Year's Best SF Reader

Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Birthgrave - Tanith Lee

Certainly a slightly odd book as a woman with no name (not a gunfighter though) wakes up and sets out.

A warrior, she also becomes other things ranging all the way from goddess back down to domestic.

She is also rather superhuman, which helps her survive a lot of the trouble she gets into. Also why there is interest in her, too.

A strange affect this book, a sort of non-introspective first person, and pretty much completely humourless.

3 out of 5

Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Olverung - Stephen Woodworth

Magician birdsong torment.

3.5 out of 5

http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=download&id=58335&file=books/ybf9/YBF9-2.pdf

From the Clay Of His Heart - John Brown

Thief golem, witch wizard baby yum.

3.5 out of 5

http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=download&id=58335&file=books/ybf9/YBF9-2.pdf

Friday, November 27, 2009

Loup-garou - R. B. Russell

Movie me.

3 out of 5

Harry and the Monkey - Euan Harvey

Missing kid doolally.

3.5 out of 5

Very Low-flying Aircraft - Nicholas Royle

Headless swooping.

3.5 out of 5

The Hodag - Trent Hergenrader

Whitey beast.

3.5 out of 5

Esmerelda - Glen Hirshberg

Junk piles.

3 out of 5

Girl In Pieces - Graham Edwards

Golem help Athena serial fate.

4 out of 5

The Clay Party - Steve Duffy

Gets much smaller, furry.

3 out of 5

Penguins Of the Apocalypse - William Browning Spencer

Pooka drink.

3 out of 5

It Washed Up - Joe R. Lansdale

Harmonica blasted.

3 out of 5

Beach Head - Daniel Lemoal

Up to the neck clubbing.

4 out of 5

The Man From the Peak - Adam Golaski

Prudence snack story.

3.5 out of 5

Cargo - Michael E. Lewis

Evac body blow.

3.5 out of 5

April Fool's Day Forever - Kate Wilhelm

No terminal help, baby.

3 out of 5

The Mammoth Book Of Vampire Stories By Women - Stephen Jones

An anthology that is somewhat disappointing, at only 3.06. The greatest is last, with Connie Willis' Jack. Other of note include Nancy A. Collins, Elizabeth Hand, Tanya Huff, Christa Faust and Gala Blau.

Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : The Master of Rampling Gate - Anne Rice
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Homewrecker - Poppy Z. Brite
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : When Gretchen Was Human - Mary Turzillo
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : The Vengeful Spirit of Lake Nepeakea - Tanya Huff
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : La Diente - Nancy Kilpatrick
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Miss Massingberd and the Vampire - Tina Rath
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : The Raven Bound - Freda Warrington
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Vampire King of the Goth Chicks - Nancy A. Collins
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Just His Type - Storm Constantine
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Prince of Flowers - Elizabeth Hand
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Services Rendered - Louise Cooper
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Aftermath - Janet Berliner
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : One Among Millions - Yvonne Navarro
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Luella Miller - Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Sangre - Lisa Tuttle
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : A Question of Patronage - Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Hisako San - Ingrid Pitt
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Butternut and Blood - Kathryn Ptacek
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Sleeping Cities - Wendy Webb
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : The Haunted House - E. Nesbit
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Turkish Delight - Roberta Lannes
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Venus Rising on Water - Tanith Lee
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Year Zero - Gemma Files
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Good Lady Ducayne - Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Lunch at Charon's - Melanie Tem
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Forever Amen - Elizabeth Massie
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Night Laughter - Ellen Kushner
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Bootleg - Christa Faust
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Outfangthief - Gala Blau
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : My Brother's Keeper - Pat Cadigan
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : So Runs the World Away - Caitlín R. Kiernan
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : A North Light - Gwyneth Jones
Mammoth Book of Vampire Stories By Women : Jack - Connie Willis

Burning down the house as dead dad suggested a better move.

2.5 out of 5

And gonad bloodsucker.

3 out of 5

Immortal disease.

3.5 out of 5

Developing spirit.

3.5 out of 5

El Chupa-cabra!

3 out of 5

Iron deficiency.

2.5 out of 5

Humans will make you mad.

3 out of 5

Dispose of fakers too, does Sonja.

3.5 out of 5

Bloody etheric entities.

3.5 out of 5

Puppets (or clowns). Horror. Never a good combo if you are stuck in it.

3.5 out of 5

I can fix your sick dude, just not quite how you expect.

3 out of 5

Lilith fear.

2.5 out of 5

Open legs, gimme twins.

3 out of 5

Local dying.

2 out of 5

S for sucker.

2.5 out of 5

Let's make a Saint-Germain deal.

3 out of 5

Catsuit chopper double fall.

3.5 out of 5

Uncivil lamia.

3 out of 5

Chinese disinterred.

3 out of 5

Four race blood combo.

3 out of 5

Dead delay.

2.5 out of 5

Canvas notice.

3.5 out of 5

Citizen blood.

3.5 out of 5

Servant sucking.

3 out of 5

Madyson Avenue.

2.5 out of 5

Don't want him to be dead twice.

3.5 out of 5

Not hungry.

2.5 out of 5

Dead love production.

3.5 out of 5

Limb off fetish, ripper.

3.5 out of 5

Junkie vamped.

3 out of 5

Dead Girl story.

3.5 out of 5

Camilla wrong.

3 out of 5

Dracula air patrol.

4 out of 5

2.5 out of 5