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Book Review: The Clone Codes

The Clone Codes
by Patricia C. McKissack, Frederick L. McKissack, and John McKissack

I wanted to like this book. I'm always on the lookout for good young adult science fiction, and this looked perfect: a future where clones are created as servants, with safeguards and restrictions genetically built in to make them the perfect slaves. Thirteen-year-old Leanna grows up believing that clones are less than human, until her mother is arrested for being part of the radical Liberty Bell movement that is working to prove that clones are equal and should be free.

This is the kind of thing that science fiction does so well: explore sociological themes in a subtle way that can open us up to thinking about our own society in a new way. However, this book has all the subtlety of a brick wall. From the opening scene, in which Leanna is participating through school in a virtual re-enactment of an Underground Railroad escape led by Harriet Tubman, it's clear that this book is intended to teach, both about history and about the evils of slavery. This is not science fiction; it's a lesson that's not very cleverly disguised as science fiction.

It's not even very well written, which surprised me since the authors (at least, two of the three of them) have won multiple major awards. The writing style is choppy, the story and character development simplistic, and there's an awful lot of "telling" when there should be "showing." There are multiple plot inconsistencies. Minor ones, to be sure, but it was enough to annoy me. I don't understand how such acclaimed authors could have written such a book, but when I look at their bio, apparently their other books have been non-fiction. I guess that there must be a big enough difference between non-fiction writing and fiction writing -- science fiction in particular -- that skill in one area doesn't necessarily translate into skill in the other. I did wonder whether the short sentences and simplistic plot were intended to address those with reading challenges, however the press materials that Scholastic sent don't say that, and I think even kids with reading challenges will spot the too-obvious lessons in this book.

I don't normally post a review when I can't say anything good about a book. I figure that every author pours their heart and soul into a book, and no author deserves to have their work publicly trashed. If I can't find enough good to say about a book, I usually decline to review it, which I guess makes my reviews more recommendations than reviews.

However, there were a couple of things that annoyed me enough about this book to make me want to post this. The first is the apparent assumption that science fiction is easy to write, and any writer can jump on board and write science fiction. I have spent my life reading science fiction and fantasy, starting in elementary school. I took a college lit class on science fiction. I've studied YA fantasy and science fiction pretty intensely over the last several years in my roles as both blogger and publisher focusing on the genre. And I can tell you that there's nothing easy about writing science fiction. It's probably one of the hardest genres to write well. You have to have all the literary skills required to write any fiction, but in addition you have to have believable world-building and credible science. You have to develop characters that may be very different from us, such as non-human species or genetically modified clones, and yet make it possible for the human reader to understand and identify with them. If you include sociological themes, you have to do it in a subtle, thought-provoking way, and not hit the reader over the head. Books like The Clone Codes are just disrespectful to the genre.

The other thing that annoys me is that I feel that this book wouldn't have been published if the authors hadn't been award-winning, well-known authors. If this book had come in the slush pile, an editor wouldn't have gotten past the first page. With the limited number of books being published, that this one was published means that another book, maybe more well-deserving but with an unknown author, was not.

FTC required disclosure: I received a review copy of The Clone Codes from the publisher. The Amazon.com links above are Amazon Associate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

Book Review: The King Commands

The King Commands
Tales of the Borderlands Book Two
by Meg Burden

Ellin Fisher has made the Northlands her home. When she first came to the Northlands she hated the cold, bleak land, but she has come to see the beauty in it, too. And since the death of her father and the events of the previous year, King Alaric and his four brothers are the closest thing to family that she has.

But although King Alaric has repealed most of the laws restricting the Southlanders, changing the laws doesn't change the way people feel, and Ellin continues to encounter prejudice and growing unrest against the Southlanders. Then a death - and a betrayal - force her to leave her adopted home and return to the Southlands. The situation there is even worse than when she left, as the Guardians crack down even more against people with powers like Ellin's. The situation seems hopeless as Ellin, not welcome in either of the lands she loves, seeks to find a way to heal and reconcile both of them.

The King Commands is a worthy successor to Northlander, as rich and compulsively readable as the first book. It's a well-crafted, character-driven novel with a well-paced, exciting plot as well. As with Northlander, The King Commands continues to surprise the reader with unexpected plot twists, some of which I saw coming, and others I didn't. Meg Burden excels at starting with what appears to be a standard fantasy element and taking it in new directions.

Ellin is a great character; she's likeable but flawed in the way that good characters should be flawed. She sometimes makes bad decisions, and, as in the first book, one of her biggest mistakes is in not confiding in those closest to her. If she had done that, it would have avoided some of the problems (and there wouldn't have been a story). The other characters are well-developed also, including young King Alaric and his four brothers. Each of the brothers has a distinctive and thoroughly developed personality, even the twins.

There is romance in this book, although at this stage it's mostly romance of the unrequited type, with a couple of different love triangles coming into play. This is not fairy-tale romance but developed in a way that recognizes the complexity of human emotions, particularly when it comes to love.

Some of the plot elements are left unresolved for the next book, although the book is not a cliffhanger and does come to a conclusion. There are also some new and intriguing elements introduced at the end, which give hints about where book 3 is likely to go. Although, knowing Meg Burden, I'm sure there will be some surprises in store as well.

Northlander was a 2007 Cybils Fantasy & Science Fiction finalist.

Read my review of Northlander.

The King Commands will be published on April 12, 2010.

I received a review copy of The King Commands from the publisher. The Amazon.com links above are Amazon Associate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

A Wish After Midnight - new edition

Last year, I reviewed a great book called A Wish After Midnight, by Zetta Elliott, about a 15-year-old African-American girl living Brooklyn who travels back in time to Civil War era Brooklyn. At the time, Elliott had published the book independently, but it has since been picked up by the Amazon Encore program. The Amazon Encore edition is available today, with a beautiful new cover. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it.

Read my review of A Wish After Midnight

View the new Amazon Encore edition of A Wish After Midnight

Book Review: Bones of Faerie

Bones of Faerie
by Janni Lee Simner

The war with Faerie ended before Liza was born, but every day she lives with the consequences. As if living in a world where plants attack and kill, and crops resist being harvested, isn't reminder enough, her father never lets her forget for a minute that magic is evil and constant vigilance is required. When Liza's sister is born with clear hair, a sign of magic, her father leaves her on a hillside to die. But when Liza discovers that she also has magic, knowing that her father will kill her, she runs away before her father can find out.

Liza and Matthew, a boy from the village, find their way to another town, where they learn that not everyone lives the way they do, and that magic has the potential to help as well as harm. When Liza discovers that her mother is in danger, she and Matthew set off to find and rescue her. Along the way, they learn that the truth of the war is more complex than they were taught, and that war has consequences for both sides.

Bones of Faerie is a highly original and engrossing book. The world building is rich and creative. This very unusual post-apocalyptic world is brought to life by the beautiful writing, with just enough detail to make it vivid, but not too much detail to slow down the pace of the book. The characters are likewise well-developed and sympathetic. In a time when there's no shortage of books about Faeirie, Bones of Faerie is a real standout that should be at the top of your list.

Bones of Faeirie was a 2009 Cybils nominee.

Book borrowed from the library. The Amazon.com links above are Amazon Associate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links.

Book Review: The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction

The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction
Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology
Edited by Gordon Van Gelder

I cut my teeth at a young age on short science fiction, reading classic SFF stories in anthologies and in my father's old magazines. So when I was offered a review copy of The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology, I jumped at the opportunity.

The anthology contains over two dozen stories drawn from throughout the sixty years of the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, more commonly referred to as just F&SF. The list of writers collected in this anthology reads like a who's who of the genre, including Ray Bradbury, Theodore Sturgeon, Kurt Vonnegut, Roger Zelazny, Philip K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, James Tiptree, Jr., Damon Knight, Stephen King, Ursula K. Le Guin, Neil Gaiman, Peter S. Beagle, and many more.

Unfortunately, I found that I didn't enjoy the anthology as much as I had anticipated. I think that was more an issue of taste than anything else; certainly most of the stories were excellent stories by top-notch authors. But I found the majority of them to be a little too strange and oddly depressing for my taste. Other people who enjoy that type of story will most likely appreciate this anthology.

There were some stories in the anthology that I did enjoy. It was great to revisit old favorites such as "Flowers for Algernon," by Daniel Keyes, which I read as a child and which was probably the first story to make me cry. I was happy to rediscover "All Summer in a Day," by Ray Bradbury, which made a big impression on me as a child, and which I've remembered all this time, but couldn't remember the title or who wrote it.

There were also several new-to-me stories that I greatly enjoyed. My favorite in the anthology was probably "Solitude," by Ursula K. Le Guin, in which she does what she excels at better than any science fiction writer I know of: create a culture so different from our own as to be incomprehensible, and then make it completely understandable to the reader, in this case from the point of view of a child who grew up helping her ethnologist mother study the culture, and who comes to identify with it more than with her own. I also loved "Two Hearts," by Peter S. Beagle, in which he revisits the world of The Last Unicorn. I remember reading and loving that book many years ago, but I have to confess that I don't remember it all. Yet not remembering the book didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story. The last story in the anthology was another new favorite for me: "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate," by Ted Chiang, which reads like a middle-eastern folktale and is an unusual and moving look at how time-travel can affect individual lives.

Several of the stories are fairly disturbing, and at least one of them has explicit sex, so I would recommend this for mature teens and adults.

Disclaimers: I received a review copy from the publisher. The Amazon links above are Amazon Associate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

January Carnival of Children's Lit

The January, 2010 Carnival of Children's Literature is up at Jenny's Wonderland of Books. The theme is "Winter Wonderland," but not all posts relate to the theme. It looks like an interesting bunch of posts. Personally, I think I'm going to have to check out the "Secret of the Puking Penguins" book; it sounds fascinating! Thanks to Jenny for all her hard work putting this together!

If you aren't familiar with blog carnivals, they're a monthly roundup of posts that generally rotates from blog to blog. It's a great way to see what people have been posting about recently, learn about new books, and find great new blogs to follow. Anastasia Suen has a great page with information about the Carnival of Children's Literature, including the 2010 schedule. The February Carnival will be hosted at Whispers of Dawn.

Marian, Madame Librarian

My son is currently performing in the Children's Theatre of Annapolis production of the Meredith Wilson musical The Music Man, and Nick and I are working tech for the show. Today, we did two school shows; several schools brought students in on busses to see the show. As the curtain opened on the library scene for the song, "Marian the Librarian," it occurred to me that although the musical was written in the 1950s, and set in 1912, the set would be instantly recognizable to the kids in the audience as a library. The shelves with books, the checkout desk, the tables for reading: all these things look pretty much like a library today, with only the notable absence of computers and videos as the primary difference. (Although the sets were created by modern people, who may have brought 2009/2010 sensibility to their creation, presumably they were created with an eye towards authenticity.)

That then started me thinking, will kids 20 years from now be able to recognize it as a library as easily? What will a library look like 20 years from now? Will it even have shelves of books? (I personally think it will, although if current trends are any indication, the section of the library devoted to shelves of books may shrink).

Will it have a checkout desk? It actually may not. My library already has self-checkout, and my grocery store allows me to pick up a scanner at the entry and scan and bag my groceries as I move through the store. It's not hard to imagine that in 20 years, or even much less, libraries will have some kind of auto-checkout that will take place when you walk out the door, using RFID codes in the books and in your library card.

Will the library of the future have tables and chairs for sitting? I think it probably will. I like to think that the library of the future will still be a gathering place and a study place and a research place, and maybe even a reading place, all of which are activities that encourage the use of tables and chairs.

What about you? What do you think the library of the future will look like?

Cybils 2009 Finalists: Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction

I served on the Cybils Round 1 panel for young adult fantasy and science fiction. We had 134 books nominated for the young adult half of the category alone, and the majority of them were excellent books. My committee had a hard time narrowing it down to only 7 finalists, but in the end, I think we have a great shortlist:

Candor
by Pam Bachorz
Egmont USA
Nominated by: Chelsea Campbell

Oscar Banks has fooled the town of Candor, Florida, into thinking he's the perfect son.  Even his father, the town's founder, believes that the subliminal messages he invented and that are carried by ever-present music, have brainwashed Oscar into becoming one more "good kid" among many. Oscar, though, knows about the messages and has trained himself to resist.

First-time author Pam Bachorz has created a book that perfectly snares what every teen both fears -- to lose his/her identity and be part of the bland crowd.  Oscar may be selfish, but his motivations are sincere and natural based on the tragedies that have happened to his family.  Good science-fiction for young adults is scarce--SF is more than spaceships and lasers, it is how technology could be used to help or harm humanity--and Barchorz's book will linger long in the minds of readers.  They'll wonder what they would do if they ever found themselves in Candor.
--Steve Berman

Demon's Lexicon, The
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Nick Jessee

Brothers Nick and Alan have been living on the run for years, hunted by magicians trying to take back their mother.  But while the brothers'relationship is front and center, the story truly belongs to Nick, the ultimate bad boy barely managed his whole life by his nicer brother. Nick should be unsympathetic, but instead Sarah Rees Brennan manages to make his lack of self-awareness achingly riveting.  And in doing so she gives us one of the most memorable, fully realized characters in YA contemporary fantasy--and then she surrounds him with a slew of other memorable characters in an equally intriguing and unforgettable world. The jury simply couldn't put this book down, not until we reached its satisfying and surprising ending.  A thrilling read--this debut novel goes off like fireworks.
--Gwenda Bond

Dust of 100 Dogs, The
by A.S. King
Flux
Nominated by: Lisa McMann

It starts with the death of Emer Morrisey, famed female pirate, who is cursed to live the life of 100 dogs.  When Emer is reborn as Saffron Adams, completely aware of her past lives, all Saffron can think is how fast she can get to Jamaica to rightfully reclaim her buried treasure. Dust is a novel that interweaves not one but three storylines that work to create one amazing story.  King's ability to tell a story in three distinctive and controversial voices is what truly makes Dust a novel that will push the boundaries of what YA fiction can accomplish. 
--Samantha Wheat

Fire
by Kristin Cashore
Dial
Nominated by: Jenny Moss

Fire is a human monster and the last of her kind. With the ability to control the minds of those around them, monsters inspire an uncomfortable (at times deadly) mixture of fear, hatred, and absolute longing in the people of the Dells. When her service is requested on behalf of the young King Nash, Fire is thrust into a mounting war and forced to reconcile her questionable abilities with her own demanding conscience.  A first-rate high fantasy, Fire is at once subtle,thoughtful and throbbing with genuine emotion.  The novel is peopled with a breathtakingly real cast of characters who wrestle with the thorny issues of gender, power, race, friendship, violence and family.  Kristin Cashore’s gorgeous, understated writing weaves a complex, vivid world around them and the reader, making Fire an intensely gripping and nuanced read and one of the year’s finest.
--Angie Thompson

Lips Touch
by Laini Taylor
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Jolie Stekly

In Lips Touch, Laini Taylor takes on that most daunting of tasks--reinventing the fairy tale--and succeeds brilliantly. Each story feels like a fresh new tale, and yet still holds the timeless haunting enchantment and wonder of all the best fairy tales.  Every story is a self-contained gem, and centers around the danger, power and wonder of that most magical moment--the kiss.  These stories are complemented by Jim Di Bartolo’s luminous art, adding another vivid dimension to the magic of the book.  In Goblin Fruit, Kizzy is so consumed by longingthat she is drawn into a kiss whose price may be more than she can afford to pay.  In Spicy Little Curses Such as These, Anamique, cursed at birth to kill with the sound of her voice, must decide if love is worth risking everything for.  And in Hatchling, Esme learns the shocking secret of her mother’s past and her own true identity. Taylor’s language is beautiful, lush and rich, and demands to be read slowly so that every word can be savored.  Lips Touch is like goblinfruit, tantalizing and delicious, each taste leaving the reader desperately hungry for more.
--Nettle

Sacred Scars (A Resurrection of Magic, Book 2)
by Kathleen Duey
Atheneum
Nominated by: Jenn R

As with its predecessor, Skin Hunger, Sacred Scars tells two stories,separated by many years and yet linked together.  The story of the founding of the Limori Academy of magic--and a tragic yet resilient young woman named Sadima--connects in surprising ways with the parallel story of Hahp and his fellow students at the Academy generations later.  The attention to detail is amazing, and the characters real and poignant.  Sacred Scars is deep, dark and intense,and immersive in a way that lingers in the mind long after turning the final page.
--Sheila Ruth

Tiger Moon
by Antonia Michaelis
Amulet
Nominated by: Carolyn Dooman

Set in the 1900’s, Tiger Moon is a lyrical South Asian fairytale which invites readers to a front row seat with a masterful storyteller.Colonial history, Hindu religion and mythology all play their part in this sweeping tale narrated by Raka, a new bride who is waiting for her execution at the hands of her husband.  Like the Arabian Nights tales, Raka’s sweeping epic is told to pass the time, and includes elements of the fantastic and the realistic, relying on a talking tiger, a 16-year-old thief "with a conscience" and the kidnapped daughter of the god, Krishna, to explore themes of fate, change and free will.  Translated from German, and described as both "playful" and "magical" by our panelists, Tiger Moon offers readers a chance to indulge in the richness of a different culture and go beyond the boundaries of the ordinary.
--Tanita S. Davis

See the finalists in all the categories on the Cybils site.

A big thank you to my fellow committee members. I had a blast serving on the committee with you, discussing everything from teen appeal to inclusiveness, and arguing the merits of our favorite books. We mostly avoided the bloodbath that we'd feared, but I think we needed an arena to hash out the Girl in the Arena discussions alone. You are a terrific, intelligent, fun group of people, and I hope that we can all get together in a café sometime and chat about books and life!

These were the committee members for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction:
Steve Berman, Guys Lit Wire
Gwenda Bond, Shaken & Stirred
Tanita S. Davis, Finding Wonderland
Nettle, The Muse, Amused
Sheila Ruth (that's me)
Angie Thompson, Angieville
Samantha Wheat, Twisted Quill

Now the books are in the hands of the Round 2 panelists, who have the difficult job of choosing a winner in each category. Winners will be announced on February 14 and will be posted on the Cybils blog.

Cybils Finalists: Middle-Grade Fantasy & Science Fiction

I'm probably the last person to post these, but in case you missed them, here's the fabulous list of Middle-Grade finalists in the Fantasy & Science Fiction category:

11 Birthdays
by Wendy Mass
Scholastic
Nominated by: Maggi Idzikowski

Amanda's 11th birthday is the worst ever, and when she wakes up the next morning, she discovers that she and her ex-friend Leo are doomed to repeat the same day over and over--and over!  Amanda and Leo's attempts to live the day the "right" way to break the spell are funny, entertaining, and absolutely believable, whether they are ditching school or auditioning for a rock band.  This is a deliciously fresh look at how making small changes in your life--or even in one day--can have big consequences, both ordinary and magical.
--Eva Mitnick

Dreamdark: Silksinger (Faeries of Dreamdark)
by Laini Taylor
Putnam Juvenile
Nominated by: Melissa

The Dreamdark series, by National Book Award nominee Laini Taylor, opens a window on a world of fierce winged faeries determined to restore their race to its former glory.  In Silksinger, Maggie Windwitch, Whisper Silksinger and their motley allies are driven to reach beyond their abilities to guard the sleeping Djinn Azazel from a host of conniving characters and gruesome devils.  On panoramic display in Silksinger are Taylor’s gifts for rich language and imagery, suspenseful plotting, and intricate world-building.  Even as readers thrill with vertigo while flying alongside Maggie and her crow brothers, they will feel secure in this master storyteller’s hands.
--Brian Jung

Farwalker's Quest, The
by Joni Sensel
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Joan Stradling

Ariel finds a telling dart, an artifact that hasn't been in use for hundreds of years and carries a message that only a specific recipient can read.  That sends her on an adventure to see who could have sent such a message and why this messaging system has started back up.  Farwalker's Quest takes readers on a journey that is filled with many thoroughly developed characters.  Joni Sensel weaves an enchanting story that is easily remembered by readers long after the story is done.
--Cindy Hannikman

Odd and the Frost Giants
by Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Susan the Librarian Pirate

In a village in ancient Norway, winter isn’t ending, and when Odd--a fatherless boy with an injured leg and an infuriating smile--encounters a fox, a bear, and an eagle in the forest, he finds out why.  The animals are gods exiled from the city of Asgard by a Frost Giant, and Odd takes on the task of defeating him.  How he does so is surprising and satisfying, one of many lasting pleasures in this short novel by Neil Gaiman.  We loved the inventive use of Norse mythology, the humorous bickering of the gods trapped in their animal forms, and, of course, cheerful and clever Odd himself.  It’s a story beautifully told (and illustrated, by Brett Helquist), perfect for reading alone or reading aloud: quite simply, it shines.
--Anamaria Anderson

Prince of Fenway Park, The
by Julianna Baggott
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Doret

When 12-year-old Oscar Egg discovers his dad's secret life as a half-human, half-fairy living a magical existence under Fenway Park, he decides it's his duty to break the spell that has cursed the baseball stadium.  He gets a little help from Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson, among others.  The secret and seedy underbelly of Fenway Park, with all its magical creatures wearing Red Sox caps, has a compelling atmosphere that pulls readers right into the story and has them rooting for Oscar and the Red Sox.  Not just for baseball fans, this fantasy combines Pookas, hot dogs, Banshees, and home-runs into an exciting and unusual adventure for all readers.
--Eva Mitnick

Serial Garden, The: The Complete Armitage Family Stories (Junior Library Guild Selection)
by Joan Aiken
Big Mouth House
Nominated by: Charlotte

The Serial Garden is a collection of twenty-four stories about the magical adventures of two very likable English children, Mark and Harriet Armitage. The stories are a brilliant mix of the ordinary and the fantastical--in the world of the Armitage family, the mundane concerns of English village life are mixed seamlessly with witches, druids, unicorns, enchanted gardens, and much, much more.  At times hilariously funny, at times surprisingly poignant, this book is perfect for any child or grown-up looking for delightfully extraordinary fantasy.  Aiken was a tremendously creative writer, and these stories are some of her most imaginative and skillful writing.
--Charlotte Taylor

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by Grace Lin
Little, Brown
Nominated by: EM

Prompted by her father’s fantastical stories and by an encounter with a talking goldfish, Minli sets off on a quixotic search for the Never Ending Mountain where she will ask the Old Man on the Moon to change her parents’ dreary lives.  Woven into Minli’s journey are evocative folktales, each which could stand perfectly well on its own, but which beautifully resonate when brought together within Minli’s quest.  Simply told, yet intricately developed, Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is finally a story about believing in stories and how that belief can alter ones fate.
--Brian Jung

Congratulations to the authors, illustrators, and publishers of the finalists, and a huge thank you to the dedicated panelists, who worked so hard reading & discussing the nominated books, and making the difficult choices to select this group of finalists:

Anamaria Anderson, bookstogether
Cindy Hannikman, Fantasy Book Critic
Brian Jung, Critique de Mr. Chompchomp
Eva Mitnick, Eva's Book Addiction
Charlotte Taylor, Charlotte's Library

A Peep

I'm sorry that you didn't hear so much as a peep from me in December. Between the intense reading as a panelist for the Cybils - I read 48 of the 134 nominees in the Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction category - and some unexpected personal issues that took up a lot of time, I just didn't have any extra time, and this blog is one of the things that fell by the wayside. I hope that things are getting back to normal (although I'm currently fighting a cold), so here's a peep from me, and I hope to be back to posting more frequently. I have a lot of Cybils books that I want to review, but time will tell how many I actually get posted.

Book Review: The Tomorrow Code

The Tomorrow Code
by Brian Falkner

When New Zealand teens Tane and Rebecca start receiving coded messages from the future, they realize that the world is in trouble. As they begin to decipher the code, they discover that the messages come from their future selves - and contain a worrisome SOS. Tane and Rebecca, along with Tane's brother Fatboy, frantically work to decode the messages and follow the instructions before it's too late. The three teens may be the only ones who stand between the world and disaster.

The Tomorrow Code is a highly suspenseful, exciting eco-thriller reminiscent of the work of Michael Crichton, but with better writing. It's a terrifying page-turner, with interesting, believable characters. Tane and Fatboy are Maori, and although they are in most ways modern teenagers, they are also in touch with their Maori heritage, a heritage that becomes important later in the story. The glimpses of Maori culture are interesting.

Rebecca is brilliant, the daughter of scientists. She excels at math and science, but it's interesting that she isn't always the one to solve the problems. I love the importance that the author gives to multiple intelligences, as it takes the very different skills of the three of them to solve all the problems.

The Tomorrow Code is a 2009 Cybils Fantasy/Science Fiction - teen nominee.

Edited to add: There's a lot of great information about the science, technology, geography and culture from the book, including a stunning gallery of New Zealand photos that has me dying to go there, on the Tomorrow Code web site.

Disclaimers: I received a review copy from the publisher to evaluate for the Cybils award. The Amazon links above are Amazon Associate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

Middle grade fantasy & science fiction review roundup

I've been busy these days reading YA SFF for the Cybils, and haven't had much time to read the middle grade books. If you're looking for good fantasy or science fiction for middle grade readers, Cybils panelist Charlotte has rounded up MG SFF reviews for the week on her blog, Charlotte's Library.

Cybils 2009 Nominee Widget

Tracy Grand of Jacketflap has once again created this terrific Cybils nominee widget. It rotates through the Cybils nominees and displays a different one each time the page is loaded. You can get the widget for your own blog here. The best part is that it's completely customizable! You can choose the colors and the categories that you want to display. I set mine to display the Fantasy/Science Fiction nominees, of course, and I also included the Graphic Novel nominees since some of them have SFF themes.

Book Review: Tiger Moon

Tiger Moon
by Antonia Michaelis
Translated by Anthea Bell

When Safia becomes the eighth wife of the Rajah Ahmed Mudhi, she knows that she will die. Safia's name means "virtue," but Safia is not a virgin, and when the Rajah finds out that he has been deceived, he will kill her. Luckily, the Rajah is ill right after their wedding, and Safia has a few more days to live. Like Scheherazade, Safia tells stories while she waits to die. But Safia's listener is not her husband, but a young eunuch called Lalit.

A young thief named Farhad Kamal finds a silver amulet in a lotus flower, which marks him as the hero chosen to rescue the god Krishna's daughter from the demon king Ravana, who plans to marry her at the next full moon. Farhad knows that he is no hero, but Krishna makes it clear that if Farhad doesn't succeed, he'll be reborn in his next life as a worm, and the cycle of his lives will be prolonged to infinity before achieving Nirvana. Not wanting to risk such a fate, Farhad sets off to find the magical mount promised to him by Krishna, to take him to the city at the heart of the desert of Rajasthan where Krishna's daughter is being held.

As Safia tells Lalit the story of Farhad, both of them are transformed by the story in unexpected ways. And Farhad himself just might become a hero after all.

I adore Tiger Moon! It's such a beautiful story, richly written with a folk-tale feel, yet it also has a smart, sassy voice and an almost modern sensibility that makes it really fun to read. Here's an example:

Sometimes he visited one of the great temples to pray to the gods, and as chance would have it, he usually came out again with a handful of coins from the plate left out for offerings. He had tried going into the new British church, too, but the donation boxes there were kept well locked, so he decided against converting to Christianity. The Muslims were clever and had driven him straight out of their mosque. So Farhad remained a Hindu out of what might be called his economic convictions, and on the whole he looked after himself successfully.

The writing is lovely, and Anthea Bell has done a wonderful job of translating it. The story resonates with warmth and humor. It's a poignant story of sacrifice and true heroism. And who wouldn't love Nitish, the sacred white tiger with a fear of water?

Tiger Moon is a 2009 Cybils nominee.

Tiger Moon does contain some mature content.

Disclaimers: I received a review copy from the publisher to evaluate for the Cybils award. The Amazon links above are Amazon Associate links, and I earn a very small percentage of any sales made through the links. Neither of these things influenced my review.

2009 Cybils Nominees: Fantasy/Science Fiction Teen

The following books were nominated for the 2009 Cybils in the Fantasy/Science Fiction category at the Teen level:

Soulstice (The Devouring #2)
by Simon Holt
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Melanie
Reviewed by: Nettle

Academy 7
by Anne Osterlund
Speak
Nominated by: Mia Thompson
Reviewed by: Nettle

Amaranth Enchantment, The
by Julie Berry
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Stacey (AKA Aubrey)
Reviewed by: Gwenda007

Another Faust
by Daniel And Dina Nayeri
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Finn

ArchEnemy (The Looking Glass Wars)
by Frank Beddor
Dial
Nominated by: Shannon Messenger

As You Wish
by Jackson Pearce
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Abby
Reviewed by: Nettle

Ash
by Malinda Lo
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Michelle

Ask and the Answer, The: Chaos Walking: Book Two
by Patrick Ness
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Ana
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth | Tadamack

Awakening, The (Darkest Powers, Book 2)
by Kelley Armstrong
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Aja Romano
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Backtracked
by Pedro de Alcantara
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: nikithal

Bad Girls Don't Die
by Katie Alender
Hyperion
Nominated by: Debra
Reviewed by: Nettle

Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie
by Maggie Stiefvater
Flux
Nominated by: Jill Tullo
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Betraying Season (Leland Sisters, Book 2)
by Marissa Doyle
Henry Holt
Nominated by: Shani

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, Book 4)
by Richelle Mead
Razorbill
Nominated by: Sarah Weiss
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Bloodhound (The Legend of Beka Cooper, Book 2)
by Tamora Pierce
Random House Children's Books
Nominated by: Lizzy
Reviewed by: Angiegirl | SheilaRuth | Tadamack

Blue Moon: The Immortals
by Alyson Noel
St. Martin's Griffin
Nominated by: Claudia

Bones of Faerie
by Janni Lee Simner
Random House Children's Books
Nominated by: Casey Titschinger
Reviewed by: Nettle

Brain Finds a Leg, The
by Martin Chatterton
Peachtree
Nominated by: Lesley

Caenus and The Quiver of Artemis (Of Kings And Gods: Book 1)
by Christopher S Ledbetter
Outskirts Press
Nominated by: Chris Ledbetter

Candor
by Pam Bachorz
Egmont USA
Nominated by: Chelsea Campbell

Carbon Diaries: 2015, The
by Saci Lloyd
Holiday House
Nominated by: kathleen morandini

Carpe Corpus (Morganville Vampires, Book 6)
by Rachel Caine
Signet Books
Nominated by: Sarah Simpson
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)
by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic
Nominated by: Dawn Mooney
Reviewed by: Angiegirl | SheilaRuth | Tadamack | twistedquill

City of Glass (Mortal Instruments)
by Cassandra Clare
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Jessica

Coffeehouse Angel
by Suzanne Selfors
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Elaine

Creature of the Night
by Kate Thompson
Roaring Brook
Nominated by: Laurie Schneider
Reviewed by: Nettle | Tadamack

Dark Calling (The Demonata #9)
by Darren Shan
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Gila Davidson
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Dark Visions: The Strange Power; The Possessed; The Passion
by L.J. Smith
Simon Pulse
Nominated by: Alexa Nagasue

Daughter of the Flames
by Zoë Marriott
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Stella Patel
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Dead Girl in Love: A Dead Girl Book
by Linda Joy Singleton
Flux
Nominated by: Kim Baccellia

Demon's Lexicon, The
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Nick Jessee

Dreaming Anastasia: A Novel of Love, Magic, and the Power of Dreams
by Joy Preble
Jabberwocky/Sourcebooks
Nominated by: Sara Lea
Reviewed by: Tadamack | twistedquill

Dull Boy
by Sarah Cross
Dutton Juvenile
Nominated by: R.J. Anderson

DupliKate
by Cherry Cheva
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Katie Butler

Dust of 100 Dogs, The
by A.S. King
Flux
Nominated by: Lisa McMann
Reviewed by: Tadamack | twistedquill

Eternal
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Angela Tatone

Eternal Kiss, The: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire
by
Running Press Kids
Nominated by: Jia Koutsou

Everafter, The
by Amy Huntley
Balzer + Bray
Nominated by: Karen Strong

Evermore: The Immortals
by Alyson Noel
St. Martin's Griffin
Nominated by: Claudia Chavez

Evidence of Angels
by Suza Scalora
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Suza Scalora

Eyes Like Stars: Theatre Illuminata, Act I
by Lisa Mantchev
Feiwel & Friends
Nominated by: Shelly Burns

Fade (Wake, Book 2)
by Lisa McMann
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Sarah
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Fairy Tale
by Cyn Balog
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Mandy Hubbard
Reviewed by: Nettle

Falling Bakward
by Henry Melton
Wire Rim Books
Nominated by: Benjamin Potter
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Fate
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Claire

Fire
by Kristin Cashore
Dial
Nominated by: Jenny Moss
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Firebirds Soaring: An Anthology of Original Speculative Fiction
by Nancy Springer
Firebird Books
Nominated by: Sheryl
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Forest Born (Books of Bayern)
by Shannon Hale
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Tiffany Emerick

Forest of Hands and Teeth, The
by Carrie Ryan
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Sam Musher
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth | twistedquill

Fragile Eternity
by Melissa Marr
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Susan
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Gateway to DreamWorld
by Brenda Estacio
Eloquent Books
Nominated by: Marilyn Thomas

Generation Dead: Kiss of Life
by Daniel Waters
Hyperion
Nominated by: Nora Olsen

Ghost Town
by Richard W. Jennings
Houghton Mifflin
Nominated by: Charlotte

Gifted: Out of Sight, Out of Mind
by Marilyn Kaye
Kingfisher
Nominated by: Faith
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Girl in the Arena
by Lise Haines
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Mel Robinson
Reviewed by: twistedquill

Give Up the Ghost
by Megan Crewe
Henry Holt
Nominated by: Jenny Moss

Goddess Boot Camp (Oh. My. Gods.)
by Tera Lynn Childs
Dutton Juvenile
Nominated by: Issa

Guardian Of The Darkness (Moribito)
by Nahoko Uehashi
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Sara Lewis Holmes

Half World
by Hiromi Goto
Puffin Canada
Nominated by: Sarah Olutola
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Highway to Hell (Maggie Quinn: Girl Vs Evil)
by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Dena

Hollow, The
by Jessica Verday
Simon Pulse
Nominated by: Sarah

Hunchback Assignments, The
by Arthur Slade
Wendy Lamb Books
Nominated by: rachel

Hunger: A Gone Novel
by Michael Grant
Katherine Tegen Books
Nominated by: Heather Kemp

Hunted (House of Night, Book 5)
by P. C. Cast
St. Martins Press
Nominated by: Ellen Trieu

Hush, Hush
by Becca Fitzpatrick
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Demi Tate

I Was A Teenage Alien
by Jane Greenhill
The Wild Rose Press
Nominated by: Laurie J. Edwards

Ice
by Sarah Beth Durst
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Sarah Rettger
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Immortal
by Gillian Shields
Katherine Tegen Books
Nominated by: AudryT

Intertwined (Harlequin Teen)
by Gena Showalter
Harlequin Teen
Nominated by: Em King
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
by Beth Fantaskey
Harcourt
Nominated by: Amber
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Kiss in Time, A
by Alex Flinn
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Oria
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Legacy
by Tom Sniegoski
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Leann Markus

Leviathan
by Scott Westerfeld
Simon Pulse
Nominated by: Jeff Pack

Libyrinth
by Pearl North
Tor Teen
Nominated by: Andrea

Lips Touch
by Laini Taylor
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Jolie Stekly
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Malice
by Chris Wooding
Scholastic
Nominated by: Michael
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Maze Runner, The (Maze Runner Trilogy (Hardback))
by James Dashner
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Heather

Meridian
by Amber Kizer
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Sara Grochowski

Midnight Charter, The
by David Whitley
Roaring Brook
Nominated by: Kathleen Jones
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Mirrorscape (Mirrorscape Trilogy (Hardback))
by Mike Wilks
Egmont USA
Nominated by: Maya McQueen
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Monstrumologist, The
by Rick Yancey
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Nettle

My Fair Godmother
by Janette Rallison
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Stacey (AKA Aubrey)

My Soul to Take (Harlequin Teen)
by Rachel Vincent
Harlequin Teen
Nominated by: Tez Miller
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Need
by Carrie Jones
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Kate Messner
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Never Slow Dance with a Zombie
by E. Van Lowe
Tor Teen
Nominated by: Melissa K.

Night Runner: A Novel
by Max Turner
St. Martin's Griffin
Nominated by: Bri Meets Books

Novel Of The Titanic, A (Distant Waves)
by Suzanne Weyn
Scholastic
Nominated by: Vikki VanSickle

Once a Princess (Sasharia En Garde)
by Sherwood Smith
Samhain Publishing
Nominated by: Heather Zundel

Once a Witch
by Carolyn MacCullough
Clarion Books
Nominated by: Raina

Pace, The
by Shelena Shorts
Lands Atlantic Publishing, LLC
Nominated by: Valerie

Pastworld
by Ian Beck
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: elaina

Prada and Prejudice
by Mandy Hubbard
Razorbill
Nominated by: Cyn Balog

Princess and the Bear, The
by Mette Ivie Harrison
HarperTeen
Nominated by: melissa

Princess of the Midnight Ball
by Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: melissa
Reviewed by: Nettle | SheilaRuth

Prism
by Faye Kellerman
HarperCollins
Nominated by: patricia

Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy, Book I)
by Michelle Zink
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Sarah Ockler
Reviewed by: Nettle

Radiant Darkness
by Emily Whitman
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: jone

Rampant
by Diana Peterfreund
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Samantha
Reviewed by: Angiegirl

Ruined: A Novel
by Paula Morris
Point
Nominated by: Brooke

Sacred Scars (A Resurrection of Magic, Book 2)
by Kathleen Duey
Atheneum
Nominated by: Jenn R
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Sea Change
by Aimee Friedman
Point
Nominated by: Sarah Weiss

Second Skin
by Jessica Wollman
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: marybeth

Serendipity Market
by Penny Blubaugh
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Caitlin Rourke

Shadow on the Stones (The Sacred Stones)
by Moyra Caldecott
Tricycle Press
Nominated by: Laura Mancuso

Shadowed Summer
by Saundra Mitchell
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Erin Dionne
Reviewed by: Nettle

Shimmer
by Dallas Reed
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Devorah

Shiver
by Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic
Nominated by: Jeni Bell
Reviewed by: Angiegirl | twistedquill

Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
by Cindy Pon
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: Angie Frazier

Singing, The: The Fourth Book of Pellinor (Pellinor Series)
by Alison Croggon
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Emily Pate

Siren, The
by Kiera Cass
iUniverse
Nominated by: Samantha Clanton

Snap
by Carol Snow
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Christina

Son of the Great River
by Elijah Meeks
Booklocker
Nominated by: Sarah Sammis

Sorceress, The (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)
by Michael Scott
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Kristine Michael

Soul Enchilada
by David Macinnis Gill
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: cindy

Soulless
by Christopher Golden
MTV
Nominated by: Little Willow
Reviewed by: Nettle

Splendor Falls, The
by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Liz

Starfire Angels
by Melanie Nilles
Prairie Star Publishing
Nominated by: Melanie Nilles

Stealing Death
by Janet Lee Carey
Egmont USA
Nominated by: Erin McIntosh

Strange Angels
by Lili St. Crow
Razorbill
Nominated by: Erica
Reviewed by: Tadamack

Swoon
by Nina Malkin
Simon Pulse
Nominated by: Steph Su

Tales From Outer Suburbia
by Shaun Tan
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Liz Jones

Tear Collector, The
by Patrick Jones
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Thea

Tenth Grade Bleeds (Chronicles of Vladimir Tod)
by Heather Brewer
Dutton Juvenile
Nominated by: Jill Foltz

Thirteenth Child (Frontier Magic Book)
by Patricia C. Wrede
Scholastic
Nominated by: Marie

Tiger Moon
by Antonia Michaelis
Amulet
Nominated by: Carolyn Dooman

Tomorrow Code, The
by Brian Falkner
Random House Children's Books
Nominated by: Sarah (aquafortis)

Vampire Diaries, The: The Return: Nightfall
by L. J. Smith
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Alyssa Campbell

Van Alen Legacy, The (Blue Bloods, Book 4)
by Melissa De La Cruz
Hyperion
Nominated by: Emillie
Reviewed by: twistedquill

Waking, The: Dreams of the Dead
by Thomas Randall
Bloomsbury USA
Nominated by: Della

Walls Have Eyes, The
by Clare B. Dunkle
Ginee Seo Books
Nominated by: Laini Bostian

Watersmeet
by Ellen Jensen Abbott
Marshall Cavendish Childrens Books
Nominated by: Beth Kizer

Wings (Aprilynne Pike (Hardback))
by Aprilynne Pike
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Robin Prehn
Reviewed by: Tadamack | twistedquill

Wish After Midnight, A
by Zetta Elliott
CreateSpace
Nominated by: Colleen Mondor
Reviewed by: SheilaRuth

Wondrous Strange
by Lesley Livingston
HarperTeen
Nominated by: Barbara Etlin

Worldweavers: Cybermage
by Alma Alexander
HarperTeen
Nominated by: R.A. Deckert

Young City, The: The Unwritten Books
by James Bow
Dundurn Books
Nominated by: Erin Noteboom

Zenith
by Julie Bertagna
Walker Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Erin Bush