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The Expectant Father by Brott & Ash

I read this on the suggestion of

danceboy. (Hey, DB, do you want your copy back, or should I pass it on to the next father?) A bit dry, but a perfectly good guide to the pregnancy months, with much helpful advice. Recommended.

Enforcer: The Shira Calpurnia Omnibus by Matthew Farrer

This is a collection of Warhammer 40,000 novels, and a substantial percentage of my readers just skipped down to the next book, not unjustly. Virtually all WH40K novels are about either the military or the Inquisition. These are a rare exception, being about a cop. They are soldily written, the action scenes are fun, and they provide a good perspective on parts of the WH40K universe not usually seen, such as rogue trader inheritance and telepath sanctums. Recommended to those with an interest in WH40K.

The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander

Third in The Chronicles of Prydain. This novel is about Princess Eilonwy growing up, which everyone seems to think should involve less climbing of trees and more courtly graces. What it actually involves is getting kidnapped, then rescued by Taran. She was a lot more of an action heroine in the last book. Still, Taran gets to grow up some more, and learns how to deal with people who are his betters in terms of rank, but in no other way. Recommended.

Rule 34 by Charles Stross

Set in the same near-future setting as Halting State, and, like that book, in multiple-second-person. Our heroes are variously investigating or affected by a series of weird "accidental" deaths in 2030s Scotland, with the major connection being that the victims were all spammers. Microstates, fabbers, augmented reality, Segways, clinical paranoia, and darkly kinky sex all figure prominently. Stross excels at making his predictions of the future look not just likely but obvious and necessary. Recommended to all who are interested in what their personal future may hold, and don't mind being skeeved out a couple times.