Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks

Don’t be frightened by the bottom rating. Read on.

Ruben feels things that others can’t. Emotions and character, glimpses of events before or even as they occur, even if he is many miles away. So when his sister Rachel is attacked and killed on a lonely moor road, his mind becomes haunted with her last frightened moments and the face of the Dead Man, her murderer. But what is the word of a frightened and grief-stricken gypsy boy to the law?

Ruben and his brother take off to discover the mystery behind their sister’s death by going to the very place where it happened. But the ghost town of Dartmoor isn’t quite ready to tell them everything it knows. The brothers quickly make enemies, discover underlying mysteries, and find friends in unusual ways. And while they remain focused on the goal of retrieving their sister’s body, they find themselves completely wrapped up in the darkness of Dartmoor’s impending future.

Intense. That is the most accurate word to describe this book. I was sucked in right from the very first line:

"I knew the Dead Man had killed Rachel".

I could hardly stand putting it down without figuring out each development and hoping against all evidence that the brothers could pull it together and honor their sister. The mystery, although developing a little late in the book, was well formulated and believable. Completely suspenseful. This novel completely “plumbed the depths” so to speak of the capability for evil in humans. And it felt so incredibly real.

Unfortunately (I hate that word), there was a lot going against this book for me as well. I understand the use of violence in describing the murder of Rachel and then later as the excitement mounts. But there was a lot. I’m hardly opposed to violence in books, but woahwoahwoah there is a point where enough is enough. The last 50 pages were definitely the most difficult in that respect and I probably would not have finished if I wasn’t so involved in the story by that point. Also, there were a few questions unanswered that are still poking at the edge of my mind.

So, what can I say? If you have difficulty with an intense CSI episode, I would not recommend this for you. But if you are willing to battle through some pretty graphic and striking scenes to get to the redemptive qualities of a totally engrossing read, then I would definitely put this up as an option. 4 out of 7 gypsy caravans for Kevin Brook’s harsh read. Comfortably in the middle of a rating system.


A little stunned,
Aella

The Compound by SA Bodeen

This book gets a prize for extremely short plot summary that still intrigued me enough to take it out from the library. The inside cover summarizes the suspense and sheer awesome of how it is executed throughout the pages. The following five sentences are the courtesy of the inside flap:

Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years.
The world they knew is gone.
Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe.
Now, they can't get out.
He won't let them.

Eli has everything anyone could wish for. A never ending music collection, a billionaire father, his own personal gym, and a family of virtuosos in their own right. But (excuse the cliche) there is trouble in paradise. Especially the fact that it is all underground. Eli hasn't seen any human being other than his family members for six full years and there are still nine to go until the time lock will release on the doors of the Compound. Even worse, his twin and grandmother were caught "up top" when the nuclear bomb fell. And however much his father tries to deny it, food supplies and morale are getting low.

When Eli finds the laptop, all his pent in doubts come rushing to the surface. Is it possible that there is still a human remnant in the world outside? Is it even possible that there was never any cause for hiding away in the first place? And what of the Supplements, the young children held captive in the mysterious yellow room? Eli can't bring himself to love them, but could never bear using them to further his survival. The choice seems clear, but if he plans on helping anyone, he'll have to surmount his own personal issues and explore the truth behind the deranged mind of the father that has become a madman.

I haven't read such a twisting suspense novel in a long time. Even if it clocks in at 245 pages, there was enough material to confuse and then delight any mystery fan. I was rooting for freedom the entire time, even when the characters seemed ready to give up. And yet, at the same time, I wanted to figure out what was going on in the Compound for real before anyone else (Inner Aella: Don't look on the last page...don't...don't, Outer Aella: B-but, I gotta know *whining*) The ending was exciting enough to cover the interesting events leading up.

My main complaint about this book was in Eli. At times, he was irritating, mean spirited, cowardly, and rebellious. But then again, perhaps that was what made the entire novel so believable. He was a very real character, though I feel this could have been accomplished with a little less emphasis on the protagonist flaws. This was redeemed by the well-thought out plot and intricacies of the characters he interacts with.

It was very difficult for me to believe that SA Bodeen was a first time author and I reallyreallyreally hope that she will write more books. CRACK-ZING-BAM! 6 out of 7 lightnings!

Expect more reviews than ever before in the coming months,

The Taker by JM Steele

If Aella Siofra were to read the back of a novel entitled The Taker at the library and find it interesting, then take it home for the process of reading, would she find said novel:

(a) interesting and funny
(b) overblown and depressing
(c) clever and fast-paced, while including the attributes of (a)
(d) dull and unconvincing

Answer: (c)

Carly Biels is a legacy. At least she will be if she makes it into Princeton, the college of her dreams. And why wouldn't she? Her grades are excellent, her father has influence, and her social life is blooming. But all that comes crashing down when her mental block towards test-taking catches up with her in the most important exam of her high-school career. The SAT. After having tanked the most highly regarded college entrance assessment in the United States, Carly is desperate and will do almost anything to restore her position on the fast-track to Princeton. So when she receives a mysterious message signed by a shady figure known only as "The Taker", she agrees to his terms. He'll get her within 150 points of perfect on the exam... if she does exactly what he tells her.

One part of the agreement is that Carly continue to study. That way, it will look less suspicious when her score climbs 500 points in a few short weeks. It seems the only way to carry on is to hire a tutor. EVEN if it's the school geek, Ronald Gross (rhymes with "floss"). EVEN if said school geek is completely in love with her. EVEN if that might call forth complications with her boyfriend, the captain of the school lacrosse team. But through the weeks of interactive learning, Carly discovers there is more to Ron/Ronnie/Ronald than meets the eye. With his help, she is rapidly and visibly improving. But when there is no need for The Taker any longer, getting out of the pact is harder than she had expected. Even impossible. And as the search for The Taker is stepped up, Carly begins to wonder- will the desperation of her past keep her from having any future at all?

I really enjoyed this novel. The plot moved along quickly and in a perfectly plausible fashion. And if you've been through high school (or are still in it), you can completely relate to the emotions and stresses of Carly's every day life. JM Steele encompassed every element of life, including (but not limited to): friends, boy/girlfriends, stress, tests, road blocks, expectations, failure, and secrets. Carly dealt with her problems through humor and quick thinking, although she sometimes found herself saying or doing things she didn't mean to. This was a surprisingly human and excellent part of her character. I really cared about how she would end up, and was crossing my fingers that the repercussions of The Taker (the character) wouldn't be too horrible.

Not to mention the continuous plot twists. The ending was one big firework of ????WHAT???? And that's really all I can say to keep from ruining the story. My one complaint is that Carly stayed with her imbecilic, Neanderthal boyfriend for as long as she did. It made me lose a little bit of respect for her, if it was ever so small an amount. All the same, I would recommend this book as a great beach read, anytime read, or fast paced in-the-car/on-the-bus on the way to school/work read (might take a few of those to finish it - and please don't read and drive at the same time).

6.5 out of 7 for an intriguing and clever YA novel that should be more popular than it is.

Looking for Other JM Steele books and Still in Ending-Shock,

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

Another intense novel. Wow. Two huge impact books with Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings sandwiched in with my reading time between. I am obviously humor starved.

Me: Whatever shall I do?

Inner Aella: Why, write a review and get that cloying tensity outoutout.
Me: AH! Of course!

Sym has an imaginary friend. So what if she's 14 years old? Titus is the only steady thing in her life. She can depend on him and his past to stay the same. For once, Titus, better known as Captain Scott of the Shackleton Expedition, almost made it to the southerly most point of the world. Unfortunately, the endeavor failed and he died, only to return as the comforting (and 125 year old) figment in a broken girl's mind.

So when Sym's genius of an uncle (Victor) proposes a trip to Paris, who is she to turn him down? And when her mother's passport mysteriously disappears, who is Sym to question how it occurred? But there is more than meets the eyes to Victor's day ride into France. Oh no. Soon Sym finds herself on a trip to Antarctica with celebrities, scientists, and a very attractive Viking-boy. There, her bond with Titus grows and is sorely tested when everything goes awry (or maybe they were meant to go awry *eyebrow raise*). Dead captain or no, she must keep her wits about her in the barren land that has come to be known as the Ice. And even when surrounded by the mirages of ice and sun that blur the edges of her focus, the choice is clear. Fight for her life above all else. Or die.

The White Darkness received the Printz award this year and was completely engrossing on a psychological level. Sym's character is complex, bearing enough originality to maintain my attentions through the entire first-person work. And yet, at the same time, I was struggling to believe her sanity. Why does she not notice her Uncle is a nutter from the very beginning? At times, I was worried that perhaps I wouldn't be able to enjoy her character because she wasn't giving the appearance of being especially bright. But at the conclusion of the novel, I was happy I had stuck with it. I realized her ignorance is the product of mental blocks she has developed to preserve herself.

Ms. McCaughrean's novel is excellently researched and at times, chilling (no pun intended). Her descriptions of the poles are dark and beautiful and the experiences of the explorers as they succumb to the blinding white of the snow and the killing cold are written realistically. It seems almost as if the author herself had experienced such things in an earlier time.

But if you're looking for a swashbuckling adventure story, this isn't it. An afternoon of quiet time will be needed to absorb every element. And, like what lies beneath the ice of Antarctica, there is much more to the story than meets the eye. Some key elements are easily missed if the reader so much as skips a page. But I don't think that will be a problem. You'll want to read every piece of the incredible description and startling twists.

I bestow upon this novel a 6 out of 7 lightnings (and a prize for longest review)! Expect more reviews than ever from the Maelstrom in the months to come.

In Pursuit of Odyssey,


P.S. Has anyone read any exceptionally humorous books lately? As I said before, my mindset is in a constant shade of gray from the sort of reading material I have been consuming of late. Comment Away!

'Tis Swordy...

When the first two pages of a book have to do with rabid animal-types and the cover shows a focused warrior you know that you’ve picked up a sword book. I am perhaps a little obsessed with sword books. These are the novels that have saber/rapier/broadsword/general Drizzt typhonicism. And to add to the brilliant, it was just one element of the first novel in The Twelve Kingdoms series, entitled the Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono.

Thankfully the novel lived up to both cover and sword. Yoko is a somewhat normal Japanese girl (other than that crimson hair), haunted by dreams beyond her comprehension and perfectly satisfied with playing the innocent daughter and gifted schoolmate. But then a strange man arrives, shoves a sword in her hand, touches her foot to his head, and implodes the windows of the teacher’s conference room with a storm of glass shards that leave her hardly scratched. Things will never be the same again.

Yoko finds herself battling it out with demons and transported to a world she doesn’t understand. A world where 12 kingdoms (no. really?) exist that haven’t even heard of Japan and blame the recent destructive storms on Yoko’s arrival. The people appear to speak her language but are decidedly not Japanese in features and want nothing more than to deliver her to the nearest magistrate for a fate worse than death. No one can be trusted. As intrigue builds around our heroine and she seeks out the truth in a universe where children grow on trees, she unknowingly enters into a glorious destiny.

The culture built by Fuyumi Ono is detailed and spun with silver thread into the lore of China and Japan. Impressive fight scenes abound, beautifully described creatures crawl from every page corner, and the heroine develops admirably through the upheaval. Originally written in a manga-like form there is that constant underlying sense of the epic legend, accompanied by fantastic inked drawings that appear every now and again. Happily, the sequel comes out *checks calendar* TOMORROW! If it counts for anything, I am quite eager.

KRRRRRACK! SWHOOM! 6.5 Lightnings out of 7! Cheerz...the sound effects are back!!

I wantz a sword,

*Aella Siofra*