Writing Update: Four WIP's

When I was in school, I told myself I was never going to become a teacher. I had several motivations, but the main one was that someone once said when they became a teacher, they didn’t have the energy to write. Ouch. Why would I want to do a job if it meant giving up writing?

Long story short, now I’m a teacher and a writer. Ha! Not today, discouragement.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve changed jobs, schedules, number of projects, you name it. Usually, I tend to write about two novels a year. Whether I stick with that project or not is another matter entirely. Lately, though, I have two projects in the editing phase, another I just finished writing, and a fourth one that I’m outlining.

Four whole works in progress. So many!

 

Novel 1: Edge of the Solar System

Genre: adult sci-fi, mystery
Stage: Draft 3

Cory Bailey is used to working alone. When the Interspecies Investigation, a cross-cultural agency, offers her a position as a linguist, she jumps at the chance to work in her field, even if it takes her halfway across the Solar System. Now she has to figure out how to work as a member of a team if she’s to survive. But meeting with the Tchotovoroc, an alien species resident to the colony outside Neptune, isn’t quite what she expects, and the greatest threat may just be the humans closer to home.

Oooooh! I’m so excited to share this one with you guys! I’ve gotten some feedback from my critique partners and soon I’ll be looking for beta readers and sensitivity readers. Then it’s off to querying literary agents.

 

Novel 2: Water Sprite

Genre: YA contemporary fantasy, poetry
Stage: Draft 3

Astor Foster doesn’t plan on making any new friends during her last year in Germany. Not since her best friend moved back to the States last December, and not when she is going to move soon. Nobody is more surprised than she is when a family outing leads her to hang out with a girl at the local pool. But there’s more to her new friend than her strange name—Sturm. There’s also her ability to breathe underwater, and Astor wants to know how.

I had a hard time settling on the plot for this story, but once I turned it into a novel in verse, it really took form. I just need to find some more critique partners… It’s a trickier to find people who are willing to read a novel in verse.

 

Novel 3: Not-So-Secret

Genre: YA sci-fi
Stage: Draft 1

I started using Campfire Writing to outline my books, and had a lot of fun developing the story even before the writing process. I just finished the rough draft. Like any first draft, it’s a mess, but that’s a good thing. I’ve got plenty to work with, and I get the feeling I’ll enjoy rewriting it come summer.

I’ve been experimenting with style a lot lately, and it’s been lots of fun!

 

Novel 4: Secret

It’s a little early for me to share much about this one because it’s so new. Even if I were to tell you about it, that info would likely change by the time I get around to writing it. I’ll just say it’s a fantasy.

 

Blogging

Because I’m working on so many books, I’ve decided to step back from my blog for a while, posting once a month instead of once a week. I haven’t yet decided whether I’m going to share poems or book-related posts. Maybe a bit of both. We shall see.

Until next time, happy reading!

 

Let’s chat! Fellow writers, what kind of projects are you working on? What’s your favorite genre to write? Do you have a preferred writing style?

 

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Similar posts: Campfire Writing, Writing Update: To Sequel or Not to Sequel?, and My Latest Writing Desk

Book Review: Ahab

 “‘… have you ever stopped to think that perhaps these noble intentions I see in other are truly there, they just need to be drawn out? Would we all not be better versions of ourselves if others held us to higher standards?’”

 

Wow. Just wow. I enjoyed this story way more than I expected!

A long, long time ago in a country far, far away, I read the source book, Melville’s Moby-Dick. Can I just say that I enjoyed this retelling for different reasons? While Moby-Dick focusses on whaling in the 19^th century and the impact it had on society, the economy, and nature as a whole, Ahab explores the potential future of the 26^th century after a devastating war between humankind and sentient machines (the whales, or MICs as their called).

 

Book: Ahab by E.B. Dawson
Genre: Sci-fi, space opera, retelling
My rating: 4/5 stars
Mini description: whales in space, space whales!

Told from both the perspective of Ahab and his first mate James Starbuck, Ahab was a delightfully complex story. I particularly enjoyed the dual perspective and the juxtaposition of Ahab’s stubbornness and determination next to Starbuck’s idealism and loyalty. Though not as nearly as long as its source book, I found the book to be the perfect length. And the font size was legible!

I particularly liked how Dawson incorporates sailing with space travel. While the former is tried and true, the latter is relatively new, so there’s no saying what exactly it will look like in the future.

Even though the story takes place in the 26^th century, it’s reminiscent of the 1800’s, which is both interesting and frustrating. From a story-telling standpoint, I though the details of the society were really cool, but from a woman’s perspective, a society that doesn’t advocate women’s rights is super frustrating, even if some of the characters stand up for them.

Another element I liked about the book is how it’s not so straightforward with its answers. The ending actually left me wondering if that was all, yet the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

So I actually feel kinda bad for giving the book 4 stars instead of 5, and the only reason for that is because some parts of the story felt unnecessary. At one point, Ishmael shows up, which I found to be really cool how Dawson worked him in, until he’s never mentioned again. Was the only purpose of the chapter for the brief cameo? Plot-wise, his appearance doesn’t make much sense.

In all, I gave Ahab 4/5 stars for excellent character development and story telling albeit some unnecessary plot points. I would recommend the book to those who have and have not read Moby-Dick and are interesting in space opera. I look forward to reading more of Dawson’s work.

 

Interested in the book? Have you read it yet? You might also enjoy these classic retellings: The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen (Turandot, Italian opera), The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant (Les Miserables, French classic), The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (The Snow Maiden, Russian fairytale).

 

Let’s chat! Have you read Ahab yet, or has it made it to your TBR? Have you read the original Moby-Dick? What are some of your favorite classic retellings?

 

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Similar book reviews: The Court of Miracles, Strange Waters, and The Beast of Talesend

7 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book-to-Movie Adaptations I Enjoy

I’ve talked before about why I like some book-to-movie adaptations, but I haven’t talked about which adaptations I enjoy. Time to change that! To narrow it down even more, I’ll specifically be talking about sci-fi fantasy books to movies. There are plenty of contemporary adaptations, but I’ll try to keep this list short-ish.

What I will not be talking about: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I think we can all agree that the former is excellent and the latter (casting excluded) is terrible. Okay, maybe not terrible. Cringe-worthy, maybe? Yeah, let’s go with that. LotR is a work of art in film and book forms, but I’d like to focus on some other noteworthy stories today.

The pros and cons listed apply to the movie adaptations, not their books.

Ender’s Game

Pros: CGI, stellar casting, general plot accuracy, excellent character portrayals

Cons: ending inaccuracy, plot feels rushed after reading the book

Do you ever have those moments where you watch the movie first and it makes sense, and then after you’ve read the book, you re-watch the movie, and the film makes less sense? I had that sensation with Ender’s Game. But as far as films go, the movie still does a great job.

The visual depiction of Battle School along with the battle simulations is stunning. The imaginative portrayal in the movie really helped me where my imagination fell short while reading the book.

I only wish they would have delved more into Ender’s perspective. It started off strong, but as the movie goes along, I felt it lost the connection to the character in favor of wrapping up the plot. If you’re looking for more great character development, I highly recommend the book as well as the rest of the series.

Ender: In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him.

 

How to Train Your Dragon (1-3)

Pros: character and dragon designs, intricate world building, characters, dragons

Cons: minor historical inaccuracies, inappropriate references and some problematic relationships

I haven’t actually read all the books yet, though from what I have read, they’re incredibly different in plot and even some characters. From what I gather, the movies have kept the general heart of the story.

That being said, the dragons are awesome, the music is amazing, and Hiccup is incredibly relatable. I really wish I could befriend a Night Fury. I particularly like how the story blends a warrior society like the Vikings with a compassionate intellectual like Hiccup. Then there’s the intricate world building that just gets more dynamic with each film. I haven’t seen any of the spin-off shows yet, but I’ve heard they’re great.

I just don’t care for some of the side characters, especially the twins and Hiccup’s cousin Snotlout. That’s right. His cousin. Am I the only one who finds it disturbing in the third movie that Snotlout starts hitting on Hiccup’s mom? And the movie never addresses it? Come on.

Stoick: With love comes loss, son. It’s part of the deal. Sometimes it hurts, but, in the end, it’s all worth it. There’s no greater gift than love.

 

John Carter of Mars

Pros: great themes, music, and characters

Cons: lack of xenolinguistics

I know this movie didn’t do so well in theaters, but in my family it’s a favorite. We could probably quote the entire thing. I especially like the character development and the element where the girl saves the guy and vice versa several times throughout the movie. Then there’s the dynamic cultures of the “Red Men” and Tharks, and Woola the dog-like monster.

The soundtrack is stellar, and I like to listen to it on its own. Michael Giacchino is one of my favorite composers.

My only complaint is that they skipped over the language aspect rather quickly whereas the first book did not. I understand that viewers may not necessarily want to read subtitles the entire movie, but you don’t just drink a magic potion that helps you understand another language. That’s not how language works, not even in the books.

Dejah Thoris: Most warriors change their metals, but not their heart.

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian (Disney, 2005 and 2008)

Pros: amazing music, great casting, stunning CGI

Cons: some inaccuracies, only three adaptations of a seven-book series

I’m not going to talk about Voyage of the Dawn Treader because I’m not actually a fan of the film adaptation. When The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe first came to theaters, my dad took my brother and I to see it a ton. I remember getting all giddy when the train would chug across England, and I’d get swept away into the beautiful land of Narnia.

Although we didn’t watch Prince Caspian in theaters half as much, I was still in love with the story. Growing up, I went back and forth between Prince Caspian and The Silver Chair being my favorite books. I guess I like the concept of returning to a fantastical world with characters familiar and new.

I particularly liked the casting for Prince Caspian and only wish they would have included Caspian’s nurse. The movie was less lighthearted than the books. Trumpkin lost his sense of humor and didn’t get tossed in the air by Aslan. There was no holiday at the end of the book. In that sense, I think the movie seemed a little more grown up than the books had intended.

Lucy: I wish you’d all stop trying to sound like grow-ups. […]

Trumpkin: I am a grown-up.

 

A Monster Calls

Pros: beautiful art, great casting, incredible themes

Cons: will rip your heart out

I can only watch this movie or read the book at certain times. It’s that intense. But the way it combines CGI with live action reminiscent of the black-and-white sketches in the book is just beautiful. So artistic.

The story itself is so heartbreaking. It doesn’t always make sense, blending fantasy with reality so sometimes they’re hard to tell apart, but it’s an excellent story all the same. Intensity aside, I have no complaints.

The Monster: […] humans are complicated beasts. You believe comforting lies, while knowing full well the painful truth that makes those lies necessary. In the end, Conor, it is not important what you think. It is only important what you do.

 

Series of Unfortunate Events

Pros: important themes, satirical, pokes fun at plot conventions

Cons: incredibly irritating, very unfortunate to the point of being synonymous with 2020, unsolved plot points

I’m referring to the Netflix series, not the stand-alone movie, which had too happy of an ending if you ask me. I know the show is technically a series, not a movie, but this is my blog so I do what I want. Each book in the series gets two 40-minute episodes, so it’s like a full-length movie. Right? Maybe I’m just writing in circles, which is a phrase here that means I should move on and really be starting a new paragraph.

I read the books in-between watching the episodes when they first released, so my experiences of both are rather intertwined. The episodes follow the books much closer than the initial film adaptation, the primary difference being the added influence of VFD and all the Easter eggs like that stupid sugar bowl. Oh yeah, and Lemony Snicket is twice as annoying in the show and not half as funny. Maybe it’s because I’m more of a bookwyrm than a show fanatic and appreciate the way the books poke fun at books themselves.

Of all the books/episodes, I really like book two (episodes 3-4) with Uncle Monty (The Reptile Room). Being a bearded dragon mama, I could see myself one day having a reptile room of my own. Though if I happen to take in some orphans, I’ll be sure to listen to them and flee the country immediately.

 Uncle Monty: Life is a conundrum of esoterica.

 

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Pros: CGI, compelling plot, great characters (mostly)

Cons: playboy pursues the female scientist (can we just kill this trope already?)

This graphic novel series adaptation is actually one of the few where I enjoyed the movie more than the books. While the books doubtlessly lean more on the scientific aspects of science fiction, the movie did a much better job on character development and storyline. If anything, the characters in the books just annoyed me, and I got bored with the plot.

In both the movie and the books, the world building is excellent. I also like how the casting for the film defied the typical casting. Usually when the guy has a deep voice like that, he’s a villain, not the protagonist.

My only complaint is the romance. I know I usually complain about romance in general, but I actually find the one in this story to be problematic.

Doghan-Dagui: We know how humans work.

Doghan-Dagui: They’re all so predictable.

Laureline: Clearly, you’ve never met a woman.

 

Honorable mentions: Bridge to Terebithia, The Hunger Games, The Neverending Story, and The Princess Bride

 

Let’s chat! Have you seen any of these movies and/or read their books? What did you think of them? Have any sci-fi/fantasy book-to-movie adaptations to add to the list?

 

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Similar posts: Are Book Dragons a Dying Breed?, 7 of my Go-To Authors, and Why This Bookworm Enjoys Book-to-Movie Adaptations

Book Review: Skyward

“People need stories, child. They bring us hope, and that hope is real. If that’s the case, what does it matter whether people in them actually lived?”

This book was both inspiring and entertaining, and wow, just wow. Since I started reading Brandon Sanderson’s books last year, I’ve been hooked ever since. This one, however, has got to be my favorite so far. The writing style is clear, the characters are compelling, and the plot me had me on the edge of my seat. I ended up finishing the book in two days.

Book: Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Young Adult, Science-Fiction, Fantasy

My rating: 5/5 stars

One-word description: g-force

One of the reasons I enjoy Sanderson’s works is because the details of his world building are so rich, and the plot is so compelling. I really felt like he knew what he was talking about when he described space flight, especially with the added g-forces and coordinates.

He certainly did his research.

Yet, with Skyward, the story never bogged down like it seemed to with a few of his Mistborn novels. Sure, I found the beginning of Skyward to be a bit of a downer, but it picked up after the first fifty pages or so. That’s not to say that the rest of the book was completely happy—I don’t trust Sanderson with my favorite characters—but rather that I couldn’t help but read the rest of the book.

Another reason I enjoy Sanderson’s book is because of his ability to write multiple genres. The Mistborn trilogy is adult fantasy, The Alloy Era is its companion series but also a mystery/western, and Skyward is of course science fiction with a touch of fantastical elements.

Apparently female pilots are one of my favorite character types. They. Are. Epic. In this book you’ve got Spensa (callsign: Spin) who will gladly crash her simulated ship into her flightleader just to spite him and who talks like a hero of old. Then there’s Morningtide, Freyja (callsign: FM) who likes to point out and defy the status quo, Hudiya (callsign: Hurl) who is enthusiastic to no end, and Kimmalyn (callsign: Quirk) who’s a little on the timid side but makes an excellent friend.

It would be a shame not to mention the humor and the AI, and the AI’s quirky sense of humor. Oh yeah, and Cobb (callsign: Mongrel) is another of my favorites as he is probably the best teacher in the flight school, though he can be a little confusing. At one moment, after their first experience actually flying, he tells them, “That […] was somehow the most embarrassing and inspiring display I’ve ever seen out of cadets! You should be ashamed. And proud.”

That’s when I decided he was one of my favorite characters.

My only complaint right now is the way the cover design made Spensa’s hair look black, not brown. Like excuse you, cover designer, no. Wow, am I picky or what?

Interested in Skyward? Have you read it yet? You might also enjoy these books: A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole, Renegades by Marissa Meyer, and Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

Let’s chat! Has Skyward made it to your to-be-read list yet? Have you read it yet? Have any sci-fi recommendations?

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Similar posts: 8 Popular Fantasy Novels I Enjoyed, 7 Reasons I Enjoy YA Novels, and 7 Reasons I Enjoy Sci-Fi

How to Write What You Know Without Writing Nonfiction

“Write what you know.” This phrase has inspired and haunted writers all at the same time. It’s limiting, yet it helps us work within our experience.

I’ve heard it said that writers who finally wrote what they knew finally knew what it meant to write. At first, I didn’t get it. I tried to write what I knew, but it all sounded like a boring journal entry that was actually worse than my actual journal entries. I usually quit about 1,000 words in, assuming I made it that far. I tried writing a story about transitions and having no friends. Depressing. A story about a dinner party. No plot. A story about living in Hawaii. Too many scattered ideas.

Perhaps that was part of my problem, I started with a concept without a plot or a character without a definitive goal. Whatever the reason, I thought I couldn’t write about my own experiences no matter how I tried.

Until I wrote Origami Swan.

Believe it or not, the initial idea for Origami Swan came from a movie (The Labyrinth) and way too many unrelated emotions. I was just finishing up my master’s degree and had no idea what I was going to do next. Then I started thinking. What if life had a maze for those who didn’t know what they were doing next? What if “life’s choices” wasn’t just a hallway with an open door indicating “THIS IS IT! Go this way!” but rather a series of puzzles that each person has to figure out on their own. Thus, the Labyrinthe de Napoléon was born.

As I think about my own stories and adding what I know, here are just a few things I’ve learned along the way:

Write in the genre you know.

Part of my problem in trying to write what I know was that I was trying to write nonfiction without reading any nonfiction. I didn’t know where to start. I had no plot. How do I add a plot to my own life?

In a sense, I was writing what I didn’t know. I didn’t know nonfiction. I’m trying to read more in this broad genre, but I haven’t yet made it into the realm of memoirs or autobiographies. Maybe I’ll get there one day.

Truth is, I’m more of a fantasy and sci-fi reader. It makes sense that I’d be more of a fantasy and sci-fi writer. I know how the genres work. Give me dragons and spaceships and explosions and intrigue and I’m one happy reader.

That’s not to say you can’t write in a genre you aren’t terribly familiar with. I grew up reading far more fantasy than sci-fi. If anything, the genre is more of a recent addition to my favorites. I’ve had to read a ton of sci-fi novels to catch up with those who were already major sci-fi fans, and I’ll probably have to read even more before I attempt to write another sci-fi novel. (I did try to write one already, but it was terrible. I’m setting that thing on fire.)

It’s okay that if have to do more research if you want to learn about another genre. If you want to write a fantasy novel, read more fantasy novels. If you think the idea of writing a romance novel is fun, read more romance. Reading is awesome! So go for it.

Draw from your own emotions/experiences and research facts.

When you draw from personal experience or emotions, you’re adding something to the story that research cannot possibly provide you. While you can search for a city on Google maps, the internet may not be able to tell you whether or not the local ducks like to sit in the street during rush hour until the cars honk at them. And while research may be able to tell you some of the cultural differences, it cannot tell you how the American Midwest smells different from the South.

No matter how familiar you are with a certain topic, you should still do some research. If I’m going to draw from a setting I’ve lived in, I still have to research it. Especially since I like to write about places I have been instead of wherever I’m currently living. After all, it’s not like I know all the types of trees or birds I want to include, or maybe I spent too much time in Europe and accidentally added a roundabout to an American town. Even if you’re writing about the place you live, research can help give you information that you might see as normal but somebody else might see as unusual, like roundabouts.

Whatever the type of story you’re writing, just remember to do your research. It might not all play into the story, but it helps immensely.

Add what you know as you go along.

Calm down, plotters. You can add this kind of information to your outline. What I mean: don’t start with writing what you know. Start with what you want to write. If you want to write about time travel, start with that. Then you can add your knowledge of jet lag or communicable diseases or foreign language along the way. If what you want to write just happens to be what you know, then great! For example, if you are a time traveler who wants to write about your experiences, then congratulations. *whispers* Tell me your secrets.

Write what you know, but don’t stop there.

Keep learning. Expand upon what you know. Like I mentioned above, experience can only get you so far. Each person has their own perspective, but unless you want all your characters to sound the same, you’ll have to branch out. Learn something new.

Of course, many “writing rules” are more like guidelines. If you happen to write nonfiction and it turns out great, then well done. What works for one writer may not work for another. Play with it. Most of all, have fun!

Let’s chat! How much of what you know do you put in your stories? Have you ever tried your hand at nonfiction? What genre do you like to write?

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Similar posts: Origami Swan: Novel Title Change and Cinnamon Rolls (Aka Characters), Traveling and Writing: Inspirational or Disastrous?, and Why Writers Should Study Their Craft

Recommended Reading: Military Brat Edition

Military Brat: term commonly used to describe a child of a member of the armed forces, especially the air force, army, coast guard, marines, and navy. Doesn’t always refer to somebody under the age of 18. Typically lives in five or more houses (not to mention states/countries) and moves at least once every three to five years. Also answers to their name, sibling’s name, “military child,” or “ask me where I’m from one more time…”

Here are some works of fiction I’ve enjoyed for the military brats, their friends, and anybody who’s ever wondered what it’s like to move at least once every three years.

This post is not about books that accurately represent the lifestyle of the contemporary military brat. Rather, these books are a collection of books that I, as a military brat, have been able to relate to because of some element or another. I have yet to find a fictional book that actually describes this kind of lifestyle.

Books are listed in alphabetical order according to the author’s last name.

Ender’s Saga by Orson Scott Card (sci-fi)

Ender’s Game is good if you want to understand military tactics and psychology more, but the rest of the series is great. I actually enjoyed the later books more than the first one. The stories go on to explore the different mindsets between different cultures and what it’s like to move from place to place, actually showing different places, and how it changes family dynamics. Ender and Valentine are close as siblings, like my own sister and I are.

A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole (YA sci-fi)

With the mind of a talented scientist, Octavia wants to better understand the world in which she lives and those who lived there long before humans. I particularly like the way the story explores several generations of humankind living on the planet, which is also rather odd because I usually enjoy the whole initial discovery process. I found I could relate to Octavia as I have lived in foreign countries, though unlike her, I wasn’t born in them.

Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu (MG historical fiction & novel in verse)

This book is among the few that addresses the difficulties that come with different time zones, and not just jet lag that comes with arrival but also the continual time difference that comes with living overseas. While Ema and her parents are living with her dad’s parents in Japan, they keep in touch with her mom’s parents back in the United States. As I have spent considerable time living in Europe, I have to mentally compensate for the time differences for my friends back in the States. Hint: It’s seven hours difference between Central European Time and Central (American) Time, so I typically have to wait until noon my time before any of my friends are awake.

Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton (MG historical fiction & novel in verse)

I relate to a lot of characters in novels in verse. This novel in particular explores what it is like for a family to move to a town where nobody quite understands them. As a military brat, I have no idea what it’s like to live in the same house for more than three years, but there are plenty of people who have never left their own state.

While my parents come from the same country and the same town, this book is great for those whose parents do not.

The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla (MG contemporary)

Road trip! It’s so hard to find a good road trip book. There are plenty of books that have road trips, but this one doesn’t just focus on the places, it also focuses on the characters. That and it explores the differences between sleeping at home, in a strange hotel, a stranger’s house, or in an RV. All of which I have done at one time or other on road trips of my own whenever my family moved across the country.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (fantasy)

Many fantasy novels are about journeys. But this one is among the few about an actual nomad. Kvothe was born and raised among a group of traveling bards, so he never fits in just one place. Kinda like a military brat.

This book is also an epic fantasy novel, so of course I enjoyed it!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (YA historical fiction)

This book made me cry. Later, I teared up while watching the film, not when certain characters died, but when Papa had to leave. As a military child, I know how rough it can be when a parent is deployed and not knowing whether or not they’ll come back home safely.

There you have it! I hope you enjoy the recommendations.

Let’s chat! Have any of these books made it to your To-Be-Read List yet? Have you read any of them? My fellow military brats, what books could you relate with? To all the readers, what’s the last book a friend gave you that helped you understand them better?

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Book Reviews: A Conspiracy of Stars and Full Cicada Moon

Similar posts: 7 Reasons I Enjoy Fantasy Novels, 7 Reasons I Enjoy Sci-Fi, 7 Reasons I Enjoy Historical Fiction, and 7 Reasons I Enjoy Novels in Verse

Book Review: A Conspiracy of Stars

This book is one of my new favorite sci-fi novels! Just saying. It’s amazing.

I devoured the book in one sitting and not just because I was stuck on an airplane. If I wanted to read or do something else, I would have. Nine-hour flights tend to provide movies and music, but I couldn’t get enough of A Conspiracy of Stars. I was actually sad when it ended.

Book: A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole

Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy, Young Adult

My rating: 4/5 stars

Awards: None (yet!)

One-word description: science!

“But home isn’t just a memory, I’ve decided: it’s knowledge, knowing where you belong and where you fit in. [...] This is home.”

Wow, so I haven’t related to a fictional character in a while. (Pfft! I totally did three books ago.) Perhaps what I mean to say is that the exploration of the concept of home was refreshing. When most people ask me where I’m from, what they really mean is “Where is home?” But having moved around my whole life, for me it’s not always that simple. Home for me is where my suitcase is. In that sense, I relate with Octavia, the narrator. This, too, is my home.

The plot was a little more slow-paced than some books, but I actually like it that way. Slower books can be pretty enjoyable, especially when they focus on excellent character development like this one. Perhaps one of my favorite themes no matter the book was also featured in this one: empathy is a gift, not a weakness.

And the world-building was amazing! At first, the author, Cole, seems to throw terms at me, and I felt like I got tossed into a hailstorm with no context. Then the characters took me by the hand and guided me along, explaining things like the well-informed scientists they were. For the most part, the characters were well-developed. There’s bound to be at least one mad scientist, right? *sigh* Oh, well. I did like how smart the Octavia and her friends were.

When the title finally made sense, I was immensely pleased.

My main complaint was the book’s predictability. I was hoping for at least one twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. But when I was right, I silently cheered, then the book ended and how dare it! I. Need. More.

In all, I gave A Conspiracy of Stars 4/5 stars for excellent world building, themes, and character but some predictable elements. I’d recommend it to sci-fi fans, especially those who liked Ender’s Saga and the Divergent trilogy. I know I said this already, but I can’t wait for the next one!

Interested in A Conspiracy of Stars? Have you read it yet? You might also enjoy these books: The Shifter by Chris T. Acadian, I, Robot by Isaac Asimov, and Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.

Let’s chat! Has A Conspiracy of Stars made it to your to-be-read list yet? Anybody out there read it? Have any sci-fi book recommendations?

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Similar book reviews: Season of Wonder, The Shifter, and A World Without You

7 Reasons I Enjoy Sci-Fi

I’m changing things up a bit this month for several reasons. 1) I haven’t actually written a new poem. Sorry. 2) Easter is coming up, so I’ll be taking the day off from blogging. 3) I’m in the middle of a writing series (Writing Blog Posts!), so I’m not about to skip over that post. As a result, I’m skipping poetry and diving right into books! The rest of my schedule will proceed as normal, with a bonus post on April 30 featuring the five races in Last of the Memory Keepers. Without further ado, today’s post is centered on one of my new favorite genres—science fiction!

  

I tend to be really picky about my books, even more so when it comes to sci-fi. During my time in Nottingham, when I was studying for my M.A. in English Literature, I took a class on speculative fictions. It was supposed to cover fantasy through sci-fi and ended up being all sci-fi, and all books picked out by one professor. Turns out, the class made me avoid sci-fi stories for nearly a year. Not fun.

But I eventually found a sci-fi book or two that I actually enjoyed. Here are just a few of the reasons I like sci-fi as a genre. (When I say sci-fi, I will mainly be focusing on space opera.)

1) They’re unconventional.

You know those books with neat little paragraphs and chapter-by-chapter structure? Forget it. While a lot of books still have conventional format, you might end up with a book that’s set up like a record of chat room conversations and video surveillance records.

You prefer all your characters to be human? Too bad. Sci-fi is peppered with talking raccoons, time travel, and tribbles. I’m still waiting for a story with space dragons. Come on! (Anybody have any recommendations?) After all, why not? As a writer, that’s one of my favorite questions to ask.

Why not? What if?

Unconventional is just another word for possibility. Sci-fi may not exactly be the easiest to read, but part of it is because…

2) Sci-fi stories are full of potential.

There’s something about the opening speech in Star Trek that makes me excited.

“Space: the final frontier…”

Sci-fi just goes to show that there’s so much that we don’t know about, so much left to explore in the universe through…

3) Space travel!

One of my favorite things to do is go for bike rides, and each time, I like to see new places, pushing the boundaries of where I went last. Sci-fi offers that kind of travel. But through many, many different varieties. Whether it be faster than light travel, worm holes, or teleportation, there are plenty of ways to get to other planets or even solar systems.

4) Sci-fi shares some characteristics with fantasy.

Science fiction is not a completely new genre. In fact, it stems from a long tradition of fantastical elements, which gradually morphed into stories that we know today, thanks to authors like Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. Like fantasy, sci-fi has foreign aspects from non-human races, strange plants, and animals, and of course travel.

Sci-fi even includes a little bit—okay a lot—of social critique. While fantasy often critiques the past, sci-fi critiques our expectations of the future because of the decisions we make in the present. Though I may not be a fan of the plot, I really like the world building in Avatar, especially with Hometree and the Hallelujah Mountains. I also really like the concept for a character living a dual-life in their sleeping vs. waking life. There should be a word for that.

Then there are those confusing stories that you don’t know if they’re fantasy or sci-fi like Star Wars or Thor. This only results in the ever-confusing shelving issue I have. I go to look for a fantasy novel and wind up with sci-fi. There may be some overlap, but they are not the same.

5) Science!

Half the time, I don’t know what some scientists or mechanics are talking about in sci-fi, but it sure is fascinating. I like that a lot of the technology is built on fact, so there’s all this potential.

The only thing is, with science developing so rapidly, some of the technology either becomes real, or the principles become obsolete. Other times, the facts are faulty. I’ve always wondered how people could travel faster than light, and still end up in the same time. After all, according to Einstein’s theory of relativity, faster-than-light travel would result in a jump into the future.

Then again the Earth did turn out to be round when, for thousands of years, it was believed to be flat.

6) Sci-fi is packed full with culture.

I don’t actually like the way alien races tend to be portrayed. Please, enough with The War of the Worlds and Independence Day. While these stories may have been groundbreaking during their time, it’s getting tiresome. “All aliens want to kill us.” Oh, please.

Rather, give me the cultural aspects that come with different races. Sure, there are definitely misunderstandings and even hostile meetings, but there are discoveries too. There are languages barriers to overcome, customs to learn, foods and new atmospheres to experience. In fact, I’d like to see more sci-fi with cultural aspects, including culture shock. The only ones I’ve read with it thus far has been The Left Hand of Darkness and A Princess of Mars.

7) Space is awesome.

I’ve always been fascinated with astronomy. When I was a kid, my dad would drive my brother and me out to the middle of nowhere, and we’d sit on the hood of his car to watch a meteor shower. When I was a teenager, he’d set up the telescope, and we’d admire the rings around Saturn and see if we could spot Jupiter’s moons. And one day, I may even find Andromeda, the only galaxy visible to the naked eye, with our telescope.

Sure, space is also really creepy. Bone’s sums it up pretty well when he says, “Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence.” And while I’m pretty terrified of the idea of endless nothingness, it’s still fascinating. There are countless galaxies, nebulas, and black holes out there. Is it bad that I find black holes fascinating?

8) Bonus! (And because I’m not good with math.) 

Sci-fi can reference literature and made up stories.

Spock (Star Trek) is a Sherlock-esque character and even quotes him. Star Trek: First Contact references Moby-Dick. Illuminae references “O Captain! My Captain!” (Leaves of Grass) and other books yet to be written in that fictional universe.

Whoever said sci-fi couldn’t be literary?

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Related posts: 7 Reasons I Enjoy Fantasy Novels and 7 Reasons I Enjoy Medieval Novels

Film references: Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek, Avatar, Independence Day, Star Wars, and Thor.

Literary references: H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s Illuminae, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes collection, Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, and Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” (Leaves of Grass).

Let’s chat! What is one of your favorite genres? What are some of your favorite characteristics of sci-fi? Did I leave any out?