Category: Fantasy

Classic Review: A Squire’s Tale

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fantasy, Juvenile, Reviews2 Comments

One of my favorite retellings of Camelot is The Squire’s Tales series by Gerald Morris.  It’s a ten-book series that he recently finished, retelling different Arthurian legends.  I admit the quality varies from book to book, but there are truly excellent ones in here, and I love the world he created.  The first book, reviewed below, is one of the excellent ones.  Somehow I still haven’t reviewed the later ones…I really should some time!

***************************

Who was King Arthur’s greatest knight?  I haven’t polled anyone, but I have this feeling that if I did, the answer would come back as Lancelot.  But not if I asked Gerald Morris.  He’s of the opinion that it was Sir Gawain–and after reading his Camelot series, I’m in his camp on this one.

The first in the series is The Squire’s Tale.  The squire in question is Terence, and, as you no doubt expect, he’s squire to Sir Gawain.  From Camelot to the fairy realm of the Other World, the two embark on a series of adventures, some hilarious and others suspenseful.

Terence is one of those heroes who is charmingly unassuming.  I’m sure it never occurs to him to think of himself as a hero–after all, he’s “only” a squire.  Sir Gawain probably knows he’s heroic–he’s got the horse and the armor and the sword, after all, along with the knighthood.  But he’s also wonderfully down to earth and practical.  For instance, when he encounters a knight who wants to fight anyone crossing a river, Gawain wants to know why, and doesn’t the man have anything better to do with his time?

I think I love Morris’ books, not only for the wonderful characters, but equally as much for the world they live in.  Morris tells Camelot the way it ought to be–Arthur is wise and noble, his knights are brave and loyal, there are recreant knights to fight at every crossroads, and mysterious magical beings (including one bearing a marked resemblance to Puck) lurk behind the trees.  And all of it with that practical bent that pokes a little fun at the more absurd parts of the legends.  I suppose there’s a place for stories of the darker side of Camelot, but I like Morris’ sunlit version.

And it’s not that there aren’t villains and danger, or that anyone is so saccharinely good that it gets dull.  The adventures are exciting, the characters are human, and watching Gawain and Terence grow as people and as friends adds more depth to the story too.  I love stories about comrades in arms–people who have fought together and struggled together and would die together if it came to that.  Except it probably won’t, because they’re good at what they do, and they’re even better together.  That’s why I like Star Trek too.  But that’s another review.

At the end of each book, Morris includes an author’s note about the Arthurian legends he drew on for his story.  Terence is original, but many of the other characters and plot elements come from older tales.  Some are familiar, and others are very surprising–especially some of those more absurd ones.

And if you’re wondering where the Green Knight is…that’s the second book in the series.  And another review.  🙂

The World Behind the Game Screen

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fantasy, Juvenile, Reviews3 Comments

I headed to the movies this weekend to see Wreck-It Ralph–and it was adorable!

The premise centers around the magical question: what if all the imaginary characters really were alive?  What if toys came to life when we weren’t looking, what if characters crept out of books to hang out together when the library was closed, what if the Tiki Room birds really did get up every morning and perform dozens of shows a day?

And what if the characters in arcade games were going about their lives somewhere behind the screen?

As you might guess, this is a question that has always fascinated me!

Wreck-It Ralph is an enormously fun romp through arcade games, with endearing characters and a surprisingly warm message–without getting saccharine, despite an over-abundance of sugar!

Ralph (John C. Reilly) is the villain character in Fix-It Felix Jr., whose role is to wreck the apartment building every game.  After thirty years, Ralph is tired of always being treated as the villain, even when the game is turned off.  In a slightly contrived plot-turn, he vows to leave his game and go win a medal, proving that he can be a hero too.  The quest takes him first to Hero’s Duty, a violent shooter-game, and then into Sugar Rush, a candy-themed racing game.  In Sugar Rush, he meets Vanellope, a little girl who dreams of being a racer but has been banned because she’s a “glitch,” a program error who visually shorts out when upset.  Meanwhile, Fix-It Felix Jr. is in danger of being turned off without Ralph, and all is not well in Sugar Rush…and a fair amount of havoc ensues.

The concept of this is SO much fun.  I love that arcade game characters can travel between each other’s games.  The support group for Bad Guys is held in Pac Man, and when they’re off-duty, characters hang out in Tapper’s, a bar game.  The animation is great for portraying this world, because it can change as characters go from one game to another.  And there are so many gaming references in here; I’m not much of a video or arcade game player, but some things everyone can get–and I suspect the more you know, the better it is!

This has great characters as well–Ralph is likable as a “Bad Guy who’s not a bad guy,” who’s been trapped in his role all his life.  Vanellope (voiced by Sarah Silverman) walks a very fine line, somehow being  annoying yet ultimately sympathetic too.  And I loved Calhoun, the tough-as-nails, single-minded female soldier from Hero’s Duty.  She’s voiced by Jane Lynch, who you might recognize as Sue from Glee.  I think all three characters are sympathetic in part because you come to realize they’re not nearly as hard or as tough as they want to act.  And then there’s Fix-It Felix (Jack McBrayer), who is not remotely tough, but literally bounces through life (with sound effects very reminiscent of Mario), wonderfully polite and eager to please.

I have to also note King Candy, the affable yet sinister monarch of Sugar Rush.  I didn’t realize until writing this review that he was voiced by Alan Tudyk, beloved of geeks for his role as Wash in Firefly.  He was plainly channeling Ed Wynn (Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins)–from listening to the voice, I would have sworn it was Ed Wynn if I didn’t know he couldn’t possibly still be alive.

To give due nod to a very minor character, I love that the main human we see playing the arcade games is a girl.  And she’s not just playing Sugar Rush–she’s playing Hero’s Duty too.  Way to break the stereotypes!

If you can’t tell already, this is a wonderfully funny movie, from Felix’s bouncing to Ralph and Vanellope’s banter, from the ridiculous characters in Sugar Rush to the parodies of games–and sometimes life.  Whenever he passes through Game Central Station between games, Ralph gets stopped for security screening and is convinced he’s being profiled.

The plot is occasionally contrived, but the humor is excellent, the characters are endearing, and ultimately it’s a wonderful story about finding yourself.  You may want to bring some candy into the theater–Sugar Rush will make you want it–and you may want to plan some time for arcade games too!

Movie Site: http://disney.go.com/wreck-it-ralph/ (But be warned, the trailer is so-so.)

IMDB Profile: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1772341/ (with a better trailer!)

Classic Review: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fantasy, Juvenile, ReviewsLeave a comment

Things are a little busy around here for NaNoWriMo right now…so I’m opening up my archives and sharing another Classic Review.

Right now I have kind of a thing for fairy tales.  When I was younger, though, I had a mythology thing.  Some interests never quite go away, and so I’ve been enjoying Rick Riordan’s mythology-based novels immensely.  I’ve read all of his Percy Jackson books and the Kane Chronicles, and can recommend them all.  Today, here’s a look back at the first Percy Jackson book.

****************************

I wish Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan had been around when I was twelve.  I went through a period when I was obsessed with Greek mythology, and I think I would have LOVED these books.  Or else I would have had fits over every tiny detail that was inaccurate–it could have tipped either way.  But since my adult self didn’t actually notice any inaccuracies, I’m guessing my 12-year-old self would have been a big fan.

I read The Lightning Thief, the first book in the series, and while I don’t think I’m going to develop a raging obsession now, I did enjoy the book quite a bit.  The basic premise is that all the characters from Greek and Roman mythology have carried on into the modern world, still essentially doing what they’ve always done.  One of the things they’ve always done is to have children with mortals, which means there are still a lot of half-god children running around.  Percy Jackson finds out his absentee father is actually the water god Poseidon, just in time to get tangled up in a quest for Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt.  Its theft is perilously close to bringing on a war between the gods that could destroy the world as we know it.

I love the concept of these books.  I love the Greek gods brought into the modern day, and I’d really love to see more of how they’re fitting in with modernity.  Hermes has sneakers with wings and Ares rides a really tough motorcycle, for example.  I think it would be fantastic to find out, say, that Apollo (god of music) is completely obsessed with iTunes and thinks Rock Band is pretty awesome, or that Aphrodite (goddess of love) is actually running eHarmony.  How fun would that be?

Percy is good as a character; I can’t say he made a huge impression on me.  Maybe there’s too many slightly-screw-up characters who find themselves as heroes.  I’m not criticizing him as a character…but the one who I feel fonder towards is Grover, his satyr (half-goat) friend.  I think he’s more unique, as an environmentally-conscious satyr who really likes food, especially burritos and aluminum cans.  I also rather cherish the mental image of Grover careening through the air wearing Hermes’ out-of-control sneakers.

One criticism I do have of the book is that the quest felt a bit random.  Percy, Grover and their friend Annabeth set out, and along the way encounter several adventures, but they seem to just sort of bump into these adventures.  I would have liked to feel that there was a reason they were encountering the villains they were meeting, or going to the places they were reaching.  One caveat–I saw the movie first, and maybe I’m not the only one who felt this, because in the movie they definitely did have certain places to go and then set about going there.  This in turn may be why I felt particularly that they were a little aimless when I then read the book.

I actually haven’t heard Percy Jackson referred to as the next Harry Potter, the way everyone kept saying when Twilight became popular, even though it’s certainly closer in terms of themes and target audience.  I also think all three series have something in common, which may be a clue to why all three are popular.  It’s something Cleolinda Jones zeroed in on with her Twilight analysis, and that’s this element of suddenly finding your place.

You know you’ve been out of place and unpopular and kind of a screw-up your whole life?  That’s okay, you’re not really unworthy, you’re special!  And now you’re being transported to a new place where everyone realizes that what seemed like flaws are really gifts, and now you’re going to make new friends and be good at things and succeed like never before.  In some ways, Percy Jackson is even more transparent about this than Harry or Twilight (or Cinderella, for that matter).  Percy’s dyslexia is because his brain is wired for ancient Greek, and his ADD is to help him stay alive in battle.  When he goes to Camp Half-Blood, the training place for half-gods, he doesn’t become immediately popular (neither does Harry at Hogwarts, although Bella does in Forks), but he does become the prodigy of Chiron (trainer of Hercules, among others), and altogether begins to fit in.  And while I may poke at the idea a little bit as being a formula…it’s one that works very, very well.

A knowledge of Greek mythology would be helpful here, but I doubt it’s essential.  But you do need an interest, because by the time you’re done, you’ll have at least a little knowledge.  The Lightning Thief is a fun book and an exciting one, even if I don’t love it the way I might have at twelve!

Author’s site: http://www.percyjacksonbooks.com/

The Graveyard Book Read-Along, Week Three

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fantasy, Juvenile, Reviews9 Comments

This month, I’m participating in a read-along of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, as part of R.I.P.  We’re looking at a few chapters a week, with no specific questions for each post.  This week’s discussion is on the last two chapters.  See my first post here.

So much to love in these last two chapters–and so much to be desperately sad about!  Since we’re talking about the end, there will be spoilers…  Warning duly noted, let’s jump in!

Chapter seven is practically a novella, and right from the title, “Every Man Jack,” it promises us resolutions to the arching plot of the book.  I love how this chapter ties bits and pieces together from almost every earlier, disparate chapter.  A teenage Scarlett (chapter two) comes back to town, and finds her way to the graveyard and to Bod.  She also meets Mr. Frost, a soft-spoken academic…who in a brilliant twist turns out to be the man Jack.  I love that too–and you’d think I’d remember it!  But I didn’t, so I got to be surprised again.  This is why I enjoy rereading.

Meanwhile, Silas has disappeared from the graveyard on mysterious business.  We find out that he’s with Miss Lupescu (chapter three) and other comrades in a desperate fight against a group of enemies.  And I love that we have a last stand featuring a mummy, a werewolf and (though it’s never said, it’s pretty obvious) a vampire.  I love that we get all the classic horror monsters, and in this case they get to band together and be the heroes.  Love that.  I do have to admit, though, that parts of this confused me.  It eventually becomes clear they’re fighting the Jacks, but exactly where and how…I found that muddled.

Back at the graveyard, Bod finally has to confront not only the man Jack but several of his associates, the creepy men from that rather creepy convention we saw in the Interlude.  I love their names: Jack Dandy, Jack Nimble, Jack Tar.  I don’t get Jack Ketch–is that a reference I don’t know?  I love that Bod has to use all his knowledge and friendships from growing up in the graveyard to protect himself and Scarlett–he makes use of the ghoul gate (chapter three), gets help from Liza the witch (chapter four) and ultimately uses his experience of the Sleer (chapter two) to defeat the man Jack.

I love that Bod has to really embrace who he is as a child of the graveyard–realizing that he doesn’t need to “learn” his name.  He is Nobody Owens.  He uses all that he’s learned to protect himself and his friend.  And I love that Gaiman manages to handle all the men Jack without Bod actually killing any of them.  As a writer, I know that requires much more creativity than just killing the villain.

I am desperately, desperately sad about Scarlett.  Bod felt so drawn to her, and she was his only human friend…and then she becomes afraid of him…!  It’s such a tragic twist, that in the process of embracing his own identity and vanquishing his enemy, Bod ends up losing his friend.  He protected her, and then she rejects him for it.  I love the emotional tug of it–brilliant storytelling–while being so sad for him, and so disappointed that Scarlett couldn’t make the leap to accept him.

Chapter eight is very bittersweet as well.  Almost an epilogue chapter, Bod is growing up and that means leaving the graveyard.  It’s so sad that he can no longer see this community that he’s grown up in, while at the same time it’s exciting that he’s going to go explore the world beyond the graveyard.  The ghosts and the graveyard become a metaphor for childhood as he has to leave it behind to become an adult.

I get the metaphor, and it’s effective.  But I do wish the graveyard could still be there for him to go back to, the way some of the joys and wonder of childhood can still be found by adults.  And also, the idea of a sixteen year old boy with scarcely any experience of the world going out into the world alone–it sets off all kinds of screaming alarms in my head.  Silas, this is not responsible guardianship!  At least take him on a Grand Tour before sending him off by himself!

Though on the other hand…Bod set off into the world alone as a toddler, and made his way to the graveyard.  Now, at sixteen, he’s continuing that journey.

And I love his last exchange with Silas.  Love.

And I love to think that someday, after a long life full of lots of adventures and meeting people who won’t run away, I love to think that Bod comes back to the graveyard.

I’d also love to see a sequel about Bod’s adventures in the world.  Such potential for so much more.

In the meantime, I have thoroughly enjoyed taking a leisurely trip through this book again, and loved all the thought-provoking discussion on everyone’s blogs.  Big thank you to Carl for hosting, and to everyone for all your wonderful thoughts!

Reveling in Revels Below Fairyland

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fantasy, Reviews, Young Adult8 Comments

I spent this past weekend reading The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente.  I loved it.  It’s my second contender for “favorite new book this year” which is not altogether surprising–since it’s tied with The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.

I already reviewed the first book in the series, and all the wonderful things from that book carried over here–the magic and the whimsy and the beautiful, beautiful writing.  This series combines so much of the loveliness of classic children’s fantasy with more complex characters facing more complicated choices.

The last book promised us this sequel was coming, and I think it’s worth quoting that line again: All stories must end so, with the next tale winking out of the corners of the last pages, promising more, promising moonlight and dancing and revels, if only you will come back when spring comes again.

The second book begins with our heroine, September, eagerly looking forward to a return to Fairyland.  I’m drawn in right at the beginning, as Valente explores how hard it really would be for Dorothy to go back to Kansas–I mean, for September to go back to Nebraska.  It doesn’t take long for her to fall back into Fairyland, where she eagerly anticipates fun adventures with her friends–only to discover that something has gone awry.  September lost her shadow in the first book, and now she finds out that someone has been stealing shadows (and with them, magic) away from Fairyland.  September must go on a quest into Fairyland Below–and there we find “moonlight and dancing and revels.”  September meets old friends strangely changed and many new creatures and places that are decidedly odd indeed.  Fairyland Below is a darker, more mysterious place and September doesn’t always know who she can trust.

The Girl Who Fell still has L. Frank Baum’s whimsy and J. M. Barrie’s charming way of addressing the reader, with an added dash of Lewis Carroll.  September goes to a quite strange tea and coffee house, and we see chess references occasionally too.

Unlike Peter Pan (or really all the endlessly-young, never-changing children of classic fantasy), September is begining to grow up in this volume.  She feels things a little deeper, thinks a little more, and there are just a few hints of romance.  I love September; she’s a brave, resourceful girl who wants to solve the problems around her and do the right thing.  But she doesn’t always know what the right thing is, and she struggles to know who she is herself, and what role she’s meant to play.

Many major characters from the previous book, like A-through-L, September and the Marquess return in this one–but Fairyland Below is dark and mysterious and all may not be quite as it seems.  We also get to go to a Goblin Market, meet a minotaur and a dodo bird, and seek out a sleeping prince.  There’s philosophy and there’s lyrical writing and we even get to play a bit with fairy tale tropes.

It is perhaps not a perfect book.  There are a few time-jumps that are slightly disconcerting, and the ending is maybe a touch convenient.  Though the ending makes me happy, so I don’t actually mind that much.  And even if it’s not perfect, it comes very close.  Unquestionably one of the best new books I’ve read this year.

Really, I don’t know how to do justice to this book.  I loved it.  I really, really, really loved it.  I follow Valente on Twitter and she’s been referencing work on Fairyland 3.  I will be pre-ordering that one as soon as it becomes available!

Author’s Site: http://www.catherynnemvalente.com/

Other reviews:
Little Red Reviewer
The Book Smugglers
Books Writing Tea
Anyone else?