Mad Hatter's Bookshelf & Book Review routinely receives books from Publishers and Authors for review consideration. When in doubt assume the book comes from a Publisher or if you follow my New Procurement posts I usually describe the source of said book. I still buy a lot of books as well.
2011 is turning out to be the year of the mega blockbusters in the world of Fantasy. Between Martin, Rothfuss, Abercrombie, Sanderson, and Grossman there is nearly an unprecedented number of top tier authors vying for our book dollars this year. And another one just joined the crowd. Christopher Paolini's last book in the Inheritance cycle/Eragon series the aptly title Inheritance will be released this November 8th right in time for the holidays. The series has done so well Random House is anticipating a first printing of 2.5 million. The full press release can be found here.
Say what you will about this series, but it has been quite entertaining even if formulaic at times. Both Eragon and Eldest kept the level at a high while I, personally, found Brisigner to be a bit too much of a filler/bridge book. Regardless, Paolini has developed his characters well in a world with lots of nice touches a damn fine history and my fingers are crossed tight in hopes of Inheritance finishing things out just as strongly as it started.
Examining my "Looking Forward" posts for 2010 releases it seems I neglected to mention any YA books except for Neil Gaiman's The Tales of Odd. That's not too surprising considering I'm far from an expert on YA releases as it would be too much to keep up with both those and adult releases, but I always read a few every year and for the most part they are every bit as enjoyable as adult fiction. In fact many so called adult books would probably fit just as well in the YA category such as Boneshaker by Cherie Priest and Joe Haldeman's Marsbound. Now the books mentioned below may not be me thinking too far outside the box, but they are all books worth pointing out from accomplished and imaginative authors who are for the first time working in the YA arena.
The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Publisher: Little Brown | Release Date: May 4th
Zafon's name is enough to put this on the top of my list unequivocally. He also has a couple other YA books that will be seeing English publication over the next few years.
A mysterious house harbors an unimaginable secret . . . It’s wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they’ve recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house there still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners’ son, who died by drowning.
With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the suspicious circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called The Prince of Mist—a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends will find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden, which will change their lives forever.
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Publisher: Little Brown | Release Date: May 5th
Ship Breaker is Bacigalupi's YA debut, but this is also the start to a series. As with The Windup Girl this is set in a dystopian future where resources are scarce and everyday is a challenge. I love the cover art as it sets the tone for a work by Bacigalupi well.
In a shanty town in America’s Gulf Coast region, 100 years in the future, where grounded oil tankers are dissembled for parts, Nailer, a teenage boy, searches for copper wiring to make quota and live another day. But out on the blue ocean, Nailer can see the new hightechnology clipper ships sailing the open waves, and he dreams of a better life, if only he can figure out a way to get there.
When an accident leads Nailer to discover an exquisite clipper ship and its lone survivor beached during a recent hurricane, he must choose between his dreams and doing the right thing. The decision will lead him on an adventure that could cost him his life—or end up saving it.
Kid Vs. Squid by Greg van Eekhout
Publisher: Bloomsbury | Release Date: May 11th
van Eekhout's shorts certainly lend themselves to a YA audience. In fact this story has its impetuous from a piece of flash fiction he wrote a few years back. Plus I'm a sucker for Atlantis related ficton. This must stem from all the In Search of episodes I watched as a child narrated by Leonard Nimoy.
The citizens of Atlantis are stuck selling cotton candy on the boardwalk, and only our hero can help
Thatcher Hill is bored stiff of his summer job dusting the fake mermaids and shrunken heads at his uncle’s seaside Museum of Curiosities. But when a mysterious girl steals an artifact from the museum, Thatcher’s summer becomes an adventure that takes him from the top of the ferris wheel to the depths of the sea. Following the thief, he learns that she is a princess of the lost Atlantis. Her people have been cursed by an evil witch to drift at sea all winter and wash up on shore each summer to an even more terrible fate—working the midway games and food stands on the boardwalk. Can Thatcher help save them before he, too, succumbs to the witch’s curse?
With sharp, witty writing that reads like a middle-grade Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Greg van Eekhout’s first book for young readers is a wild ride packed with as many laughs as it has thrills.
Are there any other YA books we should be looking out for?
Going Bovine is crazy in every way that is good. It is one of those books that as soon as you read the surreal plot you just have to check out. Here is the part that cinched this as a must-read for me:
With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.
Going Bovine is Libba Bray's first standalone novel after the huge success of her Historical Young Adult Gemma Doyle trilogy, but this is quite different in that it is set in modern Texas yet still YA, although it more than passes as an adult novel. Bovine centers on Cameron who is a 16 year-old coasting through life. He is not really enjoying anything or anyone, especially when he is getting stoned just to numb him from life. If anything he runs from the chance of having any semblance of life as he is his own worst enemy.
Than tragedy strikes as Cameron is mysteriously diagnosed with Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease or better known as Mad Cow Disease and slowly starts to lose control of his body and mind. Flashes of oddness happen to him including visions of Dulcie, a punk girl with wings who may or may not be a Guardian Angel. As his disease worsens Cam ends up in the hospital where he is befriended by a fellow high schooler who also happens to be a hypochondriac dwarf named Gonzo. Gonzo has some of the best dialogue as he is afraid of nearly everything from hotel rooms to diner food.
From the hospital Dulcie starts Cameron on an adventure to save the world, himself, and to get a life. With a whining Gonzo he travels from Texas to Florida in search of Dr. X who may have the answers to all of Cameron's problems, including the meaning of life. Along the way they pick up a smart talking yard gnome who could be the Norse god Balder tricked by Loki into the gnome form. Or Cam could just be crazy and think the gnome is talking to him. Either way this is a laugh riot with a surprisingly large amount of heart. My only complaints are that the road trippers' time in The Big Easy was far too short and the ending felt a tad rushed. It could be I didn't want the adventure to end.
I could not put Going Bovine down as it is one of the most unusual and funny books I've read this or any year. There are dollops of String Theory, Worm Holes, and an inter-dimensional time traveling Inuit rock band kind of like the Beatles all along the way, which should please most Sci-Fi fans who wouldn't normally read this type of book. And Balder is a huge treat for Norse fans. I give Going Bovine 9.5 out of 10 Hats. If you ever wanted to see what Douglas Adams could do with a story somewhat more grounded on Earth this is as close as you'll get. Be sure to check out the video below of the author. Who couldn't laugh at a woman willing to wear a cow costume on the streets of NYC. She reminds me a lot of a female John Hodgman.
China Miéville is fast becoming one of my favorite authors as The City & The City made my top reads this year so far and Un Lun Dun is now up there as well. I still need to dive deeper into his work to be sure as I've heard the majority of his other books are much darker, but his imagination, prose, and pacing are impeccable. Un Lun Dun is Miéville's try at subverting Young Adult Fantasy, which turns out to be one of the best attempts in recent years. Un Lun Dun is also adorned by a couple dozen drawings by Miéville, which work beautifully but I do wish there were more.
Un Lun Dun starts with unusual things happening to teenaged Zanna in her hometown of London. It seems as if Zanna is destined for greatness however much she doesn't understand or believe it. She and her best friend Deeba stumble into Unlondon, which is where all things that are forgotten end up and whole subcultures have developed. Binjas, a talking book, words made manifest, Window Spiders, a needy milk carton, an umbrella wielding adventurer all make this one exciting and nutty read. Zanna's enemy is an evil sentient cloud of Smog along with his smoglodites, which works surprisingly well. Miéville quickly turns the idea the destined one on its head and pushes it to all thing Un.
If you are worried that this is similar to Gaiman's Neverwhere have no fear. Little ground, if any, is retread yet Miéville does include Gaiman in the acknowledgements as a source of inspiration. Lose yourself in in the strangely wonderful Un Lun Dun. You won't be disappointed. This is a book I wish I had read in my formative years as it sets your imagination on fire. I give Un Lun Dun 9 out of 10 Hats. China left the door open for more visit to Unlondon and if he delves into Young Adult Fantasy I'll definitely be there for it. I'd love to see a Sub Press version of Un Lun Dun with more art and maybe China's sketch book as an extra appendix.
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