Books

Anne Rice and her son Christopher Rice, who is to be her writing partner while developing the Vampire Chronicles TV show, have started a new Facebook page that focuses exclusively on the future show. Specifically, it will be used to make announcements regarding the show and also to interact with …

Wow, big news yesterday for Anne Rice/Vampire Chronicles fans. After a few days of teasing followers of her Facebook page that she was going to post some big news, on Nov. 27 Anne finally spilled the beans and announced that she has reacquired the theatrical rights for the Vampire Chronicles. …

'Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis' warns us of the dangers of elevating struggle into a sacrament and worshiping it. It is a powerful and thought-provoking entry in the Vampire Chronicles and we recommend it unreservedly.

In 'Some Will Not Sleep' nothing is sacred, nothing is safe, and goodness me, if you like horror fiction you’re going to absolutely love every damn minute.

The fight to assert one's humanity drives the narrative in 'The Obelisk Gate.' It is not merely a political aspiration but a deeply personal one, making the 'Broken Earth' series never feel polemical. N.K. Jemisin’s characters aren’t symbols; they are complex and conflicted human beings who want only to live in peace. But in the Stillness, as in the real world, sometimes you have to fight for peace.

Luke Rhinehart, author of the cult classic 'The Dice Man,' depicts an invasion of hairy balls from outer space who want to save humanity from themselves. While this is a frequently visited theme, it is Rhinehart's trademark humor and social and political incisiveness that make 'Invasion' stand out among other alien invasion stories.

The prolific Jo Walton returns with a sequel to 'The Just City' and 'The Philosopher Kings.' 'Necessity' completes the saga of gods and philosophers seeking to make Plato’s 'Republic' a reality. While it has an entertaining storyline, it is a missed opportunity in an otherwise exemplary and thought-provoking trilogy.

A scintillating saga of the Galactic Roman Empire. Accala Viridius, a loyal daughter of Rome must give up her noble lineage and become a gladiator to defend her family, her house and the honour of Rome.

As with any anthology, the quality of the stories in 'Dead Letters' is uneven, and there are some flubbed endings. But on the whole, the all-star writers who contributed to this volume do indeed deliver.

'The Fifty-Year Mission' is a Star Trek book for fans that will become an indispensable reference resource that documents a personal history of the franchise. If you're a Trek fan, it's a must.

I have been waiting with anticipation for the follow-up to Rjurik Davidson’s strikingly original debut, Unwrapped Sky (2014), and The Stars Askew does not disappoint. The “young master of the New Weird” fleshes out his wonderfully bizarre world, a world that blends familiar elements of history and mythology in unique ways.

Stephen King's 'End of Watch' is the final installment in his Bill Hodges trilogy and is a high-speed, thrilling and bumpy ride.

'Captain America vs. Iron Man: Freedom, Security, Psychology' is the latest collection from Dr. Travis Langley and the PsychGeeks that approaches Marvel's 'Civil War' from a fascinating array of interpretive angles grounded in psychology and reveals just how rich and complex the original comic by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven was.

The pace of 'A Gathering of Shadows' is slow up until the final pages when we get, in V.E. Schwab’s words, “the dreaded cliffhanger.” This makes it difficult to assess 'A Gathering of Shadows' for we won't know whether Schwab succeeded or failed until (at least) the third book in the series. But I’m certainly going to read it to find out.

'The One' is a wonderfully imagined YA series that is every bit as engrossing as 'The Hunger Games' or 'Divergent' series. But it has an edge of sophistication over other series in its sci-fi conception and elements of conflict, and it explores more complex issues of power than the average series. This is highly recommended reading for adult and young adult readers alike.