Incandescence – Greg Egan
Hachette Livre Orion Gollancz, 2008
300 pages
RRP: AU$35
ISBN: 978-0-575-08163-5

Reviewed by Mark Cooper

The thing you have to remember when you’re dealing with Greg Egan is that this is hard science fiction. Any review of his work has to start from that point. The science and the ideas that spring from the science are the most important things in his books. If you don’t like that, you don’t like Greg Egan. If you want more than that, you won’t find it here.

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The Blood of Elves – Andrzej Sapkowski
Orion Gollancz, 2008
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 978-057-508318-9

Reviewed by Kate Smith

Having read, and thoroughly enjoyed his previous book The Last Wish in so many ways, I was a little disappointed in The Blood of Elves. The story continues its focus on Geralt of Rivia but begins to show the larger scope of events in the world.

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Graceling- Kristin Cashore
Hachette Livre Orion Gollancz, 2008
431 pages
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 978-0-575-08462-9

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

Kristin Cashore’s Katsa is a Graced killer – she has a talent for it that was discovered at the age of eight when she killed her cousin with one hit when he threatened her safety. As a result, she became an official bully for her uncle, King Randa of the Middluns, a role she despises but cannot see any way out of. Then she meets Po, another Graced fighter from Liend whose friendship encourages Katsa to question her power.

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The Ninth Circle – Alex Bell
Hachette Livre Gollancz, 2008
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 978-057-508027-0

Reviewed by Kate Smith

The Ninth Circle by Alex Bell is not simply another mystery story which is diverting at the time of reading but is ultimately of little impact on the reader. For a reader looking for something different, both in subject matter and style, this novel is well worth a read. The story builds from being a simple tale of a man struggling to come to terms with amnesia to a much more complicated one with serious questions about morality and the nature of religion. If the reader does not seek to guess ahead of the story it is very easy to become swept away and to feel the situation as Gabriel, the central character, sees it. Bell’s manner of writing communicates the confusion and desperation Gabriel experiences, and this makes for an engrossing read. The story is brought together nicely at the end, completing the story arc and ensuring the reader is clear about the situation Gabriel has finally taken some measure of control over.

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The Stormcaller – Tom Lloyd
Hachette Livre Gollancz, 2007 (reissue)
502 pages
RRP: AU$22.95
ISBN: 978-0-5750-7926-7

Review by Grant Watson

Fantasy is such an overloaded and overcooked genre these days that it’s difficult to see the forest for the trees – that is, to actually weave your way through the endless stacks of derivative and unimaginative books to actually find those rare enjoyable and relatively original ones. It’s a problem that drove me away from the genre for years. Today I only ever really return in fits and starts, hoping each time that I’m going to read something really special. Usually I don’t.

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Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said – Philip K. Dick
Hachette Livre Gollancz, 2007 (reprint)
247 pages
RRP: AU$22.95
ISBN: 978-0-575-07995-3

Reviewed by Lev Lafayette

It is pleasing to see that Gollancz has released yet another reprint of Philip K. Dick’s Flow, My Tears, the Policeman Said, one of his more famous and accessible short novels, receiving the Campbell Award in 1975, and being nominated for a Hugo and Nebula in the same year. One wonders given the adaptation of Dick’s novels to film (A Scanner Darkly, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Minority Report etc), whether this will also be the case – there is little doubt that it could make an excellent film, although the theatre adaptation in Boston apparently received mixed reviews.

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Dragon Ball Volume 16 – Akira Toriyama
Hachette Livre Gollancz Manga, 2007
208 pages
RRP: AU$12.95
ISBN: 13-9-780-57508-008-9

Review by Nicolee Baxter

It is the final of the 23rd strongest-under-the-heavens martial arts tournament. Goku prepares to face his last opponent – the great demon king, Piccolo. But it is not just the title of the tournament that is in contention. If Goku loses, his life and the freedom of the world are also at stake. Goku will need all his extraordinary fighting abilities just to survive.

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The Last Wish – Andrzej Sapkowski
Hachette Livre Gollancz, 2007
280 pages
RRP: AU$32.95 (tpbk), AU$22.95 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-575-07782-9

Reviewed by Kate Smith

The Last Wish is a beautifully constructed story that is a joy to read. It is a thoroughly enjoyable read and leads the reader gently towards its message. While it is a difficult novel to put down, the manner in which the tale has been constructed allows for this and it is very easy to come back to after some time away.

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