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Druid's Blood - by Esther M. Friesner What if...the Romans--and every later invasion--had been turned back from Britain's shores by the magic of the Druids? And what if NOTHING else changed? In this delightful alternate history romp, Dr. John Weston--faithful sidekick of the great detective Brihtric Donne--must save the beautiful Queen Victoria's Britain from being taken over by the evil Lord Kitchener. I love both British history and Sherlock Holmes, and this book scores high on both. Fortress of Dragons - by C.J. Cherryh This is the fourth volume in the Fortress series, but luckily not the last! (Cherryh reports that she didn't know there would be another book until she was finishing this one.) Tristan discovers more about his shadowy origins, including the truth about the enemy behind Hasufin and Tasmorden. As all sides prepare for the battle to regain Elwynor, both Tristan and Cefwyn must deal with treachery close at hand, and the problem of Cefwyn's bastard child, whom Hasufin means to possess at birth. This is a wonderful series--the best I have read in a long time, with a complex world that could almost rival Tolkien's, if any could. Dragonseye - by Anne McCaffrey I had almost given up on the Dragon series, but this novel about the Second Pass of the Red Star is something close to McCaffrey's former quality. The only quarrel I have with this book is that it feels more like 100 years after the original settlers, not 250 years. But the characters are engaging and likeable, and it's fun to see the beginnings of some of the later culture of Pern. On Fortune's Wheel and The Wings of a Falcon - by Cynthia Voigt These two sequels to Jackaroo are set in subsequent generations. In On Fortune's Wheel, Gwyn's granddaughhter Birle tries to stop a thief and ends up companioning Orien, the runaway heir of Sutherland, on an odyssey in the dangerous world outside the Kingdom. But even their escape from slavery and safe return to the Kingdom cannot solve all their difficulties, and they must find a world where both of them can be happy. In The Wings of a Falcon, two young men escape from the horrors of the Damall's island and, through a series of difficult adventures, make their way to the Kingdom, where they meet Birle's granddaughter. The title of the Earl of Sutherland is up for grabs, and the two youths learn that even the Kingdom is not immune from cruelty and treachery. It is very enjoyable to watch the positive changes in the Kingdom over the course of this loosely connected series. Although these are technically classified as "Young Adult" novels, they are perfectly adequate for adults. Angel Fire East - by Terry Brooks This is the third book in the Word/Void series, and the last one Brooks plans to write for a while. Nest, after nearly losing control of Wraith during a race, has suppressed her magic. Then, as Christmas approaches, John Ross brings her the mysterious gypsy morph--in the form of a young boy--seeking her help to help discover the secret behind its existence. But a whole crew of evil nasties are out to gain the secret for the Void, and they will stop at nothing to get it. Definitely the most violent in the series, and the implications of the ending bothered me. Wind from a Foreign Sky and A Tremor in the Bitter Earth - by Katya Reimann Two books from a fine new writer. The lesser (or so she thought) of twin sisters gifted with magic, Gaultry must preserve her land from the god-ridden, corrupted empire to which it once belonged. The second book begins with some extremely unpleasant violence, but both books have a quick, adventurous pace and are an entertaining read. I look forward to more books from this writer. The Hemingway Hoax - by Joe Haldeman This is not the sort of book I usually read, but the idea behind it was intriguing enough to make me pick it up. A con man wants a Hemingway scholar to forge a "rediscovered" novel, but there are forces in the universe determined to stop the crime. When the scholar discovers that he CAN'T die, his world dissolves into a series of parallel universes, all revolving around Hemingway. Although I got a bit lost at the end, and although the language was a bit cruder than I prefer, I enjoyed the convoluted plotline until I couldn't follow what was happening anymore. Maybe someone else can puzzle it out. Sheepfarmer's Daughter and Divided Allegiance and Oath of Gold - by Elizabeth Moon I enjoyed this series about Paksenarrion, the sheepfarmer's daughter turned mercenary soldier...right up until the ending. The world is interesting, and the characters are vivid, and Paks' resistance to her own larger role in events is believable. Unfortunately, the ending of Oath of Gold put me off VERY badly. The hideous torture scene was just too much for me (and I'm not easily bothered by such things). On the whole, I wish I hadn't read it...which is an unfortunate way to feel about a series so well-written. Jackaroo - by Cythnia Voigt Gwyn, the innkeeper's daughter, is distressed by the injustices she sees around her. When she finds the hidden costume of the mysterious Robin Hood-like outlaw, Jackaroo, she ends up assuming the role herself. But she is not the first to have done so, and she will not be the last, and there is a price to be paid for daring to become Jackaroo. This is the first of a loosely related series of books set in the Kingdom. Although they are classified as Young Adult, they are more than good enough for adult readers. Maskerade - by Terry Pratchett This time Terry Pratchett tries on The Phantom of the Opera. This is another in the Witches sequence, and although I enjoyed the last Witches book, Lord and Ladies, this one gave me some trouble. I had difficulty accepting Magrat's destined replacement--fair enough, since Agnes has trouble with the idea herself. She would prefer to be an opera star, and she has the voice for it, but a little too much of the figure. Not a bad book, but not as good as other Discworld novels. Fortress of Owls - by C.J. Cherryh Definitely the slowest of the Fortress books. Tristan consolidates his new position as Duke of Amefel, forging alliances to serve King Cefwyn in the coming war. The trouble is, most of his allies want to serve Tristan, whom they see as the prophecied King to Come. Less seems to actually happen in this book than the others. Nevertheless, it's an important installment in an excellent series. Five-Twelfths of Heaven and Silence in Solitude and The Empress of Earth - by Melissa Scott I picked up this book (collected in a SFBC edition as The Roads of Heaven) because someone mentioned that a story I was writing reminded them of it. Although it's science fiction, the setting is a far-future universe where ships travel between planets based on principles of alchemy and music, and Earth is a mythical lost world. Although it tends to feel like normal science fiction most of the time, the particular nature of their technology becomes weirdly clear when pilot Silence Leigh and her companions find a way to lost Earth. A very good series. Promised Land - by Connie Willis and Cynthia Felice Another collaboration from the authors of Light Raid and Water Witch. Although it's dressed up to look like SF, this is really just a romance novel. Since it's EXACTLY the variety of romance novel I like best, I'm hard-pressed to say why I didn't enjoy this book more, but somehow it fell kind of flat for me. I normally thoroughly enjoy the collaborations of these two authors. I don't know what went wrong. To Say Nothing of the Dog - by Connie Willis This comedic novel is best enjoyed after reading Three Men in a Boat (see below). Set in the same near-future Oxford as Doomsday Book, this is a far more cheerful tale. Dunworthy's history department is in chaos as his students travel through time attempting to gather the details necessary to a wealthy patron's EXACT reconstruction of Coventry Cathedral. But an object from the past was mistakenly (and theoretically impossibly) taken into the future, and now the space-time continuim appears to be unravelling. Bouncing between the Victorian Era and WWII, our bumbling hero and plucky heroine try to set things right--and find the Bishop's bird stump--before history collapses...and before the dedication of the cathedral. Although there is a serious theme entangled in all the comedy, don't expect another Doomsday Book; this book can only remotely be called a sequel in the sense that it takes place in the same universe with some of the same characters. Wonderful stuff! Three Men in a Boat - by Jerome K. Jerome This book is hilarious! Three young swains take a boating trip on the Thames in the 1880s. This is a genuine work from that era, and it is very probably one of the funniest books ever written. At the beginning of Heinlein's Have Spacesuit, Will Travel, the protaganist's father is reading this book. When Connie Willis read Have Spacesuit, Will Travel, she picked up on the reference and went and found the book herself. Her novel, To Say Nothing of the Dog (which is also the subtitle of this book), is a kind of tribute to it. If you want to read something that will make you laugh yourself silly, read this book. Fire Watch - by Connie Willis This collection of short stories actually pre-dates Doomsday Book, but it was only recently re-issued. The title story is a precursor of that novel, and is almost as emotionally wrenching. This collection has a little bit of everything: comedy, tragedy, weirdness, things that lean toward fantasy, things that are very definitely SF. Connie Willis is one of the best SF writers around, and her short stories are at least as good as her novels. Uncharted Territory and Remake and Bellwether - by Connie Willis I read these three short novels in a SFBC collection called Futures Imperfect. Of the three, I think I like Bellwether best. In it, a scientist trying to figure out what causes fads must deal with her Dilbert-like company and her air-headed assistant, not to mention her feelings for the scientist helping her on the project. In Uncharted Territory, the exploration of an alien planet provides an amusing look at gender. Remake, which is probably the weakest of the three, is a more serious story about girl who wants to dance in the movies in a future where living actors no longer have any role. I love old movies, as Connie Willis does, so I enjoyed the story; but it was definitely darker than the other two. A Knight of the Word - by Terry Brooks The second in the Word/Void series. A tragic event for which he feels responsible causes John Ross to turn from his duties as a Knight of the Word. But a fallen Knight--however good his intentions--is a great prize, and now the Void wants him. As Halloween approaches, only Nest Freemark can restore his faith in himself and prevent disaster. This book is stronger than Running with the Demon in some ways and weaker in others. The storyline is much more original; a fresh idea for Brooks. But this book is short for a Brooks story, and the "mystery" is easily solved by the reader. Fortunately, there was enough narrative tension to keep me gripped through the end of the book. And we learn enough interesting things that I will certainly be reading the next in the series. See More Reviews

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To suffer woes which hope thinks infinite; To forgive wrongs darker than death or night; To defy power, which seems omnipotent; To love, and bear; to hope til hope creates From its own wreck the thing it contemplates; Neither to change, nor falter, nor repent; This, like thy glory, Titan, is to be Good, great and joyous, beautiful and free; This is alone life, joy, empire, and victory. -Percy Bysshe Shelley

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