David Maybury | Blog

I managed to miss a few reviews from the Irish Independent – namely because they weren’t online – but with a little help from Sarah Webb (thanks Sarah!!) I’ve got copies of the missing reviews:

Teenage readers who like their novels fast and furious are spoilt for choice this season with three cracking new action-adventure tales: Time Riders by Alex Scarrow, The Ring of Five by Eoin McNamee, and Vampirates: Empire of Night by Justin Somper.

Time Riders (Puffin £6.99) is the first YA (young adult) novel by a successful adult thriller writer and ex-computer game designer, and is an exceptionally confident teen debut. Three very different teenagers are plucked from sure death by a mysterious stranger and together must police evil time travellers and fix ‘broken’ history. Maddy should have died on a plane in 2010, Liam should have died on the Titanic in 1912, and Sal should have died in a fire in 2026 – but instead they become the Time Travellers. The concept is Einstein-clever, the plotting exceptional, the writing sharp and edgy – all in all a terrific read for readers of 12 or 13+. Highly recommended.

Irish author, Eoin McNamee is back with his second teen thriller with a fantasy twist. In the opening scene of The Ring of Five (Quercus £6.99) teenager Danny is kidnapped and forced to join ‘Wilsons’, a crack spy team dedicated to defeating the ruthless Cherubs. While not as deftly plotted as the Scarrow book there’s plenty here to keep young teen readers’ adrenaline pumping in this excellent Harry Potter/Robert Muchamore mash-up.

And finally ‘Captain’ Justin Somper is back with another Vampirate tale, Empire of the Night (Simon and Schuster £6.99). Twins Conor and Grace Tempest are thrown into another rip-roaring adventure on the high seas featuring betrayal, deception and vivid sword fights galore. Read it for the characters’ names alone – Mosh Zu and Lola Lockwood Sidorio. Swashbuckling fun, ideal to keep young imaginations fuelled.

/reviews by Sarah Webb/

From under a snow-ridden Dublin (read lots of snowball fights and a family of snow-people) here’s a quick run down of some book reviews from the last week -

*UPDATE* Not sure how I missed it but Sara Keating has a review of Manga Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet in the Irish Times:

For the most part, Manga Shakespeare has received glowing praise from teachers and graphic artists, as both an introduction to Shakespeare and to contemporary art forms, which students are given an opportunity to try themselves in workshops. They take specific scenes from the plays and condense them into comic-strip form, which forces them to pay attention to meaning as it is embodied in Shakespeare’s language.

Anything that makes classical literature more accessible and more interesting for young teenagers, teachers say, will ultimately lead them back to the original text. It is, perhaps, a mode of instruction that Shakespeare himself would approve of: “Those that do teach young babes,” he writes in Othello , “Do it with gentle means and easy tasks.” – Sara Keating, Irish Times.

Publishers Weekly have a review of new releases across the lake including Calamity Jack (Shannon Hale, Dean Hall, and Nathan Hale’s sequel to Rapunzel’s Revenge).

Amanda Craig reads two sequels – The 13 Curses from Michelle Harrison and Rebel by R. J. Anderson.

Although Anderson needs to avoid becoming syrupy in places, it’s the warmth and humour between Timothy and Linden that makes the book outstanding – Amanda Craig

Philip Ardagh appears in the Guardian with a review of Jeanette Winterson’s sequel The Battle of the Sun. Beardy Ardagh was won over:

This book radiates enjoyment, and the reader can bask in it. I was mesmerised by craft of an endlessly inventive author writing at the height of her powers – Philip Ardagh

Future Publishing are planning to release an ‘in-depth look at the latest superhero movies, videogames and the comic books’ with their aptly named coffee table tome – Comic Heroes.

And back to Publishers Weekly again – this time for a review of Asterios Polyp, winner of the PW Comics Week’s critics poll. Click for a full run down of the awards.

Saturday saw the coming and going of the Irish Children’s Literature and Culture Symposium in UCD. And what a day!? There were interesting panels, lectures and speakers up the ying-yang!

If you haven’t already read lady-schrapnell’s comprehensive notes from the day – then get to it! They are faaaar more composed than my ramblings.

I was completely blown away by some of the presentations – particularly Valerie Coughlan and Ciara Ní Bhroin’s sessions on the Liminality of the bog and Modern Retellings of Irish Myths. Both were well researched, informative – and entertaining. (And there are plenty of ‘bog’ jokes still left to be made!)

The best was kept till last though – with a round-up by Mary Shine Thompson and panel discussion featuring Celia Keenan, Patricia Kennon and Éilís Ní Dhuibhne. This was the most passionate – and engaging – part of the symposium as theories, questions, jokes, anecdotes, questions and hypotheses were thrown around the room at lightening speed. (Jacqueline Rose has me quaking and my head-hurting)

The panel touched on reviewing children’s books in Ireland – which was both terrifying and refreshing. There is a lot of work to do in reviews of Irish books!

All that is left to say are the thanks: To the entertaining gang from Froebel who kept me on my toes at tea break! (Apple and cheese snadwiches!!) To the interesting speakers for their presentations. And to Susan Cahill for organising the day – and making the great point (in relation to bringing Oisín McGann, a group of kids and L.T. Meade together): Why not?

Remember I let slip that Mr Anthony Horowitz was around?

I had some bugs planted amongst the 400 fans who managed to meet the man himself on Friday in Liberty Hall (see pic for evidence). And the the low-down is…

Mr Horowitz is leaving. Not the planet, just children’s books.

Yup – he shall be writing no more kids books,  once he has written the last Diamond Brothers, the final Power of Five and two more Alex Rider books.

(One with Alex as the lead and then the big finalé will be about Yassen Gregorovich as a 14 year old right up until he meets Alex, what makes a 14 year old choose evil, until he dies and Alex is there and probably a bit about his parents)

Shocked? I am!

And from the realms of the independent.ie (it’s not on their site at the minute) is Sarah Webb’s review of Crocodile Tears:

(more…)

Greetings – Tom Donegan here from CBI. I must admit to being a wee bit afeared at the thought of stepping in young Mr Maybury’s mighty brogues, but I’ve decided to overcome my trepidation so that I might spread the word a little about a fantastic new book by the wonderful Jane Mitchell.

A previous winner of the Bisto Book of the Year Award, Jane’s latest title Chalkline (Walker Books) marks a return to novel-writing after a break of almost a decade – and what a comeback!

Taking up the story of Kashmiri schoolboy Rafiq, the narrative charts his devastating inculcation into the ranks of a band of rebel freedom fighters. It’s hard-hitting stuff and Mitchell doesn’t flinch from the darkest aspects of the issues at stake, though the harsh reality of children being involved in terrorist activities is softened on occasion by more light-hearted insights into everyday village life in this little known part of the world.

Based on the author’s real-life experiences of travelling in the area, the landscape and characters are alive with authentic detail and it’s little wonder that Amnesty International have endorsed it as contributing to a better understanding of human rights and the values that underpin them. High praise indeed!

Chalkline is available in all good bookshops now. Younger readers can also look forward to Jane visiting a library or school near them, as she will be touring the country as part of this October’s national Children’s Books Festival events programme, details of which will begin to appear on the CBI website over the coming months…

Phew, now time for a deep breath! How did I do? ! td

NEWSFLASH – I have it  on good authority that Jane will be on the RTE Radio 1 Arts Show with Vincent Woods this evening (Monday 15th) from around 8pm. Turn on, tune in…

Last paper review for a while – hope you enjoyed ‘em as much as I did.

The Independent UK champions the role of the Children’s Laureate -

Want a spokesman on the Today programme about the latest development in junior fiction or poetry? Call the Children’s Laureate. Need a voice to question the government’s literacy drive when this seems to be at the expense of reading for pleasure? Ask for a quote. Searching for a keynote speaker to promote picture books, poetry or novels? Look no further. The Children’s Laureate is alive, kicking and here to stay

AS Byatt was the toast of the weekend reviews – The Children’s Book appeared in the Irish Times and the Times UK. “Easily the best thing AS Byatt has written since her Booker-winning masterpiece, Possession (1990)”

And of course there was talk of the Carnegie Awards – Alison Flood analyses the shortlist while with Keith Gray making an appearance in the Guardian to say…

It’s the kids’ Booker… it’s good to be on a list that seems to have boys in mind. A lot of books aimed at boys are about being a spy, fighting monsters, being a vampire – it’s great to have some that are about what it feels like to just be a boy.

Elsewhere in the Guardian – Sally Nichols’ Season of Secrets gets read by Kathryn Hughes: “Sally Nicholls’s great challenge in this, her second book, is to graft a story of modern childhood on to one of myth and natural magic.” Michael Faber explores Jamilti – whilst bemoaning the tricks involved in reviewing graphic novels – and Craig Taylor reviews Razorjack.

Amanda Craig in the Times UK reviews Sarah Singleton’s The Poison Garden and Kaye Umanksy’s Pongwiffy Back. While Nicolette Jones reads Helen Grant’s The Vanishing of Katharina Linden:

Even if the plot ultimately seems somewhat unlikely, the reader is swept along by a need to know and by Pia’s engaging and innocent narrative voice, rather as the narrator of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time leavens a tragic story. This has similar crossover appeal. For something so chilling, it is terrific entertainment.

Sam Jodinson is impressed by the staying power of John Christopher’s The Death of Grass -

Chances are that your memories will be forever tarnished. You will fail to rediscover the magic that entranced you first time around – but you will realise that Enid Blyton is a bigot, Willard Price a boor and Anne of Green Gables a bore. There are exceptions: Roald Dahl is a genius at any age… contrary to my normal expectations – The Death of Grass struck me even more forcefully this time around.

In other news…

Amazon profits are up.
Woody Harrelson uses the old zombie defence line.
The London Book Fair talk continues.
Bea Arthur – of Golden Girls fame – has died.

And finally – one last review that is worth a read – Catherine Taylors review of Sofie Laguna’s One Foot Wrong. And through the magic of Google – you can read the book here.

I’m a little late with the paper reviews – yesterday was spent recuperating from a chocolate hangover the likes of which have never been seen. Hope ye all had an eggsellent weekend too.

Niall MacMonagle appeared in the Irish Times last weekend with a round up of teen fiction including Life Interrupted, Colony, Guantanamo Boy, Falling, Shadow Bringer and The Hunger Games.

Young readers often prefer crash-bang excitement but those quieter reading moments that heighten the emotional, psychological and spiritual prove vital on the teenage reading path.

Over at the Irish Independent – Declan Burke appears championing the crime writers battling it out in the Irish Book Awards.

The Observer gave way for an Easter book round-up – starting with Kate Kellaway looking at new books for readers 2 years and up. Stephanie Merritt took on readers 8-12 and Lisa O’Kelly read some great new titles for 12-16 year olds, including Julia Donaldson’s Running on the Cracks.

Nicolette Jones in the Times UK reviews the The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales while Amanda Craig reviews Helen Grant’s The Vanishing of Katharina Linden and Jane Eagland’s Wildthorn.

Wildthorn follows a pattern familiar to admirers of Sarah Waters, with an unconventional love affair proving the key to Louisa’s escape. It is a bold and thrilling read.

Mary Hoffman in the Guardian reviews Jenny Valentine’s The Ant Colony.

Valentine has moved into new territory. Not geographically – we are still in the sometimes mean streets of Camden Town and Chalk Farm – so much as emotionally.

Back in the Irish Times Donald Clarke investigates the world of movie adaptations – opening with:

Harry Potter fans are not happy. A recent Chicago screening of the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince generated a typhoon of internet posts from disappointed acolytes. Apparently, they’ve changed the ending. They’ve inserted too much romance. They’ve cut an important series of “memories”.

And sticking with the screen… The papers are agog with reviews, news and interviews of Sky’s adaptation of Skellig. John Patterson talks to Tim Roth in the Guardian. Tom Sutcliffe in the Independent UK reviews the show. And Gareth McLean breaks the news that Sky, armed with a decent budget, are planning to continue making new, interesting adaptations under the eye of commissioning editor of Elaine Pyke.

And there’s more!

Japan are planning to export Manga as a means to increasing their revenue (Guardian)
Staying with Manag – DragonballZ gets a 2 star rating (Times UK)
Graham Linehan tells us what he’d like to see next (Independent UK)
Education is new Teachers versus Television according to some (Independent UK)
The interweb is lamenting the loss of Go4it (Awfully Big Blog Adventure)
Philip French reviews the original Let the Right One In, before the US remake (Guardian)
JK Rowling stepped down as a patron of Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland (NY Times)
How much do authors owe their readers? (Guardian Book Blog)
And finally – Tor.com has an introduction to all of the Hugo nominated artists.

The Sunday Times ‘Best of 2008′ list is online – a good day in advance. Nicolette Jones has a mixed list of bestsellers and quirky titles, including David Conway’s The Great Nursery Rhyme Disaster and Andy Stanton and David Tazzyman’s Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear.

Malorie Blackman’s Double Cross is reviewed by Diane Samuels in the Guardian:

Double Cross certainly stands up on its own. For a newcomer to the series it does take a bit of effort to piece the people and past events together, but it’s all worth it. Blackman “gets” people, especially young adults, in all their tentativeness, determination and energy. She “gets” humanity as a whole, too. Most of all, she writes a stonking good story. And this is what takes the book beyond the moment, giving it a timeless value. The combination packs a punch yet keeps a tender heart.

Happy reading.

Conor Kostick’s new book arrived on Friday too. But it came with a big warning on the front so I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to give away. All I’m saying is that Conor is back with a bigger, better and even more thrilling book called Move.

Liam O’Dwyer discovers he can move between parallel universes – when he wants something to go his way, he moves to the universe where it happens. (Remember Sliders?) But there are consequences to each move and they are starting to catch up with Liam and his friends.

As with his two previous books, Epic and Saga, Conor has created a world that is hard not be sucked into… (But not until September according to O’Brien Press)

I just let go of Patrick Ness‘ new book and have been struggling to find a name for it. Bookwitch helped me with her post on ‘journey books’ last week – books that go from A to B. Knife of Never Letting Go is a journey book. It is a mammoth, emotive, thrill of a journey book. Ness’ own description of the book is that ‘it is like reading Philip Pullman while simultaneously falling off a cliff.’

Todd Hewitt was born on New World. He can hear the thoughts of everyone in his village. And they can hear his. But not everything is right in his town. Twenty years before he was born settlers journeyed to New World, leaving their lives of technology and violence to rebuild a simpler world. Life on New World is full of secrets and Todd is about to start discovering the truth.

The most interesting part about Knife of Never Letting Go is the narrating voice. Todd can’t read so he creates his own spelling, and his own words at times. Mixed with the cross over thoughts of the things and people around him, including Manchee his dog, Todd’s story is pieced together and his racing voice keeps you hooked throughout.

If I had to find one criticism with the book it would be the ending. Knife of Never Letting Go is the first of a planned trilogy but it doesn’t sit as a stand alone book. The cliffhanger at the end left me eager for more, but annoyed for not getting any real closure to the first part of the story. But that’s only a half-criticism because it is too good to complain!!

Perfect for a strong 11+ reader.

Notes:
Things you didn’t know about Patrick Ness: He has a tattoo of a rhinoceros.

With the best name in music The Ravonettes, a duo of Danish early-rock revivalists, have released their third album, Lust, Lust, Lust. Listening to all three in succession may not be the best way to hear any band but it does The Ravonette’s no harm.

There is a darker substance to the new album that was lacking in the first two. Focusing on the sex of sex, drugs and rock and roll, along with the trademark tracks played fast and loud. The first few songs are more lucid than the rest of the album but there is something in each one to catch you all the way to the end. A worthy alternative to REM’s Accelerate (on the playlist for next week).

Songs of the album – Aly Walk with Me, Dead Sound.

A copy of Colm Ó Snodaigh’s album Giving fell into my lap on Friday. I’ve only managed to listen to it once (and a half) so this might not be the fairest judgement delivered on the album. First impressions are worth something though.

Giving is an eclectic mix – it was hard to find a definite thread that runs through all of the tracks apart from Ó Snodaigh’s own vocals which sometimes exude confidence, while at others shy away. The confidence on the album overall is a mixed bag – the songs jump from weakly written, Adieu, to impressive, subtle and haunting tracks like Lechaileach Arís and Is tú mo Ghrá.

The album is far removed from the usual sounds that Kila deliver – which is an interesting move for Ó Snodaigh. It does focus heavily his voice, which comes into it’s own in some of the tracks. Good for a Monday night in with a book and a glass of whatever you’re having yourself.

Not only is this week Library Ireland Week or this Thursday World Book Day – it is also Japanese Animation week. To mark the week that’s in it the Japanese embassy is running a series of movies throughout Dublin.

Disappointingly, I missed tonight’s showing of Voices of a Distant Star and Princess Mononoke in St Pat’s. (The dubbed version of Princess Mononoke stars Claire Danes, Billy Bob Thornton, Gillian Anderson and Minnie Driver.) On Thursday, Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days (both from Makoto Shinkai) will be showing in Trinity College and there will be three more movies shown in the Chester Beatty Library on Saturday, including The Castle of Cagliostro.

For more visit the Embassy’s website. Might even see you there.

Also: Gary Gygax has died. The man behind Dungeons and Dragons.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
If that’s not your kind of thing – why not try one of these:
> Jim Carroll’s post on Mongrel and Foggy Notions passing. 100+ comments – including some from the mongrel team.

> Will a self-published book ever win a major book award?
> The Kenyon Review – On writing Badly
> Slinky Pics (wowsie website) is nominated for a British Animation Award.
> Alan Moore and Todd Klien’s Alphabet of Desire is back for a second limited print-run.

> Mr Linehan has a suggested reading list. Go buy.
> The University of Minnesota has bought $100,000 worth of comics. Here.
> Strange children’s picture book nature scene.
> Steven Spielberg is launching a paranormal/UFO social network site. (Suggested names anyone?)

Everything is running a bit slow after the blog awards. Here’s todays 101 – just a little later than usual.

I’ve had the Delorento’s living in my ear all this week – discovering them nearly three years since they were the ‘next-big-thing in the making’ (according to Mr Sheridan). There is something very calmative in the songs on their album in love with detail. The confident vocals supported by the lyrics, repetitive without becoming irritating, are what stand out for me. The percussion and bass create a great, and subtle enough, atmosphere for each song that makes listening to the whole thing a real pleasure.

The band sound familiar, even on first hearing, which really can’t be a bad thing for a first album. Overall the Delorento’s have mightily impressed me – so much so that I have just booked myself two tickets to see them in the Olympia in April.

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For those that don’t know (I didn’t until yesterday) Adrian Crowley has become a resident of Whelans. Well, he is every Wednesday throughout March at least. Wednesday night will see him alongside Mumblin’ Deaf Ro and Boa Morte. Aoife has an interview with Ro (as the Mammy calls him).

Thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions – Goon Moon and Guggenheim Grotto are on the playlist in the next few weeks.

Right-so, all this week I’ve been listening to Joanna Newsom. (Newsom was a complete discovery for me. I picked up two of her albums last week and she has been plucking away in my ears ever since.)

At first her voice is a bit startling – especially mixed with the lightening speed and amazing sound that comes from her harp. But after a week of jumping between her albums (Milk Eyed Mender and Ys) I have come under her spell completely. The story like songs are vividly written and have a completely unexpected use of language. Brilliant!

Of the two – Ys is fast becoming my favourite. Anyway, no point harping on about her here - go and have a listen.

I’m not sure what it is about stage performances that I have never been able to adjust to – everything seems forced (staged?). Someone crying on stage is just short of rubbing clenched fists under their eyes or a new character entering a room will nearly stomp for attention. The current Frank McGuinness adaptation of Miss Julie, Strindberg’s play about class, is no different.

The set built for the run was impressive – the kitchen is reproduced brilliantly with almost neurotic detail – but is it a good sign if all I can really praise is the stage and lighting? The actors – Catherine Walker, Declan Conlon and Mary Murray – deliver powerful performances at times but not until much later in the play.

I was dissappointed by McGuinness’s adaptation – the BBC Drama version was almost identical – except for the Irish-isms that have been injected. It was good, but not “an extraordinarily fluent and very earthy adaptation” as one review reports.

Dermod has a different take on things over at bonhomie.