Allen and
Unwin, 2009. ISBN
9781741758313.
(Ages 14+) Sofia is now twenty, living
with a
man, Armando, who works in the city and sees her and their three
children on
the weekend. It is Mozambique, and Sofia is the young girl we met in
Secrets
in the fire, 10 years ago, when her legs were torn off in a land
mine
explosion. The first book told of her battle to overcome her mammoth
disability
and other's views of her as she struggled to build a new life for
herself in a
country where hospitals and doctors are few. Its sequel, Playing
with fire,
told of Sofia's older sister, sharing sex with her group of friends in
the
village, and succumbing to AIDS. Both books are authentic in their view
of
Mozambique and its problems, and give a lasting impression of the
struggle of
people overcoming immense odds.
Readers cannot help but admire
Sofia's determination and single mindedness.
In this, the third book, about Sofia and her family, Sofia begins to
suspect
her man as he varies the time he comes back to their village, and has
new
clothes, leaving her and their children with less than they need. She
travels
to the city to watch out for him, and finds he is seeing another woman.
Sofia
finds it hard to share her problems with her mother, who looks on
helplessly,
knowing that something is wrong.
Confronting Armando is more
difficult than she can imagine, and he denies her fears, but when his
boss
comes asking about him, Sofia must act. The denouement is confronting
to both Sofia
and the reader. With her particular brand of fortitude, Sofia survives
this
ordeal and turns her sight forward. It is often a shock to realise all
over again,
that this young woman has prosthetic legs and must walk with crutches,
and so
the 6 mile walk to the health clinic must be like climbing Everest. Her
search
for the truth about Armando is all the more poignant knowing the
immense
difficulties she must overcome each day.Mankell has told the story of
Sofia, the young girl he met when
he first
visited Mozambique with tenacity and a truthfulness that makes other
books,
telling of people in difficult circumstances, pall by comparison.
Fran Knight
Fill out this application and wait over there by Ruth Starke
Omnibus, 2009.ISBN 9781862918474.
(Ages: 13-15) Ruth
Starke at her wicked best, poking fun at everything from the uniforms
worn by a
well know chocolate factory's employees, to rules about turning on the
cash
register, to the half truths told to casual employees, to take away
food, to
people in check out queues and the general misuse of the English
language. The
list is endless as we read Hailee's diary of her year in casual work,
saving
for a holiday in Thailand during the following year, although she
prefers the
term traveler. Innocent, naive to the extreme (I had to keep reminding
myself
that this girl had just completed year 12), self centred and scathing
of those
around her, Haille muddles her way through part time work at a
supermarket
(SpendUp), some weeks at an up market boutique called Philosophe, one
night at
an Indian restaurant, some time at the local community paper, Suburban
Echo,
and 3 months work at Hamel's Chocolate outlet.
Each
stint gives her a different look at employment and what happens in the
workplace, but she is oblivious to the subtleties and undercurrents of
working
at all. She blunders through, taking umbrage at supervisors' comments
and
criticisms, merrily thinking that they should be impressed with her
skills. She
gives out wrong information, tells lies to get more hours at SpendUp,
finds
fault with those she works with, expects to get work on the floor
rather than
wash dishes, and generally has an incredible opinion of her abilities,
which
are minimal. She complains about the working hours, the uniforms, the
staff
rooms, the forms she must fill out, the pay, the customers, in fact
everything!
All
through the difference between what Hailee expects and the reality of
her
situation will cause readers to laugh out loud. Her naivety is
overwhelming.
Her mother's advice is never heeded, and her brother simply laughs at
her,
while her father actually suggests work at the paper where he does some
part
time work. It is fascinating to realise at the end of the book, that
the jobs
at which she has had some success are all those told to her by friends
and
relations, and that the work she is finally offered is not something
she has
thought about at all.
The
humour and caustic comments about today's teens carry this long diary
to
Thailand, holding the reader's interest all the way through. Some
glimmer of
understanding about the vagaries of the workplace may filter through,
and cause
some readers to rethink their attitude to part time work, but on the
whole they
will gain a good laugh at Hailee and her efforts to save money.
Fran
Knight
Searching for the Secret River by Kate Grenville
(Ages: Senior) Kate Grenville writes her own story, that of teasing out the ideas, stories and history that led her to write the award winning, The Secret River. A family trip in her early teens, to Wiseman's Ferry, where her convict ancestor built a ferry across the river, begins the story of her search. There Kate and her mother looked at the hotel; the old house, and marveled at the story of her ancestor killing his wife, who fell down the staircase. And years later, walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the Reconciliation Walk in 2000, she was stopped by a look which passed between her and an Aboriginal woman. This made her question the rightness of what she was doing, and she recalled her ancestor, and his dealings with the Aboriginal people who lived on the land he took. During Australia's Centenary of Federation celebrations, Grenville went to London with a group of writers to present workshops, and at the same time, research her ancestor. There she met Melissa Lucashenko, who in asking the simple question, where are you from, knotted all these disparate ideas together and made her question further. What a wealth of information is here for the Australian history student. Reading gives a blow by blow account of research techniques, its pitfalls and surprises, its foot work and slog, the grit needed to keep looking. 'One long intelligence test' is how she describes some of her research in London, particularly at the record offices in Kew, an amazing trip through a myriad of documents, government papers, micro fiche readers, computers and volunteers. But her discovery of a letter written by a man about to be hanged, changes her mind about her researching her family, and instead she decides to write a story, giving us the fabric of lives led at the time of her ancestor. So we have an entertaining look at the research needed to write a book, and along the way a treatise on why she wrote the book, The Secret River, which collected some criticism when it first appeared. It is her research presented as an historical novel, about a man, William Thornhill, an illiterate ex convict who took land near the Hawkesbury River, and treated the local Aboriginal people with scant regard. In treating her ancestor's history in such a way she has made the story accessible to all, and so is setting a standard for historical fiction of the future to be based on fact, giving a true impression of what has gone before. The Secret River is a wonderful read, and listening to this account, adds another layer of interest and awareness. Fran Knight
One, two, cockatoo by Sarah Garson
Random House,
2009.
(Age 0+) Recommended. What a fun counting book. There is one
cockatoo sitting in a tree and when two
more fly over, then there are three. Gradually the number of cockatoos
increases until there are 10, but there is still a surprise to come.
This is a beautifully illustrated picture book with gorgeous
cockatoos, each with a happy expression on its face. The lovely soft
white of
the cockatoos' bodies, with their vibrant yellow crests, contrasts with
the
blues, pinks and soft oranges of the sky and hills.
The text is brilliant to read aloud with a gentle rhyme that
beginning readers could predict. The
young reader will have lots to concentrate on in this engaging book.
With the
combination of having to find the cockatoos on each page, watching to
see if a
ladybird appears and a cute surprise at the end, it is sure to appeal.
Pat Pledger
Grace by Morris Gleitzman
Viking, 2009. ISBN 9780670073900.
(Ages 10+) Highly
recommended. When
young Grace hands in her project on her family, using Biblical
terminology and
rather cleverly making it sound like chapters from the Bible, her
grandfather,
an elder in their church takes action. Within her church school she is
isolated
and questioned, and finally comes to understand that she is to be
expelled.
Expulsion means being separated from her family. She is devastated, and
asks
for forgiveness, promising to be a more compliant and better person who
will
confirm more closely to the church's teaching, but she is still unsure
of what
she has done wrong.
In
this remarkable story, Gleitzman shows us how Grace perceives the
events around
her. She is totally powerless. Her cult religion allows no dissent,
women stay
at home, never cutting their hair, showing obedience to their husbands
and
other male members of the group. Most live within a closed community,
sending
the children to their school, shunning anyone not within their
community as
outsiders.
When
Grace finds it is her father who is expelled in a most cruel way, she
takes
action. Enlisting the help of a tow truck driver, she ensures that he
knows
where she is, and when her grandfather, drugs her mother and kidnaps
the
children, she phones her father, allowing them to find out where they
are.
It
is a story of children alienated from their families, a story of a
religious
group that takes the Bible literally and sees themselves as the chosen
few, a
story of a little girl, bewildered and frightened, but above all,
wanting her
family to be together. And Gleitzman, astonishing writer that he is,
cloaks it
all in the naive Biblical language that Grace has been brought up with,
underscoring the group's isolation from the norm as well as her youth
in
believing all she is told.
If
I had qualms about Grace or her father not calling the police, or still
having
to hide from the cult after they escape, then these are over ridden by
the
story of a child wanting her family together and at peace, with which
every
reader will be sympathetic. This novel will engender many conversations
and
debates within classrooms and amongst children who read it.
Fran Knight
Monster Revenge by Dean Lorey
Nightmare Academy series. Harper
Collins, London, 2009.
ISBN 9780007276714.
(Age 9-12) This is the second book in the Monster Academy trilogy;
the sequel is flagged at the cliff hanging end, but I had to Google to
discover
the first book. In book 1, Monster Hunters (also published as Charlie's
Monsters) we are introduced to Charlie who discovers 'the monsters
under your
bed are real'. Charlie has the
Gift - when he has nightmares he can bring
creatures from the Nether into our world. Charlie attends the Nightmare
Academy,located in wrecked ships in a giant
banyon
tree below the San Diego Zoo, where the Gifted are trained to fight
monsters.
Charlie
and his friends Violet and Theodore are taking their final exams as
Nethermancers
and Banishers in this book.
This involves banishing monsters called Gremlins and
Darklings from little Dora's nightmares and house back to the Nether.
The
friends can open 'portals' to other worlds to save themselves or banish
monsters.However, a giant Dangeroo
monster confronts them and they have to call for help.
This begins a roller coaster ride of
monster fighting to save the earth. There are Hydras, a Bermuda
triangle
graveyard, a Guardian who has an Aura to ward off monsters but who
needs Hydra
Milk to live, and monsters out for revenge on Charlie. The monsters
combine
terrifying powers and appearances with a human ability to communicate
and as
such they are too 'fantastic' to really frighten.
This book suits middle school readers who
like fantasy, and is a kind of Harry Potter for reluctant readers. The
year 9
student who I gave it to enjoyed it.
A website for the series has spectacular
pictures of the Academy and monsters, as well as an author blog,
extracts and
monster competitions.
The third book in the series, 'Monster
War', picks up where book 2 leaves off, with the 4 Named Monsters
destroying
the world's cities, and civilization depending on Charlie and his
friends.
Kevyna Gardner
The uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones
Candlewick
Press, 2009.
ISBN 9780763639846
(Age 14+) Highly recommended. Who can better summarise a
novel than the author himself? Here is what award winning author, Tim
Wynne-Jones says in the Teenreads
blog: For Jackson Page, who's just finished his music degree, the
little cabin is a place to compose in. It's quiet; there's no one
around to
bother him. That's what he thinks, anyway. He's got a studio there, his
instruments and computers. For Mimi Shapiro, running away from a
disastrous
first year at NYU and a relationship that went way bad, the snye in the
wilds
of Eastern Ontario is a perfect hideaway. That's what she thinks. Her
father
owns the place though he hasn't been there in many years. A lot has
happened
since her father was last around.
There's a third person drawn to the house like a magnet. Cramer Lee. He
has
problems all his own. He's taken to spying on Jay. And then along comes
Mimi
and everything changes. The thing is, all three of them share more in
common
than any one of them knows.
I was captivated by the characters right from the minute I
met them. Mimi is flamboyant, drives a Mini Cooper that she calls Ms
Cooper and
is fleeing from an affair gone wrong with her University lecturer. Jay
is engrossed in his music and Cramer made
me want to mother him. He is a young man
who has had to look after his suicidal mother for most of his life. He
holds
down two jobs to keep the household going, and has given up any
thoughts of
further education. Mixed in with the mystery are complex family
relationships.
Mimi's artist father Marc is selfish and never thinks of the
consequences of
walking out on people. There are intriguing and messy connections
between all
the characters in the story which are revealed bit by bit by the
author's
superb timing.
An exciting thriller, The uninvited is taut and suspenseful.
Wynne-Jones keeps the reader guessing right to the end about the
uninvited
visitor who is stalking Jay and Mimi - is it the university lecturer,
or the
neighbour or is Cramer doing all the strange things that are happening?
What sort
of danger are Jay and Mimi in? Will they survive? And it all takes
place on a syne,
a beautiful little stream, surrounded by
willows and accessible only by a broken bridge.
This is a novel that I found exceptionally difficult to put
down. It is a literary, nail biting mystery with the added themes of
family
dysfunction and mental illness. I will certainly be seeking out more
books by
Tim Wynne-Jones.
Pat Pledger
The poison throne by Celine Kiernan
Allen and Unwin, 2009. ISBN 9781741758689. The Moorehawke Trilogy
Book 1.
(Ages
13+) Recommended. Fifteen year old Wynter Moorehawke
arrives at the King's Palace with her father after years away and finds
that all
she has treasured there in the past has changed. No longer can she talk
mind to
mind with the palace cats as the King's Cat Keeper. Almost all of the
cats have
been destroyed. The friendly ghost that she chatted with in the past is
forbidden to her on pain of death and her friend Alberon, once the heir
to the
throne, has been banished. Worst still there is talk of a wicked war
machine
that her father invented and which may destroy the kingdom. Together
with Prince
Razi and Christopher Garron, Wynter tries to work out what is happening
and why
King Jonathon, once a kindly man, has turned into a tyrant.
The
Palace is truly a Palace of Poison, a place where the
Inquisition tortures prisoners, where danger and intrigue follows the
trio
constantly. The constant tension and clever plotting kept me turning
the pages
well past my bedtime and I finished this book in one sitting. The
Poison Throne has all the elements of an absorbing read:
an accomplished and likeable heroine, a beautifully described European
medieval
setting, political machinations, a low key romance, mystery and plenty
of
action. The characters are all believable and well developed, including
the
gruff cook and the cat. Wynter is a
skilled girl: She is a qualified apprentice, Protector Lady and
accustomed to
court deceptions. Loyalty to her father and friends is her outstanding
attribute and the reader is swept along with her dilemma about staying
with her
ill father, seeking safe sanctuary or doing something to save the
kingdom.
A
fantasy that has universal appeal for both adults and
teens, The poison throne will be of special interest to girls who have
enjoyed
books by Tamora Pierce and who relish a strong heroine. I can't wait
for the
next two instalments.
Pat
Pledger
Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples
Illustrated
by Michel Streich. Allen and Unwin, 2009.
(Age 10
+ years) Recommended. Two hands - one orange
and one black - reach upwards on the otherwise plain white
cover. It
is a fitting symbol for a declaration of rights which was written in
hope and has
yet to be fully accepted and enacted around the world.
The
declaration is available on the United Nations website but this edition
puts it
in an Australian context. Noted indigenous spokesperson Patrick Dodson
has
written a brief forward. The text concludes with an explanation of the
challenges facing indigenous people, a history of the declaration's
development
and its relevance to the struggle for indigenous rights and survival in
Australia. The author of this postscript is not identified but it was
clearly
written for an Australian audience, some of whom will be surprised to
learn
that in 2007, when the United Nations adopted the declaration,
Australia was
one of only four countries to vote against it. This year, our federal
government
endorsed the declaration.
Each of the
46 articles is accompanied by a striking, stylised drawing. Michel
Streich's ability
to sum up an issue in a sparse but telling illustration has been honed
through
years of contributing to newspapers and magazines.
Published in
association with Amnesty International, this small, hardcover edition
of the
declaration is timely. It is listed
on
the publisher's website as a 'gift book' and would certainly make a
satisfactory present or award. However,
with its companion volume, The universal declaration of human rights,
it may
also remind readers that reconciliation and human rights concern us all.
Elizabeth
Bor
Ranger's Apprentice (series) by John Flanagan
Random House, 2009. Reprints.
(Ages 10+ ) To
see this reissue of this fabulous series brought quivers of excitement
down my
back, as I recalled the story of Will, the undersized young man about
to be
given his role in life. He had dreamed of becoming a knight, but was
passed
over because of his size, but noticed by the castle Ranger, Halt, a
spy. He
valued Will's smallness and ability to move unseen about the castle,
taking all
in with his gaze.
With
bold, new jackets, the series will be read by a new audience and reread
by
those who have read one or two of the books since 2004. Each charts
Will's adventures
as a spy for the castle, through his apprenticeship with Halt and then
as a
Ranger.
Beginning
with The Ruins of Golan (ISBN 978 1
86471 904 8) which relates Will's apprenticeship and growing mastery of
the bow
and arrow, the mantled cloak and his pony, he and Halt must find the
assassin,
sent to kill their king. The Burning Bridge
(ISBN 9781864719055) follows with Will and Halt having to accompany
the
Ranger Gilan on a mission to neighbouring Celtica for help against
their
enemies. Here Will meets the girl, Evanlyn, and works out that their
kingdom,
Araluan is about to be betrayed, so must work fast to prevent its
destruction.
The
third book, The Icebound Land (ISBN
9781864719062) sees Will and Evanlyn taken to Skandia as captives,
bound for
a life of slavery. Halt follows trying to seize an opportunity to
rescue the
pair, overwhelmed by the ignominy of being expelled from the Rangers,
and
keeping the marauding knights at bay.
The
fourth, Oakleaf Bearers (ISBN 978 1
86471 907 9) has Will and Evanlyn escape the terrors of Skandia, only
to see
Evanlyn kidnapped by the terrible forces of Temujai. Halt and Horace
arrive and only just have
enough time to be grateful that Will is not dead, before they all set
off to
rescue the girl.
The
fifth,The Sorcerer in the
North
(ISBN 978 1 86471 908 6) sees Will finish his apprenticeship and is now
a
Ranger. He and his friend, Alyss, are sent to the north to investigate
rumours
of sorcery in this remote place, causing Will to rethink his stance on
whether
this exists or not.
The
sixth, The Siege of Macindaw (ISBN
978 1 86471 909 3) is set again in the north, where Alyss has been
captured and
Will must attempt a rescue. Will must
use all his skills, both in mastery of the bow and arrow, alongside his
ability
to see past what men say to what they are actually thinking, to keep
himself
alive. Erak's Ransom
(ISBN 978 1 86471 910 9) is the seventh in the series, with Will and
Halt
having to deliver a ransom to free the Skandian Oberjarl. But his
exchange
necessitates a royal presence, and the Princess Cassandra persuades her
father
to let her go. (The seventh book with Will still an apprentice predates
numbers
5 and 6)
Number
eight in the series, The Kings of
Cromnel (ISBN 978 1 86471 977
6) shows Halt and Will fighting to
maintain
Cromnel's safety in the face of a religious cult called the Outsiders,
threatening to take over this kingdom as they have the other five of
Hibernia.
And
number nine, Halt's Peril will be
available in November, 2009. This excellent fantasy series, full of
adventure,
promoting the values of honesty, bravery, truthfulness and loyalty will
appeal
mightily to upper primary and lower secondary readers of both sexes,
and is
supported by a website.
Fran Knight
The lucky ones by Tohby Riddle
Penguin Books, 2009.
Suitable for senior students. A delightful
read, highly
recommended. This very readable novel gives a good insight into the
mind of some
Gen Yers,
despite being set in Sydney in the 80's. It has a contemporary feel as
it tracks
the lives of a group of school leavers seeking to find themselves and
make
sense of their world in first few years after leaving school. 'Who's
idea was
life anyway?' (p39), Tom asks. 'Surely it (growing up) couldn't be so
damn
ornery.' (p191)
Tom, the protagonist, is a shy
and
uncertain art student who lives with his taciturn father in a Sydney
terrace
house. His hippyish mother and two sisters have left home, leaving Tom
alone
and relying on his few friends for company. Despite his drifting
through days
with not a lot happening - he attends art school, works for an
eccentric couple
or hovers at the edge of a few parties - it is not boring thanks to
Tohby
Riddle's writing. He captures this lifestyle with authenticity, humour
and
quirky, clever insights and imagery. 'A lady the size of a fridge had
climbed
onto the bus - with an asphyxiating cloud of perfume like a Katoomba
fog -If the
smell had been a noise it would have been a runaway truck crashing into
a piano
showroom over and over again.' (p.75). Oliver worked in a dodgy pizza
parlour
for so little money he would 'probably blow his pay on the bus fare
home.'
(p.90) Tom's boss at the warehouse directed like a 'flinty little
buzz-cut
general.'(p.172)
Tom is hesitant but doesn't
take himself
too seriously. He is an acute and entertaining observer of people and
class.
The scene where the boys crash Bob Dylan's press conference is a gem.
Females
are on the fringe of his life - opportunities present but he lacks
self-confidence.
He is compared to Cain, the
high achiever
at school, who indulges in delusions of grandeur - a 'footloose poet
genius' and
musician, whilst sliding into foolhardiness, alcoholism and serial
lovers.
Oliver sets out to make money whilst Nathan organizes them all, except
Cain,
into climbing the Harbor Bridge, as a challenge. All seem to accept
each other
as they are, despite their different values.
The final chapter captures the
successful
Bridge climb at night with all its terrors. The high this generates
reveals to
Tom in an 'angel's arrow' that 'God is the present'; there is only NOW-
grab
it!
Tohby has done many quirky picture books and I look forward to
further
novels.
Kevyna Gardner
Thirsty by M. T. Anderson
(Ages 12+) Approaching adolescence, Chris is aware of some changes in himself. His friends and family are all too aware that he is fractious, argumentative and moody. Paul, his brother, notices that he is off his food, losing weight and spending many hours simply staring into space. But what is actually happening shocks Chris and if known to the others would result in his death. He is becoming a vampire. In this society where the tracking of vampires is almost a sport, Chris and his friends, Jerk and Tom go off one night with Jerk's dog looking in the woods for any sign of the creatures. Here they meet up with Chet, the Celestial Being who first acquainted Chris with his future. Chet has been off procuring the Arm of Moriator, which Chris has promised he would set off in the vampires den, making the return of their leader, Tch'muchgar impossible, so saving the world from his machinations. A more original story in the current crop of vampire novels, Thirsty is well written, surprising and unpredictable. The hero, Chris, strives against his future, opting, he thinks, to help the Celestial Being to keep the monster confined. Funny and irreverent, the jokes are more subtle than the 'fangs for meeting me' or 'fangs for the memory', and so on, that proliferate the vampire books published recently. First published in 1997, this vampire book will be eagerly sought after by readers once the word gets around. Fran Knight
Along for the ride by Sarah Dessen
Penguin, 2009. ISBN 9780141327488.
Age 13+) Highly recommended. This is a wonderful book that
is even better on a second reading. Auden cannot sleep at night; her
sleep
patterns have been disrupted ever since her parents' divorce. When she
is
invited to stay at the beach with her father, young stepmother and new
baby,
she decides to go in the hope of maintaining contact with her father.
It is also an opportunity to do more with her
life before she goes off to university. She works in her stepmother's
boutique
and discovers the world of girls and clothes. Best of all are her
nightly quests
with Eli, another insomniac, when she discovers just what she missed
out on in
her teenage age years when she was too busy studying to have a good
time.
Dessen's
characters are all beautifully developed. I was drawn to the
friendless Auden, who has tried so hard to get the approval of her
academic parents,
that she has missed out on parties, bike riding and even her prom. Eli,
the dark brooding boy who has lost his
best friend in an accident, is a wonderful character and I loved the
way he shares
Auden's quest to taste her lost childhood. Both
Auden's and Eli's interactions with Thisbe,
will give readers a real insight into just what it is like to look
after a
fretful infant and how love can develop for a baby.
The
girls in the dress shop are delightful, and Maggie turns Auden's
perceptions around about girly girls showing her that you can like
clothes and
make-up but still ride bikes and excel at school. Auden has a
dysfunctional home
life, but Dessen cleverly gives her overbearing mother and selfish
father
enough depth that there is hope that the family problems will resolve
by the
end of the book.
The
themes of friendship, looking beyond the obvious and living life to
the full are memorable. I loved this book, it is well written, has
enough depth
for the most discerning reader, a great beach setting and characters
that are
unforgettable.
Pat
Pledger
Samurai Kids: Shaolin Tiger by Sandy Fussell
Walker
Books, 2009. ISBN 9781921150906.
(Ages 10 and up) Travelling with five of his
students from the Cockroach Ryu
(school), Sensei the teacher, introduced as a wizard and once famous
Samurai
warrior, escorts the group on a journey across the Sea of Japan to
China.
Here
they are to assist the Shaolin monks to protect a Temple which is under
threat from one
of
Sensei's old students, an evil man wishing to gain his revenge and kill
his ex-teacher.
Despite each of the students having what would be seen by others to
have a disability;
they each have their own talents which compensate for these problems.
The
students each travel with their various spirits which assist them in
their
quest.
From the outset, things begin to
go wrong. The ship's
captain drowns, leading to the inclusion of another girl who is to act
as their
guide. Danger is present at all times and Sensei teaches his students
to be
vigilant, instructing them via teachings from Confucius and the Zen
masters.
Although this is the third book
in the series, it stands
alone quite comfortably. I for one will now have to read the preceding
books
and eagerly await the next. There is a sense of magic or fantasy
throughout the
book, as well as a certain amount of humour and instructions on how to
conduct
oneself throughout life. This is a story written on many levels and
would make
a great title for use in literature circles or as a class text. Teacher
support
materials for the earlier titles are available on the internet.
Jo Schenkel
The Last Stormlord by Glenda Larke
Harper
Voyager, 2009. ISBN 9780732289294. Random Rain: Book
One.
(Ages 12+) Glenda
Larke has done what should have been more than obvious to many: she's
created a
world where water is the most valued commodity. It is controlled and
regulated
by the state and not just water but the rain and where it falls. There
is
nothing random about rain in this fantasy saga. To put it more
correctly, that
is the way it was, now the last remaining Cloudmaster is dying and
there is no
one to replace him.
The
land Larke has created is an easy one for the reader to imagine. The
Scarpen
Quarter contains closely packed cities with flat roofed adobe built
houses running down slopes, the rich at the top and the poor and
waterless at
the bottom. The Gibber Quarter is a stony desert with small communities
scratching out a poor living. The Red Quarter, is an area dominated by
red
shifting sand dunes populated by tribes of nomadic desert dwellers and
the
White Quarter is an area of mines and mysterious white skinned and
robed
people. All the communities depend on the regular and regulated supply
of water
given to them by the Stormlords and the Cloudmaster.
Flint
and Terelle are two young people who have important skills and
talents. Flint is revealed early in his life in the Gibber as being
water
sensitive. But this talent he keeps very much to himself for fear his
drunken,
abusive father will object to his drawing too much attention to
himself.
Terelle has a more mysterious background that is revealed to the reader
gradually. She has been bought by a brothel owner who feeds and gives
her, her
water ration until she is old enough to earn for herself. She
eventually
escapes the 'Snuggery' and becomes apprenticed to a water painter where
she
learns she has very special talents.
It
is during the search for those of the population with any water
talent that Flint is discovered, but he is deceived and is used by
someone who
wants the power of a Stormlord for personal gain. It is this lust for
power
which sees the tribes and clans of the Red Quarter at war with the rest
of the
Quarters. They have no fear of a return to a time of random rain.
Larke's first
volume ends with the death of the Cloudmaster and the end of the rule
of the
Stormlords.
The
use of water as the ultimate resource is timely. There are already
alarm bells ringing in Australia about water supply and like many in
the
Scarpen Quarter, who control the rain, complacency seems to take
precedence
over action. Glenda Larke has drawn her characters well, there is
enough depth
of emotion in them all to be believably human and enough insight into
their
various roles too see the reason behind their differing view points. A
most
enjoyable (600+ page) read. I hope she doesn't run out of steam in what
I
presume will be a trilogy.
Mark
Knight
