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But although King Alaric has repealed most of the laws restricting the Southlanders, changing the laws doesn't change the way people feel, and Ellin continues to encounter prejudice and growing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.

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.

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

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.

Bartimaeus prequel in the works!

Terrific news, from Fantasy Book Review via Charlotte's Library: Jonathan Stroud is writing a prequel to the Bartimaeus Trilogy! According to Fantasy Book Review, "The new and fourth Bartimaeus book will follow Bartimaeus’s adventures during his 5,000 year career as a djinni." I'm a little unsure how that will work out, because it's tough to write a book that spans 5000 years but still has a narrative that holds together, unless it's going to be more like a series of short stories. But I loved the trilogy, and the snarky Bartimaeus was such a great character with a unique voice, so I'm holding out hope that this will be great.

Book Review: Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse
by Kaleb Nation

Desperate to protect her son from the people chasing her, Emry Hambric sent him away, without knowing where he'd end up. And so six-year-old Bran Hambric was found one morning in a locked bank vault in the city of Dunce, with no memories and only a scrap of paper with his name written on it. Sewey Wilomas, who worked in the bank, found the boy, and under the Finders Keepers Law was obligated to keep him. So Bran became an unwelcome member of the Wilomas family.

Dunce has strict laws against magic: No Mages, No Gnomes, No etcetera. When Bran discovers that he has magic powers, he knows that he's in trouble. But Bran has bigger problems to worry about. Someone is trying to find him. And that someone might just be connected to his mother's dark past.

I wanted to like this book; I really did. According to the interview at the beginning of the Advance Reading Copy, Kaleb Nation started writing the book when he was fourteen, wrote it in six to nine months, and then spent four years completely rewriting it multiple times. Revising like that is hard enough for adult authors; someone who can do that as a teen has my admiration.

However, as much as I wanted to like it, I just couldn't find a lot to like about this book. The ideas were creative, but the execution fell flat for me. The characters were one-dimensional and clichéd and the story elements were highly derivative. The Wilomas family has a lot in common with Harry Potter's foster family, the Dursleys, and the villain, Baslyn, was just a bit too Voldemort-like. (In fact, every time he came into the story, I couldn't help picturing him as looking like Voldemort from the Harry Potter movies).

I didn't even find the humor to be all that funny, although I'm told by some young fans that Kaleb Nation is a pretty funny person. Somehow that sense of humor just didn't translate well into his writing, at least for me, and it read too much like someone trying too hard to be funny.

The first half of the book didn't hold my interest at all; the second half did improve somewhat.

I hate to write a review like this, especially when the author is a young person. I don't want to discourage any young writer, and I also don't want to discourage any of his young fans who enjoyed the book. All I can say is, if you read it and you liked it, then I'm happy for you. Everyone has different taste in books, and I'm glad for anyone who finds a book they love. This book didn't do it for me, though.

Advance Reading Copy provided by the publisher at BEA.

Book Review: The Midnight Charter

The Midnight Charter
by David Whitley

In a world ruled by commerce, two children make a trade that will alter the course of their lives. Mark is apprenticed to a doctor, and Lily to an alchemist. When the children switch roles, a trade that is allowed in the commerce-driven society of Agora, they each set themselves on an unexpected course. Although their lives take vastly different directions, their destinies intersect, and the fate of Agora lies in the balance.

Imagine a world where trade is everything. Everything has value, and nothing can be given for free. There are no gifts (except once in your life on your title day) and charity is an unknown concept. You can't even get directions without trading something in return. That's the fascinating and brilliantly envisioned world that author David Whitley has created. In Agora, the only way to survive is to trade whatever you have, and if you have nothing, you trade your services and your labor. The truly desperate can even trade away emotions, which are used like a drug by those who can afford them.

The Midnight Charter is one of the most original and creative books I've read in a long time. David Whitley has done an amazing job of world-building. I think it's a shame that the publisher has chosen to market this book as a morality tale of greed, because I think that diminishes what the author has done. The Midnight Charter is so much more than a morality tale; it's a richly developed story that asks, "What if?" in the tradition of the best science fiction. Greed is only part of the equation; The Midnight Charter looks at the opposite and balancing forces that shape a society. It's about the power of ideas to change a society -- and the social forces that will stop at nothing to maintain the status quo.

The Midnight Charter is an enjoyable read. The characters are interesting and the story holds your interest and keeps you turning the pages. I read it in the car on the way back from a trip, and read it right through almost without stopping. In a few places, certain story elements aren't as well developed as they could have been, but overall I quite enjoyed the book.

Although the book doesn't say that it's part of a series, at least not that I could find, the ending clearly sets things up for another book.

The Midnight Charter will be released tomorrow, September 1, 2009. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Book Review: The Book of Dreams

The Book of Dreams
The Chronicles of Faerie: Book 4
by O. R. Melling

Dana Faolan, half-mortal, half faerie teen, is unhappy. Recently moved to Canada from Ireland, she misses her home and blames her father for moving her away from her beloved Ireland. She hates Canada: it's a strange country, she doesn't have any friends, and worst of all, there's no magic like there is in Ireland. Her only consolation is the world of Faerie, where she can go and visit her mother, the Light-Bearer, any time. Faerie becomes an escape from reality, one that she perhaps relies on a bit too much.

Then, all the portals between the Earthworld and Faerie are severed by an unknown enemy, putting both realms in peril. If the gateways are not restored by Samhain, then the two realms will be divided forever. Only Dana can restore the gateways. Accompanied by her new friend (and possible romantic interest) Jean, a French Canadian with secrets of his own, and with help from Laurel and Gwen, two Friends of Faerie, Dana sets off on a quest to find the Book of Dreams. In the process, she just might find that there is magic everywhere, even in Canada.

The Book of Dreams is a big, beautifully written fantasy on a grand scale. In her travels, Dana encounters people of the many different cultures that make up Canada, and the story is rich with beliefs and folklore from around the world, including Irish, French-Canadian, Hindu, Christian, Chinese, and several native peoples, including Cree and Inuit.

Melling's writing is beautiful; even her many descriptions of food, from the vegetarian meals Dana's Indian stepmother cooks, to the variety of food she encounters on her journeys, make the book worth reading (and will make you hungry while reading it!)

The story is well-paced and sometimes has a mythic feel to it. The pace is a bit slower than some YA readers may be accustomed to; the battles and dangers are balanced with scenes of family and encounters with other cultures that are important to the development of the story, but which make this a more leisurely read. The pacing, combined with the length of the book, may intimidate some readers, but good readers who love richly woven stories will enjoy it, particularly those interested in folklore and other cultures.

Don't get me wrong: there is plenty of action, as well as interesting characters (I particularly liked Dana's aunts) and a hot romantic interest. There is courage, and sacrifice, and poignant moments. This is a Rocky Road ice cream kind of book, packed with lots of chewy and delicious treats.

O.R. Melling wrote the Chronicles of Faerie so that each book stands alone, and can be read independently, and yet all the books are linked. Each of the first three books in the series features a different story and a different protagonist, although characters from the other books sometimes make cameo appearances in each book. This book can also be read independently, but I think that it would be best appreciated by someone who has read the other books in the series, because it is kind of the culmination of the series, and all the characters from the other books play a part in this one.

Our 2006 interview with O.R. Melling

Read my reviews of the other Chronicles of Faerie books:
The Hunter's Moon
The Summer King
The Light-Bearer's Daughter

Review copy provided by the publisher at BEA.

Book Review: Silksinger

Silksinger
Dreamdark: Book 2
by Laini Taylor

Magpie Windwitch may have defeated the Blackbringer and convinced the Djinn King to return, but there's still plenty of work to do. Accompanied by faerie Talon Rathersting, her "brothers" the crows, and Batch the scavenger imp, 'Pie is on a quest to find the rest of the Djinn. Meanwhile, young Whisper Silksinger, the last of her clan, is traveling across the land with one of those Djinn, the Azazel, in a teapot. Pursued by devils and scorned by everyone she meets, Whisper is yet determined to get the Azazel to Nazneen and restore him to his throne. Another faerie also travels to Nazneen in disguise, determined to restore his clan's honor and become the Azazel's champion. But unknown to all of them, a darker force is also seeking the Djinn for his own purposes. If he succeeds, the world may be in peril.

Silksinger alternates between several stories and several main characters, one of whom is Magpie. I'm not a fan of books that alternate stories in this way, because for me it makes the read very disjointed; every time I get involved with one character, I find it disconcerting to have to switch perspective and adjust to a different point of view. But the story is exciting enough to keep you involved, with the action starting by page 3, and the new characters are interesting and unique.

Silksinger is a darker book than Blackbringer. That may seem unlikely, since the first book was about a hungry darkness that swallowed everything in its path, but as frightening as it was, the Blackbringer was really just immense hunger and anger, both understandable emotions. This book has cruelty, real cruelty, and that's so much more horrifying than a hungry darkness. The villain in this book is fairly cliché, but it doesn't really matter, because the real villain is the darker sides of our own nature: hatred and suspicion and cowardice and greed.

But standing against this darkness and cruelty is courage and compassion, often in the face of overwhelming odds. It's easy to accept Magpie's courage; she's such a bold and willful character and courage comes naturally to her. But some of the greatest displays of courage in this book come from some of the most unlikely characters, such as Whisper herself, who is a scamperer, a faerie who can't fly, and in many ways appears to be little more than a frightened child. Yet hidden inside this tiny, seemingly helpless faerie lies an unexpected strength and courage. And several other unlikely characters show great courage in ways I can't describe without spoiling some of the authorial surprises. This fits in with one of the themes of the book, which deals with how our preconceptions and assumptions about other people can sometimes blind us to the truth.

I was glad to see the return of Batch Hangnail, the scavenger imp. In spite of his rude, selfish, untrustworthy nature, I can't help but like him. I was a little disappointed at how some things turned out with him, but again, I can't say more without spoiling the book. I also was a little disturbed that at one point Magpie was essentially keeping him prisoner. No matter how miserable his behavior, I don't think that he deserved that, and it seemed beneath Magpie to behave in such a selfish, uncompassionate way.

The main plot of Silksinger is wrapped up by the end of the book, but some plot threads are left unresolved for future books.

As with the first book, Silksinger is greatly enhanced by the beautiful drawings created by Jim DiBartolo, Laini's husband. The illustrations bring the characters to life and add a lot to the book.

Silksinger will be published on September 17.

Read my review of Blackbringer, book 1 of Dreamdark

BEA: Interesting books part 2

My husband picked up an autographed ARC of a book called Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse, by Kaleb Nation and published by independent publisher Sourcebooks. I'd never heard of the book, but it sounded interesting and I admire Sourcebooks, so I tucked it away to look into later. Since then, I've had several people, including teens, tell me how hot it is and how lucky I am to have an ARC.

Now I'm intrigued; apparently this book has been generating some prepublication buzz. I checked his Facebook page and it has 1275 fans. I usually have my ear pretty close to the ground when it comes to YA fantasy, so it's surprising for me to discover a book that I've never heard of that's generating this kind of buzz. I haven't read this book either, so I can't recommend it, but it's certainly one that's going on my TBR pile.

Here's the publisher's description:

In a bustling metropolis where magic is outlawed, a six-year-old child is found inside a locked bank vault. A scrap of paper reveals his name: Bran Hambric. The child remembers nothing of his life before the vault. Only magic could have done this. But why would any mage risk breaking the law to place a child in a bank vault?

Eight years later the City of Dunce has forgotten about Bran. Even his foster parents don't seem to know he exists. But there are those who have been watching, biding their time, waiting to strike, people who know where Bran came from and why he was sent away. And they will do anything to get Bran back, dead or alive…

Welcome to a world unlike any other where the adventure of a lifetime is just beginning.

BEA: Interesting books part 1

I'm always on the lookout for interesting small press and self-published books, and The Soulstealer War, by W. L. Hoffman, caught my interest. I chatted with the author at BEA for quite a while, and according to him, it's an epic fantasy with SF elements, quantum physics, and philosophy.

The first book is called The First Mother's Fire, and it has cover art by Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell. You can see the cover art in this wall hanging that was hanging in the booth:

Here's a wall hanging of the map from the book.

The map was drawn by the author and it's beautiful.

I haven't read the book, so I really have no idea if it's any good, but it sounds interesting and I look forward to reading it.

Book Review: The Dragon of Trelian

The Dragon of Trelian
by Michelle Knudsen

Calen is a wizard's apprentice, a job that's not nearly as glamorous as it sounds. When hiding from his duties to watch a procession, he meets the Princess Meglynne, the third daughter of the king. Meglynne, or Meg as she prefers to be called, is quite a bit different than Calen expected a princess to be. First she startles him, almost causing him to fall out the window, then she laughs at him, and then she kicks him! But when she climbs into the window to watch the procession with him, the two form an instant friendship.

The procession marks the entrance into Trelian of Prince Ryant of Kragnir, who has come to marry Meglynne's older sister, Maerlie. After a hundred years of war between Trelian and Kragnir, the betrothal of the two young people will bring peace.

But things are about to get a lot more complicated: a terrifying creature attacks the castle, Calen and Meg discover an evil plot, and unknown to everyone but Calen, Meg is secretly bonded to a dragon, a bond which could change her or even result in her death.

I have to confess that I totally misjudged this book from the cover and description. I thought that it would be a light, amusing children's fantasy about two children and a dragon. But when I read the book, it totally blew me away. It's so much more than I expected.

The Dragon of Trelian is definitely one of my favorite books of the year so far. It's a rich fantasy with everything you could want in a book: engaging characters, humor, exciting plot, young romance, emotional impact, and depth. At first, Meg and Calen seem to be clichéd characters: the spunky princess and the clumsy apprentice. But they turn out to be so much more, and they develop and grow as the book progresses. They really start out the story as children, and end it as young adults. In some ways it reminds me of The City of Ember, in that the adults refuse to act, leaving the two young people to take matters into their own hands. Even the villains have depth and pathos, that culminates in a heart-wrenching scene at the climax.

Although the basic story is resolved, some plot threads are left open, so a sequel may be in the works.

Book Review: The Grey Ghost

The Grey Ghost
by Julie Hahnke
illustrated by Marcia Christensen

In 16th century Scotland, eleven-year-old Angus was out with the sheep when his family, members of the Macnab clan, were attacked and killed by the rival Campbell clan. The Campbells are bent on destroying all the clans and controlling the Scottish Highlands, and Angus finds himself alone in the wilderness. But when help arrives in the form of a pine marten and a goshawk, who are able to communicate mentally with Angus, he decides to take matters into his own hands and do what he can to help his clan.

The Grey Ghost is a short book that's a fairly easy read, although some of the words, including a few Scottish ones, may be challenging for some readers. The language and descriptions are lovely, without slowing down the pace of the story. The beautifully-detailed pencil sketches are an integral part of the story; they provide additional information not included in the words, and in some cases help the reader to understand what's happening.

The story is moving, as the losses Angus suffers are tragic, and there are themes of loyalty and leadership. Comic relief is provided by the goshawk, Yann, and the ever-hungry pine marten, Tethera, easily my favorite character in the story.

Angus doesn't try to take on the entire Campbell clan by himself; instead he sets out to accomplish achievable goals that, while still requiring significant risk and heroism on the part of the boy, are fairly believable. Angus is quite an appealing character. As he works towards his goals, displaying both heroism and compassion for the people of the land, Angus develops maturity, depth, and leadership that he has no idea he possesses.

With its illustrations and simple, humorous, and exciting story, I think that The Grey Ghost would be an appealing book for reluctant readers, although the language may be challenging for some. A few scenes, such as a severed head and a picture of a corpse with worms coming out of an eye socket, may be too intense for sensitive readers, although those same scenes will appeal to other readers.

Book Review: Heroes of the Valley

Heroes of the Valley
by Jonathan Stroud

Halli Sveinsson lives in an isolated valley that was colonized by twelve founders; Halli's ancestor Svein was one of them. The twelve founders divided up the valley between themselves, and proceeded to fight, bicker, and duel, until the twelve of them united to fight the Trows, evil creatures of the earth that plagued the valley. The twelve founders drove out the Trows, but died in the process, and were buried around the edge of the valley to protect it. No one leaves the valley, for fear of the Trows, and no one comes in.

Halli grew up listening to stories of the great Svein and the other heroes, and he longs to be a hero, too. But Halli is anything but heroic; he's short, cumbersome, and swarthy, and ill-fated due to his birth on Midwinter's Day. Halli seems to be always in trouble, rebelling against authority and playing tricks on his siblings. And, in addition to all of this, there's no place for heroes in a peaceful valley governed by a council of lawgivers.

When a chain of events leads to the death of a family member, Halli sets off on a journey to seek vengeance, a vengeance that is prohibited by the laws of the valley. Along the way, Halli begins to learn the truth behind the old stories, and discovers that being a hero is far different than he expected.

Heroes of the Valley is an amusing, appealing story about an underdog and the true nature of heroism. Just as he did with the Bartimaeus Trilogy, Stroud builds a society and then challenges its preconceptions. I love the way the heroes' tales included throughout the book gradually reveal the true nature of the heroes, just as Halli's adventures reveal to him the truth about his society and its founding myths.

The book is a little slow in the beginning; there's humor right from the start, but it takes a little while for the action to get going. I think the book will appeal most to strong readers who will recognize the irony woven throughout the story.

The characters are quite interesting, and often humorous. Stroud has a keen eye for human nature, and the characters in the book reveal many human foibles, and occasionally the better sides of human nature as well. Halli's friend Aud, daughter of one of the other families, is quite likable, as well as being more than a little heroic herself.

The book is marred by a climax that brings down an otherwise enjoyable book. I don't want to say too much and give anything away, but in the words of my 13-year-old son, it "...seemed to come out of nowhere." The book seems to be leading in a certain direction, and you expect that the climax will either go one way or another way, and then, bam - something completely unexpected that really doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the book. It's just...strange. I like surprises in books, but I think that the author really has to sow some seeds early in the story so that when you hit the surprise, you can look back and say, "Oh, so that's where that was going." In this case, the climax was more along the lines of, "Say what?"

Book Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Forest of Hands and Teeth
by Carrie Ryan

Mary lives surrounded by fences. Behind the fence, she and her village are safe from the Unconsecrated: those former humans who were infected with a sickness that causes them to die and return from death as less than human beings. The Unconsecrated have no intelligence and only one motivation: they crave human flesh. Mary dreams about the world outside the fence. Is there anything beyond the Forest of Hands and Teeth? Is her village the only place where humans survive? Is there any place in the world too big for the Unconsecrated to exist?

But Mary's village is strictly controlled by the Sisterhood, and the Sisters won't tolerate such romantic ideas. Life is about survival, and only adherence to the rules allows the village to survive. Nothing else matters; both love and choice have to be sacrificed to the greater good. Can Mary put aside her hopes, her dreams, and her curiosity? Can she sacrifice love to live the life the Sisters expect her to live?

Out of the most unlikely scenario - a post-apocalyptic zombie story - Carrie Ryan has created a book of depth and beauty. Although the Unconsecrated resemble movie zombies in many ways - and Carrie Ryan says that zombie movies were an inspiration - this book blows away all the cliches to create a truly human story. It's a story of love and death, of choice and the difference between surviving and living. This is a book that draws you in from the very first sentence; it has everything one could want in a book: well-developed characters, suspense, romance, excitement, and depth.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is almost unbearable to read, at times, because of the strong emotions it evokes. If you don't like books that make you feel anger or sadness or intense suspense, then this may not be the book for you. But as for me, I'm already counting it one of the best books of the year.

Book Review: Daughter of the Flames

Daughter of the Flames
by Zoë Marriott

For as long as she can remember, Zira has lived in the House of God, with the Noirin Surya, the head of the order, as a surrogate mother. Zira knows that her parents died when the Sedorne invaded Rua when Zira was a young child, but she doesn't remember anything before the House of God; it's the only home she's ever known, and she fully expects to take the oath to become a novice when she turns 16. Zira loves the martial arts, and she's quite good at them, so she hopes that when she takes the oath, she'll be assigned as a novice fighter.

But fate, or God (God is female), has other plans in store for her. Unknown to Zira, she is the only surviving member of the Rua royal family. (Don't worry, this isn't a spoiler - it's pretty much given away in the prologue). When she impulsively saves the life of a Sedorne noble - an enemy - it sets into motion a series of events that will force Zira to confront her identity and make difficult choices that will affect not only her own life, but that of her people as well.

I love female warrior characters, so when I saw that Daughter of the Flames had a warrior priestess as a main character, that, and the gorgeous cover, enticed me to read it. Daughter of the Flames is a solid, entertaining fantasy, although I felt that some of the story elements were not as well developed as the could have been. The first part of the book seems fairly standard fantasy fare, but as the story progresses, it moves beyond cliche into some interesting directions. I liked that what seems to be a logical plan, doesn't work out as anticipated, and both Rua and Sedorne don't always behave in expected ways.

I liked Zira as a character in the first and last parts of the book. The identity crisis in the middle of the book weakened her, and made her less interesting to me. It was an interesting conflict, but it also made it difficult to like or identify with her. As villains go, Abheron is a good one: believable and darn creepy, with just enough pathos that you feel sorry for him, even as you despise his actions.

Book Review: Princess Academy

I finished Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale, on audio today. I actually started listening to it a while back and then stopped, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because my schedule changed and I stopped making a long drive that I used to make regularly. Recently, I started exercising, and it was a good excuse to pick up the audio where I left off. I'm glad I did; I really enjoyed it. Rather than writing a long blog review, as I usually do, I wrote a short review on Goodreads, which I'm reproducing here using code automatically generated by Goodreads. (Cheating, I know. Sorry!)

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I listened to this book on audio and the Full Cast Audio production was very well done and highly listenable, as they always are. This is the second Shannon Hale book that I've read, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first one. (Book of a Thousand Days). The characters are vivid and fascinating, and the mountain culture beautifully described. It certainly made me want to live on Mount Eskel! I was listening to this while exercising, and I was at the climax when I reached my exercise goal for the day - but I kept on exercising because I couldn't bear to stop listening. Thanks, Shannon Hale, for contributing to my fitness!


View all my reviews.

Fantasy and SF Book Reviewers list: updated

Last month, John Ottinger started a SF/F book reviewers linkup meme on his blog Grasping for the Wind as a way to collect a list of fantasy and science fiction review blogs. The meme succeeded wildly, and has resulted in an incredibly useful and interesting resource that has also brought together the SF/F review community. Not only has the list helped me to discover some great blogs to add to my blog reader, but I've also made some new friends that I enjoy chatting with on Twitter and Facebook.

I posted an earlier version of the list last month, but it has grown so much since then that I wanted to post the newer, more complete list. You can find the original meme and the official list on Grasping for the Wind here.

The Crotchety Old Fan has gone even further, taking the time to visit every blog on the list and write a review of each one. You can find this incredibly helpful resource here.

And be sure to check out the great song inspired by the meme: Grasping for the Wind (The Linkup Meme Song), written by John Anealio at SciFi Songs. (SciFi Songs! How exciting is that? It was worth participating in the meme just to discover a blog of original sci-fi related songs!)

And now, here's the complete list of Fantasy and Science Fiction book reviewers. Enjoy! (Many of these are geared more for adults, so read at your own risk).

7 Foot Shelves
The Accidental Bard
A Boy Goes on a Journey
A Dribble Of Ink
A Hoyden's Look at Literature
Adventures in Reading
The Agony Column
Andromeda Spaceways
The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent.
Ask Daphne
aurealisXpress
Australia Specfic in Focus
Author 2 Author
Barbara Martin
Bees (and Books) on the Knob
Bibliophile Stalker
Bibliosnark
BillWardWriter.com
The Billion Light-Year Bookshelf
Bitten by Books
The Black Library Blog
Blog, Jvstin Style
Blood of the Muse
The Book Bind
Bookgeeks
Bookslut
The Book Smugglers
Bookspotcentral
The Book Swede
Bookrastination
Breeni Books
Cheaper Ironies [pro columnist]
Cheryl's Musings
Critical Mass
The Crotchety Old Fan
Damien G. Walter
Danger Gal
Dark Wolf Fantasy Reviews
Darque Reviews
Dave Brendon's Fantasy and Sci-Fi Weblog
Dear Author
The Deckled Edge
Dragons, Heroes and Wizards
The Discriminating Fangirl
Dusk Before the Dawn
Enter the Octopus
Eve's Alexandria
Fantastic Reviews
Fantastic Reviews Blog
Fantasy Book Critic
Fantasy Cafe
Fantasy Debut
Fantasy Book Reviews and News
Fantasy and Sci-fi Lovin' Blog
Feminist SF - The Blog!
The Fix
The Foghorn Review
Frances Writes
From a Sci-Fi Standpoint
Fruitless Recursion
The Galaxy Express
Galleycat
The Gamer Rat
Genre Reviews
Graeme's Fantasy Book Review
Grasping for the Wind
The Green Man Review
Hasenpfeffer
Highlander's Book Reviews
Horrorscope
The Hub Magazine
Hyperpat's Hyper Day
Ink and Keys
io9
Jumpdrives and Cantrips
Lair of the Undead Rat
League of Reluctant Adults
The Lensman's Children
Literary Escapism
Michele Lee's Book Love
The Mistress of Ancient Revelry
MIT Science Fiction Society
Monster Librarian
More Words, Deeper Hole
Mostly Harmless Books
My Favourite Books
Neth Space
The New Book Review
NextRead
OF Blog of the Fallen
The Old Bat's Belfry
Outside of a Dog
Paranormality
Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
Piaw's Blog
Post-Weird Thoughts
Publisher's Weekly
Reading the Leaves
Realms of Speculative Fiction
Reviewer X
The Road Not Taken
Rob's Blog o' Stuff
Robots and Vamps
Sandstorm Reviews
ScifiChick
Sci Fi Wire
SciFiGuy
Sci-Fi Fan Letter
Sci-Fi Songs [Musical Reviews]
The Sequential Rat
Severian's Fantastic Worlds
SF Diplomat
SF Gospel
SFReader.com
SF Reviews.net
SF Revu
SF Signal
SF Site
SFF World's Book Reviews
Silver Reviews
The Specusphere
Spinebreakers
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Speculative Fiction
Speculative Fiction Junkie
Speculative Horizons
Spiral Galaxy Reviews
Spontaneous Derivation
Sporadic Book Reviews
Stella Matutina
The Sudden Curve
The Sword Review
Tangent Online
Tehani Wessely
Temple Library Reviews
Tor.com [also a publisher]
True Science Fiction
Un:Bound
Urban Fantasy Land
Vast and Cool and Unsympathetic
Variety SF
Walker of Worlds
Wanderings
Wands and Worlds
The Wertzone
With Intent to Commit Horror
WJ Fantasy Reviews
The World in a Satin Bag
WriteBlack
Young Adult Science Fiction

Foreign Language (other than English)

Cititor SF [Romanian, but with English Translation]

Elbakin.net [French]

Foundation of Krantas [Chinese (traditional)]

The SF Commonwealth Office in Taiwan [Chinese (traditional) with some English essays]

Yenchin's Lair [Chinese (traditional)]

Interstellar [Danish]

Ommadawn.dk [Danish]

Scifisiden [Danish]

Aguarras [Brazilian, Portuguese]

Fernando Trevisan [Brazilian, Portuguese]

Human 2.0 [Brazilian, Portuguese]

Life and Times of a Talkative Bookworm [Brazilian, Porteguese]

Ponto De Convergencia [Brazilian, Portuguese]

pós-estranho [Brazilian, Portuguese]

Skavis [Brazilian, Portuguese]

Fantasy Seiten [German, Deustche]

Fantasy Buch [German, Deustche]

Literaturschock [German, Deustche]

Welt der fantasy [German, Deustche]

Bibliotheka Phantastika [German, Deustche]

SF Basar [German, Deustche]

Phantastick News [German, Deustche]

X-zine [German, Deustche]

Buchwum [German, Deustche]

Phantastick Couch [German, Deustche]

Wetterspitze [German, Deustche]

Fantasy News [German, Deustche]

Fantasy Faszination [German, Deustche]

Fantasy Guide [German, Deustche]

Zwergen Reich [German, Deustche]

Fiction Fantasy [German, Deustche]

Book Review: The Underneath

The Underneath
by Kathi Appelt

A lonely calico cat, pregnant and abandoned by her owner in the bayous of East Texas, befriends an abused hound dog named Ranger whom she finds chained outside a rundown shack. Ranger belongs to the owner of the shack, a cruel man known as Gar Face, who shoots anything that moves, and who has chained Ranger permanently in a twenty-foot circle after a hunting accident left him lame.

Ranger warns the calico cat to beware of Gar Face, but in their loneliness, the two can't bear to part. The cat moves under the shack, where she can stay with Ranger but be out of sight of Gar Face. There, she has her kittens, and the cat and the hound dog raise them together as a family. The kittens grow up in the Underneath, with the one strict rule that they must never leave the Underneath. But kittens are kittens, and it's only a matter of time before one ventures out.

Meanwhile, an ancient creature, who has been trapped under the bayou for a thousand years, struggles to deal with a thousand-year-old pain that still feels fresh. And Gar Face sets his sights on trapping the granddaddy of alligators, a beast so large that it will finally earn Gar Face the respect that he craves.

I don't often engage in Newbery predictions, mainly because the type of books I usually read tend not to be the kind of books favored by the Newbery committee. But as soon as I started reading The Underneath, I felt that here was a Newbery-worthy book. The writing is exceptional; the story, moving and poignant. I won't be surprised if it turns up as a Newbery medal or honor book next month.

There are really multiple stories here. The story of Ranger and the cats is intertwined with Gar Face's story, past and present, and a thousand-year-old love story involving shapeshifters and the now-vanished Caddo tribe, former inhabitants of the forest. Kathy Appelt masterfully brings these diverse threads together in a poignant story of love and loss courage and redemption. The writing is poetic and vivid, creating a strong sense of place in the dark forest and bayous; the setting is so vividly described it's almost a character.

As much as I loved this book, I think that some young readers may have trouble with it. It's not a very fast-paced book; there is suspense and conflict, but it builds slowly. And the alternating stories, which jump between characters and time periods, may confuse some readers. Good readers who love good writing and moving stories will enjoy it, and I think that many other readers who might not pick it up on their own can also enjoy it in the context of classroom reading, with support from a teacher.

It's also a dark book, at times; bad things happen, and there is loss and sadness. Some children may find it too much, but others will love it for its poignancy. And in spite of the sadness, it's ultimately an uplifting book.

Cybils 2008: Final days and my picks!

In less than a week, on January 1, the 2008 finalists will be announced in eight categories for the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards, better known as the Cybils. This year, I wasn't able to serve on the Fantasy and Science Fiction committee as I have in the previous two years, due to a conflict of interest, so I'm on the outside looking in. Like everyone else, I'm eagerly waiting to find out the finalists in all of the categories, but especially in the Fantasy and Science Fiction categories. I'm so excited with anticipation that I feel like it's Christmas Eve all over again.

You can follow the Cybils on their web site. All updates, including announcements of finalists and winners, will be posted there. Even better, add the blog to your blog reader and get the updates automatically.

While we're waiting, I thought I'd post my picks for finalists in the SFF category. Keep in mind that I am NOT on the committee this year, and I have no idea what books they're moving towards for finalists. I'll be as surprised as anyone else. But these are the books that I'd be voting for, if I were on the committee.

In looking at the nominees in the SFF middle/elementary category, I discovered that I haven't read enough of them to be able to pick a shortlist. This surprised me a bit, because for the first part of the year, before I knew I wouldn't be able to be on the committee, I made a real effort to read as many books that I thought might be nominated as possible. But I must have been reading older, because I have read a number of the teen books, although no where near as many as I would have if I'd actually been on the committee. (You can go through a lot of books in two months of concentrated reading).

I'm not even going to attempt to choose a shortlist in the middle/elementary category, but here are the books that I'd like to see as finalists in the teen category:

Ratha's Courage
Disclaimer: Let me be clear up front that I'm not unbiased about this book, because I published it. However, if I didn't love it, I wouldn't have published it, and I still think it's one of the best books of the year. Ratha's Courage is the reason that I couldn't serve on the SFF committee; it would have been a conflict of interest.


The Hunger Games
Children from conquered provinces are forced to compete in a reality TV-esque fight to the death. Read my review


In the Company of Whispers
This is an amazing, unique, and genre-bending book. A frightening and poignant love story set in a dystopian society is complemented with old photographs, letters, and mementos from Burma. Read my review


Little Brother
An exciting story about a teenager using technology to resist the Department of Homeland Security in a techno-thriller set in a near future close enough to our present to be frightening. Read my review


Lonely Werewolf Girl
A wild, humorous, and outrageous story of two hapless and naive humans who are caught up in a battle for succession in the werewolf royal family. This was the book I nominated in the SFF category. I actually never reviewed it, but you can Read some of my thoughts about it here.


Nation
I just finished this book and loved it. After a tsunami wipes out an entire island nation, two young people try to find a way to survive and to make sense of the tragedy, and, as other refugees start trickling in, to rebuild civilization. It's hilarious and poignant and incredibly profound. Read my review.

Book Review: Princess of the Midnight Ball

Princess of the Midnight Ball
by Jessica Day George
Returning from the war, a young soldier named Galen meets an old woman who asks for help. After Galen shares his meager food with her, she gives him gifts: a cloak that renders the wearer invisible, and two balls of wool: one white and one black. Galen has been a soldier his entire life, having grown up on the front, but now that the war is over he's headed to Bruch, the capital city of Westfalin, in hope of finding work with his mother's family.

In Bruch, Galen becomes an under-gardener in the palace. Galen soon learns that all is not well with the royal family: something is going on with the King's twelve daughters. They don't appear well, and every night their dancing slippers are worn out, in spite of being locked into their rooms. After a chance encounter with the oldest princess, Rose, Galen is determined to try to do something to help. But what can a lowly gardener possibly do against the supernatural forces threatening the princesses?

Princess of the Midnight Ball is a lovely retelling of the fairy tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Jessica Day George doesn't break much new ground here - it follows the original fairy tale pretty closely - but she fills in the details nicely, making for an enjoyable read. Princess of the Midnight Ball is peopled with some interesting characters, most notably, the knitting soldier/gardener Galen. Day George explains in an afterword that far from being women's work, knitting used to be the exclusive province of men. In a fun twist, Day George also provides the knitting patterns for two of the items Galen makes in the story. I also liked that, rather than idly waiting to be rescued, the princesses did what they could to contribute to saving themselves.

With twelve princesses, creating distinct characters for each one is a difficult task, and I had trouble keeping them all straight. A few of the princesses stood out in my mind, but many of them blended together. Day George did an admirable job of giving them each individual personalities given the number of princesses and the short length of the book; I think the only way to really solve this problem would be to reduce the number of princesses, as Juliet Marillier did with Wildwood Dancing.

Overall, Princess of the Midnight Ball is a fun read that will be enjoyed by fans of fairy tale retellings.

Princess of the Midnight Ball will be released January 20, 2009.

Fantasy and SF Book Reviewers

Who knew that there were so many fantasy and science fiction book reviewers? Well, maybe you did, but I sure didn't. Grasping for the Wind has started a Genre Book Reviewers Linkup Meme to collect the links from across the blogosphere. If you are an SFF reviewer, repost this list to your blog and add your blog to the list (in alphabetical order). It's kind of like a chain letter, except that the originator is going to pick up the additions from the back links and add them to the original post. Full instructions and a handy-dandy html copy window can be found here. I'm looking forward to exploring these:

A Dribble Of Ink
Adventures in Reading
The Agony Column
Bibliophile Stalker
BillWardWriter.com
Bookspotcentral
The Book Swede
Breeni Books
Dark Wolf Fantasy Reviews
Dragons, Heroes and Wizards
Dusk Before the Dawn
Enter the Octopus
The Galaxy Express
Graeme's Fantasy Book Review
Galleycat
Fantasy Book Critic
Fantasy Debut
Fantasy and Sci-fi Lovin' Blog
Jumpdrives and Cantrips
Literary Escapism
Neth Space
NextRead
OF Blog of the Fallen
The Old Bat's Belfry
Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
Realms of Speculative Fiction
Rob's Blog o' Stuff
ScifiChick
Severian's Fantastic Worlds
SF Signal
SFF World's Book Reviews
Sporadic Book Reviews
The Road Not Taken
Un:Bound
Urban Fantasy Land
Vast and Cool and Unsympathetic
Variety SF
Walker of Worlds
Wands and Worlds
The Wertzone
WJ Fantasy Reviews
The World in a Satin Bag

Edit: Just updated the list to pick up all the new blogs added to the list. To see the most updated version, go to Grasping for the Wind.