Books of the Week

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YA/ Fantasy/ Alternate Worlds YA/ Fantasy/ Heroes and Heroines
Bell, Hilari
Flame
Simon & Schuster 0689854137

With Farsala on the verge of war, the ruling Gahn has determined that the High Commander must sacrifice one of his children to insure victory. Lady Soraya is selected but her father devises a plan for his bastard son Jiaan to spirit her away. Kavi, a metal smith who's career had been destroyed by one of the Deghan is caught by Soraya's party and conscripted into carrying supplies and messages to her while she is in hiding but when he is caught by a band of Hrum scouts he begins to spy for the invaders who will make the Deghans slaves but will respect the rights of the peasants. Saroya, who goes hunting in the desert while in hiding, is rescued by the mysterious pale Suud who eventually teach her some of their magic. Superb world building with three carefully thought out cultures sets an enticing backdrop to a tale of conflicting political and social mores. The characters grow and change in this thought provoking adventure.

Science Fiction/ Short Stories/ Anthologies
Nielsen Hayden, Patrick, ed.
New Skies
Tom Doherty Associates/ Tor 0-765-30016-8

The best short science fiction of the last two decades from the brightest lights in the sf firmament gives the reader lots to think about. Extraordinary stories both those that won major awards and those that should have make this that rare kind of collection that consistently features strong stories.

Crime/ Ex-cop Crime/ Native American Detective
Goodweather, Hartley (Thomas King)
DreadfulWater Shows Up
Scribner 0743243927

Thumps DreadfulWater, Cherokee and a former California cop now living in the town of Chinook adjacent to the Blackfoot Res and trying to be a professional photographer is called in to photograph a murder victim at the luxury resort and casino the tribal band is due to be opening soon. The woman in his life, who is also the tribal leader asks him to investigate in an attempt to keep her teen son who was totally opposed from the project from getting mixed up in the murder as a suspect. As Thumps investigates more outsiders visiting Chinook end up dead. Gently humorous mystery with a strong sense of place and realistic characters make the debut of this series a winner. King is always a joy to read. The delightful humor that made Medicine River one of my all time favorite books shows up here.

YA/ Paranormal/ Vampires
Rees, Douglas
Vampire High
Delacorte Press: 0385731175

Flunking every single class, even homeroom, doesn't get Cody Elliot out of New Sodom, Massachusetts, it just lands him in a charter school full of vampires where he finds a new best friend, romance with a beautiful vampire princess,  and the inner strength to take on the school bullies. This delightfully satirical fast paced romance takes a look at the very real teen issues of fitting in and deciding to take a stand.  Humor, vampires, and romance make it appealing but it is more than just a light read. It takes a substantive look at right and wrong, friendship, and courage.

YA/ Fantasy/ Time Travel/ Parallel Worlds
Hoffman,Mary
Stravaganza: City of Stars
Bloomsbury 1582348391

It is unusual for the second book in a series to live up to the promise of an outstanding first but in this case City of Stars does the unlikely giving the reader an adventurous story that surpasses Stravaganza: City of Masks. Fifteen-year-old Londoner Georgia has no friends and an abusive stepbrother who torments her relentlessly. When she finds a figurine of a winged horse in an antique shop she knows she has to have it even though she hoards her money for horseback riding. One night she falls asleep in her 21st century bedroom with the figurine clutched in her hand and wakes up in Remora, an alternate 15th century Sienna where she is mistaken for a boy. Political intrigue, romance, family relationships, and a thrilling horse race, as well as a real winged horse contribute to this fully realized tale. This reader can hardly wait for the next installment of this outstanding time travel / parallel worlds series.

YA/ Contemporary/
Smith, Greg Leitich
Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo
Little, Brown 0316778540

In a sparkling debut, Smith introduces three smart likeable teen characters, Elias, Shohei, and Honoria. Will romance destroy the trio as they venture through middle school? Will Honoria be able to condition her piranhas to prefer bananas? Will Shohei be able to convince his parents that he needs to nurture his Irishness? Will Elias be wrongly convicted of scientific charlatanism? Charming characters, realistic situations, and generous humor make this a good read for the youngest end of the YA range.