The Last Olympian

Author: Rick Riordan
Rating:
Reading Level: 3rd to 7th

Pages: 381
Publisher: Hyperion
Edition:Hardcover, 2009

Pure adrenaline inducing 381 pages of fun. I'm so glad that the level of action and humor is maintained throughout the entire series -- that the last book did not suddenly become some deep philosophical revelation. (I definitely did not get into these books for their messages or meanings.) It's been quite a craze here at the school and the waiting list of eager readers is mighty long, deservingly so.

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Bloodhound: Beka Cooper II

Author: Tamora Pierce
Rating:
Reading Level: 6th grade and up

Publisher: Random House
Edition: Galley, 2009



I really liked the first one and have been waiting for the second installment for a long long time. The second book still works. My initial quibble of not believing Beka able to write all of the stuff down in her journal still stands -- even with the explanation of ciphers and reports and how events are chopped down into several installments. Still seems a bit far-fetched. However, I guess if one believes in ghost-carrying pigeons and a young woman talking to street dust winds, one has to somewhat allow her to be able to write dialogs and descriptions in such minute details when recording her own exploits.

That's another thing: the pacing is a bit draggy at moments because it seems a bit too much of JUST Beka -- just her thoughts, just her experiences, and just her achievements. All the secondary characters (POUNCE, for example, who is absent for most of the story) take a real Secondary position here. Achoo the hound, although very important to the plot, is not satisfying as a strong supporting character because she is too much of a hound, no human traits at all. I love her, but she cannot replace Pounce whose wry humor adds so much to the flavor of the story.

Dale, as a secondary character at the beginning of the story, never got his chance to even remain in that position. By mid-book, he's already just a bit of thoughts in Beka's mind. This shows Beka's dedication to her work and how incredibly sensible she is, but I feel slightly let down by Dale's demotion. He definitely could have played a larger part in the story (either helping or hindering Beka's tasks) because he was positioned to do so from the get go (but peters out...)

Having Hanse explain all the rhymes and reasons seems a bit of an easy and very basic mystery device (for that is what this series is... Law and Order meets Tortall Fantasy.) I was hoping for huge surprises and unexpected villains and deeper plots.

Oh, I sound too critical, I do believe. Going to end by saying that I definitely enjoyed following Beka through the streets, watching her eat sea food, seeing her fight various villains -- above ground and underground. It's great to be back in the land of such cool magic. Am I now again eagerly waiting for the next book? You betcha!






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Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan

Author: John Flannagan
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 6th grade

Pages: 249
Publisher: HarperCollins
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

I finally got around to read this first book in the ever-more popular series that my students have loved for the last few years. I know now why they like the stories and characters so much. The world is easy to understand -- since in this first book, the young people are "in schools." They are being trained in their various trades with cool skills like tracking, archery, sword play, and cooking. One of the main characters gets bullied and eventually those bullies get their just deserts! I can hear the cheering from the young readers! I will from now on describe the book (or the series) as Fantasy Spy Story, a blend of Alex Rider and Lord of the Rings. (Prob. a bit exaggerated but I think that will help interest the next reader!)

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The Bartimaeus Trilogy

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Reading Level: 6th grade and up

This is a guest blogger post. Josh is 16 years old and just finished the trilogy. (I feel remiss here -- since I neglected to recommend this series to him when he was in middle school!) He sent me a long email with his reviews of the three books and we subsequently exchanged a couple more emails, especially about the endings of this trilogy and the His Dark Materials trilogy. There are plot spoilers.



ABOUT The Amulet of Samarkand

Bartimaeus is hilarious. I simply love the djinn. Nathaniel is interesting to follow as well, a fun character with a couple flaws. There really isn't much to speak of in this book other than plot: it's fun, but Bartimaeus is the real winner of this one.

ABOUT The Golem's Eye

Here we see Nathaniel turn into the pompous, arrogant named John Mandrake. He falls into the very trap Bartimaeus told him to avoid: letting the corrupting influence of magicians twist him into something horrible. The things he does and says are unbelievable, and the effect is doubled by how he behaved in the 1st book. We get introduced to Kitty, who's a good person at heart, and then gets caught up in the whole Honorius affair. Mandrake shows his bastardness with his perpetual breaking of vows, many only hours or less after having made them. Bartimaeus is fun as ever: was sad about Queezle, that she got introduced and then snuffed out, but oh well. So goes the storyline.

ABOUT Ptolemy's Gate

By far the most interesting, most powerful, most moving, most climactic of the three (well, for that last one I suppose there's a reason, being the end and all). We see Mandrake turn from arrogant into the marginally better (or worse, depending on your POV) "top magician". Bartimaeus evokes a lot of sympathy with his sorry state, and Kitty becomes my favorite character for the majority of the book.

And then Mandrake slowly crumbles, leaving a mature Nathaniel. He still has flaws, but then, so does everyone but Bartimaeus. As Kitty and Nathaniel work together, with each other (and slowly begin to admire each other: my guess is given a couple years, they'd end up as very good friends or more, provided Nathaniel doesn't relapse, which I don't think he would), it's my favorite part. To see Kitty put the same trust in Bartimaeus that Ptolemy did, showing greater understanding of him than perhaps even the Egyptian boy (though Ptolemy did not have someone's notes or previous history as guides, admittedly).

And then, when Nathaniel accepts Bartimaeus into his own body...this is where N/B takes over as my favorite character(s). The fact that, working together, they manage to destroy far more powerful spirits than they. The fact that, working together, they are the culmination of Ptolemy's hopes and dreams, the ultimate climax of Nathaniel and Bartimaeus' relationship, the fulfilling of the purpose of Kitty's visit to the Other Place...once they become both two souls and one, a single 2-part mind in a single body, I could not put it down even for work. I was breathless as they turned the staff on Nouda...

AM. Nathaniel hit by the Detonation. Coming from Barti's POV, it is even more effective. And then when Nathaniel realizes the seriousness of the wound, his acceptance of his fate and determination to do selfless good is such strong writing. The last meeting with Kitty, where N/B both know what has to be done, and the whole concealing it from K thing...I really felt it. Comparable, at least for me in my after-reading-state, to when Lyra and Will realize they must separate in Amber Spyglass.

True to form, he breaks his final promise, having finally made one beyond his power to keep. This was where I was sad that the "item" could never happen (Kitty's picking through the wreckage at the end made me think she was feeling the loss of a possible future, one containing more happiness, or at least more possibility, than her current one, a future with a united djinn/human in it).

I thought that writing N and B's end at the very end was the best move of the whole trilogy. We already know what happens: we know that the great evil is destroyed by the heroic death of N/B. Now we get to see the heart of darkness, the center of the inferno, as N/B march to their death. The connection between them in this scene is so powerful I thought they might actually survive. This isn't the usual master-servant relationship; this isn't even Ptolemy's relationship. Ptolemy was a trusting, kind, benevolent, freedom-giving master, yes, but he was a master, as evidenced by his final dismissal of Barti. N and B banter as friends, they speak as equals, as 2 halves of the whole. Nathaniel's character at the end here practically radiates goodness off the page. And then, the way he dismisses Bartimaeus, I feel, is from an equal to an equal. The delivery of the dismissal is not that of a master dismissing a slave, but of a friend releasing a friend.

My throat was seized up the whole final scene, but it was the 2nd-to-last paragraph, where the Staff breaks, that the tears almost fell (almost, because I usually manage to keep them in while reading, though I failed during Amber Spyglass several years ago). The simplicity of the writing there - "Nouda did this. Nathaniel finished the Dismissal. I went. The Staff broke." had so much raw POWER in the way it was written. Stroud simply couldn't have written that end any better (except maybe Nathaniel surviving: just as he turns good, he turns so good that he must make up for the magicians' sins and evildoing. He dies for a better world, and I do rather prefer when they get to actually see that world).

I'd discuss the last paragraph but I need breakfast. Barti's final words in the trilogy, starting with "typical master", given that Nathaniel was anything but, either give the paragraph a tone of affection or a tone of disgust. Choice of the reader, so I chose affection :)

*** (Another email discussing the endings of Amber Spyglass and Ptolemy's Gate is omitted.) ***

Amber Spyglass had a Tough ending...but I think that, for me, Ptolemy's Gate takes the cake. To see what Nathaniel becomes by the end of the trilogy...in book 1 he was bumbling but likable, in book 2 I nearly burned the pages with him, in book 3 first couple parts I was a little put out with him (especially given his treatment of Barti), in last 150ish pages I thought, "This is what he should have become from book 1." The opposition of him + Barti and him from the previous books was so pronounced, and the tentative friendship springing up between him and K...it all made his death doubly sad and twice as noble.

Still tugs at the hearstrings, reading it. It's his Redemption, and yet he goes so much farther than he "needed" to, to redeem himself. For once, a magician of the old generation does what people of such power are supposed to do (at least in our society): use it for the people, sacrifice himself for the commoners.

FAIRROSA:

I cannot really honestly say which one affected me more at the moment of reading -- but I do think that Lyra and Will's final parting has a much stronger lingering effect. I read that scene, what, 8 - 9 years ago and I can still feel the sorrow now; whereas I do recall Nathaniel's final sacrifice (and you described it so well below) and how much I sobbed over it, it does not give my heart a blow whenever I think of it.

JOSH:

It's something about the way the two are written, I think. Something about them makes Bartimaeus stronger than HDM for me. I can't place it...my first guess would be that in Barti, the whole experience comes from 1st person, and their unity is such a 180 from everything before it, but I'm not sure if that's it.

Maybe it's the fact that N/B was 4 days ago, and L/W was 4 years ago...but there's no way to either prove or disprove that.

Argh.

Given the time difference between reading the two (not too much for an adult, but for me it's my entire emotional maturation to date), I don't think I can honestly say either one. L/W affected me more, but I hadn't read many books before then in which the heroes either die or must sacrifice something HUGE to win. I'm more used to it by now, and being a fan of happy endings, anything with such sacrifice will .

Graceling

Author: Kristin Cashore
Rating:
Reading Level: 7th, 8th, and older

Pages: 471
Publisher: Harcourt
Edition: Hardcover, 2008

I absolutely loved this book -- against my initial somewhat negative reaction to the very plain and sometimes clumsy prose and exposition. (The "listing" of kingdoms/names and their relationships definitely, or starting two consecutive sentences with the word And, or slightly muddled sentences like this, "... as if he'd done nothing wrong, nothing completely and absolutely wrong." -- none of this held much promise.) And of course, since I was reading it with the Notable Children's books in mind, the one sort of heavy sex scene stood out as not entirely necessary at the time. (Although, a lovely scene.)

And then, something changed: the characters became real and vivid and completely compelling and the plot took some unexpected turns that caught even me, a veteran fantasy reader, by surprise. I could not put it down and rushed to find out what happened next. Here are some of my thoughts as I read it:

1. In some ways, this one reminds me of Twilight: with its two main young protagonists completely absorbed with each other, against all odds and other people's views over their "talents." But, it is somehow "anti-Twilight" in that these two made a choice to have a physical relationship without conforming to the socially acceptable norm.

2. In some ways, this one reminds me of Jane Austen -- I know it is a far cry -- in that the two characters are initially at odds against each other emotionally, even though they are completely attracted to each other. It also is much like many many Harlequin Romance novels in this aspect -- except, except that they reconcile their differences early on, not dragging or making that sexual/emotional tension into the entire focus of the story (THANK GOODNESS!)

3. In some ways, this one alleviated a little bit of my need to read something akin to George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series: there are several very surprising plot twists that made me go, "WHAT?" and almost drop the book! (Of course, SoIF is so much so much more complex and so much grander in so many ways...)

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The Graveyard Book

Author: Neil Gaiman
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th grade and up

Pages: 320
Publisher: HarperCollins
Edition: Hardcover, 2008

This one definitely reached deeply into my heart. Love the world building. The Graveyard became a "residence" for my soul for the duration of reading/listening to the book -- a real place where my mind can wander. I could picture the sights, the light, the details, both described in the book and not described, undefined. My mind filled in all the corners and expanses and turned that world into a tangible space. Even after the storytelling is over, The Graveyard remains in my heart. Now it's as real and as cozy (if a cold graveyard can be cozy) a place as my Library' Reading Room.

I think the short story format works really well. Each "story" has a satisfying conclusion. Each advances the larger tale forward, too. Bod's maturation is expertly handled. And then, the conclusion of the entire tale is bittersweet, and yet not disappointing. (Oh, I guess I was sad that Bod might lose all the ghostly skills he possessed as a child and slightly mad of Gaiman for that -- why can't he still straddle the two worlds, even when he chooses to venture out into the world? My mind does not wish to accept that conclusion so I am making up other adventures for Bod that requires him to go into the other realms, to fade, and to haunt!)

I was shocked but really appreciated how Gaiman handles Bod and Scarlet's necessary parting. Keeping us readers on our toes, always. (And that little scene where Scarlet hugs Bod... so achingly revealing: since the age of two, he has not really been hugged, by real flesh and bone.)

And there is the rich imagination, the host of distinctive and adoring characters, a most chilling villain, and all that witty humor. How could I not love the book to pieces?

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Rapunzel's Revenge

Author: Shannon and Dean Hale; illus. by Nathan Hale

Rating:
Reading Level: 4th - 7th

Pages: 144
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback/Graphic Novel, 2008

It did not disappoint! Yeah! I had so much fun reading and looking at this book and its illustrations. Shannon Hale's telling, even with reduced amount of text due to the graphic novel nature of the book, is crisp and humorous, and with certain subtlety that amuses me, the adult reader, and yet not difficult to appreciate for young readers. (I had a 10-year-old girl today reading it and she absolutely loved the book -- then she found out that this is by the same author who gave her the pleasure of GOOSE GIRL and PRINCESS ACADEMY. She was thrilled!) The wild wild west setting is cleverly executed. I wonder how others react to the the references to the Native American cultures and characters -- personally I thought it's done very sensitively and much of it is conveyed visually -- so I also wonder how all that was communicated between the authors and the artist. What a fun tall tale we've got us here. I am so pleased!


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Come Lady Death

Author: Peter S. Beagle
Rating:
Reading Level: Young Adult/Adult

Edition: Podcast/Podcastle, 2008

This is the first podcastle episode, released on April 1st, 2008. Read by Paul S. Jenkins. It's a delightfully dark piece that has a very Victorian undertone but it was first published in 1963. Just a fun "listening." It makes me really want to produce my own podcast stories -- not read by me, but produced and directed by me. That will be much fun. Wouldn't it?

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

Author: Nahoko Uehashi
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 8th grade

Pages: 272
Publisher: Arthur Levine/Scholastic
Edition: Hardcover, 2008 (ARC)




I posted this on Goodreads but want to highlight this one specifically here... for anyone searching for a good fantasy that is not the typical English original -- this is a GREAT new offering:

It's a book that I can feel entirely enthusiastic about recommending to children who look for fast-paced and action packed stories with magic.

It's a book that features unusual characters: the protagonist is a 30-year-old warrior woman who wields a spear with great skills and who has a rich back story and an intriguing future story to look forward to.

It does not alter its sensibilities for an American audience.

It has incredibly visual action scenes (yes, they do read like Animes, but this was turned into an anime series and I believe the lines between novels/mangas/animes are fairly blurred and cross-able and re-cross-able in the contemporary Japanese culture.)

The exploration of the "storytelling" theme strikes a chord with me, especially the idea that children's rhymes and folklores are "real" messages, to deal with real life crisis and issues.

The idea of overlaying worlds of the Real and the Fantastic are not uncommon in fantasy traditions and especially in the Manga tradition -- but here the author so tangibly captured the moments and the imagery of the two worlds when someone straddles the two realms. It made me feel as if I were the character who peeks into the fantastic realm and that that world could very well be next to me, waiting at my next breath.

Of course, there is quite a bit of nostalgia here, too -- this story echoes those martial art novels (wu xia) that I grew up with in Taiwan. The characters, their relationships, the fighting skills and scenes, the themes, etc. are all exactly what I liked as a young reader and still like as an adult.

I am just so pleased that this series is brought to the States and may allow more titles like this or even open the door to translations of wu xia xiao shuo... That will be truly a dream comes true!

100 Cupboard

Author: N.D. Wilson
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 6th grade

Pages: 304
Publisher: Random House
Edition: Hardcover, 2008


I completely immersed and lost myself in this original and dark story of magical cupboards, space and time travels, told in a highly folksy manner -- more like folktales passed down through generations, by the hearths, enjoyed along with home-made pies and chicken soup. Absolutely enjoyable. I hope it finds a large audience who will appreciate it not just for the nerve-wrecking adventures but for the author's care in telling the story.

The Metamor City Podcast

Creator: Chris Lester
Listening Level: Older YA and Adults

Edition: 2007/2008 Audio Podcast

I have been listening to this Sci-Fan podcast for the past few weeks... catching up their early episodes from late 2007 and approaching this year's newer productions. Every story happens in Metamor City -- a futuristic sci-fi setting with magical creatures and fantasy elements. Fairies, demi-gods, mages ride on super-motorbike like vehicles and fight each other with not only magic but modern weaponry. The main ingredients of the stories I've listened to so far are violence, magic, sex, and humor: both light and dark. It's definitely entertaining.

Labyrinth

Director: Jim Henson
Writers: Jim Henson, Dennis Lee, and Terry Jones
Rating:

Edition: 1986 Film

I watched this movie on VHS and DVD many times since its earliest release. Haven't watched it for a while and thought, maybe, the special effects and story and jokes won't work now... 22 years later! But they all STILL work terrificly. No "cringing factors," except, maybe Bowie's dance moves! And we all tolerated that because he's BOWIE! (Watched this with a group of HS students in the Sci-Fan club so, we are pre-conditioned to enjoy movies like this after all.)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Author: J.K. Rowling
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th and up

Pages:
Publisher: Scholastic
Edition: Hardcover, 2007

I got the book shortly after midnight on Saturday morning, July 21..., at "The Harry Potter Place" party hosted by Scholastic. Spent 2 hours reading it (1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.) -- thought, "Now, this is quite good. I'm not annoyed by redundant adjectives or adverbs or repetitive verbs... And I'm really sucked back into this world again. How wonderful this feels!" Then, most of the day and evening of July 21 was spent reading/dozing off/reading/dozing off on the comfy chair in the living room. Dozing off, not because the story wasn't exciting but simply due to exhaustion. So, these early chapter and adventure took on a dreamy quality -- I wonder if it's the text or just because I was dreaming ... and Harry was doing a lot of dreaming and seeing through another's eye. His was nightmares, mine was a reader's trance. Being a slow reader, I couldn't finish it on Saturday. And I dared not get online to visit any book places, in fear of knowing what comes next. Not that it would have spoiled my experience... but, in a book full of deliberately hidden clues and mysteries, it was more fun to not know anything and slowly discover the "truth." Sunday saw me busy entertaining house guests and stealing moments to dip back into the tale. By bedtime, I was so deep into the world and so engrossed with the plot threads that I knew today (Monday) couldn't be spent in any other way but finishing it.

And finishing it I did, with much shedding of tears, much satisfaction with certain of my "predictions" came true, delighted in the reappearance of certain characters and elements from previous books, and inevitably slightly annoyed by a couple of threads and characters left underdeveloped. But, over all... it was a truly satisfying conclusion to a long journey. The many many pages in this case are not wasteful or draggy, but fitting for the exhausting and arduous journey that Harry and the Gang undertook. I'm just, really, pleased.

The Game

Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th to 7th

Pages: 192
Publisher: Firebird (Penguin Putnam)
Edition: Hardcover, 2007

I find this short fantasy highly entertaining and extremely delightful. Diana Wynne Jones has such a strong sense of language to convey humor, mystery, the fantastic world and its richly drawn characters. For example, when Haley first met Tollie, and was taunted by him, her thoughts were, to “pull pieces off him -- ears, nose, fingers... so long as they came away with lots of blood--" (p. 4, p.5) This extreme thought both illustrates Haley's feisty personality and also establishes the tone of the story early on. That it is going to be full of strong emotions and funny bits. And throughout the book, this tone is consistent.

There are vivid scenes that have stayed with me for months: the raw pork chop stuck in the drain, Flute and Fiddle standing by the street corners walking through walls, performing magic, Aunt Aster being carried in Orion's arms racing down the street, the various beautiful and dangerous strands and encounters in the Mythosphere. I am impressed by the author's ability to weave a very rich story within a slim volume.

Many other light observations that are both humorous and acute such as this, “Nodding and smiling turned out to be a habit with Marthya. She used it instead of understanding English. She used it particularly when Grandma told her to clean the silver or sweep the stairs.” (p. 31)

I also really enjoyed how the readers are as puzzled, confused, and baffled as Haley at the beginning of the story, and, how, there are clues that the readers start to piece together to get the whole picture, while Haley still is unaware of the situation... but eventually, there is enough of a surprise toward the end that it won't bore the readers who have somewhat figured out these characters. Jones' ability to weave tales together ambiguously and then slowly revealing the inter-dependent details is once again so masterfully done. Each character is drawn so vividly and every danger is breath taking. What a treat!

Secret History of Tom Trueheart

Author: Ian Beck
Reading Level: 4th-6th

Publisher: Greenwillow (HarperCollins)
Edition: Hardcover, 2007 (ARC)

Very little works for me in this fairy-tale inspired fantasy. The logic seems largely faulty (such as the limited view on fairy-tale world and that only these 7 brothers - all named Jack - can take on these "quest" assignments.) The "message" is so blatant that the tale holds little depth. It simply did not work for me.

The New Policeman

Author: Kate Thompson
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th-8th

Pages: 442
Publisher: Greenwillow
Edition: Hardcover, 2007

Hallucinating. Mesmerizing. Tantallizing. Extraordinary.
(Charming, seductive and completely enthralling - as described by Eoin Colfer, which is apt, as well.)

I especially adore the fact that, instead of leaving the identity of The New Policeman subtly hinted and hidden for readers to puzzle over (although it got more and more obvious as the book goes -- perfectly executed, those little hints throughout), there is a resounding confirmation. It makes this a most satisfyig children's book: the readers are not left with a malencholy that hangs over our head -- which it can EASILY go.

The short chapters match so well with the missing Time. As an Irish music fan, I can't help but humming all the tunes after each chapter. How cleverly done those are -- and Thompson even composed a couple herself.

This is a deserving award winner (of both the 2005 Guardian and Whitbread Awards) and should be relentlessly promoted to all worthy young readers!

The Last Dragon

Author: Silvana De Mari; translated by Shaun Whiteside
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th - 6th

Pages: 361
Publisher: Miramax/Disney
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

I have not that much good to say about this book. It annoys me to read the compulsive "listing of stuff" (yes, I realized that it was intended to represent how the Elf and the Dragon would think and organize their inner worlds) page after page: what kind of books there are in the library (many kinds and you're sure to be told a FULL page of the various subjects or how readers should think of anyone or any event (it's never just one descriptor, almost as if the author cannot make up her mind how to describe a character or an emotion, but a "list" of adjectives. I cannot imagine that it is the device of the translator, but a slight possibility remains.

If I hadn't had to read it for a group discussion -- I would have probably dropped the book midstream. Only one out of a few professional review sources agrees with me that this is a very message-heavy tale dressed in a fake fantasy clothing, and the humor is often crude and unfitting for the tragic tone of the underlying tale. Look for the VOYA review on this B&N page.

Titan's Curse

Author: Rick Riordan
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th - 6th

Pages:
Publisher: Hyperion
Edition: Hardcover Galley, 2007

Reading the 3rd installment in the Percy Jackson series is now like drinking a can of regular soda - there is the sugar rush and the addiction! It's fun, it's full of fast paced actions, it's familiar, and it does leave you wanting more - especially with Percy having a new enemy and Luke might not be all that he seems! Although it will not be considered exactly the healthiest choice by "reading dieticians" (this term here refers to the literary purists who think reading only exists to improve one's literary taste and heighten one's intelligence or humanity).

Endymion Spring

Author: Matthew Skelton
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th - 6th grade

Pages: 392
Publisher: Delacorte
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

A book about the Book of All Books (All Stories) and set in the labyrinth of Oxford Libraries, highly atmospheric and not lacking in the action department... how could I resist! It was definitely an entertaining and gripping read. I wanted to find out what's going on both in the 21st Century and in the 15th. All the highly imaginative magical elements are very enjoyable, as well. However -- as the end of the book approached and finally arrived, my anticipation of an illuminating resolution which would have raised Endymioin Spring high above the other "fantasy outputs" now saturating the children's book marketplace is sadly unrealized. With the singular villain out of the way, the parents' happy reunion, and the easy explanation of everything else, Blake Winter's story is a solid, although still just run-of-the-mill, fantasy read, no more.

Will Skelton write a sequel to this volume? The last pages seem to be testing the water. I imagine it all depends on the readers' reaction and the market demand.

The King of Attolia

Author: Megan Whelan Turner
Rating:
Reading Level: 6th grade and up

Pages: 387
Publisher: Greenwillow
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

Such an intriguing, subtle, and exciting book! Since I did not read the first two in the trilogy (The Thief and Queen of Attolia,) the first chapters of this one are somewhat confusing because all the relationships between characters and the political complications are presented in the most ambiguous way. I know this is Turner's style and became appreciative of this ambiguity as the tale unfolded in front of me. I learned to just sink into the story, follow the lead of the narrator and let go of my impulses to make sense of everything, trusting that all will make sense eventually. And it delivered: all the threads are gathered at the end and the knot is tied up neatly, very satisfying! And I couldn't help but falling in love with the characters -- all of them, but mostly, of course, with the King and the Queen, whose love for each other rises out of the page and grabs hold of me, almost physically. This read is quite an "experience."

The Harsh Cry of the Heron

Author: Lian Hearn
Rating: - for the first 300 or so pages
Rating: - for the last 200 or so pages
Reading Level: HS and up

Pages: 528
Publisher: Riverhead
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

If I hadn't wanted so much to finish the series of Otori tales, and hadn't heard that the ending is truly worthwhile, I would have put down the book at page 215 or so. The first half of the book needs so much editing! Hearn's static character descriptions (a long paragraph on the appearance and the personality of each major and minor character), while charming in small doses, become an annoyance when too many new (or old but forgotten by book 4) characters are introduced this way. And the repeated explanation of "The Way of the Houou" leaves me feeling that Hearn cannot trust her readers' intelligence to have grasped the philosophical underpinning of the way of peace. The plot development is also painfully slow.

I have no problem with the fact that this is a story of Takeo and Kaede when they are adults -- but it really would have been better for me if there has been a better balance of politics and tribe skills (up the fantasy element, down play the political struggles). Someone mentioned on Amazon.com that it is disappointing how Kaede is reduced to a plain character troubled by traditional prejudice (against the twins), the lack of a male offspring, and other petty feelings. I can agree with that -- Takeo continues to be a fully drawn character but Kaede becomes quite shadowy. Her feelings are told without the possibility of deep understanding by the reader. Her final actions, however, are in keeping with her passionate nature. Her old coolness in facing adverse situations sprang from her love and trust for Takeo. Thus, she cannot possibly keep her cool when that foundation is destroyed.

But... the ENDING -- the last 150 pages or so... MY GOODNESS. I often shed tears over incidents and characters in books, but the violent sobs and non-stoppable stream of tears are uncommon, even for me. Two days after closing the book, the sorrow still tinges my mood.

Fragile Things: Short Fiction and Wonders

Author: Neil Gaiman
Rating:
Reading Level: HS/Adult

Pages: 355
Publisher: William Morrow
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

This book is such a treasure -- from the cover design to the very interesting, informative introduction, to each of the 30+ stories and poems. It is odd to think of this book with such fondness and deep, comforting satisfaction when most of the stories are unsettling, dark, often with unrestrained gore and tragic situations. I wanted to write my reaction to each of the story... but simply didn't have time. Here are some of my favorite pieces. The short summary is just so I won't forget what the stories are about...

October in the Chair
(the little boy running away, meeting a little ghost boy...)
Forbidden Brides of the Facelss Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire
(meta-fiction of a young writer, living in a world of fantasy and trying to write his own "realistic fiction")
Bitter Grounds
(a "zombie" like traveler, assuming another's identity...)
Other People
(very short and philosophical piece of demons in hell)
Harlequin Valentine
(tricking and being tricked -- do not lightly give away your heart -- pinning it on the door, with blood dripping..)
The Problem of Susan
(what happens to Susan after the Last Battle from the Narnia books...)
Instructions (poem)
(instructions to one who finds herself trapped inside a fairy tell)
My Life (poem)
(tall-tale goth and funny)
Feeders and Eaters
(a really creepy cannibal story)
Goliath
(a possible story from the world of the movie Matrix)
The Day the Saucers Came (poem)
(humorous accumulative love letter)
Sunbird
(what happens when you have eaten all the rare and precious foodstuff - and not so-foodstuff - in the world)

Archer's Quest

Author: Linda Sue Park
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th - 6th

Pages: 167
Publisher: Clarion
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

This flimsily structures fantasy presents a slight introduction to legends from Korean and Chinese cultures. I wish the book is more moving, more imaginative, more convincing, richer in characters, with more inherent "importance" (for lack of a better expression)... but, then, maybe that is never the intent of the author. I'd like to get some feedback from the kids!

Sandman: The Dream Hunters

Author: Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano
Rating:
Reading Level: 7th and up

Pages: 128
Publisher: Vertigo
Edition: Paperback, 2000 (1999)

Beautifually haunting, both in text and illustration. Typically Gaiman. And I am a sucker for his style. The tenderness of a tragic love is revealed with poetic, dream-like prose. Gaiman is masterful in conjuring up not only paradoxical phrases, but paradoxical imagery and emotions: we find beauty in the macabre, humor in the tragic, hope in the despairing...

Wish List

Author: Eoin Colfer
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th - 6th

Pages: 252
Publisher: Miramax/Hyperion
Edition: Hardcover, 2003 (2000)

Eoin Colfer has not quite redeemed himself in my view, via this book, either. I have to go back and re-enter the world of Artemis Fowl series to see if he is a brilliant writer, as so many of my young readers seem to believe. This book has a great premise, an explosive and grabbing beginning, some very witty commentary on the human nature, and many moments of cool actions. However, plenty of stylish flaws can be spotted. When the narrative is taken over by Meg Finn, the teenager who died and couldn't enter Hell or Heaven, she does not sound anything like herself as a character -- she sounds just like the 3rd person narrator that we presume as Eoin Colfer, the author. Page 200: "A semi-inebraited mind sinks all th emore readily into the mire of satellite stations"; "Franco saw himself in the tragic hero mold."

I know Colfer probably didn't set out to write a profound book, and he did not produce one, for sure. But it seems a bit of a waste when I sense so much potential based on what he has already achieved. This could have been both an action-packed, imaginative, humorous story AND a book that leaves the readers ponder about life, after-life, and the actions we take when we are living our lives. Instead, it's just an amusing read.

The Sea of Monsters

Author: Rick Riordan
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th - 6th

Pages: 279
Publisher: Miramax / Hyperion
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

Much like the first book of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians/The Lightning Thief, it is mildly amusing, light, full of cameo appearances from the Greek mythology: some work very well and others are a bit forced. The "guest stars" scenes work a little better in this one: they contribute to, rather than detract from, the momentum of the plot. The stake gets higher here and I presume, like many fantasy series, this one probably will progress from light to dark as the series progress. (Think Harry Potter.)

Riordan's decision on using Percy's first person narrative voice that is light, self-deprecating, and ironic has been effective but might make it more difficult to darken the mood. Of course, he (Percy, not Riodan) can grow up and mature a bit and hopefully we'll see that his "voice" grows along with him. I was reminded of the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, with Percy gaining companions of various talents along his quests. But the similarity stops there - Alexander's style differs drastically from Riordan's.

The explanations of some modern day phenomena are actually funny: Chain stores sprouting due to the new birth of each monster; Internet being invented by Hermes, the Messenger God, etc.

Beyond the Deepwoods

Authors: Paul Stewart & Chriss Riddell
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 6th

Pages: 278
Publisher: David Fickling Books/ Random House
Edition: Hardcover, 2004 (1998 in UK)

So. I couldn't wait to finish this book! Not that I was so thrilled by it that I wanted to know how it all pans out. Nope. I basically could guess (there are quite a bit of not very subtle hints throughout the book) how Twig's journey is going to end. I simply wanted the book to end so I didn't have to keep reading chapter after chapter after chapter of descriptions of some form of gross, fantastic creatures who put Twig in mortal danger and, of course, from whom Twig eventually gets away. I even guessed the Gloamglozer part (which just shows how jaded an adult reader can be when reading a children's book.) Their existence serves little to actually advance the storyline but a strong sense of self-indulgent from the co-authors/illustrators.

The writing is solid and fine. The illustrations are definitely fabulous and incredibly detailed: when I skimmed the creatures chapters, they tell me exactly what happens and how each creature looks like. Very helpful indeed.

To be absolutely fair, there are some good chapters and a few unexpected turns: the Banderbear's demise is definitely sad. I can see young readers who enjoy imagining their own creatures find great examples and kindred spirits in the authors. I only wish that the binging of "creature presentation" is either curbed a bit, or serves some better purposes: as part of his self-discovery and growth, maybe? Time passes in the story, but the sense of Twig remains the same from the first page to the last. Even with the loss of his beloved companion, I do not feel that Twig has altered his sense of the world or of himself. It just got tiresome: like eating too much at a passable buffet dinner, just because I have paid and started the meal, not because I savor the many dishes.

I wonder if the following volumes, for this is the first of The Edge Chronicles series, are better or does the super-indulgence continue?

Ptolemy's Gate

Author: Jonathan Stroud
Rating:
Reading Level:

Pages: 501
Publisher: Hyperion
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

Warning: Plot Spoiler Below

I'm still trembling minutes after finishing the final scenes of this ever-better trilogy. Shed much tear at the end. The nobility of the three main characters, growing more obvious as each moment passes, is both so cleansing and so real. My mild delight at seeing Nathaniel becoming more like his old, idealistic self in the middle part of the book turns into the gigantic admiration toward the end, when he calmly sacrifices himself and protects all that he loves. I'm still in shock! Stroud is gutsy in constructing this unexpected and utterly convincing ending. No wonder so many readers have told me how great this book is. Indeed.

Neverwhere

Author: Neil Gaiman
Rating:
Reading Level: Adult

Pages:
Publisher:
Edition: Paperback

-- copied from old journal--

Keeping to the same grim, weird, dreamy, and at the same time breezy and light vein, this is yet another entertaining gothic fantasy. I don't know why I'm simply not that affected by the images so gross in nature or the pains so extreme. Maybe it is because English is still my second language and I might never become fully immersed in its effects? I can't judge whether I should be shocked, grossed out, or frightened -- and all I felt was largely amusement at Gaiman's imagination.

Golem's Eye

Author: Jonathan Stroud
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th and up

Pages: 562
Publisher: Hyperion
Edition: Hardcover, 2004

I couldn't put this down half way through this intriguing story. The narrative definitely gains momentum midterm, when the Resistance's efforts prove futile, when Nathaniel's situation becomes more dire, and when Bartimaeus shows his concerns for Nathaniel's waning integrity. Stroud definitely did a fabulous job joggling three points of views, flashbacks, and excitement and humor (sarcasm, mostly.) Although there are other books piling on my desk, waiting to be "evaluated" for my other commitments, I am going to be super indulgent and finish the Trilogy with Ptolemy's Gate, eager to see how Nathaniel's heart turns out and how Kitty's fate intertwined with that of Bartimaeus'.

River Secrets

Author: Shannon Hale
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th and up

Pages: 290
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Galley, 2006

This is the third installment in the series started with Goose Girl and followed by Enna Burning. I put down everything else I was going to read because I so enjoyed the first two books. I liked this one, but was slightly disappointed that the water magic (after wind and fire, water is a natural element to follow) is not as prevelant and powerful in this one as the other two in the previous volumes. It is also less satisfying that the main character is not the one who learns and wields this power -- I missed the passages that would have been there to describe the sensation and emotion of the process of calling, forming, and controlling water, if Razo has been the water-speaker.

The characters are definitely well defined and likable; the secrets and the final revelation didn't come to me as a total shock but made the read entertaininig; the puppy love is so sincerely and deftly presented that I had to smile at Razo and his love. There are a couple of holes in this "detective" story that should have been addressed (for instance, the girl who baked the tart was never questioned after the accidental death of the poisoned dog...)

Shannon Hale is a wordsmith, just reading these sentences made me happy: "People opened their doors and shutters, pulled chairs and tables outside, and gossiped with neighbors as they ate, serenaded by a crooked moon." "Warehouses crammed together, elbowing for a bit of river side." "The Ingridan autumn air was pleasant and cool and carried with it a round feeling like something complete -- a full moon, a full plate, the end of a good day." Many many more vivid imageries and poetic descriptions. Maybe some readers find this slowing down the pace, but I just enjoyed reading them.

Gregor and the Marks of Secret

Author: Suzanne Collins
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th and up

Pages: 343
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Edition: Hardcover, 2006

This 4th installment in the Underland series is more powerful than the previous. The plot is tight. The characters are more developed and complex and the dangers are even more real now. I don't know how young readers without much knowledge of the holocaust might react to the scene where the Nibblers (the mice) are lured unsuspectingly to be mass-murdered. I was shocked at the brutality of this scene, although I think Collins did a superb job.

I believe this is supposed to be the second to last book and am eagerly awaiting the concluding volume!

Castle Waiting

Author: Linda Medley
Rating:
Reading Level: 6th and up (Graphic Novel)

This is truly a delightful illustrated light fantasy. (Graphic Novel?) Being a compilation of short stories that do not seem to have an overall structure of a longer "novel," parts of it seem incomplete and others seem a bit too lengthy. It is a prime example, however, of how a graphic novel really works: the story of the bearded ladies really drives the notion that the graphics enhance the narrative. Each time the reader sees a panel with these bearded beauties (? haha,) the "shocking" impact is refreshed. In a plain text narrative, one can easily forget that Beatrice is a burly manly bearded woman but you simply cannot escape these images and ignore this fact here!

A Feast for Crows

Author: George R.R. Martin
Rating:
Reading Level: Adult

Pages:
Publisher:
Edition:

This is definitely not as well written or plotted as the previous ones in the Song of Ice and Fire sequence. However, it was fun to read about the other parts of the world Martin created -- to know what Oldtown and Bravossi feel and smell like is fine.

A Storm of Swords

Author: George R.R. Martin
Rating:
Reading Level: Adult

3rd book in Song of Ice and Fire. Still amazing. Actually.. it is even more amazing than the second one. Certain scenes of bloodshed is engraved in my brain now...

A Clash of Kings

Author: George R.R. Martin
Rating:
Reading Level: Adult

Second book in the Song of Ice and Fire cycle. Oh, my, God! It is as exciting and surprising as the first one. I was trapped in the world of Westero and the outer regions, fascinated by the host of characters and the complex storyline.

A Game of Thrones

Author: George R.R. Martin
Rating:
Reading Level: Adult

Pages: 864
Publisher: Spectra
Edition: Paperback, 1996
Thoroughly engrossing -- full of gorey war and killing details... but the characters are so well drawn that it rings completely true. The twists and turns of the plotline, especially toward the end of this 800+-page book, kept me so emotionally involved and pumped that I am quite ready to go on to the next book -- almost 1,000 pages long. It is soap-opera-esque, but with all the right forumulae for a successful one! I guess I truly crossed a threshold here with the reading of this book -- officially I am now a genuine fantasy reader who is not daunted by the length of the book, only annoyed if the book is poorly presented!

Last of the Really Great Whangdoodle

Author: Julie Edwards
Rating:
Reading Level: 3rd - 5th

is a re-read. I loved this book upon first reading -- more than 10 years ago. This second reading surprised me. I don't remember ANY of the details, and I am usually really good at recalling details. Every scene and character was brand new to me -- and not in a good way at all. I detest the didactic tone and the transparent "messages" of all the benefits of the imagination! (I don't detest imagination, of course, just the way its worth is being handled in the book -- and hey, whose idea is it that adults lose their imagination? I have a lot more imagination than some of the youngsters I know!)

Over all, I couldn't believe that I once LOVED this book, as an adult, although I can see why so many children still love it -- for its vivid descriptions of the very rich and imaginative details and the adventures the children embark on.

Eragon

Author: Christopher Paolini
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th and up

After finally getting past the first few chapters of rather clunky writing and derivative plot details, I suddenly understood why the book has been so popular with young readers. This is a book that, young readers of fantasy stories would have written themselves: the surprising but not really complex plot twists, the relationships between major characters, and the resolutions are all very young-person-like (as opposed to childlike.) The actions flow quite quickly and there is definitely enough excitement to uphold reader's interest. Now, I might actually go and read The Eldest.

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)

Author: Rick Riordan
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 6th

This is bound to be popular with anyone who loves action-packed adventure stories. Vastly accessible due to its simplicity both in prose style and in its explicitly directive explanations of Percy's emotional reactions to events. For me, there were simply too many repeated and predictable patterns (and some scenes thrown in simply for thrills) and not enough layers for contemplation to warrant deep satisfaction.