Harrius Potter Et Camera Secretorium by J.K. Rowling
© Bloomsbury USA

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Harry Potter goes Greek…err Latin

The holidays are whipping up a frenzy of new sci fi, fantasy, and horror book releases: Eric Flint propels the 1632 series with Grantville Gazette III, Jack Whyte unveils the ninth and final volume in the Arthurian Camulod Chronicles with The Eagle, and Alan Campbell unleashes the opener to his Deepgate Trilogy with Scar Night.

Genre publishers this week, most notably Random House Publishing, Penguin Group , and Games Workshop Publishing, want your holiday dollars with a slew of sci fi, fantasy, and horror book releases.

Long-time Tolkien fans Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond strut their fantasy expertise on all things related to the mythic giant. Awarded three times with the Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inkling Studies, this tag team duo rounds out their work with two comprehensive, hardback volumes on the chronology and influences of the now legendary creator of Middle Earth.

Star Trek aficionado Christie Golden switches into fantasy gear and teams up with Blizzard Entertainment to bring a World of Warcraft novel to the table with Rise of the Horde on Simon & Schuster paperback. Cataloguing the Burning Legion’s actions that bent the noble Orcs to destroy all of humanity, Rise of the Horde also features an exclusive excerpt of the new Warcraft Manga from TokyoPop. 

Penguin Group brings readers back to their genre roots by re-publishing some of the pillars of modern-day fantasy. The paperback Penguin Epics released today include The Voyages of Sindbad, The Sunjata Story, Jason and the Golden Fleece, Exodus, and The Abduction of Sita.

In the mood for some pulp-style horror stories? C.L. Werner brings the third book of his Warhammer: Matthias Thulmann series back to life with the paperback release of Witch Killer. Formerly printed in a variety of small press publications including Inferno! Magazine, Werner is a Games Workshop veteran and a master at spinning dark, deliciously gory tales.

Get your reading glasses on, heat up those holiday leftovers, and dig in to this week’s offering of new book releases.

Other books to check out: Secret Lives, Scar Night, Powers of Detection, & Passarola Rising

New in Hardcover:

Harrius Potter Et Camera Secretorium, J.K. Rowling (Bloomsbury )

Following the success of Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis comes a Latin edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second novel in the phenomenally successful saga of wizard-in-training Harry Potter. After a miserable summer with his relatives, the Dursleys, Harry returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year. There, he teams up again with bosom buddies Hermione and Ron to figure out who—or what—is behind the terrifying incidents that are leaving some students petrified…literally. Perfect for Latin scholars, collectors, or any Harry Potter fan who simply must have every book, no matter what language it’s in! A Latin version of Harry Potter, ridiculous! But hey, de gustibus non disputandem. Translated by Peter Needham.

Maelstorm, Anne McCaffrey & Elizabeth A. Scarborough (Random House Publishing Group)

In Changelings (2005), bestselling authors Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough returned to the sentient planet Petaybee with a story of growth and transformation in the face of deadly new threats. The telepathic, shapeshifting twins Murel and Ronan found that Petaybee had plans for them as well. Now that Petaybee is forming a new equatorial island, the planet has agreed to harbor a group of new refugees, workers indentured to the powerful InterGal Corporation. But the mission to collect the immigrants becomes a rescue operation when it is revealed that InterGal is doing nothing to help these survivors of a world devastated by a meteor shower. Murel and Ronan set out to persuade the frightened refugees to come out of hiding, leave their world, and bring along their sacred totem animals, the gifted sea turtles called the Honus. But the twins discover that they’ve taken on more than they expected: The Honus are not the only animals sacred to the refugees. There are also the Manos, intelligent sharks who have lost none of their predatory habits -- and who cannot be left behind to die. Now it is up to Ronan and Murel, with the intrepid assistance of their river otter friend Sky, to smooth the waters before a maelstrom of revenge destroys Petaybee’s harmonious way of life. But even as the twins uncover startling new facts about Petaybee’s past that will change everything they thought they knew about the planet, the forces of InterGal are gathering, preparing to strike… Book two of the Twins of Petaybee series.

Secret Lives by Jeff VanderMeer

© Wildside Press

In this new collection by World Fantasy Award winner Jeff VanderMeer, the secret lives of librarians, doctors, lawyers, university students, bank tellers, sex shop clerks and dozens of others are revealed for the first time. Ordered by profession, these short-short stories range from the hilarious to the somber, the absurd to the revelatory. Using real people as the springboard, VanderMeer has created a rich blend of the factual and the imaginary in which everyone gets the secret life they deserve. A luminous little book meant for dipping into one secret life at a time.

Scar Night, Alan Campbell (Spectra Books)

Suspended by chains over a seemingly bottomless abyss, the ancient city of Deepgate is home to a young angel, an assassin, and a psychotic murderer hungry for revenge—or redemption. But soon a shocking betrayal will unite all three in a desperate quest… The last of his line, Dill is descended from legendary Battle-archons who once defended the city. Forbidden to fly and untrained even to wield the great sword inherited from his forebears, he has become a figurehead for a dying tradition. Now he lives a sheltered existence in one of Deepgate’s crumbling temple spires under the watchful eye of the Presbyter who rules the city. Spine assassin Rachel Hael has better things to do than oversee the Presbyter’s angel. Each dark moon she must fight for her life among the city chains, hunting an immortal predator with a taste for blood. But when a traitor brings enemies to Deepgate’s doorstep, Dill and Rachel are forced into an uneasy alliance with the city’s oldest and most dangerous foe. They must journey down into the uncharted chasm to save their sprawling metropolis—and themselves—from annihilation. Once they descend, however, they learn that what lies below is far more sinister than what they’ve been taught to expect. I’m sure you’ve all seen this book on the site due to the contest held last week but if you’re interested in a more in-depth look check out our review (the novel’s definitely worth a look-see).

Grantville Gazette III, Eric Flint (Baen Books)

A mysterious cosmic force, the "Ring of Fire,” has hurled the town of Grantville from 20th century West Virginia back to 17th century Europe and into the heart of the Thirty Years War. With their seemingly magical technology and their radical ideas of freedom and justice, the time-lost West Virginians have allied with Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, to form the Confederated Principalities of Europe, changing the course of history in ways both small and large. University students, a restless breed in all centuries, become even more rambunctious in Cambridge, because of the personal and theological impact of the time-lost Americans. At the same time, American teenagers conquer new financial worlds when their elders are looking the other way. A woman terrorized by a notorious Hungarian countess seeks sanctuary in Grantville. A Lutheran pastor schemes to gain new adherents among the Americans. A Benedictine monk finds a new calling for his order. Europe's leading musicians travel to Grantville to learn of the music of the future. Practitioners of 20th century medicine and its 17th century counterpart struggle to find common ground in healing the sick and injured. These and other new stories, including a new story by Eric Flint himself, return the reader to one of the most popular series in alternate history science fiction. Also included are articles exploring the technical problems the time-lost Americans face, including the centrality of iron to the industrial revolution, the problems of mechanizing agriculture in the 17th century, and the type of weapons which the Americans can mass-produce, adding up to an indispensable volume for the many followers of the 1632 series.

Exodus, Steve White & Shirley Meier (Baen Books)

Once before, the sentient races in the known part of the galaxy—humans, Orions, Ophiuchi and Gorm—had united to defeat alien invaders. The "bugs" were as incomprehensibly alien as they were revoltingly evil, using all other living things, intelligent or not, as food, and they had been defeated at a terrible cost. Decades have since passed and the gallant warriors of the battle against the bugs have grown old, while new generations have grown complacent… dangerously so. Long ago, much of the population of an entire planet had built a huge fleet of ships, each ship larger than a city, and fled their world before its sun went nova. Those slower-than-light ships traversed many light years, and have now arrived at the world they intend to make their new home. They regard the fact that the planet is already colonized by humans as a mere inconvenience, the more so since their mode of communication is so different from anything humans use that they do not consider humans and their allies to be truly intelligent. And the arriving aliens know—or, at least, they believe—that when they die they will be reincarnated, so they do not hesitate to attack humans and their allies with suicidal fury. This time, the intelligent races of the old alliance will not have to worry about becoming an invader's meal, but that will be small comfort if the invaders decide that genocide is justified for their own survival… Of the Starfire series.

The Eagle, Jack Whyte (Forge Books)

Beginning with The Skystone, the first in his riveting Camulod Chronciles, Jack Whyte has embarked on an ambitious and remarkable re-telling of the Arthurian cycle, giving us a fresh and compelling take on a story that has been beloved for centuries. The Eagle brings us at last to the heart of the tale, the creation of fabled Camelot and the love story that enshrined its glory. Whyte takes us into the minds and lives of Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot: three astonishing but fallible people who were bound together by honor, loyalty, and love. Three who created the glory that was 's shining dream…and, some say, caused its downfall. The Gaulish nobleman Clothar, known in our time as Lancelot, is drawn to the young High King's court by tales of honor and nobility, where he meets a man whose love of law matches his own. More, he finds in Arthur a life-long friend whose dream of peacefully uniting the people of he embraces. And Clothar meets Arthur's queen, a wondrous beauty whose passion and ideals match her husband's. Together they work to bring Arthur's dream to life. But dark forces rise in opposition to Arthur's plans for creating this noble island nation and it is hard to tell friend from foe in the swirling chaos that ensues. Many tales have been told of the dream that shined and died. This one will astonish even the most jaded.

The Assassin King, Elizabeth Haydon (Tor Books)

The Assassin King opens with the arrival of a mysterious hunter, a man of ancient race and purpose, who endlessly chants the names of the pantheon of demons that are his intended victims, as well as one other: Ysk, the original name of Achmed, the Assassin King of Ylorc. At the same moment, two gatherings of great import are taking place. The first is a convocation of dragons, who gather in a primeval forest gladethe site of the horrific ending of Llauron, one of the last of their kind. They mourn not only his irrevocable death, but also the loss of the lore and control over the Earth itself that it represents. The second gathering is a council of war: Ashe and Rhapsody, rulers of the alliance that protects the Middle Continent; Gwydion, the new Duke of Navarne; Anborn, the Lord Marshall; Achmed, the King of Ylorc, and Grunthor, his Sergeant-Major. Each brings news that form the pieces of a great puzzle. And as each piece is added it becomes quite clear: War is coming, the likes of which the world has never known. Following  Elegy For A Lost Star (2004), The Assassin King marks the sixth novel in the Symphony of Ages series.

The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, Volume One: Chronology by Christina Scull & Wayne G. Hammond

© Gardner Books

Designed to be the essential reference works for all readers and students, these volumes present the most thorough analysis possible of Tolkien's work within the important context of his life. The Chronology details the parallel evolutions of Tolkien's works and his academic and personal life in minute detail. Spanning the entirety of his long life including nearly sixty years of active labor on his Middle-earth creations, and drawing on such contemporary sources as school records, war service files, biographies, correspondences, the letters of his close friend C. S. Lewis, and the diaries of W. H. Lewis, this book will be an invaluable resource for those who wish to gain a complete understanding of Tolkien's status as a giant of twentieth-century literature.
 

The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, Volume Two: Reader’s Guide, Christina Scull & Wayne G. Hammond (Gardner Books)

The Reader's Guide includes brief but comprehensive alphabetical entries on a wide range of topics, including a who's who of important persons, a guide to places and institutions, details concerning Tolkien's source material, information about the political and social upheavals through which the author lived, the importance of his social circle, his service as an infantryman in World War I -- even information on the critical reaction to his work and the "Tolkien cult." This exhaustive and almost absurdly in-depth reference guide to the LOTR universe stands at a massive 1,280 pages and is sure to be the only reference you’ll ever need on all things Tolkien.

New in Paperback:

Death World, Steve Lyons (Games Workshop Publishing)

A squad of Catachan Jungle Fighters is sent to the deathworld of Rogar III in response to an ork incursion. But, as well as dealing with the orks, they must do battle with the planet itself… not to the mention the mysterious figures that stalk them across the deadly terrain.

Witch Killer, C.L. Werner (Games Workshop Publishing)

In the third novel of the Warhammer: Mathias Thulmann series, following 2004’s Witch Hunter and 2005’s Witch Finder, witch hunter Mathias Thulmann continues his search for the forbidden tome Das Buch die Unholden. Trailing the thieves into the wildest reaches of the Empire, Thulmann and his murderous assistant Streng end up in a mysterious, isolated town. Can they find the book and escape before their souls are trapped forever in this web of evil?

Airs Beneath the Moon, Toby Bishop (Penguin Group )

In the Duchy of Oc, the most precious of creatures are the winged horses blessed by the goddess Kalla. When one is born, it is immediately taken to the Academy of the Air to be trained and watched over. But when a spirited peasant girl bonds with a winged horse of her own, the Academy gets more than it bargained for.

The Voyages of Sindbad by Anonymous

© Penguin Group USA

Seven voyages. Seven missions. Only one man has survived them. A poor man meets a great sailor and asks to hear his tale. He is amazed to be told of seven journeys to foreign lands, every one ending in shipwreck. As he listens, the traveller describes a flight on a giant bird, battles with foes including giant serpents, brutal cannibals and the murderous Old Man of the Sea, and the discovery of diamonds. Sindbad the Sailor has grown rich from his travels - but his path to fortune has been anything but easy…

The Conan Chronicles: Volume One, Robert Jordan (Tor Books)

Before Robert Jordan conquered national bestseller lists with his phenomenally popular Wheel of Time saga, he revived the legendary fantasy hero, Conan the Cimmerian. These widely acclaimed adventures introduced the world-famous barbarian to a whole new generation of readers. Now, Tor Books is proud to present three of Robert Jordan's best full-length Conan novels, complete in their entirety, in one deluxe omnibus. Conan the Invincible: Less than nineteen years old, and new to the snares and enticements of civilization, the young Conan must join forces with Karela, a dangerously seductive female bandit, to storm the palace of Amanar, a supremely evil necromancer, and confront the dreaded Eater of Souls. Conan the Defender: As revolution brews in the shadowy streets of Belverus, Conan braves the traps and treacheries of the Royal Palace of the Dragon. Pursued by the luscious and shameless Sularia, the mighty warrior challenges a magic-spawned menace that cannot die: the invincible Simulacrum of Albanus. Conan the Unconquered: Conan defies the sorcerous power in the Cult of Doom for the sake of a beautiful young woman known only as Yasbet. From the glory of fabled Aghrapur, capital of Turan, to the demon-haunted wastes of the greatest hero of a bygone era of high adventure. Ahh, I don’t think there’s a man, woman, child, or politician alive who can’t help but think of Arnold when thinking about Conan, by far one of his coolest cinematic roles ever… James Earl wasn’t bad as Thulsa Doom either!

The Silver Bough, Lisa Tuttle (Bantam Books)

The award-winning author of The Mysteries (2005) returns with another captivating novel in which modern-day enigmas and age-old myths come together with spellbinding results. Here is an enchanting tale set in a land rich with folklore- and ripe for a rekindling of the old ways. Nestled on the coast of , Appleton was once famous for its apples. Now, though the orchards are long gone, locals still dream of the town's glory days, when an Apple Queen was crowned at the annual fair and good luck seemed a way of life. Outsiders are still drawn to the charming village, including three very different American women. Enchanted by Appleton's famously ornate, gold-domed library, divorcée Kathleen Mullaroy has left her cosmopolitan job to start anew as the town's head librarian. Widowed Nell Westray hopes for a quiet life of gardening in the place where she and her husband spent their happiest moments. And young Ashley Kaldis has come to find her roots, and learns that the town's fortunes turned when her grandmother was crowned Apple Queen… then mysteriously disappeared. When a sudden landslide cuts Appleton off from the wider world, and the usual constraints of reality, the village reveals itself to be an extraordinary place inhabited by legendary beings, secret rooms, and the blossoming of a rare fruit not seen in decades. Most unexpected is a handsome stranger who will draw all three women into an Otherworld in which luck and love will return to Appleton… if only one of them will believe. Lush with the romance and allure of ancient traditions, The Silver Bough will propel you into a land where, as in Eden, the bite of a single apple can alter the whole course of reality.

The Soul Drinkers Omnibus by Ben Counter

© Games Workshop Publishing

Like all Space Marine Chapters, the Soul Drinkers are bound to serve the Imperium by ancient vows. But when an ancient relic of the Chapter is misappropriated, the Soul Drinkers face a terrible dilemma - betray the Imperium, or lose their honour? Their final choice, and its consequences, form the theme of this classic trilogy of SF stories set in the nightmare world of the 41st millennium. Includes Soul Drinker, The Bleeding Chalice, and Crimson Tears of the Warhammer 40k universe.

The Abduction of Sita, R.K. Narayan (Penguin Group )

A hero must save the woman he loves… Ravana, the Supreme Lord, has enslaved all the gods. Although he now rules the world, he cannot resist a beautiful woman. When he catches a glimpse of the princess Sita, he falls under her spell and steals her away. Her beloved husband, Rama, will do anything to get her back. With the help of the brave monkey Hanuman, he journeys across the world to find her. But the evil Ravana will not give up Sita without a fight.

No Dominion, Charlie Huston (Random House Publishing Group)

Joe Pitt’s life sucks. He hasn’t had a case or a job in God knows how long and his stashes are running on empty. What stashes? The only ones that count to a guy like Joe: blood and money. The money he uses to buy blood; the blood he drinks. Hey buddy, it’s that or your neck—you want to choose? The only way to lay his hands on both is to take a gig with the local Vampyre Clan. See something new is on the streets, a new high, a high so strong it can send a Vampyre spazzing through Joe’s local watering hole…till Joe sends him through a plate-glass window, that is. So it’s time for Joe to gut up and swallow that pride and follow the leads wherever they go. It won’t be long before he’s slapping stoolies, getting sapped, and being taken for a ride above 110th Street. Someone’s pulling Joe’s strings, and now he’s riding the A train, looking to find who it is. He’s gonna cut them when he finds them… the strings and the hands that hold them. Hrmm, sounds like hard-boiled vampire ruse starring Humphrey Bogart.

The Sunjata Story, Anonymous (Penguin Group )

A child is born who will overthrow a king… After the leader of a great African kingdom hears that a baby has been born who will destroy him, he hides behind a mighty army and surrounds himself with magical charms. There remains only one way to kill him. Concealing this secret weakness From the world, the ruler clings to power. But when the sister of his enemy seduces him, lust overwhelms the king. And as he lies beside her in the night, desperate to know her body, he foolishly begins to share his secret…

Savage Messiah by Robert Newcomb

© Random House Publishing Group

Robert Newcomb’s dazzling debut trilogy, The Chronicles of Blood and Stone, introduced readers to the strange and wondrous land of Eutracia, and to the unforgettable characters of Prince Tristan and his sister, Shailiha, the Chosen Ones whose magically-endowed blood gives them the power to unite the opposing forces of the beneficent Vigors and the evil Vagaries. Now in Savage Messiah, the first volume in The Destinies of Blood and Stone, a sweeping new trilogy of magic, romance, and adventure, Newcomb returns to the world of his epic saga unlocking fresh secrets and startling surprises. With the demise of his evil half brother, Wulfgar, Prince Tristan restored peace to Eutracia… or so he thought. But the Orb of the Vigors was damaged in the climactic battle and now the powerful artifact is bleeding magical energy and cutting a swath of death and destruction across the kingdom. Tristan can heal the wounded Orb, but not until his enchanted blood is returned to normal. Only then will the powers of the Vigors be his to command. Unfortunately, the secret of reversing the enchantment is lost. Even worse, Wulfgar is neither dead nor defeated. Ensconced in his fortress across the Sea of Whispers, Tristan’s hideously scarred half brother plots with the Heretics, the otherworldly masters of the Vagaries. With their aid, Wulfgar has grown even stronger in the dark arts. Now, with powerful demonic servants and weapons of dire potency, Wulfgar sets forth to complete the destruction of the Orb . . . and to avenge himself on the Chosen Ones. Preceding him, he sends a brotherly greeting: a cunning assassin with orders to dispatch Eutracia’s ruling council. Tristan and his trusted allies–the wise wizards Wigg and Faegan, the beautiful pirate Tyranny, and, dearest of all, his beloved Celeste–embark on a desperate quest to cleanse his blood. It is a journey that will lead from the Sea of Whispers to distant Parthalon to the mysterious Well of Forestallments, and it will change everything the Chosen Ones think they know about themselves and their destiny. If they should fail the Orb will perish, and with it, the Vigors. As for success, it may prove more costly still…

Powers of Detection: Stories of Mystery and Fantasy, Ed. by Dana Stabenow (Penguin Group )

This one-of-a-kind collection features stories from some of the biggest names in mystery and fantasy-blending the genres into a unique hybrid where clues and crystal balls meet. Including twelve never-before-published, whodunit yarns in rich fantasy settings, this mystery anthology dabbles in witchcraft, sorcery, and the occult to break down murder mysteries and monster-ridden set-ups. Edited by Edgar Award-winner Dana Stabenow, Powers of Detection features varied works by mystery gurus Simon R. Green, Donna Andrews, Charlaine Harris, and Anne Perry.

Outlander, Matt Keefe (Games Workshop Publishing)

When a stranger comes to town, the local religious zealots see an opportunity to put the man's forgery skills to nefarious use. But is the stranger all he seems and is revenge the only thing he's interested in forging? Of the Necromunda series.

Rise of the Horde by Christie Golden

© Simon & Schuster Publishing

Though the young Warchief Thrall ended the demon curse that had plagued his people for generations, the Orcs still wrestle with the sins of their bloody past. As the rampaging Horde, they waged a number of devastating wars against their perennial enemy: the Alliance. Yet the rage and bloodlust that drove the Orcs to destroy everything in their path nearly consumed them as well. Long ago, on the idyllic world of Draenor, the noble orc clans lived in relative peace with their enigmatic neighbors, the Draenei. But the nefarious agents of the Burning Legion had other plans for both of the unsuspecting races. The demon-lord Kil'jaeden set in motion a dark chain of events that would succeed not only in eradicating the Draenei, but forging the Orc clans into an single, unstoppable juggernaut of hatred and destruction. Author of Warcraft: Lord of the Clans (2005), Christie Golden is back for more Orc-tastic fun. Yea Warcraft!

Jason and the Golden Fleece, Appolonius of Rhodes (Penguin Group )

 A hero will have his day… It is a task that no man has ever completed: to bring back a magical ram's fleece that lies hidden in a far-off land, guarded by an all-seeing serpent. But one man, Jason, must try. His life depends on it. Upon the orders of the King, Jason must cross deadly seas with the crew of his ship, the “Argo,” negotiate treacherous clashing rocks, fight fire-breathing bulls and confront the terror of the harpies before claiming his prize and winning the heart of the witch-princess Medea. This is a major new translation of a classic work of Greek literature - Apollonius of Rhodes' epic poem on the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece. The translation is both reliable and accurate as well as gripping to read, and is designed to bring out the best of Apollonius' brilliant, highly original, and sometimes disturbing poem. With a full glossary, notes, and introduction, this edition has all the elements to satisfy classicists and general readers alike. I wonder who’s getting Appolonius’ royalties these days.

Passarola Rising by Azhar Abidi

© Penguin Group USA

The fabulous debut novel by new international talent Azhar Abidi, Passarola Rising is a deftly written picaresque tale filled with evocative detail, adventure, and suspense. Set in eighteenth-century Europe it tells the story of Bartolomeu and Alexandre Lourenço who use their airship, the “Passarola,” to escape the strictures of the Church, the suspicion of the government, and the intellectually stultifying climate of Lisbon. As they venture from the salons and bordellos of ancien régime Paris to the desolate far reaches of the North Pole, the brothers Lourenço encounter some of the most colorful characters of the European Enlightenment, including the loquacious Voltaire and the irascible King Stanislaus of . Sounds intriguing, count me in for this one.

Hell to Pay, Simon R. Green (Penguin Group )

In the wake of the war that left the Nightside leaderless, Jeremiah Griffin-one of the last of the immortal human families-plans to fill the power vacuum. But his granddaughter has disappeared, and he wants John Taylor to use his special abilities to find her. Except someone, or something, is blocking Taylor's abilities. A pretty weak synopsis for the seventh volume in the Nightside series.

Exodus, Anonymous (Penguin Group )

A boy who was saved. A man who would set his people free. An ancient people have been made into slaves, forced into a life of endless servitude and labor. The King has ordered that all their male children be slaughtered to make sure it stays that way. But one boy, Moses, survives, hidden in a basket on a riverbank. He will rise up to demand that the King let his people go, bringing plagues of blood, fire and locusts in his wake until, against all the odds, he leads the Israelites to a new world…

Full Moon Rising, Keri Arthur (Bantam Books)

In this exciting debut, author Keri Arthur explodes onto the supernatural scene with a sexy, sensuous tale of intrigue and suspense set in a world where legends walk and the shady paths of the underworld are far more sinister than anyone envisioned. A rare hybrid of vampire and werewolf, Riley Jenson and her twin brother, Rhoan, work for Melbourne's Directorate of Other Races, an organization created to police the supernatural races and protect humans from their depredations. While Rhoan is an exalted guardian, a.k.a. assassin, Riley is merely an office worker until her brother goes missing on one of his missions. The timing couldn't be worse. More werewolf than vampire, Riley is vulnerable to the moon heat, the weeklong period before the full moon when her need to mate becomes all-consuming… Luckily Riley has two willing partners to satisfy her every need. But she will have to control her urges if she's going to find her brother… Easier said than done as the city pulses with frenzied desire and Riley is confronted with a very powerful, and delectably naked, vamp who raises her temperature like never before. In matters carnal, Riley has met her match. But in matters criminal, she must follow her instincts not only to find her brother, but to stop an unholy harvest. For someone is doing some shifty cloning in an attempt to produce the ultimate warrior by tapping into the genome of nonhumans like Rhoan. Now Riley knows just how dangerous the world is for her kind… and just how much it needs her. Those interested in this first paranormal romance novel from Aussie Keri Arthur should check back later this week for a full review.

Alright now that I’m light-headed from staring at my computer screen, we’ll take a break until next week. Check back then for all the latest buzz on new sci fi, horror, and fantasy book releases and be sure to have a safe and happy New Year! Questions or comments? Hit me up at PFerrara.mania@gmail.com.