The List: 2 Sep 1988 (62/72)

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Milte Calderzooms in on a galaxy ot recently published microchips.

I Dirit Gently's Holistic Detective Agency Douglas Adams (Pan £2.99) The author of‘The llitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" turns his attention to the detectiy e genre Unlike Sherlock Holmes. Dirk Gently decides not to eliminate the impossible when working on a case I Sign 0t Chaos Roger '/.ela/ny (Sphere £2.99) The eighth in the Amber series continues the sit ‘T\ ol Corwin‘s son as he is pursued through various Shadow Innis familiarterritory il‘. 7‘ books.

I Daggerspell Katherine Kerr (Grafton £3.95) A fantasy which draws heavily on Welsh mythology and is set in the 12th century. Comparisons with Katherine Kurtz's Dernyi/Camber books are almost inevitable. but this stands tip well beside them.

I Olympiad Nigel Frith (l 'nw in £3.95) Told in the style of the great Greek epics. this is the story of the first Olympics. as sponsored by the Gods and arranged by Heracles

I The Darkest Road Guy (iav riel Kay (Unwin £3.50) The final part of the Fionavar'l‘apestryTrilogy lt'sone ofthe best executed fantasy series of recent years. Although there's a plot summary ofwhat's gone before. reading the first two books will be rewarding.

I The Malacia Tapestry Brian Alum

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(Methuen £3.50) Set in a baroque renaissam‘e city under threat from Turkish armies. this reprint stars a young actor through whom the character and secrets of Malacia are exposed (inept the author‘s best. I Earthworks Brian Aldiss ( Methuen £2.95) A densely-written. introspective novel in which the hero must take the future of humanity in his hands I The Secret Books oi Paradys (Vol 1: The Book of the Damned. Vol 2: The Book of the Beast ) 'l‘anith Lee (I 'nwin M 95 each) ('ollections of “rented- ' "thew-orldol t' 3' _ : titx‘ttaitt s leading fantasy writers. All the characters are either haunted, possessed. pursued by demons or otherwise having a bad time of it. Reminiscent of the weird writers of the 1930s (Lovecraft. Smith) but the prose isn‘t so purple and is more accessible I Bavenmoon Peter Tremayne (.‘vlcthucn £1 l .95) A well-crafted rc-telling of an obscure 3rd century Irish myth. lots ofaction as the hero battles against a multitude of enemies. real and imagined. I At Winter‘s End Robert Silverberg ((iollancz £1 1.95) Set on Earth in the very far future. this book looks at a tribe of humans who emerge from hiding after 7llthousand years and try to adapt to living on the surface of a strangely altered Earth. Worth a look.

BACK LIST

I Mona Lisa Overdrive William Gibson (Gollancz £10.95) Gibson returns to the world of the ‘Sprawl' for a final headlong adventure in the original cyberpunk milieu. That should be recommendation enough. I Sorcery Terry Pratchett (Gollancz 10.95) The latest of the ‘Disc-world‘ books. This tongue- (very firmly) in-cheek fantasy has as its hero not a mere 7th son of a 7th son but the 8th son of an 8th son who becomes the most powerful sorcerer in the world. I A Man Jumps Out at An Aircraft Wearing Dad's Head Rarry Yourgrau (Paladin *3 95) Hits is I50 descriptionsofimaginrtry dreatns. each about a page long. Great for dipping into.

I Land of Dreams James Blaylock (Grafton £6.95) A bizarre fantasy set in a small village in an alternate California. Strange events include: a shoe the size of a boat is washed ashore. giant crabs liberate their smaller brethren from fishermen‘s sacks and the orphanage ghost is acting up.

The List: 2 Sep 1988 (Issue 76)