* Anders, Lou, ed. : Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge
(Pyr 1-591-02486-2, $15, 409pp, trade paperback, February 2007, cover by John Picacio)

Anthology of 19 original stories and 2 poems, first volume in a new series. Authors include Robert Charles Wilson, Paolo Bacigalupi, Stephen Baxter, Ken MacLeod, Mike Resnick & Nancy Kress, Iam McDonald, Gene Wolfe, and Paul Di Filippo.
• The publisher's site has this description, with quotes from numerous reviews, and a free sample: Paul Di Filippo's story Wikiworld.
• Amazon page includes its 'search inside' feature, which includes an excerpt (of Robert Charles Wilson's "YFL-500"), several posts from editor Lou Anders, one listing the complete table of contents, and the starred Publishers Weekly review, from its January 1st issue: "All the selections in this outstanding volume prompt thoughtful speculation about what kind of tomorrow we're heading toward and what we'll do when we get there."
• Both Rich Horton and Nick Gevers review the book in the current February issue of Locus Magazine, with Gevers especially recommending stories by Wolfe and McDonald, and Horton saying the book's "great story is Ken MacLeod's 'Jesus Christ, Reanimator' ".

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* Arthur, Keri : Kissing Sin
(Bantam Spectra 0-553-58846-X, $6.99, 355pp, mass market paperback, February 2007)

Urban fantasy novel, second in a series following last year's Full Moon Rising, about an organization that protects humans from various supernatural races, and starring vampire-werewolf heroine Riley Jensen.
• Bantam's site has this description and an excerpt.
• The author's website has news about forthcoming books in the series.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, which notes that the "publisher's insistence on marketing her as paranormal romance may frustrate; though the heroine's multiple sexual partners fit her werewolf nature, they do not fit romance genre conventions and are better suited to readers of erotica/romance hybrids."

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* Bishop, Toby : Airs Beneath the Moon
(Ace 978-0-441-01462-0, $6.99, 326pp, mass market paperback, January 2007, cover art Allen Douglas)

Fantasy novel about a farm girl who bonds with a winged horse.
• Amazon has the Booklist review, which concludes "In short, this is a thoroughly satisfying read, fortunately with enough loose ends to justify a sequel."
• Carolyn Cushman reviews the book in the February issue of Locus Magazine, saying... "This is a sweet but bland fantasy, and seems almost written to formula, falling somewhere between McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern and Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar. (Which may be why Louise Marley has taken a pen name for this effort.)"

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* Burton, Louisa : House of Dark Delights
(Bantam 978-0-553-38412-3, $13, 324pp, trade paperback, February 2007)

Erotic fantasy novel, the author's first novel and first in a series, about a castle in France where guests fulfill their erotic fantasies, and whose immortal residents include an elf, a satyr, a vampire, a djinni, and others.
• Bantam's site has this description and an excerpt.
• The author's website has descriptions and excerpts for this book and the next in the "Hidden Grotto" series, Bound in Moonlight, due December 2007.
• Amazon has the Booklist review.

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+ Canavan, Trudi : Voice of the Gods
(Eos 0-06-081592-2, $7.99, 574pp, mass market paperback, February 2007)

Fantasy novel, third in the "Age of the Five" series following Priestess of the White and Last of the Wilds.
• The publisher's site has this description and a text excerpt.
• The author's site has a page about the series with cover images of various editions.

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* Douglas, Ian : Star Marines
(Eos 0-380-81826-4, $7.99, 371pp, mass market paperback, February 2007)

Military SF novel, third in the "Legacy" trilogy following Star Corps (2003) and Battlespace (2006), about humanity fighting invading alien Xul.
• Eos' website has this description and an excerpt.
• Ian Douglas is a pseudonym for William H. Keith, Jr.
• Amazon has a couple enthusiastic reader reviews.

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* Faust, Minister : From the Notebooks of Dr. Brain
(Ballantine Del Rey 0-345-46637-3, $13.95, 17+390pp, trade paperback, February 2007, cover illustration Greg Horn)

Superhero SF/fantasy novel, the second novel by the author of The Coyote Kings of the Space-Age Bachelor Pad (2004). This book masquerades as a "self-help book for superheroes" with characters Omnipotent Man, The Flying Squirrel, Iron Lass, X-Man, The Brotherfly, and Power Grrrl.
• Del Rey's site has this description and an excerpt.
• Amazon has Publishers Weekly's starred review, from its December 4th issue, which says "this sharp satire of caped crusaders hides a deeper critique of individual treatment versus social injustice".

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* Hill, Joe : Heart-Shaped Box
(Morrow 0-06-114793-1, $24.95, 376pp, hardcover, February 2007)

Horror novel, the author's first novel, about an aging rock star, collector of morbid curiosities, who buys a suit haunted by its dead owner.
• This is the first novel by the author whose acclaimed collection 20th Century Ghosts has won the Stoker, British Fantasy, International Horror Guild, and Crawford awards.
• The publisher's site has this description, an excerpt, and a link to an audio excerpt.
• Author's website http://www.joehillfiction.com/ includes a blog.
• The book's jacket copy and publicity avoid mentioning the open secret that Hill is Stephen King's son.
• Amazon has guest reviews from Scott Smith and Harlan Coben, as well as Publishers Weekly's starred review: "[Hill's] subtle and skillful treatment of horrors that could easily have exploded over the top and out of control helps make this a truly memorable debut."
• Tim Pratt and Faren Miller reviewed the book in the January issue of Locus Magazine; Faren Miller's is posted here online.

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* Lackey, Mercedes, & Roberta Gellis : By Slanderous Tongues
(Baen 1-416-52107-0, $25, 533pp, hardcover, February 2007, jacket illustration Stephen Hickman)

Fantasy novel, third in a series following This Scepter'd Isle (2004) and Ill Met by Moonlight (2005), about human and elven intrigue in 16th century England.
• Baen's site has a description and links to several chapters.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, calling it "lighthearted, historically detailed" and concluding "Lackey and Gellis blend the best of high fantasy with a grand dose of English history."

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* Mann, George, ed. : The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction
(Solaris 1-84416-448-9, $7.99, 408pp, mass market paperback, February 2007)

Anthology of 16 original stories -- a kick-off book to the new line of Solaris Books that will be appearing in the UK and US in 2007, edited by George Mann.
• Contributors include Mike Resnick & David Gerrold, Jeffrey Thomas, Jay Lake & Greg van Eekhout, Paul Di Filippo, Ian Watson, Stephen Baxter, Brian Aldiss, Eric Brown, and others.
• The publisher's website has this description, with a complete table of contents.
• Amazon's page has a reader review by Lou Anders.
• Nick Gevers reviews the book in the February issue of Locus Magazine, especially recommending Tony Ballantyne's "Third Person" and James Lovegrove's "The Bowdler Strain".

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* Miéville, China : Un Lun Dun
(Ballantine Del Rey 0-345-49516-0, $17.95, 432pp, hardcover, March 2007, jacket illustration August Hall)

Fantasy novel, nominally young-adult, set in an alternate London (un-London) where lost things end up and a prophecy tells of a coming hero. Miéville also illustrates the book.
• Del Rey's site has this description and excerpt.
• URL www.unlundun.com has an excerpt, sample illustrations, an author interview, and a link to request a teachers guide.
• Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review in its February 12th issue: "Miéville employs a few tricks from the experimental novelist's bag (five-words-long chapters, others that end mid-sentence, puns and wordplay galore) but by and large relies on his formidable storytelling skill for this lengthy yet swift-moving tale that, with a wink and a nod, cuts through archetypal notions of fate and prophecy. Highly recommended for Neil Gaiman and Clive Barker fans especially."
• Gary K. Wolfe reviewed it in the December '06 issue of Locus Magazine, Faren Miller in the February '07 issue. Wolfe remarks "It's the most thoroughly playful tale Miéville has written, and it will no doubt appeal to his adult followers as well as, if not more than, the YA audience he seeks to address."

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+ Stewart, Paul, & Chris Riddell : Hugo Pepper
(David Fickling Books 978-0385750929, $14.99, 253+pp, hardcover, February 2007)

Third volume in the YA fantasy series "Far-Flung Adventures", following Fergus Crane and Corby Flood (both 2006). This book is about a boy orphaned in the Frozen North who sets out to discover his past.
• The publisher's site has this description and an excerpt.
• The series website is http://www.thefarflungadventures.com/.
• Amazon has the School Library Journal review, which says "Inventive touches include a moth-eating dog that lives in a carpet shop and cloud sheep so small and light that their shepherd carries a net to keep them from falling off the mountains. Their wool is used to produce magical flying carpets. The dizzying array of characters propels the story forward at a manic pace. This is just the kind of tongue-in-cheek humor to tickle the funny bones of Lemony Snicket and Philip Aardagh fans, and it is sure to delight readers of Stewart and Riddell's earlier books."

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* Stewart, Paul, & Chris Riddell : The Winter Knights
(David Fickling Books 978-0375837418, $12.99, 382pp, hardcover, February 2007)

Eighth volume in the YA fantasy series "The Edgewood Chronicles", following Beyond the Deepwoods, Stormchaser, Midnight Over Sanctaphrax, The Curse of the Gloamglozer, The Last of the Sky Pirates, Vox, and Freeglader.
• This book focuses on Quintinius Verginix, son of a sky pirate, now a squire in the Knights Academy on the floating academic city of Sanctaphrax.
• The publisher's website www.edgechronicles.com has a creature guide, various games, maps, etc.
• Amazon has a chapter one excerpt.

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* Wright, Susan : A Pound of Flesh
(Roc 0451461274, $14, 291pp, trade paperback, February 2007)

Erotic fantasy novel, sequel to last year's To Serve and Submit, about a female sex slave who sets out to free other pleasure slaves.
• The publisher's site has this description; "Between domination and subservience lies a power no amount of pain or pleasure can extinguish: Freedom."
• Amazon has the review from Publishers Weekly.

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