Book Review

I just finished Dragonhaven by one of my favorite authors, Robin McKinley. She isn’t everyone’s favorite. Some people say she doesn’t explain enough about her worlds. That she leaves loose ends. Sometimes unfulfilled endings. And OK, there’ve been times I wanted more explanations. Or a wrapped up ending.

But I forgive her for any and all of the so-called mistakes because she writes so wonderfully. Although…when I first started Dragonhaven I wasn’t blown away with the character or story. And the author’s familiar frustrating here-we-are-in-our-world-with-ebay-and-current-news-yet-exactly-why-are-there-dragons-and-how-did-they-arrive is in effect. I thought hummm…perhaps the first book of hers I won’t love? But then it happened. That sneaky, snaky spiraling of words that always draws me in. Slowly. Without me knowing it. And soon I can’t put the book down until I’ve finished it in one big gulp. Which by the way, is one of the dragon’s names.

Perhaps one “downside” to creating such beautifully written worlds and stories is that the reader wants more. If I had to choose between too much information and not quite enough, I’ll choose the mystery any day. Sigh. I still wish Dragonhaven had gone on longer…

Book Review & What Is Young Adult Fiction, Anyway?

I’ve been reading The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. I’ve finished two of the books so I’m doing a review now. I like them. But I don’t love them. I’ve spent a large part of the weekend trying to analyze why.

Ms. Atwater-Rhodes tells a good story. Her vampire world is unique. I even like the characters. But I didn’t fall in love with these books. Which has caused me to contemplate just what is young adult literature? The most common definition is that the protagonist is a young person. Wow. That covers a lot of ground.

I read a lot of what would be classified as YA, because I need to for my career since I write a lot within that genre, but also because I love to read it. For me, I’ve discovered the following dividing line: there seems to be YA books that are written as if the protagonists really are teens, and those that are written as if the teen is an adult in teen clothing.

NOTE: Not all teens are “typical” teens. ;-)

The Den of Shadows would be the first category; these teens are teens. Vampire teens yes, but their focus seems to be finding friends, getting a mate, wedging themselves into the correct clique, getting even when someone has wronged them, fighting with parents. I think the Artimis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer are also this variety. These are excellent, fun, books, but I didn’t fall in love with these, either. The main teen, Artimis, is brilliant, but what is he doing mostly? Trying to prove himself by getting away with stuff his parents don’t know about, and often is involved in petty fights with his friends.

The other YA is very different. In these books teens behave more like adults and are dealing with adult problems. Twilight is this variety. Belle, in many respects, IS the adult in her family; her mother is flighty, and even her father who is more stable, needs to have his dinner made for him. She isn’t concerned about fitting in with other teens. The Harry Potter books fall into this realm. Even though Harry does have some normal teen problems, the main focus of the story is not trying to impress his parents (dead), and he certainly doesn’t care what his adoptive parents think. Cornelia Funke's Inkheart books I would place here, too; Meggie does not behave like a typical teen. Her relationship with her father is more like a friend. And her biggest problems are not teen ones.

I’ve read that middle grade books deal with internal family strife while true YA should be external to the family struggles, and perhaps this is some of the difference I’m seeing. The best YA, in my opinion, does deal with some teen problems yet blends in adult concerns as well, hence the mass appeal of books such as HP…kids AND adults find themselves within the pages and both groups love them.

I’m still figuring all of this out. And to be clear, I don't think either variety is right or wrong, better or worse. I can see why teens would like to read stories in which teens act like teens.

All I know is what I like to write. And to read.

Book Review

I just finished The Shadow of Your Smile, by Mary Higgins Clark. This author was recommended to me by my sister Quinn, and because I’m writing a mystery right now I decided to read one. This author is quite successful. My sister says her plots are always the same; the perp is in fact a sociopath…someone who can blend into to society but wait…he or she is really a killer. Quinn thinks the fun is guessing who it is.

And she was right. I began the book with a ho hum sort of feeling; it’s a traditional mystery, third person, a rather detached sort of style, lots of people introduced, big on plot less on setting and character development. No magical bits. :-)

But then I couldn’t put it down. I had to know Who Done It. Without giving it away, I guessed only half the ending. I was really trying. And Ms. Clark still fooled me.

Masterful.

I’m glad she’s written many books.

Book Review

I just finished Year's Best Fantasy, 9th Edition edited by D.G.Hartwell & K.Cramer. It was the worst of times, it was the best of times. Sigh.

I have noticed a tendency of late, and not just within the written word, for what seems to be deliberate confusion on the part of the creator. I recently saw the film Inception. I don’t want to make a practice of reviewing anything other than books, but this movie captured exactly what I’m talking about.

I will say that the movie was brilliantly shot and some of the best visual effects I’ve seen. I LOVED the scene of the woman bending the world around, for example. Some of the acting was also quite good. The film also caused me to think deeply about the subconscious and how it rules us even when we think it doesn’t.

What I disliked was what I perceived as deliberate confusion; you are dumped into the world headlong. Lovers of the movie call this complex, but no matter how layered the plot became it didn’t seem deep at all, just…confusing. Perhaps this subterfuge is laziness; I guessed the ending within the first five minutes.

But no matter the reason for this plot device, whether faulty talent or creative license, I don’t like it. I do like being surprised. I enjoy figuring things out. I love twist endings. But I don’t want to be lost in a maelstrom of artiness. And many of the stories chosen for Year’s Best Fantasy were of this variety. Plunked down into alternate universes without a map isn’t fun to me. How can I care about these people (or aliens) if I don’t know anything about them? How can I like the story if all I get is an oh…you are REALLY inside a bottle in the middle of a desert?? (I made that up.)

And then, thankfully, Peter Beagle rescued me. If you don’t know, Mr. Beagle is one of fantasy’s best…he wrote The Last Unicorn. And The Rabbi’s Hobby is a fine example of his work; a page turning mystery, compelling characters, and an ending so sweet yet not sappy I cried. There were other good stories in this collection. The Queen of Sunlit Shores by Liz Williams is elegant, if a story can be elegant; gorgeous prose, beautiful descriptions, and a delicate plot that is both warm and icy. Lady Witherspoon’s Solution, by James Morrow, is the creepiest feminist story I’ve ever read. Caverns of Mystery, by Kage Baker, is modern yet old fashioned, a bittersweet coming of age tale. I also enjoyed Gift of a Spring by Delia Sherman, a lovely story about an older woman (not often represented in fantasy)…or is she?

In every one of these above mentioned stories there was something that caught me by surprise. But I also was engaged by fine character development and settings, and ….a plot. Confusion for confusion's sake isn’t for me. I’m glad to see some authors…and editors…agree.

Review: The World’s Finest Mysteries and Crime Stories, edited by E.Gorman & M.H.Greenberg

World's finest? Really? I always chuckle when I read an anthology with this sort of title. Why the world’s finest? Because theses editors thought so, that’s why.

I certainly can’t tell you they are the world’s finest because 1), who am I to judge, and 2), I don’t read a lot of crime fiction, but overall I enjoyed the selections. Crime fiction, as I have stated in a previous post, is hard on the psyche. Someone usually dies and that’s sad. Also, especially in noir crime fiction, the detective or policeman solving the crime isn’t much better than the perpetrator, which can be depressing. They don’t call it noir for nothing.

So it’s taken me awhile to finish. I did have some favorites. Just favorites. Not the world’s finest.

I liked Blood, Snow, And Classic Cars by J.Hansen. The story was well crafted, but the reason I enjoyed this one so much is because of the detective. I admired the detective because he neither glorified nor debased the human condition. The fictional town contained an assortment of genders, orientations, races, professions, etc. While folks around him were making the usual stereotypical judgments, the detective did not…but at the same time, didn’t think anyone was above the crime. At first, the detective seemed ho-hum, just doing my job, miss, sort of guy. But bit by bit I realized there was so much more to this man, and by the end of the tale I loved him.

I also enjoyed Star Thief by B. Dubois, one of the best psychological mysteries I’ve ever read. It could have been written in a chilling way, but instead this author chose to present the killer as pitiable and sad. This is the only story that made me cry. Masterful.

Finally, Beautiful, by J.Deaver, put the most fascinating spin on a stalker story ever. It is very sad, yet powerful. This one totally caught me by surprise at the end, and I love that.

This collection would be great on a snowy day in front of the fire, sipping brandy. Just make sure you’re at a happy point in your life.
:-)

Book Review

I decided to read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert for a couple of reasons. One, I needed a break from the murder mystery anthology I’m reading. Murder stories always have a …murder. The victim usually has people who mourn him or her, and that’s sad. Two, every now and then I pick something that’s way outside my normal fantasy sci-fi fare. Three, the idea of a woman traveling alone through parts of Asia I felt might help me with my own book about a woman traveling in Asia.

I enjoyed this book. I did learn some things about the countries Gilbert traveled to, although not as much as I would have liked. This was more of an internal journey.

And what a journey it was. The author is, without a doubt, a fabulous writer. Her rich descriptions plunked me down in Bali, in Rome, in India. Even something as mundane as eating pasta made my mouth water. That’s talent. My only complaint about her lush language is that she uses metaphors to distraction, at least, they often distracted me.

This book reminded me of why I don’t usually read biographic stories; they are too personal. The tale she told was fascinating, don’t get me wrong. I read it in one sitting. It was that compelling. But I was left with a slightly ick feeling of knowing, perhaps, a bit more than I wanted to know about Ms. Gilbert.

This is me and my taste. The book was a best seller, after all. But I guess I’m just a fiction girl at heart and always will be.

Back to murder and mayhem. Fictional, please. :-)

Book Review

I just finished Murder in Baker Street: New Tales of Sherlock Holmes. The selection is unusual for me. I write mysteries…my favorite character, Hagitha, is a detective. But I don’t read them much unless they have a fantasy component. However, I’m a sucker when it comes to Sherlock Holmes, probably because the famous detective reminds me of my dad in the logical way he communicates and solves puzzles.

A Sherlock Holmes story is relaxing to me. Maybe because I know how they all end. But even if I didn’t, the pace is deliberate. Dense and rarely scary, they are not what I would call exhilarating. The mystery is unraveled slowly. The character of Sherlock is hardly ever surprising. Neither is Watson.

All of this makes it harder to duplicate. You can’t disguise you are not Sir Conan Doyle by writing at a fast pace, using spicy language, or constructing overly emotional conversations. Holmes is Holmes. Watson is Watson.

So why would an editor ask a group of well-known mystery writers to compose stories using Sherlock Holmes? Perhaps for the challenge, perhaps for the built in audience. I guess I’m the second. I enjoyed the book, the stories were well crafted, but I was distracted by “mistakes” either in a generous interpretation of the characters, or simply word usage. They just were not about my Sherlock.

But then I read the story A Hanson for Mr. Holmes by Gillian Linscott. (A hanson is a horse drawn cab). Instead of Watson narrating as he always does, the author had a cabbie narrate.

This device worked perfectly. It wasn’t Watson’s voice, it wasn’t Watson’s interpretation of Homes, it was a cabbie’s, and a not so pure cabbie at that. The story was hilarious, and the best of the bunch, in my opinion.

I don’t mind classic stories messed with as long as the interpretation is good. “Good,” I realize, is in the eye of the beholder. For me, it means true enough to the original to feel the roots, but different enough for me not to frown at a counterfeit. Tricky.

Book Review

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan

I love fiction best, but I enjoy reading non fiction too. I’m not a big fan of biographies, unless it is someone very special to me. Most often my non fiction forays are of a scientific nature. Being a psychologist by schooling, I delve most often into the human based sciences, although I’m a sucker for anything Diane Ackerman has written. Anyway.

When I say I enjoy science books I do have a few qualifies. First and foremost, said book must be written in a way I can understand. I enjoy reading Stephen Hawkins, but sometimes he writes way over this reader’s head. My second stipulation is that the science writer can write; I want beautiful prose and gorgeous descriptive paragraphs just like I do in fiction. Third, the scientist must either be a scientist, or accurately research scientists and their work. Psychology uses the scientific method just like a chemist, and I know it when I see it. Fourth, although anyone who writes a book has an opinion, I neither want to be hit over the head, nor do I want to see just one side. Present all information, thank you very much, and let me decide.

And that’s exactly what Pollan does. He has an opinion. What his book says, if I had to boil it down to one sentence, is to be more mindful of what you eat. He doesn’t tell you what to eat, just that you might want to consider your nourishment a bit more. His research is sound. He presents his information on why you should care about what you put into your mouth in a compelling, simple, and thoughtful way. What he also does is describe the various places he visits with such clarity that I was alternately horrified and filled with wonder. He is that good of a writer.

I have another reason for choosing scientific books now and then; they inspire my fiction. Reading about the world in all of its complexities is, at the very least, thought provoking. A book written about how we eat, why we eat, what we eat, and how all of that is interwoven within the very fabric of our being has caused me to deeply ponder the cyclic nature of death and how we in the western world are so removed from it. Will that feed (pardon the pun) into my current novel about Kali, Hindu goddess of death and renewal?

You can bet on it.

Book Review

Winter Moon was actually a triad of stories by C.E.Murphy, Mercedes Lackey, and Tanith Lee. As I started the first story by Lackey I couldn’t get interested. It seemed to drag. The second one by Lee also did and I was confused. I love Tanith Lee.

Then I realized what had happened. These stories had come on the heels of my Twilight immersion. Then I got it. They weren’t slow, just not at the heart stopping pace of Twilight.

So I settled in. In some ways all of these authors, especially Lee and Lackey, write in an old fashioned way. They preserve the feeling of high fantasy. You feel as if you’ve been dropped into a Dungeons and Dragons game. This is not a bad thing; the stories slowly draw themselves out like a fine skein of wool, inviting you to discover and enjoy the subtle colors and texture of the tale. The prose is rich and descriptive, the vocabulary beautiful. I didn’t feel as if I had to finish; I knew the stories would be waiting for me anytime I wanted to indulge.

And so I’ve come to realize that for me, both kinds of literature are “good” writing. The Twilight saga because I could think of nothing else while I was reading them. Tanith Lee and the others because of the exquisite language and storytelling. Something to consider. And to strive for.

Twilight Book Review

I’ve waited to start the last three books in the Twilight saga. It’s not that I haven’t been reading…I always read. I love magazines too: Discover, Scientific American, Smithsonian, are you convinced I’m smart yet? OK, because I also love fashion mags: Lucky, Marie Claire, Vogue, Allure, and many others.

But anyway. I have put off the Twilight books. Not because I didn’t want to read them. Quite the opposite. I knew from my first book experience that I would devour them whole, and I wanted to get a few writing chores done. I started the last three books a few days ago and just finished. I’ve put off many things in the meantime: cleaning, errands, calling people back, and exercising.

I simply could not put these books down. Which has caused me to think about just what makes a good story. As many fans as Ms. Meyer has, there are many, mostly wannabe literary critics, who believe she doesn’t write very well. It is true there are more than a few typos. This is significant, because as I’ve stated many times in the past, I am not the best typo catcher. There are also too many gooey-eyed bits with Bella and Edward for my taste. And her use of language doesn’t compare, in my opinion, to the likes of Tanith Lee or Ursula LeGuin.

But Stephanie Meyer has something. Is not being able to put her books down a definition of good writing? I’ve been thinking a lot about that.

I’ve come up with some reasons why I believe so many people are fascinated with her creation. First, even though the descriptive prose was not exquisite, it was compelling. I was there; experiencing the Washington mist, various vampire hangouts, high school, and Italy among other destinations with crystal clear clarity. The lush descriptions, if not beautiful, were so real I could taste, see, touch, and smell them. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been so there in any books I’ve ever read. That’s a talent. And a pretty awesome one.

The second reason that kept me glued to the Kindle was the plot twists and turns. Yes, I guessed some of what was happening, but sometimes you do have to use the gun if you’ve shown it, so those correct guesses were more like an itch scratched. Other happenings I was totally unprepared for, yet each surprise was “fair” in that when I thought back (or checked) they were subtly foreshadowed, and very nicely.

The third, and most important aspect, was that I could not wait to see what happened to these people! Will Bella become a vampire? Which man will she chose? HOW WILL IT ALL END??? I was absolutely riveted. I couldn’t move. I had to make myself eat. And go to the bathroom.

Are they the best books I’ve ever read? My analytical side says no; there are many examples of better literature. Even better written vampire books, in my opinion. But…my emotional side says I’ve never read anything so compelling in my life.

I think I’ll just stay here in the question. And hope that maybe, just maybe, I can capture some of that in my own books.

If you’ll excuse me, I’m really hungry. For food, that is. Moohahahahahaha.

Anthologies and a Book Review

If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been reading a lot of anthologies lately. They are perfect for reading in between editing. I know me; if I get started on a novel I won’t put it down. But I enjoy anthologies for their own sake. Many people don’t, and I understand; sometimes you just get going and oops…there it is. The end. But I like short stories, especially when they are collected around a theme. It allows me to see the same subject examined by different authors. It’s fascinating to read so many interpretations of something as mundane as water, fairs, or a moment in time.

Forbidden Planets edited by Marvin Kaye, is a collection that is decidedly not mundane. The title conjures up strange and deadly destinations, planets where humans go at their own risk. And the stories do deliver that alien and scary feeling, especially the first one, Mid-Death by A.D. Foster. Whew. A planet that will kill you…sooner or later. I also enjoyed a story set on the world of Coyote by Allen Steele, but I have to say I like his longer works better. He’s a master of world building, and I don’t think the short venue does that justice.

The stories are all Sci-Fi, and are supposed to be “hard” Sci-Fi, although a couple of them lean more towards fantasy. Hard science fiction is…hard. It’s difficult to include the human side when you’re writing this kind of Sci-Fi; science must be science, or at least, aim for that. I missed seeing the human element here, except in the Coyote story. I know it’s difficult. But the master of this genre, Arthur C. Clarke, seemingly does it effortlessly.

My dad intruded me to Clarke; he loves “real” Sci-Fi, and this was something we shared. And still do. Dad admires Clarke because he is an expert story teller and a scientist. I loved Clarke for that too, but more because he made me care deeply about his characters. I can still remember the last shivery lines from a few of his stories (may not be exact): “the ancient struggle between man and insect had finally been won, and man was not the victor”, “was it a trick of fate that the clicking claws were in front of him,” brrrrrrrrrr.

The reason they were so scary is because of the astonishing craft of the author. The reason they stayed with me is because by the end of his stories I cared what happened to the protagonist; an equal and separate skill. In the Forbidden Planets collection I didn’t so much care what happened to the people. The stories were all well written and I enjoyed them. But afterwards I found myself wanting to re-read my collections of Clarke’s.

Rats. I just checked…my dad has them.

Book Review

I’m in my final edits of my latest book. Have I said I abhor editing? Yes. I believe I have. So. It doesn’t take much to distract me; most any shiny object will do, including a good book. But putting off my least favorite writing chore was not the entire reason I finished Night Bites almost in one setting.

The complier (or editor, as she calls herself here), is Victoria A. Brownworth. It’s obvious what the collection is built around: Night Bites? That can pretty much refer to just one creature. And the fact that a woman with pointy incisors graces the cover.

Ms. Brownsworth states this anthology of vampire stories is different. She promised views from various cultures, time periods, and orientations. Hummmm. I’ve read about a million vampire stories. How different could they be?

But they were. The are all chilling. (This is a vampire book, after all). Some of the stories go way beyond chilling; just when you think no, the author isn’t going to go there…she does.

She. These stories are all written by women. And that is the most compelling thing about this book. All of these tales represent the alien feeling, the otherness, and the pariah of society quality of the vampire; something that most women feel at some point in their life within our culture. Interesting enough, not only are these stories all written by women, the vampires created are also mostly female.

The female vampire is so fascinating; she is dangerous and irresistible, she is simultaneously old and young, wise yet driven by her needs. And it doesn’t matter how fragile she looks, she can overcome the even the most powerful. She often plays with men like a cat with a mouse; sometimes giving the illusion that her prey is stronger, but she is in always in control.

Women, I think, will find this book strangely satisfying. Men may find it frightening.

Within these pages is also the whisper of sisterhood; the Illuminate of the female gender. Brotherhood usually describes all of humanity. But sisterhood…that’s for women only. And we know what that means. Even if we don’t have superhuman power, we have own magic. And we are linked by our struggles as much as those eternally questing creatures of the night.

What’s your type again? Ah. O negative. Ummmmm…my favorite.

Moohaha.

Book Review

I just finished reading Masterpieces of Fantasy and Wonder compiled by David G. Hartwell. It is interesting to think about a “compiler” as opposed to an “editor”; an editor helps stories to be the best they can be, a complier chooses the best stories to be included in an anthology.

But the two are also similar. While there are hard and fast rules concerning the English language, individual editors have their own opinions about how prose should look. So too do compliers; one person’s “best of’ may not be someone else’s.

And so I think it is important to understand what criteria the compiler used to make his or her decisions on inclusion. Mr. Hartwell uses the term “fantasy” broadly, in that the person writing the story may not have called it that. Since some of these tales were written before the fantasy descriptor existed, that seems fair. Mr. Hartwell also promises to “surprise and delight”, and that he does.

This volume contains many famous authors familiar to fantasy readers such as Beagle, Le Guin, and Vance. I’d read many of those stories before, but I enjoyed discovering old friends. For example, one of my favorite fantasy stories of all time, Narrow Valley, by R.A. Lafferty was chosen. I laughed reading it just like I had the first time. It was nice to see it again. Others I’d never read before, such as The Harrowing of the Dragon of Hoarsbreath by Patricia NcKillip, proved delightful.

Mr. Hartwell also presents a number of historical stories. Some of them are really thick to read; old language and dense prose, but most times the effort is worth it. My favorite in this category is a set of Peter Pan stories by J.M Barrie. These shorts were the basis of his book by the same name. They were old fashioned, but absolutely wonderful. I’d never really understood the terrible choice Peter had to make until I read these.

This is a great collection; bite sized pieces of literature that you don’t have to dig up yourself, which is the genius of the complier when done right, and this volume is.

One More Review

I’m away from home so I have more time to read, so here’s one more book review.

I read Prospero’s Children by Jan Siegel because I thought it had mermaids in it. I love mermaids. Not the Disney kind. The sort I admire are real mermaids: wild, capricious, raw fish eating, dangerous creatures. Not long ago I found a painting of a real mermaid in an antique shop (thanks Mar). She (the mermaid not my friend Mar although she could do the come hither thing if she wanted to) is laying languorously on a beach with a tray of fish bones. And two glasses of wine. Two. There is no one else there. Anymore. You get the idea. So this book intrigued me, and the mermaids did not disappoint…they even had poisonous spines! And the explanation of how mermaids came to be was unique and very well done. I just wish there had been more, because the story really wasn’t about them.

But that’s OK, because the book was fabulous. Ms. Siegle weaves an atmosphere of miasma better than anyone I’ve read in a long time; the teenage angst was represented here as almost alien…that one actually changes into something else, something alien, something not quite human on the way to adulthood. Very much like the mermaid.

I also love how well this author represents a very famous city which I will not name for those who do want to read it…part of the surprise. And the way she wraps the beginning into the ending was extremely well done. And the setting…ah. Just the way I like ‘em, full, magical, dreamy, and absolutely swept me away.

There are more in this series and I will be reading them. Sigh. I do love when I find a new author.