Warner Bros., to be produced

by Brad Pitt’s Plan B and Industry Entertainment, with a script by Michael Seitzman.

KAI MEYER’s The Water Mirror is being adapted as an animated feature film by TFC Trickompany in Hamburg, Germany.

Film rights to TOM GODWIN’s Space Prison went to Michael Cassutt and Pierce Gardner, who plan to adapt it as a feature film.

Film rights to SCOTT LYNCH’s The Lies of Locke Lamora went to Warner Bros. for producers Michael De Luca and Julie Yorn via Alan Nevins of The Firm on behalf of Orion and the author.

LAURELL K. HAMILTON sold Dabel Brothers Productions the rights to adapt her Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series as a monthly comic book via Merrilee Heifetz of Writers House.

RICHARD A. KNAAK will write The Ogre Titans Trilogy, set in the world of DragonLance, for Mary Elizabeth Allen at Wizards of the Coast via Donald Maass.

JOHN VARLEY Picks Up An Oscar!

Books Resold

Karl Schroeder (2005)

SIMON R. GREEN resold the first three books in his new Secret Histories series to Jo Fletcher at Gollancz via John Parker at MBA and Joshua Bilmes, and delivered the first volume to Fletcher and to Ginjer Buchanan for Roc. JOE R. LANSDALE resold limited edition rights to Lost Echoes to

He didn’t win it – he just picked it up. The trophy was on display along with 50 others at the Oscar Petting Zoo at the Hollywood & Highland Center in March 2006, on the day of the Academy Awards.

LOCUS April 2006 / 11

2005 Nebula Awards Ballot The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have released the final ballot for the 2005 Nebula Awards.

Novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury) Camouflage, Joe Haldeman (Analog, 3/04-5/04; Ace) Polaris, Jack McDevitt (Ace) Going Postal, Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins) Air, Geoff Ryman (St. Martin’s) Orphans of Chaos, John C. Wright (Tor) Novella ‘‘The Tribes of Bela’’, Albert Cowdrey (F&SF 8/04) ‘‘Magic for Beginners’’, Kelly Link (Magic for Beginners) ‘‘Identity Theft’’, Robert J. Sawyer (Down These Dark Spaceways) ‘‘Clay’s Pride’’, Bud Sparhawk (Analog 7-8/04) ‘‘Left of the Dial’’, Paul Witcover (Sci Fiction 9/1/04) Novelette ‘‘Flat Diane’’, Daniel Abraham (F&SF 10-11/04) ‘‘The People of Sand and Slag’’, Paolo Bacigalupi (F&SF 2/04) ‘‘Nirvana High’’, Eileen Gunn & Leslie What (Stable Strategies and Others) ‘Men Are Trouble’’, James Patrick Kelly (Asimov’s 6/04) ‘‘The Faery Handbag’’, Kelly Link (The Faery Reel)

Short Story ‘‘The End of the World As We Know It’’, Dale Bailey (F&SF 10-11/04) ‘‘There’s a Hole in the City’’, Richard Bowes (Sci Fiction 6/15/05) ‘‘I Live with You’’, Carol Emshwiller (F&SF 3/05) ‘‘Still Life with Boobs’’, Anne Harris (Talebones Summer ’05) ‘‘My Mother, Dancing’’, Nancy Kress (Asimov’s 6/04) ‘‘Singing My Sister Down’’, Margo Lanagan (Black Juice) ‘‘Born-Again’’, K.D. Wentworth (F&SF 5/05).

Script Battlestar Galactica: ‘‘Act of Contrition’’/ ‘‘You Can’t Go Home Again’’ [two-part episode], Carla Robinson, Bradley Thompson, and David Weddle Serenity, Joss Whedon (Universal Pictures) Andre Norton Award Valiant, Holly Black (Simon & Schuster) Siberia, Ann Halam (Wendy Lamb) The Amethyst Road, Louise Spiegler (Clarion) Stormwitch, Susan Vaught (Bloomsbury) Final ballots are due April 7, 2006 (active SFWA members only are eligible to vote). Winners will be announced at the Nebula Awards Banquet, Saturday, May 6, 2006, during the Nebula Awards Weekend (May 4 - May 7, 2007) at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel in Tempe AZ. Details at <www.sfwa.org>.

Ryman Wins 2005 Tiptree Award

Geoff Ryman (2005)

Geoff Ryman’s Air (St. Martin’s 2004; Orion 2005) won the 2005 James Tiptree, Jr. Award, given annually to a work of science fiction or fantasy that explores and expands gender roles. The award includes a $1,000 cash prize, original artwork created specifically for the award, and a gift of chocolate. The award ceremony will be held at WisCon 30 in Madison, Wisconsin, May 26-29, 2006. The Tiptree jury also released a shortlist of other notable works: Willful Creatures, Aimee Bender (Doubleday); ‘‘Wooden Bride’’, Margo Lanagan (Black Juice); ‘‘Little Faces’’, Vonda N. McIntyre (Sci Fiction); A Brother’s Price, Wen Spencer (Roc); Misfortune, Wesley Stace (Little, Brown); Remains, Mark W. Tiedemann (BenBella Books).

The 2005 jurors were Liz Henry, Nike Bourke, Matt Ruff (past winner), and Georgie Schnobrich. Juror Hiromi Goto, also a past winner, resigned mid-year due to family obligations. Recommendations for the 2006 award can be submitted via the Tiptree Award website at <www.tiptree.org>.

2006 SF Hall of Fame Inductees

Frank Herbert (1984)

Frank Kelly Freas (2000)

The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington has announced its 2005 inductees, to be honored in a ceremony June 17, 2006, with Neil Gaiman as Master of Ceremonies.

The induction is part of the Science Fiction Awards weekend at the Museum, which also includes the presentation of the Locus Awards.

The inductees are: Literature: Frank Herbert.

Art: Frank Kelly Freas. Film, Television, and Media: George Lucas. Open Category: Anne McCaffrey. A new display featuring personal artifacts and video footage for each inductee 12 / LOCUS April 2006

George Lucas (2000s)

Anne McCaffrey (2004)

will be added to the Hall of Fame exhibit, and their laser-etched signatures and portraits will be added to the translucent Hall of Fame display. Each year the Hall of Fame inducts up to four individuals on the basis of their overall contributions to science fiction.

Tickets to the induction ceremony will be available for purchase on April 5 for members, and April 12 for the general public. The evening includes a seated dessert reception and ceremony. For information, visit <www. sfhomeworld.org>.

iBooks Files for Bankruptcy

Byron Preiss Visual Publications and iBooks, Inc. voluntarily filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition and abruptly ceased operations on February 22, 2006. An announcement states that the “companies have determined that they do not have sufficient resources to continue their operations and they have been unable to secure additional financing required to fund their respective operating activities.” This leaves many authors with books under contract in limbo until a trustee is appointed by the court to liquidate the company’s assets, a process which could take months.  p. 55

2005 Stoker Preliminary Ballot

The preliminary ballot for the 2005 Stoker Awards has been released. Voting is open to active members in the Horror Writers Association, and ballots are due March 25, 2006. Final ballots will be mailed April 1, and must be returned postmarked no later than May 1, with results to be tabulated May 15. Winners will be announced at the Awards Banquet, June 17, 2006, at the 2005 HWA Annual Conference (June 16-18) at the Hilton Newark Airport in New Jersey.

Novel: Play Dead, Michael A. Arnzen (Raw Dog Screaming Press); Keepers, Gary Braunbeck (Leisure); Dread in the Beast, Charlee Jacob (Necro); Terminal, Brian Keene (Spectra); The Demonologist, Michael Laimo (Leisure Books); Grave Intent, Deborah LeBlanc (Leisure); Blood Red, James A. Moore (Earthling Publications); Creepers, David Morrell (CDS); November Mourns, Tom Piccirilli (Bantam);  p. 55

2006 Hugo Awards Nominations Best Novel (430 nominating ballots) Learning the World, Ken MacLeod (Orbit; Tor) A Feast for Crows, George R.R. Martin (Voyager; Bantam Spectra) Old Man’s War, John Scalzi (Tor) Accelerando, Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit) Spin, Robert Charles Wilson (Tor) Best Novella (243) Burn, James Patrick Kelly (Tachyon) “Magic for Beginners”, Kelly Link (Magic for Beginners; F&SF 9/05) “The Little Goddess”, Ian McDonald (Asimov’s 6/05) “Identity Theft”, Robert J. Sawyer (Down These Dark Spaceways) “Inside Job”, Connie Willis (Asimov’s 1/05) Best Novelette (207) “The Calorie Man”, Paolo Bacigalupi (F&SF 10-11/05) “Two Hearts”, Peter S. Beagle (F&SF 10-11/05) “TelePresence”, Michael A. Burstein (Analog 7-8/05) “I, Robot”, Cory Doctorow (The Infinite Matrix 2/15/05) “The King of Where-I-Go”, Howard Waldrop (Sci Fiction 12/7/05) Best Short Story (278) “Seventy-Five Years”, Michael A. Burstein (Analog 1-2/05) “The Clockwork Atom Bomb”, Dominic Green (Interzone 5-6/05) “Singing My Sister Down”, Margo Lanagan (Black Juice) “Tk’tk’tk”, David D. Levine (Asimov’s 3/05) “Down Memory Lane”, Mike Resnick (Asimov’s 4-5/05)

Best Related Book (197) Transformations: The Story of the Science Fiction Magazines from 1950 to 1970, Mike Ashley (Liverpool) The SEX Column and Other Misprints, David Langford (Cosmos) Science Fiction Quotations, Gary Westfahl (Yale) Storyteller: Writing Lessons and More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop, Kate Wilhelm (Small Beer Press) Soundings: Reviews 1992-1996, Gary K. Wolfe (Beccon) Best Dramatic Presentation - Long Form (364) Batman Begins The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Serenity Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Best Semiprozine (238) The New York Ansible Review of Science Emerald City Fiction Interzone Locus Best Fanzine (176) Banana Wings File 770 Challenger Plokta Chunga Best Fan Writer (202) Claire Brialey Cheryl Morgan John Hertz Steven H Silver Dave Langford Best Fan Artist (154) Brad Foster Steve Stiles Teddy Harvia Frank Wu Sue Mason

John W. Campbell Award for Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form (261) Best New Writer [Not a Hugo Award] (186) Brandon Sanderson K.J. Bishop* Battlestar Galactica, ‘‘Pegasus’’ John Scalzi Sarah Monette* Doctor Who, ‘‘Dalek’’ Steph Swainston* Chris Roberson* Doctor Who, ‘‘The Empty Child’’ *second year of eligibility & ‘‘The Doctor Dances’’ Doctor Who, ‘‘Father’s Day’’ There were 533 nominating ballots received Jack-Jack Attack Lucas Back in Anger from members of L.A.con IV and Interaction.

Prix Victor Hugo Awards Ceremony The category of Best Interactive Game was Best Professional Editor (293) Ellen Datlow Gordon Van Gelder David G. Hartwell Sheila Williams Stanley Schmidt Best Professional Artist (230) Jim Burns Stephan Martiniere Bob Eggleton John Picacio Donato Giancola Michael Whelan

dropped due to lack of interest. Voting for the Hugo Awards is limited to members of L.A.con IV and may be done online with a PIN number or by paper ballot. The deadline for online ballots and the receipt of paper ballots is July 31, 2006. The Hugo Awards will be presented on Saturday, August 26, 2005 at L.A.con IV, the Worldcon in Anaheim, California. 

The Data File the original PKD robot Philip K. Dick Is Missing • can’t be found. The The interactive android version android is supposed to of Philip K. Dick disappeared in be part of a traveling early January while being shipped Smithsonian exhibition to California on a commercial in the fall. airliner, and his owners fear he may have been stolen for sale or N e w N e w Yo r k ransom. Or (maybe) wandered off Times Reviewer • on his own. They admit to being The New York Times conscious of the irony – a runaway apparently has a new replicant version of PKD is like SF reviewer replacing something from a PKD novel, afGerald Jonas. Dave ter all – but still want him back.

Philip K. Dick Android Itzkoff’s first review, The android, built by Hanson Robotics, has been displayed at various tech- of David Marusek’s Counting Heads, appeared nology conferences as a showcase for the latest March 5, 2006, and provoked strong reactions developments in interactive robot technology. among SF readers and publishing professionals.

It has cutting-edge speech recognition software While generally positive about the book, Itzkoff and an ‘‘artificial-intelligence-driven personal- laments the inaccessibility of current genre ity’’ that enables it to hold conversations and fiction, saying, ‘‘if you were to immerse yourself answer questions, with a vocabulary mostly in most of the sci-fi being published these days, based on lines from Dick’s books, essays, and you would probably enjoy it as much as one interviews. Cameras and biometric sensors in enjoys reading a biology textbook or a stereo the robot’s eyes are able to track faces, recognize manual.’’ A spirited argument began online specific individuals, and even understand facial across several blogs and forums, including a expressions. A spokesperson for Hanson Robot- lively exchange in the letters section at Locus ics said the company might build a new unit if Online, with Gregory Benford, Elizabeth

Hand, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Alex Irvine, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., Andrew Wheeler, and others weighing in to alternately praise and damn the reviewer. Itzkoff also annoyed some readers with a sidebar, ‘‘Science Fiction for the Ages’’, where he listed his favorites – mostly early literary mainstream/SF crossovers by Vonnegut, Burgess, Pynchon, Dick, Bradbury, etc., with only one book from the current century. Based on the list, readers have concluded Itzkoff isn’t very familiar with current SF, and is unqualified to discuss it. Others say it’s absurd to critique an article that Itzkoff acknowledges as a subjective list of favorites. Whether you agree with Itzkoff’s thoughts on SF or not, the discussion he’s provoked so far has been wide-ranging and interesting. Take a look at some of the letters at <www.locusmag.com>.

Masters of Science Fiction • The ABC tele-

vision network has announced a new anthology series, Masters of Science Fiction, with episodes based on the works of Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison®, and other SF writers. Producers IDT Entertainment and Industry Entertainment also created the 13-episode series Masters of  p. 56 LOCUS April 2006 / 13

Locus Looks at Short Fiction: Nick Gevers 

F&SF 5/06 Understanding Space and Time, Alastair Reynolds (Birmingham Science Fiction Group) November 2005.

ParaSpheres: Fabulist and New Wave Fabulist Stories, Rusty Morrison & Ken Keegan, eds.

(Omnidawn Publishing) August 2006.

Interzone 2/06 Analog 4/06 F&SF is a magazine notable for its regulars, authors who contribute good quality stories on a frequent, even – as sometimes seems the case with Robert Reed and Albert E. Cowdrey – on a monthly basis. F&SF’s editor, Gordon Van Gelder, knows what he likes, and by and large this serves his publication well; its consistency is remarkable, even if it risks a certain sameness of content thereby. The May issue illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of this approach – all eight stories are by regulars or semi-regulars, all are highly readable and stylish in both concept and execution; and yet some are distinctly minor by their authors’ standards, marking mild troughs between creative peaks. Fortunately, when those peaks are scaled, the products are superb.

Take Matthew Hughes’s punningly-titled ‘‘A Herd of Opportunity’’, the latest in his Archonate sequence, a cycle of far-future science fantasy stories in the manner of Jack Vance.

One thread of the larger Archonate narrative concerns Guth Bandar, a psychic historian of sorts, able to wander the Commons, the realm of the collective unconscious, there to observe, and sometimes interact with, archetypes of many kinds, a lot of them very dangerous. In ‘‘Herd’’, Hughes fills in some of Bandar’s early background, the time when, as a student at the Institute of Historical Inquiry on Old Earth, he was showing precocious talent and insight as a noonaut, yet was already being ignored and sidelined by the orthodox scholars in charge there. Accompanying one such pedantic senior – a Preceptor Huffley – on a mission to a desert world far off along the Spray, Bandar becomes involved in a heated dispute between a daft band of religious fanatics and a crooked impresario 14 / LOCUS April 2006

determined to exploit as a tourist spectacle the antics of indigenous herbivores who are somehow imbibing and acting out routines from the human unconscious. The ensuing hybrid of Jungian speculation and Vancean farce is thoroughly absorbing and very funny, Hughes in spectacular form; he manages a penetrating examination of mysticism in the process, its absurd extremes and its solid core.

Another highlight is ‘‘Journey into the Kingdom’’ by M. Rickert, an elegant metafiction reminiscent of the intricate oneiric labyrinths of Jeffrey Ford. Here a young man visits a coffee shop, scrutinizes a set of amateur paintings, and then reads the attached Artist’s Statement, an exercise in magic realist autobiography full of ghosts and mystery; clearly, the artworks are merely a lure into this text, and he is the first person to succumb, the Statement’s first Reader.

He identifies the writer/artist; he cannot know whether her account of her life is literally accurate or an allegorical fiction; falling in love with her, he plays a dark and surprising game, revealing far deeper secrets than had ever seemed possible. The echoing play of troubled mentalities in ‘‘Journey’’, the effortless manner with which it marries fairy tale and psychological realism, and the serpentine narrative dexterity on view are breathtaking.

A couple of Old Masters of long F&SF association also exhibit fine technique this issue: there’s Terry Bisson with ‘‘Billy and the Fairy’’, second in a sequence of minimalist fables of wayward childhood imagination, Billy this time conversing with a nasty eldritch being who proceeds to usurp his parents’ place, and there’s Gene Wolfe, who in ‘‘Bea and Her Bird Brother’’ presents a woman with her dying father’s confession of otherworldly travel, a glimpse emerging therefrom of a spiritual domain resembling the tiered hierarchy of worlds in Wolfe’s The Wizard Knight. When angels fly too low, they cross into perilous, yet necessary, physical planes. Meanwhile, Robert Reed’s ‘‘Show Me Yours’’ is resolutely shocking stuff, the tale of a date rapist getting his comeuppance in a manner cunningly masked until story’s end; and Steven Utley’s ‘‘Diluvium’’, another Silurian episode, tests creationist and scientific world-views through open competition, coming – most interestingly – to a relativist conclusion

from the debate.

So far, so good. But a couple of regulars are decidedly off their respective peaks, as prolific writers will periodically be. Albert E. Cowdrey’s ‘‘Imitation of Life’’ is a predictable satire on genteel English country life, a post-historic utopia of villages witnessing mild civil disorder and a risqué love affair, much nudge-nudge wink-wink humor disfiguring the portrait; and Charles Coleman Finlay’s ‘‘Passing Through’’ haunts a small town museum curator with the hypocrisy of concealing her true ancestry – an unexceptional message unexceptionally delivered. Of course, such mediocrity by Cowdrey and Finlay will likely be short-lived; in a couple of months, renewed, they’ll be leading the F&SF pack again, as Cowdrey did with his brilliant recent novella, ‘‘The Revivalist’’.

One of Britain’s finest hard SF writers, Alastair Reynolds has been producing some excellent short fiction lately, in the intervals between composing his massive space operas; and with Understanding Space and Time, a novella published to mark the 2005 Novacon, he strikes a fresh high. This is a tour de force of deep future-historical and evolutionary speculation, tracing a man’s progression towards cosmological enlightenment across millions of years; and an arduous journey it is for John Renfrew, if not for the fascinated reader. Renfrew begins as the last person alive, surviving at the first Mars Base following the annihilation of the rest of humankind by a ‘‘weaponized virus’’ run amok. With advice from a peculiarly outspoken entertainment simulation, a Piano Man readily identifiable as Elton John, Renfrew decides to construct a Theory of Everything that will be our species’ final monument; before he can accomplish much, matters take a transcendent turn, and a strange Stapledonian expansion of the quest develops, involving transformations and epiphanies of a wonderful, if obsessive, sort.

Reynolds depicts Renfrew’s terrible loneliness, and later metamorphoses, with tremendous concise skill, analyzing just what it is that presses us to survive and to comprehend; and a gentle wit enriches the tale, emphasizing always Renfrew’s idiosyncratic individuality even as he  p. 46

Locus Looks at Short Fiction: Rich Horton 

Analog 4/06, 5/06 Asimov’s 6/06 F&SF 4/06

a weird environment’’ story. In this case his explorers encounter a strange danger on the nearly uninhabited bottom level.

One Million A.D., Gardner Dozois, ed. (SFBC) Jan 2006.

Overall, I was less impressed with the May Analog, but it does feature one very enjoyable and charming story that is very much pure Analog: Rob Chilson’s ‘‘Farmers in the Sky’’.

The title signals a certain debt to Heinlein, as do the chapter headings. Shanda is a young woman from an asteroid farming family who has been studying on Earth, and has fallen in love with an Earthman. She returns home, convinced she’s lost her Earth boyfriend forever, but to her surprise he follows her Out. From this point the story could take a couple of obvious turns (there is also a local boy in the picture), but Chilson finds a kind of middle way that’s pretty satisfying, and that nicely illustrates the theme. And without making anyone a villain! Really, this shows many Analog characteristics very well: the space boosterism, the not terribly subtle explanation of SFnal ideas by telling them to the visitor character, the hint of didacticism. Exaggerated, all these would be failings: in this story, they are handled pretty well, and for a long-time SF fan like me the story is quite fun.

Strange Horizons 3/06 Weird Tales 1-2/06 Fantasy Magazine #2 Jabberwocky 2, Sean Wallace, ed. (Prime) 2006.

Elemental, Steven Savile & Alethea Kontis, eds. (Tor) May 2006.

The April and May issues of Analog are highly characteristic of the magazine, and the April one in particular is quite good. The lead story is intriguing and original – alas, I don’t think it worked, though in this case I have to admit the fault may lie with me. I didn’t get it!

I’m writing of Wil McCarthy’s ‘‘Boundary Conditions’’, in which a trendy American pope visits a strange orbital weather station, where ‘‘Saints’’ try to forecast – and perhaps forestall – quantum decoherence ‘‘storms’’ which result in excessive free will. The story addresses fascinating issues, including free will and whether or not there is a God, and does so from an unusual angle, but as I stated earlier either it doesn’t quite work – or I didn’t read it right.

Perhaps a better example of Analog being Analog is John G. Hemry’s ‘‘Lady Be Good’’.

This is a tale of the first officer of a tramp freighter carrying a questionable cargo to a warring star system. He needs to find new crew members to fill out their desperately short ranks, to make sure an essential but always drunk crewman makes it back on board, to cover for his mysteriously absent captain, and to decide what to do when doing the right thing will doom their only chance at a lucrative payday. I was never surprised, and I think I’ve read almost the same story in ’50s magazines, but for all that I enjoyed every page.

Stephen Baxter’s ‘‘The Lowland Expedition’’ is another of his tales of Old Earth, where time moves faster at higher altitudes: thus a typical – but pretty good – Analog ‘‘exploring

Asimov’s for June features one longish novelette and a passel of short stories. The novelette, ‘‘A Flight of Numbers Fantastique Strange’’, is the first Asimov’s appearance for promising newer writer Beth Bernobich. Simon Madoc is a mathematics student whose twin sister, Gwyn, seems to have been driven mad by mathematics.

We soon gather that this is in a parallel world of some sort: it feels a bit like Edwardian England but the city is called Awveline and the country Èireann, and other countries mentioned include familiar ones like Estonia and unfamiliar ones like Lîvod. Math is different, too: Simon is studying theories about the electrical properties of certain equations. And when several of his student friends die in mysterious circumstances, Simon is at the center of the murder investigation. This is all quite interesting, but in the end I wasn’t convinced. But I was intrigued, and I want to see more from Bernobich.

Two of the shorter pieces stand out. Robert Reed’s ‘‘Eight Episodes’’ is about a cult TV show that tells the rather dry scientific story

of the discovery of a tiny spaceship in a Permian-era rock sample. The spaceship has a sort of message for humanity, a message which concerns, it turns out, the Fermi Paradox. The story manages some of the same power as Ian R. MacLeod’s classic ‘‘New Light on the Drake Equation’’ in its evocation of lost SFnal dreams, and its reminder that there are still dreams to dream. And Jack Skillingstead’s ‘‘Life on the Preservation’’ tells of a girl from a future Earth destroyed by aliens who penetrates into Seattle, which has been maintained in a time loop as a sort of reminder of what Earth was like. Her job is to destroy the alien time loop machinery – but this is complicated when she meets a boy…. I think this may be the best story yet by this fine new writer.

F&SF’s April issue is a bit lackluster. Best is a solid Daryl Gregory outing, ‘‘Gardening at Night’’. This concerns a project to clear land mines using a lot of fairly intelligent ‘‘mytes’’: interconnected small robots. The problem is, the mytes, as with seemingly all ‘‘fairly intelligent robots’’ in SF history, seem to have their own ideas about what to do with their lives. It’s a thoughtful, interesting, well-done story – but it isn’t a ‘‘wow’’ story.

The latest SFBC collection of novellas is Gardner Dozois’s One Million A.D. The six stories here are all set nominally at least several hundred thousand years in the future, and mostly they do a pretty good job of actually suggesting a fairly radical future. One of the most spectacular in scale is Alastair Reynolds’s ‘‘Thousandth Night’’, about the periodic Reunion of a group of altered clones who spend 200,000 years traveling the Galaxy then come  p. 46 THIS MONTH IN HISTORY April 23, 2048. European Israel recognized. A century of conflict in the Middle East ends as the state of Israel is re-established on territory ceded in a historic reparations settlement by Poland, Germany, and Ukraine. Arabs and Jews alike send congratulations from Democratic Palestine as the new state is admitted to the UN.

LOCUS April 2006 / 15

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Locus Looks at Books: Gary K. Wolfe 

The Best of Philip José Farmer, Philip JoséFarmer (Subterranean Press 1-59606-036-0, $38.00, 568pp, hc) February 2006. Cover by Michael Komarck.

The Empire of Ice Cream, Jeffrey Ford (Golden Gryphon 1-930846-39-8, $24.95, 322pp, hc), April 2006. Cover by John Picacio.

Visionary in Residence, Bruce Sterling (Thunder’s Mouth 1-56025-841-1, $15.95, 294pp, tp) April 2006.

Nebula Awards Showcase 2006: The Year’s Best SF and Fantasy, Gardner Dozois, ed.

(Roc 0-451-46064-2, $15.95, 376pp, tp) March 2006.

SHORT TAKES Strange Relations, Philip José Farmer (Baen 1-416-50934-8, $13.00, 476pp, tp) February 2006.

Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer’s Wold Newton Universe, Win Scott Eckert, ed. (MonkeyBrain Books 1-932265-147, $14.95, 392pp, tp) November 2005. Cover by John Picacio.

Farmerphile, Michael Croteau, ed. Issues #2 (October 2005) and #3 (January 2006).

[Order from <www.pjfarmer.com/farmphile. htm#iss1>.]

It’s long been a critical commonplace that classic American SF was all about boys and their tools, and it’s another commonplace that Philip José Farmer gave that notion a whole new meaning. ‘‘Farmer gave science fiction sex,’’ writes Joe R. Lansdale in his introduction to the important new retrospective The Best of Philip José Farmer, and as well-intentioned as this comment may be, it also echoes the onenote cliché that everyone seems to know about Farmer, even (or perhaps especially) if they haven’t read ‘‘The Lovers’’, the legendary 1952 story that introduced Farmer to the SF world and that almost instantly set his reputation in stone.

Fortunately, Lansdale’s introduction is followed directly by ‘‘The Lovers’’ itself, demonstrating that even at the very beginning of his career Farmer was a more complex and sophisticated writer than he’s often been given credit for. ‘‘The

Lovers’’ deals with sex with aliens, to be sure, but it deals equally with religion (another common Farmer theme) and with the depredations of a repressively puritanical society (which has been perhaps Farmer’s most consistent target as a satirist, and which shows up even more dramatically in ‘‘My Sister’s Brother’’, another alien sex tale). Far from being the Roger Vadim of SF, Farmer is closer to being its Henry Miller, an author he deeply admires and one who shares with him an unfairly one-sided reputation.

Now, however, there seems to be a bit of a Farmer renaissance going on (see ‘‘Short Takes’’ at the end of this column), and with it a kind of reassessment of his place in the field. The Best of Philip José Farmer is by far the largest and most comprehensive selection of Farmer stories so far assembled, and one wonders why it took so long for someone to pull it together. The 20 stories cover nearly 40 years of Farmer’s career, from ‘‘The Lovers’’ in 1952 to ‘‘One Down, One to Go’’ in 1990, and one comes away from it not with a sense of a writer obsessed with sex, nor a writer devoted to high-concept series fiction (though the source stories for Farmer’s Riverworld and Dayworld series are both included), but of an astonishingly fertile and anarchic imagination – even by the standards of the SF of the ’50s and ’60s, when Farmer established his reputation – and of a writer with absolutely no fear, willing to try almost anything in the service of liberating the imagination. The second story in the collection, for example, also from 1952, is ‘‘Sail On! Sail On!’’, a classic alternate-history tale embellished with a dizzying twist of the sort we wouldn’t see again for decades, and then from writers as diverse and innovative as Ted Chiang or Paul di Filippo. ‘‘The Alley Man’’, a near-mainstream story about a squalid but irrepressible ragpicker who claims to be among the last of the Neanderthals (and which barely lost out in the 1960 Hugo voting to ‘‘Flowers for Algernon’’), anticipates not only a range of later Neanderthal-survival tales, but a more mature trend in character-based SF in realistic settings that also would not become common for another decade or two. And the competent hero, that mainstay of Campbellian SF, is repeatedly undermined in even these early tales, sometimes in ways that almost seem to anticipate later feminist SF. The male characters in ‘‘The Lovers’’, ‘‘My Sister’s Brother’’, and ‘‘Mother’’ are ineffectual, naïve, and repressed,

while the competent scientist in the latter story is the protagonist’s mother.

And all that barely takes us out of the 1950s.

In the 1960s, Farmer extended his exuberant imagination stylistically as well as thematically. ‘‘Riders of the Purple Wage’’, widely regarded as the most adventurous tale in Harlan Ellison®’s adventurous 1967 anthology Dangerous Visions (and which took up more than ten percent of the pages in that huge book), is a dense and hilarious meditation on the role of the artist in a future economy of abundance, filled with Joycean puns and narrative tricks, and is also one of the few Farmer stories to emerge from a specific political manifesto (in this case, the ‘‘Triple Revolution’’ document that a group of prominent leftists presented to Lyndon Johnson in 1964). While ‘‘Riders’’ plunges us into this world without much orientation, another story, ‘‘The Öogenesis of Bird City’’ (originally an outtake from ‘‘Riders’’), explains the economy and architecture of this future metropolis. Also in the 1960s, Farmer wrote a series of surrealistic parables called ‘‘polytropical paramyths,’’ of which one is included here (‘‘Don’t Wash the Carats’’), and began openly to pay tribute to his literary heroes, ranged from Joyce, Henry Miller, and William Burroughs on the one hand to Tarzan, L. Frank Baum, and Doc Savage on the other. Of all the stories in the collection, the one of which it can most easily be said could only have been conceived by Farmer is ‘‘The Jungle Rot Kid on the Nod’’, which bizarrely imagines what a Tarzan story would have been like had he been invented by William Burroughs rather than Edgar Rice Burroughs, and which manages to achieve a dead-on impression of the later Burroughs’s style.

As both ‘‘Riders’’ and ‘‘The Jungle Rot Kid’’ demonstrate, Farmer, who has sometimes been accused of writing too much too fast, could write with considerable literary savvy and sophistication, and on occasion he could mount story concepts that at first might seem almost impossible to write. One of his best stories is ‘‘Sketches Among the Ruins of My Mind’’ (1973), in which a massive alien object appears in orbit around the earth, after which people’s memories begin disappearing at the rate of four days of memory for each passing day, until they regress to childhood memories and become literally mindless when even their earliest memories are gone. As  LOCUS April 2006 / 17

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 Gary K. Wolfe the real-time narrative advances from 1980 to 1988, the narrator’s memory disappears all the way back to 1956, when he was 11 years old.

The simple logistics of trying to tell such a tale in the first person make such later experiments in memory loss as Gene Wolfe’s Soldier of the Mist seem almost modest, yet Farmer brings it off in one of his most haunting and tragic tales.

The series of Dayworld novels, represented here by their source story ‘‘The Sliced-Crosswise Only-on-Tuesday World’’, is only slightly less conceptually ambitious: in an overpopulated future, citizens are permitted to live only one day per week, spending the rest of the time in suspended-animation ‘‘stoners,’’ thus aging at only one-seventh the normal rate. By contrast, Farmer’s most famous Big Concept, the mysterious Riverworld where all humans who have ever lived are resurrected, is more a story-machine than a narrative experiment; it’s no wonder he went on writing sequels about it, since it gave him a chance to play with his favorite historical figures. Those who fondly remember Richard Burton or Mark Twain from the novels may be surprised to discover that the hero of the story ‘‘Riverworld’’ is Tom Mix, a western movie hero from Farmer’s childhood.

Playfulness, in fact, is a good way of characterizing much of Farmer’s fiction, and the sense of sheer joy in storytelling is evident throughout the collection. ‘‘After King Kong Fell’’ is an unabashed tribute to a favorite movie, treated here as an historical event described decades later by a grandfather to his granddaughter. ‘‘The Henry Miller Dawn Patrol’’, about a randy resident of a nursing home who views his sexual conquests in terms of his memories of being a World War I pilot, is a joyfully raunchy brief against aging and death. And ‘‘The Making of Revelation, Part 1’’, in which God hires Cecil B. DeMille to direct the Apocalypse (and hires a science fiction writer named Ellison® to write the screenplay), is simply a writer having fun (while once again giving a passing road-rage gesture to religion). But even late in his career, Farmer was still engaging issues of race, poverty, and repression in stories like ‘‘One Down, One to Go’’, a deeply ironic portrait of a welfare state in which the poor are encouraged to undergo sterilization in exchange for a new car. As Michael Croteau notes in his Afterword, there are likely to be complaints from Farmer’s fiercely devoted body of readers that favorite tales have had to be excluded for space limitations – my own list would include ‘‘J.C. on the Dude Ranch’’, ‘‘Down in the Black Gang’’, and perhaps a couple more polytropical paramyths – but it’s hard to think of a major aspect of Farmer’s career that isn’t represented here, and it’s hard to argue with Lansdale’s contention that Farmer’s short fiction, perhaps because of his reputation for high-concept novel series, may be among the most significant and overlooked bodies of short fiction in all of SF. As several of us noted in our year in review pieces a couple of months back, 2005 was something of a banner year for SF story collections, and 2006 shows every sign of continuing that

trend. Here, for example, is Jeffrey Ford’s second collection, The Empire of Ice Cream, including 13 stories originally published between 2002 and 2005 and one beautiful new novella, ‘‘Botch Town’’, original to this collection. I don’t have a particularly good memory for story titles, and often have to flip through a story I’d read some time earlier to remind myself what it was all about.

With Ford, this isn’t a problem; looking now at the contents of The Empire of Ice Cream, every title brings an individual, sensuous, and haunting world vividly to mind, and a few – like the opening story ‘‘The Annals of Eelin-Ok’’ – leap forth as almost instant classics of short fantasy.

This may mean simply that Ford has a talent for writing distinctive titles, but I think there’s more to it than that. It may be, as Jonathan Carroll says in his introduction, that ‘‘Ford sees wonder everywhere and embraces it fully,’’ but it’s more than that, too. Ford has a terrific imagination, of course, able to find epic potential in such detritus of everyday life as a disintegrating sand castle (the setting of ‘‘The Annals of Eelin-Ok’’), but that’s his job as a fantasy writer. What makes Ford such a distinctive voice – what made his brilliant novel The Girl in the Glass seem like such an effective fantasy when it wasn’t really a fantasy at all – is, I suspect, largely purely literary in nature, a unique combination of sensibility and technique, and a masterful awareness of what subtle shifts in angle of vision are needed to make a story resonate. Ford is not a sentimental writer, but he’s a writer of deep sentiment, and he knows how to use the techniques of sentiment to get the effects he wants.

Look, for example, at how often he uses chronology shifts to displace his narrative in time, and how this familiar technique gives different kinds of resonance to different kinds of stories. ‘‘The Annals of Eelin-Ok’’ begins with the narrator’s memory of something he was told as a child, then shifts to a five-year-old girl finding a conch shell on the beach in 1999, then finally arrives at the central narrative, found in a microscopic manuscript inside the shell, the ‘‘annals’’ of the title, the magical memoir of a sand-castle fairy whose entire life is contained within the brief life of the children’s sandcastle he inhabits. In ‘‘Jupiter’s Skull’’, however, the time shifts give the story a Borgesian magic realist flavor, as the narrator recalls the death of an old woman shopkeeper in an obscure district of the city, then discusses with a local prostitute tales of the old woman and the strange skull she kept in her shop, and finally moves out of the district altogether, only to learn that no one on the outside has ever heard of it, and no letters can get through. But years later the narrator, now a successful poet, meets a stranger at a book-signing who claims to have just returned from there. ‘‘The Beautiful Gelreesh’’ describes a half-human, half-canine monster who uses his talent for empathy and pity to change his appearance and lure his victims to death, after which he devours their bodies. But his own history is only revealed after he’s captured and tried, and the story’s ending shifts forward centuries to a graduate student trying to uncover the legendary gelreesh’s remains.

If there’s a characteristic way that Ford manipulates time and memory, however, it’s in

stories with more domestic and realistic settings, often employing elements of autobiography and making strategic use of childhood viewpoints.

The Long Island bar with its huge mural of a tropical beach in ‘‘A Night in the Tropics’’ is first described as a childhood memory, but then becomes a symbolic backdrop for what is essentially a horror tale, as the adult narrator returns to the bar and meets a hooligan from his childhood days, who in turn tells of his life of petty crime and the cursed chess set that he has unwittingly stolen. ‘‘The Trentino Kid’’ is in many ways a traditional ghost story, set in a clamming community in Long Island where a boy who drowned months earlier returns just as the narrator’s boat is endangered by a sudden storm (though whether the ghost is there to rescue the narrator or to lead him to death isn’t initially clear). And Ford’s most direct celebration of his own childhood, ‘‘Botch Town’’ (the title refers to a makeshift model of the town built by the narrator’s brother in his basement), is an almost leisurely but brilliantly textured portrait of a beloved community and family, whose darker elements seem only fodder for mystery and adventure to kids who’ve not yet lost their sense of wonder and possibility. In each of these tales, the fantasy element is carefully modulated to support rather than displace the sharp and sympathetic portraits of working class lives that are one of Ford’s great strengths as a writer.

The same is true of ‘‘Coffins on the River’’, in which two aging buddies, one a failed painter and the other a failed novelist, still experiment with drugs together and, in a rare moment of engagement with the world, get involved in trying to help rescue a child who’s been abducted.

It’s as clear an evocation as I’ve seen of why artists persist in the face of obscurity, and of why outsider art exists at all.

In general, I think Ford’s characteristic mode lies more with these stories than with his redactions of more familiar myth and fairy-tale material, such as ‘‘Boatman’s Holiday’’ (which revisits Dante and the myth of Charon), ‘‘The Green Word’’ (his take on a version of the Green Man legend), and ‘‘Giant Land’’ (which ingeniously revisions material from ‘‘Jack and the Beanstalk’’) – all of which, according to Ford’s story notes, were written in response to specific invitations. As Carroll says in the introduction, there’s not a bad story in the book, but these perhaps come closer to traditional fantasy variations. There’s a third category of Ford story, however, that lies somewhere between the autobiographical and the redactive, and that seems to lead in directions almost unique in modern  p. 47 THIS MONTH IN HISTORY April 28, 2066. Mystery saucer departs.

The gigantic alien spaceship that orbited Earth for two years and then disappeared under the Indian Ocean suddenly emerges from the North Atlantic and speeds off into interstellar space, leaving huge sinkholes in Alaska, Arabia, and Oklahoma.

Tulsa and Riyadh are relocated when it is discovered that the saucer, swollen to four times its arrival size, took all the Earth’s oil deposits with it.

LOCUS April 2006 / 19

Fiction that’s Immortal.

A richly imagined tale of ordinary redemption in an extraordinary world, from the acclaimed author of The Philip K. Dick Award-nominated Natural History.

In a far-future of fantasies and nightmares, a young runaway finds love with an androgynous

One killer. One cure. One chance.

shape-shifter called Jalaeka. But Jalaeka is far

The Hot Zone meets cyberpunk in this

more than he seems, and it will take more than

chilling debut novel from celebrated

love to save us when gods collide.

short story writer Barth Anderson.

The near future: A deadly virus has been unleashed across Mexico and Henry Stark, head of the American Center for Disease Control, is smuggled over the border to contain it.

But this disease is unlike any he’s ever seen— and its origins may be more evil than he could have imagined.

Log on to www.bantamdell.com to sign up for Spectra Pulse, our free monthly eNewsletter.

Locus Looks at Books: Faren Miller  Vellum, Hal Duncan (Macmillan 1-4050-52082, £17.99, 528pp, hc) August 2005; (Del Rey 0-345-48731, $14.95, 468pp, tp) May 2006.

Babylon, Richard Calder (PS Publishing 1904619-57-6, £25.00/$45.00, 248pp, hc) April 2006. [Order from PS Publishing, Grosvenor House, 1 New Road, Hornsea, East Yorkshire HU18 1PG, UK; <www.pspublishing.co.uk>.]

Bronze: A Tale of Terror, Kit Reed (Night Shade Books 1-597800-08-2, $24.95, 250pp, hc) November 2005. Cover by Edward Miller.

[Order from Night Shade Books, 1470 NW Saltzman Road, Portland OR 97229; <www. nightshadebooks.com>.]

The Rainbow Opera, Elizabeth Knox (Faber Children’s Books 0-571-22455-5, £9.99, 416pp, hc) May 2005; in the US as Dreamhunter (Farrar, Straus & Giroux 0-374-31853-0, $19.00, 366pp, tp) March 2006.

SHORT TAKE Streaking, Brian Stableford (PS Publishing 1904619-40-1, £25.00/$45.00, 322pp, hc) April 2006. Cover by Vincent Chong.

Despite receiving heaps of advance galleys, sometimes we reviewers seem to be playing endless games of catch-up as outstanding books (mostly from overseas) arrive months too late for year-end wrap-ups. Last year it happened with Margo Lanagan’s collection Black Juice and this time it’s Vellum, a remarkable first novel by Hal Duncan. The UK edition did get a largely favorable review by Lisa Goldstein in Locus last July, but the rest of us seem to have missed it.

That was our definitely our loss.

This first volume of duology The Book of All Hours has assimilated so many influences – genre lit, history, and mythology – it could be called a hybrid of any number of things, from Lovecraft-meets-cyberpunk to Lisa’s ‘‘The Da Vinci Code has met Finnegans Wake.’’ Vellum does combine elements of ‘‘secret history’’ with enough difficulty of form and thematic density that it’s unlikely to become anyone’s favorite bedside book, but its challenges strike me as more like those Ulysses or ‘‘The Waste Land’’ might have presented to their first readers: stay with me, as your world cracks open to admit something new. While we’ve become accustomed to multiverses and timeslips, grungy futures and intimations of apocalypse, Duncan plunges us into a kind of spatiotemporal chaos that might just lead to a Unified Field Theory of all myths and religions – or their place in the human mind.

The Book has accumulated many legends and rumors (for some it’s the Macronomicon, for others the glorious code to unlock the secrets of all existence), but when Reynard Carter handles the precious thing on the very first page of the Prologue he thinks of maps, those burning maps that signaled the mixture of antiquity and adventure in old films. Maybe that’s why for him it turns out to be a book of maps which deviate further and further from his own surroundings, and will

lead him deep into the archetypal agglomeration of worlds and times that is the Vellum. There’s one major catch to his new opportunity: like a websurfer who’s failed to log into a private blog, he encounters only places, not their inhabitants.

But ah, those places are exotic!

So it’s something of a shock when Reynard’s Prologue gives way to the mixture of earthly and specifically mythic scenes of Volume One, ‘‘The Lost Deus of Sumer’’. Duncan’s an inveterate punster, but his wordplay’s not just for show. In Vellum’s palimpsest of faiths, legends, and cultures, reaching back as far as Sumer – and occasionally deeper, to Lascaux and neolithic Africa – and forward to 2017, Sumerian/Babylonian gods and goddesses provide one of the central myths: that of Inanna the Queen of Heaven and her journey into her sister’s domain of Hell, after her brother Tammuz wanders into its precincts and is lost. While Duncan’s Inanna is also a biker chick named Phreedom (or Anna, with still other aliases and personas) and Hell takes on elements of nanotech and vast conspiracies, he emphasizes the congruency of new and old through repeated citations of the original myth, with all its lapis, kohl, and rituals. This works as a kind of anchor to keep the tale from escaping into the near-future, although it can be trying at times. (So can one stylistic flaw... far too many unnecessary ellipses.) But bear with him, and you’ll be rewarded.

Tammuz, in a multitude of incarnations, is more of a resonant tragic figure because Duncan (who’s gay) envisions him as lover as well as brother: always the gentle victim-sacrifice to the arrogance of power and the treacheries of love.

Phreedom goes off into the Vellum in hope of

rescuing one version, but the primary complex of rage, love, guilt, and mourning for a lost boy belongs to Seamus, a foul-mouthed and longlived Irishman.

The repetitions and layerings of characters and tales can be interesting in themselves, sometimes providing startling insights into correspondences that pop up where you’d least expect them. But there’s a subtler power at work, when seeming opposites blur and change roles in both the book’s dystopian thriller aspects and its myths.

Even more intriguing are hints of genuine change to the old archetypes – portents of triumph or disaster?

Vellum’s second half, ‘‘Evenfall Leaves’’, casts a dark eye on less intimate matters such as history, and the politics of earth and heaven. Prometheus, rebel and prisoner of the gods, largely replaces passive Tammuz at the center of things, and his most recent incarnation has borne many hardships in the course of the 20th century. Will he be freed? Will some version of the gentler god escape his own hell, or are he and his would-be rescuer eternally damned? And what’s going on with Reynard Carter, anyway? Though Duncan provides some answers (while advancing the plot), there’s still one more book to come.

Some of the same Mesopotamian deities figure in a secret history that becomes more like a science-fantastical fact of life for the people in Richard Calder’s Babylon, but the mood here is different. So is earthly history, as we find early on. The book opens in a girl’s school in something like late-Victorian London, where the Bible-toting instructor is asking for volunteers  LOCUS April 2006 / 21

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 Faren Miller to join the ‘‘Shulamite novitiate.’’ Most of those willing young ladies have names like Scarlette, Clititia, Faye, Vanity, and Fellatia, and even the teacher’s final declamation sounds a bit odd: ‘‘Girls, we live in an age of polluted ideals. An age of racial and cultural degeneration. We can only hope that the days of terror will soon be at an end and that Babylon will be restored to her former glory. Now let us pray.’’

She’s referring not to the original city but to a planet in a parallel dimension: settled long ago by the holy whores of Ishtar as a matriarchy where men have little place, later revealed to those back on Earth, and now in a state of considerable decay (while enemies seek to destroy it altogether or take it for their own). Although ‘‘polite society’’ regards Shulamites with the kind of prejudice hate-mongering Christians once reserved for Jews, the new Babylon has attained political clout. It also holds a special allure for girls like Madeleine Fell. While not a born Shulamite, she’s a rebel who regards her teacher’s religious hero as ‘‘the wet lettuce leaf of Nazareth’’ and rejects her parents’ brand of social activism as horribly mundane. Maddie wants adventure – and it needn’t all be good clean fun.

As a later age had its biker girls and Goths, Maddie is steeped in the darker side of 19th-century arts and popular culture, writers like Poe and Marie Corelli and artists like the Pre-Raphaelites and the early Symbolists. She’s not quite naughty enough to approve of Jack the Ripper (currently busy in London), but she has long fancied dark, dangerous men. After her friend Cliticia sneaks her into Babylon through something like the back door, both girls will get plenty of chances to indulge such fancies.

They’re in the company of a pair of men so obviously dangerous, all our rational and parental instincts may scream ‘‘No! Run away!’’ Still, Calder’s visions of Babylon are both allusive and alluring. How can one resist a scene like this?

Lord Azrael and Mr Malachi stood by the railway lines that ran down the middle of the street. I looked south, to where the lines receded toward the vanishing point of our destination: a saw-toothed horizon comprised of ziggurats surmounted by a bloated moon. The moon neither waxed nor waned, nor did it cross the heavens; it simply remained where it was, night after night, like a great Chinese lantern above the tiny, distant buildings – a goddess brooding over her deathly still world.

Later invocations of Fuselli, Rosetti, and the like are equally intoxicating – bizarre, sensuous, channeling the essence of late 19th-century decadence. But darkness can be more than a style, a pose, or a youthful fling. Such noted figures as Lovecraft and artist-turned-politico Hitler aspired to ‘‘pure’’ Aryanism while despising ‘‘miscegenation’’ and all ‘‘lesser breeds,’’ and Lord Azrael can rant on that subject with a chilling degree of passion. It’s all the more appalling when Mattie inwardly thrills to his words and vows to do his bidding.

There are moments where you may wonder where all this is going. Is life just a violent cabaret, old chum? By the time Calder has called in the Illuminati, the Rosicrucians, ‘‘puppet mas-

ters’’ in secret charge of the New World Order, and other such blasts from the cultish past, his goal may seem to be nothing but fin de siècle atmosphere erupting into pulpish mayhem. But then comes the kicker, as (far too late for her) Maddie comes to recognize the horror of fascism and the madness of crowds – and we can see how it applies to us, at the dawn of the 21st century. (That applies to Vellum as well, though Duncan’s work is far more expansive and ambitious.) If Babylon is a dark dream from another age, it’s also very much our own.

The contemporary setting of Kit Reed’s Bronze has something of an alternate-world air, for the influence of the past seems dominant despite its contemporary setting. It deals with the Benedicts, a dynasty of artists in the American South – such devout and successful figurists, one might think Picasso or Pollock had never existed.

Bostonian gal Jude Atkins does meet Peter Benedict through an Internet dating service and fly down to meet him at Wayward, the coastal Carolina mansion that serves as the family home, but the mood almost immediately turns Southern Gothic. Even her landing in Charleston felt ‘‘like coming into Oz,’’ and she tells herself ‘‘This is the South. A strange country. Anything could happen here.’’ Things will only get stranger.

As a teen, Peter had fled to the family’s Italian branch in Venice hoping to avoid his fated role as yet another sculptor, only to become further entangled in his strange heritage – a flashback to his time in Venice seems more like the work of Poe, or Henry James at his darkest, than a trip to the modern city of tourists and water taxis.

He achieves enough independence to reject his original first name and become a painter, but Wayward retains its hold on him.

Just what is the family’s dark secret (and source of their terrible power)? Can Benedicts fight against this ‘‘curse’’? Are all their women like the scary current matriarch Ava? And can Jude become anything more than another pawn or victim? Not all the answers turn out as you might expect.

When more players come on the scene Bronze moves away from dark romance, and on this less intimate scale outright horror gives way to something different. As the situation grows ever more complex and bizarre, the narrative gathers momentum and begins to coalesce into another form of grotesquerie, one with its own powerful beauty and fascination. The tone of late 19th-century fiction persists (despite some uncensored swearing), and the prose is masterful right up through the end: a powerful scene with some last-minute surprises.

At least I think it’s the end, since the finished edition sometimes reads more like a semiproofed galley, and the last page of my copy ends with a comma. You may want to contact the publisher and ask for errata sheets, but don’t ignore the book itself. It’s another gem from a versatile, experienced writer who really seems to be coming into her own.

Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox is another of those books that slipped under the radar when it first appeared last year: no one here reviewed the British edition originally called The Rainbow

Opera. This first volume of The Dreamhunter Duet is bildungsroman YA appearing from children’s/young-adult imprints, but it’s also a rich, darkly supernatural tale of a ‘‘hidden world’’ imbued with dreams.

Rather than secret history it offers an alternateworld early 20th century where the continents are not our own familiar places, something like Greek Orthodox Christianity is the norm, and gifted specialists hunt and catch dreams: visionary experiences they can pass along to the general public as entertainments or to doctors as enhancements for anaesthesia, quietly offer as ‘‘Dreams for Sporting Gentlemen,’’ etc. (New uses and niche markets are still being developed.) The dreams’ source is one specific Place, in a world which combines aspects of Calder’s Babylon and Duncan’s Vellum – an uncanny sort of junction on a southern continent that had been nearly uninhabited when discovered two centuries ago previously. To Knox’s credit, she doesn’t establish all this from the start but leaves the exposition for later, in occasional references to a scholarly History of Southland.

Knox hales from New Zealand, so the earthly analog for Southland is apparent. As for the dreams, they first seem to combine elements of aboriginal Dreamtime with the early history of the cinema. At the Rainbow Opera, patrons may occupy individual beds in padded chambers rather than rows of fine plush seats, but otherwise the gaslit ambiance could be that of a film palace in the heyday of the Silents. There is one key difference: these dreams are found, not made. (And the more one learns of them, the less they partake of mythology.) Nonetheless, dreamhunting is more art than science, and it requires a special skill.

Laura Hame, teenage daughter of Southland’s pioneering dreamhunter, is a rightful heir to his talent. Unbeknownst to her, though, the art has more sinister aspects. Knox introduces Tziga Hame while he’s in the process of fashioning a figure from sand – not one of the seaside artworks he’s produced with the help of his daughter and her friends, but a golem made in secret. Tziga’s name has a whiff of gypsy, a hint of the non-Christian. Does that explain the golem? Or is it a matter of moral compromise, something that comes with a serious burden of guilt? It’s not much of a spoiler if I say the latter answer’s the right one, yet the guilt remains part of Laura’s heritage.

When she and her cousin decide to test their own talent by entering the Place, they lack the scholarly mania of Carter in Vellum or the giggly sense of wickedness of the girls in Babylon, but what they’ll find there mingles intriguing  p. 48 THIS MONTH IN HISTORY April 16, 2120. Faulty arms award. Janet Ergastus, the recipient of the first cosmetic arm grown from nano-remobilized vestigial (‘‘junk’’) DNA, is awarded $212,750 for Career Impediment. The plaintiff, a swimsuit model, who amputated her left arm to get rid of tattoos, sued when it grew back in covered with coarse hair and extending well below her knee.

LOCUS April 2006 / 23

From the Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author of Red Thunder “John Varley is the best writer in America.”

—Tom Clancy “The heart-pounding space race is on,” exclaimed Publishers Weekly about Red Thunder, and now the adventure continues with a new generation of space-faring heroes. Ray Garcia-Strickland, the son of one of the first men to fly to Mars and back, is one disgruntled Martian, sick and tired of the Red Planet’s overdevelopment and the gravity-dependent tourist Earthies.

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Locus Looks at Books: Russell Letson The Armies of Memory, John Barnes (Tor 0-765-30330-2, $25.95, 429pp, hc) April 2006.

Cover by John Harris.

Red Lightning, John Varley (Ace 0-44101364-3, $23.95, 330pp, hc) April 2006.

The Armies of Memory picks up on Giraut Leontes, singer/songwriter/lutenist and notso-secret agent for the Office of Special Plans of the Council of Humanity, several decades into a career that began with A Million Open Doors and continued in Earth Made of Glass and The Merchants of Souls (reviewed in October 1992, May 1998, and January 2002 respectively). Giraut is turning 50, looking back at half a lifetime of fighting the bad guys and forward to a concert tour and recording sessions for a new song cycle. He’s also dodging assassins, since somebody is going to considerable trouble to kill him, perhaps because of the cultural-political content of his new songs, which are inspired by the genocidal tragedy of Earth Made of Glass. Or maybe it’s something stranger and scarier.

God knows there are plenty of crazies, crooks, terrorists, and revolutionary wannabes in this future, where humankind has spent a thousand or so years spreading itself across 25 planets and more than 1,200 specially designed (and completely made up) societies. Like any good oughta-be-a-utopia, the Thousand Cultures offers all sorts of amenities: essentially endless material wealth, serial immortality (via ‘‘psypyx’’ personality recordings and cloned bodies), instantaneous matter transmission (via the ‘‘springer,’’ which can also be made to perform other useful tricks – you never need to take out the garbage), and one’s choice of social systems, from strictly rationalist to hopelessly romantic (Giraut comes from one of the latter sort). So, of course, humankind is anything but uniformly happy and peaceful.

In fact, one job of the Council of Humanity in general and the OSP in particular is ‘‘to steer humanity down a narrow – possibly closed – channel between two grim canyon walls’’: universal retreat into the solipsism of virtual experience (‘‘going into the box’’) on one side, and on the other, warfare among antagonistic cultures that expend much of their energy misunderstanding and detesting their neighbors. ‘‘Say what you like about hatred and killing,’’ Giraut reflects, ‘‘it gives people something to do.’’

Going into the box wouldn’t be such a bad solution to the problem of human nastiness if it weren’t for the possibility that Someone or Something Out There has already utterly destroyed the Predecessors, an ancient, extinct civilization that was much bigger and more powerful than ours – and come back repeatedly to pound the recovered survivors back into the dirt. Planets full of physically inert and psychologically crippled humans would be in no condition to respond to an alien invasion, so OSP has the delicate job of encouraging cultures to stay awake and of curbing their worst excesses.

Giraut’s immediate problem, though, is with those persistent, ingenious would-be assassins, who would seem to hail from illicit human settlements beyond Council space and who employ a particularly ugly weapon of choice: the ‘‘chimera,’’ a purpose-grown body inhabited by a custom-blended psycho-killer mind. Chimeras are not unknown in the Thousand Cultures – Giraut has had to go up against ‘‘a fusion of a political fanatic, a serial killer, and combat engineer into a world-class athlete’’ – but the mysterious assassins are creepy even by the high standards set by the Culture’s crime syndicates: fast-grown teenage clones suffering from terminal whole-body cancers and implanted with brain-bombs that make them impossible to capture and interrogate.

That the clones’ DNA connects them to the Lost Legion, a bunch of disaffected exiles from Giraut’s Occitan home culture, just makes it stranger.

So Giraut’s OSP team (which includes his recently resurrected father in a six-year-old body) sets a trap with Giraut as bait, hoping to trace the would-be killers back to their home outside of Council space. Thereafter we are treated to a tale of secret organizations, lost colonies, conspiracies within conspiracies, and feints and bluffs and double bluffs. To reveal much more of this storyline would constitute a spoiler, but it should be no surprise that various mysteries and McGuffins (including the existence and whereabouts of a psypyx recording of the late boss of OSP and the origins of the springer itself) turn out to be connected in ways that end up redefining and re-evaluating big chunks of Thousand Cultures and OSP history, and that the solution to the puzzle of the vanished Predecessors could be expressed in a ’50s skiffy cliché phrase so pulpy that it would be a joke if it weren’t hideously literal.

It’s a lot of fun, watching a writer exploring, expanding, and elaborating on the Givens that generated a series’ earliest entries, or denying or reversing them – asking, Are things really as they seem? Is there a Secret History or a conspiracy that can explain the holes in or limitations of the original Givens? Can the said Givens be deconstructed or subverted? Add to that the kind of science-fictional ingenuity and snappy writing that has characterized this whole series and you have a very sophisticated and satisfactory entertainment.

But there remains a deadly thematic seriousness that runs through nearly all of Barnes’s work, the problem of how to tame or contain the destructive or anarchic side of human diversity. It’s a concern that Barnes shares with Poul Anderson (particularly in his late work).

Barnes’s take is more ‘‘modern,’’ ironic, and pained than Anderson’s Nordic-tragic vision, but both writers posit a necessary fragmenting of humankind into small, manageable enclaves that allow fractions and factions to pursue their various blisses, however mean-spirited or nar-



row or nutso, without infecting others. Reading this novel while following the seemingly endless parade of ‘‘clash of cultures’’ stories on the news made for an uncomfortable overlapping of life and art. Unfortunately, we are unlikely to discover any daemonium ex machina to encourage solidarity among our warring tribes, so we must take whatever comfort we can find in fables like this one.

Red Lightning is John Varley’s next-generation sequel to Red Thunder (reviewed in June 2003), and once again the dominant impression is of an updated Heinlein ‘‘juvenile’’ (as we used to call Young Adult books), though this time I can’t think of a single exemplar that it updates the way that Red Thunder does Rocket Ship Galileo. But the basics are there all right: the first-person adolescent narrator, the family of way-better-than-average individuals, the problems and villains that really test the kid’s mettle, and the well-constructed future setting for us to gawk at while the kid grows up.

Seventeen-year-old Ray (‘‘don’t ever call me Ramon’’) Garcia-Strickland is the son of Manny and Kelly, two of the kids who flew to Mars and back in the earlier book. Two decades after those adventures, the nowmiddle-aged parental units own and run the big, successful Red Thunder Hotel on a Mars that has become a vacation spot for clueless Earthies; their old friend, retired astronaut Travis Broussard, has been promoted to retired plutocrat, complete with private space yacht and extensive Important Connections; and Travis’s cousin, the brilliant, autistic Jubal, has spent two decades as a closely guarded natural resource in the Falklands. He is, after all, the only person in the world who knows how to build a Squeezer, the enigmatic device that now powers everything from cities to space yachts to Ray’s space-going motorcycleequivalent airboard.

But the first half of the book isn’t really about Mars at all, even though it opens there. When something traveling very, very fast through near-Earth space gives the planet a glancing blow ’round about the mid-Atlantic, a tsunami hammers the east coast of North America, and Ray’s family heads back to the homeworld on the next spaceliner, hoping that Grandma and  p. 48 LOCUS April 2006 / 25

OUT OF THIS WORLD SF from Tor

#1 Science Fiction Publisher 18 Years in a Row! Kage Baker Mendoza in Hollywood The third Company novel.

After losing her lover and experiencing centuries of heartbreak, Mendoza meets a man who is disturbingly similar to her lost love … and she has no idea of the trouble that lies ahead.

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Vernor Vinge Rainbows End A near-future epic adventure that focuses on a family dealing with the challenges of the technological advances of the first quarter of the twenty-first century.

“This may well be Vernor Vinge’s best novel— adept, well told, with great new ideas leaping from the page. Vernor anticipates our future like nobody else, and even better, makes you believe it.”

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—Gregory Benford, Nebula Award–winning author of Timescape

—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Locus Looks at Books: Damien Broderick Rainbows End, Vernor Vinge (Tor 0-31285684-9, $25.95, 368pp, hc) May 2006.

In 1899, when H.G. Wells sent his Sleeper into cataleptic trance for two centuries, he saw one advantage: ‘‘ [C] ompound interest has a way of mounting up.’’ ‘‘It has,’’ said Warming. ‘‘And now the gold supplies are running short there is a tendency towards... appreciation.’’ ‘‘I’ve felt that,’’ said Isbister with a grimace. ‘‘But it makes it better for him.’’ ‘‘If he wakes.’’

When he does, he’s owner of the world. It’s a curious coincidence that one of the Sleeper’s guardians is named ‘‘Warming.’’ Aside from Wells’s own time machine, cryonic suspension would replace catalepsy as imagination’s favored method for carrying an observer of our time conveniently into the future, thus providing a handy point of view for scrutinizing tomorrow’s shocking possibilities. In Frederik Pohl’s The Age of the Pussyfoot, from the late ’60s, a contemporary is frozen for more than half a millennium, warmed, revived, healed of cancer, and paid his accumulated insurance policy: a quarter of a million dollars. ‘‘‘I’m rich!’ he yelled. ‘And alive!’’’

Of course, less than 40 years later, that doesn’t sound like such a windfall. Inflation gobbles up most of the benefits of modest compound interest, as Pohl pointed out sardonically. Besides, catalepsy and cryonics no longer seem especially vivid fictional devices. Vernor Vinge, in his extended sequel to the Hugo-winning novella ‘‘Fast Times at Fairmont High’’, brilliantly solves the narrative problem by curing oldsters from our own time who have been lost for years or decades in the ruinous amnesia of Alzheimer’s.

Robert Gu, aged Nobel laureate in literature and prize sadistic son of a bitch, returns rejuvenated from a condition nearly as lost as Wells’s Sleeper, painfully reconstructing his soul in a San Diego of 2025 that’s at once a wild science-fictional jamboree and an extraordinarily detailed futurist extrapolation grounded in today’s tech. Far from gloating over illusory wealth, Gu is forced to return to school, literally, while living as a snarling supplicant in the household of a son and daughter-in-law who despise him, getting up to speed in an accelerating future that seems well on the way to Vinge’s great genre-warping postulate, the technological Singularity. (The eeriest dislocation from our own world is that no one in 2025 seems to have heard of the imminent singularity, not even to dismiss it as 20th-century apocalypticism.)

Selecting an unlikable person as a key viewpoint character is a considerable risk, and asserting his sublime gifts as a poet only adds to the difficulty unless you are a genuinely brilliant writer yourself. Vinge is remarkable in many ways, but his Analog-honed style rarely rises above satisfactory competence. He skirts these problems and turns them to advantage by making Robert Gu’s neurological recovery only partial. His poetry is lost, along with the

piercing insight into human frailties that once powered and focused both verse and sadism.

So we have some sympathy for him in his estrangement and his loss, and await his redemption through fire, which Vinge does not deny us.

But Gu pére is not alone at the center of the novel. His son Bob, a Lieutenant Colonel in a frighteningly post-911 America, Bob’s formidable intelligence operative wife Alice, and Bob’s chubby mid-teen ‘‘Chinese ninja’’ daughter Miri, function fluently in this familiar yet alien sped-up world two decades hence. We participate in their daily activities, learning the vernacular and the technology without much authorial handholding. Robert Sr., now a retread in a school for the slow, bumbles his way into competence and then conspiracy in the company of other old farts and youthful differently abled learners who are augmented up the wazoo, Googled and hotwired to a fare-thee-well, and hence each equivalent to genius by today’s standards. This doesn’t deter them from stupidities, adolescent insecurities, rebelliousness, cheating – but it makes such time-honored quirks fresh and illuminating. Lena, Robert’s estranged and bitter wife, whom he supposes to have died, lives in nearby Rainbows End, an upmarket retirement village without an apostrophe, e-lurking upon his every dubious move.

Meanwhile, framing these domestic dramas and woven through them, mysterious and potentially appalling plots are woven, manifested, detected, countered, redoubled. The globe in 2025 might seem to us a genuine utopia, yet it is, as one plotter muses, ‘‘a Red Queen’s Race with extinction.’’ There hasn’t been a city lost in five years, but we’ve finally reached the stage where ‘‘Grand Terror technology was so cheap that cults and small criminal gangs could acquire it... There were a dozen research trends that could ultimately put world-killer weapons into the hands of anyone having a bad hair day.’’ The European Union’s Intelligence Board, drawing upon extravagant computational facilities perhaps a million times more powerful than we yet possess, detect the trial run of a monstrous weapon intended as ‘‘effective YGBM technology’’ – You-Gotta-Believe-Me, or mind control.

(Akin, presumably, to the totalitarian mimetic plagues in SF novels by John Barnes, Ken MacLeod, and Raphael Carter.) Among their number is a do-gooding traitor whose scheme this is, and a mysterious third party presenting as a sort of holographic Bugs Bunny cartoon, Mr. Rabbit. Is Rabbit a representative of China?

Of some covert American agency? Of a criminal gang? Is he perhaps an emergent artificial intelligence, prelude to a Vingean Singularity? Or something stranger still, a hive mind of uplifted lab animals? This innovative and amusing entity is the thread running through the center of a novel of tension, apprehension, and dissension, but I’m bound to say, to my chagrin

 and perhaps to my shame, that his identity never became clear to me.

Maybe the thread of tension will be drawn through into a sequel.

(I asked Dr. Vinge, but he wasn’t giving anything away.)

Probably it doesn’t matter.

This ambiguous and desperately unstable – or rather, meta-stable – utopia is displayed in a bravura blend of the everyday, homework, household stresses, and all, and the melodramatic, deployed with rigorous attention to detail and extravagant set pieces. It’s arguable that this is the most impressively conceived and mounted invention of the future that science fiction has yet seen, the most densely realized, a kind of early 21stcentury version of Hal Clement’s Mission of Gravity. That 1953 Astounding Science Fiction serial is often regarded as the representational high water mark of a profoundly alien but livedin world and its inhabitants. Half a century later, Vinge brings the same scrupulous attention to our own planet, less than a generation hence but as remote from our time as we are from the Victorian era. Consider this show-and-tell event arranged for the assembled parents, staff, and fellow students at Fairmont High by a couple of the less gifted students: They had some kind of wacky suspension bridge... that put down steel caissons on each side of the bleachers, and then climbed higher and higher into the northeast until it broke into the departing daylight. Seconds passed – and the construction reappeared out of the southwest, their 19th-century masterpiece making a virtual orbit of the Earth. The climax was the roaring passage of vast, steam-powered trains across the sky. The bleachers shook with the apparent power of the locomotives.

It’s a three-dimensional collage of VR imagery piped directly into the onlookers’ augmented senses plus manipulation of ‘‘intelligent’’ buildings responsive to tectonic shocks (the old UCSD campus having suffered devastating earthquake damage in our own near future). Yet the A grade student mark does not go to such flamboyant showiness, but to a subtle and lucrative piece of practical water-filtration engineering. Meanwhile, the UCSD Geisel Library holdings have been brutally shredded and digitized, on the model of shotgun genomics, provoking lurid demonstrations, the 1960s’ campus revolt revisited as Super Mario Brothers.  p. 49 THIS MONTH IN HISTORY April 18, 2465. Windstorm on Moon. Globik Underprize’s celebrated lunar reclamation project turns disastrous when the ‘‘sticky-air’’ generator kicks off a 200 kph permanent global duststorm. The Moon’s features will not be seen again from Earth until 2499, when the low-grav designer gas is siphoned off into space

by PlanetPump, a Halliburton subsidiary.

Meanwhile, lovers mourn.

LOCUS April 2006 / 27

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Short Reviews by Carolyn Cushman  Anne Bishop, Sebastian (Roc 0-451-46073-1 $23.95, 437pp, hc) February 2006.

Bishop’s new Ephemera fantasy series opens with this novel, which returns to many of the elements that made her Black Jewels series so popular – in particular darkness that isn’t evil, powerful females, and sexy, oppressed males – but adds a fascinating new background. Sebastian is an incubus in the dark land called the Den of Iniquity, but he yearns to be more than just a sex toy – and he happens to have some very powerful relatives, among them the legen­ dary rogue Landscaper Glorianna Belladonna, a young woman feared by many for her great power to create worlds both Light and Dark. The world of Ephemera is fragmented, its lands long ago split apart in a great battle against the Dark, and the lands respond to the emotions of their inhabitants. Only the female Landscapers have the power to mold and anchor new Landscapes where people can safely live, and the creation of Dark Lands is forbidden. But now the ancient enemy, the Eater of Worlds, is back, and it will take the powers of both Light and Dark to defeat it – and only Glorianna Belladonna has ever escaped the wizards’ culling of Landscapers with Dark leanings. Alternately wrenching and heartwarming, grim and amusing, this is a fun and occasionally twisted world-hopping adventure with likeable protagonists fighting all shades of darkness, some of it within themselves.

Jim Butcher, Proven Guilty (Roc 0-451-460855, $23.95, 406pp, hc) May 2006.

The eighth volume of the Dresden Files dark fantasy mystery series nicely addresses several complaints I had about recent volumes, bringing back some of Harry’s too-long-neglected allies, and showing a little more of the war between the wizards of the White Council and the vampires of the Red Court. The wizards have reluctantly recruited Harry Dresden in the fight, asking him to find out why the Faeries haven’t followed up on their declaration of war against the vampires and meanwhile investigate unspecified black magic in Chicago. Harry’s been avoiding his friend Michael, a Knight of the Cross with a holy sword, ever since Harry accidentally got himself semi-possessed by a fallen angel, but the trail of black magic leads to Michael’s adolescent daughter at a horror film festival.

It also brings Harry back to Karrin Murphy, head of the Special Investigations department of the Chicago police, and possible love interest.

Movie monsters and insane fairy queens keep Harry hopping and dropping sarcastic quips, but he still finds time to pick up a new apprentice – a very interesting new development in an invariably entertaining series.

Charlaine Harris, Definitely Dead (Ace 0-44101400-3, $23.95, 324pp, hc) May 2006.

The latest Sookie Stackhouse mystery finds the telepathic waitress on the outs with all her supernatural boyfriends, so she’s quite receptive to trying a date with the huge weretiger, Quinn.

But the vampires have plans for her, and refusal isn’t an option. The vampire Queen of Louisiana wants to meet Sookie, who has business in New

Orleans anyway, clearing out the apartment of her recently deceased (for the second time) vampire cousin Hadley. In a twist out of The Three Musketeers, Hadley stole a bracelet from the queen, who’s going to be in big trouble if her husband, King of Alabama, finds out it’s missing, and it’s up to Sookie to find it – with some help from fairies, witches, and the redoubtable Quinn – and prevent a vampire war. The series is getting a little overcrowded with different sorts of supernaturals, all with their particular politics and quirks requiring exposition. It’s also painful watching Sookie go through her failed relationships, but her adventures remain addictively entertaining.

Mercedes Lackey, One Good Knight (Luna 0373-80217-X, $24.95, 360pp, hc) March 2006.

Lackey’s newest offering in the tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms is a basically standalone novel that plays with the Greek myth of Andromeda and the serpent, and all those other stories of virgins sacrificed to dragons. The Five Hundred Kingdoms are a place where The Tradition has a way of making sure that stories are re-enacted over and over in daily life, but the little Kingdom of Acadia is too insignificant to even have a Godmother or Champion. Princess Andromeda – Andie – is her mother’s despair, bookish, awkward, and unconcerned with her personal appearance, and with little hope that The Tradition will send anything interesting her way. Then a dragon arrives, requiring virgin sacrifices and forcing Andie to take a serious look at some unpleasant aspects of her mother’s rule, and finally decide to take an active role in events. A lot of fairy-tale conventions get turned on their heads in the process, for an entertaining light fantasy with just a touch of romance in the end.

C.E. Murphy, Thunderbird Falls (Luna 0-37380235-8, $14.95, 409pp, tp) May 2006.

The second mystery novel featuring police officer Joanne Walker brings more supernatural weirdness and murders to Seattle. Joanne is a very reluctant shaman, but she needs all the help she can get after finding a body in the gym leads Joanne to a group of witches trying to bring a wise spirit into the world to save it – and they believe Joanne’s powers are just what they need to succeed. Plenty of complications leave Joanne running in circles and sleepless – not to mention accidentally releasing demons into the world and causing an earthquake that gives Seattle a new waterfall. It’s a little hard to accept Joanne’s tendency to trust every magic worker or spirit she meets; she may be new to being a shaman and a cop, but she’s supposed to be tough and skeptical. Most of the time, the breakneck pace keeps things moving too fast for such lapses to be noticeable, helping make this one of the most involving and entertaining new supernatural mystery series in an increasingly crowded field.

Temeraire, Naomi Novik (HarperCollins UK 0-00-721909-1, £12.00, 330pp, hc) January 2006; in the US as His Majesty’s Dragon

(Del Rey 0-345-48128-3, $7.50, 356pp, pb) April 2006.

Naomi Novik, Throne of Jade (Del Rey 0-34548129-1, $7.50, 403pp, pb) May 2006.

Naomi Novik, Black Powder War (Del Rey 0345-48130-5, $7.50, 365pp, pb) June 2006.

Bless Del Rey for deciding to bring out the first three parts of the Temeraire series in quick succession. Having gotten hold of the British edition of the first volume, I devoured it quickly, delighted by the mix of dragons and old-fashioned adventure set in an alternate world’s Napoleonic wars. Captain Laurence of the British Navy is distressed when his ship captures a dragon egg and he inadvertently bonds with the newhatched dragon Temeraire. (There are certain similarities to Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern, but also many fascinating differences.)

The first volume follows Laurence’s struggles to learn about his surprisingly intelligent new companion, and to accept his new post in the socially disreputable Aerial Corps. The pair’s training and first experiences in aerial combat provide plenty of action, fascinating details of dragon-based military strategy, and frequently amusing details of dragon-keeping, particularly when Temeraire starts showing revolutionary tendencies. The second volume, Throne of Jade, finds Laurence and Temeraire heading to China on a mission to placate the emperor. Temeraire is a rare Celestial dragon, allowed to bond only with members of the royal family, and the Chinese are incensed at Temeraire’s bond to a lowly Englishman. (Apparently they’re unaware Laurence is son of an earl.) The voyage to China is fraught with dangers, and the diplomatic visit to the imperial court even more so. Temeraire prefers the very different treatment dragons receive in China, but chooses to return with Laurence, full of revolutionary plans for improving the lot of English dragons. Black Powder War traces their adventure-filled return, this time traveling overland via the old Silk Road.

They reach Istanbul only to face deadly complications and a frantic escape across unfriendly territory that ultimately leaves Temeraire and his crew stranded in Prussia just as Bonaparte attacks, giving them no choice but to join the fight against the French. The third volume ends with Temeraire finally on his way home, but leaves plenty of room for more volumes in this thrilling series. It’s hard to believe Temeraire is Novik’s first novel.

J.D. Robb, Memory in Death (Putnam 0-39915328-4, $24.95, 337pp, hc) January 2006.

It’s hard to believe there have been 22 novels in the SF mystery series featuring Eve Dallas.

It’s been 11 years since the series started, but much less time has passed for Eve, who’s facing her second Christmas with her husband, Roarke. Tough-as-nails Eve has too many issues about family and relationships to handle holiday cheer gracefully in the first place, but things deteriorate quickly when a woman turns up in Eve’s office, claiming to be her mother.

She’s actually a former foster mother of Eve’s, who has less than fond memories of their time  p. 49 LOCUS April 2006 / 29

Locus Looks at Books: Divers Hands

Graham Sleight Diana Wynne Jones: Children’s Literature and the Fantastic Tradition, Farah Mendlesohn (Routledge 0-416-97023-7, £50.00/$95.00, xxxiv+240pp, hc) August 2005.

Diana Wynne Jones: Children’s Literature and the Fantastic Tradition is, in many ways, an exemplary academic work on the fantastic: it’s clearly written, thoughtful, wide ranging, and the average reader will only have to mortgage a few rooms – rather than their whole house – to be able to afford a copy. All the same, it’s not the best introduction to Jones’s books, and may be off-putting to those seeking ways in to a large and varied body of work.

Mendlesohn puts forward two central arguments in her Introduction. The first is that ‘‘It is both legitimate and essential…to discuss [Jones] not as a children’s writer but as a fantasy writer.’’ The second is that Jones’s work can be read rewardingly as a critique of what has gone before in fantasy. I can certainly subscribe to the first: Jones is a writer of the first rank in fantasy as a whole, and the failure so far – for example – to bestow on her the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award is a very poor reflection on the field. The second is entirely convincing as well, but I’m not sure it sets Jones apart from many of her peers: SF and fantasy have always been genres passionately arguing with their pasts, and you could make the same argument about writers as diverse as Joanna Russ, Michael Swanwick, Peter S. Beagle, or Philip Pullman.

The first three chapters of Mendlesohn’s book attempt to pull out some common themes from Jones’s work. The first is an extended analysis of her second published book – her first for children – Wilkins’ Tooth (1970). Mendlesohn argues convincingly that it contains, in early form, ideas of negotiation and the rewriting of stories which will come to fruition in later works. The second chapter is, for me, the most interesting in the book, concentrating on Jones’s depiction of agency. For her the ability to make choices is central to the work of becoming an adult, as Mendlesohn’s well-chosen examples demonstrate. Jones’s is a world where actions have consequences, and where real fury is reserved for those who, as Mendlesohn puts it, attempt to restrict agency. Hence also, for instance, Jones’s evident dislike of the god-game story: ‘‘when humans accept the rules of the god-game, they

infantilize themselves.’’ The third chapter looks in some depth at the differing depictions of time in Jones’s work. It’s an interesting theoretical excursion into a complicated area, but I’m not sure I feel it’s as central to Jones’s work as Mendlesohn does.

Chapters 4 to 6 look at Jones’s books in a different context, that of the taxonomy of fantasy which Mendlesohn has been developing recently – most prominently in her article ‘‘Towards a taxonomy of fantasy’’ (Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts 13:2, 2002). She divides fantasies into four categories: the portal-quest, the immersive, the liminal, and the intrusion. She uses the first three of these categories to examine examples of Jones’s work and their patterns of engagement with the fantastic. Finally, Chapter 7 attempts a summation of Jones as writer-critic, as an instructor of her readers possessed of ‘‘a mad kind of reasonableness.’’

So this is a thematically structured book, and anyone attempting to get from it a sense of how Jones’s work has developed over her long career may have to jump back and forth a good deal. Mendlesohn does offer concise and helpful plot summaries whenever she describes a book, and is always careful to anchor her theorising in quotation and close reading. But she assumes a degree of familiarity with Jones’s concerns and approach that can sometimes be daunting, most obviously in the relatively abstract chapter on time.

That said, for those who know Jones’s work, there are bound to be some rewarding insights here. Mendlesohn’s repeated insistence on Jones as a moral writer who dislikes drawing morals – as a writer who presents questions to the reader of whatever age – rings absolutely true. She does, in other words, manage to capture something of Jones’s sheer orneriness in relation to her predecessors, and her dislike for the easiness of much fantasy. She revises the tradition she graces – which is Mendlesohn’s point: the best introduction to Jones’s work is Jones’s work.

–Graham Sleight TIM PRATT The Ocean and All Its Devices, William Browning Spencer (Subterranean Press 159606-047-6, $40.00, 198pp, hc) June 2006.

Cover by Bob Eggleton. [Order from Subterranean Press, PO Box 190106, Burton MI 48519;



<www.subterraneanpress.com>.]

Triskell Tales 2, Charles de Lint (Subterranean Press 1-59606-055-7, $40.00, 176pp, hc) April 2006. Cover by Charles de Lint.

William Browning Spencer’s first collection, The Return of Count Electric and Other Stories (1993), marked him as a major talent in short fiction, and he publishes seldom enough that each new story is an event to be savored.

Now, over ten years later, all his remaining short fiction has been collected as The Ocean and All Its Devices. It was worth the wait.

The title story is one of his best, a haunting tale of a run-down seaside hotel and the peculiar family that comes to visit every year during the rainy off-season. The hotel’s mom-and-pop proprietors look on the Franklins with pity, because the father, mother, and daughter seem burdened by sadness. Then the father drowns, his wife suffers a nervous breakdown, and the hotel owners agree to temporarily look after the daughter, who suffers from something between autism and schizophrenia. Soon the details of the Franklin’s strange bargain with inhuman forces are revealed. While this story is not as overtly Lovecraftian as Spencer’s novel Résumé with Monsters, there is that same sense of an ocean full of brutal mysteries that appears in some of Lovecraft’s work, in this case woven into a poignant story of parental loss. ‘‘The Oddskeeper’s Daughter’’ is a strange love story, also about bargains with supernatural forces. In this case, a man from our world falls in love with the daughter of the Oddskeeper, a personified creature of luck and probability who can affect human lives. They live a charmed life... until the day their luck runs out, and the man must confront the cold mathematical harshness of the universe. But there’s a chance, if he makes a big enough wager, that he might win back everything he lost. Not quite as heartbreaking as ‘‘The Ocean and All Its Devices’’, it is nevertheless a moving and inventive piece.

Spencer has a wonderful way of playing with expectations. ‘‘The Foster Child’’ at first seems to be a work of high fantasy, but turns out to be the tale of an autistic child with a rich inner life who speaks only in lines of poetry, and the psychologist who tries to help her communicate. ‘‘The Death of the Novel’’ starts with that stan LOCUS April 2006 / 31

This April / /

JENNIFER ROBERSON

transports readers to a whole new fantasy universe, and revisits two favorite characters ALISANOS—humans call it the deepwood, but it is no ordinary land…

A land home to powerful demons with the ability to assume any shape they choose, Alisanos, a sentient entity, is beyond human imagining.

Any person unlucky enough to be taken by Alisanos is either never seen again, or permanently changed into a monstrous being—neither true demon nor true human. And the most terrifying aspect of Alisanos is its ability to move.

The land of Sancorra has been conquered by the brutal, tribal Hecari, leaving thousands of families without homes. Audrun and her husband Davyn, fleeing for their lives, join a karavan escorting refugees to remote but more peaceful destinations. But the karavan must take a road that lies far closer to the deepwood than is considered safe. And what will befall Audrun, Davyn, and their fellow karavaners along his road, is beyond anyone’s wildest imaginings, for Alisanos is on the move, and even the earth beneath their feet cannot be trusted.

0-7564-0172-0/$25.95

“Review enough books and you start to run out of superlatives, and I wish I could make up a new one to describe this particular fantasy adventure.”

—Science Fiction Chronicle Joining forces with Del, one of the most deadly sword-singers in the North, Tiger had forged an unlikely partnership of equals—sharing adventures, danger, and eventually love. But when Tiger forfeited an important dance to rescue Del, he broke his lifelong sworn code of honor—and his sentence was death. Fugitives from both the North and the South, Tiger and Del must flee. But the island of Skandi proves to be no safe haven. As Tiger and Del struggle to survive, Tiger’s long-dormant magical power begins to manifest and he can’t deny the compulsion in his blood. Tiger must except his magic and his fate—and the terrible price they threaten to extract.

New releases from DAW Books Distributed by Penguin Group (USA) Visit us online at dawbooks.com

0-7564-0344-8/$16.00

 Divers Hands dard model of literary fiction, the philandering professor who becomes sexually entangled with a younger student, but takes off into weirdly metafictional territory. ‘‘Your Faithful Servant’’ is a story in the form of a letter from a butler to his master’s daughter explaining the details of her father’s death. It begins like a mystery story, but after a few pages takes an abrupt left turn into the gruesome and supernatural (or possibly science fictional); the jolt is wonderful, and the resolution splendid.

The single best story in the book is also the most recently published, ‘‘The Essayist in the Wilderness’’, about a pair of married schoolteachers who win the lottery and retire to the country. The husband, our narrator, decides to embark on the literary life and write nature essays. Unfortunately, he knows nothing about nature, and finds the bugs and heat and mud mostly unpleasant. He eventually finds a colony of what he assumes to be crayfish, and watches their bizarre behavior, hoping to work his observations into an essay about the human condition. He is, meanwhile, largely oblivious to changes in his wife’s behavior, which begin after she’s bitten by a mysterious insect. The story is a masterpiece in the ‘‘clueless narrator’’ vein – the reader knows those things in the pond aren’t crayfish, and starts to put together the clues about what’s really going on long before the would-be essayist does. The ending is hilarious and scary all at once.

Not all the stories are so grand. ‘‘The Lights of Armageddon’’ is an amusing but slight piece about warring cosmic forces selling supernatural light bulbs door-to-door. ‘‘Downloading Midnight’’ and ‘‘The Halfway House at the Heart of Darkness’’ share a future milieu where virtual reality entertainment is an addiction and a lifestyle for many. The first concerns a rogue sim threatening the existence of the virtual world, while the second involves a VR addict trying to get clean. Both have nice moments, but they’re minor works in well-traveled territory, and lack the individuality of most of Spencer’s work. Still, the collection is very fine, and I hope that Spencer will produce another book’s worth of stories, even if it takes another ten years.

Charles de Lint is a vastly more prolific story writer than Spencer, and though some of his collections are marvelous – Dreams Underfoot and The Ivory and the Horn contain many masterpieces of contemporary fantasy – he does have characters, settings, and themes that he returns to again and again, which can lead to monotony when too many of his stories are read together at once. Thankfully, that is not the case in Triskell Tales 2, which contains five pretty good stories and one great one.

De Lint has a charming tradition of publishing a chapbook for friends and family every Christmas through his own Triskell Press, and the first volume of Triskell Tales collected 24 years’ worth, from 1977 to 1999, most of which had never been reprinted elsewhere. That was a book of treasures and oddities, a miscellany that stretched from the early days of his career into his more modern ‘‘mythic fiction’’ work. The

new collection covers only six years, 2000 to 2005, and the range is not as great. Most of these are Newford stories, set in his magical city, and many involve recurring characters. As de Lint notes in his introduction, these are mostly optimistic stories, intended as holiday celebrations (though they aren’t all Christmas stories). A couple are lightweight, which is to be expected: in ‘‘A Crow Girls’ Christmas’’ the mischievous supernatural duo get a job as Santa’s Elves at a department store, only to decimate the candy cane supply. ‘‘Refinerytown’’ breaks the fourth wall a bit as one of de Lint’s recurring characters, comic book artist Mona, collaborates with real-life writer Nina Kiriki Hoffman on a book about fairies living in an oil refinery (a project that, in the story, they pitch unsuccessfully to real-life Viking editor Sharyn November). It’s a cute story, if a bit familiar, as the supposedly fictional fairies appear to complain about the way they’re being depicted in Mona and Hoffman’s book. ‘‘Big City Littles’’ takes a more serious approach to a similar idea. A children’s writer discovers that her first book, about a race of little people, is actually a retelling of the real history of such a race. An emissary of the Littles comes to her for help, offering a wish in return, and in the end it’s a thoughtful story about desire and transformation. In ‘‘Sweet Forget-Me-Not’’, the 2002 story, a teenager from Lebanon suffers at the hands of classmates who call him a terrorist and ‘‘Osama’’ because he looks Arabic, and his life is fairly miserable until he encounters a tribe of gemmin, a kind of beautiful fairy that live for only a couple of seasons. He becomes romantically involved with one of the gemmin, and the result is a poignant tale about the temporary nature of young love, and taking pleasure while you can. That also seems to be the theme of ‘‘This Moment’’, a nice piece about a photographer who can see supernatural creatures and a woman who desperately wants to have magical experiences – they’d both be willing to switch places, until an encounter with a ghost teaches them to appreciate what they have. ‘‘Da Slocklit Light’’ concerns the goblin race that lives below Newford, who have found a way to transform homeless people into goblins, and who have also imprisoned a couple of the more powerful supernatural figures in town. What begins as a simple story of good versus evil becomes more complicated when it’s revealed that the transformations are consensual, and that the goblins had good reason to imprison the meddlers from the world above.

The best story in this very agreeable book is ‘‘The World in a Box’’, about a man who finds an antique box that contains a miniature floating Earth... and apparently gives him omnipotence.

It’s a sensitive consideration of the dangers of power and the cascading nature of unintended consequences, and it doesn’t go in the obvious directions.

Triskell Tales 2 is a pleasant book to pass a few hours with, and, of course, it would make a wonderful holiday gift.

–Tim Pratt AMELIA BEAMER Visions and Re-Visions: [Re]constructing Science Fiction, Robert M. Philmus (Liverpool

University Press 0-85323-899-5, $85.00, hc, 411pp) 2005. [Order from Liverpool University Press, 4 Cambridge St., Liverpool L69 7ZU, UK.] It’s perhaps best to read this volume of essays in order; Robert M. Philmus notes that, like hypertext works, the meaning of these essays can change somewhat depending on the order in which they are read. Throughout the volume, he builds connections between authors, works, and characters, covering largely older science fiction (Wells, Swift’s Gulliver, C.S. Lewis, Stapledon, and others, up through Vonnegut, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Philip K. Dick). This volume collects 12 essays, about half of them original and most of the reprints substantially rewritten from their first appearances (largely in the ’70s and ’80s and largely in academic journals) by a respected Canadian scholar and author of an important early account of the prehistory of SF (Into the Unknown).

Central to this volume is the issue of language.

The title, Visions and Re-Visions, has to do with text and with language: (re-)examining mostly older texts particularly for their qualities of language and vision. The language of the essays themselves takes a bit of getting used to, unless you can comfortably skim a phrase like ‘‘[i]rrespective of all such internecine criticoideological considerations, texts are inherently polysemic’’ – and the sentence goes on for another 95 words. But it’s worth the effort, and the texts of the essays themselves help to illustrate Philmus’s points about language. His gratuitous use of parentheses within words – for example, (ficti)fact, also seen as fictifact – is annoying at first, but it’s a useful and subtle way to look at language and meaning, changing the meaning of a sentence by either incorporating or disregarding the portion of the word in parentheses. Though the essays on the whole deal with English language texts, works translated from other languages are also examined, and Philmus discusses how meaning is changed in that translation.

In one essay, Philmus argues that utopia can only be achieved in a closed state, and a closed language is therefore essential; language can only be closed when it is censored, to the level of rewriting thought. For example, in Nineteen Eighty-Four’s Newspeak, ‘‘black-white is therefore the linguistic equivalent of ‘doublethink’, the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously and accepting both of them.’’ Language can’t then be capable of actually representing reality, or rather it represents a curtailed version of reality, described with clunky phrases like the Swiftian ‘‘the Thing which is not.’’ Another essay argues that three books by Czech writer Karel Capek are in fact a trilogy, though they don’t share characters, plot, or setting. Rather, Philmus says, there are thematic and narrative similarities in their ‘‘originary conceptual content’’; their ‘‘shared connection with alchemy,’’ in that they each examine ideas such as the Philosopher’s Stone, the Elixir of Life, and the homunculus, or man-made man. I started the essay ready to dismiss the idea of a trilogy without shared story content, but it was argued well enough  p. 50 LOCUS April 2006 / 33

Magazines Received ­- February

Analog Science Fiction and Fact–Stanley Schmidt, ed. Vol. 126 No. 5, May 2006, $3.99, 10 times a year, 144pp, 13 x 21 cm. Part one of a four-part serial by Edward M. Lerner; a novella by Harry Turtledove; a novelette by Rob Chilson; and short stories by Geoffrey A. Landis and Jerry Oltion. Cover by John Allemand.

Asimov’s Science Fiction–Sheila Williams, ed. Vol. 30 Nos. 4 & 5 (Whole Nos. 363 & 364), April/May 2006, $5.99, 10 times a year, 240pp, 13 x 21 cm.

Novellas by William Shunn and Paul Melko; novelettes by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Mary Rosenblum; short stories by Wil McCarthy, James Maxey, Steve Bein, Robert Silverberg, Liz Williams, Greg Van Eekhout, R. Neube, and Constance Cooper; poetry, reviews, etc.

Cover by Bob Eggleton.

Cemetery Dance–Richard T. Chizmar, ed. Issue No. 54, 2006, $ 5.00, bimonthly, 112pp, 21 x 27½ cm. Smallpress horror fiction magazine, with fiction by Eric Brown, Kealan Patrick Burke, Tony Richards, James Ireland

Baker, A.R. Morlan, Loren Rhoads, C.J. Henderson, Nick Kaufman, and Tim Waggoner; interviews with Neil Gaiman and Roger Anker; a talk with Elder Signs Press; plus columns and reviews. Cover

by Stacy Drum. Subscription: $27.00 for six issues, to Cemetery Dance Publications, 132-B Industry Lane, Unit #7, Forest Hill MD 21050; e‑mail: <order@cemeterydance.com>; website: <www.cemeterydance.com>.

Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction – Farah Mendlesohn, ed. Vol. 35 No. 96, Spring 2006, £6.95/$14.00, three times yearly, 136pp, 14½ x 21 cm. Published by the Science Fiction Foundation. This issue includes an article on the profession of SF by Sean McMullen, a look at the future of race in mid-century American SF, Ursula K. Le Guin’s Always Coming Home as an answer to Summer on the Lakes in 1843 by Margaret Fuller, environmentalism in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland, the march of history in Ken MacLeod’s Fall Revolution series, and the creation of a utopia in Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis series;

plus letters and reviews. Subscription: £23.00/$36.50 for one calendar year outside Europe, please specify year, to Roger Robinson (SFF), 75 Rosslyn Avenue, Harold Wood, Essex RM3 0RG, UK. The Heinlein Journal–Bill Patterson, ed.

Issue No. 18, January 2006, $10.00, semi-annually, 60pp, 21½ x 28 cm.

Scholastic journal dedicated to the study of the works of Robert A. Heinlein.

This issue includes Heinlein notes by Edward M. Wysocki; a paper on racism and Farnham’s Freehold by Elisabeth Anne Leonard; the conclusion of Brad Linaweaver’s review of The Bradbury Chronicles; and a special feature on the papers presented on Heinlein at the 2005 Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference in San Diego CA, which had papers on literary theory, gender theory, and social theory. Subscription: $20.00 US/$26.00 elsewhere per year, to The Heinlein Journal, 2261 Market Street, No. 457, San Francisco CA 94114-1600; e-mail: <BPRAL22169@aol.com>.

Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts–W.A. Senior, ed. Vol. 16 No. 2, Whole No. 62, Summer 2005, $7.50, quar terly, 91pp, 15½ x 23 cm. Academic journal with scholarly articles and reviews.

This issue includes an essay on the importance of poetry and songs in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings; an article by Brian Attebery on Eleanor Cameron’s books, her theory of fantasy, and her work in the field of children’s literary criticism; Jamil Khader on downplaying the role of historic ethnic identity in Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness and Russell’s The Sparrow; a look at the work of Angelica Gorodischer and Ursula Le Guin; and C.W. Sullivan, III on the importance of Kenneth Morris in Welsh Celtic fantasy fic������������������������������ �!�"����#������$�#������% tion. Subscription: $35.00 &���'���&�&�����������������( ����)�*+ for four issues, payable to FAU, mail to JFA, c/o Bob Geary, English Dept., James Madison University, ��&��*���$������ ��������� �&���������&���)����)� Harrisonburg VA 22807.

Members of IAFA receive ����������###+����������� ��&+�� �������&�,--+./������ the journal as part of their membership benefits. �����������)����$�������0�

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1��2�*�345.+�6������2����+��7+�889:4(345.+ 34 / LOCUS April 2006

Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet–Gavin J. Grant, ed. Issue No. 17, Novem-

ber 2005, $5.00, semi-annually, 60pp, 17½ x 21½ cm. Small‑press magazine with fiction and essays. This issue has fiction by Seana Graham, Christien Gholson, Deborah Roggie, and others; and poetry. Subscription: four issues for $20.00, to Small Beer Press, 176 Prospect Ave., Northampton MA 01060; email: <info@lcrw.net>; website: <www. lcrw.net/lcrw>.

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction–Gordon Van Gelder, ed. Vol. 110 No. 5, Whole No. 650, May 2006, $3.99, 11 times per year, 164pp, 13 x 19½ cm.

Novelettes by Matthew Hughes and M. Rickert; short stories by Gene Wolfe, Charles Coleman Finlay, Robert Reed, Steven Utley, Terry Bisson, Albert E. Cowdrey, and Paul Di Filippo. Cover by Michael Dashow.

Studies in Modern Horror–NGChristakos, ed. Issue No. 4, 2006, $7.00, quarterly, 38pp, 14 x 21½ cm. Scholarly journal for the study of contemporary horror, supernatural, or weird fiction.

This issue includes an article on Thomas Ligotti, the unpublished introduction to Ray Garton’s novella Eye of the Guardian, and the author’s introductory notes from the limited hardcover edition of Jeffrey Thomas’s Terror Incognito, which were subsequently dropped from the trade paperback version. Subscription: four issues for $28.00 US & Canada/$40.00 worldwide, at <www. seele-brennt.com/subscribe/>. Note: when published, double-sized issues and higher-priced special editions count as two subscription issues.

Weird Tales–George H. Scithers, Darrell Schweitzer, & John Betancourt, eds.

Vol. 61 No. 2, Whole No. 338, JanuaryFebruary 2006, $5.95, bimonthly, 84pp, 21½ x 27½ cm. Small-press magazine of dark fantasy, with fiction by Parke Godwin, Carrie Vaughn, William Alexander, Maurice Broaddus, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Charles L. Harness, William F. Nolan (the conclusion of a serial); plus poetry. Cover by Rowena Morrill. Subscription: $24.00 US/$33.00 Canada for six issues, to Wildside Press, 9710 Traville Gateway Dr., #234, Rockville MD 20850-7408; website: <www.weirdtalesmagazine.com>.

The Outer Limits The Washington Post (February 28, 2006) ran an obituary and appreciation for Octavia E. Butler. 

Books Received ­- February

+ Abnett, Dan Warhammer: Fell Cargo (BL Publishing /Black Library US 184416-301-6, $7.99, 254pp, pb, cover by Wayne England) Novelization based on the roleplaying game world. Copyrighted

by Games Workshop. This first US edition has the same ISBN as the Black Library UK (2/03) edition, but only lists US and Canadian prices.

0-8095-5614-6, $14.95, 257pp, hc, cover

by Ian Field-Richards) Collection of ten stories, three original. First US edition (Tanjen 1998 as The Engineer); this has been re-edited by Asher, and adds three stories and new story notes. Wildside Press/Cosmos Books, PO Box 301, Holicong PA 18928; <www.cosmosbooks.com>.

* Abouzeid, Chris Anatopsis (Penguin/ Dutton 0-525-47583-4, $16.99, 326pp, hc, cover by Jeff Fitz-Maurice) Youngadult fantasy. Princess Anatopsis wants to be a knight-errant against her mother’s and demigod tutor’s opposition.

Ashley, Amanda Desire After Dark (SFBC #1199892, $10.99, 384pp, pb) Reprint (Zebra 2006) vampire romance novel. Copyrighted by Madeline Baker.

This has ISBN 0-7394-6312-8; it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

* Allen, Roger MacBride BSI: Starside: The Cause of Death (Bantam Spectra 0-553-58726-9, $6.99, 470pp, pb, cover

by Jim Burns & James Wang) Far-future SF novel, the first in a trilogy about the Bureau of Special Investigations. Agents find themselves the targets on an alien planet where murder is a tradition. * Andrews , V.C. Girl in the Shadows (Pocket Star 0-7434-9387-7, $7.99, 390pp, pb, cover by Lisa Falkenstern) Associational gothic novel, second in a series about April Taylor. The author is probably still Andrew Niederman.

Copyrighted by the Vanda General Partnership. ®

* Anonymous, ed. Fairy Song: A Gallery of Fairies, Sprites, and Nymphs, Volume One (SFBC, $19.99, unpaginated, hc, cover by Arantza) Reprint (SQP 2006) art book with color and monochrome pictures of sexy fairies by various artists. This bound-in-boards hardcover edition lacks both price and book club number, but indicates ‘‘Exclusive Book Club Edition’’ on the back cover. * Anonymous, ed. Fairy Song: A Gallery of Fairies, Sprites, and Nymphs, Volume One (SQP 0-86562-133-0, $19.99, unpaginated, tp, cover by Arantza) Art book with color and monochrome pictures of sexy, mostly nude fairies by various artists including Danilo Guida, Enrique Villagran, and Marcelo Sosa.

SQP Inc., PO Box 248, Columbus NJ 08022; <www.sqpinc.com>.

Asimov, Isaac, Martin Greenberg, & Joseph Olander, eds. Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Treasury (Random House Value/Gramercy 0-517-336359, $11.99, 786pp, hc) Reprint (Bonanza Books 1980) omnibus of two anthologies: The Future in Question (1980) and Space Mail (1980). * Asprin, Rober t & Eric Del Carlo Wartorn: Obliteration (Ace 0-44101347-3, $7.99, 331pp, pb, cover by Duane O. Myers) Fantasy novel, the second in a series. This is packaged and copyrighted by Bill Fawcett & Associates. * Atherton, Nancy Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea (Viking 0-670-034762, $22.95, 246pp, hc, cover by Jerry Lofaro) Mystery/ghost novel, 11th in the series. Death threats send Lori and sons to a remote Scottish island. * Axler, James Deathlands: Atlantis Reprise (Worldwide Library Gold Eagle 0-373-62582-0, $6.50, 347pp, pb, cover

by Michael Herring) Post-holocaust SF adventure novel, 72nd in the overall series. Copyrighted by Worldwide Library. * Axler, James Outlanders: Refuge (Worldwide Library Gold Eagle 0-37363849-3, $6.50, 346pp, pb) Post-holocaust SF adventure novel, 36th in the series. Kane and company explore an alternate Victorian-style world. Copyrighted by Worldwide Library.

$12.95, 261pp, tp) Original collection/fixup novel of four erotic fantasy romance stories plus framing material about a contemporary Las Vegas sex-fantasy service run by Psyche, Eros, Aphrodite, and other gods. * Bassingthwaite, Don Eberron: The Grieving Tree (Wizards of the Coast 0-7869-3985-0, $6.99, 342pp, pb, cover

by Michael Komarck) Novelization based on the roleplaying game, the second book of The Dragon Below. Copyrighted

by Wizards of the Coast. * Baum, Roger S. The Oz Odyssey (Overmountain Press 1-57072-299-4, $19.95, 161pp, hc, cover by Victoria Seitzinger) Young-adult fantasy novel based on L. Frank Baum’s Oz, written by his great-grandson, a prequel to Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Full-color illustrations by Victoria Seitzinger.

Bebris, Carrie Suspense and Sensibility or, First Impressions Revisited (Tor 0-765-35092-0, $6.99, 301pp, pb, cover

by Teresa Fasolina) Reprint (Forge 2006) mystery with supernatural gothic elements, the second featuring Mrs. & Mr. Darcy of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Benford, Gregor y Beyond Infinity (Warner 0-446-61157-3, $6.99, 450pp, pb) Reprint (Warner Aspect 2004) far-future SF novel expanded from his novella ‘‘Beyond the Fall of Night’’, a sequel to Arthur C. Clarke’s Against the Fall of Night. * Benson, Amber & Christopher Golden Ghosts of Albion: Initiation (Subterranean Press 1-59606-028-X, $40.00, 203pp, hc) Collection of two scripts for the Victorian dark fantasy TV show, plus a short story. Introduction by Benson and afterword by Golden. * Beres, Michael Grand Traverse (Medallion Press 1-932815-34-1, $24.95, 367pp, hc) Near-future SF novel. This is dated 2005 but not seen until now.

Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallion press.com>.

by Franco Accornero) Medieval vampire romance, second in the Bound in Darkness series. Copyrighted by Jayel Wylie. * Booker, M. Keith Alternate Americas: Science Fiction Film and American Culture (Greenwood Press/Praeger 0-275-98395-1, $49.95, 288pp, hc) Nonfiction exploration of the ways SF films reflect American culture. Includes index.

Order from Praeger, 88 Post Road West, Box 5007, Westport CT 06881; credit card orders: 800-225-5800; <www. praeger.com>. * Borges, Jorge Luis The Book of Imaginary Beings (Penguin/Viking 0-67089180-0, $25.95, 236 + xv, hc, cover by Peter Sís) Associational non-fiction, a collection of whimsical descriptions of fantastic creatures. This is a new translation with notes by Andrew Hurley. New illustrations by Peter Sís. * Borski, Robert The Long and the Short of It (iUniverse 0-595-38643-1, $14.95, 188 + ix, tp, cover by Robert Borski) Non-fiction, a collection of 14 essays on the works of Gene Wolfe. Portions previously appeared in The New York Review of Science Fiction and online.

Includes notes and bibliography. This is a print-on-demand book, available online at <www.iuniverse.com>, or from iUniverse, 2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100, Lincoln NE 68512; 800-288-4677. + Bova, Ben Titan (Tor 0-765-30413-9, $24.95, 464pp, hc, cover by John Harris) SF novel in the Grand Tour of the Solar System series. Tensions erupt on a colony ship newly arrived in orbit around Saturn. First US edition (Hodder & Stoughton 2/06).

Bradley, Marion Zimmer The Forbidden Circle (SFBC #1206606, $12.99, 570pp, hc, cover by Romas Kukalis) Reprint (DAW 2002) SF omnibus of two Darkover novels: The Spell Sword (1974) and The Forbidden Tower (1977).

Bishop, Anne Dreams Made Flesh (Penguin/Roc 0-451-46070-7, $7.99, 439pp, pb, cover by Larry Rostant) Reprint (Roc 2005) collection in the Black Jewels universe.

* Briggs, Patricia Moon Called (Ace 0441-01381-3, $7.99, 288pp, pb, cover by Daniel Dos Santos) Dark fantasy novel, the first in the Mercy Thompson series about a coyote shapeshifter mechanic.

Mercy gets tangled in werewolf politics when she tries to save her neighbor, a pack leader, from assassins.

Arthur, Keri Full Moon Rising (SFBC #1198283, $9.99, 291pp, hc) Reprint (Bantam Spectra 2006) urban fantasy novel. This lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

* Bailey, Robin Wayne Dragonkin, Book Three: Undersky (ibooks 1-59687312-4, $14.95, 294pp, hc, cover by Troy Howell) Fantasy novel, the third volume in a trilogy. The magic talismans may not be enough to save the Dragonkin’s home.

* Bishop, Anne Sebastian (Penguin/ Roc 0-451-46073-1, $ 23.95, 437pp, hc, cover by Larry Rostant) Fantasy novel, the first book of Ephemera, a world of many fragmented landscapes connected only by magic bridges. Halfincubus Sebastian’s world is threatened by the release of an old evil.

+ Brine, Don The Da Vinci Cod (Harper 0 - 06- 084807-3, $11.95, 180pp, tp) Parody of Dan Brown’s thriller The Da Vinci Code. First US edition (Gollancz 2005 as The Va Dinci Cod by A.R.R.R. Roberts). This is dated 2005, but not seen until now. Brine is a pen name for Adam Roberts.

+ Asher, Neal The Engineer Reconditioned (Wildside Press/Cosmos Books

* Bardsley, Michele Cupid, Inc. (Penguin /Signet Eclipse 0-451-21757-8,

* Blue, Lucy The Devil’s Knight (Pocket 1-4165-1195-4, $6.99, 361pp, pb, cover

* Broderick, Damien K- Machines 

* Anonymous, ed. The Queen in Winter (Berkley 0-425-20772-2, $13.00, 312pp, tp) Original anthology of four romantic fantasy stories. Authors are Clair Delacroix, Lynn Kurland, Sharon Shinn, and Sarah Monette.

Bailey, Len Clabbernappers (Tor/ Starscape 0 -765 -3 4863 -2, $ 5.99, 224pp, tp, cover by Brett Helquist) Reprint (Starscape 2005) young-adult fantasy novel.

LOCUS April 2006 / 35

 Books Received (Thunder’s Mouth Press 1-56025-805-5, $14.95, 319pp, tp) Science-fantasy novel, second in the Players in the Contest of Worlds series after Godplayers. * Brooke, Keith Genetopia (Prometheus/ Pyr 1-59102-333-5, $25.00, 301pp, hc, cover by Brian W. Dow) Far-future SF novel about the last true humans, and a young man looking for his missing sister.

Pyr, 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst NY 14228-2197; <www.pyrsf.com>.

Buckell, Tobias S. Crystal Rain (SFBC #1206296, $12.50, 352pp, hc, cover by Todd Lockwood) Reprint (Tor 2006) SF

novel set on a colony world where much has been forgotten. This is similar to the Tor edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket. * Burbank, L.G. The Ruthless (Medallion Press 1-932815-21-X, $11.99, 361pp, hc, cover by Adam Mock) Vampire novel, book two of the Lords of Darkness series.

This is dated 2005, but not seen until now.

Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallion press.com>.

Burbank, L.G. The Soulless (Medallion Press 1-932815-57-0, $11.99, 385pp, hc, cover by Adam Mock) Reprint (Echolon Press 2003 as by Leslie Burbank) para-

normal vampire novel, book one of the Lords of Darkness series. This is the 2004 revised edition. Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallion press.com>.

thumbs to wake the slumbering Realm of the Rose and tame its guardian beast.

Card, Orson Scott Shadow of the Giant (Tor 0-812-57139-8, $7.99, 371pp, pb, cover by Bob Warner) Reprint (Tor 2005) SF novel, fourth in the Shadow series related to the Ender series.

* Cavallaro, Michael J. Cybernetica (Arcanum Books 0-9774533-2-4, $15.95, 468pp, tp) SF novel of corporate intrigues in a world where humans have direct brain-to-computer connections.

A first novel. Arcanum Books, PO Box 55, Nesconset NY 11767-0055; <www. cybernetica-boook.com>.

* Cast, P.C. Goddess of the Rose (Berkley Sensation 0-425-20891-5, $6.99, 345pp, pb, cover by Matt Mahurin) Fantasy romance novel in the Goddess Summoning series. Hekate asks a young woman from a family with magical green

Cherryh, C.J. Destroyer (DAW 0-75640333-2, $7.99, 406pp, pb, cover by Michael Whelan) Reprint (DAW 2005) SF novel, seventh in the overall Foreigner series, first in a new sequence. 

Interviews! Locus Back Issues! Interviews!

Aiken, Joan: 448 Aldiss, Brian: 322,341,378,416,475 Anderson, Kevin J.: 419 Anderson, Poul: 435 Anthony, Patricia: 399 Asaro, Catherine: 466 Baen, Jim: 307 Baird, Wilhemena: 410 Baker, Kage: 509 Ballantine, Betty: 502 Ballard, J.G.: 332 Barker, Clive: 327,411,530 Barnes, John: 427 Barnes, Stephen: 506 Barrett, Neal, Jr.: 392 Baxter, Stephen: 423,450,495,523 Beagle, Peter S.: 390 Bear, Greg: 342,404,469 Benford, Gregory: 320,394,468 Berman, Judith: 535 Bishop, Michael: 335,426,526 Bisson, Terry: 366,476 Blaylock, James: *(316) Bond, Nelson: 453 Bova, Ben: 363,478 Bradbury, Ray: 427 Brin, David: 302,347,434 Brite, Poppy Z.: 388 Broderick, Damien: 536 Brooks, Terry: 397,481 Brown, Charles N.: 500 Brust, Steven: 398 Budrys, Algis: 442 Budz, Mark: 534 Bujold, Lois McMaster: 343,415,

481,534 Bull, Emma: *(375) Bunch, Chris/Allan Cole: 409 Butler, Octavia E.: 333, 473 Cacek, P.D.: 454 Cadigan, Pat: 349,382,414 Campbell, Ramsey: 507 Card, Orson Scott: 317,*(372),503 Carey, Jacqueline: 503 Carroll, Jonathan: *(338), 513 Chabon, Michael: 527 Charnas, Suzy McKee: 352,380 Cherryh, C.J.: *(315),345,384,420 Chiang, Ted: 499 Clarke, Sir Arthur C.: 464 Clarke, Susanna: 531 Clute, John: 414 Cole, Allan/Chris Bunch: 409 Collins, Nancy: 407 Craft, Kinuko Y.: 499 Crowley, John: 398,484 Dann, Jack/Janeen Webb: 460 Datlow, Ellen: 482 de Camp, L. Sprague & Catherine/ Jack Williamson: 328 de Lint, Charles: 362,509 Delany, Samuel R.: *(361),418 Denton, Bradley: 432 Di Fate, Vincent: 385,445 Di Filippo, Paul 512 Dickinson, Peter: 336 Dickson, Gordon R.: 363 Dillon, Leo & Diane: 471 Disch, Thomas M.: 485 Doctorow, Cory: 528 Doherty, Tom: 513 Donaldson, Stephen R.: 353,524 Dorsey, Candas Jane: 475

Dowling, Terry: 401 Dozois, Gardner: 443 Duncan, Dave: 387,540 Duncan, Andy: 487 Edwards, Malcolm: 311,530 Effinger, George Alec: 341 Eggleton, Bob: 388,487 Elliott, Kate (Alis A. Rasmusen): *(361) Ellison, Harlan: 486 Elliott, Kate/Melanie Rawn/ Jennifer Roberson: 422 Erikson, Steven: 484 Farmer, Nancy: 516 Farmer, Philip José: 353 Feist, Raymond E.: *(318) Finlay, Charles Coleman: 519 Fitch, Marina: 459 Ford, Jeffrey: 522 Foster, Alan Dean: 368 Fowler, Karen Joy: 392,462,527 Freas, Frank Kelly: 482 Gaiman, Neil: 459,529 Gaiman, Neil/Terry Pratchett: 362,541 Gaiman, Neil/Gene Wolfe: 500 Gentle, Mary: 339 Gerrold, David: 390 Gibson, William: 508 Gibson, William/Bruce Sterling: 364 Goldstein, Lisa: 371,460 Goonan, Kathleen Ann: 416,485 Goulart, Ron: 385 Gould, Stephen/Laura J. Mixon: 439 Griffith, Nicola: 428 Grimwood, Jon Courtenay: 515 Gunn, Eileen: 525 Haldeman, Joe: 340,382

*(400),438,489 Hambly, Barbara: 305 Hamilton, Laurell K.: 476 Hamilton, Peter: 448 Hand, Elizabeth: 417,498 Harness, Charles L.: 455 Hartwell, David G.: 524 Harrison, Harry: 542 Harrison, M. John: 515 Hendrix, Howard V.: 461 Hobb, Robin (Megan Lindholm): 356,444,539 Hoffman, Nina Kiriki: 405,497 Hogan, James P.: *(337) Holdstock, Robert: 423 Holland, Cecelia: 360,533 Hopkinson, Nalo: 456,489 Ian, Janis: 535 Irvine, Alexander C.: 522 Jablokov, Alexander: 374,421 Jacques, Brian: 418 Jeschke, Wolfgang: 358 Jeter, K.W.: 425 Jones, Diana Wynne: 339 Jones, Gwyneth: 419,516 Jordan, Robert: 470,542 Joyce, Graham 496 Kandel, Michael: 434 Kay, Guy Gavriel: 359,472,519 Kelly, James Patrick: 502 Kessel, John: 391,437 Keyes, Danie l: 437 Kirshbaum, Larry/Nansey Neiman: 312 Kirstein, Rosemary: 532 Koja, Kathe: *(372) Koontz, Dean: 406 Kress, Nancy: 383,474

Kurtz, Katherine: 302 Kushner, Ellen: *(375) Lanagan, Margo: 533 Landis, Geoffrey A.: 468 Lee, Tanith: 447 Le Guin, Ursula K.: 334,348,388,488 Lethem, Jonathan: 441 Lindholm, Megan (Robin Hobb): 356,444,539 Link, Kelly : 498 Lock, Owen: 310 Lynn, Elizabeth A.: 441 MacLeod, Ian R.: 514 MacLeod, Ken: 477 Maddox, Tom: 369 Malzberg, Barry: 495 Marley, Louise: 467 Martin, George R.R. : 412,479,538 Marusek, David: 474 Mason, Lisa: *(400) McAuley, Paul J.: 373,420,451,497,539 McCaffrey, Anne: 386,526 McCarthy, Wil: 480 McDevitt, Jack: 409,537 McHugh, Maureen F.: 395,465 McIntyre, Vonda N.: 445 McKillip, Patricia A.: 379,426 McMullen, Sean: 472 McQuinn, Donald E.: 412 Meacham, Beth: 531 Miéville, China: 494 Mixon, Laura J./Stephen Gould: 439 Moon, Elizabeth: 410,518 Moore, Alan: *(510) Moorcock, Michael: 393,442,506 Morgan, Richard K.: 524 Morrow, James: 451 Mosley, Walter: 491 Murphy, Pat: 333,462 Nagata, Linda: 433,478 Neiman, Nansey/ Larry Kirshbaum: 312 Niven, Larry: 433 Nix, Garth: 435,504 Nylund, Eric S.: 438 Norton, Andre: *(365) O’Leary, Patrick: 464 Park, Paul: 377 Pierce, Tamora 496 Pohl, Frederik: 429,477 Potter, J.K.: 300 Powers, Tim: 305,396,446,493 Pratchett, Terry: *(338),467,520 Pratchett, Terry/Neil Gaiman: 362,541 Pratt, Tim: 538 Preuss, Paul: 431 Pullman, Philip: 479 Rasmussen, Alis A. (Kate Elliott): * (361) Rawn, Melanie/Jennifer Roberson/ Kate Elliott: 422 Reed, Robert: 447 Resnick, Mike: 355 Reynolds, Alastair: 511 Roberts, Keith: 308 Roberson, Chris: 532 Roberson, Jennifer/Kate Elliott/ Melanie Rawn: 422 Robinson, Frank: 461 Robinson, Kim Stanley: 330,379,422,

440,492 Robinson, Spider: 517 Roessner, Michaela: 390 Rosenbaum, Benjamin: 537

Rosenblum, Mary: 399 Rucker, Rudy: 536 Rusch, Kristine Kathryn: 356 Russell, Sean: 436 Ryman, Geoff: 540 Sawyer, Robert J.: 505 Schroeder, Karl: 508 Scott, Melissa: 456 Shaw, Bob: 321 Sheckley, Robert: 512 Sheffield, Charles: 348,403 Shepard, Lucius: *(344),383,490 Sherman, Delia: 405 Shiner, Lewis: 328,407 Shinn, Sharon: 424 Shippey, Tom: 402 Siegel, Jan: 494 Silverberg, Robert: 355,430,518 Simmons, Dan: 350,364,401,436, 501 Somtow, S.P.: 370,449 Spinrad, Norman: 335,457 Springer, Nancy: 413 Stableford, Brian: 367 Steele, Allen: 373,453 Stephenson, Neal: 463, 523 Sterling, Bruce: 328,424,483 Sterling, Bruce/William Gibson: 364 Stewart, Sean: 407,458,532 Stirling, S.M.: 540 Straub, Peter: 351,396,455 Strugatsky, Boris: 314,443 Stross, Charles: 511,528 Sullivan, Tricia: 450 Swanwick, Michael: 380,446,521 Tan, Shaun: 491 Taylor, Lucy: 454 Tenn, William: 425 Tepper, Sheri S.: 367, 402,452 Tilley, Patrick: 323 Turtledove, Harry: 387,505 Van Gelder, Gordon: 519 VanderMeer, Jeff: 501 Varley, John: 525 Vinge, Joan D.: 374,431 Vinge, Vernor: 480 Vonarburg, Elisabeth: 368 Waitman, Katie: 465 Waldrop, Howard: 331, 514 Webb, Janeen/Jack Dann: 460 Whelan, Michael: 384 White, James: 386 Williams, Liz: 520 Williams, Sean: 521 Williams, Tad: 408 Williams, Walter Jon: 352,428 Williamson, Jack: 395,429 Williamson, Jack/L, Sprague & Catherine de Camp: 328 Willis, Connie: 343,378,432,504 Wilson, Gahan: 458 Wilson, Robert Charles: 507 Windling,Terri: 513 Wingrove, David: 357 Winter, Laurel: 531 Wolfe, Gene: 365 Wolfe, Gene/Neil Gaiman: 500 Womack, Jack: 413 Yolen, Jane: 360,439 Zelazny, Roger: 369 Zettel, Sarah: 444 Zindell, David: 391,473 Zipes, Jack: 490

All issues available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please list alternates. Prices: 300-335: $2.50; 336-380: $3.50; 381-415: $3.95; 416-443 : $4.50; 444-499: $4.95; 500-539: $5.95; 540-date: $6.50. US Postage: one copy, $2.00 postage; two-five copies, $4.00 total postage; over six copies, $5.00 total postage. International (including Canada) s&h one copy $2.00, 2-5 copies $5.00, 6+ copies $5.00 plus $1.00 for each additional copy. All international copies will be sent Economy Rate. Order from: Locus, PO Box 13305, Oakland CA 94661; fax: (510) 339-8144. (Please note: we accept Visa and MasterCard for orders of $10.00 or more.) Please include street address for UPS delivery. (*Issue sold out; photocopied interviews available for $2.00.)

36 / LOCUS April 2006

Don’t Miss These Eerie, Spellbinding, Exhilarating Reads The spooky MIDNIGHTERS trilogy reaches its thrilling conclusion with Volume Three: Blue Noon, in which the secret hour threatens to spill over into the real world and it’s up to the five midnighters to stop it.

“A thrilling combination of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Kept me reading way past midnight!”

—Garth Nix (praise for MIDNIGHTERS #2) MIDNIGHTERS #1 and #2 are also available in paperback!

Hc 0-06-051957-6 • $15.99 ($21.99)

Set in a world of Viking legends that Eoin Colfer calls “captivating,” this action-packed sequel to Troll Fell features dark discoveries, stunning secrets, troll trickery, and a boy who can’t help being a hero!

Hc 0-06-058307-X • $15.99 ($21.99)

In one sparkling city, everyone can fly. Almost everyone.

One night, an earthbound orphan girl named Gurl discovers she can do something better: become invisible. Gurl teams up with a belligerent boy called Bug to figure out who and what she is. Their quest takes them on a wild ride through their magical city and up against the gangster who holds the key to Gurl’s past…and the world’s future.

Hc 0-06-075255-6 • $16.99 ($22.99)

For exclusive information on your favorite authors and artists, visit www.authortracker.com.

www.harperteen.com

 Books Received * Christian, M. Running Dry (Alyson 1-55583-807-3, $13.95, 226pp, tp) Gay vampire novel.

Clarke, Arthur C. & Stephen Baxter Sunstorm (Ballantine Del Rey 0-34545251-8, $7.99, 361pp, pb, cover by David Stevenson) Reprint (Del Rey 2005) SF novel, second in the two-book series A Time Odyssey.

Clegg, Douglas Mordred, Bastard Son (SFBC #1208178, $12.49, 260pp, hc) Reprint (Alyson 2006) Arthurian novel with Mordred as hero, not villain. First volume in the Mordred Trilogy. This is similar to the Alyson edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

Collins, Nancy A. Wild Blood (White Wolf/Two Wolf Press 1-58846-878-X, $13.99, 223pp, tp, cover by Thom Ang) Reprint (Roc 1994) werewolf novel, plus related novella ‘‘The Nonesuch Horror’’ featuring Skinner Cade and Sonja Blue. This is dated 2005 but not seen until now. + Constable, Kate The Tenth Power (Scholastic / Levine 0-439-55482-9, $16.99, 306pp, hc, cover by Matt Manley) Young-adult fantasy novel, third in The Chanters of Tremaris trilogy. First US edition (Allen & Unwin Australia 2005).

Crossley-Holland, Kevin King of the Middle March (Scholastic 0-439-266017, $7.99, 409pp, tp, cover by Greg Call) Reprint (Orion 2003) young-adult Arthurian fantasy, third in the Arthur trilogy. * D’Agostino, Richard Rite of Passage (Medallion Press 1-93-281554-6, $6.99, 473pp, pb, cover by Adam Mock) Horror novel. An Egyptologist unearths an ancient seal with a prophecy that threatens all mankind. Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallion press.com>.

Dart-Thornton, Cecilia The Iron Tree (Tor 0-765-35054-8, $7.99, 414pp, pb, cover by Gordon Crabb) Reprint (Tor UK 2004) fantasy novel, first in the Crowthistle Chronicles trilogy.

0-7564-0326-X, $ 25.95, 541pp, hc, cover by Jody A. Lee) Fantasy novel, seventh and final in the Crown of Stars series. Elliott is a pen name for Alis Rasmussen.

Datlow, Ellen & Terri Windling, eds. The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm (Penguin/Firebird 0-14-2404063, $9.99, 528pp, tp, cover by Charles Vess) Reprint (Viking 2004) YA/adult crossover anthology of 17 stories and three poems.

Elliott, Kate Crown of Stars (SFBC #1196711, $12.99, 541pp, hc, cover

by Jody A. Lee) Reprint (DAW 2006) fantasy novel, seventh in the Crown of Stars series. Elliott is a pen name for Alis Rasmussen. This is similar to the DAW edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

* David, Peter Fantastic 4 (Pocket Star 1-4165-0980-1, $6.99, 369pp, pb) Novelization of the movie based on the Marvel Comics. This is dated 2005 but not seen until now. Movie copyrighted

by KUMAR Mobiliengesellschaft mbH & Co. Projeckt Nr. 3 KG and Twentieth Century Fox Film; character likenesses copyrighted by Marvel Characters. * David, Peter Star Trek New Frontier: Missing in Action (Pocket 1-41651080-X, $25.00, 341pp, hc, cover by Jerry Vanderstelt) Star Trek novelization.

Copyrighted by Paramount Pictures. * Dayton, Gail The Barbed Rose (Harlequin/Luna 0-373-80225-0, $13.95, 441pp, tp) Fantasy romance novel, sequel to The Compass Rose. Copyrighted by Gail Shelton. * Dokey, Cameron Golden (Simon Pulse 1-4169-0580-4, $5.99, 179pp, pb, cover

by Kinuko Y. Craft) Young-adult novel based on the fairy tale of Rapunzel.

Drake, David Lord of the Isles (Tor 0765-35476-4, $3.99, 625pp, pb, cover

by Kevin Murphy) Reissue (Tor 1997) fantasy novel, first in a series. This is a low-priced ‘‘Special Edition.’’

Effinger, George Alec A Fire in the Sun (Tor/Orb 0-765-31359-6, $14.95, 289pp, tp, cover by Craig Mullins) Reprint (Doubleday Foundation 1989) SF novel, sequel to When Gravity Fails. * Elliott, Kate Crown of Stars (DAW

Elliott, Kate In the Ruins (DAW 07564-0268-9, $7.99, 606pp, pb, cover

by Jody A. Lee) Reprint (DAW 2005) fantasy novel, sixth in the Crown of Stars series. Elliott is a pen name for Alis Rasmussen. + Elliott, Patricia Murkmere (Little Brown 0-316-01042-1, $16.99, 344pp, hc, cover by Jon Krause) Young-adult fantasy novel. A village girl becomes companion to a wealthy young woman obsessed with swans in a land where birds are considered divine beings.

First US edition (Hodder Children’s Books 2004).

Erikson, Steven Deadhouse Gates (Tor 0-765-34879-9, $7.99, 843pp, pb, cover

by Steve Stone) Reprint (Bantam UK 2000) fantasy novel, second tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

Eschbach, Andreas The Carpet Makers (Tor 0-765-31490-8, $14.95, 300pp, tp, cover by Rick Berry) Reprint (Tor 2005) SF novel. Translated by Doryl Jensen from the German Die Haarteppichknuepfer (Franz Schneekluth 1995).

Foreword by Orson Scott Card.

Fallon, Jennifer Wolfblade (SFBC #1202020, $12.99, 512pp, hc, cover by Paul Youll) Reprint (Voyager Australia 2004) fantasy novel, first in the Wolfblade trilogy. This is similar to the Tor edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

+ Fardell, John The 7 Professors of the Far North (Penguin/Putnam 0-39924381-X, $14.99, 217pp, hc) Young-adult adventure with SF elements. Zara and Ben must rescue their great-uncle and his professor friends from the Arctic stronghold of sinister Professor Murdo.

A first novel. First US edition (Faber and Faber 2004). * Farmer, Philip José The Best of Philip José Farmer (Subterranean Press 159606-036-0, $38.00, 572pp, hc, cover

by Michael Komark) Collection of 20 stories. Introduction by Joe R. Lansdale; afterword by Michael Croteau. A signed limited edition of 100 ($125.00) is also available. Subterranean Press, PO Box 190106, Burton MI 48519; <www.subterraneanpress.com>.

Farren, Mick Kindling (Tor 0 -76534580-3, $7.99, 416pp, pb, cover by David Seeley) Reprint (Tor 2004) fantasy novel. Four youngsters come together to battle the Dark Things attacking the New World. + Fisher, Catherine Darkhenge (HarperCollins/Greenwillow 0-06-078582-9, $15.99, 340pp, hc, cover by Ryan Obermeyer) Young-adult fantasy novel.

Rob stumbles into the labyrinthine Unworld where he finds his comatose sister’s spirit. First US edition (Bodley Head 3/05).

Fleischman, Paul Graven Images: Three Stories (Candlewick Press 07636-2984-7, $5.99, 116pp, tp, cover

by Bagram Ibatoulline) Reprint (Harper 1982) young-adult collection of three spooky stories, only one with definite fantasy elements. A Newbery Honor book. This has a new afterword by the author. A hardcover edition (-2775-5, $16.99) is also available. * Flint, Eric, ed. The Grantville Gazette II (Baen 1-4165-2051-1, $25.00, 324pp, hc, cover by Tom Kidd) Shared-world 

LOCUS AWARDS Science Fiction Awards Weekend June 16 - 18, 2006 Come to the Locus Awards Ceremony at the SF Museum in Seattle WA during the Science Fiction Awards Weekend, in conjunction with the SF Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Tickets for the Locus Awards are $25.00 and include a wonderful weekend full of events**: Friday

• 8:00 to 10:30 pm: Evening cocktail reception in conjunction with SFWA at the SF Museum.

Saturday • 10:30 am to noon: Breakfast Buffet and Omelet Station at the Courtyard Marriott with Connie Willis,

Neil Gaiman, and others.

• 1:30 to 3:30 pm: Special guided curatorial tours of the SF Museum.

• 2:00 to 3:30 pm: Autograph party.

• 4:00 pm: Admission to the Locus Award Ceremony at the SFM, with Toastmaster Connie Willis and

special guest Neil Gaiman.

• 7:30 pm: Access to the Hall of Fame pre-awards cocktail hour.

Sunday

• Free admission to various panels at the Museum.

Tickets for the Locus Awards can be purchased online at: <www.locusmag.com>; by phone: 510-339-9198 (9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.), or by check, sent to Locus Publications, PO Box 13305, Oakland CA 94611.

Special room rates, $129.00 per night for single/double, are available at the Courtyard Marriott for the weekend. There are only a limited number of rooms at this price. For hotel reservations, call 1-800-321-2211 and ask for the “Hall of Fame/Locus Awards” room rate. **Note: Schedule subject to change. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday night is not included in Locus Award ticket; tickets to the HoF Ceremony sold separately via the SF Museum. For more information, see their website: <www.sfhomeworld.org>.

38 / LOCUS April 2006

 Books Received alternate-history anthology of seven stories and a short novel, An Invisible War by Danita Ewing, plus four non-fiction articles, all set in the universe of 1632 and originally published online in the eponymous e-zine; submission guidelines are included. Preface and afterword by Flint. * Flint, Eric & Ryk E. Spoor Boundary (Baen 1-4165-0932-1, $26.00, 457pp, hc, cover by Kurt Miller) SF novel. The discovery of a strange fossil on Earth leads a paleontologist to Mars. * Frank, Gary Forever Will You Suffer (Medallion Press 1-932815-69-4, $6.99, 418pp, pb, cover by Adam Mock) Horror novel. Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www. medallionpress.com>. * Freeman, Lorna The King’s Own (Penguin/Roc 0-451-46071-5, $7.99, 421pp, pb) Fantasy novel, the second in the Borderlands series. King’s cousin and heir Rabbit loses control of his mage powers in town, sparking demands to ban magic.

Friesner, Esther M., ed. Turn the Other Chick (Baen 1-4165-2053-8, $7.99, 391pp, pb, cover by Mitch Foust) Reprint (Baen 2004) original anthology about woman warriors, fifth in the Chicks anthology series. This is copyrighted

by Friesner and Martin H. Greenberg’s Tekno Books.

Gaiman, Neil & Terry Pratchett Good Omens (HarperCollins/Morrow 0-06085396-4, $29.95, 384pp, hc, cover by Hadyn Cornner) Reprint (Gollancz 1990) satirical fantasy novel. This adds a new foreword, some answers to frequently asked questions, and essays on each other by the authors. There are two versions of the dust jacket, one with Crowley and one with Aziraphale.

Garner, Alan Elidor (Harcourt/Odyssey Classics 0-15-205624-6, $6.95, 173pp, tp, cover by Greg Call) Reprint (Collins 1965) young-adult fantasy novel.

Garner, Alan The Owl Service (Harcourt/Odyssey Classics 0-15-205618-1, $6.95, 219pp, tp, cover by Greg Call) Reprint (Collins 1967) Carnegie Medalwinning young-adult fantasy novel. * Gilman, Laura Anne Grail Quest: The Camelot Spell (HarperCollins 0-06077279-4, $10.99, 291pp, hc, cover by Don Seegmiller) Young-adult fantasy with Arthurian elements, the first in the Grail Quest trilogy. Copyrighted by Parachute Press. * Golden, Christopher The Myth Hunters (Bantam Spectra 0-553-38326-4, $12.00, 350pp, tp) Dark fantasy novel. A lawyer is recruited by Jack Frost to help stop the merging of their two realities.

Book one in The Veil trilogy. * Golden, Christopher & Ford Lytle Gil­ more The Hollow: Mischief (Penguin/ Razorbill 1-59514-026-3, $6.99, 214pp, tp, cover by Doron Ben-Ami) Youngadult horror novel, third in the series about teens in a cursed town.

Gonzalez, J.F. Survivor (Leisure 08439-5567-8, $6.99, 373pp, pb) Reprint (Midnight Library 2004) associational non-supernatural horror novel, expanded from the novella ‘‘Maternal Instinct’’. * Greenberg, Martin H. & Russell Davis, eds. Millennium 3001 (DAW 0-75640322-7, $7.50, 312pp, pb) Original anthology of 13 stories of the 31st century. Authors include Brian Stableford, Kristine Kathr yn Rusch, and Jack Williamson. + Hamilton, Peter F. Judas Unchained (Ballantine Del Rey 0-345-46166-5, $26.95, 827pp, hc, cover by John Harris) Far-future SF novel, part two of The Commonwealth Saga. First US edition (Macmillan UK 2005).

40 / LOCUS April 2006

* Handeland, Lori Crescent Moon (St. Martin’s 0-312-93848-9, $6.99, 338pp, pb) Werewolf romance novel in the Nightcreatures series. A cryptozoologist seeks to prove her late husband’s theories by finding a werewolf near New Orleans. * Harrison, Kim This Witch for Hire (SFBC #1206475, $14.99, 707pp, hc, cover by Chris McGrath) Omnibus of two humorous dark fantasy novels about a witch PI: Dead Witch Walking (2004) and The Good, The Bad and the Undead (2005). Harrison is a pen name for Dawn Cook. This has ISBN 07394-6380-2; it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

Haynes, Simon Hal Spacejock: Second Course (Fremantle Arts Centre Press 1-92106-466-8, A$19.95, 364pp, pb, cover by Les Peterson) Reprint (Bowman Publishing 2003) humorous SF adventure novel featuring a space pilot, the second in a series. The text has been revised. Fremantle Arts Centre Press, PO Box 158, North Fremantle WA 6159, Australia; <www.fremantlepress. com.au>. * Head, Tom, ed. Conversations with Carl Sagan (University Press of Mississippi 1-57806-736-7, $20.00, 167 + xxv, tp) Non-fiction collection of interviews with celebrity scientist Sagan; his single novel, Contact, is only mentioned in passing. Includes chronology, bibliography, and index. A hardcover edition ($50.00, -735-9) was announced but not seen. University Press of Mississippi, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson MS 39211-6492; <www.upress.state. ms.us>.

Hickman, Tracy & Laura Hickman Mystic Quest (Warner 0-446-61223-5, $6.99, 575pp, pb, cover by Matt Stawicki) Reprint (Warner Aspect 2005) fantasy novel, book two of The Bronze Canticles.

Hoeye, Michael No Time Like Show Time (Penguin/Speak 0-14-240563-9, $7.99, 277pp, tp, cover by Chris Inns) Reprint (Putnam 2004) young-adult talking-animal fantasy mystery novel, third in the Hermux Tantamoq series. * Hogan, David J. Science Fiction America (McFarland 0-7864-2149-5, $45.00, 280pp, hc) Non-fiction, a collection of essays about ways SF films reflect and comment on issues of their time. Includes notes, references, and index. McFarland, Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640; 800-253-2187; <www.mcfarlandpub.com>. * Jarman, Heather Star Trek Voyager: String Theory, Book III: Evolution (Pocket 1-4165-0781-7, $7.99, 400pp, pb) Star Trek novelization. Copyrighted

by Paramount Pictures.

Jones, Diana Wynne Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories (HarperCollins/Eos/Greenwillow 0-06-055535-1, $7.99, 592pp, pb, cover by Dan Craig) Reprint (Greenwillow 2004) young-adult collection of 16 stories. * Kearney, Susan The Ultimatum (Tor 0-765-35448-9, $6.99, 376pp, pb) SF romance, the third standalone book in a loose series after The Challenge and The Dare. A scientist’s biology forces her to have sex or die, but the only partner available is the enemy starpilot who abducted her.

Kenyon, Sherrilyn Unleash the Night (SFBC #1204437, $10.99, 294pp, hc, cover by Bob Osonitsch) Reprint (Piatkus 2005) supernatural romance novel, eighth in the world of Were-Hunters and Dark-Hunters. Kenyon also writes as Kinley MacGregor. This has ISBN 07394-6281-4; it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

King, Stephen Cell (SFBC #1206192, $13.49, 351pp, hc, cover by Mark Stutzman) Reprint (Scribner 2006) SF horror novel. This is similar to the

Scribner edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

Knaak, Richard A. DragonLance : The Minotaur Wars, Volume Three: Empire of Blood (Wizards of the Coast 0-7869-3978-8, $6.99, 371pp, pb, cover

by Matt Stawicki) Reprint (Wizards of the Coast 2005, not seen) novelization based on the roleplaying game, third in a series. Copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast. * Lackey, Mercedes One Good Knight (Harlequin/Luna 0-373-80217-X, $24.95, 360pp, hc) Humorous romantic fantasy novel set in the 500 Kingdoms of The Fairy Godmother. Princess Andromeda deals with the dragon attacking her mother’s realm. * Layne, Steven L. Mergers (Pelican Publishing 1-58980 -183- 0, $15.99, 206pp, hc, cover by Nathan R. Baron) Young-adult dystopian SF time-travel novel. Four racially diverse young people with special powers must travel back in time to stop the Merger which eliminated racial differences. Pelican Publishing Company, 1000 Burmaster St., Gretna LA 70053; <www.pelicanpub.com>.

Levy, Marc Just Like Heaven (Pocket 1-4165-1311-6, $7.99, 229pp, pb) Reprint (Atria 2000 as If Only It Were True, not seen) fantasy novel. A man falls in love with the spirit of a comatose woman.

This is a 2005 movie tie-in edition, not seen previously. Translated from the French Et si c’etait vrai (Editions Robert Laffont 2000). * Lovecraft, H.P. & C.J. Henderson The Tales of Inspector Legrasse (Mythos Books 0-9728545-3-3, $20.00, 217pp, tp, cover by Ben Fogletto) Collection of six Lovecraftian stories, three original,

by C.J. Henderson featuring the character from H.P.L.’s ‘‘The Call of Cthulhu’’ (included). Introduction by Robert M. Price. Mythos Books, 351 Lake Ridge Road, Poplar Bluff MO 63901-2177; <www.mythosbooks.com>. * Macaire, Jennifer Horse Passages (Medallion Press 1-932815-12-0, $9.99, 315pp, tp, cover by James Tampa) Young-adult science fantasy. Horses capable of traveling from planet to planet are threatened by alien Raiders after the horses and their human companions.

Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallionpress.com>.

Maguire, Gregory Leaping Beauty: and other animal fairy tales (HarperTrophy 0-06-056419-9, $5.99, 197pp, tp, cover

by Chris L. Demarest) Reprint (HarperCollins 2004) children’s collection of eight fractured fairy tales. This includes a humorous, 17-page ‘‘extras inside’’ section by Maguire. * Major, Joseph T. Heinlein’s Children: The Juveniles (Advent:Publishers 0-911682-33-3, $25.00, 535 + xvi, hc) Non-fiction discussion of Heinlein’s juvenile novels, a chatty examination of each book’s plot while using it as a springboard to discuss aspects including Heinlein’s intent, editorial contribution, and cultural/historical context. All but one of the chapters were previously published in different form in FOSFAX. Introduction by Alexei Panshin. Includes bibliography and index. Order from Advent:Publishers, PO Box A3228, Chicago IL 60690; 773-725-5447; postage included in price.

Marcellas, Diana Twilight Rising, Serpent’s Dream (Tor 0-812-56179-1, $7.99, 468pp, pb, cover by Tristan Elwell) Reprint (Tor 2004) fantasy novel, third in a trilogy begun in Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea. * Marcus, Leonard S. The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy (Candlewick Press 0-76362625-2, $19.99, 202pp, hc, cover by Steve Cieslawski) Young-adult non-fic-

tion, a collection of interviews with 13 fantasy writers including Lloyd Alexander, Ursula K. Le Guin, Garth Nix, and Philip Pullman. * Mariotte, Jeff Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures: Marauders, Volume I: Ghost of the Wall (Ace 0-441-01379-1, $6.99, 228pp, pb, cover by Justin Sweet) Fantasy novel, the first in a new trilogy set in the world of Robert E. Howard’s Conan.

McCaf frey, Anne If Wishes Were Horses (Wildside Press 1-55742-3180, $10.00, 91pp, tp, cover by Charles Bernard) Reprint (Roc 1998) fantasy novella. + McIntosh, Fiona Bridge of Souls (HarperCollins /Eos 0-06-074760-9, $14.95, 512pp, tp, cover by Les Petersen) Fantasy novel, the third in The Quickening trilogy. First US edition (Voyager Australia 2004). * McKillip, Patricia A. Solstice Wood (Ace 0-441-01366-X, $22.95, 278pp, hc, cover by Gary Blythe) Contemporary fantasy novel. Bookstore owner Sylvia Lynn returns to her childhood home and learns why the woods there fascinate and frighten her so. * McMullen, Sean Voidfarer (Tor 0-76531437-1, $27.95, 397pp, hc, cover by Todd Lockwood) Fantasy novel, third in the Moonworlds series. Wayfarer Inspector Danolarian and his Wayfarer Constables fight an invasion by the sorcerers of Lupan.

McMullen, Sean Voidfarer (SFBC #1202021, $13.99, 397pp, hc, cover

by Todd Lockwood) Reprint (Tor 2006) fantasy novel, third in the Moonworlds Saga. This is similar to the Tor edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket. * McPherson, F.M. Secrets (Medallion Press 1-932815-3-09, $9.99, 267pp, tp, cover by Adam Mock) Young-adult dark fantasy novel about a not-so-typical teen. Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www. medallion press.com>. * Michael, Nick The Ultimate Prize ( Lulu.com 1- 4116 - 6825 -1, $18.96, 206pp, tp) Humorous SF thriller. This is a POD edition available online at <www. lulu.com>. * Miller, John J. Wild Cards: Death Draws Five (ibooks 1-59687-297-7, $22.95, 300pp, hc, cover by Mike S. Miller) Shared-world novel by Miller set in the Wild Cards universe created

by George R.R. Martin. Copyrighted

by George R.R. Martin and the Wild Card Trust. + Mitchell, Sandy Warhammer 40,000: Death or Glory (BL Publishing/Black Library US 1-84416-287-7, $7.99, 399pp, pb, cover by Clint Langley) Novelization based on the roleplaying game universe, fourth in the Ciaphas Cain sub-series.

Mitchell is a pen name for Alex Stewart.

This first US edition has the same ISBN as the Black Library UK (2/06) edition, but only lists prices in US and Canadian dollars.

Morgan, Richard K. Altered Carbon (Ballantine Del Rey 0-345-45769-2, $7.99, 526pp, pb) Reprint (Gollancz 2002) SF novel, first in the Takeshi Kovacs series.

Morris, Mark The Immaculate (Leisure 0-8439-5670-4, $6.99, 342pp, pb) Reprint (Piatkus 1992) horror novel. This is updated and revised.

Mosley, Walter The Wave ( SFBC #1198645, $11.50, 209pp, hc) Reprint (Warner Aspect 2006) SF novel. This is similar to the Warner Aspect edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket. * Murphy, Bernice M., ed. Shirley Jackson: Essays on the Literary Legacy 

The spellbinding follow-up to Once Upon a Summer Day

by Dennis L. McKiernan Liaze, Princess of the Autumnwood, stumbles upon a wounded knight in the pathway between the faery world and the land of man, and recognizes him as her heart’s match. But when the injured knight, her true love, is snatched by a dark, ominous force, Liaze must depart her faery realm to rescue him—risking all in the name of true love.

0-451-46069-3/$23.95

“Prepare to be transported.” —Booklist “Intelligently told, romantic...and filled with the qualities of the best of the traditional fairy stories.” —Chronicle Once upon a summer day, Prince Borel of the Winterwood falls asleep and is visited in his dreams by vision of a golden-haired maiden in grave peril—held against her will and guarded by perilous blades.

On a desperate quest to rescue this mysterious and shadowy beauty, Borel, aided by a Field Sprite, faces great danger and many a dreadful, wicked foe, all in service of rescuing a woman he is not even sure truly exists.

0-451-46031-6/$7.99

From Roc A member of Penguin Group (USA) penguin.com

 Books Received (McFarland 0-7864-2312-9, $35.00, 296 + viii, tp, cover by Justin Kempton) Nonfiction, a gathering of 14 essays, five original and the rest from the last two decades, on Jackson’s works, with a long introduction by the editor. Includes notes, bibliography, index. McFarland, Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640; 800-253-2187; <www.mcfarlandpub.com>. * Nance, John J. Orbit (Simon & Schuster 0-7432-5052-4, $25.00, 275pp, hc) Verynear-future SF novel. A man who wins a free trip into space is stranded alone in orbit when an accident kills the pilot and cuts off all communication. * Navarro, Yvonne UltraViolet (Warner 0-446-61654-0, $6.99, 291pp, pb) Movie novelization. Copyrighted by Screen Gems. * Niles, Steve & Jeff Mariotte 30 Days of Night: Rumors of the Undead (Pocket Star 0-7434-9651-5, $7.99, 401pp, pb) Horror novel based on the world of the horror graphic novels created by Niles.

FBI Special Agent Andy Gray, investigating what turned his partner into an undead killer, ends up in Barrow, Alaska.

Nix, Garth The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3: Drowned Wednesday (Scholastic 0-439-43656-7, $6.99, 387pp, tp, cover

by John Blackford) Reprint (Allen & Unwin Australia 2005) young-adult fantasy novel, third in a seven-part series. * Nix, Garth The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 4: Sir Thursday (Scholastic 0439-70087-6, $16.99, 344pp, tp, cover

by John Blackford) Young-adult fantasy novel, fourth in a seven-part series.

Simultaneous with the Australian (Allen & Unwin) edition.

Norton, Andre & Lyn McConchie Silver May Tarnish (SFBC #1197759, $12.99, 284pp, hc, cover by Daniel Dos Santos) Reprint (Tor 2005) fantasy novel in Norton’s Witch World series, written by McConchie. This is similar to the Tor edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket. * O’Kerry, Janeen Goddess of Eire (Dorchester/Love Spell 0-505-52587-9, $5.99, 337pp, pb) Celtic fantasy romance.

The new high king of Ireland courts the goddess Eriu, who sets him tests to prove his worthiness. * Parziale, Michael Twilight of the Past: A Rift in Time (Nightengale Press 1-933449-19-5, $14.95, 232pp, tp) SF novel, first in the Twilight of the Past series. Newl Rift has his hands full as leader of the nation of Gutra De on the planet Aldurea. This is a print-on-demand edition, available online at <www.nightengalepress.com> or from Nightengale Press, 5250 Grand Avenue, Suite 14-110, Gurnee IL 60031. * Pateman, Matthew The Aesthetics of Culture in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (McFarland 0-7864-2249-1, $32.00, 276pp, tp) Non-fiction, a critical look at the TV show as a reflection of aesthetics in American culture. Includes bibliography and index. McFarland , Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640; 800-253-2187; <www.mcfarlandpub.com>.

Patten, Fred, ed. Furry! The Best Anthropomorphic Fiction Ever (ibooks 159687-319-1, $12.95, 445pp, tp) Reprint (Sofawolf 2003 as Best in Show: Fifteen Years of Outstanding Furry Fiction) anthology of 26 stories about humanoid animals. This drops the illustrations of the Sofawolf edition and adds a foreword by the editor.

Paver, Michelle Wolf Brother (HarperTrophy 0-06-072827-2, $6.99, 296pp, tp, cover by Kamil Vojnar) Reprint (Orion 2004) young-adult prehistoric fantasy about a boy and his wolf companion, the first in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. This includes an ‘‘extras inside’’ section with author interview, etc. * Peel, John Diadem: Worlds of Magic:

42 / LOCUS April 2006

Book of Reality (Llewellyn 0-73870843-7, $4.99, 205pp, tp, cover by Bleu Turrell) Young-adult fantasy novel, ninth in the series.

Phillips, Holly In the Palace of Repose (Wildside Press/Prime Books 0-80955623-5, $14.95, 222pp, tp, cover by Linda Bergkvist) Reprint (Prime Books 2005) collection of nine stories. The copyright page indicates this has been revised, but no textual changes are apparent. Introduction by Sean Stewart. Wildside Press/ Prime Books, PO Box 301, Holicong PA 18928; <www.primebooks.net>. * Piccirilli, Tom Headstone City (Bantam Spectra 0-553-58721-8, $5.99, 302pp, pb) Horror novel. A Brooklyn cabdriver who talks to the dead is under a death threat from the mob. * Plummer, Rachel Dungeons & Dragons: Mystery of the Wizard’s Tomb (Wizards of the Coast/Mirrorstone 07869-3990-7, $5.99, 176pp, tp, cover by Emily Fiegenschuh) Young-adult novelization based on the roleplaying game world, the 11th in a series. Copyrighted

by Wizards of the Coast. * Rector, Jeani After Dark (PublishAmerica 1-4241-1304-0, $24.95, 383pp, tp, cover by Federico Dallocchio) Original collection of 13 horror stories, several apparently published previously online. This is a print-on-demand edition, available online at <www.publishamerica.com>. * Reginald, Robert Trilobite Dreams (Ariadne Press 1-57241-133-3, $14.95, 128pp, tp) Non-fiction collection of 23 autobiographical essays. Order from Ariadne Press, 270 Goins Court, Riverside CA 92507. * Richards, Justin The Invisible Detective: Ghost Soldiers (Penguin/Putnam/ Sleuth 0-399-24500-6, $11.99, 203pp, hc, cover by David Frankland) Young-adult mystery with supernatural elements set in the 1930s and the present day, third in the series. * Ringo, John Kildar (Baen 1-4165-20643, $26.00, 390pp, hc, cover by Kurt Miller) Associational men’s adventure novel featuring former SEAL Mike Harmon, sequel to Ghost.

Ringo, John & Julie Cochrane Cally’s War (Baen 1-4165-2052-X, $7.99, 468pp, pb, cover by Clyde Caldwell) Reprint (Baen 2004) military SF novel, fifth in Ringo’s Posleen War series begun in A Hymn Before Battle.

Robb, J.D. Origin in Death (Berkley 0425-20426-X, $7.99, 372pp, pb) Reprint (Putnam 2005) SF mystery novel, 21st in the Eve Dallas series. Robb is a pen name for Nora Roberts. * Roberson, Jennifer The Novels of Tiger and Del, Volume One (DAW 0-75640319-7, $15.00, 659pp, tp, cover by Todd Lockwood) Omnibus of the first two novels in the Sword-Dancer Saga: Sword-Dancer (1986) and Sword-Singer (1988), plus one unrelated story. * Roberts, Adam Science Fiction: Second Edition (Routledge 0-415-36668-2, $19.95, 159 + viii, tp) Non-fiction, a critical guide to science fiction, significantly revised from the Routledge 2000 first edition. Part of the New Critical Idiom series.

This is an international edition without a price; a hardcover edition (-35557-4, $90.00) is also available.

Roberts, John Maddox The Seven Hills (Ace 0-441-01380-5, $7.99, 362pp, pb, cover by Scott Grimando) Reprint (Ace 2005) alternate-history novel, sequel to Hannibal’s Children. * Rosburg, Helen A. The Dream Thief (Medallion Press 1-932815-20-1, $6.99, 326pp, pb, cover by Adam Mock) Dark fantasy novel. Something is killing young women through their dreams in 16thcentury Venice. Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallion press.com>.

* Royo, Luis Subversive Beauty (Heavy Metal 1-932413-44-8, $19.95, 80pp, hc, cover by Luis Royo) Art book, a collection of illustrations of women with tattoos and piercings; most of the color paintings are accompanied by sketches and vignettes about the mythic women depicted. A deluxe edition (-45-6, $29.95) with dust jacket and signed tipped-in plate is also available. * Ruby, Laura The Wall and the Wing (HarperCollins/Eos 0-06-075255-6, $16.99, 328pp, hc, cover by Brandon Dorman) Young-adult fantasy. A girl in a city where almost anyone can fly has instead the unusual ability to become invisible.

Rucka, Greg Perfect Dark: Initial Vector (SFBC #1205103, $13.99, 350pp, hc) Reprint (Tor 2005) novelization based on the near-future computer game. Copyrighted

by Microsoft. This is bound in boards; it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on th back cover. * Saintcrow, Lilith Working for the Devil (Warner 0-446-61670-2, $6.99, 382pp, pb, cover by Craig White) Near-future, dark urban fantasy featuring necromancer-for-hire Dante Valentine, who gets a job she can’t refuse from the Devil.

Salvatore, R.A. Forgotten Realms: Exile (Wizards of the Coast 0-7869-3983-4, $7.99, 343pp, pb, cover by Todd Lockwood) Reprint (TSR 1990) novelization based on the roleplaying game, the second volume in The Legend of Drizzt series; originally published as book two of the Dark Elf trilogy. Copyrighted by TSR 1990, Wizards of the Coast 2004.

Salvatore, R.A. Forgotten Realms: Promise of the Witch-King (SFBC #1205748, $13.99, 345pp, hc, cover by Todd Lockwood) Reprint (Wizards of the Coast 2005) novelization based on the fantasy roleplaying game, Book II of The Sellswords. Copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast. This is similar to the WotC edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket. * Salvatore, R.A., Andrew Dabb, & Tim Seeley Forgotten Realms: Homeland (Devil’s Due Publishing 1-932796-40-1, $14.95, unpaginated, tp, cover by Tim Seeley) Graphic novel version of the gaming novelization by Salvatore, adapted

by Andrew Dabb with art by Tim Seeley.

Originally published as a three-issue comic book series. * Samiloglu, Erin Disconnection (Medallion Press 1-932815-24-4, $6.99, 368pp, pb, cover by Adam Mock) Horror novel.

An inhuman killer is loose in New Orleans.

This is dated 2005 but not seen until now.

Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallion press.com>. * Scalzi, John The Ghost Brigades (Tor 0-765-31502-5, $23.95, 317pp, hc, cover

by John Harris) SF novel, sequel to Old Man’s War. + Scanlon, Mitchel Anderson, PSI Division: Fear the Darkness (BL Publishing/Black Flame US 1-84416-326-1, $7.99, 255pp, pb, cover by Sean Thomas) Novelization based on the 2000 AD comic book character. This first US edition has the same ISBN as the Black Flame UK edition, but only gives US and Canadian prices. Copyrighted by Rebellion A/S. * Shelley, Mary, Gary Reed, & Frazer Irving Frankenstein (Penguin/Puffin Graphics 0-14-240407-1, $9.99, 174pp, tp, cover by Frazer Irving) Young-adult graphic novel adaptation of Shelley’s classic SF novel (Lackington 1818) with text by Gary Reed and art by Frazer Irving. Packaged and copyrighted by Byron Preiss Visual Publications. * Shinn, Sharon The Thirteenth House (Ace 0-441-01368-6, $24.95, 423pp, hc, cover by Donato Giancola) Fantasy novel, sequel to Mystic and Rider in the Twelve Houses series. Shapeshifter Kirra, disguised as her sister, accompanies the royal heir on a social tour of the Twelve

Houses. * Silverberg, Robert In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era (Subterranean Press 1-59606-043-3, $40.00, 335pp, hc, cover by Bob Eggleton) Collection of 16 pulp SF adventure stories from the 1950s, with a general introduction and story introductions by Silverberg on his early writing career. This is a signed limited edition of 1000; a traycased, lettered edition of 26 ($150.00) is also available. * Simpson, Donna Lea Awaiting the Moon (Berkley Sensation 0-425-20849-4, $6.99, 352pp, pb, cover by Vittorio Dangelico) Gothic romance with werewolves.

The new governess at Wolfram Castle discovers dark secrets.

Skal, David J., ed. Vampires: Encounters with the Undead (SFBC #1202391, $14.99, 587pp, tp) Reprint (Black Dog & Leventhal 2001, not seen) annotated vampire anthology with 25 stories, three novel excerpts, and eight non-fiction pieces ranging from the Romantic period to the Post-Modern. This has ISBN 07394-6407-8; it lacks a price and has the book club number on the back. * Smedman, Lisa Forgotten Realms: Vanity’s Brood (Wizards of the Coast 0-7869-3982-6, $6.99, 310pp, pb, cover

by Raymond Swanland) Novelization based on the roleplaying game, book three of House of Serpents. Copyrighted

by Wizards of the Coast.

Smith, Jeff Bone: Eyes of the Storm (Scholastic/Graphix 0-439-70638-6, $9.99, 174pp, tp, cover by Jeff Smith) Reprint (Cartoon Books 1997) graphic novel, the third collection of the b&w epic fantasy comic book, now appearing for the first time in color. A hardcover edition (-70625-4, $18.95) is also available. * Solitaire, Jenna Keeper of the Winds (Tor Teen 0-765-35357-1, $5.99, 237pp, tp, cover by Larry Rostant) Young-adult fantasy novel, the first in the Daughter of Destiny series written by the main character. Jenna, the last in her family, learns she is a hereditary Keeper of the magical Boards of the Elements. + Soulban, Lucien Necromunda: Fleshworks (BL Publishing/Black Library US 184416-329-6, $7.99, 249pp, pb, cover by Clint Langley) Novelization based on the roleplaying game universe. This first US edition has the same ISBN as the Black Library UK (2/06) edition, but only lists prices in US and Canadian dollars. * Stackpole, Michael A. Cartomancy (Bantam Spectra 0-553-38238-1, $15.00, 427pp, tp, cover by Stephen Youll) Fantasy novel, second in The Age of Discovery series.

Stephenson, Neal King of the Vagabonds (HarperTorch 0-06-083317-3, $7.99, 361pp, pb) Reprint (Morrow 2003 as part of Quicksilver) historical novel with SF elements, the second part of a breakup of the first book in The Baroque Cycle. * Sterling, Bruce Visionary in Residence (Thunder’s Mouth Press 1-56025-841-1, $15.95, 294pp, tp) Collection of 13 stories, one original. * Stern, D.A. Shadows in the Asylum: The Case Files of Dr. Charles Marsh (Emmis Books 1-57860-204-1, $14.95, unpaginated, tp) Horror novel in the form of case notes, diary extracts, etc. from a psychiatrist who became convinced a patient’s delusions are real. * Strauss, Victoria The Awakened City (HarperCollins/Eos 0-380-97892-X, $25.95, 449pp, hc, cover by Mark Harrison) Fantasy novel, sequel to The Burning Land. Two powerful Shapers seek the true Next Messenger in hopes of ending the war between the Brethren and the Empire of Arsace.

Stroud, Jonathan The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book Three: Ptolemy’s Gate (SFBC #1204465, $10.99, 501pp, hc, cover by 

New from Tor Edited by

Marvin Kaye

THE DRAGON QUINTET All-new novellas from five of today’s top authors including Orson Scott Card, Mercedes Lackey, Tanith Lee, Elizabeth Moon, and Michael Swanwick.

“Dazzling …. None of the stories ever falter, and each puts forth a very different, entirely compelling view of dragons.” —Booklist

Andre Norton QUAG KEEP Andre Norton’s first role-playing novel, in which six adventurers from our world travel to Greyhawk to aid a wizard in unlocking the secrets of Quag Keep. Back in print after almost twenty-five years!

0-765-34911-6 • $6.99/$9.99 Can.

In paperback May 2006

R. Garcia Robertson FIREBIRD

“Fantasy lovers will relish Norton’s latest.”

—Booklist

Aria and her lover Sir Roye de Roye set out on a dangerous quest to save the land by restoring a rare and precious firebird’s egg to its nest.

0-765-31302-2 • $13.95/$18.95 Can.

In trade paperback May 2006

Fred Saberhagen ARDNEH’S SWORD A new generation confronts the timeless battle between magic and technology in this return to Saberhagen’s Empire of the East series.

“Ranks favorably with Tolkien ….

Saberhagen’s style is noteworthy for its detail, the depth and humor of his characterizations, and his ability to imbue villains with wicked charm.”

—School Library Journal on Empire of the East

0-765-31356-1 • $24.95/$33.95 Can.

“Anyone who remembers childhood hero tales of dragonslayers and explorers finding wonders in fantastic unknown lands with nostalgia will love Firebird: here’s a NEW hero tale.”

—Ed Greenwood

In hardcover May 2006

Edited by

Steven Savile and Alethea Kontis ELEMENTAL: THE TSUNAMI RELIEF ANTHOLOGY 0-765-31210-7 •$24.95/$33.95 Can.

An amazing collection of original fantasy and SF stories donated by writers such as Brian Aldiss, David Drake, Jacqueline Carey, and more.

The publisher’s and authors’ profits will be donated to the Save The Children Tsunami Relief Fund.

In hardcover May 2006

0-765-31562-9 • $24.95/$33.95 Can.

www.tor.com

In hardcover May 2006

 Books Received

film and radio. Includes a chronological listing of original publications, notes, bibliography, and index. McFarland, Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640; 800-253-2187; <www.mcfarlandpub.com>.

Melvyn Grant) Reprint (Doubleday UK 2005) young-adult contemporary fantasy novel, the second in The Bartimaeus Trilogy. This is similar to the Miramax edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

* Taylor, Holly Night Birds’ Reign (Medallion Press 1-932815-53-8, $14.99, 514pp, tp, cover by Adam Mock) Arthurian fantasy novel. Gwydion the Dreamer is given the task of guarding the young Arthur.

This is dated 2005, but not seen until now.

Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallion press.com>.

* Sullivan, Kathryn Talking to Trees (Amber Quill Press 1-59279-760-1, $13.50, 186pp, tp, cover by Trace Edward Zaber) Young-adult fantasy novel, sequel to The Crystal Throne. This is a print-on-demand edition available online at <http://amberquill.com>.

* Thompson, Frank Lost: Signs of Life (Hyperion 0-7868-9092-4, $5.99, 173pp, pb) Novelization based on the TV show.

Copyrighted by Touchstone Television.

Tan, Cecilia, ed. A Taste of Midnight (Avalon/Blue Moon 1-56201-490-0, $14.95, 186pp, tp) Reprint (Circlet Press 2000) anthology of 18 erotic vampire stories; this adds seven stories. * Taves, Brian Talbot Mundy, Philosopher of Adventure: A Critical Biography (McFarland 0-7864-2234-3, $39.95, 302pp, tp) Non-fiction, a critical biography vellum_locus_final 2/24/06 discussing Mundy’s life and works including fiction, non-fiction, and scripts for

* Thornburg, Mary Patterson Underland (AuthorHouse 1-4259-0064-X, $14.49, 224pp, tp) Young-adult fantasy novel.

A girl finds herself in another universe where she is pursued for an object she was given by her missing brother. This 4:35 PM Page 1edition available is a print-on-demand online at <www.authorhouse.com> or

“A mind-blowing read that’s genuinely unlike anything you’ve ever read before.”

—SFX, five star review (out of five)

Coming in paperback April 25

D

Read a chapter at www.readvellum.com

44 / LOCUS April 2006

from AuthorHouse, 1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington IN 47403. * Traviss, Karen Star Wars: Republic Commando: Triple Zero (Ballantine Del Rey LucasBooks 0-345-49009-6, $7.50, 427pp, pb) Star Wars novelization based on the video game based on the universe of the movies. This includes story ‘‘Star Wars: Omega Squad: Targets’’. Copyrighted by Lucasfilm.

VanderMeer, Jeff City of Saints and Madmen: The Book of Ambergris (Bantam Spectra 0-553-38357-4, $14.00, unpaginated, tp) Reprint (Cosmos 2001) collection of four stories set in VanderMeer’s city of Ambergris, plus a lengthy appendix with 12 related items. This follows the Prime 2002 edition with some revisions and adds the story ‘‘Learning to Leave the Flesh’’; the chapbook of ‘‘The Exchange’’ is reproduced with new commentary, and the story ‘‘The Man With No Eyes’’ has been further decrypted.

Varley, John Titan (Ace 0-441-81304-6, $7.99, 309pp, pb) Reissue (Berkley/Putnam 1979) SF novel, first in the Gaean trilogy. Ninth printing.

Varley, John Wizard (Ace 0-441-90067-4, $7.99, 372pp, pb) Reissue (Berkley/Putnam 1980) SF novel, second in the Gaean trilogy. 19th printing.

Vess, Charles The Book of Ballads (Tor 0-765-31215-8, $14.95, 192pp, tp, cover by Charles Vess) Reprint (Green Man Press 1997 as Ballads) illustrated anthology of ballads retold in graphic form and illustrated in b&w by Charles Vess, accompanied by the text of the original ballads; most originally appeared in Vess’s comic ‘‘The Book of Ballads and Sagas’’. This is the 2004 Tor expanded edition. * Vonarburg, Élisabeth A Game of Perfection (Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy 1-894063-32-5, $16.95, 339pp, tp) SF novel, the second book of five in the Tyranaël series, following the next generation on the planet Tyranaël. Translated

by Howard Scott and Vonarburg from the French Le Jou de la Perfection (Alire Canada 1996). Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy, PO Box 1714, Calgary, Alberta Canada T2P 2L7; <www.edgewebsite. com>. * Vonnegut, Kurt A Man Without a Country (Seven Stories Press 1-58322672-9, $21.00, 145pp, hc, cover by Kurt Vonnegut) Associational collection of 12 essays and speeches, illustrated by the author. * Ward, J.R. Lover Eternal (Penguin/ Signet Eclipse 0-451-21804-3, $6.99, 441pp, pb) Vampire romance novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood of vampires.

Copyrighted by Jessica Bird. * Westerfeld, Scott Midnighters, Vol. 3: Blue Noon (HarperCollins/Eos 006-051957-6, $15.99, 378pp, hc, cover

by Kamil Vojnar) Young-adult fantasy novel, third in a trilogy about teens with special talents that give them an extra hour each day. * Wexler, Django Memories of Empire (Medallion Press 1-932815-14-7, $14.99, 561pp, tp, cover by Adam Mock) Epic fantasy novel. Medallion Press, 225 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach FL 33480; <www.medallion press.com>. * Whiteside, Diane The Hunter’s Prey: Erotic Tales of Texas Vampires (Berkley Heat 0-425-21035-9, $14.00, 258pp, tp) Collection of 11 erotic stories of the Texas Vampires. Previously published in different form as an e-book (Ellora’s Cave 2001). * Wilhelm, Kate The Price of Silence (Harlequin/Mira 0-7783-2216-5, $23.95, 360pp, hc) Associational mystery.

Wilhelm, Kate The Unbidden Truth (Harlequin/Mira 0-7783-2204-1, $6.99, 434pp, pb) Reprint (Mira 2004) associational mystery featuring Barbara Holloway. * Williams, Sean & Shane Dix Geodesica (SFBC #1206972, $12.99, 644pp, hc,

cover by Chris Moore) Omnibus of two SF novels in the series: Ascent (2005) and Descent (2006). This has ISBN 07394-6391-8; it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket. * Williams, Sean & Shane Dix Geodesica: Descent (Ace 0-441-01378-3, $7.99, 387pp, pb, cover by Chris Moore) SF novel, second in the duology.

Willis, Connie Nonstop to Portales (Cacahuete Press, $15.00, 26pp, ph) Short story and afterword originally published in The Williamson Effect; this adds photos of some of the locales mentioned. This is a signed, limited edition of 200. Available from Cacahuete Press, 304 East 17th St., Portales NM 88130; <rhauptmann@yucca.net>; add $2.00 postage.

Wilson, Colin The Mind Parasites (Monkfish Book Publishing 0-97493599-9, $14.95, 199pp, tp) Reprint (Arthur Barker 1967) Lovecraftian thriller. This has a new preface by Gary Lachman and the original preface by Wilson, who adds a new afterword.

Wilson, F. Paul Gateways (Tor 0-76534605-2, $7.99, 437pp, pb) Reprint (Gauntlet 2003) thriller/horror novel, seventh in the Repairman Jack series.

Wilson, Robert Charles Spin (Tor 0-76534825-X, $7.99, 454pp, pb) Reprint (Tor 2005) SF novel. * Wright, T.M. A Spider on My Tongue (Nyx Books 0-9776681-2-6, $12.00, 123pp, tp, cover by Robert Sammelin) Horror novella, a sequel to A Manhattan Ghost Story. A print-on-demand edition.

Nyx Books, 923 Nancy Drive, Murfreesboro TN 37129.

Zahn, Timothy Star Wars: Outbound Flight (SFBC #1192682, $14.99, 453pp, hc, cover by Dave Seeley) Reprint (Del Rey 2005) Star Wars novelization. This is similar to the Del Rey edition, except it lacks a price and has the SFBC number on the back jacket.

Zebrowski, George Macrolife (Prometheus/Pyr 1-59102-340-8, $25.00, 384pp, hc, cover by John Picacio) Reprint (Harper & Row 1979) SF novel. This is a limited edition; a trade paperback edition (-341-6, $15.00) is also available. <www. pyrsf.com> * Zipes, Jack, Lissa Paul, Lynne Vallone, Peter Hunt, & Gillian Avery, eds.

The Norton Anthology of Children’s Literature: The Traditions in English (Norton 0-393-32776-0, $65.00, 2471 + xxxviii, tp, cover by Carin Berger) Anthology of hundreds of pieces of children’s literature from early primers to contemporary pieces, including poetry, non-fiction, stories, and novel excerpts, with extensive discussion of the authors and literary/historical context. Sections of genre interest include fairy tales (most literary), fantasy, SF, and plays (all fantasy).

Authors include E. Nesbit, H.G. Wells, and Robert A. Heinlein. Includes bibliography and index; comes slipcased. This is dated 2005 and indicates second printing, but has not been seen previously.  February 2006 SF Novels 16 Fantasy Novels 20 Horror Novels 15 Anthologies 4 Collections 8 Reference 3 History/Criticism 8 Media Related 14 Young Adult 21 SF 2 Fantasy 15 Horror 3 Other 1 Omnibus 3 Art/Humor 6 Miscellaneous 7 Total New: 125 Reprints & Reissues: 74 Total: 199

Year to Date SF Novels 35 Fantasy Novels 42 Horror Novels 27 Anthologies 8 Collections 15 Reference 6 History/Criticism 10 Media Related 37 Young Adult 32 SF 2 Fantasy 23 Horror 6 Other 0 Omnibus 9 Art/Humor 7 Miscellaneous 11 Total New: 239 Reprints & Reissues: 230 Total: 469

Bestselling author Kate Forsyth returns with another installment in the Witches of Eileanan series “Forsyth writes with aplomb and style.”

—Examiner (Australia)

0-451-46080-4/$7.99

Awaiting trial for murder and treason in Sorrowgate Tower, Rhiannon feverishly plots her escape and a strategy to unravel the spell she suspects has stolen her lover’s heart. In a world where dark spirits, forbidden magic, and trickery flourish, Rhiannon must fight back with all she’s worth to clear her name, and her nights, of a ghostly presence bent on destroying her very will to survive.

0-451-46068-5/$

14.00

Some are born to rule. Some are born for something more.

From a sensational new voice in erotic fantasy adventure comes the story of Marja, a beautiful free spirit sold to the master of the pleasure house Vidaris, where she is to be schooled in the arts of seduction and carnal delight. Though Marja grows to love her master and discover her true nature as a submissive, when granted her freedom she soon learns that not all warriors are imbued with the gift of mercy.

Marja sets out on a perilous journey to save the land and the people that have become precious to her. Skillful and headstrong, she will not hesitate to use her gift of seduction if it means survival.

A member of Penguin Group (USA)

penguin.com

Short Fiction: Nick Gevers  p. 14



assumes unimaginable, inorganic forms. Structurally, Understanding Space and Time makes up a clever, resonant circle; in retrospect, it was definitely one of the best stories of 2005.

In recent years, following the publication of the Conjunctions 39: New Wave Fabulist volume, various McSweeney’s anthologies, and five installments of Polyphony, there’s been much discussion of slipstream, or cross-genre, fiction stories that straddle mainstream and SF/fantasy boundaries, utilizing the best potentials of both to powerful, often revisionist and experimental effect. Omnidawn Publishing’s massive new anthology ParaSpheres is professedly another contribution to the slipstream (a problematical term of course) canon and debate; and like all the books mentioned above, it’s a feast of fine writing and striking applications of the fantastic to the everyday, if not quite robust enough in its imaginative vision to satisfy some hard-core SF readers (excepting in the case of a bracket of stories I’ll mention shortly). Indeed, the particular value of ParaSpheres lies in its exhibition of a large group of established mainstream writers cutting their teeth on the fantastic or (more to the point) revealing that the fantastic has always been fundamental to their technique, implying that the envelope of speculative fiction should be cast a lot wider than we often suppose it can be; after reading ParaSpheres, I found myself eagerly searching for more work by a lot of the ‘‘literary’’ authors sampled there: Ira Sher, Paul Pekin, William Luvaas, Randall Silvis.

But to open in more familiar territory: ParaSpheres does include some strong reprints by major genre names: Ursula K. Le Guin, Kim Stanley Robinson, Rudy Rucker, Jeffrey Ford, Michael Moorcock. Of its best original entries, two are by genre contributors.

Jeff VanderMeer’s ‘‘The Secret Paths of Rajan Khanna’’ tells of a boy who discovers that he can see, and enter, numinous roadways to lands of magic and dream, places VanderMeer renders beautifully with quick verbal brushstrokes; this continues into Rajan’s adulthood, urging the question Why? What is this odd gift for? The resolution is resonant, the reverie profound. L. Timmel Duchamp’s novelette ‘‘The Tears of Niobe’’ is spectacular, a grave, fraught meditation on atrocity and recollection: a girl captured and raised as a slave by the alien destroyers of her home city begins to Dream, in intense, total detail, the destruction of many great cities across time and space; her captors argue the rote theological import of her revelations, erroneously, as she is in fact beholding the extermination of the gods themselves in their Olympian domain; and the unaging girl eventually becomes an oracle, annoyed at the inability of scholarly questioners from other worlds to approach the subject of her past directly. Can the horror of a massacre ever properly be understood by someone who was not there? Brooding, somber, ‘‘Tears’’ ponders this issue and many others, with memorable gravity. And Michael Moorcock’s ‘‘The Third Jungle Book: A Mowgli Story’’ is good, a look at contemporary British realities through the prism of Kipling and Edgar Rice Burroughs; Michael AndreDriussi sardonically entraps an unwary lover in an alternate reality in ‘‘Old Flames in New Bottles’’; Terry Gates-Grimwood gleefully savages the UK’s body politic in ‘‘Nobody Walks in London’’. The uninhibited, forceful use of the fantastic characteristic

Short Fiction: Rich Horton  p. 15

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together to share their experiences. The conflict here is a mystery concerning one of their number who has evidently fabricated some experiences, leading the protagonist and his lover to suspect something nefarious, perhaps concerning the obscure Great Work that certain cultures are proposing. The nature of the Great Work is fairly interesting, and the crime revealed is pretty dastardly. I also liked Robert Reed’s ‘‘Good

46 / LOCUS April 2006

of genre fiction is exercised in ParaSpheres to some extent; an SF audience should appreciate all the items just mentioned.

But what of those numerous tantalizing original fictions from the mainstream side? Best of all here is Ira Sher, whose ‘‘Lionflower Hedge’’ and ‘‘Nobody’s Home’’ are subtle reflections on childhood through an adult’s dreaming lens, vivid and oblique, like the best stories of Gene Wolfe. Kate Kasten’s ‘‘Ever and Anon’’ amusingly considers marital fidelity in a fairy-tale context; ‘‘Lithia Park’’ by William Luvaas brings a jaded city dweller to a small town that is a little too quaint (read weird) for his liking; Janice Law’s ‘‘Side Effects’’ runs the old chestnut of a mutilated patient being possessed by the spirit of his organ donor through intriguing new paces; ‘‘The Midnight Lover’’ by Carol Schwalberg anatomizes sexual fantasy with brio; Paul Pekin’s ‘‘The Magnificent Carp of Hichi Street’’ plunges the center of Tokyo into hilarious chaos as a giant fish threatens slapstick apocalypse; ‘‘Making Faces’’ by Steven Shugart places monster masks at the heart of a marriage. There is in fact a deluge of good material, too much to note in the space available – yet mention must be made of Randall Silvis’s poetic delirium ‘‘The Night of Love’s Last Dance’’, and of Brian Evenson’s post-holocaust jape ‘‘An Accounting’’, and Noelle Sickels’s satirical retelling of Genesis in ‘‘The Tree’’, and Charlie Anders’s cryogenic suspension fable ‘‘Power Couple, Or Love Never Sleeps’’, and Mark Wallace’s ‘‘The Flowers’’, which makes over a neurotic life by stealth.... But enough. These stories and others like them do play the literary game more coyly, more decorously, than the genre efforts, relying on understatement and implication to a greater degree, spinning their elements of fantasy chiefly as metaphor; the gulf slipstream seeks to bridge still yawns. And yet there’s equal enjoyment to be had either side; and in pointing this fact out, ParaSpheres performs an inestimable service.

Interzone has been serializing Richard Calder’s controversial novella ‘‘After the Party: A Nymphomaniad’’, starting in the December issue and concluding in that for April. A companion to the author’s imminent novel Babylon, this can be seen as a culmination of Calder’s long fascination with issues of eroticism: the association of orgasm with death; the fetishization of the sexual Other as Object; decadence and the politics of ‘‘perversion.’’ The setting is an alternate Earth of the late 19th or early 20th century, where female worshippers of Ishtar, long exiled to a parallel world, have returned, changing history by toppling patriarchy and installing a new global order dominated by Orders of sacred prostitutes and the male Illuminati who relish the attendant fleshly circus. The problem for women in this timeline is that although they have in a sense liberated themselves from bondage, forcing men to concede their equality and their power, they have also had to reify themselves in the image of masculine desire, becoming stereotypical maenads or dolls in consequence; nymphomania has become a plague, often of a literal and lethal kind.

And males who resent the dictatorship of sensuality, in effect the ideological brothers of Jack the Ripper, have formed a dissident Black Order, dedicated to the destruction of all whores. What occurs in ‘‘After the Party’’ is the tentative, only vaguely successful reconciliation of the conflicting opposites, as a doctor belonging to the Order encounters a prostitute who Mountain’’, particularly for the odd nature of its setting: a continent made of wood, which appears to be in danger of burning. A man fleeing the destruction of his home for a potentially safe haven encounters a strange woman who is heading for ‘‘Good Mountain’’, which she says is a very large structure of metal (very rare on this planet). All this is familiar enough in SF terms, but Reed takes the story in a surprising direction at the end.

Best of all is Charles Stross’s ‘‘Missile Gap’’, which at first blush seems to violate the anthology’s

draws him platonically as well as physically; the fatal psychosexual contradictions of the late Victorian Age come into sharp focus, and Calder achieves a powerful bleak finale.

The regular fiction line-up in the February Interzone, meanwhile, leads off with ‘‘Sundowner Sheila’’, a novelette by F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre told in the rank, Strine-inflected, hilarious yet ultimately pathetic voice of Bodger, a genetically engineered quasi-human worker in a terraforming project on a planet not far from Earth. In a merciless equivalent of the Australian Outback where it is always noon, the obtuse and forgetful Bodger and his colleague Dicko whinge about their lot, but toil diligently enough until a woman arrives to upgrade their instructions; jealousy and other instincts get loose, and a quite different element of terraforming comes to the fore. This is, like Calder’s work, strong stuff, and fascinating too. Of the other stories in this issue, ‘‘The Unsolvable Deathtrap’’ by Jack Mangan is a searing tour of future traffic patterns, accidents and mental scarring everywhere; and ‘‘The Macrobe Conservation Project’’ by Carlos Hernandez is a disquieting contrast of juvenile and adult delinquency.

Finally this month: Analog for April is enjoyable throughout. Wil McCarthy’s novella, ‘‘Boundary Condition’’, posits a remarkable equation of quantum uncertainty with free will, quantum decoherence with divine intervention; the Pope visits a space station in person, and existential debate rages, impressively if improbably. Stephen Baxter’s ‘‘The Lowland Expedition’’ revisits a far-future Earth where time moves more quickly the higher you go, and flying buildings are on the loose; Richard A. Lovett’s ‘‘The Numismatist’’ envisages a plague of homicidal rage, through which the investigating officer achieves a paradoxical redemption; Stephen L. Burns pits a great inventive mind against paranoid anxiety in the interesting, if predictable, ‘‘Nothing to Fear But’’; and John G. Hemry tells a timeless Bogartian story in his space opera ‘‘Lady Be Good’’. The most striking hard SF notion of the month, though, arises in ‘‘Lighthouse’’

by Michael Shara & Jack McDevitt: brown stellar dwarfs as part of a galactic signaling service.

Recommended Stories: ‘‘After the Party: A Nymphomaniad’’, Richard Calder (Interzone 12/05, 2/06, 4/06) ‘‘The Tears of Niobe’’, L. Timmel Duchamp (ParaSpheres) ‘‘Herd of Opportunity’’, Matthew Hughes (F&SF 5/06) Understanding Space and Time, Alastair Reynolds (Birmingham SF Group) ‘‘Journey into the Kingdom’’, M. Rickert (F&SF 5/06) ‘‘Nobody’s Home’’, Ira Sher (ParaSpheres) ‘‘The Secret Paths of Rajan Khanna’’, Jeff VanderMeer (ParaSpheres) –Nick Gevers Semiprofessional magazines, fiction fanzines, original collections, original anthologies, plus new stories in outside sources should be sent to Nick Gevers, 37 Liesbeek Road, Rosebank, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa, <vermoulian@yahoo.com>, for review. Because of location, Nick will accept material in electronic form.

guidelines: it is set in roughly the present day, though on a rather altered Earth. But not to worry! At any rate this Earth is sufficiently weird to hold one’s interest no matter how far in the future the story is set. It seems to have been moved, as of 1962, to an enormous disk, with escape velocity such that space travel is impossible. But the Cold War continues, sort of. The story follows an American effort to colonize a dangerous new continent, and a Soviet effort to explore the disk using an Ekranoplane – a very large seaplane. Disturbing discoveries are made by both

groups, which might lead to more understanding of what has happened to Earth. But a third thread follows a shadowy spy, who it turns out has quite a different agenda to pursue, one with rather stark implications for humanity as a whole.

Leah Bobet’s ‘‘Towers’’, from Strange Horizons, March 13, is yet another fairy tale-retelling; there have been hordes of them in the past couple of years, many in Strange Horizons. Happily, many have been pretty strong, as is this one. The model this time is Rapunzel, though Bobet departs a bit more than usual from the original. Her interest here is in ‘‘what happens after happily ever after.’’ The problem is: what kind of husband can a hero be – especially if you love him enough not to insist he change? And if he loves you enough to realize you need your life too? There are no easy answers to that question, it seems, and, fortunately, no easily cynical reactions either. This is a story that you like because you like and believe the characters.

Weird Tales returns with a wonderfully thick issue: 82 pages, close to 50,000 words of fiction. I much enjoyed William Alexander’s ‘‘Seven Hours From Termini’’, a rather sweet story of Apollo on a train in France, encountering a contemporary woman.

There is also fine work from Nina Kiriki Hoffman (‘‘To Grandmother’s House’’, a snarky little thing about three children who resent spending Christmas with Grandmother) and Carrie Vaughn (‘‘Kitty and the Moshpit of the Damned’’, another of her

Gary K. Wolfe  p. 19

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fantasy. Sometimes these are little more than literary conceits, such as the brief ‘‘Summer Afternoon’’, in which a phrase from Henry James gets loose in the writerly world. Others address questions of art and reality in ways that are stunningly original. The narrator in ‘‘The Weight of Words’’, again remembering events from decades later, describes his involvement with a lonely obsessive who claims to have devised a kind of algebra of words, enabling him to encode subliminal messages in any piece of writing. The title character in ‘‘A Man of Light’’ is a brilliant but reclusive artist with an uncanny talent for manipulating light, who grants an exclusive interview with a young reporter, revealing secrets that may be part cosmic myth and part simple psychopathology. And the brilliant title story of the collection, ‘‘The Empire of Ice Cream’’, is almost certainly the finest fantasy story yet written about synaesthesia, which here becomes far more than a neurological anomaly but a means of glimpsing an alternate reality, as the narrator – again remembering events over a period of decades – realizes that the flavor of coffee ice cream can conjure visions of a girl whose own synaesthetic experiences enable her to have visions of him. Whose reality is the true one, then? Like the very different ‘‘Annals of Eelin-Ok’’, this is some kind of masterpiece, and to find two such classics in the same volume is reward enough, even without the manifest excellence of the other tales.

Visionary in Residence is not only the title of Bruce Sterling’s new collection; it’s also the title of his faculty position at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena (and one that’s likely to be mighty puzzling to an IRS agent who sees it showing up on a 1040). It’s an appropriate title for this collection of 13 stories (three of which are short-shorts written for that now-famous Nature series and two of which are collaborations), since the overwhelming tone of most of the collection is that of a professional futurist playing with ideas, rather than that of Sterling in his mode of serious SF writer who can combine brilliantly character-driven tales with cutting-edge tech and an acute global sensibility. There are not many stories like ‘‘Bicycle Repairman’’, ‘‘Taklamakan’’, or ‘‘Maneki Neko’’ here (though, oddly, the three historical-fiction pieces that conclude the book come close,

stories about Kitty Norville, werewolf and radio talk show host).

story as a whole is emotionally convincing. (Though perhaps not really fantasy.)

The second issue of Fantasy Magazine has appeared. Disclaimer first – I contribute short book reviews to this magazine. Even so, I don’t think I am wrong to praise Theodora Goss’s ‘‘Lessons With Miss Gray’’, in which five young women, four close friends and an outsider, take lessons in magic from the title character, who has appeared in other Goss pieces. The girls learn real magic. They also learn (or we learn) about themselves, and how they (and their futures) are affected by race, class, and gender.

Witty and involving and clearheaded – another triumph for Goss.

Elemental is an anthology from Tor supporting a very worthy cause: tsunami relief. Alas, the stories as a whole aren’t terribly impressive. I did like Adam Roberts’s ‘‘And Tomorrow and’’, a reimagining of Macbeth assuming you take the witch’s promise to him a bit more literally. There are quite a few more decent stories here, but none that thrilled me.

Fantasy Magazine’s editor Sean Wallace also produces the continuing series of slim anthologies Jabberwocky, which mix mostly quite short stories with a lot of good poetry. Jabberwocky 2 has impressive fiction from Richard Parks and Holly Phillips. Parks’s ‘‘Brillig’’ is a clever take on the poem ‘‘Jabberwocky’’ itself. Phillips’s ‘‘Canvas, Mirror, Glass’’ is an intense variation of a fairly familiar setup: a young artist in some sense under the sway of an older artist. But Phillips uses this situation very well. Isobel has become the mistress of a rich older patron, and he wants the alpha artist of their circle, Didier, to paint her, but she is reluctant. She befriends Michelle, an older, somewhat frustrated artist, who has been through a similar experience.

The resolution is just a shade unexpected, and the and the lead story ‘‘In Paradise’’ could easily stand with Sterling’s best), but there’s an exuberant sense of shaggy-dog playfulness, and part of that comes from the ingenious way in which Sterling has packaged his tales as variations of the very concept of SF. Only one tale is actually labeled Science Fiction, and others are given ingenious variations like Fiction About Science, Fiction for Scientists (the Nature pieces), Architecture Fiction, Design Fiction, and Mainstream Fiction, with a couple of messier categories at the end called ‘‘From Cyberpunk to Ribofunk’’ and ‘‘The Past Is a Future That Has Already Happened’’ (the three tales with historical settings). For a writer who’s been such a pioneer in breaking down categories, it’s odd to see a collection with more pigeonholes than a roll-top desk, but it does provide a neat way of framing what might otherwise seem a somewhat unfocused collection.

The Science Fiction story, ‘‘In Paradise’’, is a deceptively simple love story spun off from a familiar SF cliché: cell phones that are also instant language translators. At an airport, a plumber begins a passionate affair with a 19-year-old Muslim girl even though they can only communicate on their phones, but their relationship soon spirals them into a nightmare of global politics, Homeland Security, and the surveillance society. What Sterling calls Fiction About Science, ‘‘Luciferase’’, is not so much SF as a cartoon; set among wisecracking fireflies and spiders who complain about having to act out their evolutionary imperatives, it only needs Pixar animation to make it suitable for DVD. The two stories labeled Architecture Fiction and Design Fiction are SF, but the sort of SF designed to illustrate specific concepts. ‘‘The Growthing’’ is set in a huge experimental biotech facility which has been grown in the Texas desert as a demonstration of organic fuel and architecture technologies, and ‘‘User-Centric’’ is a delightful parody of how a new product – in this case, consumer-friendly MEMS chips which can be used to tag virtually anything in the user’s environment – is developed through various e-mails from the design and marketing team, which eventually conceptualizes the product by imagining end-users who, in a clever twist, become the central characters of the second half of the story. The one story labeled as Mainstream – though, as Sterling points out in his story note, it would have seemed almost incomprehensible SF as recently as 30 years ago – is ‘‘Code’’, a geek love story set in a high-tech Austin software firm whose

Recommended Stories: ‘‘Farmers in the Sky’’, Rob Chilson (Analog 5/06) ‘‘Lady Be Good’’, John G. Hemry (Analog 4/06) ‘‘Lessons With Miss Gray’’, Theodora Goss (Fantasy Magazine #2) ‘‘Good Mountain’’, Robert Reed (One Million A.D.) ‘‘Eight Episodes’’, Robert Reed (Asimov’s 6/06) ‘‘Thousandth Night’’, Alastair Reynolds (One Million A.D.) ‘‘Life on the Preservation’’, Jack Skillingstead (Asimov’s 6/06) ‘‘Missile Gap’’, Charles Stross (One Million A.D.) –Rich Horton Semiprofessional magazines, fiction fanzines, original collections, original anthologies, plus new stories in outside sources should be sent to Rich Horton, 653 Yeddo Ave., Webster Groves MO 63119, <Richard. Horton@sff.net>, for review. 

chief coder has suddenly died, and whose death brings together two employees whose media shells had nearly prevented them from even being aware of each other previously.

More than a third of Visionary in Residence is taken up by the two Ribofunk collaborations, and they’re both larks. ‘‘The Scab’s Progress’’ (written with Paul Di Filippo) is a bull session of a story, so aggressively cool that it comes with a glossary of blogready around-the-curve terms, but it’s essentially a manic biohacker shaggy-DNA tale concerning an outlaw media hero called Ribo Zombie and his rivals who travel to an anarchic Africa in search of something called the Panspecific Mycoblastula, a giant fungal ball containing all the executable genetic codes of Africa’s endangered species. It’s fun, and so is ‘‘Junk DNA’’, another new-product tale about two women, a lonely underemployed Silicon Valley worker and an irrepressible Russian émigré, who team up to market blob-like biological pets drawn from the owner’s own DNA. As is often the case with collaborators who are having fun, however, both tales go on a bit longer than necessary and risk self-indulgence.

There’s a good deal more discipline in evidence in the three stories with historical settings that conclude the volume. ‘‘The Necropolis of Thebes’’ is little more than a touching sketch, but ‘‘The Blemmye’s Stratagem’’ is a genuine SF tale set during the Crusades, in which Sterling posits that the Blemmye of the title – one of those acephalous beings with their faces in their chests from the legends of Prester John – might actually have been an alien visitor, whose agents in the world are a brilliant abbess and the historical Assassin Sinan. In its own way, it’s as wild an adventure as ‘‘The Scab’s Progress’’, but more disciplined in the way in which it weaves together medieval history and alien-contact SF. The final story, the only pure fantasy in the book, is ‘‘The Denial’’, concerning a village cooper whose wife drowns in a flood, but who continues to haunt him, arguing that he’s the one who drowned. At its most authentic, the story takes on the flavor of Balkan magic realism, and with its implicit clash of cultures sounds almost like a minor episode from Ivo Andric’s The Bridge on the Drina. In a collection that seems mostly devoted to celebrating the various dimensions of Sterling’s visionary guru-dom, it reminds us that he’s also a writer with ambitions that are more purely literary, and with a purely liter

LOCUS April 2006 / 47

 Gary K. Wolfe ary talent to match.

Gardner Dozois does a fine job of editing Nebula Awards Showcase 2006: The Year’s Best SF and Fantasy, and it’s got a lot of fine fiction in it, and the pithy little essays by veterans looking back on the field are all fine, as are the two poems and Kathy Maio’s overview of 2004 films, even though most of the films she mentions weren’t so fine. That’s really all that needs to be said about the latest incarnation of this venerable annual, so feel free to ignore my niggling annual complaint that there’s something vaguely surreal about collecting a group of stories originally published in 2003 and 2004 and calling it Showcase 2006: The Year’s Best SF and Fantasy, especially when more than half the verbiage in the volume has already been collected in ‘‘Year’s Best’’ volumes in 2004 and 2005, two of them edited by Dozois himself. Thus a particularly well-liked story can stay on top of the game three or four years running, like a champion athlete. Vernor Vinge’s ‘‘The Cookie Monster’’, for example, first made a splash as the best story published in Analog in 2003, then showed up in two year’s bests and won a Hugo in 2004, got nominated for a Nebula in 2005, and now shows up in a 2006 ‘‘showcase.’’ It’s an excellent story, to be sure, but it seems to be pursuing us.

In the specific case of the Nebulas, as many more conversant with the process than I have pointed out, this is largely an artifact of SFWA’s colorful nomination and voting rules, as well as the timing of its award process, which essentially requires the editor to put together a book celebrating a banquet – in this case, the 40th Nebula Awards Banquet held in Chicago in April of last year. So I don’t know why the editors and publishers don’t simply call these anthologies ‘‘banquets’’ since that’s what they resemble more than showcases; they’re all replete with little appetizers and nut-cups (the mini-essays, novel excerpts, and poems), a friendly editor MC who keeps things moving with pithy comments between each selection, a Price-Waterhouse style explanation of the rules, a lengthy toast to Grandmaster Anne McCaffrey, and this year even a moment of silence at the back of the book for the deceased. One almost closes the volume with the odd feeling that it’s time to loosen the tie and head upstairs for the parties.

In some sense, any editor who can achieve such a feeling given the various constraints involved in producing a Nebula anthology has to be counted a success, and if anyone knows what he’s doing as an anthologist it’s Dozois. It’s hard to argue with his novella selection of the Vinge classic about virtual employees who don’t know they’re virtual, or Walter Jon Williams’s compelling biotech fantasy ‘‘The Green Leopard Plague’’, even though the three other nominated novellas are less widely known. Lois Tilton might feel a bit left out as the only novelette nominee not included, especially since Christopher Rowe’s alternate-history extravaganza ‘‘The Voluntary State’’ was one of those that made two year’s best annuals

Faren Miller  p. 23

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otherworldly fantasy with an all too worldly corruption that’s strong stuff indeed. And that won’t be the end of self-discovery and perilous adventure. While some things are resolved here, there should still plenty to come in the final volume.

SHORT TAKE A family gift that could be a curse also figures in Brian Stableford’s Streaking. (The title refers to both

Russell Letson  p. 25

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her old beach hotel (a much-renovated Blastoff Motel) have made it through the disaster. Two families

48 / LOCUS April 2006

last year, but the other selections – Andy Duncan’s ‘‘Zora and the Zombie’’ (probably the first genre story of any kind about Zora Neale Hurston), Ellen Klages’s ‘‘Basement Magic’’, and William Sanders’s ‘‘Dry Bones’’ – are uniformly excellent in very different ways. Interestingly, even though they take up less space, only three of the six nominated short stories are here: Eileen Gunn’s moving tribute to Avram Davidson, ‘‘Coming to Terms’’, Benjamin Rosenbaum’s tale of an alien species who carry memories in parasites, ‘‘Embracing-the-New’’, and Mike Resnick’s muted and sensitive ghost story, ‘‘Travels with My Cats.’’

Except for an excerpt from Lois McMaster Bujold’s winning novel Paladin of Souls and a classic reprint of Anne McCaffrey’s ‘‘The Ship Who Sang’’ in honor of the Grand Master Award, that’s the extent of the fiction here. The ‘‘roundtable’’ segment consists of commissioned short essays by Jack Williamson, Robert Silverberg, Ursula K. Le Guin, Brian Aldiss, and Frederik Pohl, and the most substantial of these is Silverberg’s. The rest, including the movie reviews and Rhysling-winning poems by Roger Dutcher and Theodora Goss (whose prose-poem entry could almost be counted another story), are canapés.

SHORT TAKES As I suggested above, the last several months have seen a long overdue resurgence of interest in the work of Philip José Farmer, who turned 88 in January. In addition to The Best of Philip José Farmer, Baen has also compiled an omnibus volume under the title of Strange Relations, which includes not only the five long stories (‘‘Mother’’, ‘‘Daughter’’, ‘‘Father’’, ‘‘Son’’, ‘‘My Sister’s Brother’’) that comprised the original 1960 Ballantine paperback of this title, but also the novel-length version of The Lovers and the full text of Flesh, originally published in 1960 but reissued in an expanded edition in 1968 (the longer text is included here). Again, some readers may be surprised at the degree of social and religious satire that lies behind these provocative titles. ‘‘Father’’, for example, refers not to another variation on alien sex, but instead concerns a giant despot who turns himself into a near-god on an Edenic planet, and who’s banished all male animals from that world. (The story is also an early example of Farmer’s celebrated Father Carmody tales.) The novel version of The Lovers is expanded mostly by providing a more detailed background for the repressive religious society of the narrator, and Flesh – which is a comic romp in tone – concerns a team of space explorers who, after 900 years in suspended animation, arrive on Earth to find a matriarchal fertility goddess society that reads like a bawdy parody of Robert Graves but turns equally into a parody of male sexual fantasies as the priapic commander, Stagg, is required to repeatedly service the goddess, but only in a trance-like state that gives him no awareness or pleasure.

An entirely different aspect of Farmer’s work, one not really represented in either of the two collections, reflects his love of pulp heroes and derives from a kind of game he devised for himself while writing his fictional ‘‘biographies’’ of Tarzan and Doc Savage in

1972 and 1973. In the back of Tarzan Alive, Farmer included a genealogical chart titled ‘‘The Wold Newton Family, 1795-1901’’, showing how a single family tree included figures as diverse as Elizabeth Bennett, Lord Byron, Tarzan, Doc Savage, Nero Wolfe, Leopold Bloom, Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger, and many others. The conceit was that a meteorite which struck in 1795 near the English village of Wold Newton (this is historical fact) somehow irradiated passengers in nearby carriages, producing some sort of genetic mutation that led to generations of brilliant heroes and villains. In Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life, Farmer extended the family tree to include such more recent figures as James Bond and Travis McGee, and in several fanzine essays during the 1970s extended further his speculations about the real lives of fictional characters.

Nine of these essays are included in Win Scott Eckert’s Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer’s Wold Newton Universe, along with some 20 essays by other enthusiasts and fans, in which we not only learn definitively that Captain Nemo and Professor Moriarty were one and the same, but that Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone is actually the illegitimate daughter of Ross MacDonald’s Lew Archer.

The game of finding hidden clues in the minutiae of stories is something Sherlockians have been doing for decades, but Farmer opened up the whole body of pulp and genre literature as a playing field, and some people are clearly taking it quite seriously. While most of these essays have a playful pseudohistorical tone to them, some are so grimly assiduous that you almost begin to get a sense of something spiraling out of control; there are some 254 footnotes. Pulp addicts and those addicted to six-degrees-of-separation sorts of literary games will likely love this book, and may want to follow up on it by visiting one of the half-dozen or more websites (including one in French) that are devoted to expanding the Wold Newton families, the most thorough of which seems to be Eckert’s own at <http://www.pjfarmer. com/woldnewton/Pulp.htm>.

Finally, last year Michael Croteau began producing a genuine old-fashioned print fanzine, Farmerphile, and it’s a handsomely produced staple-bound magazine complete with color illustrations, photos, memoirs, interviews, critical essays (which are usually not very critical), and various pieces of fiction and nonfiction that Farmer himself has supplied. The issues that I saw each included a charming memoir by Bette Farmer; a serialization of an unpublished Farmer novel called Up from the Bottomless Pit, which so far seems to be about a massive oil-industry disaster in the near future; one or two shorter Farmer pieces (a speech in one, a short-short in the other); appreciations by fans and friends; and – of course – more Wold Newton divagations by Win Scott Eckert. The ’zine is clearly targeted toward Farmer fans, but there’s a good deal in it that might also be of interest to those interested in pulp history or in SF memoirs.

–Gary K. Wolfe 

lucky streaks and the visual sensations the Kilcannons get as advance warning of the good, the bad, and the strange.) ‘‘Canny’’ Kilcannon, heir to the Yorkshire earldom of Credesdale, doesn’t want to follow his ancestors into a life of anxious superstition. He prefers to play for high stakes at Monte Carlo, and try to ascertain how the luck might really function: ‘‘It was a challenge he had to meet. If he couldn’t do it, with all the intellectual resources of the newly-born twenty-first century at his disposal, who could?’’ There might be an unwelcome answer to that rhetorical question, for Lissa Lo – object

of Canny’s lust – has her own kind of luck, and she’s equally keen to understand its source.

Streaking begins as suave adventure but all too soon becomes more like a Rapture of the Nerd, with a focus on probability theory. (Even a thrilling night of sex leads to calculations about the time required for a pregnancy to ensue!) Talkiness and intellectual calculation replace emotion, sensuality, and suspense, to the point where narrative turns into something more like a thought experiment. This time Stableford has let his scientific expertise run away with him.

–Faren Miller

– the Garcia-Stricklands and the Redmonds (whose dad is chef at the Red Thunder, and who also have relatives in Florida) – join Travis, who loads a World War II-vintage amphibious landing craft with supplies and sets out on a private rescue mission to the

devastated Florida coastal area.

In his Author’s Note, Varley writes that he started working on his tsunami scenario before the real one struck from the Indian Ocean, and that Hurricane Katrina was ravaging the Gulf Coast as he was

finishing the book. Those terrible realities certainly supplied raw data for the scenes in which the rescuers make their way through the tangles of wreckage and bodies on their way to the coast, and Varley shows it to us up close through Ray’s eyes.

We slogged on ... in water that varied from ankle deep to knee deep, and was filled with the vilest things imaginable. Dead cats, dead dogs, raw sewage, the rotting contents of refrigerators and freezers, and the occasional human body.

Ray discovers more than the horrors of the disaster, though – notably the Redmond’s daughter Evangeline, who proves to be a tough cookie as well as pretty (just like the girl who married dear old Dad). The atmosphere is also lightened a bit by Varleyan comic-satiric touches: the Area 51 North American Continental Spaceport; an American security-state culture that is clearly a straight-line development from our own time – the humorless, black-uniformed Homelander thugs with their ‘‘Darth Vader helmets... almost as well armored as

Damien Broderick  p. 27

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Above and beyond, or beneath and everywhere, 2025’s world is multiple, overlapping, interpenetrated by affiliances derived from today’s and yesterday’s board and computer games. Very little is truly as it seems. Landscape is cloaked by beautified or grandiose faux structures. People and machines are reconfigured as animals and gaming figures, all of them engaged with each another – parallel to their humdrum lives – in vast contests, some proprietary to SpielbergRowling or Pratchett, others apparently open source. It is a plausible extension of today’s massively multiplayer

Carolyn Cushman  p. 29

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together; worse, the woman plans to blackmail Eve and her wealthy husband, Roarke. Then the woman turns up dead and Eve insists on taking the case, forcing herself to face her own unpleasant memories as she digs into a sordid case of child abuse, blackmail, and confidence schemes. The SF is negligible and there’s not the usual race to stop a serial killer, but tension still builds nicely as Eve faces her own inner demons as well as murder, something fans of this character-based series will appreciate.

Jennifer Roberson, Karavans (DAW 0-7564-0172-0, $25.95, 425pp, hc) April 2006.

A family desperate to escape their recently overrun country join a late-season karavan heading dangerously close to the deadly deepwood called Alisanos.

Humans who enter seldom leave, and those who do are horribly changed – and since the wood moves,

American football players’’ (not so comic, I guess, but heartfelt); a Hiaasen-like picture of a Florida with more guns than the average European army.

But the overwhelming feeling of this part of the book is, well, overwhelming.

The novel’s second half deals with very different challenges from the first and seems, initially at least, to have little structural connection. With terrestrial economies and political systems in turmoil (the USA is a fragmented, crippled mess), unspecified forces invade Mars and go right after two families, Ray’s and Evangeline’s. The mysterious invaders don’t want anybody to know that what they really want is not Mars (which is, after all, just a big vacation ground) but Jubal, who has absconded from his Falklands not-supposed-to-be-a-prison, taking with him his Squeezer knowledge. Ray’s lessons this time are about sociopaths with power and the value and limitations of mere courage, after which we get a variation on the familiar theme of dealing with invading thugs and liberating the colony. At this point, the spoiler curtain must descend, but you can be assured that apparently loose thematic

threads prove to be interwoven, that kids will prove equal to the challenges they face, and that ever larger and toothier rabbits will be pulled from Jubal’s magic hat.

The Author’s Note, dated (quite deliberately, I’m sure) 11 September 2005, cites the three horrors that informed the writing of the book. That may explain why this homage to the Heinlein juvenile is harder-nosed than most of the originals, with the sweetness of what is generally an optimistic genre undercut by the bitterness and salt of adult awareness. But I suspect that this darkness is as authentic and permanent a feature of the Varley vision (he said, in a transport of synaesthesia) as the optimism, and that this will probably make Varley’s versions of the ‘‘juvenile’’ age more gracefully than any but the toughest of the Old Man’s. When we reach into the magic hat we might draw back a hand missing some fingers. But reach in we must.

–Russell Letson 

online role-playing, Wi-fi melded with CGI and more intimate simulation platforms. Vinge projects a world of Homo ludens, surprisingly believable but disturbing even for habitués of Niven, Iain M. Banks, Tad Williams, or Rowling and Pratchett themselves.

Despite everything I have revealed about some of the characters and their settings, this review has steered clear of the plot dynamics driving the story (although I must note, recalling Marooned in Realtime, that Vinge does like to immerse his characters in lava). The book has been said to be ‘‘a bit clunky,’’ perhaps in reaction to the numerous elements clomping simultaneously toward an uncertain outcome.

It’s an understandable assessment, but for all that,

Vinge’s novel is a remarkable achievement on more levels than one. (It’s packed with little insider jokes, too; in cryptography, ‘‘Alice’’ and ‘‘Bob’’ are sender and receiver in a covert communication; ‘‘Eve’’ is the classic eavesdropper, and she pops up too.) Like Robert Gu, Sr., the book is not especially likeable in the beginning. But it’s well worth persevering with, because Vinge has brilliantly created a rich pocket universe within which we, too, may be living in the foreseeable future –Damien Broderick 

not all who enter intended to do so. The karavan guide Rhuan is of the mysterious Shoia people and has a strange connection to Alisanos that tells him it’s going to move soon, but no more. This first novel in a new series introduces a fascinating world where the people are gamepieces on a gods’ game, where the local version of hell is a mobile forest, and Rhuan and his cousin Brodhi are actually inhuman beings on their own personal journeys to decide what they want to be – whether gods or gamepieces. There’s so much background and so many characters to establish that very little actually happens until the very end, but the many mysteries set up are tantalizing enough to make me impatient for more.

Wolf’s new domi (wife) Tinker destroyed the gateway between worlds to stop an invasion by the vicious oni, inadvertently stranding Pittsburgh. Now Wolf and Tinker have a lot of pieces to pick up. Wolf’s dealing with elfin court politics and trying to keep tabloid photographers from taking revealing photos of Tinker, who’s hot news because she’s been magically transformed into an elf ‘‘princess.’’ Tinker’s having trouble blending into elf society, but the transformation has given her access to her husband’s magic, which she manages to mix with her high-tech genius.

She’s also having prophetic dreams, and begins to realize that destroying the gateway has created an instability that threatens to destroy Pittsburgh and release more oni onto Elfhome, something she’ll need all her talents to counter. Engagingly quirky characters, culture clashes, magic, high-tech devices, and even spaceships combine in a rousing worldsspanning adventure.

–Carolyn Cushman 

Wen Spencer, Wolf Who Rules (Baen 1-4165-20554, $25.00, 356pp, hc) April 2006. Cover by Kurt Miller.

Wolf Who Rules Wind is the elf viceroy of the Westernlands on Elfhome – and the human city of Pittsburgh stranded in Elfhome at the end of Tinker.

Damien Broderick is taking a hiatus from reviewing for Locus after this column.

LOCUS April 2006 / 49

Divers Hands  p. 33

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to sway me.

Rounding out the collection are 75 pages of notes in small type, along with a preface and afterword. The index is limited to people and texts, as is becoming common practice in academic books, but it would have been interesting to see a few thematic entries in order to trace the evolution of ideas (and language)

as connected throughout the volume.

If there is a shared theme between these essays, it might be found in Philmus’s quotation from Borges: ‘‘...if Kafka had not written, we would not perceive it, that is to say, it would not exist.’’ For Philmus, nearly all significant science fiction can be traced back to Wells’s The Time Machine, because it defined the new genre of scientific romance, creating an ‘‘alternative dimension’’ that science fiction works since Wells still occupy. If Wells had not written, he argues, the

genre as it is wouldn’t exist (or, at least, the genre wouldn’t exist as it is). Philmus concerns himself not only with understanding Wells’s influence, but also on larger questions of creating and defining genre.

Through the connections Philmus makes between texts, we get a sense of how interrelated the works and workers are in this genre, how SF as a language is constructed and deconstructed and reconstructed in order to tell stories, and how the stories further the evolution of the language.

–Amelia Beamer 

British Books ­- January

Note: This information, unlike the Locus main list, is put together by Ian Covell; send corrections to him at 2 Copgrove Close, Berwick Hills, Pallister Park, Middlesbrough TS3 7BP, United Kingdom.

First world editions marked with an asterisk. Comments by Ian Covell.

Aiken, Joan The Witch of Clatteringshaws (Random House UK/Red Fox 0-099-46406-3, £4.99, 150pp, tp, cover

by Paul Hess) Reprint (Delacorte; Cape 2005) young-adult fantasy novel. Eleventh and last in the ‘‘Alternate England/James III’’ sequence. Afterword by Joan Aiken, and a further afterword, ‘‘Hobyahs and Tatzelwurms’’, by her daughter, Lizza Aiken. * Allen, Judy Fantasy Encyclopedia (Kingfisher 0-7534-1087-7, £19.99, 144pp, hc, cover by Jane Tassie) Reprint (Kingfisher US 2005) young-adult non-fiction/art book, describing many famous creatures and characters from fantasy, myth, fairy tales, and ghost stories. Foreword by Jonathan Stroud.

Illustrated by John Howe, Richard Hook, Patricia Ludlow, and Nicki Palin.

Allende, Isabel Forest of the Pygmies (HarperCollins/Fourth Estate UK 0-00719964-3, £7.99, 296pp, tp) Reprint (Fourth Estate 2005) literary fantasy novel. Translated by Margaret Sayers Peden from the Spanish El Bosque de los Pygmeos (2004). * Almond, David Clay (Hodder Children’s Books 0-340-77384-7, £10.99, 296pp, hc) Young-adult fantasy novel.

Andrews, Virginia Broken Wings (Simon & Schuster UK 0-7432-5718-9, £17.99, 454pp, hc, cover by Larry Rostant) Reprint (Pocket 2003) associational novel.

Andrews, Virginia Falling Stars (Simon & Schuster/Pocket UK 0-7434-4088-9, £6.99, 387pp, pb, cover by Larry Rostant) Reprint (Pocket 2001) associational novel.

Last in the ‘‘Shooting Stars’’ series.

Ashton, Lisette The Black Masque (Nexus 0-352-33977-2, £6.99, 258pp, pb) Reprint (Black Lace 1999) erotic fantasy novel.

Bakker, R. Scott The Warrior-Prophet (Time Warner UK/Orbit 1-84149-410-0, £7.99, 740pp, pb, cover by Larry Rostant)

50 / LOCUS April 2006

Reprint (Penguin Canada 2004) fantasy novel. Book two of The Prince of Nothing after The Darkness That Comes Before. * Bingham, Edie The Pride (Black Lace 0-352-33997-7, £7.99, 274pp, pb) Fantasy novel. Erotic fantasy of a woman who belongs to a secret race of shapechangers, the Pride. * Carroll, Michael The New Heroes: The Quantum Prophecy (HarperCollins UK Children’s Books 0-00-721092-2, £5.99, 318pp, tp) Young-adult fantasy novel.

First in a new series. Children begin to develop new powers after all their world’s superheroes and villains vanish. * Cartmel, Andrew Doctor Who: Atom Bomb Blues (BBC Books 0-563-48635X, £5.99, 277pp, pb) Novelization based on the world of the TV series, featuring the seventh Doctor and Ace. Child, Lincoln Death Match (Random House UK/Arrow 0-09-947863-3, £6.99, 422pp, pb) Reprint (Doubleday 2004) thriller with SF elements. * Clark, Simon The Tower (Hale, Robert 0-7090-8002-6, £18.99, 224pp, hc, cover by Derek Colligan) Horror novel.

Five young people house-sit an empty building.

Clarke, Arthur C. & Gentry Lee Rama II (Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07722-0, £6.99, 495pp, pb) Reprint (Gollancz 1989) SF novel. Second in the Rama series begun in Clarke’s solo Rendezvous with Rama.

Clarke, Susanna Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (Bloomsbury 0-7475-7988-1, £8.99, 1006pp, tp, cover by Portia Rosenberg) Reprint (Bloomsbury USA 2004) historical novel in which magic is real. * Cobley, Michael Shadowmasque (Simon & Schuster UK 0-7432-5682-4, £10.99, iv+448pp, tp, cover by Steve Stone) Fantasy novel, the third book of the Shadowkings trilogy.

Cooling, Wendy D is for Dahl (Penguin/ Puffin UK 0-14-131272-6, £6.99, 149pp, tp, cover by Quentin Blake) Reprint (Puffin UK 2004) reference book, an encyclopedic guide to Dahl’s works. Illustrated by Quentin Blake.

Cunningham, Michael Specimen Days (HarperCollins/Fourth Estate UK 0-00715605-7, £14.99, 305pp, hc) Reprint (Farrar Straus Giroux 2005) literary novel with SF and fantasy elements. A threepart novel set in past, present, and future Manhattan, with recurring characters and references to Walt Whitman.

Dahl, Roald Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Penguin/Puffin UK 0-14131964-X, £8.99, 147pp, tp, cover by Quentin Blake) Reprint (Knopf 1964) young-adult fantasy novel. Illustrated

by Quentin Blake. This is a film tie-in edition. * Denning, Troy Star Wars: Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen (Random House UK/Arrow 0-09-949106-0, £6.99, 333pp, pb) SF novelization. Simultaneous with the US (Del Rey) edition. * Denning, Troy Star Wars: Dark Nest III: The Swarm War (Random House UK/Arrow 0-09-949107-9, £6.99, xii+357pp, pb, cover by Cliff Nielsen) SF novelization.

Simultaneous with the US (Del Rey) edition.

Dick, Philip K. The Cosmic Puppets (Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07670-4, £6.99, 143pp, tp, cover by Chris Moore) Reprint (Ace 1957) SF novel.

Divakaruni, Chitra Queen of Dreams (Time Warner UK/Abacus 0-349-119414, £7.99, 307pp, tp) Reprint (Doubleday 2004) literary fantasy novel.

Duffy, Maureen Alchemy (Harper Perennial UK 0-00-714966-2, £7.99, 379pp, tp) Reprint (Fourth Estate 2004) literary fantasy novel. Includes 14 page section about the author and book.

Ellis, Bret Easton Lunar Park (Macmillan UK 1-4050-5390-9, £16.99, 308pp, hc) Reprint (Knopf 2005) horror novel with possible supernatural elements.

Feist, Raymond E. Exile’s Return (HarperCollins/Voyager 0-00-648359-3, £6.99, 356pp, pb) Reprint (Voyager 2004) fantasy novel, third in the Conclave of Shadows series.

Fisher, Catherine Darkhenge (Definitions 0-09-943849-6, £5.99, 314pp, tp, cover by Tim Edmonds) Reprint (The Bodley Head 2005) young-adult fantasy novel.

Franklin, Anna The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Fairies (Paper Tiger 1-84340240-8, £14.99, 288pp, tp) Reprint (Vega Books 2002) art/reference work, with over 3,000 entries on fairies in folklore, legend, myth, and literature around the world.

Extensively illustrated by Paul Mason and Helen Field. Published in 2004 but not seen until now. * Frayling, Christopher Mad, Bad and Dangerous?: The Scientist and the Cinema (Reaktion Books 1-86169-2551, £19.95, 239pp, hc) Associational nonfiction, a discussion of ways scientists are shown in film, with some discussion of the SF books on which many of the movies are based. Reaktion Books, 33 Great Sutton Street, London EC1V 0DX, UK; <www.reaktionbooks.co.uk>. Available in the US through the University of Chicago Press, 1427 East 60th Street, Chicago IL 60637-2954; <www.press. uchicago.edu>. * Fuller, John Flawed Angel (Chatto & Windus 0-7011-7903-1, £12.00, 249pp, hc, cover by Meera Rajan) Literary fantasy novel.

Gaiman, Neil Neverwhere (Hodder Headline/Review 0-7553-2280-0, £7.99, iii+372+x, pb) Reprint (BBC Books 1996) fantasy novel. This is the author’s preferred text (Hill House 2006), with a new introduction, prologue, and a reading group guide.

Gaiman, Neil Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions (Hodder Headline/Review 0-7553-2283-5, £7.99, 384+vi, tp) Reprint (Avon 1998) fantasy collection. This includes an unpaginated reading group guide. * Gascoigne, Marc & Christian Dunn, eds. Warhammer 40,000: Bringers of Death (Black Library 1-8441-6232-X, £5.99, 253pp, pb) Anthology of four novelettes, one original, and a new short novel, Xenocide, set in the roleplaying game universe. * Gifford, Nick Erased (Penguin/Puffin UK 0-141-31732-9, £5.99, 234pp, tp) Young-adult horror novel. * Gordon, Lindsay Angel (Nexus 0352-34009-6, £7.99, 274pp, pb) Erotic

fantasy novel.

20th printing.

Hanley, Victoria The Seer and the Sword (Transworld/Corgi 0-552-55270-4, £5.99, 357pp, tp, cover by Emma Chichester Clark) Reprint (Scholastic UK 2000) young-adult fantasy novel.

Laymon, Richard The Glory Bus (Hodder Headline 0-7472-6733-2, £6.99, 442pp, pb, cover by Steve Crisp) Reprint (Headline 2005) associational horror novel.

Hendee, Barb & J.C. Hendee Sister of the Dead (Time Warner UK/Orbit 184149-366-X, £6.99, 438pp, pb, cover by Kovech) Reprint (Roc 2005) dark fantasy vampire novel. Third in a series after Dhampir and Thief of Lives.

Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (HarperCollins UK Children’s Books 0-00-720610-0, £5.99, 189pp, tp) Reprint (Geoffrey Bles 1950) young-adult fantasy novel. Film edition, illustrated with colour plates from the film. Includes a postscript by Douglas Gresham (2000).

Hoffman, Alice The Ice Queen (Chatto & Windus 0-7011-7898-1, £12.99, 211pp, hc, cover by Jane Leon) A limited, boxed, shrinkwrapped edition. Reprint (Little, Brown 2005) literary contemporary fantasy novel. * Houellebecq, Michel The Possibility of an Island (Weidenfeld & Nicolson 0-29785098-9, £12.99, 345pp, hc) Literary SF novel in the form of a comedian’s memoir with comments by his far-future clone. * Howard, Robert E. The Complete Chronicles of Conan: Centenary Edition (Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07766-2, £18.99, 925pp, hc) Fantasy omnibus of The People of the Black Circle (Gollancz 2000) and The Hour of the Dragon (Gollancz 2001) with the contents rearranged. Edited and with an afterword by Stephen Jones. This is a special edition celebrating the Centenary of Howard’s birth; it lacks a dustjacket.

Illustrated and with a colour frontispiece

by Les Edwards. * Howarth, Lesley MapHead (Walker UK 1-84428-142-6, £7.99, 362pp, tp) Omnibus of two young-adult SF novels: MapHead (1994) and MapHead 2 (1997).

Jacques, Brian Rakkety Tam (Penguin/Puffin UK 0-14-131283-1, £5.99, 371pp, tp, cover by David Wyatt) Reprint (Philomel 2004) young-adult animal fantasy novel in the Redwall series. Illustrated by David Elliot.

James, Peter Sweet Heart (Orion 07528-7677-5, £6.99, 335pp, pb) Reprint (Gollancz 1990) fantasy novel.

Jeapes, Ben The New World Order (Transworld/Corgi 0-552-55096-5, £5.99, 432pp, pb, cover by Mark Oldroyd) Reprint (David Fickling Books 2004) alternate-history SF novel of alien interference in 17th-century England.

Joyce, Graham The Limits of Enchantment (Orion/Phoenix 0-75381-929-5, £6.99, 264pp, tp) Reprint (Gollancz 2005) fantasy novel. A maybe-witch accepts her heritage as she comes of age in the 1960s.

Kenyon, Sherrilyn Kiss of the Night (Piatkus 0-7499-3611-8, £6.99, 376pp, pb) Reprint (St. Martin’s 2004) dark fantasy novel. Book four in the Dark Hunter series.

* Luceno, James Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Century/ Lucasbooks 1-8441-3305-2, £17.99, 222pp, hc, cover by David Stevenson) SF novelization. Simultaneous with the US (Del Rey) edition. * Martínez, Tomás Eloy The Tango Singer (Bloomsbury 0-7475-7644-0, £12.99, 246pp, hc) Literary fantasy novel. A student seeking the origins of the tango finds himself living in the real model for a Borges story. Translated by Anne McLean from El Cantor de Tango (Planeta Argentina 2004).

Martini, Clem The Mob (Bloomsbury 0-7475-7578-9, £12.99, 236pp, hc, cover

by Carol Lawson) Reprint (KCP Fiction 2004) young-adult fantasy about crows, the first book in the Crow Chronicles trilogy. A first novel. A trade paperback (OME) edition (-8146-0) was announced but not seen. * Mason, John R. Return to Olympus (Golden Apple 1-904073-55-7, £6.99, 202pp, tp) Allegorical SF novel, sequel to The Kronos Factor. Gods want to return to their home planet, Olympus. Available from Golden Apple, 15a Hoseside Road, Wallasey, Wirral, Cheshire CH45 0LA, UK; <www.goldenapple.u-net.com>. * Masson, Sophie Malvolio’s Revenge (Hodder Children’s Books 0-340-883642, £5.99, 329pp, tp) Young-adult fantasy novel partially based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

May, Julian Ironcrown Moon (HarperCollins/Voyager 0-00-712323-X, £7.99, 502pp, pb, cover by Dominic Harman) Reprint (HarperCollins UK 2004) fantasy novel. Book Two of The Boreal Moon Tale. * McNeill, Graham Warhammer: Guardians of the Forest (Black Library 18441-6235-4, £6.99, 414pp, pb, cover by Jeff Johnson) Novelization based on the roleplaying game universe.

Meyer, Stephenie Twilight (Time Warner UK/Atom 1-904233-64-3, £12.99, 434pp, hc, cover by Karen Oxman) Reprint (Megan Tingley 2005) young-adult fantasy novel, the first in a new series.

A first novel.

Keyes, Greg The Charnel Prince (Macmillan/Tor UK 0-330-41946-3, £6.99, 626pp, pb, cover by Eric Petterson & Steven Youll) Reprint (Tor UK 2004) fantasy novel, second in The Kingdom of Thorn and Bone.

* Miller, Jon de Burgh Time Hunter: Deus Le Volt (Telos 1-903889-49-9, £7.99, 102pp, tp, cover by Matthew Laznicka) Novelization, eighth in a series about Honoré Lechasseur, introduced in Doctor Who: Cabinet of Light. Includes the Fendahl characters from Doctor Who. A signed, limited deluxe hardback edition (-97-9, £25.00) was announced but not seen. Available from 61 Elgar Avenue, Tolworth, Surrey KT5 9JP, UK.

Keyes, Greg Shadows of God (Macmillan/Tor UK 0-330-42000-3, £6.99, 334pp, pb, cover by Dominic Harman) Reprint (Ballantine Del Rey 2001) historical fantasy novel, fourth and final in The Age of Unreason.

* Mitchell, Sandy Warhammer: Death’s City (Black Library 1-8441-6240-0, £6.99, 398pp, pb, cover by Alex Royd) Novelization set in the roleplaying game universe, second in the Death on the Reik sub-series.

* Kidd, Tom Kiddography: The Art & Life of Tom Kidd (Paper Tiger 1-84340-2017, £20.00, 128pp, hc, cover by Tom Kidd) Art book with fantasy, SF, and other art, with text by the artist.

* Moorcock, Michael The Vengeance of Rome (Cape, Jonathan 0-224-03119-8, £17.99, 618pp, hc) Mostly mainstream historical novel with crossover characters from Moorcock’s SF. The fourth and final book in the Pyat quartet. Pyat embraces fascism in the 1930s and becomes an intimate friend of Mussolini and Hitler.

Many of Moorcock’s characters have at least a walk-on part.

Kenyon, Sherrilyn Night Play (Piatkus 0-7499-3612-6, £6.99, 362pp, pb) Reprint (St. Martin’s 2004) dark fantasy novel.

Book five in the Dark Hunter series.

Koontz, Dean Dark Rivers of the Heart (Hodder Headline 0-7472-4449-9, £7.99, 728pp, pb) Reissue (Charnel House 1994) associational high-tech thriller.

* Novik, Naomi Temeraire (HarperCollins/Voyager 0-00-721909-1, £12.99, 327pp, hc, cover by Dominic Harman) Fantasy novel of military dragons in the Napoleonic era, the first in a series. A first novel.

2003. Translated by David Hackston.

Parker, K.J. Devices and Desires (Time Warner UK/Orbit 1-84149-276-0, £7.99, 706pp, pb) Reprint (Orbit 2005) fantasy novel. Book One of The Engineer Trilogy.

Stephenson, Neal The System of the World (Random House UK/Arrow 009-946336-9, £8.99, 887pp, tp, cover by Giuseppe Bestoni) Reprint (Heinemann 2004) historical novel with SF elements.

Volume three of The Baroque Cycle.

Patou, Edith North Child (Usborne 07460-6837-9, £6.99, 511pp, tp, cover by Stephen J. Johnston) Reprint (Harcourt Children’s Books 2003 as East) youngadult fantasy novel based on the fairy tale ‘‘East of the Sun, West of the Moon’’: a young girl is transported to the far North and wooed by a mysterious admirer.

Pavlou, Stel Gene (Simon & Schuster/ Pocket UK 0-7434-0385-1, £6.99, 433pp, pb) Reprint (Simon & Schuster UK 2005) historical fantasy novel of a centuries-long battle between reincarnated warriors.

Pearce, Philippa The Little Gentleman (Penguin/Puffin UK 0-14-131839-2, £4.99, 147pp, tp, cover by Patrick Benson) Reprint (Greenwillow 2004) youngadult fantasy novel.

Pratchett, Terry Interesting Times (Transworld/Corgi 0-552-15321-4, £6.99, 431pp, tp) Reprint (Gollancz 1994) humorous fantasy novel. Book 17 in the Discworld series. 15th printing.

Pratchett, Terry Maskerade (Transworld/ Corgi 0-552-15323-0, £6.99, 382pp, tp) Reprint (Gollancz 1995) humorous fantasy novel. Book 18 in the Discworld series. 11th printing.

Priest, Christopher The Extremes (Orion/Gollancz 0-575-07578-3, £7.99, 314pp, tp) Reprint (Simon & Schuster UK 1998) SF novel. Includes an afterword by John Clute.

Reilly, Matthew Seven Ancient Wonders (Macmillan UK 1-4050-4095-5, £12.99, 472pp, hc, cover by www. blacksheep-uk. com) Reprint (Macmillan Australia 2005) fantasy thriller of a race to reassemble the scattered pieces of the capstone of the Great Pyramid and save Earth from disaster. * Richardson, E.E. The Intruders (Bodley Head, The 0-370-32882-5, £8.99, 278pp, hc) Young-adult fantasy. Joel moves in with his new step-family, and discovers the house holds more than new resentments. * Rickman, Phil The Smile of a Ghost (Macmillan UK 1-4050-5169-8, £17.99, 474pp, hc) Horror novel. Seventh volume in the Merrily Watkins series. * Rook, Sebastian Vampire Plagues: Outbreak (Scholastic UK 0-439-959470, £4.99, 211pp, tp) Young-adult dark fantasy novel, the fourth in a series. Copyrighted by Working Partners Ltd. Rook is a pseudonym or housename. * Rose, Malcolm Traces: Luke Harding, Forensic Investigator: Roll Call (Kingfisher 0-7534-1194-6, £5.99, 213pp, tp, cover by John Fordham) Young-adult SF novel set on an alternate Earth featuring a young investigator and his robot companion. Book three in the series.

Roth, Philip The Plot Against America (Random House/Vintage UK 0-09947856-0, £7.99, 391pp, tp) Reprint (Houghton Mifflin 2004) SF novel.

Sherman, David & Dan Cragg Star Wars: Jedi Trial (Random House UK/Arrow 009-948687-3, £6.99, 337pp, pb) Reprint (Ballantine Del Rey Lucasbooks; Century Lucasbooks 2004) novelization set in the Star Wars universe. * Sinisalo, Johanna, ed. The Dedalus Book of Finnish Fantasy (Dedalus 1-903517-29-X, £9.99, 337pp, tp, cover

by Hugo Simberg) Original collection of 27 vignettes, excerpts, and short stories published in Finland between 1870 and

* Spinrad, Norman Mexica (Little Brown UK 0-316-72604-4, £18.99, 506pp, hc) Associational historical novel based on the 16th-century Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.

Stone, David Lee The Illmoor Chronicles: The Shadewell Shenanigans (Hodder Children’s Books 0-340-87401-5, £5.99, iii+273pp, tp, cover by Bob Lee) Reprint (Hodder Children’s Books 2005) young-adult humorous fantasy novel, third in the series. * Swallow, James Warhammer 40,000: Deus Sanguinus (Black Library 184416-155-2, £5.99, 246pp, pb, cover by Phillip Sibbering) Novelization set in the roleplaying game universe. Second book in the Blood Angels series. * Thompson, Kate The New Policeman (Bodley Head, The 0-370-32823-X, £10.99, 405pp, hc, cover by Paul Hess) Young-adult fantasy novel.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Fellowship of the Ring (HarperEntertainment UK 0-00720358-6, £6.99, xxvii+531pp, pb, cover

by J. R. R. Tolkien) Reprint (Allen & Unwin 1954) fantasy novel, volume one of The Lord of the Rings. This is the 50th Anniversary ‘‘definitive’’ text (HarperCollins UK 2004). This includes a newly revised and expanded index. A hardcover edition (-720354-3, £18.99) was announced but not seen. * Unwin, Timothy Jules Verne: Journeys in Writing (Liverpool University Press 0-85323-458-2, £20.00, 242pp, tp) Critical study examining Verne’s work and its seeming intent to examine the definitions of fiction, non-fiction, and the changing form of the novel. A hardcover edition (-468-X, £50.00) was announced but not seen. * Wallace, Nick Doctor Who: Fear Itself (BBC Books 0-563-48634-1, £5.99, 276pp, pb) Novelization based on the world of the TV show.

Westerfeld, Scott The Risen Empire (Time Warner UK/Orbit 1-84149-372-4, £7.99, 704pp, pb, cover by Stephen Martiniere) Reprint (Orbit 2005) SF novel of the Succession, originally published as two novels: The Risen Empire (2003) and The Killing of Worlds (2004). * Wooding, Chris Storm Thief (Scholastic UK 0-439-95948-9, £12.99, 387pp, hc) Young-adult SF/fantasy novel about a city plagued by probability storms. * Wright, Deborah Love Eternally (Time Warner UK 0-7515-3704-7, £6.99, 371pp, pb) Ghost novel.

Zindell, David Black Jade (HarperCollins/Voyager 0-00-648622-3, £7.99, ii+791pp, pb, cover by Geoff Taylor) Reprint (Voyager 2005) fantasy novel, the third book of the Ea Cycle. January 2006 SF Novels 5 Fantasy Novels 10 Horror Novels 5 Anthologies 2 Collections 0 Reference 1 History/Criticism 1 Media Related 8 Young Adult 12 SF 1 Fantasy 9 Horror 2 Other 0 Omnibus 2 Art/Humour 2 Miscellaneous 3 Total New: 51 Reprints & Reissues: 41 Total: 92

Year to Date SF Novels 5 Fantasy Novels 10 Horror Novels 5 Anthologies 2 Collections 0 Reference 1 History/Criticism 1 Media Related 8 Young Adult 12 SF 1 Fantasy 9 Horror 2 Other 0 Omnibus 2 Art/Humour 2 Miscellaneous 3 Total New: 51 Reprints & Reissues: 41 Total: 92

LOCUS April 2006 / 51

Locus Bestsellers

Months

Last

on list month ARDCOVERS H 3 1 1) A Feast for Crows, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra) 2) Knife of Dreams, Robert Jordan (Tor) 4 2 3) Traitor to the Blood, Barb & J.C. Hendee (Roc) 1 4) Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman (Morrow) 5 3 5) Thud!, Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins) 5 4 6) The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins) 3 8 *) Changelings, Anne McCaffrey & Elizabeth Ann Scarborough 1 (Del Rey) 8) At All Costs, David Weber (Baen) 4 5 9) The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams (Various) 7 10) High Druid of Shannara: Straken, Terry Brooks (Del Rey) 5 10 PAPERBACKS 1) To Light a Candle, Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory (Tor) 1 2) Chainfire, Terry Goodkind (Tor) 2 2 3) Ordermaster, L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (Tor) 1 4) The Musashi Flex, Steve Perry (Ace) 1 5) The Wizard of Karres, Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint, & David Freer (Baen) 1 - *) Homeward Bound, Harry Turtledove (Del Rey) 1 *) Rebel Ice, S.L. Viehl (Roc) 1 - 8) A Clash of Kings, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra) 6 7 9) Mindscan, Robert J. Sawyer (Tor) 1 10) A Storm of Swords, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra) 5 10 A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin was our hardcover bestseller, followed by Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan, for the third month. The hardcover runner-up in February was Princess of Wands by John Ringo (Baen). We had 55 nominations, down from 62.

To Light a Candle by Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory was first on the paperback bestseller list with Chainfire by Terry Goodkind in second place. The runner-up was A Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan (Eos). We had 56 nominees this month, way down from 74.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis topped the trade paperback list. The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker (Overlook Press) was in second

TRADE PAPERBACKS 1) The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins) 2) The Thousandfold Thought, R. Scott Bakker (Overlook) 3) The Atrocity Archives, Charles Stross (Ace) 4) Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury USA) 5) Dragon Champion, E.E. Knight (Roc) MEDIA-RELATED 1) Star Wars: Dark Nest III: The Swarm War, Troy Denning (Del Rey) 2) Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, James Luceno (Del Rey) 3) Star Trek: Titan: Orion's Hounds, Christopher L. Bennett (Pocket) 4) Star Wars: Dark Nest I: The Joiner King, Troy Denning (Del Rey) 5) Underworld: Evolution, Greg Cox (Pocket Star) GAMING-RELATED 1) Forgotten Realms: Promise of the Witch-King, R.A. Salvatore (WotC) 2) Warhammer 40,000: Conquest of Armageddon, Jonathan Green (Black Library) 3) Forgotten Realms: The Two Swords, R.A. Salvatore (WotC) 4) Forgotten Realms: The Thousand Orcs, R.A. Salvatore (WotC) 5) Warhammer: Bloodstorm, Dan Abnett & Mike Lee (Black Library)

Months Last on list month 4 1 1

2 -

12 1

1 -

2

2

3

1

1

-

4 1

-

4

1

1

-

11

2

19

3

1

-

place. Our runner-up was Old Man's War by John Scalzi (Tor). Trade paperback nominations dropped to 42, from 49.

Star Wars: Dark Nest III: The Swarm War by Troy Denning was first in mediarelated titles. There were 18 nominations.

Forgotten Realms: Promise of the Witch-King by R.A. Salvatore was our gaming-related bestseller in January and February this year. Nominations were at 25.

Compiled with data from: Bakka-Phoenix Books (CA), Barnes & Noble (USA), Borderlands (CA), Borders (USA), Lone Star (TX), McNally Robinson (2 in Canada), Mysterious Galaxy (CA), Toadstool (NH), University Bookstore (WA). Data period: January 2006.

General Bestsellers

HARDCOVERS

Forever Odd, Dean Koontz (Bantam) Son of a Witch, Gregory Maguire (Regan Books) Knife of Dreams, Robert Jordan (Tor) The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova (Little, Brown) A Feast for Crows, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra) Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, James Luceno (Del Rey) A Breath of Snow and Ashes, Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte) Paperbacks State of Fear, Michael Crichton (Avon) Wicked, Gregory Maguire (Regan Books)• Life Expectancy, Dean Koontz (Bantam) Chainfire, Terry Goodkind (Tor) The Colorado Kid, Stephen King (Hard Case Crime) Star Wars: Dark Nest III: The Swarm War, Troy Denning (Del Rey)

NY Times Bk Review 1/1 8 15 22 29 6 7 15 14 15 12 12 14 18 19 18 21 20 25 28 19 18 19 33 32 20 22 25 22 27

Publishers Weekly 1/2 9 16 23 30 9 13 - - - 13 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Washington Post* 1/8 15 22 29 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

23 23 27 32

21 35

- -

- 28

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

6 7 7 4 12 11 25 23 30 25

13 8 27 34 -

20 15 28 - -

18 11 - - -

4 4 8 12 -

7 3 - - -

8 4 - - -

8 4 - - -

8 6 - - -

- 6 - - -

- - - - -

- - - - -

- 6 - - -

16

23

34

-

8

5

14

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Dragon Rider and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke, High Rhulain by Brian Jacques, Eldest by Christopher Paolini, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling, and Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud made the hardcover YA list. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, The City of Ember by Jeanne Du Prau, Inkheart and The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and Eragon by Christopher Paolini were on the paperback list. * lists top 10 only See Locus Online for weekly charts of genre books on these and eight other general bestseller lists!

• trade paperback

52 / LOCUS April 2006

Neal Asher, The Engineer Reconditioned (Cosmos Books 2/06) Asher, one of the UK’s crop of noted new writers, adds three stories and new story notes to this first US edition of his collection, originally published in the UK in 1998 by Tanjen as The Engineer.

Robert Borski, The Long and the Short of It (iUniverse 2/06) Borski follows up his critically acclaimed Solar Labyrinth with a new collection of 14 essays in which he attempts to reveal the hidden clues and meanings in the devious and occasionally cryptic works of Gene Wolfe, from The Fifth Head of Cerberus to Book of the Short Sun. Ben Bova, Titan (Tor 3/06) Bova’s Grand Tour of the Solar System moves to Saturn, where an attempt to look for life on the moon Titan sets off intrigue and sabotage on an orbiting colony.

Damien Broderick, K-Machines (Thunder’s Mouth 3/06) Computational cosmology, SF in-jokes, and humorous adventure mix in this second half of the Players in the Contest of Worlds diptych, Broderick’s ambitious science-fantasy space opera in Zelazny style. August Seebeck and his extended family struggle to survive as they figure out the rules behind the interstellar contest in which they find themselves.

Keith Brooke, Genetopia (Pyr 2/06) A young man travels across a fascinating far-future Earth ruled

by True humans, seeking his genetically impure sister, sold into slavery. ‘‘…a minor masterpiece that should usher Brooke at last into the recognized front ranks of SF writers.’’ [Nick Gevers] Kate Elliott, Crown of Stars (DAW 2/06) The Crown of Stars epic fantasy series comes to a dramatic conclusion with this seventh, eponymous volume, as the diverse characters attempt to restore their devastated world and the many plot lines are finally tied together.

Philip José Farmer, The Best of Philip José Farmer (Subterranean 2/06) The twenty stories in this major collection cover Farmer’s career from

New & Notable

1952 to 1990, demonstrating the wide range of works of this ‘‘astonishingly fertile and anarchic imagination… a writer with no fear, willing to try almost anything in the service of liberating the imagination.’’ [Gary K. Wolfe] Peter F. Hamilton, Judas Unchained (Del Rey 3/06) The war with the genocidal aliens known as the Prime continues, but the human Commonwealth begins to realize that an unknown third force is manipulating events in this monumental space opera, the second of two volumes in The Commonwealth Saga (after Pandora’s Star), originally published in the UK by Macmillan (2005).

Leonard S. Marcus, The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy (Candlewick Press 3/06) Thirteen major young-adult fantasy authors are interviewed in this exceptional YA reference book, which also provides photos (current and as children) of authors including Lloyd Alexander, Ursula K. Le Guin, Madeleine L’Engle, Garth Nix, and Philip Pullman.

Patricia A. McKillip, Solstice Wood (Ace 2/06) Faerie intrudes on contemporary New York in this moody fantasy novel, distantly related to Winter Rose, about a bookstore owner who reluctantly returns to her childhood home and the family legacy – a dangerous entanglement with the fay and their mysterious otherworld in the woods.

Sean McMullen, Voidfarer (Tor 2/06) Pratchett meets H.G. Wells in this third volume of the Moonworlds Saga fantasy series, which introduces Inspector Danolarian of the Wayfarer Constables and his oddball squad as they try to fight off an invasion by the invincible sorcerers of Lupan – a wild and wacky take-off on The War of the Worlds.

John Scalzi, The Ghost Brigades (Tor 3/06) A thrilling standalone sequel to the acclaimed Old Man’s War, this Heinleinesque military SF novel looks at a new branch of the military, the Special

B&N/B. Dalton

HARDCOVERS 1) The Book of the Dragon, Ciruelo (Sterling) 2) Knife of Dreams, Robert Jordan (Tor) 3) A Feast for Crows, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra) 4) The Dance of Time, Eric Flint & David Drake (Baen) 5) The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins) 6) Starfist: Flashfire, David Sherman & Dan Cragg (Del Rey) 7) Traitor to the Blood, Barb & J.C. Hendee (Roc) 8) Sebastian, Anne Bishop (Roc) 9) The Thousandfold Thought, R. Scott Bakker (Overlook) 10) Full Moon Rising, Keri Arthur (Bantam Spectra) PAPERBACKS 1) Micah, Laurell K. Hamilton (Jove) 2) Moon Called, Patricia Briggs (Ace) 3) Chainfire, Terry Goodkind (Tor) 4) Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury (Del Rey) 5) Battlespace, Ian Douglas (Eos) 6) The Sunborn, Gregory Benford (Warner Aspect) 7) Myrren’s Gift, Fiona McIntosh (Eos) 8) A Storm of Swords, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra) 9) Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card (Tor) 10) A Clash of Kings, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra) TRADE PAPERBACKS 1) The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins) 2) Sorceress of Faith, Robin D. Owens (Luna) 3) Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase, Hideyuki Kikuchi (DH Press) 4) The Damned, L.A. Banks (St. Martin’s Griffin) 5) Out of the Silent Planet, C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins) MEDIA-RELATED 1) Star Wars: Outbound Flight, Timothy Zahn (Del Rey) 2) Star Wars: Dark Nest III: The Swarm War, Troy Denning (Del Rey) 3) Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, James Luceno (Del Rey) 4) DC Universe: Last Sons, Alan Grant (Warner Books) 5) Underworld: Evolution, Greg Cox (Pocket Star) GAMING-RELATED 1) Forgotten Realms: Amber and Iron: The Dark Disciple, Margaret Weis (WotC) 2) Warhammer 40K: Grey Knights 2: Dark Adeptus, Ben Counter (Black Library) 3) World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred, Keith R.A. DeCandido (Pocket Star) 4) Halo: The Fall of Reach, Eric Nylund (Del Rey) 5) Forgotten Realms: Realms of the Elves, Philip Athans, ed. (WotC)

Forces, and one young superhuman soldier created from a treasonous scientist’s DNA in a seemingly failed attempt to access the traitor’s electronic memories.

Bruce Sterling, Visionary in Residence (Thunder’s Mouth 4/06) Sterling explores the nature and boundaries of SF in this collection of 13 stories ranging from traditional SF to cyberpunk and ribofunk, with some unusual variations in between. Élisabeth Vonarburg, A Game of Perfection (Edge 4/06) The second volume in the five-volume Tyranaël series by one of Canada’s most celebrated SF writers. A new generation of colonists on the planet Virginia is seen through the eyes of the telepath Simon as he searches for the source of the mutations that keep developing. Originally published in French by Alire Canada (1996), this is the first English-language edition.

Scott Westerfeld, Midnighters, Vol. 3: Blue Noon (Eos 3/06) Westerfeld’s acclaimed young-adult fantasy trilogy concludes in this thrilling third volume.

The Midnighters’ secret time threatens to merge with ordinary time, with disastrous results.

Sean Williams & Sean Dix, Geodesica: Descent (Ace 2/06) Exploration of a mysterious alien space labyrinth and interstellar war combine in this Stapledonian space opera of a far-future colony planet destroyed by struggles to control the alien artifact/space maze known as Geodesica.

The second volume in a two-part novel begun in Geodesica: Ascent.

Jack Zipes, Lissa Paul, Lynne Vallone, Peter Hunt, & Gillian Avery, eds., The Norton Anthology of Children’s Literature: The Traditions in English (Norton 12/05) This monumental anthology covers every facet of children’s literature from early primers to contemporary fiction, with significant coverage of SF, fantasy, fairy tales, legends, and more, including complete texts of longer works such as Robert A. Heinlein’s Podkayne of Mars and E. Nesbit’s The Phoenix and the Carpet.

Borders/Walden

HARDCOVERS 1) Son of a Witch, Gregory Maguire (ReganBooks) 2) Knife of Dreams, Robert Jordan (Tor) 3) A Feast for Crows, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra) 4) Sebastian, Anne Bishop (Roc) 5) Full Moon Rising, Keri Arthur (Bantam Spectra) 6) The Dance of Time, Eric Flint & David Drake (Baen) 7) The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams (Del Rey) 8) Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman (Morrow) 9) Traitor to the Blood, Barb & J.C. Hendee (Roc) 10) High Druid of Shannara: Straken, Terry Brooks (Del Rey) PAPERBACKS 1) Moon Called, Patricia Briggs (Ace) 2) Chainfire, Terry Goodkind (Tor) 3) Quicksilver, Neal Stephenson (HarperCollins) 4) Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury (Del Rey) 5) To Light a Candle, Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory (Tor) 6) Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth, Simon R. Green (Ace) 7) Myrren’s Gift, Fiona McIntosh (Eos) 8) Dreams Made Flesh, Anne Bishop (Roc) 9) In the Ruins, Kate Elliott (DAW) 10) Homeward Bound, Harry Turtledove (Del Rey) TRADE PAPERBACKS 1) Wicked, Gregory Maguire (ReganBooks) 2) Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Gregory Maguire (ReganBooks) 3) Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury) 4) Mirror, Mirror, Gregory Maguire (ReganBooks) 5) Sorceress of Faith, Robin D. Owens (Luna) MEDIA-RELATED 1) Star Wars: Outbound Flight, Timothy Zahn (Del Rey) 2) Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, James Luceno (Del Rey) 3) Star Wars: Dark Nest III: The Swarm War, Troy Denning (Del Rey) 4) Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide, Ryder Wyndham (DK Children) 5) Star Wars: The New Essential Chronology, Daniel Wallace (Del Rey) GAMING-RELATED 1) Forgotten Realms: Amber and Iron: The Dark Disciple, Margaret Weis (WotC) 2) Forgotten Realms: Promise of the Witch King, R.A. Salvatore (WotC) 3) World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred, Keith R.A. DeCandido (Pocket Star) 4) Forgotten Realms: Resurrection, Paul S. Kemp (WotC) 5) Halo: Books 1-3, William C. Dietz, Eric Nylund (Del Rey)

LOCUS April 2006 / 53

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Justina Robson  p. 9

nite dreams of infinite time that you have because you’re in your 20s and the end seems so distant and remote. Then you realize you only have so many years left. ‘‘The world is this way. When you’re young you read science fiction and think, ‘Oh, maybe we’ll change the world and we’ll have justice and social order and it will be fantastic!’ It seems so full of excitement. Then you get to your 30s and think, ‘Um. New Labour, George Bush, war in Iraq, terrorism. Not quite what I had in mind.’ And you see your friends changing as you get older, with the marvelous lives they imagined still pending.

You realize you’re just rewriting every cliché in the book. As someone said, ‘Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.’ Some of my plans are coming to fruition (and that’s fantastic), while others are definitely not. ‘‘Living Next Door and Natural History take place in the same universe, and I plan to do another book which joins them in a strange way – it’s about how the Forged got made. In terms of science fiction, I thought Natural History had some really traditional elements. Less so with the aliens. Maybe they do have their own drives, but every time I tried to say something definite about their motives I’d get this ‘Tilt, tilt, override! Does not compute’ feeling and I’d think, ‘No, it’s weirder than that.’ There have been too many summer blockbusters where the aliens were absolutely good or bad, and I got fed up with that. Mass-media science fiction has become so commercial, so overused now, there’s a science fiction language everyone thinks they know, so it’s almost invisible. You couldn’t startle anyone with the idea of robots that don’t like people the way you once could. It’s all so commonplace now, I always feel like I should push myself to something even more extreme and extraordinary. Then I feel lost, because I can’t think of anything! ‘‘It’s like longing for the sense of wonder, the next hit. That comes from childhood. Certain things are very exciting and adventurous, and all the best parts of science fiction involve those things to a large degree. ‘I’m going to have everything I like now. There will be pirates, there will be cowboys, and they will be in big ships with weapons! There will be aliens that are very strange, and people will be undergoing identity crises, and we’ll have it all in one and it will be beautiful!’ It’s very hard to render that all in one go, but you have to try. ‘‘How do we interrelate to each other, and why do we do these things to each other? My whole trip through yoga and eastern Taoist philosophy indicates that there are at least some people in the world (not many) who don’t do all those things that get most of us into trouble. Most people are just reacting to their feelings, and they don’t think until long after the fact. Maybe if they’re good, they’ll count to ten before exploding. These Buddhist types

iBooks Files for Bankruptcy  p. 12

Founder Byron Preiss died suddenly in a car accident in 2005. His widow Sandi Mendelson sent out a press release saying, “In the months after my husband Byron Preiss’s tragic accident last summer, his companies set out to honor his commitments to his authors and projects and continue his vision in publishing. We very much wanted to go forward

2005 Stoker Preliminary Ballot  p. 12

Like Death, Tim Waggoner (Leisure).

say, ‘If something somebody does really bothers you, that’s because you’ve chosen to be bothered by it,’ and if you ask them if they’re bothered by anything they say, ‘No, not really.’ One of the reasons I gave up teaching yoga was because I realized I can’t really walk the walk. It’s one thing to pay lip service to these ideas, and another thing to live them. ‘If you don’t care, it doesn’t matter’ – can you take that into real life? There’s a point where it just doesn’t work any more. There must be a halfway house somewhere! ‘‘Our culture has ideas about demons and the supernatural, and it’s weird to find places where the ideas are so different. In Africa a demon is a semi-natural thing that might do you wrong, but might not. The ancient Greeks thought your own spirit was a demon (daemon), which doesn’t necessarily have a negative connotation, but is strangely linked to the Freudian ego and other notions of psychology. A lot of genre fiction explores psychology, but not always in modern terms. They provide a different way of talking about psychological issues. Fantasy is more psychology and science fiction is more philosophy, but they’re all intermixed. ‘‘Silver Screen, my first novel, is an AI book, and Mappa Mundi is about nanotech. Natural History is like a synthesis of both of these, because you’ve got the adapted humans and this mysterious alien entity. With the first one, I suppose I was bothered by the philosophical question ‘What’s human?’

Could humans be considered ‘meat machines’? (I read that Terry Bisson story, ‘They’re Made Out of Meat’, around the time I started writing Silver Screen.) I really did start to wonder if there could possibly be any difference between a thing that was built to look just like a human and a human being – that very Phildickian idea. ‘‘Philip K. Dick is probably my favorite writer ever, because we’re obsessed with the same things (in different ways). His work has very strange hallucinogenic qualities, with a great depth of human feeling at the same time that it’s completely alien. I think of The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch as a perfect book, just fantastic at every level – exhilarating, as well as scary and horrible.

You always get the sense that the vast mass of people don’t know what’s happening to them and don’t really care. A couple of people catch a glimpse of something larger, and suddenly they’re bowled over into nightmares beyond reckoning. ‘‘I think that’s more akin to the way things happen than the big hero story where there’s a central figure who determines to take control, has a very organized view of things, and executes his plan well so things are organized. In my experience, life is chaotic – people with good intentions get sidetracked. Philip K. Dick’s books aren’t scary because big monsters are coming to get you; they’re scary because you’re falling to bits inside your own head and you don’t know how to put yourself back together again. Maybe there is no way. They also

have these bleak endings where you can’t even find all the pieces, let alone put them back together.

That’s frightening, but it seems very realistic. ‘‘The psychologist Dorothy Rowe says everyone experiences ‘outside’ and ‘inside’ worlds, and that for each person, one or the other is dominant. If the inside world is more real to you, you’re introverted, and if the outside world is more dominant, you’re extroverted. That’s your preferred reality, in which you feel most comfortable. If introverts are in crisis, they feel like their selves are shattering, falling apart (like Phil Dick’s characters), but extroverts feel that they are being abandoned and left alone – which is the worst thing that can happen to them. People always told me, ‘You’re an introvert, because you’re so shy and quiet,’ but after reading Rowe’s books I realized I’m a shy extrovert, because my way of falling apart is to feel abandoned. For extroverts, relationships are very much your thing. ‘‘I’ve just sold a new series, Quantum Gravity, to Gollancz (I haven’t got a US deal for them yet) and I’m really excited about it. It’s a departure for me. Slightly more fun, slightly more adventure, a mix of fantasy and science fiction – much more a ‘laugh riot’ than my other books! It’s got as many ideas as I can pack into it, and at the same time I’m trying to make it more fast-moving. For everything that frustrated me about writing an ‘arty’ book, I kind of vented my frustration by writing this much more romping adventure, Keeping It Real. As I was writing Living Next Door, I wrote this in parallel: one of them serious, one not so serious. If the serious one was driving me ‘round the bend, I would just go and do the more lighthearted one. (I call it lighthearted, anyway.) ‘‘There are quite a lot of books to come after that first one. I’ve got a deal for more in the series, and then I feel confident I can write the others.

I’m doing quite a lot of research for these things, just to try to get this great idea and pull it together.

I went back to my old friends the cyborgs, but I also have elves and elfy things (you’ll cringe in horror). Researching the second book was great: ‘We have to go to Venice, but it’s for research.’ And fun is the watchword – if it’s not fun, it’s not in.

The only rule for writing it was, ‘I cannot pause, I cannot stop. Go, go, go, and if you get up from the table you have to leave the room.’ I was trying to make myself write at a much higher speed than usual. And it worked! ‘‘I have a writing secret. I got a bargain-bucket tiara from a wedding shop, and now if I want to write I just put the tiara on and assume it commands power over All. Then I can do whatever I want! I’ve tried to give them out to other people, but they don’t seem to want them. Works for me, though. (I have two. There’s a bigger, more ostentatious one for the more difficult writing.) It’s important not to just sit there in your track suit every day. If you dress like you mean it, it makes a difference.’’

–Justina Robson

in the spirit and direction that Byron believed in; however, it became clear that without his unique creative force driving the companies he created, this was not possible. It is with deep regret that Byron Preiss Visual Publications, Inc. and iBooks, Inc. will close, effective immediately.... This has been an agonizing and arduous decision to make. I have the deepest respect and admiration for all those in the publishing community who worked with us during this difficult time, and I am most grateful for your

understanding.”

The first meeting of creditors is scheduled for April 4, 2006. All authors with projects at BPVP or iBooks should contact their agents as soon as possible. The interim court appointed trustee is Kenneth Silverman, who may be reached at Silverman, Pearlstein & Acampora Llp, 100 Jericho Quadrangle, Jericho NY 11753; (516) 479-6300.

First Novel: The Hides, Kealan Patrick Burke (Cemetery Dance Publications); Siren Promised, Alan M. Clark & Jeremy Robert Johnson (Bloodletting Press); Scarecrow Gods, Weston Ochse

(Delirium Books).

Long Fiction: ‘‘Veil of Skin’’, Maria Alexander (Blood Surrender); In the Midnight Museum, 

LOCUS April 2006 / 55

 2005 Stoker Preliminary Ballot Gary Braunbeck (Necessary Evil Press); ‘‘Best New Horror’’, Joe Hill (Postscripts #3); ‘‘Wormwood Nights’’, Charlee Jacob (Bloodletting Press); ‘‘The Things They Left Behind’’, Stephen King (Transgressions); Pieces of Hate, Tim Lebbon (Necessary Evil Press); ‘‘Some Zombie Contingency Plans’’, Kelly Link (Magic for Beginners); Zero, Michael McBride (Necessary Evil Press); ‘‘The Beautiful Ones’’, Michelle Scalise (Crimewave); It’s Only Temporary, Eric Shapiro (Permuted Press); Riverside Blues, Eric Tomblin (Earthling Publications); ‘‘The Milk of Paradise’’, David Niall Wilson (City Slab).

Short Fiction: ‘‘This Body of Death’’, Maria Alexander (Lost on the Darkside); ‘‘Haeckel’s Tale’’, Clive Barker (Dark Delicacies); We Now Pause for Station Identification, Gary Braunbeck (Endeavor Press); ‘‘As Others See Us’’, Mort Castle (World Horror Convention 2005 Program Book);

The Data File  p. 13

Horror for cable network Showtime. ABC has ordered four episodes to start, but the producers plan to create at least six, and perhaps as many as 13.

Production will begin in Vancouver May 2006.

Tor E-book Uncertainty • There have been

stories online for a few weeks about a partnership between Tor and Baen’s WebScriptions program, which would offer some Tor books as DRM-free e-books. A pilot program was announced at Baen’s Bar, the publisher’s online forum, but it now seems that news was premature. While Tor and Baen are reportedly discussing a cooperative arrangement for the sales of some Tor titles as e-books, nothing is definite, and no details have been finalized.

Abebooks Changes • Abebooks (<www.

abebooks.com>), second only to Amazon.com in the online used books business, providing listings for hundreds of individuals and bookshops, recently instituted changes that make life more difficult for sellers. Alan Beatts, owner of Borderlands Books, explains that Abebooks has ‘‘steadily been moving away from a ‘service’ oriented business towards a model closer to Alibris and Amazon, in which individual booksellers’ identities are sacrificed in favor of increasing profits for ABE and producing a more uniform experience for buyers.’’ These changes include charging booksellers as much as 3% of sales due to modifications in credit card processing standards. Beatts says that because of that and ‘‘a host of other issues, Borderlands is joining a number of other SF specialty booksellers (including Barry Levin, B. Brown and Associates, Lloyd Currey, Other Worlds Books, Handee Books, and Wrigley-Cross Books) in listing our inventory online at Biblio.com. We are also... terminating our eight year relationship with ABE.... Based on these changes, I expect that in the next year, ABE will no longer be the place to find quality rare books in the SF and fantasy fields.’’

Rushdie Denounces Islamism • Salman Rush-

die was one of several writers to sign a statement in the French newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which reads, in part: ‘‘After having overcome Fascism, Nazism and Stalinism, the world now faces a new global threat: Islamism. We, writers, journalists, intellectuals, call for resistance to religious totalitarianism and for the promotion of freedom, equal opportunity and secular values for all.... It is not a clash of civilizations nor an antagonism of West and East that we are witnessing, but a global struggle that

56 / LOCUS April 2006

‘‘Binky’’, Sephera Girón (Cemetery Dance); ‘‘Out Twelve-Steppin’: Summer of AA’’, Nancy Holder (Dark Delicacies); ‘‘Under the Skin’’, Nicholas Kaufmann (City Slab); ‘‘The Good Part’’, Carole Lanham (Trunk Stories); ‘‘The Reading Lessons’’, Carole Lanham (Son and Foe); ‘‘Black Mill Cove’’, Lisa Morton (Dark Delicacies); ‘‘Times of Atonement’’, Yvonne Navarro (Taverns of the Dead); ‘‘Asha’’, Monica O’Rourke (Red Scream).

Fiction Collection: Never Seen by Waking Eyes, Stephen R. Dedman (Infrapress); Twentieth Century Ghosts, Joe Hill (PS Publishing); Angel Dust Apocalypse, Jeremy Robert Johnson (Eraserhead Press); Magic for Beginners, Kelly Link (Small Beer Press); Dark Duets, Michael McCarty (Wildside Press); Looking for Jake, China Miéville (Del Rey); Haunted, Chuck Palahniuk (Doubleday); The Book of a Thousand Sins, Wrath James White (Two-Backed Books).

Anthology: Taverns of the Dead, Kealan Patrick Burke (Cemetery Dance Publications); Kolchak:

The Night Stalker Chronicles, Joe Gentile, Garrett Anderson, & Lori Gentile (Moonstone); Outsiders, Nancy Holder and Nancy Kilpatrick (Roc); Dark Delicacies: Original Tales of Terror & the Macabre, Del Howison & Jeff Gelb (Carroll & Graf); Weird Shadows Over Innsmouth, Stephen Jones (Fedogan & Bremer); Corpse Blossoms, Julia and RJ Sevin (Creeping Hemlock Press).

Non-Fiction: Horror: Another 100 Best Books, Stephen Jones & Kim Newman (Carroll & Graf); More Giants of the Genre, Michael McCarty (Wildside Press); Morbid Curiosity #9, Loren Rhoades (Automatism Press); The Bradbury Chronicles, Sam Weller (Morrow).

Poetry Collection: Freakcidents, Michael A. Arnzen (Shocklines Press); The Shadow City, Gary W. Crawford (Naked Snake Press); Sineater, Charlee Jacob (Cyberpulp); Seasons: A Series of Poems Based on the Life and Death of Edgar Allan Poe, Daniel Shields (Foothills Publishing).

confronts democrats and theocrats.’’ The statement went on to decry Islamism as ‘‘a reactionary ideology which kills equality, freedom and secularism wherever it is present.’’

in near-total agreement.’’ A spokesman for Clean Air Watch, which monitors environmental policy, said, ‘‘This shows the president is more interested in science fiction than science.’’ Maybe someone should send the president copies of Kim Stanley Robinson’s Forty Signs of Rain and Fifty Degrees Below.

Glorifying Terrorism • Farah Mendlesohn has announced plans to edit original anthology Glorifying Terrorism in response to a proposed law in British Parliament that would make ‘‘the glorification of terrorism’’ illegal. The bill has passed its second reading in the House of Commons, and is being considered in the House of Lords. Mendlesohn says, ‘‘There is growing concern that the Act (if it passes) may be used to clamp down on political dissent.

There is currently very little discussion about what it might do to artistic expression (although journalists are finally catching on to what it might do to history books). Science fiction is a political genre.

There are many science fiction writers who have already written novels and stories which could be considered in contravention of the proposed law....

As a protest I have decided to edit an anthology of short stories. I intend to self-publish using a political press used to taking this kind of risk and will put up my own money to cover costs.’’ She will accept stories up to 8,000 words in length submitted by May 1, 2006. Payment is £200 per story. For more information, contact <farah.sf@gmail.com>.

Atwood’s Invention Malfunctions • Margaret Atwood made news last year with plans for her LongPen device, which theoretically enables authors to sign books long-distance while communicating with readers via video conference. The first public trial in March 2006 at McNally-Robinson bookstore in Manhattan, was supposed to allow Atwood to sign books from London by writing an inscription on a touch-sensitive LCD screen.

A robot arm clutching a pen in Manhattan would then duplicate her handwriting. Unfortunately, there were technical difficulties, and Atwood had to apologize via video conference: ‘‘Unfortunately, we are going to have to sign your books here and then send them to New York. Please be sure to leave your addresses.’’ The device did function properly during several pre-launch test runs.

Crichton Chats with Bush • A recent book

about the Bush presidency, Rebel in Chief by Fred Barnes, describes a 2005 meeting between the president and author Michael Crichton. Bush ‘‘avidly read’’ Crichton’s 2004 novel State of Fear, which denies the existence of global warming.

Barnes describes President Bush as ‘‘a dissenter on the theory of global warming,’’ and Bush and Crichton reportedly ‘‘talked for an hour and were

Clarke Saves Time • Sir Arthur C. Clarke has

spoken out against a plan by the Sri Lankan government to permanently turn its clocks back 30 minutes in April. The plan would undo a 1996 daylight savings measure that moved clocks forward and made Sri Lanka out of synch with neighboring nations. The government claims the clocks need to be changed because it’s still dark when children leave for school, though many suspect the president is actually acting on the advice of his astrologers.

Clarke argues ‘‘The best solution is to start school sessions later. In today’s rapidly globalising world, Sri Lanka cannot afford to keep changing a fundamental attribute like standard time every few years. Such a move could harm the perception of foreign investors, international banks, airlines, and tourists.... If we put the clocks back by half an hour as proposed, dusk will fall sooner and households will be consuming more electricity for lighting.

Both the country’s generation costs and individual bills could go up as a result.’’

SF Museum News • James Gunn will teach an on-

line writing workshop on science fiction in conjunction with the Science Fiction Museum from March 27 - May 22, 2006. The cost is $235 for museum members and $275 for the general public. The class is limited to eight members and will be conducted by e-mail. For more details, and a registration form, visit <www.sfhomeworld.org/education>.

The museum will host ‘‘An Evening with Ray Harryhausen’’ April 4, 2006, 7 - 9 p.m. Tickets are $6 for the general public, $5 for museum members.

Special VIP tickets which include premium seating and a private reception with Harryhausen are $45 for members, $50 for non-members. The event will be held at the JBL Theatre in the Experience Music Project. Harryhausen will also sign copies of his new book, The Art of Ray Harryhausen.

For regular tickets, call (206) 770-2702, Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For VIP tickets call (206) 262-3248, Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dangerous Visions No More • Dangerous Visions bookstore, which closed its doors and went online-only in 2002, is looking for a new name. ‘‘Harlan Ellison® has asked us, through his lawyer, to stop using the name Dangerous Visions.... We

have complied with his wishes and are now openly soliciting the public for a replacement name. Send us your recommendations and we will post the top ten on our site. The person who provides the best name will win a $50 gift certificate – good on any purchase – and our undying thanks. The next five runners-up will receive a $10 gift certificate. Name selection ends April 30th.’’ Send to <bookseller@readsf.com>. For more information, visit <www.readsf.com>.

Potter News • Daniel Radcliffe, star of the film

versions of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, paid £30,000 at a charity auction for a family history of the character Sirius Black, handwritten and drawn

by Rowling. Proceeds from the auction went to Book Aid International, which donates books to schools in Africa. Radcliffe also won a short piece on writing by Iain Banks (£980) and a Tom Stoppard play Murder (£3,700) – he is reportedly a big fan of both authors. In all, Radcliffe’s bids provided over half of the £63,000 raised at the auction, which also included literary works by P.D. James and Jacqueline Wilson.

The newly released DVD of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire had first-day sales of five million copies – not a record, but substantial. The film grossed $289 million in the US and $891 million worldwide.

Windsorworld • J.K. Rowling will read from the next Harry Potter book at the Queen’s 80th birthday party on June 25, 2006. A special theme park – ‘‘Windsorworld’’ – is being built on the grounds of Buckingham Palace at a cost of £5 million, celebrating British children’s literature. The park will feature Winnie the Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood, a pirate ship with Peter Pan and Captain Hook, a musical version of Mary Poppins, and a ballet with dancers in Beatrix Potter-inspired costumes. Guests were chosen from 10.5 million applications in early March, and handwritten invitations were sent out all month to 2,000 children, from ages four to 14, along with 1,000 adult chaperones. Most of the royal family is expected to attend. The BBC will broadcast a 90-minute show from the party, which will begin with Roald Dahl’s granddaughter Sophie Dahl having breakfast with the Queen and Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant.

Announcements • The Carl Brandon Society, Warner Books, Seven Stories Press, Writers House, and the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame have announced the formation of the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship fund, which will ‘‘enable writers of color to attend one of the Clarion writing workshops, where Octavia got her start. It is meant to cement Octavia’s legacy by providing the same experience/opportunity that Octavia had to future generations of new writers of color.’’ They hope to raise $100,000 for a fully endowed annual scholarship, and to award the first scholarship in 2007. Details on how to apply will be released later this year. Send donations to The Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o The Carl Brandon Society, PO Box 23336, Seattle WA 98102, or donate online at <http://carlbrandon. org/butlerscholarship/>.

Maureen F. McHugh will teach a workshop, ‘‘The Futuristic and the Fantasical – From Genre to Mainstream’’, as part of the University of Wisconsin at Madison’s Write By the Lake writing retreat, June 19 - 23, 2006. Gregory Frost will teach a course on ‘‘Plotting: Threat or Menace?’’ on the same dates. For more information, or to register, visit <www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/writing/wbtl.htm>.

Wildside Press is calling for submissions for their

three Year’s Best anthologies. Stories originally published in 2006 are eligible for consideration.

Review copies for Science Fiction: The Best of the Year and Fantasy: The Best of the Year should be sent to editor Rich Horton, 653 Yeddo Avenue, Webster Groves MO 63119. Submissions for Horror: The Best of the Year should go to editors John Gregory Betancourt & Sean Wallace at Wildside Press/Horror: The Best of the Year, 9710 Traville Gateway Drive, #234, Rockville MD 20850. All submissions should be sent by October 1, 2006, with final selections made in November 2006. No e-mail submissions will be accepted, but questions may be directed to <seanwallace@comcast.net>.

Paula Guran is calling for submissions for Best Paranormal Romance, a new annual series from Wildside imprint Juno, for works published in 2005. Submission deadline is May 15, 2006, ‘‘but the sooner the better.’’ She is also interested in fiction from 2006, to be considered for next year’s volume, so envelopes or e-mail should be clearly marked ‘‘Best New Paranormal Romance 2005’’ or ‘‘2006’’ as applicable. Send submissions to Paula Guran, 87 S. Meadowcroft Dr., Akron OH 44313, or to <editor@juno-books.com>.

The Horror Writers Association is soliciting professional-quality logo designs from any source, including outside the membership. Selected finalists will be given to a professional design firm to be altered and adapted as necessary, and any submissions will become the sole property of HWA. Submissions should be sent in JPEG format to <logo@horror.org>, and finalists will be reprinted in the April HWA Newsletter to be voted on by the membership. ‘‘This is not an ‘HWA art contest’... it’s a process to yield a suitable logo for HWA.’’ HWA has a new permanent mailing address: 244 5th Avenue, Suite 2767, New York NY 10001. All correspondence should be addressed only to Horror Writers Association, without specific names or departments.

Australian convention Conflux 3 (June 9 - 12, 2006) has released a call for entries for their art show, which includes A$6,000 in prize money (about $4,500 US). In order to accommodate international artists, artwork will be primarily displayed as prints made from digital files or in a slide show. Best in Show will receive A$2,000; Best International and Best Australian will receive A$750 each; and Best Student, Best Comic, Best Manga, and Best Digital winners will get A$500 each. For deadlines and submission guidelines, visit <www.conflux.org.au>.

The Speculative Literature Foundation announced its second annual Older Writers Grant, awarding $750 to Douglas Smith. Honorable mentions went to Susanna Crowley, Rob Hunter, Roger Pepper, Kate Robinson, and Pam Summa, who will all receive a one-year free membership to SLF. The Older Writers Grant is given to a person who is 50 years or older and a beginning professional writer, with the winner chosen by jury. For more information, visit <www.speculativeliterature.org>.

The Canada West Science Fiction Association announced a series of grants totaling C$12,050 from the surplus operating funds of Westercon 58, ‘‘aimed at furthering science fiction and fantasy fandom activities in Canada in general, to assist future Westercons, and to assist in the general operations of groups that provided assistance to Westercon 58.’’

Awards News • Katherine Paterson is the 2006 winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s largest children’s literature prize. While best known for The Bridge to Terabithia, Paterson has written genre work including Arthurian fantasy Parzival: The Quest of the Grail Knight. Given

annually to one or more authors, illustrators, and promoters of reading whose work reflects the spirit of Astrid Lindgren, this prestigious juried award is sponsored by the Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs and includes a cash prize of five million Swedish crowns, equivalent to about $650,000. The nominees were chosen by over 300 international nominating bodies, including libraries, cultural ministries, and writing organizations.

The first award, given in 2003, went to American author/illustrator Maurice Sendak and Austrian author Christine Nöstlinger. The 2004 award was given to Brazilian magical-realist Lygia Bojunga, and the 2005 award went to Philip Pullman and Japanese illustrator Ryôji Arai.

The winners of the Thirteenth Annual Spectrum Awards for Fantastic Art were announced in Kansas City, Missouri, March 3, 2006. Advertising: Gold Award - Donato Giancola, ‘‘Prometheus’’ (Asimov’s); Silver Award - Andrew Jones, ‘‘Die SF’’ (ConceptArt.org). Book: Gold Award - Jon Foster, cover of The Demon & The City (Night Shade Books); Silver Award - Michael Deas, cover of Earthbound (Tor). Comics: Gold Award - Jeremy Geddes, cover of Doomed #4 (IDW); Silver Award - David Hartman, cover of The Devil’s Rejects (IDW). Dimensional: Gold Award - Tim Brucknerey, ‘‘Under Autumn’s Tentacled Spell’’; Silver Award - Andrew Sinclair, ‘‘Moodius Centaurus’’. Editorial: Gold Award - William Stout, ‘‘Antarctic Megalosaur’’ (Prehistoric Times); Silver Award - Yuko Shimizu, ‘‘Revenge of the Geisha’’ (X-Funs). Institutional: Gold Award - Cos Koniotis, ‘‘Warriors of Khorne’’ (Sabertooth Games); Silver Award - Daniel Dociu, ‘‘Jade Sea Walker II’’ (Arena Net/Guild Wars). Unpublished: Gold Award - August Hall, ‘‘Burning Man’’; Silver Award - William Carman, ‘‘Carnivore Pond’’. Grand Master: Jeffrey Jones. Winners receive a sculpted trophy with an engraved plate and inclusion in Spectrum 13: The Best in Contemporary Fantasy Art, edited by Cathy & Arnie Fenner, to be published

by Underwood Books in October 2006. Jurors were Brom, Bruce Jensen, Stephan Martiniere, and Meg Walsh. For more information visit <www. spectrumfantasticart.com>.

The Book Sense Book of the Year Awards include two genre works: Adult Fiction: The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova (Little, Brown); Children’s Literature: Inkspell, Cornelia Funke (Chicken House). Honor Books include Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami (Knopf), in Adult Fiction and Eldest, Christopher Paolini (Knopf), in Children’s Literature. The winners were chosen by owners and staff of American Booksellers Association member bookstores and will be honored at BookExpo America on May 19, 2006 in Washington DC. The 2005 Aurealis Awards, administered by Fantastic Queensland in an agreement with Chimaera Publications, were announced in March 2006 at a ceremony in Brisbane, Australia. Winners are: SF Novel: Eclipse, K.A. Bedford (Edge); SF Short Story: ‘‘Slow and Ache’’, Trent Jamieson (Aurealis 36); Fantasy Novel: Blade of Fortriu, Juliet Marillier (Pan Macmillan Australia); Fantasy Short Story (tie): ‘‘Once Giants Roamed the Earth’’, Rosaleen Love (Aqueduct Press; Daikaiju! Giant Monster Tales); ‘‘The Greater Death of Saito Saku’’, Richard Harland (Daikaiju! Giant Monster Tales); Horror Novel: No Award; Horror Short Story: ‘‘Pater Familias’’, Lee Battersby (Shadow Realms #3); YA Novel: Alyzon Whitestarr, Isobelle Carmody (Penguin); YA Short Story: ‘‘Nicholas Sayre and the Creatures in the Case’’, Garth Nix (Across the Wall); Children Long Fiction: Drowned Wednesday, Garth Nix (Allen & Unwin); Children Short Fiction: Piccolo & Annabel 2: The Disastrous 

LOCUS April 2006 / 57

 The Data File Party, Stephen Axelson (Random House). Grant Stone received the Peter McNamara Convenors’ Award. For more information, visit <www.fantasticqueensland.com/~aurealisawards>.

Nominees for the 26th annual Los Angeles Times Book Awards, given in nine categories, include in Fiction: Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami (Knopf) and in Young Adult Fiction: Black Juice, Margo Lanagan (Eos). Winners will be named April 28, 2006, in a ceremony at UCLA. Finalists for the 18th annual Lambda Literary Awards, celebrating achievements in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender literature, include the following genre award for works published in 2005: Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror: Fledgling, Octavia E. Butler (Seven Stories); Shapers of Darkness, David B. Coe (Tor); Temple Landfall, Jane Fletcher (Bold Strokes); Daughters of an Emerald Dusk, Katherine Forrest (Alyson Books); and No Sister of Mine, Jeanne G’Fellers (Bella Books). Winners will be announced May 18, 2006 in Washington, DC.

Worldcons News • World Horror Convention 2007, March 29 - April 1, 2007 in Toronto, Canada, announced Peter Crowther will be Special Publisher Guest of Honor and Don Hutchison will be Special Editor Guest of Honor. Canadian author Sèphera Girón is Mistress of Ceremonies. Other Guests of Honor are Michael Marshall Smith, Nancy Kilpatrick, John Picacio and Ray Garton; Clive Barker had to cancel. Air Canada is the official airline of the convention and a discount rate may be available when booking through a travel agent or directly with the airline. For more information, see their website: <www.whc2007.org>.

Contest News • Results for the 2005 Science Fiction Writers of Earth short story contest, judged by Edward Bryant, have been announced.

First Prize ($200): ‘‘The Night And Its Shadow’’

by Aaron Albrecht (Japan), plus $75 to place his story on the SFWoE website for six months; Second Prize ($100): ‘‘The After-Hero’’ by Daniel Akselrod & Lenny Royter (USA); Third Prize ($50): ‘‘A Prayer Song for Asatuu’’ by Christyna Ivers (USA); First Honor ($25): ‘‘Rescuing Sharon’’ by Dick Bellamy (Canada).

The deadline for this year’s contest is October 30, 2006. Entry info is available online at <www.flash. net/~sfwoe>, or write SFWoE, PO Box 121293, Fort Worth TX 76121.

Book Notes • Laurell K. Hamilton’s Micah went

straight to the top of the bestseller lists, debuting at #1 on the New York Times, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today mass-market paperback bestsellers lists. The first mass-market original in the Anita Blake series since 1998, Micah had a first printing of 410,000 and has since been back to press twice for a total of 540,000 copies.

Kurt Vonnegut’s collection of essays A Man Without a Country has done unexpectedly well for independent publisher Seven Stories Press.

After a first printing of 50,000 hardcovers, the book has gone back to press seven times for a total of 250,000. It reached first place on the Booksense and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists, and fifth place on the New York Times list. The book’s success led organizers of National Small Press Month, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in March, to select Vonnegut as spokesman and poster boy.

Octavia E. Butler’s Fledgling has also done well for Seven Stories Press, going back to press

58 / LOCUS April 2006

soon for a third printing. (The announced first printing was 50,000 copies.) Time Warner has the paperback rights.

Michael Cunningham’s Specimen Days is being repackaged by Picador. The hardcover had disappointing sales; the book drew heavily on the poetry of Walt Whitman, and Picador hopes to add interest by pairing the novel with a new collection of poems from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass titled Laws of Creation, selected and introduced

by Cunningham. The two volumes will have matching cover art, and ten-copy displays will show the books together, but while Cunningham’s novel gets a printing of 200,000 copies, Whitman only gets 50,000.

Magazine News • SF stories published in

Australian popular science magazine COSMOS can be read online free at <www.cosmosmagazine. com/sf/>. Authors already published include Joe Haldeman, Gregory Benford, Charles Stross, and Paul Di Filippo, along with Australians Robert Hood, Michael McNeil, and Andrew Sullivan.

The magazine, which debuted in August 2005, is currently available only in Australia, though that will soon change, according to fiction editor Damien Broderick. Meanwhile, ‘‘We’re making these excellent stories available online so the rest of the world can enjoy them immediately – and consider them for nomination in the Hugo, Nebula, and other prestigious awards.’’

The 100th issue of Space & Time, its 40th anniversary issue, will be the last, according to editor-in-chief Gordon Linzner, who says, ‘‘The burden, in time and money, is just getting to be too much.’’ The final issue will be three or four times the size of a regular issue, and will publish all the stories in inventory. Space & Time was founded in 1966. For more information, visit <www.cith. org/space&time.html>.

Online SF magazine The Fortean Bureau (<www.forteanbureau.com>) is closing, and will post their final issue in April 2006.

Publishing News • Prometheus Books’ science fiction and fantasy imprint Pyr celebrated its oneyear anniversary in March.

Small Beer Press will publish a limited edition hardcover version of Ellen Kushner’s new novel The Privilege of the Sword to “complement” the simultaneous trade paperback from Bantam, due in July 2006.

Wilder Publications announced the launch of their new speculative fiction imprint, Spyre. The new line will focus on SF, fantasy, and dark fantasy collections, anthologies, and novels, publishing original as well as classic works. Spyre has six titles planned for 2006.

Wildside Press will launch a new fantasy romance imprint, Juno Press, in late 2006. The imprint features fantasy with strong female characters and romantic or erotic elements. Titles to appear monthly starting in October include novels Jade Tiger by Jenn Reese, Beyond the Hedge by Roby James, Rags and Old Iron by Lorelei Shannon, and anthology Best New Romance: Fantasy edited by Paula Guran. Wildside also plans to relaunch their crime/noir imprint PointBlank at that time.

Financial News • According to TNS Media

Intelligence, advertising spending by book publishers reached $231.9 million last year, up 15% over 2004.

The AAP adjusted reports for overall book publishing sales in 2005 posted a rise of 9.9% to $25.1 billion, compared to $22.8 billion in 2004.

Trade book sales jumped 24.9% to $7.83 billion,

up from $6.26 billion. The largest gain was in the children’s hardcover segment, up to $3.61 billion, 59.6% over the $2.26 billion reported the previous year, boosted by sales from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (13.5 million copies), Christopher Paolini’s Eldest (1.75 million copies), and the latest Lemony Snicket book (1.8 million copies).

After a 12.5% rise in sales in the fourth quarter, Simon & Schuster posted an increase of 2% in total revenue, reaching approximately $770 million in 2005. Operating margins were over 10%. The adult, children’s, and audio groups showed gains, supported in part by strong sales of The Spiderwick Chronicles. Digital downloads jumped a whopping 100%, with margins significantly better than CD or cassette sales. Sales for S&S UK were ‘‘down significantly’’ according to CEO Jack Romanos, while the Australia and Canada groups showed improvement.

Penguin Group announced year-end results, with operating profits up 4% and revenues up 1%. Audio sales rose 35%, and online sales performance doubled. The company placed 129 books on The New York Times bestseller list in 2005 for a total of 687 weeks.

Houghton Mifflin’s 2005 net sales from continuing operations rose 5% to $1,282.1 million, according to their year-end report. Operating income was $59.4 million, a 171% increase over 2004 figures.

Overall, the company had a net loss of $62.0 million, an improvement over their 2004 loss of $70.4 million. Trade and Reference saw their net sales drop 13.4% to $128.3 million, the decline blamed partly on unusually strong sales in 2004 due to movie releases including The Polar Express.

Barnes & Noble reported year-end results with sales for the year of $5.1 billion, a 5% increase.

Barnes & Noble store sales were up 6% to $4.4 billion; same-store sales rose 2.9%. B. Dalton sales dropped 20% to $141.6 million due to store closings; same store sales were up 0.9%. Online division Barnes&Noble.com saw sales up 5% to $439.7 million. Net earnings for the bookselling divisions were $146.7 million, a 19% increase.

Borders Group’s 2005 year-end results show sales of $4.03 billion, up 3.9% over 2004. (Figures aren’t completely comparable, since their fiscal 2005 had an extra week.) Net income was down 23.4% to $101.0 million; part of the slip in profits was blamed on increased bestseller and promotional discounts. Sales at Borders superstores in the US were up 4.7% at $2.71 billion. Comparable store sales were up 1.1%, but book sales were up 6%, offset by declining music sales. Nine new Borders superstores opened in the US during the fourth quarter of 2005, pushing the total to 473. International sales rose 12.9% to $576.4; comparable superstore sales were up 0.4% (in local currency).

Five new international superstores opened in the fourth quarter, for a total of 55 outside the US. The ‘‘Waldenbooks Specialty Retail segment’’ saw sales down 4.5% to $744.8 million, with comparable store sales down 2.4%; net income dropped 32.0% to $28.2 million. Borders Group closed 50 Waldenbooks stores in 2005, leaving 678.

Audible saw a rise in revenue to $63 million – a whopping 83% over 2004 – but still posted a loss of $577,000 for 2005. The company had announced earlier that higher operating costs and investments to upgrade its website would mean a loss for the year. Membership grew by 237,000 to 248,000, a 67% gain over the previous year.

Marvel’s publishing segment reported revenue up 7.4% for 2005 to $92.4 million, while operating income slipped from $37.3 million to $36.3 million.

International Rights • Canadian rights to the

first two books of R. Scott Bakker’s The Aspect Emperor series went to Barbara Berson of Penguin Canada by Chris Lotts at Ralph Vicinanza.

Dutch rights to C.S. Friedman’s Magisters trilogy sold to Luitingh-Sijthoff, German rights went to Piper, and UK rights to Tim Holman at Orbit/Time Warner, via Danny Baror.

Italian rights to John Russell Fearn’s To the Ultimate and E.C. Tubb’s City of No Return went to Perseo Libri via Philip Harbottle.

Italian rights to Robert J. Sawyer’s Mindscan sold to Mondadori via Ralph Vicinanza.

Japanese rights to Anne Bishop’s The Invisible Ring went to Chuo Koron Shinsha via Kohei Hattori of Owl’s Agency on behalf of Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency; German rights for same sold to Heyne Verlag via the Schlueck Literary Agency.

Other Rights • Large-print rights to novella an-

thology To Weave a Web of Magic, with stories

by Claire Delacroix, Lynn Kurland, Patricia A. McKillip, and Sharon Shinn, sold to Thorndike.

UK large-print rights to John Russell Fearn’s novels Account Settled, Deadline, The Glowing Man, Man Who Was Not, Robbery Without Violence, Stranger in our Midst, and What Happened to Hammond?, along with E.C. Tubb’s The Life Buyer, went to F.A. Thorpe through Philip Harbottle.

Other Media Received • Xenocide by Orson

Scott Card (Audio Renaissance, $59.95, 16 CDs, 20 hours, 1-59397-478-7) Unabridged audio version of Xenocide read by Scott Brick, Gabrielle de Cuir, and cast. Website: <www.audiorenaissance.com>.

Battlestar Galactica by Jeffrey A. Carver, tiein novel based on the series (Audio Renaissance, $19.95, 4 CDs, 5 hours, 1-59397-867-7) Unabridged audio version of Battlestar Galactica read by Jonathan Davis.

Master of Dragons by Margaret Weis (Audio Renaissance, $49.95, 12 CDs, 15 hours, 1-59397357-8) Unabridged audio version of Master of Dragons read by Suzanne Toren.

Art of the Lord of the Rings 2006 Calendar (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $14.99, 0-74075186-7) 2006 calendar featuring artwork from the movie Lord of the Rings based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien. Website: <www.andrewsmcmeel. com>.

The Art of John Jude Palencar 2006 Calendar (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $12.99, 0-74075848-9) 2006 calendar with artwork by John Jude Palencar.

Simply Read Books 2006 (Simply Read Books, $19.95, 1-894965-25-6). 2006 calendar with various illustrations from their line of titles. Website: <www.simplyreadbooks>.

Publications Received • Burroughs Bulletin,

#65 (Winter 2006), quarterly publication of the Burroughs Bibliophiles, with articles on Edgar Rice Burroughs’s life and works, plus letters and reviews. Information: Editor, c/o The Burroughs Memorial Collection, The William F. Ekstrom Library, University of Louisville, Louisville KY 40292; phone: (502) 852-8729; e-mail: <george. mcwhorter@lousiville.com>.

Mythprint, Vol. 43, Nos. 1-2 (January/February 2006), Vol. 43, No. 3 (March 2006), monthly bulletin of the Mythopoeic Society, with news, reviews, etc. Information: Edith Crowe, Corresponding Secretary, PO Box 320486, San Francisco CA 94132-0486; e-mail: <Edith.Crowe@sjsu.edu>; website: <www.mythsoc.org>.

Prometheus, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Winter 2006), newsletter of the Libertarian Futurist Society, with articles and news. Information: Libertarian Futurist Society, 650 Castro St., Suite 120-433, Mountain View CA 94041; e-mail: <moulton@moulton. com>; website: <www.lfs.org>.

SFRA Review, #274 (Oct./Nov./Dec. 2005), newsletter of the Science Fiction Research Association, with SFRA news, reviews, etc. Information: SFRA Treasurer Donald M. Hassler, Dept. of English, Kent State University, PO Box 5190, Kent OH 44242-0001; e-mail: <extrap@kent. edu>; website: <www.sfra.org>.

Vector, #245 (January/February 2006), the critical journal of BSFA, with articles, interviews, reviews, etc. Also included: Matrix, # 177 (January/February 2006), bimonthly news magazine of BSFA, single copy: £2.25. Organization information: Membership Services, Estelle Roberts, 97 Sharp St., Newland Ave., Hull HU5 2AE, UK; e-mail: <estelle@lythande.freeserve.co.uk >. US Agent, Cy Chauvin, 14248 Wilfred Street, Detroit MI 48213, USA; website: <www.bsfa.co.uk>.

Catalogs Received • b. brown and associates,

3534 Stone Way N., Seattle WA 98103; phone: (206) 634-1481; e-mail: <BobBrown2@mindspring.

Hugo Pre-Editorial

The Hugo Nominations were released at the very last minute (the day we were going to press) so my comments have to go here, cutting the end of the website along with his summary of 2005 from the Data File (and, with the nominations, giving us February issue. We think he’s the best reviewer/ minuscule type in places).

Thanks for the nomination for Locus. It’s not exactly a surprise (there’s not too many of us that qualify as Semiprozine right now) but always a pleasure and an honor to be on the ballot. We listed three editors, but if we could have, we’d have listed the whole staff. We have a great group of people working here at Locus, and everyone contributes a huge amount of time, energy, and care to each issue. It all pays off in a moment like this, when our readers nominate us, and (we hope) vote for us. Thanks again.

Also congratulations to our star reviewer, Gary K. Wolfe, who made the ballot for his collection of Locus reviews, Soundings. We’ll be putting a selection from the book on the Kirsten Gong-Wong, Charles N. Brown, Liza Groen Trombi

com>; website: <www.bbrownandassoc.com>.

Catalog #33, with SF, fantasy, and horror, including first editions, proofs, pulp magazines, and signed books.

DreamHaven Books, 912 West Lake St., Minneapolis MN 55408; phone: (612) 823-6070; email: <dream@dreamhavenbooks.com>; website: <www.dreamhavenbooks.com>. Catalog #195 (February 2006), with new/recent SF, fantasy, and horror books and magazines, plus used, rare, and collectible books, many first editions, hardcovers, and paperbacks.

Fantasy Centre, 157 Holloway Road, London N7 8LX, England; phone: 020-7607-9433; e-mail: <books@fantasycentre.biz>; website: <www.fantasycentre.biz>. December 2005 and February 2006 catalogs, with new and used SF, fantasy, horror, adventure, mythology, hardcovers, paperbacks, and magazines.

S. Howlett-West Books, 2109 Spring Oak Ct., Modesto CA 95355; phone: (209) 491-2365; e-mail: <showlettwestbooks@sbcglobal.net>; website: <www.showlettwestbooks.com>. Catalogue #1, with modern science fiction, fantasy, and horror, and a Special Harlan Ellison Catalogue of his works.

Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore/Uncle Edgar’s Mystery Bookstore, 2864 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis MN 55407; phone: Uncle Hugo’s: (612) 824-6347; Uncle Edgar’s: (612) 824-9984; e-mail: <unclehugo@aol.com>; website: <www.

UncleHugo.com>. Catalog/newsletter #72 (December 2005-February 2006) and #73 (March May 2006), with new and used SF, horror, mystery, techno-thrillers, and non-fiction. Includes awards news, gift ideas, and reviews.

Vanishing Books, William Keaveny, PO Box 391289, Cambridge MA 02139-0014; phone: (781) 643-2499; e-mail: <keaveny@vanishingbooks. com>; website: <www.vanishingbooks.com>.

Catalog #27, with SF, fantasy, and horror, some rare and first editions, and the latest small-press titles.

Wrigley Cross Books, PMB 455, 2870 NE Hogan Rd., Ste. E, Gresham OR 97030; phone: (503) 667-0807; toll free: (877) 694-1467; e-mail: <books@wrigleycrossbooks.com>; website: <www.wrigleycrossbooks.com>. Catalog #127 (December 2005), #128 (January 2006), #129 (February 2006), and #130 (March 2006) with new and used SF, fantasy, horror, and mystery, British imports, etc.  critic in the field and hope you agree.

While I’m at it, maybe I should use my bully pulpit for some other personal recommendations.

Spin, to me, is the best novel on the list, but Accelerando is the best SF book. I also loved the Martin, but its middleness frustrated me. I’d be happy if any of these win. ‘‘Magic for Beginners’’ is the knockout novella, but I also loved the Connie Willis story and liked Burn. I’ll go with the Doctorow for novelette, but also liked the Bacigalupi. I wonder how Connie will pronounce his name if he wins!

There’s only one outstanding short story – ‘‘Singing My Sister Down’’

by Margo Lanagan, which should win hands down. Gordon Van Gelder is easily the Best Professional Editor. I don’t have any strong feelings in the other categories. For the rest of the editorial, see page 68.

–C.N. Brown 

LOCUS April 2006 / 59

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“Metzger takes cutting-edge science, roils it with startling action, and grabs you on a rocket-propelled ride.

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“I like transparency. As science fiction writers, we’ve learned a stylistic game which allows us to do interesting things and compress a lot of information into a very small space, but it also causes problems. I think it’s still possible to write a good, thoughtful SF novel that is also accessible as a story. For that, you can’t do the ultra-compressed-data thing or the head-expanding thing. What irritates me is the insistence that the only valid science fiction is intentionally difficult. That’s absolutism, and I don’t like it because I do think accessibility is a literary value.”

ELIZABETH BEAR

BRO KEN FUTURES

Sarah Bear Elizabeth Wishnevsky was born September 22, 1971 in Hartford, Connecticut.

She attended the University of Connecticut, where she studied English and Anthropology, but did not graduate. She has worked as a technical writer, a stable hand, a reporter, and in various office jobs. Though she sold a few stories to small-press publications in the ’90s, she only began writing seriously in 2001, and has produced numerous novels and short stories since.

Her first novel Hammered (2005) began the Jenny Casey trilogy — actually a single long novel published in three volumes — which also includes Scardown (2005) and Worldwired (2005). Forthcoming books include standalone SF novels Undertow and Carnival; the first two books in her sprawling Promethean Age fantasy series, Blood & Iron and Whiskey & Water; and a collection, The Chains that You Refuse (2006). She won the Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2005.

She married Christopher Kindred in 2000

and moved to North Las Vegas, Nevada, where she lived until moving back to Connecticut in 2006.

• “As soon as I figured out that people wrote books, and they didn’t spontaneously generate like worms from meat (to use a literally unsavory metaphor), I wanted to tell stories. I have

clear memories as far back as first grade of writing stories. In second or third grade I was writing science fiction involving dinosaurs, and stories about racehorses (which I expect were all extremely derivative of Walter Farley’s work).

“I’m a third-generation SF fan on both sides, which is why the dedication in Scardown is to my antecedents. The New Wave is the first science fiction I fell in love with, reading it in the late ’70s — I look back now and see the influences. My mom had no age-appropriate books, so I was reading Jo Clayton when I was ten. I was also reading John Brunner and didn’t understand the half of it, but it was great (people being kidnapped in taxi cabs — yeah!). Brunner, John Varley, Joanna Russ... And Roger Zelazny’s Lord of Light: that’s a brain-buster of a book! In college I compulsively read the infamous ‘Minnesota Crew’: Steve Brust, Caroline Stevermer, Emma Bull. That kind of fantasy I adore, so there are probably some similarities to that in my work as well.

“I turned 30 within a month of 9/11, and LOCUS April 2006 / 61

lost my job in the immediate aftermath. I spent about a month watching daytime television and sending out resumes. There’s only so much daytime TV you can watch and so many times you can take the dogs to the park, so I started writing.

At that point, it was just something to fill up the time. Then a friend sent me to an online writing workshop. There are two kinds of writing workshop, in a very broad sense: cheerleaders, and people who are driven and obsessed. By sheer luck, I happened to fall into a group who were driven, always urging each other to submit, to do better, to write more stories. For some reason, in that high-pressure situation I really thrived. I wrote my first completed novel by January 2002. (It’s ittybitty and not very good — a typical first novel in that the ideas are kinda cool but the implementation is lacking.)

“Since late 2001 I’ve written 14 books, two of which are collaborations and several of which are very short. I had already published a few short stories in small markets because I had taken a fairly serious push at the writing thing when I was about 25, but at that point I wasn’t a good enough writer and I wasn’t mature enough.

In late 2002 I wrote Hammered, which was a book I had started in my 20s and couldn’t finish. I tend to be a very deconstructive writer — I look for the flaws or wormholes in things — and Hammered plays with some cyberpunk tropes, picks up some of that stuff and looks at it, but doesn’t develop it the way a cyberpunk novel would.

A lot of cyberpunk brushes by the physical, personal cost of modifications. People just lop their arms off because they can. I got interested in what it would actually be like to walk around with a lump of metal attached to your body, not just a prosthetic arm but a metal arm. (I had to come up with some justification for that, because normally they try to make prosthetics look as real as possible unless there’s a structural reason not to — for example, a running prosthetic.)

“In a lot of science fiction the future’s awfully shiny. They have all this wonderful future-tech, but there’s nothing persisting from past worlds. My grandmother had an avocadogreen rotary-dial telephone affixed to the wall of her kitchen until the day she died in 1992, and when my mother moved out of that house seven years later the phone was still on the wall. For all I know, it’s still there. Technology is persistent.

There are always early-adopters and people who upgrade everything constantly (many science fiction writers and readers are that way). But I wanted to write about the bugs, the broken and leftover things.

“The Green Man Review pointed out that the main theme of Hammered is salvage, finding new uses for broken things. How many of us have driven a ten-year-old car where you have to put the key in just right or it won’t start? I have a Chevy truck that’s nearly old enough to have its

own license, and while I was writing this book it had a semi-broken ignition. That kind of thing rarely happens in science fiction novels, unless it’s an ongoing plot joke. But in my novel the ships on Mars are broken, and all the main characters are broken in one way or another.

They’re suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and they also have external problems to solve. (That’s a heck of a thing to try to write.)

“The three Jenny Casey books — Hammered, Scardown, and Worldwired — were written as one novel, but not all at the

don’t think any of these people have actually read the books). I was writing about a future in which America was not strong and Canada had a space program — though it’s not actually Canada; it’s the Commonwealth, a loose alliance of former British colonies who have banded together in the face of the Asian and European and South American super-nations.

And I wanted to talk about private-sector spaceflight and the ways that could become a viable alternative, as opposed to just an interesting curiosity. (This is even more relevant now than when I wrote it — the universe is really helping me here.) I think the right-wingers just looked at the spine and thought, ‘Oh, she’s running down capitalism.’ There are also a couple of references to ‘Christian fascists’ and somebody thought that was about the current administration, but that wasn’t really my intent at the time.

At least I’m making waves. People are talking.

“I’ve finished and delivered another science fiction novel, Carnival, which is coming out in the fall. (2006 is a three-book year, and 2007 is only going to be a twobook year. Something can be said for having a deep trunk.) It’s set in a libertarian feminist dystopia where men are kind of second-class citizens — I’ve been telling people it’s the unholy love child of Joanna Russ and Robert Heinlein. This planet goes by the unlikely name of New Amazonia. (As one of the residents says to a visitor from Earth, ‘Just because we’re feminists doesn’t mean we don’t have a sense of humor.’) It also has an energy source which is the cool, shiny science-fictional idea in the book. Now I’m working on Undertow, another SF novel involving a floating city.

“This summer’s book will be Blood & Iron, my first fantasy novel. That should be the first novel in what hopefully will be a vast, sprawling cycle called The Promethean Age. So far I’ve written five books in it and two are sold — Blood & Iron and Whiskey & Water (scheduled for 2007). They are standalone novels that all take place in the same world, our own or one very close to it, and have similar characters. I’m dealing with fairies, so there are people who can live 400 years. The books are set largely in Faerie, New York City, and Connecticut. I like writing about the places I grew up and places I’ve lived, because it’s harder to write about a city you’ve never lived in and make it feel real.

“My dad is a blues banjo player, and because of that I’m really aware of and interested in the folk process thing as well as the way novels interlock and comment on each other. It’s fascinating how stories change as they get handed down. Morgan Le Fey is a major recurring secondary character in almost every book of this series — the trick is, she keeps reinventing herself as the stories change. She’s hanging on, but she can’t control the stories so they literally

“In a lot of science fiction the future’s awfully shiny. They have all this wonderful future-tech, but there’s nothing persisting from past worlds.

My grandmother had an avocadogreen rotary-dial telephone affixed to the wall of her kitchen until the day she died in 1992, and when my mother moved out of that house seven years later the phone was still on the wall. For all I know, it’s still there.

Technology is persistent.”

62 / LOCUS April 2006

same time. At the end of Hammered I knew I had gotten to a pause point, not the end of the story. Scardown is the Empire Strikes Back of the trilogy, because of that really downer ending. I used a classical three-act structure because it’s a thriller plot, so you have the ascending action, then this nadir point at the end of the second book — though in the third book, Worldwired, things actually get worse.

Finding a suitable climax was quite a challenge, since it’s hard to come up with a bigger threat than what happened in the second book. I have ideas for two more books set in that milieu at some point in the future, but they probably would not have the same characters (I’m a very character-driven writer).

“There’s a lot in those books that’s intentionally a tour of the last 30 years of science fiction: a cyberpunk thread, a military history thread, a singularity thread. They’re very selfaware books, with a lot of participation in the ‘genre conversation’ and looking at the way the various tracks in that conversation interlink.

People talk about science fiction splitting into all these subgenres that have nothing to do with each other, but really they all come from the same place; they’re just approaching it from different angles.

“Certain right-wing portions of the Internet call me a ‘propaganda artist’ (though I

remake her.

“I don’t write wish-fulfillment fantasy. The Promethean Age is all urban fantasy and secret history. Writing the Elizabethans was really rigorous historical secret history, since I tried not to contradict anything known, and that was far more difficult and logically exhausting than science fiction. In SF you just have to justify things; this was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing, and then you had to paint pieces to put in the gaps and try to make it all match.

“I write my science fiction and fantasy exactly the same way: I try to be very rigorous and create logical structures. Science fiction is this great big chessboard, a game where you’re moving stuff around, breaking it to see what happens. It’s the literature of testing to destruction.

(I like ‘guy movies’ — explosions are fun.) Some of the best SF has always been about stuff that wasn’t possible, like Brian Aldiss’s giant web-spinners between Earth and the moon, so I don’t think the process is all that different. It just depends on what trope you’re playing with. The whole genre of nanotech is basically black magic now; you can do anything. Time travel is one of the classical examples, considered a science fiction trope but not really possible (well, except on a very small scale, currently).

“I don’t have much patience for the ‘science fiction is dead’ argument. I think it’s thriving.

Because of the breadth of the genre at the moment, a lot of things are published that aren’t to anyone’s taste, so if you’re a glass-half-empty person you’ll think, ‘There’s a lot of crap being published, but it’s not the crap I liked when I was a kid.’ But I love that there are SF writers out there who can say, ‘I don’t write science fiction’ and be taken seriously. I love that there’s this whole literary movement going on, and also a resurgence of the pulp movement. I want to write both. My aesthetic goal is to write literary novels that can be read as pulp novels. So far, some of them are a little more literary and some a little more pulp, but it would be fantastic to do both at the same time. And the best science fiction novels have always been that way.

“There are some books now where you’ve got to know the scaffolding — be steeped in SF — before you walk into them, or they’re just going to knock you right over. You have to come in with the tools to get a grip on it as a reader.

While I respect that and enjoy those books, I think they make it difficult for a new reader to come into the field at this point, in a way that it wasn’t when you were reading E.E. ‘Doc’ Smith or Heinlein. I like transparency. As science fiction writers, we’ve learned a stylistic game which allows us to do interesting things and compress a lot of information into a very small space, but it also causes problems. I think it’s still possible to write a good, thoughtful SF

novel that is also accessible as a story. For that, you can’t do the ultra-compressed-data thing or the head-expanding thing. What irritates me is the insistence that the only valid science fiction is intentionally difficult. That’s absolutism, and I don’t like it because I do think accessibility is a literary value. (Not the only literary value; it can be traded off for other things.)

“When I write about the future, a few things are very present issues for me. One is environmentalism — not in a ‘fluffy bunny’ way, but in the way we’re really endangering ourselves. We can’t damage the planet long-

term; in a hundred thousand years, anything we can do to it at our current level of technology is going to be obliterated. I wonder if the environmental movement has made a tremendous error in casting it as ‘Save the Planet.’ Really, it’s a ‘Save the Humans’ campaign, trying to save our standard of living and make the planet as pleasant a place for as many of us to live, for as long as possible — as opposed to our current system, making the planet as pleasant as possible for the richest one percent, for the next couple of generations. Like many science fiction writers, I am not personally a member of the richest one percent. I am scared, and I don’t know if we have a chance to pull it out. We may have let it slide too far, though I’m eager to be wrong about it.

“You have your sexy disaster novels and your unsexy disaster novels. Lucifer’s Hammer is a sexy disaster novel, because you’ve got this gigantic, exciting disaster — the kind where the people who are supposed to survive do, and build a new society that conforms to the ideological expectations of the book. (And, we’re given to understand, somewhere on our reader identification level, that we would be among the elite.) The counterexample is John Varley’s story ‘The Manhattan Phone Book, Abridged’, which establishes the characters and then says, about a third of the way through, ‘One day seven bombs

fell on Manhattan.’ Then it goes on to tell you how people die, these horrible deaths for everybody. That is an unsexy disaster story. On some level, I wanted Hammered to be an unsexy disaster story.

“Having mentioned the drowning of New Orleans in Hammered or Scardown, Hurricane Katrina was a very weird experience. (I also had a story about it in Strange Horizons, which will also be in a chapbook we’re putting together with a bunch of stories about New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.) I had destroyed Houston too, pretty much wiped out the entire Gulf Coast. It’s one thing to do that in fiction, and another to watch it happening. It was really uncomfortable for me. I felt personally responsible.

“I kind of like the human race.

Some of the individuals are really fascinating. Of course in the book I do have them blow each other up, and I think it’s a better book because of that. I blame Peter Watts and Kim Stanley Robinson for giving me the courage to do it, because I had recently read both Starfish and the Mars books, which have cataclysmic events. I thought, ‘Well, if Peter and Stan can do it, I can.’

“We’ve been through some fairly significant catastrophes — the odd Ice Age, the Black Plague — which aren’t a big deal in geologic terms, but if you’re thinking in human terms it’s really unpleasant. If a tremendous cataclysm happens, or simply a readjustment on the scale of the Black Death, you’re still talking about losing an awful lot of people. The Death was an interesting hiccup in history that quite possibly led to the Renaissance, but the personal emotional impact on us now is insignificant. The emotional impact on the people who lived through it was significant.

“The other thing about the Apocalypse is, you still have to get up and wash the dishes the next morning. It does not get you out of having to do your chores, if you happen to live through it, and in fact it adds more chores. They’re messy, like a car crash on a global scale. All of a sudden there’s all this paperwork. That sort of thing isn’t dealt with a lot in fiction. Either it’s the end of the world and nobody’s going to survive it, or it’s the end of the world and we’re going to build this new society out of the ashes.

“Though I’ve written some very pessimistic books, I’m not a pessimist; I have faith in the persistence of life. But I’ve taken my motto from the infamous Ursula K. Le Guin comment: ‘As for ideology, the hell with it — all of it.’ I can’t commit to ideologies. I think the best novels don’t purport to answer questions but ask them and then discuss them, as opposed to the didactic ones that present a solution as ‘this is the best way to do things.’ I can appreciate it in somebody else, but I’m a fencesitter. I hate having to make up my mind.”

—Elizabeth Bear LOCUS April 2006 / 63

Octavia E. Butler

was Octavia M. So, to this day, I talk of Estelle. For me, ‘‘Octavia’’ was a cosmic entity set apart from the sequoia-sized black young woman I met that Saturday midday back in 1969. (And Estelle always got annoyed Harlan Ellison® shared the story of his first time meetwhen someone left out the ‘‘E.’’) She was Junie or ing Octavia via speakerphone.

Junior to her mother and grandmother, to the world A slide show of candid photos of Octavia played she was a Great Lady named Octavia, but to me she on the wall behind the speakers and a few minutes of an interview that Octavia did with Vulcan Produc- was Estelle. For close to 40 years, without hubris.

She was 22, graceful but with a stride, a presence, a tions for their oral history program ended that portion of the night. Laughter and tears were shared alike vessel of gravitas, even then. She was going to college during the open-mic session as people stood up and at the time. When I met her that Saturday I think she’d already gotten her associate’s degree from Pasadena spoke about what Octavia meant to them. The evening City College (she’d been born in Pasadena in 1947, closed with Ernestine Walker, Octavia’s cousin, who and there hadn’t been money for her to go to a more said, ‘‘There is an African proverb: ‘As long as you speak my name, I live.’ I think her name will not be upscale academy). Or maybe she had just started at UCLA. Can’t remember which. forgotten, or her life.’’

But I remember as if it were this last Saturday, the moment I laid eyes on her.

She Was Estelle I was standing in the doorway of the ‘‘classroom’’

by Harlan Ellison® with Irv (whose last name, damn me, I can’t rememIf Eleanor Roosevelt had been born black and with a rich, teakwood voice, she would have become Octavia ber, though it was Irv who actually started the Open Estelle Butler. Like Eleanor Roosevelt, Estelle was a Door Program), and we were talking about whatever, and this... this gigantic woman came Great Woman. down the hall and stopped and shyly Not merely breathtakingly acOctavia E. Butler (1988) (shyly) asked us, ‘‘Is this the ‘Open complished as a thinker and writer, Door Program’ for television writ- Not today, not 2006, when for most people under but Great in the most scrupulous ing?’’ And Irv responded that it was, thirty nostalgia is what they had for breakfast. ’69, definition of the word: gracious, and welcome. I stood mute, if you can ’70 – black folks and white folks still stared at each warmhearted, droll, instinctual, contain that knowledge. Mute, because other warily across the chasm. kind and ethical, loyal, capable of standing next to her I felt less 5’5’’ But she said okay, and I took her in my car (she surmounting ontogeny and phylogthan I’d ever felt. Standing next to each didn’t have one, she rode the buses) to Beverly eny with one hand tied behind her other, we were some kind of vaudeville Hills. back... a Great Woman. replay of the 1939 World’s Fair trylon Oh hell yes, I knew what I was doing.

Please understand that what I am and perisphere.

Straight into Nate’n’Al’s Delicatessen on Beverly about to say next is utterly without She had seen a printed notice of the Drive. Into the belly of the beast. hubris. But: no matter who you are, Open Door that someone had clipped She was very nervous about it. We sat in a booth in reading these words, I knew her from the WGAw Newsletter and posted the middle of the room, and her head and shoulders long before she came to your attenat her school. She was broke, she wanted and chest rose above the level of the partitions; and tion. I knew her first in 1969. Only voraciously to write, and for a deranged hers was the only black face in the joint, rising like four years after the awful Watts Octavia E. Butler (1978) moment in her life she a massif of basalt in a snowfield. And Riots that opened a chasm between thought, ‘‘Maybe TV is what I the bloodshot eyes of every Jew in that black and white here in Los Angeles that has yet to should write.’’ Ohmigawd! place were on her; and I told her, ‘‘Igbe closed properly.

Because she had always liked nore them, they’re just marking time To the end of closing that gap, members of the reading science fiction, and because with pastrami till the next pogrom.’’

Hollywood screenwriting community started a grand I told her there was a writing talent workshop under the auspices of the WGAw – Writ- she knew my work specifically, she in her that was extraordinary, a vast ers Guild of America, west – and it was called ‘‘The asked to be in my Open Door class, uh, specifically, so I was the one well of insight and love of the proper Open Door Program.’’ It was an attempt to teach the word in the proper place, and what she basics to theretofore-excluded members of the many who took her two sample TV sitcom scripts off to read, at the end of that should be writing was not disposable minority communities: Blacks, Latinos, Latinas, first session together. sitcom persiflage, but serious short Asian-Americans, Filipinos, and on and on. Aleuts, (What I did not know, then, but stories, science fiction or otherwise, Okies, People on Crutches. till she learned enough to be doing I was one of the original instructors. Only seven learned very quickly thereafter, novelettes, and then on to novellas, and years into my own career as a scenarist, and I was was that she had already begun a preliminary version of what later finally – soon, very soon – novels. presumptuous enough to think I could teach others.

Octavia E. Butler (1978) She hinted that she had been workBut I’d helped start the Clarion Workshop under Robin became Kindred. But at the time she gave me the two sample TV scripts, I had no idea if ing on just such a thing, a science fiction novel, sort Scott Wilson at Clarion College in Pennsylvania, so I this child could write or not.) of, but she never uttered the word Kindred. What was drunk on my own self-righteousness.

Ohmigawd! knocked me over, though, for someone as impressive Then I met Estelle.

They were awful. As a TV writer she was as good and contained as Estelle seemed to me during that I almost never called her ‘‘Octavia.’’ When we met, a fit as argyles on an inchworm. But... in there... in first lunch, was... she told me her name was ‘‘Estelle,’’ and that was among the actual words... there was a cleverness, a She was almost in tears, that great private lady, because in her family, where she was called ‘‘Junior’’ because this was the first real encouragement beyond or ‘‘Junie,’’ she was Octavia Estelle, and her mother sense that this young woman heard the music. She just needed someone to tell her to listen for her family that she’d had since beginning to worship the write (I intended that) symphony. the word at age ten. We became fast friends, and we What I said to her was exactly this: ‘‘Es- ate together when I could bully her into appearing telle, when it comes to wasting your time in public; and then I’d drive to pick her up, to meet with TV crap, you can’t write for owl poop.’’ her at a bus stop, and to take her to a dining place She laughed. She covered her mouth, and she outside Watts or South Central. For a while, she was laughed. (It was a phrase she used against working as a bagger at a supermarket while putting me, in jest, many times in the years that fol- herself through college, ALL THE WHILE taking lowed.) care of her mom and grandmother at the same time.

But it wasn’t so much what I said, as it was It was clear she was a supremely private person, where I said it. awkward in public situations, fiercely determined to After class, a class in which I purposely gave lead her own life despite barriers we would consider her short shrift when discussions came ’round, insurmountable. She was the pure incarnation of a because I didn’t want to share what I had to strong, proud woman. In apocryphal metaphor, all say to her with the other well-meaning (but of that was evident when she would laugh: she had light-years less talented) and impressionable bad teeth, not having had the funds to get them corstudents, I asked her to stay behind, and when rected, and she would cover her mouth like a geisha the room cleared out I asked her if she’d have when she found something funny. She was private, she lunch with me. was embarrassed, but she was strong and determined Little white Jew from Ohio asks grand and and wouldn’t let even her own shyness stop her from large black lady to eat with him. 1969 or ’70. moving forward.

Dan Simmons, Octavia E. Butler, Harlan Ellison® (1988)  p. 7

64 / LOCUS April 2006

And so, she began writing science fiction stories.

She tried one short story that wasn’t bad, but I rejected it for a forthcoming anthology, and urged her to go at it again. She did. Over and over, and I bought the third one. It was magnificent. Then she started on a novel, Patternmaster, but that was after I convinced her she had to work at a more intense workshop level, and I paid her way to the six-week Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers’ Workshop in Clarion, Pennsylvania. I had started the workshop with Damon Knight, James Blish, Judith Merril, Robin Scott Wilson, and Kate Wilhelm, at Clarion State College. I had also funded an annual Scholarship. Estelle was the third recipient.

She became my full-time student.

She did spectacularly at Clarion, both with me and with the other five professionals who taught a week each on rotation... and soon after the six-week workshop I spoke at the World SF Convention in Pittsburgh (I was recently reminded by another Clarion student of that year) and I mentioned Estelle at length, prominently, saying quite clearly that she was about to become one of the most important writers in the genre.

It was the first time the name Octavia E. Butler was spoken in literary circles. I may or may not have added that she was a black woman. Unlike to some, it seemed to me a small matter when discussing her talent.

After Clarion came Patternmaster. I helped her with the mss. Then I contacted my friend Pat LoBrutto, an editor at Doubleday, told him of Estelle, and asked him to read the mss. If he liked it, I asked, would he pass it on to the then-editor of SF at Doubleday, with a recommendation? He did just that, the editor (a white woman) bought it, and in 1977 Estelle’s first novel was published.

She received $1,500 for the rights. It was more money at one time than she had ever earned.

She dedicated her second book Mind of My Mind to me and her mother and the other guy, Irv, who had taught her.

She had her teeth fixed.

Her third book for Doubleday was an expansion of the short story I’d rejected, Survivor. On the flyleaf of my first edition hardcover, Estelle wrote, ‘‘Remember when you rejected this?’’

To this day, that was the one book she wouldn’t let her agent, Merrilee Heifetz of Writers House, submit for re-publication. She was still getting a measly $1,500 for a full novel. SF was not a high-paying venue.

The fourth book was Kindred. If you look at the still-in-print trade paperback reprint, you will see an extravagant encomium on the cover. It bears my name. The book took off. It was not published as ‘‘SF’’ but smartly as ‘‘a novel.’’ People began to notice her. She called me to say she didn’t think she could do the public signings Doubleday had proposed. We talked. I chivvied her. She did it. She came to love doing it... not to mention the lecturing, in that voice that one can only approach for sonority if one stands among the colonnades of Notre Dame, and projects to the farthest niche.

When it came time for the MacArthur ‘‘Genius’’ Prize to be awarded, I was one of the people approached to select the recipient. They called and said, ‘‘We’ve decided it should go to a black person this year.’’ How fucking egalitarian, I replied, though I may not have said fucking. Anyhow, it was my letter extolling her worth and abilities that in some part got her the money to buy that nice house in Seattle.

When I wrote my novella ‘‘Mefisto in Onyx’’ with its black viewpoint protagonist, I needed to know if I was ‘‘on,’’ or if I’d screwed the pooch. I sent it to ladies and gentlemen of color

articulately, and it was always to who were authors I respected and the point and very clarifying – but whom I knew were my equals or she didn’t say a lot. During our betters. I sent it to Chip Delany, personal conference I remember and to Steve Barnes, and to Gar feeling great warmth toward her Anthony Haywood... and to and support for her – I remember Estelle. She called to straighten liking her immensely. We shared a me out in half a dozen places, lot: we were both black, we were and she made half a dozen other both dyslexic, and we were both suggestions of things I never in a science fiction writers. million years would’ve thought But I lived on the east coast. of. The bright student trumped Octavia lived in the west. We the arrogant old master. Jeezus, I didn’t see each other again for 15 thought the world of her! or so years. Eventually, however, I knew her for close on 40 we were both invited to speak years. We talked frequently. together at the Schomberg Library She was, indeed, an aramite, a of African American Literature in recluse, a hermit; but she knew New York City’s Harlem. who her friends were, and my life By this time, Octavia had pubis honored to be able to say I was lished several novels. It was an one of those friends; maybe even Octavia E. Butler (1984) afternoon program, and I rememthe first one. ber how astonished – and, yes, delighted – I was at I thought you might find these words salient. Sad, the way, over the intervening years, she had gained but without hubris. such self-confidence. This was a wonderful public –Harlan Ellison® speaker, with a presence easy to call majestic. As I Copyright © 2006 by told her afterward, it was a pleasure and an honor to The Kilimanjaro Corporation appear with her.

When, in ’95, she won a MacArthur Fellowship Octavia E. Butler – the coveted ‘‘genius award’’ – I think Octavia was

by Samuel R. Delany both pleased and a bit flustered. More than once she The first I heard of Octavia Butler was many years ago, shortly after I arrived to teach at the Clarion Work- has said in interviews, with modesty, ‘‘I’m no genius.’’

But if we accept Lessing’s description of genius from shop, and Harlan, who had taught the week before, got me aside to tell me there was a student he had urged his 1756 study, Laocoon, ‘‘Genius is the ability to put strongly to come to Clarion because of her extraordi- talent wholly into the service of an idea,’’ then, yes, Butler wrote stories and novels of genius. nary talent and whom he was particularly concerned There were lots more appearances together, and all about, because he did not want her to get overlooked in the crush. Next morning, in the first workshop session, of them made me proud – in Atlanta, in Philadelphia, in the circle I noted the tall young woman of 23, who, it in New York, in Atlanta again, in Miami....

The last program we did was in November 2004, in soon became clear as the week went on, was extremely Washington DC, at the Smithsonian; it was also the shy. When she had something to say, she said it, clearly, last time I saw her in person. In the green room, before we went on, Octavia was drinking orange juice, and we laughed together about the rainy weather outside – which did not keep a standing room only crowd away from the auditorium that night. In the Q & A period, after Octavia had eloquently discussed the writing process of Parable of the Talents, when the questioners lined up at the microphone in the aisle, early on one young man explained that he had a question for Ms. Butler and, after telling her how much her work meant to him, whipped out a sheaf of paper and asked, ‘‘My question, Ms. Butler, is: Will you read my film script?’’

After a moment of silence, from the stage, Octavia said, firmly: ‘‘No.’’ People laughed. Though still smiling, the young man looked a bit crestfallen – as though to say, ‘‘Well, at least I tried.’’ A moment later, more gently, Octavia said, ‘‘Even if I read it, there’s nothing I could do for you.’’

Firm, kind, committed, and wonderfully astute and articulate, Octavia made the concerns of science fiction real for many, many black Americans. As well, she used the various situations of black Americans to give resonance and richness to many science fictional ideas. Short WWarner Books fictions such as ‘‘Bloodchild’’, ‘‘Speech Sounds’’, and ‘‘Amnesty’’ will hold their place in the canon of American thought and writing for a long time, as will the novels Kindred, Parable of the Sower, and Parable of the Talents, among novels of ideas. Octavia Butler is a writer and a person who is loved, who is missed.

I taught her works – and her stories always produced the most provocative

In Memoriam

Octavia Butler 1947-2006



LOCUS April 2006 / 65

 Octavia E. Butler of discussions.

I miss and mourn the woman and the writer.

–Samuel R. Delany Octavia E. Butler

by Joe Haldeman Gay and I got to know Octavia Butler, Estelle, pretty well when we spent two weeks touring the Soviet Union with a science fiction group in 1982. It made us all nervous, but Estelle especially so, since she was physically unlike anyone the KGB and other police-types had ever seen, in a place where being different is dangerous. (There were black people in Russia, but they tended to be tall skinny ebony people from Africa.) I think she learned more from the experience than the rest of us. A different angle on being The Other.

Over the next couple of decades we ran into each other the way SF people do, though we lived about as far apart, the Northwest and Florida, as is physically possible in the States. Not so far apart in other ways.

I was happy to present her Nebula Award a few years ago for Parable of the Talents, and like anyone who knew her was overjoyed when she was recognized by the MacArthur Foundation with a Genius Grant.

She was funny about that, being given an honor that no other science fiction writer has earned. She was glad, she said, that nobody made her take an IQ test for it. ‘‘I knew I’m no genius.’’

Well, maybe a genius is anyone who’s produced a work of genius. Estelle did that more than once.

She was a naturally sweet and caring woman, as well as (or in spite of) being intellectually complex and, later in life, worldly. She beat dyslexia and pathological shyness to become a sought-after public speaker and recently returned to Clarion (where she apprenticed in 1970) as a teacher.

On a site dedicated to her work she’s quoted: ‘‘I’m a 53-year-old writer who can remember being a 10year-old writer and who expects someday to be an 80-year-old writer.’’ If only it could be so. She would have made a great old lady, as funny and perceptive and sympathetic as she was only yesterday.

–Joe Haldeman For Octavia: A Remembrance Of My Friend And Neighbor

by Steven Barnes After my mother died in December of 1983, I moved back to the old neighborhood, to her house.

At that time, Octavia lived on West Boulevard, only about six blocks away.

I had met her shortly after my first publications in 1980, probably at a Loscon, but it was only after we both appeared at a book signing in 1994, and she asked me for a ride home, that I realized we lived almost next door to each other. My wife Toni and I invited her over for dinner frequently, and we would go

Bill Rotsler, Octavia E. Butler, David Brin (1996)

66 / LOCUS April 2006

to her house as well. I have no distinct memory of her ever cooking dinner. Usually when it was her turn, she took us to some small, homey restaurant where we would talk writing and life.

After Samuel R. Delany stopped publishing science fiction, for many years Octavia and I were the only blacks working in the field. She was, quite literally, the only person in the world I could talk to about some of my own doubts, fears, and dreams. If I hadn’t had her to talk to... I’m just not sure how I would have coped.

Her house was a duplex, with bars on the door and windows, and I remember that she often felt a sense of insecurity, fear of crime in the neighborhood, and neglect on the part of our national political leaders.

Fear and stress seemed to crop up in conversation... and in her work... quite a bit. Her house was crammed with books from top to bottom, but at that time there was no television set. She traveled mostly by bus, when she couldn’t get a ride. And she loved to walk, which made it more painful to read that, by the end of her life, she could barely walk a dozen steps without stopping to catch her breath.

More than anything else, she loved writing, and learning. I remember not seeing her for several months, and then when we got together the way she regaled me with stories of her trip up the Amazon, performing field work that was later incorporated into her Xenogenesis trilogy. She was so incredibly animated talking of plants and insects and the densely interwoven tapestry of rainforest life.

Although quite physically imposing, she rarely raised her voice. I do remember one time when a question about ‘‘Trickle-Down’’ economics was asked during a Q & A at, I believe, Los Angeles City College. My God, she was furious with Ronald Reagan, and believed that such policies were a denial of humanity and reality, an attempt to present selfishness as the highest virtue. The hapless questioner wilted under Octavia’s deconstruction of his arguments, and the entire lecture hall was filled with the thunder of her intellect and passion. Then that angry aura shrank, and she was the polite, introverted author once again.

Octavia, like many truly great artists, had a deep thread of insecurity, a seeming inability to simply accept the accolades she began to receive. The awards garnered in the science fiction field were meaningful, but it was feminist readers, and black female read-

ers, who really discovered her and began to lift her from poverty. The MacArthur ‘‘genius’’ grant was the final stroke, an acknowledgement of her quality that seemed to convince her at last that she was a writer of real substance, that she had a right to her opinions, and that she had become not merely beloved and admired, but a role model for women, black women in particular.

Most of all, I remember the depth of her voice and laughter, the clarity of her thought. There was only one thing that kept me from calling her more often after she moved to Seattle. Whenever we spoke, however long we spoke, there seemed a reluctance to end the conversation, a sense from her end that she was lonelier than she could admit. And that pain made it difficult, sometimes, to initiate a call. I am so sorry about that. She was extraordinarily dear, and there will never be anyone quite like her. I can only hope that she knows how much I miss her, and what a difference she made in my life.

–Steven Barnes Octavia’s Healing Power

by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu I named my daughter Anya, after Anyanwu, a character from Octavia Butler’s book Wild Seed.

Anyanwu means ‘‘Eye of the Sun’’ in the Igbo language, which is the ethnic group that my daughter’s father and I come from, though we were both born in the United States.

Octavia’s character was the first African, Nigerian, Igbo fantastical being that I ever came across in fiction.

Anyanwu was a shapeshifter who could become any animal whose flesh she’d tasted. I’ve always been fond of birds and their ability to fly, and when Anyanwu changed into a bird, my imagination soared.

Anyanwu could make herself a man or a woman, young or old. She had super-human physical strength and, in my opinion, a super-human capacity to care and nurture other people. She could heal herself of any disease, once she’d figured out how it worked.

She was practically immortal, having already lived for three hundred years when we first meet her in Wild Seed. And she was a leader but could follow when she had to.

To sum it up, she was the strongest, most amazing black woman I’d ever read about. There are several reasons why the name is perfect for my daughter.

This is Octavia’s greatest influence on me as a writer.

She documented ideas and characters that I had only dreamed about. And by putting them in writing, she made them real, she made them possible.

I uncovered my first Octavia Butler novel, Wild Seed, while at the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop at Michigan State in 2001. I noticed the book at a bookstore because on the cover was a picture of a mysterious-looking dark-skinned black woman with wild hair and this book was in the science fiction and fantasy section. A very rare combination indeed.

Octavia E. Butler (1984)

At the time in the workshop, I was writing a story about an Efik woman in Nigeria who learned to fly.

The story was set in the 1920s. This character was mean, selfish, promiscuous, strong willed and quite frankly, she disturbed me. When I read Wild Seed, I practically cried. There, in the book’s pages, living in a remote Nigerian village long ago, was Anyanwu, complex, Nigerian, and mythical. It was after reading that book that I went through my own ‘‘transition’’ and started to call myself a writer of science fiction and fantasy.

Octavia’s fiction contained a lot of firsts for me: black people and people of color featured at the forefront of stories set in well-imagined strange worlds and situations. Stories where race and gender were thoughtfully factored and woven into the type of fiction that I’ve loved since I could read. The most memorable characters I’ve ever read.

And all of this was written in and rendered by sparse bold prose that grabbed me by the neck and didn’t let go even after the story ended.

On the other hand, Octavia also deeply disturbed me. In the Xenogenesis series, I was forced to seriously question my ideas about gender when she introduced me to the Oankali, aliens who have three sexes: male, female, and ooloi.

The ooloi enabled the others to reproduce by blending elements of their genetic makeup. And they did the same with human beings, shifting the entire dynamics of human male-female relationships.

Needless to say, Octavia’s ideas stretched my mind so much that it never recovered to its previous shape.

I was changed.

Butler was only 58 when she passed. Amongst her many awards were the MacArthur Foundation ‘‘genius’’ grant and multiple Nebula and Hugo awards.

She had many more books in her. I met her for the first time a few months ago at the Gwendolyn Brooks Writer’s Conference. She was such a charming lady and she had a real sense of humor. When I interviewed her for Black Issues Book Review she told me why it’s been six years since her last novel. ‘‘It’s taken me this long because of all sorts of unpleasant things,’’ she said. ‘‘Health problems, writer’s block, the kind of medicines that makes you more interested in dozing off.’’

She’d wanted to write but could not. Her latest novel Fledgling came out in September. Octavia said that she was able to focus and write it because it was a chase story that was ‘‘avalanching toward an end.’’

A friend of mine who is an African-American fantasy writer summed it up best when she said: What do I love about Octavia Butler? She dared. She dared to create characters who had the audacity to be black and female and exist in the future, with aliens at that! She dared to be powerful, to create nations, and birth religions. She is an unapologetic writer. And she succeeded.

–Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu Octavia E. Butler

by Noel Sturgeon Octavia Butler was a stellar writer, groundbreaking in the field of science fiction, especially feminist science fiction, and not just because she was a black woman in a white male-dominated field. Her writing challenged norms of style, subject matter, and feeling.

Her themes were central to the crucial questions we face in contemporary society: genetic engineering, environmental degradation, the unequal exploitation of labor, racism, wresting control of women’s reproduction from men, the proper mix of religion with politics, and the ethics of cross-cultural relationships.

I’ve been a fan for a long time, reading everything Ms. Butler ever wrote and also everything anyone wrote about her. And her work was widely read outside genre audiences, in particular by feminist theorists and academics. She consistently challenged accepted notions of gender, race, and sexuality while telling a riveting story – quite a trick. To me, personally, she crossed a bridge between science fiction and academic feminist criticism, a bridge I sometimes feel I live on.

Given my love of her work, I was thrilled when she

Wayne Chang, Octavia E. Butler, Betsy Mitchell (1995) accepted an invitation to lecture at my university. I was excited to meet her, talk to her, and listen to her stories of having my father as a teacher in a writing class at UCLA. She graciously agreed to meet with several classes and groups of students, and, as her host, I was lucky enough to accompany her and listen and watch. What I noticed immediately was her deep modesty, her humor, and her careful way of listening to anyone who spoke with her. As the visit progressed, I noticed something else. She wanted everyone she met to become a writer. She believed anyone who wanted to could write. She thought writing could save your life.

It became clear that she believed it had saved hers. She was absolutely in love with writing, as a form of art, as a rhetoric of liberation, as an act of deep commitment to life. Whatever topic she took up with the students, she would turn it to this one: have you thought about writing? Did you ever try to write down that idea? Why not make a story out of that interaction? Everyone is a beginner sometime, so why not start now? Just take a chance and see if you like to write. It was always gently put, not hectoring or insistent, but steady and supportive – very simply an article of her faith. And I know for a fact at least two young writers were born from that visit.

I did see Ms. Butler a couple of times after that, but one more anecdote stands out for me as exemplary of the unique human being she was. I had asked her to introduce a volume of the Complete Short Stories of Theodore Sturgeon, and she enthusiastically accepted, being a fan and former student. So, as is usual, I sent her a set of the volumes published to date, and waited for the introduction. A few weeks later, I received the set back, along with a very apologetic note. She was so sorry to disappoint, but when she sat down to write the intro, all that seemed to result were stories about how she became a writer and not much about the very small part Ted played in that process. ‘‘It was all about me,’’ she said, ‘‘and it should be about him.’’

Her overwhelming modesty blinded her to the fact that it was supposed to be about her, her talent and her strength, her complex judgment and her sparsely beautiful words. We must never similarly underestimate her. Octavia Butler was one of the finest writers and most wonderful people we have ever had among us. I will miss her a lot.

–Noel Sturgeon Octavia E. Butler

by Leslie Howle I met Octavia Butler in 1985 when she taught the Clarion West Writer’s Workshop in Seattle for the first time and I was her student. Recently divorced and attending the Clarion West workshop as a single parent with a full-time job, I was hitting the wall by the fourth week of the workshop when Octavia arrived. She had just returned from a hard trip to Peru and was tired and still covered with bug bites. She put her own discomfort aside and immediately set us at ease and boosted my flagging confidence by sharing her own experiences as a painfully shy 23-year-old Clarion student who

Octavia E. Butler (2000) wrote anxious letters home to her mother saying she wasn’t a good enough writer to be there. She would then tear them up and not send them. Between Harlan Ellison® opening the door for her to attend the Clarion workshop and her mother giving her the money she had saved to get her teeth fixed to help cover the cost, she had to stick it out. ‘‘No pressure,’’ Octavia used to say with a laugh.

After finishing the Clarion West workshop as a student I ended up volunteering for the organization and continued to keep in touch with Octavia by phone and in Seattle whenever she taught at Clarion West. I experienced her teaching at the workshop five times, and was always impressed by the kindness, patience, time, and attention she gave each student.

I was delighted when Octavia moved to Seattle in 1999. She didn’t drive and I have a car, so she would hole up and write for a while and then call to suggest going somewhere when she needed a break. She loved the mountains, especially Mount Rainier, so every summer I took her to Rainier or elsewhere in the Cascades for weekend hikes. I always brought my dog Luke along as Octavia loved animals and enjoyed playing with him.

Whether it was a trip to the country, stocking up at Whole Foods, or going to a play, concert, or movie, Octavia was fun to do things with. We talked nonstop even on long car trips. People talk about her solemn dignity and shyness, but in truth I saw more of her sharp sense of humor. Our conversations ranged from social issues and politics to men we’d been with (and men we’d like to be with!), anecdotes about our families, the environment, religion, science, and everything in between. I was always astonished by how much Octavia knew about so many things, whether it was history or cutting edge science. We both listened to NPR a lot so every time we got together we would deconstruct recent news stories and share our outrage at the latest escapades of the current administration.

We went to see Bill Moyers talk in Seattle last April and both of us left the theater with tears in our eyes because Moyers made it very clear exactly how scary things are getting in the world today. Even then, Octavia was starting to suffer from a chronic shortness of breath that made it difficult for her to walk very far.

She had to stop and catch her breath every few yards on our way back to the car from the talk.

Octavia’s doctor treated her for high blood pressure with a mixture of medication that increasingly sapped both her energy and creative drive. She suffered from writer’s block for a period of four or five years after moving to Seattle and felt very strongly that the medication was at fault because it made her feel flat.

She started and stopped several novels because they weren’t taking off and she lost interest in them. She always said that if a novel she was working on started to bore her, there was no sense in writing it. There are two novels in particular that she didn’t finish that I hope are still out there on her hard drive somewhere because the ideas were really good.



LOCUS April 2006 / 67

 Octavia E. Butler Octavia had been writing social science fiction for a long time and needed to switch gears and write something fun and engaging to pull her out of her slump. She’d read Dracula long ago, but in recent years she stumbled onto vampire series through one of her numerous book club memberships. She realized there was a whole genre of great escapist fun out there that she wasn’t aware of. Of course this intrigued her and sparked her competitive streak and she started to think about creating her own vampire book. I wasn’t interested in reading vampire books, but Octavia finally got me to read the ones she enjoyed by giving me several for my birthday one year so we could talk about them. It turns out they’re kind of like chocolate, you can’t read just one, and I can tell you that for a fact after polishing off multiple vampire books. We critiqued the books and especially enjoyed making jokes about the fantasy sex lives of the heroines, who in at least one of the series are given whole six packs of beautiful men to enjoy. Guilty pleasures indeed! Octavia wondered how people would react to her writing a vampire book.

I told her not to worry, that it wouldn’t be anything like other vampire books because it would be an Octavia Butler vampire book.

One day Octavia called and asked me if I would

mind driving her up to the Cascades, so we set a time and off we went. She’d looked at maps and picked out several areas to explore. As we turned off onto tiny country roads along the North Cascades highway I discovered we were in search of likely places where a small group of vampires could hide out. Octavia jotted down descriptions in her notebook and it became almost a game to find a good hide-out. It was great fun, and months later Fledgling appeared and redefined vampire literature forever.

Octavia is one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever known. She wrote her way out of a life of dreary day jobs and into the kind of life she wanted. Octavia looked at the hard lives that her mother and grandmother lived and knew she had to make a better life for herself. She rejected the strict Baptist religion that her mother and grandmother embraced, but the moral strength Octavia got from these women gave her the conscience and brutal honestly that shaped who she was. She was persistent, disciplined, determined, confident, and insecure all at the same time. She was a deeply passionate person who quietly fought social injustice using the pen as her sword.

She often said that most of her work wasn’t science fiction, it was ‘‘save the world’’ fiction, not that she thought it did much good because people don’t listen. ‘‘It just calls people’s attention to the fact that so much

needs to be done and obviously the people who are running this country don’t care.’’

Octavia Butler had tremendous courage and vision, both as a writer and as a human being. Lately, she had been feeling discouraged about our future as a race.

She said, ‘‘Humans are intelligent, but we also exhibit hierarchical behavior. Because the hierarchical tendencies are older, they drive intelligence, and we wind up doing terrible things to each other.’’

I’m still in shock that someone this vibrant, powerful, and full of life could be taken so quickly. She was concerned about her health but she didn’t think she was in danger. Her medical care was indifferent as her doctor didn’t seem to take her concerns seriously, but she had yet to give in to friends’ suggestions that she get a second opinion to see if something could be done to address her shortness of breath. And then it was too late. In retrospect it’s easy to see that she was exhibiting classic symptoms of congestive heart failure. It is so unfair that the plane ticket she bought to go speak in Pasadena on March 17th will go unused and the talk she was supposed to give will instead be a celebration of her life and work. We could ill afford losing this eloquent, passionate advocate for humanity. Her cautionary tales hold a mirror up to who we are and who we might become. It’s up to us to take up her challenge.

–Leslie Howle

Other Obituaries

in Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom. She is survived by her brother, James.

SF writer DAVID FEINTUCH, 61, died March 16, 2006 at home in Mason, MI of a heart attack following came an antique dealer instead; he eventually owned a history of cardiac problems.

Feintuch began publishing late in life, with Mid- and managed the Mason Antiques District. Feintuch also worked as a photographer and shipman’s Hope (1994), first in his was an avid musician. He is survived Seafort Saga, a military SF series by three children. inspired by C.S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower books. Other books in SF writer ANSEN DIBELL, 63, the series are Challenger’s Hope died of a sudden illness March 7, (1995), Prisoner’s Hope (1995), 2006 at a hospital in Cincinnati OH. Fisherman’s Hope (1996), Voices Nancy Ann Dibble was born in the of Hope (1996), Patriarch’s Hope Netherlands on September 8, 1942, (1999), and Children of Hope and wrote SF as Ansen Dibell. Her (2001). The eighth and final book in King of Katmorie series began with the series has been completed but not Pursuit of the Screamer (1978), and yet sold. He also wrote two fantasy continued with Circle, Crescent, novels in his Rodrigo of Caledon Star (1981), Summerfair (1982), series: The Still (1997) and The and two further books, Tidestorm King (2002). Feintuch won the John Limit (1983) and The Sun of Return W. Campbell Award for Best New David Feintuch (1998) (1985), which were only published in Writer in 1996.

Born in New York July 21, 1944, Feintuch grew Dutch and French. She also wrote a well-known writing book, Plot: Elements of Fiction Writing (1988). up in Yonkers. He attended Earlham College in As Nan Dibble she wrote Beyond Words, Beyond Richmond IN as an undergrad and graduated from Silence (1992) a tie-in to the Beauty and the Beast Harvard with a law degree in 1970. He moved to Michigan and practiced law until 1979, when he be- television series. In recent years, Dibble was active Welcome to the 38th Anniversary issue of Locus.

There’s nothing anniversary-like except the slug on the cover. No time. If we want something for the 40th Anniversary, we’d better start now!

It’s been hectic around here since last issue went to press on February 21. We interviewed Kenneth Oppel on the 23rd for the May YA issue – his publisher offered to fly him in just for the interview! Then I was off to Seattle on the 24th when I spoke on Avram Davidson at Potlatch, went to three excellent restaurants – Wild Ginger, Mashiko, and Etta’s with Eileen Gunn & John Berry, Ellen Klages, Spike Parsons & Tom Becker, Louise Marley, and others. I also had pleasant talks at the convention with old- and older-time Locus collators Mike Ward and Jerry Kaufman. The weekend opera was a modern-dress very sexy version of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte. It was marvelously sung. The weekend was fine until we learned that Octavia E. Butler had died.

More on that later.

On the 28th, I was off to Albuquerque to meet Connie Willis for the Williamson Lectureship in Portales.

We had dinner in Albuquerque with Scott Edelman (who joined us for the ride down), Walter Jon Williams & Kathy Hedges, Melinda Snodgrass & Carl Keim, Daniel Abraham & Kat Pruter (expecting a baby within a month!), and Emily Mah & Trevor Tippits at Graze,

68 / LOCUS April 2006

SF writer RONALD ANTHONY CROSS, 68, died suddenly on March 1, 2006 from complications following a stroke, in Sherman Oaks CA. Cross began publishing SF with ‘‘The Story of Three Cities’’ in New Worlds 6 (1973), and went on to publish about 50 stories in publications like Orbit, Asimov’s, F&SF, and others. His first novel was Prisoners of Paradise (1988), followed by his Eternal Guardians series, which began with The Fourth Guardian (1994) and continued with The Lost Guardian (1995) and The White Guardian (1998).

The final volume in the series, The First Guardian, was delivered to Tor shortly before his death.

Born September 12, 1937 in Hollywood, Cross worked as a musician, gardener, swimming pool builder, and bumper car operator before taking a position in the Photographic Services Department at UCLA, where he remained until becoming a full-time writer. Cross was active in the jazz and folk music scene in the ’60s, but gave up touring when he married, and turned to writing. He is survived by Barbara (his wife of 40 years) and their son Gideon. 

with a prize to be named later (along with Editorial Matters athecontest book). The trip to the ranch was another high point an excellent tapas restaurant. Next morning, we had an early New Mexican breakfast – lots of green chilies in everything! – and drove four and a half hours to Portales across the high desert. Scott did most of the entertaining, so I was able to relax and enjoy the trip through some of my favorite country. We had a late lunch in Clovis, and managed to spend almost an hour with Jack before going back to the hotel, and then meeting the other guests at The Wagon Wheel. It was good seeing locals Patrice Caldwell, Rick Hauptman, and Gene Bundy again. Some of my favorite people.

At the luncheon, Patrice Caldwell asked me to sit at the head table as a past guest of honor and one of Jack’s oldest friends. I was touched, and abandoned Eleanor Wood and Chris Stasheff without a second thought.

They wanted to talk business anyway. I sat next to Stan Robinson. It was the first time we got a chance to talk in a while even though we live less than an hour apart.

At the buffet at Rick Hauptman’s house, I got another chance to sit next to Stan. We talked more about music than SF, although he did mention he was within a few months of finishing his third Capital novel. His publisher insists it have 60 in the title, but he doesn’t know what to call it. Any suggestions? Consider this

for me. I’ve been going to the Lectureship for almost 15 years, and Jack’s family seems like mine. It was wonderful seeing Nancy & Jim (a mere 94!), Betty & Milz, Gary, and especially Katie again. She’s a self-assured ten-year-old now. I only see her once a year, so it’s been like a time-exposure movie. They welcomed me as if I was one of the family, and I’d felt as if I’d come home. I got to spend a lot of time with Fred Pohl (only 86!) and we gossiped and reminisced for hours.

The next day, I was offered a chance to have lunch with Jack, so I abandoned Connie, Scott, and Ed, who had to leave early. Alas, Jack’s caregiver Joyce said he was too tired and we had to leave without a last goodbye. I drove back to Albuquerque with Patrice Caldwell and Fred Pohl & Elizabeth Anne Hall. Betty carried the conversation, so I was able to contemplate the desert again. I had almost four hours at the airport, so called everybody I knew (I’m a terror with the cell phone) and watched Angel episodes until my laptop ran down.

We interviewed Scott Westerfeld for the YA issue on March 7 (Justine was ill and couldn’t come), saw a fine ballet program (all Jerome Robbins) with Liza on the 8th, a great performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass with Amelia on the 10th, Mahler’s Symphony

#1 with Vivian on the 12th, and now its off to ICFA in Florida with Liza. Amelia left early to visit friends and is there already. Reports on this next issue. This is retirement? Where’s the free time?

OCTAVIA E. BUTLER In 1982, I took a trip to the Soviet Union with Joe & Gay Haldeman, Roger & Judy Zelazny, Forry Ackerman & Cylvia Margolis, Octavia E. Butler, and several non-professionals. Butler insisted we call her Estelle, since Octavia was her mother’s name. It was her first trip overseas. We were the only two traveling on our own, so we ended up near each other at dinners, events, etc. Estelle was very shy (although she complained about some photos we had run of her in the 1970s!) but friendly, if reserved.

When we left the Soviet Union for the last leg of our trip in Helsinki, Finland, she finally relaxed. Hell, all of us finally relaxed. The Soviet Union was paranoid and scary. She talked at length about how scared she

had been and how out of place she felt. She actually didn’t want to make the trip, didn’t like to ever leave Pasadena, but had to in order to get over her fright.

You can only conquer your fears by facing them, she said. We reached an understanding and became, if not close friends, at least warm acquaintances. Over the last two decades we met at conventions, had several meals together (she preferred small luncheon or dinner places – nothing fancy), did a long interview in Florida, spent some time together in New York, and even more in Seattle. Although she learned to speak publicly and even mix somewhat in the years since the MacArthur grant, she was still very shy, and retreated to a corner whenever there was a crowd. At a recent SF Museum meeting, we sat together in a corner and compared medications as well as talking about the Museum and SF. I wish I had said more to her about how much I enjoyed her fiction – and her company.

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THIS ISSUE We were contacted by an impressive number of people wanting to contribute appreciations for Octavia E. Butler. We’ve done our best to get most of them in and still have room for some photos, without having to go too far into miniature font size.

Liza and I will at ICFA in Ft. Lauderdale for the last week before deadline, and will be doing final edits by the pool at the hotel. We’re hoping to sneak in a few interviews while we’re there, as well, including one with Peter Straub interviewed by Gary Wolfe.

NEXT ISSUE Our next issue will focus on YA fiction, with contributions by Garth Nix, Jonathan Stroud, Farah Mendelsohn, Jane Yolen & Adam Stemple, Nancy Farmer, Ruth Katcher, and others. We’ll also have our ICFA write-up and photos.

VOTE IN LOCUS POLL! Don’t forget to weigh in your opinion on the best works of 2005, either using the pull-out poll from the February issue or by clicking on the Locus Poll & Survey link at <www.locusmag.com>. The deadline is April 15, 2006.

The Locus Awards, based on the results of the poll, will take place during the Science Fiction Awards weekend at the SF Museum in Seattle, June 16-18, 2006. Tickets are available for $25 (see ad in this issue for details) and include a no-host cocktail reception, brunch, tours of the museum, an autographing party, the Locus Awards Ceremony (MCed by Connie Willis), and various panels. It will be a great weekend – see you there!!

–Charles N. Brown/ Liza Groen Trombi

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First B ook in Excitin an g New Series

Annual Williamson Lectureship

had the answer, ‘‘But unfortunately, my ten minutes are up.’’

He also talked about primates and Pawriting accomplishments of 54 novels in nine de- leolithic man who were even longer lasting cades of writing across two millennia – but mostly than most species, and what we could learn because of his kindness, humility, and other things from them. that make him a lovely and lovable human being.

Jack Williamson closed the afternoon She mentioned her story ‘‘Non-Stop to Portales’’ properly thanking everybody and saying, which had busloads of people visiting the site 100 ‘‘I’ve enjoyed it all.’’ He and the others years from now because of Jack, then asked for a signed books for quite a while. Reproducshow of hands of outsiders here now. There was tions of the Williamson statue sold briskly. more than a busload. ‘‘I was wrong about the 100 Then the various guests adjourned to the years,’’ she concluded.

Williamson Library for informal talks and Kim Stanley Robinson said he was uneasy with more signings. the title Ecological Apocalypse until he realized that A sandwich buffet was held at Rick Hauptapocalypse doesn’t necessarily mean Armageddon, mann’s house prior to the Lectureship. The but really means an uncovering or revealing. He evening Lectureship consisted of a panel thanked Jack Williamson for inventing the term ter- with Gunnelizll (MC), Kim Stanley Robraforming, and felt the future will always remember inson, Frederik Pohl, Walter Jon Williams, him for that. The only surprise is that Earth is the and Melinda Snodgrass. They talked about planet that needs it most. ecological disasters and apocalypse in SF, He discussed the rapidly changing climate, especially during the ‘50s and ‘60s. Frederik mostly because the amount of CO2 we’re putting Pohl’s The Space Merchants (1952), six into the air is 50 times faster than ever before. He years before Rachael Carson’s bestseller said it could lead to an extinction event where 90% Silent Spring, is considered a seminal work. Jack Williamson signs of existing specimen could be wiped out – and Robinson took the more optimistic view of that one would be human caused. He claimed he the possible future – we can give up automobiles, oil and gas burning, etc, and go back to more natural living, while the others were pessimistic or downright cynical about the ability of humanity to change its ways. ‘‘You’ll have to pry their SUVs from their cold dead hands.’’ Walter Jon Williams pointed out that evolution is not kind, we need to be lucky. Melinda Snodgrass admitted she was owner and manager of a small natural gas and oil company, and that his guys know it’s almost over, which is why they’re try- Celebrating 30 Years of the Williamson Lectureship ing to squeeze the most profit out of it right now.

The next day, we visited the Williamson ranch, run by Jack’s brother’s family, for lunch, and then it was over.

Jack was much weaker than last year, and the various parties and buffets at his house were cancelled. He only attended the luncheon and the autographing. We all visited Jack, a few at a time, for 15-minute talks. Jack indicates this may be the last Lectureship, but it’s still up Members of the Williamson family (l to r): Gary, Jack, Nancy, Milz in the air.

 p. 7

Bickley, Katie Bickley, Betty Williamson Bickley, Jack

–Charles N. Brown

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Standing: Edward Bryant, Connie Willis, Elizabeth Anne Hull, Walter Jon Williams, Melinda Snodgrass, Suzy McKee Charnas, Kim Stanley Robinson, Rick Hauptmann, Eleanor Wood, Christopher Stasheff, Terry England, Charles N. Brown, Scott Edelman, Stephen Haffner. Seated: Frederik Pohl, Jack Williamson.

70 / LOCUS April 2006

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of

SCIENCE FICTION THESE AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS’ LONG-AWAITED AUDIO EDITIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE UNABRIDGED ON CD

“Well acted, grippingly and wittily written, Saturn runs rings around most sci-fi.”

—AudioFile on Saturn

TITAN

Available from Audio Renaissance wherever books are sold • www.audiorenaissance.com