In The Mouth Of The Whale by Paul McAuley
(Orion $27.99)
This is the third of three novels set in McAuley's elaborate Quiet War future history and, like the first two, it consists of several stories, whose connections become apparent only slowly. The writing is densely complex and getting up
momentum with the book takes effort. But persist. Four separate post-human species are at war in the asteroid belt of a far-off solar system, and McAuley's protagonists are as vivid and convincing as their well-conceived backdrop.
Seven Kings by John R. Fulz
(Orbit $27.99)
Meat and potatoes fantasy adventure, well enough written that you don't have to feel guilty for enjoying it. As all such books should, it has a map, charting a wide continent stretching from the arid north (frozen wastes, mountains, giants) to the steamy south (jungles, lost cities, slave traders). Immortal sorcerors vie for power, and the seven young kings of the title form alliances, betray each other and wage righteous war. Technically this is the middle volume of a trilogy, but it works pretty well as a standalone.
Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre
(Orbit $36.99)
