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Genre-defying Costa Award Winner
by mansii
If you have never read British novelist Frances Hardinge, her genre-defying books may just become your new addiction! Fresh to AADL shelves comes Hardinge’s Costa award-winning novel, The Lie Tree. We could call it historical fiction, mystery, suspense, philosophical literary fiction, fantasy, cultural criticism—or a riveting blend of all of the above.
When Faith Sunderly’s father shows up mysteriously dead, her need for her late father’s approval, and fear of her family’s ruin drive her forward on a mission. She must prove her suspicion that he was murdered. Thus begins her dangerous flirtation with a mystical shrub whose fruit impart visions of truth in exchange for whispered lies. As her flirtation becomes obsession, who will she become? And how trustworthy—or misleading—are these fruit-born visions?
Faith’s story pushes against what fears drive us, what cravings lure us, and what redemption asks of us as we grapple towards it. Set in Victorian England, the stage is not only ripe for a girl deciding who she will become, but a woman asserting her place in a world of men. On top of all of this is a page-turning fiction that will pull you in, spit you out, and leave you wanting more.
Blog Post
New Tolkien Book!
by mansii
It is a marvel that a tale spun simply as a writing exercise, and certainly left unfinished (the ending is a series of notes, and several sentences have alternative phrasing in the drafts), emerges nonetheless as an emotionally captivating, and deftly woven, if simple, fiction. But, what else would you expect from John Ronald Reuel Tolkien? Tolkien’s previously unknown work, The Story of Kullervo, follows Kullervo's tragic life from his young enslavement in captivity, to a self-provoked curse which incurs his Oedipus-like demise. Laced with magic throughout, including a magic dagger, this was the foreground for Tolkien's Middle Earth, with its protagonist as the fore-runner of Túrin Turambar. This brand new publication includes images of Tolkien’s original drafts, as well as two essays he wrote on the myth that inspired his creation—the Finnish Kalevala. Though an accessible read for anyone, those who have read the Silmarillion, and/or are interested in Tolkien’s process as a writer will be especially fascinated. For those interested in Tolkien but intimidated by his lengthy prose, this very short story offers a pleasurable introduction to his writing voice. A provocative tale tugging at questions of fate and personal responsibility, Kullervo may break your heart, and will certainly transport you to another reality.
Blog Post
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
by PizzaPuppy
With the new movie adaptation set to be released on September 30th, 2016, now is the perfect time to start reading (or finish catching up on) the popular Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series. The three book series starts with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, in which we are introduced to our protagonist Jacob and the "peculiar" children who inhabit Miss Peregrine's home. These children have a myriad of special abilities (such as invisibility and super strength) and are actively hunted by mysterious creatures called hollowgast. Jacob finds that he is "peculiar" too, and has the secret ability to see the hollowgast, which are invisible to everyone else.
The adventures continue in sequels Hollow City and Library of Souls. These books thrive on a fantasy/sci-fi style plot, complete with time loops/time travel, people with special powers, a creepy and dark tone, and the inclusion of unusual old photographs interspersed with the text of the novel (the cover of each book provides an example of these strange pictures).
Not into long novels? Give Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: The Graphic Novel a try!
The upcoming movie adaptation will be directed by Tim Burton, known for directing movies such as Edward Scissorhands and Corpse Bride. The first trailer for the movie has just been released, and is available to view here.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #589 "And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” ~ Roald Dahl
by muffy
First in a projected series, The Last Days of Magic is the debut novel by published poet and the founder of The Aspen Writers’ Network Mark Tompkins; which Geraldine Brooks called "a fantasy adventure with the shifting perspectives of dreamscape. A novel rich and strange."
A frantic warning from her grandmother alerts Sara Hill to secrets hidden in the books of mythology given to her as a child.The undamaged versions of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the binding point to evidence of Nephilim, whose existence the Vatican wishes to suppress. When Sara's body washes up on a beach, the scene shifts to late 14th-century Ireland where a centuries-old status quo is in jeopardy.
Medieval Ireland is protected by a powerful goddess known as the Morrígna, a female trinity with one aspect in the spirit realm and two human aspects, born again and again as the twins Anya, the sage, and Aisling, the warrior, who stands between warring clans of Celts, Vikings, and darkly magical otherworldly beings. With Anya’s death, forces are massing to attack the weakened island - the most dangerous being the Vatican which is hell bent on exterminating magical creatures and converting new lands.
At the helm is Jordan, a Vatican commander and clandestine student of forbidden magic who is secretly torn between duty and desire when he meets Najia, an enchantress and his slave. Loyalties are tested and betrayals sown, yet the coming battle is not to be the last.
In this epic novel of magic and mysticism, Celts and faeries, mad kings and Druids, stalwart warriors and the goddess, Tompkins combines deft characterization with treachery, battle, magic, and hints of Dan Brown.
Read-alikes: Danielle Trussoni's Angelology; Lev Grossman's The Magicians; and Deborah Harkness's A Discovery of Witches. Will also appeal to fans of Diana Gabaldon; Jasper Fforde; and Patrick Rothfuss.
Blog Post
Won't You Come Along?
by hanxanth
The Night Parade is right outside your door, and it's telling you to follow!
At least, that's what it's telling Saki Yamamoto. In The Night Parade, debut novel by Kathryn Tanquary, Saki Yamamoto is forced to spend her summer vacation at her grandmother's old house to celebrate Obon, the festival of the dead. But Saki doesn't want to go to a mountain village where she can't get cell service to keep in touch with her friends in Tokyo. So, during the fireworks festival, she goes off with some of the local kids to play Kokkuri-san (which is like a oujia board) in the local graveyard. Unfortunately it turns out to be more than a game and a death curse is invoked, leaving Saki three nights to remove it. A fox, tengu, and tanuki show up over the next three nights and attempt to help Saki navigate the Hyakki Yagyo, or Night Parade, the yearly parade of yokai through the forest up to the old village shrine. If she can't remove the curse, Saki will have to say goodbye to her family and the world of the living forever. On her adventure, Saki has to learn about magic, the world of the unseen, unlikely friendships, and the value of tradition.
So won't you come along and join me in The Night Parade?
Blog Post
Interested in Chinese Mythology?
by hanxanth
If you answered yes to the above question, I recommend you check out Hoshin Engi! This manga series is based on an ancient Chinese epic called Investiture of the Gods, a romanticized story of the fall of King Zhou during the Shang Dynasty and all of the mythological figures that were supposedly involved in the event.
Hoshin Engi is a little different. Set in ancient China, the story follows Taikobo, an immortal-in-training who is asked to participate in the Hoshin Project. His task: trap the beautiful fox spirit Dakki who is controlling emperor and spreading evil throughout China. But it's not so easy. In order to accomplish this task, he has to search out and defeat 365 specific people whose names are written in the Hoshin Scroll. I know I wouldn't want that job! And neither does Taikobo. Rather than follow through on the mission, he attempts to infiltrate Dakki's stronghold. When that doesn't work, he flees the kingdom and helps establish another kingdom to rival Dakki's control. Fighting ensues.
This series is full of combat, magic, political intrigue, Chinese mythological and historical figures, and is all around a nicely presented story. So if any or all of that sounds interesting, check out volume 1 here!
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #582
by muffy
Taking the title from a line in "Kath," a 1991 song by indie rock band Sebadoh - Every Anxious Wave by Mo Daviau, is a "highly original debut -- a wild romp of a love story across time and a soulful interweaving of science and music -- this is The Time Traveler's Wife meets Where'd You Go Bernadette."
Karl Bender, washed-up former guitarist for an indie rock band now owns and runs The Dictator's Club, a bar in Chicago's Buck Town. He finds a wormhole in his closet while searching for his boot, and with his best (and only) friend Wayne, develops a business selling access to people who want to travel back in time to hear their favorite bands. Then Wayne insists on traveling back to December 8, 1980, Manhattan in order to rewrite history, but Karl's slip on the keyboard sends him back to 980, 500 years before the first boatload of Dutch colonists landed on the Island of Mannahatta.
Desperate to get Wayne back to the present, Karl enlists the help of Lena Geduldig, a prickly, overweight astrophysicist at Northwestern. Their connection is immediate. While they work on getting Wayne back, they fall in love - with time travel, and each other. Unable to resist meddling with the past, Karl and Lena bounce around time, altering the course of their lives. Then out-of-the-blue Karl gets an email from his future self, sending him forward in time to try to save someone dear to them.
"Daviau is ferocious with her sad and flawed characters, whose pain propels the story through several iterations... A dark and funny love story that, like its main characters, is much sweeter than it appears on the surface."
The author (Smith,Helen Zell Writers' Program at UM), a former librarian and storyteller, now lives in Portland, Oregon. An earlier version of this novel won an Hopwood Award in 2012. You might want to check out the NPR book review also.
Blog Post
Become an Expert in All Things Wheel of Time!
by gulickb
It's been almost 3 years since the final volume of the Wheel of Time series was published, and if you're anything like me, you're ready for more Wheel of Time. Well, we're in luck, because Robert Jordan's wife (and editor) along with others from his editorial staff have published a wonderful companion to the series entitled The Wheel of Time Companion. It is in many respects an encyclopedia of all things Wheel of Time, lovingly put together by the people who knew the series best, along with help from Jordan's notorious record keeping. What you'll see in this book will spoil many of the RAFO (read and find out) moments from the series, so if you're still working your way through the series, read with caution lest you ruin some of the best revelations!
For those new to the series, the Wheel of Time is a series of 14 books (and one prequel) starting with The Eye of the World. Like many epic fantasies, the story deals with an ancient prophecy, the Prophecy of the Dragon, and the return of the Dark One, Shaytan, who was sealed away by male magic users during one of the previous ages of the world. The series has been read by millions of people worldwide. The series was finished by Brandon Sanderson after author Robert Jordan's death.
If you are a fan of epic fantasy, check out the Wheel of Time series. And if you are a fan of the series, you must check out The Wheel of Time Companion.
Blog Post
There's a party going on in Palisade and everyone's invited.
by gulickb
If you love fantasy graphic novels aimed surely at adults then Rat Queens will not let you down. Everything about this graphic novel is well done, from the (slightly crazy) storyline to the superb artwork. The story follows one of a few gangs of adventurers who call themselves the Rat Queens (one of the other gangs is eloquently called the four Daves and consists of four men named, unsurprisingly Dave). In the first volume the Rat Queens and the other gangs of adventurers are sent on missions that turn out to be much deadlier than they might have imagined.
The graphic novels balance humor, story and action in a wonderfully entertaining way. The series has gotten much attention for its content, especially as several of the Rat Queens fall into the LGBT spectrum.
So if you're looking for action, adventure and some scenes that will have you laughing far too loudly in a public place then check out Rat Queens!
Blog Post
Waiting for the Winds of Winter?
by zurenkot
Although temperatures and snow have indicated the return of Winter, fans of George R.R. Martin are still waiting for Winter to come. Earlier this month Martin, writing on his blog, indicated that the next volume of A Song of Ice and Fire -- The Winds of Winter -- would not be released before the sixth season of Game of Thrones airs on HBO. Many fans were disappointed, but Martin received an outpouring of kind words and support.
In the meantime, thanks to a recently published collection of short stories, those who are jonesing for a jaunt through Westeros can pick up A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by Martin. Join unlikely heroes Dunk and Egg -- a hedge knight and his squire -- as they battle royalty, fight for water rights (way more fun than you’d think), and witness the rise of a usurper.
Martin’s signature writing style is apparent throughout the book and complemented perfectly by Gary Gianni's illustrations.The amount of pure fun (and relatively less death) in the book make it a must read for anyone who has dreamed of enrolling in the lists at a lord’s tournament or just simply relaxing in the shade of a mighty elm.