Title: The Trade of Queens

Author: Charles Stross

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Publisher: Tor

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-7653-1673-8

Pages: 303

Keywords: fantasy

Reading period: 12 June, 2010

Sixth and final book in the Merchant Princes series, sequel to The Revolution Business.

Everything's going to hell in all three parallel worlds, our United States, the Gruinmarkt, and New Britain. The conservative faction of the world-walking Clan has launched a nuclear attack on the U.S.—and the U.S. is going strike back, hard. The only realistic option for the progressive wing is to find sanctuary in New Britain, where the monarchy was recently overthrown in a bloody revolution.

Charlie Stross brings the series to a haunting, nuclear-fired conclusion.

Title: The Winds of Dune

Author: Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Publisher: Tor

Copyright: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-7653-2272-2

Pages: 448

Keywords: science fiction

Reading period: 5–12 June, 2010

The Winds of Dune is another interquel in the Dune franchise, following on from Paul of Dune, taking place between Dune Messiah and Children of Dune.

The Emperor Paul Atreides has disappeared into the desert, leaving behind his new-born twins and his half-mad sister Alia as the Regent. His mother Jessica arrives from Caladan and comes to understand a great deal about her son's legacy, and the galaxy-wide Jihad that had grown beyond his control.