Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Leviathan is the first book of a new steampunk trilogy written by young adult, sci-fi writer, Scott Westerfeld. Steampunk is a genre of science fiction writing that encompasses a unique mix of past and future. The first steampunk novels were written by H.G. Wells (War of the Worlds) and Jules Verne (Journey to the Center of the Earth). Originally, steampunk was set in the Victoria era with futurist possibilities, like flying machines, computer-like contraptions, and weapons. The genre eventually evolved to include sub-genres known as clockpunk (16th Century) and dieselpunk (WWI era).

Westerfeld’s new series begins in 1914 with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which was the event that sparked World War I. Instead of accurately retelling the events of WWI, Westerfeld creates an alternate history, where countries are divided by science and warfare. Countries, like Germany and Austria, known as Clankers, have highly developed war machines. Other countries, such as England, have trusted Darwinists scientists, who developed living war machines and new animals through cross breeding DNA. The Leviathan is part whale, part airship, and it is the pride of the Air Service.

At the beginning of the story we meet young Aleksander (Alek), son of the assassinated Archduke, who is forced to flee his homeland. He is being chased by the Germans and Austrians because he is a threat to the Austrian Empire. The story also introduces Deryn, a young girl who is passing as a teen boy in order to join the British Air Service. She is a talented airman, but women aren’t allowed to fly.

The two cross paths at the start of the war. Alek and his men, who escaped to Switzerland, encounter Deryn and the Leviathan crew when the airship crashes after a German air assault. This book starts an around the world journey and a clash of thinking on man, machine, and science.

Watch this:
Leviathan Book Trailer

Scott Westerfeld has written a number of novels and many of them are available at the library. You may be familiar with the previous series, Pretties, Uglies, Specials, and Extras. Vampire enthusiasts may be familiar with Peeps and The Last Days.

Ever by Gail Carson Levine

Ever, the latest book from Gail Carson Levine, is told in two voices. Kezi, a well-to-do mortal girl from the city of Hyte, and Olus, an Akkan god of the winds, tell the story of how they met, fell in love, and the challenges they faced coming from two different worlds.

Olus leaves the mountain of the Akkan gods, to live among mortals. At 17 he is the youngest of the gods by hundreds of years and is often lonely. While living disguised as a herder, he falls in love with Kezi, a beautiful dancer and rug weaver, who is cursed to an early death to her god, Admat. The two meet and fall in love, which is when the story’s pace quickens.

In order to be together, Kezi must become immortal and Olus must become a champion. The power of their love provides each the strength to face fears and fight fate. If they pass, they will have all eternity to be together. If they fail, Kezi will lose her life and Olus will lose his true love.

Levine has created another fantasy tale that is sure to charm younger teens. Although the book does question faith in religion, it is done so in an intriguing, intelligent a manner.

Gail Carson Levine is also the author of Ella Enchanted, which received the Newberry Honor award. She has also written a number of books, which are available at the library. Ever is available in the Young Adult books section in print and audio.

Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reeves

Teen Read Week 2009 is less than a week away, and its theme is Read Beyond Reality. TO accompany this theme, the next few blog posts are going to focus on science fiction and fantasy young adult stories. Interworld, by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves, is a science fiction/fantasy novel on the suggested Teen Read Week reading list.

Interworld tells the story of Joey Harker, a directionally challenged teenager from Greenville. Joey discovers his ability to “walk” between parallel universes when on a high school field trip. He also quickly discovers that there are multiple versions of Earth in these parallel universes. These different versions of Earth have different versions of Joey, as well.

He, along with the other versions of himself, has special abilities to walk between parallel universes and fight against the evil forces, who want to take over the Altiverse. (The Altiverse contains all of the universes and whatever lies in between.) The evil forces are The Hex, who use magic, and The Binary, who rely on science. Both groups travel in the “Nowhere-at-all”, which is like hyperspace.

Joey finds himself thrust into training at a special school to become a Walker and constantly finds trouble. The Hex, led by Lord Dogknife and Lady Indigo, are out to get Joey because he has incredible power. The Hex use the abilities of Walkers to power their ships, which they need to take over the Altiverse. Joey and his team are trapped by Lady Indigo and her companions, Scarabus, a creature covered in magical tattoos, and Neville, who has transparent skin, while on a training mission.

While Joey is able to escape, his team is captured. Joey faces the consequences of leaving his team behind when he returns to Interworld HQ. The young Walker must then overcome great consequences, including having his memory erased and banishment, to rescue his friends.

Interworld is a quick read and highly entertaining, especially if you enjoy science fiction and/or fantasy. Gaiman does an excellent job describing inter-universe travel and keeps the reader entertained from beginning to end.

Neil Gaiman has had a significant writing career for more than the past twenty years. IN the Dictionary of Literary Biography he is listed as one of the top ten living post-modern writers. In the comic book world, Gaiman’s first huge success was the Sandman series. During its run it won nine Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, including the award for Best Writer four times, and three Harvey Awards. Sandman #19 won the 1991 World Fantasy Award, making it the first comic to ever win a literary award.

Gaiman is also known for his book, Coraline, which was adapted into a film directed by Tim Burton. The library has a print and audio version of Coraline (J Fic Gaiman; J AD Fic Gaiman), as well as the DVD of the Burton adaptation (DVD Coraline).

Other Young Adult books by Gaiman:
Eternals
Mirrormask
The Last Temptation
Marvel 1602
Sandman: Endless Nights
Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes
Sandman: World’s End
Other books by Michael Reaves:
Reaves books are available in the Science Fiction section of the library.
Jedi Twilight
Patterns of Force
Streets of Shadows
Star Wars: Death Star

New Teen Health Bibliography: Body Image

Back in June I posted about a collection of short stories called Does This Book Make Me Look Fat (YP Fic Does). This fiction collection, which was put together for young adults, focuses on body image, eating disorders, diets, self-esteem, and related issues. Body image is an issue that many teens and adults deal with because of societal pressures, including our fascination with celebrities.

A new bibliography, Body Image: Teen Health Resources, is now available online and in print at the Moore Memorial Public Library. This guide is a collection of books available at the library, databases, and websites. The primary focus is body image, but also addresses diet, anorexia, bulimia, and teen physical health.

Please visit the link posted above or pick up a paper coy of the guide, which is available by the online catalog computers in the reference area. If you have any additional questions regarding body image, please visit the library's reference desk and speak with a librarian.

Teen Read Week 2009! Read Beyond Reality...

Teen Read Week 2009 (TRW) is October 18-24, 2009. This year's theme is "Read Beyond Reality," which encourages teens to extraordinary, imaginary books. The purpose of TRW is to encourage teens to read for fun. There are so many things to occupy teens time, like the Internet, TV, and video games, but a good book can be just as entertaining.

There is currently a "Read Beyond Reality" book display located near the Young Adult book section. All of the featured books are science-fiction and fantasy. Scott Westerfeld's new book, Leviathan, is a part of the display. Westerfeld also wrote the very popular Uglies, Pretties, Specials books. Another new releases, Prism, by Faye Kellerman, and Timelock, by David Klass, are also a part of the display.

Here are a few more books currently on display:
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
A Resurrection of Magic Series by Kathleen Duey
Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves
The Declaration by Gemma Malley
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
The New Policeman by Kate Thompson
Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund
Dull Boy by Sarah Cross
The Rule of Claw by John Brindley
The Lab by Jack Heath
The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner

Please check out the display and pick up a book to read during Teen Read Week. And, you don't just have to stick with the books on display. The Young Adult collection is full of science fiction and fantasy for you to browse.

Local teens are also invited to attend the Teen Advisory Board program on Friday, October 16th at 3:30 PM. The TAB will be painting a science fiction-themed mural, which will be displayed in the library. More information is available here.

Wicked Lovely/ Desert Tales: Sanctuary by Melissa Marr

Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely was a hugely successful book, which was followed by additional success of the follow-up novel Ink Exchange. The third novel, Fragile Eternity, was released during the summer with equal enthusiasm from Marr’s fans.

Piggybacking the success of the series Marr has released the first of three manga books called Desert Tales. The author states the series is not necessary to read in order to follow stories from the novels, but rather acts as a companion series. The stories involve some characters from the Wicked Lovely books.

The first story, Sanctuary, follows Rika, a former Winter Girl, who finds solace in the Mojave Desert. According to the Wicked Wiki, Rika was Keenan’s fourth Winter Girl and was eventually replaced by Donia. Rika is removed from the Faerie Court, which she prefers. She seeks isolation from the active faerie lifestyle, which is why she chose to live in the desert.

She enjoys her invisibility until she meets Jace, a human. The desert faeries regularly taunt Jace and his friends. Rika is forced to revel herself when she saves him from a dangerous fall prompted by the faeries. There is an obvious spark between Rika and Jace, but similarly to other story lines in Marr’s Wicked Lovely book, trouble is inevitable for a faerie and a mortal from two very different worlds.

Overall, this story is not nearly as captivating as Marr’s original books. Her language, which tends offers lush descriptions of scenes, emotions, and experiences, is completely lost. The art works, produced by Xian Nu Studio, also does not serve the story line well. They are black and white manga-style illustrations, which do not capture the true beauty of the desert, Rika, and the other faeries. Perhaps if the illustrations would have been in color it would have changed the spirit of the story. Overall, the first book of this series is weak compared to Marr’s Wicked Lovely books, but you be the judge…

Wicked Lovely sidebar:
For those who enjoyed the novel Wicked Lovely it was recently announced that the rights to the book were sold to Universal Pictures. They are currently working to adapt the book into a movie.

Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which was originally published in 1813, is a literary classic and most beloved book. There have been a number of modern day stories fashioned around the romance, wit, and tribulations of Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy, such as Mandy Hubbard’s Prada & Prejudice.

Hubbard’s story begins in London in the 21st Century with 15 year-old Callie, who is on a school trip. Ostracized by her fellow students because of her geeky ways and big mouth, Callie is forced to sit alone in a hotel. The school chaperone will not allow students to tour the city alone, and Callie’s travel buddy, popular Angela Marks, has ditched her for more promising prospects. After being stuck in the hotel for the first few days of the trip, Callie is determined to win herself a spot with the popular crowd. She buys a pair of $400 Prada shoes, something Angela is sure to notice, in hopes of making a strong impression and scoring an invitation with the popular girls to a posh London night club.

However, in addition to being geeky, Callie is clumsy. Only a few feet from the Prada store, Callie gets the heel on one of the shoes caught in a grate and falls head first on the street. She is knocked unconscious. When she awakes, unbeknownst to her, she finds herself in the middle of a forest in 1815. When she approaches an estate to borrow the phone, estate guest, 18 year-old Emily, mistakes Callie for long-time American friend, Rebecca.

With little option, Callie assumes Rebecca’s identify to bide for time while she determines an escape route back to the 21st Century. While a guest at the Harksbury Estate, which belongs to the ruggedly handsome and pompous, 19 year-old Alex, the Duke of Harksbury, she manages to wreak social havoc with her modern ways. Unlike, Emily, Callie has no problem speaking her mind, which comes to a shock for the Duke. Their disputes are both contentious and filled with an obvious sexual tension. Callie, based on the Duke’s stuffy appearance and the discovery of some scandalous letters, is decidedly against seeing in good in Alex.

Callie, while posing as Rebecca, becomes fast friends with Emily, who is resisting an arranged marriage to a man thirty years her senior. Emily’s heart belongs to another, and Callie, firmly rooted in modern day women’s rights, decides to help Emily find a way out of her engagement. Perhaps if she can set Emily’s life on the path her heart desires if will help Callie find a way back to her school vacation in modern day London.

Hubbard’s novel is full of stock characters and touches upon Austen’s original plot. At best it is light and airy and does not seriously address the role of women and status in 19th Century England. However, I do not think that was her point. She wanted to write a story that was light, airy, and romantic. This was accomplished, but still lacks the charm and wit of Austen’s original story. This reader would take Pride & Prejudice over Prada any day.