And they lived happily ever after.

That’s how all fairy tales end, but is it really the end of the story? Not according to Jim Hines in The Stepsister Scheme. This novel recounts the adventures a bunch of strong-willed, smart-mouthed princesses have, while rescuing Prince Charming (aka Armand).

Meet Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella as you’ve never seen them before. These are not Disney heroines who burst into song at a moment’s notice; these are real life girls with histories and minds of their own. Snow knows mirror magic and uses it to keep her friends safe. She also is an unapologetic flirt. Talia (who detests her fairy tale name of Sleeping Beauty) is a martial arts expert and has some well-earned anger management issues. She hates fairies and everything to do with them. Think about that one!

Then there’s Danielle Whiteshore…our heroine…who was a maid, but recently married the crown prince of Lorindar. Upon returning from their honeymoon, Danielle is visited — and attacked — by one of her wicked (and strangely magical) stepsisters. Apparently, the steps still think they can have the prince for themselves and have abducted him. Danielle and her friends go after him, encountering trolls, drunken pixies, flying horses, evil queens, and their own worst fears. As they move from one hair-raising escapade to the next, you’re never quite sure how the princesses are going to survive…let alone win.

But, after all, it is a fairy tale and the adventure (and the series) must continue. A second installment furthers these strong women’s friendships and tales of derring-do in The Mermaid’s Madness.  Apparently, Hans Christian Andersen didn’t write the entire story of what happened to the young mermaid who fell in love with a human prince.

By the way: These books actually live up to their fun cover art! If you notice a similarity to a certain set of three girls who worked for someone named Charlie, you might be on to something.

Kristen Blount – Administration Office

Howard County Library announces a new initiative, Pass the Book. During Teen Read Week 2009, the Library will distribute copies of  The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld to teen readers throughout the community.

The Secret Hour follows Jessica Day as she arrives in Bixby, Oklahoma, only to discover she’s at the center of a strange convergence of mystical energy. Sharing "the secret hour" between midnight and 12:01 with four of her classmates, Day finds herself on the front lines of a battle for the future of humanity; primeval "slithers" and "darklings" are using the secret hour to find their way back into our reality, intent on reclaiming the planet. The Midnighters must harness the unique properties of the secret hour to fight back using their own special abilities.

The Secret Hour is a great book to share, and with Pass the Book you’ll have the chance to introduce this title to readers in Howard County and beyond. Teens receiving a specially labeled copy of The Secret Hour are encouraged to read the book, track the book (by registering their copy at hclibrary.org/passthebook) and pass the book to another teen reader. Readers can return to the web site to see where their books have traveled. Throughout the year they will have the opportunity to participate in online discussions and challenges based on events in the novel. A display in each branch features read-a-like titles and the other books in the Midnighters series — Touching Darkness and Blue Noon. A number of Midnighter-themed events are also planned in connection with this initiative, including Midnighter Lore at Central Library, Slither Repellant at Elkridge Branch, and Triskaidekamania at Savage Branch.

Copies of The Secret Hour will be available on Monday, October 19. Join us online and in-person throughout the year for quizzes, reviews, and Midnighter-themed events as we pass this exceptional teen adventure around Howard County and beyond.

John Jewitt – Savage Branch

In this energetic and fast-paced graphic novel by Kevin Cannon, we join Army Shanks, "crusty old sea dog and legendary brawler of the high arctic seas" on the search for Far Arden, a mythical tropical island in the high Canadian Arctic. All the pieces of a great adventure are here. There’s an innocent orphan child; a secret society; a femme fatale; a man-beast; two intrepid student journalists; the Royal Canadian Arctic Navy; and a magical creature, leading the way to an island paradise that may or may not contravene all the laws of nature.

Shanks’ mentor Simon Arctavius was last seen searching for Far Arden on his ship the Aereopagitica. Now the ship is back, but Arctavius is nowhere to be found. Enter Shanks — somewhat belligerent and a little the worse for drink — to pick up the search, unravel the conspiracy, and reveal some truths along the way. No one here, except perhaps Army, is who they claim to be, and there are more than enough double crosses and hidden motives to go around, with the island as the prize.

The book borrows some plot structure from classical adventure, but takes a vibrant and funny approach, making it impossible to put down. Cannon brings together the pieces of his puzzle expertly, and is not above arching an eyebrow or breaking the fourth wall as he drops in clues and characters…or resets the stage. Although the illustrations are black and white, these simple graphic elements lend a great deal to the story. Fight scenes include descriptive sound effects — just one example of why this is a story best told in the graphic novel format.

Army Shanks is a great take on the honorable and opinionated loner-hero, and the Canadian High Arctic is a new and different location for his quest. Think John Wayne in gumboots and a really heavy cable-knit sweater, and go find Far Arden if you dare!

John Jewitt – Savage Branch

I am a sucker for dragons. I’ll read just about anything that has dragons, although I prefer them to be intelligent creatures instead of marauding predators. I was thrilled when Tanya Huff introduced me to cool new dragons in The Enchantment Emporium. These dragons are suave, debonair fellows, except when they get bored — and they tend to have short attention spans.

When Allie Gale inherits her grandmother’s antique and yo-yo shop in Calgary, she moves to Canada because she’s at loose ends. Plus, Allie’s family has certain talents to charm (literally) the world into going their way, and she’s not entirely sure that all is what it seems. She has good intuition because she quickly befriends a homeless leprechaun, discovers her attraction to a reporter who writes about the arcane, and deals with her wild-child cousin Charlie.

When you mix all these elements together with dragon lords who like to fly over the shop, you get a story that runs on non-stop action and surprises. Huff has a talent for entertaining her readers with snarky banter and hysterical situations. There’s one scene in which a bar fight doesn’t go exactly how anyone planned (do you plan bar fights?). And if this weren’t enough, twelve Gale aunties arrive for the final showdown between good and evil…beware the pie.

If you enjoyed The Enchantment Emporium, Huff has also written several series. Keeper’s Chronicles begins with Summon the Keeper, another fun urban fantasy featuring a kick-butt young witch, a particularly vocal cat, and Hell in the basement. Her military sci-fi series Confederation follows the career of Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr as she saves the universe and keeps the recruits in line.

Kristen Blount – Administration

I was almost late for work because of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Don’t let the teen label fool you; this book is for adults, too. Collins delivers an intense novel with "edge of your seat" action.

The annual Hunger Games are a last man standing battle-to-the-death — in which contestants (aka "tributes") are children ages 12 – 18. The champion wins a life of luxury and extra concessions for his or her district. Tributes are selected by a lottery called "the reaping," although volunteers are also accepted.

Katniss, from the coal mining district of Appalachia, helps her family survive by illegal hunting in the local woods. When, against all odds, her younger sister’s name is drawn, Katniss volunteers instead. Her fellow tribute, Peeta, excels at the mental aspect of the games, while Katniss masters the physical. They make a devastating team, except they work with the knowledge that only one person can win. Who wins? I’m not telling!

The Hunger Games offers the ultimate in reality TV as it’s broadcast in real time from the arena, a closely controlled area of wilderness. Each year the arena holds different challenges, from freezing temperatures to a lack of water. The games definitely favor those candidates who have spent their youth in training, instead of simply surviving. The author doesn’t pull many punches as the contestants have to cope with their horrible circumstances, including sometimes brutal consequences. In one section Katniss blows up a supply depot and has to continue despite being deaf in one ear after the explosion shatters her eardrum.

Beyond the arena, Collins does a great job of painting the big picture. The decadent capital city contrasts strongly to the poverty of Katniss’ District 12, and it becomes clear that the politics are positively Orwellian. The government uses the games to control the outlying districts, until this year, when the contestants seem to turn the games against the authorities.

The annual Hunger Games may have ended, but the more important maneuverings have only begun. Unfortunately, I have to wait for the sequel (to be published this fall) to learn whether a happy ending will work out in Collins‘ desperate view of the future.

Kristen Blount – Administration Office

Have you ever wanted to travel to a place like Middle Earth? In Guy Gavriel Kay’s The Summer Tree, five young professionals take a rather unexpected trip to a world far different from our own. The novel recounts how the five (Kim, Jennifer, Paul, Dave, and Kevin) are invited to Fionavar and how their adventures begin. "Adventure" might be too friendly of a word, as each faces a personal ordeal which leads to greater sense of self and responsibility. These are not books for those looking for simple wish fulfillment and a happy ending, à la Disney. As is true in the old stories, sometimes victory comes at a very high price that only the greatest heroes can pay.

Fionavar is not a direct copy of Tolkien’s world, but it certainly pays homage to it — which is only fair, because Kay worked with Christopher Tolkien on J.R.R.’s estate when The Silmarillion was published. Fionavar operates as the first world where all the archetypes found in our world’s stories began. I love this book and the other two in the series (The Wandering Fire, and The Darkest Road) because of the way Kay weaves so many threads together into a coherent, unique whole. The books draw from, at the very least, Celtic, Greek, Arthurian, Germanic, and goddess-cult mythology.

In his other novels, Kay continues to mine the rich veins of mythology and heroic tales. The Lions of Al-Rassan is a wonderful novel based on El Cid and the Moors in Spain; the two books of the Sarantine Mosaic draw on the history of imperial Byzantium; and in Ysabel, his most recent work, Kay recounts the bloody history of Provence, France, in a book that has some fun ties to the Fionavar Tapestry.

Kristen Blount – Administration

Hands down, Lois McMaster Bujold is my all-time favorite writer. She’s one of the leading authors in speculative fiction, having won both the Hugo and Nebula awards multiple times. In fact, she’s tied with Robert Heinlein with the number of times she’s won the Hugo. If you’ve not had the pleasure of reading one of her books, The Curse of Chalion is a great place to start.

Cazaril, the reluctant hero, wants nothing more than to find a quiet place to call home after being sold as a galley slave, instead of being ransomed, after his last army command. He returns to the court where he served as a page, and ends up as the tutor for the Princess of Chalion. Bujold’s knack for turning phrases usually has me snorting with laughter. Her rendition of the veteran soldier teaching adolescent noblewomen is priceless.

Events become complicated as the rural court moves back to the Royal Court and Cazaril comes across old enemies in high places. For, as the title states, there’s a curse in Chalion that affects the royal house, and it makes events, despite the best motives, turn out for the worst. Cazaril and a wide cast of characters attempt to find a way to repair the royal family’s fortunes.

In Chalion, the gods take a fairly active role, within certain well-defined limitations. In this title (and the rest of the series as well), Bujold clearly explores ideas of free will and sanctity. She also gives the reader a wild ride of a political adventure story. Many "ah-ha" moments take place in the last 50 or so pages, as all the seeming coincidences start to reveal a divine plan. This is a book I’ll pull off the shelves on a rainy day for a familiar read, but every time I read it, I find a new twist or nuance.

If you like The Curse of Chalion, you’ll also appreciate the other two books in the series: Paladin of Souls and The Hallowed Hunt. Bujold has also written an extensive space opera series, featuring military genius Miles Naismith Vorkosigan in a variety of roles and circumstances. She is currently publishing the Sharing Knife series, whose action takes place in a post-apocalyptic, alternative universe Mid-West. These books are much quieter in nature than either the Vorkosigan or Chalion books, as Bujold explores the boundaries between romance and science fiction. More information, including a link to Bujold’s MySpace page, can be found at www.dendarii.com.

Kristen Blount – Administration Office

This second installment of Kate Elliott’s series continues to explore characters and situations introduced in Spirit Gate. Despite some difficult passages, Shadow Gate is an excellent fantasy novel with a complex, multiple timeline plot and realistically drawn characters. You could read this book without having read the first, but it’s going to be harder to put the pieces together. Elliott has a talent for world-building, especially for the rhythms of dialogue. The books offer an original fantasy story, with intriguing characters, deft handling of political elements, and stay-up-until-2 am action.

In the first book we learned that the Hundred Kingdoms is a loose conglomeration of city-states held together by common religious practices and interdependent trade. Eagle-riding reeves keep order and the aloof Guardians are charged with providing justice. Only no one has seen a Guardian for a long lime. A group of ambitious bandits, lead by the shadowy figure of Lord Radas, begins a campaign of conquest. The reeves have no way of stopping the predations and the Hundred Kingdoms begins a slide into chaos.

The second book continues to chronicle a world coming apart at the seams. Elliott takes a hard look at how people deal with hardship and confusion through the lives of the reeves, the Guardians, the army, and common folks. These issues provide terrific commentary on today’s current events.

The author also addresses serious questions about alien-ness (stranger in a strange land) and alienation. Mai, the wife of the foreign general who saves a Hundred Kingdoms city, struggles to build a family and clan. Keshad, a freed debt-slave, attempts to overcome a lifetime of bitterness and find his way as an independent adult. Both Marit and Kirya are newly awakened Guardians, the immortals charged with providing justice. The women struggle to come to terms with their pasts and to understand their new roles. Kirya, in particular, has suffered in all the ways women can come to harm on the way to a Guardian’s cloak. Fair warning: her story presents a brutal look at the slavery of women.

If you enjoy the Crossroads books, Elliott has another large fantasy series, The Crown of Stars saga, that begins with King’s Dragon, which is equally original and complex. The author maintains a blog, where she discusses writing, social issues, and everyday life.

Kristen Blount – Administration Office