Naomi Novak’s Temeraire series

Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series

The historical ‘what if?’  has long been one of the more fascinating questions : Victor Milan look at what if dinosaurs were still around in the 14th century, Marie Brennan looks at what if dragons were a part of nature, Eric Flint looks at what if a 21^st century West Virginia mining town was dropped it into 1632 Germany. These types of fiction let the writer mix their imaginations with (hopefully) well researched fact.

Naomi Novik looks at the Napoleonic wars if dragons were not only used, but were intelligent, speaking creatures. We follow Captain William Laurence of the HMS Reliant as he is forced from the Navy due to circumstances. While capturing a French frigate, he finds himself bound for life to Temeraire, an exceptionally intelligent dragon, and thus committed to a lifetime service in the Aviator’s Corps. The story follows the intrepid duo through battles, politicking, storms, revolts, and plague all throughout the world as they try to thwart the forces of Napoleon.

Naturally, this is primarily an adventure series, but it is obvious that Novik's imagination is only equaled by her research into the time period. Little details really bring the world together and provide and excellent backdrop for the story. Also, while it would be easy to simply write a long string of battles with dragons, the Temeraire series also brings in politics, cultural differences, class differences, philosophy, and many other fascinating elements that serve to add depth to both the characters and the story. 

The audio versions of the Temeraire series are read by Simon Vance and are most excellent to listen to during the day. Vance does an admirable job giving life to so many characters from so many different countries.

I would highly recommend both the audio and the print version for anyone that is a fan of ‘what ifs’, dragons, Patrick O’Brian’s Master and Commander, and Horatio Hornblower.

Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson

Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Brooke A. Allen

The Miss Qiunzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's camp for hard-core lady-types is, at first glance just a typical summer camp. However, our intrepid crew of the Roanoke cabin: Jo, April, Molly, Mal, & Ripley cannot seem to do anything remotely mundane. They have encounters with three-eyed wolves, raptors, a bear lady, mythological sampling rivalry, deadly puzzles,  and much more.

Stevenson does some excellent work with the writing, keeping the action coming, the puns hilarious, and the references odd all while constructing an energetic story with some great characters. Similarly, Allen nails the artwork, allowing each character’s personality to come through but still adding some wonderful exaggerations that beautifully support Stevenson’s writing.

In short, Lumberjanes is an Eisner Award winning riot of fun and craziness. 

Pretty much anyone that has ever gone to a summer camp or gone on crazy adventure with friend can relate to the shenanigans that the Lumberjanes get up to. Currently, the library has the first three volumes with the fourth on the way. 

Genghis Khan and the Mongol Horde

On August 18, 1227, Genghis Khan, the Mongol leader who forged an empire stretching from the east coast of China west to the Aral Sea, died in camp during a campaign against the Chinese kingdom of Xi Xia. 
The great Khan, who was over 60 and in failing health, may have succumbed to injuries incurred during a fall from a horse in the previous year.

Try some of the following fiction books based on this legendary leader and warrior:

Treasure of Khan by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler

Genghis Khan ruled an empire that stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian Sea. His conquests are the stuff of legend. When Dirk Pitt is nearly killed rescuing an oil survey team, it appears a simple act of nature. When the team is abducted and Pitt's vessel nearly sunk, however, all trails lead to Mongolia, and a mysterious tycoon that harbors a dream of restoring the conquests of his ancestors.

The Mongoliad. Book One by Erick Bear ...

As the Mongols swept across Asia and were poised to invade Europe in 1241, a small band of warriors conceived a desperate plan to stop the attack. In the late 19th century a mysterious group of English martial arts enthusiasts gave Sir Richard F. Burton, expert on languages and swordsmanship, a collection of long-lost manuscripts to translate--the lost chronicles of this desperate fight to save Europe.

The Mongoliad. Book Two by Erick Bear ...  

In the aftermath of the Mongolian invasion of 1241, beleaguered Christians struggle with the presence of a violent horde and a world turned upside down. An order of warrior monks, the Shield-Brethren, refuses to yield, plotting to overthrow the invaders despite insurmountable odds.

The Mongoliad. Book Three by Neal Stephenson … 

This book includes “Seer: A Prequel to the Mongoliad”. This short story was previously available only digitally and sets up characters and events in The Mongoliad. The warrior-monks, both in the East and the West, sharpen their swords for a final battle. The Khan of Khans must be slain if Christendom is to survive. A sweeping historical interpretation of the battle for Europe against the invading Mongols and their ruthless Khan.

Genghis : Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden

He was born Temujin, the son of a khan and raised in a clan of hunters.  Even though his young life was shaped by a series of brutal acts, he endured.  From that moment on, he was driven by a singular passion: to survive in the face of death, to kill before being killed, and to conquer enemies who could come without warning from beyond the horizon. 

Genghis : Lords of the Bow by Conn Iggulden

Through a series of courageous raids against the Tartars, Temujin’s legend grew. Blessed with fierce courage, it was the young warrior's ability to learn, to imagine, and to judge the hearts of others that propelled him to greater and greater power. Until he was chasing an idea: to unite many tribes into one, to make the earth tremble under a thousand horses, and to bend nations to his will. 

Genghis : Bones of the Hills by Conn Iggulden

Genghis Khan, stalked by enemies seen and unseen and plagued by a divided family, leads a sprawling force of horsemen beyond the realm of their known world. He will bring a storm to Arab lands and face the armies of the shah. But as Genghis enters a strange new land of towering mountains and arid desert, he confronts an enemy greater than any he has met before.

Khan : Empire of Silver : a Novel of the Khan Empire by Conn Iggulden

The Great Khan is dead. His vast empire hangs in the balance, an empire he forged with raw courage, tactical brilliance, unswerving dedication to his people, and the force of his own indomitable will. Now the very qualities that united the fierce Mongol tribes threaten to tear them apart, as the heirs of Genghis maneuver for dominance. In the end, only one can command.

The Six Directions of Space by Alastair Reynolds

The Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, conquered Earth a thousand years ago and now rule an interstellar civilization. Yellow Dog, a spy for the current khan, is sent on a mission to a distant part of the empire where phantom star-ships have been glimpsed. Taken prisoner by the sadistic local commander, Yellow Dog discovers that the commander has collected artifacts from these phantoms, and she soon finds herself in charge of interpreting them.

The Tiger Queens : the Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

In the late twelfth century, across the sweeping Mongolian grasslands, brilliant, charismatic Temujin ascends to power, declaring himself Genghis Khan. But it is the women who stand beside him who ensure his triumph: Borte his queen, their fierce daughter, Alaqai, Fatima, a Persian captive, and Sorkhokhtani, a demure widow.  The tiger queens come to depend on one another as they fight, love, and sacrifice, all for the good of their family...and the greatness of their People. 

Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #1) by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

Phoenix Rising (Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences #1) by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

Enter Wellington Book, Esquire (or Welly as Eliza prefers to say) is an archivist, content in his case files and seeming encyclopedic knowledge. His new partner is Eliza D Braun, a New Zealander field agent with a preference for bullet-proof fashion and a penchant for clever devices, preferably those that explode in some manner. Together they must discern why Londoners have been disappearing only to return minus blood, bone, or skin and what this has to do with a nefarious secret society (aren’t the all) called the Phoenix Society.

Steampunk as a genre has been ending towards formulaic over the past few years, so it is especially wonderful to see a story that provides an excellent tale within that framework. The story itself has a nice little mystery with some interesting character development and more than enough explosions and gun fights to keep things exciting.

I would also suggest finding this on audio. James Langton narrates the story and does an excellent job with the various accents that occur. As a side note, I think it is an unwritten law that a librarian has to enjoy a character that is a librarian whose name is books. Thankfully Ballantine and Morris make it very easy to obey this law.  

Adventure Novels!

Critic Don D'Ammassa, in the Introduction to the Encyclopedia of Adventure Fiction defines the genre as:  ...An adventure is an event or series of events that happens outside the course of the protagonist's ordinary life, usually accompanied by danger, often by physical action. Adventure stories almost always move quickly, and the pace of the plot is at least as important as characterization, setting and other elements of a creative work.

 November 13th was the birthday of Robert Louis Stevenson, born in Edinburgh, Scotland (1850). He began to suffer from a lung disease at a very early age. He wanted to live a life of adventure but his poor health forced him to move to France. One night, he was passing by a house and fell instantly in love with a woman he saw. He followed her to San Francisco and married her.  They traveled constantly looking for a healthier climate.  They finally settled on the Pacific island of Samoa.

In the summer of 1881, Stevenson painted a map of an imaginary island for his stepson, and it gave him an idea for Treasure Island (1883). He finished it in a few weeks.  A few years later, he wrote the novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) in a single week. He also wrote Kidnapped in 1866.

Stevenson's peers saw him as one of the greatest writers of his generation. And he influenced others such as Ernest Hemingway, Vladimir Nabokov, Jorge Luis Borges and G. K. Chesterton.

Classics

Homer--The Odyssey (End of 8th century B.C.)
Daniel Defoe--Robinson Crusoe (1719)
Johann David Wyss--Swiss Family Robinson (1812)
Alexandre Dumas--Three Musketeers (1844), Count of Monte Cristo (1845)
Herman Melville--Moby Dick (1851)
Jules Verne--Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1869)
Rudyard Kipling--Captains Courageous (1897)
Joseph Conrad--Heart of Darkness (1899)
J. M. Barrie--Peter Pan (1902)
Jack London--Call of the Wild (1903), Sea-Wolf (1904), White Fang (1906)
Arthur Conan Doyle--The Lost World (1912)
Edgar Rice Burroughs--Tarzan of the Apes (1914)
J. R. R. Tolkien--The Hobbit (1936), The Lord of the Rings (1954-55)
William Golding--Lord of the Flies (1954)

Contemporary

Dale Brown--Act of War, Dreamland, Flight of the Old Dog
Dan Brown--Angels and Demons, The DaVinci Code
Lee Child--Jack Reacher novels (Killing Floor)
Michael Crichton--Congo, Jurassic Park, The Lost World
Clive Cussler--The Chase, Serpent, Spartan Gold (anything by him)
Nelson DeMille--Cathedral, Plum Island, The Quest
Jack Du Brul--Havoc, The Medusa Stone, Vulcan's Forge
Robert Ludlum--Jason Bourne novels (The Bourne Identity) 
George R.R. Martin--Song of Ice and Fire series (A Game of Thrones)
Gary Paulsen--Hatchet, The River, The Crossing
David Poyer--Fire on the Waters, The Med, The Whiteness of the Whale
Daniel Silva--Gabriel Allon series (Kill Artist)
Brad Taylor--Pike Logan series (One Rough Man)
Brad Thor--Scot Harvath series (Lions of Lucerne)
Peter Tonkin--Richard Mariner series (The Coffin Ship)

There are so many more!  What are some of your favorites?  Let me know what you liked as a child and what you enjoy now?

I loved White Fang and Lord of the Rings!


"If you don't like Stevenson, there must be something wrong with you."
Jorge Luis Borges

John Scalzi’s The Human Division: Adventures in Diplomacy

Typically, I try to not do the same author twice on this blog, however, I am compelled to break my self-imposed rule with John Scalzi’s recent novel, The Human Division. First, the book itself is unique as each of the thirteen episodes was written to stand alone (each episode was published serially as an ebook) but to also function as a complete novel in the end. Since Scalzi did not think this was enough of a challenge, all thirteen tales take place in his Old Man’s War series, but arguably, can stand alone from the main books of the series. Now, added to this complex set-up, Scalzi departs from the majority of the characters being genetically augmented soldiers fighting for the very survival humanity, to ordinary diplomats negotiating for the very survival humanity. This diplomatic crew, with soldier-turned-tech-advisor Lt. Harry Wilson, are shuttled from one diplomatic emergency to the next, with little expectation of success. With critical details of each mission kept from them, the diplomats have to try to stave off impending conflict with myriads of other alien species, all vying for a limited number of habitable planets.

Now, the trials and tribulations of the diplomatic corps might not seem to be exciting or even the usual fare for science fiction tales, Scalzi, in is unique and humorous way, pulls it off. As the diplomats are negotiating, Lt. Wilson and his reluctant partner, Deputy-Ambassador Harry Schmidt manage to get themselves into plenty of non-diplomatic adventures, to include escaping from an exploding space station, rescue a Lhasa apso from a carnivorous alien plant, and generally avoid being blown up.

As an author, I cannot recommend John Scalzi enough. The Human Division is certainly in keeping with his excellent and humorous style. Also, if you are a fan of sci-fi or of Scalzi’s writing, and have not delved into the Old Man’s War universe, I would strongly suggest you do so soon.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

The average person walks less than five miles a day going about his or her normal routines. Yachting shoes, or boat shoes (think Sperry Topsiders), were originally invented to provide traction on boat decks. Silent marriages typically do not last. Queenie is an old fashioned name in England.

How do these things connect? Ask Harold Fry.

Harold Fry is a retired man in a marriage that has all but dissolved. He spends his days puttering around his house, but never accomplishing anything worthwhile. That is, until he is contacted by Queenie Hennessey, a friend from the past. Harold discovers that Queenie has cancer and a hopeless prognosis. Harold cannot muster the proper sentiment for the letter he must write to Queenie, so he jots down a superficial note and leaves his house to take the letter to the corner mailbox. Harold’s inability to articulate in writing what he feels he must finally tell Queenie prompts a journey that serves many purposes: healing, appreciation, remembrance, grief, human connection.

I love a good story, but a story that actually makes you feel something is even better.  You might think that a book about a man in his sixties walking over 500 miles at a clip of roughly 8 miles per day is predictable, but you’d be wrong. While the reader is left to wonder if Queenie was a catalyst in the demise of this marriage, we are given a chance to see both Harold’s and his wife’s perspective of the path they took to reach the walk that would change everything.

In addition to the story of Harold Fry, the novel provides an opportunity to view our society and the importance we place on items, events, people, and life.

Harold Fry, the pilgrim in boat shoes.

As a side note, the novel was also nominated for the Man Booker Prize 2012. This is also a debut novel from writer Rachel Joyce.

Lessons in Peakbagging

Looking for some inspiration to get the family outdoors this summer? Travel up forty-eight of the New Hampshire White Mountains with Patricia Ellis Herr and her five-year-old  daughter, Alex, in Up: A Mother and Daughter’s Peakbagging Adventure. Herr partnered up with her less than school age daughter to tackle New Hampshire’s highest peaks in an effort for both to join the 4000 Footer Club. While I can understand the overabundance of energy that Herr encounters in her five-year-old, I am in awe of her daughter’s ability to channel that energy into lengthy, uphill hikes. My children tend to request a ride (a.k.a. Mom, will you carry me) when we are taking a casual stroll around the block. I suppose potential bear encounters,  violent spruce grouse, freak electrical storms, membership in an elite club, and men in kilts make for a more exciting expedition than general suburban mayhem.

While I am not currently (one can dream) in possession of a New Hampshire weekend home, I found it very easy to relate to Herr’s commentary. Being the mother of two young girls almost identical in age to Herr’s, I found myself getting overly emotional at the small triumphs and fighting alongside her when strangers challenged her parenting decisions. As a connoisseur of memoirs, I would highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in hiking, parent-child relationships, outdoor lifestyles, homeschooling, New England, bee survival, or men in kilts. Yes, there is a man in a kilt in most of the book. The best part is, the story doesn’t end once you close the back cover. Herr writes a regular blog  about her continuing adventures with Alex and younger daughter, Sage.

If Herr leaves you yearning for adventure, check out these other books to get started on your Buckeye State hiking adventure. We may not have 4000 footers, but we do have some good trails. Don’t forget your water, bug spray, and well-toned upper torso for when the kids decide they’ve had enough.

 

50 Hikes in Ohio: day hikes and backpacking trips in the Buckeye State by Ralph Ramey

Hiking Ohio: a guide to Ohio’s greatest hiking adventures by Mary Reed 

Hiking Ohio: scenic trails of the Buckeye State by Robert Folzenlogen

Hiking Ohio’s falls: 200 more hikeable waterfalls by Tine Karle

Walks and rambles in southwestern Ohio: from the stillwater to the Ohio River  by Ralph Ramey

Dream Big

Do you like to travel? I love to travel. In recent years with summer activities, traveling has not been an option for my family. Truthfully we have traveled but rather than exotic destinations, it’s to softball fields across Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Don’t get me wrong, I love to watch softball, but looking at a field is not the same thing as seeing the sites (sigh).



Oh to swing in a hammock on the beach, hike the mountains, swim in a pool or lounge by a lagoon. If I'm going to dream, I'm gonna dream big... climb the Himalayas and live to tell about it. I can see it now,…white water rafting in Colorado, sailing in the Caribbean or perhaps the Greek Isles and visiting the penguins in Antarctica. But alas,….this year softball wins again. We did decide to add a couple days to our Softball World Series trip so we can sail around Florida and swim with the dolphins (Yeah!).


Here are a few books to wet your whistle for vacations to come or dreams to imagine.

1001 Escapes to Experience Before You Die- An excellent book written by travel experts and people who travel to wonderful destinations around the globe. It contains hundreds of beautiful color photos, so whether you are able to travel to these locales or are like me and simply want an enjoyable read. This book will make your dreams come true.

Once in a Lifetime Trips The author captures amazing photography and uses his personal knowledge to describe destination after destination. He describes once in a lifetime experiences and lists detailed itineraries so that you can experience it too. This is not just for those who can travel, but makes for a magnificent reading experience.

Antarctica Secrets of the Southern Continent-Exquisite photos and an in depth look at all Antarctica offers from its amazing landscape to the penguins that call it home. 

World Cup Reading--Spain

Here is the fourth and final installment of World Cup reading.  This time I am featuring Spanish authors.  When I was a junior in high school I visited Spain for 17 wonderful days!  During our stay in Madrid, the national football (soccer) team made it into the World Cup.  The streets were full of flag waving, horn honking, extremely happy fans.  It was a sight to behold and it made me aware that Spaniards really love their soccer!  Sport in Spain has been dominated by soccer since the early 20th century.  The national team won the European Championship in 1964 and 2008 and they won the FIFA World Cup championship earlier this year.  Not only is Spain a major world sports power but it is known for its culturally diverse heritage.  It has been influenced by many nations and peoples throughout history.  You can see this influence in architecture, food, art, history, and literature.  Let me introduce you to some champions of Spanish poetry and writing.

"In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world." 
Federico Garcia Lorca

Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936) is possibly the most important Spanish poet and playwright of the 20th century.  He achieved international recognition as a member of the "Generation of '27", an influential group of poets between 1923 and 1927.  They created experimental art and poetry particularly with respect to culture and politics.  In 1936, Garcia Lorca was staying at his country home, at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.  He was arrested and, on the 17th or 18th of August, after a few days in jail, Nationalist soldiers took him to a cemetery and forced him from the car.  They beat him and shot him to death.  He was 38 years old.  His books were burned in the Granada square, then banned from Franco's Spain.  To this day, no one knows where the body of Federico Garcia Lorca rests.

"As I have not worried to be born, I do not worry to die." Federico Garcia Lorca

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright.  His greatest work, Don Quixote, is a classic of Western literature. After being wounded in war, captured by pirates, and working odd jobs, he married Catalina de Salazar y Palacios in 1584.  Her uncle Alonso is said to have inspired the character of Don Quixote.  The author stayed poor until the first part of Don Quixote was published and, although it did not make Cervantes rich, it brought him international fame and recognition. He died in Madrid in 1616 at the age of 69.

Rosa Chacel (1898-1994) was a sometimes controversial writer from Spain, championing feminism for modern women.  She won various prestigious awards and in 1987, she received the "National Award of Letters", an award reserved for the very best writers of Spain.  The national airline Iberia honored Chacel by naming a jetliner after her--"Rosa Chacel Airbus A340".  She died in 1994. 

Now here are a few more recent Spanish authors to try:

Javier Cercas (1962- ) is a writer and professor of Spanish literature at the University of Girona, Spain. Read his 2007 novel The Speed of Light.

Alicia Gimenez Bartlett (1951- ) is one of Spain's most popular and best-loved crime writers.  Her "Petra Delicado" series was made into a TV series in 1999. Try her mysteries Dog Day and Death Rites.

Juan Gomez-Jurado (1977- ) is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author.  Published in 42 countries, Gomez-Jurado is one of the most successful young Spanish writers of all time.  Try his newest book The Moses Expedition.

Luis Leante (1963- ) is a writer of short stories, novels, poetry, plays, and screenplays.  His works have been translated into 21 languages. His 2009 novel is See How Much I Love You.

Javier Marias (1951- ) is a novelist, translator, and columnist. Read his three part "Your Face Tomorrow" series: 1--Fever and Fear, 2--Dance and Dream, and 3--Poison, Shadow and Farewell.

Quim Monzo (1952- ) is a Catalan writer of novels, short stories, and prose.  In the early 1970s, Monzo was a newspaper reporter.  His fiction is characterized by an awareness of pop culture and irony. Try his 2010 title Gasoline.

Now for all of you lovers of historical fiction, thrillers, ancient mysteries and Dan Brown read-alikes--try one of the following exciting Spanish authors:

Ildefonso Falcones writes Medieval historic thrillers set in Barcelona. Cathedral of the Sea and The Hand of Fatima. 

Martin Estaban wrote The Gaudi Key which is a historic thriller also set in Barcelona.

Arturo Perez-Reverte writes the "Captain Alstriste" historic adventure series and many other stand-alone thrillers such as The Dumas Club.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon wrote the literary thrillers The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game which have sold millions of copies and won many international awards.

Javier Sierra wrote the best-selling novels of intrigue The Secret Supper and The Lady in Blue. He has been published in 42 countries.

For more great international books try our Ethnic Authors list on the library's website.

If you want us to feature books written by authors from your favorite World Cup country in a future blog--just send us a comment!

Get an "Adrenaline Rush" in July!

The Great Books theme for July is Adrenaline Rush!

Adventure books typically have fast-moving plots, exotic settings, and larger-than-life heroes. The hero (usually male) is involved in death-defying activities and the stories can be set at any time during the last several centuries.

Read one these adrenaline pumping titles and put it on your reading entry for both Summer Reading Program and The Great Books Challenge!  Two for the price of one!

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Cloned dinosaurs on an island preserve escape and wreak havoc when a thief causes a power outage.

Cathedral by Nelson DeMille
St. Paddy’s Day in New York City turns deadly when IRA terrorists take hostages and lay siege to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
This storm of Oct 1991 created waves 10 stories high & winds of 120 mph. It was witnessed by only a few including the six-man crew of the fishing boat the Andrea Gail tragically heading into the storm’s center.

Some classic adventure authors to try are Max Brand, Zane Grey, Louis L'Amour, Jack London, Alistair MacLean, and Patrick O'Brian.

Try more great adventure books on the library website.