Coming Attractions

Here's what I have on tap for the next couple of weeks. . .

Book Reviews

I've decided to do something about the ever-growing backlog of books I have to read. Reviewing new and upcoming releases is all well and good, but I have a number of terrific novels awaiting my attention. Some of them have been sitting there for years, and it's high time for me to give them a shot. I've just read GRRM's A Storm of Swords and I'm now enjoying Neil Gaiman's American Gods (Canada, USA, Europe).

Coming up next should be Carrie Vaughn's Kitty and the Silver Bullet (Canada, USA, Europe) and Jack Whyte's Standard of Honor (Canada, USA, Europe). I haven't made up my mind as to what will follow, but don't be surprised if it's Steven Erikson's Blood Follows (Canada, USA, Europe) and The Healthy Dead (Canada, USA, Europe). Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon is another title which has been gathering dust on my shelves for years, so I should read it in the near future. Of course, Joe Abercrombie's Last Argument of Kings will move to the top of the "books to read" pile as soon as my ARC appears in my mailbox.

Don't be surprised if you see me post reviews of novels by Sergei Lukyanenko and Peter F. Hamilton in the coming weeks. I go by feel, so I never really know what I'll read next. Still, I have a panoply of great books waiting to be read, so I mean to read and review a few of them this winter. . .

Also, it will be interesting to see what George R. R. Martin will make me read for losing our NFL wager.

Interviews

I'm waiting to hear back from both Jack Whyte and James Barclay. It's been months, but R. Scott Bakker promised me that the interview we did last spring will one day see the light!

I've contacted Del Rey about the possibility to do a Q&A with Terry Brooks. It would be to promote his forthcoming graphic novel, so we'll have to wait and see. . .

Other than that, nothing is set in stone as of right now.

Giveaways

I have a number of terrific contests on the way, so stay tuned for that!;-)

February will be Joe Abercrombie's month, with no less than 2 different giveaways! I will have a couple of copies of the US edition of Before They Are Hanged to pass along, as well as three autographed copies of the UK edition of Last Argument of Kings.

In addition, and that's quite a treat, I will have one ARC of the Subterranean Press limited edition of Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash (Canada, USA, Europe). Prizes don't get much rarer than that! Speaking of Subpress, keep an eye out for giveaways for the limited editions of Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon and Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon.

There will also be a giveaway for a set of Mike Carey's Felix Castor books. I really enjoyed The Devil you Know (Canada, USA, Europe), so hopefully more and more people can discover this talented writer and his work.

I have a few more contests cooking up, but nothing that can be confirmed just yet. So visit the blog to make sure you don't miss out on anything!

Stay tuned for more!:-)

A Storm of Swords

What !?! You haven't read George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords!?! I figure that many newbies will be shocked to learn that such is the case. The funny thing is that I bought the novel when it was originally published in hardcover. Yeah, way back in 2000. . . If you wish to discover how I was able to show such self-control, read my reviews of both A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. And if you must blame someone for my shortcoming, then blame GRRM. I certainly do!;-)

The hype surrounding A Storm of Swords has reached such a degree that I felt it was well nigh impossible for the book to live up to such high expectations. Hence, though I was aware that the novel would be good, I expected to feel a certain sense of disappointement as well. Oddly enough, regardless of the unbelievably lofty expectations, A Storm of Swords more than lives up to the hype. Astonishingly so, to be honest. The third volume of A Song of Ice and Fire elevates the series to a level which is seldom attained. It is indeed one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read.

What is probably the most remarkable feature of this book is that, although it weighs in at 973 pages in hardback, there is not a single dull moment throughout. Martin plotted and paced this one close to perfection. Unlike Jordan, who bored and aggravated us countless times with sequences showcasing the endless bickering of Elayne, Aviendha and Nynaeve, or Erikson with those Mhybe chapters, in A Storm of Swords GRRM keeps his writing tight and the rhythm crisp. In and of itself, considering the length of the book, that's incredible. Time flies by, and it feels as though you're reading a 300-page thriller.

Another facet which differentiates Martin from his peers is the structure of the series. GRRM's multiple-character POV format precludes him from producing something as vast in scope as The Wheel of Time or The Malazan Book of the Fallen, even though ASOIAF is a far-reaching saga. And yet, it gives the reader a more intimate look at what is occurring, allowing us a delve more profoundly into each character and thus experiencing their motivations with more depth, which in turn gives us the opportunity to a undergo a more "genuine" reading experience. At times it feels as though you're right there. And in the end, that's something that no other fantasy author can provide -- at least not at this level.

Needless to say, there are more twists and turns in A Storm of Swords than in most fantasy series. This volume moves the story forward much more than the previous two put together. It will be interesting to see how the repercussions will reverberate in the subsequent ASOIAF installments.

Though the plotting and politicking remain two of my favorite aspects of the series, the characterization is the facet which makes A Song of Ice and Fire what it is. My favorite characters -- Jon, Tyrion and Arya -- somehow managed to survive yet another book. No small feat, considering the body count in this one! I was surprised by how easily GRRM was able to make us root for characters that used to be the "bad guys," such as Jaime and the Hound.

I felt that the epilogue was particularly anti-climactic, until I discovered who the cloaked figure turned out to be. What a way to leave the readers hanging. . .

The American Tolkien -- or so has George R. R. Martin been dubbed. I think not. . . No disrespect, but J. R. R. Tolkien never wrote anything this good.

The final verdict: 10/10

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

Amazon.co.uk is doing it again!

Last summer, Amazon.co.uk had heaps of SFF titles on sale for up to 50% off! Needless to say, a whole lot of readers to advantage of that sale.

Well, it does seem that they're doing it again. Browsing around, I saw that Joe Abercrombie's Last Argument of Kings can be pre-ordered at a 50% discount (45% for the hardcover). Titles by authors such as Scott Lynch, Patrick Rothfuss, Steven Erikson, and more can be purchased at 30% to 50% off.

Once again, I wonder why its US and Canadian counterparts can't do the same???:-(

Check it out here.

Download Robin Hobb's SHAMAN'S CROSSING for free!

To celebrate their 10th anniversary, throughout 2008 Eos will be giving away free e-books. To kick things off, the inaugural title you can download free of charge is the first volume of Robin Hobb's The Soldier Son trilogy, Shaman's Crossing. Keep an eye on Eos' blog for future free e-books!;-)

You can download Shaman's Crossing by clicking on this link.

So close. . .

Fucking Dallas Cowboys. . .:-(

When Romo threw that last second interception, my dream of getting brutally murdered in A Dance with Dragons evaporated. Losing isn't that bad. But losing to the hated Giants, that's something else. Cowboys fans saw it coming, of course. Losing steam at the end of the season wasn't a good sign. Meanwhile, New York finished stronger and looked pretty damn good against Tampa Bay last week. Only to lose in the blizzard of Green Bay next week, but what the heck?

Man, I so wanted to die in the next ASOIAF volume!;-) That pisses me off a LOT more than the football game. It will be interesting to see what George will make me read. . .

So damn close. . .

Win a copy of George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham's HUNTER'S RUN

After giving you guys a chance to win the UK edition and the Subterrenean Press limited edition, thanks to the good folks at Eos I now have five copies of the US edition of GRRM, Dozois and Abraham's Hunter's Run up for grabs! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "RUN." 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!

Win a copy of Robin Hobb's RENAGADE'S MAGIC

I know I ran a contest for the UK version of this novel last fall, but here's your chance to win a copy of the US edition of Robin Hobb's Renegade's Magic, courtesy of Eos. I have five copies up for grabs! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "NEVARE." 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!

Transworld have big plans for Steven Erikson in 2008

Erikson's publicist just forwarded me a press release which indicates that 2008 will be a busy year for Steven Erikson and The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Here's what they have on tap:

February will bring the reissue of the series' opening chapter, Gardens of the Moon, with the new cover art and an exclusive introduction, all for a bargain price to entice new readers to pick it up.

April will bring the paperback edition of Reaper's Gale, and will include a teaser from Toll the Hounds.

June will see the release of the eagerly anticipated Toll the Hounds. For the very first time, this latest Malazan volume will get a hardback release. Indeed, the trade paperback of Toll the Hounds won't hit the stores until the fall.

Even better, Steven Erikson will visit the UK around the publication of Toll the Hounds, and will thus attend bookshop signings, readings, and related events.

As if this wasn't enough, the icing on the cake will be the publication of Ian Cameron Esslemont's Return of the Crimson Guard, first as a limited edition from PS Publishing this spring, and then with the "official" release coming later in the summer.

All in all, quite a good year from Malazan fans!:-)

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (January 8th)

In hardcover:

Drew Karpyshyn's Star Wars: Darth Bane: Rule of Two debuts at number 14. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Terry Goodkind's Confessor maintains its position at number 17. This marks the novel's eighth week on the charts. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Anne and Todd McCaffrey's Dragon Harper debuts at number 23. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Children of Húrin is down seven spots, ending the week at number 30. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

R. A. Salvatore's The Orc King is down one position, finishing the week at number 32. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

In paperback:

Richard Matheson's I am Legend maintains its position at number 2. This marks the book's tenth week on the NYT list. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Cormac McCarthy's The Road is down two spots, finishing its 39th week on the bestseller list at number 9. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Dan Simmons' The Terror debuts at number 29. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Win a copy of the reissue of Steven Erikson's GARDENS OF THE MOON

Thanks to the kind folks at Bantam Press, I have five copies of the reissue of Erikson's fantasy debut, Gardens of the Moon, for you guys to win. So if you've always wanted to see what the Malazan buzz was all about, here's your chance! This edition sports the new cover art and contains a new foreword by the author. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "SORRY." 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!

Cover art for the limited edition of Neal Stephenson's SNOW CRASH

Speaking of Subterranean Press, they will soon release a special limited edition of Neal Stephenson's classic, Snow Crash. Collectors will probably brawl among themselves to get a copy of this one!;-)

For more info about Snow Crash: Canada, USA, Europe, or http://www.subterraneanpress.com/.

I'll have to check with Bill to see if we'll do a giveaway for this one. . .

Win a copy of the limited edition of Naomi Novik's HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGON

This is our very first giveaway of 2008, and it's a good one! Thanks to Bill and his crew, one lucky winner will get his or her hands on the Subpress limited edition of Naomi Novik's fantasy debut. This contest has been in the works for a while, but now that it's finally going to the printer the time has come to make the announcement. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe, or http://www.subterraneanpress.com/.

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "TEMERAIRE." 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!:-)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars trailer

If you ask me, this looks pretty damn good!:-)

UK cover art for R. Scott Bakker's NEUROPATH

Thanks to Larry for the "heads up!"

Can't say I like this one. . .

Last Dragon

Discoveries is a new speculative fiction imprint from Wizards of the Coast (Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, etc). Hence, let me begin by saying that it's about time! A new adult-oriented specfic line is good news to fans of the genre.

Wizards of the Coast sent out a very neat publicity kit last fall. Of all the advance reading copies it contained, I elected to read J. M. McDermott's debut. Last Dragon is advertized as a literary fantasy novel in the tradition of Gene Wolfe and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Talk about raising expectations to a level that no debut can aspire to reach, right? Still, I was intrigued and decided to give it a shot.

As a matter of course, Last Dragon doesn't live up to such lofty expectations. Which is not to say that it's a bad book, mind you. McDermott's debut has a lot of good things going for it, yet the book also suffers from a number of shortcomings.

Last Dragon is written economically, which is both a positive and a negative thing. On the upside, it makes for a narrative that flows well. Extremely short scenes in relatively short chapters help speed the story along. On the downside, many of the concepts are bare bones and should have been further fleshed out to make this tale more absorbing.

The narrative jumps from one point to another along the past and the future of the novel's timeline. This works rather well at the onset of the tale, but it becomes increasingly confusing as the story moves along.

For those who, like me, like to visualize, the absence of a map makes it hard to picture where the cast is located across the timeline. The characters travel around the world quite a bit, and I could never really tell where they were at any point in time.

McDermott's economical prose also hurts him in terms of worldbuilding. He introduces many facets which appear quite interesting, yet he never truly follows up with much details, which turns several good ideas into missed opportunities. This in turn leads to a number of disappointments, as readers habitually want to learn more. Indeed, what starts off as compelling plot points deteriorate gradually and become somewhat monotonous storylines.

The same could be said regarding the characterization, I'm afraid. McDermott's cast of characters is engaging at the beginning of the novel. Zhan, Seth, Adel, Fest and the others show a lot of promise. Unfortunately, the absence of details to flesh them out more means that there is little character growth. Or, more exactly, the characters evolve during the course of the tale, but the reader doesn't witness the transition. We know close to nothing about their personalities and motives.

I'm well aware that I don't say this very often, but I believe that Last Dragon should have been longer. It would have given the author the chance to bring this book to another level, for the potential is definitely there. The absence of details concerning too many facets of the novel makes for a somewhat bland story that could have been a lot better. It's sad, for Last Dragon showed a lot of promise. . .

It will be interesting to see how Wizards of the Coast will market this new line, as it will not appeal to their usual readers.

The final verdict: 6.75/10

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

French cover art for Erikson's DEADHOUSE GATES

To be honest, they should have stayed with the sublime original Deadhouse Gates cover from Bantam Press. . .

NFL Showdown: GRRM vs Pat

Well, you might say that this is where we separate the men from the boys.

By finishing on top of the NFC and securing home field throughout the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys have the weekend off. Which means that if the New York Giants lose to Tampa Bay tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to be offed by GRRM in A Dance with Dragons.

If the damned G-Men win, however, we have to do it all over again next week. . .

I just want to be killed in the next ASOIAF volume. Is that so selfish of me!?!:p

The Hotlist is a contender!

It just came to my attention that Pat's Fantasy Hotlist is among the nominees for The Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll, which honors print & electronic publications published during 2007. It's kind of cool, considering some of the sites this blog is up against.

To learn more, check out http://www.critters.org/predpoll/reviewsite.shtml. You have until January 15th to vote for the Hotlist or any other review site.

Best of luck to all the contenders!:-)

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (January 1st)

In hardcover:

Terry Goodkind's Confessor is down one position, ending its seventh week on the charts at number 17. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Children of Húrin is up one spot, finishing at number 23. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

R. A. Salvatore's The Orc King returns on the bestseller list at number 31. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

In paperback:

Richard Matheson's I am Legend maintains its position at number 2. This marks the book's ninth week on the NYT list. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Cormac McCarthy's The Road is up one spot, finishing its 38th week on the prestigious list at number 7. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Aaron Allston's Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Fury debuts at number 20. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Orson Scott Card's Empire is down four positions, ending its second week on the bestseller list at number 25. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Wild Cards contest winners!

Okay, so this giveaway turned out to be quite popular, and with good reason! Thanks to the nice folks at Tor Books, our two winners will get their hands on Advance Reading Copies of the latest Wild Cards novel, Inside Straight (Canada, USA, Europe). Moreover, the books are signed by all nine collaborators and will be personalized by George R. R. Martin himself! Is that cool or what!?!;-)

I read and reviewed Inside Straight a few weeks back, and I really enjoyed it. You guys should definitely check it out!

The winners are:

- Josh Stone, from San Jose, California, USA

- Steve Spaulding, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA (RaceBannon42 on asoiaf.westeros.org)

Thanks to all the participants!

New Index

Happy New Year everyone!:-)

Needless to say, it's been an awesome year for the Hotlist. The blog has reached the 600,000th page view milestone last week, which means that we've packed a lot of asses in those seats!:p With 42 book reviews and I don't know how many interviews and giveaways, it's been another busy year for Yours Truly!

To all you newbies, here's what happened in previous episodes!

May 2008 be everything you want it to be!

Patrick
-------------------

2005

JANUARY

- The Book of Words (J. V. Jones)
- Children of Amarid (David B. Coe)
- The Outlanders (David B. Coe)
- Eagle-Sage (David B. Coe)

FEBRUARY

- Shadowmarch (Tad Williams)
- Ship of Magic (Robin Hobb)
- Mad Ship (Robin Hobb)
- Ship of Destiny (Robin Hobb)

MARCH

- The Runes of the Earth (Stephen R. Donaldson)
- David B. Coe interview
- Tad Williams interview
- The Silences of Home (Caitlin Sweet)
- Quicksilver (Neal Stephenson)

APRIL

- L. E. Modesitt, jr. interview
- Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Matthew Stover)
- The Confusion (Neal Stephenson)
- The System of the World (Neal Stephenson)

MAY

- The Darkness that Comes Before (R. Scott Bakker)
- The Warrior-Prophet (R. Scott Bakker)
- Fool's Errand (Robin Hobb)
- Golden Fool (Robin Hobb)
- The Contiki Experience

JUNE

- Fool's Fate (Robin Hobb)
- It's Only Temporary (Eric Shapiro)
- In the King's Service (Katherine Kurtz)
- The Curse of Chalion (Lois McMaster Bujold)
- Paladin of Souls (Lois McMaster Bujold)

JULY

- Robin Hobb interview
- The Years of Rice and Salt (Kim Stanley Robinson)
- Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman)

AUGUST

- The Golden Compass (Philip Pullman)
- The Subtle Knife (Philip Pullman)
- The Amber Spyglass (Philip Pullman)
- Dune: The Butlerian Jihad (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)

SEPTEMBER

- Dune: The Machine Crusade (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
- Dune: The Battle of Corrin (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
- Shaman's Crossing (Robin Hobb)

OCTOBER

- One Palestine, Complete (Tom Segev)
- Anansi Boys (Neil Gaiman)
- Knife of Dreams (Robert Jordan)
- Legacies (L. E. Modesitt, jr.)
- Bloodline of the Holy Grail (Laurence Gardner)

NOVEMBER

- Darknesses (L. E. Modesitt, jr.)
- Scepters (L. E. Modesitt, jr.)
- Thud! (Terry Pratchett)
- Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Carrie Vaughn)

DECEMBER

- The Thousandfold Thought (R. Scott Bakker)
- The Radioactive Redhead (John Zakour and Lawrence Ganem)
- Giants of the Frost (Kim Wilkins)
- Elantris (Brandon Sanderson)
- R. Scott Bakker interview
- Lord of Snow and Shadows (Sarah Ash)

2006

JANUARY

- Steven Erikson interview
- Prisoner of the Ironsea Tower (Sarah Ash)
- Children of the Serpent Gate (Sarah Ash)
- The Amber Wizard (David Forbes)

FEBRUARY

- Steven Erikson interview
- Gardens of the Moon (Steven Erikson)
- Naomi Novik interview
- The Rule of Four (Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason)
- Brandon Sanderson interview
- Talon of the Silver Hawk (Raymond E. Feist)
- David Eddings interview
- Deadhouse Gates (Steven Erikson)
- King of Foxes (Raymond E. Feist)

MARCH

- Paul Kearney interview
- His Majesty's Dragon / Temeraire (Naomi Novik)
- Memories of Ice (Steven Erikson)
- In the Eye of Heaven (David Keck)
- David Keck interview

APRIL

- Exile's Return (Raymond E. Feist)
- House of Chains (Steven Erikson)
- Throne of Jade (Naomi Novik)
- Caitlin Sweet interview

MAY

- George R. R. Martin interview
- Ian Cameron Esslemont interview
- City of Saints and Madmen (Jeff Vandermeer)
- Tracy and Laura Hickman interview
- Jacqueline Carey interview
- Midnight Tides (Steven Erikson)
- Black Powder War (Naomi Novik)
- The Lies of Locke Lamora (Scott Lynch)
- Robin Hobb interview

JUNE

- Ian Cameron Esslemont interview
- Vellum (Hal Duncan)
- Scott Lynch interview
- Zodiac (Neal Stephenson)
- Kitty goes to Washington (Carrie Vaughn)

JULY

- Carrie Vaughn interview
- Twilight Falling (Paul S. Kemp)
- The Bonehunters (Steven Erikson)
- Dawn of Night (Paul S. Kemp)
- Forest Mage (Robin Hobb)

AUGUST

- Midnight's Mask (Paul S. Kemp)
- Mistborn: The Final Empire (Brandon Sanderson)
- The Mark of Ran (Paul Kearney)
- This Forsaken Earth (Paul Kearney)
- Night of Knives (Ian Cameron Esslemont)
- Lonely Planet Bluelist

SEPTEMBER

- Flight of the Nighthawks (Raymond E. Feist)
- A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin)
- Melanie Rawn interview
- Into a Dark Realm (Raymond E. Feist)
- Joel Shepherd interview
- Good Omens (Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman)

OCTOBER

- Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman)
- Crossover (Joel Shepherd)
- River of Gods (Ian McDonald)

NOVEMBER

- Spellbinder (Melanie Rawn)
- Ian McDonald interview
- A Clash of Kings (George R. R. Martin)
- The Blade Itself (Joe Abercrombie)

DECEMBER

- Winterbirth (Brian Ruckley)
- Joe Abercrombie interview
- The Crooked Letter (Sean Williams)
- Orson Scott Card interview
- Brian Ruckley interview
- Peter Watts interview
- Blindsight (Peter Watts)

2007

JANUARY

- Guy Gavriel Kay interview
- The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
- Ysabel (Guy Gavriel Kay)
- Dan Simmons interview
- Ink (Hal Duncan)
- China Miéville interview

FEBRUARY

- Unclean (Richard Lee Byars)
- Tad Williams interview
- The Terror (Dan Simmons)
- Keeping it Real (Justina Robson)

MARCH

- C. S. Friedman interview
- Before They Are Hanged (Joe Abercrombie)
- Hal Duncan interview
- Joe Abercrombie interview
- Reaper's Gale (Steven Erikson)
- Patrick Rothfuss interview
- Kitty Takes a Holiday (Carrie Vaughn)

APRIL

- Shadowplay (Tad Williams)
- Ian Cameron Esslemont interview
- Jacqueline Carey interview
- Breakaway (Joel Shepherd)
- Richard Morgan interview

MAY

- Brasyl (Ian McDonald)
- Red Seas under Red Skies (Scott Lynch)
- Black Man/Thirteen (Richard Morgan)
- Ian McDonald interview
- The Lees of Laughter's End (Steven Erikson)

JUNE

- Dragons of the Dwarven Depths (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman)
- David Bilsborough interview
- The Night Watch (Sergei Lukyanenko)
- After Dark (Haruki Murakami)
- Gail Z. Martin interview
- David Anthony Durham interview
- Renegade's Magic (Robin Hobb)
- The Wanderer's Tale (David Bilsborough)
- Dragons of the Highlord Skies (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman)

JULY

- Robin Hobb interview
- Cry of the Newborn (James Barclay)
- Peter F. Hamilton interview
- The Electric Church (Jeff Somers)
- Tobias S. Buckell interview
- The Traveler (John Twelve Hawks)

AUGUST

- Daniel Abraham interview
- Feast of Souls (C. S. Friedman)
- The Dark River (John Twelve Hawks)
- Scott Lynch interview
- Steven Erikson interview
- Hunter's Run (George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham)
- George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham interview

SEPTEMBER

- Wizard of the Crow (Ngugi Wa Thiong'o)
- Making Money (Terry Pratchett)
- Jeff Somers interview
- Empire of Ivory (Naomi Novik)
- Fatal Revenant (Stephen R. Donaldson)

OCTOBER

- Stephen R. Donaldson interview
- The Well of Ascension (Brandon Sanderson)
- Spook Country (William Gibson)
- The Privilege of the Sword (Ellen Kushner)
- Katherine Kurtz interview
- Killswitch (Joel Shepherd)

NOVEMBER

- Devices and Desires (K. J. Parker)
- Dreamsongs, Volume 1 (George R. R. Martin)
- J. V. Jones interview
- Knights of the Black and White (Jack Whyte)
- Wild Cards interview with George R. R. Martin and co.

DECEMBER

- Acacia: The War with the Mein (David Anthony Durham)
- Inside Straight (George R. R. Martin and co.)
- Paragaea: A Planetary Romance (Chris Roberson)
- The Devil You Know (Mike Carey)

2008

JANUARY

- Last Dragon (J. M. McDermott)
- A Storm of Swords (George R. R. Martin)
- American Gods (Neil Gaiman)
- R. Scott Bakker interview
- Kitty and the Silver Bullet (Carrie Vaughn)
- James Barclay interview

FEBRUARY

- Bright of the Sky (Kay Kenyon)
- MAD about Star Wars (Jonathan Bresman)
- Last Argument of Kings (Joe Abercrombie)
- Wrath of a Mad God (Raymond E. Feist)

MARCH

- A Magic of Twilight (S. L. Farrell)
- Alastair Reynolds interview
- Neuropath (R. Scott Bakker)
- The Secret History of Moscow (Ekaterina Sedia)
- S. L. Farrell interview
- The Shadow Year (Jeffrey Ford)
- The Last Wish (Andrzej Sapkowski)

APRIL

- The Day Watch (Sergei Lukyanenko)
- R. Scott Bakker interview
- The Gunslinger (Stephen King)
- Kay Kenyon interview
- Bloodheir (Brian Ruckley)
- The Edge of Reason (Melinda Snodgrass)
- The Digital Plague (Jeff Somers)

MAY

- Infoquake (David Louis Edelman)
- Victory of Eagles (Naomi Novik)
- Return of the Crimson Guard (Ian Cameron Esslemont)
- The Man Who Turned Into Himself (David Ambrose)

JUNE

- The Steel Remains (Richard Morgan)
- Toll the Hounds (Steven Erikson)
- Backup (Jim Butcher)
- Stonefather (Orson Scott Card)

JULY

- The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafon)
- Adrian Tchaikovsky interview
- Cryptonomicon (Neal Stephenson)

AUGUST

- Chris Evans interview
- MultiReal (David Louis Edelman)
- Melinda Snodgrass interview
- Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy
- Mr. Fooster Traveling on a Whim (Tom Corwin and Craig Frazier)
- The Alchemy of Stone (Ekaterina Sedia)
- David Louis Edelman interview

SEPTEMBER

- Chronicles of the Black Company (Glen Cook)
- The Mirrored Heavens (David J. Williams)
- Ad Lib Column: Tobias S. Buckell
- The Way of Shadows (Brent Weeks)
- Ad Lib Column: Adrian Tchaikovsky
- David J. Williams interview
- The Ten Thousand (Paul Kearney)

OCTOBER

- Brent Weeks interview
- Peter V. Brett interview
- Ian Cameron Esslemont interview
- The Company (K. J. Parker)
- Paul Kearney interview
- Tales of the Dying Earth (Jack Vance)

NOVEMBER

- Tom Lloyd interview
- The Judging Eye (R. Scott Bakker)
- Busted Flush (edited by George R. R. Martin)
- Empire in Black and Gold (Adrian Tchaikovsky)
- The Engine's Child (Holly Phillips)

DECEMBER

- The Hero of Ages (Brandon Sanderson)
- Graceling (Kristin Cashore)
- Wild Cards interview with George R. R. Martin and the Busted Flush contributors
- The Travel Book (Lonely Planet)
- Ad Lib Column: Lilith Saintcrow
- A World Too Near (Kay Kenyon)
- The Six Directions of Space (Alastair Reynolds)
- Storm Front (Jim Butcher)
- Bones of the Dragon (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman)

2009

JANUARY

- Wings of Wrath (C. S. Friedman)
- Muse of Fire (Dan Simmons)
- R. Scott Bakker interview
- Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand (Carrie Vaughn)
- Ken Scholes interview
- Glen Cook interview
- The Books of the South (Glen Cook)

FEBRUARY

- Cyberabad Days (Ian McDonald)
- C. S. Friedman interview
- A Fantasy Medley (edited by Yanni Kuznia)
- The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death (Charlie Huston)
- A Fine and Private Place (Peter S. Beagle)

MARCH

- City Without End (Kay Kenyon)
- Imager (L. E. Modesitt, jr.)
- How the Dead Dream (Lydia Millet)

APRIL

- Twelve (Jasper Kent)
- The City & the City (China Miéville)
- The Burning Skies (David J. Williams)
- Purple and Black (K. J. Parker)

MAY

- Nights of Villjamur (Mark Charan Newton)
- Best Served Cold (Joe Abercrombie)

JUNE

- Patient Zero (Jonathan Maberry)
- Fire Raiser (Melanie Rawn)
- Fall of Thanes (Brian Ruckley)

JULY

- The Angel's Game (Carlos Ruiz Zafón)
- Dust of Dreams (Steven Erikson)
- Fool Moon (Jim Butcher)
- Retribution Falls (Chris Wooding)

AUGUST

- Lamentation (Ken Scholes)
- Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2009

SEPTEMBER

- Consider Phlebas (Iain M. Banks)
- The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes (Neil Gaiman)
- Child of Fire (Harry Connolly)
- Princess Mononoke (film directed by Hayao Miyazaki)
- Spirited Away (film directed by Hayao Miyazaki)
- Peter & Max (Bill Willingham)
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film directed by Hayao Miyazaki)
- 5 cm per Second (film directed by Makoto Shinkai)
- The Sandman: The Doll's House (Neil Gaiman)

OCTOBER

-The Place Promised in our Early Days (film directed by Makoto Shinkai)
- A Magic of Nightfall (S. L. Farrell)
- Sword of the Stranger (film directed by Masahiro Ando)
- The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown)
- Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (film directed by Shinichiro Watanabe)
- The Great Bazaar and Other Stories (Peter V. Brett)
- The Sandman: Dream Country (Neil Gaiman)
- My Neighbor Totoro (film directed by Hayao Miyazaki)
- Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (film directed by Tetsuya Nomura and Takeshi Nozue)
- The Gathering Storm (Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson)

NOVEMBER

- The Sandman: Season of Mists (Neil Gaiman)
- The Eternal Prison (Jeff Somers)
- Ghost in the Shell (film directed by Mamoru Oshii)
- The Sandman: A Game of You (Neil Gaiman)
- Tokyo Godfathers (film directed by Satoshi Kon)
- The Dragon Keeper (Robin Hobb)
- The Golden City (John Twelve Hawks)
- Howl's Moving Castle (film directed by Hayao Miyazaki)
- Mark Charan Newton interview
- The Sandman: Fables & Reflections (Neil Gaiman)
- Thousandth Night & Minla's Flowers (Alastair Reynolds)

DECEMBER

- Voices of a Distant Star (film directed by Makoto Shinkai)
- Suicide Kings (edited by George R. R. Martin)
- Robin Hobb interview
- The Magicians (Lev Grossman)
- The Windup Girl (Paolo Bacigalupi)
- The Sandman: Brief Lives (Neil Gaiman)