Waukegan Public Library - fantasy

Have You Heard About... The Stand

Fran J — Thu, 02 May 2013 06:59:47 +0000

… Captain Trips, a devastating flu virus that wipes out 99% of the American population? This marks the beginning of Stephen King’s epic fantasy/horror novel, The Stand, and let me tell you, this one is a doozy. The uncut version is between 1100 and 1400 pages long, depending on which edition you read, but believe me when I say that this story is well worth the effort.

The basic story involves a flu virus that wipes out most of the American people. Only a few survivors are left in the deserted country, and slowly, they begin to band together. But at the heart of the apocalypse are two opposing forces: Mother Abagail, a 108-year-old black woman from Nebraska, and Randall Flagg, the “dark man” who haunts the dreams of the plague survivors. As the survivors are drawn towards either Mother Abagail or Randall Flagg, a great confrontation between good and evil begins to coalesce, bringing a small group of men into the desert to face the growing forces of Randall Flagg.

This is a really hard book to classify - on the one hand, it’s full of apocalyptic horror, and Randall Flagg is one of the best-developed villains in any of Stephen King’s works. On the other hand, the ultimate confrontation between good and evil, as well as the epic journey the characters must take, suggest elements of fantasy. And on the OTHER hand (yes, that’s three hands now), this is just a really well-told story that goes beyond known genres.

The main drawback to the book is its extraordinary length, but the characters are so well developed and the story is so interesting that it never feels slow or boring. In fact, I’d even go so far as to call this a FAST read…it certainly kept me turning the pages late at night.

Even if you’re not a fantasy or a horror fan, I highly, highly recommend this book. This is Stephen King at his best, and it’s a perfect example of why he’s considered one of the world’s premiere story-tellers.

Reviewed by Katie (staff)

Have You Heard About... Born Wicked

Fran J — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:33:01 +0000

… America being settled by witches? Born Wicked, the first book of Jessica Spotswood’s Cahill Witch Chronicles, is set at the end of the nineteenth century in an alternate history where America was founded by an organization of witches instead of pilgrims. The witches grew in power until they were overthrown by the Brotherhood, a group of misogynists who control every aspect of a woman’s life. When a young woman turns sixteen, she must either declare her intention to obey her husband forever or she must join the Sisterhood, the female arm of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood preaches the evils of womanhood in general and witches in particular.

Cate is the eldest of three sisters, all of whom are witches. Girls all over Cate’s town are being accused of witchcraft and hanged or sent to insane asylums, a fate considered worse than death. When Cate discovers that the three of them may fulfill a prophecy that promises to end the tyrannous reign of the Brotherhood, she must choose between keeping their secret or joining the secret band of witches bent on rebellion.

The plot is complicated by Cate’s inner struggle (she isn’t convinced that witchcraft isn’t wicked after all), the urgency of keeping family secrets, and the fact that the witch resistance doesn’t have the best interest of the Cahill sisters at heart. The next book in the series doesn’t release until June – I can’t wait!

Reviewed by Sara (staff)

Have You Heard About... Midnight Riot

Fran J — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 06:17:45 +0000

… the wizards in London? No, this isn’t a new Harry Potter book. Ben Aaronovitch’s Midnight Riot* is set in modern England, but its magic is much darker and grittier, and somehow more realistic, than J. K. Rowling’s style. Peter Grant is just finishing his training with London’s Metropolitan Police when he takes an eyewitness report from a ghost. That brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who takes him on as an apprentice and introduces him to the wonders and horrors of the magical world. Peter’s life will never be dull, or safe, again.

Midnight Riot beautifully melds police procedurals with urban fantasy. Aaronovitch guides us through the dark side of London, where an evil spirit takes over people to commit murder and spread chaos. Along the way, he introduces us to a number of neighborhoods and institutions, filled with surprising amounts of history about both the city and police work. The result is an enthralling, beautifully-detailed book filled with rich characters and an amazing mix of humor and horror.

* Later books in the series include Moon over Soho and Whispers under Ground.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Bring on the Night

Fran J — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:22:46 +0000

… the vampires who get “stuck” in the time period when they died? Bring on the Night* by Jeri Smith-Ready continues her adrenaline-filled series about Ciara Griffin and the rest of the staff and DJs at WVMP. Ciara becomes an agent for Control, battles zombies and a plague, and makes two of the hardest and most important decisions of her life – all to stay with the vampire she loves. If an obsessive-compulsive vampire can change, so can a con artist.

This series stands out among the modern fantasy crowd in the disadvantages of becoming a vampire. While they can live in normal society, their increasing obsessive-compulsive traits and difficulty adapting to changes beyond the time when they were alive leaves vampires very vulnerable. This helps add to the individuality of the characters and makes some great scenes of people using or trying to overcome these disadvantages. This is a fun series with a good twist.

* The first two books in this series are Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Kill Me Softly

Fran J — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 07:43:37 +0000

… the people blessed (and cursed) by fairies? Kill Me Softly, by Sarah Cross, tells the story of Mirabelle, raised by her godmothers because her parents were killed when she was an infant. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Mira becomes increasingly obsessed with her parents’ death and the town where she was born. She plots to go there without her godmothers’ knowledge, needing to find answers about her heritage. However, what she finds will endanger her life and change everything she thought she knew about herself and the world around her.

Ms Cross creates an intriguing world where some people catch the attention of fairies. They become fated to play out roles from various folktales — one girl lives with her stepmother, wondering when the woman will decide she is too beautiful and must be killed, a charming young man waits for the day when he will meet (and save) his princess, and the brothers with blue hair cannot be trusted by the women they love. The stories are varied, although they generally have European roots. More interesting is the question of how much free will an individual has to affect his or her personal version of a traditional role. The reader learns everything along with Mira, who is in more danger than her peers, due to her ignorance, but also has the opportunity to make her own fate.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Hex Appeal

Fran J — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 07:41:52 +0000

… the hottest hexes money can buy? Hex Appeal, edited by P. N. Elrod, brings together nine stories by some of the top urban fantasy authors of our time. From the University of Oklahoma to London’s Nightside, an intriguing collection of vampires, zombies, witches, wizards, demons, and other supernatural creatures deal with spells to help and hurt them.

While the tone of the stories varies, all have at least dark humor and a touch of mystery, and most also feature love, lust, or romance. These are all new stories, not reprints or excerpts from other works. A few feature characters from longer series, but they stand alone perfectly well. This collection has something for everyone: betrayal, retribution, innocent mistakes, and salvation; worlds much like ours and worlds where magic is crushing technology; gritty noir, true love, and epic fight scenes. Give it a try if you like Ms Elrod’s other anthologies, such as Dark and Stormy Knights or Strange Brew.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Seraphina

Fran J — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 06:47:30 +0000

… life in a city in the great country of Goredd? Rachel Hartman’s novel, Seraphina, follows the title character as she struggles with identity and prejudice in an alternate Middle Ages. The kingdom of Goredd has had an uneasy peace with dragons for nearly forty years. The dragons can take human form, but friendship between the two races is viewed with suspicion, and relationships are outlawed by both sides. Despite this, Seraphina is the daughter of a human father and a dragon mother. If anyone outside of her immediate family learned this, she would certainly be exiled, and she would probably be killed. Unfortunately, exposing herself may be the only way to prevent the outbreak of a new war.

Ms Hartman infuses her story with an incredible amount of detail, from the many saints who influence everyday life in Goredd to the austere habits of dragons. Seraphina’s story is much more serious than that of Amy Unbounded, a graphic novel set in the same world. However, it still has points of wry humor and whimsy. The two stories also share an elegance of storytelling, with a wide variety of characters who drift apart and then back together.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Amy Unbounded

Fran J — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 06:42:46 +0000

… life on a farm in the great country of Goredd? Rachel Hartman’s graphic novel, Amy Unbounded: Belondweg Blossoming, follows the title character through the summer she turns ten, a time filled with celebrations and troubles. Amy reads (most of) the story of Queen Belondweg, who united Goredd long ago. She also learns more about the role of women in modern Goredd. Her mother is a barbarian who settled in Goredd and learned to make clocks. Amy’s best friend’s sister raised him and most of his brothers after their mother died, but she has no rights and will become a servant in her own home when her oldest brother marries. Amy’s mother’s best friend is a wealthy textile merchant, but she will lose her business if she does not marry by the queen’s deadline; despite this, she runs her kitchen as an open salon where women of all classes can gather and talk freely.

Ms Hartman gives us an intriguing look at rural life in an alternate Middle Ages. Amy is free spirited and energetic — teasing family and friends, playing pranks, and making up silly songs. However, she is also starting to grow up and realize some of the serious aspects of life — arranged marriages, having her best friend sent off to be fostered in another village. She learns a bit about love, too, from her own first crush to a friend who falls for a dragon in human form. Not everything ends well, but a number of crises are averted (or at least made less awful), and plenty of good can be found at the end.

The story is fun and thought provoking. The black and white artwork is elegantly spare, giving every detail needed without being busy or overwhelming. Amy Unbounded has a similar feel to Amelia Rules — fresh, energetic characters who deal with serious problems without losing their sense of fun and adventure. Try it!

This graphic novel is set in the same world as Rachel Hartman’s novel, Seraphina.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Giants Beware!

Fran J — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 06:32:19 +0000

… the smallest giant hunter of Mont Petit Pierre? Giants Beware! in this wonderful graphic novel by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre. Young Claudette is ready to take on any monsters she can find, a difficult prospect since she is not permitted outside the walls of her home town. However, she manages to get out with the help of her younger brother, Gaston, her best friend, Marie, and her dog, Valiant. Together, they overcome many obstacles to find the dreaded Baby-Feet-Eating Giant.

This is a wonderful story about bravery, loyalty, and being willing to admit when you’re wrong. The artwork is cartoonish, but surprisingly detailed, particularly in facial expressions. The characters are well-defined and mature over the course of their adventure. They also are not constrained by stereotypes — Claudette is a rather bloodthirsty girl, eager to hunt monsters like her parents, while Marie wants to become a princess; Gaston wants to be a blacksmith and a chef. The story shows the values of different skills and the need to work together to achieve goals. However, it never gets preachy, staying interesting and fun throughout the story.

If you enjoy medieval fantasies with strong girl characters, give this great graphic novel a try!

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on audiobook

Fran J — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 06:07:54 +0000

… the many voices of Jim Dale, the narrator for the Harry Potter audio books? As my first foray into the world of audio books, I tried listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone a couple months ago, and I felt like I was discovering the series all over again. I won’t go into a plot summary of the Harry Potter books, since most everyone is familiar with the story, but I will say that listening to the books on CD is completely magical.

Jim Dale, a well-known British actor, narrates the entire series, and brings the characters to life in a way that goes beyond mere imagination. (Need proof? Listen to Chapter four of The Sorcerer’s Stone, when we are first introduced to Hagrid. Jim’s voice for the bearded giant exceeds anything our imaginations could ever convey.)

And while nothing will ever be able to take the place of my Harry Potter book collection, I’m really happy that I gave these audio books a listen. It’s like being treated to story time as an adult, and by the time I finish the seventh book, I know that I will be just as sad to leave Hogwarts as I was when I first finished the series. So, thank you, Jim Dale. Thank you for bringing Harry Potter to life for me again.

Reviewed by Katie (staff)