Monday Meme Spotlight: Steampunk

 

     Have you ever wanted a new kind of superhero? Is Batman too mainstream to you? Do you like historical fiction, but with there was more action involved? Then steampunk is for you! Here are a few excellent examples of steampunk in books. 

Leviathan- Scott Westerfeld:  This is a great example of a divergent steampunk adventure, set in an alternate history where DNA was discovered much sooner and the world- beasties versus mechanics- is on the brink of World War II. In this world, animal airships and mechanical walkers battle on the snowy tundras and forests down to the dusty lands of the Ottoman Empire. Click here to get your copy, and don't miss the other two books, Goliath and Behemoth.

Incarceron- Catherine Fisher: No fantasy steampunk is complete without a living prison that changes and moves to keep its captives inside. This is exactly what Incarceron provides, a thrilling adventure starring the daughter of the warden of this prison, who willingly goes in to escape an arranged marriage. There are three books in this series as well, so click here to check it 

Airman- Eoin Colfer: This book is close to my heart. Most certainly one of the best books I have ever had the pleasure to read, it's set in various places and times, but the gist is this: Connor is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and sentenced to serve out his term on a deadly mining island while the villain usurps control and endangers the princess- the new queen, Connor's best friend. He must find a way to escape and take back his reputation and save his friend before it's too late- and the novel is a complete thrill. Click here to get it for yourself. 

 

Book Review: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
First off, let me say that this book is a bit hard to describe. It is a unique fantasy/sci fi book that takes place in two worlds. First there is the world of Incarceron, the cruel prison that watches all the prisoners, recording their lives, and in some cases causing their deaths. Then there is the world outside of Incarceron, where although the people appear to be free, they are actually confined by the Era. Everything must be in Era. Everything not in Era is illegal. Although the more wealthy may have such modern conveniences as washing machines, everything must be scrupulously concealed so that it appears to be an Era centuries in the past.

Finn is a prisoner in Incarceron, and though everyone states that no one ever comes from outside the prison and many believe that outside doesn’t exist, Finn knows he has seen the stars and was not born in Incarceron. Finn’s memories are full of holes, and on occasions he gets flashes of things not from Incarceron. He longs to find out more, and to find a way out of the prison. When a woman in the prison mentions a key, Finn believes he may have found a way out.

Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, a formidable and scheming man. Her father has arranged for her to marry Caspar, who will one day be King. Claudia longs to be free of her engagement with the sniveling Caspar, and longs to be free of the confinements of the Era. She also seeks Incarceron, her father’s best kept secret. Although she knows the prison exists, she doesn’t know where it is. She doesn’t even have proof of the prison’s existence, until she finds a key and ends up communicating with a young man named Finn.

The dichotomy of the book is interesting. You have two separate worlds, a world that appears to be perhaps 17th century and a prison world that is a technological machine governed by what appears to be an artificial intelligence. In both worlds you can see that the society is more technologically advanced than we are now, but the outside, where Claudia lives, does its best to make you think time has stopped somewhere in an era past. Meanwhile, inside the prison, you see how the technology has been integrated into the bodies and lives of the prisoners.

I have to say that I like this book from the very beginning. It was gripping and I didn’t want to put it down. It is probably one of the most original fantasy novels I have read in a long time. Both Finn and Claudia were likable characters struggling to survive in their own prisons. Incarceron was not only a setting for the book, but a character. It is a scary unpredictable place. It watches you, knows you and interacts with you. Incarceron will try to bend you to its will or it may just destroy you.

In the end, I found myself wanting to know more about the prison’s intelligence and how it became what it did. You also find you self wanting to know more about the other characters, like Claudia’s father, and the Queen. The book leaves you wanting more, so I hope that the sequel due out in 2011 will address some of these questions.

This is definitely a favorite for me. Highly recommended.

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is some violence in the book.

View all my reviews >>

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 3/4/2010

Teens Can Make A Difference

Check out this great interview in School Library Journal about a teen who is making big things happen in Rwanda!

WA Teen Helps Build School Libraries in Rwanda

Avalon High by Meg Cabot Will Be a Disney Channel Original Movie


Probably my favorite of all of Meg Cabot’s books is going to be a movie. This has me both excited and concerned because I am afraid of what changes they will make to her wonderful story (T*Witches anyone?). Read all about Meg Cabot’s exciting news on her website.

Movie Rights to Incarceron by Catherine Fisher have been Purchased by Fox

This is probably my favorite book since Hunger Games.  Incarceron (book review forthcoming) is the story of two teens.  Finn inside the prison of Incarceron, and Claudia, trapped in a prison of her own on the outside.  It has been a book that I am loath to put down.  It is filled with fabulous writing and descriptive imagery.  I am so excited to see this as a movie, since the book itself evokes such wonderful and fantastic images in my imagination that I can actually picture this as a movie.  I only hope that they don't make too many changes because Fisher's book is outstanding and very "visual" as it is.  Read about the movie at Variety.com.

Fox wins bidding war for 'Incarceron': Studio picks up dystopian jail tale

It's Back for 2010!  SLJ's Battle of the Kid's Books

Last year our winner for the best book of 2009 went to Suzanne Collin's fantastic book Hunger Games.  Who will win this year's competition?  Check out the competitors and the judges by following along this year.  Don't forget to vote for your favorites so you can resurrect them from the discard pile!

Battle of the Kids' Books 2010 - More Bodacious Than Ever!
Battle of the Kid's Books 2010 New Arena