Pegasus by Robin McKinley

You might pick up this book thinking it will be a nice story about winged horses, but you’ll be wrong. Robin McKinley takes the traditional mythological creature, the Pegasus, and turns it on its’ head. This is one of my current favorite fantasy books. Being a horse lover I did pick it up because of the title but, I am glad I did. The pegasi we meet are intelligent, beautiful, and powerful even if they cannot communicate fully with their human allies.

Our story begins when in a tradition which has existed for over a thousand years, the human princess Sylvi is bound with Ebon, a royal Pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. But this time something is very different. They are shocked to be able to speak telepathically to each other. As they explore their new relationship and the impact it will have on both their societies, they meet obstacles and threats which could tear them, and their people, apart.

McKinley is masterful at weaving a world of beauty and magic and her description of the pegasi language, art, and family is amazing. At times I felt I could soar with Sylvi and Ebon, and when I finally put the book down I almost felt a sense of loss of that freedom and grace. Reading Pegasus is like travelling to another world and I cannot wait to visit it again.

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Peter and Max: a Fables Novel by Bill Willingham

Do you enjoy fairy tales? How about when classic tales are given a new twist? Are you a fan of the ABC TV show Once Upon a Time? If you said yes, then you’ll want to check out Peter & Max. This novel is based on Bill Willingham’s award-winning Fables series of graphic novels (featured on our blog twice before). But, you don’t have to have read any of the graphic novels to enjoy the story of Peter & Max. Much like in Once Upon a Time there are fairy tale characters now living in our mundane world. They have fled to our world as the invading goblin army of the Adversary has slowly swallowed up their homelands, and they now live in hiding in New York City and on a farm upstate. Also like the TV show Once, the story of Peter & Max alternates between the current day in our world and what happened long ago in their homelands.

The story begins in modern times on a farm, where Peter Piper and his wife Bo live on an isolated parcel.  Rose Red comes to see them and deliver some bad news to Peter. It seems that his brother Max is in our world. Why is this bad news? Well, those old sibling rivalries can turn very ugly when allowed to fester for a few centuries, especially when one brother travels the path of dark magic and destruction. Peter soon sets out to confront his brother and knows that one way or another it will be their final encounter and that one of them will die.

Long, long ago, back in his home world, Peter and his family of traveling musicians went to the annual fair and stopped to visit their friends the Peeps. During their stay with the Peeps, Peter’s father bestows a magical flute called Frost on him. Max is instantly jealous because he is the oldest son and accuses Peter of stealing it. Meanwhile, the Adversary’s army has just invaded and conquered, causing the Pipers and Peeps to flee into the Black Forest. While in the woods the group is savagely attacked and they must split up in hopes of making it to safety. While Peter escapes to Hamelin Town, Max spends years in the vast forest, slowly growing more evil-minded until he is found by a powerful witch who gives Max his own magic flute, which responds to his powers of dark magic.

The alternating chapters move the separate stories forward filling us in on what else happened to Peter, Max, and Bo that led them to where they are today. The conclusion is a powerful showdown that fully lived up to my expectations and even surprised me! This is a very fast-paced book with plenty of action to keep the reader turning pages. The novel is also illustrated throughout by the talented Steve Leialoha (who worked on the Fables comics). I highly recommend Peter & Max – an original prose novel by a guy who’s won awards for writing comic books.

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Greatest Hits: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Join us the next five days and kick off the new year with The Book-A-Day Blog’s most popular posts of 2012!

 

Kowal chose a fitting title for this Regency Era-with-a-magical-twist novel, for I found it both light and sweet. Jane Ellsworth, 28, has resigned herself to spinsterhood, but is still young enough to be jealous of her younger sister, Melody’s, beauty and likelihood of making a good marriage match. Melody, in turn, is envious of Jane’s talent with all the womanly arts that make a lady accomplished – especially her skill with glamour.

 

Glamour, the magic in this novel, is the manipulation of surrounding ether to create illusions or enhancements of sound, sight and smell. A variety of people seem to be able to work with glamour, but well-born ladies are taught how to use it to add beauty to their surroundings. Kowal does not let the magic overpower the story, it is simply an additional layer.

 

With the arrival of a mysterious glamourist, along with several other visitors to neighboring families in Dorchester, Jane and Melody begin competing for the attention of marriageable men. If you are a fan of Austen, you will surely recognize a fellow fan’s tribute to her and hopefully, like me, enjoy this pleasant romance.

 

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Best ‘New to Us’ Books in 2012: Melissa O.’s Picks

I am what you would call an eclectic reader. I love mystery, science fiction, thrillers, inspirational, and I am an avid nonfiction reader. I also love young adult and even juvenile fiction. So you see my difficulty in describing my reading interests. The good news is this makes it easy for me to make reading suggestions! Here are five of my favorite older books I read or re-read this year. (Yes, I am a re-reader!)  — Melissa O.

Skull Duggery by Aaron Elkins
Gideon Oliver is a forensic anthropologist (think old bones instead of recent murders). When Gideon joins his wife on a trip to Mexico he finds himself reluctantly pulled into yet another murder mystery. And it turns out someone will kill to keep it unsolved! Elkins manages to bring just the right amount of humor into his books, and you get the added bonus of traveling the world with the bone detective as he gets roped into, or manages to trip into, another unsolved crime.

A Spell For Chameleon by Piers Anthony
I discovered this book in high school and it remains my favorite humorous fantasy series. We meet Bink, the only citizen of Xanth with no magic, a tragedy for which he will be exiled. So he sets out to find his magic and just might win the girl of his dreams in the process. This is the first of the Xanth novels and I reread it this year to remind myself why I love these books so much. If you are a fan of puns you will die laughing!

Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead
This is the first in the Pendragon Cycle and sets the stage for the next four books. Lawhead expands on the usual Arthurian legends by weaving the mythic city of Atlantis into the tale. Lawhead also skillfully weaves a more prominent Christian message into the novels, but in a way that will not put-off non-Christians. In addition to Taliesin we meet Charis, a bull dancer, and watch their lives come together in one of the greatest love stories I have read recently.

The Sacrifice by Robert Whitlow
When you read Whitlow’s inspirational legal thrillers you can tell he is writing from experience. A practicing attorney for decades, his books are gripping and believable. We also get the added bonus that Whitlow is a local author and sets many of his books, including this one, in North Carolina. Scott Ellis is an attorney who finds himself advising a mock trial team at a high school. Add in a school shooting and you won’t be able to put this book down.

The Loch by Steve Alten
Alten takes the legend of the Loch Ness Monster and twists it on its head while including the right amount of science to keep my inner biologist happy. Zach Wallace returns to Scotland when his estranged father is accused of murder. Unfortunately, Angus’s sole defense is that “something” in the Loch killed his business partner. Zach must solve the mystery even as more bodies continue to pile up. Much sleep was sacrificed as I was sucked into this story!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.”

So begins a fascinating journey into the magical world of Le Cirque des Rêves, a black and white circus of dreams that is only open from dusk until dawn, and while it has none of the typical circus attractions, what it does have is much more magical and enchanting.  However, all is not as it appears.  This circus is actually the stage for the fierce competition between two young magicians, pitted against each other from a young age by their mentors. And while they each know they are engaged in a competition and the circus is their venue, they do not know the rules or the way the contest must end.  They are not even known to each other until they discover it for themselves, and by then they have fallen in love, making the stakes much higher.

This is Erin Morgenstern’s first novel. She is also a visual artist and that is very evident by her vivid descriptions which make the circus seem so real that you can smell the caramel wafting through the air.

I loved being drawn into this dreamlike world and enjoyed the split narration the author employed which is in a nonlinear progression.  Morgenstern deftly takes the reader back and forth among the characters, occasionally inserting a page that is specifically for us, the readers.  Besides the two main characters, there are many others who add breadth and depth to the story.  It has been compared to both the Twilight series and the Harry Potter series, but I think it is distinctly its own creation and one that I would love to lose myself in for an evening or two of revelry.

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The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey

Mercedes Lackey has been a favorite author for years, ever since I picked up the first novel of Valdemar, but I have fallen in love with her Five Hundred Kingdoms series. The Sleeping Beauty made me laugh so hard I cried. These books have just the right mix of action, humor, and fantasy.

The driving force behind all these stories is THE TRADITION and the fairy godmothers. Imagine living in the Five Hundred Kingdoms where lives are directed to follow the path of traditional fairy tales, and now imagine you have other ideas for how life should go. “That’s the prince I’m supposed to marry and live Happily Ever After with? Uh uh. No way. No how.” I love it.

Along with the more recognizable fairy tales, in this novel Lackey adds another dimension by pulling in some Norse traditional tales. I really enjoyed the novelty while still laughing at the inside jokes as she poked fun at Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

If you thought you were a fan of fairy tales before, you have to experience Lackey’s take on the genre. She takes the traditional stories we all grew up on and twists them on their head in the most delightful way. Involuntary outbursts of laughter in public places are a possible side effect. Read with caution unless in the privacy of your own home.

If you enjoy this book, I highly recommend any of her Valdemar series. It is a fantasy world you can easily get lost in.

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Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Kowal chose a fitting title for this Regency Era-with-a-magical-twist novel, for I found it both light and sweet. Jane Ellsworth, 28, has resigned herself to spinsterhood, but is still young enough to be jealous of her younger sister, Melody’s, beauty and likelihood of making a good marriage match. Melody, in turn, is envious of Jane’s talent with all the womanly arts that make a lady accomplished – especially her skill with glamour.

Glamour, the magic in this novel, is the manipulation of surrounding ether to create illusions or enhancements of sound, sight and smell. A variety of people seem to be able to work with glamour, but well-born ladies are taught how to use it to add beauty to their surroundings. Kowal does not let the magic overpower the story, it is simply an additional layer.

With the arrival of a mysterious glamourist, along with several other visitors to neighboring families in Dorchester, Jane and Melody begin competing for the attention of marriageable men. If you are a fan of Austen, you will surely recognize a fellow fan’s tribute to her and hopefully, like me, enjoy this pleasant romance.

Find and reserve this book in our catalog.

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

This week we’re featuring some of our favorite Audio Books, just in time for planning your summer road trips. You can also click the Audio Books tag at the bottom of this post or at the top of the tag cloud on the right hand side of our blog’s home page for more great audio book suggestions!

Are you intrigued by the magical city of Venice? Did you love Peter Pan as a child? If so, then the juvenile novel, The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, is a book you’re sure to enjoy this summer, either reading the book to yourself on the beach, or listening to the audio in the car with the entire family. The winner of several European Children’s Book Awards, it is a captivating read both for its story and its immersion into the mysterious and beautiful city of Venice which is, in its own way, another character in this story.

The book follows the story of two brothers, Bo and Prosper, who run away to Venice after their mother dies and they are put in the care of their cruel aunt and uncle who only want to keep Bo, the younger boy. In Venice they are befriended by a group of orphans who are supported by an enigmatic young man who calls himself the Thief Lord. The Thief Lord keeps them sheltered in an old movie theatre and fed by stealing goods from the wealthy homes in Venice and selling them to an unscrupulous shopkeeper. The Thief Lord is soon commissioned to steal an unusual article that leads the story into many twists and turns. Finally, it comes to a magical/fantastical climax on the Isola Segreta where a relic is enshrined that will change their lives forever. I first listened to the book driving back and forth to work and then reread it for a children’s book club selection, totally enjoying it both times. All the children and adults I know who have read it have also felt the same way about this exceptional book – an enjoyable escape.

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The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

In the good news of Luke, humans have all kinds of difficulties recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. The demons, however, see it instantly. “You are the Son of God!” they shout, but Jesus rebukes them. He would “not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.” (Luke 4:41.)

To Satan, nothing is more ridiculous than the notion that there is no God, so obviously the Evil One finds the Soviet Union a laughable endeavor. A state that claims that religions, myths, legends, and all things supernatural are simply invented in order to oppress the proletariat – what could be more absurd than that?

In the 1930s, professor Woland, a black magician, enters the city of Moscow, the capital of Soviet Union, and he encounters the editor Berlioz and the poet Ivan. Woland learns that the editor does not believe in Jesus, and this makes Woland worried, as it probably means that Berlioz doesn’t believe in the devil either.

Suddenly, the morning turns to night, the conversation begins to take on puzzling qualities, and eventually Woland claims that a young, Soviet woman will cut Berlioz’s head off.
What?

The editor decides to contact a mental institution to see if they are not missing a patient, but before Berlioz can make the call, he falls under a streetcar and his head is severed. The streetcar operator turns out to be – yes, a young, Soviet woman.

The Master and Margarita mixes slapstick with profound wisdom, theological depth, and sharp criticism of some traits of the young state. It is a mind-boggling tall tale about satanic ventures, the power of love, and the substance of the arts.

Woland is one of the great literary creations of all time, and who or what he is, is up for debate. He appears different to different people and his name has been linked to German names for the devil or a demon (Voland, Faland, etc – Voldemort, anyone?) So perhaps he is Satan. Or Stalin, a foreigner (like Woland) who terrorized the Russians and other Soviet citizens. Or both. And much, much more.

Anyway, he’s not alone. He has a few friends and followers. One of them is a cat, Behemoth. He’s big. Huge, actually. In fact, man-sized. And he walks on his hind legs. And drinks vodka. And wreaks havoc in Moscow. So, Behemoth is evidently not only what he seems to be – a huge cat – but he is also something else. And that’s The Master and Margarita in a nutshell.

See what my colleague, Sarah K., had to say about this book a couple of years ago, too.

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Mirror, Mirror by Gregory Maguire

An evil queen with a bent toward vanity.
A mirror that reveals “who is the fairest one of all”.
A girl with skin white as snow and hair black as night.
Seven dwarves in forest cottage
A poisoned apple.

Sounds familiar, right? True to form, in this novel Gregory Maguire reimagines a fairy tale and embellishes  the tale with darker and quirkier details than even the Brothers Grimm could concoct.  Maguire paints the world of Bianca de Nevada (Maguire’s name for Snow White) with just enough reality and vivid detail that the fantasy aspects are nearly believable.  The novel is set in 16th century Italy, the era of oligarchy, political intrigue, and papal corruption.  The evil “queen” in this version is Lucrezia Borgia, the real-life illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI, who is obsessed with her own beauty and power.  She enters the tale collaborating with her brother, Cesare, to convince Bianca’s father to go on a dangerous quest. They want him to steal three apples from the Tree of Knowledge that are protected by an order of monks.  Even though Vicente de Nevada does not want to leave his daughter to go on the quest, the Borgia’s threaten Bianca’s life if Vicente does not comply.  After he leaves, the tale continues, including the basics of the original story, with the addition of many scrumptious details.

After listening to the audio version of Wicked several years ago, I was intrigued by the writing of Gregory Maguire, and I’m surprised it’s taken me this long to try another one of his novels.  Having seen the musical, Wicked, before reading the book, Maguire’s writing style initially caught me off guard.  It was much darker and more postmodern than the theater version, and I wasn’t sure if I liked it at first, because I wasn’t prepared for some of its more “adult” content. But, once I stopped comparing the two versions, I was able to really appreciate Maguire’s ability as storyteller.  Because of my previous experience with Maguire’s writing, I was better primed to enjoy Mirror, Mirror.  I enjoy adapted fairy tales, historical fiction, and writing that makes me reread sentences so I can fully grasped the depth of thought contained in them.  Mirror, Mirror is a wonderful mix of all three.

Long story short, this novel is a reimagined fairy tale, rich in imagery and unexpected interpretations.  Maguire’s literary talent very evident, which makes for an enjoyable, yet thought-provoking read.

Click here to find this grown-up fairy tale in our catalog.