James Nicoll Reviews

For generations, the Hundred Isles have built their ships from the bones of ancient dragons to fight an endless war.

The dragons disappeared, but the battles for supremacy persisted. 

Now the first dragon in centuries has been spotted in far-off waters, and both sides see a chance to shift the balance of power in their favour. Because whoever catches it will win not only glory, but the war. 

Do you have what it takes to be a Dragonslayer? In this epic, adventure fantasy series, an unlikely hero, Guillot dal Villevauvais, must overcome his disgraced past as a failed member of the King’s guard and hunt down a ferocious beast thought long extinct. A dangerous quest, led by the swordsmanship of Gill, the magical powers of Solène, a barmaid nearly burned to the stake, and the goodness of Prince Bishop. From the critically acclaim fantasy author Duncan M. Hamilton, this fast-moving series is a must-read for fans of epic, sword-and-sorcery adventures.

American science fiction author Margaret St. Clair (1911 – 95) wrote more than 100 short stories as well as eight novels. Many of her stories appeared in such pulp magazines as Fantastic Adventures andStartling Stories, some under her own name and some under the pseudonyms Idris Seabright and Wilton Hazard. Introduced and edited by horror fiction great Ramsey Campbell, this newly assembled anthology is the only collection in print featuring short stories by the pioneering science fiction writer.
Seventeen tales showcase St. Clair’s ironic sense of humor and explore social and philosophical themes: ​“The Gardener,” a condemnation of careless tree-felling and a seminal example of ecological science fiction; ​“The Island of the Hands,” a voyage to a mysterious place that embodies the peril of wishes come true; ​“The Little Red Owl,” a fable of supernatural horror offering a study of domestic abuse well ahead of its time; ​“Piety,” a reflection of the haphazard nature of scientific progress; and other stories of compelling strangeness. **