Discontinue Notice

Just a quick notice to readers.

I think I've bitten off more than I can chew here. As we speak I have two fan fictions in progress -- "Walk Like Men" and "Lean On Me." I have a queue of four or five other fics waiting to be written. And I also have an original novel I'm trying to make some progress on. Plus, I want to keep people updated on my life and Vader's life on my other blog, and I have my book review blog to update. So all in all, between various writing projects and the dreaded Sith Lord known as Darth Real Life, I'm feeling swamped.

After looking over everything, I have decided that the most logical item to drop from my agenda is the book-review blog, "Don't Judge a Book By Its Movie."

I started "Don't Judge a Book" on a whim back in December of 2005. I had thought it would be fun to try my hand at reviewing, and yes, it was fun. But after giving it some thought, I have decided to discontinue it.

I have three reasons for dropping the blog:

1. I'm not as emotionally vested in it as I am in my other projects. There's no story begging to be told, and it's hard to leave a review off on a cliffhanger, so I don't feel I'm short-changing readers by cutting it off here.

2. There aren't as many readers emotionally vested in "Don't Judge a Book" as there are in my other writings. I'm sure if I decided to stop updating "Walk Like Men" or "Me, Myself, and Vader," I'd never hear the end of it.

3. I love to read for pleasure. When I read a book thinking "I have to write up a report or review on this," it takes some of the pleasure from it.

I will not delete "Don't Judge a Book By Its Movie," so readers are still free to have a look and see what I've already reviewed. Also, if I particularly like a book, it will garner a mention on my main blog.

Thanks for reading, and may the Force be with you.

Slave Day

Whoa, it's been awhile, hasn't it? My apologies for not updating more frequently. Life has been busy for me.

Slave Day
by Rob Thomas
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1997

Slave Day is a BIG departure from my normal fare of fantasy and quirky fiction. And to be perfectly honest, I have no idea what made me take it off the shelf and decide to have a look at it -- certainly not the cover art (not a dragon in sight). But having finished the book, all I can say is thank you to whatever force nudged me in that book's direction.

Slave Day chronicles a single day in the lives of seven students and a teacher at Robert E. Lee High School -- the charismatic student body president, a star football player and his cheerleader girlfriend, a self-proclaimed "trailer-trasher" who nonetheless is a passionate drama student, a computer geek, the ever-popular daughter of the mayor, a black student who wants to see the school's "Slave Day" fundraiser eliminated, and a no-nonsense history teacher. Yes, you have probably met these kids at your own high school.

The "Slave Day" in question is a fundraiser in which members of the student council are auctioned off to fellow students to be their "slaves" for a day. They carry books, wash cars, and are often subjected to other stunts, some humorous and some not so much. As you'd expect, "Slave Day" is pretty rough on all eight main characters -- the history teacher finds himself at the mercy of the trailer-trasher, who wants some sweet revenge for his consistently low grades in history; the cheerleader is purchased by her boyfriend and is forced to reevaluate her relationship with him; the geek ends up "slave" to the mayor's daughter and suddenly finds the spotlight on him for a change; and the black student decides to teach the student body president a lesson by buying him at any price. And by the end of the day, every character has changed... but whether for the better or for the worse is up to the reader to find out.

The book is told from a first-person perspective, but switches between all eight main characters, which can be hard to follow at times but, in my honest opinion, lets us get into the character's heads all the better. You find yourself sympathizing with them even as you want to climb inside the pages and smack them upside the heads. Parents might want to use discretion before letting their kids read -- Slave Day contains explicit language and sexual innuendo -- but otherwise, it is a startling, revealing inside look at today's high schools and their inhabitants.

The Dragon Jousters

Joust
By Mercedes Lackey
DAW Books, distributed by Penguin Group, 2003

Alta
By Mercedes Lackey
DAW Books, distributed by Penguin Group, 2004

Sanctuary
By Mercedes Lackey
DAW Books, distributed by Penguin Group, 2005

Having been a recently-converted fan of Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series, I was already aware of her talent for spinning fully realized characters and complex, believable fantasy worlds not that far removed from our own. So when I discovered Joust, which not only sported Lackey's name on the cover but bore the image of -- what else? -- a dragon, I had to investigate. And when I discovered Joust had not only a sequel, but a third book in the series, I was hooked.

Joust tells the story of two nations with similar cultures (both are strongly reminiscent of ancient Egypt) that are nonetheless at war -- the desert nation of Tia and the delta nation of Alta. While soldiers battle it out on the land and jousters aboard dragons take to the skies, a young Altan serf boy named Vetch is caught in the middle, serving as a dragon boy in the Jouster's compound of Tia. With the unwitting aid of the heroic but brooding Tian Jouster Ari, he learns the secret of taming dragons in order to aid his beleaguered home country.

But as the series continues in Alta and Sanctuary, it becomes clear that this is far more than a war between two nations. In Alta Vetch learns that a powerful group of sorcerers known as the Magi are behind the war... and seek to profit from it in hideous ways. And Vetch must use his knowledge of taming jousting dragons to save Alta not only from the army of Tia, but from the treachery of the Magi.

Lackey's books may seem slow-moving to one used to the quick pace and rousing adventures of other fantasy novels, but I particularly relished the world Lackey painted around me with her words. Nuances of culture, religion, and daily life were so vividly constructed that I found myself fully believing this world existed. Even the magic at work is so matter-of-factly described that it's completely believable. And the dragons, though not the supernatural beasts of other fantasy works, are more than just animals -- each has his or her own distinct personality, enough to set them apart as characters in their own right.

If you have yet to read a Mercedes Lackey novel, I suggest The Dragon Jousters as a good take-off point. If you're already familiar with Lackey from Heralds of Valdemar or other works/series, then I fully recommend the non-Valdemarian tales of Vetch and his comrades. And if you finish these books and want more -- as I did -- then keep a sharp eye out for the fourth book, Aerie, due out this October!

Lizard Music

Lizard Music
By Daniel Manus Pinkwater
Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1976, reprinted 1988

While rearranging the family room in our house today, we decided to move the bookshelf. Big mistake. There were enough books packed onto the shelf to start our own library, and it took the better part of the morning to empty the shelf so we could transport it. Staring at my pile -- or rather, mountain -- of books, I have begun to wonder whether it's possible to own too many books. Hmmm... nah.

But on the plus side, I managed to rescue a book that had gotten wedged into a far corner of the shelf, and in the process I rediscovered a treasured gem of a book from my junior high and high school days. Flipping through Lizard Music, I found it still brings an incomprehensible joy to me.

(This book is not for the serious-fantasy set, however -- a reviewer on Amazon.com rightfully describes Lizard Music as "drug-free tripping" and "putting your brain in a blender and pushing frappe.")

Eleven-year-old, Walter Cronkite obsessed Victor is left home alone when his parents go on vacation and his older sister (who is supposed to be his caretaker) leaves for a camping trip, threatening to kill him if he tells Mom and Dad. Victor takes great advantage of his time alone, exploring his hometown, trying smoking (and wondering what all the fuss is about), and watching the late-night movies. Then, after the late-late movie one night, something strange happens -- giant lizards come on the TV screen and start playing music. When this happens night after night, Victor starts to wonder what's going on and sets out to investigate. His quest will introduce him to the Chicken Man and the exceptionally intelligent hen Claudia... and introduce him to the dangers of the pod people and the fabulous lizards of Thunderbolt City.

Reader be warned -- your first time reading Lizard Music will have you wondering what substance Pinkwater was high on when he wrote it. But it's such a fun ride, and so full of subtle and not-so-subtle commentary on society in general, that you'll find yourself saying to yourself "I'll have what HE'S having!"

Dragon Rider

Dragon Rider
(original German title: Drachenreiter)
By Cornelia Funke
Translated by Anthea Bell
The Chicken House, a division of Scholastic, Inc., 2004

I was first introduced to Cornelia Funke's writing in Inkheart, easily one of the most fun and original contemporary fantasies out there. Her writing style, which thankfully survived the English translation mostly intact, hooked me instantly, and her memorable characters danced around in my mind long after I had shut the book. So needless to say, I put her on my "Authors to Watch For" list... and was overjoyed to discover the little gem that is Dragon Rider.

Before you ask, no, this is not another ripoff of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern saga. This is a purely terrestrial story populated by the classic characters of mythology, even if they are given their own special and unique twists.

The story follows Firedrake, a young silver dragon who seeks the Rim of Heaven, the last safe haven for dragons, before the valley where he and his fellows live is flooded by humans. Accompanying him on his journey are Sorrel, a cat-like quarrelsome brownie, and Ben, a homeless human boy. Along the way they are aided by creatures both fantastic and ordinary -- a rat with a knack for cartography, a scientist obsessed with faery beasts, a thousand-eyed djinn, and more. And the entire way they are pursued by the cruel and ruthless Nettlebrand, a gold dragon who seeks the Rim of Heaven in order to destroy the last of the dragons.

The only improvement I could see to be done in Dragon Rider is for Ben's past to be expounded on a little more. We know he is homeless and without a family, but how he reached that state is never brought to light. Unless Funke is planning on adding a sequel, of course, in which case I'll completely forgive her that oversight.

Dragon lovers must read this book!

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
By Christopher Moore
Harper Paperbacks, 2003

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. It is intended as a work of fiction. Furthermore, despite the historical setting, it is intended, first and foremost, as a COMEDY. The potential reader has been warned!

That said, Lamb is easily one of the funniest books I've read in a long time.

It's the 21st century, and the angel Raziel has been commanded to resurrect Levi a.k.a. Biff, an ancient Israelite, in order to write a new gospel. From that starting point, the book alternates between the past, where Biff describes his friendship and journeys with his childhood friend Joshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus), and the present, where Raziel and Biff do their best to drive each other insane.

Yes, the subject matter and presentation are borderline sacrilegious. Yes, this book is bound to make most devout Christians upset. Yes, it contains ribald humor which I hear is author Moore's trademark (this is the first book of his I've read). But it is still a funny and oftentimes unexpectedly heartwarming book. And in the end heartwrenching, as Biff's best friend is ultimately betrayed and slain. (Hey, we all know how the story ends, so it's not like I'm spoiling anything here.)

Besides, how can you not like a book in which two Jewish boys sneak off in the middle of the night to circumcise a Greek statue, an angel admits that God sounds like James Earl Jones, and Christ declares that whenever something bad happens to him "there shall be bunnies?"

I understand that religion is a touchy subject, and some might not appreciate such a light-hearted approach to Christ's life. But for those who choose to read, I hope you laugh as hard as I did.

God Bless the Gargoyles

God Bless the Gargoyles
By Dav Pilkey
Harcourt Brace & Company, 1996

I told myself I wasn't going to do it. This blog would be dedicated to reviews of books teenagers and adults might enjoy, and nothing else. I would NOT review children's books, no matter what the subject matter, no matter how good they were...

Aw, who was I kidding? I have always loved children's books. When I don't have the time or patience to sit down for a full-length novel, I take a quick break with a kid's picture book. There are so many fantastic artists and authors out there who dedicate their lives to creating these miniature works of literature, and I have laughed and cried over many a children's book in my day. Even today I count Rosalie Seidler's Panda Cake, David Shannon's No David!, and Maurice Sendack's Where the Wild Things Are among my favorite books (a list that also includes Life of Pi, Eragon, and Mary Brown's Unicorn Ring books), and Mercer Mayer and Dr. Seuss will always rank up there with Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey on my favorite authors list.

That said, Dav Pilkey, the creator of the popular Captain Underpants and Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot series as well as hilarious stand-alones like The Silly Gooses, Kat Kong, and Dogzilla, has produced a book quite different from his usual style. Rather than slapstick humor and lunacy, God Bless the Gargoyles provides us with a rich and loving fable that both children and adults will enjoy.

Pilkey's beautiful, darkly colorful oil paintings set a somber yet hopeful mood for the story, yet still bear his signature style. His rhyming text tells the story of the gargoyles guarding the European churches and cathedrals... and the cruel people who call them ugly and unfit to decorate the house of the Lord. Broken-hearted, the gargoyles weep... until angels descend to comfort them and take them on a night flight over the human lands, all the while singing blessings upon the poor, the sick, the suffering, the broken-hearted, and all who are unloved and unwanted.

God Bless the Gargoyles is a gentle tale that everyone, regardless of age or religion (or whether or not you like Captain Underpants), will enjoy. It is also a reminder that everyone is deserving of love and compassion, even those we consider undeserving.

Even the gargoyles.