Tanith Lee's Blood Stone books back in print
For those of you who don't read SFScope, you may not have seen the most recent Fantastic Books announcement: I've just republished two books by Tanith Lee-Kill the Dead and Sabella. The books, published in 1980, are her "Blood Stone" series, and both now have new covers by John Kaiine.
Lee offers this description of Kill the Dead: "Out of the dusk he comes striding, the stranger, the man in black, inevitable as death itself: Parl Dro-Ghost Slayer.
"Some have bought his services for gold, and some have blessed him for his work. But not everyone welcomes an exorcist who will remorselessly deprive them of their beloved dead.
"Dro began his vocation at an early age. And now he will not be turned aside, no matter how you may threaten, curse or weep. He is seeking too the greatest stronghold of the deadalive: Ghyste Mortua, the ghost town in the mountains, and he means to destroy it.
"If he will face that, what use the pleas of the desperate sisters, Cilny and Ciddey, what use the rage of Myal, with his genius for music and his imperfect talent for crime?
"Only one thing, it seems, motivates Parl Dro.
"His determination to kill the dead."
Of Sabella, a "science fiction vampire novel," she says: "On the pink planet of Novo Mars, Sabella, the beautiful young recluse, lives out her uneasy daytime life behind drawn blinds. And at night she feeds on the blood of deer. After what has happened before, she no longer wants-or dares-to take the blood of men.
"But something, it seems, is intent on throwing Sabella back into her former existence of danger and despair. Forcing her first to consume the handsome young stranger, Sand, and then to confront Sand’s invincible and terrifying brother, Jace, the avenging angel.
"When predator becomes prey, some kind of death must end it-And only blood will answer for blood."
Lee offers this description of Kill the Dead: "Out of the dusk he comes striding, the stranger, the man in black, inevitable as death itself: Parl Dro-Ghost Slayer.
"Some have bought his services for gold, and some have blessed him for his work. But not everyone welcomes an exorcist who will remorselessly deprive them of their beloved dead.
"Dro began his vocation at an early age. And now he will not be turned aside, no matter how you may threaten, curse or weep. He is seeking too the greatest stronghold of the deadalive: Ghyste Mortua, the ghost town in the mountains, and he means to destroy it.
"If he will face that, what use the pleas of the desperate sisters, Cilny and Ciddey, what use the rage of Myal, with his genius for music and his imperfect talent for crime?
"Only one thing, it seems, motivates Parl Dro.
"His determination to kill the dead."
Of Sabella, a "science fiction vampire novel," she says: "On the pink planet of Novo Mars, Sabella, the beautiful young recluse, lives out her uneasy daytime life behind drawn blinds. And at night she feeds on the blood of deer. After what has happened before, she no longer wants-or dares-to take the blood of men.
"But something, it seems, is intent on throwing Sabella back into her former existence of danger and despair. Forcing her first to consume the handsome young stranger, Sand, and then to confront Sand’s invincible and terrifying brother, Jace, the avenging angel.
"When predator becomes prey, some kind of death must end it-And only blood will answer for blood."