Books read but not reviewed

Here are some of the books I have read but not reviewed.

April 2011

Charmed Life (1977) Diana Wynne Jones, Collins

ISBN 0-00-675515-1

Holes (1998) Louis Sacher, Bloomsbury,

ISBN 0-7475-4459-x 

May 2011

Abomination (1998) Robert Swindells, Corgi

ISBN 978-0-552-55588-3

July 2011

 

Pegasus and the flame (2011) Kate O’Hearn, Hodder

ISBN 978-0-340-99740-6

August 2011

Rip Van Winkle (1990) Washington Irving, Longman Group Ltd.

ISBN 0-582-53530-1

Regency Collection:

Rosalyn and the Scoundrel, Anne Herries

Lady Knightley’s Secret, Anne Ashley

Mills and Boon

ISBN 0-263-84423-4

 

writing sample

Here is another writing sample, feel free to comment.

As the morning sun shone its first rays across the meadow and along to the village, Allit began stirring with life. Parents and children rose from their beds, dressed, and broke their fast. The house of Bertha and Tanner was no exception, although their young house guest was somewhat shy and unsure. Kestle still sat by the fire, legs stretched across the blankets where he had slept.

 “Come along Kestle, help Marle and Marva gather eggs outside. I’ll get porridge started, or should we have the eggs for breakfast?”

“Porridge thanks” replied Kestle as he rose to follow the children outside. Tanner came back inside in their place, offering his wife a smile.

 “It’s done. There will be a meeting in the storage barn before evening meal. Will you keep the children occupied?”

“Of course. I can take them all to the meadow for games as long as there is still light” smiled Bertha, “you won’t be too late?”

“No, shouldn’t be longer than an hour or so”. Tanner looked over at the door as the children returned, arms laden with warm brown eggs. “In the basket for your mother. Careful not to break any”. When they had done as he asked and come over to sit at the table, Tanner asked “How about Kestle stays with us for a bit? A new friend to play with?”

Update

HI everyone Sorry I have not been updating the blog for a while, I have been very ill, and then I had a fair few family things to sort out. I have not been writing a review of every book I read anymore as it was time consuming, and I felt that some of that time should be devoted to research and writing. Both of these are coming along nicely. There is a lot of planning for Vandar, and I have created character profiles, and setting profiles. The actual text of the book is now just over 5000 words, and as the next five or so chapters are all planned, this will go up quickly. I will shortly be publishing lists of books I have read. If any are appealing to you, let me know and I'll post a review. Gail

Artemis Fowl, The Seventh Dwarf

Artemis Fowl, The Seventh Dwarf (2004) Eoin Colfer, Puffin
ISBN 0-141-31800-7

This is a short book written for world book day and available to children for just a pound or free with a book token received from school. It is part of a set of books about the character of Artemis Fowl. Artemis is a boy whose father is missing. Nobody has been able to find him. Artemis cannot accept that his father is gone, and being highly intelligent, sets about finding his father by himself. He also wants to do something for his mother, who is devastated by the disappearance of his father, “I will find him,” he whispered once in his mother’s arms.

Finding out about the secret world of fairies, Artemis is convinced that this world can help him. There is just one problem, humans must not know about the fairy world. This world is different to our own, yet has a clear set of rules, and there are limits to the special abilities of those within it. This use of clear boundaries helps us to see it as more real, as if you could stumble across a secret world of fairies.

This is a stand-alone story that also fits with the other books. The characters are well drawn, and the plot clear, so it is fine if you have not read any of the previous novels. Even though the story can be read independently, there are references to other tales, making the reader curious. Extra details about characters background and past actions help to give them further depth.

There is also plenty of dialogue in the text, helping to keep the story fast paced. This is great for a children’s story as it keeps their attention throughout. The dialogue also helps to give further insight into the characters themselves, and to reveal details of the plot.

There are often little placement lines written in italics at the start of a section of text. These quickly allow the reader to know exactly when and where they are. For instance, “police plaza. Haven City. The Lower Elements.” This is useful to younger readers who may find it harder to work out where they are or keep track. More cleverly, it enables the writer to keep the text shorter by omitting such information from the main body of the text, which would have to be written in a longer style. It also helps to break the text into manageable chunks, easier to cope with for young readers.

I had not read any of the books about Artemis Fowl before, although I had certainly heard of them. They are clearly best selling children’s books for a reason. They are well written, have an original concept, and they are easy and entertaining to read. I hope to read more of these soon.

What I have learned so far;
· Fantasy worlds should have limits and rules just like our world.
· To use such rules and limits to inform/drive plot and characters.
· A characters history and background is important as it gives depth.

The Lost Throne

The Lost Throne (2008) Chris Kuzneski, Puffin Books
ISBN 978-0-141-03707-3

This is a crime thriller with an interesting historical twist. The book is fairly long, about 593 pages, and 76 chapters plus prologue and epilogue. Having said that, I wasn’t bored at any point, and the story is revealed through multiple narrative voices, necessitating that the book be split into key sections (chapters) to change voice. There are three main viewpoints in the book; the Interpol and Greek police investigation, the mercenaries and their associate characters, and finally, the Spartan warriors.

At this point I should probably explain that the book is set in modern times, but the crime is in a Greek Orthodox monastery, virtually untouched/closed off since medieval times. On top of this, there are continual links to historic relics and cultures, especially archaic Greece, and the ancient Spartan city-state. This is one of the reasons that the book appealed to me, as I spent three years studying ancient history and archaeology at university, a lot of it looking at Greece.

There is lots of research evident in this book, and it is the detail that makes it so successful. These details provide the clues to linking up what is happening, and solving the crime. The observance of these details is what enables some of the characters to survive the dramatic ending to the story. The text is quite graphic in places, and those details also form part of the clues. The graphic detail is necessary to explain links and conclusions, as well as reflecting the brutal nature of the Spartan warrior culture. This culture, and that of the orthodox monks are portrayed very well.

The pace of the story is also well thought out. There are plenty of ups and downs, as well as spurts of rapid action. These bursts of action get more and more frequent as you travel through the story. Events move on at a faster pace, and viewpoint or narrative voices switch more readily. This all works together to create a sense of urgency and tension for the dramatic conclusion of the novel.

I enjoyed this book because of the historical and cultural aspects to it. I thought that they were very well done. It is unusual for someone to write about the Spartan cultures in fiction. Most people stick to Athenian statesmen or artisans, or Macedonian leaders like Alexander the Great. I also found that the pace and the tension hooked me in, urging me on to complete the book. The questions it throws at readers made me very reluctant to put the book down, as I wanted to know what the answer was! I am one of those people who find it difficult to let go until I know WHY. In this book, that was of just as much importance as the who!

What I have learned so far;
· The importance of detail to a novel
· Effective use of details in a story
· An example of how to use pace to good advantage, and to create tension and questions with it.

A Test Of Truth, Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

A Test Of Truth, Sir Gawain And The Green Knight (1988) Barrie Wade, Arnold-Wheaton ISBN: 0-560-09013-7

This is a very short book with many illustrations. It is a book that is aimed at enticing reluctant readers, and works very well. The story is not a new one, and there is even a version told by the notable J. R. Tolkein.

The story is based upon Sir Gawain, a knight in King Arthur’s kingdom. Gawain is the only night brave enough to challenge the Green Knight, knowing that it will probably cause his death. He does this to uphold the honour of Camelot. It is that honour, and his personal honour that has him not just agreeing to go to his death at the hands of the green knight a year later, but actively seek out his fate.

The book simplifies the story so that it is short in length without dummying it down. Challenging vocabulary is used such as “withered” and “gruesome”. This helps to extend readers vocabulary as well as making the story much more interesting. This effect is supported by the use of words related to the stories setting, such as “revelry”. Words and phrases are also repeated to aid readers in remembering them, although not so much as to turn the text into a story for a much younger child.

Almost every other page has a wonderfully detailed and colourful piece of artwork that is designed to illustrate what the text is describing. They successfully mix modern art and colours with those of the past, including some medieval motifs in the decoration. The images help the reader to understand and appreciate the story being told through the text. They add another layer of meaning to the words, and make the book so much more appealing to a reluctant reader. Teens who struggle to read will be attracted by the short length of the volume, and the amount of pictures in the book.

This story is a moral tale or parable. It demonstrates the value of honesty, keeping promises, and personal honour. It accomplishes all of this without preaching to readers. Understanding of these lessons comes from following the struggles and thoughts of the characters. This is the sign of a great tale, and I enjoyed reading it very much.

What I have learned;

· Writing can contain messages for readers, ie, life lessons and moral values.
· Tales can be re-told or adapted to suit different needs.

Ring-rise, Ring-set

Ring Rise, Ring Set (1982) Monica Hughes, Heinemann New Windmills
ISBN: 0 435 12305

This is another book aimed at teenagers that has a message within it. It deals with the issue of science verses nature, of western cultures dismissing older native cultures, and the sacrifice of the few to benefit the many. All of these issues are seen and weighed by a teenage girl named Liza.

The book is set after a natural disaster, and the world is at imminent risk of the next ice age. Scientists have less than five years to prevent the ice sheet overrunning the last human outposts. This disaster happened when a comet skimmed earth’s atmosphere, leaving some of its debris behind. This debris has coalesced into a cloud of dust and tektites (glass particles) that has settled around the equator. This ring blocks out 80% of the sun’s rays in winter, creating severe freezing temperatures. This time is called ring set. When the earth has rotated enough for summer, the ring appears to rise, and more of the sun’s rays filter through.

Liza is part of the western science community, who have survived by building an underground complex inside a hill, where they completely shut themselves off during ring set. These people are called Tecks. Liza was born there, and has not known any other way of life, except from educational materials. Men and women live separately, on different floors, and children do not live with their parents. All women do household jobs such as cooking, cleaning, etc, on a massive scale, rotating each month. They work together as a floor group. Men work on machinery, and go out on expeditions for science research. This is meant to be the best way of advancing scientific knowledge and conserving resources etc. Liza barely sees her parents, and doesn’t really know them.

In contrast, those who were not included in the science bunker have found a way to survive by living like the native tribes of Alaska and Canada. These people are called Ekoes by the Tecks. They depend upon the caribou to survive. They live in extended family groups, and all sleep in one central shelter. They spend time with their families, and children grow up knowing their parents well. The Ekoes think that the Tecks are spirit people, and are afraid of them and anything associated with them.

Liza is unhappy with her life in the hill, and she wants to go on an adventure outside in ring set. She thinks it is unfair that only men get to go out during winter, and stows away on an expedition sled. Finding herself alone with spare supplies in the middle of the ice sheet, Liza begins to regret leaving. She is found by an Ekoe named Namoonie, and taken back to his family. They think that she is a long lost daughter, cousin to Namoonie, and take her in. she spends the whole winter with them, and learns about their culture. Liza feels loved, feels like she belongs in a way that the artificial hill settlement cannot provide. Ekoes believe in Paija, a goddess of the earth. They have created myths and stories that explain the ring, and believe that Paija has put it there after she was tricked by a wolf. This is strange to Liza as the Tecks only believe in science.

Things come to a head when the Ekoes discover “black snow” that smells bad, and is killing the caribou. Liza knows that this must have something to do with the Tecks, and asks Namoonie to take her back to “the spirit people”. Once there she tackles the director, and tries to persuade him not to endanger the Ekoes by killing off their supply of food for the winter months. She is disappointed when all the Tecks agree to do is allow the Ekoes to live inside the hill, something that the Ekoes would never do. The black snow is a mould produced by the Tecks to hold back the ice sheet from spreading. The idea is that it may buy them enough time to create a space net that will deflect all of the matter in the ring, putting the planet’s weather back to rights, and saving mankind from extinction. Tecks look down on Ekoes, and think that they are the true custodians of earth’s culture and knowledge. I lover her reply, that summed up my attitude nicely;

“I’m not that thrilled with a civilisation that won’t count people like Namoonie and his family because they don’t wash too often or clip their toenails”

Whilst Liza can be naive, impetuous, and even irresponsible at times, this is often because she is a fifteen-year-old teenager. Liza does show plenty of learning and growing throughout the novel. I like the way that her character is used as a focus for all of the differing viewpoints, and that she challenges established views, and wants everyone to come up with a solution for all. She is unable to accept that Ekoes are the lesser culture just because they don’t know about science, or read and write. She is also unable to reconcile herself to the idea that the Ekoes, the few, should be sacrificed for the many, the Tecks.

The solution is never found before the end of the novel, but it ends with Liza’s final challenge. She refuses to go back to the hill, choosing to live with the Ekoes and marry Namoonie. Liza reminds the Tecks that they can’t forget about Ekoes while she is with them, and that if they cause harm to the Ekoes they will also be arming her, one of their own as well. It is a neat solution even though it is temporary, and leaves the reader still wondering if the ring ever gets deflected.

I think that this novel touches on very worthwhile issues, which are eve more relevant today than when the book was first written. This is especially so for environmental and cultural issues. I really liked the way a book for teenagers looked at other cultures with a positive light, and that equally, it wasn’t afraid of showing weaknesses in modern western societies. The fact that this is all viewed through the lens of a teenager’s eyes helps other teenagers to understand and think about the issues involved. I liked this book a lot, and it was clearly well thought out and planned. I wonder if this author has written any other books? They might well be worth a read!

What I have learned;

· Not to be afraid of highlighting cultural differences.
· Keep the viewpoint of the book to the main character, and remember to adapt it as that character learns and grows.
· Use real life research as a base but alter it slightly to fit your fictional story.