Category: YA/MG/Children’s Books Page 39 of 42

by Brandon Sanderson
Hardcover, 386 pg.
Delacorte Press, 2013
Series: The Reckoners, #1

This blurb was enough to get me excited about this book:

Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.

But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his will.

Nobody fights the Epics . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

If the book description doesn’t sell this book, I can’t imagine anything I say will. But the story of young David Charleston, orphaned during the takeover of this world by the Epics, fueled by a thirst for vengeance and justice, is one you’d do well to read.*

I wish I could remember what podcast I was listening to recently where they started discussing the difference between DC and Marvel heroes — but I thought of it when I was reading Steelheart. DC heroes, they claimed, jumped at the chance to use their powers to fight evil. Marvel heroes, on the other hand, were reluctant heroes — they have no other choice to do what they do with their powers. In Sanderson’s world, on the other hand, no one with powers wants to do anything for anyone but themselves. Basically, Steelheart is the embodiment of Lord Acton’s maxim, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

This is the YA thriller done right — a lot of action, a hint of romance (no triangle, for which we all owe you thanks, Mr. Sanderson), a solid group of characters, a very bleak looking world, and a central character that doesn’t really fit in — but is driven, more capable than anyone thinks, and in the right place at the right time.

This band of rebels David finds himself working with isn’t as rag-tag as you’d expect — which is an interesting way to approach it. But the Reckoners are rag-tag enough, that even if they weren’t going up against nigh-invulnerable people, you’d still see them as the underdogs. Which you have to see them as, or you won’t be able to root for them. It also helps that we don’t get a good look at the Epics as anything but “The Other” or “The Enemy.” We don’t get the chance to sympathize, to understand, to care about them.

One quibble — some of David’s humor, his references, don’t feel quite right — they don’t seem like the kind of thing a kid who’s been living the kind of life he’s been living for ten years. Actually, most of the humor in the book feels out of place coming from the Reckoners.

That said — David’s wit (as bumbling as it is), Cody’s self-aware eccentricity, the voice this story is told in is what moves this book from “engaging super-hero distopia” to “zowie!” It doesn’t ring true, but it doesn’t matter — Sanderson sells it while you’re reading.

I’m eager to see what Sanderson has for us in this series — where did these powers come from? What are the other groups of Reckoners like? Are we going to see [redacted] again? Is David ever going to figure out how to use figurative language?

—–

*Unless you don’t like super-hero stories, YA adventure, distopian novels, or books that rock, if that’s the case, I can’t help you.

—–

5 Stars

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

By HCNewton

On October 29, 2013

In Authors, Fantasy, Fiction, In Medias Res, P-U, Rick Riordan, YA/MG/Children's Books

The House of Hades

by Rick Riordan
Hardcover, 597 pg.
Hyperion Books, 2013

I guess I already said the essence of what I have to say about this back when I checked in midway. This is a fun read, but a tad formulaic. However, it’s Riordan’s formula, so he pulls it off very well.

Hades didn’t charm me as much as his book usually do, and I’m not sure if that’s just me, or if it was a flaw in the book. Part of it was knowing that there was one more book, no matter what victories the Campers scored, they were only going to set the stage for the ultimate battle. Even as I say that, I know that’s not the case — but a lot of it just felt like marking time until the final installment next year.

The central conceit of Riordan’s mythology books is that these kids — near-teens or teenagers — are beating various and sundry mythological creatures — from monsters, to nymphs, to Titans or gods — in a variety of contests, even in battles to the death. Which can be hard to swallow sometimes, if you stop and think about it. But this is a common thing even in the old myths — mortals outsmarting these types. Too many of these contests in Hades are resolved by the Campers goading their opponents into making an obviously stupid move. Once or twice a novel, they could get away with it. I should’ve written it down, but he used that trick at least three times (maybe four or five) — in any event, it was enough that I groaned at least twice.

I don’t want to come down to hard on this book, I did like it. I haven’t chuckled at an obituary like I did at the one included in this book in a long time (you were supposed to, I’m not that twisted). There were some great character moments, some good personal growth — most of which I can’t get into without getting really spoilery. But, in short — Frank’s growth (in every sense of the word) was fantastic; Percy (and to an extent, Leo) realizing some of his former blunders and broken promises — he really comes off looking far less heroic and more human (which ends up making him more heroic). I do wish we’d had a bit more Reyna, I think she was given short-shrift, but what she did was probably more important in the end than what happened in most of the book.

Leo Valdez, however, is the hero of this book (and he’s come close to being the hero of one or two others in this series). Riordan really makes him shine throughout. It’s a real pleasure to read every one of his scenes — whether he’s the point-of-view character for that chapter or not.

I’m looking forward to the final book in this series, I do fear that it’ll be the last Riordan series I read. Unless he returns to adult fiction, that is. I have one son that currently provides me excuses to read Riordan, but he’s getting a bit long in the tooth for these books and has pretty much decided this is it for him. Hopefully, we can get his little brother into them, so I can keep going.

—–

3 Stars

Dusted Off: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

By HCNewton

On October 28, 2013

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, YA/MG/Children's Books

Beauty Queens

by Libba Bray
Hardcover, 396 pg.
Scholastic Press, 2011

This book is just fun. Are the characters over the top? Yup. Is it too preachy at times? Oh yeah. Does Bray hit the same target over and over and over again? Yup. But usually those targets have it coming.

There are plenty of flaws in this book, but Bray’s style, tone and message(s) work so well that you ignore them easily and forgive them all even more easily. A great, fun read–even for a guy like me who is nowhere near the target audience.

—–

4 Stars

In Medias Res: The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

By HCNewton

On October 10, 2013

In Authors, Currently Reading, Fantasy, Fiction, In Medias Res, P-U, Rick Riordan, YA/MG/Children's Books

as the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book, so this is not a review, just some thoughts mid-way through

—–

The House of Hades

by Rick Riordan

Okay, we’re in the home stretch of the third mythology-based series from Riordan, and by this time it’s pretty easy to what he’s up to, it’s like clockwork, the way he builds these things.

But just because his books have become formulaic doesn’t mean they’re bad. It’s not the formula, it’s the execution. There’s a reason that NCIS and Law & Order reruns are almost constantly on the air somewhere, they do it right. As does Rick Riordan. Fun, engaging, educational — bah, enough of this, I’m getting back to Percy, Jason, Annabeth, Leo and the rest.

Dusted Off: In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard

By HCNewton

On September 30, 2013

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, YA/MG/Children's Books

In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard

The 1970’s weren’t the easiest time for a couple of 14 year old girls to grow up–just ask In Zanesville’s unnamed narrator and her best friend. In this coming of age novel, we see the two of them deal with odd babysitting gigs, clothes, strange teachers, annoying/horrible family situations, self-awareness, friends, brushes with popularity, and (of course) boys at that awkward and vital time of life. Jo Ann Beard depicts their struggles, failures (and even a success or two) in a well-written (sometimes wonderfully so), moving way.

My problem with this book is that the narrative doesn’t go anywhere, the narrator’s story doesn’t end, there’s no conclusion, it just stops. I’m not sure the narrator comes of age, she rather comes right up to the border of it and looks across. That’s more than dissatisfying, it ends up cheapening the whole experience.

Even so, Beard’s writing makes In Zanesville worth the time.

—–

3 Stars

Review: North! or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson

By HCNewton

On September 12, 2013

In Fantasy, Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

North! or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

It is true the Shining Isle is smoke and ashes and that darkness is wide over the land. But your long memories have failed you. Of all creatures, you should know that the darkness is seldom complete, and even when it is, the pinprick of light is not long in coming — and finer for the great shroud that surrounds it.

This quotation is from the closing pages of this volume, and sums things up pretty well. This is the second book in a fantasy series — and certain things have to happen in a second book — namely, things get dark and bleak, almost completely so as stated above. Peterson makes sure that North! or Be Eaten fulfills that role just fine. It got a little darker than I expected, more than many contemporary children’s authors would be willing to go. But Peterson doesn’t go too far, he’s actually honest with his readers — no matter their age — things look dark, but there’s the pinprick of light. That’s always present.

To match the tone and events of this book, the sense of whimsy and play that was so prevalent in the first book is almost gone. There are hints and traces, but it doesn’t go as far as it did before — which is good, it wouldn’t have fit this time. It was appropriate in On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, and it will be again, but it’s not now.

The Igibly family — Wingfeather, actually — has had to leave their home and strike out trying to survive the Fangs. So the world of the novel has to expand — as does the cast of characters. More villains, more Fang-victims, more monsters, more betrayal, more close calls and trouble in general for the family. More friends and allies, too — more wonders of a fantastic world, more chances for heroics (obvious and not so much), more opportunities for kindness.

The characters are forced by circumstance to grow up quickly, and they do so — but not to the extent it feels forced or unnatural. These are diamonds being formed by intense pressure, and on the whole, they do so well.

I know most readers of this won’t pick up on it, but I caught some echoes of the Song of Ice and Fire in this book — for example, Janner and his new friend, Maraly, remind me a lot of Jon Snow and the wildling, Ygritte — so much so that I kept waiting for her to turn around and say, “You know nothing, Janner.” The geography and climate of the North here also struck me as very Westerosian. I can’t imagine that Peterson was tipping his hat in that direction, but you never know.

Not as fun as the first book, but still a well-told story, consider me ready for more.

Kickstarter: A Phantom Tollbooth Documentary

By HCNewton

On August 23, 2013

In DVD/Movie, News/Misc., YA/MG/Children's Books

On Twitter a little bit ago, I saw a link to a Kickstarter for a documentary about The Phantom Tollbooth and tossed out my plan for today’s post. The Phantom Tollbooth is one of those books that was so formative for me that it seems like I need a better word to describe its effect on me.

My impulse was to throw up a post about its impact on my life/thinking, but that’d take too long (and I’d have to reread the book, and I’m behind as it is). If you’ve read it, you probably understand — and if you haven’t, just take my word for it and go read it. Even as an adult, it’s one of those that contains enough that a kid won’t get, but an adult will love. Think early Loony Tunes shorts. I read it with my kids a couple of years back — and it was as good (if not better) then, than it was when I read it a couple of decades ago (for the first of many times).

Basically, I’m excited for this one. I hope it gets all the funding it needs.

Ideally, you’ll see the video embedded below. But wordpress doesn’t seem to want to display that (or at least not in preview or edit mode, so I don’t know if it’ll show or not. If it doesn’t, click the link back in my first sentence to go watch it.

Dusted Off: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

By HCNewton

On August 12, 2013

In Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I honestly don’t know what to put here. I think that’s a compliment, hope it is anyway. I spent most of this novel leaning forward, as if that would get me to the end quicker. I don’t know how many times I said, “She’s [Collins] isn’t really doing that…” when it was very clear she was.

Yet the book as a whole (even most of the time I was reading it) I felt a mixture of pleasure and disappointment. I really don’t think that Collins could’ve done better, I don’t think there was any way to stick the landing. The setup over the first two novels created expectations that were too high — a plot that couldn’t be wrapped up in just one book (but I don’t think 2 would’ve done it either, then she would’ve had to resort to filler, I think).

So let me put it this way…did we get honest character growth/development? Yup.
Did we get to spend more time with people we’ve grown to like? Yup.
Did we see man’s cruelty to man clearly displayed? Yup.
Did we get a conclusion (however unsatisfying or sad) to every storyline? Yup.

Pretty much what we would want to see from a conclusion. Was it the ending that I wanted? No. Was it the ending that I feared we’d get? Thankfully, no. Can’t complain about that.

The most redeeming thing about this series (which, please don’t get me wrong, I loved) is the commentary on the relations between media, government actions (military and otherwise) and entertainment/distraction of the masses. I don’t think Collins said anything new, but she said it pretty darn effectively. And no one needs to think about these things more than the series’ target demographic.