Tag: Elizabeth J. Norton

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.

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{—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!

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

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***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.

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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.

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{—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…

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

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***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.

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Exciting Announcement

Joshua A. Mercier
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on July 18th, 2012.***

Exciting Announcement

HELLO Beardies,

From The Bearded Scribe‘s inception in February, I’ve had a handful of devout followers, all of whom kept me typing and posting away when at times I wondered if my audience would ever be big enough for all the work I was putting into the foundation and constant research for exciting posts on the blog.

One such follower—whom you all have met and whose posts you all have had the opportunity and pleasure in reading—is Ms. Elizabeth Norton.

MEET ELZABETH

SINCE joining the blog as a Fellow Scribe—and even before then—Elizabeth has shown a passion for the topics that appear on the blog, going well beyond the call of duty that any Fellow Scribe should. She has offered critiques, edits, and her ideas and opinions on most posts, not to mention her constant encouragement.

It is because of this reason that I am pleased to announce Elizabeth as The Bearded Scribe‘s Assistant Editor! The position is unpaid, except in gratitude and friendship, but I wanted to give her the acknowledgement she deserves. Because she deserves to be paid for all that she does, I will be indebted to her even more than I am already.

I hope you all take the time to comment and commend Elizabeth on this title! Congratulations, Elizabeth! And thank you again for all that you’ve done and all that you continue to do! I am so lucky to have you as a friend, and I am so happy to have your passionate insight on The Bearded Scribe Team! 🙂

Happy Scribing!

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Joshua A. Mercier

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Movie Spotlight: Brave

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***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on July 16th, 2012.***

Movie Spotlight: Brave

HELLO Beardies,

Hang around The Bearded Scribe long enough, and you will inevitably catch a glimpse of Scottish pride amidst its contributors. Elizabeth is a direct descendant of Clan Ross, the first named clan, designated by King Malcolm IV of Scotland in the twelfth century; and Joshua has a bit of all the British Isles in him from his mother’s side… If genealogical reasons of pride weren’t enough, Joshua and Elizabeth met when they were all students at Alma College, home of the Scots. (The city of Alma is nicknamed Scotland USA.)

ALMA College has its own registered tartan, which both the marching band and the pipe and drum corps wear for every performance; every convocation starts with the bagpipes; the Choir can often be heard in the Chapel (or, on occasion, in secluded churches in Scotland!) singing tunes such as “Loch Lomond” and “Highland Mary;” and at the end of Spring Term, the students must vacate the dorms to make way for the Highland Festival, a huge gathering including traditional Highland music and dance, a nearly-frightening number of men in kilts, and Highland games.

Alma College Tartan

Alma College Choir in Scotland performing "Loch Lomond."

IT is because of this Scottish pride that The Bearded Scribe excitedly brings you its first ever Movie Spotlight on Disney/Pixar’s latest film, Brave. And to top it all off, it is the first ever post to appear on the blog with two contributors! (We’re sure it won’t be the last!)

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{—PREMISE—}

A born tomboy and expert archer, Merida is not your average girl, but, as her mother often reminds her, she’s a princess, and with that comes expectations. The clans are about to gather, bringing their suitors to compete for Merida’s hand, and of course, Merida wants nothing to do with it—especially after she sees just who these potential suitors are. She devises a way to compete herself so as not to have to get married, but it causes her worst fight yet with her mother and Merida runs away. Deep in the woods, she follows will-o’-the-wisps to a witch’s cottage. The witch gives her a spell to change her fate, but when the spell backfires, trapping her mother in the form of a bear, Merida must use all her wits and skills—princess-like and otherwise—to save both her independence and her family.

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{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. The Land...

ONE of the greatest aspects of Brave is the film’s unforgettable landscape, beautifully portrayed through superb animation. The entire “world” built by the film is complete, and the landscape alone is merely one of its facets. In addition to the lush, green rolling hills, the crags and high cliffs, and the architecture of monuments and buildings, the film includes key elements to the traditional, Celtic culture. Intricate knotwork is carved on wood and stone throughout—including Merida’s bow. Nary a scene exists without a man in a kilt or some display of tartan (ever wonder what the Scotsmen wear under those kilts… watch this film and you will no longer), a few of its characters adorned in woad paint (a tip of the hat to Braveheart, perhaps?), and fanciful tapestries line many a wall.

Many of the Scottish traditions outlined in our intro are beautifully and respectfully reflected in Brave, one of them specifically is that of the Highland Games. According to tradition, each clan presents its most desirable suitor for the hand of the Princess, and the winner is determined through a test of her choosing. Brave’s focus is not mainly on romance; rather, in a stroke of unconventional plotting, the games serve as an impetus for the main conflict between Merida and her mother, and between Merida and the conventions of her society.

Another aspect we loved about Brave is the wonderful music contained in its soundtrack. As we are both vocalists and lovers of music, this was one aspect, in our humble opinion, the film had no room to get wrong. They didn’t. The composer of the film’s musical score, Patrick Doyle—also the composer of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire—used traditional Scottish instruments such as the bagpipes, a solo fiddle, Celtic harps, and the bodhrán, just to name a few. Doyle was quoted as saying, “I employed many classic Scottish dance rhythms such as reels, jigs, and strathspeys, which not only serve the action but keep it authentic.”

The only issues we found with the world-building of the film were anachronisms. Given the film was fictionally set in 10th Century Scotland, the use of plaid (15th-16th Century), kilts (18th century); forks (16th century); Shire horse (breed developed in the mid-17th century) and fighting the Romans (1st-5th century) all fit the bill. Because we love all things Scottish, we happily forgive them.

2. The Legend...

IF there is something that must be mentioned, it is the way elements of folklore and mythology are interwoven throughout the entire film. While there is no precedence for the actual legend of the plot, other elements from Celtic lore are used ingeniously to drive home the “fairytale” aspect. From its very start, we are introduced to will-o’-the-wisps—colloquially referred to as “wisps”—which Merida is told (by her mother) are said to lead a person to their fate. The “wisps” vanish when approached, just as the actual lore states; ironically, however, in most Celtic lore a “wisp” (or ignis fatuus) is said to lead travelers away from the safety of the path (into bogs and other treacherous destinations). Continuing with the “fairytale” notes is the sacred henge in which the final showdown takes place. It represents not only the sacred rock formations that speckle the British Isles, such as Stonehenge—which are placed on sacred sites filled with the natural energies from the Earth—but also the smaller-scale formations referred to as “faerie rings.” These sites were said to be portals to the land of the Sidhe, and were to never be entered. Merida’s horse, Angus, obeys this superstition by stopping suddenly at its edge, meanwhile throwing Merida into its center. The fact that the wisps appear from this site to lead Merida to witch’s cottage is another allusion to the Faefolk they are meant to represent.

ANOTHER mythological element which is prevalent—if not pervasive—is that of the bear. While researching for this post, we discovered a possible connection between Queen Elinor and the Celtic Bear Goddess, Artio, often referred to as “Mother Bear.” We even uncovered an ancient statue of said goddess that appears strikingly similar to one that may or may not have made an appearance in the witch’s wood-carving shop. The legends and myths that appear throughout the film and its landscape are like the tapestry in the film; they are tightly woven, never to be torn from one another. The mistakes and stories of the past—however far-fetched and magical they might seem—are there to educate generations of the future. We must take heed and not dismiss them so quickly, which echoes Queen Elinor’s line in the movie: “Legends are lessons, and they ring with truths!”

3. The Lessons Learned...

AS firm believers that no woman should need a man to make her complete, we really enjoyed seeing a Disney/Pixar film wherein romance is present without being the main focus of the plot. We’re not anti-love by any means, and both agreed that the romance between the Queen Elinor and King Fergus is sweet. Love, after all, makes life sweeter, but love comes in more forms than just romance. Merida is a tenth-century girl with a twenty-first century mindset, and her independence and determination is refreshing. She knows she can do better than any of the suitors she is offered, and she’s not willing to compromise or settle—a position we totally support.

Unless you’ve been living under a menhir somewhere—or trapped under one—you’ve most likely heard the expression: “Be careful what you wish for.” The main theme of Brave is exactly this, and it is an expression Princess Merida already knows all too well. Despite this, she wishes for her mom to change, and when the Queen is transformed into a bear, Merida must deal with the consequences. Afraid for her mother’s life—due to her father’s understandable hatred of bears—Merida and the Queen flee the family’s castle in search of the witch or the wisps that led her to her fate. While helping Merida with trying to find a way to reverse the spell, Queen Elinor gains respect for her daughter’s strength and wilder side; Merida, too, finds a deeper respect for her mother when faced with the prospect of losing her forever. Also, they discover that Merida is not the first to wish for a change of fate, and by repairing the mistakes she made, she has the opportunity to correct the wrongdoings of the past.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

GIVEN our love affair with all things Scottish, we had high hopes for Brave, and we weren’t disappointed. Add in a strong female lead, stirring soundtrack, and beautiful scenery and animation, and our separate trips to see this film were time well spent. As a bonus, it gave us a chance to truly collaborate for the first time, a practice we hope to keep up in the future!

Gus an coinnich sinn a’rithist,
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Joshua A. Mercier

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Elizabeth J. Norton

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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!

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{—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!

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

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

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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!

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{—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!

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

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***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.

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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)!

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{—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!

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

MEET ELIZABETH
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***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.

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