What do you get when a leper, with a White Gold wedding ring enters the Land? The Chronicles of Thomas Convenant by Stephen R. Donaldson. Right now, I'm in the process of completing Book 1, Lord Foul's Bane. In the story, Thomas Covenant, succesful novelist is struck-down with leprosy, abandoned by his wife and society is cast into the Land, to either save or destroy it. Covenant, wielding his White Gold wedding ring, resembles one of the Land's former heros, Berek Halfhand. I have to admit, the first time I tried to read the book 20 years ago, I gave up. This time, I'm going to finish it, along with the rest of the series, The Illearth War and The Power That Preserves.

Still looking for a great read for the summer? Perhaps you need a good book to take your mind off Art Fair? Look no further than Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. Skulduggery Pleasant = Ace Detective, Snappy Dresser, Razor–tongued Wit, Crackerjack Sorcerer and Walking, Talking, Fire-throwing Skeleton —as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old. These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil. The end of the world? Over his dead body.

In the back of Fly By Night, Frances Hardinge gives us the following warning: "This is not a historical novel. It is a yarn. Although the Realm is based roughly on England at the start of the eighteenth century, I have taken appalling liberties with historical authenticity and, when I felt like it, the laws of physics."

Lloyd Alexander photo

One of our best-known writers for children, Lloyd Alexander, passed away on Thursday at the age of 83. Alexander was the author of over 40 books, mostly fantasy novels for children; his series included the Prydain Chronicles, the Westmark Trilogy, and the Vesper Holly Adventures. He won the National Book Award for The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian, the American Book Award for Westmark, and the Newbery Medal for The High King. Read the Washington Post obituary or visit his website for more information on this great author.

As a child, I wrote a fan letter to Lloyd Alexander, and he took the time to write a very kind reply. I know several other people who have similar stories. He’ll be missed.

Stardust was quite a good read. It’s a fairy tale but for mature teens and older readers. Be advised that there is some graphic language. And Yes they do ultimately live happily ever after. Gaiman is a central figure in the emergence of the "graphic novel," a genre that combines novelistic storylines with comic-book graphics and is well known for his many other works such as the graphic serial novel "Sandman" : and other works.
It’s exciting to learn that Stardust has been made into a movie that is coming out this summer with a star-studded cast including Robert De Niro, Peter O'Toole and narrated by Ian McKellen. Hopefully the movie will remain faithful to the story line. There is also a graphic novel version of this book illustrated by Charles Vess.
The Ann Arbor District library has a great collection of graphic novels with collections for youth, teens and adults.

The movie adaptation of C.S. Lewis' Prince Caspian is schedule to come out on May 16, 2008. Be sure to check out our wide selection of Narnia books as you get ready for next year's movie release.

This almost slipped by me…

Ice by Vladimir Sorokin came out quietly without much media fanfare.

In this, his first English-language debut, postmodernist (and often controversial) Sorokin gives us a frighteningly engaging page-turner. Critics are calling it “ a gritty dispatch from the front lines of the contemporary world, a gnostic fairy tale, a hard-boiled parable, a New Age parody, a bitingly funny fantasy in the great Russian tradition…”

Blond, blue-eyed contemporary Muscovites are being kidnapped, driven to remote areas and bashed in the chest with hammers made of ice. It appears the victims are being "cracked" by their assailants, who want to free their hearts to "speak”.
Suspense builds with the incrementally telling of the story from the perspectives of three "heart-speakers” and Khram, their spiritual leader who was herself "hammered" by a German S.S. officer in a slave labor camp during WWII.

Ice ”…succeeds brilliantly as both a thriller and a cautionary tale about totalitarianism, bigotry, elitism, and fundamentalism". (Library Journal).

Click here for a NYRB review of Ice, and a biography on Sorokin.

If you enjoyed Justine Larbalestier's Magic or Madness as much as I did, you'll be happy to hear that the sequel, Magic Lessons, just landed at the library. The Magic or Madness trilogy is the story of Reason Cansino, an Australian teen who's been raised not to believe in magic. But when she walks through a mysterious door in the basement of her grandmother's Sydney house and finds herself on a snowy New York City street, she has to admit magic is real.

The third and last book of the trilogy, Magic's Child, is being published later this month. You can read previews of all three books in the series on Larbalestier's web site, which also has a cool glossary of some of the Australian slang used in the books.

gummi bears

Remember Grammi, Cubbi, Gruffi, Sunni, Tummi, and Zummi? They lived in Gummi Glen and used the special properties of Gummiberry Juice to help protect the kingdom of Dunwyn from the evil antics of Duke Igthorn. Adventures of the Gummi Bears ran for six seasons (from 1985-1991) and was Disney’s first successful animated television series. The animation is spectacular and the mysteries of the Ancient Gummis lead to many different and thrilling storylines. Make it Saturday morning any day by checking out the DVD.

Are you looking for a good book to listen to with your family on your next car trip? I suggest Redwall by Brian Jacques. The story is about a young mouse Matthias, who becomes the hero of Redwall Abbey when it is attacked by Cluny the Scourge.