Butterfly Fairy

I spent a magical day at FaerieCon last Sunday. I got to chat with the Dragons’ Lure Anthology editor & assure her I’m hard at work on my story. I also got to visit with Kim Cross of Faerie Magazine. She’s wonderful to chat with & is enthusiastic about new projects for the magazine. I urge you to check out this beautiful publication: www.FaerieMagazine.com

I visited the dealers’ room & was happy to see so many artists present, including illustrator Charles Vess (whose work is breathtaking).

But the best part of the day had to be listening to writer Charles de Lint talk about writing urban fairytales, etc. He not only talked at length about his creative process, etc., but answered all questions posed by the audience in a friendly, professional manner. If you haven’t taken the time to read this author’s books, you should do so (I think there are about 65 published ones to choose from).

And lastly, looking around at the fabulous costumes (I must admit to buying some striped knee-socks, elbow-length fairy gloves & a fabulous rat puppet while looking) — I found the inspiration for Faeryland in a novel I’m at work on. The Medieval Faeryland I was trying to use in my novel didn’t feel quite “right”  — but the Steampunk Faeries wandering here & there at FaerieCon seemed “right.” Therefore, the Faeryland in the novel I’m working on will be Steampunk (think Victorian England or the Australian world of Mad Max).

My thanks go out to FaerieCon & its fairies for a magical answer to my setting challenge!

I ran out of interesting new books about two months ago. Oddly, I still HAVE books I haven’t read, but lacked the interest to get into them. I still have a Piers Anthony, two Rawn, a couple of Eddings, and two Huff books to read. The Eddings books need the rest of the series before I’ll read them, the Anthony and Huff books just failed to grab my attention, and I’m reading Rawn’s first book in the car while waiting for mom’s bus to show up in the evenings.

I needed new books. After re-reading Neil Asher’s Gridlinked–which I still enjoy, even after two readings!–and a Pratchett book, bits and pieces of half-a-dozen other things and plenty of research books, the three-week-long wait for my order from Powell’s was nearly unbearable!

Yes, I squeed when the box arrived. Here’s why:

Scar Night, by Alan Campbell. I started here when my new books came, and holy hell, that might have been a mistake. I’m not sure even favorite authors can follow this!

I will temper the glow with a comment that I’ve got a soft-spot for Poe, and stay away if you don’t like very dark, rich description and prose. But I swear, you can see, hear and taste the surroundings. I dream of being able to write like this.

The Riddle of the Wren, by Charles de Lint. I have yet to read anything by de Lint that I don’t love. Strong hopes for this book too.

Misspelled, an anthology edited by Julie Czerneda. I try to get at least one anthology with every book order. It’s a great way to find new authors.

Night Watch, by Terry Pratchett. A great man, an amazing writer. Again, I’ve never read one of his books that I didn’t love. Most of them haven’t been read just once, either.

The House of Gaian, by Anne Bishop. A friend gave me the e-books of the Dark Jewels series a while back, and hooked me forever on an author I already liked. The first two books of this series were my introduction to Bishop, I’m hoping the third is as good.

Street Magic, by Caitlin Kittredge. One of the two new authors I’m sampling in this order. I attended a couple of panels that Kittredge was on at Dragon*Con, and liked what I heard.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke. If I had a penny for every time I’ve been told I should read this book…

I’ll write reviews on all of them, hopefully. In the meantime… READING!

Urban Fantasy saved my sanity.

What is Urban Fantasy, you ask?  The good editors of Wikipedia have defined it as:

a subset of fantasy defined by place; the fantastic narrative has an urban setting. Many Urban fantasies are set in contemporary times or contain supernatural elements. However, this is not the primary definition of Urban fantasy. Urban fantasy can be set in historical times, Modern times, or futuristic times. The prerequisite is that it must be set in a city, primarily rather than in a suburban or country setting, which have their own genre subsets.

Taking that into account, I define it as: the completely badass way of taking the niftiness of magic realism, mythology, urban legend and fairy tale and lobbing it into a (typically) contemporary urban setting.

Take Charles de Lint for example.  de Lint combines equal parts faerie and First Nations mythology and mixes that with the idiosyncrasies of a metropolitan setting.  He has gone so far as to create, for the purposes of his Urban Fantasy writing, his own city; Newford.  Newford exists both where and when de Lint requires, affording him more freedom than that available in the utilization of a known city centre.

One of the most popular subsets of Urban Fantasy is paranormal romance.  Though not restricted to the realm of Urban Fantasy, paranormal romance set in contemporary society harnessing the mystique of legends such as vampires and werewolves is wildly popular as I write this.  The Twilight Saga written by Stephenie Meyer is a fantastic example of paranormal romance.  Long story short: our protagonist, Bella Swan, meets (shiny) vampire Edward Cullen in their high school (yes, this one’s Young Adult) and falls head over heels in love with him, but must also contend with the affections forced upon her by  her werewolf friend.

As with every genre, there is great Urban Fantasy and there is terrible Urban Fantasy.  These measures, of course, are completely subjective.  My tastes are 100% my own.  Yours are your own.  I don’t dig Harry Potter, you may.  I put Neil Gaiman on a pedestal, you may hate him.  Que Sera, Sera.  This is actually the reason this particular narrative has been nibbling away at the frayed corners of my poor little brain.  I was, recently, sent this (in an email) by a good friend:

I might even go so far as to say that my overall impression of Urban Fantasy (even though I have never read any) is that the genre targets the same types of readers as trashy Harlequins or other cheap romances.

In terms of the most popular Urban Fantasy, I completely agree.  It seems to be written to sell and what sells is, essentially, a these are the days of our lives brand of the genre.  There is a huge market for it.  Candy coated escape literature.  But!  This is not the only type of Urban Fantasy that exists.  It is not all fanged angst, or Shifty lust.  That’s just the most publicised Urban Fantasy out there, right now.  Some of it, like Gaiman’s Neverwhere, doesn’t contain a true aspect of romance.  Sure, there is one degrading romantic relationship and one clear attraction between a pair of characters, but neither carries the story.  That yarn depends entirely on Gaiman’s genius writing (I am 100% bias, but this is also my blog), the peculiar setting and the evolution of the story’s characters.

When your head’s always in the clouds and you yearn to see dragons curl about city skyscrapers, unicorns in a city park, or faeries dancing about a ring of wild mushrooms, Urban Fantasy will save your sanity.  Until you are one of the blessed few who is allowed to enter the Otherworld, this is as good as it gets.

The Doors – People Are Strange

UNT.

Snow White, Blood Red is an anthology of fairy tale retellings for adults, editted by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. It’s the first of a series of anthologies.

Overall, the anthology is very good. Of course, as in any anthology, there were stories I liked better than others but the quality of all of them was very high. Datlow as well as Windling provide introductions and there’s an appendix of recommended reading, which is pretty awesome. If you like fairy tale retellings, fantasy/SciFi and a little bit of horror, you will love this book.

As usual, I’ll go through the stories one by one.

White as Snow: Fairy Tales and Fantasy (Terri Windling)

Terri Windling gives us an overview about the history of fairy tales, some changes that were made to them over time and how they relate to fantasy.
Some people skip forewords when reading books and in this case they really shouldn’t. Terri Windling gives us a concise and fascinating look at fairy tales and their evolution.

Red as Blood: Fairy Tales and Horror (Ellen Datlow)

Ellen Datlow relates fairy tales to horror and her own experience of them.
Datlow’s foreword is much more personal than Windling’s but no less interesting. Taking a look at how un-childish fairy tales are and how they shape the horror culture around us, this foreword is another essential part of the book.

Like a Red, Red Rose (Susan Wade)

A woman and her daughter live alone in a beautiful garden where they produce potions for the villagers but are generally regarded as outcasts.
Like a Red, Red Rose is actually not a retelling of a specific fairy tale but rahter a reiteration of known motifs in fairy tales. As a hommage to several fairy tales, it works very well.

The Moon Is Drowning While I Sleep (Charles de Lint)

The Moon Is Drowning While I Sleep is a retelling of the fairy tale The Dead Moon. It is set in de Lint’s town of Newford.
I loved this story. It’s poetic, it’s beautiful and very well written. Here’s the first part which tells you everything you need to know:

Once upon a time there was what there was, and if nothing had happened there would be nothing to tell.

The Frog Prince (Gahan Wilson)

The Frog Prince is a retelling of, surprisingly, The Frog Prince. It’s a very modern take: It depicts a therapy session of Frog.
There were some details I liked in this story, but mostly I found it none too memorable.

Stalking Beans (Nancy Kress)

Stalking Beans is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. In this version, Jack is bitter and is exposed as the asshole he is.
There was nothing qualitatively wrong with this story but I really didn’t like it. Probably because Jack was that exposed… the story only works if you kinda care for Jack, imo.

Snow-Drop (Tanith Lee)

Snow-Drop is a futuristic take on Snow White as seen from the stepmother’s perspective.
This story was fascinating. To retell the story from the stepmother’s view was a stroke of genius and the futuristic setting was awesome. It really put Tanith Lee high up on my to-read list.

Little Red (Wendy Wheeler)

Little Red transplants Little Red Riding Hood into a modern, urban setting with all its chilling consequences.
Wendy Wheeler’s story was probably the most terrifying of them all. Taking a Lolita approach to the whole thing and letting the story be told by the perpetrator was outright chilling.

I Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood (Kathe Koja)

This story is another take on Little Red Riding Hood, but this one historical.
In this version, as in the one before, there’s no traipsing around the images used in the original: Little Red Riding Hood is a story about a young girl getting raped by a guy who thinks it’s his right to do just that. But in this case, the girl gets the better of the guy.

The Root of the Matter (Gregory Frost)

The Root of the Matter is a retelling of Rapunzel. It is told from the three point of views of Rapunzel, her “mother” and the prince.
I liked the three different views but I didn’t like the morale of the story: that the cruelty of the “mother” was necessary so that the characters of Rapunzel and the prince were formed in a way that they could be together.

The Princess in the Tower (Elizabeth A. Lynn)

Another take on Rapunzel, The Princess in the Tower is more of a funny story than the dark “The Root of the Matter”. But I also thought it rather annoying. The joke is that it’s set in Italy somewhere in a town, where it’s considered beautiful to be fat and poor Rapunzel unfortunately isn’t. And I don’t see much humour in that and it gets old pretty fast.

Persimmon (Harvey Jacobs)

Persimmon is a retelling of Thumbelina.
In the description of the story in the book, the editors say that Harvey Jacobs’ stuff is “peculiar”, and peculiar it is. I don’t think that I can give an in any way more qualified comment than that.

Little Poucet (Steve Rasnic Tem)

Little Poucet is a retelling of Little Poucet or Hop o’ My Thumb.
It’s a pretty disgusting story and Tem doesn’t manage to make it scary – it remains disgusting. I really didn’t like it.

The Changelings (Melanie Tem)

The Changelings is based on scandinavic stories of changelings and forest trolls. It’s about a mother who believes her daughter and her daughter’s best friend have been swapped and subsequently suffers a mental breakdown.
I liked the story. It’s an intelligent examination of a mother-daughter relationship and looks at something that’s usually not discussed: That a mother could possibly not like her own child.

The Springfield Swans (Caroline Stevermer and Ryan Edmonds)

The Springfield Swans is a retelling of The Wild Swans, set on a baseball diamond, basically.
This story is sweet, if a little inconsequential.

Troll Bridge (Neil Gaiman) [which I've also reviewed here]

The Troll Bridge is a retelling of the story Three Billy Goats Gruff, even if rather far from the original.
I think, on re-reading I actually liked this story even better. It has a sweet sense of humour, a good ending and is well written.

A Sound, Like Angels Singing (Leonard Rysdyk)

I won’t tell you what story this is a retelling of. Should you read this story, it would be completely spoiled otherwise.
It’s an interesting story. Not one I liked a whole lot, but I loved reading it.

Puss (Esther M. Friesner)

Puss is a very dark take on Puss in Boots, with a tormented main character.
I really loved this story. It’s dark, chilling and uncomfortable but it’s really good.

The Glass Casket (Jack Dann)

The Glass Casket is based on The Glass Coffin, but set in Renaissance Italy and a kind of fantastic alternate history story about Pico della Mirandola.
I don’t know anything about Pico della Mirandola, so I’m not really sure why Dann chose him as his main character. Neither do I know much about Renaissance Italy, nor do I care a whole lot. Maybe that’s why this story left me pretty cold.

Knives (Jane Yolen)

Knives is a take on Cinderella. It’s a poem, not a short story.
I liked it. It has a good rhythm and a nice flow. It’s deep, but it also has sense of humour. Very enjoyable.

The Snow Queen (Patricia A. McKillip)

To everyone’s surprise, this story is a retelling of The Snow Queen.
The original Snow Queen might be my most favouritest fairy tale ever, so McKillip does not have an easy task to make me like her story as every change made makes it less like the original and the original is pretty much perfect. So it’s no surprise that I didn’t like this story. But nevertheless I have to say that it’s a well written, good story.

Breadcrumbs and Stones (Lisa Goldstein)

Breadcrumbs and Stones is a kind of retelling of Hansel and Gretel. Two sisters examine their relationships with their mother as she’s dying, and also take a look at the history of their family during WW II.
It was a sad and thoughtful story and one I really liked. It’s hard to capture in a few short sentences, so I’ll just recommend that you read it.

Stephen Jones (ed.) – Dancing With The Dark: True Encounters With The Paranormal By Masters Of The Macabre (Vista, 1997)

Cover by Splash: Photography by Simon Marsden

Stephen Jones – Introduction: Dancing with the Dark

Joan Aiken – My Feeling about Ghosts
Sarah Ash – Timeswitch
Mike Ashley – The Rustle in the Grass
Peter Atkins – Take Care of Grandma
Clive Barker – Life After Death
Stephen Baxter – The Cartographer
Robert Bloch – Not Quite So Pragmatic .
Ramsey Campbell – The Nearest to a Ghost
Hugh B. Cave – Haitian Mystères
R. Chetwynd-Hayes – One-Way Trip
A. E. Coppard – The Shock of the Macabre
Basil Copper – The Haunted Hotel
Peter Crowther – Safe Arrival
Jack Dann – A Gift of Eagles
Charles de Lint – The House on Spadina
Terry Dowling – Sharing with Strangers
Lionel Fanthorpe – Hands on the Wheel
Esther M. Friesner – That Old School Spirit
Gregory Frost – Twice Encountered
Neil Gaiman – The Flints of Memory Lane
Stephen Gallagher – In There
Ray Garton – Haunted in the Head
John Gordon – The House on the Brink
Ed Gorman – Riding the Nightwinds
Elizabeth Goudge – ESP
Simon R. Green – Death is a Lady
Peter Haining – The Smoke Ghost
Joe Haldeman – Never Say Die
James Herbert – Not Very Psychic
Brian Hodge – Confessions of a Born-Again Heathen
Nancy Holder – To Pine with Fear and Sorrow
M. R. James – A Ghostly Cry
Peter James – One Extra for Dinner
Mike Jefferies – A Face in the Crowd
Nancy Kilpatrick – Raggedy Ann
Stephen King – Uncle Clayton
Hugh Lamb – Go On, Open Your Eyes…
Terry Lamsley – Moving Houses
John Landis – Inspiration
Stephen Laws – Norfolk Nightmare
Samantha Lee – Not Funny
Barry B. Longyear – The Gray Ghost
H. P. Lovecraft – Witch House
Brian Lumley – The Challenge
Arthur Machen – World of the Senses
Graham Masterton – My Grandfather’s House
Richard Matheson – More Than We Appear To Be
Richard Christian Matheson – Visit to a Psychic Surgeon
Paul J. McAuley – The Fall of the Wires
Anne McCaffrey – Unto the Third Generation
Thomas F. Monteleone – Talkin’ Them Marble Orchard Blues
Mark Morris – A Shadow of Tomorrow
Yvonne Navarro – The House on Chadwell Drive
William F. Nolan – The Floating Table and the Jumping Violet
Edgar Allan Poe – Mesmeric Revelation
Vincent Price – In the Clouds
Alan Rodgers – Clinic-Modern
Nicholas Royle – Magical Thinking
Jay Russell – De Cold, Cold Décolletage
Adam Simon – The Darkness Between the Frames
Guy N. Smith – The Mist People
Michael Marshall Smith – Mr Cat
S. P. Somtow – In the Realm of the Spirits
Brian Stableford – Chacun sa Goule
Laurence Staig – The Spirit of M. R. James
Peter Tremayne – The Family Curse
H. R. Wakefield – The Red Lodge
Lawrence Watt-Evans – My Haunted Home
Cherry Wilder – The Ghost Hunters
Chet Williamson – A Place Where a Head Would Rest
Paul F. Wilson – The Glowing Hand
Douglas E. Winter – Finding My Religion
Gene Wolfe – Kid Sister

A Spectral vision …. The sound of phantom footsteps … An experiment in astral projection ….. A childhood premonition of disaster …. Possession by a voodoo god ….
An Ouija board that predicted death … A body kept alive by force of will ….. A cursed family name …

Such tales as these are more usually associated with horror books and movies. However, these anecdotes are absolutely true! They are ,just a sample of the real-life experiences recounted by some of the world’s most famous frighteners, from such bestselling authors as Stephen King and James Herbert, to actor Vincent Price and director John Landis.

Collected together for the very first time, many or the most successful and well-known exponents, along with rising stars of the horror field, relate their fascinating encounters with the supernatural, revealing how such unique experiences have affected their lives and influenced their works.

Even for the experts, when it comes to Unexplained phenomena, fact can be much more frightening than fiction …

See also Dancing With the Dark thread on Vault Of Evil

Thanks to Nightreader!

1. I just finished IN WINTER’S SHADOW, the last in an Arthurian historical fantasy trilogy by Gillian Bradshaw. It — along with its two precursors — isn’t the kind of book that blows you away, whether by content or writing style. Instead, it’s a sort of quiet, humble, straightforward book, very earnest on matters of philosophy, religion, and fantasy, and so deftly written that the craft disappears, leaving only story. And it really says something that, despite how familiar I am (we all are) with the Arthurian legends, these books were still a surprise and a joy to read, all the way through. Plenty of it was bittersweet, but, like my taste in coffee, my taste in literature is running darker and more bitter. At least within YA!

2. This is not a post about Arthurian Britain. It is a post about DINGO! My brief review follows.

–

DINGO is the latest novel by Charles de Lint, famous as a great writer but especially of urban fantasy and mythic fiction. His wonderful, complicated, dark MEMORY AND DREAM (read, read, read it!) introduced me to the idea that fantasy could be fun and interesting, as well as resonant and timeless, in an urban setting instead of a medieval European one. DINGO is one of many of de Lint’s forays into the urban-fantasy zone, set in a coastal New England town. De Lint perfectly captures the feel of the small town, which swarms with tourists in the summer, but during the span of the novel, is quiet, unpretentious, and lonely.

It’s the span of the novel, actually, that contributes to my biggest problem with DINGO. First, I have to say that the ideas behind the novel, both the central story and the bits of mythology woven in, are intriguing and have lots of potential. You can get this by reading the back, jacket flap, or online synopsis of DINGO, but the gist is this: town boy Miguel meets and is immediately captivated by beautiful and mysterious Australian girl with very expressive dog. Girl and dog have a Dark Secret. When this Secret is revealed, Miguel is swept up into a world he didn’t know existed — and has an adventure that changes him forever. Okay, sounds interesting, right? And de Lint doesn’t make it as hokey as that description sounds, not even a bit. His writing, from the POV of junior-high Miguel, is convincing, fresh and teen without being overdone (though the references to iPods and current bands will cause this novel to become outdated quickly). The myths woven in are interesting, unexpected but relevant. The relationships between the novel’s main characters all ring true. The fantasy is compelling and believable — not for a second did I doubt the existence of the magical elements in the novel.

But the biggest problem for me was that this story never really got off the ground. The story’s stakes were clear, but they weren’t high enough. And I think the cause of this is the novel’s pace, which was forced upon it by its length. (I can only guess at why de Lint published what feels like an abridged and rushed novel.) It’s barely two hundred (physically small, yet large-fonted) pages, and within those pages there are plenty of trips to various other-worlds and back, as well as anecdotes, digressions, and visits to houses on the wrong side of the tracks. That’s just not enough space for all that could have been done with this story. Instead of rushing to establish the stakes and ignite some chemistry, de Lint could have taken his time to build complex, problematic characters and connections that would have taken the story to some interesting places. As it was, though, the stakes were too straightforward, and the answer was just too easy. Everything was revealed too quickly, or else was too obvious at the start. And maybe this novel was just too YA for me, but I don’t accept that excuse — YA fiction has to be, first of all, good fiction.

That said, I don’t know that I can argue with what de Lint did in this book. Maybe he was experimenting with how to tell an interesting story in a pithy, distilled way, using characters that are just barely more elaborate than the types they stand for. Maybe he wanted to explore the ideas behind the novel, but didn’t want to commit to a larger book (MEMORY AND DREAM clocks in at four hundred [physically large, yet small-fonted] pages). As a fellow writer, I can offer thoughts on what de Lint presented, but not on how well his work meets his own expectations — only mine. So that’s what I’m assessing now. I expected a richly detailed, complicated, difficult read that took me longer than a couple of hours to read and figure out. Instead, I got DINGO.

DINGO is a pleasant book; it’s worth reading for what de Lint, the master of reappropriating myths, does with less familiar legends, and some fantasy ideas all his own. Though hastily drawn, his characters are believable and likeable; the plot moves in a satisfying way, with most loose ends tied up by the end of the book. (One major one is not, and it’s one of the things I liked best about the book; I can’t spoil it, but it has to do with getting married young. No, that’s not a spoiler!) I recommend reading it, mainly for the joy of experiencing a master writer do what he does best: write.

Update: the Arthurian-Britain novel I mentioned is IN WINTER’S SHADOW, not KINGDOM OF SUMMER.  KOS is the second book in the trilogy.

So, what ever happened to sundials? And I am not talking about those made-in-china polyresin replicas you see on the shelves at HomeSense. 

Every culture on this planet has looked toward the heavens to help organize events on Earth. As I attempt to recount and plan for the remaining summer days ahead, I am reminded that every moment of each day is more valuable than say, fine jewels. Yes, that means diamonds, ladies.

This summer, I’ve had the pleasure of watching the sun set from the extremities of the berry fields, to the corn field, to the pumpkin patch. My sundial is my front porch. I can tell time by the light of the sun. The moon. And the stars. There is something magical in the brief moments when the sun sinks below the horizon, the moments where the progression of time is purely visible amazement. The sun, on its way back in time; back to harvest—the same way I am back to bed. I digress; the looming pleasure is sleep.

Yes, I am on vacation right now. Hence, the lovely reference to sleep and the time for blogging—albeit short.

A charming quote to end this post; and particularly relevant as summer dwindles: “We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they’re called memories. Some take us forward, they’re called dreams.” (Jeremy Irons)

Hope your summer has been filled with the magic of both memory & dream.

And that you too, have had moments of telling time by the light of the sun—and not your alarm clock.

B Jas

P.S. A good summer read: “Memory and Dream” (Newford Series) by Charles de Lint.

Det foreløpig beste med denne boka er omslaget.

“The Blue Girl” handler om tøffe Imogaine, hennes fantasivenn Pelly, den sjenerte og ordentlige Maxine og spøkelset Adrian. Imogaine skifter skole og bestemmer seg for å skifte image. Hun singler seg ut den pertentlige Maxine som venn, og greier seg tålelig bra på skolen helt til hun oppdager at et spøkelse følger etter henne… Adrian er en skikkelig stalker, gjemmer seg i skyggene, men etterhvert får Imogaine snakket med ham. Det viser seg at han ble lurt til å fly av alve-vennene sine, men så viste det seg at han ikke egentlig kunne fly… Imogaine tror ikke på alvene, og dermed ber Adrian alvene om å få Imogaine til å tro på dem. De sender henne mystiske drømmer, og noen svarte skygger begynner å følge etter henne. Imogaine, Maxine og Pelly må forsøke å redde Imogaines liv. I forsøket greier de å gjøre henne blå over hele kroppen, herav tittelen “The Blue Girl”.

Tynt plot? Oh yes, sirree. Jeg er ikke engang ferdig med boka, men jeg kjenner at jeg egentlig har lyst til å lese noe annet… Jeg skal allikevel slite meg igjennom, det er fortsatt en bitteliten mulighet for at den tar seg opp mot slutten. Boka har vunnet priser og greier, så det er sikkert meg det er noe galt med…

Ps: Boka ble bedre etterhvert, og slutten var til og med ganske spennende. Alt i alt en grei bok, men ikke noe å rope hurra for. Tviler sterkt på at jeg noensinne kommer til å lese den om igjen.

Phyllis Gotlieb left the mortal coil on July 14. She is probably not a name known to many in the world of speculative reading yet she was known by many writers. She was a steady writer; though not as prolific like Rob Sawyer or Charles de Lint, she was in her own way a pioneer in the field.

Judith Merril was known as the grandam of science fiction and Phyllis as the mother of Canadian SF. She began writing and publishing when there were fewer writers in the field altogether and very few women. Canada was a pipsqueak next to the US, yet Phyllis was making her mark. She was a founding member of SFWA, and the only Canadian at its time of inception in 1965.

Phyllis began writing when science fiction wasn’t as popular as it is now, but was a fan of the early pulps. She was known for her poetry and during a writing block in the 1950s her husband suggested she write science fiction. She sold her first novel Sunburst in 1964 and the Sunburst award is named after Phyllis’s book.

Phyllis was known for her no-nonsense, wry wit and intelligence. She was an active member of SF Canada and has been quoted as being instrumental in encouraging such young writers in their careers as Robert Sawyer, Cory Doctorow and Sandra Kasturi.

It’s no easy thing to be a writer in a country with a small population, be a woman, and be writing in a field that wasn’t very popular, yet Phyllis was pretty much the first Canadian speculative writer published and continued unabated, publishing her last novel in 2009. Her matter of fact Valentine’s poems to her husband Kelly were often amusing and hilarious. She gave insights that made one think deeper and longer about topics and sometimes cut straight to the chase without the sugary coating.

SF Canada will miss Phyllis greatly, and I’m glad that we had a chance last year to award her with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her contribution to SF and Canadian writers will be felt for a very long time.

Condolences and memorial messages can be added here: http://www.benjaminsparkmemorialchapel.ca/MemorialBook.aspx?snum=125855&sid=134769

An Interview with Phyllis from Challenging Destiny: http://www.challengingdestiny.com/interviews/gotlieb.htm

CBC’: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/07/15/phyllis-gotlieb.html

The Sunburst Award: http://www.sunburstaward.org/

Stroud, Jonathan – Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1 -.The.Amulet.of.Samarkand.(v3.0)

Stroud, Jonathan – Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2 – The Golem’s Eye (v3.0)

Stroud, Jonathan – Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 3 – Ptolemy’s Gate

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Stephenie Meyer, I._Twilight

Stephenie Meyer, II._New_Moon

Stephenie Meyer, III._Eclipse

Stephenie Meyer, IV._Breaking Dawn

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Septimus Heap, I._Magyk

Septimus Heap, II._Flyte

Septimus Heap, III._Physik

Septimus Heap, IV._Queste

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Mike Shepherd – Kris Longknife 1 – Mutineer

Mike Shepherd – Kris Longknife 2 – Deserter

Mike Shepherd – Kris Longknife 3 – Defiant

Mike Shepherd – Kris Longknife 4 – Resolute

Mike Shepherd – Kris Longknife 5 – Audacious

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JoeAbercrombie-TheFirstLaw01-TheBladeItself

JoeAbercrombie-TheFirstLaw02-BeforeTheyAreHanged

JoeAbercrombie-TheFirstLaw03-LastArgumentOfKings

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Elizabeth Kerner – Tale of Lanen Kaelar 01 – Song In The Silence

Elizabeth Kerner – Tale of Lanen Kaelar 02 – The Lesser Kindred

Elizabeth Kerner – Tale of Lanen Kaelar 03 – Redeeming the Lost

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DiTerlizzi, Tony – The Spiderwick Chronicles 01 – The Field Guide

DiTerlizzi, Tony – The Spiderwick Chronicles 02 – The Seeing Stone

DiTerlizzi, Tony – The Spiderwick Chronicles 03 – Lucinda’s Secret

DiTerlizzi, Tony – The Spiderwick Chronicles 04 – The Ironwood Tree

DiTerlizzi, Tony – The Spiderwick Chronicles 05 – The Wrath of Mulgarath

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christopher paolini – inheritance 01 – Eragon

christopher paolini – inheritance 02 – Eldest

christopher paolini – inheritance 03 – Brisingr

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Charles de Lint – The Onion Girl

Charles de Lint – The Dreaming Place

Charles de Lint – Memory and Dream

Charles de Lint – Dingo

Today, all I have for you are a few questions that have really been eating at me. Answer all or one or a few or whatever you have something to say about.

“Why did men worship in churches, locking themselves away in the dark, when the world lay beyond its doors in all its real glory?”
-Charles de Lint

“The local church is the hope of the world, and its future rests primarily in the hands of its leaders.”
-Bill Hybels

Do the ‘confines’ of church limit spiritual growth? Or, rather, do they allow for expansion of spiritual exploration?
Why do so many people loathe church while so many others depend on it for their lives?

Love.

I’m sure every reader is used to this scenario. Pick up a book off a book-store shelf. The blurb is great. The cover art is wonderful. The first chapter reads like a publisher’s wet dream. So, reader buys book. Book goes home, reader starts to get to know book.

Reader, at chapter five, detests character. Reader takes book back.

Plot, style, all of these things are certainly necessary. But I have put so many books back, and sold so many more to used bookstores, just because the characters flat-out sucked. Books by very popular authors in fact, have been returned.

I’m not the world’s hardest sell. I liked ‘Hancock’ tremendously, and endured sarcasm for weeks over that. But ‘Hancock’ was a good character! The characters of Hayden’s ‘Rhapsody’ books are good characters. The quirky, weird people of Jonathan Carroll’s book are amazing characters. These are some of my favorite books, simply because of the characters. I love the world, I love the writing, but I would have put ‘Rhapsody’ down if Ashe hadn’t grabbed me by the throat.

I received a comment on Abadinur from one of my test readers, calling Amarog ‘a great literary character’. It surprised me really. I thought Amarog was good, but not spectacular. My spectacular characters were supposed to be the witches. Instead, here’s big, super-power Amarog who doesn’t have much of a journey in the book, and he’s the literary character? Oh. Obviously I need to ponder this a little.

One of the cardinal rules of writing is to observe the people around you. People-watch, people-listen, people-write. I sit at coffee shops, I eavesdrop at restaurants. And I’ve come to the conclusion that there aren’t that many characters left in the world. There are a lot of people, but not many characters.

Our society has stopped admiring individuality. We give it a lot of lip-service, and maybe there’s no more conformism than there ever was. Maybe it’s just that I work in Soccer-mom/upper-middle-class heaven that I’ve gotten jaded. But I look at my past and there are so many interesting people there! Where have they gone? These are the people I based my characters on.

My crazy uncle, who was a sniper in Vietnam and now believes that contrails are going to end the world. The incredibly devoted Czech preacher and his wife, who corresponded for years before they married, and who remained together until his death of Parkinson’s. The people who randomly started telling me about their lives in the grocery store, or at the gas station while I was locked out of my car. These are just a few of the people I look at.

When I wrote Amarog, and to some extent Aleshan from Shadow and Soul, I looked close to home. My grandfather’s unflagging sense of right and wrong, and his father’s temper and pride. Two friends that I love more than I should, both army vets with scars that don’t show through to the outside, but who’s worst scars aren’t from war, but love. A man who buried both his daughter and his murdered wife, who was barely saved from an act of vengeance, and who took a job working with terminally ill children to learn how to heal and love. 20 year old men who might have been partying and getting laid, but who were instead changing teenager’s diapers and leading them in sing-alongs and learning more about compassion and personal strength than most people learn over a lifetime. Men who are a dying breed. Those are the literary characters, and I just watch them and learn. Those are the men I base my ‘heroes’ on.

People aren’t ‘good’ and they aren’t ‘bad’. A character that is ‘good’ is indeed a character, and while he may live in imagination, he’ll never make it off the page. Same with a villain who is pure evil. There is no such thing in humanity, in my belief.

One of the most stunning villains I’ve read was in Anne Bishop’s Belladonna. The Eater of the World. Pure, total, malevolent evil. It wasn’t a person, it was a force. You despised it. *SPOILER! And then it meets something more evil, more cruel, and it becomes understandable and relatable. I hated that book for making me feel pity for something that was beyond evil. Brooks’ demon from ‘Running With the Demon’ was similarly understandable. With both of them, once I got started, I couldn’t stop.

One of the most heart-wrenching heroes I’ve read was Charles de Lint’s* ‘Jack’. Shiftless, restless, temperamental. He left his daughter, his wife went crazy. His daughter was maybe a little bit crazy too. He was relatable. For me, he was a character I could very much relate to, for my own reasons. But beyond that, he was flawed, maybe a little broken, but he got over that, got his power back and saved the day.

(*For the record, de Lint is one of those authors I would recommend hands-down to anyone. I’ve studied him since I first came in contact with his stories. His female characters are brilliant, he understands the archetypes of Trickster and other folk-tale creatures and uses them to brilliant advantage.)
There are some people who really are good, and bad. Not all good or bad, but mostly. I knew one of the good girls as a child. As sweet and amazing as anyone could be. I’ve been fortunate not to know anyone really ‘bad’, at least close and personally. Weak and contemptible, yes. But unless something changes them inside, those aren’t the characters a reader is going to remember.

A lot of things go into making a ‘real’ character. But a character is one place where I believe reality should triumph over fiction, where the motivation should be drawn from the solid world. Fantastic elements can certainly play a part, and should in fantasy, but the motivations should be simple and relatable.

Real people should inhabit the pages of a story. Not Disney princesses and cartoon villains.

Of the twenty-eight books I finished last year, two were not of the sci-fi/fantasy realms. I’m trying to round out my reading a little more this year and so far have only read eight. Yep, I’m a big fan of SF/F. Before I knew of genres, C.S. Lewis and Madeleine L’Engle captured my young imagination with talking animals and tesseracts. In high school, a friend hooked me on Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword and Sorceress anthologies. A few years later, another friend introduced me to the Valdemar series, which began as short stories in Sword and Sorceress III and IV when nobody but MZB was willing to take a chance on Mercedes Lackey. All of their works are old companions, still ready for an adventure at the drop of a pin. Since then, I’ve read a lot more SF/F.

When it comes to science-fiction I’m not so into the high tech genres. Rather, I enjoy those that use the universe, time, and technology as ways to explore the infinite possibilities, society, “humanity”, and limitless other topics they bring to mind and the discussions that can follow. I’m not as picky, so to speak, in regard to fantasy. Give me good, entertaining imps and fae, magii, Arthurian lore, urban fantasy, whatever, I’m pretty content. To the fans raving about Twilight, sorry, I’ll pass on the bloodsucking teenage baseball players. Like with most things, SF/F spans the tastes and it can merely be a matter of finding what one likes. For the sake of not being too repetitious, here are some of the authors and books that I’ve really enjoyed but haven’t written about (too much):

Steven Barnes: Lion’s Blood is a brilliant piece of alternate history where Islamic Africa is the main power and caucasians, mainly the Irish, are enslaved. After being sold, Aidan becomes unlikely friends with Kai, the plantation owner’s youngest son. It’s a book about life, beliefs, choices, love, and freedom that I’ve been meaning to re-read, but first need to get back for the fourth or fifth time. Co-written with Larry Niven, “The Locusts” is a phenomenal short story where the future of human life and humanity as we know it is questioned. I read it in 1980 Annual World’s Best SF by DAW Books, but it may be available elsewhere.

Peter Beagle: Perhaps his most well-known tale is that of the Last Unicorn, which was made into an animated film, also written by him. The movie has been a favorite since 1982 so I was thrilled to read about the Unicorn that teams up with Schmendrick the Magician and Molly, a bandit leader’s wife, to find out what happened to the other unicorns. The book is better and it continues past the film. Beagle’s first novel, written at the age of 19, A Fine and Private Place centers around a mausoleum where a recluse who speaks with the dead is offered a chance at happiness. It’s wit, charm, sadness, and beauty make it a fine and memorable piece, and definitely worth revisiting. I read both novels and two shorter pieces in the Fantasy Worlds of Peter S. Beagle, which is an excellent introduction to his storytelling and writing. Now if I could just find and hear some of his filk (what’s that?) and folk music…

Ray Bradbury: The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451 seem to be a regular part of high school’s curriculum and both are on my re-read list. The first is an episodic anthology about mankind and the future. A commentary about American society, Fahrenheit 451 is about knowledge gained without truly learning. In a dystopian society critical thought from reading is illegal and books are burned for the good of humanity. It was written during the Cold War when McCarthyism and censorship were around every corner. Because it couldn’t possibly be real, speculative fiction was practically the only way to slip through the cracks.

Marion Zimmer Bradley: Where do I begin? The Darkover series that started in the fifties? Her retelling of Arthurian lore in Mists of Avalon which was published in ‘79, but grew in popularity in the nineties? The Sword and Sorceress anthologies that started in ‘84 and featured unknown writers? Her other novels, series, anthologies, and contributions to the literary and SF/F communities? She co-founded the SCA, the Society for Creative Anachronism, whose members are often seen at Rennaissance Faires and conventions. Although MZB’s passing in ‘99 was a great loss and a blow to many, her works continue thanks to those who carry the torches.

DAW Books: Since its founding in 1971 by Donald and Elsie Wollheim, DAW has published over a thousand sci-fi and fantasy books. Thanks to this privately owned company, numerous authors such as Mercedes Lackey, Tad Williams, and Tanith Lee were discovered by the masses. It has also published works by Ursula Le Guin, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and a long list of others. Notably, DAW is also the first publisher to be devoted to those realms and it truly strives for quality not quantity.

Robert Heinlein: The six stories within 6 x H were my introduction to Heinlein in ‘96. Although the title escaped me its contents did not and, after almost a decade, I finally revisited them. The most memorable was “the Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag” in which Hoag continuously finds red residue under his fingernails, but has no recollection of how it happens. He hires detectives who lead him to an unexpected discovery. “And He Built a Crooked House” is about an architect who builds a house based on the principles of a tesseract. During an earthquake it collapses into four dimensions. Stranger in a Strange Land has been repeatedly recommended to me, and I will get to it eventually. I also have Starship Troopers and a few of Heinlein’s other books waiting in line.

Charles de Lint: So far I have only read two works by this storyweaver whose words and imagery come alive, but more are in the queue. In Memory and Dream, under a troll-like master’s guidance a painter’s other-worldy creatures become more than just oils on canvas. This urban fantasy-thriller is about the relationship between an artist and their art, art in general, and internal and external power. In his short “Ten for the Devil”, Staley and her fiddle make powerful soul-speaking music. Thanks to a blues musician and jumping the groove Staley just might out wit the devil that came a calling. I found this little treasure in Ravens in the Library, which I might add, is a limited publishing and a fantastic addition to anyone’s shelf.

Rod Serling: Although I previously mentioned Serling and his stories from the Twilight Zone, they’re worth doing so again. The show that he started was an avenue for commentary during McCarthyism and even Ray Bradbury had a few things to say. If you like the show, I’m pretty sure you’ll like New Stories from the Twilight Zone and Serling’s other books from that grey area that lies between science and superstition. His writing is witty, insightful, and frequently, too close to home.

That’s the short list of writers whose science-fiction and fantasy stood out through the years. Authors and their books I’ve reviewed or talked a lot about can be found on my reading list. There are still heaps of SF/F I have yet to explore; Isaac Asimov being at the head of the queue. After watching Dune and Children of Dune this week, I’d like to read the series more than before, but am hesitant. Frank Herbert’s writing doesn’t grab me, there are other series I’d like to finish before getting involved with another, plus numerous other books to read. I’m considering skipping the first three books covered by the movies and going right to God Emperor of Dune. Then should I feel like it, I’ll go back to book one.

Which sci-fi/fantasy books and authors have really stood out in your mind and why? Do you even like SF/F? Why or why not?

These ramblings brought on by a case of BTT:

Sci-fi author Sharon Lee has declared June 23rd Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers Day. As she puts it:

A day of celebration and wonder! A day for all of us readers of science fiction and fantasy to reach out and say thank you to our favorite writers. A day, perhaps, to blog about our favorite sf/f writers. A day to reflect upon how written science fiction and fantasy has changed your life.

So … what might you do on the 23rd to celebrate?

I received my first issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction in a little brown package.  The Aug./Sept. 2009 issue is smaller than I expected.  But it is delightfully thick–256 pages full of amazing stories and articles.  A golden, metallic dragon graces the cover; it sits on a beach with his head raised over tiny tents and flags, his eyes staring intently at the people beneath him.

When I first met this dragon in Sean McMullen’s novelet “The Art of the Dragon,” I liked it.  It may have been because of the narrator’s likability and his first impressions of the dragon; I too can somewhat appreciate the…thing’s taste in the arts.  But as soon as I began to enjoy the story, little things began to tug at my caution antenna–then bigger events happened.  Holocaust-like persecution, the deletion of what societies valued, the possible purpose of the dragon… In a tight, well-woven tale, McMullen establishes a relationship between the mysterious being and the hypochondriac with a doctorate in art history to explore the answer to the question: What is humanity’s purpose?

Embracing the “what if” to explore the very real–it’s one of the things I love about fantasy and science-fiction.  And each one of the magazine’s stories do just that.  No matter if you’re witnessing a hidden battle in Melinda M. Snodgrass’s “A Token of a Better Age,” or joining Lawrence C. Connolly’s “The Others” for scientific study, or being suspended in shock with Matthew Hughes’ “Hunchster,” readers will find something to identify with and explore excitingly.

They have a large selection to read from: twelve stories and one poem.  (Not too bad for $6.50, eh? I love how it’s so thick!)  With a varied collection, you can probably find at least one enjoyable story (or poem).    They are all well-written and carefully selected.  You can feel the editor’s enthusiastic decision in the re-printed stories “The Goddamned Tooth Fairy” by Tina Kuzminski and the equally enthusiastic introduction by Harlan Ellison for Jessie Thompson’s “Snowfall;” their introductions are as enjoyable as the stories themselves.

In addition to the novelets and stories, the magazine includes a section for reviews, opinions, humorous cartoons, and the very interesting “Curiosities” Section.

If you’re a fan of fantasy and science fiction (or if you want to get a delicious taste of it), I recommend picking up a copy of the bi-monthly magazine Fantasy & Science Fiction.  And definitely be on the lookout for the Aug./Sept. issue. Although this is my first experience with it, I can already tell their selection of stories and articles will be worth checking out in the future.

Writers you can find in this issue:  Sean McMullen, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Yoon Ha Lee, Lawrence C. Connolly, Rand B. Lee, Albert E. Cowdrey, Bruce Sterling, Nancy Springer, Matthew Hughes, Georges-Olivier Chateureynaud, Sophie M. White, Tina Kuzminski, Jessie Thompson, Charles de Lint, Elizabeth Hand, Lucius Shepard, Patricia A. Martinelli.

Discussion has recently come up on my writer’s list about fantasy stories. One of the members asked a range of questions, not because she needed advice but because I believe she’s had discussions with other writers on what constitutes fantasy. Most of the members had close to the same answers here so I’m listing her questions and how I view each of them.

1.     Should a writer write down to an audience, or just use their own conversational voice?

 I took this to mean, should a writer condescend to, take on an instructional tone in explaining to an audience that may not know as much. Or should the writer use the author’s voice. However, I believe she meant, use your regular writing voice, thought that wasn’t clear. I have elaborated on my original answers.

I’d think neither. You’re writing using characters so your characters should help reveal the world. A character has a personality and a unique voice and depending on the point of view, that will affect what voice is used. You could have a condescending narrator; in that case yes he/she would talk or write down to the audience.

To explain the particular setting/technology/society of a world requires deft revelation, some of which may be through a particular character. Albeit, some exposition is required in a novel, but it shouldn’t be talking/writing down so much as making sure your regular reader understands the functioning aspects of the world as needed to understand the story. Example: I recently edited a book for someone who had all sorts of words/slang about airforce planes but on a level most of us (unless we were pilots) wouldn’t understand. He needed a bit more info in context so that the reader could understand what was going on.

 Unless you (the author/narrator) are an integral part of your novel, the authorial voice should not be there. When author’s drop into their stories it’s disconcerting and pulls the reader out of the world. Terry Pratchett from time to time uses an authorial or omniscient narrator (as you suspected, dear reader). It takes skill to use it in a way that enhances a story as opposed to detracting from in and ruining the atmosphere.  

2.     Should a fantasy novel assume lack of science and technology?

No. Even a world of magic has some technology or science. Whether it interacts with the story is another matter. Cups, weapons, dyes, plows, walls, etc., are all a science when they’re discovered/invented. Pre-industrial societies had science and or technology. Stories that involve alchemists (as an example) often mix science with magical properties. Books have been written where magic and science blend equally.

If you mean the logic/science behind how magic works in a particular world, then yes it still has to make sense and work in the story. But science does not negate magic necessarily.

3.     Should a fantasy novel assume a pseudo-medieval milieu?

No. It can, as is evidenced by numerous novels, but some are of far earlier societies. Some are integrated in later worlds and some are just plain ole alien. I read Brandon Sanderson’s novel, Mistborn, which had a plantationesque era and established magic. There was science as well. I really liked it for being of a different milieu.

Often there is the accepted trope that in a world that is not industrialized, magics develop in different ways within people. But a world could have magical creatures, i.e., not found normally on planet Earth and still not be medieval. Many medieval fantasies fall into parallel world tropes, where it is the middle ages but some element of magic is real. Many take an Earth like world and values but create fictitious places. Everything from the myths of the ancients up to the modern urban fantasies, like Charles de Lint’s (his name came up often in this discussion) are fantasy but not medieval. And really, a fantasy story has a better chance of selling if it is different rather than the same as every other book on the shelf.

4.     Should a fantasy novel necessarily encompass magic?

Again, it doesn’t matter really. Yes or no, depending on your world. A world can just be “other” or different from the world and the past we know, yet have nothing magical about it. It will still fall into the fantasy category. The lines between science fiction and fantasy can be blurry. Anne McCaffrey’s famous dragonriders of Pernseries started out as a medieval fantasy where people in feudal style societies rode dragons that killed the invading threads. She argued that it was science fiction because it was a different world, where originally the humans came from someplace else.

Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover books were similar in that they started out in a medieval style world, where some people had special powers. But as she wrote more and more books, there was interaction with people from other planets and spaceports. Fantasy or science fiction? Yes.

5.     Should magic in a fantasy novel be hard or just part of the norm like breathing?

Depends on if everyone does it, or if it’s a gifted few. Are they born with it or like us, do they go through a crawling stage before walking and then flying? Many books have magical talents begin with puberty. In others, the person must study and earn the talent. It could be a world that has an inherent magic in the way it works such as creatures that change shape. It all depends on what is integral to the plot and how that affects the outcomes and solutions the protagonist must find.

Overall, I’d say almost all of these are not hard and fast. It depends on how the world is set up, what tale you’re trying to tell and how integral magic is to that story line. But questions like these are always goods to ask because as writers, it keeps us thinking and examining what we do. And sometimes it pushes us outside our comfort zones and we move beyond the box.

Povestea incepe undeva in anii ‘90. Almanahul Anticipatia din 1994 a continut, printre altele, o povestire numita Codrul Mitago, de Robert Holdstock. Dupa cativa ani, o combinatie de evenimente fericite m-au adus in posesia seriei de romane in care a fost extinsa nuvela si in compania virtuala a catorva fani. Avand in vedere ca Holdstock n-a fost prea prolific, intrebarea care se repeta periodic era: “Ce alti autori asemanatori recomandati?”. Raspunsul a fost, invariabil, Charles de Lint (site personal, wiki).

Prima intalnire mea cu de Lint a fost si ea intamplatoare, prin intermediul unei carti din biblioteca unei prietene. Se numea The Little Country si, desi nu era chiar fenomenala, era deosebita de tot ce citisem inainte. Putina cercetare in plus a dezvaluit faptul ca cea mai apreciata parte a operei lui de Lint este ciclul Newford, o serie lunga de romane si nuvele cu un loc de desfasurare comun – un oras incantator pe care si-l revendica si americanii, si canadienii, dar care nu are o singura sursa de inspiratie reala (de Lint e canadian dar a calatorit si in State).

Forests of the Heart e a saptea carte cu locuitorii din Newford pe care o citesc. Desi romanele nu au legatura directa intre ele… mie imi place sa prind si aluziile mai putin importante, asa ca am citit in ordinea recomandata. Nu e foarte important totusi, asa ca puteti incepe de oriunde (desi eu recomand unul dintre volumele de nuvele, asa, de test). De fapt, cel mai bun test este o nuvela: Make a Joyful Noise pare singura disponibila online, dar e destul de reprezentativa.

Pentru inceput e important de stiut ceva: toate cartile lui de Lint sunt pline de muzica si arta, intr-o forma sau alta. El si sotia lui sunt muzicieni (citez: “His main instruments are flute, fiddle, whistles, vocals and guitar, while MaryAnn’s are mandolin, guitar, vocals and bodhran” – wow), pictori si scriitori, asa ca multe – daca nu majoritatea – personajelor sale sunt implicate intr-un fel sau altul in lumea artelor. In cazul Forests of the Heart, avem (printre altele) un proprietar de magazin de muzica, o cantareata la acordeon si o sculptorita.

Subiectul e usor de descris pe scurt, dar cateva propozitii nu reusesc nici pe departe sa cuprinda tot ce se intampla. Ellie (sculptorita de care ziceam mai sus) este angajata sa copieze o masca antica ce reprezinta un Green Man (un fel de simbol al naturii in mitologia celtica) si ajunge in mijlocul unui razboi vechi de mii de ani intre spiritele locale (manitou, ale indienilor) si Gentry (“elfii” irlandezi ajunsi in America impreuna cu imigrantii). Pentru legatura cu mitologia indiana o avem pe Benitta, o mexicano-americana cu “sange vechi” in vene, chiar daca nu o stie, curandera (vindecatoare) si calatoare in lumea spiritelor (la epoca del mito).

Pe langa ele mai apar Miki, acordeonista care canta muzica irlandeza (tara de unde e si originara), fratele ei Donal, constant suparat pe viata din cauza abuzurilor din copilarie si nu numai, Hunter, proprietarul unui magazin de CD-uri, Tommy, un indian care considera povestile despre magie niste tampenii, un om-spirit misterios, plus o femeie care arata a barbat si elfii in persoana, care nu seamana nici pe departe cu Legolas, ci sunt niste tipi duri care nu se dau in laturi de la nimic si vor sa scape de manitou ca sa faca din Newford noua lor locuinta.

Mentiunea obligatorie despre magia marca de Lint: nu e Harry Potter, nu sunt baghete sau alte instrumente, nu zboara unde colorate prin aer. E vorba mai degraba despre o putere interioara (de care personajele nu sunt totdeauna constiente), de existenta unei alte lumi in paralel cu a noastra in care doar unii pot trece.

Dar, pe langa povestea in sine (din care nu o sa spun mai mult), Newford si personajele episodice care contureaza viata orasului sunt cele care dau tot farmecul. Fara fundal, toata actiunea ar fi doar vechea batalie dintre bine si rau cu putina mitologie celtica amestecata pentru varietate…. asa, cartea lui de Lint devine (ca si celelalte romane ale sale) un fel de mica oaza de optimism. Nu stiu cum e lumea reala a artistilor, dar cea din Newford te face sa vrei sa te apuci de pictura sau de muzica doar ca sa ii cunosti pe Jilly sau pe Miki sau pe Geordie.

Chiar si intamplarile nefericite sunt prezentate intr-un mod atat de frumos incat toate problemele tale par sa dispara… macar pentru cateva ore, cat citesti. Si, nu stiu daca doar din intamplare sau nu, de multe ori m-am trezit ca starea mea de spirit isi gasea niste raspunsuri in cate un roman de-al canadianului nostru. Sa zicem ca ce scrie e universal valabil? Poate, poate nu, dar descrierea unui viscol care paralizeaza Newfordul a picat la fix in timp ce inghetam intr-un troleibuz blocat in timpul furtunii de acum cateva zile.

Pe de alta parte, romanele lui de Lint au o alta caracteristica cel putin ciudata: nu pot sa le retin titlurile in corelatie cu actiunea. Si in general retin doar atmosfera din carti, dar aici senzatia e si mai pregnanta… si greu de descris. “Energie pozitiva” ar putea fi o expresie potrivita. In orice caz, am citit 5 romane si 2 volume de povestiri, n-as putea spune ce se intampla in fiecare sau cum se numeau personajele, dar am invatat ca solutia ideala pentru orice inceput de depresie e putin Newford.

Trecand si la lucrurile mai putin de laudat, Forests of the Heart sufera de o problema mai mare si una mai mica. Cea mare: coincidentele care apar la tot pasul. Se pot explica prin magie, dar… parca sunt prea multe. Din fericire sunt foarte usor de ignorat, actiunea curge mai departe si nu ai timp sa te miri ca doua personaje s-au nimerit in acelasi timp pe aceeasi strada. Iar faptul ca orice doi protagonisti ai povestii sunt legati printr-o cunostinta comuna e doar o aplicatie a six degrees of separation (plus ca nu e greu de crezut ca intr-o comunitate artistica nu foarte mare toata lumea sa stie pe toata lumea).

Cea mica poate fi numai a mea: Bettina foloseste expresii in spaniola pe care autorul le traduce. Le traduce frumos, in fraze care au sens in povestire, dar dupa aproape 400 de pagini de citit acelasi lucru de doua ori am cam obosit. Daca nu stiti spaniola, e bine: ati scapat macar de o problema.

De recomandat… e greu de spus cui. Daca esti fan hard SF sau space opera, nu cred ca de Lint e cea mai buna idee. Nici daca vrei Tolkien sau George R. R. Martin. Daca zic urban fantasy suna a Mieville si atmosfera nu are nici o asemanare cu mizeria si depresia din New Crobuzon. Sa zicem ca e pentru oamenii care au nevoie de putina magie subtila in viata si niste personaje ca prietenii pe care ni-i dorim cu totii.

Title: The Little Country
Author: Charles de Lint
Series : No, this is a stand alone book
Rating:

In Short: A fantasy rooted in folk and fairy tales.  Janey Little, a Cornish folk musician, finds an unknown manuscript by a famous fantasy author.  She starts reading it, and so doing sets in motion an uncanny chain of events that puts herself and everyone she loves in danger.

In Full: The Little Country is my third book by Charles de Lint.  Although its not my favourite (that still has to be Moonheart) I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I found themes of redemption and forgiveness,  about the core of innocent hurt in the heart of even the most evil person.

I liked the way in which the two stories – the Janey Little narrative, and the story in the book she discovers, alternates and interweave.  I am usually irritated by “book within a book” stories.  I don’t enjoy being pulled out from one narrative and plunged into another.  But this book is an exception: it is not so much a book within a book, as two books sharing the same cover.  By the end, I found myself forgetting at times which narrative was the “real” one and which the book.

As in the other de Lint books, the words “music” and “magic” are interchangeable.  In this story, music – and folk music in particular -  is a link to our deep past,  a half remembered awareness of loss, and a bridge to a different world.

I enjoyed the references to familiar folk tunes.  At one of the climactic moments of the plot, there is a moment of magic and joy that plays itself out to the tune of Mrs McCleod’s Reel -  which is the tune my husband played on his violin as I came walking down the aisle on our wedding day. 

Notrhumbrian Pipes, as played by Janey, from liestman.com

Janey Little and her friends are all interesting characters.  Janey in particular is a convincing heroine;  flawed, and not always likeable.  She has a short temper and inclination to be rather self centred, but combined with an essentially loving nature she came across as a real, believable woman.

There were some weaknesses in this book.  At times I felt the author’s voice a little too intrusive.  For example – there is a moment when a  unpleasant character starts to question herself and experiences unfamiliar mental anguish. Instead of just letting us observe her change of heart, the authors voice interjects to point out that  “it was compassion”.

I also had that uncomfortable sensation that a conversation was only taking place because the author needed to explain something.

But even so, there was so much here to entertain and fascinate.  There is a underlying sense of the search for meaning.   But while there are no easy answers, the lasting message remains, in the words of one of the characters:

“The magics of this world are far simpler than we make them out to be”

**The Little Country is featured on Coral Press’s “Top 40 Musical Novels – have a look at the entire list here:

You may also like

• Moonheart – Charles de Lint – a review
  
• Day Dream Homes - a collection of fictional dwellings
  
• A Rivalry of Wizards – a collection of my favourite wizards, complete with pictures and quotes

Fantasy author, David Eddings, dies aged 77

It was with a sad heart today that I saw the posts begin to appear on Twitter about the passing of a legend of the modern fantasy genre.  David Eddings, author of “The Belgariad“, “The Malloreon“, “The Elenium” and several other “door stopper” fantasy novel series, who is hailed as the author who started the craze for writing fantasy novels over 400 pages long, has died.

David was one of the authors who inspired me to begin to think seriously about a writing career.  He, along with fellow fantasy authors Charles de Lint and Raymond E. Feist were huge influences on me in my teens.  There were many nights where I would be curled up with the latest tome from one these masters – taken away to a world free of my own troubles, and instead filled with adventure, drama, humour, sacrifice and true companionship.  These stories provided complete escapism, yet also helped to form my own personal code and ethics – Friendship is Everything, Good Deeds Will Eventually Be Rewarded, Be True To Yourself, Never Give Up Your Dream – and that’s just a sample of what those books taught me as a kid.

They also gave me role models to aspire to.  While I would never be a sorceress, I idolized Polgara.  While I would never meet Garion, I could relate to his sense of trying to fit into a new landscape – work out where he belonged.  And Belgarath replaced the beloved grandfather I’d lost only a couple of years before finding the Belgariad series.  David’s work touched my life and gave me solace and comfort at a time when it was desperately needed.

As I’m in the process of moving house at the moment, I made the comment to my partner that I was having real trouble choosing which books to take with me and which to leave in storage, because books to me are like friends.  I have shared the joys and troubles hidden in those pages, sympathized with the characters, laughed, cried, gasped with surprise and yes, even fallen in love with some of them.    Some I have read again and again.  Others I have read once and have lingered.  All are valued companions and I am truly sad to hear that one of their creators will write no more.

Rest in peace, Mr Eddings.  Words are just not enough to say thank you for all that you gave me and many, many others around the world.

This latest book by Charles De Lint is a departure from his loose series set in the imagined city of Newford with its blurred connections to an other world of fantasy, danger, and delight. The Mystery of Grace is set in the Southwest, and focuses on the impossible love story of Grace, a grease monkey and hot rod car builder and restorer, and John Burns, a rather shy and ordinary guy who uses his artistic skills to assist his best friends in the company they founded. A one-night stand leads to a …more This latest book by Charles De Lint is a departure from his loose series set in the imagined city of Newford with its blurred connections to an other world of fantasy, danger, and delight. The Mystery of Grace is set in the Southwest, and focuses on the impossible love story of Grace, a grease monkey and hot rod car builder and restorer, and John Burns, a rather shy and ordinary guy who uses his artistic skills to assist his best friends in the company they founded. A one-night stand leads to a burning passion, but when John wakes up, Grace has vanished, and the story he finally hears when he tracks her down is incomprehensible to him. De Lint fans will find this every bit as intriguing as his other books.