June Publications

For those fantasy readers with a weakness for orcs, Stan Nicholls (Legion of Thunder) delivers Warriors of the Tempest: Orcs First Blood: Book 3 . In the Tolkienish world of Maras-Dantia, Stryke and his outlaw band of orcs fight the good fight against humans and other dastardly creatures. (Gollancz [Sterling dist.], $14.95 paper 288p ISBN 0-575-07069-2)

In Steven Erikson's House of Chains: A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, the fourth volume in the Canadian author's epic fantasy series (Gardens of the Moon, etc.), the Malazan stronghold of Seven Cities faces attack from the massed armies of Sha'ik's Whirlwind. Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin fans will find Erikson a reasonably satisfying substitute. (Bantam U.K. [Trafalgar Sq. dist.], $29.95 762p ISBN 0-593-04625-0)