New York, NY: Firebird (1971).
Elana and her father's team are from a culture with interstellar travel and their job is to ensure that more primitive civilizations are allowed to develop naturally. When they end up on a medieval planet being colonized by a culture with space-travel capabilities, they assist the natives in vanquishing the colonists by posing as Enchanters who know magic. Told from the point of view of all three cultures, Engdahl breaks down fantasy and science-fiction, examining how viewpoint can turn science into magic or vice-versa, bringing readers to question their own notions of genre and convention.
Feed by M.T. Anderson
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press (2002).
On a futuristic Earth, most people have a constant Feed into their brain. Media, school, and relentless advertising are streamed through this Feed. When teen Titus meets Violet, he's immediately smitten, but becomes revolted and confused when her Feed starts malfunctioning, disabling her entire body and memory. Anderson has created an intriguing technological dystopian future, but his characters fail to bring the questioning of their technological existence to any conclusion.
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press (2010).
Ten years ago, the royal family of Lumatere was murdered, the throne seized, and a curse placed over the entire country. While most citizens now roam as exiles, Finnikin, his mentor, and Evanjalin, strong young novice, are intent on bringing Lumaterians back to their land. While this is a high fantasy novel, it is the realistic refugee story embedded in the fantasy that gives the novel its' strength. Disease, hunger, and brutality are all realistically portrayed but in the end, the refugees' desire to cling their customs, language, and land, not just the fantastical aid of magic and swords, is what helps them fulfill their quest.
I want to put stars all over this book; It is absolutely brilliant. Note: recommended for ages 14+ due to content.
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
New York, New York: Penguin (2010).
When Sam realizes that she has died in a car crash, she suddenly wakes up on the morning of the day she died. A pretty, popular girl at a preppy Connecticut high school, Sam lives the last day of her life over and over again, each time taking a different approach. The result is the story of a mean girl coming to the realization of how her and her friends' bullying affected those around them. The only fantastical attribute of this decidedly realistic novel is Sam's ability to relive her last day. Though from a fresh point of view, Before I Fall is so full of brand references that it is unlikely to have staying power.
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
New York, NY: Del Rey (2007).
Below London lies UnLondon, a place where broken umbrellas become moving Unbrellas and smog is a living being. Deeba and her friend are pulled into UnLondon, and even after seeing the destructive power of the Smog, Deeba vows to help destroy the Smog. With the help of many a strange creature, Deeba sets out on her unprophesized quest. This fantasy of parallel worlds is wildly inventive, with overwhelming descriptions of the strange buildings and creatures of UnLondon. However, even Mieville's creative world cannot hide the thinly-veiled and heavy-handed environmental message.
A Wrinkle in Time
That's right, this year's Newbery Award: When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead. The best description of this book is From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler meets A Wrinkle in Time. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler in that the setting is very similar, NYC 1979. A Wrinkle in Time is constantly referred to by the protsgonist, Miranda, who keeps a copy of it with her at all times. The story is not as otherworldly as Wrinkle, but contains moments hinting at other-worldliness, with the possibility of tesseracts running through the novel (if you don't know what a tesseract is, it's a wrinkle in time. Read the book of the same title to learn more). But a hint of this magical science is all you need. The complex issues of friends, classmates, the hobo at the corner, and realities of being a latch-key kid all feature in the narrative.
Graceling is Kristin Cashore's debut novel. It's a quick, enjoyable read, but contains nothing surprising (to me). It would be a good romp for Tamora Pierce lovers, and the equivalent of a nice cup of hot cocoa on a cold day to fantasy lovers.
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, the first in a trilogy Ever since I picked up a copy of The Eyre Affair at a used bookstore in Chicago, I’ve been a bit obsessed with Jasper Fforde. Now on my second copy of The Eyre Affair (the first was lent and never returned) and with an addiction to the audio versions of his books as well, I hunger when I hear of a new publication.
I have been looking forward to Shades of Grey ever since the teaser went up on Fforde’s website. Unfortunately, the publication date was released, delayed, delayed again, and then finally established (of course, no matter when the release date is, it is always too far away). Lucky for me, the appearance of an advanced reader’s copy at the bookstore I work at meant no more waiting.
For those of you unfamiliar with Fforde’s work, he has written the Thursday Next series, the Nursery Crimes series, and now, Shades of Grey (the first in a trilogy). If you haven’t read Fforde before, start with the Thursday Next novels, move to Nursery Crime, an then pick up the newest. While Thursday Next is certainly my favorite, Fforde’s bizarre worlds and witty British humor are enjoyable in each of his series. Enough of this chatter- on to Shades of Grey.
Shades of Grey starts off slowly. Fforde’s new world is complex and confusing and it takes a good quarter of the book to establish an understanding of world and how it works. This initial section sets up the entirety of the book and if you hang in there, you will be rewarded. Fforde’s new world is wonderful; it has amazing potential which I hope will be reached in the sequels now that the whole messy business of explaining things is over.
The protagonist, Eddie Russett, is a fine, upstanding young man who truly wants the best for people. While he is not the sharpest tack in the tin, he understands the purpose of rules and governments, and how they can be used or abused. His easy going and generally genial nature allows him to befriend a host of individuals. Jane balances him well. She is smart, knowledgeable, volatile, and emotional. Together they create a dynamic pair who you hope will succeed in their plans (which I will not reveal to you).
With an intricate new world, endearing characters, and a political problem to be solved, Shades of Grey is a novel exploring the evils and corruption of governments and societies. But this intense science-fiction is tempered by Fforde’s delightful humor, so even those fictioneers who scoff at utopian novels may find something to love.
I left for a two month trip to Europe, taking only Neal Stephenson’s Anathem with me. As Cryptonomicon had taken me two months, I figured I’d be fine with just Anathem. I was in for a rather large surprise when I finished it in two weeks (it’s all that train time and decompressing after museums).
Anathem is more easily categorized as science-fiction than many of Stephenson’s other books- and this can only be seen as a compliment. Like Stephenson’s other books, Anathem uses religion, philosophy, and mathematics as an integral part of the novel. His exploration of such concepts is common in science-fiction, but Stephenson makes philosophic conversation more important than most other authors. But where this novel moves away from his others into the realm of sci-fi is his inclusion of aliens. Aliens? Do these not sound a bit strange for a Stephenson? Yes, they do. But his characterization of them is so perfect for the world he creates, there is no need to suspend disbelief, for by the time the aliens appear we have already questioned so much of the world through philosophical passages that we are ready to accept, question and learn. Not wanting to take away from the experience of reading, I will not say more, except that this is a wonderful introduction to Stephenson for sci-fi readers, and an interesting new novel for those already following his work.
Science Fiction
Dune by Frank Herbert- ok, so I do love sci-fi, but I really liked these and once you read the first, the sequels and prequels just scream at you from the shelves. Herbert has created an amazing and complex system of worlds complete with varying cultures, societies, and governments.
Ender’s Game* by Orson Scott Card- classic science-fiction. I read this in 6th grade and it was passed throughout my honors reading class. My mom (a middle school teacher) recommends people red it in high school, not middle school. I didn’t really like the sequels, but I liked the shadow books: Ender’s Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, First Meetings: In the Enderverse, etc.
Shade’s Children by Garth Nix- Creepy and quite Matrix-like. The main characters are children but live in a futurist society where coming of age means one’s body parts are harvested for use in robotics. A very dark book with underlying social and governmental criticism (like any good science-fiction novel). By the author of the Abhorsen trilogy (see fantasy section).
The Terrorists of Irustan* and The Child Goddess by Louise Marley- Unfortunately, Terrorists is out of print, though you can get it for very little if you buy it used on Amazon (and it is worth buying a copy). I started reading Terrorists in a Barnes and Noble, but didn’t have the money to buy it, so put it back on the shelf. I went back to read the second chapter, but still didn’t buy it. The third time I went to buy the book, but I didn’t know the title or author, just what the cover looked and felt like. Two years later, browsing the Sci-fi section at a library, I pulled out a book- with the correct cover! Then, two years later, while looking through a Society of Illustrators annual, what should I find but an image of the cover! Both books bring up currently relevant social and political questions.
The Handmaid’s Tale- by Margaret Atwood- for older readers (high school/adult). A 1984ish novel dealing with a future society where sex is strictly for procreation. If you liked Children of Men, try this.
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson- A very dark young adult novel, the first in a series (I have not read the rest of the series…yet). The children in this novel have all been genetically changed (they have wings, hence the “angel”). Unfortunately, the novel ends with no real conclusion, so have the next volume waiting. Not recommended just before bed. Though appearing a hefty tome, this can be polished off in a long night (and you will probably want to read it in one go). It is a tense, fast-paced book.
