Got some minor family drama going on. Nothing major (no hospitals involved), but I need to take a few days off. Happy 4th everyone.

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It's that time again..Time to pass on some short stories. Thanks to Penguin Books I've got some short stories to pass on to a lucky winner.

Nebula Awards Showcase 2009, Edited by Ellen Datlow

Michael Chabon, Michael Moorcock, Karen Joy Fowler, and more: “The pulse of modern science fiction.”(New York Times Book Review)
This annual tradition from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America collects the best of the year’s stories, as well as essays and commentary on the current state of the genre and predictions of future science fiction and fantasy films, art, and more. This year’s award-winning authors include Michael Chabon, Karen Joy Fowler, Ted Chiang, and Nancy Kress, plus 2008 Grand Master Michael Moorcock.

and
Gamer Fantastic, Edited by Martin H. Greenburg and Kerrie Hughes

Let the games begin!
These thirteen original stories by veterans of the fantasy realms take role-playing games and universes to a whole new level. From a teenager who finds a better future in virtual reality; to a private investigator hired to find a dying man’s grandson in the midst of a virtual reality theme park; from a person gifted with the power to pull things out of books into the real world; to a psychologist using fantasy role-playing to heal his patients; from a gaming convention where the real winners may not be who they seem to be; to a multi-layered role-playing game that leads participants from reality to reality and games within games—these imaginative and fascinating new tales will captivate both lovers of original fantasy and anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of role-playing games.


I'm changing my entry format. Sadly, I have had too hard a time getting a hold of some winners lately and I'd like to avoid that in the future. Just enter your info in the form below and the entry will be sent to me automatically. I will randomly pick a winner by Thursday July 16th. Be sure to leave a valid address--if you win I will mail the books right off. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Open everywhere.

Good luck!

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It's official. I'm a computer junkie. My internet was down all day today. Something about a car.. and an accident.. I don't know the details. I called three times to see when the internet would be restored. To my credit, they said I was much nicer than most people who were calling. I literally don't know what to do with myself when I don't have computer access. At least I didn't drag my kids to Starbucks so I could log on.

I would have done that tomorrow...

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One of my favorite things to do is browse the shelves of the bookstore looking for new books. One of my second favorite things to do is to browse online for new titles. Here is a list of brand new and upcoming scifi/fantasy releases-- many of which I am very excited about-- in no particular order.


Age of Misrule: Darkest Hour by Mark Chadbourn, Pyr, June 23, 2009

The eternal conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race. Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods. But they didn't count on things going from bad to worse ...this is the stunning continuation of a powerful fantasy saga by one of Britain's most acclaimed young writers.


Age of Misrule: Always Forever by Mark Chadbourn, Pyr, July 28, 2009

The eternal conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race. Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods. This is the stunning conclusion of a powerful fantasy saga by one of Britain's most acclaimed young writers.


Desolation Road by Ian McDonald and Stephan Martiniere, Pyr, July 28, 2009

It all began thirty years ago on Mars, with a greenperson. But by the time it all finished, the town of Desolation Road had experienced every conceivable abnormality from Adam Black's Wonderful Travelling Chautauqua and Educational ‘Stravaganza (complete with its very own captive angel) to the Gallacelli brothers, identical triplets who fell in love with—and married—the same woman. This early novel by Ian McDonald was nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award.



Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey, Eos, July 21, 2009

Supernatural fantasy has a new antihero. Life sucks, and then you die. Or, if you're James Stark, you spend eleven years in Hell as a hitman before finally escaping, only to land back in the hell-on-earth that is Los Angeles. Now Stark's back, and ready for revenge. And absolution, and maybe even love. But when his first stop saddles him with an abusive talking head, Stark discovers that the road to absolution and revenge is much longer than you'd expect, and both Heaven and Hell have their own ideas for his future. Resurrection sucks. Saving the world is worse. Darkly twisted, irreverent, and completely hilarious, Sandman Slim is the breakthrough novel by an acclaimed author.



City of Souls by Vicki Pettersson, Eos, June 30, 2009

In Sin City, a little girl suffers from a strange and terrible malady. If she dies, the Light will die along with her. Warrior, avenger, Joanna Archer has survived countless otherworldly terrors—and has found her rightful place among the agents battling the all-pervasive evil of Shadow . . . even as she struggles against the darkness within herself. A war is raging for Las Vegas—a city without a heart—one that catapults Joanna into a new world hidden from mortal sight. In this lethally seductive alternate dimension the lines blur between good and evil, love and hate, and here lies the last hope for the Light. But Joanna's price of admission is a piece of her own soul—and the odds of her escaping are slim . . . to none.



Strange Brew, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs, St. Martin's Griffin, July 7, 2009

Today’s hottest urban fantasy authors come together in this delicious brew that crackles and boils over with tales of powerful witches and dark magic! In Charlaine Harris’ “Bacon,” a beautiful vampire joins forces with a witch from an ancient line to find out who killed her beloved husband. In “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs, a blind witch helps sexy werewolf Tom Franklin find his missing brother—and helps him in more ways than either of them ever suspected. And in Jim Butcher’s “Last Call,” wizard Harry Dresden takes on the darkest of dark powers—the ones who dare to mess with this favorite beer. For anyone who’s ever wondered what lies beyond the limits of reality, who’s imagined the secret spaces where witches wield fearsome magic, come and drink deep. Let yourself fall under the spell of this bewitching collection!



The House of Lost Souls by F. G. Cottam, Thomas Dunne, July 7, 2009

Just weeks after four students cross the threshold of the derelict Fischer House, one of them has committed suicide and the other three are descending into madness. Nick Mason’s sister is one of them. To save her, Nick must join ranks with Paul Seaton—the only person to have visited the house and survive. But Paul is a troubled man, haunted by otherworldly visions that even now threaten his sanity. Desperate, Nick forces Paul to go back into the past, to the secret journal of beautiful photographer Pandora Gibson-Hoare and a debauched gathering in the 1920s, and to the dark legacy of Klaus Fischer—master of the unspeakable crime and demonic proceedings that have haunted the mansion for decades. Because now, the Fischer House is beckoning, and some old friends have gathered to welcome Paul back. . . .



Huntress by Christine Warren, Majorie M. Liu, Caitlin Kittredge, Jenna Maclain, St. Martin's Press, June 30, 2009

It takes a real man to satisfy the powers and passions of the HUNTRESS
Christine Warren “Devil’s Bargain”
Supernatural bounty hunter Lilli Corbin made a pact with the Prince of Hell: She agreed to recover a book of prophecies. When she learns it could trigger the apocalypse, Lilli is forced to make the ultimate choice: save her soul, or the man she loves?
Marjorie M. Liu “The Robber Bride”
Welcome to a post-apocalyptic world where women are fed on for their life forces. Now it’s up to Maggie, one of the last female survivors, to hunt down and destroy an army of darkness…
Caitlin Kittredge “Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Go”
Ava is a demon slayer who needs help from mage Jack Winter to reach the demon underworld—a place of dark seduction…and, maybe, one of no return.
Jenna Maclaine “Sin Slayer”
London 1889. Jack the Ripper is killing off the city’s vampire population, and now it’s up to Cin Craven to hunt him down—and save the infected Michael, the love of her undead life.



Dying Bites: The Bloodhound Files by D. D. Barants, St. Martin's Press, June 30, 2009

Her job description is the “tracking and apprehension of mentally-fractured killers.” What this really means in FBI profiler Jace Valchek’s brave new world—one in which only one percent of the population is human—is that a woman’s work is never done. And real is getting stranger every day. Jace has been ripped from her reality by David Cassius, the vampire head of the NSA. He knows that she’s the best there in the business, and David needs her help in solving a series of gruesome murders of vampires and werewolves. David’s world—one that also includes lycanthropes and golems—is one with little knowledge of mental illness. An insane serial killer is a threat the NSA has no experience with. But Jace does. Stranded in a reality where Bela Lugosi is a bigger box office draw than Bruce Willis and every full moon is Mardi Gras, Jace must now hunt down a fellow human before he brings the entire planet to the brink of madness. Or she may never see her own world again.



Speak of the Devil by Jenna Black, Dell, July 28, 2009

Morgan Kingsley, America’s most successful exorcist, is paying the price for an exorcism gone wrong. The victim’s family is suing the daylights out of her, the Exorcism Board has suspended her, and now she’s living on a diet of ramen noodles and bad coffee. But Morgan has a few good men at her side. One is her current boyfriend, nice-guy legal eagle Brian, who’s suddenly starting to reveal his inner bad boy. The other is Philly cop Adam White, who’s trying to help Morgan find out who sent her a little present—a severed human hand—and why someone seems determined to destroy her. As her stalker turns more violent, leaving dead bodies in his wake, Morgan turns to the dark side of her life: a group of demons steeped in secrets, sinful eroticism, and otherworldly family feuds, including one sexy beast who shares Morgan’s body—and some X-rated fantasies. Soon Morgan must choose between her friends, her enemies, and her libido: to escape a mad demon determined to destroy her completely.



The Calling by David Mack, Pocket Books, July 21, 2009

No one would guess by looking at Tom Nash that he's extraordinary, and that's just fine with him. A tall, broad-shouldered jack-of-all-trades from Sawyer, Pennsylvania, Tom has a knack for fixing things. He also hides a secret talent: he hears people's prayers. Stranger still, he answers them. Maybe it's because he's a handyman, but Tom feels compelled to fix people's problems. Which is all well and good -- until the soul-shattering plea of a terrified girl sends him on the darkest journey of his life. Heeding the call and leaving his home for New York City, Tom discovers a secret world beyond the range of mortal perception -- a world of angels and demons and those who serve them. With the guidance of a knowing stranger named Erin, Tom learns that he himself is one of The Called, born with a divine purpose and a daunting task: to help the powers of Heaven in the war against the agents of Hell, an army of fallen angels known as the Scorned. Thrust into an epic battle of the sacred and the profane, Tom Nash must find the girl who prayed for his help -- because her fate will determine whether humanity deserves to be saved, or damned for all eternity....



Wildfire by Sarah Micklem, Scribner, July 7, 2009

Sire Galan has forbidden his servant and lover Firethorn to follow him to war, but she disobeys. When the army of Corymb sets sail for Incus, she is aboard a ship of the fleet, gambling on Galan's welcome. But the gods are as apt to meddle with the schemes of a lowborn mudwoman as the best-laid plans of her betters. The searing touch of Wildfire leaves Firethorn shattered, haunted, estranged from herself, and set apart from others. She feels cursed, but others see her as blessed. Whores come to her for healing, and soldiers search her every utterance for hidden prophecies. Is she a charlatan or a true seer? Even Firethorn cannot answer that question. And Galan is wary of what Wildfire has made of her. Sarah Micklem brings lush prose and rich imagination to the highly anticipated second book in the trilogy that began with her acclaimed debut, Firethorn. The enthralling combination of the mythic, the historical, and the deeply human confirms Micklem's place among the great storytellers of imaginative fiction.



Dragonseed by James Maxey, Solaris, June 30, 2009

After the death ok King Albekizan, Shandrazel and his allies struggle to keep the kingdom intact as the radical human prophet, Ragnar gathers forces to launch a full scale rebellion against the dragons. When all out war erupts, legendary dragon hunter, Bitterwood, must face his own personal demons and choose where his loyalty really lies.



Vicious Circle by Linda Robertson, Pocket Books, June 30, 2009

Being a witch doesn't pay the bills, but Persephone Alcmedi gets by between reading Tarot cards, writing her syndicated newspaper column, and kenneling werewolves in the basement when the moon is full -- even if witches aren't supposed to mingle with wolves. She really reaches the end of her leash, though, when her grandmother gets kicked out of the nursing home and Seph finds herself in the doghouse about some things she's written. Then her werewolf friend Lorrie is murdered...and the high priestess of an important coven offers Seph big money to destroy the killer, a powerful vampire named Goliath Kline. Seph is a tough girl, but this time she bites off more than she can chew. She needs a little help from her friends -- werewolf friends. One of those friends, Johnny, the motorcycle-riding lead singer for the techno-metal-Goth band Lycanthropia, has a crush on her. And while Seph has always been on edge around this 6'2" leather-clad hunk, she's starting to realize that although their attraction may be dangerous, nothing could be as lethal as the showdown that awaits them.



The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans, Pocket Books, July 28, 2009

Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in this second epic fantasy adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans. As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves' perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry elf witch, the Shadow Monarch, takes on greater urgency. The Iron Elves, shunned by their own people for bearing the mark of the Shadow Monarch, and desperately wanting to forever erase this shame, became legendary for their prowess on the battlefield as the Calahrian Imperial Army's elite shock troops. But when their commanding officer, Konowa Swift Dragon, murdered the Viceroy of Elfkyna, he was exiled, and these brave elves were banished to a remote desert outpost, doomed and leaderless, their honor in tatters. Recalled to duty to reform his regiment from the dregs of the Imperial Army, Konowa thwarted the plans of the Shadow Monarch at the Battle of Luuguth Jor -- ensuring that the fabled Red Star, a source of great natural energy, did not fall into Her hands. Now Konowa must cross storm-tossed seas to seek out the lost elves and the prophesied return of another Star somewhere in a desert wasteland roiling with mysterious power, infernos of swirling magic, and legends brought back to life in new and terrible ways. And the fate of every living creature will come to depend on a small band of ragged and desperate soldiers, whose very loyalty to the Empire they have sworn to serve is no longer certain. When death is but a temporary condition, a terrifying question arises: who is the true ally -- and fearsome enemy -- in a growing conflict that threatens all?



Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie, Orbit, July 29, 2009

Springtime in Styria. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. Armies march, heads roll and cities burn, while behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die. Her allies include Styria's least reliable drunkard, Styria's most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Northman who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that's all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started... Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge. BEST SERVED COLD is the new standalone novel set in the world of Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.




Against a Dark Background by Iain M. Banks, Orbit, July 1, 2009

Sharrow was once the leader of a personality-attuned combat team in one of the sporadic little commercial wars in the civilization based around the planet Golter. Now she is hunted by the Huhsz, a religious cult which believes that she is the last obstacle before the faith's apotheosis, and her only hope of escape is to find the last of the apocalyptically powerful Lazy Guns before the Huhsz find her. Her journey through the exotic Golterian system is a destructive and savage odyssey into her past, and that of her family and of the system itself.



Necroscope: Harry and the Pirates by Brian Lumley, Tor, July 21, 2009

Harry Keogh, the first Necroscope, is arguably Brian Lumley’s greatest creation. In the Necroscope series, readers saw Harry learn to use his powers to talk with the dead and travel instantaneously to any point in space and time. They saw him take arms against the evil, twisted, metamorphic alien vampires who sought to feed off humans and enslave mankind. They saw him suffer a great personal loss and then recover his family, and later his humanity, through a new love. And they saw Harry wage the grimmest battle of his life—against the vampire he himself was becoming! Even after Harry’s story was done, Brian Lumley continued to write books about Harry’s legacy—the other Necroscopes who inherited his weird talents. But Harry himself would not go quietly into that darkness that lies beyond an author’s imagination . . . and now Brian Lumley has written three new novellas about Harry and his supernatural adventures, which are published for the first time in the United States in Harry and the Pirates.



Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd Century America by Robert Charles Wilson, Tor, June 23, 2009

In the reign of President Deklan Comstock, a reborn United States is struggling back to prosperity. Over a century after the Efflorescence of Oil, after the Fall of the Cities, after the Plague of Infertility, after the False Tribulation, after the days of the Pious Presidents, the sixty stars and thirteen stripes wave from the plains of Athabaska to the national capital in New York City. In Colorado Springs, the Dominion sees to the nation’s spiritual needs. In Labrador, the Army wages war on the Dutch. America, unified, is rising once again. Then out of Labrador come tales of a new Ajax—Captain Commongold, the Youthful Hero of the Saguenay. The ordinary people follow his adventures in the popular press. The Army adores him. The President is…troubled. Especially when the dashing Captain turns out to be his nephew Julian, son of the falsely accused and executed Bryce. Treachery and intrigue dog Julian’s footsteps. Hairsbreadth escapes and daring rescues fill his days. Stern resolve and tender sentiment dice for Julian’s soul, while his admiration for the works of the Secular Ancients, and his adherence to the evolutionary doctrines of the heretical Darwin, set him at fatal odds with the hierarchy of the Dominion. Plague and fire swirl around the Presidential palace when at last he arrives with the acclamation of the mob. As told by Julian’s best friend and faithful companion, a rustic yet observant lad from the west, this tale of the 22nd Century asks— and answers—the age-old question: “Do you want to tell the truth, or do you want to tell a story?”


Wireless by Charles Stross, Ace, July 7, 2009

The Hugo Award-winning author of such groundbreaking and innovative novels as Accelerando, Halting State, and Saturn's Children delivers a rich selection of speculative fiction— including a novella original to this volume— brought together for the first time in one collection, showcasing the limitless imagination of one of the twenty-first century's most daring visionaries.



Rift in the Sky by Julie Czerneda, Daw, July 7, 2009

Third in the prequel series to the Locus bestselling Trade Pact Universe novels. Despite all good intentions, the lure of the Talent to move through space using the M’hir dimension is too much for the Om’ray of Cersi to resist. As the awareness of this talent spreads, all those Om’ray who are capable converge on the settlement at Sona. To prevent the disruption of the Agreement and the destruction that it would unleash, the M’hiray, as they now call themselves, agree to leave Cersi forever and try to establish their own haven within the Trade Pact worlds—only to learn that not everybody wants peace.



Winter Duty by E. E. Knight, Roc, July 7, 2009

The tense eighth installment of Knight's Vampire Earth series (a welcome improvement over 2008's Fall with Honor) continues David Valentine's adventures in 2076 as the invading Kurian Order decides to exterminate rebellious Earthlings. The Southern Command authorizes Valentine to wage a guerrilla war with the goal of creating a Kentucky freehold. His ragtag battalion (including some controversial Quisling and alien Grog recruits) must deal first with a power plant outage that blacks out Evansville and Owensboro and then a blizzard and the Kurians' plot to unleash a ravies epidemic on the human herd. Knight keeps the conflict interesting but says too little about the inscrutable Kurians, who are like magicians, always diverting attention from the operating hand. Even readers familiar with the series would welcome a glossary and more background on the various alien races.



Skinwalker by Faith Hunter, Roc, July 7, 2009

First in a brand new series from the author of the rogue mage novels. Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind—a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she’s been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie’s Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who’s killing other vamps...



Gamer Fantastic Edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes, Daw, July 7, 2009

Let the games begin! These thirteen original stories by veterans of the fantasy realms take role-playing games and universes to a whole new level. From a teenager who finds a better future in virtual reality; to a private investigator hired to find a dying man’s grandson in the midst of a virtual reality theme park; from a person gifted with the power to pull things out of books into the real world; to a psychologist using fantasy role-playing to heal his patients; from a gaming convention where the real winners may not be who they seem to be; to a multi-layered role-playing game that leads participants from reality to reality and games within games—these imaginative and fascinating new tales will captivate both lovers of original fantasy and anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of role-playing games.



Marsbound by Joe Haldeman, Ace, August 5, 2009

Hugo and Nebula–winner Haldeman infuses this yarn with his teen narrator's intelligent curiosity. Carmen Dula, part of the first human colony on Mars, looks like a typical young adult heroine: distanced from her parents, irritated by her bratty younger sibling and beset by tyrannical colony administrator Dargo Solingen. Then she accidentally discovers real Martians living in an underground city and has to convince Solingen that her story is true. When the Martians reveal a terrible threat to life on Earth, it's up to Carmen and her friends to save the day. Recalling Robert A. Heinlein's Red Planet and Podkayne of Mars, Haldeman updates the Martian setting while keeping faith in his characters' ability to respond to unexpected challenges.



Conqueror by Stephen Baxter, Ace, July 28, 2009

When William of Normandy, whom history will call the Conqueror, rises to power, the fate of the land rests on actions inspired by the words found in an ancient scroll. It is known as The Prophecy, and it reveals secrets about the future.





Skin Deep by Mark Del Franco, Ace, July 28, 2009

She’ll need to keep up appearances—if she wants to stay alive... Being an undercover agent has its occupational hazards, but Laura Blackstone makes it look easy. As a spy for a fey intelligence agency, she uses her magical abilities to create disguises that are skin deepglamours that must never be compromised. But when Laura’s worlds collide she’ll have more to worry about than retiring an identity; she may just lose her life.


Good Ghouls Do by Julie Kenner, Ace Young Adult, July 28, 2009
As the vampire population at Waterloo High continues to grow, Beth Frasier realizes that she’s on the frontline of saving not only the school, but her hometown. And only one thing is for sure: She’s got to find the head vampire and kill him...quickly! Her only problem? With her classmates quickly turning over to the dark side, Beth doesn’t know who to trust—or kill.

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Posted by Harry Markov

Title: "Evil Ways"
Author: Justin Gustainis
Series: Quincey Morris Investigation Series, Book2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 336
Publisher: Solaris

Blurb:

Quincey Morris and Libby Chastain investigate a series of murders where white witches are being hunted down and killed—and Libby may be next on the list. Meanwhile, the FBI is stymied by a series of child murders around the country, in which the victims' organs are being removed for use in occult rituals. Quincey and Libby don't want to get involved, but they may have no choice. From Iraq to Idaho, the trail of clues leads straight to Walter Grobius, a crazed billionaire who plans the biggest black magic ritual of all time. If he isn't stopped, all Hell will break loose—for real.

Verdict: It took me quite awhile to get to this novel and considering how many positive reviews it gathered, I think I ended up reading the novel wrong, because at large “Evil Ways” didn’t exactly work for me. Perhaps I am on a different vibe right about now or perhaps my tastes have changed in the stretch of a year, but after reading and loving “Black Magic Woman” I waited for something bigger and better as the perfect scenario for a series should be.

Plot-wise I got everything I needed. Compared to the first book in the series “Evil Ways” excels in dynamics and stretches through the better part of the USA and even offers some scenes of heist action in Baghdad. The use of magic is extensive and ranges from summoning to blood sacrifices, wards and astral projection. The variety and degree of explanation behind each act is satisfying for me as a fan of the occult and creates a solid believability. Satan also makes a very gruesome cameo appearance, which always acts as a plus and sex just lounges in between the pages. Gustainis also gives the readers every man’s dream: a woman wielding big guns with the intention of using them.

So what was the problem, if everything so far is all I could ever dream of? Gustainis has wonderful ideas and has woven them into a believable enough plot, but what doesn’t work for me in this installment is the actual writing. Spreading the story through different points of view is great and we can see what happens on both sides of the whole apocalypse-in-the-making, but the stark in-your-face approach to representing the impending doom fails to build tension. In “Black Magic Woman” I loved, when the author didn’t beat around the bush and slapped the reader with the facts as they were with no poetic detours and you felt like a part of a much messed up episode of CSI. However now that the supernatural elements have been pumped up “Evil Ways” should have, at least to me, dripped dread and the book didn’t. The famous bat scene was awesome yes, but it didn’t make me fear that the characters wouldn’t get out. Same goes for the grand summoning of Satan. As the final ceremony transpired I didn’t feel any immediate danger for the character or for the world at that.

This being said, the second thing that didn’t work for me happened to be dialogue. I enjoy wise cracking as much as the next guy, but I couldn’t buy the idea that two people no matter how comfortable with each other would mock bicker, wise crack and throw punch lines and funny expressions, when Libby is being chased by enemies unknown and the apocalypse on the rise. Comic relief via dialogue is a powerful tool and the final use at the very end of the novel is just perfect, but in almost every conversation, it becomes tiring and destroys the reader’s belief in the credibility of the story.

Negative aspects aside, there are quite a few good things to complement Mister Gustainis upon, such as his bravery regarding sex. Few ever dared to throw in orgies that have demons in and incorporate bestiality moments, a scene that stunned me as a matter of fact and was one of the few moments that created a very sinister atmosphere of decadence and dread in the novel. Also the scene, where Colleen had to play it cheap hooker in order to get the info she needed for the case to move on underlines how dire the situation is, even though it’s very un-FBI thing to do.

I am also very pleased with the world building angle. Gustainis has done some very heavy research to get down the principles of magic right and authentic as much as the complex system allows such a task to be performed. You won’t notice any deviation from the previous installment in the series, just a sort of expanding what has already been established in rules and possibilities. As much as I am a fan of the Japanese “I have a nuclear power plant rivaling load of energy” I find it refreshing to see that magic through most of the novel is very hard to get going and produce immediate effects, which usually takes up a lot of work that once interrupted can result into a catastrophe of some degree.

As a whole, “Evil Ways” is a good concept with an execution that didn’t manage to stir much of a reaction out of me. I am not sure I am in the capacity to recommend or warn off people as the experience as a whole was bittersweet and confusing. I still can’t make up my kind about “Evil Ways”, but there are enough reviews to show you a different perspective.

Different Opinions:
Darque Reviews
SciFiGuy.ca
Graeme's Fantasy Reviews
Monsters and Critics
Fatally Yours
Love Vampires

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Those of you who read Pat's Fantasy Hotlist will be aware of the Tor UK/SciFi Now contest for aspiring writers. Originally the contest was U.K. only entries-- but now it's worldwide. Everyone who has a book they'd like to get published-- get your submissions ready!

SciFiNow has teamed up with Tor UK and brought Play.com on board to bring an unparalleled competition to the world of science fiction and fantasy literature – War Of The Words - the opportunity to get your debut SF novel released by a known and respected publisher, and due to intense popular demand we’ve now opened it up to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Do you consider yourself to be tomorrow’s Heinlein? This decade’s Asimov? The Bester of the 21st century? Then all you have to do is submit three chapters and a synopsis of your original novel to warofthewords@imagine-publishing.co.uk by 20 August to be in with a chance. The submission will be reviewed by SciFiNow and Tor UK, and if it stands out enough, will be placed on a shortlist that the winner will eventually be chosen from.

There are a few minor stipulations however – in order to be eligible, you can’t have had a novel published before and it must be written in English. For a full list of terms and conditions, please visit this page.

Good luck to everyone who enters! I hope to see someone I know win!

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Reviewed by Drey

Calliope Reaper-Jones is hiding from her family. You would, too, if you wanted to live a normal life... Especially when your family runs a huge corporation, and your dad is Death. So she puts herself under a Forgetting Charm, and lives a rather lack-luster life in NYC.

However, before she knows it, Callie is dragged from her "dream-world" and dumped into a competition for dad's job--because he's been kidnapped. Not only does she not want the job (except for the saving-her-dad thing), the competition comes in the form of Daniel, who's also the Devil's protege... Callie has to complete 3 tasks before she's deemed worthy of stepping into dad's shoes, all while being hounded by Daniel and Detective Davenport (who's investigating dad's disappearance).

Death's Daughter has a myriad of characters from various mythologies. LOVED Cerberus' pup (Callie called her Runt. Really.), and thought Kali was hilarious, if a bit overdone. It's quite the rollicking adventure, and definitely entertaining. However, Callie got on my nerves. Quite a bit. She's feisty, alright, but she's also whiny. And bratty. And clueless. And yet she manages (by the itty bitty tips of her fingernails) to cling on to her mission, and survive. All while figuring out whodunit. If it weren't for the supporting cast and humor, I'd probably have put this book down.

Thank you to Theresa from Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' News & Reviews for my copy!

Title: Death's Daughter
Author: Amber Benson
ISBN-10: 0441016944
ISBN-13: 978-0441016945
Paperback: 359 pages
Publisher: Ace, 2009

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M. Night Shyamalan? I can't decide if this could okay (since Shyamalan didn't write it) or if it's going to be ridiculous. Not many clues from the trailer..




I also had to mention this site, (hat tip to SF Signal), that features stickers that are a combo of Star Wars and Hello Kitty characters. Doesn't Chewy look cute in a bow? The site is currently down for maintenance, but I hear you can buy individual stickers for $1 and packs for $10.

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I've randomly picked the winners of the first "Warbreaker" (by Brandon Sanderson) giveaway (signed edition) and the "Carpe Corpus" (by Rachel Caine) giveaway.

The winner of the "Warbreaker" giveaway is --

Sarah Hale (via email)

Congrats!

And the winners of the "Carpe Corpus" giveaway are--

Fantasy Dreamer

Lindsay (Frugal and Fabulous)

Joyce (My Life in Summary)

and

Karen Oland (via email)

Congratulations to all the winners!

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Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn – guest review by Jim Haley

In her Twelve Houses series, Sharon Shinn has done something that I personally haven’t seen often in the (admittedly little) fantasy I’ve read. The ‘epic battle’ has taken a complete backseat to the characters and their personal stories. In fact, I’d say the fantasy is a backdrop, a setting, that while in and of itself is certainly interesting and fascinating in its own right, is nothing really compared to the ever expanding cast of characters the author has introduced.

Fortune and Fate is the fifth book in this series, and though it is helpful to have read the other books in the series, it is not necessary. In part due to Shinn’s focus on the characters; each book in the series highlights the point of view of one character - and a minor character in one book is often the main character in the next, constantly shifting the overall story to a different perspective in each subsequent book. In the first four books we’re slowly introduced to a rising rebellion in this land, where people who are endowed with the ability to use magic are being persecuted against. By the fourth book, this rebellion has been quashed, and everyone lived happily ever after.

Everyone except Wen; a minor character from most of the previous four books. She is a Rider, the elite guards of the King or Queen, and she failed in her duty to keep the King alive in the heat of the final battle in book 4. Because she did not wind up giving her life trying to defend her King, she finds herself living with survivor’s guilt. She cannot serve the King’s daughter, her new Queen, but instead is living a sort of non-existence roaming the countryside, trying to right wrongs and get in over her head in the hopes she’ll be taken out in a blaze of glory. But when she saves a kidnap victim, her whole world is turned around.

This teenager is the daughter and inheritor of the lands of one of the men who fought against her and were responsible for the death of the King. Wen wants to hate Karryn, and wants nothing to do with her, but at the same time she starts to bond with her and feel responsible. Upon returning her to her uncle, Jaspar the acting Regent for the land, it’s obvious he is out of his depth with regards to providing protection for his niece. Wen takes on the job of training a cadre of guards, but always on a month by month basis, because she refuses to be tied down if she gets the urge to run.

And yet slowly, she and Jaspar bond. He introduces her to the joys of reading; she shows him the fun that can be had in learning strategy through a board game. They continue to meet each night, growing closer as they come together to fight off various threats to Karryn. But what will happen when her former comrades among the Riders come looking for her and what will become of her feelings for Jaspar?

I can highly recommend the entire Twelve Houses series, and as mentioned earlier, it is not necessary to have read the previous volumes to enjoy Fortune and Fate. This book is probably my second favorite, just after Dark Moon Defender, and I only hope that Sharon Shinn has plans to continue this series even beyond book 5 (she already has a short story set in this world coming out in the book Quatrain later this year). But if you enjoy character driven stories in a fantasy setting, you could do far worse than the fully fleshed out work that Shinn gives in Fortune and Fate.

Guest reviewer Jim Haley is a regular contributor to the Star Wars fan site www.njoe.com. His regular weekly column is featured each Friday, featuring news and reviews of non-Star Wars books by Star Wars authors, as well as other media tie-in fiction. His latest column, a review of Alan Dean Foster’s Transformers: The Veiled Threat can be found HERE.

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Images are starting to be released for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, due to be released March 5th 2010.

"Alice in Wonderland" is strange to begin with-- but let Tim Burton get his hands on it, and... well, take a look and see for yourself.

Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter

Anne Hathaway as the White Queen

The Mad Hatter

Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen

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You all know that I love Ree over at Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. She does giveaways on BIG scale. Right now she has a contest for a Kitchen Aid stand mixer-- in a lovely shade of yellow. Anyone who loves to cook will know that this is a very nice thing to have, and they're very expensive. Which is why I pass on these particular contests. I don't know about you, but I rarely have $250 (or more) lying around for kitchen appliances. Anyway. Get your entry in by 11:00 tonight (pacific time) for a chance to win.

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Thanks to everyone who commented on the post I put up this morning. I do appreciate the feedback-- though I fear I may have fallen victim to a faux-controversy.

I asked you all about giveaways honestly. I wanted to know if what I have going on is too much of a good thing. Most of you said no-problem, keep 'em coming. And a few hinted that maybe a weekly post listing the giveaways would be a good way to go (I think that's a good idea as well). I asked you the question in response to a post by another blogger who used the phrase "when do you ever stop whoring yourself out?" in his post title and mentions (not by name) blogs that do giveaways in the body of the post. I, being the naive little thing that I am, defended the practice and received some snide remarks in response (as I quoted in my other post) which is why I looked to the readers of this blog to tell me what they think about giveaways-- good or bad.

Silly me, I thought that would be the end of it. But there's something I didn't know about the other blogger-- he's a bit of an instigator. He has a new post up now, mentioning me by name and commenting on the "tribalism" going on over here. Apparently, if you comment in support of me, you are part of a "mob" rushing to defend a member of your tribe.

Okaaaay.

I started to write a response to the new post, but I deleted it. I figure, why give him the satisfaction? I read a comment on another blog that said that this kind of thing is something this blogger does on purpose-- to generate controversy and discussion on his blog. I guess you could say it's his own version of whoring himself out.

So, I'm going to ask you all a favor. I'm not mentioning him by name or blog here because I don't want to encourage the tactics of going after other bloggers to gain attention to oneself. And I'm going to request that anyone who reads this, who knows the blogger in question, that you refrain from commenting on his blog or defending me. Lets not give him what he wants and maybe he'll learn to have a little class in the future.

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