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Reading Rescue, July 2005: Fantasy
By Anne Allen and Mary Anne Fulmer
With a new Harry Potter volume in print, books of magic
and fantasy are on center stage. When the Hogwarts mania subsides, here
are some other choices that are well worth a look.
 It's hard not to love the "Dark is Rising" sequence from
Susan Cooper. Start with the prologue, Over Sea, Under Stone, which
introduces the Drew children who find a mysterious map while visiting
great-uncle Merry. The Dark is Rising begins with a momentous 11th
birthday for Will Stanton, who comes into his power as the last of the
Old Ones. Full of magic, excitement, and a quest for the lost items of
the Light, this series for children poses interesting questions for
adults, too.
Girls will enjoy Tamora Pierce's tales of the Kingdom of
Tortall. Begin with the stories about Alanna, the girl who is determined
to become a knight. In Alanna: The First Adventure (volume one of "Song
of the Lioness"), Pierce is excellent describing Alanna's troubles and
trials as she competes with young men who are unaware of her gender.
Alanna is a peripheral character in "The Immortals" series. In Tortall,
the gods are apt to interfere on a whim, and they take a special
interest in Daine, who can speak to animals. In Wild Magic, Daine learns
to harness her gift and use it in a country on the brink of war.
Diana Wynne Jones is another favorite. The Merlin
Conspiracy is a stand-alone novel taking place in a world similar to
ours, but one that has taken a different course. "The Dalemark Quartet"
begins with the book Cart and Cwidder, about a family on the move in a
gypsy caravan, with a magical instrument. After the murder of his
father, Moril inherits the cwidder and learns it belonged to an ancient
hero and possesses strange powers.
A strange world has been created by Garth Nix, with a
wall dividing a land with magic from one without. In Sabriel, 18 year
old Sabriel, accompanied by a cat-like creature and a warrior-mage from
200 years before, seeks her father Abhorsen, binder of the souls of the
Dead. Flying machines, standing stones of power, sword fights, and the
walking dead make this a real page-turner.
Mercedes Lackey has a different take on magic and
fantasy in an amusing book for adults, The Fairy Godmother. There are a
lot of fairy tales, and a lot of Cinderellas looking for Prince
Charmings. This is the story of what happens when the prince doesn't
come along, but a fairy godmother wanting to retire does. This is an
interesting look at an undocumented profession.
Alphabet of Thorns by Patricia McKillip tells of
Nepenthe, an orphan taken in by the scholars at the library of Raine.
Written in dreamlike prose, Nepenthe deciphers an ancient document
written in a script of thorns and learns of King Axis and his court
magician, Kane. In the fantasy world, the past may be forgotten, but it
isn't dead.
Every month we will focus on events taking place in the
library or books in the collection. Have suggestions? Drop us a line at
P.O. Box 499, Harrison City, PA or e-mail at
mfulmer@pennlib.org.
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