Stray Souls (Urban Fiction)

“The spirits of the city are missing and it’s not natural and it’s not evolution and it’s not right…” 

A Shaman-in-Training tasked to save the City. An Apprentice Druid with psychosomatic allergies. An Obsessive Compulsive Vampire. The High-priestess of The Friendlies. A Banshee with a penchant for modern art. A Giant, Flesh-Ripping Doggie. A Goblin who is the Second Greatest Shaman Ever.

Stray Souls by Kate Griffin is a fun, fun twist on the Urban Fantasy novel. Griffin mixes together quirky characters, support group principles and customs, a compelling assignment, and a healthy dose of fantasy to create a novel that made me laugh a lot.

Sharon Lu’s mantra is “I am beautiful. I am wonderful. I have a secret. The secret is…” Part of the secret is that she occasionally walks through walls. She takes the initiative and, with the help of Facebook, starts a support group called Magicals Anonymous. Think church basement and good snacks. Her leadership skills bring her to the attention of the mysterious Midnight Mayor. He recognizes that she is a burgeoning shaman and gives her the task of saving the City. It turns out that someone is stealing the souls of places in the city. A large, supernatural dog is ripping people to shreds. And, Greydawn is missing. She is the presence that accompanies people in the early morning and lets them know that they are not alone in the City. The Midnight Mayor connects Sharon with a teacher, a great shaman who has some major issues. Sharon also finds her spirit guide, who sounds a lot like a game show announcer. Sharon, along with her newly found tribe, work together to “Save the City.”

While Stray Souls is a fun romp, it is also a well crafted novel. Despite being supernatural, the characters are likeable and believable. Griffin is spot on when she describes the feeling of being alone at 4:30 in the morning, the time when Greydawn is present. To me that is soul stuff, something deeper than I would expect from a fantasy novel. Sharon’s upbeat, take charge manner reminds me of the personality that so many of us have adapted at times, particularly those of us who have dealt with the public on a regular basis. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

The Drowning Girl (Mythic Fiction/Gothic Novel)

Hauntings. Ghosts. Sirens. Wolves. Mermaids. Drownings. Ravens. Schizophrenia. Suicides. Myths and Legends. Music. Paintings. Numbers. Murders. 

When I first started reading The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan, I thought it was a bunch of semi-coherent ramblings. I was confused how it could have been nominated for five awards -- 2012 Nebula, 2012 Shirley Jackson, 2013 Locus Fantasy, 2013 Mythopoeic, 2013 World Fantasy – and won the 2012 Stoker. In time I began to see the patterns and the forms, the play of themes, the interplay of the literal and the metaphoric.

Briefly, the story is narrated by Imp, a lesbian and schizophrenic, whose mother and grandmother both committed suicide. At the beginning of the novel Imp talks about a painting, "The Drowning Girl," that she saw in a museum when she was eleven. Imp rescues two women. The first is Abalyn, a transsexual, who makes her living writing reviews of video games. Imp finds Abalyn’s belongings out on the sidewalk after a messy breakup. Imp takes her back to her apartment, and they soon become girlfriends and lovers. The second woman whom Imp rescues is Eva. One night when Imp is out driving, she sees a naked woman along the side of the road. Imp takes her home. The true story of Eva, if it ever is actually revealed, is woven throughout the novel. Why does Imp think she met Eva twice? Why does Imp think that there are two Eva’s? What really happened between Imp and Eva? Who is (are) the “drowning girl”?

The Drowning Girl is not an easy novel to read. It has some intense themes, and it requires mental energy to work through the ideas. I won’t even pretend that I had it all figured out by the end. Even after finishing the novel, I still am seeing how all the ideas fit together.

Wide Open (Supernatural Mystery/ Fantasy Novel)

Okay, excluding some very necessary, quick breaks, I read Wide Open by Deborah Coates in one sitting. By the second page, I was deep into the story. At the end, I was grateful there was a sequel. I wouldn’t call it a "great" book from a literary standpoint, but it is a very engaging story. But then again, I am partial to mystery/fantasy hybrids.

Briefly, Halle comes home to South Dakota, on a bereavement pass from serving in Afghanistan, because of the death of her sister, Dell. Halle learns that suicide is the most likely cause of death. She also learns quite quickly that she is being accompanied by the ghost of her sister and the ghost of a fellow soldier. She soon meets Deputy Boyd, one of the few people who believes that there is more to Dell’s death. Halle first tries to uncover the truth of Dell’s death, but soon her goal changes to preventing more deaths. Boyd, himself, proves something of a mystery: what does he really know; is he a help or an obstacle. Halle has only ten days of leave to accomplish her mission.

I found so much to like about Wide Open. Halle is a very strong protagonist and yet I could identify with her grief. She struggles with the idea that she has some contact with her sister’s ghost—an enigmatic presence, but the experience is not the same as having her sister alive. I liked the pacing. Other than the ghosts, Coates waits until the middle of the book before she reveals that there is anything supernatural going on. We learn about Halle’s backstory fairly early in the story, but Boyd’s backstory is not revealed until close to the end. I also appreciated that the novel defies some formulas I associate with mysteries. I hope this is a beginning of a series in which I can look forward to reading the next book each year.

Fool’s War (Science Fiction Novel)

Artificial Intelligence. Religious Faith. Prejudice. Conflict. 

I had a mixed reaction to Fool’s War by Sarah Zettel. On one hand, it has some really interesting ideas, many of which work well. On the other hand, I was left feeling like something was missing.

Briefly, Al Shei owns a spaceship, that transports cargo, as a kind of timeshare with her brother-in-law, a man of questionable character. Al Shei hopes that eventually the money she makes will be able to buy a dream spaceship for her much loved husband and her children. When Al Shei has her turn, she finds that her uncle has hired a Fool for this trip. Fools are highly respected individuals who “were entertainers, confidants, clowns (and) functioned as pressure valves for long trips and cramped quarters.” Al Shei also finds out that her brother-in-law has left a package on the ship. When things begin to go dramatically wrong, Al Shei desperately tries to find out more about the package. Eventually, Al Shei and her crew uncover a plot that could cause an unprecedented war.

Fool’s War has a number of strong points. For the most part, Al Shei as a character works for me. She is portrayed as a devout Muslim woman, but she is also a shrewd employer and a loving wife. At the end, she is a woman who must reconcile conflicting parts of herself. For the most part, I liked how Zettel dealt with Artificial Intelligence. She made an interesting conjecture on how an AI could become sentient. She also did a good job at describing the many action scenes where an AI is in the Net. Some of the scenes portray conflict, but others portray the love and caring of AI’s for one another.

Some ideas could have been developed more. There were some relationships between the crewmembers that could have been more fully explored. If the book had been part of a series, I would have loved the idea of the Fools to have been uncovered very slowly. The cadence felt wrong to me. It felt like the plotline launched into the conflict too early and stayed there too long. I needed more plateaus, where I could just breathe and soak in the characters.

All and all, I’m glad that I read this book.

Mistification (Fantasy / Horror Novel)

You do not understand. Without the magicians, all the ugliness would be revealed. All reason for living, all excuses for our existence would be destroyed. Society and civilization would collapse into anarchy.

I have only read a few horror novels in my life. So, while my local library classifies Mistification by Kaaron Warren as a horror story, I am reluctant to do so. Yes, at times it looks at the dark side of human nature. Yes, there are some violent scenes that involve the supernatural. But, for me, it is a novel in which the author has used various scenes and stories to communicate ideas and feelings about magic, healing and superstition.

Briefly, the novel is composed of one overarching plot with dozens of short stories interspersed. The major plotline involves Marvo. The story opens with his earliest memory, being eight years old and being hidden from men in green who want to kill him. Years later, when he finally leaves his hiding place, he learns about who he really is, a magician, about his mission, and about the world he has only been exposed to through television. Along the way he meets Andra, a witch and healer, and they create a magic act together. Marvo has a need for stories, “seeking stories like they were drugs.” Marvo attempts to fulfill his mission as a true magician, while avoiding the death he foresees in a vision.

I found Mistification fascinating. The novel is dark and too sexually explicit for young adults. I didn’t find it uplifting. I couldn’t relate to the characters. With the exception of the last part of the novel, the plot didn’t excite me. Yet, I enjoyed the story because it conveyed so many interesting ideas and feelings.

Akata Witch (Young Adult Fantasy Novel)

 Leopards. Lambs. Juju. A Serial Killer. Mentors. Masquerades. Uniqueness.

While Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor is a young adult fantasy novel aimed at the preteen crowd, I still found it enjoyable to read. I liked the setting of Nigeria. I liked all the feel-good elements: celebrating your uniqueness, working together as a group, finding a mentor, uncovering your true identity and talents.

Briefly, Sunny is a twelve year old girl who was born in the United States and moved to her parents’ native country of Nigeria. She is taunted and bullied by her classmates because she is an albino. She is befriended by Orlu, with whom she becomes friends. She then becomes friends with Orlu’s friend, Chichi, who helps her discover who she really is, a Leopard Person, a person with magical abilities. Along with Sasha, an American boy, they are taken under the wing of a Leopard teacher and taught Leopard ways. Finally, as a group, they are given the task of defeating Black Hat, who has been murdering children so that he can perform powerful magic.

Akata Witch is well written. Nnedi Okorafor creates a fascinating spirit world. While much of the story is upbeat, it does deal with some dark elements of life. This is definitely a book I would recommend for a preteen.

Ash (Young Adult Fantasy Novel)

A Stepmother. An Orphan. Fairies. A Curse. An Agreement. A Huntress. An Eligible Prince. Choices. 

Ash by Malinda Lo takes the basic story of Cinderella and gives it some major twists. While this young adult novel is popularly considered a lesbian love story, it can also be interpreted metaphorically as a young woman claiming the power of her inner feminine — think Carl Jung.

Briefly, twelve year old Ash loses her mother after a very brief illness. Ash is devastated and spends long periods of time sitting and lying on her mother’s grave. During some of these episodes, Ash becomes aware of a fairy world, a world that her father and popular society now deny. One of the male fairies takes a special interest in Ash. Her father soon remarries a woman with two daughters. After Ash’s father dies, her stepmother claims that he left a huge pile of debts. In order for Ash to pay off the debts, she must work as a servant to her cruel stepmother. One of the twists is that the King usually has a Huntress. At a party where Ash is excluded, the current Huntress is one of the few people to recognize Ash and her pain. Later,a new Huntress and Ash experience numerous coincidental meetings. At the end of the story, Ash must make a life changing choice.

Although Ash is aimed at the young adult audience, it also spoke to me as a middle-aged adult. It poignantly describes the longing I have felt for the people in my life who have died. It describes surrendering to the conditions in our lives and then rising above them. It describes love. This is a lovely fairytale, and I hope that people don’t avoid it because of any labels attached to it.

Polar City Blues (Science Fiction Novel)

Murders. Psychic Ability. Politics. Artificial Intelligence. First Contact. Baseball.

Polar City Blues by Katharine Kerr is what I classify as an “I get by with a little help from my friends” novel. Sure, it is solid science fiction with a twist of mystery. Sure, it is packed with action. Yes, it definitely is an example of good world building. Yes, it has a strong heroine. But, what makes this an especially enjoyable novel for me are the different relationships, in all their various forms. I especially enjoyed how Kerr gives many of the characters, even the murderer, a backstory.

Briefly, there is a murder in Polar City on the planet of Hagar. The murder has far reaching political implications. Mulligan, a down on his luck psychic, is one of the first people on the scene. What he may or may not have learned about the murder puts his life in danger. Much of the novel is about finding the murderer before he finds Mulligan. As it becomes clear that the murderer is a hired assassin, the second mystery is the motive for the murder.

I purposely read Polar City Blues because Katharine Kerr is an author who I have not previously read and who is on the Women of Genre Reading Challenge list. As I read this novel, I thought to myself that this is an example of the difference between male and female writing. The basic plot line is typical Science Fiction fare, but the way it is developed is much more yin, feminine. I do not in any shape or form mean that this is a “chick novel.” It is rather that the novel looks more at the sentient (people) side of the story, like many of the mystery novels by women I enjoy, than at the technical or political side. 

A Natural History of Dragons (Fantasy/SF Novel)

A Childhood Passion. A Soulmate. An Expedition. Dragons. Scientific Discovery. A Mystery. Ancient Ruins. Smugglers.

Imagine being a young girl with a passion for science in an age where young girls are expected to be prim and proper, preparing to become the perfect wife. Now, imagine that passion is for studying dragons. The recently released, A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan is a memoir, told by an old woman, of how a forbidden childhood passion turned into a life-long career. Needless to say, the book is part fantasy, but it is also mixed with a good dose of mystery, some science, some adventure, and a bit of a love story.

Briefly, we meet Isabella at age seven when she is dragon-crazy, like many young girls are horse-crazy. She embalms a “sparkling,” a very small dragon, a symbolic beginning. In her early teen years, she dresses up as a boy in an effort to go on a dragon hunt. The results are almost fatal. She then goes through a grey phase where she gives up all things dragon and attempts to be the perfect daughter. Once she turns 16, her parents expect her to find a husband. Her sympathetic father hires a matchmaker, who makes a list of suitable candidates with extensive libraries that they would willingly share with their prospective wife. During a side trip with her brother to a menagerie, Isabella sees a dragon exhibit, where she meets Jacob, who happens to be on the list. He falls in love with her passion for science –well, really dragons. They marry. After a heartbreaking event, Jacob fully realizes his wife’s love of dragons. Isabella manages to convince Jacob to let her go with him on an expedition to study dragons. Something proper ladies just do not do. Once they arrive at their destination, they are confronted by mysteries. What has happened to their contact, who was supposed to meet them? Why are dragons, which normally ignore people, attacking them? Finding the answers will forever change Isabella.

I keep on using the word “beautiful” to describe A Natural History of Dragons. Yes, it has a strong female character. Yes, it has plenty of action and a well-developed mystery. Yes, it has likeable characters. But, what I experienced was a young woman with a passion, that ultimately brought her fulfillment but not without some major heartbreak. I’ve put this novel on my list of worthy award nominees for 2014.

Debris (Science Fiction Novel)

Debris by Jo Anderton is a novel that I would love to watch as a movie. It has a strong, but flawed female character. I could easily feel empathy for her. The novel has cool special effects and wonderful world-building. It also has a fast-paced plot. 

Briefly, the story takes place in the future, where people have learned to mentally manipulate pions, the very building blocks of matter. While the novel is clearly science fiction, the premise has a bit of the feel of magic. Tanyana is a skilled architect, who leads a circle of other pion manipulators. In the opening chapter, they are working on a magnificent – very expensive, very high profile– sculpture, when there is a tragic incident. The sculpture is totally destroyed, and Tanyana’s life is devastated. She loses her ability to see, let alone manipulate pions. She is left with grotesque scars. The government is more interested in having Tanyana make restitution, than hearing her side of the story. They tell her the incident is a tragic incident caused by her over estimating her abilities. She believes that she has been the victim of an attack by something she has never seen before. Against her will, Tanyana is surgically fitted with a “suit,” which will allow her to become a collector of debris, the byproduct of pion manipulation. This job is considered one of the lowest in society. The suit first looks like a series of odd, metal rings around various parts of her body. The suit begins deep in Tanyana’s blood stream. It can extend out to form tools or even a shield. It also has odd symbols on it, some of which allow her to be called to emergencies. Tanyana forms a romantic relationship with the technician who designed the suit and implanted it in her. In the rest of the book, Tanyana tries to adjust to her literal and metaphoric falls and to rise up again. She learns how to become a skilled debris collector. She makes new friends and allies. She uncovers the truth behind her “accident” and the strange things that caused it.

For me, Debris was more than just an exciting story. It hints at the yin and yang that work together to form our world. It describes overcoming a fall from societal grace. It talks about the power in “flaws.” Debris is the first book in the planned Veiled Worlds Series, and I am looking forward to reading the next book.

Happy Policeman (Science Fiction Novel)

Saying makes things so. What occurs is of no importance. What is important is perception. It is belief, not the act, that creates resonance patterns. You don’t have the right attitude. I try to make happy policemen. I don’t know why you insist on making unhappy ones.

Happy Policeman by Patricia Anthony is quirky and philosophical. This 1994 novel combines elements of science fiction, mystery, New Age thought, and odd small town characters.

Briefly, Dewitt, the policeman of a small Texas community, finds the Mary Kay lady murdered in an unusual way. Everyone is a suspect: the space aliens, who drive UPS trucks and furnish the town with all its needs; his own wife, an Avon Lady and a rival; the ex-husband; the doctor, an alcoholic; the mayor, a notorious pothead; the banker; the fundamentalist minister. The town has been isolated from the rest of the world since Bomb Day—when Reagan dropped the atomic bomb—six years earlier. The town has no idea what is on the other side of the line that the aliens have set up. By the end of the novel, the answer is revealed.  

Happy Policeman was a nice change of pace for me after I had read so many serious novels. Most of the time, I found it fun. At moments, I found it thought provoking: “Am I being ‘a happy policeman or an unhappy policeman?’” Towards the end, it raised questions of morality and justice. This is not your typical science fiction fare, and I was glad of it.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (YA Fantasy Novel)

Angels. Demons. Teeth. Chimaera. Sketches. Love. Family. Pain. Wishes. War. 

I suspect that in the not too distant future we will be talking about the actors in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Right now we need to be satisfied to read this award winning novel by Laini Taylor. In 2011, it won awards for Publisher Weekly’s Best Children’s Book and School Library Journal Best Books of the year. It has also been on various best seller lists. The novel puts a fresh spin on the angel and demon myths.

Briefly, the novel starts out with a somewhat familiar theme. Karou leads a double life. In one world, she is a talented art student at a school in Prague, going through all the familiar emotions of a teenager. But, she also has a “family,” whom she can only visit by way of secret entrances. They are four chimeras, combinations of different species, and live elsewhere. She was raised by Brimstone, who looks vaguely like a demon. He gives her charms that allow her to manifest minor wishes. He often sends Karou on errands, all over her world, to collect different types of teeth. Her odd but familiar life is forever changed when she encounters an angel, who destroys all the entrances that allow her to be with her “family.” Why is she attracted to someone who should be her enemy? Who is she really and where did she come from? What does Brimstone do with the teeth he collects? What is the secret behind the wishes? Who are the real bad guys?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is an enjoyable story, even for someone who is not a young adult. Taylor does a nice job of world building. The book smoothly takes us from a fairly familiar world to one that is rich in fantasy. The characters are multi-dimensional, having flaws and virtues. I look forward to reading the next book in this trilogy, Daughter of Blood and Starlight.