The Bookshelf

I am going to see Iron Man 2 tonight, so, naturally, it has put me in the mood to read a book featuring superheroes. Here are some recent good ones that I thought I would share. Plus, checking out one of these books gives us a back up plan in case the movie is all sold out this weekend.

Today is National Tooth Fairy Day.  For a more disturbing take on this mythical creature, try reading The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce.  In this dark fantasy novel, one night after young Sam Southall leaves a tooth under his pillow, the tooth fairy visits him.  Instead of leaving a dollar and then going on her merry way, this tooth fairy comes back to visit Sam again and again throughout the years.  This dark spirit appears to Sam in many forms and destruction seems to follow in its wake.  Read this darkly creepy tale and you’ll never again go to bed without flossing and brushing your teeth.

I enjoyed Lev Grossman’s (a book critic for Time) The Magicians, but, then again, I am exactly the type of reader that would.

Grossman’s The Magicians is a play on C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, and even a little of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. But instead of wild-eyed youngsters being taken to magical worlds, it is brilliant and depressed recent high school graduates.  Instead of the students exploring and outwitting evil doers, they memorize, study, and drink too much booze (much like other college students– minus the studying and memorizing of course).

Quentin Coldwater, a high school student from Brooklyn, is the main character.  He experiences the tedium of studying, girls that are not interested in him, and magic.  Following graduation from magic college, Quetin and his friends discovery the world of Fillory (a Narnia like universe) which they had all read about as children.  Quentin has always been especially devoted to the the Fillory series. However, the story Fillory and the real Fillory are very different.

This book may sound like a Terry Pratchett like comedy but it most certainly isn’t.  It does have some comedic moments, but it is much grittier than anything in the comedic fantasy realm.

I recommend checking this book out.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki

Not just because it’s Earth Day – really. This comic book series and animated feature length film are highly recommended at any time!  Nausicaä has a strong ecological theme. So it seemed appropriate to write about it today. The message is timeless and important. Read the graphic novels, watch the DVD.

My movie review: In the post-apocalyptic future, pacifist and environmental warrior Princess Nausicaa lives in Valley of the Wind, a small rural territory at the edge of an expanding wasteland. When a ship carrying a weapon from a long-gone industrial age crashes nearby and soldiers come to retrieve the cargo, she and the people of the Valley struggle to prevent conflicting nations from destroying one another and the declining planet.  (read more)

See a selected list of environmental-themed documentaries.

Do you tend to read only one kind of fiction–mysteries, sci-fi, or literary fiction, for example? Well, I go mostly for literary fiction (where the writing itself is the strong focus, as opposed to plot), and some mysteries. But what I’ve discovered, even sticking to the “regular fiction” shelves, is that some of the best books actually blend genres. One of my new favorite authors is Kate Atkinson, who, in her Jackson Brodie books, does a fabulous job of blending lit fic and mystery (with lots of lol humor). Another example of successful blending, this time of lit fic and fantasy, is The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. There are many many more examples, all of which add up to the fact that fiction can be whatever it wants to be. How did Neil Gaiman describe his novel Anansi Boys? “If you have to classify it, it’s probably a magical-horror-thriller-ghost-romantic-comedy-family-epic.” Sounds good!

Deja Demon: The Days and Nights of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, audiobook

It’s like Buffy the Vampire Slayer – but for an older generation. Fun stuff. It takes multitasking to a new level! This is the fourth book in the series. All are light entertainment for those who don’t mind a bit of demonology mixed with suburban slice of life. I think that this series is pretty original.

Victory of Eagles: A Novel of Temeraire by Naomi Novik, audiobook

A very good addition to the series, it will be interesting to see what happens next. This is the fifth installment. It’s a unique blend of history and fantasy. The entire series is highly recommended for those who like dragons, Napoleonic War novels, and perhaps even Jane Austen (i.e. manners).

Written for kids, nonetheless recommended:

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, digital player

This is a clever fairy tale story for young girls, with a nice message. The book gives a nod to Snow White, adding a musical twist. I listened to this; the audio is a full cast presentation. That worked very well, since there are a lot of songs. Listening might be the way to go, for anyone interested. I think that it would make a good “family” car trip companion. If you liked Ella Enchanted, give this a try.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, audiobook

The 2009 Newbery Award Winner – excellent. But it left me a bit sad, by the end. This is a bittersweet fantasy/horror/mystery. And it references The Jungle Book, BTW. There is a movie version in the works. The author narrates the audio, doing a fine job. If you liked Coraline, definitely add this one your reading list.

The Final Empire is a fun take on the fantasy genre. Sanderson’s premise is, what if the bad guy won the climatic struggle/battle that takes place at the end of most fantasy series e.g. Suaron being destroyed at the end of the end of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic Lord of the Rings series?

A hero supposedly destined to defeat a great evil is born but fails… The setting of the first Mistborn novel is a thousand years following that climatic event. Ash constantly falls from the sky, green leaves are a myth, and people are gruesomely murdered out of hand.

A group of high class thieves, with intriguing magical abilities, embark on a daring scheme to steal from the Dark Lord. To do so they enlist the serfs in a rebellion, ferment discord between the great houses, and try to distract the Spanish Inquisitor-esque/ Matrix like agents.

The magical abilities of the characters and how they use them is intriguing and very well designed by the author. Individuals swallow small amounts of metals and “burn” them to gain a particular type of power. For example, burning tin will increase the reach and intensity of the 5 senses, zinc will enable the burner to enflame the emotions of those nearby, and so on.

I very much enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the reading the next two in the series. If you like fantasies I highly recommend Mistborn: The Final Empire. If you like the idea of fantasy stories from the evil point of try Jacqueline Carey’s less interesting but still good Sundering series.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is a wonderful debut novel in the Fantasy genre and brings to life a sure to be well loved character.

The Name of the Wind tells the story through the eyes and with the voice of Kvothe. Kvothe is a famous (some would say notorious) wizard/warrior/musician/actor/all around genius now living and hiding under an assumed name as an innkeeper in a small village.

The Chronicler (a recorder of stories) discovers Kvothe and prompts him to tell his epic story of growing up with traveling actors, living as a homeless child, fighting drugged dragons, attending university to learn magic, playing music beautiful enough to cause tears, and much more.

I highly recommend the award winning The Name of the Wind. However, this is the first in the trilogy with the second installment due in 2009 and the third following that, so if you are the type of person that must read all of a series at once perhaps you should hold off.