Various intelligent young heroines

Swan Maiden by Heather Tomlinson
This imaginative novel explores the life of sweet Doucette, who lives in the shadow of her cruel and glamorous older sisters, wishing that she too could practice sorcery in the care of their aunt. The heroine then finds her own swan skin and soon discovers that her desire to become a sorceress would conflict with love. How she resolves this and becomes a stronger and wiser young woman is both harrowing and uplifting. A sweet story that does not flinch from the cruelty of the real world, but shows how one girl learned from this sad fact.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
A sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, although I thought Castle in the Air was a sequel, too. Like those charming novels, this book is too clever by half, full of wacky hijinx, magical mayhem, and foolish yet still cerebrally enhanced characters. Howl had me cracking up so bad, even though he was a bit character, what a devil! Anyways, good times, just like Castle in the Air and what not.

The Snow-walker by Catherine Fisher

The Snow-Walker by Catherine Fisher is a teen novel in the form of a 3-part saga inspired by Norse mythology. In this novel, an evil sorceress from a frozen land has taken over a kingdom and sends 2 young cousins to deliver a message to her exiled and supposedly monstrous son. Basically, the cousins discover allies willing to help them fight the sorceress and there is much sorcery, mysterious events, soul-searching and travel to icy wastelands. The other two sagas deal with many of the same characters but bring the humble beginnings of the story to a glorious (yet still somewhat humble) end.

Overall, I enjoy the epic tone, interspersed with witty dialogue and charmingly realized characters who have a lot of spirit. Ancient Nordic culture is always fun to read about, even transposed to a fictitious setting. I had been meaning to check this book out and I am glad I did, there's really nothing I can say that's bad about this book.

music and magic - more teen novels

I haven't updated in many moons because I've been busy with school and just haven't had access to a good library. But now that it's summer, I'm making up for lost time with my good friend, the local public library. Here are some titles that I will review later - I just wanted to note them before I forgot the authors and all that.

The Naming by Alison Croggon, also The Riddle and The Crow
A series set in a fantasy land where bards are able to perform magic. A teenage girl discovers that she is the fated one who will defeat an evil wizard. With the help of trusted friends, including a mysterious older man as her mentor, she comes into her power, finds a long-lost brother and in a race against time, they try to solve the riddles of the tumultuous past. The first book describes a typically Tolkienesque medieval world, while the second book ventures into the wild wintry north, and the disappointing third novel takes place in a burning south tainted by evil. Now where do they go next?!!

The Singer of All Songs by Kate Constable, part of a trilogy
A series set in a fantasy land where chanters are able to perform magic. A teenage girl discovers she is the fated one who will defeat an evil wizard. With the help of trusted friends, including a mysterious older man as her mentor, she comes into her power... wait a minute!!! Hah hah, but seriously, both series are charming, with breathtaking adventures, adorably stupid characters and confident world building. They're just very similar to each other sometimes. This book was compared to a version of Earthsea, rich and complex with ancient mystery.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
This is a remarkably interesting retelling of a fairy tale, set in the plains of Mongolia and told in the form of an illustrated diary. Two girls are trapped in a tower, with the princess courted by two different princes, one kind, the other evil. The clever servant-girl, who also has the ability to sing magically, struggles along with her mistress until they finally escape and end up rescuing a kingdom from a terrifying fate. I love how the author sensitively describes the thoughts of the servant girl, who narrates the story, and incorporates elements of a culture not many would know.

Standard Hero Behavior by John David Anderson
A cute, saucy parody of the average fantasy story. A young bard (hah hah, I have a theme going on) and his humorous sidekick unwittingly find themselves on a quest to save their hometown from an army of orcs and goblins. Little do they realize that they would help bring back the long-lost heroes of their father's time on their misadventures throughout the countryside. While definitely ironic, this author does not deal his sarcasm too heavily, and the moral was more sweet than cheesy. Recommended for a light-hearted read.

other fantasy novels

Okay, some mini-reviews of other books I randomly picked out from the library!

Flightless Falcon by Mickey Reichert
an epic fantasy novel about a impoverished father who, after being released from prison, takes on a corrupt secret brotherhood to rescue his family. He is accompanied by a fairly typical motley crew and adventures and soul-searching occurs. It was a good read for a boring afternoon, but nothing special or particularly memorable, except the fact that it leaves room for a sequel.

The Witch, the Wizard and Two Girls from Jersey by Lisa Papademetriou
I checked this out from the Bluebonnet Award winners, but it sadly wasn't that great. Another typical teen fantasy novel about two very different girls who get transported into a fantasy novel and end up changing how the story goes by their actions. The plot was supposed to be fairly typical, the characters annoying but occasionally hilarious. Overall, I could see how teen girls may enjoy this book, but for a more mature reader, you'll be rolling your eyes a lot. Especially at the cop-out ending.

the Bartimaus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, including The Amulet of Samarkand and The Golem's Eye, is actually a very well-written and witty series about wizards, demons and a re-imagined London. (I sure love those British authors, hah hah.) Unfortunately, the young protagonist happens to be a douchebag, so I found it a very unpleasant read overall. While the changing perspectives and the cheeky footnotes by the demon were extremely entertaining, I have a hard time justifying my admiration of a series when the hero is actually a jerk. I am told he gets better by the end, so I will try to read the third book, Ptolemy's Gate, just to know what happens. I need justification for staying up so late.

Don't get me wrong, this series is worth your time. I have finally read the last book, and while it was a gripping and dramatic adventure, he is still a douchebag. But one that you can like.

Poison Study and Magic Study by Maria Snyder

Poison Study and Magic Study by Maria Snyder is a thrilling and gutsy treatment of fantastic themes. An orphaned girl accused of murder is forced to become a poison taster and an assassin for the government. When she discovers she also has magic powers, she has to use every ounce of her intelligence and athleticism to save the people who make up her family, old and new. Chocolate plays an important role, hah hah.

Notable features are creative cultures and methodology of magic, with strong characters and a well-placed plot. I can't pinpoint what I don't like about this series, except that everything works out too neatly. It isn't bad by any means, but lacks that extra pizazz that marks the best of the best.

The Legend of Nightfall by Mickey Zucker Reichert

The Legend of Nightfall and the Return of Nighfall by Mickey Zucker Reichert: An occasionally bromantic adventure fantasy novel about an assassin given a second chance (I sure like those kinds of stories) by protecting a foolish young prince. Nightfall must not only keep Edward from harm, but also deal with sorcerors who kill magically talented people for their powers. The sequel falters a bit when Nightfall returns to needless emo introspection as he attempts to track down a missing king, but the hilarious hijinx continues, ever so suavely. I also like how friendships are explored, I think honest and non-gay relationships between men or between women is so rarely done well.

What I like about this author's style is her sense of realism and morality in a medieval fantasy setting, and how she describes things thoroughly but succintly. Her dialogue is also quite snappy, but not idiotically so like Eddings or Lackey, ahem. I still wouldn't place her anywhere near Pratchett's level, but her books were quite enjoyable overall and if I cared enough, I'd read her other series.

the Melusine series by Sarah Monette

The Melusine Series by Sarah Monette is a horribly fascinating read of the fantasy genre, including Melusine, Virtu, Mirador and later, Summerdown. (Honestly have no idea what the series is titled.) The breathless plot is a bit haywire, the characters are especially off-kilter yet strangely lovable, the dialogue makes creative use of swear-words; thus, the whole combination is "unputdownable." I'm still not exactly sure to make of it, I guess the third book (which disgustingly comes out next/this year) will answer that. I'm surprised Texas public libraries stock so much gay, hah hah, but really, this bro-mance is... something else. It's different, refreshing and I can't help but want to discover how this trainwreck ends. Spectacularly, I'm sure. I expect nothing less!

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke is a HUUUGE novel probably longer than all 6 Harry Potter books put together! Starts off extremely boring, but is oh-so-satisfying in the end if you can keep all the plotlines straight. I would describe this book as intellectual, witty, and worth reading if you like British manners, books, Faerie or a delicious combination of above.

It takes place in a magical Napoleonic-era London/Europe and follows two magicians as they try to bring back "true magic" and also counter the malignant forces of Faerie that work on everyone they know. The characters are extremely well-developed if somewhat frustratingly British - think of a wizardly cast of Jane Austen's novels. The footnotes are priceless, not as funny as Pratchett's impertinent ones, but snarky in their own way. Perhaps a lot of the extra Dickinsonian writing could be cut out, but I also feel the novel would lose a lot of its British flavor that way.

The Ladies of Grace-Adieu is a charming anthology of short stories that also take place in this alternate Europe. As a wry counterpoint to Jonathan Strange, it is bitterly amusing and probably more palatable than the monster of the original novel.

(briefly) young adult trilogies by various authors

Now for a brief review of various young adult trilogies that have been considered classics. I read some of these quite a while ago, but would recommend them to any pre-teen or teen with an affinity for fantasy and mystery. These don't have their own entries because I don't remember them very well, having read them so long ago, but I doubt anyone would mind.

The Riddle-master of Hed by Patricia Mckillip: a richly layered fantasy trilogy about a harpist and riddlemaster who is also a king. Details an epic quest to battle evil, discover the hidden past and make amends for the future. It is so full of allegory and allusion, I had no clue what was going on most of the time. The language used is incredibly beautiful if also very very vague. I would recommend all of her numerous fantasy novels if you are in the mood for concentrating on the meaning of symbols.

The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin: another fantasy trilogy by a famous author concerning wizards, dragons, demons and ghosts. The story of a proud young wizard who gains his power at great cost and learns of wisdom and happiness. I describe the tone as spare and solemn but lovely in a natural and unassumed way. I was not as fond of the later books, but I still enjoyed them very much. Continues in Tehanu and in an anthology of short stories called The Other Wind.

Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pullman: this is a historical fiction trilogy with some elements of fantasy and science fiction. Taking place in Victorian London, it describes the adventures of a brave and intelligent young woman with connections to a dangerous and supernatural past. The last book was incredibly bitter and unpleasant (at least for a teen novel), that seems to be his trend, but overall the drama and mystery of this series will not disappoint.

The Sundering by Jacqueline Carey

The Sundering by Jacqueline Carey is a vast two-part fantasy epic starting with the Banewreaker and ending with the Godslayer. Imagine someone who read Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and has decided to write it from the bad guy's point of view, in this case a cursed warlord who no longer finds happiness among fellow humans and has allied himself with the god of darkness. Like the Lord of the Rings, we got Aragorn, Arwen, Gandalf, Frodo, Sam and Sauron characters, but it is so much sadder when you see things from the orcs and werewolves and dragons and god of darkness' side. The plot is elegantly executed, with good measures of action, drama, self-conflict, a tiny bit of romance (not pr0ny though), and a huge load of tragic mythology. I imagine there was some humor... probably.

About the only complaint I have is one I have with most female writers, and that is unnecessary repetition of the exact same detail over and over again. ("Doughty warrior" was a prime culprit.) Also, I have no idea if this is supposed to be a parody or not, because it clearly is copying Tolkien, although in a serious and tragic manner. This series may be fully appreciated by those familiar with Tolkien's works.

(briefly) Arthurian series by various authors

A brief review of various Arthurian series I read throughout highschool and college... To be added to when I remember those pesky other series.

the Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead, including Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon and Grail: I thought Taliesin was amazing, a legendary treatment of the bard combining the legends of Arthur and Atlantis, but by Pendragon, I was writhing in pain and thinking "Why am I reading such trash?" Couldn't finish it, no matter what critics might say.

the Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart, including Crystal Cave, Hollow Hills, Last Enchantment: a promising start, with a gritty and powerful retelling of Merlin's life as a youngster. Like most Arthurian trilogies, ended in tragedy, and I mean tragedy. The Wicked Day, a fourth book about Mordred's life, was actually rather interesting, but still unpleasant to finish.

Hawk of May by Gillian Bradshaw, also Kingdom of Summer, In Winter's Shadow: this one is a slightly more youth-friendly treatment of Arthurian legend, including views from Gwalchmai, his servant Rhys and Queen Gwynnhyfar. No mention of Merlin or Lancelot, this is a more historical and somewhat mystical retelling that ends tragically.

the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay, including The Summer Tree, Wandering Fire, The Darkest Road: not exactly Arthurian, but drawing heavily on that legend. This is a daring and brilliantly composed fantasy series of the war between good and evil and the heavy price some heroic individuals must pay. It really affected me when I read it in high school, though that may just be me in high school. Very sad.

the Once and Future King by T.H. White: A very good series overall, but also swimming in tragedy by the end. I would definitely not recommend the last 3 parts for children, even though Sword in the Stone made for a funny movie.

the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett

The Discworld novels are a brilliant and satiric parody of fantasy elements and humanity's foible foibles. If you are even slightly into humor, fantasy, mystery and action and comedic romance, you can't go wrong with Pratchett. Trust me. If for some reason, you did go wrong, then it is you who is wrong, and not Pratchett!

Several of his books can be read alone, although the full impact of characterization and plot can optimally be enjoyed if you read certain arcs in order, namely the Watch arc and perhaps the Witches arc. There are a few novels that I don't enjoy as much as the rest, but I enjoy them far far more than any other series ever written, so that's not saying much.

My personal favorites, which I would review if I could come up with something other than "THIS BOOK IS SO AWESOME!" to say. In no particular order...

1. Soul Music: About sex, drugs and rock and roll. Okay, just rock and roll.
2. The Truth: About Ankh Morpork's newspaper that tells the "truth."
3. Going Postal: About Ankh Morpork's revived postal service.
4. Science of Discworld: About the science of Earth, as explained by the magic of Discworld.
5. The Last Hero: About Cohen the Barbarian, the last hero of Discworld.
6. Men at Arms: About the City Watch's brush with the deadly gonne.
7. Hogfather: About the legendary holiday figure of goodwill and bloodshed.

My favorite characters...
1. Death
2. Librarian (duh)
3. Susan Sto Helit
4. Vetinari
5. Captain Vimes
6. Leonard Da Quirm
7. Moist von Lipwig

Links to visit:
L-space: has more information than you ever wanted to know about Terry Pratchett and Discworld.

Favorite quote of all time - oh wait, maybe not:
"One day I'll be dead and THEN you'll all be sorry."
-- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)