Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour and #2: Touching Darkness, by Scott Westerfeld (Eos, 2004/2005)

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In the town of Bixby, Oklahoma, the laws of nature have been warped and transformed by ancient nightmarish forces. At the stroke of midnight, the world freezes, raindrops hanging in midair like watery jewels, and people becoming as stiff and lifeless as statues. For a secret hour, the world belongs to the slithers and darklings, primordial creatures of myth and darkness. Only a select few humans are free to move about in this time, aware of the truth. Gifted with unusual powers, such as mindreading, flight, psychic sight, or the ability to imbue objects with magical potential, these so-called midnighters are either humanity’s only defense against the darklings of the 25th hour, or part of an older, grander plan.

Into this set-up comes Jessica Day, a fifteen-year-old girl who, until now, never suspected what secrets existed around her, or what potential lay within her. Befriended by Rex, Melissa, Dess, and Jonathan, she enters the world of the midnighters, forced to defend herself against the sudden onslaught of darklings and slithers, even as she digs deep into the reasons why Bixby is home to such bizarre phenomenon. Could the answer lie in her own awakening power, something never before seen in the 25th hour?

I have to say, Westerfeld has created a fascinating setting. Monsters that dwell in a compressed, hidden hour, alternating stalking and being driven back by teenagers with mysterious powers? It’s as though Stephen King was writing the X-Men, which, in this case, is actually a very cool thing. Who can’t identify with the freedom these teens feel, having an hour all their own, or the horror they experience in fighting ancient evils that have suddenly changed tactics beyond all prediction? What really caught my attention, however, was the importance the plot attaches to numerology (specifically, the significance of the numbers twelve and thirteen) and wordplay (specifically, thirteen-letter words are granted power against the darkness). Rather than rely upon a more traditional, and common kind of magic, possibly based on bastardized Latin or a made-up language, Westerfeld uses commonplace words to achieve great results within the story, to the point where I found myself counting letters as I encountered especially long words.

The Secret Hour is the first book in a trilogy, which means that while some secrets are revealed and initial conflicts wrapped up, it paves the way to more questions and the hint of a larger problem at hand. I eagerly look forward to seeing more in this vein, and a greater exploration of the setting.

Jessica Day and her friends are back. A small group of teens blessed (or cursed) with the ability to move freely in the secret 25th hour of the day, one which exists between midnight and one, they fight a never-ending battle against the evil shadows which stalk the night during that time. At long last, the time has come for Jessica and the others to properly explore the nature of their gifts, and to discover why there are no other Midnighters alive, in a city that seems to have been specially designed and influenced by them. For the signs are there for those who know how to see them. Thirteen-pointed stars scattered across town. Thirteen-letter words carefully embedded in key locations (such as the town’s name of Bixby, Oklahoma). Old records suggesting that once upon a time, Midnighters were more common. So what happened, and how could the knowledge either save, or doom, the small band of nocturnal guardians? Someone in town knows the truth, but finding them will be the hard part. Trusting them will be the impossible part. And in the end, the knowledge may break the group apart, and turn them upon one another, just as the shadows strike harder and quicker than ever before.

This is another one of Westerfeld’s intriguing offerings for young adults. Since this is the second book in a trilogy, it remains to be seen how he’ll tie everything together in the end, but so far, so good. As with the previous book, it mixes mystery, adventure, and occult lore to great effect, and its loving use of thirteen makes for an diverting read. (Keep your eyes open for thirteen-letter words, by the way. They have power. And there’s a lot more of them than I ever thought about.) Here’s hoping the third book will be just as good.

Mars Year One: Marooned! By Brad Strickland and Thomas E. Fuller, (Aladdin Books, 2004)

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In the year 2085, the first colony on Mars is expanding and thriving, ten years into its creation. But now the true test of survival is coming up: for an entire Mars year, it must exist on its own, self-reliant, self-sufficient, and cut off from Earth’s support. A more recent addition to the colony is the Asimov Project: a group of twenty teenagers specially selected from Earth’s teeming masses to bring a variety of specialties to the mix, as well as to prove children and teenagers can exist on Mars as well as anyone else. Thus, meet Jenny, Alex, and Sean, who form a tight-knit friendship soon after Sean’s arrival. Together, they’ll help each other survive and overcome all sorts of challenges, including some they never expected to deal with. However, the true challenge comes when conditions on Earth decline rapidly, leaving Marsport at the crossroads of a difficult decision, and the teens forced to risk everything for what they believe in.

Marooned! is the first book in the Mars Year One trilogy, and right from the start it sets out an intriguing, if fairly familiar theme. Evoking the same spirit as some of the Heinlein juveniles, it offers rich characterization and an roller coaster plot. Strickland and Fuller get the story rolling quite nicely; let’s hope they keep it up in the remaining books of the trilogy.

Manta’s Gift, by Timothy Zahn (Tor, 2003)

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Paralyzed in a skiing incident, Matt Raimey is facing life as a helpless cripple, trapped in a hospital bed, until a man comes to him with a radical offer: undergo an experimental procedure and be reborn as one of the Qanska, a race of manta-like beings living in the atmosphere of Jupiter. Give up everything he’s known for a chance at mobility once again, or stay safe and never enjoy life again. Matt takes the deal, knowing full well that it’s a one-way street, and that he’ll likely never see Earth again. And so he experiences a rebirth of body and soul, becoming the perfect blend of human and Qanska. Little does he know that certain people back home plan to usurp Project Changeling, convinced that the secret to the stars lies with the alien Qanska, and he’ll be forced to make some profound decisions regarding his life, his loyalties, and his future. Even those few people in the space station orbiting Jupiter that might be his allies can’t help him make the final, most vital choices. The stars await, but only for those bold and brave enough to trust in the unknown.

Manta’s Gift exemplifies some of the most important themes in YA fiction: conflicting loyalties, hard choices, and maturation. Forced to adapt to an entirely new lifestyle, Matt finds he has a lot of growing up to do. This is a coming-of-age story set in a fascinating new environment, richly imagined and creatively detailed, and a particularly strong offering from Zahn, a Hugo-winning author best known for his Star Wars novels. Though not marketed as a young adult book, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Manta’s Gift released through Starscape or Tor Teen someday.

The Magickers and The Magickers #2: The Curse of Arkady, by Emily Drake (DAW, 2001/2002)

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Eleven-year-old Jason Adrian’s world is thrown into disarray when a chance injury renders him incapable of attending soccer camp like he’d planned. Looks like it’s Grandmother McIntyre’s home for him, this summer! Anything’s better than spending time with the family he’s not sure really wants him to begin with… right? Luckily, something comes up to save him from the clutches of his grandmother. When Jason’s English teacher tells him he’s eligible to attend the mysterious Camp Ravenwyng, he takes the chance, little knowing that his life will never be the same again.

First, there’re the teachers. Not a one of them is anything less than highly unusual, whether it’s the Victorian Gothic Eleanora, the tie-dyed Gaven Rainwater, or the flamboyantly Celtic cook, FireAnn. Then, there’re the other kids at camp: computer-savvy Trent, bearish Stefan and his constant companion Rich, clever redheaded Bailey, owlish Henry, and more. Things are perfectly fine at first… save for the empty, haunted Dead Man’s Cabin, the person stealing tiny objects from the girls’ cabin, and the wolflike creature which attacks and bites Jason on his first night in camp. Then you have the midnight meetings of the counselors, Jason’s own disturbing dreams, and whatever FireAnn’s brewing up in the kitchen.

It all becomes much clearer when the counselors explain a few things. Such as that centuries after a near-cataclysmic battle between two great wizards, or Magickers, magic is harder to find in the world, those trained to it even rarer. Camp Ravenwyng is an experimental program to find those with a Talent for magic, and train them. Small problem: the elder Magickers are opposed to mass training; if this fails, the experiment is over. Big problem: the forces of the Dark Hand, those mortally opposed to the Magickers, lurk in the darkness, willing to do whatever is necessary to take the potential power of the Camp. And for those children without the talent or cunning, a potion of forgetfulness and a ride home await. Jason and his friends have to embrace whatever powers await them, and master their Talents, before it’s too late. And just to make things difficult, there’s a traitor in their midst, and Bailey’s already vanished…

In Book Two, The Curse of Arkady, those few students from Camp Ravenwyng who survived with powers and memories intact have returned home for the start of a new school year. Jason and his friends are still in terrible danger from the Dark Hand, and the menacing jackalwolves, and the elder Magickers can’t always be there to protect the fledging students. Jason’s having terrifying dreams again, which threaten to bring him into direct contact with Antoine Brennard, master of the Dark Hand, himself. A new counselor at school jeopardizes Jason’s chances of remaining on the soccer team. A family emergency may take one of Jason’s friends far away, placing her out of immediate aid’s reach. And just what is the Curse of Arkady?
As if that wasn’t enough, Jason has to deal with his new status as Gatekeeper, an extremely rare position of responsibility among the Magickers. He’s one of the only people who can help them to unlock the Gates and find a permanent, safe home for Camp Ravenwyng, and he’s barely trained. He’ll have to take some major risks and rely upon help from unexpected corners, if he’s to survive and succeed. It’s going to be an interesting year. Thankfully, an ally thought lost may return to the fold, even as another ally reveals their true colors.

Initially, I made the mistake of comparing the Magickers series to Harry Potter. Sure, similarities will and do exist, starting with the common genre conceit in which an otherwise ordinary kid discovers his or her magical heritage, goes to a special place to develop it, makes friends and combats dark enemies, often outshining the adults he’s supposed to be learning from. When looked at from that angle, the Magickers comes off as second-best every time. However, taken on its own merits, the series is well written, entertaining, and will undoubtedly satisfy the same literary tastes the Potter series does. The protagonists are believable, though I don’t remember if I was that mature at eleven or twelve, and they certainly learn to stand on their own without overly relying upon adults to save them. While the opening of the series seemed a little rough, the Magickers has visibly improved over the course of two books, developing into something quite different from Harry Potter or its literary cousins. I daresay that this is a series with a lot of potential, and that in all likelihood it will grow to fulfill said potential. My only real complaint now is that the books seem to end rather abruptly, as if choosing to stop at a certain point no matter what, rather than take the extra chapter and wrap things up a little neater. On the whole, the Magickers pleasantly surprised me, and now I’m looking forward to seeing how the series develops.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1: The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan (Hyperion, 2005)

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Perseus “Percy” Jackson is about to discover his destiny. The good thing is that he may very well be the son of a god, one of the many offspring produced by the various deities and supernatural creatures of the immortal Greek pantheon. The bad part is that as he comes into his true nature, powerful forces move to prevent him from ever discovering the truth of his origins.
If he survives the initial attacks, he’ll find refuge at Half-Blood Hill, a summer/year-round camp for fellow children of the gods like himself. There, he’ll find friends, teachers, allies, danger and excitement, as he waits to find out who his father was. Hermes? Ares? Dionysus? Or perhaps he’s the child of one of the Big Three – Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades, all of whom swore never to father children again after the disastrous last time that happened.

To make matters worse, a powerful artifact has been stolen, and should it not be recovered soon, those self-same Big Three will go to war amongst themselves, generating a conflict which could lay waste to the world. Suddenly, it’s up to Percy and his friends, one a daughter of Athena, the other an eager young satyr, to travel across the country, sneak into the Underworld, and reclaim the missing item before things get ugly. Of course, whoever took the artifact and framed Percy for it has plenty of minions to make life very interesting along the way. It’ll be a true test of Percy’s heroic potential, and he’ll need all the help he can get. But should he succeed, he’ll be a true hero, even as a deep, dark threat is revealed after centuries of hiding.
The Lightning Thief has all of the classic elements: a magical parentage, an epic quest, a hidden world existing alongside our own, and a trio of teenagers out to save the world. But for all the familiarity the story possesses, it’s fresh and exciting nonetheless. It has all of the style, flair, and excitement of Harry Potter, offering up that same sense of wonder and discovery without being at all derivative or imitative. It’ll be a damn shame if this book gets overlooked amidst the hype surrounding the next Potter book’s release, because The Lightning Thief is just as good, if not better, than The Sorcerer’s Stone. It’s rare that I’ll actually dare compare something to Potter, but this definitely warrants the invocation; once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I’m eagerly looking forward to future books in this series. Don’t let this one get away.

Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Biography, by Lemony Snicket (HarperCollins, 2002)

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After reading the Unauthorized Biography of Lemony Snicket, the author responsible for giving us the infamously depressing, tongue-in-cheek Series of Unfortunate Events, I find myself rather more confused than when I began, filled with questions I not only didn’t have before, but never even suspected I should be asking, such as “What is the V.F.D” and “What’s up with the talking cow” and “If there’s nothing out there, what was that noise?” This, I suspect, is all part of a cunning plan perpetrated either by Lemony Snicket, or a non-existent secret organization which will probably replace this review anyway.

Combining misdirection, outright falsehood, layers of complex secrecy, cunningly coded messages, letters which may mean something else entirely, unhelpful photographs, questionable transcripts, and excerpts from random books, the Unauthorized Biography attempts to unravel the mysteries of Lemony Snicket’s birth (not on a cattle farm), death (he’s not really dead), whereabouts (on the run), association with the V.F.D (which doesn’t exist) and relationship with the unlucky Baudelaire children (see Unfortunate Events, Series of) (see Lemony Snicket, books by) (see Science Fiction Chronicle, July 2002 issue, previous review column).

Ultimately, I concluded that while entertaining and misleading, this book serves absolutely no productive purpose, and is likely some sort of trick, and that the real Unauthorized Biography of Lemony Snicket was stolen while at press and replaced by this hilarious, clever parody of “real” unauthorized biographies. As a spoof on the genre, and an amusing addition to the Series of Unfortunate Events, it’s something people with a sense of humor might like, if their sense of humor extended to sly self-aware books aimed at people with a sense of humor. Of course, this review might have been written by a member of a secret organization, and thus suspect. (Translation: I enjoyed this book, and I believe those who have enjoyed Snicket’s previous offerings will be entertained, though it does not lend itself well to being read aloud, and is as much a visual entertainment as a literary one.)

Lady Cottingham’s Fairy Album, by Brian Froud (Harry N. Abrams, 2002)

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From the master of faeries himself, Brian Froud, comes a follow-up to one of his best-loved works, Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book. In this volume, Froud reveals more findings from the eccentric, renowned Victorian Cottington family. This time, he focuses on the work of Euphemia, who kept a diary of her encounters and fascination with the secret world of the fairies. This album contains never-before-seen insights into a magical, fantastical world, filled with commentary and photos of the elusive fairies. Unfortunately for artistic sensibilities, but invaluable to future researchers, Euphenia’s better-known sister, Angelica, got her hands on the album, and “pressed” a few fairies into it, leaving behind the imprints of some very surprised, and very flattened, magical beings. The end result is a volume filled with the distinctively whimsical, often beautiful painted art of Brian Froud. No one else captures the world of the unknown quite like he does. His fairies are unique, colorful, capricious, filled with life (or flattened and pressed), and in some cases, so ugly as to be cute. While all I saw was a preview excerpt of the real book, I’m confidant that Lady Cottington’s Fairy Album will be sure to please and amuse. For more information on Froud, best known for his conceptual work on movies Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, among others, go to www.worldoffroud.com.

Just Ella, by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Aladdin Paperbacks, 2001)

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Sometimes “and they lived happily ever after” isn’t the end of the story. That’s the premise of Margaret Peterson Haddix’s charming Just Ella, which revisits the classic ragstoriches fairy tale to show what happens after Cinderella meets her Prince Charming. Fifteenyearold Ella is a girl with a commoner’s sensibilities and a teenager’s frustration with the world. No sooner has she become engaged to the prince of her dreams and whisked away to the castle for some much needed training in etiquette, manners, and courtly behavior, than she discovers the royal life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Her growing discontent and the feeling that she’s making a terrible mistake cause her to reexamine her views on her betrothed and the life she’s marrying into, while at the same time revisiting the events that brought her to this point. When she deviates from the path laid out for her, will Ella find what she really wants, or will her spirit be broken?

Just Ella is a more than worthy variant on an old favorite. Ella is strongwilled and selfsufficient, the sort of heroine to take her destiny into her own hands and never give up to wait idly for her prince to come and save the day. Her determination, intelligence, and refusal to accept a bad situation when there are alternatives make her a character to admire, even if some of the supporting characters come off as a bit onedimensional in the end. Nevertheless, this is one fairy tale where “happily ever after” isn’t just another empty phrase. Highly recommended.

Jumper, by Steven Gould (Starscape, 2002)

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In a single uncontrolled moment of panic, David Rice runs away from home, leaving behind his abusive alcoholic father and the memory of his missing mother. However, unlike most runaways, David (or Davy) has a very special talent, one which manifests out of his intense need for escape: he can teleport, or “jump.” And jump he does, crossing hundreds of miles in the blink of an eye.

The first time was instinctive, to escape his father. The second time was likewise reflex, to escape the perils of the open road. After that, though, he learns to control the power, and explores its limits. Anywhere he’s ever been, he can teleport to, whether it’s across the room or across the world. Suddenly, no boundaries, no walls, no security system can stop Davy Rice, and the world is his for the taking. After a few false starts, he begins his new life on his own, in New York City. A brazen bank robbery in the dead of night sets him up with all the money he’ll ever need, but money alone isn’t enough to get by, so he obtains a place to live, fake ID, and tries to leave the past behind.

Millie is the girl of his dreams, a beautiful and intelligent college student who appreciates him for his mind, not his money. Nothing can stand between Davy and Millie. Not the three year age difference (for he’s still just eighteen), and certainly not the distance between his home in New York and her apartment in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It seems as though everything is perfect. Davy even reaches out to find his long-lost mother, seeking the familial love he never knew from his father.

Then things go wrong. His misguided efforts to help put the police close on his trail. A devastating, horrifying tragedy shatters Davy’s worldview, pitting him against terrorists and the National Security Agency alike. In the end, he’ll come face to face with all of his fears and insecurities, and come to terms with his life. He ran away from home physically, but inside, he never stopped running, especially after his powers gave him the world.

Jumper is one of the inaugural books in the new Starscape imprint from Tor, which seeks to reprint some of the best science fiction and fantasy books aimed at young adults. It was originally published in 1992, and hasn’t lost any of its strength or compelling nature in the decade since. It’s several books wrapped into one. It’s a coming of age story, in which Davy stands up for himself, and becomes an adult in the world. It’s a story of family and the way they relate to one another, between David, and his alcoholic father, and his runaway mother. It’s a cautionary tale about the abuse of power. The transitions from one stage of Davy’s life to another are seamless, flowing into each other organically. The rage he feels after a senseless tragedy rips his life apart is all too real, and his instinctive reaction to lash out is a logical change from his initial running away. After all, he’s still running from his feelings, and their consequences, and what they mean.

I’ve always enjoyed this book, and am pleased to see it back in print with a handsome new cover (courtesy of Vince Natale). As a sampling of what we can expect from Starscape, it’s a wonderful representative. As a book on its own, it’s definitely recommended. Jumper satisfies, entertains, enlightens, and successfully mixes escapist fantasy with all-too-real situations. Some of the solutions may seem a little idealistic, some of the problems may seem a little too paranoid, but overall, it’s a good read and highly recommended.

Juliet Dove, Queen of Love, by Bruce Coville (Harcourt, 2003)

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Painfully shy Juliet Dove has a slight temper problem. Overly-sensitive about her own retiring nature, she tends to react with quick, vicious words when placed under pressure. This, combined with the stress her poetry-loving family places her under, has put her on edge enough to earn the nickname “Killer.” Poor Juliet. Her troubles are just beginning. A chance visit to a mysterious magic shop leaves her in possession of a gorgeous ivory amulet. Worse still, once the amulet is put on, it can’t come off, and Juliet becomes the center of attention for every male she meets. For the girl who hates the spotlight, this is pure torture.

The plot thickens when a pair of talking rats show up to explain that Juliet’s become the pawn in a deadly game of the gods to spread chaos on Earth. Now Juliet, her siblings, and her newfound rodent friends have to play out the ending of an age-old story of love, desire, and regret, calling upon long-vanished gods to vanquish one diety who refuses to grow up.
This is the first of Bruce Coville’s Magic Shop books that I’ve read. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but what I found was a surprisingly entertaining, multi-layered story that moved right along in some unexpected ways. Jerome and Roxanne, the Immortal Rodents, stemmed from the sort of concept I dearly wish I’d thought of first, while the concept of the Magic Shop, a place where the unsuspecting visitor finds a magic item which changes his life, is an oldie but goodie that never grows stale in the right hands. Though this is the fifth in a series, you don’t need to read any of the others to understand it. Juliet Dove is actually one character I wouldn’t mind seeing again. I may have to go and find the previous books in the series now.