Hey book lovers! I hope you're all ready for another rendition of "Inside Look." Today I'm focusing on American fantasy writer Elizabeth Haydon.
I chanced on "Rhapsody," the first book in her Symphony of Ages series, in the library. I was still in high school at the time and voracious for new authors to read. While browsing the library shelves, I saw the title and started walking past. I'm glad I stopped and went back. The cover art was intriguing and reading the inside flap really sparked my curiosity.
I fell immediately in love with the book.
What makes Haydon's writing so unique is that it's not strictly fantasy. There are no wizards or overt amounts of magic being used. Okay, there are dragons, but they are a part of the lore she has created for her world. Fantastical elements are present, but she writes as if such things are part of our reality. Nothing seems out of the ordinary.
Another strong element of Haydon's books are the characters. The skill with which she developed her characters is one to be envied by all writers. Some fantasy writers find it hard making their characters believable and seem real. Haydon does this with ease. For example: the main protagonist, Rhapsody, is pretty much a natural beauty. She has blond hair, green eyes, is petite, etc. What automatically jumps to mind when you hear that description? I think of the dumb blond stereotype. But, Haydon gives Rhapsody flaws. She does not see herself as beautiful or even moderately attractive. In the first novel she undergoes a transformation of sorts that enhances her beauty and allure ten fold. She thinks she is a freak because she misreads the reactions people have when they see her.
Rhapsody is also a very strong character. She went through a lot of terrible things as a child and is forced to face dangers beyond compare as an adult. I can see these qualities in real life people and a connection is easily formed to this fictional character.
Haydon is also very good at keeping you in suspense. She had a large and intricate story to tell. Like any good writer, she spread it out through three novels ("Rhapsody," "Prophecy," "Destiny") and I didn't even know for sure who the main bad guy was until she revealed it in the plot.
Another thing Haydon does is tease her readers. Rhapsody travels with two companions, Achmed and Grunthor. Throughout the series you can see that there's more to Rhapsody and Achmed's relationship than just friendship. Haydon throws hints and scenes in the series, but never gives enough to quite satisfy her readers. I'm personally rooting for the two of them to be together because, as she states in the series, they are opposite sides of the same coin.
If you'd like to learn more about Elizabeth Haydon go to http://www.sffworld.com/interview/29p0.html to read an interview she did back in the 90's. I'm trying to get in contact with Haydon to conduct my own interview. When that happens, I will post the interview for you to read. Below is a list of the novels in the Symphony of Ages series. They are linked with pages from amazon.com of the book descriptions.
Come back on Wednesday to read about an author taking a different turn on a classic story that will have you skipping on the yellow brick road.
~Nepenthe
Symphony of Ages series:
-Rhapsody: Child of Blood
-Prophecy: Child of Earth
-Destiny: Child of the Sky
-Requiem for the Sun
-Elegy for a Lost Star
-The Assassin King
27.3.09
Inside Look: Fantasy and Patricia A. McKillip
Fantasy novels and the entire genre are close to my heart. I started reading the genre at a young age and fantasy novels are the ones I still turn to when I'm looking to read for fun. It's disappointing that the genre is frowned upon. Fantasy writers are just as great as traditional fiction writers and non-fiction ones as well.
My personal favorite has further deepened my love of the genre and influenced my own fiction writing style. I discovered her in the summer during the 7th and 8th grade while in a Target. I was going to a summer camp and needed all those camping provisions. My mom, being the somewhat frugal lady she is, decided Target was the place to go. While walking down the book aisle I happened across her book by chance. I ended up reading the novel 20 times that summer.
The author to whom I refer is none other than Patricia A. McKillip. Some of you may not have heard of her or read any of her work. The first book of hers I chanced upon is "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld." When I returned from summer camp I immediately went to my local library, searched her name and left carrying a stack of all the books of hers the library had.
What's so fascinating about McKillip is her style of writing. I have yet to come across another fantasy author (or any others in different genres) who come close to the eloquence of her writing. It's really in the way she describes her fantasy worlds that draws me in. She looks at the world through a unique filter. Instead of relying on the usual cliches most writers tend to use, she re-invents standard images, putting a new spin on the mundane.
One of the most eloquently written books of hers is "Song for the Basilisk." The main character doesn't know who he was only who he is now, a bard on a mystical island. His past suddenly rips apart the world he knows and now he travels back to the city of his birth to face the tragedies that bound him in lies and secrets. With music being a strong element within the story (hence the title) some would expect it to be the usual drab talk in the language of music. Gladly, McKillip gives readers a new way to see music, describing songs through the types of scenes the music invokes within the imagination.
She actually does this a lot. A short fiction piece of hers, "A Matter of Music," delves deeper into the realm of music and songs. Some other works that come to mind where she invokes music include "In the Forests of Serre," and the Riddle-Master trilogy.
Which brings me to my next topic. Vengeance. Whether by accident or not, a lot of McKillip's works focus on characters who seek vengeance for various reasons. In the Riddle-Master Trilogy, the last book "Harpist in the Wind" deals entirely with Morgan's (the main character) revenge on the harpist Deth for tricking him and almost killing him. The novel I mentioned earlier, "Song for the Basilisk," is about the main character, Caladrius, seeking revenge on the Basilisk for destroying his family. Some other novels with vengeance themes: "In the Forests of Serre," "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld," "Ombria in Shadow," and "The Book of Atrix Wolfe." To further explore this theme of vengeance go to http://home.earthlink.net/~mflabar/VenVance/McKillip.htm
For first time fantasy readers, McKillip is a great author to start out with. I recommend "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld" as the first novel of hers to read. Aside from the Riddle-Master Trilogy and the Cygnet and Moon-flash duologies, all of McKillip's books are stand alones. Once you read one though, you wish that she did sequels to some because you want to know more, what happens after, etc.
I hope you decide to give Patricia A. McKillip a chance because her novels are a joy to read. I've listed below the novels of hers I've read and linked them to amazon.com description pages. On Monday I will continue with fantasy and take a look at another female author who has also been an influence to my writing and is a joy to read. See you then!
~Nepenthe
Riddle-Master Trilogy:
-The Riddle-Master of Hed
-Heir of Sea and Fire
-Harpist in the Wind
Cygnet Duology:
-The Sorceress and the Cygnet
-The Cygnet and the Firebird
Stand Alones
-The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
-The Book of Atrix Wolfe
-The Tower at Stony Wood
-Ombria in Shadow
-Winter Rose
-Od Magic
-Song for the Basilisk
-Alphabet of Thorn
-Harrowing the Dragon
-The Changeling Sea
-The Bell at Sealey Head
-In the Forests of Serre
My personal favorite has further deepened my love of the genre and influenced my own fiction writing style. I discovered her in the summer during the 7th and 8th grade while in a Target. I was going to a summer camp and needed all those camping provisions. My mom, being the somewhat frugal lady she is, decided Target was the place to go. While walking down the book aisle I happened across her book by chance. I ended up reading the novel 20 times that summer.
The author to whom I refer is none other than Patricia A. McKillip. Some of you may not have heard of her or read any of her work. The first book of hers I chanced upon is "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld." When I returned from summer camp I immediately went to my local library, searched her name and left carrying a stack of all the books of hers the library had.
What's so fascinating about McKillip is her style of writing. I have yet to come across another fantasy author (or any others in different genres) who come close to the eloquence of her writing. It's really in the way she describes her fantasy worlds that draws me in. She looks at the world through a unique filter. Instead of relying on the usual cliches most writers tend to use, she re-invents standard images, putting a new spin on the mundane.
One of the most eloquently written books of hers is "Song for the Basilisk." The main character doesn't know who he was only who he is now, a bard on a mystical island. His past suddenly rips apart the world he knows and now he travels back to the city of his birth to face the tragedies that bound him in lies and secrets. With music being a strong element within the story (hence the title) some would expect it to be the usual drab talk in the language of music. Gladly, McKillip gives readers a new way to see music, describing songs through the types of scenes the music invokes within the imagination.
She actually does this a lot. A short fiction piece of hers, "A Matter of Music," delves deeper into the realm of music and songs. Some other works that come to mind where she invokes music include "In the Forests of Serre," and the Riddle-Master trilogy.
Which brings me to my next topic. Vengeance. Whether by accident or not, a lot of McKillip's works focus on characters who seek vengeance for various reasons. In the Riddle-Master Trilogy, the last book "Harpist in the Wind" deals entirely with Morgan's (the main character) revenge on the harpist Deth for tricking him and almost killing him. The novel I mentioned earlier, "Song for the Basilisk," is about the main character, Caladrius, seeking revenge on the Basilisk for destroying his family. Some other novels with vengeance themes: "In the Forests of Serre," "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld," "Ombria in Shadow," and "The Book of Atrix Wolfe." To further explore this theme of vengeance go to http://home.earthlink.net/~mflabar/VenVance/McKillip.htm
For first time fantasy readers, McKillip is a great author to start out with. I recommend "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld" as the first novel of hers to read. Aside from the Riddle-Master Trilogy and the Cygnet and Moon-flash duologies, all of McKillip's books are stand alones. Once you read one though, you wish that she did sequels to some because you want to know more, what happens after, etc.
I hope you decide to give Patricia A. McKillip a chance because her novels are a joy to read. I've listed below the novels of hers I've read and linked them to amazon.com description pages. On Monday I will continue with fantasy and take a look at another female author who has also been an influence to my writing and is a joy to read. See you then!
~Nepenthe
Riddle-Master Trilogy:
-The Riddle-Master of Hed
-Heir of Sea and Fire
-Harpist in the Wind
Cygnet Duology:
-The Sorceress and the Cygnet
-The Cygnet and the Firebird
Stand Alones
-The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
-The Book of Atrix Wolfe
-The Tower at Stony Wood
-Ombria in Shadow
-Winter Rose
-Od Magic
-Song for the Basilisk
-Alphabet of Thorn
-Harrowing the Dragon
-The Changeling Sea
-The Bell at Sealey Head
-In the Forests of Serre
25.3.09
Book Review: Starvation Lake
Mystery novels can be hit or miss. Rarely have I found one of quality, and it is even more rare that I find one that blows me out of the water. The intricacies of Bryan Gruley’s “Starvation Lake” hooked me right at the beginning, and I couldn’t put the book down until I discovered the ultimate plot twist of the mystery.
One of the hardest things about reviewing this book is not revealing the ending. After 150 pages, I would not have guessed the shocking revelation. For that I must applaud Gruley for keeping his mystery opaque, not translucent. A little background of the story is necessary, so here’s what I can tell you.
The main character is Gus Carpenter. He’s a journalist working for his hometown newspaper in Starvation Lake, Mich. after suddenly leaving his prestigious job at the Detroit Times. A snowmobile owned by the town’s famous hockey coach, Jack Blackburn, washes up on the shores of a nearby lake, Walleye. The kicker is that Blackburn and his snowmobile went down in the watery depths of Starvation Lake. Questions are raised, the local sheriff’s department investigates and secrets of the past are dredged up.
Not much to go on, I know, but the more I say, the more likely you are to figure out where the story is going.
Gruley is a new author on the shelves in bookstores, and he’s making a large splash with his first novel “Starvation Lake.” His writing skills may not rival those of bestseller Stephen King, but Gruley has talent. He embeds smaller mysteries in the larger one, keeping a reader’s interest until the final tell all.
The characters he has created could be everyday people one meets on the street. I love the nuances and struggles all the characters go through. The writing catches the reader’s attention, but it’s the story content that keeps you reading.
“Starvation Lake” is an intriguing novel that really delves into the small town mentality. Everybody in the story, from Gus to the local bigfoot hunter Perlmutter, has a secret or two. Small town people enjoy gossiping, so it’s important to keep one’s mouth shut before the whole town knows the inner-most demons one is carrying around. Here’s the kicker: these small town folks are happy keeping their secrets. Nobody wants to stir up the muck at the bottom of the lake, so to speak.
One of the best examples of not wanting to stir the muck stirring is in the running of the daily newspaper, the Pilot, of Starvation Lake. Owned by a larger company, the Pilot is supposed to be a “family” newspaper full of stories about the high school’s wrestling match or the new Marina. The big guys upstairs immediately pull any stories dealing with sex scandals, murder or fraud in the town. It’s funny to read this because, being from a Chicago suburb, it’s expected to read controversial news of that caliber.
Gus is constantly fighting to pull away from the small town mentality. As the editor of the Pilot, he’s caught between a rock and a hard place: to run a story by the big guys first or just say to hell with them.
At times I wanted to yell at Gus, to tell him that he should run stories because they were true, and to not care if the muck gets stirred.
This is a great book for anybody and I think it will help people, especially all of the Chicagolanders on campus, to understand how small towns work and why they like to keep low profiles, pretending everything is dandy. Also, the book addresses a very serious issue that lies at the core of the whole mystery.
To find out more, go to the local bookstore and order a copy. “Starvation Lake” is worth it.
~Nepenthe
24.3.09
MISTAKE
There has been a misunderstanding about one of my blog posts. The post entitled "New Books to Read" is all summaries of the novels from their dust jackets EXCEPT for the first paragraph in italics. The summaries are not of my own writing nor have I read them personally. I only found some interesting new releases and advertised them here.
~Nepenthe
~Nepenthe
Inside Look: Science Fiction and Frank Herbert
Science Fiction, though I don't read it as much as other genres, has a uniqueness that most don't have the time to discover. It's sad that genres such as science fiction were (and still are) frowned upon by the "literature" community. The higher ups prefer great works of fiction that deal with "real life" so to speak.
I've had difficulty finding good science fiction books or authors. Only one author/series has caught my attention and comprises my entire sci-fi reading experience. That author is the one and only Frank Herbert.
Never heard of him? Shame on you! His "Dune" series is a prime example of wonderful and detailed works of science fiction. Better than Star Wars. Yes, you heard me correctly, better than Star Wars.
Dune is an intricate series. Herbert has ultimately created an entire new universe with its own set of physics laws, religions, cultures, etc. His characters span generations and the writing is that of a master of the craft. He mapped out the history of this universe; there were wars that affected the present of the novel, changing the culture. It's breathtaking when you grasp just how detailed Herbert was with his series, just how meticulous and dedicated he was.
As a result, though, the novels are very thick, difficult to read. They are not for the casual reader looking for something to read while tanning in the summer or to curl up with in bed. I suggest only the most dedicated readers who are looking for a challenge pick up the Dune series. And even for those who are dedicated readers, be warned, you won't finish one of the novels in a day. It will take time to sift through all the information in the text. After all, you have to erase almost everything you know of our world in order to comprehend the world of Dune.
Unfortunately, Herbert died after he published the sixth book in the series. But the Dune name has not died. Herbert had kept detailed notes of the Dune series and what he was planning to add to the series. Now Brian Herbert, his son, and Kevin J. Anderson have taken up the Dune mantle, continuing the story. Though the style of writing is not exactly like the elder Herbert, B. Herbert and Anderson have tried to stick to the format of Herbert's originals being as detailed as he was.
And now, for your reading pleasure, is the list of the novels in the Dune series. The titles are linked to amazon.com so you can read the summaries. I've also listed them in chronological order with prequels first.
Legends of Dune:
-The Butlerian Jihad (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-The Machine Crusade (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-The Battle of Corrin (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
Prelude to Dune:
-Dune: House Atreides (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-Dune: House Harkonnen (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-Dune: House Corrino (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
Classic Dune:
-Dune (Frank Herbert)
-Dune Messiah (Frank Herbert)
-Children of Dune (Frank Herbert)
-God Emperor of Dune (Frank Herbert)
-Heretics of Dune (Frank Herbert)
-Chapterhouse: Dune (Frank Herbert)
The Grand Climax:
-Hunters of Dune (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-Sandworms of Dune (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
Heroes of Dune Trilogy:
-Paul of Dune (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
Other:
-The Road to Dune (Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
I hope you all enjoy Dune as much as I have. It's a wonderful sci-fi series and the only series of the genre that I've read. Look for my post on Friday about an award winning Fantasy author that influenced me to make Fantasy my favorite genre of literature.
~Nepenthe
I've had difficulty finding good science fiction books or authors. Only one author/series has caught my attention and comprises my entire sci-fi reading experience. That author is the one and only Frank Herbert.
Never heard of him? Shame on you! His "Dune" series is a prime example of wonderful and detailed works of science fiction. Better than Star Wars. Yes, you heard me correctly, better than Star Wars.
Dune is an intricate series. Herbert has ultimately created an entire new universe with its own set of physics laws, religions, cultures, etc. His characters span generations and the writing is that of a master of the craft. He mapped out the history of this universe; there were wars that affected the present of the novel, changing the culture. It's breathtaking when you grasp just how detailed Herbert was with his series, just how meticulous and dedicated he was.
As a result, though, the novels are very thick, difficult to read. They are not for the casual reader looking for something to read while tanning in the summer or to curl up with in bed. I suggest only the most dedicated readers who are looking for a challenge pick up the Dune series. And even for those who are dedicated readers, be warned, you won't finish one of the novels in a day. It will take time to sift through all the information in the text. After all, you have to erase almost everything you know of our world in order to comprehend the world of Dune.
Unfortunately, Herbert died after he published the sixth book in the series. But the Dune name has not died. Herbert had kept detailed notes of the Dune series and what he was planning to add to the series. Now Brian Herbert, his son, and Kevin J. Anderson have taken up the Dune mantle, continuing the story. Though the style of writing is not exactly like the elder Herbert, B. Herbert and Anderson have tried to stick to the format of Herbert's originals being as detailed as he was.
And now, for your reading pleasure, is the list of the novels in the Dune series. The titles are linked to amazon.com so you can read the summaries. I've also listed them in chronological order with prequels first.
Legends of Dune:
-The Butlerian Jihad (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-The Machine Crusade (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-The Battle of Corrin (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
Prelude to Dune:
-Dune: House Atreides (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-Dune: House Harkonnen (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-Dune: House Corrino (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
Classic Dune:
-Dune (Frank Herbert)
-Dune Messiah (Frank Herbert)
-Children of Dune (Frank Herbert)
-God Emperor of Dune (Frank Herbert)
-Heretics of Dune (Frank Herbert)
-Chapterhouse: Dune (Frank Herbert)
The Grand Climax:
-Hunters of Dune (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
-Sandworms of Dune (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
Heroes of Dune Trilogy:
-Paul of Dune (Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
Other:
-The Road to Dune (Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson)
I hope you all enjoy Dune as much as I have. It's a wonderful sci-fi series and the only series of the genre that I've read. Look for my post on Friday about an award winning Fantasy author that influenced me to make Fantasy my favorite genre of literature.
~Nepenthe