YA Weekend: The Well’s End by Seth Fishman
Posted on March 22, 2014 Leave a Comment
The Well’s End by Seth Fishman
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Well’s End
Publisher: Putnam Young Readers (February 25, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had trouble categorizing The Well’s End, which should already tell you that this is quite a unique piece of YA fiction. Part science fiction and fantasy but also a bit of mystery and thriller, the book is a fast-paced adventure that sets itself apart with an imaginative scenario and memorable characters.
The book follows Mia, whose fall down a well when she was four years old made her a local celebrity. Twelve years later she is still known to everyone in town and at the exclusive Westbrook Academy where she goes to school as “Baby Mia”. The experience left her with a fear of water and tight dark spaces, which only led to my increased admiration for her as I watched her fight through many frightening situations in the course of this story.
Mia had even joined the swim team and become its star. On the eve of a big meet though, a sudden emergency causes Westbrook to go into lock-down, the cause of it being a deadly virus that speeds up the aging process in its victims so that those infected die within hours. It feels a bit wrong of me to say this but, NICE! A story about a killer virus and quarantine in a YA novel that isn’t related to zombies for once!
Once the news breaks about the virus, that’s when the plot really takes off. Seth Fishman nails the atmosphere of Westbrook and makes the social aspects of the school very believable (when I was a teen I spent a couple years overseas stuck in a high end international school and a lot of the different cliques and students’ attitudes there were actually a lot like what I saw in this book). Some of the best scenes were at the beginning of the novel where the students first learn that they are not allowed to leave the campus, resulting in the utter chaos you would expect from the reactions of privileged kids used to getting their own way. It was frightening, it was intense, and it was brilliant.
The book only had a couple weaknesses, one being the uneven pacing of the story. It slows a little after Mia and friends escape the school grounds and start heading towards the Fenton Electronics Company located in “the Cave”, a front for where her father works. There’s a burst of excitement again when the teens hit up the aqueduct and run into all sorts of trouble there, but it calms down again once they find the Cave and realize it’s not what they thought it was at all. The explanation for the virus situation felt a little drawn out and there was also a sudden shift in perspective here that might jar some readers. There were also a few interactions between the characters that felt awkward, especially the one between Mia and the new kid Brayden. Their relationship felt too fast and too sudden, though as the story progressed, I started to understand why it might have been that way.
The big reveal about the Cave was a real game changer though, ratcheting the excitement up a few notches. As the pieces of this puzzle fell into place, all the strange things that had baffled me finally made a lot more sense. Here we tread further into fantasy territory, and with the secret nature of the Cave still mostly unknown, the stage is set for all kinds of possibilities.
In the end, this debut by Seth Fishman did not disappoint. I found out he is the literary agent of a couple of my favorite authors, so he definitely knows a good story. His first book was indeed a promising start to a new series though be aware that the ending is very abrupt, leaving things open for an inevitable sequel. There’s no question I’ll pick it up though; I’m invested in the story and these characters and I’m eager for answers.
Book Review: The Detainee by Peter Liney
Posted on March 21, 2014 Leave a Comment
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Detainee
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books (UK: July 4, 2013/US: March 11, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dystopian fiction seems to be all the rage these days, but if you’re hankering for a book that sets itself apart and that is not a Young Adult novel, then boy do I have a gem for you.
The Detainee is set the distant future, where society as we know it has essentially collapsed, the economy and infrastructure in tatters. The population is kept in line by security satellites in the sky, constantly watching. Do something against the rules and — ZAP! — you’re either disabled, dying or dead, depending on the severity of your crime. But if you’re a troublemaker, the authorities would sooner just throw you away than deal with you. Anyone who represents a burden is unwanted, dumped onto The Island like the rest of the Mainland’s garbage.
But what makes this book stand out is the main character Clancy, also known as “Big Guy” on account of his huge size as a youth, a trait that gave him such an edge as a former mafia goon. He is also sixty-three years old. Now, with people living longer and longer these days, I don’t know if I would really call that old … but the point is, Clancy certainly identifies himself as elderly. So, that’s a bit different. I don’t often come across stories told from the point of view of someone “aged” (for the entire duration of the book) and I thought Clancy’s position offers a very unique perspective, as someone who has watched the “good old days” turn gradually into the hell they live in now — piece by piece and slippery slope by slippery slope.
Because of his age, Clancy is also an involuntary resident of the Island, because those who are past their prime are seen as nothing more than takers and freeloaders. Elders in this society are not revered but instead treated like scapegoats for the system’s collapse — along with the sick, the poor, and even children. There are many young people at the Island too, many of whom ended up there because their parents chose abandoning them over being cast off themselves. These kids are rounded up and manipulated by the island’s Wastelords who use a regime of drugs and abuse to create a brutal child army, which they use to set against the old people who live in the village.
Like I said, this is not your teenager’s YA dystopian. In an ironic twist, the youth are the enemy, the face of death to Clancy and his friends. Their village becomes a bloody battlefield whenever the fog rolls in, because that’s when the kids come raiding, knowing full well their activities are obscured from the gazes of the uncompromising satellites.
Powerful and provocative, you can practically feel the weight in Peter Liney’s writing. The Detainee paints a hollow, painful existence for everyone living on the Island, for while the book is told in first person from Clancy’s point of view, we find out later on that things are just as bad (if not worse) for the young people at the Camps. Instead of focusing on a single age group, the author has taken things further to explore the unpleasant effects of a dystopian society across multiple generations. But the novel is also hopeful and inspiring; even in a world of misery, the protagonist Clancy forges several unlikely relationships that give him reason to carry on. In time he learns when it comes to love and suffering, age is just a number, and that everyone longs for freedom the same way.
What you’ll find here is a compelling story about adaptability, compassion and courage. Clancy is a very interesting narrator, with the experience of his years behind his character, and who ultimately discovers you are never too old to surprise yourself. I could be wrong, but I think The Detainee is a stand alone novel (EDIT: seems that I am wrong, I’m told there is a book 2 in the works YAY!) It reads perfectly fine as one, in any case. I would have liked to see more from the story about its world’s history and background, but I found the book thoroughly enjoyable. Perfect for fans of dystopian fiction who are looking for an exceptional novel to dive into.
Mogsy’s Spring 2014 Reading List
Posted on March 20, 2014 Leave a Comment
It’s SPRING! Thank goodness! It has been a long and brutal winter and up until a couple days ago it was still snowing, so let’s hope things finally warm up now.
Anyway, making a reading list at the beginning of each season is kind of a tradition of mine. I find it helps focus my attention on books I’ve been meaning to read for a while, most of them past purchases, and for that reason I’ve stopped including review copies or upcoming books. This also gives me months and hence plenty of time to work through my list.
From the once again dismal completion rate from my Winter Reading List (only 6 out of 15 books, ack! — but I did take February off for Review Copy Cleanup month) I’ve taken a page from Wendy and decided to narrow it down to a handful of titles this time. Okay, maybe two handfuls — a few of these are short! Certainly, a more manageable number of books.
Here they are (and yes, a couple of them are coming back. Like London Falling, I WILL read you, dammit!) Also some notable new additions like Guards! Guards! because I’m ashamed I’ve never read a Terry Pratchett book and I think it’s high time we rectified that. The City Watch books came highly recommended to me by several bloggers, so that’s where I’m going to start. See anything that looks interesting?
PANELS: Red Sonja vol.1 Queen of Plagues
Posted on March 20, 2014 Leave a Comment
Red Sonja has some serious after battle plans.
Book Review: She-Hulk Diaries by Marta Acosta
Posted on March 19, 2014 Leave a Comment
The She-Hulk Diaries by Marta Acosta
Genre: Superhero, Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Hyperion (for Marvel Comics)
Publication Date: June 2013
Author’s Info: www.martaacosta.com
Wendy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
This is the first novel that we’ve read for our Ladies Comic Book Night book club, but the decision to read it should be an obvious one.
Apparently, the She-Hulk Diaries as well as Rogue Touch, are Marvel’s attempt to “target women readers with stories of dynamic female super heroines who split their time between fighting villains and searching for a decent guy to date.” [X]. I can’t say this concept impressed me, any more than their attempt to bring in Black female readers by marrying Storm off to Black Panther [X]. But for the sake of my ladies at the club, I was willing to overlook my dislike for anything chick-flicky in nature in order to read this book. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. I can’t say it was the greatest read ever and I would love to read more like this, but it was pretty entertaining.
We also had the opportunity to interview author Marta Acosta on Twitter at our recent meeting.
First of all, if you are a previous She-Hulk fan you might find this a bit disconcerting. Acosta chose to separate the She-Hulk and Jennifer Walters personalities, with the greater focus being on Jen as she tries to sort out her personal life and career. I only vaguely knew She-Hulk before reading this and decided to check out the new She-Hulk #1 by Charles Soule to see if my recollections of her were correct. As in, I was certain I remembered her being all green, all the time, which turns out to be the standing canon.
Shulky makes appearances from time to time as the unapologetic party girl who’s antics have gotten her kicked out of the Avengers Mansion. The bifurcated personality is addressed in visits to a psychiatrist, where Jen adamantly refuses to accept that she and She-Hulk are the same people.
We were pleased with Acosta’s decision to split the personalities when she explained her rationale:
“It was also commentary on internal conflicts women have. Society gives us mixed messages & punishes women who don’t conform. The more I thought about She-Hulk, the more I saw her as Jen’s superego, being the woman we’re told NOT to be. She-Hulk is big, loud, sexual, funny, strong. She’s not a nice easy to manage little girl but a powerful woman.”
The opportunity to spend more time with Jen is handled well as she manages her social life and her career. The latter collides with her love life when she comes face to face with a former rock star flame who has apparently been crooning his love to her since their weekend of romance, but is now engaged to Jen’s new nemesis, Amber. Amber is my biggest complaint in the book, as she comes off as the one-dimensional bitch queen archetype. Still, the rest of the book is engaging enough to overlook this. It’s particularly fun when Jen does let Shulky out to play. Although she’s been banished from the Avengers Mansion, she’s still called on to handle the menial criminal tasks and of course, the Jade Goddess will party hard afterward.
As I said, this was an entertaining read. It didn’t impress itself upon me as a female reader, since it’s not really my style, but it has successfully introduced me to a new character whom I’m now regularly reading in her comic form. I’d say that’s a win. Well played, Marvel. Well played.
Waiting on Wednesday 03/19/14
Posted on March 19, 2014 Leave a Comment
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Golden Son by Pierce Brown: January 13, 2015 (Del Rey)
I don’t usually do books for Waiting on Wednedays that are so far out in terms of release date, but I LOVED the book Red Rising and so when I saw that the sequel got a cover reveal from Entertainment Weekly I just couldn’t help myself! Of course this would have been featured earlier but it took me a while to find an image without the EW logo plastered all over it. Much thanks to Tammy at Books Bones & Buffy and her super Google-fu for finding an unblemished cover. The book was also her WoW last week!
“With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.”
Mogsy’s Book Haul – The Book Thing
Posted on March 18, 2014 Leave a Comment
If there’s one thing I find truly bizarre about the town I live, it’s the seemingly total lack of bookstores. Sure, we have our local B&N but that’s pretty much about it. Speaking as someone who used to live in downtown Toronto where there’s a used bookstore on every block, it drives me totally bonkers!
That’s why I was so excited when someone told me about The Book Thing. Possibly Baltimore’s best kept secret, I’ve been living in northernish Maryland for about three years and I couldn’t believe this was the first time I’ve heard of it! It’s about an hour drive to the city which is not too bad, and who could resist this: a non-profit charity created for the sole purpose of taking donated books and giving them away, or in their words, putting unwanted books into the hands of those who want them. Hundreds of thousands of books, totally free. FREE! What these people do is totally amazing.
I went to check it out this weekend and it was like, whoa, book heaven! Essentially just a warehouse full of used books, the building ain’t pretty, but the beauty is what’s inside. Hundreds of shelves lined with books. Volunteers do a good job categorizing everything, but it appears whoever takes care of the Science Fiction and Fantasy section must have a pretty narrow view of the genre, as all I could find in there were mostly Stephen R. Donaldson and Wizards of the Coast novels. So, I rolled up my sleeves and went diving through the EXTENSIVE fiction section where everything’s mixed in to see what I could find on my own.
It was hard not to go nuts. There are just so many books! As with most used bookstores, it’s probably not the most ideal for those with finicky tastes, but you can find some really interesting stuff if you’re open to an adventure. I was on the look out for SFF as I sifted through the literally hundreds of shelves and I was there for two hours and still didn’t finish looking through everything. My TBR is already plenty full these days so to make sure I didn’t go home with dozens of boxes of books, I forced to limit myself only to hardcovers in good condition.
With my loot safely procured, I headed up to the desk and all they asked was that I sign in and write down how many books I’m taking away. That’s it, no fees, no questions asked. There was a big bin at the entrance to donate books too, so I was also able to drop off three boxes of old paperbacks from our spring cleaning. Truly a special place!
At the end of the day I was quite happy with my finds. Here are some that I want to highlight:
The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman – I’ve never read any Felix Gilman but I’ve heard some great stuff about him and his books. A lot of it has been about The Half-Made World so I felt really lucky to find this.
Book Review: Cold Magic by Kate Elliott
Posted on March 17, 2014 Leave a Comment
Book Review: The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu (#LoTaoLT)
Posted on March 16, 2014 3 Comments
The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu
Genre: Science Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: April 2013
Narrator: Mikael Naramore
Author Info: www.chuforthought.com
Wendy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had so much fun livetweeting my read that I did it again with Wesley Chu at #LoTaoLT and lots of fun. I’m certain The Lives of Tao is a little peek in to Chu’s mind and I would definitely like to raid his movie collection and compare notes on the Terminator saga one day…
The prologue introduces us to Edward, host to the alien named Tao. They have an amusing relationship that we soon learn goes well beyond mere parasite and host. Their friendship is very real and, in a surprising turn of events for so early in the book, I found myself already caring for Tao.
Following the events of the prologue, Tao ends up in a new host, Roen Tan, who is not exactly the ideal soldier for the Quasings’ great big, millennia old war between their factions, the Genjix and the Prophus. Roen lacks confidence, ambition, and physical skills, therefore Tao and his companions have a big task ahead of them in training Roen.
While Roen does play a huge part in the story as Tao’s host, this book is called the Lives of Tao. But Chu does a great job of letting Tao have some of the focus, with each chapter opening with Tao describing his time with some of his past hosts. This insight into some of history’s great heroes and villains is moving, and it is integral to the overall story of the Quasings and their war on earth. I loved the way Chu worked in our history, sometimes in depth, other times in passing comments — but it becomes clear that the Quasings have had their hands in every major event in our history. It also becomes clear that there really are no good guys in this.
The first half of the story involves Tao getting Roen in shape and teaching him the ins and outs of survival as an agent of the Prophus, with the help of another agent, Sonya. I really liked the natural progression of Roen’s preparations, that comes complete with his disgruntled lack of appreciation for the process. Chu doesn’t immediately — or ever turn Roen into a super agent who can suddenly kick ass. He survives some of his missions by luck and by the skills and sacrifices of others. And when it comes to the final showdown, he doesn’t magically overcome. Despite the whole concept of aliens on our planet, Chu keeps this story and all the characters very real and down to earth.
Thanks to WhisperSync, I both read and listened to this and enjoyed both options. Mikael Naramore’s narration was great, with special love for his enigmatic Tao.
YA Weekend: Review of Lumière and New Author Spotlight: Jacqueline Garlick
Posted on March 15, 2014 1 Comment
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Illumination Paradox
Publisher: Amazemo Books (December 3, 2013)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought Lumière was fantastic, so much so that I read the whole book in a day. Some parts even made me want to give this one a 4.5 or 5 stars, simply because for an independently published Young Adult novel I thought this was really impressive.
As you know, I’m a pretty picky reader when it comes to the YA category, plus I don’t always jump on board with self-pubs or indies. Still, this book’s description drew me in when it was brought to my attention; something about the story just struck the right tune with me. Right away, I knew I had something good when the prologue opened with an introduction to the heroine Eyelet (what a charming name!) at age eight at the time, looking upon a brass mechanical steam-powered elephant at a carnival. What else will I find in this world?
Fast forward to the first chapter and we see Eyelet as a seventeen-year-old, nine years after that fateful day at the carnival where a mysterious flash lit the skies and changed the world. Troubled by occasional seizures and desperate to hide her illness from the authorities, Eyelet is determined to hunt down the Illuminator, a fantastical machine that was invented years ago by her brilliant scientist father. The machine may be her only chance to cure herself, but first she has to find it before her father’s old nemesis gets to it first.
Jacqueline Garlick made it easy for me to root for her characters by giving them such endearing and energetic personalities. Not far into the story we get to meet Urlick Babbit, the young man who unwittingly rescues our heroine as she escapes capture from her enemies. The poor guy had no idea what he was in for! Even with Eyelet and her total disregard for other people’s privacy or some of the churlish questions that spills out of her mouth, I couldn’t help but find myself amused by the dynamics between these two, as something deeper begins to develop between them. I also like that they’re not a conventional couple. Eyelet has her nettlesome qualities and Urlick isn’t your usual drop-dead gorgeous Prince Charming, having experienced injuries during his birth that marred his appearance. I found their relationship very unique and refreshing.
Again, I just can’t get over how rich the setting is. It’s an original world packed with amazing qualities, flavored with a healthy dose of magic and steampunk. Here and there you will find all sorts of quirky mechanical creations and bizarre creatures — some that are helpful like Eyelet’s ravens, others that aren’t so friendly like the zombie/ghoul-like Turned. There’s also a good chunk of the book where Eyelet is holed up at Urlick’s place, trapped there because of the dangerous Vapours storms, where she discovers all sorts of gadgets and other wonky inventions designed and constructed by the strange boy. Even though this section was a slower break from the action, I was kept interested, never knowing what Eyelet would find next in Urlick’s hideout.
I very much appreciated the nice blend of fantasy with the action-adventure elements of this one. And I was honestly surprised with the quality of the writing and storytelling; whatever polish it requires is very minimal, and as a whole the story was presented exceptionally well and flowed naturally. I wouldn’t have devoured this book so quickly if it hadn’t, and certainly the fun factor of the plot didn’t hurt. I knew I was hooked when as soon as I finished the book, I went online and checked if there was an estimated release date for the next book. Alas, it won’t be for a while yet, but definitely something to look forward to.
Jacqueline was nicknamed “Little Erin” (as in Erin Brockovich) after she took on her school board over being placed in black toxic mould and, well…lost. BUT if she hadn’t lost, she’s still be teaching with no time for writing, which would be the real tragedy because more than anything else in the world Jacqueline loves to write.
What are your favorite books and how have they influenced your writing?
My favourite books are many, but I’ll talk about a few that have really stuck with me here. First, I’d have to say, CRANK by Ellen Hopkins really changed the way I looked at storytelling. The fact that she could tell a such a poignant and moving story in so few words, and in such free flowing verse, opened up a whole new world for me as a writer. It was like she gave me permission to experiment with methods of expressing my characters voices, including breaks from prose into enjambment, which I absolutely love. Another book that is not only a favourite but has enriched my craft is WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. I fell instantly in love with the main character, an old man in a nursing home, flashing back to his life when he was young, and found myself cheering for him to the final page. I read it once, then read it again, dissecting the author’s technique in order to better understand what went into the character that I loved so much, and why. Lastly, I really enjoyed DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, by Laini Taylor. I just loved that book and everything about it. From the absolutely beautiful writing, the author’s wonderful sense of balance between descriptive prose and informative verse, to the battery of unique and compelling characters, and the fantastical, twisty, dreamy plot. Not to mention the romance. A double romance, actually. To me, reading this book was like working me way through a box of fine candy, savouring every piece along the way.
What authors have inspired you?
As mentioned above, Ellen Hopkins has been incredibly instrumental in inspiring me. Ellen is an incredibly talented and generous writer and human being. Ellen is very supportive of new, up-coming writers, offering one of the finest writing mentor programs in America. I had the great fortune or participating in her program, which not only taught me how to write, but helped to educate me about the industry. Other writers who have inspired me are Rumer Godden, Lori Lansens, Anne Sewell. Lori Lansens, is from my hometown, and a former high school friend. Walking through the bookstore one day I came across her book, Rush Holme Road, on the shelf. That was the moment that I believed it was possible or me to succeed as a writer, after all, my friend had. 🙂
Describe your writing process. How do you handle writer’s block and other challenges?
My writing process consists of the creation of a first draft, as quickly as I can, whereby I just allow myself to write and my creativity to flow without stopping to worry about errors, followed by at least three solid passes whereby I focus on certain aspects of the draft. For example, I usually do a pass for the ‘big ticket items’ I call them. During this pass, I look for holes in the plot, concerns of believability, inconsistency in character, that type of thing. The second pass I concern myself with grammar and spelling. And in my final pass, I ‘build character’, meaning, I go through the manuscript and search for places where I can ‘warm’ up the character’s personalities, making dialogue richer and emotion deeper, in an effort to better bring the characters to life on the page.
What are your future writing plans?
Well…I’ll be working on the second book in THE ILLUMINATION PARADOX SERIES, NOIR, of course, but I also plan to release a new three part serial, entitled IF ONLY…, to tide readers over until I’m able to do Book Two justice. The first installment of IF ONLY… should be available by the end of March 2014. IF ONLY… is a contemporary, coming of age mystery/romance, featuring Kyla and Denver and their heart-wrenching story of love and devotion after a tragic accident leaves Denver incommunicable. Or so doctor’s think. In addition to that I have plans to write a New Adult contemporary romance, entitled THE HEARTMENDERS SOCIETY, where we meet twenty-three year old, chronically disorganized, Maizy Mosley on her quest to straighten out her life–one man at a time. To hear about any of these new releases (and participate in fantastic launch contests) readers can keep up with me at: http://www.jacquelinegarlick.com. And to be the first to hear about up-coming releases, and gain access advanced chapters and other special perks, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter!
The BiblioSanctum 