Roil – Trent Jamieson
Angry Robot Books, 2011
432 pages
RRP: US$7.99
ISBN: 978 0 85766 184 5

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

Roil is set in a dystopian world where the Roil, an evil force thriving on darkness and heat, is advancing. It is told from multiple perspectives, centring around Margaret Penn, daughter of Engineers in Tate in the south, and David, son of one of the politicians of Mirrlees to the north. Those who enjoy harrowing apocalyptic stories will enjoy Roil, although at times I found it a little too dark for my taste.

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The Wilful Eye (Tales from the Tower #1) – Isobelle Carmody & Nan McNab
Allen & Unwin, 2011
302 pages
RRP: AU$27.99
ISBN: 9781742374406

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

The Tales from the Tower duet are a collection of revisited fairy tales from Australia’s best-loved fantasy authors. Collected by Isobelle Carmody and Nan McNab, the first instalment, The Wilful Eye, takes a new look at “The Tinderbox”, “Rumpelstiltskin”, “The Snow Queen”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Babes in the Woods” and “The Steadfast Tin Soldier”. I’ve always been a sucker for retellings of fairy stories, and these were no disappointment.

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The Blood Countess – Tara Moss (A Pandora English novel)
Pan MacMillan, 2010
389 pages
RRP: AU$26.99
ISBN: 9781405040143

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

Having read a couple of Tara Moss’s previous mystery novels, I was intrigued to see she’d branched out into the paranormal, one of my favourite genres. The Blood Countess didn’t disappoint. It is an easy read, quite young-adult in the pacing and tone, but this meant it was a quick and interesting read.

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Sharp Turn – Marianne Delacourt (Tara Sharp #2)
Allen & Unwin, 2010
288 pages
RRP: AU$29.99
ISBN: 9781742370033

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

Tara Sharp, a private detective who can see auras, is the protagonist of Marianne Delacourt’s captivating, funny and exciting series that started with Sharp Shooter. Sharp Turn is an excellent continuation of the series, following Tara as she falls in and out of trouble, becoming more used to using her abilities in investigating.

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The Spell of Rosette (Quantum Enchantment #1) – Kim Falconer
HarperCollins Voyager, 2009
528 pages
RRP: AU$20.99
ISBN: 9780732287719

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

The Spell of Rosette is a great read. A mix of dystopian science fiction and high fantasy, it introduces the interconnected worlds of Gaela and Earth. Near-future Earth is familiar, but technology has failed with the destruction of the environment, causing the breakdown of society. Gaela is an idyllic pseudo-medieval world of magic, travelling bards and swordplay.

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Love and Romanpunk – Tansy Rayner Roberts
Twelfth Planet Press, 2011
109 pages
RRP: AU$18
ISBN: 978-0-9808274-4-6

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

Love and Romanpunk is a mini-collection of four fantastic stories by Tansy Rayner Roberts, taking a new look at Roman history, mythology and urban fantasy, with some amazing Julias. This boutique collection, part of the Twelfth Planet Press’s Twelve Planets series, is an intriguing read which will entertain a wide audience.

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Tymon’s Flight – Mary Victoria (Chronicles of the Tree #1)
Harper Voyager, 2010
576 pages
RRP: AU$22.99
ISBN: 9780732290986

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

Tymon’s Flight is the first in Mary Victoria’s Chronicles of the Tree series, a vaguely steampunk-high fantasy world nestled in the branches of a world-sized Tree. Tymon is the archetypal fantasy hero: an orphan with a rebellious chip on his shoulder, left to be brought up at the Argos seminary by the priests who rigidly stick with their interpretation of religion. While much of the story relies on familiar aspects of the fantasy genre, there are enough twists and turns to pique the reader’s interest.

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More Scary Kisses – Liz Grzyb (ed)
Ticonderoga Publications, 2011
260 pages
RRP: AU$25
ISBN: 978-0-9807813-2-8

Reviewed by Kate Smith

Having absolutely loved Scary Kisses, I approached More Scary Kisses with both anticipation and apprehension.  Scary Kisses was such a wonderful combination of stories, such a different take on the world, snapshots of lives from a different perspective.  Hence  my apprehension.  However I was assured by a friend that More Scary Kisses would not let me down.  That friend was absolutely correct.

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Steampunk – Ann & Jeff VanderMeer (ed.)
2008, Tachyon Publications
373 pages
RRP: US$14.95
ISBN: 9781892391759

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

This anthology is a diverse mix of novel excerpts and short stories from the canon of the steampunk subgenre and rounded out with some newer stories. They are balanced by some non-fiction writings on the genre. Steampunk aficionados will find the collection a useful addition to their libraries.

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Heartless – Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate #4)
Hachette Orbit, 2011
336 pages
RRP:AU$19.99
ISBN: 9780356500096

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

The whole of the Parasol Protectorate series so far has been a delightful romp, and Heartless is no exception. Carrying on from the previous novel, Alexia must deal with her “inconvenience” whilst solving mysteries, averting dastardly plans and most importantly, drinking enough tea. Thankfully, Alexia is back in England where she can indulge in her favourite beverage to her heart’s content.

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