I get so many great books from the best sci-fi/fantasy publishers ever, but sadly, I can't review them all. So, I have decided to put up a BIG giveaway and let you pick what you'd like to win.
Because this is a bigger contest than usual, I am going to ask that you give me 5 titles that you'd like to have. Either leave a comment here letting me know which books you want or email me sqt1969(at)gmail(d0t)com under the header "38" to enter and I will randomly pick 5 winners by Friday May 15th. List the books you'd like to win in order of preference. The first place winner will win their first choice and each winner after that will win the first book on their list that is still available. Please make sure I can reach you easily, if I cannot reach a winner within 48 hours I will pass the prize onto another entrant. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Open EVERYWHERE!
Good luck.
Fish out of Water by MaryJanice DavidsonFred the Mermaid has taken the bait and chosen to date Artur, Prince of the Black Sea, over human marine biologist Thomas. And just in time. The existence of the Undersea Folk is no longer a secret, and someone needs to keep them from floundering in the media spotlight. Fred has all the right skills for that job, but has a hard time when her real father surfaces and tries to overthrow Artur's regime.
Nights of Sin by Matthew CookThe besieged Imperial City lies inside the massive wall of the Armitage; outside, the attacking Mor have laid waste to most of the land. The Imperial Court seems unaware of their peril, but Kirin and Lia - who have barely survived the Mor and made their way to the City - know the danger all too well! When Kirin discovers a necromancer who seems to possess her power over blood, she hopes he can help her understand her strange magic. Meanwhile, the deadly Mor are assaulting the walls of the city that shelters them.
Legacy by Jeanne C. SteinAnna has struggled to adapt to her supernatural status while clinging to the vestiges of her humanity. Now she must deal with her legacy. The sinister vampire who transformed her is dead, and Anna is entitled to his vast fortune. But a predatory werewolf comes forward, claiming the inheritance as her own-and she'll kill to get what she wants most: blood and money.
Heroes Adrift by Moira MooreThe Empress wants to locate the descendants of her exiled sister. No magically-bonded Pair is more ill-suited for the job than long-suffering Shield Lee Mallorough and her all-too-charming Source Shintaro Karish. Yet it's a mission they can't refuse.
Brimstone Kiss by Carole Nelson DouglassFilled with kisses and kick-ass action, the second installment of this campy series (after 2007's Dances with Werewolves) finds paranormal investigator Delilah Street taking on her first case in an alternate 2010 Las Vegas. When Delilah and her boyfriend, ex-FBI agent Ric Montoya, find the bodies of two teens killed in Sunset Park in 1946, the girl's ghost appears and claims the killer was her father, werewolf mobster Cesar Cicereau. Vampire mogul Howard Hughes hires Delilah to learn the identity of the girl's vampire companion, and she also comes under pressure from albino vampire rocker Snow; television producer Hector Nightwine; and the Invisible Man, a zombie merged with Claude Rains's black-and-white film character. Douglas's dishy style compliments the twisty plot, and she helpfully includes references for the numerous nods to the silver screen, Egyptology and cocktails.
Crouching Vampire, Hidden Fang by Katie MacAlisterFor a woman married to the vampire of her nightmares, the honeymoon's over— and reality bites... Pia Thomason is torn between two Dark Ones: her husband Kristoff—who doesn't trust her—and his best friend, Alec, who is MIA. So Pia goes back to her humdrum Seattle life, but fate has other plans. And she realizes that if she and Kristoff are going to be shackled together for better or worse, she may as well start to enjoy it...
Duplicate Effort by Kristine Kathryn RuschRetrieval Artist Miles Flint is on a personal mission—to bring down the corrupt law firm of Wagner, Stuart, and Xender. Then a journalist working with him is murdered, and Miles may be next. But before he can begin to investigate, he has a more personal crisis to deal with—his daughter Talia is missing. Talia—one of six clones of Miles' long-dead child—has gone off to find the other five. As Miles pursues her, he begins to fear that her search for her "sisters" and his for the killer are on a collision course...
The Devil's Eye by Jack McDevittInterstellar antiquities dealer Alex Benedict receives a cryptic message asking for help from celebrated writer Vicki Greene-who has been mind-wiped. She has no memory of her past life, or of her plea for assistance. But she has transferred an enormous sum of money to Alex, also without explanation. The answers to this mystery lie on the most remote of human worlds, where Alex will uncover a secret connected to a decades-old political upheaval-a secret that somebody desperately wants hidden, though the price of that silence is unimaginable .
American Quest by Sienna SkyyBruce and Gloria are in love. But their intense passions for life and for each other have made them unwitting pawns in a cosmic battle between forces for good and evil. In order to fulfill his dark destiny, Enervata, a demonic spirit, captures Gloria. To save her, Bruce must embark on a quest across America, armed with only the scantest of clues. Several people join him on this quest, including his best friend, a rocker, a stand-up comedienne, a little old Italian lady, an old-beyond-her-years child, and a strangely visionary fortuneteller. They will face overwhelming challenges from Enervata's minions at every turn. And as they do, Gloria's fate - and the fate of all humanity - becomes ever more tenuous.
Fortune and Fate by Sharon ShinnNational bestselling author Sharon Shinn’s “lyrical and entertaining” (Kirkus Reviews) Twelve Houses books have captivated readers and critics alike with their irresistible cocktail of fantasy, romance, and adventure. Now Shinn returns with a new novel set in the same world, where a troubled Warrior Rider named Wen faces her greatest challenge in the last place she ever expected: behind the walls of a great family estate known as Fortune, where Wen has been hired to guard the young heiress. Once there, she will find that fate has other plans for her…
The Lost Fleet: Relentless by Jack CampbellAfter successfully freeing Alliance POWs, “Black Jack” Geary discovers that the Syndics plan to ambush the fleet with their powerful reserve flotilla in an attempt to annihilate it once and for all. And as Geary has the fleet jump from one star system to the next, hoping to avoid the inevitable confrontation, saboteurs contribute to the chaos.
Shadowplay by Tad WilliamsWith their father and brother taken from them, the royal Eddon twins Barrick and Briony have done their best to hold the kingdom together. But now Barrick has been captured in a failed war against the immortal Twilight People, and Briony has been forced to flee the castle. Everywhere in the north the fierce Twilight People, led by the ageless warrior-witch Yasammez, hold sway. Old magics are stirring beneath the ancient castle and behind the Shadowline, and the machinations of gods, fairies, and mortals threaten to spread devastation across the entire world.
The Flame and the Shadow by Denise RossettiA sizzling new fantasy series from a hot new talent. Some are drawn to the light. Some are drawn to the dark. Some desire both. Grayson of Concordia, known on countless worlds as the Duke of Ombra, is a mercenary, a sorcerer of shadows - a man whose soul is consumed by darkness. For Gray, the bleak savagery in his heart is manifest in an entity he calls Shad. He has long resisted Shad's enticements, but when he is hired to kidnap a fire witch, he seizes the chance to restore his soul - no matter the cost. Cenda's heart is ash. Since the death of her precious baby daughter, life has lost all meaning for the fire witch. Slowly, she has worked to master her powers and go on living. But when she encounters Gray, her will is no match for her desire. But her love may not survive the terrible discovery of Gray's betrayal.
The Chosen Sin by Anya BastThe Chosen are vampires fighting for their very existence. It is Daria Morris's destiny to become one of them. Daria is a special forces agent with one obsession: to wreak vengeance on the vampire who nearly destroyed her. But to succeed, she must become something she detests: a vampire. Her fate rests upon Alejandro Martinez, a sexy vampire with whom she once shared an unforgettable night of scorching passion. Now, while Daria struggles against her newfound bloodlust, the two must slip into the shadows to bring a monster to justice - even as their desire threatens to consume them.
The Hidden City by Michelle WestOrphaned and left to fend for herself in the slums of Averalaan, Jewel Markess-Jay to her friends-meets an unlikely savior in Rath, a man who prowls the ruins of the undercity. Nursing Jay back to health is an unusual act for a man who renounced his own family long ago, and the situation becomes stranger still when Jay begins to form a den of other rescued children in Rath's home. But worse perils lurk beneath the slums: the demons that once nearly destroyed the Essalieyan Empire are stirring again, and soon Rath and Jay will find themselves targets of these unstoppable beings.
The Golden Tower by Fiona PattonThe continuation of a new fantasy series set in “a unique world where gods and spirits walk the earth along with those who worship and fear them.”(Romantic Times)
In Anavatan, the city of the Silver Lake, the Gods manifest themselves on an all-too-regular basis, and it’s hard to survive if you’re not pledged to one of the deities. Now, Brax, Spar, and Graize have discovered their destinies. Grown into their powers, they are about to face off in a confrontation that will spark a war and see the rise of a new player among the Gods themselves.
The Vacant Throne by Joshua PalmatierThe thrilling final novel in a remarkable fantasy trilogy. Ruled by the Mistress of the Skewed Throne, the city of Amenkor has just survived a devastating invasion by the mysterious Chorl, paying a terrible price both in the loss of lives and destruction in the city itself. Yet perhaps the most crucial loss is the throne of Amenkor—the true seat of power in every sense—now totally drained of the magic, knowledge, life force, and memories of previous rulers. The citys only hope lies with its sometime ally, the city of Venitte, home to the only throne that is twin in power to Amenkor’s...
WWW: Wake by Robert J. SawyerCaitlin Decter is young, pretty, feisty, a genius at math - and blind. Still, she can surf the net with the best of them, following its complex paths clearly in her mind. But Caitlin's brain long ago co-opted her primary visual cortex to help her navigate online. So when she receives an implant to restore her sight, instead of seeing reality, the landscape of the World Wide Web explodes into her consciousness, spreading out all around her in a riot of colors and shapes. While exploring this amazing realm, she discovers something - some other - lurking in the background. And it's getting more and more intelligent with each passing day.
Princep's Fury by Jim ButcherFrom Publishers Weekly Starred Review. The rousing fifth installment of Butcher's military fantasy cycle (after 2007s Captains Fury) finds the land of Alera recovering from Lord Kalaruss rebellion, an invasion by the wolven Canim and a bloody slave revolt. Now a new threat emerges: the all-devouring insectoid Vord, who have learned to control the elemental furies that once protected Alera. Young Tavi of Calderon, recently recognized as the heir to Aleras throne, fights seasickness and interspecies hostilities escorting the Canim invaders back to their homeland, only to negotiate a fragile alliance with them against the Vord. No less powerful than his intense battle scenes, Butchers vivid characterizations, based on ancient Roman Republican ideals, range from duty-honor-country austerity in battle to brilliant peacemaking, noble self-sacrifice and Tavis coming-of-age as a wise Marcus Aurelian ruler.
Other EarthsWhat if Lincoln never became president, and the Civil War never took place? What if Columbus never discovered America, and the Inca developed a massive, technologicallyadvanced empire? What if magic was real and a half-faerie queen ruled England? What if an author discovered a book written by an alternate version of himself? These are just some of the possible pathways that readers can take to explore the Other Earths that may be waiting just one page away.
Peacekeeper by Laura E. Reevefirst in a brand new action-packed military science fiction series. Meet major ariane kedros—daring pilot, decorated soldier, war criminal. Fifteen years ago, Ariane Kedros piloted a ship on a mission that obliterated an entire solar system. Branded a war criminal, she was given a new identity and a new life in order to protect her from retribution. But now, twelve of Ariane’s wartime colleagues are dead— assassinated by someone who has uncovered their true identities. And her superiors in the Autonomist army have placed her directly in the assassin’s line of fire on a peacekeeping mission that will decide the fate of all humanity…
Nebula Awards Showcase by Ellen DatlowThis 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.
Mars Life by Ben BovaJamie Waterman discovered the cliff dwelling on Mars, and the fact that an intelligent race lived on the red planet sixty-five million years ago, only to be driven into extinction by the crash of a giant meteor. Now the exploration of Mars is itself under threat of extinction, as the ultraconservative New Morality movement gains control of the U.S. government and cuts off all funding for the Mars program. Meanwhile, Carter Carleton, an anthropologist who was driven from his university post by unproven charges of rape, has started to dig up the remains of a Martian village. Science and politics clash on two worlds as Jamie desperately tries to save the Mars program and uncover who the vanished Martians were.
Lear's Daughters by Marjorie B. KelloggSet in the future on a distant world, Lear's Daughters tackles the issues of global warming, pollution, exploitation of resources, and disastrous climate change. Long out of print, it has been completely rewritten by the authors to reflect the cutting-edge knowledge and research on environmentalism of the twenty-first century.
Kris Longknife: Intrepid by Mike ShepherdKris Longknife has been assigned to The Wasp, the best warship beyond the Rim of Human Space. But while hunting for pirates, Kris stumbles upon something. It's a plan to kill one of the members of the aristocratic Peterwald family - and the would-be killers are setting her up as the assassin.
The Knights of the Cornerstone by James P. BlaylockFrom Publishers Weekly Blaylock's contemporary fantasy thriller features an intriguing and convincing reluctant hero, amiable cartoonist Calvin Bryson. Bryson's quiet life gets a jolt when his uncle, Al Lymon, invites him to visit New Cyprus, the isolated home of the mysterious Knights of the Cornerstone. Bryson's cousin also sends him a package to take to Lymon, but before Bryson makes it to New Cyprus, the parcel is stolen. Only afterward does Bryson learn it was a decoy, intended to mask the transport of the genuine Veil of Veronica, a legendary relic with magical properties. The plot line begins to sound familiar when Bryson falls for a childhood friend, but as the Knights and their enemies battle for control of the veil, Blaylock (The Digging Leviathan) bolsters the predictable climax with solid prose, summing to an enjoyable read.
Ghost Ocean by S.M. PetersBeings of unimaginable power, classified as myths and legends, have been imprisoned in the secludedtown of St. Ives for centuries - watched over by guardians with supernatural skills. Te Evangeline's father was one such guardian, a "binder" who died in the line of duty and who passed along his ability to his daughter. Now, Te must awaken the magic within her before her father's killer releases his fellow prisoners on an unsuspecting world.
Flood by Stephen BaxterFour hostages are rescued from a group of religious extremists in Barcelona. After five years of being held captive together, they make a vow to always watch out for one another. But they never expected this... The world they have returned to has been transformed by water—and the water is rising. As it continues to flow from the earth's mantle, entire countries disappear. High ground becomes a precious commodity. And finally, the dreadful truth is revealed: before fifty years have passed, there will be nowhere left to run...
Enclave by Kit ReedThe world is in chaos: war, plague, global ecological collapse. Parents everywhere seek sanctuary for their precious children, the future of mankind. For those who are rich and powerful enough, safety can be found—for a price—at the Clothos Academy. Run by a mysterious man known only as Sarge, set in a former monastery atop a sheer cliff on a tiny island somewhere in the Mediterranean, Clothos will admit only one hundred students before it is sealed off—perhaps permanently—from the terrors outside.
Dragon's Luck by Robert AsprinGriffen McCandles is adjusting well to running his gambling operation in the French Quarter of New Orleans and to his newfound status as head dragon. Other dragons are getting a whiff of his reputation, though, and they’re not happy about it. Which is why there’s suddenly a hit out on him. And, just in time for Halloween, the ghost of a voodoo queen wants Griffen to moderate a supernatural conclave. And though the strange goings-on will barely be noticed in a city used to drunken conventioneers and wild revelers, it’s Griffen’s chance to spread his wings—or crash and burn.
Dragon Strike by E.E. KnightThe author of the national bestselling Vampire Earth series continues the saga of the world’s last dragons. Three dragon siblings are among the last of a dying breed, and the final hope for their species’ survival. AuRon, Wistala, and Copper find themselves at odds over the coming human war. AuRon thinks dragons should have no part in the affairs of humans. Wistala believes dragons and man can peacefully co-exist. And Copper has designs of his own on the world. And the civilized humans who have turned to Copper for assistance against their savage enemies have just given him the perfect opportunity to fulfill his plans…
Death's Daughter by Amber BensonCalliope Reaper-Jones so just wanted a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig's List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss...But when her father - who happens to be Death himself - is kidnapped, and the Devil's Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle - only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first.
Dancing on the Head of a Pin by Thomas SneigoskiStill mourning the loss of his wife, fallen angel Remy Chandler has immersed himself in investigating dangerous supernatural cases. His latest: the theft of a cache of ancient weaponry stolen from a collector who deals in antiquities of a dark and dubious nature. The weapons, Remy knows, were forged eons ago and imbued with unimaginable power. And if they fall into the wrong hands, they could be used to destroy not only Heaven but also Earth.
Conspirator by C.J.CherryhCajeiri is the young son of the powerful leader of the Western Association - and he has become a target for forces bent on destroying his father's rule. For Cajeiri is the first ateva youth to have lived in a human environment. And after hundreds of years of fragile atevi-human coexistence, he may very well be the first of his people to ever truly understand the so similar - yet so dangerously different - aliens who share his home planet and threaten the hidebound customs of his race.
All the Windwracked Stars by Elizabeth BearFrom Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Hugo winner Bear (Undertow) perfectly captures the essence of faded hopes and exhausted melancholy in this postapocalyptic melodrama based loosely upon Norse mythology. On the Last Day, the historian Muire fled the battle, leaving her sibling Valkyries to die. More than 2,300 years later, only a single city, Eiledon, has survived as the dying world slowly turns into ice. Ashamed of her cowardice, Muire now vows to keep the last humans safe, but as she slowly pieces together the horrific truth behind the magic that has kept Eiledon standing, she must decide whether it's worth the price. Readers will be captivated by Bear's incredibly complex, broken characters; multilayered themes of redemption; and haunting, world-breaking decisions. While stilted prose slows the beginning of the tale, its finale is both rewarding and compelling.
The Alchemist's Pursuit by Dave DuncanHampered by arthritis, Nostradamus is in no mood for granting favors or running about looking for trouble. But when his apprentice Alfeo's mistress asks him to investigate the murder of her beloved courtesan mentor - and promises a fortune in payment - he comes around. It appears that someone is murdering the courtesans of Venice. All were well-known, admired for their skills - and somehow connected by a sinister event involving one of the great families of the city. While Nostradamus attempts to use the dark arts to solve riddles which confound explanation, Alfeo finds himself led by a possibly demonic force through a maze of deceit and death. And when the master and apprentice come to the end of their intertwined paths, there may be hell to pay.
A Magic of Nightfall By S. L. Farrell The second novel in the Nessantico Cycle continues the epic tale of an empire at its height, yet poised on the brink of what could be a devastating descent into ruin. It is a story of murder and magic, of deception and betrayal, of Machiavellian politics, star-crossed lovers, and a realm facing war on every front.
A Drop of Red by Chris Marie GreenIf you run out of vampires to destroy at home, there's always work overseas. Hollywood stuntwoman-turned-vampire-hunter Dawn Madison, along with her comrades, managed to wipe out the Los Angeles Vampire Underground - and uncovered not only her own dark family heritage but also a terrible truth about the man she loves. Now she's determined to find the next vampire lair, hoping it will help her to make more sense out of her life.
When a new Underground is found in England, Dawn and a vampire-fighting team are dispatched to carry the fight to the enemy in London. Dawn knows by now how deceiving appearances can be - and she is about to find out that it's not only the beautiful people of Hollywood who are willing to bargain with evil.
