by Henry Leon Lazarus

For this column, my policy is to only report on novels I've managed to finish thus eliminating both the unreadable and those novels that I was unable to get a hold of. Since I've been putting this column together since 1991, I do get many of my copies from the publishers. I've learned over the years, that publishers usually have reasons for not including books and when I've spent my own money on these dogs, have found out why. There are, however, exceptions to that rule, and I was very lucky this month with the extra books I bought during a quiet time.

Robin Hobb completes her Farseer trilogy by sending Fitz on a grueling Assassin's Quest (hard from Bantam Spectra). My only complaint is that the magic of Skill which previously seemed like telepathy has been expanded to the creations of roads and other things which Fitz learns about as he follows the skill made road in the mountains to find his king and save his country. But who said magic had to make sense. It was a fun read. Michael A. Stackpole's Talion Revenant (paper) has been held for eight years because of its length. That's a true shame because this tale of an unstoppable man of justice who rides the land with only his sword, which he can call, and the ability to draw souls out of men is a very enjoyable read and I would hope that some sequels might be along eventually.

Mark Sumner's view of a truly wild west, Devils Engine (paper from Del Rey) I also had to buy. After the civil war magic talents have warped the wild west. This time Buffalo Bill, the rainmaker (who rides in a sail driven wagon) and Jake Bird have to stop Jay Gould and his railroad tracks designed to draw the magic from the west in a tall tale that is impossible to put down. I was glad when they sent me the sequel to The Waterborn (paper). J. Gregory Keyes has improved greatly and strengthens his view of a world where gods and goddesses inhabit the natural world and The Blackgod (hard) uses the characters from the previous books to try and kill the river god. Lovers of Anne McCaffrey's Pern series will be overwhelmed by a gift of the second edition of The Dragon Lover's Guide to Pern (trade) put together by Jody Lynn Nye.

Had I not gotten the first of Leonard Nimoy's Primortals as a review copy, I never would have looked at Steve Perry's Target Earth (hard from Aspect) which is a true hoot about a would be alien emperor running from the true rulers of the galaxy who comes to earth for a new start at empire building. The reaction to his radio messages is handled just right (I really giggled at the call in radio show opinion poll about whether he came in peace.) I hope Steve Perry continues as the author of this series. Buzz Aldrin and John Barnes's excellent and award nominated Encounter With Tiber about the discovery of a failed, pre-historic alien expedition is out in paper.

I bought one of the earlier of Daniel Hood's magical mysteries, so I was very glad to see the latest, which takes place during the holiday of Beggar's Banquet (paper from Ace) and starts with a dead man washed in from the sea and a stolen jewel. As usual the solution involves both magic and murder.

Little boys like to pretend they are the robot toys they play with. James P. Hogan invents a technology that lets some teenage boys actually feel that they are in small robots in Bug Park (hard from Baen). When the baddies try to kill their father and steal his company only these tiny robots can save the day. It's a real giggle when they attack the villain's boat. I cannot recommend Charles Sheffield's Convergance (paper). The three earlier novels were published by another publisher and will be reprinted by Baen, but the solution to the giant structures that fill the galaxy is too simplistic and silly. Which is a shame, because the awesome constructs promised a solid puzzle.

Sherri S. Tepper puts together the tale of a policewoman who is solving the murder of some scientists while putting up with a forest that is overgrowing our world, with a tale of people on a quest in another time and place where technology is limited and magic works in The Family Tree (hard from Avonova) But when she finally got the stories together, I realized she had borrowed her plot from a famous television/movie series. However her gentle, warm characters still carried the story. I've already read Jane Routley's Mage Heart twice. It's about a young female mage caught up in court politics and is finally out in paper. I'm hoping for a sequel.

James White believes in anti-hmo's because his Sector General hospital works to heal patients of all galactic species, not worry about how much their care will cost. Final Diagnosis (hard from Tor) is told through the eyes of a human patient with a difficult to diagnose ailment and is the usual fun. In the Orb line of reprints, the first three novels from my favorite Jack Vance series about a man killing the crazy gangsters known as The Demon Princes after they wiped out his world are together in one volume, and Maureen F. McHugh's first novel/collection about a future run by Chinese Communism, China Mountain Zhang are out, both in trade paperback.

Long after plague has wiped out our technological future a group of adventurers set off to find a cache of stored knowledge along Eternity Road (hard from Harper Prism). Even though the characters are interesting and pleasant, Jack McDevitt doesn't hesitate to let the dangers be fatal, giving greater realism to this odd future. A collection of Isaac Asimov's fantasy tales and essays, Magic is out in paper. Terry Pratchett brings tears to my eyes (of laughter, of course). Men at Arms, a police procedural mystery set in Ankh-Morepork on disk world, is also out in paper. The night watch has to find a killer with a gun, but guns haven't been invented.

Finally for those Star Trek completists, Herber F Solow and Yvonne Fern Solow have put together The Star Trek Sketch Book, The Original Series (trade from Pocket) which has the original sketches for that show along with the histories of the designers. Neat.

The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society meets monthly, with a guest speaker for each meeting. Guests are welcome to attend this, the second oldest science fiction club in the country.