The Buzz...About Books

Calling All Angels: Heavenly Creatures in Recent Fiction

Angel fiction is all the rage. Fans of Danielle Trussoni's best-selling Angelology, a tale of secret societies, ancient libraries, and fallen angels, eagerly await the upcoming release of Angelopolis. If you like books by Dan Brown, you must check this series out. Even more exciting, Will Smith has signed on to produce the film adaptation. Paul Bettany in Legion (above) is one of the many heavenly bodies to grace the big screen. The super-hot Mortal Instruments series is due to hit theatres in August.

Recent titles featuring angels (and a few hot demons) range from steamy romance (J.R. Ward), to mystery (Linda Poitven), to dark urban fantasy (Tad Williams, Nalini Singh). This sub-genre is a celestial mash-up of religious sources, literary traditions, and pure invention. Fallen angels make for less than angelic behaviour - which is part of the attraction. Angel fiction by Laini Taylor, Lauren Kate, Michelle Rowan, and Becca Fitzpatrick appeal to both teen and adult readers. In fact, Lauren Kate's fallen angel, Daniel Grigori, is arguably even more sparkly than Edward Cullen. Some angels are just working stiffs: Stephanie Chong's guardian angel, Serena St. Clair, has a day job as a yoga instructor. Simon Rich's What in God's Name? takes this to the next level: God is a cranky CEO who wants to liquidate his assets  - but not before he challenges two underpaid angels to save the Earth.

Read on:

Check out these seraphic graphics - fallen angels have long been a fixture in graphic fiction:           

Ben Foster's role as the mutant, Angel, in X-Men 3: The Last Stand is oft cited as a positive LGBT symbol.  

Beyond Fahrenheit 451: 5 Other Ray Bradbury Books You Should Read

If reading Fahrenheit 451 has whetted your appetite for Ray Bradbury, you are in luck. He began publishing stories in science fiction magazines as a teenager and wrote daily until shortly before his death at the age of 91. Over the course of his writing career he produced 30 books, 600 short stories, poems, essays, screenplays and plays.

It is hard to suggest just five books from his impressive bibliography. The books on this list each represent a type of writing from Bradbury's prolific career.

Dandelion Wine

In Bradbury's most personal book, he combines the memories of his own childhood with fantasy. Set in the summer of 1928 in a small Illinois town, twelve-year-old Douglas Spaulding awakens to the richness of life for the first time. He feels truly alive, exhilarated by the ordinary activities. As the summer progresses however, Doug begins to notice that change, loss and even death are as inevitable as the changing seasons.

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    • Regular Print: Avon Books
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Let's All Kill Constance

Although better known for speculative fiction, Bradbury also tried his hand at the mystery genre. In this novel, a writer not unlike Bradbury himself, is drawn into an investigation after an aging movie star bursts into his house claiming she's being threatened.

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The Martian Chronicles 
Bradbury describes the colonization of Mars in a series of linked short stories. Along with Fahrenheit 451, this is considered one of Bradbury's masterpieces.

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    • Regular Print: Fortieth Anniversary Edition
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Something Wicked This Way Comes
Something Wicked This Way Comes is considered horror fiction.  It tells the story of two young boys whose lives are changed after a sinister carnival visits their town.

    • eAudiobook: Read by Kevin Foley
    • eAudiobook: Dramatization by The Colonial Radio Theater of the Air
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    • Regular Print: Avon Books
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The Stories of Ray Bradbury
Bradbury was a masterful short story writer. This volume contains 100 of Bradbury's best stories including The Veldt, The Sound of Thunder and The Black Ferris, which provided the basis for Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Related Posts:

• A Firefighter's Take on Fahrenheit 451
• Ray Bradbury: 1920-2012
• This Guy Matters: Anti-Heroes in Literature

Join us in April as we discuss Fahrenheit 451 on Book Buzz: Toronto Public Library's Online Bookclub.

March 16 is Lips Appreciation Day.

According to Wellcat Holidays, March 16 is Lips Appreciation Day--a day to "do something nice for your lips". This is a list of novels that feature lips prominently on their covers. This won't do anything for your lips but I hope it does something nice for your leisure reading time.

The Bloodsucking Fiends Series by Christopher Moore
Set in San Francisco, this series begins when a nice, normal woman wakes up to discover that she's been turned into a vampire.

Bloodsucking Fiends: a Love Story

You Suck: a Love Story
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Bite Me: a Love Story by Christopher Moore
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Dangerous Laughter: Thirteen Stories by Steven Millhauser
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A collection of surrealistic short stories from Pulitzer Prize-winner Millhauser

Dare Me by Megan Abbott
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Jealousy and insecurity plague a group of high school cheerleaders.

A Killer's Kiss by William Lashner
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DA Victor Carl becomes the prime suspect his ex-fiancée's husband is murdered.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabakov
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The classic story of an aging man's obsessive love for a young girl.

Our Lady of the Forest by David Guterson
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A small town is forever changed when a 16-year-old mushroom picker claims to have seen the Virgin Mary.

The Tin Horse by Janice Steinberg
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When octogenarian Elaine Greenstein goes through her possessions before she moves to a retirement community, she discovers a clue to the disappearance of her twin sister--a girl who went missing in 1939.

Unspoken by Lisa Jackson
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Shelby Cole had left her hometown following the death of her baby but returns when she begins receiving anonymous messages that her child is still alive.

Vintage Vampire Stories edited by Robert Eighteen-Bistang and Richard Dalby
A collection of vampire stories published between 1679 and 1909.

Spooky Stuff: Ghosts and Haunted Houses in Fiction

It's almost Halloween and what self-respecting fiction reader doesn't want to indulge in scary stories. Although vampires and zombies get most of the publicity, there are a lot of other options. Ghost stories are not only for children.

These are some adult novels featuring ghosts and haunted houses.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
A reclusive rock star gets more than he bargained for when he buys a ghost on the Internet and it turns out to be the vengeful stepfather of his former girlfriend.
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The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
A doctor suspects a malevolent presence when he is summoned to a mansion to treat an injury.
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The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian
A pilot finds himself haunted by the dead passengers of a plane he had crashed.
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Property of a Lady by Sarah Rayne
An American couple unexpectedly inherits a home in England and discover the house has dark secrets including a mysterious spirit.

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
Solicitor Arthur Kipps encounters a ghost when he is assigned to look into a deceased clients affairs.

If you like your ghosts to be a little less menacing, try these:

The Ghost in Love by Jonathan Carroll
A man escapes certain death but finds himself stuck with the ghost who came to escort him to the afterlife.

The Ghost of Greenwich Village by Lorna Graham
A young woman moves to New York but finds herself haunted by the ghost of a cranky and demanding Beat Generation writer.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Lara's great aunt has died, but her spirit lives on in this delightful romp.
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Beyond Honey Boo Boo: Scary Little Monsters in Fiction

The current fascination with TLC's Here Comes Honey Boo Boo proves that children, real or imagined, can become projections of adult fear and loathing.  For many, cheerful little Alana appears to be responsible for the impending fall of Western Civilization.  If this seems a tad unfair, and you would like to meet some truly terrifying children, try this reading list:

The Bad Seed by William March. This 1954 classic introduces Rhoda Penmark, an 8-year-old sociopath. You don't want her in your kid's playgroup.

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.  Kevin's mom insists that something is "off" about her boy from the day he is born to the final, horrific act he commits as a teenager. Book clubs debate: whose fault is it?  Winner of the Orange Book Prize.  The film starring Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller is available at your local branch.

Blueeyed Boy by Joanne Harris.  Is this blue-eyed boy a murderer? If we believe his blog, yes. A dark, psychological thriller from the author of Chocolat.

The Other by Thomas Tryon. Niles and Holland are identical twins - and yes - one of them is evil. Don't reveal the ending. This 1971 bestseller continues to creep out readers today.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.  This 1898 classic is very sneaky in avoiding who or what is evil  - but Flora and Miles are two very creepy kids who drive the nanny insane (critics argue that it wasn't a long drive).  The 1961 film, The Innocents was based on this.

The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing.  The Lovatts live in domestic bliss with their four lovely children - until the birth of Ben.  Lessing, a Nobel prize-winner, says she hated writing this book because it was so upsetting.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding. A plane crashes leaving a group of young British boys stranded on an island. Twelve year-old Jack wants to be the leader - by any means necessary (he is nothing like the Jack in Lost.)

"The Veldt" in The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.  Little Wendy and Peter are spending hours in the nursery using virtual technology to project an African veldt.  What are those lions eating?  Written in 1951 by one of the great sci-fi visionaries. Careful, parents: there may now be an app for this.

And if the classic sociopath fails to interest you, there are always the supernatural/demonic kiddies: 

• Carrie by Stephen King
• The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
• Good Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender (first in a series)
• The Ring by Hiroshi Takahashi (first in a manga series)

Related post: Psycho Killer: Qu'est-ce que c'est?

The Gift of Being a Man Wolf

Anne Rice returns to her gothic horror roots with The Wolf Gift. She has crafted tales of vampires, witches and angels, and now, Rice tackles werewolves.

We are introduced to our anti-hero Reuben Golding, while he is on location writing a story for the San Francisco Observer. Reuben seems to have it all, wealth, good looks and a promising career as a journalist. He is attracted to the lovely and older Marchent Nideck, who is selling her ancient family home. Reuben is captivated by the mysterious mansion, nestled in a redwood forest just north of San Francisco. While giving a tour of the house, Marchent recalls her family history, which includes a missing great-uncle Felix, who has finally been officially declared dead. During their romantic evening, Marchent is attacked and murdered and Reuben is bitten by a strange animal, while fighting with the attackers.

Of course, we all know the bizarre changes Reuben "suddenly" begins to experience at night. He dubs himself "the Man Wolf," discovering that his new animal senses allow him to hear and smell evil-doers and their victims. He becomes a vigilante of sorts, while the media, police and scientists hunt for his true identity. Throughout the novel, Reuben struggles with the moral dilemma of good and evil, and the internal conflict of embracing and fearing what he is becoming. The question of what bit him and if there are more man wolves out there continues to haunt him.

Also available in: Audiobook and Large Print

Anne Rice recently visited the Appel Salon to talk about The Wolf Gift, if you missed her that night, here are the videos!

 

 

 

Graveminder

Melissa Marr's new novel Graveminder, will captivate fantasy and horror fans alike. Rebekkah Barrow has tried to forget everything from her past, including the suicide of her sister. She left the small town of Claysville years ago and hoped to never return. However, with the sudden death of her grandmother, Maylene, Rebekkah must return to fulfill her duties at the funeral. Maylene taught her the many rituals, which must be followed at a funeral and Rebekkah is the only one who can perform these tasks.

Upon returning to serene Claysville, Rebekkah is greeted by her former boyfriend Byron, the undertaker, and is informed that her grandmother was actually murdered. Oddly, the police and town council do not seem concerned and the council simply explains that they will take care of everything. Rebekkah knew that Claysville was an eccentric small town, which follows strict burial customs, including not embalming the deceased, but she is now about to discover the many secrets that Claysville hides. "Death himself had made a bargain with Claysville, that the townsfolk knowingly accepted such a bargain in exchange for health and semisealed borders." After arriving in town, Rebekkah feels a strange pull to stay. The people of Claysville tend to live their whole lives there and if they do leave, they feel obliged to return.

Rebekkah will learn that following in Maylene's footsteps, she is now the Graveminder, who keeps the dead in their final place of rest. It is up to Rebekkah and Byron to hunt down the monster who killed Maylene.

Have a Fantastic Summer!

You may not be able to get out of town this weekend but you can go into space, visit an alternate universe or travel through time.  Speculative fiction is an umbrella term used to include all of the more fantastical types of fiction, primarily science fiction, horror and fantasy.  This incorporates subgenres like alternate history, time travel, superheroes and the supernatural.  Wizards, vampires and aliens are just the tip of the iceberg.  There's something to appeal to every reader.

Curious, but not sure where to begin?  Award winning books are always a good choice, so here is a list of some speculative fiction awards, divided by genre.  If the winner has not been announced the full list of nominees is given.

Fantasy Genre

Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel
Kraken: an Anatomy by China Miéville

 Horror Genre

Bram Stoker Awards
A Dark Matter by Peter Straub

Science Fiction Genre

Arthur C. Clarke Award
Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

British Science Fiction Association Award
The Dervish House by Ian McDonald

Hugo Awards--Winner announced on August 21. 
 Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis (Winner)
Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Dervish House by Ian McDonald
Feed by Mira Grant
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

John W. Campbell Memorial Award
The Dervish House by Ian McDonald

Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis

Nebula Awards
Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis

Phillip K. Dick Award
The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder

Prix Aurora Awards--Winner will be announced in November.
Black Bottle Man by Craig Russell
Destiny's Blood by Marie Bilodeau
Stealing Home by Hayden Trenholm
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay
Watch by Robert J. Sawyer

Prometheus Award
Darkship Thieves by Sarah A. Hoyt

Sidewise Award for Alternative History-Winner will be announced in August.
Columbia and Britannia by Adam Chamberlain and Brian A. Dixon
Pinion by Jay Lake
Red Inferno: 1945 by Robert Conroy
When Angels Wept: A What-If History of the Cuban Missile Crisis by Eric Swedin

 

 

Zombie Apocalypse Now?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently posted an article about surviving a zombie apocalypse on its website.  It’s a fairly straightforward guide to disaster planning but with zombies. The author, Rear Admiral Ali S. Khan, MD is a zombie fan whose favourite movie is Resident Evil.  He’s also the Assistant Surgeon General and Director in the CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response.

Dr. Khan is not the only one with a soft spot for zombies  During the past few years a new genre called zombie apocalypse appeared quite suddenly and is now lurching relentlessly throughout libraries and bookstores.  It may be impossible to stop, so why fight it? 

Here is a selection of some recent zombie fiction.

Breathers: a Zombie’s Lament by S.G. Brown 
Newly reanimated Andy discovers that being a zombie isn't that much fun in this social satire.

Cell by Stephen King
A pulse sent out over cell phones turns most of the population into zombie-like killing machines.  A small band of “normies” must fight for survival against all odds.

 
 Feed by Mira Grant
A team of bloggers hunts for the truth about the infection that cured most diseases but unfortunately also raised the  dead. 
 
Monster Island: a Zombie novel by David Wellington
After most of the world’s population has become zombies, an army of teenage girls travels to Manhattan in an attempt to locate medical supplies.  The first of an expected trilogy, this book has gotten rave reviews.

Paul is Undead: the British Zombie Invasion by Alan Goldsher
Zombies Paul, John and George want to make music and eat brains, while ninja lord Ringo Starr tries to keep the violence to a minimum in this alternative history of 1960s music.

 The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
This well-regarded novel has been described as “Flannery O’Connor with zombies”.  It has been nominated for this year’s Philip K. Dick award.

 

The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore
The residents of Pine Cove, California are all set to celebrate Christmas, but then zombies come along and ruin everything.

World War Z: an Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Through a series of interviews, a United Nations official describes the history of World War Z, a zombie pandemic that nearly leads to the extinction of human beings.

 

Related posts: 
Mashed Up Fiction and the Ick Factor
Walking Dead

The Bram Stoker Awards Shortlist

Presented by the Horror Writers Association, the Bram Stoker Awards honour excellence in the genre of horror.  The winners will be announced during Stoker Weekend, a conference held June 16-19, 2011.

Novel

Apocalypse of the Dead by Joe McKinney

A Dark Matter by Peter Straub

Dead Love by Linda Watanabe McFerrin

Dweller by Jeff Strand

Horns by Joe Hill

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Non-Fiction

The Conspiracy Against the Human Race: a Contrivance of Horror by Thomas Ligotti

Listen to the Echoes: the Ray Bradbury Interviews by Sam Weller

To Each Their Darkness by Gary A. Braunbeck

Unwanted Undead or Alive by Jonathan Maberry and Janice Gable Bashman

A complete list of nominees in all categories is available at 2011 Stoker Awards.