Moment of Truth

The Fifth Volume of The Laws of Magic

by Michael Pryor

Random House. Crime, Fantasy, Young Adult, Australian. Paperback rrp $17.95

Reviewed by Barbara Brown

Aubrey Fitzwilliam is a young man on a mission. He is finally ready to declare his feelings to for Caroline, the friend he has secretly loved for many years. But then Holmland declares war. Aubrey and his best friend, George, decide to join the army together. However, when they enlist they are taken to different sections and are not reunited for several weeks and hours of intense training later.

Aubrey regrets not informing Caroline of his decision to enlist. Will this be the last straw for the two? When Aubrey and George are given a third partner in their espionage team, Aubrey is both shocked and happy to discover Caroline had some secrets of her own and the three set out to infiltrate the enemy ranks.

What they discover is something so sinister and evil, so horrific, it must be the work of Dr Tremaine. Dr Tremaine has grown in power and learnt many new spells. Spells that will unleash an invincible army upon Albion and the surrounding countries. Aubrey, George and Caroline have thwarted Dr Tremaine’s plans in the past but this time, with an increasingly stronger magical link between Aubrey and Dr Tremaine, could it be the end of the trio.

Moment of Truth is the eagerly awaited fifth instalment of The Laws of Magic series. Fans won’t be disappointed as Pryor’s storytelling continues to deliver. Yes there is magic between the covers of this book.

Also included is a sneak preview of the sixth book, Hour of Need although you will have to wait until early 2011 to find out what happens to Fitzwilliam, Caroline and Dr Tremaine.

Book three of The Laws of Magic, Word of Honour was reviewed by the Reading Stack in Issue 14. Book four, Time of Trial was reviewed in October 2009. We are big fans here at the Stack.

http://www.michaelpryor.com.au/

Reactions to f2m - the boy within’

a transitioning gender & punk music YA novel

What Happens When You Don’t Write What Your Regular Readers Expect?

by Hazel Edwards

Earlier this year, I wrote an article What Happens When You Don’t Write What Your Regular Readers Expect? http://www.australianwomenonline.com/from-hippos-to-transitioning-gender/ about the challenges of a children’s author who also writes in other fields.

Several do. But I made the mistake of not using a pseudonym.
 
The article was mainly about diverse media and personal reactions to my being a co-author of a YA novel on transitioning gender. Ryan, my co-author is an f2m (female to male) and this means our YA novel is first internationally, by a transitioned f2m co-author.

Despite being YA fiction, f2m;the boy within novel has been shelved as biography, autobiography, psychology, self help, health and even put in the adult category in bookshops and some libraries.

Readers appear disconcerted by writers who cannot be catalogued in one genre or categorised. I had always considered this a strength for a writer.

Educators, librarians and booksellers are especially wary of this gender subject.

This wariness is compounded when there are periodic TV current affair specials which sensationalise the more bizarre aspects of transitioning gender.

Our book is not sensationalised. We hope it humanises. Even if schools and librarians are wary, many youth support groups see this fiction as vital vicarious experience, and maybe saving lives. Social media response via blogs especially has been significant and fast. And the youth blogs are a way of enticing readers to libraries and books. Our e-book version is a significant attraction. Amazon http://tinyurl.com/28xys5o

Ironically science fiction/fantasy readers are interested in credible, transgender characters and with the Aussiecon 4 in September this is timely.

‘You might wonder what a review of a book dealing with a girl becoming a boy is doing on this website. It is here because I thought it sounded intriguing and also because gender-swapping is such a prevalent theme in SF that a serious and realistic novel based on one of the authors’ own experiences warranted it. The concept of gender-swapping goes back at least as far as the ancient Greek legend of Tiresias and is a part of many other mythologies as well. In modern times we have Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, Baum’s Princess Ozma, and countless other examples.'

Ian Banks The Specusphere: SF site

I’ve learnt that if I talk about our process of collaboration in an approachable way, by stressing the social media responses, readers will buy the book, read and make up their own minds. Then they tend to recommend it ‘as a good read’.

http://www.ryanscottkennedy.com/
http://www.hazeledwards.com/

Publisher: Ford Street Publishing
ISBN: 9781876462901
AUD$19.95
Category: Young Adult Fiction

Some Girls

(My Life in a Harem)

by Jillian Lauren

Random House Australia, Autobiography , Paperback, rrp $ 34.95

I was expecting excitement and exotica. Even a little erotica. The reality of Jillian Lauren’s experience of life in a harem was none of these things. It was an existence ruled by the struggle for the prince’s attention and the accompanying position and power it brought within the harem’s social hierarchy.

Jillian Lauren wanted to be an actress. But minor opportunities and seedy roles found her working in a strip club to pay the bills. The promise of good money in return for livening up the parties of a rich businessman for two weeks was an offer too good to refuse.

Prince Jefri Bolkiah was the youngest brother of the Sultan of Brunei. He lived a life of extravagant luxury, surrounded by a changing carousel of beautiful women. Despite her initial cynicism, Jillian soon discovered that like all the girls in the harem, she was in love with ‘Robin’, as the prince was known. Expensive gifts were valueless compared to a night spent in his company.

Jillian actively participated in the jealous schemes and alliances within the harem, trying to enhance her position and the prospect of time with Robin. She became a favourite and when her contract expired, she stayed in Brunei.

But rugs and riches do not equal happiness and Jillian eventually left to rebuild a life in New York and write this autobiographical account. Some Girls will appeal to those who have secretly wondered about life in a harem. Many, like me, will be surprised at what they discover.

http://www.jillianlauren.com/

Six Impossible Things

by Fiona Wood

Pan Macmillan. Australian, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $16.99

Reviewed by Barbara Brown

Six Impossible Things is a modern day version of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾. A hilarious view of the “geeky” boy come good… well trying to come good.

Dan Cereill (pronounced ‘surreal’ not ‘cereal’) is a soon to be fifteen year old with a number of problems. His father’s business has gone bankrupt and Dan has had to leave his private school to start life at a State school where any brain will stand out. But that’s ok – Dan has a chance at starting afresh. No-one knows him. He can be whoever he wants to be. But as with his home life, everything at school very quickly goes belly up.

Not only has he had to change schools but Dan and his mother move into a dead aunt’s house. His father doesn’t come with them because he has just announced he is gay. To top it all off the girl next door, Estelle, is the perfect girl for Dan, only she doesn’t know Dan even exists. What more could go wrong? Plenty it seems.

Dan has made a list … six impossible things … and number one is to kiss Estelle. As if that will ever happen!

Between being picked on by the school’s bully – some things never change from school to school, and trying to rescue his mother from ruining her new wedding cake business, Dan tries to impress Estelle, come to grips with his new life and defeat the bully. It all culminates around the school dance. Dan Cereill is an anagram of Cinderella and like Cinderella, Dan might just manage to dress for the ball and land the princess. But then… expect the unexpected!

I thoroughly loved this book. And if like me, you loved Adrian Mole, I guarantee you will feel the same way about Dan Cereill.

Six Impossible Things was awarded the Varuna Eleanor Dark Fellowship in 2008 and a Readings Foundation Glenfern Fellowship in 2009.

http://fionawood.com/

Kiss me Deadly

Tales of Paranormal Romance

edited by Trisha Telep

Random House. Short stories, Adult fiction, Fantasy. Paperback rrp $18.95

‘Lucky 13’ authors have written thirteen stories of mysticism, romance, death, fantasy, mysteries. Kiss me Deadly is a great book to read in small spits and spurts but if you are held captive from story to story like me, you will keep reading in one long stretch until the end is reached. And you will be hungry for more.

Here the reader will find a range of themes and fantasy subgenres - dark angels (Dungeons of Langeais), the dead waking (Many Happy Returns), maras (walking nightmares)(Fearless), ghosts (Vermillion) and even Peter Pan grown up (The Spy Who Never Grew Up).

The selection criteria for inclusion in this anthology was that stories had to be about the paranormal and they had to include romance. But be warned, the romance is nothing expected. Readers who don’t like romance but like a bit of horror and some wicked plots, will enjoy Kiss me Deadly.

The Reading Stack reviewed The Eternal Kiss, a companion collection of vampire stories also edited by Trisha Telep in September 2009.

My Dad Thinks He’s Funny

by Katrina Germein, illustrated by Tom Jellett

black dog books. Australian, Picture Book. Hardback, rrp $24.99

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

My Dad Thinks He’s Funny is a hilarious and very Australian picture book which both adults and children will relate too. Indeed, I think Katrina Germein must have been a fly on the wall at some of my family’s gatherings. Our particular family favourite is the first joke: ‘Whenever I say, “I’m hungry", Dad says, “Hello, Hungry. Pleased to meet you.”’ Not only does my father respond in this fashion to comments or questions from the kids, so does my uncle, sister, husband and brother-in-law. All of my children (ages 9-16) laughed out loud at every new joke and this book has not been allowed to stay on the shelf for any length of time.

The joking and wise cracking between father and son (sometimes drawing in Mum as well) underlines the loving family relationship whereby everyone is at ease with each other. No one takes offence and the banter is part of life even if the boy gives the occasional eye roll at his dad’s cheesy replies!

Tom Jellett’s illustrations are innovative and eye-catching. Page backgrounds range from corrugated iron to graph paper and the illustrations themselves are bold with generous use of crayon, collage and strong colours. In typical Jellett style, the facial expressions of father, son and mother are simple but brilliantly drawn.

My Dad Thinks He’s Funny will be a firm family favourite; one that children will enjoy reading themselves and one which adults will never tire of reading to children.

http://www.katrinagermein.com/

Vicki Stanton is the editor and publisher of Buzz Words, an e-zine for people writing and illustrating books for children. http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com/

MEDIA RELEASE

Maria Quinn’s The Gene Thieves wins the inaugural Norma K. Hemming Award

HarperCollinsPublishers are delighted to congratulate the late Maria Quinn on winning the inaugural Norma K. Hemming Award for excellence in the exploration of themes of race, gender, class and sexuality in speculative fiction.

The Norma K Hemming is awarded by the Australian Science Fiction Foundation (ASFF) and was launched this September at Aussiecon 4, the 68th World Science Fiction Convention. The Award will not necessarily be given annually, with the judging panel having reserved the right to only make a winning selection if there is a work that meets an appropriate standard of excellence.

Maria Quinn was born in 1942 and sadly died of leukemia on 2 June, 2010. After working in the US and Canada, she moved to a London agency as Creative Director. Returning to Australia, she became a magazine editor and feature writer. Her television credits include producing the national program King’s Kitchen. She won the 2007 Todhunter Literary Award for short story and was the recipient of a prestigious Varuna fellowship. The Gene Thieves was her first novel.

The Reading Stack reviewed The Gene Thieves in March 2009 with a comment from Maria Quinn. It is a great loss to the reading public!

Descent:

The Strangers of Paragor Book 2

by Charlotte McConaghy

black dog books. Australian, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy. Paperback rrp $19.99


Reviewed by Barbara Brown

Six friends from Earth jumped through a porthole into another world. The world of Paragor. Each of the six landed separately on different islands. In Descent, Jack and Mia arrive two and a half years after the others. Their four friends, Harry, Luca, Jane and Anna, have already faced numerous battles to save Paragor and have grown older than them.

Harry is now a consort to a queen. Luca has traded his musical skills for something so dark it keeps him away from those he loves. Jane who has been missing has returned with a knowledge of past lives and the love of an Elf prince. Anna, with the cancer that is slowly killing her, has found a soul mate in her dragon. Jack and Mia must help not only save their friends from the evil darkness but also rescue their own relationship as their personas change. Mia finds out she was a queen in a past life and Jack has disappeared to find his true self.

The prophecy said that six strangers, the bright Ones, would come and save Paragor. But with all the six on the world of Paragor, the descent into the darkness begins. Will these six teenagers from earth with no special skills be able to conquer an unseen and unknown enemy?

Dark winged creatures fill the night sky and haunt the people of Paragor in their dreams. When their High King descends into an insanity that will cost the lives of all, the Bright Ones must try to conquer this black evil.

Fans of Book 1, Arrival, will not be disappointed. If you haven’t read Arrival you will easily slip into the story but I don’t recommend this approach. This is a series to be savoured, in order and in entirety. Book 3 is due out in 2011. My only disappointment was turning the last page of Descent and realising I had to wait for the next book

The Reading Stack reviewed Arrival: The Strangers of Paragor Book 1 in April 2009.

http://www.charlottemcconaghy.bounce.com.au/

Only the Good Spy Young

by Ally Carter

Hachette Australia. Young Adult, Mystery. Paperback rrp $16.99


Reviewer – Barbara Brown

Ally Carter is the teenage girl’s equivalent of Ian Fleming. In the Gallagher Girls series there’s everything a spy-in-training could want. Espionage, gadgets to shoot, blow up, even invisible ink!

Cammie Morgan is starting her junior year at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. The Gallagher Academy is no ordinary school. It is a school to train female spies. And Cammie is no ordinary student. Her mother is the Headmistress of the school and her father has been missing for many years, presumed dead. Both parents were high ranking spies and Cammie is now being pursued by a secret sect. Cammie, ‘the Chameleon’ is having trouble hiding.

When one of their own is thought to be a double agent, Cammie’s life is in far greater danger. Who can she trust and where can she get the answers to the puzzles everyone is keeping from her?

Fans of the Gallagher Girls won’t be disappointed in the fourth book in the series, newcomers you will love the action and thrilling storyline and everyone will be eager to read the first three books. The good news is there is definitely a fifth story imminent but the bad news is I can’t tell you why. It would spoil the story. Suffice it to say Cammie is still in danger and is putting all her friends, family and the spy boy, Zach, at risk.

The Reading Stack has also reviewed Ally Carter’s I’d Tell You I Love You but then I’d Have to Kill You, Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy, Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover and Heist Society. Heist Society has been long listed for a 2010 Inky.

http://www.thegallaghergirls.com/
http://www.allycarter.com/
http://www.gallaghergirlseries.com/

It’s a Book

Written and illustrated by Lane Smith

Walker Books. Picture Book. Hardback, rrp $27.95

Guest Reviewer - Jo Burnell

Lane Smith is the master of understatement. The two main characters and one trusty side-kick in It’s a Book are not big talkers, but they characterise to perfection the opposing stances of Book Lovers and Techno Buffs.

While Monkey quietly enjoys pages in the latest adventure story, his friend asks one foolish question after another… until he is lured to peek between the pages too. Then the fun begins.

It’s a Book will be a favourite for many years. It marks a point in history where book lovers and e-readers line up on opposite sides, forgetting that their passions are the same – reading.

Monkey is no fool, but can you guess the name of his foolish friend?

The last page has a delicious twist – but no peeking. Enjoy the simplicity of strong colours and well chosen words. It doesn’t last long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4BK_2VULCU
http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/

Darkwater

by Georgia Blain

Random House. Young Adult, Australian, Crime. Paperback rrp $18.95

Reviewed by Barbara Brown

It is 1973 and a quiet Sydney suburb is rocked with the news that a young high school girl has been found dead. Presumed drowned. Did she kill herself? Was she pushed? Is this the work of a killer or was it just accidental? The questions and presumptions fly around Amanda Clarke’s school.

Amanda Clarke was the most popular girl in school. Her parents lived in one of the best houses in the suburb. She was School Captain and beautiful. Why would she kill herself? Was she pregnant? Was there a jealous spat? Darkwater tells the tale of what happens to a non-assuming suburb when something unexpected occurs.

Fifteen-year-old Winter’s brother was a good friend of Amanda and Winter tries to piece together what happened to a girl that should never have died so young. When Amanda’s friends start to turn on each other, accusing each other and looking sideways at the reality of what has happened, Winter digs deeper to uncover the dark truth.

A thought provoking book about how we view others and how circumstances make us judge and change. Darkwater is destined to become a favourite with young adults.

War Dogs

by Shane Bryant with Tony Park

Pan Macmillan. Australian, Autobiographical. Paperback rrp $34.99

Guest Reviewer – Ian Brown

War Dogs is the story of Shane Bryant who works with highly trained dogs in Afghanistan.

Shane has loved dogs since he was a boy, but never thought about working with them. It wasn’t until after he joined the Australian Army as a 17-year-old and saw a photo of an army dog handler, that he knew what he wanted to do.

He became part of the army bomb squad working with dogs. Eventually Shane tired of army life and joined the NSW Police Force where he again worked with dogs.

After leaving the Police Force he did various jobs, eventually joining a private firm through an old army friend. The firm works mainly with the American Army in Afghanistan, in some of the most dangerous areas in the country. Here Shane became involved with the highly trained dogs that search for bombs on the roadside, in towns, and any area that troops are entering. This is perilous work and quite often Shane has been involved in enemy fire.

The conflict in Afghanistan is a very topical subject and a number of Australian soldiers who have unfortunately been killed by roadside bombs. War Dogs provides additional insight from an unusual perspective as well as an interesting story.

http://www.tonypark.net/
http://wardogs-afghanistan.blogspot.com/