The Glasswrights' Journeyman and The Glasswrights' Test, by Mindy L. Klasky (Roc, 2002/2003)

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All Rani Trader wanted to do was become a glasswright, part of one of Morenia’s most powerful and talented guilds. Her parents sacrificed as much as they possibly could to buy Rani’s way into the guild as an apprentice, little knowing that they’d started in motion Rani’s involvement with kingdom-shattering events: an assassination gone slightly awry, a warning spoken too late, a prince fallen, and a guild blamed. The Glasswrights were destroyed, imprisoned, tortured, and exiled. Rani herself fled, going undercover as one of the city’s undesirables, the Touched. From there to soldier’s companion to religious pilgrim to royal guest to conspirator, she played numerous parts in her quest to clear her own name and that of her guild. She made friends of Prince Halaravilli, later King of all Liantine, and in the end, she was able to begin the long road towards rebuilding her lost dreams. As Rani Trader, or Ranita Glasswright, she’s become a pivotal figure like she never could have imagined, with powerful friends and enemies. She’s even dealt with troubles from outside Liantine in the form of a children’s army and a tyrannical king bent on dominating everything around him. All this was in The Glasswrights’ Apprentice and The Glasswrights’ Progress.

Now, in The Glasswrights’ Journeyman, Rani is forced to once again come to the aid of the land she loves. A terrible fire has devastated the capital city of Morenia, doing more to destroy the peace and prosperity than any outside agitation ever could have. Amid rumors that his reign is in trouble, King Hal must try to rebuild his city and his power base. But the dangerous and manipulative Fellowship of Jair has a price as well, a near-ruinous demand for gold that would break the kingdom even in a good season; worse yet, the powerful Church has the same monetary demands in mind. Caught between duty to his kingdom and loyalty to a conspiracy that is willing to kill him, Hal has to make some hard decisions. One of the few people he knows he can trust without reservation is Rani, but even she has conflicting loyalties. Will he be forced to marry the princess of nearby Liantine, and deal with her father, the volatile King Teheboth? Or are there still other options?

Meanwhile, mirroring Rani’s ambitions, a young woman named Mareka seeks to achieve her rank as journeyman in the enigmatically deadly spiderguild, a place where the poisonous spiders are valued more than any single human life, and a mistake often leads to death. Ambitious and cunning, Mareka is the perfect product of her guild, willing to spin a web of lies and deceit to get her way. But what she doesn’t know is that her fate is intertwined with that of Hal and Rani.

In the end, it’s up to Rani and her friends, including a traveling troupe of Players, to find a solution that serves the greatest good. For Morenia’s rebuilding, for Hal’s “tithe” to the Church and “donation” to the Fellowship, for Princess Berylina of Liantine, who’s been touched by the gods, and for Mareka of the spiderguild, who would do anything to preserve her life after the guild understands the nature of her betrayal. But even as Rani makes new allies and finds love, she’s forced to turn on someone who trusted her, forced to weigh the life of a friend against the needs of many. Not everyone will come home from Liantine.

In The Glasswrights’ Test, Rani’s journey hits a new level of danger and complexity as the machinations of the Fellowship of Jair take on a surprisingly ruthless note. Their ambitions thwarted before, now they seek to fulfill them through other means. The former members of the Morenian Glasswrights’ Guild have relocated to Briantia, a land overflowing with religious dedication to the thousand gods and to Jair, the Holy Pilgrim. There, the guildmaster, an embittered man named Parion, dreams of the old days, before he and his fellow glasswrights were imprisoned, crippled, and ultimately exiled. When the Fellowship of Jair offers him a price he can’t refuse, just to invite “The Traitor,” Ranita Glasswright, to the guild to test for her master’s rank, he reluctantly accepts. And so the wheels are set in motion.

Rani, her friend Mair, and the gods-touched Princess Berylina travel to Briantia. Rani to test for master, Mair as part of a diplomatic effort, and Berylina to undergo a religious pilgrimage that will change her life forever. Rani’s and Berylina’s stories unfold separately as they both realize just what lies in store for them in this foreign land.

For Rani, it’s a time of testing, and of challenged loyalties. She wants nothing more than to be judged as a master in the guild, to be accepted by the guild she once was responsible for destroying. But they haven’t forgotten that, and have no intention of making it easy … or even possible. Even her best may not be enough to overcome the bitter hatred Parion and his apprentices have for the one they think of as The Traitor.

For Berylina, it’s a time of change and growth, of revelations and explorations, and destiny. She alone can see, hear, smell, feel and sense the thousand gods in all their many manifestations. They have chosen to speak through her, to make her their vessel on earth, and in a religious land like Briantia this makes her a very, very dangerous person. Dangerous to the establishment, and to the priests who grow rich and fat off of false worship. She alone speaks for the gods, and this makes her a prophet — and could very well make her a martyr. Is it blasphemy to speak the mind of the gods, when no one else can hear?

Only Rani realizes what sort of game the Fellowship of Jair is playing, when they order her to do something unthinkable, when they force her to choose between one innocent life and one powerful life. Either way, she loses and her kingdom loses. Either way, the Fellowship wins. Rani’s luck has finally run out.

The Glasswrights’ Test ends on a frustrating note, a cliffhanger that won’t be resolved until the The Glasswrights’ Master, due out in June, 2004. But that’s somehow fitting, since the stakes in each book just keep getting higher, and the plots more complex. Klasky knows how to weave interrelated plots and conspiracies to make it all seem believable — and dangerous at the same time. Then she takes that extra step to unseat any assumptions, and you know she means business.

The Glasswrights’ series is quite enjoyable; I was unable to put down Test until I’d finished, eager to see just what would happen to Rani and Berylina. This is a rare fantasy series, in that it relies much more on characterization and plotting than it does on magic and flash. The only true magic in the series is subtle and powerful, stemming from the gods when they choose to make their presence known in subtle ways. No displays of awe and grandeur here, but instead quiet manifestations, the smell of sea salt or the sound of laughter, or the feeling of black velvet to symbolize the passing of a divine being. The characters live in a grounded world, and rely on their own wits and skills to accomplish things. And yet, somehow, we don’t feel cheated by the lack of overt magic, because the story’s so involving. Klasky is one author who clearly has improved with practice. While there are some slow spots, and uneven pacing in places, for the most part it’s all smooth sailing, especially in Test, where the alternating stories of Rani and Berylina progress evenly, before meeting in time for a surprising resolution and new twist. I’m looking forward to The Glasswrights’ Master to see what Klasky has left in store for Rani and Hal and the rest. She’s built the threat up, and now it’s time to resolve the story.

Exalted: Trilogy of the Second Age, by Richard Dansky (White Wolf, 2001/2002

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Chosen of the Sun
Beloved of the Dead
Children of the Dragon

In the world of the Exalted, death is just the beginning.

After plundering an ancient tomb and leaving behind some decidedly unpleasant boobytraps, the wandering priest of the Immaculate Order known as Eliezer Wren makes a powerful, and determined, enemy in the form of the ancient Prince of Shadows, a man who commands the living and the dead alike. Elsewhere, a young man named Yushuv becomes the sole surviver of his village after the Prince’s servant, Ratcatcher, massacres everyone. But the catacombs under Yushuv’s village harbor an old secret, one that’s not as dead as everyone thought.

Before long, Wren and Yushuv are on the run, separately fleeing their enemies. For though the paths of these two unlikely heroes don’t cross, those of their enemies do. The Prince of Shadows, who will stop at nothing for revenge. Ratcatcher, a pawn of dead gods who cannot be stopped by death. Unforgiven Blossom, whose hatred of Ratcatcher leads her to betrayal after betrayal. The Wyld Hunt, a force of magically-imbued warriors who serve a common purpose. The Fair Folk, those unfathomable fey beings who haunt the dreams and nightmares of the mortal world. Bonecrack, a wolfen spirit who seeks to fulfill an unholy bargain against Yushuv. Abyssal beings and dead gods, whose purposes cannot be comprehended by the living.

It seems as though everyone wants Wren and Yushuv dead, save for a few allies of dubious reliability. At stake: their lives, and a pair of powerful relics that could change everything. All they have to do is survive, a quest which will take them all around the land and right back to the beginning, through the realms of life and death and the Labyrinth that underlies the mortal world. To complicate matters, each of the fugitives has been blessed and cursed by a being known as the Unconquered Sun, Exalting them, turning them into creatures of unimaginable power called Anathema. Even old allies will seek to kill them on sight, or use them for their own sinister purposes.

Collectively, these three books are known as the Trilogy of the Second Age, and take place in the setting of White Wolf’s Exalted gameline. Going into the trilogy ignorant of Exalted, I gleaned the following: normal people are suddenly imbued with the powers of ancient warrior demi-gods, able to accomplish a number of feats beyond the ken of mortal man. On the downside, lesser-powered beings known as the Dragon-Blooded turned upon these “Solar Exalted” centuries ago and destroyed them all … for a time. Now the old Exalted are coming back, and have to deal with a multitude of enemies and old grudges and rivalries. The Wyld Hunt seeks to destroy any such “Anathema” it locates, while the monks of the Immaculate Order play a deadly game with everyone. At least, that’s what I was able to gather from the fiction. Oh, and there’s lots of combat, reminiscent of Hong Kong cinema and anime.

If I sound a little down on this, it’s merely because I never could shake the feeling that this was based on a role-playing game, and as such, was purposefully made to show off “look what we can do!” in turns of powers and factions and plots. It’s as though everything but the kitchen sink was thrown in for good measure: Order, Guide, Exalted, Dragon-Blooded, Fair Folk, dead gods, Thousand Gods, Abyssal Beings, and so forth. As a result, things got a bit muddled in terms of who was playing for which faction at which time. Meanwhile, a little exposition earlier on would have gone a long way; it isn’t until 190 pages into the first book that we finally learn the story behind the Exalted and the Dragon-Blooded, and get some background into the matter. Honestly, if this had somehow been explained much earlier on, it would have saved me a lot of questions. Only those who are really familiar with the game setting wouldn’t have been at least partially lost. Those attracted by the bright manga-like cover art or the cover text and coming in blind, might feel a bit out of place. And for fiction based on an outside source (such as RPGs), a delicate balance really needs to be struck if you want to please old fans and new readers alike. Sadly, these books didn’t quite work in that regard.

Also — and I really am reluctant to say this — the books felt padded. There was a lot of running around, and a lot of characters doing things, and a lot of plotting and fiendish cackling and battle scenes, and in the end, it all felt like a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. Even the characters seem to notice this at times, commenting on all the meandering they’ve done over the course of the storyline. There’s never a sense of actual purpose. Wren wants to survive. Yushuv wants to avenge himself and to survive. Everyone else wants to kill and/or eat those two, and steal the magical MacGuff — errr, the ancient dagger and sword that seem to be connected to the same Exalted that’s possessed/empowered/chosen Yushuv.

And so everyone wanders around the map, looking for everyone else, until they all finally converge in one great climatic clash. When it’s over … very little seems changed. And it’s not even as though I felt there was any great threat or purpose to the whole matter. It’s as though everyone decided they’d had enough, and wandered off-stage for a while, deciding to resume their conflicts later. Heck, even those who died in the process are by no means guaranteed to stay dead, as this series goes to lengths to prove. Add to all this some sloppy copy-editing in the third book, and my overall satisfaction was greatly diminished.

And believe me, this really is a shame. Richard Dansky is a good writer. He has the characterizations down pat, giving everyone a unique perspective and a complex set of motivations that could go a long way towards driving them. Even the spear-carriers have their personalities and get in some good lines. Dansky’s strength is clearly in the dialogue and character depths. I developed a sneaking fondness for Ratcatcher, who was by no means a nice or good person, and actually looked forward to the segments featuring him, just to see what else he’d get into. The Prince of Shadows was a little too melodramatically Evil, right down to the careless disposing of loyal henchlackeys whenever they displeased him, but he was entertaining. The characters made the story worth reading. Also, Dansky really has an eye for the combat scenes, making them both visual and visceral. For a game system that emphasizes cinematic-style combat, this is clearly an asset.

In the end, Chosen of the Sun, Beloved of the Dead, and Children of the Dragon serve as competent novels based on a gaming property, hampered by what seemed to be a need to extend a single book (or even a duology) into the magical number three, and the need to convey information about the game they’re inspired by. I’m firmly convinced that Dansky is an excellent writer, though, and that if he was given free rein he could do much better. If and when he ever produces an original novel, I’ll be first in line to read it. The Trilogy of the Second Age is his first solo series, so future attempts will undoubtedly be much improved.

Would I recommend this trilogy, though? I’m honestly torn. Yes … and no. It has its problems, and it has its strengths. If you’re familiar with the game Exalted, then by all means pick it up. If you like action-packed fantasy in the style of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this evokes the same imagery and sense of atmosphere. But if you like things a bit more epic and world-shattering, or are impatient, this may not be for you.

The Dragon of Despair, by Jane Lindskold (Tor, 2003)

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In The Dragon of Despair, the third book in the series started with Through Wolf’s Eyes and continued in Wolf’s Head, Wolf’s Heart, feral wolf-girl and reluctant hero, Firekeeper, is back. It’s been little more than a year since her discovery in the wilderness and return to civilization, and in that short time, Firekeeper, always accompanied by her faithful wolf friend Blind Seer, has been instrumental in solving hazards both political and otherwise for the now-allied kingdoms of Bright Bay and Hawk Harbor. Indeed, with the sticky problem of royal succession and political intrigue mostly a thing of the past, everyone thought they could relax for a while. After all, with would-be sorceress and master manipulator Lady Melina Shield discredited and exiled, and her daughter Sapphire (now Crown Princess of Hawk Harbor) free from Melina’s ensorcellment, things look peaceful. That is, until intelligence reveals that Melina has married the Healed One, leader of the enigmatic, magic-revering nation of New Kelvin. How bad is this?

Well, any situation where Melina has political or magical power is bound to be a bad one. She wasn’t above giving away her youngest daughter as a hostage, an act which left poor Citrine addled in the head. Nor has she shown any reluctance in using or killing those who get in her way. So it’s up to Firekeeper, Blind Seer, Lady Elise Archer, Lord Edlin Kestrel, and several others to mount an expedition back to New Kelvin &emdash; a land they barely escaped from intact last time &emdash; find out what Melina’s up to, and stop her if need be. Meanwhile, over the Iron Mountains, new human settlers threaten the peace of Firekeeper’s wolf family’s home, a disturbance that could well spell war between men and beasts if left unchecked.

Can Firekeeper manage to defuse the oncoming war, and still keep Melina from raising a deadly magical power whose like hasn’t been seen in centuries? Even if she can, it’ll be as difficult a task as any she’s had to face since she was reintroduced to the human world. Even with her friends to aid her, it’ll be brutal and desperate, and treachery will come from the unlikeliest of sources.

Once again, the true strength of the story comes from the way Firekeeper deals with society, and the problems that invariably arise. For a woman raised by wolves, human culture is needlessly complex and often puzzling; watching her learn the distinctions between the relatively similiar concepts of thieves, bandits, and spies, for example, is as fascinating as it is darkly amusing. Watching her attack each new problem with her unique hybrid of human ingenuity and wolfish upbringing is likewise a reflection on society itself.

Of course, the story doesn’t depend upon Firekeeper alone. With the political maneuvering that so largely dominated the first book and carried over into the second mostly settled, Lindskold returns her attentions to the relatively alien culture of New Kelvin, exploring its history and secrets and peoples in more detail. It’s clear that once Lindskold had the “default” kingdoms of Bright Bay and Hawk Haven set up, she felt free to roam further abroad in the world she’s created. Imagine, if you would, that England and France and Spain and other European countries had all colonized parts of America, but when a plague descended upon the population, wiping out the magically-strong, they buggered back off across the ocean, leaving the colonies to fend for themselves, never to hear from their founders again. That’s about the long and short of it, really. Which leaves the question open, I presume, to future books: whatever did happen to the Founders back home, and why haven’t they been back to check on their colonies?

If I digress, it’s only because The Dragon of Despair seems to encourage such wayward thoughts. The basic plot is as simple as the complications are complex: Firekeeper and friends have to stop Melina from doing something Very Very Bad. Unfortunately, New Kelvin has become a hostile place towards outsiders, and their culture is so intrinsically different from what our heroes are used to that it’s easy to make missteps and run into pitfalls. Especially since the local politics are even more of a snakepit than originally assumed. It’s hard to know who to trust, and the end result is people with like agendas threatening to work against one another, unknowingly. Maybe the world really does need someone like Firekeeper, who tends to cut right to the heart of the matter with direct words or a sharp knife if need be.

Originally, I’d thought this to be the last in a trilogy. However, I’m pleased to be wrong on that matter. Lindskold is working on the fourth in the series, tenatively entitled Wolf Captured (and if that isn’t a slightly ominous title…). This is especially good since there are still far too many questions to be answered, and facets of the world to be explored. The three books so far have covered a year, maybe a little more, and it’s clear Firekeeper’s story is far from over.

I highly recommend that new readers start with the first book in the series. That caveat aside, The Dragon of Despair is the continuing quintessential story of the feral child all grown up, with plenty of skulduggery, intrigue, and adventure all thrown in for good measure. Firekeeper is as believable, and likeable, a character as any of the people-raised-by-wild-animals who populate the literary universe, and I look forward to seeing much more of her story.

Devlin's Honor, by Patricia Bray (Bantam Spectra, 2003)

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Once upon a time, the Kingdom of Jorsk was a mighty realm, expanding its borders aggressively. A generation ago, they conquered the Caerfolk of Duncaer through bloody means. In the process, the Chosen One, hero and protector of Jorsk, was killed, and his mythic weapon, the Sword of Light, lost for all time. Or so they thought.

Today, the Chosen One of Jorsk is Devlin Stonehand, former metalsmith and farmer, declared kin-bereft and exiled from his homeland after his family was killed. With no reason to live, he went to the city of Kingsholm, and volunteered for the post of Chosen One, latest in a line of would-be heroes that had filled the ill-fated post ever since the Sword of Light was lost. Bound by a magical Geas, charged to defend Jorsk with his life, Devlin did the impossible: he survived. Time and again, he beat the odds, destroying threats to the Kingdom. Bandits and sea monsters fell to his might, and a traitor was exposed and killed, though Devlin was injured severely in the process. (This back-story is told in the first novel in this series, Devlin’s Luck.)

Now, Devlin stands in a precarious position of power, distrusted and disliked by many, and shunned by those who stand to lose by his outspoken nature. Even his one-time ally, the King, sees him as a liability. And so Devlin is charged with another impossible task, to find the missing Sword of Light. If he does, he will be able to truly claim the title and position of Chosen One, and his enemies will be unable to denounce him. With his minstrel friend Stephen and military escort Lieutenant Nils Didrik accompanying him, Devlin returns to Duncaer, to face his past and seek his destiny.

As the Chosen One, Devlin stands for everything the Caerfolk hate; he’s a traitor, an oppresser, one of their own gone bad. As a Caerfolk, he is kin-bereft and exiled, cast out from a society that values family above all else. Either way, he’s in for a bad reception, especially when a new group of extremist rebels surfaces, dedicated to freeing Duncaer at any cost. They have the Sword of Light, and Devlin has to play along if he ever wants a shot at retrieving it. In the process, Devlin will confront his demons, be forced to overcome his doubts, and wrestle with issues of faith that could drive him mad and drag him down forever.

Devlin’s Honor overcomes the traditional “middle child” syndrome that tends to plague the second book in a trilogy, by building on what has come before and taking it into a not-entirely-unexpected direction. By taking the action away from Jorsk, and dropping Devlin back into his old culture, Bray is able to fully play with the contrasts in cultures, exploit the culture shock felt by Devlin in particular, and explore the values which shaped his upbringing. The name of the trilogy is The Sword of Change, but the sword, if anything, is just the catalyst, and the true “changing” involved is Devlin’s. In dealing with his past and his people, he becomes aware of his role in the world as a whole, his part to play, and the magnitude of his duties.

Some fantasy stories are about magic, and action, and epic battles. Others managed to give us all that, while keeping the spotlight tightly focused on the personal growth of one character. This is the latter. Devlin’s Luck managed to put a spin on the not-quite-tired trope of “the chosen one”; Devlin’s Honor is about family, and fate, and obligations, and loyalties. Introspective and interesting, it’s as good as, if not better than, the first in the trilogy, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it all comes together in the end. I’m hard pressed to find any glaring flaws in it so far. If you like fantasy that’s more about people than it is about epic struggles and world-changing events, this trilogy may just be for you.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling (Scholastic, 2003)

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“Dear Prospective Student,

Congratulations on your acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As you might be well aware, we live in strange and unusual times, and those times are growing ever more so. As such, we wish to make you aware of certain … details, which, if not already clear, will become all too evident in the school year to follow.

First of all, He Who Must Not Be Named, the Dark Lord, Voldemort, is again among the living, courtesy of some dark and foul magics performed during the conclusion of last year’s Tri-Wizard Cup. He has begun to gather his old followers, the Death-Eaters, and to seek out other allies. It is only thanks to the bravery of Harry Potter that we know this for certain. Please, ignore all of the Ministry of Magic’s insinuations and outright lies regarding the supposed attention-seeking falsehoods Mister Potter may be spreading, and do not take the rumors in the Daily Prophet seriously. I assure you, Voldemort is a true problem and one we must face in days ahead.

We apologize for our Gamekeeper’s continued absence. Rubeus Hagrid is in the south of France, getting some air. Rumors that he was sent on a diplomatic mission to the trolls are just that, rumors. Professor Grubbly-Plank has generously agreed to fill in for the first weeks of school.

Please give a warm welcome to Delores Umbridge, who has taken the job of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. We hope she’ll fare better than the last four holders of that position. True, her affiliation with the Ministry of Magic may seem as though that august body is attempting to exert control over Hogwarts, but that would be an unprecedented breach of protocol. Her methods may be extreme, but they are within the rules. We hope you will be able to behave with her, because rumor has it her detentions are unforgettable.

The Forbidden Forest is, as always, off-limits. The centaurs within are not fond of humans.

We must at this time deny any and all existence of any “Order of the Phoenix” assembled to combat Voldemort and his forces, as well as the possible presence of Dementors in Little Whinging. Also, there is no such thing as a private “Dumbledore’s Army” being formed in Hogwarts, and the suggestion that a secret class meets to swap spells is, well, not for discussion.

Fifth years must look forward this year to taking their Ordinary Wizarding Levels (O.W.L.s), which will determine the progress of their education for the next two years, as well as possible future careers after graduation.

We hope you’ll enjoy (and survive) your time at Hogwarts.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore, etc. etc. etc. etc.”

After three years, the wait is over. The fifth book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is finally out, and at last, the story continues. And believe me, the wait may just well have been worth it, for Rowling packs in more development and plot that you might imagine. At over 850 pages, it manages to dwarf the previous books, but with good reason. Not only does Rowling have to continue developing the massively thought-out world she’s laid forth, and keep up with the Voldemort’s-return plot, she has to deal with a 15-year-old Harry and his year at school. I’ve dropped some hints above about what we can expect, but there’s more. Such as:

New characters: the shapeshifting Nymphadora Tonks, the delightfully vague Ravenclaw “Loony” Luna Lovegood, and the despicable Delores Jane Umbridge, among others.

New places: At long last, we get to see the Ministry of Magic, and St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, both long hinted-at. Who’s at St. Mungo’s, and what disastrous incident brings them there? What familiar faces might we see? And what dark and ominous revelations can be found in the bowels of the Ministry?

New threats: Dementors and Death-Eaters aren’t the only things out there to worry about. The new DADA professor is, to be gentle… a woman with an agenda. The Forbidden Forest is as deadly as ever. This year, the greatest threat to Hogwart’s safety may come from its own allies.

New revelations: Why does Harry HAVE to go back to Privet Drive every year? How is Sirius Black related to some of the worst wizards imaginable? What is Harry’s destiny, and who else was almost The Boy Who Lived?

New tragedies: Believe the hype. In this book, a relatively important character dies. Who and how? Read and find out.

There’s a lot I could say about Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It’s densely-plotted, with revelations and information in almost every chapter. It’s darker, more mature, more serious than the ones before. As the characters have grown, so has the style and the plot. We’re made privy to more manipulations, more secrecy, a greater sense of manipulation, betrayal, and paranoia than before. It’s as though with Harry’s growing experience, we’re seeing more of the world, and finding it to be a more complex, shades-of-grey place. As one might guess from previous portrayals of Cornelius Fudge and the Ministry of Magic, the “good guys” are sometimes their own worst enemies.

As well, there’s the same level of characterization we’ve come to expect, but it reflects the characters themselves. As people like Dumbledore and Hagrid, Lupin and Sirius, get less screentime, we see more of Ginny, Neville, new character Luna Lovegood, and McGonagall. Even the Dursleys get some character growth in unexpected ways. As for the character revelations regarding Severus Snape, James Potter, and Lily Evans… well, seeing them as teenagers is priceless. It’s clear our heroes themselves have hit the teenage years: Harry’s finally starting to snap under the strain, lashing out emotionally at his closest friends and less willing to put up with “stuff” from his enemies. Love’s in the air, but first crushes never come out as one expects.

This is a huge book, but not a disappointing one, in my opinion. While I’d rather not have had to wait three years for it, the truth is that picking it up was like slipping into a comfortable pair of pants. I had no trouble getting right back into Harry Potter’s world, and anyone who’s read the first four books will feel right at home. That said, I don’t suggest anyone start with this book if they’re new to the series. There’s a LOT that it builds upon, and trying to read this as a stand-alone likely won’t work too well. As the fifth book in the projected seven book series, it fits right in, like a jigsaw puzzle piece.

I know, at this point it seems like either you’re in or you’re out, and there’s no happy medium. If you hate Harry Potter, this book, however complex and well-written, likely won’t change your mind, and if you like Harry Potter, you’ve probably already got a copy. So then. For those who thought about dropping the series after Goblet of Fire, come back. We miss you. And you’re missing out on the best one yet, as well as the payoff for staying loyal. Rowling rewards her readers in Order of the Phoenix with more secrets revealed and more backstories shared. Don’t give up on the Harry Potter series now.

For those wondering about age suitability, I do have this caveat: The style and the characterization reflect the age of the characters; with the average age of the students now 15, they’re bound to talk in more mature ways, and discuss more mature topics (like dating, or death… but not sex, I promise you). Parents, teachers, and librarians, you may wish to look at the book first before letting younger readers at it, just to be on the safe side. It’s your call. There’s nothing overly distressing involved, but it might be a good idea to stay involved, and ready to discuss things. The death, in particular, may upset some readers. While not as direct as Cedric’s death in Goblet of Fire, it affects Harry in a much more direct way.

Ultimately, it’s good to be back. Let’s hope that it doesn’t take another three years.

30th Anniversary DAW: Fantasy, edited by Elizabeth R. Wollheim and Sheila E. Gilbert, (DAW, 2002)

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For over thirty years, DAW Books have been releasing some of the best science fiction and fantasy books in the field, a tradition of consistency and excellence that has given them a well-deserved reputation. To celebrate their thirty years in business, and to honor the memory of their founder, Donald A. Wollheim (DAW, get it?), DAW decided to release a pair of anthologies containing new stories by some of the best and most prominent authors to work with the company over the years.

For the longest time, I was torn on how exactly to look at this book. I could talk about the history of DAW, but there’s a very nice essay in the beginning of both collections which goes into the full story: How Donald Wollheim, long-time editor for Ace Books back in the ’50s and ’60s decided to risk his career and his savings to start a publishing company of his own, aided by his wife Elsie and daughter Betsy, and how they managed to keep the dream alive long enough for it to become a full-blown realization. How DAW survived the losses of Elsie and Donald, and managed to keep plugging away nonetheless, thanks to Betsy, and Shiela Gilbert (who joined in 1985), and how even today, it remains a tight family-run company, twenlve hundred books and thirty years later. No, the personal recollections of Betsy and Shiela tell the story far better than I can, and even provide some nice insight into the publishing world as it was, and as it is.

So what, then? Do I approach this like I would any other anthology? That hardly seems fair, given that this is something special, a birthday party and anniversary celebration rolled into one. You don’t treat your parents’ thirtieth anniversary like some weekend party thrown by a buddy, and you don’t treat a bunch of old friends the same way you might talk to a group of relative strangers. Most anthologies are either invite-only (which means a small, select group known to the editor) or come out of open submissions (which is roughly equivalent to casting a play or movie: for everyone you know, there’s a few strangers or newcomers). The DAW anthologies are more like family reunions, because every single contributing author is part of the farflung DAW family.

Okay, so what we have is a family reunion/anniversary/birthday get-together. That much is settled. There are no real overarcing themes to connect the stories; rather, every author was left to their own devices to turn in what they thought would best represent not only their own work, but also DAW Books in general. The eighteen fantasy authors are presented in chronological order according to when they first signed with DAW. Fittingly, the first story is by Grandmaster Andre Norton, whose Spell of the Witch World was the first book ever published by DAW.

The list of authors who’ve followed that beginning is like a Who’s Who of the field: Michael Shae, Tanith Lee, Christopher Stasheff, Jennifer Roberson, Mercedes Lackey, Mickey Zucker Reichart, Tanya Huff, Melanie Rawn, Deborah J. Ross, Larry Dixon, Irene Radford, Marjorie B. Kellogg, Jane Fancher, Michelle West, Fiona Patton, Kristen Brittain, and Lynn Abbey. Not too shabby. Go to any bookstore, look in the SF/Fantasy section, and you’ll see a fair amount by these authors. Jennifer Roberson’s Chronicles of the Cheysuli and Sword Dancer series are popular and long-running. Mercedes Lackey takes up most of a shelf all by herself with the Valdemar books and assorted spin-offs and separate series. Mickey Zucker Reichart tends to put out fat volumes of her Renshai series every few years, while Tanya Huff has produced fantasy, science fiction, and urban fantasy/horror with equal skill. I could go on, but for the most part, these authors’ careers speak for themselves. DAW is in the business of producing quality, and they’ve certainly discovered or encouraged their fair share of standouts in the field.

I didn’t read every story in the 30th Anniversary collection. Honestly, I’m not sure who could. Eighteen stories, in 420 pages, written by eighteen different authors? Rather, let’s accept that there’s something for everyone, representing a wide variety of tastes and styles. Some of these authors don’t appeal to me anymore, some never did, and some are only now growing on me. But there are a few for whom I’ll always be there.

Of the stories, I’d have to say that Mercedes Lackey’s After Midnight is the most whimsical and tongue-in-cheek. Rather than give us a serious short story, she turns in a hilarious, self-aware tale of The Author Tormented By Her Characters. Let’s just say it’s payback for the horrible fates, crushed feet, immolated heroes, lovelorn lasses, angsting anti-heroes, bad accents, reincarnated rogues, and unselfishly sacrificed lives. For those who’ve read Lackey’s Valdemar books in specific, they’ll understand where the characters might have … issues. So what’s an author to do, especially having written herself into the story? That, my friends, would be telling.

Mickey Zucker Reichart’s claim to fame: Her parents were rocket scientists, and she -has- performed brain surgery. She’s also written numerous novels. For her contribution to this collection, she revisits the infamous rogue Nightfall (from the standalone Legend of Nightfall) in “Nightfall’s Promise”. In a world where rare people are blessed (or cursed) with natal talents (anything from controlling mass and density to creating fire to telepathy and so on), there’s both danger and promise in using said talents. There’s also a nasty trend for people to kill said talented and ritually steal their talents. And when Nightfall is forced to pay back a favor, he’s drawn into a deadly mystery involving a young boy whose talent could spell end the for Nightfall’s career … and life.

Larry Dixon, Mercedes Lackey’s husband and writing partner, turns in a story of his own, “A Perfect Day In Valdemar”. It’s notable that this is one of his very few solo efforts; most of his writing has been in collaborating with Mercedes, and he’s better known as an illustrator in many circles. But with this story, he proves that he can stand on his own, as he tells the story of sacrifice and bonding on the battlefront. A man and a gryphon have both been grievously wounded in battle, and as they recover in the Healer’s tent, they learn a lot about each other. When they’re called on to make a profound sacrifice, who will be up for the challenge? This is a tale that rings on a personal level, its strength resting on the characterization and depth of the protagonists. And, in some ways, it’s assured me that Larry really can hold up his end of the writing, something that I admit I doubted once upon a time. Now I’m looking forward to the day when he write a solo novel, just to see what he can do.

Tanya Huff is another author I’ve followed for quite some time. I’ve not yet decided what field she works in best: Her urban fantasy novels have always had a distinctive flair to them, especially her Keeper series, but her fantasy books (such as the Quarters series) and science fiction (Valor’s Choice, for instance) are equally entertaining. She has a talent for short stories, and for humor, as seen with “We Two May Meet.” When the world’s foremost wizard is magically split in two, each half containing all the powers but gravitating towards an opposite extreme of personality, the two will have to work together if they want to protect the world. But are they protecting it from outside forces … or each other? Never before has psychoanalysis been so vital, or a sub-basement portal to Hell been so dangerous. This is a genuinely enjoyable story, and a standout even for this book.

There’s a lot more. Jennifer Roberson’s “Ending and Beginning” offers a tantalizing look at her next big series, Karavans. Andre Norton’s “Sow’s Ear – Silk Purse” shows that she’s still a writer to be reckoned with. And Lynn Abbey’s “It’s About Squirrels” is a humorous look at South Florida, pallbearer squirrels, surge protectors, serial suicide, and brownies (of the faerie and stupid variety).

So what’s the verdict? This is one family reunion that you shouldn’t miss. There really is something for everyone in here, with so many authors representing such a wide spectrum of the fantasy world. It -is- interesting, as a sidenote, that of the eighteen authors, only three are male. Does this mean women make better fantasy authors, or that DAW is more opening to female authories, or that they’re just more successful? Who knows, but it’s an interesting little thing to consider.

I highly recommend the DAW 30th Anniversary collection. It and its Science Fiction brother look great on the shelf, and you get quite a lot for your money. Special credit goes to the lovely, yet simplistic cover design (by G-Force Design) which captures the eclectic essence of both volumes without being distracting.

Dreaming Down-Under, edited by Jack Dann and Janeen Webb (Tor, 2002)

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Originally released in 1998, Dreaming Down-Under is one of those ambitious volumes which attempts to not just expand the limits and boundaries of the speculative fiction range of genres, but to shatter them altogether, much like Dangerous Visions did in 1967, and Redshift attempted to in 2001. The unifying theme of this particular anthology is that all of the authors collected within are Australian, and the suggestion is that just as the United States and England produced the groundbreaking “New Wave” movement of the late ’60s, Australian speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, and all blends thereof) is blazing new trails today. Several dozen authors. 200,000 words of original fiction, and 20,000 more of commentary and notes. The limit? Imagination itself.

This is a mixed bag, in all honesty. With such an open-ended theme, and no real set guidelines, the authors were free to go where the winds took them, each one turning out whatever he or she felt best exemplified their work, and best represented the massive quantum shift of Australian speculative fiction potential. I don’t think anyone could read every single story and enjoy them. Rather, each story is a different gem, sparkling and shining and glittering. Some catch the eye, others don’t. Some look good when held up to the light, others require a different sort of appreciation.

That said, I can admit that there are some extremely powerful stories presented, the sort to return to over and over, and to contemplate while waiting to fall asleep late at night. David J. Lake’s powerful pastiche/homage to Wells’ “The Time Machine,” entitled “The Truth About Weena,” addresses the pesky problem of parallel timelines, the dangers of time travel, and the philosophical ramifications of attempting to change history, both present and future.

Rowena Cory Lindquist gives us a gripping tale of family, love, loyalty, and growing up, in “Prelude To A Nocturne.” What happens when we’re able to control and prevent the onset of puberty and all its distractions, and how could it affect society and the way we relate to people? This story drives the sociologist in me nuts with the potential, and Lindquist really brings out the depths of her characters and the profound way the creation of a new kind of minority affects the status quo.

Jane Routley’s “Avalon” is a short but sweet tale of magic in the English countryside, where everything is up for speculation, and only the sheep know what secrets the Glastonbury Tor might hold.

Aaron Sterns gives us a feverish story of the subways, a disturbing, secretive world under our own, where things are decidedly not as they appear, in “The Third Rail.”

Sean McMullen’s “Queen of Soulmates” melds mathematical precision with magical destruction, showing what happens when an apocalyptic weapon is activated by a man too proud to accept the consequences. But in the midst of the end of the world (or what might be such), will human nature prevail, or capitulate?

Ian Nichols brings back sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll for a one night stand in “The Last Dance.” It’s hot, sweaty, dizzy, and magical, with scenes reminiscent of Emma Bull’s musical sequences in War For The Oaks.

In “Descent,” Cecily Scutt gives us a short but profound look at Hell as a nursing home (or is that a nursing home as Hell), blending the real and unreal with such deft precision that the seams are impossible to define.

“A Walk-On Part In The War”, by Stephen Dedman, reinterprets the role of Odysseus and the Trojan Horse in the ancient Greek sagas, adding a twist that very few will see coming … especially not the Trojans.

And in “Wired Dreaming,” Paul Collins gives us a gritty cybernoir tale of murder and justice, centered around a hard-boiled cop with a secret past and a reason to see certain people get what they deserve.

There’s a lot more. I’ve barely touched the surface of what Dreaming Down-Under has to offer in pointing out these particular stories. Whether your tastes run to fantasy or science fiction, to grim and gritty, or dark and disturbing, or magical and mirthful, there’s a little something for everyone. These are the inventive, imaginative, trailblazing, wallshattering tastes of speculative fiction on the edge. This isn’t safe, predictable, or familiar. I promise that the stories in Dreaming Down-Under will make you think, make you challenge preconceptions, and even make you seek out something different next time you’re in the store.

For its unique role in offering a wide variety of work that goes against the grain and is bound to expose the readers to something new, I recommend Dreaming Down-Under. Maybe you won’t like it all, but it’s worth checking out nonetheless, before you go back to the safe and comfortable.

The Mocking Program, by Alan Dean Foster (Warner Books, 2002)

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Welcome to the future. Welcome to the Montezuma Strip, a fever-hot, dangerous borderland that stretches from Baja to the Gulf. It’s a Spanglish place where anything is possible, no matter how dangerous, treacherous, or illegal. It’s a rough, fantastic, magical place where technology and culture have both run wild, giving birth to a whole new culture incorporating the best — and worst — from America and Mexico. It’s the sort of place where it’s hard to be a good guy.

Meet Angel Cardenas, Inspector for the Namerican Federal Police. After thirty years, he thought he’d seen it all, thought he’d become too used to the corruption and bodies and morbidly inventive things one person could do to another. But that was before a body turned up in the gutter, sans organs. When some preliminary investigations turn up not one, but two valid identities for the corpse du jour, the hunt is on for the truth. Wayne Brummel of Greater Harlington? Or George Anderson, of Olmec? What’s real and what’s not?

Angel’s determined to get to the bottom of things, especially when an attempt to notify the family of the deceased turnes sour. Before he knows it, Katla and Surtsey Anderson, the daughter and wife of George Anderson, have gone missing, leaving a booby-trapped house in their wake. With his partner thus put out of action by an untimely explosion, Angel is on his own, with a few questions to put to the residents of the Strip.

Who was George Anderson/Wayne Brummel, and what was he hiding? What had the man so scared he’d rig his own house to explode? Where are Katla and Surtsey Anderson, and why are so many people after a twelve year old girl? What makes Katla so special? How does this all tie in to the notorious (and notoriously absent) Cleator Mockerkin, a man in charge of a widespread criminal organization?

Angel’s search will take him into the dives and clubs of the Strip, through privileged neighborhoods and gang-ridden streets, from Sanjuana to the Bonezone. Answers will produce more questions, and the trail will lead further south. There, in the depths of the rainforest, in a country ruled entirely by intelligent (and well-armed) simians, Angel and his partner will discover just what makes Katla Anderson so valuable. And then the race to stop the Mocker from recapturing Katla will truly begin in earnest. From secret underwater bases to the Big Box (like the Internet, but squared a few times), Angel will put his life on the line to give Katla the chance for a happy, safe life.

The Mocking Program is cyberpunk for the new century, filled with the familiar turned exotic, and the exotic turned dangerous. Foster has imagined a world not too far removed from our own, a logical evolution given enough time and cultural syncretism. The world of Angel Cardenas is fascinating and deadly, like a cobra about to strike. Like the noir detective stories of old, it’s a good man against a bad world, with innocent lives on the line and enemies at every turn. Can good intentions survive a hostile environment for very long, or will Angel finally be beaten down and that last bit of hope stomped out?

One thing that really sets this book apart is the language. Foster, like only a few others, has managed to go beyond the usual words, to incorporate a whole new universe of “spang” (Spanglish, or Spanish-English slang), not just in the dialogue but in the narrative itself. Thus, we’re treated to atmospheric passages, such as:

“The ganglet of ninlocos arrived before his food did. They swaggered in past the protesting door, the lanky chieflado in the lead spazzing it out with a spinner whose ident was torqued to reflect instead of inform. Behind the chingaroon ambulated a group of negs and poses, though which was who and who was witch was hard to say at first glance. Hyaki looked over his shoulder, grunted a kata, and wished their food would hurry up and emerge from hibernation in the kitchen.”

To translate and summarize: A gang of crazyboys walked in, their leader confusing the security system with an adjusted identity chip. Behind the leader walked a group of boys and girls, though the difference was hard to tell. Hyaki looked over his shoulder, and wished the food would hurry up.

Okay, so maybe translating it takes away the magic. And to be honest, not all paragraphs are as heavily laden with such special terms. But Foster manages to mix the familiar and the unfamiliar in such a way that it’s fairly easily to determine what a word should, could, or might mean. In the process, he creates something new and attractively alien.

Alan Dean Foster’s always been a little hit and miss for me. I’ve enjoyed a lot of his books, while others fall flat on their faces. The Mocking Program, however, may be his best book to date, of the ones I’ve encountered. The plot is sharp and contains enough twists to keep readers on their toes, and the language is a genuine treat, worth studying on its own. I have no trouble recommending this book. It’s not fantasy; I can’t deny that it’s unrepentantly science fiction. But it’s almost mythic in its cultural extrapolation and linguistic experimentation. Foster is one of those authors who can transition from fantasy to science fiction and back again with remarkable ease; his Pip and Flinx and Spellsinger series are examples of his skill in either field. If you want to try something that blends the old and the new, give this one a try.

Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book, by Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon (Chicago Review Press, 2003)

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He’s a shameless huckster, an unrepentant storyteller, a charming old man, a never-say-die opportunist whose career has spanned decades, following the ebb and flow of the comic book industry in America. He’s a modern-day P.T. Barnum, part writer and part con man, but so loveable in his over-the-top mannerisms it’s hard to stay mad at him for long. He’s Stan Lee, and this is his story.

However, to tell the story of Stan Lee is to chronicle the history of comic books in America, starting in 1940 and continuing right up to the modern day. To tell his story, one has to also look at the other legends in the field: Jack Kirby, John Romita, Steve Ditko, and so many more. To speak of Stan Lee is to talk about Marvel Comics, and its earlier incarnations. For all of those stories are intertwined.

Who doesn’t know Stan Lee? His name was on every comic book to come out of Marvel for decades, as writer, as editor, as publisher, or as their ambassador to the world. “Stan Lee Presents….” was the tagline for Marvel back in the day, until very recently indeed. He’s been the guy to interview for just as long, the so-called creator of the Marvel universe, the creative genius who gave birth to Spider-Man, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and the X-Men. His catchphrases are legendary: “‘Nuff said!” “Face front, true believer!” and “Excelsior!”

But who is Stan Lee? Even he admits that the stories of his youth are a tad exaggerated, a touch fabricated at times. Never one to let reality get in the way of a good story, he’s rewritten his own history to play up his destiny as a writer. Certainly, reality is a little slippery where he’s concerned. What part did he really play in the history of comic books? How much of the Marvel Universe was his creation, and how much can be attributed to the other talents involved?

Those are all questions Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon set out to answer in their definitive biography of Stan the Man. Drawing from articles, interviews, and other sources, they’ve laid out the life and times of Stan Lee (born Stanley Lieber), weaving the threads of his story in with the evolution of the comic book field, from its glory days during World War Two, to the social repression of the Fifties, all the way through the dark days of the Eighties and Nineties, to today. This book is just as much about the comic field in general, and Marvel Comics in particular, as it is about Stan Lee. Fact-heavy and well-written, its engaging writing style keeps things moving right along, never bogging down in the details. Clearly, the authors know their material; it takes a certain amount of familiarity with the industry to properly convey the impact of a man who was there almost from the start.

Let’s lay it on the line. Stan Lee’s been in the business a long time. He combines the best and worst aspects of a sideshow barker, a used-car salesman, a Hollywood producer, and a writer. He’s spent so long hyping himself that he’s actually begun to believe it. Though he was instrumental in creating some of the best-known comic characters of the past forty years, he’s been milking the same cow for decades; all of his more recent attempts to capture lightning in a bottle have met with failure. Even his recent work for DC Comics, reinventing their characters, felt old, as though he was rehashing the past. At the same time he fronts for Marvel, acting as a spokesperson, he’s suing them for more money based on the results of certain blockbuster movies. He’s the trickster god of the comic geek pantheon, adept at playing himself on the silver screen (such as in Kevin Smith’s Mallrats) and always looking for the next big thing. Cursed with a short attention span, he can spew out comic plots, but can’t write a book. He’s been a hero in the comic industry, and he’s been a villain. He’s done some things he’s not proud of, and burned a few bridges along the way, alienating creative partners and industry professionals, and yet somehow, it’s never his fault. Much. He’s just Stan Lee.

And that’s what Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book is all about. The authors don’t shy away from pointing out the inconsistencies, the feet of clay, the mistakes he’s made. Even though they treat him with respect, they’re not afraid to point out Lee’s bad moments. Did he create the Marvel Universe, or just steal all the credit? Is he a genius, or just a guy in the right place at the right time with a knack for tapping into the right thing?

I’m a comic geek at heart. My collection takes up a significant part of the basement. I thought I knew a lot about the history of the field, and about Stan Lee. After reading this book, I know a lot more. Spurgeon and Raphael have done an excellent job of drawing from numerous sources to present a cohesive, coherent narrative covering the career of Stan Lee, and the ebb and flow of the industry he’s been an integral part of. For those who like comics, this is a great history book. For those who don’t know a thing about the field, this is a great introduction. Frankly, I was impressed with just how accessible it was overall. I recommend this book, and it’ll find a valued spot on my shelf with other comic reference books.

J.K. Rowling: A Biography, by Sean Smith (Michael O'Mara Books, 2001)

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Thanks to the phenomenal popularity of the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling has achieved a fame seldom attributed to authors, especially those who write children’s books. Ironically, as Sean Smith points out, Rowling is someone uncomfortable with fame, the sort to shun it when possible and downplay it at other times, reluctant to ride the popularity train. A private, even shy woman, she’s chafed at being in the public eye ever since the papers first started focusing on her. But why shouldn’t they? Her story is an inspiring, fascinating one. Divorced, impoverished mother of one writes best-selling book in a cafe, making a cup of coffee last for hours, while her infant daughter sleeps. Living in an unheated flat, barely able to make ends meet, thoroughly screwed by a system ill-designed to help the poor overcome their circumstances, single mother shatters all expectations and becomes a millionaire practically overnight. Who doesn’t love an underdog?

However, while some of that is true, other parts have been exaggerated by the press, or purposefully obfuscated by Rowling herself, in an attempt to preserve some small part of her private life. Smith carefully and thoughtfully follows her from the beginning, when her parents met aboard a train, all the way up to the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire laying out each stage of her life, debunking myths and elaborating on truths as appropriate.

Normally, I’m not a fan of biographies written about the living; it seems like an incomplete story to write about someone’s life and stop before it’s over. However, Smith does a good job of chronicling Rowling’s history to date. It’s scholarly, entertaining, and detailed. As he traces each segment of her life, following the course of her family and education, he goes into great detail, supplementing with quotes and interviews from those who’ve known her. This isn’t just about Joanne Rowling, it’s about the genesis of the Harry Potter books, of the life and literary influences that shaped Rowling. Sure, we might guess that certain similarities to Tolkein exist in her books, but who could guess that the biggest influence on her work was Elizabeth Goudge’s Little White Horse? Or that despite comparisons to Roald Dahl, he’s not one of her favorite authors? And then there are the influences of Jane Austen, and Kenneth Graham.

Not only does Smith look at Rowling, but he looks at those people who played a part in her upbringing and education, influencing her for better or worse, even pointing out where one teacher inspired Snape, another contributed mannerisms to McGonagall, a third the basis for Dumbledore. Where certain character or place names came from. How Harry Potter and Hermione Granger both represent aspects of Rowling’s personality. He examines the people who played a part in her literary blossoming, looking at the first reader for Christopher Little Literary Agency, Bryony Evans, now credited in Rowling’s opinion as the one who really discovered Harry Potter. This isn’t about Rowling, so much as it is about the drive and process that brought her to where she is today. Friends, family, colleagues, schoolmates, her ex-husband, her daughter, her agent, her first publisher (who swore Rowling would never make any money from writing children’s books) and more.

As well-researched as any biography can be, J.K. Rowling: A Biography is certainly a stand-out in a field of instant-bios for people celebrating their fifteen minutes of fame. It’s detailed without being boring, telling a thorough story that doesn’t idolize the subject or whitewash her flaws. Joanne Rowling is just a woman whose talent for writing and for overcoming obstacles brought her to the right place, at the right time. Had she taken another path, had she been accepted into Oxford, or never gone to Porto, Portugal, or had she never just sat down and wrote, who knows what she might have accomplished?

If you want to see how J.K. Rowling grew up, was influenced, and ultimately became a literary sensation of a kind rarely seen these days, how she broke the odds and achieved everything she could have dreamed of and more, how she was inspired and in turn has inspired, than Sean Smith’s biography of her is a great place to start. Certainly, it strives for more accuracy than some, and attempts to remain honest in its attitude towards the subject, which may be the most we can ask of any biography. This is a must for any hardcore Harry Potter fan (though the writing and language may be beyond younger readers), and may prove inspiring for aspiring writers whether they’re fans or not.