Book Review: Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

I have to admit that I haven't read any of The Wicked Series - But I certainly will now. I was asked to review this book for We Love This Book. If like me, you have been to see wicked and found it fantastic you will love the books. It's Maguire's sense of humour that flies from the pages into the fitting theatrical setting that makes the show come alive. You can see my review on We Love this Book - http://www.welovethisbook.com/reviews/out-oz Or simply read below.

Out of Oz is the fourth and final novel in Gregory Maguire's The Wicked Years series. Compared to the likes of Tolkien, Maguire holds high esteem with critics and high expectations with his loyal readers. Fortunately he delivers, completing his fantasy series the way it started - extraordinarily.

We return to OZ in a social upheaval as the Emerald City attacks Munchkinland. It is several years since we left its characters; Glinda is under house arrest, the Cowardly Lion is on the run, Liir is in hiding and Elphaba long dead, after a run in with Dorothy. The focus of the story now falls on a young girl called Rain - daughter of Liir and granddaughter of The Wicked Witch. Ultimately this story is Rain's - It is her legacy to Oz.

Readers of the series will know that it's Maguire's imagination, prose and delicious sense of wit that make the series so enchanting. True to form Maguire gives us an OZ far richer than F. L Braum could have dreamt. Supplying endless amusement, he frequently switches narratives, reacquainting the reader with favourite characters while introducing some new including a guest appearance from Dorothy herself. The book is slow to start, resembling its characters as they meander up the yellow brick road. However the journey is still enjoyable and picks up to deliver a wonderful adventure. A poignant and stunning end to one of the decade's most successful fantasy series.

Book Review: The Taker - Alma Katsu

Dr. Luke Findley is on the midnight shift in the emergency room when the police bring in a young woman. Few strangers come to this remote town in northernmost Maine in the winter, and this stranger is accused of a bizarre crime: killing a man and leaving his body in the Great North Woods. The young woman, Lanny, tells the doctor that she and the man in the woods lived in this town at its founding two hundred years ago, until fate sentenced them to an eternity of unhappiness until they atone for their sins.

The man in the woods is Jonathan, son of the town's founder, and the love of Lanny's life. After Lanny commits a terrible sin in the hope of claiming Jonathan for her own, she's banished from town and sent to Boston to serve her penance. In Boston, she falls in with a beguiling yet frightening man, Adair, who has otherworldly powers, including the ability to confer immortality. His world is one of unknown sensual pleasures and seemingly limitless power, but at what price?

Adair wants to add Jonathan to the collection of treacherous courtiers who do his bidding (but for unknown ends) and sends Lanny back to Maine to collect him. It seems like the answer to Lanny's deepest desire—to be with Jonathan forever—but once Jonathan has joined Adair's pack of immortals, she sees that Adair is not what he seems and his intentions toward Jonathan are far worse than she imagined. And now it is up to her to save her beloved—and herself—from a terrible fate designed to last for all eternity.

The Taker is a story of the power of love to corrupt, to drive us to do terrible things in its name, and the courage it takes to sacrifice in the name of love and ultimately be worthy of absolution.

Katsu is an accomplished writer and The Taker bridges the gap between classic and urban fantasy with its compelling tale of unrequited love, immortality and the dark art of alchemy.
Do not assume this is a paranormal romance as the Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan quotes may suggest. This is a novel well worth the attention of more traditional fantasy readers. I would highly recommend all fans of fantasy give this book a chance. Reminiscent of Anne Rice’s work (particularly Interview with a Vampire) The Taker begins in modern day Maine but soon travels back to the late 18th century as Lanore explains her tragic story.

Katsu's The Taker is not a story about romance; instead it delves into the darker side of love. The novel is hauntingly gothic and follows the genres focus on torment and terror. It is clear from the start of the novel that its characters’ have suffered for love and this emotion is constantly partnered with obsession, anguish and lust. Lanore suffers the most – making hopeless decisions and dark paths in hopes of reaching her love unrequited.

As a main character, Lanore is exquisite. Katsu has the gift of creating a character that you are compelled to embrace. Undoubtedly, she is far from innocent yet still endearing. Regardless of the mistakes she makes you cannot help but sympathise. Similarly Katsu creates a fantastic villain in Adair who is as horrifying as he is fascinating. An Alec D'Urberville type character – Adair is a ferocious energy throughout the novel who you feel afraid to approach but unable to walk away from.

There is a surprising twist in this novel and my only criticism is I found it a little too surprising. Lanore makes the discovery and I’m not sure if there were enough clues for her to manage it. Nevertheless, this is a small criticism and perhaps other readers and the characters themselves are more astute than myself!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was engaging and harrowing and a brilliant example of how modern day literature can still create a gothic impression. I’m sure the author has great novel to come.

BUY THE TAKER NOW

Book Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs.



The front cover’s picture – a haunting photograph of a young girl – makes me shudder and open the cover quickly. It takes me a long time to shut it again.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is (contrary to the haunting cover) not so much a horror but a fantastical mystery and adventure. Riggs writes in a refreshing classical style that reminds me of CS Lewis or H G Wells. Similar to CS Lewis, this young adult book can be enjoyed equally by adults or children.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote
island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss
Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms
and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of
whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been
dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason.
And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.

The main character Jacob is a regular, down to earth sixteen year old who unfortunately must deal with a set of extremely irregular occurrences – the first being his Grandfathers murder. In a wonderfully adventurous decision, Jacob travels to his Grandfather’s childhood orphanage to gain some closure and dispel any of the fairytales fuelling his dreams. Little does he know, he will journey to discover the reality of his nightmares.

The book is full of adventure, monsters and msytery. Jason himself describes the monsters 'like something out of David Lynch's nightmares' showing Riggs great perception for popular culture and modern day humour. I particularly enjoyed the Welsh’s childrens use of ‘taking the piss’. A phrase which baffled American Jacob but entertained me!

You can also tell Rigg's past as a geographical journalist as he describes the little welsh island - standing strong against in the sailor's grave sea and pounding British weather. A great setting for the story.

The other notablable gleem of this book are the pictures scattered throughout the movel. Each are original vintage photos from personal collections and really add to the sense of eerie mystery.

This is a brilliantly written book and a original plot which is a breath of fresh ait in the current YA book market. The peculiar children are true characters - each and everyone of them. You are definitely left intriqued to read more about them. And considering the book is left open ended, hopefully we will.

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

2010 Nebula Awards Announced

The Nebula Awards are given each year by the Science Fiction Writers of America for outstanding works of science fiction, fantasy, or related fiction genre. Announced this weekend,the 2010 winners:


SHORT STORY

WINNER: “Ponies,” Kij Johnson (Tor.com 1/17/10)
WINNER: “How Interesting: A Tiny Man,” Harlan Ellison® (Realms of Fantasy 2/10)
“Arvies,” Adam-Troy Castro (Lightspeed 8/10)
“I’m Alive, I Love You, I’ll See You in Reno,” Vylar Kaftan (Lightspeed 6/10)
“The Green Book,” Amal El-Mohtar (Apex 11/1/10)
“Ghosts of New York,” Jennifer Pelland (Dark Faith)
“Conditional Love,” Felicity Shoulders (Asimov’s 1/10)


NOVELETTE

WINNER: “That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made,” Eric James Stone (Analog 9/10)
“Map of Seventeen,” Christopher Barzak (The Beastly Bride)
“The Jaguar House, in Shadow,” Aliette de Bodard (Asimov’s 7/10)
“Plus or Minus,” James Patrick Kelly (Asimov’s 12/10)
“Pishaach,” Shweta Narayan (The Beastly Bride)
“The Fortuitous Meeting of Gerard van Oost and Oludara,” Christopher Kastensmidt (Realms of Fantasy 4/10)
“Stone Wall Truth,” Caroline M. Yoachim (Asimov’s 2/10)


NOVELLA

WINNER: “The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen’s Window,” Rachel Swirsky (Subterranean Summer 2010)
The Alchemist, Paolo Bacigalupi (Audible; Subterranean)
“Iron Shoes,” J. Kathleen Cheney (Alembical 2)
The Lifecycle of Software Objects, Ted Chiang (Subterranean)
“The Sultan of the Clouds,” Geoffrey A. Landis (Asimov’s 9/10)
“Ghosts Doing the Orange Dance,” Paul Park (F&SF 1-2/10)


NOVEL

WINNER: Blackout / All Clear, Connie Willis (Spectra)
The Native Star, M.K. Hobson (Spectra)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit UK; Orbit US)
Shades of Milk and Honey, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
Echo, Jack McDevitt (Ace)
Who Fears Death, Nnedi Okorafor (DAW)


BRADBURY AWARD BEST DRAMATIC PRODUCTION

WINNER: Inception, Christopher Nolan (director), Christopher Nolan (screenplay) (Warner)
Despicable Me, Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud (directors), Ken Daurio & Cinco Paul (screenplay), Sergio Pablos (story) (Illumination Entertainment)
Doctor Who: “Vincent and the Doctor,” Richard Curtis (writer), Jonny Campbell (director)
How to Train Your Dragon, Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders (directors), William Davies, Dean DeBlois, & Chris Sanders (screenplay) (DreamWorks Animation)
Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, Edgar Wright (director), Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright (screenplay) (Universal)
Toy Story 3, Lee Unkrich (director), Michael Arndt (screenplay), John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, & Lee Unkrich (story) (Pixar/Disney)



ANDRE NORTON AWARD

WINNER: I Shall Wear Midnight, Terry Pratchett (Gollancz; Harper)
Ship Breaker, Paolo Bacigalupi (Little, Brown)
White Cat, Holly Black (McElderry)
Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press; Scholastic UK)
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, Barry Deutsch (Amulet)
The Boy from Ilysies, Pearl North (Tor Teen)
A Conspiracy of Kings, Megan Whalen Turner (Greenwillow)
Behemoth, Scott Westerfield (Simon Pulse; Simon & Schuster UK)



THE SOLSTICE AWARD (for impact on the field)

WINNER: Alice Sheldon/James Tiptree, JR.
WINNER: Michael Whelan SERVICE TO SFWA
WINNER: John E. Johnston III

Monthly Novels? Interesting...

Catherine Fisher, author of Incarceron may change the face of Young Adult Fantasy by publishing her new series Relic Master in monthly intervals, much like comic books. This might be quite interesting considering whenever I delve into a young adult novel I usually read it within a weekend anyway! Its oh so infuriating waiting a whole year for another two days reading for the sequel!

The four novels will be coming out monthly starting in May.

Relic Master - Synposis

Anara is a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation. Nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his 16-year-old apprentice, Raffi. They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries. As they search for it, they will be hunted, spied on, and tested beyond their limits. For there are monsters – some human, some not – that also want the relic's power and will stop at nothing to get it.