This from Ruckley's website:

The name of our winner has been drawn, and the lucky bastard will get his hands on my review copy of Karen Traviss' Jacinto's Remnant. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Today is the official release date for the US edition of Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold (Canada, USA, Europe). And the folks at Orbit just posted this video interview with the author to help promote the novel.

Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Tor Books, I have three sets of David Weber's bestselling Safehold sequence up for grabs! The prize pack includes:

- Off Armageddon Reef (Canada, USA, Europe)

- By Schism Rent Asunder (Canada, USA, Europe)

- By Heresies Distressed (Canada, USA, Europe)

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "SAFEHOLD." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

The way most New Yorkers dress -- with all that's available, so many still look so dull.

Just received this email alert from Amazon Associates:

In hardcover:

Thanks to the cool folks at Orbit, our five lucky winners will receive a complimentary copy of Joe Abercrombie's excellent Best Served Cold. For more info about this title: (Canada, USA, Europe).

The winners are:

- Daniel Weed, from Bedford, Massachusetts, USA

- Troy J. Knutson, from Collierville, Tennessee, USA

Initially, the plan was for me to cover everything that had to do with the upcoming Worldcon, from the pre-production stages to the convention itself. But when they refused to grant me a press pass, well this initiative went down the crapper and stayed there.

Hence, I've been promoting Montréal, for I want everyone to make the most of their experience while in town, but not the con in particular. And yet, these taster memberships are such a good idea that I've decided to make an exception and post the content of this press release:

Heard about World Science Fiction Conventions (Worldcons) and thinkthey sound cool but not sure they’re worth the money? Then Tastermemberships are for you.

Here’s how it works. Whenever you show up, you go to the convention’sRegistration Desk. There you’ll pay for a Day Membership (75–95 CAD),depending on the day of the convention and whether you are buying anadult or a child membership). Your membership badge will betime-stamped. Then you may wander about the convention freely. See theExhibits, the Art Show, and the Dealers Room. Hear a speaker. Getautographs. Watch a film. Join a filk sing. Go see a program item ortwo (there will be hundreds over the course of the convention).

If Worldcon really isn’t for you, then just go back to Registrationduring posted open hours within three hours of your time-stamp andyou’ll receive all but $20 of your money back for an adult membershipand all but $10 of your money back for a child membership. But if youlike what you find and want to hang around the rest of the day andevening, then just stay for the rest of the day. Your badge will letyou stay and attend all open events until the next morning. If youwant to attend more days, just come back and buy another DayMembership or convert your Day to a Full Membership. It’s easy andsafe. And you’ll find out for yourself what all the fuss is about.(We’ve been going for years and there’s so much great stuff to do wecan’t imagine anyone wouldn’t want to stay but some people need to tryit for themselves to be sure.)

Taster Memberships paid by cash, traveler’s check, or credit card willbe refunded immediately. Memberships paid by check will be refunded bymail. We will not issue refunds after registration closes for the day.On days where registration is open until 20:00, no refunds are givenafter the close of that day’s Registration. We encourage you topurchase by 17:00 on those days, otherwise you will not have the full3 hours benefit of the taster membership. One Taster Membership perperson. We will accept US dollars as well as Canadian dollars atRegistration at the convention. Due to the volatility of the currencyexchange market, at the door rates in US dollars will only be set afew days before the convention.

The 67th World Science Fiction Convention, known as Anticipation, willtake place in Montréal, Québec, Canada from Thursday, August 6ththrough Monday, August 10th, 2009.

Nothing new, really. Every year, we hear more and more about the decline in the pertinence and the importance of the genre's most prestigious awards.

And yet, author Adam Roberts went at it with quite a lot of vigor this time around. . .

Roberts' post generated a rather vast number of comments and discussions. You can read his piece here.

And I saw on Westeros that John Scalzi responded here, and artist John Picacio did so here.

Make of all this what you will. . .

Our winner will get his hands on a full set of Mark Chadbourn's The Age of Misrule trilogy, compliments of me! The prize includes:

I recently contacted Betsy Wollheim to inquire about the progress of Patrick Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fear (Canada, USA, Europe).

Joe Abercrombie's BEST SERVED COLD is a bloody and relentless epic of vengeance and obsession in the grand tradition, a kind of splatterpunk sword 'n sorcery COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, Dumas by way of Moorcock. His cast features tyrants and torturers, a pair of poisoners, a serial killer, a treacherous drunk, a red-handed warrior and a blood-soaked mercenary captain. And those are the good guys. Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, could teach even Gully Foyle and Kirth Gerson a few things about revenge. The battles are vivid and visceral, the action brutal, the pace headlong, and Abercrombie piles the betrayals, reversals, and plot twists one atop another to keep us guessing how it will all come out. This is his best book yet. All that's missing is a map.

The results from our last survey are in:

- In Conquest Born by C. S. Friedman (Canada, USA, Europe): 21%

- Prador Moon by Neal Asher (Canada, USA, Europe): 4%

- The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton (Canada, USA, Europe): 26%

- Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds (Canada, USA, Europe): 17%

- Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks (Canada, USA, Europe): 29%

Banks ended up victorious, but it was a very close race. So I guess I'll be reading Consider Phlebas in the near future. . .

Receiving hundreds of review copies every year means that there is no chance in hell I can read even a quarter of the books I get in my mailbox. I have a multitude of "books to read" piles, and some titles have been lying there for months, even years, awaiting my attention. Hence, this new poll will feature SFF books that have been lying around for quite some time, even though I've been meaning to read them at some point. Let's see which novel will take the cake!

The nominees are:

- King's Dragon by Kate Elliott, a Nebula Award nominee (Canada, USA, Europe)

Set in an alternate Europe, a world where bloody conflicts rage and sorcery holds sway, both human and other-than-human forces vie for supremacy. In this land, Alain, a young man seeking the destiny promised him by the Lady of Battles, and Liath, a young woman gifted with a power that can alter the course of history, are about the be swept up in a world-shaking conflict for the survival of humanity.

- Rules of Ascension by David B. Coe (Canada, USA, Europe)

For centuries the Forelands were disputed by several tribes. Then came the magically gifted Qirsi--physically no match for their foes, but capable of mindsight, creating and controlling mists and fire, and bending solid matter to their purpose. After a Qirsi traitor betrayed his race to save himself, the Qirsi were defeated and dispersed among the seven realms of the Forelands. Those specially endowed Qirsi capable of multiple powers, the Weavers, were all put to death.

For centuries the Forelands enjoyed relative peace. But when Tavis, the heir to the Kingdom of Curgh, is wrongfully blamed for the murder of a noble, the accusation sets in motion a series of events culminating in civil war. The ensuing chaos topples the throne in Eibithar and threatens to rain chaos on all the realms of the Forelands. Tavis, thrust into the center of deadly controversy and stripped of the protection of his family's nobility, turns to the Qirsi, his last remaining hope for redemption. But another Qirsi traitor, secretly fomenting fear and mistrust among the Dukedoms, seeks to destroy Tavis. Tavis must survive long enough to clear his name and save an entire kingdom. A powerful, compelling tale set in an unforgettable land, rules of Ascension will capture your heart and fire your imagination.

- The Briar King by Greg Keyes (Canada, USA, Europe)

In the kingdom of Crotheny, two young girls play in the tangled gardens of the sacred city of the dead. Fleeing an imaginary attacker, the girls-one of whom is the reckless young daughter of the king-discover the unknown crypt of the legendary, ancestral queen, Virgenya Dare.

In the wilds of the forest, while investigating the slaughter of an innocent family, king's holter Aspar White weaves his way through a maze of ancient willows-and comes face-to-face with a monstrous beast found only in folk tales and nightmares. Meanwhile, traveling the same road, a scholarly young priest begins an education in the nature of evil, found festering just beneath the surface of the seemingly peaceful land.

The royal family itself comes under siege, facing betrayal that only sorcery could accomplish. Now-for three beautiful sisters, for a young man made suddenly into a knight, and for a woman in love with a roguish adventurer-a rising darkness appears, shattering what was once certain, familiar, and good. These destinies and more will be linked when malevolent forces walk the land. For Crotheny, the most powerful nation in the world, is shaken at its core. And the Briar King, harbinger of death, has awakened from his slumber.

Imbuing his tale with richness, pathos, action, and passion, Greg Keyes begins an amazing new epic that takes fantasy fiction to a new level. At the heart of the story, Keyes has placed a remarkable young woman, Anne Dare, the youngest daughter of a royal family . . . and the one person upon whom the fate of this world may depend.

- Elric: The Stealer of Souls by Michael Moorcock (Canada, USA, Europe)

When Michael Moorcock began chronicling the adventures of the albino sorcerer Elric, last king of decadent Melniboné, and his sentient vampiric sword, Stormbringer, he set out to create a new kind of fantasy adventure, one that broke with tradition and reflected a more up-to-date sophistication of theme and style. The result was a bold and unique hero'"weak in body, subtle in mind, dependent on drugs for the vitality to sustain himself'"with great crimes behind him and a greater destiny ahead: a rock-and-roll antihero who would channel all the violent excesses of the sixties into one enduring archetype.

Now, with a major film in development, here is the first volume of a dazzling collection of stories containing the seminal appearances of Elric and lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist John Picacio'"plus essays, letters, maps, and other material. Adventures include 'The Dreaming City,' 'While the Gods Laugh,' 'Kings in Darkness,' 'Dead God's Homecoming,' 'Black Sword's Brothers,' and 'Sad Giant's Shield.'

- Rite: Short Work by Tad Williams (Canada, USA, Europe)

Though best known for his epic series, Tad Williams is also an accomplished practitioner of the short form. Rite: Short Work gives ample evidence of this, as it contains a knockout novella later expanded to novel length (”Child of an Ancient City”); riffs on the great fantasist Michael Moorcock (”The Author at the End of Time,” “Go Ask Elric”), along with excursions into some of his most popular creations and beyond. At over 140,000 words, Rite is essential for every Tad Williams fan and fantasy aficianado. Each tale features a full-page black-and-while illustration by Mark A. Nelson.

This lucky gal will get her hands on a copy of the anthology Strange Brew, edited by P. N. Elrod, courtesy of Yours Truly! The book contains short stories by bestselling urban fantasy/paranormal romance authors such as Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Karen Chance, P. N. Elrod, Charlaine Harris, Faith Hunter, Caitlin Kittredge, and Jenna Maclaine.For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

In hardcover:

Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Angel's Game is down three spots, finishing its third week on the bestseller list at number 8. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Charlaine Harris' Dead and Gone is up one position, ending its ninth week on the charts at number 13.

Stephenie Meyer's The Host is down one spot, finishing the week at number 16.

Christie Golden's Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Omen debuts at number 18. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Laurell K. Hamilton's Skin Trade is down six positions, ending its fifth week on the prestigious list at number 24.

Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan's The Strain is down eight spots, finishing its fifth week on the NYT list at number 32. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

In paperback:

Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is down one spot, finishing its 14th week on the bestseller list at number 7.

Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind is up two positions, ending the week at number 16. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Seven of Charlaine Harris' eight Sookie Stackhouse novels are on the paperback bestseller list, ranking from number 6 to number 21.

According to Winter is Coming, rumor has it that Sean Bean has been cast as Eddard Stark for the A Game of Thrones HBO TV series.

Since there are quite a few rumors circulating regarding Scott Lynch's upcoming volume in the Gentlemen Bastards sequence, I got in touch with his US editor to see which way the wind blows.

You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.

- FRANK ZAPPA

Thanks to the folks at Pyr, our winners will receive a copy of Joel Shepherd's Killswitch. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

These winners will receive a complimentary copy of Ian McDonald's Desolation Road, compliments of the cool folks at Pyr! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

He summons us beneath the banner of vengeance, and in the name of death. My new friends, the T'lan Imass are going to war.

I'm giving away a full set of the US edition of Mark Chadbourn's The Age of Misrule. The prize pack includes:

- World's End (Canada, USA, Europe)

A dragon firebombs a freeway. Shape-shifters stalk the commercial district. The deadly Wild Hunt wreaks havoc on the highway.

The Age of Misrule has dawned.

When Jack Churchill and Ruth Gallagher encounter a terrifying, misshapen giant beneath a London bridge, they are plunged into a mystery that portends the end of the world as we know it. All over the country, the ancient gods of Celtic myth are returning to the land from which they were banished millennia ago. Following in their footsteps are creatures of folklore: fabulous beasts, wonders and dark terrors. As technology starts to fail, Jack and Ruth are forced to embark on a desperate quest for four magical items—the last chance for humanity in the face of powers barely comprehended.

A pedal-to-the-floor, high-octane fantasy thriller that pitches magic and wonder into a pop culture mash-up of the modern world. Described as “One part Lord of the Rings, one part Illuminatus!, one part Arthurian romance, one part Harry Potter—100 % original!”

- Darkest Hour (Canada, USA, Europe)

The Eternal Conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race.

Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura, and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods. But they didn't count on things going from bad to worse ...

- Always Forever (Canada, USA, Europe)

The modern world has been transformed into a land of myth, a magical place where fabulous beasts soar on the air currents, a terrifying place where shape-shifting monsters stalk the cities.

Mankind’s days appear numbered. Our only hope—the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons —are scattered and broken after a terrible defeat.

Their last chance may lie in the great court of the old gods, reached by an otherworldly ship filled with fantastical and frightening creatures.

But if our champions fail, the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain will dawn, and the dark god Balor will usher in the eternal night.

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "MISRULE." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

In hardcover:

Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Angel's Game is down two spots, finishing its second week on the bestseller list at number 5. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Here's an excerpt:

Our three winners will get their hands on a copy of Kevin J. Anderson's The Edge of the World, courtesy of me and the folks at Orbit! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Breakfast

***- Chez Cora
http://www.chezcora.com/
1396, rue Mont Royal, Montreal, H2J 1Y7, (514) 525-9495

1240, rue Drummond, Montreal, H3G 1V7, (514) 286-6171

3465, Avenue du Parc, Montréal, H2X 2H6, (514) 849-4932

B: 20$-25$

Looking for a "big" breakfast/lunch, this is the place!

***- Olive et Gourmando
http://www.oliveetgourmando.com/
351 rue Saint-Paul Ouest, Montréal, H2Y 2A7, (514) 350-1083

B: 20$ L: 35$

Worth waiting in line. . .

- Le Paltoquet
1464, avenue Van Horne, Montréal, (514) 271-4229

Café

***- Caffè Art Java
http://www.caffeartjava.com/
837 avenue Du Mont-Royal Est, Montréal, H2J 1W9, (514) 527-9990

645 avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, H3A 1K1, (514) 350-5282

Supposedly offers some of the very best coffee on the eastern seaboard!

***- Brûlerie St-Denis
http://www.brulerie.com/
1587 rue St-Denis, Montréal, H2X 3K3, (514) 286-9159

3967 rue St-Denis, Montréal, H2W 2M4, (514) 286-9158

Great place for a nice cup of coffee.

- Café Dépôt
http://www.cafedepot.ca/
Over 20 locations in and around Downtown Montreal

- Second Cup
http://www.secondcup.com/
3695 rue St-Laurent, Montréal, H2X 2V7, (514) 844-0347

900 avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montréal, H2J 1X2, (514) 528-1717

1551 rue St-Denis, Montréal, H2X 3K3, (514) 843-7264

150 rue Notre-Dame EstMontréal, H2Y 3P6, (514) 866-5915

800 Victoria Square, Montréal, H4Z 1A1, (514) 395-4490

895 de la Gauchetière Ouest, Montréal, H3B 4G1, (514) 393-1250

1122 rue Ste-Catherine Ouest, Montréal, H3B 1H4, (514) 395-2983

400-2200 avenue McGill Collège, Montréal, H3A 3L3, (514) 843-4567

There are plenty of other locations. . .

Good Value (More bang for your buck/euro/pound/yada yada yada)

***- Restaurant L’Académie (French & Italian) BYOW
http://www.lacademie.ca/

St-Denis: 4051 St-Denis, Montréal, H2W 2M7, (514) 849-2249

Crescent: 2100 Crescent, Montréal, H3G 2B8, (514) 664-4455

L: 25$-35$ D: 40$-50$

- Casa Grecque (Greek & International) BYOW
http://www.casagrecque.ca/
200 Rue Prince-Arthur Est Montréal, QC H2X 1B9, (514) 842-6098

L: 25$-30$ D: 40$-50$

***- L’Avenue (North American)
922 avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montréal, H2J 1X2, (514) 523-8780

L: 20$-30$ D: 40$-60$

Funky place with good food! Check out the restrooms!

***- La Cage aux Sports (North American & International)
http://www.cage.ca/
395, rue Le Moyne, Montréal, H2Y 1Y5, (514) 288-1115

1437, boul. René-Lévesque Ouest, Montréal, H3G 1T7, (514) 878-2243

L: 25$ D: 40$

Unpretentious sports restaurant. Good place to hang out, grab a bite and a cold beer.

***- Boccacinos (North American & Italian)
http://www.boccacinos.com/
1251 McGill College, Montréal, H3B 2Y4, (514) 861-5742

B: 20$ L: 30$ D: 45$

- M:BRGR (Hamburgers)
http://www.mbrgr.com/
2025 rue Drummond, Montréal, H3G 1W6, (514) 906-2747

L: 25$ D: 50$

- Tim Horton’s
http://www.timhortons.com/
895 Rue de la Gauchetiere Ouest, Montréal, H3B 4G1, (514) 398-9253

605 Boul René Levesque Ouest, Montréal, (514) 395-1207

2081 Rue Guy, Montréal, H3H 2L9, (514) 935-1942

4006 Rue St-Denis, Montréal, (514) 843-5788

48 Rue Notre-Dame Est, Montréal, (514) 875-4540

Every foreign intern we ever had swore by this place. Good place for a quick breakfast or lunch, if only to eat at the restaurant that nearly drove Dunkin' Donuts out of business in this country!

Italian

***- Misto
http://www.restomisto.com/
929 avenue Du Mont-Royal Est, Montreal, H2J 1X3, (514) 526-5043

L: 40$ D: 80$

***- Sofia
http://www.sofiagrill.com/
3600 St Laurent, Montréal, H2X 2V4, (514) 284-0092

D: 70$

***- Buonanotte
http://www.buonanotte.com/
3518 St Laurent, Montréal, H2X 2V1, (514) 848-0644

L: 40$ D: 80$

You might see Jay-Z or another celebrity!

- Primo et Secondo
7023, St Dominique, Montréal, H2S 3B6, (514) 908-0838

L: 65$ D: 120$

***- Weinstein and Gavino’s
http://www.wiensteinandgavinos.com/
1434, rue Crescent, Montréal, H3G 2B6, (514) 288-2231

L: 40$ D: 70$

French

***- M sur Masson (Bistro)
http://www.msurmasson.com/
2876 rue Masson, Montreal, H1Y 1W9, (514) 678-2999

L: 40$ D: 90$

- Bistro Cogagne
http://www.bistro-cocagne.com/
3842 rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, H2W 2M2, (514) 286-0700

D: 70$

- Le Margaux (Bistro)
http://www.lemargaux.com/
5058 avenue du parc, Montréal, H2V 4G1, (514) 448-1598

L: 35$ D: 80$

***- Laurie Raphaël Montréal
http://www.laurieraphael.com/
2050, rue Mansfield, Montréal, H3A 1Y9, (514) 985-6072

L: 50$ D: 120$

***- Les Trois Petits Bouchons (Bistro)
http://www.lestroispetitsbouchons.com/
4669 rue Saint-Denis, Montréal, H2J 2L5, (514) 285-4444

D: 70$

- Ariel
http://www.arielrestaurant.com/
2072 Drummond, Montreal, H3G 1W9, (514) 282-9790

L: 50$ D: 100$

- Alexandre et Fils
http://www.chezalexandre.com/
1454 rue Peel, Montréal, H3A 1S8, (514) 288-5105

L: 50$ D: 80$

***- L’Express
3927, rue St-Denis, Montréal, H2W 2M4, (514) 845-5333
L: 60$ D: 90$

- Europea
http://www.europea.ca/
1227 Rue de la Montagne, Montreal, H3G 1Z2, (514) 398-9229

L: 60$ D: 100$

***- Au 5e Péché
http://www.aucinquiemepeche.com/
330 avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montréal, H2T 1P7, (514) 286-0123

L: 40$ D: 90$

Québec (Nouvelle Cuisine)

- Chez L’Épicier
http://www.chezlepicier.com/
311 Rue Saint-Paul Est, Montréal, H2Y 1H3, (514) 878-2232

L: 50$ D: 70$

North American

- Bistro L’Aromate
http://www.laromate.com/
1410 rue Peel, Montréal, H3A 1S8, (514) 847-9005

L: 40$ D: 70$

***- Rosalie
http://www.rosalierestaurant.com/
1232 rue de la Montagne, Montréal, H3G 1Z1, (514) 392-1970

L: 70$ D: 120$

***- Toqué
http://www.restaurant-toque.com/
900 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montréal, H2Z 2B2, (514) 499-2084

D:180$

***- Globe
http://www.restaurantglobe.com/
3455 St Laurent, Montréal, H2X 2T6, (514) 284-3823
D: 110$

- Newtown
1476 rue Crescent, Montréal, H3G 2B6, (514) 284-6555

L: 30$ D: 100$

***- Bâton Rouge
http://www.batonrougerestaurants.com/
1050 rue de la Montagne, Montréal, H3G1Y8, (514) 931-9969

L: 30$ D: 60$

- Kitchen Galerie
http://www.kitchengalerie.com/
60 rue Jean-Talon Est, Montréal, H2R 1S5, (514) 315-8994

D: 80$

***- Café Titanic
http://www.titanic-mtl.ca/
445 rue St-Pierre, Montréal, H2Y 2M8, (514) 849-0894

L: 30$

Steakhouse

***- Queue de Cheval
http://www.queuedecheval.com/
1221 blvd René-Lévesque ouest, Montréal, H3G 1T1, (514) 390-0090

L: 100$ D: 180$

- The Keg
http://fr.kegsteakhouse.com/
25 Rue St. Paul Est, Montreal, H2Y1G2, (514) 871-9093

D: 60$-80$

- Moishes
http://www.moishessteakhouse.com/
3961 St-Laurent, Montréal, H2W 1Y4, (514) 845-3509
L: 50$ D: 150$

***- Vargas
http://www.vargas.ca/
690, boul. René-Lévesque, Montréal, Québec, H3B 3A5, (514) 875-4545

L: 50$ D: 110$

Indian

***- Mysore
4216 St-Laurent, Montréal, H2W 1Z3, (514) 844-4733

L: 20$ D: 45$

- Bombay
1723 rue St-Denis, Montréal, H2X 3K4, (514) 845-8080

L: 25$ D: 50$

- Devi
http://www.devimontreal.com/
1450 rue Crescent, Montréal, H3G 2B6, (514) 286-0303

L: 45$ D: 65$

- Le Taj
http://www.restaurantletaj.com/
2077 rue Stanley, Montréal, H3A 1R7, (514) 845-9015

L: 25$ D: 60$

Sushi

- Maiko Sushi
http://www.maiko-sushi.com/
387 rue Bernard Ouest, Montréal, QC H2V 1T6, (514) 490-1225

L: 30$ D: 80$

***- Mikado
http://www.mikadomontreal.com/
399, av. Laurier Ouest, Montréal, H2V 2K3, (514) 279-4809

L: 40$ D: 80$

1731 rue St-Denis, Montreal, H2X 3K4, (514) 844-5705

D: 80$

Vietnamese

- Feuille de Menthe (BYOW)
5136 avenue du Parc, Montréal, H2V 4G5, (514) 272-1477

L: 20$ D: 60$

***- Tay Do (BYOW)
300 avenue Duluth Est, Montréal, H2W 1H9, (514) 281-6788

L: 20$ D: 50$

Thai

***- Restaurant Thaïlande
http://restaurantthailande.com/
88 rue Bernard Ouest, Montréal, H2T 2J8, (514) 271-6733

L: 30$ D: 70$

- Chuchai (BYOW)
http://www.chuchai.com/
4088 rue Saint-Denis, Montréal, H2W 2M5, (514) 843-4194

L: 25$ D: 50$

- Phayathai
1235 rue Guy, Montréal, H3H 2K5, (514) 933-9949

L: 25$ D: 55$

Chinese

***- Mei Le Café Chinois
5309 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, H2T 1S5, (514) 271-5945

L: 25$ D: 45$

- Lotté Furama
http://lottefuramamontreal.ca/
1115 Rue Clark, Montréal, H2Z, (514) 393-3388

L: 30$ D: 30$

- La Maison Kam Fung
http://www.restaurantlamaisonkamfung.com/
1111 rue Saint-Urbain, Montréal, H2Z 1Y6, (514) 878-2888

L: 30$ D: 50$

International

- Madre (Latin America)
http://www.restaurantmadre.com/
2931 rue Masson, Montréal, H1Y 1X5, (514) 315-7932

D: 80$

-Rotisserie Panama (Greek)
http://www.rotisseriepanama.com/
789, rue Jean-Talon Ouest, Montréal, H3N 1S3, (514) 276-5223

L: 30$ D: 80$

- Milos (Greek)
http://www.milos.ca/
5357 avenue du Parc, Montréal, H2V 4G9, (514) 272-3522

L: 45$ D: 160$

- Ouzeri (Greek)
4690 rue St-Denis Montréal, H2J2L3, (514) 845-1336

L: 25$ D: 50$

***- Stash Café (Polish)
http://www.stashcafe.com/
200 rue Saint-Paul Ouest, Montréal, H2Y 1Z9, (514) 845-6611

L: 30$ D: 60$

- Au Tarot (North Africa)
http://www.restaurantautarot.ca/
500 rue Marie-Anne Est, Montréal, H2J 2A3, (514) 849-6860

D: 70$

- La Khaïma (African, Mauritanian)
142 avenue Fairmount Ouest, Montreal, H2T 2M5, (514) 948-9993

L: 20$ D: 40$

- Le Canard Rouge (Chilean, Argentinian)
2150 rue Rachel Est, Montréal, H2H 1R2, (514) 529-8686

L: 15$ D: 40$

- Senzala (Brazilian)
177 rue Bernard Ouest, Montréal, H2T 2K3, (514) 274-1464
L: 25$ D: 60$

- Casa Minhota (Portuguese)
3959 rue St-Laurent, Montréal, H2W 1Y4, (514) 842-2661

L: 30$ D: 60$

***- Chez Doval (Portuguese)
http://www.chezdoval.com/
150 rue Marie-Anne Est, Montréal, H2W 1A5, (514) 843-3390

L: 20$ D: 40$

***- Chez le Portugais (Portuguese)
http://www.chezleportugais.com/
4134 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, H2W 1Y8, (514) 849-0550

L: 30$ D: 45$

- Casa Tapas (Spanish)
http://www.casatapas.com/
266 rue Rachel Est, Montréal, H2W 1E6, (514) 848-1063

D: 75$

***- Le Petit Alep (Armenian and Syrian)
191 rue Jean-Talon Est, Montréal, H2R 1S8, (514) 270-9361

L: 20$ D: 40$

- Byblos Le Petit Café (Persian, Iranian, Middle Eastern)
1499 avenue Laurier Est, Montréal, H2J 1H8, (514) 523-9396

L: 30$ D: 45

***- Khyber Pass (Afghan, Middle Eastern) BYOW
http://66.49.138.201/
506 avenue Duluth Est, Montréal, H2L 1A7, (514) 849-1775

D: 55$

Poutine

- La Banquise
http://www.restolabanquise.com/
994 rue Rachel Est, Montréal, H2J 2J3, (514) 525-2415

- Fameux Viande fumée et charcuterie
4500 rue St-Denis, Montréal, H2J 2L3, (514) 845-8732

- La Belle Province
1604 avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montréal, H2J 1Z2, (514) 527-5505

Smoked Meat

***- Schwartz’s
http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/
3901A boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, H2W 1X9, (514) 845-9592

When busloads of tourists rub elbows with locals, you know this place is special!

Chocolate and Dessert

***- Juliette et Chocolat
1615 rue St-Denis, Montréal, H2X 3K3, (514) 287-3555

377 avenue Laurier Ouest, Montréal, H2V 2K3, (514) 510-5651

Envy is the religion of the mediocre. It comforts them, it soothes their worries, and finally it rots their souls, allowing them to justify their meanness and their greed until they believe these to be virtues. Such people are convinced that the doors of heaven will be opened only to poor wretches like themselves who go through life without leaving any trace bu their threadbare attempts to belittle others and to exclude -- and destroy if possible -- those who, by the simple fact of their existence, show up their own poorness of spirit, mind, and guts. Blessed be the one at whom the fools bark, because his soul will never belong to them.

Very interesting video interview with the author at a con in Zagreb, Croatia.

Check it out! And be sure to read Bakker's The Judging Eye (Canada, USA, Europe), if you haven't done so already!

There are plenty of science fiction yarns lying around various shelves, sadly unread as of yet. And yes, to my shame, from top scifi authors to boot. Too many, if I'm honest. . .

With this latest survey, you guys will help me select which of these popular and critically acclaimed author I should read next. Here are the nominees:

- In Conquest Born by C. S. Friedman (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Prador Moon by Neal Asher (Canada, USA, Europe)

- The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks (Canada, USA, Europe)

Each novel is part of a vaster, more ambitious saga. I figure I can't go wrong with any of these selections, but feel free to chime in on what I should go for and why. For those who, like me, have yet to give these scifi/space opera series, you know what to do!;-)

In hardcover:

Generally speaking, people useless at everything else become academics.

Thanks to the author's generosity, these five winners will receive a complimentary copy of The Price of Spring. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.