The new Specusphere is up and running, thanks to our doughty webmistress Amanda Greenslade. You'll find lots of interesting articles and a record number of reviews! I'm so proud of my reviewers that I've put up a piece that introduces them to readers - and their collective CVs are certainly impressive. Four of them contributed to the"Best Books of 2008", coming up with a Top Twelve that you may or may not agree with. Check it out and see!

Here's the Table of Contents:
Editorial
Four editorials in one, by Astrid Cooper, Satima Flavell, Amanda Greenslade and Stephen Thompson

Features
Medical Bag: Best of 2008 by Brendan David Carson
Spirits and Shamen at Woodford by Stephen Thompson
Essential Email Inbox Instructions by Amanda Greenslade
Terra Incognita Speculative Fiction Podcast

Writing and Publishing
Wordwatch by Helen Bowers

Up and Coming
Daring to be Different — an interview with Kim Falconer and a preview of The Spell of Rosette by Astrid Cooper
HarperCollins Publishers Releases for January–February, 2009
Gollancz Releases for January–February, 2009

People
Meet the Reviewers for The Specusphere

Book Reviews
Best of the Books, 2008 by The Specusphere reviewers
Best of the Superheroes, 2008 by Brendan Carson

Graceling by Kristin Cashmore reviewed by Satima Flavell
Hammer of God by Karen Miller reviewed by Carol Neist
H.P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life by Michel Houellebecq reviewed by Ross Murray
Water Witch by Deborah LeBlanc reviewed by Bobbi Sinha-Morey
Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik reviewed by Hypatia
The Third Circle by Amanda Quick reviewed by Bobbi Sinha-Morey
The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan reviewed by Maurie Breust
The Angel Maker by Stefan Brijs reviewed by Felicity Dowker
Hunter’s Prayer by Lilith Saintcrow reviewed by Ross Murray
Ripple Creek Werewolf Couplet by Keri Arthur reviewed by Ross Murray
Fourtold by Michael Stone reviewed by Ross Murray and Simon Petrie
Star Wars: Force Unleashed by Sean Williams reviewed by Simon Petrie
Fish Out of Water by Mary Janice Davidson reviewed by Ross Murray
Dark Curse by Christine Feehan reviewed by Hypatia
Catopolis, edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Janet Deaver-Pack reviewed by Hypatia
Angel Rising by Dirk Flinthart reviewed by Felicity Dowker
Bound by Light by Anna Windsor reviewed by Bobbi Sinha-Morey

Fiction
Temple of the Sun by Ashley Hibbert
Wreck, Slash, Burn by Kristine Ong Muslim
Identity Crisis by Gillian Lloyd
Gaitrel the Black by David Schembri

No excuses now - off you go to The Specusphere and get your bi-monthly fix!