The Book of Summer
James F. David
Tor, Jun 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780765351470

God spoke to the Christians and gave his Chosen one a vision of a new world along with the science and technology to make it happen. He delivered on his promises and the Fellowship landed on America, which was not the world God granted them. Among the passengers are blacks who want to have a better lifestyle. They remained on planet America; when soldiers from earth arrived to eradicate them, the settlers defeated them. The blacks are the masters while the whites are the slaves.

Summer is a slave who is owned by Master Rice; though she abhors him she believes he will make her his concubine like he did with her mother. When Rice kills the man she loves, Summer runs off to a hiding place.. There she meets Rey Mann, who has traveled the world after twenty years of being alone on the other side. He hoped the Fellowship would return him from exile, but is unaware they are gone. He has encountered severe loneliness and endured horrific hardship until he meets Summer; he delivers her baby. When Summer is captured and taken to town for punishment, Rey goes to rescue her unintentionally starting a freedom revolt.

The sequel to JUDGMENT DAY is a fascinating racial bending reversal of the Antebellum South. Summer craves freedom and is willing to die to achieve it. Master Rice is a fully developed villain who is a product of his society as he nor his peers see his actions as evil; instead Summer is property to abuse and discard on a whim; his rage drives him over the edge as he wants the power his mother-in-law possesses. This is superb thriller filled with redemption and faith as some believe God has abandoned his children, but others strongly disagree.

Harriet Klausner

The Twisted Citadel
Sara Douglass
Eos, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN 9780060882150

Escator King Maximilian and his former Queen Ishbel battle their strong feelings for one another. However, both have doubts about reheating their romance as the first time it ended sadly and though they care for one another they both fear it will end badly again.

At the same time the rulers debate the merits of their on and off relationship, Escator’s military chieftain Isaiah and the Icarii enchanter Axis SunSoar plot strategy to fight the powerful evil demonic god Kanubai. Since DarkGlass Mountain has absorbed Kanubai, the demon has become even more dangerous to the country and this malevolence is growing stronger. Both Isaiah and Axis know they must act promptly before it is too late; their fear is that it is already too late.

Although not as strong as the Axis Trilogy or the first DarkGkss Mountauin entry (see THE SERPENT BRIDE), THE TWISTED CITADEL is predominently a middle book quest fantasy. Still bone weary and mentally exhausted Maximilian makes the tale with his tired muses that being a hero and champion is not fun; he just wants to stay home for a change and ignore his responsibilty of battling evil. The cast is solid regardless of species especially the human and Icarii teamup and the story line is fast-paced, but progress in spite of some vividly described encounters is limited as this second act mostly sets up the grand finish.

Harriet Klausner

Tigerheart
Peter David
Del Rey, Jun 2008, $22.00
ISBN: 9780345501592

He is a home boy; Paul Dear is. His father tells him stories about magical creatures that his mother does not believe in, but accepts the tales as part of her overall happy life. In his dreams, Paul visits Anywhere located on the third star on the right and straight on to morning. The Boy, who is part of Anywhere, meets with him in Paul’s mirror teaching him things like talking to the animals.

Trouble strikes the Dern household causing the father to leave and the mother to mire in a deep depression. While shopping, Paul finds an interesting curio that turns out to be the Fiddlefix the boy’s pixie. . Brought back to life and Paul as Paul seeks something in Anywhere that will bring his family back together. The Boy abandons Gwenny and two of his Boys to go pirating with the Bully Boys. Everyone learns what caused the Boy to transform from a flitter gibbet to a cowardly pirate; his friends do their best to bring him back to his former frolicsome self. A battle between the Boys and the Pirates is coming with Paul, who wants to go home caught in the middle. Fiddlefix intends to kill her true enemy and Gwenny wants her old friend back.

Peter David pays homage to Barrie’s Peter Pan. The Boy is a Pan type hoping to not grow up and eager to have exciting adventures, but his escapades place him in harm’s way and turn him into a villain. His friends prove their love for him by trying to turn him back. Although part children’s fairy tale and part adult treatise on growing up, TIGERHEART is an engaging fantasy that is a magical retelling of the classic, but never quite settles on a prime audience.

Harriet Klausner

Dreamwalker
Kathleen Dante
Berkley Heat, May 2008, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425219638

Shapeshifter Aurora “Rory” diScipio uses her lamia skills to effortlessly steal valuable items from seemingly impenetrable sources. Government assassin Damon Venizelos is an incubus dreamwalker trained-killer who murders assigned victims while they are sleeping.

His current mission is to locate and retrieve a missing nuclear bomb before terrorists obtain it. To assist him the Feds try to enlist master thief Rory as she is stealing a Monet. He admires her spunk and expertise; and she his skill as a “ghost” haunting her thoughts. To both their amazement, the pair are attracted to one another even before they meet. However, once they meet the heat is on with finding the nuke even as Rory and Damon fail to control their desire and passion though they try until mission accomplished.

DREAMWALKER is a terrific erotic fantasy thriller starring two likable protagonists who understand the importance of the assignment while struggling with the heat each emits. The story line is fast-paced from the first encounter between the lead pair and never slows down as Rory’s shapeshifting skills makes life in bed quite fascinating as she can get into the role literally while Damon’s ability of getting into your head and your body adds to the sexual encounters. Readers will enjoy Kathleen Dante’s action-packed creative prevent terrorism in between trysts tale.

Harriet Klausner

The Del Rey Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy
Ellen Datlow (editor)
Del Rey, Apr 2008, $16.00
ISBN 9780345496324

This sixteen story anthology runs the gamut of speculative fiction, which makes it in many ways a fresh throwback before themed restraints became the name of the short story game for especially fantasy and horror but to a lesser degree science fiction and alternate history too. The contributions are all well written with several spectacular entries. “Renaissance” readers will enjoy the compilation from the opening alternate history act (The Elephant Ironclads” by Jason Stoddard) to the closing collaboration “Prisoners of the Action” by McCauley and Newman and points in between. The tales include contemporary urban (“Ardent Clouds” by Lucy Sussex), fairy tale revision (“The Goosle” by Margo Langan), and an alternate historical fictional account of why “Sonny Liston Takes the Fall” in his bout with Ali then Clay by Elizabeth Bear. Sci fi is present with “Special Economics” in China by Maureen F. McHugh and changing urban geography too (“AKA St. Marks Place” by Richard Bowes). Barry Malzberg provides a change of pace with plenty of humor with his talking goat golem in “The Passion of Azrael”. With supernatural entries (“Jimmy” by Pat Cadigan and “The Lagerstatte by Laird Barron)) to round out the anthology, this is a strong refreshing all over the place collection though a strong alternate history (to include “Shira” by Lavie Tidhar) presence is throughout.

Harriet Klausner

Bewitching Season
Marissa Doyle
Holt, Apr 2008, $16.95
ISBN 9780805082517

In 1837 seventeen years old twins Penelope and Persephone Leland differ about their feelings about their debut season. Whereas Pen is euphoric looking forward to all the social activity especially with this being a coronation season in London; Persy prefers to stay at home bookishly studying magic under the tutelage of their governess, Ally. However, both react the same way when Ally vanishes without a trace in Kensington Palace; the sisters use their magical skills searching for her while Persy also overhears a seditious plot to keep Princess Victoria from being crowned Queen.

As she has in her mind and heart forever, Persy remained attracted to her neighbor Lord Seton, Lochinver, who only recently seems to have noticed her. However, finding beloved Ally comes first for her and for her sibling. The clues in balls and bashes lead to danger from traitorous conspirators who plan to use Ally’s magical skills to turn Victoria into their puppet.

Though targeting young adults, BEWITCHING SEASON is a alluring early Victorian historical with strong fantasy elements and some romance; older fans of the period will appreciate the fun story line as the magic in Marissa Doyle’s enchanting tale is how magic is treated as a skill young ladies must learn like knitting and playing the pianoforte. The twins are a delight as their personalities are vastly different on the surface with Pen being an extrovert and Persy an introvert, but inside they share courage and caring. The romantic subplot is kept for the most part in the background while the fantasy elements play more critical roles as they are the mechanism being used to control the soon to be queen. It is elementary that fans who enjoy an engaging historical with an invigorating fantasy foundation will want to read Ms. Doyle’s fine thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Animal Lust
Lucy Danes
Kensington Aphrodisia, Mar 2008, $13.95
ISBN: 9780758220585

Their Viking ancestors left the Ursus clan cursed with the blood of the bear and mystic skills but ANIMAL LUST sexual appetites that are never satiated unless they bond with their soulmate.

“Martin”. In 1800 innocent Jane fell in love and gave her virginity to Jonathan whom she thought loved her and would marry her. Instead he left her after he took what he wanted. When she meets Martin, he vows to Jane that he will give back what he lost.

“Mac”. In 1801 Rasalette seeks her life mate, but the men selected by her caring royal brother don’t appeal to her until “Mac” arrives.

“Orin”. In 1817 when Wilhelmina sees Orin ride out of the forest, she knows she has found her beloved; now to convince him that he has too.

“Devon”. Following her husband’s death Amanda returns to the home of the aunt who raised her. There she meets Devon, whom she once loved and knows still does.

The Ursus brothers’ saga contains four exhilarating paranormal erotic Regency romances starring strong protagonists whose couplings are hot.

Harriet Klausner

Sexy Beast IV
Kate Douglas, Deanna Lee and Dawn Thompson
Kensington Aphrodisia, Mar 2008, $12.95
ISBN: 9780758219886

“Chanku Destiny” by Kate Douglas. The Chanku shapeshifting werewolves are elated to locate two more of their species, Adam Wolf and Eve Reynolds, who deeply connect with one another on a soulmate level.

“Abundance” by Deanna Lee. For over three decades King Jude and his Yaw panther shapeshifters have had no contact with purebred humans until Kayla lands her space ship on their world.

“Passion of the Cat” by Dawn Thompson. In 1810 in the Hindu Kush, when a snow leopard viciously attacks Captain Lyle Claridge, Ihita heals him, but after he goes back to England, the full moon makes him sexually in need.

There three erotic shapeshifting romantic fantasies are well written fun short stories filled with various sexual encounters and a little less other action. The Kate Douglas entry feels like the prologue to the upcoming Wolf Tales VI while the other two are more complete. Sub-genre fans will enjoy these shapeshifters in heat tales.

Harriet Klausner

Little Brother
Cory Doctorow
Tor, May 2008, $17.95
ISBN: 9780765319852

Every student in Marcus’ high school is under surveillance through cameras both in and out of class, spy ware in the school computers and identification cards with microchips inside that let the powers to be know where they are at all times. Marcus is a computer guru who lives to beat the system; he and some friends cut school to participate in a scavenger hunt sponsored by a large corporation.

While they are trying to decipher a clue, an explosion occurs followed by a mushroom cloud rising in the sky. Terrorists hit the Bay Bridge and a San Francisco BART station. Marcus’ friend Darryl is injured so they stop a Homeland Security vehicle. The teens are treated like terrorists and taken to prison where they are mentally and physically tortured. Three of them are freed but Darryl is nowhere to be found. Homeland Security has turned San Francisco into a police state, but Marcus knows the truth and organizes a resistance.

LITTLE BROTHER is a tense frightening thriller because with little spin it comes from headlines since 9/11. Marcus is a fighter yet a reluctant hero as he just wants freedom without insistent government meddling, peeking, and intruding under the guise of red alerts. Cory Doctorow has modernized 1984 with this exhilarating cautionary thriller; though one must wonder whether he will receive the Rushdie treatment from the Patriot actors.

Harriet Klausner

In Milton Lumky Territory
Philip K. Dick
Tor, May 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9780765316950

Mid twenties Bruce Stevens lives in Reno working as a buyer for Consumers Buying Bureau. It is one of those new establishments: a discount place. He stops in Montario, Idaho to buy Trojans; planning to use them when he visits Peg Googer. However, Peg has company including Susan Faine, who looks familiar, but he cannot place her. Susan runs a typewriter rental service mostly used by male lawyers and has just obtained a divorce from Walt in Mexico. He leaves for Boise but forgot his coat so he returns to Peg’s house; only Susan is there as the others went out. As he leaves again, he is attracted to Susan before realizing that she was Miss Reuben, his fifth grade teacher at Garret A. Hobart Grammar School in Montario back in 1944.

Ten years his senior, Susan and Bruce marry giving him an instant family as she has a stepdaughter and her typing business to run while he is on the road a lot as he does the circuit between most of the major cities west of the Rockies. His western travels lead to his meeting older traveling paper salesman Milton Lumky whose depressing look at the American conditions haunts Bruce as the middle aged seller pontificates negatively about traveling salesmen being a dying dinosaur with the discounters on the rise. Meanwhile, Susan’s fears that Bruce will leave her for some younger female he meets on the road harm their relationship while his misperceptions about families hurt their marriage further.

Although written as a late 1950s contemporary, IN MILTON LUMKY TERRITORY has the deep feel of a well written character driven historical that feels so apropos today with the dramatic demographic shifts in employment skills. Bruce is actually the prime player with Milton and Susan providing strong support mostly insight into the lead character or his work. Philip K. Dick shows his versatility and currency with this fine tale that holds up well as both a historical and as a deep look at people struggling with radical societal changes in their lives.

Harriet Klausner