Wands and Worlds

The Pool of Fire by John Christopher

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:57:19 PST

The Pool of Fire is the third book in the Tripods series by John Christopher. I'm reposting my reviews in tribute to this great science fiction writer who died last week.

The Pool of Fire

by John Christopher

Time is running short, and the final push to overthrow the Tripods has begun. To do his part against the Masters, Will must risk his life and go back inside the city that he hoped never to see again, the city where he was a slave and where he saw so many horrors.

This book is a little more fragmented than the others - it's really several different episodes involving Will and his companions in the battle against the Tripods. But it's an exciting story, and anyone who enjoyed the first two books will enjoy this one. One of the things that makes Will such a likeable character is that he's an ordinary boy. He's not the smartest, or the most disciplined, or even the most heroic, but he still manages to be in the thick of the war, striking blow after blow against the tyrannical rulers of the Earth. Through Will we come to believe that anyone can be a hero.

Buy The Pool of Fire

More About John Christopher

John Christopher in SFE: The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:57:58 PST

The City of Gold and Lead is the second book in the Tripods series by John Christopher. I'm reposting my reviews in tribute to this great science fiction author who died this week.

Will and his friends have been living with the renegade community in the White Mountains, undergoing training to help in the battle against the Tripods. Now, volunteers are needed for a dangerous mission, and the three friends hope to be chosen. The volunteers will travel to a city in Germany to compete in the yearly athletic tournament. The winners of the tournament get the "honor" of going to the Tripod's city to serve the Tripods. If any of the volunteers win the tournament, they will have an opportunity to gather information from inside the Tripod's city. But this could well be a fatal mission; no one has ever returned from the Tripod's city. If they get into the city, will the heros be able to get back out again alive?

The first part of this book is a little slow but once the story gets going it's pretty exciting. In this book the fight against the Tripods, or the Masters as they are called in this book, becomes much more personal. Whereas in the first book they are a somewhat remote threat, with only a few close encounters, in this book we learn much more about the horrors of the Masters dominion over the Earth. The battle becomes much more real, and much more necessary. There are a couple of scenes in this book that may be too intense for sensitive children.

Buy The City of Gold and Lead

The White Mountains by John Christopher

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:56:36 PST

In tribute to science fiction writer John Christopher, who just passed away, I'm reposting my review of The White Mountains, the first book in his Tripods series.

Will Parker is 13 years old, and in another year he will undergo the capping ceremony, which marks the passage to adulthood. During the capping ceremony, the Tripods, giant metal beings with three legs, permanently fuse a metal cap to the person's skull. Will accepts the capping as a normal part of life, as everyone else does, until Jack, his best friend and cousin is capped. Seeing the changes in Jack makes Will nervous about what lies in store. Soon afterwards, he meets a vagrant who tells him that the Tripods are beings who have taken over the Earth and that the caps are the means they use to keep humans under control. He tells will about a colony of free humans living in the White Mountains, far to the south, and gives Will directions for how to get there. Accompanied by first one, and then another boy, Will sets off on a journey to find the free men in the White Mountains. The journey is fraught with peril and filled with adventures.

I first read this book when I was young, and reading it again as an adult I found it just as exciting as I remembered it. Will and his friends must be constantly alert to avoid Tripods and other dangers. Since the book is told from Will's point of view and we can "see" his throughts, he is the most thoroughly developed character. During the journey, he grows as he interacts with the other boys and also as he examines and questions his own beliefs, desires, and motivations. While the book doesn't have a strong female character, that didn't bother me when I was a kid. I just enjoyed the adventure, and still do. The only complaint I have about the book is that it ends too abruptly, and the ending is anticlimactic, almost like the author just said, "that's enough, I'll cut it off here."

One important note: John Christopher later wrote a prequel to the series called When the Tripods Came. The prequel is now marketed as book 1, and The White Mountains has been shifted to book 2. But do not read When the Tripods Came first! The White Mountains was originally intended to be the first book, and if you read the prequel first, it will diminish your enjoyment of The White Mountains, because part of the fun of the book is the mystery of the Tripods. If you read When the Tripods Came first, then you will know too much about the Tripods to enjoy The White Mountains the way it was originally intended to be read.

Buy The White Mountains:

RIP John Christopher

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:28:41 PST

I'm so incredibly sad to learn of the death of John Christopher. His Tripods series was a big influence on me as a child, and he helped to shape the YA SF genre. Reading the books again as an adult I wasn't disappointed. I posted reviews of the Tripod books on my original pre-blog Wands and Worlds site, and I'll repost them here in tribute.

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:30:41 PST

Locus Magazine posted their 2011 Recommended Reading List today. Looks like a great list of books! Four of the Cybils Awards SFF Teen finalists made the list: Red Glove and The Shattering in the YA category, and Girl of Fire and Thorns and Blood Red Road in the First Novels category. One of the Cybils Middle Grade SFF finalists is on the list: A Monster Calls.
Besides the Cybils finalists, personal favorites on the Locus list include Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor, The Boy at the End of the World, by Greg van Eekhout, and Welcome to Bordertown, edited by Holly Black & Ellen Kushner. There are several others on the Locus list that I want to read and haven't yet had a chance.

Books I wish had made the shortlist

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:59:42 PST

Being a Cybils judge is a lot of work and a lot of fun, but it's also heartbreaking when books you love don't get enough support from your fellow panelists to make it on the shortlist. Cybils overlord Anne Levy invited panelists to share their favorite books that didn't make the shortlist, and here are a few of mine:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was one of my favorite books this year. I loved the beautiful writing, interesting characters, and the gradual reveal. Unfortunately, not all of my fellow panelists loved it, and this was one of the more heavily debated books in our discussions. Read my review for more about this book.

The Monstrumologist series is a favorite of mine. Although I'm not generally a horror fan, and these books are pretty horrifying in places, they are also extremely well written, exciting, character-driven books. I think they have a lot of teen appeal and literary merit. Later books in a series can sometimes have trouble living up to their predecessors, but that's not the case here. The series just keeps getting better, and The Isle of Blood is the best one yet, by far. I plan to write a more detailed review of it soon.

Traditional fantasy fans will love The Floating Islands. Incredibly detailed and creative world building; well-developed magic system; great characters; beautiful writing with lots of sensory imagery; dragons! The two protagonists, a boy and a girl, are each outsiders in different ways, and each longs for a different life: Trei yearns to fly, which may not be allowed to someone from another land, and Araene wants to be a chef, an occupation forbidden to girls. As these two children struggle to make their way in the world, the book deals with themes of loss, loyalty, and being true to one's self.

Check out some other panelists' favorites.

A Wrinkle in Time 50th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:26:07 PST

"It was a dark and stormy night." This year is the 50th anniversary of one of my favorite books, A Wrinkle in Time. Listening Library/Random House Audio is releasing a new audiobook version tomorrow. Here's a sample. Update: the widget wasn't working, but it has been corrected and should work now.

Cybils 2011 Fantasy & Science Fiction Middle/Elementary Finalists

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:31:38 PST

As Fantasy and Science Fiction Organizer for the Cybils, I supervised, but didn't participate in, the discussions for the Fantasy & Science Fiction Middle/Elementary category. (I served on the teen side of SFF; see my other post today). In this case, supervising meant basically standing back and watching with awe as this terrific group read like maniacs, chatted up a storm, and selected a terrific shortlist. Here are the SFF Middle & Elementary level finalists:

A Monster Calls: Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd
by Patrick Ness
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Monica Edinger
The first night Conor is awakened by a monster he believes it is all a dream, but he soon discovers this monster is very real and very serious about getting the truth from him. But even Conor does not know the truth he must confront. As Conor's story progresses, he grows braver and stronger and bolder with the help of his monster who taunts him and pushes him into admitting what he fears, then learning how to beat it. Developed from an idea originated by Siobhan Dowd, Patrick Ness has written a compelling story about taking on fears and triumphing over them. Gorgeous black-and-white pen-and-ink illustrations add to the uplifting power of Conor's story, which is one part horror, one part fantasy, and full of heart. Get ready to quake in fear, laugh in exaltation, and cry in sympathy as Conor learns about life, love, and loss.
--Rebecca Newland
http://www.myreadingfrenzy.com/

Breadcrumbs
by Anne Ursu
Walden Pond Press
Nominated by: Katie Ahearn
A modern retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen”, Breadcrumbs tells the story of Hazel and Jack. Best friends their entire lives, they are inseparable. That is until, something happens and Jack begins to change. Hazel finds herself drawn into a fairy tale world full of magic, witches, enchanted flowers and spells in order to save her best friend. The writing is poetic and brilliant, and the literary allusions will leave readers searching for the original stories. Enchanting, heartfelt, sincere, and magical, Breadcrumbs is a book that will be loved by middle grade readers whether they are reading it independently or it is read aloud to them.
--Sarah Mulhern Gross
http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/

Dragon Castle
by Joseph Bruchac
Dial
Nominated by: April Conant
By the head of the dragon! It’s a good thing Prince Rashko, the sensible second son, is around to defend the royal family’s ancestral castle when Baron Temny and his army of invaders move in, because he’s not going to get much help from his parents (called away to the Silver Lands) or his brother (bewitched by the beautiful Princess Poteshenie). Drawing on Slovakian proverbs and folklore, Bruchac alternates—and eventually intertwines—Rashko’s story with that of the hero Pavol, also depicted in a mysterious tapestry that hangs on the castle walls. The result is high fantasy laced with history and humor, action and adventure, as Rashko and the reader alike uncover the secrets of Dragon Castle.
--Anamaria Anderson
http://www.bookstogetherblog.com/

Icefall
by Matthew J. Kirby
Scholastic
Nominated by: Betsy Bird
Awaiting word from her father the Viking king, Solvieg is trapped by winter's ice on a remote fjord with her brother Harald, heir to the throne, and her beautiful older sister Asa. Food is running out, the Berzerker soldiers sent to protect the children are restless, and betrayal is in the air. As the brutal cold tightens its grip, and tensions mount, Solveig finds strength in the power of stories, and, secretly, away from her father's prying eyes, trains to be a skald, or storyteller. Kirby effortlessly weaves a gripping tale about the power of words in Icefall, blending Norse myths with the larger story. The result will delight those who like a twist of the extraordinary in their historical fiction.
--April Conant
http://www.goodbooksandgoodwine.com

The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale
by Carmen Agra Deedy
Peachtree
Nominated by: Monica Edinger
Alley cat Skilley is thrilled be taken on as mouser for Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a London tavern renowned for its cheddar. There's just one catch--it's the cheese Skilley wants to eat, not the mice. So he and the mice form an alliance, acting out games of catch and release, much to the amusement of writer Charles Dickens, who watches their doings while struggling with his writing. But the path to cheese is strewn with dangers and difficulties-- an enemy tomcat, named Oliver, aided by an unpleasant barmaid, is scheming to take Skilley's place, and he is a true hunter of mice. But the greatest challenge of all for Skilley and his mouse friends is to return an injured raven to the Tower of London--before its absence causes the whole British Empire to fall. Surprisingly rich in the twists and turns of its story, peopled with a cast of memorable characters, and with unexpected moments of true emotional depth, this is a book for all ages—adults will appreciate the word play and literary allusions and kids will adore the cats and mice.
--Donalyn Miller
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/book_whisperer/

The Inquisitor's Apprentice
by Chris Moriarty
Harcourt
Nominated by: Laura Wadley
An incredibly rich and rewarding read, The Inquisitor's Apprentice is a mystery steeped in equal parts fantasy and history. Sacha Kessler, a Jewish kid in Turn of the 20th Century New York, accidentally reveals he can see magic, and so is apprenticed to the NYPD Inquisitor's bureau-- the detectives who solve magical crimes. Sacha joins Inspector Maximillian Wolf and fellow apprentice Lily Astral in a race to solve the mystery of who is trying to murder Thomas Edison.
But the tantalizing plot is only a small part of what makes Inquisitor's Apprentice such a great read: it teems with characters both real (larger than life American figures like Edison, Harry Houdini, and Teddy Roosevelt all play a role in the novel) and imagined (Maximillian Wolf is a detective on the order of Sherlock Holmes, or Lieutenant Columbo, and both Sacha and Lily are authentic, fresh, and vibrant). And the setting--this fantasy New York of an alternate past--reads less like history and more like a fully realized and incredibly complex act of worldbuilding. Moriarty has pulled off quite a hat trick here: the young reader will find in Sacha a character whose interior struggles mirror their own, despite his living in an impossibly fantastical past; what's more, that past is revealed to not be quite so impossible, distant or unlike our present as one might think.
--Justin Colussy-Estes
http://www.guyslitwire.blogspot.com/

Tuesdays at the Castle
by Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Sondra Eklund
The titular castle in Tuesdays at the Castle is one of the most delightful fictional buildings around—it changes itself according to its own magical whims, surprising its inhabitants with new rooms, secret passages, and even whole wings. Young Princess Celie knows and loves the Castle best of anyone in her family. When her parents are presumed to have been killed, and dangerous enemies plot to take over the kingdom, it's up to Celie and her siblings to call on the castle to help them keep their kingdom safe. Celie’s pluck and the castle’s magic combine to create an utterly engrossing adventure.
--Charlotte Taylor
http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/

View all the Cybils finalists

Cybils 2011 Fantasy & Science Fiction Teen Finalists

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:26:54 PST

I'm not a winter person, but I love winter for one reason: the Cybils awards. Each year for the last six years, I've assisted with this blogger-selected award for children's and YA literature. Although I wear several hats for the Cybils, my favorite one is both organizer and panelist for Fantasy and Science Fiction. The Cybils finalists were announced on January 1, and I'm especially proud of the SFF Teen shortlist, which I helped to select. This is a great group of books, and every one of them is worth reading, recommending, and adding to a library collection.

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, Book 1)
by Susan Ee
Feral Dream
Nominated by: Lydia Dawson
Angels have attacked the world, killing billions. Humans have gone savage in order to survive. There’s a seventeen-year-old girl in the middle of it all trying to keep her family together and find a place amid the madness where she can eke out some kind of existence. When angels take Penryn's sister from her and that small hope is stolen, she makes a deal with the enemy. If the injured angel Raffe helps her save her sister, she will help him reach the ones who cut his wings. There is nothing easy or predictable about Penryn and Raffe’s story. Their partnership is tenuous, based on survival and a need so powerful they are willing to do what they would otherwise never consider and that makes the few moments of compassion and the threat of intimacy that much more genuine and valuable. Angelfall was a terrific surprise to all of us as a genuinely unique and gripping story of horror and faith, humanity and destruction. We loved the believability of Penryn’s strength and independence born from her troubled relationship with her schizophrenic mother and disabled baby sister. These strong themes and beautiful writing made Angelfall an easy favorite.
--Sommer Leigh
http://www.sommerleigh.com/

Anna Dressed in Blood
by Kendare Blake
Tor Teen
Nominated by: Kelly
Seventeen-year-old Cas Lowood is a ghost hunter. For the past three years, he’s sharpened his skills of killing the dead, and is almost ready to take on the ghost who murdered his father. When Cas hears about the legendary ghost named Anna Dressed in Blood who eviscerates her victims, he’s hooked. And when Anna spares his life, Cas finds himself unraveling a mystery that comes back to haunt him. Anna Dressed in Blood is an excellent choice for older teens looking for a clever, action-filled read. Debut author Kendare Blake blends humor, pop culture references, colorful descriptions and compelling characters with plenty of horror and vengeance to make Anna the perfect edge-of-the-seat read.
--Vivian Mahoney
http://www.vivianleemahoney.com/

Blood Red Road
by Moira Young
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Leila Roy
Dystopias are so much the rage in young adult fiction. It seems the world barely has time to breathe before dying anew. What sets a book apart in this genre is the protagonist and the language, not the dire conditions. In these two regards debut author Moira Young has excelled with Blood Red Road. Her heroine, Saba, embarks on a desperate quest through a barren, post-apocalyptic world to save her brother and finds herself tested again and again. Don't let the patois dissuade you; though language has degraded with this version of the end of the world, the adventure still comes through clearly.
--Steve Berman
http://guyslitwire.blogspot.com/

Misfit
by Jon Skovron
Amulet
Nominated by: Jason Walters
Half-demon Jael Thompson may be hunted by all the demons from Hell, but she’s tired of running, and just wants to settle down and live the life of an ordinary high school girl. But to do that, Jael must take a stand, not only against the demons hunting her, but against the wishes of her father, who is bent on protecting her at all costs even if it means moving again and ripping her away from the life she is building. Misfit was a delightful surprise; it’s so much more than your average demon paranormal. The writing is excellent; spare where it needs to be to keep the plot moving, but with beautiful descriptions in places, particularly where Jael is exploring the world through her newfound demon senses. Rich relationship-building plays a central role here: with Jael’s best friend, her potential boyfriend, and her newly discovered demon uncle, but most especially with her flawed father, a former demon hunter broken by the loss of his beloved, Jael’s mother.
--Sheila Ruth
http://blog1.wandsandworlds.com

Red Glove (Curse Workers, Book 2)
by Holly Black
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Sarah Wendorf
Cassel Sharpe's summer of scamming hasn't helped him forget his recent run-in with the Zacharov family, nor has it taken his mind off Lila Zacharov, the magical mob daughter he thought he killed in Holly Black's White Cat (the first book in the Curse Workers series). By the time he goes back to school in Red Glove, Lila is cursed to love him against her will, the Zacharovs think he would make a fabulous evil underling, and the government is after him. Discrimination against people who work magic is primetime news, and Cassel's entire family, and some of his friends, are suspect just for existing. Out of options, Cassel must decide who gets protected and who gets conned--and the odds are good that someone he loves is going to get hurt. Red Glove stands on its own, but series readers will appreciate how it builds upon and intensifies themes from White Cat. No counterfeiting here: Red Glove's singular magical system and noir feel combined with a clever plot is the real deal. With intense family relationships, romance, shifting friendships, and a mysterious murder, there's a little vice for every reader. It would be a crime to miss this one.
--Hallie Tibbetts
http://www.undusty.com/

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
by Rae Carson
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: Hallie Tibbetts
The panel loved this story of a princess chosen by God. We identified with the shy and overweight girl, who suffers terribly from doubt about what God really wants from her. We rooted for her as she slowly but surely comes into her own as the secret queen of a war-torn country. We commiserated as she suffers loss and the knowledge that being chosen doesn’t mean you get a happy ending. We loved that her world was not the standard UK-influenced fantasy land, and that faith was a powerful, organic force in the story. We licked our lips over the descriptions of her meals. We cheered for the strong, courageous woman that she becomes in the end. Elisa, we decided, absolutely had to go onto Round 2. Also, we totally have to find a recipe for those pastries with crushed pistachios. Yum!
--Maureen Kearney
http://bloodyyank.blogspot.com/

The Shattering
by Karen Healey
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Beth Mitcham
She’s rehearsed what she’ll say for her parent’s eulogies, if they both get hit by a car, has worked out her escape route if she’s ever kidnapped, and has her go-bag stocked in case of emergencies. Keri is over-prepared for everything life can throw at her - except her older brother’s suicide. Hailed by "Publishers Weekly" as an “intense and powerful novel,” The Shattering combines sharp dialogue, brilliant characterization and subtle cultural shading to explore familial love, the bonds of friendship, and the lengths to which we’ll go to keep what we love safe.
--Tanita Davis
http://writingya.blogspot.com/

This year, for the first time, we accepted nominations of "born digital" ebooks, those books published only in ebook form and not in a corresponding print edition. One of those books, Angelfall, made the shortlist!

A big shoutout to my fellow panelists Sommer Leigh, Vivian Mahoney, Steve Berman, Hallie Tibbetts, Maureen Kearney, and Tanita Davis. You are all amazing, and I had a great time working with you!

The Cybils kept me pretty busy, and I haven't posted in months. Now that Round 1 is over, my role is reduced and I should have more time to post. I plan to start by reviewing some of the great books I've been reading!

View all the 2011 Cybils finalists

Neil Gaiman interviews Terry Pratchett

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:25:21 PDT

"Discworld and the Alzheimer’s together have given me a platform."

— Terry Pratchett

A fascinating chat between two amazing authors: Terry Pratchett interviewed by Neil Gaiman. Pratchett's new Discworld novel Snuff is out today in the U.S.

Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 06:00:07 PDT

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
by Laini Taylor

Karou is an art student living in Prague. But unknown to her friends, she has a secret life as foster-daughter and errand-runner for a demon. Karou grew up in the shop of a chimera named Brimstone, who collects teeth (for what purpose, Karou doesn't know) and pays for them with wishes. But Karou doesn't know who she is, really. There is an emptiness inside her that makes her feel that there should be something more. Until she meets the angel, and he tries to kill her.

Anyone who thinks that YA fiction is easy to write should read Laini Taylor's books. Taylor has obviously worked hard to perfect her craft, and it shows in every word, every metaphor. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is her best book yet: a magnificently written story in every way. The mystery of who Karou really is, and what's really going on, is compelling, and draws you in as it gradually teases out the reveals.

There is romance—oh, yes, such a romance—but there is also so much more than that. War, and the way that war corrupts all the participants, is a major theme of the book. Daughter of Smoke and Bone shows all too clearly the devastating consequences of war, and the way that each side vilifies the other to justify its own position. This is a book that I think will appeal to teens and adults of both genders.

I hope I won't be spoiling anything to warn that the book ends on a cliffhanger. I didn't realize that it wasn't a standalone book until I got close to the end of the book, and I started realizing that things weren't going to wrap up in time.

Buy Daughter of Smoke and Bone from:
Amazon.com
Your local independent bookseller through IndieBound
Barnes & Noble

FTC required disclosure: Reviewed from ARC. Review copy provided by the publisher to enable me to write this review. The bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

Book Review: Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:00:00 PDT

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions
edited by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong

Enthralled is an anthology of paranormal stories by leading authors in the field. Each story has something to do with the theme of a journey, either physical or metaphorical.

As with any anthology, there are some stories I loved, and others that I didn't care for. Overall, though, this is a strong anthology, and I enjoyed most of the stories. There's a wide variety of stories here: romantic, humorous, tragic, scary, and funny. There are fairies, ghosts, vampires, zombies and various other things that go bump in the night.

Many of the stories in the anthology tie in with a book or series by the story's author. I had no problem understanding any of these stories, but I felt that a couple of them depended too much for character and world development on people having read the corresponding books, and in those cases I found that I never came to care very much about the characters. Good short fiction packs a lot of punch in a short word count, and the ones that were most successful were those, like Carrie Ryan's "Scenic Route," where the author created new characters and a new story within the context of their pre-existing world.

Other stories that I loved in this anthology:

"I.V. League," by Margaret Stohl. It was a little strange at first, but it turned into a hilarious satire of the college admissions process.

"Things About Love" by Jackson Pearce. Although this is another one that ties in with a book, I thought this story stood well alone and had good character development. A young man tries to help a female genie understand love, as he struggles with his own crush on another young man.

"Bridge" by Jeri Smith-Ready. Another book/series tie-in that stands well alone. This is a touching free verse story of two brothers, one dead and one alive, trying to reconcile their past.

"Giovanni’s Farewell" by Claudia Gray is a sweet ghost story about an unfulfilled life.

Authors included in this anthology are: Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Caine, Ally Condie, Kimberly Derting, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Claudia Gray, Jackson Pearce, Mary A. Pearson, Carrie Ryan, Jeri Smith-Ready, Jessica Verday, and Rachel Vincent.

Buy Enthralled from:
Amazon.com
Your local independent bookseller through IndieBound
Barnes & Noble

FTC required disclosure: Reviewed from ARC. Review copy provided by the publisher to enable me to write this review. The bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

Call for Cybils '11 Panelists!

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:00:37 PDT

It's that time of year again. The air has started to take on that Autumn feel, the school buses line the streets in the mornings, and the Cybils have put out the call for panelists. For anyone who isn't familiar with them, the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards, aka the Cybils, are a series of awards given each year by the children's book blogging community to the best children's and young adult books of the year.

This is not one of those casual blog awards that go around from time to time; the Cybils are serious business by people who are passionate about children's and YA books. We have structure and organizers and criteria (literary merit AND kid appeal) and our own internal tracking database. Nominations will open to the public from October 1 to 15, and anyone can nominate. Following that, two rounds of panelists will read the books. The round 1 panel reads the long list of nominated books to choose a shortlist of finalists. The round 2 panel reads the finalists and chooses a winner.

Being a panelist is hard work, but a lot of fun. It's great to participate in such an intense reading and discussion panel with other people who love books as much as you do. To be a panelist, you must blog about children's or YA books at least some of the time, and you must be able to commit the time to read and discuss the books. (Round 1 panelists don't have to read all the books, but should plan on reading at least 3-4 books a week from October through December).

Click here to learn how to apply to be a panelist. Submitting an application doesn't guarantee you a slot, because we always get more applicants than slots, and competition is fierce. If you're applying for one of the Fantasy and Science Fiction panels, I'll be looking for people who are widely read in the genres and show depth and breadth of knowledge about SFF. (For example, paranormal is included in the SFF category, but if that's all you read, you don't have breadth). If your blog doesn't show of your SFF geekiness to it's fullest extent, please feel free to let me know in the comments anything that would help me to fairly consider you. Pictures of you in costume at a con count for bonus points.

New this year the Cybils has added a book apps category! Applicants for panelists in this category must have an iPad. If I weren't already doing SFF, I'd be all over this category. Also, as an experiment this year, we will be allowing nominations of books published as ebooks without a corresponding print edition, with some limitations, in the YA Fiction and SFF YA categories only. So if you're applying for those two categories, be prepared to read some ebooks. (All panelists have to be willing to read ebook review copies, but in all other categories there must be a corresponding print edition). Read more about the changes here.

Let the games begin! May the odds be ever in your favor.

17 ways humanity's first contact with aliens could go down

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:17:47 PDT

The Syfy Channel's DVICE blog posted this great slideshow, based on a report from scientists at Pennsylvania State University and NASA's Planetary Science Division. DVICE spiced it up with pictures and references to classic SFF, but the original report, "Would Contact with Extraterrestrials Benefit or Harm Humanity? A Scenario Analysis," looks equally fascinating. The authors of the report are Seth D. Baum, Department of Geography, Pennsylvania State University, Jacob D. Haqq-Misr, Department of Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University, and Shawn D. Domagal-Goldman, NASA Planetary Science Division. How awesome is it that these serious research institutions are actually thinking about things like this?

17 ways humanity's first contact with aliens could go down

NPR Top 100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 21:05:06 PDT

NPR has posted a list of the top 100 science fiction and fantasy books, as nominated and voted on by NPR's audience. As you would expect, this is a terrific list of books. I enjoyed perusing the list and rediscovering old favorites that I'd forgotten, like Rendezvous with Rama, The Left Hand of Darkness, and The Crystal Cave. I was pleased to discover that I've read at least 53 of the top 100, with a few more that I might have read but can't remember for certain.

Save the Monstrumologist for a chance to win!

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:40:05 PDT

I just heard the sad news that Rick Yancey's excellent YA Monstrumologist series is being discontinued by Simon & Schuster. The loss of this series would be tragic, because there's nothing out there like it. It has a classic horror feel, real literary value, and plenty of action and suspense. Here's my review of book 2: The Curse of the Wendigo

Stephanie Reads is offering a chance to win a complete set of the series, including the new book due out next month, The Isle of Blood. The books will be autographed and personalized by the author. All you have to do to enter is to write Simon & Schuster and ask them to change their decision. Click here for more information and to enter.

Book Review: The Boy at the End of the World

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:00:03 PDT

The Boy at the End of the World
by Greg van Eekhout

Fisher's first moments of life could end up being his last. Born from a pod of bubbling gel, he comes to awareness in a lab that is collapsing around him. Fisher manages to escape with the help of a slightly dysfunctional (and humorous) robot that Fisher names Click from the noise that the robot makes. Fisher is the only "specimen" who survived the destruction of the Ark, which was built to preserve the species of the Earth, so he may be the last human left. Accompanied by Click and a young Mammoth that Fisher calls Protein, Fisher sets off to find out if there are any other humans surviving anywhere.

The Boy at the End of the World is a delightful post-apocalyptic novel that strikes the perfect tone for middle-grade readers. It's amusing, touching, and occasionally scary (the nano Intelligence that they meet is quite creepy), and it touches on themes of friendship and what it means to be human.

Fisher has "darkly pigmented" skin, giving this book bonus points for diversity. Here is an interesting post from author Greg van Eekhout talking about Fisher's skin color, the development of the cover, and his own background.

Buy The Boy at the End of the World from:
Amazon.com
Your local independent bookseller through IndieBound
Barnes & Noble

Book Review: The Map of Time

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 06:00:17 PDT

The Map of Time
by Félix J. Palma

The Map of Time is an ode to the Victorian era, and in particular to those Victorian writers like H.G. Wells and Bram Stoker who were the forerunners of genre fiction. It's a clever book, with a self-aware narrator who speaks directly to the reader and makes sly asides, and multiple stories that connect in surprising ways. However, it takes more than clever writing to make a good book, and this is one that I didn't enjoy.

One problem is just that this isn't really the time travel science fiction story that I expected. I can't say too much about this without spoiling things, but I think this is a book that will appeal more to literary fiction readers than science fiction/fantasy readers.

If that were the only issue, I would put it down to either inadequate marketing, or my own misunderstanding, and leave it at that. However, there are other problems with the book. The writing style relies too heavily on long, expository passages. The first hundred and fifty pages are a slog, although it does get somewhat better after that. The characters are unlikeable; there wasn't one character that I could truly say I liked or admired, and a few that I outright disliked.

The thing that bothered me the most, though, was the misogyny that permeated the book. Women are objectified and treated with contempt, by the narrator as well as the male characters. The few female characters are portrayed as frigid, empty-headed, or incredibly gullible.

There are two "romances" in the book. The first one involves a wealthy young man who, after seeing a portrait of a Whitechapel prostitute, becomes obsessed with her, stalks her, and pays for her services. And this is the foundation on which their romance is built. Do prostitutes really fall in love with their clients? Pretty Woman aside, I don't think it's credible.

I don't want to spoil anything, but it probably won't come as a surprise to anyone that this woman falls victim to Jack the Ripper. When her "beloved" is offered the opportunity to go back in time and save her from the Ripper, it never occurs to him to go back a little further and save her friends who were also killed by the Ripper. For that matter, it never occurs to him to go back even further and save her from becoming a prostitute in the first place. Of course not, because his own happiness is the important thing and the woman is just an object serving that purpose.

The other romance in this book involves a man concocting an elaborate lie (involving time travel, of course) to get a young woman into bed. When she seems about to acquiesce, he feels a little bad, but then reassures himself that she's only "getting what she deserved." Um, really? This sounds more like a foundation for rape, not romance.

I understand what Palma was trying to do in this book: in the letter from the author at the beginning of the ARC he talks about immersing himself in the Victorian era. Palma was trying to channel the Victorian writers and write from their perspective. However, while he may have emulated their style, I don't think that he has the skill of a Dickens or Wells or Stoker, and even with the biases of earlier centuries, none of those writers wrote with such a misogynistic point of view. By coincidence, the last book I read before reading The Map of Time was Bram Stoker's Dracula, which plays a part in The Map of Time. In Dracula, Mina is actually quite a heroic character, and while the men in the book do treat her with Victorian sensibilities — there's much talk about protecting her, for example — it's clear that they also respect her.

I've read some glowing reviews of this book, so not everyone shares my opinion.

Content advisory: sexual content and graphic descriptions of Jack the Ripper's murders.

Buy The Map of Time from:
Amazon.com
Your local independent bookseller through IndieBound
Barnes & Noble

FTC required disclosure: Reviewed from ARC. Review copy provided by the publisher to enable me to write this review. Some of the bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

What's your favorite fantasy world?

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:23:51 PDT

Underland Press is inviting readers to nominate their favorite secondary worlds for possible inclusion in their forthcoming book, If You Lived Here: The Top 30 All Time Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Worlds. Some of my favorite science fiction and fantasy books are those that take you on a trip of the imagination to elsewhere. There's so many great science fiction and fantasy worlds; which ones will you nominate? Click here to submit your nominations. My only complaint is that the nomination form only has space for three nominations. I don't know that I can pick only three!

Harry Potter Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:40:08 PDT

A few weeks ago, when we were in New York City for Book Expo America, we went to see the Harry Potter exhibit at Discovery Times Square. This is a wonderful exhibit of props, costumes, and set pieces from all of the movies, and I highly recommend it to any Harry Potter fans. Even if you aren't a fan of the movies (I've never liked them as much as the books) it's still a wonderful experience to see real-life versions of all the amazing things from the books: the Fat Lady, the Sword of Gryffindor, the horcruxes, even Dobby and Kreacher.

The exhibit is organized into thematic groupings, such as Quidditch, the common room, and the various classes such as Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions. You can see the Marauders' Map and try to puzzle out the margin notes in the Half-Blood Prince's potions book. There are even a few interactive areas where you can sit in Hagrid's chair (it's big!), throw a Quaffle, and pull up mandrakes.

The exhibit runs through September 5 and advance tickets are recommended.

Harry Potter Exhibition information

Buy Tickets

Canadian Prix Aurora Awards Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:44:47 PDT

Last month, the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association announced the finalists for the Prix Aurora Awards for the English language awards:

www.prixaurorawards.ca/wordpress/

(Thanks to nominated author Craig Russell for the news)

The Fellowship of the Rings Extended Edition in Theaters Tonight!

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:09:21 PDT

See The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition in theaters for one night only TONIGHT, June 14! The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers will show on June 21, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on June 28.

From the press release:

The events will begin with a new and personal introduction for each film from The Lord of the Rings™ director Peter Jackson captured from the set of his current film, and The Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit, and will be immediately followed by the Extended Edition feature presentations which altogether include nearly three hours of additional feature footage carefully selected by Peter Jackson.

For more information and to purchase tickets:
http://ping.fm/6Ulqh

Book Review: Rot & Ruin

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 13:52:34 PDT

Rot & Ruin
by Jonathan Maberry

Benny Imura was just a toddler on First Night, when the world fell to the zombies, but he has flashes of memory from that night. He remembers his half-brother Tom taking him and running away, leaving his mother behind to become one of the walking dead. Because of this, Benny knows that Tom is a coward, even if other people think he's some bad-ass zombie hunter. Benny refuses to apprentice with Tom, even though he has to find a job by the time he turns fifteen, or his rations will be cut in half. Finally, jobless on the eve of his fifteenth birthday, Benny has no choice but to ask Tom to take him on as an apprentice zombie hunter. But when Tom takes Benny on his first trip into the Rot & Ruin, the zombie-infested world outside the walls of the town, Benny begins to learn that things are not as simple as he expected. For who can make sense of a world where heroes become monsters and monsters turn out to be human?

I'm not all that interested in zombies, and when this book was nominated for the Cybils award, I resisted reading it initially. But when several of my fellow Cybils panelists not only added it to their working shortlists, but actively pushed for it, I had to read it. I was glad that I did!

Rot & Ruin is not only an action-packed story with suspenseful scenes that will keep you reading late into the night, but it also has depth and character development. The heart of the story is Benny's developing relationship with Tom, and coming to terms with the past and the present. Even killing zoms is not as simple as it seems; Benny learns from Tom to recognize that they once were human, with loved ones who might mourn them still. As often is the case in horror, the real monsters are not the zombies, but the humans.

On its surface, Rot & Ruin is a zombie novel, but it's really much more than that. At it's heart it's a Western, with some Samurai mythos added for good measure. (But then, there are close ties between Westerns and Samurai movies, anyway). In one scene where Tom steps into a confrontation, I swear I could hear the music from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in my head.

There's an ethnic diversity in this book that feels genuine, not forced. Of course the survivors of a diverse nation would be diverse, and the population of the town of Mountainside reflects that. Benny himself is half Japanese, and his half-brother Tom is a full Japanese-American. (Tom and Benny share a father but have different mothers). Tom is a hot guy, a deadly fighter, and yet sensitive too, which makes a welcome change from the frequent stereotypes.

With a couple of strong female characters, and a credible teen romance (from a guy's point of view), Rot & Ruin has something for everyone.

Rot & Ruin was the 2010 Cybils Winner for Teen Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Buy Rot & Ruin from:
Amazon.com
Your local independent bookseller through IndieBound
Audio book from audible.com
Barnes & Noble

The sequel to Rot & Ruin, called Dust & Decay, will be published August 30.

Preorder Dust & Decay from Amazon.com

Preorder Dust & Decay from Your local independent bookseller through IndieBound

Preorder Dust & Decay from Barnes & Noble

Reviewed from library copy. FTC required disclosure: The bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

Book Review: Thirteen Days to Midnight

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 14:10:43 PDT

Thirteen Days to Midnight
by Patrick Carman

Jacob Fielding can’t die. He can’t even suffer injury. His foster father transferred this amazing power to him just before they crashed into a tree, killing Mr. Fielding instantly. But while being indestructible sounds great, it has a darker side, as Jacob and his friends Milo and Oh (short for Ophelia) discover as they try to understand the power, then use it to help people. Death can’t be defeated; put on hold it lies in wait. And the three teens find that there is a terrible price to pay for trying.

Patrick Carman has a knack for writing gripping stories with lots of teen appeal. The straightforward writing style, combined with a dark and creepy story and credible teen characters, should make this a win with reluctant readers. Yet there’s enough depth and character development to also appeal to good readers who enjoy a creepy story. I like that Jacob, the narrator, is just an ordinary teen boy who does the kinds of things that teens do, like trying to impress the girl. Mr. Fielding never explained the power to Jacob, and as the three friends struggle to understand the “black lion,” as they call the power, they make mistakes that they will have to pay for in the end.

Thirteen Days to Midnight was a 2010 Cybils nominee in the Fantasy & Science Fiction—Teen category.

Buy Thirteen Days to Midnight from:

Amazon.com
Your local independent bookseller through IndieBound
Audio book from audible.com
Barnes & Noble

FTC required disclosure: Review copy provided by the publisher to enable me to write this review. The bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

Book Review: Firebrand

noreply@blogger.com (Sheila Ruth) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 06:00:01 PDT

Firebrand
by Gillian Philip

Seth is the bastard sun of the dun captain Griogar. His father barely acknowledges his existence, and most of the people in the dun revile and torment him, when they aren't ignoring him. But when his older half-brother Conal takes him under his wing, the two form a special bond. So when Conal is exiled to the full-mortal realm, of course Seth goes with him.

Seth and Conal are Sithe, and have the ability to speak mind-to-mind. Sithe also live extremely long lives, but they aren't immortal and can die on the point of a sword—or in a fire. And in the late 16th century, full mortals consider Sithe abilities to be witchcraft, and witches are burned at the stake. Can Seth and Conal survive long enough to live out the term of their exile and return to their own world?

Firebrand is an exciting story driven by a strong narrative voice that leaps off the page. Seth is an interesting character: stubborn, arrogant, and temperamental, yet redeemed by an abiding loyalty to his brother. Although initially he appears to care about no one but himself, he grows through his love and loyalty to Conal, and he shows a deep ability to care in spite of his prickly exterior. Gillian Philip did an amazing job of creating a narrator who should be unlikeable, but whom we can’t help but begin to like and care about.

The plot is exciting, with enough action to keep the pages turning. In fact, it leaps right into the action as Conal is about to be burned at the stake, then much of the book is a flashback that shows how they got to that point. There’s also plenty of political intrigue, and romance as well.

Firebrand appears to be primarily only available in the UK at this time. I was lucky enough to receive a review copy as a Cybils panelist. There are some copies available on Amazon Marketplace, but other than that, readers in the US may have difficulty finding copies. I hope that this excellent fantasy series will be available in a US edition before too long.

Firebrand was a 2010 Cybils nominee in the Fantasy & Science Fiction—Teen category.

Firebrand on Amazon.com (try the used and new link)

Firebrand on Amazon UK

FTC required disclosure: Review copy provided by the publisher to enable me to write this review. Some of the bookstore links above are affiliate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.