James Dashner talks about the difference between The Maze Runner and his upcoming book, The Eye of Minds. If you’re a James Dashner fan, you need to check out his Dashner Chat on Twitter. Just head to Twitter and search #dashnerchat.
Category Archives: young adult fiction
James Dashner on The Maze Runner vs. The Eye of Minds
Filed under authors, books, science fiction, young adult, young adult fiction
Fast Five with Anna Mackenzie
- Why did you want to be a writer?
I have always loved writing. I wrote my first book when I was seven – I have it still; it’s called ‘Stories of the Little Elf’ – but it still took me quite a long time to get around to writing fiction as a job. Instead I had a range of jobs that involved editing or non-fiction writing. It wasn’t until I left full-time work to raise my kids that I really found the right space and time for writing fiction. From that moment, there was no looking back!
- What’s the best thing about being a writer?
The very best thing is being able to spend not just hours but weeks and months following your characters through the twists and turns of their lives. It’s almost like living lots of different lives yourself.
- What’s your favourite New Zealand book?
‘The Changeover’ by Margaret Mahy. This is a perfect book: it captures the challenge and discovery of negotiating adolescence; it was one of the first novels I read set in my own country, which is highly affirming of your place in the world; and the writing is absolutely flawless.
- What do you love most about New Zealand?
I’ve lived in various places around the world but always knew I’d come back to New Zealand. We have beautiful and varied landscapes, we have clear air and a great climate, but we also have our own way of being. I fit in here! For better or worse, New Zealanders are outspoken, hard working, down to earth, determined. We believe anything is possible – and so we make the world that way.
- What do you love most about libraries?
The limitless possibility that lies on the shelves! I remember a moment of sorrowful realisation when I was about ten and it struck me that I would never have time to read every book in the library. I love that libraries make so much available to anyone who walks through the doors.
Anna Mackenzie is a full-time writer who writes young adult fiction. Her first novel, High Tide, was published in 2003 and her third novel, Sea-wreck Stranger, won the Young Adult Fiction Honour Award at the 2008 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Anna’s latest book, Cattra’s Legacy, is published in April by Random House New Zealand.
Filed under authors, books, fantasy, New Zealand, NZ Book Month 2013, young adult, young adult fiction
My Most Anticipated April New Releases
Maleficent Seven by Derek Landy
This time, the bad guys take the stage. Tanith Low, now possessed by a remnant, recruits a gang of villains – many of whom will be familiar from previous Skulduggery adventures – in order to track down and steal the four God-Killer level weapons that could hurt Darquesse when she eventually emerges. Also on the trail of the weapons is a secret group of Sanctuary sorcerers, and doing his best to keep up and keep Tanith alive is one Mister Ghastly Bespoke. When the villains around her are lying and scheming and plotting, Tanith needs to stay two steps ahead of her teammates and her enemies. After all, she’s got her own double-crosses to plan – and she’s a villain herself…
Department 19: Battle Lines by Will Hill
As the clock ticks remorselessly towards Zero Hour and the return of Dracula, the devastated remnants of Department 19 try to hold back the rising darkness. Jamie Carpenter is training new recruits, trying to prepare them for a fight that appears increasingly futile. Kate Randall is pouring her grief into trying to plug the Department’s final leaks, as Matt Browning races against time to find a cure for vampirism. And on the other side of the world, Larissa Kinley has found a place she feels at home, yet where she makes a startling discovery. Uneasy truces are struck, new dangers emerge on all sides, and relationships are pushed to breaking point. And in the midst of it all, Department 19 faces a new and potentially deadly threat, born out of one of the darkest moments of its own long and bloody history. Zero Hour is coming. And the Battle Lines have been drawn.
Light by Michael Grant
All eyes are on Perdido Beach. The barrier wall is now as clear as glass and life in the FAYZ is visible for the entire outside world to see. Life inside the dome remains a constant battle and the Darkness, away from watchful eyes, grows and grows . The society that Sam and Astrid have struggled so hard to build is about to be shattered for good. It’s the end of the FAYZ. But who will survive to see the light of day?
Sleepwalkers by Viviane Schwarz
When you are afraid to fall asleep, when all your dreams are nightmares, write us a letter, put it under your pillow, we will rescue you… It is almost time for the old and tired Sleepwalkers to return to the waking world. But before they go, they must conjure and train three new replacements. For who else will look after the Sleepwalking House and be there to answer the call of a child frozen stiff with fear, trapped in a nightmare? This is the story of the NEW Sleepwalkers… Filled with action and adventure, and all things that go bump in the night, three brave new heroes tackle the weird and the wild in this uplifting and reassuring story about pulling together as a team and having the confidence to stand up to your fears.
Portraits of Celina by Sue Whiting
Make him pay, Bayley. Make him pay.
“It s as if the wooden chest is luring me, urging me to open it – daring me almost. Open me up. Look inside. Come on, just for a second; it won t hurt.” Celina O Malley was sixteen years old when she disappeared. Now, almost forty years later, Bayley is sleeping in Celina s room, wearing her clothes, hearing her voice. What does Celina want? And who will suffer because of it? A ghost story. A love story. A story of revenge.
Cattra’s Legacy by Anna Mackenzie
Risha is strong and outspoken, and at 16 has developed into a leader of men, a strategic thinker, and a woman — one can imagine — who will assume the legacy left by her mother.
The story begins with 13-year-old Risha living a simple life in the mountains with her father. When her father suddenly dies, Risha is left alone, an outcast of her village. Disguised as a boy, Risha leaves the village with a group of traders, on a quest to find out the truth about her mother and her heritage.
Here begins a grand sweeping adventure as Risha is caught up in dangerous pursuits, intrigue, trickery and betrayal. She is left for dead, confused by the actions of many, and is made to hide from those who wish her harm.
She finds out by chance that she is Cattra’s daughter. Who is Cattra — and why do so many wish Risha harm?
Dead Romantic by C.J. Skuse
Camille wants to find the perfect boy, with an athlete’s body and a poet’s brain. But when she’s rejected at her new college party, she knows there isn’t a boy alive who’ll ever measure up. Enter Zoe, her brilliant but strange best friend, who takes biology homework to a whole new level. She can create Camille’s dream boy, but can she make him love her?
Dead Romantic is a new take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
W.A.R.P.: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer
The reluctant assassin is Riley, a Victorian boy who is suddenly plucked from his own time and whisked into the twenty-first century, accused of murder and on the run.
Riley has been pulled into the FBI’s covert W.A.R.P. operation (Witness Anonymous Relocation Program). He and young FBI Agent Chevie Savano are forced to flee terrifying assassin-for-hire Albert Garrick, who pursues Riley through time and will not stop until he has hunted him down. Barely staying one step ahead, Riley and Chevie must stay alive and stop Garrick returning to his own time with knowledge and power that could change the world forever.
Filed under books, children, children's fiction, graphic novel, New Zealand, young adult, young adult fiction
The Book of Doom by Barry Hutchison
If you’re a long-time reader of my blog you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of Barry Hutchison, from his creepy Invisible Fiends series to his short stories and his Afterworlds series. The first book in the Afterworlds series has just won the Older Readers category in the Scottish Children’s Book Awards (which is voted for by children so it’s a wonderful award to receive). He’s one of those incredibly talented authors who can creep you out one moment and have you laughing out loud the next. Barry’s latest book, The Book of Doom, is packed with those laugh-out-loud moments, and plenty of cringe-worthy ones too. The thing that makes the book even more awesome for me is that the main character is named after me (I can’t tell you how excited I am about this!). When you read your name on the page it’s even easier to imagine yourself in that character’s shoes and go on the adventure that they do.
Heaven has lost the most important object in existence and getting it back is gonna be Hell … The second hilarious book in Barry’s AFTERWORLDS sequence – comic fantasy perfect for fans of Pratchett and Douglas Adams. There’s panic up in Heaven. They have mislaid the BOOK OF DOOM – the most important object in existence. Oopsy. They think Satan might have stolen it, the sneaky little devil, so to save the world – plus, you know, quite a lot of embarrassment, fifteen year old Adam and his angelic guide Angelo are sent to retrieve it. Sadly directions aren’t Angelo’s strong point and they soon find themselves just as lost as the book, wandering through Afterworlds such as Valhalla and Hades and encountering some colourful characters along the way… Can the hapless pair make it to Hell and back?
The Book of Doom is absolutely fantastic and it’s the funniest book I’ve read for older readers since Barry’s The 13th Horseman. There’s something in this book for everyone, including an assassin monk, archangels involved in dodgy dealings, a boy who’s half-human/half angel, a demon with a statue made from the skin of his enemy’s children, singing and dancing Vikings, and a demon wearing roller skates and hot pants. There are also four familiar gentlemen who pop up at one part (I really can’t get enough of these guys and I hope we see them again). There are plenty of pop culture references in the story that you’ll be able to spot too, from super heroes to Star Wars. I loved how disappointed Angelo would get when someone didn’t get his reference to a comic or a movie.
Barry’s characters are wonderful as always. Zac is very cool and I’m honoured to be his namesake. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be a thief who gets sent to Hell to retrieve a very important book. He’s not fazed by much, even when faced with a demon who has eyes for nipples. Angelo is one of Barry’s funniest characters and he gets all the best lines. I cracked up laughing when he says ‘Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.’ He’s awkward, and a little bit clueless, but quite lovable too.
The banter between Barry’s characters was the highlight of Book of Doom for me. The banter between Angelo and Zac made me laugh out loud so many times and my favourite part is when they finally reach the gates of Hell. It’s the sort of book that you really want to read aloud because it would be even funnier to hear someone reading it.
The last few chapters of the book are especially hilarious and I loved the twist (which totally made sense when I looked back on the story). The Book of Doom will keep you laughing long after you’ve turned the last page.
5 out of 5 stars
Filed under adventure, authors, books, fantasy, funny, humour, young adult, young adult fiction
Michael Grant’s Light Book Trailer
Light is one of my most anticipated books of 2013. It spells the end of Michael Grant’s brilliant Gone series. I have a copy sitting on my coffee table staring at me but I’m waiting until I can give it my full attention. When I start I know I won’t want to stop until I’ve reached the end.
Light is due to be released on 1 April (just in time for Easter weekend!) and I know there will be plenty of Michael’s fans itching to find out what cruel punishment he doles out to the residents of Perdido Beach in this final book.
Filed under book trailer, books, science fiction, young adult, young adult fiction
A Necklace of Souls by R.L. Steadman
Thanks to the various book prizes that are awarded both here in New Zealand and overseas there have been some fantastic new authors for children and young adults discovered. Some of my favourite authors have won the Text Prize in the last few years, including Richard Newsome and Leanne Hall, which has started them on their writing career. The Tessa Duder Award is a relatively new award in New Zealand and it is given annually to the unpublished author of a work of fiction for young adults aged 13 and above. Last year’s very deserving winner was Rachel Stedman. I’m extremely glad she won because her book, A Necklace of Souls is a brilliant fantasy that left me awestruck. It has just been published in New Zealand, just in time for NZ Book Month.
In the hidden Kingdom of the Rose a Guardian protects her people with the help of a magical necklace. But evil forces are also seeking the necklace, and as the Guardian grows weaker these forces threaten to destroy the Kingdom. Dana, the rightful heir, must claim the necklace and save her people. Her duty is clear: to protect her homeland she must submit to the power of the necklace. But all power comes at a price – a price that Dana may not be willing to pay.
A Necklace of Souls is gripping, dark fantasy that sweeps you up takes you on a wild ride. It has reignited my love of fantasy stories. R.L. Steadman transported me to a medieval world similar to ours, where illness and war has ripped through the world leaving death in its wake. The one place that is safe, clean and peaceful is the Kingdom of the Rose, a magical, legendary place that is protected by a guardian. We’re introduced to the two characters who are central to the story – Will and Dana. Will lives outside the walls of the kingdom with a loving family, until the plague reaches his town and he is one of the only survivors. Luckily for Will, his Auntie and Uncle provide safe passage for him into the Kingdom, where he becomes an apprentice. It is inside the walls of the Kingdom that he meets Dana, the princess with a very important role to play.
I found the story absolutely fascinating. Rachel draws you in with the mystery surrounding the Kingdom, the necklace and its Guardian, Dana’s strange gift of true dreaming, and the threat from an army from a far off land. You know that all these pieces of the puzzle fit together somehow and you don’t want to stop reading until you find out how. N’tombe was one of the characters that intrigued me the most because her past was so shadowy. One of the things I liked most about the story was that, even when you got to the very last page, there is still a sense of mystery to the characters.
The story initially alternates between Will and Dana, but focuses more on Dana as the story progresses. I found it interesting that Dana’s story was narrated by her, but Will’s story was told in the third person. This seemed to fit the story though and I really enjoyed switching between the two. Dana and Will are both wonderful characters but Dana stood out more for me. She’s definitely not your average princess! She’s not afraid to get dirty, she’s a skilled fighter, and she’s not interested in being the center of attention or attending to her royal duties. She’s the complete opposite of her mother, who is incredibly vain and more interested in her face creams than the welfare of her people. Dana’s journey through the course of the story and the burden she has to carry has a huge effect on her.
A Necklace of Souls is a story that will stay with me for a long time and I hope that there is more of Dana and Will’s story to come. I think that A Necklace of Souls can stand proudly beside the likes of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, and Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina as a great fantasy story for teens and adults alike. Everybody should go out and buy a copy for NZ Book Month and support this wonderful New Zealand author.
5 out of 5 stars
Filed under authors, books, fantasy, New Zealand, young adult, young adult fiction
Win the award-winning 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison
I’m very excited to announce that Barry Hutchison’s hilarious fantasy, The 13th Horseman, has won the Older Reader’s category of the Scottish Children’s Book Awards. I was really hoping that it would win as it’s such a fantastic book and Barry’s a great author. When The 13th Horseman was released last year Barry made some very cool videos for the launch that we had in Christchurch. You can watch the videos and read my review of The 13th Horseman here on the blog.
To celebrate Barry’s award win I’m giving away 2 copies of The 13th Horseman. All you have to do is enter your name and email address in the form below. Competition closes Friday 15 March (International).
Thanks to everyone who entered. The winners are Laraine and Amelia
Filed under authors, books, competition, fantasy, young adult, young adult fiction
James Dashner on his new book The Eye of Minds
I’m a huge fan of James Dashner’s Maze Runner series so I’m really excited about his new series, The Mortality Doctrine. The first book in the series, The Eye of Minds is released in the US in October. This video is the first of a series of videos that James will be posting about his new series.
Filed under authors, books, science fiction, young adult, young adult fiction
Introducing The Department 19 Files by Will Hill
I’m a huge fan of Will Hill’s Department 19 series. I love them because they’re action-packed and gory, and there are vicious, blood-sucking vampires galore. If you haven’t come across the series you can read my reviews of Department 19 and Department 19: The Rising here on the blog.
The third book in this awesome series, Department 19: Battle Lines will be released in April in New Zealand (March 28th in the UK). In the lead-up to the release of Battle Lines, Will Hill is publishing three Department 19 short stories as ebooks. The Department 19 Files is a trilogy of new stories, set in the same world as Jamie’s, but further back in history. Will describes the stories as:
“…some of the darkest, most painful stuff I’ve written, and are full of all the action and gore you’ll be expecting. They shed light on the early years of Blacklight and how it became the organisation that Jamie and his friends are parts of, and they allowed me to write about one of the most fascinating periods in history, a period of mechanised death and devastation on a scale that is almost unimaginable in these days of drone strikes and laser-targeted bombs.”
The three stories are being released over the next three weeks in the lead up to the release of Battle Lines, and you can buy them from Amazon.com or Kobo in NZ. Will explains what each of the stories is about on his blog:
“if you want to read about Quincey Harker and his horrifying adventures in the darkness of the Western Front, pick up The Devil In No Man’s Land. If you want to see a younger Valeri Rusmanov doing what he does best as Europe is gripped by the flu pandemic of 1918 (and read some of the nastiest stuff I’ve ever written!) then stick around for Undead in the Eternal City. And if you want to know what happened when Quincey Harker returned home and discovered the truth about what his father and his friends really do, then The New Blood contains the answers, along with some characters that fans of Dracula will be very familiar with!”
I’ve just read the first story, The Devil in No Man’s Land, and it’s bloody brilliant! Set in the muddy battlefields of the Western Front, it tells the story of Quincey Harker (a character you’ll be familiar with if you’ve read any of the other Department 19 books) and the members of the Special Reconnaissance Unit. They fought relentlessly for their country and were given medals that they could never be officially awarded, but none of them were prepared for the horror that they would discover in Passchendaele. Will Hill is brilliant at building suspense and having you on the edge of your seat, waiting to find out what Quincey and his squad will come across next. The gore that I love in the Department 19 books is certainly here in this compact little story and Will portrays the horrors of war very well.
One of the things I like the most about the Department 19 books are the historical chapters that give you background to the story and the organisation, so it’s great that Will has written these ebook short stories. The great thing about The Department 19 Files is that they can be read separate from the rest of the books, so even someone who hasn’t read the others would enjoy these. They would be a great way to hook readers into the series too.
Filed under adventure, authors, books, history, horror, short stories, young adult, young adult fiction
Beautiful Creatures Movie
The Beautiful Creatures movie, based on the first book in the Beautiful Creatures series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, is out in New Zealand now. I haven’t read the books but I went to the movie today and loved it so much that I immediately want to go and get all the books in the series. The cast and the story was great so I highly recommend the movie.
I’d be interested to know, if you’ve read the books and seen the movie, how do they compare?
Filed under authors, books, movie trailer, Movies, young adult, young adult fiction
