The Book of Sci-Fi Western

The Knife of Never Letting Go

By Patrick Ness

There are no women in Prentisstown. Todd will be a man on his thirteenth birthday, it's in a month. But before he finds out what being a man is, his guardians tell him to run away. All of the men of Prentisstown are after him, and none of it is explained to Todd. He has no idea why. Then he runs into a girl. A real girl.

Whew. Well. I wanted so badly to like this book. The language took some time to get used to. The voice of Todd is unique. This slowed my initial absorption into the book.

Not sure what it was, but I just couldn't love it. Todd was a reasonable enough character, so were all the secondary characters. What proved tough was the length. I fear this book succumbed to plot-dragging. Perhaps, it would've moved faster with passages cut out and less inner monologues of Todd coming to terms with the reality of the world he's in.

It is sci-fi, however, it has the feel of a western. Pioneers on a new planet, guns and horses. I will be trying the second book.

3/5 STARS

Classroom: Too long to be used in the classroom.

Neon Monsters

Fire

By Kristin Cashore

Fire, the name of the main character, is a monster. Monsters are animals, but with unusual bright colouring. Fire's hair is bright, bright red. Both loved and hated, she can control the minds of those around her – human and animal. Instead of abusing her power, like her father, she controls it and hides it to protect innocence being harmed. But when the King calls on her to aid in spywork, she is torn between using her abilities and harming those she loves.

A companion novel to Graceling, one can read this book without having read the first. At first, I was disappointed not to follow the characters from book one, however, I grew to love this new cast equally. Cashore has an ability to create loveable, yet complex, characters.

For the first third, I was confused. Fire's mind is difficult to understand at first because of her monster nature. The world took a while to wrap my head around. However, I devoured the book in two days.

I enjoyed the different worlds Cashore creates as well as a brief cameo by a character from the first book. Spoiler: It's not Katsa as I so wanted it to be.

5/5 STARS

Classroom: Definitely not. Recommended for the fantasy reader.

3 for 1: Eagle Glenn Trilogy

Eagle Glen Trilogy

By KC Dyer

Seeds of Time (1)

After an accident that claims Darrell's foot and her father, she's struggling to find herself again. Her mother enrols her in a summer school, Eagle Glen. The teachers encourage self-exploration, developing each students' talents and expanding their interests. Darrell is immediately taken by the history classes – then suddenly she finds herself taken back to Medieval Scotland at the time of the Black Plague.

Time travel, mystery, and history. Loved it! Darrell is a relateable character. She's going through a hard time, but she is surrounded by people that want the best for her. She is curious as well as quick thinking.

4/5 STARS

Secret of Light (2)

Darrell has found a group of friends who embrace all her flaws. Deciding to spend the year at Eagle Glen while her mother is participating in Doctors without Borders, she encounters time travel once again. This time she meets someone she idolizes, Leonardo DaVinci... as a teenager.

While I liked this story, I didn't like it as much as the first. DaVinci was grating, understandably for the time period, and his views that women can't be artists angered Darrell. It brings out good discussions.

3/5 STARS

Shades of Red (3)

By far, the best of the three. Darrell and her friends find another portal in time that takes them to the time of the Spanish Inquisition and the court of Henry VIII. Entwining many issues materfully, Dyer is able to bring up religion and beliefs in a non-alienating way. It's historical, however, she makes it human.

When revealed the reason for the title of the book, I cried. The story was compelling and real. Incredibly recommended.

5/5 STARS

Classroom: I would push this series. I might read it out loud during the year. All three. They would tie in nicely in grade 6-8 social studies and current events. And, supporting a West Coast Canadian author!

The Black Saucepot

The Black Cauldron

By Lloyd Alexander

Taran wants to be a warrior more than anything else. So when a council of kings, held by his guardian, discussing the need for destruction of the Black Cauldron, Taran is excited to join their cause. Afraid he'll never be more than an Assistant Pig-Keeper, he learns the true meaning of being a hero.

For years and years I passed by this book. I'd seen the movie. Same thing, right? WRONG. The movie takes the characters and minimal plot, chews them up and spits them up in a cacophony of story-telling vomit.

From the first page, I knew, no one writes like this anymore. It's beautiful, descriptive, and enthralling. Alexander is a master at building the world around Taran and his friends.

I especially liked the antagonist. In the movie, you think the antagonist is the Horned-King and the Black Cauldron. In the original story, the subplot antagonist is compelling and shouldn't have been cut from the story. A high born prince believes he's better than Taran because of his birth. And constantly, he insults Taran and believes he should be the hero because he's a prince and princes are heroes. It's a great topic to explore. What makes a hero?

My favourite character by far, of course cut from the movie, is Adaon. He's a Renaissance man: a wise bard, seer, and prince. He's mysterious and the best quotes are attributed to him.

I'd now like to read more of Alexander's writing.

4/5 STARS

Classroom: Absolutely I'd use this. Again, discussions on what makes a hero, class status, friendships, bullying, and self-discovery.