Falling Kingdoms

by Morgan Rhodes

Razorbill

978-1-59514-584-0

412 pp.

Ages 12+

2012

Map of Mytica (1)

The kingdoms of Auranos, Paelsia and Limeros were once united but now the three are distinctly advantaged or disadvantaged, though they live in a state of relative tolerance.  Auranos is a rich land of beautiful landscapes whose hedonistic inhabitants enjoy excessive living with luxurious homes, food and all amenities.  In the golden palace lives King Corvin Bellos with his two daughters, Emilia, his heir, and Cleiona, 16.  Auranos' neighbour, Paelsia, is considered by the Auranians as an impoverished land with savages whose only worth is in their lone commodity, wine.  Lead by their Chief Basilius, the people are ever hopeful that the magic will return and improve their lives.  The cold, frozen land of Limeros is ruled by King Gaius Damora, called the King of Blood for his penchant for killing those who challenge or disappoint him, using fear and violence to keep his subjects in line.  Surprisingly, King Gaius insists that his Queen Althea, two children, Magnus, almost 18, and Lucia, 16, and all the people of Limeros abide by the virtues of strength, faith (in the goddess Valoria) and wisdom.

When Princess Cleiona and her friend Mira accompany the arrogant Lord Aron Lagaris to Paelsia to purchase its highly intoxicating wine, the drunken Aron stabs a young man, Tomas Agallon, in front of his father, sister and younger brother, Jonas.  That single incident has Jonas and his friend Brion Radenos searching out Chief Bacilius to demand that Paelsia rise against its oppressor, Auranos, and avenge Tomas' death. Chief Bacilius and King Gaius have already agreed to approach King Corvin to demand the lands of Auranos be divided between their own two kingdoms.  If he refuses, they will take Auranos by force.  With Princess Cleiona taken hostage and her life threatened, and Jonas desperate for revenge and Magnus desperate to prove himself worthy of being his father's heir, the fall of the Auranian throne would seem imminent.

In true high fantasy style, Falling Kingdoms is a dense weave of subplots, each based within the kingdoms, between kingdoms and even in a world beyond the kingdoms, notably Sanctuary, the realm of the Watchers.  I haven't even mentioned the magic; the race to locate the Kindred; the romantic interests of Cleiona, Jonas, and Magnus; the kidnapping of a child sixteen years earlier; the prophecy; exiled Watchers; Emilia's devastating illness; and the deceptive leader of the Paelsians.  And readers will never predict in which direction the tale could turn. At 412 pages, Falling Kingdoms may appear to be a big read but there is no way that Morgan Rhodes could have managed to squeeze everything in that she did in fewer pages.  After all, it took George R. R. Martin over 800 pages to tell the story of A Game of Thrones (Bantam, 1996), a book to which Falling Kingdoms is regularly compared (though I personally find Falling Kingdoms a much more approachable read, never trying to impress the reader with its epic proportions).  As such, Morgan Rhodes effectively packs a lot into her text, without being verbose or excessive.  If she hadn't, I wouldn't have been so eager to jump directly into the sequel to Falling Kingdoms, Rebel Spring (Razorbill, 2013), which I will review in my next post.

(1) Map of Mytica: Retrieved from http://www.fallingkingdoms.com/extras.html on January 16, 2014.

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If you haven't enjoyed Morgan Rhodes' Falling Kingdoms yet, and my review here is insufficient to grab your attention, perhaps visiting the website for the series at http://www.fallingkingdoms.com/ or its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FallingKingdoms will spark your interest.

Books to add to New Releases for Winter/Spring 2014

Well, it was bound to happen.  Several books that I'm excited about reading in this new year were not included in my post titled New Releases for Winter/Spring 2014 http://canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.ca/2014/01/new-releases-for-winterspring-2014.html

The following titles will be added to that post but, in case you never plan on returning to it, I'd really like to make sure you know about these:

Young Adult

A Breath of Frost (Book 1 in new series, The Lovegrove Legacy)
by Alyxandra Harvey
Bloomsbury Juvenile US

Nomad (sequel to Swift)
by R. J. Anderson
Orchard Books

Picture Books

Splat! Starring the Vole Brothers
by Roslyn Schwartz
Owlkids









Young Adult

Camp Outlook
by Brenda Baker
Second Story Press

Soldier Doll
by Jennifer Gold
Second Story Press









Non-Fiction

Every Day is Malala Day
by Rosemary McCarney
Second Story Press

Starting from Scratch: What You Should Know about Food and Cooking
by Sarah Elton
Illustrated by Jeff Kulak
Owlkids
















Picture Books

Dolphins SOS
by Roy and Slavia Miki
Illustrated by Julie Flett
Tradewind Books

Here Comes Destructosaurus!
by Aaron Reynolds
Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard
Chronicle/Raincoast

Naked
by Michael Black
Illustrated by Debbie Ohi
Simon & Schuster

Whoosh! A Watery World of Wonderful Creatures
by Marilyn Baillie
Illustrated by Susan Mitchell
Owlkids Books








Non-Fiction

Every Last Drop: Bringing Clean Water Home
by Michelle Mulder
Orca Book Publishers

Severn and the Day She Silenced the World
by Janet Wilson
Second Story Press


















Picture Books

Music is For Everyone
by Jill Barber
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Nimbus

Shadow Chasers 
by Elly MacKay
Running Press/Perseus Book Group

Wow Wow and Haw Haw

by George Murray

Illustrated by Michael Pitman

Breakwater Books

 


Fiction

Behind the Scenes
by Meg Tilly
Puffin Canada

Gottika
by Helaine Becker
Illustrated by Alexander Griggs-Burr
Dancing Cat Books

The Night Gardener
by Jonathan Auxier
Puffin Canada









Young Adult

Unspeakable
by Caroline Pignat
Puffin Canada


 





Non-Fiction

A Children's Guide to Arctic Birds
by Mia Pelletier
Illustrated by Danny Christopher
Inhabit Media

Young Adult

Jamie's Got a Gun
by Gail Sidonie Sobat
Illustrated by Spyder Yardley-Jones
Great Plains Publications








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My apologies to authors or illustrators whose works I had omitted.  To amend that, I hope this extra post with cover images of most books will help.

Lumière: Book Launch (Sarnia)

Join author

Jacqueline Garlick-Pynaert

 for the launch of her new

steampunk fantasy

Lumière
The Illumination Paradox, Book 1

Amazemo Books

978-0-99216300-6

458 pp.

Ages 12+

December 2013

 ________________________________________
(The following description was retrieved from Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19541871-lumiere)

One determined girl. One resourceful boy. One miracle machine that could destroy everything.

After an unexplained flash shatters her world, seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth sets out to find the Illuminator, her father’s prized invention. With it, she hopes to cure herself of her debilitating seizures before Professor Smrt—her father’s arch nemesis—discovers her secret and locks her away in an asylum.

Pursued by Smrt, Eyelet locates the Illuminator only to see it whisked away. She follows the thief into the world of the unknown, compelled not only by her quest but by the allure of the stranger—Urlick Babbit—who harbors secrets of his own.

Together, they endure deadly Vapours and criminal-infested woods in pursuit of the same prize, only to discover the miracle machine they hoped would solve their problems may in fact be their biggest problem of all.

  _______________________________________

on

Sunday, January 19, 2014

at

 2 - 3 p.m.

at 

The Book Keeper

Northgate Plaza
500 Exmouth Street
Sarnia, ON
Phone: 519-337-3171

________________________________________
Check out her website at http://jacquelinegarlick.com/ or for information about the Limited Edition Collector's Copy of Lumière, go to http://www.lumierethenovel.com/
________________________________________

The Hidden Agenda of Sigrid Sugden

Written by Jill MacLean
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
978-1-55455-279-5
240 pp.
Ages 12+
October, 2013

Award-winning author Jill MacLean takes readers back to the Newfoundland communities of The Nine Lives of Travis Keating (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008) and The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2009) where living is not always easy, especially for the titular young people.

As a member of a trio of nasty girls hatefully called the Shrikes, Sigrid Sugden learns too soon how tough it can be when she attempts to anonymously save the life of a girl who Tate and Mel, the other two Shrikes, have put in grave danger.  Sigrid may not be the brains behind the violence or extortion like Tate, the daughter of horribly mean and devout parents, or the brawn like mother-less Mel, but Sigrid had found companionship with the two girls after her best friend moved away.  However, when Tate discovers that Sigrid is the one who called for help, she and Mel launch a series of relentless attacks against Sigrid.  Not yet thirteen, Sigrid's reputation as a Shrike leaves her friendless again.

So Sigrid is trying to find a way to make things right by distancing herself, emotionally and physically, from Tate and Mel and staying safe but, while her intentions are always good, her actions often backfire or cause more damage, especially after she tries to reinvent herself as an Avenger.  Sigrid even tries to help Hud, the fourteen-year-old tormentor of Travis Keating, after he comes to her aid.  But, a bully himself, Hud astutely recognizes that,

"Once you let your mean side off the leash, it runs you." (pg. 183)

Morever, while looking for some friendship and trying to remake herself, always looking over her shoulder, Sigrid worries that the family she knows may be falling apart. Mom who is involved heavily in eBay buying and selling spends most of her time, including nights, away.  Sigrid's older brother Lorne works and has a girlfriend, Sally, with whom he spends most of his time.  Her step-dad Seal, who seems to love Sigrid more than her real father who lives in Fort McMurray, acts responsibly about getting groceries and shopping with Sigrid whenever she asks, but he's spending a lot less time at home and is rumoured to be seeing another woman.

As she did in The Nine Lives of Travis Keating and The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy, Jill MacLean has created a preteen who is searching for the means to take control of her life.  When family members are making decisions that will unduly affect them and friends may be lacking, how does a young person manage? By making Sigrid a part of the Shrikes, Jill MacLean demonstrates that even those who appear flawed can be redeemed, though obviously not all can.  Knowing the wrath she will face if Tate discovers Sigrid's betrayal to save Prinny Murphy, Sigrid still finds a way to do it.  Finally standing up to Tate and Mel when they bully a much younger child and acknowledging the child abuse several peers may be experiencing are especially telling moments for Sigrid, particularly since putting herself out there without backup could be disastrous.

Sigrid's intentions may often seem centred on her own needs and wants (i.e., friends, family, companionship) but The Hidden Agenda of Sigrid Sugden is simply about making things right.  It may not be easy but it's always worthwhile. I think Jill MacLean has a similar agenda in her writing: show young readers that life can be difficult but nothing is ever final and there are ways to manage.  Luckily her agenda is as benevolent as her writing is compassionate.

Totally Unrelated

by Tom Ryan
Orca Book Publishers
978-1-4598-0458-6
120 pp.
Ages 11-14
2013

Today a student at school asked me for a book that wasn't too long and had a bit of romance and a fairly straightforward, contemporary plot.  Any of the titles in Orca's new Limelights series would fit this bill perfectly, including Totally Unrelated, which I intend to take in for this student tomorrow.

Fifteen-year-old Neil is part of The Family McClintock, a traditional Celtic musical group made up of his parents, his Gran, older brother Shamus, older sister Kathy, twins Molly and Maura, and younger brother Johnny. All of them are multi-talented, playing an assortment of instruments, or singing, or step- and Highland dancing.  That is, except for the anomalous Neil who only plays guitar.

When his best friend, Bert, suggests that they enter the Deep Cove Talent Show, Neil is initially unconvinced that they could pull an effective band together.  But after a church fundraiser at which Neil meets Sandy, a teen staying at a local summer cottage rental with her Gran and young brother Beast (a.k.a. Bailey), and learns she can play guitar and sing, Neil is convinced it could work.  In fact, it gives Neil the practice that makes him a better performer with The Family McClintock and gives him the opportunity to try his hand at singing, something at which he doesn't think he can excel.

While Dad is supportive of Neil participating in the Deep Cove Talent Show with his friends, the expectation is that The Family McClintock should be his priority, as it is for everyone in the family.  The conflict arises when Neil learns that the talent show is on the same night as the family's big gig opening for the Vince Beach Band in Halifax, four hours drive away.

While most readers will never have the kind of conflict that Neil experiences, courtesy of his musical family, there will be that critical time in their lives when being with the family begins to clash with times with their friends and times when they'd like to be more independent.  Performing as The Family McClintock may be financially worthwhile, helping to put the kids through university, but it is major commitment, particularly time-wise with family members only getting Thursday off regularly.  Along with Kathy who is in university and considering taking a course that would take her away from Nova Scotia, Neil has a legitimate grievance, and one for which his family is not prepared. Still, Tom Ryan has created Neil as a good kid who goes along with his family and tries to work within their restrictive schedule, but he's still a teen who is interested in girls (or rather one particular girl) and looking to distinguish himself in a Totally Unrelated way.

I appreciate the lack of overwhelming angst soaked in despondency and meanness that the teen vs. family scenario could produce.  Tom Ryan presents Neil's situation and solution as viable scenarios to handing these awkward and potentially family-ripping circumstances.  Totally Unrelated is a positive reflection of how a teen can share and extend his own interests without jeopardizing the family dynamics.  Think of Totally Unrelated as a how-to of letting your child become more independent without pushing them away or losing them, and allowing them to become successful adults who don't need to rely on their parents to create lives for them. Seems Totally Unrelated would be a worthwhile read for parents and children alike.

A Fool's Errand

by Maureen Fergus

Razorbill

978-0-670-06765-7

528 pp.

Ages 12+

October, 2013 

(If you haven’t read the first book in this series, The Gypsy King, please do so before reading this review which contains a spoiler for the first book. A Fool’s Errand begins with the final revelation from The Gypsy King.)


With the final scene in The Gypsy King, a servant reveals that Persephone is the long-lost and older twin of the Erok king, King Finnius, and the true heir to the Erok throne. Fearful that this will threaten his claim as heir to the throne, the evil Regent Mordecai, who has been manipulating the king and the country to his will, has the servant killed. Likewise, the lives of Persephone and Azriel, as well as a Gypsy boy named Mateo, are at risk until Azriel claims to be the son of the former Gypsy King Balthazar and can locate the secret pool of healing.

Threatened with the death of her brother King Finnius, Persephone promises not to seek the throne, and shares one last wonderful day with her newly-discovered brother before heading off with Azriel on his quest to find the Pool of Genesing for the physically-deformed Regent Mordecai. Unbeknownst to them, Mordecai sends his henchman General Murdock and members of his New Men army to follow them, with strict orders to kill them if they find the Pool or if they are not diligently seeking it. But there is also a cloaked man with an unclear mission who follows all of them.

After a stop at the Gypsy camp where a momentous event passes, Azriel, Persephone, Rachel who is an Erok girl who looks like Persephone, and two Gypsies, Tiny and Fayla, head out on their quest, seeking the Khan Warriors first, then the Marinese and finally the Gorgishmen for any clues they may be able to provide about the Pool's location.

Though similar to the action-filled plot of The Gypsy King, A Fool’s Errand is based on a series of adventures that Persephone and Azriel undertake, hopeful that they are always one clue closer to finding the Pool. Pervasive in their quest is their romance which, while initially shaky due to Persephone’s lies, is catapulted to before the two can both acknowledge their deep caring for each other. Azriel’s honour and chivalry demonstrates his love for her far before Persephone even recognizes her’s for him. But readers can be reassured that, though their squabbling is endearing, Persephone and Azriel find their way to each other, eventually, and it is very sweet.

Perhaps some believe that the foolishness indicated in the title deals with Persephone and Azriel falling in love but there are many characters who could be seen as fools in A Fool’s Errand. There are those who believe in the Pool, those who believe they will find it, King Finnius who trusted Mordecai for years to rule the kingdom for him, Mordecai who continues to lust for Persephone and sees her actions as evidence that she cares for him, Mordecai who trusts the treacherous agreement he makes with Lord Bartok, General Murdock who is convinced he is always in charge of circumstances, and even those who believe the lies Mordecai speaks each time he opens his mouth. You'll need to judge for yourselves who are the fools but I'll follow Shakespeare's suggestions that, "A fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool." (As You Like It, Act 5, Scene 1)

Sadly I may have to count myself as the fool, never expecting Maureen Fergus to end A Fool’s Errand on a cliffhanger, as she did with The Gypsy King. Of course, I was fortunate to have A Fool’s Errand at the ready to appease that longing for a happy ending. Now, while the reader may guess at Persephone’s "circumstances" at the conclusion of A Fool’s Errand, there is no way to see how Maureen Fergus will resolve the newest twist in her plotting. Waiting without anxiety until the third book is released seems a foolish endeavour right now. But, with an abundance of fools, I will at least be in good company.

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Relief! I've heard from Maureen Fergus who tweeted that Book 3 in the series is called Tomorrow's Kingdom and is scheduled for release in July of 2014.

The Gypsy King

by Maureen Fergus

Razorbill

978-0-14-318315-0

434 pp.

Ages 12-16

2012

A powerful high fantasy based in the land of Glyndoria, in which the five tribes–Khan warriors, Erok, Gypsies, Gorgishmen and Marinese–live in strife, The Gypsy King may look like a historical romance with its medieval setting and a beautiful young woman in a golden gown clutching a dagger, a once commonly-used weapon.  While there is an element of romance to the story, which adds humour and much spark, an adventurous quest for both truth and a pool of healing takes The Gypsy King into a whole new realm.

Persephone is an enslaved young woman who knows nothing of her heritage except being sold, traded or lost in a card game and working in a manor house, a tavern, and even the horrible Mines of Torodania.  When a chicken thief she meets returns masquerading as a lord and buys her freedom, Persephone is both perplexed and trepidatious, though she is reassured by three animals that follow her: her dog Cur, a hawk named Ivan and a broken-down horse named Fleet.  Luckily for Persephone that these animals are there as the chicken thief and false lord is actually a Gypsy, named Azriel, and Gypsies are the target of the New Men army of the Erok Regent Mordecai. 

Seems the former Erok king, King Malthusius had hated the Gypsies since their king Balthazar had never revealed the location of their Pool of Genesing, a pool of healing, to him.  Mordecai, the physically-deformed power behind the king, encouraged the king to persecute the Gypsies, sadly leading to their massacre, in the hopes of learning the location of this fabled pool.  With the current king Finnius still too young to rule, Regent Mordecai continues with this reign of terror, extending it to kidnapping Gypsy children for their blood, rumoured to be rich in health and vitality, to alleviate his physical distress.

When Azriel is seriously injured in the attack by the New Men, he leads her to the Gypsy camp, where he can be treated.  Azriel had been bringing Persephone there as she, and another girl Rachel, are the exact likeness of a girl prophecized to bring a Gypsy King to power.  When another part of the prophecy suggests a link to a Gypsy child hidden in the Erok capital of Parthania, Persephone, Rachel, Azriel and two other Gypsies head there to rescue him. Through a series of circumstances (fortunate or not), Persephone becomes a guest at the castle and the amorous target of both the Regent Mordecai and King Finnius, while Azriel must find the means to fulfill their mission and rescue her.  And, regardless of Persephone's original intent to strike out on her own, Azriel believes and hopes for more.

"A path stretches out before us, Persephone, and we will walk it together, whether you like it or not." (pg. 198)

Their stories are rich with dungeons, executions, opulence, ruthless lords, rumours, evil, charity, sparring of words, yearning and surprising revelations.  But there are no disappointments for the reader.  Maureen Fergus has created a complex (but never confusing) network of storylines that ensures a bounty of characters, both sympathetic and not, and conflict that could lead to love or death.  Her writing style is neither verbose nor vague, and her wit is embedded throughout.

"And the next time you happen upon a person of unknown providence, I encourage you to think before you strike, lest misjudgment on your part see you a head shorter before you're a day older." (pg. 291)

Be assured that, though the book may seem a lofty read at 434 pages, every twist and detail is significant in creating the resplendent read that is The Gypsy King.

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Look for my review of A Fool's Errand, the sequel to The Gypsy King, in my next post.  But, read The Gypsy King first if you haven't already.  You won't be disappointed.