Recent arrivals include brand new titles from Katherine Kurtz, F. Paul Wilson, Martha Wells, Eve Forward, Storm Constantine, William C. Dietz, Douglas Niles, Mickey Zucker Reichert, and more. Books are listed alphabetically by author. Only books received are noted. Where available, links to SF Site reviews and book excerpts are provided.

New Arrivals: 15 - 30 June 2000 Part I

Tau Zero Poul Anderson Victor Gollancz (trade, 190 pages, £9.99 UK) Publication date: May 2000 Gollancz Collectors' Edition SF series continues with this 1970 universe-spanning novel of wonder from the author of too many books to mention. "The epic voyage of the spacecraft Leonora Christine will take her and her 50-strong crew to a planet some 30 light-years distant. For those on board, because the ship will accelerate to close to the speed of light, subjective time will slow and the journey will be of only a few years' duration. But a buffeting by an interstellar dustcloud changes everything. The ship's deceleration system is damaged irreparably and soon, remorselessly, she is gaining velocity. When she attains light-speed, tau zero itself, the disparity between ship-time and external time becomes almost impossibly great. Eons and galaxies hurtle by, and the crew of the Leonora Christine speeds into the unknown..."

Anne Sudworth Crown of Silence: Magravandias Chronicles, Book Two Storm Constantine Victor Gollancz (344 pages, trade £9.99 UK / hardcover £16.99 UK) Publication date: 29 June 2000 Sequel to Sea Dragon Heir. "The terrible consequences of war have left the boy Shan, raped and wounded by the invading army, an orphan. Rescued by the magus Taropat, he has given Shan a home in his forest hideaway. Taropat teaches the boy both magic and how to form his loathing of the Magravandian empire into a lethal, honed weapon. The magi of the forest seek to make a hero: bent on revenge, Shan willingly accepts the role..."

John Anster Fitzgerald Little, Big John Crowley Millennium (trade, 539 pages, £6.99 UK) Publication date: 18 May 2000 Fantasy Masterworks #5 is this winner of the 1981 World Fantasy Award, from the author of The Deep, Engine Summer and Ægypt. "Edgewood is many houses, all put inside each other, or across each other. Edgewood is filled with mystery and enchantment: the further in you go, the bigger it gets. This is where Daily Alice Drinkwater lives; this is where Smoky Barnable comes, under strict orders from Daily, to wed her. But on arriving at her family home, having followed her instructions, he finds himself drawn into a world of magical strangeness..."

By Force of Arms William C. Dietz Ace Science Fiction (mass market original, 330 pages, $6.99 US/$9.99 Can) Publication date: 1 June 2000 From the author of By Blood Alone. This novel is a return to the universe of Legion of the Damned. "Having stopped a mutiny against Earth's government, General Bill Booly and his troops face an even greater challenge: a battle for the future of every living being in the universe, against a fanatical human and his killer technology. Earth's ultimate battle for survival must be won..."

The Jewels of Aptor Samuel R. Delany Victor Gollancz (trade, 221 pages, £9.99 UK) Publication date: May 2000 This SF Collectors' Edition is the 1962 début novel -- published before his 20th birthday -- from the author of such works as Dhalgren, the Nevèrÿon series and Nebula-winners Babel 17 and The Einstein Intersection. "When Argo, the White Goddess, orders it Geo, the itinerant poet, and his 3 disparate companions journey to the island of Aptor to seize a jewel from the dark god, Hama, and return it to Argo so that she may defeat the malign forces ranged against her and the land of Leptar. But, as the 4 push deep into the enigmatic heart of Aptor and the easy distinctions between good and evil start to blur, their mission no longer seems straightforward. For Argo already controls 2 of the precious stones and possession of the 3rd would make her power absolute. And the 4 friend have learned that power tends to corrupt..."

Animist Eve Forward Tor (hardcover, 320 pages, $23.95 US/$34.95 Can) Publication date: June 2000 From the author of Villains by Necessity comes this first volume in a brand new fantasy trilogy. This novel follows the exploits of "young Alex, a recent graduate of the College of Animism, as he embarks on a quest to acquire his Anim: the animal with which he will bond for life; an animal with which he'll share an empathic link that will allow him to detect and resist the use of magic." The world Forward has created is filled with many cultures, intelligent non-human races, magic, and plenty of adventure.

Ash Mary Gentle Victor Gollancz (1120 pages, trade £14.99 UK / hardcover £20 UK ) Publication date: 15 June 2000 The Book of Ash is being published in North America by Avon Eos in four volumes, of which the first two are already available. UK publisher, Victor Gollancz, is publishing the whole hefty package in a single volume -- all 250,000 words. "Ash is a magnificent and gritty dream of the 15th century, a stupendous canvas soaked in blood and tears. It tells the story of Ash, a beautiful young woman who has fought her way to the command of a mercenary company and on whose shoulders lie the destiny of a Europe threatened by the depredations of an Infidel army more terrible than any nightmare. Ash is guided by voices. They may come from her God, or from a source infinitely stranger..."

Jon Sullivan Voice of the Demon: Second Book of Elita Kate Jacoby Millennium (mass market reprint, 478 pages, £6.99 UK/$9.99 Can) Publication date: May 2000 Sequel to Exile's Return, which has also been reprinted in mass market edition from Millennium. "The Enemy, the Ally and the Angel of Darkness have been named... and the prophecy of the Key is coming to pass, promising chaos and destruction for Lusara and its people."

Jon Sullivan King Kelson's Bride Katherine Kurtz Ace Fantasy (hardcover, 387 pages, $22.95 US/$32.99 Can) Publication date: 1 June 2000 A novel of the Deryni, it begins with the coming of age of King Liam of Torenth. Although Torenth and Gwynedd are mortal enemies, Liam has been living as a squire at Kelson's court for nearly 4 years. Upon attaining his majority, it is time for Kelson to undertake an embassy to return Liam to his own land. On the eve of their journey, Kelson's one-time fiancée, Rothana, meets with Kelson to suggest an appropriate wife for the young king. Review by Steven H Silver.

The Company of Glass: Everien, Book One Valery Leith Millennium (mass market reprint, 400 pages, £6.99 UK) Publication date: May 2000 The Land of Everien is between a rock and a hard place. The beautiful but evil Sekk, an ancient enemy, threaten from one direction, while Pharician horsemen are invading from another. To make matters worse, a messenger has just brought bad tidings to King Lerien... Review by Charlene Brusso.

Geoff Taylor Vengeance of Dragons: The Secret Texts, Book 2 Holly Lisle Victor Gollancz (400 pages, trade £10.99 UK / hardcover £16.99 UK) Publication date: 15 June 2000 Sequel to Diplomacy of Wolves. "Kit Galweigh is now a fugitive, seeking the Mirror of Souls in order to resurrect her lost family. But to get it she must battle with Crispin Abir, who believes the artefact will make him God. Both are terribly wrong. Using the artefact will in fact unleash the souls of the long dead sorcerers who once before conquered the world. Held captive within the mirror, the magicians wait for freedom and the opportunity for vengeance." Review by Todd Richmond of Diplomacy of Wolves.

Geoff Taylor The Grand Design: Book Two of Tyrants and Kings John Marco Victor Gollancz (575 pages, trade £10.99 UK / hardcover £17.99 UK) Publication date: 15 June 2000 John Marco is definitely a name to watch in the circle of fantasy writers. The latest from Marco is the sequel to his forceful début novel, The Jackal of Nar. "In the wake of Arkus' terrible war, Prince Richius Vantran, the Jackal of Nar, has fled into exile with his wife, Dyana, and their young daughter, Shani. Meanwhile, with the emperor's death, Nar has exploded in civil war. Now a new conflict is being waged between the religious fanatics of Bishop Herrith, who follow the Light of God, and the ruthless followers of Count Biagio and his Black Renaissance. Each man believes he has been chosen to lead, and as the terrifying slaughter mounts, fueled by the development of hideous new war machines, Vantran is offered the chance to ally with a third faction and take his revenge against his ancient enemy Biagio. But Biagio, a master of deception and intrigue, has a grand design to gain total power, and part of it involves luring Vantran's new allies into a clever and deadly trap." Read an excerpt. Review by Victoria Strauss of The Jackal of Nar.

Serafin Sophie Masson Saint Mary's Press (trade paperback, 208 pages, $5.50 US) Publication date: July 2000 This fantasy novel is set in late 17th/early 18th century France during the time of King Louis XIV. It draws inspiration from the old fairy tale "Puss-in-Boots" as well as from legends concerning descendants of angels who have mingled with mortals. In a rural village, a local girl, Catou, is threatened with lynching by a mob claiming the girl is a shape-changer and a witch. She is saved by Frederic, the young son of the town's miller, but both are then forced into exile...

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