From last week's Book Sense bestseller lists, available at
booksense.com, here are the recommended titles, which are also Book
Sense Picks:
Hardcover
The Sharing Knife Volume One: Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold (Eos, $25.95, 0061137588). "Bujold's latest fantasy novel takes place in a new setting, but it has all the elements her fans have come to expect--interesting characters, an unusual application of magic, and a plot full of conflicts. The only bad part is that this is the first of a two-book set, and I'll have to wait to learn how the story unfolds!"--Kate Reynolds, Colgate Bookstore, Hamilton, N.Y.
Fleeing Fundamentalism: A Minister's Wife Examines Faith by Carlene Cross (Algonquin, $23.95, 1565124987). "While attending Bible college, Carlene Cross met her future husband, who became a popular charismatic minister. But all was not well in the marriage, and she began to question her beliefs, the church community, and even her friends. Cross provides readers with insight into the U.S. fundamentalist movement, as she tells her story of leaving her faith to discover the joy, sorrow, and freedom of the secular world."--Barbara Theroux, Fact & Fiction, Missoula, Mont. [Editors' Note: This title was reviewed in Shelf Awareness, October 19, 2006.]
Paperback
Saffron and Brimstone: Strange Stories by Elizabeth Hand (M Press, $14.95, 1595820965). "Stories from a master of lapidary style and fey fiction. I'm reminded of John Fowles' touch of the mythical in The Magus, but Hand is no imitator--she wields her own magic."--Pauline Ziniker, Country Bookshelf, Bozeman, Mont.
For Kids 9 to 12
The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane by Joseph Delaney (Greenwillow, $16.99, 0060766212). "The exciting adventures of apprentice Tom Ward, his master, and his mischievous friend Alice continue in this page-turning sequel. Tom and his master are once again in danger, not only from the monstrous Bane but also from the county Quisitor, who wants to burn them at the stake."--Rosalind Schumann, Maria's Bookshop, Durango, Colo.
The Last Dragon by Silvana de Mari (Miramax, $16.95, 0786836369). "The Last Dragon is a fantasy tale full of magic. Involving humans, elves, and dragons, it is written by a newcomer author, Silvana de Mari. This story of the last elf and the last dragon provides readers with a familiar storyline, but it introduces a note of irony that is sure to appeal to older middle readers."--Roberta Blanchard, Fairy Godmother, Washington, D.C.
[Many thanks to Book Sense and the ABA!]
Hardcover
The Sharing Knife Volume One: Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold (Eos, $25.95, 0061137588). "Bujold's latest fantasy novel takes place in a new setting, but it has all the elements her fans have come to expect--interesting characters, an unusual application of magic, and a plot full of conflicts. The only bad part is that this is the first of a two-book set, and I'll have to wait to learn how the story unfolds!"--Kate Reynolds, Colgate Bookstore, Hamilton, N.Y.
Fleeing Fundamentalism: A Minister's Wife Examines Faith by Carlene Cross (Algonquin, $23.95, 1565124987). "While attending Bible college, Carlene Cross met her future husband, who became a popular charismatic minister. But all was not well in the marriage, and she began to question her beliefs, the church community, and even her friends. Cross provides readers with insight into the U.S. fundamentalist movement, as she tells her story of leaving her faith to discover the joy, sorrow, and freedom of the secular world."--Barbara Theroux, Fact & Fiction, Missoula, Mont. [Editors' Note: This title was reviewed in Shelf Awareness, October 19, 2006.]
Paperback
Saffron and Brimstone: Strange Stories by Elizabeth Hand (M Press, $14.95, 1595820965). "Stories from a master of lapidary style and fey fiction. I'm reminded of John Fowles' touch of the mythical in The Magus, but Hand is no imitator--she wields her own magic."--Pauline Ziniker, Country Bookshelf, Bozeman, Mont.
For Kids 9 to 12
The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane by Joseph Delaney (Greenwillow, $16.99, 0060766212). "The exciting adventures of apprentice Tom Ward, his master, and his mischievous friend Alice continue in this page-turning sequel. Tom and his master are once again in danger, not only from the monstrous Bane but also from the county Quisitor, who wants to burn them at the stake."--Rosalind Schumann, Maria's Bookshop, Durango, Colo.
The Last Dragon by Silvana de Mari (Miramax, $16.95, 0786836369). "The Last Dragon is a fantasy tale full of magic. Involving humans, elves, and dragons, it is written by a newcomer author, Silvana de Mari. This story of the last elf and the last dragon provides readers with a familiar storyline, but it introduces a note of irony that is sure to appeal to older middle readers."--Roberta Blanchard, Fairy Godmother, Washington, D.C.
[Many thanks to Book Sense and the ABA!]