Cybils 2007 F/SF Weekly Update 11/19

For the week ending November 19, 2007, the following books have been added to the list of Cybils fantasy/science fiction nominations.

The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio
by Lloyd Alexander
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


Billy Hooten: Owlboy
by Tom Sniegoski
Publisher: Random House/Yearling
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


Dragon Slippers
by Jessica Day George
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


Little (Grrl) Lost
by Charles de Lint
Publisher: Penguin/Viking
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


The Thief Queen's Daughter
by Elizabeth Haydon
Publisher: Tor/Starscape
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


Woolies and Worms
by Stephen MacNeil
Publisher: Cobblestone Publishing/Cricket Magazine Group
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:

The F/SF nominating committee reviewed the following books this week:

• Sheila reviewed The Seventh Chair by Ann Keffer
  
• Leila reviewed Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan
  
• Tasha reviewed Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan
  
• Kim reviewed Betrayed by P.C. Cast
  
• Sheila reviewed First Light by Rebecca Stead
  
• Kim reviewed Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull
  
• Kim reviewed Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
  
• Tasha reviewed Choices by Deborah Lynn Jacobs
  

View the complete list of fantasy/science fiction nominations here

Haven't nominated yet? Better hurry! There's only two days left to nominate!

Go here to nominate your favorite fantasy/science fiction book of the year! (Please be sure to nominate a book that's not already on the list).

You can also nominate your favorite books in other categories here.

Book Review: First Light

First Light
by Rebecca Stead

First Light is a 2007 Cybils nominee.

Twelve-year-old Peter lives with his parents in a small apartment in New York. Peter's father is a glaciologist, which involves both University teaching and fieldwork. Peter feels cheated, because he never gets to see the "superman" side of his father: climbing glaciers, scaring off polar bears, and driving a dogsled. So when Peter's father gets a grant to study global warming in Greenland, Peter jumps at the opportunity to go with him. Peter's mother will also be going on the trip, as will graduate student Jonas, who is half-Inuit.

Thea lives in a closed city under the ice. Thea's ancestors, fleeing from persecution, found a safe haven under the ice and built the city of Gracehope there. Now, seven generations later, the community is outgrowing the space and the resources there. Thea proposes opening up a passage to the outside world, in order to expand the city. But her proposal is blocked by her own grandmother, Gracehope's council chief, who plays on the fears of the other council members. Then Thea receives help from an unknown source, and discovers secrets her community leaders have tried to hide. Thea and her friend Mattias work in secret to discover a way to the surface.

While Peter's parents and Jonas are out doing fieldwork, Peter begins to explore the surrounding countryside, accompanied by sled dog Sasha. He also begins to explore the strange ability he seems to have developed, which enables him to see far away things as if they are close, although doing so causes him a raging headache. When Peter and Thea meet, the two young people work together to try to save Gracehope before it's too late.

Almost every review that I've seen of this book compares it to The City of Ember, and it's easy to see why: both deal with closed cities shut off from the outside world, cities which are running out of resources. In both, young people seek to find a way out to save the city. But for all the similarities, City of Ember and First Light are very different books. First Light is a more strongly character-driven novel, which puts more emphasis on the development of Thea and Peter in the context of their environment, and less emphasis on the "solve the mystery of how to get out of the city" which was central to The City of Ember, although both books have elements of both. I loved both The City of Ember and First Light, so I'd have a hard time saying that one is better than the other; they're just very different.

First Light is one of those books that draws you in to its world and makes you care about the characters. I was so captivated by the book that I didn't want to put it down, and pretty much read it straight through in a short time. This is a perfect book for anyone who enjoys reading about real young people in exotic, but not too fantastic, situations. There's also a lot of appeal for dog lovers in this book; besides Peter's dog Sasha, all the people in Gracehope have a bonded dog companion.

Inkheart movie trailer & Cornelia Funke news

Even though the Inkheart movie isn't due to be released until September, 2008, the first trailer has been posted online!

I think it looks pretty good, and for the most part, they've done an awesome job of casting. I didn't picture Basta with a mohawk, though. (I assume the guy with the mohawk is Basta).

Thanks to Educating Alice for the trailer news.

The third book in the trilogy, entitled Inkdeath, is also due to be released in 2008. Amazon.com lists the release date as April 7. 2008, but The Official Cornelia Funke web site says that there's a "little less than a year to go" until the U.S. release of Inkdeath, so I think a Fall publication date is more likely. You can't preorder the Inkdeath hardcover on Amazon.com, but you can preorder the audio CD. If you absolutely can't wait, you may be able to find the German version, Tintentod.

In other Cornelia Funke news, the official web site announced on October 22 that she's working on a sequel to Dragon Rider!


Update 18 Nov 2007: I'm sorry to say that the Inkheart trailer was removed by New Line Cinema because they didn't have the rights to use the music in it for internet distribution. Read the details here on Cornelia Funke's web site. The letter says that there will be an official teaser trailer on December 7, so we won't have to wait too long.

Thanks to Fuse #8 for the news.

Book Review: The Seventh Chair

The Seventh Chair
by Ann Keffer

The Seventh Chair is a 2007 Cybils nominee.

At a Catholic School in Washington DC, a chair comes out of the sky and lands on the playground. Seated in the chair is a being who appears to be a nun, but who turns out to be Merlin. Merlin has come in the Siege Perilous looking for his new protégé, a modern-day Arthur who can help the world out of its troubles. But first he has to deal with a confused headmaster, a school bully, and a missing grail.

The Seventh Chair is a cute, funny, and lively story. Unfortunately, though, author Ann Keffer made a mistake that many novice children's writers make: she wrote the story from an adult perspective. Not only does most of the story follow the adult characters, rather than the children, but it seems to be written with an adult way of looking at the world. Also, while the book looks and reads like it's intended for a fairly young audience, there are some difficult vocabulary words. I'm not in the camp that believes that all children's books should have controlled vocabulary. I think it's good for children to be exposed to difficult vocabulary words. But if you have too many of them, it can frustrate budding readers.

In spite of these flaws, though, The Seventh Chair is an entertaining book. I quite enjoyed it, but then, I'm an adult and not the target audience. I have a hard time judging whether elementary-age children will enjoy it. I think that children will enjoy the humor, especially the way that the adult characters are depicted as largely incompetent. I loved the way that the school bully is depicted as a sympathetic character, and the ending was refreshing.

Young Writers Online

Blogger Shaun Duke emailed me to let me know about a new community for young writers that Shaun and his co-founder Andrew Kay have created, Young Writers Online. According to their FAQ:

Young Writers Online was created so that young writers would be able to receive constructive advice on their work, so that they may become better writers and artists. We strive to do this by creating an environment where people can post any sincere literature, questions, suggestions, or critiques, and receive answers in a friendly, constructive manner.

Young people (teens to mid-twenties or so) who join the community can:

• Post your work and receive constructive comments while helping other writers improve their own work.
  
• Read guides and play games to expand your literary talents.
  
• Discuss everything from plot and politics to writers' block and current events with other writers your own age

Young writers who are looking for a safe online community to help them become better writers should check out Young Writers Online.

Cybils 2007 F/SF Weekly Update 11/12

I've updated the list of 2007 Cybils Fantasy and Science Fiction nominations. The following books have been added:

Lady Friday (The Keys to the Kingdom)
by Garth Nix
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews: Sheila


Magic and Other Misdemeanors (The Sisters Grimm)
by Michael Buckley
Publisher: Abrams/Amulet
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


Seeing Redd (The Looking Glass Wars)
by Frank Beddor
Publisher: Penguin/Dial
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


The Ghost in Allie's Pool
by Sari Bodi
Publisher: Brown Barn Books
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy
by Gregory Maguire
Publisher: Candlewick
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio
by Lloyd Alexander
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:

The nominating committee reviewed the following books this week:

• TadMack reviewed Defect by Will Weaver
  
• Tasha reviewed Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
  
• Leila reviewed The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh
  
• Leila reviewed Defect by Will Weaver
  
• Tasha reviewed Extras by Scott Westerfeld
  
• Sheila reviewed Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel
  

View the complete list of fantasy/science fiction nominations here

Haven't nominated yet? Better hurry! It's only a little more than a week until nominations close!

Go here to nominate your favorite fantasy/science fiction book of the year! (Please be sure to nominate a book that's not already on the list).

You can also nominate your favorite books in other categories here.

Book Review: Darkwing

Darkwing
by Kenneth Oppel

Darkwing is a Cybils nominee.

Dusk is a chiropter, a small prehistoric mammal with a flap of skin attached to his arms that enables him to glide through the air. But Dusk is different from the other chiropters; his legs are weak, making it difficult for him to climb trees, and his chest and shoulders are freakishly large and bulky. But the differences go beyond appearance, as Dusk discovers that, unlike the other chiropters, he can "see" in the dark using his echolocation. And even more astonishing: he can fly! Dusk's parents love and encourage him in spite of his differences, but not everyone in the colony is as tolerant, and Dusk is often shunned for his differences.

Meanwhile, another mammal, a felid named Carnassial, discovers that he has a taste for meat. The various species of beasts, including felids and chiropters, have always been allies; they have a pact to work together to destroy the last of the saurians, or dinosaurs, by finding the nests and destroying the eggs. Now that the saurians are apparently wiped from the earth, Carnassial and some of his fellow felids do the unthinkable: they turn on their fellow beasts and begin to hunt and eat them.

When Carnassial's prowl attacks Dusk's colony, the colony flees its home. But in a world growing increasingly crowded, will the colony be able to find a new home? Dusk's abilities may be able to help the colony, but will they learn to accept him, or will Dusk become an outcast?

I found Darkwing to be excessively violent and fairly disturbing. There's definitely a Darwinian theme running through the book; everything seems to be killing and eating everything else. That wouldn't be too bad, however, except for the way the carnivores, and especially Carnassial, are portrayed. The theme of the book seems to be accepting who you are, and that even carnivores are a part of nature. Yet, all of the carnivores are depicted as evil, which makes you question whether it really is natural. And the scene where Carnassial first yields to his impulses and kills one of his fellow beings has a high "yuk" factor; it's a disturbing scene that made me think of a serial killer making his first kill.

If you can overlook the violence, Darkwing is a fairly readable and enjoyable book. The story of the colony's search for a new home is entertaining and exciting, and readers will engage with "Ugly Duckling" Dusk and his family. I particularly liked that Dusk's family loves and supports him in spite of his differences. I think that too often this kind of books portrays parents who reject or poorly treat a child who is "different" for the sake of dramatic tension, but it was refreshing to see a loving family trying to support their child. Readers of animal fantasy who aren't disturbed by the violence, and especially fans of Oppel's other books, will probably enjoy Darkwing.

David Clement-Davies author chat transcript

On November 3, 2007, author David Clement-Davies visited the Wands and Worlds community to chat with the fans. David Clement-Davies is the author of The Sight, Fell, Fire Bringer, and The Telling Pool.

David proved to be quite the adventurer, having swum the Colorado River and hiked up the Grand Canyon right before the chat. He answered questions about his books, writing, wolves, and more. Read the transcript of the chat here.

Book Review: The Shadow Speaker

The Shadow Speaker
by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

In a world where everything is changing, Ejii is one of the changed. Ejii is a shadow speaker, one who can commune with the shadows and hear their advice and warnings. There are many types of metahumans on Earth in 2070: shadow speakers like Ejii, windseekers, who have wings and can fly, rainmakers, who can bring rain and control the weather, and shape shifters. The metahumans are mutations caused by the Great Change, when the Earth was changed by nuclear war and Peace Bombs,

Ejii's childhood was warped by the strong influence of her father, Chief Ugabe, a cruel and dictatorial leader who ruled the town of Kwàmfà in Niger, and by her father's death. Her father took it upon himself to rule in the name of Jaa, the Red Queen, and everything he did he said was in her name. When Ejii was nine, Jaa returned to Kwamfa and put an end to this by cutting off Chief Ugabe's head in front of the whole town, including Ejii.

Now, five years later, Jaa is leaving Kwàmfà. The shadows tell Ejii that she must go with Jaa to save the Earth, so against her mother's wishes, she sets off into the desert to follow the Red Queen. On this perilous journey she will come face to face with terrifying creatures, make new friends, travel to another world, and, if all goes well, find herself.

The Shadow Speaker is a richly imagined coming of age story with a theme of empowerment. The book's biggest strength is the characters: author Okorafor-Mbachu breathes life into a fascinating cast of characters: Ejii herself, Jaa and her two husbands, Buji and Gambo, the young rainmaker Dikeogu, and a host of supporting characters. The portrayal of future Niger is interesting, combining highly imaginative world-building with elements of modern Niger projected into the future. However, the imaginative elements were occasionally a little too bizarre for my tastes, and the reasons for the changes weren't always well-explained or believable. In spite of this, The Shadow Speaker is a fresh and enjoyable fantasy that will appeal to teens and adults.

It was refreshing to read a fantasy set in a country that I knew very little about, and I was moved to do some research on Niger to find out a little more about the setting. One of the characters in the book is an escaped slave, and I was horrified to discover that slavery apparently still exists in Niger: it was only outlawed in 2003 and it's believed that tens of thousands of people still live in slavery in Niger.

Cybils 2007 F/SF Weekly Update 11/5

I've updated the list of 2007 Cybils Fantasy and Science Fiction nominations. The following books have been added:

Cupid
by Julius Lester
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


The Secret Zoo
by Bryan Chick
Publisher: Second Wish Press
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


Marvin Monster's Teacher Jitters
by Tabatha D'Agata
Publisher: Keene Publishing/Moo Press
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


Repossessed
by A. M. Jenkins
Publisher: HarperCollins
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:


The Secret of Grim Hill
by Linda DeMeulemeester
Publisher: Lobster Press
Buy from: Amazon.com | Your local bookstore (Booksense)
Reviews:

The nominating committee reviewed the following books this week:

• TadMack reviewed City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
  
• TadMack reviewed Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
  
• Leila reviewed Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin
  
• Tasha reviewed Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst
  
• Tasha reviewed First Light by Rebecca Stead
  
• Traci reviewed Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers
  

View the complete list of fantasy/science fiction nominations here

Haven't nominated yet? Please don't wait too long! The sooner you get your nomination in, the more time the panelists will have to read and consider the book. Go here to nominate your favorite fantasy/science fiction book of the year! (Please be sure to nominate a book that's not already on the list). You can also nominate your favorite books in other categories here.