YES it is possible to accidentally make a ship go backwards. I know, because I did it on the Young Endeavour. (Angles of wind and so forth – if you turn so the wind is coming toward you, those big white sail thingys do what they’re supposed to do: catch it, and make you go in the same direction. Oops.)
Today’s special feature is linkages to as many YA authors as I really like, that have comment-capability on their blogs. I’ll post their blog addresses after each name (it’s in alphabetical order). Most of the reviews have already appeared in my other blog, felicitybloomfield.wordpress.com, along with a Richard Harland interview.
CASSANDRA CLARE
http://cassandraclare.livejournal.com/
City of Bones
City of Ashes
City of Glass
ie the Mortal Instruments series
(Also the infamous Lord of the Rings Secret Diaries – mature content – as Cassandra Claire.)
Free sample: Clary shook her head. “Don’t stop there. I suppose there are also, what, vampires and werewolves and zombies?”
“Of course there are,” Jace informed her. “Although you mostly find zombies farther South, where the voudun priests are.”
“What about mummies? Do they only hang around Egypt?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. No-one believes in mummies.”
“They don’t?”
“Of course not.”
Review: I read the three books in three days – many people have. They are extremely addictive. Funny, with well-drawn characters and an involving story. Mild cliffhangers at the end of books one and two (a plot line is left dangling in the foreground, but the main characters don’t get stabbed in the final paragraph or anything like that). Clare is a master of vivid description.
The second-biggest plot is an extremely angsty love triangle (which some people will find sickening in one or more aspects). It’s written very very well – and the main character does at least try to do the right thing – but angst is still too big a plot line for my liking. On the other hand, every aspect of the relationship/s has a strong bearing on the main plot, and every character is going to stick with me (unfortunately, a lot of the non-love-triangle characters are left relatively undeveloped except for promising hints). The love plotlines really reminded me of what it was like to be a teenager in love but trying to not be selfish or stupid – they are seriously well-written (sooooo much better than a certain Bella). The main character does sometimes make stupid decisions, and although the plotting has been done very well over the three books some of it is a bit transparent (I guessed or figured out several things before the characters did). Other parts are so clever they made me gasp.
Rating: M (seriously scary violence, including an attempted rape by a demon – brief but creepy), adult themes including homosexuality and incest (no sex happens on-screen at any time). Bad things do happen, including death/s of good people.
Recommended for: age 10 and up, including adults.
EOIN COLFER
Artemis Fowl
Six books in the series so far.
Free sample: Nguyen brought the cup trembling to his lips.
“Don’t be alarmed, Mister Xuan,” smiled Artemis. “The weapons will not be used on you.”
Nguyen didn’t seem reassured.
“No,” continued Artemis. “Butler could kill you a hundred different ways without the use of his armoury. Though I’m sure one would be quite sufficient.”
These are smart, interesting books. One reason is that they’re spy books – but definitely fantasy. (Fairies are real, they live mainly underground, and they have really awesome high-tech equipment – including strap-on wings.) Artemis is an interesting character (12-year old genius), and a sympathetic one – as are all the others. He’s meant to be a criminal mastermind (and he is), but he’s a decent kid, too. High adventure – but without compromising on intelligent writing.
Rating: G
Recommendation: 7 and up
NEIL GAIMAN
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/
Sandman comics (for adults)
Smoke and Mirrors (very much for adults)
Stardust (for anyone, but has sex – also in my top five books of all time – get the illustrated version)
Coraline (for children, but very scary)
The Graveyard Book (for everyone – wonderful stuff)
He write for both children and adults, so be very wary. Some of his stuff is R-rated.
The impression I get is that Gaiman is a lazy genius. Some of his stories strike like lightning, never to be forgotten. Others need editing.
The Graveyard Book has just won the Newberry Award (it’s one with a rep for being given to books that are intelligently, beautifully written – and utterly unreadable by humans). This has been widely hailed as the most enjoyable read to win the award ever. The book deserves every accolade it gets – it IS intelligently and beautifully written, but it’s also a ripping good story.
Rating: G/PG (some characters are dead)
Recommendation: all Earth citizens
ANTHONY HOROWITZ
http://www.anthonyhorowitz.com/
StormHunter
This is the beginning of a long and wildly successful series. (Not actually speculative fiction, sorry – spy genre.) It’s interesting to me that the good guy’s bosses are highly unpleasant and evil people. Horowitz’s style sucks, some plot twists are predictable, and his characters are cardboard cut-outs.
It was terribly fun to read. Terribly, terribly fun. I laughed out loud (with pleasure) at some of the ridiculous scenes. It’s described by the author as “adolescent fantasy” and it’s the best example I’ve read. (I confess I won’t be reading more, despite how enjoyable it was.)
Free sample [Our twelve-year old hero, Alex, is being attacked by two men on quad bikes. He has already managed to dispatch one guy AND steal his quadbike. Now he’s on his way to dispatching the other – who, like the first but unlike Alex, has a gun]: The quads were getting closer and closer, moving faster all the time. The man couldn’t shoot him now, not without losing control. Far below, the waves glittered silver, breaking against the rocks. The edge of the cliff flashed by. The noise of the other quad filled Alex’s ears. The wind rushed into him, hammering at his chest and face. It was like the old-fashioned game of chicken. . .”
Rating: PG (unrealistic violence, including death)
Age recommendation: age 7 to 17
**MARIANNE DE PIERRES (who, incidentally, read one of my novel openings in a competition and stopped me at the con to tell me how fabulous I am)
Nylon Angel etc
Gritty futuristic world, shining with imagination. She has a tough main character (this is the beginning of a series) with a serious and interesting problem. I enjoyed it, and would have read on except this was definitely a world where rape was common, and I just can’t handle that.
Rating: M (violence, rape in past and probably future)
Recommended for: 14 and up, including adults.
PHILIP PULLMAN
Northern Lights (Golden Compass in North America)
Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
Free sample: Lyra stopped beside the master’s chair and flicked the biggest glass gently with a fingernail. The sound rang clearly through the Hall.
“You’re not taking this seriously,” whispered her daemon. “Behave yourself.”
Review: Philip Pullman is a truly fanatic atheist – and a true master of storytelling. This story sprawls a bit in all the lies and schemes going on, but it sprawls because it’s so magnificent and epic. It wasn’t until book three that I realised Pullman didn’t just hate the church but hated God – that’s when his convictions leaked into the story the most clearly (the book was written as an answer to Milton). But I was still impressed by the originality of what he did with the character of God.
Rating: PG (violence, symbolic sex, religious theme)
Recommendation: age 7 and up, definitely including adults
Ruby in the Smoke
Shadow in the North
The Tiger in the Well
The Tin Princess
There’s not a hint of preachiness in this series. Each book is a truly fun, original adventure tale set in 19th-century England. the Tiger in the Well has a particularly interesting plot (it’s improved if you read the books in order, but you don’t have to).
Rating: PG (sex)
Recommendation: 10 and up, definitely including adults.