News from Murder One

Science Fiction:

Catharine Asaro, The Quantum Rose. Asaro's Saga of the Skolian Empire
is part far flung Sci-Fi epic, part interstellar romance, and she has
combined both these elements to great effect in this latest episode.
Kamoj is the ruler of a struggling province, and to keep her society
safe she agrees to marry Jax; the ruler of a richer, more powerful
kingdom. But fate forces her to marry a dark stranger from a distant
planet, imperilling her ailing kingdom. US hardcover, #18.50.

Gordon R. Dickson, The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent. It's been a
long time and several books since Dickson introduced dimension
travelling mathematician Jim Eckert, and this latest is sure to
delight his fans. This time out Lord Eckert must contend with a
potential Goblin war, plague, and the arrival at his castle of Edward
III, his son Black Prince Edward, and the fair lady of the title. US
hardcover, #19.50.

I was very remiss in not mentioning this sooner, but regulars will
remember me recommending Jan Siegel's Prospero's Children some time
back. What I subsequently forgot to mention was that it's successor,
The Dragon-Charmer is now out in hardcover. Set twelve years on it
finds Fern coming to terms with that traumatic summer, but powerful
forces cannot be denied and she is once again confronted with the dark
elements that surround her. Highly recommended, with shades of Susan
Cooper, this is literate English fantasy at it's best. UK hardcover,
#16.99.

New in paperback:

Stephen Lawhead, Avalon. They called him The Once and Future King, and
foretold that at the time of Britain's greatest need he would return.
He is of course Arthur, King of the Britain's. King of the who? I here
you ask... No sorry that's some film. Back to the book. It is the
early years of the twenty first century, and a power hungry Prime
Minister is scheming to rid us of the monarchy. Up in Scotland, James
Arthur Stuart is contacted by a mysterious man calling himself Mr
Embries, who it soon becomes apparent is not quite what he seems. An
interesting take on the Arthur legend, mixing old magics with modern
political struggles. US, #6.99.

C.J. Cherryh, Alternate Realities. A collection of three of Ms C's
earlier works: Port Eternity, Wave Without a Shore, and Voyager in the
Night. US, #6.99.

Andre Norton, Wind in the Stone. High fantasy in which an orphaned
girl raised by the inhabitants of an ancient forest must face her
destiny; to save the world from an evil sorcerer, and in doing so must
battle his protege, her own brother. US #6.50.