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The Dreaming Void by Hamilton, Peter F. The Dreaming Void is the first book of the Void Trilogy, set in the same universe as the Commonwealth Saga (Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained) and fifteen hundred years in its future. It would seem that the center of our galaxy is not the super-massive black hole that was once theorized. Instead, there lies the Void, an awesome ... and artificial ... construct that has baffled the galaxy's sentient beings for billions of years. All live in fear of the next devourment phase, a time when the Void will expand and destroy planets, solar systems, and maybe the entire galaxy itself. The only clue to what lies in the Void comes in the form of one man's dreams ... dreams of humans inside the Void ... and one human in particular. It would seem that, inside the Void, humans have almost magical abilities, and humans outside of the Void are drawn to this power. Now a cult has risen in strength and prominence. This cult, the Living Dream, is preparing a pilgrimage into the Void ... a pilgrimage that is feared will initiate the next devourment phase. It is a time of great change and the galaxy's sentients, including Humanity's many factions, all turn their attention to the Void. And a second Dreamer is dreaming. Where the Night's Dawn Trilogy (The Reality Dysfunction, et al) was science fiction with a generous mix of horror, the Void Trilogy is more a mix of science fiction and an even more generous portion of science fantasy. Awesome in scope and execution, these novels are sure to be future classics, so grab a copy now or regret it later. The Dreaming Void is a Patrick Pick, and signed first editions are available. For now. -- PMH

Small Favor by Butcher, Jim The new novel in the New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series. No one's tried to kill Harry Dresden for almost an entire year, and his life finally seems to be calming down. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow. An old bargain has placed Harry in debt to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness-and she's calling in her marker. It's a small favor he can't refuse...one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and one that will strain his skills- and loyalties-to their very limits. It figures. Everything was going too well to last...

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The Monsters of Templeton by Groff, Lauren Reading The Monsters of Templeton reminds me of why I began loving books as a child: the feeling of falling into a story, the delight when we are surprised by plot twists, and the back story that ultimately makes the book so worthwhile. This debut by Groff is at once a love story of the town she grew up in (Cooperstown is the model for fictionalized Templeton), an examination of life's curve balls (Cooperstown/Templeton is the home to the Baseball Museum) both present day and in the past, and the mystery of one women's heritage, complete with ghosts and monsters. Wilhelmina Upton returns home heart broken, pregnant, and disheveled on the same day that the monster of Lake Glimmerglass dies and is discovered by Templeton, and then by the world at large. Similarly, her mother is also a single Mom who left and then returned to Templeton in dire circumstances. The relationship between these two women is comparable to many of our mother/daughter relationships and yet distinctive because they understand each other so deeply. The Monsters of Templeton is told from Willie's point of view and then retold through letters and historical documents where we learn the history of Templeton and its residents and Willie uncovers the mystery of her origin. I think this could be the independent bookstores’ discovery for 2008. Like Water for Elephants which was "our book" in 2006, I think The Monsters of Templeton will ultimately find a huge number of readers who will also be reminded of why they love reading fiction. -- tlg