The Shape of Things to Come: Computer Games in 2009

To round off my 2009 preview, let's take a look at some of the games coming out this year.

Fallout 3: Operation Anchorage, The Pitt & Broken Steel
PC & X-Box 360
Late January, late February and late March 2009

These three new downloadable episodes ($10 each, apparently) will each add new content, new missions and new perks to the existing game. However, only Broken Steel will raise the level cap, so those who already got their characters to Level 20 may want to hold out for that before trying the new expansions. The expansions are also exclusive to the PC and 360, with PS3 owners likely having to wait until a boxed copy is released, probably in late 2009. Interestingly, Bethesda have played down the possibility of a full, Shivering Isles-style expansion for the game, instead preferring to concentrate on getting Elder Scrolls V ready for release in 2010. I would be surprised if a full expansion didn't appear in time however.



F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
PC, X-Box 360 & PS3
13 February 2009

The original F.E.A.R. was a great FPS when it came out a few years back, utilising elements of horror borrowed from Korean movies to great effect. Expect the sequel to expand on elements in the original game and explain some of its mysteries.



Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
PC
20 February 2009

Relic deliver the long-awaited full sequel to their 2004 hit Dawn of War and its myriad expansion packs. Dawn of War II throws out base-building in its entirety to focus on combat and incorporates many innovations from Company of Heroes as well. Also, the tyranids (aka genestealers) make their long-awaited debut in the franchise.



Company of Heroes: Tales of Valour
PC
9 March 2009

Relic keep their other bestselling franchise in the mix with a new expansion which adds new multiplayer options and modes (expect a new focus on co-op missions and campaigns) and a new singlepayer campaign in which you directly control a King Tiger and get to blow up everything around you. To be honest that doesn't sound too great, and I was hoping for a proper Wehrmacht campaign but what the hell? Rumours are starting to circulate about CoH2 with much excitement at the prospect of introducing the Russians to the game.




Empire: Total War
PC March
2009

Empire marks the beginning of the third generation of the Total War franchise with a whole new game engine, a more global scope (with India and North and Central America added to the traditionally Europe-centric map) and the addition of two features long-requested by fans: full 3D naval combat and proper multiplayer campaigns. Creative Assembly are also trying to interest fans more interested in linear strategy games, with the incorporation of a campaign mode depicting the colonisation of North America featuring cut scenes and voice acting. It's looking superlative at the moment.

Red Alert 3: Uprising
PC & X-Box 360
March 2009

This is a stand-alone single-player expansion to Red Alert 3, with a new storyline following up on the Allied victory in the prior game. Expect new missions, new units and new FMV.



Dragon Age: Origins
PC: April 2009
X-Box 360: Late 2009

The news that BioWare would be returning to its Baldur's Gate-style roots with a new fantasy RPG, this time set in a world of their own devising (but drawing on George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire for inspiration), has made gamers very happy indeed. The news that the game uses a remote floating camera viewpoint similar to that older game (but can be played over-the-shoulder as with Mass Effect and Jade Empire) was also welcomed warmly. The excitement died down a little with the underwhelming preview vids, but BioWare have very rarely put a foot wrong in the past. This looks like an impressive game.



Black Mesa
PC Spring/Summer
2009

In development for over four years, this is a fan-made mod which will update the original, seminal Half-Life to the Source engine. It looks like Gordon Freeman's original adventure will soon be played by a whole new generation of gamers. Valve are apparently seriously impressed by the professionalism of the game, so some sort of official release may also be possible. Check out the trailer here, and be impressed.



Ghostbusters
PC, X-Box 360, PS3, PS2, Nintendo DS & Nintendo Wii
16 June 2009

The Ghostbusters game looks like being the biggest multi-format release of the year. Timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original movie, the game is set two years after Ghostbusters 2 and features the return of all the original movie cast, including yes, even Bill Murray, to provide voice work. In addition, the story is written by original writers and castmembers Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis. Whether it's any good or not remains to be seen, but the previews look promising.



Alpha Protocol
X-Box 360 & PS3: 30 June 2009
PC: 31 August 2009

A new action-RPG from Obsidian, the developers of Knights of the Old Republic 2 and Neverwinter Nights 2, this looks like being a possible dark horse of a game, mixing Obsidian's RPG experience (garnered from many years' cooperation with the mighty BioWare) with some decent action game stylings.



Aliens: Colonial Marines
PC, X-Box 360 & PS3
Summer/Autumn 2009

It's been a while since the seminal Aliens vs. Predator FPS games on PC, so a new Aliens game based on modern tech is a mouthwatering prospect. The new game's setting is also interesting, as the long-pondered fandom question of what happened to the Sulaco after the beginning of Alien 3 is finally answered: a bunch of Colonial Marines arrived to find the ship infested and have to clear it out. But that's only the beginning of the story. The developers, Gearbox, have excellent FPS form and the game's co-op mode with each player taking an important role in the squad sounds brilliant. Expect way too many VOIP cries of "Hudson! Run a bypass!" and "Express elevator to hell, going down!"



StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty
PC & Mac
Summer/Autumn 2009

The first game in what has become the StarCraft 2 Trilogy will hopefully ship before the end of the year. Picking up four years after the events of Brood War, Wings of Liberty follows grizzled Terran commander Jim Raynor as he tries to eke out a living as a renegade. The Dark Templar Zeratul brings word of a dark threat to the Korprulu Sector arising out of the depths of the past of both the Protoss and Zerg, and it isn't long before all hell breaks loose. Blizzard seem to be intent on keeping the game as polished and balanced as possible. Expect the sequels, Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void, to follow in 2010 and 2011 respectively.



Mafia 2
PC, X-Box 360 and PS3
Autumn 2009

2002's Mafia remains one of the finest gaming experiences money can buy, with a fascinating storyline and characterisation to die for, not to mention the thematic exploration of morality and violence handled in a manner that belies its status as a simple computer game. GTA4 very desperately wanted to be Mafia and didn't come close. The sequel is looking very promising, with the same writers and most of the same production team on board. The time setting will be later than the original game, being set in the 1950s, and likely will not involve any of the same characters. Has the potential to be the biggest sleeper hit of the year.



Diablo 3
PC & Mac
Winter 2009

Personally I would be surprised to see this game in 2009, but you never know. Blizzard look set for a two-fer, with new instalments in their long-quiet StarCraft and Diablo franchises plus constant new content releases for World of WarCraft. Diablo 3 looks set to remain faithful to the first two games, with the story taking second place to good old-fashioned dungeoneering.

Metro 2033
PC
Winter 2009

Created by an off-shoot of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. team, this post-apocalyptic horror-RPG-shooter seems to be veering towards a Fallout 3-in-Moscow vibe, which could work out quite well.



Deus Ex 3
PC & X-Box 360
Winter 2009

Likely to drop to 2010, this is the prequel to the classic Deus Ex and the somewhat less-classic Deus Ex 2: Invisible War. It has huge shoes to fill from the first game, but accusations of 'consoleitis' are already being flung at it based on some of the initial previews.

BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams
PC, X-Box 360 & PS3
Winter 2009

The sequel to one of the most acclaimed games of 2007 (which I own but still haven't played, unfortunately) is apparently a sequel, but will also contain a lengthy sequence set before the first game. Other details are hard to come by at the moment, but it should be an interesting game.

Half-Life 2: Episode 3
PC, X-Box 360 & PS3
Winter 2009

With Valve keeping a tight lid on Episode 3, it's debatable whether this will make a 2009 release. However, the news is looking good so far. Episode 3 is set in the Arctic, partially on a ship called the Borealis which is frozen in the ice. New gameplay elements will apparently be included and Valve are hinting that the game will wrap up Gordon Freeman's story and explain some of the core mysteries behind the series, such as who the G-Man really is. It should be huge.

Portal 2
PC, X-Box 360 & PS3
Winter 2009

Slightly disappointingly, it now sounds like Portal 2 will be a prequel to the original, classic game. Fans were hoping for a sequel directly tying in with the events of Episode 3. Still, it should be an inventive and interesting game. I suspect Valve will ship Portal 2 and Episode 3 together in The Mauve Box or something.

Rage
PC, X-Box 360 & PS3
Winter 2009

The return of id software. It's been five years since their last game, the underwhelming Doom 3, but John Carmack's crew have spent the interim building a new game engine that will apparently redefine what current and next-gen technology is capable of. Rage, a post-apocalyptic Mad Max-style game with vehicles and a new generation of physics tech, is looking mighty fine at the moment, with a new Wolfenstein game based on the same tech likely to follow the following year.

Crysis 2
PC
Winter 2009

The follow-up to Crysis and Crysis: Warhead was already partially complete a couple of years back, when CryTek decided to shorten Crysis and turn it into a trilogy. Rumours of console versions are abounding, but at the moment the game looks set to be a PC-only affair which picks up on the cliffhanger ending to the original Crysis.

Mass Effect 2
X-Box 360: Winter 2009
PC: Early 2010

The second game in the trilogy. Apparently BioWare are set to make some major announcements about this game in the near future.

The Outsider
PC, X-Box 360 & PS3
Christmas 2009

Frontier Developments' long-gestating techno-thriller features a CIA agent on a dangerous mission in Washington DC. According to designer David Braben, the game intends to redefine what 'freedom of choice' means in a modern computer game.

Rumourmill

Starbreeze, creators of the unexpectedly excellent Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher's Bay, are developing Syndicate 3 for EA. The original Syndicate is one of the greatest and most seminal games ever made and Syndicate Wars, although not quite as good, was a reasonable continuation. Expect some kind of FPS four-player co-op thing, although if Starbreeze kept the original isometric viewpoint and made it more awesome I'd be seriously happy. Not every game has to be first-person any more, you know?

With Remedy's impressive Alan Wake getting pushed back to 2010, rumours are circulating that Take 2 and Rockstar are going to commence development of Max Payne 3 themselves. Meanwhile, Remedy's old partners, 3D Realms are now claiming that Duke Nukem Forever isn't too far off. With a straight face.

With The Outsider moving towards completion, Frontier Developments are now in pre-production on Elite 4. However, I wouldn't realistically expect the game this side of 2012.

The Judging Eye is now available in the UK

R. Scott Bakker's The Judging Eye, Book 1 of The Aspect-Emperor Trilogy, is available now in the UK, so make sure to grab a copy from your local bookstore if you are interested! Amazon hasn't started shipping it yet though, but it should be available from there early next week.

Keep an eye out next week for the interview myself and Pat from Pat's Fantasy Hotlist carried out with Scott as well.

Wertzone Classics: Band of Brothers

Filmed in 2000 and transmitted in 2001, Band of Brothers is a 10-part mini-series which remains the most expensive TV series ever made (at least until the budget for its new companion series, The Pacific, is revealed). The series was developed by Steven Spielberg as a continuation of the themes and ideas he explored in his hit 1998 movie, Saving Private Ryan. Whilst the film's running time meant that only a small portion of the Second World War could be depicted, the greater scope and length afforded to a series meant that more of the conflict could be shown and the characters' story arcs would be more satisfying. Also, it was decided that, unlike the purely fictitious Saving Private Ryan, the TV companion piece would be based on true events and real soldiers. The rights to the book Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose were purchased and Ambrose and the surviving soldiers portrayed in the book were brought in to consult on the project.


Band of Brothers opens in 1942, shortly after the formation of the 101st Airborne Division by the US Army. The first episode follows the training of Easy Company at Toccoa, Georgia, over the course of a year. They are placed in the care of Captain Herbert Sobel (Friends' David Schwimmer) who trains them far harder than the other men of the 101st, with the result that soon the company has a reputation as the best company in the division. However, Sobel's methods make him highly unpopular with the men, especially when it is revealed that his nerves fail him in field exercises. The unit is shipped to England to train and prepare for D-Day, but Sobel's limitations are eventually recognised and he is relieved of command. The second episode has the 101st parachute into Normandy just ahead of the beach landings. When Easy Company's commanding officer is killed during the drop, it falls to Lt. Richard Winters (Damien Lewis) to assume command and lead a daring attack on a German artillery position targeting the beaches. Winters becomes the closest thing to a central character and is one of only a few characters to appear in every episode.

What initially impresses about Band of Brothers is its authenticity. Its production values would be impressive for a movie, but for a TV series they are stunning. But where the series really works is its focus on the characters. Whilst some events are dramatised or compressed for timing reasons, pretty much everything that happens in the series is based on a true event and every one of the main characters is based on a real person. This makes the series unpredictable and strongly emotionally resonant: if a character is wounded or killed without warning, it is because his real-life counterpart was wounded or killed at that point of the war. This is also why every single actor brings his A-game to his role: when the person you are playing is actually going to be watching your performance, or if he has passed away and his friends are, then you definitely need to be on top form.

The producers seemed to realise early on that simply having ten episodes of non-stop carnage would get boring pretty quickly, so each episode is built around different characters and premises, and the individual episode directors are allowed to indulge their own artistic styles somewhat more than is normal on a television drama. A particular stand-out is the sixth episode, which focuses on Easy Company's medic during the Battle of the Bulge and follows him from unit to unit, seeing his friends get wounded and having to patch them up, or having to watch them die. It is an incredible piece of television drama. As is traditional with HBO, they don't make things too easy for the viewer. Easy Company is made up of several platoons, with some episodes focusing entirely on one group and others on all of them, meaning that characters appear, disappear and reappear from episode to episode. Characters are also promoted, demoted, wounded or killed off and the viewer is expected to work out who is who and what they are doing sometimes very quickly. This lack of spoon-feeding is as refreshing here as it is on other HBO productions such as The Wire, but casual viewers may find themselves swamped on first viewing.

The series employs an interestingly desaturised colour tone, which puts its feel somewhere between full colour and black and white. Whilst this adds immensely to atmosphere, it does make telling some of the characters apart difficult, again on first viewing, especially as most of the time they are wearing full combat gear and helmets. For these reasons the series rewards careful re-watching and is also better suited to the DVD format, with the viewer able to watch several episodes in a row and work out who is who and what their roles within the company are.

The series' action sequences rival some of the strongest war movies in their intensity and vividness, but it's in the quiet moments that it excels. The banter between the men is authentic and the importance of the bonds that form between soldiers in combat with regards to keeping them sane is strongly emphasised (more cliched, "I love you, Sarge!" moments are firmly absent, thankfully). In fact, one of the strongest moments in the series comes when one of the company's toughest, most effective lieutenants suddenly breaks down after seeing two of his men get their legs blown off in front of him. The mental pressures of the war are portrayed as being as dangerous and difficult to deal with as enemy action. Questions of morality in warfare are also intelligently raised: one soldier is rumoured as having brutally gunned down more than a dozen unarmed German PoWs on D-Day but later proves himself to be the bravest and most efficient officer in the unit whose actions repeatedly save the lives of his men.

Band of Brothers (*****) is a staggeringly impressive piece of work, not just for its incredible budget and impressive special effects, but for its intelligent and often powerful writing, phenomenal acting and the resonance provided by knowing that pretty much everything that happened in the series is based on a real event. It is available on DVD in the UK and USA, and also now on Blu-Ray in the UK and USA.

Designated Targets by John Birmingham

This is the second novel in the Axis of Time trilogy. I reviewed the first book, World War 2.1: Weapons of Choice over a year ago and enjoyed it, although it did fall a little towards being a stock military thriller, despite the excellent premise. The sequel represents a significant improvement in quality.


World War 2.2: Designated Targets picks up the story a couple of months later. Thanks to a wormhole experiment gone badly wrong, a UN multinational taskforce en route to relieve Jakarta from a terrorist incursion in 2021 has been transported back to 1942. Its arrival destroys the American Pacific Fleet just before it defeats the Japanese at the Battle of Midway. Despite this, the arrival of the UN taskforce and its pledge of allegiance to the Allied cause initially looked set to swing the war decisively in the Allies' favour, hopefully ending it months or years earlier than it would have done otherwise. Unfortunately, this proves not to be the case. The Russians, Japanese and the Germans all capture ships from the taskforce which ended up being transported further away and their foreknowledge of the future has enabled them to make drastic changes to their war plans far more quickly than the Allies can adapt.

The Germans and Russians have negotiated a ceasefire and now the Germans are concentrating their forces in Normandy and Calais, aware that capturing Britain before the US begins building up its invasion force there in strength is critical. The Japanese have withdrawn significant troops from China in order to launch a full-scale invasion of northern Australia, forcing MacArthur to divert resources to the building of immense fortified lines around Brisbane. The UN taskforce's precious stocks of missiles and advanced ammunition, which cannot be replaced, are running low. However, the US industrial machine is already rapidly adjusting to the information the taskforce has brought with it, with more advanced tanks (to replace the deathtrap Sherman M4s), aircraft and weapons from later in the war being rushed into production early.

The book's storyline follows several military campaigns, notably the invasion of Australia and the German preparations to assault southern Britain, but at the same time also concentrates on the sociological impact of the arrival of the fleet from the future. J. Edgar Hoover's authority has been eroded with the revelation of his personal habits, resulting in him using the FBI's resources to try and destroy the UN taskforce commander's credibility, making great comment of his force's use of women, coloured and (ironically) homosexual troops, not to mention the fact that the taskforce includes German, Russian and Japanese contingents. Meanwhile, the Russian and German high commands are undergoing pre-emptive purges in light of the revelation of the 20th July plot against Hitler and those Soviet leaders who later usurped Stalin's chosen succession after his death (Beria gains some revenge on Khruschev in a rather unpleasant scene). There's also some nice gallows humour here, as Hitler's initial rage at discovering the 'treachery' of several prominent Nazi leaders (notably Goering) late in the war is muted by his tearful appreciation of them going to their graves defending Nazism at Nuremberg.

Birmingham uses the situation for humour to good effect on several occasions, such as Himmler using grandiose musical accompaniment to his PowerPoint presentations (using a captured laptop) and later berating Microsoft for its badly-programmed products. Meanwhile, an American entrepreneur snaps up the rights to represent the 7-year-old Elvis and 16-year-old Marilyn Monroe long before they became famous in the 'other' timeline. As Britain faces the prospect of invasion, the BBC telecopies prints of later WW2 movies and Kenneth Brannagh's Henry V to bolster morale, whilst wiseguys in New York City become overnight fans of The Godfather and The Sopranos. However, the Allies decide to hold back on showing Schindler's List until they really need to fire up the populace against the Nazis.

Birmingham also holds fire on some of the elements he went overboard on in the first book. The poor prospects for black people, women and homosexuals in the WW2 era was rammed home a bit too often to the point where it slowed the progression of the story. In this sequel these elements continue to be pursued, but more subtly through the narrative rather than being info-dumped every few chapters.

There are some weaknesses, most notably the idea that Stalin would agree to a peace deal with Germany when he is told that Russia will win the war in Europe anyway seems massively out-of-character and extremely unlikely. Birmingham suggests that Stalin agrees to this to make preparations for the Cold War against the USA, but this isn't very convincing. Mostly, however, Desginated Targets (****) is a more thoughtful and interesting exploration of the issues raised by its impressive premise, whilst still featuring a lot of action.

The novel is published by Penguin in the UK and Del Rey in the USA. The final novel in the trilogy, Final Impact, is also available now and I hope to get to it shortly.

Wertzone Classics: Non-Stop by Brian W. Aldiss

Originally published in 1958, Non-Stop (originally entitled Starship in the USA, but now restored to its original title) frequently appears among lists of the all-time great science fiction novels. This is an accolade of which it is more than deserving.


Roy Complain's tribe lives in Quarters, a secured network of living spaces and corridors protected by barricades. Beyond lies the Deadways, where the ponics (plants) lie thick and hunting for game is necessary to keep the tribe alive. Rumours speak of a distant area called Forwards, where a more advanced and deadly tribe dwells. Complain is induced into a conspiracy by Marapper the priest, who has come to believe that Quarters, the Deadways, Forwards and other areas are all part of a world called Ship, which moves through a void for a purpose unknown. Marapper has procured a map he calls 'a schematic', which shows that beyond Forwards lies an area called 'Control', which he believes contains the answers to the nature of the world. Complain agrees to join Marapper and several others as they undertake a dangerous journey to learn the truth about where they are and where they are going.

Non-Stop is fifty-one years old but the writing feels fresh and inventive. It is pretty obvious from the start that the tribes are living in some kind of immense generational spaceship where civilisation has broken down and their origins are forgotten, but Aldiss keeps the reader guessing about how this happened and where the ship is headed. As the narrative continues to unfold, new information is laid at the reader's feet, but often in a confusing and fragmentary manner. What is going on with the apparently intelligent rats who occupy some areas of the Ship? And who are the mysterious Giants who appear and disappear periodically?

Fortunately, Aldiss decides to actually answer these questions rather than giving us an ambiguous ending, and those answers are fascinating, logical and surprising. In fact, it takes tremendous effort once you have turned the final page not to immediately restart the book from the beginning with a greater understanding of events. It is also a thematically strong book, with Complain's external journey of trying to understand the Ship mirrored by internal developments as he realises the problems in his life have been brought about by the pressures of the tribe, which themselves are based on lies. The biggest weakness includes a somewhat unconvincing love story, but this occupies only a couple of pages and is not a major problem.

Aldiss' prose is rich and immersive, his characterisation is convincing and the story compelling. Non-Stop (*****) is a classic and essential science fiction novel for fans of the genre. It is available from Gollancz in the UK as part of the Science Fiction Masterworks range and in the USA from Overlook Press.

The Shape of Things to Come: TV & Movies in 2009

TV


Ashes to Ashes (Season 2)
BBC-1 (UK): spring 2009
8 60-minute episodes

The sequel series to Life on Mars continues. I must admit to being extremely underwhelmed by the first season, which was a poor continuation of the excellent earlier series. However, with more revelations about both show's central mysteries promised, the second season will at least be worth a look. It's unclear at the moment if the series will continue: the creators have asked for three seasons and ratings appear strong, but Philip Glenister has indicated he may only have wanted to do two seasons and then leave the character of Gene Hunt behind for good.

Battlestar Galactica (Season 4.5)
Sci-Fi Channel (USA): 16/01/09
Sky One (UK): 20/01/09
9 45-minute episodes, 1 2-hour episode

The space opera returns for its final ten episodes, picking up after the shocking conclusion to Season 4.0. Producer Ronald D. Moore has promised that almost every major question the audience still has will be answered, including who the Final Cylon is, what happened to Starbuck at the end of Season 3, who the 'head-characters' really are, the origins of the Final Five and how they ended up in positions of power and influence in the fleet. However, also expect events to take a very dark turn and for several major characters not to make it until the end. Also, expect the final shot of the series to be a major mind-frak of Biblical proportions.

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
Sci-Fi Channel (USA)/Sky One (UK): summer 2009
1 2-hour special

The series' second TV movie (which will be released on DVD shortly after transmission) is a look back at the events of Seasons 1-2 from the Cylons' perspective. Working with revelations from the end of Season 4.5, The Plan looks set to reveal the Cylons' motives and feature key scenes that have only been referenced so far, such as how Boomer and Caprica Six convinced the other Cylons to live in peace with the humans on New Caprica.

Doctor Who (Season 4.5)
BBC-1 (UK)/Sci-Fi Channel (USA): Easter, Summer, Christmas 2009
3 60-minute specials

Doctor Who will return for a full fifth season in the spring of 2010 with new Doctor Matt Smith in the role. However, in the meantime we have four specials starring David Tennant to occupy us, starting with Planet of the Dead at Easter, a so-far unnamed special in the summer and a two-part epic commencing with the 2009 Christmas special and culminating in early 2010 with the Doctor's regeneration and a huge confrontation at 'The Gate'...

Dollhouse (Season 1)
Fox (USA): starting 13/02/09
13 45-minute episodes

Joss Whedon returns to television and, unexpectedly, another collaboration with the Fox Network. This new series focuses on the 'Dolls', humans who have had their minds wiped and are constantly reprogrammed for whatever tasks they are hired for, from seduction to assassinations. Eliza Dushku stars as Echo, one of the Dolls who begins to suspect her life isn't her own, whilst BSG's Tehmoh Penikett plays an FBI agent investigating the Dollhouse. Expect plenty of twists and turns as one of the Dolls goes rogue and some of the operators at the Dollhouse develop consciences over what they are doing.

Terry Pratchett's Going Postal (mini-series)
Sky One (UK): Christmas 2009 (est.)
2 90-minute episodes

The third Terry Pratchett/Sky One collaboration, although thankfully this time David Jason-less. An adaption of the first Moist von Lipwig novel, this book follows the attempt to reform the Ankh-Morpork post office in the face of competition from the new 'clacks' towers. The previous adaptions were a bit hit-and-miss, but a more focused storyline may make it easier for new viewers to jump aboard and two sequels (Making Money and the forthcoming Raising Taxes) already ready to adapt.

Heroes: Fugitives (Season 3.5)
NBC (USA): 02/02/09
BBC-1 (UK): spring 2009
12 45-minute episodes

The second half of the third season of Heroes sees the main characters on the run from the American government, who have been alerted to the existence of people with special abilities. With Sylar back to his murderous ways and on the loose and Nathan now working with the US government to bring down his former comrades, expect a more dramatic and tense storyline than the confused muddle which made up the first half of Season 3. The bringing on-board of BSG's Mark Verheiden and the return of Bryan Fueller late in the season will hopefully raise the game of the show after its underperforming return last year.

Lost (Season 5)
ABC (USA): 21/01/09
Sky One (UK): 25/01/09
17 45-minute episodes

In contrast, Lost is on creative fire at the moment, with radical shifts in format and setting as well more focused story arcs making for a highly satisfying fourth season. The fifth and penultimate season sees the Oceanic Six getting caught in the crossfire of the clandestine war between Ben Linus and Charles Widmore as they attempt to return to the Island which, given what happened to it at the end of Season 4, is easier said than done. Meanwhile, those left behind on the Island find themselves in an unfamiliar time and place where their skills and abilities will be tested to the limits. Expect some more major revelations about the series as the end of the story, at last, edges into sight.

Torchwood: Children of Earth (Season 3)
BBC-2 (UK)/Sci-Fi Channel (USA): spring 2009
5 60-minute episodes

As with Who, there is no 'proper' season of Torchwood this year. Instead, there will be a five-episode mini-series entitled Children of Earth, aired over the course of a week, possibly around Easter, featuring the Torchwood crew facing their greatest challenge yet. James Marsters has hinted his character may return.

Also:

The remaining eight episodes of the second season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles will air on Fox starting in February 2009. The BBC has commissioned second seasons of both Merlin and Survivors, both of which will air in late 2009. ITV1 expands its genre efforts beyond the third season of Primeval with a new series starring Philip Glenister, Demons, and a remake of The Prisoner, starring Ian McKellan. HBO has commissioned a second season of True Blood, which may commence airing as early as May 2009. Whilst not genre, HBO's long-awaited sequel to Band of Brothers, entitled The Pacific, also looks finally set to air in mid-to-late 2009. Showtime's magnificently trashy The Tudors also gets a third season airing later in the year. No word on if we will see Sky One's Blake's Seven 're-imagining' this year though. AMC are also working on an adaption of Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars, but it is unclear if that will make it on screens this year.

Those anticipating a 2009 airdate for HBO's epic A Game of Thrones are in for severe disappointment: with shooting of the pilot by itself not likely until later in the year, and the rest of the first season not until early 2010 if it is commissioned, the earliest transmission time for this series will likely be late 2010/early 2011.



MOVIES


Avatar
22/12/09

James Cameron's return to directing after a twelve-year break will apparently push forward the boundaries for special effects and the way movies are shot and made. It is known that the movie will largely take place on an alien planet named Pandora and features a struggle for survival. Sigourney Weaver stars. Not to be confused with Paramount's adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender with M. Night Shyamalan, which will be released in the summer of 2010 with the 'Avatar' part of the title removed.

Coraline
15/05/09

The previous Neil Gaiman adaption, Stardust, was an unqualified success and one of the best fantasy movies of all time. This stop-motion effort from the same animators as The Nightmare Before Christmas will probably be a bit more niche in its appeal, but the visuals look stunning.

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra
14/08/09

This Stephen Sommers-directed, live-action movie version of the popular 1980s toy range, known as 'Action Force' in the UK, has an interesting cast (including Ray Park as Snake-Eyes and, interestingly, Christopher Ecclestone as Destro and Sienna Miller as the Baroness!). Early buzz on the film is encouraging, suggesting that it has deliberately taken a somewhat cartoonish and fantastical approach to the material in keeping with its audience rather than going for gritty and realistic. The hiring of the series' comic writer, Larry Hama, as consultant has also soothed fans' concerns.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
17/07/09

The movie franchises reaches its penultimate act (although the last book has been split into two movies, so it's not quite the end just yet) as much of the cryptic backstory is finally revealed and the war against Voldemort gets underway in earnest.

Star Trek
08/05/09

JJ Abrams revisualises the original Star Trek series with new actors in iconic roles, although Leonard Nimoy puts in an appearance as a time-travelling Spock to link the movie to the established franchise. Abrams' mixed record and some fanboy-baiting changes to the established Trek timeline (the newly re-conceived Enterprise being built on Earth and looking rubbish) are not encouraging, but there is a positive buzz from advance screenings of the film.

Terminator: Salvation
05/06/09

Christian Bale takes over the role of John Connor as the movie franchise finally takes us into the beginning of the war between humanity and SkyNet for control of the Earth. The first chapter in an epic trilogy that will resolve the franchise once and for all. There is a lot of good buzz on the movie and the trailers look stunning, but director McG's track record (the Charlie's Angels movies) is not encouraging.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen
26/06/09

Expect more Transformers, bigger explosions, even more nonsensical storylines and the introduction of an ice cream van Transformer. Oh, and the Constructicons are apparently going to show up and combine into Devastator for maximum carnage. Michael Bay's sequel to the 2007 hit is likely to be neither quiet nor subtle. However, the news that the film isn't a set-up for a third installment is quite welcome.

Watchmen
06/03/09

Assuming no hitches due to the ongoing legal storm between Warner Brothers and Fox, this is the movie of the year for most SF&F fans, a large-scale, epic adaption of Alan Moore's acclaimed 1986 graphic novel. The trailers indicate the movie will look the part, if nothing else, but confirmation of a changed ending and a mixed reception to director Zack Snyder's previous move, The 300, have caused concern in some fan quarters.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
01/05/09

Gavin Hood's prequel focuses on the origin story of everyone's favourite X-Man, with Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Logan. Supposedly darker than the prior movies, the film was scripted by Game of Thrones and Troy scriptwriter David Benioff.

2012
10/07/09

Roland Emmerich is back to doing what he does best: devastating the crap out of the planet through flood and fire. This time he cashes in on the Mayan prophecy that the current 'cycle of time' ends in 2012 and the Earth will be ravaged by ecological catastrophe.

Those We Lost in 2008

SF&F is an ever-aging genre, and sadly we lost some more great figures from the field in the past year. This list is by no means complete. Maximum kudos to the diligent David Langford, whose monthly newsletter Ansible keeps track of this unwelcome task every month and which provided the basis for this list (check the link and the individual 2008 issues for much more exhaustive details).

Forrest J. Ackerman (1916-2008), a major genre fan who also worked as a critic, short fiction writer, editor and agent (for the immortal Ed Wood, among others). An important populariser of the genre, he is credited with inventing cosplay (by attending the first-ever Worldcon in costume) and bringing the term 'sci-fi' into the mainstream, to the despair of many (but probably the delight of the term's apparent originator Robert Heinlein, who would likely have taken the blame otherwise).

John Alvin (1948-2008), American artist who created many infamous and iconic movie posters, most notably the 'magic finger' image for ET. His other work included Blazing Saddles (his debut), Gremlins and the Star Wars anniversary re-release posters.

Robert Asprin (1946-2008), US SF&F author, best-known as the co-creator (with Lynn Abbey) of the Thieves' World fantasy shared world.

Pauline Baynes (1922-2008), a noted British artist who gained widespread recognition for illustrating the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Famously, she was Tolkien's illustrator of choice, with the author once declaring that she had "reduced my text to a commentary on the drawings," (for Farmer Giles of Ham). She later achieved great success in her own right, winning the Kate Greenaway Medal for her work on a book entitled The Age of Chivalry.

Jane Blackstock (1947-2008), former Gollancz rights director and publisher.

Algis Budrys (1931-2008), German-born SF author.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008), one of the most famous, recognisable and influential figures the genre has ever produced. As well as a backlog of indisputable science fiction classic novels (most notably Rendezvous with Rama, The City and the Stars, Childhood's End and The Fountains of Paradise), he collaborated as writer with Stanley Kubrick on the 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, whose impact on both SF and Hollywood was enormous. He also presented a major 1980s documentary television series, Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World, that was an international success. It was one of his mid-1940s articles in Wireless World that established the viability of using geostationary orbit as an ideal position for communications satellites, and his writings on the use of technology have been influential and inspirational for entire generations of space industry workers. He had been resident in Sri Lanka since the 1950s.

Hugh Cook (1956-2008), British fantasy author best-known for his hugely, insanely ambitious Chronicles of an Age of Darkness series which ran for 10 volumes (out of a projected 60) in the 1980s. Scott Lynch once cited The Walrus and the Warwolf as one of the most memorable book titles of all time, and may not be wrong.

Alexander Courage (1919-2008), Emmy-winning American composer of television and film music. His TV work included Lost in Space and Voyager to the Bottom of the Sea, but he remains best-known as the creator of the original theme to Star Trek, partially reprised in Star Trek: The Next Generation and most of the subsequent movies.

Michael Crichton (1942-2008), a sometimes-SF&F writer who found immense international success with novels such as The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park and Congo, all of which were made into successful movies. His latter career was dogged by controversy over his scepticism over global warming and his startling personal attack on one literary critic by portraying him as a child molester in a subsequent novel. However, his books were popular and drew many new fans to the genre.

Don S. Davis (1942-2008), American actor with many genre roles, most notably as General George S. Hammond on Stargate SG-1 and its spin-off, Stargate Atlantis. He also had a recurring role on The X-Files as Dana Scully's father.

Thomas M. Disch (1940-2008), SF novelist and short story writer, “the most respected, least trusted, most envied and least read of all modern first-rank sf writers” (John Clute, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, 1993).

George MacDonald Fraser, OBE (1925-2008), British author of the Flashman historical novels and scriptwriter of the James Bond movie Octopussy.

E. Gary Gygax (1938-2008), American game designer and fantasy novelist best known for his creation (with Dave Arneson) of the original, enormously influential Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

Charlton Heston (1924-2008), American actor and arms rights lobbyist, best-known for his roles in various Biblical epics but with famous genre turns in Planet of the Apes (followed by an extended cameo in Beneath the Planet of the Apes), The Omega Man and Soylent Green.

Robert H Justman (1926-2008), American television producer, best-known for his roles as producer and assistant director on the original Star Trek, and as a producer on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Michael de Larrabeiti (1934-2008), UK novelist, best known for the Borribles trilogy of children's books.

Heath Ledger (1979-2008), Australian-born actor whose main genre credits were as one of The Brothers Grimm and as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

Anthony Minghella (1954-2008), British writer and director behind several major films, including The English Patient and Cold Mountain. His main genre turn was as scriptwriter and director on the supernatural love story Truly, Madly, Deeply, starring Alan Rickman.

Paul Newman (1925-2008), American actor of considerable success and critical acclaim. He had major roles in several movies with SF&F elements, most notably the fantastical Hudsucker Proxy and post-apocalypse drama Quintet, as well as providing voice work for Pixar Animation's Cars. His last on-screen role was in Road to Perdition.

Geoffrey Perkins (1953-2008), a British radio producer best-known for his work on The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (1932-2008), American actress and wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, best-known for playing Nurse Christine Chapel in Star Trek, Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, and for voicing Starfleet computers in all five main Star Trek series. She was slated to continue this tradition with JJ Abrams' new Star Trek movie at the time of her passing.

Leonard Rosenman (1924-2008), multi-Oscar-winning composer who scored many genre films, including Ralph Bakshi's take on The Lord of the Rings, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Robocop 2 and many others.

Roy Scheider (1932-2008), American actor best-known for his role in Jaws and its sequel. He also had a recurring role as Captain Bridger on seaQuest DSV and played Heywood Floyd in the movie adaption of Arthur C. Clarke's 2010.

Dave Stevens (1955-2008), American comics writer/artist who created The Rocketeer (a movie version was produced by Disney in 1991).

Levi Stubbs (1936-2008), although more well-known as the lead singer of the Four Topps, he had a minor but highly memorable contribution to the SF&F genre when he voiced the marauding, psychopathic sentient plant Audrey II in the 1986 movie version of Little Shop of Horrors.

Jinzo Toriumi (1929-2008), Japanese anime writer whose work included Astro Boy, Speed Racer and the Japanese version of Battle of the Planets.

Joan Winston (1931-2008), a major figure in early Star Trek fandom who attended the recording of the final episode of the original series, where she befriended Gene Roddenberry. This in turn gave her the cachet to organise the first official Star Trek convention in 1972, which was an enormous success. She played a vital role in keeping the fires of Trek fandom burning during the decade when the show was off the air.

Stan Winston (1946-2008), US special and visual effects pioneer and a multiple Oscar-winner for his work on Aliens, Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park. He was a frequent collaborator with James Cameron and was working on Terminator Salvation when he died.

The Shape of Things to Come: Books for 2009

Here are some of the books to watch out for in 2009:

The Judging Eye by R. Scott Bakker
Orbit Books (UK): 15/01/09
Overlook Press (USA): 02/02/09

Reviewed here. The first book in The Aspect-Emperor Trilogy picks up 20 years after the end of The Thousandfold Thought and depicts the beginning a great crusade against the Consult, led by Kellhus, now acknowledged as the god-emperor of the Three Seas. A thoughtful and darkly poetic novel with a conclusion that will no doubt generate vast reams of discussion across the blogosphere until the sequel, The White-Luck Warrior, comes out in 2010.

The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan
Gollancz (UK): out now
Del Rey (USA): 20/01/09

Richard Morgan's first fantasy novel is a gripping, taut and visceral story with some brilliant worldbuilding and terrific ideas. Expect more criticism of the explicit sex and violence when the book hits US stores, but this is a first-rate novel, although admittedly not Morgan's best work.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Harcourt (USA): out now
Gollancz (UK): 22/01/09

Reviewed here. Cashore's debut novel is a semi-YA-oriented story about people with supernatural abilities called 'graces', how they use them and how they are used and manipulated by others. An enjoyable book with some interesting ideas.

Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts

Gollancz (UK): 22/01/09

Reviewed here. Roberts' new novel is a weird, funny but fascinating story that twists and turns in a very impressive manner through the 1986 USSR.

Malice by Chris Wooding

Scholastic Press (UK): 02/02/09

The first in a YA duology from the ever-reliable but underrated Chris Wooding.

Wings of Wrath by Celia Friedman

DAW (USA): 03/02/09

Orbit Books (UK): 05/02/09

The second volume of Friedman's Magister Trilogy, following on from Feast of Souls.

Dragonfly Falling by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Tor (UK): 06/02/09

The second book in the Shadows of the Apt series looks set to continue the positive buzz from the first sequence. The third book is also due in August.

Drood by Dan Simmons
Little, Brown (USA): 09/02/09
Quercus (UK): 05/03/09

Simmons' new novel is a mammoth historical tome about the end of Charles Dickens' life and his incomplete final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The SF&F elements are reportedly minor, but this should prove to be an interesting read regardless.

The Best of Gene Wolfe by Gene Wolfe

Tor (USA): 17/03/09

Gene Wolfe selects his thirty-one finest short stories for publication in this career retrospective. A solid collection for Wolfe veterans or those looking to get into his work for the first time.

Cyberabad Days by Ian McDonald

Pyr (USA): 24/02/09

Gollancz (UK): 19/03/09

McDonald returns to the world and setting of River of Gods in this new short story collection.

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

Saint Martin's Griffin (USA): 03/03/09

Gollancz (UK): 16/04/09

Reviewed here. A fun, if lightweight, techno-action thriller featuring lots of zombies.

Rides a Dread Legion by Raymond E. Feist

HarperCollins Voyager (UK): 09/03/09

Eos (USA): 31/03/09

The first of the Demonwar Saga, a short duology which chronicles the fourth of the five great riftwars to ravage the world of Midkemia. Feist's form has been spotty (but mostly disappointing) for the past decade, but it will be interesting to see if he can regain some of his former fire with the conclusion of his immense 30-volume Midkemian saga (four more books after this one) starting to come into sight.

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett
HarperCollins Voyager (UK): out now
Del Rey (USA): 10/03/09

The US publication of Peter Brett's much-acclaimed debut novel, which was published last year under the title The Painted Man. A vivid and interesting premise and world give rise to a story with plenty of excellent twists and turns. Full review here.

The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas
Gollancz (UK): 19/03/09

Deas' debut novel is set in a fantasy world where dragons are controlled and used as weapons of war, but where the balance of power is threatened when one of the dragons escapes and becomes aware of its race's oppression. A good story is undermined by a lack of worldbuilding depth, but it remains a rattling good read and a robust response to the 'Pernification' (or more latterly, 'Temeraireification') of dragons in the fantasy genre over the last few decades, which Smaug would not be amused by.

The Temporal Void by Peter F. Hamilton

Macmillan (UK): Out now

Del Rey (USA): 24/03/09

This second volume in The Void Trilogy is a significant step up from The Dreaming Void, with the narrative strands becoming more tightly interwoven and Edeard's story in the Void demonstrating Hamilton's skills at working in either SF or Fantasy. Unfortunately, it looks like UK and US readers alike will have to wait for mid-2010 for the conclusion to the series, The Evolutionary Void.

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

Orbit Books (UK): 02/04/09

Roc (USA): 07/04/09

The eleventh novel in Butcher's popular Dresden Files series of urban fantasies.

Zima Blue and Other Stories by Alastair Reynolds

Night Shade Books (USA): out now

Gollancz (UK): 16/04/09

This is Alastair Reynolds' second collection of short fiction. His first, Galactic North, collected together the stories from his signature Revelation Space setting, whilst this second collects his independent works. Originally published back in 2007 as a limited edition from Nightshade Books, Gollancz are giving the book its first wide release in early 2009.

Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
Gollancz (UK): out now
Orbit US: 28/04/09

The first in a five-novel sequence featuring Sapkowski's iconic character of Geralt, the Witcher, whose first adventures received their English debut in 2007 in The Last Wish. Both Gollancz and Orbit have inexplicably skipped the second short story collection, The Sword of Destiny, which directly sets up the characters and storylines for the novel sequence. Still, Blood of Elves apparently has enough of a stand-alone feel to it to work without the earlier book being a necessity.

God of Clocks by Alan Campbell

Spectra (USA): 28/04/09

Tor (UK): September 2009

The third book in the well-received Deepgate Codex series.

Fall of Thanes by Brian Ruckley
Orbit US: 03/05/09
Orbit Books (UK): 07/05/09

The third and concluding volume in Ruckley's debut Godless World series is eagerly awaited by those who enjoyed the first two volumes, Winterbirth and Bloodheir, although I will likely wait until after the third book comes out before reading the last two.

The City and the City by China Mieville
Macmillan (UK): 15/05/09
Del Rey (USA): 26/05/09

Mieville's new book is a stand-alone noir thriller set in a fictional pair of eastern European cities. His publishers are extremely excited about this novel, naming it his best work to date. This is easily one of my most eagerly-awaited books of the year.

The Cardinal's Blades by Pierre Pevel

Gollancz (UK): 21/05/09

The English translation of an acclaimed French fantasy novel which mixes traditional history with fantasy as a group of dragons ally with the kingdom of Spain and threaten France, forcing Cardinal Richileu to take drastic steps to oppose them.

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Tor (USA): 09/06/09

Sanderson's new stand-alone following his acclaimed Mistborn trilogy has been developed in full public view on his website, with new full drafts of chapters and the entire book published upon completion so readers can follow the writing process. The published novel will likely be another big success for him, and raise awareness of his name ahead of the publication of the final Wheel of Time novel - which he is completing - at the end of the year.

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton

Tor (UK): 12/06/09

SF&F blogger and commentator Newton's debut novel and the first book in his Legends of the Red Sun series is already generating some pre-release buzz, and should be well worth a look when it comes out.

Retribution Falls: Tales of the Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding

Gollancz (UK): 18/06/09

Wooding offers something a bit different with this story (formerly called The Ace of Skulls) of airships, pilots and daring-do. Think of the classix X-Box/PC game Crimson Skies and you're probably halfway there.

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
Gollancz (UK): 18/06/09
Orbit US: 29/07/09

Abercrombie's follow-up to the First Law trilogy is a stand-alone set in the same world, although expect a few cross-overs from minor characters. It is a tale of mayhem, blood and murder set in the lands of Styria, and should be an interesting change of pace and focus from Abercrombie's debut work.

Jasmyn by Alex Bell

Gollancz (UK): 18/06/09

The second novel by Alex Bell, whose debut, The Ninth Circle, attracted good reviews last year.

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

HarperCollins Voyager (UK): 01/07/09

Hobb returns to the world of the Six Duchies with this stand-alone novel set in the Liveship Traders mileu.

Avilion by Robert Holdstock

Gollancz (UK): 16/07/09

Holdstock returns to his Mythgo Wood sequence with this much-awaited new fantasy.

The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham
Tor (USA): 22/07/09
Orbit (UK): 03/09/09 (as part of Seasons of War, see below)

Daniel Abraham's mighty Long Price Quartet comes to its gripping and fascinating conclusion. One of the stand-out fantasy debuts of recent years, whever Abraham does next will be eagerly awaited.

Songs of the Dying Earth, edited by George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois

Subterrenean Press (USA): August 2009

HarperCollins Voyager (UK): 05/10/09

GRRM and Gardner Dozois have assembled a formidable array of talent for this tribute anthology set in Jack Vance's seminal Dying Earth mileu. Dan Simmons has contributed a major novella to the project, with the remainder of the stories being written by Kage Baker, Glen Cook, Terry Dowling, Phyllis Eisenstein, Neil Gaiman, Elizabeth Hand, Matt Hughes, Tanith Lee, Elizabeth Moon, Mike Resnick, Lucius Shepherd, Robert Silverberg, Jeff VanderMeer, Paula Volksy, Howard Waldrop, Liz Williams, Walter Jon Williams, Tad Williams, John C. Wright and GRRM himself. Jack Vance and Dean Koontz are also contributing forewards and appreciations for the book.

The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett
HarperCollins Voyager (UK): 03/08/09
Del Rey (USA): early 2010 (est.)

The sequel to Brett's compelling debut, The Painted Man (aka The Warded Man in the USA), will focus on different characters to the first novel and indicates a dramatic shift in structure and setting over the more traditional first novel.

Blood of the Mantis by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Tor (UK): 07/08/09

Tchaikovsky concludes his well-received Shadows of the Apt trilogy.

Traitor's Gate by Kate Elliott

Tor (USA): 18/08/09

Orbit Books (UK): tbc

The conclusion to Elliott's Crossroads trilogy should wrap up the interesting storylines and character arcs from the first two, highly inventive novels in the series.

Ark by Stephen Baxter Gollancz (UK): 20/08/09

The sequel to last year's Flood, an enjoyable disaster novel although based on suspect science. In this sequel the fate of an American mission into deep space to escape the rising waters on Earth is revealed, and the fate of the Earth after the flood is also explored.

The Rats and the Ruling Sea by Robert V.S. Redick

Gollancz (UK): 20/08/09

This sequel to The Red Wolf Conspiracy sees our heroes trying to break the deadlock between the forces of good and evil established in Book 1, whilst the villains' plans to plunge the two great empires of the world into war and chaos continues.

Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson
Bantam (UK): 27/08/09
Tor (USA): late 2009 (est.)

The penultimate volume of The Malazan Book of the Fallen is eagerly-awaited by Erikson's growing number of fans. Expect a return to Lether and a showdown between the Bonehunters and their allies against the returned K'Chain Che'Malle, among many other storylines.

The Long Price: Seasons of War by Daniel Abraham
Orbit (UK): 03/09/09

This omnibus edition packages the final two books of Abraham's Long Price Quartet, An Autumn War and The Price of Spring. Orbit are extremely excited by this release and hopefully will trail it with a marketing and awareness campaign that was notably lacking for The Long Price: Shadow and Betrayal.

The Cold Commands by Richard Morgan
Gollancz (UK): 17/09/09
Del Rey (USA): early 2010 (est.)

The follow-up to The Steel Remains. Expect more first-rate storytelling and fantasy mayhem, along with a deepening of the storyline linking the books together.

Times of Anger by Andrzej Sapkowski
Gollancz (UK): 15/10/09
Orbit US: early 2010 (est.)

The second in the five-volume Witcher novel sequence gets its long-awaited English-language debut, although the title appears to have been mistranslated: I am reliably informed by Polish friends that the correct title is Time of Disdain, which sounds a lot better.

Shadowrise by Tad Williams

DAW (USA): November 2009

Orbit Books (UK): tbc

The epic conclusion to Williams' Shadowmarch Trilogy.

A Memory of Light, Part I by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Tor (US)/Orbit Books (UK)
November 2009 (est.)

The twelfth and final volume of the massive Wheel of Time series, being completed posthumously by Brandon Sanderson after Robert Jordan's passing in late 2007, is so huge in size that it looks almost certain it will be split in half. The hope is that the second volume would follow in the spring or summer of 2010. Based on Sanderson's comments, it sounds like this book will resolve the remaining outstanding story issues left dangling from Knife of Dreams, such as the planned rescue of Moiraine, the forging of a lasting truce between Rand al'Thor and the Seanchan and Elayne's consolidation of control over Andor. The Last Battle itself will likely wait until the concluding half.

Watcher of the Dead by J.V. Jones
Tor (US)/Orbit Books (UK)
November 2009 (est.)

With Jones' writing time on individual volumes of her excellent Sword of Shadows series exceeding George RR Martins' recent publication speed, the news that the fourth book in the six-volume series should appear only two years after the third is very welcome indeed.

Wild Cards: Suicide Kings, edited by George R.R. Martin

Tor (USA): December 2009 (est.)

The new Wild Cards trilogy comes to a close with the publication of Suicide Kings, which rounds off the story about the new generation of Jokers and Aces.

Above the Snowline by Steph Swainston

Gollancz (UK): 03/12/09

Eos (USA): 2010 (est.)

This is the fourth novel in Swainston's Fourlands cycle, but as a prequel it steps back before the events of The Year of Our War and shows the beginnings of the character arcs and storylines explored in the books to date.

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

Doubleday (UK)/Harper (USA): late 2009

The next adult Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett is about the Unseen University and the mayhem that results when a college football team is formed. Despite battling his illness, Pratchett is bullish about future projects, having already lined up this book, I Shall Wear Midnight (the next Tiffany Aching novel) and another, Raising Taxes (the third book in the Moist von Lipwig sub-series).

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Scribner (USA)/Hodder (UK): late 2009

The enormous new novel from Stephen King, who has tried to write this book twice before but failed. Apparently his new novel is his longest for some time and will address some of the same issues and themes as The Stand, but in a different way.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
Bantam (US)/HarperCollins Voyager (UK): date tbc

Making its fourth subsequent appearance on most people's 'eagerly-awaited' lists, there is, as usual, great hope that this book will appear before the end of the year. Newer excerpts that have appeared online or read at conventions hint at the book's continuing evolution for the better, with more dynamic action and plot development now appearing in chapters previously focused exclusively on characterisation. As usual, though, don't believe anything until GRRM has announced the book as being finished.

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch
Bantam (US)/Gollancz (UK): date tbc

The third book in Lynch's Gentleman Bastard series remains resolutely MIA, with release dates being constantly pushed back (even the current estimates of late 2009 seem shaky) and Scott himself maintaining radio silence. With a mixed reception to Red Seas Under Red Skies and some vital structural changes apparently being laid for the series as a whole, the third book has a lot of work to do and it will be interesting to see if Scott can pull it off.

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
DAW (USA)/Gollancz (UK): date tbc

The sequel to the big new debut of 2007, The Name of the Wind, remains MIA, although a 2009 publication does appear moderately more likely due to the recent publication of the prologue on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist. It will be interesting to see if Rothfuss can more successfully adapt the Harry Potter stylings of the first book into something darker and more intriguing.

The Deserter by Peadar O Guilin
David Fickling Books (UK & USA): date tbc

The sequel to Peadar's splendid debut novel, The Inferior, has been delivered but the publication date is unclear at the moment. Hopefully we'll get it before the end of the year.

The Edge of Ruin by Melinda Snodgrass

Tor (USA): date tbc

This sequel to The Edge of Reason continues the struggle chronicled in the first book.

Hawkwood and the Kings by Paul Kearney

Century of the Soldier by Paul Kearney

Solaris (UK & USA): date tbc

This two-volume omnibus edition of Paul Kearney's excellent Monarchies of God series is eagerly awaited by old fans as well as new, as the new edition will contain new appendices, a comprehensively-rewritten new edition of the formerly disappointing final volume of the series (Ships from the West) and probably new maps as well.

The Sorcerer's House by Gene Wolfe

Publisher and date tbc

Wolfe may be advancing in years, but if anything his writing speed seems to be accelerating. Coming hot on the heels of Pirate Freedom! and An Evil Guest, Wolfe's new novel may make it out before the end of 2009, and he is already working on another new novel, Home Fires.

The Dervish House by Ian McDonald

Gollancz (UK)/Pyr (USA): date tbc

McDonald's new novel does for Turkey what River of Gods did for India and Brasyl for Brazil. However, it looks more likely that this will be published in 2010.