Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

The Leviathan is headed for Constantinople. Alek and his men are set on making their escape in neutral territory...but when they arrive, they discover it might not be so neutral after all.

Deryn is torn between her duty to the Leviathan and her growing feelings for Alek. Can she bring herself to tell Alek she's a girl, despite knowing the consequences?

To top it all off, Dr. Barlow's secret eggs are hatching... What are they for and how can they help Deryn and Alek?

Less than a month after I finished 'Leviathan' I've moved onto the sequel and am already hungry for the final installment in the trilogy. Where the main excitement for me in the first book was Alek's secret, I found that Deryn's gender concealment was far more exhilarating in Behemoth. She does not have any cliché struggles with hiding her physical appearance as I see so much in other novels but instead grapples with her emotional dilemma, regarding her stance with Alek.

Behemoth is no more a romance novel than Leviathan was, however. While I do enjoy some inner conflict in the form of romantic tension, I like the fact that it is more of the importance of duty and alliances. Deryn is drawn to Alek and intent on helping him but she is also patriotic and wants to do right by her country and her fellow crewmen on the Leviathan.

Alek is becoming more of a leader in this book. He is making his own decisions - even when it means going against the direct wishes of his men - and using his wits and gut to guide him. There were plenty of new characters he meets in Constantinople (Istanbul) and I found myself drawn to two in particular - Malone, the reporter and Lilit, a revolutionary girl, whose character I liked a lot more than I thought I would.

Once again, I listened to the audio book narrated by Alan Cumming. It was magnificent as ever. There were only a couple of lines around chapter fourteen where I noticed that the accents of the dialogue didn't match up with who was speaking. Otherwise it was impeccable.

To hit home just what a nutter I am for not reading the book, I snuck a look at Keith Thompson's illustrations for the novel. His artwork not only reflects Deryn's passion of drawing through in its detailed sketch form but it also reels you right into the atmosphere of the story

There is another afterword from the author at the end of 'Behemoth' which gives an insight into what is accurate to our history and what is - to use a Darwinist word - fabricated. Alternate history is a new genre to me and I'm always fascinated to know exactly what the author has built upon to form the story. I didn't have a clear image of what the reporter, Malone, looked like and I loved seeing him on the page. His illustration of Bovril was spot-on. Quite cute and cat-like...or perhaps, meerkat-like?

Keen for 'Goliath' which I will of course be listening to on audio book.

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer purchased this book. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher. Cover art is copyright of Simon Pulse and is used solely as an aide to the review.

Quite a Character, Isn't He?

Characters are a huge part of what makes novels so dear to us. They make them human. Whether your character is a squid-penguin or an alien entrepreneur, it is the humanness that makes people fall in love. Humans are rather narcissistic, you see. They also make them relatable, memorable and touching. This puts another big strain on writers. And goodness, we have a lot of those! There's the plot we have to worry about, histories, concepts, the world-building....

Impossible, right? Wrong! But, it can be difficult, of course. And characters can not simply be concepts or ideas. They have to be novels in themselves. With a character, you should assume responsibility for creating more than just a name and half-formed persona. You are responsible for creating every hair on your character's head (or lack thereof) - every freckle, dimple, skin cell, and so on. It is your job to do this.

To build upon this, you can not simply decide that your main character will be named Winston and that he's the mysterious type. DONE. That's a fine premise, but what quirks does Mysterious Winston have? What are his motives? His life's stories? His fears? Does he hate grasshoppers with every fiber of his being? (That you created.) Or does he breed them for circus tricks? Know your character better than you know yourself. Ask yourself, "What would Winston do?" when you're on the bus, at the supermarket, witnessing a crime, if he had the opportunity to fly to the moon, cure cancer, run a marathon, set a building on fire?

If this sounds like a lot of work, that is because it is. However, it's often exciting work. There are billions of people in the world, all unique, as John Green says, "It is easy to forget how full the world is of people, full to bursting, and each of them imaginable and consistently misimagined.". (I often wonder how many characters there are in existence.)

You have the power to create. You can undergo characterization in many different ways. You can birth Winston like Zeus with Athena, bursting from your mind fully formed and ready to go...or you can grow alongside him, among many other methods. You can have conversations with him or watch him omnisciently from your writerly pedestal and leave little Winston to grow. It is your choice, and the power that you yield to create is amazing, to say the least.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Each year in Panem, children between the ages of twelve and eighteen are selected to fight in The Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death where there can only be one victor. Each of the twelve districts must draw the names of Tributes - a boy and girl - to fight in the games. When Katniss' younger sister is chosen, she steps forth to take her place.

Katniss knows how to hunt and survive but the Games will test her strength and stamina in ways far beyond what she knows. Can Katniss survive The Hunger Games, even if it means killing Rue, a girl the same age as her sister or Peeta, the boy Tribute from Katniss' district?

I've had a copy of this book since June '10. I read the first five chapters before it was packed up for NYC and after that it just remained on my book shelf. With the film release only a few days away, I decided to get stuck in from the beginning.

I was pessimistic about 'The Hunger Games' because of all the hype and the fact that the beginning was slow in pace and included plenty of back story. Regardless, it was undeniable from the start that Collins is a skilled wordsmith.

The novel progresses from compelling to riveting. I was engrossed in the concept of the Games and Katniss' endeavour to survive. The way in which the Games are presented is fascinating, with the Tributes flounced about like celebrities and sponsored and bet on like race horses...or more accurately, a dog fight.

The nail which Collins hit on the head was the development of Katniss' character and the dynamics between her and the fellow Tributes, particularly Peeta and Rue. These three characters are the strongest in the novel. Rue captured my heart, Peeta made me smile...but Katniss' strength was something I admired above all.

Katniss is not a perfect character. She is not without flaws or misgivings. She is strong in the way she faces the world and strives to survive, both before and during the Games. It is not easy to find a female protagonist who is sympathetic without being pathetic. It's a harsh fact but I find that it's true. Katniss deserves the title of "heroine" without being an archetypal hero.

Once I was finished reading 'The Hunger Games,' I set out to my local book store to pick up the sequel, 'Catching Fire.' It won't be long until I'm devoured by it, I'm sure.

I look forward to seeing the film adaptation of 'The Hunger Games,' curious as to what it will be like. I'm uncertain as to whether I should read the remainder of the trilogy before I do so.

My advice is not to be smothered by the hype of 'The Hunger Games' but to let curiosity get the best of you and read the book for yourself. You might find yourself just as enticed as I was.

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer purchased this book. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher. Cover art is copyright of Scholastic and is used solely as an aide to the review.

Fandom Wars

There is a reason “fan” is short for “fanatic.” When we love something a lot, we are passionate about it…and sometimes that passion takes the form of crazy.

Obsession – it’s a powerful motivator. When we read a book or see a film or listen to a band that affects us in a profound way, we covet it. We are engrossed and we cling.

Sometimes we just like things. Sometimes we appreciate them and our enthusiasm and we just enjoy. Other times, there is a part of us that lives through this thing. We become possessive, sometimes defensive.

I believe that if you are passionate about loving a book series or a musician or a television show, you are in a good mind frame. What’s wrong with enjoying something to such a high extent that it allows you to relate with others who have connected with something in the same/similar way that you have?

What I don’t like, is when people use their love of something as a grounds to hate on something else and belittle other people.

If you don’t like something that I love, I may gasp or shun in jest but it ultimately doesn’t change anything. People like and dislike different things.

When it comes to popular fiction or media, there are huge followings. Like so many others, I love the Harry Potter books. Then there are other literature series which have huge followings like Lord of the Rings, Twilight and The Hunger Games. Reading helps to shape our lives, so it’s natural that we embrace the stories we love.

Except, sometimes people get scary. No, I don’t mean that Twilight fan girls are scary because they love Edward or Jacob. I’m talking about people who – not restricted to any particular fandom – like to hate on another fandom.

I’m not sure where the idea sprouted that you cannot love more than one thing or that you can justify the superiority of something you like by hating on something else and belittling the people who love it.

I often see “Team Whatever” buttons all over blogs. That’s fine because it’s often in reference to a particular character, usually a male love interest. If there are two main guys in a series – i.e. Edward and Jacob or Gale and Peeta – readers might feel more drawn to one than the other. It’s a fun way to show your support/love of a certain character.

Something else I see a lot of on Twitter is a fandom of a certain singer raging on the fandom of another. The other day, fans of Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato were at war with each other…because apparently the best way to support a singer you love is by hating on her long-time friend. I know, it doesn’t make any sense to me either.

Enthusiasm is great but sometimes indifference is your friend. Why do people who supposedly dislike Twilight or Justin Bieber spend so much time talking about how much they hate Twilight or Justin Bieber? There’s nothing wrong with having an opinion or being passionate about a certain subject but being obsessed over hating something is just a waste of time and energy.

Lord of the Rings v.s. Harry Potter

Twilight v.s. The Hunger Games

Star Trek v.s. Star Wars

We don’t all have to like the same things but we shouldn’t allow whether or not we both like the same singer/movie/book to be the defining reason for liking/disliking each other.

What’s your take on fandom wars?

Writing in Style: Editing

Have you ever asked someone to read and critique your writing? There's probably nothing scarier, but there's also nothing that's more beneficial. Writers need extra eyes to find errors and improve readability no matter how old or how experienced they are.  Sometimes it'll feel like having your teeth pulled; sometimes you'll want to do the pulling. Either way, if you're aspiring to be a professional, you're going to have to get used to being edited whether you like it or not.

It doesn't have to be a (totally) soul crushing experience though, if you keep in mind a couple of things.

1. Who are you writing for? Keeping your audience in mind is crucial. If you're submitting to a publication, whether it be a magazine or a newspaper or a publishing house, make sure you know who your potential employer's audience is. In other words... don't send your YA story to Penthouse if you actually want to be taken seriously.

2. Why are you writing it? This isn't a "I'm writing because I love it" question; it's more specific than that. What are you trying to get across to your readers in the stories you tell? What is your characters' motivation? What underlying themes make this story relevant to what your audience is interested in right now? Although you shouldn't let trends hinder your own style and technique, they're still something you should keep in mind.  If you've been writing a romance about werewolves or a post apocalyptic thriller for the last ten years and it's only now ready to be presented to a publisher, you might want to consider pushing it back a little so it won't disappear in the wave of similar titles being released.

3. Do you remember your basics? I'm talking about grammar, folks (again, damnit? whyyy?!). Contrary to belief, an editor's primary job is not to fix your spelling and grammar mistakes (that's the copy editor's job, but they're usually not the same person). That's their secondary job, but it's expected that you already know the basics before you submit your novel to a publisher or agent (I'm sure a critique partner will be much more forgiving, but I hope they're an early step in your journey anyway). The main job of editors is to help with content: style, tone, accuracy of information, etc.

So if you can tell the difference between to, too, and two, the editor can focus on the main objective instead of meticulously combing your copy for mistakes, thus saving time and frustration from both sides. Shameless plug for previous posts here and here and here.

Keep in mind though, that no one is expecting you to be perfect. If they did, editors wouldn't exist in the first place. Strive to improve your writing to minimize mistakes, but don't freak out when they happen.

Sh*t My Cat Says by Felicia X. Katz, Illustrated by David Cole Wheeler

Think that your cat just sleeps, eats and judges? Think again. Cats have a lot to say. This book will show you inside the minds of your felines.

This was a spontaneous buy. It's witty, it's purple...it's about cats. How could I resist?

If you have ever been owned/lorded over by a cat, you will be familiar with plenty of the situations depicted in the book. How your cat views you, him/herself, behaves and thinks about the "rules" you pretend you have the power to instill.

I have two cats and found this book to be like a little mirror, reflecting my life. Whether it's walking on keyboards or deploying "personal signatures," my cats would fit purrfectly into the pages of this book.

I'm glad that I picked this up and would recommend it to other cat lovers/subjects looking for a small token to make them smile.

Naked and Ugly: The First Draft

How many of us are willing to strut naked down a populated street? No incentive of a million dollars, just you in your nakedness with everyone watching.

You don’t have to be extremely body conscious to not want to be your neighbourhood’s newest nudist. What you do need to be is very confident and comfortable to be in that sort of situation.

What does this have to do with books and reading?

When you write something, it’s going to be awkward and flawed. The plot it going to be broken, the characters will spout nonsensical lines and plausibility will slap you in the face. Grammar will decide that now is the perfect time for the two of you to officially break up and some parts of the prose will be down-right ranty.

Sounds horrific, yes? Well, that’s the way writing works. The first draft of anything is going to be crooked and raw. Parts of it will shine at you but others will make you want to cover your eyes and stab the page. We’ve all written things which were horrific less than perfect. If we stop at every jut, however, we’ll never achieve that refined result we hope for.

Back to nudity! Oh, you’d hoped I’d moved on? The embarrassment of walking in the buff is right up there with allowing people to read your first drafts. I won’t deny there are people who write something and hand it straight off to their friends or post it on the internet. They have guts and I applaud them. Me? I have trouble staring down some of my first drafts with my eyes alone.

Nude writing may work for some…but for most, we want to design, tailor and accessorise our writing until it’s something snazzy that can captivate the attention and imaginations of our readers, well after it’s out of their sights.

I wish my writing was gorgeous and swoon-worthy in its stark nakedness. When it boils down to it, I’d rather not risk someone seeing my naked and ugly first draft. It doesn’t capture the potential of the piece…and I don’t want to send my readers running.

How do you feel about your first drafts?

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Seventy years ago, Jacob Jankowski jumped a train and joined a circus, with more in store for him than he could ever have imagined.

In the last leg of his life, Jacob remembers the days of prohibition, when he was a veterinarian for The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.

There he met two of the most spectacular woman in his life: Marlena, wife of August, the unhinged animal trainer – and Rosie, the elephant.

Water for Elephants was a book I had seen on bookstore shelves and vaguely knew the title of but nothing more. When it was announced to be adapted into a film I bought the book, set on reading it before I saw it on screen. That was not to be. Chance found me on a plane where it was showing and I wasn’t strong enough to ignore it.

What I did not know about Water for Elephants was that it was written during NaNoWriMo. Something I was soon informed of by my fellow participants. I have not to my knowledge ever read a book that was written during NaNoWriMo, so naturally I was intrigued. I had to read it.

Read it I did not. Instead, I listened to it on audio book, read by David LeDoux (young Jacob) and John Randolph (old Jacob) – something I did not regret doing in the least.

Water for Elephants was a book I was afraid was going to be overrated. Instead, it proved to be the best book I’ve come across in ’12 so far. I was up until ridiculous hours of the morning to finish it and I’m keen to listen to it again and again.

The characters in the story are what drive it. While I was ever so fascinated by the world of the circus, without a protagonist like Jacob it would have fallen flat. Nothing that happened to him was easy or smooth. Everything wriggled with tension and the conflict he faced with other characters and – most powerfully – himself, was fascinating.

Am I amiss to say that I liked the character of August? Not that I sympathised with him or found him “likable” but that I was captivated by his actions and mannerisms. I didn’t find him relatable but I did find him remarkable. Each character in the story seems to be such a natural element and stand out without seeming like an obvious fabrication. It felt as though I was gaining a secret insight into Jacob’s life. One he had kept to himself for decades.

In fact, while I listened to the book, I did read the author's note and interview included at the end of my paperback. There, I discovered that Sara Gruen had done an impeccable amount of research (unsurprising) and drawn a fair few incidents which occur in the book from real occurrences.

While I did enjoy the film adaptation of Water for Elephants – and still do – it wasn’t prominent with me when I was focused on the novel. I know that a lot of the time when people see film adaptations first the way characters and scenes were portrayed stick with them...but everything in the book felt stark and fresh to me. The story was written in such an excellent and powerful way that I could imagine nothing but the characters and the plot as they were written by Sara Gruen.

Water for Elephants is a novel I’d be quick to recommend to anyone, whether in paperback or on audio. Stunning.

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer purchased this book. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher. Cover art is copyright of Algonquin Books and is used solely as an aide to the review.

Unreliable Narrators

“A friend of a friend told her a story and she told it to me. It may or my not be true. Many elements in it have been changed to protect the parties involved, including my own name.”

Wait, what?

I’m sure you’re familiar with the phrase, “Suspend your disbelief.” I’m also sure that you, like me and many others, have a limit to how long you’re willing to detain it from going grape-pit on the story in question.

An unreliable narrator is one you can’t trust. They keep information from the reader or create an uncertainty about what is true and what isn’t. Some people think fiction and deception go hand in hand…but readers don’t often like to feel screwed with.

I have read a few books and short stories with unreliable narrators, some of which I loved. If you have ever tried to recount a story, you might have found some of the details you thought you remembered different to how other people recall it. The same goes for first-person narrators in fiction. However, too much uncertainty is a turn off.

If the narrator states that this story may have been real or may have been a dream, will the reader be as engrossed? If the narrator can’t discern truth from fiction, can the reader relate to the story or empathise with the situations?

I find that if a narrator in a story is too muddled, I’m muddled. If I’m confused about where the story is going or what I am reading, I don’t want to continue. However, I think that unreliable narrators in stories can work if written well.

1. The unreliable narrator’s story should be plausible. Even if they say that they once flew to the moon, you have to make it plausible. Think Wonderland or Narnia. Falling down a hole or walking into a wardrobe? You have to make the improbable work for you.

2. You need other characters to balance out your story. If the reader has the distinct feeling that this is the tale of one of your characters going nutso and running around in their own mind, it won’t work. If you draw focus into the actual story and make the characters in it realistic and relatable, then regardless of some uncertainty in the narrator, the story will begin to stick.

3. If you are going to have an unreliable narrator, ask yourself why. Is it just to screw with the reader and hold back information? You might think you are being clever but really it’s just irritable. Perhaps your character has some memory loss or maybe they change some details of the story to protect themselves emotionally.

Unreliable narrators - it’s a tricky ground. I’m in no way innocent when it comes to the question of truth and extended truth with characters in fiction. What’s your stand?

Wake by Lisa McMann

Janie has the ability to enter people's dreams...or rather, she's sucked into them. She's exposed to the fears and desires of her friends and family, unable to do anything but wait for the dream to end.

With no one to talk to about her situation, Janie is enveloped by the twisted dreams of a young man which she can't seem to pull away from. Can Janie help him? Can she help herself?

'Wake' is a book I was interested to read after I read and enjoyed Lisa McMann's middle grade novel, 'The Unwanteds.' (Both books are on sale at Amazon.) From the beginning of the book, there is no lolling around. We are brought straight into Janie's world, just as she is pulled into the dreams of others.

I was somewhat skeptical about the dream factor. If dreams play such a large part of the story, then how can there be real tension? Dreams can't hurt you, after all. What I discovered was something quite compelling. Dreams are something that we cannot control and lack of control is frightful. They envelop us and pull us into a situation that seems completely real while we are experiencing it. The idea of a dream being penetrated by another person, with all your insecurities displayed, is haunting.

This is a very unique concept for a story and in different hands it might have failed. The novel is written in third person, present tense and the sentence structure is quite short, quickening the pace of the plot. Not a style I am used to reading but the starkness was gripping and the story embedded itself under my skin. Most importantly, I remained inquisitive throughout.

A fascinating read with brilliant character dynamics. I foresee myself reading the sequel, 'Fade.'

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer purchased this book. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher. Cover art is copyright of Simon Pulse and is used solely as an aide to the review.

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Johnny repairs shoes all day in a fancy hotel in Florida. His dream to be a shoe designer flourishes when Princess Victoriana checks in. Johnny's best friend, Meg, convinces him to try and get the Princess to wear one of his shoe designs...but Princess Victoriana has her own proposition for Johnny. A quest.

Victoriana's older brother has was turned into a frog by a witch and has gone AWOL in Florida. In exchange for finding her brother, Victoriana offers Johnny something he never expected - her hand in marriage. With the aid of Victoriana's magic cloak Johnny sets out to find the frog prince, meeting plenty of other enchanted creatures along the way.

Can Johnny help Victoriana? Does he really want to marry her...or will his future take a different path? One thing is for certain - his life will never be the same.

After reconnecting with Alex Flinn's story telling in 'Lindy's Diary' (the companion novel to 'Beastly') I was keen to read more of her work. The author has a very clever way of taking fairy tales and weaving them into a modern day setting, so that it reads like something that could happen today but still has the magical feel of an authentic fairy tale.

'Cloaked' is unlike 'Beastly' in that it does not incorporate only one fairy tale into the plot. While I had heard of the story of The Frog Prince, there were six other stories weaved together which I was unfamiliar with. The way in which all these classic tales came together to make a new one was interesting, compelling and most of all, fun.

Despite knowing nothing about the fairy tales woven into the book, the modern day references to movies and Disney World made the experience even more tangible. There was even a nod to the chat room in 'Beastly.'

I was wrapped up in 'Cloaked' and I'm eager to read more books by Alex Flinn. Lucky for me, I have a copy of 'A Kiss in Time' on hand.

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer purchased this book. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher. Cover art is copyright of Harper Teen and is used solely as an aide to the review.

Eve's Diary by Mark Twain

Translated by Mark Twain, Eve writes of her life as an experiment and shares with us the unique way in which she views the world.

Eve is a curious, romantic soul. She wonders why the moon slips out of the sky in the morning and who fetches it back the next night. She wishes she could catch some stars to put in her hair but no matter how hard she tries, she never can. She tries to get Adam to take an interest in her but with no luck.

Mark Twain lends his brilliant literary skills to the translation of Eve's diary. Her way with words is far more lyrical than Adam's, whose is quite abrupt. Although, there is an extract from Adam's diary included which is a little more fluid than in Extracts from Adam's Diary.

There was never a dull moment with Eve, who is always discovering new things and trying to be helpful to Adam. She is not without her faults, however. She's not very modest and her romanticism sometimes borders on the extreme.

'Eve's Diary' is a short story I would recommend to anyone who is interested in a further insight into the mind of a woman in love with life...and a man. I do insist that you first read 'Extracts from Adam's Diary.'

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer purchased this book as a free eBook. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher.

Extracts from Adam's Diary by Mark Twain

Translated from the original manuscript, Mark Twain gives us an insight into the first man's mind through extracts from his diary.

Twain lends his brilliant wit in the translations of Adam's diary. From the start, Adam is startles by the arrival of this new creature which proclaims itself a "she" and goes around naming everything and talking to no end. He is sure he will have to emigrate to get away from it.

From the first few days in the Garden of Eden with Eve, to the arrival of the unknown creature that is "Cain" which may or may not be a type of fish, Adam is troubled and perplexed by the circumstances in his life, which he is sure all of are to be blamed on Eve.

I've never really appreciated Adam as a historical figure before but I do now. Having an insight into his voice and through process was quite interesting. After all, we are led to believe that Adam and Eve just lived happily in the Garden and that was that until The Incident. We never really know how they lived together or thought of one another.

As the days, months and years pass, Adam not only discovers more about the things which perplex him but also learns to appreciate and love Eve and all her quirks which once drove him away.

'Extracts from Adam's Diary' is a short story I would recommend to anyone who is interested in an insight into early mankind or just a humorous and compelling read.

Use discount promos to possibly save money on most books.

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer purchased this book as a free eBook. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher.

Attention to Detail

An English teacher of years past once (well, it was more of an ongoing presence throughout the year) lectured on literary observations. There aren’t any tricks to the name. Literary observations are what you observe when you read any given piece of literature, whether it is in aims of writing an essay, passing a test, or for the simple pleasure of fortifying your reservoir of novels read and knowledge gained.

My teacher of Christmas Past…er, I mean last year, spoke of finding “The Elephant in the Room”. Readers first see the big picture and understand a piece on a rather simple and obvious level. Often, that is where students will stop. They’ll see that elephant taking up their (literary) sight and give up on searching any further. The true gems though, in her words, are “the fleas on the elephant’s back”. It is the tiny, the miniscule, the seemingly microscopic turn of phrase in the 500 page scheme of things that makes reading worth while.

Writers are readers and sometimes we get caught up in the elephant just as much as sleepy high school students. As writers, to create good or even great writing, we have to pay attention to the fleas. We have to pay attention to detail, rather than just the main idea. Whether your story is an Underwater Moon Fantasy (I would be delighted if this became a prominent genre) or Historical Ficiton or Hyper Realism with a dash of more Real, detail is what makes everything believable. Your fight to the death scene isn’t awesome because Emperor Doctor Professor Doom double-punches the hero in the face. It’s the little things that make it, the beads of sweat collecting on the tip of Doomy’s nose that he imagines his cross-eyed reflection in that lead him to question his dastardly deeds or the exact hue of the hero’s lunch as a he vomits from fear of his martyred fate. Ew? Indeed.

What you can do with detail is unlimited as long as you see.

Sharing Books

We read books, we tell our friends about them, we lend them out. You want to borrow one of my books? Sure! No, not that one. That's my copy of Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them. No touch.

There are plenty of books you have read, which you haven't bought. At least, not at first. Your friend lent you her copy of The Night Circus or you borrowed The Sky is Everywhere from your local library. Perhaps you obtained one through a Book Swap. There are tons of ways you can find to read a book without purchasing it straight out.

I'm a member of site called Book Crossing, where people register and release their books, setting them free into the world. Each book has a special number which can be input into the website, where the finder can journal it and see where else it has been. Several active members will send each other a book - or a whole box - by mail and will frequently meet up throughout the year. It's brilliant!

What's the difference between sharing one copy of a book around the world by mail and sharing one copy of a book instantly around the world by the internet? Well, a fair amount. By downloading a specific copy of a book, you are not just sharing it with others but reproducing it. It's no longer one copy but several.

I'm not going to pretend to be perfect or preach or condemn. I'm just going to tell you a story.

On Leap Day I was bored, so I googled the title of one of my friend's books. I came across reviews, interviews, the usual. Then, I stumbled across a different website. Someone was asking if anyone had my friend's book. I thought perhaps this was a book swapping website. Nope.

What I found was a list of, "Does anyone have any of these books?" and responses with direct download links. Next to each link was a number of the amount of times it had been downloaded. 18, 66, 91...on and on.

Some people have been really worried about eBooks. That what happens to music and movies will happen to books. That files will be too easy to share and download and that sales will decrease so much that authors won't be able to go on writing.

Sounds dramatic, yes? Apparently it's not totally implausible. If I searched for a book or author on this website, I almost always found a positive result. I found one book which had been released only the day before and every single book by another author. Yikes.

What did I do? Well, I contacted a couple of authors and six or seven publishers through various means. Out of them all, I've only heard back from one of the authors, who told me that it's nothing new and if you googled her name, hardly anything but piracy links came up. I googled her. Thankfully, she was wrong.

Did what I do make any difference? I have no idea. I'm not even sure if I contacted the right people in the right way. The only publisher I could see that had a Report Piracy link was Hachette. If any others had one, I couldn't find it.

Maybe it matters more because I'm an aspiring author. Maybe I'm just a hypocrite. Still, it sucks.

The people who share these books online aren't doing so in a malicious manner. They're not re-selling the books for profit. They're just eager readers who want to share books they love and let others do the same. There are two common reasons why people might turn to this for a book they want to read.

1. Can't Afford to Buy the Book

You're a book lover. You read a lot. You're keen for that new novel by that author you love. It costs $16 in hardback. Maybe more. Why not get it from the library? Well, it's popular. There are 75 people on the waiting list in front of you. If you're lucky.

2. The Book Isn't Available

You live in New Zealand a country where lots of books just don't make it into stores. If you're lucky, they might have a certain title at your library but once again, there's a waiting list. You could order the book but the shipping costs will be more than the book itself and you want to read the book ASAP before it is somehow spoiled for you.

Books aren't that expensive. If you're willing to download an eBook, you'll know that it's unlikely it will cost anywhere near as much as a hardback copy of the book. Also, there are no shipping costs. There are also other ways to save on money, such as ordering books from The Book Depository where international shipping is free to most countries. Don't forget Book Crossing or Book Swap. There are also several eBooks available for free online which are legal, whether the copyright has run out or the author has just deemed it to be so.

Me? I've never downloaded any eBooks but they have been given to me...or rather shared with me. It seems harmless but when you discover it on a massive scale, it's kind of scary. I don't like using the word "piracy" because that sounds too fancy. Seriously, the only way you would offend someone by calling them a pirate would be if they were Team Ninja.

I'm not perfect but I'd like to be better. It makes me sad to see all of these authors' works just distributed for free at the click of a button. Every book by one specific, very popular author. Writing novels isn't easy.

Thoughts?

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

When the peacemaking Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife are killed, their son, Alek, escapes in the dead of night. With no claim as the heir of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he is still a threat to the Clankers who wish to wage war. Alek must pass as a commoner and hide his true identity if he is to survive.

It isn't long before Clankers meet Darwinists. Unlike the powers of Germany and Austro-Hungary, which revere their machinery, the Darwinists fabricate their ships and weapons - living, breathing war machines. On board the Darwin ship "Leviathan" is Deryn, a girl disguised as a boy. When her and Alek's paths cross, there is more at stake for both of them than ever before.

Will Deryn be revealed for the girl she is and thrown out of the Air Force? Will Alek reach safety before his title is discovered?

With at least three of my close friends having Scott Westerfeld as one of their favourite authors, I knew I was in for a decent read with one of his books. What resulted (while not a "read" on my part, as I listened to the book on audio) was far more spectactular.

Past meets prospective future in this alternate telling of the beginning of World War I. The Darwinists are able to manipulate DNA and fabricate new, extraordinary creatures. The Clankers machinery has risen up to new heights to challenge the designs of the Darwinists. Both sides have inventions which have only been touched upon today but somehow it seems plausible in the reality of 'Leviathan.'

There is never a dull moment in the novel. There is plenty of action throughout and the tension and intrigue is constant. I was gripped by Alek's struggles and fascinated by the Leviathan. It reminded me of something à la Doctor Who, only this creature is the machine. The men work inside of it and its fabricated biological structure is what powers it.

Throwing aside the obvious divide of the oppositions in WWI, I was struck by the moral notions of the Clankers and the Darwinists. Man's love affair with machine is nothing new - bigger, bolder, brazen machines for the Clankers - but the idea of fabricating creatures for the sole purpose of weapons or war ships is something new.

Forget the Germans and forget the British for a moment. Who would you be in a war, a Clanker or a Darwinist? I have to admit I found the Leviathan and the other beasties far more intriguing than the walkers but I'm the sort of person who gets miffed by people who use dogs and horses as tools for their own gain. Even so, I was fascinated by the concept and the contrast between Deryn and Alek's worlds.

The real reason I finally got into this book when it had been dangled in front of my eyes so many times was because I was reeled in by the audio book narration. Alan Cumming narrates 'Leviathan' brilliantly. Not only because of his excellence with the characters' accents but also because he nails Alek and Deryn's narrative voices, which are quite distinct despite the book being written in third person.

One thing the physical copy of the book has which the audio book doesn't is the illustrations by Keith Thompson. Thus, I popped into my local book store to take a gander. I was interested to see how certain characters were depicted by Thompson, particularly Count Volger, Dr. Barlow and Tazza.

The illustrations were stunning. With every image I knew which part of the story it was from, without checking the chapter. It clarified the depictions of some of the beasties, including the Leviathan. Seeing the characters walk inside it, with the ribs arching above them, was remarkable.

There is an afterword in the novel from the author. I can only assume that on the audio book it is him speaking, since it isn't Cumming. It was fascinating to learn all the elements of the story that are factual or partly factual. For instance, the true background of the Austro-Hungarian royals and the existence of the Tasmanian tiger, to name only a couple of things mentioned in the afterword.

I am eager for the next installment, 'Behemoth', although there is no doubt of my forsaking Thompson's marvelous illustrations in favour of Cumming's narration.

In accordance with the FTC, Quill Café would like to disclose that the reviewer purchased this book. The opinions expressed are hers alone and no monetary compensation was offered to her by the author or publisher. Cover art is copyright of Simon Pulse and is used solely as an aide to the review.