Category: Book Spotlight

Book Spotlight: Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 1) by Kristin Cashore

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 6, 2012.***
Since this post was published, two more books—Winterkeep (2021) and Seasparrow (2022)—were released, and the 5-book series was re-released as The Graceling Realm Series.

Book Spotlight: Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 1) by Kristin Cashore

WELCOME back, Beardies!

Back at the beginning of May, Joshua asked me for a list of titles I’d like to feature for Book Spotlight. Bitterblue, the final installment in Kristin Cashore’s Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, had just come out, and the trilogy as a whole topped the list. I even owned all the books and had already read the first two. Because of all the reading I have to do for my job, though, often the books that I own fall to the bottom of the pile because I have all the time in the world, rather than the three weeks allowed by a library checkout, to read them. Thus, months passed, and a Spotlight on Seven Kingdoms never came. Then, one night, I asked Joshua for my weekly assignment, and he specifically asked me to read Bitterblue. Turns out, in his words, he’d “been waiting for that Spotlight with white knuckles.” Well, what could I do but oblige him?

Originally, I set out to do just one post on The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, but quickly realized that the trilogy simply had too many strong points and too much depth for one post to do it justice. So, at Joshua’s encouragement, I have decided to cover this trilogy in three separate posts. The first installment of the trilogy, Graceling, hit shelves in 2008 with immediate success, bagging tons of literary hardware. It was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association; was a finalist for the William C. Morris Award for best young adult debut novel that year; and also snagged the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

IN the Seven Kingdoms, sometimes a child is born with a supernatural talent known as a Grace. A Grace can be anything from mind-reading or weather prediction to the ability to climb any tree in creation. Katsa has a frightening Grace: She’s been able to kill people with her bare hands since she the age of eight. Katsa’s uncle, King Randa, has used her as an enforcer and thug for years, sending her to kill or maim subjects who don’t obey his every whim. Tired of being used, Katsa takes matters into her own hands, forming a group called the Council that operates undercover to prevent her from having to do Randa’s bidding. Then a Council mission leads her to a new friend, a young princess in grave danger, and a sadistic ruler with a secret even more deadly than her Grace.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. HEROINE AS ARTFORM...

KATSA is a heroine for the ages and truly stars in her role as Graceling’s protagonist. Her character arc is complete and realistic. In the beginning she is only able to see herself as the Graced thug that her uncle has made her to be, but the moment when she has the courage to take matters into her own hands makes the reader want to stand up and cheer. By the end of the book, she sees herself as far more than just King Randa’s enforcer, and her process of self-discovery is beautifully done. This stellar piece of characterization landed Graceling on the Amelia Bloomer Project List of best feminist literature for young adults in 2009.

2. PLOTTING & PACING...

The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy as a whole is a fine example of complex plotting, and this first volume sets the stage. Graceling is perfectly paced. It hits the ground running with Katsa’s dramatic rescue of a kidnapped prince, and it never looks back. The action is nonstop, but also organic, never feeling forced or contrived. There are enough quiet moments to allow the reader to catch their breath, but the plot doesn’t drag down. The ending, too, leaves the reader content, with plenty of room for a sequel.

3. WORLD BUILDING & CULTURAL VIEWS...

KRISTIN CASHORE’s Gracelings are so realistically drawn, it takes an effort not to look for them in real life, but what really resonates with me is the way that Gracelings are treated by society—and the way that Cashore builds this flawlessly into her world. A Graced person has eyes of two different colors, so they are easy to pick out from a crowd. In most of the Seven Kingdoms, Gracelings are feared or reviled. All Graceling children are given to the King as soon as their eyes “settle” into two different colors. If the child’s Grace is useful to the King (such as Katsa’s killing), the child becomes the property of the King; if not, the child is sent home in disgrace and usually lives as an outcast for the rest of their life.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

Graceling is the perfect blend of solid world-building, fast-paced adventure, and phenomenal characterization. It stands alone easily, but also leaves the reader eager for more stories about these characters. While I don’t often agree with award selection committees, I do agree that Graceling has all the makings of a modern classic and is a feast for readers and writers alike. I hope you’ll join me in the next few days for my Book Spotlights on Fire and Bitterblue.

Happy Reading & Happy Scribing!

Picture of ELIZABETH J. NORTON

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

MEET ELIZABETH
X-twitter Instagram Goodreads Envelope

***Graceling (2008) by Kristin Cashore, are published by and copyright Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

VIEW ON GOODREADS

Book Spotlight: Saving Mars (Saving Mars, Book 1) by Cidney Swanson

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on August 4, 2012.***

Book Spotlight: Saving Mars (Saving Mars, Book 1) by Cidney Swanson

SALUTATIONS, Beardies!

Last weekend, I was in a state of bliss, enjoying a rare, quiet evening visiting my parents, watching the Olympics and looking forward to an uneventful week to come. My tranquility was shattered, however, by the arrival of the following text from Joshua.

Joshua: Would you like an assignment? Just forwarded you an e-mail I received from Cidney with a proposal.
The e-mail contained not an assignment, but a mission that—should I choose to accept it—would spell the end of my uneventful week.



Tomorrow our friend, Cidney Swanson, author of The Ripple Trilogy, celebrates the publication of her fourth novel, Saving Mars. The e-mail to which Joshua referred contained an invitation to be a first reviewer! The catch: I had only one week to read the book and write the review—a short deadline; a perilous mission. I thought about respectfully declining, but in the end I couldn’t resist the opportunity to bring you this very special Book Spotlight.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

JESS and her family live in Mars Colonial, a human settlement on Mars that began as an initiative on the planet of Terra. The Terrans believe Mars Colonial failed years ago and have no idea that it still exists, and the Marsians intend to keep it that way despite the constant Terran surveillance. Jess can pilot any craft with wings and she dreams of becoming a raider like her late grandfather, flying missions to Terra to get the ration bars that keep the Marsians alive. Then, a mistake on a flight leaves her in disgrace and suspended from the skies. But when Mars’ food supply is compromised, Jess’ alter-abled brother, Ethan, is chosen to go on an emergency raid to get rations. Jess knows that the trip will be devastating to Ethan with his alter-abilities, and figures out a way to join him. Then, when everything about the mission is going wrong, Jess is faced with a terrible choice: Save her brother and her crewmates, or save her planet.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. WORLD BUILDING...

YOU knew I’d start with that, right? Cidney Swanson has a rare gift for world-building. Some writers do all their world-building in the first chapter and then throw the reader in headfirst and expect them to remember all the details. Swanson, on the other hand, builds her world slowly, brick by brick, in fine detail. From the political system of Mars Colonial, to the practice of celebrating one’s birthday twice each year because Mars takes twice as long as Earth to orbit the sun, to the extensive list of ingredients in a Marsian ration bar, everything is in place and well thought-out. When the book ends, the world is gloriously complete and real, and the reader is eager to return to it again and again.

2. CHARACTERIZATION...

EVERY one of these characters is fully realized, and all undergo growth and transformation through the course of the book. Jess’s character arc is especially well done, particularly her relationship with Ethan. She is a spunky and lovable heroine, ever the daredevil, fiercely protective of her brother, and determined to do anything to get back to flying after making a huge mistake. By the end of the book, she is just as headstrong, but has learned to see things from others’ perspectives and put the safety of others—and the survival of her planet—above her own desires.

3. SETTING & CULTURE...

ALTHOUGH she admits in her author’s note that she is no astrophysicist, Cidney Swanson obviously did her research about life on Mars and what it would take to sustain a human colony there. The setting is described in vivid detail, not only physically but also culturally. Marsians (“Martians” being an offensive, Terran term) can only go outside in high-tech suits to protect them from the temperature extremes and drink water only twice per day. Beyond those two daily “wet rations,” the use of water for anything, including tears, is considered wasteful. The old are treated with great respect, and a person’s first wrinkle is cause for celebration as it means they have survived. All of these cultural details, even more than the physical description of the setting, make the world of the Marsians that much more believable.

4. ALTER-ABILITIES...

JESS’s brother, Ethan, is what the Marsians consider “alter-abled.” He is an expert computer hacker, but in our world would probably be diagnosed with autism or Asperger syndrome. The portrayal of this condition is respectful, tender, and beautiful; it is an integral part of his character. For the most part, the Marsians respect Ethan for his hacking skills and brilliant inventions, rather than ostracizing him for his differences. I only wish the same held true on Earth for all who live with this condition, and I applaud Cidney Swanson for tackling this timely issue with such finesse.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

ALTHOUGH that text from Joshua and my subsequent decision to take on this mission destroyed my hopes of an uneventful week, it was worth every minute! I cannot wait to hear more from these characters and hope that you, too, will take the time to read this book. Better yet, click over to Cidney’s blog—she’s doing a giveaway of a signed copy plus some nifty Mars-related swag. Go show her some love, and tell her The Bearded Scribe sent you!

Mission Accomplished!

Picture of ELIZABETH J. NORTON

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

MEET ELIZABETH
X-twitter Instagram Goodreads Envelope

***Saving Mars (2012) by Cidney Swanson, are published by and copyright Williams Press.

***Per FTC Regulations: I received a free Advance Reading Copy (ARC) from the author herself and was not compensated in any way, monetarily or otherwise, for this review.

VIEW ON GOODREADS

Book Spotlight: Wild Cards I, Expanded Edition by George R. R. Martin (et al)

beardedscribe
***Reviewed by Court Ellyn and originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on July 31, 2012.***

Book Spotlight: Wild Cards I, Expanded Edition by George R. R. Martin (et al)

WELCOME back, Beardies!

After being out of print for a decade, the first volume of George RR Martin’s Wild Cards series is back—expanded with new, original material.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

THERE is a secret history of the world—a history in which an alien virus struck the Earth in the aftermath of World War II, endowing a handful of survivors with extraordinary powers. Some were called Aces—those with superhuman mental and physical abilities. Others were termed Jokers—cursed with bizarre mental or physical disabilities. Some turned their talents to the service of humanity. Others used their powers for evil. Wild Cards is their story. {Source: Goodreads}

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. COLLABORATIVE WRITING...

THIRTEEN writers, including George R.R. Martin, Roger Zelazny, Melinda M. Snodgrass, and Carrie Vaughn, contribute thirteen tales and five interludes that tell the story of two generations of humanity who suffer the effects of the xenovirus, spanning forty years of cultural history. Choreographing and writing this book must have been an enormous undertaking. Each author had his or her era on the timeline to illustrate through the eyes of those changed forever by the virus. The characters they created for one story might later crop up later in someone else’s. The most colorful of these is Dr. Tachyon, the alien who tried to stop the virus’s release and failed. In “Degradation Rites,” Snodgrass writes of his initial attempts to treat the virus’s victims and his persecution under McCarthy’s trials in the 50s. Martin later explores his deep depression after years of believing himself a failure in “Shell Games.” The doctor’s recovery is seen intertwined in later stories, from his founding a hospital for the virus’s victims to his reputation as a dashing celebrity during the glittering “glam” era of the 70s.

2. ALTERNATE HISTORY...

WHEN the xenovirus is released over Manhattan in September 1946, everything changes. The course of events we read about in our history books has been altered, subtly or enormously. In “The Witness,” aces, with their stunning abilities, are initially viewed as superheroes who employ their abilities to remedy crises and shape revolutions around the world, but their efforts backfire. While slums for deformed jokers crop up, McCarthy hunts down aces as well as suspected Communists. The resulting scare echoes throughout the glamorous Hollywood of the 1950s in “Captain Cathode and the Secret Ace.” But a changing generation protests the government’s way of drafting jokers for the front lines in Vietnam and finds heroes again in aces as the Lizard King rocks the psychedelic scene of the 60s in “Transfiguations.” Then, by the 1980s club scene, explored in “Ghost Girl Takes Manhattan,” the new thrill is to sneak into Jokertown where glitter and danger walk hand in hand.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

A thought-provoking and entertaining read, Wild Cards I may be most accessible to readers who are familiar with events and culture during the last half of the 20th Century. Even so, the bizarre elements in this book should be enough to intrigue a good many sci-fi readers and capture another generation of Wild Cards fans.

Thanks for stopping by, Beardies! Until next time, read, write, live, love!

***Wild Cards I: Expanded Edition (2010) edited by George R. R. Martin, published by and copyright Tor Books (Tom Doherty Associates, LLC).

Editors Note: Please check out an alternate version of this review on Court’s Blog!

VIEW ON GOODREADS

Book Spotlight: Eyes to See (Jeremiah Hunt Chronicles, Book One) by Joseph Nassise

Joshua A. Mercier
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on July 22th, 2012.***

Book Spotlight: Eyes to See (Jeremiah Hunt Chronicles, Book One) by Joseph Nassise

GOOD EVENING, Beardies!

Many of you may remember my first ever Author Spotlight on my writing coach, Joseph Nassise. As a prequel to a follow-up Spotlight—this time complete with an interview—I am doing my first ever Book Spotlight on Eyes to See, the first book in Nassise‘s Jeremiah Hunt Chronicles.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

WHEN Jeremiah Hunt’s daughter, Elizabeth, is kidnapped without any tangible evidence, his world is shattered; the obsessive search for her whereabouts leaves everything else in his life—his marriage, his job, his friends—to come crashing down around him. In his search for tangible clues, his desperation leads him to the intangible—an arcane spell that is supposed to help him see what he has overlooked. Sacrificing his normal sight catapults him into a world of literal and figurative darkness—a world of spirits and entities that haunt him in his now-cursed life of endless night. When called upon by the police for his “paranormal” abilities, a string of gruesome murders uncovers clues about his daughter’s disappearance, a cast of unlikely friends, and unforeseen enemies.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. World Building...

YOU should have guessed I’d say it, but Joseph Nassise does a spectacular job of creating the obscure reality in which Jeremiah Hunt is doomed to walk. The colorless world—because of Hunt’s quasi-Faustian sacrifice—is populated with spirits, demons, and other entities of myth and legend that walk the streets of the novel’s Boston setting, all undetected by the city’s corporeal denizens, but all of whom can detect Hunt’s ability and are drawn to it like a beacon. Just as Stephen King creates written replicas of his (and my) native Maine with perfect prose and imagery, Nassise, too, does the same for his native Boston and its surroundings—all while adding an eerily believable layer of fantasy.

2. Historical Elements...

ONE of the things I loved about this book was its incorporation of historical elements (and in this case, specific to its region). This, in itself, ties in with World Building—in fact, I’ve mentioned it before in the World Building Series. Using the element of history as a writing device in urban fantasy is pure genius; it makes the world all the more believable, no matter how made-up the fantastical element is. It even makes you question history. The motives behind the witch trials that occurred in Salem may not have been what was originally believed, something this novel proposes. Curious? Read this book.

3. Point of View...

THIS element of writing is far-too-often overlooked. Although there are some passages that are in some other POV (perhaps even slightly weaker in comparison), Nassise does a stellar job with Hunt’s first-person narrative. Even the flashbacks are easy to maneuver through because of the tightly-written prose.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

I don’t want to sound cheesy—or sycophantic—when I tell you that I had difficulty putting this book down. I had started and completed this book within a span of 30 hours—including sleep and meals—excitedly turning each page… a total, perhaps, of 10-12 hours actual reading time. If you are looking for an urban fantasy with a paranormal flavor that redefines the genre, look no further.

Keep Reading and Happy Scribing!

Picture of Joshua A. Mercier

Joshua A. Mercier

MEET JOSHUA
Amazon Facebook-f Linkedin-in Goodreads-g Whatsapp Envelope

***Eyes to See (2011), by Joseph Nassise, is published by and copyright Tor Books (Tom Doherty Associates, LLC).

VIEW ON GOODREADS

Book Spotlight: The Curse Workers Trilogy by Holly Black

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on July 21, 2012.

Book Spotlight: The Curse Workers Trilogy by Holly Black

HELLO Beardies,

Welcome back to Book Spotlight! It’s been far too long since I wrote one of these posts, but I’m glad to be back at it.

Tonight’s Book Spotlight is a trilogy that had me captivated from its first installment in 2010. Part fantasy, part crime thriller, with a strong shot of humor and a tie to a French fairy tale, this trilogy made me a believer in urban fantasy. Shortly after reading the first book, I spent an inordinate amount of time in a signing line to meet Holly Black at the ALA conference, and my autographed copy of White Cat is still among my treasured possessions. When the final book came out this spring, I couldn’t wait to tell you about this trilogy.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

CASSEL SHARPE is just a normal guy…and in his world, that’s not a good thing. Curse work—the ability to control another person’s memories, emotions, dreams, luck, or even life through the simple touch of a finger—runs in his family. Curse work is also illegal, but it’s highly available on the black market, and the black market is controlled by a magical Mafia of sorts, made up of powerful families of “workers” like Cassel’s. Since he’s not a worker, Cassel is an outsider in his own family. He tries his best to stay away from the family business, but a series of bizarre events prove that Cassel’s life is not what he thought, and far from being an outsider, he’s right in the middle and is perhaps the most powerful player of all.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. RULES OF MAGIC...

IN a well-established fantasy world, magic will have boundaries. (If you haven’t already, please go check out Joshua’s fantastic World Building post on this topic!) Holly Black’s rules of magic are well established and thought-provoking. In the world of the Curse Workers, magic is not only illegal, but to wield it means personal consequences known as “blowback”—a sort of instant magical karma—for the worker. Each worker can perform only one type of curse, and the blowback is directly related to the curses they perform. For example, Cassel’s mother, an emotion worker, is emotionally unstable from years of working her targets. His grandfather, a death worker, loses a finger each time he performs a curse, and knows that one too many curses will stop his own heart. To perform curse work, a worker must be aware of and willing to accept the consequences.

2. WORLD BUILDING...

EVEN if you choose to set your speculative fiction story in a real city, a fantasy world still needs to be built within it. The Curse Workers Trilogy takes place in New York City and the surrounding area; the world is similar to ours, but Holly Black does a stellar job of building new norms into a realistic setting. Since curse work can only be performed through skin-to-skin contact, everyone wears gloves at all times. The government wants to mandate testing so that they know the whereabouts of all curse workers (ostensibly to protect them), and that is as divisive an issue as any political debate in our world.

3. FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

FOR me, the most unforgettable stories are the ones that leave me with something to think about. Holly Black packs a lot of food for thought and social commentary into this trilogy. The political climate in the world of the curse workers is unstable, hinging on the issue of mandatory testing so the government will know who and where all the workers are. Cassel and his friends attend rallies for worker rights that echo of the civil rights movement, the labor movement, and other great protests we can read about in our history books. Cassel is also in a unique position that places him directly in the middle of his family and the government, and many times he finds himself thinking about what makes a family and to whom he owes his allegiance—the family that treats him as an outsider or the government that would jail every last one of his family members. All of this food for thought has left these books embedded deep in my memory. And hungry for more.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

WELL, Beardies, we’ve reached the end of another edition of Book Spotlight. I hope you’ll take the time to check out at least one—if not all—of these fantastic books!

Until next time…

Picture of ELIZABETH J. NORTON

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

MEET ELIZABETH
X-twitter Instagram Goodreads Envelope

***White Cat (2010), Red Glove (2011), and Black Heart (2012) by Holly Black, are published by and copyright Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

VIEW ON GOODREADS

Book Spotlight: The Last Unicorn (The Graphic Novel) by Peter S. Beagle

beardedscribe
***Reviewed by Court Ellyn and originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on June 22, 2012.***

Book Spotlight: The Last Unicorn (The Graphic Novel) by Peter S. Beagle

GOOD DAY to you, Beardies, and welcome back!

It is my great pleasure to present my first post for The Bearded Scribe. First, a huge thanks to Joshua and the rest of the crew for having me, and to all you Beardies for taking the time to follow the blog. Second, on to the goodies:

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

WHIMSICAL. Lyrical. Poignant. Deeply moving. Adapted for the first time from the acclaimed and beloved novel by Peter S Beagle, The Last Unicorn is a tale for any age about the wonders of magic, the power of love, and the tragedy of loss. A unicorn, alone in her enchanted wood, discovers that she may be the last of her kind. Reluctant at first, she sets out on a journey to find her fellow unicorns, even if it means facing the terrifying anger of the Red Bull and malignant evil of the king who wields the Bull’s power.

{—REVIEW—}

FOR my first foray into the realm of graphic novels, I settled on a winner. Having grown up terrified, yet allured, by the Rankin and Bass animated production of The Last Unicorn, I steered clear of the novel, not sure what to expect, until the 40th Anniversary Edition was released by Roc in 2008. I discovered that I had been missing out on an exquisite tale, but that’s another review for another day. Suffice it to say that the graphic version, published in 2011 by IDW Publishing, is as lush and beautiful as the original story. The artists Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon worked wonders translating the poetic beauty and depth of emotion of Beagle’s prose into each panel and page of their artwork.

BEING a reluctant fan of the animated production, I was pleased that many of the characters and flavor of the backgrounds often closely echoed the artwork featured in the film. At the same time, the illustrations remained different and original enough to keep me from feeling cheated. While I might have finished this book in a few hours, it took me several weeks because I found myself lingering on the panels, soaking up each delicious detail. Artwork of this caliber is not something to be rushed through, after all. The eye wants to dive into the layers of imagery and savor for a while.

JUST as impressive is how Peter B. Gillis managed to select the phrases, both exposition and dialog, from the original novel that best enhanced the artwork and managed to move the story along in a clear fashion, without sacrificing Beagle’s poetry of language. The story’s allegorical symbolism and wry humor remain intact as well. Even small details from the novel, those jewels glittering darkly at the periphery, like a spider weeping over reality, are faithfully captured here.

Fans of the classic fantasy novel will be hard-pressed not to find enjoyment in this delight for the eyes, this feast for the imagination.

{—RATING—}

***The Last Unicorn (2011) by Peter S Beagle, adapted by Peter B. Gillis; illustrated by Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon; published by and copyright IDW Publishing.

VIEW ON GOODREADS

Book Spotlight: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on June 21, 2012.***
At the time of the original post, only Grave Mercy had been released; since then, two more books released in the His Fair Assassin Trilogy — Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart.

Book Spotlight: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

HELLO, Beardies!

Welcome, once more, to Book Spotlight, wherein I tell you about the books I love as a writer, and as a reader!

What a lot of people don’t realize about librarianship is how much it involves waiting. Librarians are constantly planning for the future. The book you checked out today is due in three weeks. The programs I am planning right now won’t happen until September. Very soon, I will get a package from VOYA with a new set of reviews to write—those reviews will go to my editor by late August, but there’s a chance I won’t see them in print until December! See what I mean about always planning and waiting? The worst wait, though, is always for the next book in a series! I have a few tricks up my sleeve, but I cannot make the writing and publishing process faster (more’s the pity).

Today’s Book Spotlight is born of my impatience with the waiting game. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is the first book in a trilogy, but if I wait to tell you about it until all the books are published, I’ll go crazy!

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Ismae is an outcast in her village in fifteenth-century Brittany (present-day France). She bears a hideous scar because her mother tried to abort her with poison from the local herbwitch, so her neighbors believe she is the devil’s spawn. Her father sells her in marriage to the highest bidder, and, upon seeing her scars, her new husband savagely beats her and goes for a priest to have her burned as a witch. Ismae is rescued and taken to the Convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters are no ordinary nuns but instead, highly-skilled assassins and spies. Ismae finds her place in the convent, and, as she prepares to take her final vows, she is sent on a mission into the Breton court, where traitors abound and nothing is as it seems.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. SETTING AND HISTORICAL DETAIL...

WRITERS, I beg of you: If you are going to use a real historical period for a setting, please do your research! Think about how your characters would speak, dress, act, or even eat. What headlines would they read in the newspaper? What would they gossip about? The historical setting in this book is so vividly drawn that it creates a sensory experience for the reader. This setting is a place I want to visit again and again, so I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this trilogy!

2. MAGICAL REALISM...

NOT all speculative fiction is dragons and faeries (or, dare I say, vampires and werewolves). Grave Mercy is very much a work of magical realism. The setting is realistic and historically accurate, but fantastical elements, such as the so-called “marques of Mortain”—that tell Ismae whom to assassinate, and how—are masterfully incorporated.

3. SUSPENSE...

ALTHOUGH this book didn’t end with a traditional cliffhanger, suspense did abound throughout. The plot takes many unexpected turns. The reader feels everything that Ismae feels as she navigates the court, where nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted. The ending wraps cleanly while leaving enough storyline open for the rest of the trilogy, too.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

AND so, Beardies, we reach the end of another Book Spotlight. I hope you’ll take the time to check out this fabulous read! I know I can’t wait for the sequel, Dark Triumph, which is currently slated for publication in 2013!

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

Picture of ELIZABETH J. NORTON

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

MEET ELIZABETH
X-twitter Instagram Goodreads Envelope

***Grave Mercy (2012) by Robin LaFevers, are published by and copyright Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers.

VIEW ON GOODREADS

Book Spotlight: The Ripple Trilogy by Cidney Swanson

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on June 4, 2012.***
At the time of the original post, only The Ripple Trilogy had been released; since then, there have been four more books released: Visible, Immutable, Knavery, and Perilous.

Book Spotlight: The Ripple Trilogy by Cidney Swanson

GOOD Evening, Beardies!

Welcome back to Book Spotlight, wherein I tell you about the books that influence my writing, and sneak in a shameless plug for my all-time favorite reads!

Tonight’s spotlight, The Ripple Trilogy by Cidney Swanson, is proof positive that word-of-mouth marketing is important for writers. I had never heard of this trilogy until my friend and coworker Anna read these books and begged me to get them for the library. This proved difficult, but when Anna interviewed the author for her blog, the day was saved. Three emails later, Cidney Swanson donated a complete set to my library. I’m forever grateful for her generosity and very, very excited to “pay it forward” with a spotlight on these books!

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

HIGH-SCHOOL student Sam has always loved water, but when she gets too close to it, it relaxes her so much that she turns invisible. The first time this happens, she’s on a cross-country team field trip and is saved by her running partner, Will. Both Will and Sam are “chameleons;” they have a rare genetic condition called Rippler’s Syndrome, which causes the ability to turn invisible. Will teaches Sam how to control her invisibility and introduces her to his older sister, Mickie. Mickie used to work for a scientist who researched Rippler’s Syndrome, but then the scientist died mysteriously. Lately, both chameleons and the scientists who research Rippler’s Syndrome have been disappearing at an alarming rate, and Will, Sam, and Mickie are soon embroiled in a mystery involving human experimentation and a scientist with a diabolical plot to build a super-race of chameleons and start a second Holocaust.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. WORLD BUILDING...

WE talk a lot about world-building here at The Bearded Scribe, and Cidney Swanson does a spectacular job of it. She seamlessly incorporates Rippler’s Syndrome and all of its attendant characteristics into a realistic setting, such that the reader begins to forget that Rippler’s is a fictional condition. This makes the idea of exploiting chameleons for their DNA all the more distasteful, which, in turn, lends a sense of urgency to Will and Sam’s quest to foil the villain’s evil plans.

2. THEME, NOT DIDACTICISM...

I love a good moral as much as the next person, but only to a point. I have thrown down many books in my life simply because I felt the writer was bludgeoning me with a theme. Take heed, writers: You do not need to force a message into your story—the reader will find it on their own! Luckily, The Ripple Trilogy does not fall into this trap! One of Swanson’s main themes is forgiveness, and it plays out naturally throughout the trilogy, culminating in a tear-jerking, chill-inducing denouement.

3. Romantic Tension...

GOOD news, Beardies! It is possible to work a romantic thread into a speculative fiction story without the use of the dreaded love triangle! The romance between Will and Sam is beautifully done; the tension between them is caused by a misunderstanding on both their parts and resolved in a way that feels genuine. Best of all, the romantic plot never overshadows the central conflict.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

AND so, Beardies, we come to the end of another Book Spotlight. I hope you’ll take the time to check out this fabulous trilogy. Also, stay tuned for Joshua’s Author Spotlight with Cidney Swanson! Until next time…

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

Picture of ELIZABETH J. NORTON

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

MEET ELIZABETH
X-twitter Instagram Goodreads Envelope

***Rippler (2011), Chameleon (2011), and Unfurl (2012) by Cidney Swanson, are published by and copyright Williams Press.

***Per FTC Regulations: I received a free Advance Reading Copy (ARC) from the author and was not compensated in any way, monetarily or otherwise, for this review.

VIEW ON GOODREADS

Book Spotlight: The Monstrumologist Series by Rick Yancey

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on May 24, 2012.***
At the time of the original post, The Final Descent, the last book of the series, was not yet published.

Book Spotlight: The Monstrumologist Series by Rick Yancey

HAIL and well met, Beardies!

Welcome to the first edition of Book Spotlight, which I’m really excited to write as a regular feature for The Bearded Scribe! As a librarian, I feel that the best writers start as readers, and many times I have heard authors, asked for advice on writing, say something along the lines of “Read as much as you can.” With this in mind, Book Spotlight is a chance for me to tell you about the books that have influenced my writing the most—and sneak a plug in for my all-time favorite reads as well. So, without further ado, let’s get to it!

Today’s Book Spotlight is a three-for-one special: Rick Yancey’s The Monstrumologist Series. When I’m choosing books for the library, I usually have to go on others’ opinions—reviews, more often than not, or award lists. This series has gotten plenty of good buzz in both places. The first book, The Monstrumologist, bagged a Michael L. Printz Award Honor in 2009, while the second, The Curse of the Wendigo, was named a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and a Top Ten Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults. With all the starred reviews and hardware piling up around these books, I had to buy them for the library (and read them for myself)!

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

TWELVE-year-old Will Henry is apprentice, assistant, and ward to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, a renowned monstrumologist (scientist who hunts and studies monsters) in nineteenth-century Massachusetts. Though the doctor often says that Will’s services are “indispensable,” the two have a tenuous relationship. The doctor is a cold, prickly, and self-absorbed man, bent upon his work to the exclusion of all else; Will vacillates between feeling that he owes the doctor everything and that the doctor is to blame for the deaths of his parents, both of whom were in the doctor’s employ.

The first book, The Monstrumologist, sees Will and Dr. Warthrop work to contain and exterminate a colony of Anthropophagi that is terrorizing the small Massachusetts town where they live. In the second book, The Curse of the Wendigo, Dr. Warthrop is attempting to disprove the existence of vampires when an old flame shows up on his doorstep, begging him to mount a rescue mission to save her husband, who disappeared on a hunt in the Canadian wilderness. Will and Dr. Warthrop head to the wilderness in pursuit of the man, who has become a Wendigo, a creature that slowly starves while gorging on human flesh. The Isle of Blood is the third book in the series. In it, Dr. Warthrop leaves Will behind and goes on a hunt for the Holy Grail of Monsters: Typhoeus Magnificum, the faceless one of a thousand faces, taking a new apprentice who may be leading him into a trap.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. DESCRIPTION...

TOO much description can either power a story or bog it down, and this series is definitely a case of the former. The descriptions range from tender to visceral and everything in between. These books are gothic horror at its finest, and not for the faint of heart. There is plenty of death and gore to spare, but rather than feeling superfluous, the descriptions make the setting and the characters spring vividly to life—when Will is washing his hands after a dissection and casually reaches into the drain to clear the bits of brain that are clogging it, the reader understands his life in a way that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

2. Characterization...

ALL of Yancey’s characters, including the minor ones, are beautifully developed and multi-faceted. Every time I found myself feeling sorry for Will, the poor orphan boy cast adrift, he’d say or do something to display his calculating, scientific mind—establish himself as a force not to be trifled with. Likewise, every time I wanted to strangle Dr. Warthrop for being so cold and self-centered, something would happen to show a wonderfully human and compassionate side of him. There are no one-dimensional characters here. Various real historical figures make appearances in this series as well, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Jacob Riis, and they blend seamlessly with the other, entirely fictional characters.

3. Mood and Suspense...

AS I was outlining this post, Joshua and I had a discussion about using weather to set a mood, and I suddenly realized that’s one of my favorite things about this series—the dark, gothic mood is palpable throughout, and established through various means including weather! In The Curse of the Wendigo, the wind howls cold through the Canadian wilderness…or is that the cry of the Wendigo itself? In The Isle of Blood, Will takes a desperate, midnight run barefoot through the streets of New York City, “running on blood and fire” as the rain pours down and the reader just knows something big is about to happen. Suspense exudes from every page, but somehow manages not to feel overdone or forced.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

THAT’S it for this edition of Book Spotlight! I hope you’ll take the time to read at least one if not all of these phenomenal books! Until next time…

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

Picture of ELIZABETH J. NORTON

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

MEET ELIZABETH
X-twitter Instagram Goodreads Envelope

***The Monstrumologist (2009), The Curse of the Wendigo (2010), and The Isle of Blood (2011) by Rick Yancey, are published by and copyright Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

***Per FTC Regulations: I received a free Advance Reading Copy (ARC) from the author and was not compensated in any way, monetarily or otherwise, for this review.

VIEW ON GOODREADS