2015 | To Other Worlds

Why I Raised the Prices On My Ebooks

When I was first starting out as a self-published author, I jumped right on the train that advised pricing your ebooks low or even free to attract new readers. After all, it makes a lot of sense. There are low upfront costs to producing an ebook as opposed to a physical book, so you don't have to charge a lot to recoup costs, and readers are more likely to take a chance on a new author when there is less financial investment up front if they don't like the book.

Here's the problem: it didn't work for me, and I'm starting to think it's not an approach that will work well for other authors either, in the long run.

A quick story, and raise your hand if you've had a similar experience: When I got my new NOOK, I started looking at the free ebooks on Smashwords to buff up my library. I also purchased a few books by traditionally published authors as well. Can you guess which ones I actually got around to reading?

I think readers are running into this problem more and more these days, because there is such a glut of low-cost ebooks available that by pricing our books low or free, we are having to fight harder and harder to gain an audience and, more importantly, keep their attention. I think we, as authors, would do better to price our books more as if they were released by a traditional publisher (that being said, I wouldn't ever exceed $10 for an ebook). This is especially important for self-published authors who do view themselves as professionals and desire their peers and their audience to do so as well.

The major advantage of this pricing method (besides more money per sale, obviously) is the fact that it doesn't scream self-published author. I love self-publishing and I think it is one of the best things to happen to the publishing industry, but the negative stigma is still very visible and very much there. A higher price tag sends your readers a message: that you are a professional, that you expect them to spend this kind of money on your product because it is worth it. It also makes your book look as though it was professionally published, which might help it catch the attention of readers who avoid self-published books for the aforementioned reasons. And, readers are more likely to invest the time to read your book after they have spent money on it.

The jury is still out on whether or not this new pricing model will work for my books, but I personally feel a lot better about it. I feel more professional, and I think my books seem that way too. What better message can you send to your readers to help them gain trust in how serious you are about your craft?

Agree? Disagree? Where has your "sweet spot" price been for ebooks, as both a reader and a writer? I look forward to hearing from you!

Book Review - Through Wolf's Eyes

Cover image courtesy of Barnes and Noble.

Title: Through Wolf's Eyes
Author: Jane Lindskold
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Publication Date: June 17, 2002
Version I Read: Mass Market Paperback

Rating: 5/5

This is one of those books I read a long time ago and recently reread. Needless to say from my high rating, Through Wolf's Eyes holds up. Big time.

Years ago, the king of Hawk Haven disowned his youngest son, and the prince left on an expedition to found a colony on the other side of the mountains. He was never heard from again. Now that the king's other children have died and a fight for succession has erupted, an earl decides to lead an expedition to find out what happened to the missing prince, and, hopefully, bring either him or any heirs back.

Thus begins the tale of Lady Blysse, or, as she would rather be known, Firekeeper. A survivor of Prince Barden's ill-fated expedition, she has been raised by wolves (bigger, more intelligent wolves that live beyond the mountains), leaving her more wolf than human. With some urging from her adopted family, she chooses to return with the humans to their kingdom, the kingdom of her birth.

Spoilers!

This book knows how to do political intrigue! As the plot centers around the extended royal family fighting over the throne, unsurprisingly, there is a lot of plotting and a couple of assassination attempts, as well as strategic marriages and characters plotting out their every move. Allister Seagleam, who is the son of the king's sister who was married off to the Bright Bay nobility to ensure peace and eventual unification of their two lands, is also in the running, to the chagrin of the Hawk Haven nobility, even though a decent portion of the people support his claim. In one of the later chapters, we get the history of the Bright Bay throne explained to us too, and it is similarly creative, fascinating, and realistic. One thing that doesn't clutter up the story is the fact that there is nothing barring women from holding positions of power (in fact, Hawk Haven was founded by a woman), meaning Lindskold doesn't take unnecessary time on feminist stories that have been done to death in similar stories.

I love the setting, specifically the idea that the kingdoms where the story takes place were founded after colonizers from the Old World withdrew to deal with issues closer to home. This idea is interesting, because it is not only something I haven't seen in fantasy too often (and gives it a very "New World" feel), but it adds an extra angle to the people in power: that their power is only somewhat solidified.

Firekeeper herself is a great character - both naive in the ways of humans and wise in the ways of the world. The way her mind works is very well-written, as she constantly compares the goings-on in the human world to how the animal world works, most commonly and perhaps obviously, to power dynamics in wolf packs. Firekeeper's relationship with Blind Seer is also something of note; most readers would expect her to eventually fall in love with a human (namely Darian), but not Firekeeper. Her soulmate truly is Blind Seer and, while she is searching for a way to become a wolf in body as well as in spirit through forbidden ancient magics, she shares a kind of beautiful bond with him in spite of the fact that they are of two different species.

Pretty much all of the other characters, especially Sapphire, Derian, Elise, and Doc, are distinctive and well-rounded. I appreciate that the main villain's motivation is that he feels tossed aside after the death of his wife, who would have been Queen, and so he wants to take the power he feels is rightfully his.

The fact that magic in this world is rare and not even accepted (considered to be a relic of the Old World and not something any of them want; it is something they fear enough to go to war over the threat of it being used) is also nice, and gives the story a realistic feel while still maintaining the power and majesty of fantasy.

Perhaps the best part of the story is the ending and the resolution to the conflict. Firekeeper is not chosen to be the next queen. She is not even Prince Barden's daughter but the daughter of another member of the expedition. I love that the king knows this and accepts her into his court anyway, because he appreciates her wisdom and he genuinely likes her. Instead, the crown will go to the character that perhaps gets the best development in the story: Sapphire Shield. Sapphire goes from being an alpha bitch completely under the control of her mother to a strong independent woman and remains a complex character. Her betrothal to Allister's son ensures the promise made years ago to unite the kingdoms of Hawk Haven and Bright Bay into a stronger whole. This makes the end of the story not only perfectly logical, but also emotionally satisfying.

The Verdict: An engrossing and compelling book that amazingly combines the story of a feral child raised by wolves and a political struggle for a crown.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

The Highest Hope - Chapter 3 and NaNo Updates

How y'all doin'? Happy Halloween, by the way. It's my favorite holiday and I sure hope you had a good one.

Chapter 3 of The Highest Hope is now available on FictionPress. I always appreciate reviews and constructive feedback.

An important note: I am putting this story on hiatus indefinitely because of other more pressing obligations, and the fact that I have a NaNo novel from the prior year that deserves my attention first. You have my word that I AM NOT abandoning The Highest Hope and it will be continued to be serialized as soon as possible.

Read the newest chapter here.

Speaking of National Novel Writing Month, I am participating again this year. My profile is here and here is the synopsis of my project, a historical fantasy about, le gasp, vampires:

1875 Transylvania

After years of war, rebellion, and outside rule, Romania is ready to become a sovereign nation, taking with it the formerly independent principality of Transylvania. For strigoi - vampires - it is the end of a once-magnificent era, their society hardly resembling what it once was.

Struggling against encroaching humans with new, powerful weapons, as well as a terrifying new disease known as the Blood Poisoning killing their people, the last strigoi struggle to survive.

Two brothers, outcast Sorin and youngest member of the Great Council of the Dragon, Viorel, might just be the ones to lead their people into the future. If they can muster the courage to let go of the past.

Things I Will Never Include In A Story

Have you ever noticed that ONE thing that could happen in a story that makes you roll your eyes or even put the book down? Sometimes, an element that can even make you never pick up the book again?

Before I get started, I want to mention that these aren't necessarily BAD things, they're just things that bug me beyond belief 99% of the time I see them in fiction, so I said I'd never include them in my own.

Love triangles
Amnesia storylines
Jesus allegories
Not passing the Bechdel Test (might not apply to short stories)
Bad futures
Epilogues that take place in the future

I'll update as I think of more.

Do you have any themes or plot twists that you would never include in YOUR story?

Thoughts on Star Trek Into Darkness

I've been a Star Trek fan since I was ten years old, and I've had mixed feelings about the reboot ever since the first film came out. I liked it when I saw it in theaters but my opinion degraded over time. It just didn't feel like a Star Trek film. A great Hollywood sci-fi action film? Yes. A great Star Trek movie? Hardly.

So, after dragging my feet for two years, I finally saw Star Trek Into Darkness. And you know what? I actually really liked it, against all expectations. I thought it had good humor, good action, and a complex, cohesive character-driven plot. The characters in particular have evolved from what felt like shadows of their former selves who just threw around catchphrases to make the fans happy to being truer to the crew we know and love. Even if the characterizations are not perfect, the creators' hearts are clearly in the right place. Perhaps most importantly, Into Darkness has a rather relevant (and extremely important, in my humble opinion) "Star Trek message" that the first reboot film sorely lacked.

So now to the rebuttals of common criticisms of the film:

Khan's whiteness makes more than perfect sense in context (apparently they even clarified it in a tie-in comic). I adored the characterization of Khan and Cumberbatch's performance and found myself rooting for him for most of the movie (he really only does one thing that is entirely inexcusable). I still don't see a reason why the villain of this film couldn't have been a contemporary of Khan's (another warlord from the Eugenics Wars) instead of Khan himself, but whatever.

After seeing the film, I may not fully agree with making Khan white, but I certainly understand why that choice was made. Back when TOS was airing, the idea of the perfect human being brown was novel and groundbreaking. But we now live in a world where showing a brown man perform acts of terrorism just perpetrates negative stereotypes, no matter the history of the franchise or the character.

Even the ending both made sense (people say it came out of nowhere but there was another huge piece of foreshadowing I think everyone missed...) and was emotionally resonant, if not original.

Pretty much the only thing I didn't like was the lack of originality - it did feel like they were trying to remake Wrath of Khan. But that was pretty much it - I now have much higher hopes for the next film.

Book Review - Falling Kingdoms

Cover image courtesy of Barnes and Noble.

Title: Falling Kingdoms
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: March 11, 2014
Version I Read: Hardcover

Rating: 4/5

I'm pretty conflicted about this book. On the whole, it's a good story that, at least in this first volume, is a little superficial. The major characters are both likable and infuriating, which means they are most certainly not boring. Oh, yeah, and my favorite character dies. When I read it for the first time, I was so angry I didn't want to pick up the next one. But something about this world kept calling me to come back, and I'm honestly glad I did, because, putting my emotions aside, this really is a good book.

There are three kingdoms on the continent of Mythica: prosperous Auranos to the south, poor Paelsia in the center, and cold and strong Limeros in the north. The story is told from four perspectives: Cleo, the headstrong princess of Auranos who, though no fault of her own, sets off an international incident; Jonas, a young man in Paelsia, who, after being wronged, ends up becoming a budding rebel leader; Lucia, the princess of Limeros, who, unknown to except a few, is destined to become one of the most powerful sorceresses who ever lived; and Magnus, the prince of Limeros, who harbors a forbidden love for his sister and struggles to hide his true self from his tyrant father.

Some spoilers.

The action kicks off when a party including Cleo and her soon-to-be fiance Aron go to Paelsia to purchase some wine and are involved in an altercation where the wine-seller's son is killed. Cleo has nothing to do with this - Aron was trying to rip them off - but the incident becomes a rallying cry for the people of Paelsia. With the murdered man's brother out for revenge and the cruel king of the north seeking to take advantage of the tragedy, the powder keg finally explodes into all-out war. I like that a single isolated incident like this is enough to start a major war - after all, throughout history, a seemingly small event has set things in motion when tension has been boiling beneath the surface for years.

I think the biggest problem with this book is that the writing and narrative itself are a little superficial, which doesn't work well for high fantasy. There are no organic detours from the main plot, which I think detracts from what is otherwise a good story.

The characters swing from likable to nearly intolerable, which, whether you like them or not, means they invoke strong emotions, so the author is doing something right. On the likable side, you have Cleo, who, while she makes mistakes and bad decisions some of the time, is a rather fleshed out and believable character, given her age and status. I ship her hardcore with Theon. *Sob*

Jonas has the least development of the main characters (he also has the least amount of POV chapters, which I find a little odd). I'm not sure why the author gave him so much less to do than the other main characters, and, as a consequence, he's much flatter than the others. He also changes his opinion more or less at the drop of a hat, which is rather poor writing.

Lucia is naive and easily manipulatable, which gives some depth to her otherwise Purity Sue character, as these are some major character flaws that have terrible consequences towards the end of the story. Seeing where she's going to go from here will be interesting.

Magnus is a little harder to get behind because of what an ass he can be, but as the story goes along you do see why he is the kind of person he is. We'll see which road he chooses to take in the sequels.

The mythology of the Kindred and the Watchers is also pretty well thought-out and adds a lot of depth to the story. I always like it when worlds have their own mythology and stories that get told to the readers - it makes the story feel all the more real.

There are also some minor (Why did Jonas bother getting with Chief Basilius' daughter in order to gain an audience rather than request one directly as the brother of the man who was killed?) and not-so-minor logic flaws, namely, why Jonas was so obsessed with getting revenge on Cleo when she was clearly not comfortable with the situation (and even tried to get them all to leave!). Fixating on Aron would have made sense, and I understand people do stupid things when they're that upset, but it still feels contrived by the author to make the plot move along rather than something the character would logically think or do.

(And why did you have to kill Theon off? WHY?!)

The Verdict: A more ambitious YA fantasy than most which falls short in some places but ultimately holds up.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

Violence in Children's Books

Call me weird, but I have always found violent content in fiction more offensive than sexual content. I guess that makes me more European than American, or something. I mean, seriously, which is worse? Showing a loving, consenting act of devotion (or even, you know, how our bodies look without clothes), or showing someone getting shot in the face?

(That being said, I'm not opposed to violence in fiction, even children's fiction. Kids are more mature than a lot of us give them credit for. I'm just pointing this all out. I personally think violence is only an issue when it's glorified.)

But it continues to astound me how much of an emphasis our society places on visual fiction versus written fiction and the different standards for each. Minors can't buy an R-Rated movie but anyone can buy a romance novel with explicit sex scenes at Wal-Mart. And who can forget all the hullabaloo about minors being able to buy Fifty Shades of Grey, no questions asked?

And then there's the odd world of children's books. I've mostly noticed this in the genre of animal fiction (which has steadily gained in popularity over the last six years or so) that scenes and actions depicting pretty graphic violence are oddly enough the norm. Scenes that would never be put in an animated kids' cartoon, no matter how old the target audience might be, are rather prevalent in books.

Case in point? Scourge's murder of Tigerstar in Warriors, the rather graphic deceptions of injury and illness in The Guardian Herd, and the cruelty and horrible ways dragons die in Wings of Fire.

My guess? I think we, as a society, place a higher intellectual value on reading. If you read a lot, you're smart right? By extension, this means you might be mature enough to handle reading about a cat getting eviscerated. (Whether or not this is true.) Another explanation might be because these books depict animals harming one another, and not humans doing the same things.

Agree? Disagree? Thoughts? Comment!

Book Review - Hopper's Destiny

Cover image courtesy of Barnes and Noble.

Title: Hopper's Destiny
Author: Lisa Fiedler
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: March 17, 2015
Version I Read: Hardcover

Rating: 4.5/5

I continue to really appreciate these books, and this second outing of the Mouseheart series was even better than the first.

Hopper and his friends have succeeded in driving away the feral cats from their beloved city of Atlantia and ending the rather atrocious agreement the former emperor Titus made with the feral queen Felina. It all sounds like a happy ending, except everything has gone wrong. The city is in ruins, attacked by feral cats at every turn, and food is scarce. What's worse, Hopper's sister Pinke has become the new leader of the Mus, and refuses to offer her resources to anyone else. Only Hopper's most steadfast friends are supporting him anymore. And what is going on with Pup?

I've only seen one other book that so thoroughly broke down its main character at the beginning, and that is Tad Williams' The War of the Flowers, which is decidedly less kid-friendly fare than Hopper's Destiny. That being said, the fact that everything goes so horribly wrong for Hopper and co. really makes the reader believe why Hopper would want to run away and never come back, Lion King style. This gives his inner struggle once he goes to the surface a lot more weight than would be usual.

The themes dealt with in this book are heavy and, in my opinion, quite well-handled. Titus' actions and repentance are given a lot more meaning when his motivations are revealed. Another major theme discussed is the ways of nature, and how, yes, cats and snakes eat mice. They have to to survive. Hopper eventually comes to accept this, but refuses to allow killing for reasons other than hunger or self-defense, which I think was a good moral. The final heavy topic is the book's discussion of faith and how, like the humble cockroach of La Rocha's namesake, it is indestructible. That being said, the book goes out of its way to say that the real strength of faith isn't that some supernatural force is going to come in and make everything better. No, its true strength is to inspire you and get you to believe in yourself. Again, a great message.

Fiedler takes the characters she started with in the last book and builds on them marvelously, offering new dimensions to nearly all of them (except maybe Zucker, who is MIA for most of the book), as well as showing us some new faces, perhaps most memorably Ace the cat and the mysterious true identity of La Rocha. Fiedler's writing is also top notch here, with some incredibly beautiful passages sprinkled throughout the book. Most come from La Rocha himself, but just about every character has something meaningful to say.

The plotting is tight and the action moves along at a good pace, and pretty much everything that happens in the book is important in some way, which I always love to see.

(Though seriously, what professional exterminator uses shovels?)

The Verdict: An improvement on the first book and definitely worth a read. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

Short Story - The New Pet

I haven't just been reading books and telling you all what I think of them - I've also been working on my next collection of short stories, The Profane and the Sacred and Other Stories. I figured I would share with you one of the stories I have completed.

More news about the collection will follow, but for now, enjoy!

The New Pet

It was a sad, sad day when Brooke came home from work and found her roommate, Belle, sobbing on the couch, a pile of wadded up Kleenex decorating the coffee table in disgustingness. Belle’s dog was nowhere to be seen.

Naturally, Brooke inquired as to what happened, dropping her purse and work papers on the kitchen table before sliding in next to her friend, regarding her with an expression that could only be described as complete and utter worry.

Tearfully, Belle explained. That morning, Daisy, her Cocker Spaniel, hadn’t wanted to get up. A trip to the emergency vet had shown that the dog had pancreatic cancer, and the kindest thing had been to put her down.

What followed were the saddest weeks in both of their lives. Belle had always been the kind of person who loved animals more than people, and losing her first and so far only pet had been a blow that sent her spiraling into a depression she had only just gotten out of after a rough senior year in college. The fact that Daisy had been the perfect dog for her; quiet, sweet, and always wanting attention, did nothing to help. Nor did the fact that her mother had hated dogs, meaning her first opportunity to get one had been when she’d moved into an apartment of her own.

They discussed the possibility of getting another dog, because, as Brooke had oh-so-accurately put it, “You’re the kind of person who will either go out and get another one right away, or never get another dog again.” Belle, however, wasn’t yet ready for another pet, and Brooke understood that. She did her best to be by her friend’s side, but work and other commitments did limit her ability to help, something she was ashamed of. But as the months went by and Belle didn’t seem to get any better, Brooke started urging her to visit shelters.

“I don’t have time,” Belle would say. Or, “It won’t be Daisy!”

Brooke even went so far as to mention the possibility of grief counseling, which Belle had vehemently refused. But Brooke was near the end of her rope, for watching a loved one suffer, especially when there isn’t anything that can be done about it, hurts more than anything.

So Brooke decided to take matters into her own hands.

One morning, Brooke came back into their shared apartment, sneaking in and purposefully avoiding the spot on the wooden floor she knew squeaked in order to get inside unnoticed. It appeared Belle hadn’t yet come home from work, which was just perfect. She took the box into her room, slid a small treat inside which was lapped up by a warm tongue, and lay on her bed to get back to the book she just couldn’t put down.

Unsure how much time had passed, her heart jumped in nervousness and joy as she heard a key turn in the lock and the door open.

“I’m home,” Belle said, sounding perfectly normal. It was only late at night when she would cry, sometimes desperately desiring Brooke’s sympathy and other times craving the solitude of her room.

“Welcome back,” Brooke said, emerging from her room to see Belle putting away the leftovers of the lunch she’d evidently had with co-workers.

Unable to wait a moment longer to break the news, Brooke said, “I have something for you.”

Something in her roommate’s tone got Belle’s attention right away. “What did you do?” she said in the playfully exasperated tone she frequently used to address Brooke’s crazy antics.

Brooke slid back into her room and came out carrying a box with holes punched in the sides. “Here.”

Suspicious, Belle took the package and gave her roommate an incredulous look at the same time. Brooke was not the type of person to go around buying animals for other people without their consent. Nonetheless, she got her fingers under the cardboard and opened the box.

Inside was a small dragon with blue-violet scales.

Belle gasped in shock and joy. “Oh my gosh, he’s perfect.”

Book Review - Hidden

Cover image courtesy of Amazon

Title: Hidden
Author: Megg Jensen
Publisher: 80 Pages, Inc
Publication Date: January 11, 2014
Version I Read: Kindle

Rating: 3.25/5

I’ve had only one other book in recent memory that conflicted me this much. Hidden is so interesting, because there’s so much it does really, really right, and just as much it does really, really wrong.

What it does really, really right:

The originality. The idea of a village surrounded by fog and cut off from the outside world makes this book stand out as completely unique within its genre. The reason why this village was selected for its fate made it even better.

The plot. The plot is genuinely interesting and cohesive throughout the story, especially in the latter half. It kept me guessing the whole way through, and I loved all the twists and turns.

The village itself. The society in the village feels absolutely real as a consequence of being cut off from the outside world. The selection of mates, the lack of horses, everything.

Most of the characters. With the exceptions below, most of the characters were just fine and even likable, particularly Leo and Jarrett. I even liked the forbidden love between Tressa and Bastian (cheating under their circumstances apparently doesn’t bother me as it seems to bother other people).

What is does really, really wrong:

Flat characters. Most of the characters are okay, but Vinya (seriously, what is her reason for treating her husband the way she does?) and Stacia in particular stood out as being absolutely horrible people for no real reason. Literally the only good thing about Stacia is that she’s a woman Big Bad, which makes her stand out a little. Having a weapon hidden in her hair was interesting… except for the fact that her braid was her main weapon, so it kind of entered the realm of implausibility. My biggest problem was with Henry, however, for how unbelievably poorly he was handled. His character does a 180 personality-wise for no adequately explained reason before being killed off in one of the most unceremonious and insulting ways possible for a character who was built up to be a major player in the story.

The excessive sex. I don’t mind sex in books. Hell, I like sex in books! But here the inclusion of so much of it felt juvenile, as if the author was only putting it in to make the story more “adult.” It really doesn’t work, make the story “darker,” or even more “realistic,” because people just don’t act or think that way.

A major plot hole. Who or what on earth were Tressa’s “father” and Bastian’s “mother” that our heroes encounter after leaving the fog? Maybe I missed something, but they were a major plot thread that was completely left hanging. I’m guessing they’re some kind of creatures that perhaps killed the real people and took over their bodies or something, but I suppose they could truly be who they say they are. Perhaps this will be explained in a later novel, I don’t know.

Also, their first encounter with Stacia was oddly handled, as it is poorly paced, it is far too much of a coincidence that she’s right there with her guard the moment our main characters come out of the fog, and the sacrifice of Connor made no sense because it was never really explained why (and if it was just to shag him, that qualifies as a pretty ridiculous reason).

The Verdict: For a freebie on Kindle, check it out for the good stuff, but don’t be too surprised if you’re turned off by the bad stuff.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

The Highest Hope - Chapter 2

I posed the second chapter of The Highest Hope on FictionPress in July but forgot I hadn't mentioned it here, so enjoy if you haven't already!

Enjoy it here!

Please note I've decided to leave the posting to FictionPress instead of my blog because it's just too much of a pain to format.

Book Review - Ink

Cover art courtesy of Barnes and Noble

Title: Ink
Author: Amanda Sun
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: June 25, 2013
Version I Read: Kindle

Rating: 3/5

I’ve been trying to get away from YA paranormal romance as of late, because it’s all just so boring and not very well written. Ink is only a partial exception to that, but I found myself picking it up anyway because the premise and setting intrigued me.

Ink follows the story of Katie Greene, an American teen having to go live with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, upon the death of her mother. Grieving for her mother, feeling like an outsider in a completely different culture halfway across the world, all she can think about is going to live with her grandparents in Canada instead. But when she meets mysterious Tomohiro and strange things begin happening around her involving ink, Katie realizes there’s more to Tomohiro than the rumors suggest.

For the most part, Ink is pretty typical for its genre. Mysterious boy in high school who turns out to be some kind of supernatural being, tries to push the girl away for her own protection, girl is “special” for some reason, boy loses girl for some dumbish reason, no real plot to speak of, yadda yadda yadda.

That being said, there are a few things that set Ink apart from the crowd:

The culture. Amanda Sun has clearly been to Japan, because I have too and I can vouch for nearly everything being precisely true. The accuracy of it truly makes the Japan of the book come alive, so kudos to the author on that front. The one odd exception to this is the Kami themselves, who don’t resemble mythological Japanese kami at all. That being said, her take on them is interesting.

The dialogue. The banter between Katie and Tomohiro feels real and makes them feel more like real people than typical protagonists in a paranormal YA novel. Fortunately, Tomohiro also escapes the “abusive boyfriend” problem that tends to crop up in YA because all of his “bad boy” attributes turn out to be complete accidents or lies, and, aside from his powers, he turns out to be a rather normal Japanese teenager.

The true natures of Ishikawa and Takahashi were also pretty well-done, with Ishikawa turning out not to be so bad a guy (adequately foreshadowed) and Jun being kind of a megalomaniac wanting to take over the world (not so adequately foreshadowed, but it worked because it was an interesting twist). Yuki and Tanaka don’t have much personality, but they do feel like normal high school students. I was interested in Shiori and wanted to learn more about her.

At first I rolled my eyes at the ending (Katie’s grandparents being able to take her in and Tomohiro encouraging her to leave so she won’t be hurt because of his power) but it was not too badly done because of the last few paragraphs, where Katie says screw it and doesn’t go. I also consider Katie herself to be a rather strong heroine, as she knows kendo and uses it when they’re captured by yakuza. Even without using her physical strength, she manages to be an imposing figure, not afraid to speak her mind or challenge others.

The Verdict: Not perfect by any means, especially compared to my sensibilities and standards, but if you’re still on the prowl for Twilight clones, you could do a lot worse than this one.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

Book Review - Talon

Cover art courtesy of Barnes and Noble.

Title: Talon
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 28, 2014
Version I Read: Audiobook

Rating: 4.5/5

I’ve always had a lot of respect for Julie Kagawa, ever since I first picked up The Iron King. She has always managed to do the whole typical “teen paranormal romance” while, you know, actually having an interesting plot. Since her publishing contract appears to be with Harlequin Teen, that alone is pretty impressive.

Because I really, really don’t like vampires and post-apocalyptic stories, however, I ultimately chose to take a pass on Blood of Eden. But when I heard she had a new series coming out about dragons, I was more than ready to give it a shot, and I was not disappointed.

Talon follows siblings Ember and Dante Hill, who are nearing the end of their training in the global dragon organization called Talon. They are dragons, who can shift into human form, and after years of lessons are now living amongst the human population for a summer as something of a final test. Once they complete integration, they will be assigned their positions in the organization. Ember, while happy to be experiencing something resembling freedom, has a rebellious streak that begins to blossom into full mutiny when she meets a rogue dragon, Cobalt, who tells her of Talon’s true nature. Meanwhile, the Order of St. George, a militant organization dedicated to killing all dragons, has gotten reports of a dragon imposter in the town Ember and Dante are living in, and they are going to send their best operatives to find the “sleeper” and kill it. But their “perfect soldier,” Garret, may get way more than he bargained for.

I listened to the audiobook, which is something I’ve tried to do more of as of late. (I can read more books that way!) I’m not as familiar with the medium as I am plain old books, but I thought the performances were pretty darn good. (And Chris Patton is a dragon! Awesome!)

Here there be spoilers!

The characters are pretty good, maybe not the most original, but likable and good nonetheless. I especially like how Ember actually is a badass who, for the most part, doesn’t need to be rescued. So often in YA paranormal romance, a spunky heroine turns into useless so the guy can save her. Not Ember. She does get help every now and again, but she kicks ass all the way. Dante keeps the reader guessing as to his true feelings and allegiance, before the ending, which is pretty heartbreaking for the reader as well as Ember. It’s interesting to see Garret’s inner thoughts and how both he and Ember begin the story as pretty convinced their side is right before changing their opinions throughout the story (while expected, I think it’s done well). Garret’s inner whining about how he can’t be with Ember even though she captivates him can get a little irritating at times, but nothing too serious. And Riley/Cobalt is a rebel with an attitude, trying to save young dragons from the organization. It’s hard not to like him, and Wes, the snarky hacker, for that matter. Even the human girls Ember hangs out with feel like people, and not just stereotypical blonde bimbos.

The plot really kicks into high gear near the end, with Ember and Garret discovering each other’s secrets and choosing to spare each other’s lives, Ember deciding to flee with Cobalt, and Dante choosing to remain with the organization rather than follow his sister. This sets up readers nicely for the next novel, with Garret captured and about to be executed by St. George for collaborating with a dragon, and Dante and Talon’s search for Ember. I came to realize just how much I liked these characters and cared about what was going to happen to them.

The biggest plot hole in this book (I even went back to the first chapter and listened to the first half of it again to make sure I wasn’t missing an explanation) is the human involvement with Talon. It’s never adequately explained in Talon, and in Rogue, it appears Kagawa might be handwaving it, which is a bit of a disappointment. I can understand if the humans they have working for them are being bought out, and that many of them don’t know the true nature of the organization, but given what I know about humanity, I have a hard time believing Talon could get too many humans (short of ones being raised by Talon, I guess) to think of themselves as a “lesser” species (we're not known for being humble). For that matter, I think she needs to go into more detail about how Talon operates in general, but she has more books for that, so I'll give it a pass for now. I also think the choice of having Ember discover and love surfing was a little “Californian surfer dude/dudette” cliche, but not too obnoxious.

The other thing I’m hoping Kagawa addresses in later books is Cobalt’s network of escaped hatchlings, its mechanics, and his plan for it. So far, it’s pretty clear that he and Wes are running this operation single-handedly, which I think is a tiny bit farfetched, mostly because a juvenile can’t be the only rogue dragon out there attempting to screw over Talon. I really hope we get to see more rogue dragons.

The Verdict: I’d say Talon gets off to a slower start than most, but I’m glad I stuck around, because the story seems to get more interesting the deeper you get into it.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

On "All Girls Want Bad Boys"

I’ve long been fascinated by the concept/trope that “All Girls Want Bad Boys.” (Also known as Draco in Leather Pants, for you Tropers.) I’ve seen it myself in fandom so often, and quite frankly experienced it myself - characters who, to put it nicely, aren’t the best of people, amass huge followings of fangirls. Never mind the fact that many of them would make absolutely terrible boyfriends in real life, if they even wanted to date you in the first place.

Sadly, this "desire," I suppose we can call it, can carry over into real life, as there are countless stories of women staying with their abusive husbands because they want to “change” them.

There have been several scientific theories posed as to why this phenomenon exists, with most coming to the conclusion that a "stronger" man is more desirable evolutionarily so he can help protect the woman and her offspring, as well as provide her with healthy offspring. Understanding this phenomenon is important, but what’s more important is that it does happen, oftentimes with tragic consequences.

That all being said, I’m going to say that I have a big issue with either implying or outright telling girls and women that they shouldn’t attempt to help someone just because that person “can’t change.” People change. Perhaps not as easily or magically as they do in fiction, but people can change and they can grow into stronger, better people. I’d even go so far as to say that a supporting partner can easily be one of the main causes for a human being to live a more emotionally fulfilled and happy life than they would have otherwise. Because, in my experience, the vast majority of people simply want to be understood and supported.

This is NOT to say, however, that I think ANYONE should stay in an abusive relationship, no matter how much you "love" them. And I’m not saying all or even most "Bad Boys" would make good boyfriends. (I think the core of the matter lies in our largely apparent inability to teach our girls to value themselves, but that's a discussion for another time)

What I am saying is that people need to be supported, understood, and loved, no matter what stage they are in life. And discouraging people from doing that, from feeling compassion for others and acting on that compassion, I think, is one of the many things that is wrong with this world.

Book Review - Mouseheart

Cover art courtesy of Barnes and Noble.

Title: Mouseheart
Author: Lisa Fiedler
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication Date: May 2015
Version I Read: Paperback

Rating: 4/5

Man, I’m just on a children’s book kick recently, aren’t I? The most recent book I’ve completed that I feel I need to write a review on is Lisa Fielder’s Mouseheart.

Animal fantasy seems to be really in right now, what with the success of the Warriors series and the myriad of similar series that have followed it. Mouseheart appears to be kind of on the same track, and in many ways it’s rather typical for its genre. But I think this book goes to show there’s really nothing wrong with that. And because I like mice and rats in real life (I've owned many), I always appreciate when an animal fantasy story focuses on them (Rats of NIMH is one of my favorites, perhaps obviously.)

I wouldn’t call the plot of Mouseheart particularly spectacular or original. What does stand out is the characters. They all have well-defined personalities and motivations, and nearly all are at least somewhat sympathetic. Hopper is a relatable hero, his sister Pinky is an unapologetic badass, Zucker is a nice guy stuck in the pretty bad situation of having to betray his own father in order to save lives, Firren is an awesome revolutionary lady rat, and Titus, horrible as he is, shows some signs of regret and "doing what he has to do." And the idea of the main villain being a prissy housecat that got tossed out on the streets and then clawed her way up is pretty cool too.

One big criticism of the book I have is Zucker’s speech patterns. Perhaps it’s because he’s trying to seem less princely around Hopper, but his attempts at sounding like the “cool big bro” didn’t do much for me at all, and I felt it detracted severely from the writing and the story, and didn’t present Zucker as the kind of character the author was intending.

Either way, I’ve found myself pretty drawn into this world and I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel.

The Verdict: A fun book with a lot of good characters, barring some dialogue issues and unoriginality. I think parents and kids will enjoy it.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

Book Review - Jurassic Park

Cover art courtesy of Barnes and Noble

Title: Jurassic Park
Author: Michael Crichton
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: November 1990
Version I Read: Mass Market Paperback

Rating: 4.5/5

Ah, Jurassic Park. Perhaps one of the only times in history that the movie has been better than the book.

That’s not to say the book is bad. It’s actually very good. It just has the misfortune of being overshadowed by one of the most successful (and in my opinion best) movie adaptations of all time. (Apologies. This review cannot help but make comparisons, and this is opinion, meaning there is quite a good argument to be had as to why the book is better.)

Nearly everyone knows the story of Jurassic Park. Rich eccentric builds a park with dinosaurs on an island off the coast of Costa Rica. And later there’s running and screaming.

Now, science will tell you this can’t work. DNA degrades over time, rendering it impossible to clone. Not to mention getting enough DNA from a blood sample in a mosquito to clone from is also highly unlikely. Not to mention the fact that T-Rex would have had feathers, dilophosaurus probably couldn’t spit venom, and velociraptor was the size of a chicken. But none of that matters, because both the book and the movie are just that freaking awesome.

I’ve been a fan of Jurassic Park since basically as long as I can remember. I had to convince my mother to let me see it when I was, like, five, and as I’m typing this, we’re actually going to go see it at a midnight showing at a local art theater, so I’m super excited.

So back to the book that started it all. I read the book many years ago when I was younger, but I opted to reread it last month in order to better comprehend it as my adult self. Obviously there are a lot of differences; some of which work better or answer questions those familiar with the movie might have. You obviously have a lot more time for detail in the book, which certainly adds to the credibility of this park. For example, the book elaborates on the reason the dinosaurs’ vision is based on movement (because of the added frog DNA), why the triceratops/stegosaurus was sick, and Dodgson’s motivations in contracting Dennis Nedry to steal the embryos.

There’s also the characters in general, as most have significant differences from their movie counterparts. (Wu and Harding get to do things! Gennaro is kind of badass! Hammond is an asshole! Grant has a beard!) Hammond being rather unsympathetic is particularly jarring to those familiar with the film, and I do wish he’d had something else to him, because as-is he’s kind of a flat character. It's also pretty horrific that two of the main deaths (Wu and Regis) were because they were trying to help someone else. Yeah, it was douchy of Regis to run off on the kids when the Rex attacked, but he came back out of guilt only to be Tyrannosaur dinner. And Wu died because he was trying to warn Ellie there were raptors nearby. Yikes.

A lot of it, I think, comes down to personal preference as to whether you like movie!character or book!character better. I think nearly everyone prefers movie!Hammond, and I certainly prefer book!Gennaro. Muldoon is pretty close between the two versions, but he gets to live in the book, which is nice. In contrast, book!Malcolm dies. It was an interesting choice for Spielberg to switch the ages of the kids - in the book, Lex is the younger sibling, and not nearly as useful. The elaboration on their parents’ divorce and the fact that Lex is obviously the favored child of their father, however, is well-done and quite sad for both Tim and Lex.

Although I do find Crichton’s choice to try and keep us guessing for the first parts of the book as to what’s going on rather well done, it is kind of odd when, even just from looking at and reading the book’s cover, it’s clear there are dinosaurs running around. Guitierrez’s presence was also odd, as you’re almost led to believe he will be the main character, before it then switches to Grant for the remainder of the book (until Guitierrez shows up again, somewhat randomly, at the end).

The book is technically classified as a thriller, and I think it succeeds in that area pretty well, particularly the scenes with the raptors near the end (and in the laboratory with Grant), the aviary scene, and the part when Grant and the kids are trying to avoid the T-Rex and get to the riverboat. I always admire writers who can make us feel afraid or anxious without the help of visual media, the way film can do, I feel, more easily. Goes to show how powerful the human imagination is.

The one thing I wasn't too keen on was the prose itself. While obviously written by a scientific mind for an intelligent audience, the prose are pretty "basic," which can take away some of the awe and imagery I'm sure Crichton's trying to conjure.

While I hold scientific progress in high regard and generally disagree with Crichton’s rather anti-science standpoint, I think the cautionary point about “just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should” is well-taken. (That, or they could just have people who know what they’re doing running Jurassic Park)

The verdict: Jurassic Park is a great book that, if you like dinosaurs or smart thrillers, you should read, no matter your familiarity with the film.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

The Highest Hope - Chapter 1

I proudly present chapter 1 of The Highest Hope. It's a long one, so I'm sorry it took me some time to get it together. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

The Highest Hope - Prologue

As of today, I will begin serializing a novel I'm working on, both on this blog and on FictionPress.com. I can describe it best as Pokémon meets the Southern Gothic genre.

The description:

Mysterious deaths have shaken the small community of Lexington Hill to its core, and while no one is sure who could be committing the murders, it’s more than clear the perpetrator used a Compture to do it.

Comptures are creatures that are different from ordinary animals, even though some may look like dogs, or horses, or even dragons. They are intelligent, bond with the people who can tame them, and are deeply ingrained into the stratified society young Charlotte Colter lives in.

But when a Compture who can speak, and possesses unbelievable, almost divine power chooses to bond with Charlotte, she becomes more aware of the dark and ugly underbelly of her society than ever before.

Sound interesting? Read on under the cut! I can't promise an update schedule because of other things going on in my life, but I'll do my best to keep it at at least a chapter a month.

The Highest Hope

Prologue

Book Review - Vicious

Cover art courtesy of Barnes and Noble

Title: Vicious
Author: V.E. Schwab
Publisher: Tor
Publication Date: January 20, 2015
Version I Read: Paperback

Rating: 5/5

Wow. All I can say is wow. When you read the summary of a book and think “There is no way in hell I’m going to like it,” yet you have this almost morbid desire to buy and read it anyway, and then it turns out to be one of the best books you’ve read in years, that’s saying something.

Victor Vale has just broken out of jail, which he was in for murder, in order to kill someone else. Seems like a great guy, huh? The reality is a lot more complicated than that. While in college, Victor and his then-best friend, Eli, became intrigued by the possibility of creating an ExtraOrdinary (or EO), a human being with supernatural powers. Ultimately, they succeeded, Eli becoming gifted with regenerative abilities, and Victor having the ability to turn off (and on) his and others’ pain. But things quickly turn sour between the two friends, setting off a plot that many consider The Count of Monte Cristo meets superheroes.

There have been more and more deconstructions of the superhero genre in recent years (Watchmen probably being the most famous and influential), but this one certainly stands on its own and I think it’s worth a read to just about everyone, even those who aren’t normally into speculative fiction. If you are into speculative fiction, buy this book and read it. Now.

Spoiler alert.

I loved every single character. And I mean loved. They are all so believable and textured, and human. Even Eli, as messed up as he is, (he was abused by his father, always sympathy points from me) is incredibly nuanced. Serena is very interesting and trying to decipher her motivations was something I had a lot of fun with while reading. I especially love her twisted relationship with Eli, and how, in a lot of ways, she really is the one in the driver’s seat. And yet her humanity still shows through, as shown when she lets Sydney go the second time, and for a very interesting reason: that Sydney seems to have become more alive and defiant after death. And Mitch. I friggin’ love Mitch. I think he’s probably my favorite character.

For being advertised as a really dark story (with “bad against worse,” as the opening quotation says), I don’t think it is. The worst thing Victor does is torture and kill Dale, and while that would normally be enough for me to hate a character, I can understand why he did what he did under the circumstances. It’s also entirely possible that the loss of empathy is something physiological that’s happened to the brains of the EOs, which means they literally cannot function the way normal humans can, which, to me, anyway, only makes them more sympathetic. And in spite of that hardship of being human anymore, all of them show signs of empathy at multiple points during the story. Victor, despite what he seems to think, clearly cares about Sydney and her feelings. And Sydney and Serena care very deeply, about each other, the respective missions, and in Sydney’s case, the dog Dol. Eli may have little empathy for his victims, but his motivations clearly stem from the way he was raised, and in spite of the horrible things he does, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him.

The powers the EOs themselves are appropriately muted and, dare I say, realistic. Of our main characters, Victor has control over pain, his own and others, Eli can regenerate endlessly, to the point where he might not even be able to die, Sydney can revive the dead, and Serena can essentially mind control others. Victor and Eli discover that EOs can be born under the right circumstances, and all of them have had near death experiences, which is also quite unique.

The non-chronological narration was an interesting choice that worked with the almost noir feel of the story, and I didn’t think it was particularly hard to follow. Sometimes this can be a problem in books, as in more visual media like comic books or film, you can show visually how different a scene in the past (or the future) is from one happening now. This is obviously more difficult with books, and I did find myself going back and checking chapter headings every now and again, but for the most part I think it worked just fine with the narration.

Eli’s end was quite fitting, and while I was reading the climax, at first I thought things kind of ended up that way, but thinking more about it, it was probably Victor’s plan all along. Which went exceedingly well, might I add, because now that he’s officially dead, no one will be looking for him. It is, dare I say, a very happy ending, and a very satisfying one.

There are some unanswered questions, which I think work to the story’s advantage. What exactly is that thing EOs lose? What will happen to Eli? What happened to Mitch? Is he going to stay with Victor? What about Sydney, for that matter? And Victor himself—what’s he going to do with his goal accomplished? We get nearly no hints of this, but, again, it works.

Verdict: Between the phenomenally unique take on superheroes, the nuanced, believable characters, and the fast-paced, intelligent plot that leads to an amazing conclusion, you do not want to miss this book.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

Book Review - Shadow and Bone

Cover art courtesy of Barnes and Noble

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Version I Read: Paperback

Rating: 3.75/5

Shadow and Bone was one of those books I picked up on a whim while I was in a YA mood, and I found it to be much better than many of its brethren.

Shadow and Bone, the first novel in the Grisha trilogy, tells the story of Alina Starkov, a teenage girl who grew up an orphan. With her through it all was another orphan named Mal, whom she has always loved but never had the courage to tell. They live in the country of Ravka, which has been cut in two and devastated by a strange dark wasteland where monsters dwell, created by a rogue Grisha (magic user) hundreds of years ago. On a trip through the Fold, the convoy is attacked, and Alina discovers powers she never knew she had that change her life forever.

Here there be spoilers.

One aspect that I really liked about this novel is Alina’s relationship with her power. I know that sounds kind of odd, but because of her background as an orphan, she has spent her whole life feeling like nothing belonged to her. So when she discovers that she has this great power inside her, she rejoices because it is hers and hers alone. This makes the Darkling’s betrayal and attempt to control the one thing that is hers hurt all the more. It’s also interesting that she subconsciously suppressed it for so long so she could remain with Mal and not have to become Grisha. While we’ve seen characters hide who they truly are for the sake of fitting in before learning it’s better to be true to yourself many, many times in fiction, I think that theme felt right at home here.

I like the characters, too. Alina, while not the most unusual YA protagonist (first person, spunky heroine with special magical powers in love with a childhood friend), manages to be a relatable, sympathetic character audiences can root for. Mal seems to have some more layers to him, even though we only really get to see that in the last third of the book or so. The Darkling steals the show in how seductive he is, and when the book teetered on the edge of making him a flat-out megalomaniac trying to take over the world, I cringed a little, because this character is so much more than that. I hope future installments make him more gray/ambiguous and less pure black, because that is one of the best aspects of his character.

The biggest flaw of the book is that the sections where Alina is in the Little Palace drag, but fortunately the book picks up again by the end. I also feel Alina’s about-face of opinion in regards to the Darkling based only on what Baghra says happened a bit too quickly. I could also have used a bit more depth to this world, as I feel the worldbuilding was a bit simplistic. (In the book's defense, however, the focus is more on Alina's relationship with the Darkling. And I always appreciate more unusual settings in fiction, and a world inspired by Imperial Russia certainly fits the bill.) Actually, if anything, this book could have been longer, with more character development and more worldbuilding. The magic system was also relatively weak as not much time was given to explaining it or how it worked.

Verdict: Shadow and Bone is a good YA fantasy novel with a good focus on the psychological connection between the protagonist and the antagonist. Weak world building and magic system.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

Book Review - Sunwing

Title: Sunwing
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Publisher: Aladdin Paperback
Publication Date: July 10, 2001
Version I Read: Paperback

Rating: 4.5/5

I first picked up Kenneth Oppel’s Silverwing on a whim many years ago when I was a wee lass. I remember loving it and its sequel, Sunwing (as I always have and still do love books about animals), and so I decided to dig out my old copy (as I’ve been doing with a lot of other books I loved as a kid to see if the held up) and reread it. Side note: I read Firewing as well and thought it was a huge step down from the other two, and I never read Darkwing.

Anyway, let’s talk about Sunwing, because, even more than Firewing, this book serves as the penultimate installment in the series. And I certainly feel as though it delivers.

Picking up where Silverwing left off, Shade and Marina have completed their journey to Hibernaculum to find Shade’s family. However, there are a lot of unsolved mysteries that some of the more adventurous bats in the colony, such as Shade’s mother Ariel and colony elder Frieda, want to solve. Specifically, the mystery of the metal bands that humans have been affixing to bats, and the whereabouts of Shade’s missing father. So a group sets out from the safety of the roost to seek answers. Meanwhile, an old enemy is lurking, waiting for his opportunity to take revenge.

The interesting dynamic the bats have with the humans is a bit different than in similar books I’ve seen. I usually don’t see humans or their technology used in the mythology of non-human species, so the fact that the bats struggle with their faith in humans as the truth comes to light is quite unique.

I love the semi-historical setting. I didn’t know about Project X-Ray until reading these books, and reading up on the actual history made me want to facepalm because whose bright idea was it to use bats to carry bombs? In spite of the fact that the setting is supposed to be World War II, the US seems to be at war with countries in South and Central America, not Europe and Asia. It kind of makes me wonder exactly what is going on on the human side of this story.

For the most part, the characters that populate this world are dynamic. Chinook in particular develops from just another bully to a rounded character who grows to respect Shade. Orestes and Romulus, the owl and the rat, respectively, who choose to ally themselves with Shade and ultimately bring peace to the warring animals, are highly distinctive characters. I think Orestes might be my favorite character in the whole series. Marina, like in the first book, still feels a little underutilized, as does Cassiel because he comes in so late in the story.

I appreciate the vagueness of some aspects of the story. Not everything is spelled out, especially the aspects of the magic Goth is using and the presence of the two deities, Nocturna and Zotz. (Interesting fact: Camazotz was a real Mayan vampire bat God.) It’s fun to fill in the gaps for yourself, based on the clues Oppel provides.

Verdict: I think Sunwing is actually an improvement on Silverwing for its fast-paced, interesting plot and deeply fascinating world and mythos.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

Book Review - Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy

Title: Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy
Author: Tui T. Sutherland
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: July 1, 2012
Version I Read: Paperback

Rating: 4/5

It's been so long since I've read children's books, because, you know, I'm not a kid anymore. For the most part, I find children's literature to be a little simplistic for my tastes, and it's not the genre I predominantly write in. But come on. This one's about dragons. I had to give it a shot.

And I wasn't disappointed. Sure, it's a children's book, but like the Warriors series, there are a lot of non-child friendly elements to the story, the characters are fun and have potential to grow, and the world and society that have been set up are complex and genuinely interesting.

In the land of Pyrrhia, seven tribes of dragons of different species with unique characteristics live. After Scavengers (humans) killed the Queen of the Sandwings and stole her treasure, her three daughters began vying for the throne. Each daughter reached out for allies and drew other dragon tribes into the dispute, which led to a massive war that has lasted twelve years. However, there is hope: a prophecy that states five dragonets of destiny will arrive to end the fighting.

Thus begins the tale of these five dragonets of destiny, who were taken by the Talons of Peace, an underground peace movement whose goal is to end the war, to hatch and grow up isolated from the world, protected by their "guardians." When one of their own is threatened, however, the dragonets decide they're done waiting around and choose to run away from their captivity to find their own destinies.

Spoilers ahoy.

I think the book started off kind of slow, but it did do some of the necessary things in storytelling, such as setting up the characters and the world they live in. It's kind of clever how the reader doesn't know much about the world outside the caves in the same way the dragonets do until the dragonets begin to experience it themselves. The plot really shifts into gear when the newly freed dragonets are captured by Queen Scarlet of the SkyWings.

The first book is narrated by Clay, the gentle MudWing. Like the others, he desperately wants to know where he came from and who his parents were, and dreams of a happy reunion with them. He likes food and dislikes violence, and isn't so sure about his adequacy for the prophecy. We do get basic framework for the other four main characters, who each get to narrate the sequels: Tsunami, a bold and brave SeaWing; Sunny, an eternally happy but odd-looking SandWing; Glory, a sarcastic and snippy RainWing who was kidnapped to replace the SkyWing that was supposed to be in the prophecy but killed; and Starflight, an intelligent but cowardly NightWing.

The different species of dragons are nothing short of original. Sure, you have your SkyWings, who most closely resemble traditional European dragons. But then you have MudWings and RainWings, the likes of which I've certainly never seen before in fiction. Even the SeaWings (we've all seen water dragons before) have characteristics such as their luminescent scales that I haven't seen before. It's a joy to learn about and experience these tribes, their allegiances, and what makes them different as well as the same.

One thing that stood out immediately to me about the series is how feminist it is. In fact, it actually goes the other way and ends up as kind of sexist against men, since male dragons are generally seen as less important than female dragons in that they cannot be rulers of their respective tribes. On top of that, of the five main characters, there are two males to three females. Usually in books, when there are five main characters, the ratio is basically the opposite. I do appreciate the number of female characters, but I do wonder why none of the main characters wonder why males can't rule, because clearly, they're just as capable.

Back to the plot of the book. The gladiatorial matches Queen Scarlet holds for "fun" are genuinely horrifying and not much is glossed over - some pretty intense stuff for the first book in a children's series. I certainly feel sorry for Fjord, the nameless SeaWing Tsunami ends up killing, and Peril, though Peril is a complicated character whom you simultaneously feel sorry for and yet have a hard time forgiving. Fjord's death is the single reason Glory is not my favorite character (she is shown to be conflicted about it later, however), leaving that honor for Starflight.

Anyway, I went out and bought the next three in the series in paperback and am awaiting the fifth and the second series' release in paperback. So if that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is.

Why four stars? This first book can be slow or unevenly paced in places, especially the beginning, and the writing can be a bit simplistic. But overall, these aren't huge problems once the plot kicks in.

Verdict: An enjoyable beginning to an enjoyable new children's series. I highly recommend.

Neither Karen Lofgren nor Loyalty Press has any affiliation with the author or publisher. This review constitutes Fair Use.

Goodreads Giveaway!

You know you want it.

I'm proud to announce the GoodReads giveaway of two autographed copies of my second novel, December!

Enter the giveaway HERE!

Here's the synopsis:

Over a hundred years in the future, Earth has fallen under the invasion of a hostile alien race-the Drevi. Half the population has been captured as specimens, while the rest are fighting for their lives in a resistance movement that has achieved more defeats than victories.

Ted Anderson, a 42-year-old information specialist from the American States, thought nothing could save him from his new life. In spite of being an aide to a leading Drevi scientist who treats him well, he is reminded every day what he truly is. A specimen. An Inferior with no future.

Then two strange new aliens arrive as representatives of their government, wanting to free humanity from the invading force. And all of Ted's dreams come true. He's on a starship, shooting through space at speeds he had never before imagined. And most of all, he is free again.

Now Ted is drawn into a dangerous conflict to save all he knows and loves. But the fate of more than just humanity might rest on his shoulders.

In this stunning new science fiction epic, author Karen Lofgren weaves a tale of the human condition, and how even in the darkest of times, it can shine through into the future.

Seriously, it's a chance at a free book. Why are you hesitating?

And even if you don't win, the ebook is only $2.99 on Amazon, Nook, and Smashwords. Not sure if you want to buy? Free samples are available at all of those links. So go check it out!

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