Memphis Reads Archive

Fiction/ Science Fiction/Fantasy/ Young Adult

Melissa reviews THREE DARK CROWNS by Kendare Blake (HarperTeen, 2016)

What happens when the glorious war of sisterly rivalry becomes a matter of life or death? When the right to reign supreme is eclipsed by the ever-consuming desire to win at all costs? Kendare Blake answers both questions in this novel, by giving readers a glimpse into the minds and hearts of the eponymous crowns’ bearers.

Labels: Fantasy, Fiction, Reviews by Melissa W., Science Fiction, Young Adult

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Visit the Memphis Library Overdrive page to browse, reserve, and check out items for free.


Young Adult Fiction/Fantasy

Linda reviews THE RAVEN KING (The Raven Cycle, #4)  by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Press, 2014)


Wow! Maggie Stiefvater has done it again!

Labels: Fantasy, Fiction, Reviews by Linda Wong, Science Fiction, Staff book reviews, Young Adult

Science Fiction/Fantasy/Young Adult





Carolina Salcedo, Randolph Branch

Labels: Fantasy, Readers' Advisory Annotations, Reviews by Carolina Salcedo, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Fiction/Fantasy 

Labels: Fantasy, Fiction, Readers' Advisory Annotations, Reviews by Shelley Moore

"What's Your Flavor" is a series of reader's advisory sessions where library staff learn the distinctive qualities of fiction and non-fiction genres. After each session they are tasked with selecting a book to read and review. 


Reader’s Advisory: Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Review

Science Fiction/Fantasy/Young Adult





Linda Wong, Bartlett Public Library

Labels: Fantasy, Readers' Advisory Annotations, Reviews by Linda Wong, Science Fiction, Staff book reviews, Young Adult

Fiction/Fantasy/Young Adult



This book was amazing!  

Nakia Armstrong, Central Library

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Nakia Armstrong, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Fiction/Fantasy

Jason reviews A GAME OF THRONES (Book 1 of A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R.R. Martin (Bantam, 1996) 

I was inspired to read this book after watching the first two seasons of the excellent HBO series of the same name.  For those uninitiated, the series is based in a medieval fantasy realm that includes magic and dragons, but spends very little time on either (at least in the first two books) in order to focus on the human characters.  While I really enjoy magic elements in my fantasy novels, I believe this is a smart move as it makes the world that much more believable.  I anticipate magic and dragons will play a larger role as the series progresses, but we are just starting to get to know these characters and the realistic settings helps us connect with them that much easier.

The first book switches between nine points of view to tell three larger stories that could easily be separate books on their own.  The game of thrones that is the first book’s namesake is the main focus of this book and focuses on the political and military maneuvering to become the new king.  Some characters fight for greed or power, others fight for freedom and still others fight for revenge.  The second major story hasn’t made much progress yet, but it focuses on a group of young men that have dedicated their lives to protecting the large dissolving country from foreign and possibly supernatural forces.  The third major story is about a young princess in a foreign country across the sea that wishes to reclaim her throne by marrying into a barbarian like community.

If it’s not already clear, these books are dense.  The first book is around 700 pages and the most recent fifth book has reached over 1000 pages.  The print is rather small and details are jam-packed into this book, this is not a quick read.  It is a rewarding one though and although the first book doesn’t really give any kind of closure, it’s not really expected to do so.  This is a huge world with deep and varied characters; there cannot be easy resolutions to the problems that these characters face.

I highly recommend this book to those interested in deep worlds and want something a little more adult.  It combines things like Eragon’s rich and detailed world with Harry Potter’s deep and interesting characters to become something unique and incredibly interesting.  For those that have seen the show and want more before the new season airs, I would also recommend the book.  The show follows the books surprisingly well so you really won’t miss too much if you skip ahead to the next book as you will already know all the main plot points, but the book gets into a lot more detail on several interesting points that the show had to rush through.  For those that have seen the show, things like Robb’s rise to power, Zansa’s interactions with Joffery and hints at Jon Snow’s parentage are just a few of the details you would be able to get that show hasn’t provided.  Chances are if you had a question on why a character did what they did in show it’s covered in this book, so give it a read.

Jason Sharp, Whitehaven Library

Labels: Fantasy, Fiction, Reviews by Jason Sharp

Fiction/Fantasy 

Jason reviews SLAYERS by C.J. Hill (Feiwel and Friends, 2011)

Slayers is a low fantasy YA novel about a pretty young rich girl who discovers that she has been descended from dragon slayers and is now destined to kill newly awakening dragons in order to save the world.  This book isn’t quite as fast paced as other YA books, but the characters are strong and interesting and the author is good at building tension.

The main character is perceived by everyone around her as a stereotype and it’s interesting watching her not only fight off the stereotypes surrounding, but also trying to rise above her own weaknesses and shortcomings.  Other characters are equally strong and although a few of them a little one-dimensional, they are interesting and the book (which seems to be starting off a series) seems to hint at more character development later.  

As much as I enjoyed the book, there were a few shortcomings when it comes to predictability.  The author seems to have borrowed elements from too many other popular YA series, but doesn’t always do them as well as the other series.  The training camp that the group spends the majority of the book in is a little too similar to Half-Blood Camp in the Percy Jackson series and the clumsy attempts at shoehorning a love triangle almost from the start made me cringe a bit.  The plot is otherwise interesting and well-developed and I look forward to continuing the series.

Jason Sharp, Whitehaven Branch Library

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Jason Sharp, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Science Fiction and Fantasy were the genres discussed during the What's Your Flavor? session in April.

Angie reviews THE MAGICIANS AND MRS. QUENT by Galen Beckett (Bantam, 2008) 

Set in Invarel, an Austen-esque society with magic, the book begins with the Lockwell family: once prosperous, their prospects have now waned as their fortune has crumbled. The decline started with Mr. Lockwell, who has lost his mind, though no one knows exactly how or why; his forays into magic are the implied culprit. Now it is up to Ivy Lockwell, the oldest sister, to look after her family’s future – her two younger sisters, Rose and Lily, her somewhat feather-brained mother, and her ailing father – while also doing all she can to learn about what exactly happened to her father and why.

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Angie Price, Science Fiction

Fiction/Young Adult

Leanne reviews BEASTLY by Alex Flinn (HarperTeen, 2011)

Beastly is a young adult novel remake of Beauty and the Beast. The main character, Kyle, is an arrogant, physically attractive young man attending an upscale high school of privilege in New York City. He is extremely self-absorbed and self-serving. He lives with his TV newscaster father who indulges Kyle with money and things, but very little personal attention or time. Kyle successfully shapes and controls his world as he pleases, until...

Yep, there’s a witch in this story, too. Because of Kyle’s lack of caring compassion for others, and his hurtful actions and words, the witch puts a spell on him. Through this spell he is physically morphed into a big, hairy, hideous, frightening monster.

The remainder of the story chronicles Kyle’s scheming efforts to find someone to love and someone who will love him in return, in spite of his appearance. The only way the spell can be broken is by a kiss from his love.

This is a great modern fairy-tale read as Kyle’s attitudes, heart, and life are transformed in a most remarkable way.

Leanne Haggard, Bartlett Library

Labels: Fantasy, Fiction, Reviews by Leanne Haggard, Young Adult

Fiction/Horror

The horror fiction genre was discussed March 17 as part of the library's What's Your Flavor reader's advisory series. This is a review from one of the participants.

Audrey reviews GUILTY PLEASURES: AN ANITA BLAKE, VAMPIRE HUNTER NOVEL by Laurell K. Hamilton

"…I spend most of my waking hours confronting and destroying things that I fear. A thousand-year-old master vampire was a tall order, but a girl’s got to have a goal."

Meet Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. I am not a horror reader. But I love a smart-aleck, gutsy heroine. And Anita Blake is definitely that - sort of a grown-up Harriet the Spy in a paranormal world.

Guilty Pleasures is the first in a (to date) seventeen book series, set in St. Louis. This book is definitely plot-driven and not for the faint of heart--gore abounds, as do vampires, ghouls and were-rats (Were-rats?? Who knew?).

But through it all, Anita Blake is a captivating, believable and funny heroine, whose ruminations certainly made me chuckle while I anxiously turned the pages to see what would happen next. I was at times confused by so many characters flying in and out (pun intended) - but the plot’s the thing, and Anita triumphs to engage in many more books of vampire-hunting.

Recommended as a new adventure for open-minded non-horror readers who can tolerate some violence and gore.

From her website, laurellkhamilton.org:

"Laurell K. Hamilton is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of two series that mix mystery, fantasy, magic, horror and romance. Her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels from Penguin/Putnam Books began with GUILTY PLEASURES (now a hugely successful graphic novel from Marvel - the first sexy paranormal comic ever!) and continues with SKIN TRADE, number seventeen in the series.

There are now more than 6 million copies of Anita in print worldwide, in 16 languages."

Audrey May, LINC/2-1-1

Labels: Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal, Reviews by Audrey May

Fiction/Fantasy

Jason Sharp reviews DEAD WITCH WALKING by Kim Harrison (HarperTorch, 2004)

This is the first book (out of eight so far) in the Rachel Morgan series involving a witch, vampire, and pixie who form their own supernatural detective agency after quitting the bureaucratic ISA, an FBI-like organization that takes a termination notice a little too literally. Now Rachel is trying to balance the pressures of starting up her own supernatural agency while surviving assassination attempts by her former employer. Add in a strong heroine, supernatural elements, a dash of romance and lot of suspense and you get a great read.

Jason Sharp, Humanities Department

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Jason Sharp

Fiction

Beth reviews RUNNING HOT by Jayne Ann Krentz (Putnam, 2008)

I really enjoy books with a supernatural theme. This one had a bonus! The heroine is a librarian! Grace Renquist is a librarian who is able to see auras and dark flashes that show violence or evil. In this novel she is paired with ex-cop Luther Malone to do a psychic investigation for Jones & Jones. Luther, acting as Grace’s bodyguard, can use his psychic abilities to alter people’s moods through their auras.

Grace and Luther are sent to Hawaii, acting as honeymooners, to find a killer. Things quickly heat up between the two. Unfortunately, things also heat up as they contend with the bad guys. The deadly drug created by the Arcane Society’s founder has been recreated and is causing chaos within the supernatural community. Can Grace and Luther hold off the trouble until back-up arrives? Will they survive the lethal psychic La Sirene, who, like a siren of ancient myth, kills with her singing voice?

Things are a bit far-fetched at times but who doesn’t love a great mystery with romance and the supernatural thrown in?


Beth, Highland Branch Library

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Beth, Romance

Fiction/Fantasy

Beth reviews SWALLOWING DARKNESS by Laurell K. Hamilton (Ballantine Books, 2008)

Another great book (no. 7) from Laurell K. Hamilton in her Meredith Gentry series! Meredith, or Merrie for short, is a princess of faerie and is fighting for her throne. Her aunt, the Queen of Shadow and Darkness, has promised the throne to either her son, Prince Cel, or to Meredith. The winner will be the one to have a child first. And now Merrie is with child. Twins in fact. Her uncle, King Taranis of Light and Illusion, kidnapped Merrie and raped her. Now he claims the children are his. But to be queen, Merrie must survive the next 8 months and protect her future king(s).

If you haven’t enjoyed this series and enjoy tales of faerie, I suggest starting with Book 1. Click here to read my review of Book 6.


Beth, Highland Branch Library

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Beth

Fiction/Fantasy

Beth reviews THE OUTLAW DEMON WAILS by Kim Harrison (HarperCollins, 2008)

Rachel Morgan, witch and bounty hunter, is back in the sixth book of the Hallows series and is in trouble as always. This time a demon, Algaliarept (Al for short), will stop at nothing to claim her and take her to the ever-after to testify and secure his freedom. He’s escaping his jail cell thanks to someone summoning him each night—but who wants Rachel dead? It’s a long list.

Thankfully, karma does find a way to balance a witch’s life as Marshall, the witch from Mackinaw Island, moves into Rachel's town and into her life. But is Rachel over her last boyfriend, Kisten, who was murdered right before her own eyes? Why can’t she remember what happened? Who wiped her memory? Can she get it back?

Can she survive her own housemates and Cincinnati’s new master vampire, Rynn Cormel interfering with her life? Rachel and Ivy, her vampire roommate, manage to come to an agreement about a blood swap. But can Ivy keep her cool? Will Rachel ever be able to accept her feelings for a vampire?

What about the family secret that changes who she is (or who she thinks she is)? Can Rachel handle the truths her mother and Trent tell her?

Rachel and Ceri, an elf, have become great friends and Ceri is teaching her to handle demon magic. But will Rachel go into the ever-after on a dangerous mission with elf politician Trent Kalamack if it means life and death for Ceri? Can Rachel handle being with the demons in the ever-after this much when it could put smut on her aura?

As always Rachel tackles these problems and more head-on. Now if only she can get her life in order...


Beth, Highland Branch Library


Other books in this series:

Dead Witch Walking (Book 1)

The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (Book 2)

Every Which Way but Dead (Book 3)

A Fistful of Charms (Book 4)

For a Few Demons More (Book 5)

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Beth

Fiction/Fantasy Young Adult

Hillary Pesson reviews AIRBORN by Kenneth Oppel (EOS, 2004)

Young Matt Cruse, a cabin boy on the airship Aurora, rises to the occasion again and again as he is buffeted by the winds of fate. Driven to work on the same airship which claimed the life of his father, his swashbuckling adventure begins with the discovery of a hot-air balloon adrift over the Pacificus. Before the end of Oppel’s tale, Mr. Cruse will discover that even though he was born aloft, he cannot fly, but can learn to adjust his sails.

Highly recommended to all those who love a high-impact, fast-paced adventure the likes of Robinson Crusoe, Jean Craighead George, and Jules Verne. Marked as a Printz Award winner for excellence in Young Adult literature, Airborn packs a powerful plot, highly developed characters, and intense visual language into a powerhouse of a book. A must read, no matter the age.


Hillary Pesson, Children's Department

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Hillary Pesson, Young Adult

Fiction/Fantasy

Jesse Pool reviews AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman (W. Morrow, 2001)

Shadow Moon has had a lot of bad days. He didn't expect the day he got out of prison to be one of them. Shadow fears that the warden has opted not to release him early when he is summoned to the office a few days before his scheduled release. In a one-two punch, the warden tells him that he is free to go, and that his wife died the day before in an automobile accident with his
best-friend and would-be employer.

On his way home to sort out his wife's things, he is diverted en route and meets a mysterious Mr. Wednesday on a flight. Impossibly, Wednesday knows all sorts of things about Shadow and his late wife, Laura, and offers Shadow a job. Shadow refuses, but the persistent Mr. Wednesday convinces him after another encounter on the ground.

As it turns out, Wednesday is what is left of the Norse god Odin, who was carried to the Americas by the belief of ancient Viking explorers. Shadow soon learns that there are many other ancient gods and mythological creatures roaming the Americas, many of them immigrants, although there are a few newer gods, born of science and technology. America is a poor land for gods, however, and there is a war brewing between the old and the new gods over the limited amount of belief. The new gods seem to believe that by stomping out the embers of the old gods that they can grow in power and influence.

Many of the old gods are reluctant to join Wednesday, thinking he's looking more for a glorious last stand than an actual victory. Shadow spends his time helping Wednesday to convince the old gods to stand with him, avoiding the agents of the new gods, and trying to get his life back in order between visits from his dead wife Laura, who just can't seem to leave him alone. Shadow and Wednesday travel the country trying to gather an army before the war begins, often meeting prospective allies in odd tourist traps which are the megaliths of the new world. When the war finally comes (at Rock City on top of Lookout Mountain, no less), the final outcome lies in Shadow's hands.

Author Neil Gaiman does an excellent job of reimagining what many of the ancient gods might be like today, many of them old and decrepit from centuries of neglect and disbelief. Fans of mythology will have fun guessing at the identities of characters as they are introduced and slowly revealed for what they are. European, Egyptian, Asian, African and Russian deities all appear in the novel, as well as others that I couldn't identify. Even more interesting than the way Gaiman brings minor characters to life is his ability to portray the American landscape, from small, frozen New England towns, to the vast plains of the Midwest, through arid Native American reservations, all the way to the glitter of Las Vegas. Some of the places in the book are fictional, while others are very real. The huge cast of characters and the vastness of the American landscape make the novel feel truly epic.


Jesse Pool, Highland Branch Library

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Jesse Pool

In mid-December, Terry Pratchett announced that he has a rare form of Alzheimer’s. He's staying optimistic that he will be able to fulfill his public appearances and book obligations for several more years and in typical Pratchett style, reminded his readers that he would like to keep things positive and that he's "not dead."

Pratchett is one of my favorite authors. I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet him last March at Mid-South Con, the local science-fiction and fantasy convention. He does not often get to attend fan gatherings in the United States since he lives in England. He was very friendly and quick to smile, autograph a book, or pose for a picture with fans. At a panel, he mentioned that health issues may restrict his ability to travel in the future, but he was very hopeful to continue writing.

His long-running Discworld series has over 35 titles and counting. The series began as a satirical look at the fantasy genre and over the years has morphed into something much larger. Pratchett uses his saber-sharp wit to poke at a variety of real-world issues and institutions which he satirizes in his books. Some of Pratchett's targets include academia, various works of literature, Hollywood, war, shopping malls, the press, the post office and even the birth of rock music, or rather "music with rocks in."

In addition to ordinary humans, Pratchett's Discworld is populated with dwarves, trolls and many other mythological races which are a staple in the fantasy genre. While many of his stories feature heroes, wizards or witches, many of them are also populated by cowards, beggars, and misfits. Sometimes a character falls into more than one category, such as the wizard Rincewind, who has never successfully cast a spell and whose only strategy when faced with an obstacle is to run away from it as fast and as long as possible.

Some of Pratchett's most memorable characters are the anthropomorphic personifications, which are creatures that exist because everyone knows that they exist, like Death. The Death of the Discworld looks exactly like what most people would expect him to and his voice is so deep that he talks in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Like most things Discworld, there is more to Death than appearances. Despite his looks, he shows curiosity and kindness towards all living beings at the point when they cease to be living things. At one point, he explains to his apprentice Mort "THERE IS NO JUSTICE, JUST US."

The setting of the Discworld novels is as important to the books as the characters are. The world is a flat disc, which is supported on the back of four massive elephants that are in turn supported by the shell of Great A'tuin, the world turtle.

Many of the books are set in the city Ankh-Morpork, which is the great metropolis of the Discworld. Ankh-Morpork lies on the river Ankh which is more mud than water, but still fluid enough to call a river. Over the centuries Ankh-Morporkians have built on top of older structures when they could no longer build out, so it's often said that Ankh-Morpork is built on Ankh-Morpork.

Ankh-Morpork is a melting pot of many of the different races of the Discworld and home to the wizards of Unseen University. The city is ruled by the Patrician, Lord Havelock Vetinari, a master politician who has legalized crime simply because it makes it easier to regulate. Thieves, assassins, beggars and ladies-of-negotiable affection all have their own guilds. The city is teeming with unwashed masses and there are numerous bars and opportunities for fools to be separated from their money. As the series progresses, Ankh-Morpork becomes more modern and develops conveniences such as a post office, daily newspaper and even a crude telegraph system composed of semaphore towers.

Most of the books featuring the witches take place in Lancre, which is a small kingdom in the mountains. Other places of interest in Discworld geography include Uberwald (like Eastern Europe with vampires, werewolves, and Igors), the great cabbage fields of Sto Lat, Klatch (similar to Africa), Fourecks (kind of like Australia), and the Counterweight Continent (vaguely Asian).

Although you could read nearly any of the Discworld books as a stand-alone title, many of the characters and places seem to develop over time. There are several sub-series which revolve around different sets of characters. There are the wizards of Unseen University, the witches of Lancre, the Nightwatch of Ankh-Morpork as well as other characters who appear less frequently. Characters from different sequences do occasionally pop up in other stories, however, so readers who read the books sequentially may have a better understanding of some characters.

A lot of Pratchett's appeal comes from his use of satire, humor and puns. His books are almost cartoonish caricatures of many of the subjects of his books. It's rare that I go more than a page or two without having to stop and laugh. Another element of his appeal is his ability to take genre conventions and turn them inside-out and upside-down so that fantasy elements that many readers may already know seem fresh and often produce unexpected twists on familiar stories.

The Discworld books make up the majority of Pratchett's work, and have inspired games, BBC films, companion books, and a host of fan websites. Pratchett has also collaborated with Neil Gaiman on a book titled Good Omens and has written several children's books including the Johnny Maxwell trilogy.

Visit Terry Pratchett's official website:
http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/

Read Terry's post about diagnosis on Discworld illustrator Paul Kidby's website:
http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html

Read the story from CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/12/13/terry.pratchett/index.html?iref=newssearch

Labels: Author Spotlight, Fantasy, Reviews by Jesse Pool

Fiction/Fantasy

Beth reviews GIFTS: Annals of the Western Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, 2004)

This young adult book “fell into my lap” after I finished reading Garden Spells, and it just seemed the perfect title to read next. Gifts is about a group of people who live in the Uplands and have special abilities—mind powers. These powers are passed from father to son or mother to daughter and each clan has their own power. Gry can communicate with animals, but, unlike her mother, refuses to use it to call the animals to the hunters. Orrec’s line has the power to “unmake” any living thing—from grass to animals to people. With Orrec’s mother being a lowlander, there is a fear his power will not work—however, it turns out to be something even worse! For the safety of those around him, Orrec chooses to wear a blindfold and hide his gift, but will it be enough?

This beautifully crafted book had me ordering up the sequel, Voices, the next day! I can’t wait to read it and the continuing journey of Orrec and Gry.


Beth, Highland Branch Library

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Beth, Young Adult

Fiction/Fantasy

Beth reviews A LICK OF FROST (Meredith Gentry Series, Book 6) by Laurell K. Hamilton (Ballatine, 2007)

Half-human and half-faerie, Princess Meredith NicEssus of the Unseelie Court (the court of darkness) is a former L.A. private investigator now turned possible Queen of the Unseelie Court. To become Queen, Meredith must become pregnant by another faerie—one of her guards. In fact, trying to have a baby has become her full time job! Then Lady Caitrin of the Seelie Court (the court of air and light) claims to have been raped by three of Meredith’s guards. The King of the Seelie, Meredith’s uncle, cannot punish those of the Unseelie court and the current Queen of the Unseelie court will not. He turns to the humans for redress. Meredith must strive to prove her guards innocent, keep the Queen of the Unseelie court and the King of the Seelie court happy with her, and continue on her quest for the throne. But is the throne worth it all? Meredith must consider the true costs of being Queen of the Unseelie court.

I enjoyed this book, and others by Laurell K. Hamilton, because it is pure pleasure reading for me. I feel no “real life” connection to the world of faerie. I become immersed into a land of magic and creatures that I can only dream about. To me, this is the ultimate guilty pleasure.

Other Books in the series:
1. A Kiss of Shadows
2. A Caress of Twilight
3. Seduced by Moonlight
4. A Stroke of Midnight
5. Mistral’s Kiss


Beth, Highland Branch Library

Labels: Fantasy, Reviews by Beth