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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Twilight The Graphic Novel Volume 1 – Stephenie Meyer, Art and Adaptation by Young Kim
Hachette Yen, 2010
224 pages
RRP: AU$19.99
ISBN: 9781907411526

Reviewed by Kate Williams

I have never seen the appeal of graphic novels and this one hasn’t done anything to convert me, however it is possible to respect the amount of passion and effort that has gone into bringing the first half of Twilight to life.  Young Kim’s background in animation is clear in this incredibly detailed interpretation of the popular novel as is Stephenie Meyer’s guiding hand.

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The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo – Adam Roberts
Hachette Gollancz, 2010
320 pages
RRP: AU$17.99
ISBN: 9780575103726

Review by Kate Smith

Firstly I must admit ignorance of the story of which the title is based.  I did consider reading the book in question however this did not occur.  This means that I cannot comment on the cleverness or accuracy of any parody that may exist in term of that text.  What I can say is that The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo is a smooth and amusing read, perfect for a lazy afternoon in the sunshine.

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The Twilight Saga:  The Official Illustrated Guide, A Companion to the #1 Bestseller – Stephenie Meyer
Hachette Little Brown, 2011
560 pages
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 9781905654437

Review by Kate Williams

The title of this book is about as long and detailed as its contents.  Having milked the series for all it is worth, bringing out four increasingly lengthy novels starting with the manageable Twilight and ending with the doorstop that is Breaking Dawn, Meyer has excelled herself with this companion guide.  It is 543 pages of lavishly illustrated, lovingly typeset reworkings, retellings and reinventions of the Twilight universe including the less well known novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.

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The Quantum Thief – Hannu Rajaniemi
Hachette Gollancz, 2010
336 pages
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 9780575088887

Reviewed by Kate Smith

This was an interesting choice for me as I don’t usually go for science fiction.  Intrigued enough to give it a go, I was not disappointed.  The first thirty pages or so needed to be slogged through as the story was given its foundation but hang in there as the tale definitely gets more engaging.

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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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The Traitor’s Gate – Sarah Silverwood (Nowhere Chronicles #2)
Hachette Gollancz, 2011
352 pages
RRP: AU$22.99
ISBN: 9780575095809

Reviewed by Kate Smith

I was very happy to have this book offered to me as I enjoyed the first part to The Nowhere Chronicles in The Double-Edged Sword.  However, The Traitor’s Gate is a much darker story, and it gets darker very quickly.  In fact it is a very typical second part of a three part story – the introduction with hope, the darkest hour, and (one hopes) the dawn and resolution.  This particular darkest hour is very dark indeed, with everything that can go badly for the hero, going totally badly.  This does not make it the easy and happy read that the first part of the tale was, but it does allow for character and plot development.  Silverwood constructs her story well with pieces of the unknown past coming together smoothly but the twists and turns of the tale are not entirely unexpected.  The fact that there are no true surprises or shocks with developing events does not, however, detract from the enjoyment of the tale.

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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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Doctor Who: Series 6 Part 1
BBC, 2011
RRP: AU$39.99

Reviewed by George Ivanoff

The sixth series of the revived Doctor Who (the second for Matt Smith as the Doctor) has been cut in half. The first half screened in early 2011, and as viewers wait for the second half to start screening in late August, the first half has been released on DVD. This season, so far, is a definite improvement on the previous. It feels more cohesive and is taking the series into new and interesting territory.

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