Summertime of the Dead by Gregory Hughes

Yukio’s two best friends are dead. Tormented and blackmailed by the Japanese mafia- the notorious yakuza- they have taken their own lives. Overcome by heartbreak and fury, Yukio is determined to avenge their deaths.

So begins a deadly mission that will take Yukio on a destructive path to the rotten core of Tokyo – and to his own dark heart. But once there, will he ever find his way back?

At the start of SotD, Yukio is a really nice guy. Studious, a respected kendo fighter, respectful to his slightly out-of-touch grandmother and slowly realising that he’s falling in love with one of his best friends. It’s when he starts acting on the latter realisation that the warning lights get ready to come on. A celebration sees them brought into the orbit of the relatives of the local yakuza boss, a meeting that changes the course of all of their lives.

Once the full extent of his grief sets in and he realises that he brought them into the yakuza’s sights, Yukio’s world de-stabilises. Ingrained tenets of honour, once a wholesome part of his kendo practice, press in on his conscience, pushing him towards a darker path, one marked with revenge and slicy death.

I have to admit that for a while, SotD began to annoy me. The yakuza came across as a bit slow and insubstantial, cardboard cutout villains, kind of like the faceless mass of the Crazy 88 from Kill Bill.  But you have to realise that this isn’t about them. It’s about Yukio, and his perception of them. And as the pressures of his self imposed mission to save Tokyo put his mind under increasing strain, you begin to realise something is seriously off kilter. Once it reaches tipping point, the story simply hurtles towards its shocking conclusion in a mad ‘just another couple of pages’ rush.

Fast, engaging and laced with an unexpected streak of darkness, SotD was a pleasant surprise, one that lingered for sometime after I closed the cover.

MFB would recommend this for readers ages 14 upwards.  The violence is there, it's not gratuitous but it pulls no punches, letting the reader decide for themselves what to make of Yukio's actions.

The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney

Rose Janko is missing. It has been seven years since she disappeared, and nobody said a word. Now, following the death of his wife, her father Leon feels compelled to find her. Rumour had it she ran off when her baby boy was born with the family's genetic disorder. Leon is not so sure. He wants to know the truth and he hires a private investigator to discover it - Ray Lovell. Ray starts to delve deeper, but his investigation is hampered by the very people who ought to be helping him - the Jankos. He cannot understand their reluctance to help. Why don't they want to find Rose Janko?

Stef Penney is a chameleon.  If you liked The Tenderness of Wolves and like me, you were blown away by her voice, her lyrical tone and how your heart lifted because of the beauty of the prose, you'll be surprised when you pick up The Invisible Ones as the two books are as different from each other as, I don't know...jam and peanutbutter.

Still set in the past, but far closer than Tenderness, we meet Ray Lovell as he's engaged by a young girl's father to try and find her.  The only thing is, the girl went missing some time ago and no one spoke to the police about it...and the family she married into say she's run off with another man.   What makes matters difficult for Ray is that he needs to get in touch with a gypsy family to find more information and no one can give authorities the run-around as effectively as a gypsy. Ray should know, he is one. 

I realise that the book might be seen as a commentary on gypsy culture and we expect something akin to the tv shows that have been on these past few years but trust me, this is nothing of the sort.  Ms. Penney works hard building up Ray and the investigation.  The story is part-told by a young gypsy boy and seeing things from his point of view is a brilliant ploy of the author - so we get to see how they react to Ray and we also see how they react within the family. 

The writing is harsher, less polished than Tenderness, but there is a definite reason for this - the book is more crime and investigations so the language and Ray's great voice makes sense.  Ms. Penney's strengths lie in her characters.  We are totally immersed in Ray's world and that of the gypsies we come to meet throughout his investigation because she makes sure we come to care about Ray and the case.  She's a clever girl. 

The story unfolds in expected and unexpected ways but our steady compass of Ray remains the same - his own preconceptions and ideas about gypsy life and family get challenged and he comes up against an adversary he did not expected.  I realise I'm sounding obtuse but you really do not want to let the cat out of the bag on this one.  If you pay attention as you read it, you'll see the clues but what you make of it, until you come to it...that's entirely up to you. 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Invisible Ones but think that readers who are still in love with Tenderness and who don't want to have the memory replaced, should be wary.  I think she's got a great range and her courage to do something as different and as noir as this, should be recommended.   If you've never read Tenderness but you are a crime fiction fan, give this a go.  

And a big thanks to Quercus who kindly let me have a copy after I gushed at them in their offices a while ago about how much I loved The Tenderness of Wolves and how it is one of those books that will always stay with me, until my memory goes.  *grin*  I think they probably just gave me a copy of The Invisible Ones to get me out the door and to shut me up.   Here's a video from Stef chatting about The Invisible Ones. 

Dead Rules by R.S. Russell

Synopsis

When high school junior Jana Webster dies suddenly, she finds herself in Dead School, where she faces choices that will determine when she, a Riser, will move on, but she strives to become a Slider instead, for the chance to be with the love of her life--even if it means killing him.

I heard about this book on Twitter and the lovely Emma from Book Angel Booktopia sent me her copy (thank you!). I've only just managed to get round to reading it but wow, if ever a book was right up my street it's this one. It follows the story of Jana Webster, of Webster and Haynes. The Haynes here is Michael Haynes, Jana's serious boyfriend and together they're the perfect couple. The book opens to find Jana on a bus. She's not sure what she's doing there or why she's wearing a uniform she doesn't recognise. All around her are weird looking kids who appear to be wounded or damaged in some way. In her first class she meets Beatrice who has a yard dart sticking out of her head. Yep, Jana fell, died and when she "woke up" she found herself in Dead School.

Jana clearly has a lot to deal with what with being dead and knowing that Michael is still alive instead of by her side. She soon learns that she's a "Riser," one of the good kids as apposed to a "Slider" who died doing something bad. The Sliders are closer to earth but as a result can have more of a presence in the physical world. If Jana wants to put things back to how she feels they should be she needs to rejoin Michael by killing him. At the beginning of the book I didn't really have much sympathy for Jana's quest. I definitely felt bad about her predicament - Dead School has all sorts of rules that make her existence monotonous and constricting. But as the book develops we find out more about her history, her model mother and her self-imposed solitude which made me feel for her.

Meanwhile, in the land of the living Michael and his friends are carrying on. Without giving away too much of the plot I really didn't foresee the way everything unfolded. It's beautifully done too - there's an offhand comment here, a curious action by a character there. Gradually, Jana is forced to confront the truth. I may not have liked Jana all the way through this book but I had to admire her single-minded determination. She's used to being alone so doesn't worry about conforming the way the other Risers do. As a result she's an interesting main character. I need to add a word about Mars Dreamcote, Dead School attendee and Slider. He feels a connection to Jana and although she is committed to Michael there's definitely something between them. He takes Jana under his wing and encourages her to see outside of the confines of Dead School consider the possibilities of her new existence. His story is as engaging as Jana's and I'm really wishing for a sequel to this but I've searched everywhere and found no news of one yet.

I found Dead Rules very addictive. I wasn't sure if it was because of the way that pupils' death stories are gradually revealed or whether it was Jana's dawning realisation that her life wasn't quite as she imagined. Ghoulish yet amazing, a real revelation and I loved every page.

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

Trinity has never known who she really is. Strange dreams haunt her nights, and she has always been able to sense things that others can't. 


When Jessica, the most popular girl at school, disappears, Trinity realises she will have to draw on her secret abilities to help find her. 


Soon, Trinity is subject to visions that terrify her and make the police sceptical. As her dreams grow darker and the visions more frightening, Trinity realises she must risk her reputation and her sanity to save a girl who hates her.

Spoilers below and generally not a good review

Lost Christmas by David Logan

Eleven year old Goose is lost. It's Christmas, his parents are dead and now his dog Mutt has gone missing. Those around him aren't doing much better: his Uncle Frank's wife has walked out on him and his nan is losing her mind.

But then Anthony appears - a man who seems to know everyone's secrets but nothing at all about himself...

I'd been keeping Lost Christmas aside until mid- December as a pre-Christmas thing. Maybe it was a subconscious premonition that work was going to leech any kind of Christmassy spirit out of me as the usual Christmas deadlines loomed. Even just looking at that gorgeous, glittery cover is enough of a Yuletide palliative.

But what's it like? Is it fun? Is it Christmassy on a scale that Buddy would approve of? These were all important questions that needed to be answered

LC opens with Goose waking up on a crisp Christmas morning in Manchester to discover that his parents have bought him a puppy for Christmas; for a bitterly short time it's a perfect morning. Then his dad gets called in, and one cruel twist of fate later both he and Goose's mother are killed in a car accident as she's driving him to work.

The story skips a year ahead, and we meet a very drunk Frank as he staggers home from the pub that's become his home away from home. As he weaves his way down the street even he can't miss how the lights around him are acting strangely, and as they clear he sees an oddly dressed man in the street. A man he would've sworn wasn't there a moment ago, and who seems as perplexed as he is about this. After a brief meeting, they part ways.

While Frank is stumbling through his first meeting with the mysterious Anthony, a very different Goose is breaking into a house, from which he steals a gold bangle, adding it to the stash that he's going to show his fence- Frank. It's the first link in a chain of events that will bring the three of them together and in the process reveal how one person's actions can impact on the lives of those around them.

David Logan is a screenwriter, something which is apparent in the how lean the writing is and how quickly the characters are established (and happily they remain distinctive throughout). Take Goose's nan as an example- she doesn't play a particularly large role, but even so she's such a sweet and lovely character that you can't help but feel sorry for her and cheer when she helps Goose out of a bind with the local cops. Goose and Anthony are the stars of the show though. Goose with the tough, uncaring wall he's built around himself, through which we're allowed glimpses of the wounded boy beneath, none more so than when his beloved Mutt vanishes- his pain and the whirlwind of emotions that it drags to the surface are very real. And then there's the enigmatic Anthony, a man with no recollection of who he is or how he came to be in a snowy Manchester on Christmas eve, but who discovers a gift for seeing into the lives of anyone he touches, but at a terrible cost.

The story's set in Manchester, but it's a fairly neutral flavour of urban landscape that comes through. But I think that's actually a good thing, as it means most of us will be able to identify with what is described, most of which have become standard features of contemporary British cityscapes.

The story gallops along at a fair pace (it all takes place on Christmas eve- huzzah!) once Goose and Frank have a glimpse of Anthony's strange talent, which also raises the question of who, or what, is he? I had my theories (none of which were on the money, as it happens) and as things started coming together and building to the finale I wished I was reading this at home rather than on my commute as I suspected I'd be missing my stop.

I had been scratching my head at how David was going to wrap this all up, although I'll happily admit I was having too much fun reading it to worry too much. That's the thing about Christmassy themes- you know it's going to end well, and you're happy to buy into it, to suspend the cynical disbelief that you've armoured yourself with throughout the year, and enjoy the gentle torture of seeing things seemingly getting worse until it's time for the Hell Yeah. It's part of the tradition and the magic- it's a time when you're allowed to watch a movie you might have seen half a dozen times already, or re-read a dog eared old favourite just to get a fix of guilt free feel-good.

That's what Lost Christmas delivers- a warm and touching message of hope and salvation without being schmaltzy. It forced me to swallow a rather embarrassing lump in the throat to stop myself from panicking fellow commuters by blubbing like a lost child. I walked home from the station buoyed by an unexpected sense of bonhomie and then proceeded to drape fairy lights across the lounge and dining room. 'Nuff said, really.

It is logical? Nope. Are the why's and how's answered? Not really. Did I care, and should you? Hell no. Would Buddy approve? Hell yes. Go pick something off one of those interminable literary prize lists if you want deep and meaningful.

This is Christmas, and I like it just the way it is.




Lost Christmas is the novelisation of the movie (starring the marvellously talented Eddie Izzard) which will be airing for the first time on Sunday 18th December on BBC 1 at 17h30.

You can follow David Logan on Twitter and visit his website here.

Bracelet of Bones by Kevin Crossley-Holland

It is 1036. Halfdan is a Viking mercenary who is determined to travel to Constantinople and become one of the Viking Guard serving Empress Zoe. He promises to take his daughter, but one morning Solveig wakes up to find him gone. Setting off in her own tiny boat, she is determined to make the journey from Norway to the breathtaking city. Her boat is washed up, but Solveig is undeterred. What awaits Solveig as she continues on her summer journey across the world?

Bracelet made a nice change of pace from the testosterone fuelled mayhem of the other Viking books. It follows the journey of a young girl named Solveig as she sets out on an epic journey to join her father in the fabled city of Miklagard, where he has gone at the behest of an old friend. It’s not that he’s left that drives her, but that he has left without her.

In the days that follow his departure Solveig feels her world closing in around her, the banal demands of her stepmother and brutish half-brothers crushing her spirit. She knows the truth of the connection they share and, with the promise he made still ringing in her ears, she chooses to risk everything and set out on a journey into a world that’s unimaginably bigger and more dangerous that she can comprehend.

Solveig’s young and pretty, two factors that add to the risk in a world where slavery is more prevalent than law and order, but she’s also intelligent and strong willed. She’s a lovely and well realised character, by turns fey and innocent, fearless and vulnerable. The companions she gathers along the way are equally interesting, each with their own back- stories and personalities. It’s the interplay between the characters that makes Bracelet work so well, and helps to maintain the subtle tension that runs through it. For while there isn’t much violence, the threat thereof is present throughout and often comes from unexpected sources. After all, it’s a wild and dangerous world out there and Bracelet captures the feel of it admirably well.

The story is told in a style reminiscent of the traditions of oral storytelling, and the language used is almost lyrical and in tune with the old sagas. It really is a lovely bit of writing and clearly a product of passion and research.

Bracelet of Bones is the first of the Viking Sagas and if this is the caliber of storytelling we can look forward it, bring it on!

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR RAISED BY WOLVES

Synopsis

At seventeen, Bryn is has the usual schoolgirl worries: a new boyfriend, a new school and a new home. But she has one major concern that her friends don't have: she is an alpha - a human girl in charge of her own werewolf pack. When Bryn and her closest friends, Dev and Lake, broke from the werewolf Callum's pack, it had all felt right. Together with Chase, Bryn's new love, they had rescued some newly made female werewolves from a despicable master and established their own pack, with Bryn as leader. Yet Bryn has always resented the rules of Pack life - the constant bowing to authority, the submission to the alpha. And she is determined to live differently, to run this pack openly and justly. Then one night, a badly beaten werewolf shows up on her territory. He needs help, sanctuary, care. But taking him in could violate inter-pack rules, and no one knows better than Bryn the costs of challenging those rules. Obedience is law in Pack life, but Bryn is going to break the rules, again.

The second book in a series can be tricky. After all, some of the exciting stuff has been and gone; world building, character introductions, love interest etc. However, the flip side to this is that the characters are now old friends. We know that Bryn is a survivor, stubborn and determined to succeed despite the difficulties she faces. The book opens with Bryn getting used to being the alpha of her new pack. Whilst she wants to be relaxed and non-confrontational about it the events of Trial by Fire force her to look at her position in a different way. Just as she's trying to adjust Lucas arrives on her doorstep; beaten and bloody.

Now she's an alpha there are few people she can turn to for advice. Callum is being unhelpful and the other alphas are just not the kind of wolves Bryn would turn to. Instead she finds she has to dig deep and find the answers within whilst trying to keep her pack calm. Devon is as brilliant as even in Trial by Fire and has become Bryn's second in command - but even this can be difficult as Bryn treads the fine line between friendship and leadership. Just as things couldn't get more difficult a strange group of humans turn up and stake a claim on Lucas.

Ironically it's the human characters that are more menacing in this book. I enjoyed the complex and threatening character of Caroline who really pushed Bryn into difficult decisions. Also, Chase and Bryn's relationship isn't just cut and dried which I appreciated. They haven't known each other long and Bryn realises that they have a great deal to learn about each other before their relationship deepens. I loved that wolf and human or not they still have to deal with mundane complications like differences of opinions. Trial by Fire is a great sequel to Raised by Wolves. The stakes have been raised and as a result Bryn is forced to make serious decisions which have far reaching results. Also, an absolutely awesome twist at the end which I didn't see coming. I look forward to more!

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Synopsis

Pack life is about order, but Bryn is about to push all the limits, with hair-raising results. At the age of four, Bryn watched a rabid werewolf brutally murder her parents. Alone in the world, she was rescued and taken in by Callum, the alpha of his pack. Now fifteen, Bryn's been as a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule. Little fazes her. But the pack's been keeping a secret, and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Terrifying memories of the attack on her parents come flooding back. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, all allegiances to the pack no longer matter. It's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences. A thrilling new YA adventure, with an electrifying link between a tough heroine and an exciting boy-were at its heart, Raised by Wolves will leave you howling for more.

This poor book has sat on my TBR shelf for ages, since September of last year to be exact. I kept looking at it and thinking, "I really must get around to reading that." I read brilliant reviews of it and then the sequel turned up and I was finally spurred into action. A day and a half later I was totally sold on the world that the author has created.

Bryn lives with her human adopted mother with a pack of werewolves in the middle of a wood. Kids at the local school know she's different and avoid her, occasionally poking fun at her in class but otherwise she doesn't exist. She holds herself separate from the pack too and even goes so far to erect barriers so she doesn't have the mental traffic that were's share. As a result, apart from truly brilliant friend Devon, she's very alone in her world. This all changes when she senses a change in the pack. She has to be home by dusk by order of Callum, the alpha were. Finally, her curiosity gets the better of her and she breaks into Callum's basement to find Chase, a boy who got bit and survived the transformation into a werewolf.

Firstly, the voice of Bryn is brilliant. From page one you feel as if you're kicking back at the side of a creek chatting to her. I was reminded of Kelley Armstrong and I hope I'm not throwing her name in just because she's a fellow werewolf writer but rather because she also has amazing skills in writing voice. Bryn's fierce, stubborn and independent - a life in the pack has moulded her. She drives the plot through and I never questioned her thoughts or actions. There are an amazing array of secondary characters - I particularly loved Lake, Devon and Callum. Raised by Wolves doesn't hold back on the harsh realities of pack life either. This is no simple paranormal romance and the pack dynamics are well thought out, sometimes to their brutal end.

As the book progresses it becomes something of a manhunt and the tension ramps up. The showdown and resulting conclusion was certainly not what I was expecting. Raised by Wolves is exciting, unconventional and innovative - I thoroughly enjoyed it (and am still apologising to my copy for keeping it waiting so long).

Entangled Blog Tour - Cat talks editing, writing and cheese

Cat Clarke - Entangled Author

I got to meet Cat "Entangled" Clarke a while ago as non-fiction editor for Scholastic and we got along famously, and the cocktails had nothing to do with it either.  Chatting to Cat I realised that not only is she a very cool hat-wearing lady, we have many things in common, we love books, we love good writing, she can wear quirky hats, I can't so I envied her, she writes, I write reviews...and we both adore cheese. 

When Quercus offered MFB to be part of Cat's blog tour for her novel Entangled, we LEAPT at the chance.  I got the chance to fling some questions as Cat which she had to answer in as polite a way as possible. *hee hee*

Here we go:

What training / uni / college degree did you have before you became an editor at Scholastic?

I studied History at Edinburgh University. Maybe I should have done English Literature, but I was paranoid that it would make me hate reading! Of course, now I have an alarmingly sparse knowledge of the classics...

Did you always want to be part of the publishing industry? Or did you ever want to be Elvis?

I’ve wanted to work in publishing ever since I did one of those career questionnaire thingummyjigs and the results came back telling me that my ideal career was Editorial. I’m very easily persuaded. I can honestly say that I have never ever wanted to be Elvis. There WAS a time when I wanted to be Kylie, but I don’t like to talk about it.

What made you sit back and realize and you wanted to write something for the wide world to read – and not just the non-fiction titles you’ve written in your capacity as editor?

I’d wanted to write for years and years, but my lazy gene wouldn’t let me. It was only when I started working as a non-fiction editor and was around books and bookish people every day that I got around to starting my first novel. I sometimes wonder if I would have ever got around to it if it hadn’t been for my break into the publishing world. Scary thought!

How did you reconcile your writer-self with your editor-self? Was it an open-secret at work, i.e. did people know that you were writing fiction?

A few people knew, but I didn’t really like talking about it. I didn’t want anyone thinking I wasn’t 100% committed to the job, and I didn’t want my authors to feel weird about it! When I got my book deal, my boss sent an email round the whole office, so everything was out in the open from that point on.



Prettiest Cover Ever

When you approached agents to look at Entangled, do you think your role as editor at Scholastic helped?

I think it only helped in that it gave me access to people who could suggest agents for me to approach. It meant I didn’t need to go trawling through the Children’s Writers’ And Artists’ Yearbook. But I am a serious geek, so I did that anyway. That book did not leave my coffee table until I’d signed the contract with my agent!

I remember a recent blogpost on your website where you mentioned that it’s been a year that day when you got THE CALL from your agent that Entangled had sold and you couldn’t really do much about it at work. How did you celebrate in the end?

I ate a splendid cheese and meat platter and had a couple of drinks. And a few weeks later I went out for a posh dinner. Oh, and I bought myself a special hey-you-got-a-book-deal necklace.

Now that you’ve walked away from your editorial role, do you find that your editorial voice has gone quiet or do you think it’s even more prevalent now than before?

Well, I’m still doing freelance editing and I get to flex my editorial muscles with The Lighthouse Children’s Literary Consultancy, so the voice is going strong. At the moment the voice is telling me that my characters roll their eyes too much, I really need to find a new way to describe crying and I STILL have a tendency to use the word ‘just’ too often.

Final fromage question: if you had to be a cheese, what cheese would you be?

I feel like I’m on Blind Date! I’ve given this question more thought than is sensible, considering the length of my to-do list right now. At first I was thinking Camembert, but lots of people don’t like Camembert, and everyone likes to be liked, right?! So I think I’m going to go for Parmigiano Reggiano – you can’t beat it. Life without it is unthinkable. And it has umami, the fifth flavour – the one that makes things taste extra-delicious. Yes... I think that’s my final answer. I’ll have to go before I change my mind. Thanks for the awesome questions, awesome Liz!

***

Some very cool answers here, thanks Cat for taking the time to chat to us!  Our Entangled review is up next week, so be sure to stop by for that too.

Random Amazing News AND a Competition

I've been struck down with a rubbish cold and didn't go to work yesterday or today. However, I've checked in on twitter to see how all my mates are doing and suddenly there was this spate of congratulations from a variety of people!

Followed the link and would you believe it? MFB is number 3 of the Top 10 UK Teenage Literature Blogs! How awesome and cool is that?

And you know what is even more fantastic? All my fellow blogger friends are on there too and some new ones I have not heard of. So, this is the list below, copied from CISION's site:

1. So Many Books, So Little Time

2. I Was A Teenage Book Geek

3. My Favourite Books

4. Fluttering Butterflies

5. I Want To Read That

6. THE CROOKED SHELF

7. Once Upon a Bookcase

8. Teenage Fiction for All Ages

9. THe sweet BONJOUR

10. Dead Book Darling

But that is not all. They also have a Top 10 UK Children's Literature Blogs and even MORE of my friends are on there:

1. Wondrous READS

2. ACHOCKABLOG

3. THE BOOKETTE

4. Seven Miles of Steel Thistles

5. The Puffin Blog

6. THE MG HARRIS BLOG

7. The Fairy Tale Cupboard

8. Mr Ripleys Enchanted Books

9. THE ULTIMATE BOOK GUIDE

10. Tommy Donbavand Children's Author

Looking at these twenty blogs I can't help but grin widely. And feel so proud of MFB being part of it all. Everyone, keep up the absolutely awesome hard work you are doing! And to celebrate I think there shall be a random book giveaway.

So, this is open to all of the UK to win a copy of Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes. All you need to do is comment below and tell me one of your favourite books you've read this year - it can be any genre, any age group. The competition will close on Monday, 20th. You can enter as many times as you like.

The Book of Bones by Natasha Narayan

Synopsis:

Kit Salter and her friends Rachel, Waldo and Isaac tumble into another adventure when their coach is hijacked on the wilds of Dartmoor. Their arch enemies, the Baker Brothers, are behind the kidnapping. They force the children into a perilous voyage to China in search of a secret martial arts manual. From bustling Shanghai, their journey takes them to the hidden heart of Imperial China – Peking's Forbidden City. En route they battle opium smugglers, pirates and kung-fu fighters, before a climatic encounter with the mysterious Wooden Men, giant killers armed with lethal powers and a dastardly will of their own. Will Kit and her friends survive the danger and mysteries of China and win back their freedom? Find out in this twisting, thrilling adventure.

I am back to tell you about the third Kit Salter adventure, Book of Bones. In the Mummy Catcher of Memphis and the Maharajah's Monkey we got to meet Kit and her group of friends. I loved Mummy Catcher a lot, whilst Maharajah's Monkey was good fun but I didn't love it as much. However, in Book of Bones, poor Kit and her friends are thrust into the heart of a nightmare. When their coach is hijacked, complete with their dippy new governess Kit, Waldo, Isaac and Rachel are non-plussed. What exactly is going on? Who are the villains?

This answer is soon revealed. In Maharajah's Monkey, Kit came across the Baker Brothers, a nasty pair of brothers who have been dabbling in magics no human should attempt to play around with. These two are in fact the ones who abducted Kit and her friends, using their governess as the one to lure them out.

In an adventure that sees the friends travelling from England to China then onward into the heart of China to an ancient monastery in order to find the mysterious Book of Bones, the group faces being poisoned, shot at, chased, called assassins and all manner of other things. But the fact remains that one of the group was actually poisoned and is to die, if the antidote is not taken. This is the Baker Brothers' plan to ensure they return to them with the Book of Bones.

I loved this little book - it is so deceptive; it looks small in size but the writing and the adventure is huge and full blown. Kit Salter is a fantastic heroine. The writing is good and it really flows well. Kit's friends, Waldo, Rachel and Isaac are sweet kids, and there are glimmers of them developing very much into their own creatures with Kit, the heroine, being the strongest character by far.

Set in a time when the opium trade was at its height, where people could be kidnapped and mysterious aunts worked for the government, the novel really "harkens" back to a different era. The enormous amount of research that went into this is hardly perceptible. We get snippets of information about China, the opium trade, the socio-political goings on etc. but honestly, it never overshadows the story. It enhances the background but never intrudes and it is for that reason that I think Natasha Narayan is a bit of a legend. We learn, without realising that we're learning.

An excellent book to curl up with on a dark evening. It is geared towards confident young readers and may very well get a look into by reluctant readers. If for nothing else, the overall adventure and the cliff-hanger ending. It is driving me to distraction not knowing what's going to happen. I realise it's greedy of me, but I can't help it. It's just out and I am already impatiently waiting for the next one. Yes, I'm a brat, but I'm allowed to be. So there.

I also apologise for the short review - I am not being purposefully vague this time around, it is a pretty involved plot and I am loathe to give away spoilers of The Book of Bones but needless to say it is aces. As an action adventure book nut, this one holds its own (and is in fact better) against some adult action adventure novels in the ilk of Paterson, Brown, Gibbins. Oh, the one thing I did want to say is: even if you've not had the chance to read the previous two books, you can pick up The Book of Bones and read it without concern about the backstory - the readers very quickly and adeptly gets filled in on what has gone before, but only as it pertains to this story. So you can go back and read the others retrospectively.

Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes

Meet the Rat: A dancing, football-playing gangster-baiting ten-year-old. When she foresaw her father’s death, she picked up her football and decided to head for New York. Meet her older brother Bob: Protector of the Rat, but more often her follower, he is determined to find their uncle in America and discover a new life for them both. On their adventures across the flatlands of Winnipeg and through the exciting streets of New York, Bob and the Rat make friends with a hilarious con man and a famous rap star, and escape numerous dangers. But is their Uncle a rich business man, or is the word on the street, that he something more sinister, true? And will they ever find him?

It is my dream to fall in love with the characters I meet in new books. This was indeed the case with Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes. Written from Bob's point of view, we are an audience to the craziness that is Rat. Yes, his sister is really called Rat. And she is really a bit unhinged, or watching her antics from Bob's perspective, we are almost convinced that she is crazy. What she really is, is unique and loveable and a bit strange, full of energy and a wisdom beyond her years. We meet the siblings as they go about their unusual lives on the outskirts of Winnipeg. They live with their dad, who is basically being paid by the State not to farm. Their mum had died a while ago and so the three of them live what could easily have been a very quiet life. Rat however makes sure that this will never happen. With Bob in tow, they ride around Winnipeg with their bicycles, creating all kinds of fuss. Rat knows everyone and everyone knows Rat, even the cops pull over to chat to her.

I wasn't very far into Unhooking the Moon when I realised how much I had already vested in these two characters. When their dad passes away and they decide to head to New York to find their long lost uncle, I was shouting at them to not be stupid, they were only kids, it was dangerous and if their uncle really was a drug dealer, well, dammit, they shouldn't be around him anyway.

Of course, Rat and Bob did not follow my shouting directions. They got as far as the Canadian border before they met up with Joey. Joey is obviously yet another person I wouldn't want the kids to meet up with. He smuggles things across the border but eventually agrees to help get both Rat and Bob across. And it turns out Joey is actually a pretty good guy, just a bit misguided. We all know someone like this, someone who likes to think big, outside the box, and only needs a good deal to come his way.

Joey leaves the kids in NY with directions on how to find a friend of his, who will give them somewhere to stay. The kids travel around the Bronx asking everyone they come across if they know their uncle. They meet some bizarre and lovely people along the way. As the story unfolds and things become more and more odd and probably surreal, with them hanging out with con-artists, thieves and up and coming rap stars, the two main characters' innocence is highlighted. So many bad things could have happened to them yet they have this knack of finding people as unique as they are to help them in their quest.

I sobbed like a little girl at the end of Unhooking the Moon. It really is one of my favourite books for 2010. The writing is skilled, the characters are sharp, the story is fantastical and wonderful and the bittersweet ending is pitched just perfect. I cannot praise Gregory Hughes enough - there is something truly magical about this debut and I think he strikes the right note with the overall story, making Rat one of my favourite literary characters of all time. I hope it goes on to win prizes and the acclaim it rightly deserves.

The Mummy Snatcher of Memphis and The Maharajah's Monkey by Natasha Narayan

Synopsis - The Mummy Snatcher of Memphis

When Kit Salter and her friends peek at a famed mummy in a museum chamber, they are shocked to discover rattles and moans coming from the box ...Inside is an Egyptian stowaway, determined to return a looted scarab and save his village. When the mummy is stolen too, the ensuing adventures puts the children fast on the heels of a villainous East End mob, and right into the heart of the Western Desert. But as the story climaxes in a temple, the villains and Kit find they have underestimated a stronger force - the terrible power of ancient Egypt.With a wonderfully spirited heroine and a cast of batty aunts, French adventurers and music hall villains, this is a fabulous first book in an exciting series set during the Age of Empire. Over the course of the next three books, Kit and her friends will hunt for soma, the elusive elixir of immortality, on the slopes of the Himalayas; solve the mystery of the Marie Celeste among pirates on the high seas, and track Inuit warriors through the Arctic wastes. They will battle to outwit their arch rivals: the ghastly Baker Brothers, collectors linked with slavery and opium running.

Synopsis - The Maharajah's Monkey

Dark secrets at the maharajah's palace...Lost treasure and a bear attack in the Himalayas...And a naughty Indian monkey, filled with an ancient evil...When world-famous explorer Gustav Champlon disappears just before a trip to India to find lost treasure, Kit Salter is determined to discover why. Tiny footprints in Gustav's room put her on the trail of a naughty Indian monkey. Before long she and her friends are aboard a steamer to India, on a quest to find the monkey and save Champlon. Welcomed into the palace of the boy Maharajah, a fabulous adventure ensues: Tiger hunts, court intrigue and a mountain expedition to find the lost paradise of Shambala...

These are two genuinely fun, over the top, action packed and intelligent adventures for younger folk written by Natasha Narayan. Set during the almost steampunk Victorian age, Kit and her friends have the opportunity to go on a vast array of adventures and get into all sorts of trouble.

My favourite, as well as the one I had the most trouble with initially, has to be The Mummy Snatchers of Memphis. I had trouble with it because I had to get into the way the author wrote, which initially I thought would not appeal to me. First person point of view, yet slightly removed and tongue in cheek. So after the first few chapters, imagine my surprise when I was sailing through the book at a rapid pace. And it's since become a firm favourite as it's introduced me the very funny Kit Salter and her group of friends.

Kit's a very clever, indulged and slightly precocious character that gets into a variety of scrapes. Some bits were genuinely funny, startling snorts of laughter from me during my commute.

The author takes us on a gamut of historical places throughout both novels, interspersing genuine characters with fictiontal characters, letting us piggy back on Kit's coat tails as she goes from one scrape to the next.

Her companions, Waldo, Rachel and Isaac, are worthy side-kicks and each one comes with his faults and strengths to help Kit through her various adventures.

I've just been to the publishers - Quercus - website and spotted that there is another Kit Salter adventure out later this year. I am very pleased. These pocket sized books with their fantastic covers are very deceptive in that they made me think they would read far younger than they actually did.

I was really surprised by the quality of language, the rich history and information that the author managed to impart throughout both books. It never felt laboured or dull. The chapters are decently sized pieces, ideal to be read out in class or before bed. For confident readers these will make ideal books to pick up on their own. As it's historical adventures, they'll also learn a bit more than they anticipated...of course, they shouldn't know this before the time.

The Maharajah's Monkey is as much as Mummy Snatchers but with the added bonus of a naughty monkey and some wild excitement. Set in India it follows Kit and her friends as they try and unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of Gustav Champlon. I loved that the group of friends rely on each other and are so fearless, even in tough situations.

What can I say? I had fun reading them. I wholeheartedly approve of Kit, her odd family and her true friends. I hope you do too.

Find Natasha's website here and Quercus' stunning new site can be found here.

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas

Synopsis:

In a city that runs on a dwindling supply of magic, a young boy is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure. Conn should have dropped dead the day he picked Nevery's pocket and touched the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells. But for some reason he did not. Nevery decides to take Conn as his apprentice on the provision that the boy find a locus stone of his own. But Conn has little time to search for his stone between wizard lessons and helping Nevery discover who-or what-is stealing the city of Wellmet's magic. Meanwhile Conn is hiding his own secret - his connection to the sinister Underlord, Crowe ...

I received The Magic Thief a few months ago from Quercus, shortly before it was published in September and I really regret not reading this excellent book before now.

In Conn we have a unique hero – he’s cunning, street smart, a thinker and intelligent enough to realise that he will die on his own out there on the streets of Twilight (the bad side of town) if he doesn’t change his luck. His luck changes when he decides to make a grab for the wizard Nevery’s locus magicalicus – in theory, the power in the stone should have struck him dead or done some severe damage to him. It did not – this intrigued Nevery and the crotchety old wizard drags Conn off to a Chophouse where they have a rather one-sided conversation which reveals a lot about Conn’s character and that of Nevery’s.

Conn is not a wisecracking braggart, which we find all too often in books aimed at children – and this is what I found very refreshing. He is deliberate and clever, taking his time to figure things out, but then he is also very stubborn and quick on the uptake. For most of the book, Nevery calls Conn “boy” and he does not mind, Conn in turn calls Nevery by his name, something which causes a bit of a stir amongst other apprentice wizards. Nevery is feared for his strong and often violent magical abilities. But, apart from being grumpy, demanding of his apprentice, servant and secretary, he is a pretty (for a lack of a better descriptive word) cool guy. He listens to Conn’s opinions about magic – they communicate, maybe not as equals, but Nevery gives Conns thoughts credence and that I appreciated. Their master and pupil roles hinge on that give-and-take which make all good partnerships work.

Another character in the book I really enjoyed is Benet – he acts as Nevery’s bodyguard and muscleman. Benet says even less than Conn and I initially thought bad things of Benet but it turns out he’s actually quite a nice guy – he cooks, tidies and knits...yes, you read that correctly. He knits. A big strong muscleman who can lay about him with a large stick, knits skilfully and expertly. A fantastic character quirk which I loved. (thinks about teaching Mark to knit...)

The novel is aimed at 8-12 year olds but I can quite confidently say: kids (all ages) and adults will enjoy it too. The writing is clever and the story very engaging. The mystery surrounding Conn’s background came as a bit of a surprise to me. But then I was nodding, slapping my head, going: “of course!”

The novel would suit people who enjoy Diana Wynne Jones’ books and Joseph Delaney’s Spook books. The Magic Thief is the first part of a trilogy with the others due for release in 2009. This will make a perfect stocking filler for younger and older readers. The novel was published in September 08 by Quercus – website here – and find the author’s website here, with more information about the other upcoming novels.

History Without The Boring Bits, Ian Crofton

The usual history books focus on the reigns of kings and queens, the dates of important battles, treaties, things like that. And we are quite happy to learn them and get on with having to study what our teachers and lecturers try and make impossibly bland.

But there are other more interesting stories to tell - stories that don't usually get into the history books, but which can nevertheless bring the past vividly and excitingly to life.

Imagine a history lesson that spares you the details of such seminal events as the 11th-century papal-imperial conflict, that fails to say much at all about the 1815 Congress of Vienna - and that neglects entirely to mention the world-changing moment that was the 1521 Diet of Worms. Imagine instead a book that tells you the date of the ancient Roman law that made it legal to break wind at banquets; the name of the defunct medieval pope whose putrefying corpse was subjected to the humiliation of a trial before a court of law; the identity of the priapic monarch who sired more bastards than any other king in England; and last but not least the date of the demise in London of the first goat to have circumnavigated the globe twice. Imagine a book crammed with such deliciously disposable information, and you have History without the Boring Bits.

The author of History Without The Boring Bits has clearly not just done a tremendous amount of research whilst putting this book together but he also probably had a lot of fun. And he excells in having found some of the most random and bizarre bits of information which is placed in the book in chronological order.

Example:

331 BC
Guided by Crows.
According to the contemporary historian Callisthenes of Olynthus, Alexander's army was guided through a desert by a flock of crows. The birds would fly ahead as the men followed them, or wait for them if they tarried. Even at night the crows called out to show the way.

The snippets of history are all concise and headlined by fun titles such as: Pelican devours pigeon, Monster awarded protected status, The lake of death...

A very interesting read, even for people who profess not to like history. Ian Crofton's other books include The Kings and Queens of England and Brewer's Britain and Ireland.

Walton Golightly Interview

I was really pleased to receive AmaZulu by Walton Golightly in the post from the amazing girls at Quercus a little while ago. I read the book, loved it and reviewed it (here) and asked Liz how I go about interviewing Walton. We put a request together and through the girls at Quercus we got hold of Walton and discovered that he was more than happy to answer questions for us. I set about putting my first batch of author interview questions together and Walton was kind enough to answer them. Please see the interview below.

Brief Bio

Born in 1966, Walton Golightly is a freelance writer from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa)- on the doorstep of what used to be the Zulu Kingdom. He's a film buff with a passion for Spaghetti Westerns, '70s action movies and the films of Jean Luc Goddard. AmaZulu is his first novel. He shares his life with a few thousand books and two dogs. Occasionally the dogs let him sleep on the bed.


I understand that you’re a nine-to-fiver like most of us. How did you find the time to do your research and the writing? What’s your average day like?

Writing has always come first in my life. It’s never been a case of “making time” – it’s always been about finding more time. I’ve never had much patience with those who say that they want to write, that one day they’ll sit down and write that novel they know is inside them. Gimme a break. You’re either writing or you’re not.

As for the research, that slotted into my normal reading.

Zulu the first book you’ve had published –how does it feel to see your work on a bookshelf?

Stunned. Still find myself looking at a copy and thinking “Hey! It looks just like a real book!”

What was your reaction when you got the call/email telling you it was being published?

Disbelief. Terror. Received an email telling me to expect a phone call the “next day.” So things were still up in the air. I mean, they could’ve been phoning to tell me “nice one, please try again.” Which is a rejection however you look at it. Still, despite everything, it didn’t escape me that, not for the first time in my life, there I was anxiously waiting for one, specific woman to call me. Although, unlike most of those other times, this was definitely worth the wait! And the pacing.

How do you plan your work- do you plan each chapter in advance, or do you let the story evolve as you write?

Too much planning and I lose interest. Feel as if I’ve written the bloody thing already. But I need to have the plot clear in my mind (and that includes the characters). That is I need to know where I’m headed. And I have several unfinished pieces, some 50 000 or so words long, where I’ve, er, literally lost the plot.

Is there a single event that inspired Zulu? How did the idea come about?

No single event. It’s just that these are the stories you grow up with out here.

As for the spark… For a short while I toyed with rewriting King Solomon’s Mines from Umbopa’s perspective. But all that would’ve boiled down to was a critique of colonialism and “white writing” – talk about flogging a dead horse. Plus it meant re-reading Haggard, an ordeal I just couldn’t face. Better to leave Allan Quartermain with Alan Moore, eh?

At any rate, one thing led to another and we have Amazulu.

Did you struggle to write from any of the characters points of view?

Not really. The most daunting was Shaka, and when I was happy with the way I was portraying him that’s when I knew the concept would work.

Shaka’s training regime for his army has been likened to that of the Spartans. What do you make of the comparison?

It’s fair enough. What’s more interesting to me, though, is the fact that shortly after Shaka’s death he was being called the “Black Napoleon.” Since he was being called such by English it was clearly not meant as a compliment. But the comparison is more apt than they probably realized. Both rulers had a lasting impact on their “tribe,” one that’s felt to this day, yet both were also capable of atrocities and nearly destroyed their respective “countries.”

Even more interesting, Napoleon went around saying things like “I spend 30 000 men a month,” yet Shaka’s seen as the “savage.”

If you had a chance to ask Shaka one question, what would it be?

Nothing. There’s the Shaka of Amazulu and the Shaka of history – and let’s not let the facts stand in the way of a good story. Besides, facts rarely give you the truth. And in the sequel I intend to explore the controversial theory that Shaka had no brothers and sisters, was born of a virgin and was indeed the Son of God.

The book will be called Dhlamini’s Code.

Then again maybe not.

Amazulu is the first of a trilogy. What do we have to look forward to in the next two instalments?

Firstly, from early on this was always going to be a trilogy. Basically, Book I follows Shaka’s rise to power and ends with his descent into madness. At another level it plays with the legend, seeking to reinterpret the key events and present a more realistic Shaka. And a more realistic look at the Zulus at this time. One which ought to challenge a few misconceptions.

Er. And despite all of this, Shaka isn’t the main character.

Book II will show how Shaka consolidates his power and deals with the coming of the whites. Which, incidentally, means more humour, with history writing the script, as these weren’t the smartest, most industrious exemplars of Empire (then again, neither were they the cruelest or most vicious).

At that other level, meanwhile, we begin to challenge or – dare I say it – deconstruct the legend, presenting other ways of seeing.

And despite all of this, Shaka still isn’t the main character.

As for the third installment, I myself will be quite interested to see what that’s going to be about.

What has the reaction been like in South Africa, particularly in Kwazulu-Natal?

Reviews – and sales – have been gratifying, thanks in large part to the hard work done by Kwela, my SA publishers. As for KZN in particular… I could mention the halfwit on a local Web site who feels it’s acceptable to review a book without having read it, but I won’t.

What do you read in your time off?


Phew. Here goes… Colin Cotterill. Martin Cruz Smith. Michael Pearce. Elmore Leonard. John D MacDonald. Ross McDonald. Swen Hassell. Ian Rankin (just finished Exit Music). Thomas Pynchon. Vladimir Nabokov. John LeCarre. Terry Pratchett. George MacDonald Fraser. Bernard Cornwell. Kathy Reichs. Christopher Priest. Philip K Dick. James Ellroy. Etc. Etc.


Amazulu is available to purchase on Amazon, Waterstones.com, Play.com, WHSmith and from Quercus directly, as well as all other good bookstores.

Note: Images appear courtesy of:
http://photos.igougo.com/images/p155393-Kwa-Zulu_Natal-Drakensberg.jpg
http://www.britishbattles.com/zulu-war/isandlwana/zulu3.jpg

Amazulu, Walton Golightly

To this day, there is still debate whether Shaka KaSenzangakhona should be remembered as a military genius who united the Zulu people and forged one of the most powerful sub Saharan nations, or a military genius with an almost sociopathic thirst for revenge whose reign saw over a million people fall to the assegais of his impis.

Time and romantic notions of a 'noble savage' have blurred history into myth, but the fact is that the story of Shaka really doesn’t need any such embellishment to be captivating.

Walton seems to have realized this and has created a sweeping, historical work which tells the story of Shaka’s bloody rise to power from his days as an exile in the service of Dingiswayo to undisputed king of a transformed Zulu nation, told through the eyes of one of Shaka’s trusted lieutenants and his shield-bearer as they navigate through these turbulent and often violent times.

While Walton’s not shy with fruits of his formidable research, he’s successfully infused the story with the right amount of nuance to create a finely balanced and thoroughly enjoyable tale that successfully blends fact and fiction. As someone who enjoys military history and a range of fiction, I have to say it satisfied on both counts and I’d happily recommend it to anyone either remotely interested in South African history or looking for a gripping adventure.

It's the first in a trilogy which will track the Zulu empire from its birth in fire and blood right up to its legendary clash with the British empire- and I for one am in it for the duration.

Bayede!